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There will be a $3 per person entrance fee into the park. Jeff Brewer is the assistant director of the chorus and Nona Schorp is the accompanist.
The chorus will present the Christmas Story in Song and will open the concert with an exciting piece entitled "Festival of Carols," which includes a number of well-known and beloved Christmas carols. With the beginning of the Advent season, the chorus will perform "Awaken and Prepare Us" and end the first section of the concert with a rousing "Festive Hosanna to the King of Kings."
Opening the second section of the concert will be a song sung in Latin as in the large cathedrals in Europe. The song, "Hodie, Christus Natus Est" ("Today Christ is Born") sung in the Mission gives the audience the ambience of a European cathedral with its fine acoustics. The next song the chorus will perform tells of the angels from the realm of glory on the day Christ was born. They sang "come and worship Christ the newborn King." "Carol of the Angels" will be accompanied by Lindsay Ray on the violin.
Brewer will direct the chorus members as they sing "Angels Sing Gloria, Never-Ending Peace," with soprano solo sung by Leah Brewer, and "Love Came There."
The chorus will change the mood of the concert as the singers perform popular Christmas songs such as "Winter Wonderland," "I'll Be Home for Christmas," with tenor solo by Matthew Wagner, and "Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer." To close this section of the concert, the chorus will sing "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" with soprano solos by Dr. Nancy Jones and Sally Friedlander.
Dr. Lee said that anyone not able to go to Goliad on Dec. 1 will have the opportunity to attend the Christmas concert in the Gertrude R. Jones Fine Arts Auditorium on the campus of Coastal Bend College on Tuesday, Dec. 4, at 7:30 p.m. The concert will be free and open to the public. A reception at the end of the concert will be held in the choir room.


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December 05, 2016
Date: December 30, 2013 Time: 05:30 PM
$10 per class. This is an all level class that will explore alignment flow sequences, relaxing yin postures, and provide fun by exploring one or two intermediate postures. Taught by a certified yoga instructor.
Copyright Pardee © 2013. All Rights Reserved.

subset: commoncrawl


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Two PBS programs focus on Blues and the Jazz Age
September 29, 2011. Posted by Brandy Wood.Add new comment | Filed under: blues, bruce fretts, great performances, hugh laurie, jazz, jazz age, Jazz Alive, jazz88, ken burns, lynn novick, new orleans, pbs, prohibition, wbgo, WBGO Journal
PBS has two programs in the coming week that focus on New Orleans Blues and the Jazz Age. This Friday, September 30 at 9pm (Eastern), British actor Hugh Laurie showcases his musical side in a Great Performances episode filmed in New Orleans. October 2-4, 8-10pm nightly, brings Ken Burns' and Lynn Novick's Prohibition, about the 18th Amendment to the US Constitution and its effect on (or creation of) the Jazz Age.
Laurie says he finds his greatest satisfaction and inspiration from the mixture of blues and jazz that grew out of New Orleans at the beginning of the last century. This Great Performances, "Let Them Talk," includes documentary and interview segments during Laurie's travels around the city. The program features his performances with blues legends Allen Toussaint and Irma Thomas, as well as a fellow countryman Sir Tom Jones. With concert sequences filmed at the historic Latrobe's building in the French Quarter, the musical selections include New Orleans blues standards along with some forgotten and neglected gems.
On Friday at 6:30pm, tune into WBGO for the WBGO Journal as TV Guide's Bruce Fretts stops by to preview Prohibition. Ken Burns will also be a guest on Jazz at Lincoln Center Radio on WBGO Jazz88.3FM on Monday, October 3 at 6:30pm.
Live at the Village Vanguard Concert Series
June 6, 2008. Posted by Joshua Jackson.Add new comment | Filed under: concerts, fundamental notion, guachos, guillermo klein, jazz 88, Jazz Alive, jazz experience, jazz performance, jazz programming, jazz venue, jazz88, josh jackson, media institution, media platforms, music discovery, music producers, national public radio, new media technology, News, premiere jazz, public radio stations, village vanguard, wbgo
WBGO/Jazz88.3FM in Newark, NJ and NPR Music will webcast and broadcast a concert series from the legendary New York City jazz club, The Village Vanguard. The Live at The Village Vanguard series begins next week and will offer monthly concerts for live, free streaming at WBGO.org. Concerts in the series will also be broadcast live NPR Music at www.NPR.org/music.
The Village Vanguard is arguably the Mecca of jazz performance venues. Well into its seventh decade, the Vanguard is revered around the world for its rich history, its continued commitment to jazz, and its near-perfect acoustics. Next spring, WBGO/Jazz 88.3 FM celebrates its 30th anniversary as the premiere jazz broadcaster in the country. Last fall, National Public Radio (NPR) launched the highly anticipated NPR Music site - a free, comprehensive music discovery destination, featuring content from NPR and 12 NPR Member public radio stations, which include WBGO. Now, this trio of music producers and presenters have come together to create a jazz experience that melds new media, technology, and of course - jazz.
Live at the Village Vanguard is a newly launched monthly series from WBGO, The Village Vanguard and NPR that presents jazz programming in a completely fresh way, using multi-platform media to heighten the jazz experience. "WBGO is a public media institution. We are natural communicators, and our mission is jazz. Social media platforms give us the opportunity to build on our foundation, to find and create new fans, and to reach out to people with a real-time connection to music made in the moment," says WBGO Special Projects Producer, Josh Jackson.
Music and social media is the core of this project along with the fundamental notion shared by all involved that jazz is not an exclusive genre on the margin of the vast and expanding media trends and experiences. Beyond your typical live broadcast radio experience, the concerts will be hosted by Jackson, who will be blogging and web-chatting during the performances, in real time from inside the club, on the WBGO Blog: Jazz & Beyond (WBGO.org/blog). The WBGO broadcast team will create exclusive content to connect personally with the public, such as an online photo gallery created live during the concerts that visitors can check out using Flickr, an online photo management and sharing application gallery.
Live at The Village Vanguard begins on June 11 with Guillermo Klein y Los Guachos, the Argentine pianist and composer and his 11-piece band. On June 18, WBGO, NPR and the Vanguard present a live show with innovative jazz drummer Brian Blade, in performance with the Fellowship Band. Other scheduled concerts are the Uri Caine Trio on July 1; the Kenny Barron Quintet on August 27; Paul Motian, Bill Frisell and Joe Lovano on September 3; the Bill Charlap Trio on October 8; the Ravi Coltrane Quartet on November 19; and the Cedar Walton Quartet on December 17.
Jazz content currently accounts for 15 percent of the music on the NPR music site, and NPR believes this is an exciting way to reintroduce the genre to its overall audience. Live at The Village Vanguard is the first jazz concert series to be live webcast by NPR Music and the latest addition to the site's popular "Concerts" section, which features hundreds of regional and national web concerts and adds more than 15 new performances each month. The series continues NPR Music's long tradition of presenting live performance jazz on air and online.
The Village Vanguard continues to blaze the trail when it comes to live performance. Vanguard owner Lorraine Gordon did not hesitate when she was approached with the idea of a broadcast collaboration. "It's an honor and a pleasure to work with WBGO. [W]BGO is a part of the structure of jazz today and the scene…very necessary."
Live at the Village Vanguard Schedule
Join us at the Village Vanguard, or from your living room for any of the following dates:
Wed. June 11th – Guillermo Klein Y Los Guachos
Wed. June 18th – Brian Blade and the Fellowship Band
Tues. July 1st – Uri Caine Trio
Wed. August 27th – Kenny Barron Quintet
Wed. September 3rd – Paul Motian/Bill Frisell/Joe Lovano
Wed. October 8th – Bill Charlap Trio
Wed. November 19th – Ravi Coltrane Quartet
Wed. December 17th – Cedar Walton Quartet
• Live Meebo chat room: www.wbgo.org/villagevanguard
• Live blogging: www.wbgo.org/blog
• OR, get it the next day at WBGO.ORG/ONDEMAND and NPR.ORG/MUSIC.


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Oh, hello. I didn't see you there, because I wrote this about a week before you're reading it and haven't quite polished seeing through time yet. When I do, I'll meet you in the shower. The naked shower. I'll be the guy from the future with the smirk.
Likely you're surprised to see me back here -- my firm, supple buttocks poised just so; my hilarious column free from Gladstone's taint (I use that word in every sense). Perhaps you're even wondering where I've been. Are you wondering that? Don't answer, I'll never know what you said, because I pay a Finnish man to answer all my mail with swears.
Assuming you have been wondering where I had gone, you're very much in luck, because I plan on telling you. I started working at Cracked for the same reason I left -- sweet sexings. Once I had reasonably established myself as a primo comedy seductress, I ventured out to be all the stud I could be. But let me be the first to assure you: That was a terrible idea. No one wants to make awkward, sweaty love to an Internet comedian. It did, however, give me time to reflect on those awful events in life that wick away your sexiness like moisture from a crotch, thanks to some advanced microfiber bikini briefs.
Physical crotch trauma is boner kryptonite, assuming your boner comes from space and is affected by the remnants of its exploded home world. It's one of the most real, immediate and awful ways your sexy time can be shut down faster than a Vatican City burlesque house. Like trying to flip an egg with a spatula that has been kicked in the nuts, trying to engage in sweet, seductive coitus with a wiener that has been kicked in the nuts is just not plausible. To the anecdotes!
And the pictures of coiled meat.
While writing Internet comedy is my cool superhero job, my real world identity has seen me do some pretty shady things to make a buck. I worked at a Staples once. On purpose. Briefly. But other jobs required me to wear shirts and ties and to move about and interact with people in a human, normal way and not like a monstrous slave to a douche corporate leviathan run by sinister, greedy cave trolls.
One fine day while out and about on a job, I came to one of those nefarious stairways that serve to boggle the mind of travelers around the globe. A staircase of about four steps, each shallow and pointless and as wide as the mighty Mississippi. And the stairs were bisected by a metal banister forged by the hands of hell's own blacksmith.
They call him ... Larry.
Strutting along as I was, I didn't particularly notice the patch of water near the top of the step from errant rain, an impromptu floor washing or just a drooly fellow who had been standing there for too long. It doesn't matter why it was there, it was there. And I slipped on it. Like a wishbone on Thanksgiving torn between two slow-witted cousins, my legs went akimbo, each to one side of the banister. My testicles, wary of such blunt force trauma, quickly leaped to my innards. My poor, dumbfounded junk, however, had no idea what was coming for it.
I smashed the banister with enough force to cause me to yell, in an office building, the most fearsome string of obscenities I had ever set free. My wang bent like a hilarious twisty straw in a child's smoothie. Bent. What part of it bent? I don't know, whatever that stuff inside is that makes you have boners when it's not bent.
Gnome jelly?
You'll notice, if you have occasion to own a bent wiener, that a bent wiener is as useful as a Kardashian on the set of Jeopardy! On 364 other days of the year, this would barely be a problem, short of the painful urination and the twinge of anguish whenever something even close to arousal showed up, but as it happened, my Internet comedian's once annual sexing had just come up in the cosmic lottery.
Our art department is allergic to subtlety.
You cannot have sex with a bruised, bent wiener. You just can't. No matter how hard you try. And you will try so hard. The sad fact is that a steel banister is to sex what an angry raccoon is to bath time.
Being sick is rarely conducive to hot times, unless you're afflicted with hump fever, which can be contracted from South American monkeys and Soren Bowie. But there's a world of difference between "I have a sinus cold and just don't feel very into it right now" and "I hope nobody noticed but I just shit myself on the futon."
"Look at the nail polish and not at my pants, look at the nail polish and not at my pants."
Before you ask, the answer is yes, I shit myself on a futon. But I was sick. You've done it too, right? Fuck it, I'm assuming yes.
You may wonder what possesses a man to not only shit himself on a futon, but to share that tidbit in a comedy article that will then be read by literally tens of you, many of whom are not my mom or Gladstone. Or Gladstone's mom. Hey, Mrs. G. S'up? Well, I'm nothing if not an educator, so my suffering is for your gain. Enjoy!
Normal sickness is just normal sickness and hardly worth writing about. To get to the kind of sickness that makes you reconsider being a sexual being at all and, more importantly, makes others reconsider you as a sexual being, you need a number of variables to fall into place at the same time, a perfect shitstorm, if you will. You're going to want to invest in a mild case of the flu mixed with some undercooked hot wings, and then try your hand at drinking a glass of milk followed by a glass of orange juice. Why would you do something like this? Because you're an idiot.
This is not the breakfast of champions.
Once you have all your ingredients together, basically all you need to do is mix them up in your intestines, lay down on the futon in someone else's basement as weakness and chills rack your body and wait for nature to say "Hey, why's your ass clenched so tight? Let's get to work back there."
The day you lose bowel control on someone else's furniture when you're neither drunk beyond belief nor a toddler is the day you realize that if anyone even agrees to be in the same room with you ever again you're a lucky fella.
It's also the day you realize adult diapers aren't just for the elderly.


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Recovery Media creation and usage.
NOTE: Microsoft Windows 8 and Windows 8 Pro operating system preloads, from Lenovo, do not have the option to create Recovery Media through a Thinkvantage Technology utility (DVD recovery media) as was available in Microsoft Windows 7 preloads from Lenovo. With the release of Microsoft Windows 8, the new preload recovery process is outlined below. This process only utilizes the use of USB media. This process does not support the use of DVD recovery media.
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text: I couldn't leave, but my husband split from his girlfriend when my SD was only 11 mos old. He sees her 3 days out of the week and their relationship seems to be blooming...She's 4 now. Sometimes when she got sick or was on vacation he wouldn't see her for close to a month, and she was between 1 and 2. So, maybe it's harder on the mama than the baby? Still I couldn't do it.


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Jerad Miller's Facebook page says he graduated from Kennewick High School. While that fact may not have been very noteworthy last week, in the wake of the Las Vegas shooting rampage that left two police officers and one innocent citizen dead over the weekend, which Miller is accused of engineering with his wife Amanada, it's enough to shine a spotlight east of the mountains.
According to KVEW TV in the Tri-Cities:
The Kennewick School District confirms one of the suspects in the Las Vegas shooting that claimed the lives of two Las Vegas Police officers was once a student at Kennewick High School.
The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department confirms the two suspects in the shooting are married couple Jerad Miller and Amanda Miller.
Jerad attended Kennewick High School the second semester on his freshman year in 1999.
It's not clear when Jerad moved out of the Tri-Cities but he does have a criminal record in Benton County.
In February 2001 he was convicted of third-degree theft and later that year in June, he was convicted of third-degree malicious mischief.
In April of 2002, he was found guilty of assault with intent to cause injury and later that year in August, Jerad was convicted of obstructing a public officer and DUI.
Kennewick High School is the only place Jerad Miller apparently has ties to. According to Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Assistant Sheriff Kevin McMahill - who has said that law enforcement officials believe the Millers "equated government ... with Nazis" - Jerad was recently a visitor to Cliven Bundy's ranch. According to McMahill, Miller was kicked off the ranch "because of his criminal history and background," as noted by the Huffington Post.


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Events » Adult Education Classes » Afternoon Salon
Afternoon Salon
Portrait of the Artist's Mother, October 1888
Vincent van Gogh
Dutch, 1853-1890
Oil on canvas
16 x 12-3/4 in. (40.6 x 32.4 cm)
Norton Simon Art Foundation
Vincent van Gogh
Date: Sunday, February 10, 2013
Time: 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm
Speaker: Staff Educator
Type: Afternoon Salon
The Museum's collection of works by Van Gogh includes landscapes ranging from Holland to Provence, portraits of the artist's mother and the peasant Patience Escalier, and, on loan from the National Gallery of Art, one of the artist's last self-portraits. Consider the artist's unique style and personal history in this in-depth conversation about one of the modern era's most influential artists.
Meets in Entrance Gallery | The program is free with admission and limited to 20 participants. | Please sign up at the Information Desk no later than 15 minutes prior to each session.


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Keeping tabs on our small worldFebruary 11,2013Jeb Wallace-Brodeur / Staff Photo
Norwich graduate Lou Bello talks to soldiers at combat outposts to keep the finger on the pulse of the command.
There are certain topics on which I editorialize a few times each year: understanding civics, being engaged citizens, and always keeping the big picture in mind as individual decisions are being made. The job of editorial writing is connecting dots, taking a side in a debate and educating the public to the issues not outlined in news stories.
It was not until I met Lou Bello that I came to realize I was not just being an ideologue when opining on those broad issues of citizenship. Bello lives in Barre with his wife and six children. He is active in this community, and is well known among Barre school officials and coaches, around City Hall, and even in both chambers of the Statehouse and around state government.
Bello takes long views on issues and events. He is not quick to judge. He understands networking and how nothing in our community is random. To Bello, everything has a place in community-building, no matter how seemingly insignificant. Without throwing politics and posturing in my face, Bello, a Norwich grad, told me why he loved living in central Vermont, and how we each could be agents of change in our own way. (His wifes family has deep roots here; he grew up in New York state.)
Lou Bello was living proof of my ideology the reader I always hope we reach as a newspaper.
In our two-hour conversation last month at The Times Argus, I listened as Bello astutely connected the dots of public policy, economic development, political brinksmanship, constitutional rights (state and federal), and even family values. He quoted my reporters by name, and even quoted me back to me (without knowing I was the author, I can only presume). He reads constantly, devouring books of nonfiction and history.
I had invited him in because I wanted to exploit him. True story. I wanted to exploit Lou Bello.
You see, Bellos home, family, friends, church his life are in Barre. The commute to his job is 7,000 miles away at frontline combat operations in Afghanistan. After serving 27 years in the U.S. Army, Bello retired two years ago as a lieutenant colonel. In his military role, he served with and under generals whose names we have come to know well, like McChrystal and Petreaus.
Yet, as an active duty officer in the Vermont National Guard, he is serving as an inspector general in Afghanistans lower province. He is there today as a civilian, advising the military. (Every state has two inspectors general.)
It is his job, in part, to assist soldiers, study the chain of command, problem-solve and much more.
In his own words: We are considered the eyes, ears, voice and conscience of the commander, and we serve four primary functions: assistance, inspections, investigations, and teach and train the force. We basically have our hand in everything that impacts the morale, welfare, training, and readiness of the unit were responsible for. In my case that is Regional Command -East, which is the largest of the regional commands in Afghanistan. It is commanded by an American major general.
Bello travels to combat outposts (yes, taking fire and in harms way) and forward operating bases to talk to soldiers and commanders in an effort to keep the finger on the pulse of the command to head off potential issues.
Sports Editor Anna Grearson had met Bello at the gym while he was home for a few days out of his 13-month stint. His daughter Sarah plays for Spaulding High School girls basketball, and has appeared in The Times Argus this season a few times. He talked to Grearson about how much he enjoyed following the newspapers high school sports coverage while he was overseas.
Hence, my urge to exploit. Problem is, after our conversation, I was overcome with guilt. I did not feel it was right to promote a local man who does so much for his country, community and family from the other side of the globe. Instead, he inspired me and reminded me how important the roles we all play are to community- building.
This past week, Bello sent me an email, just saying hello and thanking me for the time to talk. It had, somehow, inspired him, too. When I told him about how I was struggling with the dilemma of deliberately exploiting his cross-the-globe reading of The Times Argus (and the Freeps and VtDigger, by the way) to stay connected with his hometown life, he again took the long view to say what my conscience had been gnawing on for weeks.
Technology has made the world as small as email, as accessible as Skype. Bello talks to his family via Skype each Sunday before church. They email daily, and he has even been known to advise his wife about something he read in the online version of the newspaper (before she was even awake). That included finding a picture of daughter Sarah making a drive during a game in a photo taken by our own Jeb Wallace-Brodeur. The proud dad couldnt show enough soldiers in Afghanistan to contain his pride.
To my concern, Bello wrote, Soldiers and deployed civilians stay connected to their hometown through the Internet accessing their hometown newspaper. Additionally, those who move away from Vermont to other parts of the country and other parts of the world also use the Internet to read their hometown newspaper in order to stay connected to their roots.
He went on: I can tell you that many soldiers and many of my civilian colleagues here access the Internet to view their hometown newspaper to stay connected to events... It is mandatory daily reading for most.
Long gone are the days of care packages arriving with copies of old newspapers. The days of handwritten letters have been replaced with emails. Facebook and Twitter offer new vehicles for keeping in touch. Information is instant even 7,000 miles away.
It means we are connected in ways that make a difference... We can continue to be where we need to be, know what we need to know, and even see what we need to see, he told me.
The Department of Defense and the U.S. Army make sure soldiers get the access to home, through banks of computers, Smartphones and more, he said.
For Bello, on the frontlines, information is crucial, whether its troop movements or a police blotter mention of robberies in his neighborhood in recent days. If he knows, he can act and make a difference even so far away.
Lou Bello is making that difference.
Steven Pappas is editor of The Times Argus.MORE IN Central VermontMIDDLEBURY According to WebMD, Dystonia is a movement disorder that causes a persons muscles ... Full StoryTiffany Briggs and Kayla Jackson eyed each other across the table, clasped hands, and then it was... Full StoryMARLBORO Police are investigating a burglary on Higley Hill Road. Full Story
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14 Dec 2012 - 09:57 - Energy Data - Source: RANsquawk
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"Your radio show changed my life. As a result of listening, I converted to Catholicism at 53 years old. I was a very active Protestant my whole life before becoming a Catholic. Keep up the terrific work!"
"We run no risk of deceiving ourselves in considering a Superior Intelligence the author of all things, in referring to it those splendors of the heavens which aroused our thoughts; and finally we are ready to understand and accept the traditional formula: God, Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth."


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Bureau names Echinacea for 2014
The National Garden Bureau has named Echinacea as its favorite plant for 2014. Start planning your gardens accordingly.
I love Echinacea, commonly known as coneflower. I love the way this flower pulls back its petals to reveal the large flower head known botanically as a capitula. The blooms are actually the oversized center disks that appear prickly and what we think of as the petals are really colored bracts.
Echinacea is a member of the daisy family of plants, Asteracea, which is Greek for the word "star." The plant's botanic name, Echinacea, is derived from the Greek word, echino, meaning spiky or prickly.
According to the National Garden Bureau, the coneflower is native to central and eastern North America. You can put this flower in your garden with the knowledge that you are bringing a native plant back to its original habitat.
I've had several coneflower varieties in my gardens over the years. The most common is the purple coneflower, which also is listed as an herb due to its medicinal use by herbalists and Native Americans. It was used to soothe sore throats and headaches. It was also used as a pain reliever and some believe it has antidepressant properties.
What is so fun about these plants is that you don't have to plant just purple. Since their popularity has grown over the years, many varieties of many colors have been cultivated. One of my favorites is called Green Envy, a pale green flower, but they also can be found in shades of pink, red, yellow, white and even orange. There are even double varieties with layers of petals. Some garden centers sell mixed color combinations.
In the wild, Echinacea likes to grow in sunny fields and prairies. Both bees and butterflies are attracted to this plant, which blooms from June through August. When other perennial flowers have faded, Echinacea will continue to bloom, making it a good plant for those in-between flowering stages in the garden.
If starting this plant from seed, you will need to start it indoors about eight to 10 weeks before moving it outside for the summer. This means seeds should be started no later than mid-March for early summer blooms.
It takes about two weeks for the seeds to germinate. Keep them moist and give them adequate light. I like to start my seeds under a fluorescent light fixture with one cool white and one regular bulb, making sure the lights aren't more than two inches higher than the soil. As the plants grow, raise the light, keeping it within that two-inches. When the seedlings get their first set of true leaves, you can tranplant them to larger containers. The first leaves to emerge from the seeds are not the true leaves. These are called cotyledons or "seed leaves." The next set of leaves after the seed leaves are the true leaves.
When they are moved outside, put them first in a partially shaded area to get them accustomed to the brighter light of the outdoors. After a while, you can gradually move them to full sun.
If you purchase plants from your local garden center, also take some time to acclimate them to your yard before planting.
Because these are native plants and are used to our climate, they don't require a lot of maintenance. No fertilization is needed and no extra watering once they become established. As prairie plants, Echinacea are used to periods of drought.
The best way to plant Echinacea is in masses for the full effect of their beauty. I like to plant in, what is called drifts, which means to plant masses of the same plants in various places throughout the landscape.


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Makers and Breakers
Records are a huge part of baseball. When a player comes along and makes an all out assault on a record previously though impregnable, we all take notice. Did anyone 20 years ago think that Gehrig's consecutive game streak would ever be broken? But then along comes Ripken. Same thing the summer of '98 when Sosa and McGwire went back and forth on their way to shattering Maris' record.
Sometimes, though, I prefer just focusing on the record makers instead of the record breakers. Take a look and I think you'll agree.
Happy Saturday!
3 Comments
I was fixated on this. The ending was definitely weird, and that was when my wife walked by.
Did my eyes deceive me, or did she just fart diamonds?


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Diversity and cross-cultural issues in Ghana
|Diversity and cross-cultural issues in [[{{#explode:Diversity and cross-cultural issues in Ghana| |5}} {{#explode:Diversity and cross-cultural issues in Ghana| |6}} {{#explode:Diversity and cross-cultural issues in Ghana| |7}}]]
|In fulfilling the Peace Corps' mandate to share the face of America with their host countries, Peace Corps is making special efforts to see that all of America's richness is reflected in the Volunteer corps. More Americans of color are serving in today's Peace Corps than at any time in recent years. Differences in race, ethnic background, age, religion, and sexual orientation are expected and welcomed among our Volunteers. Part of the Peace Corps' mission is to help dispel any notion that Americans are all of one origin or race and to establish that each of us is as thoroughly American as the other despite our many differences.
|See also:
In fulfilling the Peace Corps' mandate to share the full face of America with our host countries, we are making special efforts to see that all of America's richness is reflected in the Volunteer corps. More Americans of color are serving in today's Peace Corps than at any time in recent years. Differences in race, ethnic background, age, religion, and sexual orientation are expected and welcomed among our Volunteers. Part of the Peace Corps' mission is to help dispel any notion that Americans are all of one origin or race, and to establish that each of us is as thoroughly American as the other, despite our many differences. Our diversity helps us accomplish that goal.
In other ways, however, our diversity poses challenges. In Ghana, as in other Peace Corps host countries, Volunteers' behavior, lifestyles, background, and beliefs will be judged in a cultural context very different from our own. Certain personal perspectives or characteristics considered familiar and commonly accepted in the United States may be quite uncommon, unacceptable, or even repressed.
Outside of Accra, Ghana's capital, residents of rural communities have had relatively little direct exposure to other cultures, races, religions, and lifestyles. What is advertised as "typical" cultural behavior or norms may also be a narrow and selective interpretation, such as the perception in some countries that all Americans are rich and have blond hair and blue eyes. The people of Ghana are justly known for their generous hospitality to foreigners; however, members of the community in which you will live may display a range of reactions to differences that you present. We will ask you to be supportive of one another.
In order to ease the transition and adapt to life in Ghana, you may need to make some temporary, yet fundamental compromises with who you are as an American and as an individual. For example, female trainees and Volunteers may not be able to exercise the independence available to them in the United States; political discussions will need to be handled with great care; and some of your personal beliefs may best remain undisclosed. You will need to develop techniques and personal strategies for coping with these and other limits. The Peace Corps staff will lead diversity and sensitivity discussions during your pre-service training and will be on call to provide support, but the challenge ultimately will be your own.
- 1 Overview of Diversity in Ghana
- 2 What Might A Volunteer Face?
Overview of Diversity in Ghana
The Peace Corps staff in Ghana recognizes adjustment issues that come with diversity and will endeavor to provide support and guidance. During pre-service training, several sessions will be held to discuss diversity and coping mechanisms. We look forward to having male and female Volunteers from a variety of cultures, backgrounds, religions, ethnic groups, and ages and hope that you will become part of a diverse group of Americans who will take pride in supporting each other and demonstrating the richness of American culture.
What Might A Volunteer Face?
Possible Issues for Female Volunteers
Friendships between men and women and ideas about romance are different in Ghana than in the U.S. Ghanaians casually joke about marriage often, and after a while you will appreciate the humor and laugh right along with them. Some Volunteers, however, tire of the constant marriage requests. Wearing a wedding-band does not minimize unappreciated comments.
Possible Issues for Volunteers of Color
MaThe name they give to foreigners, oburoni, actually translates to "someone from over the horizon." But you will find that this term is used interchangeably with "white person." People will try to guess at what you are or simply assume and yell something at you like "Indian!" or "Chinese!" or "Black-American!" This is very difficult for some people. To suggest people might not know the difference between chinese,indian, black American is a bit untrue.Labanese,Indians, half cast and black Americans are the easiet to be indentify by Ghanains But it is true that most Ghanaians will get confused with chinese,Koreans Japanese and whites.
Possible Issues for Senior Volunteers
Age is respected in Ghana, and Volunteers in their early twenties find that they may have to make an extra effort to be accepted as professional colleagues since very often Ghanaians of that age are still pursuing their education. Younger Volunteers must work for acceptance and respect since respect in traditional Ghanaian society is associated with age. In contrast, every wrinkle and every gray hair earns respect for the experience and wisdom they represent.
Possible Issues for Gay, Lesbian, or Bisexual Volunteers
Ghanaians feel that homosexuality is immoral and depraved behavior. Homosexuality is against the law. Being sensible about revealing one's sexual orientation in one's home, workplace, and community is advisable. Being "out" can invite harassment and physical attack.
See also: Articles about Ghana on the National Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual Peace Corps Alumni Association website at http://www.lgbrpcv.org/articles.htm
Possible Religious Issues for Volunteers
Volunteers in Ghana may frequently be asked if you believe in God. Because church or the mosque and prayer is a big part of many communities, you may feel under pressure to attend.
Because Ghana is predominantly a Christian and Muslim country, people may not understand what it means to be Jewish, Buddhist, or Hindu. Unlike the United States, religion and prayer are built into all official ceremonies and meetings. Interestingly, many educated Ghanaians do not believe in traditional, indigenous beliefs and frown upon others being interested in such topics. If you do not participate in organized religion in the U.S. it is alright to discuss this with Ghanaians. They will be quite intrigued if you do not believe in God. Some people may find this nearly impossible.
Possible Issues for Volunteers with Disabilities
Being disabled in Ghana brings about its own complications. In some cases, people may not feel you can do the job, and others may try to do things for you instead of letting you do them yourself. As for Ghanaians, they are generally very blunt and direct in asking you about your disability. As a disabled Volunteer in Ghana, you will face a special set of challenges. There is very little infrastructure to accommodate those with disabilities. Peace Corps/Ghana will work with disabled Volunteers to make reasonable accommodations in training, housing, and job sites to enable them to serve safely and effectively.


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Lindsay Jubeck went to Phnom Penh, Cambodia, to complete TEFL (Teaching English as a First Language) certification before arriving in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, where she is teaching English for the year. Previously, she embarked on a 13-month trip through Latin America––starting in Peru and traveling through Ecuador, Colombia, Panama, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala, Belize and Mexico. For more details on Jubeck's adventures visit her blog lindsayleaps.com.
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Illinois Longitudinal Data System Project
OverviewUpdated September, 2011
The Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE), along with our Education Partners, is now actively moving forward with the design and development of the state-wide Illinois Longitudinal Data System (ILDS). The system, when fully deployed, will provide data to help to track the outcomes of Illinois students as they progress from Pre-K through Postsecondary education, and as they enter the workforce. Longitudinal data supports an in-depth, comprehensive view of students' progress and will ultimately help guide policymakers on where to invest time and energy to most effectively improve student achievement in our State.
The ILDS is defined by Public Act 96-0107 and enabled through federal funding, and instructs the State Board of Education to link student test scores, length of enrollment and graduation records over time. The system also will connect students to career planning and resources, with the potential to facilitate the application process for students as they progress through their education path.
ILDS will serve a large stakeholder group, including:
- Illinois State Board of Education
- Local Education Authorities
- Regional offices of education and intermediate service centers
- Parents and other members of the general public
- State Legislatures
- News media
- Research organizations
- Postsecondary Institutions
- State workforce and higher education agencies
- Education Partners
In preparation for the implementation of LDS, ISBE has put in place key building blocks that support the gathering of data, while ensuring the privacy of the individual student's information. A state-wide student identifier system is now in place, and is actively being used to link student records along their academic path. This unique identifier removes the need to use personal identifiers to help track individuals.
Project activities include working with the stakeholders to define the appropriate data access rights for each group while preserving the privacy of individuals per Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and the Illinois School Student Records Act (ISSRA).
Illinois has received two federal grants that help provide funding for the ILDS project. The initial Statewide Longitudinal Data Systems grant is comprised of five major components:
- Establishment of Data Advisory Committee – The Committee consists of a broad group of stakeholders that advise ISBE and its Education Partners on data use and data management. This group helps define the data gathering and reporting requirements for ILDS, along with advising on data coordination across agencies.
- Development of an Enterprise-wide Data Architecture – This provides the blueprint for the ILDS Data Warehouse, establishing standard data definitions for reporting and data transaction sets that support interoperability with partner systems.
- Improved Data Quality through Data Stewardship- ISBE has established a system of data stewards that are responsible for data quality and data management, including developing processes for statistical checks of LEA data submissions, and for supporting and expanding training opportunities to improve data quality.
- Development of an Education Enterprise Data Warehouse – This effort puts in place the infrastructure, tools, and data constructs that enable analysis and research of student level data. ISBE will link their student-level data to other student-level data to enable analysis and research, and will also build Data Marts to support federal reporting, streamlining the processing to construct these reports.
- Linking of the ISBE Unique Student Identifier with Postsecondary and Employment Data – This effort broadens analysis and research opportunities by establishing data sharing agreements and the technical links between ISBE, postsecondary, and employment systems and data. With these links in place state level education and employment agencies will have access to shared data supporting long-term longitudinal studies and other research efforts.
The second grant, the Statewide Longitudinal Data System Recovery Act Grant, is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). Referred to as the ILDS Expansion Project, it is comprised of four interrelated components:
- Establish a Statewide Transcript System for Middle and High School Students – This system collects student-level transcript information, including information on courses enrolled, completed, and grades earned, and also included the implementation of a statewide course classification system.
- Integrate Student-level Data with Teacher and Administrator Data – ISBE will redesign its teacher and administrator data collection systems to permit integration of student-level data with teacher and administrator data.
- Continued Expansion and Development of Postsecondary Education Data Systems – ISBE and its state education partners will expand upon current postsecondary education data systems to included data from private postsecondary educational institutions, data from out-of-state institutions of higher education, and workforce and employment data. This expansion will also include the development of enhanced public reporting tools to provide postsecondary educational institutions, LEAs, and the public with information on a variety of useful measures addressing postsecondary education performance.
- Expansion of Early Childhood Data Collection Systems – the state longitudinal system collects data on children participating in state-funded prekindergarten programs and special education early childhood programs. Through the ILDS Expansion Project, ISBE now collects data from infant and toddler programs that are funded through the Early Childhood Block Grant into the state longitudinal data system to capture information on all of the state-funded programs in Illinois serving children from birth to five.
The four components also address many of the data collection requirements the state must meet as part of Phase II of the Education Fund under the State Fiscal Stabilization Fund (SFSF) Program.
The ILDS Project Management Office is established, and project activities are underway. Work to build the Enterprise-wide Data Architecture has been completed and work is underway to design and build the Education Enterprise Data Warehouse.
The Data Advisory Committee is comprised of members from partner organizations representing School Boards, School Districts, Teacher and School Administrators, the Legislature, Postsecondary Education, and Research Organizations throughout Illinois. The committee meets on a quarterly basis to assist in the development of the information and guidance needed for building the data architecture and data warehouse for ILDS.
Data Stewardship activities targeted to support data quality and data management initiatives are ongoing. The results of these activities can be viewed on the State Fiscal Stabilization Fund Program page.
In cooperation with education partners at the Illinois Board of Higher Education (IBHE), the Illinois Community College Board (ICCB), the Illinois Shared Enrollment and Graduation (ISEG) and the newly formed Illinois Higher Education Consortium (IHEC), ISBE is linking P-12 data with Postsecondary data. In addition, ISBE is exploring a growth model assessment approach that will allow us to connect the assessment data to teachers and then to teacher preparation programs.
ISBE is in the process of establishing a research agenda and is exploring relationships with postsecondary research resources. This effort will help identify and define the key policy issues in the State; communicate research priorities and recruit researchers to address these priorities; facilitate the data-sharing agreements and administrative aspects of research projects; communicate research findings and develop recommendations for policy and practice; assist practitioners in developing research capacity for data collection and analysis; and seek and secure external funding for additional projects aligned with state priorities.
Student Information System (SIS) expansion has resulted in the implementation of a Statewide Course Classification System and the collection of courses and grades for high school students. During the 2011-2012 school year this work will expand to include K-8 course data, and the collection of teacher course assignment data. Expansion of the collection of Early Childhood Data Collection System, integrated within the (SIS) has been completed and implemented for the 2011-2012 school year to support the collection of early learners from 0 to five years of age.
Work is beginning for the redesign and rewrite of the teacher and administrator data collection systems. Targeted for implementation in the summer of 2012, this will support the linking of teacher and student data. Integration of this data supports the evaluation of teacher preparation programs, and will also support the use of student growth data as part of the teacher and administrator evaluation process.
The ILDS project will continue to build additional data collection capabilities while seeking opportunities to reduce the data collection burden for school districts, perform integration of student, teacher and administrator data, and establish additional intergovernmental agreements with postsecondary education and workforce institutions to develop and expand the linking of education data.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact the ILDS Project Management Office at email@example.com.


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Also Guys, don't Carbon Copy my Skills. I want variety, as Chie was Physical/Ice while Teddie was Support/Ice, and Teddie got stronger Ice spells than Chie, I want to see that. I wont accept anymore Single Dyne Spell and the multi-hit Spell of same element below that anymore, also, I'm assuming you want to have your persona evolve after Virgo, so if you want to do Libra, or even after Libra, then add in skills for that.
I updated the moveset. I also added, well it was already there actually but I noticed it, a second part of his motif. Fire can mostly keep up with water (His passionate (Fire) inner personality and his cooler (Water) outer personality, his headphones and hat, and now the moveset), but it still falls just behind (He keeps his inner personality under control, the fire becomes steam on his headphones and hat while the fire would just be put out, Agi spells don't reach as high as Bufu spells). He is temperance, which is like balance, but he is unbalanced. Even with him and Triton, Triton is great at magic but has some physical stuff, while Kendall himself is very physical. Overall he is a force of balance, and represents two opposite sides, but can't get a proper balance. I've also moved the evolution until after Libra both because it seemed too early on Virgo, and for added symbolism. Libra represents balance, like temperance. Also, it is my and-by extension because I like to share some stuff with my RP characters-Kendal's zodiac sign.
So yeah, Persona is a highly symbolic thing with some of the stuff and I am glad I could get in plenty of symbolism myself. Even if most of it was coincidental. And yes, I know temperance and balance aren't the same, but it seems that the temperance arcana is being used for that purpose from what I've seen.
Alright, those are a lot better XD. Accepted, and I do agree... Persona has so many things we're blind to... It helps us realize things we haven't before.
I would like to reserve the Strength Arcana, please.
Alright everyone, I'm going to give Iron one more day because of he explained everything to me in a VM. We will start when all spots are filled, so please try to bring others here into this RPG.
Well I'd hate for this to die, so I'll start seeing if I can find others. I'll probably put a link here in my sig or something.
Name: Duane Lostner
Age: 17
Gender: Male
Arcana: Strength
Band Position: Keytarist (Up yours, Google Chrome. Keytarist is a word)
Appearance: Duane is six feet tall, with a thin but fit build. Kind of a Spider-Man deal, but not quite as muscular. His face is thin and pale, and his hazel eyes look dark and worried, which make him look a bit older than he is. He keeps himself clean cut, his face shaven, his nails kept, and his short black hair combed back neatly in place with hair gel.
Duane always looks a little tense, with his shoulders always hunched a little, and his arms usually crossed or in his pockets. When he stands he usually fidgets and rocks back and forth, unless he's leaning up against something. When he sits he's usually slouched, and he always looks a little tired.
Duane is a fan of dressy attire. His wardrobe mostly consists of dress shirts, dress pants, chinos, and loafers, and sometimes dark jeans and sneakers when the time calls for it. The only times he will wear anything else is when it would be considered inappropriate, such as when working out or doing manual labor. He can frequently be seen using his multimedia player, along with his set of black earbuds.
Personality: Duane is generally laid back and aloof. He doesn't talk a whole lot, unless it's to make some dry joke. He's a bit of a slacker, and likes to joke around as much as the next guy, but knows when it's time to get serious and get to business. He's always willing to help someone out, and doesn't really make problems with anyone. His quiet nature and emotional distance from others gives off an air of extreme apathy.
In reality though, Duane is extremely self-conscious. So much so that he's developed an unnaturally strong fear of people talking about him behind his back. Because of this, he takes great care in every aspect of himself, from the way he dresses to his physique to what he says at any given time. He uses his nonchalant attitude as a sort of front, so when he fails at something or something doesn't turn out as planned, he can fall back on an excuse of he really didn't try or he didn't care. He's usually reluctant to ask others for help, as he feels like he constantly needs to prove himself, although to who and why is never particularly clear. Duane lacks a lot of self confidence, so he's naturally drawn to confident people, and uses them for support when he isn't confident enough in himself.
Duane's desire to always prove himself has given him a passion for exercising himself both physically and mentally. He's a dedicated practitioner of the martial arts, and has a love for drawing. He also dedicates lots of his time to volunteer work and other extracurricular activities, though he usually needs something to get him motivated towards getting anything done.
Biography: Duane was the third of four children, with an eldest brother, a twin sister, and a younger sister, each a prodigy in their own right. Because of his equally talented siblings, Duane would usually need to compete for the affection and attention of his parents (or at least that's how he felt), but would usually come up short in comparison. This made him feel generally inferior and unsure of himself.
In middle school, Duane began to pursue attention in the wrong way, as he went through his rebellious (read: douchebag) phase. He would frequently not do his work, bring in failing grades, and start fights.
When high school rolled around Duane finally began to mellow out when he realized that wow he's kind of a douche. This was when Duane started to turn his life back around to make up for the previous years he had effed up. He began taking school seriously again, and began to do volunteer work.
Basic: Metal Pipe- A thin length of pipe, about as long as your leg. No added effects. 80 power.
Mid-Tier: Spiked Bat- A wooden bat with rows of nails messily hammered up and down the bat. Just looking at the rust covering the nails is enough to make you need a tetanus shot, and has a chance of inflicting Poison on the enemy. 200 power.
Ultimate: Fire Ax- A regulation fire ax, a wooden handle with a metal blade and a pike on the other end of the head. This tool only used by the bravest of men has the added effect of repelling the effects of Fear. 370 power.
Joke: Push-Pull Toy- Man just look at this thing. This weapon has the added affect of boosting the user's speed slightly, and isn't good for much else. Also it goes 'quack' when you push it. 35 power.
Evoker: Duane's evoker is a 1911 Colt 45 handgun. In the handle there's a carving of a blooming rose, and on the barrel of the gun is the word "Forsaken", because cryptic words that don't really mean much of anything are cool.
Persona Sign-Up
Persona Name*: Heracles
Legend of Origin*: A heroic half-God, half-man who went on legendary adventures. He is famed for his incredible strength, courage, and sexual prowess with both men and women.
Conceived through an act of infidelity by Zeus, the King of Gods, and the mortal woman, Alcmene, while Zeus impersonated her husband, Amphitryon, home early from war. Enraged at Zeus' affair, among his many others, Hera, the wife of Zeus, conspired to kill the bastard son. One night when Heracles was still a baby, Hera snuck a pair of giant snakes into his sleeping quarters in order to kill him. Heracles managed to strangle both of the snakes with ease, and was found playing with them by his nursemaid. He suckled on the breast of Athena, which gave him supernatural powers, and caused her breast milk to spray across the sky and form the Milky Way, and killed his music teacher, Linus, with a lyre.
In adulthood, he wed Megara, the daughter of King Creole, the ruler of Creon. Driven mad by Hera, Heracles murdered his children in a fit of rage. To expiate this sin, Heracles' enemy, Euphytres, sent him out to perform ten trials. Should Heracles succeed, he would be cleansed of his sins and forgiven.
Appearance*: Heracles takes the appearance of a man at the peak of human athleticism. His head is covered by a stylized gladiator's helmet, which completely covers his face, save for two eyeholes, though only his left eye shines through. A huge slash covers the side of his helmet where his right eye would be.
His skin is made of a malleable black metal, and pulsating veins are normally visible from underneath. They are only accentuated by his luminous blood that can be seen pulsing through it, especially when attacking. He has tattoos of a snake coiling around each of his arms.
Heracles' torso is covered by a heavy jacket made of dark red leather, over which he wears a brown poncho. His legs are covered by a pair of baggy black pants with horizontal slits up the sides. On his feet he wears a pair of leather sandals.
Heracles makes use of a silver lyre while in battle. He uses it as a blunt weapon when performing physical attacks, and strums it when using spells. He keeps it in a sling on his back when not in use.
Skill Set:
Rakunda (Innate)
Skull Cracker (After Aries)
Zionga (After Taurus)
Black Spot
Matarukaja (After Gemini)
Atom Smasher
Marakukaja (After Leo)
God's Hand
Arms Master
Deathbound (After Virgo)
Final Skill Set before Evolution:
God's Hand
Arms Master
Last edited by Iron Lugia; 23rd December 2012 at 5:42 PM.
Eh, this seems interesting. Might join. And bring to you all the glory that is Persona 2.
Name: Erin Simmons
Age: 16
Gender: Female
Arcana: The Sun
Band Position: Saxophone/Minion
Appearance: Erin is rather short for her age, standing at only one metre and fifty-five centimetres. Although she possesses a petite frame and is somewhat lacking in the assets department, she does not care much for such matters, preferring to concentrate on things other than her appearance. Her dark brown hair is a mess, and falls down to her shoulders. This, combined with the fact that her fringe nearly covers her eyes and her pale skin, leads to many assuming that she shuns human contact, which is a ridiculously false presumption.
Her wardrobe is surprisingly lackluster, with very few variation between clothing. Not really feeling the need for complicated or 'stylish' clothes, Erin usually wears a combination of a simple orange or yellow t-shirt; a skirt or trousers; and a pair of runners. During colder days, she wears a dark red sweater as well, although she wears it even on warmer days, having a greater tolerance to heat than most for some strange reason.
She also wears glasses due to vision problems. Amusingly enough, Erin has managed to work out a way to make them reflect light in a somewhat intimidating manner, although she refuses to tell others of how she has done so. Unlike others at her school, she lacks headphones, preferring to use earphones instead, possibly due to their smaller price-tag, and because there was no real need for headphones when simple earphones could suffice. Said earphones are black coloured, and came bundled along with her phone.
Personality: Erin is a rather quiet and stoic girl, rarely letting emotion appear on her face, making it difficult to read her unless one has known her for a long period of time. This leads to people assuming that is the stereotypical quiet, emotionless girl that one can find in many forms of fiction, but being an actual person and not a fictional character, she is, surprisingly to many, more than simply quiet.
Despite possessing such a stoic demeanour, Erin is actually a rather easy-going and relaxed person with good cheer, traits that strangers would not expect in a girl like her. At the rare times when she speaks, it is rather easy to see the humour present in her voice, especially when she ever feels like making a witty comment on the situation at hand, which usually occurs whenever something ridiculous happens.
She is also an optimist, confident in the fact that as long as she tried hard enough, good things would come. To her, it would not help to fret over everything, as it would be much simpler to confidently face every problem that arrived and try her best to fix the situation.
Biography: Unlike pretty much everyone else in the area, Erin had a perfectly normal life that, despite having its flaws at times, was pretty uninteresting if compared to those of others. Born in the suburbs of a larger city to a simple middle-class couple, she spent most of her early years in the local elementary school, where she made a few friends that could have been classified more easily as 'good acquaintances'. It was a rather boring and uninteresting time, in which she didn't actually need to worry much at all.
However, around the time of her eleventh birthday, she ended up moving along with her parents to Meadow Creek, her mother's home-town, to escape the business of city-life and to spend time in the company of her cousins. As most people in the town already knew each other, Erin was unable to really make any friends for herself, and at best those she met could be considered mere acquaintances that she spent time with.
The rest of her years in the town passed by dully, with nothing really important of note occurring, although the amount of free time available gave Erin the opportunity to continue refining her musical talents, for there wasn't really anything for her to do other than continue playing her saxophone repeatedly.
Then one day she heard of a band competition, and that is where our story begins.
Basic - A simple spear. Nothing really special. Good for stabbing things to death. Attack power is 80.
Mid-Tier - A more sturdy and resistant spear that can be thrown more easily through the air. Better at stabbing things to death. Its special ability allows it to travel much quickly through the air. Has 197 attack power.
Ultimate - Gáe Bulg, the legendary spear of the Irish hero Cúchulainn. Made from the bones of a sea monster, the spear was a very deadly weapon. When thrown, its special ability activated, in which it would enter one's body with a single wound, before opening into many barbs that would damage one's body from the inside. Attack power is 400.
Joke - A rather pointy shovel. Digs holes better than stabbing things to death. Has the magical ability of giving one improved digging efficiency. Attack power is 60.
Evoker: Her glasses, when removed, make her feel vulnerable and unable to comprehend the world around her, which scares her into believing that she'd never be able to enjoy proper sight again.
Persona: Heimdall
Legend of Origin: A god from Norse mythology, Heimdall is the guardian of the Bifrost - the link between Midgard and Asgard. Legends foretell that he will be the one to sound the Gjallahorn and alert the gods to Ragnarok, and will be one of the last to perish when he and Loki slay each other.
Appearance: A muscular, green being with blonde hair, Heimdall has the appearance of a human, although the fact that he's green does ruin the image of mortality. He wears a pale yellow cape, and what appears to be a pale yellow towel around his waist, along with blue wristbands. In his hands is a horn, signifying his destiny to signal Ragnarok.
Skill Set:
-Power Charge
Final Skills Before Evolution:
-Power Charge
RPGer Profile
~~~~[9:09 PM] delilah: achievement unlocked: use the phrase "drop it like it's hot" in my final biology project
[1:55 AM] gabe: Presumably I don't get ###### rights because I'm English, and am thus expected to say "curse ye to Beelzebub's eternal damnation, knave"
Well it's really difficult to make skills for Heimdall, seeing that I needed to tweak his Persona 2 skill-set a bit to actually make him fit the P3/P4 system you seem to be using, and even add a few different ones as well.
That's why it's just easier to get him an evolution.
RPGer Profile
~~~~[9:09 PM] delilah: achievement unlocked: use the phrase "drop it like it's hot" in my final biology project
[1:55 AM] gabe: Presumably I don't get ###### rights because I'm English, and am thus expected to say "curse ye to Beelzebub's eternal damnation, knave"
@Titan, you didn't have to use a Persona 3 Persona you know, and most people don't even keep the same move-set. Look at Valkyrie in Fallen Paradise. She's going to know Mazionga before evolving...
I know, that's why Heimdall and the Persona I'll probably decide on him evolving to are from Persona 2: Innocent Sin and Eternal Punishment. Great games by the way. Innocent Sin has a PSP port, though Eternal Punishment doesn't.
RPGer Profile
~~~~[9:09 PM] delilah: achievement unlocked: use the phrase "drop it like it's hot" in my final biology project
[1:55 AM] gabe: Presumably I don't get ###### rights because I'm English, and am thus expected to say "curse ye to Beelzebub's eternal damnation, knave"
I had a Typo, I meant to say a Persona 2 Persona...
Well, I'm finally going to push everyone to advertise this. I love IF's way of advertising.
THat, and I'm just letting everyone know we have One more Arcana left and three more Spots Left (
Since I have Requirements)
Last edited by Liltwick; 28th December 2012 at 5:16 AM.
Thanks, I just love decorating my pokemon; I actually hadn't been on it for awhile until a little while ago. And I had a lot of musical related dress-up items, so I thought, why not? This is a pokemon site so pokemon should attract peoples attention. I've upgraded my signature a bit.
Anyways, I'm willing to make an another sign-up if we really need someone else. I like making sign-ups.
Let's eat Grandma!
Let's eat, Grandma!
Commas saves lives.
Say hello to Rascal, he is a naughty little Articuno but he wants to be a true adventurer one day. Feed him lots of spicy berries and help him grow big and stronger.
During tests people look:
Up for inspiration
Down in desperation
Left and right for information
Say, could it be possible for me to change my Persona? Because I found a more fitting one of the Sun Arcana. Like Lugh. Because he's fire/light and because he's Irish-themed. Like my character.
RPGer Profile
~~~~[9:09 PM] delilah: achievement unlocked: use the phrase "drop it like it's hot" in my final biology project
[1:55 AM] gabe: Presumably I don't get ###### rights because I'm English, and am thus expected to say "curse ye to Beelzebub's eternal damnation, knave"
Last edited by Liltwick; 5th January 2013 at 3:49 AM.
On second thought, it'd be rather difficult to find a suitable evolution for Lugh, and his skills with just keep on escalating, so I'll keep Heimdall, and maybe evolve him to Lugh if possible ... although then I'd have to pretty much switch out all the ice/wind spells for his fire/light ones instead.
Would that be fine? And I'll see if I can find anyone to join.
RPGer Profile
~~~~[9:09 PM] delilah: achievement unlocked: use the phrase "drop it like it's hot" in my final biology project
[1:55 AM] gabe: Presumably I don't get ###### rights because I'm English, and am thus expected to say "curse ye to Beelzebub's eternal damnation, knave"
Hmm... I still don't think I got the whole skill set thing down. Oh well, if there are any problems. Just tell me and I'll attempt to fix it. My Aeon seem to have turned into a Support/Physical.
Name: Noah Wells
Age: 15
Gender: Male
Arcana: Aeon
Band Position: Bass Guitar- Back-up Guitarist
Appearance: Noah stand only five feet and four inches tall, which is about average for his family; they are all fairly short. He is very skinny, more than he really should be, making him look bony in built. Other than looking a bit fragile, there nothing else negative about his appearance. The tone of his skin is normal, neither tan nor pale. His hair is a dusty brown color cut short and straight though the length of his hair has been cut oddly. His bangs are thin with few stands of hair but has you progress higher it thicken and there is distinct straight cut of his hair there. It looks like different layers to his hair. Next are his eyes, which are also brown and seem to have an expressionless gaze when theyre not focusing. The last thing to mention about his physical appearance is a black spot, a mole, located right of his lips. Although there is not physical indication of it, Noah is near mute. There is Italian in his blood but also a little German.
His clothes are nothing special, other than the fact they are quite worn. The reason behind that is most of his wardrobe consists of hand-me-down from his big brother. But since his brother is better built than him, the clothes are a terrible fit for the boy. They are simply too large on him: sleeves covering his hands, pants legs that bundle at the ankle and drag behind his heels. On the bright side it hides his boniness. Noah typically wears blue-gray color jeans held up by a red belt, a t-shirt and the same red hooded jacket that has a couple bleach spots, and has faded to a really pale washout red. The sleeves arent nearly as long as his other clothing leaving half his hand exposed. If its too hot to wear, the jacket is tied around his waist. The last thing to mention are his tennis shoes which are a dirty white but otherwise there nothing to really special about that.
His current ear buds are not in the best condition, there are some expose wires toward the plug-in, the buds are slightly cracked and one side doesnt work anymore. Though, to be fair, they are just some cheap generic, white ear buds. If he is really interested in using some good headphones he just borrows his brothers; he has some nice red, leather ones those goes over the ears that he rarely uses.
Personality: Noah is quiet but not because he is shy. Many get the impression that he just doesnt want to deal with people. He doesnt talk much so many people often dont understand him or even notice him half the time. He is very easily overlooked especially in a crowd; people have a tendency to not see him and bump into him. Those who do notice him find him quite spacey and emotionless and it doesnt help his case as he stares up into nothingness a lot. People also see him as not very interesting and a very uncharismatic guy. People who think these things have merely just looked on the outside, judge him and didnt go any further.
Noah really is a quiet person though that often because he simply has nothing to say. Even if he did its only as loud as a whisper and his words are few. He is unable to raise his voice higher; and in noisy places or in a heat of a conversation, he is unable to make his voice heard. Since thats normally the case, he tends to keep his comments to himself. He is often looking up in the sky as if it will help him to find answers about himself. Is there nothing extraordinary about me, is there another path I could follow, is this all I can ever become, does my life even have a purpose: questions like that plays over and over through his head and thinking about it make him feel depress.
It also makes him sad to realize that there really is nothing special about him: sports, academics and looks; everything he is average. The only thing he was really good at was music and he lost his passion for it. He feels so conflicted about feeling both bitter and longing when he even touches an instrument Or maybe its really fear to pick it up again and realize he was never really good at. When people talk to him and seem generally interest in him, it makes him so happy that he couldnt find words to describe if he tried. It makes him want to try a little harder, but also scared that he wont be able to live up to their expectation. He really is just so lost and conflicted that he normally cannot decide if want to go for it or back off and leave it alone.
Biography: Noah is the second born child out of four. He has an older brother, Nicholas, little sister, Natasha, and younger brother, Neil. His family lived in the hustle bustle city in New Jersey. Even though they were a happy and lively family even then Noah had the tendency to be the overlooked sibling, but it was nothing too bad. Around first grade he developed an interest in music specifically singing. As years went by he found that he had a great singing voice as well as decent skill with instruments. With the encouragement of others along with his own wish, he decided he wanted to be a professional singer. He worked hard toward that goal until tragedy struck hard. His vocal chords were damage in car accident and he hadnt been able to sing let alone talk normally.
After the accident he became depress. The people he thought of as friends stopped talking with him and his presences became near nonexistent. He lost his long time dream and realized that at every else he did, was average at best. He realized his voice was his best feature and now without it, he was nothing special; and with that train of thought he pretty lost all hope for his future. Noah silent trudged through his remaining middle school years and early high school years, deeply hoping that he would find something he was good at but he never did. His family eventually moved to Meadow Creek as the city air really wasnt good for Noah and the living expense was affordable for them. They also hoped that a new environment would help shake him out of his funk. Though it hadnt helped yet, they are hopeful that will change.
Basic- A dart crossbow, its a thin metal crossbow that shoots dart board darts. Getting pierced by darts is painful but not very powerful. 35
Mid-Tier- The weapon is upgraded to a full-blown bow and arrow. It is an archery bow so it slightly reinforced and built for easy drawing of the string and accuracy. He has a better chance of hitting critical spots. 150
Ultimate- A heavy combat crossbow, the weapon is about a foot shorter him, and shoots thick bolts at the enemy. This inflicts much more bone breaking damage than any of his other weapons but the weight of it decreases his speed, making it difficult to dodge attacks. 300
Joke- Cupids bow, its small pink and decorated with hot pink hearts at the top and bottom of the bow. The arrows have red heart-shaped tips though its actually quite pointed at the tip. It has a chance to inflict charm on a target. 40
Evoker: Noahs evoker is simple and not too alarming its just a roll of silver duct tape. Theres nothing special about it; all he does is tear off a piece and cover his mouth. He may not talk much, being unable to talk all together really unsettling to him.
Persona Sign-Up
Persona Name: Golem
Legend of Origin: In earlier times Golems were mean made out of mud and were said to very holy and close to God. However, they could never be more than a shadow of his. They also mentioned to have lacked the ability to speak. Golems, nowadays, is merely an animated being created entirely out of inanimate matter. They are often controlled by another to do their bidding with the use of a scroll with runes and some kind of reflective surface. They returned to rubble the once were when released from the spell. This Golem is much like the more recent with no direction unless someone gives it one.
Appearance: Golem is large bulking being about the same high as a small house. His body looks like boulders stuck together to make a humanoid built. His hands and feet are not very detailed, lacking fingers and toes. His torso is large and so are his shoulders. His arms and legs are thick but much smoother than the other rocky part of the body. From an indention on his oval head part, bright yellow eyes shine out.
Skill Set:
Starting Skills
Sonic Punch
After Aries
After Taurus
Mighty Swing
After Gemini
After Cancer
After Leo
After Virgo
Atom Smasher
After Libra
After Scorpio
After Sagittarius
Akasha Arts
After Capricorn
After Aquarius
Gigantic Fist
Final Skill Set before Evolution
Akasha Arts
Gigantic Fist
Let's eat Grandma!
Let's eat, Grandma!
Commas saves lives.
Say hello to Rascal, he is a naughty little Articuno but he wants to be a true adventurer one day. Feed him lots of spicy berries and help him grow big and stronger.
During tests people look:
Up for inspiration
Down in desperation
Left and right for information
Just a reminder Naoh is accepted. Here is Riley
Name: Riley Ashton
Age: 17
Gender: Male (Disputed)
Arcana: Empress
Band Position: Second Lead Singer
Appearance: Riley stands at around 5' 6", making him very short for his actually gender, but the perfect height for his desired gender. He has almost perfect skin, with no blemishes, boils, moles, or anything, well, besides a long scar running down his back. To start off with his hair, it is a light blonde color, like of a white blonde hair color. His hair reaches down to his waist, and is tied up into two side ponytails. What ties up the ponytails are two ribbons, covered in designs of music notes. His headphones have the muffs in the shape of angel wings.
For his everyday clothing, he goes into a sort of Lolita type of style. He wears a light pink corset dress, outlined with lace. The lace outlining it is a dark, chocolate color, and feels very smooth to touch. The dress itself is a sort of cotton dress, and very easy to wear. It goes to his knees, and he does shave constantly, so he doesn't have a lot of leg hair. He carries around a bag in the shape of an angel wing, and acts like his purse. He also carries around a pink lace umbrella.
When online, he goes into a complete make over. His normally crystal clear blue eyes are replaced with pink contact lenses. He puts on a long, pink wig that he died up in a ponytail. He died the wig in a red ribbon that has a harp on it. He wears a sailor uniform, with pink edges and a pink skirt, and he also has the pink bow around his neck. He carried around a pink microphone as well in this outfit.
Personality: Riley is a cross dresser. I mean, he's a serious cross dresser, and he prefers to be called a girl instead of a guy. His actions are very upbeat and cheerful, as he always is jumping around and shouting at things. He normally gets excited whenever he sees something new or something that he loves as well, such as chocolate. Besides being made of pure energy, he's also very naïve and questions things. Such as something he doesn't know, he asks about it, no matter what it is, which makes him get into uncomfortable situations. He's also a Klutz, a really, really bad klutz. He almost drops everything, making him on the ground searching for whatever he drops. This has led to some awkward situations as well.
Even though he's not the brightest knife in the drawer, he's awfully loyal. He would defend anything he trusts with his life, though he hasn't found that spark quite yet. He also has trust issues, so making him trust someone is hard, but worthwhile. When he does open up to someone, he's a lot more clingy, which can get annoying. He'll also start telling the truth to them more often and be affectionate, and mean it.
He also has a tendency to get hurt a lot, and cry. He's not afraid to cry, in fact, he's oblivious to society's rules of how a man acts. He would rather cuddle up with a teddy bear then drink alcohol, and dress up as a princess then play sports, and watch Soap Operas instead of go hunting. As well as all of those things, he actually has a very high voice, and likes to sing whenever he can.
Though his main talent is singing, he's also skilled at all sorts of other things, making him a very dominant and competitive force at school. He might not be good with academics, but everything else, from P.E to Art, he will wipe the floor with. He's no slouch either in proving himself, making it to finals in most sports. Though, he normally is to obsessed with fashion and other trivial things to put his full effort into them
History: Riley was actually born as Prince Christophe, the future king in waiting for the country of Monaco. Though, due to varying factors, Riley was adopted by his parents and named Riley Ashton. Due to the events transpiring before he could remember anything, he does not know he is a prince.
When he was five, Riley got sent a letter by a mysterious person by the name of X, specifically on his birthday. He never told anyone of X's letters, and never responded to them, as they somehow already knew who he going to say. The gift was 100 Dollars, multiplied by his birth date. He always kept the money stash hidden, and is one of the reasons he could afford what he does.
He started out as an internet signer on you tube when he was eleven, and since his voice was so high, he was always mistaken as a girl, but Riley enjoyed it. He started cross-dressing, and when he did his first Web cast as "Angel" it sealed his fate to be the Internet "Queen" of Pop. Though, he doesn't sing often, as he's afraid of being found out.
Weapons: Riley's weapons are Staves, making him a versatile unit on the field.
Wooden Stick- A standard wooden stick doesn't have any boosts. 5
Crown Scepter- A Scepter decorated in royal jewelry, it provides a boost to his magic prowess, and gives him the ability to cast "Royal Flare" A powerful Almighty Spell. 142
Ragnarok- An ancient scepter said to be made out of Yggdrasil's wood, and was made to look like the said World Tree. It gives a huge magical boost, and can cast Hell's Hail, a powerful spell that deals heavy almighty damage multiple times, but it can hit the party as well. 270
Umbrella- This is a standard umbrella, it gives a defense boost. 40
Evoker: Riley's evoker is the same as SEES' model, but is has a crown etched into the end, and an angel wing key chain.
Persona Name: Lorelei
Legend of Origin: A beautiful river maiden who lives on the eponymous rock on the Rhine. She lures sailors to their doom with her enchanting voice.
Immortalized in Heine's poem. In ancient times, she was seen as the same as the river goddess, but the menacing rocks and the heavy currents of the Rhine turned her into a witch that drags people below the waters. There are many legends concerning Lorelei. In some, she is a goddess, in others, she is a water witch, and there is even a story where she is a figure of tragic love
Appearance: Lorelei rides on a giant harp, which seems to be modeled after a ships mast. The harp is made out of pure silver, and at the head is the shape of a common ship maiden. She herself has blue skin and red eyes. Her long hair is green and blue, with water dripping from the end. Its tied back in a ponytail, and she wears a small crown over it. Her dress is a blue, ball room dress the grade a princess would wear, but it is tattered up and damp with water
Skill Set:
Sexy Dance
Full Analysis
Foolish Whisper
Survive Dark
Final Skill Set:
Full Analysis
Sexy Dance
Foolish Whisper
Survive Dark
I know he gets a lot of Powerful Spells, but he has super low defenses to match. Let's just say he's more Squishier than Yukari and Yukiko. Also, we'll start tomorrow. I'll be accepting late Sign-Ups.
Last edited by Liltwick; 26th January 2013 at 10:52 PM.


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Hi all!
So, I know that it's normal for babies to become more difficult to nurse as they get older and more interested in the world around them - mine is definitely very busy and distractable these days!! But we're still able to do pretty well about every 4 hours or so without too much of a problem.
Over the last few days, though, she has completely lost interest in one of her regular feedings. I know that until 12 months, milk is more important than food, but then after 12 months, they will likely eat more than drink... is it normal to start "transitioning" to that? Even if we drop that nursing session, she'll still be nursing more than eating, I think. She eats solids very well and is doing great there. We are very careful to give her a very balanced diet.
Right now she nurses about 6 times a day. With the session that she's resisting or ignoring, that will be 5. Is that ok? As we all know, we can't force a child to nurse...
And if we do drop this feeding, how long will it be before I feel better?! I'm so engorged right now and I know the bedtime feeding coming up is not going to make me feel "all" better.


text:
GV Now
GVSU to host conference on Michigan�'s sustainable growth
Posted on October 16, 2013
Grand Valley State University will host the annual Michigan Green Chemistry and Engineering Conference, organized in part by the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality.
Attendees will learn how green chemistry and engineering helps businesses and protects human health and the environment. Anyone interested in Michigan's sustainable growth is invited, including educators, students, entrepreneurs, policy makers, engineers and chemists.
Michigan Green Chemistry and Engineering Conference: Designing a Sustainable Michigan
October 23 and 24
Eberhard Center, Pew Grand Rapids Campus
The registration fee is $100; the student fee is $25.
Highlights of the conference include:
- More than 15 breakout sessions and speakers
- Poster session and student poster contest
- Exhibitors and resume reviews
- 101 Green Chemistry and Engineering Workshop
- American Chemical Society Career Workshop
Grand Valley President Thomas J. Haas will introduce the keynote speaker, Terry Collins, professor of green chemistry at Carnegie Mellon University. DEQ Director Dan Wyant will present awards at the Governor's Award Ceremony and Grand Rapids Mayor George Heartwell will welcome attendees to the event.
See an agenda and register here.
For more information contact Jennifer Acevedo at email@example.com or Dalila Kovacs, professor of chemistry at Grand Valley, at firstname.lastname@example.com.