text:
I had parrots from the time I was ten until the time (shortly after college), I attempted to move abroad permanently. Though that attempt lasted only two years, I gave up my parrots to a retired guy and haven't gotten any more animals in the years since, mostly because I still wanted to live abroad. Now that I've finally realized that my future lies in this county (I love my homeland, I just really enjoy being a foreigner), I've decided to get some more pets, but figured I'd wait until I get to Texas, then after I'm settled in I'll go on Craigslist, where people are always giving up parrots.
I also figured that I'd look into getting some exotic mammals. Massachusetts has fairly restrictive laws on exotic animals (though oddly slightly less restrictive than the Live Free or Die State to our north where birds and mammals are concerned). So I was initially excited about moving to Texas, because Texas allows lions, bears, and chimps as pets with a license and monkeys without one, so obviously they'll allow the mammals I've always fantasized about having.
Well, as it turns out...
- Texas banned #3 on my exotic mammal wishlist--the nine-banded armadillo--because the wild ones carry leprosy.
- Several other mammals on my wishlist (Virginia opossums, ringtails, and raccoons) are banned for pet purposes as "furbearers." I read somewhere, and now cannot find the source, that this is a very recent development. Apparently a few years ago the Texas Department of Parks and Wildlife decided to reinterpret the laws on furbearer licenses as implicitly banning the holding of these animals for all other purposes.
- Meerkats and dwarf mongooses are illegal as pets in the entire United States. The Lacey Act prohibited the highly invasive small Asian mongoose and gave the Secretary of Agriculture authority to prohibit other potentially invasive animals. The FWS now bans most mongooses including meerkats. Of course most mongooses are limited to small ranges in Africa, and non-invasive. The FWS claims that the ban is required by the original text. I emailed the FWS asking politely what their reasoning is when the Lacey Act only names a single, highly-invasive species. I have yet to get a reply.
- Of the remaining animals I've fantasized about keeping, all but one (the prairie dog) are rarely or never kept as pets in the United States.


text:
Manual-J Load Calculation
Knowledge is power and homeowners deserve to know the truth regarding the single largest financial and emotional investment most of us will ever make – our homes.
Everyone wants to live a more "Green" energy efficient lifestyle. Everyone wants to save money. Everyone wants to breathe cleaner, safer air in their home. These are all important reasons to demand a Residential Manual J Load Calculation done on your HVAC system. The MOST important reason however is that someone, probably you, will be living in that home for decades to come and you deserve to be COMFORTABLE!
Think about it, every room in your home has a different size, has a different number of windows, and houses a different number of appliances. If your HVAC contractor sizes and places your energy equipment, which costs thousands of dollars, without a Residential Manual J Load Calculation, the efficiency of that system will be in question. Many cities currently require a J Load Calculation done before the contractor can get a building permit. YOU will not be eligible for the rebates offered through energy programs without an "Air Conditioning Contractors of America" or "ACCA" Certified Residential Manual J Load Calculation.
The Air Conditioning Contractors of America (ACCA) Manual J Residential Load Calculation Procedure is the accepted industry standard for the proper sizing and selection of HVAC equipment in residential applications. Manual J outlines the accurate procedure which can be used to estimate the heat loss and heat gain for conventional residential structures. Make sure your Load Calculation Reports are based on ACCA's Manual J 8th Edition, inclusive of all four addenda to the 8th edition such as WrightSoft Universal software which is one of the most recognized Load Calculation software programs for EnergyStar, building permit code compliance, LEED certification, Build Green projects and energy efficient mortgages. Don't let someone use a cheap, non-ACCA certified software to produce your residential Manual J report or it could be rejected and you could lose your EnergyStar rebate.
There are currently only four ACCA approved Residential Manual J Load Calculation softwares: WrightSoft, Elite, Nitec and ADTEK. Make certain one of these software programs is used on your HVAC calculation to ensure you are eligible for the Build Green, LEED and Energy Star rebate programs.
The aforementioned WrightSoft software company and ACCA have been partners since 1986. As the original ACCA Technical Partner, WrightSoft's 20 year relationship is longer than all the other software partners combined. A large number of state inspectors use WrightSoft exclusively for code enforcement.
So Homeowners, now you have the knowledge, exercise your power: To live in a "Green" more efficient home, save money, breathe cleaner safer air and most important LIVE COMFORTABLY, you must demand an ACCA Certified Manual J Load Calculation is done on your HVAC System!
Unable to display Facebook posts.
Show error
Type: OAuthException
Code: 4
Please refer to our Error Message Reference.
I was very impressed with the performance of A Plus personnel installation of a new boiler at our home. They had to line up and attach 15 pipes valves and pumps which they did in a very need and orderly manor in one days time.
Just had 2 mini-splits installed. The crew was extremely professional. Very neat and clean. Knowledgeable about their product. We would highly recommend them.
Disclaimer: Free estimates for Design Consultations only.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
The most comprehensive list of classical music genres available on the Internet
The Music Genres List site covers many of the most popular styles of classical music, we hope this becomes the definitive list of classical music genres on the Internet, send an email to add @ musicgenreslist dot com if you feel any classical music genres are missing and we'll add to complete the music list.
- Avant-Garde
- Baroque
- Chamber Music
- Chant
- Choral
- Classical Crossover
- Early Music
- High Classical
- Impressionist
- Medieval
- Minimalism
- Modern Composition
- Opera
- Orchestral
- Renaissance
- Romantic
- Wedding Music
It is important to have some understanding of the historical periods of music.
Medieval Classical Music
When we explore Medieval music, we are dealing with the longest and most distant period of musical history. It includes the Gregorian chant. Gregorian chant is monophonic, meaning music that consists of only one melodic line without accompaniment. Polyphony, music where two or more melodic lines are heard simultaneously, did not exist (or was not knotted) until the 11th century. Unlike chant, polyphony required the participation of a composer to combine the melodic lines in a pleasing manner. I don't know much about this period because I don't like this kind of music.
Renaissance Classical Music
In the mid-1500s, a prominent bishop commented that music composed for the church should reflect the meaning of the words so that the listeners would be moved to piety. This concept seems like a no-brainer today, but it was a fairly new idea at the time. To suggest that Medieval composers had no desire to write "expressive" music would be unfair. But, it was the rediscovery of ancient Greek ideals in the Renaissance that inspired many musicians to explore the eloquent possibilities of their art.
The increased value of individualism in the Renaissance is reflected by the changing role of the composer in society. Unlike most of their Medieval predecessors, the great masters of the Renaissance were revered in their own lifetimes.
Sacred music was still predominant, though secular music became more prevalent and more sophisticated. The repertory of instrumental music also began to expand significantly. New instruments were invented, including the clavichord and virginal (both keyboard instruments) and many existing instruments were improved.
Baroque Classical Music (1600-1750)
Johann Sebastian Bach, George Frideric Handel, Johann Pachelbel, Antonio Vivaldi
Baroque music is often highly ornate, colorful and richly textured when compared with its predecessors. Opera was born at what is considered to be the very beginning of the Baroque era, around 1600.
Music's ability to express human emotions and depict natural phenomenon was explored throughout the Baroque period.
Although imitative polyphony remained fundamental to musical composition, homophonic writing became increasingly important. Homophonic music features a clear distinction between the melody line and an subsidiary accompaniment part.
The orchestra evolved during the early Baroque, starting as an "accompanist" for operatic and vocal music. By the mid-1600s the orchestra had a life of its own. The concerto was a favorite Baroque form that featured a solo instrumentalist (or small ensemble of soloists) playing "against" the orchestra, creating interesting contrasts of volume and texture.
Many Baroque composers were also virtuoso performers. For example, Archangelo Corelli was famous for his violin playing and Johann Sebastian Bach was famous for his keyboard skills. The highly ornamented quality of Baroque melody lent itself perfectly to such displays of musical dexterity.
"Classical" Music (1750-1820)
Johann Christian Bach, Ledwig van Beethoven, Franz Joseph haydn, Wolfgang Amadeus
The word Classical has strong connotations, conjuring up the art and philosophy of Ancient Greece and Rome along with their ideals of balance, proportion and disciplined expression. The late Baroque style was polyphonically complex and melodically ornate. The composers of the early Classical period changed direction, writing music that was much simpler in texture.
Homophony–music in which melody and accompaniment are distinct–dominated the Classical style, and new forms of composition were developed to accommodate the transformation. Sonata form is by far the most important of these forms, and one that continued to evolve throughout the Classical period. Although Baroque composers also wrote pieces called sonatas, the Classical sonata was quite different.
One of the most important developments of the Classical period is the growth of the public concert. Although the aristocracy would continue to play a significant role in musical life, it was now possible for composers to survive without being the employee of one person or family. This also meant that concerts were no longer limited to palace drawing rooms. Composers started organizing concerts featuring their own music, and often attracted large audiences. The increasing popularity of the public concert had a strong impact on the growth of the orchestra. Although chamber music and solo works were played in the home or other intimate settings, orchestral concerts seemed to be naturally designed for big public spaces. As a result, symphonic music (including opera and oratorio) became more extroverted in character. Composers gradually expanded the size of the orchestra to accommodate this expanded musical vision.
Romantic Classical Music (1820-1915)
Johannes Brahms, Claude Debussy, Frederic Chopin, Felix Mendelssohn, Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Romanticism implies fantasy, spontaneity and sensuality. The Classical period focused on structural clarity and emotional restraint. Classical music was expressive, but not so passionate that it could overwhelm a work's equilibrium. Beethoven who was in some ways responsible for igniting the flame of romanticism, always struggled (sometimes unsuccessfully) to maintain that balance. Many composers of the Romantic period followed Beethoven's model and found their own balance between emotional intensity and Classical form. Others reveled in the new atmosphere of artistic freedom and created music whose structure was designed to support its emotional surges. Musical story-telling became important, and not just in opera, but in "pure" instrumental music as well. The tone-poem is a particularly Romantic invention, as it was an orchestral work whose structure was entirely dependent on the scene being depicted or the story being told.
Color was another important feature of Romantic music. New instruments were added to the orchestra and composers experimented with ways to get new sounds from existing instruments. A large palette of musical colors was necessary to depict the exotic scenes that became so popular.
In addition to seeking out the sights and sounds of other places, composers began exploring the music of their native countries. Nationalism became a driving force in the late Romantic period and composers wanted their music to express their cultural identity. This desire was particularly intense in Russia and Eastern Europe, where elements of folk music were incorporated into symphonies, tone-poems and other "Classical" forms.
The Romantic period was the heyday of the virtuoso. Exceptionally gifted performers–and particularly pianists, violinists, and singers–became enormously popular. Liszt, the great Hungarian pianist/composer, reportedly played with such passion and intensity that women in the audience would faint. Since, like Liszt, most composers were also virtuoso performers, it was inevitable that the music they wrote would be extremely challenging to play.
The Romantic period witnessed an unprecedented glorification of the artist–whether musician, poet or painter–that has had a powerful impact on our own culture.
Early 20th-C. History
Debussy through Copland
Many 20th-century composers turned away from harmonic methods that had been used in music for the past 150 years. The Frenchman Claude Debussy (1862-1918) rejected the rules of 19th-century harmony as they were taught in the Paris Conservatoire, instead infusing his practice with harmonic techniques from East Asia and Russia. Debussy's association with French painters of his time has led some people to label him and his music "Impressionist." Debussy did share with the Impressionist painters a propensity for depicting nature; the orchestral piece reproduced here, one of three "nocturnes," is entitled "Clouds." (Debussy's "nocturnes" are not related to Chopin's use of the term.) With Debussy, we enter the "Modern" era of Western art music, an era which presumably continues to the present day.
The American Charles Ives (1874-1954) was yet another composer to react negatively to the strictures of prior musical practice. Ives blended, overlaid, and contrasted snippets of music from all walks of American life: the country church, the dance hall, and the military base. Military music is most evident in "Putnam's Camp, Redding, Connecticut," a musical representation of the Revolutionary army marching at the winter quarters of General Israel Putnam. The tunes "Yankee Doodle" and "The British Grenadiers" are woven into the music, as is John Philip Sousa's march "Semper Fidelis."
The best-known work of Alban Berg (1885-1935), a student of Schoenberg, is the Expressionist opera Wozzeck. Expressionism, associated with painters and composers in Germany and Austria between the world wars, took as its subject matter the irrational unconscious, inner conflict, and alienation from the conventions of society. The title character of Wozzeck is an impoverished, deranged soldier, who discovers an affair between his lover Marie and the more impressive Drum Major. In the scene reproduced here, Wozzeck finds himself in a crowded bar after having cut Marie's throat; near the end of the scene, the crowd discovers blood stains on Wozzeck's arm, inspiring him to flee.
Modern Classical Music (ca, 1915-Present)
Aaron Copland, George Gershwin
The late Romantic period featured its own extremes: sprawling symphonies and tone-poems overflowing with music that seemed to stretch harmony and melody to their limits. It is certainly possible to view some early 20th century music as an extension of the late Romantic style, but a great deal of it can also be interpreted as a reaction against that style.
20th century music is a series of "isms" and "neo-isms." The primal energy of Stravinsky's Rite of Spring has been called neo-Primitivism. The intensely emotional tone of Schönberg's early music has been labeled Expressionism. The return to clearly structured forms and textures has been dubbed neo-Classicism. These terms have been employed in an attempt to organize the diversity of styles running through the 20th century.
Music history has always been characterized by the search for ways to make new kinds of sound–by constructing new instruments, by finding new ways of playing old instruments, by finding new ways for performers to work together. The search for new kinds of sound became particularly intense in the mid-to-late 20th century. InAtmospheres, written by György Ligeti (b. 1923), the string instruments combine to form a sound intended to be different from the sound of earlier string ensemble music.
For many 20th century composers, past styles still offered plenty of scope. Some like Richard Strauss, Elgar, Nielsen and Shostakovich used a basically 19th century style, updating it with 20th century harmonies and new ideas (such as jazz). Others (such as Stravinsky and Hindemith) reworked older styles particularly those of the 18th century: because of this their work was called 'neo-classical'. Still other composers (eg Ives, Schoenberg and Webern) struck out in new directions altogether devising fresh systems and ways of combining sounds. Later in the century, electronic instruments, computers and recording machines combined with traditional methods and performers to produce a music utterly unlike anything known in the 19th century.
Nationalism continued to be a strong musical influence in the first half of the century. The study of folk songs enriched the music of numerous composers, such as Ralph Vaughan Williams (England), Bela Bartok (Hungary), Heitor Villa Lobos (Brazil) and Aaron Copland (USA). Jazz and popular musical styles have also been tremendously influential on "classical" composers from both the United States and Europe.
Technology has played a increasingly important role in the development of 20th century music. Composers have used recording tape as a compositional tool (such as Steve Reich's Violin Phase). Electronically generated sounds have been used both on their own and in combination with traditional instruments. More recently, computer technology has been used in a variety of ways, including manipulating the performance of instruments in real time.


text:
East Rutherford Middle has received grants for the following projects:
The Learning for Life project is all about teaching students in a special education self contained classroom how to do real life! Funds will purchase curriculum and materials to supply a separate life skills room for this group of students. Instruction in social skills, personal hygiene, as well as general functional and life skills is important so that our students can live as independently as possible in the years to come. Activities will include money skills practice, cooking, vacuuming, sweeping, washing dishes, participating in social conversations, interacting with peers, and practice with hygiene skills.
With our Lights, Camera, Action project we will create a green screen room for video productions in East Rutherford Middle School. Green screen is where you replace the real background of a video with a digital background. We will have backdrop, appropriate lighting and a camcorder. With the proper background and lighting, student-directed video productions can become something that would be very expensive to produce another way.
In the Unity in the Community project, the self-contained class will collaboratively work with individuals at a local plant nursery and home improvement store to build and maintain a garden. Learning skills such as woodworking and horticulture will allow for students to acquire knowledge that may lead them to a possible career interest. Students in the self-contained classroom will be able to practice socialization and integration with the general population. It is my hope that the culminating plant sale will produce a profit upon completion, allowing the continuation of the project for years to come.


text:
It's not every day that we get to enjoy seeing game designer Dann Kriss chime in on all things gaming, so let's do this, with relish.
Q: TAVERN MASTERS looks like great fun. What can you tell us about this game, without giving too much away?
DK: The basic elevator pitch is that each player is a Tavernkeeper in the fantasy village of Redstaff. You play Goods and Staff to your Tavern during the Day, so that at Night you have more things that Patrons want in order to play them. Sometimes Patrons like things you stock your Tavern with that keep them around for multiple rounds. Once one or more players end a round with 20+ Gold, the game ends and the player with the most Gold wins! That is just the competitive way to play, you can also play Tavern Masters cooperatively or even solo. As Gold is the victory condition and also the cost of playing Goods and Staff, there is a good bit of strategy in choosing which items to play or how much Gold to keep, plus you can choose when to play Patrons, and there is even a Hand management aspect. These methods of choice and control balance against the luck of what you draw, plus trading Goods and Staff between players is allowed and encouraged.
Q: We don't often see tabletop games that can played competitively, cooperatively or solo. Hats off to you for designing the game in such a manner. Which of those three ways is your current way to enjoy playing a tabletop game, and why?
DK: I usually strive to find all the ways possible to maximize enjoyment from my game designs, and am always happy when I can pull off creating a game that has such versatility. A number of my games actually have various play modes, including the whole competitive-coop-solo trio (and really, you can fit Team play in there too, because Team play just uses Coop rules for teammates and Competitive rules for opposing players for the most part). I also like Challenge Charts, so you can choose your difficulty level, which is especially useful for Coop and Solo modes. As for which mode I prefer, it really depends on the game. With my game Tavern Masters, I usually prefer Competitive because TM's Competitive mode is still very friendly play if you don't include the Dirty Deeds Expansion, and that's nice when you're playing an engine building game. Other games of mine, like with my big fantasy adventure board game Realms Of Destiny, I definitely prefer Coop, because then you can really explore and build your equipment and your party up before you go to the final boss fight. In others, like my Lord Of The Night: Feast Of Blood (aiming for a 2018 release) I definitely prefer Competitive because it's a much more high stakes kind of game (and not just because it's about vampires).
Q: Lord of the Night: Feast of Blood? A high stakes game? We see what you did there. What is it about this upcoming vampire game that really stands out from other tabletop vampire games?
DK: Lord of the Night: Feast of Blood is an American-Euro hybrid. The basics of gameplay are worker placement, resource management and decision-based strategies, but there is still plenty of random elements to keep you on your toes. Set in a dark fantasy village, each player is a vampire who seeks to grow in power to be able to claim the Dark Throne and become the new "Lord of the Night". Depending on which vampiric House you belong to, your powers increase during one of the four Moon phases. Each round the Black Gate can open (allowing you to win – or fight for it) with a different Trait test, depending again on the Moon phase. The board contains the different buildings in the village, and each can hold up to 4 Humans. You can attack humans to kill them, capture them to build a blood Herd, enthrall them as your minions, or even sneak up to drink their blood. Many humans have powers to make various actions more difficult, and some spaces have their own choice of abilities. You also have Undead Abilities and Dark Powers which can aid your choices. Instead of numbered dice, there are three different symbols on each die (2 of each per die), and your Rank in any Trait tells you how many dice to roll. Each symbol counts as one success for a certain type of action, and the Human or opposing element's Rank is the number of successes you need to accomplish your action. This game is also Competitive, Cooperative, or Solo play. It is the first in a trilogy of LotN games; the second, LotN: Feast of Flesh is a werewolf themed game in the woods outside the village, and the third, LotN: Feast of Souls is a cultist themed game set in the nearby ruins. You can play each game separately, or you can use any two or all three together. What stands out about Lord Of The Night? You tell me, but I would have to say… everything!
Q: What was the Kickstarter experience like for you?
DK: Kickstarter is always an exciting ride, whether you pass or fail at the end. This is my sixth campaign, and it's still just as exciting as the first one! Kickstarter is more than a platform to fund projects, it is a community of like-minded dreamers, and getting to share my dreams and ideas with my fellow lovers of the tabletop experience is so amazing! It can be tiring at times, as the e-mails tend to back up while you're still trying to answer them all, meanwhile trying to get the next batch of graphics done, write the next update, and of course all of the regular stuff you have to do when simultaneously getting a game to print and trying to run a company of one. Still, all of that is worth it to see other people come together over my ideas, discuss and explore them, and to hear them enjoy the gaming experiences I've worked so hard to craft for them!
Q: When did you first begin designing games?
DK: I have been designing games since I was a teen, deep in gaming and role-playing. I have always enjoyed the trip of the mind to other strange and fantastic worlds, and loved finding new ways to share those adventures with others. I have been focused on making games with the intent of releasing them either through a publisher or publishing them myself since around 2005. I love working on game designs, trying out new concepts for mechanics and exploring fun themes. I currently have (at last count) 126 different games that I'm working on, around 45 of them prototyped (in various stages of revision), and a good 15 or so more games ready to print right now, except for the necessary art and printing funds, and that's not counting all of the various expansions I have developed for a number of these games.
Q: 126 different games that you're working on? That could be a new world's record. How do you do it? What's your secret?
DK: When I first got serious about making games, I would sit down, hash out the theme I wanted to explore, then just start making lists of thematic elements I would want to work in to the game. Next I would begin thinking of how to interpret each of those elements into game mechanics, then I would work all of those mechanics into a cohesive gameplay and begin shaping and polishing from there with loads of playtesting. These days, ideas for games just pop into my head when I'm busy doing other things, and so just like meditation I mull over ideas for mechanics and thematic elements until a clear picture begins to form in my head of the thing which I am creating. At that point I write it down with as much as I can dream up while it's fresh in my mind, then once I come to a place where I can go no further, I save it and come back to it either when I have another idea for it, or when I want to develop it further. One of the biggest, hardest lessons has been writing my ideas down while they're still in my head. Too many times I've woken up with a game idea in my head and thought "eh, I'll remember it in the morning". I have at least eight or nine games that would have been truly awesome but were lost to time because of not writing them down.
Q: Tell us about one of your recent ideas for a game mechanic?
DK: Just the other week I thought up a card game that was a humorous meta-look at CCGs and their issues with power creep. I'm also developing a number of "pub games," such as games that might be played in my fantasy taverns, as part of my IP for the World Of Destiny. The one elusive game mechanic concept that I am still trying to track down (and find a way to accomplish) is a way to evoke fear in a player. Movies can do it, books and short stories can do it, music can even do it, why not board games? I mean, sure, there are plenty of games that build tension, but I would love to develop a game that can cause a reaction at the level of a jump scare, or even just build the overwhelming sense of doom of a Lovecraft short story in a palpable way.
Q: What are your thoughts on today's market for board games and the overall state of the industry today?
DK: Today's market is more saturated than ever with so many new tabletop games each year that it chokes out the lesser (or less advertised) selections. What used to be a million dollar industry is now becoming a billion dollar industry. Of course, the biggest players on the field of industry are going to take the lion's share of profits, but that's natural in business. However, Kickstarter and other crowdfunding platforms have really helped to level the playing field a bit, or at least the entrance to the playing field. Now, we are starting to see the mid-level established publishers get bought up or partnered by bigger companies to consolidate the flow of capital into more focused streams, meanwhile more and more companies who have grown from the new platforms are becoming the new mid-level companies, and more small guys crop up every day. It truly is a "rising tide raises all boats" kind of situation, even between competitors. In this industry, there's less of a need for competition between brands and companies, as the market share is large enough to accommodate all of the big name interests and still fully support the more fringe niches. These days, there can be 30 "train" games out there, because they are no longer being judged against a single industry standard, but instead on their own merit of enjoyment and repeat plays.
Q: We seem to be living in somewhat of a golden age for board games. Do you agree?
DK: It is absolutely true that we are living in a golden age for board games, and tabletop games in general. Since the 70s, gaming has become more and more digital, which is much more convenient for solo play situations. Increasingly, that same solo-play focus not only made solo-play more accessible, but actually began to encourage it. With the advent of online gaming, the solo play focus (as in, little to no physical social interaction) became forced to the point of exclusion of general life for so many players that people began to actually miss the personal interactions that made the games so much fun to play since the beginning. I think that is what drove people off of their keyboards or controllers and back to the kitchen tables with their friends. It wasn't so much that a bunch of new amazing games came out all at once. There were already PLENTY of awesome, amazing games out there to be played. It just meant that people were not FINDING those games and experiencing them together for the first time. As that experience grew, more demand for games began to increase, and through perfect happenstance of timing, the crowdfunding platform emerged as a way to put more games into production than was previously possible with the investment-heavy high-risk options of the time. Now, anyone with some crayons and a basic understanding of math or color correlation can put their game idea up for the gaming masses to judge, and as has been said before, backers vote with their wallets. People can post arguments for days about this, that, or the other of any game, but in the end a game funds or not on its own merit. Sometimes it's the game, sometimes the presentation or the creator themselves, but all of these factor in to the decision of most backers as to whether they back a game or not. When we get to vote on new games with the very tangible ballot of our hard-earned dollars, we can actively help control the benchmark of quality and manage expectation vs result. That is my definition of a golden age indeed! We need to make the most of it while it lasts, because as we all know, nothing lasts forever!
Q: Share a favorite tabletop rpg story with us?
DK: Wow, that's a tough one! So many amazing stories to tell, how could I pick one? Maybe the time my Wolfen character "Skazel" in an old Palladium Fantasy game built a kingdom where the Ophid's Grasslands once stood. Or when my evil Warlock character in one of our Ravenloft campaigns actually laughed at Death, and Death could do nothing. Or when my 1st level Elf character "Snapple" in a one-off Palladium game actually succeeded at a Hypnotic Suggestion to make an alchemist give him a discount on a magic weapon, and the GM decided that wasn't right, so he killed my character and we argued about the definition of a "success" on a Hypnotic Suggestion for the remaining two hours we had to game. One of my favorite things as a role-player is to trip up or somehow circumvent my DM's best laid plans. One time my epic-level rogue was in one of the towers of Castle Ravenloft with his party, and we heard our imprisoned NPC follower from another tower (that presumably we were supposed to ascend from the bottom up). Instead I whipped out my magical 80 ft extendable ladder rod, and we all crawled our way across to the other tower, broke in through the wall, freed our squire and some loot, and avoided the main boss fight encounter planned for that 10 hour gaming session (although the paladin did get struck with lightning during the crawl, but that happens when you wear full plate up amidst the clouds during a lightning storm… he lived though.) Then there was the time we had to face an Orc stronghold in Forgotten Realms, so I had the party crawl up an unguarded back side of the four story fortress, and we killed our way down quite effectively without alerting the whole encampment. During the sacking of the fortress, my Halfling finishes putting one jailer guard to sleep and stealing his keys when three Orcs walks in and see me. Not knowing how to speak Orc, I just look at them, yell out "Gruuuuuuumsh" and disappear back up into the ceiling, leaving them confused and startled before my party fell upon them like a tide of death.
Q: You've got a rich history of rpg stories there. And, it's always fun when a party of PCs gives an orc fortress what for (especially when it involves the yelling of Orcish deities' names at them when they least expect it.) What more can you share with us about that particular tale?
DK: That was actually being run by one of my "War Council" members, Eric Riley. He was running us on a fun 1st level campaign for a bit in Faerun, and then he decided to put us through the Sons Of Gruumsh adventure module (Forgotten Realms d20 3.5). I was playing a Halfling with a silver tongue, and I was traveling with a few other characters I can't remember at the moment and a Grey Orc. The Grey Orc was devoted to Gruumsh, and constantly just grunted his name. That was why I said it in Orc when those guards came around the corner. I figured it had to mean something, and the only other Orc I knew was always saying it! I wish I remembered more, but I remember that at first our DM was getting frustrated that we kept sneaking up and taking out guard outposts before anyone ever saw what was coming, but by the time we descended on the wyvern in the courtyard and killed it before it knew what had happened he was just going with it and having a blast to see what we would do next!
Q: Very interesting. What more can you tell us about the "War Council"?
DK: My "War Council" is comprised of myself, my wife Crystal, my partner Philip Tolin, our close friend Eric Riley, and more recently my son Viktor. Up until a few years ago, Eric and Phil both lived here with us as roommates, and so as I was developing new games, we would take them to table together and try to destroy them, bend them, break them, abuse them in any way possible. We had weekly game nights, but then there were tons of other nights where we would game as well. Realms Of Destiny was a household favorite, and it has seen well over 800 hours of active playtesting, including various expansions, most especially the five base expansions. We are also avid Savage Worlds players, as well as d20 3.5, and whatever else happens to suit our fancy. Although the old War Council doesn't get together as often nowadays, we still love tearing into a new game, or just bringing some favorites like Tavern Masters, Game Lords, and especially Realms Of Destiny, to the table.
Q: What hasn't really happened yet, in the world of tabletop gaming, that you would love to see happen next?
DK: Another tough question, but that is because there have been so many new advents and experiments in tabletop gaming at this point. Between new electronic pads and tables, holographic displays, Augmented Reality, and all the various different ways new technology has been combined with the tabletop gaming experience, it's hard to imagine what hasn't at least been tried. However, at the same time, incorporating any new technology hardware into an otherwise physical tabletop game really limits the lifespan of the game. In the end, everything has been tried except for what hasn't, and when I finally think of what hasn't been tried, I'll either try it myself or find someone who will! Innovation is great, but then again, so is good ol' gaming. Necessity is the mother of invention, but as they say, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it." Each new game is a new experience, a new journey to take, so I guess the best thing we as gamers can truly look forward to is sharing those adventures more and more with the people that we love (and like.)
Q: How much gameplay do you get to enjoy these days, and which games have you been enjoying?
DK: Sadly, once I started running a company it severely limited my gaming time, and meant that most of that time would be eaten up playtesting my prototypes. Luckily, I mostly make games that I really want to play, so getting to play them ad infinitum is pretty awesome, and I get the chance to make them better each time. Still, I do enjoy getting to sit down and play something new or different when I get the chance. We have 'family game night' at least once each week, and we've been trying some different games that I had been wanting to try out. A few weeks ago, I got to introduce my 7 year old to one of my favorite games from my youth, Fireball Island. He absolutely loved it! We tried Forbidden Island recently, and it was just as much fun as it looked on Tabletop. The game I'm most looking forward to trying that I picked up recently is SeaFall, the new Legacy game. I've heard lots of good things about it, and since I'm a role-player who likes the idea of continuity between play sessions, I have high hopes.
Q: Fireball Island? Nice! What did your son enjoy most about his first Fireball Island gaming experience? And, which other games has he found to his liking at this young age?
DK: Viktor (my son) loved it and wanted to play again immediately! He got such a kick out of rolling the fireballs at us, and he really loved the card play. I could tell he was also getting a bit immersed in the setting, talking about treasure and jewels and the jungle. We had just watched Jumanji a few weeks before, so he drew some fun parallels from that into his gameplay. His favorite game to play is my Realms Of Destiny, he really loves that one especially when we play it cooperatively. He likes it because even though it's a cooperative fantasy board game, everyone goes around and has their own separate adventures and then comes together at the end to fight the main boss. No one has to feel like a "fifth wheel" in someone else's adventure. He has also recently started playing the Pokemon CCG. There are some others he's enjoyed, but some of his other favorites are some kids' card games I made, like Zounds! and Sixpence Bakery. I can't help it, we play other published games with him all the time, but he just likes his daddy's games.
Q: Five dinner guests. Which five game designers would you invite to a dinner party?
DK: Hmm, that's a good question. I've had the pleasure to meet some truly enjoyable game designers at various Cons, and would love to spend more time with them just because. However, I suppose if I really had to pick only five (and I'll keep my list to living individuals, so no Gary Gygax or Todd Breitenstein), and eliminating those I know in person, I would have to go with this list: Steve Jackson, Kevin Siembieda, Monte Cook, James Mathe, and Rob Daviau
Q: That's quite a list. What might be a question you'd like to ask Steve Jackson at that dinner party?
DK: Well, some of it I might seem boring, but probably questions about production, various markets, general industry talk, but then I would definitely talk to him about stuff like the Illuminati CCG, Fallout, various cult classics, and staying relevant all of these years. Kevin Siembieda would get a lot of talk about Palladium Fantasy and Rifts from me, and undoubtedly some insane role-playing stories from those worlds. Monte Cook I would talk about Lovecraft with, as well as his cool Chaositech book. Rob Daviau I would talk to him about his years as a developer for a major corp compared to working with other mid-level publishers and doing his own thing, plus I would discuss the whole legacy concept which I am eager to learn more about. James Mathe I would also talk industry stuff with, and he just seems like an interesting guy worth talking to.
Q: We bet Monte Cook would sure have some nice stories to tell. What's your favorite Monte Cook creation, and why?
DK: I've heard great things about Numenara, and my buddy Shane has done a number of pieces of art for that world, but I haven't had the chance to enjoy it yet myself. I really love the Chaositech material he came up with, but I also just really enjoyed his d20 3.5 take on Call Of Cthulhu. I had wanted to run a CoC game for a while, but most of my gaming buddies at the time were hung up on 3.5, so Monte's adaptation fit our needs perfectly. They gave me all the basic tools I needed to translate my version of HPL's rich worlds into dice and numbers, and I was able to take my party on a truly epic set of adventures that we still someday hope to get back to.
Q: What advice do you have for parents who are looking to introduce their kids to the wonderful world of tabletop gaming?
DK: There are lots of great games for kids out there! If you have a younger child, stores like Toys R Us are starting to carry more of the traditionally "hobby games" that are still geared towards including children. Remember that with kids, you can work in a couple of strategy games like the more standard Euros for experience in resource management, but kids like heavily luck-based games. This is more accessible for them without them having to challenge adults on an equal intellectual playing field. The best games in my opinion balance luck and strategy anyway, so you should find some pretty enjoyable gems along the way! Also, don't forget that many small indie game publishers like myself commonly have to list our games as 13+ or 14+ for the age range due to government regulations and expensive testing standards, even though many games still just contain cards or plastic pieces that come from the same factories as games which pass these standards, so if you see a game that looks like it would be great for kids, don't let the recommended age range keep you from looking into it further. There are so many great games for all ages that have been forced to keep their age ranges artificially heightened, so do some digging and you'll find even more gems to grace your family gaming table!
Q: What are you most looking forward to in 2017?
DK: Getting the first copies of Tavern Masters in, of course! I also have some other exciting things up my sleeves as we move forward. This year we also hope to see some other games of mine get released, such as Sixpence Bakery (a children's card game), Kill Santa (a simple fun little holiday game), the Dockside Expansion for Tavern Masters, and a second edition of our game Cthulhu: The Great Old One to finally put into distribution. Depending on how the year goes, we may also launch our new card game Game Lords which pokes fun at gaming stereotypes and uses a full polyhedral set of dice. I also look forward to some of the new projects we'll be laying the groundwork for, like hopefully our first Lord Of The Night game which would also be out first big board game, and eventually our sprawling World of Destiny board game Realms Of Destiny, one of our tentpole titles that is my absolute favorite game to play ever, and has around 16 different expansions and add-ons in development, taking the game to epic levels of adventure. In short, I have a feeling that it's going to be a great year!
Q: Game Lords is a card game that uses a full set of polyhedral dice? Very interesting. What more can you tell us about Game Lords?
DK: Game Lords is a card game about role-players and various gamer stereotypes. Each player is a "Game Lord" in their town trying to recruit enough players to get the party past their Level 20 campaign. Each player chooses a Genre (Fantasy, Horror, Cyberpunk, Sci-Fi, Superhero, Western) and a Type (Card-based, Dice-based, Live-Action) for their Game. Gamers can be played if your game has the Genre or Type they like. Each Gamer has a unique ability, and some add to your Game Roll (to progress in Level) or your Fame Roll (Round initiative). Each Gamer is some type of traditional gamer stereotype, like the Dungeon Dweller that likes Fantasy and lives in a relative's basement. There are also Expansion books that count as two Genres in your Game (Serenity Expansion: Sci-Fi & Western, Cthulhu Expansion: Horror & Sci-Fi), and Snacks that let you play different Gamer types ("Liquid-Filled Gummy Bats" lets you play Horror Gamers). Each Campaign Level is associated with a polyhedral dice, so you have Levels 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, & 20. To beat Level 4, you have to roll a '4' or higher on a d4, Level 6 you need a '6+' on a d6, etc. The first Game Lord to have his or her party beat Level 20 wins!
Q: Liquid-Filled Gummy Bats sounds right up our alley! What would they even taste like?
DK: I imagine they would probably taste like the Hot Topic version of a strawberry Gusher. Other favorites are the Neon Blue Beverage, which lets you play Sci-Fi Gamers (because it seems like every Sci-Fi has to have some type of neon blue colored liquid as a popular drink, a la Trek's Romulan ale or Wars' blue milk), or Volt Energy Drink for Cyberpunk (our version of the hacker favorite Jolt). Of course, it's hard to beat Western's Icy Cold Sarsaparillas on a hot summer day, and if you just don't happen to find any Snacks you like, the Delivery Boy Gamer can make your Game count as having Snacks (since he brings pizzas from work).


text:
The Holiday Pop-Up Shops are returning to Midtown in Downtown Oklahoma City for their 7th year in 2018!
Visit 45 Oklahoma-owned shops and an urban Christmas tree lot this holiday season between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Shops rotate weekly through a set of geodesic domes at NW 10th and Hudson, next to Bleu Garten (399 NW 10th St.). The holiday shopping village is open each weekend, starting Black Friday, Thursday through Sunday to the public. Entry is free, shopping is encouraged.
Hours & Dates of Operation
November 23 – December 23
Thursdays – Saturdays: 10am to 9pm
Sundays: 10am to 6pm
For more information, including the full schedule for the list of shops, visit okcpopups.com.
[sgmb id=1]


text:
Some History
Founded in early 2008, Fay Servicing specializes in providing innovative servicing solutions for both current and past due mortgages.
Before founding our company, we conducted an exhaustive analysis of the mortgage servicing industry and gained valuable insight into the problems facing mortgage servicers and their customers. With that insight we set out to build a different kind of servicing company from the ground up.
We are always looking for qualified individuals to become Fay Servicing team members.
Please visit our Careers page for more information.
One of the greatest challenges mortgage servicers face is disconnect with the homeowner, a result of "collection-shop" cultures often found in the mortgage servicing industry. Fay Servicing understands that each of our customers is different. Everyday life changes or unanticipated difficulties can abruptly impact even the most prepared homeowner. Because of this, Fay Servicing utilizes a fundamentally different approach – one based on high-touch, personalized relationships with each one of our customers.
We assign a dedicated and highly skilled Account Manager to each customer who is committed to providing personalized and meaningful customer service. Our Account Managers take pride in their work, particularly when they see the positive effect their efforts have on our customers' lives.
Customized Solutions
Our goal is to better inform our customers of, and provide each with, options that may be available if the customer is having difficulty making his or her mortgage payment. In order to find the optimal solution to help our customers get back on track and keep their homes, we promise to devote the time necessary to fully understand each individual's specific situation. Here at Fay Servicing, we understand that our customers are not just loan numbers – they're homeowners.


text:
Enquire about purchasing this artwork.
Looking after and framing your Archival Edition Print. Lantern Studios sends Archival Edition Prints anywhere in the world.
Looking after and framing your Archival Edition Print.
Lantern Studios sends Archival Edition Prints anywhere in the world.
Each print is packed in perfect condition and checked for quality.
Prints are sent registered and tracked, the acid free 305gsm paper loosely rolled.
You are advised not to straighten the print or continually move it but to give it
to your frame maker as he will be skilled in handling quality prints.
The 'key-line' gives the frame maker the exact dimensions as shown on the
website, he can if you wish, trim to the line which is there to show the exact
size of the designed format often creating a proportioned white area around
the work. The print can be framed without a mount as the artist intended,
the choice is yours.
You can use a wide, flat modern frame painted white, black or waxed natural
wood. You can alsouse a box frame, black or white, with strips of wood or
foam board (20mm) inside to distance the print from the glass.
Another option is to use a square sectioned modern frame with a metallic
appearance, gold, silver, bronze, hammered, or brushed finish.
This will look very good with strong, high contrast, colourful and designed
These frames sometimes have a black outer edge that contrasts
with the metallic finish.
If you want to guratuntee absolute flatness then your print can be mounted
on to self-adhesive board, your frame maker will know how to roll the peint
in stages while slowly pulling away the backing paper from the centre.
Put sheets of acid-free card between the print or print board and the frame
backing board. This will protect the print while pressing the surface of the
print against the glass (with a standard frame).
You can use spring clips at the back of large frames to increase the pressure.
For the very best archival framing, you can use museum glass.
'Superclear' glass prevents 95% of ultra violet light from reaching the
Surface and gives a very clear view of the art.
©2019 ZACRON. All rights reserved.Site by Lantern Studios in association with Cube Connection


text:
6300 San Fernando Rd, Glendale, CA 91201
(818) 547 - 4455
Periodontal treatment is performed by a periodontist when a patient has gum disease. This disease is caused by plaque and tartar which are bacteria and particles that are deposited on teeth. When bacteria causes inflammation in the gums or an infection, it is called gingivitis. This can cause red and swollen gums, pain, bleeding, and itching.
You can cure gingivitis by exercising good dental hygiene; brushing and flossing your teeth correctly multiple times throughout every day, and visiting our dental hygienist in Glendale regularly. If the gingivitis is not taken care of correctly, it can become periodontitis.
Periodontitis is an inflammation of the gums around the tooth. Plaque accumulates below the gums affecting the tissues that surround and support the teeth, causing them to fall or loosen out and supporting bone to be lost.
Gum Disease and How to Fight it! View Video
Gum tissue surrounds teeth and acts as a sealant for them. They also provide shape and form to the top border of the tooth.
Some people may have a great section of their gum showing when they smile and their teeth seem to be very short. This is usually called a "Gummy Smile" and can be corrected with a cosmetic procedure called a "Gum Lift" or "Gingival Contouring". This gum surgery reduces the exceeding gum tissue and bone to acquire a normal gum appearance.
Having a healthy gum tissue around the tooth contributes not only to the health of the tooth but also how natural and beautiful they look.
Gum recession is very common and can happen due to many reasons out of which most frequent are periodontal (gum) disease, excessive brushing, brushing with a hard toothbrush, unfavorable position of the tooth, and sometimes trauma due to wrong bite, defective dental restorations, or due to foreign objects like tongue and lip piercings. Aging is another factor for gum recession.
As a result of gum recession root surface of the tooth becomes exposed. Since it is not protected with enamel of the tooth it can become sensitive to cold, hot, and touch. It also wears off faster during brushing creating abrasions. Exposed root surface becomes susceptible to root decay. Gum recession can also create impaired oral hygiene and esthetic issues.
More About Soft Tissue Grafts View Video


text:
Sold for $100,000 on Mar 22, 2019
Bellingham Acreage. 7.73 Acres affordably priced at $125,000. Popular Bellingham School District. Country Feeling yet, close to town. Many BIG trees. Possible Views. Additional parcels available. Many home sites to choose from.
Keith Cook: 360-739-5600
Sally Webb: 360-224-1270
Joseph Bonanno: 360-366-6411
RE/MAX Whatcom County
913 Lakeway Drive
Bellingham, WA 98229
Copyright © buyermax.com 2018, All Rights Reserved


text:
Cristian Castro's Tattoo Up Close
Much has been said about Cristian Castro's tattoo.
It's in homage to one of his favorite bands, Tool.
Sooo many people confuse it for…well, something else.
To set things straight, Cristian let our Texas correspondent Lucy Moreno get up and close and take a pic.
There hasn't been a photo this up close of the tattoo so ch-ch-check it out.
Related posts:
Previous: Many Famosos at the St. Jude's Gala in Miami
Next: Jacqueline Bracamontes is Single Once Again


text:
|By Jeremy Geelan
Article Rating:
|March 11, 2008 12:15 PM EDT
"It's a 'perfect storm' for Rich Internet Applications right now, just add up the factors..." Stagner - a popular speaker at the upcoming in New York City in March and a senior program manager in Microsoft's Developer Tools and Platform Group - continues.
He then lists the main five, as he views it:
- Browser users are more and more experienced and non-techies have become "experienced" users.
- Web access in developed counties is approaching ubiquity and access in the rest of the world continues to grow.
- High speed access, "broadband", high speed wireless, even phone based high speed is becoming the norm.
- Media technologies like Flash and Silverlight are enjoying great adoption.
- The social networking phenomenon, have once again made content " number 1".
In Phillips' expert view, the principal defining characteristics of RIAs include:
- They are browser-based
- Typically involve some level of asynchronous communication with a server
- Enable some level of client-side processing
- Have a user experience that feels more responsive, speedy, and aesthetically pleasing than traditional web technology
- Provide deeper, richer functionality than what is possible using traditional web technology
- Automatically updated
- Platform neutral
Sam Elsemann, CEO of siteMagix, defines the principal characteristic of an RIA as above all "A user experience that is as intuitive and powerful as the experience the user is used to with desktop applications but that is also capable of leveraging collaboration and universal access from any computer on any network at any time," and this seemed such a succinct definition that we asked Simon Morris, a.k.a. Java Kid, could he go one better (shorter)?
He could.
"In short," Morris said, "an RIA is an application with all the user interface sophistication and functionality of desktop software, but with the deployment pattern of a web page."
Next page: The Business Value of RIAs
- Google Maps and ASP.NET
- A Cup of AJAX? Nay, Just Regular Java Please
- Java Developer's Journal Exclusive: 2006 "JDJ Editors' Choice" Awards
- Building a Drag-and-Drop Shopping Cart with AJAX
- The Top 150 Players in Cloud Computing
- Who Are The All-Time Heroes of i-Technology?
- What Is AJAX?
- Rich Internet Applications with Adobe Flex 2 and Java
- Where Are RIA Technologies Headed in 2008?
- Google Maps! AJAX-Style Web Development Using ASP.NET


text:
We love digital - Call
03332 207 677 and say hello - Mon - Fri, 9am - 5pm
Call 03332 207 677
We love digital - Call
03332 207 677 and say hello - Mon - Fri, 9am - 5pm
Call 03332 207 677
As part of an ongoing attempt to streamline Yahoo, reports suggest they are on the verge of selling Delicious believed to be around $1 Million.
The bookmarking service, Delicious, was purchased by Yahoo in 2005 for a reported $30 million. Six years later, they are believed to be offloading this property for as little as $1million (£600,000 approximately) as they look to sell the unprofitable assets of the company.
As part of the review of Yahoo, chief executive Carol Bartz has taken the decision for the internet company to focus primarily on content creation [See: Yahoo Increasingly Looking to Content to Fill Search Void]. They believe this is a far more profitable way to sell advertising, as opposed to Delicious which isn't possible to monetise.
It is believed that StumbleUpon, who offer a similar bookmarking service, are willing to stump up with the $1 Million to take Delicious off Yahoo's hands. The bookmarking service's time under Yahoo's watch hasn't exactly been joyous. Three years after purchase, Delicious' founder Joshua Schachter left complaining he was being "sidelined by the decisions of my management", just one example of one of the many perceived failings aimed at Yahoo. Part of these failings include the many botched investments choices in which The Wall sum up perfectly with this infographic.
Yahoo's track record when it comes to investment choices hasn't exactly been astounding, with a so called 'sunset' list being created to streamline the company and focus on content. A leaked screenshot revealed that Yahoo are considering setting the sun on services [including Delicious] such as AltaVista, Yahoo Buzz, Yahoo Picks, Yahoo Bookmarks and MyBlogLog.
In addition to their poor investment choices, their subsequent luck hasn't been great either. Take the news story of Yahoo selling their shares in Yahoo Japan for example [See: Yahoo Set to Say Sayonara to Japanese Unit]. A sale was rumoured as Yahoo looked to refocus their attentions to the emerging Chinese markets. However the tragic recent events in Japan have seriously hampered any sale, as Yahoo Japan's stock started to decline.
Yahoo has lost so much ground to other search engines, notably Google and the emerging Bing, and they are really facing some sort of an identity crisis in the long run. The fire sale looks set to continue, but investments may also be on the horizon (as was indicated by their recent bid for Groupon). Whether the game is finally up for the ailing dotcom era search engine remains to be seen, but whatever does happen, they're certainly not going down quietly.
Unlike 08 numbers, 03 numbers cost the same to call as geographic landline numbers (starting 01 and 02), even from a mobile phone. They are also normally included in your inclusive call minutes. Please note we may record some calls.


text:
Microsoft Excel provides a series of functions destined to perform various types of financially related operations. These functions use common factors depending on the value that is being calculated. Many of these functions deal with investments or loan financing.
The Present Value is the current value of an investment or a loan. For a savings account, a customer could pledge to make a set amount of deposit on a bank account every month. The initial value that the customer deposits or has in the account is the Present Value. The sign of the variable, when passed to a function, depends on the position of the customer. If the customer is making deposits, this value must be negative. If the customer is receiving money (lottery installment, family inheritance, etc), this value should be positive.
The Future Value is the value the loan or investment will have when the loan is paid off or when the investment is over. For a car loan, a musical instrument loan, a financed refrigerator, a boat, etc, this is usually 0 because the company that is lending the money will not take that item back (they didn't give it to the customer in the first place, they only lend him or her some money to buy the item). This means that at the end of the loan, the item (such as a car, boat, guitar, etc) belongs to the customer and it is most likely still worth something.
As described above and in reality, the Future Value is the amount the item would be worth at the end. In most, if not all, loans, it would be 0. On the other hand, if a customer is borrowing money to buy something like a car, a boat, a piano, etc, the salesperson would ask if the customer wants to put a "down payment", which is an advance of money. Then, the salesperson or loan officer can either use that down payment as the Future Value parameter or simply subtract it from the Present Value and then apply the calculation to the difference. Therefore, you can apply some type of down payment to your functions as the Future Value.
The Number Of Periods is the number of payments that make up a full cycle of a loan or an investment.
The Interest Rate is a fixed percent value applied during the life of the loan or the investment. The rate does not change during the length of the Periods.
It is very important to understand how these two arguments are passed to a function. The period could be the number of months of a year, which is 12; but it could be another length. Suppose a customer is getting a car loan that would be financed in 5 years. This is equivalent to 5 * 12 = 60 months. In the same way, a cash loan can stretch from 0 to 18 months, a carpenter truck loan can have a life financing of 40 months, and a condominium can be financed for 15 years of 12 months plus an additional 8 months; this is equivalent to (15 * 12) + 8 = 188 months. Here is the tricky part, especially as far as Microsoft Excel deals with its finance functions. If you pass the number of Periods in terms of years, such as 5 for a car loan that stretches over 5 years, then you can pass the Rate as a percentage value, such as 8.75%. If you pass the number of Periods in terms of months, for example you can pass it as 44 for a car that is financed in 3 years and 8 months, then you must communicate this to the Rate argument by dividing the Rate by 12. In other words, a Rate of 8.75% would be passed as 8.75%/12. If the Rate was typed in a cell named B2 that displays 8.75%, you can pass it as B2/12.
For deposits made in a savings account, because their payments are made monthly, the rate is divided by the number of Periods of a year, which is 12. If an investment has an interest rate set at 14.50%, the Rate would be 14.50/12 = 1.208. Because the Rate is a percentage value, its actual value must be divided by 100 before passing it to the function. For a loan of 14.50% interest rate, this would be 14.50/12 = 1.208/100 = 0.012.
The Payment is the amount the customer will be paying. For a savings account where a customer has pledged to pay a certain amount in order to save a set (goal) amount, this would be the amount the customer would pay every month. If the customer is making payments (car loan, mortgage, deposits to a savings account, etc), this value must be negative. If the customer is receiving money (lottery installment or annuity, family inheritance, etc), this value must be positive.
The Payment Type specifies whether the payment is made at the beginning or the end of the period. For a monthly payment of an item financed like a car, a boat, a guitar, or a house this could be the end of every month.
The Future Value of an Investment
To calculate the future value of an investment, you can use the FV() function. The syntax of this function is:
Function FV(Rate, Periods, Payment, PresentValue, PaymentType) As Currency
Practical Learning: Calculating the Future Value
The Number of Periods of an Investment
To calculate the number of periods of an investment or a loan, you can use the NPER()function. Its syntax is:
Function NPER(Rate, Payment, PresentValue, FutureValue, PaymentType) As Currency
Here is an example:
Investment or Loan Payment
The PMT() function is used to calculate the regular payment of loan or an investment. Its syntax is:
Function PMT(Rate, NPeriods, PresentValue, FutureValue, PaymentType) As Currency
In the following example, a customer is applying for a car loan. The cost of the car will be entered in cell C4. It will be financed at a rate entered in cell C6 for a period set in cell C7. The dealer estimates that the car will have a value of $0.00 when it is paid off.
Practical Learning: Calculating the Monthly Payments of a Loan
The Amount Paid As Interest During a Period
When a customer is applying for a loan, an investment company must be very interested to know how much money it would collect as interest. This allows the company to know whether the loan is worth giving. Because the interest earned is related to the interest rate, a company can play with the rate (and also the length) of the loan to get a fair (?) amount.
The IPMT() function is used to calculate the amount paid as interest on a loan during a period of the lifetime of a loan or an investment. It is important to understand what this function calculates. Suppose a customer is applying for a car loan and the salesperson decides (or agrees with the customer) that the loan will be spread over 5 years (5 years * 12 months each = 60 months). The salesperson then applies a certain interest rate.
TheIPMT() function can help you calculate the amount of interest that the lending institution would earn during a certain period. In essence, you can use it to know how much money the company would earn in the 3rd year, or in the 4th year, or in the 1st year. Based on this, this function has an argument called Period, which specifies the year you want to find out the interest earned in.
The syntax of the IPMT() function is:
Function IPMT(Rate, Period, NPeriods, _ PresentValue, FutureValue, PaymentType) As Double
The Rate argument is a fixed percent value applied during the life of the loan.
The PresentValue is the current value of the loan or investment. It could be the marked value of the car, the current mortgage value of a house, or the cash amount that a bank is lending.
The FutureValue is the value the loan or investment will have when the loan is paid off.
The NPeriods is the number of periods that occur during the lifetime of the loan. For example, if a car is financed in 5 years, this value would be (5 years * 12 months each =) 60 months. When passing this argument, you must remember to pass the right amount.
The Period argument represents the payment period. For example, it could be 3 to represent the 3rd year of a 5 year loan. In this case, the IPMT() function would calculate the interest earned in the 3rd year only.
The PaymentType specifies whether the periodic (such as monthly) payment of the loan is made at the beginning (1) or at the end (1) of the period.
The FutureValue and the PaymentType arguments are not required.
Practical Learning: Calculating the Monthly Payments of a Loan
The Amount Paid as Principal
While the IPMT() function calculates the amount paid as interest for a period of a loan or an investment, the PPMT() function calculates the actual amount that applies to the balance of the loan. This is referred to as the principal. Its syntax is:
Function PPMT(Rate, Period, NPeriods, _ PresentValue, FutureValue, PaymentType) As Currency
The arguments are the same as described in the previous sections.
Practical Learning: Evaluating the Amount Paid As Principal
The Present Value of a Loan or an Investment
The PV() function calculates the total amount that a future investment is worth currently. Its syntax is:
Function PV(Rate, NPeriods, Payment, FutureValue, PaymentType) As Currency
The arguments are the same as described earlier.
The Interest Rate
Suppose a customer comes to a car dealer and wants to buy a car. The salesperson would first present the available cars to the customer so the customer can decide what car he likes. After this process and during the evaluation, the sales person may tell the customer that the monthly payments would be $384.48. The customer may then say, "Wooooh, I can't afford that, man". Then the salesperson would ask, "What type of monthly payment suits you". From now on, both would continue the discussion. Since the salesperson still wants to make some money but without losing the customer because of a high monthly payment, the salesperson would need to find a reasonable rate that can accommodate an affordable monthly payment for the customer.
The RATE() function is used to calculate the interest applied on a loan or an investment. Its syntax is:
Function RATE(NPeriods, Payment, PresentValue, _ FutureValue, PaymentType, Guess) As Double
All of the arguments are the same as described for the other functions, except for the Guess. This argument allows you to give some type of guess for a rate. This argument is not required. If you omit it, its value is assumed to be 10.
Practical Learning: Calculating the Interest Rate
The Internal Rate of Return
The IRR() function is used to calculate an internal rate of return based on a series of investments. Its syntax is:
Function IRR(Values, Guess) As Double
The Values argument is a series (also called an array or a collection) of cash amounts that a customer has made on an investment. For example, a customer could make monthly deposits in a savings or credit union account. Another customer could be running a business and receiving different amounts of money as the business is flowing (or losing money). The cash flows don't have to be the same at different intervals but they should (or must) occur at regular intervals such as weekly (amount cut from a paycheck), bi-weekly (401k directly cut from paycheck), monthly (regular investment), or yearly (income).
The Values argument must be passed as a collection of values, such as a range of selected cells, and not an amount. Otherwise you would receive an error.
The Guess parameter is an estimate interest rate of return of the investment.
Practical Learning: Calculating the Internal Rate of Return
The Net Present Value
The NPV() function uses a series of cash flows to calculate the present value of an investment. Its syntax is:
Function NPV(Rate, Value1, Value2, ...) As Currency
The Rate parameter is the rate of discount during one period of the investment.
As the NPV() function doesn't take a fixed number of arguments, you can add a series of values as Value1, Value2, etc. These are regularly made payments for each period involved. Because this function uses a series of payments, any payment made in the past should have a positive value (because it was made already). Any future payment should have a negative value (because it has not been made yet).
Practical Learning: Calculating the Net Present Value


text:
Cheek Lift (Vertical Cheek lift procedure)
A cheek lift (also called a vertical cheek lift) can significantly reduce wrinkles, sagging skin, or a depressed appearance in the cheeks. As a person ages, the cheeks (which are situated over the cheek bone) descend, aging the lower eyelid and deepening the upper part of the smile line. A cheek lift repositions the cheek frame in an upward direction. The cheek fat is repositioned along with underlying fascia and muscle, creating more youthful eyes and softening the smile line. The incisions for the cheek lift are made beneath the lower eyelash line (similar to an eyelid tuck or blepharoplasty surgery).


text:
Questions? Comments? Email us at firstname.lastname@example.com
Which Outdoor Projector Screen is Right for You?Open
Elite Screens' Blog Team
Elite Screens' Blog Team
Elite makes a variety of portable outdoor projector screens that have the durability to stand up to the elements. To compare the various models, look at the comparison sheet (here).
- The DIY Outdoor Movie Screen is made of a theater-grade PVC material that is easily fastened into place by use of its grommets. They evenly spread out the material tension for a flat projection surface and readily attach to their surrounding environment such as garage door frames, walls, trees and pole supports. The projection surface is textured to avoid hot-spotting while providing color neutrality, and a wide viewing angle that is perfect for social events. All these features plus its DIY simplicity that allows the average person use it makes the DIY Outdoor Movie Screen a treasured asset for many seasonal events to come.
- The DIY Pro Screen is the newest outdoor do-it-yourself movie screen. It includes professional black masking borders to improve picture contrast and absorbs projection light overshoot. Enjoy your favorite movies outside using our DIY Pro Screen, which allows installation anywhere a support structure is found. The material allows a clear and sharp presentation without image fidelity loss as typical bedsheets do. The DIY Pro Screen is a professionally engineered yet cost-effective solution that eliminates all of the problems encountered when trying to project on regular sheet fabrics. Don't settle for less and project on a DIY Pro Screen.
- The DIY Wall 2 is a Series of portable wall screens that serve as a Do-It-Yourself product that unfurls to convert walls, garage doors, patios, etc. into a quality projection screen. The DIY Wall 2 includes black masking borders on all sides in addition to a pair of wall hooks on both top and bottom horizontal support bars. The wall hooks provide a simple hanging solution that sets up with lightning speed.
- The Pop-Up Cinema Series is a portable spring-framed fast folding projection screen for instant setup for outdoor or indoor environments. The lightweight spring metal construction allows the material to "pop-up" instantly while supporting the SilkWhite material and its black-mesh border. The SilkWhite projection material is a synthetic fabric designed for the rigors of outdoor use while also doubling as an exceptional projection surface for indoor presentations as well.
- Elite's Yard Master Series of outdoor theater screens is ideal for picnics, barbecues or virtually any other outdoor projector presentation imaginable. It is an affordable solution to having a professionally formatted outdoor projection screen that sets up and takes down quickly. Its durable DynaBrite projection material is made for the rigors of outdoor use while maintaining color clarity with a wide viewing angle. The Yard Master's easily assembled framework ensures many years of good use and is designed to be the ultimate low-cost solution to a larger than life picture.
- The Yard Master 2 is a fast folding-frame outdoor projection screen. Its light-weight aluminum frame allows it to be set up in minutes. Simply, unfold the frame; attach the material and legs, then project. The Yard Master 2 is the perfect companion for outdoor presentations with front or rear projection materials available.
- The Yard Master 2 Dual is a fast folding-frame outdoor or indoor projection screen. Its light-weight aluminum frame allows it to be set up in minutes. Simply, unfold the frame; attach the material and legs, then project. The Yard Master 2 Dual includes a front and rear projection material in one. This eliminates the need to swap out materials and conveniently accommodates both projection set ups.
- The Yard Master Electric is Elite's outdoor projector screen for patios and other outdoor spaces. Watch a movie in the convenience of your own backyard, patio, pool deck, or wherever your creative innovation leads. The electric screen is raised and lowered using a Radio Frequency remote control. Additional accessories include a magnetic weight bar bracket and a ground stake kit to keep screen secured against mild wind conditions. Outdoor grade materials enable the product to sustain a long lasting operational lifespan and is IP33 certified for rain/water protection.
- Elite Screens' Yard Master Manual Series is a non-electric outdoor projection screen that is IP65 certified for rain/water protection. Its retractable design is ideal for wall and patio installations as it brings media room quality in addition to functionality to your outdoor spaces. It's sleek enameled weather resistant aluminum casing beautifully accessorizes your backyard, patio, pool deck, or anywhere a gathering for evening movie time is appropriate. The 100-120" models utilize an SRM (slow react mechanism) that prolongs the product's lifespan and allows the material to rise back up into its casing unassisted. The MaxWhite® projection material is ideal for the outdoors while it provides a wide viewing angle that will accommodate your entire viewing audience. It is also GREENGUARD® (UL2808) certified for safe air quality emissions.


text:
Double Glazing Conversion
This is a natural development from our original refurbishment package, whereby we carry out all the work necessary to restore the outer box frame but simply replace the two sliding sash casements with double glazed replicas. These are made in exactly the same way as the originals but with some slight modifications to allow them to take sealed units, rather than putty pointed single glazing. We go to painstaking lengths to make the replacement sash's match the originals and are always happy when customers comment on how 'you would never know the difference' and how narrow the glazing bars are.
Once the outer box frame is restored and given a coat of dense white primer undercoat we then re-calibrate and add extra lead weighting to the existing steel balance weights so that the new sash's slide properly in the box frame. The new sash casements are then re-hung on traditional 7mm thick wax cotton cord and then the window is then re-assembled with new pre-primed wooden parting and staff beading. This also incorporates a full fibre pile draft proofing system and allows the sash's to slide smoothly and quietly within the frame.
Solid brass Brighton pattern sash fasteners are then fitted to the new sash casements and extra Rola security bolts if necessary. You are then left with a beautiful new double glazed and draft proofed sliding sash window for a fraction of the price of a new one. As the original box frame stays where it is, you can retain the original period architrave and no need for any messy and expensive re-plastering!
Any restoration work required for the box frame and sill can be done first once the window has been stripped down.
Once the box frame and sills have been repaired the old sash's can be secured back in temporarily overnight.
The box frame is then given two coats of a dense white primer undercoat and weather sealed back to the brick opening and any mortar repairs undertaken.
The window is then reassembled with the new double-glazed sash's, complete with high efficiency sealed units and georgian bars if required. The balance weighting is re-calibrated with lead make weighting and new staff and parting beads installed incorporating a full draft-proofing system.


text:
Got An Old iPod? Easily Trade Them In For Cash.
For those of you with old iPods with no easy way to get rid of them, you might want to check out NextWorth, which is a site where you can appraise your old iPod to see what kind of cash you can get for it. If you decide to take the offer, they send you out a prepaid box for mailing, and once they get it, they mail you a check in a few weeks. I just checked the offer on my iPod from last year, and it is still worth $145. Not bad if I wanted to upgrade to a newer model!


text:
AURANGABAD: Well-known entrepreneur, Ram Bhogale, who is also chairman of Nirlep and AITG Group, shared his career experiences during the 31st `Rare Share' programme of Aurangabad Management Association (AMA) on Monday, in the Vishwakarma Hall of Deogiri Institute of Management and Engineering. 'Rare Share' is a unique initiative by AMA where senior executives, managers share their success story.
Bhogale said "I joined my father's business in 1976 even before my engineering results were declared and started working for company which was into hospital equipment and accessories. Subsequently, I joined Nirlep, manufacturing non-stick kitchen appliances. My workers taught me all the technical mechanics practically.'
"The major challenge that I faced was shift from Nirlep to auto business. Taking a very small company to a group where you are the driver is not a cake walk. The real challenge was shifting from a driver's seat to getting driven by others. Here you have to depend on the Original equipment manufacturer (OEMs) for your growth even when you disagree with many of the strategies. But that is business. Growth has a challenge of its own," he said.
Bhogale is also a trustee of Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT) and member of Electricity Tariff requisition committee of government of Maharashtra.


text:
What a great way to kick of a new year.
Today, I drove Danielle up to Challenge Mountain to meet the rest of her class for a school trip. We left at 7:30am on Tuesday to drop Alec off at the High School. The school bus at the elementary was set to leave at 8:30am for Challenge Mountain. So I decided we had enough time to stop at McDs for breakfast. To my surprize, Danielle ate almost all of her breakfast and then we headed out the door.
We arrived at the Lodge and the waited inside for the bus to arrive. The bus had all ages from K to 9th graders for this trip. Challenge Mountain is setup for special needs children and is great for kids in wheelchairs and other disabilities. Everyone gets to participate at Challenge Mountain.
The kids finally arrived and the announcement was made that the ski hill would be closed for skiing and snowboarding, but open for sledding and snowshoeing. The kids geared up, put on their helmets and split up in two groups. One for Snowshoeing and one for Sleding. I am glad that Danielle had chosen the sledding option.
It was really funny watching her first trip up the sledding hill. She climbed up the top, but then she wasn't sure what to do once she reached the top. So she started walking back down the hill, dragging the sled behind her.
Mrs. Seelye walked up the hill with Danielle and got in the same sled and showed her what sledding was all about. After the first ride, she was hooked and headed back up the ski hill for more. The kids were having a blast and it was crazy in the beginning. Kids coming down the hill and kids trying to go up the hill, in the same area. Surprizingly, no one got hit, well not yet. Finally, between the instructors and the teachers, the kids soon learned to stick to the far outer sides when going back up. Except for one girl, her sled went sideways and was heading straight for Danielle and a classmate that was beside her. The girl's sled slammed right into her and took her out, but she got up and continued on her way.
Human bowling seemed to be the new game on the ski hill. The kids were sliding down, but the kids at the bottom of the hill were slow moving. So kids were bumping and crashing into each other. When they weren't going for each other, the new target was the staff and teachers. The staff and teachers monitored the kids from the bottom as they took turns going sledding with the kids. There was a lot of feet shoveling to the left and to the right, trying to dodge the sleders.
One boy was going so fast, that he ran into a wooden bench and knocked it over. The benched got moved back a few more feet. The couple of teachers were talking and didn't notice a sledder coming straight for them. The sad thing was, this girl is one of my relatives and I saw the whole thing. She hit the teacher and down she went, she landed on top of the girl in the sled. Alyssia, the girl in the sled, was okay, but the teacher broke her shoulder. The good news, that was the worst injury of the day and the kids had a blast.


text:
VERY RARE, OVER 17,000 SQUARE FOOT TIP LOT OVERLOOKING A FOUR WAY CANAL INTERSECTION WITH EXPANSIVE AND SEEMINGLY ENDLESS LONG WATERVIEWS. IT IS ONLY A SHORT 1 MILE, 10 MINUTE TRIP TO CHARLOTTE HARBOR AND OUT TO THE GULF OF MEXICO. The Dock was installed by Charlotte County seawalls and is perfectly located along the 120+ foot seawall, so you can add you own boat lift. This home features 2 bedrooms, 2 baths, oversized garage with AC, tile roof, updated 200 AMP electrical service, Insulated windows, Hurricane Shutters, ceramic tile throughout the living area, Super gorgeous heated pool with new screening overlooking the spectacular canal intersection. This intersection is land marked by boaters because of the large cannon located next to your dock. The lanai is an awesome spot to relax and enjoy the wildlife and sunrises. Newer appliances, fresh paint inside and out, upgrade galore! Take a walk on the stepping stones through the mature tropical landscaping, surrounded by the concrete curbing from the front to the rear of the home. This home is close to shopping, medical facilities, dining, fishing, boating, golf and biking. Searching for a home is a journey, this is a great place to live and once you see this home, you are home and the journey you are on has been completed. Currently on septic however sewer construction will be starting shortly. Schedule your showing and welcome home!
Listing courtesy of ELEVATE REAL ESTATE BROKERS. Selling Office: COLONY STARWOOD HOMES MANGN.
StellarMLS is the source of this information via Internet Data Exchange Program. All listing information is deemed reliable but not guaranteed and should be independently verified through personal inspection by appropriate professionals. Listings displayed on this website may be subject to prior sale or removal from sale. Availability of any listing should always be independently verified. Listing information is provided for consumer personal, non-commercial use, solely to identify potential properties for potential purchase. All other use is strictly prohibited and may violate relevant federal and state law. Data last updated on


text:
Starting at Genesis 11:10, there is a great shift of focus in the Bible from worldwide, universal events to localized, specific details in the lives of individuals. Up to this point, God has been dealing with mankind in general, no distinction has been made concerning race or ethnicity, but humanity only. Now, the Lord of Heaven will pluck from the tree that contains all the nations of the Earth a single branch with which He will deal directly. God will prune and cultivate this single branch, that is, the nation of Israel, with the purpose of preparing it to bear the Fruit that will come forth from it: the Lord Jesus Christ, the Promised Messiah.
The first 11 chapters of Genesis cover the span of history from the very dawn of time until the first part of the life of Abraham. The narrative deals in eras and epochs and speaks of the human condition in general – giving very limited detail whatsoever – moving rapidly from one monumental incident to the next. These chapters, although they literally cover an immensely greater span of time than the entire rest of the Bible combined, are really simply a background given to familiarize the reader of Scripture with the setting against which the remainder of the Word of God will unfold. Even though the details and explanations are often minimal and meager, many of the most perplexing questions and dilemmas that have plagued the thoughts of man since the most ancient of times are summarily resolved within these first 11 chapters of Genesis. Where did man come from? Why are we here? Are we alone in the Universe? Why does there exist a universal yearning in the hearts of all men for spiritual fulfillment – for a connection with our Creator – that seems so impossible to fulfill? What is it that has separated us from the One Who put us here in the first place?
Sin And Judgment
If we were pressed to arrive at a simple, recurring theme throughout these first 11 chapters of the Bible, we could summarize this theme as one of sin and judgment. Since Adam, I think that it would be very hard to find a single, honest individual who did not look at the world around them and conclude that something was very, very wrong. Whether they be men of faith or not, whether they be spiritual, philosophical, contemplative, or simply given to pure logic apart from emotion; most people realize that the world is not the way that it should be. Something has gone terribly wrong. Just about the time that another secular philosopher is ready to again advance the concept of the innate goodness of the heart of man, another catastrophic tragedy grips the headlines and leaves people shaking their heads and wondering what this world is coming to.
But the Bible makes it clear that there has always been evil in the heart of man, since the very beginning. From Adam and Eve's Fall in the Garden of Eden, to Cain's murder of Abel, to the people living in the time leading up to the Flood, to the denizens of Babel and their audacious Tower; the case is clearly made that the problem of man is his sin and it is his rebellion that separates him from God. If we learn nothing else from this portion of Scripture, we can be sure of one thing: God judges the sins of man.
"For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world." (1 John 2:16)
The antediluvians fulfilled all the lusts of their flesh; Cain demonstrated the pride of life in his arrogant, self-reliant offering to God; and the early Mesopotamians at the Plain of Shinar catered to the lust of their eyes when they sought to construct the Tower of Babel. Man has been opposed to God since the very beginning. It is in this setting and against this background and with this understanding that we will now meet Abraham: the man of faith. From this point on, the Bible will deal primarily with individuals rather than global events. We have heretofore gazed at the entire world, as through a telescope; now we will look upon more specific locations, as through a microscope. The pace will also greatly slow down as the elapsed time between one chapter to the next will be measured by days, months, and, sometimes, years; rather than decades, centuries, and millenia.
We have been introduced to the human condition in these first chapters of Genesis with scarcely a brief glance at the remedy that God would eventually provide for the problem of man's sin. Starting in Chapter 12, we will now see how God moved toward providing the break in the endless cycle of sin and judgment and how man can again be reconciled to his Creator.
To Jesus Christ goes all glory. In service to Him,
[This post was originally published November 15, 2009]
**All Scripture quotations in this post are taken from the King James Version (KJV) Bible
[If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ or you are not certain where you are headed when this life ends, I invite you to read the article "Am I Going To Heaven?"]


text:
I have always liked music and enjoyed listening to it, but it has only been since becoming involved with music2work2 that I have become aware of the extent of the power of music. One of the wonderful things about music2work2 sessions is their versatility – they can be used in different ways........as background music to help you concentrate, music to help you relax, music to inspire you, music to make you feel good, music to help you heal.
After losing my dear dog, Cassie, listening to the music composed for her helped ease the pain and sadness I was feeling from her loss. The music changed the "video" that played in my mind when I thought of her. The image of her suffering and of her departing this life was replaced by one of her playing, enjoying life, bouncing along on her three legs, as if the fourth one was never even needed. Andrew was able to capture this image of her by working whatever magic he does using significant numbers for whomever the session is composed. This is a unique gift that he possesses.
I've just been listening again to the music that I watched Andrew compose and play when I was in LA. A couple of pieces were themes that have been in the works for a while, that he has been developing over time. The first tracks of several brand new sessions were also recorded. Composing music seems to come as naturally to him as breathing does to me. I am grateful to be one of the beneficiaries of such great talent and powerful music, and to be able to play a part in sharing it with the rest of the world.


text:
This chapter is about The math Daily 3. The previous chapters have been focused on ELA. I have to say I love The Math Daily 3. I implemented this last year in my classroom. I teach First Grade and I was team teaching. So all I had to teach all day was math and Science. I wanted to teach it in a different way then the traditional way so I researched and I combined The Math Daily 3 with Guided math and I have top tell ya, my kids soared!
When launching these components, we launch Math By Myself first. The focus will be on building stamina woking independently with math games. Stamina is being built. I Charts are created.
Next component launched is Math Writing. Focus is on expressing themselves mathematically using pictures, words, and equations. This is done similar to work on writing in Daily 5. Allow them to choose a comfortable area. Great for Math Journals.
Then we launch Math With Someone. The focus is working with someone else collaboratively and appropriately.
All of the components have I Charts Just like the components of Daily 5 do. I have created I Charts for the Daily 3 and posters if you would like them click on them below to download.
We only have one more post left in our book study! In case you missed my other posts, here are the links: