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Spinster Stories
Posted on Monday, February 27 2012. Tagged with:
awkward moment
blue tooth
Welcome to Kara's Spinster Stories. Hi. I'm Kara. I'm 23 years old and have come to fully accept my fate to be a lonely old spinster. My friends are already calling me "auntie Kara." I'm Auntie Kara because that's what their kids will call me. I will be that crazy old lady who makes strange crafts all over the outside of my house. Kids in the neighborhood will be scared of me and start rumors that I'm some old lesbian with a basement full of snakes. If you are my neighbor, I'm sorry, I will probably lower the value of your home. My friends will invite me over on holidays and their kids will call me "auntie" even though we are not related. I will bring home a new dog or cat every week...but not a cute one, one no one wants. I will teach an art class on wednesday nights at the local adult school, and my class will be called "replacing sex with painting."
Anyways this is the direction that my life is heading, so I'm starting this blog to either help other spinsters feel less alone, or if you are just a normal person having a bad day...My hope is to make you laugh.
Ask me anything


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"A LoveTo Hide" is the story of a young Jewish girl, Sarah, who is looking to escape the clutches of the Third Reich after seeing her parents and sister brutally slain by a smuggler who betrays them while attempting their way to England. Terrified, she is sheltered by her childhood friend Jean, a homosexual living a clandestine love affair with his lover, Philippe.
They are safe for the moment, thanks to Jean's plan to pass her off as a Christian employee of his laundromat. However, a bad decision made by Jean's troublesome brother, Jacques, causes Jean to be wrongly accused of being the lover of a German officer. Jean is then forced into a Nazi labor camp.
A Love To Hide is one of those rare films that depict homosexual deportation during World War II.
We will be screening the film Tuesday, September 20th, at 7:30 PM at the Synagogue. Admission is free for all.

subset: commoncrawl


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An Interesting Deal in the Healthcare Sector
Anh is a member of The Motley Fool Blog Network -- entries represent the personal opinion of the blogger and are not formally edited.
Recently, Vanguard Health Systems (NYSE: VHS) surged dramatically in one trading day, up nearly 70% thanks to the buyout offer from Tenet Healthcare (NYSE: THC). Tenet Healthcare agreed to pay $21 per share in cash to acquire Vanguard, with a total transaction value of around $1.73 billion. Is Vanguard's deal good for Tenet? Let's take a closer look and find out.
Business snapshot of Vanguard and Tenet
Vanguard is a large operator of regional integrated health and healthcare delivery networks, with 28 hospitals and related facilities in several regions in the U.S. including Phoenix, Massachusetts, Chicago, Detroit and Texas. Most of its revenue, $5.23 billion, was generated from the Acute Care Services segment, while the Health Plans segment produced only $757.4 million in 2012 revenue. The majority of EBITDA, $520.3 million, also came from the Acute Care Services segment while the Health Plans segment's EBITDA was $55.4 million in 2012. Vanguard had employed a quite leveraged structure in its operations. As of March 2013, it had only $357.5 million in equity, $528.8 million in cash & restricted cash, and nearly $3 billion in debt. The $3 billion in debt includes $1.16 billion in 8% senior secured notes and more than $1 billion in credit facility.
Tenet is considered a health care services company, operating around 49 hospitals and 117 outpatient centers and Conifer Health Solutions centers in two main segments: Hospital Operations and other, and Conifer. Most of its adjusted EBITDA, more than $1 billion, was generated from the Hospital Operations and other segment, while the Conifer segment produced $105 million in adjusted EBITDA in 2012. Tenet also employed a lot of debt in its operations. It had $970 million in equity, only $95 million in cash, and more than $5.4 billion in debt.
A good deal for Tenet?
Tenet expected that Vanguard acquisition would be accretive to the company's earnings right in year one. It also delivered around $100-$200 million in annual synergies, including overhead reduction and revenue cycle management efficiency and improvement. The leverage ratio would stay in the range of 4.75 to 5 by the end of next year. According to Tenet, the acquisition would increase the combined company's scale, with 79 hospitals and 157 outpatient centers, making it the number one or two largest in 19 important markets. Moreover, it could boost Conifer's existing patient accounts and revenue. After the deal, Conifer revenue would experience 28% increase, from $890 million to $1.14 billion. Tenet CEO Trevor Fetter seems to be quite excited about the deal, mentioning that it is "a turning point for Tenet."
Tenet seems to have a good deal. At $21 per share, Vanguard is valued at only 6.7 times its trailing EBITDA. The acquisition valuation is much lower than the current valuation of Tenet. At $43.80 per share, Tenet is worth $4.5 billion on the market. The market values Tenet at a higher EBITDA multiple of 8.3.
The deal could make MedAssets better off?
According to Sterne, Agee & Leach featured in Barron's, this recent acquisition could benefit MedAssets (NASDAQ: MDAS), the provider of technology-enabled solutions to hospitals, health systems and other non-acute healthcare locations. Sterne, Agee & Leach believed that MedAssets' biggest client is Tenet; thus, the acquisition of Vanguard could create an additional $3 billion new opportunity for MedAssets. Indeed, over time MedAssets could gradually target Vanguard's business as an growing revenue source, based on the existing relationship with Tenet. For the full year 2013, MedAssets management expected to generate $670 to $684 million in revenue and $1.22 to $1.32 non-GAAP EPS. The non-GAAP adjusted EBITDA might come in at $215 to $225 million. MedAssets is trading at around $17.60 per share, with the total market cap of $1.1 billion. The market values MedAssets at 9.2 times its trailing EBITDA.
My Foolish take
Tenet seems get the good deal at its current offering price, with the lower valuation than its current market valuation. With the potential annual savings from synergies and the larger operating scale, Tenet seems to be a good buy for long-term investors.
The Motley Fool's chief investment officer has selected his No. 1 stock for this year. Find out which stock it is in the special free report: "The Motley Fool's Top Stock for 2013." Just click here to access the report and find out the name of this under-the-radar company.
Anh HOANG has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Is this post wrong? Click here. Think you can do better? Join us and write your own!


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Internet Explorer 6+ • Windows installer
Internet Explorer integration is included in the Windows installer under "Browser integration"; it is enabled by default.
This feature adds a new icon to your browser toolbar. Clicking this icon will launch youtube2mp3 on the current webpage.
This page was last updated May 16 2010.


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Feb. 8, 2013
DUI Charged
Police arrested 49-year-old Jose Martinez of Berwyn for DUI and illegal transportation of alcohol. After pulling Martinez during a traffic stop at about 12:30 a.m., police discovered an open container of alcohol in the vehicle, according to reports. He was taken to the station and charged.
Feb. 7, 2013
Domestic Battery
Police responded to a domestic battery charge in the 400 block of Bridge Street at about 1:02 p.m., according to police reports. No additional information was provided.
Theft Reported
A resident in the 2600 block of Bristol Ridge Road near Yorkville reported a missing handgun to the sheriff's office. The resident could not pinpoint a time when the gun could have been removed from his house, police said. The gun has a value of $400.
Patch reports on law enforcement activity in our town, using information provided by official agencies. Persons charged with a crime, or issued a citation for violation of a local ordinance, are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. If you or a family member is charged with a crime or cited for a violation, and the charge or citation are subsequently adjudicated, we encourage you to notify Alex Keown at Yorkville Patch and we will do follow-up reporting on the case. For questions, email firstname.lastname@example.com.


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How can I tell if my current thermostat is low voltage?
The Nest Learning Thermostat works with low-voltage (24 volt) systems only. Before installing a Nest Thermostat, you'll need to verify that your system is low-voltage.
There are three types of thermostat systems used in homes today:
- Low-voltage systems (24 volt; the most common)
- Millivolt systems
- High voltage (also called line voltage) systems
The Nest Thermostat only works with low-voltage systems. Both millivolt and high voltage systems are relatively uncommon and are not compatible with the Nest Thermostat.
Millivolt systems
Millivolt systems are typically wall heaters or floor heaters that don't use electricity (for example, gas powered wall heaters). These systems use much less electricity than low voltage systems. If you install a Nest Thermostat on a millivolt system, the Nest Thermostat won't be able to electrically detect the wires. During setup, some wires on the wiring screen will have red dots to indicate wiring errors.
High voltage systems
High voltage systems are usually electric baseboard heating systems or other radiant systems powered by electricity. High voltage thermostats are built into the wall and have 2-4 thick wires that come out of the back of the thermostat. These wires connect with wire nuts to corresponding wires coming out of the wall. Only high voltage thermostats have thick, stranded wires coming out of the thermostat itself. Other thermostats will only be attached to the smaller copper wires that come out of the wall.
If your current thermostat has the following labels, you can be sure that your system uses high voltage and won't work with the Nest Learning Thermostat:
High voltage thermostats should only be installed or uninstalled by a professional due to the high voltage that they carry.
Low voltage systems
Low voltage systems are the most common type of system. Low voltage thermostats can control nearly any kind of system: furnaces, boilers, radiant heat, air conditioning, heat pumps, hydronic baseboard heating (to name a few). The Nest Thermostat is only compatible with low voltage systems.
If your system is low voltage, you can remove the cover of your current thermostat to expose the thin, copper wires. With the cover removed, a low voltage thermostat looks something like this:
Low voltage systems that work with the Nest Thermostat can have between two and nine small gauge wires connected to them. Your thermostat may have more or fewer wires depending on what type of system you have. Some low voltage systems have more than nine wires.
Note how wires from inside the wall are connected and how the corresponding connectors are labeled. Enter this information into the Nest Thermostat's Compatibility Checker to confirm that your low voltage system is compatible with the Nest Thermostat. If you're still unsure what kind of system you have, contact a local Nest Certified Professional for help.


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Convey Computer Adds UK's TGAC to Client List
February 01, 2013
Convey Computer Adds UK's TGAC to Client List
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ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) -- Republican U.S. Senate candidate Mike McFadden is looking like a fundraising force in his bid to take on Democratic Sen. Al Franken. Now he's starting to talk about the issues.
McFadden raised $765,000 in the month of June. But the political newcomer has been a blank slate on issues.
In an Associated Press interview, McFadden endorsed the concept of a path to citizenship for immigrants in the country illegally, and expanded background checks for gun sales. McFadden also says there should be a discussion of raising the eligibility age for social security and Medicare. He's opposed to federal tax increases and abortion.
State Rep. Jim Abeler also wants to be the GOP's Senate candidate. State Sen. Julianne Ortman says she's close to a decision on the race.
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PORT HENRY - The Lake Champlain Bridge in Crown Point will not re-open until late spring or early summer of 2010.
"I have to be honest, that's the earliest we can hope," Robert Dennison, New York State Department of Transportation chief engineer, said. "That's assuming we don't find things that complicate the process."
Dennison made his remarks to an overflow crowd at Moriah Central School Oct. 28 during a public information meeting on the bridge.
The bridge, which serves about 4,000 vehicles a day, links New York and Vermont. It was closed Oct. 16 when an inspection found its concrete piers had disintegrated.
The bridge is jointly owned by the states of New York and Vermont, although New York DOT is responsible for its maintenance.
The bridge, built in 1929, has been the site of repair work since mid-summer. Plans were being made to replace the bridge in 2013.
There was no alternative to closing the bridge, Dennison said.
"It was simply too risky," he said. "We found this bridge could collapse under its own weight."
Dennison said DOT has a tentative plan for repairing the span. He said dams will be constructed around each pier and water pumped out from around them. The concrete piers will then be reinforced with steel and encased in more concrete. Bearings on the bridge deck will then be replaced.
The work will be complicated by winter weather and the threat posed by the bridge.
"We're concerned the bridge could fall on our workers," Dennison said. "It's in that bad of shape."
To help commuters who rely on the bridge, New York DOT and the Vermont Agency of Transportation are investigating alternative routes for motorists.
New York DOT is studying a possible temporary bridge. A pontoon, or floating, bridge is not a viable option, Dennison said, because it can't handle more than one vehicle at a time and won't work in ice. A "fixed" bridge is possible, he said, although a suitable location has yet to be found.
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Where: Adirondack History Center Museum, Elizabethtown, NY
Adirondack History Center Museum7590 Court Street, Elizabethtown, NY
Phone: (518) 873-6466
Email: email@example.com
Website: www.adkhistorycenter.org
A multimedia and interactive exhibit with photographs, paintings, objects, memoirs, and videos reflecting the people, the environment, and the development of Essex County and the Adirondack region. Open 7 days a week. On display through Octobr 7
For more info:
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com


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Location near Huay Sak Reservoir
Hares: Brain Health & Just Perfect
After a long absence as hare, Brain Health took the reigns because Paddy Boy had conscripted him three months prior. Since Brain Health had no say in the matter, he proceeded to take out his vengeance by beating the s**t out of the hashers – setting a near record number of checks, taking us on muddy roads, up hills, through a village with dogs at every house and if that wasn't enough, through tracks lined with "mai ya lap" or chicken scream vines on both sides so that with one false step you would be scarred for life. 34 innocent hashers consisting of 9 virgins, 6 children and an even split of males and females turned up, not knowing what Brain Health had in store. To make matters worse, Brain Health had enlisted the services of two young lads (keep your mind out of the gutter) to run in front of the FRBs and pretend to guide them on the correct path only to lead them astray.
The checks were very successful, leading the FRBs in the wrong direction nearly every time. SoreAssIis and Do It Yourself learned the hard way that following the local lads would quickly lead you astray and Fired up & Virgin Will managed to take the lead. The route went out of a village, across some fields, onto an irrigation khlong with some missing cover pieces to act as hazards, onto a dirt road and then onto a small farming trail that took us up to a summit overlooking the reservoir. As we dropped down onto the dam, Brain Health was there with his whip threatening the hashers to keep running or bear the consequences. Most of the hashers continued on but a few broke under the stress including Shocking, Dream, Lye, No Name and Ranger who opted to take the short cut back along the road. As the main group got to the On-On there was a panic because when the saw Shocking with a beer in hand, comfortably seated near the ice chest, they were sure there would be no beer left. Luckily Do It Yourself had hidden an ice chest that Shocking hadn't found. Shocking's rather dubious account can be read here (The hare had informed the hashers that he would position himself near the 5k mark just in case anyone wanted to take the short route home (would we) with the hare nowhere in sight yours truly arrived at the 5k mark and thinking nature had called with the hare, set off again in the belief that he was taking the long route only to find to his amazement that he had arrived back at the hares house first home, celebrating his victory by heading straight for the beer box.) (Bold added for effect) Lost Samuria, Nok Easy, Hom Noi, Elaine, Virgin Will, Dream and friend Lye trailed in with Titanic, The Best Man, On Fire, Iceberg & Special needs with Special Services in close attendance with Buffalo Bill, Ranger,& No Name together with friend Michael coming home in a blanket finish.
As an aside, Virgin Lye had been told by Virgin Will that the hash was a kind of party so she had dressed in a very suave party dress and wore high heels. Needless to say, she wasn't overly thrilled with Virgin Will by the end of the hash and needed assistance just walking as her heels were well blistered.
Feeling guilty that her husband Brain Health had tortured so many innocent hashers, Just Perfect decided to make it up to everyone by putting on a spread that would not have been out of place in a 5 star hotel. There was a mouth-watering selection of local dishes brought in by a professional caterer. However, Just Perfect had her hands full trying to keep that crafty Labrador Bushwacker and Perfect Man's Rottweiller from stepping on her newly planted flowers and eating the food off the table. But after feeding 34 hungry hashers and 2 big dogs, there was still enough left over to feed the village.
The Circle
Since the circle happened after the food and significant amounts of beer had been consumed, most of the hashers struggled to keep their eyes open. Shocking acted as GM and after the usual spiel presented our hares with the special shirts and managed to sell one to a first timer Virgin Rose. He then welcomed the 9 hash virgins: Brian, Nang, Christian, Elaine, Aussie Andrew who looks to have a good beer arm to make a devoted hasher, Will and Wife Dream and friend Lye who thought she had escaped the circle but was toasted on the second attempt and Rose who lived next door to the hares but came from China via Phuket. Since everyone was overly full, there were no memorable down-downs or anything else worth mentioning.
Fine Print: Due to our renowned hash scribe Wirgin "Shakespeare" Bluce taking a tour of ALL the whiskey & beer distillers of Canada plus his assistant Able Semen going on an all you can drink boating holiday in dear old Blighty, we freely admit we have scraped the barrel to write this report
Confirmed Hares
July Hand Cock
August Mamalaid/ SoreAssIis
September Namron and Virgin Will
October On Fire/ Fired Up
November Wirgin Bluce/ Wild Woman
Pictures by Lost Samurai


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Davidson River Trail
Details At a Glance
Trailhead: Davidson River
Overall Difficulty: Easy
Length: 1.1mi
Steepness: Climbs Gently
Tread Condition: Few Obstacles
Blaze Color: Blue
USGS/USFS Number: 650
Allowed Uses: Hiking, Mountain Biking
Follows old FR 475. The road has been re-routed further uphill now. Level or gentle climbs, gravel surface. Davidson River is in scenic small gorge below this road at this point. Several landslides in September of 2004 sent parts of this trail sliding 100' into the river below.
GPS Map
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Click routes, trails, or points on the map to download them individually (on the GPS Data tab).
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Mathematical Challenges in Scientific Data Mining
January 14 - 18, 2002
Organizing Committee:
Ananth Grama
(Purdue University)
Advances in technology have enabled us to collect data from observations, simulations, and experiments at an ever-increasing pace. For the scientist to benefit from these enhanced data collecting capabilities, it is becoming clear that semi-automated techniques, such as the ones in data mining, must be applied to find the useful information in the data. Data Mining is the discovery of patterns, associations, anomalies, and statistically significant structures in data. It is a multi-disciplinary field, borrowing and enhancing ideas from diverse areas such as statistics, signal and image processing, image understanding, mathematical optimization, computer vision, and pattern recognition.
Mining scientific data sets is an area rich in challenging mathematical problems, where the complexity and size of the data, is matched only by the diversity of applications. Several recent workshops on the subject have indicated that this a field of active research with potential beneficiaries in areas such as astronomy, remote sensing, physics, bio-informatics, medical imaging, non-destructive evaluation, combinatorial chemistry, etc.
Building on this growing interest in the topic, we are organizing an IPAM short program on the Mathematical Challenges in Scientific Data Mining in early 2002 (January 14-18). This week-long meeting will bring together mathematicians, data mining practitioners, and domain scientists to share their experiences. We hope to accomplish the following goals:
To bridge the cultural and knowledge gaps between the mathematicians, data mining practitioners, and domain scientists, we envision three broad themes as outlined in the following. The first two themes will help us to identify the common threads across diverse applications and data sets. This would set the stage for the third theme, namely, identifying and addressing the mathematical challenges in scientific data mining.
1. Understanding the nature and types of data
Focusing on data from astronomical surveys, remote sensing, medical imaging, bio-informatics, computer simulations, etc. we would first identify the common types of data in science and engineering problems. These would include spatial data (two- and three-dimensional, with multivariate fields), spatio-temporal data, data in the form of hierarchical structures, simulated vs. observed data, grid vs. "object" data, multi-spectral and multi-resolution data from multiple sensors etc.
2. Scientific data mining tasks
This theme would help the short-program participants understand what the scientists want to do with the data. An underlying assumption here is that the data available is typically in a "raw form" (e.g. pixel values or variables at a mesh point). Higher level representations have to be abstracted from this lower level data before we can make inferences (i.e. detect patterns or other useful information) at the higher level. The tasks at the lower level would typically include object detection and characterization, tracking of objects, registration and alignment necessary for data fusion, as well as feature measurements. At the higher level, there are the more traditional pattern recognition tasks of classification, clustering, regression, interactive retrieval, novelty detection, verification and validation etc. One could also envisage a "middle" level, where the high dimensionality of the higher level representation is reduced to make the process of inference tractable.
3. Mathematical algorithms, challenges, and issues
The main focus here would be the role various mathematical techniques can play to enable the tasks in theme 2 above to be applied efficiently and accurately to the data in theme 1. Possible issues that could be addressed include (but are not limited to):
Structure of the Program
The program will include introductory tutorials, several talks on data mining algorithms as well as scientific and engineering applications, and contributed sessions. The goal is to provide both an introduction to the field, and introduce the participants to some of the mathematical challenges and potential solutions.
Related Web Sites
First Workshop on Mining Scientific Datasets
Second Workshop on Mining Scientific Datasets
First SIAM Conference on Data Mining (April, 2001, Chicago)
Third Workshop on Mining of Scientific Data Sets
Seventh ACM SSIGKDD International Conference on Knowledge Discovery and Data Mining (August 2001)
Fourth Workshop on Mining Scientific Data sets
SpeakersPierre Baldi (University of California at Irvine)
Bir Bhanu (University of California at Riverside)
Amy Braverman (Jet Propulsion Laboratory)
Leo Breiman (University of California at Berkeley)
John Brence (United States Military Academy)
Donald Brown (University of Virginia)
Tony Chan (UCLA)
George Djorgovski (California Institute of Technology)
Imola Fodor (Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory)
Chandrika Kamath (Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory)
George Karypis (University of Minnesota)
Vipin Kumar (University of Minnesota/AHPCRC)
Raghu Machiraju (Ohio State University)
Ivan Marusic (University of Minnesota)
Marco Mazzucco (University of Illinois at Chicago)
Dennis Mock (University of California at San Diego)
Douglas Nychka (National Center for Atmospheric Research)
Zoran Obradovic (Temple University)
Stanley Osher (IPAM)
Rahul Ramachandran (University of Alabama in Huntsville)
Terrence Sejnowski (Salk Institute)
Padhraic Smyth (University of California at Irvine)
Paul Thompson (UCLA)
Shusaku Tsumoto (Shimane Medical University)
Mike Turmon (Jet Propulsion Laboratory)
Mladen Wickerhauser (Washington University)
Mohammed Zaki (Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute)
Contact Us:
Institute for Pure and Applied Mathematics (IPAM)


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Award, Certificate or Diploma in IT User skills (ITQ) - Level 1
We are no longer receiving applications for this opportunity, but there are plenty more open so please continue searching.
- Level 1
- Coventry remove
What Will I do? The ITQ is a vocational qualification which prepares you for employment in a role which uses IT. You could use this qualification simply to develop your IT skills or as an introduction to the role of an IT technician where you will have work experience with IT technicians and help support the college IT infrastructure.
What qualifications will I get? OCR or Edexcel Award, Certificate or Diploma in IT User skills (ITQ) - Level 1.
How will I be assessed? Assignments, projects, observations, professional discussion and work-based evidence (portfolio).
What else do I need to know? The majority of units are worth 3 credits - 9 credits are needed to achieve the Award, 13 credits are needed to achieve the Certificate and 37 credits are needed to achieve the Diploma.
What can I do after this course? You can progress from the Award to the Certificate and then onto the Diploma. Having completed the Certificate you could progress to ECDL, DiDA or BTEC Level 2 IT Practitioners.
What modules are covered? There are a wide range of units to choose from such as: Using the Internet and Email Database Software Using mobile IT devices Desktop Publishing Software Presentation Software Spreadsheet Software Word Processing Software Alternatively, you could select units which develop IT technician skills such as: IT software fundamentals Set up an It system IT security for users Optimise IT system performance Improving productivity using IT With the IT technician route you will have work experience every week with the college IT technicians.
What is the entry process? Apply and be interviewed for the course.
What are the entry requirements? Entry Level 3 qualifications and an interest in IT. Learners who do not have formal qualifications yet are welcome to apply
Course Code: IT6
Course Fees: *For students under 19 and those funded by their local authority, courses are usually free. Students aged 19+ may be required to pay fees. Please contact us for fee information. We make every effort to ensure this course information is accurate. However, we reserve the right to make alterations.
Start Date: Option 1: flexible Option 2: Sept/Oct
Duration: Varies, depending on your IT experience; usually up to 1 year for the Certificate and 2 years for the Diploma
Hours/Week: Option 1: 2 hours per week Option 2: for students wishing to train as junior IT Technicians, it will be 6 hours class time per week
Time/Days: Option 1: 2 hours per week Option 2: for students wishing to train as junior IT Technicians, it will be 6 hours class time per week


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My Lake Hills
I'm New Here
Fight Club
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Bible Fellowships
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Spiritual Autobiographies: Brandon Melton
Testimonies of Believers
Spiritual Autobiographies: Brandon Melton
Brandon Melton
My dad has been the Music Pastor at my home church for almost 21 years, so I have always been involved in the church. As a result of my high level of involvement in the church it is difficult to determine the actual moment of my regeneration and conversion, but I will explain my best estimation of when that transformation took place in my life.
In 1991, when I was five years old, my mom presented the gospel to me personally. Having grown up in the church I had heard the gospel many times at this point, but it was the first time that I really understood my personal need for a Savior. I didn't understand all the complexities of sin and all the eternal implications of the depravity of man, but I did know that I had done bad things and that those bad things would separate me from God forever. I understood that Jesus was the Son of God and that He died for me. I understood that I needed to believe and trust in that. That day in my dad's office I trusted in Christ, and as well as my five year old vocabulary allowed me to communicate, "I made Jesus the Boss of my life."
As I grew older into my early teen years I began to have doubts about my conversion experience. I had little memory of it, and I wasn't even sure if the memories I had were actual memories, or just memories I had manufactured based on what others had told me. Because of my young age at the point of my conversion there was no dramatic change in my lifestyle. At the age of five, the worst sin I had to repent from was simply lying about taking a nap or sneaking an extra cookie or two. There was no dramatic turning from alcoholism or drug abuse. There was no explicit sin in my past with which I could contrast my post-conversion lifestyle. The combination of these elements led to a period of doubt in my life about the authenticity of my conversion.
While I am still not positive of the exact moment of my regeneration, I sincerely believe that I was genuinely converted at the early age of five as previously described. I know that I understood my need for a Savior, and I trusted in and submitted to Jesus Christ and His Lordship over my life. I have come to realize that even though I was not dramatically saved out of a lifestyle of explicit sin, I was dramatically saved from that lifestyle all together. The amazing grace that saves the homosexual and drug addict is the same saving grace that saved me at an early age. It is the same saving grace that has kept me from fulfilling my sinful potential by falling into a sinful lifestyle. I know that I am redeemed because I am putting my trust in Jesus' finished work on the cross on my behalf and I am submitting my life to His Lordship.
Around the age of seventeen I began to feel God calling me to ministry. I didn't know what specific field of ministry, and quite frankly I couldn't care less. For whatever reason, I was not sensitive to that calling and tried as hard as I could to ignore it and push it away. As a result of the hardness of my heart, I developed an apathetic attitude about my relationship with God. Looking back, it grieves me to even think about my attitude toward my Lord and Savior who selflessly sacrificed Himself for me!
Through a series of events and confrontations with my parents and especially my youth pastor, I realized that my apathetic attitude had to end. Once again, I committed myself to growing in my relationship with Christ. I began getting back into the Word and having a daily devotional time. I asked God to change my heart. As a result of my revitalized relationship with Christ, I submitted to His calling on my life for ministry. During the 2006-07 school year I attended the Word of Life Bible Institute in Hudson, Florida. My year at the Bible Institute was one of the best years of my life. I was totally immersed in the Word of God for a solid year. I developed a love and passion for God's Word and for ministry. My submission to God's call to ministry was transformed into passion and excitement. I was enthusiastic about ministry, but I still didn't know specifically what field of ministry.
The next two years I continued praying for God's direction as far as a specific field of ministry. In the last year God has given me a focus and a calling to the pastoral ministry. I am so passionate about God and His Word. I love to read it, study it, pray it, and talk about it. I have a passion for the preaching of God's Word to His people. I am so excited about the direction God has given me for ministry! I am so thankful that God has not only called me to this ministry, but also given me a burning passion for it. Just as Psalm 37:4 says, "Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart." God is my delight and He has given me the desire and passion for preaching His word.
This is not a testimony of my faithfulness to God, but instead it is a testimony of God's faithfulness to me. God was faithful to save me at a young age. He was faithful to keep me from a graphic lifestyle of sin. Even during a time of spiritual apathy God was faithful to reawaken my heart and draw me back to Himself. God has been faithful to me in ways that are unimaginable, and for one reason: God is using my life to bring glory to Himself! I am so humbled to be a part of that!
By His grace, for His glory
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Vessels of Mercy
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LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- The parents of missing Indiana University student Lauren Spierer can sue two of the men last seen with their daughter.
A federal judge says her parents can sue Jason Rosenbaum and Corey Rossman on counts alleging negligence and damages for providing drinks to someone who already was intoxicated.
The judge dismissed a third count alleging the loss of a child's services because Spierer was an adult when she disappeared.
The 20-year-old disappeared after a night out with friends at a Bloomington bar in 2011.
Copyright 2013 by WDRB News. All rights reserved.
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Several months ago, voters in Riverside County's 31st Senate District learned that Richard Roth was a "Bush-McCain Democrat." Starting this week, they're being told that he's a tool "of the liberal Sacramento party bosses."
The money behind the criticism comes from the same sources, however: business interests.
Wednesday afternoon, the group airing the latest TV ad, the Inland Empire Taxpayers Association, reported a $152,000 independent expenditure for TV time. The report showed that virtually all of the money for the ad is from the Reform California Now Independent Expenditure Committee.
The committee's biggest donor is the California Real Estate Independent Expenditure Committee ($500,000), followed by the California Chamber of Commerce's JobsPAC ($255,000), wealthy Republican activist Charles Munger Jr. ($250,000), and the Chevron Corporation ($250,000.)
The committee was called California NOW earlier this year. California NOW was the biggest source of money to the California Senior Advocates League, which pummeled Roth as a "corporate defender" before the June primary and supported his Democratic rival, former Inland lawmaker Steve Clute.
Some of the donors to California NOW also gave to another committee that hit Roth before the primary: the California Alliance for Progress and Education, which sent out mail listing Roth's contributions to Republican candidates.
At the time, Roth and Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg accused business groups of targeting Roth because they saw Clute as the easier fall opponent for Republican Assemblyman Jeff Miller.
Clute finished third and has since endorsed Miller.


text: Game developer Splash Damage has renamed its upcoming free-to-play online shooter Extraction to Dirty Bomb. The game was originally called Dirty Bomb but the company changed the name because of the sensitivities surrounding terrorist attacks in the UK. The game was renamed Extraction in August 2013, but Nexon said in a release today that Dirty Bomb better fits the game's "unique personality."


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The slogan for the Orange East Supervisory Union reads "Coming Together for Lifelong Learning." But the top candidate for principal at Oxbow High School has divided some in this community.
"He's young and he's energetic, and we need somebody who would like to stay at Oxbow," Superintendent Beth Cobb said.
Noah Noyes is the current principal at Danville High, where he recently found himself on the wrong side of the law. Last summer, police charged Noyes and Superintendent Martha Tucker with failing to report to the state that a student claimed a teacher had fondled her in class. Noyes' lawyer argued he was just following orders from his boss, and Noyes accepted a plea deal which-- if he lives up to the court conditions-- will wipe his record clean.
But his past does not sit well with everyone. The school board invited Noyes to address the issue in front of the community and the school board Wednesday night.
"They understand that the community has concerns and rightly so," Cobb said. "This is an important job, and bringing someone to our community with a history and to clear that, not only for the community but for Noah also."
But some members of this school district feel Noyes should not even be considered for the post. BreAnna Kline is a former student who moved back to the community after college. She shared her concerns on the phone.
"I want to know our school board is putting forth a candidate who isn't bringing a negative history with him," Kline said.
School officials say the public forum is a chance to clear the air in a community that's faced teacher sex cases before.
"I do feel like it is a part of the healing process and the community is hurt from going through two different episodes," Cobb said.
The most recent case has yet to be resolved. This past Friday, a former physical education teacher at Oxbow, Brian Musty, pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting a 15-year-old. Musty is waiting to be sentenced.
Last year, Richard Foster died in prison after being sentenced to 25 years behind bars for sexually assaulting two students and using them to make pornography at his Bradford home. Foster worked at the elementary school in town.
Residents say the possibility of Noyes joining the school community stirs bad memories.
"We're a community recovering from two separate counts for child sex abuse in our school system and I find it disturbing and insensitive that our school board would think it's appropriate to put forward a candidate with this history," Kline said.
But the district superintendent says Noyes' background might be exactly what this school system needs.
"Right or wrong, his awareness for it all has heightened. So, he is going to be eyes wide open. Never, ever think about not calling or calling DCF," Cobb said.
The district has made it clear the final decision on a new principal has not yet been made. However, officials say they are hoping Wednesday night's meeting brings a little clarity to the process so the community can move forward together.
Noah Noyes will address the Bradford community Wed., March 26. The meeting begins at 6:30 p.m. at the high school.
We did reach out to Noyes for comment, but did not hear back.
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Super 8 Goes Up at Edmonton Fringe with Kudos to Lunchbox
Super 8, part of Lunchbox's 2011-2012 Season is now showing at the Edmonton Fringe. In Louis B. Hobson's review of the show, Lunchbox and our Artistic Director Pamela Halstead get a special mention. Article below.
Fringe: SUPER 8
By Louis B. Hobson, August 17, The Edmonton Sun
You just know I'm going to say that Mark Hopkins and Charles Netto's new play Super 8 is a super little comedy.
I won't apologize because it's not just a play on words.
This story of two lonely people who meet one night at a Super 8 motel is as charming as it is off beat.
By the end of the show you feel you know these two people and are glad you had the opportunity to spend an hour with them
That makes any comedy super.
Angie (Kira Bradley) spends too many nights at the bar in her local Super 8 because no one from town goes there. This way she can meet strangers and, for a while, pretend to be someone she isn't.
Will (Dave Trimble) has seen far too many Super 8 motels. Exactly why this is so is one of the clever little twists in Super 8. Bradley plays brassy with ease and conviction which is why you believe Trimble is wary of her.
Some of the show's best laughs are at Will's expense because Trimble makes him so wonderfully timid.
The look on Trimble's face when Bradley misinterprets what he says is hilarious.
Several times you expect him to get Bradley's drink in his face when, in reality, he doesn't mean to insult her.
The way Trimble gets on his bar stool gets a well-deserved laugh each time he does it. It's an actor confident in his craft.
Julia Wasilewski's revolving set allows us to travel from the bar to Will's room and what happens there is a delight and very believable.
Hopkins and Wasilewski first wrote Super 8 as a 10-minute play which they took to Lunchbox Theatre's artistic director Pamela Halstead.
To her credit she could see the potential that has been realized by Bradley, Trimble and their director Kelly Reay.
It's super that Lunchbox is so dedicated to showcasing Calgary playwrights and sparing no expense of money and talent to do so.
4 out of 5 Suns


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Tananarive Due (pronounced tah-nah-nah-REEVE doo) is a Cosby chair in the humanities. She is a NAACP Image Award winner and an American Book Award-winning author of nine books, ranging from supernatural thrillers to a mystery to a civil rights memoir.
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UNIZIK, Nnamdi Azikwe University POST-UTME Cut – Off And Admission Requirement 2013/2014
Nnamdi Azikwe University, JAMB CUT-OFF MARK, UNIZIK UTME Cut-off Mark, Post-UTME Cut-off Marks & Requirement for Admission via UTME (100 level)
1. Minimum of Credit passes in Five (5) subjects including English Language at the SSCE, GCE O'Level and any other equivalent examinations at not more than two sittings.
2. UTME score of at least 180 Arts (except Departments of English & History) and Education, 200 for others.
3. Post-UTME screening score of not less than 40% (Subject to Change).
4. Candidates must make UNIZIK as their 1st choice to qualify to write the Post-UTME Screening Test.
5. Candidates who score less than 40% at the Post-UTME screening test are not eligible for admission into any programme in UNIZIK irrespective of any higher scores obtained at the UTME.
Nnamdi Azikwe University, UNIZIK Admission through Direct Entry (200 Level)
1. Minimum of credit passes in five (5) subjects including English Language at SSCE, GCE O'Level or equivalent qualification at not more than two sittings.
2. Must possess an HND, OND or NCE in the relevant programme to be undertaken in UNIZIK.
3. An acceptable score is prescribed for admission at the Direct Entry Screening Exercise.
4. Final selection is a combination of candidate's certificates and the direct entry screening result.


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Play Underway Again At Cadillac Championship
Play resumed Friday for the opening round of the Cadillac Championship at Doral that was started, suspended for rain, restarted, and then suspended again for darkness Thursday.
Play Resumes At Cadillac Championship
Play has resumed at the Cadillac Championship after heavy thunderstorms roared through the area Thursday afternoon.
Tiger Key To Trump's Success This Weekend
Outspoken businessman Donald Trump was in Doral Wednesday morning trying to drum up more support for the annual Cadillac Championship set to start Thursday at the famed Blue Monster course.
Tiger's Status For Doral Is Unknown
He's still the biggest draw on the PGA Tour, but age and injuries seem to be getting the best of Tiger Woods ahead of the Cadillac Championship in Doral this week.
Tiger In Four-Way Tie At Cadillac Championship
Tiger Woods stormed to the front of the leaderboard at the Cadillac Championship Thursday managing to hit nine birdies during his first 18 holes of golf at the tournament.
Woods & McIlroy Teamed Together At Cadillac Championship
The last time Rory McIlroy was on the golf course, he walked off the course mid-round and quit. If he was hoping to avoid the attention at the Cadillac Championship this week, the first-round pairings didn't help him at all.
Cadillac Thieves Who Crashed Car Into Home In Court Wed.
Thieves who stole a man's Cadillac from a convenience store then crashed it into a family's house – just feet from the homeowner – were schedule to appear in bond court Wednesday afternoon.
BSO: Thieves Smash Stolen Car Into Home With Family Inside
A Pompano Beach family is picking up the pieces after their home was seriously damaged when thieves driving a stolen car plowed into their house, the Broward Sheriff's Office says.
Report: GM Ceasing Production Of All But One Hybrid SUV
According to a report at GMInsidenews.com, GM will cease production of the Two-Mode hybrid versions of the Chevrolet Silverado, Chevrolet Tahoe, GMC Sierra, and GMC Yukon.
DEFEND YOUR RIDE: Mandee At Emerald Hills
"I wanted a luxury car that was American." – Mandee and her Cadillac CTS


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"What you talking 'bout, Willis?"- Ben Roethlisberger, Byron Leftwich, Charlie Batch, Jerrod Johnson, Mike Tomlin, and Arnold Drummond
With the NFL wrapping up the preseason Thursday night, and the 53+8 man roster being officially set, we have a little over a week before we finally take a regular season field. I have not watched the Carolina Panthers game, but after breaking down the Buffalo Bills game; I am confident we didn't see anything that we haven't seen already. We've already gotten the basics out of the way in Week A; and Week B, which also began analyzing plays making up a drive, as we were introduced to the no-huddle. For this week, we will continue our running tally of play types/formations, focus on 2 specific drives from the third game, and dissect some isolated plays within those drives.
Let's deal with the formation calls from Week C first, since this is what we've focused on in the first 2 weeks. We only saw one new formation, and it was only called for one play. That one play, happens to be Redman's 2 yard TD run. It started out as what we'll call I-Jumbo. With the backs lined up directly behind the QB, one TE capped each end of the line, with a 3rd TE lined up at the wing. The FB is motioned out to the opposite side wing pre-snap, creating a singleback, 4 TE set. In 3 games, we've seen one play; however, I think this will be a big part of our short yardage arsenal, throughout the season.
Here are the rest of the formations used against Buffalo, and the types of plays called (for illustrations see previous weeks A & B):
I-Big - (1WR,2TE, 2RB) - This set was used for short yardage/clock milking. Haley called all runs, all in run situations. One run lost 10 yards on a Holding call, while another run-for-loss benefited from a Facemask penalty. One run was carried by the fullback. (yes, you read that right) 2 carries gained nothing, but Batch ripped off a 16 yard gain, late in the game.
STR-Base - (2WR,1TE,2RB) - If we have a "base look" on offense, it is the Strong and Weak, offset-I formations. For this game, the offense relied on the STRong version. 11 plays were called in good balance; 5 being passes scattered amongst 6 runs. 3 of these running plays were originally lined up as STR-TwinWR, but one WR motioned across the formation, resulting in the Base alignment.
WK-Base - (2WR, 1TE, 2RB) - While the Weak version of the offset-I still carries the proper personnel for the run, it provides favorable situations in the pass, having a potential blocker lined up on either side of the QB. We saw this evidenced by the 3 passes called, versus the single run.
WK-TwinWR - (2WR, 1TE, 2RB) - This variation of the base, was used for 2 passing plays, and one timeout.
WK-Big - (1WR, 2TE, 2RB) - Yet another part of our short yardage package. The WR is usually a decoy; while the FB sets the tone for the run. 2 plays, both runs.
WK-3WR - (3WR, 2RB) - This flex of the base look has been used a few times. We saw it once in Buffalo, though in this case, Heath Miller was lined up as the outside, slot-side receiver; who motioned to his normal TE spot, returning to the base look. We'll see this play later in the drives section.
SB-Big - (2WR, 2TE, 1RB) - This protective set is becoming a staple of our normal offense, as it keeps with the 2 TE theme. By keeping inside this framework, opens up more of the playbook for no-huddle usage. TE's are required to block and pass, luckily for us we have 4 guys that are good at one, and, at least, usable at the other. Most TE's in the league are one, or the other. In the Bills game, we ran twice (unsuccessfully), and one play action pass picked up 3 yards through Leonard Pope.
SB-TwinTE - (2WR, 2TE, 1RB) - While only losing 3 yards on 2 running plays from this cousin of the SB-Big alignment, we saw a wide variety of results from the 3 pass plays. The first one came early, with Jerricho Cotchery lining up as the 2nd TE in the wing. He motioned halfway across the line, then returned to his spot, catching a short dump into the flat. Gain 1 yard. The third play died quickly due to a botched snap, resulting in a 7 yard sack. The one in the middle? It was a gem. We'll look at this one more closely in the Plays section, but it resulted in a TD by Derrick Williams.
SB-TwinTE/WR - (2WR, 2TE, 1RB) - Yet another flex of the Big package, because of the unbalance of the formation, it warrants its spot as a separate entity. Against the Bills, Isaac Redman turned the only 2 plays called into gains, picking up 9 yards (5+4).
SB-TripsB - (2WR, 2TE, 1RB) - We have seen 2TE's in this set for the majority of it's calls, but we have seen every type of player moved around to every possible spot. We still see a WR subbed for a TE, giving a 3WR look; but the remaining TE stays up on the line, for blocking and decoy purposes. The formation itself was a favorite of Ben's, and it is still a prevalent part of our SingleBack offense. 8 plays were called (4 run/4 pass); with a myriad of intentions and results. We saw a reverse run with David Gilreath. We saw Byron Leftwich beat double coverage, connecting with Antonio Brown for a touchdown. We saw Will Johnson lined up at an outer WR slot, and the inner wingback hole. The package was already deadly because of the overloaded side; Haley's personnel usage make this set more versatile, and even more deadly.
SB-SlotStrong - (3WR, 1TE, 1RB) - When we go to the air, Ben Roethlisberger opens up the 3WR section of the playbook, which begins with the SlotStrong/SlotWeak sets. SlotStrong, used only once, brought us the fake spike play run during the pre-halftime, 99 yard TD drive (One of the drives covered later).
SB-SlotWeak - (3WR, 1TE, 1RB) - SlotWeak, due to its more balanced appearance, is definitely used more often. In this game, we saw 2 passes and 3 runs, though one run was on 3rd and 1, which was stuffed into a 4th and 1, punted swiftly away.
SB-3TE - (1WR, 3TE, 1RB) - I still love the overloaded look. This is still primarily a run set. Out of the two carries called for, Baron Batch barely crossed the line of scrimmage on the last play of the game, killing the clock. Chris Rainey crossed the line of scoreage with the other, on his 41 yard sweep scamper.
SG-TwinTE/WR(RBwk) - (2WR, 2TE, 1RB) - This flex of the SingleBack set, when used out of the ShotGun, is seeking a mismatch; as it is primarily seen during no-huddle and hurry-up drives. 1 of the 2 pass plays fell incomplete, while the other was Jonathan Dwyer pulling in a back shoulder throw, saving the drive, and drawing the praise of his sideline.
SG-3WR/2RB - We saw this alignment once during the 99 yard scoring drive, it's only appearance in the game. Because we were operating no huddle, Heath Miller lined up in the backfield as one of the sidecar RB's. The play resulted in a short pass to Dwyer, gaining 6 yards.
SG-SLst/RBwk - 7 passes were called in this alignment. Brown's pre-halftime TD came from this set; so did a nice contested, important catch by Cotchery.
SG-SLwk/RBwk - Miller caught one pass for a 6 yard gain, and Brown RAC'ed up 13 of a 3rd and 20 against a Bills' Prevent Defense.
SG-SLwk/RBst - This variation resulted in one pass, a 13 yard clock-stopping sideliner to Sanders; which also picked up a first down.
SG-TE/4WR - One play called. One 12 yard strike to Cotchery. One more first down.
For Week D's post, instead of detailing the playcalling of a game played more for player evaluation, I will be preparing a summary of the entire preseason, including the calls from the Panther game. We know better than to think that our regular season offense will use the same types of plays called. Steve Tasker made this point during the television broadcast of the Bills game. The plays run, are the plays they want game film on. The plays themselves may or may not be run during the season, but the film aids in the preparation of similar plays. First let's take a look at 2 drives, as operated by our starters (minus Wallace...sigh...) Even though the outcomes and timings were different; they provide good examples of the little things we can expect to see throughout the year.
Drive #3: The Drive following Buffalo's only TD. Mid-First Quarter.
For some unknown reason, Steeler Nation was becoming frustrated with the offense's production. I think it is more displacement of dispair due to David DeCastro's downfall. Mike Adams, who was blasted early this preseason, has been steadily improving each week. Starks will start, and we know he's fine. Foster has been around for a while, this year is an example of why. So, how does the loss of one rookie lineman, define the opportunity of success for an entire offensive unit? I have no idea, but when the Offense sputtered through it's first 2 drives, frustration was sieving out of everywhere.
My favorite part, was the beginning of that 99 yard drive. First, Ben demonstratively guided a misguided 12th player, to kindly get the hell off the field. Then after the penalty moved us back to the one, Haley called a FB run, of all things; picking up one yard and keeping the clock rolling. Roethlisberger stands alone, listening to the call through his headset. Ben's face switches to uncertainty. He looks over to the sideline, and sternly shakes his head no as he returns to the huddle. Certainly, it wasn't the gesture of a confident leader; not much assurance in a shrug and a shake. To the media, it is a sign that the Haley/Ben headbutting competition was born, as was according to their prophecy. To me, it was the sign of things to come.
I can't say I blame Ben for his feelings on the play call. Really, coach? It's 3rd and a mile, there's less than 2 minutes left in the half. We need to try to make this drive count before we're pulled; and your answer is to throw it to Jonathan Dwyer? HA, whatever you say, Coach!
In defense of Haley to this point in the game, the lack of points in the previous 2 drives was not the fault of the design, or the playcalling. Brown muffed the first play of the game, dropping a wide open slant. The Bills improved Defensive line was getting pressure from the start, forcing a quick dump to Cotchery on second down, and a sack on 3rd. Punt by Butler. One of Buffalo's WRs Hines-Warded LaMarr Woodley out of an interception. Moorman punts. First and 10.
Second drive: Redman gained 2 yards on second down, but the passing game rang up incompletions on first and third downs. Emmanuel Sanders was running to his own drummer on the first down, back shoulder toss. Rainey dropped the third down throw. Punt by Butler. If players aren't dropping passes, these drives go further. Unless Haley was out there running post patterns, it's not his fault you didn't get us anywhere. Regardless, discussions on theory and strategy are taking place on the sideling, trying to fix something that wasn't broken. I think Haley entered this 3rd drive a little angry himself, and started issuing a message to his offense. Just do what you're asked to do, and believe in what we're doing. Through 2 games, and 2 drives, I don't think Ben got it yet, honestly. This is nothing like Bruce's O. This one has a point.
- 1st and 10 - Form: Weak-3WR - Miller lines up as outside, slot-side WR.
Todd Haley has said since day one, that the return to the running game meant the ability to run when you're supposed to run; when the whole world knows you're going to run. Why is this so important? Because teams will start putting their best run defense on the field, when you're supposed to run. Even though we had already thrown on a first down, with a similar route; the situation dictated run, and the defense played it as such. As Intended, Miller lining up outside in a WR formations, sent up obvious red flags to the defense. The LOLB moved out to man up on 83 in case of a pass, but the safety in the box showed their determination to stop a run. With a DT and DE lined up over Marcus Gilbert, and a DE and OLB lined up over Max Starks; the Bills had no intention of giving up an edge. The Middle Linebacker and Srong Safety, filled the middle, guarding whichever gap the other DT surrendered. When Miller motioned into the wing, the defense became 100% positive we would run.
To their surprise, Ben snaps the ball and immediately drops a fade over the outside shoulder of Antonio Brown, who beat his man off the line with ease. Simple design. Perfect execution and timing of the call. Eleven yards gained. First Down.
- 1st and 10 - Form: Strong-TwinWR - Brown motions across the formation, to strong side slot.
Now, we put the Bills back to watching the run. We just slapped them in their face with the glove, and now its back to work, earning the reputation that brought about the success on the previous play. After Brown motions, Isaac Redman takes the handoff behind Will Johnson and Heath Miller on the strong side, picking up 6 yards.
- 2nd and 4 - Form SB-TwinTE/WR - Pope replaces W.Johnson; plays on the line, Miller, the wing.
Continuing the theme of strong side running, the play begins as a run towards the pair of TE's on the left side of the line, back towards the middle of the field. When Redman reaches the line, he counters back towards the weak side. The defense had over-committed to the strong side fake, and found Ike running through vacated space picking up the 4 necessary yards, picking up the first down.
- 1st and 10 - Form: I-Big - Sanders exits, W.Johnson returns to FB.
Haley continues to pour on the body blows, with another first down run; out of a run formation, in a run situation. Redman ripped off a beautiful run up the gut, but Maurkice Pouncey and Willie Colon decided to body slam their assignments, Pouncey getting called for his. Minus 10 yards, replay down.
- 1st and 20 - Form: SB-Big - W.Johnson exits, Sanders returns.
This is one of those plays that sets a spark to the fuse of our frustrations. When we wanted Arians to run the ball, he would call a bubble screen. When we wanted him to pass, he would call a draw, or another bubble screen. Its now 20 yards to a first down, we just ran 3 straight times, and you want to run again? Yes, he did; out of a run formation, in a run situation. The score is only 7-0, and there is no reason to panic in the first quarter. Not only did he call a run, but there were no motions, no guises in the formation; instead they ran a delay sweep with Redman off of Miller's side. In the play's defense, Gilbert got pushed 4 yards into the backfield, and his guy is the one that was able to grab Ike before he got any positive yardage; but the lack of yardage makes it feel like it was the playcall's fault.
- 2nd and 20 Form:SB-SlotWeak - Pope exits, Cotchery enters as 3rd WR
The entrance of the 3rd receiver signals pass, but with the Steelers running so heavily, the defense has to worry about the run again. The corners played every single running down, up on the line, playing press against the WRs. For this play, they backed off a bit, trying to give a zone facade. As the snap count winds down, the defense stakes their claim. The SS moves forward, to defend another run, and provide double coverage on Brown. The other CB tracks Sanders, while the NickelBack moves in on Cotchery, also putting him position to aid on an outside run, to his side. The strong side Linebacker charges the line, to plug the unmanned gap, and force any runs to the SS charging from the flat. When Heath Miller runs an out into the flat upon the snap of the ball, the SS and Brown's CB hesitate. Cotchery had the FS preoccupied with his deep post; and Sanders kept his corner out of the way, by stopping his route short of the tackle box. The remaining linebacker had 3 receivers to choose to cover, and ended up late getting to Brown, due to his flat footedness, and Ben's quick delivery. Brown got inside both of his defenders, cutting a slant just in time for a Roethlisberger bullet....only to drop it. Not that it was an easy catch, but he's made more difficult catches. What would have been a 3rd and 10; was now a 3rd and 20. Another case of the player letting down the offense, not the offense letting down the players.
- 3rd and 20 - Form: SG-SLwk/RBwk - No motions, No substitutions
Just prior to the snap, the Bills Defense dropped everyone back to the line of first downage, intent on keeping everything in front of them. Miller ran a skinny post, and Brown ran a curl underneath of Miller. Because there weren't any defenders for another 12 yards, Ben hit Brown quickly, and Miller transformed into a lead blocker. Because the defense outnumbered the blocking, the play died 7 yards short of a first down. The special teams made the entire drive worthwhile, by downing the punt on the Bills one yard line. Upon further review, Curtis Brown was touching the endline, moving the ball out to the 20. Despite the outcome, this drive set the tone for every subsequent drive. When you think we're going to run, we're going to run right at you. When you think we're going to pass, we're going to run right at you. When you know we're going to run right at you, We throw TD passes. Speaking of TD passes, lets look at the pre-halftime drive that actually put points on the board, a much more obvious measure for success.
Drive #8: Last drive before halftime. Offense starts on it's own 2 yard line.
Frustration festers, infecting even the healthiest team body. The next drive came crashing to a halt, with 2 consecutive Sanders drops. The drive after that stalled, when Dwyer failed to pick up a 3rd and 1. We finally got on the board on the following drive, with Redman running behind a FB, and 3 TE's (see illustration towards the top). However, it wasn't a long orchestrated drive; starting with a short field after C.J. Spiller fumbled the ball. The Bills punted, ending their next drive.
With the offense starting from its own 8, a Redman loss on first down, and a sack on second; the 9 yard gain by Cotchery was still 5 yards too short for the 3rd and 14. The Bills defended the 3rd and long, the same way they did in the 3rd drive. They sent everyone deep. Haley's been paying attention. The Bills ensuing drive stalls, and Brian Moorman drops the ball neatly at the 2 yard line. Ben and company take the field, with less than 2 minutes remaining.
- 1st and 10 - Form: SB-Big - Defense stacks up against the run.
Dwyer takes a simple shot up the gut, trying to create some space for his QB to get out of the endzone. Unfortunately, on the next play, someone tried to make a late substitution, and we were flagged for too many men. Ben makes his infamous gesture toward the sideline. I don't think he was frustrated because a young player made a mistake in a preseason game. Ben obviously wanted to make the most of the first unit's time. He wanted to operate a nice long drive, develop a rhythm; instead the offense had been choppy, and ground-based. The media took this as evidence of a rift between QB and OC; and in the heat of the moment, Ben was beginning to, also. In attempting to protect his guy who came on-field incorrectly, he scolded the sideline, for allowing it to happen.
The penalty moved the ball back to the one yard line, and Haley's call in response to the failed first play, was a Fullback run. Will Johnson was able to get back to the original line of scrimmage, but that's all. Now its 3rd and 10, from the 2. Ben received the play in his helmet; sends a disdained look towards Haley(above), shook his head, and returned to the huddle. Ben read the play of his armband, giving specific instructions on what to do if this play actually worked. The offense walks to the line.
- 3rd and 10 - Form: SG-TwinTE/WR(RBwk) - no motions, no audibles
As the play begins to develop, one can understand Ben's apparent lack of faith in the call. Miller and Pope, 2 of the 5 possible receivers in the formations, were kept in to block as the line slid towards the receiver side. The twinned up receivers, ran deep routes, taking everyone not blitzing, with him. Only 2 people remained. A linebacker, and the running back he was covering; Dwyer. No defense is spying Dwyer as a receiver. They should've been. At the snap, Dwyer starts toward the flat, turning his defender sideways. As the defender corrects his angle, and moves in, Dwyer cuts his route upfield, keeping the defender just off his right shoulder. Ben, almost ashamedly, releases the back shoulder throw perfectly. With all the weapons available to this offense, Haley called his shot with Dwyer...
...and Dwyer caught it. Before even a single fan in attendance had concluded the play had been made, Haley announced his back's success to the world with a 24" vertical, and a "YEAH" that could be heard above the thousands in attendance. There was a complete turnaround in visible team attitude. Players were running to the line, almost amazed that they weren't punting. Within the confines of the playclock, the players realized the gravity of what had just happened, and realized they had to make the most of the opportunity before them. Suddenly forgotten were the melodramatics staged in the shadow of a safety. Now, the team was focused forward, and making the most of every second.
- 1st and 10 - Form:SG-SLst/RBwk
Cotchery got the memo, and proved it, making a difficult catch over the middle, taking a lick from multiple defenders, before jumping up, surrendering the ball to the ref, and hurrying back to the line. He reminds me of Ward more and more every day. Ben had seven blockers again on this play, and had plenty of time, to find Jerricho in the middle of the field, after Brown and Sanders had taken the top off of Buffalo's zone.
- 1st and 10 - Form: SG-3WR/2RB - Miller lines up as the 2nd RB.
The offense is on the prowl, and the defense has its focus, solely on the downfield pass. Buffalo has given up man coverage for zone, and this time play a 3 deep shell, slanted towards the overloaded side, containing Cotchery, Brown, and Miller. Because the DB on Sanders side is playing a deep third, the closest man is LB Nick Barnett. Once Sanders enters Barnett's zone, there is no one left to cover Dwyer in the flat. The ILB, who was worried about Miller, but should've taken Sanders, was left watching from an empty zone, in center field. Ben takes advantage of this prevent-style defense, by hitting Dwyer on a quick out, picking up 6 yards.
You can't really blame Buffalo for losing some composure here. Haley and Ben, were slowly picking them apart. The Bills could barely stop the run with their pass rushers in the game, and they couldn't stop the pass, because they had no answer for the personnel/formation mismatches. Because time is winding down, the offense kept the pressure on through the no-huddle. However, because Dwyer fell out of bounds, the clock stopped, allowing for substitutions. In come 4 fresh pass rushers, and a runner named Rainey.
- 2nd and 4 - Form: SG-TE/4WR - Rainey, in for Dwyer, lines up as weak side slot receiver
The Steelers spread it out this time. Sanders and Brown go vertical, taking their manned up corners and deep zone safeties with them. Miller, Rainey, and Cotchery rake across the under-covered, underneath zones, where Cotchery snags another important catch over the middle, gaining 12 more yards and a first down. Another case of too many receivers entering too few zones, someone is always open. Ben could have taken any of the 3 throws, but had the time to find the deepest guy in Jerricho, whose closest defender was chasing Miller across the field. The ball is now at the Buffalo 30, with the clock still rolling. Ben hurries the offense back to the line, signaling that he wants to spike the ball, and stop the clock.
- 1st and 10 - Form: SB-SlotStrong - hurried set
Why spike the ball to stop the clock, when you can hit your receiver with a quick out, stopping the clock as he steps out of bounds? This is the question Ben asked himself, right before he threw the ball. I would say this was intentional, and Sanders just turned around way too late. Incomplete pass stops the clock anyway, which now stands at 0:40 left; but this is an example of a good play to have on tape. A similar play might come in handy some day, but the timing has to be correct.
- 2nd and 10 - Form:SG-SLwk/RBst -
Sanders makes up for his poor timing by catching the next pass, and getting out of bounds, to stop the clock again. The Bills are on their heels, and reeling. With Cotchery clearing out the middle defenders with his double move, Sanders snags the sideline hook. Ball now sits on BUF 17, 30 seconds remaining.
- 1st and 10 - Form: SG-SLwk/RBwk -
Miller catches the next pass on a quick out, stopping the clock, by stepping out. 6 yard gain.
- 2nd and 4 - Form: SG-SLst/RBwk - Ball sitting on the BUF 11, 25 seconds remaining.
Pressure forces Roethlisberger to abandon the pass, and scramble forward to the 6 yard line, where he slid and called a timeout. (I'm very proud of Ben for finally learning how to slide.) 0:18 remains.
- 1st and Goal - Form: SG-SLst/RBwk - Antonio Brown proves he's one of the NFL's best route runners.
Upon the snap, Brown sprints inside, emulating a slant, taking his defender inside. Heath Miller and Jerricho Cotchery cleared out the middle of the defense, which was more focused on the middle of the endzone, then the outer edges. Brown's defender almost falls down trying to match Brown, who stopped on a dime, and cut the route out. Ben hits Brown perfectly, just out of reach of the outstretched defender. TouchDown, Steelers. Show'em the dance AB...
The Bills' defense had been beaten with the run, and the pass. Ben, finally having receiving threats coming out of the backfield, was figuring out mid-drive exactly where Haley's system was supposed to go. No one was trying to do anything their way; everyone was working within the system, and the system worked as a result. Runs set up the pass; crossing routes set up open receivers, including the final TD. For an offense that was being labeled as dysfunctional in it's own endzone, looked like an unstoppable, cohesive force. Everyone was on the same page. Our infantile offense just grew up, and is ready to take on the regular season.
The offense got a glimpse inside the mind of Haley on this drive; and Haley got a glimpse of what his Steeler offense can do. Tempers may flare, but tempered steel is indestructible. The frustration Ben showed over the illegal substitution, revolved around the verbage differences spoken to, when Haley was hired. Obviously, someone misunderstood the call, and thought they needed to be on the field. Mistakes will happen. Sometimes, a lineman misses his block, or a receiver drops his pass. However, any mistake can be overcome, as long as you never let it overcome you. We run when we run for a reason. We pass when we pass for a reason. Before any success, there must be failure, by which successes can be measured. Haley began defining what the opposing defense could do, through the run, and his run-look formations and motions.
Final Observations:
- Only one 4WR play, and even it was run with Rainey in for the 4th receiver. Wallace's return to the fold, will make these plays a bit more desirable; however Rainey's presence adds a nice wrinkle to any 3WR set including Miller, Wallace, Brown, and Sanders.
- Speaking of Miller...3 preseason games, Zero plays without a TE on the field. Yet, people wonder why we only kept 4 WR's on the 53. It is for the same reason the FO didn't bend over backwards to meet Wallace's demands. One more receiver is not as valuable in this offense. One can be an asset, but the presence of one does not simply make it better.
- Of the receivers, Brown is sent in motion more than any other. I expect this to continue when Wallace returns. In 3 WR sets, Sanders will play outside, while Brown moves into the slot.
- I wanted to go over some of the individual motions, and play designs; but I will save those for the last report in WeekD.
- I feel the starting field position had a hand in the early offensive struggles, as well. Moorman was pinning us inside our 10 repeatedly. Facing a defensive line involving Mario Williams and Kyle Williams doesn't make it any easier, either. Our offensive line is struggling with outside speed rush, more than inside bull rush. Although, in response to prior fears about our struggles versus 4-3 D's; we handled this test well enough. There are still sacks, but overrall, Ben is better protected than years past; even without David DeCastro.
I realize this whole post may seem irrelevant, due to its appearance after the 4th game. As you can tell by the length of the post, there were a lot of things to see in this game, as the first unit took the stage for their final dress rehearsal. I had no intention on breaking down the 4th week individually. Instead, as I stated in the beginning, the WeekD installment, well be more of a summary; giving analysis to things, such as: run vs pass ratio, situational reaction, and personnel usage. I will also break down some of my favorite, individual plays from this finally ended preseason.
Previous Posts in this Series:
Tracking Haley's Steelers Playbook - Week A


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Cheesy Potato Soup in the Slow Cooker
Soup week continues with a delicious Cheesy Potato Soup that is made in a slow cooker. A while back, I posted another version that got it's creaminess from some cream cheese. It is very rare that you can find a deliciously creamy soup that you can make in the crock pot. If you are a fan of the version I posted a while ago, you are gonna LOVE this version that I discovered at Pillsbury.com.
This recipe does start off in a skillet. You need to cook up some bacon to top the soup with. Then you cook the onion in the bacon grease. You know any soup that starts off with onion cooked in bacon fat is gonna be good.
Then you add that to some broth and celery along with diced potatoes and let the slow cooker do the work. Thirty minutes before eating the soup, you add a mixture of half and half and flour, then let the soup cook on high for 30 minutes. Stir in some cheese and serve it up with some bacon sprinkled on top. YUM!
I also did my first post today on my events page about my Napa adventure. Be sure to check it out.
Cheesy Potato Soup in the Slow Cooker
- 4 slices bacon
- 1 1/2 cups chopped onion
- 5 cups diced peeled russet potatoes (about 5 medium)
- 1 medium stalk celery, chopped (1/2 cup)
- 1 carton (32 oz) chicken broth (4 cups)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups half-and-half (I used half skim milk and half whipping cream)
- 1 bag (8 oz) shredded American and Cheddar cheese blend (2 cups, I could find a blend so I used all cheddar. Next time I am gonna try 1 cup Velveeta and 1 cup cheddar)
- In 12-inch skillet, cook bacon over medium heat, turning occasionally, until browned and crispy. Remove from skillet, reserving fat in skillet. Drain bacon on paper towel, then refrigerate. In same skillet, cook onion in bacon fat over medium heat 4 to 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until tender.
- Spray 3 1/2- to 4-quart slow cooker with cooking spray. In cooker, mix onion, potatoes, celery, broth, salt and pepper.
- Cover; cook on Low heat setting 6 to 7 hours.
- In small bowl, beat flour and half-and-half with wire whisk until well blended; stir into soup. Increase heat setting to High. Cover; cook about 30 minutes longer or until thickened. Stir in cheese until well melted. Crumble bacon; sprinkle over soup.
14 comments on "Cheesy Potato Soup in the Slow Cooker"
I LOVE this recipe. Its easy, delicious, and my whole family loves it!
This dish is delicious. Although i made a few changes. I added chicken into the mix, and instead of celery i used brocolli. Yumm. Thank you.
How many servings does this typically make?
I have made this four times since discovering the recipe and it is amazing! My picky 17 year old absolutely loves it and that says A LOT!
I made this last week and it was delicious! I'm making it again for a family gathering next weekend. Yum!
Just tried this one this week. It turned out delicious! Even better the second day! Next time I'm making a double batch.
I made this for dinner last night. It was so easy and delicious! Thank you so much for sharing the recipe!
I tried this today – yum. Like you suggested, I used 1/2 velveeta and 1/2 cheddar. I also used 1% milk instead of the half-and-half to cut down on the fat – and it was still plenty thick and creamy. Great recipe! I will definitely be using this one again.
I haven't tried creamy soups in the crock, because of fear of curdling cream-I did find two that stressed the cream in at the last 30 minutes of so of cooking. I will have to try that.
This soup sounds so great today… it's gotten SO cold already. I'm in need of new slow cooker recipes…. this sounds like a great one to try!
Yum! I am always looking for new slow cooker recipes! I can't wait to give this a try!


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Looking at Final Fantasy VII – Part 2: Story and Characters
Part 1: Graphics and Audio
Story, it's always mentioned as being the key factor for most JRPG players, and it's starting to become more important in gaming in general. A good story, a well written one, often is hard to find. The level of storytelling in games is still in a stage of growth, it's improving but the quality isn't always too high. I think any honest gamer would admit that stories aren't all that great in most of the games they have played.
So with this history of poorly written stories and storytelling, how does a game that is focused around the progression of the story actually hold up? Does it mean the story is better, does it mean it should be better? Well, when the story is the driving mechanic, you would expect it to be of a high quality, but Final Fantasy VII is in the same league as most tales told; it's not too strong and it's a little muddled to say the least.
The story opens well enough, you find out quickly what you are doing, and what relationship you (Cloud) have with the characters. The visual storytelling works well here, and you get a very clear idea of where you are. It's actually a good solid opening. And this continues after the first mission is complete. But this isn't really the crux of the story being told here, and that's the issue. The fact is, is that the games story is essentially a bunch of heroes are chasing down a deluded villain who is intent on crippling the planet.
That's the real shame; there are some nice plots here and there, but the overall plot is that of chasing down a someone with little real meaning to the havoc that they intend to cause. Any weight of his reasoning is completely destroyed when you realize that he's just mentally unstable, and that makes a lot of the story aspects lose some meaning.
On top of the core plot line being shallow, the general narrative has some issues too. There is emphasis put in many areas that actually end up being not that important in the end (like summoning Holy and Cloud rediscovering himself). You find out later on in the story, that Cloud is not who he thinks he is. When you find this out, you also realize that all of this rivalry that was built up between Sephiroth and Cloud is actually quite weak, it takes a lot of impact out of the core plot line and the drive of the characters. Cloud was actually a no-body who just happened to kill Sephiroth. Before this though, there really wasn't anything between them. There even wasn't much between them during the death scene. It could have been anyone.
So, the game's main rivalry is loosely linked, or at least it's only really a one way rivalry because Sephiroth doesn't seem to be to preoccupied with the fact that Cloud 'killed' him. The reason for the story to continue is that the one of the main antagonists is simply a guy who isn't sane now that the personal meaning to an extent has been lost.
Another antagonist is Hojo, a character who holds little relation to anyone besides Vincent, and Vincent is a character that you don't need to interact with. He calls Cloud a failed experiment, but that doesn't really tie too deeply into the main story, and the or really Cloud's personally story. It was a plot device that helped push the passing of the Black Materia fowards. Even if Cloud wasn't a failed experiment, if he was unrelated to the experiments, it wouldn't really have much of an impact on how the story pans out. The controlling aspect could have been replaced with something else.
The importance of Hojo is in what happened with Sephiroth, but that aspect isn't as interesting until it connects to Vincent…which is again, not something that you will really know unless you find it out. It's not a part of the main story that is being told. It could have been considered negligible information, which to me seems like quite an oversight.
Away from the antagonists, another key plot aspect is the Ancients. This is another aspect that really doesn't get fleshed out too much. Aeris is an Ancient, but it has little bearing on any of the story considering that her heritage allowed her to summon Holy, which in the end doesn't really server a purpose. The only result from her summoning is her death.
Beyond that, it is referenced that Jenova is incorrectly an Ancient withing the story but later defined that she is more like an alien. She is referenced as the Calamity from the Skies, something that the Ancients feared which was also something that was seemingly easy to contain in the current timeline. It seems strange that something so poweful and destructive was as containable as it is during the present. It's not a huge error, maybe not an error at all, but going from being as dangerous as it was, to becoming a research experiment is really quite a change.
The Jenova virus story aspect could have been a very interesting branch. The infection, a controlling virus that manipulates, but it never really happened. It was limited to those who were purposely infected (SOLDIER), rather than it acting as an actual contagion. The virus, the original danger and what ushered in the fall of the Ancients wasn't active any longer even though Jenova was still very much being spread around. But perhaps this can be explained through it weakening over time due to it being isolated? I don't know, it's possible, but it could have been used much more. Why would Jenova no longer continue who standard process?
Although there were all of these issues with the story - and I have only highlighted some aspects that raise questions or seem to create a hole - there were also some nice ideas as well. The first time you saw the sword in the back of the Shinra President it made you ask a question. This is good for a story. And although it was poorly paced; the flash back in Kalm did work well to an extent. It was also a way of letting the player take part in the story rather than just be told, fighting alongside Sephiroth was a nice touch and it gave you an insight into the character. More is learned about him here than anywhere else in the entire game.
Another strong aspect of the story was the relationship that Shinra had with it, and how the Turks were part of this world. It was very unique how you were able to see how a mega-corp was going to take on this supernatural threat. It's been played out in movies many, many times, but this was still something fresh for games. Often, this kind of corporation or government would be villainous and linked to the main antagonist, or on the flip side, simply be supporting the good guys, rooting for them. But in this, Shinra under the guidance of Rufus became like a kind of Lex Luthor run group. Not really a good guy, but they were doing what they believed was the best course of action. It leads to Midgar being bombarded by Diamond Weapon, but they did so because they had a realistic reaction to the threat. They didn't just sit back and say "let the bunch of heroes do it" like many JRPG's tend to do.
The major problem with the Final Fantasy VII story is that there is just far too much going on, far too much not fleshed out, and way too many misguided plot focuses. The game had grounds for something really great, they could have built on the virus and the Shinra aspect but instead they went for a fairytale. There was a villain for the purpose of being a villain, and a hero for the purpose of being a hero. The deep potential of world that was created was never fully realized. Its story took a different route, but perhaps this version was more fitting of the title; Fantasy.
Cloud; big sword, emo dude…
It's really a shame that people see Final Fantasy VII's impact as such a negative one besides those who are irrationally attached to the game. The characters in the game or at least the two main characters have become something of a point of negativity for the JRPG genre. But that's more a problem with the people viewing the characters than the characters themselves. There is an unreasonable grudge held against these meshes of polygons and textures that just seems bizarre on the grand scheme of things. What makes it more bizarre is how inaccurate some of the complaints really are too, or how the extensions of the Final Fantasy VII world have distorted some of the characters.
I won't give each character a run down, but we'll look at general characterization with some greater focus on the key players.
The extended world of Final Fantasy VII affected some of the characters quite a bit, and that's only really a problem for Cloud it seems. In VII, Cloud can be dislikable sure, he's rude, abrasive and arrogant, but he does have a sense of humour and that comes to define his character quite a lot. You see him shake his head as a humourous response, or a facepalm to something someone has said. And you see this happen more than you hear him moan and sulk. There is some sulking, but it would be understandable given the situation. He loses all of his identity, and the confidence he had is smashed by finding out who or what he is or isn't.
This character take, one of a false identity, of self delusion and thinking you are someone else, was something new. It was an interesting character to try. But regardless of this set back he suffers in the game, he pick himself up and did what he knew had to be done. He lost friends (twice, if you include remembering Zack), he lost his identity, he was made to believe he was something he was not, and he was controlled to do things he wouldn't do. His journey as a character was spun around, but through it all, he was a good guy. He retained his humour, and he was actually an interesting, if occasionally caustic hero.
The rest of the characters in the game really didn't get that amount of fleshing out. Tifa for instance, there was a back story but everything that you were supposed to know about her was really false in a way. She wasn't being truthful for the vast majority of the game, and that kind of puts a question mark over her. All you really know is that she is quite bubbly, friendly and suplexes stuff. She has a little history which tells of her past character, but her present character and that fact that she neglected to tell Cloud the truth is never an aspect that is looked into deeper.
This is the same with Aeris, another character who really doesn't say much throughout other than friendly chit-chat. She seems to just smile through most of the game and when it finally happens, you do realize that you have lost someone, a companion, but you really don't know much about her at all. Both are likable characters because they don't do anything offensive, but neither contains any real depth, or the depth they have is never ventured into. When Aeris decides to run away, she is presented as knowing more that she has let on, so the point where she could potentially start to build her character outward comes too late. Maybe this helps the story to an extent, as you are left longing. But it doesn't replace what wasn't done with the character and what Aeris had to offer.
The rest of the default cast; Barrett, Cid, Cait Sith and Red XIII all have little story branches that attempt to tell you a little more about them and some of them do work well. Knowing and meeting Dyne (as massive a coincidence that it is) shows you a little more about the guy who dotes on what was thought to be; his daughter. Cid's background and his failed attempts at space travel also help give you more information on the character, and Red XIII finding out about his father is another nice short. The revelation of Cait Sith is a good attempt at a twist, but it falls flat and doesn't mean anything in the long run or doesn't make sense in how the character continues to fit into the story. And this is the problem with all of those characters; they have this minor fleshing out, but it doesn't end up meaning much to the rest of the story. It doesn't change the way they act, it doesn't make them more interesting either because some characters don't seem to be in positions where they influence any key story aspects.
Vincent and Yuffie potentially have the most interesting stories to tell because they need to be granted purpose for their inclusion. Although Yuffie's tale is far from deep or meaningful, it does give you a female member with a little character, something that both Aeris and Tifa lacked, they were both very similar. Although you don't really get a whole lot on Vincent, he does have a link to the story (which is actually pretty important), so there is a good understanding of why he is how he is, and his reasons for acting that way. It's amazing that he isn't a default character considering his relationship to other aspects of the game world like Turks, Shinra, Hojo and so on.
Finally, there is Sephiroth. When you realize that beyond the cool sword and silver hair there is someone who is very, very unstable, he loses a lot of what could have made him an interesting villain. Interesting villains are usually intelligent; it makes them unpredictable in an interesting way, not just unpredictable in a "they don't know what they are doing" way. There are early instances where Sephiroth is interesting, when you first see the sword and read the name in the dialog boxes, and when you stand and fight alongside him and go to Nibelheim. But all of these aspects don't matter when the character who you are chasing is not actually this subtle and powerful figure, but a guy who has basically lost his sanity.
As the game progresses, Sephiroth usually appears and says things that have without any context, making what he says quite confusing and not in a sense that adds mystery for the most part. It seems to be an attempt at adding depth, but it never really works. He becomes quite annoying by the end of it, almost pantomime villain like in the way that he tends to laugh off any kind of question. If not for his appearance, there really wouldn't be the level of fascination around him. But he was one of the fortunate ones that bettered from the extended world, but that's a different conversation…
Final Fantasy VII does manage to present you with some diverse characters, people like the Rufus, Turks, Don Corneo, Scarlet and Heidegger are all nice additions to the game. The world presents some very interesting concepts and ideas. The way the mega-corp is used and the confused hero. But it is too much and it just doesn't get covered well enough. Instead, the focus is on the less interesting and more simplistic aspects of the game world.
There is an interesting world full of interesting characters, but the story that you are told is the most limited one that could be possible within the world, the locals, characters and scenarios that had been teased at times. There could have been more, there should have been more. But it ended up being untidy and loose. The story was caught up trying to be somewhat abstract at times in the message that it was trying to deliver. But where it was supposed to be deep, it came off confusing and actually a little absurd. But there are areas in this world that could have been deep, and characters who could have meant and offered up more.
The game tried too many things, and delivered on what could be seen as the weaker elements. Fortunately it was carried by an interesting world, and appealing visual design.
The story and characters of Final Fantasy VII are lacking in the depth that was hinted to have been there, but only some came through. Most were left behind in what could have been something very special.


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Car windscreen smashed in Stonehouse (From Stroud News and Journal)
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Car windscreen smashed in Stonehouse
12:34pm Tuesday 9th October 2012 in News By SNJ Reporter
police are appealing for information after the front windscreen and driver's side window of a car were smashed in Stonehouse.
The incident happened outside a house in Brimley, Leonard Stanley, between 10.30pm on Sunday, September 30, and 8.20am on Monday, October 1.
An unknown offender caused the damage to the black Toyota Yaris before making off from the scene.
Anyone who witnessed suspicious activity in the area or anyone with any information about this crime should contact police on 101, quoting incident 105 of October 1.
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