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11 Product Video Solutions for Ecommerce Merchants
Using product video is a good way for merchants to engage customers and boost conversion rates. There are a variety of online tools for small and mid-sized retailers to produce product video at a relatively low cost.
Here is a list of solutions for producing product videos. There are automatic product video tools, online video platforms, mobile video production apps, and resources to hire video creative professionals.
Treepodia is a platform for automated video production. Automatically synchronize with your product catalog — i.e., when your catalog changes, so do the videos. Upload more than one video version per product and monitor user behavior with multi-variant testing. Price: Plans start at $149 per month for up to 1,500 product videos.
Liveclicker is a video commerce platform, providing retailers a solution from production through conversion. Its MobileStudio mobile app allows Liveclicker clients to produce, edit, and publish professional quality ecommerce product videos. Liveclicker then provides interactive elements to drive conversions, like clickable text overlays and hotspots. Then track and optimize videos with A/B testing and other metrics. Price: Contact for pricing.
Animoto lets merchants create product videos with a variety of features. Choose from video templates or design your own style. Add your logo, select from a library of commercially licensed music, add call to action info, and more. Price: Plans start at $39 per month.
Fluid Retail
Fluid Retail is a platform for creating innovative ecommerce content. Use Fluid Retail's video system to let customers buy products directly from product videos. Place shoppable video on any site or Facebook page, and leverage social features for sharing. Price: Contact for pricing.
The Talk Market
The Talk Market is an automatic video platform that helps retailers create thousands of videos in a few minutes per video and for only a few dollars per video. Price: Contact for pricing.
Videolicious is a video production app from The Talk Market to quickly create high quality video. Use a smartphone to instantly weave together videos, photos, music and more. Create simple, fast, automatic video solutions, with trimming, a commercial music library, video storage, and more. Price: Free plan offers storage of 20 videos. Premium plans start at $5 per month.
PowToon is a platform for creating animated videos. It has an easy and intuitive interface, along with a suite of tools to animate product demos and presentations. Its premium plan provides access to royalty free images and music, as well as a higher export quality. Price: Free plan with watermark and SD quality. Premium plans start at $19 per month.
Wideo is an online tool to easily create animated videos for your product demos. Try out templates or start from scratch. Insert objects, type, backgrounds, sounds, and animate in a few clicks. Price: Free plan has branding. Premium plans start at $19.
Stupeflix is a tool to create videos using your photos and footage. Use automated editing and music syncing. Trim video, adjust timing and add custom transitions. Pro version offers unbranded pages, text-to-speech voiceovers, call-to-action buttons, and commercially licensed music. Price: Free plan has branding. Premium plan is $39 per month.
YouTube Creator Hub
YouTube Creator Hub is a resource center to help you create, edit, and publish video content. Use the YouTube Capture app to make your videos pop with automatic color correction, stabilization, trimming, and music tracks. Use the YouTube Editor to craft your clips and apply interactive features. Price: Free.
SmartShoot is a network that connects people and companies to photographers and videographers. If you are interested in hiring professionals to shoot your product demos, SmartShoot can give you access to talent. Get pitches based on your project requirements, choose the right creative, and utilize tools to collaborate effectively. Price: Contact for pricing.
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Comments ( 5 )
Hi Sig,
My name is Mike and I'm member of the team at Treepodia.com
I just wanted to say thanks for mentioning us here with all these great companies.
Video is where it's at! …
Thanks great post Sig, we use another tool call https://videolean.com too, is other cool option to create videos in minutes. Cheers.
I have read a lot information on this topic, for example here. But I'm strongy believe that using video is one of the most underused ecommerce strategies. I highly use it in my business and it really works. So you should not neglet it!
Sorry, I've forgotten to give the link where found the information – http://sam-ecommerce.com/blog/view/ecommerce-video-online-business
Hey Sig,
great overview. You might want to do an update of your post. Some of the companies are not existing anymore.
You pointed out tools for shooting videos. Very often good product videos already exist. Big brands and manufacturers like Samsung produce high quality content. Ecommerce merchants can use those videos trough platforms like DemoUp. This saves the time and cost involved in video production.


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The American League Central has consistently been one of the most competitive divisions in baseball in recent years.
In fact, 162 games have not been enough to decide the division pennant the last two seasons, requiring a play-in game to award the Central crown. The AL Central figures to be tight at the top once again in 2010. The following is a completely unscientific prognostication of whom the key figures will be in this season's race.

subset: commoncrawl


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All Central Hostel
All- Central Hostel is located In the heart of Budapest, next to the Deák Ferenc Square, and in the middle of Váci street and Fashion street.
- no Curfew
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Availability & RatesTo view availability and prices please select dates and click 'Update Dates'
Hostel Facilities & Policies
- 24 Hour Reception
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We are located in the B�csi street in the fifth district of Budapest, in the city center next to the most famous sights of Budapest.
Our Hostel is located near:
V�ci street
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Andr�ssy street
De�k Ferenc Square
Hero's square
House of terror
Chain bridge


text:
In 2009, a running back out of Tennessee joined the Houston Texans as an undrafted free agent. There were no expectations of him, no accomplishments that he needed to fulfill, but nevertheless, Arian Foster went on to join the elite class of running backs in the NFL.
Now, as the 2012 season approaches, the current group of undrafted players are looking to achieve what Foster has already attained: stardom.
The National Football League, however, is a tough business to succeed in, and the odds are stacked against all the athletes on the Texans who did not hear their named called on draft day.
Here is a list of players who can contribute for the Texans in the upcoming season.


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The article requested cannot be found! Please refresh your browser or go back. (OR,20130109,NEWS01,130109303,AR).
Pennsylvania DCED secretary Dennis Davis visited Waynesburg to discuss the economic benefit of the proposed Shell cracker plant in Beaver County.
Greene County President Judge Farley Toothman decided Friday to keep the magisterial district maps as they are drawn.
A Greene County Court jury returned a split verdict Friday against a Waynesburg woman accused of selling Subutex early last year to a confidential informant working with the Greene County Drug Task Force.
Eric Selva a teacher at Intermediate Unit 1 Educational Campus at East Franklin, received a $500 stipend Tuesday to help with his classroom through a grant from Chevron and the Pittsburgh Steelers with the "Leaders in the Classroom" program.
The Salvation Army of Greene County will hold a flea market this Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday at the center located at 131 W. First St. in Waynesburg. The flea market will run each day from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Proceeds from this flea market will help fund Project...
A staff member from the office of state Rep. Pete Daley, D-California, will offer free help with any state program during outreach visits in Charleroi and Monongahela in October:
A paramedic found a newborn in a trash can while treating a woman who claimed to have suffered a miscarriage at a store in North Belle Vernon.
Charleroi Area School Board approved an updated no-hazing policy Tuesday, and gave its superintendent a raise.
Four marijuana plants in a box were found at an Interstate 70 construction site in Fallowfield Township, leading to charges against a Fayette County man.
A victim in a shooting Sunday night in Charleroi was expected to undergo surgery Tuesday to remove a bullet from his head.
A Washington man was flown to a Pittsburgh hospital Friday after he was ejected from his scooter when it collided with a SUV at West Chestnut and North Franklin streets.
The security staff at Washington Hospital are receiving training that will make them certified as police officers in Pennsylvania.
The Observer-Reporter and Washington & Jefferson College launched a partnership to put a small-business incubator in downtown Washington.
A Canonsburg woman who worked with hundreds of bands over the past 30 years is auctioning off collected memorabilia.
There will be single-lane restrictions on the outbound side of the Fort Pitt Tunnel through noon today and from 10 p.m. today through noon Sunday. Crews from Lighthouse Electric Co. of North Strabane Township will continue drilling and conduit installation work to restore cellphone service inside...
Editorial voices from newspapers across the United States:
This autumn has a different feel to it.
One can only guess at the number of lives saved since first responders regularly began carrying naloxone, the drug that reverses the effects of opioid overdoses. Suffice it to say it is in the thousands.
The conventional wisdom over the last month or so, as Hillary Clinton lost ground in polls, is that Donald Trump had at last found discipline.
In 1915, "The Birth of a Nation" arrived in theaters, revolutionized the way movies tell stories and generated a whirlwind of controversy – even in an era we look back on as less enlightened – for its portrayal of African-Americans as being childlike and shiftless at...
CHASKA, Minn. – The American Ryder Cup team could use what might be Dustin Johnson's greatest asset in golf.
O-R's Chris Dugan and Joe Tuscano travel to Wash High for our Week 5 High School Football Round Up video– plus, Joe Tuscano interviews Wash High head coach Mike Bosnic.
TORONTO – Sidney Crosby has been surrounded by the best hockey players on the planet at the World Cup of Hockey, and still seems as if he is in a class by himself.
The third and final golf event of the season for Washington County Special Olympics is success at Lone Pine Country Club.
MIAMI – Jose Fernandez escaped from Cuba by boat on his fourth try as a teenager, and when his mother fell into the Yucatan Channel during the journey, he jumped in and pulled her out.
Steelers won't shy away from Kansas City's top corner despite 13 interceptions in 21 games.
Roethlisberger: Steelers have plan to use both Bell, Williams.
Steelers not getting to the quarterback or tackling well in space and it's adding up to plenty of yards.
Steelers drubbed in Philadelphia by Eagles again.
PHILADELPHIA – The Philadelphia Eagles have had three different stadiums and 14 different coaches since they last lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers at home in a regular-season game.
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text:
Fromm Essays: Man's Impulse Structure and Its Relation to Culture
Erich Fromm
Edited and with an Introduction
by Rainer Funk
From Beyond Freud: From Individual to Social Psychoanalysis
AMHF Books logo
American Mental Health Foundation Inc
Post Office Box 3
Riverdale New York 10471-0003
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the permission of The American Mental Health Foundation Inc and American Mental Health Foundation Books.
First published in German under the title "Gesellschaft und Seele."
Copyright © 1992 by the Estate of Erich Fromm
Introduction copyright © 1992 by Rainer Funk


text:
The Marvin Lewis Community Fund seeks to empower, educate and inspire individuals in the Greater Cincinnati region through our ongoing outreach programs. We host several fundraising events, receive grants and in-kind donations, as well as accepting general donations. 25% of your purchase here will also go to support these programs.
Choose which product you would like to order by selecting the size dimension to the right of the corresponding product.
If you would like to order more than one item you must first complete the preceding order. You will be able to go back and add additional products later before checkout.


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Toshiba recommends Windows.
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Business, Education, Government,
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I sent my laptop Satellite P305-S8842 in for warranty repair the laptop would not turn on no power. I got it back they replaced the system board and the CPU but the keyboard was not working properly and it was slower. When I typed and the number lock key is on I get numbers instead of letter for certain keys (f6r exa0*3e th5s 5s what was gett5ng when ty*ed) this is what I just typed (for example this is what I was getting when I typed). The only way the keys work properly is when the number lock key is off. So I sent it back to repair and as you can see I have the same problem. According to the repair summary - replaced keyboard set dmi updated bios passed all tests.
Has anyone had this problem? If yes how was it fixed? I know I will have to end it back but I really don't want to wait another week for them to send it back broke again. Thanks for any and all assistance.
When I typed and the number lock key is on I get numbers instead of letter for certain keys. ... The only way the keys work properly is when the number lock key is off.
According to the repair summary - ...passed all tests.
Sounds to me that it's working as intended. When num lock is turned on, some keys should produce numbers instead of letters. That's what num lock means.
The following is from num lock.
Num Lock keys are used to convert part of the main keyboard to act as a (slightly skewed) numeric keypad rather than letters.
Copyright © Toshiba America Information Systems, Inc. All rights reserved.


text:
A DOOM 4 teaser dropped today at E3, and surprise, the new game is just being called DOOM. Though we certainly know of the game's existance already, what with beta access being a known perk of buying Wolfenstein: The New Order, but this is really the closest we've come to seeing anything substantial.
Sure, the entire video barely breaks a minute in duration, but the voice-over and flashes of metal and red indicative of DOOM's Hellspawn are all we really need. Well, those and the iconic logo at the very end.
Funny thing though. The E3 teaser is actually teasing the full reveal at QuakeCon 2014, in July.


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Most British Muslims do not practice the Islam of the so-called trojan horse plot.
Most British Muslims do not practice the Islam of the so-called trojan horse plot
Since the Trojan Horse Islamist school plot hit the headlines, the extremist architects of the plot have hit back with the inevitable claims of 'Islamophobia', 'racism' and 'hostility', with some on the left misguidedly defending these Islamists and branding the current investigations a 'witch hunt' against Muslims.
Just to remind readers of what we are dealing with here – these schools had banned music and the use of musical instruments, they stocked books advocating stoning, lashing, execution, intimidated Muslim moderates, made children engage in anti-Christian chants and invited a pro-al-Qaeda speaker into one of the schools.
Mohammad Zabar, a former teacher at Park View, said "It is important for Muslim parents to say that what is happening is wrong, and to stand up against it. The culture I've been brought up with is that you mix with all races and communities and this will drive wedges between different communities."
Some staff at the schools hit back with cries of 'hostility' and 'Islamophobia', but it is important not to be fooled by crocodile tears from extremists. This is not the Sufi inspired Islam of my parents nor the Islam of millions of Muslims in Britain. Ofsted and the Education Funding Authority have already found indisputable evidence of a plot and I expect, when the Department of Education (DfE) releases its own findings, they will be much the same.
Ladies and gentlemen, let me make something clear: this is not the Islam I was bought up with by my parents. It is not the Islam that the overwhelming majority of Muslims in Britain, most of whom are from South-Asia, were bought up with. Salafi-Wahhabism, originating in the 18th Century, is a particularly virulent strain of religious fundamentalism which is being pushed and funded by oil rich Gulf States.
Sufism on the other hand, is a thousand years older than that. It is a branch of Islam known for its humanism, openness, tolerance and spirituality. Ask any Pakistani or Indian about the Qawwalis of Nusrat or Rahat Fateh Ali Khan and they will smile with pride.
And rightly so. Qawwalis are a great tradition and a huge part of Asian Islam. Age old Sufi religious music like Dam Dama Dam Must Qalandar praise Hindu saints and seek to work for unity across faiths in the Pakistani province of Sindh. The virulent Salafi-Wahabi strain of Islam, however, considers Sufism to be heretical, let alone calls for brotherhood between Hindus and Muslims.
It is contingent upon the South Asian populations of Birmingham and indeed the liberal left, which has sometimes failed to support liberal Muslims in their bid to face off this extremist threat, to save the Islam of their parents. A good step would be to acknowledge the Wahabist/Salafist attempts to indoctrinate young children into their regressive, ultra-conservative brand of Islam while branding any of their critics 'Islamophobic'.
It is too easy to shrug off this plot as a vicious smear campaign against Britain's Muslims instead of acknowledging that a minority of self-appointed 'representatives' of Muslims are pushing their own extremist agenda in state funded secular schools. Liberals, leftists, Muslims and non-Muslims alike should condemn attempts to divide communities.
The left must support liberal Muslims; and Muslims themselves must channel the Sufi tradition of their parents which worked to bridge divides between communities, whether Muslim or non-Muslim. Misguided attempts to curtail anti-Muslim bigotry are not helped by refusing to acknowledge attempts by fundamentalist Muslims to indoctrinate Muslim children or speak for Muslims as a whole when they clearly do not.
Only by supporting liberal, humanistic values which cross faiths and communities can the problem of extremists who give Muslims a bad name be tackled.
The divisive, hateful and draconian Islam found in these schools is similar to that sometimes heard in university and college campuses. It is at these universities that Islamists have spent the last two decades making a concerted effort to capture and control Islamic societies at the expense of the Sufi influenced Islam of my parents and the parents of the overwhelming majority of British Muslims. At least four former heads of Islamic societies in the UK have been charged with terrorist offences.
How many more children must be indoctrinated into the brand of Islam followed by the likes of Umar Farouk Abdul Mutallab (the underwear bomber) before we realise that there is a problem? If extremists running riot on university and college campuses has led to the emergence of terrorists, most of whom failed in their plots, would the next bomb plot have to be successful before we all wake up?
Zaheer Rayasat is an activist and social commentator
38 Responses to "The left must support Birmingham's liberal Muslims, not the Islamists"
Liam Fairley
Excellent and sensible article. One minor disagreement: you say 'some' on the left misguidedly defend Islamists; I would have said, regrettably, 'most' on the left. Salma Yaqoob seems to be denying there's any evidence of extremism whatsoever. The last time I spoke out against extremists and the subjection of woman, I was accused of wanting to start another Crusade, and that, actually, I didn't really care about woman's rights at all.
Astrid Fernandez
We need to raise the voices of people like Zaheer Rayasat, and challenge the voices of the Islamo-Wahabbi-Fascist nasties that claim to speak for Muslims. They don't.
Astrid Fernandez
I presume you're a white male, therefore you don't qualify for an opinion in the eyes of the looney left 🙂
norman jones
" Muslims themselves must channel the Sufi tradition of their parents" – sorry, but not all British Muslims are from Sufi backgrounds. At various times it's been claimed that 80% are, but I'm not sure this is true at all.
And why bring 'the left' into it here? There's absolutely no evidence that anyone on the mainstream left is siding with the extremist governers in this 'Trojan horse' case. your 'some on the left' brings up a discursive guaridna piece – evidence only of balanced reporting.
Liam Fairley
Sad but true. Was told pretty much the same thing by white, middle-class 18-year-old students not long ago. It's sad how sensible debate has all but di
dissapeared in academia by the increasingly vitriolic, incorrigible 'left'
John Smith
'Most British Muslims do not practice the Islam of the so-called trojan horse plot'
Maybe not but they have a poor track record of turning in the Islamists that are dangerous & giving them a bad name
The rhetoric is always interesting but actions speak louder than words
Mike Stallard
What a fine article.
It is about time that the claims of the Salafists were questioned, especially by a practising Muslim. My daughter lives actually in Saudi at the moment and she tells me that the Saudis are not nearly as savage as the Salafists in this country – or Syria or Iraq. For example, the punishments in her town (she is Western) certainly do not include crucifixion, hand chopping or stoning. Even alcohol manufacture and sale (on a titanic scale) was only punished by a £1,000 fine.
And, further across the scale, I have heard it said (by Muslims) that Singapore has forbidden its nationals to go to work in Saudi because of the way they were treated.
The Salafists, despite their demagoguery, are actually a tiny part of world-wide Islam.
Just Visiting
I;m trying to understand your point here Norman.
Are you saying the Guardian are not part of the 'left' ?
Or that the Guardian's coverage suggests they are in touch with the reality of what happened?
Yesterday they wrote the following it sounds like they are still majorly in denial to me: see what they think the most important lesson to be learnt is:
"Trojan horse affair: five lessons we must learn
Shows Gove has too much power and daily worship should be scrapped, but
the most important point is the need to support the schools involved"
And reading their 5 lessons, none mention the word islam: only one even mentions the word religion:
" Fourth, the place of religious bodies and their organised faiths in schools needs to be understood and reframed."
What do they mean by the weasel word 'reframed' ?!
Just Visiting
Or yesterday the Guardian put up a piece by an anonymous Headmaster (why did they need to be anonymous – when several of the headmasters directly involved have not felt the need to be anonymous).
And guess what the Guardian headline was :
"A Birmingham head: Trojan horse is not about Islam, it's about academies"
So, It does seem the Guardian are bending over backwards to avoid the reality that in this case we actually ought to have a debate, as to why Islam was involved: and not any other religion.
Just Visiting
Hi Mike
is your daughter Arab speaking?
Is she sure that what she's going on may not be the whole picture ; that there perhaps may be window-dressing going on for the sake of western eyes?
This is what Human Rights watch write:
"Over 9 million migrant workers…many suffer multiple abuses
and labor exploitation, sometimes amounting to slavery-like conditions. "
"Under the discriminatory Saudi guardianship system, girls and women are
forbidden from traveling, conducting official business, or undergoing
certain medical procedures without permission from their male guardians"
"Women remain banned from driving."
"Strict clothing requirements for women were publicly enforced."
Or Amnesty:
"Some 10 protesters were reportedly shot dead and others injured by
security forces, during or in connection with the Eastern Province
"At least 79 prisoners were executed, mostly in public. They included at
least 52 Saudi Arabians and at least 27 foreign nationals, including at
least one woman. Some prisoners were executed for non-violent offences."
"On 26 September, two men were killed and a third was fatally injured in
unclarified circumstances when security forces raided a house in search
of a man wanted for allegedly "stirring up unrest". No official
investigation into the deaths was known to have been held."
"Torture and other ill-treatment of detainees and sentenced prisoners
were reported to be common, widespread and generally committed with
impunity. Reported methods included beating, suspension by the limbs and
sleep deprivation. "
"The courts continued to impose sentences of flogging as a principal or
additional punishment for many offences. At least five defendants were
sentenced to flogging of 1,000 to 2,500 lashes. "
Leon Wolfeson
You presume that people's right to speak is conditional…you.
Leon Wolfeson
Ignoring the failures of some christian academies now?
Leon Wolfeson
So an extremist got hot and bothered with you…why should that stop you speaking out? Extremism can come from both sides of the political spectrum, and they're both wrong.
Perhaps, though, it was more that you're apparently conflating Islam and Islamism.
I am not a Muslim and I am not sure if I want to support any type of Muslim. They can worship whatever they like, so long as they do not harm other people. Regarding Birmingham, it is still not clear to me what happened. Some incidents appear to be unacceptable but there is also a lot of hysteria.
Paul J
The Guardian are NOT part of the left, no. They used to be, but they are now liberals, which is not the same thing.
Dave Roberts
The Guardian ceased to be part of the left years ago. Seamus Milne is still nostalgic for the Soviet Union.
Mike Stallard
She can only meet and greet in Arabic, but her husband works all over Saudi on business.
Saudi is an Arab country. It is not British. There never has been a Magna Carta, a Bill of Rights or a 1660/1685 settlement. The King is the King.
And, of course, the East of the country (where they live) is Shi'a largely – so the Arab spring had to be ruthlessly suppressed – as in Bahrein.
The flogging is certainly nothing like that in, say, the British navy in the 1800s or in Public Schools in the 1850s. I am told (never seen one myself) that the flogger has to hold a copy of the Koran under his arm while flogging.
Women have ancient rights. If you read 4.16ff, you will get the picture. Also there are things about gay marriage there too.(4.15) Actually it is all rather like Edwardian London – with Gentlemen's Clubs and ladies withdrawing at dinner and covered up in public. There is, of course, a large gay – in the 19th century sense of the word – life going on too. Polygamy is a curse and, I have observed myself, quite common. It is hilarious to see a tall Arab in a white cassock and headdress buying bras in a shop while his wives look on.
In a way it is all rather fun for a man for a couple of week's holiday.
norman jones
you'd have to ask the author of that opinion piece, who incidentally is NOT 'The Guardian'. It's not a leader piece. There must be something badly wrong with your schooling if you think the two are the same.
To me that passage means that the issue of faith in schools needs to be considered in its entirety. For example if this academy had been a faith school all of these things would have been ok. And that's surely not right.
norman jones
Well yes. And my main concern about this is – why did it take Michael Gove, whose book is pretty much anti-Islam per se, took FOUR YEARS to notice this was happening, ignoring warnings. Clearly the DfE is incapable of providing the necessary oversight.
The debate here should be about the role of faith in schooling (to me, there shouldn't any any such role except in religious education) and the lack of oversight of academies. Those were a Labour invention, so they're by no means blameless, but Gove and the tories think they are amazing when it's clear that the academies system makes this kind of thing much easier.
Faith schools will make this sort of problem inevitable. ALL schools should be secular which is the only way anyone's faith will be respected. My sister, a retired primary schoolteacher, worked for many years in a Catholic school where the local priest was an Irish nationalist (nothing wrong with that) but who told the children he would "dance on the graves of British soldiers". It's not just Islamic schools that can be threatened with fanaticism..
Are there any liberal muslims?. Well., you could have fooled me.
Leon Wolfeson
That'd be blind support for free schools and academies. Any failing undermine the justification for their program. The DfE wasn't allowed to do it's job of oversight as a result.
(I'm no Labourite, and look to Finland's educational model)
Leon Wolfeson
So how will you replace the schools which would close?
Liam Fairley
Believe me, Leon, I fully understand the distinction between Islam and Islamism; Ed Hussain's excellent 'The Islamist' taught me that much when I first read it several years ago. I wasn't under the impression one needed to supply one's credentials. whatever they might be, to post an opinion on here. That little voice in back of your mind is just screaming "ISLAMOPHOBE", isn't it.
Leon Wolfeson
No, that's the little politically correct voice at the back of your mind.
Yes, I am being sarcastic.
I am basically unconvinced, and remain so, because of what you posted, nothing more. When you make certain kinds of claims…without backing…
sorry, but not all British Muslims are from Sufi backgrounds
To be honest, the term "sufi" has become completely meaningless. It's just become a generic term for any expression of Islam outside of the "five pillars". It's certainly not a "branch of Islam" as this article claims.
Sufism on the other hand, is a thousand years older than that.
The Sufi and Hanbali / Ahl al-Hadeeth trends both started in the early Abbasid empire.
Wahhabis are just Hanbalis with oil (and before that British Imperial Support).
The buildings, teachers etc. EXIST, there is no reason to close any they just stop being faith based. I've worked in many schools; secular, C of E and Catholic and the ethos of all is pretty much the same, they operate the same, they teach the same stuff so what would be a problem? They just wouldn't be tied to one faith. If faith groups needed to use school facilities out of school hours would that be a problem?
Leon Wolfeson
So you'd seize the buildings. Conscript teachers into work. That's what it means…you can't legally change ownership and force people into new jobs like that!
But then you'd paper up a new sign without the "Catholic" which changes nothing else. Er…
I'd have a problem with that, it's the same problem as America, religion being hidden behind a "separation, can't talk about it" façade. No, let's talk about it openly. If there are to be no state-funded faith schools, then they need to be closed (or go private).
That means the funding needs to be allocated. There needs to be new management teams, new employment contracts. Proper transfer of ownership of the land. The law needs to be followed!
Pluto Animus
We must support liberal Muslims.
Both of them.
Rashida Islam
A question to the author – self-hating much? It's quite clear that a minority group is being subject to a series of pernicious attacks vis a vis Islamophobia.
Rashida Islam
Instead of rounding in on an already assaulted community try defending it from the barrage of racism leveling from the media, the political elite and those on the progressive spectrum who should know better. You only serve to inflate yourself with this nonsense but you're in good company as evidenced from the pomposity emanating from this thread.
Very good article.
Only a couple of days ago, I was arguing with a non-Muslim on Facebook who claimed that all Muslims want women to be banned from driving, and other Wahhabist ideas. I pointed out that there are many different groupings in Islam (Sunni, Shi'ite, Wahhabist, etc) and the major differences between them. Saying that all Muslims are like the Wahabists is a bit like saying that all Christians are like the Westboro Baptist Church.
People should not brand all Muslims as extremists. Nor should we claim that all criticism of Islam is islamophobia.
I am a Pagan and we have suffered from defamation in the past. People need to be educated about religion, and the different groupings within religions. Otherwise, we will all be labelled and dismissed as being like the extremists.
Rajia Dejany
Guys, I think it's now time to get to the very root of the matter. The values we hold so dear on the left such as equality between all human beings and freedom are in direct opposition with the teachings of the quran which are sexist, homophobic, violent and condone rape and slavery. 4:24 'And prohibited unto you all married women, except those your right hand possesses.' Really? Is it ok to possess another human being? It is permitted for men to beat their wives and 'prophet' Muhammed has said 'A woman will reach heaven under the feet of her husband'.
The muslims we call 'moderate' are following the nicer and more ethical verses of the Quran whilst those we call 'extremist' are just following the text in it's entirety and punishing or doing away with anyone they perceive to be a threat to their religious agenda. 8:12 'I will cast terror onto the hearts of those who have disbelieved so strike upon their necks and strike their every fingertip'
If we do not permit sexism, violence and homophobia in our society, then why should we allow it in a religious context and even worse!! allow it to be taught to children!!?? and tell them this rubbish comes from a divine source?!
I believe that this quran (and torah and bible) should be taught as mythology and not as solid fact because to do that would be brainwashing! Whether the curriculum is 'moderate' or 'extremist'.
This sort of thing needs to get in The Sun etc. It's sort of been obvious to me that there are many Muslim sects, but I learned of yet another at the weekend (can't remember name), apart from Sunni, Shia, Deobandi, Wahabi, Salafi, Amadyia. But yes, the Salafi/Wahabi type needs to not only be understood, but not defended by the regulars who get on TV. Perhaps those regulars feel the need to defend "Islam" (for the benefit of the ignorant) while knowing the different extremes in the story, or they are knowingly defending the extreme and are Wahabi themselves. Who knows? They are supposed to be "moderates" after all.
And of course the absolute nasty things are completely forgotten during TV interviews by the interviewer and interviewee, with such ridiculous defending of gender segregation in class (discrimination), by making comparisons to single-sex schools or even Eton, and completely deflecting from the point, in order to defend.
If this whole thing isn't explained, the "all Muslims do……" will remain as rhetoric.
You cannot have religious schools, that is a contradiction in terms as religion has nothing with schooling to do. Such "schools" should be forbidden in any rights-respecting society.
Leon Wolfeson
Ah. Well, have fun abolishing the courts then.
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I just put this little design together today! Having fun in photoshop and adobe illustrator!
Thursday, December 03, 2015
Saturday, October 17, 2015
Street Art 2015
So, I've been enjoying a very warm Spring here in Sydney with the exception of the past few days (and today)....I've had the most annoying cough, sore throat, and ..... lack of voice. I'm so hoarse I can't speak above a whisper.
Okay, enough whining. (Honestly, if it's still a problem on Wednesday, I really will need to consult a physician)
The winners were from Poland and couldn't be present to receive the award, but they did submit a video. They were "in disguise". Here's a quick photo I snapped while it was playing.
Missing voice aside, it didn't keep me from going to a art exhibit at aMBUSH Gallery at the Living Mall on Friday evening.
In the exhibit this year there were 92 admissions from 21 countries.
Here are a few of the pieces that I really liked.
This is my favourite (and now my phone's new locked screen wallpaper!)
Others that I like (not in any order):
It must be a SERIOUS crime in Poland to "deface" public structures with spray paint. While I don't really know much about "street art", I do know what I like when I see it. Texture, subject, contrast, and color really capture my attention.
Okay, so the winning piece is pictured below:
The photo doesn't do it justice. It really is a wonderful piece of work. The base appears to be textured, reused wood. It's a multi-media work with reused and thin rusted metal, and a motor plate. And includes for what seems (to me) the typical dark and deathly theme of the skeleton.
I should read up on why pervasive themes in street art include the dark and deathly....I can only relate it to the theme of "softness" represented by the breezy landscapes and milky well fed and well covered ladies of the victorian impressionistic era.
There also seems to be quite the encouragement of street art here in Australia. Last Summer (Oct-Nov 2014), I spent several weeks in Melbourne, where the city commissioned and actually encouraged street artists to decorate the alley ways along the CBD. The artwork was and continues to be incredible (I'll have to dig up a couple of the photos I took).
And in early winter this year, I had the pleasure of walking through the "Street Art Walk" in Katoomba, NSW where an outdoor gallery is dedicated to ongoing 6 month exhibits and commissions for Street Art.
So, there you have it. Everything I know and think about this art form.
Cheers and have lovely day!
Sunday, October 11, 2015
Garigal National Park - New South Wales, Australia
Yes, it's been a LONG...Long time since I posted last...but wanted to share a few photos here from my last excursion here in NSW, Australia....
This was a recent walk in the bush...proper bush walking as Summer approaches here 2015....
This is Bruce. He leads many of the Saturday walks I attend.
A look before went walked down the ridge to the bottom.
Near the dock. Lots of oysters clinging along the rocks.
The ridge in the distance...our destination.
The woman in the centre is my good friend, Alison. She's a vet...the others are a few attendees. In this photo....I told Alison that I found her thought bubble (can anyone guess what I'm talking about?)
This was the view opposite the picture of Alison. We were atop the ridge...and looking down on the photos I posted above.
However, this is a SPECTACULAR view, don't you think?
So, just to give you an idea....I walk with this group which usually varies by attendees (exception Alison and Bruce) week to week....we always have fun and typically end with lunch at a pub. Of my time here, I look forward to the time I spend laughing with Alison about a variety of things (mostly to do with Bruce) and giving Bruce a hard time about making fun of his misconceptions of me (he constantly brings up Gomer Pyle...which I have told him numerous times is VERY OFFENSIVE)
Monday, August 17, 2015
The Spear Lily
Rebecca Daniels @2015
Oil on Hardboard
Following is the inspiration photo I took on a walk Saturday with a few friends.
Sunday, April 12, 2015
Blue Mountains - Leura Cascades to Katumba
Today was another new walking adventure. I went to the Blue Mountains.
What a terrific walk. I started in Leura and walked through town. At the end of a road (and after reviewing the GPS on my phone), I took a chance and entered what "looked" like it might be a bushwalking path. I walked along a pretty wide path, which miraculously opened up near Leura Cascades.
From there, I started walking along the Prince Henry CliffWalk towards Echo Point.
Below is a shot taken along the walk at a lookout point. This is looking down at Bridal Veil Falls. When I go back, I'm going to make sure I have the time to walk along from Leura Cascades in the other direction so that I can walk down to the bottom and across back towards Karumba along the bottom of the bluffs in the bush! There are several falls like this that I'm sure are even more impressive looking up!
You can't really tell in the photo above, but those falls are well over 200 feet tall! (If you look closely, you can see a couple people at the base!)
Above is the classic shot of 3 Sisters! It was absolutely incredible! (But the area where this is - very congested!)
Above is a captivating photo of the views across the expanse
Above is a shot of me at "Copelands Lookout".
More beautiful views.
The base of the first level of Katumba Falls.
Another shot of 3 Sisters off in the distance.
Overview of the hike! I clocked it with my phone. I walked a little over 10 miles.
Wednesday, April 01, 2015
This is one of the oddest birds here in Australia. They are quite prevalent. I chuckle every time I see them, because I think, "They come with their own straw".
Australia tends to consider them pesky. Probably like we consider the goose.
You can read a bit about them here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australian_white_ibis
And here's a really stunning picture of them. You can see they are indeed a cross between a turkey vulture...and a straw! http://davewalshphoto.photoshelter.com/ima…/I0000GEDJrh75UAw
Monday, March 30, 2015
Trekking Malabar to Botany Bay
Now that I've settled in Sydney and a couple projects have "settled" down, I've made a point to venture out and explore this giant island...starting with the outskirts of Sydney.
There is just no way to capture the beauty and awe of a good view:
Little Bay:
Below, a bride was having her photos taken in the wind in front of Macquarie Watchtower:
And I ended the walk in front of the La Perouse Museum, which was closed...Then I was off to a well deserved dinner.
Usually, I have a day of chores and a day of adventure.
Saturday this past weekend was market day....
Heading all warnings (especially after quite the sunburn recently)...I slathered myself in sunscreen and shielded my face with a hat.
And Sunday. Trekking. I took the train and then a bus to Malabar Bay. Here's the overview:
I mostly jogged from Malabar to Little Bay. I say mostly because there were places where it was thick with bush or sand that I walked through....I have to admit that I was a bit nervous. Knowing that Australia is home to the DEADLIEST snakes in all the world doesn't help...especially when you aren't sure where they might be...and you see the few occasional signs warning of "snake sightings".
Having said all that, it's easy to get distracted by the views. Of which there are a breath taking many...
This is the photo after leaving the bus and jogging a bit past the beach.
By this view, I had forgotten all my worry of snakes.
There is just no way to capture the beauty and awe of a good view:
Little Bay:
After that, I ran across a couple golf courses (which hugged the craggy beach line.) Pebble Beach doesn't even compare to the beauty, but not being a golfer, I just jogged along. I was happy that they allowed walkers and joggers on the course. I didn't take any pictures of that part of the trek. It was a golf course. Can't say much more (of course, not being a golfer).
From there, I quit jogging and started walking...cutting over towards La Perouse through the suburb until I hit Botany Bay National Park.
I walked down along a trail and finally hit the beach. There were lots of folks camping along the beach. Can you imagine unzipping your tent and capturing this view?
So, if you look at the shot above and off in the distance, you will see the rocky shoreline. It's like a fun craggy rocky walk. With shoes off, I climbed around until I was under the bridge for a walk over to Bare Island.
The below picture looks a bit surreal.
Below, a bride was having her photos taken in the wind in front of Macquarie Watchtower:
And I ended the walk in front of the La Perouse Museum, which was closed...Then I was off to a well deserved dinner.
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Greetings Everyone, Mav and I are nearing our selection on the open Voice, Fist, and Taldyran Consul positions. I wanted to give a last second reminder to any members who are interested in those positions to hurry and apply. I plan on making all...
Greetings Everyone,
Mav and I are nearing our selection on the open Voice, Fist, and Taldyran Consul positions. I wanted to give a last second reminder to any members who are interested in those positions to hurry and apply. I plan on making all three selections simultaneously and releasing it in a big report that also updates the tremendous possessions testing that has recently occurred (Monty figured out how to break the system and had a billion credits and bought a dreadnaught. Jerk.).
Look for the report and selections over the next few days. Also, if you applied for positions, please ensure you are checking your email. I have sent a few follow on questions to our applicants.
Thanks everyone. Have a great Monday!
GM Pravus
Greetings all, As we narrow down and make our final choice on Voice, I just wanted to drop a reminder that we have two open positions we are looking for applicants for. First, we have the position of Taldryan Consul. Applications close on 9/27;...
Greetings all,
As we narrow down and make our final choice on Voice, I just wanted to drop a reminder that we have two open positions we are looking for applicants for.
First, we have the position of Taldryan Consul. Applications close on 9/27; see here for details.
Second, we have the position of Fist. Applications close on or around the second of October (Not November), but we could make a choice earlier if we don't know applications are coming so let us know if you plan on applying but won't have your application ready in the next day or two; see here for details.
Members of the Dark Jedi Brotherhood - The Chamber of Justice has convened and issued a verdict in the pending case of DB v. Darth Vexatus. The case involved a single charge of harassment. The Chamber has issued a detailed verdict and Justicar...
Members of the Dark Jedi Brotherhood -
The Chamber of Justice has convened and issued a verdict in the pending case of DB v. Darth Vexatus. The case involved a single charge of harassment. The Chamber has issued a detailed verdict and Justicar Opinion for the case which can be found in the PDF files linked below. Please note that the written opinion is generally found on the second page of the following documents, after announcement of the verdict.
The verdict was as follows:
Case #055 - DB v. Darth Vexatus - Opinion PDF
- Count 1 - Harasssment - Plea of Guilty
- Verdict - GUILTY
- Punishment - Demotion to Elder 1; loss of Sith Lord title & "Darth" name honorary; and Letter of Reprimand
Signed and sealed in Justice,
Jac Ae-Sequiera Cotelin
Justicar and High Protector of the Dark Jedi Brotherhood
Good news, everyone! If you have been hiding out in the DB Fiction Chat, or even Telegram in general, you probably heard about the new Character Sheet Sandbox that has been introduced courtesy of James. This is a feature that has been wanted by a...
Good news, everyone!
If you have been hiding out in the DB Fiction Chat, or even Telegram in general, you probably heard about the new Character Sheet Sandbox that has been introduced courtesy of James.
This is a feature that has been wanted by a great many individuals for quite some time and, through the convenience of "I happened to have the CS code open", that time has finally come! The glory is there for you to behold! Its likeness is that of the stars, and its convenience is such that all our inboxes will be saved from the dreaded "Order jumping for testing purposes"!
I won't waste time mincing words, because that's not what you're reading this for. You want to see the thing, and know how to do the thing. So let's get it done!
Here is your Character Sheet Sandbox! It can be found through your Admin Panel under Character Sheet Administration. Depending on your tenure — or habitual updating of your CS — you will have to scroll just a tad to get to the bottom of the page where you will come across both the Character Sheet Sandbox and the Character Sheet Resources.
Once you click, you'll get a list of all the ranks to choose from. This list is unique to the Orders and their Paths so make sure you're grabbing the right one. Path isn't the most important thing here, but the Rank tier itself will determine the points you have available to you.
All right, keep it together and pick something other than Grand Master (we all will, it's okay). Once you've done that, you'll get the standard Character Sheet interface. You should all be familiar with this one by now. So, where do we go from here? We click "Next".
Then we got ourselves the Personal Details. These have been filled out for your convenience, as they happen to be what we like to call "Required Fields"! To save you the hassle, meet Imaginary F(r)iend.
Grab yourself a Discipline, 'cause you won't be going anywhere without one of these!
Armed with your Discipline of choice, you know what has to be done. Click the "Next" button like it owes you money!
Seriously. You need to click that button again, because you're now sitting on the Aspects screen and those aren't what you came to the Sandbox for. You're here for the Points. It's okay, we know what's up, and we accept you. It's time to move on to the Skill Points and Force Points! Even the Feats!
So, now you've made it to where you wanted to be. It's time to start playing around with the distribution and see what things would be like for you. This is your Sandbox, so do whatever it is your heart desires and see what the other side would look like before you get there. Just don't break anything... you don't want to get on the Seneschal's bad side. No anger, only disappointment.
So there you have it. The Sandbox is the epitome of "easy to use" since it is really no different from the interface you use already. You just take a few different steps to get there. I hope you all get a lot of good use out of this, as I can see it being applied towards research and even structuring Character Sheets for such themed competitions.
As always, if you have any inquiries or just want to get in touch please e-mail the Voice staff at [Log in to view e-mail addresses] so we can field it in a timely manner.
TL;DR: Character Sheet Sandbox is a thing now. Go play with it.
On behalf of the Voice of the Brotherhood (glory be to TBA),
Introduction The last five months as your Headmaster have been quite a ride, and it's a really good feeling when the hard work that the SA staff has been putting in is finally beginning to see the light. We've gotten a lot accomplished in...
The last five months as your Headmaster have been quite a ride, and it's a really good feeling when the hard work that the SA staff has been putting in is finally beginning to see the light. We've gotten a lot accomplished in the past month after a fairly light August, and I know that next month's report will have even more to show for it. It's truly an exciting time to be a part of this organization, and I'm glad to contribute at least in some small way to its awesomeness.
Getting Stuff Done in Project Happy Fun Time
If last month's report seemed a bit light, this report is bursting to the seams with stuff the Team SA knocked off our to-do list:
The amazing Daniel "Seraphol" Stephens knocked out a rewrite/update to the entire Department of Legends. The Lightie COREs didn't really need much in the way of updating, but the Dark COREs definitely did. DS knocked out both halves and made for a much stronger Department.
The equally amazing Zachary O'Maille (aka Bentre) has completed a number of rewrites and updates for the courses he's over, including most recently the Mandalorian Studies, Races & Species, Galactic Languages, and Philosophy I: Views courses. Philosophy II is very close to completion as well... although they're both likely to be renamed. :)
The M:FISTs, especially Celahir, have been great resources to fix some issues in our gaming courses - and they don't even work for me!
Our two amazing Magistrates, Ophelia and Rinsz, are also making some solid strides, with our Capital Starships, Fighters, and Freighters/Transports courses all receiving some much-needed love to bring them back within canon. These three courses are close to completion, and I imagine you'll be able to see their efforts in the next week or so. The Combat Tactics courses (including a new one!) are also nearing completion thanks to the efforts of these two.
Journeymen Competitions
Though I'd love to see even more entrants to them (hint, hint Clan Summits) I've been enjoying our Journeymen competitions. I'm still brainstorming ideas for linked competitions - a JM one and an EQ+ one - but I'm not there yet. It's difficult enough to come up with interesting-ish prompts just for the JM! Speaking of... the latest JM competition is running now. It concerns itself with whatever your companion is/was during your stay in the SA, and can be funny, serious, or a combination of the two. I look forward to your amazing entries!
Dusty Exams
Anytime we have an update to a course (beyond just simple edits like fixing typos), we're faced with a decision: we can either retire the old course and put the new one in its place, or we can override the notes/exam of the old course with the new. There are pros and cons to both scenarios: by retiring the old course, we allow everyone to take the course again (this is also a con, to some), but James is forced to recode any degrees/Promotheus changes that course covered; on the other hand, overriding the old notes/exam with the new keeps the course number in the database the same (thus alleviating the concerns about breaking Promotheus) but members who have already taken and aced the exam cannot retake it. Because of the burden on James, it has been standard procedure since before my tenure to opt for the second option.
However, this option does cause one small issue, and that's if you saved (but did not submit) an exam with the old questions and try to resit it. This results in things getting all jacked up (James can correct me if I'm not using the right coding terminology). Next month, we'll be implementing a policy that will only hold onto saved exams for six months; after that period has elapsed, your answers will be emailed to you and your exam will be automatically deleted. Unsure if you have an exam saved but unsubmitted? You can see here quite easily!
Everyone likes statistics, right? There are/were 86 courses in our audit queue when we started this process. 23 have been completed by the SA Staff, 17 are not being audited (the History Department is being condensed, the Writing and Law Departments are special projects, and the two IRC courses are potentially dying), and many of the remaining 46 are currently being audited right now. Am I happy with the pace? No, I'll be honest and say I'm not. My RL has kept me from pushing as fast and often as I'd planned on it, and the amount of courses needing substantial changes is much, much higher than I thought it'd be. However, our efforts in this phase will truly pay dividends after the audit is over as we begin remaking the Shadow Academy in ways that I hope will make it more user-friendly, useful, and interesting.
Shadow Academy Staff are currently engaged in the following projects:
SW History Department Rewrite - Aabs, Lexic, & Farrin: Because of the evil Darth Mickey, my beloved Galactic History courses aren't fully canon anymore. This project is still, embarrassingly, not done. I'm fairly comfortable with the non-Legends history course that resulted from me combining and paring down some of the existing history courses, and Lexic's post-ROTJ course is shaping up nicely. However, paring down the remaining Legends History courses is proving exceptionally difficult. We're seeing movement, but this is still not done. Estimated completion: End of September, 2016
DJB History I & II Update/Rewrite - Alishu: Alishu's work was excellent here (you can read more in the SC he received for his work as my Magistrate), but with the further changes in DB canon there are parts of his courses that need to be reworked. This is on hold until a new VOICE can be installed and clear it up. Estimated completion: End of September? October?, 2016
The Dreaded... AUDIT! (non-SW courses) - PROFs/DOCs, Farrin & Ood: The non-Star Wars courses will be audited for accuracy, typos, etc. Exams are going to be reconfigured and updated. We continue to make strides here. Expected Completion: October, 2016
The Dreaded... AUDIT! (SW courses) - PROFs/DOCs, Marcus, Rins'zler, Ophelia: The Star Wars-based courses will be audited for accuracy, typos, etc. Exams are going to be reconfigured and updated. I was expecting this to be completed by this month, and while we didn't make that goal we made a huge dent in it. This should be done very soon. Expected Completion: October, 2016
Operation Remodel - SA Staff: In an effort to streamline the organization of the Shadow Academy and make it easier to initially get to information and then to find similar information, the SA will see a fairly extensive reorganization. The audit takes precedence, but expect to see more about this later on this summer. Because of the delays in the audit, this has been pushed back slightly. Expected Start: 10/2016; Expected Completion: 11/2016
Operation Prereq - Farrin: In order to make a more focused new member experience, different options are going to be explored to create prerequisite courses before other courses open up to a member. This is on the back burner for now, as the SA Staff has more pressing matters (y'know, the stuff above this item) and it'll require some tweaks on the coding end. Expect more info on this over the summer as well. Expected Start: Unknown; Expected Completion: Also unknown. :)
There are some other really exciting things in the planning stages that aren't quite ready for prime time yet, but hopefully will be within the next couple of months. Stay tuned, sports fans.
Top Exam Takers
|# of Exams
|# of ACs
|Neophyte Tarvitz
|Neophyte Jon Tin'Kodak
|Captain Blair Augusta Dearg
|Proselyte Lord_Jewell
|Warlord Valkas Tamalar Palpatine
Note: these numbers cover the period from 8/17/16 to 9/22/16.
The Shadow Academy covers tens if not hundreds of thousands of words, and those words were written by imperfect humans (GASP!). We try our best to catch and fix any and all errors before we release courses, but we're not always successful. Because of that, we will always need your help. If you spot an error, please report it to the SA Staff using this simple form; if it's a major enough error, or you spot enough, you'll be rewarded. At the very least, you'll get the thanks of a grateful HM... that's got to count for something, right?
In Darkness -
Farrin Xies,
Headmaster of the Shadow Academy
Greetings Artists of the Brotherhood! Today I am going to dip into a few topics that will help clear up any confusion and offer a more enjoyable art experience throughout the DJB. These topics have come up rather recently, so having a more in...
Greetings Artists of the Brotherhood!
Today I am going to dip into a few topics that will help clear up any confusion and offer a more enjoyable art experience throughout the DJB. These topics have come up rather recently, so having a more in depth explanation of them will do everyone some good!
Plagiarism has been a rather large issue in our Club since we require original content in our competitive environment. In graphics specifically, it's often hard to determine what is and is not plagiarized, but we strive to keep our members honest and keep them developing original content through well worded competition prompts. Despite this, some plagiarisms may fall through and we aim to minimize these incidents because, ultimately, it's not about getting first place if it means you acquire the attention of the Justicar.
After discussing this topic in depth with the DGM, JST and HRLD, we would like to explain some very basic notions of what plagiarism is and what it isn't in graphics, and would like to point out several important lessons we have learned that may help you improve and avoid any issues.
Tracing in the DJB
Plagiarism in graphics is almost universally sourced back to tracing an image from someone else's work. So what is tracing? Tracing is a method of "copying" a shape from one canvas to another and using it as a basis for applying paint or, in the case of digital drawing, colorization.
Tracing covers a broad range of activities — like tracing poses, specific body parts, hand motions, facial expressions, etc — and it is mostly accepted in the artist community at large under certain conditions. On the internet, however, tracing is mostly associated with literal copying, line for line, of someone's hard drawn artwork. We will cover some of the methods down the line, but suffice to say that used properly, tracing may be applied to various images to help the artist and shorten work times, or help out in areas the artist isn't all too good at.
The Herald staff applies a method of tracing where we use pre-made and traced body references to create all the robes you see in the Brotherhood. This type of "tracing" is universally considered acceptable because the majority of the work comes in later stages.
Here's another example of how tracing works to help the artist:
This image was done by Vyr, and he has given me permission to use it. Vyr is still learning, much like many of our other artists in the Club, and has issues with human anatomy and often takes several hours to do it right, so he uses reference images and traces the skeleton poses (second and third frames) that he builds his work off of. These types of images take hours for amateur artists to finish and there is a lot of effort involved in trying to learn from examples. Within our community, for the purposes of competitive drawing, these methods are acceptable but need to be sourced and cited as often as possible.
The Dark Side of tracing
There is a form of tracing that is widely considered unacceptable, and that is copying, line for line, some else's work. An example of this is shown below:
What is so different between this image and the ones above. For one, there is a minimal amount of work done to change or improve the artwork, there is minimal (if any) intention to change the lines or improve one's self by doing so. This kind of tracing is generally considered plagiarism and will be dealt with by the Justicar.
Photo manipulation
Photo manipulation is another, often controversial area that people link to plagiarism. However, if you cite your sources correctly and sufficiently manipulate the images, you have nothing to fear. Stock images, in general, are considered a viable resource as long as you provide credit to the original authors. There are many, many sites on the internet that provide these services, some commercial some free. Don't be frightened to use photo manipulation as a method of creating great art, but remember to always credit those that provide your tools.
A good example of photo manipulation:
There is an unclear line between original art and plagiarized art, especially in our Club environment, because it is often hard to determine which art was copied and which wasn't. As always, we rely on your honesty most of all, but always have ways of finding plagiarism. Many people who join and participate do so because it is a fun past-time activity, or hobby. However, there are still rules that we must apply to ensure plagiarism of the worst kind is prevented.
What is important to note here? Both tracing and photo manipulation can be helpful tools or a problem that the Justicar has to handle eventually, so our best suggestion is: Be honest. Cite your sources. If you have used a pose reference, a stock image or another artist's work for one of your own artworks, it is important to cite it in your competition entry comments. If you do this, the judges can then determine the amount of work that went into your entry and judge accordingly. If you take the time to understand the differences and requirements for original work, you will be fine. Just keep in mind the fine line that is walked when it comes to these topics.
In most cases, if you are honest about your sources, you can avoid trouble with the Justicar even if the tracing is borderline unacceptable. In those instances, your entry might be disqualified, but you could avoid the Justicar. It is the cover up that damages you and demonstrates intent to plagiarize.
If you do use tracing or photo manipulation as a method, use it responsibly for your own betterment and growth, not to win internet points. Your integrity is worth much, much more, so please be responsible and help us out.
Additional on topic reading:
Clusters of Graphite
With the successful release of the Cluster of Graphite, there has been some slight confusion when it comes to the awarding of them. Please note first and foremost, there is NO automated system in place for awarding Clusters of Graphite, yet.
All requests must be sent to [Log in to view e-mail addresses] for approval. Also note, any competitions that do not specify that they award Clusters of Graphite WILL NOT award Clusters of Graphite. I.E. the competition will always have "…grants CGs…" in the description.
There are some wiki pages that are available for use when it comes to the Clusters of Graphite and graphics competition approval. Please direct your attention to the following articles:
So there you have it. Some important topics that we felt needed to be discussed with the membership of the club. If there are any questions, please feel free to let us know immediately! Thank you all for your time and get back to arting!
Arcia Cortel, Praetor to the Herald
The Build-A-NPC: "The Scoundrel" has finished running and I'm pleased to announce the winner(s). Winning Submission "Val Kordall" By: Hunter Inyri Ginovef Inyri created a really cool character sheet outline for [Val Kordall. The physical...
The Build-A-NPC: "The Scoundrel" has finished running and I'm pleased to announce the winner(s).
Winning Submission
"Val Kordall" By: Hunter Inyri Ginovef
Inyri created a really cool character sheet outline for [Val Kordall. The physical description and overall feel reminded me of one of my favorite film characters: Doc Holiday. Sure enough, when I got to the notes, that was exactly as Inyri seemed to be referencing or drawing inspiration from.
I really loved how all the Aspects worked together to create a Character I actually start to visualize and feel like getting to know. The Aspects like "Loyalty Is Earned, Not Bought", "My Fee's Are High For A Reason", and especially "I'm Your Huckleberry" give the character a wild-west swagger that I think goes well with the image of a Scoundrel in the Star Wars universe.
I will be following up with Inyri in e-mail to discuss creating the formal Character Sheet for the character, and looking into selecting a different first name, as we already have a badass Non Force user in Val Cole.
As an added bonus, I've asked the wonderful and talented Zehsaa to sketch out a headshot image for the NPC! Expect to see the next Discipline Focus article Soon™
Congratulations also to:
- 2nd Place: Kul'tak Drol!
- 3rd Place: Zachary O'Mallie!
- 4th Place: Samael Ozriel!
- 5th Place: Alara Deathbane!
You can see the rest of the published entries here. I've left feedback on each individual entry for those who were kind enough to create an entry. I appreciate everyones work, and have a treat for a few people who had some really good ideas despite not winning.
New Pre-Written Aspects
I've gone ahead and taken a selection of custom Aspects that were written for this competition and workshopped or transplanted them into C-D4WG's database. All members of the club will have access to the following pre-written, pre-approved system Aspects.
Type: General
Former Slave
{{character}} grew up never knowing {{gender:his,her}} family. {{gender:He,She}} was sold into slavery very young, and was put to work almost immediately. However, due to {{gender:his,her}} age, {{member}} bounced from owner to owner until {{gender:he,she}} became a teenager. Having to endure horrible treatment during this time in {{gender:his,her}} life, {{member}} has lingering trust issues while carrying an absolute hatred toward slavers. If confronted with acts of slavery, {{gender:he,she} will most likely lash out in some way, regardless of it compromises {{gender:his,her}} objective.
Type: General/Personality
We'll Break Their Legs
{{member}} can be very protective, and when any of {{gender:his,her}} friends are being bullied or threatened, {{gender:he,she}} will step in to defend them. This can gets {{member}} in trouble when {{gender:he,she}} refuses to back down during these exchanges, and sometimes has trouble discerning between friendly teasing and intentional insults. However, because of this fierce loyalty, {{gender:his,her}} friends know that no matter what, {{member}} will be there for them.
— By: Tisto
Type: Personality
Anything You Can Do, I Can Do Better
{{member}} is extremely competitive and strives to become the best at every task {{gender:he,she}} is given. The benefit of this cutthroat approach to life and work is that {{gender:he,she}} will always give 100%, pushing {{gender:himself, herself}} to {{gender:his,her}} physical or mental limits to overcome any task. However, {{member}}'s overzealous ambition makes her insufferable to all but the most patient of companions, making it difficult to make friends while {{gender:he,she}} either proves successful or utterly fails at being the best.
— By: Laren
Type: General/Personality
Riff Raff
{{member}} never really learned the definition of true consequence. {{gender:He,She}} has "thieved" and tricked {{gender:his,her}} way into the hearts of strangers, friends, and family but has never dealt with nor experienced a heavy sense of responsibility for those actions. This makes {{member}} a very carefree soul, but he isn't one for serious conversations or threats.
— By: Alara
Type: Personality
Mad World
{{member}} has a sick sense of humor, viewing the world through dark colored glass. {{gender:He,She}} has a biting sense of black humor, often laughing at things that most people would find reprehensible or down right soul crushing. As a result, those that are not used to {{gender:his,her}} brand of humor often find {{member}} downright unbearable or overly morbid. At the same time, {{gender:his,her}} cynicism can be useful for seeing through the optimistic altruism of those {{gender:he,she}} encounters.
Type: General
{{member}} has no home planet, at least not one that {{gender:he,she}} can remember. As a child, {{member}} would spend most of {{gender:his,her}} time on different starships and grew accustomed to the atmosphere and nuances of space and the various crafts that traverse it. Because of this, {{member}} feels more comfortable on a ship than on any planet.
— By: Samael (Edited/Tweaked by Wally)
Type: General/Personality
Didn't Say Anything About That
Be it during a fight or life in general, moral compass means little to {{member}}. If you don't want a person harmed, you had better specify. General terms mean nothing to {{gender:him,her}} as {{member}} only deals in specifics. If the rules of a duel say you can't shoot before the count of three? A grenade over the shoulder is fair game, then. Tell {{member}} to stop someone at all costs, then you better not be concerned if they're brought back dead or alive.
— By: Zachary
Type: General/Combat I Know I Put It Somewhere...
Fond of staying alive and prepared, {{member}} keeps several bladed weapons hidden on {{gender:his,her}} person at all times and in all different locations. {{member}} switches these locations periodically in order to maintain an element of surprise even among {{gender:his,her}} allies who know {{gender:him,her}}. Unfortunately, this sometimes means that {{gender:he,she}} is slower to draw one of these weapons if {{gender:he,she}} forgets where {{gender:he,she}} stashed them.
— By: Kul'tak
I've made a few edits to the respective authors writing, so if there are any issues you guys have with how I re-worded anything, please let me know immediately. Thank you again for these great entries, and for giving back to the Brotherhood by creating new content for our members to use.
NFU Discipline Articles
With the success we've seemed to have with the focus articles, I wanted to start gathering them into one place on the Wiki. Atra, in all his continued glory, was kind enough to make me a table for the bottom section of the Disciplines section of the Character Sheet Guide. You can jump to the Discpline Focus Articles here.
As more of these are completed, more will get filled in. This should help provide even more resources and examples for new members and veteran a like when creating and crafting their characters for the Dark Jedi Brotherhood.
You can find an archive of my previous Combat Master reports HERE. These reports contain a lot of helpful information, so if you're a new or returning member, I'd suggest leafing through them.
ACC Links
ACC Exams
In closing, did you guys like this competition? Do you want to see more of them? Do you like when hit up the comments below and let me know what you think! Most of the CM projects and activities are kind of in a holding pattern as we wait and see who the next Voice will be. I'm still working quietly on things and will let everyone know what's coming up once I have more information.
If you find any typos, or multiple ones, in any of the Aspects, please e-mail the Voice staff at [Log in to view e-mail addresses] so that we can make sure we edit them. Do not call it out on Telegram as it's harder to track for the administrators.
Thank you.
Greetings Everyone, Howie's recent report stated his intent to step aside for a new Consul to take over the reigns of Taldryan. His decision; timed with Zoron's resignation, calls for an immediate need to fill one of our most storied and...
Greetings Everyone,
Howie's recent report stated his intent to step aside for a new Consul to take over the reigns of Taldryan. His decision; timed with Zoron's resignation, calls for an immediate need to fill one of our most storied and beloved Clan's leadership.
We have decided to open applications up to the entire Dark Jedi Brotherhood. Members applying must be of the rank of EQ2 or above, must be able to demonstrate their potential for longevity within our club, and they must have a collaborative personality that is willing to work with the Dark Council as well as Taldryan's elders. Email turn around time, telegram presence, and all other associated "common sense" requirements apply.
Applications are due to Mav, Howie, and I no later than 27 September 2016. Please title your email "Taldryan Consul Application." Applicants can expect a response with additional questions on their applications. Please continue to check this message thread in the event we add additional requirements over the next 24 hours.
GM Pravus
The Undertaking: September 19th - October 3rd The Undertaking is upon us! Finally, the event that (some of) you have been waiting for! The Undertaking is a fancy name for a competition series that starts at site midnight tonight (so this evening...
The Undertaking: September 19th - October 3rd
The Undertaking is upon us!
Finally, the event that (some of) you have been waiting for! The Undertaking is a fancy name for a competition series that starts at site midnight tonight (so this evening in the American time zones) and runs for two weeks until October 3rd. The goal of this competition is to, hopefully, give an opportunity for all the members to interact with the wiki a bit more, and in a more competitive format. Unlike other systems of the Brotherhood, under normal circumstances you're not interacting with the DJB Wiki in a competitive, activity based manner. This competition series will change that while providing people a springboard to interact with our wiki system more.
The Undertaking is comprised of five individual events, with the master competition able to be found here.
- Fiction: Selika Roh, Tribune of the Holocrons of the Dark Jedi Brotherhood, requires your assistance. A double encrypted message has arrived from the Warlord, requesting your presence. Upon meeting with her, she will give you the location information and the task which she has for you to complete.
- Article Creation: For this event, individuals will be tasked with the creation of a single Wiki article. Article content (not counting infoboxes, image captions, or wiki formatting) must be no less than 400 words and no more than 1,200 words. The goal of this event is to create an article that comprehensively covers a limited subject as opposed to writing an exceedingly long article.
- Article Creation (Team): For this event, teams of 2-5 members will be tasked with the creation of a single Wiki article. Article content (not counting infoboxes, image captions, or wiki formatting) must be no less than 500 words with no upper limit.
- Wiki Trivia: Using the DJB WIKI as your guide, answer the ten questions correctly, and in the fastest time possible. Questions will vary widely, but every answer can be found on the Wiki.
- High Profile:: As a part of The Undertaking, there will be a hunt. Of the wiki kind. Using the clues provided below, search the DJB Wiki for the answer. The person with the most correct answers will be victorious. In the event of a tie, the fastest time taken to complete the event will be judged.
So, the big question is of course "What do I get for my trouble?" Good question, hypothetical member! Competition crescents will be awarded for each competition as per usual, but each and every one of these competitions will be awarding first level crescents. Every one. In addition to that, the top three overall performers in terms of placements earned will also be rewarded with first level crescents for their efforts.
But wait, there's more! The first place overall finisher across the entire competition will receive a shiny new custom dossier accessory available only to them!
This holodisk, modeled after the one Morgan Katarn left for his son Kyle Katarn in the ye olde Legends continuity, contains a trove of information sourced from the Holocron Center of the Brotherhood, in addition to embedded codes to access the main archive system in the center itself. (The normal caveats about this being only a cosmetic item with no CS impacts apply here, but it's still a pretty piece of dossier candy for you to lord over your friends!)
Lots of fun prizes await, so get out there and do all the things!
As the Grand Master recently announced, our Fist has stepped down and we have another vacancy to fill on the Dark Council. We will be looking for an individual that not only knows gaming in this club and can improve it, but also someone that can...
As the Grand Master recently announced, our Fist has stepped down and we have another vacancy to fill on the Dark Council. We will be looking for an individual that not only knows gaming in this club and can improve it, but also someone that can communicate and collaborate in a team environment with the Dark Council and the Clans. Based upon feedback from the last application process, we are trying to provide a bit more direction on some things we are interested in for the application itself. Note that what we say here is not all that should be in a good application, but these are elements specific to the Fist office.
In our new Fist, we are looking for an individual to manage our gaming systems, improve membership experience in the realm of gaming, and help ensure that members receive up to date and clear information on DB gaming rules and new game updates as they come. The Fist should work with the Dark Council to implement new opportunities for members and the Consuls throughout the Brotherhood to ensure that members across the club have a chance to participate in and enjoy all of what gaming has to offer. He or she should manage an involved staff such that competitions are varied and common for platforms and gaming items are quickly approved, though the precise way in which the staff functions is at the discretion of the Fist. We expect our new Fist to take a solid, quantitative approach to platform evaluation, and build on the recent success of platforms added this year, while continuing to find ways to ensure that Star Wars games are well supported. We expect the Fist's office to keep up to date with all platforms we play, and provide regular information to members on major patches/updates/expansions of active platforms as they come.
The Fist is open to all members regardless of present rank or position, and we expect applications to cover at minimum the following general items, although not necessarily in the order below and in any format the applicant desires.
- Provide us with your thoughts on gaming in the club in general. Your application should identify any meaningful weaknesses in the gaming aspects of our club, and how to deal with them.
- Provide a plan for evaluation and development for Tier 1 platforms in general, and details where relevant of how to handle Tier 2 platforms moving forward, especially those with considerable activity. Note you are not necessarily restricted here by actions or categories of past Fists, but Star Wars games will always have a special place in the club. You may identify specific platform plans here, but this point is as much about a general strategy for platforms as it is any specific strategy.
- Provide details on how you would administer/manage the Fist staff to handle the large number of games and gaming activities supported by the club.
- Detail any gaming related projects or events you have administered or run that would provide context as to why you would be a good choice for Fist. Fist staff experience, while a plus, is not a requirement.
- Provide ideas for potential Vendetta competitions you would run as Fist (e.g. as during a Feud or Great Jedi War, focusing on the mechanics/platforms and not worrying about storyline). You may believe present Vendetta gaming strategies are the best option and this is fine. This section will not be a primary selection criteria, but we are curious if individuals have other ideas of how to implement gaming during events like Feuds and Great Jedi Wars.
Other thoughts:
-If you for some reason believe a massive system change is necessary, ensure that any such change does not require coding by contacting the SCL; if it does, features that could utilize our existing structures on a preliminary basis would be more welcome than those requiring effort on the part of the coding team to get off the ground.
-Applications containing proposals regarding adjustment of the GMRG are okay, but know that anything that may require coding changes should be passed by the SCL first. Further, there is a good proposal by the Fist staff to update/overhaul the GMRG and the incoming Fist will have a chance to review and weigh in on that, so it is not required that Fist applications provide any adjustments to the GMRG, although they may at applicants discretion.
If for some reason we have additional criteria we wish addressed, we will contact applicants after submission with additional questions.
Applications should be submitted to both the Grand Master and myself. We will plan on making a decision on/around October 2nd.


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Kirk Cousins Starting For The Redskins
While all the reports on Robert Griffin III seemed positive yesterday, Redskins wide receiver Pierre Garcon may have let the cat out of the bag regarding his quarterback?s status for this week?s game.
Talking about their meeting with Cleveland, he said on ESPN?s SportsCenter (via CSNWashington.com) ?We have a little bit tougher of a task with Kirk starting.?
?We have to play well around Kirk so Kirk doesn?t feel like he has to save the team and help him to be a comfortable as possible,? he continued.
For more on this story visit: Darin Gantt, NBC Sports Pro Football Talk


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F/E and B/E Development
This project received 17 bids from talented freelancers with an average bid price of $2556 USD.Get free quotes for a project like this
Skills Required
Project Budget$1500 - $3000 USD
Total Bids17
Project Description
To start IMMEDIATELY.
Convert an existing website written in handcoded HTML, CSS, Javascript and native AJAX. Move hardcoded data in javascript files into a MySQL database and serve the data with a server-side Java/Hibernate.
Further enhance the product with an Admin UI to upload the data. (Currently the data is edited into a javascript files and stored in arrays).
This a test project to prove your capability on two other significant unrelated projects, both of which have to be completed within two months of start date. Production up and running by end of February 2012.
Project 1 - In addition to skills mentioned above, this project requires strong Java, Hibernate, MySQL. You should have experience with Lucene, web crawlers and NLP (natural language processing).
Project 2 - This project also requires Java, Hibernate and MySQL. In addition, you should have knowledge of payment systems (MasterCard, Visa, etc. via website, Paypal etc.).
Fixed price project. However, the intention is to develop a long-term relationship in enhancing these products.
You must speak English.
Looking to make some money?
- Set your budget and the timeframe
- Outline your proposal
- Get paid for your work
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- Forbes
- The New York Times
- Time
- Wall Street Journal
- Times Online


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A late offer to the Amarillo Economic Development Corp. on Thursday pushed back the potential sale of the now-defunct Stempel Manufacturing Co. property.
The board voted to table until Tuesday a proposal to sell the property at Second Avenue and Grant Street for $900,000. As part of the proposal, the AEDC would provide a $750,000 loan to improve the property. A second offer came in Thursday that was not complete, board president Gilbert Guzman said.
"We really need some time to discuss it," Guzman said.
The board also approved a $200,000 loan to McCoy Myers & Associates to expand their Amarillo headquarters. The company plans to spend around $1.7 million for the new building, which would add eight new employees to their current payroll of 31.
McCoy Myers & Associates creates specialized software, hardware and processing services for independent banks, AEDC reports stated.
After the regular meeting, the board heard the proposed 1999-2000 budget and next year's marketing plan. The AEDC would have a budget of about $1.17 million, up from $855,185 this year.
The AEDC's half-cent sales tax is expected to net about $9.8 million this fiscal year, AEDC reports stated, of which $989,817 would be available for operations. About $200,000 would be needed from AEDC's $2.2 million operating fund reserve to cover the rest of the budget.
Marketing would take the biggest jump in spending, the proposed budget showed. Part of the expense is $70,000 to expand AEDC's Web site to include databases with job opportunities at local employers, AEDC associate Steve Pritchett said.
"Our economic development efforts are going to need to focus on attracting people to the market," Pritchett said. "I think we need to take a step back and consider casting our nets a bit wider than we are now."
The Web site also would speed up the AEDC's ability to get proposals to companies. Executive Director Michael Bourn said a proposal could be posted on a password-protected Web page, with the password sent via e-mail only to the proper company.
The budget for media placement and production would jump from $136,000 to $369,000. Part of the cost would be placing 16 ads in The Wall Street Journal starting in January 2000, according to Lynne Groom with Fellers Advertising.
AEDC also will replace its current brochures and videos and add CD-ROMs to allow potential clients access to more information about Amarillo's market.
© 2016. All Rights Reserved. | Contact Us


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Place the crocant basket in the middle of the plate.
Scoop the ice cream into the middle of the basket.
Dissolve honey in passion fruit juice.
Cut strawberries into four and toss them with the honey and passion fruit juice, then place them on top of the vanilla ice cream.
Sprinkle vanilla sauce and balsamic caramel around the basket.
Why not ask your friends and family to contribute towards your dream honeymoon?
Order one of our gorgeous hotel directories.
Enter our draw to win a two-night bed and breakfast stay at Elba Estepona Gran Hotel & Thalasso Spa in Estepona, southern Spain.
Enter the draw


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