Wednesday, November 30, 2011
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
UFC 138 – Who Will Emerge as Contender in Middleweight Division? Fan’s Take
On Nov. 5, the Ultimate Fighting Championship will present UFC 138, live from the LG Arena in Birmingham, England. The card is the headlined by a middleweight showdown between Chris Leben and Mark Munoz. Leben is one of the most seasoned veterans in the Octagon, while Munoz has seen his stock in the promotion gradually rise over the past 18-months. When the two men meet in the first non-title five-round main event in UFC history, which fighter will emerge as a legitimate contender in the middleweight division?
Leben has been down this road before. This is the third time he has appeared to be a top challenger for the middleweight title, but has suffered devastating losses each of the first two times. He won his first five fights in the Octagon before he played a part in the legacy of Anderson Silva. After the Silva loss, Leben went 1-2 before winning two straight fights.
At UFC 89, the first event held in Birmingham, Leben was overpowered by Michael Bisping and tested positive for steroids. After returning from suspension, he lost to Jake Rosholt, before going on a three-fight win streak. After his submission victory over Yoshihiro Akiyama at UFC 116, in what was one of the best fights of 2010, he was one fight away from possibly earning another crack at Silva.
Brian Stann was put in front of him, and Leben couldn't make it out of the first round. He would then return the favor to Wanderlei Silva, knocking out the legend in 0:27.
For Munoz and his 6-2 UFC record, including three straight wins, nobody has seen their stock rise in the promotion more this year (outside of Donald Cerrone). Most recently, Munoz earned a unanimous decision victory over Demian Maia and a first round knockout over C.B. Dollaway. Ever since making his debut in the UFC, Munoz has learned from each defeat. When it comes to mixed martial arts, how you bounce back from a loss tells a lot about the fighters heart and character, and for Munoz, he has shown a great deal.
This fight could end up as a five-round slugfest, or a first round knockout, with either man able to claim the victory. In the end, it is the fans that will win out, as this fight will be great show on Spike TV. The winner will be another step closer to gold, while the loser will move back to the end of the line.
For a look at the best fights for some of the most popular fighters in UFC history, go here .
More from this contributor:
Top Athletes to Return from Retirement and have an Impact
My Interview with UFC Bantamweight title challenger, Demetrious Johnson
Who will replace MMA stars of yesterday?
Leben has been down this road before. This is the third time he has appeared to be a top challenger for the middleweight title, but has suffered devastating losses each of the first two times. He won his first five fights in the Octagon before he played a part in the legacy of Anderson Silva. After the Silva loss, Leben went 1-2 before winning two straight fights.
At UFC 89, the first event held in Birmingham, Leben was overpowered by Michael Bisping and tested positive for steroids. After returning from suspension, he lost to Jake Rosholt, before going on a three-fight win streak. After his submission victory over Yoshihiro Akiyama at UFC 116, in what was one of the best fights of 2010, he was one fight away from possibly earning another crack at Silva.
Brian Stann was put in front of him, and Leben couldn't make it out of the first round. He would then return the favor to Wanderlei Silva, knocking out the legend in 0:27.
For Munoz and his 6-2 UFC record, including three straight wins, nobody has seen their stock rise in the promotion more this year (outside of Donald Cerrone). Most recently, Munoz earned a unanimous decision victory over Demian Maia and a first round knockout over C.B. Dollaway. Ever since making his debut in the UFC, Munoz has learned from each defeat. When it comes to mixed martial arts, how you bounce back from a loss tells a lot about the fighters heart and character, and for Munoz, he has shown a great deal.
This fight could end up as a five-round slugfest, or a first round knockout, with either man able to claim the victory. In the end, it is the fans that will win out, as this fight will be great show on Spike TV. The winner will be another step closer to gold, while the loser will move back to the end of the line.
For a look at the best fights for some of the most popular fighters in UFC history, go here .
More from this contributor:
Top Athletes to Return from Retirement and have an Impact
My Interview with UFC Bantamweight title challenger, Demetrious Johnson
Who will replace MMA stars of yesterday?
Azkals first to arrive in Jakarta
JAKARTA, Indonesia—The Azkals, not necessarily the same batch that resurrected football in the Philippines, were the first group of Filipinos who arrived in this traffic-infested Indonesian capital yesterday for the 26th Southeast Asian Games.
And though finding newfound fame back home because of a series of sterling international performances, this Under-23 squad hopes to break through in these Games – and that is to win for the Philippines its first soccer medal.
he famous Younghusbands—James and Phil—feared stricker Chiefy Caligdong and the indefatigable Ali Borromeo won’t be on this squad, but the Philippines probably has its best shot at going home with a medal when the smoke of the battle clears here.
“It’s doable, definitely,” team manager Dan Palami, the man chiefly responsible for that resurgence, told the Inquirer moments after touching down after a nearly seven-hour trip from Manila to Singapore to here.
The Philippines’ best football finish in the biennial meet came in 1991, when the country hosted the Games in Manila. That squad went on to make the semifinals only to lose and settle for fourth place.
And if one would talk about the luck of the draw, then the Philippines had seemingly gotten one, and hopes to ride it all the way towards finishing in the money.
Bracketed with Myanmar, Timor-Leste, Laos, Vietnam and Brunei, the Philippines is in what coaching staff calls the “Group of Hope” as the other favorites, counting the host Indons, Singapore, Thailand and defending champion Malaysia are in the other.
Cambodia is the fifth and last Group A member. Only two groups make up the elimination round with the top two teams to advance to the cross-over Final Four after a single round robin.
Given that, the Filipinos, who will be reinforced by a number of Fil-foreign players, will play a total of five games and would need to top their group to draw the lightest possible assignment in the semifinals.
“A lot of people think that it’s going to be easy,” Palami explained. “But what I think is that we should realize that teams like Timor-Leste, Cambodia and Laos have actually built very good youth programs and the products of those programs are going to play.
“Easier for us might be a misnomer,” he continued. “The draw looks to be to our advantage, but at the end of the day, it will be how the team plays.”
These Azkals, who suffered a blow recently when Fil-German midfielder Manny Ott opted not to play in search of a club in Europe, debut on Thursday against Vietnam at the Gelona Bung Karno Stadium. /inquirer
And though finding newfound fame back home because of a series of sterling international performances, this Under-23 squad hopes to break through in these Games – and that is to win for the Philippines its first soccer medal.
he famous Younghusbands—James and Phil—feared stricker Chiefy Caligdong and the indefatigable Ali Borromeo won’t be on this squad, but the Philippines probably has its best shot at going home with a medal when the smoke of the battle clears here.
“It’s doable, definitely,” team manager Dan Palami, the man chiefly responsible for that resurgence, told the Inquirer moments after touching down after a nearly seven-hour trip from Manila to Singapore to here.
The Philippines’ best football finish in the biennial meet came in 1991, when the country hosted the Games in Manila. That squad went on to make the semifinals only to lose and settle for fourth place.
And if one would talk about the luck of the draw, then the Philippines had seemingly gotten one, and hopes to ride it all the way towards finishing in the money.
Bracketed with Myanmar, Timor-Leste, Laos, Vietnam and Brunei, the Philippines is in what coaching staff calls the “Group of Hope” as the other favorites, counting the host Indons, Singapore, Thailand and defending champion Malaysia are in the other.
Cambodia is the fifth and last Group A member. Only two groups make up the elimination round with the top two teams to advance to the cross-over Final Four after a single round robin.
Given that, the Filipinos, who will be reinforced by a number of Fil-foreign players, will play a total of five games and would need to top their group to draw the lightest possible assignment in the semifinals.
“A lot of people think that it’s going to be easy,” Palami explained. “But what I think is that we should realize that teams like Timor-Leste, Cambodia and Laos have actually built very good youth programs and the products of those programs are going to play.
“Easier for us might be a misnomer,” he continued. “The draw looks to be to our advantage, but at the end of the day, it will be how the team plays.”
These Azkals, who suffered a blow recently when Fil-German midfielder Manny Ott opted not to play in search of a club in Europe, debut on Thursday against Vietnam at the Gelona Bung Karno Stadium. /inquirer
Powerade’s David is top shooter
Manila, Philippines – Powerade’s Gary David continues to show his scoring prowess as he dropped a season-high 42 points against Petron Blaze last Sunday, increasing his scoring average in the PBA Philippine Cup to 22.83 points thru six games with the Tigers.
The 6-foot-1 David torched the Boosters with 15-of-19 shooting from the field, including 4-of-6 from three-point territory in a 108-94 win that snapped the Tigers’ losing skid to two for a 3-3 win-loss record while sending Petron to its third straight defeat in six games.
Two rookies are in the Top 10 in scoring this conference, with Chris Lutz of Petron at No. 3 with 17.3 points per game, while Paul Lee is at No. 8 averaging 15.50 points for the league-leading Rain or Shine, which sports a 5-1 card.
Lee and Lutz were second and third picks, respectively, in the last PBA Rookie Draft.
Arwind Santos of Petron Blaze is at second spot with 17.67 points, while B-Meg’s James Yap – the former two-time Most Valuable Player (MVP) – is at fourth place with 17.17 points and Rain or Shine’s Jeff Chan is at fifth with 16.83 points.
Also in the Top 10 scoring are three Talk ’N Text players, Jared Dillinger at No. 6 (16.80) while Jason Castro and Kelly Williams share No. 9-10 (15.50). Barangay Ginebra’s Mark Caguioa is at No. 7 (16.20).
The 6-foot-4 Santos is the only double-double performer so far as he also leads the rebounding department with 15 boards per game, followed by the Tropang Texters’ Harvey Carey and Ali Peek with 12.33 and 10 rebounds, respectively.
Petron’s point guard Alex Cabagnot leads the assist category by dishing 7 dimes per game, while at second is Castro with 6.25. Tied for second to fourth are Lee, Meralco’s Sol Mercado and LA Tenorio of Alaska with five assists per game.
Lutz, on the other hand, is the steals leader with 2.33, followed by his former Smart-Gilas Pilipinas teammate and Powerade forward Marcio Lassiter with 2.167. Their fellow Gilas member Japeth Aguilar is the shot block leader with 1.6. (Waylon Galvez)
The 6-foot-1 David torched the Boosters with 15-of-19 shooting from the field, including 4-of-6 from three-point territory in a 108-94 win that snapped the Tigers’ losing skid to two for a 3-3 win-loss record while sending Petron to its third straight defeat in six games.
Two rookies are in the Top 10 in scoring this conference, with Chris Lutz of Petron at No. 3 with 17.3 points per game, while Paul Lee is at No. 8 averaging 15.50 points for the league-leading Rain or Shine, which sports a 5-1 card.
Lee and Lutz were second and third picks, respectively, in the last PBA Rookie Draft.
Arwind Santos of Petron Blaze is at second spot with 17.67 points, while B-Meg’s James Yap – the former two-time Most Valuable Player (MVP) – is at fourth place with 17.17 points and Rain or Shine’s Jeff Chan is at fifth with 16.83 points.
Also in the Top 10 scoring are three Talk ’N Text players, Jared Dillinger at No. 6 (16.80) while Jason Castro and Kelly Williams share No. 9-10 (15.50). Barangay Ginebra’s Mark Caguioa is at No. 7 (16.20).
The 6-foot-4 Santos is the only double-double performer so far as he also leads the rebounding department with 15 boards per game, followed by the Tropang Texters’ Harvey Carey and Ali Peek with 12.33 and 10 rebounds, respectively.
Petron’s point guard Alex Cabagnot leads the assist category by dishing 7 dimes per game, while at second is Castro with 6.25. Tied for second to fourth are Lee, Meralco’s Sol Mercado and LA Tenorio of Alaska with five assists per game.
Lutz, on the other hand, is the steals leader with 2.33, followed by his former Smart-Gilas Pilipinas teammate and Powerade forward Marcio Lassiter with 2.167. Their fellow Gilas member Japeth Aguilar is the shot block leader with 1.6. (Waylon Galvez)
Barako goes for 5th straight vs Aces
MANILA, Philippines - The streaking Barako Bull Energy gun for their 5th straight victory when they face off against the still-winless Alaska Aces Wednesday night at the Araneta Coliseum.
Barako Bull has been the most surprising team early in the All Filipino Cup, notching wins over strong teams including pre-season favorites Talk N Text, Barangay Ginebra and B-Meg Derby Ace.
"They are practically an all-star team," said Alaska coach Joel Banal of the Energy, which is bannered by former league MVP Willie Miller, along with Danny Seigle and standout rookies Allein Maliksi and Dylan Ababou.
But Barako coach Junel Baculi is not satisfied with their current 4-1 record, which ties them with TNT for second in the league. He is aiming for at least a 9-5 record after the elimination round.
"We want to continue on running and improving our system, win as many games as we can," he said in an interview with PBA.ph.
Baculi is also not looking past the Aces, who have struggled in the post-Tim Cone era but are on the verge of breaking through.
Alaska had a chance to book its first win last week against the Meralco Bolts, but late-game execution became an issue and the Bolts dealt them a 75-81 setback.
New coach Banal, however, is looking forward to the challenge.
"(This is) a good game to win for us," he said about their contest against Barako.
"We must be wary of Alaska," Baculi said. "A veteran team, they can win anytime. We don't want that to happen."
Barako Bull has been the most surprising team early in the All Filipino Cup, notching wins over strong teams including pre-season favorites Talk N Text, Barangay Ginebra and B-Meg Derby Ace.
"They are practically an all-star team," said Alaska coach Joel Banal of the Energy, which is bannered by former league MVP Willie Miller, along with Danny Seigle and standout rookies Allein Maliksi and Dylan Ababou.
But Barako coach Junel Baculi is not satisfied with their current 4-1 record, which ties them with TNT for second in the league. He is aiming for at least a 9-5 record after the elimination round.
"We want to continue on running and improving our system, win as many games as we can," he said in an interview with PBA.ph.
Baculi is also not looking past the Aces, who have struggled in the post-Tim Cone era but are on the verge of breaking through.
Alaska had a chance to book its first win last week against the Meralco Bolts, but late-game execution became an issue and the Bolts dealt them a 75-81 setback.
New coach Banal, however, is looking forward to the challenge.
"(This is) a good game to win for us," he said about their contest against Barako.
"We must be wary of Alaska," Baculi said. "A veteran team, they can win anytime. We don't want that to happen."
'Floyd's scared as hell of Pacquiao's right hand'
MANILA, Philippines – ESPN sports analyst Skip Bayless agrees with Bob Arum’s reason why Floyd Mayweather Jr. is eluding Manny Pacquiao.
“I completely concur, the right hand is why Floyd doesn't want any part of Pacquiao,” Bayless said in ESPN’s First Take.
Bayless said Pacquiao’s much improved right hand will force Mayweather to suffer his first career loss in boxing.
“The right hand is why Pretty Boy Floyd would get cut for the first time in his career. And the right hand is why I think Floyd, as Bob Arum suggests, would be dropped in this fight by the 3rd and 4th round,” said Bayless.
Pacquiao, who used to rely solely on his left hand, was developed by boxing coach Freddie Roach into a two-fisted fighter.
Arum earlier said that the Pacquiao-Mayweather fight will never take place because Mayweather knows he will lose.
Arum said Pacquiao’s right hand will be the antidote to Mayweather’s defensive style.
Bayless said that a loss to Pacquiao will be extremely humiliating for someone like Mayweather.
“It will be over quickly, painly and humiliatingly for one Floyd Mayweather,” Bayless said.
The ESPN analyst said, however, that Mayweather can disprove this by taking the Pacquiao fight.
Bayless said that if Mayweather can show true defensive skills then the latter won’t have any problems handling an offensive fight like Pacquiao.
"If Floyd will be the defensive technician and boxing savant that Mayweather's fans have said over the years, he wouldn't be afraid of anyone," said Bayless.
“I completely concur, the right hand is why Floyd doesn't want any part of Pacquiao,” Bayless said in ESPN’s First Take.
Bayless said Pacquiao’s much improved right hand will force Mayweather to suffer his first career loss in boxing.
“The right hand is why Pretty Boy Floyd would get cut for the first time in his career. And the right hand is why I think Floyd, as Bob Arum suggests, would be dropped in this fight by the 3rd and 4th round,” said Bayless.
Pacquiao, who used to rely solely on his left hand, was developed by boxing coach Freddie Roach into a two-fisted fighter.
Arum earlier said that the Pacquiao-Mayweather fight will never take place because Mayweather knows he will lose.
Arum said Pacquiao’s right hand will be the antidote to Mayweather’s defensive style.
Bayless said that a loss to Pacquiao will be extremely humiliating for someone like Mayweather.
“It will be over quickly, painly and humiliatingly for one Floyd Mayweather,” Bayless said.
The ESPN analyst said, however, that Mayweather can disprove this by taking the Pacquiao fight.
Bayless said that if Mayweather can show true defensive skills then the latter won’t have any problems handling an offensive fight like Pacquiao.
"If Floyd will be the defensive technician and boxing savant that Mayweather's fans have said over the years, he wouldn't be afraid of anyone," said Bayless.
NRC: San Onofre tanks lacked proper quake analysis
A recent inspection by federal regulators showed that fuel tanks buried at the San Onofre nuclear plant had not been properly analyzed for potential failure during an earthquake, although a follow-up analysis showed the tanks were safe.
The lack of proper seismic calculations was one of six "green" findings outlined by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission in an Oct. 14 letter to San Onofre's chief nuclear officer, Pete Dietrich.
Article Tab: image1-NRC: San Onofre tanks lacked proper quake analysis
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"Green" means the findings were considered of "very low safety significance."
The findings emerged from a routine but intensive inspection of the plant that went beyond its typical quarterly inspections, and was completed Sept. 13.
"What we are doing here is actually going out and walking through the site, comparing structures and systems, as they are, with their design base, and seeing that there's proper documentation for everything they're looking for," said NRC spokesman Victor Dricks.
Officials at Southern California Edison, operator of the nuclear plant, said the problem was mostly one of paperwork: the proper engineering analysis had been done, but had not been conveyed to the NRC.
It involved calculations of stress placed on the underground tanks, which hold fuel for backup generators in case of an electrical emergency.
The NRC's finding focused on concrete structures built above the tanks. The tanks were buried as a safeguard against earthquakes.
The agency's inspectors said the Edison analysis they saw did not accurately reflect the condition of the tanks. Such an improper analysis could, hypothetically, have left the door open to failure of the tanks during a quake.
But Edison says in this case, the structure actually improved earthquake safety for the buried tanks.
"Southern California Edison agrees with the NRC finding that we failed to modify documentation related to certain components," said Edison spokesman Gil Alexander. "And any failure of this type, regardless of whether it is classified as having a low safety significance, is unacceptable to the company."
Steps were already underway to improve documentation at San Onofre before the inspection finding, he said.
Both sides agreed after the follow-up analysis that the tanks and the structures met proper engineering standards for earthquakes.
Recommended safety measures at San Onofre in light of the nuclear accident at the Fukushima Daiichi plant in Japan are scheduled to be discussed at a San Clemente City Council meeting Tuesday night.
The plant itself was under increased scrutiny by the NRC in recent years because of a variety of personnel issues, including a "chilling effect" said to keep some employees from reporting safety concerns.
Last month, the NRC said San Onofre had corrected the problems, and that the chilling effect was gone.
The recent findings are not an indication that San Onofre's deeper problems have returned, Dricks said.
It also is not unusual to find a few violations at nuclear plants subjected to the higher-level inspection, he said.
"It's unusual when we do a thorough and comprehensive and intrusive inspection that we don't have some findings," Dricks said.
The other five findings appeared to be minor electrical or sensor problems, or necessary changes to drawings of plant systems that had not been made.
The lack of proper seismic calculations was one of six "green" findings outlined by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission in an Oct. 14 letter to San Onofre's chief nuclear officer, Pete Dietrich.
Article Tab: image1-NRC: San Onofre tanks lacked proper quake analysis
ADVERTISEMENT
"Green" means the findings were considered of "very low safety significance."
The findings emerged from a routine but intensive inspection of the plant that went beyond its typical quarterly inspections, and was completed Sept. 13.
"What we are doing here is actually going out and walking through the site, comparing structures and systems, as they are, with their design base, and seeing that there's proper documentation for everything they're looking for," said NRC spokesman Victor Dricks.
Officials at Southern California Edison, operator of the nuclear plant, said the problem was mostly one of paperwork: the proper engineering analysis had been done, but had not been conveyed to the NRC.
It involved calculations of stress placed on the underground tanks, which hold fuel for backup generators in case of an electrical emergency.
The NRC's finding focused on concrete structures built above the tanks. The tanks were buried as a safeguard against earthquakes.
The agency's inspectors said the Edison analysis they saw did not accurately reflect the condition of the tanks. Such an improper analysis could, hypothetically, have left the door open to failure of the tanks during a quake.
But Edison says in this case, the structure actually improved earthquake safety for the buried tanks.
"Southern California Edison agrees with the NRC finding that we failed to modify documentation related to certain components," said Edison spokesman Gil Alexander. "And any failure of this type, regardless of whether it is classified as having a low safety significance, is unacceptable to the company."
Steps were already underway to improve documentation at San Onofre before the inspection finding, he said.
Both sides agreed after the follow-up analysis that the tanks and the structures met proper engineering standards for earthquakes.
Recommended safety measures at San Onofre in light of the nuclear accident at the Fukushima Daiichi plant in Japan are scheduled to be discussed at a San Clemente City Council meeting Tuesday night.
The plant itself was under increased scrutiny by the NRC in recent years because of a variety of personnel issues, including a "chilling effect" said to keep some employees from reporting safety concerns.
Last month, the NRC said San Onofre had corrected the problems, and that the chilling effect was gone.
The recent findings are not an indication that San Onofre's deeper problems have returned, Dricks said.
It also is not unusual to find a few violations at nuclear plants subjected to the higher-level inspection, he said.
"It's unusual when we do a thorough and comprehensive and intrusive inspection that we don't have some findings," Dricks said.
The other five findings appeared to be minor electrical or sensor problems, or necessary changes to drawings of plant systems that had not been made.
Q&A | Ben Gibbard of Death Cab for Cutie, still a Seattle band
You might think indie/mainstream quartet Death Cab for Cutie isn't a Seattle band anymore — that it's a Portland band, or a Los Angeles band, because members have have resided in those cities and sometimes still stay there. But on the phone from a hotel room in Memphis, Tenn., singer/guitarist Ben Gibbard confirmed his abiding Seattle connection, and had plenty to say about the Mariners, Capitol Hill rapper Macklemore and what advice he gives to young, local bands. An edited transcription of our conversation is below. Death Cab's current blockbuster US/UK tour comes to KeyArena Saturday, supporting recent album "Codes and Keys" — with Ballard neo-folk band The Head and the Heart opening the show.
How much of Death Cab for Cutie still lives around here?
[Drummer] Jason [McGerr] lives near Bellingham, and everyone else lives in Seattle. I still have a place in Seattle, and am back and forth [to L.A.]. All of my family is up there, and so many friends. You don't cut and run from a city like Seattle.
You are an outspoken Mariners fan on Twitter (@gibbstack). In your estimation, how did the Mariners do this year, and how are things looking for the year ahead?
We did terribly. They had a flash — they played above their own heads for a month in June. And then went on an, I believe, 18 game losing streak, which was a new club record for consecutive losses. There's not going to be much difference next year. But we have purged a lot of bad choices made by the last general manager and his administration, and now are starting to see a couple beams of light breaking through.
I know you're a big fan of Capitol Hill rapper Macklemore's tribute to passed-away Mariners announcer Dave Niehaus, "My Oh My." Are you generally into Seattle hip-hop, or did Macklemore find you with that specific song?
The fact that Seattle hip-hop is getting more national recognition is amazing for the city and the artists, but it's never really been my thing. But I've been aware of Macklemore for a while, because he's blowing up. And when that song came out — every once in a while a song comes out and you go, "Oh, now I understand what people like about this, because this person wrote something that appeals to me." The second half of that tune is just.... The first part is very polite. And then it takes this turn, and it's like, "Oh my god, this song gets so [expletive] good." It justifies the tone of the first half. The construction of it, musically, is really interesting to me.
Do you have a mentor relationship with these young Seattle indie rock bands you take on arena tours, like Telekinesis, and at KeyArena, The Head and the Heart?
I give advice about, not so much the music business, but I've always been fascinated with how people relate to their own creativity. And where they feel they can access it, and where they feel they can't. If their live changes, how they continue being creative. Because, you made this record in a hovel in Ballard when you were washing dishes, and the next record you make, you may own a house, or may not have to worry about money. You're a professional musician. How does that work? I've been through every stage of that. I've been scraping by, when we first moved to Seattle, trying to figure out how I was going to write songs living in a one-bedroom apartment, with a girlfriend who was always there. And you move through that phase, and you look back on it, like, "Why can't I get back there? That's where I was doing good stuff." But that's not the way it works. Your creativity is within who you are. It's not something that can be separated and exists in a certain period of your life, be it a time of joy or strife, of prosperity or poverty. It's what drives artists to make art. It's esoteric and part of who they are. If I were to give anybody advice — and this goes beyond The Head and the Heart or Telekinesis or any Seattle band — it's to recognize that.
How much of Death Cab for Cutie still lives around here?
[Drummer] Jason [McGerr] lives near Bellingham, and everyone else lives in Seattle. I still have a place in Seattle, and am back and forth [to L.A.]. All of my family is up there, and so many friends. You don't cut and run from a city like Seattle.
You are an outspoken Mariners fan on Twitter (@gibbstack). In your estimation, how did the Mariners do this year, and how are things looking for the year ahead?
We did terribly. They had a flash — they played above their own heads for a month in June. And then went on an, I believe, 18 game losing streak, which was a new club record for consecutive losses. There's not going to be much difference next year. But we have purged a lot of bad choices made by the last general manager and his administration, and now are starting to see a couple beams of light breaking through.
I know you're a big fan of Capitol Hill rapper Macklemore's tribute to passed-away Mariners announcer Dave Niehaus, "My Oh My." Are you generally into Seattle hip-hop, or did Macklemore find you with that specific song?
The fact that Seattle hip-hop is getting more national recognition is amazing for the city and the artists, but it's never really been my thing. But I've been aware of Macklemore for a while, because he's blowing up. And when that song came out — every once in a while a song comes out and you go, "Oh, now I understand what people like about this, because this person wrote something that appeals to me." The second half of that tune is just.... The first part is very polite. And then it takes this turn, and it's like, "Oh my god, this song gets so [expletive] good." It justifies the tone of the first half. The construction of it, musically, is really interesting to me.
Do you have a mentor relationship with these young Seattle indie rock bands you take on arena tours, like Telekinesis, and at KeyArena, The Head and the Heart?
I give advice about, not so much the music business, but I've always been fascinated with how people relate to their own creativity. And where they feel they can access it, and where they feel they can't. If their live changes, how they continue being creative. Because, you made this record in a hovel in Ballard when you were washing dishes, and the next record you make, you may own a house, or may not have to worry about money. You're a professional musician. How does that work? I've been through every stage of that. I've been scraping by, when we first moved to Seattle, trying to figure out how I was going to write songs living in a one-bedroom apartment, with a girlfriend who was always there. And you move through that phase, and you look back on it, like, "Why can't I get back there? That's where I was doing good stuff." But that's not the way it works. Your creativity is within who you are. It's not something that can be separated and exists in a certain period of your life, be it a time of joy or strife, of prosperity or poverty. It's what drives artists to make art. It's esoteric and part of who they are. If I were to give anybody advice — and this goes beyond The Head and the Heart or Telekinesis or any Seattle band — it's to recognize that.
Salman Butt: Pakistan's rising star who fell to earth in disgrace
When Salman Butt came into the Pakistan team in 2003, he seemed to be the answer to a prayer. Saeed Anwar, a gifted left-handed opener with the ability to adapt to any surface, had played his last game six months earlier and many wondered if the void would ever be filled. Butt made 12 and 37 in his debut Test against Bangladesh, but once he established himself a year later the accolades came quickly.
After starting his one-day career with a two-ball duck at the Rose Bowl during the 2004 Champions Trophy, Butt faced India, the eternal rival, for the first time a couple of months later. It was a showpiece occasion, the Board of Control for Cricket in India celebrating its Platinum Jubilee in front of a packed Eden Gardens.
"Just 20 years old and playing only his sixth one-day international, Butt showed none of the inexperience or immaturity that might have been expected from someone so raw," said Cricinfo's report of the game. "Playing in front of 90,000 spectators, most of them rooting for the opposition, he put in a completely nerveless display."
A couple of months after that unbeaten 108, he made a superb opening-day hundred in the New Year Test in Sydney, against an attack of Glenn McGrath, Jason Gillespie, Shane Warne and Stuart MacGill. Classy strokes aside, what really caught the eye was the composure he showed against heavyweights who were not shy of letting slip a verbal or two.
Away from the pitch too, he left a good impression. Unlike many of his team‑mates, who had to rely on translators to make themselves understood to an English-speaking audience, Butt was fairly eloquent, a legacy of an education at the prestigious Beaconhouse School in Lahore. In an interview with the Guardian last year he sounded dignified and almost ambassadorial, explaining how cricket could heal the wounds caused by Pakistan's natural disasters and political turmoil. "These are dark days, not just for the cricket side but for Pakistan," he said. "The air crash happens, the flood comes, the earthquakes before and all sorts of other things happening. It feels really bad. People are concerned about their young ones. But cricket is something that can lift people, lift their moods and cheer them up."
It was under an Englishman, the late Bob Woolmer, that Butt made significant strides as a player, and he was one of the few who enthusiastically bought into the coach's bonding exercises.
One of them was to make the players watch Remember the Titans, which had Denzel Washington starring as a black American football coach in America's racially volatile deep south in the 1960s. John Wright had taken the Indians to see it before they ended Steve Waugh's "final frontier" dreams in 2001, and in a subsequent interview Butt spoke of its impact. "I remember after watching the film, Woolmer's first lesson to the boys was about the true meaning of the word 'team'. He said T stood for together, E for each, A for achievements and M for more."
England got their first glimpse of his potential when the Ashes-winning side of 2005 journeyed to Multan. Butt followed up a solid 74 with a dogged 122 that anchored the second innings. The Wisden Almanack wrote: "Butt showed great self-knowledge in his shot selection, working the ball into gaps and minimising risk against the persistent probing of Flintoff and Hoggard." He was man of the match as Pakistan defended 198.
In some ways, that was as good as it got. He would have to wait more than four years for his third and final Test hundred, in Hobart, and the star turns in one-day internationals were usually restricted to games against Asian opposition. Many fans loved him though, because he saved his best for India, making five of his eight one-day hundreds against them.
Bowlers picked up on a weakness against the full swinging ball and a tendency to waft lazily outside off‑stump, but he was the man the selectors turned to last year when Shahid Afridi's Test comeback lasted the duration of the Lord's match against Australia. Butt made 92 in that game and in his first assignment as leader he led the team to a famous victory at Headingley.
His awareness of the bigger picture impressed many. "This was a wonderful experience and a wonderful achievement," he said after the win. "We would like to dedicate this victory to people in Pakistan, who would like to watch us play. Hopefully we will back soon playing in Pakistan." In the Observer Vic Marks wrote: "He may have much to learn, but, here, his composure on his debut as captain was striking."
On the popular PakPassion website a supporter wrote of the day he had watched a 14-year-old make 170-odd in a school game. "We had no doubt that one day this guy would represent Pakistan. Today when I see him in court and a possibility of jail, that young boy again comes to my mind. I still can't believe someone like Butt got involved in this mess."
"Hopes, dreams, ambitions have ended in disgrace in a London courtroom," tweeted Kamran Abbasi, one of the most perceptive writers on Pakistan cricket. "They [Butt and Asif] were children once. I bet they didn't dream about going to jail for spot-fixing."
In its analysis piece of the Kolkata game that made him a household name in Pakistan, Cricinfo asked the question: "Is he yet another shooting star or will he make a place for himself in the firmament?"
We know the answer now.
After starting his one-day career with a two-ball duck at the Rose Bowl during the 2004 Champions Trophy, Butt faced India, the eternal rival, for the first time a couple of months later. It was a showpiece occasion, the Board of Control for Cricket in India celebrating its Platinum Jubilee in front of a packed Eden Gardens.
"Just 20 years old and playing only his sixth one-day international, Butt showed none of the inexperience or immaturity that might have been expected from someone so raw," said Cricinfo's report of the game. "Playing in front of 90,000 spectators, most of them rooting for the opposition, he put in a completely nerveless display."
A couple of months after that unbeaten 108, he made a superb opening-day hundred in the New Year Test in Sydney, against an attack of Glenn McGrath, Jason Gillespie, Shane Warne and Stuart MacGill. Classy strokes aside, what really caught the eye was the composure he showed against heavyweights who were not shy of letting slip a verbal or two.
Away from the pitch too, he left a good impression. Unlike many of his team‑mates, who had to rely on translators to make themselves understood to an English-speaking audience, Butt was fairly eloquent, a legacy of an education at the prestigious Beaconhouse School in Lahore. In an interview with the Guardian last year he sounded dignified and almost ambassadorial, explaining how cricket could heal the wounds caused by Pakistan's natural disasters and political turmoil. "These are dark days, not just for the cricket side but for Pakistan," he said. "The air crash happens, the flood comes, the earthquakes before and all sorts of other things happening. It feels really bad. People are concerned about their young ones. But cricket is something that can lift people, lift their moods and cheer them up."
It was under an Englishman, the late Bob Woolmer, that Butt made significant strides as a player, and he was one of the few who enthusiastically bought into the coach's bonding exercises.
One of them was to make the players watch Remember the Titans, which had Denzel Washington starring as a black American football coach in America's racially volatile deep south in the 1960s. John Wright had taken the Indians to see it before they ended Steve Waugh's "final frontier" dreams in 2001, and in a subsequent interview Butt spoke of its impact. "I remember after watching the film, Woolmer's first lesson to the boys was about the true meaning of the word 'team'. He said T stood for together, E for each, A for achievements and M for more."
England got their first glimpse of his potential when the Ashes-winning side of 2005 journeyed to Multan. Butt followed up a solid 74 with a dogged 122 that anchored the second innings. The Wisden Almanack wrote: "Butt showed great self-knowledge in his shot selection, working the ball into gaps and minimising risk against the persistent probing of Flintoff and Hoggard." He was man of the match as Pakistan defended 198.
In some ways, that was as good as it got. He would have to wait more than four years for his third and final Test hundred, in Hobart, and the star turns in one-day internationals were usually restricted to games against Asian opposition. Many fans loved him though, because he saved his best for India, making five of his eight one-day hundreds against them.
Bowlers picked up on a weakness against the full swinging ball and a tendency to waft lazily outside off‑stump, but he was the man the selectors turned to last year when Shahid Afridi's Test comeback lasted the duration of the Lord's match against Australia. Butt made 92 in that game and in his first assignment as leader he led the team to a famous victory at Headingley.
His awareness of the bigger picture impressed many. "This was a wonderful experience and a wonderful achievement," he said after the win. "We would like to dedicate this victory to people in Pakistan, who would like to watch us play. Hopefully we will back soon playing in Pakistan." In the Observer Vic Marks wrote: "He may have much to learn, but, here, his composure on his debut as captain was striking."
On the popular PakPassion website a supporter wrote of the day he had watched a 14-year-old make 170-odd in a school game. "We had no doubt that one day this guy would represent Pakistan. Today when I see him in court and a possibility of jail, that young boy again comes to my mind. I still can't believe someone like Butt got involved in this mess."
"Hopes, dreams, ambitions have ended in disgrace in a London courtroom," tweeted Kamran Abbasi, one of the most perceptive writers on Pakistan cricket. "They [Butt and Asif] were children once. I bet they didn't dream about going to jail for spot-fixing."
In its analysis piece of the Kolkata game that made him a household name in Pakistan, Cricinfo asked the question: "Is he yet another shooting star or will he make a place for himself in the firmament?"
We know the answer now.
Here’s What’s Beautiful and Better About the New Gmail
Gmail's new redesign is a lot more than just really really grey—it's pared down, functionally superior, and will probably spark a lot of shocked whining. But don't worry—this is actually a better version. Here's why.
The New Gmail looks like less than before—but it's just because the older version was, by comparison, super busy. It's less colorful. There are fewer lines and boxes. There's a lot of... grey. But get over the new face. Soon, you'll love it—it's clean, soft, and friendly. But there are immediate benefits.
The new search is super smart—instead of having to learn and enter custom strings to filter our certain subjects or attachments, it's all dropped down from the search bar itself. And if you find yourself searching this way often, you can turn a query into a filter with a click.
Email threads themselves are supremely legible, looking, as Google notes, a lot more IM-like than an actual chain of emails. That's a great thing. Embedded profile pictures are a cute touch.
You can adjust your "information density"—how close stuff on Gmail is packed together—to fit your eyeball preference. This seems minor, but makes it easier to read your email throughout the day, sans headache.
Sidebar action, like chat and labels, are adjustable—meaning you can make one dominate the other if you so please.
This will all take some getting used to, sure, but unlike Facebook's many arbitrary redesigns, I think you'll take to this one quickly, and for good reason. You should have the option to switch any day now.
The New Gmail looks like less than before—but it's just because the older version was, by comparison, super busy. It's less colorful. There are fewer lines and boxes. There's a lot of... grey. But get over the new face. Soon, you'll love it—it's clean, soft, and friendly. But there are immediate benefits.
The new search is super smart—instead of having to learn and enter custom strings to filter our certain subjects or attachments, it's all dropped down from the search bar itself. And if you find yourself searching this way often, you can turn a query into a filter with a click.
Email threads themselves are supremely legible, looking, as Google notes, a lot more IM-like than an actual chain of emails. That's a great thing. Embedded profile pictures are a cute touch.
You can adjust your "information density"—how close stuff on Gmail is packed together—to fit your eyeball preference. This seems minor, but makes it easier to read your email throughout the day, sans headache.
Sidebar action, like chat and labels, are adjustable—meaning you can make one dominate the other if you so please.
This will all take some getting used to, sure, but unlike Facebook's many arbitrary redesigns, I think you'll take to this one quickly, and for good reason. You should have the option to switch any day now.
CL&P to Send More Crews to Meriden Wednesday
Connecticut Light and Power (CL&P) will send 12 crews to the City of Meriden to work on restoring power Wednesday, state Sen. Len Suzio (R-Meriden) said late Tuesday night – up from the three the company reportedly had working in town on Tuesday.
The announcement comes after city legislators and CL&P officials held what some characterized as a "tense" meeting at Meriden's Emergency Operations Center Tuesday evening to discuss the city's rate of restoration – one that Meriden City Manager Lawrence Kendzior has publicly criticized as woefully insufficient. At 9:41 p.m. on Tuesday, 79 percent of Meriden was without power for a third full day, down from 83 percent that afternoon.
Press was not allowed into the 6 p.m. meeting, but some of those in attendence briefed reporters afterwards.
CL&P officials reportedly told the group that it anticipated 99 percent of the state would have power by Sunday, more than a full week after Storm Alfred knocked down trees and powerlines throughout the East Coast.
Meriden officials stressed to CL&P reps that the more than 20,000 residences and businesses without power in Meriden merited a greater response from the utility company, according to state Rep. Chris Donovan (D-Meriden) following the meeting. Donovan, whose own home in Meriden is currently without power, organized the meeting. [Click on the video for some of Donovan's statements following the meeting.]
"Apparently we are one third of the customers in this Cheshire area...and we haven't been getting that proportion of crews into this area," Donovan said, of the 9 towns in the "Cheshire Region" that includes Meriden. During the meeting, CL&P reportedly promised that at least 6 crews would be in the city Wednesday, and possibly more if crews from other states were certain to come in. "I want 30 crews here tomorrow, not six, I want 30," Donovan said.
CL&P offered explanations as to why there has been so few crews working in the city Tuesday following the meeting – especially as compared with August's Tropical Storm Irene. According to Jim Muntz, President for Transmission for Northeast Utilities, it's a basic manpower issue.
Crews from nearby states came to Connecticut to assist with operations following Irene, but this time around, the winter storms affected their states as well – so help has had to come from further away, Munz said.
The damage was also worse than this summer's tropical storm, according to Tom Dorsey, Manager of Government Affairs at CL&P.
"The damage is five times greater than what was caused by Irene," Dorsey said. "This is the largest event in the history of the company."
The announcement comes after city legislators and CL&P officials held what some characterized as a "tense" meeting at Meriden's Emergency Operations Center Tuesday evening to discuss the city's rate of restoration – one that Meriden City Manager Lawrence Kendzior has publicly criticized as woefully insufficient. At 9:41 p.m. on Tuesday, 79 percent of Meriden was without power for a third full day, down from 83 percent that afternoon.
Press was not allowed into the 6 p.m. meeting, but some of those in attendence briefed reporters afterwards.
CL&P officials reportedly told the group that it anticipated 99 percent of the state would have power by Sunday, more than a full week after Storm Alfred knocked down trees and powerlines throughout the East Coast.
Meriden officials stressed to CL&P reps that the more than 20,000 residences and businesses without power in Meriden merited a greater response from the utility company, according to state Rep. Chris Donovan (D-Meriden) following the meeting. Donovan, whose own home in Meriden is currently without power, organized the meeting. [Click on the video for some of Donovan's statements following the meeting.]
"Apparently we are one third of the customers in this Cheshire area...and we haven't been getting that proportion of crews into this area," Donovan said, of the 9 towns in the "Cheshire Region" that includes Meriden. During the meeting, CL&P reportedly promised that at least 6 crews would be in the city Wednesday, and possibly more if crews from other states were certain to come in. "I want 30 crews here tomorrow, not six, I want 30," Donovan said.
CL&P offered explanations as to why there has been so few crews working in the city Tuesday following the meeting – especially as compared with August's Tropical Storm Irene. According to Jim Muntz, President for Transmission for Northeast Utilities, it's a basic manpower issue.
Crews from nearby states came to Connecticut to assist with operations following Irene, but this time around, the winter storms affected their states as well – so help has had to come from further away, Munz said.
The damage was also worse than this summer's tropical storm, according to Tom Dorsey, Manager of Government Affairs at CL&P.
"The damage is five times greater than what was caused by Irene," Dorsey said. "This is the largest event in the history of the company."
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