text:
- Justin Elkin
- Savannah, GA
- United States
This conversation is closed.
How can mutual acknowledgement and mutual dissection of thought processes derived from past institutions make us "better" human beings?
There seems to be a mutual sense of dramatic change in the future. Religions, philosophies, science all have provided answers to most but not all. Past institutions and thought processes derived from these seem to me to serve us like a giant speder web we are all in and get entangled more so the more we wrecklessly argue, opine, and toss about in it, no matter who you are. How can we align ourselves right now so that a dramatic change may propel us to higher civilization?
Gail .
Aug 31 2012: Some years ago, I began wondering who and WHAT I am. I realized that I wasn't very aware of most of what I was thinking. I realized that I didn't know exactly what emotions were & why I have them, and I didn't understand why we have both emotions and feelings. I certainly didn't know how they could be used for my/our benefit. Since then I have learned about how powerful and meaningful these things are. So I would say that we should focus on the power of questions.
- +1
You may have heard of those who consciously manifest their own realities. I am one of those millions and millions and millions of people. The majority are those who manifest their realities unconscioiusly, so they manifest unintended consequences into their lives.
If those deliberate (intentional) manifestors can find a believable way to explain how it works, and what is going on when it doesn't seem to be working, lightbulbs would be going on in minds around the world. People would start asking themselves some really profound questions: Am I able to manifest sufficient food for my household? Are we able to, by joining together, manifest rain or peace? If those with the most wretched lives, who see violence as the only way of catching up (or getting ahead), understood that they can do more with the power of peace than they could ever achieve with the power of violence, shouldn't they prefer the more effective power?
The people could start asking - what is it about our economic model that is causing all the ills that our culture now faces. If we could begin learning now to manifest now, then we can be prepared for the predictable fall of our unsustainable economy. And as we learn now to manifest, we begin to see ourselves as equals, which is essential to living in a healthy society - as all studies show.
Sep 1 2012: I agree that with collaboration more is able to be accomplished over the long run, while with competition although speedier is not as capable. I know the question posed is broad. I'm attempting some individual introspection and reflection. I believe if this was achieved at the level of government it could dramatically change for the greater good. Thanks for responding!
Fritzie -
Aug 30 2012: Hi, Justin. Could I ask for a little simpler articulation of your question?
- +1
Here is how I interpret your question so far:
Modern life is complex. Religions, philosophy, and science all endeavor to understand our world and use a variety of methods for doing that. But despite these efforts, the modern world remains challenging to understand in full.
You then ask, "how can we align ourselves?" and I don't know what you are asking because of the ambiguity of the word "align." I think of things aligning with each other or with something, but I don't know what it means for a person to be aligned with another person if that is what you mean.
I am trying to understand the question.
Aug 31 2012: Thank you for your interest. I fear I may not be able to offer any more specificity, however, in the 9th New Collegiate Merriam- Webster dictionary, there is a definition for alignment as "the ground plan in distinction of the profile". I like to think of a mutual concern towards posterity
Aug 31 2012: I'm sorry. Let me rephrase. When you say "how can we align ourselves?" what are you asking?


text:
Buying a mattress doesn't have to be confusing. By doing some research, you can find a great new one without getting overwhelmed by all the options. Before you start shopping, it's a good idea to check out the space for your bed, the height you'd like it to be and how much you'd like to spend. This guide is designed to offer some helpful ideas to make your mattress search go as smoothly as possible.
1. Size
Mattresses come in many sizes, each meeting different lifestyle needs. While it's important to try out mattresses in the store for comfort, it's also good to think about what size is the best option for your room and home.
Click here for more details on standard mattress sizes.
A twin mattress is the smallest mattress size but they're a great option for pre-school to pre-teen children, especially if they share a bedroom.
Recommendations: Twin size is a great choice for anyone who wants to maximize their space. Plus, there are always tons of great bedding options for a twin.
The twin XL offers several more inches in length, but is still a great option for growing teenagers/young adults or good for people who need more room to stretch out.
Recommendations: A twin XL is ideal for taller individuals, those who live in tight spaces and is also a popular choice among students in college dormitories. Don't think this is object but the subject. Who would be most appropriate.
A full size mattress is 15" wider than a twin so it works great for a sleeper who wants some extra room. It's a great way to have extra comfort in bed without taking up much space in the bedroom.
Recommendations: Parents often choose a full size for teenagers. They might also choose a full size for younger children, for a more comfortable place to rest when reading together at tuck-in time.
Queen mattresses are about 6" wider and 5" longer than a full, click here to see the difference between queen and full mattresses. These added inches can make a difference in comfort level, especially for couples. For the box spring, you can choose either a single foundation or you also have the option of splitting the box spring. This works well for older houses or apartments and helps make moving the foundation much easier.
Recommendations: The queen is good for guest rooms, master bedrooms and for couples who prefer extra room. It's also a great choice for single sleepers who like to sprawl.
The king size is about 18" wider than a queen, click here to see the difference between king and queen. It's like a couple having their own twin bed for space, but being able to sleep in one large bed together. The box spring is split, so there are two twin XL box springs making up the foundation.
Recommendations: A king size mattress is an excellent choice for couples who want maximum personal sleeping space. It also accommodates that time on Sunday morning when children – or pets – may pop into bed. Keep in mind, it's always a good idea to break out the tape measure before you purchase to check room dimensions and get an accurate idea of space in the room.
The California King mattress is approximately 4" narrower and 4" longer than a regular king. The box spring is split, so there are actually two California King box springs.
Recommendations: A California King is great for people who want additional room at their head or feet to really be able to spread out and be comfortable. Many athletes choose California Kings, as they enjoy the space.
2. Comfort
The best test: head to a store and lie down on a few mattresses. If you share a bed, bring your partner along with you. Wear comfortable clothes, grab a pillow and most importantly, lay down in your usual sleep position. Mattresses vary in the way they support different sleep positions, so it's a great idea to try a few out for comfort.
Best for those who need extra support in a wide array of places.
3. Construction of mattresses
Quality rest is essential. People sleep better, suffer less back pain and experience fewer symptoms of stress when sleeping on newer beds. Mattresses are made with a variety of materials and technologies to support the broad array of consumers' needs, tastes and budgets. Matching comfort needs with the right product is a subjective process. Here are some great types of mattresses to check out when shopping:
An innerspring mattress uses a steel coil support system. Mattress spring shapes, design, coil gauge and number of coils can vary. The greater the number of coils, the more points of support a person will have. The innerspring is covered by padding or upholstery materials, which can include various foams, fiber and additional layers of smaller steel springs.
Want to blend different types of support technology all in one comfortable package? A hybrid mattress combines a steel coil support system with one or more types of foam, such as polyurethane foam, memory (or visco elastic) foam, or latex foam, as well as foams that contain gel or other materials.
Memory Foam gets its name from its ability to "remember" its original form and slowly return to it after being compressed. Memory Foam (or visco elastic foam) mattresses have high-density polyurethane foam in the support system, in the upholstery layer, or both. This foam contours closely to the shape of the sleeper - providing great support and pain/pressure-point relief.
An Air bed mattresses has an adjustable air chamber as its support system. The air chamber of a residential air bed is covered by padding or upholstery materials, which can include various foams and fiber. Air beds allow you to adjust the firmness and usually allow each side of the bed to be controlled separately, in order to meet the individual and changing needs of couples.
4. Features
Pillow-Top mattresses provide an additional upholstery layer sewn into the top of the mattress. This layer can be made from a variety of fiber and foam materials. The extra layer of comfort is an added benefit for those looking for an especially soft-yet-supportive mattress.
Tight Top mattresses use inner coils to provide deep-down support. Many have luxuriously and inviting covers so they definitely offer seamless comfort along with uncompromising support.
Outlast (used on some Sealy & Sterns & Foster products)
Outlast technology in fabrics helps to manage heat and moisture to offer a comfortable environment for sleeping. It balances the temperature underneath the covers to reduce overheating. Outlast can be found in a wide variety of products, from comforters and mattresses to pillows and blankets.
ThermoCool fabrics are basically designed to help regulate your body temperature. How? It's smart technology can actually decide when to keep you cool and when to warm you up. Made from smart fiber cross sections, ThermoCool is comfortable, fast-drying and is designed to truly give you relaxed rest.
Easy Refresh (used on Tempur-pedic products)
Introducing Easy Refresh. It's a soft, top cover that zips right off the mattress. So, now it's incredibly easy to wash mattress bedding. Designed with such great durability, you can have peace of mind that your new bedding will not only be comfortable, but easy to care for.
5. Foundations, box springs & bases
A foundation (box spring) enhances the durability and comfort of your mattress. Lack of support can cause structural damage to your bed set, which may invalidate your warranty and affect your ability to return or exchange the mattress. Keep these things in mind as you choose your box spring:
If you like to read, watch TV or work in bed, an adjustable base allows you to customize your mattress position with a remote control. Adjustable bed bases are compatible with most innerspring, foam and air mattresses. Since flexing causes extra wear on the mattress, choosing a quality mattress is very important. Be sure to find out whether the mattress you prefer is adjustable-friendly.
Ordering the right quantity
King and California king mattresses require two box springs. Make sure to order the right type and number of box springs. If you have any questions about which box spring is right for you, a store associate or our call center associates (1-800-697-3277) are ready to help you.
6. Brands at Sears
A mattress manufacturer that started in 1931, is an international company and industry leader in innovation and customer satisfaction. Its sleep systems offers the finest in Specialty brands with cool and comfort gel layers and/or coil support technology found in the iComfort®, and iSeries® mattresses.
Beautyrest® has spent over 89 years relentlessly focused on making mattresses that revolutionize sleep. The brand remains on the cusp of new and bold by bringing rejuvenated legendary products, transformative luxury, and intelligent support to find the mattress that's just right for you. Beautyrest Black®, Beautyrest Recharge® and Comforpedic IQ and brands to watch for.
History. Heritage. And an undying dedication to helping the world sleep better. Lie on any Sealy mattress and you'll find the comfort you want and support you can trust. Sealy Posturepedic®, Sealy OptimumTM and the new Sealy Posturepedic® HYBRID are its specialty luxury brands with the first in cooling gel foam technology.
Handcrafted for over 167 years. Stearns & Foster® offered the first luxury mattresses. With details like fine fabrics, ornate top-stitching exacting standards, the brand yields a product built to last and stand the test of time.
Their first mattress, made with TEMPUR® material, was a dramatic departure from any other mattress on the market – a reinvention if you will. The brand strives to deliver your best night's sleep with body-conforming, temperature-regulating innovation in their Tempur-Cloud, Tempur-Contour and Tempu-Choice.
Start here to find your ideal mattress
Simply check the boxes you like; all mattresses that match your selected criteria will automatically appear below

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Quantity Available:
WAC Lighting, founded in 1984, has developed a strong reputation for high quality decorative and task lighting. Based in Garden City, New York, WAC Lighting is a leading manufacturer of low voltage, line voltage and LED lighting, including track systems, transformers, lamps, cabinet lighting and recessed downlights.
The Pipe Clamp is available with the following:
- Clamp: Diameter Adjustable From 0.5", Adjustable To 2.5"
Manufacturer IDs: view
Need help with some of our terminology? Check out Lumens' Lighting & Design Glossary.


text:
Hawks defeated by Behrend Lions in Three Straight
- Release Date:
- October 6, 2004
- Contact:
- The Office of Sports Information
- (716) 649-7900 ext. 333
October 5th, 2004
HAMBURG, N.Y. -- The Hilbert College women's volleyball team lost its third consecutive Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference (AMCC) match 3-0 (11-30, 9-30, 18-30), to Penn State Behrend Oct. 5. The Hawks are now 1-8 on the season and 0-3 in AMCC contests. The Behrend Lions moved to 9-9 with the victory and 2-1 in conference play.
Laura Stranc (
The Hawks continue AMCC conference play with a home match Oct. 9 against the University of Pitt-Greensburg. The match is scheduled for a 1 p.m. start.
Hilbert College, located in suburban Hamburg, N.Y., south of Buffalo, is a private four-year college founded in 1957 in the Catholic Franciscan tradition. With nearly 1,100 students, Hilbert is a dynamic Western New York college that offers career-focused majors, including one of the top criminal justice programs in the region, and more than 50 minors and concentrations. The college's engaging, student-centered campus community offers numerous leadership, internship, and service learning opportunities from which students launch successful careers while making positive changes in their communities. The Hilbert Blueprint promotes a well-rounded student experience over four years – starting with the Foundations Seminar in the freshman year, followed by Sophomore Service, Junior Symposium, and culminating with the Senior Capstone. Hilbert has expanded its academic offerings with the college's first graduate programs and new Accelerated Degree Programs geared to adult learners.
Upcoming Events
- First Year Student Orientation
- Aug 14, 2015
- Summer Session A2 Ends
- Aug 21, 2015
- First Year Student Orientation
- Aug 28, 2015


text:
Memories of Amor
I got Amor on September 14, 1999 after she had been rescued on 6/3/99. She was a beautiful Bichon, approximately one year old. Sadly, she left this world on July 1, 2010 at 7 am. She was the kindest, gentlest pet I ever had. Amor, you will be missed forever. Our house is so empty. I hope you are at peace. You will always be in my heart.
My Forever Friend
As I sit in those moments of quiet,
Now you are away from us,
It has now been a week,
Another day passes;
More days pass,;
Sadness invades again,
More time will pass;
I dread that day,
The emptiness is beginning to fade,
Photograph Album
(Click on thumbnail to enlarge photo)
Amor's People Parent(s), Eleanor, would appreciate knowing you have visited their Amor's Memorial Residency.
Give a gift renewal of Amor's residency
(by Credit Card, or PayPal)
|Rainbow Bridge Guardian Area
|Frequently Asked Questions About Caring for a Pet Memorial
Rainbow Bridge was inspired by and is dedicated to FiFi
Visit the Human side of Rainbow Bridge - BelovedHearts.com
Visit the Human side of Rainbow Bridge - BelovedHearts.com


text:
Are You a Strategist?
Corporate strategy has become the bailiwick of consultants and business analysts, so much so that it is no longer a top-of-mind responsibility for many senior executives. Professor Cynthia A. Montgomery says it's time for CEOs to again become strategists.
"What are the first three words that come to mind when you hear the word 'strategy'?" That's the free-association exercise Cynthia A. Montgomery gives to mid-career business leaders in her Executive Education classes at Harvard Business School. Seasoned executives, they respond with "plan," "vision," "direction," "focus," "advantage."
To Montgomery, the Timken Professor of Business Administration, this is indicative of a disturbing trend.
"We've lost sight of where strategies come from and the distinctive role leaders play in the process," she says. In her new book, The Strategist: Be the Leader Your Business Needs, Montgomery discusses when that disconnect happened, why it's a problem today, and how leaders can turn themselves back into strategists.
(Read an excerpt from The Strategist.)
According to Montgomery, the divorce of strategy and leadership was an inadvertent result of academic research that started to take hold in the 1980s and '90s. The work brought much-needed economic thinking to strategy's underpinnings. It armed legions of MBAs and strategy consultants with frameworks and techniques to help managers analyze their industries and position their firms for competitive advantage. It also made it very easy for leaders to think of strategy solely as an analytical exercise. "If we're being honest, I was part of the problem," Montgomery says.
Montgomery and fellow HBS professor Michael Porter—who is considered to be the father of the modern strategy field—were among the first researchers who began to study strategy through a rigorous, scientific process, using large empirical samples to look at regularities across industries and firms. "We were proud of it!" Montgomery says. "And rightly so: the work yielded a number of well-grounded insights that have had a powerful impact on practice. But the benefits have not come without costs."
Montgomery maintains that strategy has been narrowed to a competitive game plan, separate from a firm's larger sense of purpose. This has led to the eclipse of the leader's unique role as arbiter and steward of strategy. The exaggerated emphasis on sustainable competitive advantage has drawn attention away from the fact that strategy must be a dynamic tool for guiding the development of a company over time.
"Strategy has become more about formulation than implementation, and more about getting the analysis right at the outset than living with a strategy over time," Montgomery says. "As a consequence, it has less to do with leadership than ever before."
Leading strategy
Montgomery explains that leading strategy requires confronting four questions: What does my organization bring to the world? Does that difference matter? Is something about it scarce and difficult to imitate? Are we doing today what we need to do in order to matter tomorrow? Being a strategist means living these questions, she says.
For a leader, becoming a strategist starts with getting clear on why, whether, and to whom your company matters. While that may sound obvious at face value, it's something that regularly stymies the veteran leaders in Montgomery's executive classes. "We'll be talking about Nike or Apple, and the participants will be praising the authenticity of the company and the clarity of its strategy," she says. "And then I'll ask a participant at random, 'Do you have that clarity in your company?' And there's always a pause. That pause gives them away."
To illustrate the importance of clear purpose, The Strategist touts Swedish home goods retailer IKEA, founded in 1943 by Ingvar Kamprad-when he was 17 years old. From its early days, the book explains, IKEA set out to create "a better everyday life for the many." (http://www.ikea.com/ms/en_US/about_ikea/the_ikea_way/our_business_idea/a_better_everyday_life.html ) The retailer did this by addressing an unmet market need, offering customers an extensive range of practical, well-designed furnishings at low prices. This driving purpose steered IKEA to succeed not just on low prices but also with a singular customer experience that no other retailer has yet managed to duplicate.
"IKEA has made very clear choices about who they will be and to whom they will matter, and why," Montgomery says.
Clarity of purpose behooves corporations and nonprofits alike, Montgomery adds. "Look at Doctors Without Borders. If you go to the website, you'll see incredible clarity about what they do and why they do it. They won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1999, and they didn't get it for being murky about who they are and why they matter."
That said, a compelling purpose is just the beginning of a strategy. "It gives you the right to play, and puts you in the game," the book states. But at the root it's only an idea.
Strategists also must lead the charge in creating organizations that can deliver on their intentions. That means building business models with mutually reinforcing parts. Rich in organizational detail, and anchored on purpose, such systems of value creation "make strategy the animating force in a company," says Montgomery. "They're the crucial link between lofty ideas and action."
To visualize such a system, Montgomery recommends the time-honored "strategy wheel," in which purpose is the hub and the supporting factors are the spokes. Drawing from an HBS case study, she shows how Gucci essentially used such an approach to support a purpose--"fashion-forward, high quality, good value"--that saved it from failure in the 1990s.
Who is a strategist?
Montgomery equally stresses the importance of recognizing how a strategist lives and leads. To that end, in the book she cites not only economic gurus, such as Joseph Schumpeter, but also philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre, military theorist Carl von Clausewitz, and poet Mary Oliver, who wrote, "Tell me, what is it you plan to do/with your one wild and precious life?"
Incorporating the role of the strategist into one's identity is important because leading strategy is not so much a task as it is a never-ending quest. "For most companies, a long-run sustainable competitive advantage-the holy grail of strategy-is a dangerous mirage," Montgomery warns. "The longer you can keep an advantage vibrant, the better. But any advantage is better thought of as part of a bigger story, one frame in a motion picture."
Although a company may change what it makes, the services it provides, the markets it serves, and even its core competencies, its continued existence depends on finding and continuing to find a compelling reason for it to exist. Shepherding this never-ending process, being the steward of a living strategy, is the defining responsibility of a leader.
And while her goal is to embolden top leaders to embrace the role of strategist, Montgomery believes it's important for employees at all levels of an organization to start thinking like strategists, too.
"What [people] do, and why they do it, should be driven by strategy," she says. "If the clarity isn't there, they should push for it and think more actively about how they can be communicating upward. Learning to be a strategist doesn't happen overnight. It's like a muscle that you have to flex. Don't wait to see if you might someday get the chance to drive strategy. It's a skill and a disposition that take time to hone."
Question for leaders
You're at the podium addressing a group of new recruits. One of them asks about the strategy of the business. You have two minutes to explain. Could you do it? Share your thoughts in the comment section below.
Cynthia A. Montgomery, The Strategist: Be the Leader Your Business Needs, HarperBusiness, 2012. The author gratefully acknowledges background information from "Gucci Group N.V. (A)" by Mary Kwak and David Yoffie, Harvard Business Publishing, HBS case study 9-701-037.
- Rebecca
- Project Manager
As a person naturally inclined to strategize, I will express my own frustration in what I see as the fundamental problem.
I think this article highlights it well. Drive for making a "business case" using "the numbers" causes us to move away from developing strategy. Strategy is about what is possible based on imagination. As such, it cannot be bound by numbers and logic. Business leaders have forgotten how to dream. Dreams are the seeds of strategy. We want a "sure bet"; one that will provide dividends for shareholders. And if we can't prove the "sure thing" to ourselves, despite what our hearts might be telling us, we go with the numbers.
Where are the Walt Disneys and Steve Jobs of the world? Hiding behind the MBA's yelling "You are going in the wrong direction!"
- Chris Exline
- CEO, Home Essentials
The Strategist is a tour de force for executives that want their firms to excel beyond buzz words and focus groups to make a difference. Her book enables leaders to transform strategy from imposition to impact. No singular person has helped our company codify our "statement" more than she. I find it hard to fathom how we could have galvanized our company around a common purpose without the guidance so eloquently detailed in her book.
- Daniel Dornan
Strategy is ofter perceived by "circling the bullseye" of successful companies. Strategy defines the steps, resources, and commitment needed to achieve a goal. The question is whether the goal is clearly defined and is broad enough to accommodate changing conditions. I prefer to think of strategy in the same way one would think about a military campaign, such as when Julius Caesar was planning for the Gallic Wars. The best strategists are those who can project the future based on an understanding of the past, recognition of the challenges of the present, and an appreciation of the steps needed to move from the present circumstances to the desired future. I prefer to hypothesize the future state and work backward to determine the steps and tactics needed to move toward that future state, allowing for the inevitable threats and opportunities that arise in the interim. A true leader has a clear vision of the future state, a full understanding of the resources needed to get there, strong commitment to achieving the goal, and insights into both the advocates and opponents of change and how to manipulate both to the advantage of the strategy. Sadly in the US the strategic leader has been relegated to focusing on tactics to satisfy the short-term expectations of stock analysts based on the results contained in quarterly reports. True strategic leadership needs to be multi-generational in scope with commitment to long-term goals that do not change with the fickeled nature of the stock market, guided by adherence to fundamental principles of customer service, fair play (honesty and integrity), product excellence, and public-minded conscience. As the old zen teacher taught: I plant acorns not for my own edification but for those generations to follow." Leadership + Strategy = Accomplishment
- Adjoa Acquaah-Harrison
Strategy takes a stand and bears the courage to accept the responsibility of failure or success. A great leader understands the logic of these things. Yes?
Businesses are increasingly committing resources beyond profits, employees, and recognizing their responsibility to the communities where they derive success. Through corporate social responsibility (CSR) and sponsorships, company strategies are incorporating partnerships with nonprofit organizations and NGOs that make social impacts and add value back to their communities. Strategies are important for scaling-up or down, and taking a stand for the raison-d'etre.
It makes sense for human beings to maximize the gift of our brains in ways that animals are unable to. Strategizing presents the opportunity to build organizations and institutions that "make sense" and if we are smarter, to also simplify, and make utilitarian, that which is complicated. Steven Covey, who just passed away a few days ago, has provided a legacy that makes sense to me, especially in his recognition of divine principles. Covey relies on the laws of the universe, part of human consciousness and conscience, teachings of the moral compass and reliance on these principles as the "true north" in one's life.
True leaders learn to embrace their differences in order to define the truest north of their organization. They appreciate that the organization is not about any one of them and is the sum of all their collective talents, which calls for humility/moral compass. They learn how to handle the restraining forces; (the fear of change can tempt an organization to pull backwards, on one end, and unbridled ennui to sally forth with reckless abandon, on the other). Strategy provides the maturity, calculated steps, and organizational "cool head," all of which are girded by the collective moral compass to steer northward.
I like Mr. Dornan's reference to the old Zen teacher's teaching, "I plant acorns not for my own edification but for those generations to follow." Leadership + Strategy = Accomplishment. Indeed!
- Pete DeLisi
- President, Organizational Synergies
You address a very real problem. Strategy is important, but unfortunately, most senior managers do not know what they do not know about strategy. In many cases, they can do a pretty good job of strategic thinking, i.e., thinking creatively about their customers, products, markets and competition. What they don't know are the supporting elements --- the vernacular, the process, strategy tools and what leading experts are saying about strategy. You point out some of the reasons for the lack of strategic competence at the top, but I would add that there is no effective way for senior manasgers to learn strategy. Almost no one comes up through a strategy function and the business schools do a good job of teaching the theory of strategy, but few have experienced the practical side of strategy from working in a corporate capacity.
- Anonymous
As a student of strategy, this is enlightening. It is a confirmation of what Myles Munroe has repeatedly emphazised of the importance of the knowledge of the purpose of a thing. The creator of the earth has a purpose for everything He created including you the reader and me. The only way anyone or business or organisation will stand the test of time is identifying that purpose why they came into existence. A leader or CEO cannot lead himself or others without this knowledge.
- Gerald Nanninga
- Principal Consultant, Planninga from Nanninga
The article sums it up well. If you have no reason for existing, then why do you exist? If there is no reason for customers to naturally prefer you, then you have to resort to "bribes" (price cuts and give-aways) to lure business. And that is usually a road to ruin.
Strategists first have a reason for existing and then back it up with actions which reenforce that reason.
The problem today is that companies don't want reasons and actions. They just want quarterly profits. As one CEO said to me: "Don't give me a strategy; tell me how to make money."
For more on this topic, go to: http://planninga-from-nanninga.blogspot.com/2011/06/strategic-planning-analogy-399-most.html
- Mark Pegues
- President, Ujamaa Solutions LLC
Interesting article. We see strategy as many things but essentially we see it as "how to" move... We relate "why" to the purpose and "where" to the vision.
- Andrei Mitran, Maj, USAF
- 12 FTW Lead, Process Improvement, 12 Flying Training Wing
Strategy answer: 12 Flying Training Wind ( I appreciate any feedback):
We are providing the best training in the world for instructor pilots, navigators and remote piloted aircraft operators, while fostering a perpetual culture of technical perfection, procedural safety and strategic efficiency. In a world of exponential change, we are constantly adapting and seeking new opportunities to bridge effectiveness and efficiency within our training programs.
- Laurence Rohde
- Pricing / Cost Analyst, CLI
Great subject matter strategy over time it has taken a backseat to price slashing for ease of a sale. It has also started in the backroom which is an understandable starting point, however, it seems to remain in the backroom without being communicated to the team results no true guidance or leadership setting the pace and only a select few involved who understand the direction. When the team dosen't know the direction it makes it difficult at best to see where team members fit or what value they can add to obtaining the goal set by the strategy.
- Marcia Daszko
- Consultant
Leadership requires strategic, systems thinking. The leaders' job is to have the deep conversations to create a compelling purpose, the strategies and methods to accomplish it, and the environment where all employees can contribute creatively and collaboratively. This is their focus, to lead people (care for them) and optimize their whole system so the Sytem delivers the results. (not individuals.) Sadly, the executive management lacks leadership and strategic thinking. They are Focused on the results and numbers. This is wrong and is ruining corporations, organizations and schools. Being analytical has no our purpose in the executive suite.
- Anonymous
First make your objective clear and try to make prefect efforts with honesty to achieve.
- Hugh Quick
- home, none
Nice to read that HBS is doing what it does so well; faces the facts and tells other people, whether they want to hear or not.
- Deepak Sunar
- District Officer, Rural Environment Development Center(REDC)
It is quite fruitful for me. Actually, I am new in development sector and want to get success being a good planner, strategist, and programmer. Such important emails with quality products could shape a life of we like people.
Thank you very much and lots of hopes.
- vmraste
- director, chhdr
I call myself a contemplative activist.
Contemplation is about strategising and being an activist means implementation of the strategy.
I agree with the author.
- Nitin Pujar
- Principal/CEO, Maven Advisors
Strategy in emerging markets also has an added element of what an entrepreneur or owner manager envisions and works on as the thing to do versus what a professional manager works with as a roadmap and larger purpose and direction. This dichotomy is interesting, as we have to define and deliver on 'strategy' differently for each!
But we do find strategy of the efficiency and optimization kind is more often than not being used and abused more often. It is reduced to a roadmap to better profitability rather than to help define a better purpose to focus resources and energy on. This needs to change. Look forward to more along this line from the Author.
- Dr Shantha P Yahanpath
- CEO, www.totalwealthplan.com
Strategising is a key driver of effective leadership. So, if one takes out strategising out of leadership one will end up with half-baked leadership.
Dr Shantha P Yahanpath CEO/Lecturer
- Dedy Irawan
Strategy must be adressed before execution. It's an element of "why", and thus explain about corporate sustainability in the future. Nothing's more important than strategy. Every good strategy executors are leaders and our world needs more !
- Guy Kemp
- Information Project Manager, NCAHS
Government organisations unfortunately write position descriptions which don't include this stuff. It's probably one the biggest issues with gov departments i.e. thats someone's job in the organisation to think about !
was a consultant in 1983 to gujarat spinners ltd with 8000 spindles, board asked me can we make the company 100,000 spindles for synthetic spinning. said yes. how? we bring a new ceo, who will be 'flexible' in thoughts unlike exiting man. yea we have to bring from other core industries with multi product lines like automobiles. Bd asked go ahead . said compensation shd be flexible to attract talent, after all new incumbent takes a calculated 'risk' to try new ideas. in fact in a matter of 3 years he will make 100,000 spindles if we have business opportunity. Bd said create bus opportunity. yes, competitive exports with fancy yarns with surer alma multi twister we can make thousands of shades with the involvement of designers from Milan fashion design schools as export is to be to Europe. Bd said go ahead. Floated advertisements in inter national magazines for CEO and expert designers of reputed schools, making two independent adv ertisements. after rigors of interviewing in India and Europe we identified A project CEO and three designers for product development. project CEO is tasked with 100,000 spindles and giving free hand to upgrade cooling sheds after new sheds are built so that yarns are vibrant and have tensile strengths. imported a second hand plant of 100,000 spindles from Europe and fixed suitably in time bound manner and also we developed field designer supervisors to man shop floor, the mill started with 100,000 spindles produced yarns while markets are obtained by necessary marketing efforts with building a brand image and exports got boosted. yes we also trained workers in the span of time by motivating every one as strategic assistants and helpers and produced real good quality yarns so that importing weaving mills got best products, all that was done in the stipulated period and that way we did strategies with continuous strategy to augment, that way it went on the risk is minimized to zero level and profitability got built up. it sustained next 5 years well.
- Joanne Spigner
- VisionFirst
A great article and spot-on comments. In our work we often see leaders confusing strategic work with producing a planning document. A plan has its time and place but needs to come after the future focused, non-linear thinking required to produce the clarity described in the article and book. We also see too much important strategy work that becomes "stuck at the top" of an organization, missing the broad-based engagement needed to produce clarity that is widely owned, well aligned and personally felt by all who need to deliver. Leaders who understand these realities see their organizations move further faster by investing in and leading this hard, often messy, work up front.
- Richard Melrose
- President and CEO, Vision21
Enterprise strategy must start with enterprise purpose -- i.e. a clear, compelling, connection-worthy statement of societal (mass customer) service.
With purpose well established, each business should operate as one system with one goal: accelerate purposeful value creation.
Any business can systematically pursue that one goal, in the context of its own purpose, with a comprehensive, step-by-step, logically validated strategy.
Strategic logic (i.e. necessity and sufficiency of goal-oriented steps) of avoids waste, aligns resources and underwrites success.
Definition of Leadership. When Alexander The Great was crossing a desert , one of his soldiers found and gave him in his helmet a small quantity of water . Alexander watched his thousands of soldiers, exhausted by the heat, and said , "Its not enough for everybody" and threw the water away . .This inspired them , and they shouted , "With you till the end of the World ". THATS LEADERSHIP !
- A A Babul
- MBAs (HRM), Bangladesh University of Professionals
"Strategy" it varies one to another or organization to organization. It is the tactic of doing something at present, tomorrow, or future. Of course it is obviously true that the main purpose of 'business strategy' is to gain profit. For doing this we focus on the product, consumers, competitors, organization itself and take different tactic for winning the situation- it could be for short term or long term. Strategy it could be bad or good- it could be win or fail- but it does not stop; it is developed/changed time after time.
- Kapil Kumar Sopory
- Company Secretary, SMEC(India) Private Limited
In nutshell, the new recruits would be told that our strategy is aimed at improving our business growth by keeping all stakeholders satisfied. For this, we are alert to meet the genuine demands and expectations of our clients and customers so that they remain with us throughout. Our employees show sensivity and remain respectful to all customers at all times. Our teams are assertively friendly with clients, all peers, juniors and seniors. They have respect for time management and delays are not permitted. We innovate, research and develop our systems and processes on ongoing basis. There is a learning environment and we are prepared to effect viable changes. Our strategies are subjected to review bythe Board of Directors which shows the concern highest exective level has for the overall improvements. The CEO works with the senior management to establish stronger communication links across the organisation to work as a united group throughout all sectors of the business, Solutions are quickly evolved if problems arise and all efforts are made to convert problems into opportunities. In short, we plan, do, check and act.
- drajaganmohanreddy
- associate professor, IPE,HYD
excellent .should be an eye opener for those who wish to graduate from manager to a leader
- Al Watts
- Founder, inTEgro, Ic.
A very insightful article, Cynthia; thank you. I especially like your points about not divorcing strategy from leadership and the importance of "mutually reinforcing parts" in organizations to execute strategy. It's always amazing how many organizations and leaders say they are one thing (strategy or values,) yet unknowingly undo that via hiring, promotion, performance management or pay practices. You and your readers might be interested in my book where I position integrity, as in "whole" leaders and organizations, as fundamental to the unity you speak of. More info at http://www.integro-inc.com/About/NavigatingIntegrityBook
- Anonymous
I can explain our strategy in two minutes in a sound bite but for new recruits to have a shared meaning of the strategy I would have to tell them a story about how the company has evolved and where it is right now and the future direction .
- Anonymous
Strategy is a combat term and for the sake of clarity itself should be removed from our jargon-laced business vocabulary. Could you imagine asking your wife, "what's your strategy with this garden?" I think that's in part why many business leaders don't "get" strategy, the terminology isn't befitting the subject.
Someone here mentioned contemplation as the act of strategizing, I like that idea. But I think it's really about "approach." "The Inner Game of Tennis" by Timothy Gallaway was a book about approach guised as a guide about tennis. I suggest everyone read it because the idea is really very simple - the ball bounces, you hit it. Sometimes the ball bounces higher, so you'll have to "approach" it differently, but you'll still hit it. Sometimes the ball bounces short, again forcing you to adjust your approach, but you still hit it. Just as in business, you want to succeed, and a sound approach, even if it has to change (look at PayPal or Starbucks). Perhaps part of the issue, too, is that strategy is often viewed as a set-in-stone edict, when it should be viewed as more flexible as new opportunities are opened.
But seriously, let's take strategy out for a long walk on a short pier. Isn't that a better approach?
- Ahmed Y Issa
- Head of sales, Aujan Industries Co.
The strategy of the business is to clearly define who you are as an organization? What you do, why you do what you do and what is unique in what you are offering.
- John Keck
- Billing Mgr
Speaking from a military perspective, strategy and tactics are often confused in the business environment: what we choose to do vs. how we choose to do it.
In WWII, the United States debated whether to focus their "strategy" against a Germany-first or Japan-first option. Essentially, how many assets/resources are going to be devoted to the 'how we choose to do it."
The debate was contentious at times, but once the decision was made to handle a Germany-first option (Japan second), the tactics followed -- whether to use/not use daylight bombing, utilizing a convoy system to resupply England, where and when to open a second front in Europe (D-Day, Africa, Italy, etc).
Strategies are about making decisions And when we make a decision, we typically eliminate an alternative course of action. Likewise, tactics are usually much more flexible (i.e., the Americans would concentrate on daylight bombing vs. the English would do night-time bombing).
Simply put, strategy is the overall campaign plan while tactics are the actual means used to gain an objective.
It's no different in the business world.
- Anonymous
May we understand that the ends do not justify the means. Because there are no ends, there are only means. Paulo Coelho
- Santosh Kuruvilla
Values, Vision and tactics
Any business that is built on strong values with very clear vision and sound tactics should be able to achieve sustainable competitive advantage as well as maintain itself in the long term for generations to come. However the problem arises when the real definition of strategy is either misunderstood or one of the three is neglected or compromised due to a variety of reasons. The fact is you do not have to be Nike, Apple or be an exception like IKEA to achieve and maintain sustainable growth; neither does it makes sense to emulate someone from an unrelated industry or use them as your benchmark. All you need to do is maintain your individuality / differentiating factors within your industry segment with a long term view.
- Joseph Soueidi
For me strategy is a daily work. You first set a direction, then you have so many choices and options to get where you have to be. You have to make sure that the organisation is delivering on its commitment day after day. This is a daily job of thinking and rethinking, doing and redoing, a continual process that never ends and that need to be continuously shaped.
- Bruce Lynn
- General Manager, Red Bee Media Piero
The key thing to being an effective strategist is to start your sentences with the words 'the key thing'.
- Douglas Grant
- Corp. Finance CIO, Commerce Bancshares, Inc.
I think the article is good, but misses an important point. That being, most CEOs should be developing the corporate vision. From that vision a strategic plan can be built. That said, I would modify your key questions as follows: What does my organization bring to the world? What does my organization do differently and does that difference matter? (Is there something about our product(s) that is scarce and/or difficult to imitate?) What do we need to do in order to matter tomorrow?
Vision development is very important to every enterprise. Frequently the mindset/psychological make-up of a visionary is not the same as the mindset/psychological make-up of a strategist.
- Ranga Rao
- Higher Education Strategy Consultant, Self-employed
In the context of a volatile global environment where change is both complex and fast-paced, and the fundamental premises of business models are being increasingly undermined,strategy is perhaps getting limited and diluted vis-a-vis leadership. The line between response and action is getting increasingly blurred.
- Anonymous
This article hits home with me! I strongly believe leadership is lacking in corporate strategy makers. Today's corporate strategists focus to much on short-term sustainability and not enough on long-term purpose.
A clear separation exists between leaders and managers. Managers focus on winning, while leaders focus on learning from their failures. Leaders are nimble and adapt, while managers rely on hierarchy. Leaders get and give continuous feedback; whereas managers feedback is sporadic and conforms to hierarchical considerations. Leaders guide creative employee pusuits, while managers question them. Managers orient themselves to processes and question them. Leaders support autonomy.
I firmly believe corporate managers at the top could use some help to see these differences and how they affect corporate strategy. Thank you for this insightful blog post.
- Nosap
- Resourcerer
Great article, with two missing bits that may well be in the book:
To live strategy you have to really know the work. You must be living the purpose of the organisation, meeting the punters and able to do the work. That's because, in the real world tactics are far more important than strategy. You can deploy a range of tactics without strategy and survive indefinitely. You can't survive on strategy without tactics. They are nearly mutually exclusive, or perhaps a light touch Venn diagram. Some banker who happens to hold a high position in an organisation cannot do strategy, unless the organisation is a bank!
And that brings me to my second point! Being a huge fan of good strategy, the reason it is so confused in modern workplaces is due directly to the rise of leadership. That you can take some smiley arsed banker, wipe him down with some organisational orienteering and let him loose on a system that he knows nothing about in the hope that a touch of leadership (being a slightly more smashing person) will make up for his inherent lack of insight and capability in the purposeful work of the organisation.
Most companies are full of great strategists and tacticians but you won't find them in the leadership.
- saeed
i do agree with writer , its an important subject where it should be discuss more. since this start it was like a flu, every body infected with it , the idea her that before you start your strategist the CEO or the senior of the company or organization,should know what they want from this , where they want to be and what is the benefit to there society and environment. the strategy should be score card to the CEO or the board members so you can implement the right strategy not just a presentation, it should be a believe from the top hierarchy to low level in this way you will be a real strategist.
- Nilesh Mistry
- Materials Head, SE Electricals Ltd [Suzlon Group]
Great leanings; thanks a lot!
I believe strategy is setting directions while remaining focused on current and future sustenance. Strategy is a dynamics of deploying current resources for effective [May not efficient] value creation leading to collective growth of stack holders and society in general.
Version of strategy varies with levels of organisation i.e. for top leadership, main area of focus could be future growth and sustainability [setting direction] where as for middle management balancing act - between leadership thought process and current status while for lower management is execution excellence.
If everyone in the organization thinks alike CEO, understanding and implementation of strategy across enterprise becomes extremely difficult.
- Kevin
- Director of Organisational Development, Jesus Celebration Center-Kenya
My approach towards strategy in what I do, has for a long time been shaped by a book called "a book of five rings-by miyamoto musashi". In it he talks about the steps that one takes from a novice(who does the basics) to the strategist(for whom right action flows as though without thought, but for whom the basics are still as important as day 1). I believe strategy means a complete understanding of a situation,and all relevant plus some seemingly irrelevant context.This comes from deep familiarization with the what is, the why it is and the what else it could be but its not. Then asking oneself, how do I stretch this to a new level?What more can this become? If we stop doing this thing in a particular way, what would change?
An excellent insight into the 'strategy'. I feel strategy making or 'strategising' is a dynamic activity and I am afraid has no holiday. Whereas the thinking aspect of 'strategy' is with leader/top management personnel the 'implementation' aspect is definitely with senior & junior managerial personnel. This is where the aspect of 'clarity' comes in and it is important that whoever we call as 'strategist' has to be crystal clear in his thoughts and processes of implementation.


text:
- Infowars - http://www.infowars.com -
Police Taze Deaf Woman that Called 9-1-1
Posted By Adan On August 6, 2012 @ 9:02 am In Old Infowars Posts Style,Police State,Tile | Comments Disabled
Chris Halsne
August 6, 2012
KIRO TV's investigative unit has discovered Tacoma police used force to arrest and handcuff an innocent deaf woman after she called 911 for their help.
Instead of an apology, she ended up bloody and in jail for nearly three days without an interpreter before a prosecutor declined to press charges.
After months of digging, investigative reporter Chris Halsne found significant discrepancies in the official police version of events leading up to Lashonn White's arrest.
Article printed from Infowars: http://www.infowars.com
URL to article: http://www.infowars.com/police-taze-deaf-woman-that-called-9-1-1/
Click here to print.
Copyright © 2015 Infowars. All rights reserved.


text:
Domaine Edmond Jacquin Altesse Roussette De Savoie 2010, Ac
Other White
Savoie, France
$13.25 (277335)
3.0 Stars
July 07, 2012
Critic Reviews (3)
You must Sign Up to see the critic reviews. Find Out More.
Community Reviews (1)
Jason Solanki
Notes of honey, apricot and melon aromas. Lovely light hints of apricot, peach, melon on the palate, along with some minerality. Some honey and spice come through on the long finish. Slightly off-dry. Medium bodied and very well-balanced. Tasty and highly recommended! Tasted Aug/2012.
Visit my website vintagewinepicks.blogspot.com


text:
by Emma Slater
Britain's Royal Yachting Association is wanting good photographers to enter their 'ilovesailing' photography competition and there are already two winners with two magnificent photographs which could make anyone say 'ilovesailing'. As a reward, the two photographers will have their winning entries in the ilovesailing calendar.
Jo Grierson's winning photo
Alan Murray from Aberdeen and Jo Grierson from Poole in Dorset have been crowned the March ilovesailing photo calendar competition winners securing themselves a spot in the first ever ilovesailing calendar.
Alan's glorious image entitled 'Liquid Gold from The Paps of Jura', was taken late evening in June 2012 at Craighouses, Isle of Jura after rounding the Mull of Kintyre en route to Orkney in his Maxi 1000, while Jo's entry had a more mysterious quality, taken on a misty morning when they were out laying up for the winter and the local lads were out fishing already.
Alan Murray's winning photo
'We were really spoilt for choice', explained ilovesailing coordinator Emma Slater, 'with some 40 entries in March alone, picking just two winners was a pretty difficult affair, but Alan and Jo's photos just seemed to have the edge and we think will look spectacular in the calendar.'
As well as a spot on the calendar Alan and Jo also clinched themselves their very own, and now much coveted, blue ilovesailing rubber duck as did Clare Williams from Abergavenny for her caption entry, about why she is a supporter / member of the RYA.
The ilovesailing calendar competition runs from March through to August 2013, with two photo and two caption winners being picked each month to appear on the 2014 calendar as well as receiving an ilovesailing rubber duckie.
All you have to do to take part is post your favourite sailing photo(s) on to the ilovesailing Facebook page www.facebook.com/ryailovesailing or email your entry to firstname.lastname@example.com, it's that easy.
As well as the photo entries they are also asking for text entries answering either of the two statements; 'I'm an RYA member because…' or 'I support the RYA because….', in no more than 30 words.
Four winners; two photo and two caption, will be picked each month and the winners will be announced on the ilovesailing Facebook page and contacted via email. All winners will also receive a copy of the calendar when it is completed.
The calendars will go on sale at the PSP Southampton Boat Show 2013, with the first 50 people to purchase a copy also receiving a 2013 ilovesailing rubber duck.
Go to the page at www.facebook.com/ryailovesailing to get involved.


text:
- Capitol Quickies - http://blogs.app.com/capitolquickies -
Christie to hold town hall meeting in Hillsborough Wednesday
Posted By John Schoonejongen On February 28, 2011 @ 4:10 pm In Uncategorized | Comments Disabled
Gov. Chris Christie is holding a town hall meeting in Hillsborough at 9:30 a.m. Wednesday, March 2.
[1]The meeting will be held in the multipurpose room of the Hillsborough Municipal Building on 379 South Branch Road.
Seating is first-come, first-served.
Here [2]is a link to the registration form.
Article printed from Capitol Quickies: http://blogs.app.com/capitolquickies
URL to article: http://blogs.app.com/capitolquickies/2011/02/28/christie-to-hold-town-hall-meeting-in-hillsborough-wednesday/
URLs in this post:
[1] Image: http://blogs.app.com/capitolquickies/files/2011/02/Budget-address-021.jpg
[2] Here : https://spreadsheets.google.com/viewform?formkey=dGVraHIwSTVIeU5WZm9peUVTeHU3RXc6MA#gid=0%20
Click here to print.
Copyright © 2008 Capitol Quickies. All rights reserved.


text:
How long does it take to tan?On average, it takes about 4 to 5 weeks of tanning 3 times a week to obtain your maximum tan. If you do not tan in the sun, you will not tan in a tanning bed.
How often should I tan?
When starting a base tan, you should tan every other day. After you've obtained a base tan, you can tan every day if desired, but once or twice a week is recommended.
Why should I wear eye protection?
Eye lids do not provide very much protection (only about 25%) and damage occurs very quickly. A towel is only an SPF 5. Check out our Wink-Ease sign about what can happen if you do not wear eye protection.
Welcome to Sunny's Tanning Salon
"Where the Sun Never Sets"Get away and relax on our tropical Caribbean island.
Here you can tan in one of our clean, well maintained tanning bed, (some with facials), or hex's while being surrounded by a Caribbean atmosphere...or if you wish, to visit longer, relax and enjoy one of the many benefits of our infrared sauna.
Can't tan???...Get a beautiful golden sexy tan in just minutes with a "custom airbrush spray tan." Great for special occasions or just for a little extra color! (by appointment only)
We have a full line of salon approved tanning lotions, after tan moisturizers, protective eye wear (see our wink ease sign for more information) and other accessories available.
Mix up your own cup of lotion at our "Tiki Bar!" Choose from light or dark bronzers, tingle or intensifier.
Whatever your need for tanning; Vitamin D, color, light therapy, depression, blemishes, psoriasis we can help!
Stop in and make yourself at home on our Friendly Tropical Island!!
Check us out on
for monthly specials!
for monthly specials!


text:
|88 posts found
Elite Member
Joined: 8/15/07
Longevity and community
No one sticks around anymore....Why ?.........No Community, The last time I have seen an mmo with true community tools were the old Vanilla WoW and Everquest 2 days. I'm not talking about liking a game or not, I'm talking about community !....Real servers, very simple.
I'm starting this topic because I'm mad about Elders Scrolls Online. Mega servers with zoning to find friends.......come on.....Now will have another 30 day mmo on our hands. So, what's the answer to all this ?......Simply, find yourself a good Guild, Right ?.....OK will have two million players trying to find that good guild, with 1% really finding one. A good Guild will only take you so far when you have thirty people and only two are your level. Think about this, think real hard. Is this how your good guilds are too ?
I think I may be done for good with mmos unless we get a developer that really gets it about community. Maybe its just me but I would like to log in, play with friends make new ones with the guy over there fighting Goblins. Staying away from Jim because he hoggs the loot, and hanging around with Bob because he is a good tank and is good at finding groups.
Login or Register to never see this panel
Hard Core Member
Joined: 2/14/10
I agree with a lot of what you said. The thing is though. If my grandpa had played an MMO he likely would have said the same thing about UO, EQ etc.
The generations and lifestyles are different so the market adjusts. From my perspective it is only likley to get worse. . but then I don't have as much time to play anymore either.
*sad bugle music*
Wa min God! Se æx on min heafod is!
Elite Member
Joined: 8/15/07
Originally posted by Aethaeryn
Well I really dont think that the generations of people really asked for the new changes, but the developers are pushing this new crap on us.
Novice Member
Joined: 1/10/08
PC is not political correctness, it means Political Cowardice!
Originally posted by delete5230
I disagree with this. The entitlement generation wants instant gratification or they whine, rant, and leave. They want to do everything solo and having to talk to people is counter productive. It isn't that the devs are forcing this on us, but the masses are wanting it.
Advanced Member
Joined: 1/20/06
ah the old "Community" angle. I played EQ2 for two years and it had hands down the most TOXIC community I have ever experienced in an MMO. Dont beleive me? Go to the EQ2 "flame" site if you havent already. The majority of the long-time posters there were the foundation of the Everquest 2 community: Racists, sexists, live at home/out of work losers that had nothing to add but gossip, intimidation and hatefulness. IDK About WOW vanilla but I can speak volumes about EQ2. Please...dont get me started. "Community" is the single most overrated concept in MMOs. We prefer to play with people we know and trust. If a game allows us to, its a win (at least in that aspect of the game).
Times and technology change in MMOs and having the ability to play with trusted friends is something people want. You dont always end up on the same server so its good to have the option (other than rerolling) to play with buddies. If Elder Scrolls fails, it won't be due to the ability to zone to friends.
Current Games: SWTOR, EVE Online
Hard Core Member
Joined: 6/06/12
We live in a fantasy world, a world of illusion. The great task in life is to find reality.
Originally posted by delete5230
Disagree completely with what you said.
First plenty of people stick around and create valid communities, its up to you to find one to be a part of not to have one created around you. Second, there are plenty of games releasing eveyr year so why wouldnt you want to try them out. There is nothing that says you "have" to stick to an MMO, plenty do some dont, its our choice. Lastly Rose tinted glasses are a very evil entity, the things that go on now went on back then but its you who refuse to believe it becasue of those skewed glasses.
My Vanilla WoW experience was a lot of insular raiding guilds quickly formed to lock out "those b.net kiddies" people (= from EQ).
Your community, in a game, consists of who you happen to encounter. Or for a server, who you happen to chat with on the server's board. If you happened to visit "the boards" at all (always many who did not).
That's part of why everyone's memories (of the same games) are so very inexplicably different.
Originally posted by delete5230
What exactly do you expect the devs to do about personal issues?
Self-pity imprisons us in the walls of our own self-absorption. The whole world shrinks down to the size of our problem, and the more we dwell on it, the smaller we are and the larger the problem seems to grow.
Spotlight Poster
Joined: 2/10/12
I agree with the OP. EQ2 was the lsat community I was really ever a part of. As of now, I feel like it's just kid-talk, e.g.,bro's brony, lolololz, epic fail, etc.
I can't stand the new generation of gamers. Killed it all for us...because they buy anything.
Spotlight Poster
Joined: 1/08/07
Freeloading mooches are the scourge of the gaming community.
I disagree with the argument that gamers don't have the time in their schedules like they used. There are still plenty of people wo play all day everyday. Just because the older generation of gamers have grown up and have lives now doesnt mean that there isn't a under generation playing.. However that younger generation of gamer or th larger majority of them have that self entitlement and give it to me now mentality. They have 0 patience and think of anything that might take time and effort to achieve is nothing more than a time sink or waste of time. They also feel that everyone should get a trophy just for showing up. The older gaming generation has no one to blame for this but themselves as the older generation raised them to be this way.
Originally posted by mmoDAD
So the devs should magically cure intolerance too?
Self-pity imprisons us in the walls of our own self-absorption. The whole world shrinks down to the size of our problem, and the more we dwell on it, the smaller we are and the larger the problem seems to grow.
Originally posted by cybertrucker
Devs, fix prejudice.
Well, I think we've sufficiently answered "what happened to our communities" now.
Self-pity imprisons us in the walls of our own self-absorption. The whole world shrinks down to the size of our problem, and the more we dwell on it, the smaller we are and the larger the problem seems to grow.
Advanced Member
Joined: 3/05/10
Originally posted by Broomy
EQ2Flames has nothing to do with the EQ2 community. On EQ2Flames you mostly find those raid elitists, some pvp'ers and wannabees. Sometimes there was some usefull information. But that was probably 1 % of the posts. The majority of EQ2 players never visited or even knew about this site. And I agree with OP, EQ2 had a good community. There were some black sheep but you can't prevent this in an MMO.
Novice Member
Joined: 5/02/10
How many real life friends do you have? Most people have one or two. It is the same situation as guilds/communities in mmos. A true, real friend in life is as rare as a guild that fits you perfectly. I used to join guilds a lot and out of the dozens that I joined I stuck with only two of them for more than a year. In one case I had to move off the server and in the other the guild dissolved due to the founders had to quit. Since then, not being a raider or pvp zealot, I have found nothing. All of the casual guilds that I joined soon turned hard core, fell apart or ignored me. Of course it is part me - but I stuck with two guilds so maybe not so much.
As mentioned above, it is not the developers that are against communities, it is the players. I played WOW for 7 years and came back for a time with MOP. The MOP community was almost virulent. The chat is full of hard core raiders, hard core pvp or rants. Legends tell of Barrens chat but at least we had Chuck Norris jokes - now it is just insults.
Developers do have part of the blame. Now there are more guild perks than ever. What this has caused is that casual guilds are no longer casual. if you do not do everything you can to move the guild to a higher level you are essentially ignored or kicked out.
What is happening in mmo's is just a reflection of what is happening in the world. The world as a whole is becoming more dog eat dog as population soars and the world economy collapses. Yes there are pockets of civility in the world and there are some in mmos as well - they are just extremely hard to find.
Apprentice Member
Joined: 7/01/05
Ain't no school like old school... Neither of the games the OP mentions fits into that catergory, but i get the point.
Originally posted by tordurbar
Well, I wouldn't go that far.
Roleplay threads used to be the rallying call to "come and judge other gamers!" on forums.
Community threads have usurped that function.
Good Old Dayz threads, largely the same.
Combination of the two? "Rawr, me too!" The ultimate troll, in essence.
Self-pity imprisons us in the walls of our own self-absorption. The whole world shrinks down to the size of our problem, and the more we dwell on it, the smaller we are and the larger the problem seems to grow.
Novice Member
Joined: 12/29/03
Whatever you do, do NOT speak ill of Asheron's Call 2...
Originally posted by delete5230
I get a kick out of people that constantly complain about gaming communities by blaming the game companies. If people really cared so much for communities the like of which you are talking about then companies would not have to put things like these super servers or grouping instances. The only people you have to blame are the players themselves. The companies are just reacting.
That Guild Wars 2 login screen knocked up my wife. Must be the second coming!
Novice Member
Joined: 9/02/09
There is a certain sickness going around in all MMO's and it spreads like cancer. The constant screams to make content easier resulted into a faster and faster pace of the games, untill people totally lost patience and respect with each other and to the extent, that communication/community became obsolete.
Everything in game is nowadays presented on a silver plate to you and nothing, really nothing seems to matter or have consequences anymore. Instant travelling, instant respawn, instanced worlds, dungeon finder with world summon, gear score, you name them..... - all what was invented to make life easier ingame turned into a nightmare for the community.
2 days ago I logged into my old EQ 1 account after 7 years of absence. It took me hours to understand/remember the game mechanics again, because nothing is presented to you - you need to find it out yourself or ask.
And then bind points, Clarity, Spirit of the Wolf, Rezzing, deaths, corpse runs, spell fizzles (I first thought my hotbar was broken), go to camp site and so on and so - that all suddenly meant something again. You actually need a group to kill stuff, there is no one hit kill or one man army. You cannot pull 10 mobs and believe to survive this with full HP and/or Mana. One resisted root, one over nuke, one broken charm and you or even the whole group is dead.
What also really felt strange was, that when I joined a group I was greeted so friendly and there was a constant chatter in group during pulls and med breaks (OMG, yes med breaks), despite it is text based. When I left, people really were sorry seeing me leaving - I haven't had that in years in WoW, Rift, GW2, TSW, SWTOR - no where! And why? Because it meant something that the group is full, you need people to play and suceed, and if you take that away - if you open the door to completely solo the content as an exception - it then will happen and it will become the rule and not the exception.
Try EQ F2P and see yourself.
This is just my feeling about things, feel free to have other opinions.
Advanced Member
Joined: 11/08/08
The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over while expecting different results.
Originally posted by Anthur
EQ2 has a real comunity, those who go on flames are the ones who like to stirr stuff up. EQ2falems is where all the raid folks go who are the elite and they sure don't like scrubs. If you want to find the comunity you go to eq2wire.
Advanced Member
Joined: 12/02/09
Originally posted by azzamasin
The rose tinted glasses argument is always a crutch to counter these threads. It's like a magical argument that instantly invalidates anything someone else might say because they're remembering it wrong... It also happens to be complete BS.
I remember very specific things in MMOs in the pre-WoW era that simply don't happen any more. One of those is random strangers in /say stopping to have a conversation. There's no room for nostalgia to cloud my judgement there; it used to happen and now it doesn't.
Your post also implies you don't understand what people mean by 'community' in the general sense. If you have to deliberately find a community to be a part of then that's a clique not a community. The community is the player population as a whole, it is something you are a part of simply by playing. They used to be much more positive and constructive, people helped each other, and simply by playing the game you would become involved with the community as it was generally beneficial to be social with everyone. Yes there were bad apples there but they were balanced out by the golden apples... these days the general community has almost nothing but bad apples. The result is everyone isolates themselves into cliques called guilds and chooses not to socialise with anyone outside their circle.
You can throw the rose tinted glasses argument around as much as you like. The fact is no MMO released in the post-WoW era has created that same sense of community.
By the way, what's with the whole not having to stick to an MMO? The OP wasn't saying you HAD to, they were implying that you would WANT to because the community kept it fun. MMOs used to have enough to keep you playing for years; the fact that most now only last a couple of months at best says a lot and you'd be a fool to think that was also rose tinted glasses.
Elite Member
Joined: 1/13/10
Currently playing EVE, SMITE, ArcheAge, and Combat Arms
Originally posted by delete5230
The last time you saw a community that shared your views.
After all, a community of people who have differeing views from you, you probably would not perceive as a community.
Community is definitely there in a lot of MMOs. To try to give examples would be futile, though, as anything outside of player views/activities that match yours would be dismissed as not community, not fun or not important.
If you guys spent half as much time being part of a community as you do complaining they don't exist, you'd enjoy MMOs a lot more. The former takes more effort, though.
There isn't a "right" or "wrong" way to play, if you want to use a screwdriver to put nails into wood, have at it, simply don't complain when the guy next to you with the hammer is doing it much better and easier. - Allein


text: alright here is the deal. sold my 4300 and need a upgrade, willing to spend around $850. i think i've narrowed it down to the 05 hkek and the 05 tassajara disc. i like the disc brakes and tubeless on the tassajara, but it is the gold series 6061 t6 frame and the hkek has the platinum zr9000 frame but with no disc. the tassajara has manitou axel elite with lock out and the hk has rs pilot sl but i'm not sure if it has lock out? is motion control essentially lock out? Anyway, any insight you guys could offer would be greatly appreciated!!! Any other reccomendations about other brands in the sub 850 category?


text:
Greely softball denied in state final
After a decade's worth of close calls, the Greely softball team finally got back to the Class B state final last weekend, but the Rangers' dream of winning an elusive championship fell just short.
Through five innings of Saturday's showdown with Oceanside at St. Joseph's College in Standish, Greely, behind senior ace Danielle Cimino, clung to a 1-0 lead, but unfortunately for the Rangers, they had to play seven innings and the final two frames were cruel.
The Mariners scored three runs in the top of the sixth, then added five in the seventh as they went on to an 8-1 victory, ending Greely's season at 15-5.
The Rangers, who lost to Fryeburg in last year's regional final, welcomed a new coach this spring in Jess Gomez, then won 12 of 16 games to earn the No. 4 seed in Western B. After a 9-3 win over No. 12 Yarmouth in the quarterfinals, Greely finally slayed the Fryeburg dragon, 2-1, in the semis. That sent the Rangers to St. Joe's for the regional final Wednesday of last week against surprise finalist Gray-New Gloucester, the No. 6 seed, which had upset second-ranked Cape Elizabeth.
Cimino gave up a leadoff triple in the first inning, but escaped the jam to keep it scoreless.
"I had to manage the inning," said Cimino. "I had to be mentally tough. I couldn't let it get to me. I had to stay calm and within myself."
The Patriots did get a run in the third, but Greely battled back with two.
With one out, Sarah Felkel singled and Haley Felkel reached on an error. A second out moved them over. Then Cimino dropped a bunt in front of the plate. The pitcher bobbled the ball and Cimino beat the throw to first while Sarah Felkel scored.
"It was a squeeze," said Cimino. "I knew I had to get it down. It wasn't the greatest pitch. I was a little worried because it had a little air underneath it, but it dropped and it was far enough up from them to get to it."
Twitchell followed with a single to plate Haley Felkel and gave the Rangers the lead.
"Fortunately, I was in that same situation in the Fryeburg game, so I had some experience going into it," said Twitchell. "I was looking for a pitch I could hit. I've been working on the outside pitches and luckily, it was there. We always have an inning where we come back. When we got runners at first and second, we had our engine going and we got hits. We were able to execute."
Gray-New Gloucester had other chances, but couldn't convert and Greely held on to prevail, 2-1.
"The girls have improved so much from day one," said Gomez. "It's absolutely astonishing to see that improvement, to see the way they play, the way they hustle. They play together and they're a great definition of team."
Saturday, the Rangers took part in just their second ever state game (Greely, behind ace Sarah Bennis, beat Erskine, 1-0, in 10 innings, to win the 2002 title), against an Oceanside squad they had never faced.
Greely took a 1-0 lead in the second when Audrey Mann singled home Miranda Moore.
Cimino held that lead until the sixth, when the Mariners took advantage of some shaky defense to push across three runs.
The bottom fell out in the seventh, when Oceanside (a combination of the former Rockland and Georges Valley High Schools) scored five more runs.
Cimino retired 13 of the first 15 batters she faced and wound up allowing six hits. She had seven strikeouts, two walks and hit a batter.
Look for Greely, which returns several key contributors, to build on this year's experience and make another run in 2014.
Sun Journal staff writer Kevin Mills contributed to this story.


text:
Find hotels in Saint Stephens using the list and search tools below. Search for the cheapest discounted hotel and motel rates in or near Saint Stephens, SC for your upcoming personal or group trip. Discover the best Saint Stephens, South Carolina motel and hotel rooms. Browse the Saint Stephens area hotels to find the perfect lodging! Please use the provided map of the Saint Stephens hotels.
Saint Stephens Hotels/Accommodations
Next 20 Saint Stephens Hotels > [1 - 20 of 50]
Next: See My Saint Stephens Hotels with Pricing >


text:
ICC, Holmes rumble to double overtime finishSeptember 11, 2013
Adam Gore/LetsGoICC.com
FULTON, MS – ICC head soccer coach Mike Sullivan expected a battle when his Indians faced Holmes and that's what they got and then some in a 2-2 double overtime finish in Fulton.
"We knew it was going to be a battle coming into the match," said ICC head coach Mike Sullivan. "We've developed quite the rivalry over the years with Holmes and this match was another instant classic between our programs."
Holmes took a 1-0 into the break after a first half filled with missed opportunities for the Indians.
"It just seemed like we were playing in slow motion in the first half," commented Sullivan. "It was taking too long for us to take shots when we had them and you can't give a team like Holmes any extra time to adjust on defense because they are extremely good on the defensive side of the ball."
Nick May (Caledonia) tied the game midway through the second half off an assist from Michael Wathen (Amory), but Holmes answered with 13 minutes left in regulation to take a 2-1 lead before Dylan Howard (Starkville) scored an electrifying goal off an assist from Daniel Cox (DeSoto Central) in the 86th minute.
"That was a big goal for us considering the situation," Sullivan said. "Things were really starting to get heated on the field and we were able to use that intensity to get one of what very well could be the most difficult goals we'll score all season long."
Neither teams could manage a goal as tempers flared during both overtime periods with the hard-fought division battle match ending in a 2-2 tie.
"I felt like our youth showed up at the wrong times today," Sullivan said. "These type of games are all about keeping your cool and not losing the mental edge of play. We weren't able to do that at crucial times today and hopefully the guys saw the importance of keeping your cool in tense moments."
Cullen Grantham (Corinth) finished the game with three saves and two goals allowed in 110 minutes in net for the Indians.
The Indians will return to division play Friday at 4:00 p.m. as they host East Central Community College.
For more information on ICC soccer and the eight other intercollegiate athletic programs, follow ICC Athletics on Twitter (@LetsGoICC) and visit www.LetsGoICC.com.


text:
Canon FTb
|35 mm Single-lens reflex still camera
|Image sensor type
|135 film
|Image sensor size
|24×36 mm
|Recording medium
|135 film
|Canon FD-mount interchangeable
|On default 50 mm lens: f/1.4, f/2, f/2.8, f/4, f/5.6, f/8, f/11, f/16
|Shutter speeds
|X, B, 1, 1/2, 1/4, 1/8, 1/15, 1/30, 1/60, 1/125, 1/250, 1/500, 1/1000 sec.
The Canon FTb is a 35 mm single-lens reflex camera manufactured by Canon of Japan from March 1971 replacing the Canon FT QL. It features a Canon FD lens mount, and is also compatible with Canon's earlier FL-mount lenses in stop-down metering mode. Launched alongside the top-of-the-line F-1, the FTb was the mass-market camera in the range.[1]
The FTb was primarily intended to be a camera for the advanced amateur photographer, offering many of the same features and same build quality as the F-1, but without the option of interchangeable prisms, focusing screens, or motor drives. The Canon FTb was released at a retail price of 35,000 yen for the camera body ($580 USD; or $99 in 2014 USD).
The FTb has an all-mechanical horizontally traveling focal plane shutter with timed speeds from 1/1000 to 1 second and bulb. The FTb has rubberized silk shutter curtains rather than the more durable but more expensive titanium curtains found on the F-1.
It offers a 10-second self-timer, as well as mirror lock-up.
The meter is of the 12% (1/9) partial type with the metering area indicated by a slightly darkened box in the center of the finder area. It is fully coupled to shutter speed dial and aperture ring on FD lenses in the match needle style. The meter was designed to be powered by a single 1.35 volt 625 Mercury cell, which is no longer available. Popular options for replacement are to use a higher voltage silver battery either through a voltage dropping adapter or recalibrating the meter, or using zinc air batteries, which have the same voltage but a relatively short life.
In 1973, the FTb design was revised slightly. The camera was given a plastic tipped film advance lever. The stop down lever was changed to the same style as that found on the F-1. The PC sync socket was given a spring-loaded plastic cover. The ring around the outer edge of the shutter speed dial was changed from a scalloped design to a diamond textured design. Finally, a shutter speed display was added in the lower left hand corner of the viewfinder. This model was unofficially known as FTb-N or FTbn.
See also[edit]
- ^ Canon Inc.. "Canon FTb". Canon Camera Museum. Retrieved 2007-10-04.
External links[edit]
Media related to Canon FTb at Wikimedia Commons


text:
Louisiana Public Broadcasting and McNeese State University present the seventh annual McLeod Lecture Series.
A look back at the fight over Right to Work and what it has meant to the state's workers since it was passed in 1976. It features three legislators who were involved in the heated battle over the law that prohibits agreements between unions and companies requiring all workers to either join the union or pay fees to the union as a condition of employment. Panelists include former state senators Edwards Barham and Sidney Barthelemy, former state representative Mike Thompson, former journalist John Hill and McNeese economics professor Michael Kurth. LPB President/CEO Beth Courtney is the moderator. The event was recorded April 8 at the Central School in Lake Charles as part of the annual McLeod Lecture Series which honors the late Bill McLeod, a prominent retired district judge and former state legislator who died in 2003.
Right to Work: Changes in Louisiana's Political Landscape is part of the McLeod Lecture Series at McNeese State University.
Photo – left to right: Edwards Barham, Mike Thompson, Beth Courtney, John Hill, Michael Kurth, Sidney Barthelemy
Thanks to everyone who made Antiques Roadshow in Baton Rouge a great success!
Enjoy LPB wherever you are!
Online Until July 17 - VOTE!
The story of the Acadian people!
Celebrate the 150th anniversary of the founding of Louisiana State University. 10:00 PM Monday on LPB.
Academy Award-winning animated short and game/storytelling app/novel!
Featuring An All-Star Lineup of Bayou State Musicians!


text:
Do you yearn to journey deeper into God's Word and its world? Learn to interpret Scripture, apply the Word of God to your life, and prepare to teach others through BibleJourney.
Our Mission
As an outreach of Gordon-Conwell's Biblical Literacy Project, BibleJourney seeks to train Christian believers and congregations to understand, interpret, apply and teach the Bible. This mission reflects the seminary's focus on providing evangelical churches with tools to help them "handle accurately the Word of God" (2 Timothy 2:15). These tools result in more effective kingdom service and biblical discernment for a host of denominations and independent movements within evangelical Christianity.
Our Vision
At Gordon-Conwell, we envision creating a generation of believers who:
- Understand Scripture in its own context
- Know how to interpret Scripture
- Can apply Scripture in contemporary culture
This vision includes the education and certification of qualified Bible teachers who can effectively minister in local and parachurch settings. Click here for curriculum information.
Course Levels
Auditor (Level 1):
Auditors attend classes but are not required to complete assignments. This level will provide the student with skills to think critically, contextually and historically about Scripture. (Scholarship Information)
Cost: $125 per course
Credit Bearing (Level 2):
Credit bearing students are expected to attend classes, participate in a 30 minute discussion group, and to complete all assignments. This level offers certification of competency in principles of Bible interpretation, and scope/depth of Bible survey knowledge. Students completing assignments satisfactorily can receive graduate credit for certification. (Scholarship Information)
Cost: $200 per course | Churches are encouraged to subsidize the cost for their participants.
Our Current Courses
Click the course name for more information.
Journey through the New Testament (Charlotte, NC) - Spring Term
Mark Poe
04/09/15 - 05/21/15
Thursdays at 6:30 p.m.
Lake Forest Church
Journey through the Old Testament begins this September on the Charlotte campus with Dr. Tim Laniak.
Watch for details for online streaming enrollment!
How Do I Begin?
Adele Jordan


text:
You won't be able to dismiss this by usual means (escape or click button), but you can close it programatically based on user choices or actions.
"This card/invitation is a great value. The envelopes are even sized right for easier mailing options. I HIGHLY recommend this Invitation for several reasons: Classy, Easy to design, Beautiful color, & very easy custom changes if needed!!"
"Love the pretty design and the ease of ordering this invitation! This is the second time I've used Weeding Paper Diva for shower invites and I have been very happy with the product both times. The turn around time is amazing! I also like the new and improved envolopes!"
"The colors are vibrant just like on the screen. The paper quality is nice. They came before the date expected. Very satisfied."
"I purchased as is (no personalizing, only the information about my shower was edited) and to be honest, you really don't need to change a thing. It's so adorable and the colors are exactly as you see online. The quality was great. I will say, where the envelopes were glued (on the side) made sliding the card in a bit "snug" but overall, I'd buy these all over again! Great quality."
"Love this card!! We used this card as it was shown, only with our information. The color, paper, and printing were perfect. I would recommend this card for anyone."


text:
You can't like your own messages.
I have been trading for years, I will use my skill to help others. I will only tweet when I enter or exit a trade in real time. Contact me if needed. Thank you, Oneil
Connect and collaborate with traders and investors like
StockTwits Terms of Service
Already have an account?
Sign In


text:
|Page: 1 of 1
|Sort By:
Tigh-a-Cladach Bed and Breakfast is located in the small village of Badicaul, near to Kyle of Lochalsh and the road bridge to the Isle of Skye. Nestled in the heart of one of the most beautiful wilderness...
Find a Kyle of Lochalsh, United Kingdom bed and breakfast for your romantic weekend getaway. Intimate b & bs are cozy, romantic accommodations that are perfect for a mini-vacation, honeymoon, or wedding anniversary celebration. You will love the unique charm of our Kyle of Lochalsh, United Kingdom inns. Many guesthouses include complimentary breakfasts and unbeatable hospitality. Browse our bed & breakfasts and plan your Kyle of Lochalsh, United Kingdom romantic getaway today!


text:
The twentieth anniversary of the founding of the Harvard Dental School was celebrated by a meeting yesterday afternoon followed in the evening by a dinner at the Vendome. There were present about seventy-five graduates of the school. Governor Ames, Dr. A. P. Peabody, and Dr. Alexander McKenzie were the guests of the evening.
As President Eliot was unavoidably absent, Mr. Roger Wolcott presided in his place. Mr. Wolcott began the toast with a witty speech on the necessity of dentists. He was followed by Governor Ames, who spoke for the Commonwealth, Rev. A. P. Peabody, D.D., Dr. H. W. Williams of the Medical School, Dean Chandler, of the Dental School, Mr. Edward, W. Hooper, treasurer of the University, Dr. H. P. Bowditch, Dr. P. Brown, Dr. L. D. Shepard and Rev. Alexander McKenzie. The speakers traced the development of dentistry as a profession and glorified the part the Harvard School has taken in its advancement. The University Glee Club was present and sang several selections, during the evening, all of which were loudly applauded.
Want to keep up with breaking news? Get the latest, straight to your inbox.


text:
GIPF project
The GIPF Project is an award-winning series of six abstract strategy games by designer Kris Burm.[1] The series is named after the first game, GIPF, and the idea behind the project is that the reward for winning each of the other games in the series is to allow the winner to introduce new pieces with special powers, called potentials, into a concurrent game of GIPF.[1][2] However, any of the games may also be played individually in the normal way, and they have attained most popularity in this form. The potentials are available in 3 separate sets, the first containing TAMSK potentials, the second ZÈRTZ and DVONN potentials (along with pieces to expand ZÈRTZ standalone games), and the third and final set containing YINSH and PÜNCT potentials, plus extra GIPF pieces. The publication of the third expansion set at the Essen Spiel 2006 event completed the project, and marked the partnership of Burm with Belgian game company SMART, who now publishes all the GIPF games. In 2007, Burm released the new game TZAAR to replace TAMSK as the second game in the GIPF Project.
All the games take place on some form of hexagonal board, and usually the playing surface or a player's power diminishes as the game draws to an inevitable conclusion. The idea of introducing additional games that can be used to affect the outcome of the main game came from Burm's childhood, when he and his brother would "race" cars around a rug. For each turn, they would play another game, and the winner of that game would get to roll six dice to determine his car's movement, while the loser would roll just five.
As of 2010[update], the most popular game in the series, according to the Internet Top 100 Games List,[3] is DVONN, although the average rating from players on Boardgamegeek place TZAAR and YINSH at the top of the Abstract Games Rank, and DVONN, ZERTZ and GIPF end up on the 4th, 7th and 15th place, respectively.[4] ZÈRTZ, DVONN, and YINSH have all won the Mensa Select award.[5]
List of games[edit]
Most of the games in the series can be played free online or against freely available computer opponents.
- GIPF is a game of pushing.
- TAMSK is a game of time. - With the release of TZAAR in 2007, this game was taken out of the project/series.
- ZÈRTZ is a game of sacrifice.
- DVONN is a game of towers.
- YINSH is a game of flipping.
- PÜNCT is a game of connection.
- TZAAR is a game of capture and stacking. (replacing TAMSK)
See also[edit]
- ^ a b Thomashow, Mitchell. "GIPF Review". The Games Journal. Retrieved 2008-08-24.
- ^ Blessing, Ron (2005-06-01). "Review of GIPF". RPGnet. Retrieved 2008-08-24.
- ^ "Internet Top 100 Games List". Aaron D. Fuegi. Retrieved 2010-08-26.
- ^ "Abstract Games Rank, Boardgamegeek". Retrieved 2010-08-26.
- ^ "Mind Games Past Winners (select year)". American Mensa, Ltd. Retrieved 2008-08-24.


text:
(March 15, 2013) Former No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki rallied to upset No. 4 seed Angelique Kerber 2-6, 6-4, 7-5 to advance to the final of the BNP Paribas Open, her third time in the finals in the past four years.
Wozniacki, seeded eighth won Indian Wells in 2011 after being a losing finalist in 2010, held off a late surge by Kerber to eke past the German in two-and-a-half hours, despite at one point being down 2-6 0-2.
The match was flooded with service breaks – 14 in total.
The critical game in the match came in the second set at 3-3, when Wozniacki survived five break points going on to win the set and even tha match. "Somehow I managed to come back and hold my serve," Wozniacki said. "We had a really long game there… but I managed to turn it around."
"I actually don't remember right now really, because it was so close match and I was just focusing on every point each, "Kerber said of the seventh game of the second set. "There was a lot of points like close ones."
"I led 4-1 in the third and should have finished it off there but she's a great fighter," said a joyful Wozniacki courtside, after the match. "I played a bit short and she was all over it."
"It was a tough match from the beginning," Kerber said. "I start very well, but, yeah, she find to her game in the second set.
"And it was not easy for me, but I think it was a close and good match.
"At the end I think she won important points, and, yeah, and won the match."
Wozniacki implemented the use of hitting high balls also known as "moonballs" beginning in the second set.
"I just took it as it came, " Wozniacki said. "I was trying to figure out a way to win. And it doesn't really matter how, you know. It's just important to win the points basically.
"I felt like I got some nice points out of it, and I felt like I could go from defense to offense that way, as well."
Wozniacki will do battle for the title on Sunday against the winner of the Maria Sharapova- Maria Kirilenko match.
"Both great competitors, both fighting for every point," said the Dane commenting on her potential opponents. "Sharapova playing very aggressively and trying to take every ball on the rise and plays very flat.
"Kirilenko plays with a bit more spin; comes to the net a bit more; mixes it up. She runs well, as well. So it's a little bit of a different opponent, really."