Cole Palmer now a marked man and sees next development challenge – Talk Chelsea
I guess as a football player when you step out on to the pitch and you instantly have a shadow following you around from kick off until the end of the game, then that is one of the biggest compliments you can receive.
Cole Palmer has not got to that point.
Eden Hazard and Palmer are/were completely different players in terms of style, but in terms of impact and being difference makers and talismen, they draw many comparisons.
Hazard was a marked man. He would be man marked most games come the end, and they would consistently be kicking him and flooring him. With Hazard though, he would often brush himself off, pick himself up, run past his man marker not once but come back and do it again, and then set up or score a goal to have the last laugh. He also had the physicality to keep hold of the ball and bounce players off him.
Palmer is now getting this same treatment, and it’s a huge testament to where he is as a player right now.
Lewis Cook was man marking him on Saturday night and if Anthony Taylor didn’t exist, might have even got sent off for consistent fouling of Palmer.
On this situation, Enzo Maresca said:
“This kind of player, they are going to always get this. Cook was marking him 95 minutes man-to-man – or 95 minutes maybe not because after we put him wide – but he had man-to-man all the game and it’s not easy for Cole.
“It’s not easy for any player, but you have to find different solutions.”
Palmer looked frustrated at times, you could see it and feel it. And he did have a pretty quiet game by his standards. But this is now just a new thing that he is going to have to deal with. When you are the biggest threat on the pitch, you often become a marked man. This is another development stage for Palmer and he will now need to learn, alongside the coaches, how to deal with this, just like Hazard did.
Palmer doesn’t have the same dribbling ability and low centre of gravity that Hazard had, he also lacks some of Hazard’s physicality despite being tall. There hasn’t been many better dribblers of the ball off the mark from a standing still position than Hazard. Palmer doesn’t do that really.
But he will need to find ways to lose his marker, ways to frustrate his marker. He can do that by playing a clever pass or perhaps drawing his marker out of position, taking him wide or to the opposite end of the pitch.
Palmer can beat a man too, we have seen that. But he doesn’t quite have the build or the pace to be a devastating dribbler.
However he learns to deal with man markers and constant fouling is going to be down to him and the coaches, but I have no doubt he will develop and find a way to get on top of this next challenge in his career, because he backs himself so much and knows how good he is.
It’s also a HUGE compliment and a sign of how far he has come in just one season.
Designer Spotlight: Andrea Jelić | Codrops
Meet Andrea Jelić, an award-winning independent web designer and art director from Croatia, whose style is recognizable for her exceptional use of typography, seamlessly blending functionality and aesthetics in her web and branding projects.
In addition to successfully working with clients across various industries, Andrea offers a design course on Domestika focused on creating portfolios and promoting work online. She also strives to educate and support creatives entering the freelance world by writing and speaking to designers at the start of their careers.
Featured Work
Askonas Holt
With a history spanning over a century, Askonas Holt is one of the world’s leading arts management companies, specializing in classical music. I collaborated with Likely Story to revitalize their brand identity, overhaul their social media presence, and create a new website that elegantly showcases their impressive roster of artists and musicians while highlighting their rich history.
Our Revolution
Art direction/web design project I did together with Likely Story. Our Revolution is an independent creative agency based in Sydney, Australia. Their focus is on providing high-end consumer branding and packaging design to a diverse range of clients. We created a cool and modern web experience where we highlighted the great work that they do. As always, the focus was on typography and a balanced layout, emphasizing their brand visuals. The website received multiple awards from Awwwards and CSSDA.
Bertch Capital
Bertch Capital is a boutique investment firm based in the western United States. Seeking to reinvigorate their brand and restructure their digital presence, they approached us with a brief to encapsulate their history, values, and commitment to conservation and sustainability. The website was created together with Likely Story and has received SOTD and DEV awards from Awwwards.
Light Factory
Project and collaboration I did with Joseph Berry. Light Factory is a full-service video production house bringing ideas of all shapes and sizes to life. We teamed up to create the brand identity, logo, and website; I handled the design while Joseph did the development. With a strong emphasis on neon colors, bold typography, and impactful animations, the project achieved great results, receiving multiple awards. The website received multiple awards from Awwwards and CSSDA.
Tattoo Rroom
Web design project I did for a tattoo studio based in Zagreb, Croatia. We collaborated on art direction for the photo shoot, video, and photo materials, which I used as the foundation for the design direction. The main purpose of the website is to showcase their incredible tattooing expertise, display their past work through photography, and serve as an informational platform for future client bookings. The second phase of the website was to also create a shop experience for collaborations and their own limited collections of various items (t-shirts, mugs, bags, etc.). The website received multiple awards from CSSDA.
LOKOMOTIVA
I recently had the opportunity to collaborate with Lana Puljić, a talented fashion designer from Croatia, on a project for her brand, Lokomotiva. The result is a sleek and modern e-commerce platform that offers a seamless shopping experience, allowing users to fully immerse themselves in the brand. By combining clean, minimalist design principles with bold accents of pink, I was able to craft an engaging and memorable brand journey throughout the website. The result is a visually striking and user-friendly platform that truly reflects the essence of Lokomotiva.
Brand Society
Brand Society is a strategic design studio based in Melbourne, Australia. Following a rebrand in 2023, together with Likely Story, we created a new website that focuses on showcasing their work and highlighting their unique design approach. The design emphasizes bold typography and a clean layout, providing a smooth and easy way to present their work.
Background
I have been working in design for the past 5 years. Since the beginning, I have always been independent, working mostly in web and brand areas. For the past year, I have also been working as a part-time design director at Brandbeet, which was a great experience. Now, I am back to independent work, focusing mostly on web projects, which I would say is my passion. Besides design, I do photography and like to blend these two professions when I can. In general, I believe that knowing and working in different creative areas makes it easier to understand whole projects and their execution.
Design Philosophy
I like to think of design as a process of merging knowledge, research, creativity, and experience. With each project, we learn so much, and every part of the experience—both good and bad—contributes to better success in the next project. For designers, especially freelancers, it’s crucial to not only be good designers but also good managers. As a baseline for any good work, I like to keep it simple: understand the clients, maintain great communication with them, and provide the value they are seeking.
Tools and Techniques
For tools, I always use Figma for design and Adobe Photoshop for mockups. I also use MidJourney for AI-generated images and ChatGPT when I need placeholder content for projects. For smaller animations, I use Jitter or Principle, or sometimes just Figma Prototype for websites.
Inspiration
My work is inspired by fashion, architecture, and music, but also by everything I encounter daily. Surrounding myself with inspiring people, beautiful interiors, and good visual content on digital platforms makes finding inspiration easy and essential. I also read design books for inspiration or listen to podcasts related to design, business, or personal development.
Future Goals
I usually don’t set big goals, as I tend to be quite spontaneous when it comes to decisions and accepting new opportunities. Currently, I’m happy to be back to freelancing and feel motivated to deliver great projects and collaborations. I enjoy working with different people and clients. I see myself focusing on web work—specifically creative websites and e-commerce. In addition, I want to continue inspiring young creatives and helping them achieve great results, so I’ll keep writing about my process and experiences.
Final Thoughts
I would always say to stick to what inspires you and work with people who have a positive attitude, making it easier to enjoy the work and the process. Use experiences that weren’t pleasant as examples of how things shouldn’t be, and learn from them for the next opportunity. Every experience, both good and bad, brings new lessons. There is space for everyone in this industry, so don’t view it as competition—see it as your personal journey. Don’t be obsessed with the goal; enjoy the process, and the goals and achievements will naturally follow.
Pet Friendly National Park: The Grand Canyon
Words cannot describe, and pictures cannot capture, the magnificence of the Grand Canyon. Its Mother Nature’s most stunning sculpture. But what makes the Grand Canyon truly special is how much of it you can experience with your dog — a rare thing in America’s national parks.
Stretching 277 river miles from Lees Ferry to the Grand Wash Cliffs, Grand Canyon National Park ranks as the 11th largest national park in the United States. And, no matter how many times you visit, the views will never be the same. Sunlight and clouds, the bright green of spring, or a dusting of snow combine to make every trip unique.
For us, this is one of those places we never get enough of. And it’s all the better for the fact that the Grand Canyon is a wonderful place to visit with your dog.
In fact, on a recent month-long road trip with our pup, we took Myles to the Grand Canyon for his first time. Walking the same paths that we explored with Ty and Buster years ago brought back a lot of sweet memories. And it’s wonderful to now have memories of Myles in one of our favorite national parks, too!
Visiting Grand Canyon National Park With A Dog
Two years ago we took Myles on a trip to Kanab, Utah, and visited the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. So, this wasn’t actually Myles’ first visit. But the pet policies on the North Rim and South Rim are very different.
At the North Rim dogs are allowed at the picnic areas and in the parking areas of the overlooks. So, views of the canyon come as you drive the 30 miles of scenic roads at the North Rim. The only trails that allow pets, Bridal Path and the portion of the Arizona Trail that runs between North Kaibab Trailhead and the north entrance of the park, are both pretty. But either have views of the canyon.
Pet Policy At The South Rim Of The Grand Canyon
On the other hand, the South Rim of the Grand Canyon is a fantastic place to visit with a dog! You’ll find plenty to explore, pet friendly lodging, and a kennel where your pet can spend the day if you want to see parts of the park where pets aren’t allowed.
Leashed pets are welcome on the Rim and Greenway trails at the South Rim. Leashes must not be longer than 6-feet.
Pets cannot go below the rim, inside the buildings, or on the shuttle buses.
Yavapai Lodge has pet friendly rooms available for an additional fee of $32 per pet, per night and allows up to two pets per room.
The Mather Campground, Desert View Campground, Trailer Village, and other developed areas of the park are pet friendly.
Most of the pet policies in our national parks make visiting with dogs a challenge. In fact, many times pets can’t go beyond paved parking lots or campgrounds. Fortunately, that is not the case at the Grand Canyon. This is one of the most pet friendly national parks in the country!
READ MORE ⇒ America’s Most Pet Friendly National Parks
Hiking At The Grand Canyon With A Dog
When you’re ready to hit the pet friendly trails, the best scenery is along the South Rim Trail. The 14-mile trail is paved, so it’s easy walking. Foot traffic is more concentrated near the shuttle stops, but most of the time it feels like you and your dog have the whole Grand Canyon to yourselves!
Keep in mind that the trail’s average elevation is about 6,800 feet, which makes it easy to get dehydrated. Be sure to carry plenty of water for you and your pet, because bottle filling stations aren’t always operational, and bottled water isn’t for sale.
Also be aware that altitude sickness (nausea, shortness of breath, exhaustion, headache) can affect both humans and pets, so take it easy until you’ve acclimated to the elevation.
Despite the elevation, heat is often an issue in the summer. Our most recent visit was in July, so we expected high temperatures. Getting to the trail at 7am allowed us to comfortably walk for a few hours. But by the time we got back to the car around 10am, it was already over 80 degrees!
Before your trip, it’s also a good idea to refresh your memory on the signs of dehydration and heat stroke in dogs. And consider packing protective boots for your pup.
READ MORE ⇒ Recognizing Dehydration and Heat Stroke in Dogs
Grand Canyon With A Dog In One Day
There really is no bad place to jump on the Rim Trail and go for a walk. You can park at the visitor center and start down the trail in either direction for fantastic views.
If you happen to be visiting during the off-season (November 1 – February 28), we have another suggestion. Head for Hermit Road and catch the Rim Trail there. From Hopi Point you’ll be able to see the Colorado River. And from Pima Point you can actually hear the roar as the river crashes through Granite Rapid!
Hermit Road is closed to personal vehicles from March 1st to October 31st, and pets can’t ride the shuttles. So accessing these spots requires a trip during the off-season, or a lot of walking!
Watch The Weather
At the Grand Canyon, storms can blow in quickly, so be sure to keep an eye on the sky as you walk. And move toward the nearest shelter if the clouds turn ominous!
READ MORE ⇒ The Ultimate Pet Friendly American Road Trip
Pet Friendly Hotel At The Grand Canyon
If you and your dog need more than a day at the Grand Canyon, the Yavapai Lodge has pet friendly rooms for an additional $32 fee per pet, per night. They allow two pets per room with no restrictions on size. There are also two campgrounds without hookups, and one RV park with hookups inside the park. You can find additional pet friendly accommodations just south of the Grand Canyon in Tusayan, Arizona.
Finding pet friendly restaurants here is a bit more challenging. There are a few restaurants with outdoor seating in Tusayan. But if you want to make the most of your time with your dog at the Grand Canyon, we suggest packing picnics. If that’s your plan, stock up before you arrive. Grocery options are limited once you’re in the park.
Grand Canyon Kennel
If you want to hike below the rim at the Grand Canyon you’ll need to make arrangements for your pet. The kennel at the Grand Canyon is located on the South Rim near Maswik Lodge, and is open every day from 7:30am to 5pm. Accepting dogs and cats for day or overnight boarding, the kennel recommends making your reservations early, especially during the summer months and holidays. And be sure to pack your pet’s vaccination records.
We hope we’ve inspired you to visit the Grand Canyon with your dog! It’s a place like no other. And the experience and memories are truly unforgettable when you do more together.
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Perioperative Regional Anesthesia: Less Pain, Fewer Pills
TOPLINE:
The use of regional anesthesia reduces acute postoperative pain associated with noncardiac surgery. It also decreases the incidence of prolonged opioid use and chronic postoperative pain at 3 and 6 months after surgery.
METHODOLOGY:
- Researchers conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of 37 randomized controlled trials involving 4948 adults (age, ≥ 18 years) undergoing elective noncardiac surgeries.
- Data were extracted from the MEDLINE, EMBASE, CENTRAL, and CINAHL databases from inception to April 2022.
- Patients included in the analysis received regional anesthesia or control (eg, a placebo or sham procedure) during the perioperative period.
- The primary outcomes were prolonged use of opioids (continued use of opioids at least 2 months after surgery) and chronic postsurgical pain (pain lasting at least 3 months after surgery).
- The secondary outcomes were postoperative analgesic consumption at 24, 48, and 72 hours; need for additional analgesia in the postanesthesia care unit; pain scores at rest at 0-4, 4-12, 24, 48, and 72 hours postoperatively; and all reported adverse events.
TAKEAWAY:
- Perioperative regional anesthesia significantly reduced persistent opioid use (relative risk [RR], 0.48; P = .04) in a meta-analysis of five trials.
- Regional anesthesia led to a significant reduction in the rates of chronic postsurgical pain at 3 months (RR, 0.74; P = .01) and 6 months (RR, 0.72; P < .001).
- Regional anesthesia also reduced the consumption of opioids at 24 hours (P < .001) and 48 hours (P = .01) after surgery.
- Regional anesthesia also improved acute postoperative pain scores at 0-4 hours (P < .001) and 4-12 hours (P < .001). Three studies showed an increase in hypotension with neuraxial regional anesthesia (P = .01).
IN PRACTICE:
“Our investigation into prolonged opioid use emphasizes the potential role of regional anesthesia to mitigate this important societal outcome and underlines the need for large randomized controlled trials as this remains a clinically significant issue,” the authors of the study wrote.
SOURCE:
This study was led by Connor G. Pepper, MD, of the Department of Anesthesia at McMaster University, in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. It was published online on September 4, 2024, in Anesthesia & Analgesia.
LIMITATIONS:
The study included a limited number of trials that evaluated prolonged use of opioids, which reduced the certainty of the estimates. Significant heterogeneity was noted in outcomes such as postoperative pain scores and the consumption of analgesics. The authors acknowledged that the definition of “prolonged opioid use” was different from the 2019 Joint Consensus Statement on Persistent Postoperative Opioid Use.
DISCLOSURES:
The study did not receive any specific funding. The authors declared no conflicts of interest.
This article was created using several editorial tools, including AI, as part of the process. Human editors reviewed this content before publication.
Chainlink CCIP now live on ZKsync, boosting cross-chain interoperability
Chainlink’s CCIP goes live on ZKsync, empowers developers to create cross-chain DApps, and fosters greater interoperability.
Bitcoin Bull Pennant Still In Motion With $158,000 Price Target, Here’s When
Bitcoin’s technical analysis is setting up the stage for an explosive move above $150,000. The cryptocurrency’s current price action is flashing various patterns on the price charts, most of them bullish. Furthermore, these patterns are playing out across multiple timeframes, giving analysts different angles to examine in terms of the cryptocurrency’s future outlook.
According to a bullish pennant pattern that is playing out on the monthly timeframe, Bitcoin is gearing up for a move towards $158,000.
Bitcoin Bull Pennant Still In Motion
One of the key patterns being observed is a bullish pennant that is unfolding on the monthly timeframe. This formation, often seen after a period of strong upward movement, suggests that Bitcoin is building momentum for its next big leap. Interestingly, this pattern was social media platform X by crypto analyst Titan of Crypto. Using a Bitcoin/U.S. Dollar monthly candlestick chart, the analyst highlighted a bull pennant formation that has been playing out since September 2023.
The “pole” of the pattern was established through an extended rally that began in Q4 2023 and culminated in Bitcoin reaching a new all-time high in March 2024. Following this, the price of BTC entered a consolidation phase which has lasted for the past six months. This consolidation phase has been characterized by a series of lower highs bounded between upper and lower trendlines, which has created a clear pennant shape.
A successful breakout of the pattern to the upside would relate to another prolonged rally on the monthly timeframe. According to Titan Of Crypto, a bullish breakout would catapult Bitcoin to the moon. In terms of a price target, he highlighted a $158,000 price by May 2025. To reach this level, BTC would need to break above resistances and foray into new price territories. Particularly, Bitcoin would need to rally by about 170% from the current price between the next six to eight months.
#Bitcoin Bull Pennant Still in Play: $158,000 🎯
A massive bull pennant is forming on the monthly timeframe.
If it plays out #BTC could be catapulted to the moon 🌕 pic.twitter.com/KLb6bfk1wj
— Titan of Crypto (@Washigorira) September 14, 2024
Bullish Patterns In Abundance
According to another analysis by Titan Of Crypto on the daily candlestick, Bitcoin has reclaimed both the Tenkan and Kijun indicators, which are key components of the Ichimoku Cloud. In addition to this, the Relative Strength Index (RSI) has successfully broken through a multi-month resistance trendline that suggests the buying pressure is starting to mount.
Bitcoin is also beginning to push back above the Kumo Cloud in the Ichimoku system, although it is starting to experience a brief retest. If the breakout is confirmed, it could usher in renewed bullish momentum in the coming days for an upward move.
At the time of writing, Bitcoin is trading at $58,827 and has fallen 2.3% in 24 hours. After spending the entirety of the weekend trading above it, Bitcoin has broken below the $60,000 price level again. However, the $60,000 level remains crucial for BTC.
Featured image created with Dall.E, chart from Tradingview.com
More Consumers Think Mortgage Rates Will Go Down and That Home Prices Are Going to Fall
The latest monthly national housing survey from Fannie Mae revealed an interesting contradiction.
Last month, a new survey-high 39% of respondents said they expect mortgage rates to go down over the next 12 months.
At the same time, fewer expect home prices to go up over the same period. And more believe home prices will fall.
So despite a home purchase becoming more affordable thanks to a lower interest rate, consumers don’t think prices will increase.
What does this say about home buyer demand as mortgage rates go down?
But We Were Told Bidding Wars Would Return When Mortgage Rates Fell
Fannie’s monthly Home Purchase Sentiment Index (HPSI) did increase very slightly (0.6 points) to 72.1 in August from a month earlier.
But it remains very low, with most of the 1,000 respondents saying it’s a poor time to buy and also an increasingly bad time to sell.
Just 17% said it was a “good time” to buy a home in August, which has remained relatively flat for several months and remains just above all-time survey lows.
Meanwhile, 83% said it was a “bad time” to buy a home, the highest share since the survey’s inception.
At the same time, only 65% say it’s a good time to sell, while 34% say it’s a bad time. Since August 2021, the “net good time” to sell has fallen from 54% to just 31%.
So it appears no one is happy with the current state of the housing market, which continues to be characterized by a mismatch between buyers and sellers.
Sellers are being told they aren’t realistic in terms of what they’re asking, and buyers are saying it’s too expensive. But nobody is budging.
There’s also a lack of inventory in most markets, so there’s little to choose from and often not what a prospective buyer is looking for.
Taken together, we’ve seen a big drop in home sales, especially once you factor in the ongoing mortgage rate lock-in effect.
It’s also odd to see this sentiment given the narrative we’ve heard for some time that the housing market would turn into a frenzy when mortgage rates fell.
Well, they’ve fallen from around 8% a year ago to just above 6% at last glance. You’d think that would be enough to get the ball rolling.
It’s the Economy (and Maybe High Home Prices Too!)
As I wrote last week, it’s no longer a mortgage rate story. Most consumers are on board the “rates are going lower” bandwagon.
Yet they’re also saying it’s not an ideal time to buy. So then you need to look elsewhere for your answer.
Are home prices just too high, even with mortgage rates nearly 2% below their peak a year ago?
Or is the economy becoming more of a concern, with the Fed dancing with a recession and lots of rate cuts now expected over the next year and change?
Most of the consumers surveyed by Fannie Mae said they weren’t concerned about a job loss (78%), which has drifted down from 82% in 2021 but remains high.
But respondents have been more pessimistic about their household income compared to a year ago, with more saying it’s “significantly lower” than “significantly higher.”
This could also reflect the purchasing power of their dollars, which have eroded thanks to the inflation of just about everything.
So you start to wonder if consumer outlook is worsening as the economy shows signs of slowing, all while unemployment is rising.
This is what matters more than rates. And really explains why mortgage rates and home prices don’t have an inverse relationship.
If mortgage rates are expected to fall due to slowing economic conditions, couldn’t you argue that home price growth might also?
I’ve argued that home prices and rates can fall in tandem for this reason, despite nominal declines being rare.
But it at least bucks the idea of a home buyer frenzy when rates fall. Of course, rates have fallen during the slower time of the year. And they’re still markedly higher than they were as recently as early 2022.
So perhaps we just need rates to continue falling and for the 2025 spring home buying season to come about.
Then we’ll have a better idea of where this housing market goes next.
Electric Candela hydrofoil boat sets world record by crossing Baltic Sea
An all-electric hydrofoiling boat from Swedish company Candela has set two new world records by travelling between Stockholm and the Finnish autonomous region of Åland, marking the first time an electric boat has crossed the Baltic Sea.
Candela, which has developed a range of electric hydrofoil boats and ships, wanted to demonstrate that “that zero-emission sea travel is not only possible today, but that foiling electric ships and boats are so much cheaper to operate than fossil-fuelled vessels.”
The record-breaking journey was undertaken in the Candela C-8, a €330,000 ($A544,500) leisure craft, equipped with a battery from technology partner Polestar.
The journey covered 150 nautical miles from the port of Frihamn in Stockholm, Sweden, to Mariehamn, the capital and largest town of the Åland Islands, an autonomous region of Finland, with a charging stop in Kapellskär.
While charging along the trip was made mostly with existing charging infrastructure, a 40kW Kempower Movable Charger was needed in Kapellskär.
Leaving from Frihamn at 6am, the Candela C-8 made it to Mariehamn by lunchtime, and returned to Frihamn the same day.
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6hFoRF_Q0CA
“The disadvantage of electric boats has been their short range, due to traditional boat hulls consuming so much energy,” said Gustav Hasselskog, the company’s CEO and founder.
“With our hydrofoil technology, we combine high speed and range, but you get so many other benefits. Flying over the Åland Sea in total silence and without slamming was absolutely magical.”
A gasoline-powered chase boat of similar size accompanied the Candela C-8 on the journey and had to be refuelled for a cost of €750, or around $A1,230. For comparison, the Candela C-8 consumed 213 kWh of electricity, at a cost of about €40-50 (around $A66-83).
“We actually had range anxiety, but not for the Candela,” said Gustav Hasselskog.
“The irony is that the photographer’s gasoline-powered chase boat had to refuel six times during the trip, while we only charged three times.
“We’re talking about 95% lower operating costs,” concluded Hasselskog. “This is a revolution that makes waterborne transöport competitive with land transport in terms of costs, which we will now demonstrate in public transport in Stockholm.”
Joshua S. Hill is a Melbourne-based journalist who has been writing about climate change, clean technology, and electric vehicles for over 15 years. He has been reporting on electric vehicles and clean technologies for Renew Economy and The Driven since 2012. His preferred mode of transport is his feet.