text: Medical Liability Reform and Patient Safety: Planning Grants Medical Liability Reform and Patient Safety The National Advisory Council for Healthcare Research and Quality provides advice and recommendations to AHRQ's director and to the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) on priorities for a national health services research agenda. Planning GrantsThe planning grants for the Patient Safety and Medical Liability Initiative give States and health systems the opportunity to create detailed plans for patient safety and medical liability reform. The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) funded 13 planning grants for a total amount of $3.5 million.The planning grants for the Patient Safety and Medical Liability Initiative give States and health systems the opportunity to create detailed plans for patient safety and medical liability reform. AHRQ funded 13 planning grants for a total amount of $3.5 million.These 13 grants represent a variety of models that meet one or more of the patient safety and medical liability reform goals, including 11 that are intended to reduce preventable medical injuries in a variety of ways. The planning grants include:Supporting the development of a "safe harbor" for physicians who can prove they followed State-endorsed evidence-based care guidelines.Promoting shared decisionmaking.Supporting early disclosure and offer models, which inform injured patients and families promptly, and make efforts to provide prompt compensation.Promoting transparency and enhanced communication between providers and patients when avoidable injuries occur.Lynn Marie Crider, J.D., Office for Oregon Health Policy and Research, Portland, OR, $299,458This project will develop and implement a method for setting priorities for developing evidence-based practice guidelines, craft a broadly supported safe harbor legislative proposal that will define the legal standard of care, and develop a plan to evaluate the effectiveness of the legislative proposal, if enacted.Richard David, M.D., Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, $293,224This project will develop a measurement and analysis system to monitor the quality of care at hospital discharge to identify safety concerns and improve patient safety, and to alert Johns Hopkins leaders in real time of events that place the health care organization at risk for malpractice claims and to identify patient safety problems.Dianne Garcia, J.D., Multicare Health System, Tacoma, WA, $291,810The project will develop a plan for implementing an integrated medical liability and patient safety program based on identifying avoidable patient safety problems, and providing an acknowledgement, apology, and standardized compensation to patients who have been harmed or their families.Wendell Hoffman, M.D., Sanford Research, Sioux Falls, SD, $294,137This project will develop the infrastructure for implementing a patient advocacy reporting system throughout a multi-state, multi-facility system. This would include improving the collection of information on patients' and families' concerns about their care and identifying the parts of the system and individual physicians with disproportionate risk for unsafe care and possible lawsuits.Elizabeth Guenther, M.D., M.P.H., University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, $299,994This project will implement and evaluate a system-wide evidence-based, ethical, and legally sound policy on disclosing safety issues and other unanticipated outcomes of care. The goal is to develop a standardized protocol that will be used for disclosure of these events to patients and their families.Karen Domino, M.D., M.P.H., University of Washington, Seattle, WA, $295,837This project will develop and implement patient-friendly shared decisionmaking tools and processes for patients undergoing orthopaedic surgery in the University of Washington Health Care System. Shared decisionmaking improves patient safety by enhancing patient understanding and empowering patients to actively participate in the care.David Baker, Ph.D., Carilion Medical Center, Roanoke, VA, $280,924The project examines how improved teamwork—through better communication among providers, patients, and patients' families—can improve the quality of obstetrical care and patient safety and reduce risk and liability claims.Kenneth Sands, M.D., M.P.H., Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, $273,782The main goal of the project is to develop a roadmap for implementation of a "disclosure-and-offer" patient safety initiative in Massachusetts, which may be applicable to other states. The ultimate goal is to create a new medical liability system that improves patient and provider trust, reduces fear, and improves patient safety.Nicoletta Tessler, M.A., Psy.D., Jackson Memorial Hospital, Miami, FL, $299,576This project will develop and pilot a model to reduce patient suicides and suicide attempts at its health system by focusing on staff training, patient care, environmental safety, and incident reporting. The project is also designed to gather information through surveys and focus groups from internal and external stakeholders to generate recommendations of how medical liability can be restructured to improve the production and use of information about quality and safety.Cynthia Shellhaas, M.D., M.P.H., Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, $187,437This project will plan an effective statewide pregnancy-associated mortality review ("PAMR") system in Ohio and develop comprehensive, coordinated statewide recommendations with short- and long-term, evidence-based interventions focusing on patient safety to address maternal mortality and disparities. PAMR is a good example of a process where a focus on patient safety and prevention of adverse events could lead to improvement in both health care system operations and clinical care. This could, in turn, decrease the potential for medical liability claims.John Buckley, M.D., Wishard Health Services, Indianapolis, IN, $154,124The project will collect, analyze, and evaluate data regarding Wishard Health Services' Claims Management Model to promote open communication and identify risk-prone areas, ultimately increasing patient safety by removing risks early.Cindy Lou Corbett, Ph.D., Washington State University, Pullman,WA, $298,810This project will use stakeholder focus groups to design best practice medication risk management systems that can be integrated into transitional care. Upon successful completion, researchers expect to demonstrate that they can integrate medication risk management efforts into transitional care models to maximize safety, quality, and cost-effectiveness while reducing medical liability.Steven Crane, M.D., NC State/Department HHS, Raleigh, NC, $297,710The goal of this project is to better understand the barriers, facilitators, and results of implementing a near-miss reporting and improvement tracking system in primary care. This project will also explore the potential of using near-miss events to increase providers' confidence and experience disclosing errors to patients, and to determine whether these disclosures decrease the likelihood that patients seek legal advice and file malpractice claims. Page last reviewed October 2014 Internet Citation: Medical Liability Reform and Patient Safety: Planning Grants: Medical Liability Reform and Patient Safety. October 2014. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Rockville, MD. http://www.ahrq.gov/professionals/quality-patient-safety/patient-safety-resources/resources/liability/planninggrants.html


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Main News Page
Tuesday, October 23, 2012
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Bankrupt Trimite Ltd., the veteran UK industrial paint maker, is selling off its biggest asset: its trademarks and long-established names.
The auction house Charterfields has mounted an international search to find a buyer for the long-established paint and coatings brands, some of which predate the company's founding in 1940. The company has 47 trademarks available for sale.
Also on the block, according to Charterfields: Trimite's paint recipes, production methods, and the domain names www.trimite.co.uk and www.trimite.com.
Generations of Brands
Trimite's oldest active trademark is Aquatite, which was registered in 1920. (The Toucan brand was originally registered in 1903, but it expired and was re-registered in 1948.)
Pep was registered in 1925; Brysolex, in 1934.
Nearly two dozen names joined the Trimite fold in the 1940s, including Trimite itself, Monolac, Brysol, Plasticlac, Triaqua, Trimacol and Trimacar. The newest name is Paintbond, which was registered in 2008.
Automotive Roots
Trimite started out in 1940 supplying cellulose paints to the automotive industry and went on to become a leading manufacturer of quality industrial paints, powder coatings and pre-treatments. The company had operations in Uxbridge, Bristol and Birmingham in the UK, as well as in Ireland and the United States.
Trimite made products for almost every industrial application, serving the defense, aerospace, agriculture, construction, road, rail and telecom sectors.
"Trimite was, in its day, one of the UK's foremost industrial paint and coatings manufacturers," said Ian Maycock, director at Charterfields. "This is a rare opportunity to acquire well-established trademarks and brand names, many of which are internationally recognized."
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I had a Hubbard squash sitting on my kitchen table begging to be baked. So, I baked the squash and made up some squash rolls. I made enough dough to bake up a loaf of squash bread as well.
I am Wyllis Greenway, Teresa's son. I originally designed these lames because I love to work with wood. Most bread slashers you could get were either made of plastic or metal. I thought that a lame should invite the same sense of warmth and character into a kitchen that a loaf of freshly baked bread does, which is why I decided to use richly colored woods and compliment them with shimmery brass hardware. Continue reading Hand Crafted Wooden Lame – Shop
I have a dear friend who is fighting cancer. The chemo treatments leave her unable to eat much but she loves eating my sourdough bread. So I have formulated this bread just for her. It is the white counterpart to Pink Wig bread which was also formulated for a woman fighting cancer (it is a whole wheat version). Continue reading Blonde Wig Sourdough
This is a variation for an old recipe called Latvian Apple Cake. What is so cool about this recipe is that you can substitute just about any fruit and make a terrific dessert. Think pear cranberry, blueberry, peaches, mixed berries, plum pear, apple cranberry, etc. It is an easy elegant dessert and it tastes delicious! Continue reading Sourdough Latvian Apple Cake
I baked up a Sourdough Ginger cake in a bundt pan to take to a get together. This recipe is a variation on my Sourdough Gingerbread cake. Baking it in a bundt pan had the effect of making the cake more dense. Continue reading Sourdough Ginger Cake with Blueberries 'n Cream
It was one year ago that I came to live in the San Juan Islands. So much has happened since then. I got a chance to bake commercially in a local bakery. Unfortunately the bakery shut down and I am looking for a job. Continue reading A New Year…Looking Back


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Join us for a look at this New York based band who's existence was all too short before things fell apart. The music the Left Banke managed to produce in their short time together was unique, exquisite and varied from gentle pop to rockin' tracks as well. This second part includes music from songwriter/keyboard player Michal Brown's later projects Montage, Stories and The Beckies Part 2 of 2.
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Pierre Bariety3 years agoReplyDelete and block
Part 1 Part 2 un vol sur les ailes d'un groupe des plus importantsd des 60..........Brilliant
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Henry Scott-Irvine Presents4 years agoReplyDelete and block
Looks good!


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July 28, 2015
In a St. Joseph's Health Scene Report, pregnancy doesn't necessarily impact breast cancer survival. A new survey of pregnant women found those who developed breast cancer don't have a greater chance of dying or having the cancer return. The survey is one of the largest to look at whether breast cancer hits pregnant women harder than other women.
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This home is located on the Golden Eagle Golf Course. Features include a large 40x15 ft screened-in pool, 9+ ft tray ceilings in selected rooms, updated appliances, three car garage, granite countertops and travaltine tile in kitchen, an open floor plan between the family room and kitchen, and much more. This home is a must-see!
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CROOKED CREEK, W.Va. — Peggy Marie Staten Keathley McDonie, 92, of Crooked Creek, passed away Friday, April 5, 2013, at Trinity Healthcare.
Born February 26, 1921, at Delbarton, she was a daughter of the late Ireland and Nancy Jane Evans Staten. Also preceding her in death was her first husband, Columbus Keathley of Logan on March 24, 1967; second husband, David McDonie on June 25, 2007; brother, Roy Staten of Dade City, Fla., and her sister and nephews, Delphia Anne Staten Tinder, and Charles Ronald and Randall Craig Tinder, all of Logan.
Survivors include her nieces, Lori and Lisa Tinder, both of Logan; nephews, Roy, Tim and David, all of Florida, Jerry (Carol) Mawhorter of Royal Oak, Mich., and David (Sandy) May of Pontiac, Mich.; seven great-nephews; five great-nieces; special friends, Donald, Greg and Ranelle Hunt of Crooked Creek, and her neighbors and caregivers.
Graveside services will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday, April 11, at Forest Lawn Cemetery at Pecks Mill.
Pallbearers will be Charles R. Tinder IV, Luke R. Tinder, Adam Tinder, Brandon Staten, Larry Staten, Billy Caldwell and Gregory Hunt.
Honorary pallbearers will be Larry Staten, Jerry Mawhorter, Donald Hunt and David May.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the American Cancer Society.
James Funeral Home of Aracoma is in charge of arrangements.


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Categories: Essays
Written By: Billy Sinclair
Let me state at the outset that I believe Robert Fratta contracted to have his wife, Farah, murdered in Harris County, Texas, in 1995. The following facts about this high-profile case were drawn from a July 22, 2008 decision by the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals reversing Fratta's capital murder conviction and death sentence. Fratta is undergoing a second capital murder trial in Harris County as of this posting.
In 1983 Fratta worked as a public safety officer in Missouri City, Texas. Public safety officers in Missouri City were cross trained as police officers and firefighters. Fratta married Farah that year and the couple had three children. The marriage soon soured as Farah learned of Fratta's bizarre and perverse sexual demands which, according to A&E's popular American Justice program, included feces consumption for sexual gratification. Fratta's sexual perversions were documented at his first trial by a psychologist, friends of Farah, and friends of Fratta.
By March 1992 Farah could no longer endure the physical, emotional and sexual abuse Fratta was inflicting on her, she filed for a divorce. A divorce trial was set for November 1994. The couple underwent psychological evaluations to determine the parent most suited to be named conservator of the children. Once the divorce proceedings were underway, Fratta made it clear to a number of people that he wanted to see Farah dead. The gym where he worked out seemed to be the place he liked most to discuss his desire to either kill or have Farah killed. One of the cop's work out acquaintances testified at the first trial that Fratta made comments about "putting some [9mm] slugs into Farah" following a fight with his wife.
He also liked to talk about killing Farah with his police buddies. One fellow Missouri police officer also testified about threatening comments Fratta had made to him about Farah. According to the officer, Fratta said "he would kill her (Farah) and he would be out in five years and get his kids back, but he wouldn't pay her [child support payments]."
Fratta was an arrogant man. He believed the universe revolved around him. The power of good looks, muscular physique, and the authority of being a cop consumed any normal remnants of modesty. He was also a bitter, angry man. The one woman with whom he had shared all his intimate secrets and sexual perversions had come to detest him. He no longer had any power over her. He told another fellow police officer that "I just ought, I'll kill her, and I'll do my time and when I get out, I'll have my kids."
Fratta had another gym buddy named James Podhorsky who sometimes joined Fratta on excursions into Houston's topless clubs. Podhorsky testified at trial that Fratta would carry a gun with him on these journeys into the city's night life—something that didn't sit well with Prodhorsky. He said Fratta told him that he [Fratta] carried the gun in case he ran into Farah at which time he would shoot her and make it look like a car jacking.
It's amazing that Fratta could tell fellow cops and gym buddies that he wanted his wife dead and no one reported the threats to the police. But it gets even better than that. Fratta asked several other people if they knew anyone, particularly a black person, who would be willing to kill Farah. Two were women. One he met in a diner and the other he met through an online dating service. He even asked yet a third gym buddy if he knew anyone who would "knock [Farah] off."
Yet on another occasion he and another fellow were discussing problems they were both having with their wives. Fratta suggested that the fellow officer kill Farah and he would kill the officer's wife.
Most of these people would later say they did not report Fratta's threats because they had not taken them seriously; that they thought he was joking or blowing off steam. Anytime a man starts talking about killing his wife, either to her directly or to other people, he will eventually carry out the threats. I've known a significant number of wife killers. They are all same: cowards. They have to pump themselves up into a killing fever before they can carry out the act. It's one thing to kill a person in a fit of anger or rage, perhaps unintentionally, but it's quite another to carry out the act personally. Fratta apparently never could crank up his nerve to do the ugly deed himself, so he had to find someone else to do his dirty work. Fratta became so desperate to find a contract killer that he pressed Prodhorsky, who was having financial problems, to do the killing. He tried to convince Prodhorsky with the warped theory that he had let so many people know he wanted Farah dead that when she finally was killed, the police would not know how to conduct their investigation because there would be too many leads.
On November 9, 1994, Fratta finally got the chance to put that warped theory into practice. He ate dinner with Farah and their three children at Wyatt's Cafeteria. He then drove the three children to a Catholic church in Humble, Texas. He left two of them at the church's nursery and took the oldest child to a catechism class. He then joined a church meeting set up for parents whose children were preparing for first communion. He was laying the groundwork for his alibi, even though he was not his normal cocky self and was drawing the attention of others at the church. One witness said he appeared "tense" when he dropped the children off at the nursery. Others witnesses said he kept leaving the parents meeting so he could make and answer phone calls in the parish office.
Farah was a beautiful young woman. While she was afraid of her husband, there is no indication that she suspected he would either kill her or have someone else do it. The last night of her life she left a beauty salon at around 7:45 p.m. after getting a haircut. She went straight home and pulled into the driveway close to 8:00 p.m. It was at this point that neighbors from across the street, who were watching television in their living and from which they had a view of Farah's house, heard a shot. One of the neighbors heard a scream, rushed to the window, and saw Farah fall to the ground next to her vehicle. A few moments later the neighbor heard a second shot. Several minutes later she saw either a black man or someone dressed in black standing beside Farah's house. Another witness reported seeing a similar type person. A few minutes later a car drove up in front of Farah's house, the killer got into the vehicle, and the vehicle sped away. Neighbors called 911 and Farah was rushed to Hermann Memorial Hospital where she was pronounced dead in the emergency room.
The police quickly arrived at Farah's house. One of the first officers there noticed Farah's purse had not been touched. He knew it was not a robbery or a car jacking. Fratta arrived at the house half an hour or so later. He told one officer that "he was in a hurry and … wanted to expedite the matter" because he had his children with him. This blasé attitude would coincide with what investigators learned from other witnesses about Fratta's odd behavior at the church earlier that evening. The police immediately absorbed the information that the husband showed no indication of sadness, surprise, much less concern. In fact, one detective observed that Fratta "seemed very confident, very composed [and] well in command of the situation." This same detective questioned Fratta later that night and sensed the husband was not telling the truth. With Fratta's consent, the detective searched Fratta's vehicle in which he found more than a one thousand dollars in cash and a 9mm pistol
Fratta was detained in the homicide division at the police station for fourteen hours. He was questioned by several detectives—and while they all had their suspicions that he was involved in his wife's death, they did not have probable cause to hold him. They let him go. The next day Fratta went to a tanning salon where Prodhorsky worked and told him: "if everybody keeps their mouth shut everything will be all right … [but] if shit ever hits the fan, just tell them that you went over there to scare her and the first bullet you shot that went by her head actually grazed her and then you got scared and that's when you fired the second shot." Prodhorsky was not stupid. He realized Fratta was trying to shift the investigation toward him.
While the investigation into Farah's murder remained active, it was not until March 1995 that Harris County Sheriff Department investigator Danny Billingsley placed the focus of the investigation on Howard Guidry after he was arrested on March 1st for robbing a local bank. The arresting officers found a .38 caliber pistol in his back pack. A few days after the Guidry's arrest, a woman named Mary Gipp told a sheriff department investigator that Guidry had been involved in Farah's murder. The detective ran a registration check on the .38 and learned the pistol had been purchased by Fratta in 1982. Farah's father also identified the weapon as the one Fratta had given him in 1993 for safekeeping and retrieved it in 1994. A ballistic expert also told investigators that one of the bullet fragments recovered in Farah's garage had been fired by the .38, and while another fragment had been too damaged to link to a specific weapon, it was identified as the remnant of a .38 slug.
It didn't take much of a police effort to get Guidry to confess. He told Billingsley that on the afternoon of November 9, 1994, he and a man named Joseph Prystash drove to Farah's house in Prystash's vehicle. The duo then went to a nearby grocery store. They made calls to a pay phone located at the store to determine if it received calls. Having determined that it could receive calls, Psystash drove Guidry back to Farah's house and dropped him off. Guidry carried the .38 and a cell phone given to him by Prystash. He climbed a fence in Farah's backyard where he waited in a play house for her to return home. After a period of time Guidry became nervous when Farah did not returned home. He called Prytrash at the pay phone. Prystash instructed the triggerman to stay put.
Shortly afterwards, Farah returned home and pulled into the garage. Guidry exited the play house and tried to open a side door to the garage. The door was locked, so he just stood outside and waited for Farah to exit the garage. When Farah opened the door, Guidry stepped inside and shot her in the head. He shot her a second time in the head because she was still moving after the first bullet struck her. Guidry then walked back to the play house where he called Prystash. He told Prytrash the job was done and to come pick him up. He then climbed back over the fence in the backyard and hid behind a bush near the garage until Prystash arrived. Guidry said he had expected to receive $1,000 as soon as the killing was done.
Guidry's confession led to Prystash's arrest. He also confessed. His confession pretty much tracked what Guidry had told the police. Psystash said the cell phone he gave to Guidry belonged to Mary Gipp. Prystash confirmed that Guidry was suppose to get a $1,000 for carry out the contract killing while he (Prystash) was suppose to get a couple thousand and a Jeep.
The detectives finally had enough evidence to arrest Fratta who was subsequently indicted for capital murder. The State's case against Fratta rested on the prosecutorial theory Fratta had made arrangements through Prystash to have Farah killed. Prystash secured the killing services of Guidry. Mary Gipp knew all the players. She was Prystash's girlfriend, and she knew both Fratta and Farah from the gym where she and Prytash worked out. She lived next door to Guidry and knew about the murder plot but did nothing about it. Prystash and Guidry were tried separately and convicted of capital murder and sentenced to die but they did not testify against Fratta. Gipp did. While she had known for some time that Fratta wanted his wife killed, and she suspected he was recruiting Prystash to do it, it was not until the weekend before the actual killing that she knew Prystash had agreed to take part in the plot. She told the jury that on the night of the murder Guidry and Prystash returned to her apartment where they unloaded two spent shells from the .38, threw them away, and Prystash told her Farah had been killed.
While the Fifth Circuit properly ruled that Fratta's confrontation rights had been violated because Billingsley had testified at Fratta's trial about portions of Guidry and Prystash's confessions without him having an opportunity to cross examine the two, there is little room to doubt Fratta guilt in this case. Former Harris County prosecutor Kelly Seigler refused to cut a deal with Prystash to have him testify against either or both Fratta and Guidry. Now that both Prystash and Guidry are sitting on death row there is no incentive for either to cooperate with the prosecution and testify against Fratta at his current trial. One or both of them might eventually do so out of spite if they believe Fratta will walk free and leave them holding the bag.
Cases like Fratta's make argument against the death penalty difficult. He is the poster boy for death penalty advocates —a cop who hires a couple of thugs to kill his wife because he does not want to pay her child support. He tortured the women when they lived together as husband and wife and decided to kill her when she would no longer be a willing participant in his sexual perversions or a victim of his physical abuse.
There are some who even advocate Fratta's cause of innocence. But the murder connections are inescapable. Howard Guidry was arrested with the murder weapon on him—a weapon registered to Fratta. Guidry lived next door to Mary Gipp. She was Prystash's girlfriend. Gipp and Prystash worked out at the same gym with the Frattas. There are a thousand other little odds and ends that create reasonable inferences of guilt against Fratta—like the repeated threats, for example—but it's these murder connections that convince me he is guilty of having his wife killed.
.I know a little about the law. I understand Fratta's constitutional right of confrontation was grossly violated by Seigler's ruthless prosecutorial tactics. She knew she couldn't use Guidry/Psystash's confessions against Fratta without allowing him an opportunity to confront and cross examine them as guaranteed by the Sixth Amendment. Instead of putting Guidry and Prystash on the witness stand, Seigler put Billingsley up there to testify about the two confessions; and while Billingsley never mentioned Fratta's name, it was so clearly evident that Fratta had a right to cross examine both of them. Seigler could have made a deal with either or both Guidry and Prystash. She really didn't try. She wanted three capital convictions and three death sentences to put in her death penalty hat.
If Robert Alan Fratta walks free, and some prominent legal experts are predicting he will, it will be because of Kelly Seigler putting her ruthless professional ambition before the realities of the case. The police did not have enough evidence to even arrest Fratta until they stumbled upon Guidry after his arrest for the bank robbery. Clearly, Seigler knew the only real provable connection between Fratta and the ruthless murder of her wife was through one or both of the murder participants. She didn't do the deal.
The Fratta case personifies the corruption of the death penalty. It's application is too often influenced by the political ambitions of pro-death penalty prosecutors. The whole time Seigler was pursuing death cases with former Harris County District Attorney Charles "Chuck" Rosenthal's blessings, she had an obvious political ambition to one day be in Rosenthal's chair and become the top prosecutor in the death penalty capital of America.
Personally, I think Robert Alan Fratta is despicable. As I've said, I've known many like him – wife killers, women abusers. They are no different on the social ladder than child molesters. But I don't think he deserves to be executed by the State of Texas, anymore than I think any of the other inmates on death row should be executed. But his case still leaves a real bad taste in my mouth.


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|Angel Line Sleigh Toddler Bed Featuring a fantastic sleigh design Angel Lines Sleigh Toddler Bed features sturdy hardwood construction and a classic retro look that will take you back to your own youth. The Angel Line Sleigh Bed is perfectly sized to fit a toddler whos at that transitional stage between the crib and an adult bed. The Sleigh Toddler Bed has rails to keep your child safe And you will love the available finishes all of which are designed to enhance the decor of any nursery or bedroom. *Note: This item does not ship to the following states: AK CA HI OR WA.


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Patricia Rae Hoyt, 78, of Sandusky, formerly of Huron, died Thursday morning, Oct. 25, 2007 in Concord Care Nursing Home, Sandusky.
She was born Aug. 27, 1929, in Steubenville, Ohio. She worked as a supervisor for Ohio Bell in Columbus, a lifeline co-coordinator at Hoag Hospital in Newport Beach, Calif., and retired as a switchboard operator at Providence Hospital, Sandusky, in 1999.
She is a member of St. Peter Catholic Church, Huron.
She is survived by four children, Susan (Paul) Spurrier of Sandusky, Michaele (Richard) Keller of Sandusky, Bo (Nancy) Hoyt of Westminster, Calif., and Kellie Hoyt of Balboa, Calif.; six grandchildren, Chip, Kate, Matt, Lauren, Heather and Hailey; and several cousins.
She is preceded in death by her parents, Raymond J. and Susan M. (Phillipson) Spellacy; and twin daughters, Pamela Ann and Penelope Ann Hoyt.
There will be a private family Mass to celebrate her life and honor her memory at St. Mary's Catholic Church, Sandusky.
In lieu of flowers the family suggests donations to the Huron Rescue Squad, 413 Main St., Huron, OH 44839, or to Concord Care Center, 620 W. Strub Road, Sandusky, OH 44870.
Foster Funeral Home, 410 Main St., Huron, is handling arrangements. Online condolences may be sent tofosterfh.com.


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When Michael Thomas lines up at cornerback he looks more like a linebacker or a safety.
Thomas' height, 6-foot, doesn't look abnormal but his weight, 216 pounds, makes it look like he's out of position. His highlight tape is filled with big hits that have earned him the nickname "Taser" by the Lawton MacArthur coaching staff.


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Xavier Hall-of-Famer Brian Grant, who played for Xavier from 1990-94, will have his jersey retired during Saturday's game against Temple.
Jan. 18, 2011
CINCINNATI --- Brian Grant, 1994 Xavier University graduate, will become the fourth former XU men's basketball player to have his jersey retired in ceremonies at halftime of Xavier's 3 p.m. game with Temple at Cintas Center. Number "33" left a legacy as a winner on and off the court at Xavier, during his long NBA career and since his retirement.
Grant, Xavier's fourth all-time leading rebounder (1,080) and ninth all-time leading scorer (1,719), holds the school career record for field goal percentage (.594) for players that played at least three years. Grant, two-time Midwestern Collegiate Conference Player of the Year, earned national honors from the Associated Press and Basketball Times. During Grant's career Xavier won MCC regular season championships in 1991, 1993 and 1994, the 1991 MCC Tournament Championship, NCAA Tournament Second Round appearances in 1991 and 1993 and an NIT Quarterfinalist appearance in 1994.
Grant was Xavier's highest ever NBA Draft selection at eighth overall by Sacramento in 1994. Grant, winner of the NBA's J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award, was a leader and role model at Xavier, during his 12-year NBA career and since his retirement.
Grant was a teammate of current XU head coach Chris Mack for three years at Xavier beginning with Mack's redshirt transfer year of 1990-91.
After Grant's jersey is retired on Saturday, there will be only four men's basketball players who have had their jerseys retired at Xavier, including number "33" Brian Grant (`94) on Jan. 22, 2011, number "23" Byron Larkin (`88) on February 8, 1990, number "42" Tyrone Hill ('90) on Feb. 4, 1996 and number "30" David West ('03) while he was still an active player on his Senior Day on March 8, 2003. Larkin, Xavier's all-time leading scorer with 2,696 career points, was a 1987-88 Scripps Howard and UPI Second Team All-American and a 1987-88 AP Third Team All-American. Hill, Xavier's all-time leading rebounder with 1,380 career rebounds and fourth all-time leading scorer with 2,003 career points, was Xavier's first-ever NBA Draft "lottery pick" in 1990. West, Xavier's second all-time leading scorer with 2,132 career points and third all-time leading rebounder with 1,308 career boards, was the 2003 National Player of the Year.


text: Prev | Next Cast member Tony Danza poses at the premiere of "Don Jon's Addiction" during the 2013 Sundance Film Festival on Friday, Jan. 18, 2013 in Park City, Utah. (Photo by Danny Moloshok/Invision/AP) Gallery: Sundance Film Festival Jan. 20, 2013 @ 07:46 AM Celebrities from the music world and politics joined with film stars in Park City, Utah, this weekend for the opening of the Sundance Film Festival. (u'nobuy',)


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I'm going to tell you my friend's theory
on the cove or ogee of belly-buttons,
those vestiges of utter dependence we carry
through life, cut free, under the misbelief
we wield control over things.
Regarding hidden agendas, my friend says
Innies and Outies reverse the disrepute
cranial lumps earned for themselves
in physiognomy. For him, navelognomy
beats out race track touts for picking treachery.
Now as an Innie myself, I naturally assumed
that that tuck-in of my umbilicum,
retracted like a sour pucker, beyond view,
prone to lint and odoriferousness,
would suggest, upon analysis,
a mole or shrew, furtive in its milieu.
Though result of rubber-gloved handiwork
at onset of one's physicality, showing skill,
or at least economy, the lifelong wearing
of an Innie's obscurity is bound
to have effect on one's modus operandi.
But no, my friend asserts—and you might
take this seriously since he graduated
from Phoenix University—Outies are
sneaky, for like so much that appears to be
and isn't, it seems the Outie, in its flagrant
protuberance is more the schemer-indicator.
Now if you're wary of my friend's theory,
join the club. He professes his dictum
showing me his belly, and telling me
he's not to be trusted, but I'd say his button's
hemorrhoidial—not convincing in its
fellowship with either button-shape, thus,
an outlier—too mishapen to be conspiratorial.


text:
Gear Review
Awesome rain coat
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Overall, versatile, good looking, functional jacket!
View More Details on Patagonia Rain Shadow Trench Coat - Women's


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Western Cape
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If you are planning a short trip to Cape Town, pray for sunshine and pack your credit card. Expect scenery, good food, shopping and culture, and read my guide to find out what you must see and do... read more »
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800 MacGregor Ave, Estes Park, CO 80517
Guest Rating:
Vacation rental condominium. Sleeps 2, 1 bedroom, 1 bathroom. No pets allowed.
800 MacGregor Avenue
Estes Park, CO 80517
United States
H1 is a 892 square foot one-bedroom condo located in our new building completed April 2014, at the Black Canyon Inn in Estes Park, Colorado. The unique set up of this vacation rental offers guests the option to also rent the two-bedroom upstairs from this
unit to have a full three-bedroom with the internal staircase that can be unlocked for guests that need the extra room.
Enjoy views of our special granite boulder formations surrounding our property. With an open floor plan and large windows, there is a lot of natural light. The bright living area is complete with a stone-faced gas fireplace and comfortable seating. On warmer
days, the unit does have ceiling fans to keep the air circulating.
The master bedroom has a king size bed. You can relax in the two person jetted tub in the spacious master bath.
Keep your eyes opened and cameras ready! Elk, fox, marmot, bobcat, hummingbirds and bears have all been seen on the slopping mountain grounds of Black Canyon Inn.
Your fully stocked kitchen is open to the living area and affords ample supplies to prepare your vacation meals. There are full size appliances and cookware,dinnerware, glassware, flatware and more.
When rented alone, this condo is best suited for couples, romantic getaways and honeymooners.
The condo's at Black Canyon Inn are individually owned and are available ALL YEAR. You may book now or call to make your advance lodging reservation at Black Canyon Inn.
Stayed 2 days ending in
July, 2015
Overall satisfaction:
a guest from Osseo, WI recommends this vacation rental
This place was absolutely beautiful! It was spacious and luxurious! We will definitely be back I have no complaints and staff was awesome! Highly recommended!
Stayed 4 days ending in
July, 2015
a guest from Commack, NY recommends this vacation rental
See review for unit H 2 .
Stayed 3 days ending in
July, 2015
Jeff F from Greenville, IN recommends this vacation rental
Black Canyon Inn was incredible. Our room was very clean and comfortable. The staff was very helpful, and the scenery is just amazing. Will definitely come back again and again.
Stayed 4 days ending in
June, 2015
a guest from Lincoln, NE recommends this vacation rental
Our condo was first class all the way. We attended a wedding held in the Pavilion at Black Canyon Inn and the reception dinner at the Twin Owls Restaurant. It was a beautiful location and all staff were very pleasant.
Stayed 3 days ending in
May, 2015
Brian M from Nolensville, TN recommends this vacation rental
We enjoyed this unit however we had little privacy. We stayed through the Memorial Day weekend. It was next door to the reception hall and outdoor banquet area. We had to keep our blinds closed most of the time.
Stayed 3 days ending in
March, 2015
Joette Y from Dallas, TX recommends this vacation rental
We chose to have our wedding reception under the pavilion at Black Canyon Inn. It was the most breathtaking backdrop I could have asked for. The staff are wonderful, helpful and friendly. We didn't have any hiccups; the day was perfect. Our condo was immaculate
and the perfect touch to our wedding.
Stayed 3 days ending in
January, 2015
a guest from Parker, CO recommends this vacation rental
We stayed there during some of the coldest days of 2014, but the heated floors and short commute to all our activities made it wonderful! We hope to come back and experience it in the warmer summer months! Beautiful place for a wedding!
Stayed 6 days ending in
September, 2014
Vicki P from Raleigh, NC recommends this vacation rental
The vacation rental was wonderful. The apartment was extremely clean with updated appliances and decor. We enjoyed the property with it's beautifully groomed grounds. Our particular unit was close to the restaurant on the property and felt that this compromised
some privacy, but not enough to keep us away in the future. We enjoyed eating at the Twin Owls Restaurant and found this very convenient. I would highly recommend the Black Canyon Inn!
Stayed 5 days ending in
September, 2014
Kathleen B from Rodchester Hills, MI recommends this vacation rental
The staff was awesome, especially Sarah the wedding coordinator....she was organized, friendly and fantastic..kudo's to her...Also Brianna in the office was wonderful to work with too......
Stayed 3 days ending in
September, 2014
Diana C from Wilmette, IL recommends this vacation rental
My daughter just got married and we needed a place for a large contingent of guests & family.Black canyon was awesome! The beauty of the setting, the handsome western decor, clean & spacious. Couldn't ask for more!
a guest from Colorado Springs, CO recommends this vacation rental
This one of the nicest one bedroom units on the property. It's large and roomy, the bathroom is amazing.
Stayed 3 days ending in
August, 2014
Eugene U from Pittsford, NY recommends this vacation rental
We had a spacious, lovely unit with a a spectacular master bathroom. The location was very convenient to Rocky Mountain National Park and the attractions of Estes Park.
Stayed 3 days ending in
July, 2014
Julie A K from Cincinnati, OH recommends this vacation rental
This condo has the newest in appliances and decor. Very clean and attractive. The bed was very comfortable and the property was quiet. It was far enough from town to be away from the noise, but close enough to drive there in a matter of minutes. The bathroom
was amazing! We used the hot tub bath every day after returning from our hikes in the RMNP. Wi-Fi signal could be a little more consistent.
Stayed 5 days ending in
July, 2014
a guest from Phoenix, AZ recommends this vacation rental
Very nice experience.
Stayed 3 days ending in
June, 2014
a guest from Durham, NC recommends this vacation rental
We stayed at Black Canyon Inn as part of a wedding package and everyone was attentive and helpful. Sara Kleiber was amazing and we knew we were in good hands. All our ceremony guests want a chance to return and stay at the property.
Stayed 4 days ending in
June, 2014
a guest from Ft. Collins, co recommends this vacation rental
Gorgeous-clean-up to date. Staff helpful and attentive but not busy bodies. Location pristine.
Stayed 4 days ending in
May, 2014
a guest from Lansing, MI recommends this vacation rental
It was luxurious, clean, great location!
Stayed 5 days ending in
May, 2014
Chris S from Warwick, NY recommends this vacation rental
I had no idea what to expect when my brother suggested Black Canyon in Estes Park, but from the minute we walked in the door we were blown away! Great setting, beautiful accommodations. We had coffee on our deck every morning while watching the sun come
up over the mountains. Travelling up I was afraid we might feel isolated, but the town of Estes Park offers good restaurants, shops and movie theaters. Will definitely go back!
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To request information about booking this vacation rental, please fill out the form below.
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Plaxico Burress
Report: Plaxico Burress Passes On Chance To Defend Jets' Sanchez
After Burress' quotes from Wednesday night, it's hard to picture the wide receiver back in Rex Ryan's locker room.
Plaxico Burress Done With Jets? Giants' Jacobs Thinks So
"How many receiving yards did he have last year?" said Jacobs. "He's a much better wide receiver than (45) catches, I tell you that."
Report: Tom Brady's 'Arrogance' Fueled Giants In Super Bowl XLII
Hey, who are you scoffing at? That was the feeling four years ago among a handful of Giants defenders when Tom Brady pooh-poohed Plaxico Burress' prediction.
Keefe To The City: Giants Will Win And Championship Picks
Neil Keefe never thought the Giants would be here. No one did. But now they're one win away from going to the Super Bowl. Neil looks at Giants-49ers and makes his picks for championship weekend.
Dyer: Rex Ryan Now Faces Credibility Gap This Offseason
After an 8-8 season and no playoffs for the first time in his tenure with the Jets, Ryan's words and promises ring hollow.
Schwartz: Jets Vs. Dolphins Preview
The Jets need a lot of help to reach the postseason, but they have no chance if they don't take care of their own business against the Dolphins.
Dyer: 'Ponzi' Jets Falling Apart
Whatever way the season ends, the New York Jets are in need of an infusion of talent to ensure that they won't repeat the same misteps next season.
Schwartz: Oh Brother! Jets Vs. Giants Preview
In the case of the Jets and Giants, it's a little more than just a sibling rivalry. It's about history, success and the constant bickering between fans of Gang Green and Big Blue.
Dottino: 3 Key Matchups For Giants Vs. Jets
The bottom line is that the NFL doesn't care about which player said what – it will simply look at the final score Saturday afternoon and adjust the standings.
Burress, Kerley Return To Full Practice
The Jets received a boost before their crucial game with the Giants. Plaxico Burress and Jeremy Kerley returned to full practice schedules on Thursday.
Defiant Santonio Holmes Rips Giants' Porous Secondary
The Jets wide receiver, adding to a week of trash talk, didn't hesitate when he was asked to assess the guys he'll be lining up against Saturday.
Plaxico Burress Eyes 'Maybe Three Or Four' TDs Against Giants
Burress had plenty of memorable moments in four seasons with the Giants. Well, he's planning to add another on Saturday — against them this time, as a member of the Jets.
Schwartz: Jets Feeling Green
While watching the Jets' 45-19 loss, one question kept echoing in my mind: What did they do in practice this week?
VIDEO: LeBron James Scores TD, Does Stevie Johnson Plax Dance
It seems wherever LeBron James goes, controversy follows.
Jets' Plax On $10K Stevie Johnson Fine: 'He Can Afford It'
According to multiple reports, the league has billed the Bills receiver — to the tune of $10,000.


text:
Gear Photo
Non action shot, looking fresh!
I love these shoes for riding, feels like they turn my flats into clipless. They look great as well, I'm a sucker for an all black shoe, and these fit the bill. Understated, comfy, and light. One thing, these are the exact opposite as non-marking soles, it's like they were made to mark floors, so be prepared to do some extra mopping! 10/10 from an unemployed bike bum.
@samschwenn obviously you dont ride bikes im guessing you have never heard of adam billinghurst...
View More Details on Vans Gravel Shoe - Men's


text:
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As a result, you'll need fewer classes to complete your master's, and you'll graduate sooner. And classes you don't take are classes you're not paying for. What's more, the two graduate-level classes you take before you even complete your bachelor's degree are billed at the undergrad tuition rate. Contact an admission counselor or academic advisor to learn more.
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Founded in 1932, Southern New Hampshire University is based in Manchester, NH, with satellite campuses in Portsmouth, Salem and Nashua, NH, and Brunswick, Maine. Our online degree programs, offered since 1996, have won several awards, including Best of Business and Best Buy. SNHU is a GI Jobs Military Friendly School, an honor extended for our commitment to providing a supportive environment for military students.
Applied Political Science (BA) Curriculum
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Total Undergraduate Credits: 120
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Total Program Credits: 150
SNHU's online degree programs meet the needs of today's students while ensuring educational quality and real-world applicability. Contact us to learn more about the SNHU difference.


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|53 posts found
Advanced Member
Joined: 2/26/09
OK bit of fun because there is almost zero information out there but the buzz is huge and getting bigger.
So, we all know this game is gonna be a WOW killa, be better then anything else ever made, deserves all the hype and is going to be the biggest sandbox MMO evaa! With all that in mind I was just wondering what you can think of that would really blow your mind if it was part of the game. So here are some thoughts from me to get the ball roling, feel free to throw in your wildest idea's...
Quests - All quests are player driven or dynamic. There are no PvE type quests where you can crete 10 characters, all visit the same NPC and all get the same quest.
NPC quests are dynamic in nature and will link to events in the wider world as well as more local events. These can be influenced by players. Some examples might be a cave nearby has some Orcs and at some point an NPC will get attacked by Orcs and so a dynamic quest to hunt down Orcs appears. Or a rampaging Buffalo heard (running some some players hunting them)knocks down a bridge thus creating various quests in the local own to repair the bridge, round up the buffalo's and hunt down the players responsible.
Players quests are simply the ability for a player tocreate quests using a macro sort of thing...pick up a piece of paper (enter macro) write your requirements (choose from various lists such as gathering, hunting, killing, finding, desrtoying...etc) and build up a job/quest that you can post for others to read and accept. So you might post a quest that you need 10 pieces of leather and you will pay 10 silver upon delivery. Or you might post a job offer for some enterprising player to capture and tame 10 cows so you can start a farm. Or you might put a reward up for the head of another player as long as you kill them within 5 days and do it with a spoon.
Family - The longevity of the game is not based on playing an immortal character who lives as long as you are willing to play them but a series of characters you can play that are part of a family. You could start off with a character, marry, have children and when your original character gets too old give everything to your son/daughter to carry on playing. you could marry other players or even have a guld comprising players of the same or inter related families.
You could even go so far as to make things a bit brutal so you never know quite how long you are going to live (perhaps some random age you will die is generated upon creation) and each time you suffer a would you get slightly closer to dying of old age or having a final death.
Individual and regional faction advancement - So you are a good guy living in a town on an island in the west. You put all your efforts into farming and looking after the land. Individually you will get as good as you can at farming. But there are also a lot of other people nearby who also like to farm and sort of like a shared consciousness you are able to learn quick erand learn more about farming simply because of the concentration of farming skills in the area. However, there are a lot of people on the bad island to the east who like to fight. They get good at it individually and due to how many people are good at fighting in the area they learn it quicker and can learn more stuff quicker. The island in the west is worried and so looks at defences. Soon, because everyone is now focused on defences they are able to put up defences to protect themselves.
Skills and new skills are linked not only to individual practice and dedication but also on a regional basis so if enough people in one area are all learning the same thing it gets quicker and easier to get better at it.
So...anyone have any other wild idea's they would love to see in a game and perhaps might be in EQN to make us poop?
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Hard Core Member
Joined: 5/28/04
No quests for XP leveling...you only do quests to get gear, i.e. Epic Quests. This would at least end the quest hub themepark aspect.
Made History
Joined: 7/11/11
Pink, it's like red but not quite.
Did you see the Project Spark video? (Forget the PS4-XBox war, for a little while)
My wildest dream would include access to all of the painting/scripting/creation tools, yet without departing the basic Norrath set universe.
Pretty hefty juggling act; we've seen PCC and it's effective limits in other titles, lots and lots of emergent behavior landmines to avoid. The problems that CoX experienced, only an order of magnitude bigger. The problems that CCP deals with, ongoing.
A set of balls on an MMO developer again.
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.
Elite Member
Joined: 1/14/13
Originally posted by Maelwydd
Who has said that this game is going to be a WOW killer? On top of that i wouldn't get to caught up on the "sandbox" label for EQN. What Smed considers sandbox might not be what you and i consider a sandbox mmo.
We know that Smed has hinted that the game will have classes and it might not be some big skill based system. We know the world is very interactive even to the point that some class skill might have to be learned by praying to a god in some forest glade if you are a druid.
How sandbox EQN is will be up for debate but i don't want to read the nerd rage when the game isn't quite what most of us consider a sandbox.
Smed IMO is already setting himself up for a backlash, personally i think the game will be a hybrid/sandpark mmo.
Coolermaster Cosmos II Case
Advanced Member
Joined: 2/26/09
Originally posted by SavageHorizon
Sorry dude, seems the humor and feel of my post was totally lost on you. All that was a tongue in cheek poke of fun at how hype affects games and people get all excited. Point being, we know next to nothing about it so lets have some fun thinking of all the wild stuff we can think off and 'might' be in this 'greatest game of all time'.
Can't say I'm big on the idea of player driven quests. Especially if it means some crap like Neverwinter 2's Foundry which IMO, is just an excuse for their developers to be lazy.
I love quests, I just don't want quest hubs where you do the same mindless gather and slay quests in every area of the game. Like someone else said, cool for getting items, pass on experience. I'd rather them just be for and opportunity to adventure, learn lore and get loots.
Joined: 3/03/12
Originally posted by Giffen
No quest for gear. All gear is player generated.
Novice Member
Joined: 11/06/12
40 man raids and the new and super exciting telegraph system. Also a true F2P system.
Novice Member
Joined: 2/06/04
The price of peace, is eternal vigilance.
I would like to see an extreme attention to detail despite a huge world. Like fireflys flying around wind blown grass. Smoke flowing in the background, bird making strange sounds etc.
and a very detailed character customization.
Made History
Joined: 7/11/11
Pink, it's like red but not quite.
Originally posted by Calibanvov
Gone the way of the Dodo.
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.
Joined: 3/03/12
Originally posted by Dullahan
No, not like that. Player driven as in player escorts/robbing. Something like steal crops. Things like that things that are player centric.
Originally posted by bcbully
True that. Maybe throw in some mercenary work.
Elite Member
Joined: 6/08/10
Here's what I am expecting from EQN:
1. Player crafted content like NWO foundry. You'll know they're about to say it when, "You can access player created content through this menu which will take you directly to that instance . . . "
2. World impact through your decisions. It'll be a cross between phasing and GW2 dynamic events. You'll know they're about to say it when, "What you do will change the world before your eyes, do you chase those ogres into their cave thereby saving the city or ignore the chaos and let the city fall to ruin. Once the event has happened your world will remain that way until you act on it, you'll be able to invite friends into your phase through this menu . . . "
3. Unlimited character customization! You can build your own class. You'll know they're about to say it whe, ,"Make your own class by using 3 class abilities from your primary pool and bring up to 3 unrestricted abilities from the general pool of skill. If you don't have a healer, no problem, just equip a few heal skills and keep going! You can view your ability specializations through this menu . . . "
4. Crafting will be important for the economy, crafters will rely on each other. You'll know they're about to say it when, "Even though the best gear will come from group content, crafting will be something that supplement your experiences, each crafting profession will be able to make something a different profession needs, you can see your professions through this menu . . ."
5. Our housing and castle system is the most advanced ever! You'll know they're about to say it when, "Build your own house with your guild mates and populate with NPC that will offer daily/guild quests and crafting stations, you'll be able to travel to your instanced housing area anytime through this menu . . . "
Anyway, we'll see in August.
Novice Member
Joined: 8/08/12
Originally posted by SavageHorizon
I agree with the sandbox comment, which I do see as a good thing though. From the sounds of it from one of Smed's earlier comments, the focus seems to have gone from the quests and characters to the world. Hopefully this will play more like the first generation of MMOs. IMO, the first gen didn't really have a label of sandbox or themepark at all, they were just MMOs. Each with a bit of different flavor, but just a virtual world that was the focus that you got to forge yourself, your community and whatever you could do within the boundaries of the time.
For the OP, I really don't have any specific requests for the game. My list is short and fairly vague I think.
Most of all, I think the focus needs to return to the world and tell the story through that rather than the individual's story. But here's my list of things I'm hoping for.
1. Every system should have a bigger purpose.
One example of this would be a subject brought up not long ago with fast travel. Limited fast travel can lead to some community building, especially if the world is harsh. Requests for directions, buffs, guides and porting services and just a general reliance on one another helps foster community building.
Just one example, but EQ1 had many of these that, taken individually, just seemed like a pointless grind or timesink but had it's place in the overall, bigger picture of the world.
2. Strong class roles.
Would love for these to return and be more diverse and unique than just a different flavor of tank/heal/dps that MMOs have been stuck in for a while. On top of that, I hope they don't muddy up each class for the sake of balance in PvP.
3. Non-combat activities
This could be included in number 1, but the non-combat things should be an important part of the economy and adventuring. They should also be enough of an investment to level up that not everyone can or will take the time and effort to do. I'm not a fan of crafting really, but I know there are those who do love it and it's basically the whole reason they play. Make it so not everyone can do it and place an importance on it to make it viable and useful. I appreciate the people who kept me full on Halas Meat Pies.
4. Minimal Instancing
Always loved the rush while raiding to get to a spawn before anyone else could. I remember our first Avatar of War kill still. Rushed to get Vindi because our community enforced server rules had deemed that if he was up, the first guild to kill him would get first shot at AoW. We just beat our semi-rival guild there, we set up on the right side of the arena, they set up on the left, watched and waited. We went through everything without a hitch, got congratulations from the other side and went about our ways. Never would have happened if everything was instanced now. Sure, there were a decent amount of cockblocking that went with it, but it was an amazing rush that really hasn't been felt to this day.
5. Rules that are actually enforced
This was probably the biggest reason I got GW2 on launch day rather than waiting a few weeks to see how reviews and player experience went. People who abused chat or exploited were quickly dealt with and it's made it overall a better experience and a friendlier community. Need a way to deal with the greifers, asshats and trolls that's effective. Can enforce rules to keep it an open world without instancing that would reduce the bad parts of my number 4 as well.
Played: EQ1 (10 Years), Guild Wars, Rift, TERA
Nytlok Sylas
Novice Member
Joined: 11/06/12
Originally posted by Calibanvov
^this. allow to pretty much shape every detail of the body, graphic designer style. Also sexy female armor TERA style.
Novice Member
Joined: 9/18/04
Stay Positive and Love Your Life.
I want EQN to be something I haven't though of yet.
Elite Member
Joined: 8/27/04
Perhaps tomorrow will be better.
Originally posted by Giffen
Yes i want the same thing but even more depth example doing quests for faction as is already an SOE idea,so more of that is good,just lose the xp.I want NO cash shop not now not tomorrow and not 5 years later,hopeful yes but will i get wish,most likely not.
One thing almost every game misses out on is the sub class or known as Hybrid by many,SOE is slow to move in on this MUCH better design.IMO FFXI does it the best,i don't much like FFXIV's or Rift's hybrid systems.It is not an idea that yo ucan simply say here pick some choices,you need to put a lot more thought and depth into it and sadly aside from FFXI nobody has done it justice.Runes of Magic attempted it not a bad attempt but not nearly enough effort.
Combos,enough with the solo combos,maybe give them one as a noob but mid levels and higher there shouls be player>player combos perhaps even 3 player combos.
STATS:I can't say enough about this area,again FFXI did a great job but tons more room for improvement.There is soooo much room for depth here,i don't like potency such a vague term,i prefer stuff like elemental properties and giving the mobs all sorts of strengths and weaknesses such as weak to water based attacks but strong to Fire elements.The same should go for players.
Choice:SOE is already pretty good in this department but again FFXI was MUCH better.I want tons and tons of choice for leveling options,i don't want anymore linear questing games with the option to hit a dungeon,that design is so over done,i don't want it anymore.
open world housing:SOE already does housing the best it just needs to go one further.
I could go on and on,SOE needs to improve their game development and creativity skills a lot .Bottom line is if they can deliver an in depth,thoughtful game and not m,ore of the same old,i would pay a 30 buck sub fee to also keep cash shop out of the game.30 bucks would double their profits,so no reason they couldn't at least make a 50% improvement on their development skills or what they have been willing to do for us.
Apprentice Member
Joined: 8/23/05
Mine are simple:
Old school Ultima Online game mechanics with modded Skyrim graphics and Borderlands 2 gameplay.
"Only in quiet waters do things mirror themselves undistorted.
Novice Member
Joined: 12/31/03
Imagine the brilliance of Sony using EQN to allow the players themselves decide what the game world will become...
Instead of Sony making and building 8,000 separate quests, they give the players the tools to do it. Imagine being able to design your own specific quest in an instance to begin with. If you make a great quest that players end up rating high enough, your quest instance that you have built becomes a part of the REAL WORLD with time.
What if you had very powerful tools to build this quest and you could carve out dungeon paths in mere seconds? What if you had the power to place mobs as you chose and paths and even mob IQs or difficulties? Or perhaps to keep every player from picking the same three mobs over and over and over, once you designed your quest dungeon or area, the game chose mobs for you based on the size of your quest area and allowed you to plop them in your rooms and locations within your design?
Using something like that would allow the players imaginations to run wild, allow the players to feel like a part of the game, and would also make sure that only the best designed quest builds became a part of the real dynamic game world. Once those quests became a part of the real game world, perhaps the reward would be that players name or avatar name would become part of the credits in the game itself.
Now what if those building tools were taken even further? What if the players themselves could design their own armor and weapons and spells? These again would compete with other players designs in some way and the best of the best became a real part of the player driven economy?
By simply giving the players powerful tools, you could let the players build much of your game content for you, and likely it would end up much better and more creative then Sony could have done themselves in 10 years of brainstorming.
Obviously all of the tools would have to be built with limits and game balances. For example... if a player built a super powerful sword that was made out of one of the games best materials, the game itself would price that sword or place that sword within a certain extremely small percentage of random loot drop to ensure not every player had ten of them and that the rarity of players who actually owned it was kept in balance. Or maybe players simply design the sword, and the damage modifiers and materials the sword is made with are decided by the game itself based on what fits its needs for random loot/quest rewards etc.
Just my thoughts...
- Zaxx
Originally posted by sudo
I think you stumbled into the wrong forum.


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We serve clients in Houston, Texas and throughout Harris County, Fort Bend County, Montgomery County, Brazoria County, Waller County and Galveston County:
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(Feb. 22) - The New Mexico State softball team begins its 19-game road
swing with four games at the Helen of Troy Field in El Paso, Texas, as the
Aggies face South Dakota and I-10 rival UTEP on Feb. 23-24.
After starting the
season with 12 home games, the Aggies make their first road trip to UTEP for a
weekend series versus South Dakota and UTEP. NM State worked to a 7-1 win over
the Miners on Feb. 12, in Las Cruces, but now head south for the final two
games of the three-game rivalry series.
Media Coverage
Staying Social
Looking Back
Up Next
Second-Year Power
Rival Domination
Power in the Circle
About South Dakota
About UTEP


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Caught in the cross fire? Coca-Cola accused of illegal mapping in China
John Sudworth
Interview with
Mar 13, 2013 The government of the Yunnan province in Western China is going after Coca-Cola. Officials say the company has been illegally mapping the province with GPS devices.
Chinese consumers hit tough times
Julia Coronado
Mar 13, 2013 Global markets are mixed this morning after China reported that inflation hit a ten-month high in February and consumer spending came in worse than expected.
Is China's one-child policy on the way out?
Rob Schmitz
Interview with
Mar 11, 2013 China's government has announced plans to remove power from the agency that oversees the country's controversial one-child policy. Observers say this could spell the beginning of the end for the rule.
Seizing homes, seizing lives: The anatomy of a Shanghai land grab
Rob Schmitz
Mar 5, 2013 The story of Maggie Lane, a Shanghai land grab gone wrong. Forty million Chinese people have lost their homes to local governments, bent on boosting GDP. The incoming government of Xi Jinping may change that.
China aims high for economic growth
John Sudworth
Interview with
Mar 5, 2013 China's National People's Congress convenes today as it concludes its once-in-a-decade transition of power. In his final address to the Congress, outgoing Premier Wen Jiabao set an ambitious economic growth target of 7.5 percent.
China to get its own FDA
Rob Schmitz
Mar 5, 2013 Public anger over unsafe food and drugs is widespread in China. The country's new leader, Xi Jinping, is setting up an agency equivalent to America's Food and Drug Administration to tackle the problem.
Markets reel over Italy election, China housing tax
Julia Coronado
Interview with
Mar 4, 2013 From China's new housing tax to the sequester here in the U.S., global markets have a lot of news to digest this morning.
Sequestration: How China sees the prospect of U.S. military cuts
Rob Schmitz
Feb 27, 2013 China is a rising military power in the Pacific and the U.S. is partly a counterbalance, but U.S. military sequester spending cuts may turn out to be a mixed blessing for China.
Mum's the word for U.S. businesses hacked by China
Rob Schmitz
Feb 26, 2013 Experts say China's hacking is motivated by the need to innovate, but many of the U.S. firms that are victims need to reconsider their response to the attacks.
Global Corruption Quiz: Which countries are best and worst?
Stephan Richter
Interview with
Mar 13, 2013 When it comes to public sector corruption, which of the BRIC countries -- Brazil, Russia, India, and China -- ranks the best and the worst?


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The night before Mark was getting packed and his over the ear headphones were busted. Â Mark takes good care of his stuff but the ear pad was off. Â He never asks for stuff to be replaced but I went out and picked him up some new Sony headphones that XS Cargo had. Â I left the box in the Ford C Max Hybrid and he was thrilled to find it in the morning.Â
So at 5:45 a.m. I heard Mark get up and take all of the hot water in the house. Â The kid was excited to get going to his first Ford event, even if he hadn't quite figured out how he was going to convince Ford to let him drive a car on the RCMP grounds. Â He still had a couple of hours to work out the details. Â We drove over to Jeff Jackson's place. Â We had been there once before and I was assuming Mark had paid closer attention to where he lived than I did but then I realized it was Oliver who was with me. Â That didn't help at all.
Despite Jeff's place being in the middle of Lakeridge, it doesn't show up on Ford's GPS. Â I kept hoping I would get 'Samantha' (Ford Sync's voice) to give me a warning about driving into unchartered territory but nothing.
It's a horrible drive between Saskatoon and Regina.  There is no scenery at all.  I am sorry Davidson but your large coffee pot does not classify as scenery.  If only a town would create the world's biggest hoe along the way.
I don't know how much Mark enjoyed his new headphones on the way down as I think he was asleep by Dundurn and I didn't hear from him until after we passed Lumsden.
When we got to Regina and I had Jeff, the guy with Apple Maps navigating for me. Â That worked out as well as Apple Maps got us lost, didn't update in time to make the turns and was pretty much useless. We should have stuck with either the Google Maps or the Microsoft powered map in the Ford GPS. Â It was a loss for Apple, a win for every other map software in the world, including paper maps.
As we rolled into the RCMP Heritage Centre, Ford had a large tent set up and like the other Ford events that we have been at, there was food, information, and drinks everywhere. Â Believe it or not, the photographer below was photographing the cars and not us. Â I may be a big deal in Europe but not so much in Regina.
As we were chatting, we noticed Greg Johnson, the Tornado Hunter roll up in his orange F-150. Â It makes quite an entrance. Â Of course Greg was only there for a short time as he had to go out and chase a tornado.
To start of the morning we took part in a short presentation on the Ford electric vehicles and hybrids in a boardroom at the RCMP Heritage Centre. Â Ford presentations are short, information packed and their specialists can answer your questions very well. Â On this one we had a specialist joining up in from Dearborn, Michigan via Skype.
"We pride ourselves on offering customers the Power of choice, including 15 vehicles with EcoBoost engines and five new electrified vehicles,†said Scott Kuzma, Ford of Canada's assistant marketing manager, cars. "We are absolutely committed to top fuel economy with every new vehicle we introduce, and the Power of Choice Tour is helping people learn how they can achieve that in their own lives.â€
You can read more about the presentation by clicking on the PDF.  Of course not only are Ford vehicles more fuel efficient but Ford is trying to cut back on the amount of petroleum products it takes to make them (which can actually use up more hydro carbons than it will to drive them).  For anyone who has read Jeff Rubin's books or column in the Globe and Mail, you know what a big deal this is.
Then it was outside to test drive the cars. Â There was a 2013 Ford Escape, a 2013 Ford Fusion Hybrid, and a 2013 Ford C Max Energi. Â Each test drive was done with a Ford Product Specialist who was there to answer any questions that myself (or Mark in the backseat) had. Â While we were waiting to take some drives, there were other specialists to answer any questions.
I took the Ford C Max Energi and the Ford Fusion Hybrid for quick test drives. Â Both are great cars. Â The Ford C Max Energi is very similar to the C Max Hybrid I just had but like the (way more expensive)Â Chevy Volt, it runs first on battery and then uses gas. Â The transition from electric to gas was seamless. Â I had several questions about battery life as the last thing one wants to do is spend a lot of money on an electrified vehicle and then replace the battery pack. Â The battery packs on those last from 15-20 years which I think is more than acceptable and actually is quite exceptional.
The Ford Fusion Hybrid is also a great car to drive. Â I never really thought of the Ford Fusion as a luxury car but it is fantastic as a mid-sized sedan. Â For a lot of people running kids around town, it has the size to do it and the fuel efficiency to make the trips a lot less painful (which I was reminded when gas was $1.30 a litre on the way up and back.
They also had a 2013 Ford Escape but I have reviewed one previously and was going to drive another back to Saskatoon so I didn't see the point in taking the SUV I love the most for another test drive. Â
At the Escape with Ford event from last year, they fed us about 8 times. Â This year we didn't have the amount of stops but the quality was excellent with sandwiches, drinks and treats everywhere for us to eat. Â I found out an interesting thing about Mark in that he is unable to eat a chocolate cupcake without part of it going up his nose. Â I blame his mom.
As we left Regina, we took the 2013 Ford Escape back to Saskatoon with us. Â I stopped in Davidson to fill up the tank and while I was overtired, I made a horrible and inexcusable mistake. Â I stopped at the roadside gas station. Â Jeff and Mark went in to use the washroom and came out deeply scarred from the smell, sex toys being sold in the washroom and what Mark described as something oozing through the walls. Â I think both of them now have PTSD. Â That washroom alone is reason enough get a more energy efficient vehicle. Â The less you have to stop at roadside washrooms, the higher of quality of life you will have.
I took a bunch of photos which have been posted to Flickr. Â Mark posted about the day here and also uploaded his photos to his Flickr account.


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Rest in Peace Mandela
South Africa
06 Dec 13
As we reflect on the life of a remarkable leader and human being, we revisit some inspiring words Nelson Mandela wrote in his autobiography, "Long Walk to Freedom", that remind us of our ongoing commitment in Africa.
"A garden was one of the few things in prison that one could control. To plant a seed, watch it grow, to tend it and then harvest it, offered a simple but enduring satisfaction. The sense of being the custodian of this small patch of earth offered a taste of freedom.
In some ways, I saw the garden as a metaphor for certain aspects of my life. A leader must also tend his garden; he, too, plants seeds, and then watches, cultivates, and harvests the results. Like the gardener, a leader must take responsibility for what he cultivates; he must mind his work, try to repel enemies, preserve what can be preserved, and eliminate what cannot succeed."
Nelson Mandela is an inspiration to us all. We salute you.
Photo credit: Lasanta
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He's only 14, and he already has his own business. Conner Haines, from Chester County, is setting a "cool example" for other young entrepreneurs with his mobile business, That Pop Shop. Conner joined WFMZ's Eve Tannery on 69 News at Sunrise to tell us more.
Business is poppin' for teen from Chester County
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Prospective Students | Class Registration
Call Us At: 1-909-558-1000
This is a full program for weight management that uses the Full Plate Diet (FPD) concept plus sessions on exercise and emotional and psychological issues related to weight gain. The FPD uses the book by Drs. Seale, Sherard and Fleming, which won the New York Times Bestseller a couple of years ago. The concept is simple, adding more fiber foods to the diet which are rich in fiber and lower in calories – so a person will eat more and still lose and control his or her weight. We have run this program for about a year now and are very happy with the results.
It is not a fad diet or even a crush diet. It is a program to change the lifestyle of eating, so once one lose weight on that, it is for a long time since this was a result of a changed and healthier way of eating and living. The program goes through describing what are the champion foods in terms of fiber content and how to incorporate them on a daily normal life. We also share recipes and devise strategies of how to eat out and make parties with the right kind of foods.
One client's sharing her experience – Nora Smith (fictitious name, but a real client) – "When I started attending the classes I was not very sure if this would work, but I tried to apply the concepts and making appropriate changes on my eating habits little by little. After a couple of months in the program, I felt wonderful…and lost 15 pounds, and have more energy and was able to sleep better. It was an amazing experience because I did not feel that I was on a diet or craving for anything at all!"
The advantages of the Full Plate Diet go beyond the fiber and weight control. Most of the fiber rich foods are also nutrient-dense foods and so they are rich in vitamins, minerals and in the latest discovery of nutrition science, antioxidants. Antioxidants are powerful anti-inflammatory agents and they are related to the prevention of many chronic and inflammatory diseases. Therefore, the Full Plate Diet promote foods that are intimately related to the prevention and even treatment of chronic diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol, heart disease, strokes and cancer. The Full Plate Diet is an indispensable prescription for the management of overweight and obesity and all of these lifestyle related diseases.
Even if a person tries a rigid diet or a very low calorie diet, he or she might need to go back to a routine diet. If the routine diet or "normal" diet is full of unhealthy foods, most likely the person will also go back to their former weight. This is the problem with dieting. Now, with the FPD the thing is different because it is not a temporary or even a nutrient depleted diet, it is a diet lifestyle that will help a person to lose but, in case of other diet treatments, will help the person to maintain the weight loss achieved.
Being overweight and having chronic diseases, however, is not only related to diet but also to other factors, we added two components to the program, exercise and psychology. During the program, sessions we will cover the basic exercises for health and recovery adjusted to diagnoses and individual needs. We will also have sessions on emotional issues related to stress, depression, etc., that might affect lifestyle and health.
We hope that the Full Plate Diet program helps you in your weight management but more, that it can help you in your whole life and that it can conduct you and your family to a Full Health Life. That is our main goal in this program.


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Treatment Options for Severe Spasticity
People with spasticity can treat their condition in many ways: rehabilitation, medication, injection therapy, even surgery. There is also Medtronic ITB TherapySM (Intrathecal Baclofen Therapy), also called the baclofen pump, which may be helpful for reducing your severe spasticity.
There is currently no cure for severe spasticity. However, there are a number of treatment options available for managing your symptoms. They include:
Rehabilitation Therapy
Rehabilitation therapy usually takes place in a clinic, a hospital, or at home. It can include any combination of physical, occupational, or speech therapy.
Oral Medication
Oral medications may help some people treat the symptoms of spasticity.
Neurodestructive surgical procedures include selective dorsal rhizotomy, in which the dorsal (sensory) nerve roots are severed.
Injection Therapy
Injection therapy is usually intended for specific muscle groups (for example, one hand, one foot, one shoulder).
Orthopedic Surgery
Orthopedic surgeries include soft tissue procedures like tendon transfers and osteotomies (cutting a bone to change its alignment).
ITB Therapy (Baclofen Pump)
Medtronic ITB Therapy, also called the baclofen pump, is an adjustable, reversible treatment for severe spasticity. A surgically placed pump and catheter deliver liquid baclofen (Lioresal® Intrathecal) directly to the fluid around the spinal cord, where it's needed most.
Tools to Identify Spasticity Patterns
Download tools to record information that will help you and your physician determine how your symptoms can be most effectively treated.
The Medtronic baclofen pump is part of the Synchromed® Infusion System, which delivers the drug called Lioresal® Intrathecal (baclofen injection) for ITB TherapySM, a treatment for severe spasticity. Please read the following important safety information about ITB Therapy.
IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION FOR ITB THERAPY (Intrathecal Baclofen Therapy)
Please follow your doctor's instruction closely because a sudden stop of intrathecal baclofen therapy can result in serious baclofen withdrawal symptoms such as high fever, changed mental status, muscle stiffness, and in rare cases may result in loss of function of many vital organs and death. It is very important that your doctor be called right away if you experience any of the above symptoms.
It is important for you to keep your scheduled refill visits so you don't run out of medication (baclofen) and to know the early symptoms of baclofen withdrawal. Some patients are at more risk than others for baclofen withdrawal; speak with your doctor about this.
People who suffer from severe spasticity resulting from cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis, stroke, brain injury, or spinal cord injury may be candidates for ITB Therapy. If you have spasticity due to spinal cord injury or multiple sclerosis, you may be considered for ITB Therapy if oral baclofen has not controlled your spasticity or has resulted in serious side effects that you cannot accept. If you suffered a brain injury due to trauma you must wait until one year after the injury to be considered for ITB Therapy. A trial of ITB Therapy will help to show if ITB Therapy can help you. You should not receive ITB Therapy if you have an infection, are allergic to baclofen, or your body size is too small for the implantable pump.
The implanted pump and catheter (tube that delivers the drug from the pump to the fluid around the spinal cord) are placed under the skin during a surgery. Some complications that you may experience with the surgery include infection, meningitis (infection of the lining of the brain and central nervous system), spinal fluid leak, paralysis, headache, swelling, bleeding, and bruising.
The most common and/or serious drug-related side effects of ITB Therapy include loose muscles, sleepiness, upset stomach, vomiting, headaches, and dizziness. Failure of the pump placed under your skin may cause symptoms due to overdose (receiving too much) or underdose (receiving too little) of intrathecal baclofen. The signs and symptoms of overdose include drowsiness, lightheadedness, dizziness, respiratory depression (difficulty breathing), hypothermia (lower than normal body temperature), seizures, loss of consciousness, and coma. Once the infusion system (the pump and the catheter) is implanted, possible complications include unintended movement of the catheter or pump within the body or breakdown of the skin over the pump. The catheter could leak, tear, kink, or become disconnected from the pump, resulting in underdose or no baclofen infusion. Symptoms of underdose include an increase or return in spasticity, itching, low blood pressure, lightheadedness, and tingling sensation. These symptoms are often early signs of baclofen withdrawal. The pump could stop because the battery has run out or because of a problem with one or more of its inner parts. The pump will sound an alarm when the pump needs to be filled with baclofen, replaced, or if there is a problem with the pump. You or your caregiver should always inform any healthcare personnel that you have an implanted infusion system before any medical or diagnostic procedure such as MRI or diathermy.
For more information, please read the Lioresal® Intrathecal (baclofen injection) Full Prescribing Information and the SynchroMed Infusion System Information.
This therapy is not for everyone. Please contact your doctor. A prescription is required.
Lioresal® is a registered trademark of Medtronic, Inc.
USA Rx Only Rev 0913
You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA.
Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch, or call 1-800-FDA-1088.
Information on this site should not be used as a substitute for talking with your doctor. Always talk with your doctor about diagnosis and treatment information.
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MIDDLEBURY, Vt. – No. 9 Middlebury's Lauren Greer scored one goal and set up another to lead the Panthers to a 4-1 victory over the Holy Cross women's ice hockey team in non-conference action Tuesday evening at Kenyon Arena. With the win, Middlebury improves to 9-3-1, while the Crusaders fall to 10-6-0.
Middlebury scored its first goal of the game, just over four minutes into the first period to take an early 1-0 lead. The Panthers went up by two goals with less than three minutes remaining in the second period and then took a commanding four goal lead with two goals in the third period. Holy Cross sophomore Alex Campione (Townsend, Mass.) put the Crusaders on the scoreboard in the 19th minute of the third period when she scored her third goal of the season.
Holy Cross senior goaltender Monique Gallant (Antigonish, Nova Scotia) suffered her third loss, falling to 5-3-0. Gallant allowed four goals, stopping 23 Middlebury shots. Middlebury's Alexi Bloom picked up her seventh win of the season. Bloom allowed just one goal and stopped 15 Holy Cross shots. Neither team was able to convert on the power play, with the Crusaders going 0-3.
Holy Cross returns home to the Hart Center for the first of four consecutive home games on Saturday, Jan. 22, against New England College at 1:00 p.m.