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14 Jul 21:45

Somehow, This Beautiful Cartoon Is Being Animated By Just Two Guys

by Luke Plunkett on Kotaku, shared by Katharine Trendacosta to io9

Somehow, This Beautiful Cartoon Is Being Animated By Just Two Guys

Master Jiang and the Six Kingdoms is an animated film based on the classic Chinese story that's due in 2016. Its trailer makes it look like something coming out of Studio Ghibli, but somehow, the hand-animated sequences are being done by just two humans.

Read more...


14 Jul 21:45

madmothmiko: Dino Apocolypse i require this to be a tv series...







madmothmiko:

Dino Apocolypse

i require this to be a tv series right now. right now.

14 Jul 21:44

No, Women-Only eSports Events Do Not Mean There Should Be Men-Only Ones - Today in, "Things we wish we didn't feel the need to explain."

by Dan Van Winkle

hearthstone

The Internet (us included) was in an uproar recently over a men-only Hearthstone tournament. Such an uproar, in fact, that the International eSports Federation reversed its policy of separating competitions by gender, but competitions specifically for women remained. Diversity in games and eSports are tough issues to navigate, and some may not understand why tournaments for women are OK but ones for men aren’t.

Basically, this new policy takes a page from chess rules in that the women’s tournaments are there to foster the development of the female demographic in a sport filled with men. Unlike physical sports, mental games like chess or eSports don’t have to concern themselves with physical differences between competitors that might prevent women from competing alongside men on a professional level. So, there’s no reason to keep women out of the main competitions.

As MindSports International development manager and chess coach Eduardo Sajgalik told Polygon, “Fundamentally, chess is a rating based game. There’s no is proven basis of skill or ability that justifies having a female only competition compared to splitting people by rating.” So, chess competitions are open to everyone with extra events for women.

But if women can compete in the main competitions, why have tournaments that are women-only? Isn’t that a double standard? Well, yes, but that doesn’t make it a bad thing. Cultivating diversity in gender-agnostic gaming competitions can be tough for many factors related to the communities surrounding them.

As Matt Weber of eSports’ Team Liquid explained:

[I]t’s hard for up-and-coming women to get practice and have people train with them seriously — just as its difficult for women eSports reporters or organizers or streamers to have fans/pros take them seriously for their career.

Women-only events help this slightly by both removing some of those barriers and fostering a community for an under-represented group to help find their place in the scene and establish a sense of togetherness for the people that fall into that group.

There is a definite segment of our website who identify as women but don’t feel comfortable sharing that information because of the weird attention it grants them, our world is unfortunately not as friendly to non-white middle-class males as it should be given what century we’re in.

So, separate female leagues create a safer, more inviting entry point for women to get into eSports, which is what makes the double standard acceptable: men aren’t in need of a more comfortable way to get involved. Gaming and eSports are still very much male-dominated communities, and they’re not subject to gender-based discrimination in the first place.

However, if competitions were fully gender-segregated, the division wouldn’t help the female demographic in the main competitions grow, which is the point of the women’s divisions in the first place. That’s why no one was asking the Hearthstone competition to do away with all gender division. Complete lack of outreach to a smaller demographic wouldn’t help anyone. The problem was the exclusion of women from the main event, which only makes the diversity problem worse.

Luckily, the decision was reversed, and the IeSF decided to reverse its policy of complete gender separation while retaining events specifically for women. If all of the reasons this is a good decision were already apparent to you, then that’s great. Go forth and spread the word to those who would cry, “Double standard!” It’s not special treatment; it’s a way to move toward the eventual goal of equality.

Hearthstone developer Blizzard has come under fire for a lack of diversity in the worlds of its games, as well, but Blizzard Cofounder and president Mike Morhaime promised that the company will work to overcome those problems. In a response to an open letter from a dissatisfied gamer who turned down an invitation to try a new Hearthstone expansion, Morhaime wrote:

We are very conscious of the issues you raise and are discussing them more than ever, at every level of the company, in an effort to make sure our games and stories are as epic and inclusive as possible. Blizzard’s employees form a broad and diverse group that cares deeply about the experiences we are creating for our players. And we know that actions speak louder than words, so we are challenging ourselves to draw from more diverse voices within and outside of the company and create more diverse heroes and content. We are also actively looking at our story development and other processes to ensure that our values are fully represented. We’ve always believed that positive, lasting change comes from examination, discussion, and iteration, and this applies as much to story as to gameplay. There is no reason why inclusivity should come at the expense of an amazing game experience.

It’s always great to hear that game companies and eSports are taking an active interest in doing what’s best for the diversity and growth of their communities, and I hope Blizzard sticks to this in the future.

(via Polygon and Daily Dot, image via Hearthstone)

Previously in competitive gaming

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14 Jul 21:05

Photo



14 Jul 20:53

Official drops out of lawsuit, but still no end in sight to 38 Studios mess

by Owen S. Good

The legal mess surrounding the failure of 38 Studios has one less plaintiff, though it doesn't resolve the state of Rhode Island's efforts to recover the $75 million loan to the studio for which it is still on the hook.

Keith W. Stokes, the former director of the Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation, is no longer suing the lawyers who advised him, basically. Stokes and his deputy, J. Michael Saul, crafted the guaranteed loan to 38 Studios, started by the former Boston Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling.

When 38 went bust in 2012, the size of the loan and the fact it was guaranteed by taxpayers morphed into a scandal, and Rhode Island's legislature and economic development office has gone after those connected to the studio and the loan. Stokes and Saul, in turn, went after the attorneys who advised them and their law firms last week, though Stokes now has reconsidered and left the suit. Saul is still suing them.

"I decided to dismiss the suit relating to the attorneys today because it was clear that it was going to be a distraction to the main lawsuit, and I cannot devote the very limited resources I have to prosecute the litigation," Stokes told The Providence Journal in a statement. "While the personal and financial burden of defending the suit brought by EDC is devastating, I am hopeful that a public trial will allow for the full disclosure of all the facts and persons involved surrounding the 38 Studios transaction."

Stokes called the suit against him politically motivated.

The first settlement in the loan fiasco was set to be made until Stokes and Saul filed a separate lawsuit last week,calling the state law designed to extract those settlements unfair and unconstitutional.

The court-appointed receiver responsible for maintaining what's left of 38 Studios says it costs $15,000 a day to keep its assets in usable shape. 38 Studios had been working on an MMO set in the Kingdoms of Amalur canon when it went bust. "We've got what amounts to, in some respects, a playable game," the receiver said last week. "Does that mean you can buy a disc and pop it into your computer and run a game? No."

You can follow along with the continuing developments between former members of 38 Studios, the RICC and Rhode Island in Polygon's StoryStream.

14 Jul 20:53

Have some cosplaying Pikachus ⊟ What is happening in this...

by 20xx










Have some cosplaying Pikachus ⊟

What is happening in this Pokemon Omega Ruby/Alpha Sapphire artwork? How did we get to a point where Pikachu is dressed as a demure high society lady and a luchador?

This new trailer… doesn’t explain it at all, but does show footage of a trainer petting all these cosplaying Chus in Pokemon-Amie. Plus there’s stuff about the Elite Four, gym leaders, Mega Metagross, Secret Bases, etc., all less important than a Pikachu with big fake eyebrows.

PREORDER Pokemon Omega Ruby / Alpha Sapphire, upcoming games
14 Jul 20:15

Can we talk about this scarf thing Jerrica sometimes wore. Were...



Can we talk about this scarf thing Jerrica sometimes wore. Were these ever in style int he 80’s? I don’t recall a real human lady ever wearing them.

It looks somewhat like a hijab, but clearly that’s not what Jerrica is supposed to be wearing. Unless I missed something.

14 Jul 20:12

Laurie Anderson Got Stuck in Hyperbaric Chamber -- NYMag

by hodad

Earlier this week, the New York Post reported that an unnamed 60-something-year-old woman had become trapped in a hyperbaric chamber at Pure Flow, a fancy spa in Chelsea. Upon discovering that the zipper of the coffin-sized, oxygen-filled tube was stuck, she (understandably) panicked and became short of breath (or, possibly, it was the other way around). When spa employees did not respond to her cries for help, she texted a friend, who then called 911. But by the time rescuers arrived, the woman had already managed to free herself and was standing outside the supposedly relaxing device unharmed. On Saturday, the  New York Daily News published a follow-up revealing that the hyperbaric chamber's victim was renowned artist and musician — and, yes, the widow of Lou Reed — Laurie Anderson. 

"She is shaken up, but she's okay," someone identified as "a neighbor" told the Daily News. The owner of Pure Flow claims that the incident was some kind of misunderstanding. "There was a miscommunication on the timing," said Andrew Barile, who denied that his machine —  which is supposed to increase circulation and eliminate toxins — had somehow malfunctioned. Meanwhile, a "certified hyperbaric tech" told the Daily News that Anderson "should never have been left alone" while receiving the oxygen treatment. Unsurprisingly, Anderson has yet to comment on the situation, but we sincerely hope that she is now feeling as calm as she looks in this amazing video of her performing "O Superman" in 1983: 

NYDN NYP

Tags:

laurie andersonscary thingschelseaspas

Original Source

14 Jul 18:42

Letters of note

14 Jul 18:39

Home Depot Begins Retail Store Pilot Program To Sell MakerBot 3-D Printers

by samzenpus
ClockEndGooner writes Looking for a 3-D printer to help you out with a home project or two? If you're in one of the 12 pilot program areas in the U.S., stop into Home Depot to take a look at and purchase a MakerBot 3-D Replicator printer. "...The pilot program will offer the microwave-sized MakerBot Replicator printers, priced at $2,899, for sale, as well as the smaller Replicator Minis, which list for $1,375. 'This will open up the whole world of 3-D printing to people who wouldn't otherwise know about it—like moms and dads, electricians, contractors and DIY-home-improvement folks,' said MakerBot chief executive Bre Pettis. 'It's a good match.'"

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14 Jul 18:26

World Cup final ratings double Stanley Cup

by Jeremiah Oshan

And that's without including Univision's numbers.

All World Cup we've been talking about how new standards were being set in terms of TV viewership. The final did not disappoint.

Although Univision numbers are not yet in, ABC is reporting that the Argentina-Germany final was the third-highest rated World Cup match in its history with a 9.7 overnight. The only two matches to bring in better ratings were both from the 1994 tournament, which was held in the United States. That year's final between Brazil and Italy drew a 12.8 and the Round of 16 match between Brazil and the United States drew a 10.4.

Viewership for the Argentina-Germany match peaked at 14.2 right around the time the match went into overtime.

Even without Univision's numbers, the Argentina-Germany final more than doubled the ratings for any Stanley Cup finals match since at least 2006.

The World Cup, as a whole, averaged a 3.1 through 64 matches across ESPN, ESPN2 and ABC. That's a 29 percent bump over the 2010 tournament.

How these ratings translate into raw numbers is expected to be made public later in the day.

14 Jul 18:20

Erin Andrews will replace Pam Oliver as Fox's No. 1 sideline reporter

firehose

the most prominent black woman in sports reporting for two decades is getting demoted for a white reality show co-host 17 years her junior

previously: http://articles.philly.com/2014-01-31/sports/46874077_1_bad-hair-day-tv-stations-hair-stylists

Pam Oliver, a mainstay on big NFL broadcasts for almost two decades, will be demoted this year and removed from her longtime role as sideline reporter next year.

14 Jul 18:06

Skeletor Affirmations (by ghoulnextdoor) TODAY I DO NOT LIVE IN...

firehose

via Russian Sledges



Skeletor Affirmations (by ghoulnextdoor)

TODAY I DO NOT LIVE IN FEAR OF MISSING OUT.
THERE IS NOTHING MORE EXCITING THAN WHAT I AM CURRENTLY DOING.

14 Jul 17:57

Google's augmented reality game 'Ingress' finally comes to iPhone

by Andrew Webster
firehose

didn't realize Ingress was a Google product, which makes it even creepier

Android users have been playing Google's augmented reality game Ingress for quite some time, and today iOS gamers can finally find out what the fuss is all about. The new iPhone and iPad version of the game will work cross-platform so that you can play with the existing community on Android. Ingress puts players into one of two different factions, as they engage in a sci-fi struggle for humanity while exploring real-world locations using their phone's geolocation data.

The game has been downloaded more than four million times on Android, and has featured events in 65 different cities. It launched on Android in December of last year after spending nearly a year in beta. And though it's been a success, Google's Niantic Labs incubator also sees it as a proof of concept for experiences to come. "With Ingress we've proven that people can have fun, that there's a kernel of something powerful in a game that gets you out moving," Niantic's John Hanke told The Verge in December. "And Ingress is just one example of the type of game in that genre that you could build."

You can download the game on iOS for free now.

14 Jul 17:56

New Raspberry Pi “B+” uses less power, has more USB ports

by Jon Brodkin
firehose

not sure I like merging composite video onto the 3.5mm jack (thus requiring a breakout cable for composite video + analog audio) but it's not like many people are using composite video anyway. hopefully they fixed the audio output in the process

Raspberry Pi Foundation

The Raspberry Pi, a tiny computer for hobbyists and developers, has been generally unchanged in the two-plus years since it launched, but today a new piece of hardware goes on sale.

The updated "B+" model has the same Broadcom BCM2835 processor as the original and still has 512MB RAM, but it uses less power, has more connectivity options, and features other upgrades over the previous Raspberry Pi Model B. Here are the key improvements, as described by Raspberry Pi creator Eben Upton in today's announcement:

  • More GPIO. The GPIO header has grown to 40 pins while retaining the same pinout for the first 26 pins as the Model B.
  • More USB. We now have 4 USB 2.0 ports, compared to 2 on the Model B, and better hotplug and overcurrent behaviour.
  • Micro SD. The old friction-fit SD card socket has been replaced with a much nicer push-push micro SD version.
  • Lower power consumption. By replacing linear regulators with switching ones we’ve reduced power consumption by between 0.5W and 1W.
  • Better audio. The audio circuit incorporates a dedicated low-noise power supply.
  • Neater form factor. We’ve aligned the USB connectors with the board edge, moved composite video onto the 3.5mm jack, and added four squarely-placed mounting holes.

"This isn’t a 'Raspberry Pi 2' but rather the final evolution of the original Raspberry Pi," Upton wrote.

Read 4 remaining paragraphs | Comments

14 Jul 17:53

Critical Vulnerabilities In Web-Based Password Managers Found

by samzenpus
firehose

great

An anonymous reader writes A group of researchers from University of California, Berkeley, have analyzed five popular web-based password managers and have discovered vulnerabilities that could allow attackers to learn a user's credentials for arbitrary websites. The five password managers they analyzed are LastPass, RoboForm, My1Login, PasswordBox and NeedMyPassword. "Of the five vendors whose products were tested, only the last one (NeedMyPassword) didn't respond when they contacted them and responsibly shared their findings. The other four have fixed the vulnerabilities within days after disclosure. 'Since our analysis was manual, it is possible that other vulnerabilities lie undiscovered,' they pointed out. They also announced that they will be working on a tool that automatizes the process of identifying vulnerabilities, as well as on developing a 'principled, secure-by-construction password manager.'"

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14 Jul 17:52

Germany win the World Cup by going back to their roots

by Callum Hamilton
firehose

'if there's a more German way to win a World Cup than rippling the side netting with a supremely-clean contact on the ball while falling over then we're not aware of it'

'This is the same bunch of soulless automatons marching forward and tackling everything in sight and scoring from 25 yards as they always have been! I mean, just look at the photo we chose to accompany this article.'

'hats off to the old robotic Teutonic specimens of xenophobic daydreams'

When an emergent exciting, young and attractive Germany side failed in 2010, it looked like they might not have to wait long until they won a World Cup. Germany won tonight, but it wasn't that side - this was vintage Deutschland, living up to every stereotype imaginable.

World Cups fall into different categories, and it'll be a while before we can put what we've just witnessed into context. There are Hollywood blockbusters like Brazil '50 (Titanic), West Germany '74 (Ben Hur) and Mexico '86 (Blazing Saddles.) Then there are are more cerebral art-house efforts like Italia '90 (The Seventh Seal) and Chile '62 (La Dolce Vita.) Normally though, you get what you pay exboritant amounts of money to building contractors and FIFA executives for. There will be stars, tight games will be settled by great goals, there will be violence, niggly fouls, at least one horrible injury, and a player and a team will confirm themselves as the best in the World.

This World Cup, however, we got very little of that. It felt different. It was perhaps more The Empire Strikes Back, a curious sequel to what we thought was a standalone film in Spain's triumph. Fun? Yes, absolutely. But did it make much sense? Well, no, not on its own.

That's not to say there's no context. We've had the grisly end of the Spanish reign, the best team probably won out in the end, we had one of the most extraordinary results of all time which will lead to much soul-searching perhaps not within Brazil but across the whole continent, and a European team clinched the title in South America for the very first time. Not a bad story.

But what great players did we get? James Rodriguez was probably the star of the tournament for a side that started well and fizzled out suddenly. The BBC's 'great goals' compilation consisted of a mere seven efforts, with a couple of those questionable. Cristiano Ronaldo went out of the tournament with a whimper, Lionel Messi failed to drag his team through a tense, nervy final, and Neymar's chance to stake his claim as one of the best in the world was going swimmingly until his injury and, yes, that 7-1. So, what have we got?

Well, we got the Germans. It is, really, a little difficult to criticise a World Cup for not seeming like a World Cup when the Germans win. And if a team has transformed over the tournament, grown into it and revealed to us something we weren't aware of, it's them. This is much the same side as in 2010 -- a new, radically-different Germany side that was about possession, flair, with young talent filling the ranks. No more perms, no more leg-breaking tackles, no more all-white teams. Many of them were even sexually attractive! It was a bold new world, but it wasn't quite time in 2010.

In 2014, it looks at first glance that they may finally have triumphed. But look a bit closer. Toni Kroos, an elegant playmaker transformed to box-to-box marauder of whom a co-commentator is likely to say "he can hit them." Bastian Schweinsteiger still in the side. Miroslav Klose somehow still looking like the biggest goal threat. Thomas Müller emerging as a player who will go down in World Cup history through possessing almost no skillset beyond a particular cruelty of finishing. Mario Götze is supposed to be exciting, but if there's a more German way to win a World Cup than rippling the side netting with a supremely-clean contact on the ball while falling over then we're not aware of it.

So, as everybody looked from Götze, to Klose, to Kroos, to Schweinsteiger, one horrible thought will have dawned on them. This isn't the new, young, sexy Mannschaft! This is the same bunch of soulless automatons marching forward and tackling everything in sight and scoring from 25 yards as they always have been! I mean, just look at the photo we chose to accompany this article.

But it was a process, only finally completed in the final. Germany looked out of sorts at the start of the tournament, but they soon found themselves in the old groove and got going again. Some initial bizarre Guardiola-esque experimentation quickly gave way until Joachim Löw blinked at the prospect of a quarter-final against France and decided to play everybody in their proper positions again. From that moment, Germany were suddenly favourites, and after producing probably the most incredible result in the history of the tournament, it's hard to claim they don't deserve it.

Perhaps, in an age when the ironic 4-4-2 is a legitimate formation to play, this is the real way that reactionary football works. Don't try to play the systems of old, or focus on past players. Just live up to every national stereotype possible, rely on what you know, and you'll come good. But while this World Cup feels like a hastily-written sequel, it's probably likely to have a sequel of its own -- this was a great achievement, but is it really the future face of football?

Plenty of teams will feel the tournament arrived in a period of transition for them. Germany could argue the same, but if they win in Russia too, it may not be a team that resembles this one. We're still waiting for the young, thrilling and exciting Germany side to emerge, but hats off to the old robotic Teutonic specimens of xenophobic daydreams. It's 2014, and it's still winning World Cups.

14 Jul 17:52

Netflix performance on Verizon FiOS dropped another 17 percent in June

by Jon Brodkin
firehose

all carriers suck forever

Verizon Internet customers who want to watch Netflix at high quality and without interruption just can't catch a break. While Comcast subscribers saw near-immediate speed improvements after Netflix paid for a direct connection to the Comcast network, Netflix performance on Verizon remains poor—and it's getting worse.

Netflix's latest ISP speed rankings, released today, show that the average prime time streaming speed on Verizon FiOS dropped from 1.9Mbps in May to 1.58Mbps in June, a decline of 17 percent. Verizon DSL dropped from 1.05Mbps to 0.91Mbps, a decrease of 13 percent.

Verizon FiOS previously dropped from 1.99Mbps in April to 1.9Mbps in May, while Verizon DSL had dropped from 1.08Mbps in April to 1.05Mbps in May.

Read 5 remaining paragraphs | Comments

14 Jul 17:51

The Cleveland Browns are getting a real dog for a mascot

by James Dator
firehose

' "Swagger" wont be a bulldog but rather a bull mastiff, which is a lot more appropriate. It's nice to see the city turn its swag on so quickly. All it took was drafting Johnny Manziel and LeBron James returning to become Ohio's swaggiest city (Not a real award).'

Alright Cleveland, we are totally down with this plan.

We've been told that Cleveland rocks, but did you know that the Northern Ohio city has Swagger too? Well, it doesn't have Swagger yet -- but it will soon.

Browns VP of Marketing Kevin Griffin telling me that the Browns will unveil a LIVE bulldog mascot named "Swagger" this season.

— Chris Fillar (@ItsFillar) July 13, 2014

The Browns will become the ninth team in NFL history to use a real animal as a mascot vs. a faker in the suit. Apparently "Swagger" wont be a bulldog but rather a bull mastiff, which is a lot more appropriate. It's nice to see the city turn its swag on so quickly. All it took was drafting Johnny Manziel and LeBron James returning to become Ohio's swaggiest city (Not a real award).

We can't wait to see how this experiment turns out, so here are a couple of artists renderings showing us what "Swagger" could look like.

Swagger1_medium

Swagger2_medium

14 Jul 17:50

Pierre Thomas is running out of time

by James Brady
firehose

<3 Pierre

Pierre Thomas has consistently been on the cusp of being an effective starting running back. Will 2014 be his year?

SB Nation is taking a look at the NFL's most notable underachievers, the players who failed to live up to big expectations in 2013, and exploring whether or not they can turn things around in 2014.

Star-divide

"I was crossing my fingers hoping I wasn't gonna get traded," Saints running back Pierre Thomas told Mike Triplett of ESPN.

He played in exactly 50 percent of the team's offensive snaps last season. In his seventh NFL season, Thomas did not post career highs in any notable stat. On top of that, New Orleans had some salary cap issues it needed to sort out this offseason, and Thomas was one of the players many thought could be on his way out given his lack of production and the other backs on New Orleans' roster. In the end, Darren Sproles ended up going elsewhere, and Thomas is still around. But he's got limited chances remaining.

How he got here

Just going by how he came into the league, Thomas may be considered an overachiever. But somewhere along the way since being undrafted in 2007, Thomas picked up expectations, and it might have something to do with his strong 2009 campaign. That year, he played in 14 games and carried the ball 147 times for 793 yards with six touchdowns and a per-carry average of 5.4 yards.

That season, the Saints were still looking for a solid running back to be their starter. Mike Bell was the guy behind Thomas, with 654 yards and five touchdowns, which itself should be plenty perspective. So heading into 2010, Thomas was considered the starter, ahead of guys like Reggie Bush and Chris Ivory. Unfortunately for Thomas, he struggled.

He only played in six games due to injury, but he played poorly before sustaining said injury as well. Through those six games, he had a per-carry average of just 3.2 yards, allowing Ivory to take the bulk of the carries and, as a result, the team lead in rushing yards.

In each of the next three seasons, Thomas got his opportunities, however. New Orleans still didn't quite have the running back position settled, as Mark Ingram didn't pan out after being made a first round pick, and Thomas never made it back to 2009 form. That's despite getting 110, 105 and 147 carries between 2011-13. Thomas has exceeded expectations as an undrafted free agent, but he's disappointed as a starter time and time again.

The stakes

Thomas still looks like a starting-caliber running back, but with seven seasons already under his belt, he's running out of time to show it. At this point, his spot on an NFL roster is anything but guaranteed, so the stakes are incredibly high for him. For the Saints, it doesn't look like they've got another running back who could wind up starting, so if Thomas doesn't pan out, it's back to the drawing board.

This offseason, the Saints signed Thomas to a two-year contract extension, which will keep him in New Orleans through the 2016 season. He's getting $6.9 million over three years, which is a solid chunk of change for a running back in today's NFL. It's not out of the realm of possibility that the Saints cut him if he doesn't have a big season, especially given that he expected that he'd be released this offseason.

Can he be successful in 2014?

The Saints will never be a run-first team so long as Drew Brees is the quarterback. That's why Thomas putting up just about 800 yards in 2009 was considered an excellent season -- that's simply what's expected of a quality starter when your quarterback is breaking or getting close to breaking NFL passing records.

With 549 yards and two touchdowns in 2013, Thomas isn't too far from what's expected of him. But rushing for an average of 3.7 yards-per-carry last season is definitely not a good sign. That's his lowest total since his injury-shortened 2010 campaign. Confidence in Thomas being anything other than the same player he's been for the last couple seasons has to be low.

But that doesn't mean he can't be successful in 2014. The Saints will give him every opportunity to come in and be the starter, as evidenced by the contract they gave him this offseason.

14 Jul 17:50

Christoph Kramer doesn't remember playing in the World Cup Final

by Zach Woosley

The German midfielder says he doesn't remember much of the game after he was hit in the head by Ezequiel Garay.

What should have been one of the great moments of Christoph Kramer's young career ended with him leaving the pitch in the 31st minute after a accidental collision with Ezequiel Garay left him with concussion symptoms. The actual injury occurred around the 17th minute, and Kramer remained on the field for an additional 14 minutes before being taken off.

Kramer told German newspaper Die Welt that he couldn't remember much of the game.

"I don't know anything at all about the first half. I thought later that I left the game immediately after the tackle. I have no idea how I got to the changing rooms. I don't know anything else. In my head, the game starts from the second half."

His quotes underline the importance of FIFA, and the sport of soccer in general, creating some sort of guidelines concerning the treatment of players who suffer head injuries during play.

The 23-year-old Borussia Mönchengladbach player was able to join his teammates during post-game celebrations.

Kramer, who made his international debut in May, earned just his fifth cap with the German team by playing in the final. He got the start at the last minute after Sami Khedira suffered a calf injury in pre-match warmups.

14 Jul 17:49

Andrei Kirilenko owns a Russian Hooters. Let's investigate.

by James Dator

Is there a place for an American restaurant in Moscow? Andrei Kirilenko thinks so.

Andrei Kirilenko spent the last 13 years in the NBA, which means it's only natural a good helping of the USA rubbed off on the Russian forward. Earlier this year he had a simple dream: To bring a Hooters restaurant to Russia. Now that dream has been realized and the result is spectacular.

Kirilenko had his first chance to see his Moscow-based Hooters over the weekend, posting this photo to Instagram with a simple message:

Finally had a chance to see my restaurant in action!:) thanks Hooters had a great time...

This made us wonder. Sure Kirilenko has to say he had a great time, he owns the place -- but what does the everyday Muscovite think of an American restaurant? Hooters Russia doesn't appear on Tulp, the country's equivalent of Yelp, so we went to their Facebook page to find out.

Keep in mind that these were all put through Google Translate, so results might not be perfect.

"Campaign girls over visitor Neigh: who has not spit in the wings?"

"Ooo I heard about the wings! somehow ordered wings 911 and spent the evening in pain and suffering :)) People who do not play with spicy food :))"

"If you are selling any Hooters Moscow, Russia men's t-shirts put me down for a large."

"Fine. Another good bar in Moscow for viewing sports) the more neighbors beloved and legendary Propaganda!"

"Congratulations on the opening, your collaborators are very kind, but where normal beer? Is there a Russian amateur Bud, Stella Artois or Hoegaarden Klin spill? River sports bar should pour Guinness, not this pathetic swill. Or Khamovnicheskaya / Lada from IPC."

"Best, then it's the best, but we have a low level of culture to such places!"

Things seem to be going swimmingly for Hooters Moscow, other than concerns of propaganda and people spitting in the wings. The restaurant has a rating of 4.5 stars on Facebook and everyone is enjoying America!

Ultimately it's all about bringing people together ...

It's a slam dunk.

14 Jul 17:47

bettyfelon: a photo of us talking about you



bettyfelon:

a photo of us talking about you

14 Jul 17:45

better than placebo

by Ian
firehose

via Tertiarymatt

better than placebo

14 Jul 17:44

zzbbtt: nosdrinker: :’) YES



zzbbtt:

nosdrinker:

:’)

YES

14 Jul 17:44

pbsdigitalstudios: Will gamers ever behave?

firehose

"encourage game designers to try and create and implement new ways to curb toxic behavior"



pbsdigitalstudios:

Will gamers ever behave?

14 Jul 17:40

noelanthony: My first instinct when I see an animal is to say “hello”. My first instinct when I see...

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via Lori

noelanthony:

My first instinct when I see an animal is to say “hello”.

My first instinct when I see a person is to avoid eye contact and hope it goes away.

14 Jul 17:40

bestfunny:  

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via Kara Jean
no god only shiba

14 Jul 17:30

fyblackwomenart: Ororo Munroe by JoelGomez

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mohawk storm beat

14 Jul 17:16

Online rants, anti-government radicals fuel fear of U.S. cop-killings

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the only way to stop a bad guy with a gun

The most recent death came Sunday, when rookie Jersey City, N.J., Officer Melvin Santiago was ambushed by a gunman who reportedly told people he was “going to be famous” for killing a cop.

Such shameless bravado online and off and an exploding right-wing movement are creating anxiety about attacks against police.

“There's a deep concern that there has been a measurable increase in violence against police officers, especially with firearms,” said Rich Roberts, spokesman for the International Union of Police Associations. The anti-police movement “seems to feed off each other online,” he said.