#Brandon Presser
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Read any good books since your last update about your recent reading?
Yes, although I forget when I last shared the books I've been reading, so hopefully I don't repeat anything.
I know that I've repeated this book because I've mentioned it several times over the past couple of weeks, but I can't help but remind everyone again about Steve Coll's excellent new book, The Achilles Trap: Saddam Hussein, the C.I.A., and the Origins of America's Invasion of Iraq (BOOK | KINDLE | AUDIO). It's definitely the best book I've read so far this year, and it's one of the better books I've read in the past 10 years.
Other recent books that I've read and would recommend checking out:
•Radiant: The Life and Line of Keith Haring (BOOK | KINDLE | AUDIO) by Brad Gooch
•The Far Land: 200 Years of Murder, Mania, and Mutiny in the South Pacific (BOOK | KINDLE | AUDIO) by Brandon Presser
•UFO: The Inside Story of the U.S. Government's Search for Alien Life Here -- and Out There (BOOK | KINDLE | AUDIO) by Garrett M. Graff
Garrett Graff has quickly become one of those authors who I go out of my way to immediately pick up his latest books because he's so well-connected and I ALWAYS learn fascinating things from his books. I don't know if there's a writer/journalist today who has better access to the American defense establishment or proven to be more capable of shining a light on many of the most secretive aspects of the United States government.
•"Uncool and Incorrect" in Chile: The Nixon Administration and the Downfall of Salvador Allende (BOOK | KINDLE) by Stephen M. Streeter
•Life After Power: Seven Presidents and Their Search for Purpose Beyond the White House (BOOK | KINDLE | AUDIO) by Jared Cohen
•The Liberation of Paris: How Eisenhower, de Gaulle, and von Choltitz Saved the City of Light (BOOK | KINDLE | AUDIO) by Jean Edward Smith
•Unruly: The Ridiculous History of England's Kings and Queens (BOOK | KINDLE | AUDIO) by David Mitchell
•The Rise and Fall of a Palestinian Dynasty: The Husaynis, 1700-1948 (BOOK) by Ilan Pappe
•In the Houses of Their Dead: The Lincolns, the Booths, and the Spirits (BOOK | KINDLE | AUDIO) by Terry Alford
•Kingdoms of Faith: A New History of Islamic Spain (BOOK | KINDLE | AUDIO) by Brian A. Catlos
•Borgata: Rise of Empire: A History of the American Mafia, Volume 1 of the Borgata Trilogy (BOOK | KINDLE) by Louis Ferrante
•Soldier of Destiny: Slavery, Secession, and the Redemption of Ulysses S. Grant (BOOK | KINDLE) by John Reeves
•His Final Battle: The Last Months of Franklin Roosevelt (BOOK | KINDLE | AUDIO) by Joseph Lelyveld
•Charlie Chaplin vs. America: When Art, Sex, and Politics Collided (BOOK | KINDLE | AUDIO) by Scott Eyman
#Books#Recent Reading#Recent Books#Book Suggestions#Book Recommendations#The Achilles Trap#Steve Coll#Radiant: The Life and Line of Keith Haring#Brad Gooch#The Far Land#Brandon Presser#UFO: The Inside Story of the U.S. Government's Search for Alien Life Here -- and Out There#Garrett M. Graff#“Uncool and Incorrect” in Chile: The Nixon Administration and the Downfall of Salvador Allende#Stephen M. Streeter#Life After Power: Seven Presidents and Their Search for Purpose Beyond the White House#Jared Cohen#The Liberation of Paris#Jean Edward Smith#History#Unruly: The Ridiculous History of England's Kings and Queens#David Mitchell#The Rise and Fall of a Palestinian Dynasty: The Husaynis 1700-1948#Ilan Pappe#In the Houses of Their Dead#Terry Alford#Kingdoms of Faith: A New History of Islamic Spain#Brian A. Catlos#Borgata: Rise of Empire: A History of the American Mafia#Louis Ferrante
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a timeline of events
- cm punk may or may not have told colt cabana to gtfo
- hangman page is like hey man not cool
- punk wins the world title from hangman and along with ftr is set for summer of punk 3
- immediately injures himself jumping into the crowd
- jon moxley carries the title while he's injured and proves he's the ace of aew
- punk comes back 4 months later, calls hangman a little bitch for thinking it’s not cool
- hangman is too busy yelling at the dark order to whip out their dicks to respond
- punk is squashed by mox in 3 minutes
- punk says he wasn't actually hurt he just sucks
- ace steel, man unknown to anyone before this, says fuck on tv and cuts a hell of a promo hyping punk up
- punk says that in chicago, they eat people (foreshadowing)
- punk beats mox for the title in a good ass match but injures himself again
- punk tries to bait a reporter into asking a question and when the reporter doesn't play along he goes on a 20 minute rehearsed tirade at the post show presser saying he hates working with young people and target managers and that colt cabana is a fugly slut and that he wants to take over aew like a supervillain
- during this tony khan the president of the company is sitting beside him having a dissociative episode
- says that if you want to talk to him, meet him in his locker room
- the young bucks, fresh off being crowned the inaugural trios champs, bring the company’s main hr guy and the lawyer to punk's room and superkick the doors down
- punk immediately clobbers matt jackson
- nick jackson tries to stop him but is hit by a chair by ace steel, who is terrified of the young bucks for some reason
- kenny omega tries to get punk's dog out of the room so steel bites him
- brawl lasts 6 minutes and involves every coach and also brandon cutler
- punk and the elite forced to relinquish their titles
- mox was just about to go on vacation
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me, early in Zach Whitecloud’s presser: man some of the things you say sure sound a lot like stuff that I’ve heard Mark say lately. ‘every day in the league is a privilege’ literally heard him say that this week. must look up to him a bit
Zach, literally two minutes later in the presser: “Obviously we lost a lot of key guys [to injury] this year, and- y’know I dislike talking about it because it’s not an excuse, right? But y’know when you lose Mark Stone, obviously that voice in your room does- you miss that quite a bit — speaking of me personally, I’m not gonna speak for everyone else, but, Stoney’s a guy who I’ve been looking up to ever since I was a kid when he was playing in Brandon, so... his voice, y’know when he speaks, everyone listens. He leads by example, he plays the game with passion, and when you’re missing a player like that, it’s tough on a team.”
me: [clawing at my face] oh my godddddddd. since Brandon?? since you were a kid??? oh my god I- I need to go lie on the floor....
#SINCE HE WAS A *KID* AND MARK WAS A *TEENAGER* THATS SO. AAAAAAH#HELP IM IN MY FEELS#vegas golden knights#vgk#Zach Whitecloud#mark stone
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Watching the post-game presser and Brandon has never looked more small in my eyes
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[PDF] The Far Land: 200 Years of Murder, Mania, and Mutiny in the South Pacific - Brandon Presser
Download Or Read PDF The Far Land: 200 Years of Murder, Mania, and Mutiny in the South Pacific - Brandon Presser Free Full Pages Online With Audiobook.
[*] Download PDF Here => The Far Land: 200 Years of Murder, Mania, and Mutiny in the South Pacific
[*] Read PDF Here => The Far Land: 200 Years of Murder, Mania, and Mutiny in the South Pacific
A celebrated travel writer tells the story of the tiny, fascinating island of Pitcairn, home of precisely 49 people, all descendants of the original founders of the island, the famous mutineers who were the basis for the novels and movie, The Mutiny On the Bounty.The public has been fascinated by Pitcairn since tales of it first started spreading in the early 1900s. But beyond the fictional?Mutiny on the Bounty trilogy, there's never been a true deep dive, with full, unencumbered access. Until now. ?In The Far Land, travel writer Brandon Presser chronicles his time living on?the island?with its two resident families, marrying?the island's haunting legend with his modern-day misadventures.?He delves into its history: investigating the motives of the original mutineers who?felt the need to burn their boats when they found this unmapped piece of rock in the middle of the Pacific, and why so many years later, people still stay there. He unpacks the natural resources and topology that
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New Post has been published on Books by Caroline Miller
New Post has been published on https://www.booksbycarolinemiller.com/musings/shortening-my-bucket-list/
Shortening My Bucket List
As it’s Friday the 13th, I might as well consult my bucket list and think about something pleasant. One dream I’ve had for some time is to spend a couple of weeks at a luxury spa. Paying more to eat smaller food portions might seem foolish, but I like the idea of pampering, the essence of spa life. Image waking up to days where all I need think about is my upcoming massage, facial, sauna or time spent in a hot tub. A little yoga might suit me, especially if it’s followed by a nap in a lounge chair beside a heated pool. Just thinking about the escape relaxes me. But wait. There’s more. An article on spa life I read recently suggests I’m not thinking creatively enough about my dream experience. (“The Wild, Wild Rest,” by Brandon Presser, Bloomberg Businessweek, March 2, 20202 ps. 55-59.) And how true that is. It would never occur to me, for example, to bring a large feather to my massage session for a little tickle. At the Canyon Ranch Spa in Arizona, I’d have that option. But tickle where I wonder. Speculation alone makes me giggle. But I digress. Let’s talk about food. At Canyon Ranch, I’m assured, I would have a multitude of menu choices. I might order half a wonton or a dozen, together with kale and coconut rice without the coconut. I’m not sure how the latter is done but it’s good to know I have options. I can even state a preference for the color of my waiter’s hair, apparently. Cheeseburgers and booze are a no-no, which is no hardship for me. But if I were to have a craving, it’s comforting to know there’s a convenience store a short walk down the road. If money is no object, I’d be allowed to have my room repainted or redecorated and I could change the pictures on the walls. Of course, I’d never waste money that way. Nor would I fork over $2,000 to $3,000 for a Botox treatment. A less expensive adventure might be to browse through the sex toy room. There, a customer can expose him or herself (pun intended) to any number of items. Particularly popular among the guests is a $200 We-Vibe Synic, useful in long-distance relationships. Apparently, the remote control allows couples to push each other’s buttons from across the miles. Now that I’ve learned all about the spa, I’ve decided to stay home. The retirement center has a masseuse. Whether feathers are involved, I don’t know and don’t care. I prefer to spend time in our hot tub or sauna. Of course, like the spa, I can swim in our heated pool, take an exercise class or work out in the gym with a trainer. Why bother packing? True, the food service isn’t as flexible as the spa’s, but our chef makes an effort to respond to requests and addresses food allergies. Even so, I admit, I’m inclined to sneak out for a crispy taco now and again. As for the sex toy room, we don’t have that. But, never mind, one seasoned resident assures me there’s an accommodating shop in the neighborhood.
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12 Shocking Things I Learned by Working as a Butler at the Plaza Hotel
You’ll never look at hotel staff the same way again.
Bloomberg Brandon Presser
Old-school service is alive and well at the Plaza: High tea treats are served in brass birdcages, tuxedo-clad bellman whisk away luggage to gilded suites, and chefs bear toques that tower above their heads. But in the age of Amazon Prime—when we all want everything now—what is it really like blending vestigial aristocratic assistance with light-speed wish fulfillment?
In order to properly find out, I accepted an offer from New York’s iconic Plaza Hotel to join its team of butlers, a coterie of 10 servicemen (and one woman!) who trot around the property’s 20 floors day and night, making sure 282 rooms’ worth of guests feel like royalty. For two hot days in July 2017, I raced around with a team that, like the city itself, seemingly never sleeps—hearing tales of the trade from the department’s director, Emma, and serving guests alongside some of her most experienced staffers.
This is an elite crew: It bears a combined 147 years of experience, and many have served as house managers for affluent families all over the world. Me? I got express credentials for my two-day residency—unprecedented for the Plaza. They included a detailed orientation of the property and a uniform fitting for my hotel-issued attire (gold-plated name tag and all).
Over my short tenure, I delivered laundry to Middle Eastern princesses and fetched lobsters out of wishing wells—and listened to colleagues delight in the oddities of their jobs, from fielding requests for Viagra or comforting a weeping woman over spilled blueberries. Serving the world’s rich and famous, it turns out, plumbs the depths of an alternative universe that readily embraces the absurd without even batting an eye. And that was only the beginning of what I learned.
Here, 12 secrets to keep in mind the next time you check into a five-star hotel.
One VIP List You Don’t Want to Be On
Hundreds of butler requests roll in each shift—mostly to fill ice buckets, handle laundry, and shine shoes. Complimentary packing and unpacking requests are also common, though they can turn into day-long affairs. A surprising number of international guests will purchase adjoining suites: one to sleep in and one for their luggage.
By matter of corporate philosophy, every guest should feel like a VIP at the Plaza. But a hierarchy still exists among those who check-in at reception. At the top of the pyramid are kings, queens, and heads of state—or as butlers call them: V1s, and they are ever-present on the property. Then come high-payers, long-stayers, guests booking a large block of rooms, and recognizable celebs. They’re called DVs, or distinguished visitors. On the bottom of the VIP totem pole is the SA group, known complainers or otherwise difficult and demanding guests who require “special assistance.”
Bath Time Can Be Awkward
Another common request for the butler team is to draw baths with a signature blend of salt, oil, and roses—especially during the colder months of the year. But the butler’s duties aren’t necessarily complete once the tub is full. Bal, the Plaza’s resident bath-time specialist, said that 95 percent of the time, he’s asked to remain within arm’s reach as bathers suds-up. Most of them, he said, want more hot water or scented oil, and are happy to keep him on hand while they relax in the nude. He is often left to pull the plug from the drain, elbow-deep in leftover water.
It gets weirder. One of my butler colleagues at a previous job in London was asked to ship in and set up a guest’s order of fresh oysters in the bathtub. He diligently filled the tub with ice and laid the oysters out, only to discover that the guest wanted the oysters placed in the tub around his soaking body. Eventually, the client seemed satisfied: He purchased the room next door for his butler so he’d always be near.
Hotel Guests Are Pretty Predictable …
The Plaza’s guest relations team researches everyone staying at the hotel on an individual basis, using a variety of social media tools. (The favorite is LinkedIn.com.) Butlers, on the other hand, often use past trends to size people up on the spot. They send electric kettles to the rooms of arriving Asian guests, who often bring noodles from home to cook in their suite. They keep an eye on the minibar when tending to Americans in their thirties and forties—they’re considered the partiers of the hotel, likeliest to plow through the booze. Middle Eastern VIPs get what is called an “Arabic Amenity”—a tray of dates, dried fruit, and nuts; they tend to prefer these to chocolates, cakes, or other sweet desserts. And the butler staff knows to immediately ask Western businessmen if they have shirts or suits that needs servicing upon checking in; they’re always the ones who treble the quantity of laundry in the basement.
… Except When They’re Totally Unpredictable
Despite the overwhelming regularity of guest behaviors, travelers can mystify even the most experienced of butlers. During my shifts, lobster shells kept appearing in the fountains of the hotel’s interior courtyard. Every day, the staff would fish them out, only to find a new one a few hours later. It turned out that a Middle Eastern prince was ordering cooked lobster from room service for every meal and then throwing the empty shells out the window to land in a fountain below. (Emma asked him to stop—nicely—but pieced together the mystery only on the day of his departure.)
Another time, a woman called Emma hysterically crying “as though her husband died and she just discovered the body.” When Emma finally calmed her down, she comprehended the real reason for the guest’s tears: There was no more Kleenex in her suite, and her young daughter had been forced to blow her nose on toilet paper.
Sex, Drugs and … Come Again?
As at any hotel, requests for drugs and prostitutes do happen—but not frequently. Bal has been asked for drugs only two or three times in his 10 years at the Plaza, and he is careful to stick within the boundaries of the law. Condom needs are another story: Mouhsine, one of the other butlers, always carries a pack with him, especially in the evenings. On being called to fulfill one such late-night request, no one answered the door after several knocks; he gently entered the room to find the two guests in the “go” position, waiting to be walked-in on.
Far more interesting than sex and drugs are the more outlandish client requests. Recently, Emma fielded a service call from a woman searching for some missing chocolate-covered blueberries, which had fallen off a window ledge. Emma offered to obtain replacements from the same brand and store, but the guest was adamant about retrieving her exact snack. Emma and the security team trawled the hotel’s interior courtyard for hours, blueberry-hunting, to no avail. During my brief tenure, the weirdest request was for two liters of intravenous saline solution—meant for a doctor’s ailing wife, who was presumably on the wrong side of a stunning hangover.
Some requests are even more bizarre. One butler told the story of how he was asked to replace all the furniture in a suite because the guest didn’t like the color blue. Another was sent off to scout the city’s reliquaries for a justice of the peace trophy—a prize for a newly minted lawyer. Another arranged for a live tarantula flown in from Africa to be served as a meal. Of course, butlers always deliver with a straight face.
Mind the Pillowcases
Missing pillowcases can be a real issue at the Plaza. But it’s not the tourists that have sticky fingers. And it’s not hotel pillowcases that are getting stolen. At least once a week, a white pillowcase that was brought from a guest’s home gets mistaken for a hotel-issued version and is sent out for cleaning. Sometimes they’re never seen again, in which case Emma dispatches a bellman to purchase new coverings, drawing on the hotel’s coffers, no matter the price.
Christmastime: Not so Merry
“Party season,” which spans October to December, feels like a constant carousel of functions, banquets, and events at the Plaza. Every evening, there are four or five requests for assistance at looping bow ties and zipping up cocktail dresses. And in the last few years, requests for holiday-themed decorations in the rooms have become so commonplace that the hotel now offers a standard Christmas package that includes a fresh, fully decorated tree, assembled by the butlers pre-check-in for $500.
The Customer Is Not Always Right
Complaints follow regular patterns. Every day, a guest will complain about too-slow laundry service. Though forms clearly offer standard and expedited return times, they’re not fast enough for some.
Minibar charges also lead to regular disputes. A full raid of your room’s bar runs $600 at the Plaza—something that happens at least once a week. The likelihood that guests will not want to pay is almost guaranteed.
This requires butlers to document everything with pocket cameras, whether it’s open booze bottles spread across the room, stains on laundry that existed before washing, or evidence of damaged furniture. Every ticket is verified on a computer and photos are attached, so when TripAdvisor.com lights up with a fiery review, the butlers are able to provide evidence to dispel any falsehoods.
The Easiest Way to Get Banned
It’s a lot easier than you might think. The hotel has a strict anti-discrimination policy, and zero tolerance is given to guests who mistreat the staff because of race, gender, age, or creed. Even now, guests sometimes request that staff of a certain ethnic extraction not be allowed to service their rooms; others will ask service members if they are legal in America. Emma, the director of the butler team, cited several incidents of sexism, too, such as the time guests asked to speak with a manager but grew angrier when she showed up instead of a man.
The refusal of services goes all the way up the ladder to DVs. At least two specific celebrities are permanently banned from the Plaza—one, a pop diva expelled for excessive drug and alcohol use and a belligerent attitude towards the staff, the other a sitcom star who took his anger issues out on a suite’s worth of furnishings.
Afternoon Tea Leftovers Don’t Go to Waste
Hidden within the Plaza’s secret back-of-house corridors and tunnels is a cafeteria reserved for the staff. Open during lunch, dinner, and late-night hours for (surprisingly good!) hot meal service, the canteen offers bagels and drinks for the peckish throughout the entirety of the day. But the savviest snackers know to visit the cafeteria at exactly 5:30 p.m., because that’s when the leftovers from high tea at the Palm Court upstairs are put out for the staff. (They serve only the food that was prepped but not plated.) Emma said she practically lives off mini cucumber sandwiches. I liked the tiny blueberry cheesecakes.
A Good Tip Can Make It Worthwhile
New York City’s hospitality workers are protected under a spectrum of different unions. While bellmen and room service are considered “tipping staff,” the butlers do not expect fiscal rewards for their work, beyond the Plaza’s paycheck. But Bal and his colleagues still see a few ex-presidents from time to time.
His biggest tip during the last 10 years? It came from a French model-actress keen on setting up a romantic weekend for her boyfriend, a well-known fashion magnate. Bal placed flowers on every flat surface throughout their suite, organized lunch in a helicopter over Central Park, and tracked down a very specific, very expensive bottle from a specialist store off-site. By the end of the weekend, she handed him $8,000 in cash.
Seven months later, the founder of the fashion label was back at the hotel with a different girlfriend.
When to Call It a Night
The Plaza maintains a Betsey Johnson-designed suite in honor of Eloise, the capricious six-year-old that fictionally lived on the property. It was here that Nimer, another member of the butler team, had his most bizarre service experience to date. A request was put in for someone to come up and read the beloved children’s book as a bedtime story, but when Nimer arrived there were no children to be found. Four thirtysomethings were neatly tucked into one, large bed. Concealing his shock, Nimer read to them for 90 minutes—then tracked down Eloise on video, in case they hadn’t had enough.
This post originally appeared on Bloomberg and was published August 8, 2017.
https://getpocket.com/explore/item/12-shocking-things-i-learned-by-working-as-a-butler-at-the-plaza-hotel?utm_source=pocket-newtab
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Top 5 moments of this season for the Jets.
I can go two ways with answering this. I can be a serious hockey fan (which I am, sometimes) and give you on ice things that were amazing. Or I can be a silly hockey fan (which I also am, sometimes) and give you off ice things that were amazing. I have decided to do both.
On the ice….
5. The trade deadline. I didn’t realize this until later, of course, but both Nate and Kevin were EXACTLY what we needed. (And honestly, we didn’t lose anything we couldn’t afford to lose.)
4. That game that had both Blake scoring four goals and Sami scoring. Also acceptable for this spot could be that nine goal game. Or any of the hat tricks, especially Jack’s or KC’s.
3. I know this isn’t going to be frequently agreed with, but I’m going to say the time we spent with the top two defensive pairs both not making me want to scream. There were a number of games where everything just seemed to work. The lines stayed consistent and scoring came easy. I’m not sure when it was (March?), but I can tell you that at the same time, the Bruins and the Stars were kinda falling apart and I’d look forward to watching the Jets because I was going to see a win. I just remember that feeling when I turned the games on.
2. ANY time that Blake passed to either Mark or Patrik through about a million opposing players and hit them right on the tape with an open net to shoot at. Because it’s just… the way he passes and how he knows when to pass is unreal.
1. Patrik’s five goal game. How can that not be first? I’ve been watching hockey for a long time, and I’ve never seen that before. It’s not often I can say that. (And that it was against the Blues means something to us now.)
Off the ice….
5. Going into schools to read to kids. Because it was precious and also I want them to come to MY school and read to my students! Also acceptable here are any of the dogs.
4. Paul Maurice and the Finnish media. If I need to go find the presser, I will, but you KNOW which one I mean.
3. That air hockey whatsit with Ben and Blake. Also acceptable warm up soccer videos with a hat on backwards. Or that on ice warm-up video. Also acceptable is any time Ben is wearing a t-shirt with an open shirt over it or laughing. I mean this whole point here is just about how pretty Ben is. And how much media attention he got.
2. Skip the Dishes. Not just the kiss, the whole fucking thing was joy. And all the attention we got because of it. And all the sudden attention that Brandon and Adam got on the ice because of it.
1. “Me and Adam bake together.” I mean really, Tailor and the Jets. That show was the best thing that happened to us this season. There are a million moments that I could cite that made me laugh out loud during that show. Just ALL of it.
And personally…
2. Getting to call this team mine.
1. The Jets chat folks.
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Notes from the first day of Rays Spring Training
Pitchers and catchers officially reported to camp in Port Charlotte on Tuesday, after 40 players — give or take — worked out on the field on Monday. All told, 41 of the 66 players invited to big league camp are pitchers and catchers, who are slated to work out on Wednesday morning. The first day of camp is primarily a managerial day. Rays skipper Kevin Cash, Senior Vice President/General Manager Erik Neander, and Senior Vice President Chaim Bloom held their annual media scrum.
Eduardo A. Encina (Tampa Bay Times) listed five things gleaned from the presser:
1. The opener is here to stay
Cash said that the team plans to enter the season with three starting pitchers — Blake Snell, Charlie Morton, and Tyler Glasnow, in no particular order — and use the opener strategy with the other two spots.
We certainly value our players quite a bit, and I think looking at what these guys did, whether it was the opener or the bulk guy that followed, they had pretty special seasons. ... They bought in, and we’re going to need that again, but I also think they also value and cherish winning games, and that helped us to win games. We have a young roster, added Neander. They’re willing to do whatever I think is asked of them, and trust. I think they appreciate the trust they have in Kevin and the staff to put them in the best position to succeed and we saw what is possible when we have that in place. The way last year went and the success they had, it helps going into this year that the intent behind that is to win games.
2. If there’s any pressure to build on last season, it’s not coming from Kevin Cash
The Rays' second-half surge put them in the playoff picture in September and while their 90-win finish left them out of the second AL Wild Card spot, but there doesn't appear to be any pressure from within entering this season. Cash made it clear. The Rays realize the division they are in, one that saw the Red Sox and Yankees record triple-digit wins on their way to the postseason, and he hopes the team's young nucleus will handle any added expectations in the same way they did last season, but also benefit from the experience of being immersed in meaningful late-season baseball.
I think we’ll control them from inside, Cash said. From being around these young guys that didn’t have a ton of experience who really carried themselves really well in some high-pressure environments at the end of the year playing in some exciting ballparks in just a lot of tight ballgames. I expect we’ll learn from that and continue to grow and put it to use.
3. Don’t expect a flurry of spring training trades like last season
There’s no question that last year, the opening part of camp was different than most, Bloom said. Our whole goal here has been to get to the point where we had a core of players that could compete in the division and compete for the postseason and that we could roll forward with. And if you look at what happened on the field last year and started to take shape as the year went on, we certainly feel that is something that’s building here. You never tune out completely the possibility of some kind of move, but we’re at the point where we want to be competing for the postseason, so anything we do will be with that in mind.
4. Rays will look at many players at first base
After trading Jake Bauers, the Rays enter spring with the first base position unsettled. Right-handed hitting Yandy Diaz, the key piece coming back in the Bauers deal, and left-handed hitting Ji-Man Choi will offer a platoon option at the position. Brandon Lowe — who played second and both corner outfield spots last season — should also see time at reps and rising prospect Nate Lowe will also see some time there. The spring training reps will be important to see who will be the best fit defensively, especially given most players in that group aren’t considered natural first basemen.
We’re going to learn a lot about first base, Cash said. We all talk about how much we care about our defense and securing the baseball and that’s a big spot. I think the more information we get on how these guys complement the rest of our infielders will be really beneficial through spring training.
5. Right now, there’s no defined closer, and that’s no big deal
Cash said there's no urgency to name a closer, and added that late-inning arms like Jose Alvarado and Diego Castillo could be used in the ninth or earlier into the game depending on the game. With Sergio Romo gone, no Rays reliever has more than Alvarado's eight saves, and Alvarado was used in a variety of situations.
We’ve had this conversation many times over many years and I personally like the flexibility, you can win games in the sixth, seventh, eighth inning, Cash said. Why wait? We’ve got a bunch of guys we feel will find their way into the ninth inning and have success. ... They’re special pitchers and to know we have those two arms complemented by some other guys whether its Ryan Stanek and Chaz Roe, we’re confident that they can continue doing what they can do and we can continue to match up with them however we see fit.
No. 2 hurler, Charlie Morton, drove to Port Charlotte from his home in Bradenton. The right-hander had positive things to say about his new team, saying:
Being at home definitely makes it easier because I know I’m going to see my family at home. That’s I guess, calming, comforting. So that makes it easier.
Morton spent Tuesday getting acclimated in his new setting.
This is where you have to kind of be cognizant of who you’re talking to, trying to remember names, and leave a decent first impression ... Just trying to get a feel for the facility. And get going tomorrow.
You can listen to his interview (below) courtesy of Rays Radio
This happened:
.@TGlasnow is all of us rn. #SpringRays pic.twitter.com/vMYBM5yoCH
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Thận trọng khi đặt các khách sạn nhiều đánh giá 5 sao
Thận trọng khi đặt các khách sạn nhiều đánh giá 5 sao
Brandon Presser là cây bút chuyên viết về du lịch người Canada. Anh có kinh nghiệm ở 3.000 khách sạn lớn nhỏ khắp thế giới. Từ những trải nghiệm thực tế, anh rút ra một số bí kíp khi thuê phòng. Một trong số đó là không bao giờ đặt những khách sạn có quá nhiều lời khen ngợi, toàn đánh giá năm sao. Thay vào đó, anh sẽ ở khách sạn mà có các bình luận như: “Tôi ghét cái nơi này”.
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Florida Governor Ron DeSantis Holds Presser and Announces New Law Enforcement Office for Election Integrity - Crowd Breaks Out in 'Let's Go Brandon' (VIDEO)
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(Download Book) The Far Land: 200 Years of Murder, Mania, and Mutiny in the South Pacific - Brandon Presser
Download Or Read PDF The Far Land: 200 Years of Murder, Mania, and Mutiny in the South Pacific - Brandon Presser Free Full Pages Online With Audiobook.
[*] Download PDF Here => The Far Land: 200 Years of Murder, Mania, and Mutiny in the South Pacific
[*] Read PDF Here => The Far Land: 200 Years of Murder, Mania, and Mutiny in the South Pacific
A thrilling true tale of power, obsession, and betrayal at the edge of the worldIn 1808,?an American merchant ship happened upon an uncharted island in the South Pacific and unwittingly solved the biggest nautical mystery of the era: the whereabouts of a band of fugitives who, after seizing their vessel, had disappeared into the night with their Tahitian companions.??Pitcairn Island was the perfect hideaway from British authorities, but after nearly two decades of isolation its secret society had devolved into a tribalistic hellscape; a real-life?Lord of the Flies,?rife with depravity and deception.?Seven generations later, the island?s diabolical past still looms over its 48 residents; descendants of the original mutineers, marooned like modern castaways. Only a rusty cargo ship connects Pitcairn with the rest of the world, just four times a year. ??In 2018, Brandon Presser rode the freighter to live among its present-day families; two clans bound by circumstance and secrets. While
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2020 Olympics Australia Roster
Archery
David Barnes (Adelaide)
Ryan Tyack (Nambour)
Taylor Worth (Busselton)
Alice Ingley (Belconnen)
Swimming
Kyle Chalmers (Adelaide)
Isaac Cooper (Brisbane)
Kai Edwards (Gold Coast)
Tristan Hollard (Southport)
Mitch Larkin (Buderim)
Lee Se-Bom (Sydney)
Cameron McEvoy (Benowa)
Jacky McLoughlin (Brisbane)
David Morgan (Gold Coast)
Thomas Neill (Brisbane)
Brendon Smith (Melbourne)
Zaac Stubblety-Cook (Brisbane)
Matthew Temple (Forest Hill)
Matthew Wilson (Sydney)
Elijah Winnington (Gold Coast)
Alexander Graham (Auchenflower)
Zac Incerti (Broome)
Mack Horton (Melbourne)
Hannah Burkhill (Perth)
Kiera Gazzard (Randwick)
Kirsten Kinash (Bonogin)
Rachel Presser (Banora Point)
Alessandra Ho (Canberra)
Emily Rogers (Auchenflower)
Amie Thompson (Como)
Hannah Cross (Attadale)
Kareena Lee (Noosa)
Carolyn Buckle (Sydney)
Cate Campbell (Brisbane)
Tamsin Cook (Perth)
Maddy Gough (Coffs Harbour)
Jessica Hansen (Brisbane)
Abbey Harkin (Brisbane)
Chelsea Hodges (Southport)
Emma McKeon (Wollongong)
Kaylee McKeown (Sunshine Coast)
Kiah Melverton (Southport)
Emily Seebohm (Adelaide)
Jenna Strauch (Bendigo)
Brianna Throssell (Subiaco)
Ariarne Titmus (Indooroopily)
Madison Wilson (Yeppoon)
Bronte Campbell (Brisbane)
Meg Harris (Brisbane)
Mollie O’Callaghan (Brisbane)
Leah Neale (Ipswich)
Athletics
Dane Bird-Smith (Brisbane)
Stewart McSweyn (Launceston)
Rohan Browning (Crows Nest)
Alexander Beck (Benowa)
Steven Solomon (East Lindfield)
Nagmeldin Bol (Perth)
Charlie Hunter (Gosford)
Jeff Riseley (Dandenong)
Jye Edwards (Barrack Heights)
Ollie Hoare (Sydney)
Morgan McDonald (Sydney)
David McNeil (Melbourne)
Patrick Tiernan (Toowoomba)
Nicholas Hough (Sydney)
Ben Buckingham (Melbourne)
Matthew Clarke (Adelaide)
Edward Trippas (Sydney)
Liam Adams (Melbourne)
Jack Rayner (Melbourne)
Brett Robinson (Canberra)
Kyle Swan (Melbourne)
Declan Tingay (Perth)
Rhydian Cowley (Glen Waverley)
Henry Frayne (Adelaide)
Brandon Starc (Sydney)
Kurtis Marschall (Adelaide)
Matty Denny (Toowoomba)
Cedric Dubler (Brisbane)
Ash Moloney (Logan City)
Jessica Hull (Albion Park)
Jemima Montag (Melbourne)
Kelsey-Lee Barber (Canberra)
Hana Basic (Melbourne)
Riley Day (Beaudesert)
Bendere Oboya (Pendle Hill)
Catriona Bisset (Canberra)
Morgan Mitchell (Carlton)
Georgia Griffith (Canberra)
Linden Hall (Sunbury)
Isobel Batt-Doyle (Adelaide)
Jenny Blundell (Sydney)
Rose Davies (Newcastle)
Liz Clay (Southport)
Sarah Carli (Wollongong)
Amy Cashin (Morgantown, West Virginia)
Genevieve Gregson (Benowa)
Georgia Winkcup (Cherrybrook)
Ellie Beer (Gold Coast)
Angeline Blackburn (Canberra)
Kendra Hubbard (Melbourne)
Anneliese Rubie (Canberra)
Sinead Diver (Melbourne)
Ellie Pashley (Torquay)
Lisa Weightman (Melbourne)
Katie Hayward (Gold Coast)
Rebecca Henderson (Melbourne)
Brooke Stratton (Melbourne)
Nicola McDermott (North Gosford)
Eleanor Patterson (Leongatha)
Nina Kennedy (Perth)
Liz Parnov (Perth)
Danielle Stevens (Merrylands)
Mackenzie Little (Sydney)
Kathryn Mitchell (Monte Carlo, Monaco)
Boxing
Alex Winwood (Mandurah)
Harry Garside (Canberra)
Paulo Aokuso (Gailes)
Skye Nicolson (Yatala)
Caitlin Parker (Subiaco)
Canoeing
Daniel Watkins (Grove)
Lucien Delfour (Pape’ete, French Polynesia)
Tom Green (Brisbane)
Jean Van Der Westhuyzen (Varsity Lakes)
Murray Stewart (Sydney)
Riley Fitzsimmons (North Gosford)
Jordan Wood (Tugun)
Lachlan Tame (Avoca Beach)
Jess Fox (Penrith)
Cat McArthur (Melbourne)
Bernadette Wallace (West Lakes)
Josephine Bulmer (West Lakes)
Shannon Reynolds (Canberra)
Jaime Roberts (Perth)
Aly Bull (Buderim)
Jo Brigden-Jones (Mona Vale)
Alyce Wood (Buderim)
Cycling
Matthew Glaetzer (Adelaide)
Nathan Hart (Canberra)
Matthew Richardson (Warwick)
Leigh Howard (Waurn Ponds)
Kelland O’Brien (Melbourne)
Luke Plapp (Brunswick)
Alexander Porter (Bennelong)
Luke Durbridge (Greenmount)
Lucas Hamilton (Ararat)
Richie Porte (Launceston)
Rohan Dennis (Adelaide)
Sam Welsford (Perth)
Dan McConnell (Canberra)
Anthony Dean (Adelaide)
Logan Martin (Logan City)
Kaarle McCulloch (Campbelltown)
Ashlee Ankudinoff (Sydney)
Georgia Baker (Launcester)
Annette Edmondson (Belair)
Maeve Plouffe (Adelaide)
Grace Brown (Camperdown)
Tiffany Cromwell (Stirling)
Sarah Gigante (Melbourne)
Amanda Spratt (Springwood)
Alexandra Manly (Kalgoorie)
Rebecca McConnell (Canberra)
Lauren Reynolds (Bunbury)
Saya Sakakibara (Gold Coast)
Natalya Diehm (Boyne Island)
Gymnastics
Tyson Bull (Melbourne)
Dominic Clarke (Sydney)
Georgia Godwin (Southport)
Emily Whitehead (Mornington)
Lidiia Iakovleva (Brisbane)
Emily Abbot (Brisbane)
Alexandra Aristoteli (Brisbane)
Alannah Mathews (Brisbane)
Himeka Onoda (Brisbane)
Felicity White (Brisbane)
Jessica Pickering (North Gosford)
Pentathlon
Ed Fernon (Darlinghurst)
Marina Carrier (Sydney)
Sailing
Matthew Wearn (Fremantle)
Sam Phillips (Sorrento)
William Phillips (Sorrento)
Mat Belcher (Southport)
William Ryan (Lake Macquarie)
Jason Waterhouse (Newport)
Jake Lilley (Brisbane)
Mara Stransky (Manly)
Monique De Vries (Fremantle)
Nia Jerwood (Fremantle)
Tess Lloyd (Geelong)
Jaime Ryan (Lake Macquarie)
Lisa Darmanin (Balgowlah Heights)
Shooting
Sergei Evglevski (Melbourne)
Thomas Grice (Cobbitty)
Paul Adams (Brisbane)
Alex Hoberg (Adelaide)
Daniel Repacholi (Carlton)
Jack Rossiter (Reynella)
Dane Sampson (Blacktown)
James Willett (Deniliquin)
Elise Collier (Langwarrin)
Katarina Kowplos (Adelaide)
Penny Smith (Elliminiyt)
Dina Babushkin (Brisbane)
Laura Coles (Perth)
Elena Galiabovitch (South Clayton)
Laetisha Scanlan (Melbourne)
Climbing
Tom O’Halloran (Blackheath)
Oceana MacKenzie (Melbourne)
Surfing
Julian Wilson (Coolum Beach)
Owen Wright (Lennox Head)
Sally Fitzgibbons (Gerroa)
Steph Gilmore (Kingscliff)
Table Tennis
David Powell (Box Hill)
Xin Yan (Melbourne)
Hu Heming (Dandenong)
Michelle Bromley (Gulgong)
Xu Sang (Melbourne)
Lay-Hóng Jiànfāng (Melbourne)
Melissa Tapper (Hamilton)
Taekwondo
Safwan Khalil (Lurnea)
Jack Marton (Canberra)
Stacey Hymer (Canberra)
Reba Stewart (Canberra)
Weightlifting
Matthew Lydement (Canberra)
Brandon Wakeling (Campbelltown)
Erika Yamasaki (Darwin)
Kiana Elliott (Sydney)
Charisma Amoe-Tarrant (Brisbane)
Badminton
Hsuan-Yu Chen (Brisbane)
Simon Leung (Brisbane)
Setyana Mapasa (Melbourne)
Gronya Somerville (Melbourne)
Basketball
Chris Goulding (Brisbane)
Patrick Mills (Canberra)
Josh Green (Castle Hill)
Joe Ingles (Adelaide)
Matthew Dellavedova (Maryborough)
Nathan Sobey (Warrnambool)
Matisse Thybulle (Sammamish, Washington)
Dante Exum (Melbourne)
Aron Baynes (Mareeba)
Jock Landale (Corio)
Duop Reath (Perth)
Nick Kay (Sydney)
Jenna O’Hea (Traralgon)
Leilani Mitchell (Kennewick, Washington)
Stephanie Talbot (Katherine)
Tess Madgen (Barossa Valley)
Sāra Blicavs (Sunbury)
Rebecca Allen (Wangaratta)
Katie-Rae Ebzery (Waratah)
Alanna Smith (Hobart)
Tessa Lavey (Canberra)
Ezi Magbegor (Canberra)
Marianna Tolo (Mackay)
Cayla George (Mt. Barker)
Diving
Shìxīn Lǐ (Melbourne)
Sam Fricker (Sydney)
Cassiel Rousseau (Ormiston)
Nikita Hains (Adelaide)
Qín Fān (Melbourne)
Belle Smith (Melbourne)
Melissa Wu (Sydney)
Equestrian
Kevin McNab (Godalming, U.K.)
Andrew Hoy (Leicester, U.K.)
Shane Rose (Duffys Forest)
Mary Hanna (Melbourne)
Kelly Layne (Wellington, Florida)
Simone Pearce (Löningen, Germany)
Katie Laurie (Okotoks, Alberta)
Edwina Tops-Alexander (Monte Carlo, Monaco)
Field Hockey
Lachlan Sharp (Lithgow)
Tom Craig (Lane Cove)
Tom Wickham (Morgan)
Matt Dawson (Killarney Vale)
Joshua Beltz (Hobart)
Eddie Ockenden (Moonah)
Jacob Whetton (Perth)
Blake Govers (Wollongong)
Dylan Martin (Sydney)
Joshua Simmonds (Ringwood)
Tim Howard (Brisbane)
Aran Zalewski (Margaret River)
Flynn Ogilvie (Wollongong)
Daniel Beale (Brisbane)
Trent Mitton (Perth)
Tim Brand (Chatswood)
Andrew Charter (Wagga Wagga)
Jeremy Hayward (Darwin)
Ambrosia Malone (Gold Coast)
Brooke Peris (Darwin)
Amy Lawton (Emerald)
Georgia Wilson (Mahogany Creek)
Madison Fitzpatrick (Cabarita Beach)
Greta Hayes (Maroubra)
Edwina Bone (Orange)
Steph Kershaw (Townsville)
Kaitlin Nobbs (Newington)
Jane-Anne Claxton (Adelaide)
Karri Somerville (Melville)
Renee Taylor (Everton Park)
Kate Jenner (Mudgee)
Mariah Williams (Parkes)
Emily Chalker (Crookwell)
Rachael Lynch (Warrandyte)
Grace Stewart (Gerringong)
Sav Fitzpatrick (Cabarita Beach)
Soccer
Tom Glover (Sydney)
Nathaniel Atkinson (Launceston)
Kye Rowles (Kiama)
Jay Rich-Bagheulou (London, U.K.)
Harry Souttar (Luthermuir, U.K.)
Keanu Baccus (Kings Langley)
Reno Piscopo (Melbourne)
Riley McGree (Gawler)
Nicholas D’Agostino (Sydney)
Denis Genreau (Melbourne)
Daniel Arzani (Melbourne)
Mitchell Duke (Liverpool)
Dylan Pierias (Melbourne)
Thomas Deng (Adelaide)
Caleb Watts (London, U.K.)
Joel King (Figtree)
Connor Metcalfe (Newcastle)
Ash Maynard-Brewer (Joondalup)
Marco Tilio (Hurtsville)
Lachlan Wales (Terrigan)
Cameron Devlin (Sydney)
Jordan Holmes (Sydney)
Lydia Williams (Canberra)
Samantha Kerr (East Fremantle)
Kyra Cross-Cooney (Herston)
Clare Polkinghorne (Brisbane)
Aivi Luik (Perth)
Chloe Logarzo (Sydney)
Steph Catley (Melbourne)
Elise Kellond-Knight (Gold Coast)
Caitlin Foord (Shellharbour)
Emily Van Egmond (Newcastle)
Mary Fowler (Cairns)
Ellie Carpenter (Cowra)
Tameka Butt (Orange)
Alanna Kennedy (Rosemeadow)
Emily Gielnik (Melbourne)
Hayley Raso (Brisbane)
Kyah Simon (Blacktown)
Teagan Micah (Redcliffe)
Courtney Nevin (Blacktown)
Charlotte Grant (Adelaide)
Laura Brock (Templestown)
Mackenzie Arnold (Gold Coast)
Golf
Marc Leishman (Virginia Beach, Virginia)
Cameron Smith (Jacksonville, Florida)
Hannah Green (Perth)
Minjee Lee (Perth)
Judo
Nathan Katz (Melbourne)
Katharina Haecker (Hamburg, Germany)
Aoife Coughlan (Melbourne)
Karate
Tsuneari Yahiro (Dulwich Hill)
Rowing
Sam Hardy (Sydney)
Joshua Hicks (Hubiaco)
Caleb Antill (Canberra)
Jack Cleary (Sydney)
Cameron Girdlestone (Sydney)
Luke Letcher (Canberra)
Jack Hargreaves (Nyngan)
Alexander Hill (Loxton)
Alexander Purnell (St. Leonards)
Spencer Turrin (Dungog)
Josh Booth (Melbourne)
Angus Dawson (Dingabledinga)
Simon Keenan (Melbourne)
Nicholas Lavery (Melbourne)
Timothy Masters (Melbourne)
Joseph O’Brien (Dubbo)
Nicholas Purnell (St. Leonards)
Stuart Sim (Melbourne)
Angus Widdicombe (Geelong)
James Rook (Melbourne)
Annabelle McIntyre (Hamilton Hill)
Jessica Morrison (Melbourne)
Amanda Bateman (Melbourne)
Tara Rigney (Sydney)
Caitlin Cronin (Brisbane)
Harriet Hudson (Warwick)
Rowena Meredith (Sydney)
Ria Thompson (Melbourne)
Rosemary Popa (Melbourne)
Lucy Stephan (Nhill)
Olympia Aldersey (Stonyfell)
Bronwyn Cox (Sydney)
Molly Goodman (Adelaide)
Sarah Hawe (Penrith)
Genevieve Horton (Pymble)
Giorgia Patten (Perth)
Georgina Rowe (Sydney)
Katrina Werry (Melbourne)
Rugby
Henry Hutchison (Crows Nest)
Samu Kerevi (Brisbane)
Nathan Lawson (Sydney)
Dietrich Roache (Fairfield)
Lachie Miller (Sydney)
Joe Pincus (Sydney)
Josh Turner (Sydney)
Dylan Pietsch (Sydney)
Josh Coward (Ballarat)
Nick Malouf (Brisbane)
Maurice Longbottom (La Perouse)
Lachie Anderson (Kellyville)
Lewis Holland (Queanbeyan)
Lauren Brown (Gold Coast)
Rhiannon Byers (Pallamallawa)
Cassie Staples (Canberra)
Maddie Ashby (Sydney)
Charlotte Caslick (Brisbane)
Ellia Green (Melbourne)
Yasmin Meakes (Newcastle)
Sariah Paki (Parramatta)
Shannon Parry (Brisbane)
Evania Pelite (Brisbane)
Alicia Lucas (Wagga Wagga)
Emma Tonegato (Wollongong)
Sharni Williams (Batlow)
Lily Dick (Tugun)
Skateboarding
Keegan Palmer (Gold Coast)
Kieran Woolley (Kiama)
Shane O’Neill (Melbourne)
Poppy Olsen (Newcastle)
Hayley Wilson (Mansfield)
Softball
Tarni Stepto (Sydney)
Leah Parry (Perth)
Ellen Roberts (Westleigh)
Kaia Parnaby (Sydney)
Gabbie Plain (Sydney)
Belinda White (Adelaide)
Chelsea Forkin (Perth)
Taylah Tsitsikronis (Perth)
Clare Warwick (Hamilton)
Stacey McManus (Sydney)
Stacey Porter (Glenwood)
Rachel Lack (Sydney)
Jade Wall (Deagon)
Leigh Godfrey (Winthrop)
Michelle Cox (Belrose)
Tennis
James Duckworth (Sydney)
John Millman (Brisbane)
Max Purcell (Sydney)
Luke Saville (Cobdogla)
John Peers (Melbourne)
Ashleigh Barty (Ipswich)
Samantha Stosur (Gold Coast)
Ajla Tomljanović (Boca Raton, Florida)
Storm Sanders (Rockhampton)
Ellen Perez (Melbourne)
Triathlon
Jake Birthwhistle (Girona, Spain)
Matthew Hauser (Maryborough)
Aaron Royle (Waratah)
Ashleigh Gentle (Gold Coast)
Jaz Hedgeland (Perth)
Emma Jeffcoat (Collaroy)
Volleyball
Chris McHugh (Pambula)
Damien Schumann (Melbourne)
Mariafe Del Solar (Sydney)
Taliqua Clancy (Kingaroy)
Water Polo
Anthony Hrysanthos (Sydney)
Richie Campbell (Newcastle)
George Ford (Subiaco)
Goran Tomasevic (Sydney)
Nathan Power (Newcastle)
Lachlan Edwards (Melbourne)
A.J. Roach (Darlinghurst)
Aaron Younger (Attadale)
Andrew Ford (Perth)
Timothy Putt (Perth)
Rhys Howden (Brisbane)
Blake Edwards (Melbourne)
Joel Dennerley (Auburn)
Lea Yanitsas (Paddington)
Abby Andrews (Indooroopilly)
Keesja Gofers (Sydney)
Hannah Buckling (Sydney)
Bronte Hallingan (Sydney)
Elle Armit (Townsville)
Bronwen Knox (Brisbane)
Rowie Webster (Melbourne)
Amy Ridge (Sydney)
Zoe Arancini (Perth)
Lena Mihailović (Kirrawee)
Matilda Kearns (Sydney)
Gabi Palm (Brisbane)
#Sports#National Teams#Australia#Races#West Virginia#Monaco#Fights#Boxing#Boats#Tennis#Basketball#Washington#Animals#Florida#Germany#U.K.#Canada#Alberta#Hockey#Soccer#Golf#Virginia#Spain#Awesome
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Your E3 Predictions!—Sunday Chats—6/3/18
I’m very excited about this week’s Sunday Chats because it’s all about E3 predictions! This time next week, we’ll BE INSIDE E3! I’ll have seen Microsoft/EA/and Bethesda’s pressers come the next Sunday Chats, and I’ll be writing about them, probably! I may or may not do a Sunday Chats, but we’ll see!
To catch folks up, this week has been a full-force build up to E3 for me. A new Episode of Get Acquainted posted, with my friend Brandon Gann, who is just an incredibly wonderful and amazing loquacious individual, and we spend two plus hours talking E3! We had a ton of predictions and great conversations around all of them! You should give it a listen!
http://irrationalpassions.com/brandon-gann-e3-predictions-get-acquainted/
On this week’s Irrational Passions Podcast we had my other good friend Logan Moore on to make some E3 BETS! Nabeshin was kind enough to put together 25 amazing bets for us and a ton of lightening round bets on top of that, and it was super fun. You can watch the video version of that WITH bonus content right now, and the fully edited version will post on Tuesday.
youtube
So it’s all about E3, but before we get to that, a little personal update.
Personal Update for June
So any one close to me will no that the last week of my life has been exceptionally difficult. Some folks close to me, both physically and emotionally have been making decisions that have been pretty toxic, I can’t lie. It’s led to a pretty unhealthy living situation that I’d rather not get into, and whether things blow over, get worse, I’m not sure. I obviously don’t want to spill any personal juice here, but anyone who has seen me out here tweeting like the dramatic boi I am on the inside about how I need some good vibes, that’s a general overview of the situation, if you were concerned.
I’m thankful for all my close friends out there texting me, checking on me, and making sure I am doing okay, even if I’m not. It is upsetting that this just so happens to coincide with the busiest time of the year in video games, so if this bleeds over into our content over on Irrational Passions I apologize. Sometimes its a bit unavoidable.
Anyway, I appreciate you all taking the time to interact and be a part of my silly Selfie Saturdays or Sunday Chats, it means the world. I’ve been working hard with the team @ Irrational Passions to make some really fun stuff, including a new show that acts as a spiritual successor to our roundtables from 2017 Game of the Year talks.
That’s all we need to dwell on in regards to the bummer business, let’s get to games!
What’s on Tap
Moonlighter
So I just started this tonight and I have to say: right away I just love it.
The idea is you live in a small town that neighbors these ancient ruins that lead to these very dangerous dungeons, and once upon a time travelers and adventurers used to come here to explore those dungeons, and merchants would sell supplies and goodies to gear them up for those journeys. Eventually it grew too dangerous, but you are someone who Moonlights as an adventurer and runs a shop on the front end.
You dive into these dungeons and get awesome treasure and loot and goodies to then sell in your shop to expand your shop, get better weapons and armor, and continue deeper into the dungeons. It’s an amazing idea, and it’s executed on so well.
The game sustains such a great and rewarding loop, and it’s also got tons of charm and amazingly well executed on pixel art.
On top of that the UI is also just very good? It’s super slick and smooth.
I’m only a couple hours in but I just adore it. Mike Burgess, producer at IP, did a video review on it that I saw the first cut of today and it’s actually what sold me on it. See it soon!
Detroit Become Human
I’ve already said so much about this game I’m exhausted. I love this game.
It has so many issues and in spite of all that, I genuinely adored my time with Detroit.
Our roundtable discussion was about this very game, so look for it soon.
Dark Souls Remastered
This game is still so good. I think I may like it even more than Dark Souls 3, a game I picked up just very briefly a few weeks ago.
I’ve now got the power to fast travel and am just warping around and exploring again. I even dipped my toe into the DLC area which I have never seen before.
It’s excellent, and seeing it run smooth has been super rewarding for me, a longtime fan of the title.
Your E3 Predictions
Let’s get to it! This week, something I haven’t done in a bit, I asked you for your boldest E3 predictions, and while some of you gave me a good joke, a lot of you came back at me with some great predictions!
Let’s get into it!
Remember to look for my tweet on Sunday afternoons/evenings with #SundayChats in it and respond to it with your reply to be a part of Sunday Chats!
Now listen, I know this was clearly written as a joke Sam, but I think that this announcement is coming, just not here. It’s a PSX announcement, if ANY, because that’s the only place it can be really gernally accepted as an “announcement”. It’d get a big riot of an applause.
I’d love this. I think they have such a “robust” (#branding) library of handheld games that it’d make too much sense to carry them over to their now partially handheld big console.
Will it happen? Well, I mean Nintendo has said no virtual console on Switch. But they’ve changed their mind, even if it has been rare, in the past before. While it could happen down the line, this up coming direct is about 2017, so I don’t think we’ll see it there.
Nah John.
You need to stop.
But... Well
I mean maybe?
MAYBE.
Maybe?
Finally. Some announcements we, as “hardcore gamers” care about.
Some cars
Fuckin.
On stage.
The cars have sex.
And birth a motorcycle.
I love this Peter. I mean, for some reason I guess folks think that Emma Stone will be the female actress pulled into Death Stranding, and I think there will likely be a big female reveal at some point, I don’t know why everyone thinks it’ll be Emma Stone? I bet there is a good reason out there, I just don’t know. I’m not complaining, Emma Stone is great.
I am definitely with you on the “deep dive”, though I don't think there will be a long explanation of things, just a nice gameplay demo. My theory I posited on Get Acquainted was like an 8 minute trailer that leads into about four minutes of gameplay at the end, but it’s just enough cinematic that we’re convinced there will be no gameplay, and then BOOM. There is.
I could see them saying 2019 at the end too, though I doubt they’ll hit it.
YOU DONT BRANDON GOODBYE.
Nah of course.
We talked about this on our show, obvs, everyone please go listen to it, but NO FINAL FANTASY 7. IT WONT HAPPEN. Square Enix needs to figure that shit out, and so they’ll come back to it when it, and more importantly, THEY’RE ready to.
Here’s hoping for some dope Xbox Avatars.
I mean, it’s gotta be the time, right? I need to know what this Resident Evil 2 Remake looks like. I know the director was out there talking about it not terribly too long ago, and it just feels like ages since we heard about it. With Capcom announcing RE7 and then releasing it 6 months later, on top of Monster Hunter World’s recent success, they are on a great path! Time to continue it!
As for DMC 5 I mean everyone seems convinced it’s coming and I just don’t care.
I love the Rocksteady prediction, because they’ve been cooking that bad boy for a good long while. I hope it’s Superman because I have supreme faith they’ll knock it out of the park. Maybe even an origin story? I’d love to see Rocksteady do one of those.
And I do, also, believe that Shadows Die Twice is Tenchu.
Dishonored getting a reboot I just don’t see happening. I think it’s time Arkane moves onto some new IP. Something that is hopefully a bit more eye-catchy so they get get back into a popular circle, then maybe spend a few years making iterations of that. Maybe in a few years past that they can return to Dunwall and take another crack at Dishonored.
Doom 2 can be wherever the hell it wants and I am HERE for it. But judging by the sounds of things that may not be at this E3, and that’s okay. It makes me sad, but it’s okay.
Man. I fucking wish.
Them or Bioware. I’d love to have just an original story told at Hogwarts where you create your character and go through 7 years at the school and it’s great and it has dialogue wheels and it’s great. Feed me Bioware.
It’d never happen tho.
This would be very cool. I feel like this Star Fox Grand Prix rumor is too big to ignore, but it’s still a little far fetched. I wonder how they’d sell it, if it is real.
Honestly, not that far out there. Kingdom Hearts don’t give a fuck about Red Dead.
Here is my thing, I just don’t think an ARMs character will make it into the Smash roster because no one cares about ARMs and I don’t think they’d be crazy interesting. Who would it be? Twintelle? I mean she is super cool, but who knows!
THey’d make great assist trophies, and I know that’s a slight but I’m sorry.
PUT GENO IN.
Anyway, if they put Banjo and Kazooie in I’d literally start crying right then and there, and it may happen, who knows, but I would. I’d cry.
I think there could be a direct apology. It depends. I think within 15 minutes or so we will know if EA has changed their tone or not. Hell, within 2 minutes we’ll know. If they want to actually be well regarded, they need to start making big moves, and right now, they’re not. Period. Come out and own up to what you’ve done wrong, or GTFO. They need to make up ground on the PR front, even if they’re still making money hand over fist.
I’m sorry times are tough Silver, but know that I’m sending good vibes your way!
I wonder if Microsoft would make such a bold move. Regardless, it’s a great bold prediction. I hope that they are gonna give it some more time, and let this generation cook a little more. I’m digging my Xbox One X, and them implying a replacement is coming next year or so would bum me out.
Finally. The battle Royale Battle Royale we’ve all been waiting for.
And as the dust settles, there’s sha’boi Griffin. Standing on top. Winner of them all.
And let’s not front: I’d kill to listen to Donald Glover sing Parappa songs.
Thank you all so much for your predictions! I’ve had a ton out there all week, and the Get Acquainted Episode I think has them out there in the best way. Go check them out! Either way, I’m so excited for E3, not necessarily to see if my predictions came true, but just for the hype of it all and my inevitable editorial after its all said and done about my thoughts and feelings coming out of it.
So. Big Sunday Chats update. I may be making a BIG CHANGE to Sunday Chats in the coming weeks. There is some ironing out I need to figure out personally, but I just wanted to give you faithful readers a little heads up. This could be something that becomes a proper part of IrrationalPassions.com, and for that, I’m very excited. The biggest thing is it may mean I start soliciting questions on Saturday! Stay tuned for my twitter for that.
It wouldn’t be a big change for you all, so don’t stress about it too much, but I wanted to seed it out there.
I love you all and your support, especially in these dark dog days of summer I am in. Thank you for the perpetual good vibes.
I hope you all are here for the E3 hype, but if not, that’s okay. Regardless, thank you for reading, and
keep it real.
(the Naruto kick not only continues, but never ends.)
#video games#E3#E3 predictions#video gaming#gamign#video#games#gaming#predcitions#easy allies#bets#naruto#moonlighter
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The Power of Globalization Education
Taking the Globalization 1A03 - Global Citizenship course has changed the way I think. I used to believe that globalization and the global community is something that I did not play much of a role in. Global citizenship was not a concept that I truly understood. Though, I have learned that through global citizenship, I belong to this profound greater community and my actions contribute to global implications (Stockdale, 2020). By furthering my knowledge of globalization and global citizenship, my perspectives have also changed, which has allowed me to be critical and analyze topics on a worldwide scale. For example, before taking this course, I saw voluntourism acts to be mostly beneficial for local communities and a great way to help those in need. However, in reality this is not typically the case. An article by Brandon Presser, “Please don’t come to Africa and build a school”: What I learned from a relief mission in Chad, demonstrates the truth of voluntourism. Presser identifies that engaging in acts of voluntourism, like going to a developing country to build a school, is not necessarily beneficial (Presser, 2018). The article states that donating to an organization that delivers supplies and is invested in the long-term development of those communities, like UNICEF, will be of better help to those communities (Presser, 2018). By becoming more educated on voluntourism, I can further examine the adverse effects and better ways to make a global impact.
(Harvard Law School, 2015)
Not only has globalization education changed my way of thinking and understanding, but it has also changed my daily life. I now live more mindful of my decisions as I have a greater awareness of our world’s interconnectedness and my impact within it. I also have begun to pay more attention to the news and I am able to apply different perspectives and criticisms that I have learned to analyze recent events. Lastly, this course has helped me determine what type of global citizen I want to be and what that looks like in my daily life. Whether it be living more sustainably, donating to international causes, or simply becoming more aware of what is happening in our world, I can implement different ways to be a better global citizen.
The power of education really develops new perspectives and opens doors to new ways of thinking. This is precisely what Globalization 1A03 has done for me. I hope to continue to build my understanding of globalization and global citizenship throughout my studies. Furthermore, I believe that everyone should experience the power of globalization education by taking a course centered around this topic to gain new perspectives, critical analysis skills, and change their life for the better.
References
Harvard Law School. (2015, December). Globalization. The Practice. https://thepractice.law.harvard.edu/article/globalization/.
Presser, B. (2018, September 27). "Please don't come to Africa and build a school": What I learned from a relief mission in Chad. https://www.mic.com/articles/191530/please-dont-come-to-africa-and-build-a-school-what-i-learned-from-a-unicef-relief-mission-in-chad.
Stockdale, L. (2020). Week 4: Lecture 1 - Introduction. GLOBALZN 1A03, McMaster University, September 28 - October 4.
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