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October 31, 2013
Playoff Prospectus
Boston's Fast Track to Success
The Boston Red Sox were nobody's offseason champion, which is understandable for a team that was coming off a 69-93, last-place season. Sure, they did stuff. They did a lot of stuff compared to most bad teams, because most bad teams didn't have the expectations, the window, and the recency of success that the Red Sox had.
Their four biggest offseason moves can be written pessimistically as this:
Somewhere this addition problem got as drunk as the goggled celebrants in the home clubhouse last night, because 69 wins plus that mess doesn't always add up to this party.
Eight months later, Victorino was smashing the biggest hit of Game 6 off the wall to cap a season that was actually a bargain for his employer. Napoli was in the cleanup spot after a nice vacation at Busch Stadium. And the bullpen problems were washed away by the much less heralded move of signing Koji Uehara and otherwise building a bullpen the way you're supposed to.
"That part didn't turn out the way any of us envisioned, obviously," general manager Ben Cherington said of the bullpen. "The guys who were pitching in the games at the end of the year were not necessarily the guys we envisioned at the beginning of the year."
Indeed, for all the reshaping in the offseason, which included hiring John Farrell and a new coaching staff, the Red Sox won in spite of a few of their own decisions, too.
Where they do deserve credit is in believing that this was a 69-93 team that could win and being right about it—unlike the Phillies and to some extent the Royals, who also went further in or failed to cash out. And also for believing that rebuilding and contending don't have to be isolated phases—that you can trade players who don't fit and also acquire those who do without either being some huge statement about your place in the world.
Remember, the Red Sox are only 14 months removed from the late-August blockbuster that sent Adrian Gonzalez, Carl Crawford, and Josh Beckett to the Dodgers.
"I saw that after August, we had the capacity to rebuild," Red Sox President Larry Lucchino said, with more emphasis on the "build" part of the rebuild. "We could redeploy some significant money—the question was: would we do it the right way, bring in the right manager, coaches and players. I think it all started on (August 25) and a lot of things flowed from that."
Lots of times we like to look at a team that's having success and try to learn from it. We did it with the Giants two of the last three years, telling a story about building around pitching and catching and plugging in a few veteran hitters—whether that last part was said seriously or mockingly depends on your publication, probably, but the first part was standard narrative.
If we didn't do it anyway in defeat, we would have killed that line of conversation to death with The Cardinal Way, too—how can their success in the draft and in player development be duplicated?
With Boston, though, what exactly is the defining characteristic of how this team was built? Some of it goes to show just how fast fortunes can change even in the face of the best division in baseball. That the theory of playing to your window and how many wins away from contention you appear to be might not be a best practice.
There is probably some non-negligible difference attributable to changing managers as well, but no combination of that and the offseason moves combines to make the 28-win difference from 69-93 to 97-65 and eventual World Series champions.
So did everyone just get good together?
Well, sort of. Back on April 1, Sam Miller took a look at what would happen if the Astros all hit their 90th-percentile PECOTA projections. This wasn't quite that level of best-case scenario for the Red Sox, but a lot of things just went right all at the same time.
Of their nine starting position players plus Daniel Nava, who played enough to be viewed as a starter, and their five pitchers, six of the 15 finished above their 90th-percentile PECOTA projection in either a rate metric (TAv or ERA) or in WARP or both.
It's important to look at WARP because it accounts for how lucky the Red Sox got with health compared to 2012—which rate stats don't—and also considers defense and baserunning. But it's also important to look at the rate stats because those percentiles aren't based on our human projections of how much they'd play. So both.
(Note in looking at this that Koji Uehara and Craig Breslow also surpassed their 90th percentiles and that Junichi Tazawa was close, but that's too much benefit of hindsight, because Hanrahan was supposed to be the guy and he hit his yuck percentile.)
Anyway, the list:
Part of this might be a little self-selecting. If anyone were kissing the 0-9 range, they might not play enough to make any postseason recaps. Still, the Red Sox had an awful lot of things just go right, including a pseudo-new-acquisition in Lackey, whereas if they had played to their projections, their season would have been a much different story.
The lesson for the rest of baseball might just be that you don't want to take a lot of lessons from this team.
Having 69 wins doesn't mean you can just go do what Boston did. And don't forget, the Red Sox didn't just win the World Series; they did something we've become unaccustomed to seeing in this age of diluted playoffs. They went all the way as the best team in the better league and dominated the World Series to a greater extent than 4-2 would indicate.
Having 69 wins and having money doesn't mean you can just go do this. And you certainly can't do it that fast unless everything goes right.
In a culture where those on the inside love to say that only those on the inside believed, Lucchino wasn't even saying that.
"I didn't think we would go all this far this quickly," Lucchino said. "I knew we'd be better, that we'd take a big step in the right direction."
"I just didn't know how fast it would go."
Zachary Levine is an author of Baseball Prospectus. Follow @zacharylevine
17 comments have been left for this article.
BP Comment Quick Links
If you have to take a lesson from this Red Sox team, it would be keeping your best players healthy can be worth a 25 game swing in the standings. Not sure the Sox did anything in the trainer's room worth imitating on that front, but there is real competitive value in exploring/researching/evaluating techniques to keep players healthy.
Oct 31, 2013 07:38 AM
If anything was more surprising about the Red Sox run to success this year, it is reading this article here at BP.
Oct 31, 2013 08:19 AM
I'd like to also commend the BP coverage of the entire playoffs. I felt like all the series were comprehensively previewed, including the advance scouting reports, and a major improvement from my recollection of post-seasons past.
Oct 31, 2013 12:58 PM
Is it the camera angle or were the RHB for the Red Sox standing almost on top of the plate? Is this a trend.
Oct 31, 2013 09:01 AM
So how do the comparable percentile tables look for the other teams in the post season, notably St. Louis?
Oct 31, 2013 12:03 PM
Another luck factor is the Red Sox had the highest team BABIP of any team since 1930. A 329 BABIP which includes 319 on the road. That helped offset the high K rate.
Oct 31, 2013 22:50 PM
That would make this World Series the showdown of two historical statistical outliers - the Cardinals with their BA with RISP and the Red Sox with their BABIP.
Nov 01, 2013 10:30 AM
Most of that seems to have not been skill, not luck. Compared to the rest of the league, they had 137 more hits than expected based on their LD / FB / GB breakdown. But that subdivides as follows:
Nov 01, 2013 10:44 AM
have been skill, not luck. Why are these the only comments on the planet that can't be edited?
Nov 01, 2013 10:45 AM
Your analysis illustrates that exceeding their xBABIP could have been a function of both skill and luck, but not that it was a function entirely or even mostly of skill. Given that their BABIP was a historically high number, I think one has to believe there was quite a bit of luck even if there was also skill. Presumably other teams since 1930 have hit the ball hard as well, right?
Nov 01, 2013 12:55 PM
The 2012 team, at the time of the Dodgers trade, had a second order Pyth deficit approaching a projected 10 runs (IIRC), and that was largely due to astonishingly bad hitting in two well-defined high-leverage situations. Trailing by 1-3 runs in the 9th or later, the team went 4/7, 2 2B, 3B, 2 SF in their first two games in April, then hit .139 / .191 / .235 in 199 PA thereafter. And they were shut out in 21 extra innings at home, hitting .164 / .228 / .178. Their approach was palpably terrible; after June 15 they had 34 SO and 2 BB in those opponent save situations, including a 23 K, 0 BB stretch in 87 PA from June 16 to September 4. You have to blame all that on the manager, whose job it is to establish the team's psychological tone, and identify and fix counter-productive mind-sets and approaches.
Nov 01, 2013 09:44 AM
What do the Red Sox learn from the 2013 Red Sox? Attempt to resign the guys that got them there? Or apply short term character patches like last off season? I can see a significant drop off for them next year minus Ellsbury and maybe Napoli. They could find themselves trading Lester by the deadline.
Nov 03, 2013 08:23 AM
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Public Auction Opens for the Former James F. Battin US Courthouse
On April 16, 2013 the U.S. General Services Administration started counting down to the end of the public auction of the former James F. Battin U.S. Courthouse in Billings, MT. The target date for the inactivity period to begin and final bids to be received is April 23, 2013. Auction registration is still open and will remain open until the last bid is cast.
As part of GSA's mission to deliver better value and savings to the taxpayer, GSA is moving to dispose of the property through a public auction. Last year, GSA sold more than 100 excess federal properties. The Obama Administration has set aggressive goals to use federal real estate assets more efficiently, and GSA has increased its efforts to help federal agencies identify unneeded properties and get them off of the government's books.
This sale represents a unique opportunity to acquire a significant building located in the Central Business District of Billings at 316 North 26th Street. The sale includes one office building of approximately 221,000 square feet on a nearly an acre lot. Bids start at a dollar. Interested bidders will have to provide a $45,000 refundable registration deposit to register for the sale and to bid on the property. The former US James F. Battin U.S. Courthouse was originally constructed to serve as office and courthouse space and was continuously used as such until the completion of the new Billings Federal Courthouse.
Construction of the building was completed in 1965. The building is five stories and includes a mechanical penthouse, one main basement level, and a sub-basement, and a 56-car parking garage.
The public can find more information about this auction go to RealEstateSales.gov or PropertyDisposal.gsa.gov.

subset: commoncrawl


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Health Officials: State's Drug Database to Hit Milestone
ROANOKE, Va. (AP) -- Virginia's prescription drug monitoring program is expected to reach a milestone this year.
The state Department of Health Professions says the state's drug database is expected to receive more than 1 million requests for information in 2013. It would be the first time annual queries have exceeded 1 million since the system was launched in 2003.
About 30 percent of health care providers in Virginia use the database to check patients' prescription drug records to determine whether they are abusing the system.
Sherry Green with the National Alliance for Model State Drug Laws tells The Roanoke Times (http://bit.ly/103KKTa ) that Virginia's participation rate is higher than in many other states. It's also somewhat distorted because some health care providers with access to the database might not be prescribing medications.


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here is a quote from the movie the bucket list: What does a snail have to do to reincarnate? Leave the perfect trail of slime? yeah it is funny quote but meaningful. what can animals do for good karma? you know, they don't have own self awareness, and from the six realms that deva, asura, human, animals, hungry ghost, and hell can only mankind do good or bad karma? how can other beings if that don't have consciousness do action with their own ? if some carnivorous animals kill other animals to eat doesn't it mean they do bad karma right. so how are other beings do karma?


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Topic: Budwig diet - any success?
My mum has recently been diagnosed with advanced intrahepatic CC and we are in the process of looking at all treatment options, both conventional and alternative. There is so much valuable research on this site and I am blown away by the level of support.
I know that there are a few threads re the Budwig diet but I was wondering if anyone has tried it for a consistent period of time, and found it helpful? My mum has decided to give it a go, as it's generally very healthy and we can't see it being harmful to eat a better diet. We also have a few family friends who have had great success on this diet, with other cancers, and have in fact chosen this diet instead of chemo, with positve results.
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Justin Bieber's Friend Romeo Is Crushing on Selena Gomez [VIDEO]
Justin Bieber's friend Romeo is in extreme violation of the bro code.
TMZ caught up with the rapper on his birthday earlier this week. When asked what he wanted as a gift, Romeo, who turned 24, said, "A hot date with Selena Gomez. She's like the girl version of me, man. She's amazing."
The girl version of him? Hmm, yeah, we're not seeing that. But then again, what do we know? We are left to wonder WTF he meant by that. But there doesn't appear to be any jesting or joking in the way he states that he'd want a date with Sel.
For the record, we know Selena's amazing and we're confident that The Biebs is well aware of that fact, too.
But the fact that she is the high-profile ex-GF of someone who is supposed to be his bro? Wow. That's not an amazing thing to do, Romeo.
Selena Gomez is Bieber's Juliet, so Romeo should back off.
Beliebers and PopCrushers, what do you guys think of Romeo's comments about Selena Gomez? Is it still a serious bro code violation even though Jelena are broken up? Yay or nay?


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Bucs' workout on Sunday at PNC open to public
BRADENTON, Fla. -- Fans who want the ultimate sneak preview of the 2013 Pirates will have that chance in a free public workout at PNC Park the day before the season opener.
The '13 Bucs are scheduled -- weather permitting -- to work out at the yard from 1 to 3 p.m. ET on Sunday. Opening Day is scheduled for Monday, April 1, in a 1:35 p.m. tilt against the Chicago Cubs.
Free parking will also be available for fans, in Lots Four (along Mazeroski Way) and Six (directly across from PNC Park on General Robinson Street). Fans then will be able to enter the ballpark through the Legacy Square Gates, in the left-field area, beginning at 12:30 p.m. Also open for fans' convenience will be the Federal Street Grill concession area (behind section 115).
Tom Singer is a reporter for MLB.com and writes an MLBlog Change for a Nickel. He can also be found on Twitter @Tom_Singer. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


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Like so many supermarket chains that are operating on thin margins while trying to stand out in a competitive and saturated marketplace, Hannaford Bros., Scarborough, Maine, is dedicated to reducing costs. However, Hannaford never allows this goal to overshadow its efforts to deliver a satisfying store-level customer experience.
By leveraging its existing wireless telecommunications network and exploiting the power of mobile devices and biometrics, Hannaford is bolstering its workforce management operation to deliver a better customer experience.
The bold 158-store New England supermarket company is often on the cutting edge of technology, however, that is not the only reason it pursues innovative projects. For example, Hannaford first merged its voice and data communications over a frame relay Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) network, supplied by Cisco Systems, San Jose, Calif., back in the 1990s.
"Our motivation to route voice traffic over the high-speed network was to eliminate approximately 1,000 costly internal dial-up telephone lines," Bill Homa, CIO, Hannaford, told Retail Technology Quarterly during a recent press conference held at Cisco's New York City headquarters.
The chain has since augmented the network with Cisco's Intelligent Retail Network suite, which supports Cisco's routing and switching, wireless, telephony and security product features. This platform came in handy when the grocer decided to trade in traditional telephones in favor of Internet Protocol (IP) units three years ago.
Unlike traditional, often costly phone service, calls placed on IP are free—users only pay for the IP phone software and network connections. The units generally require 8KB of bandwidth.
In an effort to further enhance the IP telephone network, Hannaford plans to make the move to MPLS (Multi-Protocol Label Switching), a standards-based technology that speeds up network traffic flow and makes transmitted data easier to manage. "This is a much more flexible and powerful architecture," Homa explained.
To date, 25 stores are outfitted with Cisco 7900 Series IP phones. Each store features between 10 and 15 units.
Two of Hannaford's five distribution centers are also outfitted with the telephones, and the chain's corporate headquarters features approximately 1,000 phones.
"We began using IP telephones simply to replace a costly operation," Homa said. "Once we saw these successes, we began to consider what else the platform could help us do."
Taking one for the team: Currently, Hannaford is using the platform to tighten its store-level operations, including workforce management processes.
In January 2006, Hannaford tapped long-time work-force management partner Kronos, Chelmsford, Mass. By transitioning its previous application to the vendor's integrated, Web-based Kronos for Retail solution, Hannaford was able to create workforce schedules for all store-level departments. Besides Hannaford stores, the solution also handles similar operations across the Delhaize America family, including stores that operate under the Sweetbay and Kash n' Karry banners, according to Kronos.
The wireless-based configuration also enables remote workers or part-time employees to check their schedules from home. "The platform has opened up a world of opportunities. This is powerful," commented Homa.
One of those opportunities prompted the grocer to merge its workforce solution, wireless network and IP telephones to gain more collaboration and consistency across its store-level fleets. Like many retail chains, "Our employees clock in and out of one of approximately five time clocks located throughout each store," Homa explained.
"Every minute associates spend walking to those clocks is lost productivity time," he said. "And the clocks can cost up to $1,500 each. We decided to work with Cisco and Kronos to leverage a more effective method."
Realizing the IP phones also support XML and other Web capabilities, "We decided to use the units as wireless, thin-client terminals, not just telephones," he added.
By integrating its Kronos workforce management and automated time-clock solutions into the IP network, Hannaford employees now "clock in" right through the IP phones. Employees can also use the telephones to view their weekly hours. (They can also clock in and manage hours through PCs.)
Since launching the combination in the summer of 2006, Hannaford eliminated four to five time clocks per location. "Each phone costs approximately $450, so we are seeing a significant cost savings," he explained.
Hannaford is further unleashing the power of the network by incorporating biometrics into the mix. "By integrating a biometric reader on the phones, it's easier to validate an employee's information," Homa explained. "Rather than requiring employees to enter their employee ID number before punching in or out of a shift, they can just use their thumbprint. This solves issues surrounding forgotten ID cards, as well as 'buddy punching.'"
The chain added biometrics-enabled phones during the last quarter of 2006. Hannaford continues to work with Cisco and Kronos "to perfect the installation in our pilot store," he told Retail Technology Quarterly in a recent interview. He declined to share how many bio-metrics-based phones the store supports.
The wireless platform will also help Hannaford to improve its task-management application and ensure more consistency across the chain.
The system, from Reflexis, Dedham, Mass., already helps store associates receive and complete daily tasks. Employees typically access this information through PCs.
"It helps associates prioritize and manage their workload, and records what actions were taken," Homa explained.
By integrating the operation into the biometrics-enabled phones, Hannaford "will add another level of security to track employee actions and create an audit trail of completed tasks," he added.
The chain continues to test the technology, and Homa hopes to deliver this application over the biometrics-enabled IP telephones later this year or by early 2008.
"Five years ago, we started with one wireless application, and it paid for the entire wireless network. Today we have 14 wireless applications per store. I think the same thing is happening with IP telephony," he concluded. "We'll continue to build initial applications. As people see the power of what we can accomplish, future applications will grow quickly from there."


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'The Voice' Recap: Cole Vosbury and Will Champlin Own the Night
On tonight's episode of 'The Voice,' the Top 8 sang their little hearts out as they got one step closer to that glorious finish line.
'The Voice': Who Will Be the Season 5 Winner? – Readers Poll
'The Voice' Recap: Kat Robichaud Is Saved In First Ever Live Twitter Vote
Tonight's live results show of 'The Voice' featured a new twist that has been buzzed about for the past several days: Twitter users will now have a chance to save their favorite singer from the bottom three. For the first time ever, fans of the show can jump on Twitter and use the hashtag #VoiceSave along with the name of the singer they wish to save from elimination, within a very limited 5-minute window. This new "Instant Save" curveball will certainly change the outcome of the show, and along with all the other 'Voice' fans out there, we were eager to see how it would play out on tonight's episode.


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Saturday, February 28, 2015
Tony Zhou's "Every Frame A Painting"
David Palumbo
As an artist, I think it is important to learn from art forms outside the ones in which we practice. The key concepts of one discipline can often be applied in interesting ways to another even when they might seem completely unrelated. Rhythm, for example, is a fundamental aspect of music but important in visual art as well. It is certainly possible to compose and execute a picture without considering rhythm, but those who contemplate how it can apply to still images have an expanded set of tools to work with.
I think that artistic minds are always trying to solve problems or discover new ways of seeing. Finding reflections of one's art form in unrelated creative work and looking for ways to adapt outside influences to their craft are great ways to grow while keeping things fresh. Besides reading articles specific to painting and illustration, I regularly listen to a writing podcast, have become increasingly fascinated with photography, and love to learn about the subject of today's post: the craft of film making.
There are a number of ways that film can be related to painting and every now and then I see blogs dedicated to the subject through study of color and compositions of still frames. I've recently become a fan of a video series, however, which makes no attempt to inform painters with cinematic examples, but rather study the craft of filmmaking with the aspirations that, when done well, the result will make "Every Frame a Painting."
The series, created by an editor named Tony Zhou, is clearly targeted at filmmakers. All the same, I'm fascinated by the ideas discussed and the places in which they connect with my own creative process are often surprising and inspiring. I don't want to talk too much about what I personally take from these because I think the poetry of cross-discipline learning is in its ambiguous nature: the connections which we make are more meaningful when they are made organically and they suit us each in a very personal way. That said, I think every video is worth watching regardless of how unlikely the subject seems to apply to painting because they ALL have layers of information to process. As an example, I was really surprised to find all kinds of great big-picture type deep thoughts in the Michael Bay episode (a sentence I never imagined that I would write) and the Jackie Chan segment reminded me just how important an eye to detail and giving that extra bit of effort really are. Others, like the recent Drive and The Bad Sleep Well videos which focus on composition, are more immediately useful to any visual artist.
Find all of the videos here:
Friday, February 27, 2015
Playing With Others
-By Greg Ruth
Oh the sweet brambles and peaceable meadows of collaboration...
I have done this right and also so SO very wrong. Working in a creative partnership is tricky business indeed and yet it can yield incredible rewards if you manage to navigate it's pitfalls and successes well enough. The scale of that partnership can range from the cooperation between Editors & Art Directors to writing partners and even the wild and rare lands of co-painters. Each carries it's own set of rules, laws of physics and pitfalls, but they all share commonalities that I wish to impart from my many errors to you, so that you may be lucky enough to avoid them. That may be impossible, and most lessons, like the actuality of fire burning your finger when you touch it, require doing it to truly learn it... but sometimes one can be saved. I have two major poles of success and failure to talk over,
one with a creative partner of almost ten years that blew to bits and another, my current
partnership on INDEH that could not be more successful and healthy, so we'll get into
that as well. 9 easy steps to avoid most of the calamities, but no money-back guarantee included. Okay, ready set... speed-date go!
|Walt and his Dad at the breakfast table (from THE LOST BOY)
Like all marriages and the closest of friendships, t's all about communication. This is easy when things are fine and smooth, but are more difficult when the opposite is in effect. Thing is, communication is even more essential when things are sour. Better to talk it out asap, keep everything open and honest and up front. Most working relationships collapse under the weight of suspicion and presupposed ideas about one another rather than what;'s really going on. At the very least it's a place to affirm the them, and make sure your goals remain synched. Talk. It. Out. It's not a sin to look out for your own self interest in a partnership- the problem comes when you do so at the expense of the relationship. It's you and you two, and you'll be better off servicing all of you to talk through your wants needs and desires. This will also help establish and reveal fault lines and disagreements early so they don't sneak up on you later.
Set the Laws and Rules Early, and Stick To Them.
You don't have to organize a Magna Carta, but you do need to layout ground rules and you must do this right away. You don't necessarily have to craft a formal contract, thought that shouldn't e out of the question. Uncomfortable subjects are either going to come up early when they're speculative and small or they're going to come up when they are real and large and harder to deal with. Try to talk with others who've been through this kind of thing and hear about what worked and what didn't. You can't predict everything that can transpire, but you can set up a rulebook to help manage the unknowns in a way that keeps the partnership thriving. For example, agree to always discuss with each other any proposal that comes before making a decision. Set times to talk and connect and check in especially if you and your creative partner aren't necessarily in the same city or area. Set up rules for dealing with a crisis as in a specific set of procedures to keep things cool... knowing the ground rules and the firmament of your relationship early will promote confidence and a sense of calm when things get hot. It will also help to keep decisions based on thoughtfulness rather than emotion, and sometimes either from excitement or terror, things can get emotional.
|Making plans for tomorrow (from A PIRATE'S GUIDE TO RECESS)
Another major aspect is to be certain your extant partners, your respective agents, managers or even spouses are known clearly and their sides clearly lined out. Your partner's wife or husband is going to be on his or her side before yours, for example. That's not a betrayal, that's just natural, so make sure to not expect him/her to side for your partner's interest over yours. You partner's agent has to become yours otherwise he too will be naturally focused on your partner's interest primarily. The bigger your thing gets, the more people will come in to act in supporting roles, whether it;s a team of production staff on that end, or the presence of lawyers, agents or business managers. Make sure to neutralize as many close to the situation as possible from being on one side versus the other. Those that can't won't or shouldn't be made to choose the partnership over the individual, must be identified as such so that when they don't want you to go on a long book tour because you'll be leaving them alone with the kids for a month... you know where that's coming from and why. The more people in the dance the more complicated the dance gets, but the movements and actions are always stilled ruled by simpler basic goals and forces. Keep those identified and in check and you can juggle an army of players. Get caught int he confusion the situation can bring and you have the other thing.
Personal v Professional
|(from ALABSTER: THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE BIRD)
These are the rocky shoals upon which most partnerships collapse into chaos, fights and collapse. I have had one of my longest termed partnerships collapse under this difficulty. And frankly it is clearly tricky to do. He saw distinguishing between these two poles as antithetical to the partnership whereas I saw it as essential and not getting that sorted out early doomed us. From my own experience, keeping these two more or less separated is key. There will always be overlap, and that kind of overlap is good. For example- you're in a pitch meeting, and essentially professional environment, you personal relationship and its strength can be a real energizer int he room. It can make the production people there feel like they have a strong marriage in front of them and can be electrifying. The trouble comes largely when one or the other responds in a personal way to a professional situation. Say, taking personal umbrage that can build to resentment and a narrative of aggression for a practice or event that was about a line of a contract or arguing for a particular direction in a project. It's one of the most important two-way streets around and requires both your ability to separate your personal emotions and prejudices from the professional job in front of you, and for the other to do the same. The secret beast in all of this is being able to be empathetic and personally generous to the other- to know even in the most intimate moments of your creative partnership, that the other person is a different person and may behave in a way that seems inexplicable without context. Your partner not calling you back as soon as you like could easily not be about you at all, but his/her own life circumstances- don't make it about you. Defer to the professional first as a moderating forum before going personal.
The overal dynamics of this arena are hugely different if you're coming into a creative partnership as pre-existing friends, than when you become friends via the professional partnership. Overall I have found the latter to be a stronger fit that the former. There's less imported baggage and the former only requires more clear eyed communication going in to ameliorate that. But suddenly making a professional argument over contracts can feel cold or off putting in a pre-exisitng personal relationship. It gets tricky and is something made all the more functional by sticking close to rule #2.
Know Thyself
It's not your partner's job to know who you are, what you want and where you want to go.
Get in front a mirror and figure your shit out, pronto. Not knowing can lead to real trouble. Your goals and your partner's may not be the same- and that's fine. A major component of my first meeting with Ethan to discuss INDEH was setting our goals- I was steadfast in making sure we focused on making the best book we could ever make and worry about the expanded opportunities later. I wasn't against a film or tv thing after, I just didn't want that to be the goal, and the book a mere means to that end. It turned out he felt entirely the same, and so we were off and running. It's helped and come up a few times as we move closer to the production aspect of the book and even though we may find ourselves in a position to have to discuss this even before the book is done, having set that bar and come to it exactly from the same perspective early on, has made navigating these circumstances a snap.
|Dr. Auget sees truth of himself at last (from SUDDEN GRAVITY)
Another thing to consider is that your differences whether in terms of outlook or
professional goals don't necessarily have to be deficits. Being in lock step with each other can ring on trouble too- especially in terms of presumptions in a given situation. Your partner's gregariousness in a pitch meeting or an interview situation can be a boon to balance your more quiet and shy approach to such environments. If that's the case, talk it through, identify this and let the other guy do his dance, because he dances better than you at this and in the end, it's less about you than it is about you two. If one of you is better at detailed narrative structure, trust that person in those circumstances. Don't force the plumber to be a good carpenter and vice versa. Know what your strengths and weaknesses are, and know your partners. Shore each other up in the weak areas and strengthen each other in the strong and you'll be unstoppable.
|Two Pirates together (from A PIRATE'S GUIDE TO RECESS)
It's about you two. Sometimes there's more in the partnership, but the rules
of two apply to three or more so let's just keep it simple. When you are in the partnership, of the partnership and involved in work via the partnership, you are not a lone wolf, you are a pair. Think along the lines of the pair. Check with your partner before major decisions appointments and the like, just like you would with your wife/husband/girlfriend/boyfriend. This is not to say that you must subjugate your personal goals and feelings to the group as a whole, that would only build up resentment. And believe me unchecked resentment is the biggest killer to partnerships. Be able to get outside your own concerns and even take it further if you need to bring in an outside arbitrator to manage a dispute. Sometimes it's just too hard to divest yourself of yourself and a third perspective can save the day. Many times an editor or AD can be a great resource for this as there is a natural distance built into that system. As friendly as you may be with your art director or editor, there is an obvious professional tinge to your relationship that can provide essential perspective. Use it. Recognize when you're making something about you rather than about the thing. Know where your ego is informing your professionalism and your time together.
Sometimes your partner may be more known or publicly powerful than you are, and that's fine.
When people come clawing over to get a selfie with Ethan or want to talk about Prince and I am merely an obvious agent to their star-crossed goal or impediment, I don't make it personal. I'm fine with that because I know I don't want that for myself anyway, and so don't care when I am ignored for the other. I prefer it to be honest because for me personally I find fame to be a dangerous dance to move into and I'd rather just opt out thank you very much. I don't get jealous about it or mistake it as a judgement because it isn't and that keeps it in perspective. My partner's fame can be a real asset for our project and I aim to use it as he does to make our thing more successful. It's about the thing we do together not about the ego of needing to find acclaim. Now to be fair this also requires the other to keep his adoration in check as well. If he were all about this aspect we'd have trouble, if he used it as a way to keep me in a subordinate position, we'd have trouble. Because it's never that it flows over and past us like a breeze. It can be distracting and sometimes irritating, but the outside forces trying to pick favorites don't mean you have to.
Success can be the Most Dangerous Influence
Difficulties, money stress, too long trying to make it are hard times to go through and they can really fortify or dissolve a partnership depending on whether you use each other for support or try to use each other for food. Think of it like you two on a skiff bobbing around int he ocean alone. You either work together to survive the storms and sharks or you have an enemy in the boat you also have to fight. For all the difficulty in these areas, they are nothing compared to the dangers of a partnership that meets success. In a fight or failure, the enemy is obvious. the foe is before you, in times of success, this is far less clear. When notoriety or large amounts of money show up, people's worst tendencies tend to emerge. A big movie deal, or its promise, a high ranking meeting or a giant advance on a book can really get inside your head and feed your worst and most selfish aspects. This is where much of the previous rules above can be used for shelter and problem solving. Try to keep your position int he middle, moderate your joys and tragedies and take every extreme with hefty grains of salt so that you don't lose yourself. I had a partner once ring me from a limo in LA adrenalized to the moon over having made a big deal for a project we were working on whilst int he car with the producers in a moment of celebration. Thing is I never had a chance to question whether or not it was a good deal or not. Turned out it was a disaster. It's hard as hell when you have outside forces trying to get you to commit who are offering huge promises of success, money and fame to stop that train and have a calm and rational discussion about it with your partner, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't try. Whether your a rock band who just got offered a major contract if you dump your drummer, or a comics publishing deal that loves the story but not the artist, the moment you make a decision like that without first consulting the partner, you have just effectively ended the partnership. Recognizing that might come later... painfully later, but the break happens at that moment. So take a breath and step back. Sleep on it, avoid making any kind of decision without your partner. Even if you're both there, take a step back, get a sleep on it and then come back together. We all process victories differently and we shouldn't operate from our furthest extremes in making big life changing commitments. If you feel overwhelmed, go to talk with your lawyer or agent together. If the deal has to happen right that second, it's a bad deal no matter how sweet it sounds. Sometimes there are worms in the apple.
Don't forget to enjoy the good stuff
|Naiches and Geronimo affirm their relationship (from INDEH)
A successful creative partnership can be a deeply fulfilling and joyful thing. To be equally engaged in a creative moment is a deeply intimate thing and can leave you kind of breathless. Sitting in a room with my partner, or driving through the desert in New Mexico or on the floor of my studio and having a breakthrough on a story point or a narrative development is one of the most exciting things ever. I love that stuff like you wouldn't believe creatively this can be the fuel that drives the ship. They are also the times where you ferment and solidify the trust and cohesiveness of your working relationship, and your project. Taking a quick weekend research trip with Ethan showed us in fact that we can be isolated together, all day and night, crash in a cramped motel room and do the same the next day and have fun doing it means that when we have to go on longer trips when the book tour unfolds, we're solid. Give yourselves the opportunities to test the weaknesses and strengths of your partnership, get your families together when you can. Meeting each other's other relationships, their kids or agents or spouses will help keep them human and someone to invest in rather than abstract exterior elements. In these creative moments together you will find a intellectual and creative moment that is something altogether different from one you may have with your spouse, but no less powerful. Making stuff up and convincing others to give you money and means to continue playing pretend is a total joy. Don't forget to call that out to each other, compliment each other on it and celebrate it together when it sings. Playing int he sandbox and working on the same castle together you both see and construct is really a wonderful thing, and in the end whether the project succeeds or fails when out in the world doesn't mean squat to these precious times. Don't forget to enjoy them and treasure them. They never last but they stay with you forever.
Make your relationship about more than just the one thing.
As you grow older and work on start putting more and more projects under your belt, you will gather a wealth of experience and wisdom and perspective you can't begin to guess at until you have it. A really successful partnership on a particular project can likewise mean you will work well on another. It helps to develop those next steps while in the middle of the first one. Sometimes it takes ending and walking away from each other for a time to recognize its utility and value so that you may come together again and making another thing. But it's a lot like running a decent freelance career- the more legs on your table the stronger the table will stand. One legged tables never hold anything of weight and value. It can be silly things like enjoying movies together, or sharing good whiskey or sports. If you can make time to indulge in your shared interests that may be outside the normal arena of your project, you can become more than just working partners. You can be friends. When the project is done even if you don't find yourselves necessarily working together again, your friendship can remain. I am now friends with editors I have worked with long ago, one in particular from way back during the Matrix days remains someone I see at least once a year, and are as close as we ever were when working together daily on a project. you can become old war buddies, survivors of heady times. This is a good thing, and who knows? You may well find yourselves back in business again soon too. And all that time you spent apart you spent growing something, feeding and watering your deepest roots and your next thing will be more smooth and natural than ever before.
Know when it's time to walk away.
Whether you've incurred scars that overwhelm the host and kill the relationship from a thousand different little cuts, you've grown apart from each other and don't share the same goals, or the project is simply over, be able to be clear headed about the end times and handle them well. It's a lot harder to do this in a clear way with you creative partner than with your editor as there's an inherent end date to most relationships with your editor or AD. Leave well and on good terms and like as not you'll both be back together again on another project. Sometimes a creative relationship ends when the project's over, and that's all right. Be okay with that. When I was working on the Prince video me the director and Prince were on the phone several times a day for weeks on end. I probably spoke to them more than my own friends and family at times and now, it's been years since we've even spoken. That's totally cool. That doesn't mean we're mad or betraying something, our time was finite and centered around that video and now we've all gotten back to our lives and other things. Personal intimate and creative partnerships sometimes have a basic end date as well. I may become enamored with the idea of becoming a cellist and as such my partner may want to continue making books, or return to making movies or whatever. We don't always grow together- we can sometimes change and remain together as this is the benchmark of any long term marriage or relationship- but sometimes you just grow apart. Be cool with that. It can be sad and mourning is never out of the question, but that doesn't mean it has to be someone's fault.
|Nate and Tabitha part ways for their respective homes (from THE LOST BOY)
Other times it totally is, and the relationship has become toxic, imbalanced or otherwise totally unhealthy. Trust evaporating, the tiny snipes and backhanded moves that hint at a decaying relationship should be noticed early and taken seriously. The presence of some of these don't mean you are doomed, but these things left unattended will guarantee doom. Try not to be a stand-by-your-man type- really what you're doing is not sacrificing your happiness or self for the partnership, you're just slowing to an agonizing crawl your inevitable break up. You don't want to be hasty about cutting to the end of course. Always make such a determination whilst calm and cool and reflective. Talk about your troubles with your other comrades and if you start hearing the same reports on the situation, take them seriously. It's always better to unwind the inevitable entanglements of a partnership in a calm and calculated way than while throwing lamps and ashtrays at each other. Sometimes these things can collapse while int he middle of the project you are partnered up on, and that's a super bummer. It's rare but it happens. In that case, try to temper your emotions and complete the assignment in a professional way agreeing to p[art ways after. To have a meltdown in public or in the midst of a project really only harms your ability to work again there or anywhere later. Smile and nod and be gracious to each other and put own your best it of victorian fakery in public and then walk away from each other respectfully in private after. Even if you're fumingly mad at each other, respect the partnership that once was and the baby you share together enough to be civil in front of it. At the end what brought you together deserves being a place of solace when you part. Forgetting this can backfill-poison all your time together and fill your life with regret. Once split don't use your newfound singularity to troll on the other for your own gain or to exact revenges you couldn't muster while together. Keep it as private as your most intimate moments were when things were good, and they could be good again later when some time has passed. If not, then you can still feel those previous joys without the bitter pill of regret or unresolved anger to darken and warp them. Let it go, as they say. Thing is sometimes these things happen because they happen and sometimes it's someone's fault. Use the end to examine what went down so you can be a better partner next time, fault or no. As long as there's life there's more that's coming so try to keep an eye on the horizon and not your tear soaked hanky. Everything comes and goes, the lifelong partners are a golden ring rarely achieved, but that doesn't mean the shorter terms ones can't share a similar shine.
|(From THREE OUTLAW SAMURAI)
Thursday, February 26, 2015
Oil Painting Progress
By Donato
This is one of those weeks (months/years) where I will be a bit short on my blogging/posting as I commit most of my labor to the creation of the large format oil painting Beren and Luthien in the Court of Thingol and Melian. Here are a few progress shots as of today.
Most of the color you see is the acrylic wash layers. I have now begun the detailing, further structural modeling, and coloring in oils.
For the previous MuddyColors post on the drawing and scale reference:
The toned drawings below were created while outside the studio. Hard to pack a 120" wet canvas for travel and to work on while on vacation :)
Back to work!
|Melisandre - A Song of Ice and Fire 11" x 14"
|Gandalf on the Bridge of Khazad-dum 11" x 14"
Wednesday, February 25, 2015
Kim Jung Gi in Angouleme
-By Jesper Ejsing
In Angoulême in France there is a gigantic comic book convention every year. It has been 15 years since I last attended, and this year was the year I returned. The festival is huge, around 200,000 attending guests. If you do not book a hotel for next year, the day you are leving, you are not able to find a room anywhere within a 5 kilometers radius. The guys at the studio had a solution for that since we didn't book anything... We rented a whole house. Traviling with 7 other artists is a fantastic thing. Everything you talk about is artwork, and other artists and you constantly share thoughts and idols and gets exposed to art you never would have looked into yourself, just because your friend seems so enthusiatic about something or someone.
|A lot of time is spent looking through the art books we bought.
The guy I had seen on the internet and had dismissed as being something between a fraud and a guy with autism. I almost felt sorry for the guy: When I saw the movie clips I was convinced that something was wrong with him in the head. Surely, no one could do what he does without something being totally wrong. In telling my self this, I once again established order in my universe, because undoubtly Kim Jung Gi was able to do somthing extraordinary.
I was standing in the crowd watching him draw for an hour or so searching for that strange giveaway that he was mentally ill or that somthing that would explain the unexplainable, but nothing happened! He was smiling and laughing, speaking charmingly with his translator and publisher and all the while sketching marvelous drawings for people, with a brush pen in the first page of his sketchbook . I got ice cold. There was nothing wrong with him. My universe crashed again. It looked like he had broken a secret code to drawing, a code that I didn´t even know existed. I decided I had to get to the bottom of this, so I miraculously got an apointment to do an interview with Kim Jung Gi the next day. We met at a bar and through a translater I was able to ask him some questions, and discovered just how incredible an artsit he is, a Super Artist! Like nothing I have ever seen.
How did you train to be so good at drawing everything? Seems like you have no limits.
The difference between me and most other artist is that other artist try to draw things from looking at reference and copying what they see. I try to look at live objects and study them in front of me. I draw from real life. By doing that I become more capable of remembering them afterwards.
Ever since I was little, when I watched movies I would go back in my mind and draw what I remembered and what I liked from the movie, as an interpretation of the movie or a comment, if you like.
I have a very good memory.
So the training functions as a visual vocabulary?
Is this why you do not need pencil lines beneath your inked drawings?
Yes, I use memories as reference.
The thing about not using a sketch before drawing has another explanation. I run a private school as a pre-academy for those who want to go to art academy. As a teacher I have to show the students how to draw, but the sketching and colouring took too long, so I tried skipping that stage to be more flexible, and it worked.
Whoah. When did you begin skipping that step. At what point?
It was in first grade in university when I became more and more confident in my drawing skills. When I felt free, and convinced that I had reached that level.
All this training, I mean your sketchbook is filled with all these sketches of people and vehicles. To me sketching is like bodybuilding and training. Do you train for a specific project? Is there a special aim, something you really want to do? Is there a specific dream? I ask, not to sound rude or anything, I love the sketches; I am just curious as to what you will do with all that skill?
When I saw the big brush-drawing you did at the drawing show today, I noticed it had multiple animal figures, very narrative and with great expressions. But when I look at the sketch book it has many more 'ordinary' figures from real life. Girls waiting for a bus, people sitting in a car, spectators at a sports show, and so on. Why continue the training, the sketching, when you can do the other kind of drawing all the time, if you'd like?
Do you mean why I continue training at all?
Yes, training day is over, if you ask me.
It is not training to me, it is relaxing and just something that I do; all the time. And it has been that way since I was little. I draw things that interest me for the moment. I add things that spark my interest and just fill the paper. I do it for the process rather than the actual drawing.
(To explain to me, he drags out a sketchbook, the one he is currently using, and lets me skip through it while pointing out specific drawings. I stop at a sketch by an other artist, one of my favourites: Terada Katsuya, It is a drawing of the Monkey King, and next to it is one of Kim Jung GI´s drawing also of a monkey king, but way different. )
I did this Moneky King as an inspired drawing from Terada´s. it is a way of interpret what I see and what is around me. After being at the sea side of Southern France I drew a drawing of the beach scene, but instead of copying what was directly in front of me I drew the memory of it.
If I become interested in things I draw them as an interpretation.
I see that, (I point at a naked and very erotic woman in his sketchbook )
Ha ha ha, it is a part of life.
|Final from the drawing Show.
(Here you can see a clip of Kim´s drawing show in Angouleme.)
Well, every artist struggle at something. What are your struggles? If anything? Seems like the female anatomy is not an issue for you.
What I struggle with is, that I do not want to be the artist who is behind the trend. I do not like to be the one who gets stuck somewhere. So I always try to be around and involved with other artists, to see what they are doing.
When you are doing a drawing, do you see the drawing before hand? Do you know what you want to do or do you let the drawing take you where it wants to go?
Do you see the complete drawing in you mind before you start or spontaneously go where it leads you?
It depends; there are moments where it is spontaneous. For the drawing show here in Angoulême, I thought: Europeans are very much into cars so I thought I would do a bunch of cars being pulled apart by animals. The audience would like that.
What are your inspirations? Do you like European artists or mainly look at Asian artists? Basically, where do you find your inspirations?
I am inspired by everything.
Yeah; I kind of figured that.
But for the moment I use Facebook a lot. There are so many artists there, and what I concentrate on is stuff that I like. I collect everything; paintings, sculptures, music and fashion. As an example, I looked a lot at the latest Prada line to see if there was something I could use for my work. I do not focus on specific style. More the experience. I collect everything even if it looks pointless.
Thanks for spending time with me, Kim, it has been a pleasure.
(At this point he spoke the only English words during out conversations. Words I will treasure for a long time )
"You are welcome. You are a very cool artist."
I am honored. You have given me a whole new look on what it is to be an artist, and I think I need to change pace now and start sketching some more. (We both laugh, me a little forced, since I know that it is 25 years too late to start to become Ejsing Jung Gi.)
Anyways; I walked straight to an artstore and bought a brush pen and a sketch book. Better to start now than later.
Tuesday, February 24, 2015
When Do You Draw the Line?
-By Daniel LuVisi
There I was, supposed to be enjoying myself at a birthday dinner, but instead pissed to all hell about something I couldn't control at that very moment.
Shutting off my computer with a huff and puff, I stepped into my business partner's car to go see a good friend for his final night in California. Was excited to go see him and possibly other friends, but I couldn't shake this shitty feeling I had been having for the past five days and I knew it was about to ruin my night.
In the previous entry, I spoke about becoming blindsided by your career or goals, and facing the consequences such as I did. I take art, very, very seriously. Have my entire life, ever since I first learned how to lay down a line (an incredibly amateur and sloppy one).
It's one of the few activities that can not only truly calm me down, but allow me to escape, films and music pulling a close second and third. However I can't play music, and am still trying to figure out the world of film-making, so art is a trait I like to believe I've put my mind through the most.
And my mind grew fatigued this past week. After five days, I could not, for the life of me, figure out the perspective of this character's face. It was a simple three quarter view, but nothing worked. No amount of reference, sketch-overs, or paint-overs could figure it out. Every hour, I would sit there, shaking in my head out of anger, erasing and repainting. Merging layers, and re-painting. I can only imagine this problem on a traditional level, so excuse my venting.
I hadn't felt this problem ever since I painted the above World War Z imagine some seven or so years back. Half way through, I nearly gave up. It was new for me, something large and including more than one character. Considering myself a character guy, I'm used to pin-ups or portraits. With my new LMS book, I plan to push out of that safety net, but some seven or so years ago I was a chump. Flat out.
However, I pushed through. And looking back, that zombie piece really opened a lot of doors for me. With this new one, I felt the same way. It's a critical moment in the lead character's origin story, that needs to hit on an emotional beat. But for the life of me, I couldn't get one of the key character's emotions right.
It became obsessive. After five days of not being able to fix it, I began hyper focusing on the problem. Thinking about it when I should have been enjoying my time. Considering myself a bad artist for not being able to paint it.
As I pushed through, now seven days later, I finally figured it out and learned a new lesson in the process: Take a damn break. Go for a walk. I write this today, to cement it so other's can call me a hypocrite when I refuse to go and smell the roses. Because day after day, I continue to forget that the painting isn't going anywhere.
My question to you is: Do you go through the similar process? And if so, what's your method of therapy and resolution?
Monday, February 23, 2015
Okay, Gerard...
I remember first reading a version of Beowulf in my big brother's English Literature textbook that he'd brought home from school when I was 10 or 11. A stoic hero battling man-eating monsters and dragons: what's not to love? Some years later—I think I was 16—I read John Gardner's novel, Grendel, which took a decidedly different take on the epic poem—and loved it, too, for entirely different reasons.
It's easy to see that Beowulf is an influence on virtually all heroic fantasy fiction, from Conan the Cimmerian to The Lord of the Rings to A Song of Ice and Fire and everything in between and beyond. If you are unfamiliar with the story, well, you can check out the Wikipedia entry for some basics. There have been all manner of adaptations and reinterpretations in art, literature, games, and film through the years some better (much better) than others—and there are now plans for a TV series, undoubtedly inspired by the popularity of HBO's Game of Thrones and the History Channel's Vikings—but I have my own personal artistic favorite.
Above: A pair of Lynd Ward's unique illustrations for the 1939 Heritage Press edition of Beowulf.
Above: Michael Leonard's knock-out cover for the John Gardner novel which retells the story from the antihero-monster's viewpoint. "Grendel's had an accident. So may you all."
Above: Ricardo Villamonte's cover for DC's 1975 short-lived (6 issues) series. It was…a mess; a stinker and a half in which Beowulf meets Chariots of the Gods-style aliens (a hot property in the mid-1970s) and Grendel kills Satan (to spite Dracula) and becomes master of Hell. DC's Beowulf has shown up in some recent comics…but it ain't the Beowulf, no matter how much you squint.
Above: John Howe provided a series of beautiful paintings and drawings for
Beowulf: A tale of Blood, Heat, and Ashes in 2007. He had also illustrated the poem years earlier for an edition of the Time-Life Enchanted World series.
Above: Gaaaa. Robert Zemeckis directed a motion-capture animated film adaptation in 2008 and I put it on par with the DC comic. Not even a script co-written by Neil Gaiman and Angelina Jolie as Grendel's stiletto-heeled (literally) mother could save it.
Above: J.R.R. Tolkien's translation of Beowulf was his life's work, perhaps dearer intellectually to him than his own fiction. The translation was finally published last year.
Above: Justin Gerard captures the epic battle between Beowulf and Grendel in Heorot's Hall.
Damn, I love this piece.
And that artistic favorite is?
Justin Gerard's illustrations for Beowulf: Grendel the Ghastly, a children's book adaptation by Michelle L. Szobody published in 2008 by Portland Studios. Justin's art is, in a word, stunning.
There's a soft, earthen quality to the works, evoking both myth and melancholy. Justin depicts King Hrothgar's realm as a land of blue and grey shades, one that the monster Grendel stalks in shadows until he emerges in the torchlit battle with Beowulf (shown above). Justin really out-did himself with the illustrations for this beautifully designed book—Cory Godbey adds icing to the cake with a time-worn map—and I would encourage everyone to track down a copy.
But I do have one problem. Look at the cover starting off this post: what's it say? Right there beneath the title? See it?
"Book One."
Beowulf: Grendel the Ghastly ends with the tease, "Then from foggy shadows a sea witch came skulking. Grendel's mother moved through the fields, moaning with mourning. She sought revenge for the death of her son." Followed by BEOWULF, BOOK TWO—THE MONSTER'S MOTHER and Coming Soon.
So here is my message to Justin: What the hell?
"Coming Soon," Gerard: "COMING S-O-O-N!"
That's a promise, a contract, a blood oath, a…a...pinky swear, goddamit. Oh, sure, you move, get hitched, wander around Europe exploring castles and local folk and goats, do commissions based on The Lord of the Rings for patrons (really nice they are, too), teach art, gear up to judge Spectrum 22 this coming weekend...and we won't even mention the whole "Bun Hur" episode. Blah blah blah, all very nice. Oh, certainly, I'm happy for your continued success and equally happy about your and Annie's marriage—but I'm going to avoid getting mushy here and take a hard line.
It's 2015.
The sea witch has been skulking for 7 years! And I want Book Two. I want to see Grendel's mother's assault on the Hall, the battle beneath the lake, the magic sword, "Hrothgar's Sermon."
Followed by Book Three (presumably based on Beowulf's climactic fight with the dragon).
You hear me, MISTER Gerard? I'm waiting.
Posted by Arnie Fenner 6 comments:
Saturday, February 21, 2015
Phil Hale: Life Wants to Live
Award-winning Illustrator and Fine Artist, Phil Hale, has a solo show at Johnathan LeVine Gallery in NYC.
The show is titled 'Life Wants to Live', and thus far, consists of 14 large scale paintings, and 17 drawings. All of which are completely new works.
In conjunction with 'Life Wants to Live', the artist will release a new book by the same title, that will be available to purchase at the opening reception.
The show opens today, February 21, 2015 and runs to March 21, 2015.
Phil Hale : Life Wants to Live
A Solo Exhibition
Johnathan LeVine Gallery
529 West 20th Street, Gallery I
Below is a sneak peek at some of the new paintings, all of which measure 54x54 inches square, and are painted using oil on linen.
Friday, February 20, 2015
7 More Artists
-By Howard Lyon
We live in an amazing time to be an artist. The sheer amount of imagery that we can search through and catalogue is staggering. I, like many of you I am sure, keep a catalogue of paintings stored on my computer where I can browse for inspiration.
I have enough images that I forget some of the gems that I have downloaded. I shared some of them in a previous post, 6 Artists. Here are some more of the paintings that have been sitting on my desktop in the last few days that I pulled out of my image morgue.
Abraham De Vries - Portrait of a Man
For me this is among the best portraits painted. It has the visceral surface of a Rembrandt and the life of a Sargent. The skin looks like one could press it with a finger and feel it give way like real flesh. I am still waiting for this portrait to speak, any moment now...
Bernardo Strozzi - Tobias Curing His Father's Blindness
I have to admit my first reaction to this painting was "Is that guy putting fish guts in that old man's eye!?" I wasn't familiar with the story it is based upon, but once past that I took in the whole painting and loved it. The hands, the movement, the gaping mouth of the fish with its great fins. I can feel the anticipation of the father and son as he applies what they hope is a remedy for his blindness.
Does anyone know if that is a a real fish, or something made up? The double pelvic fins are interesting.
Émile Villa - La Japonaise
How cool is that little guinea pig in the foreground munching on a twig? This painting makes me happy. Amazing texture and color with beautifully rendered details and lots of guinea pigs.
Hermann David Salomon Corrodi - The Ambush Near Giza
I love paintings that tell a good story, even if you don't know the subject. Look at the caravan on the lower right making their way down the trail. You see the pyramids in the background and can imagine that these are merchants making their way from Cairo with valuable goods. The middle-ground of the painting shows the would be bandits waiting in ambush. I wonder how many times they have used this spot to plunder a passing caravan.
I also love the great expanse of canvas filled with a beautiful and subtle gradient. There is just a faint wisp of cloud near the horizon, but other than that, Corrodi was confident enough to fill half the painting with a slow draw of color and let it be.
Isidor Kaufmann - Portrait of a Rabbi with Prayer Shawl
Another great portrait. There is weight and wisdom in this face with many years lived. The static triangular shape gives it a solidity framed by the big rectangle of blue behind the rabbi's head. He seems solid with conviction as well as contemplative. The rendering of detail and texture here inspires.
Jules Breton - The Weeders
I have been coming back again and again to this painting. It is powerful to me. I don't know if it is dawn or dusk. Are they just starting the long day of work, or wearily coming to the end? The contrast and strong colors of the sky add richness and instill drama into the composition.
I want to know if the pregnant woman standing on the left feels hopeful with the dawn of a new day, or worried how much longer she will be able work and earn income? She takes a moment to pause, her full bag of weeds is evidence that she has been hard at work. I see her hands on her hips/small of her back and she leans back against the weight of her belly. My wife has struck this same pose when she was pregnant with our children, her back sore and her body under stress. There is honesty in this painting and it leaves me wanting to know more about the very real women depicted here.
Victor Matorin - Bobrok Volynsky
Victor Matorin is a contemporary artist from Russia. Very impressive work. I don't know much about the subjects in the paintings I have included here, but they are imposing! I would follow this guy into battle.
Victor Matorin - Holy Right Believing Grand Prince Dmitri Donskoi of Moscow
Great color and design here. It reminds me a little of Tom Lovell, but possibly a little bolder in execution. From the clouds and light on the buildings to the colorful boats and costumes, this painting is full of beautiful details.
Victor Matorin - Khan Mamai
One last image from Matorin. A powerful portrait. I had been looking at this of a while before I noticed the silhouettes of the riders on horseback in the background. I also love the quick brushwork of the clouds, but not at the expense of form.
I hope that you found some interest and inspiration here as well and maybe a new image or two.
Howard Lyon


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Video: Bose® QuietComfort® 3 headphones
Most of the people appearing in our videos are employees at Crutchfield. We pull in folks from around the company to share their expertise. A lot of our on-camera stars come from our Advisor Group — they help people choose the right gear via phone, email and chat every day, so they're good at explaining the products and technologies.
Heads up!Welcome to this article from the Crutchfield archives. Have fun reading it, but be aware that the information may be outdated and links may be broken.
Bose® QuietComfort® 3 Acoustic Noise Cancelling® headphones use patented Acoustic Noise Cancelling® technology to minimize unwanted sounds such as airplane engine rumble or ambient room noise.
Video Transcript
The Bose QuietComfort 3 Acoustic Noise Canceling headphones are different from other headphones in a really significant way. Bose uses a special noise canceling technology to quiet down distracting sounds around you so you can just enjoy your music.
Here's how it works. When you're listening to music through your headphones you're actually getting two sounds. The first, of course, is your music, which you want to hear. The second is background noise like the din in an office or the rumble of airplane engines. Bose places microphones on the outside of each earcup to pick up that background noise. Then they throw that noise 180 degrees out of phase and send it back through the headphones. The end result is that the two waves pretty much cancel each other out so you only hear what you want to hear. Of course if you don't want to listen to music-if you're concentrating really hard on something at work or just want to sleep on the plane-you can leave the noise canceling on and not have anything come through the headphones.
The QuietComfort 3s are compact and lightweight. They're a good choice for people who don't want around the ear headphones or who will be wearing them for long trips.
You can learn more about the Bose QuietComfort 3 Acoustic Noise Canceling headphones on crutchfield.com. And if you have any questions you can e-mail one of our advisors, chat with us online, or just pick up the phone and give us a call.


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Moody's reports: Stable outlook for Lebanese banking system
The credit outlook for the Lebanese banking sector is stable, reflecting the buoyant performance of the local economy in 2009, improvement in Lebanese politics and relative stability in the region, says Moody's Investors Service in its new Banking System Outlook on Lebanon. However, this outlook could weaken rapidly in the event that the recent political posturing in the wider region deteriorates into more serious acts of aggression.
Moody's stable outlook for the Lebanese banking system expresses the rating agency's view on the likely future direction of fundamental credit conditions in the industry over the next 12 to 18 months. It does not represent a projection of rating upgrades versus downgrades.
"The stability of the Lebanese banking sector reflects, to a significant extent, its remarkable success in attracting a constant large stream of foreign funding from the Lebanese diaspora and Gulf investors. Indeed, bank deposits have displayed a notable resilience to political shock throughout the country's turbulent recent history," says Stathis Kyriakides, a Moody's Assistant Vice President-Analyst, and author of the report. At the same time, given the systemic risks inherent in operating within Lebanon's volatile operating environment, Lebanese banks have traditionally maintained high liquidity, much of it with international financial institutions.
Moody's does not anticipate either a significant overhaul in Lebanese banks' liquidity policies or any short-term impediments to the stable inflow of foreign funding in the absence of a significant deterioration in regional politics.
Meanwhile, the buoyant performance of the economy in 2009 and expectations of good growth in 2010 together with a relatively stable domestic political scene (within the Lebanese context) are supportive of credit conditions in the country. That said, a key feature of the Lebanese banking system is the banks' sizeable exposure to sovereign debt, which -- given Lebanon's B2 sovereign rating -- constitutes a highly risky investment. "Banking and government finances remain co-dependent in Lebanon: the government relies on ongoing financing of its sizeable debt by domestic banks and the banking sector has embedded interest in preserving monetary stability. Thus, government securities will continue to comprise a large portion of banking assets in the foreseeable future, linking banks' asset quality to the performance of the government's debt rating," Mr Kyriakides explains.
Domestic and regional politics have a more pronounced impact on Lebanon's economy, sovereign debt rating and banking system than global economic conditions. In this context, Moody's cautions that, despite its current stable credit outlook for the Lebanese banking sector amid the recent relative stability, political risk remains high for as long as the country continues to be the theatre for proxy conflicts among regional and international stakeholders in the region.


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Numbers IILetter Equations are well known phrases or facts where the key words have been replaced with the first letter of that word. These are often in the form of an equation, which contain a number, an = sign and the rest of the obscured phrase or fact.
Below are a few singers and bands who have sung a song that has a number in its title. The names of the singers are spelled out. Good luck!
The Proclaimers = F H M
Barry Manilow = S M Y
Roy Orbison = S C
Kiss = A M to O
Dolly Parton = N to F
Nat King Cole = (G Y K O) R S-S
The Commodores = T T a L
Jackson 5 = O B A
HintHere are the numbers in the songs:
The Proclaimers = 500
Barry Manilow = 7
Roy Orbison = 16
Kiss = 1,000,000; 1
Dolly Parton = 9; 5
Nat King Cole = 66
The Commodores = 3
Jackson 5 = 1
AnswerThe Proclaimers = Five Hundred Miles
Barry Manilow = Seven More Years
Roy Orbison = Sixteen Candles
Kiss = A Million to One
Dolly Parton = Nine to Five
Nat King Cole = (Get Your Kicks On) Route Sixty-Six
The Commodores = Three Times a Lady
Jackson 5 = One Bad Apple
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NetWellness is a global, community service providing quality, unbiased health information from our partner university faculty. NetWellness is commercial-free and does not accept advertising.
Tuesday, September 26, 2017
Spine and Back Health
T8-T9,T9-T10 Fusion
I am a letter carrier. I fractured T-8 and crushed T-9 about 2.5 years ago. I had a 3 bone fusion, T-8 to T-10. I now have problems walking fast enough to complete my route. If I walk as fast as I used to I have problems with pain above and below, mainly below, the fusion. I do not use a shoulder bag, but a hip bag. After about 6.5 to 7 hours of standing and walking my pain level starts going up and by 8 hours it is very uncomfortable. Is this something that will improve with time? If so how much time should I expect? Are there any exercises that will help? Thank you for your help in this matter.
Thank you for visiting NetWellness. On this site, we try to answer general questions about health but cannot diagnose or recommend treatment. You appear to have some very, very specific questions about your condition, which can only be answered properly by a physician who is familiar with your history, physical exam, and test results. I would recommend that you go back and talk to your surgeon or get an appointment to see somebody new if you can't see the surgeon from before. Take care.
David J Hart, MD
Associate Professor of Neurosurgery
School of Medicine
Case Western Reserve University


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Gaoxing wrote: If there is no 'I'' it is stupid to think "I have no self" so agreed with the Buddha.
I have no self = no self. The Buddha called this inappropriate reflection.
Am I not = no I. The Buddha also called this inappropriate reflection.
If there is no 'I' it is stupid to think "am I not" so agreed with the Buddha. If there is no 'i' it is stupid to think "am I not" so agreed with the Buddha. But it is not agreed to that the Buddha refused to state that there is no-self. Ananda already new that but the Buddha also new Ananda was still suffering from a self-view.
Where self is, truth cannot be...Self is death and truth is life.
This doesn't say that "there is no self". This and other passages say that one should not speculate about the Self, even in sense of "Self doesn't exist".
In order to refute the idea of Self, you need to propose idea of Self to refute in the first place. So in that way there is still concern about conception of Self.


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I've started this thread to gauge interest in another go-around for the Pacers Digest Forum Awards (last held at the All-Star break in 2012). These awards - held eight times previously - allow PDers to acknowledge and celebrate the varied contributions of their fellow posters. If you are interested in participating (i.e. nominating and voting), please vote accordingly in the poll. This is a private poll, so don't hold back.
If there is enough interest, the awards will be held at season's end (after the final playoff game). Why ask about it now, then, five games in? Well, in years past, we had some categories (e.g. Post of the Year and Thread of the Year) that called for a little bit of recollection. I also want to give people the chance to campaign for themselves and for others.
Here is the list of last year's awards:
Most Valuable Poster Awarded to the poster who you believe to be most valuable to the board.
Most Humorous Poster Awarded to the funniest poster on Pacers Digest.
Best Debater Awarded to the poster whose arguments are the most convincing.
International Poster of the Year Awarded to your favorite poster who lives outside the United States.
Best Non-Pacer Fan Awarded to your favorite poster whose primary loyalties lie with another NBA team.
Sunshiner of the Year Awarded to the poster who you think was consistently optimistic and hopeful about the team and its players.
Moderate Poster of the Year Awarded to the poster who you think was most level-headed and reasonable during both highs and lows.
Darksider of the Year Awarded to the poster who you think was least optimistic about the team and its players.
The Post More Often Award Awarded to the poster who you wish, for whatever reason, would post more often.
Best Arm-Chair Coach Awarded to the poster who displayed the greatest knowledge of the game of basketball in his or her discussion of the team and its players.
Rookie of the Year Awarded to the best poster who has joined the board since the last awards season (February, 2012). The minimum post count for inclusion is 500 posts.
If there are any awards youd like to see added to this list, please feel free to introduce them in this thread. Please give the award a title and brief description like the ones listed above. Any idea that garners thirty or more 'Thanks' will be added to the slate. Debate and discussion is encouraged.
If you've made it this far, thanks for reading!


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She had endured pain for a few months, but put off going to the doctor because she doesn't have health insurance.
So the six other stylists at her salon and more than 20 beauty industry professionals from around the city will join together to hold a benefit Cut-A-Thon for Stier from noon to 6 p.m. Nov. 4 at her salon.
"It's just been so well-received," said Barb Hall, a stylist at Stier's salon who is helping to organize the event.
Stier, 39, worked at other local salons for years before starting her own salon 13 years ago, Hall said.
Even after her diagnosis, Stier continued working — trying to take care of her clients — until her doctor recently told her to stop, Hall said.
Hall and the other stylists at Studio Eclipse took on Stier's clients and donated the pay received to Stier. But they wanted to do more, Hall said.
A brainstorming session, which included stylists Stier had worked with before opening her own salon, resulted in the idea for the Cut-A-Thon, Hall said.
The beauty industry volunteers include people from 12 local salons, including four salon owners — people who normally are each other's competitors, Hall said. Two barbers also are donating their time to cut men's hair.
In addition to the four salon chairs at Studio Eclipse, organizers will set up eight chairs at Tiffany & Co. Studio of Dance, located nearby in Pine Valley Mall, Hall said. Neighboring business A-1 Ink Refill also will let them use its space for the event.
"Everybody is stepping up," Hall said.
One barber from across town already mailed them a donation of $50 for Stier. Redken hair care donated all of the products they will need to offer hair conditioning treatments.
At the Cut-A-Thon, people can receive at haircut, clear color gloss treatment, conditioning treatment, temporary pink chalk streaks, nail polishing or a massage. Customers will be taken on a first-come, first-served basis.
Cost will be a donation, Hall said. For example, suggested donation for a haircut will be $20, but people are welcome to donate more.
A raffle will feature prizes including a weeklong stay in a two-bedroom, beachfront vacation condo in Siesta Key, Fla.; a set of BF Goodrich tires; a pendant and earring set from Shannon Jewelers; Redken hair products; and more.
Ten percent of the money raised will be donated to Cancer Services of Northeast Indiana, and the rest will go to Stier, Hall said.
They also hope to have information available about inflammatory breast cancer, which she said is not detected by a mammogram.
Stier, who has a son, Carson, 10, is humbled by number of stylists and other salon owners joining together to help her, she said.
"It is a wonderful feeling," she said of the support. "I feel very blessed."
More Information
Benefit eventWhat: Local hair stylists will hold a Cut-A-Thon to raise money for Cancer Services of Northeast Indiana and salon owner Allison Stier, who has bilateral inflammatory breast cancer. People can receive a haircut, clear color gloss treatment, conditioning treatment, temporary pink chalk streaks, nail polishing or a massage.
When: Noon-6 p.m. Nov. 4
Where: Studio Eclipse Salon in the Pine Valley Mall at Coldwater and Dupont roads
Cost: Donation


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Little Sister is a newlywed, in every sense of the word. New husband, new home, the whole shebang. When I told her my husband was going out of town for business she insisted I bring Eli down to her house in Norther Kentucky and spend the week sewing! Man I love her!
I was able to finish this adorable little quilt top made entirely from Park Slope 6" pre-cut squares... being quilted today!


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SodaStream Popping
Remember the whole SodaStream (SODA) controversy a few years ago? Was it a fad? Did making your own soda at home really save you money? Jim Cramer and Herb Greenberg even did a taste test on CNBC.
After the stock was crushed in 2011, SodaStream spent 2012 trading sideways. Now it's back: Shares have climbed almost 44% since Nov. 19. Earlier this morning, the company held an upbeat presentation at the ICR XChange Investors Conference in Miami that is sure to get things popping. Since I've been a critic in the past, I listened to the company's presentation....393 more words left in this article. To read them, just click below and try Real Money FREE for 14 days.
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Brigham excited to be back with Rangers
SURPRISE, Ariz. -- Pitcher Jacob Brigham is back in the Rangers' clubhouse 6 1/2 months after the club traded him to the Cubs for catcher Geovany Soto. Brigham had gone 5-5 with a 4.28 ERA in 21 starts at Double-A Frisco before the July 31 deal.
But he made just two starts for Double-A Tennessee in the Cubs organization before being shut down with a strained right forearm. He did not pitch after Aug. 7, and when the season was over, the Cubs traded him back to the Rangers for right-handed pitcher Barrett Loux and a player to be named later.
"It was crazy," Brigham said. "Initially I was sad when I was traded. I always dreamed of breaking in with the Rangers. But it was an opportunity, and at the end of the day, you just want to be in the big leagues. Getting traded back is a blessing in disguise. I'm excited to be back with coaches who know me and know what I need to work on, and playing with guys I've known my entire career."
Brigham heard about the trade right before Thanksgiving. The Cubs told him they needed to make the trade because of "roster issues." They did not tell him it was because of his health.
"They didn't say that," Brigham said. "That was never said. Whether it was the case or not, I don't know."
Brigham, 25, was a sixth-round pick by the Rangers out of high school in the 2006 First-Year Player Draft and comes into camp as a candidate for the bullpen. He said he is fully recovered and "100 percent healthy."