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Oh, I just can't wait to be... (tagged)
Post by Deleted on Jun 29, 2019 19:43:38 GMT -7
Feb 15th
Will wasn't really the type to freak out, but there was a time and place for everything. After his meeting with the Queen this morning he kind of lost his cool in the guest room he had been staying at Buckingham Palace this weekend. It wasn't an angry losing his cool, more like a hyperventilating, pacing around, maybe almost puking once or twice kind.
It was kind of weird, being so stressed out when this was what he had always wanted. He had never expected it to happen, especially not with the Queen living for so long. But... somehow, he was told that he had to start taking his royal duties even more serious because... well...
He shook off the memory. Now he was at Windsor castle, waiting in the sitting room for Edmund, Lusie and Finn to arrive. Thankfully, Susan had been staying at Buckingham Palace the same weekend as he so he had been able to go straight to her room when the news came. Today, he'd break it to the other three. He had asked them all to be there this evening, and was now waiting on their arrival. He looked down at his clothes, realizing he had subconsciously put on all black with a dress shirt, suit and the shoes. At least he didn't put on a tie, otherwise he'd really look like he was going to a funeral.
finn kylie nottingham
@edmund
@lusie
edited Jul 9, 2019 9:25:23 GMT -7 by Deleted
Edmund didn't know what was going on, but he was pretty sure that he wasn't going to like it. He never liked being pulled from school to come to a random meeting with his family. Coming home made him feel tense. Did something happen that he didn't know about? Was Mum going to let him go back to school? He honestly wasn't sure, which made Ed feel even more anxious about the situation. He came in to the sitting room, like he'd been instructed in his letter, looking a lot nicer than he wanted to but not even close to his brother's dress. That was nothing new. Will always looked more put together than Ed did. "Hey Will," Ed greeted, trying for a smile despite his nerves. "Is this just a you-me talk or are we waiting for someone else?" Hopefully it was just him. Ed didn't really want to wait around to find out what was happening.
@will
Jul 9, 2019 8:59:15 GMT -7
Post by Deleted on Jul 9, 2019 8:59:15 GMT -7
Lusie was pulled from her class and taken by a professor to the headmaster's office where she was told she needed to take the flop network to her house due to urgent matters that the professor either didn't know, or couldn't tell her. Lusie listened, but she felt on edge the whole time. Where was Edmund? Why was she going on her own? Why couldn't it wait? Something bad had happened, she just knew it. This sort of thing wasn't usual. Not even for the royals. She got to the palace and made her way up to the family room where she was thankful to see Ed already sitting with Will. At least it wasn't just her. "what's going on? Is everyone okay?" the young princess asked. Her first thought was that something happened to mom.
@tags on mobile suck you know who you are
Post by Deleted on Aug 14, 2019 13:52:04 GMT -7
Edmund asked if they were waiting for anyone else and Will nodded. "Lusie and Finn..." he answered slowly. Then Lusie was there, and Will cleared his throat. "I'll talk to you too first. I've already spoke with Susan," he straightened up in his seat. "Everything is alright, it's just... our family is dealing with various levels of... distress. And by family I mean the three people ahead of me for the throne -" he paused. "Don't worry, they're all okay for the most part. Uncle Charles still hasn't come back from vacation when he said he'd be back two months ago, and Harry has said he won't take the throne and William isn't feeling well so... Basically the Queen wants me to step up and prepare for the possibility...." he cleared his throat again, sitting up even straighter if that was even possible. "So eyes will be on you guys a lot until this is all sorted out, too."
Aug 24, 2019 9:31:27 GMT -7
Post by Deleted on Aug 24, 2019 9:31:27 GMT -7
Ed wasn't sure at all what was going on, but he didn't like the serious look on his brother's face. Really, Ed and Will didn't always see eye to eye (okay, they normally didn't), and he was a little nervous to find out why Will wanted to see him and Lusie so badly. Being able to pull them out of school for this meant it was probably a big deal, which also wasn't something he was excited for.
Once Lusie arrived, Will started to explain a little bit. His eyes widened as Will started talking about the throne and the people who were in line for it before them. He couldn't be saying what Ed thought he was, right? He was. Ed's eyebrows rose as Will finished. He swallowed, his stomach suddenly in knots. "What are you doing to step up?" He asked lowly, then froze for a moment. "We'll still be at Hogwarts though, right? Like, eyes can't be on us too much when we're at school ..." They weren't going to pull him, were they? He was about to graduate! Ed didn't want to leave Hogwarts now.


The two-year contract just ratified by Local 99 members employed by Finning International in Alberta and the Northwest Territories is among a succession of new agreements recently reached throughout Western Canada.
The new accord at Finning calls for increases in long-term disability, vision and dental care, and implementation of a pay-direct drug card. The 1,750 workers who provide maintenance and servicing of heavy equipment will also receive a 2.75 percent wage increase in the second year of their contract.
Meanwhile, in British Columbia, Local 692 members in Vancouver ratified a new three-year deal with Timken Company, a manufacturer of bearings and steel. Contract highlights include wage increases of 1.25 percent in the first year, 1.5 in the second and 2 percent in the third year, in addition to improvements in medical, vision and dental coverage.
Local 692 members at Duncan Iron Works, a custom metal component manufacturer, also inked a new three-year agreement. Workers will receive a one percent wage increase the first year, and 2 percent in the second and third years. The contract also calls for pension plan improvements and cost-of-living-allowance protection to 3 percent in the third year.
Not to be outdone, Local 1857 has signed two new three-year agreements. At Berk's Intertruck in Nanaimo, it took just one meeting to reach an accord. The mechanics there will receive wage increases in each year of the agreement of 1, 2 and 3 percent, respectively, as well as improvements in employer contributions to the Registered Retirement Savings Plan in the third year and assistance with health and welfare costs.
At Carter Dodge Chrysler Limited in Burnaby, mechanics, technicians, general laborers and parts department staff – also members of Local 1857 – reached an agreement that includes wage increases of 2 percent in each year of the three-year deal. Other highlights include improvements in the tool allowance and bonus calculations for Parts Department Technicians, as well as a $1.00 per hour new-skill-level bonus for all Technicians who complete Chrysler Level 2.


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Playlist: Michael Jackson Goes Heavy Metal
Though the world lost Michael Jackson nearly a decade ago, his music is still widely celebrated all over the world. Jackson's music had a wide impact all across music, including the most unlikely genre, metal. For a pop star, Jackson has a lot of heavy metal fans to his name, which makes sense considering how often he incorporated rock into his music. But most metal covers do nothing more than add in some loud guitars and screaming vocals. Fortunately, there are a good amount of covers that make the song into something else entirely. To celebrate what would've been Jackson's 60th birthday, let's take a look at these kick ass Michael Jackson metal covers that'll get your fists pumping in the air.
"Beat It" – John 5
John 5 is a madman on the guitar, whose laid down intricate riffs for Marilyn Manson and Rob Zombie. Considering his riffs are ferocious, you know his Michael Jackson cover is going to be good. The guitarist included his version of "Beat It" on his 2012 album God Told Me To as a tribute to the late pop star. The instrumental track features John 5 playing everything from the main riff to the core melody on guitar. He even replicates some of Jackson's vocal flourishes on the guitar. He keeps the badass nature of the song intact while showing off his impressive guitar skills.
"Give In to Me" – Soto
Soto released their version of Jackson's 1991 hit in 2016. The song was already rock infused with Slash on guitar, but Soto takes the song in a darker direction. The intro sounds more somber than the original; you get an overwhelming sense of sadness hearing it. Jeff Soto's vocal delivery is powerful and haunting, whereas Jackson's is more anguished and angry. Even the music more intense; the crunching guitars and pounding drums give the song a heavier, morose vibe. It's a great metal interpretation of the track, especially since it's not a one to cover.
"Dirty Diana" – Evanescence
Featuring Steve Stevens on guitar, this song already had roots in rock, which is why it's a popular choice for rock and metal acts. Yet, none of the covers are as chilling or beautiful as this version. The song begins with gentle keys that gives off this haunting tone. You don't realize what they're performing until Amy Lee starts singing. She builds up momentum with thing steadily getting gritty until the explosive chorus when the dirty guitars and pummeling drums kick in. But the highlight of the cover is Lee's performance. She sings with so much power and ferocity it's like she's stabbing every line with a knife. Listening to her sing, it's enough to give you chills.
"Smooth Criminal" – Leo Moracchioli
Alien Ant Farm blew people's minds when they showed how well Michael Jackson translated to rock music. Their version is still considered one of the best Jackson covers, but this rendition by Youtuber Leo Moracchioli blows it out of the water. This one-man band cranks everything up and gives us a brutal version of this Bad single. The guttural vocals, crunching guitars, pounding drums turns this pop song into a gritty metal anthem. He even puts his own stamp on it with his own searing guitar solo making it stand out from other covers. Whereas the Alien Ant Farm cover makes you jump around, this version makes you want to mosh. Moracchioli is an absolute powerhouse, who regularly puts a metal spin on pop songs. If you want to hear more, check out his version of "Bad."
"Speed Demon" – Xerath
This song kicks ass, plain and simple. It's another Jackson single most people don't cover. Most Jackson covers are already rock based, so it's easy to down tune the guitars, throw in a solo, and add some screaming vocals. But Xerath turns this song into an aggressive, in your face anthem. They transform the main melody into a searing riff, yet it still has this undeniable groove to it. As soon as that opening riff kicks in, you can't help but headbang. The screaming vocals are extreme; it sounds like Richard Thomson is ripping his throat to shreds. You never thought a Michael Jackson song could be this intense. A cover like this makes you realize how versatile Jackson's music was.
"Thriller" – Koritni
No matter what you think about Michael Jackson it's hard to dislike "Thriller." It's a favorite among metal bands to cover, but most renditions are boring doing nothing more than adding beefed-up guitars and screaming vocals. While Australian rock band Koritni's version isn't the greatest; their version "Thriller" is at least exciting. There's something exhilarating about hearing the iconic opening on an electric guitar. The vocals are a bit exaggerated and hammy, but they give the song a rousing makeover. It's sure to please metal and Jackson fans alike.
"They Don't Care About Us" – Saliva
Rock band Saliva covered Jackson's 1995 single for their tenth album, Loves, Lies, & Therapy. The music is the best part here. The song was already intense, but the added guitars and the fiery solo adds a new heaviness to the track. As for the vocals, they aren't as powerful as Jackson's. When Jackson sang it he was tired, angry, and fed up with the way people and the media treated him due to the allegations lobbied against him. Bobby Amaru sounds fine, but there's no fire in his voice. This version doesn't have the same feeling coming from Saliva, but in terms of music and performance, they at least do a good job.
"Scream" – Annisokay
In 2016, post-hardcore band Annisokay released an EP of Michael Jackson covers titled Annie Are You Okay? And it's actually pretty good. Their versions of "Beat It" and "Thriller" are intense, but it's their cover of "Scream" that stands out. Not only is it a song that's rarely covered, they take the song's main riff and turns it on its head. The grinding guitars and pummeling drums give it an abrasive sound while the growling vocals add a new ferocity. With how in your face it is, it pulls you into the song. The vocals are kind of weak, but Christoph Wieczorek and Kiarely Castillo don't sound terrible. Their vocals just don't demand the same prowess and command as Michael and Janet. They did leave in Michael's scream from the original, which is a nice touch.
"Beat It" – Raintime
Imagine if Dream Theater covered Michael Jackson. That's what this cover is like. Raintime released this cover on their second album, Flies & Lies in 2007. This version sets itself apart from the countless others with its prog-metal influence. While the iconic guitar riff and the spiraling solo are still there, they make sure to incorporate dancing keys throughout. They even put in a keyboard solo before the main solo. Whereas the John 5 version translates the entire song, melody and all, on guitar, this version turns it into a full-blown metal affair. It's loud, filled with dirty crunchy riffs, and snarling vocals to give it a new flavor.
There are lots of metal Micheal Jackson covers out there, so which ones did I miss? What are you favorite Jackson covers? Let me know in the comments!
Posted in Heavy Metal, I love the 90s, Made in the 80's, Michael Jackson, Playlists and tagged Annisokay, Beat it, Evanescence, Hard Rock, heavy metal, John 5, King of Pop, metal, Metal Covers, Michael Jackson, Playlist, Pop music, Saliva, Smooth Criminal, Thriller on August 22, 2018 by kaylubd. Leave a comment
Playlist: Songs Recorded in a Different Language
Back when releasing singles meant more than just posting a link, it was common for artists to record their songs in different languages. Most of them were region exclusive, making it a treasure trove for collectors. Plus, it was a nice treat for international fans. The practice isn't as common today, but once in a while, contemporary artists will flex their language skills. Here are just a handful of artists who recorded songs in another language.
"Todo Mi Amore Ers Tu"/"I Just Can't Stop Loving You" – Michael Jackson
This duet between Michael Jackson and Siedah Garret was the debut single from 1987's Bad and was the first in a string of five number one singles for the singer. A special edition 12" single featured a Spanish re-recording of the track dubbed "Todo Mi Amore Ers Tu." The song sounds just as sappy as the English version, but with more cringe inducing pronunciations. While the hook sounds just as pretty as the original, Jackson and Garret sound a bit awkward on the rest of the song. Then again, it's the first time Jackson recorded a song in Spanish. They also recorded a French version, which sounds much better. The song seems better suited for French than Spanish, but at least these versions aren't terrible.
"Gone" – Nsync
Nsync fans may remember the Spanish version of "This I Promise You," but this version of "Gone" flew under the radar. And it sounds just as good, if not better, than the original. While their vocal delivery is a bit stilted, you can tell they're not comfortable with the language, their harmonies are on point. They actually sound great singing in Spanish. Justin still gives a powerful vocal delivery filled with all the hurt and anguish of the original. The Spanish version of "This I Promise You" is solid, but this version of "Gone" is far better. It's a shame it wasn't as popular as the former song. Though it makes you wonder how other Nsync songs would sound in Spanish. How about a Spanish version of "It's Gonna Be Me?"
"Mickey" – Toni Basil
"Mickey" is one of those baffling one hit wonders. Why was this annoying song ever a hit? And why can't you stop singing it? It's one of those songs you hate but will get stuck in your head all day as soon as someone mentions it. For the alternate 12" single, Basil recorded the song in Spanish. And yes, it's just as annoying. Admittedly, it's not as aggravating as the English version, but something about it still gets under your skin. Maybe it's the in-your-face pep rally vibe. Or how Basil keeps repeating Mickey throughout the song. Or because it's just an awful song no matter what language it's in.
"Nunca Te Haré Llorar"/"I'll Never Break Your Heart" – Backstreet Boys
Boy bands recording their big hits in Spanish was a strange phenomenon. But when you think about it, it makes sense. They have fans all over the world, so why not do something special for their non-English followers? BSB added to the trend with a Spanish version of "I'll Never Break Your Heart." They actually don't sound bad; their vocals still sound sweet and smooth. And it's good to know the song is still sappy and cheesy in another language. They also recorded a Spanish version of "Anywhere for You," but it's not as good. Hearing Nick Carter trying so hard to enunciate is painful.
"My Cherie Amour" – Stevie Wonder
"My Cherie Amour" is one of those timeless love songs. It's sweet, easy going, and has a simple, yet unforgettable hook. When it was released in 1969 it charted at number 4 on the Billboard Pop and R&B singles chart. Now, it's one of Wonder's most iconic songs. It was so popular, Wonder re-recorded it in Spanish and Italian. Wonder handles both versions well having a pretty good grasp on each language. Both versions still sound as sweet and beautiful as the original. Considering the title, you'd think he'd do a French version. It's never too late for him to try.
"Veras"/"You'll See" – Madonna
Madonna has always flirted with Spanish culture ever since her days of visiting "La Isla Bonita." So it's no surprise that she recorded her 1995 single "You'll See" in Spanish. Translated by Argentine singer/songwriter Paz Martinez her voice sounds beautiful, yet haunting. This version of the song still has the chilling, heartbreaking tone as the original. The Spanish lyrics paired with the swirl of Latin guitars complete the bittersweet mood. It's kind of romantic, but there's still something sad about it. Madonna later recorded "What It Feels Like For a Girl" in Spanish along with a collaboration with Ricky Martin entitled "Be Careful with My Heart," which sounds like a strange duet, but actually works quite well.
"Can't Change Me" – Chris Cornell
The debut single from Chris Cornell's solo album, Euphoria Morning, received a French version for Japanese, European, and deluxe versions of the record. While his French is a little spotty, his voice still has the same power, emotion, and drive found in the original. He sounds beautiful in this version and his voice will still give you chills. Though it is a bit weird that part of the bridge is in English. The song was translated by Alexis Lemoine, so maybe it was a style choice. It takes you out of the song for a bit, but overall it's a fantastic reminder of why Cornell was one of rock's best singers.
"Do Do Do De Da Da Da" – The Police
For a special 7" edition of this single, The Police recorded this song in both Spanish and Japanese. While the Spanish version isn't bad, the Japanese recording stands out. Japanese can be a difficult language to learn, so a lot of artists opt for an easier language if they want to re-record their songs. Yet, Sting does a pretty decent job here. Sure, he sounds and a bit unnatural, like he's a first year Japanese student, but he doesn't sound terrible. Still, it's better than his new album with Shaggy.
"Helden"/"Heroes" – David Bowie
David Bowie's groundbreaking single "Heroes" was recorded in English, French, and German. Every version is fantastic, yet each one has a different feel to it. The original is filled with a sense of melancholy while the French version is beautiful and kind of romantic. The German version is bursting with emotion and finds Bowie practically shouting at the top of his lungs by the song's end. Each version is exciting and has a timeless quality to it. It really shows off Bowie's talent and how great his crossover appeal was.
"Mi Refljo"/"My Reflection"– Christina Aguilera
In 2000, Christina Aguilera released her second album and her first Spanish album dubbed Mi Reflejo. The record featured cuts from her debut album, like "I Turn To You" and "Genie in a Bottle" recorded in Spanish. But this single from the Mulan soundtrack is one of the best from the album. Whether it's in Spanish or English, the song is still beautiful and heartbreaking. The way she hits her notes on this version still gives you chills. Even if you can't understand Spanish, the power of her voice and the emotion she puts behind every word is enough to make you cry. But if you're looking for another Spanish Aguilera song that won't choke you up, "Ven Conmigo (Solamente Tú)" is a good choice.
"Boom Clap" – Charli XCX
For the Japanese edition of her second album, Sucker, Charli XCX re-recorded "Break the Rules" and her hit single "Boom Clap" in Japanese. Surprisingly, both songs translate very well and the former actually sounds like it could be by a J-pop girl group. Of course, her Japanese skills aren't the strongest, but she does a fine job. The songs keep their upbeat vibe and the hook on "Boom Clap" is still so infectious, you'll find yourself singing the Japanese version in no time, even if you don't know what she's saying. Since recording singles in another language isn't as popular as it used to be, it's cool to see an artist like Charli XCX do something like this for her fans, especially those in Japan.
"Llámame"/"Call Me" – Blondie
This iconic track received a Spanish recording for a special 12" single meant for release in Mexico and some South American countries. It was later released in the US and the UK and was featured on the 1993 compilation Blonde and Beyond. For the most part, this version is spot on, even Debbie Harry sounds decent singing in Spanish. But things get clunky around the hook which finds her repeating "call me" in English. It's like the translators decided "Llámame" didn't sound as catchy and stuck with the original.
"Héroe"/"Hero" – Mariah Carey
No matter what you think about Mariah Carey, she has a killer voice. Her powerful vocals and those impossible high notes she hits are enough to give you chills. She brings that same talent to the Spanish version of "Hero." This version was recorded for the international release of her album, Music Box, and was translated by Jorge Luis Piloto. The song is gorgeous and Carey sounds confident while singing in Spanish. This version even charted on Billboard's Hot Latin Songs. She'd later record "Open Arms" and "My All" in Spanish, but after a mistranslation snafu with the latter song, it seems like we won't be hearing sing in another language for a while.
There are a lot more artists who recorded in another language so which ones did I miss? Let me know in the comments!
Posted in I love the 90s, Lists, Made in the 80's, Madonna, Michael Jackson, Playlists and tagged 1980s, 90s, Alternate Versions, Another Language, Backstreet Boys, BSB, Charli XCX, Chris Cornell, Christina Aguilera, David Bowie, Justin Timberlake, King of Pop, Madonna, Mariah Carey, Michael Jackson, Nsync, Playlist, Spanish Songs on May 4, 2018 by kaylubd. Leave a comment
Mini Music Review: Scream – Michael Jackson
Scream is the most ridiculous posthumous release from the Michael Jackson estate. The compilation collects what the Jackson estate calls Jackson's "most electrifying and danceable tracks." In other words, it's a bunch of songs you already own. It seems they wanted to theme the release around Halloween and his "spooky" songs, which explains why Rockwell's "Somebody's Watching Me" and The Jackson's "Torture" is featured. Though it doesn't justify why "Dirty Diana," "Xscape," and "Leave Me Alone" are included.
While the music is good, obviously, the release is just pointless. The only "new" track is the "Blood On the Dancefloor x Dangerous" remix by The White Panda. And it's pretty shitty. The estate is clearly scraping the bottom of the barrel with this one. Not that the other posthumous releases were great, but at least they gave us something new. Here, they're repacking songs you already own under a loose theme.
If you're a new fan it may be something to grab, but if you own all of Jackson's records or any other greatest hits LP, then there's no need to buy Scream. It's a sad cash grab to sucker more money out of fans. They're most likely banking on orders of the vinyl edition, which boasts a glow-in-the-dark disc. It won't be long before this release finds its way to the bargain along with 2009's Michael.
Posted in Michael Jackson and tagged Album Review, Compilation, Halloween, King of Pop, Michael Jackson, Mini music review, MJ, MJJ, Pop music, Rockwell, Scream, Scream LP, Thriller on October 3, 2017 by kaylubd. 1 Comment
Michael Jackson's Moonwalker
Moonwalker is a weird, ambitious project by Michael Jackson. Released in 1988, the video is a collection of short segments all featuring Jackson. There's no continuous narrative; just a lot of weirdness. The singer wanted the movie to be screened in theaters, but the budget fell through and was released straight to video instead. A video game of the same name was also released as a tie-in, but that's for another day. To celebrate Jackson's 59th birthday I wanted to look back on this movie, which is still one of my favorites.
It used to fill up many bored afternoons when I was a kid and it's still something I love watching today. Whenever I need a good laugh or just want to smile, I put this on and get lost in Jackson's weird, wonderful world for a little bit. It's full of flaws and portions of it are ridiculous as hell, but it's charming and a lot of fun. It's hard to imagine this doing well in theaters since there really isn't a plot. It's more like a collection of segments all involving Jackson. Still, it's an interesting project that reminds us what a visionary he was.
The film starts with a powerful performance of "Man in the Mirror" making you think that it's a concert film. Then it goes straight into the best part, the retrospective. Following Jackson from the Jackson 5 all the way up to Bad, it's a fun, creative look back at the music and career defining moments. This part has always been my favorite for the popping effects, different animation styles, and the great energy. Highlights include a Claymation Jackson 5 singing "ABC," a stop-motion robot joining Jackson on "Dancing Machine," a mini "Human Nature" video, and a creepy ode to "Ben." Throughout, we also see related memorabilia, award ceremonies, and magazine covers showing what a big deal the singer was at his peak.
Once we reach the Bad era, we see condensed versions of "The Way You Make Me Feel" and "Dirty Diana" before getting to "Badder." The strange segment features a bunch of kids recreating the "Bad" video with scary accuracy. This has always been another one of my favorite parts. I still love separating the good kids from those who just don't have it (looking at you midriff kid). Did we need kids to recreate this video? No, but it's charming and cute. Try not cracking up at the ten-year old with a five o'clock shadow.
Once mini-Jackson is done with his dance off, adult Jackson returns and proceeds to be chased down by weird, unsettling big headed people. Again, a very weird part of the film, but it's a blast to watch. Even Jackson looks like he's having a good time with a big smile rarely leaving his face. While on the run, he runs into a talking Statue of Liberty, chubby twin bikers who he's clearly disgusted by, Stephen Spielberg losing his shorts, and a bunch of screaming fans. It's a creative romp taking the piss out of Hollywood and obsessive fandom.
So how does Jackson make it out of this situation? With the help of his friend, Spike. He suits up as a Jackson-esque bunny and leads into the "Speed Demon" video. This is where the Claymation shines. Spike turns into different celebrities of the era, like Pee Wee, Tina Turner, and Sylvester Stallone. And there are clever jokes throughout the segment, like a stop at "Frank in a Box" named after his manager Frank DiLeo and even Jack Nicholson in the car chasing him. The video ends with a memorable dance off between Spike and Jackson. Yes, the whole thing is weird, but it's imaginative. You get so sucked into the world you don't even question how a bunny costume came to life. It perfectly shows off the child-like wonder Jackson often flaunted throughout his life.
After an interlude featuring the stop-motion "Leave Me Alone" video, we get to the extended "Smooth Criminal" segment. Sigh. Even as a kid I never really liked this part. Though the segment does look pretty slick, it's confusing, poorly acted, and makes no sense. It follows Jackson and a group of homeless kids as they go up against Mr. Big (Joe Pesci) because Jackson found his drug den…or something. It's not really clear why Mr. Big is trying to kill him. Also, it's never clear what kind of world we're in. Why are the kids homeless? Where are all the other adults? Why exactly does Mr. Big want to get kids high? And we can't ignore that Jackson is somehow magical in this world. During the video, he turns into a car, a rocket ship, and a giant fucking robot. And the kids never find this strange. They go along with it as if it's not weird for a man to turn into a fucking car.
They're also never sure how to feel about Jackson. At one point he's their friend and are concerned with finding him. When Katie finds him and points it out the other kids respond "so?" When he turns into a robot they act a little surprised but never bother to bring it up again. And when he flies over them as the rocket ship at the end, they say "Bye Michael" as if he just got on a bus. And let's not forget how Club 30 is an abandoned, dusty place when the kids find it. But Jackson walks in and it's a hopping bar from the 20s, which he proceeds to start trouble in. What exactly is going on here?
After defeating Mr. Big and his faceless soldiers, Jackson comes back after Katie makes a wish and whisks the kids away to a precarious backstage area with sparking plugs never explaining to the kids what the fuck just happened. Suddenly, he's on stage performing "Come Together" in front of John Lennon's kid. What is even happening? No bothers to pull him aside and say "Michael, what are you exactly?" The kids just take it as is and we're supposed to say "this is fine."
Honestly, it was hard to sit through this segment again. The entire time I wanted to skip straight to "Smooth Criminal" and turn off the rest. While I was willing to never question anything in the first segments, I couldn't suspend my disbelief here. Perhaps if there was a flowing story to follow it wouldn't be so bad. But there is little explanation for anything we see. The "Smooth Criminal" video itself is great, minus the weird breakdown, but the "story" around it is mind boggling. Jackson isn't the worst actor, but he's by no means amazing. The highlight is when he turns into the ultimate transformer. The special effects haven't aged all that well, but there's something about it that's still unsettling, especially when he starts shooting crotch rockets. Otherwise, it plays out like bad drug trip starring the King of Pop.
Moonwalker is a unique, yet weird experience tailor made for Jackson fans. For casual fans or anyone who doesn't like him, it looks like a vain, unintelligible film. It's a long ad for the Bad album, fans will find it a fun trek through Jackson's career and his imagination. While the first half of the movie shows off the creative flair the singer had videos, even though it all falls apart with the bigger "story." It makes sense for Jackson to come up with something so bonkers because it sounds like something a ten-year-old would dream up. This is a movie you don't take seriously. You're there to enjoy the cool visuals, Jackson's dancing, and the kick ass music. If you take it for what it is, you'll find an anthology that's a blast to watch especially with friends.
Posted in Made in the 80's, Michael Jackson, Music Movies and tagged 1980s, 1988, 80s, Bad Album, Badder, King of Pop, Michael Jackson, MJJ, Moonwalker, Movie, Pop music, Review, Smooth Criminal, Speed Demon on August 30, 2017 by kaylubd. Leave a comment
Playlist: Room Service
Hotels can be strange places. While they can represent a lavish lifestyle and living in the lap of luxury, they're also mysterious, unsettling, and creepy. Why else do you think so many horror movies take place in them? Musicians spend most of their time in and out of hotel rooms around the world, so there are plenty of songs about hotels out there. While some of them view the hotel as a place of comfort or even a wild night, others see it as something mysterious and unnerving. Here are some of the more notable songs about hotels and what happens behind closed doors.
"Hotel Yorba" – The White Stripes
This early White Stripes song features the name of a real hotel in the band's hometown of Detroit. They actually recorded the single version of this song in room 206 of the hotel. When they wanted to film the video inside the hotel, they weren't allowed to and used various exterior shots instead. Upon initial release, the song was a hit in England before it was embraced stateside. Now, it's considered a fan favorite, though for some reason I always disliked this song. Something about the bluegrass and the jaunty melody of the "1, 2, 3, 4" hook was annoying to me.
"Room 13" – Black Flag
Here we see a man on the brink of losing control. He's at the point of snapping and is not sure whether or not he can make it in the world. At the same time, he wants to live and keeps begging for someone to "keep me alive/I don't know if I can do it." The song is brash, in your face, and outright brutal, much like Black Flag themselves. Not only is the song aggressive it leaves you wondering, what the hell is room 13? It's never mentioned and leaves your mind to wander. Is it part of an insane asylum or prison? We're never sure. All we know for sure is this guy is about to lose it.
"Hotel" – Cassidy ft. R. Kelly
Anybody actually remember the rapper, Cassidy? Probably not, but in 2003 he had one of the hottest hip hop songs. With R. Kelly by his side, Cassidy talks about using lush hotels to hold lavish parties and convince hotties to creep up to his hotel room. It's similar to Chingy's "Holidae In" and Cassidy knows this as he makes references to both that song and the iconic "Rapper's Delight." Honestly, it sounds like your typical rap song, but what made this one a hit was the unforgettable hook. Even if you didn't really like the song you couldn't help but sing the R. Kelly laced hook. You gotta admit, the man knows how to make earworm hooks.
"Room 21" – Hinder
I always saw Hinder as a sleazy band and they prove it with this song. Sounding like a Motley Crue song, the band talks about being seduced by an irresistible woman and having a wild night in room 21. When the guy comes to the next morning, the mysterious woman is gone. He's been used, but it was so good he doesn't care. It's the classic tale of excess, sex, and partying. It's clearly meant to be a fun night to remember instead of a cautionary tale like the other songs on this list.
"Heartbreak Hotel (This Place Hotel)" – Michael Jackson
One of Jackson's best and underrated songs, it's about a strange hotel designed to break up couples. In it, the protagonist talks about taking his lover to what he thought would be a romantic night out and instead ends in heartache. The hotel implants two women in his room implying he's cheating on his lover. He can't convince her otherwise and he's left alone. The upbeat music, Jackson's wails, and the catchy hook distracts you from how weird this song is. A hotel made to break up couples? Just shows you never know what's happening behind closed doors. To make the song even stranger the song title was later changed to "This Place Hotel" to avoid confusion with the Elvis Presley song.
"Room 309" – Creeper
If you've been following Creeper, then you'd know about the major story running across two EPs and their debut album. In a nutshell, the story follows the Callous Heart cult, the stranger, and paranormal investigator James Scythe trying to piece it all together. Room 309 is where James stays at The Dolphin Hotel in Southampton, UK. The story is so massive, it's best to you check it all out here. As for the song itself, it's one of the heaviest on the album and packs a major punch, showing off Creeper's heavier side.
"Twilight Hotel" – Quiet Riot
This quintessential 80s rock band takes us to the titular hotel where "anything goes" and your wildest fantasies will be fulfilled. Frontman Kevin DuBrow sings about a "secret rendezvous" in this place that seems too good to be true. Even though it holds unbridled pleasures, there's still an air of apprehension about the place. Appearing on their third album, QIII, the song is a typical rock ballad filled with big hooks and shredding guitars. Surprisingly, it's not as sappy or cheesy as other ballads of the era.
"Room 409" – Bullet For My Valentine
Sometimes you don't want to know what's waiting for you in a room as this Bullet song explains. Frontman Matt Tuck sings about a guy walking into Room 409 and finding his girlfriend with another man. Rather than walking out the door, he goes in upset and ready to unleash his violent rage. It's clear things aren't going to end well with Tuck singing "[You] said his name and I came in your direction /Now I can choose what to do with both of you." This territory isn't new for Bullet. They have lots of songs about getting revenge on a cheating lover, but this one is probably their best.
"Chelsea Hotel #2" – Leonard Cohen
There are plenty of songs about the infamous Chelsea Hotel, but this one is about a once in a lifetime meeting. In 1968, Leonard Cohen was staying at the New York hotel working on his music. At 3 AM he ran into a woman in the elevator and proceeded to strike up a conversation. Turns out, the woman was none other than Janis Joplin. They apparently spent the night together, but their affair would be forgotten in the morning. Cohen penned this song about their meeting in 1971 not too long after her death. It's a bittersweet account of a night spent together that's all too fleeting.
"Hotel California" – The Eagles
The mother of all hotel songs. You can't have a hotel playlist without this Eagles classic.
Posted in Bullet For My Valentine, Lists, Michael Jackson, Playlists and tagged BFMV, Black Flag, Bullet for my Valentine, Creeper, Creeper Band, Hotel Songs, Jack White, King of Pop, Leonard Cohen, Michael Jackson, Playlist, Room Service, Room Songs, The Eagles, The White Stripes on July 20, 2017 by kaylubd. Leave a comment
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Did you formulate your online marketing strategy 2019? If so, what did you base it on? Last years results? Your Google Analytics reports? The predictions of a soothsayer?
What I'm trying to get at is that it can be difficult to plan your next steps without anything to base them on. Preparation is always better when grounded in hard, verifiable data.
For that reason, in this post we will summarize the findings of some of the most recent online marketing statistics and research. We will show what is likely to work this year and what isn't, important changes in the online marketing sphere and what that means for you and your site.
In the end, we want you to be able to confidently make decisions about where to take your online marketing strategy in 2019. Let's get started.
Where is Digital Marketing Headed?
For the first part of this post, we will focus on the 2019 Digital Marketing Strategies Survey Summary Report by Ascend2. It was done in October 2018 with the participation of 190 marketing professionals. Here's what they had to say.
One of the first findings is that the online marketing sphere is still expanding. A full 88 percent of participants stated that they plan to increase their budget in this area in some way.
This absolutely makes sense. These days potential customers spend much of their time online and marketers need to adapt to this reality. For that reason, instead of focusing on classic means of advertisement, many continue to put emphasis on the digital realm. If many of your peers see chances to grow in this area, why not you?
When asked about the effectiveness of different digital marketing practices, most participants (58%) put content marketing at the top of their list. Runner-ups were SEO (50%) and email marketing (47%).
The message is clear: to succeed in 2019, you need to continue (or start, depending on where you are at) creating high-quality content. It forms the basis for many other tactics such as SEO, paid advertising, email marketing and more. Consequently, coming up with a content strategy should be very high on your list.
However, this is easier said than done. Many marketers also consider the creation of content to be one of the most challenging bits.
When asked what their top strategic priority is for 2019, most professionals stated increasing sales, prospects and leads as well as acquiring more clients (50% and 47% respectively).
As we just learned, the main tool to achieve this for most is by doing content marketing. Consequently, when putting together your online marketing strategy in 2019, you a) need to formulate your own goals and b) make sure your content strategy aligns with them.
Finally, when asked about the effectiveness of their marketing measures, a great majority of participants saw an increase. Almost one third even judged it to be significant.
The next time you or your superiors feel on the fence about investing in digital marketing measures, be assured that for the majority of people it's worth it.
After dealing with the development of digital marketing, let's now talk about the devices people use to access the Internet.
One of the things you should already be aware of is that mobile devices now make up the majority of Internet devices worldwide.
For much of 2018, their share of Internet traffic was over 50%, with desktop computers trailing around 44%. Tablets came in at about 4%.
Of course, if you are already in the mobile-friendly camp, continue what you are doing but also examine how you can further cater to an audience on phones and tablets.
7. Is Messaging an Untapped Marketing Channel?
When talking about mobile devices, you can't forget about messaging apps. Due to the possibility to interact in real-time and one-on-one, the WhatsApps, Telegrams and Facebook Messengers of this world are a great hit with consumers. However, not a lot of people are aware that their user number actually surpass social networks.
Plus, the time that people spend on these apps are still on the rise. As a consequence, if you feeling daring and want to try out a new marketing channel, this could be it. For more information on marketing your website or business on WhatsApp and Co, check this article.
However, SEO is also an area that is constantly changing. For that reason, it's important to know the latest developments.
When talking about search engines, we usually mean one in particular: Google. With over 90% market share worldwide, is not just a search engine but the search engine.
The share is even higher among mobile users.
In addition to that, you might want to start with the posts above.
People care about security and online threats. There have been too many reports about security breaches and leaked customer information lately for them not be affected. It's one of the main reasons for the new GDPR guidelines. Besides following general security guidelines, one of the most important topics here is using HTTPS encryption, especially if you own an online shop.
What used to be optional, has now become a must-have. In fact, 84% of people will abandon a purchase if they're dealing with an unsecured website. In addition to that, Google has been using SSL encryption as a ranking signal since 2014. Starting last year, their Chrome browser also actively warns users if they are connected to a site that doesn't use it.
Despite that, at the time of this writing, the percentage of websites that use HTTPS by default is below 50%.
The aforementioned mobile devices are not the only ones upending the online landscape. More and more people access information on the web via hands-free methods. Assistants like Google Home and Amazon's Alexa have been a big hit with consumers. In the US alone, one quarter to one-third of the population now own a smart speaker or use a voice assistant at least once a month.
To get ready for this development, read our post on the topic.
Finally, when talking about search and online marketing, we need to talk about video. The popularity of animated visual content has been steeply on the rise over the last decade or so. By now, YouTube is not only the second most popular search engine in the world but also the second most popular site overall.
In addition to that, by 2021 video is projected to make up 80% of all internet traffic. This especially applies to mobile devices, which in 2017 already accounted for 69% of digital media time.
In short, to give your website a push this year, consider creating some videos. Yes, I hear you, it's not that easy. However, when you pull it off, it can have excellent ROI.
Putting together an online marketing strategy for 2019 can be daunting work. There is a lot of stuff out there you can try out and finding the right approach is not necessarily an easy task. Thankfully, there are research and statistics on the matter that can point you in the right direction.
Hopefully, you have found some nuggets of information that will help you with your 2019 online marketing strategy. If you know of any other research that would be helpful, please don't hesitate to share it with the rest of us.
Is there any other research that shapes your online marketing strategy 2019? If so, please let us know in the comments section below!
The post Online Marketing Strategy 2019 – Use These Statistics to Plan Your Year appeared first on Torque.


text:
Q: Pytorch Loss Function for making embeddings similar I am working on an embedding model, where there is a BERT model, which takes in text inputs and output a multidimensional vector. The goal of the model is to find similar embeddings (high cosine similarity) for texts which are similar and different embeddings (low cosine similarity) for texts that are dissimilar.
When training in mini-batch mode, the BERT model gives a N*D dimensional output where N is the batch size and D is the output dimension of the BERT model.
Also, I have a target matrix of dimension N*N, which contains 1 in the [i, j] th position if the sentence[i] and sentence[j] are similar in sense and -1 if not.
What I want to do is find the loss/error for the entire batch by finding the cosine similarity of all embeddings in the BERT output and comparing it to the target matrix.
What I did was simply multiply the tensor with its transpose and then take elementwise sigmoid.
scores = torch.matmul(document_embedding, torch.transpose(document_embedding, 0, 1))
scores = torch.sigmoid(scores)

loss = self.bceloss(scores, targets)

But this does not seem to work.
Is there any other way to do this?
P.S. What I want to do is similar to the method described in this paper.

A: To calculate the cosine similarity between two vectors you would have used nn.CosineSimilarity. However, I don't think this allows you to get the pair-similarity from a set of n vectors. Fortunately enough, you can implement it yourself with some tensor manipulation.
Let us call x your document_embedding of shape (n, d) where d is the embedding size. We'll take n=3 and d=5. So x is made up of [x1, x2, x3].T.
>>> x = torch.rand(n, d)
tensor([[0.8620, 0.9322, 0.4220, 0.0280, 0.3789],
        [0.2747, 0.4047, 0.6418, 0.7147, 0.3409],
        [0.6573, 0.3432, 0.5663, 0.2512, 0.0582]])

The cosine similarity is a normalized dot product. The x@x.T matrix multiplication will give you the pairwise dot product: which contains: ||x1||², <x1/x2>, <x1/x3>, <x2/x1>, ||x2||², etc...
>>> sim = x@x.T
tensor([[1.9343, 1.0340, 1.1545],
        [1.0340, 1.2782, 0.8822],
        [1.1545, 0.8822, 0.9370]])

To normalize take the vector of all norms: ||x1||, ||x2||, and ||x3||:
>>> norm = x.norm(dim=1)
tensor([1.3908, 1.1306, 0.9680])

Construct the matrix containing the normalization factors: ||x1||², ||x1||.||x2||, ||x1||.||x3||, ||x2||.||x1||, ||x2||², etc...
>>> factor = norm*norm.unsqueeze(1)
tensor([[1.9343, 1.5724, 1.3462],
        [1.5724, 1.2782, 1.0944],
        [1.3462, 1.0944, 0.9370]])

Then normalize:
>>> sim /= factor
tensor([[1.0000, 0.6576, 0.8576],
        [0.6576, 1.0000, 0.8062],
        [0.8576, 0.8062, 1.0000]])

Alternatively, a quicker way which avoids having to create the norm matrix, is to normalize before multiplying:
>>> x /= x.norm(dim=1, keepdim=True)
>>> sim = x@x.T
tensor([[1.0000, 0.6576, 0.8576],
        [0.6576, 1.0000, 0.8062],
        [0.8576, 0.8062, 1.0000]])

For the loss function I would apply nn.CrossEntropyLoss straight away between the predicted similarity matrix and the target matrix, instead of applying sigmoid + BCE. Note: nn.CrossEntropyLoss includes nn.LogSoftmax.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Независимая социалистическая рабочая партия (), до 1924 года Независимая социалистическая партия () — левосоциалистическая партия в Чехословакии, основанная в марте 1923 года анархо-коммунистами, изгнанными из Чехословацкой социалистической партии. Лидеры: Богуслав Врбенский, Луиза Ландова-Штихова, Теодор Бартошек.

Представители НСП создали совместную парламентскую фракцию «Социалистическое объединение» (Socialistické sjednocení) с Независимой радикальной социал-демократической партией В. Бродецкого, однако последняя в итоге влилась в Чехословацкую социал-демократическую рабочую партию, тогда как НСП, принявшая на съезде в июне 1924 года новое название НСРП, пошла на сближение с коммунистами.

Третий съезд Коммунистической партии Чехословакии в сентябре 1925 года одобрил объединение с НСРП, благодаря которому многие горняки из района Мост вступили в КПЧ.

НСРП/«Социалистическое объединение» оставалась членом Социалистического рабочего интернационала до 1933 года.

Политические партии Чехословакии
Социалистические партии
Левосоциалистические партии
Политические партии, основанные в 1923 году
Политические партии по алфавиту

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text:
Posted: March 18, 2013 in Uncategorized
After several weeks of sub-mediocre performance, I finally busted out last week.
My first match was in "198". I did OK. Not dazzling, but managed to score above my average. It felt good.
My next match was in "220". My partner struggled early, and was pretty quiet as a result. While I was sympathetic to his struggling game, his quiet frustration kept me from being distracted. I simply focused on staying mentally quiet. My first few games were uneventful, no run-outs but the table was breaking well. I finally caught a gear in the fourth game and cleared the table to score a cut game. (Yay!) In the next game my break dropped two and all the other balls were well-positioned. I could have executed the option and gone for the 1-ball, but it required a really good shot. I elected not to use the option, but ended up running out for a snap game. (Woo hoo!)
It is really satisfying to be in that comfortable mental zone where the problems on the table don't really feel like problems; they are just challenges that need to be overcome. As an example, I short-stroked one shot and didn't get the cue ball nearly far enough out to where I wanted. In my mind I did not panic. There was no internal yelling or name-calling, it was just a calm, "OK. That's not what I wanted, but here is the new shot." I knew I just needed to execute a harder cut shot and make sure the speed was right so I didn't hook myself. I've done this shot before, so I knew I could manage it. I was mentally comfortable; I had a quiet mind focused on the task.
So in the sixth game, I break and drop a ball and I get to running balls. I hook myself halfway through (D'oh!), pull out my jump stick and make a good shot to keep the run going. My partner, bless his soul, kind of gets excited, and chats it up some. Not a lot; just a little, but my ego responds, and I can feel my head beginning to ease away from the table. Fortunately, I was close to finishing the table and I managed to get out for another snap game. (Yesss!)
Game 7 opens well; I drop a ball on the break and get to pocketing balls. Things are looking good but then I hook myself again (Dang it!). I break out the jump stick and manage another good shot. My partner is now a little more excited. "Wow! TWO jump shots in one match!" he says to another fellow who's watching. I appreciate his excitement and my ego responds a little more. My focus is now only at the edge of the table, not on it. I manage to drop a few more balls, but end up dogging the 9-ball, missing out on three snaps in a row.
When I go to put my stick down, my partner is excited for me, smiling and laughing, and comes over and shakes my hand and says, "Congratulations! Wow! That was impressive! You have a score of 75!!! You are definitely in the money now!" In my head I know we still have four games to go, but he's making it feel like I just finished a great match. The other fellow says, "You got a good score going."
Well, of course, now my formerly quiet mind is buzzing with the excitement of fellow competitors, probable money, and the imaginings of a potential career score. As a result of all the extracurricular thinking going on in my head I lose my quiet mind. My scores for the remaining four games go: 2, 3, 2, 1. (Nice.) My final score for the match was in the mid-80's. That's a great score for me and I'm happy, but it ends up being a really good learning experience. It shows that when the breaks are good, I can do well. I also experienced that very amazing place of "higher performance" in the middle of the match. I want to go there again soon!
There are actually two lessons here. First, it is clear I need to be mentally stronger. I found my "quiet mind" that allowed me to excel, but I let outside stuff completely erode it. My ego allowed me to pay attention to the excitement over me when I really needed to keep my focus on the table. I have to quit thinking about what people think of me and stay in game in front of me. I had the focused mind and I let it be pried away. It is frustrating to literally watch it slip away. More frustrating to me is that I could not get it back.
The second lesson is, unless you are sharking, it is really more appropriate to discuss another player's game AFTER the game and not in the middle. Hold the comments and congratulations for the end when potentialities are gone and realities rule. It's fine to quietly acknowledge a nice shot, but leave the exuberance and ebullient demonstrations for the finale. Those of us with weak and addled minds would sincerely appreciate it.
"220" Game –	Old Average: 46.65	New Average: 47.15	Goal: 70.00
I read recently about the International Olympic Committee dropping wrestling from future Olympic competitions beginning in 2020 and it made me sad. It's wrestling season here in the Pacific NW and sports pages are awash in images of hardened, wiry high school lads dressed in their tights, boots and headgear. The photos range from headshots of competitors to full-on competition action. I feel deep sympathy for those kids because with the IOC's decision, their passion and effort and glory will likely not carry past their high school years. The IOC has effectively taken all opportunity for future competition away from them.
I'm sure they gave it due consideration, but there are a lot of reasons the IOC should not have dropped Olympic wrestling. For one, wrestling could very well be the most basic form of human competition, the ultimate measure of domination. There's no proof of it because the media hadn't been invented yet, but I imagine it harkens back to before Neanderthal times. For another, where else would someone who doesn't have a wrestler teenager get their fill of high-level wrestling except during the Olympics?
In my mind, the IOC has made the most baffling and egregious error in the nearly 3000-year history of Olympic competitions. It has been speculated that the IOC was swayed in their decision by the most basic of motivators – money, and that smacks of corruption. There is plenty of international coverage over this mess they've created, and since this is beyond the scope of this blog I'll just leave it here, let the reader do their own investigations, and move into what I really wanted to say.
As I look at the sports world in general, I see a lot of issues. Corruption, performance enhancing drugs (PEDs), money, and so on taint the amateur to professional ranks. As a result of athletes breaking the rules, records have asterisks next to them, courts are full, entire sports are tarnished, pure competitors are not given the recognition they should enjoy, and grand jury investigations are constant. So many issues and they all seem to be related to money.
Right now, sports are generally divided into two categories: amateur and professional. But the lines between them are either blurry or non-existent, case in point: high profile college sports. My solution is to stiffen the rules in all levels of all sports to get back to pure competitions based on a level playing field. Then I'd add one more category to the sporting world called the "Entertainer" level. My solution falls out like this:
"Amateurs" can only compete for medals and trophies. They cannot win money; pure passion is their motivator. (When I was a kid this used to be the fundamental rule, but this has been abused considerably over the decades. Amateur organizations need to stiffen their backs and hold competitors to this basic rule again.) Amateurs can receive sponsorships for their competition efforts only, such as clothing and equipment, but they cannot enjoy any other financial perks. If there is any violation of these basic laws, they are booted up to the "Professional" level.
"Professionals" compete for money and trophies, but the money is limited to what might be considered a very good wage for the average family, say no more than $50,000 to $100,000 for first place; no more $10 million dollar payouts. Love of their sport, respect for their body, and a desire to make a decent living will be their motivators. They can receive sponsorships from their competition efforts only, again limited to clothing and equipment, but they can wear logos, like PGA players. They cannot use PEDs or enjoy any other competitive advantage except the skill and discipline they bring to their competitions through training. If there is any violation of these basic laws or the laws of their competitive ruling organization, they "graduate" up to the "Entertainer" level.
"Entertainers" get it all, they compete for whatever anyone will offer, and more importantly the lid is off – there are no restrictions. They can abuse their body, they can use special equipment, they can do anything they want to get the upper edge. The basic rules of competition are the same as their brethren in the "Professional" ranks, like field of play dimensions and how the game is played, but everything about their individual person or the equipment they use and how they use it is their own business. Performers cannot get kicked out of this league. It's kind of like "Mad Max" for sports.
There is a healthy portion of the viewing audience that will go for this Entertainer-level of competition to support it because the average population likes to see the grotesque and the unusual. Purists will tune into the Amateur and Professional competitions, and sponsors will need to choose where to put their money based on the values they hold dear. But the mass market viewers and sponsors will probably go for the Entertainer levels of play; like their predecessors from a couple millennia back in time at the coliseum to watch gladiators battle or Christians fighting lions or public hangings.
The possibilities are interesting to consider. Imagine Entertainer-level golf where 500-yard drives are the norm. Or unlimited speeds for NASCAR racing. Or 7-foot NBA players swishing 30-footers, oh wait – they already have that! How about giant human specimens bowling using an overhand delivery? Maybe 200-mph serves in tennis? Allow a level of play where the restrictions can come off and let science and technology and human greed rule this level of ultra competition.
Instead of spending so much effort on restrictions and managing competitions, simply allow a place for rule offenders to go, set up a free-for-all competition, and let the people who are willing to spend the money decide how unlimited sports can entertain the world. (Oh, and these Entertainer-level sports leagues must be international. There's no sense in restricting location either. The USA doesn't need to own it all.)
Above average week last week for "198," but below average for "220."
"220" Game: Old Average – 49.65 New Average – 49.05 Goal Average – 70


Triumph has given its best selling Street Twin a 10bhp upgrade for 2019, along with a number of small tweaks aimed at improving the comfort and usability of its entry level model.
The Street Twin has been a smash hit for the Hinckley company since its introduction, attracting a wide range of men and women across all age ranges, as well as many riders who are returning to motorcycling.
Next year's model receives a number of small but significant engine changes, including a lighter clutch, magnesium cam cover, mass optimised clutch cover and a lighter crank and balance shaft. The tweaks should make for a higher revving and livelier engine that still remains mellow and extremely drivable. Triumph says that power goes up from 55 to 65bhp, with the red line rising 500rpm to 7500rpm, while the torque remains a healthy 80Nm at 3500rpm.
The 2019 Street Twin also gains rider modes for the first time, with Road and Rain settings giving the option of a softer throttle map for wet conditions. ABS, a slipper clutch and switchable traction control are also standard fitment.
As with the revised Street Scrambler, the Street Twin gets an upgraded four-piston front brake caliper from Brembo, while the front forks receive new internals that are said to give a plusher ride. Also improving comfort is a revised seat and slightly revised ergonomics.
Otherwise, the 2019 Street Twin has more of the same with just a few detail changes. The instruments have been given a more upmarket makeover, while the new multi-spoke alloy wheels can now be specified with Triumph's tyre pressure monitoring system.
Triumph's research suggested that more than nine of out ten Street Twins sold left the showroom with accessories fitted, so it is no surprise to see even more options in the accessories brochure, with more than a 140 available and two 'inspiration' kits available to provide a base for riders looking to create a café racer or city bike special.
Prices of the updated Street Twin have yet to be announced, but don't expect a massive premium over the £7800 of the 2018 version.


This weekend I also put my crafting muscles to work with a little project to spruce up our entryway. I've been spending so much time in Home Depot that I started looking at the materials in a different way and thought of this simple way to bring the aesthetic of a macramé or woven wall hanging (with a little metallic flair) into our space.
All of our money is going into the renovation right now so we don't have a lot to play with to decorate and I am SO over having blank walls. So, while I still plan on getting a real deal macramé piece made by fellow Michigander Sally England once our bank accounts have recovered, I made this to tide me over.
Paired with some art, some of my favorite objects and this storage piece, I think it made a big step forward in shaping up our entryway. We bought that credenza, which is really a mini bar, from CB2 when we first moved into our old house (6 years ago) and have never actually used it as a bar. In our last home it was in the bedroom and here it works out perfectly as an entryway piece. I love that it has drawers for small things like keys and sunglasses and bigger doors for hats or bags (hiding all the clutter that usually lands on the kitchen counter).
Get the full DIY instructions and list of materials needed in the post I shared over on A Beautiful Mess!
To see more of my DIY projects look here.
To see our entryway before look here.
This is stunning! I've been thinking about making a wall hanging for a bit now. You can cover great amounts of wall without over doing it. Love.
This is stunning. Have been thinking of doing a wall hanging for a bit now. You can cover large amounts of wall without over doing it.
It looks so pretty!! I love it! Heading over to check out the DIY now!
This is just an amazing idea! So so cool!
This is beautiful! I love the warmth of the copper and all the texture. I would love to link to your project if you didn't mind!
Hi, I absolutely love your rug! Would you mind telling me the name of it? I can't seem to figure out which one it is on Rugs USA. Thanks!
Thank you so much for the quick response! I was wondering if that's what you did haha :) Thanks!
nice post. thnks for sharing with us..


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Old boys connect at BBHS centenary anniversary
By Babatunde Tugbobo
The respected Baptist Boys High School, Abeokuta, Ogun State, recently held its centenary anniversary, and it was indeed an affair characterised by glitz and glamour, to the excitement of current students of the school, who watched with awe as dignitaries from all walks of life thronged into the school compound.
The school, which has produced several notable Nigerians, including a former President, Olusegun Obasanjo; the late sage, Obafemi Awolowo; and the late billionaire businessman and presumed winner of the June 12, 1993 presidential election, Moshood Abiola.
Speaking at the event, the Vice President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo, spoke on the primacy of values as the bedrock of nation building, even as he used the lives of some prominent old boys of the school to buttress his point.
He added that most important asset available to every country for growth and development was its human resources.
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Listing the projects executed by the old students association, the Global President of BBHS Old Boys Association, Prof Kayode Oyesiku, mentioned the construction of a mini- stadium, ultra-modern library, alumni hall, art studio and car park.
One of the highlights of the event was the launch of two books titled, The BBHS History Book: 100 years of Baptist Boys' High School, Abeokuta, and Baptist Boys' High School: Abeokuta-Intergenerational Reminiscences.
Other dignitaries present at the celebration included the Governor of Ogun State, Dapo Abiodun; a former governor of the state, Gbenga Daniel; and the Alake of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Gbadebo.


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Home >> Daily Dose >> How Digitalization Is Transforming Residential Real Estate
How Digitalization Is Transforming Residential Real Estate
in Daily Dose, Data, Featured, Market Studies, Market Trends, News, Real Estate, Technology 14 days ago 735 Views
According to a new report from Harvard's Joint Center for Housing Studies, big data and the growing use of data analytics are transforming how residential real estate is bought, sold, and managed—often in ways that are making it easier for investors to convert single-family homes into rental units. The impacts of the changes—particularly whether they are expanding opportunities for renters and homebuyers or are crowding out first-time buyers and increasing rents—are the focus of two new working papers and two commentaries. All were first presented at the JCHS March 2022 symposium examining how digitalization is affecting all aspects of housing.
New data shows the changes are being fueled by a surge in venture capital (VC) funding, which grew from less than $2 billion in 2016 to almost $19 billion in 2021, according to "Emerging Models in Residential Real Estate or 'How to Lose a Billion Dollars in Real Estate Tech'," a paper by Mike DelPrete. DelPrete, a global real estate strategist, identifies four tech-driven changes in how people buy and sell homes. Real estate portals (such as Zillow, Trulia, Redfin, and realtor.com), which first emerged almost two decades ago, have changed how people search for homes. However, in the end, consumers typically still rely on traditional brokers to handle those sales.
That model was challenged in the middle of the last decade, with the emergence iBuyers (such as Opendoor, Offerpad, and, for a time, Zillow), which aimed to displace brokers by offering homeowners speed, certainty, and simplicity of offers based on automated valuations. These were followed by "power buyers" (such as Homeward, Knock, Flyhomes, Ribbon, and Orchard), which also sought to displace brokers but did so by offering loans and guaranteed purchase agreements to cash-strapped homeowners who want to move but don't have the cash needed to buy a new home. While both iBuyers and power buyers raised substantial VC funding, they have yet to secure a significant share of the market, largely because, unlike other transactions now done online, buying and selling a house is "a unique—and very personal—process."
Recognizing this, some entrepreneurs and investors have shifted their focus to building "tech-enabled brokerages" (such as Compass and eXp Realty). And while their strategies differ, portals, iBuyers, power buyers, and tech-enabled brokerages are all increasingly focused not only on transaction-related revenues (such as charging for leads, commissions on sales, or profits from reselling homes) but also on using their connections with sellers and buyers to monetize all aspects of the house purchase process, including providing mortgages and title insurance.
The growing number of investors using digitalization to buy newly available single-family homes, which they convert to rentals managed with a variety of digitalized tools is the focus of the other paper, "Big Capital, Precision Technologies, and Structural Power in the US Housing Market," by Desiree Fields, an associate professor of geography and global metropolitan studies at the University of California Berkeley. This new class of investors emerged in the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis when big capital and big tech came together to purchase large numbers of foreclosed homes, many of them in historically disadvantaged communities, and particularly in communities color. These increasingly active investors have "changed the logic and the power relations of the housing market" in harmful ways argues Fields. The fast-moving process shuts out potential first-time homebuyers and the growing use of advanced algorithms usually results in substantially higher rents for tenants. The widespread use of automated digital platforms to manage the properties also reduces personal interactions, which results in both faster and larger late-payment penalties and faster and more frequent evictions. For all these reasons, she argues, digitalization is likely to "deepen inequalities of wealth and affordability for generations."
Both papers make it clear that the "novel business models produced by digitalization in real estate produce new and different mixtures of benefits and problems," said Robert Goodspeed an associate professor of urban and regional planning at the University of Michigan, in "Digitalization and the Incomplete Disruption of the US Housing Industry." Accurately assessing the growing impact of those changes will be particularly important for planners, who have long "been involved in regulating, cajoling, and collaborating with the real estate industry to address market failures and pursue public goals." Planners, therefore, must grapple with the changes spurred by digitalized housing with a focus on how to leverage its potential to create more sustainable and equitable cities.
Such efforts should not make digitalization and entrepreneurship the scapegoat for the root causes of housing problems, such as income inequality and land-use regulations, cautions Roberto Charvel, in "The Digital Entrepreneur's Future Impact on the Housing Cycle." A longtime investor in PropTech and other tech-enabled businesses who also teaches at Brandeis University, Charvel concedes that while digitalization can make things worse, he believes that, on balance, many changes have had positive impacts. For example, he asserts, the growth of single-family rentals is a triumph of making housing accessible to people who decide to live in areas lacking an adequate number of rental units, mostly in the suburbs. He argues that if such investors break the law, they need to be punished like any other citizen, but if they do not, "they are a great channel for venture capital to subsidize new ideas and business models that can help us transform the world."
To read the full report, including more data and methodology, click here.
Buying Data Digitalization Digitalized housing Homebuyers HOUSING Housing Market Investors JCHS joint center for housing studies market studies Market Trends Multifamily housing real estate Renters selling single-family rentals Tech-enabled brokerages technology 2023-01-16
Demetria Lester
Tagged with: Buying Data Digitalization Digitalized housing Homebuyers HOUSING Housing Market Investors JCHS joint center for housing studies market studies Market Trends Multifamily housing real estate Renters selling single-family rentals Tech-enabled brokerages technology
Previous: Charlotte Predicted as Hottest Housing Market in 2023
Next: Pandemic Ripples Still Impacting Single-Family Housing Trends
About Author: Demetria Lester
Demetria C. Lester is a reporter for DS News and MReport magazines with more than eight years' writing experience. She has served as content coordinator and copy editor for the Los Angeles Daily News, the Orange County Register, in addition to 11 other Southern California publications. A former editor-in-chief at Northlake College and staff writer at her alma mater, the University of Texas at Arlington, she has covered events such as the Byron Nelson and Pac-12 Conferences, progressing into her freelance work with the Dallas Wings and D Magazine. Currently located in Dallas, Texas, Lester is a jazz aesthete and loves to read. She can be reached at [email protected]
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Important Mountains & Deserts in Honduras
What Are Argentina's Major Bodies of Water?
The Landforms of El Salvador
Trent Jonas, Leaf Group Updated March 15, 2018
The Landforms of El Salvador (Photo: )
Fun Facts About Panama Landforms
What are the Important Landforms or Bodies of Water in Iraq?
El Salvador, tucked between Honduras and Guatemala to the north and the Pacific ocean to the west, is Central America's smallest country by area. Yet even though its only about the size of Massachusetts, El Salvador's geography lends itself to dramatic elevations and singular land forms. What its geography lacks in size is made up for by its beauty.
Highest Mountain
To the north, the Sierra Madre form El Salvador's border with Honduras, and to the south, a parallel chain of more than 20 volcanoes is strung between Guatemala and the Gulf of Fonseca. The volcano of Santa Ana, or Ilamatepec, in the westernmost part of the country is El Salvador's tallest peak at nearly 7,750 feet. Near the Guatemalan border, Santa Ana is located within the boundaries of Cerro Verde National Park and has erupted as recently as 2005. A modicum of controversy surrounds which mountain constitutes the country's highest point. Cerro El Pital, which is nearly 9,000 feet at its summit, straddles the border of Honduras and El Salvador. While a handful of authorities, refer to Cerro El Pital as El Salvador's top peak, others, such as "National Geographic," stand firmly behind Santa Ana. Suffice it to say that Santa Ana is the tallest mountain completely within the borders of El Salvador.
Longest River
The longest river on the Central American isthmus, Rio Lempa rises from a valley in southern Guatemala between the Sierra Madre and Sierra del Merendón mountain ranges. Known as the Olopa River over its first 20 miles before crossing the border into Honduras and changing its name, the Lempa River runs a total course of more than 250 miles, all but 40 of which flow through El Salvador. The only commercially navigable river in Central America, the Lempa is crucial to the Salvadoran people who use its waters for transportation, irrigation, electricity and food.
Largest Lake
As a landform, lakes can be problematic to define, as there is often debate as to whether a "lake" that did not begin its existence as such is actually a lake. In El Salvador, therefore, there are really three largest "lakes." The largest impounded body of water in El Salvador, at 135 square miles, is Cerron Grande Reservoir, which was created by a hydroelectric dam on the Lempa River. Although it is the largest lake in the country, a limnological purist would refer to Cerron Grande as the largest manmade lake. The large concentration of volcanoes in the country has created another category of entrapped water: crater lakes. Such lakes are created when ground and rain water seep into a volcanic crater at a greater rate than they leech out. Several such lakes exist in El Salvador, the largest of which is Ilopango, at 70 square miles of surface area. With a relatively small surface area of only 17 square miles, the largest natural lake in the country is Lago Guija.
Other Landforms
The San Miguel and Izalco volcanoes are the most active in El Salvador. Izalco, in fact, is the most active volcano in Central America. The Gulf of Fonseca, at the easternmost edge of El Salvador and bordering Honduras and Nicaragua as well, is the country's largest outlet to the Pacific Ocean. Jiquilisco Bay is the largest Pacific inlet that lies completely within Salvadoran borders.
GeoNames: El Salvador - Highest Mountains
National Geographic: Travel: El Salvador Guide
Geography Lists: El Salvador; Cerro El Pital; Brandt Maxwell
GeoNames: Honduras - Highest Mountains
El Salvador: National Service for Territorial Studies
Trent Jonas accepted his first assignment in 1988 from "The Minnesota Daily" and has been writing professionally ever since, primarily as a copywriter. He is an experienced traveler with a background in advertising, entrepreneurship and as an attorney. Jonas has a Bachelor of Arts in English writing from the University of Minnesota and a Juris Doctor from Hamline University.
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Бріана Вільямс (, ) — ямайська легкоатлетка, яка спеціалізується в спринті, олімпійська чемпіонка, дворазова чемпіонка світу 2018 року серед юніорів.

Основні міжнародні виступи

Примітки

Джерела

Народились 21 березня
Народились 2002
Ямайські бігуни на короткі дистанції
Ямайські олімпійські чемпіони
Легкоатлети на літніх Олімпійських іграх 2020
Чемпіони літніх Олімпійських ігор 2020
Чемпіони світу з легкої атлетики серед юніорів
Спортсмени з Флориди
Призери чемпіонатів світу з легкої атлетики


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A comprehensive review of the newly revised European Pharmacopoeia chapter 5.1.6
Posted: 31 August 2017 | Dr Michael J. Miller | 1 comment
European Pharmacopoeia Chapter 5.1.6, Alternative Methods for Control of Microbiological Quality, was recently revised and published in Ph. Eur. Supplement 9.2. The new chapter comprises a number of significant changes from the original version published in 2006. Prior revisions to a similar chapter and technical report from the USP and the Parenteral Drug Association (PDA) necessitates a comprehensive review of Ph. Eur. 5.1.6 and how it compares with the recommendations provided in these two additional guidance documents.
Supplement 9.2 of the European Pharmacopoeia published an overview of the changes to chapter 5.1.6, Alternative Methods for Control of Microbiological Quality,1 which went into effect on July 1, 2017. The chapter was completely rewritten to take into account current expectations for validating alternative and rapid microbiological methods, recent enhancements to methodologies and technologies and the use of alternative methods on in-process samples that support a Process Analytical Technology (PAT) monitoring strategy.
Additional guidance has been added for identification methods including the use of databases during validation and the state of microbial cultures for identification purposes. The chapter also suggests traditional biochemical and phenotypic identification methods are less accurate and precise than genotypic methods.
The sections on technology reviews and scientific principles are generally similar to what was previously discussed; however, microcalorimetry and phage-based methods have been removed. A new section on the detection of growth using selective and/or indicative media has replaced original recommendations for media development. Additionally, autofluorescence methods have been added to the Direct Measurement section and the discussion on genotypic methods has been significantly enhanced to include DNA and RNA-based methods
The validation sections were significantly revised. For example, additional detail is provided for primary validation, validation for the intended use and validation of the different types of microbiological tests (i.e., qualitative, quantitative and identification).
Finally, the validation example section (i.e., Example validation of an alternative method: detailed protocol followed by a laboratory for the implementation of bioluminescence) has been removed and there are currently no additional examples provided. This was done to eliminate potential misinterpretation of the purpose of examples. However, we may see the addition of new examples to the Ph. Eur. knowledge database at a later time.
It is important to understand the chapter revisions in terms of validation processes, as this topic is most relevant when demonstrating an alternative or rapid method is not inferior to an existing compendial method. For this reason, validation will be the focus of the remainder of this article and a comparison between Ph. Eur. 5.1.6, the 2015 revision to USP <1223>2 and the 2013 revision to PDA Technical Report No. 33 (TR33)3 will be included. The reader is also encouraged to review this author's prior publications4-5 related to the revision of USP <1223> as these may aid in understanding the similarities and differences between the compendial chapters.
The validation process
Ph. Eur. 5.1.6 describes two (2) levels of validation: primary validation and validation for the intended use.
Primary validation is the responsibility of the technology supplier. This is demonstrated by challenging the method with a panel of microorganisms appropriate for the method's intended use. The criteria assessed will be dependent on whether the method is qualitative, quantitative or will provide a microbial identification. For example a quantitative method would require an assessment of accuracy, precision, specificity, limit of quantitation, linearity, range and robustness. The end-user should review data associated with the supplier's primary validation, the principle of detection, materials and equipment required and the expected output or signal.
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Microbiology, QA/QC
European Pharmacopoeia (Ph. Eur.)
Dr. Michael J. Miller
By Dr Michael J. Miller
Shortage of Accord's phenytoin sodium expected until May
By Victoria Rees (European Pharmaceutical Review)
Gilteritinib not recommended by NICE for AML treatment
By Rachael Harper (European Pharmaceutical Review)
GSK halts Excedrin production due to manufacturing inconsistencies
One response to "A comprehensive review of the newly revised European Pharmacopoeia chapter 5.1.6"
Peter Creith says:
what was the problem with phage-based technology? thanks. P.


Firefox has taken its next step in creating a proper mobile browser, with the release of a beta version of Fennec for Android and Maemo.
A full version of Firefox for mobile is a step closer to reality, as Mozilla has made a beta release of Fennec available to download for Android and Maemo.
Firefox 4 Mobile is compatible with Android 2.0 and above, as well as Maemo on the Nokia N900. An alpha version of the Firefox mobile browser -- named after an incredibly cute African fox -- has been available since the end of August. Built on the same technology platform as Firefox for the desktop, Fennec comes with advanced features such as Firefox Sync, add-ons and the awesome bar.
Firefox Sync is particularly important if you use Firefox on the desktop, as it allows you import your browsing history, bookmarks, tabs, passwords and form-fill data to your mobile phone.
Veteran Firefox users will be familiar with the awesome bar, which lets you use the URL field of your browser to do a keyword search of your history, bookmarks and Google. They'll also know about add-ons, with which you can customise your browser by downloading extra pieces of software.
The beta release has new features, such as the ability to pinch to zoom on multitouch-capable handsets. For the Maemo N900, you use the volume rocker to zoom in and out. The Fennec beta should also be more speedy and responsive than the alpha version, with improvements in scrolling, zooming and animations.
Firefox for Android also uses the same Gecko engine as the desktop Firefox 4. The other browsers on Android use the WebKit rendering engine, and Mozilla moving away from this allows it to support a number of different features. Brubeck said Fennec still needed a lot of work, with future releases having changes such as a new Android skin, reduced installation size and more speed improvements.
Just don't expect an iPhone version, as Mozilla would have to completely rewrite its code, which it isn't willing to do. If you need to sync your Firefox data to your iPhone, Firefox Home is an option. It's free to download and shouldn't eat up your phone, so why not have a go? Let us know what you think of it in the comments.


Series of four Majalis. Occassion : Ayyam e Fatimiyah s.a Subject: Deen e Islam Hayat e Hazrat Fatimah Zahra s.a ki Roshni mein Lecture No.: 03 Date: 03/03/2017 Venue: MASOM Islamic Center, Chicago, Illinois, U.S.A.
Series of four Majalis. Occassion : Ayyam e Fatimiyah s.a Subject: Deen e Islam Hayat e Hazrat Fatimah Zahra s.a ki Roshni mein Lecture No.: 01 Date: 03/01/2017 Venue: MASOM Islamic Center, Chicago, Illinois, U.S.A.
Series of four Majalis. Occassion : Ayyam e Fatimiyah Subject: Deen e Islam Hayat e Hazrat Fatimah Zahra s.a ki Roshni mein Lecture No.: 04 Date: 03/04/2017 Venue: MASOM Islamic Center, Chicago, Illinois, U.S.A.
Series of four Majalis. Occassion : Ayyam e Fatimiyah s.a Subject: Deen e Islam Hayat e Hazrat Fatimah Zahra ki Roshni mein Lecture No.: 02 Date: 03/02/2017 Venue: MASOM Islamic Center, Chicago, Illinois, U.S.A.
This clip is an extract from a lecture delivered by Moulana Syed Ali Murtaza Zaidi at Imambargah Madinatul Ilm, Karachi.


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Roy Smith (1980s pitcher)
For other people of the same name, see Roy Smith.
This biography of a living person needs additional citations for verification. Please help by adding reliable sources. Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately, especially if potentially libelous or harmful. (February 2010)
Roy Smith
Born: (1961-09-06) September 6, 1961 (age 57)
Mount Vernon, New York
June 23, 1984, for the Cleveland Indians
August 16, 1991, for the Baltimore Orioles
Minnesota Twins (1986–1990)
Baltimore Orioles (1991)
Le Roy Purdy Smith is a former professional baseball pitcher and executive. He played all or part of eight seasons in Major League Baseball from 1984 until 1991. He is currently a scout for the New York Mets.
1 Playing career
2 Baseball executive
Smith was drafted in the 3rd round of the 1979 Major League Baseball Draft by the Philadelphia Phillies. After three seasons in the Phillies' farm system, Smith and two other players, were traded to the Cleveland Indians late in the 1982 season for pitcher John Denny.
After another season and a half in the minors, he made his major league debut on June 23, 1984, against the Seattle Mariners, a game in which he also picked up his first major league win.
Smith split 1985 between the major and minor leagues once again, then was traded in the following off-season to the Minnesota Twins in a four-player deal. He continued to shuttle between the majors and minors for three more seasons before finally making the majors to stay in 1989. He had his best season that year, going 10–6 with a 3.92 ERA. He would fall to 5–10 with an ERA nearly a run higher the following season, and was released.
Smith pitched one more season in the majors for the Baltimore Orioles in 1991, but with even less success. He continued to pitch in the minors until 1993, when he finally retired.[1]
Baseball executive
After spending his final season with the Buffalo Bisons in the Pittsburgh Pirates system, the Pirates made him a scout in 1994. He moved into the team's front office, serving as assistant general manager from 1999 until 2004, then moved on to the Los Angeles Dodgers. There, he worked as their Vice-President for Scouting and Player Development for two seasons, but left the organization along with his boss, Paul DePodesta, and returned to the Pirates.[2] He later worked as a scout for the Toronto Blue Jays. He became a scout for the Mets in November 2010.[3]
↑ "Player Bio: Roy Smith". Baseball almanac. Retrieved 26 February 2010. <templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>
↑ "Roy Smith returns to Pirates special assistant". Associated Press. ESPN. November 1, 2006. Retrieved February 26, 2010. <templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>
↑ Mets add Smith, D'Aloia to scouting crew
Pittsburgh Pirates general managers
McKnight (1882–1883)
Converse (1884–1887)
Nimick (1887–1890)
O'Neill (1891)
Temple (1892)
Buckenberger (1893)
Kerr (1894–1897)
Watkins (1898)
Kerr (1899)
Dreyfuss (1900–1932)
Benswanger (1932–1945)
Kennedy (1946)
Hamey (1946–1950)
Rickey (1951–1955)
Brown (1956–1976)
Peterson (1976–1985)
Thrift (1985–1988)
Doughty (1988–1991)
Simmons (1992–1993)
Bonifay (1993–2001)
Smith (2001)
Littlefield (2001–2007)
Graham (2007)
Huntington (2007–present)
Retrieved from "https://infogalactic.com/w/index.php?title=Roy_Smith_(1980s_pitcher)&oldid=5403434"
BLP articles lacking sources from February 2010
Minnesota Twins players
Baltimore Orioles players
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Reading Phillies players
Charleston Charlies players
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Rochester Red Wings players
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New York Mets scouts
Baseball players from New York


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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub