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One star. Rated R, for graphic nudity, rape, profanity, violence and highly disturbing images
By Derrick Bang
File this one under You've Got To Be Kidding.
Successful directors with runaway egos are to be feared. Sooner or later, many of them succumb to self-indulgent, often "long-nurtured" vanity projects that defy reason and emerge as ludicrously bloated and self-indulgent. Some badly dent or even ruin careers; others bankrupt studios.
|Having been injured under suspicious circumstances, Lockhart (Dane DeHaan) decides
to explore the mysterious sanitarium where none of the resident clients show any
desire to leave.
Steven Spielberg and George Lucas stumbled badly, respectively, with 1941 and Howard the Duck. Andy and Lana Wachowski blew their Matrix profits on Speed Racer. Warren Beatty and Dustin Hoffman still get taunted for Ishtar. Eddie Murphy simply didn't survive the fallout from The Adventures of Pluto Nash; director Renny Harlan suffered the same fate, after Cutthroat Island. Joseph L. Mankiewicz nearly took down Fox, with Cleopatra. Michael Cimino did destroy United Artists, with Heaven's Gate.
There are many, many more ... and to their company we now can add Gore Verbinski, the arrogant driving force behind A Cure for Wellness.
Savvier Hollywood types should have known better, given that Verbinski already demonstrated his tendency toward wretched excess, with his recent update of The Lone Ranger. But the fact that he also helmed the first three wildly successful Pirates of the Caribbean installments apparently blinded Those In Charge to all the red flags that should have been waving, from their first glimpse of this new project's misbegotten script.
I've a theory that "high-class horror" is an oxymoron. Successfully scary movies, by their very nature, seem to demand modest (even microscopic) budgets and the exhilarating momentum that results from ground-level, guerrilla-style filmmaking; this has been true ever since producer Val Lewton chaperoned his B-unit shockers for RKO Pictures, back in the 1940s.
Commercial success for such endeavors often is a happy surprise, rather than a specific goal.
But the moment an A-list director, armed with a prestige budget, tries to make a "serious" fright flick ... the resulting flop almost is inevitable. See Exhibit A: Stanley Kubrick's adaptation of Stephen King's The Shining. Oh, it's beautiful to look at, and Kubrick gets points for instilling a creepy atmosphere ... but scary? Hardly. Unintentionally funny, perhaps, but not terrifying; it's too antiseptic and soulless to induce nightmares.
Which brings us to A Cure for Wellness, and its ponderous, insufferably calculated pretense of horror. Verbinski didn't merely direct this bloated travesty; he also co-wrote the original script with Justin Haythe, who also collaborated on The Lone Ranger. (Ahem.) The result gets off to a reasonably promising start — to be fair — but quickly succumbs to laborious, overwrought theatrics and self-indulgently arty tableaus.
As with Kubrick's Shining, Verbinski's new film is visually gorgeous; the remote Alpine setting positively sparkles, as viewed through cinematographer Bojan Bazelli's lens. The opening train and car trips are quite literally breathtaking.
I've always felt that secluded health spas were rather creepy in their own right, so setting this tale within one also seemed a good start.
Too bad Verbinski flushes such potential away with the bonkers-stupid adventure that follows.
The premise is simple: Young Wall Street stockbroker Lockhart (Dane DeHaan) is sent to retrieve the firm's CEO, Pembroke (Harry Groener), who checked into a high-class health spa in the Swiss Alps ... and hasn't returned. Indeed, once Lockhart reaches this eerily tranquil sanitarium, he finds that none of its many wealthy clients has any desire to leave.
"Why should I?" is the repeated response, somewhat like a rehearsed chant, when Lockhart chats with folks. "I feel so good here."
Adding to the place's sense of wrongness, the staff goes out of its way to prevent Lockhart from even seeing Pembroke, insisting that such a meeting would "disrupt" his therapy. Lockhart gets nowhere until finally meeting the facility's director, the superficially genial but clearly sinister Dr. Volmer (Jason Isaacs), who speaks in platitudes about how modern society, by its very tempestuous nature, has made people sick. Even if they don't realize this.
"Only when we know what ails us," Volmer smiles, with fortune-cookie sincerity, "can we hope to find the cure."
Verbinski displays his contemptible sensibilities shortly thereafter, by lingering on the death-throes of an elk struck by a car: a gratuitous, thoroughly deplorable and needlessly gruesome tableau that's made no less offensive by the knowledge that it's a CGI creature.
No surprise: Circumstances conspire to keep Lockhart within the institution's walls. Drink plenty of water, Volmer suggests; it's "miracle stuff," and it'll also offset the dehydration-induced lightheadedness caused by the high elevation.
Alone in his room, Lockhart duly swallows a glassful of the sparkling liquid. Then he notices, sticking to the inside of the glass, a tiny something that wriggles, once he examines it closely.
Despite this, apparently deeming it inconsequential, Lockhart spends the rest of the film blithely drinking the water.
Oh, pul-leaze.
Right there, Verbinski lost control of his film, and the respect of his audience ... and never regained either. As portrayed by DeHaan, Lockhart is smart, cynical and suspicious; there's simply no way he'd have continued to consume an unknown liquid polluted with such icky little whatzits.
Idiotic behavior and the absence of logic merely intensify, from this point forward.
Given that Volmer and his facility conceal Big, Dark Secrets, it seems odd that Lockhart remains unsupervised, and is allowed to roam freely, discovering various ooky things along the way. You'd think, after the first Big Reveal, that Volmer would wise up and confine Lockhart to his room. Nope. The kid roams freely again, makes another gruesome discovery, earns another reproach from Volmer, and gets sent back to his room. Where he's once again left unguarded, and free to wander to another level of awfulness.
Again: Oh, pul-leaze.
Along the way, Lockhart discovers that the spa was built from the reconstructed ruins of a castle that was burned to the ground two centuries earlier, when local villagers learned of the resident baron's unwholesome medical experiments on his family members. Volmer, clearly enchanted by the baron's work, also is obsessed with purity; everything in the sanitarium is white and immaculately sterile.
The institutional weirdness is augmented further by the presence of Hannah (Mia Goth), a barefoot, mysteriously shy and oddly naïve young woman who can't help catching Lockhart's eye. Unlike the other clients, she dresses and behaves more individually. She confesses to having spent her entire life at the sanitarium, under the protective gaze of her guardian, Volmer.
At which point, it's pretty obvious where we're going. Eventually.
Very eventually. Because the only truly horrifying thing about this film is that it drones on ... and on ... and on ... for an interminable, unendurable, inexcusable, butt-numbing 146 minutes. Which, to belabor the obvious, is at least an hour too long.
I don't care who makes it; no horror film can justify such length.
Verbinski fills time by padding his already thin-on-coherence storyline with ludicrously arty tableaus, weird plot detours and gratuitously grotesque shock effects. The elderly patients' nude bodies are displayed en masse, more than once, with the sort of slow-motion pan that evokes unpleasant memories of Peter Greenaway's Prospero's Books. These same patients apparently are able to survive long-term drowning, a detail that doesn't scan even within this numb-nuts setting.
At one point, all of these elderly clients attack Lockhart, en masse, like slow-motion zombies. Say what?
At another charming juncture, Volmer, finally annoyed by Lockhart's constant intrusions, has one of the young man's front teeth drilled out. While we watch.
After which, the kid is returned to his room, alone and unsupervised, yet again free to wander and cause trouble. (Does nobody learn in this story?)
Given that we keep getting variations of the same dumb events, over and over and over again, it's pretty obvious that Verbinski is adept at only one thing: wasting our time.
Isaacs is appropriately ominous as Volmer, but a little of that shtick goes a long way; even he can't hold our attention with the same mocking gaze and thin-lipped smile. And while we initially sympathize with Lockhart, DeHaan can't begin to make the kid's subsequent stupidity reasonable or even comprehensible. His "acting" devolves to little more than bouncing between angry sneers and wide-eyed desperation: lather, rinse and repeat.
As for the appropriately named Goth, she definitely has an otherworldly bearing ... but she can't act a lick. Not that she gets much of a chance.
By the time Verbinski deigns to answer this insufferably tedious story's key mystery — which, frankly, has been telegraphed long before — we've also endured three (four?) (five?) false endings, en route to a final, laughably unsatisfying denouement. To which everybody in the preview audience, a few weeks back, muttered Thank God.
Avoid this one like the plague. Whatever you do, don't drink Verbinski's water.


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partners in compassion
The Nanaimo Bhaktapur Hospice Palliative Care Twinning ProjectPartners in Compassion is about Caregivers supporting Caregivers. It started when a group of caregivers already working in the field of hospice palliative care saw a need in Nepal. It didn't take long before we found our twinning partner - The Bhaktapur Cancer Centre's new palliative care unit. We decided to start small and keep it small because we didn't want to take away from funding already going to local hospice programs. And we wanted to inspire other hospice societies and programs across Canada to do the same and it didn't take long before Health Canada agreed to partner with us to develop "Canada's Guide to Hospice Palliative Care Twinning Projects" Today, the members of the hospice palliative care team in our community are committed to the supporting their counterparts in Bhaktapur - and in some cases, they have inspired others to give as a way of supporting the travel costs associated with site visits to Bhaktapur that have occurred each year since inception. During these visits, nurses and doctors from Nanaimo join with the staff in Bhaktapur to learn and grow together - often at their own expense. It's their way of giving to the program.
Partners In Compassion
Click here to view the latest video update on the Partners in Compassion Program.
This video is password protected. The password is compassion
This video is password protected. The password is compassion
About Us - Programs – Volunteer - Hospice Shoppe – Events--International – Resources - Support Us - Site Map

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Scientific Notation Word Problems
Aligned To Common Core Standard:
Grade 8 Number System- 8.EE.A.4
Printable Worksheets And Lessons
- Population Problem Step-by-Step Lesson- We do a little scientific notation subtraction to solve
this one. Very basic at first.
- Guided Lesson - The
mass of the Earth and the Sun get in the mix; along with another
population problem.
- Guided Lesson Explanation
- When answering these types of problems you will need plenty of
space to spread out your answer.
- Independent Practice -
These are such random questions. I did Google to find actual realistic
numbers for them. Who really figured out how much a dust particle
- Matching Worksheet
-Match the circumstances to their outcomes. You will find these
problems a bit challenging to step up.
Answer Keys
View Answer Keys- All the answer keys in one file.
(Click Here to Upgrade)
Homework Sheets
When students first see the length of problems like this they are intimidated.
Practice Worksheets
Once students master the art of outlining, these problems become much easier for them.
Math Skill Quizzes
Remind students that when the tail ends of scientific notation is the same, they cancel.


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You Can Protect Your Country
October 19, 2015
Thomas Paine was an England-born political philosopher and writer who helped shape many of the ideas that marked the American Revolution. His extremely popular article "Common Sense," published as a pamphlet in 1776, was the first to advocate American independence. He was a true patriot.
So why did he say, "The duty of a true patriot is to protect his country from its government?" Because he knew that all governments tend to become despotic if left unchecked. Patriotism is not cheering and supporting whatever the politicians decide.
According to Paine true patriotism is listening critically to what our elected representatives say; challenging them when they are wrong; and supporting them when they are true to the Constitution. If they are chronically wrong and refuse to mend their ways, patriots should vote them out of office. And if they are too dangerous to be allowed to wreak havoc until the next election, patriots should defend their nation by taking stronger steps.
One tool in our arsenal of remedies against despotic government officials which has been used far too infrequently in the past is impeachment. There is not an elected or appointed official who is safe from impeachment - if patriots have the courage to act in defense of their country.
In my lifetime two presidents have been impeached or threatened with impeachment - and a third should have been. If the president can be impeached, why not senators and congressmen? We have too often allowed Congress to censure criminals when they should have been impeached.
And what of the many federal judges who desperately need to be impeached? It's immaterial that they have lifetime appointments. Article III, Section One of the Constitution states that federal judges are appointed to life terms while serving "during good Behaviour." Although the Constitution does not state expressly that judges can be impeached and removed, they definitely fall within the definition of "Civil Officers."
Article II, Section 4 says: "The President, Vice President and all Civil Officers of the United States, shall be removed from Office on Impeachment for, and Conviction of, Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors." Federal judges have been impeached and removed from office, but far too few have paid for their crimes in this manner.
The sad fact is that very few Americans ever think in terms of defending the United States. As long as they have a job and food they're happy. If the rights of others are being trampled, they have no desire to get involved. It's only when their personal rights are violated that they begin thinking about these injustices. But by the time that happens, it may well be too late.
Visit Dr. Tom Barrett's website at www.DrTom.TV


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Call of Duty: Elite outed?
Reportedly leaked logo may have revealed the name for Activision's upcoming "all-new connected digital universe" for the popular shooter series.
Source: See below.
What we heard: On Monday, Activision issued its earnings for the January-March quarter. Other than reporting $503 million in profits, the publisher also further revealed its plans for the Call of Duty franchise. Specifically, the company said that this year's installment--heavily rumored to be Modern Warfare 3--will have "an unprecedented online universe that is accompanying it." The publisher indicated that this "all-new connected digital universe"--also called a new "platform"--was in the works at its newly formed Beachhead studio. In a call with analysts following the report, Activision Publishing CEO Eric Hirshberg said that "We look forward to sharing more specifics on this exciting new endeavor in the coming weeks."
Now, it appears that one of those specifics--the platform's title--may have been leaked a little bit early. A person claiming to work in the tradeshow graphics industry posted several pieces of Activision-related Electronic Entertainment Expo art on the forums of gaming blog Electric Hydra. One is a logo for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3. The second is something called Call of Duty: Elite, possibly the name of the Beachhead's new online platform.
The official story: Activision had not responded to requests for comment as of press time.
Bogus or not bogus?: Given its similarity to Modern Warfare 3 art that has surfaced on both Kotaku and a teaser in Official PlayStation Magazine UK, the Modern Warfare 3 logo looks not bogus--giving credence to the Call of Duty: Elite logo. The title "Elite" also connotes a premium level, something that analysts expect the Beachhead studio's service to be. However, until Activision makes it official, it is unclear what exactly Call of Duty: Elite is--or if it's anything at all.
Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email firstname.lastname@example.com


text:
On Tuesday, February 15, 2000 at 5:09 AM, firstname.lastname@example.com (Terje Bless) wrote: > On 14.02.00 at 22:24, Gerald Oskoboiny <firstname.lastname@example.com> wrote: > > >Sorry about that, fixed. > > Uhm, well, I'm not really sure pointing to a page saying "This > specification has been superseded" is all that much better. Nah, I think this is perfect. It lets the user know immediately that they should be using something other than what they are using, points to the current version and also points to the full content of the previous version. -- Christian Smith | firstname.lastname@example.com | http://web.barebones.com PGP Fingerprint - 60E5 2216 97D2 1D1A B923 F036 00A9 CEC0 D411 FA89 "I congratulate myself on not having arrived into the world until the present time. This age suits my taste." - OvidReceived on Monday, 14 February 2000 23:31:53 UTC
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.3.1 : Tuesday, 1 March 2016 14:17:26 UTC


text:
"It comes from saying no to 1,000 things to make sure we don't get on the wrong track or try to do too much" — Steve Jobs
To say "No" to a friend or relative is difficult, now imagine saying "No" to a colleague or client. Indeed, a very awkward and difficult thing to do but it is essential if you want to have "laser-like" focused-growth in your business. There are 2 scenarios where saying "No" is essential and important. The 2 scenarios are the following:
- Clients asking for changes or new features that are not product fit– This one is a big one for me and most of the time we tell our clients we cannot change or add a new feature. If it's a bug, of course we will address it. If it's something minute, I get it. If it will benefit everyone on the platform, I understand. But if it's a unique change for one client then we say "No". The problem with always saying "Yes" to your clients is that you will never be able move your product along the development road-map. You will incur massive tech debt. There is always a way to address your client gently; to not offend that person. I am definitely not saying to scream: "Hell No" when a client asks for something that is not a fit, but rather, to tell him or her that it's not a feature the company can work on at the moment. There is always a discussion around this topic with respect to keeping customers happy. When you say "No" to a customer it really has nothing to do with support. In fact, I think that support is a 2 way street. My definition of support is to address every question or issue my customer has within reasonable limits. Remember, a business is in the "business" to make money and you have to make decisions to keep it around. If you were to coddle every customer (which would be great) then you may not be around for long. As a result, that customer will not benefit from your product anymore.
- Bad prospective clients – Yes, I mean saying "No" to a new client. There are some clients that are not worth pursuing. You can generally sense if a potential client is problematic before you engage in business and it is better to terminate the relationship if its going to cause problems down the road. Again, some clients ask for unreasonable amounts of support. To me, this can drain a company's resources. This to me is losing or wasting time, which ultimately is losing the business money. Also, there are some clients that are not effective communicators. If a client does not respond to phone calls, emails or are just too busy I stay clear of them.
Another thing to note is that a "No" from a prospective client to You is beneficial as well. I believe that a "No" is better than a "I don't know". Think about it, if you are trying to understand status with a prospective client and the answer is always "I don't know" you continue to waste time and energy following up by writing emails or calling them on the phone. But a "No we are not interested" is final. This eliminates following up and the company can move in another direction swiftly.
I hope this article helps someone who struggles with saying "No" to customers when it's appropriate. To be honest, I still fall into this trap from time to time and I have seen others fall into this scenario many times. It is okay to say "No" when it's justified. And remember there is always a gentle way of saying it.


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Nuuo : Nubot
It's like virtual Chucky.
Published On
Jan 04, 2012
Editor's Pick
By turn freaky, by turn adorable, this robotic avatar, nubot, was created by Japanese planning company Nuuo for use in staff meetings between different places. Created by the same guys who worked on the Tiny Riot App, the robot is a little doll with a screen as a face. Using webcam and Skype, you can manipulate the doll's movements as if you are actually there. Similar to W+K's virtual Christmas Dinner and del Campo Nazca Saatchi & Saatchi's friend recovery, you can be there when your faraway friends, family or colleagues need you. You just can't eat the noodles.


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Listen to Song Beyonce Recorded When She Was Only 10
When you've got it, you've got it. Beyonce had it even when she was just 10 years old, as this unearthed song '6325792' so deftly proves.
The silky smooth, harmonized R&B track has landed online and hints at the powerhouse vocalist that King Bey would become. It's almost like a proto Destiny's Child. Obviously, the numerical title appears to be a reference to a phone number.
Granted, she was not even a teenager at the time of this recording, so she hadn't come close to her full potential.
But you can just tell she was on the cusp of greatness and that she was already a diva when she was a little girl in Houston, Texas.
PopCrushers, what did you guys think of mini Bey?


text:
Floral Wedding Dress Belt - Blue and Yellow Fabric Flowers
$ 95.00
This one-of-a-kind bridal belt has sold, but don't fret! We are happy to create a similar design in your favorite colors and style. Contact us to discuss a custom design made just for you.
Vintage-inspired blooms in blue, golden yellow, and ivory white are made of hand-cut and sewn textiles, and vintage lace. A beautiful yellow glass button and a vintage estate jewel with blue rhinestones add a bit of sparkle and bling to this unique wedding dress accessory.
So full of beautiful handmade detail and texture. This pretty bouquet can be pinned onto a ribbon or fabric belt, or onto the front or back of a bridal dress. In bloom long after your ceremony, you can wear your flowers again, perhaps pinned onto a dress when out on your first anniversary date with your hubby!
• Two sturdy locking pins are sewn onto the finished backing.
• A ribbon belt in your choice of color, material and width is INCLUDED with the floral design. Shown in photos with 2 inch Ivory and 1.5 inch Lavender or Cafe Latte double faced satin ribbon belts. Choose from the ribbon belt section in the shop for a variety of colors and widths available. Note your ribbon preference and length needed upon purchase.
• Flowers measure 4.5 inches x 3.5 inches.
Rosy Posy designs custom jewelry, pins and corsages for bride and bridesmaid dresses, sash flowers, and hair accessories, boutonnieres and mother of the bride gifts. Contact us if you like something you see in my shop and we can create a special accessory just for you and your bridal party.
See the entire collection of Rosy Posy Designs bridal belts and sashes here: Bridal Belts and Sashes


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RRR Show – September 14, 2014
Welcome to "Rapidly Rotating Records," Glenn Robison's weekly, one hour radio program of "toe-tapping music from rapidly rotating 78 RPM records of the 1920s and 30s", broadcast Sunday evenings at 6:00 PM over KISL FM 88.7 Avalon.
On this week's BRAND NEW edition of Rapidly Rotating Records, we have 13, count 'em, 13 birthdays to celebrate! And we'll still have time for a couple of "bonus" records. As always, just click on the link below to instantly listen streaming online and/or download the show. Your comments, topic suggestions and requests are always welcome. Enjoy the show!
Rapidly Rotating Records Show – September 14, 2014
Here's the complete playlist:
Segment 1: Birthdays
Monte Carlo Joys – Gus C. Edwards Orchestra
Two-Faced Women – Hal Kemp AHO / Skinnay Ennis, v.
Should I? – Hotel Pennsylvania Music (Jack Albin( / Scrappy Lambert, v.
Why Shouldn't I? – Gus Arnheim and His Coconut Grove Orchestra / Loyce Whiteman, v.
Segment 2: More Birthdays
I Can't Get The One I Want – Ben Bernie and His Hotel Roosevelt Orchestra
California Blues – Georgia Jumpers
Florida, The Moon And You (Intro: Wasn't It Nice?) – Carl Fenton AHO / Vocal Quartet
Segment 3: Still More Birthdays
What Is It? – The High Hatters / Frank Luther, v.
Sweet And Lovely – Ed Loyd AHO / Elmer Feldkam, v.
She's A Hum Dum Dinger – Jimmie Davis w/ Oscar "Buddy" Woods
Segment 4: Even More Birthdays
La Lecon De Charleston – Maurice Chevalier
You're Toots To Me – Shep Fields and His Rippling Rhythm / Charles Chester, v.
At The Codfish Ball – Mae Questel
Segment 5: One More Birthday +
Texas Man – J. C. Johnson and His Five Hot Sparks
Bidin' My Time – The Bluejeans / Phil Crow, Frank Luther, Carson Robison, v.
Avalon – Isham Jones and His Rainbo Orchestra
If you're a member of Facebook, but haven't "liked" the show, won't you please consider doing so? Just go to www.facebook.com/rapidlyrotatingrecords
RRR is also available as an iTunes podcast! To subscribe so that each new show automatically downloads to your iTunes account, go to http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/rapidly-rotating-records/id544171535
And finally, please consider becoming a member of KISL. A basic membership is just $20 and a premium membership is $50. While most of you are not on Catalina Island and can't take advantage of the merchant discounts and offers that go with membership, you'll be supporting community radio on Catalina Island and beyond. I am not paid for the show, nor is it underwritten. I do the show because I love the music and the people, stories and culture behind it. Visit www.kislavalon.com/membership. Thanks!
Rapidly Rotating Records is now in the lineup of YesterYear Radio at WYYR.com. RRR is heard each Tuesday evening at 10 Eastern / 7 Pacific following David Miller's "Swinging Down the Lane." Click in to WYYR.com for some great big band programming.


text:
Ensemble Series ES3R
ProMark ES3R mallets feature a round rubber core with a thick layer of laytex that provides a full sound on both vibraphone and marimba. The ES3R provides the medium articulation and maximum tone for great response in the lowest register. Rattan handles offer the necessary flexibility while remaining durable enough for demanding performance.


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The Detroit Red Wings' three-game winning streak came to an end in Winnipeg Monday.
Wings lose 4-2 in Winnipeg
Matt Halishuck scored the winner and his first goal as a Winnipeg Jet Monday as the Jets snapped a three-game losing streak with a fast-skating 4-2 win over the Detroit Red Wings.
Bryan Little, Michael Frolik and Andrew Ladd also scored for the Jets (6-8-2).
Henrik Zetterberg scored his eighth of the season for Detroit (9-5-2), and Danny DeKeyser scored his first NHL career goal.
The Jets repeatedly took it to the Detroit net in the first period, outshooting the Red Wings 14-9 and scoring with just a minute left on a breakaway. They ended the game ahead 47-27.
Little opened the scoring when he got the jump on defenceman Kyle Quincy, who fell and left Winnipeg's leading scorer to go in alone against Jimmy Howard. It was Little's team-leading eighth goal of the season.
Winnipeg goalie Al Montoya successfully stopped a similar breakaway early in the second period when Jets' defenceman Dustin Byfuglien fell and surrendered the puck.
But Zetterberg put Detroit (9-5-2) on the board at 7:09 when a shot in front of the Winnipeg net glanced in off Jets' defenceman Grant Clitsome's skate.
DeKeyser then put the Red Wings in the lead a few minutes later with a slapshot from the blue-line that beat Montoya's glove when Detroit was shorthanded.
A third Detroit goal in the second was cancelled by a net that came off its moorings.
But with just under three minutes to go Mark Scheifele slid the puck through Quincey's skates in front of the Detroit net to Frolik and he popped it in to make it 2-2.
A perfectly positioned Halischuk put the Jets ahead at 4:26 of the third when he one-timed a pass from Frolik, who fed it from behind the Detroit net.
Ladd backhanded a loose puck past Howard at 10:57 of the third to give the Jets some breathing room.
Notes: The Jets kept the Red Wings from a four-game Western Conference sweep after wins in Vancouver, Calgary and Edmonton. … Defenceman Mark Stuart joined the injury list on the weekend and the Jets called up Zach Redmond from the IceCaps. They also claimed defenceman Keaton Ellerby off waivers from the Los Angeles Kings. … The team has been without defenceman Jacob Trouba and centre Jim Slater since Oct. 20. Paul Postma has been off since Oct. 27. Evander Kane didn't dress Monday night for the Jets . . . D
etroit will host the Dallas Stars Thursday (7:30 p.m., FSN, Bob Duff's twitter updates @asktheduffer).


text: TriMega believes that by being armed with the insights, information, and a playing field that is level (with the power channel), the independent dealer can continue to meet the challenges of their market. TriMega helps its members 'take back control' and hone that competitive edge by providing members with benefits we like to call the "TriMega Advantage". Purchasing Advantages TriMega negotiates programs with manufacturers designed to make members as competitive as possible with aggressive pricing programs with over 100 direct vendors Direct (and Wholesale) Rebate Programs Maximizes rebate and bottom line opportunities with ZERO holdbacks on rebates - TriMega pays 100% of rebates (direct & wholesale) by check quarterly Marketing Benefits Access to profit producing catalogs, flyers and other marketing programs, emphasizing new products, designed to grow member business A Business Model that Maximizes Member ROI TriMega's low-cost, low-overhead operation is designed to maximize member return, resulting in Fixed, low monthly dues which allows for the highest ROI for members versus other industry buying groups Industry Access Simple, effective access to the key players in the industry through member events and shows Communication & Networking Frequent and timely communication on the issues that matter the most, plus the chance to exchange ideas and share best practices with fellow members in TriMega conventions, meetings, message boards, webinars and events. Isn't it time you considered a partner in your quest for business success? Couldn't you use some muscle in your corner? Don't you owe it to your business to strive to make more? Well, there's never been a better time to discover the advantage that hundreds of dealers have already discovered...the TriMega Advantage. TriMega Purchasing Association - the largest independent office products dealer group in the world!


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Zico hoping to persuade Alessandro Del Piero to sign for Flamengo – Report
Flamengo are interested in signing Juventus legend Alessandro Del Piero with the Italian unhappy with life in Australia after his move to Sydney FC.
Del Piero, 38, who won the World Cup with Italy in 2006, moved to Sydney last summer after leaving Juventus but has become disillusioned with life down under after the promises made to him over the team's competitiveness has not come true.
Zico, who now is on the board at Flamengo, and new president Eduardo Bandeira de Mello are believed to have began talks with the forward over a two-year deal and Mello believes that Zico holds the key in convincing Del Piero to move to Brazil.
Sydney FC currently lie eight (out of 10) in the A League and, despite playing well himself, the Italian has been less than pleased with their recent form.
"This is new for me, different," Del Piero said. "I'm involved with a team which has a great challenge. Our start is not good and injuries and losses are not good for us.
"Every game is like a final for us. It has to be. The last few games for sure is frustrating for us but it happens.
"We have to fix what is wrong and focus about each other and not about the rest."
Source: Lancenet! and news.com.au


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The main ingredient in this kuih (cake in the Malay language; pronounced: kway) is the glutinous rice.
It's one of my favourite ingredients, but then I like it sweet and fragrant. I am not keen on and I do not like savoury food items using glutinous rice. Many sweet glutinous rice recipes are serikaya, wajek, chendol, pulut inti, mango with glutinous rice and the list goes on (I will post the processes of making these in due course).
As the calorie content of these sweet delicacies can go sky high, I eat it moderately. Inevitably, most Malaysian kuihs are loaded with palm sugar and coconut, which make them really delectable and so divine.
One such kuih is kuih lopes (pronounced: lo-pez). Some years ago, my aunt, who is also a very good cook, visited me with a bouquet of kueh lopes. I always thought it is very difficult to do; my aunt told me otherwise.
I took the plunge to do it myself as I could not find a good-tasting lopes in the food shops. The preparation may be a little long, but once you plan the process of making it, it becomes doable and you get immense pleasure when eating it with friends. It is a good idea to do more as it can be shared with family and friends.
Most of us like to buy it, but when you do it yourself, you can be assured of good quality ingredients and hence a very best tasting kuih, which can be eaten for breakfast or as a dessert snack (for me it's a breakfast/lunch/dinner and anytime snack too – oh oh!! – I can never resist kuih lopes).
2 cups white glutinous rice
2 tbsp alkaline water
1 fresh coconut, the fleshy white part grated
3 blocks palm sugar
2 tbsp coarse white sugar
6 pandan leaves
Salt to taste
Banana leaves – for wrapping the lopes
Preparation 1 – glutinous rice:
Rinse the glutinous rice well. Soak in water (it should cover the rice) and pour in the alkaline water. Add pandan leaves (knot them first). Stir.
Leave aside for at least 6 hours or overnight.
Preparation 2 – palm sugar syrup:
Take a pan, add 3 blocks of palm sugar, 2 tbsp of coarse white sugar and 1 cup of water and let it simmer till dissolved. The syrup should be of thick, but pouring consistency. Strain into a small jug. It is alright to do more as this can be kept and used for other recipes as well (in fact, this can be used as an alternative to maple syrup).
Cut banana leaves to about 4 x 6 inches and soften it by toasting directly on the stove or steaming it in a steamer. Or, they can be scalded in a pan of hot water. If you want bigger triangular parcels, then cut the banana leaves to about 6 x 8 inches.
Meanwhile, remove the pandan leaves from the soaking glutinous rice, give it a rinse, drain completely. Mix in ½ tsp salt.
Place 3 tablespoons of rice onto 1 banana leaf and fold it into a triangle. Secure with a thin rope or use a strand of banana leaf. Make sure that it is secured well as the rice should not leak out while boiling. Complete the process.
Boil water in a big pot with 3 knotted pandan leaves. Place the triangular parcels in the pot and let it simmer for 1 to 2 hours. The parcels must be immersed in the water completely. You may add hot water time to time if necessary. The longer it boils the longer the lopes can be kept (up to 2 weeks in the fridge).
Drain completely. Cool it and tie the parcels into a bouquet and let it hang. Keep aside.
Mix in a pinch of salt to the grated coconut, add some pandan leaves and steam it for 5 minutes. Keep aside.
To serve, unwrap banana leaves from one triangular parcel. Roll it in the steamed coconut. Put it on a serving dish. Pour the palm sugar syrup and enjoy!
Choose your ingredients well. The quality of the ingredients will make a great tasting kuih.
For the glutinous rice – when buying, make sure it is not combined with white rice.
For the palm sugar – choose the dark variety. When you press it with your finger, the sugar block should give in a little.
If banana leaves are unavailable, you may use quality bags which can withstand boiling. Or you may put all the rice in a cooking foil and form a roll. Make sure both ends are well secured and tight. Use a large pot to immerse this roll. To serve, unwrap and cut the roll into slices, top with coconut and palm sugar syrup.
The cooked lopes can be kept in the fridge for about 2 to 3 weeks if left unwrapped. Once unwrapped, serve it quickly. Although, rarely can I keep it more than 3 days – it just vanishes into someone's stomach!


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It's back for a fifth year!
The MCV Pacific Thirty Under 30 aims to recognise the brightest young talent working in the video game industry across Australia and New Zealand.
The below is the class of 2016.
Following a Diploma of Creative Arts (Game Design), Matthew is in the final stages of a Bachelor of Games Development (Games Design). He is planning on completing a Masters by Research in the field of game design and working as an academic alongside his commercial work.
Matthew has been passionately a part of the hobbyist development community for almost a decade and is now starting to see his career flourish through his games media work. His work has seen him champion the industry and has spoken out against the treatment towards games journalists and creates a safe space for people regardless of their race/sexuality/religion.
Claire has successfully established and managed an indie startup, releasing two titles to Steam in the process, all before finishing her Bachelor Degree at Media Design School. One of these titles was awarded the Best Student Game award at the inaugural Play by Play festival in 2016. Claire moved straight from studying to employment at one of New Zealand's largest game studios, PikPok.
Included in our 2016 Women In Games, and awarded a scholarship to GDC by the NZGDA, three of her papers have been published to Gamasutra in the last 12 months, two of which were featured on Game Career Guide.
A frequent speaker, ambassador, and volunteer in and for the industry, Claire has made her focus is the success and growth of others and the overall well-being of the game development community.
Kathleen is the most popular, by both subscribers and views per month, female Twitch streamer in the ANZ region, featuring in the top 10 overall for the region. She has run multiple charity streams, raising over $44,000, the latest of which raised over $10,000 for Save The Children.
With a passionate following across her media and social media platforms, Kathleen has built a globally recognized brand in Loserfruit, even creating her own merchandise range.
She has spoken at events in an effort to pass on knowledge to up and coming content creators and has even passed on her knowledge on how to run a charity stream.
Alice returns to our list for the second time, previously featuring in 2014. Clarke has been a long time voice for games and diversity in the industry acting as a game reviewer for the Sunday Herald Sun since 2009 and providing a regular opinion column in the Herald Sun since 2012.
Outside of her day-to-day work Alice co-curates the PAX Aus Diversity Lounge and co-runs the Melbourne Planeswalkers for Diversity Magic the Gathering playgroup with her wife.
Her work as an evangelist for diversity in the industry saw Alice recognised in both the 2015 and 2016 Women In Games Lists.
Alayna has worked as a games journalist and critic, a narrative designer and game developer, and a lecturer and researcher. She has released several game titles independently, including Enthymema, Fairy Tale, and the Icecream Parlour, and continues to work on a number of yet to be released game titles.
A common theme on this list, Alayna has tirelessly acted as an ambassador for the industry and diversity, speaking at events such as PAX Australia and Epic Diem, as well as academic conferences such as DiGRAA and JCSG. Alayna seeks to make games and the games industry more diverse and inclusive, particularly through representation of women, queer perspectives, and new voices. Additionally she acts as an Editor on PlayWrite.
In a laundry list of achievements in 2016, Alayna's star shone brightest when she founded Queerly Represent Me, a database and resource hub about queer representation in games. The database features 700 game titles that can be viewed in multiple formats. The site is the culmination of hundreds of hours of work, with the database containing more than 50,000 words of information. Astonishingly, all of this was done in her 'spare time'.
Krister Collin is an award-winning game developer who is a designer primarily, but it also equally talented as a programmer and as an artist, most notably with his Game Jam 2012 title, A Shot in the Dark. The game was entirely devoid of visuals which aimed to simulate the experience of blind people, taking home the Excellence in Audio and the Accessibility Awards that year.
Outside of paid work, which saw him working been working at Into Science, a Sydney-based educational software company making interactive virtual worlds designed to teach kids science, Krister has been the sole organiser of Beer and Pixels for the last year and a half. He is an active member of the organising committee of the Sydney Interactive Games Deveopment Association, and has been an heavily involved as an evangelist for the Global Game Jam and bi-monthly Hectic Game Jams in Sydney. Additionally he continues to volunteer for GCAP and MegaDev as part of Melbourne International Games Week every year.
Emre has worked his way up rapidly at the Opaque Media group, starting out as a texture artist to now being a project lead and game designer on two projects (Earthlight and Genesis) that have attracted international attention, including that of NASA.
Deniz has been crucial to the Australian VR developer community, both with his work on the two titles and as an influencer for the VR world.
He speaks at major events beyond the games industry, advocating for our importance. He has helped launch programs for VR developers, is active in the community with advice including mentoring and speaking at universities.
Prior to joining the ranks of SIE Australia, Kevin enjoyed employment at V-Net Solutions working with retailers and providing them with the analytics to help drive their business forward. It was this skillset that sparked the attention of the SIE Aust. Management team who welcomed Kevin to the business and encouraged the application of Kevin's retail specific skills at a more macro level. Kevin has helped to re-define the importance of trends and market studies that the business utilises to inform its strategy implementation.
Kevin has taken great steps forward in the last 12 months by developing new reporting strategies that are aimed to bridge the gap between digital sourced reporting and physical sourced reporting; providing a meaningful overview of the growth seen within the digital market.
While supporting the marketing team with continued dialogue around key industry insights, Kevin leads communications to the broader SIE Australia team by providing regular updates and analysis, both current and future gazing on changes in the market.
Susannah, a Digital Designer, a Game Developer, and a Sessional Academic teaching in the Digital Design program at Curtin University returns to this list for the second straight year. Her research interests focus on the ability of video games and digital media to communicate ideas and concepts across cultural and/or social divides as well as the capacity of these mediums in educational contexts. Susannah has lived and worked in remote Indigenous communities, and written on and explored collaborative approaches to game development across these divides, as well as the potential of video games to share knowledge and bridge epistemological gaps.
Over the last 12 months Susannah has been speaking with teachers and policy makers to champion the use video games in the classroom in order to increase student engagement, and explore and assess Australian Curriculum outcomes. She has been particularly focused on the opportunities that teachers have to use mainstream games, rather than purely educational ones, which can have major positive educational outcomes. This research is particularly important to remote Indigenous communities, as well as students who are not engaged with traditional educational settings where games are able to show dramatic increases in student engagement.
Susannah has also began working on 'Hannah', a game that uses the ability of games to share knowledges and experiences. Focusing on domestic violence, Hannah looks at the importance of family and friends in the journey of a domestic abuse survivor as well as providing practical advice and language, allowing players to use these skills in real life situations.
Liam also returns to the 30 Under Thirty for the second consecutive year. He has spent the last 12-months tirelessly working to make the Australian industry a better place.
Through his work with the inaugural GX Australia and later Game Connect Asia Pacific, he has helped grow the industry in new ways, continuing to be a vocal advocate for diversity in the sector. After a hugely successful inaugural event in February, Liam went on to ship Baldur's Gate: Siege of Dragonspear, spoke at the Game Developers' Conference in San Francisco, keynoted the new Play By Play festival in Wellington, New Zealand, worked on a variety of games titles around Australia, ran another successful Kickstarter for GX Australia 2017 (raising $71k) and organised an entirely new student conference during Games Week, GCAP Loading.
His work helped GCAP itself grow by 200 attendees and raised a record amount of sponsorship for the conference and brought in an impressive lineup of international speakers.
Shannon makes his way into the Thirty for a third straight year, with 2016 his biggest year in the industry to date. Grixti took Press Start from a one-person blog three years ago, to a website that is now owned by the largest media company in Australia.
Following extensive discussions with Southern Cross Austereo, the media company decided to bring acquire Press Start to sit as a brand alongside legacy brands Triple M and The Hit Network. Shannon's personal highlight for the year was seeing their Pokemon Go video hit in excess of 10-million views, with a reach of over 30-million. This sat alongside a number of other achievements including a number of key articles covering local game development.
Gugich is New Zealand's top Female streamer who has made a name for herself hosting eSports events and presenting a strong representation of Women in games whilst cultivating a wider understanding of Gaming and Geek culture to build a cohesive and supportive community.
She has become a strong role model for NZ Gamer's, showing that no matter what your passion you can be successful. Lorien has continued to give back to the community, bringing many up and coming streamers under her wing – supported them ceaselessly in pursuit of their success.
Widely recognised by Microsoft's retail partners as one of the leading category managers, Dallas' in depth analysis of the accessories business has helped their key accounts transform increasing their attach, revenue and profitability.
In 2016 Dallas delivered massive growth to see Xbox One accessories in its most profitable position life to date. He launched the critically acclaimed Xbox One Elite Controller, driving the Australian business to the number three market World Wide in terms of attach to Console.
The fully qualified medical doctor who has practised in both the UK and Australia emerged in 2016 as a guiding light for mental health in the games sector, being recognised in 2016 Women In Games List.
In 2016 Hazel co-founded Checkpoint, a non-profit organization to connect mental health with video game technology. She has spoken in multiple talks and panels at GX, AVcon, Unite, GCAP and PAX. She travelled with Checkpoint to games and pop culture conventions all over Australia to set up wellness spaces for convention-goers. Hazel is improving the lives of game devs and gamers alike with her work.
Fresh off her inclusion in the 2016 Forbes 30 Under 30 – Games, Lisy makes her way to our list for the first time.
A member of the newly named, Studio of the Year, League Of Geeks, Kane has impressed with her work as a producer through and beyond the launch of 2015's Armello. She is also the co-founder of Girl Geek Academy, a startup aimed to educate and introduce women to technology and games.
The two time MCV Pacific Women In Games inductee extends he community work with numerous speaking appearances at events across Australia including; PAX Australia, GCAP, GX Australia, OZ Comic Con and the Human Rights Festival.
Sally is a unique individual who straddles a number of niches within the Games industry – an audio designer with a specialisation in acoustics and psychoacoustics, working in the VR Industry. She is an active speaker and ambassador within the Games and VR industries, advocating and representing VR, Games, Sound, and Gender Diversity at local, state, national and international events.
Recognised in our 2016 Women In Games list, Kellaway transitioned from game audio to VR audio in 2016, showcasing and presenting her work at local and international events. Aside from her professional pursuits, Sally is a community leader, having started numerous discussion and meetup groups for Australian and Melbourne-based professionals across Game development, Audio and Virtual Reality Technologies. This includes the Women and Non-gender-binary people in VR group for Australia, and is also the Co-chair of the International Game Developers Association's Special Interest for VR/AR/MR. Sally is also co-leader/organiser of both the VR Audio and Game Audio Meetups in Melbourne.
2016 also saw Sally launched the Virtual Reality Content Creators of Australia – a national network for VR, AR and MR content creators to connect, share and grow the industry in Australia. Sally's contributions to the VR industry have and will galvanise the industry in Australia.
In 2013 Sofie joined up with Louie Roots to launch SK Games, a rough-edged studio focused on making physical game experiences and arcade machines, a reality. Since then she has worked behind the scees as a Producer, Manager and Creative Support Person.
Last year, Sofie helped establish Bar SK in Melbourne, a space that combines a casual bar with a gallery for showcasing indie and artistic game. Mather was also heavily involved with the planning and execution of 2016 Perth Games Festival and was a driving force behind the Festival's community launch party and the developer-focussed training "Unconference" event, which she also ran in 2015. Sofie also worked to support the Fire Tech Camp Australia startup, both coordinating parts of their Western Australian program as well as running school holiday workshops teaching kids about robotics and tech.
Sofie also worked alongside Dr. Kate Raynes-Goldie to run the Level One coworking space for game developers in Perth. She runs she venue, website, assists developers on-site, and showcases local game-makers with her "Dev of the Day" features. Most recently, Sofie joined the Stirfire Studios team as their Community Manager.
Luke is the first and so far, only non-specialist agency member to make the MCV Pacific 30 Under Thirty. The avid gamer cemented his position in the industry last year, leading Ogilvy PR to securing the Agency of the Year award at the 2016 MCV Pacific Awards.
In the months that followed, Luke spearhead and executed a flawless PR program that included the launch of the Xbox Onesie, Xbox Boss, Phil Spencer's Australian tour, the launch of Forza Horizon 3, the first Australian Xbox Fan Fest and of course, the launch of the Xbox One S.
Luke's work has helped Xbox deliver arguably their best year to date in the region.
Ally is widely known as an ambassador for games and all things geek culture. The professional cosplayer has worked with the likes of Microsoft, Blizzard, Hi-rez, ReedPOP and more to develop frameworks and best practices for working with the cosplay community.
Additionally, McLean has also coordinated events like Haven Expo's indie games section, worked as a community consultant for CD Projekt Red on The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, a role that took her internationally, was a guest speaker at GX Australia, lectured at GCAP 2016, produced and hosted a variety of stage shows and discussions at PAX Australia, appeared on television programs such as Sky News to advocate for games and gaming culture to a broader audience. Ally has also fundraised for her focus charity SpecialEffect, who build custom consoles and controller for gamers with disabilities, as well as offer free accessibility consulting to game developers.
In 2016 She started at Hammerfall Publishing managing communications on Warhammer 40,000: Regicide in January, moving into a Producer role, before being promoted to her current role – Project Lead, managing a team of developers to create original content games.
Lucy has been highly decorated by both MCV Pacific and our sister site, featuring in both sites 2015 30 Under Thirty as well as the 2015 and 2016 MCV Pacific Women In Games Lists.
Following time with Ubisoft Blue Byte in Germany, Morris returned to New Zealand as an independent game developer and co-founded indie studio Group Pug. Morris founded the annual Asylum Jam in 2013 and co-founded Women in Games NZ in 2014. Morris has spent the last several years as a lecturer in the Bachelor of Creative Technologies at Media Design School, leaving In late last year ahead of a move to PikPok as a Senior UI Designer.
Lucy has acted as a member of the executive committee for Global Game Jam and regional organiser for ANZ – responsible for the rebranding and graphic design of GGJ 2016. She also co-founded and has been the chair of the New Zealand chapter of the IGDA since 2015, being voted on to the global board of directors in 2016 – the youngest director to date. Morris also organised and ran New Zealand's first international games festival, Play by Play, together with Robert Curry and Peter Curry, with the event to return this year.
Before even completing his studies Tom had already co-founded his own game development studio and shipped two games, one of which won 'Best Student Game' at Play by Play 2016. During his time as a student his team was accepted twice into the MDS Accelerator. He also worked on the remake of the critically acclaimed indie game Dolly with Blake Wood. Most recently he has started work on the E3 feature game: Ashen.
Outside of his professional work, Tom has volunteered as a student ambassador for the past three years. He has constantly been an advocate for Women in games providing workshop assistance at Media Design School as well as Girls in Games and the Programming workshops at Play by Play. Beyond his local work in New Zealand Tom has been a volunteer at Game Connect Asia Pacific for the past two years.
At only 21, Tom has already blazed quite the trail and is set to be one of the biggest future contributors in our industry.
Amy joins this list for the first time after featuring in our Women In Games list last year. After graduating with a Bachelor of Design in Visual Communication in 2010 from Massey University, Potter worked with in a number of agency and in-house roles before launching her own creative studio, HelloMissPotter. By 2014 she was a full-time freelance Creative Director.
In late 2014 Potter co-founded Leaping Tiger – a social application for gamers designed to connect players with their local gaming ecosystem. Now working full-time as Chief Operating Officer of Leaping Tiger, she finds herself wearing many hats—most often lead UX designer, product manager and digital marketer. Leaping Tiger now has a team of five people in their Wellington office.
Since founding Leaping-Tiger.com and LeapingTiger.tv, Amy has been a member of numerous startup and tech panels, and has often speak about design and startups at local meet-ups. Additionally, Amy writes blogs and game reviews (including recent articles for The Spinoff), and stream both creative and gaming content on Twitch.
2016 was a huge year for Amy and Leaping Tiger as they raised seed round through NZ Angel investors, launch their weekly games industry news talk show on Twitch, Leaping-Tiger.tv, and organized the Leaping Tiger Gaming Lounge full day community event at Armageddon Auckland in September.
Louise is another debutant to the MCV Pacific 30 Under Thiry. After working as a Buyer for Coles supermarkets, she moved to Brisbane to be closer to family and started working for EB Games/Zing Pop Culture as a Loot buyer.
Since moving to EB, she has been an integral part in the massive growth of the ZING Pop Culture retail franchise in Australia. Louise has assisted in the opening of 20 new stores alongside the launch of the retailers website and has worked as part of the team ThinkGeek to bring in new products into the Australian market. In 2016
In 2016 she attended San Diego Comic Con generating new business and developed keen insights into the global pop culture market.
Holding a Bachelors of Laws and Finance from the Australian National University, Jonny has brought his experience from time at Ernst & Young to the industry, joining as IGEA's Legal & Policy Lawyer.
Roses works closely with most major publishers of video games in Australia on a vast range of different legal and policy matters. Jonny also laisses with Government on a number of policy issues, particularly gambling and classification. In 2016 he conducted a presentation for relevant Government stakeholders on the issue of gambling and games, ensuring that they understood the issues, and how gambling and games interact. He ensures that that Government, regulators and policy makers are well aware of the views, thoughts and circumstances of major video game publishers and developers, to help inform law and policy creation in the future.
Additionally, Jonny spoke at PAX last year on a panel on the growth and prospects of eSports in Australia, discussing what would legally be required for eSports to be recognised as a sport and to receive Government funding and support.
Jennifer was one of only four people to graduate (out of 25) from the first ever game design course run by SAE in Berlin, receiving honours for her Bacherlor of Arts, and was already working in the industry before graduation. After working at numerous studios which were famous throughout Germany, Scheurle moved to Australia in early 2015 beginning work working as a Game Design Teacher at the Academy of Interactive in Sydney. She was quickly promoted to Lead Game Design Teacher for the Sydney campus.
That same year she began work on multiple indie games including PAX Australia Indie Showcase Winner Objects in Space, as well as her own game: the upcoming Philosophy of Ten.
A prominent and high profile voice and advocate in the industry, she was included in our 2016 Women in Games List, and champions causes ranging from working conditions and avoiding crunch time to better game design philosophies and diversity in game development. Her work has recently been covered in Daily Life, Polygon and The Guardian
The self-trained community manager, returns to the 30 for a second consecutive year after featuring in the 2016 MCV Pacific Women In Games and a honorable mention in Develop's 30 Under 30.
In the past 12-months Siu has continued to speak at events such as GCAP, PAX Australia and Girl Geek Academy. She laid the foundation and set up the ground work for EA Mobile's influencer program for EA mobile.
Siu serves as a positive role model to women looking into the field of games development, and the surrounding tech industry and has been recognised by the industry and peers as one to watch.
Chris is synonymous with eSports in Australia, having worked with some of the biggest names in the PC scene since 2011, where he was one of the first Tt eSports community managers globally. From organizing the biggest prize pool Counter Strike Source tournament in Australia in 2010 to competing himself, Smith has forged his own brand.
In addition to his current role at Corsair (their first full time Australian employee), Smith provides consultancy for eSports expansion for overseas and local investment interests, including the likes FOX Australia and NVIDIA. Chris is currently working behind the scenes as a founder of an association dedicated to provide a governing support of grass-roots and professional eSports in Australia.
Smith offers free advice and mentoring to multiple eSports teams in Australia, assisting them with contract negotiations, expansion advice, marketing ideas, sponsor acquisition and more. He also provides similar (services for various PC modders at no charge.
After serving as a combat designer for Ubisoft in Germany on Settlers of Anteria, Michael moved to NZ to teach game design. Since relocating Vermeulen has earnt a reputation from the large amount of community work he has done in collaboration with the NZGDAA and IGDA NZ.
Michael co-owns NZ studio, Group Pug as well as runs his own game design consultancy business, Ludos Consulting.
In 2015 he was elected to the board of the NZGDA where he continues today. He has mentored many student development teams to Steam releases and taking their game ideas to an entrepreneurial level. He also helped set up the first tertiary games accelerator program in NZ to a success of 3/3 titles released on Steam.
A passion volunteer and advocate, Michael has become a shining light for diversity and improving diversity in the New Zealand industry.
A 'Manager of Virtual Worlds', Webb, brings awareness to Defence and the wider Australian Government about the games industry, and the potential of utilising games technology and their practices. He has also been a driving force within the simulation community and works to bring both industries closer.
Adrian was introduced to the industry through studying and working at AIE from 2007 – 2011, finishing up as their student liaison officer. In 2011, he moved to Defence and immediately took up the charge to introduce the games industry and its technologies and practices. Not without its hurdles, five years on and working in the Australian Defence Simulation and Training Centre (ADSTC), we are now seeing the barriers break down with a greater acceptance of Games engines, VR, agile development and a better understanding of the games industry with Defence.
Through exploring the emerging technologies such as VR and AR, Adrian has adopted the practice of rapid prototyping and assisted with a number of trial projects, showcasing their benefits and capability to a wider non technical audience.
Adrian is prolific speaker to both the gaming and simulation industries and works heavily in his own time to promote the serious games aspect across the region, which recently culminated in the Australasian Simulation Congress, being the Serious Games convener for 2016.
Involved with PAX Aus since the inaugural show in 2013, Jono Whyman is the man behind the scenes. He manages the operational aspects of the show, including the relationships with the venue, contractors, builders, and government.
In 2016 Whyman delivered yet another amazing PAX Aus, with his hands touching nearly every aspect of the event, from high level discussions with the Victorian Government and their stakeholders to facilitating the requirements of the freeplay area.
A true representation of the person behind the name, Jono has worked tireless to deliver an event that pushes the industry forward.
Honorable mentions
Catherine Benstead | Jane Buckle | Kieran Caetano | Ben Cooper | Emma Graham | Jack Hudson | Jessie James | Ben O'Brien | Adam 'Pez' Perry | Kyle Stefanovic | Leonie Yue |


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Kelvin Thomas says Chris Wilder will have his full backing when it comes to any sort of squad strengthening in the January transfer window, but it will be a case of evolution not revolution.
Thomas had a sneak peak of what he was buying into when he watched the Cobblers beat Crawley Town 2-1 on Tuesday night, and the club's new executive chairman was impressed.
Town are on a run of just one defeat in 13 Sky Bet League Two games and are within touching distance of the top spot.
The squad Wilder put together in the summer is really getting into its stride, and Thomas, who completed his takeover of the club on Thursday, says he trusts his manager 100 per cent when it comes to team business.
Asked if funds will be made available to Wilder in the transfer window, Thomas said: "The football is exactly the same as other departments in the football club, in that we will take a view and we will plan.
"The loan window closed on Thursday, so there's not much we can do until January.
"We will use that time sit down, and Chris has ideas, but I know what Chris is like.
"He is not the type of manager who comes in and says he wants six centre forwards, he'll have done his work in the summer.
"Chris put this squad together, and he will know what he needs to do. We will talk and we have had some chats about it already.
"We are not coming in to not support the playing staff or any of the staff."
Thomas is excited by the potential of the Cobblers team.
It is probably a little unusual for a new owner to take control of a club that has a team performing so well, and Thomas admitted the team's form is an added bonus as part of his purchase of the club.
Thomas said: "It (the team's form) is an attraction, a bonus, and hopefully it's not a curse!
"In reality, sometimes it is always good to take on something that is at the bottom of the league.
"But no, we are excited by it.
"I was probably more excited after Tuesday having seen the performance at Crawley.
"It was a very powerful, strong performance from a team that is in good form, and it's now our job to support that.
"We will sit down and work out how we can help, and see where that goes."


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Fine Peridot, diamond and ruby ring
Handmade in platinum, the fine bright green peridot weighs 44 cts. It is surrounded by fine white diamonds (F/G) and very very slightly included and then further surrounded with bright red fine rubies. The entire ring is micro set with diamonds. Notice the attention to detail on the verso. This ring while not signed has all the hallmarks of a fine jewelry house. This ring is now a size 6.5 and we can size it.


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Wii Fit Plus, new Mario hitting Japan in '09 - Report
E3 2009: Nikkei.net's English service says new version of fitness-game phenomenon will ship in fall across Pacific; Japanese version hints at new Mario game during second half of year.
Nintendo's E3 Press Conference isn't until 9 a.m. on Tuesday, June 2. However, like its rival Sony, the game giant appears to have had some of its surprises spoiled by the many-tentacled beast of the 24-hour Internet news cycle.
This morning, the respected subscription Japanese news service Nikkei.net issued two reports about Wii Fit Plus. As had been widely rumored, the game will reportedly be a new version of Nintendo's wildly popular fitness title, which ships with the Wii Balance Board peripheral.
According to Nikkei's English-language edition, Wii Fit Plus will arrive this fall in Japan, where Wii Fit went on sale five months ahead of its North American launch. The service reports that the game "will enable users to compete with each other over the Internet. It will also offer gentle exercises for the elderly, and will respond to player inputs more precisely than the current version." No mention is made of an exact date, price, or whether the reference to more precise sensors means that it will come with an improved balance board.
Meanwhile, Nikkei's Japanese language service also has an article touting Wii Fit Plus. However, it makes mention of a "new" Mario game arriving in Japan by the end of the year. No details were included about which of the numerous Mario franchises the game belongs to, or when exactly it might arrive. However, the subsequent sentence says that Nintendo is hoping to "bolster" the Wii--sales of which are flatlining in Japan--which hints that the Mario game would be for the console, and not the DS or DSi handheld.
Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email firstname.lastname@example.com


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I have recently had to revisit the whole issue of correction when a friend and colleague went off to Vet Tech college and was required to attend an obedience class where each student was taught how to use a "correction" collar. Simply put, they were instructed that if they did not apply a strangulation device on the neck of the dog they were working with to correct his behaviour, they would never be permitted to become Vet Techs. This course was taught by a Vet Tech, who is mentored by a local compulsion based trainer. Food treats were also permitted in the class, but any time the dog got out of line, the students were instructed on how to "correct" the dog, using a snare type collar. Furthermore, the students were told never to use negative reinforcement or punishment; that was bad. The instructor was unable to define any of the three terms, and was completely unaware of the AVSAB position papers on punishment and dominance, and taught the class that they needed to dominate the dogs they were working with.
This has me thinking about a number of important issues. The first of which is that this explains why I get such baffled looks from the techs I encounter when I tell them that they need to stop using punishment-they have after all spent time in college where they were taught never to use punishment, only correction. And what you learn in college must be correct, right? After all, the facts taught at college are correct, are they not? In this case, they are not.
The next thing that this brings to mind is the whole idea of "correction". What is "correction"? Used in the context of dog training it usually means some unpleasant penalty applied to bring the dog back in line, closer to what the trainer would like him to do. So if the dog lunges forward and you want him to stand by your side, you either yank back on the leash and "correct" the dog back into place, or you brace yourself so that the dog corrects himself back into place. Won't sit? No worries; jerk up on the leash and scoop under the knees and "correct" the dog's position. No problem. How about the down? Well there you could "correct" the dog's position by yanking the dog's collar towards the ground and pulling his legs out from underneath him.
I should add that I am fairly accomplished in this form of training. I learned to train this way, so I am well familiar with the misconceptions that go along with learning a new way to think about training. When I was learning this, everything was framed in terms of the dog not doing what I wanted, and I needing to "correct" his behaviour. I was fairly resistant to the change too; I heard about clicker training and my initial impression was "That can't work! How will the dog know that he must do as I say?" Time passes and I have learned and grown. By learning and growing, I found some things out.
To start with if my goal is "correction", then there are lots of ways to achieve this, beginning with using a treat to achieve the correct behaviour. Much easier on the dog for sure! Or I could put the dog in a better position to get the right behaviour to begin with so that he doesn't need to be "corrected". And I need to be clear; "correction" implies that the dog knows what I want him to do. How can you train a dog to do something that he doesn't already know by correcting wrong behaviours when he doesn't know the right behaviour to begin with?
Correction is a euphemism for positive punishment and negative reinforcement, plain and simple. So when my colleague went to vet tech college, armed with information about the science of behaviourism and was told by an instructor that she should not use these accurate words, but instead should "correct" the dog she was working with, a travesty occurred. The travesty is that the education she went to get is continuing the myth of correction that is holding solid, science based training back by between twenty and forty years. And that is a pity.
The implications for this are wide ranging. When I have a client who goes to the vet in a couple of years, and I have explained correction to her and why she should not use it when training her dog, there is a good chance that her vet tech, a professional with credibility, will contradict my information. Ultimately, the client loses out because the professionals who are trying to help her don't have the same information, and it becomes a match of credibility between me and the vet tech. It doesn't matter that the vet tech knows about as much about medicine as I do about behaviour; both of us and the client and ultimately the dog all lose.
My challenge is to find a way to reach out to the veterinary technician college and help them to understand that they should change their curriculum and stop teaching information that is incorrect. We also need to help vets and vet techs to find people who are well trained and who understand the science of behaviour to help their clients. Vet techs, vets, trainers and behaviour consultants all need to keep in mind that we each have specialized information. We need to work together and not against one another. And ultimately we need to work to ensure that the dogs in our care all get the best most up to date care from the appropriate professional, be it medical or behavioural.


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Sand Creek Half Marathon Discount & Others!
Posted in Race Promotions
at 2015.06.25
With 0 Comments
Feet on the Street are offering up discounts to the Sand Creek Half Marathon/10K/5K, the Dog Days of Summer 5K/10K and the Arvada Harvest Half Marathon/10K/5K.
Check the link below to find the discount codes, expires on June 30th.


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It's been seven years since "The Sopranos" came to an end with the fate of its protagonist, Tony Soprano, left intentionally, if maddeningly, open to interpretation.
Despite the passage of time, creator David Chase has been unable to escape the question of what "really" happened to Tony, played by the late James Gandolfini, after that abrupt cut-to-black. To borrow some lyrics from Journey, some fans just won't stop believing that hidden somewhere in those tense minutes at a New Jersey diner is the truth about the crime boss' destiny.
The debate has once again flared up online, thanks to a story published by the website Vox on Wednesday with the attention-getting headline, "Did Tony die at the end of 'The Sopranos'? David Chase finally answers the question he wants fans to stop asking."
In what amounts to a lengthy critical essay disguised as a scoop, writer Martha P. Nochimson looks far and wide for insight into what remains perhaps the most confounding finale in television history. She closely examines not only "The Sopranos," but also Chase's 2012 feature film "Not Fade Away," his creative influences (Edgar Allan Poe, Pink Floyd, Luis Bunuel) and and even his high school prom pictures (naturally).
She also interviews Chase, both in person and via email, and during one of their exchanges asks about the infamous ending to "The Sopranos." Here's her account:
"When he answered the 'Did Tony die' question, he was laconic. Just the fact and no interpretation. He shook his head and said, 'No, he isn't'. That was all."
Nochimson doesn't provide an enormous amount of context for Chase's quote or elaborate about what qualifications might have followed it, yet she presents it as "bald fact" that Tony Soprano is still alive and well, at least in the confines of Chase's imagination.
Of course, Chase could have meant many things when he said Tony wasn't dead, such as "No, he isn't dead because he's a fictional character." Or perhaps, "No, he isn't dead, but he isn't alive either, because the whole point is the lack of closure." Or maybe even, "No, he isn't dead necessarily. He is whatever you, the viewer, want him to be."
Nevertheless, the supposed confession sparked an enormous reaction online Wednesday. So loud was the chatter that Chase's publicist issued a statement saying Nochimson had "misconstrued" his words:
"To simply quote David as saying, 'Tony Soprano is not dead,' is inaccurate. There is a much larger context for that statement and as such, it is not true. As David Chase has said numerous times on the record, 'Whether Tony Soprano is alive or dead is not the point.' To continue to search for this answer is fruitless. The final scene of 'The Sopranos' raises a spiritual question that has no right or wrong answer."
Frustrating as it must be for Chase to be asked the same literal-minded question repeatedly, he may also want to look on the bright side: Clearly people care about the character he created. Besides, he should be glad "The Sopranos" also predated the heyday of Twitter and Reddit, otherwise he might find himself addressing pesky conspiracy theories about Meadow and Sharon Tate.
Follow @MeredithBlake on Twitter.


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Daniel Ricciardo Gives Out His Alternative 2017 Season Awards
Wherever you look, the best moments of the 2017 F1 season are being summed up. From who the best driver was, to what the best race was, to what the best overtake was - and in our case, what the best meme was.
Daniel Ricciardo has been at it as well and in this video from ESPN given out his own 'alternative' 2017 awards. Featuring everything from the worst-dressed driver to Max Verstappen's strangest quirk, it's classic Ricciardo.
Well done Baku.


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Curried Chicken Thighs with Peas and Potatoes
Published in Cover and Bake
Why This Recipe Works
For our slow-cooker chicken curry recipe, we first browned skin-on chicken thighs and then discarded the skin after browning to eliminate the rubbery texture it contributed to the final stew. We added onions, carrots, garlic, ginger, and jalapeño chiles and cooked them until the aromatics were translucent and the chiles and ginger were fragrant. Curry powder and cayenne went into the skillet next, toasting so their flavors bloomed and infused the stew with complex flavors, and then crushed tomatoes, which gave the stew depth and body. We saved the coconut milk in our chicken curry recipe for the slow cooker, whose low heat discouraged separation.
Read More


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Making the most of appointments
How can you get the best from your health professionals?
Appointments with your MS team are key to managing your MS well. They are opportunities to ask questions and discuss treatment options. The time available is limited, so we have some suggestions on how you can make the most of your appointments.
It might not be possible for them to provide answers for all of your questions during the appointment, but by being prepared you can cover the most important topics you want to discuss. If it isn't possible to discuss everything in the meeting, the health professional may be able to contact you later with some further information.
Preparing for your first meeting
Making Sense of MS: Simon Ghafur, MS Nurse Practitioner, and Jane Metcalfe, MS Specialist Nurse, give some tips on how you can prepare for your first meeting with your MS nurse after diagnosis.
How does the healthcare system work?
In an ideal world, you could see any health professional whenever you liked, for as long as you needed. In reality, this is not possible as resources are limited. MS services are structured differently in different areas so it's a good idea to ask how the service works where you are.
The types of health professionals that support you will vary according to your particular symptoms and whether you experience relapses or not. Some of them will be MS specialists and some will be specialists in the management of a particular symptom (such as pain), or a particular treatment or approach (for example, physiotherapy).
Some health professionals are based at MS specialist centres which are usually larger hospitals supporting people with MS from a wide region. Other health professionals may be based in local hospitals or may travel there from the specialist centre, perhaps once a week, to run an MS clinic. Some services are community-based so they may be associated with a GP practice or another very local centre. Consequently, you may find yourself going to several places to see different members of your MS team.
Who is in my MS team?
MS health professionals work together as a multidisciplinary team (MDT) to support you. Each member has a particular area of expertise so you will only be referred to those that are appropriate to your needs at the moment. If you'd like to find details of your local MS service, take a look at our online map. [insert link to Map of services]
Your MS nurse
After diagnosis, most people are referred to see an MS nurse. The nurse specialises in supporting people with MS and is likely to be your regular point of contact. Some MS nurses also support people with other neurological conditions so they may be called a neurology nurse or something similar. Not all parts of the UK have an MS nurse service.
There are also MS nurses who specialise in particular treatments, especially some of the disease modifying drugs, which are used to decrease the number and impact of relapses.
Your MS nurse can refer you to other services if you need them.
Your neurologist
You probably saw a neurologist for your diagnosis. Some neurologists support people with a wide range of neurological conditions but others specialise in MS in particular. You may have been diagnosed by a general neurologist but may now prefer to transfer to an MS specialist. A specialist is likely to have more experience in treating MS but you may have to travel further to an MS specialist centre. However, some neurologists have satellite clinics at local hospitals so it's worth asking what the arrangement is where you live.
Your GP
You may know your GP well through your consultations over the years and they are still there to support you. Your GP is probably the most accessible member of your healthcare team and can respond quickly to provide some medications, for example, antibiotics for a urine infection.
However, most GPs aren't specialists in MS so they will need to consult your neurologist before prescribing some treatments or will need to refer you to specialist services. Your GP may also be able to investigate whether any new symptoms are part of yur MS or have some other cause.
Other health professionals
You may be referred to other specialists depending on your particular symptoms. As symptoms vary so much from one person to another, the health professionals who may be involved are from a wide range of disciplines. Most people with MS will never encounter them all.
They could include a physiotherapist, speech and language therapist (SLT) or occupational therapist (OT). For some people, seeing a counsellor or neuropsychologist is helpful, especially if they are finding it difficult to adjust to a diagnosis of MS or if there is longer lasting depression. A neuropsychologist can help with cognitive symptoms like poor memory or concentration and an OT can give practical pointers on how to get things done if MS affects your thinking.
You may be referred to other services with their own specialist doctors, nurses and other health professionals. These could include specialist teams for fatigue, pain, diet, continence, spasticity (muscle stiffness) or rehabilitation.
You are at the centre of your MS management team and have an important role to play. You'll have choices to consider and how you manage your MS is a very personal decision.
You can become an expert patient by building up your knowledge of MS and its management. You can ask your MS team questions and expect support to decide the best course of action for you. Everyone with MS is different so you will want to find the best health care plan for you personally.
Preparing for your appointments
You should have regular appointments with your MS nurse and your neurologist to review your MS. How often you see them depends on how active your MS is, and on the capacity of your local MS service, but once a year is recommended.
Some services are able to offer appointments at short notice if your MS becomes more active or if you think you are having a relapse. Some MS nurses can be contacted by email or phone although you may have to leave a message.
Preparing for an appointment will help you make the best use of the time available. Sometimes, the time allocated is shorter than you would like. This can be frustrating for you but also for your health professional. They will be anxous to discuss the most important issues first, just like you.
Typically, a GP has around 10 to 15 minutes for an appointment, a neurologist or MS nurse may have 30 minutes, although this will vary from one service to another and may depend on what is happening with your MS. It would be reasonable for you to ask how long your appointment is scheduled to last so that you can fit in your priorities without running out of time.
You might like to think about:
What has happened since your last appointment?
- It may help to keep a diary which records any new or worsening symptoms, when this happened and whether they went away or are still lingering.
- You could use your diary to prepare a simple timeline so that your health professional can see at a glance what's been happening with your MS. Too much detail can make it hard to see the things that are most important.
- Is there anything else in your life that they need to know, like pregnancy or plans to move out of the area?
What's bothering you most?
- Is it accepting being diagnosed with MS and what it might mean for you?
- Is it particular symptoms? Are they new or more troublesome than before? Do they stop you doing things that are really important to you?
- Are you having difficulties with any medication? Do you find it hard to stick to the schedule? Do you think you may be experiencing side effects?
- Are you feeling anxious or depressed? Is it hard to cope at the moment?
- Do you need some written information, or an explanation, so that you can understand your MS better?
- Would you like to know about sources of support, perhaps at work or with childcare, or to meet other people with MS?
What are your priority topics for the appointment?
- You could write them down in order. A top three or top five could work well.
- Be specific and think in advance whether you are hoping for a particular outcome, although you should be open to other possibilities that may be suggested.
Who might go with you?
- You don't have to have another person with you but it can be helpful. They can be an extra pair of ears and keep notes of the conversation so that you can compare your understanding afterwards.
- It doesn't have to be the person closest to you. Choose someone who will support you well.
Do you need to do more background reading?
- You could read about your particular symptoms, possible treatment options or the experiences of others. This way, it may be easier to understand what may be suggested to help you or to decide which option you'd like to take, if there is a choice.
In the appointment
It's a two-way discussion
Any consultation should be a conversation between you and your health professional. State clearly what you've experienced, what you'd like to happen and anything that you don't understand or would like repeated. It's important to be open about how you feel, what you need and what your priorities are. Being realistic is important too.
Your health professionals may have their own list of priorities and these may be different from yours. They may raise things that you hadn't thought of or didn't know about. Perhaps some of their topics will overtake some of the priorities on your own list.
You may feel emotional during the appointment, for example, you may feel angry or anxious. This is an understandable and common reaction. However, your health professional is there to help so try not to let emotions get in the way of a productive conversation.
Making decisions together
Shared decision making is when you work with, and are supported by, health professionals to make decisions about treatment, based on the best possible information. There may be times when you would like a lot of support in making decisions and others when you want to be more independent.
Of course, you are only one side of the equation. Some doctors and nurses are very willing to debate the most appropriate course of action, so will leave the choice to you, but others prefer to give clear-cut advice about what they think is most appropriate.
Each of you brings something important to the conversation. Your health professional will have knowledge and experience in managing MS. You are the expert on your own values, expectations and priorities and only you know how your body is feeling.
It's good to ask
The appointment is for your benefit so make the most of it. Don't be afraid to ask about anything that's important to you even if it might feel a bit trivial or embarrassing. It's very likely that someone else has asked the same or a similar question before so you are unlikely to take your health professional by surprise.
Don't worry about asking for information to be repeated, explained in a different way or written down for you. It's important that you come away from the appointment with everything you need.
In many situations, asking three key questions works well. They are:
- What are my options?
- What are the pros and cons of each option?
- How do I get support to help me make a decision that is right for me?
Support might be printed or online information. It could mean referral to another health professional with more relevant expertise. It could mean having time to think things over and then having another appointment to take things forward. It might include involving friends or family.
Your health professionals may not be able to answer all your questions. Not everything has been discovered about MS and they may not be able to say what is happening, or may happen, to you. Sometimes, they may be able to find out the information that you need or can point you to other sources of information like the MS Trust.
Keeping track
It can be helpful to keep some basic notes about appointments and the ups and downs of your MS.
You might like to keep:
- a record of names, locations, phone numbers and email addresses for your health professionals.
- the dates of appointments with brief notes on what was discussed and decided.
- copies of letters to you or your health professionals.
- a simple symptom diary, which includes when you started or stopped any medication, and records any relevant events in your life like infections or times of stress.
- many health professionals will be happy for you to record the conversation, so you can listen to it again, especially if you have cognitive issues.
You could also keep the notes you made when preparing for an appointment, any notes made by you or your supporter during the meeting and any information about MS.
Example questions to ask
About your symptoms:
- What is causing this symptom?
- Will it improve or get worse?
- Will this symptom stay forever?
- Are there any treatment options?
- Are there likely to be any triggers which set it off?
- What can I do myself to manage this symptom?
- What shall I do if my symptoms get worse?
- What would I do if I experience new symptoms?
About treatment options:
- What are my treatment options - both drugs and non-drug approaches?
- What are the pros and cons of each option?
- Why should I consider taking this particular treatment?
- How effective is this treatment?
- Are there any side effects or risks associated with this treatment? If so, what are they?
- Is there anything that can be done to reduce the impact of side effects or the risks?
- Does the treatment affect any other treatments I am taking, either for MS or for other health issues?
- How long will I need treatment for?
- How will I know if the treatment is working?
- Will the treatment need to be monitored or reviewed and when will this happen?
- What will happen if I don't have any treatment?
- Is there anything I can do to help myself?
- Where can I go for more information?
About tests:
- What are the tests for?
- Will they hurt, or are there risks involved?
- Where do I have to go to have these tests?
- How and when will I get the results?
- What impact could these tests results have on my treatment options?
What is MS?
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a lifelong condition that affects the central nervous system with different people experiencing different symptoms.
Just been diagnosed?
You probably feel emotional and have a lot of questions. What happens next all depends on how active your MS is, what treatments are available and what you would like to happen.
How is MS diagnosed?
Symptoms of MS can be part of other conditions, so it's hard to diagnose quickly. Find out about the different diagnosis tests.


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Hello and welcome!
I am often asked about the kinds of people I work with and my areas of specialization. The simple truth is that I work with everyday people who are hurting and worrying. They might be struggling with a major change occurring in their life or with distress that has been building momentum for years.
If you can relate to this you might be someone who is trying to recover from a painful relationship breakup or loss. The downturn in the economy and employment may be undermining your self worth and ability to think and act proactively. You may feel stuck, alone or disappointed in your marriage. You might be a new mom who is struggling with the your new role in life. These are just some of the problems facing the people I see. And yes, these problems happen for everyday people like you and me. But unfortunately, such problems often make us feel too alone and flawed to be everyday folk.
My specialization ...
... is YOU! Yes there are specific diagnoses and conditions I work with and you can click here to find out more about them. The bottom line is that I am more interested in you than in your problem, condition or diagnosis. You are so much more than your diagnosis. What's most important to me is helping you feel alive and vital. When your sense of aliveness is in place, problems can come and go through a swinging door and your inner resources will direct your actions and keep you on course.
Why Junelle Barrett Porter?
I am passionate about working with you to cultivate positive changes within yourself so you can be all of who you want to be. I bring over 23 years of experience as a therapist, a background in theatre, a deep interest in spiritual development, a love of humor, a curious nature, a compassionate heart and a deep regard for honesty - even if I find it challenging or disturbing. While I enjoy learning new approaches and current thinking in my field, I don't much follow the theoretical maps that once informed my work; instead as I carefully listen to you, I allow myself to be guided by my instincts, intellect, body and heart - not necessarily in that order!
Junelle ...
Take some time to contemplate your situation and read the parts of this website that are relevant to you. If you feel that you would like to meet me and see if therapy might be helpful for you, I offer a free 25 minute consultation. That will give you a chance to meet me, ask questions and we can each get a sense of what it would be like to work together.
If you'd like to speak with me or make an appointment, please call at 707-792-2654.
These testimonials came to me by way of unsolicited letters and cards from previous clients.
"... I have continued to spend time each week growing and learning. I understand myself so much better now. Thanks to all the effort we both placed on me! And thanks for your patience and persistence with me at the beginning - I was pretty doubtful that therapy would lead to much. I can honestly say that I am more of a father now. I take pride in that. I don't hate anymore. I still hurt sometimes but I like who I am."
I'm very private and it is important to me that issues I talk about are confidential. Is my confidentiality completely protected?
Yes. By law I am bound to protect your confidentiality. The exceptions to this are related to child or elder abuse or a threat to harm another person. If you want to use a third party payer to pay for therapy it will be necessary to provide the information required by your insurance company which will likely include a diagnosis. If this is the case I will discuss with you what is disclosed to an insurer.