text: OverviewBack to top Intensive Nutrition, Inc. - Folixor Folate Solution - 0.5 oz. Item# :110853UPC# :891116000066 Brand:Intensive Nutrition, Inc. Size/Form:0.50 oz. Ship Weight:0.11 Intensive Nutrition, Inc. Folixor Folate Solution - 0.5 oz (14ml) Intensive Nutrition, Inc. Folixor Folate Solution provides 500 mcg of potassium folate solution per drop, 210 mg of folate per bottle. High potency, highest purity grade (99.9% purity), excellent absorption & convenient! Potassium folate is a unique delivery of folic acid and provides folic acid stability and superior absorption buccally. As Folixor Liquid contains 500 mcg per drop, it is suitable for those individuals who desire an effective yet smaller dosage of daily folic acid. Who should consider Folixor Liquid?Folic Acid supplementation is essential for all women of child bearing age. Folic Acid may have additional applications for: cervical health, cognition, oral hygiene (see below). Folixor liquid is a very convenient and easy way to meet folic acid supplementation requirements. Take it with you while you travel or take it to work and leave it in your desk drawer. Folixor Liquid and Oral HygienceDirect Folic Acid application to gums and oral cavity has been shown to support periodontal health. Folixor Liquid supports periodontal health by its direct application onto the gum area and gum line. Folixor® Liquid may also be combined with water and used as a mouth rinse. What does Folic Acid do?Folic Acid is B Vitamin and functions in a fashion similar to that of Vitamin B12. It aids in red blood cell production, and helps break-down and utilize protein. It is essential for DNA & RNA synthesis and thus important for healthy cell division and replication. For expectant mothers, it helps prevent neural tube defects. Folic Acid helps to protect us from heart disease because it helps to reduce concentration of artery clogging amino acid, homocysteine. It works synergistically with B12. Who should consider this formula? Folic Acid supplementation is essential for all women of child bearing age. It supports heart health as an antagonist to artery-clogging amino acid, homocysteine. Folic Acid may have additional applications for: cervical health, mental health/acuity, oral hygiene. Why is Folixor a better folic acid supplement? Intensive Nutrition's Folixor formulas are under-the-tongue, meaning that they are absorbed bucally. Generally, buccal absorption is superior because it ensures maximum absorption. Folixor also contains folinic acid, the "body ready" form of folic acid which means that it is more bioavailable or better absorbed than basic folate. Folixor contains adjuvants Vitamin C, Vitamin B12 and Leucine which support folate activity. What about 5-methyl-tetrahydrofolate? Why is this not in Folixor? Methyl-tetrahydrofolate is the most bioavailable form of folate, however, there are several studies which indicate that the action of 5-methyl-tetrahydrofolate is not superior to that of folic acid, in fact they seem to work just as well as each other. In addition, certain genotypes seem to prefer folic acid to methyl. As folic acid and folinic is considerably less expensive than 5-methyl but just as if not more effective when delivered bucally, we therefore use folic acid and folinic acid to make Folixor™ cost-effective and affordable for our customers. Interactions/Precautions Folic Acid 1 mg of folic acid is considered the UTL dosage of folic acid and should be used with physician supervision. Folic Acid supplementation may mask B12 deficiency and/or pernicious anemia; please consult your physician if you are concerned about B12 and consider our liquid Folixor supplement at 500mcg per drop. Why is "under-the tongue" or sublinqual absorption preferable?Buccal absorption ensures maximum bioavailability. Folic acid is absorbed by the blood capillaries of the mouth where it is then deposited directly into the bloodstream, bypassing the stomach. Folic acid taken orally and then swallowed is often quickly destroyed by digestive acids of the stomach leaving little for the body to utilize. What is Folinic Acid? What about 5-methyl?Folinic Acid is 5-formyl-tetrahydrofolate, a "body ready" form of folic acid. This means that folinic acid is more easily processed by the body because the body can turn it into an active or usable form of folate. 5-methyl-tetrahydrofolate is another form of body-ready folic acid that offers good bioavailability but one recent study has shown that this more expensive version works just as well as folic acid in most cases. About Intensive Nutrition For more than 40 years and spanning two family generations, Intensive Nutritionhas brought the CAM community nutritional excellence. Intensive Nutritionis proud to continue to provide exceptional products and thanks you, their valued customers, for their success. To those that are new to them , let them welcome you to the Intensive Nutritionfamily. Please feel free to contact them directly with any questions that you may have. Their Heritage Intensive Nutrition Inc.was founded in 1968 as Scientific Consulting Service, by Dr. Bela Balogh (PhD, Biochemist). Initially, Dr. Balogh consulted oncologists and other health professionals on nutrition, and helped develop nutritional programs for patients. His consulting led to full-scale product development, and soon thereafter, the development of the Intensive Nutritionline and a company name change. Intensive NutritionInc. continues the SCS tradition of customer education, and, as its name suggests, focuses on the manufacture of scientifically backed, vigorously researched dietary supplements that are unique in their composition and efficacy. It is particularly important to manufacture products that work with the body's biochemical processes and as a consequence of their commitment to this goal, Intensive Nutritionsupplements exhibit the highest bioavailability. Quality, Efficacy, Education & ServiceIntensive Nutrition focuses on high quality, bioavailability (efficacy), customer education and superior customer service. For example: INI products are manufactured in-house at their San Leandro, California facility which allows us exceptional access to all levels of the manufacturing process at every point in the manufacturing process. INI products are manufactured according to the standards set forth by the U.S. Pharmacopeia The majority of their raw materials are certified KOSHER and they conduct raw material testing to ensure product quality and efficacy. Many of their products have undergone solubility testing to ensure bioavailability and efficacy. Their product literature available online and via mail is written for ease of understanding by both laypersons and health professionals. They make sure that all of their customers are well-informed about their products and their uses. Their Client Service representatives are also well-educated about their product line. They always have a "real" person available for someone to talk to, and, return all emails within 24 hours, most often sooner. Their Director, Olivia Melaugh, is available to customers as "Ask Olivia" where she will answer all product questions by email or phone. She is also available to consult on dietary regimens (a complimentary service). The Intensive Nutrition Advantage Not all nutritional supplements are the same. There are several key factors that go into creating superior dietary supplements: high quality raw materials, precision compounding, bioavailability and low microbial content (extended shelf life). They at Intensive Nutrition focus on these four elements in the manufacture of their product line and as a consequence, have successfully served both their professional and private customers faithfully for almost 40 years. Raw Materials: Good ingredients are crucialIntensive Nutrition uses only the highest quality raw materials from reputable raw material vendors. Throughout their 40 years in the industry, they have established many long-term relationships with raw material suppliers and have, as a consequence, access to and can request only the best from their sources. To ensure quality, they rely on the analysis certificate from their suppliers for identification and then verify the certificate with their own testing performed at their in-house laboratory facility. They conduct solubility testing, melting point and infrared testing on their raw materials as well as on some of their finished products.Manufacturing MethodsManufacturing, like cooking, is an art. The manner in which raw materials are combined, that is, how they are compounded, significantly impacts a products' efficacy and bioavailability. For example, it takes approximately two months for Intensive Nutrition to manufacture a single batch of their Professional Multivitamins, Multi-VM and Mega-VM. At the earliest stage, fat and water soluble materials are separated and then later combined at specific intervals. The mixture is dried, the tablets manufactured and then dried and water coated over several weeks. What results are pristine tablets without paint coating that, as a consequence of their manufacture, are able to target the small intestine when ingested (what they call "target release") and exert superior bioavailability. Their multivitamins, like their entire product line, are subject to precision compounding methods which ensures stability, efficacy and bioavailability of the product.Bioavailability: Product efficacyWhat is bioavailability? Bioavailability is a term used in pharmacology. It essentially defines the extent to which a compound reaches systemic (all over) circulation and is available to the body at the point of absorption. For dietary supplements, Intensive Nutrition uses the term bioavailability to define products that have been manufactured for maximum absorption by the body. Intravenous delivery offers 100% bioavailability, however, as dietary supplements can not be delivered in this manner (without being classified as drugs), Intensive Nutrition strives to come as close as possible to maximum bioavailability by defining method of delivery and/or product composition. For example, Intensive Nutrition manufactures Vitamin B12 hydroxycobalamin & methylcobalamin as "under-the-tongue" or sublingual supplements. Under-the-tongue delivery, or buccal delivery, is very important for Vitamin B12 because it is easily destroyed by stomach acids. Buccal absorption, absorption through the cheek, allows for B12 to become absorbed directly into the bloodstream, bypassing the stomach. To enhance absorption further, Intensive Nutrition adds betacyclodextrin to its hydroxycobalamin formula in addition to folic acid. In its 3 mg methylcobalamin formula, INI has added 1 mg of folic acid to create a complete and comprehensive B12 supplement. Another product, Intensive Nutrition's Folixor folic acid, exemplifies how unique composition leads to superior bioavailability. Folixor, a high potency folate, is under-the-tongue and also contains other nutrient adjuvants (B12, B6 and Vitamin C). However, what makes Folixor a truly exception folic acid supplement is the addition of L-Leucine, and amino acid that surprisingly boosts absorption! Shelf-Life: Low microbial contentDue to their immense nutrient content, vitamins (specifically multivitamins) are always susceptible to bacterial contamination. Intensive Nutrition ensures long-term shelf life for its products by utilizing precise compounding methods (as described above) and by adhering to the strictest standards of cleanliness in its manufacturing facility. In their facility they maintain a library of product batches from which they repeatedly test to ensure that existing and past batches meet efficacy and quality standards. All products and batches have expiration dates and they guarantee 2 years shelf life after date of manufacture (not including enzymes, specifically, SOD). Choose Intensive NutritionWith so many supplements on the market today, it's difficult to know which to choose. Many companies offer unbeatable prices when it comes to vitamins and others make fantastic promises and claims. Labels make it clear to the consumer what product they are purchasing, but it is still unknown to them how effective or safe the product may be. The uncertainty factor in supplement shopping makes it clear that a customer should choose a brand that they can trust. They at Intensive Nutrition understand that quality, bioavailability and manufacturing procedures make the difference in a supplement. Their products are manufactured with the biochemical pathways of the body in mind, and you can always trust their products to be the best & cost-effective.


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I wrote this guest post for Andrew at Eating Rules for October Unprocessed. After I wrote it, I thought it would be a great post for our readers, too. I think it's fascinating how we came to rely on white flour and how our society shifted gears in such a short time to use such a processed ingredient in almost everything we eat.
White Flour is, at the same time, one of the most coveted ingredients for baking in the world and the nemesis of health conscious eaters everywhere. White flour is the ever-present ingredient in processed foods and, probably, the single most consumed processed food in the United States (although high fructose corn syrup might give it a run for its money). Andrew asked me to explain how white flour is made, why it might be bleached and enriched, and why whole grains are a far superior choice for your health.
First, a short history lesson:
So what's the deal with white flour anyway? How did we end up eating solely nutritionally deplete flour? White flour first appeared in appreciable quantity in the late 1800's with the industrial revolution. Whole wheat flour has a short shelf life; after all, it contains the germ and bran which can cause rancidity. Steam mills came with the age of industry, allowing a lot of flour to be produced quickly and transported all over the country. At the time- flour meant whole wheat flour, which will last only about 6 to 9 months before spoiling. To solve this short shelf life problem, millers began sifting out the germ and bran to increase the life for their flour.
In the beginning, white flour was a food of the elite. It was consumed by those with money and those in urban areas. As industry made it cheaper to produce, it became cheaper to buy. Lower income consumers imitated the wealthy and, within a few short years, white flour was the standard for everyone.
If you know that white flour is made from wheat, you're one step ahead of a lot of people- truly, I'm not joking. White flour is made by separating the bran and the germ from the endosperm of the grain of wheat. That's not really as complicated as it sounds- it is simply ground (typically on a high-speed, steel roller mill) and sifted to remove the fluffy white from the heavier brown. The sifting repeats until all that is left is white, fluffy flour. Fine flours, such as cake flour, are sifted more heavily. For a more in depth description, check out this awesome video from Discovery: How It's Made Flour.
Bleaching, Bromating and Enriching:
Often you see two types of white flour- unbleached and bleached. Bleaching is done quite simply to make flour that is truly white. Without it, white flour has a slightly off-white color. When white flour was hitting its peak- bleaching was popular to make the whitest cakes and whitest bread possible. While bleaching has become far less popular, it can still be found in many large flour brands and in most processed food.
Potassium Bromate is an enrichment added to help develop the gluten (protein) in baking. It strengthens the dough and encourages rising. Most manufacturers of flour no longer use this enrichment because research has indicated it to be a carcinogen. While it is outright banned in the United Kingdom, the FDA has not banned bromate from use in the United States, though they strongly discourage bakers from using it. Today, most manufacturers of white flour add Malted Barley Flour to bolster their flour. Malted Barley Flour is quite simply barley that has been sprouted, dried and ground into flour.
Other enrichments required by law for conventional white flour include folic acid, niacin, iron, thiamin and riboflavin. These vitamins were originally required by law (circa 1940) to help solve health issues caused by diets deficient in these essential nutrients. These nutrients are naturally found in whole wheat flour and are removed when the germ and bran are removed. Funny, isn't it? That the government requires us to add enrichment to flour that would have been just fine had it been left whole. With so many Americans relying on white flour, though, it was necessary to help prevent things like neural tube defects in unborn babies.
In the United States, you cannot enrich organic flours- so if you want to skip the added vitamins, go organic. Alternately, in Canada, all white flour must be enriched- regardless of its organic status.
Go whole grain, but know before you buy:
Many of the giant flour manufacturers in the United States do not grind whole wheat flour from the whole grain. Instead, they separate all three parts of the wheat grain and recombine them to produce whole wheat flour. It's far cheaper to produce this way because the majority of their business is in white flour. This is completely legal in the United States and qualifies to be called whole grain. Investigate the source of your whole wheat flour before you buy.
That's the short version of a very long story about how America became reliant on enriched white flour. For your good health, start switching to whole grain flours such as whole wheat and spelt in your baked goods, choose pasta made with whole wheat flour and pick brown rice over white rice. The nutrients naturally found in whole grains make enrichment unnecessary. Whole grains are packed with fiber and offer variety in flavor and texture. A cookie made with whole wheat pastry flour tastes as good, if not better, than one made with white flour and your conscience can rest easy knowing you fed your family something healthier.
WOW Chocolate Chip Cookies
Recipe developed by Chelsea Lincoln, author of Flavor Vegan
- 1/2 cup Margarine (Non-hydrogenated)
- 1/3 cup Oil
- 1-1/2 cups Evaporated Cane Juice Sugar
- 2/3 cup Milk (Soy, Rice, Cow)
- 2 tsp Vanilla
- 2-1/2 cups Whole Wheat Pastry Flour
- 1-1/4 cups Regular Rolled Oats
- 1 tsp Baking Powder
- 1 tsp Baking Soda
- 1/2 cup Walnuts- Baker's Pieces
- 1/2 cup Chocolate Chips*
Cream together margarine, oil and sugar until very well blended. Add in milk and vanilla and blend. In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, oats, baking powder and soda. Stir dry ingredients into wet ingredients. When half blended, add in the walnuts and chocolate chips. Mix everything until just blended, careful not to over mix. Refrigerate for 20 minutes. Place by the tablespoon on a greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350°F for about 10 minutes. Makes 2 dozen cookies.
*To make these truly unprocessed for October Unprocessed, use Enjoy Life Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips or break up your favorite unsweetened chocolate bar (just be sure to watch out for that pesky soy lecithin); choose to use applesauce or mashed bananas for the margarine and be sure to select an unprocessed oil, such as olive oil or coconut oil.

subset: commoncrawl


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12 U.S. Code § 1701q–2 - Grants for conversion of elderly housing to assisted living facilities and other purposes
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(a) Grant authority
The Secretary of Housing and Urban Development may make grants in accordance with this section to owners of eligible projects described in subsection (b) of this section for one or both of the following activities:
(1) Repairs
Substantial capital repairs to projects that are needed to rehabilitate, modernize, or retrofit aging structures, common areas, or individual dwelling units.
(2) Conversion
(A) Assisted living facilities
Activities designed to convert dwelling units in the eligible project to assisted living facilities for elderly persons.
(b) Eligible projects
An eligible project described in this subsection is a multifamily housing project that is—
(2) owned by a private nonprofit organization (as such term is defined in section 1701q of this title); and
Notwithstanding any other provision of this subsection or this section, an unused or underutilized commercial property may be considered an eligible project under this subsection, except that the Secretary may not provide grants under this section for more than three such properties. For any such projects, any reference under this section to dwelling units shall be considered to refer to the premises of such properties.
(c) Applications
Applications for grants under this section shall be submitted to the Secretary in accordance with such procedures as the Secretary shall establish. Such applications shall contain—
(1) a description of the substantial capital repairs or the proposed conversion activities for either an assisted living facility or service-enriched housing for which a grant under this section is requested;
(2) the amount of the grant requested to complete the substantial capital repairs or conversion activities;
(3) a description of the resources that are expected to be made available, if any, in conjunction with the grant under this section; and
(d) Requirements for services
(1) Sufficient evidence of firm funding commitments
The Secretary may not make a grant under this section for conversion activities unless an application for a grant submitted pursuant to subsection (c) contains sufficient evidence, in the determination of the Secretary, of firm commitments for the funding of services to be provided in the assisted living facility or service-enriched housing, which may be provided by third parties.
(2) Required evidence
The Secretary shall require evidence that each recipient of a grant for service-enriched housing under this section provides relevant and timely disclosure of information to residents or potential residents of such housing relating to—
(A) the services that will be available at the property to each resident, including—
(iii) the identity of, and relevant information for, all agencies or organizations providing any services to residents, which agencies or organizations shall provide information regarding all procedures and requirements to obtain services, any charges or rates for the services, and the rights and responsibilities of the residents related to those services;
(e) Selection criteria
The Secretary shall select applications for grants under this section based upon selection criteria, which shall be established by the Secretary and shall include—
(1) in the case of a grant for substantial capital repairs, the extent to which the project to be repaired is in need of such repair, including such factors as the age of improvements to be repaired, and the impact on the health and safety of residents of failure to make such repairs;
(2) in the case of a grant for conversion activities, the extent to which the conversion is likely to provide assisted living facilities or service-enriched housing that are needed or are expected to be needed by the categories of elderly persons that the assisted living facility [1] service-enriched housing is intended to serve, with a special emphasis on very low-income elderly persons who need assistance with activities of daily living;
(3) the inability of the applicant to fund the repairs or conversion activities from existing financial resources, as evidenced by the applicant's financial records, including assets in the applicant's residual receipts account and reserves for replacement account;
(4) the extent to which the applicant has evidenced community support for the repairs or conversion, by such indicators as letters of support from the local community for the repairs or conversion and financial contributions from public and private sources;
(5) in the case of a grant for conversion activities, the extent to which the applicant demonstrates a strong commitment to promoting the autonomy and independence of the elderly persons that the assisted living facility or service-enriched housing is intended to serve;
(6) in the case of a grant for conversion activities, the quality, completeness, and managerial capability of providing the services which the assisted living facility or service-enriched housing intends to provide to elderly residents, especially in such areas as meals, 24-hour staffing, and on-site health care; and
(f) Section 8 project-based assistance
(1) Eligibility
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a multifamily project which includes one or more dwelling units that have been converted to assisted living facilities or service-enriched housing using grants made under this section shall be eligible for project-based assistance under section 8 of the United States Housing Act of 1937 [42 U.S.C. 1437f], in the same manner in which the project would be eligible for such assistance but for the assisted living facilities or service-enriched housing in the project.
(2) Calculation of rent
For assistance pursuant to this subsection, the maximum monthly rent of a dwelling unit that is an assisted living facility or service-enriched housing with respect to which assistance payments are made shall not include charges attributable to services relating to assisted living.
(g) Definitions
For purposes of this section—
(1) the term "assisted living facility" has the meaning given such term in section 1715w (b) of this title;
(2) the term "service-enriched housing" means housing that—
(A) makes available through licensed or certified third party service providers supportive services to assist the residents in carrying out activities of daily living, such as bathing, dressing, eating, getting in and out of bed or chairs, walking, going outdoors, using the toilet, laundry, home management, preparing meals, shopping for personal items, obtaining and taking medication, managing money, using the telephone, or performing light or heavy housework, and which may make available to residents home health care services, such as nursing and therapy;
(B) includes the position of service coordinator, which may be funded as an operating expense of the property;
(C) provides separate dwelling units for residents, each of which contains a full kitchen and bathroom and which includes common rooms and other facilities appropriate for the provision of supportive services to the residents of the housing; and
(h) Authorization of appropriations
There is authorized to be appropriated for providing grants under this section such sums as may be necessary for fiscal year 2000.
[1] So in original. Probably should be followed by "or".
[2] See References in Text note below.
Source(Pub. L. 86–372, title II, § 202b, as added and amended Pub. L. 106–74, title V, §§ 522, 523(b),Oct. 20, 1999, 113 Stat. 1103, 1105; Pub. L. 111–372, title III, § 301,Jan. 4, 2011, 124 Stat. 4082.)
References in Text
Section 1701 (q)(k) of this title, referred to in subsec. (g)(3), probably should be a reference to section 202(k) of this Act, which is classified to section 1701q (k) of this title.
Section was enacted as part of the Housing Act of 1959, and not as part of the National Housing Act which comprises this chapter.
2011—Pub. L. 111–372, § 301(a), inserted "and other purposes" after "assisted living facilities" in section catchline.
Subsec. (a)(2). Pub. L. 111–372, § 301(b), designated existing provisions as subpar. (A), inserted heading, and added subpar. (B).
Subsec. (c)(1). Pub. L. 111–372, § 301(c), inserted "for either an assisted living facility or service-enriched housing" after "activities".
Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 111–372, § 301(d), amended subsec. (d) generally. Prior to amendment, text read as follows: "The Secretary may not make a grant under this section for conversion activities unless the application contains sufficient evidence, in the determination of the Secretary, of firm commitments for the funding of services to be provided in the assisted living facility, which may be provided by third parties."
Subsec. (e)(2). Pub. L. 111–372, § 301(e)(1), inserted "or service-enriched housing" after "facilities" and "service-enriched housing" after "facility".
Subsec. (e)(5). Pub. L. 111–372, § 301(e)(2), inserted "or service-enriched housing" after "facility".
Subsec. (e)(6). Pub. L. 111–372, § 301(e)(3), inserted "or service-enriched housing" after "facility".
Subsec. (f)(1). Pub. L. 111–372, § 301(f)(1), inserted "or service-enriched housing" after "facilities" in two places.
Subsec. (f)(2). Pub. L. 111–372, § 301(f)(2), inserted "or service-enriched housing" after "facility".
Subsec. (g). Pub. L. 111–372, § 301(g), amended subsec. (g) generally. Prior to amendment, subsec. (g) related to definitions for purposes of this section.
1999—Subsecs. (f) to (h). Pub. L. 106–74added subsec. (f) and redesignated former subsecs. (f) and (g) as (g) and (h), respectively.
LII has no control over and does not endorse any external Internet site that contains links to or references LII.


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This game was classified by the community with the following category scores - Violence=1/3, Sex=0/3, Mature Content=0/3. Little Monsters have started appearing everywhere, and now they're starting to run riot. You must carefully place your bombs to blast them! This Physics puzzler will provide you with a fun challenge. 6 different types of Monster, ranging from the cute little Fuzzle, to the obnoxious Bloater. A range of other obstacles such as exploding barrels and melting ice will certainly to keep you busy.
Buy Xbox content on Xbox.com. Your Xbox 360 console will automatically download the content next time you turn it on and connect to Xbox Live.Learn More


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Ticket sales are currently not available for this venue.
Have you ever looked at a couple and wondered how they met? Have you ever wondered what it would be like to re-meet your current love puppet? How fate and chance conspired to bring two people together, and what hi-jinks they had along the way?
Wonder no more, as Chasing Endings turns back the clock in COUPLED, a fully-improvised show that explores how the paths of two total strangers came to intersect and intertwine. In less than an hour, you'll see the individual journeys that brought these two together, accompanied by music, whimsy, and completely made up on the spot. Order a drink and join us each Friday evening at midnight for a different laughter-filled, love-infused, serendipitous adventure, from March 15 - May 3. Grab your lover, your friend, or your hopelessly romantic self and get ready to be COUPLED!
Featuring: Annelyse Ahmad, Sarah Albritton, Tyler Davis, Travis Fleming, Justin Hamby, Laura Marsh, Seth Origitano, and Jakob Schaeffer
Director and Producer: Ren Bautista
Assistant Director: Bethany Hubbard
Musical Director: Matt Griffo
Friday, 12am, March 15, 22, 29, April 12, 19, 26, May 3
Tickets: $10


text: Politics 13 September 2012 Reconnecting the power supply The full text of Matthew Taylor's annual lecture at the RSA. Sign up for our weekly email * Even during a double dip recession, in international and historical terms, Britain in 2012 is a rich country with capacity to become richer. Yet today hundreds of thousands of older citizens will fail to receive the level of care they need to enjoy dignity, let alone a reasonable quality of life; the individual prospects of British children will continue to depend more on class background than ability or merit; an estimated six million people who want full time jobs are without them, and despite our best intentions, we are still far from working out how to live within the limits scientists think we should set as a matter of global emergency on carbon emissions. There are as many reasons to believe these problems will get worse as that they will get better. Most of us would like to live in a more caring, socially just, economically dynamic and environmentally responsible country. The challenge is to close the gap between our aspirations and the trajectory on which current thinking and action places us. But to do this we need to think afresh about social power, where it comes from and how it might be rekindled. Responding to population ageing, increasing social mobility and achieving environmental sustainability are examples of what some analysts call 'wicked' issues. They have complex causes, multiple stakeholders and in the foreseeable future they are unlikely to be fully 'solved'. Most importantly, while most policy interventions seek merely to adapt an aspect of underlying patterns of public attitudes and behaviour, significant progress on wicked issues may demand much more far-reaching changes in social norms, expectations and capabilities. It is more than fifty years since John F Kennedy's injunction: 'And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you — ask what you can do for your country'. In the decades since, our understanding of what drives citizens to do the right thing has advanced. Insights from behavioural economics, social psychology and social marketing led in 2008 to the Prime Minister's Strategy Unit publishing a paper exploring 'culture change', looking at how to encourage healthy eating, educational participation and environmental responsibility. David Cameron's concept of the Big Society also focused on encouraging people to act together for social good, particularly at the neighborhood level. But the Big Society idea has floundered and, rather than engaging with deeper systemic challenges, the insights emerging from Whitehall's focus on behaviour change remain at the margins of policy-making. The impression is of politicians gingerly prodding, but failing fully to confront, a wider problem of social aspiration. The lens through issues are viewed can be telling. A recent report on failing care for frail old people in hospital blamed managers and lack of compassion in nurses. Yet neglect is more likely when a vulnerable person has no advocate. The problem is, therefore, not just about public service standards but also the isolation of many older people; an issue which goes to much wider questions about society and our responsibilities to each other. A facile debate about social mobility focuses almost entirely on how to get talented poor people to be upwardly mobile (even though this may simply concentrate disadvantage in those left behind), but questions about the characteristics of a just society or the fierce resistance of the privileged to downward mobility are avoided. Because significant progress on wicked issues involves challenges to current ways of thinking and current ways of perceiving our best interests, it seems hard even to debate these issues openly and honestly. Social pessimism Nearly two decades after Kennedy's inaugural speech, in a powerful but now largely forgotten Presidential address, Jimmy Carter alerted his country to a phenomenon new to the modern era – most people thought America would get worse not better in the future. At the time Ronald Reagan and others attacked Carter's concern as being 'un-American' but in the decades since speech social pessimism (contrasting with higher, albeit somewhat unrealistic, personal optimism) has tended to deepen across the West. People explain their gloom in terms of specific grievances, a sense of unfairness or disillusionment with politicians: but is there something more fundamental at play? Conventional politics focuses almost exclusively on arguments over who should have power and how it should be used. Social pessimism is a symptom of a deeper feeling of powerlessness, the focus of this article; not only that the power to make society stronger isn't being used effectively, but that there simply isn't enough constructive power available to tackle some of the most important and difficult issues. Instead the power we have seems more suited to blocking change. Political systems are silted up by vested interests and a determination among interest groups and better off citizens to protect assets accumulated in earlier, easier, times. Defined simply, power is the capacity to achieve desired objectives. It can be expressed in various ways; through coercion, explicit persuasion or an ability to shape norms and assumptions. We can also think of social power having three distinct forms: first, the downward power of hierarchical authority associated most strongly with the state; second, the lateral power of solidarity and shared values generally associated with the idea of community; and third, the upward power of individual aspirations, which tends to be associated with markets. Wicked problems are by definition both tough and multi-faceted so we need to draw on all these forms of social power to tackle them. When progress seems impossible, we revert to a fourth way of thinking about power and change; fatalism. Across history different ways of viewing and exercising power have been more or less dominant. For example, despite some commercial hotspots and occasional outbursts of solidaristic rebellion such as the Peasants' Revolt, the medieval period was characterised by a combination of religiously fatalism and feudal hierarchy. In the wake of the reformation, the 17th century Golden Age of the Netherlands saw a powerful combination of forces create an unprecedented flowering of prosperity, culture and scientific inquiry; an effective devolved form of governance, strong solidaristic bonds of nationalism and faith (in the face of threats from Spain and nature) and the ambition of an emerging merchant class whose acquisitive industry was legitimised by Calvinism. In the twentieth century the decades after the Second World War also saw substantial gains in economic growth and social provision, as the confident bureaucracies of big government and big corporations crafted the modern welfare state and mixed economy while social liberalism and consumerism offered unprecedented individual freedom. This era came to an end as the oil crisis of the seventies exposed both the frailty of many Western economies and the perceived failings of large welfare states. Since then, British society has come to be dominated by different ways of perceiving and exercising power. Power shortage As we saw in the wake of the credit crunch, and in other emergencies, there are many times when only decisive top down leadership will suffice, but beyond such exigencies, hierarchical authority is beset by doubt. From MPs to bankers, from the Catholic church to newspaper editors, those in authority have seen their behaviours subject to aggressive scrutiny and have been found wanting. Whilst there is a danger in exaggerating previous levels of faith in politicians, the 2012 Annual Edelman Trust Survey found the proportion of people inclined to trust government across 18 countries had fallen to a new low of just 38%. Several factors combine to generate this loss of faith. First, after the growth of the post war decades of full employment, rising family incomes and social wages, the current economic and fiscal crisis is exacerbating long standing problems of high unemployment and stagnant living standards for most workers. In the corporate sector too the rate at which big companies fail or lose their reputations is also accelerating, while the post war employers' promise of a job for life and secure pension have long since been abandoned. Second, post war affluence, rising levels of education, innovation in consumer markets and mass migration have all contributed to changes in the make-up of the public and in its norms and aspirations. The result is a more complex society and a public with more differentiated needs, more gains to protect and more personalised expectations. Finally, information technology has now increased the pressure: easier accessibility to information, the importance of flat networks and the speed of on-line mobilisation all represent challenges to top-heavy bureaucracies. What about the second form of power; social solidarity? Private affluence, population mobility, mass-cultural exchange and most of all social diversity are implicated in the decline of solidaristic institutions and impulses. For 99% of our time of earth it has made sense for human beings to trust people they know and who are like them more than those who are different and unknown. A wealth of evidence from social psychology shows this instinct continues to be powerful even in those with the most inclusive and liberal of worldviews. So it is hardly surprising in an ever more footloose and diverse world to find evidence of falling levels of trust in strangers, particularly in areas which have become rapidly more diverse. The last thirty years have seen a rapid decline in active membership and even nominal allegiance to a set of civic institutions such as the organised church, trade unions and political parties all of which offered 'congregational' spaces and opportunities for cooperative actions across significant boundaries of interest and identity. Also important have been changes in class: A fracturing both of working class communities, most vividly illustrated by the shift of social housing from a mainstream tenure of choice to a residual sector for people without work, and of the middle class as the most well off have detached themselves into a global elite. In contrast, to the declining power of authority and solidarity, individualism is the strongest force of our times, but it is of a form that is problematic not just for society – driving inequality and unsustainable levels of consumption - but also for the individual. While many indicators point to social progress, for example, rising life expectancies and a greater tolerance of diversity, there are others, such as the incidence of diseases of overconsumption and of mental illness, which can be seen as evidence of the pathologies of consumerist individualism. Furthermore, a wealth of behavioural research has not only shattered the economists' myth of utility-maximising rational man, but challenged many of the 'common sense' self-perceptions which feed narrow individualism. Research shows, for example, that most people systematically exaggerate their intellectual consistency, their talents and their virtues. A number of overlapping explanations have been offered for the dominance of this kind of individualism, but the problem may not be so much with individualism itself: personal ambition and self-confidence are the corollaries of achievement and enterprise, and concern for the unique individual is at the heart of much religion doctrine as well as the human rights movement. But individualism unrestrained by the bonds of social obligation and the constraints of wise hierarchy is prone to myopia, hubris and self destruction. In the absence of countervailing forces that fatalism that has filled the gap in our view of society and its possibilities. It is this combination – individualism and fatalism in the context of a loss of faith in hierarchy and a loss of solidaristic capacity – which gives rise to the trend toward social pessimism. Clumsy solutions The relationship between the different forms of, and perspectives on, social power is the focus of a group of researchers drawing on the work of the anthropologist Mary Douglas. Under the unhelpful banner of 'Cultural Theory' they argue that when it comes to complex and contested change, the hierarchical, solidaristic, individualistic and fatalistic perspectives are ever-present as competing diagnoses, dispositions and prescriptions. Each form of power has distinctive qualities. The strategic capacity of hierarchical approaches are set in the balance against a tendency to be controlling; solidaristic cultures foster selflessness but can also breed insularity and sectarianism; individualism is creative and dynamic but can also be selfish and irresponsible. Exponents of cultural theory make the case for 'clumsy solutions', which combine the three purposive forms of power whilst recognising the ubiquity of fatalism. Rather than seeking to resolve or suppress the inherent tensions between different ways of seeing and exercising power, by acknowledging and working with those tensions clumsy solutions are designed to be both more holistic and resilient. Organisations or strategies which rely on only two of the three active forces of change are likely to be sub-optimal in the face of complexity. For example, public sector organisations tend to have strong hierarchical and solidaristic tendencies but find it difficult to value or develop the capacity for risk taking and innovation associated with individualism. One-dimensional cultures or approaches are inflexible and prone to collapse. An example is provided by the intense individualism of investment banks. Not only did these institutions eschew any sense of value-based solidarity, but the pace and scale of the transactions carried out by individual brokers defied effective hierarchical oversight. At the other extreme, an historical study of communes (avowedly solidaristic institutions) found poor survival rates except where strict rules and obligations were enforced, presumably by some form of hierarchy. The failure of the Soviet empire can be seen as a case study in the pathologies of a predominantly hierarchical culture (belying its solidaristic claims). Cultural theory implies two intersecting routes to greater ambition in the face of wicked issues: fostering forms of hierarchy, solidarity and individualism which better fit 21st century challenges and combining these into clumsy solutions. A number of examples suggest how this approach might have helped policy makers achieve greater success, or avoided strategic errors. The progress made by the last Government in pursuit of its ambitious goal of eradicating child poverty should not be underestimated. However, not only could more progress have been expected given the benign economic and fiscal environment, but a noble and transformative objective, which could have tapped into social solidarity and individual aspiration, was presented as something government could solve alone. A contrasting narrowness is illustrated by David Cameron's Big Society appeal to new forms of solidarity and social responsibility. Important reasons for the idea's loss of credibility were the absence of a coherent model of change for government or any explanation of why individuals might be expected suddenly to become civic activists. Crossing both parties the approach taken to economic policy up to the credit crunch– from fawning over financial capitalism to encouraging mass property speculation - not only assumed but encouraged a form of narrow individualism and in so doing largely ignored the economic role of social solidarity and national industrial strategy (factors present in countries which have fared better through and since the crisis). In contrast, a clumsy approach to the wicked problem of providing for a growing frail elderly population would seek to mobilise all the forms of social power. The national and local state, and other agencies working through hierarchical channels, would frame the issue to inspire, engage and educate and thus provide a rationale for difficult strategic policy choices (funding long term care, better targeting benefits and tax breaks). Furthermore, hierarchical interventions would be painstakingly designed so as not to crowd out but to enhance the scope for solidarity (inter-generational and local) and individualism (personal responsibility) to contribute to a new social settlement. However, while the sources of social power on which a clumsy solutions should draw are clear, it is, as we have seen, less clear that these sources of power are currently fit for purpose. Power renewal The contemporary frailties of hierarchy (in terms of performance, trust, responsiveness) demand a different form of leadership, combining clarity and ambition towards priority social ends with openness and flexibility in relation to policy means. Exploring this topic Professor Keith Grint has argued for leadership that is; 'about questions not answers', 'relationship not structures' and 'reflection not reaction'. Authority today must be earned in new ways. Modern politicians excuse a lack of clarity or courage by referring the vagaries of public opinion or the vested interest within their own shrinking political powerbase. Similarly, in a system lacking effective stewardship, corporate leaders feel constrained by investor short-termism. Yet still, despite paying lip service to consultation, top-down policies continue to be sold by leaders as if they had no limitations, risks or drawbacks (if such policies existed they would have been implemented long ago). Instead we need leadership that is bolder in its aims and clearer in its values but also more candid about the limits of central control and knowledge. As this implies, government needs also to shift from seeking primarily to deliver policy outcomes itself (or through sub-contracting) to refining a supportive framework upon which civil society can develop its own solutions. There are echoes of this principle in the model of the 'post-bureaucratic state' articulated by David Cameron and his allies before and after the 2010 General Election. Devolving power, opening up official data and encouraging new forms of results based payment are all important steps but need further refinement. However, the exigencies of Coalition Government operating in a very difficult economic environment have rendered the promised revolution in governance as yet limited and inconsistent. In particular, the shift from a consumerist to a relational mode of public services is partial and half hearted. As hierarchies search for ways to connect and manage, their leaders often seek to invoke solidaristic values. The debate over the nature of 'Britishness' and the advocacy of a Big Society are recent examples. Meanwhile consistently high levels of public concern about immigration are reminders that concerns about belonging and fairness are as likely involve fear of change as hopes for the future. Solidaristic impulses exist at every level, from national celebration to good neighborliness, the challenge is to articulate or channel the capacity needed to confront wicked issues. At the national level there is, for example, an absence of the kind of sustained social partnership that has enabled Germany to manage its economic cycle more successfully than the UK. In comparison to the post war model, a new corporatism will need to be more open in its goals and methods, more engaging in its communication and decision-making processes and more accountable for its performance. The price government should demand from partners for a role in collaborative policy formulation is not only that they sign up to goals that go beyond narrow self-interest but also they continuously engage their own constituency in debate and action. This is likely to be as challenging for the hierarchies of civic organizations as for those ministers and civil servants brought up to view corporatism as an anachronism. Despite new forms of networking, most people are members of one or more traditional membership organizations, ranging from small local sports clubs to the four million members of the National Trust. But while there is huge variety in the sector, among the major national organisations consumerist techniques for fund raising and mass marketing are much more developed than strategies for membership engagement and collaboration. With evidence that even the third sector's legitimacy is starting to erode, the leaders of civic organisations need to confront tensions between the difficult process of negotiating change in partnership and the special pleading and shroud waving which achieve short term mobilisation. An interesting initiative is the Common Cause alliance of development and environmental charities that is exploring how to go beyond traditional social marketing to have a deeper impact on social values. There are also new types of civic group. London Citizens has been the most high profile example of a renewed interest in community organisation. However, as the rise and fall of the Occupy movement demonstrates, there is a substantial challenge in moving from a mode of protest and campaign to a broader movement with greater normative depth and organisational reach. As some forms of associational life have declined others have flourished. The internet is awash with new mothers, patients with long term conditions, hobbyists, technology geeks and campaigners offering advice, support or proposals for collective action. Yet on-line communication is more effective at short-term mobilisation than long-term co-operation, and at bringing together people who share interests and beliefs, rather than providing a basis for more diverse groups to debate, organise and develop solutions. We need a deeper understanding and more experimentation in turning on-line networks into loci for real world organisation, especially ones that engage disadvantaged communities. Also, in seeking to foster stronger local solidarity and develop solutions that span different social groups it is important to understand modern communities and how they function. The fast growing discipline of social network analysis– of which the RSA is a leading practical exponent – offers ways of mapping face to face and on-line networks, and exploring their potential as the foundation for improving life chances and collaboration. Unlike more traditional social data, network analysis seems also to be a tool with which community members themselves can engage and purposively shape through their interactions. More credible hierarchy and stronger solidarity will also contribute to better aligning the power of individual aspiration with the kind of social ambition and responsibility necessary to solve wicked issues. Signs of a questioning of possessive individualism can be found in diverse places. Amongst public thinkers there is a growing revival of interest in neo-Aristotelian ideas of virtue, for example as the cornerstone of Catholic social teaching. In the wake of the credit crunch and subsequent scandals there seems to be genuine attempts in some quarters to explore the foundations for ethical capitalism. There is the case being made in many parts of the world (although not currently by English schools ministers) for a greater focus on life skills and philosophical reflection in children's learning. And there is the interest among policy makers about the determinants of well-being (especially given evidence linking sociability and volunteering with individual contentment). A different angle For those who live in the rich two thirds of the globe, modern life offers opportunities and protections beyond the dreams of our ancestors. Yet many of today's problems feel intractable and social pessimism is in danger of becoming a self-fulfilling prophecy. Politicians, policy makers, and all of us who seek to influence them need to look up from the often thankless task of applying the currently fragile or distorted tools of social power to the more fundamental and exciting challenge of renewing these tools and combining them to design clumsy but ambitious solutions. This article is a call to look at society and its problems from a different angle. The search for clumsy solutions is more akin to a form of design than to traditional policy making. In seeking to engage each dimension of power its principles are holistic and systemic, but in response to the inherent complexity generated by tensions between hierarchical, solidaristic, individualistic and fatalistic perspectives, its practice is experimental and pragmatic. Like design sometimes the best solutions emerge from adaptation or instinct. In the Olympic Games we have seen a vivid example of the scope for clumsiness. At the heart of the success lay strong and effective hierarchical leadership, the powerful solidarity of national pride and the Olympic spirit, and, of course, the enthralling efforts of individuals competing to be the world's best. Rarely, if ever, are the ingredients so richly available as they were for London 2012, nevertheless to see a nation prone to skepticism and pessimism amazing itself, and impressing the world, with its capacity for engagement, mobilisation and collective joy is to get a glimpse of the alignment of forces that could enable significant progress on wicked issues. Matthew Taylor became Chief Executive of the RSA in November 2006. Prior to this appointment, he was Chief Adviser on Political Strategy to the Prime Minister. Subscribe from just £1 per issue More


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Moderators: Timko, Fritz, Solty, Booter, Blake_T, Frank Delicious
DiscSniper wrote:Hoey wrote:they're drivers are slow, and they never kept up with the march towards Speed Infinity.
But slow does equal more control, and a bunch of them float at the right weights.
Nothing wrong with that, IMO. Most of the advice that I hear given to noobs is stay the hell away from the high speed stuff to begin with. There may be better discs out there in fairways, mids and putters, but I myself can basically write off anything faster than what's considered a fairway driver. I'm beginning to realize my limitations and don't have anything faster than a River in my bag right now(ok, I've got a 150 DX Valk in right now, but that's kind of the exception)
It would be better to see a noob with a #2 driver than Innova/Discraft-ludicrous-speed-driver to learn on would it not?
It just seems weird that nobody mentions their stuff. I guess that our society is just trained to always hafta have the latest and greatest.
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My Friend the Monk
... It's been 2 months since I visited my friend Paiboon in the forest monastery of Wat Pa Don Hiay Soke, and I've finally finished the video interview I filmed with him there. I hope you enjoy it.
It was a tremendous learning experience for me, personally, spiritually, as well as technically. I've always wanted to visit with Paiboon again ever since I first visited him in 2007. I've had the idea of filming an interview with him for some time, to let Paiboon's friends back in Singapore see how he's doing and to see a little of what life is like in the forest monastery.
Somewhere along the line, during filming and editing, I realized that the story could be better served by concentrating on the content that was more universal, rather than simply personal, and more people could hopefully benefit from hearing Paiboon speak.
Just got back from a logistics meeting feeling incredibly excited about a new personal project I'm doing. Next Saturday I'm flying off to Udon Thani, a small town in Thailand, for about a week. I'm going to visit my friend Paiboon, who's been a monk for the last five years, at the forest temple of Wat Pa Don Hiay Soke.
I last visited him four years ago; I told the story of my first visit to the forest temple and the subsequent 10 days in a Vipassana meditation retreat in the now retired Life Coaches Blog. I've always wanted to visit with him again, but I never got around to doing it.
Since those four years, I've polished my interviewing and photographic skills working as a full-time writer, and I dreamed up this idea of not just revisiting Paiboon, but applying my skills there to come back with a short video interview about his life as a monk in this remote forest temple.
I thought his friends back home would be curious to know why he gave up his secular life and career four years ago to become a monk, and especially curious about why he's stayed a monk for the last five years, when at the beginning he only wanted to become one for three months. What has he gained that makes him prefer a life of austerity over a secular life, and what nuggets of wisdom can he share with us after following the Buddha's path for half a decade? Does he ever think he'll come back to a secular life, if not, why not?
Even though I've had this idea for some time, I procrastinated on it, telling myself that "I don't have the time/money/expertise/equipment." It wasn't until I shared the idea with a close friend of mine that he pushed me and convinced me that not only could I do it, I had to do it, if only because the project scared and stretched me. And it spoke to my soul as part of my purpose; to live "a life of artistic expression and courageous exploration, inspired by love, wisdom and honor."
http://21dragons.com/2011/sunday-dhamma ... m-the-city


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News Release
Media Contact: TPWD News, firstname.lastname@example.com, 512-389-8030
March 11, 2009
Galveston Island State Park Reopening Bay Side March 21
GALVESTON, Texas — Galveston Island State Park, shut down for the last six months due to extensive damage from Hurricane Ike, will welcome day users to the bay side of the coastal park on Saturday, March 21. The beach side of the park, which sustained significant damage, remains closed to the public for facilities demolition and debris removal.
Hundreds of volunteers have pitched in to clean up storm damage and remove considerable debris on the bay side of the 2,000-acre park, and to convert the Nature Center into a Welcome Center. The bay side of the park will be open from sunrise to sunset on Saturdays and Sundays through November. The Welcome Center, which will be operated by the Friends of Galveston Island State Park, will be open weekends from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. No entry fees are being charged.
"The friends group and volunteers have been of great assistance in helping the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department accomplish its goal of allowing public access to Galveston Island State Park while we obtain funding, finalize our master plan and complete necessary environmental clearances to build a new park," said Justin Rhodes, regional director of state parks in southeast Texas.
For the time being, there is no overnight camping at the park, but visitors can enjoy bird watching, hiking, fishing, crabbing, paddling and other outdoor activities. No license is required to fish inside the state park. The fish-cleaning station on the bay side was severely damaged, but a kayak club is in the process of rebuilding it in time for the March 21 opening.
The Texas Department of Transportation, operating under a directive from Governor Rick Perry to assist governmental entities impacted by the massive hurricane, has been leading efforts to demolish structures and remove debris on the gulf side of the park. TxDOT's assistance is estimated to have saved the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department money it didn't have budgeted, while TPWD waits for assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
TPWD is looking into possibly moving beachside facilities further back from the shoreline and re-establishing a larger dune field and dune line. Preliminary estimates place the cost of rebuilding the park in excess of $60 million.
"Not only has TxDOT saved Texas taxpayers about $2.5 million, but they enabled us to meet critical FEMA deadlines for debris removal," said Tony Bettis, TPWD's regional project manager. "It also will enable us to meet a deadline to have all beach debris removed by month's end when sea turtles are expected to return to lay eggs."
Galveston Island State Park occupies a sliver of land at the midway point of the barrier island about six miles southwest of the western tip of the popular sea wall. The bay side provides public access to about 600 acres of grasslands with coastal scrub and scattered oak mottes, as well as hundreds of additional acres of saltwater sloughs, wildlife-rich wetlands and tidal bayous.Visitors can access the Galveston Island State Park's bay side from FM 3005 (Seawall Boulevard. For more information, call the park at (409) 737-1222.
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As the playoffs begin next week, we know that baseball will have a new champion because the San Francisco Giants will not be around to defend their World Series title. What does not particularly make sense – especially to the Giants – is why that is the case.
"I can't really answer your question," Giants outfielder Hunter Pence told Sporting News. "You could have a million different theories, but there's no way to pinpoint on one thing. So, I really can't help you."
It's been a disappointing year for the Giants. (AP Photo)
MORE: Standings | Scoreboard | Postseason schedule | Photos: Playoff clinchers
Pence leads the Giants with 25 home runs this season, and one of six San Francisco hitters – along with Brandon Belt, Gregor Blanco, Buster Posey, Pablo Sandoval, and Marco Scuatro – with at least 400 plate appearances and an OPS+ of better than 100. The only other National League team with six such hitters is the St. Louis Cardinals, who have scored 766 runs to lead the Senior Circuit. The Giants are 11th in the league with 603 runs scored. The Giants scored 718 runs a year ago, when they had a team on-base percentage of .327, and while that figure has fallen to .318 this year, losing more than half a run per game is a much bigger drop than should be expected.
"Almost all year, it seems like, we've faced a lot of adversity and it seems like we haven't caught a break all year," said Madison Bumgarner, the Giants' leader with a 2.77 ERA this year. "So there isn't really one specific time. It's just been a rough year all around."
While the Giants have scored fewer runs, they have given up more – 649 last year, 667 this year – so overall, the swing is 0.83 runs per game to their disadvantage. The 2012 Giants outperformed their Pythagorean won-loss record – the expected record based on their run differential – by six games, which further helps to explain how a 20-game drop in the standings is possible, but still not the why.
"It took a lot last year for us," Bumgarner said. "Everybody had to be perfect. In a lot of ways, on paper, we might not have had the best team, but we played the best all year. We had to have a lot of heart, facing all those elimination games – it says a lot about the guys on this team. This year, for whatever reason, it just hasn't happened that way. Everybody's playing just as hard, and putting their work in, but it's a hard thing to do, a hard thing to repeat anytime. It doesn't happen very often."
It has not happened since the New York Yankees' run of three straight championships from 1998-2000, and it will not happen this year, even though, as Bumgarner added, "It's the same team." The early success of the Yankees in the current playoff system may have obscured the fact that an extra round of playoffs exacts an extra physical toll that can be carried into the following season. The Giants are the sixth defending champion out of the last 11, including the 2011 Giants, to miss the playoffs. Another four defending champs returned to the postseason as wild-card teams, with only the 2009 Phillies following a World Series win with a division title.
"There were definitely a lot of injuries," Pence said. "If you looked at our biggest strength last year, I would say bullpen. Having (Jeremy) Affeldt battling injuries all season long, we lost (Santiago) Casilla for a while – our strength is Affeldt-Casilla-(Sergio) Romo, and also the strength of the speed at the top of our lineup. (Angel) Pagan was a big loss."
Angel Pagan's absence was felt by the Giants. (AP Photo)
— SN selects the most beloved player ever for each MLB team
Pagan, the National League leader with 15 triples in 2012, missed three months of this season with a hamstring injury that required surgery. His last game before going on the disabled list was May 25, a 6-5 Giants win over the Colorado Rockies that put San Francisco in a three-way tie for first in the National League West at 27-22. While Pagan was out, the Giants went 32-52, and they have gone 13-11 since he returned on Aug. 30.
"We've got a lot of people healthy now and we're playing somewhat the way we were playing last year, once we got the guys back," Pence said. 'There's a lot of wear and tear on the arms going through a World Series process into the (World Baseball Classic) … but that's baseball. Injuries happen and you have to overcome them."
It's not all so simple as Pagan's injury submarining the Giants, because as Pence noted, there have been health woes in the bullpen. Compounding those issues, San Francisco's starting pitchers have not gone as deep into games this season as they did last year, averaging 5.86 innings per start compared to 6.16 a year ago – resulting in 30 extra innings for an infirmed bullpen.
"You could say this season was a disappointment," said Pence, who hopes to return to San Francisco as a free agent this winter. "But you could also say that it was a growth and a success. I see the player Brandon Belt's turned into this year, some of the bullpen guys like (Jean) Machi and Sandy Rosario. We found some strengths and we've got a really solid foundation going to next year."
That may sound overly optimistic for a team flirting with last place in the season's final week, but the Giants have bounced back from missing the playoffs as defending champions before – namely, last year.
Before baseball-reference.com existed, Total Baseball was a must-have book on any baseball fan's shelf, a treasure trove of statistics and essays that bridged the gap between The Baseball Encyclopedia and the digital age. Now, there is a Total Baseball app for the iPad that turns a book the size of a small dog into a searchable series of screens on a tablet.
The best part of the app, though, is something that was never part of the book – an archive of more than 8,000 baseball photos from The Rucker Archive and The Associated Press, ranging from Old Hoss Radbourn's era to @OldHossRadbourn's era. The photos are an optional download, and eat up 600 megabytes, but if you're paying $14.99 for the app, this will be the main draw – it is easy to quickly see that regrettable facial hair on the diamond is not the sole domain of the 2013 Boston Red Sox.
The statistical element of the app is limited by the fact that numbers are only updated through the 2012 season. While this limitation means that Total Baseball can be searched offline, and annual updates are promised, any question involving active players requires firing up a browser and looking elsewhere. While having the ability to filter statistics through as many different qualifiers as you want is neat, there is not a whole lot of added utility in finding out that the only player with at least 10 triples, 10 homers, and 30 steals in a season who died in Texas before 1979 was Tris Speaker.
A search of Baseball Reference's Play Index, which costs $36 a year and which the target audience for Total Baseball should already be familiar with, lets you know that there are 24 dead players who fit the statistical criteria – extra clicks would let you know that Speaker is the only one who passed away in Texas. The Play Index also is sortable with full season stats, letting you know that of the 24 dead players who had 28 seasons of 10 triples, 10 homers, and 30 steals, Speaker's 53 doubles for the 1912 Red Sox are the best of the bunch. Total Baseball only compiles lists of matching seasons.
For fans who want very heavily filtered searches and don't mind doing extra work to piece together the numbers of current players, Total Baseball is worth having. I'll keep it on my iPad for times when I am out of wifi range or want to check out the photo gallery, but Baseball Reference and the Play Index will remain my go-to source for statistical information.
It's that time again ...
@nyillini311 asks: "I hate putting this in #AskSpector but what can the Yankees do to make amends to fans who were at #bobbleheadfiasco"
The Yankees did the right thing by giving a free ticket to any game in 2014 (excluding Opening Day and Old Timer's Day) to fans who were at Mariano Rivera bobblehead night on Tuesday, when the bobbleheads did not show up on time, fans were given vouchers, and then waited on lines that resulted in some people missing more than half the game. Actually, Yankee fans who missed Tuesday's game waiting on line for a bobblehead probably came out ahead, given that they didn't have to watch Tuesday's game.
@zvsanders asks: "why won't you tell me your secrets for how to live my life?"
Never assume that a plate of cookies is chocolate chip. They may very well be oatmeal raisin. Always ask, and you will avoid bitter disappointment.
@coreypronman asks: "what's it been like moving to the most advanced team sport in NA in analytics, from covering one of the least?"
It's interesting, because I'm very much inclined to analytics, but in baseball it can be very dogmatic. There are a lot of people, for instance, who see no value whatsoever in wins as a stat for pitchers, and while I would never base a Cy Young vote on a pitcher's win-loss record, I don't totally dismiss it as a statistic. Maybe it's because hockey analytics are not as far along, but I felt a lot less lonely as a numerical centrist in hockey than I do in a sport where MLB Network devotes an hour a day to Brian Kenny and Harold Reynolds being as polarizing as they possibly can on advanced and traditional stats. Most people in baseball – most, not all, there are definitely exceptions, and they're generally the people whose work I enjoy the most – seem to have made up their minds already about how they feel, and my take is generally that it's best to keep an open mind while taking in as much information as possible, both traditional and advanced, for the full picture, while remembering that there are humans playing the game who are very much subject to day-to-day and year-to-year change.
@StubitsCBS asks: 'Are the Mariners going to become like the Pirates and suck for two decades before winning again? One decade down…"
I don't think that Mariners management is negligent in the way that Pittsburgh's was for the better part of the 21-year drought, and if things don't start to turn around next year, there's probably going to be a change of general managers. That said, the A's are going to be tough to deal with for as long as Billy Beane is building their roster, the Rangers are excellent at developing talent, and the Astros are going to start getting better in the not-too-distant future, so it's not like the American League West is an easy nut to crack for either the Mariners or an Angels team that has $58 million committed to Josh Hamilton and Albert Pujols in 2017.
@DXFlyers asks: "first NHL coach to get fired this season?"
Peter Laviolette has to be on the shakiest ground in Philadelphia, but I'll go out on a limb and say that Minnesota gets off to a bad start and fires Mike Yeo for not living up to unrealistically high expectations.
@Steve31278 asks: "Sarsaparilla or root beer?"
I haven't seen sarsaparilla available in New York for a long time. I drink a lot of root beer, but if I see sarsaparilla on a store shelf, I'm buying it.
@joemadison89 asks: "Does the slowing of the Earth's rotation (this is really happening) affect a) knuckleballers b) lefties c) everyone but lefties?"
It's a few milliseconds per century, so the greatest effect is on Jamie Moyer and Jesse Orosco, both lefthanders. The answer, then, is b.
Jesse Orosco, noted left-hander. (AP Photo)
@sOUI_Alumni asks: "Will Cano be in pinstripes next season?"
I really can't see him anywhere but with the Yankees. It's not fait accompli, but I'll be legitimately surprised if he leaves New York.
@SirCanuckles asks: "law professor or appellate court judge?"
I don't think there's even a debate here: I'd much rather be a judge. You get to judge, you don't have to deal with law school students, and you get to wear a robe to work. Easy.
@tofuidol asks: "As a fan of both the Blue Jackets and Clev Indians what should I channel my inevitably crushed playoff hopes into?"
This is not an either-or situation. You'll get to have your hopes crushed in October, and get to have your hopes crushed in April. A baseball-hockey paradigm is the best way to spread your emotional distress as a sports fan over the year – just as one team breaks your heart, the other is starting anew. The Indians have a better chance of winning the World Series than the Blue Jackets do of winning the Stanley Cup this year, though.
@pete_m_anderson asks: "What kind of sandwich did you make?"
My lunch yesterday was pastrami, ham, and muenster cheese on wheat bread with mustard. It was pretty good. At this point, it's about clearing out as much from the refrigerator as possible before going on the road for the playoffs.
@GoldAndOrSmith asks: "How many mups would you have to light to be able to see them from space?"
As Fall Out Boy sings, "Light a mup mup mup, light a mup mup mup, light a mup mup mup, I'm on FIYYYAAAAHHH!" so we can assume that lighting nine mups equals one person on fire. These NASA images of wildfires in Portugal show that for a fire to be visible from space, it has to be about as big as the mouth of a river. Now, rivers vary, so let's go with something we know to be the size of a river because it has its own lake – Daytona International Speedway. The capacity there is listed at 167,785, and I would bet that less than a capacity crowd catching on fire would be visible from space. So, a ballpark estimate: you would have to light a million mups to see it from space.
@Lana asks: "if you have a son, will you name him Gene?"
I have a daughter, and Gene never came up in our discussions of potential boy names, so I highly doubt it. I would, however, consider Gene as a name for a goldfish.
@brendanporter asks: "What do you think is the DBacks most pressing offseason need?"
Starting pitching. This year's rotation did not go deep enough into games, and that proved really troublesome and taxing for the bullpen given how many extra-inning games Arizona played. The Diamondbacks need more power in the lineup, too, to complement Paul Goldscmidt, but Matt Davidson and Chris Owings are closer to the majors than top pitching prospect Archie Bradley.
@DenverRochelle asks: "what kind of laundry detergent do you use?"
I have no idea. I bring my laundry to the laundromat and pay for wash-and-fold service. It's only a little bit more expensive than buying my own detergent and using the machines, and if you believe time is money, well, it's definitely worth it. I can't stand doing laundry, so I don't. It's pretty great.
@Markussh asks: "if you could only have 4 toppings on hot dogs for the rest of your life, which would choose?"
Chili, cheese, mustard, and onions.
@DanJGlickman asks: "What is the worst non-offensive team name in baseball?"
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, hands down.
@JamesSantelli asks: "Do you think MLB should expand to 32 teams within the next decade?"
Yes, because the playoff system will be better as a result. I'm also not really liking the interleague play every day aspect of having 15-team leagues. Todd Helton's last home game really should not have been against the Red Sox. That was weird, although it was cool that he homered.
@ihaveoreos asks: "what does @YouppiPuppy think of the new division names?"
I presume that you mean in the NHL, but it really doesn't matter because my dog only responds to his own name about two-thirds of the time. If I just started saying "Atlantic! Metropolitan! Central! Pacific!" I doubt he'd do much more than look up and wonder if any of that meant "dog treat."
@DSF456 asks: "Is the team who signs Shin-Soo Choo going to need a Brinks truck or a garbage truck to get all the money to him?"
Neither. I believe an oversized novelty check is far more likely.
Shin-Soo Choo is a free agent after the season. (AP Photo)
@holly_holl asks: "Is Spector a family name that was changed from its original form of Inspectorgadget?"
As I cannot sprout a propeller from my head and fly away, I'm sad to say the answer is no. I did have an Inspector Gadget lunchbox as a kid, though, and I'm pretty sure that it's still somewhere in my parents' storage cage, full of 1985 Topps baseball cards.
@MikeGianella asks: "Do kegel exercises REALLY work?"
I started researching this, and the words "fecal incontinence" came up on Wikipedia, so if there's anything you can do to even possibly avoid that, I sure would. Also, three clicks away from that page, I found out that Nancy Spector is the chief curator of the Guggenheim Museum here in New York, and now I want to find out if we're related and I can get a family discount on admission.