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Education 511 Curriculum 48 Product and Program Management 42 Community Engagement and Outreach 40 Development and Fundraising 36 Strategy and Planning 33
Operations and Facilities 29 Data Evaluation and Analysis 25 Other 22 Administrative 21 Business Development 13 Consulting 13 Human Resources 11 Marketing and Communications 11 Database Administration 10 Research 6 Remote/Virtual Role 4
Washington 6 Chicago 4 Los Angeles 4 Baltimore 3 Princeton 3 Armonk 2
Chesterfield 2 Cortland 2 Durham 2 Grandview 2 Kansas City 2 New York 2 North Charleston 2 Oakland 2 Orlando 2 Park 2 Wilmington 2 Winston-Salem 2 Alexandria 1 Arlington 1
California 11 New York 11 District of Columbia 5 Illinois 5 Maryland 4 Missouri 4
North Carolina 4 Virginia 4 Washington 4 Florida 3 Pennsylvania 3 Kansas 2 Massachusetts 2 New Jersey 2 South Carolina 2 Arizona 1 Colorado 1 Michigan 1 Montana 1 Nevada 1
Technology Executive Leadership Accounting and Finance
Finance Associate/ Manager Featured
About KIPP Bay Area Public Schools KIPP is a non-profit network of 224 college-preparatory, public charter schools across the country educating early childhood, elementary, middle, and high school students. KIPP schools are united by a common mission, a commitment to excellence, and a belief that if we help children develop the academic and character strengths they need for college and choice-filled lives, they will be able to build a better tomorrow for themselves, for their communities, and for us all. There are currently 15 KIPP schools across the Bay Area educating nearly 6,000 students in East Palo Alto, Oakland, San Francisco, San Lorenzo, San Jose, and Redwood City and supporting over 3,000 alumni around the country. Position Overview The Finance Manager/Associate is a key member of the five-person finance team and will report to the Associate Director of Finance. As a function, the finance team reports directly into the CEO and serves as a strategic internal consultancy on major decisions. The objective of the finance team is to maximize student outcomes over the long-term through the efficient, effective, and sustainable allocation of financial resources. This is accomplished through an effective balance of hard and soft skills as our work is rooted in empowering organizational leaders, who bring academic expertise and proximity to students, with high-quality financial information and advising to make effective decisions. This position will not have a direct report but will actively support the finance team's culture of continuous learning and shared voice through frequent participation and leadership in team meetings. Responsibilities Serve as financial adviser Advise school leaders (principals) and operations managers on fiscal operating decisions and multi-year planning, and collaborate with them both in person and remotely to achieve financial sustainability goals Analyze trends in spending and behavior in order to maximize resource allocation and student results Serve as a hands-on thought partner to regional office leaders on their spending decisions and expense projections Empower school and regional office leaders with tools, information, and analyses to help them make thoughtful and impactful decisions in service of our students Support on due diligence and execution of $10M+ facility financing transactions for our schools Develop into a financial systems product manager Maximize the value of Adaptive Insights, our financial planning system, by integrating with our data warehouse and building cross-functional analyses, enabling the organization to make data-informed decisions to maximize student outcomes Develop a multi-year systems strategy and roadmap, building more data connections, implementing new product functionalities, and streamlining processes to scale our finance team Create and manage effective trainings for our 75+ school and regional office leaders Grow into a finance team leader Contribute to the multi-year vision and annual initiatives for the finance team Own and deliver quarterly updates and results to KIPP Bay Area Public Schools' Finance Committee Support the finance team's culture of continuous learning and shared voice through frequent participation and leadership in team meetings Grow into potential stretch assignments that may include, but are not limited to… Serving as the Finance Lead for our KIPP Through College (KTC) team, enabling the KTC team to effectively prepare our 3,000+ and growing alumni to lead choice-filled lives Developing into a charter school facilities financing expert, building relationships with various lenders and advising our senior leaders on specific financing opportunities in order to provide high-quality, low-cost learning environments for all of our students Must-Have Qualifications Key Qualities Unquestioned integrity and commitment to KIPP Bay Area Public Schools' mission: firm belief that all children will learn and deserve access to an excellent public education Approaches work with joy and curiosity Actively seeks personal and professional growth Skills Strategic and analytical thinker who exhibits excellent judgment Achievement-oriented and can translate plans into action Utilizes systems-thinking to contextualize opportunities for improvement Synthesizes and simplifies complex concepts to clearly communicate them to key stakeholders Builds relationships to motivate and engage a diverse group of internal and external stakeholders Self‐directs and exhibits flexibility in a fast‐paced, entrepreneurial environment Strong skills and comfort with Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, and Google Docs Education and Experience Bachelor's degree in any field, or equivalent practical experience Preferred Qualifications Skills Financial analysis and modeling experience Understanding of financial planning and analysis Skilled at analyzing, interpreting, and visualizing data Familiarity with SQL and Tableau Familiarity with cloud enterprise software, ideally Adaptive Insights or similar financial planning software Education and Experience 4+ years of relevant work experience Compensation We are dedicated to you and your family's well-being! KIPP offers a competitive salary as well as a comprehensive benefits package including medical, dental, vision, and transportation benefits.
KIPP Bay Area Public Schools Oakland, CA, USA Full-time
Chief Financial Officer - Ednovate Network Support Team Featured
Ednovate Background Ednovate launched its first school, USC Hybrid High, a personalized learning high school, in 2012. Since then, Ednovate has grown to five schools in Los Angeles County and Orange County. Ednovate is committed to serving in areas where students traditionally lack access to a quality college prep education by building tuition-free, safe and high-performing public schools to neighborhoods that need it the most. Ednovate is currently planning for our next growth phase as we continue to fulfill our mission to make a positive multigenerational change within the communities we serve and in our profession. Position Description As a key member of the Leadership Team, the CFO will report directly to the CEO and play a critical role in the overall strategic management of the organization. The CFO will set the financial strategy for Ednovate's $30M operating budget and $50M real estate portfolio, while also designing and delivering effective financial systems across the organization. Additionally, the CFO will steward the organization as it embarks upon its next phase of growth, growing to 11 schools, serving nearly 6,000 students, with a $100M operating budget, and $200M in real estate assets. The CFO will serve as a strategic partner to organizational leaders, providing financial guidance to inform decisions, as well as leading long-term financial strategy, forecasting, and budgeting. The CFO is committed to Ednovate's mission, has deep financial planning and analysis expertise, and is an excellent communicator capable of distilling complex concepts into clear narratives for diverse internal and external audiences, including executives, board members, public officials, funders, and lenders. In carrying out his/her responsibilities, the CFO must be able to manage a complex long-term financial model to support strategic decision-making across the organization. This person will also manage Ednovate's external budgeting and accounting team, ExED, to lead the organization's budgeting process and financial reporting. This position will be based out of the Ednovate Support Team office in Downtown Los Angeles, though time spent in schools will be expected. Duties for this position include, but are not limited to: Organizational Leadership - the CFO will serve as a thought partner to and member of the Ednovate Leadership Team as staff financial lead, setting organizational vision and strategy, mentoring staff, and providing oversight. They will also work closely with the Board of Directors as well as key external stakeholders, including funders, lenders, and authorizers. Strategic & Annual Planning - the CFO will set the financial strategy and lead long-term financial forecasting & budgeting for Ednovate's $30M operating budget. They will review financial systems and processes and drive improvements that will enable leaders at every level of the organization to understand financial impact of decisions and consistently operate favorable to budget. Most importantly, the CFO will see around corners - recognize and anticipate opportunities and challenges as they relate to organizational plans; generate ideas, strategies, and solutions to drive impact. Capital Finance - the CFO will manage the financing strategy for $50M real estate portfolio, and $150M in new campus construction over the next five to ten years. They will also manage relationships with funding partners and lead project financing efforts to ensure timely acquisition of new permanent facilities. Financial Planning and Analysis - the CFO will manage a complex long-term financial model to support strategic decision-making and long-term sustainability across the organization including the development of alternative long-range and short-range scenarios. They will also define metrics to monitor and predict the financial performance of entities across the organization, develop systems to track performance metrics and make decisions around resource allocation. Budgeting, Forecasting, and Reporting - the CFO will lead the annual budgeting process, partnering with stakeholders across the organization, culminating with financially healthy budgets. They will oversee the budget implementation during the fiscal year, managing ExEd to ensure budgets are accurate and support solid decision-making. Key financial metrics will be presented on a monthly basis to ensure all key stakeholders routinely review performance to budget. Management and Oversight - the CFO will oversee all fiscal and fiduciary responsibilities for the organization, in conjunction with the Board of Directors, the Audit Committee, and the Finance/Business Advisory Group. They will also manage and inspire the 4+ person ExEd external budgeting and accounting team. Candidate Qualifications MBA or other advanced degree, or comparable experience of a minimum of 12 years Minimum of 5+ years of progressive senior responsibility in developing and building out FP&A function with a major company or division of a large corporation. Experience in a not-for-profit/school environment is preferred but not required. Knowledge of capital and debt markets landscape, including facilities financing options, is a plus but not required Track record of building, leading, and inspiring effective teams; evidence of building an outcomes/data-driven team culture and coaching/developing others to maximize their potential Budget development and implementation experience in a complex organization Highly effective communicator, capable of distilling complex concepts Highly systems and process-oriented Strong project management skills and ability to work collaboratively with a wide range of constituents A multi-tasker with the ability to wear many hats in a fast-paced and hard-working environment Ednovate Non-Negotiables A history of high achievement and results Impressive work ethic ("good isn't good enough") Clear passion for Ednovate's Mission Obsessive attention to detail Service-focused mentality A belief that all Ednovate students will succeed in college and make a Positive Multigenerational Change Application Process Interested candidates should begin the process by submitting an application through Ednovate's website at http://www.ednovate.org/careers Compensation Compensation will be commensurate with experience and qualifications. A comprehensive compensation plan will include a competitive benefits package. Statement of Non-Discrimination Ednovate does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, gender, handicap, age, religion, sexual orientation, or national or ethnic origin.
Ednovate Charter Schools Los Angeles, CA, USA Full-time
Vice President, Executive Director Featured
City Year is seeking an innovative, entrepreneurial, and people-focused leader to serve as the Executive Director (ED) at City Year Chicago. This position is an outstanding opportunity to play an integral role in advocating for and advancing public education in Chicago. This seasoned executive is responsible for ensuring the Chicago site meets its impact, revenue, district partnership, and external relations goals. City Year Chicago stands to further its position in the Chicago community, and key to the site's success is a leader and collaborator who is a natural coalition-builder, people developer, and influencer who leads with both tenacity and humility. Reporting to the Regional Vice President of the Midwest Region, this dynamic, visionary change agent leads 54 staff members and 254 AmeriCorps members serving in 30 partner schools. Additionally, the Executive Director works closely with City Year Chicago's local advisory board, comprised of leaders in the public, private, and non-profit sectors of Chicago. The Executive Director is accountable for a current annual budget of approximately $12M (current make up is 57% public sector including school district and AmeriCorps and 43% private sector) while simultaneously securing the resources necessary to ensure the sustainability, growth, and scale to achieve City Year's national Long-Term Impact goals. Serving as the primary champion of City Year's impact locally, the Executive Director leads efforts to keep students in school and on track, while also ensuring the sustainability and continuity of the site. The Executive Director represents the organization within the Chicago community by mobilizing powerful coalitions to catalyze greater educational opportunity for underserved students. These constituencies include advisory board members; district leadership and school partners; Serve Illinois; alumni; and private sector investors. Additionally, the Executive Director is a Vice President for City Year Inc.'s national organization and therefore strengthens the connection between City Year's national initiatives and the local work in Chicago. Through this role as Vice President, the Executive Director also participates within the City Year global network to advance the mission by managing working relationships with staff at City Year's national office and helping to lead and set organizational strategy through network-wide project teams. RESPONSIBILITIES The Executive Director is responsible for leading and managing site staff and AmeriCorps members to ensure operational success and growth by generating resources and building support from the public and private sectors. This executive serves as a vital link between the local Chicago market, the City Year Midwest Region, and the City Year national office. Site supervision includes the functional areas of student impact and school partnerships, revenue generation, expense management, management and retention of AmeriCorps members and staff, and site board development and relations. Our Executive Directors embody our core values and must have the firm belief that education has the power to help all students reach their full potential and a passion for increasing our nation's graduation rates. To successfully execute the job's core responsibilities, a successful Executive Director must demonstrate the following behaviors: Build and forge partnerships and coalitions with diverse stakeholders to advance the cause of educational equity Mobilize internal and external stakeholders towards a bold vision of how they can impact the lives of young people Build and empower teams to fully own their functions while driving accountability and ta ke personal responsibility for their success Build community and foster a caring and supportive environment with sense of connection and belonging Demonstrate curiosity and humility as a life-long learner who seeks out diverse perspectives and opportunities for self-improvement Possess a deep sense of personal accountability to ensure the success of both City Year Chicago locally and City Year, Inc. nationally Connect with and inspire diverse teams of AmeriCorps Members between the ages of 18 and 25 Through these lenses, the Executive Director will focus on the following primary areas of responsibility: People and Culture : Lead, coach, and develop 54 full-time staff members, increase staff engagement (70% or greater) and retention of staff year over year (staff turnover 25 % or less). Establish a dynamic culture that embodies our core values of inclusivity and teamwork. Further develop site human resources structures to ensure equitable hiring and promotion practices. AmeriCorps Member Experience : Ensure the site delivers a transformational experience for all City Year AmeriCorps members, where at least 93 percent of AmeriCorps members persist from confirmation to completion of service and 80% of AmeriCorps members report feeling prepared and confident in their service delivery. Student Impact : In partnership with senior site staff and regional support staff, the ED will ensure high quality and commitment to the nationally developed service delivery model implemented by City Year AmeriCorps members in partner elementary, middle, and high schools. Private Sector Fundraising, Cultivation, and Stewardship : Serve as chief fundraiser and lead site staff and local advisory board to motivate key influencers to raise the funds necessary to meet annual and long-term revenue goals by leveraging national revenue and stewardship strategies. Develop a plan to increase private sector revenue in order to keep pace with public sector revenue (goal is 50/50.) Identify, cultivate, solicit, and manage strategic relationships with corporations, foundations, family foundations and individuals in order to build a sustainable private revenue mix that results in annual revenue of at least $ 5M . School/District Investments: Sustain transformational partnerships with existing district and school leadership and cultivate new transformational partnerships with leaders of future school partners. Negotiate contracts that result in sustained annual revenue of at least $ 3M . Financial Management: Ensure City Year Chicago raises three percent more than it spends annually by managing fiscally-sound budget, forecasting, expense management, and cash flow for a current site budget of $12M . Board Member Engagement : Recruit, develop, and manage a diverse, dynamic and deeply engage d local advisory board to build and execute a multi-year site strategic plan focused on local fundraising efforts, community engagement and brand awareness while also contributing to the success of the national organization. Ensure cultivation and engagement of future board leadership. Government Relations and Public Policy : Engage local and national elected officials – Governor, Mayor, City Council, local and state school board representatives, Illinois State Legislature, and members of U.S. Congress - to support funding and policies for City Year and the national service movement. Maintain effective and collaborative relationship with AmeriCorps state commission Serve Illinois; oversee the preparation of effective AmeriCorps grant applications and progress reports and meet performance and compliance requirements associated therein. AmeriCorps Member Recruitment : Collaborate with City Year's national recruitment and admissions team to ensure site recruits, selects, and admits AmeriCorps members within the regional framework, meeting quality, quantity, and inclusivity goals. Partner with site staff to ensure a strong cohort returns annually for a second year of service, with at least 40% of first year members applying for a second year of service. Alumni Engagement: Ensure the development of local alumni board to leverage alumni to support AmeriCorps members in service and continue their lifetime of service. Marketing and Communications : Lead the site in increasing visibility and brand awareness of City Year's work in local and national media, social media and marketing channels by developing and leveraging local relationships. In Chicago, the top priorities include: Ensuring financial solvency of City Year Chicago by growing the current community of champions and financial investors to meet existing revenue goals and ensure future expansion into Chicago area schools. Lead ing local site board and recruiting diverse talent to the board to support future financial sustainability and growth w hile increasing brand awareness and recognition of City Year in the local community. Fu rther advance the site's commitment to diversity, equity, inclusivity and belonging by investing in people, culture, community, and partnerships while prioritizing inclusive and equitable systems, processes, and practices. Deepening public sector relationships with emphasis on the City of Chicago and the Chicago Board of Education and establish relationships with key members of the administration, city council and school board. QUALIFICATIONS Strong ability and experience in the behaviors listed above Strong competency in diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging work; emotional intelligence, and experience and comfort worki ng with underserved communities Demonstrated success managing effective and engaged teams, including managing through multiple layers of leadership Proven skills in influencing and motivating stakeholders; track record in fundraising from corporations, foundations and major gifts and/or sales Ability to connect programs to funding, creatively generating other resources, and building collabora tive and strategic partnerships Strong communication, listening, and public speaking skills needed to powerfully represent City Year's mission and vision Ability to attend evening and weekend events; ability to travel to in-person meetings in various cities quarterly Significant local non-profit, volunteer, or multi-sector experience preferred An established cross-sector, local network a plus Knowledge of Chicago and Chicago educational landscape preferred Content knowledge of K-12 education, youth development, and/or community or national service a strong plus TO APPLY Deadline to apply is Monday, July 15; applications accepted on a rolling basis after this date. Please submit your cover letter and resume via the online application. Compensation and Benefits Full time employees are entitled to compensation commensurate with experience. Benefits for full time employees include health insurance with Flexible Spending Account, paid vacation, holidays, parental leave, 401K, and more. City Year is an Equal Opportunity Employer, committed to a diverse workforce. Individuals from all backgrounds are encouraged to apply, including persons with disabilities and veterans.
City Year Chicago, IL, USA Full-time
Principal, Rowe-Clark Math & Science Academy (2019-20) Featured
$120,000 yearly
Overview Founded in 2007, Rowe-Clark Math and Science Academy serves 450 high school students as a campus of the Noble Network of Charter Schools (Noble) in the West Humboldt Park neighborhood of Chicago. Rowe-Clark's mission is to prepare students for college graduation and purposeful citizenship by exhibiting ambitious scholarship, self-discipline, honorable character, and a fit lifestyle. As the first STEM campus, Rowe-Clark has produced impressive student growth, a 100% college acceptance rate, and earned a level 1 SQRP rating. Rowe-Clark Math and Science Academy has grown to be a top high school choice for students on the west side of Chicago. The current principal is assuming a new leadership role within Noble, which presents a unique opportunity to lead one of the highest-performing charter high schools in the country alongside an incredible staff of over 70 educators as the school continues to drive excellence in college preparatory education in Chicago. The new school leader would assume responsibility as principal in the 2019-20 school year with an opportunity to transition earlier to begin planning and development for the role. About Noble Noble is Chicago's highest-performing and largest network of public charter high schools. Our 18 schools and 1,400 employees currently serve over 12,300 students, 98% of whom are students of color, 89% low-income, and 83% first-generation college goers. The School Quality and Rating Policy scores for the Chicago Public Schools rated Noble campuses as ten of the top fifteen public high schools in the city. We believe our people are the most valuable asset in preparing our students to be successful in college and lead exemplary lives. Our Why: Mission Noble is a catalyst for educational equity in Chicago that empowers students with the scholarship, discipline, and honor necessary to succeed in college and lead exemplary lives. Our What: Results Noble defines results as ensuring that our schools are the best in the country at preparing our students to be college ready, the best place for students to attend school, and the best place for our staff to work. We measure our success against this commitment to results by continuously looking at metrics within the following six dimensions: School Culture Academic Results Staff Engagement Student Retention Fiscal Integrity College Persistence The strong supports and accountability to delivering on these outcomes is at the core of what is expected of a Noble principal and what has made Noble among the nation's leaders in education. Our How : Ideal Principal Competencies Noble's 18 principals are a cohesive and impressive community of leaders. The core competencies we are seeking in the next person to join this team include: Values: Principals exemplify Noble's core values of results; respect; follow-through; diversity, equity, and inclusion; and humility and self-awareness. Performance: Principals inspire, protect, and deliver continuously improving excellence in Noble's six core outcomes. Talent: Principals attract, hire, train, and develop a diverse and mission-driven team of people. Management: Principals create and uphold clear roles, responsibilities, and performance metrics for all team members in alignment to the campus vision. Prioritization: Principals select the right priorities and execute on them effectively. Compensation The role of a principal is arguably among the most challenging jobs in the country. We know that to deliver on our why, what, and how for families, students, and staff we must provide a highly competitive salary for principals. Total compensation, including base salary and bonus, is expected at $145,000. In addition to salary, and a mission-driven high-performance culture, Noble is proud of the competitive health, financial, and wellness benefits provided all employees. Application Process We strongly value the input of the campus staff, school community, and the broader principal team in determining the next leader of Butler College Prep. The process has been designed to be rigorous, inclusive, and informative. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis. Please direct inquiries about this role to: [email protected] Non-Discrimination At Noble, our mission is to be a catalyst for educational equity in the city of Chicago that empowers students with the scholarship, discipline, and honor necessary to succeed in college and lead exemplary lives. We know that we only fulfill this mission if we are the best place for a diverse mix of driven, reflective, and innovative educators to come, stay, and do their best work nurturing college-ready students. That is why Noble is proud to be an equal opportunity employer, making all employment decisions, including recruiting, hiring, training, and promoting without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, veteran status or any other characteristic or classification protected by law.
Noble Network of Charter Schools 3645 W Chicago Ave, Chicago, IL 60651 Full-time
Chief Transformation Officer Featured
The Chief Transformation Officer is the District's research and design leader, responsible for identifying and scaling creative ideas that work throughout the district, in partnership with our community. In addition, the Chief Transformation Officer (CTO) is responsible for setting the vision, direction, and strategic plan for Innovative School Models and serving as the point-person for Transformation Initiatives throughout the district. Additionally, this person must be able to collect, analyze and use multiple sources of data, including research related to the design and implementation of new school models, to guide continuous improvement of schools. Quality school leadership is one of the leading factors determining student achievement. In addition to the overall vision setting and strategic planning for the innovative school models, the CTO will develop a "Call for Quality Schools," and subsequent creation of innovative and specialized school models, as well as the management and communications support to an identified portfolio of innovation schools. The CTO will support resource sharing within the network and across the district and will build the leadership capacity of the district. The CTO will be the owner and driver of our partnerships, including The Holdsworth Center, The New Teacher Project, and System of Great Schools, to support district-wide leadership development initiatives. About Aldine ISD Aldine Independent School District is located 17 miles north of downtown Houston, Texas. It encompasses more than 111 square miles of land in both urban and rural environments. The district's student population exceeds 65,000. In addition, our student population is ethnically rich, and our staff demographics are as diverse as our students. The needs of our students are also diverse. Around 85% of our students are classified as economically disadvantaged. The district employs more than 10,000 people in a variety of roles. Aldine ISD is committed to implementing evidence-based, innovative, and transformative school and program models to ensure all students have access to learning environments that meet their need . Qualifications Education/Certification : Master's degree from an accredited four (4) year college or university Valid Mid-Management, Administrator, or Principal Certification or the ability to become Texas certificated Candidate must have satisfactory outcome of fingerprinting background check. Special Knowledge and Skills: Demonstrated leadership skills Ability to problem solve, think critically and manage conflicts Ability to manage budget and personnel Ability to collect, analyze and use multiple sources of data Strong organizational, communication, strategic planning and interpersonal skills Strong interest in urban education and driving improvement in student achievement Work collaboratively to build consensus while also delivering exceptional results Inspire, manage and collaborate with a wide variety of internal and external stakeholders at all levels Be flexible, resilient and adaptable to changing priorities Knowledge and expertise in writing grants Experience: Five (5) years preferred successful experience as a principal or district-level administrative leader Experience working collaboratively across key departments of a school district Central office experience supervising principals preferred Experience in research related to the design and implementation of new and specialized school models Experience working with both elementary and secondary level schools and programs Qualities of an Effective Chief Transformation Officer: Demonstrate a high level of personal integrity, a collaborative leadership style and high ethical standards Maintain an unwavering belief that all students can excel and has a commitment to high performance standards Keep informed of and comply with state, district, and campus policies affecting daily attendance, punctuality and confidentiality Comply with the Texas Educator Code of Ethics Major Responsibilities and Duties (The following statements describe the general purpose and responsibilities assigned and should not be construed as a list of all responsibilities, skills, efforts, or working conditions that may be assigned or skills that may be required .) District Climate: Facilitate communication and collaboration among campus administrators and district departmental leaders to enhance service delivery, program development and customer satisfaction, particularly around innovative school models and programs Set the vision and strategic plan for the district's innovative and specialized school models and programs Serve as the district's expert on innovative and specialized school models and new approaches to teaching and learning Champion the creation of new school models and the redesign of existing schools that require extensive cross-departmental collaboration and internal consensus Create and sustain a network of local and national partnerships that contribute ideas and energy to the district's innovative and specialized school models Organizational Leadership: Work closely with the superintendent and cabinet to ensure that the Office of Transformation is a key driver of student achievement in Aldine Facilitate participation and planning within System of Great Schools cohort Work with key district leaders and external partners to create a vision for and facilitate a "Call for Quality Schools" Work with selected principals to develop and launch new and specialized school models Coordinate with Human Resources Department to strategically deploy teaching teams in coordination with campus principals and in support of innovative and specialized school models Inform and coordinate with stakeholder groups to leverage community assets and evolving opportunities for innovative and specialized school models Provide leadership and direction to assigned innovation campus principals to continuously drive student achievement Serve as liaison between district operations and innovative and / or specialized campuses Work in partnership with the Communications Department to develop buy-in and excitement for innovative and specialized school models with both internal and external stakeholders Organizational Management: Provide administrative direction and leadership for the operational, financial and personnel resources of assigned campuses/departments to effectively support district and campus goals Develop, review and approve campus/departmental operating policies, procedures, and budgets Coordinate and facilitate principal meetings for the portfolio of innovative and specialized schools Manage in-district charter authorizing process Supervisory Responsibilities Supervision of assigned staff Work Environment Mental Demands: This position is "high profile," and may be responsible for handling highly charged public situations as well as interacting with the press Work with frequent interruptions , maintain emotional control under stress Physical Demands/Environmental Factors: May work prolonged or irregular hours; work inside and outside (exposure to sun, heat, cold, and inclement weather), exposure to noise; frequent districtwide and occasional statewide travel Tools/Equipment Used: Standard office equipment including personal computer and peripherals. Posture: Frequent sitting and standing; occasional bending/stooping, pushing, /pulling, and twisting Motion: Repetitive hand motions; frequent keyboarding and use of mouse ; occasional reaching Lifting: Occasional light lifting and carrying (less than 15 pounds) It is the policy of Aldine ISD not to discriminate or engage in harassment on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability, or any other legally protected status in its educational and vocational programs, services or activities or matters related to employment as required by Title VI and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended; Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972; Age Discrimination in Employment Act; Americans with Disabilities Act, as amended; and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended.
Aldine Independent School District Houston, TX, USA Full-time
Director of Development Featured
Two Rivers Public Charter School is seeking a dedicated, entrepreneurial, and highly organized leader to become part of its vibrant educational community. The Director of Development is responsible for envisioning, planning, and directing all of Two Rivers' fundraising, including the major gifts program, annual fund, special events, and capital campaigns. The Director reports to the Executive Director and collaborates with the Director of External Relations in all development and fundraising endeavors. About Two Rivers Two Rivers Public Charter School serves a diverse group of learners across three locations in Wards 5 and 6. Staff at Two Rivers create an exciting educational environment in which students and staff become a community of learners on a journey of discovery. Two Rivers uses the EL Education model, which emphasizes interactive, hands-on, project-based learning. The school focuses on the whole child, recognizing the importance of character education and the social-emotional needs of children while helping them achieve academic excellence. The Two Rivers staff shares a strong belief that all children can learn and be high achievers. The curriculum at Two Rivers is rigorous, standards-based, and provides opportunities for students to excel in all areas. An integrated arts program and a content-based Spanish program augment the school's demanding academic program. These elements come together through learning expeditions that allow students to incorporate and apply their classroom learning through real world experiences. The mission of Two Rivers is to nurture a diverse group of students to become lifelong, active participants in their own education, develop a sense of self and community, and become responsible and compassionate members of society. Responsibilities include, but are not limited to: Strategic Oversight • Lead the school's annual, strategic, and capital campaign fundraising initiatives • Oversee the school's fundraising database, ensuring the timely recordation of gift and donor activity as well as the development of accurate reports that inform fundraising strategies and decision-making • Establish and track performance metrics that evaluate the effectiveness of the school's fundraising program • Supervise and support the Director of Foundations and Grants and Development Associate in meeting individual and shared goals • Oversee the school's foundation relations program Personal Fundraising • Collaborate with the Director of External Relations to create a clear vision for the major gifts program , including identification, cultivation, and solicitation of major donors • Support the Director of External Relations in cultivating major gifts among external stakeholders (e.g. corporations, individuals not directly affiliated with Two Rivers, etc.) • Meet prospective donors and supporters on a continual basis to ensure effective communications • Manage the annual giving program, Beyond the Basics, and outline strategies to solicit and steward gifts from a wide variety of constituents, including parents and families, Board members, and others. • Fully engage members of the Board of Trustees in fundraising activities, serving as an ex-officio member of the development committee and providing Trustees with the tools, knowledge, and motivation to serve as full partners of the development team • Leverage marketing materials and publications to support fundraising activities Leveraging Special Events • Direct and support the school's volunteer Gala Co-chairs, providing guidance and expertise to ensure the continued success and growth of the annual Framing the Future fundraising event • Focus and deepen the school's cultivation program through initiatives including but not limited to campus tours, student showcase events, house parties, thank-a-thons, and other engagement vehicles to ensure the school builds personal and meaningful relationships with its prospects and donors Qualifications • Belief in the Two Rivers mission and educational model • Minimum of 5 years of experience in a professional fundraising setting • Experience in individual giving, including campaign and major gift solicitations, as well as foundation and corporate relations • Excellent written and verbal communication skills; able to write and speak persuasively about the organization to various constituencies • Exceptional project management skills, including designing, implementing and tracking multiple campaigns and programs • Demonstrated success in leading volunteers and working with boards and committees • Prior experience in education, especially independent or charter schools, is desirable • Understanding of database management systems and moves management principles; a working knowledge of Salesforce or similar software is desirable • Experience in developing a budget and tracking and measuring results • Ability and desire to work in a fast-paced, disciplined, but sometimes unpredictable school environment • Willingness and ability to work evenings and weekends when/as necessary • Bachelors or higher degree from an accredited college or university Compensation We offer a competitive compensation package and a comprehensive package of benefits. Two Rivers is an equal opportunity employer. We evaluate all applicants without unlawful consideration of race, religion, age, color, sex, national origin, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, or any other basis prohibited by applicable law
Two Rivers Public Charter School Washington, DC, USA Full-time
Principal - Head of School Featured
Organization Overview: Blyth-Templeton Academy is making 21st century learning and outcomes accessible to all by building a family of quality, affordable private schools. The BTA model provides a boutique high school experience that positions extraordinary, empathetic full-time and adjunct teaching talent to use block teaching and the city as a campus to maximize learning and minimize tuition. Founded in 2015 in Capitol Hill, Blyth-Templeton Academy is a powerful answer to the question of what school should look like to position high school graduates to thrive in college, career and life in the 21st century. With an average class size of eight, and a maximum school side of 125, BTA's academic program is built around three academic blocks of two hours and twenty minutes that foster deeper and experiential learning. While other schools spend millions every year on facilities, and increase tuition accordingly, BTA utilizes D.C.'s thousands of extraordinary educational assets as its campus—easily accessed from our home in the historic Hill Center, two blocks from the Eastern Market Metro. Please visit www.blythtempleton.org for additional details. Position Summary: We are seeking a dynamic, entrepreneurial educator to continue to build an educational environment that combines solid academic standards, differentiated instruction and a caring and empathetic culture that is responsive to individual student needs. In this role, she/he will be responsible for the recruitment of faculty and students, the continued development of the physical space and the model. Your role as Head of School is more than a manager of the campus, but rather you are the leader of a team designed to surround and support the student. Key Responsibilities Mission Alignment Believe deeply in BTA's mission and build an organization worthy of that mission. Personal commitment to preparing 21st century learners. Student-Driven Academic Environment Oversee student safety, agency, and outcomes as well as the daily operation of the school. Dedicated to creating an environment within the campus that fosters an atmosphere where students and teachers can experience innovative, supportive and experiential learning. Strong Culture Builder & Leader of Adults Manage a small but nimble team consisting of the Academy Dean and Operations Coordinator, as well as the campus budget. Cultivate a culture of "Excellence in Teaching," and a healthy school atmosphere that defines, supports, achieves and articulates extraordinary student outcomes. Recruit, coach and retain effective teachers as required, working to ensure exceptional course outlines, assessment and evaluation. External & Community Relationships Drive student recruitment in a way that ensures BTA remains socio-economically and culturally diverse by design. Serve as the primary spokesperson for the school in the D.C. community with regards to parents, advocates and other school leaders. Additional Responsibilities: Assist with curriculum development and manage teacher training for the campus. Conduct student entry interviews drawing upon input from Admissions and the President. Work with the Dean to interface with parents and families with respect to issues (absences, behavior) as required. Maintain appropriate liaison with local landlord and service providers as required. Oversee the learning management and student information systems on a per term basis including transcript updates. Ensure that ongoing student reporting requirements are met, as well as compliance with all company and accreditation policies and procedures as they affect the campus. Work with the Director of Community Service on campus-wide community service initiatives and events. Prepare and execute campus orientation programs, information sessions and other special events. Assist in counseling students in secondary course selection over an academic year of four two-month terms. Assist in counseling students on post-secondary plan including university applications. Qualifications: A love of learning, entrepreneurial spirit, and unsurpassed written and oral communications. This is a position for an independent learner who is committed to student-centered, experiential learning; someone who likes to experiment, evaluate and improve on everything they do; someone who has a deep respect for all young people; someone who has empathy for the challenges they face in their lives. In addition, we seek inspired individuals with: Undergraduate degree, Masters degree preferred. Minimum of 5 years teaching experience. Significant education management experience, proven school leaders preferred. Excellent communication and interpersonal skills. Strong leadership skills and proven track record of working effectively at the secondary school level. Excellent computer skills. The ability to flourish in a fast-paced environment. Compensation: Salary is commensurate with experience. In order to attract highly qualified candidates, we offer a competitive benefits package, including base salary, equity options, health care benefits and professional development opportunities. Blyth-Templeton Academy is an equal opportunity employer.
Blyth-Templeton Academy Washington, DC, USA Full-time
Grants and Reporting Finance Analyst Featured
Organizational Overview Rocketship Public Schools is a network of public K-5 charter schools serving primarily low-income students in neighborhoods where access to excellent schools is limited . Using a blend of traditional instruction, adaptive technology and targeted tutoring, Rocketship strives to meet the unique needs of each and every student. But we believe that truly transformative schools do more than education students; they empower teachers, engage parents and inspire communities. Together, we can eliminate the achievement gap in our lifetime. The Position The Grants and Reporting Finance Analyst will be responsible for managing and analyzing financial federal and state educational grant programs. They will support budgeting, forecasting and reporting. The ideal candidate is proficient in Excel, comfortable working with financial data, has an understanding of generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) , and experience using SaaS financial reporting systems. In addition, this person will be joining a team environment with collaborative and cross functional working relationships. Key Responsibilities Lead in the application processes, ongoing reporting and researching of key federal and state education grants Analyze grant sources along with timing and reconciliation of funding, reviewing accounting information detail Support in the development and maintenance of financial models for purposes of budgeting and forecasting Assist in developing content and procedures for timely and actionable report preparation across Finance Analyze and report monthly grant financial results and provide detailed reports and feedback for internal and external stakeholders Experience working under monthly closing deadlines Qualifications Commitment and passion for Rocketship's mission, vision, and goals 3-5 + years of experience working in accounting or finance Bachelor's degree in Finance, Economics or Accounting (strong knowledge of GAAP required) Strong understanding of financial statements Advanced Microsoft Excel skills Experience with Accounting systems Strong attention to detail and ability to work independently & within a team environment Excellent written and verbal communication skills Experience working for a cause or an organization that is bigger than oneself, and being an Activist for the Organization Work Location This role is primarily based out of our Redwood City, CA national office Remote working is available one to two days per week Compensation This is a full time, exempt position. Commensurate with qualifications and experience, plus excellent health and welfare benefits, 403b retirement plan, flexible spending account (FSA), flexible work location/schedule, and generous paid time off. Rocketship Education provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, marital status, amnesty, or status as a covered veteran in accordance with applicable federal, state and local laws. Rocketship Education complies with applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment in every location in which the company has facilities. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including, but not limited to, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training. Rocketship Education expressly prohibits any form of unlawful employee harassment based on race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, age, genetic information, disability, or veteran status.
Rocketship Public Schools Redwood City, CA, USA Full-time
Deputy Director, Alumni & Network Impact Featured
The Broad Center in Los Angeles is looking for a dedicated, innovative Deputy Director, Alumni & Network Impact (ANI). Working closely with a passionate, high-achieving network of more than 800 alumni across the country. You will: Provide direct career advancement and career navigation support to very senior educational leaders - Chief, CEO, Assistant Superintendent, and Superintendent level individuals Develop new approaches to individual career supports and professional development. You will play a critical role in working to scale these supports as the network continues to expand Leading candidates have: Passion and commitment to transforming K-12 public education 7 - 10 years of professional experience Experience supporting the work of senior leadership team members in a staff role (e.g. Chief of Staff, or Special Assistant) Experience in a leadership track role in a central/home office role in a district or charter management organization Experience managing a Leadership Development program or a Talent Development function in an organization. Our Why We prepare and support remarkable, dedicated professionals who create conditions to empower good teachers to do great work so all students can learn and thrive. For 15 years, The Broad Center has been at the center of our nation's efforts to provide every student with a world-class public education. At our core, we believe every public school system should be and can be an engine of excellence and equity. America's students deserve nothing less. Doing this work requires diverse leadership by team members who share the same belief. This belief is paramount to the team at The Broad Center, and we are inspired to make a difference by creating a growing network of experienced leaders and managers who are rising to this challenge. Our work will be done when every family in every community can send their child to a great public school that meets that student's every need. Until then, our team and our alumni network won't rest. For more information, visit our website at www.broadcenter.org . What We Do The Broad Center is a nonprofit organization that recruits, trains and supports talented leaders from across America to transform urban public school systems. Our programs—The Broad Academy and The Broad Residency in Urban Education—prepare these professionals to put their skills and know-how to work and make student learning the primary driver of every central office dollar and decision. In public school districts, charter management organizations and state departments of education, more than 800 members of The Broad Center's network are working with educators, parents and community leaders to help schools soar. Regardless of the setting, Broad Center alumni are aligned around a common vision: creating the kinds of environments that enable teachers to do great work and students of all backgrounds to learn and thrive. The Alumni & Network Impact ("ANI") team is dedicated to supporting this vision by increasing the impact of alumni individually and collectively. Specifically, ANI focuses on creating impactful learning experiences, and providing career support and development. Through a portfolio approach (e.g., best-in-class coaching, study-trips, content-rich convenings) they deliver opportunities for alumni to collaborate, share best practices, continue learning, and remain inspired. About the Position This is an ideal opportunity for someone with a passion for increasing student achievement for children all across this nation by transforming urban public education systems. This position will be responsible for direct network member support, development and implementation of strategies, systems and processes to increase high-quality individual career supports and professional development, while building for scale of an increasingly growing alumni community. Our mission is to positively impact millions of children by improving K-12 public education. This is a difficult mission and requires the dedication of tireless, creative, smart people who enjoy operating in a fast-paced environment. The ideal candidate is a self-motivated, over-achiever with strong initiative who thrives on a small team as an individual contributor and team member. What You'll Own This role supports the ongoing growth and impact of our program alumni in a number of ways, including: Direct Alumni Support Build and maintain strong relationships with alumni consisting of CEOs / superintendents and cabinet-level leaders in urban school districts, charter management organizations, state departments of education and other K-12 educational organizations Identify career and professional development opportunities to support ongoing growth in leadership, knowledge and functional skills Support self-assessment, self-awareness and development through 360-degree feedback, coaching and mentoring to provide insights on work-related issues and inform career plans Implement systems and strategies that allow alumni to shadow one another, share best-practices, provide mutual inspiration and draw from the collective wisdom of the network Work closely with the senior director, managing director and ANI Career Supports team to provide direct support to CEOs / superintendents and cabinet-level leaders as driven by their context and needs Work closely with other Broad Center colleagues to provide mutual support and alignment and help identify areas of focus for TBC events Talent: Career, Professional Development and Engagement Services Assess current offering of career, professional development and engagement services; develop clear recommendations for service enhancements and efficiencies, as well as for prioritization, implementation and codifying of processes while making continuous improvement and opportunities for automation through leveraging technology. Constantly working to better understand network member needs, behaviors and impact to better inform relevant career, professional development and engagement services through participation in shadow days, ANI convenings, The Broad Academy and The Broad Residency sessions and recruitment / selection activities Strategic Planning, Special Projects and Project Management Develop and implement long and short-range plans to set ambitious yet achievable goals to ensure structures are in place to drive work forward, revisit and revise as relevant Lead special projects and provide support related to ensuring how to best serve network members, ANI team strategies and TBC organizational goals Ensure high-quality project management and application of knowledge, skills and tools to meet project objectives The statements in this description represent typical elements criteria, and general work performed. They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required for the job What You'll Need A passion and demonstrated commitment to transforming K-12 public education; experience working in a school district, charter management organization, or state department of education a plus Demonstrates a growth mindset and constantly seeks challenges 10+ years of professional work experience 20-25% travel requirement Bachelor's degree required; graduate degree a plus Deep content knowledge of the levers for improvement of K-12 urban education systems An understanding of the roles, challenges and opportunities of school system leaders A track record of successfully leading complex multi-stakeholder projects and teams Ability to provide, proactively seek out and act on feedback Exceptional written and verbal communication skills with executive audience Proven ability to form relationships and credibility with a diverse set of people quickly and consistently Strong critical thinking skills with the flexibility to respond to shifting priorities and new opportunities The ability to work in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial, deadline-driven environment often managing multiple tasks and projects simultaneously Ability to thrive on a small team as an individual contributor and team member Employment is contingent upon a thorough background and reference check. You must be legally entitled to work in the United States. What We Offer We are pleased to provide full-time permanent team members with: Competitive salary, vacation and 401(k) retirement savings plan with a generous employer match Employer contributions to medical, dental, vision and life insurance plans Pre-tax commuter benefits Flexible spending accounts for medical and family care expenses Free access to an on-site gym and a steady supply of nutritious snacks in our shared kitchen Join our team As a member of The Broad Center team, you'll work alongside sharp, driven colleagues who have a sense of humor matched with generosity of spirit. We will only contact applicants chosen for further consideration. To apply, please visit http://bit.ly/tbcdeputydirani
Stronger Consulting<|fim_middle|> Responsibilities include: Serve as out-sourced CFO for a portfolio of charter schools Prepare monthly financial statements and presentations for school clients Assist schools with budget planning process Serve as a business consultant to school to analyze, model, and solve problems on a wide range of business issues Assist schools with a variety of business-related issues Assist with grants management, accounts payable, payroll Qualifications: 2 to 5 years of work experience, preferably in a related field Strong MS Excel skills and financial modeling (familiarity with accounting software a plus) Financial analysis and problem solving skills MBA, MPP, MPA, CMA or other advanced degree with analytical focus. Strong client communication and interpersonal skills Thorough, detail-oriented and quality-conscious individual who can balance multiple assignments Commitment to education and knowledge of charter schools a major plus Ability to travel within D.C. occasionally and work non-standard hours to attend evening board meetings, etc. Start date is flexible. Please send resume + cover letter to [email protected] EdOps is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
EdOps Washington, DC, USA Full-time
Charter School Performance Data Specialist Featured
We are looking for a business-oriented individual who excels at working with clients in diverse organizations. The position involves working with multiple charter school clients with their student data analytics and management. The position is ideal for an individual looking to apply business/analytical skills in a growing company working to improve public education. Responsibilities include: Conduct statistical analysis of school clients' student achievement data Summarize and analyze information for statistical reports to school leadership Maintain and utilize core functions of school clients' student information systems Identify and implement means for schools to more efficiently utilize their student information systems to support overall student and organizational performance Ensure that school is meeting all compliance requirements related to student data Advise schools on student accounting procedures and regulations Qualifications: Experience in data migration to include data mapping and data profiling Experience in managing large scale projects Programming proficiency in a subset of Python, R, VBA, and/or Java; proficiency in SPSS or SAS a plus Experience with data visualization tools, such as Qlik and Tableau Advanced Excel, including lookup and parsing functions Ability to translate data into understandable action steps, and to communicate concisely and persuasively with education clients Please send resume + cover letter to [email protected] EdOps is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
EdOps Washington D.C., DC, USA Full-time
EdOps New York, NY, USA Full-time
EdOps Kansas City, MO, USA Full-time
PrincipalRobert M. Bracker Elementary Robert M. Bracker Elementary School is a K-5 elementary school with a diverse student population; the proud home of the Dolphins. It is a school with a record of high academic achievement and has received recognition as a National Blue Ribbon School. Responsibilities include: working independently under broad organizational policies to achieve organizational objectives; managing major organizational components; and supervising the use of funds. Utilization of resources from other work units is often required to perform the position's functions. Essential Functions Advocates for the school, district and public education (e.g. responsive to parents and community, creates a welcoming climate and culture, markets school programs) for the purpose of encouraging and promoting community involvement and outreach.Composes a wide variety of materials (e.g. quantity reports, student activities, correspondence, etc.) for the purpose of documenting activities, providing written reference and/or conveying information.Delegate responsibility for a variety of administrative functions to school personnel for the purpose of managing the workload more efficiently.Directs curriculum and instruction on campus (e.g. enforces grade level standards, provides opportunities for enrichment and intervention, encourages differentiated instruction for all students, creates and supports learning communities, sets high expectations, educational leader) for the purpose of increasing student achievement. Evaluates assigned personnel for the purpose of ensuring that standards are achieved and performance is maximized. Facilitates communication between personnel, students and/or parents for the purpose of evaluating situations, solving problems and/or resolving conflicts. Implements policies, procedures and/or processes for the purpose of providing direction and/or complying with mandated requirements. Instructional Leader for the site and District (e.g. responsible for student achievement, focused conversations with teachers, daily classroom visits, shares and models effective teaching strategies, confronts classroom mediocrity) for the purpose of providing support to site staff in order to increase student achievement. Manages school administrative functions (e.g. facility maintenance, budget, staffing, attends extracurricular activities, monitors transportation services provided to students, etc.) for the purpose of maintaining safe and efficient school operations within district guidelines. Model for all staff (e.g. develops personal growth plans for self and all staff, ensures quality staff development at school site, creates and supports learning communities, uses and models use of technology, models behaviors of a life-long learner) for the purpose of creating an environment where staff and students are successful. Presents information (e.g. budget overviews, accounting processes, distribution formulas, school improvement plan, etc.) for the purpose of communicating information, gaining feedback and ensuring adherence to established internal controls. Promotes use of assessment data (e.g. monitors student progress, conducts and uses assessment date to guide instruction, uses academic support systems) for the purpose of increasing student achievement. Represents the school within community forums for the purpose of maintaining ongoing community support for educational goals and/or assisting with issues related to school environment. Supervises school personnel for the purpose of monitoring performance, providing for professional growth and achieving overall objectives of school's curriculum. Other Functions Assists other personnel for the purpose of supporting them in the completion of their work activities. Chairs meetings (e.g. curriculum, safety, site advisory, special district committees, etc.) for the purpose of coordinating activities and ensuring that outcomes achieve school, district and/or state objectives. Position Requirements: Minimum Qualifications Education: Master's Degree in Educational Leadership/Administration or Curriculum and Instruction or related field. Certificates & Licenses: Arizona Principal Certification Experience: Five years teaching experience. Demonstrated experience in culturally diverse educational setting. Any equivalent combination of training, education or experience that meets the minimum requirements is qualifying. SKILLS: analytical skills, applying assessment instruments, interpersonal skills, planning and managing projects, preparing and maintaining accurate records, promoting child centered environment, quality customer service skills, verbal and written communication skills - to include verbal, written, listening and processing skills, supervisory and management skills, diplomacy skills and organizational skills . KNOWLEDGE: advanced math; read technical information, compose a variety of documents, and/or facilitate group discussions; and analyze situations to define issues and draw conclusions. Knowledge of age appropriate activities, effective practices, and technology, working knowledge of budgets and funding, bilingual (English/Spanish) preferred, pertinent codes, policies, regulations and/or laws, stages of child development, working knowledge of school system to include classroom experience. ABILITY: schedule activities, meetings, and/or events; routinely gather, collate, and/or classify data; and consider a number of factors when using equipment. Flexibility is required to independently work with others in a wide variety of circumstances; analyze data utilizing a variety of complex processes; and operate equipment using a variety of standardized methods. Ability is also required to work with a significant diversity of individuals and/or groups; work with data of widely varied types and/or purposes; and utilize a variety of position-related equipment. In working with others, independent problem solving is required to analyze issues and create action plans. Problem solving with data requires analysis based on organizational objectives; and problem solving with equipment is moderate. Specific abilities required to satisfactorily perform the functions of the position include: assess learning outcomes, and adapt curriculum and programs to meet needs of students consistently, flexibility to meet needs of students, staff and parents, able to address the learning styles of all students, ability to provide an effective learning environment that encourages student based motivation, communicating with culturally diverse groups, students, staff and parents, creating and maintaining climate of respect, establishing effective relationships, ability to promote a positive learning environment for students that involves staff and parents to promote high student achievement, utilizing current technology, working as part of a team, working with detailed information/data from various sources, and ability to be an advocate for the site. Category: Education , Keywords: School Principal
NOGALES UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT/NOGALES UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT Tucson, AZ, USA Full-time | Inc Los Angeles, CA, USA Full-time
High School Principal - Butler College Prep (Chicago) Featured
Overview Founded in 2013, Butler College Prep serves over 600 high school students as a campus of the Noble Network of Charter Schools (Noble) in the Pullman neighborhood of Chicago. With a focus on arts and social justice alongside a college preparatory education, Butler College Prep has produced impressive student growth, a 100% college acceptance rate, and earned a level 1 SQRP rating. In addition to top-of-city results, Butler has led the way at Noble in creating a diverse teaching staff and building a joy and pride-filled student culture. Butler College Prep has grown to be a top high school choice for students on the far south side of Chicago. This is a unique opportunity to lead one of the highest performing charter high schools in the country alongside an incredible staff of over 70 educators as the school continues to drive excellence in college preparatory education in Chicago. The new school leader would assume responsibility as principal in the 2019-20 school year with an opportunity to transition earlier to begin planning and development for the role. About Noble Noble is Chicago's highest-performing and largest network of public charter high schools. Our 18 schools and 1,400 employees currently serve over 12,300 students, 98% of whom are students of color, 89% low-income, and 83% first-generation college goers. The School Quality and Rating Policy scores for the Chicago Public Schools rated Noble campuses as ten of the top fifteen public high schools in the city. We believe our people are the most valuable asset in preparing our students to be successful in college and lead exemplary lives. Our Why: Mission Noble is a catalyst for educational equity in Chicago that empowers students with the scholarship, discipline, and honor necessary to succeed in college and lead exemplary lives. Our What: Results Noble defines results as ensuring that our schools are the best in the country at preparing our students to be college ready, the best place for students to attend school, and the best place for our staff to work. We measure our success against this commitment to results by continuously looking at metrics within the following six dimensions: School Culture Academic Results Staff Engagement Student Retention Fiscal Integrity College Persistence The strong supports and accountability to delivering on these outcomes is at the core of what is expected of a Noble principal and what has made Noble among the nation's leaders in education. Our How : Ideal Principal Competencies Noble's 18 principals are a cohesive and impressive community of leaders. The core competencies we are seeking in the next person to join this team include: Values: Principals exemplify Noble's core values of results; respect; follow-through; diversity, equity, and inclusion; and humility and self-awareness. Performance: Principals inspire, protect, and deliver continuously improving excellence in Noble's six core outcomes. Talent: Principals attract, hire, train, and develop a diverse and mission-driven team of people. Management: Principals create and uphold clear roles, responsibilities, and performance metrics for all team members in alignment to the campus vision. Prioritization: Principals select the right priorities and execute on them effectively. Compensation The role of a principal is arguably among the most challenging jobs in the country. We know that to deliver on our why, what, and how for families, students, and staff we must provide a highly competitive salary for principals. Total compensation, including base salary and bonus, is expected at $145,000. In addition to salary, and a mission-driven high-performance culture, Noble is proud of the competitive health, financial, and wellness benefits provided all employees. Application Process We strongly value the input of the campus staff, school community, and the broader principal team in determining the next leader of Butler College Prep. The process has been designed to be rigorous, inclusive, and informative. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis. Please direct inquiries about this role to: [email protected] Non-Discrimination At Noble, our mission is to be a catalyst for educational equity in the city of Chicago that empowers students with the scholarship, discipline, and honor necessary to succeed in college and lead exemplary lives. We know that we only fulfill this mission if we are the best place for a diverse mix of driven, reflective, and innovative educators to come, stay, and do their best work nurturing college-ready students. That is why Noble is proud to be an equal opportunity employer, making all employment decisions, including recruiting, hiring, training, and promoting without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, veteran status or any other characteristic or classification protected by law.
Noble Network of Charter Schools 821 E 103rd St, Chicago, IL 60628 Full-time
Manager of Finance (Quest Preparatory Academy) Featured
ABOUT QUEST Quest Preparatory Academy is a K-8 public charter school in Las Vegas, Nevada. Founded in 2008, Quest is one of the longest-standing and most racially and economically diverse charter schools in Nevada. We serve 500 students in grades K-8 across two campuses. At Quest Preparatory Academy, we believe that every student and their success matters! We strive to cultivate a learning environment where students have optimal opportunities to grow and learn. Our vision is to provide a uniquely designed, academically rigorous, caring and nurturing learning experience in a tuition-free, public school setting. We are a close-knit community of teachers, leaders, and families, committed to providing our diverse student population with the high-quality educational experience that they deserve. If you are willing to go the extra mile to ensure that all students maximize their potential, we encourage you to apply to join our team! KEY DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES The Manager of Finance is responsible and accountable for leading the accounting and budgeting functions for the school. This position reports directly to the Governing Board. Specific responsibilities include: Lead, direct, plan, organize, evaluate, and coordinate a variety of programs, projects, and activities related to Quest financial functions including budget, accounting, external audits, payroll services, attendance accounting, program accounting, accounts payable, and related business systems. Implement programs to ensure the financial stability of the school and develop financial plans and budgets. Prepare, administer, and control the annual general fund budget and all special fund budgets required by the state. Provide technical expertise regarding assigned functions; formulate and develop policies and procedures. Develop and implement long- and short-term plans and activities for assigned areas and the school at-large. Communicate with other administrators, school personnel, and contractors to coordinate activities and programs, resolve issues and conflicts, and exchange information. Establish and maintain internal control. Consult with and advise school leadership regarding legal and procedural requirements of the school's financial management. Participate in negotiations and contracting of major initiatives including insurance, employee group (union) contracts, capital purchases, and other significant acquisitions. Provide guidance on special projects of the school which require financial oversight. Administer and coordinate the technical activities for general ledger accounting, treasury, accounts payable, and payroll and benefits, for all funds of the school. Monitor monthly income and expenditures in order to estimate the ending fund balance for general fund operations. Oversee the creation of monthly or quarterly financial statements for the various other funds of the school. Oversee and coordinate various school audits, including the annual financial audit, the single audit, related state and federal audits, and performance audits, as needed. Oversee and administer the treasury management function, including banking and custodial agreements, debt service management, school receivables, cash, and cash flow projections. Ensure school compliance with various federal, state, and local agencies, including the Internal Revenue Service, the U. S. Census Bureau, the Nevada Department of Education, the Nevada Legislative Counsel Bureau, and the Committee on Local Government Finance in the areas of benefits, taxes, arbitrage, tax shelters, etc. Report progress and recommend necessary action concerning assigned responsibilities to the Governing Board. Audit or review invoices, requisitions, purchase orders, bank deposit slips, or contracts. Assist in verifying and auditing payrolls and maintaining payroll journals, subsidiary ledgers, records, and files. Set up and maintain journals, ledgers, and other records. Prepare journal vouchers and makes adjusting and closing entries. Maintain accounting control records for receipts, disbursements, and balances. Prepare fiscal, statistical, and federal reports and year-end schedules. Perform other duties related to the position, as assigned. QUALIFICATIONS The Manager of Finance role at Quest is a full-time, salaried, 12-month position. Ideal candidates will have the following education and experience: A Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution in business administration, accounting, finance or a related field. MBA, CPA, or related graduate degree is preferred. A minimum of five years of progressively responsible experience in accounting and/or budgeting; and demonstrated understanding and knowledge of accounting and budget procedures and ERP-related system procedures/requirements. At least three years of successful supervisory experience is preferred. Successful experience in administering financial statements and budgets at the school level. Ability to work effectively in cooperation with school staff and representatives of state, federal, local regulatory agencies, and community agencies. Demonstrated understanding of the Nevada Administrative Code and Nevada Revised Statutes. Familiarity with school accounting and finance is a plus. NO PHONE CALLS PLEASE. Quest is an equal opportunity employer. Quest does not knowingly discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, age, disability, or national origin.
TenSquare Las Vegas, NV, USA Full-time
IT Lead Featured
The IT Lead provides direct support to students, teachers, and staff of Noble through the installation, maintenance, troubleshooting, and repair of end-user computing equipment. Under the supervision of the Assistant Director of IT and as part of a fifteen-member team, the IT Lead is primarily responsible for providing frontline/first responder technical support. The members of this team are responsible for resolving "level one" technical issues through in-person/hands-on as well as remote support for thousands of computing devices and hundreds of applications for 1200 employees, 12,000 students, and nineteen locations throughout Chicago (i.e., 17 high school campuses, one middle school campus, the Network Support Team, and Noble Daycare). The ideal candidate has extensive experience with Apple macOS and a demonstrated ability to troubleshoot Apple software and hardware. Experience with supporting iOS is a plus. Cross-platform experience (macOS and Windows) is highly desired but not mandatory. Students at all of our campuses make extensive use of Google Chromebooks, so experience with Google Admin and Chromebook management is also preferred. Noble's computing environment consists of ten Windows campuses and three Apple (macOS and iOS) campuses along with administrative offices and a daycare. This position will focus on support for the Apple campuses while also being at the ready to support any other Noble location, as needed. The IT Lead must be able to reach (and often work from) any Noble location efficiently and without reservation. The campuses, Noble Support Team, and Noble Daycare are located throughout Chicago and can all be reached easily by car. Please visit our website at www.noblenetwork.org to see the locations of our schools. Finally, the IT Lead will occasionally be responsible for responding to technology issues that occur outside of normal business hours and also for staffing occasional weekend and evening projects. A reasonable amount of flexibility to accommodate this need is an essential part of this position. Other responsibilities include: Deliver "straight-A+" technical support to Noble campuses as a key player on a fifteen-member help desk team. Provide courteous, professional, skillful, and expeditious communication and resolution of technical issues. Troubleshoot issues with Apple software and hardware, Microsoft Windows, and Google Admin as well as associated software applications, AV systems, and Phone services. Examples include but are not limited to Exchange, Active Directory, MS Office, iWork, Outlook, VMWare, SCCM, Sophos Antivirus; Symantec Backup Exec, IP Office Voicemail Pro, Airwatch MDM, Deploystudio, and Apple Remote Desktop. Perform basic one-on-one technology training for new employees, as needed. Experience/Education: Staff on the support team have a singular goal: to provide our teachers and students with optimal learning conditions from a technology standpoint each and every day. We exist for our students, teachers, and staff and we remainlaser focused every single day on how we can improve the technology experience for each of these groups. Required Qualifications Have at least two years of relevant technical support experience with Apple software and hardware Experience providing support in a Windows environment Have superior communication skills (written and verbal) Have a sustainable balance between customer service and technical skills Have a positive attitude and be willing to learn Have the ability to multi-task, rearrange priorities, and maintain focus in a fast-paced environment Be reliable, honest, and trustworthy Highly Preferred Qualifications Bachelor's degree and/or recent military experience Any Apple software or hardware certifications Compensation Noble provides competitive salaries depending on candidate qualifications. We also provide health, dental, life and disability insurance, 401k contributions or access to the Chicago Teachers Pension Fund, paid time off, and access to an on-site fitness facility. The Noble Network of Charter Schools is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Applicants must be currently authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis.
Noble Network of Charter Schools 1 North State Street, Chicago, IL, USA Full-time
Vice President of Finance- National (Oakland) Featured
About College Track College Track is a comprehensive college completion program that empowers students from underserved communities to graduate from college. From ninth grade through college graduation, our 10-year program removes the academic, financial, and social-emotional barriers that prevent low-income and first-generation students from earning their college degree. In 1997, we started with 25 students in East Palo Alto, and today, we have ten centers located in underserved communities across California, Colorado, Louisiana, and the D.C. Metro Area with more than 3,000 students on the path to upward social mobility. To learn more, please visit www.collegetrack.org Our Impact College Track students graduate from college at a rate that is more than double the national average for low-income and first-generation students. Five years out of college, our graduates are employed full-time, and over 85% report earnings greater than their parents. By helping our students maximize the value of their four-year college degree, which includes minimizing student loan debt, securing internships, and limiting the need to work while in college--we prepare them to succeed in the 21st century economy. Our Values At College Track, our values drive the way we do our work, and we look for individuals who share our passion. We blend an entrepreneurial spirit with our nonprofit roots, cultivating a dynamic culture where everyone's contributions are valued and encouraged. COMMITMENT: We have an unwavering belief in our students. PASSION: We are dedicated to changing our nation's college completion story. JOY: We create environments rich with smiles and laughter. AUTHENTICITY: We believe relationships matter. EXCELLENCE: Our students deserve nothing but the best. Position Overview We are seeking a professional, dynamic, hands-on, collaborative and self-motivated leader to join us as our Vice President of Finance and to serve as our financial and operations expert within the organization. As a key member of the national leadership team and reporting directly to the Chief Finance and Operating Officer, the Vice President of Finance will lead a team of five direct reports and oversee Finance, IT, and facilities functions. The Vice President of Finance provides strategic and values-driven leadership, oversight and guidance for College Track by establishing, implementing, and monitoring financial plans and budgets as outlined in the strategic plan. works closely with colleagues across the organization (e.g. program, human resources, development, operations, etc.) and across geographies to assess and implement business process and system improvements that foster efficient, scalable business processes. is responsible for the development of financial management strategy, oversight and management of all fiscal operations, assurance and regulatory compliance, corporate compliance leads in the development of the information technology and facilities departments, and other departments assigned leads in managing risk, including but not limited to operational, business, liability, legal, and regulatory risk, for the organization contributes to the development and achievement of the organization's strategic goals. Our ideal candidate will be a strong people manager/developer and a true finance business partner in a mission-driven education nonprofit. The Vice-President of Finance will be as comfortable digging into numbers, spreadsheets, and formulas, as s/he is at interacting with team members across the organization to support the growth and development of the organization. Primary Responsibilities: Financial Planning and Budgeting Lead College Track's annual budgeting process, including collaborating with national departments, regions, and site leaders to understand and decide on financial trade-offs and (dis)/investment opportunities that produces a final, board approved budget with clear links to the annual goals and key strategies from the annual planning process. Provide budget owners (some of whom may have limited financial experience) with key insights, actionable intelligence, operational and financial learnings such that they are able to make business decisions accordingly. Provide system and report training to help them independently access their budget and performance information. Proactively anticipate and forecast variances to budget, thereby providing early indicators about potential issues, to engage the National Leadership Team and budget owners to create action plans to address negative variances and/or take advantage of investment opportunities. Financial Modeling/Strategic Planning Create and manage comprehensive financial models that support organization-wide strategic planning, including across multiple business units, product lines, and departments. Ensure team members partner with budget owners to help understand and translate business opportunities into multivariate financial models, including for forecasting, sensitivity analysis, and scenario planning to drive business decision-making. Serve as an effective thought partner to organizational leaders through interpretation of complex financial information to assist in decision-making. Financial Reporting and Development Support Oversee the coordination and monitoring of cash operations and capital planning, including forecasting needs and developing appropriate financial sources to ensure adequate cash flow and access to working and long-term capital. Oversee the monthly and annual close process to produce timely, accurate financial statements, including budget to actuals, statement of activities, balance sheets, cash flow, and forecasts. Ensure the team partners with the development team to accurately forecast, track, and plan for philanthropic activities. Oversee nonprofit fund, government, and grant accounting in close collaboration with the Controller, Development staff and program staff. Develop and produce key monthly internal financial performance reports and dashboards for the organization that drive organizational accountability and provide high-level results analysis. Review and edit grant agreements to ensure alignment with budget and reporting deadlines. Ensure the accurate and timely production of all financial performance and forecast reports, budgets, and reporting tools for internal execution and external relations with funders. Accounting Operations Oversee all accounts, ledgers and reporting systems ensuring compliance with appropriate GAAP standards, regulatory requirements, and board policies. Oversee the accurate and timely month and fiscal year end closing process, ensuring completion of all audit and compliance related activities. Oversee the tracking and reporting of the organization's temporarily and permanently restricted fund and administer timely releases. Oversee annual audit process and maintain relationship with external auditors; liaise with the finance committee of the board of directors; assess any changes necessary. Finance Systems, Processes and Procedures Regularly review, monitor, recommend, and drive improvements to finance policies and procedures to ensure internal controls are in place that protect the organization against fraud and provide assurances that College Track's accounting records are accurate and complete. Provide financial operations expertise and institutional knowledge to help coordinate improvements to the overall organization, with a strong focus on data-driven decision-making and analysis. IT and Facilities Oversight Grow and manage an IT team and consultants to support all systems for a rapidly growing 150 employee national company. Oversee IT vendor selection and relationships; negotiate and manage vendor contracts; support facility vendor selection and relationships. Oversee the coordination of national real estate acquisition, buildout, space planning, and facilities maintenance consistent with the College Track brand. Oversee facility issues, including major maintenance projects, builds, and lease negotiation and agreements. Risk Management Oversee business insurance, risk management, and legal activities including letters of agreement, contracts, leases and other legal documents and agreements. In collaboration with other national departments, serve as primary liaison addressing operational risk management issues and policies. Ensures full compliance with all codes, regulations (local, state, and federal), and safety standards to protect the well-being of all students, guests, and employees occupying the buildings. Skills & Experience Required First and foremost, the Vice-President of Finance must embrace the College Track vision of transforming low-income communities into places where college readiness and college graduation are the norms. S/he must embody and model College Track core values and model a deep commitment to improving equity. Additionally, candidates must possess the following qualifications: Bachelor's degree required, MBA or Master's degree with a concentration in finance or similar field preferred. 12+ years of management experience, with at least five years in a senior leadership role in finance and operations preferably in the education, non-profit or corporate sectors Significant experience with non-profit accounting systems, fund accounting and government funding compliance. A "doer" who eagerly rolls up the sleeves, tackles problems, and generates solutions in a timely manner. Operates with a high sense of urgency and responsiveness balanced by a need for providing accurate information based on strategic priorities. Detail-oriented, well-organized, and structured in the creation and presentation of information. Ability to synthesize complex financial matters into clearly articulated financial and business summaries, with not only the "rolled up" numbers but also the explanation / narrative about the business implications. Strong communicator in both writing and orally. Can distill complex financial matters into digestible elements. Believes that technology enabled, data-driven, people-centric businesses are fun places to be. Takes a balanced approach to people and issues: 1) unafraid to take a stand or recommend a hard choice -- such as making a budget change now to avoid a likely negative variance later, 2) while also able to understand others' perspectives and process new information to refresh one's thinking on a topic. Ability to interact inclusively and productively with diverse individual team members, department leads, senior leaders, board members, and external parties. Believes strongly in celebrating success while also always seeking to improve on the current state. Will therefore seek ways to maximize the current operational model, while pursuing targeted initiatives to improve upon it. Is obsessively customer-driven -- believing that a good finance partner understands both the explicit and underlying business needs, is proactive, stays on point for strategic value-add, and is responsive without being unproductively reactive to team-member and external-party needs. High degree of flexibility and adaptability; can work within an ambitious, fast-moving environment, while also driving toward clarity and solution. Above all, wants to make a positive difference in the world through education. Compensation & Benefits College Track offers a competitive salary based on the organization's compensation philosophy, which is grounded in market data. We also offer comprehensive health & welfare benefits and top of the market paid time off. To Apply Please send your resume and a thoughtful cover letter to: Laura Powell Principal Laura Powell LLC [email protected] . No phone inquiries please. Candidates chosen for further consideration will be contacted. College Track is an equal opportunity employer fully committed to achieving a diverse workforce. College Track does not discriminate on the basis of race, age, color, religion, national origin or ancestry, sex, gender, disability, veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, or gender identity or expression.
College Track Oakland, CA, USA Full-time
Charter School Finance Specialist Featured
We are looking for a mission-driven and business-oriented individual who excels at working with clients in diverse organizations. The position is ideal for an individual looking to apply business, analytical, and accounting skills in a growing company working to improve public education. | 4,946 |
<|fim_middle|>78). | Doubly Blessed
Posted on March 11, 2021 in Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Twins share miracle birth event at Fort Sanders Regional Medical Center
Blakely (left) and Charleston (right) arrived on the same day at Fort Sanders Regional Medical Center, born to mothers who are twins.
Twins often have a special connection. Just ask identical twins Autum Shaw and Amber Tramontana.
Not only did they deliver their baby girls at Fort Sanders Regional Medical Center on the same day, but it also happened to be Amber and Autum's birthday.
The sisters say they've been asked if they planned it to happen that way. Amber says there's just no way they could have.
"This is a story with a timeline of events producible only from God," Amber says. "We think He orchestrated this story at a time of uncertainty in the world and wanted to send a reminder that He is in control…beyond even what our minds can fathom."
Blessed Beginnings
Maverick Shaw gives a kiss to baby sister Charleston (left) while baby Blakely Tramontana is held by proud big brother Briggs (right).
The story they tell begins first with the births of their sons. Already married for several years, Autum hadn't been able to have a baby. Miraculously, her first pregnancy happened after her twin got married and became pregnant, too.
Their sons were born 10 weeks apart. "It's like our bodies were waiting for each other," Amber says.
In December 2019 Autum and her husband made plans to announce another baby was coming. When the time came, they had to deliver a much different message instead.
"On the day I planned to tell my family that we were expecting," Autum recalls, "I had to inform them I was in fact losing my baby."
Caring people surrounded Autum with love and compassion. One of them was Amber, who offered a prayer for peace, comfort and God's will.
"It was the most comforting thing about that day and something I will never forget," Autum says.
A couple of months later, Amber made a call to gauge whether or not the time was right to share the news she was pregnant. She wanted her sister to know but didn't want to add to Autum's pain.
During the call, the twin connection kicked in again. Autum spontaneously asked if Amber was pregnant. Amber asked if Autum was pregnant. They both were, and amazingly, due on the same day.
"This is another example of how God let me know that all the details were in His hands," Autum says. "He took what was the worst imaginable situation for me and turned it into the most amazing blessing and testimony."
Despite the fact that only a very small percentage of babies are born on their due date, both babies were born on schedule on Oct. 29, 2020, with the assistance of Fort Sanders Regional OB/GYN George Vick, MD.
A Caring Connection
Identical twins Autum Shaw (left, with Charleston) and Amber Tramontana (right, with Blakely) each delivered a baby girl just 90 minutes apart on their birthday.
"I used to be a postpartum nurse so my expectations of the delivery experience are set rather high," Amber says. "The 48 hours spent in the delivery suite and postpartum floor were nothing short of a five-star experience from the preparedness to the level of expertise and knowledge base."
Amber isn't the only one with medical knowledge and high expectations. "As a nurse practitioner, I am aware that it takes an entire team to make a hospital or practice successful, and every person involved in our care was phenomenal," Autum says. "It takes a special team to take care of a laboring and postpartum mother, and Fort Sanders Regional made this a very pleasant experience."
Looking back, the two sisters realize how extraordinary the whole situation was. Not only did they deliver their babies on their birthday, but it happened in the middle of a worldwide pandemic.
"I tried to leave it all in God's hands and let Him control all the details," Autum says. "Dr. Vick and his physician's assistant were also a huge factor in controlling any anxiety I had. I truly believe they have a gift from God in calming pregnant mothers."
In a time when so much of the world seemed out of control, Amber and Autum believe their special deliveries were more than a coincidence. Autum says it's a heavenly message for us all.
"We have a story that without a doubt shows who is in control of all things," Autum says. "We will continue to thank Him for our amazing little blessings."
You can learn more about labor and delivery at Fort Sanders Regional by visiting FSRegional.com/Womens-Services or by calling (865) 673-FORT (36 | 1,012 |
Isaiah Shachar, auch Yeshayahu "Ishay" Shachar, Geburtsname Yeshayahu Stengel (; geboren am 6. August 1935 in Haifa, Völkerbundsmandat für Palästina; gestorben am 19. September 1977), war ein israelischer Historiker, Kunsthistoriker und Hochschullehrer. Er galt als Kenner des osteuropäischen Judentums, insbesondere des frühen Chassidismus, und erforschte antijüdische Stereotype in der bildenden Kunst, darunter das Motiv der "Judensau".
Leben
Isaiah Shachar wurde als Yeshayahu Stengel am 6. August 1935 geboren. Sein Vater war Mitglied der Jüdischen Sozialistisch-Demokratischen Arbeiterpartei Poale Zion, eines Teils der zionistischen Bewegung Poale Zion, und ein militanter Anhänger der Lehren von Ber Borochov.
Bereits in früher Jugend stellte Yeshayahu Stengel etablierte Positionen, seien es die seiner Eltern oder die der Gesellschaft, in Frage. Er änderte seinen Fam<|fim_middle|> die jüdische Wissenschaft und bezeichnete ihn als einen der begabtesten Gelehrten seiner Generation. Isaiah Shachar wurde rückblickend als hervorragender Kenner des osteuropäischen Judentums, insbesondere des frühen Chassidismus, gewürdigt.
Im Jahr 1993 erschien zum Gedenken an Isaiah Shachar eine Sammlung von Aufsätzen zur jüdischen Kunst unter dem Titel "The Visual Dimension. Aspects of Jewish Art" ("Die visuelle Dimension. Aspekte der jüdischen Kunst"). Der Band wurde von Clare Moore herausgegeben, die mit Shachar am Warburg Institute zusammengearbeitet hatte, und enthielt überarbeitete Fassungen fast aller 1977 auf der Konferenz über jüdische Kunst gehaltenen Vorträge. In einer Rezension bezeichnete der US-Kunsthistoriker Richard Brilliant den Band als Sammlung von Miszellen und deren Veröffentlichung als Akt der Pietät gegenüber dem ausgezeichneten Wissenschaftler Shachar. Die Ausgabe löse jedoch das Versprechen ihres Titels nicht ein, das Verständnis für die Bedeutung von Juden in der bildenden Kunst in Vergangenheit und Gegenwart zu vertiefen. Das hätte sich Isaiah Shachar nicht als sein Vermächtnis für das Jahr 1993 gewünscht.
Schriften (Auswahl)
Criticism of the Jewish Community and its Leadership in the Hasidic and Non-Hasidic Literature of Eighteenth Century Poland – A Comparative Study. Magisterarbeit, Hebrew University of Jerusalem 1963 (hebräisch).
Studies in the Emergence and Dissemination of the Modern Jewish Stereotype in Western Europe. Dissertation, University of London 1967, .
"Feast and rejoice in brotherly love". Burial Society glasses and jugs from Bohemia and Moravia. In: The Israel Museum News 1972, Nr. 9, S. 22–51, .
The Seal of Nahmanides. Israel-Museum, Jerusalem 1972, .
The Judensau. A Medieval Anti-Jewish Motif and its History. Warburg Institute, London 1974, ISBN 0-85481-049-8. (pdf )
The Emergence of the Modern Pictorial Stereotype of the Jew in England. In: Dov Noy, Issachar Ben-Ami (Hrsg.): Studies in the cultural life of the Jews in England. Abraham Harman Jubilee Volume (). Magnes Press, Jerusalem 1975, S. 42–68, (dieser Aufsatz englisch, andere überwiegend hebräisch).
The Jewish Year (= Iconography of religions. Section 23: Judaism. Fascicle 3). E. J. Brill, Leiden 1975, ISBN 90-04-04279-2.
Jewish tradition in art. The Feuchtwanger collection of Judaica. Israel-Museum, Jerusalem 1981, (Ausstellungskatalog, übersetzt und herausgegeben von Rafi Grafman).
Literatur
Clare Moore (Hrsg.): The Visual Dimension. Aspects of Jewish Art. Published in Memory of Isaiah Shachar (1935–1977). Westview Press, Boulder, CO 1993, ISBN 0-8133-1259-0 (Vorträge einer Konferenz in Oxford, 23.–25. Oktober 1977).
Einzelnachweise
Historiker (Judentum)
Osteuropahistoriker
Kunsthistoriker
Hochschullehrer (Hebräische Universität Jerusalem)
Hochschullehrer (University of Oxford)
Filmschauspieler
Israeli
Geboren 1935
Gestorben 1977
Mann | iliennamen in "Shachar", die Übersetzung des Geburtsnamens seiner Mutter ("Morgenstern") in die hebräische Sprache.
Shachar besuchte von 1941 bis 1945 eine Grundschule und von 1946 bis zu seiner 1953 erworbenen Hochschulreife ein Gymnasium in Haifa. Von 1953 bis 1956 diente Shachar in einer Nachal-Einheit der Israelischen Verteidigungsstreitkräfte, darauf folgten zwei Jahre als Landarbeiter im Kibbuz Re'im in der westlichen Negev-Wüste, in unmittelbarer Nachbarschaft des Gazastreifens.
1958 nahm Isaiah Shachar ein Studium der Europäischen Geschichte bei Jacob Talmon und der Geschichte der Juden in Osteuropa bei Israel Halpern an der Hebräischen Universität Jerusalem auf. 1961 erlangte er den Bachelorgrad mit der Bewertung summa cum laude und wurde Assistent von Professor Talmon. 1963 folgte sein Magisterabschluss, den er unter der Anleitung von Haim Hillel Ben-Sasson und Shmuel Ettinger erarbeitete. Shachars Magisterarbeit war eine vergleichende Studie der Kritik an der jüdischen Gemeinschaft und ihrer Leitung in der chassidischen und nicht-chassidischen Literatur Ostpolens im 18. Jahrhundert, sie wurde ebenfalls mit summa cum laude bewertet.
1963 ging Shachar an das renommierte Warburg Institute in London, um unter dessen Leiter Ernst Gombrich und dem Kunsthistoriker Otto Kurz seine Promotion vorzubereiten. Er promovierte 1967 an der Universität London, der das Warburg Institute angeschlossen ist, in Geschichtswissenschaft. Seine Dissertation behandelte das Aufkommen und die Verbreitung antijüdischer Stereotype in der europäischen Kunst.
Aus Shachars erster Ehe ging ein Sohn hervor. 1969 heiratete er in Genf erneut und unternahm mit seiner zweiten Ehefrau Bérénice ausgiebige Reisen durch Europa, insbesondere durch Deutschland, Österreich und die Schweiz. Bei den gemeinsamen Besuchen alter Kirchen entstanden zahlreiche Fotografien antijüdischer Darstellungen, die später in Shachars Monografie zum Bildmotiv der "Judensau" verwendet wurden. Isaiah Shachar spielte 1972 in dem Film But Where Is Daniel Wax? (Le'an Ne'elam Daniel Wax?) des israelischen Regisseurs Avraham Heffner unter einem Pseudonym die männliche Hauptrolle.
1974 kam in Großbritannien Shachars Tochter zur Welt. Wenig später erkrankte er an idiopathischer pulmonaler Fibrose, er starb am 19. September 1977.
Isaiah Shachar war ein bedeutender Sammler historischer Hebraica. Seine umfangreiche Bibliothek wurde am 17. und 18. November 1980 durch das Londoner Auktionshaus Sotheby's versteigert.
Forschungen
Bereits während seines Studiums, im Jahr 1957, arbeitete Shachar in Teilzeit im Bezalel National Art Museum. Dort katalogisierte er unter der Anleitung des Sammlers Heinrich Feuchtwanger Judaica. 1963 wurde er stellvertretender Kurator der Judaica-Sammlung des Museums. Während seines Doktorandenstudiums war Shachar von 1964 bis 1966 wissenschaftlicher Mitarbeiter des Warburg Institute und erstellte für Otto Kurz das Register der von Leo Mayer hinterlassenen Bibliografie der jüdischen Kunst. Nach seiner Promotion wurde er 1967 Kurator der Judaica-Sammlung des Israel-Museum in Jerusalem. Im gleichen Jahr begann er seine Lehrtätigkeit an der Hebräischen Universität Jerusalem, zunächst als Lecturer in Teilzeit, ab 1970 in Vollzeit, und ab 1971 als Senior Lecturer.
Als Kurator der Judaica-Sammlung des Israel-Museums regte Shachar den Erwerb der Sammlung des 1963 verstorbenen Heinrich Feuchtwanger durch die Genfer Familie Rapaport und deren Stiftung an das Museum an. 1971 erschien zur Feuchtwanger-Sammlung ein umfangreicher von Shachar erarbeiteter Katalog in hebräischer Sprache. Das Werk ragte durch die akribische Beschreibung auch solcher Objekte heraus, die bis dahin von Forschern nicht beachtet worden waren. Es galt über Jahrzehnte als die beste Veröffentlichung über Judaica. Bis zu seinem Tod arbeitete Shachar an einer englischsprachigen Ausgabe, die 1981 posthum erschienen ist.
1972 veröffentlichte Isaiah Shachar einen Aufsatz über die von den Chewra Kadischa in Böhmen und Mähren verwendeten gravierten Gläser und Krüge. Im gleichen Jahr nahm er den Fund eines Siegels des Nachmanides durch einen Amateur-Archäologen zum Anlass, einen Aufsatz über das Fundstück zu veröffentlichen. Diese Publikationen waren jeweils die ersten diesen speziellen böhmischen Gläsern oder einem mittelalterlichen hebräischen Siegel gewidmeten Schriften, und sie sind bis heute von großer Bedeutung für die Forschung.
1973 ließ sich Shachar nach Streitigkeiten mit Kollegen von der Hebräischen Universität Jerusalem und vom Israel-Museum beurlauben, um in London am Warburg Institute zu forschen. In dieser Zeit entstand sein 1974 veröffentlichtes Hauptwerk zum antijüdischen Bildmotiv der "Judensau". Im folgenden Jahr veröffentlichte er ein umfangreiches Buchkapitel über stereotype Bilddarstellungen von Juden im modernen England. Ab 1975 bis zu seinem Tod war Isaiah Shachar Gastprofessor am Oxford Centre for Hebrew and Jewish Studies, einer unabhängigen Forschungseinrichtung der University of Oxford.
Zu Shachars Forschungsvorhaben gehörte die Veröffentlichung einer mehrbändigen reich bebilderten Geschichte jüdischer Bräuche und Zeremonien in der Reihe Iconography of Religions des niederländischen Verlages E. J. Brill. Davon erschien lediglich der dritte Band. Auch seine lange geplante kritische Ausgabe der Shivḥei ha-Besht, überlieferter Geschichten über das Leben von Israel ben Elieser, dem Begründer des Chassidismus, konnte Shachar nicht mehr verfassen.
Im Oktober 1977, wenige Wochen nach Shachars Tod, fand in Oxford die erste internationale Konferenz über jüdische Kunst statt. Die Konferenz ging auf eine Anregung Shachars zurück, er hatte an ihrer Vorbereitung ungeachtet seiner sich verschlechternden Gesundheit mitgewirkt und war als Redner vorgesehen. Die Konferenz sollte auch für Shachars Vorhaben werben, weltweit alle Zeugnisse der jüdischen Kunst fotografisch zu dokumentieren und zentral zu archivieren.
Würdigungen
Isaiah Shachars Arbeiten zur Erforschung des Antisemitismus gelten als bahnbrechend. Seine Monografie zum antijüdischen Bildmotiv der "Judensau" in der christlichen Kunst wurde von der Forschung anerkennend aufgenommen. Insbesondere wurde auf Shachars akribisches Vorgehen bei der Untersuchung jedes einzelnen Aspekts hingewiesen, das auch die fotografische Dokumentation aller bekannten Schnitzereien und Steinmetzarbeiten einschloss. Einige israelische Wissenschaftler kritisierten jedoch, dass Shachar in zu großem Umfang auf die Arbeit nationalsozialistisch beeinflusster Forscher zurückgegriffen und deren Ergebnisse unreflektiert übernommen habe. Shachars Arbeit zur Entwicklung stereotyper Judenbilder im modernen England fand demgegenüber uneingeschränkte Anerkennung.
Die britische Zeitschrift Jewish Quarterly beklagte den frühen Tod Shachars als schweren Schlag für | 1,959 |
More drama in embattled oil<|fim_middle|> Inventory Draws Sustainable? | producer Libya this week. With reports suggesting the country's largest oil field has once again been endangered by local fighting.
Reuters reported early Monday that production at the Sharara field was grinding to a halt. With local sources saying that a key control room at the facility had been shut down.
The reason for the closure wasn't immediately clear. But Reuters did cite persons familiar with the situation as saying that an armed group had taken action against the facility — potentially resulting in the shutdown.
At the time, sources said that Sharara's output was likely to decline to zero due to the problems at the control room. But reports emerged later in the day saying the problem had been fixed, and that production was now returning to normal.
It looks as if problems here have been averted for the time being. But these events show things are still tenuous in Libya's oil sector — evidenced by the fact an armed group was able to take over one of the country's key installations, even briefly.
If ongoing problems do present here, it could put a significant dent in crude supplies — giving support to the oil price. Watch for reports on any new issues over the coming weeks and months.
Here's to a smooth return.
Are Strong U.S. Crude | 249 |
Dold Foods Plans Expansion and<|fim_middle|> Foods and making this investment in our area will allow us to continue to add new team members."
The planned expansion is scheduled to begin construction shortly with a targeted completion date in early 2019.
Employment applications for Dold Foods will be available around spring 2018 and can be obtained at the Kansas WorkForce location at 21st and Amidon in Wichita and at the Dold Foods location during active hiring periods.
Company 8.9.2017
Hormel Foods Announces New Leadership Hire Hormel Foods announced the appointment of Stephen Koven as vice president of digital experience.
The Singing, Dancing Hormel Girls Who Sold America SPAM A military-style corps of singing women helped SPAM skyrocket in the years after World War II.
Hormel Foods Corporation, based in Austin, Minn., is a global branded food company with over $9 billion in annual revenues across 75 countries worldwide. Its brands include SKIPPY®, SPAM®, Hormel® Natural Choice®, Applegate®, Justin's®, Wholly Guacamole®, Hormel® Black Label® and more than 30 other beloved brands. The company is a member of the S&P 500 Index and the S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats, was named one of "The 100 Best Corporate Citizens" by Corporate Responsibility Magazine for the ninth year in a row, and has received numerous other awards and accolades for its corporate responsibility and community service efforts. In 2016, the company celebrated its 125th anniversary and announced its new vision for the future – Inspired People. Inspired Food.™ – focusing on its legacy of innovation. For more information, visit www.hormelfoods.com and http://2015csr.hormelfoods.com/. | New Job Opportunities
Dold Foods
Wichita, Kan.
Dold Foods (Wichita, Kan.), the local manufacturing plant of Hormel Foods Corporation (NYSE: HRL), announced plans today that it will add a 156,000 square-foot expansion to its location.
The planned expansion will be to add more production lines for the Hormel Foods bacon items produced at the facility which will help meet consumer demand for the products.
As a result of the planned expansion and new production lines, Dold Foods plans to hire approximately 380 new positions.
"We are thrilled to be able to grow our business here in Wichita and offer our community new job opportunities," said Joe Peine, Dold Foods plant manager. "We have a dedicated team at Dold | 160 |
I'm a great believer that worship services should include something for everyone, young and old alike. My experience, however, is that many churches cater for the adults, but ignore the needs of its younger members. So when younger members are present they may well be discouraged from returning.
The irony, of course, is that the average age of the congregations to which I have ministered is in the seventies, and younger generations are conspicuous by their absence.
These stories have come out of situations where the presence of children in church could not be guaranteed, and where there was a need to have something ready should any children walk in the door. They are stories that in multi-centred parishes needed to be portable, and could be produced at a moment's notice. They needed to be easily slotted into a service, and suitable for churches where the use of modern technology was not an option. They also needed to be able to be used in situations where it was not appropriate to invite children to come forward for a 'Children's Talk'.
They are written in a style designed to be read aloud. As a consequence they may break many of the rules of written grammar.
My experience in using these stories is that adults, as well as children, get something from them. Indeed, after a service in which I have told a children's story, I often get comments or hear chatter about the children's story. Furthermore, on more than one occasion I have been asked to give a children's talk in the absence of any children.
I hope you enjoy the stories, but please feel free to read (or retell) these stories to your own congregation(s). And if you wish to use your own illustrations, please do so.
Adapted from the preface from to book "A Day on the Life of a Pair of Trousers and Other Stories"
Stories from the Book "A Day in the LIfe of a Pair of Trousers"
The Great Tiddlywink Competition (Rough Draft)
I'd like to tell you a story about two grasshoppers whose names were Springy and Leapy.
Now I don't know how much you know about grasshoppers. But you probably know more than me. What you should know is that grasshoppers love to jump, and leap, and spring about, going from place to place. However, what you may not know is that grasshoppers love to play games. And their all-time favourite game is Tiddlywinks.
"Tiddlywinks", I hear you say,<|fim_middle|>.
Now that day changed Mr Fix-It. And he no longer believes that he can fix up all his mistakes. Yes, he can fix up some of them, but not all of them. Because sometimes he needs other people's help.
But sadly, it hasn't changed the attitude of those around him. Because most of his friends still think the way that he did. Knowing full well what happened to Mr Fix-It, they still think they can fix up all their own mistakes. And, they even believe that they can fix up everyone else's mistakes too.
But they can't, can they? Because we all make mistakes, and we can't always fix up our own mistakes, let alone the mistakes of others. We need the help of each other.
And the biggest thing that we can't fix up, is our relationship with God. But then, isn't that what the Bible, and why Jesus came to earth, all about?
Because, regarding God, each mistake we make creates a wedge between us and God. And there is nothing we can do to hide it, or make it go away. Our mistakes are there for life. We cannot hide them from God. And if we should try to fix them up … well, all we usually do is to make the situation much much worse. In regard to matters concerning God, all we can do is to be sorry, depend on him to fix it, and then try to do better. And that's not something we can do on our own.
So, do you make mistakes? Do you think you can fix them all yourself, or even making them go away? Well if you do, then you are like Mr Fix-It was and his friends still are. That's why we need to depend upon others. And, most importantly, depend upon God for our help.
The Football Match (Rough Draft)
Joshua 24:1-28
I don't know whether you like playing sport, because I never did. And one of the reasons was that at school I was tall, and perhaps a little bit clumsy, and was never very good at it. Indeed, one school report I received, had this comment regarding Games: "Brian has outgrown his strength and ability."
Now you might think that that wasn't a very nice thing to say. And you're probably right. But that sort of comment didn't worry me at all. Indeed, I was proud of it.
But do you know what it was that I hated most? It was picking sides. Because I knew who it was who would be last to be picked. Which is why I'd like to tell you a story about a football match. And the story begins, funnily enough, with the picking of sides.
It was time for the annual football competition, and as usual the two leaders were selecting their teams in the old tried and true tradition.
"I'll pick Sandra," said Harry.
"Yes, and I'll pick John," said Joan.
And for the next ten minutes the crowd of players was whittled down, one by one, until no-one was left. The players were then given their jumpers, so the teams could be told apart. They were reversible jumpers—with blue on one side and green on the other.
"Blue for my team," said Harry.
'And green for mine," said Joan.
Then, after putting on their jumpers, they ran onto the ground, floated around for a little sorting out positions, and then the game got underway.
"Come on blues," could be heard from the boundary line. "Come on greens." And for a while everything seemed to be fine. Indeed, there was a goal scored at one end, and then there was a goal scored at the other. And it was like the sides were evenly matched. But then something happened, because the game began to swing in the blue's favour.
Now Joan, the captain of the green team couldn't quite work out what. But then she was sure that she'd just been tackled by a player she'd picked for her own team. But not wishing to cause a fuss, she just shook her head—thought she was mistaken—and continued with the game.
But then it happened again. This time, she saw someone she knew she had picked for the green team, but they were wearing the colours of the blue. And bit by bit, it seemed that the blue team was getting more players, and the green team less.
Now, no-one had left the field, and no-one had got on since the game had begun.
"They must be turning their jumpers around," thought Joan. "They must be swapping sides." And, do you know, they were.
Now at that point, the game came to a complete stop. They then counted the players. And the blue team had twice the number of players of the green. So, the captains called the players together, and asked them whose side they were really on.
"Are you on my side or their side?" said Harry.
"Are you on mine?" said Joan. "Are you with me or not?"
Only when they had sorted out their teams did the game restart. But by the end of the game, the blue team were victorious. And boy, were they excited? But then they should have been. After all, when the final whistle came, I am sure that there were an extra couple of players on the blue time and a few short on the green.
Now, of course, that is not the right way to play football, or any other game come to that. And I'm sure that if you were picked for a team, that you wouldn't swap sides half way through a match. Would you? No, that's not the way it should work at all.
But you know in life, that sort of things happens all the time. Because people tend to live their life on one side, and bit by bit they drift over to the other.
And that's the problem that Joshua faced when leading the Israelites. Because, Joshua was the captain of God's team. And the people started on his side, and then they wandered off. They thought things might be better doing things a different way. And that is why Joshua too had to stand up and ask them, "Whose side are you on?"
Now at the time, the people answered, "We're on God's side." Hooray! But you know, they only stayed for a while, and then they were off again. But that's what people tend to be like.
But you're not like that, are you? You wouldn't start on one side and end up on another? You wouldn't start on the green team and end up on the blue? You'd stick to the same team, wouldn't you?
And, I hope that is true of staying on God's side too.
Posted: 19th October 2018
Alvin, the Lazy Tortoise (Rough Draft)
Alvin the tortoise was lazy. He loved to sleep the day away. Yes, every now and again someone would knock on his door and he would stir. But as soon as they were gone, he'd be back to doing what he loved best—sleeping.
Of course, sometimes when people woke him up it was for something important, something where they needed his help. And sometimes he would say, yes, he would love to help. But as soon as they were gone, he'd be back to sleep. And he hardly ever did the things that he promised.
Now it didn't take long before people realised what Alvin was like. As a consequence, it wasn't long before they stopped calling on him for his help. And little by little, while Alvin slept the world began to change. But Alvin didn't know it because he was far too busy doing what he loves best—sleeping.
However, one notable day, Alvin woke up, and for some reason felt far more awake than he'd been for a long time. So he stepped out of bed and stepped out of his front door. And whoa, the world outside was very different to what he'd remembered.
'Perhaps I'm dreaming,' he thought. But he wasn't. Things had really changed whilst he'd been sleeping, and he wasn't sure that he liked what he saw.
And then he realised that people had asked for his help for the very things that he was seeing. And some of the things were the things that people had said that they wanted to avoid. But this was a different world for Alvin. And when faced with it, he just didn't know how he would cope.
Everything was strange; everything was different. And at this point, Alvin realised that he had to make a choice. He could struggle with what he saw and learn to accept the changes—and maybe, even help make better changes—or he could simply go back to bed and get some sleep.
And do you know what it was that he chose?
Yes, you're right. Alvin simply turned around, closed the door, and went back to bed. And as he slept the world outside changed once again.
Now today's story is a sad story. It's a story about a tortoise who was lazy. When asked for help he sometimes said "Yes". But even when he did, he simply turned around and went back to bed. He preferred to step back and not get involved and to spend his time in blissful rest. So the world just moved on without him.
And, sadly, there are plenty of people like Alvin. People who prefer to step back and not get involved. Then when they do lift up their heads, they find that life has moved on without them, and they are not sure how to cope either.
But that is not the Christian way. Indeed as Christians we are encouraged not to ignore the ever-changing world. Indeed, we are encouraged to be instigators of change, particularly in regard to restoring God's values and rejecting the things that are not.
According to the writer of the letter to the Hebrews, we are not to be lazy, but we are to imitate the active faithful people who have gone before us.
And if we do that, not only will we be involved in the process of this continually changing world—hopefully for the better. But we will also become closer to God.
Alvin the lazy tortoise may be a sad story. But it's also a reminder of our need to help and to be involved.
Posted 24th May 2019 | "Who here has heard of Tiddlywinks?" Well Tiddlywinks was a very popular game when I was a child. And the idea is that you start with a "wink" and with your "squidger" you flick your "wink". And you do it a number of times until you get your "wink" it into the "pot". It's a competitive game, it takes a least two to play, and you take it in turns. And the winner is either the one who flicks their six "winks" into the "pot" first. Or after a set period, the one who scores the most "Tiddlies" (or points), depending upon where the "winks" are in the game.
Now as you can imagine Tiddlywinks is a very suitable game for grasshoppers, because they love to jump, and leap and spring. And that's exactly what happens to the "winks" in Tiddlywinks. But Tiddlywinks isn't just a game that grasshoppers like to play, it's a game they like to watch too.
Now one day both Springy and Leapy were playing in the Great Tiddlywinks Competition. And they had both done so well that they found themselves in the final – playing against one another.
Now to start with everything was going quite smoothly. Indeed they had each got their first three "winks" into the "pot". The problem was, though, that they were great competitors. Neither liked to lose. And as the game progressed, things started to get a little tense. And the crowd were getting a little tense too.
And it wasn't helped when Springy did a thing called a "squop". He landed his "wink" on top of one of Leapy's "winks". Which meant that Leapy couldn't play his "wink" until Springy had moved his own.
Well you should have heard the crowd. And you should have seen Leapy's parents. If you've ever been to a school football match and heard some of the parents, I think you'll get some idea of what happened next. And sadly, the game was halted until after Leapy's father had been removed from the arena.
Eventually, however, things calmed down, and the play continued. Both Springy and Leapy managed to get their fourth "wink" in. And everything was going well, when Leapy did a "scrunge".
Now at this stage you're probably thinking "his making all this up. Even the words don't make sense". However I assure you, I had to do a lot of homework on this story. And the internet lists some of the terms used by both the English and North American Tiddlywinks Associations. And a "scrunge" is when a player's "wink" bounces off the "pot".
The problem was, however, not just that Leapy did a "scrunge", but that he did it as the whistle blew for the end of the game. The 25 minutes, the time allotted for serious competitions, was over. And now it was time to see who had the most "tiddlies" (points).
Well Leapy knew he had lost. He had needed that "wink" in the "pot" to win the game. But was he happy about losing? No, he was not. And he showed it. And you can imagine the scene as he jumped up and down, as only an angry grasshopper can do.
Later, at the press conference, both Springy and Leapy were asked about the game. Leapy in particular was asked whether he had been embarrassed about his father's behaviour. He was asked where he had got his temper from. But all he could say was that his father wasn't so bad, that it was a one-off thing and would never happen again. He came up with a variety of excuses for his own behaviour too.
And so the Great Tiddlywink Competition came to an end. Springy had won. But his victory had been spoiled by some very bad behaviour.
Now of course there is a moral to this story. And it's not just the need to be careful playing Tiddlywinks with grasshoppers. It's not even the need to be alert when watching grasshoppers play. The moral of this story is that whoever is playing a game – grasshoppers or us – there are right ways to behave, and there are wrong ways. There are also good role models and there are bad.
Now we all make mistakes, we all have our moments. But the important thing in life is to live in a godly way, as Jesus would want us to behave. Not to get mad because we don't get our way.
Because as far as God is concerned, there's nothing wrong with winning. It's good to win. But there's nothing wrong with losing either. It's not a matter of whether we are better than someone else, but it's how we play the game. And that's something that Leapy, and his father, had no real idea about at all. But do you?
Posted: 15th February 2015
www.21stcenturybible.com.au
A Day in the Life of a Pair of Trousers (Rough Draft)
It was getting light, and the pair of trousers hanging in the wardrobe were feeling good about themselves. They'd only been washed the day before, and it was relaxing sleeping in the darkness of the cupboard. However, before they knew what was happening, all of a sudden, the wardrobe door opened, a pair of hands appeared, and they were whisked off the coat hanger and being filled with their owner's legs. And they were off. And for a pair of trousers what lay ahead could be quite an adventure, because people did all sorts of things. And what adventures lay ahead of those trousers, well they could only wait and find out.
Now the morning started quite normally. They were taken to the kitchen for breakfast, and had the usual bit of milk and cereal slopped on them. And then there was the dog who came and sat upon them too. But the trousers didn't complain and didn't hold a grudge. And after that, it was out of the house to… well who knows where.
However, as they were being walked along the street, the trousers recognised where they were going. They were going to the shops. And it wasn't long before his owner sat down and had a break. And when he did, this time it wasn't milk and cereal that the owner slopped on them, but a bit of ice cream. And bbbrrr that felt cold.
But that wasn't all. At lunch time the trousers had a whole meal dropped on them. And on the way home, a car went speeding past, and it found the only muddy puddle that could be found. And, well… you can imagine the rest. But still the trousers didn't complain, and didn't hold a grudge.
By the time they got home again that afternoon, the trousers looked a real mess. But the trousers had been around long enough to know what would happen next. In no time they were being taken off, and being put back in the wash.
The trousers breathed in, "Here we go again", as they had powder thrown over them, and the water began to run. And the trousers held their breath as the bowl began to spin. But before long, they found themselves being hung up to dry. And then, a little later still, a hot – very hot iron – was run all over them. But still the trousers didn't complain and didn't hold a grudge.
By the end of the day, however, the trousers were content. All clean, and peacefully hanging up in the cupboard, where they could have a decent night's sleep. It had a been a big day.
However it wasn't long before it was dawn again. And all of a sudden the wardrobe door opened, and a pair of hands appeared and grabbed them off the hanger. And for the trousers everything began to happen all over again.
You know for all of us life is mostly routine, but a routine where little adventures happen on the way. And just like the pair of trousers, during those adventures we often get dirty, and not always of our own making. Because apart from our own dirt, we have other people's dirt thrown at us too.
Of course one kind of dirt, is the stains that we make when we slop things, or when other people slop things. But another kind of dirt is when we do things wrong, or others do things to us which are wrong too. However one of the things that we can learn is to never complain and never hold a grudge.
Now the Apostle Paul had some very good advice about that. He said that we should not let our anger cause us to sin. And that we should not let the sun go down whilst we are still angry (and we can find that in the bible in Ephesians 4:26-27). And what he meant by that, is that we need to deal quickly with the dirt that comes our way. That we are not to make a big deal of it, but quickly put it behind us. And that is what the trousers in our story knew so well.
Indeed, when something happened to the trousers in the story, they never complained, and they never held a grudge. Whatever was thrown at them, they just got on with life. The question is, can we do the same?
Posted: 29th March 2015
A Tale of Three Frogs (Rough Draft)
Once upon a time there were three frogs. There was Fred Frog, Freda Frog and Ferdie Frog. And they sat there in the middle of the pond on the biggest lily that you ever could see. Knee-deep, knee-deep, knee-deep.
Now, Fred Frog said to Freda Frog, "Why don't we jump over to the edge of the pond, where there are some other nice lilies. It's a nice day, and we can bask in the sun there." And Freda agreed. But they both agreed that they would sneak off without letting Ferdie Frog know where they were going. So they quietly slipped off the lily in the middle of the pond, and ever so quietly went off to the lilies at the edge of the pond. Knee-deep, knee-deep.
Now unbeknown to Fred and Freda, Ferdie Frog had heard what they had said. He was upset about being left out of the adventure. But in a way he was pleased he hadn't been asked. Because he knew that a big cat lived close by to the edge of the pond, and he'd seen the cat just where those lilies, that Fred and Freda had been talking about, were. And Ferdie knew that the cat, with one swipe of his paw, could grab hold of anything sitting on those lilies. But Ferdie decided that because he wasn't invited, he would keep that all to himself. He certainly wasn't going to call out to Fred and Freda, and warn them of the danger. Not, if they were going to leave him out of their adventure. Knee-deep.
Now once Fred and Freda got to the lilies at the edge of the pond, they felt guilty that they hadn't invited Ferdie; that they'd left him all on his own. But still the lilies were nice and padded, and very comfortable. So Freda and Freda soon settled down, and started to sun themselves in the warm afternoon sun. Knee-deep, knee-deep.
When all of a sudden… swipe! Fred was no longer on the lily. In fact he was nowhere to be seen. Miaow. Swipe! All of a sudden Freda wasn't there either. In fact there was no sign that either of them had been there. Miaow.
Now two hours later, back in the middle of the pond, Ferdie Frog was feeling lonely. He knew nothing of what had happened to Fred and Freda, but he was starting to feel very worried. Fred and Freda had been gone some time now, and he hadn't heard a peep (or even a knee-deep come to that) for a while. And although Fred and Freda had deliberately left him behind, he was feeling guilty that he had done nothing to warn them of the cat. And now… well, he was too scared to go and see what had happened. Knee-deep.
Imagine Ferdie's surprise, then, when moments later he felt two plops beside him. Fred and Freda reappeared, a little shaken but physically unharmed from their adventure. Knee-deep, knee-deep.
Of course, Ferdie was overjoyed to see Fred and Freda. But at the same time he was curious to know what had happened. So in no time, Fred, Freda and Ferdie settled down to hear the story of the adventure. And to cut a long story short (for those of you who want to know) it appears that Fred and Freda had both seen the cat's paw coming. And each had jumped just at the right time to miss being swiped by his paw. They had then hidden in the reeds close by, until the cat had gone away. Ferdie then admitted that he had known about the cat and that he was sorry he hadn't told them. And that because they had left him out of the adventure he had decided not to warn them.
But you know, despite how they had treated each other, Fred, Freda and Ferdie made up with each other that night. It was clear that they needed each other. Their world was a dangerous place, and a lonely place too. They couldn't afford to be without each other.
So, just as this story began "Once upon a time…" so it ends "And they all lived happily ever after." Knee-deep, knee-deep, knee-deep.
You know the moral of this story is that we all need each other. Yes we may have times when we deliberately exclude others from the things that we do. And yes, we may have times when we fail to tell others of the dangers in life. But in reality we need other people, and they need us too.
Now if Fred and Freda had understood that, then they might have invited Ferdie on their little adventure. And if Ferdie had understood that, then he would have warned Fred and Freda of the cat. They had to learn their lessons the hard way. But the question for us is, "Do we have to learn our lessons the hard way too?"
Posted: 24th May 2015
Charlie the Chimpanzee (Rough Draft)
Charlie the Chimpanzee was a friendly sort of ape. And the one thing he loved the most was being with people. He just loved human company. So much so, that if you were to ask him what he wanted to be in in life, he would say that he wanted to be a human being.
Now, that meant for Charlie, not only spending as much time with people as he could, but it also meant that when they weren't actually talking directly to him, watching people from afar. Indeed he would watch what people did, and how they behaved, and made a note of every detail of their behaviour. And so seriously did Charlie want to be a human being, that he spent all his waking hours pursuing this one goal, trying hard to get it right.
Unfortunately, for Charlie, copying humans was not necessarily a good thing to do. Because copying people's behaviour often got him into trouble.
For example, one day he decided that he'd try out some new words that he'd heard some people use (and he really wasn't quite sure what they meant). But they were evidently important words, because they used them all the time. Imagine his surprise then when the person he tried them on got very upset, and slapped him on the face as if he'd said something wrong.
For example too, another day when he decided he needed to borrow something. Instead of asking the person first, he just took what he needed, just like he'd seen other people do. Well, imagine Charlie's surprise, then, when the person he'd borrowed from began to turn their whole place upside down, looking for the thing that he had borrowed. And they then called in the police to report that something had been stolen.
And then there was another incident… but I think you get the idea.
Now Charlie may have been a chimpanzee, but he wasn't silly. And he quickly realised that copying just any person's behaviour was not a good idea. Indeed he needed to copy only good behaviour, not bad. But who was he going to copy?
Well, fortunately for Charlie, he had a good friend. The vicar of the local church was a regular visitor to Charlie. And so Charlie thought he would be the ideal person to talk to him about his problem. And the vicar was very helpful. He referred Charlie to the bible, and he opened his bible to the letter to the Hebrews. And the vicar read some words from chapter thirteen, verse 7. And they were words all about imitating the life and faith of godly people; those who had shared their faith with you. So the vicar suggested to Charlie that only people who had Jesus in their hearts should even be considered as worthy to be copied. And, perhaps, as even the most faithful can make mistakes, then maybe he should consider only following Jesus' example. And he left him a Bible so he could read it, and more easily copy Jesus' behaviour.
And, you know, since that day Charlie has not got into anywhere near as much trouble as he used to. And what's more, he's learned to appreciate just what Jesus did for human beings so many years ago.
So now if you were to ask Charlie what his goal in life is, he will now say that he still wants to be as much like a human being as he can be. But he will also say that the person on which he wants to model his life is the person of Jesus himself. And I think that is very wise too.
Now in life we humans tend to learn how to behave from a number of different sources. Indeed we learn from our parents, family members, friends, people we admire etc, etc. And some of the things we learn are good, and some of the things we learn are bad. However, what we should remember, is that we all mistakes. And if we want to learn how to behave well, we need to be able to work out who is a good role model , and who isn't. And the best role model we can have is Jesus himself.
Now, that's certainly the lesson that Charlie the Chimpanzee learnt. But is it a lesson that we have learnt too?
Posted: 1st June 2015
A Day in the Life of a Pair of Trousers and Other Stories
The Parable of the Brick Wall (Rough Draft)
Big Bad John stood back, looked at the wall, and admired his handy work. The wall was coming along very nicely. Almost three meters tall and three bricks thick, it provided a good solid barrier between his property and Kind Compassionate Ken next door. On the other side of the wall, however, Kind Compassionate Ken looked out of his window in despair. He didn't know what he'd done to upset Big Bad John, if he'd done anything at all. But still that wall—that barrier—was a constant reminder that no matter what he did, Big Bad John would have nothing to do with him at all.
Indeed it seemed that every time that Kind Compassionate Ken tried to do something to be kind, or to try to be friends, all Big Bad John would do would be to check for gaps in the wall, repair it where necessary, and add another row of bricks to its height. For Kind Compassionate Ken it seemed an impossible situation where only a miracle could change what was happening. And that's exactly what happened.
Because one day Big Bad John was checking his wall for cracks, and gaps, and adding yet another row of bricks, when all of a sudden "bang!" part of his wall came crashing down, right on top of Big Bad John. In his haste to add another line of bricks, he'd got the mix of the cement wrong. And you know what happened then.
Now Kind Compassionate Ken heard the bang. And even though he knew what Big Bad John would likely do (he'd respond by making the wall even thicker and higher still), he raced out of his front door, came around the wall, and came to Big Bad John's rescue. And boy did Big Bad John need rescuing.
In no time, Kind Compassionate Ken checked that nothing was broken and that he wasn't bleeding, and got Big Bad John to sit up on the pile of rubble. And even Big Bad John couldn't help but say, "Thank you." But knowing the way he treated him, he asked Kind Compassionate Ken why he had come to his rescue at all. After all, Big Bad John just couldn't understand why someone he had mistreated so badly could really care. But he obviously did, and it made all the difference in the world to Big Bad John.
It made Big Bad John think about his wall, and how he had been so horrible. It made Big Bad John realise that he needed to change his ways; he realised he needed to do something about that wall. And, do you know what? He did. But he didn't bulldoze the whole wall right away. No, but he did make a small hole in it, so that he and Kind Compassionate Ken could see and talk to one another—just a bit. Then as their friendship grew over time, the hole got bigger and bigger; the height of the wall has got lower and lower, and the thickness of the wall has got thinner and thinner too.
Of course, Big Bad John still has a long way to go, but now the wall is only one and a half metres tall and only one brick wide. So he really has come a long way.
Of course, the moral of this story is that it is easy to get upset with people, and overreact to the things that people do and say. It's easy to build walls between us and other people, to keep them out. Similarly it's very easy to build a wall between us and God to keep him at a distance too. But that's not how it is supposed to be.
Indeed, the Apostle Paul tells us, that when Jesus died, he broke down the dividing wall between Jews and Gentiles, and between us and God. In other words he removed the barriers that we build so that we can keep others out.
And if he did that for us, imagine what would happen if we tried to break down the walls that we have with other people. Of course doing that may not be easy, and it may be a bit scary, at first. But with the walls that we build, we shouldn't wait until there is a major disaster (like Big Bad John) before making the first move.
Posted: 25th September 2016
The Musical World of Arnold van Beethoven (Rough Draft)
Arnold belonged to a family of musicians. His mother was a singer, his father played the keyboards, and even his sister had learnt to play the violin. Arnold, however, was much younger than his sister, and although he was allowed to dabble on the keyboards from time to time, he really didn't understand music at all. Except for the fact that he knew what he liked.
Some music he liked very much, whilst other music he didn't like at all. And when he heard something he didn't like, he would often think. "I could do much better than that." So, one day Arnold opened the lid of the piano stool, took out an unused sheet of manuscript paper, and sat on the stool determined to write some music.
Now Arnold knew that whatever he wrote, he wouldn't be able to play—he would need to get his father to do that. But Arnold was sure that despite that, he would still be able to write something really good, something worth listening to. But, as he sat there, looking at the blank piece of manuscript paper, pen in hand, he really wasn't sure what it was going to be.
And then he had a brain wave. "I know," he thought, "I'll get some proper music out, and I'll copy all the lines, squiggles, and tadpoles, and I will add them to my music." So that's exactly what he did. He got some manuscripts out of the piano stool, and began to copy all the lines, squiggles and tadpoles. But not necessarily in the same order—he wanted his piece to be different. Nevertheless, he copied all the symbols and arranged them somehow on the page.
Now despite that fact that he really didn't know what he was doing, two hours later he was finished. He was happy. There were squiggles and lines and tadpoles all over the place. So, with a sense of contentment he leant back, and admired his efforts. And then being unable to play what he'd written, he waited for his father to come home, so he could play it for him.
A little while later Arnold's father returned home. And of course, being in a musical family, his father was delighted with Arnold's work; he was pleased that his son was interested in music. But when he looked closely at the manuscript, all he saw was a piece of music which was virtually unplayable. You see, Arnold really knew nothing about music. And the piece that he had written changed tempo two or three times in each line. One minute the tune was in sharps, the next it was in flats. Sometimes there were four beats to the bar, other times only two and a half. Sometimes the piece was written in the treble clef; other times it was written in base clef.
But despite that, his father was determined to play what Arnold had written—just as Arnold had written it. So he sat down at the keyboard and began to play.
Now fortunately it wasn't a long piece. But by the end, even Arnold could see that there was more to writing music than just writing down lines and squiggles and tadpoles. But Arnold's father was determined not to put off; he wanted to encourage him in his interest in music. So right there and then he told Arnold he would teach him all about writing music. So, even though the music had not turned out as he had hoped, Arnold was very pleased with the result.
Now of course the moral of this story is that from time to time we all get interested in something. It could be music, it could be painting, or it could be something else. And the danger is that we can think that we can do a better job than someone else. Indeed, right from the beginning, with little or no training, we can think that we know enough to create a masterpiece. Unfortunately, no matter how much we know, there is always room for us to learn more.
And that isn't just true of music, or painting, it is also true when it comes to the Christian faith. Indeed, at times, we can think we know it all; that we understand every single aspect of the Christian faith. And that is why there are so many people that feel that they don't have to mix with other Christians; there are so many people who that they don't need to learn any more.
But of course, you can easily see what happens if we ever begin to think like that. It would be just like writing a piece of music, with all the lines, squiggles and tadpoles, before we really understood what they were all for—just like Arnold.
Signpost Sally (Rough Draft)
Signpost Sally was an expert at putting up signs. So, whenever the local council wanted a new signpost erected or an old one replaced, she was called on to do her bit.
She put up signs directing people where to go. She put up signs telling drivers of the speed limits. She even put up signs telling people not to do certain things—like playing with a ball, or taking a dog on the beach. Signpost Sally loved her job. But then she simply loved helping people know where things were, how fast they could drive, or where there were places it wasn't suitable to do certain things.
Unfortunately, there was something about her signposts that bothered Sally. And that was that some people obviously couldn't be bothered to read her signs.
For example, a month ago, she had just finished putting up a sign, directing people to the local shopping centre, when someone approached her.
"Do you know where the local shopping centre is?" the voice asked.
But, then, she had also seen someone driving at twenty kilometres over the speed limit, and someone else playing ball with their dog on the beach.
Now that didn't mean that Signpost Sally stopped loving her job. But it did make her wonder, "What was the point of all the signs," particularly the ones that she had put up.
In the back of her mind was the disaster that she knew was going to happen. But there was nothing she could do about. All she could do was put up the signs to warn people. It was up to them whether they wanted to take any notice.
And, you know, the sad thing is that two weeks ago what she feared came true. Someone was looking for the shopping centre, but ended up at the tip. A car, that was being driven far too fast, missed the bend in the road and landed in a ditch. And a woman, on the beach, slipped on some doggy-doo.
"I just don't understand some people," cried Signpost Sally. "Why don't people take any notice of my signs?" But you know they didn't. Because no matter what signs Sally put up, there was always someone who would ignore them. "What's wrong with these people," she said. "I always take notice of my signs." And I guess she had a point. But then she was always putting them up.
But then, last week, Signpost Sally saw a road sign. And she took notice of it, because it was one that she hadn't put up herself. But she wasn't really interested in what it said. What she was interested in was where it was, what it looked like, and who had put it there. And, of course, that was a recipe for disaster. Because whilst she was still standing there, she had a whole truckload of gravel tipped over her.
"I guess that serves me right," said Sally. "I should have paid attention to the sign." And she should have.
Now in this world there are all sorts of signs—signs for our benefit, signs that need our attention. But how often do we take notice of them? And I mean, not just take notice of where the sign is, what it looks like, or who put it there—but what the sign actually says. Because if we a miss a sign—particularly an important sign—then disaster can come to us too.
And just as that is true of the world, so is it true of the Bible too. Because the Bible has many signs in it—signs pointing the way, signs pointing to Jesus. And they're all there for our benefit. But how often do we take notice of those signs? And how many of us just carry on, doing what we want?
Of course, the problem with the signs in the Bible, is that we if we miss them, we could end up worse than just ending up at the tip, putting our car in a ditch, or treading on some doggy-do. Our relationship with God depends upon them—our eternal well-being may well be at stake.
So we need to take notice of the signs. It's something we need to try hard to do.
And everybody else … Well if people don't want to take notice of the signs, there's not a lot we can do. Except, we could become signs ourselves—people pointing to Jesus—in the hope that others will take notice, and avoid landing up in the eternal tip, ditch, or doggy-doo.
Posted: 14th January 2018
The Man Who Loved Waiting (Rough Draft)
Do you like waiting? Do you like standing in queues, waiting to be served? Do you like staying at home, waiting in, because someone is expected to come? Do you like waiting for some special event to arrive?
Well, if you're anything like me, you don't. However, I came across a man the other day who does. It's his favourite pastime. And he loves waiting so much, that if he had his way, that's all he would ever do.
As a consequence, Darren, went to the Doctor's surgery the other day. And what did he do there? He waited. He didn't have an appointment. He just knew it was a good place to wait. And after an hour or so in the waiting room, he got up, said thank you to the lady at the reception, and went home.
He rang the telephone company. And he knew his call was important—he was told so on the phone—so he waited on the phone. Forty minutes later, when the call was answered, he thanked the man who answered for letting him wait, and then he put down the phone.
In the evening he went to a local restaurant. And he went to one in particular. Because he knew that from the time that he sat down until the time he was his order was taken would be about an hour. And then it would be another hour before he would see his food.
You see, Darren loved to wait. And whereas you or I might get a bit frustrated or impatient with all the waiting, Darren loved it. Indeed, he couldn't get enough of it. Which is all well and good, because the next day he was expecting the plumber to come. And Darren knew what that meant. For the plumber was well known for not turning up, or even phoning to say he'd been delayed. And that was delightful for Darren, because Darren liked to wait.
Only the next morning, Darren didn't wait. At half-past eight as he was waiting in bed to get up, there was a knock on the door. And there was the plumber, tools in hand, ready to get to work.
Well, if there is anything worse for Darren than someone being on time, I don't know what it is. But the plumber came and the plumber went, and whatever job Darren had for him to do was quickly done. Which is good in one way. But what was Darren going to do next? He hadn't planned for the plumber being on time. He'd planned his whole day as a day for waiting and waiting, hoping that the plumber wouldn't turn up. He'd been taken by surprise. He was totally unprepared. His whole day had been wrecked, what was he going to do?
But, you know, he did find something else to do. He had some friends who could be relied upon for never being on time. It wasn't the same as the plumber, but at least it was something he could do. So he invited them for tea at six, knowing full well they wouldn't turn up until nine. And that made Darren very happy indeed.
Now I don't know about you, but I think it is very rude not to be on time, not to answer the phone promptly, and to keep people waiting. And yet, our saviour Jesus Christ is doing exactly that. Indeed, it is nearly two thousand years since his followers were told that he would come again.
However, Jesus didn't say when he was coming—he didn't know. But he did say that he would come when we least expected it, and that we needed to be ready. He also gave us a task to do while he was away. He didn't want us to be like Darren, idly sitting and waiting, and being taken by surprise when he suddenly returned. He wanted us to be active and prepared for any sudden visit.
And that's the lesson we can learn from Darren. Because yes, we do need to wait for Jesus to come again. But what we shouldn't do, is do nothing and just wait and wait and wait. Because if we do that, when he returns, we will be taken by surprise, we will have not done the task that has been given us, and we will not be ready to face him at all.
Posted: 18th August 2018
Mr Fix-It (Rough Draft)
Mr Fix-It thought he was terribly cleaver. He thought he could fix anything, even when it was one of his own mistakes.
For example, he was a keen gardener. But one day he planted a weed by mistake. In time, the weed got out of control, and it spread and spread and spread. Now he knew he'd made a mistake, but he also thought he could fix it too. So, he sprayed the plant, only to find that he'd not only killed the plant, but all the insects, and everything around it as well. Which left him with an even bigger problem to fix.
He loved doing D.I.Y. He thought he was very good at it. But not everything came out quite as he had hoped. For instance, he made a collapsible table—a table he could fold away whenever he didn't need it. But the problem was that it did collapse. Indeed, it wouldn't stay upright at all. But then he knew that he could fix it. He knew he had the ability to get it right. So, he did—or at least he thought he did, only to find out that his collapsible table wouldn't collapse when he wanted it at all. And because it doesn't collapse, it is now taking-up far too much space in his lounge room.
He loved cooking tea. And one day, as he was cooking it, he thought he'd have a taste. But, ugh, it was awful. However, despite that, he knew he could fix it. So, he added a few more ingredients, dished it up and sat down to eat. Only then did he discover how truly awful it was. It was worse than before. And he thought, "What a good job it is that I haven't invited anyone else to share this meal."
Now it is no exaggeration to say that there was always a problem with whatever Mr Fix-It touched. Whatever he did never came out right. But despite that, he remained convinced that he could get it right, that he could fix up whatever problem he had created.
But then something happened. Disaster struck in the Mr Fix-It house. Instead of driving his car into the garage he missed the door and hit the wall. And he hit it so hard that the wall was damaged, and he was trapped in the car. What a disaster! And for the first time ever, Mr Fix-It had to admit that there was something he couldn't fix on his own. He needed help, because without it, the problem was not going to go away | 8,178 |
THAI, American, Mexican and Japanese managed restaurants<|fim_middle|>ican restaurants, meanwhile, rose 49% to 370 outlets thanks to the expansion of concepts such as Wahaca, Barburrito and Tortilla.
Market Growth Monitor figures also revealed steep rises in the number of Caribbean, Greek and Middle Eastern managed restaurants, although these were from much lower bases.
At the other end of the scale, CGA's data showed a 44% five-year drop in the number of Chinese managed restaurant numbers to only 61, and a 26% dip in those specialising in Spanish food to 64.
"This is an example of the fast-changing tastes of British diners. As consumers broaden their horizons with travel they are discovering many new cuisines and bringing their appetite for fresh flavours back home," said CGA business unit director for food and retail Karl Chessell.
Picture courtesy of Yo Sushi!
The rise of managed Mexican restaurants shows the appeal of bold, spicy flavours. Many Mexican brands have also benefited from factors of convenience and location, which CGA data consistently show to be big drivers of restaurant choice.
Spanish food, meanwhile, has probably been another victim of the huge diversification of food tastes, although some Spanish brands continue to thrive.
"The Asian-led part of the restaurant market is of particular interest to investors given its current popularity among consumers and is ripe for further mergers and acquisitions activity," said AlixPartners managing director Graeme Smith.
Market Growth Monitor data showed Italian remains by far the most common type of cuisine in managed restaurants, with numbers rising 12% to 1,923 in the five years to December 2018. However, the figure has been trimmed by 4% in the past year as several Italian brands, including Jamie's Italian and Prezzo, closed a large number of outlets as high streets neared saturation point. | have soared during the past five years, while Chinese and Spanish restaurants appear to be on the decline, according to a CGA report.
The Market Growth Monitor from CGA and AlixPartners, the quarterly review of licensed premises in Britain, revealed the number of overall managed restaurants is in decline for the first time in 14 years.
Bucking the trend; Thai managed restaurants have more than doubled in the five years to December 2018 – leaping 123% from 66 to 147 following the rise of brands such as Giggling Squid and Rosa's Thai Cafe, as well as smaller operators.
The data, tracking outlets that are part of a pub or restaurant chain rather than independents, reveals the number of American-themed restaurants jumped 73% from 535 in December 2013 to 925 in December 2018, with barbecue-style and burger concepts among the biggest drivers.
The CGA data surprisingly reveals the consumer focus on health-conscious food means outlets have seen a decline of 1.4% within the past year, although the report acknowledges Thai and Japanese food growth could be down to a perception that these Asian cuisines are healthy.
The number of Japanese sites climbed almost as fast, at 44% to 305, driven by sushi specialists such as YO! Sushi.
Mex | 286 |
In April 2011, the International Writing Program launched " Writers in Motion", a study tour of the Mid-Atlantic and the American South, where eight<|fim_middle|>
Extracts from Adisa Basic's coverage of the ... | international writers are exploring the theme of "Fall and Recovery." The writers are traveling to Gettysburg (April 3-5), Baltimore (April 5-6), New Orleans (April 6-8), the Gulf Coast (Morgan City, the Achafalaya Basin, Lafayette, April 8-11), Birmingham, AL (April 11-12) and Washington, D.C. (April 13-15) to examine some of the challenges presented by historical crises and upheavals, both natural and social.
God creeps up
Washington, D.C. -- As this all-too-brief tour winds down, I find myself thinking about God. God has crept up on me on this trip, in a rather strange and stealthy way. (Because I was raised Roman Catholic, God to me is, by default, the Yahweh of the Old Testament who sent his son Jesus Christ to redeem humanity.) Although I am aware of the deeply religious roots of the United States, I hadn't expected it to factor so prominently in my impressions.
In Morgan City, Louisiana, I move with a tour group through Mr. Charlie, the first submersible, moving oil rig, wandering through the spaces once inhabited by tough men who lived here for up to forty-five days at a time, doing dangerous and difficult work. The oil rig is now a museum designed to give visitors an idea of how it worked, though its former life as an actual workplace lends it an eeriness, as though its men had merely gone on furlough at the same time. Signs still remind people of rules and regulations, staterooms stand clean and ready for occupants, cooking utensils hang waiting for mess hall preparations. This is a micro-community devoted to seeking out and extracting one of the most precious commodities on earth, its existence defined, controlled, and informed by oil.
In a dimly lit, long abandoned recreation room, amid a foosball table, TV and VCR, packs of cards and boxes of dominoes, God makes his first appearance on this tour. Comfortable couches range around a coffee table, on which lie two Bibles -- one a generic hardbound volume of the Gideon variety, the other something that looks more like a technical manual. God's Word for the Oil Patch: Fuel for the Soul, it says. It's produced by the Oilfield Christian Fellowship, and inside appears to be a standard Bible in a modern American translation, prefaced by some inspirational material targeted at the men who work the rigs. God is here, I said to myself.
A rather strange place for God to be, this behemoth that moves and acts with sublime power, conquering bayou, river, gulf, and ocean floor. God here is an enabler, granting human beings dominion over the earth and its lesser creatures, entitling them to seek out the fulfillment of a promise -- a reward for faith, loyalty, and service.
God's promise was also the theme of the sermon at the Trinity Bible Church in Lafayette, Louisiana. It's a boxy structure that feels more like a concert hall than a church, reinforced by the band onstage. Members of the congregation are handed a questionnaire upon entrance, the answers to which play into the sermon.
The theme is "Life in Transition: Where is my Focus?" The pastor, a virile, energetic man, walks his people through the questionnaire, tying an episode from the Old Testament to the contemporary challenges facing his flock which, by his own admission, depends on "the oil" for its survival. This is shepherd as motivational speaker, gospel as self-help, and I am reminded yet again of the absolute necessity of charisma in keeping a congregation congregated. Bullet points projected on the cyclorama summarize his affable patter, and he manages to bring his discourse back to the enabling power of Christian rhetoric. We end with exhortations to focus not on people, tasks, or oneself, but on "God's promises," and "God's presence." God is here, as well, the fierce, awesome, vengeful Yahweh who led armies into battle, who would brook no doubt or disagreement.
Days later, we would find ourselves in another church -- the famous 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama, where the bombing that killed four little girls fanned the flames of the civil rights movement in America. The centerpiece of the church is the Wales Window, which depicts a dark-skinned Christ-like figure in a slightly modified crucifixion pose: one hand outstretched to block oppression, the other to ask for forgiveness or mercy. Running along the lower edge of the window are the words "You do it to me," a paraphrased extract from Matthew 25:40. God is here too.
Our guide, the charming T.R. German, doesn't miss an opportunity to extol the goodness of God, and to urge us to honor the mystery of God's intentions and trust in God's wisdom. This seems to be his way of dealing with the problem of evil in the world. Because he is a black man who lived through the days of segregation and the civil rights movement, we press him for stories, personal perspectives on the historical narrative. Race is clearly still a sensitive topic here -- "We ain't going to get into that," he says, though allowing that "The devil is busy" -- but he surrenders everything to Jesus Christ, believing that wrong will be righted in the end. It's a faith that emphasizes endurance and patience, even in the face of persecution. It's a faith that could slide easily into passivity if allowed.
"It's a taught thing," he says, referring to racism as well as respect. The face of God is a taught thing as well, and people learn to see it in many different things. God is everywhere.
As we leave, Mr. German says, "Y'all be blessed." It's a gesture of kindness and generosity that is aware that many people move in unblessed ways in an unblessed world.
-- Vicente Garcia Groyon
Posted by VGG at 12:10 PM No comments: Links to this post
Labels: AL, Birmingham, Morgan City, oil, religion, Vicente Groyon
Extracts from Adisa Basic's coverage of the 'Writers in Motion' tour
for the weekly magazine "Slobodna Bosna" (Sarajevo, Bosna-Herzegovina),
dated 04/07/2011
WAR TOURISM: A BLOODY PAST CONVERTED INTO BUSINESS
The first stop is the surreal town of Gettysburg, the place where the biggest battle of the Civil War took place a century and a half ago, and which today lives comfortably off its past. A million visitors annually visit its National War Monument, the former battlefields teeming with tourists having themselves be photographed in historical uniforms, as well as communicating with the spirits of the dead warriors.
In the stream of visitors coming through Gettysburg there are virtually no black faces. The reason is, apparently, that the majority of the visitors here come to gaze with nostalgia at the suffering of the heroic Southern troops, ignoring the fact that it was the Southerners who put in place the slavery upon which their economy was based. Peter Carmichael, professor of history at the local university tells me: "This place has always provoked lively controversies; people interpret history according to their own ideas, they romanticize the past, and they tell stories the way it suits them. Mostly people imagine gentlemanly battles of volunteers giving lives for their ideals. The fratricidal slaughter, in which men gauged out each other's eyes fighting face to face, or how they starved —that does not get talked about. Precious sources of facts from that period are the letters the soldiers wrote, and which show not the heroic but the tragic side of war. "
According to the Civil War specialist Carmichael, many people appear to still accept the Southern ideology: "I really have heard much here about how this is really a celebration of the Southern troops... take the monument to General Lee, the commander of the enemy Southern army—it's ten times more visited, not to mention grander, than the monuments for the fallen Northern soldiers. I often hear people commenting Lee's greatest defeat by saying: "If only he would have done this or that, gotten here earlier, played the situation differently or estimated things differently.... " And I ask myself whether they are conscious of what it is they are saying, whether they truly realize this means wishing that the South would have won and that we would today be living in two different American countries. I'm not sure they understand the consequences of what they are saying...." says Prof. Carmichael with slow resignation.
He and his colleagues are indeed involved in ongoing debates about the war even today, hundred and fifty years later. For them this dialogue is an indispensible part of the American identity, even if the participants' opinions about these fundamental questions can never reach a point of agreement. At the same time there is the problem of the diverging interpretations of recent history—a problem that daily provokes bitter arguments in Bosna-Herzegovina. Comments professor Kent Gramm, the author of a recent book the about major traumata of US history: "We live in a post-modern era but a whole generation of students is now raised within this postmodern perspective, in which history is simply a narrative shaped by whoever is (re)telling it. The final consequence of such an approach is a complete relativization of everything from the past-- yet there were actual people who made a heroic effort so that our life today is what it is. People fought here, as president Lincoln says in the Gettysburg address, for a government of the people, by the people, for the people. When it's necessary to confirm an undeniable historical fact, all we are left with are facts and historical data, nothing more."
POST-CAPITALIST TOURIST TOURS
The town of Gettysburg together with its National War Memorial complex may seem as a precarious place of militaristic pilgrimages, where assorted militant inclinations come to the fore. Yet it is interesting to see how, in being overtaken by consumerist kitsch, its martial air has gradually lightened. There is barely a house which is not in one way or another tied to the Civil war. T-shirts with pictures of generals, uniforms of both warring sides, dress-up photo-stands, wax museums, the model of the most decisive battle of American history enacted by 120.000 miniature figurines…. In answer to my question whether it doesn't seem tasteless to be merchandising trauma in this way and whether such war tourism (sometimes known as black tourism) oughtn't be avoided so as to retain a sense of piety, the American writer Hugh Ferrer says: "I understand that this may seem strange to an outsider, but the economic aspect of war's heritage is in fact fundamentally American. The fate of the entire town rests on it, it lets people make a decent living-- and such entrepreneurial spirit is fundamentally in keeping with the American culture and way of life."
Indeed, Americans trade on trauma in this way even when it comes to much more recent events. 9/11 and Hurricane Katrina, too, are occasions for souvenirs, themes for movies and TV series; both New York and NO offer special programs on the spots where catastrophes occurred: "Soon after Katrina a bus tour operator started offering visits through the hardest hit places. There certainly were people who were upset and raised objections, but in the last analysis, and taking into account the economic aspect, perhaps a tour of such places can be both informative and sobering, one of those life-altering experiences that mark us forever," says an American commentator.
From the Bosnian perspective such questions and perspectives may seem unusual, to say the least. Though there now are groups of tourists who visit out country in search of Sniper Alley, "Sarajevo Rose," the debris of The Tunnel or similar places, the idea still strikes us as dark, morbid and somewhat offensive. Yet it's interesting to see not only the different manner in which other cultures tackle their painful experiences but also how disagreement around large-scale historical questions is a more universal phenomenon than we may have thought.
[….]
Translated from the Croatian (nd)
Posted by natasa at 1:30 AM No comments: Links to this post
Labels: Adisa Basic, Bosnia, Gettysburg, tourism, war
The tour has been made possible by a grant from the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs at the U.S. Department of State.
International Writing Program
Writers in Motion 2011
Readings (Password Protected)
IWP Facebook
IWP on Twitter
IWP's YouTube Channel | 2,661 |
Marjorie O'Neill. I loved that woman. She was so sweet to me, even when she had no reason to be. She taught me how to knit (several times), taught me how to bake but more importantly taught me to be a better person. To be patient, to listen, to serve others with a happy heart and to show love through baking. This is one of her recipes I added a trendy ingredient to. It doesn't make me cry like her Belgium Cookies (renamed Crying Cookies) but I do love opening her cookbook and remembering her in this small way.
Nanny called this recipe "Chocolate Cookies" which might lead someone to believe they are dark<|fim_middle|> did the trick.
Oh boy, chocolate chip cookies meets the salted everything sensation….perfect. Sweet Genius. | , with cocoa in the recipe. I renamed it, but the ingredients are the same-ish.
Cream butter, shortening*, sugars, eggs and vanilla until light and fluffy.
I make a well in my wet ingredients and blend the dry ingredients in the well before mixing into the wet. If you want to do that separately (mix dry, add to wet), that's totally cool but you're doing an extra dish. Mix dough thoroughly.
Mix chocolate chips and salt into dough so it's evenly dispersed, no mouthfuls of salt once baked - blah.
Bake at 375F for 8-10 minutes until just brown on the edges. I used an ice cream scoop to make even sized jumbo cookies, and 10 minutes | 153 |
3,000 years ago…
Toa Lhikan crept silently through the dark streets of Ta-Metru. The night was utterly silent, as if his adopted home had become a city of the dead. Even the shadows seemed touched by the fear that gripped Metru Nui.
He started to summon a small flame, then stopped. Turaga Dume had warned him about betraying his position through the use of his powers. The enemy would track back to the source of the flame, and if he were to be caught too far from the Coliseum… well, he had seen what was left of other Toa who had gotten careless.
You can afford a mistake or two against a Rahi beast, he reminded himself. But not against these opponents. All they need is the slightest opening, and –
A sound came from up above – metal scraping against stone, no doubt from one of the rooftops. An ambush? The Dark Hunters were more than capable of that – and worse. Lhikan activated his Mask of Shielding, throwing a force field around himself, and readied his fire greatswords. Whoever – or whatever – was after him was in for a surprise.
A familiar mask appeared over the edge of the foundry roof. "Relax, brother. It's me!"
Toa Nidhiki leaped down and landed beside his comrade. His emerald armor was scarred and pitted from countless battles. "Midnight walks, now?" he whispered. "What's the matter, the war not giving you enough exercise?"
"You were supposed to stay at the Coliseum, with the others," Lhikan replied.
"I got bored. Besides, six Toa to guard one Turaga should be enough."
"Not if I'm right," said Lhikan, his expression grim. "Not if he's been targeted by who I think. Half the legion could be in that building, and he still would not be safe."
Beneath his Kanohi Mask of Stealth, Nidhiki flashed a smile. "You worry too much, brother. You always have. Remember the time the tops of all those Ko-Metru Knowledge Towers were being shattered? You were sure the Kanohi Dragon was back. Turned out to be Ice Bats with attitude."
"Then humor me," said Lhikan. "I'm going west and circling around. You go north. Use your mask, stay out of sight, and for Mata Nui's sake, if you see Dark Hunters, go for help this time."
"You take all the fun out of constant violence, Lhikan," Nidhiki chuckled, already fading into the shadows.
Toa Nidhiki wandered through the broad avenues of Ga-Metru, past temples and schools and canals. Of all the Metru in the city, this was his least favorite. It just seemed so clean and orderly. He got the feeling that if a little water sloshed onto the street, they would call out half a dozen Vahki patrols and declare a metru-wide emergency.
He had long ago shut down his Mask of Stealth, which allowed him to travel in a ghostlike from, barely visible and completely silent. As effective as the mask was, he found it disconcerting not to be able to hear his own footsteps. Lhikan would have called his action "taking an unnecessary risk." But Nidhiki seriously doubted that any Dark Hunter would be caught dead in the picture-perfect, sky-blue, oh-so-proper pit of a metru.
Something scuttled through the shadows to his right. He jumped a little at the sight of a Chute Spider heading off on its night hunt. It was something he would never admit to his brother Toa, but Nidhiki had always had a morbid disgust of chute spiders, Nui-Jaga, Nui-Rama… really anything insectoid. Were it up to him, Metru Nui would have been purged of multilegged crawling things a long time ago.
Nidhiki waited until the spider was well out of sight before moving on, a little more cautiously than before. It was only that extra bit of wariness that allowed him to spot the figure that flitted from shadow to shadow. It was the first time he had ever seen anyone who seemed as at home in the shadows as he did. Intrigued, he followed.
Two things rapidly became apparent. The first was that his quarry wasn't a Toa – she wore no Kanohi mask and she was much too good at slipping unseen and unheard through the night. Toa, as a general rule, were not very good at sneaking. It went against their image of being proud and very public heroes. Nidhiki was an exception to that rule. Where he came from, Toa struck from the shadows or they did not live very long.
The second was her destination. She was on a direct course southwest toward the Coliseum. Normally, it wouldn't have worried Nidhiki, not with the kind of security around that place. But what if this Dark Hunter was good enough to make it inside, and then do who knows what to Turaga Dume?
Nidhiki stopped, unlimbered his scythe, and aimed for where she would be, not where she was. Then he unleashed a narrow, focused, hurricane-strength blast of wind at his target.
She never turned. She never cried out. She simply leaped aside as if he had soft-tossed a Kodan Ball at her, landed silently, and spun in his direction. Her smile was a challenge.
"I appreciate the little breeze," she said softly. "Hunting is hot work."
"Then maybe you need a little more chilling," he replied. This time he sent elemental air power from both sides of his tool, bracketing her. To his amazement, she did a somersault from a standing start, neatly evading both blasts. Before she had even reached her feet, she had hurled two daggers at him. One whistled past his mask while the other sliced his right shoulder armor as it flew by.
"I guess they don't teach dodging in Toa training," the female Dark Hunter said. "No wonder your city is falling."
Nidhiki glanced from the new gash in his emerald armor to his foe. She had missed on purpose, he was certain. With her aim, if she had wanted to kill him, he would be dead.
"Not my city," he replied. "But a place I am protecting just the same."
"Oh. A matter of honor?"
Nidhiki paused before answering. "Let's say no better offers."
He took his eyes off her for a fraction of a second to ready his scythe. When he looked back up, she was gone, vanished like a wisp of smoke in the night wind. Nidhiki stood completely still, not even breathing, his legs tense and ready to spring. A veteran of a thousand fights, he knew better than to panic. Not knowing where she was, any move he made could be the wrong one. He mentally triggered his mask and disappeared into the shadow.
"Oh, you're good."
Her voice was coming from above. She was perched among the chutes, watching. It was a perfect hiding place – a wind strong enough to dislodge her would bring the chute braces down on his head, while climbing up after her would be nothing short of suicide.
"I could kill you now, Toa," she continued. "But I've filled my quota today. So I am just going to leave you here and go finish off your precious Turaga. If you're scared of the dark… well, you probably should be."
Nidhiki kept silent, until another dagger buried itself in the wall behind him.
"Don't stay quiet on my account," the Dark Hunter said. "I already know where you are. I can smell your fear."
The Toa forced himself to relax. He had been in tough spots before and talked his way out of them. This was just one more. "You'll never make it. It's too well guarded."
"Watch me. Unless… you have a better plan?"
"We're on opposite sides, remember?"
"We don't have to be." Her voice was above and behind him now. He whirled around, but still could not see her. "How many Toa did you start out with? A hundred? Two hundred? And what do you have left, maybe a few dozen? The Dark Hunters have half the city, and we'll soon have the other half. When it's over, you'll be just one more mask in the pile."
The words struck hard. In the months since Turaga Dume had refused the Dark Hunters a base on Metru Nui, countless Toa had fallen. Most were struck down from the shadows, never knowing their enemy was there. Oh, there had been some victories – Nidhiki had routed more than his share of the enemy, and Lhikan was worth six Toa in battle – but they all knew the numbers were against them. It was only a matter of time.
"If you want to die, I will be more than happy to oblige," she added. "But if you want to live… something might be arranged."
A long moment went by. Then Nidhiki lowered his scythe. A second later, the Dark Hunter known as Lariska dropped to the ground in front of him. She still had her daggers at the ready.
"The Shadowed One – my employer – is always looking for new talent," she said. "Help us capture the Coliseum and you can name your price."
The full impact of what he was to do struck Nidhiki then. If he betrayed the Toa, his name would go down in infamy… or would it?
Who's going to tell? he asked himself. The Toa will all be dead. Matoran? They'll believe whatever they are told to believe. And the Dark Hunters? Right, like anyone's going to listen to them.
"Metru Nui," he said firmly. "I give you Dume, Lhikan, and the rest, and I get the city to rule. That's my price, take it or leave it."
Lariska grinned. "Actually, I think my choices are take it or kill you where you stand. But I'll let that pass. Meet me here tomorrow night – I'll give you our answer."
The next day lasted for an eternity. Nidhiki spent his time wandering the halls of the Coliseum, imagining himself in control of it all. Now and then, he felt a little twinge of guilt over what he was about to do. But then he reminded himself that it was Dume's fault, and the other Toa's fault, for ever thinking they had a chance against the Dark Hunters.
As the twin suns set, Lhikan approached. "Nidhiki, there you are. There's a boat coming from the south, carrying supplies. I need you to meet it."
"Sure," Nidhiki replied, grateful for an excuse to slip away. "Can't have a siege to the bitter end without supplies, right?"
He left before Lhikan could answer.
"It's a deal," said Lariska. "Tomorrow you lead Lhikan and the Coliseum guard into the Canyon of Unending Whispers in Po-Metru. We'll be scattered in the caves and foothills. Once it's over, I'm to take care of Dume personally… and the city will be yours, Nidhiki. What do you plan to do with it?"
Nidhiki sat down on a bench and stretched his legs. "Maybe you should stick around, Lariska, and find out."
Nidhiki's news struck the Coliseum like a lightning bolt. The Dark Hunters had established a base camp in a Po-Metru canyon. All their operations were being coordinated from there. One swift strike and the war would be over.
"But we'll need every Toa we can muster," he told Lhikan. "We can't afford to lose this opportunity because we left some behind to guard the Coliseum."
Lhikan looked at Dume. The Turaga nodded. "Nidhiki speaks the truth. We may never have such a chance again."
"All right," said Lhikan. "I'll assemble the guard. We move out at once."
Less than fifteen minutes later, they were on the march, over one hundred Toa with Lhikan and Nidhiki in the lead. Clouds of dust kicked up under their armored feet as they traveled well-worn paths through Po-Metru. Each of them had lost a brother or a sister Toa in this war, and all wanted it to end. But not before they had made the Dark Hunters pay in full for their crimes.
Side by side, they marched into the Canyon of Unending Whispers. The clang of their footsteps echoed again and again. The sun baked the barren rock for as far as the eye could see. A few Rahi flyers swooped and dove in the bright sky. Of a Dark Hunter base camp, there was no sign.
"Where is it?" demanded Lhikan, turning to Nidhiki. "You said the war could end today."
"And so it will," replied the Toa of Air. All around, Dark Hunters rose from their hiding places, weapons leveled at the assembled heroes. "Sorry it had to be this way, brother."
Lhikan shook his head. "Not half as sad as I am… and don't call me 'brother' again."
The Toa of Fire's arm shot up. Suddenly, Toa rose up from the tops of the canyon walls, a dozen, a hundred, then two hundred, and still more. They said nothing, merely aimed their tools at the now-surrounded Dark Hunters. The hunters were now the hunted, and they looked to Lariska for guidance. She assessed the odds, then shrugged, dropped her daggers and rose.
"Very neat," she said to Nidhiki. "You had me fooled."
Lhikan shoved Nidhiki toward the Dark Hunter lines. "He didn't deceive you. Though I wish he had."
"How did you know?" the Toa of Air asked his former friend.
"The other night. The boat carrying supplies," Lhikan replied. "You left without asking where it was docking. I went after you to give you the information, and stumbled on your meeting with your deadly new friend."
"And all these new Toa?"
"The 'supplies' we were promised from the south. With Dark Hunter eyes and ears everywhere, Dume and I thought it best not to talk of reinforcements out loud. Once I knew what you were planning, I ordered them here to spring a trap of our own."
"And now what?" asked Lariska. "Do you march us all into the sea?"
The Toa of Fire met her gaze, his eyes cold. "A messenger was sent to the Shadowed One before you even reached the canyon. You will be allowed to walk out of here the same way you walked in, provided the Dark Hunters leave Metru Nui and never come back." He turned and pointed to Nidhiki. "Starting with him."
Nidhiki's expression was one of disbelief. "Go with them? But I'm a Toa, Lhikan. I'm your brother in arms!"
Lhikan turned his back on the traitorous Toa of Air. "No. No, you're not. You lost the right to call me 'brother' when you betrayed us all. Get out, Nidhiki – of my sight and of this city. Get out before I kill you."
Six months later…
Nidhiki sat on a bench, watching a team of Dark Hunters train. Their mission was to penetrate a heavily defended island and steal a stone known as the Makoki. He didn't know all the details, but apparently the Shadowed One intended to split the rock up into six pieces and thus make six times the profit in ransoming it back.
The Dark Hunter squad was, for the most part, professional and efficient. They made it over and around every obstacle Nidhiki had set up, and effectively eliminated any target dummies that popped up. All of them, that is, except for one big blue brute who lacked any semblance of grace, style, or stealth. After watching him demolish a barrier he was supposed to slip quietly under, Nidhiki had seen enough.
"Krekka!" he snapped. "You just woke up every Toa for kio around. A Toa of Fire has spotted your team and you're about to be the guest of honor at a Dark Hunter bake. What are you going to do?"
The blue Dark Hunter pondered for a very long time. Then he smiled and said brightly, "Smash him?"
"He's up there," Nidhiki said, pointing up to a nonexistent fortress. "You're down here."
Krekka looked up to where his instructor was indicating, but saw nothing. "He's not up there. Did he run away?"
"No, but why don't you?"
"Because I like it here."
Without another word, Nidhiki stalked off. It was time he and the Shadowed One had a talk.
"They're ready," Nidhiki reported. "All of them but the blue fool. Keep him here, send me, and we'll get your rock for you. I promise."
The Shadowed One smiled, but did not look up. "And we all know what your pledges are worth, don't we, 'Toa' Nidhiki?"
Nidhiki restrained himself from saying what came to mind. He had seen how the Shadowed One dealt with insubordination. Instead, he tried a different approach. "I know how Toa think. I know how they will try to defend the stone. I should be going on this mission."
"Your knowledge of your former allies makes you too valuable as a trainer for me to risk losing," said the Shadowed One, not even trying to sound convincing. "Krekka goes. You stay."
Nidhiki felt fury rising in him. In the six months since he had come to the Shadowed One's island, he had done nothing but help prepare other Dark Hunters for missions, wander among the rocks, and stare at the ocean. If there were such a thing as a Toa of Boredom, he would be it. And now to be passed over for that hulking, clumsy mass of muscle – it was too much.
"He's a moron," he said through clenched teeth.
That got the Shadowed One's attention. He locked eyes on Nidhiki and rose to his full height. His voice sounded like ice breaking. "And you're a traitor. You turned your back on your ideals, your friends, your city, all to save your own worthless hide. Why would you ever think I would trust you, Nidhiki?"
The Toa of Air had nothing to say. After all, the Shadowed One was correct. He had turned against everyone who relied on him. The Toa didn't want him, and the Dark Hunters were just using him for his knowledge. He belonged nowhere.
"But… I am not without appreciation of your talents," the Shadowed One continued. "So perhaps you are right – perhaps you would serve us best in the world beyond this island. I assume you would want only the most dangerous missions?"
Nidhiki smiled, hardly able to believe the Shadowed One had come around to his way of thinking. "Those are the ones with the greatest reward."
"Indeed. Too dangerous for any Dark Hunter to do alone, however. You will need a partner. Fortunately, the very one for the job is waiting outside my chamber."
Nidhiki turned to the door, confident he knew who was about to walk through. He and Lariska had been close companions since the disaster on Metru Nui. There would be no one better to team up with him.
The door opened. Nidhiki started to say her name… and then the sound died in his throat.
Standing in the doorway… in fact, so broad he had cracked the doorway… was Krekka.
"Tell me the plan again."
Krekka started to reply, then stopped, as if the thought in his head had just flown away like a hungry Gukko bird. He looked lost for a moment. Then he suddenly brightened as he remembered what it was Nidhiki asked to hear.
"We get there. I keep quiet and try to look scary. When we find the spot, I smash open the gate. You go inside. I stay outside."
"Why?" asked Nidhiki.
"Because you said so."
"Then what?" This was the fourth time Nidhiki had run Krekka through the plan, start to finish, and he would do it four more times if he had to.
"You smash up the place and then come out. We leave and come back here. You turn the weapons over to the Shadowed One and I keep my mouth shut, and… and…"
Nidhiki frowned. "And no one gets hurt."
"Oh, right!" said Krekka. "I always forget that part."
It was a fairly straightforward job. Some Matoran on a nearby island had developed a new kind of launcher. Nobody knew just what it was meant to fire, but the Shadowed One wanted it anyway. Supposedly, there were only a few models in existence. Once they were stolen, and the equipment used to create them smashed to bits, it would be a while before any more could be built.
There were problems, of course. There was a Toa on the island, but Lariska had agreed to go ahead and set up a diversion. The Matoran posted guards around their village but did not cover one access point, which involved a climb up a sheer cliff. They assumed no one could get up that way.
They had never met Krekka.
The big blue Dark Hunter slammed his fist into the side of the cliff, creating an instant handhold. He began to climb, punching holes in the rock as he did so. Nidhiki came up after him. They were halfway up when Nidhiki realized something was very wrong.
"Wait a minute, Krekka," he said. "I thought Lariska said you could fly?"
Krekka responded with his usual look of puzzlement. Then he nodded vigorously. "Oh, that's right. Forgot."
''If I pushed him right off this cliff, no one would ever know,'' Nidhiki grumbled to himself. ''And I would too, except the Shadowed One said I'm responsible for his well-being.''
Krekka walked quickly to the door of the armory and smashed it down with one swing. Then he obediently stopped, turned around, and allowed Nidhiki to get in alone.
The launchers were easy to find. There were three of them, but Nidhiki grabbed only one for transport back to the Shadowed One's island. Then he dug a hole in the rocky floor of the building and placed the other two inside. No one would ever think to look for stolen goods in the very place from which they were stolen – and now that Nidhiki knew where they were, he could come back and grab them anytime. After all, he might have a use for them someday that the Shadowed One would not approve of.
He was just beginning to fill the hole when the shadow of Krekka fell on him. "What are you doing?" asked the big Dark Hunter.
"I told you to stay outside<|fim_middle|>," Nidhiki replied. "Someone who needs beings with my kind of talent. Introduce me. If I get in, I'll see you're rewarded."
Roodaka nodded. When she spoke again, it was in a conspiratorial tone. "And what of the Shadowed One and the other Dark Hunters?"
Nidhiki shrugged. "They will keep doing what they do. I was meant for bigger things. I was – I am – a Toa. I should be running puny islands like this, not working on them."
The tall ebony figure smiled. "I think we can do business together. Meet me at the dock in full darkness. We will conclude our arrangement then."
Midnight found Nidhiki standing by the water's edge. The island was silent, much like Metru Nui had been a year before, the night he met Lariska. He hadn't told her about his meeting with Roodaka or his plans to leave the island. She wouldn't have understood. She was a Dark Hunter, by profession and by nature. The notion that in some part of his heart he still saw himself as a Toa would have been laughable to her.
She was too short-sighted, he decided. Her horizon stopped on the borders of the island. He still had the lean, powerful look of a Toa. He still had a Toa's powers. All he would have to do would be to find some island where they never heard of Lhikan or Dume or Metru Nui, and the population would line up to welcome him. Anything he wanted would be his, and maybe… maybe he might even be a hero again.
After all, I look the part, he reminded himself. Of course, that won't matter if Roodaka doesn't show up soon.
He stared out at the ocean, wondering about his past and his future. He remembered the first time he saw Metru Nui. It was the day he and a handful of other Toa arrived in answer to a summons to help fight the Kanohi dragon. They were strangers to each other, but brothers just the same – they all shared the responsibilities and the risks of being Toa. It was a special bond, nothing like what the Dark Hunters shared. And, to Nidhiki's surprise and dismay, he found he missed it. Sure, maybe they weren't really his friends… maybe they were too quick to turn on him, instead of trying to understand why he did what he did… maybe they couldn't see past their jealousy and resentment of the only Toa smart enough to look out for himself.
If it weren't for me, the war would still be going on, he reminded himself. The Shadowed One would be sitting in the Coliseum right now. But do I get gratitude? No, I get exiled. Well, I'll find a place where they need a Toa, and aren't too particular about what kind. And if Lhikan or one of those Metru Nui heroes tries to take it away from me, I'll make them regret the day they put on a Kanohi. All I need is for Roodaka to help me get what I deserve…
Rhotuka spinners, being pure energy, make very little noise when they fly. Even if the one Roodaka launched had, Nidhiki would never have heard it over the noise of his own thoughts. All he knew was the black pain when it struck, the world spinning in front of his eyes, the bizarre sensation of his muscles shifting, altering, becoming something alien.
It lasted for six seconds. To Nidhiki, it lasted for an eternity. When it was over at last, he walked… no, he wasn't walking, at least not like before… to the water's edge. All he could see were the dark waves.
"Let us help." The voice belonged to the Shadowed One. A moment later, the entire beach was bathed in torch light. And now Nidhiki could see his reflection in the water.
He screamed for a very long time.
Roodaka watched with amusement as Nidhiki tried to master his new body. He was stumbling about on the sand, trying to move like a Toa but a prisoner of the monstrous form her mutation spinner had given him. She turned to the Shadowed One.
"Can I assume I have purchased my training?" she asked.
"Most definitely," the Shadowed One replied. He thought again how amazing her powers seemed to be. Nidhiki's head and arms had changed their shape. Most grotesque of all, his lower body now resembled that of a huge, four-legged insect. The sight was too much even for some of the assembled Dark Hunters. Lariska had already fled back to the fortress.
"You really should have known," the Shadowed One said to Nidhiki. "Roodaka wanted something from me. She attempted to use the report of your conversation to buy it, but I insisted on more. If you were still deluding yourself that you could go back to being a Toa, that you could wash the stain of treachery off your spirit that easily, I was going to strip that dream from you once and for all."
The Shadowed One laughed, a harsh and grating sound. "You are a monster, Nidhiki. Matoran seeing you would run screaming. You will never be cheered, never be admired, never be hailed as a savior by the crowds. What are you now? A Toa of Nightmares? A hero, Nidhiki, or a horror? No, I think you will find your place is now, and forevermore, with the Dark Hunters. For who else would have you?"
Nidhiki's eyes blazed with hatred. The Shadowed One paid no heed. Instead, he simply smiled and put a hand on the ex-Toa's shoulder.
"It's ironic, in a way," said the leader of the Dark Hunters. "Your friend Lhikan could have ended your misery back on Metru Nui, but he chose not to. No doubt he thought he was doing you a favor when he allowed you to leave, unharmed, with us." The Shadowed One turned and walked away, saying, "Someday, you really should thank him properly."
One by one, Roodaka and the others departed. No one spoke a word of mourning for the Toa who had just died… and no one spoke a word of welcome for the Dark Hunter that had just been born. | !"
"I just remembered, Shadowed One said I have to stay with you all the time on a job," Krekka answered. "What are you doing, Nidhiki?"
"What does it look like I'm doing? Listen, Krekka, we'll bring one back to the Shadowed One, and then we'll keep the other two for us. Wouldn't you like a new toy to play with?"
Krekka shook his head. "Shadowed One says everything goes back to him. Nothing gets left."
"Krekka –"
"Shadowed One says no!" Krekka said, slamming his fist into the wall. The whole building shook as if it might come down on top of them. Worse, the volume of his voice was attracting Matoran attention. Nidhiki could hear guards coming this way. He had been told to make sure the Dark Hunters' involvement in this theft was kept secret, and that was now in jeopardy.
"All right," said Nidhiki, gathering up the three launchers and wishing he could use them on Krekka. "But just because you asked so nicely."
Nidhiki first spotted the stranger walking through the stone courtyard of the Shadowed One's fortress. Tall, powerful, with jet-black armor, she moved like a serpent, her eyes darting from left to right. She was new, and anything new on the island was always of interest to him.
"I wouldn't," said Lariska. She had appeared beside him without him ever being aware she was near. "She's trouble."
"She wants Dark Hunter training, and she's willing to pay. But she's not joining. Says she has plans of her own. So the Shadowed One is giving her a few hours to change her mind, then she's being sent back where she came from."
"And she needs our skill – so her plans involve theft, murder, and betrayal," Nidhiki muttered. "Sounds like my kind of evening."
Before Lariska could stop him, he was on his way to greet the new arrival.
"Get out of my way."
Nidhiki didn't move. He had found out the newcomer's name was Roodaka, but precious little else about her. Still, he could make a few educated guesses and the best way to confirm them was face-to-face. If you can call what she's got a "face", he noted.
"Just trying to make you feel welcome," he said lightly. "This is a very friendly island we have here – heavily defended, home to several hundred killers, and unfailingly lethal to trespassers… but friendly."
Roodaka started to push past him. "I have no need of friends."
Nidhiki blocked her again. "Then how about a business partner? Listen – I've been stuck on this rock for over a year now. The only time I get off is when they send me on some errand, with a drooling fool. I want out of here."
"And this concerns me how?"
"You're looking to get hired on by someone, or you're already working for them | 640 |
If you're looking for a creative job (or need to find help), we recommend that you check out PSFK's job listings regularly. Here's a new job at a top secret start-up, just listed on the service.
CMT seeks a seasoned professional who can lead and inspire a team of creative professionals, drive viewership to our channel and has a strong business sensibility to be our next Vice President, Creative Services. This individual will direct the efforts of CMT's Creative Staff in the creation, planning, development, production of all on and off air promotion and graphics for CMT. Specifically, they will manage the creation, development, writing and production of all on-air promotional materials, off-air promotion, graphic animation and design, including tune-in promotion campaigns, network image campaigns, music production, voiceover, on camera talent, presentation tapes, radio promotion, etc. They will establish objectives and oversee implementation of processes<|fim_middle|> business plans. | to achieve company goals. Will successfully marry design with brand principles, creative thinking and business strategy. In addition, they will develop and manage the departmental budget and compliance issues. Position reports directly to the SVP Brand Marketing & Creative. In conjunction with the SVP, this position will establish long-range brand goals and | 63 |
Items owned by gangster 'Whitey' Bulger to be auctioned
Auctioneer Bob Sheehan reaches for a silver skull ring, which is on display next to a diamond claddagh ring, that are among items belonging to James 'Whitey' Bulger and Catherine Greig, which will be auctioned off this weekend at the Boston Convention Cen (Photo: Charles Krupa)
By Samoa Observer • 25 June 2016, 12:00AM
Some things seem to capture the public perception of gangster James "Whitey" Bulger's life: a sterling silver "psycho killer" skull ring, a rat-shaped pencil holder, a stack of books about the Mafia.
But others tell of a mundane, domestic life in hiding with his longtime girlfriend, Catherine Greig: a coffee pot, a muffin pan, a few dozen T-shirts and pajamas.
Hundreds of items from both sides of Bulger's life are going on the auction block Saturday as the federal government attempts to raise money for the families of his victims, including 20 people killed by Bulger and his gang and several extortion victims.
"We're hoping to be able to use his fame — if that's what you want to call it — to generate some higher prices for some of this stuff," said Thomas J. Abernathy III, assistant chief inspector for the U.S. Marshals Service's asset forfeiture division. "The theme here is to just try to get as much as we can for the victims, but nothing will ever bring their loved ones back."
Bulger, now 86, was convicted of a host of charges, including participating in 11 murders, during a 2013 racketeering trial. He is serving a life sentence. His life was chronicled in the 2015 film, "Black Mass," starring Johnny Depp.
Many of the items up for auction were found in a rent-controlled apartment in Santa Monica, California, where Bulger and Greig were captured in 2011 after 16 years on the run. Bulger fled Boston in late 1994 after his FBI handler tipped him off to an impending indictment. Prosecutors said Bulger was a longtime FBI informant, which Bulger denied during his trial.
During an auction preview Friday<|fim_middle|> more interested in generic items.
"There's a very simple appeal of having something in your own possession that was once owned by someone famous — or in 'Whitey' Bulger's case, infamous," he said.
Steve Davis, whose sister, Debra Davis, was killed in 1981, said he has no interest in the auction. Davis believes his sister was killed by Bulger, but the jury made no finding on her death.
"I have no desire to see anything of his," Davis said. "I think the people who are going to bid on it — to own a piece of the rat bastard he was — it's really sick." | , U.S. Attorney Carmen Ortiz acknowledged that auctioning Bulger's belongings is "a little distasteful."
"We didn't want to glamorize him," Ortiz said. "At the end of the day we were guided by trying to make the victims whole through restitution."
The auction will include only a handful of valuable items, notably a diamond ring belonging to Greig, appraised at $15,000 to $20,000, and Bulger's gold and diamond Claddagh ring, appraised at $10,000 to $15,000. There is also a replica 1986 Stanley Cup championship ring.
Ortiz said many of the items have little intrinsic value but could attract bidders simply because they were owned by Bulger and Greig.
There are dozens of household items, many with animal themes, including cat figurines, a cat letter holder, a cat coffee mug and a pair of poodle salt and pepper shakers. There's also a pancake maker, sauce pans, a vacuum cleaner and an ironing board.
Personal items include the fitness-conscious Bulger's weight bench and barbells, about a dozen pair of Bulger's sneakers and lots of clothing.
The live auction at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center and the web simulcast auction Saturday will also include hundreds of books, many about World War II and the Holocaust, including some with Bulger's handwritten notes in the margins.
Jeff Hurley, 57, of Lynnfield, looked over the auction items during a public preview Friday and said he plans to bid on the white hat Bulger was wearing when he was captured, and the replica Stanley Cup ring.
"It's not money that's going to him or his relatives. It's going to the victims' families, and I can feel good about that," Hurley said.
Patricia Donahue, whose husband was killed by Bulger and an associate in 1982, attended the preview just to see what items are being sold, but said she doesn't believe the auction will bring in enough money to "make a difference" for her family or the families of other victims. A federal judge ordered a $25.2 million forfeiture judgment against Bulger, but the families are expected to collect only a fraction of that through the auction and $822,000 in cash found in Bulger's apartment.
"It looks more like a yard sale than an auction," Donahue said.
Geoff Schumacher, the content director for The Mob Museum in Las Vegas, said he plans to participate in the online auction.
Schumacher said the museum would be interested in Bulger's personal belongings, but other bidders might be | 564 |
A BRIEF<|fim_middle|> Fosse, but I was never a copier. You have to create your own style — so it sometimes takes a while to break through.
From being a jobbing dancer, you became a jobbing choreographer.
BD: Yes, I did lots of rep work — and started working with Martin Connor doing musicals with students at Guildhall. One of the shows we did there was Babes in Arms — and it led to a professional production at Cardiff, and then Jonathan Church asked us to do it at Chichester as well. It was a huge hit, but the first half wasn't quite right. We've worked on it some more, and it is now — and we're going to do it again at Arts Ed [another London drama school] later this year.
You're at Guildhall again at the moment, working on Chaplin [an American-penned musical famously aborted for Broadway in 1982, and now receiving its first full production in its original version].
BD: It's an absolute joy. The facilities are incredible — you get a full orchestra and a full stage set, so you can explore any musical you want to. Chaplin is a piece Martin and I did a workshop of first with students at Guildford, my old school, so it was fun to be back there. But it has given us the chance to explore something that is essentially brand new. It's got a very interesting concept and it's got something to say — its told in a music- hall style, which then becomes filmic and there's projection, and there's also mime and commedia dell'arte — you're crossing lots of different worlds, and it all mixes up. I also didn't realize what an awful life Chaplin had, or that he didn't find his true identity until quite late on.
What about your own artistic identity? What are your personal trademarks?
BD: I've always been a good comic, so choreographing comedically is something I can do. It also comes in handy when you're choreographing and things get tense. I always know how to calm down a situation!
You're also very good, of course, at period dance.
BD: Yep, I can do anything from Edwardian up to '70s or '80s dance. I don't do street dance yet, though I'm taking classes in it — as a choreographer, you have to keep reinventing yourself, but there are people who do that better than me!
You mentioned Astaire as being an influence — you've also become an Astaire expert.
BD: In 2002, I was asked to do the first-ever tribute to Fred Astaire at the London Palladium, and met his daughter Ava Astaire. It was quite daunting at first rehearsal — I arrived and there was Cyd Charisse, Jane Powell, Ann Miller and Robert Wagner, sitting in the front row waiting for me! That's where it all started! And when Top Hat came up, Ava insisted I did the job! That was a great honor.
Top Hat has joined Singin' in the Rain in the West End — another film transposed to the stage. Is there a special trick to reinventing them?
BD: You have to find the energy of those shows and make them accessible to audiences today. You can't copy the film — you have to go somewhere else with it. You have to be faithful to the style of the original, but you must then go where you want to go with it, as Gillian Lynne taught me. Besides, no performer can be Astaire — so if you try to make it a copy, you're on a hiding to nothing. I was given the rights to use the choreography from the film, which is a great honor of course, but it didn't work onstage.
You had quite a long journey with Top Hat — literally so, as it toured for a long time before it came into the West End.
BD: It changed a lot on the tour. We realized that we didn't have a good enough opening number for the West End. We had a meeting with the Irving Berlin daughters and Ted Chapin and Bruce Pomahac from the Rodgers and Hammerstein office in New York [who administer the rights to the Berlin catalog], who've been the most amazing support to me throughout, and they let us put in "Putting On the Ritz." I remember tapping it out on the table for them, and they said yes. It gets the show off with a huge bang.
Other support, of course, comes from your dance arranger Chris Walker and director Matthew White.
BD: Chris is a genius — every eyelash, every arm is orchestrated! You're lost without a good dance arranger. I've worked with directors before where I've been in another room rehearsing, and you come back and half a dozen bars have been cut! You can't do that because the whole flow of a phrase will go. So the director and choreographer have to work hand in hand, as Matt and I have done.
Are you tempted to direct as well?
BD: I'd love to! That's the next step. But I love working with good directors — when the collaboration is right, there's nothing better! (Mark Shenton is Playbill.com's London news correspondent.) | ENCOUNTER WITH BILL DEAMER
Meet Bill Deamer, London's latest star theatre choreographer, the man behind the feet and movement of the screen-to-stage musical Top Hat.
BY MARK SHENTON
Just as Christopher Gattelli has recently entered the top rank of Broadway's most sought-after choreographers following his Tony win for Newies, London, too, has a new dance star: Bill Deamer, whose choreography for Top Hat brilliantly reinvents the movie-dance classic for the stage.
Like Gattelli and choreographers from Michael Bennett and Bob Fosse to Susan Stroman and Rob Ashford before them, Bill Deamer began his career as a dancer, and has served a long apprenticeship to build up his current profile. Now he's on a roll, juggling interesting student projects like the current first major London outing for Chaplin (not the version opening on Broadway this year but one that was intended to reach there 30 years ago, in 1982) at Guildhall School of Music and high-profile British TV jobs choreographing for "So You Think You Dance?" and "Strictly Come Dancing."
When Top Hat opened at the West End's Aldwych Theatre in May, the London critics were particularly impressed with the dancing; Kate Bassett, writing in the Independent on Sunday, commented, "The tap-dancing is pretty dazzling.... from the waist up, an air of nonchalant idling, while the feet are a blur of patent leather, rapping out punctilious beats. The chorus routines sound like a crescendoing war dance with syncopated machine-guns." Playbill recently caught up with the engaging Deamer over coffee in London.
Where did you train and how did you start in the business?
Bill Deamer: I was already a trained dancer before I went to the Guildford School of Acting when I was 18. So when I went there, I was able to continue my advanced ballet and tap, but what was great there is that I used to warm up in the morning, do an hour's ballet, then go to a Shakespeare class. They concentrated on all the disciplines. After I graduated, I started going into shows like Underneath the Arches in the West End and The Boyfriend for Cameron Mackintosh — a show I would later choreograph myself and which got me my first Olivier nomination when we did it at the Open Air Theatre, Regent's Park! But Cameron's production, which went to Canada before it came to the West End, was wonderful, and I'll always be very grateful to him — he taught me the value of good production early on, and that has been really important to me.
When did you make the switch into choreography yourself?
BD: I was doing a production of Cabaret in the West End, choreographed by Gillian Lynne, in 1986. I did the first three months, but I was then offered a choreography job at the Salisbury Playhouse, and I had to take it! It was to do a production of Cabaret, funnily enough! Gillian taught me a couple of great lessons: I learnt from her that you must always choreograph what it is you want to do, not what's expected of you. And she also told me early on: you will never be a choreographer's assistant — you have a mind of your own.
I worked there for a while — I was able to choreograph and be in the shows as well, that was the joy of it. Because of the way I trained and was brought up through the ranks working with great choreographers and good directors, I developed my own way of doing it. I was always greatly influenced by Fred Astaire and Bob | 767 |
Сад «Эрмитаж» на Божедомке — увеселительный сад в Москве, предшественник «нового» (также «щукинского») сада «Эрмитаж». Пришёл в упадок и был застроен в 1890-х годах.
Расположение
Сад располагался на территории Антроповых Ям между нынешней Селезнёвской улицей и 3-м Самотёчным переулком, имел прозвища «на Божедомке» (Старая Божедомка ныне называется улицей Дурова) и «на Самотёке», так что источники расходятся в отношении современного адреса. Современные исследователи обычно считают, что сад был расположен около Селезнёвской улицы. На иллюстрации справа приведено расположение театра «Антей» в саду на карте 1907 года.
По воспоминаниям режиссёра С. А. Попова, «сад занимал площадь в 8 гектаров с двумя проточными прудами, верхний из которых был площадью в 1 гектар».
История
Сад стал популярен в 1824 году, когда его тогдашний владелец И. Н. Римский-Корсаков открыл его для публичных гуляний. С 1830-х годов вход в сад стал платным.
В 1848—1851 годах в саду работал ресторан «Яр».
В 1876—1892 годах арендатором сада был антрепренёр М. В. Лентовский. По воспоминаниям режиссёра С. А. Попова, постройки в саду делались по рисункам Д. Н. Чичагова, а садом, «с дорожками по склону гор, таинствен<|fim_middle|>ев. Михаил Лентовский. Искусство, 1978.
Алексей Митрофанов. Прогулки по старой Москве: Неглинная. Ключ, 2010.
Станиславский К. С. Собрание сочинений: В 9 т. М.: Искусство, 1988. Т. 1. Моя жизнь в искусстве / Коммент. И. Н. Соловьевой. 622 с.
Ссылки
Театр «Антей» в саду «Эрмитаж»
Э | ными беседками, поэтическими скамейками на берегу пруда, лужайками и цветниками» занимался Ф. И. Демюр, главный садовник дворцовых садов Москвы и Нескучного сада.
В 1880 году к маю по проекту Чичагова был построен оперный театр в русском стиле, с электрическим освещением.
Здесь же для Лентовского Ф. О. Шехтелем было построено несколько театральных помещений, включая созданный в 1882 году Фантастический театр в виде причудливых средневековых развалин. Росписи для театра выполнил Н. П. Чехов. Здесь же размещался другой театр Лентовского, «Антей».
По словам Попова, «Своим "Эрмитажем" Лентовский победил московскую публику: семейная публика, простой народ, аристократы, кокотки, кутящая молодежь и деловые люди — все это по вечерам прямо-таки бежало в "Эрмитаж", особенно в жаркие летние дни». Однако в финансовом отношении антреприза Лентовского была неуспешной. После разорения Лентовского в 1894 году сад пришёл в упадок и уже в 1890-х годах был застроен; пруды были засыпаны (уцелел лишь Селезнёвский).
Театр в саду безуспешно попытался возродить летом 1903 года Е. Ф. Бауэр, открывший здесь «Новый Театр-буффо и сад Бауэра».
Примечания
Литература
Юрий Дмитри | 472 |
This is a picture of the Hay wagon which I purchased for $180.00. This is what will allow us to move the coop around from paddock to paddock.
Here are the new supports for the Coop. These are 4x6x16. They were $25.00 / each but well worth it for the support that they provide.
Here<|fim_middle|> playhouse for them??
Oh, Keith, this looks great. You and friends are very talented. It is turning out so good. Maybe you need to write an article for SGF on this adventure. | , the basic 2x6 fame has been put together.. Please note it has not yet been attached to the base (wheels) so yes it was off center at the time.
Here you can see the fame as it is attached to the base (wheels) note that the base is a bit torqued but we were able to work this out as well.
I forgot to take an intermediate photo, but the base was completed with 2x4x8 sitting at 16 on center and then those are bolted to the 4x6x16 by angle brackets and lag screws.
As for this photo, here you can see the beginning of the taller of the two walls. This one stands at 8 feet. As for the cutouts, these are for Hardware cloth covered ventilation windows.
Here's a view from the back again, you can see the the first wall (8ft) is up and secured. Now let's start that second wall shall we.
As you can tell from the photo, it's dark out. It was about 11:30 PM when we finished the second wall (6Ft). Why did it take us so long? Note the two 24x24 windows plus the 36x36 Chicken door that we created.
Now we have both sides completely done (exterior) and tomorrow it's onto the end walls.
This picture was taken just before we went in for the night, this is the 6 foot wall with the two 24 x 24 windows and a chicken door. The flap for the chicken door is not yet installed as I need to purchase some outdoor hinges.
Today is a new day!! We got up at 8:00 AM and headed out to build more walls. Here is the one end wall. It only took us 3 hours to build it but check out the angles.. It turned out perfect.
Here's a better view of the work we've done so far. This is the front, right hand corner of the coop, so here you can see the front and the end wall that we just completed. It's coming together nicely.
Here's a picture of the side wall that we still need to work on. This is where we will have the people door. Let's get to work!
Anyway, the last wall is in and complete. I just need to trim off the excess OSB board from the sides.
And there she is, it's about 2:00 and we're pooped, so that's it for this weekend. Next Friday, I will build the people door, Add the flaps for the Hardware Cloth windows as well as the Chicken Door and then focus on the Roof.. A little paint and some interior goodies (Roosts, Nesting Boxes and we'll be all set for move in.
Something tells me that the kids think this is a | 594 |
Q: For every $x,y,z \in[2,7] $ and $x+y+z=12$, prove that $x^3+y^3+z^3\leq 316+x^2+y^2+z^2$ I have tried to use the majorization inequality to approach this question.
I have both $x^3$ and $x^2$ is convex in the region $[2,7]$ since there second derivatives are positive on this interval.
After I rewrite the equation, I have $(x^3-x^2)-(y^3-y^2)-(z^3-z^2)\leq 316$
So, I wonder if I can first say something about $g(x)=x^3-x^2$ by the majorization inequality then generalize to y and z cases.
I would appreciate if someone can help.
A: Solution with use of the majorization inequality.
Wlog $x\geq y\geq z$. Then we have
\begin{align}x&\leq 7\\
x+y&\leq 10\\
x+y+z&=12
\end{align}
so $(x,y,z) \preceq (7,3,2)$. Since $g$ in convex on $[2,7]$ we have $$g(x)+g(y)+g(z)\leq g(7)+<|fim_middle|>^2+z^2$.
Fixing $z=7$ we have to prove $x^3+y^3\le 22 + x^2+y^2$ in which the equality is reached at $(x,y)=(2,3)$ so we must take $z\lt7$. An easy calculation more and we are done.
| g(3)+g(2) = 316$$
A: HINT( for another way).
For $(x,y,z)=(2,3,7)$ (and any of the six permutations) we have exactly $x^3+y^3+z^3= 316+x^2+y | 66 |
Subscription Mill is a commercially working tower mill<|fim_middle|> There are open weekends in the summer with a wide variety of attractions for visitors to see.
References
External links
Official website
Windmills in Nottinghamshire
Tower mills in the United Kingdom
Grinding mills in the United Kingdom
Windmills completed in 1813 | at North Leverton, Nottinghamshire that was built in 1813.
History
Subscription Mill was built in 1813 by local farmers to mill their grain. It served the villages of Fenton, Habblesthorpe, North Leverton and Sturton le Steeple. The Subscription Mill Company was formed. The mill was built to grind corn for members of the company, and also for local farmers and the poor. In 1884, the mill was extended and gained an extra floor. The windmill has continued to work through all of its life, making it unique. In 1956, a new limited company was formed. In July 1959, a sail was struck by lightning and damaged. Repairs costing £3,000 were carried out with a grant and loan from Nottinghamshire County Council, and grants from the Council for the Preservation of Rural England, the Ministry of Works and Retford Rural District Council. The works were carried out by Thompson's, the Alford, Lincolnshire millwrights. The mill was again struck by lightning in 1972. The mill was repaired the next year.
Description
The mill has four floors and is built to the Lincolnshire style. It has four Patent sails mounted on a cross, an Ogee cap and an eight bladed fantail. There are three sets of millstones, two of which are wind-driven, and one set driven from an external engine/tractor.
Public access
The windmill is entirely maintained by a group of volunteers, and is open to the public every Saturday and Sunday throughout the year. Admission is free but there is a donation box towards the upkeep of the mill. | 353 |
Raccoons Rags: SSP-051: New sewing pattern for Kaye Wiggs MSD and Mei Mei.
SSP-051: New sewing pattern for Kaye Wiggs MSD and Mei Mei.
SSP-005 for Patience has been one of my most popular patterns ever, so I've made a version for Kaye Wiggs girls. This is not simply a scaled up version, it's entirely re-drafted from scratch,<|fim_middle|>.
You can click on these images to see them larger. All in all, this is a lovely design. Really charming for these girls.
Next up, I'll be working on something for Little Darlings by Dianna Effner. Although I'm just a wee bit terrified of marking my beautiful dolly!
Looks lovely - I like the purple fabric... it looks like crushed velvet (I know it's not!) I must make it again for Patience - I only managed to make one for Mimi! I'm now thinking I should make it in jewel colours for Patience for the winter... but first I need to finish the dresses I'm crocheting for the Patience crew....one down five to go!
It's a gorgeous purple isn't it :) These jewel colours would be perfect for winter! Good work on all those dresses!
Kaye Wiggs Gracie, brand new face up. | and fits both the MSD (45cm/18") and the Mei Mei (43cm/17") bodies.
And right here on the blog: (PayPal shopping cart) You can find the sales pages at the top of the blog, in tabs for each section. I will email you the pattern PDF files directly, after you've cleared checkout. Click this link to email me, if you have any queries.
If you do buy from me here on the blog, and you live in the EU, the rules state that I don't have to charge you VAT as it's a direct sale. So I won't.
Price without VAT is £9.25.
First, the little leotard is good if you're using a dark fabric for your dress, it guards against staining. The dress is fully lined, but the construction means that the dark seams are on the inside, so it's just a precaution.
This fits Mei Mei, but stretches to fit the MSD body, which is approximately 1/2" longer. Just make sure you use 4 way stretch fabric.
The dress has adorable puff sleeves, and can be made sleeveless.
The pinafore is very cute, and can be made with front and back skirts, or as an apron style garment, without the back skirt panels.
I quite like the full skirted version left open at the back, but snaps can be added if you prefer it closed.
The outfit is very slightly... but only slightly, looser on the Mei Mei body, and is longer.
The mock ties at the sides can be made out of fabric or ribbon, and are a very pretty trim | 339 |
Home » Europe » Man 'assaulted and kidnapped Bumble date for five days'
Man 'assaulted and kidnapped Bumble date for five days'
A man in Texas was arrested after he kidnapped his Bumble date and held her hostage without food and water for five days, prosecutors say.
Zachary Kent Mills, 21, was arrested after allegedly assaulting and kidnapping a victim on Christmas Eve. The harrowing story is detailed in court documents obtained by Metro.co.uk.
According to court documents, Mills matched with the victim using popular dating app Bumble. The criminal complaint against Mills says they began a 'romantic relationship,' but it does not say how long this relationship lasted.
On December 24, the victim agreed to meet him at his apartment complex in Spring, Texas.
The criminal complaint says Mills became aggressive when the victim refused his sexual advances, and began striking her with his fists and bite her on the neck and face. 'When the defendant's hands got tired from hitting her, he would grab a screwdriver and would strike her with the handle of the screwdriver causing serious bodily injury,' the document reads.
Each time the victim tried to leave the apartment, Mills would begin to assault her again. This lasted for five days, during which Mills allegedly didn't provide her with food or water and refused to let her leave.
The victim was eventually able to escape when Mills left the apartment to visit his father. The victim 'gathered up her clothes and ran out the door and contacted the first people who she came in contact with.'
The victim escaped on December 29. She was picked up by Harris County Constable's Office Deputies, who took her to Houston Methodist Spring Emergency Care Center.
She was admitted to the hospital with 'severe bruising to both eyes, bite marks, and cuts to both her throat and nose, and severe bruising to majority of her body.'
She eventually identified Mills by a driver's license photo.
Mills was released on bond set by a magistrate judge at $50,000. However, he was also restricted to a 24-hour home curfew at his residence.<|fim_middle|> his lawyer Chris Denuna told CNN. 'My client is presumed innocent as is afforded to him by the constitution and due process.'
Got a story? Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at [email protected] Or you can submit your videos and pictures here.
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'It's important to know that there are two sides to this story,' | 33 |
My husband loves to walk.
He especially likes walking in the neighborhood and seeing the homes and nature and being outside.
Unfortunately the heat and humidity have made it very uncomfortable for him to walk because he goes at a pretty crisp clip. He says he doesn't like to melt down into his shoes in this weather and I can't blame him.
His solution has been to walk at the mall. He claims it is boring just going around in circles. But he has made a game of it.<|fim_middle|> | He tries to find people who are also walking for exercise and see if he can out pace them. I tease him about his competitive spirit and he just laughs.
But there's a lot of truth in it. He talks about this one young gal (20-30s) who has longer legs than he does and really flies -- he says he turns on the after burners and catches up and passes her.
There's another guy who he says hides from him when he sees him out walking because he can outdistance him.
Hubby says this spirit of competition keeps it interesting.
I say watch out Roadrunner! Beep! Beep!
lol. I too see those walkers in the mall and I was never able to understand why you walk a mall when theres a whole world outside. I guess the mall walkers have their own little world going on too.
NJDebbie -- my hubby is hilarious a lot of the time. It makes life fun! | 193 |
About MHF
About Mission High
An independent 501(c)(3) non-profit providing community support for historic Mission High School and its students.
All of us in the community can help make the dream of a great education for all students a reality.
Mission High Foundation is an independent a 501(c)(3) charitable non-profit that provides much needed resources for San Francisco's historic Mission High School both through fundraising and through building bridges with the greater community.
We partner with individuals, businesses, and other<|fim_middle|> way, goes directly toward helping make sure every student graduates fully prepared for college or for success in the next stage of their lives.
The foundation is 100% volunteer-run, and 100% of every dollar raised goes to direct program spending. All administrative and overhead costs of the Foundation are funded by members of the Board.
Mission High School At a Glance
Founded in 1890, Mission High is the oldest comprehensive public school in San Francisco.
Mission High's 1,100 students come from every corner of San Francisco, plus the East Bay and the Peninsula.
In 2017, Mission High's Boys Basketball Team won the State Division III Championship—the first time ever by a San Francisco school.
In addition to on premise sports facilities, Mission High also has a museum, a creek (in the basement!), and an organic farm.
Enroll in College or Other Post-Secondary School
Recent colleges include:
Mission High is the subject of this book by Kristina Rizga, Senior Reporter, Mother Jones.
Mission High Foundation Partners
© Copyright Mission High Foundation 2020. All Rights Reserved. | funders in support of Mission High's uniquely successful programs, which take place both inside and outside the traditional classroom.
Everything we do, in some | 29 |
City hospitals the main breeding ground for MRSA, study reveals
Infection Control | Microbiology
Infection is being spread from large hospitals to community facilities, Scottish scientists discover
Large city hospitals are believed to be the main breeding ground for the life-threatening superbug, MRSA, new research has shown.
A study by scientists at the University of Edinburgh identified that, in the main, MRSA infections started in larger general hospitals, before being spread around smaller hospitals and community facilities as patients were discharged or transferred.
For example, researchers traced the bug from a large city hospital in London to smaller units across the South East. Similarly, the infection shifted from Glasgow in the west of Scotland to the East of the country.
Lead researcher, Dr Ross Fitzgerald of The Roslin Institute at the university, said: "The high levels of patient traffic in large hospitals means they act as a hub between patients, who may then be transferred or treated in regional hospitals."
The scientists looked at the genetic make-up of more than 80 variants of a major clone of MRSA found in hospitals. Known as EMRSA-16, this clone is the most common type of MRSA identified in the UK and only occurs in hospital settings. The investigators estimated it had been around on UK wards for some 35 years, and they identified mutations and genetic elements that may have allowed it to spread within hospitals<|fim_middle|> Scottish Government Health and Social Care Directorates, the Medical Research Council, and the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research. It involved collaboration between The Roslin Institute, the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute and the University of Bath in the UK, and the Broad Institute and the University of Mississippi Medical Centre in the United States.
Britain's biggest network of COVID-19 diagnostic labs completed in five weeks
Decline in medical technologies created to diagnose deadly diseases
Portable technology to fight antimicrobial resistance
New swab could detect MRSA before it takes hold | .
The high levels of patient traffic in large hospitals means they act as a hub between patients, who may then be transferred or treated in regional hospitals
They made the discovery about its transference into the community by tracking movements using this genetic code as a tag.
This knowledge may now enable the development of new ways to prevent the spread of MRSA, and a number of other potentially-deadly healthcare associated infections. For example, patients could be screened and treated for MRSA before transferring from one hospital to another. This is currently not universal policy, although most patients are swabbed before being admitted to hospital for a planned medical or surgical procedure.
Dr Fitzgerald said: "This is the first time we have had genetic evidence for the spread of MRSA, and if we can identify the transmission routes, we can take steps to prevent spread."
Health Protection Agency clinical scientist and co-author of the paper, Dr Angela Kearns, added: "This type of information is important to help us develop policies to improve public health."
This is the first time we have had genetic evidence for the spread of MRSA, and if we can identify the transmission routes, we can take steps to prevent spread
MRSA first began to appear in UK hospitals around 50 years ago following the widespread introduction of antibiotics, to which the bacteria is becoming increasingly resistant.
The paper, published in the journal, PNAS , also found evidence that the MRSA strain studied evolved from antibiotic-sensitive bacteria that existed more than 100 years ago.
The researchers are now calling for a more indepth study looking at whether the pattern of spread identified in Glasgow and London is reflected in other areas around the country.
Fellow researcher, Paul McAdam, said: "Our findings suggest that the referral of patients to different hospitals is a major cause of MRSA transmission around the country. This knowledge could help in finding ways to prevent the spread of infections."
The research was funded by the Chief Scientist Office, | 396 |
ALLY McCOIST last night challenged his team to pile the pressure on Celtic with the perfect 10.
Rangers could surge 10 points clear of the Hoops after 10 games with a home win today against Hibs.
And although Neil Lennon's side would have two games in hand, McCoist prefers to have the points on the board<|fim_middle|> Weir, Lee Wallace, Matt McKay and Jamie Ness are all fit again and back in the squad. | than play catch-up.
He said: "It is a massive incentive and a great chance for us to open up a ten point gap. The league form has been really encouraging and the results have been excellent.
Rangers have racked up eight wins and a draw in their opening nine SPL fixtures.
And despite the agony of blowing the defence of their League Cup at Falkirk, McCoist is happy with the progress his side is making under the inspirational leadership of stand-in skipper Steven Davis.
"Like all of us, he was really hurting after we lost to Falkirk in the League Cup." he added "It was a sore one for us all but I just sensed that he took it badly.
Davie | 144 |
Description: This skill represents an aggressive combat stance often employed by warring or warlike peoples, varying in roleplay aspects by race, region, academy, mentor, etc. Unpredictable and disruptive, this style focuses on vigorous attacks intended to put opponents on the defensive. Learners are instructed in two forms that carry specific attack/defend modifiers, as well as affecting the opponent<|fim_middle|> attack with a -4 modifier to defend, but also gives the opponent a -2 modifier to defend. During combat the forms can be changed at the start of each round, but may not be changed during the round, and the form will carry over to the next round if no change is announced at the beginning of the round. It may be used with any known attack or defend skills, and these modifiers stack with all related and general combat modifiers. Only one stance may be purchased during character building, additional stances may be selected as the character advances. | 's ability to defend, and typically focus on one target with as many attacks as possible. The Balanced form offers no modifiers and is most often used when assessing threats or when using group tactics; while the Frenzy form offers a +2 modifier to hit, it's assertive nature leaves the character vulnerable to | 62 |
Here are some of the Fabric Postcards I have made. A lot of them I have sold and are in Private Collections. Others I have traded.
I hope to be making more soon as I<|fim_middle|> they look so real!
Lovely postcards! I have enjoyed making them too. Yours are fantastic.
Thanks so much for taking time to have a look at my work. I really appreciate your sweet comments.
I love making these cards and yes Marva the Zentangles were outside my comfort zone but I wanted to do some for a PC trade.Very intense sewing. I looked at yours Marva and I like the detail you can get with pen and ink.
Maggie I love your fabric postcards! So much detail! So nice of you to visit my blog and leave a lovely comment. Your work is inspiring, and I am now a follower.
Maggie your postcards are wonderful. The Canada one really grabbed me. Great work.
I am in such "ahhhhhhhhh" of your work. You are very talented. Your cards show how much love u dedicate when u are creating them. | do have some pending obligations and I would like to put some in my Etsy Shop..
This is one of my favorite Art Forms.
I wish I could invent a 48 hour day!
I hope you enjoyed seeing them.
Thanks for visiting my blog and becoming a follower. I am following you as well and look forward to reading your blog.
Fantastic collection Maggie! I special like how you make the birch trees, | 84 |
The Highlands Current (https://highlandscurrent.org/2019/04/14/name-that-bird/)
Name That Bird!
By Alison Rooney | April 14, 2019
Pete Salmansohn explains the characteristics of the mourning dove. (Photo by Ross Corsair)
Participants puzzle over avian IDs<|fim_middle|>)
Additional questions were connected to the drawings mounted on a display. "Name three birds with Mohawks," one asked.
One knowledgeable participant was Amara Gross, a third-grader at the Garrison School, who attended with her father, Mark. Her hand shot up each time Salmansohn asked a question, and she knew her stuff, which she attributed to a five-week class program on birds.
"We learned about their habitats, and the dangers of migration," she volunteered, noting that those dangers included "predators, like cats, storms, and lightning." Her class also learned, she said, about "field marks, which include pattern and colors." Amara blazed her way through the worksheets, with only an occasional assist from her father.
Reverse Commute
Can you identify these birds that winter in the Highlands but mostly breed elsewhere? (Answers below.)
Photo by Ken Thomas
Photo by Cephas/Flickr
Photo by Alan Wilson
The program also featured an auditory component when Salmansohn played recordings of birds' calls and had everyone attempt to duplicate them. Then it was a round of guess-that-bird:
"It has a pattern on its wings, which we call wing bars; it's sparrow-shaped, with big eyes, big feet and a long tail. Who knows what this bird is?"
Participants studied bird photos that Salmansohn asked them to identify. (Photo by Ross Corsair)
No one knew. It was a mockingbird, which Salmansohn conceded are not common in the Highlands.
There was more success with the next bird, described as measuring about 17.5 inches long, with a long, pointy beak, a skinny neck, "and the Mohawk thing." Several members of the audience correctly identified the pileated woodpecker.
Answers: Dark-eyed junco; white-throated sparrow; common merganser
Humans Flock to "Birds of Prey" Day
Hossing Around
About Alison Rooney
Rooney has been the arts editor at The Current since its founding in 2010 and has lived in Cold Spring since 1999.
More by Alison |
By Alison Rooney
With spring around the corner, the reappearance of songbirds from the south has begun, making it an ideal time to learn how to identify them.
"This is a class where you'll be doing all the work," said Pete Salmansohn, education chair for the Putnam Highlands Audubon Society, to about 40 people who came to Desmond-Fish Library in Garrison on March 31 for a lesson.
Based on a show of hands, most of those in attendance were ornithological novices. But Salmansohn reassured everyone that bird identification is "pretty easy, once you get the basics in terms of what to look and listen for."
He cycled through a few common birds — chickadee, robin, goose, great blue heron — pointing out identifiers such as neck shape, or calls. Location matters, too. "Would you expect to see a great blue heron at a bird feeder?" he asked.
Other clues are size, patterns, colors, features, what a bird does with a specific feature, like a crest, or a combination of any of these factors. A cardinal's triangular beak, for instance, helps it crack open seeds.
After dividing into smaller groups, the participants studied a pack of 10 color photos of unidentified birds and responded to a questionnaire with inquiries such as "Which bird can easily grab onto tree bark?" (downy woodpecker and nut hatch) or "Identify two birds which look closely related, by shape."
Third-grader Amara Gross and her father, Mark, figure out which descriptions fit which images. (Photo by A. Rooney | 336 |
If your child has a minor ailment, a cough or cold, stomach upset or a temperature; it's handy to remember that you can always go to straight to your pharmacist for advice and medicine rather than head for your GP.
The good news about this is you don't have to make an appointment and pharmacies are often open longer hours than GP practices, giving you ample opportunity to get skilled advice.
If you are using medicine that isn't on a prescription you need to take care – especially as children are more sensitive to medication than adults. Here's how to ask all the right questions and stay safe.
Check your child's symptoms with your pharmacist first – and if they need over-the-counter medicine (e.g. infant paracetamol for a fever), the pharmacist should take the time to explain the medicine to you.
This should include giving you details of how and when and for how long your child's medicine should be taken.
If they don't explain fully or you don't understand the first time – always ask them to go through it with you again.
They should also let you know if there is anything to be avoided while your child is taking the medicine, and they should check with you first to see if your child is already taking any other medication that could affect this.
In turn, you should always let them know if your child has any allergies or has had any bad reactions to any previous medicines in the past, as well as asking them about any possible side effects.
Some medicines have to be taken at particular times, for example, before or after meals, in order for them to work properly – so always read the instructions carefully.
Remember if you don't understand part or all of the instructions you can always call your pharmacist for more information.
Only give your child medicine from his own prescription, or over-the-counter medicine approved by the pharmacist and never give your child medicine designed for adults.
Secondly, make sure you only ever give the correct dose of the medicine and that you never exceed the dose recommended over a 24-hour period.
Always double check the amount needed for your child's age and weight and if you are using a spoon, use the precise measuring spoon that comes with the medicine – rather than one from the kitchen drawer. Too small a dose and the medicine won't work while too large a dose could harm your child.
If you're giving a liquid, don't forget to shake the bottle thoroughly to make sure the strength of the medicine is the same throughout the bottle.
If using a spoon is too tricky (your child keeps spitting the medicine out) a medicine syringe can be easier – you can get one of these from your pharmacy.
Equally, giving medicine like eye and ear drops can also be tricky – in all cases, try and stay as calm as you can and if needed, get someone else to help you keep your child steady.
If your child can't take the medicine she's been given easily (e.g. she gags at the medicine or spits it out), contact your GP or pharmacist as they may be able to give you the medicine in a different form.
Some treatments are advised for a maximum of a few days while others need to be taken for the full course. Ask your GP or pharmacist if you are not sure how long the treatment is for.
Always speak to your doctor or pharmacist if your child shows any side effects, or if you have been using the medicine for a while and your child's condition has not improved or worsened.
At home you should always make sure that all medicines are stored well away from babies and children.
This is best<|fim_middle|> by the time you come to use them again.
Finally, never keep a medicine past its 'use by date' and some medicines once opened must be discarded within a limited time.
Eye ointment, for example, should not be kept over four weeks after the tube has been opened. Don't put them in a bin or flush them down the toilet – give them back to the pharmacist where they can be disposed of safely. | in a high up in a lockable wall cabinet where little fingers can't reach – and ideally in a cool, dark place. Some medicines need to be kept refrigerated and, if that's the case, keep them out of sight of children and up on a high shelf in the fridge so they are not easily reachable.
Always store medicines in the bottle or packet they came in and keep the instructions – you might have forgotten how to take them | 89 |
<|fim_middle|> | 24 Sun Feb 2008
Reconciled Sinners Make the Best Preachers
, based on John 4:5-42
Jesus came to a Samaritan city called Sychar, near the plot of ground that Jacob had given to his son Joseph. Jacob's well was there, and Jesus, tired out by his journey, was sitting by the well. It was about noon.
A Samaritan woman came to draw water, and Jesus said to her, 'Give me a drink'. (His disciples had gone to the city to buy food.) The Samaritan woman said to him, 'How is it that you, a Jew, ask a drink of me, a woman of Samaria?' (Jews do not share things in common with Samaritans.) Jesus answered her, 'If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, "Give me a drink", you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.' The woman said to him, 'Sir, you have no bucket, and the well is deep. Where do you get that living water? Are you greater than our ancestor Jacob, who gave us the well, and with his sons and his flocks drank from it?' Jesus said to her, 'Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but those who drink of the water that I will give them will never be thirsty. The water that I will give will become in them a spring of water gushing up to eternal life.' The woman said to him, 'Sir, give me this water, so that I may never be thirsty or have to keep coming here to draw water.'
Jesus said to her, 'Go, call your husband, and come back.' The woman answered him, 'I have no husband.' Jesus said to her, 'You are right in saying, "I have no husband"; for you have had five husbands, and the one you have now is not your husband. What you have said is true!' The woman said to him, 'Sir, I see that you are a prophet. Our ancestors worshipped on this mountain, but you say that the place where people must worship is in Jerusalem.' Jesus said to her, 'Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father seeks such as these to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.' The woman said to him, 'I know that Messiah is coming' (who is called Christ). 'When he comes, he will proclaim all things to us.' Jesus said to her, 'I am he, the one who is speaking to you.'
Just then his disciples came. They were astonished that he was speaking with a woman, but no one said, 'What do you want?' or, 'Why are you speaking with her?' Then the woman left her water-jar and went back to the city. She said to the people, 'Come and see a man who told me everything I have ever done! He cannot be the Messiah, can he?' They left the city and were on their way to him.
Meanwhile the disciples were urging him, 'Rabbi, eat something.' But he said to them, 'I have food to eat that you do not know about.' So the disciples said to one another, 'Surely no one has brought him something to eat?' Jesus said to them, 'My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to complete his work. Do you not say, "Four months more, then comes the harvest"? But I tell you, look around you, and see how the fields are ripe for harvesting. The reaper is already receiving wages and is gathering fruit for eternal life, so that sower and reaper may rejoice together. For here the saying holds true, "One sows and another reaps." I sent you to reap that for which you did not labour. Others have laboured, and you have entered into their labour.'
Many Samaritans from that city believed in him because of the woman's testimony, 'He told me everything I have ever done.' So when the Samaritans came to him, they asked him to stay with them; and he stayed there for two days. And many more believed because of his word. They said to the woman, 'It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is truly the Saviour of the world.'
About Mary Jean Traeger, O.P.
Mary Jean is a Dominican Sister of Springfield, Illinois. She holds a Master of Arts in Pastoral Studies and a Certificate in Preaching from Aquinas Institute of Theology in St. Louis.
She has been promoter of preaching, national convener of the U.S. Dominican Promoters of Preaching, and vice-president of the Catholic Coalition on Preaching. She sits on the board of the Parable Conference.
Having completed two terms as Prioress General of the Springfield Dominicans, she now ministers as parish life coordinator at St. Katharine Drexel Parish in Springfield, Illinois.
View all posts by Mary Jean Traeger, O.P. →
By: Mary Jean Traeger, O.P. calling in from Springfield IL, USA | 1,144 |
On Monday evening Mór and I had the opportunity to head over to Cresent Moon Farms (Nesrin and Alman's place) to start in on the process of tanning sheep skins! We returned yesterday to try and finish all nine skins up.
It was an interesting experience, and by that I do not mean "interesting" in the way of politely saying, "Ugh, never again." It truly was an interesting experience, and I am looking forward to doing it again the next time sheep are butchered (although I will need to build up the muscles in my left arm more; my right arm is fine, thanks to manually turning my sewing machine's fly wheel so much; but my left is sooooore!).
First off, it was far, far less gross than one might expect. It only smelled of sheep, not blood or other grossness, and while the sheep fat we were removing from the undersides of the skins was undeniably greasy and slippery, it is also basically just lanolin, and felt a lot<|fim_middle|> SCA activities already!
1. Sheep skin is way, way tougher than I expected. Even my knife with which I have trimmed belt leather with ease had a hard time with it! A sharp knife is an absolute must (as is a way of sharpening it). Also, cutting it from the skin side when trimming off tails and other undesirable bits, rather than from the woollen side, helps; the wool dulls blades very quickly and is surprisingly tough to sever.
2. Hey, we remembered to bring water bottles! What we didn't bring was straws. Note for next time: either put a straw in it so one can simply lean over and sip, or wrap some paper towel around it so one can pick it up without getting sheep fat all over the bottle. Or, you know, have a water bottle with a built-in straw.
3. If texting, put the phone inside a Ziploc baggie first, even if the phone is washable.
4. Something to wipe ones' hands off on (a rag or some paper towel) before handling non-skinning-related tools etc (water bottles, cell phones, door knobs, eyeglasses) would be helpful. As it was, meh; the pants were going into the wash anyways.
5. Lever door knobs are the best. Round ones and lanolin-covered hands are not a practical combination.
I'd guess it was taking me about two hours per skin, more or less? A proper skinning knife would have helped, but perhaps not as much as one might have thought. Having a second person there to pull the skin taut while one is cutting helps a lot, though. On the second day, once things had dried out quite a bit, I was able to sort of (slowly) peel the membranes off the skin in much the same way one would peel a difficult orange; but for pulling the membranes and skin apart while slicing the connecting fibres, one needs at least three hands.
Mór found her hair was falling into her eyes a lot and giving her issues (we were seated on the ground doing it, and so bent over quite a bit), so if one has bits of hair that are long enough to get in the way but too short to stay in a ponytail or braid, something like a hair band or hat to keep it back is very, very helpful, although I am sure that lanolin is an excellent conditioner.
Keep an eye on the "Tanning Sheepskins" thread in the forums to find out when we next are working on them if you want to lend a hand. | nicer on the skin than, say, chicken fat would have.
Second, while I was not surprised that the process is easiest while the skins still have some body heat in them (so typically for the first hour after the slaughter, about the same window for ease of plucking chickens), I was happily surprised to learn that it eases up again the second day, and at that point is possibly even easier, as the membranes that need to be separated from the skin dry out, and become tougher, allowing one to force ones' fingers into the space to separate them, rather than having to cut the two apart. That makes for far fewer nicks on the skins (which we did several times, being complete novices to the process)! And also fewer nicks on the fingers, although we mostly came out of it unscathed. Harder on the forearms, though!
We did not quite manage to get all the skins completed before we had to leave to get kids from school, but still, eight skins in one day and one (long) evening, for two complete beginners, is pretty good, I think! We got them mostly prepped, and salted (leading, of course, to all sorts of puns: "Mor assaulted me with a meat cleaver!--No, wait, she salted my meat cleaver," heh). They can now sit until we have a chance to mix up some tanning solution (we are going to try a few different kinds of tanning, including brain tanning, to see which process gives us the best results) for up to six months. We will probably pick it up again after Hallowe'en, the weekends between now and then being pretty full of | 348 |
July 14, 2016 Northwatch Uncategorized
State Approves $2.5M to Keep Fighting Yucca Mountain Dump (July 2016)
LAS VEGAS (AP) — A state board has approved $2.5 million more to fight efforts to develop the Yucca Mountain nuclear waste dump in Nevada.
The Nevada Board of Examiners that includes Gov. Brian Sandoval authorized the spending on Tuesday. It's an expansion of an ongoing, four-year contract with a Texas-based law firm that represents the state before the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
The original contract was for $5 million, and the vote expands the budget to $7.5 million.
Nevada formally opposes the project, which is slated for 90 miles northwest of Las Vegas. Sen. Harry Reid calls the project dead, and Sen. Dean Heller says federal officials should only place dumps in states that want them.
Reps Joe Heck, Cresent Hardy and Mark Amodei have said they're open to discussions on the project.
Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.July 13, 2016 11:51 AM. As posted at http://lasvegas.cbslocal.com/201<|fim_middle|> much storage would be needed or how much would be stored at any location. Right now no predictions of storage time can be given. The reason is that highly radioactive nuclear waste is slated to be placed in deep geological repository. No place on earth exists. DOE is asking communities to store an unspecified amount of waste for an unspecified amount of time. This nuclear waste would be stored out at the INL — right above the Snake River aquifer, the drinking water for 300,000 people. The moving of waste for storage to just be moved again for permanent disposal just increases the potential of nuclear waste exposure.
Idahoans are proud of our state's beauty and environment. We don't want to jeopardize that by storing nuclear waste in Idaho.
Jerry Riener, Pocatello
July 8, 2016, as posted at http://www.idahostatesman.com/opinion/letters-to-the-editor/article88637477.html#storylink=cpy
Construction begins on nuclear waste storage site in Port Hope (July 2016)
Designed to house low-level radioactive material from the dawn of the nuclear age, site will encase waste in engineered above ground mound
PORT HOPE, Ont.—Construction crews have broken ground on a new storage site for low-level radioactive waste in Port Hope, Ont.
Part of the 10-year, $1.28 billion Port Hope Area Initiative, the storage facility will house as much as two million cubic metres of historic waste currently held at various sites in the Lake Ontario city east of Toronto.
The construction project includes the building of an aboveground mound where Canadian Nuclear Laboratories—the company leading the project—says the waste will be safely contained and monitored over the long term. The engineered mound is designed to isolate the radioactive material by encasing it entirely in multiple layers of natural and specially-manufactured materials, including geosynthetic clay, sand and ordinary soil.
Along with a sister site to be built in Port Granby, Ont., the nuclear waste in Port Hope originates from the dawn of the nuclear age. Now-defunct Eldorado Nuclear Ltd., a mining company turned crown corporation, produced the contaminants while refining radium and uranium during the 1940s and '50s.
The project is scheduled to be completed by 2022.
Note this is from an industry source. As posted July 8, 2016 at http://www.canadianmanufacturing.com/operations/construction-begins-on-nuclear-waste-storage-site-in-port-hope-ont-171551/
July 13, 2016 July 13, 2016 Northwatch Uncategorized
"Giant vault for Sellafield's nuclear waste" (July 2016)
BACK in January 1989 the Evening Mail got a first look at the new £8.6m store at Drigg for low-level radioactive waste generated by British Nuclear Fuels – much of it from nearby Sellafield.
The site was screened by thousands of conifer trees and it took 70 contractors to gouge out an eighth huge hole – Vault Eight – to take an expected five-years' worth of waste.
Contaminated paper, plastic and metal was put in drums ready to go in 20-tonne steel containers before burial, 20 miles north of Millom.
A report in the Mail on January 26 in 1989 noted: "More than 250,000 cubic metres of earth had to be torn from the ground by huge excavators to create a hole 800ft by 550ft and 16ft deep.
"The result is a roofless building resembling a huge unfilled swimming pool the size of eight soccer pitches.
"A single fork lift truck with tyres six feet high lifts the massive steel containers into place."
The 250-acre Drigg site was opened in 1939 as a Royal Ordnance factory, making and storing high explosives.
In 1959 the nuclear industry took over and found Drigg's geology suitable for burying waste in deep trenches hundreds of feet long.
Published: 8 July 2016 3:00PM as posted at http://www.nwemail.co.uk/Giant-vault-for-Sellafields-nuclear-waste-6bdc62b1-31d2-422f-a98d-e5c511a5fc99-ds | 6/07/13/state-approves-2-5m-to-keep-fighting-yucca-mountain-dump/
'Underground Chernobyl': French parliament OKs nuclear waste facility despite protests (July 2016)
A controversial project of an underground facility storing the most hazardous nuclear waste in France has been recently approved by the parliament. Opponents of the law have already called the project an "underground Chernobyl."
On Monday, the National Assembly adopted the project of a nuclear waste landfill site, named Cigeo (Industrial Centre for Geological Disposal) in the town of Bure, eastern France.
The site will be a part of Meuse/Haute Marne Underground Research Laboratory run by the National Agency for Radioactive Waste Management (Andra). The laboratory conducts studies of the geological formation in order to evaluate its capacity for deep geological repository of radioactive waste.
Published time: 13 Jul, 2016 10:18, As posted at https://www.rt.com/news/350881-nuclear-waste-hazardous-france/
Nevada stakeholders voice input on Yucca Mountain nuclear disposal site (July 2016)
In a hearing held last week on "Federal, State and Local Agreements and Economic Benefits for Spent Nuclear Fuel Disposal," the Energy and Commerce Committee's Environment and the Economy Subcommittee heard statements from Nevada stakeholders concerning a repository for spent nuclear fuel at the Yucca Mountain site.
"Nevadans deserve to have honest brokers in their federal government, and they deserve to hear the unbiased, scientific results that all of their hard-earned dollars funded," U.S. Rep. Cresent Hardy (R-NV) said.
Testimonies at the hearing discussed the impact of the Nuclear Waste Policy Act, the adequacy of funding provided to the state of Nevada and future infrastructure needs connected to the disposal facility.
"No one in Nevada is in favor of a nuclear landfill – neither am I, but, the issue is not going to go away," U.S. Rep. Mark Amodei (R-NV) said. "If we decide to deal with this, I appreciate the opportunity to have a discussion that says – what are the real impacts, what should our policy be, and in that context, what is the story for Nevada? I've got some things for you to think about as policymakers to evaluate a responsible course of conduct with respect to local and state economic impacts, operating oversight, safety policy in the near and long-term, and our policy as a nation regarding the material itself – let's start there."
Published on July 12, 2016 by Alyssa Michaud, Daily Insider, at https://dailyenergyinsider.com/industry/1124-nevada-stakeholders-voice-input-yucca-mountain-nuclear-disposal-site/
Idaho and the Search for a Nuclear Waste Site (July 2016)
On July 14 the Department of Energy is coming to Idaho to ask what we think of consent-based siting process for commercial spent nuclear fuel. By looking at a couple of quick facts it is easy show why Idahoans should reject storing of nuclear waste.
There are roughly 75,000 metric tons of commercial spent nuclear fuel in the U.S., with about 2,000 metric tons being added per year. Nothing has been said on how | 708 |
Dreamland Studios suits synchronicity. A church building purchased in 1986, owner Joel Bluestein converted it into a recording studio. Dreamland Studios was active until 2001, at which point it closed its doors while the music industry rediscovered itself.
Merton, famous for his poetry and social activism, made an impression on Marotta, a legendary drummer, perhaps most recognized for his work with Peter Gabriel.
"All I can tell you is this: Probably about eight out of 10 times I read something that really strikes me. It's him. It's just bizarre," said Marotta.
Dreamland Studios suits such synchronicity. A church building purchased in 1986, owner Joel Bluestein converted it into a recording studio. Dreamland Studios was active until 2001, at which point it closed its doors while the music industry rediscovered itself.<|fim_middle|> two critically acclaimed records.
Expanding their scope, Marotta and Caigan have branched out into band development, working with local twin brothers, the Mones Brothers, on their debut. The twins are students at the Woodstock Day School.
Marotta's experience serves as a natural draw to Dreamland. His is a career that spans decades and crosses musical genres, one that has left a formidable imprint on the industry, with lasting musical contributions to artists such as Orleans, the Indigo Girls and Tears for Fears. | Dreamland reopened in 2008 with partners Marotta and Pete Caigan — a renowned producer and engineer who has worked with Sarah McLachlan, Graham Parker and Bad Brains — at the helm with a mission to develop the highest degree of creativity inside the church walls. Marotta took studio manager, while Caigan focused on technical operations. With Bluestein, they became JPJ Collective.
Perhaps its long history as a spiritual center holed up in idyllic West Hurley has something to do with the stellar recordings captured within its walls. The new Hold Steady record, which has received universal critical acclaim, was recorded at Dreamland last fall.
"Four stars in Rolling Stone is nice," smiled Caigan.
"We had the Bravery in here," added Marotta.
"And I recorded that one," said Caigan.
Record production has been virtually nonstop since Dreamland reopened its doors two years ago. Roughly 50 records have been created during this time.
"A lot of times an artist comes in and we don't know who they are, and then six months later they're the biggest thing," said Caigan.
The secret might very well be an old-school approach.
Marotta moved to Woodstock in 1986 and has maintained a home and studio, Jersville, ever since. Caigan began engineering at Jersville in 2000.
"I was trying to discourage him from opening a studio of his own," cracked Marotta.
Caigan built his own Flymax Studios, which ran for five years before he joined forces with Marotta in an official capacity at Dreamland. As partners, the two contribute much of their energies to supporting the local music scene. At Dreamland, local artists are embraced and feel a human connection to their music. In that vein, Dreamland has teamed up with local artists Ben Vita and Mike and Ruthy to create | 387 |
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Advice from autistic Rhodes Scholar [video]
Christopher Connell
The University of South Carolina's Jory Fleming with his service dog, Daisy. He suspects he won't be the first Rhodes Scholar dealing with autism, a condition that's not always obvious. (Courtesy photo)
Newly selected Rhodes Scholar Jory Fleming is the most honored student in the University of South Carolina's 215-year history. The 22-year-old geography and marine science major has perfect grades and has won three other prestigious awards.
Every Rhodes Scholar has sterling credentials. What sets Fleming apart is that he is autistic. He also has a metabolic disorder.
Autism, or autism spectrum disorder, is the name for a wide range of disorders that make it difficult to communicate, make eye contact and engage with other people. It's a mild impairment for some, severe for others.
"I was diagnosed when I was really little," said Fleming, whose mother abandoned plans to practice medicine and home-schooled him. At first "Mom would be there teaching, but<|fim_middle|> Rhodes.
Ellis recognized Fleming's potential from the start. "I looked at him for everything he was, not for any of his learning disabilities," Ellis said. It was quickly evident he could absorb voluminous amounts of information in a way other students could not match. "He has everything — so intelligent and yet so personable and modest."
Fleming's service dog, a Labrador named Daisy, will accompany him to the University of Oxford.
Before the Rhodes, "nobody knew my name, but everybody knew Daisy's," he said. "I got to talk with lots of students who were homesick for their dogs."
Now he's a celebrity, honored at halftime of a university basketball game with a jersey and autographed football helmet.
Once only close friends knew he was autistic. "It was never a conversation topic, like, 'Oh, hey, I have autism. How are you today?'" he said. "It's that way for many people with autism. They either don't display visible signs or, like me, are really good about controlling them in public.'
Fleming, who aims to earn a doctorate after a master's degree at Oxford, sees a lesson in his story for everyone, not just those with disabilities.
"The reason I won is because I applied. It sounds simple, but you're never going to win anything if you don't stick your foot out there and try something new," he said.
"Most of the time it ends up in rejection, but sometimes it ends up the other way. If you don't take that step, you'll never find out."
He joins 31 Americans and 64 from other countries recently selected for the scholarship that mining magnate Cecil Rhodes endowed in 1902.
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This site is managed by the Bureau of Global Public Affairs within the U.S. Department of State. External links to other Internet sites should not be construed as an endorsement of the views or privacy policies contained therein. | starting in middle school and especially high school it was all independent learning."
And he started to come out of his shell, taking some classes with other home-schoolers and joining their Shakespeare drama club. His favorite role: playing in the bumbling troupe in "A Midsummer Night's Dream."
Rhodes Scholar and Honorary Captain of today's game Jory Fleming and his service dog Daisy. https://t.co/tsMJ5Jvukv pic.twitter.com/NjkhJ4VvKJ
— Katie Dugan (@KBDugan) January 15, 2017
The inhibitions are still there. "I'll never find a big social setting enjoyable. But at a certain point my thinking changed. The positives outweighed the negative."
Geography professor Jean Ellis, his academic adviser, steered Fleming to apply for a Hollings internship at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Goldman and Truman scholarships followed, then the | 196 |
ATP Wimbledon: Novak Djokovic edges Denis Shapovalov for 30th Major final
by JOVICA ILIC | VIEW 3587
On the ATP results with
World no. 1 Novak Djokovic is through to his seventh Wimbledon final and the 30th at Majors following a hard-fought 7-6, 7-5, 7-5 victory over Denis Shapovalov. The encounter lasted for two hours and 44 minutes, and Novak had to work hard to overpower the youngest Wimbledon semi-finalist since Andy Murray in 2009, prevailing in the closing stages of all three sets to arrange the title clash against Matteo Berrettini on Sunday.
Novak won 11 points more than Denis, having the upper hand behind the second serve and in the crucial moments to seal the deal in straight sets and avoid a possible marathon. Shapovalov gave his best to follow the grand champion in his first Major semi-final, serving for the opening set before losing it in the tie break and fading from the court in the closing stages of sets two and three to finish his run<|fim_middle|>-3 in front, serving for the set at 5-4. Out of a sudden, Novak broke back in the last moment to level the score at 5-5 and gain a massive momentum ahead of the tie break.
The Serb won it 7-3 after taking all five return points, as Denis spoiled his chances with a double fault in the last point. Djokovic was under pressure again in the second set, surviving five break chances in games four and six and raising his level after that.
Shapovalov's serve worked like a charm until the point where he had no room for errors, which wasn't easy to leave behind. At 5-5, the Canadian got broken following another costly double fault before the Serb closed the set a few minutes later for a massive advantage.
They both wasted return chances at the beginning of the third set, and it was all about Novak after that, as he served well and waited for an opportunity in Denis' games. Shapovalov survived at 3-3, but that all changed in the 11th game, just like in the previous set.
Djokovic broke him to open a 6-5 lead and sealed the deal with another impressive hold to book his place in the 30th Major final.
Billie Jean King: "Novak Djokovic doesn't have the record for most weeks as no.1" | in the last four despite a great effort.
Novak had 32 winners and 15 unforced errors, defending ten out of 11 break chances and securing three breaks that pushed him over the finish line.
Novak Djokovic is through to his 30th Major final after beating Denis Shapovalov.
Shapovalov fired 40 winners and over 30 mistakes, unable to control his strokes more efficiently and keep the focus when it mattered the most.
Opening the court nicely from both wings, Denis grabbed a break in the opener's third game after forcing Novak's error. The Canadian performed three perfect service games to move 5 | 137 |
special edition of Friends & Fam.
Email us with the subject: Friends & Fam : BENJI B CONTEST.
Win<|fim_middle|> A$AP Rocky. He's also spun mansion parties for Mark Ronson with superstar celebrities in attendance, like Jay Z and Beyonce. The Deviation party he co-founded is in its 9th year and considered one of the premier events in the UK, drawing sold-out crowds with special live performances and DJ sets from the world's finest.
BENJI B is one of the most musically diverse and sought after DJs on the planet. We're extremely honored to have him for his first ever gig in Philly. Let's show him how FRIENDS & FAM gets down!!! | ners will be randomly selected and contacted by 12 noon (EST) March 9, 2016. Good Luck!
We're honored to have BENJI B rock with us at the next FRIENDS & FAM, reppin' BBC Radio 1 and Deviation all the way from London, England!
Join us on Friday, March 11th at Kung Fu Necktie, as we get busy with one of the world's most respected song selectors. BENJI B is the original producer for Giles Peterson's "Worldwide" radio show. His interviews run the gamut from Nas to Anderson .Paak to | 131 |
Mozambique holds rate on improved inflation prospects
Mozambique's central bank left its benchmark standing lending facility interest rate at 23.25 percent, saying the exchange rate and other indicators have begun to evolve in the expected direction and this should pave the way for lower inflation in<|fim_middle|> period while imports continued to drop due to a deceleration of economic activity and the impact of the metical's depreciation.
The reduced pressure on the current account has also eased pressure on Mozambique's foreign reserves which rose to US$1.754 billion as of Dec. 13 - or 3.5 months of imports - from $1.6928 billion, or 2.4 months of imports, in late September.
Since November the central bank said it had bought US$174 million foreign currency in the interbank market.
Mozambique's economy has been hit by the fall in global commodity prices, such as coal, and its finances worsened sharply when foreign donors, including the IMF withdrew funding when it was discovered that the country's government had hidden almost $1.4 billion of debt, or 10.6 percent of 2015 GDP.
Labels: Africa, Bank of Mozambique, Foreign Exchange, interest rates, Monetary Policy | the short and medium term.
However, the Bank of Mozambique, which has raised its rate by 13.50 percentage points this year to curb inflation, also said that it may take "necessary corrective measures" before the next scheduled meeting of its monetary policy committee on Feb. 14, 2017 if risks to inflation materialize.
Mozambique's inflation rate accelerated to a 2016-high of 26.83 percent in November from 25.53 percent in October while the exchange rate has been firming since the central bank in October raised the rate by 600 basis points and the reserve requirement for metical deposits by 250 points.
Late on Friday Oct. 21 the central bank tightened its policy stance, with the metical immediately firming from a record low of 78.5 to the U.S. dollar. Today the metical was trading at 72.5 to the dollar, up 8.3 percent since Oct. 21 but down 33.8 percent this year.
The International Monetary Fund has described the rate hike as "courageous" albeit rather late and therefore tougher than if the central bank had acted earlier. However, this delay was likely due to the appointment of a new governor with three months in between monetary policy committee meetings.
The central bank said recent data indicate that Gross Domestic Product this year will grow around 3.5 percent while inflation will be lower than around 30 percent that it had expected.
The rise in November inflation was mainly due to an increase in regulated prices, including at 37 percent hike in electricity and an 11 percent rise in water prices, while there continues to be a shortage of fresh produce supply of fresh produce due to military instability in parts of the country and adverse weather.
These factors are also behind a continued slowdown in the economy, with Gross Domestic Product in the first nine months slowing to 4.0 percent from 6.8 percent in the same 2015 period.
But the central bank said the recovery of global raw materials prices has had a positive impact on the growth prospect of exports and the country's current account deficit, which narrowed by 29.3 percent in the third quarter.
After five consecutive quarter of decline, Mozambique's exports rose in the third quarter compared to the same 2015 | 494 |
Can't attend? Follow Street Noise SG to know of future events!
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ENTER SHIKARI (UK) - Live in Singapore, 26.04.18 @The Substation
Enter Shikari are a British alternative rock band formed in St Albans, Hertfordshire, England in 1999 under the name Hybryd by bassist Chris Batten, lead vocalist and keyboardist Roughton "Rou" Reynolds, and drummer Rob Rolfe. In 2003, guitarist Liam "Rory" Clewlow joined the band to complete its current lineup, and it adopted its current name. In 2005, they performed to a growing fanbase at Download Festival as well as a sold-out concert at the London Astoria. Their debut studio album, Take to the<|fim_middle|>GT
$65 - Standard Ticket SOLD OUT $65.00
$75 - Door Ticket SOLD OUT $75.00
45 Armenian Street Singapore
Street Noise SG | Skies, was released in 2007 and reached number 4 in the Official UK Album Chart, and has since been certified gold in the UK. Their second, Common Dreads, was released in 2009 and debuted on the UK Albums Chart at number 16;[2] while their third, A Flash Flood of Colour, was released in 2012 and debuted on the chart at number 4. Both have since been certified silver in the UK. The band spent a considerable amount of time supporting the latter release through the A Flash Flood of Colour World Tour, before beginning work on a fourth studio album, The Mindsweep, which was released in 2015. Their fifth studio album The Spark was released in 2017.
Their eclectic musical style combines influences from rock, especially punk rock and hardcore punk, with those from various electronic music genres, and they are considered key pioneers of electronicore.
They perform in Singapore for the very first time on 26th April 2018! Our very own boys Boxchild will be opening for the show. Don't miss it!
- ENTER SHIKARI (UK)
(https://www.facebook.com/entershikari)
Rou - Vox/Electronics
Chris - Bass/Vox
Rory - Guitar/Backing Vox
Rob - Drums/Backing Vox
- BOXCHILD (SG)
(https://www.facebook.com/boxchild)
Venue : The Substation
Date : 26th April 2018 (Thursday)
Time : 6.30pm till end
Door opens : 6.00pm
Ticketing Details :
$65 - Standard
$75 - Door
Ticketing Outlets :
Online via EnterShikari.peatix.com
Music Gigs
Thu Apr 26, 2018
6:30 PM - 10:30 PM S | 405 |
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<|fim_middle|> The Hindu in 2016 before Rio Paralympics. "It doesn't matter. My right leg is now stunted — it is still a five-year-old's leg; it has never grown or healed."
His school Physical Education instructor encouraged him to try high jump. His current coach Satyanarayana took him under his wings in 2015.
"After he saw me at a national meet, he came and convinced my family and also made arrangements at my college, and trained me here in Bengaluru for about two years. He has been more like a friend to me, supporting me through every practice and every day," Mariyappan is quoted as saying by The News Minute, about coach Satyanaryana.
For Mariyappan, something that his coach said has remained important. His misshapen right toe is what gives him leverage while jumping and he treats, it in his words and the coach's, as his god.
Paralympic Games Gold High Jump - T42 2016 Rio de Janeiro 1.89
World Championships Bronze High Jump - T63 2019 Dubai 1.80
Asian Para Games Bronze Men's High Jump T42/63 2018 Jakarta 1.67
Mariyappan feels he is back to his best after he struggled with an ankle injury in 2017.
"My performance at selection trials (1.86m) was one of my best after my Rio 2016 performance. I had an ankle injury in 2017 and it took some time to heal. It's been a while since I had been looking to get my old rhythm back. And I believe I have got it back now. I feel I am ready for the Games," he said.
Know Your Para Athlete
Meet India's top high jumper and Flag bearer for Tokyo 2020 #Paralympics Mariyappan Thangavelu
After meeting an accident at the age of 5, Mariyappan was left with stunted growth and permanent disability in his right.#Cheer4India #Praise4Para
1/3 pic.twitter.com/mO7vjsv2b8
— SAI Media (@Media_SAI) August 16, 2021
For Mariyappan, his life motto – as per his official Paralympics profile – is a line that reads: "Try and try again, you will succeed in the end." It is a motto that has held him in good stead, and he would hope it will help his reach the podium once again Tokyo.
Tokyo 2020 Paralympics: Complete list of athletes in India's record contingent and their events
History, India's medals, new events and more – a brief guide to Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games
Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games: An overview of the schedule for India's 54-member contingent
Editor's note: Mariyappan was identified as a close contact of a Covid-19 positive person and won't be able to participate in the opening ceremony. The copy has been updated to reflect the change.
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Mariyappan Thangavelu
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Tokyo Paralympics
Paralympics: Meet Mariyappan Thangavelu, Rio 2016 gold medallist & a medal contender at Tokyo 2020
Mariyappan won India's first medal of Rio Paralympics with a phenomenal performance in the men's T42 high jump event that saw him clinch gold.
Scroll Staff
Aug 24, 2021 · 10:10 am Updated Aug 24, 2021 · 11:48 am
Mariyappan Thangavelu at Rio 2016 | AFP
The Paralympic Committee of India had named a 24-member squad for athletics, headlined by star javelin thrower Devendra Jhajharia and high jumper Mariyappan Thangavelu, for the Tokyo Paralympics. The size of the athletics contingent for Tokyo alone is bigger than the entire contingent that went to Rio 2016 where Mariyappan and Jhajharia won gold medals.
Jhajharia and Mariyappan won gold in the F46 javelin and T42 high jump events respectively in the 2016 Rio Paralympics.
Mariyappan was initially given the honour of being the flagbearer at the opening ceremony for Tokyo 2020 too but he has since then been identified as a close contact of a Covid-19 positive person and won't be able to participate in the opening ceremony.
However, Mariyappan had not tested positive and should be able to compete in his event.
Editor's note: This article has been updated after Mariyappan Thangavelu was withdrawn as the flag bearer for the Tokyo Paralympics opening ceremony.
F/T42 classification in track and field is for athletes with a leg deficiency, leg length difference, impaired muscle power or impaired passive range of movement in the legs, with athletes competing in a standing position.
While his sport class is T42, Mariyappan will be competing in the T63 category, which is for athletes with a leg amputation, who compete with prosthetics in a standing position.
Men's High Jump - T63 Varun Singh Bhati, Sharad Kumar & Mariyappan Thangavelu 31 Aug, 15.55 hrs
On day two of the Rio Paralympics, Mariyappan won India its first medal of the Games with a phenomenal performance in the men's T42 high jump event. He, along with the then reigning world champion Sam Grewe and compatriot Varun Singh Bhati, had cleared the 1.86m mark and were fighting for the gold medal.
Mariyappan then clinched the top spot with a brilliant jump of 1.89 meters and a momentary raised-arm celebration, casually walked away. It would be enough for him on the night to top the podium. He became just the third Indian athlete to win a gold medal at the Paralympics, after swimmer Murlikant Petkar in 1972 and javelin thrower Jhajharia in 2004.
Mariyappan Thangavelu fact file:
Padma Shri recipient (2017)
Arjuna Award recipient (2017)
Khel Ratna recipient (2020)
Gold medal in men's high jump T42 at 2016 Rio Paralympics
Bronze medal in men's high jump T42 at 2019 World Para Athletics C'ships Dubai
Bronze medal in men's high jump T42 at 2018 Para Asian Games Jakarta
Mariyappan hails from Periavadagampatti Village of Salem district, Tamil Nadu.
He was five when his right leg was crushed by a speeding bus and the youngster, who was on his way to school, was left with permanent disability and stunted growth. But he did not let it affect him growing up and competed in sporting events with able-bodied peers and had success too.
"I was told the driver was inebriated," he had told | 1,092 |
If Gretchen Bakke's 'The Grid' did not highlight the problem about the US electricity grid, this outage, at such a scale, from a simple switchgear failure, should tell us that we need a new electric grid system. The impact of the hurricanes that knocked out power in Houston, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands and Florida were at such a scale that we felt helpless in the face of an 'Act of God' (using insurance terms). But not the Atlanta airport outage. A small fire shouldn't have knocked out power supply for that critical an airport for 11hrs. We absolutely need a new grid system.
Every day, at exactly 6:30 am, a mother wakes up in central Texas and switches on the lights in the master bathroom of her 4 bedroom home. She brushes her teeth and checks on her 2 kids in their rooms across the hall of her 2300 sq ft home. The kids are still in bed but she knows she has only about 45 mins before the younger of the two kids, the morning kid, wakes up and bounds into the master bedroom. By this time the mother would have boiled some water for her morning tea, packed lunch for both kids and would be dressed for her busy day. The bathroom light would have been the only light switched on by the time the morning kid wakes up.
Luckily the morning kid would have jumped into the bed and woken up his dad who, while not a morning person, would roughhouse a little and also get out of bed. The father would pick up his phone, which would have been fully charged from being plugged in the night before. He'd walk to the pantry, switching on the espresso machine on his way, either using his phone or his voice activated connected home device. Noticing the near emptiness of one of the cereal boxes, the father would open the grocery app and realize that his wife had updated the grocery list for that week. Switching off the security lights from the app on his phone on the way to the bathroom, the father would gamify the experience of brushing teeth thereby ensuring that the two kids got their teeth brushed in time for breakfast. It worked every morning, they were so competitive. It also gave him time to get the kids clothes laid out before he himself headed to the bathroom to get ready to drop off the kids at school. The mother would be done getting ready and take the opportunity to eat with her kids while listening to their favorite songs on the voice activated home device that had, 15 mins earlier, read the news to the father on cue. While the mother ate with the kids, the father took a quick water efficient shower with his smart shower system. With the father working from home, it was easier for him to drop off the kids at their separate schools and the wife would make her way into her office, a short 10 min drive away, getting there before her teammates who wondered how she did it with two kids and a working husband (and no nanny).
In that house, there'd be a mad rush to get the kids fed and ready to go to work. All the electronic devices in the house, the few pulling electricity, would be obtaining their power from the electric grid. This point of the day, between 6:30–7:45, would traditionally have been the highest electric pull from the grid but, due to energy efficient devices installed in the home, this would be a low power draw point on the grid for this family. Especially as the solar panels installed on the home would ensure that, as the sun came up and the a/c powered up to keep the house at the 76C temperature that the Nest thermostat had determined was optimal for the home, the home never pulled more energy than it generated at the end of every day.
The father, like 1 Million other homeowners in the US, had gotten the solar panels installed right before the summer because a friend of his, a solar panel salesman, had run the numbers for him and convinced him that by selling power back to the electric grid, he could recoup the cost of the energy efficiency upgrades and renewable energy generation to the home in record time. This was too good an opportunity to pass up and, after only 4 months, the benefits were crystal clear. He was paying $2 on electricity.
Yes, that says $2.12! People, like me, with solar panels pay this for electricity in some parts of Texas.
Even though the father wondered about how much benefit he would gain from the panels in the fall and winter months, he knew that his electricity usage in those months would also be a lot less than it traditionally was. He felt good about having learned more about the benefits he could gain from energy efficiency and renewable energy upgrades.
While he did not like having to check up to ten different mobile phone apps to manage each of those devices ("when would the companies come together to develop a shared standard that made the process much easier for him" he wondered), he found himself pretty impressed with the engagement mechanisms (gamification they called it) that the companies had embedded in their app. Being from the technology industry, he knew that there was a trigger, action, variable reward, investment loop that the technologists utilized. He saw through, but could not resist the Nest thermostat trigger that happened as he walked past and the thermostat indicated the temperature of the home and the green leaf which showed him whether he was being energy efficient or not. He always felt compelled to take the action of opening the app and resetting the temperature to the higher 74C on cold days, which was only slightly less comfortable, and getting the satisfaction of knowing that this little investment action he'd taken would lead to less energy usage and probably more money from selling the energy generated from the solar panel back to the grid. At a time and a price that worked better for his pocket and the planet. He felt great about his decisions. Now he just needed to buy the battery to store some excess power for those days when the inevitable outages would happen.
The ubiquity of the mobile phones in the lives of energy consumers (everyone in the world) is only surpassed by our desire to have the electricity required to charge those mobile phones. 93% of Americans have a mobile phone and 77% of those consumers have a smartphone. It is no exaggeration to say 77% of the US population has advanced and powerful computers in their pockets. What these computers enable is the ability to both engage and track these users in as near real time as possible. What the smartest companies in the world have figured out is how to use the capabilities of these almost always on devices to either attention save or attention seize.
With attention saving products and customer experiences, these companies are using the interaction with the consumer to save them time on actions that can achieved automatically and seamlessly using the data they have about these consumers. An example is the Lyft app for hailing a cab; the customer requests and expects (demands) that the cab show up at the point of pick up. Another example of attention saving customer experiences would be from the Digit app which automatically, using artificial intelligence and an understanding of the customer aspirations, automates budgeting and saving. These class of products enable the customer to outsource their thinking to achieve their desired aims.
While the attention seizing products are less relevant (currently) to the utility industry, they are worth mentioning. These products and services also combine data, artificial intelligence and awareness of the customer expectations and introduce shocking experiences which then enable the product or service to capture the interest of the customer.
Underlying the two modes above is the realization that the customers/users of mobile phones are now empowered. Exponentially. Never has there been a technology product that democratized information and actuation as well and as easily as the mobile phone. Smartphones enabled digitalization of all experiences that we traditionally achieved with physical products. We now check maps on our mobile phones when, before smartphones, we got lost or asked someone for directions. We now feel empowered to skip the feeling of disorientation with no care for the complexity of the technology behind that blue dot on the map on our phone. Consumers got empowered without having to understand what was going on to grant them that level of empowerment. I will come back to this point later because it underlies how the utility industry can tap into the customer's day to day to achieve the goals we have in the utility industry.
Exponential digitalization enabled exponential empowerment and, since the power dynamic which existed between the customer and the utility industry has been shifted a lot more towards the customer, these customers have become participants. This level of empowerment is similar to the most natural of energy generation and usage analogs that we experience every day; a tree with leaves. I'll explain.
Super simplified representation of the old electric grid.
The first time I truly immersed myself in learning about biomimicry was at SXSWEco 2016. I was giving a talk about the future utility and how emerging markets in Africa are leapfrogging the more centralized western electricity grid. The talk went well and I attended several of the other sessions . I stayed away from the traditional industry presentations instead attending the biomimicry institute sessions. Those sessions sowed the seeds for what would become a full blown realization that our grid, in its current centralized and bundled state, did not have much longer to be relevant.
Biomimicry, in its simplest definition, is using designs inspired or copied from nature to solve human problems. The thinking is that evolution and nature has had millions of years (depending on your religious or non-religious views) to figure out the solutions to some of the problems that the human race is still struggling with figuring out. Issues relating to energy, healing and resource utilization. While there has always been homeopathic remedies directly borrowed from nature, energy and resource utilization biomimicry has not been as obvious or implementable until now. While there are many ways in which we borrow methods of energy usage in nature for sustainable use, the thinking here is that it's time to borrow the communication system that nature uses to ensure that energy is neither used excessively nor wasted indiscriminately.
According to Janine Benyus in 'Biomimicry' most biological systems have a communication system that enables the system to hold in check any waste and reward efficient behavior. She suggests that the most mature and efficient systems are not ones that broadcast the necessary system control messages from the top, but ones that, from the grassroots, disperse messages throughout the system to manage this structure of rewarding efficiency, preventing and punishing waste. This mechanism of information dissemination, which is akin to a rich feedback system, enables the system to adapt quickly when changes happen. This mechanism also enables the system to maintain its integrity despite any attacks. This system adaptation looks a lot like antifragility (discussed below). It's what we see in how leaves manage to capture, utilize and resource the rest of the<|fim_middle|> is beyond resilience or robustness. The resilient resists shocks and stays the same; the antifragile gets better. Even with this simple understanding of antifragility it's easy to see that the electric grid system I've described in the three examples above is fragile. A problem with the approaches being taken to fix our fragile grid is that we are focused on building a resilient grid, on building a grid that is capable of recovering quickly from difficulties or failure. This is the wrong approach. We need to build a grid that is antifragile, one that grows stronger with the stresses and the chaos. We need to build a grid that borrows from an experiment the Tesla's/Waymo's of the world are currently running with their autonomous cars.
Samantha lives in Chicago and owns an electric car. One of those fancy ones. We'll say she owns a Tesla.
Sam is considered as a 'node' on the future electricity grid (with a card and a mobile app to measure how much energy she uses or produces).
Her energy consumption (from anywhere) is considered a — on the grid.
When Sam puts power on the grid it's considered a + on the grid.
Sam's home is powered by a rooftop solar panel.
She also owns a home battery manufactured by Tesla and financed through Solarcity.
40 miles from Sam's home is a nuclear power plant. Sometimes she 'gets' her power from the nuclear plant. Sometimes she just 'gets' the power from her home battery.
Sam's local Walgreens also has solar panels on it's roof and puts some power on the grid. Another energy conscious company, Whole Foods, is one block away They've also also commissioned some solar panels.
And a coal plant 43 miles from Sam's office.
Sam's electric car charge comes from plugging in at home/work/Walgreens and because of Power-over-ethernet functionality Sam's usage can be 'read' in the form of her 'energy IP address'.
All of Sam's production and consumption from any one of these points is measured by a 'minisculemeter' (phrase coined by me for an energy measuring sensor the size of a coin), every minisculemeter in Sam's home or on Sam's appliances is ascribed to Sam's account/card.
Even when Sam charges her laptop at the Starbucks, while she's working, her 'account' is adjusted accordingly (debited).
And, just like her credit score, any move to a more energy efficient home or purchase of a home energy management device will register as a plus or minus on her 'score.
is the utility of the future. Allowing Sam to do the things she needs to do to live a normal regular existence. That's all we really ask of our utility. What's interesting about this is that this distributed, or more aptly termed local, structure is very similar to the first 'grid' when, in 1882, Edison flipped the switch on a few steam generators powering 1200 bulbs in Lower Manhattan. Very rapidly the grid grew to what we know it to be today; a complex non-adaptive system. But with new technology and increasing customer expectations of what service looks like the grid has to shift to Sam's world. It's the nature of complex systems to revert to their simplest form. It's biomimicry again. Biomimicry with a business model attached to it.
Welcome to the Future Utility. It's really just the 'first grid' with fancy devices on the end…the devices (and nodes) get even fancier when they can learn and improve the operation of the whole system.
Every autonomous vehicle, be it Tesla or Waymo/Google, that is driving thousands of the miles on the road is gaining knowledge, through machine learning, that improves the collective knowledge of every other autonomous vehicle out there. When one autonomous vehicle experiences a shock, say an accident on the roads, even though the vehicle might have a little damage, the collective whole (the autonomous driving knowledge database) learns and improves. One vehicle, a node in the system, might have failed, but the whole system (adaptive system) has grown stronger from the shock to that node. Now replace 'autonomous vehicle' node in the transport system with a 'Tesla Roadster or a Tesla Powerwall or a Solarcity panel or a Nest Thermostat' node on an antifragile grid. The same antifragility can be achieved, where a shock to one Tesla/Solarcity node does not cause the whole system to fail. In fact, the whole grid learns from the failure of that one node and grows stronger, allocating resources dynamically in real time.
One home with a Tesla/Solarcity system loses power.
the antifragile grid identifies the reason for the failure (from its database) or adds the failure to its knowledge base.
The grid shuts down that one node and reallocates another node to serve the purpose of the failed node.
The antifragile grid determines where there is excess capacity (a neighbor's vehicle-to-grid enabled Tesla roadster for example) and powers up the failed node.
The antifragile grid learns from the failure and implements a fix/self-heals.
Swarming suggests a new way of approaching the development of the complex adaptive system that is the utility grid. To get a bit more technical, swarming enables the industry to adopt the benefits that have been agreed on that are possible from real time pricing optimization (so each customer and device/node is paying for the price of power at the point when the power is drawn from the system and benefiting from selling the power to the system based on the same thinking), problem prevention at scale (with each node or device able to take itself off the grid should before it damages the rest of the system but in enough time for the system to learn from the failure path that node went through) and the possibility of an additional business model for all participants in their ability to provide data to civic services (e.g. real-time in-home data to the fire department, paid for by the city or the system operator in the incidence of a fire).
While I suggest future utility above, I would say most of the technological functionality required to make this happen are currently available to us with the smart home at the center.
Beyond the obvious situation with the outages, in a survey of 515 utility executives the #1 concern is the future and what business models will apply, with only 16 of the respondents not seeing a need for business model changes. The traditional utility is fast losing its stranglehold on the industry. Competitors with new business models are competing for renewable energy generation. Investment firms, not utilities, now own the distribution and transmission systems. The consumer node of this value chain is the only part that is arguably still up for grabs. This part of the value chain, inside our homes that the industry calls 'behind the meter'.
Distributed generation: as the price of solar drops there continues to be an increase in the number of homes that have these panels in their homes. If Elon Musk has his way, there will be close to half a million electric vehicles delivered to consumers by 2018. Combined with Powerwalls these EVs will bring chaos to the traditional utility business model.
Regulations (clean power plan and COP): the clean power plan is being adopted aggressively in some state while some are resisting. No surprises there. What will be the surprise is that the states that are looking to achieve these goals will have the collaboration of corporations that have chosen to take on the mantle of responsible corporate citizens to offset the negative impacts of their work on the sustainability of the planet.
a) Digitized: Once something (energy in this case) enters the region of zeroes and ones, where the information is as valuable as the value, and can be shared digitally it becomes an information based technology and enters exponential growth.
b) Deceptive: the initial period of growth is deceptive, where we are in 2017 with DER, and the incumbents falsely believe there is still room for their old business model. Exponential disruption does not seem to grow fast at first.
c) Disruptive: the exponential technology outperforms the incumbent in terms of effectiveness and cost and consequently disrupts the old.
d) Demonetized: Money is removed from the equation as the new exponential technology becomes cheaper and almost free.
e) Dematerialized: technologies that were once bulky (power stations) move into miniaturization (battery packs, electric vehicles and solar panels) and can be accessible to the market due to demonetization above.
f) Democratized: everyone now has access to the new technology and the incumbent is wondering what happened.
4. Mobile phones, the prosumer and increased awareness: We are more informed than we've ever been. Information flows have become floods. The most uninterested consumer is aware of the effects of climate change. Even if they choose to deny these effects, they are aware. A few more consumers are added to the pool of prosumers (consumers who are active participants in energy generation and consumers) everyday. This was not the case before and your local utility is not prepared for this.
All the reasons above fundamentally boil down to an increase in access, improved communication and intelligence across the ecosystem from consumer to generator. When we think about this from a systems thinking perspective we start to see why the antifragile grid is the next phase of the innovation story in this industry.
Building an Antifragile Grid makes sense in 2018. It is the only viable approach for rebuilding Puerto Rico. In light of the recent outage events and concerns about cybersecurity issues, with hackers breaching the security systems of several power plants in the US (this was just a few days ago on/12/17/2018), there is no better time than now to start to take an approach that ensures that, even if one device or home or battery pack or solar array gets hacked, the whole system is not compromised but learns from the hack.
The utility won't be able to do this. Most of our utilities are asset management companies that are set in their current business models and are averse to changing that. A possible scenario is a company like Google or Apple jumping into the fray and building a complex and adaptive platform, like the ones they've built for their industries, for the electricity industry. But we shall see how this plays out, I truly believe an external competitor with none of the current hangups will enter the fray.
We have the technology to ensure that thousands of people don't lose their power every day in the US like it currently happens. We just need some imagination. Otherwise, we'll have a lot more Atlanta Airports on our hand. | plant to which they are attached without becoming burdensome to the whole system. This is why leaves shed from trees when they no longer contribute to the integrity of the whole tree. The shed leaf decomposes and becomes manure for the tree and the other leaves still nourished by and growing on the tree, And when they do not shed, due to a compromised state that impacts the whole tree, the leaves die. But a whole tree does not die because one leaf is compromised unless the compromise spreads to the root, the core. The communication system of the tree lets it know to shed the leaf before it becomes toxic to the whole system.
This system of control is what the electricity grid, which is advancing but not where we need it to be, currently needs. You can read more about the past and the present of the utility industry in the post below.
To Understand The Future Of The Utility, Look To its Past.
Because, due to the advances in our technology, we can now finally replicate for our electricity grid the antifragile control systems of nature. Despite how advanced the systems might seem, they borrow from the simple but effective way in which nature takes care of itself.
Another critical element in where the grid is today is that, despite several spurts and starts, renewable energy is now at the point of grid-parity with the more traditional forms of generation. In 2013, Bloomberg New Energy Finance published research showing that new wind farms in Australia could produce power more cheaply than new coal or gas-fired plants unsubsidized and without a carbon price included in the fossil based generation fuels. This situation has continued since and the expectation is that the power industry will see grid parity for most solar and wind renewables by 2025 (if not sooner in my opinion).
A complex adaptive system is a system made up of many individual parts or agents.
The individual parts, or agents, in a complex adaptive system follow simple rules.
There is no leader or individual who is coordinating the action of others.
Through the interactions of the agents emergent patterns are generated.
If elements of the system are altered, the system adapts or reacts.
It is not hard to deduce from the characteristics described above that the utility, with the information technology layer and distributed energy resources, has become a complex adaptive system. Each part of the utility industry can now be considered an agent; part of the system but separate from the system in its agency. It is the very basic premise of the industry; from the generators/generation sources, transmission and distribution infrastructure, employees at these agents and, of course, the consumer and all the devices they own in their homes. All are agents that are interacting every second of the day as illustrated in the story of the family earlier on. When you switch on your power, turn on the tap or fire up your gas heater the interaction and organization of agents ensures you get the desired result; comfort from electricity, water or gas. From the micro behavior of each agent in this complex adaptive system that is the utility, patterns always emerge that point to the systemic nature of the industry: consumers buying Nest thermostats or Solarcity solar panels, the utility responding by partnering with Nest and Nest or Solarcity working on creating an interaction layer to itself become a utility, are all micro behaviors that lead to macro patterns of change.
As the grid gets modified with new technology, and consumer expectations change as they become more empowered, we start to see the move towards adaptive behavior since there is a two/multi way interaction between the agents/system as a whole. The industry is starting to understand this change but, unsurprisingly, the view of what is required is that we should build resilience into the system as a result of more agents (DER, Connected Devices etc) coming on-board. Counter to public perception, what is required in the system is for us to build in Antifragility, not resilience. What we need is to start building an Antifragile Grid. To build resilience would be to build a backup power station to serve Atlanta when a fire happens, when what we need is to use renewable energy and software to ensure that the Atlanta Airport (and other facilities like it) help make the grid stronger, instead of shutting things down, in the event that a switchgear failure happens.
Similar to the Atlanta outage, on the morning of December 2nd 2014 the power went out for ~100 buildings in downtown Detroit. People were stuck in elevators and railcars. Flights were grounded as the city airport also suffered from the outage. Traffic lights stopped working. A few hospitals were without electricity leaving patients plugged to devices that weren't functioning as required. All city fire stations were without power. The Wayne county jail (with its own backup power) kept running as usual. A spokesman for the Mayor said the outage was 'caused by extreme heat, cable failure and routine maintenance — all combining causing system overload. System shock starting in one location leading to total system failure. Almost exactly like the Atlanta situation.
On August 14th 2003, about 100 power plants across Northeast US and Canada stopped functioning, resulting in a blackout that affected ~50M Americans and Canadians. 21 power plants providing power to ~10M people went down in 3 minutes. 3 minutes. People stuck in elevators, subway systems and without water due to non-functioning water pumps starved of electricity. All caused by a downed power line that was not reported because of a software bug that was not noticed by a control room engineer who couldn't see there was a surge on the system. I take that back. All caused by our reliance on an electric grid with archaic machines, systems and processes unfit for the modern day requirements and capabilities of a power dependent populace. A non-adaptive system with one point of failure. System shock starting in one location leading to total system failure.
As evidenced in the two examples above, our grid is more fragile than we realize. This became even more apparent to me after reading Gretchen Bakke's 'The Grid' (get the book). As fragile as the grid is, we already have the technology required to make it antifragile. But what is Antifragility?
Why Do We Need An Antifragile Grid?
All credit to the concept of Antifragility goes to Nassim Nicholas Taleb from his book 'Antifragile'. Nassim Taleb gave the world a new way to frame systems that get stronger and benefit from chaos and volatility. He gave us a word for the opposite of 'fragile'; Antifragility | 1,355 |
Business<|fim_middle|> those projects that either you or your organisation have not undertaken before.
It is easy to get carried away focusing on small parts of the business area early on. It is important not to get swept up in to in depth analysis without planning. Starting out looking at the big picture and working your way from the top down as the project progresses usually allows you keep track of time.
The requirements should make sense no matter what the technology solution. This is key as otherwise the requirements will not be re-usable should the technology solution change. This can end up in a lot of lost time and effort.
Human nature dictates that the likelihood is there will be some kind of office politics that will influence your projects at some point. Although there isn't much you can do about this one, it is wise to keep yourself aware of this fact.
Meet the person with ultimate signing authority asap! | Analyst jobs are hard to get in to, so once you've landed one it's key to impress. As a result we've put together some top tips for Business Analyst roles.
As well as looking at each job as the chance to find out about a new system make sure you grasp the opportunity to get to know people as well. Although analysis skills are key – your recommendations and reports are likely to meet with resistance if you are not able to connect with a wide variety of people.
It's great to be able to convince a group of people, but pointless if the one person you need to convince isn't in that group. As a result it's important to find out who that person is and to bring them into the process as early on as possible to make sure they are getting all the information they need to help you make your points.
Big chunks of information are hard to digest, so it's important to make sure you provide regular feedback to ensure what you're saying can be taken in and considered. Going off and producing in depth reports and documentation can also leave you open to propagating mistakes for example it is very easy to produce too much or the wrong type of documentation without regularly consulting with the stakeholders who are going to be using it.
Projects can suffer huge set-backs or even collapse from untested assumptions. It is important to identify untested assumptions and get them tested early on to keep projects on track. This is especially important for | 290 |
Zeppos, Randall, Diggs reflect on election, lessons drawn from Hamilton
by Kara Furlong Nov. 10, 2016, 12:06 PM
Chancellor Nicholas S. Zeppos and Writer-in-residence Alice Randall discussed Alexander Hamilton's influence on contemporary American politics Nov. 9 in<|fim_middle|> into the theater with, you bring that with you to the experience. And we are feeling that on stage—we're bringing all of the baggage from our whole lives and everything that happened to us that day, too. That's not unique to Hamilton—that is what theater does."
Hamilton is an optimistic show, Diggs noted, as is the very existence of the United States. "What Hamilton really says is that you are not going to be happy with everything that happens, but if you actively participate, it works. … Part of the experience is watching Hamilton and his contemporaries accomplish so much, but also whatever side of the thing they believed in, they believed in it enough that they participated to the fullest extent," he said. "They made it a part of their life's work to participate in the creation of this country."
Diggs' appearance was sponsored by the student-organized Vanderbilt University Speakers Committee, whose programs seek to encourage thoughtful reflection and dialogue on contemporary issues in order to promote and strengthen the intellectual environment at Vanderbilt.
TweetReflections on election, Hamilton feature @DaveedDiggs
myVU myVU News releases Alexander Hamilton Alice Randall chancellor's lecture series Daveed Diggs featured story Jim Lovensheimer Nicholas Zeppos | Langford Auditorium. (Joe Howell/Vanderbilt)
Vanderbilt Chancellor Nicholas S. Zeppos and Writer-in-residence Alice Randall gathered in Langford Auditorium Wednesday evening to discuss Alexander Hamilton, the statesman's—and Hamilton, the hit musical's—influences on contemporary American politics. But it was the previous day's momentous presidential election that pervaded the conversation.
"As I walked across campus today, I saw people of many faiths, many races, and the socioeconomic diversity that we strive for," Zeppos recalled. "I thought to myself, this is a work in progress, but it is a kind of vision of Vanderbilt that we are striving toward—more inclusive, more equitable, more diverse, more global. We see talent everywhere, and opportunity has to be truly equal for everyone."
Zeppos said he also detected anxiety. People are asking, "Am I really welcome? Am I a part of the community? Even on Vanderbilt's campus," he said.
"I'm a big believer in the power of education. I'm a big believer in the fight for the right to vote. I've become, maybe in my old age, a person of choosing love, choosing sometimes painful courage, and the privilege of learning. And I think those things are all in people's minds and powerfully on the table right now," he said.
A self-proclaimed Hamiltonian since his college days, Zeppos has taught for the past decade an undergraduate Vanderbilt course on The Federalist Papers, a collection of 85 articles and essays written by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison and John Jay promoting the ratification of the United States Constitution.
"Alexander Hamilton, for me—there was something that captured me about this immigrant who comes from the Caribbean, who was illegitimate, who got a scholarship to go to college, and who had a vision for America that was very different," he said.
Randall, a writer-in-residence in Vanderbilt's Department of African American and Diaspora Studies as well as a novelist, screenwriter and award-winning songwriter, said a lyric from the Hamilton musical had resonated with her throughout the day.
"John Laurens is in South Carolina, redefining bravery / we won't be free till we end slavery," Randall recited, referring to Hamilton's close friend and fellow aides-de-camp to Gen. George Washington in the Continental Army.
"Hamilton was about many things, but one of the things was the powerful friendships that helped him be his best self," Randall said. "Laurens was a man who was born to a wealthy slave-owning family, but he chose to be one of America's staunchest abolitionists against his own self-interests.
"I think that for me today, we deal with the real, but we strive for the ideal. And that's Vanderbilt, and I hope that's America—dealing with the real, striving for the ideal," said Randall, who is preparing to co-teach with Zeppos a course on The Federalist Papers at nearby Fisk University.
"Like for you, for me this is about love," she told the chancellor. "And my radical political act—and I think it was similar to Hamilton's radical political act—is to love everyone in this country as an active part of loving this country."
Associate Professor of Musicology James Lovensheimer moderated a discussion with Tony Award winner Daveed Diggs at Langford Auditorium Nov. 9. (Joe Howell/Vanderbilt)
Their talk preceded an event featuring Daveed Diggs, who won the 2016 Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Musical for his roles as "Thomas Jefferson" and "Marquis de Lafayette" in Hamilton's original Broadway production. In a conversation moderated by Associate Professor of Musicology James Lovensheimer, Diggs reflected on the show's unprecedented critical and commercial success as well as theater's visceral, communal power to heal.
Hamilton doesn't just belong to the show's performers, Diggs said, but to everyone in the theater who experiences it. "It belongs to all of us. It becomes this very sort of communal experience where all of us are here trying to reimagine the creation of the country. All together, everyone who is in this room right now is doing the same thing—trying to relive what it was like to start America," he said.
"That is fascinating and important to take in, but it's also what theater is supposed to do," he continued. "We all have to come together and deal with the thing in real time. Every piece of baggage that you have from your whole life that you walk | 939 |
Doug Campbell, left, a member of the Balboa Yacht Club, poses for a photo with the Bahia Corinthian Yacht Club's 2013 Commodore Tom Madden after accepting the 2013 Edward F. Kennedy Memorial Trophy during opening day for the Bahia Corinthian Yacht Club on Saturday.
The Bahia Corinthian Yacht Club — which dubs itself the "friendliest yacht club on the bay" — heralded its opening day for the 2013 season in the way it usually does: with the shot of a cannon.
A really small cannon, that is.
As the club's cannoneer Saturday, it was Amanda Morris' duty to load the Winchester 10-gauge device and pull the string. Yet despite its diminutive size, the black powder cannon let out a noisy wallop toward Newport Harbor that began the day's festivities for the BCYC.
The club on Bayside Drive in Corona del Mar celebrates its 55th<|fim_middle|> recognized for his decades of dedication and experience to sailboat racing.
Madd also accepted the club's first Generation Gap challenge, happening on July 4. It will be a fun-filled race, said BCYC spokesman Bill Long, that pits the junior sailors against their more senior colleagues.
The result? A generation age gap of 30 to 40 years, Long said. | anniversary this year. Saturday's opening day included an appearance from the Orange County Sheriff's Department Harbor Patrol boat, whose siren rang loudly as the crew sprayed the vessel's firefighting water cannon into the bay. Newport Beach's Boy Scout Troop 90 did the presentation of the colors, as the crowd, BCYC dignitaries and U.S. Marines from Camp Pendleton looked on.
"Opening day signifies the start of a great season and gives us a wonderful opportunity to enjoy the company of all of our friends who are with us today," said Karen Winnett, the club's 2013 junior staff commodore, to the crowd of attendees.
"Opening days are like spring, full of renewal and anticipation," said 2013 Commodore Tom Madden, who began his term in December. "And at every yacht club we are reminded of this as we watch staff commodores march out, knowing they have given way to the current board of directors who know they will soon give way to the junior sailors, who are close behind and getting ready.
"It's a wonderful cycle of renewal that keeps our traditions alive."
Opening days "are like birthday parties when we were little kids," Madd added. "You know something wonderful is going to happen."
The club also presented the annual Edward F. Kennedy Memorial Trophy to Doug Campbell of the Balboa Yacht Club. Campbell was | 281 |
Hardcover, 11.5 x 11.5 in. / 440 pgs / 25<|fim_middle|> sophisticated knowledge of sacred geometry was considered closely linked to secretive spiritual wisdom and religious traditions. This volume elegantly connects these ancient notions to works by artists such as Le Corbusier, Albrecht Dürer, Sol LeWitt, Anselm Kiefer, Tomas Saraceno, Marina Abramovi´c, Anish Kapoor and Michaël Borremans. Beautifully produced and presenting objects drawn from art, nature, physics, economics, history, science, music, medicine and many other sources, Proportio uncovers the natural patterns that are used to organize and create the material world.
FORMAT: Hbk, 11.5 x 11.5 in. / 440 pgs / 250 color. | 0 color.
Introduction by Walter Hartsarich. Foreword by Axel Vervoordt. Text by Daniella Ferretti, Francesco Poli, Tatsuro Miki, Jorgen Hempel, Eddi De Wolf, Ludovika Lumer, Susan Sherkow, Gira Gratier, Daniel De Belder, Spyros Papapetros, Giulio d'Alessio, Marina Abramovi´c, Mireille Capelle. Contributions by René de Bartiral, Tatsuro Miki, Axel Vervoordt.
Proportio examines the ways in which we experience proportion in our lives and the complex universe in which we live. Proportion—not only a question of numbers, but of balance—emerges in this volume as a universal human pursuit. Throughout the course of known human history, the knowledge of proportions has been applied across civilizations for thousands of years. The | 186 |
Windy Knoll is a 3BR, 2Bath home located in Aquinnah on a secluded lot off State Road with 160 degree views of the Atlantic Ocean. Approximately 1 mile to Philbin Beach similar distance to Moshup Beach and Lobsterville beach. Take the bike<|fim_middle|>ah.
Up Island is quieter and much more relaxing than all the down island traffic. Lots of wonderful things to do and see while staying in Aquinnah. | ferry over to Menemsha and enjoy sunset on the beach. Outdoor shower with multiple shower heads to wash off the sand after a long day at the beach. Relax on the deck with the magnificent view and enjoy the breeze that fits this amazing property its name.
Upstairs has open kitchen living area off deck, with two bedrooms and bathroom. Downstairs has TV room with pull out couch, another bedroom and bathroom. Lots of space for games and puzzles. Chiminea off downstairs living area.
Additional availability info: Please contact owner for availability. This is a Sunday to Sunday vacation rental.
Additional pricing info: $250 cleaning fee, $500 refundable security deposit, State and local taxes of 5.7% will apply.
We have rented this wonderful property for 2 weeks 3 times. This is the first year we rented from Victoria. They were very responsive throughout the rental process and during our stay. The house was fully equipped and the owners bent over backwards to accommodate any minor problems that we encountered. The location is very private and the rebuilt deck provides ample seating and dining areas for everyone. We will definitely return next summer!
This home is just beautiful, and the views are absolutely amazing! Windy Knoll is tastefully decorated and comfortable for a long stay...like forever! It is super clean and very well equipped for a great stay. I highly recommend this home. Spectacular!
My husband and I have been going to the Vineyard for over 25 years since our children were babies. We have made so many memories here that we wanted to provide an opportunity for others to experience the same wonderful summers that we have.
This property sits off the main road and has magnificent views of the Atlantic. The house sits on Molasha Hill, one of the highest points in Aquinn | 365 |
Marco Cornaro (c. 1286 – 13 January 1368), also known as Marco Corner, was the<|fim_middle|> attempted coup d'état in 1355 by the then doge Marino Faliero, who intended to declare himself prince of Venice. Following the dissolution of the plot and execution of the conspirators, Cornaro was briefly made vice-doge before a successor to Faliero could be appointed.
Dogal office
On the death of the previous incumbent Lorenzo Celsi on 18 July 1365, Cornaro was elected to the dogal office, despite the aspersions cast by his opponents over his advanced age, his wife's low birth and his friendships with foreign princes. Once elected, in contrast to his predecessors, he established a respectful stance towards Venice's public bodies.
During the two and a half years of his reign, Venice saw no major changes or wars, although it lost the islands of Chios and Lesbos and the city of Phocaea to the Republic of Genoa. He was successful in re-establishing Venetian trade with Egypt by convincing Urban V to rescind his prohibition on dealing with infidels. Cornaro ordered the construction of a wing of the Doge's Palace on its side facing San Marco.
Marco Cornaro died in the early hours of 13 January 1368. He is buried in the Basilica of San Zanipolo.
References
1286 births
1368 deaths
Marco
14th-century Doges of Venice
Burials at Santi Giovanni e Paolo, Venice | 59th doge of Venice, ruling between 1365 and 1368. His brief reign saw the loss of Venetian territory to Genoa and the Ottoman Empire, though Venice was to enjoy economic growth during this time.
Biography
The Cornaro family to which the future doge was born was one of Venice's oldest, its lineage traceable to the Romans. It was also one of the richest, having achieved this status from money-lending. The Cornaros would produce three more doges in the 17th and 18th centuries.
Marco Cornaro's first marriage was to Giovanna Scrovegni of Padua, with whom he had three sons and two daughters. His second marriage was to a woman named Caterina about whom little is known other than her low social status made his later election to the doge difficult. Dogaressa Caterina was somewhat mocked for her simple habits, which was not seen as suitable for the rank of a dogaressa, but he always defended her and called her a good woman and wife. Cornaro acquired his own wealth through trade with Egypt. He also followed both military and political careers in the service of the Republic, leading troops at sea and on the mainland. He served as ambassador to Emperor Charles IV and Pope Clement VI, and was also a member of the Venetian delegation to the election of Pope Urban V in Avignon.
Cornaro was instrumental in the discovery and suppression of the | 306 |
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2019 – Japan – "Yamanote"
Posted on Mar 19, 2019 Aug 23, 2019 by trainstobeyond
A walk around Tokyo's iconic loop line
In March 2019 I spent a day walking between all of the 29 stations on Tokyo's iconic Yamanote loop line. The 40km journey took me over 11 hours to complete but it was one of the most enjoyable urban walks I have ever done.
Map /Rail Rider / Creative Commons 3.0
I walked clockwise starting from Shinagawa in the southeastern corner of the loop. My route took me past some of Tokyo's most famous sights, along bustling shopping streets and through quiet residential backwaters.
I lived in Tokyo between 1987 and 1989 and then again between 1991 and 1994, so my walk also provided me with a chance to revisit some of the areas I once knew well and to see how much they had changed.
Start the journey here or read on to find out more about the Yamanote line itself and how I planned my walk.
Yamanote Line
The city of Tokyo (until 1868 known as Edo) grew along the Sumida River and the flat area around Nihonbashi (close to the current Tokyo Station) was its commercial centre. The hillier area to the west (not then part of the city) including present-day Shinjuku and Shibuya was named Yamanote which roughly translates as "mountain foothills."
The first railway in Japan linked Shimbashi and Shinagawa with Yokohama (about 30km to the south) and was opened in 1872. It was later extended a few stops north to Tokyo and still exists today as part of the Kehin Tohoku and Tokaido lines.
The first part of track that is now the Yamanote line was opened in 1885. It branched off at Shinagawa and looped clockwise through Shibuya and Shinjuku to Ikebukuro (and on to Akabane). The line was continued clockwise to Ueno in 1903 and the 34km circle was finally completed back through Tokyo to Shimbashi in 1925. The whole line was constructed either on the surface or raised up on viaduct. By the time it had been completed the line was operated by Japan's state-owned railway corporation.
An early planning law meant that the significant number of private railways heading into Tokyo from the western suburbs were not allowed to penetrate the Yamanote loop and had to terminate where they met the line. In fact, the only surface line ever allowed through the centre was the state railway's own Chuo line which dissected the loop west to east and opened between Shinjuku and Tokyo in 1919.
The situation persists to this day and, although an intensive network of underground subways has now been constructed in the centre, no other surface lines have ever been built inside the Yamanote loop.
All this had a big impact on the future shape of Tokyo as a multi-centre city. The private railway companies such as Tokyu, Seibu and Keio soon built department stores over their termini and the areas around them quickly<|fim_middle|> the 1970s it was seriously overcrowded.
The line, which was given its distinctive green colour in the early 1960s, offers service from around 4:30am until 1:30am every day with trains running every 3-4 minutes in both directions. Although the line is not as crowded as it once was (new subway line openings have alleviated things a bit) it can still get very busy in the rush hour. The line carries an average of 4 million people a day.
Trains in Japan run, as in the UK, on the left and those trains going clockwise on the Yamanote line are said to be on the "outside loop". Those running anti-clockwise are said to be on the "inside loop". It takes a train about 65-70 minutes to complete the loop in either direction.
The Trains
Although effectively the fifth generation of rolling stock for the line, the Class 103 was the first type to carry the distinctive green livery. These trains operated from 1963 until 1988. They were still in service when I first arrived in Tokyo and I used them for my first few trips around the city back then.
Class 103 /永尾信幸 /Creative Commons 3.0
The aluminum body of the class 205 meant that the all-green livery was dispensed with and the line colour was reduced to roof and waist banding. These trains were first introduced in 1985 and lasted until 2005. For the majority of the time I lived in the city they were the Yamanote line.
Class 205 /DAJF /Creative Commons 4.0
The Class 231s were introduced between 2002 and 2005 and featured enhanced performance and interior digital displays that could convey advertisements and travel information.
Now, after 17 years in service, the Class 231s themselves are giving way to the Class 235s. The whole fleet of 50 trains is expected to be replaced by 2020. At the moment the service is provided by a mixture of both types.
Planning to Walk
In late February 2019 I began to realise that I would have an extra weekday free during a forthcoming business trip to Tokyo. I decided to plan a walk around the city. I first considered walking over one of the subway lines, but soon latched onto the idea of walking around the Yamanote loop.
I did a bit of on-line research and found to my surprise that not only had the thing been done several times and was well documented, but there was also a yearly charity "Yamathon" where groups of 3-4 people would spend a day circling all 29 stations.
Undeterred by the sudden lack of originality, I began to plan the walk. As far as I could see, nobody had ever come up with a definitive route for the challenge, so I decided to use Google maps to create my own. I decided that my objective would be to get a photograph at one of the exits at each station, I didn't really care which exit. I let Google calculate the shortest distance between each station and with one or two of my own alterations and adjustments I used their suggested routes. I printed out a series of 29 routes.
I decided to start at my hotel in Shinagawa and loop clockwise. I chose clockwise mainly because I knew the later stages of a clockwise walk would be more interesting after nightfall than those in the opposite direction.
The line itself is 34km but as it is impossible to stay by the track the whole way, the walk worked out at around 40km. It was a fair distance but not, I thought, an impossible one. I have certainly walked further in a single day on many occasions.
Putting all of the map timings together gave me an average of 15 minutes between each station and a total time of around 7.5 hours. In reality, stopping to take photographs, waiting to cross the road on numerous pedestrian crossings and the need to pause to take in all the sights, lengthened the time to over 11 hours.
For most of the day I relied on the printed Google maps themselves and they very rarely let me down. Once or twice when I wasn't quite sure I was able to refer to the excellent street map signage found all over the city.
The walk is shown in grey superimposed on the map below.
Map / Rail Rider / Creative Commons 3.0 (Modified)
I have divided my account of the walk into 4 sections based on the points of the compass:
1 – SOUTHWEST (Shinagawa to Yoyogi)
2 – NORTHWEST (Yoyogi to Sugamo)
3 – NORTHEAST (Sugamo to Akihabara)
4 – SOUTHEAST (Akihabara to Shinagawa)
Categories: Japan, Walking
Previous2019 – UK – "Victoria's Line"
Next2019 – USA – "Mojave" | became sub-centres that eventually grew to rival the old centre of Tokyo itself. Today, three of these sub-centres; Shinjuku, Shibuya and Ikebukuro boast the top three busiest stations in the world and are now effectively cities in their own right.
The Yamanote line, now operated by the JR East Company, plays a role in linking up these sub-centres and it helps to define the central area of the greater Tokyo. Until the full development of the subway system in | 101 |
Home In the Catbird Seat: Sleepy Kitty
In the Catbird Seat: Sleepy Kitty
by Thomas Crone
Photograph courtesy of Shervin Lainez
It's early in the year, but there's little doubt that Projection Room, Sleepy Kitty's sophomore album on Euclid Records, will be in contention as one of the finest St. Louis releases of the year. It's certainly among the very best of this decade to date. Full of both clever pop songs and experimental interstitial breaks, the album is truly one of those that demands a hearing in the old-fashioned way, from glorious start to satisfying finish.
Embedded in their adopted neighborhood of Cherokee Street for the past half-decade, Sleepy Kitty's Paige Brubeck and Evan Sult have become integral parts of the original-music scene in St. Louis since their arrival. Both are heavily involved in their design business, Sleepy Kitty Arts, as well as the music monthly Eleven magazine, for which Sult serves as editor, Brubeck as frequent contributor. The two maintain a continual personal presence on the local club scene, and their posters grace the walls of just about every local record store and coffee shop.
"So far, the reception has been good," says Brubeck of Projection Room. "It's a weird album. Infinity City was weird in its own way, too. But this one felt to me as if there were certain paths that we started traveling down with City, and we've gone further down those paths with Projection Room."
It's remarkable that the sound is created by just two people: Sult on drums and Brubeck on most everything else, including guitar, keys, loops, and vocals. The sound is never thin, and the hooks shine through with a variety of influences; sounds of joyous '90s indie pop spring up alongside girl-group harmonies and even occasional bursts of the blues.
"I kind of feel that since we get out of St. Louis so much, one thing that's exciting to us is telling people outside of St. Louis about St. Louis," Sult says. "It's a really good time to let people know what's going on here. And we can use this [album] as an example of what's going on."
Since their move here from Chicago, Sleepy Kitty has kept remarkably busy, with much of that activity headquartered in their loft space, which has served as an art studio, practice space, and apartment. Earlier this year, Brubeck and Sult began the process of organizing life differently, founding a small gallery and workspace on Wisconsin Avenue.
"We're taking another step into the city with that space," Sult says. "We're getting deeper."
And again, note that it<|fim_middle|> Under the Catalpa Trees: Tommy Halloran's a busy guy, usually working an average of a gig a day during the busy months, frequently doubling up on jobs over the weekend. To maximize his availability, he alternately plays as a solo artist, in a duo with talented violinist Alyssa Avery, and with his band Guerrilla Swing, which comprises a young crew of equally busy musicians: bassist Mark Wallace, drummer Kaleb Kirby, and brass player/accordionist Kristian Baarsvik.
As a quartet, their debut is Under the Catalpa Trees, which was self-released with a show at Mad Art Gallery in late January. The 13-song album, recorded by active local songwriter Jeremy Joyce, features 10 originals, plus three standards: "I Can't Give You Anything but Love," "God Bless the Child," and "My Walking Stick."
Built on solid foundations of jazz, blues, swing, and the great American songbook, Halloran and company create a pleasing style of music that hails from another era. As Wallace told SLM last year, "The originals that [Tommy] comes up with have the feel, harmony, and lyricism of a different time. The majority of us performing jazz really weren't aware of the music until our teens or later. Tommy feels like the only genuine exception to this rule that I've had the pleasure to work with. He's really done his homework."
Under the Catalpa Trees is available in local record shops and, of course, at Halloran's myriad gigs. Find out more at facebook.com/guerrillaswing.
Sign up for the Recap, St. Louis Magazine's email overview of the week's top stories. | 's only two people keeping their many efforts afloat: the songwriting, demoing, poster design and printing, booking, magazine design…
"On the road, I do all the driving, and Paige does all the other stuff," Sult says. "We have people who help us out, but when we're on the road, there are only so many hours, and it's always a challenge. It's exciting that we have been able to do it so far. It's cool. Half the battle of being in a band is being active and living in such a way as to go on tour; it's not like teachers, who have their summers free. As a freelancer who can work from the road, you do whatever it takes to make it work, to build in that calendar flexibility. We've built our whole lives around being able to do that, but it's a constant challenge."
To date, the hard work's proven beneficial to the St. Louis scene as a whole, with Sleepy Kitty continually pushing artistic boundaries through sharp ideas. Before Projection Room was released with the usual club show, the band hosted two laser shows at the James S. McDonnell Planetarium, while letting the album leak to the public in small doses, via significant advance play on KDHX-FM for months prior.
Calling 2014 "a pivotal year" for the band, Sult links their musical growth to the organic progress he sees on the street outside their windows.
"Even in a few years, we've watched it go from potential to kinetic," he says. "That's what we're trying to do for ourselves."
Tommy Halloran's Guerrilla Swing, | 340 |
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The first will be from Gaspard this contains payment information. If you have used a credit card other than your own, it will show on this confirmation. The academic dress will be onsite in your name.
The second will be from Build A Grad. This confirmation contains all the necessary details regarding your rental, pick up, drop off, order number and amount paid if applicable, cancellation and refund information.
Any students missing the rental deadline who still want to attend can rent a gown on the day of their ceremony for an additional charge. Please see http://www.bookstore.ubc.ca/customer-service/services<|fim_middle|> of British Columbia is provided by Gaspard.
If there are any question or concerns, please call us at 1-866-949-5703 Monday to Friday 6:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. (PST) or email us at alphaomega@gaspard.ca.
IMPORTANT: : Please do not hit "Save and Continue" on the following page until you are ready to pay for your order. You will be locked out and have to call us for assistance. | /graduation/graduation-student-faq for full details and for answers to further questions.
Students must pick up their gowns 1.5 hours prior to their ceremony start time. Pick up is located in the Penthouse (Top floor) of the Thea Koerner House (Graduate Student Centre) at 6371 Crescent Road. Please ensure you have your gown order number with you when you arrive, and a piece of photo ID.
Gowns must be returned to the regalia returns tent, located outside the Chan Centre on the flagpole plaza. Follow the signs from the Chan Centre to the "Graduation Reception" and look for the white tents. Gowns must be returned no later than 1 hour after your ceremony concludes.
Please do not return your gown to where you picked it up, and do not return it to the bookstore as we will have to redirect you to the returns tent outside.
All cancellations for refund must be received before Saturday, May 4th, 2019 11:59 pm (PST) Refunds will not be accepted after this date.
Regalia services for University | 235 |
Meats, ceviche, music, dance and<|fim_middle|>Stay at the Gran Hotel Gervasoni, which will remind you of an Italian villa at sea. The Hotel Palacio Astoreca offers a fireplace in the lobby to sit by or terraces for privacy.
One of the best gems off Chile's Pacific Coast is Algarrobo and the San Alfonso del Mar resort. The resort has the world's biggest outdoor swimming pool located right on the beach. A reservation is necessary. Options range from a two-bedroom (the smallest) to a five-bedroom apartment. Their outdoor spa and Crystal Lagoons are added attractions.
Algarrobo is also perfectly located for windsurfing. Not wanting to get wet at all during your stay? You can watch from your balcony as others put on their wet-suits and venture off into the ocean.
If you are exploring, rent a car so you can drive up and down the Pacific Coast. It may resemble California at times and the Pacific Coast Highway, but with a Latino vibe.
Choosing which retreat you want to take is only one decision, and choosing which beach to stay on is another. Wherever you stay along Chile's Pacific Coast, you will find your luxurious escape. | architecture are some of the top attractions that lead me to visit South America. The countries that make up the continent all have something different to offer. Whether you're near the Caribbean coast scuba diving, hiking up the Andes mountains in the south, or riding down the Amazon River, adventure is only one part of traveling to this area.
In Chile, the biggest draw is the capital city of Santiago. Set only 125 kilometers to the west lies the Pacific Ocean, where luxury replaces adventure. You can rejuvenate by the ocean, experience plentiful boardwalks, stay in modern condominiums with Italian-like settings, and, of course, let your taste buds enjoy the gourmet meals at the waterfront restaurants. In some places along the coast, you will see the mountain range — a perfect scene for the sunset.
From the coastal cities dating from the 1800s with historic palaces to newly furnished condominiums, you will surely find your luxury spot in Chile's Pacific Coast.
There are quite a few luxurious neighborhoods to choose from for your stay in Chile's Pacific coast. My first arrival was in Viña del Mar ("Vineyard by the Sea"), a coastal city located in the northwest area. It is Chile's fourth largest city, but while you are there, you will not think so. The majority of people residing here work in the center of the city, about a 45-minute walk from the beach.
The beaches in Viña del Mar are laid back and the waves hit the shore gently. The boulevards are lined with condominiums; palm trees, cafes and restaurants are spread out and the crowd never gets to be "too much." The Enjoy del Mar restaurant offers panoramic views of the Pacific Coast along various margaritas or sunset drink of your choice.
One of the wonderful sightings in Viña del Mar is the arrangement of sand sculptures by the beach. The so called "Sand Masters" make different creations from the sand, open to anyone who is passing by. One day it might be a palace like one you might see in Game of Thrones, another day it might be a mermaid. Some of the locals reports that the Simpsons are a favorite of the Sand Masters.
Viña del Mar will never get too busy, even when many Chileans come to spend a day at the beach. The Humboldt current from Antarctica keeps the ocean cool, but it is always nice to take a dip as the temperatures rise into the 90 degrees Farenheit during the summer months (December-March).
Stay at the Hotel del Mar, which is walking distance to the beach and includes an onsite casino. It is secluded all 360 degrees around and has a view of the canal. Look into an apartment rental and maybe you will end up in a castle of your own.
Valparaíso is located just south of Viña del Mar, so luxury seekers who want to step out of their surroundings can take a walk down to Valparaíso as well.
Old Town is in the center of this city where bustling businesses call to travelers. The seaport, also known as the "Historic Quarter" is designated as a UNESCO Heritage Site. Not only can you experience the history and art with your own eyes, but also order the lobster, the "Chilean Jagged Lobster".
There is not much else to see or do in Valparaíso, which is perfect for anyone wanting a serene, quiet escape. The ocean continues on south with more mansions to see, some of which unfortunately may be crumbling since they are so aged. Find a hillside, set a picnic and enjoy your private time alone or with your significant other.
| 746 |
Have you ever been to Sicily? John and I went last year and we loved it. One of the best parts of our trip? The food, of course. From dark chocolate and pistachio gelato sandwiched between slices of fluffy brioche to pane (the extent of my Italian!) served straight out of the oven in a former farmhouse granery, Sicilian cuisine is definitely something special.
On Wednesday, I was invited by Zomato to sample a six-course tasting menu at a guest chef event held at Evoluzione restaurant. The restaurant sits within Hotel Xenia in Earl's Court - an area of London I don't venture to much (except for London Book Fair once a year, though it's now held in Olympia) but am always curious to explore.
I was excited to hear that one of the chefs, Pietro D'Agostino, has a restaurant in Taormina, Sicily called La Capinera, which specializes in serving organic and gluten-free food. We stayed in Taormina (pictured above) for a few days and, while chock-full of tourists during high season, its coastline is beautiful and there are plenty of great vantage points to spot the moody, active volcano - Mt. Etna.
We began our journey with an amuse bouche of "noodles scallops" by Resident Michelin-starred Chef Andrea Angeletti - a scallop which had been cleverly carved into a noodle shape, with hints of rocket and orange. Oh, but wait! Before that, we were treated to a selection of delicious bread and extra virgin olive oil for dipping, which had a subtle but lovely orange flavor, lending it a very fragrant taste.
Aside from the dessert, the king prawns with an onion (more like a pickled radish?) salad, with almond and orange sauce, was probably my favorite course. I mean,<|fim_middle|> food a little hit and miss. It's a shame about the John Dory but the noodle scallops and the desserts look amazing.
The desserts were definitely the highlight of the evening, Angie - interesting to hear about your experience too. And - so glad to meet another non-fan of rose! I always feel like I'm the only one.
Thank you, Suze! Yes, the desserts were definitely the highlight ... I find that's often the case lately with new restaurants I've been trying.
The photos are gorgeous - but I rather loved the blogger in action shot at the end best. Background bloglife perfection!
The colors... the COLORS. The food looks like it should hang in a frame on the wall in someone's house. And the almond dessert looks like it came from outer space. I love it. Sorry the fish underwhelmed, but glad the desserts saved the day for ya!
Haha! I love the outer space comment, Gianni - so true. It was my favorite. And I loved the colors too ... it's not something we often think about or appreciate, but you're right: the color pairings were very much intentional here (especially with the raspberry accent in the last dessert).
Some lovely food images there, very creative.
Thank you, Stuart! That means a lot, coming from you! The food was beautifully presented.
Oh my gosh all of this looks so incredible!!
It was! I felt super spoiled by the end of the evening (and felt like a jerk for having to slink off to my Uber before the final speech had been given ...)! | it's beautiful! But more importantly, it was delicious. The crunch and sourness of the pickled radish offset the sweetness and tender quality of the prawns. Additionally, I really appreciated the artistry and skill it took to execute this particular dish - almost too pretty to eat. Almost.
The black cod, served on a bed of cubed potatoes, lettuce, and capers with marsala wine, wasn't a standout dish for me. The cod was tender, but the flavors were a little underwhelming. The sundried tomato and capers gave the dish the excitement it needed, but even that flagged a little.
I'm a sucker for seafood ravioli, so nearly clapped my hands with glee when this dish appeared before me. Tender and cooked perfectly al dente, the plate included Sicilian wild fennel and pistachio from Bronte, a sweet little town (known for its pistachios!) that John and I drove through during our visit to the Sicilian countryside.
I wish I could say that I loved the turbot that came next, but unfortunately, I was unable to finish the fish since it was very undercooked in the middle (which Jasiminne also experienced) - so much so, that I had trouble cutting through it. I left it on my plate, but finished the calamari, artichoke, and veggies on the side. Sad!
BUT. But! I had a sneak peek at the menu again at this point and saw the words, "Pre-dessert" and "Dessert", prepared by Pastry Chef Manuele Francesco from Siracusa.
Oh, how I love when two desserts are on the menu. Siracusa, or Syracuse, is a historic city in Sicily known for its strong ties to Greek culture and history - in fact, it's the birthplace of Archimedes, for all you classicists out there (I know, like, two).
I'd love to know what this was (in detail, I mean, as it resembled a panna cotta) because it was the ultimate. The center was even more intriguing - with hints of almond and praline (that's a sugared almond on top!) and an icy cold element that left us all scratching our heads. One of the best desserts I've had in a long, long time (but then again, I usually can be found eating Ben & Jerry's straight out of the carton).
And this! I want to call it a peanut butter and jelly cake sandwich, but it was most definitely NOT. It was also something intriguing and delicious (not a fan of the liquer-filled chocolate, though!) and beautiful (yes, I've made an effort to ask the restaurant and no, they haven't gotten back to me yet at the time of writing this post - perhaps someone else who attended that evening who's reading this post will enlighten me?).
And ... if you've made it through all the way to the end of this post, well, then, congratulations. Here's a picture of me in action, courtesy of Jasiminne (this is blogging IRL).
Thank you to Evoluzione, Hotel Xenia, Nuffnang UK, and Zomato UK for hosting an incredible evening! The Sicilian Tasting Menu at Evoluzione is the first of seven guest chef events at Hotel Xenia, and will be priced at £65 per person.
I'm also not a big lover of dessert wine or rose but I've tried some really lovely Italian roses. I've been to Evoluzione and I found the | 735 |
I'm working on a second novel that features characters from Acting On Her Behalf. It is set in Louisiana.
My friends from Detroit celebrated their wedding anniversary again with me and Hubby in New Orleans. Hubby surprised us all with dinner reservations at Restaurant R'evolution<|fim_middle|> 8:00 p.m. CST. It's still going on now! So stop by and link up your throwback pics and posts.
Participated in two campaigns as a BlogHer Social Media Influencer.
Received my first Klout Perk and earned a few more.
…to turn your clocks back 1 hour on Saturday night.
…today is the last day to enter my Box of Happies Giveaway here.
…to link up your social media URLs to my PIG Linky Party this afternoon.
Are you dressing in costume for Halloween? Your kids?
Happy November, Kate! I was so excited at how Deuce's makeup came out. He said he was the only one in the entire school whose face was painted. I loved that!
Thank you for partying with us. Hope to see you again this week.
That's a great idea too, Jennifer.
Hi Kim! We stayed in and did a small harvest party! Pizza, candy, cupcakes and movie!
Oh, I love the pictures – gorgeous and fun!!!
No costumes here – I love having teenage boys!!!
I'm thinking DIY costumes for all future Halloween events. That's what we did as kids. Thanks, Kim!
Thx for the ttip, didn't know it was fall back this wkd. I have been meaning to tell you that you're working that long hair boo! It is fabulous and he did an amazing Job on your new pictures. That was a super cool birthday surprise, your hubs is the best!
Whenever my hair is long, I want to cut it short and vice versa. I'm going to stick with long for a minute. LOL. It took much more time to grow back than in the past. Must be my age. 🙁 Thanks Joi! | in the French Quarter. And who was at the door when we arrived? Renowned Chef and Owner, John Folse. Hubby arranged for us to enjoy an exhibition kitchen dining experience. It was fabulous. Fantastic food and VIP treatment!
Another highlight of seeing Dino and Margaret was taking new publicity pictures. You may remember that I featured Dino in one of my 5 Questions With… post. You can read that here. He is a wonderful photographer in Michigan and he shot the photos that I used for my book's back cover and all of my previous profiles and gravatars. I say previous because I have updated all of them with new ones that Dino took in various areas of the French Quarter! I was so overdue for it. My hair is long again and I wanted to show a fun and whimsical side of me. I am very pleased. I hope you are too.
Another déjà vu moment is 2 Halloween costumes for The Deuce this year. Thank God he decided to be Spider-Man again and his costume from two years ago still fits! They are doing a Storybook Character theme at school for Red Ribbon Week and Halloween. The Deuce chose Mr. Tiger from Mr. Tiger Goes Wild by Peter Brown. I painted his face this morning and I think it turned out pretty well. What do you think? I'm used to creating characters with words not paint.
Participated in a Cystic Fibrosis Walk with my fellow members of the Slidell Women's Civic Club. The Deuce walked with us too.
Began Throwback Thursday Tell-All Linky Party with Natasha at Epic Mommy Adventures. It's every other Wednesday starting at | 338 |
My Second Impression of You (Hardcover)
By Michelle I. Mason
Perfect for fans of Tweet Cute and Instant Karma, this YA romcom is a heartfelt story about a girl who thinks she knows everything about love -- until she relives a day and discovers she had it all wrong.
Sixteen-year-old Maggie Scott is a little dramatic. Both in the over-the-top sense and in the involved-in-every-possible-performing-arts-activity sense. Life is just more fun when you're always putting on a show! But apparently her boyfriend, Theo, disagrees, because he unexpectedly dumps her. She's so distressed she breaks her foot, has to be rescued by the most obnoxious boy in school, Carson, and can no longer star in the school play.
Now everything is terrible and Maggie doesn't understand where it all went wrong. So when she gets a mysterious text from an unknown number offering her a chance to relive the day when she and Theo met, Maggie can't help clicking (even though she knows what they say about suspicious links and clicking). Suddenly, she finds herself transported from her worst day ever to her best day ever-but on second review, Maggie realizes there are some details she overlooked. Maybe she was so focused on starring in the Maggie show that she didn't pay enough attention. Maybe Maggie doesn't know the people around her as well as she thought-particularly Carson. And maybe her worst day ever isn't quite as terrible as it seems.
In this funny and relatable YA romcom, Michelle I. Mason explores how there's always another way of looking at the situations we find ourselves in . . . and sometimes the people we overlook end up being the best ones of all.
Michelle I. Mason lives in St. Louis with her family. She spent ten years as a PR manager before shifting her focus to fictional stories. When she isn't writing novels, she enjoys reading, baking amazing brownies, playing the violin, watching her kids perform, and stockpiling best days with her<|fim_middle|>mer!" —Abigail Johnson, author of Girl on the Run and Every Other Weekend
"Readers will cheer for Maggie as she figures out who she wants to be-and who she wants to be with-in this heartfelt story with a clever premise." —Kara McDowell, author of This Might Get Awkward
"My Second Impression Of You is inventive, thought-provoking, and totally swoony. It's everything I love in YA romance!" —Kristy Boyce, author of Hot British Boyfriend
"This romance mixed with family dynamics and self-discovery will resonate with readers who want a fun and unusual love story." —Booklist
"A whimsical coming-of-age story that plays with the concept of second impressions." —SLJ Reviews
"Equal parts sweet romance and thought-provoking story of self-discovery." —Kirkus Reviews | family
michelleimason.com
@MichelleIMason
Young Adult Fiction / Romance / Contemporary
Young Adult Fiction / Computers & Digital Media
Young Adult Fiction / Performing Arts / Theater & Musicals
Publisher: Bloomsbury YA
Recommended Reading Level Minimum Age: 12
Minimum Grade Level:
"Mason cleverly layers the cast's interior monologues with Maggie's effusive narration to fluidly carry this innovative escapade to its meditative conclusion." - Publishers Weekly
"A sweet and swoony story about first love, second chances, and the choices we make, MY SECOND IMPRESSION OF YOU captured my theater-loving heart from the first page and will stay with me long after the last. I loved it!" —Meredith Tate, author of Shipped and The Last Confession of Autumn Casterly
"Full of wit and warmth, this sweetly romantic tale is a guaranteed char | 185 |
Get the lead out for new art studio
Oak Bay's new Playful Pencil studio honours the fun side of art exploration
Christine van Reeuwyk
Feb. 21, 2017 5:00 p.m.
Jodi Appleton blends her career in animation and recreation at her new Playful Pencil Art Studio in Oak Bay.
Young voices compare characters with one-leg and anime eyes and even shoots of bamboo sprouting from plain white paper.
The new Playful Pencil studio burbles with interest in each drawing shared, until the group of boys tries to explain how, or why they enjoy it.
"I just like drawing," Ronan Ling sums it up.
The handful of youngsters from Central Middle, Margaret Jenkins and Oak Bay High schools, were among the earliest of pupils at the new Oak Bay art studio that aims to keep the fun in drawing.
"There will not be any 60-hour paintings but there will be lots of doodling<|fim_middle|> be a good fit for the community."
Living in Oak Bay, she knew a studio would fare well in the community, and found the ideal space at Central and St. Patrick streets.
Current courses cater to the seven to 14 year-old.
"The plan is to offer adult classes as well once I get the ball rolling," she said.
Appleton is already networking with other artists in the region to develop all forms of drawing.
"I'm looking for instructors in a lot of drawing," she said. "I'm hoping different artists will bring their strengths and ideas and make this a hub for drawing and sketching and cartooning."
She's also partnering with the Camosun College Comics and Graphic Novels program.
"It'll be a really good partnership," she said, happy to have somewhere for any inspired students to look forward to post-secondary.
The goal – as indicated in the title Playful Pencil – is to maintain the fun, while introducing some fundamentals.
"Anybody can do art. This will hopefully be an entry or a gateway. It's more about the playing around with art," she said.
"Just enjoy the doing, that's what recreation is all about. It gets you out of regular life and in a place where you can relax and reconnect with yourself."
For more information, email info@playfulpencil.ca, visit playfulpencil.ca online or in person at 2325 Central Ave.
Dragons' Den is on the hunt for entrepreneurs | ," said Jodi Appleton, owner of Playful Pencil art studio.
Appleton opened her studio Feb. 18 with a handful of free classes dedicated to drawing, keeping the option open to add watercolour or other paint in the future.
"I love drawing and have taught in various recreation centres. I left animation and went into recreation and this is the merge of the two for me," she said.
"We figured it would | 87 |
The Essex 3 Seat Leather Chesterfield<|fim_middle|> for the modern day home.
This sofa is pictured in 'Ash' Selvaggio Leather. | Sofa is a timeless classic. Everything about this sofa is pleasing to the eye; its perfectly balanced proportions, premium leather upholstery and subtle traditional finishings. Sleek straight arms keep The Essex as compact as possible whilst a generous seating depth makes for an extremely comfortable sofa. It would not be a leather chesterfield without the quintessential deep hand buttoning and tastefully piped fascias. This model is also available as a three piece suite at a greatly discounted rate!
This sofa is pictured in three seater size and is upholstered in 'Ash' Selvaggio Leather.
The Essex 3 Seat Chesterfield Sofa is a clean-cut, contemporary leather chesterfield. It has a simplistic and timeless design which merges the styling of a traditional chesterfield and the shape of a more modern sofa. Its fascias are tastefully piped and its back deep hand-buttoned in the proper, time-honoured manner. Its arms are straight which give it a more contemporary, angular feel whilst allowing it to fit in tighter spaces – perfect | 209 |
Logies 2019: The biggest wins, snubs and surprises
By AAP| 2 years ago
Comedian Tom Gleeson may go down as the most contentious Gold Logie winner ever.
Despite mocking the annual Australian television awards and running comedic smear campaigns against his fellow nominees, Gleeson ended Sunday night as the winner.
Tom Gleeson wins the Gold Logie. (Nine)
But one person who he didn't win over last night was his wife, Ellie Parker, who appeared to squirm during the comedian's acceptance speech. During an appearance on the Today show this morning, Gleeson admitted that there was a bit of tension behind the scenes with Ellie.
"Yes. I was talking to my wife after the speech and she said there was a great moment right in the middle when you said that there's one thing that the Logie can stand for and that's just taking the p--- and enjoying yourself and everyone should lighten up. And she said, 'You really had the room there and it would have been great if you finished then.'
"Unfortunately, that was half way through the speech and she was right, I should have finished there," he said. "So yeah, if anyone thinks I'm pretty brutal with Hard Chat, my wife gives me a far brutal hard chat. So if you're watching this, she's not watching this, thank you."
Host Deborah Knight then asked if Gleeson was in a bit of trouble with his wife after noticing that she was giving him the "death stare."
"Yeah, I think that if I never say the word 'Logie' in our house again, she will be very happy." He added, "I think she's over it."
But for a moment there Gleeson was convinced he wouldn't be going home with the Gold Logie. Gardening guru Costa Georgiadis had been on a roll, picking up two awards before the big one, and even Gleeson thought he would lose to his ABC colleague.
"I thought I wasn't going to win this so I have been drinking heavily since Costa won best presenter," he said in his speech.
Tom Gleeson drinks wine while delivering his Gold Logie acceptance speech. (Nine)
But in the end, actress Rebecca Gibney read out Gleeson's name at the end of the 61st TV Week Logie Awards awards, held on the Gold Coast on Sunday night.
RELATED: The complete list of winners at the TV Week Logie Awards
"I am in a tricky spot because I like it and I hate it at the same time," said Gleeson.
Fellow nominees — Amanda Keller, Rodger Corser, Sam Mac, Eve Morey and Waleed Aly — were left empty-handed on the night.
Georgiadis won the Best Presenter Award and Gardening Australia took the award for the Most Popular Lifestyle Program.
"Thank<|fim_middle|> in a pre-recorded video. "It's been a long time between drinks. I hope I don't have to wait that long for the next one."
Another industry veteran, Frankie J Holden, won the Logie for Most Outstanding Supporting Actor for his role on the Foxtel drama, A Place To Call Home.
ABC animated show, Bluey, won the award for Most Outstanding Children's Program. It's about to reach a huge international audience after being picked up by Disney.
MasterChef Australia won the night's first Logie award, winning the Most Popular Reality Program award for the first time since 2011.
The Ten Network's cooking competition — now in its 11th season — beat out competition My Kitchen Rules, The Block and Married At First Sight.
The ABC's Mystery Road was a surprise winner of the Most Popular Drama Program, defeating high-rating commercial shows such as Home and Away and Doctor Doctor.
"I want to thank all the fans, Australian public for accepting us and taking us into their lounge rooms," star Aaron Pedersen said while accepting the award.
Deborah Mailman also won the Most Popular Actress award for her role in the ABC program.
Another surprise winner was Luke McGregor in the Most Popular Actor category.
The Rosehavan star beat more high-profile actors including Rodger Corser and Ray Meagher to take out the gong.
Ten's The Project beat Australian Story, 7.30, A Current Affair, 60 Minutes and Four Corners to win the Most Popular Panel or Current Affairs Program.
Co-host Carrie Bickmore, who has just returned from maternity leave, was surprised the program — which turns 10 in a few weeks — had won.
"I still remember the first episode. It was terrible... For us still to be here 10 years later is so amazing."
Gogglebox, shown both on Foxtel and Ten, picked up the award for Most Popular Entertainment Program.
SBS's coverage of the 2018 FIFA World Cup won the Most Outstanding Sport Coverage while Foxtel's Ron Iddles: The Good Cop won the Most Outstanding Factual or Documentary Program.
"Tonight's award is not for Foxtel. It is not for me. It is for the victims who no longer have a voice," Iddles said.
The ABC was the night's biggest winner.
Logies throwback photos you totally forgot about
TV WEEK Logie Awards
Tom Gleeson
US Vice President Kamala Harris' best style moments
Ex-royal staff to shed light on Meghan letter to dad | you to all of the executive at the ABC for backing a half man, half hedge," said the hirsute gardener, who was wearing a suit adorned with flowers.
Julia Morris and Costa Georgiadis at the TV Week Logie Awards. (Nine)
Wheelchair athlete Dylan Alcott, who recently won the French Open title, won the Graham Kennedy award for Most Popular New Talent on Sunday night.
His television breakthrough came as a co-host of the Invictus Games Today show and The Set.
"One of the reasons I hated it was because when I turned on the TV I never saw anybody like me."
English actress Jenna Coleman won the Silver Logie for Best Actress for her role in the ABC drama, The Cry.
She was unable to accept in person as she is filming the new series of Victoria in England.
Scott Ryan, who also was unable to attend because he is filming Mr Inbetween, won the Silver Logie for Best Actor for his role in the gritty Foxtel drama.
The Stan series Bloom won two awards — Most Outstanding Mini Series or Telemovie and Most Outstanding Supporting Actress for industry veteran Jacki Weaver.
Weaver, who has previously been nominated for an Oscar, was thrilled to win the Logie.
"I don't believe I deserve it. The other girls deserved it much more than me. However, I am thrilled. I'm keeping it," Weaver, who last won a Logie in 1978, said | 296 |
We all love living and working in the Highlands of Scotland and<|fim_middle|> I am planting tiny seedlings.
In the spring we potted up seedlings in the greenhouses which then would be transferred to the outside beds later in the year.
We also planted some older seedlings into the outside beds as well as digging up saplings that were ready to be planted out in one of their planting sites. In the Autumn our gang of keen volunteers planted trees out in one of the dedicated planting sites and also spent time herding a flock of sheep that had wandered into the young tree enclosure – now that is not something you usually do at 2pm on a Thursday afternoon!
These tasks may sound simple and easy, but they are not and it is hard work, although very rewarding. To plant a seedling, knowing that one day it will be towering in a forest that my kids could walk through is a great feeling. To know that what we are doing is going to help the Highlands of Scotland and the reintroduction of certain flora and fauna brings a smile to my face as I am writing this. The thought that we had some input into conserving and increasing the native forest here in Scotland is very heartwarming. Coming from the New Forest, where you pretty much can't see the wood for the trees, I find it incredible that so much of the natural forest here has disappeared. It's great to see the hard work and dedication that the amazing folks at Trees for Life are doing to reintroduce the Caledonian Forest to the Highlands. A lot of the people who work there are volunteers, they take such pride in their work and come back season after season, that you wouldn't know they weren't employed and purely did this for the love of conservation.
This is not the only way we are trying to help our local communities. Everyone one of our clients are given the option to donate towards our Conversation Contribution Fund if they want to. This fund then goes towards various schemes and projects each year. For more information on this please click here.
Support us in Best of World Travel Awards and we'll plant 500 trees! | we all feel very passionately about the places we play in.
We are committed to giving something back to the community and we do this by pledging to volunteer 60 days of our work time to different causes throughout Scotland.
This can be anything from litter picking, mentoring young people or taking part in a flower search for a local organisation. Whatever we choose, Wilderness Scotland will support us by giving time off from work to take part in these projects.
Trees for Life is one such project that we have supported. They are based 10 miles from Invermoriston, at the south end of Loch Ness, on the Dundreggan Estate in the Central Highlands. They are working on restoring the Caledonian Forest back to its former glory.
This forest used to cover 1.5 million hectares of Scottish land but due to thousands of years of destruction there is only 1% of this native forest left!
Trees for Life are leading the way in trying to reverse this number with the help of volunteers and schools programmes. They use various methods such as facilitating natural regeneration, planting native trees and removing non native trees. Since they started in 1989 they have established a flourishing nursery, 44 major tree planting sites in Scotland and now grow over 60,000 trees per year! They have planted over 1 million trees back into the wild since they started and are aiming for 2 million by the end of 2019.
A few of us from the office volunteered here twice in 2018, once in the Spring and once in the Autumn. This was great as it gave us the chance to see the different type of work that is involved at different times of year.
Here | 350 |
In February 2016, Carnevale Italian Festival<|fim_middle|> fashion and cars! The plan used storytelling and quality photography about Adelaide's Italian community. We engaged consumers through competitions and tar-geted festival communities and social media influencers to gain new audiences.
A social media advertising campaign was tailored to deliver key messages to selected target audiences, providing a positive return on investment.
Social Media reach and engagement exceeded results from previous years. The campaign successfully reaching 37.4K people on Facebook and Instagram. There was a significant growth in audience awareness and organisers reported an increased attendance from their target audience. | marked its 40-year anniversary. An annual celebration of Italian food, wine, culture, fashion and fun, Carnevale is one of South Australia's best-loved annual community events.
• Showcase the very best of Carnevale food, fashion and celebrations to traditional and new communities.
Fig Tree Digital developed a social media strategy, backed by social advertising, to ensure widespread delivery of an entertaining and engaging social media content plan.
Our content plan highlighted the many great reasons to attend and enjoy Carnevale Italian Festival – food, coffee, | 109 |
War takes a terrible toll on a country and its people. When fought on home soil, the rebuilding process takes many years. For soldiers and citizens alike, the threats and circumstances imposed by war have lingering emotional and physical effects. As buildings and cities are rebuilt, so too,<|fim_middle|> us. What healing work do you long for God to accomplish in you? How do you long for God to use you in the lives of others? Seek Him by beginning with repentance. | the people need healing and restoration.
"The Spirit of the Lord is on Me, because He has anointed Me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor" (Luke 4:18-19).
"They will rebuild the ancient ruins and restore the places long devastated" (Isaiah 61:3b).
Repentance is God's way to deliver and restore His people. It's the only means by which we are delivered from sin. Repentance is also the first step in joining God as He rebuilds and restores our lives, as well as the lives of those around | 153 |
Play ~ Explore ~ Experience: Central Oregon is a four season recreational paradise and is the place to go for an unforgettable vacation. Come<|fim_middle|> to event calendars.
Thousands of acres of National Forest to explore in the backyard of Sisters Oregon. Just a stone`s throw from your vacation home rental. | for the beauty and adventure, make your home base with us in one of our quality homes.
Local Highlights Things to do Peterson Ridge Rumble (April) Fly-fish on Metolius River Raft on Deschutes or Crooked River Sisters Stampede XC Bike Race (Memorial Weekend) Golf the famous courses at Aspen Lakes or Black Butte Ranch Sisters Rodeo (June) Bike some of the local bike trails Ride for Two Rivers (June) Hike the alpine trails of Black Crater The Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show (July) Experience some winter recreation ~ skiing, snowshoeing or snowmobiling Sisters Art Stroll (summer & fall) Go birding in the Cascades Sisters Folk Festival (September) Explore the meadows of Three Sisters Mountains on horseback The Sisters Roundup of Gems (July) Plus boating, running, photographing wildlife and flowers, and much more. Plus lumberjack exhibitions, mountain bike races, and much more.
Sisters Country Video click to view.
Biking Trails in Sisters Oregon, with thousands of acres of National Forest, Sisters Country is a bicycler`s playground paradise.
Enjoy a comfortable cabin or home while fishing the pristine Metolius, Deschutes or Crooked Rivers or hop in a boat on one of the mountain lakes.
Sisters has a fun & thriving live music scene. Click here to go | 280 |
<|fim_middle|>2 Honda Range Day with Safety as Standard
The 192 Honda Range Days took place in Mondello Park on the 28 th /29 th of…
Civic Type R Concept double at SMMT
Team Dynamics Motorsport and Ralph Hosier Engineering have unveiled two very…
Cork Summer Show 15th & 16th June
Johnson & Perrott Honda will be attending the Cork Summer Show on Saturday…
One of the most iconic cars in the current Honda lineup, the Civic Type R, has… | Brick by brick, our Civic Type R comes alive
One of the most iconic cars in the current Honda lineup, the Civic Type R, has been transformed into a life-size LEGO® model ahead of the much anticipated 'LEGO® MASTERS' show airing in Australia on Channel Nine from 28th April.
The passionate team behind the creation, led by global expert Ryan McNaught – LEGO® Certified Professional – used more than 320,000 LEGO® bricks in the build and took over 1,300 hours with a team of nine assembling each brick by hand.
Mr. McNaught expressed some exciting but technical challenges in building the Type R due to the unique shape and design of the vehicle – elements that attract award recognition worldwide.
"We've loved the challenge of this project. The car is shaped with a considerable amount of curved lines, making it a tough but interesting build. From the working lights and indicators to intricate LEGO® Honda logos, the detail on the model has been a fun one for us to work on", said Mr. McNaught.
A steel frame supports the structure of LEGO® bricks, all glued together and is built completely by stock standard pieces. The car 'comes to life' with the help of an iPad which turns on the headlights, DRLs, fog lights, hazard lights, brake and reversing lights.
The LEGO® car was built from the ground up, layer by layer. The most challenging elements of the build were the window wipers due to their fragility, and the back spoiler which needed structure to allow it to float.
The impressive build celebrates Honda's support of the upcoming show LEGO® MASTERS, which will see eight pairs of LEGO® fanatics fight it out in a high intensity building competition. McNaught will judge the show alongside Australian radio and TV personality, Hamish Blake, as host.
Honda Australia Director, Mr. Stephen Collins said, "Honda is a company that is all about creativity and innovation so it's great to support a family show that mirrors these ideals so well. Through LEGO® MASTERS we'll see some of the dreams of the contestants, and also fans, come to life – we're proud to be helping drive that."
The multi award-winning Civic Type R was the ideal choice of the Honda Australia range to build due to its challenging lines which lends themselves to one of the most rewarding driving experiences in the hot hatch segment.
The LEGO® Civic Type R will be making appearances across Australia over the coming months.
To find out more information about the Civic Type R and why it's award winning, please contact us where you can try the Civic Type R for yourself.
Book a Test DriveEmail or Call Me BackBook an AppointmentValue my Vehicle
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19 | 651 |
Buffalo<|fim_middle|> or out. | Computer Graphics, a software and hardware design firm founded in Buffalo, New York in 1982, split their facilities between two aging buildings until they retained our firm to design a new, state-of-the-art Corporate, Engineering, and Production Facility in Hamburg, New York. The 23,000 square foot building was designed with four distinctive parts, beginning with the corporate "Image" entrance, reception area, waiting room and board room. The second area includes the server room, training, production and shipping. The engineers and designers were ensconced into a soaring space with a central monitor for day-lighting and plenty of natural light. This space is airy and bright with different areas for interactive thought and individual decompression. The last portion of the building is the game room, fitness facility, and shower rooms, encouraging fitness for both the body and the mind. The amenities also include two distinct patio areas, which take advantage of the sun during all times of the day. These spaces are exposed to the building's wireless networking system, allowing the staff to work either indoors | 218 |
Four Seasons Hotel. Magnificent style<|fim_middle|> the elegant surrounds. Then, for ultimate relaxation, take your partner to the spa's couple's suite, which features a private steam shower, double whirlpool and twin treatment beds.
when making a booking. Tel (02) 9250 3100.
Once an industrial centre, the inner-city village of Waterloo is emerging as the new face of Sydney creativity. Wander through the neighbourhood's art galleries and furniture outlets, then head to pyd design hub for interior design. A visit to The Country Trader is also a must. Try chef Jared Ingersoll's sustainable meals at Danks Street Depot, or take a free cooking class at Fratelli Fresh before hand-picking produce and dining at Café Sopra.
Tantalise the senses with impressive five-star dining at Astral, Star City. Chef Sean Connolly's new share menu is undoubtedly one of Sydney's finest, including Shaw River mozzarella, white anchovy, speck and Treviso salad, ravioli of king prawn, black treacle beurre blanc, bouillabaisse of seafood, rouille and croutons and Flinders Island lamb, Lancashire hot pot and broccolini purée. For true indulgence why not try the signature caviar pipe with a gold quail egg? Each course is perfectly matched to premium wines from around the world.
noir. Bookings essential. Tel 1800 700 700.
Combine the best of Orange's wine and food and you've found Racine restaurant at La Colline winery. Partners Willa McDuie and hatted chef Shaun Arantz, plus the team previously of The School House, deliver provincial French dishes made from fresh local produce. Rolling vineyards provide the pretty scenery, and it's likely the wine you'll drink is sourced from those abundantly rich hills. Drops from around Australia and overseas also feature on the wine list. Finish with one of Arantz's delicate desserts and then a stroll around La Colline's vines. Tel (02) 6365 3275. | worthy of heads of state and stunning top-floor views to Sydney Harbour will have you feeling very VIP. Dine at the hotel's restaurant, Kable's, known for its retrospective menu by chef Carl Middleton and relax in | 44 |
Senator Barry R. Finegold (D-Andover) is looking for applications to his summer 2019 internship program. Interns will work in the Senator's State House office and will have the opportunity to witness the legislative process firsthand. Interns should be hard working, organized, and passionate about local and state government. Though the internship might be specifically suited to political science, government, or public policy students, all majors are encouraged to apply. Current high school, college, law, or other graduate students are all eligible, and the program will be tailored based on the individual intern's<|fim_middle|> and current Governors, Senate Presidents, Attorneys General, and other elected officials.
• Embarking on an independent research project on a relevant public policy issue.
• Attending and summarizing policy briefings and committee hearings.
• Analyzing legislative and budget requests from constituents, lobbyists, and others.
• Assisting the staff with daily office operations.
Some need-based funding is available to students not receiving a stipend from their school or university.
Those interested in the internship should email their resume, cover letter, and a writing sample to maryrose.mazzola@masenate.gov. | interests and experience. Spanish language skills and ties to the Senator's district are a plus.
• Attending the MA Legislature Summer Internship Program, a nine-week speaker series designed for State House interns to hear from some of the most influential people in Massachusetts government. Past speakers have included former | 58 |
The Wits Institute of Social and Economic Research as welcomed a number of new researchers in 2019.
Award-winning author Sizwe Mpof<|fim_middle|> and Mbali Khoza are the other names joining the team at WiSER for periods ranging 18 months to 3 years. | u-Walsh is one of the 10 new writers and researchers joining the Wits Institute of Social and Economic Research (WiSER) in 2019. The new cohort was announced by the institute on Tuesday, February 5.
The new members have been brought in to work on WiSER's key research themes for the year which include: rethinking regions and how they impact research, exploring technologies through a multidisciplinary approach, and climate change.
Mpofu-Walsh, who is the author of award-winning book Democracy and Delusions: 10 Myths in South African Politics (2017), and has produced a rap album of the same name, says that he joined WiSER as their 2019 Writer in Residence because it is the premier humanitarian institute in Africa.
"I thought it would be a great home to pursue the ending of my PhD and the writing of my second book," he told Wits Vuvuzela.
"I've also been away from South Africa for so long and I'm feeling at home as Wits was the first place I ever lived because my mother was the warden of Barnato Hall [residence] in the late 80s," he added.
Mpofu-Walsh is currently completing a DPhil at Oxford University on the politics of nuclear weapon free zones . He is also working on a book on the effects of privatisation in post-apartheid South Africa.
WiSER chair Prof Sarah Nuttall says that the institute appoints academics as well as artists, writers, and composers to produce humanities research that is written by Africans for an African audience and is more accessible to audiences both within and outside of academia.
Nuttall, who has been at WiSER since 2001, says that the Institute has grown over the years from seven to 32 people. Their work has expanded to include some policy work, doctoral and postdoctoral teaching.
Prof Richard Rottenburg, Sisonke Msimang, Dr Mpho Matsipa, Dr Tinashe Mushakavanhu, Dr Okechukwu Nwafor, Teresa Colliver, Souad Zeineddine, Makhosazana Xaba, | 456 |
President Lincoln's patronage problems were compounded by his wife's relatives – who were anxious for positions which they did not necessarily deserve as a measure of their political loyalty to Mr. Lincoln. An egregious example was the case of Ninian W. Edwards, the husband of Mary Todd Lincoln's sister. When Mr. Lincoln first moved to Springfield, Edwards was a legislator and lawyer at the pinnacle of the city's social mountain. But his political and economic condition slipped during the 1850s. He switched to the Democratic Party in 1851 and lived off his position as Superintendent of Public Instruction until the Republicans took control of the governorship in 1857.
In the late 'sixties, Abraham Lincoln and Mary Todd's wedding day was described to me in detail by Mary Todd Lincoln's sister, Mrs. Frances Todd Wallace, who lived with her daughter Fanny on the corner of capitol Avenue and Seventh, in Springfield, Illinois. I termed her the saint of the Todd family. I enjoyed my visits with her, talking of olden times in her hospitable home.
In 1851 Edwards had switched from the Whig to the Democratic Party, allegedly because he thought it was ticket to election to Congress. Judge David Davis said Lincoln "has talked to me on the subject, and is deeply mortified."3 Edwards supported Stephen Douglas in both the 1858 senatorial election and the 1860 presidential campaign. Despite their political differences, he repeatedly sought Mr. Lincoln's assistance He pestered Mr. Lincoln for both a loan and legal advice. He got the loan but not the advice. And he complained that he had been unfairly treated – before defaulting on the loan.
Edwards was one of several erstwhile Illinois friends whose official actions caused President Lincoln embarrassment. Just his appointment riled up Mr. Lincoln's allies in state government. Biographer Paul Simon wrote of their tangled affairs: "Edwards wrote Lincoln for a job shortly after Lincoln's inauguration as President. The apparent purpose of his letter was for permission to check something out in one of the departments. This request was made in a very vague sort of way, but then he added that he was really in a bad way financially. Lincoln replied with a 'My dear Sir' to his brother-in-law and added: 'It pains me to hear you speak of being ruined in your pecuniary affairs. I still hope you are injured only and not ruined.' He then suggested that Edwards come to Washington work out arrangements for getting the information he sought. Lincoln chose to ignore temporarily the not-so subtle pleas for the job."4 Edwards persisted and Mr. Lincoln yielded – naming him as a commissary of subsistence – a position which Republicans charged, allowed him to enrich himself and become a public embarrassment to the President.
Mr. Lincoln replaced Edwards with George R. Weber and William H. Bailache with James Campbell in late June. Earlier that month, Edwards wrote President Lincoln a long letter which he pleaded for his job, defended his actions, reviewed a decade of political history and concluded: "If you write that this shall be done I believe it will satisfy all parties At all events can you not try it and allow me to remain here – I am a strong friend of the Union – I would also prefer not to make any Contracts – I assure you again that I shall not be dissatisfied with anything you may think for the best".
You speak of your life long friends in Springfield – desiring a change – I would like to ask you, if when you were a young man I was not your most devoted friend in more ways than one – Let Joshua F Speed, your own conscience recollection, and a letter of yours written to me in 1842 before your marriage answer – Again who was it, when it was thought in 1840 that<|fim_middle|> William Butler, and Jesse K. Dubois to Abraham Lincoln, July 22 1861).
Abraham Lincoln Papers at the Library of Congress. Transcribed and Annotated by the Lincoln Studies Center, Knox College. Galesburg, Illinois. (Letter from Jesse K. Dubois, William Butler, and Ozias M. Hatch to Abraham Lincoln, October 21, 1861).
Michael Burlingame, editor, With Lincoln in the White House: Letters, Memoranda, and Other Writings of John G Nicolay, 1860-1865, p. 61 (Letter to President Lincoln, October 21, 1861).
Abraham Lincoln Papers at the Library of Congress. Transcribed and Annotated by the Lincoln Studies Center, Knox College. Galesburg, Illinois. (Letter from Ninian W. Edwards to Abraham Lincoln, October 27, 1861).
David Herbert Donald, Lincoln, p. 344.
Roy P. Basler, editor, The Collected Works of Abraham Lincoln, Volume VI, p. 275-276 (Letter to Edward L. Baker, June 15, 1863).
Abraham Lincoln Papers at the Library of Congress. Transcribed and Annotated by the Lincoln Studies Center, Knox College. Galesburg, Illinois. (Letter from Jesse K. Dubois to Abraham Lincoln, May 23, 1863).
Roy P. Basler, editor, The Collected Works of Abraham Lincoln, Volume VI, p. 237 (Letter to Jesse K. Dubois and others, May 29, 1863).
Abraham Lincoln Papers at the Library of Congress. Transcribed and Annotated by the Lincoln Studies Center, Knox College. Galesburg, Illinois. (Letter from Ninian W. Edwards to Abraham Lincoln, June 18, 1863). | you would not be nominated for the Legislature publicly stated if any one was to be left out – he (I) should be – Who was your best friend when – Baker, John Hardin & yourself were candidates for nomination to a seat in Congress – Again which of the two Butler or myself was your best friend for years after that – At the last Presidential Election although I differed with you I made several speeches, with the approbation of your best political friends, in order to say what I thought of you – saying that if there was a man living without a fault I believed you were that man – This I can prove.
Relationships between the Edwards and Mary Todd Lincoln were rocky throughout her life, but they rescued her from the insane asylum to which she had been committed in 1875 and took her to their home in 1876. Mrs. Lincoln particularly disliked the Edwards' daughter Julia, who was married to Illinois State Journal editor Edward L. Baker, but liked their son, Edward "Lewis" Baker, Jr.
Douglas L. Wilson and Rodney O. Davis, editor, Herndon's Informants, p. 623 (William H. Herndon interview with Elizbeth and Ninian W. Edwards, July 27, 1887).
Eugenia Jones Hunt, "My Personal Recollections of Abraham and Mary Todd Lincoln", The Abraham Lincoln Quarterly, March 1945, p. 236-237.
Willard L. King, Lincoln's Manager, David Davis, p. 74.
Paul Simon, Lincoln's Preparation for Greatness: The Illinois Legislative Years, p. 300.
Abraham Lincoln Papers at the Library of Congress. Transcribed and Annotated by the Lincoln Studies Center, Knox College. Galesburg, Illinois. (Letter from Ozias M. Hatch, | 386 |
"HORIZON LINES" SNEAK PEEK: SNOW AND SURF IN ICELAND, JAPAN AND CHILE
Caught in the routine of the daily grind, surrounded by constant digital connection and a heavy cloud of negative energy, it is easy to fall into a rut of tunnel vision. Backcountry snowboarder Forrest Shearer, filmmakers Andrew Miller and Nick Kalisz and their crew of rugged adventurers set off in search of the antidote – a deeper connection to the environment by following their passions of snow and surf in "Horizon Lines", a three-part web series set to drop its first episode next week.
As any full time adventurer or weekend warrior knows, bonds with the natural world transcend the boundaries of society. Following deep powder or the perfect swell, we travel past the horizon line to unknown lands, new friendships and fresh perspective. With the trailer for "Horizon Lines", Shearer invites you to look beyond the horizon to a world that offers new inspiration and adventure with each breaking dawn.
Horizon Lines : Trailer from Horizon Lines on Vimeo.
"We want people to get inspired by nature", says Shearer. "Travel will always have its ups and downs, but when you're living for the perfect turn, the biggest adventure is on the horizon. Safe is boring and overrated. Put aside the predictable and set off into the wild." Though he admits it's not just about finding adventure. "It's crucial to document these wild places to help protect them for future generations. You can live vicariously through others, but if you get out there, you'll see what a special place the mountains and oceans are and how important it is to raise awareness."
Over the course of the last year, the Horizon Lines crew traveled to Iceland, Japan and Chile – exotic locales that pushed them off the grid and beyond known boundaries. Shearer was joined by big mountain legends Jeremy Jones and Bryan Iguchi in Iceland, as well as surfer Kohl Christensen. He then traveled to Japan with snowboarders Griffin Siebert and Kael Martin, and surfboard shaper Chris Christenson. While there, local rider Kazushi Yamauchi (Orange Man) showed them the lay of the land. Shearer wrapped up the season by hitting the road to Chile with Jones, Josh Dirksen, Alex Lopez, Nick Russell and big wave surfer Ramon Navarro.
"Forrest has spent his life dedicated to the sideways lifestyle," says Jones. "This has made him incredibly in tune with the mountains and ocean. After years of being a part of other people's videos, it is exciting to see him take his own path and I anxiously await the outcome."
Miller and Kalisz were on hand to chronicle the journey as the evolving group of influential snowboarders and surfers forged an organic path from mountains to ocean and back, transforming hours of footage into the epic web series. Their visual work allows viewers to immerse themselves in the unique elements of each location with the Horizon Lines<|fim_middle|>/FieldDay.Studios/. | group, whetting their appetite to take a chance on finding their own experience in nature.
Horizon Lines is presented by Jaybird with support from Clif Bar, Jones Snowboards, Patagonia and the Inkwell Network. The first episode of the series, focusing on Iceland, will debut on November 23, on TWSnow.com, with following episodes launching on December 23 (Japan) and January 25 (Chile). For more information on Horizon Lines, please visit https://www.facebook.com | 106 |
American Musical Theatre LIVE! Paris
Support Us – Global Giving Fundraiser for Franco-American Musical Theater Center
Next Thing You Know/Un jour ou l'autre
Crossroads/La croisée des chemins
It's Only Life
Songs For A New World
The Last Five Years
Audition for a show
The Best of Broadway
Let's Do It : Cavorting with Cole<|fim_middle|> artist. | Porter
Say Magnifique
In celebration of Women Composers & Lyricists
Cher Père Noël / Dear Santa
Andrew Byrne Cabaret
Broadway Love Songs
November 1, 2017 · by mirandacrispin · in Uncategorized. ·
This fall, we are celebrating 5 YEARS of bringing musical theatre performances, classes, rencontres, and community outreach here in Paris with AMT Live!
In this time, countless people have been involved with launching and helping the association to thrive over the years. I have so many words of gratitude to offer those who, near and far, have made the past five years possible. Thank you to our founding members and overseas supporters and to every performer who has shared their passion and talents with our dedicated audience. Merci to every director, teacher, musician, administrator, intern, journalist, restaurateur, composer, lyricist, choreographer, and lighting designer who has helped us shine, and that is only a start to the list.
I would also like to take a moment to offer sincere thanks on behalf of our membership to Andrea Offner, who has served as President of the board since 2014. This year, she hands off the Presidential torch, but will remain on our Board of Directors, and will continue to support the organization in a myriad of ways as an advisor and teaching artist. Her compassionate leadership over the past three years, as well as the ardent support of the Offner family, cannot be summed up in mere words. In short, thank you, merci, dankuwel, and danke.
We welcome founding member Darcy Smith as our new President of the Board of Directors, elected at our fall Assemblé Générale, held on October 15. Administrative Director of the association from 2012-2014, Darcy has been on our advisory board the past three years. Having collaborated in the creation of AMT Live, Darcy brings to the position her boundless energy and creative spirit, along with a comprehensive understanding of the structure of the organization. Welcome and thank you for serving, Darcy.
As we move forward this fall, our members will take a moment to reflect on the many projects and people who have been a part of this organization over the past five years. In that time, AMT Live has produced French premieres of the American musicals Edges, The Last Five Years, Songs For A New World, It's Only Life (concert version), and Next Thing You Know, as well as the original bilingual musical Crossroads/La croisée des chemins. We've enjoyed collaborative partnerships with la Ville de Poissy and Théâtre Blanche de la Castille, le Conservatoire du 9ème Arrondissement Nadia et Lili Boulanger, le Conservatoire du 13ème Arrondissement Maurice Ravel, le Mairie de Paris and le Mairie du 13ème Arrondissement, to name a few.
Our shows and Broadway Chez Nous bilingual concert series have put onstage over 120 performers, and our studio has welcomed more than a dozen guest artists from Broadway, the West End, and beyond, including Tony Award winners Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, master teacher Andrew Byrne, composer/musical director Carmel Dean, composer/pianist John Bucchino and performers Adam Kantor, Adrianna Hicks, and Kristina Love.
Over 500 artists from more than a dozen countries have passed through our doors for training, and our local members have performed for and in support of numerous organizations including the Epicerie Américain de Paris, The March of Dimes, Action Froid, Rotary International, UNESCO, L'association des amis du manoir de Bonaventure, and the US Embassy in France.
None of this would have been possible without the many, many people who have contributed along the way. AMT has been built with countless volunteer hours, sincere generosity of spirit, and financial contributions from folks on both sides of the atlantic who want to encourage this ongoing exchange.
THANK YOU most sincerely to everyone who has been a part of this adventure over the years! Whether you have performed with us, attended an event, taken a class, written a review, engaged on social media from afar, or simply made it to the end of this note today, you are part of why AMT continues.
With sincere gratitude,
Miranda Crispin
Artistic Director, AMT Live
← Broadway Love Songs
Les soirées cafés concerts au Grand Cafe Bataclan →
Broadway Chez Nous
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Medical practices are facing more and more challenges as the capabilities of healthcare grow and patient expectations become higher and higher. While this provides the promise of greater care for patients, it also has a massive impact on the working day of not just doctors, but any other staff working in a medical practice or office. Thankfully, help is at hand in the form of virtual receptionists who can ease the strain of bureaucracy in modern healthcare and allow the staff at your practice to concentrate on those crucial areas which need the most attention. And, once a virtual medical receptionist is in place, you will discover that your practice can begin to exceed patients' expectations and deliver a world class service that benefits<|fim_middle|> calls from local area codes (such as the practice's location) through their PC. Patients will be instantly connected with the virtual receptionist and receive the same level of care as if they were dealing with a receptionist who was physically in your practice.
Virtual medical receptionists, therefore, are a highly effective method of communication both internally and externally, but what are the benefits of bringing in a virtual receptionist?
One of the main problems that doctors face is not being able to spend enough time with their patients. Medical problems can be highly complex affairs, but when a doctor is struggling with a poor backup provided by an inefficient phone system, every single appointment in their schedule needs to be reduced in length to ensure every patient gets seen.
Not only does the patient get the short end of the stick in this scenario, but the doctor is also left frustrated as they're unable to work to their full ability. However, with a virtual receptionist in place, you'll discover that the phone system becomes more efficient and there's less need for the administration workload to be spread round the practice. As a result, doctors are less rushed and can give their full attention to patients.
If your patients suffer bad experiences at your practice then you will soon find that they stop coming back. Instead, they will look into visiting practices that are praised for prizing their patients' needs highly and above anything else. And, sometimes, this can be caused by something as simple as a lack of care demonstrated when arranging appointments or, other times, it could be down to the general sense of chaos at a badly run practice.
Virtual receptionists, however, are closely monitored and their performance regularly evaluated and scored. This helps to provide practices with the ability to understand the level of quality being brought into their workplace and has the added bonus of giving virtual receptionists a quantitative objective to work towards. And this can only help to improve your practice's reputation for fantastic service as well as developing the customer service skills of your virtual medical receptionist.
Many practices rely on an answering service to deal with customer queries in lieu of an actual receptionist on the front desk. Whilst this ensures patients are able to, at the very least, report issues, the reality is that many patients are prone to hanging up when they hear the cold, emotionless answering service message kick in.
This certainly doesn't do your practice or the patient any favors, but with a virtual receptionist in place you can provide a more engaging form of communication to keep your patients satisfied. And it's also important to remember that you're not limited to having just one virtual receptionist, you can have as many as you like.
For practices that want to be cost-effective, staffing can be a major area of concern. Naturally, there's the issue of salaries, but it's also important to remember there are equipment costs and unseen costs such as wear and tear.
Virtual receptionists, however, help practices to neatly sidestep these unproductive costs due to their remote abilities. By taking up absolutely no physical presence in your practice, virtual receptionists are a highly cost effective solution when it comes to dealing with your patients' needs as well as the needs of your practice as a whole.
Running a medical practice is not a simple business and with the rapid increase of new statutes and new procedures, the paperwork involved is becoming a real nightmare; in-house admin staff are finding that more and more of their time is being taken up with menial tasks that provide little value for the practice and its patients.
The presence of a fully trained virtual receptionist, though, means that your admin staff have the opportunity to pass less time crucial admin tasks over whilst they concentrate on more pressing tasks. This ever present backup solution for admin allows a better service to be provided by your practice and also reduces the stress on your in-house staff which can easily lead to frustration and mistakes.
It's not really a question of why does your practice need a virtual medical receptionist, it's a more a case of why doesn't your practice have one already? With a huge number of benefits that can benefit your doctors, patients and clerical staff, a virtual medical receptionist can make a wonderful addition to your practice by bringing freedom and flexibility to a workplace that can be highly stressful and busy at the best of times. Find your perfect virtual medical receptionist at Hello Rache. | everyone involved.
What exactly, though, is a virtual receptionist?
Cost-effective and easy to implement into your practice, a virtual medical receptionist is a remote worker who is able to operate as your practice's first point of contact. Undertaking all the tasks associated with an in-house receptionist, a virtual medical receptionist will handle incoming calls, arrange and confirm appointments, carry out verifications of medical insurance, deal with prescription refills and make plans for patient referrals.
As we've already established, virtual medical receptionists are remote workers, but their connection with your practice can be absolutely seamless. By utilizing Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP) software, such as 8x8. Virtual medical receptionists can make and receive phone | 148 |
When this blog really got going, most of the energy came<|fim_middle|> for updates at @thechidispatch on Twitter.
I haven't really done anything like this before, so please send your comments and constructive criticism my way! I want to make this something worthwhile for people, and I fully expect to do a lot of adjustments along the way.
And finally, thanks to everyone who helped me along the way—and a big thanks to everyone who took the time to contribute or be interviewed already. There are too many people to mention all by name, but you know who you are.
So, so excited about this, can't wait to see how it toddles and grows and vibrates and learns new dialects and ripples.
Does it have an RSS feed? Appending /feed to the URL isn't working.
I am really excited about this project!
Any chance of getting an RSS feed? | from a desire to answer questions I had about Chicago, and sometimes cities more generally. Over the last several years, I've taught myself (and been taught) a fair amount about finding data, manipulating it, and making maps to help get those answers.
But obviously there are a lot of questions one might have that aren't best answered through data and maps, and I often find my thoughts bumping up against the borders of what this blog can do. So, on nights and weekends over the last several months, I've been putting together a different project: The Chicago Dispatch.
The Dispatch will publish interviews, as well as essays, photography, poems, and other work each month. The goal is to make a place for work that might not otherwise get published anywhere, and that answers, in various ways, questions I have about Chicago—and, hopefully, that other people have too.
Please check it out! There are two months' of material up, including stuff about an under-appreciated planned manufacturing district on the South Side, the economics of a pawn shop, what it's like to go to a top-ranked public high school in Englewood, and more. You can also follow along | 240 |
First team images from yesterday's match V's St Pauls. Unfortunately the score did not go our way (with a 1-3 defeat).
Photographer Ian Paine is currently doing the rounds<|fim_middle|>'s Rozel Rovers which are available to purchase online.
Photographer Ian Paine has kindly agreed to visit a match from each St Peter team this season and will be taking a team photograph alongside the usual fantastic action shots.
A video has been created, (mostly using photography from Ian Paine), showing the St Peter FC teams in action this year.
The video is intended to be used in the background at this year's annual dinner, which is being held at the Pomme d'Or Hotel on the 18th May 2013.
Photographer Ian Paine has kindly sent in images of our recent games against Jersey Scottish (Premiership) and St Ouen (Reserves).
The new galleries are available to view on the 1st team and Reserve team pages. | and taking a team picture of each group across the club.
Here are some fantastic pictures from Saturday's Reserves game V | 24 |
I'm always focused on my dreams..."
on. I've colored this one with colored pencils.
Can't wait to see the final painting, it will look fabulous!
This is so wonderful. Love the colours and those biiiig eyes.
This is so sweet! It has a wonderful soft focus that suits it.
Ohhh,Dear Afi... He´s like a baby....so cute!Even though it's just a sketch! Thanks for visiting my blog and leaving such inspiring comments! :) Kisses, light and love! SUERTE!
<|fim_middle|> Nice work!
Your little bird is so simple yet looks so sweet!
This is gorgeous! "Hope" ~ a word that really touch my heart! I am looking forward to peek at this beautiful painting when it's done. Have a lovely merry happy day and love to you! | What a sweet little birdie! I really like that sketch version, the contrast between the cuteness of the little bird and the roughness of the dark pencil. Kawaii!!
this is the first time i've ever visited your blog, and wow, you are really talented!!
and did i read that you're in toronto? i lived there for a while, and will probably head back there this summer. see you in blogland!
Very sweet. I love the colored pencils!
Very sweet bird! I agree, the soft focus and colors really suit the sketch well. | 116 |
If you were attempting to find something that nearly anyone could enjoy<|fim_middle|> simple cuts will get you the wood pieces, and then you just nail them or glue them together. If you want it to have a fancy look, you can drill out some finger holes on the handles.
In conclusion, I hope this information has given you some good ideas for easy woodworking projects for beginners. Once you complete the projects listed above, you might be ready to move onto more advanced stuff. It all depends on you, and how fast you learn the trade.
Some people learn quicker than others do, but the trick is not to get frustrated and always to learn from your mistakes. | doing as a hobby for your spare time, perhaps you might consider building things from wood. There are some different plans that you can choose from, which range significantly depending on the experience that someone has. There is plenty of woodworking projects for beginners that you can choose from to get you started on the right foot.
This is probably the easiest thing you can build and requires only some wood, small nails, and glue. In addition, you will need a hammer and a saw for tools. This is a perfect first project because you will probably need a toolbox if you are going to continue woodworking. Once you finish this one, you will be ready to move onto something a little more advanced.
This is slightly more complex than a toolbox, but is one of the most common woodworking projects for beginners. This is something that often does not require a lot of skill or steps, but can prove to be a worthwhile experience for all who try it. Part of the reason for this is the few materials that are needed to complete the plan, and part of it would be the feeling of finishing something that looks more complicated than it is. It takes some extra skill in cutting if you wish to build a nice one, but cutting a simple birdhouse can be quite easy. You will need some nails and glue in this project as well.
Here is another one that is not too hard to do. You can get as creative as you want with a CD or DVD rack. I have seen some cool ones. All you need is the basic stuff, some wood pieces, nails, and glue. Make sure to measure out the area where the DVDs and compact discs will sit to ensure that it is large enough to hold them.
Here is one you can build for your mom or your wife. This project can be a little more involving because it will likely require installing a hinge or two, but most people can figure that out quite easily. This is still considered one of the basic woodworking projects for beginners that have been built in shops across the country for years.
These are similar to a toolbox, but are shallow and made for holding small things. They can also be used in the kitchen for holding snacks and appetizers. Some | 440 |
We strive to formulate products that are designed for the wellbeing and vitality of our community and environment. All of our products are made with consciously chosen ingredients that are all natural, plant-based, effective, clean and simple.
We believe that practices of self-care support and nourish both our bodies and minds. Our goal is to provide reasonably priced products to encourage our community to discover beneficial and healthful rituals that can effortlessly be incorporated into their daily lives.
All of our products are handmade in San Francisco.
Erbose products are made with consciously chosen ingredients that are all natural, non-toxic, plant-based, and effective. Erbose uses sustainably and ethically harvested plant material and we avoid<|fim_middle|> Dombroski and Jen Schachtebeck. Having developed a couple of beauty products for herself, friends and family, Audrey wanted to encourage optimal wellness and share her knowledge in living an all-natural lifestyle with others. She enlisted Jen to help bring these products to life and out to others.
Audrey develops and creates all Erbose products in her home in San Francisco, while Jen directs all visual and marketing aspects in her home in Toronto.
Read more about Audrey and Jen below! | all harmful chemicals and toxins in the products we provide. Erbose products are designed with a holistic lifestyle focus that benefits our overall wellness of self, and in turn, benefits the wellness of our planet.
Clean living is the goal.
See a list of our ingredients and their benefits here.
"Erbose has a special place in my skincare routine!"
Erbose is a two-woman show run by twin sisters, Audrey | 83 |
Said one of them so young and bold.
Eventually, history catches up with us.
Or maybe it's the other way around: the times we've been through turn into history.
The Old Ottawa East Community Association's series on Prime Ministers began with Sir John A. Macdonald – a figure the audience knew only through history.
To wrap up this Canada150 project, Bob Plamondon bridged to our world: one Prime<|fim_middle|> Chretien each have these black marks against them.
Now that the series is over, what can be done to continue celebrating our Prime Ministers? Plamondon replied, open a National Portrait Gallery.
The talk history did not continue to include Stephen Harper. Too recent, Plamondon argued. Not yet turned to gold, it seems.
The video archive of the entire Prime Minister's series will be made available at https://www.ottawaeast.ca/. | Minister lost in the mists of time, and four others whom some of us remember vividly. What future generations remember will eventually be the gold left behind in the sluice of time.
Plamondon himself has participated in that story. He was the Progressive Conservative candidate for Ottawa Centre in the 1988 (free trade) election.
The electors, he jokes, determined that his career would be as an historian of politicians, rather than a politician himself.
He has written biographies of Pierre Trudeau and Jean Chrétien. Copies of his history of the Tories, Blue Thunder, were given away to the audience who came to hear his talk at St. Paul's University.
Drawing from his book, he skipped lightly and humorously through the decades. In the end, we were left with an impression of what is remembered now – what will turn into gold for future generations.
R.B. Bennett governed not so much as a politician but as a chairman of the board. He created many of the institutions that defined Canada – the CBC, the Bank of Canada, the Wheat Board. He proposed public health care and unemployment insurance, but never had a chance to pursue the agenda.
But in the public imagination he is perhaps best remembered for "the Bennett buggy" – an automobile pulled by a horse, because few on the prairies could afford gasoline.
Bennett was the epitome of the plutocrat politician. John Diefenbaker was the opposite: a populist who railed against the established order, even in his own party. "Everyone is against me but the people," he'd say.
Diefenbaker championed un-hyphenated Canadianism: "One Canada." He regarded his crowning achievement as the Bill of Rights.
Plamondon was not kind in his assessment of Joe Clark, a Prime Minister for 273 days. The media had derided Clark as a wimp, said Plamondon, and as Prime Minister, he tried to show how tough he was.
Given a minority, he governed as if he had a majority. The first step was to bring down a tough budget. The resulting election consigned the Tories once more to Opposition.
Neither in his talk nor in his book does Plamondon account for Brian Mulroney's role in overthrowing Clark – it was all done by others, it seems. But Plamondon underscores that, with Mulroney, the PCs got the Leader they needed.
Mulroney proved to be one of the transformational Prime Ministers. His legacy is strong: the Free Trade Agreement, the Acid Rain Treaty, major tax reform (GST), global leadership against South African apartheid, and moving government operations into the black (only interest on the debt put budgets into deficit).
Upon winning the PC Leadership, she had the highest ratings in Canadian history. At the end of the 1994 election, the Tories were reduced to two seats.
Ah yes, we remember it well. But it's history now.
In the Q&A period, someone asked whether Campbell had been set up as a sacrificial lamb destined to lose. Plamondon replied that she certainly had a good shot. Chretien was regarded as "yesterday's man." Campbell ran an incompetent campaign.
Diefenbaker and the Avro Arrow: intercontinental missiles had replaced planes at the forefront of defence policy. It was Lester Pearson, as Louis St. Laurent's foreign minister, who first recommended against the Arrow.
The money Mulroney took from Karl-Heinz Schreiber: it showed "extraordinary bad judgement" but the Oliphant inquiry found no connection with government decisions. Macdonald, Mulroney and | 752 |
The Oceans Apart exhibition<|fim_middle|>, led the way with modern design and interiors. During and after this period, shipping companies also appealed to former European emigrants to North America with transatlantic journeys to 'Return to The Old Country' as a tourist.
After World War II, transatlantic travel became more accessible by air and emigration lessened. In the present day, transatlantic crossings are offered to the high-end markets by Cunard, and Cruise lines are very popular across many parts of the globe.
Oceans ApartOceans Apart highlights the routes taken by masses of emigrants across the Atlantic Ocean, as well as suggesting how their lives developed in North America, and the poor living circumstances which catapulted them to move abroad.
John gave me a copy of his speech at the Private View on the 3rd May, which I sadly missed. Within the speech, he contextualises this period of transatlantic crossings from Europe to America, to later emigrations such as the 'Windrush' generation and the subsequent poor treatment of these individuals who came from Commonwealth countries to fill post-war labour shortages. He also references a recent report from the United Nations on International Migration (2017) which identified that 283 million live in a country other than where they were born. In a quote by John Berger, he alludes to our assumption that the migrant is sometimes 'the other', 'to consider his life- its material circumstances and inner feelings – is to be brought face to face with the fundamental nature of our present societies and their histories. The migrant is not on the margin of modern experience- (but).. absolutely central to it'.. | at MMU Special Collections Library was curated by Dr John Gibbons from his personal collection of items and manuscripts relating to transatlantic crossings between 1870 and 1940. John kindly met with me last week to talk me through his exhibition and how his collection came about.
Gibbons' collection originated from documents from his grandfather's family business as an emigration agent, within Westport, County Mayo in Ireland. His grandfather, also named John Gibbons, helped local people emigrate to the USA and Canada, undertaking paperwork, making applications and booking crossings. They would make the journey from Westport, for example to Liverpool, then Liverpool via ocean liner to New York.
Much of the exhibition is formed from his inherited collection of ledgers, letters, books from the family business and promotional material for the White Star Line shipping company. Numerous emigration agents across Ireland had important social roles to play as they wrote letters supporting applications for emigration, explaining personal and family circumstances. The majority of Irish emigrants were women. In the case of those going to Canada, there were restrictions on women travelling alone and they needed to be sponsored by a family member.
In response to this mass exodus of young, abled persons leaving Ireland for a more prosperous life, there was some anti-emigration sentiment. Often discussed in newspapers, anti-emigration societies campaigned against constant departures to the Americas in fear of a reduced population and anxieties about the future of Ireland's prosperity.
Gibbons has continued to accumulate items relating to transatlantic crossings via ocean liners, and his collection purchased mainly via auction over the years is extensive and fascinating. The exhibition Oceans Apart displays a wide range of shipping posters and promotional material from dominant shipping companies such as Cunard and White Star Line.
Until 1924 when emigration laws were tightened considerably in the United States, the dominant customers of transatlantic crossings were the emigrant, apart from First Class travel. After this threshold, the shipping companies needed to rebrand transatlantic routes, and higher-end clientele were marketed to heavily in the 1930s for travel and tourism.
During the 1930s, there was a new brand of ocean liner with modern design which represented national cultural innovation. Liners such as the Queen Mary, 1934, and the French Lines liner, Normandie, 1935 | 491 |
Welcome to the LineStar tutorial page! Don't let the terms and charts<|fim_middle|>X' button on a set, the entire set of lineups will be deleted. | intimidate you. If you love sports and are committed to winning, you can learn how to use our top-rated products in no time! On this page you can learn the basics of LineStar and how you can use your knowledge of your favorite sports along with our advanced tools to craft amazing lineups.
This section provides a series of filters and sorting options which can be used to limit and order the players shown. The following sections below will explain each of the sections in the image in greater detail.
The first part of creating any lineup is knowing which slate you're building a lineup for. Select the slate you're looking for, and the players shown below will be limited to players who are a part of that slate.
You can hide players from specific games or teams by clicking on a team or game element from this list. Once a team is excluded it will have a line accross it's circle to indicate it has been excluded. If the entire game has been excluded there will be a red background to indicate the entire game has been excluded.
The filters provided can be especially helpful when you're attempting to find just the right match for those last lineup slots.
Name: Search for a specfic player by entering part of the players name.
Team: Hide all players except for those on the selected team.
Position: Hide all players except for those with the selected position.
Max Salary: Hide all players who have salaries higher than the entered number.
To reset all filters in one action, press the Click 'Here' text.
To clear a single filter, simply erase the content in the filter column, or change the selection back to the 'ALL' value at the top of the list.
Somtimes it helps to see things from a different perspective, change the sorting option to see things from a different angle.
Value: Players are sorted by the highest value. Value is defined by salary divided by projected points.
Salary: Sorted by the players salaries.
Proj: Sorted by the players projections.
Loved: Sorted by the number of loves a player has received.
Hated: Sorted by the number of hates a player has received.
Scored: Sorted by the players points scored on the current period.
Conf: Sorted by how consistent players are, generally more expensive players will have higher confidence.
Chat: Sorted by players who have had the most number of chat messages for them.
Advanced: Allows you to sort on even more stats, these will vary based on the sport.
Pressing the settings button will reveal a list of additional options available, which are not as commonly used as other options available.
Show Chart Options: Opens a popup that allows you to control chart options. You can hide charts, or toggle between the legacy and advanced chart view.
Show All Players: Players who are projected for 0 points are hidden by default. If you wish to view these players, you can toggle this option.
Export Projections: Press this to export all of our projections to a .csv file.
Import Projections: Press this button to import your own projections. Please follow the directions on the button.
Clear My Projections: Pressing this will clear all of your projection adjustments.
Clear My Love/Hate: Pressing this will clear all of your love and hate selections on players.
Delete ALL Lineups: Pressing this will delete all of your lineups for this period only.
There are two ways to modify player selection for Lineup Generation; loving and hating, or adjusting projections directly.
To begin adjusting projections, click on the players projection which is in the green rectangle on the right side of each players box.
Clicking the + sign, will increase a players projection by 1 point per click.
Clicking the - sign, will decrease a players projection by 1 point per click.
These adjustments are used during LineStar Lineup Generation.
Hover over the heart icon next to a players name, this will give you the ability to love or hate a player.
Loving a player will attempt to force that player into all Lineups generated for this period.
Hating a player will prevent that player from being used for generated lineups for this period.
The advanced chart contains a lot of information as clearly as possible. You can click and drag on the chart to scroll further back in the history.
Current Period: The current period is always the furthest right rectangle in the chart.
Salary: The Salary is visible at the top of the chart.
Matchup: Shows whether the game was home/away, and the matchup opponent rating. You may also click on an opponent, which will then show all recent matchups against this opponent.
Icons: The icons indicate player status, and information about the game.
Numbers: The middle section of each period contains the points scored, points projected, ceiling, and floor for the player for this period.
Green Circle: Fantasy points projected for this period.
Box Score: Hover over a period to view the Box Score stats for that player.
Click the 'Lineup Builder & Optimizer' tab at the top of the view to start building your lineups.
Optimizing a set of lineups is extremely simple, but there are also a lot of options available if you want to diversify your lineups from other users.
To optimize lineups with default options, simply press the green 'Optimize 10 Lineups' button on the left side of the screen.
Change the Generate Model, there are many available.
Change some advanced options. You can do things like team stack here.
Include 1 or more players into your lineup, these players will be included in all lineups generated for this set. Click the Green PLUS button on the right side of the players box.
Exclude Games or Teams, you can do so by clicking the team or game from the game list.
Modify player projections, these projection adjustments will affect how your lineups are generated.
Love and Hate players, loved players will be included in your lineups while hated players will be excluded from all lineups.
Once you are satisfied with your adjustments, press the 'Optimize Lineup' button and your lineups will begin generating, after a few seconds they will be complete and shown to you.
For DraftKings and FanDuel you are able to export a lineup to a file, which you can then import directly to FanDuel Wesbite or DraftKings website.
Export Lineup: Click the export button to download the .csv file, which can then be used to upload to DK or FD. You can export individual lineups, or complete sets.
Delete Lineup: Click the 'X' button on a lineup, to delete that lineup, it will no longer be visible.
Delete Set: Click the ' | 1,352 |
Viking delivers performance and design where every single product works together in form and function with the same level of excellence. This 7 series 48-inch natural gas range features eight exclusive Elevation burners with brass flame ports that boast 23,000 BTUs and deliver heat efficiently to any size cookware. All burners have a VariSimmer setting that provides gentle, even simmering at precisely low cooking temperatures. The exclusive SureSpark ignition system lights every time, at any position on the knob, and automatically re-light if the flame goes out. The 4. 7 cubic foot oven has one of the largest oven cavities in the industry and features the exclusive TruConvec two-speed convection cooking which uses a convection element in the rear of the oven, fan-forced air, and no direct heat from the top or bottom. The exclusive single 30,000 BTU U-shaped baking burner allows for finer temperature control and making clean up easy. High performance cooking modes include natural airflow bake, convection bake, infrared broil, convection infrared broil, convection dehydrate and convection defrost. The extra-large Gourmet-Glo glass enclosed infrared broiler provides superior broiler performance and maximum coverage. The range also comes with two Tru-Glide full extension oven racks, one heavy-duty rack, and six rack positions. Three halogen oven lights provide plenty of light throughout the oven cavity. This 7 Series Viking gas range comes with heavy-duty metal knobs that are accented with SoftLit LED lights and the GentleClose door allows the door to slowly close, so your delicate baked goods are not disturbed.
The Viking Professional 7 Series Gas Range gives you the power of commercial burners with high performance features such as SoftLit LED lighting on the control panel and knobs and a GentleClose Door feature that prevents baked goods from being disturbed. If you're dreaming of a professional kitchen, Viking Ranges help that dream become a reality. Using this range elevates your cooking experience and makes it easy for you to do what you love!
If you're looking for one of the largest oven cavities on the market, you've found it with the large capacity feature of this range that gives you plenty of space to cook your favorite meals. This restaurant-quality range boasts six high performance cooking modes including bake, convection bake, broil, convection broil, convection dehydrate, and convection defrost to help you feel like a professional cook. The Gourmet-Glo Gas Infrared Broiler creates superior performance by reaching 1,500°F and reaches maximum coverage that surpasses any others on the residential market. The ProFlow Convection Baffle feature ensures balanced airflow and even heat distribution so your cakes and breads bake perfectly. Another feature we love is the 30,000 BTU U-shaped burner that enables finer temperature control, and a 1<|fim_middle|> kitchen.
35 15/16" 35 7/8" 35 7/8" 35 7/8"
5.7 Cu. Ft. 6.6 Cu. Ft. 6.6 Cu. Ft. 6.3 Cu. Ft. | 5,000 BTU broiler provides intense searing heat for serious broiling. This range features six rack positions and comes with two TruGlide full extension oven racks and one heavy-duty rack for all your cooking needs.
The Professional 7 Series Gas Range only comes in two size options, and comes with commercial features that may not be necessary for the average home | 76 |
Radio vet KYLE MATTHEWS is set to join ENTERCOM Country KFRG (K-FROG)/RIVERSIDE-SAN BERNARDINO, handling imaging duties and hosting a noon-3p (PT) airshift, effective TH<|fim_middle|> and I'm looking forward to being part of it." | URSDAY, MAY 3rd. The move completes a daypart shuffle at K-FROG, as morning teamers "SCOTT AND KELLI" now end their show at a 9a, followed by HEATHER FROGLEAR (9a-noon), MATTHEWS (noon-3p), ANTHONY FROGATELLI (3-6p), and PEPPER (6-10p).
"KYLE understands how to create great local radio," said ENTERCOM SVP/Market Mgr. MICHAEL VALENZUELA. "We're looking forward to bringing a new creative voice to the market." MATTHEWS is a SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA native who spent the past two years as NRG Hot AC KBBK/LINCON, NE Brand Mgr./PD/MD.
"I couldn't be more excited to be headed home to do what I love with a station that I've always wanted to work for," said MATTHEWS. "ENTERCOM/RIVERSIDE has made a great impact within the community, | 225 |
The Wisdom Of Barnyard Bruke: "To Be A Good Friend Is One of the Noblest and Most Difficult Undertakings"
Greetings to everyone in western Illinois. Shore enough is nice to see so much of this snow a melt'n off. Won't be long<|fim_middle|> They took my hand and lifted me up when I was on the downward track. They always spoke the same things to my face as what they said behind my back. And when the odds were strong against me, they fought for me to the end. I bind them tightly to my heart-for they are truly my friends.
To be a good friend is one of the noblest and most difficult undertakings. An old poem written by Corey Ford aptly puts friendship in the following manner- "This is Friendship".
I love you, not only for what you are, but for when I am with you.
I love you, not only for what you have made of yourself, but for what you are making of me.
I love you for putting your hand into my heaped-up heart and passing over all the frivolous and weak things that you cannot help seeing there, and drawing out into the light all the beautiful, radiant things that no one else has looked quite deep enough to find.
I love you for ignoring the possibilities of the fool in me and for laying firm hold of the possibilities of good in me.
I love you for closing your eyes to the discords in me and for adding to the music in me by worshipful listening.
I love you because you are helping me to make of the lumber of my life not a tavern, but a temple, and of the words of my every day not a reproach, but a song.
I love you because you have done more than any creed could have done to make me happy.
You have done it without a touch, without a word, without a sign.
You have done it by just being yourself.
After all, this is what being a friend means.
There you have it then-why I keep my friends and I'm a hope'n why my friends keep me. | a'fore we get the oats seeder out and begin our spring ritual of prepare'n way for this years crop. Count up the days and week's and you'll find we're on the short end of time if'n we have an early spring.
Some are a bet'n the other way and figure it'll be a late spring. Markets are a react'n some to that line of thought.
As for myself, I'll take it as it comes and try'n to make the best of it.
Some of you folk have wondered aloud, in the coffee shop, why I maintain friends with such as "Buster Jinx", "Sandy Bob" and "Cornelius Farkwad". Well, they has been friends of mine for a powerful long time. Long before they got so opinionated and back in the days when we toiled hard together share'n our farm work and neighboring in our workload for the good of all.
Fact is in those "Good ole Days" we had most of our time used up provide'n for our families and not much extra time for simply "Jawing Sessions" together.
Well, these fellers and others like'em are my friends because they gave me recognition when my clothes were patched and torn. They came to see and cheer me when I was lying sick and worn. | 267 |
The Town of Oakland hosted a community event to celebrate a culmination of events: the grand opening of the the improved VanderyLey Park including the Town's 500,000 gallon water storage tank, Arbor Day (observed April 24), and National Public Works Week.
Participants of this event rode a miniature train, played<|fim_middle|> to track water consumption and program alerts to notify the homeowner if consumption surpasses assigned parameters. | in a bounce house, created crafts, posed for photos in front of an Orange County Fire Truck, stopped for refreshments at the food truck lineup, and took turns aiming soft balls at a dunk tank.
An arborist educated residents on tree health and the proper methods of tree trimming. He even demonstrated how to repel from the top of a tree! The Town celebrated Arbor Day by planting two Red Maple Trees, donated by the Bloom & Grow Garden Society.
Public Works found this event to be a great opportunity to educate residents on ways to conserve water. Low-flow shower heads were made available to residents, water-conservation brochures were distributed, and Water Clerk Terri Mastin educated residents on how they can access their water account online | 149 |
At Quaff ON! Brewing Company, 'Gusto' is part of everything we do. Our hand-crafted beers reflect our passion for the brewer's art and our commitment to beers that excite and delight the quaffer's palette.
Quaff ON! Brewing Company was formed<|fim_middle|> you can enjoy fine craft beer, great food and the best in local entertainment.
Sign-up for the Big Woods Experience Newsletter from Big Woods, Quaff ON!, and Hard Truth. | in 2012 in response to the demand for the iconic craft beers we developed at Big Woods Brewing Company, our brewpub located in the heart of Brown County Indiana. Why 'Quaff ON!'? Because from the day Big Woods threw open its doors in 2009, Quaff ON! has been the rallying cry, the toast, and the salutation of our loyal fans.
Currently Quaff ON!'s beers are distributed all over Indiana. Look for us at your favorite watering hole and in the craft beer section at package stores throughout the state. If Quaff ON! is not served at your favorite place, send us a note and we'll get it in there! If you're travelling our way, stop in and see us in Brown County and visit us in Nashville at Big Woods Village where | 166 |
RUBHA PORT AN T-SEILICH
GIANT'S GRAVE
DUNYVAIG
Islay Heritage Schools' Project
Ur cuideachadh gus eòlas a chuir air eachdraidh Ìle
Kilbride Chapel
On Thursday 23rd March primary 5/6/7 walked to the ruins of Kilbride Chapel in order to survey it as part of the Islay Heritage Schools Project. For this project all the schools on Islay visited the Giant's Grave earlier in the year and then worked with Reading University to choose a monument close to their school which they would then adopt and survey to find out more about it. Port Ellen's site was Kilbride chapel and they surveyed the site using geophysics, archaeology photography, scale drawing and by making a documentary.
Rob showed us how to do the geophysics; there was machine and that went into the ground with electricity to see if they could find anything else about the land around the Chapel. The geophysics worked by sending an electrical current through the ground and if there was a higher reading then there was a rock under the ground this is because it takes more energy to get through the<|fim_middle|> the chapel and we were the people who found out that evidence which was very exciting! We then drew pictures of what we thought it might have been like in the past before it fell down.
We want to say thank you to Islay Heritage because they have helped us with all our archaeological digs and surveys by showing us what you need to know to be an archaeologist . We have also found out lots more about our local heritage and know that Islay is an amazing place with lots of history waiting to be discovered. Without them none of this learning would have been possible and they have helped us know more about where we live and what it used to be like. We appreciate all the help we get from Islay Heritage. THANK YOU ISLAY HERITAGE!
By Kaitlyn and Rowan
by Mrs Clark
Adopt a Site
ISLAY HERITAGE
PORT ELLEN PRIMARY WEBSITE
BOWMORE PRIMARY
PORT CHARLOTTE PRIMARY
View @portellenps's profile on Twitter | rock. If there was a lower reading that means that there would of been water because it didn't use lots of energy to get through it. To use the geophysics you would stick both spikes into the ground and wait for a beep then move onto the next spot a certain distance away. We were all glad that people from the University Of Reading to come over and help us as they were very interesting and taught us lots. The data we gathered from the geophysics will actually be used in the final report on the site which is very exciting.
We were also doing archaeology photography with Alex. Before you take the picture you have to remember two things. The first thing to remember is you need to put the measuring stick onto where you are taking a picture of so you have a scale to know how big the things in the photo are, and you have to remember to use the right size measuring stick. The other thing to remember is to put a chalkboard with the sites name, where it is, what it is and what direction it is taken from. You also need to put a north arrow pointing to north. You have to fill in a register after taking a picture. You have to write the site name and the description from the chalkboard, what direction it was from and lots more. This is so that people in the future know what it was about. The site name was KIL17 for Kilbride chapel in 2017. We enjoyed taking accurate photos.
We were also did photography and filming and you had to put up a big 5m pole to sit the camera on and you have to make sure that the camera is screwed on properly so it won't fall off. The archaeologists helped us with all of this. We also made a documentary and it was about what we were doing at Kilbride Chapel and we had to use a radio microphone to record. Showing us how to do things properly is one of the reasons Islay Heritage is so good.
The last activity we did was making an accurate scale drawing of the chapel with Darko. We did this by measuring all the sides and scaling it down properly on graph paper with a scale of 1:50. The picture looked really cool and showed us what the chapel looks like-it had really thick walls and was a lot smaller than we thought it would be. We checked our drawing was correct using a GPS positioning pole. We learned lots of new skills and at the end we got to see the results of the geophysics in school and it showed that there might have been an enclosure around | 524 |
Announcement: My online Land Navigation course includes four hours of video instruction, and two downloadable PDF books, all for about the same price as a typical paperback book. Get my Land Navigation course here.
The Constellation Cassiopeia
Like Polaris, the constellation Cassiopeia is a northern star grouping, circumpolar above latitude 35 degrees North. This constellation is said to represent a beautiful<|fim_middle|>ingwood Publications LLC | , reclining woman. That may be so, but it would take quite an imagination to come up with that idea out of these five stars.
While I can easily see a Big Dipper in that star grouping, when I look at Cassiopeia, all I see is a huge M-shape, which reminds me of that famous fast-food place well known for selling billions of hamburgers. My appetite works overtime when I'm in the wilderness, so naturally my mind tends to go more in the direction of cheeseburgers than in anything to do with the long-ago antics of mythological characters.
The truth is, as a navigator, I'm primarily interested in direction. As long as I can use the stars to find direction, anything to do with ancient mythology is of interest mainly in so far as it helps me understand star patterns.
Cassiopeia is Seen on the on the Side of Polaris
Opposite the Big Dipper
Image Courtesy of Neave Planetarium
Cassiopeia, like the Big Dipper is found in the northern sky, circling the pole star, and is located on the opposite side of Polaris from the Big Dipper. In those latitudes where the Dipper sets (below 41 degrees North), Cassiopeia becomes an especially important constellation because she can help you find Polaris when the Dipper is under the horizon.
Finding Polaris by Cassiopeia
To find Polaris by Cassiopeia, first notice that one hump of the M-shaped, five-star constellation is flatter than the other. Having identified the flatter hump--the constellation's "lazy side" as it's sometimes called--imagine a straight line beginning at the outside star located at the base of the M's more pronounced hump, and ending at the outside star located at the base of the M's flatter hump.
Now, imagine a second line beginning at the end of the first, and running at a right angle out from the first line in the same direction as the M's underside. Now, imagine that this second line is twice as long as the first. Where this second line ends, you'll find Polaris.
Return from the Constellation Cassiopeia to Celestial Navigation
Return from Cassiopeia to Home
Land Navigation Course
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How to Use a Compass
How to Orient a Map
Choosing the Best Compass for You
Compass Navigation
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Electronic Navigation
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Copyright 2013-2019 Coll | 602 |
I am working this<|fim_middle|>54-9079.
Click Here to view the Fall 2010 East Hills Neighborhood Association Newsletter. | year as East Hills Neighborhood Association's Crime Prevention Organizer thanks to a Federal ARRA Justice Assistance Grant (JAG). Almost two years ago, during the spring time, I was an intern here. Following that time, I finished my Bachelor's of Science in Sociology. I am excited and honored to serve in a neighborhood that is so near and dear to my heart, having lived and worked in the area for the last few years.
My over-arching goal this year will be to establish good communication with neighbors, businesses, Congress School, and other community organizations. Beyond that very important aspect, I will also be setting up a system of crime e-alert updates in the neighborhood, housing/rental safety assessments, East Hills crime prevention packets, and much more.
If you have any concerns or questions regarding anything crime prevention-oriented, please feel free to e-mail or call me at clairefisher@easthillscouncil.org or (616) 4 | 193 |
The Facebook Dilemma
Brad Parscale, Trump's 2020 Campaign Manager, Calls Facebook Ad Policy "A Gift"
by Priyanka Boghani Digital Reporter & Producer
In 2016, Brad Parscale, the Trump campaign's digital media director, was credited with<|fim_middle|>, Parscale said, "Most likely, if that's where people's eyeballs are." | using Facebook to help propel Donald Trump to victory by targeting thousands of campaign ads to bring voters to the polls.
Now, Parscale is the campaign manager for President Trump's re-election. And he says that recent changes implemented by Facebook to make political ads more transparent will help him in the 2020 campaign.
"It's kind of like a gift," he told FRONTLINE in an interview for The Facebook Dilemma.
Facebook announced the changes to political ads earlier this year, after it found that Russian operatives had paid about $100,000 on ads that promoted political messages and fake Facebook groups in an effort to spread disinformation and amplify divisions among American voters. Political and social issue-based ads now show a "paid for by" label, and Facebook created a public, searchable archive of such ads, allowing anyone to view them.
"It will just save me a bunch of money, because now everybody get[s] to see all my ads for free," Parscale said about the political ads archive.
During an extended interview, conducted on Aug. 8, Parscale talked about how Facebook was a vital part of the 2016 Trump campaign because it allowed then-candidate Trump to "speak directly to camera," and it "was controlling the eyeballs of most places that we needed to win." He described the Trump 2016 campaign's playbook for Facebook advertising in detail.
"We made, I think, over 5.9 million ads between [the] convention and general election and Election Day," he said. "We might write 50,000 ads that only have very, very small nuances changed about them."
Parscale said Facebook's advertising tool called Custom Audiences allowed the campaign to microtarget the people who were most likely to show up to vote.
"The audiences themselves were chosen through the Republican National Committee's data they have been building over six years to try to make sure that they had the right data for the 2016 election," he said. The Republican National Committee and the Democratic National Committee collect voter data available from different states. Parscale described a process by which voter data is combined with polling data and consumer data collected by data brokers.
"When you decide you're going to run for president of the United States, now you have hard-matched data with consumer data, matched with voter history, matched with very comprehensive polling data from all over the country," Parscale said.
"By the time all those pieces are put together, then you can actually pull out an audience. You can say, 'I want to find everybody in this portion of Ohio that believes that the wall needs to be built, that thinks that possibly trade reform needs to happen,' and so we want to show them [an ad] on trade and immigration."
Parscale called another Facebook ad tool, Lookalike Audiences, "one of the most powerful features of Facebook." He said the tool allowed the campaign to expand its audience and find people they didn't already know. "Facebook Lookalike Audiences are pretty amazing. I mean, it's why the platform's great."
FRONTLINE correspondent James Jacoby asked Parscale about reports that the campaign had microtargeted African-American neighborhoods with negative ads. In October 2016, Bloomberg quoted an anonymous senior official in the Trump campaign saying, "We have three major voter suppression operations underway." The official said they were aimed at white liberals, young women and African Americans. The article said an ad reminding voters of Hillary Clinton's 1996 comments about "superpredators" was being shown to discourage black voters.
"I would say I'm nearly 100 percent sure we did not run any campaigns that targeted… African-Americans, which people think is crazy," Parscale said. He elaborated, "I don't think we ever ran the superpredator ad. We had — I guess one of my staff members — we told them to be creative, make whatever they wanted, and then we would say 'no' or 'yes' to things. I guess this reporter thinks he saw an ad that was an ad where she was talking about being a superpredator. I don't think we actually ran the superpredator ad."
Parscale ascribed the mounting criticism of Facebook to its role in helping Trump get elected. "No one ever complained about Facebook for a single day until Donald Trump was president," he said, pointing out that the Obama campaign used similar strategies. "The only reason anyone is upset about this is that Donald Trump is president and used a system that was all built by liberals," Parscale said.
Asked about whether he would be paying Facebook again for the Trump 2020 re-election campaign | 963 |
Posted on April 7, 2014 by Sheila Ghosh
Breast Cancer Drug Shows 'Groundbreaking' Results – NYTimes.com
I will be going to Philadelphia at the end of April to attend a conference for patients with metastasized breast cancer, where breast cancer that has spread to other areas of the body. Nancy will be joining me in DC and then we'll drive to Philadelphia together. I hope to hear more about research that is being done and will report back to you.
Yesterday, Victor and I were invited by Annet to attend a dinner in honor of her mother's 91st birthday. It was a special occasion, and very nice to get to know Annet<|fim_middle|> a clinical trial, the drug cut in half the risk that cancer would worsen, or progress, researchers said here Sunday. The median time before the disease progressed or the woman died was 20.2 months for those who received the drug, compared with 10.2 months for the control group.
"The magnitude of benefit we are seeing is not something commonly seen in cancer medicine studies," Dr. Richard S. Finn, a principal investigator in the study, said in an interview. Dr. Finn, an oncologist at the University of California, Los Angeles, called the results "quite groundbreaking."
The drug, known as palbociclib, also appeared to prolong survival but not by a statistically significant amount. Those who received the drug lived a median of 37.5 months compared with 33.3 months for those in the control group.
The results from the Phase 2, or mid-stage, study were presented here on Sunday at the annual meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research. They are being closely watched on Wall Street, because palbociclib is considered a jewel in Pfizer's product pipeline, with analysts predicting annual sales of billions of dollars. Amgen is entitled to an 8 percent royalty on sales of the drug.
Strong as the results were, it is possible they will be a bit of a letdown to some investors.
That is partly because they were not quite as good as interim results presented about halfway through the trial. At that point, the difference in median progression-free survival was 26.1 months for palbociclib versus 7.5 months for the control group.
The lack of a statistically significant survival benefit could also give investors pause.
Dr. Finn said, however, that a statistically significant survival benefit should not have been expected at this point because only 61 of the 165 patients in the trial had died. Also, patients can use other drugs after leaving the trial, which can dilute any effect of palbociclib.
Palbociclib slows the runaway proliferation of cancer cells by inhibiting the activity of two related enzymes involved in cell division — cyclin-dependent kinases 4 and 6.
While Pfizer is in the lead to bring this new class of drugs to market, Novartis has begun late-stage testing of its own CDK 4/6 inhibitor. Eli Lilly is at an earlier stage, with some results for its drug scheduled to be presented here. While breast cancer is the initial focus, the drugs are being tested for other cancers.
Breast cancer specialists not involved in the study were encouraged. "This is a whole new avenue that we are going to exploit now," said Dr. Adam M. Brufsky, professor of medicine at the University of Pittsburgh. "Most of us who do breast cancer are very excited by this."
But Dr. Eric P. Winer, chief of women's cancers at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, said larger studies were still needed.
"This is a small Phase 2 trial — not tiny, but not the kind of study that would typically lead to a change in practice," he said.
The study, sponsored by Pfizer, involved 165 post-menopausal women who were receiving their initial treatment for recurring or metastatic breast cancer. The cancers were estrogen receptor-positive, meaning their growth was fueled by that hormone, but negative for Her2, a different protein.
About 60 to 65 percent of breast cancers fit that description, according to Dr. Dennis J. Slamon of U.C.L.A., another investigator in the study. Analysts at ISI Group, an investment research firm, estimate that about 50,000 American women a year would be eligible for palbociclib.
All the women in the trial took letrozole, a drug that blocks the synthesis of estrogen. Such drugs are standard initial therapy for this type of breast cancer. About half the women also received palbociclib, which was taken orally once a day for three out of every four weeks.
The biggest side effect, experienced by about three quarters of patients, was a decreased white blood cell count. But that did not lead to infections as it usually does, according to Dr. Finn, who said that the drug was generally well tolerated.
Still, many patients had their doses reduced because of side effects, and 13 percent of patients who received palbociclib dropped out of the study because of side effects, compared to 2 percent in the control group.
A big question is whether Pfizer will be able to win approval of the drug based on this study. The Food and Drug Administration normally requires larger Phase 3 studies, but sometimes makes exceptions for drugs for cancers and other life-threatening illnesses.
If Pfizer can get early approval, the drug could probably reach the market next year. If the company must complete a Phase 3 study, which is already underway, approval might be delayed a couple of years, according to ISI Group.
Dr. Mace L. Rothenberg, chief medical officer for Pfizer's oncology division, said Thursday that the company was in discussions with the F.D.A. and had not yet decided whether to seek approval now.
In 2008, the F.D.A. granted accelerated approval to Genentech's Avastin as a treatment for breast cancer based on a single trial in which the drug delayed disease progression by about five and a half months.
But the women who got Avastin did not live significantly longer, and subsequent studies showed a smaller effect in delaying progression. In 2011, the F.D.A. revoked approval of Avastin for breast cancer treatment.
CategoriesBreast cancer
Previous PostPrevious Ambassador for the NFK?
Next PostNext Medical update | 's family. They were quite surprised to see how well I looked (and feel!). I only hope other patients can achieve the same kind of remission that has given me this second chance.
This article from the the NYTimes describes interesting drugs that are coming into Phase 3 clinical trials soon. It shows that more drug companies are investing in research to develop drugs for patients with metastasized breast cancer. This is good news for patients like me.
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/07/business/breast-cancer-drug-shows-groundbreaking-results.html?hp&_r=0
Breast Cancer Drug Shows 'Groundbreaking' Results
SAN DIEGO — Researchers say that a new type of drug can help prevent advanced breast cancer from worsening, potentially providing an important new treatment option for women and a blockbuster product for Pfizer.
In | 177 |
Home » 5 Great Venice Attractions to See with the Kids
5 Great Venice Attractions to See with the Kids
Kid-friendly things to do in Venice By Josephine Levin
Family-Friendly Destinations
St. Mark's Square (Flickr: Tambako The Jaguar)
Venice is one of the world's most kid-friendly cities due to the total absence of roads and cars. All travel is on foot or by boat on the many canals that link the 117 islands of Venice. Just traveling around a lot on boats instead of cars is a kid's delight. While Venice has several parks where the kids can run around and an amazing zoo, here are five family-friendly attractions unique only to Venice that are sure to please them.
Grand Canal (Flickr: John Fowler)
The Grand Canal is the largest and longest canal in Venice. Since Venice has no roads, the Grand Canal is like<|fim_middle|> Angeles for Every Type of Family | the main street of Venice! Built right on to it are many medieval and Renaissance era historical palaces that can only be seen by riding down the canal in a boat. Some of these palaces are now hotels like the family-friendly Hotel Antiche Figure that is built right on the Grand Canal. Two other family-friendly hotels near the Grand Canal are the Palazzo Odoni and the Residence Corte Grimani.
The kids will love a vaporetto No. 1 water bus tour down the canal. The water bus will pass under the Rialto Bridge where you can get off and enjoy the famous market of Venice including a fish market and find all kinds of good things to eat, (closed Sundays). This Rialto area is also where to find a gondolier. From here you can take another vaporetto and continue down to St. Mark's Square, the Piazza San Marco. The trip from Piazzale Roma to San Zaccaria (just above St. Mark's Square) is about 40 minutes, and the vaporetto makes many stops along the way.
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St. Mark's Square
St. Mark's Square (Piazza San Marco) is the most famous tourist site in Venice that Napoleon called "the most beautiful drawing room of Europe." There are some kid-friendly attractions here worth visiting. At one time the main fun attraction for kids was feeding the hundreds of pigeons that were so tame they would hop right up on you. However, in 2007 a law was passed prohibiting feeding them because of a health hazard and also their excrement was damaging ledges of some of the most famous landmarks in Venice. So don't feed them! While at St. Mark's Square, you can take an elevator up a 16th century Campanile clock and bell tower which will give you a birds-eye view not only of St. Mark's Square, but also the Alps on a clear day! The St. Marks Basilica, built in Venetian-Byzantine style, is the most famous church in Venice and has been nicknamed the "Church of Gold" (Chiesa d'Oro) because of all its gilded opulence.
Doge's Palace
Doge's Palace (Flickr: Aurimas)
The Gothic style Doge's Palace (Palazzo Ducale) in St. Mark's Square with its secret rooms and armory is not to be missed. The kids will be fascinated seeing real suits of armor, swords, and crossbows. This palace is also full of magnificent art, much of it gilded in real gold. Be sure to see Tintoretto's "Paradise," completed in 1577 that covers a full wall in the Palace.
Peggy Guggenheim Collection (Courtesy Peggy Guggenheim Collection)
The Peggy Guggenheim Collection is a museum of 20th century modern art including works by Pablo Picasso, Jackson Pollock, Salvador Dali, Yoko Ono, Alexander Calder and more. Located in an unfinished 18th century palace, Palazzo Venier dei Leoni, on the Grand Canal, this family-friendly museum was the home of the patron-of-the arts, Peggy Guggenheim. The museum sets aside one Saturday every month for family activities. Its Nasher Sculpture Garden and other open courtyard spaces are a place you can enjoy the sculptures and other art work while the kids run about and burn off energy. Take the vaporetto water bus Line 1 or 2 to the Accademia or Salute stop.
(MORE: Wonderful Venice Hotels for Families with Kids)
Depending on when you visit Venice, the Lido Beach is a wonderful place to go with the kids in the summer. The golden sand is very soft and comfortable for kids to run around on. The water is very kid-friendly as it is quite shallow and only sees waves during storms. Most of the beaches along the 8-mile (12 kilometers) stretch of the Lido Beach Island are privately owned and come with amenities such as cabanas, showers, and huts. A few beaches have surfing and paddle boat rentals. Tip: The family-friendly Hotel Excelsior Venice Lido Resort on the Lido Beach has its own private beach for guests at the hotel and has kid-friendly amenities like a kid's club.
Josephine Levin contributed this to MiniTime.
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That's it. The first Whitby Goth Weekend<|fim_middle|> you can see from the gallery below, which features 40 stunning pictures from the third and final day, dramatic outfits are par for the course.
Whitby Goth Weekend was founded in 1994 by Jo Hampshire of Top Mum Promotions and has grown to become one of the world's premier goth events.
It is now so popular that since 1997 it has been held twice a year, in April and October - to coincide with Halloween .
The event is designed to be a celebration of the non-conformity, diversity and freedom of expression the scene embodies.
During the three-day festival, there's club nights and the Bizarre Bazaar – a market featuring more than 100 stalls. There's also live music, beer tasting and a modelling contest. | of 2019 is over.
Men, women, children and even pets flocked to the seaside town over the past few days for what is one of the world's premier goth events.
And as | 43 |
Sensus has entered into an agreement to market organic<|fim_middle|> multiple health benefits that are supported by a vast collection of clinical research studies.
For more information contact Scott Turowski, Manager Technical Sales Sensus America, +1 646 452 6140, mail scott.turowski@sensus.us. | inulin, sourced from agave, under its Frutafit® line of products. Frutafit® OAI is certified USDA organic and will help meet demand in the growing organic market.
The organic market continues to develop, with further growth forecasted in the coming years. Frutafit® OAI gives manufacturers of organic products an easy way to increase the dietary fiber in a wide range of applications, without adversely affecting taste or texture. In fact, Frutafit® OAI can be used to improve texture and reduce calories in many applications, even functioning as sugar or fat replacement in certain applications. In addition to its functional benefits, clinical research has demonstrated the effectiveness of Frutafit® OAI as a prebiotic fiber, allowing the potential for claims related to digestive health.
Sensus is a leading supplier of chicory root fiber under the Frutafit® and Frutalose® brand names. This ingredient is sourced from natural chicory roots and is becoming the soluble dietary fiber of choice for food and beverage manufacturers around the world. Sensus carries a complete line of products that are recognized not only for their functional properties, but also for the | 240 |
<|fim_middle|> also supplies NFT systems with unique designs, allowing them to be easily integrated into existing operations. While NFT systems all provide similar functionality, HydroCycle NFT systems come in a number of styles, so growers are able to choose the system that will best compliment their operation.
HydroCycle NFT Lettuce systems come in numerous sizes that can satisfiy anybody from the commercial grower to the hobby grower. They can produce a wide variety of crops and can help operations of any size reduce labor and maximize profits.
The Pro NFT Deep Systems utilize channels that create an exceptional space for growing larger crops. The systems have large, 9" channels that provide the space for root mats to develop, while still ensuring plenty of space for aeration.
The Vertical NFT Lettuce Systems are a great option for operations looking to save space. Instead of the channels being spread out of a single plant, they are stacked on top of each other, creating a system that allows operations to better utilize their overhead space. | From hydroponic kits to commercial systems, HydroCycle can create the ideal hydroponic grow system for any operation.
HydroCycle NFT hydroponics systems provide growers with a diverse and highly effective hydroponic grow system. Whether they're used for large scale production or as classroom hydroponics kits, HydroCycle NFT Systems allow growers to create a controlled growing environment that is ideal for just about any crop. NFT Systems are commonly used for lettuce production, but growers are able to adapt the nutrient solution to meet the needs of just about any type of crop. With wider, deeper NFT channels, HydroCycle NFT Systems have been used with great success on larger plant varieties, like tomato or marijuana.
What is an NFT Hydroponics System?
NFT, which stands for nutrient film technique, is the most popular and widely used hydroponic grower method by commercial growers. In these systems, the roots are suspended in a channel, while a shallow stream of nutrient solution is recirculated through the bottom of the channel. A thick root mass develops inside the channel and remains moist and nourished from the nutrient solution. The main advantage of NFT hydroponics is the capability of producing very high yields in a minimal footprint. Due to the recirculating system, water and nutrient waste is also minimized.
When purchasing a HydroCycle system, customers can rest assured that they are getting a hydroponics system of the highest quality. Specialists work with each customer individually to learn their specific needs, and this allows each customer to get the NFT hydroponics system that is ideal for their operation. Growers will find all the growing products the need to maximize their growing potential and to produce profitable crops year-round.
HydroCycle hydroponics kits and systems are built to last. From the steel frame to the system hardware, growers know that these systems are constructed with care. Nowhere is this more evident than in the systems' channels.
HydroCycle | 399 |
What is the emphasize in this teaching? Is it indeed that one who looks at a tree, we "considers him as if he is liable for his life"? what's are we not allowed to look at trees? to enjoy nature? To say, wow, this is amazing?
Or perhaps it's about the word "interrupts" meaning: "He who is walking on the way and repeating his studies, and interrupts his studies to see<|fim_middle|> the "future" is forced outside of her, leaving her behind. This brings tremendous feelings, both happy and sad, some of which repeat again when, years later, the "future" leaves home altogether. The Torah, in its wisdom, makes space to acknowledge this complex process davka for the woman, to celebrate and mourn the nuances of renewal's joy and sadness, davka at this season.
My cousin would not be happy with me connecting his life – or death – to anything remotely religious. All this "nonsense", that was my department. And yet, last Shabbat, when Aaron's sons, Nadav & Avihu, were swallowed in a strange, heavenly fire, and he too was laid to rest after battling with cancer, I couldn't help think of the fire within him, always curious, interested, passionate, taking things apart and rebuilding them, figuring out how things work, why they don't; loving life and wanting to do more.
In a way, cousins are like extended siblings. So it was for Nadav and Avihu who were carried out in their shirts by their uncle's children. I, on the other hand, just sat here, 6000 miles away, stunned, silenced, looking at words on a screen, unable to do anything at all. His cancer left little room for surprises, so I was "lucky to visit before", and yet, so much was left, and so much will be missed. May his memory be for a blessing.
Shabbat Shalom & Hodesh Tov.
Shalom Michal from our Holy Land. So here I am living one block away from the beach and ocean in Nahariya and after the abundant winter rains, the wildflowers along the fore shore are simply breathtaking.Such exciting times to be here and I am overwhelmed with the possibilities! Hope you are well and happy and just wanted to say Hi and a Pesach Sameach to you. David K. | a tree…" he who sees no continuity between his (or her) learning and environment, his studies and nature around him, the kind of person for whom education is a theoretical aspect and not an integral part of life; who lives a split life between what's in the books and what's outside, is in danger.
"ברוך שלא חיסר בעולמו כלום, וברא בו בריות טובות, ואילנות טובות, להתנאות בהן בני אדם" – Blessed in the One who made the world lack nothing, and who created in it good creatures and good trees for people to enjoy.
Our relationships with trees go "way back": The first tree was planted by G-d in the Garden. Later, we're told that people are like trees of the field. Trees were used to build life-saving devices, like Noah's ark, and to constantly give us life as food and shelter. This month let's find a tree to appreciate, to learn from and with.
A woman brings two sacrifices after childbirth, an olah and a chatat. Why? Our tradition understands pregnancy as partnership with the Divine in creation. It is a way to literally – very physically, emotionally, spiritually – touch the future, with childbirth being a farewell to that process. Suddenly, | 262 |
And Jehoshaphat his son reigned in his stead, and strengthened himself against Israel.
And he placed forces in all the fenced cities of Judah, and set garrisons in the land of Judah, and in the cities of Ephraim, which Asa his father had taken.
And his heart was lifted up in the ways of the LORD moreover he took away the high places and groves out of Judah.
Also in the third year of his reign he sent to his princes, even to Benhail, and to Obadiah, and to Zechariah, and to Nethaneel, and to Michaiah, to teach in the cities of Jud<|fim_middle|> the son of Zichri, who willingly offered himself unto the LORD; and with him two hundred thousand mighty men of valour.
And of Benjamin; Eliada a mighty man of valour, and with him armed men with bow and shield two hundred thousand.
And next him was Jehozabad, and with him an hundred and fourscore thousand ready prepared for the war.
These waited on the king, beside those whom the king put in the fenced cities throughout all Judah. | ah.
And they taught in Judah, and had the book of the law of the LORD with them, and went about throughout all the cities of Judah, and taught the people.
And the fear of the LORD fell upon all the kingdoms of the lands that were round about Judah, so that they made no war against Jehoshaphat.
Also some of the Philistines brought Jehoshaphat presents, and tribute silver; and the Arabians brought him flocks, seven thousand and seven hundred rams, and seven thousand and seven hundred he goats.
And Jehoshaphat waxed great exceedingly; and he built in Judah castles, and cities of store.
And he had much business in the cities of Judah and the men of war, mighty men of valour, were in Jerusalem.
And these are the numbers of them according to the house of their fathers Of Judah, the captains of thousands; Adnah the chief, and with him mighty men of valour three hundred thousand.
And next to him was Jehohanan the captain, and with him two hundred and fourscore thousand.
And next him was Amasiah | 234 |
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Softball Breaking Records with Outstanding Season
April 2, 2019 April 2, 2019<|fim_middle|>ers
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The softball season's been nothing short of gripping with a recent legendary win against Martin and another game tonight against Sam Houston.
Fighting against teams like Paschal, Arlington High, Western Hills, and Bowie, the softball team's proven themselves fierce fighters – even going so far as to break a fifteen-year losing streak against Martin Wednesday night.
"We beat Martin for the first time in a long time," Varsity Coach Ken Livingston said, "It was a long game with high stakes and we're just thrilled about it."
With the advancing competitions, the team remains excited and ready to face whatever challenges arise, maintaining a close, tight-knit bond no matter what comes.
"It's a great environment where you get the chance to meet new girls and make life-long friends that will love you for you and have your back," Said senior Tatiana Ayala. "being a part of this program has improved my athletic abilities and changed my life for the better."
Many have a history with the sport, and it's taken many years to build up their skills to now, with players joining together to help one another and encourage growth from mastery to beginnings.
"I've been playing for about 4 years up until high school and I fell in love with playing," said junior Dawna Berry. "I got to know some of the players older than me who really impacted my love for the game and inspired me to get better every day. I love what a team feels like and wanted to be a part of that in high school."
Their bond seems as strong as ever, even against the weight of recent loss this year with the passing of Faith Whittaker and Jessica Brown, Whittaker a beloved player on the softball team.
"Anytime we have adversity like with our player, Faith, passing on, you just have to find a way to come together as a team and almost like a family to share that common bond and remember both a good friend and a good person." Livingston said.
The team hopes to make it to playoffs, and end the year with a positive outlook and successful season.
"We've still got some games left in the season until we reach playoffs and there's a lot of good athletes involved in that," Said Livingston. "I'm always a little nervous, but we've got a very talented Varsity team so I'm mainly excited."
And with their strength and teamwork, it wouldn't surprise anyone to see them bring home the trophy.
"We all have our eyes on the prize but understand that comes with sacrifice every day," Berry said. "I believe I can speak on behalf of all the team when I say that we are ready to do whatever it takes."
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Details for Bob Dylan's 'Shadows In The Night' Covers Album Revealed- Dylan Says He's ' bringing [these songs] into the light of day'
December 9, 2014 MusicMichael Goldberg
This from Bob Dylan's official website:
Columbia Records announced today that Bob Dylan's new studio album, Shadows In The Night, will be released on February 3, 2015. Featuring ten tracks, the Jack Frost-produced album is the 36th studio set from Bob Dylan and marks the first new music from the artist since 2012's worldwide hit Tempest.
Upon Columbia's announcement of the album's forthcoming release, Bob Dylan commented, "It was a real privilege to make this album. I've wanted to do something like this for a long time but was never brave enough to approach 30-piece complicated arrangements and refine them down for a 5-piece band. That's the key to all these performances. We knew these songs extremely well. It was all done live. Maybe one or two takes. No overdubbing. No vocal booths. No headphones. No separate tracking, and, for the most part, mixed as it was recorded. I don't see myself as covering these songs in any way. They've been covered enough. Buried, as a matter a fact. What me and my band are basically doing is uncovering them. Lifting them out of the grave and bringing them into the light of day."
As Columbia Records Chairman<|fim_middle|> made its way online somewhere a few years ago, but I'm not sure. I'm curious to hear it. | Rob Stringer explains, "There are no strings, obvious horns, background vocals or other such devices often found on albums that feature standard ballads. Instead, Bob has managed to find a way to infuse these songs with new life and contemporary relevance. It is a brilliant record and we are extremely excited to be presenting it to the world very soon."
SHADOWS IN THE NIGHT TRACK LISTING:
1. I'm A Fool To Want You
2. The Night We Called It A Day
4. Autumn Leaves
5. Why Try to Change Me Now
6. Some Enchanted Evening
7. Full Moon And Empty Arms
8. Where Are You?
9. What'll I Do
10. That Lucky Old Sun
Shadows In The Night is available now for pre-order on iTunes and Amazon.
New album "Shadows In The Night" Out Feb. 3
[I just published my rock 'n' roll novel, True Love Scars." Rolling Stone has a great review of my book in a recent issue. Read it here. There's info about True Love Scars here.]
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1 thought on "Details for Bob Dylan's 'Shadows In The Night' Covers Album Revealed- Dylan Says He's ' bringing [these songs] into the light of day'"
Chris O. says:
Dylan recorded a version of "Some Enchanted Evening" during the Under The Red Sky sessions in 1990. I want to say it | 352 |
Dhamaal 2016
By Editor on October 6, 2016
Bhawanipur College welcomes Navratri with a Dhamaal
With the beginning of the Navratri season of 9 days, The Bhawanipur Education Society College geared up for a Dandiya/Garba raas, Dhamaal 2016 on October 1.
Consecutively, this was the third time, when the college organised Dhamaal in its very own college campus in a way to pay tribute to Maa Durga. This festive event was commenced by an aarti, as a way of starting the event traditionally. By this time, students were seen gathering around the stage in beautiful ethnic wear. Very soon, the mood got a boost with some Garba followed by Sanero and Dandiya raas. The entire campus was lit with colours and joy. Very soon, the dj took over the evening making all the Be –ites dance to its beats. The college atmosphere seemed to take a smooth turn as the different dance styles changed chronologically.
Towards the end, the college also arranged a token of appreciation for the best dandiya dancer . Therefore, with this fine blend of cultural and western music, the evening was called off quite joyously. Thus, on behalf of all the students, special thanks to the teachers, students, management as well as<|fim_middle|>, to learn and understand Multi-Level Marketing from the largest MLM company in the world, Amway. The Bhawanipur Education Society College organized an Online webinar in collaboration with Amway and Confederation of Indian Industry on 3 December …
Departmental Peer Webinar (Chapter 6) organized by the Department of English
Peer Webinar is a novel initiative taken by the Department of English as an attempt to encourage academic dialogue and widen research perspectives amongst the members of the faculty in the department of English. The final semester students of M.A English are also included as audience in order to encourage research aptitude and familiarize them … | the college staff for organising this lovely event.
By the Reporter,
Sakshi Shaw
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Preventives for Common Viral Diseases (Including Dengue)
Name of the event: Preventives for Common Viral Diseases (Including Dengue) Date: 25th August 2020 Time: 5 pm- 7 pm Organized by: NSS Collective Platform: Google Meet Video Conferencing No. of Students: 50 Student Coordinator: Rohit Walia Reporter: Nidhi Singh Resource Persons Dr. Shabnam Agarwal Director-Education Nopany Group of Institutions Chief Physiotherapist Belle Vue Clinic …
6-A side cricket tournament by BBA Department
The Department of BBA of The Bhawanipur Education Society College conducted the much awaited 6-A side cricket tournament with 9 exuberant teams, held on the 23rd of February, Sunday. The umpires were handpicked by the event coordinators themselves to ensure maximum consistency and fairness in the game. The first game started off at the stroke …
WEBINAR ON UNDERSTANDING MULTI-LEVEL MARKETING
December 3, 2020 Mutli-Level Marketing (MLM): What Is It? How Does it Work? Is it Worth It? ‼️ Well | 286 |
Robin Davis Thrasher MBA<|fim_middle|> b... | in Project Management Florida Tech Graduate
Robin Davis-Thrasher, MBA in Project Management, Class of 2014
The Virginia woman also earned her bachelor's degree 100% online from Florida Tech.
By University Alliance
"Where am I going to be five, 10 years from now?"
This powerful question ultimately pushed Robin Davis-Thrasher into pursuing a graduate degree. After years of working in clinical care, the Suffolk, Virginia, woman wanted to trade the hospital floor for a desk job.
Davis-Thrasher believes her master's represents "the key to my door" – and not just any door, but one that leads to an office with a view. In fact, she and her brother, who work for the same healthcare company, are in a friendly competition to see who will land that corner office first.
As she pondered how to advance her career and shift from a technical role to a business role, Davis-Thrasher asked herself, "What degree can I take everywhere in this company?"
The answer: a Master of Business Administration in Project Management, offered 100% online by Florida Tech.
Davis-Thrasher had earned her bachelor's in Business Administration Healthcare Management online from Florida Tech, becoming the first in her family to graduate college. She liked the flexibility and fast pace of online education.
As a mother, doing things on her own time was important. Supporting her kids at athletic events while studying her textbooks was hard work but rewarding.
"They saw the sacrifice; they saw the late nights," she said.
"It wasn't easy, but nothing in life is easy."
Davis-Thrasher began her educational journey at Florida Tech in 2006 and over the years has enjoyed the virtual friendships she made with other students, some of whom she first met as an undergrad. Seeing them pursuing career goals and enjoying success has been a memorable experience.
Her own achievement was an emotional moment, one she struggled to put into words.
Her pride is perhaps best conveyed through her advice to those who may be indecisive about their future. She would tell them, "You have to think about, 'What [do] I want to do with my life and is it really important to me?'"
Davis-Thrasher credits the support of her husband and children and the sacrifices they made during her journey: "My husband believed in me before I believed in myself."
Now, when she looks 10 years down the road, the project administrator envisions herself as lead project manager for a large corporation, or possibly earning a doctorate in medical fraud.
Whatever path she pursues, she expects it will lead to that office with a view.
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WWE Smackdown vs. Raw 2010 (Xbox 360) Event Preview/Review Event
Posted on September 4, 2009 by davepoobond (DPB) Leave a comment
There were two separate media events that I was able to attend for this game. This was nearer to the end of the run for GamersMark, so I never actually did a full review of the game, but I documented my experience with playing the game at a Preview Event, which is the first portion here.
Developer: Yuke's Media Creations | Publisher: THQ
A recent trend in the game industry is the shift towards user-created content, and the titles that specifically encourage it. Games designed with that intent seem to have two parts to them: the part that the creators make for you to play, and the "tools" for creation that allow you to make a seemingly infinite amount of content. WWE Smackdown vs. Raw 2010 is the latest entry in the Smackdown Vs. Raw series, and this year it's all about user content creation – "It's Your World Now." I attended the preview event hosted by THQ in downtown Los Angeles in late August and got a lot of hands-on time with the game.
This year, it's more about creating your own personal game experience. There are new creation modes, new customization tools, new content, and the community is able to share everything that's made.
The main menu itself has changed into an interactive tutorial mode of sorts, which boots up as you start the game. Here, you're able to interact with another AI player to learn all the different moves before actually playing and learn at your own pace; tutorial tips pop up telling you how to perform certain moves or tasks in the ring as well as outside it. Once you accomplish a tip, it will check off and disappear, but you can reset them to teach a friend how to play or perhaps refresh yourself if you've gotten rusty. This new tutorial mode allows you to practice in many ways, on several difficulties, and preps you well for what to do during different situations.
The UI itself has received a major overhaul – it is no longer static and actually follows your character around, which is a very welcomed change. A circle with your Superstar's stamina/momentum is constantly hovering, with an "F" or an "S" showing up when you are able to perform your Finisher or Signature move. At any time you need to be pressing a particular button, it will appear right next to your Superstar (rather than in the corner where the UI used to reside) making it a lot easier to react to the game while it's happening.
Create-A-Superstar has been improved this year as well – and it's a blast. Personally, I spent about an hour of the time I spent with the demo just in this mode making the most messed up characters ever seen. As I was making them, a lot of people commented about how "effed up" they looked, or how "messed up" I was. I even put a buff hairy guy in a diva's outfit – hey, it wasn't my fault they put it in the game to allow you to do it! But it didn't go over so well with anyone watching, so I didn't save him.
As a bonus, my created characters played in the background of a bunch of G4 interviews of WWE Superstars. Hornswaggle jacked the controller from me and started messing around with it during his interview (he said beforehand that he wanted to have fun with the interview and take the controller from me). People probably thought I was working for G4 since I was there playing the game behind it the whole time. At least the G4 guys found the characters I made funny.
Create-A-Superstar has received a big uplift, with all new 3D accessories that actually look and feel like they are on the character and not painted on like last year. There's a lot of crazy, zany stuff and you can change anything into any color you want. There are also a lot of interface improvements, faster loading, and it's just a generally more pleasant experience. 2009's Create-A-Superstar couldn't hold my attention as long as this year's has, and that's a great boon to the game. Another cool thing is the VS. Screen Pose that you can set to give your character a little more personality.
A new customization tool is the Paint Tool, which allows you to draw logos, tattoos – whatever you want, and Superstar Threads, new also, allows you to change a WWE Superstar's costume as far as colors go. You can't give them new costume pieces, but each wrestler can be modified in their own unique way depending on their existing outfit. This allows you to keep your favorite superstars more up-to-date as their costumes change. Three alternate attires per character are allowed, and the default one is never overwritten.
There are new Create-A-Finisher additions as well as a brand new finisher: Diving. The diving mode allows you to create Diving attacks, adjust height, speed, and many other settings. The Front Grapple finisher also has possible adjustments to speed, or other unique settings depending on what move is being changed, as well as more animations to choose from.
The biggest addition this year, however, is the Story Designer mode. Just like the Road to Wrestlemania stories in 2009, you're able to create your own drama starring your favorite Superstars or even your created ones. You can devise matches and moments – such as backstage "discussions" – and change conditions for matches depending on the storyline you create. There is also a cutscene creator that allows you to direct animations and emotions, and even includes a free camera to swoop in on a situation however you like. You can also set up the movies that play in the background during an entrance, have people run in during matches, and even have characters hit by cars or make the vehicle itself explode. There is a lot of options to choose from.
Content sharing is now a big part about the game (if you're one of the types of people to spend a ton of time making content within the game's bounds you're most likely going to want to show it to other people). With THQ's online search engine you can search for whatever you feel like downloading – a created superstar, custom stories, a finisher or any other type of user content that can expand your personal game experience. You can also preview stuff before saving it, and if you see something that is inappropriate, you're able to flag it as such for review.
In the Road to Wrestlemania mode, there will be six new stories, including a diva story, and a Create-A-Superstar story. There will be interactive cutscenes to allow you to decide how a superstar acts in their situation, as well as multi-branching story endings so that the decisions you make actually make an impact on how everything goes down.
There's a planned 60 superstars for the roster this year, and of course ECW is back again. For those with a Wii console who played Smackdown Vs. Raw 2009, rest assured that all of the features that are in the 360 and PS3 versions will be included in the Wii release as well. The Wii version will also get a control overhaul to be more on par with the other versions, and both the Classic and GameCube controllers will be supported. The DS release will have a couple of exclusive features such as a trading card system – to trade cards with friends – and an exclusive match type called Ambulance Match.
The game is slated for an October 20 release. With over 46 million games sold in the franchise, the game should expect to do quite well during the holiday season, especially with all the new content creation modes.
As I mentioned previously, G4 decided to take some video with me as a backdrop and while I was playing with my deformed created wrestlers. I was playing in the background for at least 85% of the interview shots. You can first see me at 1m 32s.
Before the interviews started, Cody Rhodes and Dolph Ziggler made comments about how weird it was and asked if I knew who they were. They were new at the time, so I didn't know and they pointed out what their wrestling personas were. Also, the take where Hornswaggle took the controller from me was not included in the video.
The following is what I wrote after attending the Review Event in late October. The purpose was to get a good two or three hours with the game for purposes of review. We had a press conference, meals, a couple of meetings, and the hands-on with the game on the second day. They also gave us lots of free shit, most of which I currently still have laying around my room.
Last week I had the pleasure of attending the Smackdown vs. Raw 2010 Review Event hosted by THQ. After being given a presentation that showed the final production of many of the things mentioned in my Preview for the game we had a chance to mess around and see the game in action.
All of the unfinished game modes and creation modes were available to play at the event. While much of the game is pretty much what to expect from Smackdown vs. Raw, there are always additions and improvements made to the game. As far as game modes go, this year the Royal Rumble was given a complete reworking. The mode is now a lot more representative of what you would expect, and a bit more fun. There are now multiple ways to push your opponent out of the ring, and once they're out – they're out. When you try and push an opponent out of the ring, a mini-game of sorts will play out – either making you button mash like crazy or hitting a button at a precise moment to make sure your opponent is defeated.
The big Create Mode added this year is the Scene Editor – and it looks like it'll be a blast once you get used to its little quirks and options. While sitting and messing around with it for about thirty minutes didn't allow me to fully get used to the scope of the mode, there are quite a few options to play around with, such as casting, location, and textual speech. The mode may feel lacking only because you don't get to hear any actual voices (you can't record any either), but the potential of just having fun messing around with it is well worth the addition.
All the versions of the game looked very good on the HDTVs that they had. There was some discussion about why the PS3 version didn't look as good as the 360 version, but nothing conclusive – we had no idea whether or not the particular station was just not set up correctly or if that was actually indicative of the PS3 version being slightly worse. However, the differences are so minute that it isn't even something to worry about.
Wii owners this year will also be pleasantly surprised at the fact that 99% of the content in the PS3/360 versions made its way over to the Wii. The biggest difference, however, is that there is no Tutorial mode. The Wii is also back to supporting straight button input, so there is no more waving your hands around to play, which is apparently what Wii owners wanted out of 2010. In addition, 2010 will support all the Wii's possible controllers – Wiimote/Nunchuck, Classic Controller, and the GameCube controller.
WWE's "The Miz" came by to attend the event, as well, and put a little fun into the day. He made a hilarious ruckus about "only being a 78" according to the game's Overall Rating system, and gave one of the game designers, Bryan Williams, a tough time about it since he just won the US Championship on last week's Raw. It was quite funny seeing Bryan getting put on the spot like that, and profusely apologizing about having him at that rating, stating it would be different in next year's game.
There was also a character creation workshop in which everyone made their own characters to compete against one another and win the approval of The Miz. At the end of the workshop, it came down to two characters – my pregnant 8 foot tall "Angry Smurf" named Rodney Cornsmithe and another character that was a recreation of the actual person making the character whom I'll just call Sunglass Man. The Miz was simply dumbfounded when he looked upon my creation, but he ended up picking Sunglass Man, with my character becoming the "THQ winner," as picked by another game designer attending the event.
Look for Gamersmark's full review of Smackdown vs. Raw 2010 later this month.
Unfortunately that review never came to fruition as it was nearer to the end of GamersMark. I was generally very pleased with the game, and was probably going to give it a 9.5/10.
Categories: Game Reviews, Games
Tags: A DPB Tag, GamersMark, WWE SmackDown vs. Raw, Xbox 360
People: THQ, Yukes Media Creations
Singstar Pop Vol. 2 (PS2) Review
Posted on January 23, 2009 by davepoobond (DPB) Leave a comment
Developer/Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment || Overall: 8.0/10
Music games seem to be all the rage these days. When Guitar Hero came out it unearthed a new market for music games, allowing for the eventual "full band" music game in Guitar Hero: World Tour and Rock Band. However, only a few genres of music fit into this "full band" experience, leaving many genres of music out in the cold. The SingStar series lends itself towards being able to cover practically any song that has vocals in it, allowing for a more diversified line-up of genres in each edition of the game.
Thirty songs usually come in each SingStar title, and SingStar Pop Vol. 2 is no exception. Some songs that I like that made it into the game are "Duran Duran – Ordinary World," "Evanescence – Bring Me To Life," "Lifehouse – First Time," "Sum 41 – Fat Lip," and "The Outfield – Your Love." Some really weird choices that I can't even bring myself to play are songs like "Boys Like Girls – The Great Escape," "Santana Feat. Chad Kroger – Into the Night," and "Ashlee Simpson – Boyfriend."
While there are more hits than misses in the compilation, I found the selection of songs mostly satisfying for a karaoke game. Being more used to Rock Band's vocal visual system, I found it harder to keep in tune with the song (as much as I could, considering how horrible I am at singing in the first place) and say the words at the same time. SingStar Pop Vol. 2 is the first karaoke-only game I've really played when one considers that Rock Band itself is a mish-mash of karaoke and beat-keeping.
Vocal skills not withstanding, I did have a fun time playing the game with my roommates. Essentially, the game is a party game – something to play with other people in the same room as yourself. A caveat that comes with that, though, is that even though there are 30 songs to perform, it never feels like there's enough. Both players have to agree on a song they want to sing, and sometimes that comes down to three or four songs that both want to try, let alone knowing how the song goes enough to attempt singing it. More often than not people don't even want to try singing songs they don't know.
Though you can hook up only two microphones, you can play with up to eight players through the game's different modes. Other than straight out duels between two players, most of them consist of passing the mic to the next person in line after dividing up players into teams. The modes aren't all that different from each other, but there's only so much you can really do and most of that is already in the game.
Something that is also really nice about the SingStar games is the user interface. It looks slick, and looks cool even when simply messing around in the menu system as you set up your next game. It's not overly complicated either, which results in getting what you want most of the time. While you play the game, the music video for the song plays in the background, so that during sequences where there may be solos or intros, you have something to watch while waiting for the vocals to come back in. Plus, it helps keep the other players occupied.
SingStar is based on points, and how many you earn during a song is the comparative factor against your opponent. Unlike other music games where you have to perform to a certain degree or get punished by "losing," SingStar just lets you go through the whole song, no matter how horrible you are. In a way, it makes the game more fluid and the overall objective goes away from "beating" the song and more towards beating your opponent or getting the highest score you can.
On the PS2, SingStar games are typically available with the mics or without them at a cheaper price. New editions of the series come in at $40, while the packs with the mics can cost anywhere from $60 to $80 considering where you shop for it. The EyeToy can also be used in most (if not all) the SingStar games for extra functionality. Another cool aspect of the series is that it treats them all like the same game. The ability to swap out discs and quickly jump into another set of songs is a wonderful feature. PS3 users take note: This unfortunately didn't work on my 60GB PS3 when I tried it, and it resulted in having to restart the console.
If you like straight-out karaoke games and still only have a PS2, the SingStar series is going to be the perfect game for your collection. While buying them all at the same time would cost a pretty penny, it'll be worth it once a party gets going and people want to look through more songs, especially if you like most of the songs on any one edition. There's also the promise of a future update to the PS3's firmware that will allow the PS2 SingStar games to communicate with the PS3 versions, which would put more use to the PS2 versions of the game.
Tags: A DPB Tag, GamersMark, PlayStation 2, Singstar Pop Vol. 2
People: Sony Computer Entertainment
Yggdra Union: We'll Never Fight Alone (PSP) Review
Posted on November 26, 2008 by davepoobond (DPB) Leave a comment
Developer: Sting Entertainment | Publisher: Atlus || Overall: 4.0/10
Yggdra Union from Atlus has a seemingly awkward place in the PSP library. It's practically a straightforward GBA-to-PSP port, so it's quite obvious that it won't be visually pleasing. Yggdra Union is essentially the GBA game with some voice-overs and possibly some other improvements that are harder to gauge.
Typically in tactical strategy games there are two teams fighting against each other on more-or-less even ground. One would expect there to be new challenges here and there, just as long as both sides followed the same basic rules of gameplay.
Not in Yggdra Union.
If there ever was a tactical strategy game that made me want to play on the enemy's side, it's Yggdra Union. It's almost amazing to me how two different games are going on at the same time, with the advantage always (and I really mean it) going to the opposition.
Now, there's lots of needless complication to Yggdra Union. Even after playing over 20 hours, I still have trouble knowing which button does what in the game. In light of the confusion, I'll spare you a helping and get down to the basics. The basis of combat relies on cards. You get a certain amount of cards, which you use for moving and performing actions during battle. Once you use a card to move, or create a Union (the game's term for a battle), the card becomes unusable for the rest of the current map you are on. The same does not hold true for your enemy, however. They have one card to use and they keep using it over and over. Okay, I'll give them that. During battle, however, is where this difference becomes even more of a factor in the gameplay.
When creating a Union, you can enter into a battle with other units as long as they match the certain formation the initiator of the Union has. Why this matters, I'm not sure, but it adds some sort of strategy to the game in the long run. The map itself is also very restrictive as far as positioning units in strategic ways. There are no "extra" pieces of the grid to traverse and flank an enemy, as the current map you are on has a bare minimum of squares required to accomplish whatever the current goal happens to be.
During a battle, there is a gauge at the top of the screen that you can fill up by going Passive or drain by going Aggressive. The higher the bar is filled, the more likely it will be that you will win the battle. Of course, its not assured as other factors are taken into consideration. When you go Aggressive and drain your bar, the likelihood of you winning goes even higher, but only until the bar is drained before going to normal. Going Passive refills it, but your troops are then more susceptible to losing.
Here's the kicker: Take everything I said in the last paragraph and throw it out. Your opposition doesn't have to worry about that at all, since they have a "Rage" bar that constantly fills according to the amount of time you spend in battle. Not only that, any amount of Rage that is built up from the first fight in a battle is rolled over to the next fight to benefit the next unit. The gauge you build up does not roll over in the same fashion, as yours is seemingly random considering how well off you are against your enemy.
The only thing that your Passive/Aggressive bar and the Rage bar have in common is that it grants access to a special ability when full. Your opposition can use the card's special abilities from the get go, while you have to wait until the seventh map of the game (about eight hours in for me) before even finding out why cards are named something. The inability to use special abilities until that point in the game is absurd, especially when the opposition is able to use their card's special abilities from the beginning of the game.
Particular cards also have Ace Types, which means only a unit that matches the Ace Type can use the card's special abilities (as long as all other conditions are met). There are three basic weapons – Sword, Spear, and Axe. Sword is better than Axe is better than Spear is better than Sword. Using that formula, you are able to sweep through your enemies, as long as you have the right units attacking against a weapon type that is weaker.
And then, to top it all off, three more types of weaponry are added in halfway through the game. Sword/Spear/Axe are all better than Bows (except when attacking, and you can't counterattack against a Bow), Rods (better than Sword/Spear/Axe) and something that looks like a Rock that is just tossed in somewhere, which isn't exactly explained plainly enough for anyone to understand.
Really, Yggdra Union ends up a Chess-style game in which the other guy can take any piece he wants whenever he wants and says "live with it." There's something random tossed in each level that completely messes you up without giving you any ability to counteract it. You are constantly put at a disadvantage, seemingly out of spite, with no real rewards for finally succeeding and beating the challenge. Not even the story's progression rewards you with much of anything interesting or suspenseful.
There are lots of voice-overs, but voicing as a whole is conspicuously thin. The voice actors themselves aren't bad, which is a boon to the already low production values of the title. Needless to say, the sound effects, graphics, and pretty much everything about the game look like a GBA game, but that's because it is a GBA game. Watching battles unfold isn't particularly interesting either, and even though there is a "HIGH" speed option available, its still not fast enough for me.
Yggdra Union will make you hate yourself for playing. It is a fairly unique game, but only in the sense that there are so many weird things about it that make you frustrated. Some friendly user interface additions would go a long way to at least making the game somewhat more pleasant. What it comes down to, however, is that Yggdra Union is a poor strategy game in its very bearings, with very little actual strategy to experience, and more fumbling around with cards and weapon types than necessary instead.
Tags: A DPB Tag, GamersMark, PlayStation Portable, Yggdra Union: We'll Never Fight Alone
People: Atlus, Sting Entertainment
Overlord: Raising Hell (PS3) Review
Developer: Triumph Studios | Publisher: Codemasters || Overall: 8.5/10
It's not too often you get to be the bad guy in a game. In Overlord: Raising Hell, you're given the primary role of being "The Overlord" – the master of the Minions. With their help, you'll rebuild your evil kingdom, confronting those that have killed your predecessor and rebuilding your once-fear-inducing-yet-humble abode. Throughout the levels you'll find pieces of your tower, power-ups, and more minions to help you.
Essentially, Overlord is a mish-mash of a few genres – action, RPG, and real-time-strategy. The action influences come from the obvious gameplay mechanics such as controlling a menacing dude who goes around beating people with his axe, solving puzzles, and the like. The RPG elements come in with increasing your stats by gaining new weapons and getting new power-ups to help you maintain those stats. The most interesting aspect of Overlord, however, is how it accomplishes being real-time-strategy in tandem with the aforementioned aspects of gameplay.
Fundamentally, the importance of succeeding in Overlord is using your Minions in a strategic fashion to accomplish goals. Sure, you could go in and swing your weapon around at your enemies, but that would take a long time — not to mention there are some very difficult enemies where taking them on alone would be nigh impossible. Thinking of Minions as your "units" in a real-time-strategy game, you send them into battle and watch the mayhem unfold, modifying their focus as needed. While it starts simple, more strategy is involved when certain enemies are susceptible only to certain types of Minions' attacks.
There are four different types of Minions – Browns, Reds, Greens, and Blues. The Browns are multipurpose melee fighters; Reds are long-range, fire-based attackers; Greens are stealthy, poisonous melee fighters that are weaker than your Browns; Blues are weak but they swim in water and can resurrect other Minions. Using all the different Minions and their unique skills to your advantage is the real challenge of Overlord.
The control scheme is something to be appraised. While you don't normally see RTS-type games on consoles, Overlord has an advantage from being in a 3rd-person perspective. If you just want to tell your Minions to go somewhere, you move the right stick and control your group to go wherever you want without moving The Overlord himself. The camera also follows your group of Minions without getting far away from The Overlord, just in case something starts attacking you, but it also keeps the focus of the game of you being The Overlord at the same time. This comes into use when you meet obstacles that only Minions can go through, and you must use them appropriately to solve the puzzle or defeat the enemies at hand. If you just want to send your minions in to destroy anything they see in front of you, you just press and hold the R2 button and you'll be able to watch the carnage, get the rewards, and not have to get your own hands dirty at all.
While the graphics aren't the most beautiful you've ever seen, there is a style to the game that makes it feel like if it were any different, a certain charm about the game would be lost. The<|fim_middle|> timing of your button pushes. This can change a little from weapon to weapon, but it's basically the same execution. In total, there are five guns and five melee weapons for Dante to acquire through the game.
The circle button comes into play when you want to use one of Dante's Styles. The basic styles are Trickster, Swordmaster, Gunslinger, and Royalguard. Trickster allows you to make use of dashing and running up walls, which I found to be practically useless. Trickster is a hold-over from the circle-button command from Devil May Cry 2, but Devil May Cry 2's execution in that regard was leagues better. Swordmaster is a bit more useful, and allows you to do some cool stuff with your sword (like throw it) once it levels up. Gunslinger is the one I used the most, and allows you to do quite a few things, like shoot your guns faster, charge them, and target two targets at the same time. Not to mention spin in the air like a tornado while shooting your gun! Gunslinger is by far the coolest of all the styles. Royalguard is kinda boring and only blocks. If you block enough, you charge up some power and can release it onto an enemy to kill them. It's sort of ineffective at times, because you'll still get damaged, and it's not really smart to take damage since it's very hard to find something that heals you. Other styles are acquired as the game goes on, but for about 80 percent of the game you'll be stuck with those four. The more advanced styles you gain later on don't allow you to level up at all.
The graphics are pretty nice for a PS2 game, but do sort of show their age as we get further into the current generation of consoles. The voice acting is not terrible at all, so that is something to be thankful for. The sound effects are good, but the music is where the game lacks. Every time you're near an enemy, a cheesy battle score with horrible lyrics starts playing. I hated the song by the end of the game and tried to just ignore it, unfortunately to no avail. It would have been nice if they didn't have such a horrible song, but what can you do? The story is good, and really the first competent piece of writing the series has shown after the first two games.
Overall, the game is very hard, even at the Normal difficulty. The easy difficulty allows for less experienced action gamers (or people who just suck at games) to get into the game to actually beat it and *gasp* enjoy it. Even hardcore gamers will probably at least take a pass through all modes of play the game has to offer, as it'll add towards fully completing the game in every facet. Once you finish the game, a new gameplay mode called Bloody Palace will be accessible, not to mention being able to play as Dante's brother Vergil in a new game. There's plenty of stuff to unlock, so you'll be playing the full game quite a few times, although it'll be easier after the first time since you'll know how to figure out all the puzzles.
Devil May Cry 3: Special Edition is a good game to play if you're into action games. Since it has been out for a while now, you'll be able to find it at a very cheap price. The Devil May Cry box set includes all three of the PS2 games in the series, and it's a good value. Regardless of your feelings toward the second game, you'll get a loaded action game in Devil May Cry 3: Special Edition.
Devil May Cry 3 Screenshot 1
Tags: A DPB Tag, GamersMark, PlayStation 2
People: Capcom
This Is Satire – Civil Engineers Appalled At Grand Theft Auto IV
Posted on May 19, 2008 by davepoobond (DPB) 2 Comments
This entry is part 4 of 4 in the series This Is Satire
Citing a gross misrepresentation on the stability of streetlights in Grand Theft Auto IV, the Furiously Angered Civil Engineers Union (FACEU) has held a press event in the Civil Engineering capital of the world, the GameStop on Foothill Avenue in Arcadia, California.
Don Southerby, Chairman of the FACEU, said in his opening statement that his organization feels that Grand Theft Auto IV is an insult to Civil Engineers everywhere and should be pulled off its shelves, not for its varied measures of allegedly extreme violence sprinkled throughout the game, but for its "sickening misuse of Civil Engineer equipment, such as barrels full of water, orange cones, off-colored barricades, and traffic laws." Afraid that since only children play the game, not people that drive cars, they will think that it is normal to drive like maniacs endangering all around them.
What Don Southerby was really steamed about, however, was the fact that "streetlights are depicted as frail poles swaying in the wind that a car can simply sweep off its feet and be disconnected from the power grid with little to no damage to the car. In the real world, streetlights are powerful and a car can not simply run through it. Streetlights are built stronger than trees, yet not a tree in Grand Theft Auto IV can be run down!"
Don Southerby continued, "Do you know how many streetlights prevent drunk drivers from continuing their drunken rampage? A LOT. We owe a lot to streetlights in this country and without them the world would be a cold, dark place 12 hours out of the day. Not only that, but Grand Theft Auto IV does not punish players for not following traffic laws. Traffic laws are handcrafted by painstaking research of traffic patterns at each and every stoplight out there. Running red lights in this game does not show the respect to all those Civil Engineers who risk their livelihood everyday out on the streets."
The FACEU's Environmental sects have also railed Rockstar Games, maker of Grand Theft Auto IV, for misrepresenting trees and grass in the game. "Trees and grass do not look like that," said one of the supporters at the FACEU press event.
After the rally had taken its course, many attendees bought copies of GTAIV, commenting that they were "planning on burning it later where the fire would not threaten any street signs or road pavement."
Don Southerby closed the rally, with the following comments, "FACEU will not support any game that gives you high scores for destroying streetlights and Civil Engineering equipment. These vital parts of society are here for a reason and not meant to frivolously be obliterated by people who do not follow traffic laws."
Categories: Games
Tags: A DPB Tag, civil engineer, GamersMark, This Is Satire, video game
Devil May Cry 2 (PS2) Review
Posted on May 7, 2008 by davepoobond (DPB) Leave a comment
Devil May Cry 2 has somehow achieved the reputation of being the worst game in the Devil May Cry series, and there is no one out there who would recommend playing the game after the third and fourth games came out. Most people just say skip it. I'm here to tell you otherwise — Devil May Cry 2 is not that bad of a game. Sure, it might have a few flaws, but Devil May Cry 2 is a superior game to the first Devil May Cry in practically every way except the location.
The original Devil May Cry started out as a Resident Evil game, as most people know. It's probably safe to assume that Devil May Cry 2 started out as some other game that was transformed into a Devil May Cry game with Dante slapped into it. That may or may not be the case, but it's probably better for it, since I didn't really enjoy the first Devil May Cry game as much as some people. The only thing the first Devil May Cry still has going for it is level design. In the first game Dante talked — not so much in the second one. But it's a blessing when compared to the end of the first game where Dante becomes a prissy pony (read: not a badass).
Devil May Cry 2 didn't have that great of a story, or anything that even resembles a story to tell you the truth, but I found that the gameplay was tremendously improved from the first game. Dante's guns are Automatic, similar to the first game's Easy Automatic. Unlike the first, it doesn't feel like a machine gun and the animation is a lot smoother. Dante can now run up walls, and also dodge while pressing the Circle button. Out of the first three games, dodging has been executed optimally in Devil May Cry 2.
As far as the actual game goes, there are plenty of missions — a little more than 20. Not only that, but you can play as a second character right off the bat, named Lucia, who basically goes through all the same levels in a different way. Nonetheless, there is a lot of content to be mindful of even if there aren't any extras. Lucia is a bit boring, however, so you might as well just stick with the Dante disc and forget there is a Lucia disc unless you want to see a French ninja girl jump around.
Basically what people hate about the game is that Dante doesn't talk very much, the story makes absolutely no sense and you're running around urban environments for the majority of the game. There is truth to all of that, but that line of thinking glosses over the actual gameplay. As far as that goes, lots of people think it was a piece of cake. It could be considered that, especially compared to the other games, but I had a difficult time enough as it was, so it depends on what kind of gamer you are when it comes to difficulty preference.
The graphics and sound are quite improved from the first game, but the first had better art and design than the second. There weren't any bad frame rate dips at all, and of what little voice acting there was of Dante, it was fine. The annoying voice actors are probably just about everyone else in the game, but you get over it since they barely ever talk anyway.
Devil May Cry 2 might not be the best game ever, but it certainly is NOT one to skip over if you want to see the evolution of the series. As much as fans and even Capcom itself might want to ignore its existence and say to just "skip it," it would be quite the mistake. If you like to see how the game series evolved, Devil May Cry 2 should at least be given a try.
WWE Smackdown vs. Raw 2008 (PS3) Review
Posted on April 22, 2008 by davepoobond (DPB) 2 Comments
Developer: Yuke's Media Creations / Publisher: THQ Inc. || Overall: 5.0/10
The SmackDown Vs. Raw series has been around for a while. With its long-since forgotten relatives WCW/nWo World Tour and WCW/nWo Revenge on the N64, THQ's wrestling formula hasn't changed all that much from those days. It may have a new coat of paint and an updated roster, but SmackDown Vs. Raw 2008 can't hold a candle to the original wrestling games that fans played to death when they were released.
SmackDown Vs. Raw is basically a 3D fighting game in its core foundation. While it's not exactly "traditional" in that there is a life bar, the concept is still the same – beat the crap out of your opponent and make him wish he was never born. Wrestling games are a lot slower than normal fighters, because they try to mimic "real life" wrestling, whatever that may be. In SmackDown Vs. Raw 2008, you take control of wrestlers with practically no personality (that is, if they had any in the first place) and typically win by submission or three-count pin-fall.
In the game, you have some basic moves. You can punch, kick, smack, slap, run, weak grab, or strong grab your opponent to lay the hurt down on them. If you've played any wrestling game by THQ, most of it has remained unchanged over the years. The only thing worth commenting on if you haven't played one of these games for a long time is that once you grab your opponent, you can execute a move by flicking the right analog stick in a certain direction to perform a specific move in your current character's repertoire. While it isn't as straightforward as pressing a button, it seems a bit more intuitive since you are mimicking a move as your character does it, in a way. If you get a hang of the fighting system, you might be able to have a good time with the game, as there is a lot of stuff to do if you really put your mind to it. If the system doesn't really appeal to you, it'll be hard finding your money's worth if you're a newcomer to wrestling games. You'll also be furiously hitting on all buttons way more than you'd probably like to, so get ready to give your fingers a workout.
SmackDown Vs. Raw 2008 is the first game in the series to appear on the PS3. The 2007 version was canceled, to WWE's major dismay, and you can see that there are still many kinks that didn't get finished or optimized to a satisfactory standard. At the top of the list are the loading screens. Holy crap, there are a ton of loading screens in this game. Every time you start a match, there's a loading screen. Before you even get to PLAY the match you just waited through the loading screen for, you have to go through three forced loading screens, even if you don't want to watch the opening entrances of the wrestlers. It is so annoying to sit through what seems like five minutes of loading just to play a match – and worst of all, you can't even turn the wrestler's entrances off so you can avoid all that extra loading. Or if there IS a way to turn it off, they didn't make it easy to find since I couldn't find it in the Options menu at all.
As far as game modes go, there is a very barebones "career"-type mode called WWE 24/7, which is new to the series. In WWE 24/7, you can take a WWE Superstar or a created wrestler of your choice through a bunch of shoddy barely-thought-through storylines (and you thought the actual storylines you see on TV were bad?) with canned animations, e-mails that have voice-overs, e-mails that don't have voice-overs, and spending money to unlock opening entrances (goody, more load times!). Online is also horribly laggy, and I always seem to be at a disadvantage against other players online because they somehow mastered the non-responsive controls in online mode and take advantage of the lag people get to absolutely dominate you. That's probably beside the point, though, which is that it's completely not worth playing against a human since there's barely a difference in the satisfaction you may get from pinning an AI player. I guess it's also worth mentioning that practically every wrestler you'd want to wrestle with is included in the game, as well as the ECW roster, making its debut this year.
Graphics are "meh" at best. Horribly annoying canned animations give absolutely no personality to any of the wrestlers you see, even though there are unique entrances for all the WWE Superstars. A limitation in WWE 24/7 mode seems to be that there can only be four characters on screen at the same time, and often there is no continuity between the story and what you see in the animations between characters. They are just replaced randomly with other wrestlers, so you'll see the same scenes over and over. It might also be a boon that some of the models in the game look like the real wrestlers, but some of them look very off, like Edge. The sound is okay at best as the music can get kind of repetitive. The voice-overs are done by the actual wrestlers and personalities from WWE, so credit should be given for actually getting the real people to come in and donate their talents towards the project, although you might get sick of just about everyone's voice by the time you're through with WWE 24/7 mode.
In the end SmackDown vs. Raw 2008 is probably not worth your time. If you really commit to putting time into the game, you'll be able to find a lot of content to busy yourself with. However horribly executed it may be, there is still a lot of playing time to be had. If you're a long time fan of the series and you've stuck with it this far, you're probably getting what you expect from a yearly "sports" title, but don't hold your breath if you expect to find something redeeming in this year's edition of SmackDown Vs. Raw. Maybe the 2009 edition of the game will have a fleshed out WWE 24/7 mode that will actually be worth playing, as it did show promise of becoming an interesting play mode.
WWE Smackdown Vs Raw 2008 Screenshot 1
Tags: A DPB Tag, GamersMark, PlayStation 3, WWE SmackDown vs. Raw
Hot Shots Golf: Out of Bounds (PS3) Review
Posted on April 5, 2008 by davepoobond (DPB) Leave a comment
Developer: Clap Hanz / Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment || Overall: 9.0/10
Sony Computer Entertainment's Hot Shots Golf series has entered into the next generation in Hot Shots Golf: Out of Bounds. Out of Bounds is an arcade-style golfing game developed by Clap Hanz in Japan. While not everyone will get the appeal of the inherently Japanese-styled characters, beneath what you see is a very meaty, fun, golfing game that provides entertainment for a very long time. An all-new online mode is introduced in Out of Bounds and adds a distinctive layer to the series.
The first thing anyone sees when they put their copy of Out of Bounds into their PS3 is an installation screen. Even though the game takes about a 4 giga-BITE (get it? okay, sorry) out of your hard drive space, it'll be well worth it since the game runs like a dream from hole to hole. The only time you'll see a load screen in this game is right before you start a new game, and only for a few seconds. Whatever your philosophy on mandatory installs may be, it is very nice to play a game where there is minimal time spent with loading, leaving more to actually playing.
Traditionally, the Hot Shots Golf series' shot system had worked by the "3 click" system. First, you start the power meter, click the X button when it got to the power setting you wanted, and then when the dial came back to the beginning, you hit the X button again, in an attempt to get the dial right on target to where it had began. It's a pretty standard system found in most golf games prior to this one.
A new Advanced Shot system is described as a more "analog" way to play the game, judging the power of a stroke by how far the club is raised, and how straight the ball flies by a closing circle. In Out of Bounds, instead of forcing you to go with the new Advanced Shot system, they give you the option of using both, but do make it very encouraging to play with the Advanced Shot system since it is more advantageous than the Traditional Shot system in almost all ways except for judging exactly how far you want the ball to go. Spinning the ball in different ways allows you to take extra control over what the ball does, as well.
Essentially, the shot systems are the game. There are six courses that will challenge your mastery of the particular shot systems, with weather, special rules, or even competition against another golfer being tossed in the Challenge Mode of the game. Golfers each have their individual talents, and there 15 to choose from. Challenge Mode allows you to acquire new gear, golfers, and other items. Also, as you progress through Challenge Mode, new courses eventually open up. In Stroke Mode, you can select any of the various ways to play each course and modify the individual course however you like before you play. A multiplayer mode allows for local play, but the main multiplayer mode that will suck up your time is the online multiplayer mode. Online multiplayer is quite interesting in how it's presented. Unlike most online games where you simply join a game and play, there is a whole lobby and chat system – you even get your own cute little avatar to jump around and interact with people in a multitude of visual chat rooms. All of that is quite novel, but the main point is to play games online, after all.
The online multiplayer is unique and not exactly 100% golf-oriented, but obviously the point of the whole lobby system is to join games and play. Normal games that are created by other people in the lobby that you are currently in can be joined and created on the fly. Tournaments require a little bit more planning. You have a set time that the tournament starts at, and you book your spot in the tournament well in advance before it starts. You might be able to find a tournament starting right when you're looking to play or plan ahead and find a game that is four hours ahead.
Additionally, Tournaments are separated in different rankings, GF, G0, G1, and G2. GF doesn't count for much (everyone can play), while G0, G1, and G2 allow you to rank up, starting from G2, and getting to G0. The more you play (and win), the higher ranking you'll be able to get. You'll have to keep winning to keep your online ranking, and if you don't get enough points to sustain your rank, you could actually get demoted, so it keeps you on your toes, constantly competing against other players online. Tournaments feature up to 50 players. The downside of that is that there can be a lot of time wasted, as you wait for everyone to finish the hole.
Graphics are very nice, and smooth — practically no jaggies anywhere and the lighting effects are quite beautiful. The sound effects are satisfying, and so is the soundtrack. What really annoys from a presentation-standpoint is the voice-overs. The voice actors are just astoundingly bad. I'm only thankful that we don't have to hear them speak actual dialogue to propel a story forward, not that there would be one since it's a golfing game, but it's a curious choice in the localization process. If the American voices annoy you enough, however, you can switch on the Japanese voices.
Hot Shots Golf: Out of Bounds is a great entry into the popular golf series. Its easy to get in to, and the concept is simple – get the ball in the hole with as few strokes as possible. There's a lot of time to be spent with this title, and fans won't be disappointed with either the offline or the online modes. Not only is the game satisfying and full of content, there is also the prospect of getting extra characters and courses through the PlayStation Store.
Hot Shots Golf 5 Screenshot 1
People: Clap Hanz, Sony Computer Entertainment
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squakle, squakkle, skwakkle, sqwakkle, skwackle, sqackle, squckle, suackle, elkcauqs, squacks, squacker, squackel, squarkel, suqackle, | visuals match Overlord's zany humor, with all the different quests you'll be going on and different things your Minions will say. In a sense, it's almost like playing a cartoon. Your Minions say some clever/funny things at times like "Treasssurreeeee!," or "For the master!," or "For the Overlorrrrrd!" while they bring treasure and other items back to you. There are also some offhand Minion comments that are context-specific.
While visiting your Tower, a Jester will follow you around calling you different things based on the quests you have already accomplished. My personal favorite is "Persecutor of Pumpkins" — referencing a quest in which you kill evil pumpkins that are eating townspeople. While that may sound off, considering that you're supposed to be evil, the way the game rationalizes doing any good for people in the first place is that if they're all dead, there'd be no one to boss around and torture. However, you are given the option of killing any of your subjects at any point, which raises a stat called "Corruption." A certain amount of Corruption allows you to gain more power and skills, but must be taken in moderation, as there are disadvantages to gaining Corruption percentage.
Overlord: Raising Hell for the PS3 includes the DLC that was available for download on Xbox 360 and PC. The DLC adds a good 10 or 15 hours of playtime on the 20 hours or so the normal game had previously. There are also some other improvements and additions to the game that are integrated, along with the extra levels compared to the initial release of Overlord.
Probably the only things that I can complain about is the loading and other small technical issues that make the game a bit cumbersome to play at times. Loading usually takes a bit longer than I would hope for, especially since there's about a minute of loading as soon as you start up the game as well as loading whenever you enter a new level. I encountered a few bugs that would result in the game becoming broken, forcing me to either load the game from my last autosave or restart my PS3. The minimap is almost a pain to use: while it is definitely a needed and welcomed addition from the normal version of the game, it can be hard to find your quests sometimes since you can't really zoom out on it. There is a full-size map, but it's not nearly as useful as the minimap.
Multiplayer is also a huge disappointment on the PS3. There is no one to play with online, so that means you can't even use the multiplayer mode. This severely diminishes the value of the game if you had ever intended on checking out the multiplayer portion. However, since I'm a big proponent of single player games, it's not a huge dent to my overall opinion about the game, though it is still something to take into account when purchasing it. It is also worth mentioning that seven multiplayer maps are part of the additions to the game from the first edition. Even though on the box it says you can play multiplayer in split-screen, I couldn't find the option to do so in the menu.
Overlord: Raising Hell is a fun title, especially if you can pick it up for cheap. Overlord: Raising Hell offers a unique combination of several genres that creates an enjoyable and humorous addition to any PS3 owner's library.
Tags: A DPB Tag, GamersMark, Overlord: Raising Hell, PlayStation 3
People: Codemasters, Triumph Studios
WWE Smackdown vs. Raw 2009 (Xbox 360) Event Preview
Posted on November 4, 2008 by davepoobond (DPB) Leave a comment
I had the opportunity to go to THQ's offices in Agoura Hills recently, braving three hours of traffic and the possibility of being burned alive (not really). Traveling from safe Orange County, into the middle of a triangulation of raging fires in the canyons, I was able to play an early build of WWE Smackdown vs Raw 2009 for about an hour.
After my somewhat scathing review of 2008, I am very glad to say that the game has been improved quite a bit, with nearly all of my concerns addressed. Personally, the ranking on the the fun-gauge has increased from "Annoying" to "Could Be Fun."
If there was one thing that I'm most excited about, its that the loading times have been drastically cut down. Load times aren't nearly as excruciating to wait through anymore. Not only that, there is a simple way to turn entrances off — right before each match you can select On or Off, resulting in even less possible load times, and more getting right into the action.
Unlike the former WWE 24/7 mode, the new Road to Wrestlemania tells scripted stories for particular superstars rather than a bunch of generic ones for your selected wrestler. As a result, you feel like you're playing through an actual storyline, the likes of which you'd see in the actual TV show. This alone alleviates a majority of the problems I personally had with the WWE 24/7 mode, as this revamped mode will definitely be more appealing to play and finish. There is still a "career" mode in the game, but it's a little different than what you may have seen before. Instead of going through the day-to-day aspects of WWE 24/7, you can have your wrestler fight his way up to a particular title that you select. You can also reassign titles to make the roster reflect the current WWE champions. However, even though there are many features being added, that doesn't come without cuts, as Create-A-Championship mode will be left out this year.
Frame rate has also been stabilized, and the biggest improvement can be seen in matches with more than four wrestlers, which is a welcome improvement for those Battle Royale fans or six-man "Money-In-the-Bank" marathoners. The graphics are about the same, but since the frame rate has been improved upon, the game visually feels better for it.
There are a few new features that will be good additions, provided they don't get dropped before the game's release. The massively improved user interface allows you to get into the kind of match you want to play faster and easier, with at least as many options as have been offered before. The Inferno match will make its first appearance — the ring is lit on fire and the goal is to beat up your opponent and raise the temperature to 300 degrees and throw him out of the ring, setting him on fire. Some additions to Tag Team modes have also been made.
Controls remain mostly unchanged, but there are a couple of things to take note of. The most significant addition to the gameplay is the recovery button. When you take a hard hit and are about to come up, you can defend yourself by pressing a shoulder button and block any incoming attack from the other player, allowing you to get back on your feet and perhaps swing the match back in your favor. In the Wii version, opening entrances have also become a little more interactive, with the option of getting the fans riled up by doing certain expressions at the right time.
There were no online capabilities shown, but there will be a feature called the Highlight Reel that allows you to record certain matches and share them online in a YouTube-like fashion. The capability allows you to put reels together with a video-editing tool, and add in graphics or sound from the effects provided. The clips can be up to a minute long.
Another interesting addition is the Create-A-Finisher feature. A "Finisher" can consist of up to ten different parts. Depending on which move you input when doing the finisher, you are given yet another list of animations to continue it. You can have the resulting combo be one part or ten parts, its all up to you — on top of that, you can speed up or slow it down in certain parts. Something that I found humorous was if you picked up someone you could keep flipping them back and forth on top of your back over and over before you actually did anything harmful to them. You can assign your Finishers to any superstar or created wrestler.
Since this is Yuke's second try at the game on the PS3, you can definitely notice the improvements. Toss in some user interface enhancements, as well as some new modes, and WWE Smackdown vs. Raw 2009 aims to be the wrestling game you should own if you're a fan of the WWE.
Wii Music (Wii) E3 2008 Preview
Posted on October 26, 2008 by davepoobond (DPB) Leave a comment
Developer/Publisher: Nintendo
At E3 2008, there were about four WiiMusic booths set up in the Nintendo area. WiiMusic, if you didn't know, is basically a game where you can play songs with your friends. Except, there's no score, no points, no punishment for being off beat, you just "play" your instrument using the WiiMote in a couple of ways. After you go through a song, you get to watch the performance again. Miis are the characters that are in the game, just like other games in the WiiBlank series.
Although WiiMusic is pretty pathetic when compared directly to Rock Band 2 (it was the loudest thing at the whole show), there is a little bit of enjoyment still to be had. It took me a little bit of instruction from the Nintendo employees as to how to actually play the game, and how to play each particular instrument. There are a vast majority of different instruments that range from trumpet, piano, organ, bagpipes, and the triangle to weirder instruments like the jaw harp, the aptly named "Dog Suit," and beatboxing.
Categories of instruments dictate different methods of play. For wind instruments, if you tilt the controller up and down, the pitch changes. You press the 1 and 2 buttons to change the notes. For percussion instruments, you move your hands up and down in a drumming-fashion to make different beats. You can also hold onto different buttons while waving your arms around to create different sounds. The guitar is played like an air guitar, except you have a Wii controller and Nunchuk in your hands.
When you are actually performing, there is a metronome to help you keep to the beat, but you can basically go crazy and not go with it at all. The result, at least while playing Yankee Doodle, was that it sounded nothing like the song at all.
In the end, the game itself is pretty barebones. The current songs are pretty lame, since they're all folk songs or the like. Although there are supposedly "60" songs planned to be included, they're all going to be lyric-less MIDI-quality songs that sound nothing like their originals. To get an idea of what pedigree of songs will actually end up being in the game, think "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star," "Yankee Doodle," "Super Mario Bros." theme song, "From The New World," and "Turkey in the Straw" since those were the songs actually featured in the playable demo. Other songs that are known of are the Legend of Zelda overworld theme, "The Overture" (from an opera called Carmen), and an F-Zero song which was played at the Nintendo conference. I can only hope that "Itsy Bitsy Spider" and "Pop Goes the Weasel" are included in some fashion when the product finally comes out at retail.
The whole idea around the game appears to be creating performances and sharing them with your friends. You can play a performance over and over, providing the instrument for up to 6 different parts of a band. The Nintendo employees at the booth didn't appear to actually know HOW you'd be able to "share" the performances with your friends – whether it was in video form or save file over the WiFiConnect 24. If you're supposed to share with your friends so that they add their performances to yours, it will most certainly have to be some sort of save file.
There is also a drum simulator thing where you can use the WiiFit Balance Board as drum pedals, while you wave your arms around with the Wii controllers. There are no beats to play to, there are no other bandmates. It's just you and an audience of Miis. There is literally nothing to do in the mode. Too often did I walk past the Nintendo booth and see a forlorn Nintendo employee drumming with WiiMusic having the worst time in their respective lives playing out in front of them. Not only that, the Rock Band booths behind them were so loud that they probably couldn't even hear what they were doing. Eventually it seemed like they'd actually try to play drums to the music Rock Band was playing – it just seemed sad because the feature of actually having music playing while you're drumming is lost in the mission for simplicity and appealing to the casual market. You have to ask yourself if someone would ever want to casually play this portion of WiiMusic for any more than 5 minutes before never returning it.
Unlike WiiPlay and WiiFit, WiiMusic isn't going to come with a peripheral. Even the next Wii-titled game out next year, WiiSports Resort, comes with a peripheral. It's questionable as to whether or not WiiMusic will have the same sort of appeal as its other siblings on account of that. In addition, the game itself just doesn't have a real point to it. There are no points, there's no sense of progression, all it is sitting around and listening to crappy computer instruments pretending to be real instruments. I don't know how that is supposed to be enjoyable, especially with games like Guitar Hero and Rock Band already out on the market and already appealing to the same demographics WiiMusic aims to sell to. Unless WiiMusic has some sort of feature that will validate its purchase (let alone its existence) that we don't know about, it will be a huge disappointment.
Tags: A DPB Tag, E3, GamersMark, Wii, Wii Music
People: Nintendo
Dragon Age: Origins (PC) E3 2008 Preview
Posted on August 11, 2008 by davepoobond (DPB) Leave a comment
Developer: BioWare Corp | Publisher: Electronic Arts
I partook in a presentation for Dragon Age: Origins that was given at E3 2008. Giving the presentation was BioWare's Dan Tudge, who is the project director for the game. He didn't give us a lecture about the game before we actually got to see anything; we jumped right in with another BioWare employee showing us the game, with Dan explaining as we went along.
Dragon Age: Origins is BioWare's spiritual successor to Baldur's Gate. The game itself actually melds Knights of the Old Republic with Baldur's Gate, from what I saw. As experienced in Knights of the Old Republic, you are able to pause the game and give orders, as well as make decisions during the story scenes that can impact the way the story is told to you. The Baldur's Gate influence obviously comes from the actual theme of the game – you're fighting in a medieval-style game with many types of ogres and stuff like that. Maybe even a dragon comes along sometime, not that I saw in the demonstration, however. From the ground up, the game is built as a fantasy game for core RPG fans.
Similar to other recent PC RPGs, there is a bar along the bottom that you can select for certain attacks. This comes in handy when you pause the game and give orders to your allies and your own character. Seemingly, you can change your main party character, although I might be confused to that fact, since I didn't actually see them change it. Hit points and mana seem to recharge as time goes on, not particularly needing someone to heal outside of battle, though it becomes vital to have someone healing as battles get more intense.
The battle system is party-based tactical. You can have a single member or up to four at one time. When I asked how many party members you could have, they said "what we've shown is four." This sort of implies it might be possible to have more than four party members, as they said multiple times that the game is "scalable" combat. If this means you can have a whole army under your command, then it'd be an interesting thing to see, but I wouldn't bet on it.
Obviously a big part of these sorts of RPGs is loot and the inventory system. There will be loot — that much is certain. As for the inventory system, it is said to be more like Baldur's Gate than Mass Effect, which supposedly had complaints about its inventory system. The inventory and equipment system was shown briefly.
As party members go through more and more battles, we see blood and gore that was sprayed by defeated enemies still left on characters. I don't know if it goes away eventually or if it is replaced by new blood, but Dan Tudge was apt to point out that the characters do show signs of being in earlier battles
BioWare is determined on establishing Dragon Age as a new franchise. The "Origins" subtitle is symbolic to BioWare because they are going back to their own "origins" by creating this new game franchise. On top of that, Dragon Age: Origins is meant to be the first in the series, so its meant to give background information that the later games fall back on. They've been working on the game since 2004, so they are definitely planning for the game to be out in 2009 for the PC only.
Tags: A DPB Tag, Dragon Age: Origins, E3, GamersMark, PC game
People: BioWare Corp, Electronic Arts
Fallout 3 (Xbox 360) E3 2008 Preview
Posted on August 1, 2008 by davepoobond (DPB) Leave a comment
Developer/Publisher: Bethesda Softworks
The Xbox 360 version of Fallout 3 made an appearance at E3 2008 in Bethesda's meeting room. Gamersmark, along with a select few others, was given the opportunity to play for exactly 30 minutes. While a half hour isn't exactly a long time to be playing a game of this size, it definitely does let you get enough of a taste and a feel for what the game will offer.
Fallout 3 takes a first person shooter approach to the RPG genre. This approach is unique since we don't see many AAA games that combine those genres. As such, it is really vital to use the Vault-Tec Assisted Targeting System, better known as the VATS, which essentially makes the game into a 3D-Tactical RPG. The VATS is very important to use as most of the enemies you encounter will be hard to shoot in a normal FPS way. Using the VATS depletes an AP counter in the bottom right-hand corner. When you run out of AP, you're able to shoot the enemy using your traditional FPS skills until it recharges. Couple this with a chance that the shot you make doesn't even go straight, on account of your weaponry slowly degrading with use, and the VATS becomes a necessary element of gameplay. We definitely found it difficult to shoot when outside of the VATS.
The gameplay pauses and allows you to choose your target carefully while using the VATS. A percentage will appear for the different body part you want to shoot at and tell you what the chances of hitting it is. You might want to disable an opponent by shooting out their legs so they can't run away or shoot them right in the head if they're about to beat you with a baseball bat. Depending on how much AP you have, you can tell your character to shoot up to four different times – this may change if they let you get more AP or if shooting with different weapons costs more AP.
The only weapons we were able to find and use were a couple of different pistols. The shooting was pretty fun though, as every time you use the VATS system it goes into a cinematic slow-mo shooting sequence. The camera follows the bullet as it shoots through your gun and into your enemy. When you shoot normally, you won't see any of that. We're not sure if there is a way to turn it off, either. Visually, reloading seems a little funky – we couldn't really see what was going on too well for the pistols we used. You also have a flashlight at your disposal at all times, since it is attached to your Vaul-Tec console.
While we weren't able to explore the world in-depth, the game itself looked expansive while we ran around the desolate area that was once a city. There are tons of dead trees, rocks, burned out cars and radioactive water. You could technically call the game a post-apocalypitc Oblivion. The content itself, however, is all about Fallout, so it should be pleasant for series fans once they adapt to the new way to play the game. We were also able to venture into Springvale Elementary and explore the burned-out and barely recognizable remains of the school.
There weren't any noticeable frame rate drops while playing, which is a pretty big change from Oblivion. The graphics are okay, and the sound is also enjoyable. Some textures aren't exactly that great, but the scale of the game is quite large, excusing some of the graphical inconsistencies. Looking out over the expanse of the desolate wasteland is something lends a feeling of awe, similar to the first time we walked around the world of Oblivion.
There are a lot more features in Fallout 3 that we didn't get to experience. Perks, repairing weaponry, finding gear, choosing whether or not to be good or evil; there are so many things that the game will offer. Fallout 3 will definitely appeal to anyone who liked Oblivion, or want to experience something in the Fallout universe.
Tags: A DPB Tag, E3, Fallout, GamersMark, Xbox 360
People: Bethesda Softworks
Resistance 2 (PS3) E3 2008 Preview
Posted on July 19, 2008 by davepoobond (DPB) Leave a comment
Developer: Insomniac Games | Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment
At E3 2008, I had the opportunity to extensively play the multiplayer mode in Resistance 2. The demo was a 60-man multiplayer game, full of Sony and Insomniac Games employees. The single player demo was only available in a limited-access Sony meeting room.
The map we played on was pretty large and looked like a destroyed mountain town. There were cars strewn about, large holes and vastly different areas to see. There was a lumberyard as well as cabin houses surrounded by lots of trees and water.
The gameplay itself is largely intact from the original Resistance. There are a few things however that felt downgraded – at least from what the demo gives the impression of so far. The Chimera themselves seem to play more like the Human characters now. The Human side basically has the same benefits as the Chimera. All characters are able to use one of several special Chimera abilities called "Berserk." Berserk powers are different depending on which side you're on, but you are able to choose your weapon load-out and powers from the get-go. Berserk powers include things like invisibility (while not firing), increased health recovery, more ammo dropped and the like. A Chimera player starts out with one hedgehog grenade this time as well. While this evens the playing field, it feels like it sort of goes against what the first Resistance tried to accomplish.
Some weapons are a little different as well. A few of them got a face-lift, like the Auger and Bullseye. The M5A2 and Rossmore look the same, though. There are also one or two new weapons that are new, namely the Marksman, and the HE Magnum. The Wraith is also allowed for use in multiplayer, which was only available after you completed your primary run-through of Resistance: Fall of Man.
Oddly, I didn't notice any rocket launchers. It could have just been the game mode, but it seems logical that the Wraith is replacing it. Or perhaps you just don't start out with a rocket launcher and must find it on the map before you can use it. The Auger makes a bubble shield now instead of a door-shield, which seems weird, but it makes it easier for shooting through at different angles. The handgun is hard to aim precisely with, though adjusting the sensitivity might fix that. The new shotgun feels worthless; even if you're at point blank range, you'll have a hard time trying to kill someone.
Something I find very disappointing in contrast to the original Resistance is that you can only hold on to two weapons at a time, meaning you have to switch weapons lying on the floor for the one you're currently holding. I enjoyed being able to use any weapon I found on the ground, as it was different than what most popular shooters nowadays like to do.
The game seems to emphasize strategy less than the original in this build. I'm hoping that element of the multiplayer isn't lost when all is said and done. The map we played was just a big open map with a few interesting elements, but in the end it felt like a run-of-the-mill FPS map to me, which is also sort of disappointing considering the first game's maps all had something unique about them.
Resistance 2 looks good for a third-generation PS3 title. The most obvious comparison I could make was against Killzone 2, which was right around the corner, though the games have vastly differing art styles. Here's hoping that the single-player mode has some nice things in store as far as level design and character design.
During my play time, I had an unusual seven-kill spree. I was quite an avid Resistance player when I first purchased my PS3, and I'm definitely looking forward to playing Resistance 2's multiplayer. However, Resistance 2's single player will be the most compelling aspect when it comes to retail.
The demo didn't let me customize controls, but one of the exhibitors said they're still going to add more stuff to the options menu. Pressing R3 for melee was less comfortable than pressing X. You can also now shake the controller to perform a melee attack, which is a fine use for the Sixaxis motion control.
People who liked the first Resistance will probably like Resistance 2. It might appeal to more people because it aligned itself closer to the elements of today's popular shooters. Since the single-player mode aims to continue the story-line, we can expect to at least learn a little bit more about the world that is created in the Resistance games.
Tags: A DPB Tag, E3, game preview, GamersMark, PlayStation 3, Resistance 2
People: Insomniac Games, Sony Computer Entertainment
Persona 3 (PS2) Review
Posted on June 10, 2008 by davepoobond (DPB) 1 Comment
Developer/Publisher: Atlus || Overall: 9.5/10
Persona 3: FES is the answer to any RPG gamer's beckoning for a true, hardcore RPG. In recent years the non-turn-based "Action RPG" has mostly taken over the genre, moving away from the pen-and-paper games they originated from. Developed and published by Atlus, Persona 3: FES is the expanded version of last year's Persona 3, featuring a whole new story arc and an ending to the whole storyline.
Separated into two parts (The Journey and The Answer), Persona 3: FES includes both the original game and expansion released in Japan on the same disc. Taking advantage of a re-release, Atlus added new Personas, events, and other small enhancements to the main game that you wouldn't have seen in the original version. If you hadn't played the original version, you won't notice the difference at all. If you have a Persona 3 save, you're able to import it into a new game of The Journey to play/replay it, or just skip it altogether and go right to the expansion, named The Answer.
Put simply, Persona 3 is a game about a group of high school students who have powers called "Persona." A Persona allows its user to do lots of things like use magic, special attacks, and other stuff an RPG normally lets you do. Essentially, the game could be thought of as two separate but equally important parts: one part of the game, you are going to school, the other part you are fighting monsters.
While at school, you are able to build relationships and gain more power for your Personas with Social Links. Social Links are basically little storylines with particular people you meet. About 20 Social Links are available to explore, and you'll have to tread carefully as going out with two girls at the same time might lead to putting one of those Social Links in trouble. Make a wrong decision in any of your Social Links, and they'll be stuck in a rut. In addition, you have three types of statuses: Education, Charm, and Courage. You'll have to build them up to an appropriate level to discover new Social Links. The most interesting part about this part of the game is that you literally go through every day and choose which events to partake in, just like a normal high school student in Japan may. There is about one year of time to play through, which means nearly 365 days to experience. On the average, it takes me about 10 to 15 minutes to complete each day, not including trips to the dungeon.
The real meat of the gameplay is certainly in the dungeon crawling, which happens during The Dark Hour, a time that most humans are not aware of. With a maximum of four people in your party, you will climb ever-higher in a massive tower called Tarturus, trying to solve the mystery of the tower and the existence of The Dark Hour. The goal at large is to defeat the enemies called the Shadows, who are wreaking havoc on humanity in the local area but could escalate to posing a threat in a larger scope.
You journey through Tarturus, gain more levels, complete mini-quests (called Requests), find loot, and beat the ever-living crap out of all the enemies you encounter. That is the game in a nutshell. Similar to the other Shin Megami Tensei games, you have control over "monsters," but in this case they are called Personas and are your allies in the struggle against the Shadows. The key to victory in any battle is finding and exploiting your enemy's weakness and defeating them as fast as you can by using the appropriate skills. There is also a Persona Fusion system, which you can use to create new Personas. Fans of the series will find that this is pretty standard for the series and not that hard to grasp. Every time there is a full moon, you'll encounter a unique boss fight that breaks up the pace of the game a little bit.
Your main character is a more-or-less mute character that relies on the choices you make to communicate to the other characters in the story. Even further, the choices you make impact your Social Links and, at times, story as far as what other characters say. Usually you don't have a second chance to choose what to say, so you'll have to choose wisely.
The art in the game is pretty nice; you'll feel as if you're in an anime, as it's mostly cel-shaded. Occasionally you'll be treated to an animated cut scene, but they are few and far between. There are quite a few "events" where story takes places, as well as voice acting. The voice actors are almost certainly very enjoyable to listen to, except a couple who are just sort of lame-sounding. In particular, I don't like the voice acting for the character of Ikutsuki, who is the chairman of the high school the main characters attend.
Music is somewhat of a concern, as it sounds Japanese Pop-like. It can get on your nerves since you'll be hearing the same songs constantly over and over. Probably the worst part is that the songs you hear the most have lyrics, and if you actually listen to them, they are embarrassingly bad, especially the Battle Theme. There are some very cool tracks to listen to, however, so it's not a total waste as far as the soundtrack goes.
A lot of time is to be had playing the game. The Journey itself probably would clock in at around 80 to 100 hours (or even more) if you take your time and enjoy it. With the additional episode called The Answer, boasting around 30 hours of extra playtime, the value is there, as long as you like the game to begin with. There is also a "New Game+" sort of thing, so you can replay the main storyline as many times as you like.
To explain what The Answer is without spoiling it, The Answer is a perpetual Groundhog's Day, in which the main characters repeat March 31, 2010 over and over and try to figure out how to stop it after the events of The Journey. Since the same day is repeated, the whole "go to school" thing is pretty much eliminated from the gameplay and you almost exclusively dungeon crawl. Unfortunately, it seems like a few things you are used to from The Journey are taken out, I'm sure for the sake of the story, but in the end it feels like you've lost features.
Persona 3: FES is a massively enjoyable game that can be taken in small doses. A lot of time can be spent with it, and while it may be daunting to undertake a nearly 100 hour game, the hours will seemingly fly by since the fast-paced nature of the gameplay makes it seem like you're actually in high school, developing friendships and hitting on the babes.
Tags: A DPB Tag, GamersMark, Persona 3, PlayStation 2
People: Atlus
Devil May Cry 3: Dante's Awakening Special Edition (PS2) Review
Posted on May 28, 2008 by davepoobond (DPB) Leave a comment
Developer/Publisher: Capcom || Overall: 9.0/10
The Devil May Cry series has been one of the more talked about games recently with the release of Devil May Cry 4, all with the exclusivity to Sony platform being thrown up into the air – but back in the day where none of that mattered, there was a game called Devil May Cry 3: Special Edition for the PS2. The Special Edition is the refining of the original game, Devil May Cry 3: Dante's Awakening, and includes a bunch more goodies that the first version didn't have, as well as a shuffling around of the difficulty modes. Usually action games peak out around ten or fifteen hours, but it's easy to spend at least twice that with Devil May Cry 3: Special Edition.
Put simply, Devil May Cry 3 is an action game with horror and gothic elements. It's not exactly scary, but the game goes back to its roots after Devil May Cry 2's "offensive" locale. Not only that, but there is an actual story that you can comprehend, unlike any of the other games in the series up to this point. Though the story is actually worth its weight in words this time around, the main appeal comes from the gameplay itself, and it speaks volumes. Unlike most games, Normal mode isn't for the faint of heart, and even that is considered "easy" by the original version of Devil May Cry 3's standards.
The Devil May Cry series doesn't have a combo system utilizing different buttons like in God of War. There is one button to use your melee weapon (typically a sword), one button for your guns, and one button for a special move. Used appropriately, you can string together all the different types of attacks to lay some serious hurt on the demons and rack up some impressive combos. Unlike Devil May Cry 2, you'll have to hit the square button over and over if you want to shoot Dante's guns (in Devil May Cry 2, you could just hold it down and it'd fire). As far as Dante's pistols go, the faster you hit the square button, the faster he'll shoot them. As you get different weapons, they all have their own firing rates, so clicking the button as fast as you are able to does not help you all the time. Melee weapons follow a bit different logic, however. A melee weapon has two or three different combos that rely on the | 7,699 |
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The Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan showing love and support with community. Photo: FCN Archives
Again his Jewish opponents picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus said to them, "I have shown you many good works from the Father. For which of these do you stone me?" —John 10:31,32 (NIV)
He it is Who sends down clear messages to His servant, that he may bring you forth from darkness into light. And surely Allah is Kind, Merciful to you. —Holy Qur'an 57:9
Minister Farrakhan embraces a young girl. Photo: FCN Archives
CHICAGO—Strong, uncompromising Black leaders who fight for the liberation of their people have not historically been appreciated or lauded until after they are long gone. It is often easy to reflect on their lives and contributions and talk about how we would have been right there marching, supporting or working alongside such greats as Ida B. Wells, W.E.B. DuBois, Marcus Garvey, Steven Biko, Nelson Mandela, Patrice Lumumba, Malcolm X or Martin Luther King Jr.
But the truth is, they were hated and feared not only by the White power structure of their time, but in many cases, they were not supported by their own Black brothers and sisters. Yet they possessed a dogged determination to work and sacrifice on behalf of their people, without fanfare or accolades.
For over 65 years the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan has given his life for the liberation and upliftment of fallen humanity and in particular, for the oppressed and spiritually dead descendants of slaves—the Black people of America.
He has been a champion of truth, freedom, justice and equality; carrying the mantle of his teacher, the Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad.
Minister Farrakhan at BET Awards commemoration. Photo: FCN Archives
His unwavering love and support of Black people has endeared him to generations. He has taught, guided, counseled and when necessary pointed<|fim_middle|> once again lead by example in striving to bring peace to the streets.
Min. Farrakhan has traveled across the globe teaching millions the importance of living a righteous life in obedience to God. A message that have changed the lives of men, women and children for the better. A message of love, respect, honor and self-reliance.
A young brother happily greets the Hon. Minister Louis Farrakhan. Photo: FCN Archives
Minister Farrakhan and Fidel Castro greet one another. Photo: FCN Archives
Whether teaching on the streets of New York, as the Minister of Temple (as they were called then) No. 7 in Harlem; going into prisons around the county to feed a spiritual word of hope to inmates; impacting the hearts and minds of Black students at colleges and universities around the country; Min. Farrakhan has been there, and he has made a tangible impact despite virulent opposition from the U.S. government. His consistency and defense of Black people is why he is still admired, respected, revered and loved. He has addressed hundreds of Black professional organizations, student groups, churches, and to Black politicians, entertainers, activists in the U.S. and abroad. He has given his time and resources in supporting Black liberation causes regardless of religious affiliation or ideology.
"Brother Farrakhan's messages have consistently been about self-empowerment, self-responsibility, and owning your actions. Righteousness is always his focus and that message resonates across the globe. It is particularly important in communities where a perception exists that these principles do not apply," said Attorney Anthony Gray, who worked with fellow lawyer Benjamin Crump on the Mike Brown Jr. case in Ferguson, Missouri.
"During these times, more than ever, it is so important to stress and press messages like this in order to keep his honorable ideas alive. Without Farrakhan and his powerful messaging along these influences, there is a huge void in a lot of communities. I love to hear him speak about ideas that compel us to adopt responsibility and handling yourself in a professional and upstanding manner. Who else does this better than him? I venture to say, no one!" said Atty. Gray.
Atty. Crump remarked on the consistent support, advice and counsel Min. Farrakhan has always offered him.
"That's what I'm always grateful to the Minister on, and he's always shown compassion to me and my clients in these tragedies where Black people were killed in some of the most unjustifiable ways," said Atty. Crump.
"That's what I tell everybody when they ask about the Minister. People say things. I say, 'This is what I know about Minister Farrakhan,' and then I just get away from them," Atty. Crump told The Final Call.
For over 65 years the Hon. Minister Louis Farrakhan has given his life for the liberation and upliftment of fallen humanity. Here he is with entrepreneur and hip hop legend Damon Dash. Photo: Instagram/@duskopoppington
"As a country and a world, I think we're headed towards a fork in the road. We're at a tipping point in America. And I think as it relates to freedom of speech, it is really being challenged now on many fronts," he added, regarding the relentless, increasing, slanderous attacks against Min. Farrakhan.
The Minister has been an influence and sage to the hip-hop community since the development of the groundbreaking musical genre in the late 1970s. He has continuously taught artists the importance of their role and influence particularly among youth. He has squashed and mediated "beefs" among rappers in efforts to keep the peace.
"I think that some of the things that drew me to the Minister was how he spoke to me personally eye-to-eye," College Park, Georgia rapper 2 Chainz told The Final Call. He was a recent guest of Min. Farrakhan for his worldwide July 4 message, The Criterion, and has attended a lecture at Mosque Maryam at Nation of Islam headquarters in Chicago. The hip hop artist said he grew up in a Baptist background and his grandparents lived next door to a church.
"When I was invited to hear him (Min. Farrakhan) speak he was able to analyze some of those stories because although he NOI, he's still able to teach out of the Bible and make it relate on a level where it's clear and understanding especially for the youth," said 2 Chainz. "I think that's probably why you see a lot of younger being interested in what he has to say about certain things. Because when he breaks stuff down to laymen terms it gives you an understanding whereas you're able to formulate your own opinion based off how it's given. So, if it's given to you in that way that's how I got started rocking with it or just being interested and being in perspective from the industry," he added.
The Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan with Muhammad Ali. Photo: FCN Archives
Through the years, the Minister has spoken at numerous Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) reaching and challenging the minds of young men and women oftentimes declining honorariums. In 2012 after Min. Farrakhan spoke at Southern University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He had a private meeting with members of the SGA (Student Government Association), fraternities and sororities, and students in leadership positions. Monica Butler of the Echelon Center of Baton Rouge was working behind stage with the media team and was permitted to sit in the meeting. "This was my first time experiencing the Minister in person," she explained. "The students had some in-depth questions during the discussion, in which I was thoroughly impressed. But the thing that impressed me the most was the feeling of truth that was overpowering the room, and it all came from him. It was everything he was saying about the Qur'an, the Bible, and Jesus. The responses he gave with these young people bore witness that I was looking at truth right in front of me, and the only thing that deem to be truth to me is the Lord Jesus Christ. So, for me, I saw Jesus and that has affected me, empowered me, and inspired me, from that point on," said Ms. Butler.
When the Nation of Islam fell after the departure of the Honorable Elijah Muhammad, the movement was left for dead in the eyes of many people. But in 1977 the Minister began rebuilding his Father's work and decades later is still going strong.
Actor Wesley Snipes (left) and media personality Ed Gordon (right) Photo: FCN Archives
Min. Farrakhan's importance as a great spiritual leader is something that cannot be overlooked. People of various faiths have dialogued and learned from him and he has spoken in various houses of worship of various Christian denominations; in masjid's and mosques of various Islamic schools of thought and also a synagogue. He has shared the message and teachings of his Father, the Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad all over the world.
"I just want to say I thank Minister Farrakhan for standing up and not being afraid to tell the truth and for lifting up the name of the Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad. He has stood the test of time and have walked his post in a perfect manner keeping always on an alert. And I'm thankful he keeps standing up against these so-called Jews," said Ferguson activist Anthony Shahid.
"I thank Allah that the Minister have kept the Honorable Elijah name up. A man who have taken a scattered and broken people and taught us how to come together and do something for ourselves. I thank the Minister for not deviating from his teacher's teachings," said Mr. Shahid.
"My relationship and knowledge of the Minister goes back more than 55 years," noted Dr. James Smalls, former imam of Muslim Mosque Incorporated (founded by Minister Malcolm X in 1967), an African historian and one of the preeminent scholars in African Studies.
"I have watched him grow as I have grown in these years too. I have watched Minister Louis Farrakhan pick up the spiritual, the political and the cultural banner of Black people. I have watched the Minister come forward in a way that we can even call him a redeemer. People don't like that term, but when you can take the deadest of your people and put life back in them when everybody and every institution in this country has rejected them and threw them to the bush—the Nation of Islam, and particularly in these last 40 years under Minister Louis Farrakhan—has raised and saved more of our people than any other institution in this country," said Dr. Smalls.
Minister Farrakhan and members of his family with legendary rap acts Public Enemy and Treach. Photo: FCN Archives
One of Min. Farrakhan's close friends for over five decades, Abdul Akbar Muhammad shared some historical occurrences when the character assassination attempts about his friend occurred during Rev. Jesse Jackson's run for president in 1984. Rev. Jackson received death threats from members of the Jewish community for his balanced approached to tensions in the Middle East between Israelis and Palestinians.
"The dislike eventually leading to hatred of the Minister because he spoke truth regardless of who it may offend and his boldness to stand up with Rev. Jackson increased the attacks made on him by elements within the Jewish community," said Akbar Muhammad, international representative of the Nation of Islam.
He said during that time a negative propaganda campaign was launched against Min. Farrakhan and powerful Jewish leaders in America blocked the Muslim leader from speaking in Europe. Mr. Muhammad continued "The Jewish element in America pushed the home secretary of England to ban the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan when he was planning to speak in Prince Albert Hall in London and they continued to fan the flames of hatred across Europe against the Minister," he added.
"The attacks against the Minister has persisted so long because if they let his message get to the ears and the hearts of our people across the UK and all of Europe it would change the direction of Black people for the betterment of them now and generations to come."
(Charlene Muhammad contributed to this report)
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"One of the first things that I did with him is when I did the National Peace and Justice Summit," said Harry "Spike" Moss, a longtime activist in Minneapolis. Min. Farrakhan has always been a guide and advisor to and for Black youth and has facilitated peace gatherings between street organizations most notably in the 1990s in Los Angeles and other cities. The Minister has been a steady, consistent and guiding voice in quelling tensions among gangs to stop the fratricidal violence.
Min. Farrakhan greets a young boy while in the community. Photo: FCN Archives
Minister Farrakhan with hip-hop artist Rick Ross.. Photo: FCN Archives
"I had dinner with him at his house in Chicago and that's when I asked him to join me as I kicked off the Gang Summits across the country and he told me that if it's God's will he will be there. When I got back home to Minnesota at about four or five that evening, he called and said that he was coming. Not only did he come, but the Nation (of Islam) paid for about 40 more people to come. And our people were standing outside in line for maybe two blocks long waiting to come into that church to hear him. A true man of his word," said Mr. Moss.
"When you live on his (Minister Farrakhan) every word, as many of us do. You could be having a bad day and you could hear him speak and it'd be like you're not having a bad day. The one thing that you have from his voice is hope, you have courage, you have determination and you have what's called clarity. His leadership has so many followers under him, be they men or women. But it's a message that my people need to hear to grow and to keep standing up and keep fighting for that's the message. It's a very powerful message, truthful message, spiritual message, God felt message," said Mr. Moss.
In 2012 at the age of 80 the Minister led the Fruit of Islam, the men of the Nation of Islam out into the streets of Chicago and other cities to | 465 |
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