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Why more healthcare is not always the answer
By Neeta das McMurtry
Prepared for EvidenceNetwork.ca by Neeta das McMurtry
Can too much healthcare be bad for your health?
Does more healthcare create better outcomes? In other words, do more medications, tests and interventions necessarily result in healthier patients?
It turns out more care is, all too often, unnecessary care. For example, appropriate care would be getting antibiotics for an infection caused by bacteria. Getting antibiotics for a viral infection that is not helped by antibiotics — such as the common cold — would be unnecessary care.
A variety of factors determine whether a patient receives more health services, such as patient illness severity and physician clinical judgment. But non-medical factors also play a role including: a medical culture that promotes testing and interventions regardless of necessity; fee-for-service structures that reward volume rather than quality; and availability of healthcare resources such as hospital beds and specialists. Patient demand, often influenced by the internet and advertising, is also important.
Until recently, there has not been a lot of Canadian-based research examining the possible over-use of healthcare, but this is changing:
Findings from long-term U.S. studies on healthcare distribution are stimulating Canadians to look at similarities and differences in our own clinics and hospitals.
International work on medical screening is informing our cancer screening debate.
Provincial economic pressures are precipitating a closer examination of where diagnostic tests are over-prescribed.
It is counter-intuitive to discover that less healthcare is sometimes better when, for so long, our medical culture has largely assumed that more care is always better. Patients generally overestimate the benefits, underestimate the harms, and undergo more medical treatments as a result. But more and more professional organizations across Canada are clearly stating too much healthcare can indeed be bad for your health — and the evidence is mounting.
For more than 20 years, the Dartmouth Atlas Project has tracked huge variations in the distribution and use of healthcare resources in the U.S. These studies consistently show that deploying more resources (e.g., specialist visits, diagnostic tests, hospital care) for similar patients does not necessarily lead to better care. In fact, insisting on more healthcare can lead to harm. Instead, safely adopting more conservative practices could save the U.S. 30% of Medicare costs, with patient outcomes remaining at least as good or better.
While these findings can inform Canada's healthcare discussion, direct comparisons are limited because Canada spends one half to one third less on healthcare than the U.S. and our funding models are quite different.
When it comes to comparing hospitals, some Canadian hospitals do spend more than their U.S. counterparts, but they are typically large, teaching hospitals offering specialized cardiac services or associated with regional cancer centres. Also, research shows Canadians may be using hospital funds more efficiently than American hospitals for acute illnesses requiring specialized care and technology.
But that doesn't mean the Canadian health system doesn't have problems with unnecessary care as well.
We know that Canadian patients experience large regional variations in the provision of healthcare for conditions such as cardiac disease, stroke, arthritis, asthma and diabetes. Also, there are a significant number of Canadians using multiple physicians, being referred to multiple specialists, undergoing unnecessary tests or experiencing poorly-coordinated care. One study has quantified patients' use of multiple physicians in British Columbia and another study has examined the costs associated with family physicians requesting more diagnostic procedures. What these studies, and other research has indicated, is that the replication of services and potentially unnecessary care is costing Canadians millions of dollars.
Whether driven by patient well-being or a desire for sustainable economics, the movement to reduce unnecessary medical interventions is gaining momentum, particularly in the areas of screening and testing. For example, Choosing Wisely Canada partners with professional medical associations across the country in an on-going campaign to "reduce unnecessary medical tests, treatments and procedures." They offer online resources on a variety of medical topics to inform both doctors and patients. (See more below in Medical Screening, The PSA Test and Medical Tests.)
Other initiatives include the IMPROVE program, which was piloted in Manitoba and has shown measurable success in improving physicians' prescribing behaviours. The program takes advantage of Manitoba's centralized prescribing database that records prescriptions from community pharmacies. If an unsafe pattern of medications is spotted in the database, the program summarizes current medical evidence related to the case and sends it to the doctor to help inform his or her practice. Doctors who received these educational packages significantly reduced potentially inappropriate prescriptions such as sleeping pills and sedatives.
Last year, the Good Stewardship Working Group published 'Top Five' lists of potentially unnecessary care for doctors practicing family, internal and paediatric medicine to promote the concept "Less is More." They list the top five tests, medications or actions a doctor may view as routine, but actually should be avoided unless special circumstances arise. For example, family practitioners are provided with guidelines for minimizing the use of imaging and screening tests, and are reminded not to routinely prescribe antibiotics. Pediatricians are reminded to minimize radiation exposure in children by avoiding head scans and asked to discourage the use of cough and cold medications because they may have significant risks for children. Internists are given guidelines for reducing lower-back imaging and are reminded to only prescribe the more expensive brand-name drugs for managing cholesterol if the generic brands are unsuccessful.
These 'Top Five' lists aim to conserve healthcare resources in areas that are known to be consistently over used. Family physicians, internists and paediatricians are important to target because they are often a patient's first healthcare contact, a principal point of continuing care and a potential gateway to other specialist care. Two of the areas highlighted where healthcare services could be reduced in order to both benefit patients and save healthcare costs, are medical screening and diagnostic tests.
Medical screening is used to identify disease in populations before they have shown any signs or symptoms. Some medical screening is supported by strong evidence, such as testing for colon or cervical cancer in recommended populations. But many other types of medical screening lead to false alarms and potentially risky interventions.
Choosing Wisely Canada, along with experts in oncology, has compiled four top-ten lists to help doctors and patients re-evaluate cancer screening and cancer care protocols together. Recommendations include restricting pap smears and mammography to certain ages and populations and re-evaluating screening in asymptomatic patients.
The PSA Test
The PSA screen tests a man's blood looking for risks of prostate cancer. A high PSA score could mean cancer, but could also be caused by many other things and cannot identify what type of cancer may be present. This latter point is important because the slow-growing type of prostate cancer is something most men eventually get and won't die from, but the fast-growing type of cancer can be quickly lethal.
A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine shows that if 1,410 men were screened, only one man would be saved from lethal prostate cancer, 48 men would undergo treatment (with chemotherapy, surgery or drugs) and about 30 men would end up impotent or incontinent as a consequence of treatment. Research like this prompted the American Urological Association (AUA) to recommend against PSA screening in men aged 40 to 54 years who are at average risk for the disease, which is a reversal of its previous position.
A 2014 review of current evidence advises clinicians to discuss the pros and cons of PSA screening with average-risk men aged 55 to 69 years so that patients can make an informed decision about PSA testing. Other strategies to mitigate the potential harms of screening include considering less-frequent screening, a higher PSA threshold for biopsy and opting for less-invasive therapies for men with a first-time diagnosis of prostate cancer.
Choosing Wisely Canada explains the side-effects of treating prostate cancer and why some types of prostate cancer are better left alone. They also offer guidelines under "Urology Top 5" that discourage routine bone and pelvic scans for low-risk prostate cancers.
Screening for some breast cancers is another example where health benefits may have been exaggerated. The Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation and the Canadian Association of Radiologists still advocate population-wide screening of women for breast cancer even though the recent Canadian Task Force on Preventive Health Care recommends not routinely screening women aged 40-49 with mammography. The Task Force also states that screening the 50-69 year age group is "weak based on moderate-quality evidence." Their recommendation for screening women aged 70-74 is "weak based on low-quality evidence."
Population screening refers to routine mammography for healthy women who show no reason for concern (no symptoms or family history of the cancer), so that any early signs may be detected. This is distinct from diagnostic mammography for women with symptoms of breast cancer or for those who have other high risk factors such as a genetic or familial predisposition. More specifically, the Canadian Task Force guidelines say individuals who have a personal history of breast cancer, a history of premenopausal breast cancer in their first degree relative (mother or sister), those with a known BRCA1/BRCA2 gene mutation, or prior chest wall radiation should have regular diagnostic mammography.
The two main problems with mammography screening are:
A large number of false positives.
(This inevitably leads to further imaging — more mammography, ultrasounds and even MRIs — and, in many cases, surgical biopsy.)
Over-diagnosis, which includes falsely identifying and treating someone for breast cancer which was identified pathologically, but would never have emerged clinically in the patient's lifetime.
(This typically includes chemotherapy, radiotherapy and may include breast removal. Besides discomfort, well-established consequences of radiation treatment include the increased risk of other cancers and myocardial damage.)
A review by the Cochrane Collaboration shows that screening 2,000 women regularly for 10 years may prolong one woman's life. Of the other 1,999 women, at least 200 will have false-positive mammograms leading to biopsies (which turn out not to detect cancer), and at least 10 women will be falsely diagnosed with breast cancer and consequently subjected to unnecessary surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy.
A recent Norwegian study shows 15-20 per cent of breast cancer cases are over-diagnosed through routine mammography screening (that is 6-10 women were over-diagnosed and treated for breast cancer which they didn't have, for every 2500 women screened). Furthermore, authors of this study call for serious efforts to reduce the frequency of over-diagnosis.
The Canadian National Breast Cancer Screening Study tracked 90,000 women aged 40-59 for 25 years, who were randomly allocated to either the mammography screening program, or to annual physical examination only. The mortality rate from breast cancer was the same in both groups, confirming no benefit to breast screening in healthy women.
The Canadian Task Force on Preventive Care notes that if 720 women between the ages of 50 to 69 were screened every two to three years over an 11 year period, 204 women would experience a false-positive result on a mammogram, 26 would have an unnecessary biopsy of their breast and one death from breast cancer would be prevented. The Task Force reiterates that over-diagnosis can lead to additional imaging, biopsies, procedures, psychological distress and additional radiation exposure from mammograms.
HealthyDebate.ca's article on decision aids includes a polka-dot graphic that illustrates some of the Canadian Task Force data. This graphic draws attention to three different types of false-positive mammography results in women ages 40-49: those who are only brought back for additional imaging (625 out of 2500 women); those who also undergo needle or surgical biopsy (75 out of 2500 women); and those who undergo unnecessary partial or full mastectomy (10 out of 2500 women). The associated article emphasizes the need for healthcare providers to discuss benefits and harms associated, as well as the patient's values and preferences, when considering treatment option.
Two pamphlets to inform patients who are debating mammograms are available online from The Public Health Agency of Canada and The Nordic Cochrane Centre. And to help patients make sense of the numbers, this infographic and this article explain the difference between relative and absolute benefits of breast cancer screening.
Despite the weak data supporting mammography screening, in Ontario there are still financial incentives in place to enroll women in screening: Family doctors are eligible for a $2,000 bonus if they enroll 80% of their female patients aged 50 to 69 in a biannual mammography screening program.
CT scans and MRIs
CT or CAT scans produce cross-sectional images of the body using strong X-rays and a computer. They are useful for things like assessing internal injuries or planning radiotherapy, but they can also highlight details that have no clinical significance. CT scans are routinely over-prescribed to asymptomatic patients, even though they are a significant source of ionizing radiation — which means they can increase patients' risk of cancers in the future.
A study published in Radiology shows when 1,000 symptom-free people underwent full body CT scans, 86% had an abnormality detected. The average person had 2.8 abnormalities or incidentalomas revealed by the CT scan — items which appeared unusual, but either disappeared on their own or were so slow-growing that they never went on to threaten the individual.
A spiral scan of the abdomen or pelvis exposes a patient to about 10 mSv of radiation. The risk of one or two of these procedures is negligible. But in young patients, five of these tests exposes patients to the same amount of radiation that produced carcinogenic effects in the atom bomb survivors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
More than 80 million CT scans are performed in the U.S. every year, yet many doctors — including radiologists — have limited knowledge of the doses and of the potential consequences of diagnostic medical radiation exposure. For example, just one CT scan can expose you to as much radiation as 200 chest X-rays.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging, or MRI, uses magnetic fields and radio wave energy to make detailed pictures of organs and tissues inside the body. Most MRI requisitions come from family doctors and there are typically lengthy wait times for this procedure. For example, according to the Canadian Institute for Health Information, patients in Alberta wait from 87-247 days for an MRI. These wait times exist despite Alberta having the second highest number of scanners per capita in the country, suggesting that overuse may be a problem.
A recent study of MRI requests from Edmonton and Ottawa hospitals found that two thirds of MRI requests do not meet evidence-based guidelines for usage. The same study found that more than half of MRIs on low back pain patients were inappropriate or of questionable value. A 2013 study of MRI use in Alberta showed that over half of low back MRI scans in an Alberta hospital were not appropriate. Research at the Acute Knee Injury Clinic in Calgary found almost two-thirds of the knee-injured patients who had an MRI could have been accurately diagnosed using other more readily available and significantly less expensive techniques and tools.
Knee injuries, low back pain and other common bone and joint conditions can be accurately diagnosed without expensive tests. Training family physicians in diagnostic techniques for musculoskeletal conditions and having them apply MRI guidelines routinely could eliminate the majority of the inappropriate MRIs. For instance, instead of an unnecessary MRI, a patient with lower back pain would receive a proper evaluation by a family physician, a discussion about the nature of back pain and the unlikelihood of a surgical option, and then other proactive approaches such as physiotherapy, exercise, acupuncture and/or medication.
One way to motivate health professionals to upgrade their training in these effective diagnostic techniques and patient counselling would be to introduce incentives for using evidence-based guidelines. In 2012, Canadians had 1.7 million MRIs — double the number in 2004. The savings could be huge given that Alberta data shows a lower back MRI costs the public health system approximately $1,000 while a knee MRI costs around $550.
Choosing Wisely Canada along with The Canadian Association of Radiologists has put together this list of five things a physician should question before ordering any imaging (e.g., CT scan, MRI).
Experts available for interview
Alan Cassels, CD, MPA
Drug Policy, Ethics and Marketing
250-361-3120 | cassels@uvic.ca | @AKECassels
Irfan Dhalla, MD, MSc, FRCPC
Organization/Financing of Health Care
416-864-6060 ext. 7113 | dhallai@smh.ca | @IrfanDhalla
John W. Frank, MD, CCFP, MSc, FRCPC, FCAHS, FFPH, FRSE
Scottish Collaboration for Public Health Research and Policy, University of Edinburgh
UK Healthcare System, Health Inequalities, Prevention, and Public Health
011-44-131-651-1593 | john.frank@ed.ac.uk
David Henry, MBChB, MRCP, FRCP (Edin)
Australian Healthcare System and What Drugs Should We Pay For and Why?
416-480-4297 | david.henry@ices.on.ca
James McCormack, PharmD
Appropriate/Rational Drug Therapy
604-603-7898 | jmccorma@interchange.ubc.ca | @medmyths
Kimberlyn McGrail, PhD
Variations, Aging, Outcomes
778-998-3821 | kmcgrail@chspr.ubc.ca
Thérèse Stukel, PhD
ICES/University of Toronto
Health Systems Research
416-480-6100 ext. 3928 | stukel@ices.on.ca
Our commentaries on: More care is not always better
Are we medicalizing healthy people?
Are medications helping or hurting children with ADHD?
The best health advice you'll get today?
Celebrity endorsements and medical screening // L'appui des célébrités et le dépistage médical
When health services harm more than help
More health care does not mean better health // Plus de soins de santé ne veut pas dire une meilleure santé
Medical screening has over-promised and under-delivered // Le dépistage médical : une réputation surfaite, des résultats mitigés
Providing the right amount of healthcare // Prodiguer la bonne quantité de soins de santé
Mammography and the overdiagnosis of breast cancer
Small benefits, substantial harms with mammography screening // La mammographie : de petits avantages pour d'importants inconvénients
How to save $690 and prevent unnecessary worry // Comment économiser 690 $ et s'éviter des inquiétudes inutiles
Our backgrounders on: More care is not always better
Backgrounder: Canada's prescription opioid crisis
Our videos on: More care is not always better
Why medical screening still has value, but not everyone should be screened, with Dr. Alan Katz (4 min)
American health care, Association médicale canadienne, Canada's healthcare system, Canadian healthcare system, CT scans, medical care, medical screening, MRI Canada, over diagnosis, over-prescribing


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Chat: R.J. Anderson
Welcome to Baseball Prospectus' Thursday May 26, 2011 1:00 PM ET chat session with R.J. Anderson.
Contemplating making a move? Reconsidering your priorities? Before making a commitment, check in with R.J. Anderson!
R.J. Anderson: Hey everybody, I'll try to get through as many questions as possible today. Oh, and if you haven't already, please pay your respects to the departing Marc Normandin, owner of the finest hair in BPro history.
benrosenberg02 (boston): at what point of the season do you think real records and pythag records have actual meaning?
R.J. Anderson: Hi Ben,
Actually, an article was published about this by Chris St. John at Beyond the Boxscore just a few days ago, here, which provides a little more reasoning than me saying a random month.
PMCY (Moms basement): Explain why Carlos Beltran does or does not make sense for the Rays if they are still alive at the deadline.
R.J. Anderson: It depends on what their roster looks like. If Desmond Jennings and/or Brandon Guyer are up with Johnny Damon still at designated hitter, then they really don't have room for Beltran. Plus, the finances and prospect return required. I'm just not sure it's realistic at this point.
DanDaMan (SeaCliff): RJ- I traded Baker for Gallardo and Fuld and Nalasco for Kershaw? Thoughts? Also, I'm thinking of trading Wright away but am worried I can't enough in return. Dan
R.J. Anderson: I think you robbed two people, even if Fuld never returns to his early season form and simply becomes a Jason Tyner clone.
JoshC77 (Columbus, OH): I drafted Alexi Ogando this season banking that he would be the closer in lieu of Neftali Feliz. Fortunately, when it was announced that Feliz would remain the closer, I kept Ogando and have been rewarded with outstanding performance from a SP. So the question is, should I expect this to keep up, or should I sell high on him? I'm concerned about a career high usage and him having to pitch in Arlington this summer. What are your thoughts?
R.J. Anderson: There were concerns about Oganda's ability to get lefties out entering the season, but he has fared really well against them so far (an OPS against just over 600). Nobody is going to keep a sub-2 ERA, but as long as he stays healthy, he should be a decent option heading forward.
You have to tip your cap to Texas on reliever-to-starter transitions too. Either they've gotten lucky a few times, or they know what's up. Maybe a bit of both.
JayT (San Francisco): Darwin Barney has been way better then I would have ever expected. Is this just a mirage, or do you think he has a chance of keeping this production up?
R.J. Anderson: Barney sure seems to be turning into a fan favorite, doesn't he? His big league career line isn't too far off what he did in Triple-A, but I'm not certain he is as good as people want him to be because of his intangibles and personality.
BJM (AA, MI): Bigger loss over the last 24 hours: Posey from the Giants, or Normandin from BP?
R.J. Anderson: Normandin. Hair like that is an intangible.
jamin67038 (Wichita, KS): 12-team mixed non-keeper league, OF of Stanton, C. Young, Ichiro, Stubbs, Choo, and Rasmus. I can only start 4, so who makes the most sense to deal? I think Ichiro could bring the most back due to the name.
R.J. Anderson: Depending on the scoring and your needs, I'd probably go with Stanton, Rasmus, Choo, and Ichiro. Agreed on dealing Ichiro as well.
Mark Smith (Lexington, KY): What's your thoughts on catcher collisions?
R.J. Anderson: I don't think about them often, actually. What happened to Posey (and Santana and Cervelli before him) is unfortunate, but baseball hasn't mandated pitchers wearing helmets or facial protection either and that seems to pop up as often nowadays.
Hatfield (Moms basement): How do you feel about Dan Johnson's time spent at the big league level? Is he a career AAAA player, or would you consider yourself a 'Johnson guy'?
R.J. Anderson: It's difficult to say. My pet theory on Johnson right now is that his skill set just plays better at Triple-A. Maybe because he can work himself into better counts there against weaker pitchers and then use what power he has to flick a few balls over the fences. Maybe he just didn't get a long enough leash this year--he has had success in the majors before. I don't know. In the end, there is usually a reason a player isn't in the majors despite tearing up the minors.
Stephen MR (NY): Who's going to be the best pitcher traded at the deadline, and to which team is he going to be traded?
R.J. Anderson: River Avenue Blues represented. I liked your colleague Mike Axisa's idea to trade for Hiroki Kuroda. I couldn't give you a legit guess on who may be dealt and where at this point, but if Kuroda is moved, he would probably be near the top of my list.
hotstatrat (Zurich - honestly - and it is amazingly beautiful): Are teams still trying to dodge the super 2? Has it become a problem of many teams trying to outdodge the other teams by bringing up their best prospects later and later in the season?
R.J. Anderson: Difficult to say. Some teams do appear to be more aggressive with promoting their top prospects this season--Hosmer, De La Rosa, and possibly Ackley--so it looks like teams might prep for Super Two going bye-bye in the next CBA. At the same time, though, a team like the Rays--that usually beats others to these kinds of loopholes--hasn't promoted Desmond Jennings yet, and they could use him.
jamin67038 (Wichita, KS): In a mixed keeper league, I desparately need a 1B and I have an offer of Teixeira and Beltran for Floyd and McCutchen. Aye or nay?
R.J. Anderson: Yeah, I'd probably take that trade as soon as I quieted my inner McCutchen fanboy.
Ryan (DC): The Royals are on pace for 74 wins. The Marlins are on pace for 97. Both have a ton of young talent. Do you think both teams continue on current trajectory or depart?
R.J. Anderson: Can I get my #humblebrag on for a moment? I liked the Marlins in the preseason, but they aren't going to win 97 games. I think the Royals could go either way. You have to figure some more of the youth is going to climb the vine and it just depends on how those youngsters can perform in their first big league exposure. So, under for the Marlins and push on the Royals.
Charlie Schmidt (The Internets): For Marc:
R.J. Anderson: Truly unfauxgettable.
Rob (Alaska): Wow, Matt Joyce. I always him to get a real shot, but I was expecting more of a .260, 25 HR type of guy. What's your thought on where he ends up numbers-wise?
R.J. Anderson: I'm a big Matt Joyce fan. Joyce got off to a bit of a slow start on the home run front, but lately he seems to launch one every other game. I think 20-to-25 home runs is a fair estimate, especially if he gets a little more time versus lefties. He may not hit them well, but I think he can steal a homer or two off them.
Sandy Kazmir (The Roc): Assuming no money is part of the transaction, what is a suitable return for Jose Reyes?
R.J. Anderson: I couldn't even tell you after Fred Wilpon's comments and with Reyes health issues in the past.
Aceball (Reno): I am trippin out right now about the Buster Posey situation. Are the Giants in serious trouble? Should Buster be converted to another position? He was a shortstop as a freshman at FSU I believe. Why limit him to first base where Aubrey Huff is holding it down. I think because Buster is more athletic than the prototypical cathcer he just goes to hard behind the plate.
R.J. Anderson: Posey is more athletic than a lot of catchers and yes he did play some shortstop for the Seminoles--he also appeared at every other position during one game. Should they move him away from catching? That's hard for me to say. They knew the risks associated with catching--not just the play at the plate aspect either--and figured he was best served there, so should an incident like this change their outlook? I don't know. Maybe.
tommybones (brooklyn): Reimold just hit his 2nd homer of the day.... any chance the 2009 version returns?
R.J. Anderson: I'm hesitant to say yes because Reimold didn't hit very well in Triple-A last year or so far this year. He isn't a guy who will get by on defense or durability, so he has to hit to be on a major league squad. For now, I'd lean towards saying no, but there could be other explanations for his Triple-A stats than a slipping talent level.
Puppy-D (BAWSTON): We already know Epstien is one of the best GMs in baseball. Can't argue with 2 rings in 10 years. What do you think of how his moves from last off season are panning out?
R.J. Anderson: I was a bit stunned to see Sam Fuld still outhitting Carl Crawford a few days ago. I think he is pretty delighted to have Adrian Gonzalez on his squad, though, and eventually Crawford will turn it around. Now, if they can just get Bobby Jenks and Dan Wheeler healthy, the offseason could look about as good as it did in March.
Jquinton82 (NY): Considering trading Alvarez for Matusz in my dynasty league, already have ARod at 3B... thoughts?
R.J. Anderson: Usually, I don't like trading a bat for an arm. I like Matusz, and I know Alvarez has struggled, but I don't know. Maybe see how Matusz performs once he returns?
Toppah (Some reference that no one gets): With Buster Posey being out for the year, is there a sleeper at catcher that is worth getting? Also, gerrout.
R.J. Anderson: Depends on who is available in your league, but if you aren't opposed to trying to ride a hot hand, perhaps grab Saltalamacchia and see if his last few weeks are legitimate. He has an OPS near 900 in May.
fieldHat (Alaska): 12 team non keeper. I have Evan Longoria. Guy has obviously been in a terrible slump. My relief corps is very week... I was wondering how you felt about trading Longoria for a reliever?
R.J. Anderson: No. Don't do that. Just no.
S. Slowinski (A Commune ): Isn't it a shame that baseball teams don't take the spent shell casings from sunflower seeds and figure out a way to get them to generate electricity? I think it's incumbent on teams to lower their carbon foot print. Having said that, should the Rays try to sign Russ Branyan?
R.J. Anderson: Unless his medical files suggest his back is about to give out for good, I don't see the harm at big league minimum.
tommybones (brooklyn): Who appears in the bigs this year first, Kyle Blanks or Anthony Rizzo?
R.J. Anderson: I consulted with Normandin and he thinks Blanks will be up first so they find out what he's all about. Plus, the Padres have said once they bring up Rizzo, they want it to be for good.
Aceball (Reno): Yes, Buster Posey has been taking hard foul balls off the mask as well. They should put Sandoval behind the plate when he gets back. He came up as a catcher. Is that possible, to go back to catching on the fly?
R.J. Anderson: If they felt comfortable with Sandoval behind the plate, I can't imagine they would have moved him away from catching to begin with.
Matt (Chicago): The Cubs are a mess. Considering their big mkt expectations, what direction do they go in as deadline approaches?
R.J. Anderson: They could probably benefit from selling and slotting some of the ready youth (okay, mostly Brett Jackson) into the lineup, but looking around, it's not like they can move Alfonso Soriano, Marlon Byrd is hurt, and Carlos Pena is struggling. Maybe they would move a starting pitcher (one who isn't hurt, at least) for a few prospects, otherwise, there isn't a whole lot they can do.
DaPriceIsRight (Republic of Congo): How do you think Niemann will do once activated from the DL? If he's still pitching like he was before the DL, do you see the Rays making a promotion from someone in AAA, or stay with Sonnanstine?
R.J. Anderson: Niemann probably won't be ready for another two-to-three weeks, if then, and I couldn't tell you if he'll be better than before when he returns. At this point, I'm not sure even they can justify running Sonnanstine out there. He lost his best asset and just doesn't look like a major league quality starter anymore. Maybe Alex Cobb and Alex Torres aren't ready, but gee, it doesn't feel like they could pitch much worse.
mattymatty2000 (Portland, OR): Hey R.J. Have your thoughts on the Rays place in the AL East changed two months in? Thanks for the chat.
R.J. Anderson: I still think they're the third best team in the division. I don't know how they were in first place (until a few days ago) though. They need help in order to make it a race down the stretch. Some of that will come from in-house promotions, but they need to go outside of the org for at least one player too.
Sandy Kazmir (The Roc): Continuing the Posey line of questioning, would the Giants look to move a bullpen arm for a catcher? I'd love to see a Runzler for Shoppach swap as they're stocked in the pen and Runzler's peripherals are much better than results so far.
R.J. Anderson: Supposedly the Giants wouldn't part with Runzler in the offseason for Jason Bartlett. I just can't see them turning around months later and dealing him for a catcher who hasn't impressed.
tommybones (brooklyn): Brett Lawrie's no doubt coming up soon. Any idea what a reasonable expectation for the rest of the season? What would his 2011 upside numbers be?
R.J. Anderson: My big question with Lawrie is how much of this offensive gain is because of the PCL. If it's a legit improvement then I think you look for him to become an all-star at one point or another in his career. As for this season, it's really just a coin flip. He could jump right in and perform well or he could have some struggles. He is only 21, after all.
Aceball (Reno): I don't know. I respectfully disagree with you. I think Sandoval was moved from catcher because they thought they had a guy who was going to hit .315 over a twelve year career and playing catcher would jeopardize that potential. Well, the lustere has worn off Pablo Sandoval and he is in great shape. They got Miguel Tejada, Fontenot, Manny Buress, and Sanchez to play 3B, SS, and 2B. Throw Sandoval behind the dish.
R.J. Anderson: That's fair, and the weight loss should help. I'm not sure if getting Burress into the lineup is really that much better than whoever would become the fulltime catcher.
Buc Wild (My Home Theatre (TM)): At the trade deadline, does Upton or Shields get dealt if we are within 5 games of the WC? What would the threshold be to move one or both guys?
R.J. Anderson: Again, it depends on the roster. Even if the Rays are in it, you might consider moving Upton if a package is right. Otherwise, you enter the offseason with him having only one year of team control remaining. I think Shields will stay through the end of the season.
ThgirSiEcirpAd (The Azores): Who do you project will be taken 1.1 in this year's draft? Furthermore, who do you believe the Rays will pickup with the 24th pick?
R.J. Anderson: The folks smarter than me about the draft seem to think Danny Hultzen might go first overall to the Pirates. I wouldn't be shocked to see the Rays go with someone like Brandon Nimmo at 24, but that's just speculation.
achaik (maine): Have you find a quality tonic for the stomach ailments that result from the phrase "Kyle Farnsworth loosening up for the Rays?" Because I am keeping Tums in business this season.
R.J. Anderson: Only once have I felt a little unnerved by Farnsworth closing and that came during an at-bat against David Ortiz in Fenway Park.
drmorris (SF): Posey is only the asset he is because he's a catcher. Move him to third base and he's just another bat...plus you've got a bad hitter behind the dish, just like every other club. You have to leave him back there.
R.J. Anderson: Also a good point, but if injuries continue to be a factor (and I'm not saying they will be) you have to weigh whether having him in the lineup at all is better than maximizing his value.
Aceball (Reno): The Giants wouldn't part with Runzler for Jason Bartlett. That was stupid of them.
R.J. Anderson: To be fair, Runzler's peripherals are a lot better than his ERA this season and Jason Bartlett isn't lighting it up for San Diego.
J. Keri (Montreal, NH): BUY MY BOOK BUY MY BOOK BUY MY BOOK
R.J. Anderson: The real Jonah Keri would never be so shrill. However, I would recommend The Extra 2% if you're looking for a good baseball/business book.
B. Foderero (Paml Hrabor): Do you see any more #Indians players getting #hurt? I've said for years that their #trainingstaff is going to hold them back. They're also in a division with #Verlanderhas2nonos
R.J. Anderson: I don't know enough about the Indians training staff to say either way.
mmaurer016 (FLA): Thoughts on Grady coming back? Im thinking he might be a good buy low target. Im in a 20 team head to head and a guy offered me Sergio Santos and sizemore for Beachy and Lowerie. What do u think?
R.J. Anderson: It's so hard to say because of Sizemore's health issues. I probably wouldn't do that trade, but I'm risk averse when it comes to trading talent for oft-injured players.
ElPrecioEsCorrecto (Guadalajara, Mexico): How do you feel about the Rays recent acquisition in Buente? Any chance he gets called up this season, and what would his perceived role be?
R.J. Anderson: It is what it is. Buente relies on his velocity and a good splitter, but doesn't have much else--he threw a few weak curves versus the Rays in his only big league appearance this season. For now, he'll be in Triple-A, but I just can't see him being in a major league rotation for long, although he might be decent reliever if used right.
DaPriceIsRight (Republic of Congo): Dear Mr. R.J. Anderson What is the current value of Lance Berkman in FBB and what do you think I could get for him?
R.J. Anderson: Depends on your league, but I would guess a decent haul.
tommybones (brooklyn): Aviles playing his 3rd game at SS today. Is there a shot that he takes over full time for the struggling Escobar once Moustakas gets the call at 3B?
R.J. Anderson: If I'm KC, I wouldn't unless it's just to help Escobar clear his head. Developing Escobar is more important than the upgrade Aviles provides for this Royals squad.
Bruce (toronto): What is going on with Carlos Santana?
R.J. Anderson: The natural reaction here is to cite Santana's low BABIP, but he is hitting a lot more groundballs this season. I don't know that putting the ball on the ground more helps a player of his skill set. Santana is also hitting more infield flies, so a portion of his balls in play are automatic outs. Given his history, I think he'll improve, but maybe not to the level he played at last season.
tommybones (brooklyn): Re: Aviles/Escobar at SS This IS the Royals we are talking about. I really think they have a shot at the post! Assuming they do believe that, would Aviles be the choice at SS?
R.J. Anderson: I just hope they aren't thinking like that because our Playoff Odds have them at 0.2%.
Eric Young (Colorado): When do I make it up?
R.J. Anderson: The Jonathan Herrera hype is either dying or dead, depending on your point of view and the Rockies are using Alfredo Amezaga some days at second. Anytime now, really, unless the Rockies are waiting for your Super Two date to pass.
DaPriceIsRight (Tardtown USA): What happened to David Price this year. Is he a #1 starter and having a bad year or was last year a fluke. In case you wondered, I'm awful.
R.J. Anderson: It's hard for me to believe we're talking about a pitcher with a 3.89 ERA ... and somehow his ERA is worse than the league-average. What a weird year. And I think Price is/will be fine. His peripherals have actually improved and his stuff is still really good.
Bruce (toronto): Do you think Gio Gonzalez has turned a corner and become an elite SP?
R.J. Anderson: I don't feel comfortable saying he is elite just yet, but above average? Yes.
paulbellows (Calgary): Any chance Raburn moves back to 2B? Both he and Sizemore are looking terrible right now.
R.J. Anderson: Oddly, they have identical OPS. Not sure moving Raburn back to second is doing much other than spinning the wheel.
paulbellows (Calgary): What are the chances A. Oliver sticks in the DET rotation?
R.J. Anderson: Slim this time, unless the Tigers are willing to move Brad Penny into the bullpen or onto another team.
Bruce (toronto): Bard seems to pitch well most of the time, but then will have some periods where he seems to lose his control or have problems with lefties. Can he take over from Paplebon as closer next year?
R.J. Anderson: Even if he's not, the Red Sox will still have Bobby Jenks sitting around. Also, I think most relievers go through stretches similar to Bard.
tlowell5 (Alaska): Is Philip Humber for real? He was a hot prospect for the Mets and ended up in Minnesota for Johan Santana. He never distinguished himself in the minors, but he's off to a great start with the White Sox. Can he sustain this level of performance?
R.J. Anderson: He has looked better than expected (someone in the annual threw out a Kyle Davies comp), but I'm not sold that he'll continue to have a .210 BABIP. Once that moves up, the ERA probably will too.
tommybones (brooklyn): Ugh. I meant to say that the Royals think that they can make the post! I don't think that! God, I look like an idiot now. *sigh*
R.J. Anderson: No, no, I got that. I'm just saying, I hope they don't buy too much into their chances.
paulbellows (Calgary): Any chance Carlos Santana gets sent down?
R.J. Anderson: Guessing not. Santana is still outhitting the average catcher, even with his struggles.
Bruce (toronto): Any news about John Lamb and the severity of his elbow injury?
R.J. Anderson: I haven't heard anything, but Kevin Goldstein or Jason Parks are your guys for this type of thing.
Carol (Grand Rapids): I just picked up Casey kotchman. Are you digging this move as much as i?
R.J. Anderson: I'm not sold on him at all. Still hitting a bunch of grounders and singles, which is the same recipe as before.
Just a few more before we wrap this baby up.
Dbullsfan (Tampa): The Rays are typically very methodical when the move up prospects but do you think there is any chance that Beckham and/or Lee and/or Deitrich get moved up this year. The first 2 are young for their leagues but performing extremely well and the ladder is older for his league and also performing well.
R.J. Anderson: You are correct about their patient approaches to promotions, but if they feel the players are showing real progress in the areas they designated, then yes, I could see that.
Puppy-D (Seattle): The 3rd place Rays of the AL East are facing the 3rd place Mariners of the AL West next week. How many total runs do you expect these two teams to combine for over a 4 game series? I'm going with 4 runs.
R.J. Anderson: I fully expect one team to have a 20-run outburst.
MW (Pinellas Park): Do you think RJ Swindle is close to a call up for the Rays?
R.J. Anderson: No. He isn't on the 40-man roster and the Rays have two left-handed relievers as is.
JayT (San Francisco): Would you rather have Saltalamacchia or Ramon Hernandez?
R.J. Anderson: In fantasy? Flip a coin. I don't think Hernandez will continue to play this well, but I'm not sold Saltalamacchia will build on this hot month either.
Andrew Friedman (Earf): Trust the process, brah
R.J. Anderson: That's probably a good place to end it.
Thanks for all the good questions and we'll have to do it again soon.
R.J. Anderson: Thanks for all the good questions and we'll have to do it again soon.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Orange Mane Discussion
Orange Mane Central Discussion
Ball more comfortable in year two. Ready to take on a bigger roll.
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- When asked about where he is now compared to his rookie season, running back Montee Ball sounded like he was reminiscing on a goofy childhood photo.
"So much easier the second time around," Ball said, laughing. "Now [the playbook is] just super easy, so I'm able to play a lot faster."
Learning to play with quarteback Peyton Manning and his line-of-scrimmage calibrations was perhaps the biggest adjustment for Ball a year ago. Outside of 2011, when Russell Wilson was the starter, Ball said quarterbacks at Wisconsin didn't have the liberty to make their own adjustments at the line. Moving from that to a conductor like Manning was a little jarring.
"He's capable of making any check at any time, with two seconds left on the play clock," Ball said. "And you've got to be able to comprehend and react."
"Instead of being a little nervous in the backfield with Peyton, now I'm completely calm."
The second-year back credits a major part of that calmness to "kind of making my own checks" while watching film, guessing what Manning might do in that situation. He says he's now able to anticipate some of Manning's calls before they're made, speeding up his own execution.
He also noted the value of looking at in-game photographs on the sidelines with coaches between drives, something he didn't have in college.
Ball's increased comfort started to shine through late in 2013. He singled out Week 12, when he rushed for 40 yards on seven carries in New England, as the moment when things "started happening." A week later at Arrowhead Stadium, he busted out for 117 yards on 13 carries against the Chiefs, including a season-long 45-yard romp.
Ultimately, well over half of his production came in the final five games.
"I wish I had done that early on," he said. "I always tell myself, 'Imagine where I would have been at, at the end of the year last year, if I started fast.'"
"So that's what I'm doing this year: starting fast and keeping it going every week."
With public votes of confidence from the coaching staff and a hold on the starting spot, Ball should have every opportunity to do just that.
Ball comfort is essential.
cutthemdown
A verbis ad verbera
ready for a bigger role huh? More like better be ready to be the lead back on a Superbowl contending team.
Powderaddict
John Elway 4Ever
Ball is one of the players I'm really excited about this season. I love a good running game. With Ball, Clady's return, and Franklin upgrading the
LG spot I think the running game could be a big difference maker this year.
DBroncos4life
Hey pic Mod!?!?! FU
I just hope he can catch better then he did at times last year. Moreno was darn near elite in that regard. We just need Ball to keep drives alive.
Last edited by DBroncos4life; 06-01-2014, 12:36 PM.
Originally posted by DBroncos4life View Post
I just hope he can catch better then he did at times last year. Moreno was darn near elite in that regard. We just need Ballto keep drives alive.
He had one drop in almost 30 targets in the second half of the season, I don't think dropped passes is a huge issue.
This is the part of the article I found most interesting. By last 5 games I wonder if that includes the three playoff games? Either way over half of his production in about ⅓ of the season at the end is very promising.
footstepsfrom#27
helmet to helmet hitter
Odd factoid; Ball and Kapri Bibbs are 2/3 of the short list of college players who scored 30 TD's in a season, the other being Barry Sanders...if Bibbs makes it too our goal line run game could be interesting.


My teaching methods are patience and repetition. Go slow to go fast. Mastering your fretboard with chord shapes and scale patterns and arpegios. Learning thru song.
My teaching is all built off empathy with my students. I make sure I tailor my lessons and teaching style to meet your needs and encourage my students to ask as many questions as possible. Guitar is one of the most important parts of my life, and I just want to help you discover the best hobby out there and find a new passion.
First of all I begin by assessing your current skill/level with the guitar. Then creating a comprehensive plan of things to learn and practical exercises. A typical class would consist of learning musical/guitar theory, learning chords and later incorporating those into songs.
find private lessons in Ottawa .
Pick your own coach to help you learn guitar. Superprof will help you to find the most relevant tutor: we put together all the teachers skilled in guitar in Ottawa and close by.
Whether at home or in a classroom, take advantage of close supervision in Ottawa by an experienced tutor. Improve your grades or your performance, refine your accent, work better and more efficiently with someone guiding you ever step of the way.


Life insurance policies in the state of Kansas do not have a lot of state specific regulations mandated by the State Department of Insurance in the way that health or auto insurance policies do.
However, there are certain provisions created by the department to oversee and protect the rights of those purchasing a policy.
Kansas was ranked 29th out of 50 states and the District of Columbia in life expectancy in 2014, with a life expectancy of 78.74 years. With this in mind, people living in Kansas may want to consider their life insurance options.
The Kansas state insurance code mandates that all Insurance companies allow a 30-day grace period on late payments. If you miss a premium payment for any reason, you must be given 30 days to bring the account current before the insurer can cancel the policy for non-payment.
Kansas Life policies generally will not pay a death benefit if suicide is determined to be the cause of death and the policy is less than 2 years old. In such an event, only a refund of the premiums paid thus far will be paid to the beneficiary.
The purpose of the Department of Insurance is to faithfully execute the state insurance laws in a manner that protects insurance customers and the Kansas life insurance industry.
State guaranty associations are there to provide protection and continuing coverage, even in the event that a life insurance company becomes insolvent.


Walking Holidays are invigorating for the soul and body. After a hard days walking in the mountains you mind is more relaxed and your body has the exercise it needs to stay fit and healthy.
Therefore spending time leisurely is supplemented with holiday means like walking, cycling, trekking, biking, discovering etc. This article is based on the Holiday Walking programs and explains the principle behind the trip. The independent walking holidays are the perfect ways to discover a nation that allows wandering off the track and to discover the beauty of the area with warm spectacular landscapes.
Going on a walking holiday really makes the body fit enough to overcome abnormal condition. Specialists in walking holidays, comprises a skilled team of climbers, mountaineers and snowboarders who delivers the unforgettable holiday. There are many companies that offer a wide range of walking holidays all around the globe allowing the individuals to explore the consistency of the nature.
Walking makes the people more fascinated because of its breathtaking scenery, qualified accommodation and close view to the Mother Nature. Every adventure is made perfect with the help of local experts who have researched the track many times. Walking holiday makes the walker to be accompanied with local experts who guide them and share their experience in every step of the way.
Holiday walkers are provided with route maps, trip notes and detailed information pack to guide them at every step. This makes the walkers to be close enough with the landscapes, wildlife, people and tradition of their destination. Each day the baggage is collected and moved onto next hotel, so that to make the walkers free to wall every day just with a day pack. During the trip people are accommodated with great respect to fulfill their needs and are warm welcomed with delicious local food that makes them to be free from exhaust. The important thing is people are allowed to trip only in affordable seasons that�s when the weather conditions favors to walk on hills.
People are allowed to organize their trip, even as teams to innovate the beauty of mountains and landscapes to share the ideas among themselves. Walking holidays is a big business now, which is familiar in European countries like Finland, Sweden, Poland, France and Spain that really attracts the people for its unique character with superb walking and easily accessed with transportation. Millions of people visit these countries every year to have a thorough glance at the valleys and high peaks.
Walking holiday is made more comfortable and enjoyable with the equipments that we carry. The main thing is to keep our foot safe and this matter is overthrown by wearing traditional shoes or ordinary walking shoes because there�s no point spending money on boots. Though the main bag is transferred ahead it�s necessary to have a backpack to carry the spare clothes food and water. Some of the important stuffs to be carried while tripping are first aid kit, insect repellants, fast drying clothes, walking pole, whistle and a torch.
The Author of this article knows all about walking holidays. He has arranged many passionate walking holidays through Macs Adventure. When it comes to walking holidays in Scotland, the West Highland Way can never be missed. The Author has written many articles on the West Highland Way walking holidays.


Costa Cruises is definitely one of the best cruise providers in the world, and what better way to cruise aboard the Magica. Embark on a cruise with Costa Cruises and enjoy many types of delightful on-board amenities and a pampering service staff aboard the truly special Magica. RedHotCruises provides a huge assortment of Magica cruises at fantastic rates. Browse our complete calendar of all possible Magica cruises below and sort by cruise line, ship, departure port, price, date range, or length. When you find the ideal cruise aboard the Magica, you can see more information and the full cruise schedule as well as the boat details and a list of shore excursions. Vacancy is often limited, so purchase online with us as soon as possible to ensure your Magica cruise reservation before it sells out completely. Call us at (844)235-4177 or email us to consult with a cruise expert and we will help you find what you're looking for.


In our last Photography Basics article, we took a look into the basic principles of aperture and lens speed. We learned that the aperture of a lens is a critical component to a properly exposed photograph and powerful composition tool. In this article we are going to examine the fundamentals of shutter speed and how it will affect your images.
Hopefully, we will also be able to answer that frequently asked question . . . why are my photos so blurry? Frequently, the culprit is our shutter speed.
The opening and closing of the lens diaphragm, or aperture, affects the amount of light that hits the imaging sensor (or back in the day, the unexposed film). Shutter speed setting affects the amount of time that the light is permitted to hit the sensor or film.
As you can easily figure from these two points, if you have a fast shutter speed, then you need more light. If your shutter speed is slower, then you need less light. As a result, an open aperture means a faster shutter speed. A closed aperture means a slower shutter speed.
The other variable in the exposure equation is ISO, which refers to the sensitivity of the film or imaging sensor inside your camera. We will look closer at ISO in a future article. For now, we will stick with shutter speed and its job in the exposure equation.
Camera shake blur is a result of a shutter speed that is too slow for a given focal length. In order to get an acceptably sharp and blur-free image, the rule of thumb goes that you need to use a shutter speed that is a reciprocal of the focal length (based on a 35mm-sized frame) that you are using. For example, if you are using a 60mm lens on a full frame camera, then you should use a shutter speed that is at least as fast as 1/60 of a second.
This rule of thumb applies for handheld use of your camera only. There are may other ways to use a slower shutter speed than the reciprocal of your focal length and still get acceptably sharp images.
You can put your camera on a tripod for the ultimate stability for even extremely long exposures. A monopod can also provide a stabilization platform, which also allows you to perform fast action panning (discussed below). Finally, several lenses and cameras are available with electronic image stabilization systems that compensate for camera shake and allow for the use of slower shutter speeds, even when using the camera handheld.
The above image is blurry because of camera shake. How can we tell? Because the static subjects are blurry to the point of suggesting motion. See how the toys have light streaks? That is a result of camera movement, and not the movement of the toys.
If you have an entry-level DSLR, then it is likely that your sensor is an APS-C format, which means it's smaller than a 35mm frame. What this means is that your lens focal length is magnified (or cropped) by roughly 1.5x. As a result, a 100mm lens looks like a 150mm lens.
Want to know what I do to avoid all the math when I'm trying to take hand held photos? I just double that focal length number. That's right. Instead of trying to multiply the focal length by 1.5, I just double it. With a 60mm lens, I know that my shot is good with a 1/120 shutter speed or better (it will actually be a 1/125 setting in the camera).
You can get a blurry subject if your shutter speed is too slow. While it can be an artistic decision to use motion blur, it is often an undesired result. Common examples of motion blur arise from children playing indoors or trying to freeze subjects in sports.
The above image was captured with a point and shoot camera at a shutter speed of 1/4 of second at an equivalent focal length of roughly 30mm. While you can see the static portions of the image (theater chairs, people in the background, my arm in the foreground, etc.) remain relatively sharp (thanks to image stabilization), the main subject, my son, was moving his head and giving an enthusiastic thumbs up as we waited for a 3D movie to start. He is the definition of motion blur (even when a camera isn't aimed at him).
While image stabilization systems in lenses and cameras can reduce blur from camera shake, it won't help motion blur. This is because the camera is moving to create camera shake blur and the subject is moving to create motion blur. Image stabilization works to stabilize the camera, but it won't do anything for the subject that's moving.
To freeze the subject, you need to use a shutter speed that is fast enough to stop the action. In order to freeze kids, you need to choose your shutter speed wisely. The number can change depending on what the kids are doing and how close you are to them. I would suggest starting at 1/125 of a second and move up and down from that point based on your on situation with the kids (or whatever subject) in order to eliminate unintended motion blur. Obviously, sports shots will require a higher shutter speed, while snapshots of the kids eating breakfast can be much slower.
Again, it is part of the photographer's artistic expression to decide how "frozen" that a subject should appear. You can create some really cool images with motion blur when you grasp the concept of what is going on inside the camera.
Here's an example of one of my favorite uses of motion blur.
I shot the above image from the inside of my car with the camera mounted on a tripod in the back seat. I used a remote to trigger the shutter so that I could keep my eyes on the road. The exposure was 10 seconds long at an aperture value of f/16.
Other good uses of motion blur that come to mind include fireworks shots at night, which are often shot from a tripod at longer shutter speeds of 2-4 seconds long.
One way to make creative use of motion blur is to pan your camera along with a moving subject. If your panning technique is sound and you use a slow enough shutter speed while doing so, the subject of your image will remain sufficiently sharp while the background is blurred from the movement of the camera and lens. This is one way to create a sense of motion with your shutter speed.
Another way to create a sense of motion with your shutter speed is to use a fast shutter speed to "freeze" the subject in action. Creating a sense of anticipation is a great way to get the most out of your fast shutter speed. This does not work with every situation and, quite frankly, can produce very peculiar results with some subjects and types of actions.
Contrast the image of the Aston Martin DB9 at the Petit LeMans below with the mountain biker above. You know what is coming with the mountain biker – he's about to eat some dirt. And, somehow, the fact that he is about to face plant into the ground may even be more compelling than when he actually impacts the ground. I think this is all about the anticipation of the moment – the unknown.
Now look below. Even though the Aston Martin is racing into turn 9 at Road Atlanta, my shutter speed of 1/1000s was far too fast to convey any sense of motion here. In my view, this is a circumstance where a fast shutter speed is unwarranted and, actually, makes the subject less attractive. There is no sense of speed, and the car might as well have been parked.
When you freeze a subject, you still need to convey the action and you do not want to make the subject static or awkward. The motion of the subject still needs to be clearly conveyed so that it does not look like they are simply hanging in mid-air when they are performing a wild jump, or they are leaning awkwardly when, in fact, they are in an all-out sprint.
The football receiver stretching out for a catch as the ball is contacting or about to contact his hands.
The baseball player striking the ball with his bat.
The swimmer with his head just above water taking a deep breath in between strokes (… think Michael Phelps in the Olympics).
The soccer goalie diving for a save.
All of these images make compelling images when frozen with a fast shutter speed. While there are surely photographic interpretations of each of these images at slower shutter speeds and using motion blur, these "frozen" shots bring a sense of anticipation and impact that is lost somewhere in the motion blur of other images.
In many of the modes on your camera, the shutter speed value is set automatically. On DSLRs and many point and shoot cameras there is a mode called Shutter Speed-priority mode that is typically marked with an "S" or "Tv" on the mode dial.
By turning your mode dial to Shutter Speed-priority, you take control of the shutter speed setting and let the camera choose the appropriate aperture value in order to obtain a proper exposure. When in Shutter Speed-priority mode, you can adjust the shutter speed value throughout the entire range that the camera can shoot. These values generally range from 30 seconds to as fast as 1/8000 of a second on some cameras.
Additionally, many cameras will permit you to shoot on a Bulb setting, which allows you to open the shutter for an arbitrary amount of time. The shutter speed is based solely on how long you hold down the shutter button. Due to the obvious concerns of camera shake, shooting in bulb mode is usually done with the aid of a tripod and a remote shutter release.
If you've struggled with the concept of shutter speed, I hope this helps you understand what we mean when we talk about different aspects of camera shake, motion blur and exposure settings. Now, go pick up your camera and enjoy Shutter Speed-priority mode.
If you have any questions, please feel free to ask it in the comments below. Likewise, if you have additional thoughts or advice on this topic, feel free to join in the discussion.
Hi, Thank you for a very interesting discussion on shutter and aperture. I was trained in the old school of photography qualified in 1966 and I am sure it would be interesting to your readers that the shutter speed when adjusted from 1/125 to 1/250th it is letting in half as much light,and the f number lets in half or double the amount of light and the corresponding depth of field so as to make your background out of focus.I would like to submit a photograph to you that I took last year at a South African Air Force Museum flying day. The Silver Falcons the air forces aerobatic team. 4 aircraft trailing smoke are in formation and the remaining a/c comes from the opposite direction flips onto his side as he passes the other four,the impression given is that he flown between them, on closer inspection of the photo he is on the outside the trailing smoke from the outside a/c is in front of the wing.The the camera Nikon D5000 lens Nikkor 50 to 200mm zoom using auto focus and the VR ISO-250 f/7-1 focal length 135mm shutter speed 1/500. If I had used a faster shutter speed I could have frozen all the images thus negating the impression of the dangerous manouver. I followed the group of 4 and and snapped it as the other a/c came past it has movement and slightly fussy.
We are having beautiful sunsets this year can you give me some explanation why? the faster the shutter speed the redder the sky and less of the other colors.Is there some quirk in the visible light spectrum that digital cameras are moving towards the infrared zone.
@Clive – Thanks for the comment.
I think you raise a good point that I did not go into thoroughly enough – concerning the doubling and halving of light. I will either update this article or create a bridge article between it and the aperture article in the near future. Thanks again.
Shutter speed and Aperture always confused me. Thanks for your gudie.
I am reading this impressive paragrzph to improve my experience.


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Please note: Photos taken of display unit.


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Q: PrestShop: Import from XLS? Is there a possibility to import XLS Files into Prestashop? I would imagine myself a Script where I define which rows (as an Example A1-A300 should be Names of the articles, etc...) are what (Like name, price, Tax, etc...).
How could I realise that? I hope there is a possibility and I would appreciate if anyone could get ma on the right path.

A: PrestaShop doesn't support excel files, only simple data tables like .csv. This is because excel files are too complicated, they can by whole programs by themselves.
However, if you're working for a client or your XLS files are just simple data, then surely you can convert XLS to CSV before import.
You just need to make an override for AdminImportController::ajaxProcessUploadCSV
and basically "intercept file upload". Get the uploaded file and convert it to CSV using this library:
https://github.com/PHPOffice/PHPExcel
Then just return are the right values in your override to simulate that "everything is running normal" (basically trick PrestaShop :)) .
It is definitely doable, I've created such module for a client, PHPExcel gave us the ability to work with cells before saving them to CSV.

A: If you need to import products form Excel without converting to CSV, there is extension, Store Manager for PrestaShop - https://www.prestashopmanager.com/free-download/
It is paid, but you can do the task with 2-week version without any fees.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


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Electric Ireland Women's Cup Final tickets on sale
Goals and reaction as Glentoran and Crusaders reach Cup decider
Holders Glentoran Women will meet Crusaders Strikers in the final of the Electric Ireland Women's Challenge Cup at the National...
Top four clubs vie for place in Electric Ireland Women's Challenge Cup final
The Electric Ireland Women's Challenge Cup reaches the semi-final stage this evening (27 August) with the top four clubs in...
Fans encouraged to attend Cup semi-finals
Football fans across Northern Ireland are being encouraged to attend the semi-finals of this season's Electric Ireland Women's Challenge Cup.
Late winner sees Cliftonville through in Electric Ireland Women's Challenge Cup
Caitlin McGuinness grabbed the late winner as Cliftonville Ladies defeated Linfield Ladies at New Midgley Park to reach the last...
Electric Ireland Women's Challenge Cup: Round two venues and kick off times confirmed
Venues and kick-off times have been confirmed for round two of the Electric Ireland Women's Challenge Cup.
Sion Swifts Ladies captain Kendra McMullan was the hero as the Tyrone side claimed their first major trophy tonight.


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UNC-CH Ligament-Tendon Structure Discovery May Lead To Better Treatment, Scientists Explain
CHAPEL HILL -- Researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill have discovered that a simple molecule known as a pentapeptide tends to block binding of one collagen fibril to another.
The discovery will be important, the scientists say, because collagen fibrils make up dense connective tissues in the body such as ligaments and tendons. One day, they and other researchers should be able to take advantage of that fact to improve restricted movement due to joint injuries, including damage from athletics, accidents and aging.
"We have been working on trying to figure out what holds different collagen fibrils together for a long time, and recently we found that this peptide tends to break them apart," said Dr. Laurence E. Dahners, professor of orthopaedics at the UNC-CH School of Medicine. "We also have found that tendons become more stretchy when they are immersed in this material."
Dahners, Dr. Gayle Lester, research associate professor of orthopaedics, and resident Dr. Peter Caprise conducted the experiments. They presented their findings Feb. 1 at the Orthopaedic Research Society's annual meeting in Anaheim, Calif.
"This work, which we did on rat tail tendons, is exciting because no one has been able to release fibrils from vertebrate tissue before," Dahners said. "We now have pictures of fibrils that we have been able to extract from the rat tail tendons. No one has ever seen these structures before either."
Although the research was conducted on rat tissues it likely will apply to humans as well since humans and other mammals have far more similarities in tissues than differences, the surgeon said. Further experiments should confirm that identical or comparable peptides work in humans.
"We have known for a long time that after injuries, the body heals by making tiny collagen fibrils although we don't know how long they are yet," Dahners said. "With further work, we should now be able to learn more about them - how long they are, what their shapes are and how they are formed in the body. Then we will understand a lot more about the healing process and how we might be able to take advantage of it in treatment or change it."
One unproven possibility is that doctors might one day be able to inject the peptides into patients to loosen up stiff joints, he said. Injured joints often stiffen because collagen fibers stick together and restrict normal movement in hips, shoulders and knees, for example.
The Aileen Stock Orthopaedic Research Fund supported the UNC-CH medical studies.
Note: Dahners can be reached at 919-966-3340, Lester at 966-9078. During the meeting they will stay at the Best Western Stovall's Inn in Anaheim. Phone: 714-778-1880. Fax: 714-778-3805.
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Emily Infeld
AP Photo/Martin Meissner
Track: Ayana sets world record, takes gold in women's 10k; Huddle sets USA record
By Nicholas MendolaAug 12, 2016, 10:55 AM EDT
MORE: Track and Field
Eliud Kipchoge, Kenenisa Bekele set London Marathon duel of fastest men in history Wilson Kipsang, former marathon world-record holder, banned in doping case Allyson Felix: Everything is on the table in 2020
The first medal in track and field is attached to a world record.
Ethiopia's Almaz Ayana blazed a 26:22.88 in the women's 10,000m run, beating her nearest competitor by 15 seconds to claim gold.
Now the world and Olympic record holder, Ayana is joined on the podium by bronze-claiming countrywoman Tirunesh Dibaba.
Silver went to Kenya's Vivian Jepkemoi, while Team USA's Molly Huddle finished sixth. That's no small accomplishment, as her 30:13.17 is an American Olympic record.
Fellow American Emily Infield 11th, while USA's Marielle Hall ran 33rd.
Tags: Almaz Ayana, Emily Infeld, Ethiopia, Molly Huddle, olympics, Rio 2016, Almaz Ayana, Emily Infeld, Marielle Hall, Molly Huddle
Top ten storylines from World Track and Field Championships
By Seth RubinroitAug 31, 2015, 4:20 PM EDT
The top ten storylines from the World Track and Field Championships, the sport's most prestigious competition outside of the Olympics:
10. American learns valuable lesson
Molly Huddle made the mistake of celebrating too early in the 10,000m. As she approached the finish line, she eased up and raised both of her arms. This allowed fellow American Emily Infeld to pass her on the inside and claim the bronze medal by .09 of a second (video here).
"I feel like it kind of slipped through my fingers," Huddle told Universal Sports' Lewis Johnson afterwards.
9. Emergence of Dafne Schippers
A lot has changed for Schippers of the Netherlands in the last two years.
At the 2013 Worlds, she was the bronze medalist in the heptathlon. This year, she established herself as a sprinting sensation. She won the 200m in 21.63 seconds, becoming the third fastest woman ever in the event (video here). She also claimed the silver medal in the 100m.
When asked about her future, Schippers told BBC Radio, "Now I'm a sprinter. I'm sure."
8. Allyson Felix makes it look easy
Felix, the Olympic 200m champion, decided to focus on the 400m in Beijing. She easily won the one-lap race, clocking a personal best 49.26 seconds (video here). She has now won more Worlds gold medals than any other American.
Felix also claimed silver medals in the 4x100m and 4x400m, giving her 13 career Worlds medals.
7. Britain's "Super Saturday" stars overcome adversity
August 4, 2012 is known as "Super Saturday" in Great Britain, as the nation won six Olympic gold medals in a single day, including three in track and field. All three of those track and field athletes overcame adversity to win gold medals at the 2015 Worlds.
Jessica Ennis-Hill, competing in her first global championship since 2012 after giving birth to her baby son, won the heptathlon title.
Mo Farah swept the 5000m and 10,000m, despite dealing with a sore hamstring and the distraction of having his coach, Alberto Salazar, accused of violating medical and anti-doping rules with his athletes.
Greg Rutherford leaped 8.41m to claim his first World Championship. Critics had dismissed his 2012 Olympic title as a fluke, citing that his victory jump of 8.31m was the shortest since 1972.
6. Sprinting's future superstars
The 100m final featured the much-anticipated showdown between Usain Bolt and Justin Gatlin, but it also provided a glimpse of the next generation of sprinters.
American Trayvon Bromell and Canadian Andre De Grasse tied for bronze at 9.92 seconds. Both are only 20 years old. Bromell won the 2014 NCAA 100m title for Baylor, while De Grasse won the 2015 NCAA 100m title for USC.
World Championships: Top 10 performances | Ten memorable quotes
5. Well-rounded success for Kenya
Kenya is known for middle-distance running, but the nation triumphed in other events in Beijing.
Nicholas Bett won the 400m hurdles title to become the first Kenyan athlete to win a Worlds race shorter than 800m.
Julius Yego, who learned to throw the javelin by watching YouTube videos, became the first Kenyan to win a Worlds medal in a field event.
4. Ashton Eaton is back
Eaton did not show any rust in his first decathlon since 2013, easily winning the gold medal.
He needed to run 4:18.25 or better in the final event, the 1500m, to break his own world record. He did just that, clocking 4:17.52 (video here).
3. Aries Merritt's inspirational performance
Despite racing with kidney function at less than 20 percent, Merritt claimed the 110m hurdles bronze medal (video here). The 2012 Olympic champion is scheduled to have a kidney transplant on Tuesday.
"This bronze medal is going to shine brighter than my gold," Merritt told media in Beijing.
2. Mixed results for Team USA
Track and Field News predicted that the U.S. would finish with 31 medals. The U.S. topped the medal table with 18 total medals, its smallest medal haul at a World Championships since 2003.
The U.S. claimed six gold medals. Only Jamaica and Kenya went home with more.
1. Usain Bolt dominates
Bolt proved that he is still the world's fastest man, conquering Gatlin in the 100m and 200m. He also helped Jamaica claim gold in the 4x100m.
The only thing that could take Bolt down? A Segway.
Usain Bolt anchors Jamaica to 4x100m relay gold after U.S. mishap
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Tags: alberto salazar, Allyson Felix, Andre De Grasse, aries merritt, Dafne Schippers, Emily Infeld, Greg Rutherford, Jessica Ennis-Hill, Julius Yego, Justin Gatlin, mo farah, Molly Huddle, Nicholas Bett, olympics, track and field, Trayvon Bromell, Usain Bolt, World Track and Field Championships
Ten memorable quotes from World Track and Field Championships
From kidney failure to goat blood, here are 10 memorable quotes from the World Track and Field Championships:
"My parents wanted me to be a great university student, but I wanted to become a good athlete." — Eritrea's Ghirmay Ghebreslassie, after becoming the first athlete from his country to win an Olympic or World Track and Field Championships gold medal and the first teenager to win an Olympic or World Championships marathon. (IAAF)
"I gave the race away the last five meters." — Justin Gatlin on losing to Usain Bolt by .01 in the 100m final. (USATF)
"She had this once-in-a-lifetime moment. I feel like it kind of slipped through my fingers." — Molly Huddle on celebrating before the finish and losing a bronze medal to countrywoman Emily Infeld. (Universal Sports)
"I hate to take a medal away from a teammate and fellow American. … I don't mean to snipe someone or do that. I feel like that's kind of like a [expletive] way to get it, so I feel kind of bad now." — Infeld (LetsRun)
"A new queen Dibaba is arriving." — Ethiopia's Genzebe Dibaba after winning the 1500m, joining her two sisters as World medalists. (New York Times)
"I've put in my time." — Allyson Felix, before winning her first World Championship in the 400m following three 200m World titles, on if the Rio Olympic track and field schedule should be changed to accommodate her running the 200m and 400m at the Games, as it was for Michael Johnson in 1996. (New York Times)
"The rumor I'm trying to start right now is that Justin Gatlin paid him off." — Usain Bolt on being run over by a cameraman on a Segway.
"I want my money back. He didn't complete the job." — Justin Gatlin in response (press conference).
"This bronze medal is going to shine brighter than my gold." — Olympic champion Aries Merritt on finishing third in the 110m hurdles with kidney function less than 20 percent and four days before he would receive a kidney transplant from his sister. (LetsRun)
"It was unfortunate that she had to struggle, and I had to benefit from that. But her day will come." — Ashton Eaton, after breaking his decathlon world record, on his wife, Canadian Brianne Theisen-Eaton, who earlier took silver in the heptathlon. (IAAF)
"I'm going to cut the goat … and drink the blood." — Kenyan Maasai warrior Elijah Manangoi on his celebration after taking silver in the 1500m. (LetsRun)
"We came here to kick ass. We kicked ass." — Canadian coach Peter Eriksson after the nation won eight medals, its best-ever World Championships total. (CBC)
U.S. finishes World Championships with fewest medals since 2003
#jessicaennisgoodnight https://t.co/rdStk4ehS2
— SPIKES (@spikesmag) August 24, 2015
Tags: Allyson Felix, Ashton Eaton, Elijah Manangoi, Emily Infeld, Genzebe Dibaba, Ghirmay Ghebreslassie, Justin Gatlin, Molly Huddle, olympics, track and field, Usain Bolt, World Track and Field Championships
Track: Ayana sets world record, takes gold in women's 10k; Huddle sets USA record August 12, 2016 10:55 am Top ten storylines from World Track and Field Championships August 31, 2015 4:20 pm Ten memorable quotes from World Track and Field Championships August 31, 2015 12:09 pm Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce wins 100m; U.S. runner loses 10,000m bronze with early celebration August 24, 2015 11:08 am


Great News! Adult Ballet Beginner Classes Now Extended!
Great News! The Adult Ballet Beginner class is now extended by 15 minutes! Now you can spend more time perfecting your turnout! Classes run on Mondays from 7:30 to 8:15 p.m.


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Gwynne Dyer has worked as a freelance journalist, columnist, author, broadcaster, and lecturer on international affairs for more than 20 years. Dyer has served in the Canadian, British and American navies. He holds a Ph.D. in war studies from the University of London, has taught at Sandhurst and served on the Board of Governors of Canada's Royal Military College. His twice-weekly column on international affairs is published by 175 newspapers in some 45 countries and is translated into more than a dozen languages. He is the author of several books, including War, Future: Tense, and The Mess They Made. One of the world's great geopolitical analysts, Gwynne Dyer has worked as a freelance journalist, columnist, author, broadcaster, and lecturer on international affairs for more than 20 years. Dyer has served in the Canadian, British and American navies. His twice-weekly column on international affairs is published by 175 newspapers in some 45 countries. He is the author of several books, including War, Future: Tense, and The Mess They Made. One of the world's great geopolitical analysts, Gwynne Dyer has worked as a freelance journalist, columnist, author, broadcaster, and lecturer on international affairs for more than 20 years. His column is published by 175 newspapers around the world and is translated into more than a dozen languages. He is the author of several books, including War, Future: Tense and The Mess They Made.
Climate Wars


The laundry department in any accommodation establishment, be it small or large, is an extremely important link between the guests and the general smooth running of housekeeping.
The obvious function of the laundry department is to process soiled linen of all kinds, including all bed linen, bathroom linen, dining linen, staff uniforms and lastly guests' clothing items. The laundry department will launder, dry clean, tumble dry, press or iron the linen, and supply housekeeping with fresh supplies to ensure that high standards can be maintained.
Often though, things can get tricky when it comes to the laundering of guests' clothing and other items, as these do not belong to the hotel and special care needs to be taken to ensure that no items are harmed, destroyed or mislaid. Therefore, each establishment should have a carefully thought-out policy regarding laundry and valet services, whether they have in-house laundering or contract their laundering out to an external company.
Before we get to discuss a general laundry policy, let's look at the how accommodation establishments go about their laundering. If the establishment is part of a large chain, there may be a contracted laundry partner to whom all the soiled laundry gets delivered and then once it has been processed it gets sent back to each establishment. Probably more common for medium to large establishments is to have an in-house laundry department within the premises, while smaller establishments like guest houses and B&Bs may do laundering on the premises and contract out the more difficult jobs like dry-cleaning. All these options are obviously dependant on factors such as the size of the establishment and its location, the physical space available for a laundry room, how much income an establishment generates and how many staff members it employs. That said, all establishments should have at least a washing machine or two.
Siza Nxumalo, Supervisor Laundry Services at the Westcliff Hotel in Johannesburg, believes that there are numerous advantages to having in-house laundering. The Westcliff laundry room can process any item of clothing for guests, as it has laundering machines, tumbles driers and a dry-cleaning machine. Nxumalo says that it would be much more expensive for a large hotel like the Westcliff to contract out, and she reckons that you just can't beat the convenience. "Also, with in-house laundering the linen is well looked after and will last a longer time, saving the establishment money in the long-run", she says. A smaller establishment, like Chelsea Villa Guest House in Durban, also believes offering laundering services in-house saves time and money. Tahlita Abrams of Chelsea Villa says that although they offer laundering services to their guests, they have to contract their dry-cleaning out, as they don't have the machinery to do this. "We will pickup any guest's items for dry-cleaning and take it to the dry-cleaners ourselves, and then go pick it up again", she says.
In order to run an efficient in-house laundry service, you really do need the manpower to do the work, which can be quite laborious. Nxumalo says that the Westcliff Hotel employs seven permanent and two temporary staff members in their laundry department, who work in two shifts throughout the day. The first shift starts at 6am and ends at 3pm, with the second shift starting at 3pm and carrying on through to 11pm. Nxumalo says that their staff members can pick items up until closing time at 11, but because items take at least 2 hours to process, guests who get their laundry demands through to the department after 9pm can only get their items back the following day, while guests who make the 9pm deadline will get their laundry back on the same day. That's impressive!
The Westcliff employs the formal procedure of having a valet to collect the laundry and ensure that a ticket (a duplicate form) has been completed and signed by the guest. The guests are expected to place their soiled laundry in the linen laundry bags that are supplied by the hotel. A smaller guest house, like Chelsea Villa, on the other hand, is by nature a lot less formal, and will thus also employ fewer members of staff. Even though they get quite a few laundry requests, particularly from long stay guests, Chelsea Villa only employs one staff member to do the laundry, which includes washing, tumble drying (if needbe) and ironing. The guest house also supplies guests with laundry bags that can be filled with soiled laundry that needs to be processed.
It is a good idea to have a policy in place regarding the laundering of guests' items, and this should be made clearly visible to the guest who will be using the laundry service. The Westcliff Hotel has their policy printed on the back of the ticket that the guest fills in before handing over any laundry that needs to be done. As a general idea of what should be stated in a policy such as this, we include an example of the general laundry policy and terms and conditions of the Indaba Hotel based in Fourways.
As you can see in point number 7, all items are steam pressed and not ironed at the Indaba Hotel laundry room, which is different from the Westcliff, where they offer both and it depends on what the guest asks for. It is important to realise that ironing can destroy clothing much more easily than steam pressing, and accidental burns can be quite easy to make. If you are in any way concerned that your staff may burn guests' clothing with an iron, then invest in a steam press, and train your staff on how to use it.
Even if you own a small guest house that is contracting any part of laundry services out to external companies, it would be a good idea to have a policy, such as the one alongside, in place, in order to protect both yourself and your guest in case an item is ruined in any manner. If you operate a self-catering or caravan and camping resort you should provide an on-site laundry with coin-operated washing machines and tumble driers. Many establishments keep ironing boards and irons on hand for guests' use. Remember that whenever you make appliances available for guests' use there should be a clear disclaimer stating that they are using them at their own risk.
The Guest must complete and submit laundry records correctly.
All items or articles submitted for any cleaning of any nature are done so at the owner's risk.
Although the greatest care and due diligence is exercised by the relevant outside parties, no responsibility can be accepted by the hotel for late delivery, loss or damage due to fire, theft or fabric defects and/or incorrect entries made by subsidiaries, contractors or persons conducting services for or in accordance with the service required.
Unless expressly otherwise indicated, the contractor counts must be accepted as true and correct.
No responsibility will be accepted for any shrinkage, colourisation or damage to specific fabrics (inclusive but not limited to buttons and valuables left in the garments or attachments) if the guest does not expressly indicate it.
Notwithstanding the above should any liability be accepted as a sign of good faith only, compensation shall be limited to an amount not exceeding the service charge times five payable in the currency of SA.
All items are cleaned, steam pressed and not ironed.
This document will be considered binding on all parties and by attaching his/her name or signature or room no as such the guest agrees to the terms and conditions hereof.


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MCU: Could Comcast's Huge Bid For Fox Ruin The X-Men Homecoming?
Let's hope not...
As was widely expected, Comcast have thrown their hat firmly into the ring to buy Fox's TV and Film assets, rivalling the long-standing Disney bid that would see the X-Men and Fantastic Four join the MCU.
The Disney/Fox deal hit the skids over legal issues, but now that a federal judge has determined that AT&T's proposed $85.4 billion purchase of Time Warner is legal, it opens it right back up again. Unfortunately for Disney, it also paves the way fro Comcast to make their own bid.
Deadline are now reporting that Comcast have offered an all-cash deal of $65 billion, which eclipses Disney's $52.4 billion all-stock offer, and would seemingly put them in the driving seat. And that would mean no X-Men or Fantastic Four in the MCU, which is a tragedy.
But there might not be entire cause for concern, as media analyst Michael Nathanson (quoted by Deadline) says Disney aren't done:
"We continue to believe that Disney has the superior balance sheet, cost of debt, equity and rationale to emerge victorious over Comcast in a bidding war. The question is will Disney's board and management go to the mat on this transaction? We think the answer is yes."
Let's hope he's right for the sake of the future of the MCU's expansion.
Spider-Man: Far From Home Review - 9 Ups & 4 Downs
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Simon Gallagher
Executive Editor, chief Gunter and the most read writer on WhatCulture. Like ever.
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Give Them a Hand | Resourced!
Leaders circulate to quietly monitor what is being written and add their own positive words especially with young people who may not get a full 'hand'. Allow enough time for everyone to receive five positive words.
Then have a few students come up front and read what everyone said about them. Or, for smaller groups, they can sit in a circle and everyone has a chance to share what was written (if they wish).