A great-great-great grandmother Humboldt pengiun in England’s blustery eastern coast has brought a member of yet another generation into the world after she shacked up with a bird 20-plus years her junior. Windy surprised everyone at the zoo when during the last breeding season she paired with 4-year-old Nacho. A pairing doesn’t guarantee that mating […] The post One of the World’s Oldest Penguins Hatches a Chick with New Boy Toy 26 Years Younger appeared first on Good News Network.

Excerpts Contemporary Fantasy Read an Excerpt From C.M. Waggoner’s The Village Library Demon-Hunting Society A librarian with a knack for solving murders realizes there is something decidedly supernatural afoot in her little town. By C. M. Waggoner | Published on June 17, 2024 Comment 0 Share New Share We’re thrilled to share an excerpt from The Village Library Demon-Hunting Society, C. M. Waggoner’s new cozy fantasy mystery—out from Ace on September 24th. Librarian Sherry Pinkwhistle keeps finding bodies—and solving murders. But she’s concerned by just how many killers she’s had to track down in her quaint village. None of her neighbors seem surprised by the rising body count… but Sherry is becoming convinced that whatever has been causing these deaths is unnatural.When someone close to Sherry ends up dead, and her cat, Lord Thomas Crowell, becomes possessed by what seems to be an ancient demon, Sherry begins to think she’s going to need to become an exorcist as well as an amateur sleuth. With the help of her town’s new priest, and an assortment of friends who dub themselves the “Demon-Hunting Society,” Sherry will have to solve the murder and get rid of a demon. She was already well clear of the library when it occurred to Sherry that now she’d have to go back to her own demon-haunted house and spend the next however many hours completely alone. She occupied herself for about half an hour with placing crystals in their designated spots around her house and pouring the special salt across the windows and doorways, which she immediately regretted. The salt might or might not repel demons, but either way it would get tracked all over her house and she’d have to spend an hour trying to vacuum it out of the rugs. Then she made herself a sandwich and started reading about hauntings and possessions. She’d never been extremely interested in horror stories—they gave her bad dreams—and their sudden relevance to her personal life didn’t make them into more enjoyable reading. By six o’clock it was getting dark in her living room, and she was rattled enough to shut all the books, turn on all the lights, switch on the usually neglected television for company, and pour herself a generous serving from her dusty old bottle of brandy. At some point she must have fallen asleep, because she woke up to the sound of a man’s voice very close to her ear. “Woman!” the voice said. “This isn’t the time for you to sleep! It’s only just gone past six, woman, and I have yet to sup!” Sherry kept her eyes closed. Whoever was speaking to her was a demon, presumably, and she didn’t want to look at it. It was probably hideous and would give her nightmares if she survived this encounter, and opening her eyes wasn’t very likely to improve her chances of making it out alive. She’d never been a fast sprinter or learned to do kung fu, and from her experience of reading Stephen King novels, she doubted that either of those skills would do much against an evil spirit, anyway. If she was going to die, she would die without having to look at some horrible monster’s disgusting drippy face first. “Woman!” said the voice again. It was coming from very close to her face. It was a deep voice, with a Masterpiece Theatre sort of English accent. Not a particularly frightening voice, really. Sort of… jolly. “Get up! Time is passing by apace!” Sherry cracked one eye open. There was no demon. All she could see, a few inches from her nose, was the familiar furry little visage of her fat orange cat. He was sitting on the arm of the sofa where the fabric was already pretty well shredded. Buy the Book The Village Library Demon-Hunting Society C.M. Waggoner Buy Book The Village Library Demon-Hunting Society C.M. Waggoner Buy this book from: AmazonBarnes and NobleiBooksIndieBoundTarget “Lord Thomas Cromwell?” Sherry said, astonished. Then the penny dropped. “Oh, no.” “If you hadn’t wanted me here,” Lord Thomas Cromwell said, “then you oughtn’t have given the beast my name.” “You speak awfully modern English, for a Tudor politician,” Sherry said. Her heart rate was starting to slow. She couldn’t feel that frightened of Lord Thomas. Once she’d had to rescue him after he’d gotten his head stuck in a soup can. “You talk like a Tudor whose dialogue is being written by a bad American screenwriter.” She was starting to suspect that, whatever sort of creature was responsible for the goings-on in Winesap, it definitely watched too much television. “You’re pert above your station, woman,” the cat said. Then, more mulishly: “And I want my supper.” “Are you actually the real Lord Thomas Cromwell?” Sherry asked. “What was being executed like?” “Never you mind,” the cat said. He was speaking without his mouth moving, which was a relief. She didn’t want to see how the demon puppeteering her cat would attempt to adapt his lipless little mouth to accommodate human speech. “You ask questions above your station, too. Why are you talking when you could be preparing food or investigating murders?” “You’re a cat,” Sherry said. She was starting to feel less worried and more as if she was enjoying herself a little. “You don’t have a station. You can’t operate the can opener on your own. If you want to eat, you’ll have to behave yourself. Why would the tormented spirit of Lord Thomas Cromwell be interested in a murder investigation in Winesap, New York? Are you sure that you aren’t just the same… individual that I was speaking to earlier, in the sheriff’s office?” The cat was silent for a moment. She couldn’t glean much from his expression, because he was a cat. It was possible that he was trying to scowl at her but failing due to a lack of eyebrows. Eventually he cleared his throat, which struck her as somehow an even stranger thing for a cat to do than speak English and demand murder investigations. The sound was definitely too deep to have come from his precious weensy little throat. “It’s a bit complicated,” he said. Then he stood up onto all four paws and said, “And what of my supper, woman?” “You won’t get any supper if you keep calling me woman,” Sherry said. “It’s Miss Pinkwhistle to you.” “Do you really see yourself as fit to make demands of me, woman?” the cat said. “Yes,” Sherry said. “Don’t you test me, Lord Thomas. I might run the vacuum cleaner.” As far as a cat could be said to ever look alarmed, Lord Thomas Cromwell did. “There’s no need to resort to violence!” he said. “I’m sure that we can come to some satisfaction, Miss Pinkwhistle. What do you want from me?” “What do you want from me?” Sherry countered. “I’m not the one possessing your cat. You can’t just come into a woman’s home, possess her cat, demand supper, and then demand that she issue demands. Who are you, and what are you doing here? It’s complicated doesn’t count as an explanation.” “Convincing you to investigate the murder,” Lord Thomas said. “Why won’t you just do as you’re told?” “Because I don’t want to,” Sherry said. “Why do you care so much? What’s going on here? Who are you? Is it some kind of—human sacrifice cult? But why do you want me to find the murderer?” It sounded insane. It was insane. She was talking to a cat. “I don’t care about your petty human murders,” said the cat. Then he lowered his voice. “This is all at the behest of her.” “Her?” Sherry repeated. She found herself almost whispering, which would have probably felt less ridiculous if she hadn’t been whispering to her cat. “Who do you mean?” “She doesn’t have a name,” Lord Thomas said. “To call her her is a mere convenience. Creatures like her don’t have a sex. When she takes a form, it’s often that of a beautiful young woman, but sometimes it’s an old man or a lost child. She’s an old thing, and a cruel one. She used to steal pretty children or handsome young men and take them as her playthings. Now she has found a new dollhouse to amuse herself with.” “Winesap?” “Winesap,” the cat agreed. “And you, Miss Pinkwhistle.” Sherry resolutely didn’t allow herself to shiver. “And where do you come in?” Lord Thomas shifted uncomfortably. It was adorable. Then he said, “She has conscripted me into her service after I, through no fault of my own, unwittingly earned her ire.” Sherry raised her eyebrows. No one used that many words to say that something wasn’t their fault when they were completely innocent. “What did you actually do, Sir Thomas?” He did more shifting back and forth between his sweet little orange paws. Then he muttered, “I tried to eat her.” Sherry blinked. “What?” “She had taken the form of a gleaming white moth,” Sir Thomas said with enormous dignity. “I can’t be held responsible for my actions.” “Are you usually a cat?” Sherry asked, momentarily distracted from trying to find out more about the malevolent spirit who’d taken over the town. Cats did seem as if they struggled to resist trying to eat moths, gleaming white or otherwise. “I am Lord Thomas Cromwell,” Lord Thomas Cromwell said grandly, then lowered his voice and said, “I am more frequently a Lord of Cats.” “Oh,” Sherry said. She didn’t feel as if there was much else that she could say, really. The cat was looking at her expectantly, though, so she tried: “You must be very important.” “I am, yes,” the cat said, and took a moment to polish his ears. Then he lowered his voice again and said, “Have you any more of that salt?” Sherry started to say yes. The cat hissed at her. Sherry blinked. “What—” The cat shook his head, then nodded, then, surreally, held his paw up to his lips. “Oh!” Sherry said, then winced, put a hand over her own mouth, and scurried to her bags of New Age supplies to get the special salt. She held it out to the cat, who narrowed his eyes and pawed at the air to remind her that he didn’t have hands to take it with. She blushed. He jumped off the arm of the sofa and began trotting around the coffee table counter-clockwise. Around and around. She stared. He stopped, gave a disgusted yowl, then stared pointedly at the salt. “Oh, right!” she said. He started trotting in his circle again. She followed him, pouring salt as she went, and thinking sadly about how she was going to have to move the coffee table if she wanted to drag the rug outside to really shake all the salt out. Once the circle was complete, the cat jumped onto the coffee table. Sherry eyed it, then very carefully sat, hoping that the legs would hold up. The cat cleared its throat. “Now that we have blessed this altar,” he said, “we may speak more freely.” “Oh, good,” said Sherry. She waited for a moment. The cat stared up at her with his lemon-lime eyes. She stared back at him. “Well?” The cat hunkered in closer. “I would like to suggest that we strike a bargain.” Sherry frowned. “What kind of bargain?” “She has tasked me with making sure that you play your part in her game,” Lord Thomas Cromwell said. “She wants you to investigate her latest little killing.” Excerpted from The Village Library Demon-Hunting Society by C. M. Waggoner Copyright © 2024 by C. M. Waggoner. Excerpted by permission of Ace. All rights reserved. The post Read an Excerpt From C.M. Waggoner’s <i>The Village Library Demon-Hunting Society</i> appeared first on Reactor.

Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous has over a dozen companions for you to recruit. However, certain decisions and Mythic Path choices can determine the people who can join you down the line. Here’s our Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous guide to help you recruit all the companions in the game. Oh, and you should avoid dialogue options that will end up killing them. Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous – Companions guide — How to recruit all companions in the campaign Screenshot: PC Invasion All the companions in Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous have a starting class and a default starting level. Still, you should be able to retrain and respec their capabilities by talking to an NPC named Hilor. Just remember that those who join you earlier in the campaign will allow for more leeway when it comes to changes. It’s easier to try and unlock a Prestige Class with them. However, those who join much later tend to be fairly limited in this regard. Since retrain...

If you're tired of censorship and dystopian threats against civil liberties, subscribe to Reclaim The Net. If it looks like a duck… and in particular, quacks like a duck, it’s highly likely a duck. And so, even though the Stanford Internet Observatory is reportedly getting dissolved, the University of Washington’s Center for an Informed Public (CIP) continues its activities. But that’s not all. CIP headed the pro-censorship coalitions the Election Integrity Partnership (EIP) and the Virality Project with the Stanford Internet Observatory, while the Stanford outfit was set up shortly before the 2020 vote with the goal of “researching misinformation.” The groups led by both universities would publish their findings in real-time, no doubt, for maximum and immediate impact on voters. For some, what that impact may have been, or was meant to be, requires research and a study of its own. Many, on the other hand, are sure it targeted them. So much so that the US House Judiciary Committee’s Weaponization Select Subcommittee established that EIP collaborated with federal officials and social platforms, in violation of free speech protections. What has also been revealed is that CIP co-founder and leader is one Kate Starbird – who, as it turned out from ongoing censorship and speech-based legal cases, was once a secret adviser to Big Tech regarding “content moderation policies.” Considering how that “moderation” was carried out, namely, how it morphed into unprecedented censorship, anyone involved should be considered discredited enough not to try the same this November. However, even as SIO is shutting down, reports say those associated with its ideas intend to continue tackling what Starbird calls online rumors and disinformation. Moreover, she claims that this work has been ongoing “for over a decade” – apparently implying that these activities are not related to the two past, and one upcoming hotly contested elections. And yet – “We are currently conducting and plan to continue our ‘rapid’ research — working to identify and rapidly communicate about emergent rumors — during the 2024 election,” Starbird is quoted as stating in an email. Not only is Starbird not ready to stand down in her crusade against online speech, but reports don’t seem to be able to confirm that the Stanford group is actually getting disbanded, with some referring to the goings on as SIO “effectively” shutting down. What might be happening is the Stanford Internet Observatory (CIP) becoming a part of Stanford’s Cyber Policy Center. Could the duck just be covering its tracks? If you're tired of censorship and dystopian threats against civil liberties, subscribe to Reclaim The Net. The post With Stanford Out, UW Steps Up for 2024 Election “Disinformation” Research appeared first on Reclaim The Net.

If you're tired of censorship and dystopian threats against civil liberties, subscribe to Reclaim The Net. Sign Up To Keep Reading This post is for Reclaim The Net supporters. Gain access to the entire archive of features and supporters-only content. Help protect free speech, freedom from surveillance, and digital civil liberties. Join Already a supporter? Login here If you're tired of censorship and dystopian threats against civil liberties, subscribe to Reclaim The Net. The post A Private, Open-Source Photoshop Alternative That Gives You Full Ownership of Your Files appeared first on Reclaim The Net.

Von der Leyen's 'Queen of Europe' Throne Looking a Little Shaky at the Moment

There’s something magical about the bond between animals, and nowhere is this more evident than in the heartwarming relationship between Steve, the Border Collie, and Treacle, a baby foal. From the moment Treacle arrived, Steve has been completely captivated by his new friend. The video capturing their interactions is nothing short of delightful, showcasing a... The post Border collie runs up to newly-arrived horse and asks if he’ll be his ‘best friend’ appeared first on Animal Channel.

During their Monday morning newscasts, ABC, CBS, and NBC jumped at the opportunity to cover and support the Biden campaign's latest fundraiser. On Saturday, President Biden attended his fundraiser which was aimed towards an audience of celebrities and netted a $30 million haul. But while the networks hyped the dollar figure, they ignored Biden seemingly freezing on staged and needing to be led away by former President Obama. NBC’s Today featured senior Washington correspondent Hallie Jackson described the “star-studded” fundraiser as a “night with many celebrities but the biggest spotlight on warnings about what could happen if Mr. Trump wins again.” A clip was played from the fundraiser of Biden as he attempted to caution the audience “The idea that if he’s re-elected, he’s going to appoint two more flying flags upside down is really – I really mean it.”     Host of the fundraiser, comedian Jimmy Kimmel, asked Biden if the “scariest part” of Trump's possible re-election was what could happen to the Supreme Court. Biden agreed that was one of the scariest parts but declared that “the Supreme Court has never been as out of kilter as it is today.” Former President Obama weighed in as he shared “part of what has happened over the last several years is we’ve normalized behavior that used to be disqualifying.” Jackson concluded as she noted that “the fundraiser hosted by Hollywood heavy weights Julia Roberts and George Clooney netting a hefty haul with the Biden campaign saying it raised more than $30 million.” With less than 5 months from the presidential election, both sides are competing to raise the most money for their campaign. On CBS Mornings, chief White House correspondent Nancy Cordes reported that the president raised “more than $30 million” at his fundraiser which was a “record for a single democratic event.” But Cordes did not mention the Trump campaign's financial status but rather exclaimed, “This adds to his significant cash advantage over former President Trump.” Trump raised $141 million following his verdict in May which financially boosted his campaign significantly. Cordes stated that “tickets to President Biden’s star-studded fundraiser ranged from $250 to half a million.” The high price of the tickets is not surprising since the guest list included “Hollywood A-listers” like Julia Roberts and George Clooney. CBS ended their segment by hyping up the new Biden campaign ad. The ad described Trump as a “convicted criminal whose only out for himself.” And Biden, of course, portrayed as the hero who “is fighting for your family.” ABC’s Good Morning America made little comment about the Biden fundraiser as they instead focused on attacking Trump for speaking at “a black church in Detroit” and at a “conservative political event hosted by the right winged group Turning Point Action.” Although all of the networks mentioned Biden’s fundraiser, they seemingly forgot to mention another one of Biden’s slip-ups. At the end of the night, Biden seemingly froze as he attempted to leave the stage. He stared at the audience for a full ten seconds before Obama took his hand and led him offstage.   That’s a wrap on record-setting Democratic fundraiser for Joe Biden’s reelection campaign (netting $28M). Former President Barack Obama and President Joe Biden offer final waves to Peacock Theater crowd as Obama then grabs Biden’s hand to lead him offstage following 40-minute… pic.twitter.com/xbE2jf3jdz — Chris Gardner (@chrissgardner) June 16, 2024   Click "Expand" to view the transcripts: NBC's Today 6/17/2024 7:07:29 - 7:09:08 SAVANNAH GUTHRIE: Also heating up this morning, the 2024 Presidential Race. President Biden and former President Trump in full campaign mode over the weekend. Biden hosted a star-studded fundraiser in Los Angeles. Trump campaigned in the battleground state of Michigan. NBC's senior Washington correspondent Hallie Jackson joins us with all the details. Hallie, good morning. [ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: BIDEN AND TRUMP HIT THE TRAIL] HALLIE JACKSON (NBC SENIOR WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT): Hey, Savannah, good morning. A lot going on as former President Trump focuses on a key swing state and President Biden looks for an infusion of campaign cash on a night with many celebrities, but the biggest spotlight on warnings about what could happen if Mr. Trump wins again. [Cuts to video] At a star studded L.A. Fundraiser, President Biden laying out the stakes of a potential second Trump term. [cut to clip] JOE BIDEN: The next president is likely to have two new Supreme Court nominees. Two more. [Transition] The idea that if he's re-elected he's going to appoint two more flying flags upside down is really -- I really mean it. [Transition] JIMMY KIMMEL: Could this be the scariest part of all of it? BIDEN: Well, I think it is one of the scariest parts of it. Look, the Supreme Court has never been as out of kilter as it is today. JACKSON: In a Q&A, comedian Jimmy Kimmel, also asking about so-called Trump amnesia, “Remember the pandemic,” Mr. Biden responded. He said, “Just don't worry, just inject a little bleach in your body.” Former President Obama also on hand warning “part of what has happened over the last several years is we've normalized behavior that used to be disqualifying.” The fundraiser hosted by Hollywood heavy weights Julia Roberts and George Clooney netting a hefty haul with the Biden campaign saying it raised more than $30 million. The race for the White House effectively deadlocked less than five months from Election Day. (…) CBS Mornings 6/17/2024 7:11:32 - 7:12:43 TONY DOKOUPIL: Back in this country, Father's Day weekend was full of presidential politics from both presumptive nominees. Former President Donald Trump campaigned in the battleground state of Michigan, while President Biden traveled to California where he joined former President Barack Obama at a star-studded Hollywood fundraiser. Nancy Cordes has more now from the White House. She's been following it. Nancy, good morning. [ON-SCREEN HEADLING: CAMPAIGNS IN FULL SWING] NANCY CORDES: Tony, good morning to you. Happy day after Father's Day. The Biden campaign says the president raised more than $30 million at this weekend's L.A. Fundraiser, that would be a record for a single Democratic Party event. This adds to his significant cash advantage over former President Trump with four and a half months to go before Election Day. [Cut to video] JOE BIDEN: Not on my watch. Not on my watch. NANCY CORDES: Tickets to President Biden's star-studded fundraiser ranged from $250 to half a million. On stage, he warned the Hollywood A-listers in the audience about what he thinks a second Trump term could mean for the nation's highest court. JOE BIDEN: The next president is likely to have two new Supreme Court nominees. Two more. The Supreme Court has never been as out of kilter as it is today. (…) ABC’s Good Morning America 6/17/2024 7:11:17 AM [NEWS HEADLINE Trump on the Trail] RACHEL SCOTT: The former President speaking at a black church in Detroit continued his attacks on immigrants insisting that the black community is being hurt by those who are entering the country illegally... Trump then speaking at a conservative political event hosted by the right winged group Turning Point Action. (...) [NEWS HEADLINE Biden's Star-Studded Fundraiser: President raises $30 million at Los Angeles Event] SCOTT: As for President Biden, well he spent the weekend at a star-studded fundraiser in Los Angeles with former President Barack Obama and comedian Jimmy Kimmel. Biden warning that one of the scariest things, he says, about a possible Trump term is that he would be able to appoint even more Supreme Court Justices to the bench. We’re told that the fundraiser brought in about 30 million dollars. Whit? WHIT JOHNSON: Alright Rachel Scott for us. Thank you so much.

Blacklisted actor Kevin Spacey opened up in a recent interview with Piers Morgan, and the result was the actor breaking into tears. Spacey told Morgan about his financial strain, which he claims is caused by his mounting legal fees. The legal fees followed several accusations of sexual assault against Spacey, of which he was cleared of all charges. However, despite being cleared, the legal fees have completely upended his life. “This week, where I have been living in Baltimore, is being foreclosed on. My house is being sold at auction. So, I have to go back to Baltimore and put all my things in storage,” Spacey said through muffled tears. “I’m not quite sure where I’m going to live now,” Spacey tells Morgan, adding, “I can’t pay the bills that I owe.” While Spacey was clearly devastated by his financial situation, he also went into the accusations against him of having a relationship with Jeffrey Epstein. “In 2015 I started seeing reports online, things on my Twitter account, that I had flown to this guy Jeffrey Epstein’s island, and I had abused young girls, and I was like I mean if you’d asked me in 2015, maybe even if you’d asked me in 2002, did I know a guy named Jeffrey Epstein, I probably would have said no,” Spacey explained. “Well, of course I have since learned who he is, and I have since been able to go back and find out that the airplane that we flew on for this humanitarian mission was owned by Jeffrey Epstein, and to then learn he was actually on some of those flights,” he continues, adding, “I didn’t know him, I’ve never spent any time with him. I was with the Clinton Foundation people, that’s who I was with.” “That’s not much better,” Jeffy jokes to Pat Gray and Keith Malinak. Spacey then went on to explain that while he was also in the same room as Ghislaine Maxwell, he didn’t know her, and she was “one of many” people sitting near him. “I had no relationship with her, I had no relationship with him,” Spacey says. “What garbage,” Gray says. “You’re on the plane with Ghislaine Maxwell and Jeffrey Epstein, and you don’t know either one of them?” Want more from Pat Gray?To enjoy more of Pat's biting analysis and signature wit as he restores common sense to a senseless world, subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America, defend the Constitution, and live the American dream.

As the 2023 trade deadline approached, the Cleveland Guardians made several puzzling trades. The Guardians, led then by future hall-of-fame manager Terry “Tito” Francona, sat just two games behind the division-leading Minnesota Twins and had a 53-54 record. They were less than a month removed from being in first place in the division and were on the Twins’ heels for the month of July. Thus, when the team and its fans learned that the front office traded away Aaron Civale, Amed Rosario, and Josh Bell, reactions both inside and outside the locker room ranged from head scratching to vocal displeasure. Not only did the front office send away the team’s best starting pitcher that season in Civale, one of the locker room leaders in Rosario, and switch hitting first baseman Bell, it failed to receive any immediate help to win the division. The return for those three was struggling pitcher Noah Syndergaard (who would be released by the end of August), Jean Segura (who was never placed on the roster — the Guardians just ate the last year of his contract), and prospects Kahlil Watson and Kyle Manzardo, neither of whom had ever appeared in a major league game. The message sent by the front office was clear: The Guardians were punting on 2023 and that was that. The reception among players on the team was so contentious that the day after the trades, General Manager Mike Chernoff and team President Chris Antonetti flew to meet the team on a road trip in Houston to discuss the trades. Standing in front of the remaining players immediately after getting no hits in a 3-2 loss, Antonetti offered his players a blunt assessment: “We are playing for the future.” On top of that, Antonetti stated, “Sometimes, we make decisions that aren’t easy. In fact, if you just look at the composition of our team right now, a lot of those guys are here because of some difficult decisions we’ve made in the past. And for us to be a successful organization, sometimes we have to make those difficult decisions.” The gutted team eventually finished third in the division with a 76-86 record — the only losing record in the ten years of Francona’s managing and their worst division finish since 2015. The 2023 season would be Francona’s last, as he retired for health reasons. In addition to rebuilding a roster, the front office now had to rebuild its coaching staff.Fast forward to a little of the way through the 2024 season, and the Guardians are rocking a 43-22 record, fourth best in all of baseball behind the Yankees, Phillies, and Orioles. Surely, the cagey front office had been playing four-dimensional chess, and the future it was playing for had arrived, right? The team hired an experienced manager to deal with rookies and veterans to maximize production, right? The prospects traded for were Jim Thome and Manny Ramirez reincarnated, and the '90s Indians were back, right? The pitching factory had produced another Cy Young starter in the tradition of C.C. Sabathia, Cliff Lee, Corey Kluber, and Shane Bieber, right? At least Shane Bieber was back healthy and dominant in a contract year, right?The answer to all these questions is a resounding, "No." This has led many in the baseball world to wonder aloud, “What in the world is the explanation for this?” The Dodgers were supposed to be dominant this year. Everyone expected the Yankees to be good, and many predicted this would be a great year for the Phillies. But no one saw the Guardians coming, to the point that when the team sprinted out of the gates, everyone assumed the team was a mere flash in the pan. However, as the team kept winning, the articles across all sports news slowly shifted from asking, “Why is Cleveland on a hot start?” to “Why are the Guardians so good?” No one has been able to exactly say why, but an examination of a few pieces of evidence can allow us to put together the puzzle in a digestible way.Front officeFollowing the frustrating 2023 deadline, the Guardians' front office continued making puzzling movies through the 2023 offseason. The front office failed to sign (or didn’t pursue) free agents who could provide an impact bat. Instead, Chernoff and Antonetti pursued free agent Austin Hedges, who was on Cleveland's roster in 2022 and enjoyed a World Series with the Texas Rangers in 2023. While Hedges is a known clubhouse leader, his offensive production is light — with the exception of 2018, Hedges had never before posted a wRC+ north of 50. If you don't keep up with the newfangled sabermetric stats, just know that a wRC+ of 50 is very not good. Plus, the Guardians already had a young catcher with a lot of promise in Bo Naylor. So, signing a backup catcher/coach/cheerleader didn't get anyone who follows the team excited. The team also signed starting pitcher Ben Lively, who had flamed out of three different MLB organizations and spent significant portions of the last five years pitching in South Korea. They also signed Royals' former relief pitcher Scott Barlow. They further depleted the team's major league rotation by trading away Cal Quantrill for minor league catcher Kody Huff. Going into spring training, Cleveland had only five positions locked down with everyday starters – LF Steven Kwan, C Bo Naylor, 1B Josh Naylor, 2B Andres Gimenez, and 3B Jose Ramirez. The rest of the roster positions would be filled by, as Antonetti put it, “young players [who show they] can succeed in the big leagues.”The rotation had a more veteran presence, but about half of the bullpen was wide open. The active roster had several moving pieces that would require keen observation and deep baseball knowledge to use effectively. Enter the Guardians' rookie manager Stephen Vogt, who last played in the majors in 2022, and who managed less than four total wins above replacement over a 10-year career. Whatever Vogt's shortcomings as a major league player, he has emerged as the first and foremost reason for Cleveland’s success this year. Vogt has been successful as a manager this year because he is able to relate to every one of his players. As Vogt himself said, “I’ve been traded, I’ve been released, I’ve been sent down, I’ve been an All-Star, I’ve been the team MVP.” His ability to know exactly what every player is thinking gives him a perspective not every manager has. And his delivery of his message is something his players not only appreciate but have embraced and turned into winning. "It's like he has been doing this for 10 years,'' said Hedges, when asked in Spring Training. "His first speech to the team this spring was incredible. The energy in the room is amazing.''Two examples of Vogt’s leadership stand out. On May 19, Tanner Bibee had battled against the Twins for six and two-thirds innings. Ninety pitches into the outing, he had just walked a Twins batter on four pitches. Vogt emerged from the dugout and walked to the mound. Hedges and Gimenez started telling Bibee, “Great job, way to compete,” as they, along with everyone watching, expected Vogt to call in fireballer Cade Smith to stop any Twins comeback. Except Vogt didn’t ask for the ball. He looked at Bibee and said, “You’re not leaving this mound. You’re gonna strike this [blank]er out.” Bibee, 2023’s runner-up for Rookie of the Year, struck out Twins batter Carlos Santana with a 97-mph fastball for his 95th pitch. "I really appreciate him letting me stay out there and finish that," Bibee said. "I really do believe that was my game. I'm happy I executed that last pitch."Another example: After a hot spring, prospect Kyle Manzardo (acquired in the Civale trade at the 2023 deadline) was finally called up to replace injured Steven Kwan in early May. Vogt’s strategy was to let him get 30-40 at bats and then see what needed to be adjusted. Manzardo, with a scouting profile that said he was a solid contact hitter with a good eye who might reach 20-25 home runs per year, started 4-29 with 10 strikeouts. Since that start, Manzardo has gone 14-57 with nine doubles. He has hit more doubles since May 10 than any other major league batter in that time period. He is tied for 52nd in the AL with doubles after having played in only 27 games, equal to exactly one-sixth of an MLB season, while everyone ahead of him has played twice as many games. Contrast Vogt's treatment of Manzardo with the Orioles' handling of Jackson Holliday, the number one prospect in all of baseball. The Orioles called up Holliday after he obliterated pitching at every level of the minors from 2022-2024. Holliday went 2-34 in his first ten games and then the Orioles sent him back down to the minors. It is worth noting that the Orioles, who had the second best record in baseball last year, were expected to contend for the title again this year, which may have prevented them from tolerating the early struggles that frequently attend hitters who eventually become stars.HittingThe 2023 Guardians finished dead last in the league in home runs, and it wasn’t close. Hitting just 124 runs in 162 games, the Guardians had a severe power problem. By way of comparison, the next-worst team, the woeful and rebuilding Washington Nationals, managed 151 home runs. As a result, many expected some sort of free agent signing to bolster home-run production, but for the low-budget Guardians, a free-agent power bat was not in the cards. What did happen, however, is that Guardians hitting coach Chris Valaika altered his approach. Previously, the Guardians had been a contact-first offensive approach — avoiding strikeouts at the expense of power but put the ball in play. Valaika has now shifted the focus so that the Guardians are not just looking for pitches to hit but pitches they can do damage with. As Guardians announcer Rick Manning said, “Sometimes the best pitch you see is the first one.” Valakia has coached each player to identify those pitches to capitalize on, and when they see one, swing away — and swing for the fences.Compare Steven Kwan from 2023 to the Steven Kwan of 2024. He stated he spent the 2023 off-season learning how to miss balls in order to mentally be ok with striking out. Weird to hear from a major league hitter to be sure, but the exercise was designed to train him to be able to adapt to a more aggressive yet disciplined approach. He wanted more aggression but had to train his body and mind not to get discouraged about striking out. As a result, he has swung at less balls out of the zone, while hitting pitches in the zone harder. In fact, his hard hit percentage has increased by two points while his swing rate at pitches outside the zone has decreased by 4%. The end result might not be seen as earth-shattering since Kwan has four home runs in 39 games; however, Kwan only hit five home runs all of last year.Meanwhile, the rest of Kwan's numbers speak for themselves. Kwan's wRC+ last year was 100, meaning that he was exactly a league-average hitter. This year, his wRC+ is an astounding 191, which would make him the second-best offensive player in all of baseball behind only Aaron Judge, if he had just a handful of additional plate appearances under his belt. And while he mentally prepared himself to strike out more, the change in his approach has actually resulted in him striking out less, as his strikeout percent has dropped from a respectable 10.4% in 2023 to a miniscule 7.1% in 2024. Another revelation for the Guardians this year has been utility player David Fry. Fry came into the season expected to be a platoon player who would face left-handed starters and provide defensive flexiblity due to his ability to play virtually every defensive position on the diamond. However, Fry has hit his way into a role as an everyday starter. His outstanding pitch selection has led him to a .451 on-base percentage, which would be tops in the league if he had enough plate appearances to qualify for the batting title. Fry isn't just dinking and dunking and walking his way to first base, either — Fry is selectively looking for pitches to drive and currently sports a very respectable .574 slugging percentage, better than Royals' sensation Bobby Witt Jr. and good for seventh in the American League (if, again, Fry had enough plate appearances to qualify). Fry is likely not the second coming of Barry Bonds, but at least for 2024, he is showing that when pitchers throw him strikes, he will drive the ball hard.Outside of Kwan and Fry, most Guardians hitters got off to slow starts but are now warming up. Tyler Freeman, who has been serviceable defensively in center field despite never playing the position prior to 2024, has hit at a 109 wRC+ clip since May 1, which would put him in the top 10 of all major league CFers. Left fielder Will Brennan, who has been hitting balls hard (30.9% hard contact rate), has an unlucky .243 BABIP. Expect his run production to increase as that starts to normalize.The adjusted approach by Valaika now has the Guardians tied for 11th in the league in home runs and on pace to hit 180 home runs — a projected home run increase of almost 50%. However, they have not abandoned their high contact smart base-running ways for the sake of power. They rank eighth in the league for on-base percentage and seventh in the league in stolen bases. Their offense has transformed from slap-hitting single goblins into batters who use every tool in the box to, as Manning says, “Get ‘em on, get 'em over, get ‘em home.”PitchingEntering 2024, the Guardians starting rotation was the one bright spot and a universally acclaimed team strength. Cy Young award winner Shane Bieber, returning from injury, was entering a contract year. Bibee, 2023’s runner-up in the AL Rookie of the Year award, and Triston McKenzie are both solid middle rotation starters who many believed could be transformed into aces. The team also boasted a number of young, talented fireballers including Logan Allen, Ben Lively, Gavin Williams, and prospect Xzavion Curry, who add both depth and major league experience to give the Guardians a chance in every game. Long-time mainstay Carlos Carrasco also returned to the team after a disappointing three-year stint with the expensive train wreck Mets. The rotation, however, has not lived up to its hype. Bieber made just two starts before announcing he must undergo Tommy John surgery. Williams has been injured since mid-Spring Training and has yet to make an appearance in a major league game. Curry has spent most of his time in Columbus or on the injured list.In fact, Cleveland ranks 26th in innings pitched by starters. The starters are not lasting long and are giving up runs when they do. The Guardians starters rank 18th in ERA, 26th in Fielding Independent Pitching, and dead last in Wins Above Replacement (2.1). They have racked up only 16 quality starts this season. They have pitched past the end of the fifth inning 19 times, only three times since May 10.The Guardians' bullpen, on the other hand, has been the best in baseball this season, with production that puts them on par with the greatest bullpens of all time. Cleveland leads the league in bullpen WAR, FIP, ERA, LOB%, HR/9, and BB/9 among others. They are tied for second in strikeouts per nine innings. The bullpen’s strength has made Vogt’s life easier. Emmanuel Clase is as dominant a closer we’ve seen in baseball since Mariano Rivera. The bridge from the starter’s exit to Clase is led by Cade Smith, Sam Hentges (who leads the league in FIP since 2022), Nick Sandlin, Hunter Gaddis, Tim Herrin, Scott Barlow, and Pedro Avila. The phrase most often heard about the bullpen is “shortened game.” The strength of the bullpen limits opposing offenses to scoring in the first five innings, while the Guardians have the full nine innings to score their runs.ConclusionIt is impossible to say if Chernoff and Antonetti truly foresaw a season as magical as this when they spoke in that dismal Houston locker room last year. I also am a lifelong Cleveland fan, so I am always waiting for the other shoe to drop. In 2011, the then-Indians started insanely hot and sat at 51-44 on July 18 as first in the division. They would only manage 29 more victories the rest of the way as they finished 80-82, 15 games behind the division winner. This year, however, such a collapse seems unlikely to happen, but it also seems unlikely that the Guardians will keep up their pace and win 105 games. The truth likely lies somewhere in between — but somewhere in between 80 and 105 games is way more than anyone had a right to expect from this year's Guardians team. Vogt has the entire team behind his back and has spread the playing time evenly to keep every one engaged. The players, when they get their opportunity, look for ways to do damage, and once the runs are scored, no team is able to come from behind to win a game in the late innings. This formula may or may not be the one the front office cooked up with its 2023 deadline moves, but we can all agree that the future it planned for is now.