text:
Do you know the key motive of the explorers to visit a new country? Well, many claim that they look forward to their subsequent visits in other countries, primarily, for exploring the taste of the exotic food over there. And it has been proven statistically as well. Many veteran globe-mongers have confessed that in the initial years of their jobs, the enthusiasm to roam around the world was as active as a bursting volcano. Subsequently, their objective settled upon experiencing the culinary tours comprising food and wine. For most, not all, the exploring part is in a dormant state. And trust their word; they would revive it only when required.
Learn Israeli Food and Recipes During Israel Tours
Israel is one such destination point that satiates the taste buds of these live-and-let-live adventurers. The real Israel revolves around the delicious Israeli dishes that could propel anyone to undertake Israel Tours for cooking. These cooking tours have acted as the backbone of this country as it shows a little reflection of local herbs and spices, the secrets of cheese-making (dairy farms are abundant there) and baking in the typical Israeli-style. Through the eminence of the Israeli food, other superb sites over there have also gained momentum.
The spices have been perfectly mixed with a bit sprinkling of olive oil that it seems as if this touch has just stemmed out of ancient times. The tradition of making dishes has not been forgotten. It would be difficult for an outsider to distinguish a home-made food and street food. Here, the quality of taste is not being commented upon. It is just that every cooking-enthusiast of this beautiful country is well-versed with all the spices.


text:
These days, nParallel's client list is impressive, and its book of business is approaching $10 million in annual revenue.
But it wasn't that long ago that the Plymouth-based maker of trade-show exhibits was on the ropes.
The Great Recession hit the business almost without warning. The marketing budgets of its clients were slashed, trade-show attendance took a dive and demand for custom-made exhibits dried up.
NParallel's staff of 40 was cut in half. The remaining employees took pay cuts and worked four-day weeks.
"Clients were canceling shows right and left," recalled Don Gonse, executive vice president for business development. "We couldn't react fast enough."
"It was painful," said company president Megan Diamond.
Indeed, the trade-show industry reported nine consecutive quarters of year-over-year attendance declines from the end of 2007 to the middle of 2010 for a total drop of 15 percent, according to the Center for Exhibition Industry Research (CEIR).
But nParallel turned the corner with a tweak to its business model in 2009. It went into the rental business.
Instead of exclusively building custom-ordered exhibits for clients, nParallel began offering a custom-rental option.
Today, rentals account for about 20 percent of nParallel's business.
"Our clients were saying, 'I can't afford a new exhibit; what can you do for me?'" said Diamond. "That's how the rental business was invented."
NParallel sits on 85,000 square feet of space at its Plymouth location, the bulk of which is a warehouse and construction shop where exhibits are made, assembled and stored.
NParallel's client roster ranges from tire giant Bridgestone to Angie's, the kettle-corn company from North Mankato. About 70 percent of nParallel's work is for trade shows, and 30 percent is for retail displays.
Most of nParallel's clients own their exhibits, which can be reused at multiple trade shows throughout the year and generally have a lifespan of three to five years.
The rental projects use generic cabinetry and interchangeable electronic features such as laptops and flat-panel TVs. NParallel will design and add components for the exhibit that are unique to the client. In the end, a customized rental exhibit costs about half as much as a full-scale customized exhibit.
"We purchase as much as we have to and then we rent it out," said Gonse.
The rental option was the perfect fit for Plymouth-based Nonin Medical, which attends more than 20 trade shows a year to display its evolving line of noninvasive medical monitoring devices.
"We really wanted to test-drive different layouts before we buy one," said Melanie Stanek, Nonin's director of corporate relations. "We're in the middle of a brand refreshening and update, and we have markets we've never been in before. NParallel is constantly coming up with new designs."
Stanek said Nonin wanted a display with a back-lit center console and display counters in the front.
"Our sales reps like to sell up front. Demonstrations up front tend to attract more people," Stanek said. "We need to display different products but still have a clinical feel."
Trade shows are big business in the United States. Dallas-based CEIR estimates that companies spend $120 billion a year on trade shows when air fare, hotels and the cost of custom exhibits are included. And that includes custom rentals, which are growing in popularity.
"Exhibit makers resisted rentals for a long time but then realized that was the trend that was going to carry on. They've diversified just as a recession makes you do," said CEIR president Doug Ducate in an interview. "Materials are so pliable now you can't tell rentals from custom-built exhibits."
David Phelps • 612-673-7269

subset: commoncrawl


text:
La Quinta, CA 92253
Majestic views of the lake and mountains serve as your backdrop for this professionally decorated 2 bedroom, 2.5 bath townhome at the PGA West Palmer Private course. The seller, an award-winning Hollywood producer, director and author, is just too busy now to continue to make her much loved weekend getaways from L.A. to the desert with her husband. It's your turn to enjoy the peaceful tranquility and beauty of sitting on your patio with your morning coffee or enjoying an al fresco glass of wine with dinner under the stars. Views from the 2 master bedroom suites and balcony upstairs are equally fabulous with the mountains lit up at night. This one is ready for you with new paint and carpet and turnkey furnished. PGA West features 3 public and 3 private golf courses along with dining, shopping, hiking and biking trails just minutes away. Welcome home ...
Gail Wayne with HK Lane Real Estate
2019 Kevin Kent. All rights reserved. © Collaborative Home Search by RealSavvy
Based on information from California Regional Multiple Listing Service, Inc. as of [SEE DATE BELOW] and/or other sources. All data, including all measurements and calculations of area, is obtained from various sources and has not been, and will not be, verified by broker or MLS. All information should be independently reviewed and verified for accuracy. Properties may or may not be listed by the office/agent presenting the information.


text:
Tattoos this intense may not have existed during the Renaissance, but that's not stopping Jean-Luc Moerman from revising old masterpieces with intricate body art. Giving full arm sleeves to subjects and covering their torsos and legs with tribal designs, Moerman is injecting new life into otherwise forgotten visual relics. The results are a strange mash-up of old and new, as well as western art and eastern aesthetics.
Jean-Luc Moerman also employs this same technique on contemporary images of celebrities, but it's far more interesting to see porcelain, flawless bodies marred with so much black ink that it acts almost like its own set of clothing. Can you really consider a person nude when they have tattoos shrouding their bodies from shoulder to toe?
Tattooed Renaissance Paintings
More Stats +/-
Historical Hipster Portraits (UPDATE)
Tattooed Asian Female Artistry
Gangster Game Character Remixes
Body Art Bears
Intricately Sketched Icons
Jean-Luc Moerman Alters Masterpieces with Body Art
- By: Jason SoyFeb 4, 2012
References: jean-luc-moerman.be & booooooom
References: jean-luc-moerman.be & booooooom


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The memorial selection
A meaningful, personal, memorial takes a significant investment of both your time and money. That is why our goal is to simplify the entire process and ensure your complete satisfaction. Each cemetery has rules and regulations regarding the types of memorials allowed on site. Their design, shape and size, and even the engraving, must be approved.
Rock of Ages authorized dealers have access to detailed information on every cemetery. This allows us to handle everything and minimize any stress or pressure attached to the experience, so you can focus on what you want to create.
Monument types
Here at Rock of Ages, we design every type of monument and memorial possible. Whether you are searching for something traditional or a custom designed monument, we can craft it for you.
Designing your monument
We want to hear from you. We want you to share your loved one's story and tell us how they would want to be remembered. We are here to assist and guide you in the design of the perfect monument. Tell us your idea, and we will make it happen.
The fabrication process
At Rock of Ages, we take on your monument projects from start to finish. Everything is done in-house: stone selection and personalized artwork, stone cutting, engraving, and even sculpting. We ensure that it is all done to your specifications, with the highest level of quality.


text: I am having an issue with the tailgate (trunk lid) release actuator which I assume is the solenoid or relay that pulls the cable to the two latches to open the trunk lid. About nine months ago, the actuator started working intermittently. I took my roadster to the Tesla service center for repair. Tesla shows this repair at that time: Concern: Customer states: Trunk not unlatching often. Total Labor & Miscellaneous Items: 78.7500 Pay Type: Customer Pay Corrections: Actuator - Trunk Lid Release REMOVED AND REPLACED Part Quantity Unit Price ACTUATOR TAILGATE RELEASE (2000958) 1 24.42 24.42 Total Parts 24.42 Parts Replaced or Added 103.17 Now it is doing the same thing again of operating intermittently. I can take it back to the Tesla service center but is this something I might be able to adjust or otherwise fix myself? Is this "Actuator Tailgate Release" a common electrical part that I might be able to get and replace? Or is this a fix for Tesla? Does anyone know what might be the issue? Thanks!


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Editor's Note
"Real, live theater. You know, the kind of theater where actors perform plays and musicals live, on a stage."
I find myself saying these phrases a lot these days.
Upon meeting someone for the first time, the course of polite conversation always, ultimately seems to turn to, "So, what is it that you do?"
To which I answer, "I'm in theater."
To which they often reply with uncertainty, "Uh, a movie theater?".
The "Uh" of their uncertainty seems almost always to stem from the combination of their instant identification with movie trailers, movie advertisements, movies they've gone to see, and a vision of the megaopolis movie theater complex in their neighborhood that they regularly drive past during their commutes to work or to school or to both, and some cloud of remembrance of some other type of theater they vaguely recall from their far distant past. It is because of this hazy memory they are are unsure if "movie theater" is the correct guess.
When I correct them with my reply, flint rubs steel and there is a spark. The spark may be of: a play at church or at school in which they played some small part as a child; watching friends or their children or their grandchildren sing and dance across the stage in Guys and Dolls or Grease or more recently in High School Musical in, well, a high school musical production; or of a long buried desire to sing or dance or act on stage that was never fully ignited. Everyone, it seems has some story to recall and sadly, too often the existence of theater in their consciousness is referred to in past tense.
During the present technological times the preferred method of most of the world's communication, entertainment and social interaction funnels through electronic devises and is delivered at a time of convenience to the sender and is received at a time of convenience to the end user, in the privacy of their own homes, laps, hands or offices usually via a two-dimensional rectangular screen that comes in varying sizes, sometimes with earphones or speakers attached. Fast. Reliable. Generic. Often bad. Sometimes good. Occasionally great. But where in this electronic age is real human interaction? Why is the need for privacy encouraged, pursued and prized to the point of creating a society of socially inept individuals? When does actual, not virtual human contact come into play?
We are distracted from our need for human contact as new services emerge that allow us to send and receive an ever-increasing number of voicemails, emails, text messages and an endless stream of hot, new products enable us to download endless hours, days and years, albeit more than a lifetime's worth of information and entertainment to enjoy in the luxury of our own self-imposed solitary confinement. We are blinded to the fact that isolation is marketed to us as a most desirable situation and is highly encouraged in order to boost the sales of more and more gadgets.
Don't get me wrong. I do understand the benefits of electronic communication, on-line entertainment and virtual social interaction — after all I am using an electronic device to write this to you and you are receiving it on your two-dimensional screen, all the while people have been sending me voicemails, emails and text messages for goodness sake! – however, I also understand the power of: attending a convention or conference to listen to and witness a live speaker move an audience; partaking in an engagement or celebration where food and drink is shared; real hands touching briefly in formal acknowledgment or in casual appreciation of each other; watching (or participating in) a live performance; and evidencing first-hand the ability of human effort to warrant a standing ovation.
Real, live theater is communication, entertainment and social interaction in the three-dimensional world. A three-dimensional world that must be reclaimed and nurtured in order to maintain our humanity set against the dimension reductionist marketing movements of our day. (What's next – devices that reduce us all to a one-dimensional existence? We will all end but as a small dot on a globe somewhere in a far flung corner of the universe, but perhaps that is all we are anyway. It's almost too much to fathom.)
[Applause] to you for your interest in balancing your two-dimensional and three-dimensional worlds.
I hope you take a moment to communicate with a friend and invite them to see a show, be entertained, enjoy the human interaction between the artists and the audience, then applaud yourself for being a part of the three-dimensional world of real, live theater.
Cheryl Itamura is the Founder and Editor in Chief of Real Live Theater.


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Volkswagen California Beach A.
Campervan 5 seats Automatic | CHAR
Thanks to its streamlined interior, hiring a Volkswagen California Beach automatic will enable you to travel with five people, a rare configuration that's not often found in the campervan universe.
Habitability & Layout
With its T6 California Beach automatic, Volkswagen is one of the only manufacturers to offer a campervan that can accommodate five people on-board.
Similar to its big brothers, the California Coast and Ocean, the California Beach automatic offers nearly all the key features needed in a recreational vehicle: two double beds, including one under the pop-up roof; swivelling front seats, etc. But, you may be wondering where the fifth seat fits in. Well, it's true that there's no such thing as a perfect world. To add the third seat in its rear bench in the lounge area, Volkswagen decided to remove the kitchen area and the surrounding cabinets. Just like the Caddy Minicamper, the California Beach automatic plays with space and scale – a luxury for the compact layout that campervans offer.
Although a perfect world isn't possible, We-Van has worked hard to make ours a bit better. We've kitted out our fleet of rental Volkswagen California Beach vehicles with built-in kitchen equipment that is designed, built and installed in France by a well-known professional. This ingenious, functional kitchen equipment is located either in the boot under the bed extension or in the lounge area, depending on the model. Depending on the version, this equipment usually includes a drawer refrigerator, a built-in camping stove, a compartment with a water tank, a storage cabinet, and sometimes a little shower for rinsing off or washing dishes.
While cooking with products from the innumerable exceptional regions you'll travel through during your road trip across France or Europe may become a true "religion", your campervan's most sought-after feature will likely be the bed. The California Beach is well-equipped in this area, featuring a lower 150 x 200cm double bed that's a true luxury for this type of van layout. It can accommodate three young children, for example. As with other Volkswagen California versions, the second 120 x 200cm double bed with a slatted wood base is "upstairs". It appears when the manual pop-up roof is opened.
To up the cosy factor, just close the built-in blinds to darken the space. And, never fear…anyone who is afraid of the dark will enjoy the built-in lights by each of the beds and the nearby 12V sockets powered by the campervan's auxiliary batteries. Those who are afraid of the dark AND the cold will be doubly reassured: the separate auxiliary heater circulates warm air in the cabin (with the motor off), ensuring that the Volkswagen California Beach automatic will become their favourite cocoon.
The high-end configuration and features (indoor and outdoor tables, chairs, energy independence) also make this rental campervan the ideal vehicle for professionals whose work keeps them on the road, like photographers, athletes and anyone who needs a mobile office that is always close to the action.
To help you prepare for your trip in your rental Volkswagen California Beach automatic, we encourage you to read through our Preparing for Your Campervan Trip guide, which features additional information on We-Van equipment, accessories and services, as well as tips and a list of other reference materials.
This rental service is perfect. The 9-seat Mercedes minivan was very comfortable and the price was reasonable.
Other Campervans
Discover other campervan models for hire that could also suit your needs
Campérêve Family Van | SHMR
5 5 M 5See full details
Volkswagen California First Campervan 4 seats Automatic | DHAR
4 4 A 4See full details
Volkswagen Caddy Minicamper M. Campervan 2 places Manuel | EHMR
5 2 M 2See full details


text:
WASHINGTON — Two and a half years after President Obama vowed to shift America's diplomatic, economic and military focus to Asia, he will head back to the region this week to try to convince allies and adversaries alike that he really meant it.
Since the much-touted decision to "pivot" to Asia, the Obama administration has found itself repeatedly pulled away by crises in the Middle East, political battles in Washington and, more recently, turmoil in Ukraine.
A key piece of the policy, an ambitious Pacific Rim free-trade pact, has met resistance from the president's own party and bogged down in tariff disputes with Japan. The promised transfer of U.S. warships, Marines and other military resources to the Pacific has been incremental, and limited by Pentagon budget cuts.
The result is anxiety among allies, and questions about the U.S. commitment to establishing a counterweight to China's growing economic clout and military assertiveness.
"In polite company people won't say it, but behind closed doors I think they'll openly ask where the pivot is," Victor Cha, former director for Asian affairs in the George W. Bush administration, said at a recent forum at the nonpartisan Center for Strategic and International Studies.
Starting Wednesday, Obama will aim to answer that question at stops in Japan, South Korea, Malaysia and the Philippines. White House advisors say the U.S. remains locked into plans to bolster its military presence, to beef up bilateral relations and regional alliances, and to complete the 12-nation Trans-Pacific Partnership trade talks.
Susan Rice, Obama's national security advisor, portrayed the president's fifth trip to Asia as crucial to America's future.
"We increasingly see our top priorities as tied to Asia, whether it's accessing new markets or promoting exports or protecting our security interests and promoting our core values," she said at a White House briefing Friday.
"There's a significant demand for U.S. leadership in that region," she said.
Outside experts don't expect Obama to make major promises or offer new resources in six days of official dinners, speeches and "cultural visits," including one to the National Mosque in Malaysia's capital, Kuala Lumpur.
He may not even mention the word "pivot." White House aides now cite a "rebalance" in part because U.S. allies in Europe and the Middle East complained that a pivot suggested they were a lower priority.
The promise to increase U.S. engagement took a hit last fall when Obama scrubbed a trip to Asia, and his participation in two regional summits, because of the 16-day government shutdown. Since then, Russia's annexation of Crimea from Ukraine has rattled nerves in Asia, where some see parallels to China's claims to disputed islands and shoals in the South and East China seas.
"Obama's canceled visit in October, although for good reason, will see him return to a very different circumstance in Asia," said Simon Tay, chairman of the Singapore Institute of International Affairs. "While he will still be greeted with much fanfare ... the truth is that the region has moved on."
Two key U.S. allies, Japan and South Korea, are bickering over a host of issues, even as they face increased tension with North Korea. The Philippines has locked horns with China, and no one is happy about Malaysia's bungling in the search for Flight 370, which disappeared more than a month ago.
"The good thing is that Chinese actions still cause tensions, and so even if the Americans aren't loved, they seem needed," Tay said.
Obama will be careful not to take sides in the territorial disputes or to directly antagonize leaders in Beijing. Obama's aides have denied that America's new emphasis on Asia is designed to encircle China or restrain its initiatives, but Chinese authorities are suspicious.
In the briefing Friday, Rice denied that the trip, or the policy, "ought to be viewed as a containment of China."
"The idea here is to have the U.S. shape the security environment, not be drawn into a conversation with China," said Kenneth Lieberthal, an Asia policy expert at the Brookings Institution. Obama must show support for allies without "making China the bull's-eye."
The president's visit will be his third since he and then-Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton outlined a lofty vision in the fall of 2011. America would move away from the long, costly wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and into what Clinton dubbed "America's Pacific century."
At the time, Obama suggested that America's new commitment would be symbolized by the posting of 2,500 Marines to Darwin in northern Australia. About 1,500 Marines are now there, but the rest won't arrive until 2016.
In a report released last week, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee concluded that the pivot has fallen short.
"Despite progress in some areas, implementation of the rebalance thus far has been uneven, creating the risk that the rebalance may well end up as less than the sum of its parts," said committee chairman Sen. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.).
The committee found that State Department efforts have lagged behind those of the Pentagon. In Manila, for example, Obama is expected to sign an agreement expanding U.S. access to a Philippine military base, a sign of the gradually improved military cooperation since Philippine lawmakers in 1991 forced America's massive air and naval bases to close.
But Defense officials say they've struggled to make good on the president's vision with a shrinking budget.
In March, one Defense official said bluntly that the pivot "can't happen," a comment she later took back. In January, Gen. Herbert "Hawk" Carlisle, commander of U.S. Pacific Air Forces, told Defense News that budget cuts had made it "incredibly hard" to shift resources to the Pacific.
Progress on trade appears equally difficult. Japanese and U.S. trade negotiators intensified talks in recent weeks in hopes of giving Obama and Prime Minister Shinzo Abe good news to announce during the state visit to Tokyo.
But disputes over agricultural and automobile tariffs have lowered expectations. One official said the two leaders would claim only progress, not a deal.
Some critics cite another factor undermining the rebalance: Obama's credibility problem.
Allies in Asia took note when Obama battled unsuccessfully to block automatic budget cuts from taking effect, and he has not persuaded fellow Democrats to fast-track a vote on the Pacific Rim trade deal.
Some experts said Obama's threats last summer to launch punitive airstrikes against Syria after chemical weapons were used, his subsequent decision to seek congressional approval and his inability to get it, have sapped confidence in his leadership.
"It's hard to overstate how much the decision on Syria affected thinking, especially in treaty allies like Japan and Korea, about the American security commitment," said Michael Green, a former Asia advisor to President George W. Bush. "What really rattled the region was that the president drew a red line and then threw it to Congress, and that precedent was troubling to allies."
The White House views it differently. Rice said the crises in Ukraine and other hot spots have only reinforced allies' support for U.S. engagement, especially on defense issues.
"I've not heard unease expressed," she said. "In fact, I think that we go to the region at a time when our allies in the region are very much appreciative of and committed to our alliance relationships, and these alliances are only strengthening in the context of a more uncertain security environment."
Times staff writer Julie Makinen in Beijing contributed to this report.


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See also: IRC log
<trackbot> Date: 15 October 2012
A.3.1.3 Efficient Keyboard Access: The authoring tool user interface includes mechanisms to make keyboard access more efficient than sequential keyboard access. (Level AA)
<jeanne> http://www.w3.org/WAI/AU/2012/ATAG20tests/ATAG2-10April2012PublicWD-Tests-rev20120924
<jeanne> JS: I was talking with Michael Cooper (who wrote the WCAG CR Test Harness) about creating a new instance of the WCAG test harness and tests for ATAG's CR use.
<jeanne> JR: This seems to be a very large project for a tester.
0. Determine if the platform on which the authoring tool is running supports a keyboard interface. If it does, then proceed to Step 1. If not, then skip to Step 8.
1. Document all mechanisms of the user interface for the authoring tool under test (from authoring tool documentation or from experience). If there are no such mechanisms, then skip to Step 8. Otherwise proceed to Step 2.
2. Document all keyboard access capabilities (via mechanisms from Step 1) supported by the keyboard interface (from Step 0) of the authoring tool(from authoring tool documentation or from experience). If there are fewer than two keyboard access capabilities supported, or if sequential keyboard access is not included, then skip to Step 7. Otherwise proceed to Step 3.
3. Determine/document the efficiency criteria (including rationale?) for evaluating keyboard access mechanisms that you will use for this particular authoring tool, platform, etc. Go to Step 4.
4. Document the "before state" of the authoring tool user interface on this platform. Use a sequential keyboard access mechanism (from Steps 1 and 2) that navigates the focus one-by-one through all of the items in an ordered set (e.g., menu items, form fields) until the desired item is reached and activated. Record the "after state" of the authoring tool user interface at this point....
scribe: Determine the "efficiency" of this keyboard access mechanism using your criteria from Step 3. Then go back so the "before state" of the authoring tool user interface (using any mechanism available from Step 1 to do this). Go to Step 5.
5. From the "before state" specified earlier, use a -different from sequentlal-? keyboard access mechanism (from Step 1) (such as keyboard shortcuts and the use of bypass links) on the same objects as used in Step 4. Record the "after state" of the authoring tool user interface at this point, and verify that this "after state" is the same as the "after state" from Step 4. Determine the...
scribe: "efficiency" of this access using the same criteria as used in Step 4. Go to Step 6.
6. Compare/evaluate the "efficiencies" determined from Step 4 and from Step 5. If as a result of this comparison/evaluation, Step 5 is more "efficient" than Step 4, then this authoring tool "passes" this SC on this platform. If Step 5 is more "efficient" than Step 4, or the "efficiencies" are the same for Steps 4 and 5, then this authoring tool fails this SC for this platform. Go to Step 7.
7. If the only keyboard access method supported (from Step 2) is sequential keyboard access, then this authoring tool "fails" this SC for this platform. Go to Step 8.
8. If the authoring tool has not been evaluated as "pass" or "fail" on this platform in previous steps up to this point, then the authoring tool is "N/A" for this SC on this platform.
JR: Is in favour of failure tests.
This is scribe.perl Revision: 1.137 of Date: 2012/09/20 20:19:01 Check for newer version at http://dev.w3.org/cvsweb/~checkout~/2002/scribe/ Guessing input format: RRSAgent_Text_Format (score 1.00) No ScribeNick specified. Guessing ScribeNick: Jan Inferring Scribes: Jan Default Present: Jeanne, Tim_Boland Present: Jeanne Tim_Boland Jan Found Date: 15 Oct 2012 Guessing minutes URL: http://www.w3.org/2012/10/15-au-minutes.html People with action items:[End of scribe.perl diagnostic output]


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By Joe Dyton
Yo, Rangers, where was that effort in Game Six?
Seriously, if they had played the way they did in Game Seven as they did when they mailed in Game 6, they could have saved their fan base a little stress. I guess I just need to accept the fact that the Rangers are going to bring their best when their season is on the line. Think about it, they took care of business in the last two games of the Ottawa Series, and won all the swing games againstWashington (Three, Five and Seven).
Given their track record, I shouldn't be too surprised the Rangers came out flying in Game Seven, but their effort, or lack thereof, in Game Six gave me reason to doubt them. I was afraid they might be spent and not have anything left to give, while the Caps were feeling good after bouncing back from a devastating Game Five loss. I started mentally preparing for a Rangers' Game Seven loss the minute Game Six ended.
It wasn't until sometime Friday afternoon when I saw on Twitter that Rangers coach John Tortorella said the guys would be ready to play on Saturday that I started to regain faith. I don't know why that statement made me feel good, but it did. I figured as long as the Rangers came out with the same fire they showed in Game Five, they had a shot.
And, come out with fire they did. It is hard to ask for a better start than Brad "Worth Every Penny So Far" Richards scoring for the Rangers less than 90 seconds into the game. When Torts double-shifted the Richards-Marian Gaborik–Carl Hagelin line, it was obvious how badly they wanted to get the first goal. It made sense, whoever scored first had won every time in the series.
While Richards set the tone, it was Henrik Lundqvist who kept momentum on the Rangers side in the second period. The Capitals looked like they were on a power play midway through the period and the Rangers couldn't clear the zone to save their lives, but King Henrik made sure his team would still lead after his busiest period (11 shots against) ended. I'm still not sure how the Capitals didn't find the back of the net on one of those mad scrambles.
I almost fell over when Michael Del Zotto gave the Rangers a 2-0 lead in the third. A TWO-GOAL lead?? The Rangers hadn't had one of those since Game One of the series. They were obviously shocked too; so much so they didn't know what to do with it and gave it up just 38 seconds later. The PA announcer wasn't done reading the details of Del Zotto's goal when Roman Hamrlik cut the Rangers' lead in half.
Surprisingly, the Caps only took one more shot on goal after Hamrlik's score, and that didn't come until the game's final minute. In a do-or-die situation, it's astonishing the Caps only got four shots on goal in the third period, none of which came from star player Alex Ovechkin. I feel that's more of a testament to how hard the Rangers played than a lack of effort on the Capitals' part. Although Ovie didn't exactly break any speed skating records getting back on defense on Del Zotto's game winner. In the end, all that mattered was the Rangers brought their best when it mattered the most.
A few other thoughts…
*I'm glad the waved-off goal in the third didn't come into play. Since the ref's mic cut off during his explanation, I was not sure why it didn't count. I understand it was the dreaded "intent to blow the whistle" rule. I won't complain too much since it's helped the Rangers more than once. If the Caps had found a way to tie the game and win in OT, my attitude would be a lot different.
*I'm not sure the Caps need to play so conservatively against the Rangers. I know hockey isn't like football where a coach may come up with a totally different scheme depending on the opponent, but this whole series, I couldn't help but wonder if the Caps did themselves a disserve by being so defensive-minded against the Blueshirts. I respect what Caps coach Dale Hunter did to turn his team into a defense-first unit, but the Rangers don't pose much of a threat when it comes to scoring goals. I thought if the Caps played a little closer to their high-flying style, they could have overwhelmed the Rangers' defense and went up a goal or two, and then revert back to their tight-checking style. The Rangers aren't built to make big comebacks; I still think back to Game Four of these two teams' series last year; the Rangers went up 3-0, but the Caps came all the way back and won in double overtime. If that score was reversed, the Rangers don't make that comeback. Like I said, I know it's tough to change up a system on a dime, but I thought the Caps did the Rangers a favor by playing that defensive style.
*Going forward…I don't know what to think of the Rangers chances against the Devils. I don't doubt they can win, but I wonder if they'll have a tough time adjusting to a more offensive-minded outfit like Jersey after playing the Caps. On the other-handed, maybe the Rangers will find more open ice and shooting lanes in this series. I think it will come down to whoever can get their opponent to play their game most of the time. I also think the Rangers' power play needs to be a lot better this series. Rangers in six.
Joe Dyton is a marketing copywriter in Washington, DC and a freelance sports reporter for the Frederick News-Post in Frederick, MD. He is a former assistant editor for The Dealmakers real estate magazine in Hamilton, NJ and a former sports writer and copy editor for The Trentonian in Trenton, NJ. He can be reached at email@example.com. Follow Joe on Twitter at http://twitter.com/dyton99.


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Lindsay Lohan Is 'Lindsay Lohan' [VIDEO]
Here we go, looks like Lindsay Lohan damage control, early stages.Lindsay Lohan is back to work – well, sort of.
The troubled actress, who is currently under house arrest stemming from an incident in which she allegedly stole a $2,500 necklace, was recently the subject of a 90-second film by artist Richard Phillips. Take a look at her latest project after the jump.In the short film, naturally titled 'Lindsay Lohan,' the 24-year-old 'Mean Girls' star appears to be channeling an Ingmar Bergman of sorts as she looks sadly into the camera, swims around in a bikini and longingly touches a photo of herself.
According to PopEater, the film was screened at the Gagosian Gallery in Venice, Italy. Check it out below, then tell us: Is this a small step toward a Lindsay Lohan comeback? Or does she still have a long way to go?


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Neil A. Stueven, age 81, New Mexico, formerly of Howard Lake, passed away peacefully Monday, Aug. 20, 2012.
He was born Aug. 1, 1931, in Howard Lake, to Carl and Cora Stueven.
After the Korean War, Neil graduated with a bachelor's degree from the University of Minnesota in 1960, and a master's degree from South Dakota State University in 1968.
In 1969, he moved his family to Las Cruces, NM to work for the agriculture extension service at New Mexico State University. He was the long-time radio voice of the extension service, featuring farming and ranching news, interviews, and crop reports for much of the Southwest, including Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas.
A devoted husband and father, Neil loved gardening, golfing, hunting, and fishing.
Upon his retirement in 1990, he was finally able to enjoy RVing throughout most of North America with his beloved wife, Marge. From the Yucatan Peninsula to Alaska to Nova Scotia, they enjoyed all the beauty nature has to offer.
Neil was preceded in death by his stepson, Jere Thorne; and his sister, Irma Wiley.
He is survived by his wife of 34 years, Marge; his step-daughter, Jean, of Minneapolis; his daughter, Kathy, of Rio Ranch, NM; sons David of Albuquerque, NM, Paul of Westminster, CO, and Mark of Dublan, Ireland; 15 grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren.
A celebration of life took place Sunday, Aug. 26 at 10 a.m. at New Mexico State University Golf Course.


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Her favorite pastime is to swim in the ice cold and bitter waters of the Cocytus, the nastiest tributary of the River STYX. This keeps her fit and helps her stay on top of the job.
Her name means 'unceasing anger' and if necessary she can seek you out with her torch, which is of the flaming variety. She carries a snake whip, replenished with spares coiled in her hair.


text: People who engage in extreme sports such as skydiving and mountain climbing are often referred to as adrenaline junkies. These people push their bodies to the limit as they pursue such sports. So, do extreme sports and mental health go hand in hand? Of course, they do. Extreme sports are good for your mental health. As you are about to take part in an extreme sport such as skydiving and bungee jumping, you must carefully weigh the consequences and repercussions should anything go wrong. Extreme sports can get fatal and may result in death should anything go wrong. The ability to analyse a risky situation and understanding the minute details that have to be adhered to for you to pull off an extreme sport shows that extreme sports and mental health go hand in hand. They build your reasoning and understanding of your abilities and limits. In as much as this is the case, always ensure that you are clad in appropriate safety gear for you to be on the safe side of a fall.


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Vril Dox - the universe's most benevolent jerk - recruits more team members to help him reclaim his intergalactic L.E.G.I.O.N. police force. But you'll be as shocked as he is when he learns who stole it in the first place. Believe us when we say this secret will rattle the entire DCU cosmos! Guest-starring the Omega Men.
Jason Fabok Offers New Tease for Batman: Three Jokers


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Dr. N.A.N.'s BlogNews, views, and how the world skews from San Antonio, Texas
Archive for May, 2009
"Piano-in-Tow" Which part?
It's 6 pm Gordon, Nebraska time (7 pm Lincoln time) and I'm sitting here twiddling my thumbs until it's time to leave for the Methodist church where my next "show" will take place. Heath and I have now been on the road for 3 days and it feels like 3 weeks. In that time, Heath has unloaded and loaded my 1000 pound piano six times in sunshine, pouring rain and 35 mph winds. Nothing like springtime in northwestern Nebraska. Heath and I left Lincoln on Monday and drove to Ainsworth, Nebraska (255 miles). We were supposed to leave mid-afternoon but Heath had class and work so we didn't actually hit the road until 7:30 pm. By the time we pulled out onto I-80, I was a blob of anxiety–here we were hauling a huge trailer with my precious piano in a rented van headed for parts unknown. Heath wasn't bothered at all by my audacious plan to unload and load the piano multiple times. He also didn't think it was outrageous that I scheduled myself to play 6 performances in 4 days…I finally started to relax somewhere along Highway 183 when we were forced to stop while a beautiful herd of deer crossed the road. That gave me the opportunity to gaze at the night sky which without city lights was ablaze with stars. I felt reassured by that sight. Furthermore, we found a radio station that was playing some great seventies southern rock so Heath and I rocked out. We rolled into Ainsworth at exactly 1 am. I was relieved to see that the hotel had internet access and a sauna. (Little did I know that these amenities were going to be short-lived.) The next morning, Heath and I drove the short distance to Ainsworth High School where I was scheduled to play at 12:15pm. I had alerted all of my contacts that we would need several STRONG men to help Heath unload/load the piano. I guess there are many different definitions of strong because on several occasions, Heath had to do most of the lifting himself. Heath's assistants
We got the piano unloaded into a nice little auditorium and then I waited for the students to file in. I was a little apprehensive because this was my first presentation since I had revamped the show. Turns out, I had nothing to fear because the middle school students were enthusiastic, engaged and attentive.
After the show, Heath and I grabbed some lunch at Big John's family restaurant. A specialty of the area is cauliflower salad. Enjoying some of Big John's cauliflower salad
Heath still talks about it to this day. After lunch, I went back to my room and crashed for several hours. It isn't easy staying up until 3a.m. and then getting up for a show at noon! The evening concert took place in the same auditorium as the noontime gig–this time, members of the community came and were very enthusiastic. They asked a lot of questions about my piano, about the music, about hauling the instrument and one woman even asked me if I would sight-read some four-hand music with her! After I did that, she offered to hem my pants leg because the hem had come out completely. We decided to meet at her shop the next morning. Her fabric and notions store is called In Stitches and it is the only quilt and fabric store for at least 100 miles in any direction! A modified "Stitch and Bitch"
Next stop was Cody, Nebraska, population of 149 according to the 2000 census. If you blink while traveling along Highway 20, you might miss it! But, whatever Cody doesn't have in size or population, it makes up for in a welcoming spirit. The students and staff at the Cody/Kilgore High School were all enthusiastic about the show, the piano and the camera crew. Megan with her boom
Groupies Toby and Charlie
From the very beginning of "Piano-in-Tow", I talked about catching an interview with a stray dog. Although not strays, Toby and Charlie did like to hang out at the high school during the weekday. The other thing remarkable about Cody was the wind. Not only did it NEVER stop blowing but it would give drivers on the Salt Flats a thrill.
The next day, Heath and I drove to Gordon, NE, an even more remote town along Highway 20. I was scheduled to play at the Methodist Church Fellowship Hall in the evening so that gave us some time to check-in at our five-star hotel accomodations and have some tacos at the restaurant next door. Nebraska's answer to Hong Kong's Peninsula Hotel
Since it was considerably colder in that part of the state, I found it necessary to warm-up in my jacket…Where are my hand warmers?
And, because all of the restaurants in Gordon close at 9pm, my "PiT" contact kindly arranged for the Italian Inn to feed us after closing! The weather the next morning proved to be just as miserable as the day before. Dr NAN runnin' on fumes
In order to get to Bassett in time for the afternoon gig, Heath and I had to leave Gordon very early. We were basically re-tracing our miles (153 of them), leaving the northwest corner of the state and returning to north central Nebraska. The weather could not have been more uncooperative and there certainly weren't any classic rock stations in the vicinity. Those 3 hours were pretty miserable! When we finally pulled into Basseet, we immediately went to the Bassett High School in order for Heath to unload the piano. By now, Heath's back was complaining steadily so he was glad to find that the unload was pretty easy because the gym was on the same level as the main entrance to the high school. Heath was also provided with some very strong students which made the job even easier.
A side story
Before leaving Lincoln, I had called around trying to find a piano tuner to tune the Yamaha at least once during the trip. My first contact was fully-booked for the week but he suggested a woman-tuner who lived in Verdigre. I found her phone number and called her up. When I mentioned my name, she said, "Is this the same Nicole who used to live in Colorado Springs?" I said, "Well, yes it is. Why do you ask?" She said, "My father and your father used to work together at Peterson Air Force Base outside of C. Springs, Colorado…" Whoa. Very small world department. Katie agreed to meet us in Bassett and said she would bring her parents with her. We had a very nice reunion and Katie aptly tuned my piano before the two shows. After the final concert, Heath and I wandered around downtown looking for something to eat. Someone had told us that the Corral Bar served dinner so we decided to stop in. When we walked in, the jukebox was blaring some great tunes–I knew I had arrived! Bassett's PR machine
The next morning, I woke up wondering where my next stop was–I had to remind myself that we had reached the end of the "Piano-in-Tow" road at least for this season. I think the tour was a huge success but I was happy to be going home!"Dr NAN's post-"PiT" breakfast snooze
Not now, please.
No more carrots, please.


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-- Once a week, Ryan Hansen's mother takes him out of his 8th grade class at Kalamazoo Country Day school and drops him off at 6475 Technology Ave. in Oshtemo Township.
Once there, he sits for two to three hours, playing video games. His parents are happy about it. And while that would be a dream come true for many adolescent boys, it's a reality for a growing number of people in the Kalamazoo area, care of S2 Games.
"Ryan recently wrote his first program," Marc DeForest, chief executive officer of S2 Games, said with a smile.
His success over the last few years, provides some proof for adolescents, teens, 20-somethings and older game lovers that one day maybe they can develop their own game and be a success with it.
"I've played video games since I was 3 years old," said DeForest, now 34. "I was a massive fanatic."
Young Ryan Hansen is a schoolmate of DeForest's children.
A native of Jackson who relocated to Kalamazoo to attend Western Michigan University, DeForest was among those who always wanted to make his own video games. He parlayed earnings from a website development and Internet service provider to start the video game production company 11 years ago with two Californians he was introduced to in 2000.
"I had started a web site development firm and ISP. Through doing that, I was learning much faster than going to school. So it came to a point where I had to give my business more attention than going to school," he said.
His parents were not in favor of that, he said.
The Californians were Jesse Hayes, who is director of art for the company and runs S2 Games' office in Senoma County, Calif. (north of San Francisco); and Sam McGrath, who left the company not long after it started, in order to operate another business.
S2's first two games did not turn a profit. It's third, Heroes of Newerth, has and since its introduction two years ago, it has grown from about 3 million user accounts worldwide, to nearly 10 million accounts currently. The game has been free to access online since last July.
Heroes of Newerth, an online, multiplayer, role-playing game played on personal computers and laptops rather than on game consuls. Players each have an online avatar with magical powers and abilities and work in teams of five to attack other teams and locations.
To celebrate the second anniversary of the game, S2 Games launched a new game mode for HoN (as the game is called by fans). The new game mode is called MidWars.
DeForest credited the success of the game to the updates and regular adjustments he and his staff make.
"We patch the game every Friday – make adjustments, balance the heroes and items, add new content, heroes, maps, features to the game climate," he said.
MidWars, released on May 11, is a new offering to keep players interested.
"Instead of teams spread across three lanes (avenues to attack and capture the opposing team's location), now they're all focused into one lane," DeForest said of MidWars. "The intensity of the battles and the frequency of the battles is significantly higher, which makes it a more entertaining experience."
He said the game operates as a service and is therefore, "vying for the opportunity to entertain people — to keep them playing the game or get them to come back and play the game."
DeForest answered a few questions recently:
Q: The game involves attacks and battles. How has he managed to avoid parents and others thinking it is too violent for young people
A: "We don't hear that," he said. "That is actually something the game is not. It's so nonrealistic (colorful characters include trolls, demons and humanoids) that I don't think that's a concern. It's one thing when you play a first-person shooter game that is very immersive and realistic."
He said the characters in HoN (there are 106 to choose from) are not meant not be very immersive. They have very exaggerated and non-realistic proportions.
"Basically, it doesn't come across as a violent game," he said. "You're using magic to attack one another. It doesn't have the same parallels of more realistic games."
Q: Who is the game's target market?
A: He said it's for anyone who already likes to play video games on the computer and those who do not are probably not going to be interested.
"If you're a console gamer, you're used to playing on a (hand-held) controller. You play games in a big chair looking at a TV. Personal computer gamers are used to using different peripheral devices to play – a keyboard and a mouse.
He said that the potential market is huge. Ninety percent of the demographic is 18- to 45-year-old males.
"We could easily have over 10 million active players (people who not only have a registered account to play HoN, but have played in the last 30 days). Right now we have over 2 million active accounts."
Q: Percentage-wise what kind of growth does he anticipate from HoN this year?
A: "You're looking for consistent growth," he said, declining to offer a number. "Video games move so fast (the design and updates of them) especially online video games that what you're fighting is player attrition."
He said his business involves keeping players interested.
"We're trying to give people as many reasons as possible to play our game, and to continue playing."
Q: How are sales?
A: He would not provide numbers but said this year's revenue is three times what it was a year ago and S2 Games' largest competitor, Los Angeles-based Riot Games, was purchased for $400 million in February 2011 by Chinese firm Tencent.
Heroes of Newerth is free to download and play. The company makes money by charging for virtual gold coins that allow players to buy better weapons, portions and such, and improve their experience.
DeForest attributed the jump in sales to: continually providing updates to keep referral rates and new account creation rates high; making better business decisions; doing a better job analyzing data received from players; and establishing regional partners in other countries to adapt, market and promote the game.
The partnerships include those in South Korea, South America, Southeast Asia and the Commonwealth of Independent States nations. The CIS nations include Russia, Belarus, Ukraine and many of the former republics of the USSR.
"It has helped our player growth a lot," DeForest said.
HoN is the most popular PC game in Thailand, DeForest said. And annual player tournaments in some countries have become quite large. S2 Games is building a green-screen studio in the 12,000 square feet of space it has in Oshtemo Township to allow staffers to do online broadcasts of such tournaments, which many players who are not participating like to watch.
Q: What does the S2 stand for?
A: Nothing, DeForest said.
"We abbreviated something that would be too generic for people to understand. There's no mystery to it. … 'S2' sounded good.
An ape is part of its logo because DeForest simply likes apes.
Q: Why is the company based here?
A: "I'm really proud of the fact that S2 Games is here in Kalamazoo and that it is a high-tech, highly skilled business that many people probably don't expect to be in Kalamazoo, Mich. And I'm proud of the fact that S2 is based here in Kalamazoo and that the last two years since the release of HoN have been as good as they were."
He also said he is proud to be able to bring high-skilled, high-paying job opportunities to the area.
The business has 55 of its 69 employees in Oshtemo Township on 9th Street, about a quarter-mile south of Stadium Drive. The balance of its employers are in Senoma County, Calif., north of San Francisco.
S2 Games was expecting to soon bring in employees it has hired recently to fill seven new positions. Those include jobs in marketing, game programming, online systems programming, user interface development and game design. Some are related to the development of the company's next game offering, which DeForest was very careful not to describe.
Company officials said game designers at S2 make $40,000 to $50,000 per year. Programmers make anywhere from $70,000 to $100,000 per year.
Contact Al Jones at firstname.lastname@example.com and 269-365-7187.


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Hey y'all, while I am off gallivanting Miss Nina offered up a guest a post and I couldn't be happier. She is one fantastic lady and I am so happy to have met her through Blog Life Chose Me's facebook page. If you haven't joined this group, DO IT, you won't regret it.
Thursday, July 24, 2014
You Might Be A Blogger If...
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"After recently having an opportunity to view a Shark Trap presentation, I can say without hesitation that Shark Trap's shufflers are the best I have seen, and the first to pose a bona fide threat to Shuffle Master's monopoly. Moreover, the Shark Trap detection technology for marked cards and asymmetries, along with the platform's many other attributes, is remarkable. Shark Trap is about to change everything!"
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UniverSal Game Protection Development, Inc.
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There's never been anything remotely close to the Shark Trap system and its complete line of 'super shufflers.' Offering unique methodologies that are stark, fundamental departures from traditional casino shufflers, coupled with the scientific wizardry to detect an ever-expanding array of card cheating methods, Shark Trap will put the cheats out of business while making tables games safer, faster, entertaining, and more profitable!"
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Blackjack Hall of Famer
"This is the innovation the gaming industry has been waiting for. A powerful melding of sophisticated technology and top-level gaming acumen, Shark Trap's super shufflers will do everything but make show reservations."
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Gambling Expert
World's Largest Publisher of Gaming Books
Owner/Publisher of Las Vegas Advisor


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By Tricia Seifert (@TriciaSeifert)
In the last week, two countries in North America have celebrated birthdays. On July 1, Canada celebrated 150 years of Confederation, which many have reclaimed as 150+ years in recognition of the centuries of indigenous people inhabiting that land. The United States celebrated 241 years of the signing of the #DeclarationOfIndependence, which was read aloud and tweeted by @NPR on the 4th of July.
Education has long been heralded as key to a thriving democracy. The historical trauma that residential boarding schools inflicted on indigenous people in both Canada and the US, however, has sullied the promise of education. Yet, "facing the truth," as Suzanne Stewart (@SuzanneLStewart) and Charles Pascal suggest in their editorial in the Toronto Star, is indeed worthy of celebration.
Many institutions including my own, Montana State University, purport to "to improve the human prospect through excellence in education, research, creativity and civic responsibility." With celebrations this past week north and south of the 49th parallel, I have been thinking a great deal about how educators engage students to enact their civic responsibility such that education's promise can be fully realized in these two countries and beyond their borders in the next 150 years.
I believe part of civic responsibility is engaging in the political and public policy process. Today I share a small action I took to bring public policy discussions, particularly as they pertain to education policy, to the forefront in the MSU Department of Education.
Engaging in the Policy Conversation
Every week I send an email communication, the Monday Minutes, to students, staff, and faculty in the Department of Education. With the start of a new year, a new President taking office in the US, and new legislative session beginning in our state capital, it seemed timely to begin including information about various public policy proposals at the local, state, and federal level in addition to the usual announcements, opportunities, and event information.
Recognizing that this was an addition to the previous semester's weekly communication, I prefaced the section titled, Policy Update – Opportunities for Civic Engagement with the following statement,
Part of being an educator and professional is to be aware of and engage with public policy relevant to your work and daily practice. This section of the Monday Minutes is designed to share public policy and legislation that pertains to our work as educators.
In each week's communication, I aimed to include information about policies at the national/federal, state, and local level. I wanted people to recognize that public policy discussions, pertinent to their professional practice, happen all around them and at every level of governance. Over the course of the second semester, I shared information about a:
- Local bond issue to fund a second high school in our community
- State legislation that would provide less operating funds to the Montana University System, resulting in a tuition increase for students
- President Trump's federal budget proposal
In each case, I provided links to learn more about the issue and how to contact directly one's elected and appointed public officials (US Congress, state legislators, school district personnel).
In the heat of these political times, many may wonder how to engage students, staff, and faculty in a way that is non-partisan. The text below is taken verbatim from how I introduced the federal budget proposal.
From a National perspective:
If you have not reviewed President Trump's budget proposal, I encourage you to do so here. The proposal has SIGNIFICANT implications for public schooling and higher education accessibility. Please voice your support or opposition to our federal legislators. It¹s easy to do, simply click on this link: https://www.senate.gov/senators/contact/
I was clear to frame the civic action in response to the policy proposal in terms of one's "support or opposition." This is crucial; I am more than aware of the public discourse that purports faculty members seek to indoctrinate students. The US Secretary of Education, Betsy DeVos, drew much attention in February stating,
"The fight against the education establishment extends to you too. The faculty, from adjunct professors to deans, tell you what to do, what to say, and more ominously, what to think."
My intention with this small action with the Monday Minutes Policy Update – Opportunities for Civic Engagement is not to influence students, staff, or faculty members' policy perspectives but to invite them to engage in public policy discussions as a matter of professional and civic obligation. To me, education that encourages and invites the community to engage in matters of public policy debate, development, and implementation is central to a healthy democracy.
Although I need to assess to what extent Department of Education students, staff, and faculty acted on this information, a number of people stopped by my office this semester to thank me for making this information easily accessible. Sometimes all you need is an accessible link to inform yourself in order to take action and make your voice heard.
Two Small Wins
So what's my take-away from the two small actions discussed in the last blog posts?
I think what hits home is that providing an opportunity for people to interact with new ideas (whether those ideas are advanced by people in a discussion or a policy document) is simply what educators do. It's not flashy; it's part and parcel of what education is — interacting with new ideas. I didn't do anything big in either of my actions but people came out of the experience with more information. They encountered new things to think about, questions to ponder, and possibilities for action. As David Kolb stated years ago, "learning is a process." The small actions I took gave a chance for folks to further engage in that process.
I'm curious what others have done to discuss religious, spiritual and worldview diversity with students. I'm also interested in how you have invited students, staff, and faculty to engage in the public policy conversation.
What have been your successes? What challenges have you experienced? Please take a moment to "leave a reply" and be part of this critical conversation as we navigate these changing times.


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The Legends League, North Division
Part Two of a Series
by "Shakey" McGuiness
Legends League correspondent
Keokuk, Chicago, Toronto, Montreal
. That was the prediction for this division from my good friend
The Bleacher Bum
this spring. So, have these guys played to expected form so far? Well, yes and no. Considering Chicago is in first, tied with Toronto, and Keokuk and Montreal are both just a game and a half back,
was close anyway. But I don't think my good friend anticipated that a mere game and a half would separate team one from team four. This is one closely contested division, to say the least.
Chicago has new ownership, as does Keokuk, so it will be interesting to see which way those teams go from here. Will there be a trade, or a series of trades which propel one team or another to the top - or drop them to the bottom? Maybe a player or three currently underachieving will suddenly find their strokes (or fastballs) and grab the team by its collective collar and drag them to new heights? Only after the games are played and entered into the books will that answer become clear.
It must also be said that all four are bunched around the .500 mark. This is a fact that must be a disappointment to the fans of each. In fact, at the present time, not a one is over that mediocre mark. The division comprises the bottom four teams in the LL in terms of team BA, so a cursory examination of the situation could bring one to the conclusion that the reason for this is the scarcity of offensive firepower. Except if you look at their offenses not in terms of team BA, but by way of Runs Scored per 27 Outs (RC27) - a much more accurate measurement - their stock rises to the middle of the pack. All except Keokuk that is, which remains the anchor of the league, down there in dead last. Part of that sad statistic can be written off by their playing in the vast wasteland called Perry Park, otherwise known as
The Place Rallies Go To Die
. Conversely the Westerns do lead the league in ERA, again due in no small part to the great expanse of a ball field they call home. So that can certainly be called an even trade-off. The Royales are a notable third in ERA, despite playing in Parc Jarry, a certifiable launching pad, while Chicago and Toronto settle for the middle again.
Will Ted Williams (.276-20-64) and Hank Aaron (300-16-54) have monster second halves and bring the Cubbies the Division title? In Jim Palmer (10-5, 3.14) they have a legit Cy Young candidate. Maybe he'll be the difference. Will Honus Wagner (.259-1-19) overcome his anemic numbers and offensively challenged home park and bring the goods home for the Westerns? Maybe Turkey Stearnes (.268-14-36) will be The Man for the Keokuk Nine. The park certainly doesn't seem to bother him all that much. Lefty Grove (5-5, 2.53) and Pete Alexander (5-5, 2.63) are pitching like aces but have next to nothing to show for it. This team, more than any other in the division, seem to be a wild card. The Royales, on the other hand, have identified their problem: too much muscle, not enough finesse. They lead the world in home runs, but make little of it because it seems that's all they can do. Reggie Jackson (.270-21-50) leads the regulars in OBA with a not entirely formidable .336. Since he's a middle of the order guy, don't expect Reggie to be setting any tables in this life, or the next for that matter. He's
The Straw That Stirs The Drink
, remember. So if they can land a table setter or two, the Royales can certainly rock their way to the top. The Blue Jays are another team that are hard to gauge. As has been demonstrated, they dwell in the middle of the pack in most categories. If a Manny Ramirez (.243-9-20) or Sadaharu Oh (.247-13-38) can step it up, they can make the difference. The acquisition of Mark McGwire(.288-5-11 in 22 games) has already improved the Jays' offense, but will it be enough? They are close, but isn't that the case for all of these teams?
So who will it be? Who'll step up to the dish and knock in that deciding run? Damned if I know. Seriously. Pitching and Defense are the Bible, so that would seem to favor Keokuk. Put a gun to my head and make me choose, and well, that's the team that takes it. But any one of these teams can turn the trick. Watch the Royales. Watch the Cubbies. Watch the Blue Jays. Because it's anyone's division. One thing is certain though - only one team from this division will get into the playoffs. There will be no wild cards in a division where nobody can win more games than they lose.


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Carl Jung began his autobiography, Memories, Dreams, Reflections by writing, "Thus it is that I have now undertaken, in my eighty-third year, to tell my personal myth". Personal myths are our strong internal guiding principles. Some people have strong personal myths, while others weak, and some none, those who live by day in day out seeking pleasure (or enduring pain, as the case might be). Personal myths are very often unspeakable, like Jung who spoke about his own personal myth at a later stage of his life. The reason is that they are built on highly personal experience, biased by one's own culture, personality and upbringing. Oftentimes, dreams form part of its building blocks. Yet, for spiritually minded people, personal myth are considered very important.
Personal myth has become more important in our contemporary era in which myths created by our organized religions have become faded. Now organized religions ars more about doing tangible social goods, like operating hospitals, schools and at their very best, taking on issues with a more liberal outlook (hopefully). On the personal level, organized religions are now about psychological health, and sometimes physical health too. "Personal myth" coaching however is difficult if not impossible. The main reason is that personal myth has become more and more "personal" because the diversity of our contemporary cultures. There are all kinds of interest groups, including support groups for all kinds of human misfortunes, thanks to the connecting power of internet social media. Yet, personal myth in most cases fails to carry a common denominator, and oftentimes even laughable (if not despicable or pitiable) from the eyes of an innocent onlooker.
I have shared some elements of my own personal myth in my posts loosely under the title of "stories of no significance". They are not meant to be stories or advice to be taken at face value. My readers be warned.


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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 4, 2016
Media Contact: Caley Love, Director of Communications Phone: 785-296-3580 Email: email@example.com
Governor Declares April Financial Literacy Month in Kansas
TOPEKA, Kan., (Apr. 4, 2016) – Governor Sam Brownback has signed a proclamation declaring the month of April as Financial Literacy Month in Kansas. The proclamation highlights the need to ensure that Kansans are well prepared to manage money, credit, investments, and debt. Attending the signing were members of the Money Smart Month Kansas committee, an annual community outreach initiative that promotes financial awareness for people of all ages.
As a steering committee member of Money Smart Month Kansas, the Kansas Securities Commissioner's office urges participation at the Money Smart Month Financial Freedom Expo in Wichita, Kan., Saturday, April 16 from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at Urban Prep Academy, 2821 East 24th Street North, Wichita KS. More than 24 financial education workshops, free credit reports, door prizes and more will be available.
In connection with Financial Literacy Month, several state agencies, including the Kansas Securities Commissioner's office, have collaborated to launch a new consumer financial education website, KansasMoney.gov. The multi-agency website provides Kansans easy access to essential financial resources from the State of Kansas.
An interactive learning course is a key feature of the site. The Kansas Financial Learning Center provides a flexible financial learning platform for busy adults, and it is free for all Kansans. The course consists of "bite-sized" educational content on topics from auto loans to identity protection to social security. Most modules within the course can be completed in 3-7 minutes. Throughout the month of April, the State Treasurer's Office, a partner of KansasMoney.gov, is providing an incentive for those who sign up to participate in the program. At the end of the month, Kansans who have completed at least 5 modules will be eligible to win an iPad. To learn more about this opportunity, visit the Treasurer's website at www.kansasstatetreasurer.com.
Other KansasMoney.gov agency partners are: the Office of the Attorney General, the Office of the State Bank Commissioner of Kansas, Kansas Department of Credit Unions, Kansas Department of Revenue, and the Kansas Insurance Department.
Kansas' celebration of Financial Literacy Month joins a national effort of businesses, agencies and non-profit organizations to promote personal finance education through a wide variety of programming. To learn more about these and other opportunities, visit kansasmoney.gov.
Photo of the Money Smart Month Kansas group at the proclamation signing: (from left to right) Timothy Hagan-Wichita State University Student Money Management Center, Shannon Stone-Office of the Kansas Securities Commissioner, Anna Barger-Communities in Schools of Mid-America, Kathy Clark-Capital City Bank, Deryl Schuester-Kansas Bank Commissioner's office, Terry Leatherman-Housing and Credit Counseling, Inc., Governor Sam Brownback, Lloyd Rainge-Capitol Federal Savings Bank, Kathie Harris-Kansas Department of Commerce, Trisha Thomas-Kansas Department for Children and Families, Kenya Cox-Kansas African American Affairs Commission and Wichita NAACP, Gigi Wolf-Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City.


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Hyuga Travel Guide
Hyuga is an area that covers the central to northern part of Miyazaki prefecture. Besides the cities of Hyuga and Saito, it also includes the counties of Higashiusuki, Koyu, and Higashimorokata.
For sightseeing, there are plenty of beautiful scenic natural spots, such as Hyuga Cape, Umagase Cape, Cruss Sea, etc. Besides that, there are ancient historical sites such as the Saitobaru Kofungun Burial Mounds. Also, it is known as a cosmos and nanohana (rape blossom) spot in the spring.
This area is on the seaside Nippo Main line but there is no train service further inland so it is convenient to have a car for getting around in this area. From major cities, it is accessible by plane and conventional train. From Tokyo, you can fly from Haneda Airport to Miyazaki Airport then take the JR. It takes about 3 hours.
Tourism information: Hyuga
Map: Hyuga