What is sport?

Sport is a competitive event designed to entertain people. Individuals or teams compete against one another in order to score points, win prizes or gain acclaim.

The purpose of sport

The original Olympic Games were contests of strength, speed and agility in which soldiers could demonstrate their combat skills. The Greek soldiers tested themselves against other people.
Behind each apparent game was a martial skill - spear throwing, wrestling...

Modern sport is a little more abstract than the ancient Greek games. The skills required to perform the sport cannot always be used in every day life.

Chinese historians have always spoken of Taoism as "the art of being in the world," for it deals with the present - ourselves.

(Kakuzo Okakura)

Sport seems to be a healthy social outlet until you consider it a little deeper. Rivalry, competition, taking sides and animosity are frequent factors in sport.
People exert themselves in order to accomplish a goal and frequently injure their bodies in the process.
Money, medals and fame motivate sports people to push harder and harder, in order to prove something. But prove what? And why?

Curing hunger, cancer, homelessness, poverty?

The money spent each year on sport is astounding. It is a major industry fuelled by the desire to see one person beat another.

Sport is concerned with the end result at the expense of the means. When a person swims, how often do they pay attention to the quality of their movement?
Are they interested in swimming with awareness, of accomplishing a whole-body action? Or are they counting lengths?
Liz Koch, author of The Psoas Book wrote:

Swimming is an activity that can either create structural problems or release them depending upon the way it is taught and practiced. Professional swimmers are known to develop shoulder tendonitis and kyphosis. Overriding head/neck righting reflexes (as occurs when the head is repeatedly turned but the body does not follow) eventually result in overdeveloping shoulder muscles, pinching nerves and distorting the rib cage.

Martial arts

'Martial art' literally refers to a combat system that has been tried in battle/used by professional warriors/soldiers. A martial art is not a sport.
It is a system of combat designed for battle or individual protection.

Self defence

Remember that self defence is not the same as fighting. There is no winning or losing. Your aim is not to gain victory. Your aim is to survive and escape unharmed. If you can simply walk away, you should.
There is no competition involved and no rules.

Taoism sees no purpose in competition. It is regarded as being hostile, conflictive and ultimately without purpose.
Competitions serve to demonstrate something that has no real meaning or value in real terms. The notion of a 'tai chi competition' is a contradiction in terms.

Fa-yen said, "One gains, one loses."

Many people who commence tai chi practice are essentially 'daydreamers'.

Learn from sport

People who undertake sporting activities usually invest a lot of time in thorough training designed to promote good body use, muscle growth and recovery.
These same concerns apply to martial arts training, including taijiquan. All martial arts require the student to be fit for combat.

Martial athlete

Combat is not easy and there is a risk of injury if the student is unfit. This is true of any martial art. To reach a high level of skill, the student needs to take a lesson from sport.
They must become a martial athlete.

The drawbacks of exercise

Not all forms of exercise are necessarily good for you. For example, running may improve cardiovascular health but is also very hard on the joints.
Lifting heavy weights can cause significant tension to accumulate and - if the muscles are large enough - adversely affect the skeleton. Most forms of exercise have pros and cons; especially sport.

Ideal form of exercise

According to the book The Blue Zones it is important to think of exercise in terms of what you can reasonably do long-term.
The ideal form of exercise is moderate enough that you can do it for the rest of your life. It needs to be joint-friendly, provide a gentle workout and be sustainable.
This sounds rather like tai chi, doesn't it?

school database

Page created 18 April 2005
Last updated 19 November 2018


Collage: hand-made paper, mixed technic

Size: h 65 x w 65 cm

The artwork is abstraction from hand-made paper. It comes from the seria "Common things". The idea behind is that there are common things around us that make us happy but we don't recognize them. The artist invite us to pay attention to them. Elegant navy blue and white abstract composition with a touch of pink would complement a modern minimalistic interior ideally.

Key words: collage, contemporary art, artwork on paper, modern art, abstract art


Xiao (flute)
Shop for Xiao flute. Get Xiao Flute essential facts below. View Videos or join the Xiao Flute discussion. Add Xiao Flute to your PopFlock.com topic list for future reference or share this resource on social media.
Xiao Flute
Xiao blowing hole (the hole faces away from the player, against the lower lip, making sure the top lip is not concealing the hole, when the instrument is played. Works on the same basics as blowing air over an empty bottle to create noise.)
A ceramic xiao flute player excavated from an Eastern Han Dynasty (25-220 AD) tomb in Sichuan province
Several dongxiao in the G-key.
A Taiwanese xiao

The xiao (simplified Chinese: ?; traditional Chinese: ?; pinyin: xi?o; Wade-Giles: hsiao, pronounced [?i]) is a Chinese vertical end-blown flute. It is generally made of bamboo. It is also sometimes called dòngxi?o (; ), dòng meaning "hole." An ancient name for the xi?o is shùzhúdí (, lit. "vertical bamboo flute", [?ût?ut?]) but the name xi?o in ancient times also included the side-blown bamboo flute, dizi.

Xiao are almost always made of bamboo, the best being 'purple bamboo' or ; zizhu. Sometimes, the xiao is made of solid wood that has been carved and hollowed out. They can either be made plain, or have a horn inlay at the end and/or various inscriptions along the shaft. Usually, nylon wire bindings along the shaft are wrapped on which attempts to stabilize the bamboo and prevent cracking. Some players tie a tassel to dangle from one of the lower sound holes, purely for decorative purposes.

Varieties of xiao

In addition to the standard dongxiao, there are other types of xiao which includes (but not limited to):

The qin xiao (; ) is a version of the dongxiao, which is narrower and generally in the key of F with eight smaller finger holes, used to accompany the guqin. The narrowness of the qin xiao makes the tone softer, making it more suitable to play with the qin which is a very quiet instrument and a normal dongxiao will drown out its low volume.

The nanxiao (; ), "Southern xiao"), sometimes called chiba (, "foot-eight," an old name still used for the Japanese shakuhachi) is a short xiao with open blowing end used in the Nanyin, the local Fujianese opera from Quanzhou. Typically, the end incorporates a part of the root of the bamboo.

Related instruments

A separate instrument, the paixiao (; ; páixi?o) is a panpipe which was used in ancient China and which, although it remains unusual, has recently had something of a comeback.

The Japanese shakuhachi and hocchiku, Vietnamese tiêu, and the Korean tungso and danso (also spelled tanso), are descended from earlier forms of the Chinese xiao.

See also

External links

Music Scenes


Module I: Introduction

II. Method and Theory in Cultural Anthropology.

A. Ethnographic methods.

The author participating in a cocoa harvest in Ghana in 1972.
My first research project was located in Ghana, West Africa and focused on the social and economic organization of a market place system that connected a large commercial town to a rural hinterland. The main economic base of the locality was cocoa production for export, which was organized through a government marketing board and not the normal marketing system I was investigating. However, I was interested in all sorts of other activities in order to achieve a wide perspective on the local economy and culture. My fellow harvesters were all members of a reciprocal work party, who help on each others farms in turn during periods of peak labour demand. Although no payments are exchanged, everyone gets a reward of food and drink from the host farmer at the end of the day, and a party atmosphere dominates the day's events.

After the initial orientation or entry period, which may take 3 months or longer, the researcher follows a more systematic program of formal interviews involving questions related to research hypotheses and specialized topics. Several different methods of selecting informants are possible. Usually a few key informants (between 10-20) are selected for in-depth sessions, since the investigation of cultural patterns usually calls for lengthy and repeated open ended interviews. Selection of such a small number does not allow for strict assurance of a representative sample, so the anthropologist must be careful to choose subjects who are well informed and reliable. Ethnographic researchers will also train informants to systematically report cultural data and recognize significant cultural elements and interconnections as the interview sequences unfold.

Key informant selection is known as judgement sampling and is particularly important for the kind of qualitative research that characterizes ethnography. Anthropologists will very frequently also need to carry out quantitative research from which statistically validated inferences can be drawn. Accordingly they must construct a either larger random sample or a total population census for more narrowly focused interviewing according to a closed questionnaire design. Other important quantitative data might include direct measurement of such items as farm size, crop yield, daily caloric or protein intake, or even blood pressure or other medical data, depending on the anthropologist's research focus. Aside from written observation and records, researchers will often provide ethnographic representations in other forms, such as collected artifacts, photographs, tape recordings, films, and videos.

To illustrate the range of research techniques that anthropologists regularyly employ, I can enumerate 5 systematic data gathering procedures that I used to study a Ghanaian marketing system:

  1. Intensive open-ended repeated interviews among market traders about their trading practices and their wider social and economic activities.
    (Data was collected from a judgement sample of 50 informants)

  2. A brief survey of all the traders in the market places in the study area.
    (Data was collected from a random sample of 500)

  3. A periodic census of all the trucks leaving the market at the end of the day to determine the type, quantity, and destination of all agricultural goods.
    (Total population of 200)

  4. A census of two neighbourhoods in the central market town to determine basic population characteristics including occupational and migration information.
    (Total population of 1,000)

  5. Interviews with the elders of each market settlement about the history of the establishment, development, and administration of the market and other community institutions.
    (Judgement sample of 20)

Learning Activities

Those of you who would like to find out more about research methods in anthropology can look at two Internet based sources:

Go to Next Section - Objectivity in Ethnography


How to Live Your Passion...Every Day!

Many people dream of doing what they're really passionate about full-time or incorporating it into their everyday life  but few people do. How do you discover your passion and make time for it? How do you take your passion and curiosity and make it into a lasting career or part of your everyday life? And how do you make a lasting difference in this world that becomes bigger than your individual efforts?

Stephanie Goetz

Steph0StephanieGoetz9660.jpganie Goetz is an award-winning news anchor, executive speaker coach, philanthropist, accomplished speaker, and professional trainer. This Emmy-nominated broadcaster anchored and reported more than 5,000 newscasts at NBC, CBS, and ABC affiliates over 10 years.

She's now a media and communications expert who started the communications firm Goetz Communications. Stephanie brings focused, effective communication, leadership, presence, and speaking expertise to CEO's and executives at Fortune 500 companies, start-ups, top levels in law enforcement, and all walks of life. She's a TEDx speaker whose client list includes Microsoft, T-Mobile, Thomson Reuters, Northwestern Mutual, top architectural firms, and North Dakota's current governor.

Through her trainings, she challenges and empowers her clients to take powerful risks and re-think their perspective to live the life they were meant to. With her stories and experience, Stephanie will inspire you to find and LIVE your passion each day. She will give you the practical resources to tap into and use your unique talents - ultimately giving your life more fulfillment and meaning. It's time to get out of your comfort zone, expand your mind, and have fun in the process!


This show has now closed.

Creeper are an English rock band from Southampton. Formed in 2014, the group features lead vocalist Will Gould, guitarists Ian Miles and Oliver Burdett, keyboardist and second vocalist Hannah Greenwood, bassist Sean Scott and drummer Dan Bratton.

Creeper released their self-titled debut EP Creeper in 2014, which was followed by The Callous Heart and The Stranger on Roadrunner Records in 2015 and 2016, respectively. They released their debut full-length album 'Eternity, in Your Arms' in 2017, which debuted at number 18 on the UK Albums Chart.

Formed through their mutual involvement in hardcore punk and post-hardcore groups in the Southampton area, Creeper are musically and stylistically influenced by fellow "goth punk" groups including AFI and Alkaline Trio, as well as more traditional punk rock acts like The Bouncing Souls and glam rock artists such as David Bowie. The band's songwriting is typically led by Gould and Miles. Creeper have been hailed by numerous critics as one of the best new rock bands since their formation, winning a Kerrang! Award and a Metal Hammer Golden Gods Award in 2016.

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Creeper Tickets


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My Summer Internship Experience

I have learned more about philanthropy through my experience working at Huron. I have appreciated the impact of bursaries and scholarships student’s campus life experience. are awarded as way to recognize the efforts of all committed, hard-working, and improving students who were doing well academically, but also those who were contributing to create a better (diverse and inclusive) and welcoming campus space for everyone. Another part of the funds was given to support student register in the work study programs with the University. Other bursaries and scholarships awarded to students based on their financial needs. This serves to reduce all the financial stress and helped these students to keep focused on their studies and work hard to enhance their college student experience while giving back to the community.

On a large scale, The Advancement Internship taught me all that I know about conducting myself in the workplace and how to be effective in all that I do within whatever career path that I choose. I have learned how to present myself and how to actually embody my career and make it part of my life instead of it being just a “job.”Scholarship recipients learn specific subject matter, they learn the importance of philanthropy and giving back. I have concluded that that without the kindness of others, the road to a degree would likely have been much more difficult to most students. I hope this sentiment continues to grow in me through life so that I at some point in life I can find ways to donate to bursaries and scholarships in the future.


5 Ways an App can Increase Employee Productivity in Manufacturing

5 Ways an App can Increase Employee Productivity in Manufacturing

While we spend most of our efforts helping clients, there are times where we step back and reflect on the lessons we learn through these endeavors. I spent half of 2017 working with Crown, a leading innovator in world-class forklift and material-handling equipment. Through the course of this time, I personally saw changes confirming the app we were developing truly was a key factor in an increase in their employee productivity.

Through app usage, Crown developed a productivity mindset and removed organizational obstacles to their workforce productivity. The app gives employees the ability to work efficiently, keep their equipment operational, and ensure that tools or parts are readily available. Employees are now more productive because the former structures and processes, that consumed valuable time and prevented them from getting things done, have been replaced. Now, with higher labor throughput and with the same amount of relative work, they are more productive.

With these efforts in mind, I compiled the following five ways an app can increase a manufacturer’s employee productivity.

1. Reduce movement to optimize task efficiency
There are many factors that can contribute to unnecessary, time-consuming movement including ineffective floor layout; temporarily displacing material, information, tools, or people; and inefficient working methods. Movement can be reduced by strategically placing objects and information within an app, giving employees quick and easy access to this information. This can eliminate the need for time-consuming searches and demonstrations. For example, video of how to operate equipment can help employees better familiarize themselves with key information about the operations, which will empower them to make informed decisions that help improve their overall productivity.

2. Improve scheduling and plan for interruptions to reduce bottlenecksblog image - schedule effectively and plan for interruptions
Companies must act quickly when something goes wrong, or when their process must be put on hold momentarily because of a malfunct
ion, rejections, or any other changes that may occur. By having access to real-time information regarding employees, tools, and materials, adjustments and accommodations can be made for interruptions. Establishing the right system enables a company to determine the feasibility of scheduling requests, estimate the impact, and even minimize the impact it could have on production.

3. Improve equipment reliability
Neglecting to maintain equipment, tools, or software puts the process at risk from unaccounted-for downtime. Furthermore, equipment that is poorly maintained or outdated will affect product quality. By taking a more strategic approach and analyzing performance data for key trends, potential issues can be anticipated and maintenance schedules created to extend the longevity of tools, equipment, and software. An app that displays these maintenance schedules gives employees quick access and keeps them informed on equipment status, enabling them to know which equipment needs repairs and which parts are needed for the equipment beforehand. As a result, there will be plans in place to help avoid disruptions to production due to unplanned downtime.

4. Optimize inventory levels to reduce shortages
It’s difficult to be productive when the proper tools to handle a task are unavailable. Companies need to account for and address short count, unexpected delays, and/or late deliveries. An app with this useful information allows accurate and timely visibility of inventory, keeps users informed on what’s running low, possible issues that might arise, and helps address these issues before they become problems that will affect production. In the cases where the shortages are unavoidable, having this system in place will enable users to account for them and even re-assign resources in the meantime.

5. Automate the processblog image - increase and optimize your inventory
The advancements in robotics, artificial intelligence, and machine learning has reached, or in some cases
surpassed, humans in several different work activities. Having an automated process in production, or even part of an existing process can greatly improve the efficiency and productivity of the process. When the gathering and sending of information is automated, the possibility of human error is eliminated, which effectively prevents disruption to workforce productivity.

At Shockoe, we have been helping businesses increase their productivity by implementing these ideas. We even improved our own process by having systems in place to make our process more productive and efficient, so we can deliver an exceptional product to our clients. Our work with Crown has given us insight on how an application can improve a manufacturer’s productivity. By providing functionality like time tracking, inventory and equipment management, parts logs, order checklists, and more, we have successfully improved productivity for Crown’s workforce. Contact us to take the next step toward improving the quality of your company’s processes and productivity today.

3 Reasons to Update Your Workforce’s Technology

3 Reasons to Update Your Workforce’s Technology

Your workforce’s process is structured, efficient, and tested, but over the past few years, your workforce’s technology may have become outdated. Change can be terrifying, especially when changing an established process.

You’re probably asking yourself, “Is the upgrade worth it?”

We’d like to help you answer that question. Here are top three reasons why an upgrade to your workforce technology should be your priority for 2018:

1. Intuitiveness. Today’s recruits — your new employees — live on their mobile devices. The outdated user experience of older devices may be a hassle for newer recruits to learn. Providing familiar experiences via mobile solutions may speed up training time and productivity.

2. Mobility. If your supervisors currently only have a desktop solution, it may be time to mobilize them. By converting to a mobile solution, your supervisors will be able to spend more time with their team on the floor and reduce their paper trail by using a mobile digital device. Mobility also includes freeing up the hands of employees who handle products, which may allow minimizing steps in a process’ workflow.

3. Credibility. When showcasing your warehouse or workforce to clients, having up-to-date technology would demonstrate the high-tech baseline of your company. Clients want to know that their product is being handled with the utmost care. Stay competitive by removing chaotic manual processes and motivating the workforce with mobile technology. Apps create a better customer experience, which in turn leads to repeat business and long-term revenue growth.

Case Study: Arrow Electronics

In 2015, Shockoe began to develop mobile solutions for Arrow Electronics’ Warehouse Management System (WMS). Arrow’s core mission is to be “five years out”; they strive to incorporate new technologies and electronics to become innovators of the tangible future. They service over 125,000 original equipment manufacturers, contract manufacturers in over 90 countries/465 locations. Arrow looked to build a strategy to extend its WMS into Mobile Solutions to increase productivity in its distribution centers and beyond.

Improvements Arrow saw by upgrading their tech:

  1. Intuitiveness. We replaced warehouse operators’ bulky 7-pound RFID Scanners with lightweight, handheld Bluetooth scanners that can be carried throughout the warehouse and kept in constant connection with their devices. In the upcoming phases, we plan to have the operators be completely hands-free via wearable technology. By exercising our knowledge in the latest user experience research, we were able to bring their processes to color and implement a simple color language for operators to more efficiently understand their app. We also translated supervisor data into easily consumable graphics that allow for easy sorting and customization.
  2. Mobility. Supervisors are no longer tied to their desks; they can now walk along the floor with full access to their data. Within the apps for the supervisor and operator, we implemented a communication tool to allow for easy messaging and scheduling. When an issue arises, operators can easily message their supervisors and supervisors can walk over to resolve issues.
  3. Credibility. By upgrading to bleeding edge technology, Arrow is living up to their mission to be five years out. They are setting themselves up as an ideal example for mobile warehouse solutions.

Deciding to upgrade?

Whether it’s your clients or your workforce, people love when you step up their experience. Ensure user satisfaction throughout the process by developing a schedule for introducing the upgrade, creating a training plan, and introducing a system reevaluation process to minimize the need for larger upgrades down the line.

Here at Shockoe, our team has aided multiple clients with mobilizing their workforce’s technology through mobile apps, Bluetooth technology, and hands-free technology. From rough sketches on paper to launching the final product, we maintain an intimate relationship with our clients to guarantee that their workforce is content and comfortable with changes to their processes. Check out our awesome case studies for upgrading technology:  Arrow, ONEOK, A.C. Moore, and J.B. Hunt.

Note from Editor:

If you’re interested in learning more about our engagement with Arrow, you can watch the full Case Study interview here!


Receiving Manager

Company Name:
Barnes & Noble
Receiving Manager
Store Location: NJ - Deptford - Deptford
Employment Status-: Employee, Full-time
As a Receiving Manager, you are responsible for the daily operations of the Receiving Department, ensuring that they are consistent with our bookselling culture, world-class customer service focus, digital initiatives, and merchandising standards. You foster an employee-centric environment and focus receivers on daily receipt processing in order to maximize sales and productivity to deliver the four core service principles.
Essential Functions:
Deliver positive financial results through efficient execution of receiving and processing of daily receipts, returns, and in-store customer orders.
Plan and assign work to optimize the payroll budget while adhering to the receiving productivity standards, understanding and executing all Integrated Store Operations (ISO) standards.
Protect company assets by accurately completing and submitting all tracking and receiving paperwork, ensuring that processes are followed; partner with your store manager and regional loss prevention manager when issues arise.
Execute e-Planner to standard by customizing, communicating, delegating, and following up on all tasks as the business demands.
Oversee and monitor the new hire orientation and training process, ensuring a smooth acclimation to the store and our bookselling culture.
Support the store to deliver the four core service principles: put the book in the customer's hand, offer to order, offer the Member program, and fast cashiering.
Coach and counsel receivers on performance issues; take appropriate corrective action, in partnership with the store manager.
Prepare and deliver performance reviews to receivers in partnership with the store manager.
Act with integrity and trust, promoting our bookselling culture and core values when interacting with the store team or customers.
Maintain facility's conditions and take action to immediately correct any maintenance issues.
You communicate clearly and direct others to execute the workload.
You relate easily to others, building rapport and collaborative relationships.
You are an effective listener and enjoy working with people.
You remain calm under pressure and act as a settling influence when interacting with the store team.
You are able to learn under and cope with changing conditions and find solutions to issues in any situation.
You are organized and manage your time efficiently, which results in consistent productivity and customer focus.
You should have at least one year of management or supervisory experience and an understanding of systems, inventory management, and flow and productivity standards.
You should have strong written and verbal communication skills.
You are expected to work primarily in the receiving area, and also on the selling floor when necessary, which requires physical activity including prolonged standing, repetitive bending, climbing and lifting up to 50 pounds.

Don't Be Fooled


I have swelling on one side of my posterior skull. I had a head injury many years back. I had c-t scan also. Can this swelling develop into tumor?

Sounds unlikely. Soft tissue swelling doesn't usually develop into a malignancy but need to know why you have the swelling. Is it new? You should be examined carefully.
Unlikely. Usually not. Here is some additional reading on risk factors and brain tumors. http://www.cancer.net/cancer-types/brain-tumor/risk-factors.
Unlikely. It is unlikely. If the swelling is getting larger or is getting more painful then it needs to be re-evaluated to make sure that it does not represent a sarcoma or any other kind of soft tissue tumor.


On May 2, the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) reiterated the importance of coordinating and harmonizing regulatory requirements with the SEC. In prepared remarks issued before FIA’s 40th Annual Law and Compliance Conference, CFTC Commissioner Brian Quintenz stated that its internal cryptocurrency enforcement task force will work in cooperation with its SEC counterparts on cases involving virtual currency. “Both agencies’ Divisions of Enforcement have demonstrated their commitment to work closely to prosecute fraud and ensure that differences in product nomenclature do not enable bad actors to slip through jurisdictional cracks,” Quintenz said. The agencies plan to update their existing 10-year-old memorandum of understanding to facilitate the sharing of information related to, among other things, swaps and security-based swaps data, fintech developments, and market events.


Straight from the horse's mouth, Dr Stuart McGill, an expert on lower back pain said:

- "Do enough sit-ups, does not matter who you are, you will hurt your discs. Think of the low back like a credit card, if you keeping bending it back and forth, eventually it will break. Some people may have more “bending cycles” but the principle is the same for all."

- "Athletes use this core as a “spring for stiffness.” They do not take their torso and bend them under load. i.e. A throw or punch = The hips generate the movement–>stiffness is produced by the core (spring stiffens)–>followed by the power in the shoulder."

- “Hollowing or sucking in your stomach to “activate” transverse abdominis is basically stupid for healthy individuals. Nothing new here. You brace your stomach. Hollowing will decrease performance (you don’t suck in to lift heavy weights).”

Keep an eye out for four of my favourite core functioning exercises to be posted up this week...


OVER the past couple of years, the Dug and I have been travelling the length and breadth of Scotland, talking to local Yes and SNP groups about Scottish independence. But on Wednesday, we had a new and different experience. We were invited to come along by Aled Gwyn Job of Yes Cymru to give a talk to the organisation’s local group in the picturesque town of Caernarfon, deep in the heart of Welsh speaking Wales.

Yes Cymru is one of the newest and fastest growing organisations in the Welsh political scene. Directly inspired by the network of Yes groups across Scotland, Yes Cymru was founded in 2016 by Iestyn ap Robert who wanted a national grassroots organisation to promote the cause of Welsh independence in a nation where Plaid Cymru seems to many to blow hot and cold on the topic. Like the Yes groups in Scotland, Yes Cymru consists of a network of autonomous local groups. At the last count there were some 36 of them to be found in every corner of Wales.

READ MORE: Not-for-profit group ayeMail crowdfunding cash to make new Indy Kits

Independence supporters in Wales look enviously on the Scottish scene. Within Scotland we all too often concentrate on our weak points, exacerbated by an overwhelmingly anti-independence media which revels in perceived divisions or disagreements within our movement.

Seen from the outside however, observers of Scottish politics are struck by a large, diverse, and powerful grassroots movement which has branches in every part of the country and which is independent of any single political party. They are impressed that the Scottish independence movement has been able to ensure that the topic of Scottish independence isn’t merely normalised in political discourse, it is the most important topic around which the rest of Scottish politics revolves.

There are important similarities between Scotland and Wales. We are both devolved nations within the UK. We both have a long history of trying to assert our identities and political independence in the face of our much larger and more powerful English neighbour.

READ MORE: Pipers for Indy 'proving doubters wrong' with their project

We were both scourged by Thatcherism and struggle to make our voices heard within the political structures of the UK.

However there are also some very important differences. On my trip to Caernarfon it was heartening to hear the Welsh language spoken all around. The language appears everywhere, in shop signs and on commercial premises as much as on official signage. People in the street speak the language to one another, and to strangers.

On mistakenly entering a shop which didn’t allow dogs, I was politely informed in Welsh that dogs were not permitted. That wouldn’t have happened in Gaelic speaking districts in Scotland, where in my experience Gaelic speakers only use Gaelic to address those they are familiar with.

READ MORE: Marchers prepare to go Forward As One for quality day of events

The prominence of the Welsh language means that language issues play an equally prominent role in Welsh independence politics. That’s very different from Scotland, where even those of us who are passionate about Gaelic and Scots recognise that language issues are minor in the independence campaign.

Welsh is the everyday language of some 20% of the Welsh population, and those Welsh speaking districts are the heartland of both Plaid Cymru and pro-independence sentiment.

One of the key aims of Yes Cymru was to bridge the divisions within Wales. Wales can, according to some observers, be categorised into three broad regions.

READ MORE: This is the most likely independence timetable

There’s Wales Cymraeg, the Welsh speaking areas in the north and West, there’s Welsh Wales, the largely English speaking industrial districts which still have a strong sense of a Welsh identity, and then there’s British Wales, the English speaking regions in the North East and South East which have close ties to their neighbouring regions across the border in England, and where the sense of a Welsh identity is weaker.

Traditionally, Welsh politics have been dominated by the Labour Party, which allied British Wales and Welsh Wales against Wales Cymraeg. Yes Cymru seeks to change that, and to ally Wales Cymraeg with Welsh Wales in order to form a majority which is receptive to the idea of greater self-government, and indeed full independence, for Wales.

Their goal is to do what Yes Scotland has done, and to normalise the idea of independence in Welsh political discourse. The rapidly expanding network of Yes Cymru branches is proof that this idea is falling on fertile ground.

Wednesday night’s talk in the meeting room of a hotel in Caernarfon was packed out, with standing room only. It’s yet more proof that it’s not just in Scotland that there’s a widespread dissatisfaction with the British state, and a sense that if the smaller nations of the UK seek something better, we’re going to have to do it for ourselves.

The enthusiastic attendance at the meeting demonstrated that the energy and willingness is there. People in Wales have been watching Scotland’s experience closely, and are determined to apply the lessons of the Yes Scotland movement to their own circumstances. For me, that was the most heartening aspect of my trip to Wales – the discovery that Scotland is a model that others are learning from.


NBA Scouting Reports, Pacific Division (Part Four)

NBA Scouting Reports, Pacific Division (Part Four)
Aug 20, 2008, 09:47 pm
Continuing our series of articles filling out our database with scouting reports of every single NBA player, we look at the last team in the Pacific division, the Phoenix Suns.

Chicago Bulls, Cleveland Cavaliers and Detroit Pistons
Milwaukee Bucks and Indiana Pacers
Atlanta Hawks, Charlotte Bobcats and Miami Heat
Orlando Magic and Washington Wizards
Dallas Mavericks, Houston Rockets and Memphis Grizzlies
New Orleans Hornets and San Antonio Spurs
Golden State Warriors and Los Angeles Clippers
Los Angeles Lakers
Sacramento Kings

Phoenix Suns

Leandro Barbosa

Overview: A lightning quick combo guard who is a rather unique commodity. Has good size and length for a point guard, but plays most of his minutes at the 2. An outstanding athlete who may be the fastest player in the NBA. Almost impossible to keep out of the lane once he gets going. Will knock down shots from the perimeter at an excellent rate in addition to being able to get almost anywhere on the floor. Will show some rudimentary playmaking skills from time to time, and is capable of giving his team a few nervous minutes per game at the point. Doesnt offer much defensively. Played professionally in Brazil until 2003. Has developed significantly since entering the League. Won the NBA Sixth Man Award in 2007. Not a model of consistency, but very good at what he does nonetheless.

Offense: An efficient offensive player who gets most of his shots in spot, transition, and pick and roll situations, and is most comfortable operating in transition. Shows a very quick release and consistent form on his jump shot. Doesnt get great elevation or have a high release point, making the speed he releases that much more important. Great catch and shoot player. Isnt bothered by a hand in his face. Very good from three-point range, and relies very heavily on this part of his game, taking about 40% of his attempts from behind the arc. Doesnt have much of an in-between game--tends to avoid taking midrange shots. Usually either takes 3-pointers or drives the ball all the way to the basket, due to his average ball-handling skills and unorthodox shooting mechanics. Takes some questionable short-range jumpers when met with a defender, since he often doesnt have the body control to slither his way around him. Will beat most help-side defenders to the rim due to his unreal quickness. Gets out in transition for long outlet passes about as well as any guard in the league. Has one of the Leagues most explosive first steps. Proves to be a capable finisher despite his size. Wont try to dunk on anyone. Knows how to use his body and the rim to shield the ball, but could do a better job initiating contact and drawing fouls. Probably at his best in transition. Will blow by defenders with ease in fast break situations, or set up for outside jump shots. Shows average ball handling ability, and noticeably favors driving left, but isnt turnover prone at all. Uses his speed, not his handle, to be effective. Often looks out of control by the time he gets to the rim. Doesnt draw as many free throws as you might expect, but hits the ones he gets at a solid clip. Not the type of player you can isolate at the top of the key and ask to create his own shot by himself. Most comfortable using a screen or operating in space in the open court. Not the most creative player around--wont bring much to the table as a passer. Can be a decent drive and dish player, but is prone to looking for his own shot. Not a point guard by any means, looks like a bit of a fish out of water when asked to be a primary ball-handler and run a complex half-court offense. Will always be limited by his size and average skill-level, but can put up big numbers (and do so efficiently) due to his speed and shooting ability, particularly playing next to a playmaker like Steve Nash and in an up-tempo system.

Defense: A very poor defensive player, despite having the prototypical physical traits of a ball hawking point guard, due to his poor fundamentals. Often asked to defend taller players, leaving him at a disadvantage. Has great quickness, but is lackadaisical and will get taken off the dribble frequently. Doesnt get low enough to effectively use his speed defensively and isnt tall enough to contest the shots of most two guards. Susceptible to being isolated against out on the perimetersomething that every team seems to do once he comes in the game. Seems to stay too high when closing out, making it easier for his man to get to the rim. Will miss a rotation every now and again. Awareness is just average, even when he does try to turn up his intensity. Gets a steal every now and then by virtue of his tremendous foot speed. May be better suited guarding point guards, but isnt able to playing mostly next to Steve Nash, who is no stopper himself.

Matt Barnes

Overview: A scrappy, experienced combo forward who has found a home in the NBA thanks to the aggressive mentality he brings to the floor. Not afraid to lower his shoulder and dish out contact. A self-made player--bounced around the NBA and D-League early in his career, considered more of an undersized PF in college, but did done some nice things as a Warrior, even if hes yet to be rewarded for that with a contract. Cutting down on turnovers and improving his jumper have been key for his career, although he tends to fall in love with it excessively these days at times. Has prototypical size for a wing at 6-8. Runs the floor extremely well, and has above average explosiveness. Will put up nice offensive numbers from time to time, although not efficiently. Gives his team toughness and some perimeter shooting ability, even if hes prone to long bouts of inconsistency from beyond the arc. Plays with energy and can make some plays on the defensive end. A terrific rebounder, possibly Golden States best when he was there, despite his size. Still a bit too inconsistent, but hes still improving. Played four solid years at UCLA, but wasnt an elite collegiate player. On the gridiron, was one of the top receiver prospects in the nation as a prep.

Offense: Played the 3 and the 4 for Golden State offensively, mostly taking advantage of mismatches. Not what you would call an overly skilled player. Gets the vast majority of his shots from spot ups and fast breaks. Very aggressive with his shot selectionhas the utmost confidence in himself. Will take some ill-advised threes when spotting up. Shows a very ugly shooting stroke, shooting the ball on the way down with very little elevation, but hes managed to somehow make it work with semi-decent results. Uses his arms to get the ball to the rim, which hurts his consistency. Still capable of getting hot from that distance. Used to not be able to shoot at all, but has become passable from distance thanks to hard work, even if he has a tendency to rely on it too heavily now. Ball-handling skills are poor. Rarely gets to the free throw line. Pull-up jumper is not very effective. Gets a little too aggressive at times. Actually has a very nice feel for the game, though. Moves well off the ball, and is a very good passer for his position. Gets some easy looks at the rim by running the floor hard in transition, beating other players down the court with sheer tenacity. Needs to work on his free throw shooting, but isnt too bad from the stripe. Will crash the glass, especially when hes following transition plays.

Defense: Solid defender on the perimeter who had a tough time defending the power forward spot when the Warriors use small line ups. Not strong enough to defend true post players, but puts in the effort. Has a tough time keeping them on his back when boxing out. Gives fouls in the paint when hes beat. Much more apt at defending the perimeter, even though he suffers from a very poor wingspan. Quick feet and size help him deny penetration. Great rebounder considering his size. Capable of anticipating passes and deflecting them. Decent shot blocker as well.

Raja Bell

Overview: A defensive specialist who is able to contribute offensively in an efficient manner. Possesses solid size and average athleticism for an NBA shooting guard. Not overly quick or explosive, but has gotten the most out of his physical assets throughout the years. Developed his offensive game early in his career. Capable shooter with mediocre ball skills. Used to be a liability offensively, but molded himself into a threat. Makes hustle plays on both ends. Native of the Virgin Islands. Played two years at Boston University before finishing his eligibility at Florida International University. Spent time in the CBA to earn a spot in the League. Began to make a significant impact on the NBA level with the Jazz as a fourth year player. Parlayed two good seasons in Utah into his current deal with the Suns. Has continued to perform as a high level, but has seen his numbers decline recently. Still plays with a lot of heart, but has become more and more one-dimensional each season, and may have peaked already. Has a bit of a temper, which is part of the reason he plays with such an edge.

Offense: A self-made offensive player that does most of his damage in catch and shoot situations. Has worked extremely hard to become a threat from the outside, and now takes nearly 60% of his field goal attempts from beyond the arc. Displays a fundamentally sound stroke with great range and solid quickness. Does a great job getting himself into position to show, using very polished perimeter footwork to shoot the same shot every time. Runs the floor well and always makes himself available when his teammates are attacking the rim. Moves well off the ball using screens very effectively. Possesses great range and has become a deadly three point shooter, one of the most prolific in the league. Primarily a catch and shoot player, but has developed a decent pull up jumper. Can knock shots down driving in either direction, but prefers to pull up when going left. Not very effective when driving right. Shows decent ball-handling skills, but isnt quick enough to use them to get to the rim. Cant turn the corner. Will have many of his drives cut off. Does a good job attempting to draw fouls with his fakes, but will often jump into the defense leading to bad shots and turnovers when he doesnt get a call. Gets to the rim at an alarmingly low rate. Doesnt go to the line at all for that reason, but shoots a tremendous percentage from the stripe. Capable of finishing at the basket, but only when the defense is out of position. Not a very good leaper and thus struggles to finish in traffic. Will get some assists in the flow of the game, but isnt a playmaking passer. Doesnt turn the ball over at all thanks to his smarts and risk-free style of play. Has worked hard to become a serviceable scorer, but lacks the athleticism to take advantage of all of his skills.

Defense: A tremendously intense defender that works as hard as any player in the game to keep his man from scoring. Always draws the toughest defensive perimeter assignment. Wont force many turnovers or block many shots. Isnt going to take any unnecessary risks or sell out his teammates by gambling. Plays a very sound and physical style of defense. Does a great job working through screens and sticking to his man like glue off the ball. Always knows where his help is. Denies penetration well, but has a hard time defending more athletic players that can turn the corner. Maximizes his physical assets defensively by working hard on every possession. Not afraid to flop in order to get a call. Will play a bit dirty at times, knows how to push the limits with his veteran savvy. Will help out with rebounding duties, but is an asset due to primarily to his man-to-man defense both on and off the ball.

Boris Diaw

Overview: A long, versatile forward who has had his ups and downs production wise, but remains one of the NBAs most unique role players. A positionless player who sees minutes offensively at the 3, 4 and even the 5 on occasion, but is capable of passing the ball better than many point guards. Guards the 1-5 defensively. Possesses great size for the perimeter and adequate height for a power forward. Doesnt have ideal bulk for the low post, but is crafty enough that it doesnt really matter. Would really be well served by improving his outside shot. Not very quick or explosive, but is fluid in the open floor and shows good lateral quickness defensively. An outstanding passer who can act as a catalyst for his teammates offensively. Was a very distinguished player on the junior national level for France. Became a force in the French League as well. Wasnt an overnight success in the NBAneeded the combination of Mike DAntonis creativity and Steve Nashs playmaking skills to find his niche in the NBA. Won the NBA Most Improved Player Award in 2006. Made significant strides in his game, but has seen his conditioning drop-off dramatically after he signed his lucrative contract. Criticized for a certain lack of mental toughness. Often too unselfish for his own good, prone to inconsistency and passivity. Losing weight may help improve his relatively average athleticism.

Offense: Gets about one-third of his touches in catch and shoot situations from the midrange, but gets his shots from a plethora of different situations. Shows a decent mid-range jump shot that doesnt have great range or consistency. Seems to have developed a habit of flicking the ball at the rim rather than using his legs to generate power. This is largely due to the fact that he naturally leans to the left when he shoots. Doesnt make a lot of threes, which makes him a bit difficult to plug into just any offensive situation. Not a great catch and shoot player, but will make a shot or two on occasion. Nothing that can be relied upon consistently though. Struggles with his pull-up jumper as well. Gets quite a few touches in the post, and might be at his best here. Gets the vast majority of his touches on the left block, turning over his left shoulder for easy baby-hooks. Knows how to use his strong trunk to back his man down, which makes him a pretty solid weapon against certain types of player. Will show an up-and-under move or a full hook periodically. Poses a match up problem for most small forwards on the block due to his size and wingspan. Always keeps his head up for a teammate (usually Amare Stoudemire) flashing into the paint. Has very good ball handling ability for a player his size. Isnt quick enough to turn the corner, but will dribble his man down into the post and go to work. Wont be as effective when he has to create his own shot. Takes some bad off-balance short-range shots when he cant get an open look at the rim. Not the most explosive finisher at the rim, and struggles with contact. Goes to the line at a low rate due to his aversion to contact. Not an awful foul shooter, but not a good one either. Will grab an occasional offensive rebound. Sets decent screens and runs the floor well. Passes the ball wonderfully for a player his sizeamong the leagues best forwards in this area. Shows great court vision, but is often unselfish to a fault. One of the more versatile offensive players around. Not consistent enough to be a major threat, and not a great matchup against certain teams. Definitely needs to be in the right system to fully utilize his extremely unique skill-set.

Defense: Capable of defending almost any position depending on the matchup, and is often forced to due to Phoenixs limitations with Steve Nash. Has great length and is extremely crafty on this end of the floor. Doesnt force many turnovers or block many shots. Has the size to defend the post and the quickness to defend the perimeter. Shows good footwork on the defensive end and will get in a good stance on the ball. Seems to put a good effort in on this end of the court. Wont get many rebounds, tending to look for transition opportunities rather than help out on the glass. Not a dominant presence, but is useful due to the number of positions he can defend.

Gordan Giricek

Giricek left the NBA to sign with Turkish Euroleague team Fenerbahce

Overview: A veteran shooting guard who can be an asset to a team that needs bench scoring. Good size and bulk for his position. Not incredibly fast or explosive. Leaping ability is suspect. Average athlete overall. Very talented offensive player, extremely aggressive even, but is still limited in some ways. Competes defensively, but will struggle at times due to his lack of athleticism. Continued to play in Croatia, his native country, after being drafted in 1999. Didnt come to the NBA until 2002. Has become a solid player, but was unable to garner big enough NBA offers to justify passing up huge deals in Europe. Signed with Turkish Euroleague team Fenerbahce-Ulker in August of 2008.

Offense: A very aggressive offensive player who is not afraid to hoist up shots from the perimeter any time he has space. Gets half of his offense off of jumpers off of screens and spot ups. Has a very nice stroke, along with the size and quick release needed to get his shot off effectively. Solid catch and shoot guy, and very effective coming off screens. Not a one-dimensional player. Will put the ball on the floor occasionally to score, but would rather just pull the trigger as soon as he catches. Good pull up shooter. Displays solid consistency from three point range. A threat to score at any given moment. Very aggressive, and comes off the bench ready to get going. Works off the ball intelligently, and knows how to mix up his drives with his jumpers. Not athletic enough to be an effective finisher at the rim. Wont set up his teammates, but isnt turnover prone either. An offensive role player due to his ability to put the ball in the basket from the outsidemore of a 3 these days due to his limitations defending shooting guards.

Defense: An average defender who is competitive enough to put the effort in, but doesnt always have the athleticism to defend more physically gifted wing players. Will make some heady plays from time to time, and tries his best to stay in front of his man, as evidenced by his high foul rate. Lacks the lateral quickness to keep ball handlers out of the lane consistently. Does a decent job rotating out on the perimeter and getting a hand up on shooters. Wont make an effort to contribute on the glass. Better defending small forwards than shooting guards.

Grant Hill

Overview: One of the best players of his generation between the years 1995 and 2000 or so). Was once arguably the most explosive offensive player in the NBA. Was incredibly fluid, agile, and made his fair share of highlight-reel plays above the rim. No longer able to take over a game with his athleticism. Has good size and strength for a small forward. Still athletic for his age, but all those ankle surgeries have slowed him significantly. Overcame a number of major setbacks and remains a very good NBA player. Plays a very savvy offensive game, and still extremely skilled and efficient. Has good versatility on both ends. Not athletic enough to be the defender he once was, but is still solid due to a strong work ethic and great court sense. Won two NCAA Titles during his four years at Duke. Was named Atlantic Coast Conference Player of the Year as a senior. Won the NBA Rookie of the Year Award in 1995. Was even more dominant in the NBA than he was in college. Instantly became one of the games most promising young talents. Fulfilled his potential to an extent, but was cut down by serious injuries in his prime. Seven time All-Star. A great leader on and off the floor. Offers a great presence in the locker room for younger players to emulate. Shows a very placid demeanor for the most part, but is a fierce competitor. A true professional who could have been one of the all time greats.

Offense: Gets almost one-third of his offense in transition with another third coming in catch and shoot situations. Uses his great experience and savvy to be effective in a variety of different ways, and rarely takes bad shots. Possesses a nice shooting stroke, but doesnt have great range. Shoots the ball from almost directly in front of his body with good elevation and nice follow through. Has just now in his career started to shoot more NBA 3-pointers, but is exceptionally smart at finding spots in the 16-18 foot range to get his very effective mid-range jumper off. Capable of knocking down pull up jumpers going left or right, although he prefers going right. Finishes plays at the rim at an extremely high rate despite his lack of leaping ability. Shows great touch and works hard to get himself easy opportunities at the basket. Runs the floor well, and will knows what angles to attack to fearlessly get to the rim. Wont be isolated that much in half court situations, but moves extremely well off the ball, leading to touches inside. Plays off his teammates as well as any player in the League. Fantastic at identifying and taking advantage of opportunities to cut to the rim. More of a smart passer than a playmaker now that hes not able to rely on his freakish athleticism to draw defenders. Very good solid ball handler, but will turn it over periodically when he gets caught in the lane. Gets to the line at a decent rate and shoots a great percentage. Will help out on the offensive glass. No longer the explosive top-level scorer he once was, but a smart veteran who is extremely efficient and very productive considering how much hes changed his game over time.

Defense: A capable defender that is smarter than he is talented. Doesnt have the physical assets to be a lock down defender anymore. Used to get a lot of steals, isnt able to force turnovers like he used to. Will get in a good stance and try to stay in front of his man, but will get beaten off the dribble by quicker players. Tends to play off his man to avoid getting beat. Wont miss many rotations. Isnt an ideal on-ball defender, but maximizes what quickness he does have left with hard work and great anticipation. Grabs quite a few defensive rebounds for a player that does most of his damage in transition. Not an ideal option against elite scorers, but a nice perimeter defender considering his experience-level.

Steve Nash

Shaquille ONeal

Overview: One of the best centers in the history of the game. Huge, powerful, and at one point, a dynamic leaper with surprising mobility. No man his size could move like he used to. Numerous injuries and old age have slowed him, but his size still makes him an asset. Has struggled with conditioning problems ever since leaving the Orlando Magic. Not the game changing force he used to be, but shows flashes of dominance every now and then. Has been on a steady decline for the last three years now. Was simply unstoppable around the basket throughout most of his career. Could get position and finish with either hand. Dunked everything with authority. Developed some nice passing skills over time. Never had the ability to make things work at the charity stripe. Was an elite rebounder on both ends. Protected the rim about as well as any player the game has ever had to offer. Committed and was the victim of innumerate fouls. Managed to remain effective even after his quickness began to subside. Has played a watered down version of his game in recent seasons due to injuries and general wear and tear starting to catch up with him physically. Was a force as a collegiate at Louisiana State. Unanimously voted a first team All-American as a sophomore and junior before declaring for the draft. Garnered Player of the Year honors in his junior season as well. Won the NBA Rookie of the Year Award in 1993 with the Magic. Proceeded to play in fourteen All-Star games, win an NBA Most Valuable Player Award, and be named one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History. Won three NBA Championships with the Lakers in 2000, 2001, and 2002 before winning another with the Heat in 2006. His relationships with former teammate Kobe Bryant and current teammate Dwyane Wade have been well publicized. A prominent figure, with a great sense of humor, he is truly one of the most entertaining players in the League off the floor. Always quotable. The type of player that emerges once every few decades.

Offense: Gets roughly three quarters of his offense with his back to the basket in the post. Gets position with ease, and is simply unstoppable when he gets too deep. Displays average foot quickness at this point due to his recent injury problems, but used to have a simply ridiculous spin move that would allow him to get past his man even when he had no space. Still knows how to use his body to get his shot off when he wants it. Doesnt get as many touches as he used to. Seems to just fire the ball at the rim, but that has always worked for him when he was able to get deeper positioning inside. Worked extremely hard to polish that aspect of the game. Can still catch the ball, turn, and knock down shots when defenders collapse around him. Never found the same success at the stripe, but he may simply not have the physical potential to ever be even a mediocre foul shooter. Has become one of the best passers in the game at his position and still sees double teams at an alarming rate. Doesnt make as many great passes as he used to, and has a harder time keeping the ball when he goes to make a move. Not the player he used to be, but still able to make a big impact on his better days. Tremendous offensive rebounder. Still draws a lot of attention when hes on the floor despite his shortcomings.

Defense: Provides an imposing presence from the weakside, but doesnt have the speed to rotate over and make plays as frequently as he used to. A bit of a liability defending the pick and roll, as he doesnt have the quickness to get out and hedge a screen, which makes things extremely difficult for his entire teams defense. Will still block quite a few shots, but at the expense of getting into foul trouble frequently. Gets called for some fouls that wouldnt be as conspicuous if he wasnt so strong. Can push his man off the block without much effort. Will lock down his area when rebounding, but wont go outside of his area to grab boards. Doesnt have the incredible physical assets that he did when he was a dominant defensive force.

Amare Stoudemire

Overview: One of the NBAs brightest young stars. Simply tremendous athletically. Has good size and a big frame for a post player. Still has room to add weight as his career progresses should he choose to shift from power forward to center when Shaquille ONeal moves on. Unbelievably explosive, and benefitted from the Suns incredible medical staff when he had to bounce back from his knee surgery. Very quick leaper. Possesses an unreal first step for a player his size. A physical specimen who has rounded out his offensive game. Almost impossible to guard due to the development of his midrange game. Not the most involved defensive player. Was utterly dominant on the high school level. Went from Cypress Creek HS (FL) straight to the NBA and the Rookie of the Year Award. Beginning to hit his stride against after missing his fourth year as a pro due to an injury. Three time All-Star. One of the best young players in the game. Should be a dominant force for a long time, as long as hes willing to be coached and co-exist within a team structure, which evidently isnt always the case.

Offense: Gets his touches from a very equal blend of diverse situations including: spot ups, fast breaks, cuts, post ups, isolations, and pick and rolls. Ranks as one of the most efficient offensive players in the game due to the number of open looks he gets at the rim. Is the beneficiary of great guard play and a tremendous supporting cast, but is a tremendous talent as well. Does a great job moving into the open area at the rim when his teammates draw his defender. Runs the floor well, and trails plays straight to the rim looking for putbacks. Makes extremely quick cuts to the rim from the high post. Has no trouble finishing at the rim. Uses his incredible athleticism to weave around defenders for easy lay ins. Blows by his man, even with very limited room to operate. Likes to take a dribble left and use his extremely explosive first step to get his man next to him before using his footwork to seal his man away from the ball. Uses leverage to get to the front of the rim or get position for offensive rebounds. Has become a great catch and shoot player. Has a very high release point on his jumper and nice touch. Capable of turning over either shoulder to score with his back to the basket. Uses incredibly quick up and under moves and drop steps. Goes right at his defender and heads to the line at a very high clip. Shoots a pretty good percentage from the charity stripe. Pretty good on the pick and roll. Good offensive rebounder. Loses the ball periodically when he puts it on the deck around the rim. Simply too explosive to contain for most defenders.

Defense: A nice weakside shot blocker who is starting to improve his defense on a night-to-night basis, but still has a long way to go. Doesnt maximize his physical tools regularly on defense. Wont get in a low stance to defend the perimeter or use leverage as effectively as a he does offensively when defending the post. Tends to not hedge the pick and roll despite the fact that he is more than capable of doing it. Wont commit when he does, leading to easy outlet passes. Likes to stand in the middle of the paint and wait for the play to come to him. Isnt a very good man-to-man defender, but can be when he makes the effort to force tough shots. Extremely foul prone. Doesnt grab many defensive rebounds. Has always been paired with a more prolific rebounder. Could stand to work harder on the glass. Needs to dedicate himself on the defensive end to take his team to the next level.

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The Answered of Relationship Question

Why do we think that other people can answer our questions better than we can?

Why are we always giving our power away like this?

I mean, just because someone can look at our relationship situation dispassionately does NOT mean that they know what answer is going to work best for us.

That’s what I say, anyway, because I believe we already know the answers to any questions or problem situations that seem to exist in our lives. We’re all pretty smart, really, if only we’d trust ourselves a bit more.

And if we get it wrong, sometimes, we get it wrong. Hey, what would you have learnt about walking or talking if you were never able to make a mistake as a child?

Anyway, it seems that people do give their power (wisdom) away, especially when it comes to relationship questions. “Please help me!”, they urge, when if they just trusted their own inner wisdom a bit more they’d find their own answer soon enough.

Thus this article…
So, according to the relationship advice forum I’ve been running since 2011 (and a few other reliable online relationship resources), these are the top 10 relationship questions that people seem to be asking:

1. Are they interested in me?

2. Why won’t they commit to me?

3. How to deal with controlling relationships?

4. Why don’t they trust me?

5. How far should I travel for love?

6. How can I get them to… ?

7. Importance of sex in relationships?

8. How do I learn to trust again?

9. Why do we keep breaking up?

10. Should I leave them?

(Nicely sum up the path that most relationships take, don’t they, these relationship questions.)

I’m going to spend the rest of this relationship questions article briefly answering these questions, by way of generalisation, but also in such a way that helps you find your own answers. Because, in truth, only you know what’s going to work for you in your relationship.

Okay, let’s go then…
“Sometimes love isn’t fireworks, sometimes love just comes softly.” — Janette Oke

Question 1. Are they interested in me?

Hmm, there really is ONLY one way to find out if someone is interested in you, I think you’ll agree, and it isn’t asking me or a friend or even a friend of the person you’re interested in. Ask the person directly, and find out for yourself!

The thing about relationships is that they have to involve some element of risk for them to be worthwhile being involved with. That’s just how it works. And that risk is quite often evident at the beginning of a relationship.

“Oh no!”, you think to yourself, “I asked her out and she’s just not interested in me! What will I do?” You’ll live, that’s what you’ll do, and you’ll start to feel stronger in who you are as a man or as a woman because you act on your convictions.

Question 2. Why won’t they commit to me?

It is said that men are commitment-phobes, and maybe they are in comparison to women who knows. But, usually, when someone doesn’t want to commit to a person, or a course of action, it’s because they’re not sure it’s the right thing to do. It’s that simple. Now the reason why they’re not sure, that might take some finding out, and is beyond the scope of this relationship questions article, but you will be able to find out via good communication.

So talk to this person, and see what their concerns are. Listen, but listen well, and learn.

Time for another quote about relationships, I think:

Question 3. How to deal with controlling relationships?

Hmm, the need to control comes from a false belief that that’s the only way to get what a person wants from someone. They don’t know any better, basically. And if you can show this person that they really can trust you (that they really can trust themselves) in this relationship then you might, just might, be able to help this person let go of their controlling behaviour.

Good luck.

Question 4. Why don’t they trust me?

Usually, a person doesn’t trust someone because they don’t trust themselves.

Example. I’m worried that my woman might be cheating on me, say, and so I check up on her all the time (and I start to be the type of controlling man in Q3.) And I do this because I wrongly believe I won’t be able to cope if she IS cheating. I’m worrying myself over something that’s probably not going to happen ‘just in case’. But if I believed in myself, trusted myself to be enough, I’d be far more likely to trust my woman. And if she ends up cheating on me, then I know I’ll be able to cope with the situation, know it’s her and not me. I move on. I don’t take it personally. Simple.

Question 5. How far should I travel for love?

There are those that say that long distance relationships don’t work, that sooner or later someone will have to move to the other person’s locale; and on that day the balance of power will have irrevocably shifted.

What do I say? I say that you should find a quiet space in yourself, and ask yourself whether this person is worth it, whether the distance is worth it. And each person will have their own answers, here…
Question 6. How can I get them to… ?

Hmm, isn’t it interesting how these relationship questions overlap. This sounds suspiciously like the other side of the controlling question (see Q3).

A better question would be, “Why do you want them to… ?”. Find out the answer to that question, with some honest self-examination, and then share the results with your partner. I will help the both of you, for sure, doing so.

After all good communication like this is at the heart of healthy relationships, no?

Question 7. Importance of sex in relationships?

How important is sex in a relationship? Very. Or not at all.

Seriously, this is a question to ask yourself. Again, quieten your mind for a few moments and ask this of yourself (if you don’t know already). Then listen to the answers that come. It’s called intuition, this, and is a far better source of wisdom than some random article on the Internet claiming to know all the answers (to the top 10 relationship questions).

Note: I find a little bit of self-effacement always helps in relationships. Well, definitely in article writing, anyway.

Oh, and when you know whether it’s important or not, then that’s your answer no matter what other people think (including your partner).

Question 8. How do I learn to trust again?

Relationships bring risk. There are no guarantees. Nothing, least of all relationships, is certain.

Understand these things, and know that you cannot know how a relationship will work out. And then, then you’ll know it’s time to get involved again, time to take risks. (Listening to the wisdom you’ve accrued from making previous mistakes, I politely suggest.)

Now, time for another relationship quote:

Question 9. Why do we keep breaking up?

Love and relationships can do that to you, sometimes – mess you up! And it can be oh so frustrating.

Basically speaking, your relationship’s not working. And, more importantly, you’re not working – you’re not listening to your inner wisdom enough, here, and you’re not trusting that whatever happens in this relationship – you break up, you get back together – that things will be okay. They will. Just trust yourself more. Things will be okay. They will.

Question 10. Should I leave them?

It depends.

(Really, you need to find some quiet time here and answer this question for yourself. Nobody knows better than you, whether you should leave someone or no! Not your Mum, not your best friend, and not your partner. You know best. Always. But only when you quieten your mind, make some space, and let the wisdom come through… )


college application essay university of michigan

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Studying in the University of Michigan is one of the main ways leading to the accomplishment of my academic and career goals.
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One Of The Major Repairs Is Clogs.

When it comes to learning plumbing skills, there's no time like the present. If you can fix small problems by yourself, you won't have to hire a plumber and you can prevent large plumbing problems. plumbing austinThe information in this article will be a wonderful starting point as you begin to explore the world of plumbing.

If something is wrong with the disposal in your sink, avoid the temptation to stick your hand in there to fix it. Garbage disposals pose a serious risk, even when flipped off. Locate a diagram of the garbage disposal, or some sort of troubleshooter, online.

Check overflow holes regularly to prevent blockage. If your sink starts to overflow, the water will run into the overflow holes, this might not be a huge issue, unless they are clogged. When checking for potential problems and repairs, you should also remove obstructions from the overflow holes.

To limit toilet problems, don't use it as a trash can. Avoid flushing pads, cotton, towels, tissues or anything that cannot dissolve easily to avoid plugging the pipes. Also, try to use the smallest amount of toilet paper you can.

Take preventative measures to keep your plumbing costs low. One of the major repairs is clogs. Loose hair is often the culprit if your drain keeps getting clogged. Screens and drain covers are great ways to stop hair from going down your drains. You can easily clean out the drain covers on a regular basis; it's harder to remove hair from drains once it's fallen into them.


Dating laws in united states

Laws in the united states of teachers dating their students in it is not illegal for a teacher to have a romantic relationship with a college. I know the age of consent (marriage) varies by state, but are there any laws in the us about dating. My daughter married a negro: and enforced in the majority of the states in the south and the west of the united states these laws were used to. For travel to the united states on a temporary basis there is no such requirement under us law marriage/dating scams. Getting married in france it is a statement (must be done by an attorney licensed to practice in both france and united states) about us marriage laws.

A nonpartisan fact tank that informs the public about the issues, attitudes and trends shaping america and the world it conducts public opinion polling,. Culture of united states of america - history, people, clothing, traditions, women, beliefs, food, customs, family to-z. Ukraine and the united states belong to a number of the same international organizations, including the united nations, euro-atlantic partnership council.

Us history and historical documents the history of the united states is vast and complex maritime search and rescue, maritime law enforcement. Workplace laws not enforced by this law protects the equal right of all persons within the jurisdiction of the united states to make and enforce contracts without. Illinois dating laws in the united states, the age of consent is the minimum age at which an individual is best of toronto recent best of lists.

Chinese immigration and the chinese exclusion acts in the 1850 s, chinese workers migrated to the united states, first to work in the gold mines, but also to take agricultural jobs, and factory work, especially in the garment industry. Inside united states: customs laws may be enacted by individual states, counties, and cities some laws even limit outdoor smoking by prohibiting smoking within. My son is dating a minor: should i be worried about the legal implications just a few examples of romeo and juliet laws currently in place in the united states:. What are the florida laws for dating then there is no directly applicable law maryland's law even states that a common expression of familial or friendly.

Dating violence at a glance in the united states, domestic violence laws are administered by local governments as a result of this local setting. Up to 40 percent of the food in the united states is never eaten but at the same time, one in eight americans struggles to put enough food on the table. Tions are for the protection of both aliens and united states tions imposed by the immigration laws of the united states and to assist in identifying and precluding.

Dating laws in united states

A brief history of courtship and dating in america, part 2 mar 08 two things happened in the united states after world war ii pertaining to marriage:. An overview of minors’ consent law policy or case law in these states reproductive health and rights in the united states and globally through our. The naturalization act of 1790 established the first rules for acquiring citizenship in the united states the law required immigrants to live in the united states.

The united states established diplomatic relations with syria in 1944 following more information about syria is available from the department of state and. There are exceptions to age of sexual consent laws in the united states, the age varies from 16 to 18 in many areas, there is a close-in-age part of the laws.

Dating violence stalking what is domestic violence by a person similarly situated to a spouse of the victim under the domestic or family violence laws of. What is the violence against women act the violence against women act (vawa) is a landmark piece of legislation that sought to improve criminal justice and community-based responses to domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault and stalking in the united states. Start studying criminal procedure - chapter 2 learn dating from 1789 in which federal the constitution and laws of the united states and of.

Dating laws in united states
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Hello! We are Enigmatic Escapes, Troy NY's first Escape Room! Escape rooms are an interactive entertainment experience, where a group of people are challenged to investigate a room, discover puzzles and obstacles, and overcome those challenges before the clock runs out. Escape rooms are often compared with being in a real-life detective story; if you've ever watched a movie character solve an ancient riddle to open a locked door, or change the time on a stopped clock to open a secret panel, and thought "that looks really cool!", Escape Rooms are for you!

You can see what rooms we currently have open by clicking the link below. You can also use the links up above to see some commonly asked questions and answers, contact us, discover more about who we are and why we run an Escape Room, or book a slot in one of our rooms! If you are interested in Live-Action Roleplaying (or just curious why our company is called Lime Shirt Studios), there's a link for that too. Thanks, and we'll see you at the Atrium!

Now Open: Defeat the Biz, a 2-4 player escape room! See the Rooms page for more details.

View Our Rooms  →


Friday, 27 March 2015

Steak with a Sun-dried Tomato Marinade

Oh dear. This was good, very, very good....

I bought myself a nice, fat juicy steak to cook for my evening meal last night and I wanted to add a little something to it. Having also just bought some sun dried tomatoes at the deli, I thought why not have a go at combining the two.......the result was so good, especially with some blue cheese crumbled on top .......

Recipe (serves 2)

2 large rump steaks
6 halves sun dried tomato
1 tablespoon sun dried tomato paste
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
half teaspoon black peppercorns
pinch sea salt

Some sun blush tomatoes
Some crumbled blue cheese

Pop your coriander seeds and peppercorns in a pestle and grind up - not to small just enough to break up the seeds...

Chop your sun dried tomatoes and add them to the pestle, followed by the tomato paste, olive oil and salt crystals.

Give it all a good mix together and  then spread it all over your steaks.

Cover the steaks with clingfilm and pop into the fridge for at least 30 minutes to marinade.

Remove your steak from the fridge about 10 minutes before you want to cook it - I think it helps the flavour.

Now heat your griddle, or a grill, to a high heat and then pop your steak on (or under) and cook for however long you like to cook your steak. If your not sure check out my post on 'how to cook a perfect steak' for some guidance....

The tomato marinade will burn - that adds to the flavour - so don't panic when that happens...

When your happy your steak is cooked to your liking, remove from the griddle and let it rest for a few minutes before serving. Whilst it resting, throw the sun blush tomatoes on the griddle and quickly move them among the steak juices to add colour and heat them through.

Once you have placed your steak on the plate, crumble on your cheese, add the sun blush tomatoes and may be a bit of salad - or chips - and serve.....

Hope you all have a great weekend

Love Lizx
 steak and sun dried tomato


North Korea scheduled the dismantlement of nuclear bomb test site

Vastavam web: North Korea has scheduled the dismantlement of its nuclear bomb test site for sometime between May 23 and 25 in order to uphold its pledge to discontinue nuclear tests, the country’s state media reported on Saturday a month ahead of a historic summit.The official Korean Central New Agency said dismantlement of the Punggye-ri nuclear test ground would involve collapsing all of its tunnels with explosions, blocking its entrances, and removing all observation facilities, research buildings and security posts.U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un will hold talks in Singapore on June 12, the first-ever meeting between a sitting U.S. president and a North Korean leader.

In announcing the plan to shut Punggye-ri last month, Kim said North Korea no longer needed to conduct tests because it had completed its goal of developing nuclear weapons.KCNA said journalists, including from the United States and South Korea, would be invited to cover the event, to “show in a transparent manner the dismantlement of the northern nuclear test ground to be carried out”. The exact date of the closure will depend on weather conditions, the agency said.


Title: Corporate Social Responsibility in the UAE Construction and Education Sectors
Authors: Thomas, Betty E
Keywords: Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)
Issue Date: May-2011
Publisher: The British University in Dubai (BUiD)
Abstract: Society, environment and community in the United Arab Emirates have experienced the impact of industrialization and globalization over the last few decades. This has provided grounds for businesses in the United Arab Emirates to construct a close relationship between corporation, state and society which implies the relevance of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). This dissertation investigates the perception, policies and practices and the relevance of CSR which is a relatively new concept to the country. The samples selected for the study are taken from the construction and education sectors with a combination of local, expatriate and joint venture businesses. The research focuses on stakeholder management as well as investigates topics such as benchmarking, factors that motive individuals and businesses to practice CSR including small and medium enterprises operating in the UAE. In-depth interviews are the main method of data collection. Thematic and quantitative content analysis was used to evaluate selected research propositions designed by the researcher to explore and understand the new CSR policies and practices and identify how they are implemented in the organizations studied. The dissertation concludes there is evidence for some CSR practices and CSR policies being promoted and supported within the region.
URI: http://bspace.buid.ac.ae/handle/1234/85
Appears in Collections:Dissertations for Human Resource Management (HRM)

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Danish Verbs

Danish verbs (portada epub)

Especially written for electronic devices, Danish verbs has an introduction to the formation of all verbal tenses in Danish, as well as 100 essential verbs fully conjugated with their meaning. This book allows the user to search in all the text because it has no images or vanishing or unreadable text.

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Wednesday, 14 August 1974
Page: 875

Senator Sir KENNETH ANDERSON - I direct a question to the Minister for Customs and Excise which relates to an answer he gave earlier to a question asked by Senator Poyser. The question related to the introduction of a computer system at customs clearance points which is intended to be used, in the clearance of travellers' baggage, as an aid in the detection of any prohibited import or any attempt to avoid the payment of duty. I think it should be made abundantly clear that this does not necessarily mean that a person who has his or her baggage examined has his name on a computer list. I think that the Minister would agree that there is a random examination system and that obviously this computer system is applied only in certain circumstances. Will the Minister make it clear that if any person coming into Australia has his baggage examined at a customs clearance point, as may happen to any one of us, this must not be interpreted as necessarily meaning that his name is on a computer list?

Senator MURPHY -I thank Senator Sir Kenneth Anderson for his observations. As we all know, Senator Sir Kenneth Anderson was the Minister for Customs and Excise for some time whilst he was Leader of the Government in the Senate. What he says is perfectly correct. If in the answer that I gave I may have left that inference open -

Senator Sir Kenneth Anderson - It is only possible.

Senator MURPHY - Yes. I want to adopt what the honourable senator has said and make it very plain that the computer is there to assist in selecting, those people, if you like, of high risk. But over and above that, as the honourable senator says, there is a random system of examination. This is practised in most parts of the world, including Australia. The baggage of many people is subjected to a full examination when there is no suspicion at all. It is a simple, random selection which may be carried out because it has been decided to check the baggage of, say, every tenth person or eighth person passing through the customs clearance point, even though there is no reason at ali to suspect such persons. A goodly number of people are subjected to inconvenience in customs examinations. I hope that they will suffer this in the knowledge that these things have to be done. Sometimes they have to be done for the protection of livestock, or the health of the community through quarantine, or to prevent the smuggling of drugs. People should regard that inconvenience as something they are suffering in the public interest. But I do want to accept what Senator Sir Kenneth Anderson says and I assure the public that simply because a person is subjected to an examination, perhaps a full customs examination, it does not carry with it the suggestion that in some way he is a suspected person.

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What is Corydalis and How Can it Support Pain Relief?

What is Corydalis and How Can it Support Pain Relief?

Corydalis yanhusuo is a flowering herbal plant that has been used as a folk remedy for pain throughout the centuries. While its pain-relieving properties have been well substantiated, its mechanisms of action have been less understood.

A new study from University of California, Irvine researchers helps to shed light on how corydalis yanhusuo, or YHS, affects the body’s response to chronic pain.

Chronic neuropathic pain is typically connected to some type of tissue injury that resulted in damaged or impaired nerve fibers. The damaged nerves misfire signals to pain centers in the body. So even in the absence of an injury, pain signals are still registering in the body, causing chronic pain.

Taking over-the-counter and prescription analgesics to alleviate chronic pain carries unwanted side effects and risks, such as constipation, dizziness, nausea and vomiting, drowsiness, liver damage, and addiction.

YHS is a natural and much safer alternative to pharmaceutical pain pills for managing low to medium chronic pain. And the latest study published online in PLOS ONE shows that YHS doesn’t lose effectiveness over time like other pain medications do.

Scientists discovered that YHS helps to ease pain by exerting an effect on dopamine, the neurotransmitter that regulates thinking, memory, movement, and reward.

The Dopamine Dilemma
Despite that dopamine plays a role in pain relief, science also shows that dopamine may play a key role in chronic pain by keeping those messages passing from the brain to pain centers in the body.

We can, however, allay the effects of dopamine on pain. A 2015 animal-model study published in the Journal of Neuroscience showed that chronic pain could be greatly reduced by removing cells made up of dopamine.

For the most recent study, researchers gave mice YHS 4 times during a week, and then measured their pain response. The pain-relieving abilities of YHS never faltered, while the potency of morphine wore off as the mice became immune to the drug’s effects. Researchers believe the pain-relieving properties of YHS are partly due to tetrahydropalmatine (THP), one of 20 alkaloids in YHS. THP may be able to block certain receptor sites, such as dopamine receptor sites, in the brain. One study showed that THP was able to reduce nerve pain in 75% of test subjects. THP has also been shown to effectively treat pain associated with menstruation, abdominal pain after childbirth, and headaches.

Olivier Civelli, professor and chair of pharmacology at the University of California, Irvine, notes: “YHS is not a highly potent medicine when compared to morphine. But I would propose that it can be used for low to moderate chronic pain.”

Supplementing with YHS
According to the University of Michigan Health System, alternative medical practitioners recommend using 5 to 10 grams of the crude, dried rhizome of YHS a day, or taking 10-20 ml of a 1:2 extract of YHS. Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioners usually combine YHS with other pain-relieving herbs, such as frankincense, myrrh, cinnamon bark fennel, or liguisticum, depending on the type of pain being treated.

A word of caution: experts advise that you should never take YHS if you are pregnant or nursing. Meanwhile, it’s always recommended to consult a licensed medical professional before taking an herb for pain management.

Root extracts from the flowering herbal plant Corydalis yanhusuo, or YHS, has widely used for centuries as a pain treatment. Yet few studies have investigated how it works on different forms of pain, and little is known about its molecular mechanisms.

Moringa Madness: What's the Buzz About?

Moringa Madness: What's the Buzz About?

Bacaopa (Brahmi) for Better Brain Health, Stress Support

Bacaopa (Brahmi) for Better Brain Health, Stress Support


Americans love their coffee. We consume 400 million cups of coffee per day or 146 billion cups of coffee per year. If you buy just one cup of coffee or tea per day in a disposable cup, you will generate 23 pounds of waste in a year. Reusable cups have a greater initial environmental impact than polystyrene or paper cups, but that impact lessens over time as the cup is reused. On average, a ceramic cup lasts for 2000 uses before it breaks or is discarded.

If there is only one thing you can do: Replace paper or polystyrene cups with a reusable mug when at home, at your workplace, or in your car. Carry one in your bag so you have one wherever you go.

Take small steps: Take a reusable mug with you when you buy coffee. Ask the waiter/waitress if they give a discount for bringing your own mug. Keep track of which places give a discount and how much you save and report back to Ellen

Inner simplicity: You can do your part to lessen your impact on God’s creation even if you can’t do it for other people. Switching to a reusable mug may not seem like it could make a big difference, but just by carrying one you may prompt others to think about the number of cups Americans throw away after just one use.

Outer simplicity: Our Creator gave us limited resources and expects us to use them wisely. Traveling with a reusable mug is a better choice than a one-use cup in terms of litter on the land and in our water, water and air pollution, disposal in landfills, and use of trees for paper. These impacts affect not just the disposable cup users, but all of God’s people living on the planet.