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Tuesday, October 30, 2012
It's the Endorphins!
The Endorphins, I tell you!!
The Endorphins, I tell you!!
And then there are the altoholics.
I used to boggle at the people who had no qualms about leveling one of each toon all the way to max level. I knew how long it took me to level one toon, never mind a dozen, so for the average altoholic I used to take that and multiply it by 8-9-10. All I could do was simply shake my head.
How could someone actually level so many alts? What about exploring other things in-game? What about raiding or PvP?
Well, I figured there was no way I'd ever find myself bitten by the altoholic bug when I was staring at the grind from L1-L90. For me, there simply weren't enough hours in a day to level a full stable of toons to max level before the next expac came out. Besides, the WoW story is pretty much the same with all toons on a faction; with the exception of the two weapons quests, Blizzard has removed the old class quests from WoW. If you want to see pretty much everything outside of the intro zones these days, all you have to do is level a toon on each faction. That's it.
While I was confident that altoholism wasn't going to afflict me in WoW, I hadn't counted on the bug in another MMO.
LOTRO and Age of Conan also suffer from the overly long leveling process (L85 and L80, respectively), but TOR has a much lower level cap at L50. TOR also has something that the other games don't have: an actual class quest chain. I presume companion romances are a bonus, but I'm sure that there's a significant portion of the playerbase out there that doesn't care about that sort of thing.
The TOR class quests are something that keep the game interesting. Just like there are only so many times you can enter the Amani Tombs before wanting to claw your eyeballs out, there's only a limited number of trips into the Chemworks Factory in Taris before you start throwing in the towel. But when you throw in a class quest chain into the mix, you find yourself wondering what might come next.
I'll never forget when I leveled Quintalan and received the class quest chain that ended in the Thalassian Charger and the Blood Knight tabard. Sure, due to changes in the game I was able to get the Charger "officially" at L40, it was only when I finished all of the side quests, accumulated all the mats, and showed the Scourge, the Scarlet Crusade, and the Argent Dawn who was boss that I finally earned my place as a Blood Knight. I'll also never forget the sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach when Lord Bloodvalor chuckled maniacally as he gave me my tabard; it was then that I realized just how far the Blood Knights had truly strayed from the Light. Although not part of the class quest itself, Lady Liadrin's appearance before the Sha'tar was intensely personal, signaling the beginning of the end of the old Blood Knights.
Likewise, I'll never forget when I leveled my Gunslinger and he finally got his starship back. "Where... Is... My... Ship?!!" he demanded of the flunkies that Skavak had thrown in his path. And then, when he finally boarded the ship only to find someone else inside...
While the Blood Knight class quests were great, for some reason I never had the urge to try out other WoW classes. Other TOR classes, however, beckoned.
So I've found myself with a complete stable of classes on both factions, slowly leveling them all. Given my rate of gameplay, I'll probably finish them sometime by the end of next year at the earliest. But you know what? I don't mind. I'm just along for the ride. Perhaps that's the enduring legacy of the altoholic: the desire to learn everything about a game, manifesting in an urge to just follow the story to the end. ALL of them.
EtA: Got bit by the editing bug and replaced a "while" at the beginning of the seventh paragraph. That's what I get for being in NaNo mode and skipping editing.
2 comments:
Altoholics are probably completionists in a sense - and those of my mates that had many alts, were usually jack of all trades types rather than specialists. I guess it's asked a bit much to know every class to the bottom, when you play that many (although few have been known who do!). certainly would be for me, which is one reason I don't 'really' do alts. too much perfectionism paired with time restrictions.ReplyDelete
given from your observations on SWTOR, I wonder what GW2 could do for you. :D in terms of experiencing different stories and playing at your own pace it's quite a great game too (although no doubt SWTOR has the better dialogues). don't make disk space your reason not to ever try it out ;)Replies
It's on my to-do list, but I've got to get a network drive to move my MP3s and stored pictures/movies to first. Once I do that, I get back a few hundred GB of space and can then add games again.Delete
Although a newer motherboard would be nice....


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Setting up an automatic press to print samples may seem like a waste of time and money, but Davis explains how the benefits of doing so can far outweigh the costs.
By Rick Davis
Some buyers fear that you won't be able to reproduce the exact print they are hoping for. That's why you'll eventually find yourself in a situation where a customer will want to visually approve a sample prior to printing. This practice is more prevalent in larger, mass-production printing programs, but clients in the custom-printing market, which includes job runs small enough for a single sports team, also may wish to conduct a pre-production inspection.
In most cases, a customer's problem stems from a concern over the variations possible in the printing process you use—no matter how subtle. In this installment, I will explain why an automatic press is a fine tool for creating pre-production samples and how you can justify the time and expense of employing an automatic instead of the manual press you might be more inclined to use.
Manual vs. automatic
Samples created for pre-production approval are typically printed by hand for one basic reason: it's not cost efficient to tie up a $100,000 production press for two hours in order to print 12 garments. The justification here is basic and understandable until we start to look at the variations that come into play in the printing of that approval sample on a manual press. The primary objective is to produce an exact replica of the garments that you'll ultimately print in production and do so in a manner that is cost efficient and indistinguishable from a production garment—at least to the customer's satisfaction.
Printing the same design onto two garments on the same press can be a difficult task on its own. Putting that same job on a manual and an automatic press introduces a number of variables that will inevitably lead to dissimilar results. Many production runs fall to their knees on automatic presses when someone discovers that the prints don't match the sample produced on a manual press for client approval.
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subset: commoncrawl


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1. Jonathan Stewart, RB, Carolina Panthers (29.3 percent):
Reports out of Carolina suggest the Panthers are listening to trade offers for veteran runner DeAngelo Williams, which means Stewart could be in line for a greater role in the backfield. Regardless, the Oregon product should still see more work on offense whether or not Williams remains on the roster. (Michael Conroy/Associated Press)
2. Titus Young, WR, Detroit Lions (45.3 percent):
Young has emerged as the new No. 2 wide receiver in Motown with Nate Burleson out, and he proved that he needs to be on fantasy rosters in Week 8. The Boise State product went off against the Seattle Seahawks, posting nine catches for 100 yards and two touchdowns. Go out and acquire him now before it's too late. (Rick Osentoski/Associated Press)
3. Danny Amendola, WR, St. Louis Rams (69.2 percent):
If you need a wideout and have room to stash a player, go out and get Amendola. He was close to returning in Week 8, so the veteran will no doubt be back at 100 percent when the Rams face the San Francisco 49ers after the bye week. A PPR machine, Amendola needs to be owned in most leagues moving forward. (Matt Dunham/Associated Press)
4. Mike Williams, WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (54.0 percent):
Williams had another nice stat line in Week 8, posting 68 yards and one touchdown in a win over the Minnesota Vikings. He has now found the end zone in four of seven games and ranks among the top 25 players at his position based on fantasy points. He should be owned in all leagues at this point in time. (Andy King/Associated Press)
5. Donald Brown, RB, Indianapolis Colts (30.9 percent):
Brown was active against the Tennessee Titans and should be back atop the Colts' depth chart sooner than later. The Connecticut product isn't going to set the fantasy world on fire, but he can be good for depth purposes and as a matchup-based starter. Vick Ballard can be moved back to the waiver wire. (Greg Trott/Associated Press)
6. Jonathan Dwyer, RB, Pittsburgh Steelers (84.5 percent):
I'm not sure Dwyer will keep the top spot on the Steelers' depth chart once Rashard Mendenhall returns to action, but he's been terrific over the last two weeks. As a result, owners who need a running back and are willing to take a chance should consider Dwyer until Mendenhall's status is announced. (Don Wright/Associated Press)
7. Daryl Richardson, RB, St. Louis Rams (73.7 percent):
Here's the bottom line on Richardson - he is a better running back than Steven Jackson at this point, and the Rams have to realize it. In the event that Jackson is traded at the deadline, the rookie out of Abilene Christian would be a serious fantasy asset. Go grab him now as a fantasy futures option. (Matt Dunham/Associated Press)
8. Sidney Rice, WR, Seattle Seahawks (75.3 percent):
Rice isn't the most reliable wideout in fantasy land, but he has emerged as the top option in the pass attack for rookie Russell Wilson. In fact, he has a touchdown in two of his last three games. With a contest against his former team, the Minnesota Vikings, up next, Rice should be very motivated for Week 9. (Tim Fuller/US Presswire)
9. Brandon LaFell, WR, Carolina Panthers (88.0 percent):
LaFell appears to be getting back into the Panthers offensive attack, scoring a combined 20.1 fantasy points in his last two games. For owners in deeper leagues or in need of a flex player in a PPR format, LaFell is worth a look against the Washington Redskins and their dreadful pass defense in Week 9. (Nam Y. Huh/Associated Press)
10. Cecil Shorts, WE, Jacksonville Jaguars (98.3 percent):
It's time to give Shorts some respect in fantasy land. He recorded 116 yards in Week 8 and has now scored double digits in four of his seven games this season. While he is inconsistent in the stat sheets overall (he either has a good game or an awful one), Shorts is the best option for Blaine Gabbert. (Mike Roemer/Associated Press)
More Photo Essays:
- Michael Vick stats, career timeline in photos
- Longest NFL field goal? Winning streak? Exploring football records in photos
- Celebrate Go Skateboarding Day with John Kelly
- Pat Bowlen Era All-Broncos Team
- Pat Bowlen through the years
- Biggest blowouts in NFL playoff history
- Best photos of Vince Lombardi
- Best photos of Joe Montana
- Antonio Brown photo portraits with Oakland Raiders


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Thursday, August 23, 2012
UFC Canceled a UFC: Changing the Sports Landscape as we Know it
Similar to the NFL canceling week 7 due to Roger Goodell having surgery. When Nike becomes involved in a sport, shit's just bound to get ridiculous, thanks to the loudest portable speakers from occupytechnology.org. Jon Jones and Greg Jackson just changed the UFC Number System. UFC 149, UFC 150 then UFC 152. There's no such thing as UFC 151. Watch more at Tarjeta roja.
Dan Henderson pops his knee ligament, Chael Sonnen then pops the question and Jon Jones drops a non-Nike "Just Won't Do It." Dana White throws a conference table over, and does one thing he has never done before: Calls a card he and his execs made a piece of shit to put on PPV or TV. About 20 other UFC fighter, though very subpar UFC fighters, won't be getting a paycheck for a couple of months now because Greg Jackson told Jon fighting on 8 days notice is career jeopardy. (I fight on 1 second 'shove-me-while-I'm-Drinking notice every weekend at the bar.) "Jon, go get some fans."
"Hey Lebron, how did my Decision go?" - Nike Jonny, aka LeBones Jones.
Jones vs. Belfort for UFC 152 because Machida is scared homie, Shogun is probably still exhausted from his 4 round scrap and Anderson doesn't accept fights on 4 months notice but on 8 days notice he would fight a lower-tier than Jon Jones light heavyweight if needed. Most chaotic day in UFC Non-Fight Night History. Dana White loses money when he probably deserves millions after all this shit.
Posted by Travis Houser at 9:25 PM 0 comments
Lance Armstrong Gives Up Dope, err, Gives Up Fighting Dope Charges
Lance, we get it. You don't have the balls to fight the charges.
[] - You can take his 7 Tour De Frances and all his bicycles away from him for a lifetime, but you can never prove he took steroids 12-15 years ago. At least he's still able to try and romance with hollywood stars with one testicle and his career as a "cameo actor in shitty comedy films". Will he be allowed to ride BMX bikes is the real question?
Update: Lance Armstrong's Statement - ""
Posted by Travis Houser at 9:11 PM 0 comments
ESPN flicks Finger Guns at Cameras with this Bill Simmons on NBA Countdown news
Who's up for some 1970's NBA references, 1,000 words about his "Book on Basketball" and a lil podcast humor he heard earlier in the week before we watch Lebron James take on whatever opponent it is that Sunday? Think of it like the time Tony Kornheiser killed on Monday Night Football.
PS - Tony Reali to get the 14th Hole of the Masters in 2013?
Posted by Travis Houser at 12:31 PM 0 comments
5'1 Sixth Grader on a HS Varsity Football Team is all about Outkicking The Coverage
When did America start honoring TD Passes? Here is what needs to be known about this kid: Robinson achieved his feat for Franklin (Tenn.) Christian Academy during on Friday. _________________________________________________________ The kid is no Tim Tebow, Andrew Luck or even Doug Flutie. Hey Andrew Robinson, you're not in Canada, kid. Tennessee isn't close to Texas, Alabama or Florida, but you're in the region where people are paralyzed every week because they tried to be something they really aren't in HS football. Longevity, bro. You need too look at your religion-first school offensive linemen and picture if they can handle the one time this season they're playing against that 210 pounder who's parents just got divorced. You've got 6 years before a FBS or FCS school can even offer you a scholarship. Just go get some Christian HS chicks with this one-game legend making experience, and worry about football when you become a freshman.
Posted by Travis Houser at 8:11 AM 0 comments
Wednesday, August 22, 2012
Michael Strahan just Jacking all of Tiki Barber's Dreams
Kelly Ripa is the floss to Michael Strahan's gap. Which ABC producer had the thought, "You know who makes a great replacement for the 5'4 irish guy who only knows Catholic sports? The 6'4 black guy who lost all his athlete money because of divorce." King Henry VIII laughs at that joke.
PS - Tiki mad he chose NBC and not ABC, right about... NOW.
Posted by Travis Houser at 4:38 PM 0 comments
No wonder Prince Harry wasn't Worthy of King Status
One of the easiest decisions the Queen had to make this decade. Ladies will always choose the balding blonde over the 'please-love-me' ginger. Queen Elizabeth is just another woman with the same basic taste.
Posted by Travis Houser at 8:46 AM 0 comments
Surveilance Video of Tony Farmer beating his GF
Court sentenced him to 3 years today.Glad the judge decided to give him the extra year in prison just so he gets some punishment for this emasculating action. Except for the fact he'll probably get out in 1.5 years. College Basketball recruits are trying to find any way around David Stern's NBA Draft age limit these days.
Posted by Travis Houser at 4:55 AM 0 comments
7 Gymnasts going viral by just showing how bad US Men Gymnastics is
Synchronized backflipping at it's finest. In your face John Orosco, Danell Leyva and all you other pummel horse failures. Teammwork displayed at it's finest.
Posted by Travis Houser at 1:24 AM 0 comments
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Machine quilting requires an even-feed or walking foot to ensure quilting a straight stitch without distorting the layers, and a darning foot for free-motion or heavily curved stitching.
Use 100% cotton thread or size .004 nylon monofilament thread (clear for light-colored fabrics, smoky for dark fabrics) on the top and cotton in the bobbin. Pre-test stitch length and thread tension using two muslin pieces layered with batting. Adjust as needed.
Choose a quilting strategy. Begin stitching in the middle and work outward, making sure the layers are taut. Roll the edges of the quilt compactly to reveal the area being quilted; reroll as needed. To secure the thread, take 1 or 2 regular-length stitches forward, backward, and continue forward; stitch a few very small stitches and gradually increase to desired length. Trim thread tails.
Stitch "in the ditch" or along the seamline to secure quilt layers while adding subtle texture. Stitch open areas with a design of your choice.


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With her leadership under fire from within Tory ranks after a series of controversies, Premier Alison Redford will receive a "work plan" from the Progressive Conservative party laying out its expectations for the leader.
After hours behind closed doors with the party's board of directors, Redford emerged with PC president Jim McCormick to speak with reporters.
"One of the things that is important to people is for me to be listening and talking to people, sharing time with people, which I'm happy to do. I know there is more work going on right now in terms of a work plan for the leader and I'm looking forward to that," said Redford.
"Right now the party will be taking a look at that in terms of what they would like me to do and I expect I'm going to be spending an awful lot of time doing what I do most of the time, which is travelling the province talking to party members about what's going on."
Redford said no one asked for her resignation as party leader at the meeting.
McCormick said the work plan would be developed over time between the party and Redford to address areas of concern that have recently arose.
Saturday's meeting of the PC board of directors capped a week of turmoil for Redford's leadership that saw her repayment of the contentious $45,000 cost for her trip to South Africa for Nelson Mandela's funeral, the departure of a Tory MLA to sit as an independent, rampant rumours of further defections and calls for her resignation from an Edmonton constituency association president.
PC directors had said beforehand they expected Redford to be questioned closely at the meeting about the issues swirling around her leadership.
McCormick said it was a "wide-ranging, no holds barred discussion" on Saturday.
"The premier did an excellent job. She didn't back away from any of the rather hard-hitting questions she was asked. She was very frank with us."
One party insider said the meeting was "respectful, but brutal" and that Redford was asked about all of the criticisms that have been levelled against her as leader.
"She took it all and responded at the end she'll make it better," said the source.
Redford's reputation has been bruised by a series of controversies over travel and expenses and her top-down management style.
Len Webber, the MLA for Calgary-Foothills, upped the ante considerably this week when he left the government caucus, calling Redford a bully with a sense of entitlement. He said Redford had abused and intimidated government staffers and MLAs.
Redford said she would not respond to Webber's comments because she did not want to carry on the debate.
"Quite frankly, this has not been a highlight of a week for behaviour or a very mature conversation on a lot of levels. I think a lot of people were quite emotional, probably said a lot of things that they regret and I think it's time for us to move on," said Redford, who acknowledged it had been a hard week for her personally.
Earlier in the day, another Tory MLA said Redford must make major changes to her leadership style to carry on.
Red Deer North MLA Mary Anne Jablonski said she is not calling for Redford to step down but said she and other MLAs and party members have major concerns about her leadership.
Issues around expenses, entitlements and how Redford deals with people are significant issues that the premier must address, she said.
"If she can change the way she treats others, then we have hope," said Jablonski.
Jablonski said she resents how these issues have distracted from Alberta's booming economy and high quality of life under the PC government.
She said she had no intention of crossing the floor.
"Why should I have to leave my party, my principles?" said Jablonski, who noted that other members of caucus share her feelings.
Also amid the turmoil of the week were questions about the future of the party's executive director.
But McCormick said Saturday that Kelley Charlebois remained the executive director of the PC party.
Multiple sources told the Herald Friday that Charlebois had been ousted as the party's top staffer.
However, a source indicated Saturday that a recommendation that would have seen Charlebois leave never made it to the floor for a vote at the meeting and there was a great deal of support for Charlebois in the room.


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FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. � The U.S. Supreme Court's decision to leave the ultimate placement of a 3-year-old girl in an American Indian child welfare case to a state court extends the custody dispute and the anguish for both her biological father and the couple who raised her for the first two years of her life.
FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. � The U.S. Supreme Court�s decision to leave the ultimate placement of a 3-year-old girl in an American Indian child welfare case to a state court extends the custody dispute and the anguish for both her biological father and the couple who raised her for the first two years of her life.
The divided court ruled Tuesday that federal law doesn�t require that Veronica Brown be given back to her Cherokee father but it also doesn�t clear her adoptive parents, Matt and Melanie Capobianco, to immediately regain custody of her. They now must wait for a South Carolina court to determine Veronica�s final home.
Some children�s advocates said the ruling undermines the role that families and communities play in determining the best interests of children in their care, while the Cherokee Nation said the case should have been fully resolved with Veronica firmly in the hands of her biological father under a law passed in 1978 to reduce the high number of Indian children being removed from their homes and by public and private agencies.
�Everything this family has gone through the past two years just to keep his biological child, his baby girl, is more overwhelming than any of us can imagine,� said Cherokee Principal Chief Bill John Baker.
The nation�s highest court has twice taken up cases regarding the Indian Child Welfare Act, once in 1989 and again on Tuesday. The latest decision doesn�t have broad implications, experts say, but reignited discussion over the law meant to keep American Indian children with Native families.
Terry Cross, executive director of the National Indian Child Welfare Association, said the case would apply only in circumstances where an American Indian father does not become involved before the child is born. He said most Indian custody cases aren�t contested. Even when they are, the two sides generally come together with a negotiated settlement that benefits the child, he said.
�I think the implementation of the law has been growing stronger over the years because people have learned more about it,� he said. �Problem cases have diminished over the years.�
Justice Samuel Alito, writing for the court�s majority, said the ICWA didn�t apply in this case because the biological father never had custody of Veronica and abandoned her before birth. He also said the law doesn�t stop non-Native Americans from adopting the child when no other eligible candidates stepped forward but could discourage them.
�A biological Indian father could abandon his child in utero and refuse any support for the birth mother � perhaps contributing to the mother�s decision to put the child up for adoption � and then could play his ICWA trump card at the eleventh hour to override the mother�s decision and the child�s best interest,� he wrote. �If this were possible, many prospective adoptive parents would surely pause before adopting any child who might possibly qualify as an Indian under the ICWA.�
Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote in her dissent that �the anguish this case has caused will only be compounded� by the court�s ruling if another change is made in the girl�s living arrangements.
The key author of the 1978 law, former U.S. Senator James Abourezk of South Dakota, said Tuesday that he was pleased the court�s decision in Veronica�s case seemed to be fairly narrow but felt the justices are trying to undermine tribe�s rights to govern themselves.
The 1989 U.S. Supreme Court case that affirmed the jurisdiction of tribal courts over adoptions has been applied to hundreds of American Indian custody cases. A member of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians had given birth to twins then signed documents allowing a non-Indian couple to adopt the children. The high court found that despite giving birth about 200 miles away from the reservation, the Indian Child Welfare Act still gave tribal courts jurisdiction over the adoption proceeding.
In December, the court denied review of a ruling that allowed a Navajo boy to remain with a non-American Indian family. The lower courts said the boy would have suffered severe distress if removed from his setting. The Navajo Nation had argued that tribal culture must be learned in a Navajo home through ceremonies and being surrounded by the language.
Utah attorney Wesley Hutchins defended a Salt Lake City couple who adopted two half-Navajo children in 2008 after the Navajo Nation challenged it. The tribe argued that the state failed to find an American Indian home for the children or transfer the case to tribal authorities. The Utah Supreme Court ruled in favor of the couple who had vowed to provide a culturally sensitive environment, Hutchins said.
Of Veronica�s case, Hutchins said Dusten Brown should have made his wishes to be a parent known earlier and provide financial support to establish interest in raising Veronica.
Baker, the Cherokee principal chief, said the tribe would continue to support Brown through prayers, thoughts and �every available resource.�
�Their fight is our fight and we will be there every step of the way,� he said.
The National Indian Child Welfare Association has asked communities to join together in prayer Wednesday to support the Brown family and the Indian Child Welfare Act, saying it has resonated personally among families in Indian Country.
Brown invoked the federal law to stop the adoption arranged by Veronica�s non-Indian mother when she was pregnant. The Capobianco�s were present at Veronica�s birth in Oklahoma. Brown had never met his daughter and, after the mother rebuffed his marriage proposal, played no role during the pregnancy and paid no child support after Veronica was born.
But when Brown found out Veronica was going to be adopted, he objected and said the law favored the girl living with him and growing up learning tribal traditions.
South Carolina courts agreed and Brown took Veronica back to Oklahoma at the end of 2011, even though she had lived with the Capobiancos for more than 2 years of her life.
Associated Press writers Jesse J. Holland in Washington, D.C., and Kristi Eaton in Sioux Falls, S.D., contributed to this report.


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"How do you do it?"
"Do what?"
"Live with just that?"
What we were talking about is my suitcase.
How do I live out of one suitcase?
Here I'll explain a little about my process of downsizing and the effort to simplify my existence by removing the burden of possessing. In essence Living out of a Suitcase 101.
Downsizing – My Process of Liberation
Wealth consists not in having great possessions, but in having few wants.
– Epictetus, Stoic Philosopher
In a little more than a year I have gone from having an apartment full of the accoutrement of daily life (bed, desktop computer, kitchen wares, bookshelves filled with books, etc.) to living out of one carry-on sized suitcase and a messenger bag. My initial downsizing was forced when I was denied reentry to Canada for a year. My following downsizing has been by choice.
I moved to New York City in January 2008 with a rolling garment bag, a smaller suitcase, and my Chrome messenger bag. I lived with friends for two months while I searched for a room of my own. That room came in the form of a converted office adjoining a bedroom in a triplex in the Williamsburg neighborhood of Brooklyn, NY. It was six feet wide and at most ten feet in length. I had a large window to a balcony, a scavenged end table and bookshelf (as dresser), and slept on an air mattress.
November 2008 I was laid off. Relationship came to an end. I had no reason to stay in the City or the Northeast for that matter. Within two weeks I had decided to leave New York and try my hand at vagabonding. My process of liberation was at hand.
Simplicity – Breaking the Chains of Attachment
Our crude civilization engenders a multitude of wants. . . . Our forefathers forged chains of duty and habit, which bind us notwitstanding our boasted freedom, and we ourselves in desperation, add link to link, groaning and making medicinal laws for relief.
–John Muir, Kindred and Related Spirits
On the road it is is justifiably more difficult to live with an excess of things. There is the sheer physical weight of carrying your stuff from one place to another but ever more burdening is the attachment to possessing.
Attachment to possessing burdens me whether I am vagabonding or working in an office 9 to 5. It is easy to fall prey to, and I have no exception to this weakness. It is already an old adage that we are bombarded by advertisements, that we live in a society of consumption, and that we measure ourselves by the things we have.
Breaking out of this perspective is our first step.
To do this I took a cue from Aristotle. "We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence then, is not an act, but a habit." To live more simply I had to act by breaking the chains of attachment.
The initial action is often the hardest.
Confronting the prospect of going through my possessions and classifying them as donation, junk, store, or take was daunting. I was amazed at the accumulation of things that were mine, and it is still not all whittled away. Where did I start?
Just go and don't ask questions.
Rather than debate each item, I attacked the problem as aggressively as I could throwing things into piles based on my initial reaction.
Going with your gut, or, the Ready, Fire, Aim method is the quickest way to get started. You can always backtrack a bit and move things around later but your biggest obstacle is starting.
I had long ago realized I wore only a small percentage of my clothing regularly. I would not miss the rest. They were merely the outliers of my outfit regimen, benefiting me only a fraction of what they cost me in keeping. Those few items I believed would be required later in the future were pressed into storage, the rest bagged and donated.
As for the rest of my possessions, very few of the things that I had would benefit me on the road. With my Macbook Pro and iPhone I had all the necessary means for communication and working covered. I had a copy of Vagabonding, a notebook, a safety razor and a few odds-and-ends. Anything else I have needed I have picked up on the way or borrowed.
Now What – Living out of a Suitcase
Once you've cut out all of those non-essentials looking at your suitcase or backpack as the only burden on the road will make the road ahead appear closer, more accessible and lighthearted.
Henceforth I ask not good-fortune, I myself am good-fortune,
Henceforth I whimper no more, postpone no more, need nothing.
-Walt Whitman, Song of the Open Road
This simplicity gives us liberation. Taking responsibility of the things we possess and reducing that to an understandable level gives us freedom to live.
We become eccentric. Unconventional. Foolish. Free.


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Sea Of Thieves Game Story Yarr me hearties! It's time to raise the Jolly Roger and set sail for gold and glory on The Sea of Thieves! Yarrr!! Sea of Thieves is the latest game from renowned British developer, Rare the studio behind all-time classics like Donkey Kong Country and Banjo Kazooie. It's a veryRead More
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You Won't Believe Which Two Yummy Aussie Faves Have Merged
Today marks a momentous day for the nation, with two Aussie faves announcing they're set to join forces for a very delicious combination.
Streets Ice Cream have today confirmed the Golden Gaytime and Cornetto will be joining together to create the ultimate ice cream love child. And we can't wait to try it! DROOOLLLL.
And what does one call a Cornetto filled with Golden Gaytime - besides DELICIOUS?... That's right - A Golden Gaynetto of course!
The crunchy wafer Gaynetto cone will be filled with a delicious toffee and vanilla ice cream and topped with chocolate sauce and sprinkled with famous Gaytime biscuit crumbs. YUM!
Source: Streets
It's hard to believe the Golden Gaytime has been around since 1959. Although the taste has remained the same, just last year we were spoiled when Streets released tubs of Golden Gaytime ice cream. That was an extremely dangerous time for many.
Now the Golden Gaytime has left the stick and tub to take up residence in a classic Cornetto cone.
Streets Senior Brand Manager, Scott Mingl says the idea stemmed from customer demand.
"Streets have received letter out of Gaytime crumbs, petitions and social media requests. Everyone wants more Gaytimes and we've listened," he said.
The Golden Gaynetto's will be on sale nationwide from Tuesday the 6th of September. We for one can't wait to get ours hands on one of these!


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4 cars and a school bus crash in Clay Co.
CLAY COUNTY, Fla. -- A four car pile up in Clay County, including one school bus, snarled traffic Wednesday morning.
The Clay County Sheriff's Office responded to the crash that occurred on the 2200 block of State Road 16 West in Green Cove Springs around 8:30 a.m., according to the Clay County Sheriff's Office.
No injuries have been reported at this time, but the crash is causing major delays.
Darlene Mahla with Clay County Schools says 22 children were on the bus headed to Charles E. Bennett Elementary school and none were hurt. The damage to the bus was also minor. The school is callling parents of the children just as a precaution.
The Clay County Sheriff's Office requests that drivers avoid the area if possible.


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As you make your research travel plans, please remember that the Genealogy Center, like the rest of the Allen County Public Library, is closed on Monday, May 31, in observance of Memorial Day.
Memorial Day weekend also marks the beginning of the library's summer schedule. Hours Monday through Saturday are the same as the rest of the year (M-Th 9A – 9P and F&S 9A – 6P), but the entire library is closed on Sundays until after the Labor Day weekend. We love our visitors, and don't want you waiting in vain on Sundays.


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Thomas D. Sellers was born in Detroit in 1933 and has always called Michigan his home. In 1956, he earned bachelor's degrees in business administration and art history from Albion College in nearby Albion, Michigan.
Upon graduation, Tom spent three years honing his business skills as an employee of the Burroughs Corporation. He teamed up with his father in 1959 at the Dean Sellers Ford agency. In 1970, he purchased the firm outright and eventually moved it to a new location in Troy, Michigan, where it has become a highly respected industry leader. Under his leadership, the firm has grown to be the largest Ford dealership in the state of Michigan.
Tom has long worked to build a better appreciation of the importance of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights and to educate Americans about their true meaning. He has also been active in a variety of civic affairs, especially the Troy Rotary Club.
He became a member of The John Birch Society in 1977 and accepted appointment to the JBS Council in 1985. He and his wife, Nona, reside in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan.


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One year into my marriage, I occasionally find myself spending with a newfound guilt. To balance out a shopping spree for myself, I'll pick up a few things for my husband — mostly out of love but, if we're being totally honest, also for fear of appearing selfish. So, while buying myself, say, a new pair of pumps, I'll pick up a cashmere sweater for him. My husband could care less about cashmere, and he never gives me a hard time for spending my money. It's just a voice in my head, likely the same one that whispers other baseless insecurities.
No matter how squeaky clean your financial life may have been as an independent, single woman, being in a relationship can open the door to a whole new set of emotionally charged financial faux pas.
Here are the top six — and what you can do to make them right.
Financial Faux Pas
One year into my marriage, I occasionally find myself spending with a newfound guilt. To balance out a shopping spree for myself, I'll pick up a few things for my husband — mostly out of love but, if we're being totally honest, also for fear of appearing selfish. So, while buying myself, say, a new pair of pumps, I'll pick up a cashmere sweater for him. My husband could care less about cashmere, and he never gives me a hard time for spending my money. It's just a voice in my head, likely the same one that whispers other baseless insecurities.
No matter how squeaky clean your financial life may have been as an independent, single woman, being in a relationship can open the door to a whole new set of emotionally charged financial faux pas.
Here are the top six — and what you can do to make them right.
Blindly Trusting
Nearly one in four women say their partners primarily manage the household finances, according to Pew Research. Whether it stems from self-doubt over making the right financial moves, a lack of interest in money matters or a controlling partner (or all three), financial planner Brittney Castro sees it all too often. "Even though women may be in control of the day-to-day budget," she says, "most still have no idea what is going on with the long-term investments."
Burying your head in the sand can carry a big price. For 34-year-old Amy, a small business owner living in Florida, it came to a whopping $50,000. It was only after she and her husband split that she discovered he'd covertly racked up that much debt on her American Express card.
"Because I had better credit, we opened this card in my name, but with the understanding that he'd use and pay it off every month," she says. "I was naive… He was my husband. I trusted him."
Turning a blind eye to your money matters could leave you severely strapped in the event of a breakup or an unexpected expense. "Both people need to be involved in the decision making," says Castro.
How to get back on track: Improve your knowledge of your financial basics and get the contact information for the financial professionals in your lives (lawyers, financial planners, accountants, etc.). Make sure you could step in and pay the bills in case of an emergency. Take turns managing the accounts each month so you can confidently jump in the driver's seat on a moment's notice.
Don't forget to ask questions if you don't understand something, especially before signing any joint documents. And be aware that a joint tax return with your signature puts you equally on the hook if the IRS uncovers mistakes or, worse, fraud. So read it carefully.
Off-Ramping Without a Plan to On-Ramp
It's no secret that opting out completely from the workforce carries major financial risks. But even for those of us who opt out temporarily or "off-ramp," as it's known, there can be some financial drawbacks. Sheryl Sandberg writes in her book "Lean In" that "women's average annual earnings decrease by 20 percent if they are out of the workforce for just one year … Thirty percent after two or three years, which is the average amount of time professional women off-ramp from the workforce."
Of course, with rising child care costs, the math may work in favor of having the parent who makes less – usually mom (though that's changing) – quit her job and become the primary caretaker. But consider the longer-term financial risks. When your child enters school full time and you're ready to go back to work, can you afford to potentially make less money?
How to get back on track: Ignore the voices in your head that tell you a working mom can't possibly raise happy, healthy kids — a reason some women feel compelled to opt out. The kids are going to be all right. A recent study by the Campaign for Social Science in the U.K. found no harm done to a child's literacy, math ability and behavior if raised by a working mom. And a new paper by the National Bureau of Economic Research says kids with working mothers earn better grades in school.
If you do take time off — no matter the reason — know that there are always ways to keep your earning potential strong, says Stacy Francis, founder of Francis Financial. "Stay in contact with colleagues, continue education and stay active socially." This way you're better prepared and positioned for returning to the workforce.
Thinking 'What's Mine is Ours'
While it may seem romantic to throw all your money into a big pot, this can spark more money arguments than necessary, since it can be challenging to set spending thresholds and justify personal purchases. Incidentally, breadwinning wives may be more inclined to protest that their money is the family's money to let their husbands feel more in control and not as emasculated. "In general, when women make more, they say, 'It's our money,' and they'll do the 'our money' thing to soothe their husband's ego," says Brad Klontz, Psy.D., CFP, financial psychologist and author of "Mind Over Money."
How to get back on track: Be open to a financial threeway consisting of what's yours, mine and ours, says Manisha Thakor, author of "On My Own Two Feet: A Modern Girl's Guide to Personal Finance." She says, "The beauty of this concept is each couple can decide for themselves what goes in the 'ours' bucket. It creates an environment where both savers and spenders can feel they are having their individual and joint needs met."
Putting Kids First
It's not uncommon to see moms financially coddle their kids to a fault. Marcia Brixey, author of "The Money Therapist: A Woman's Guide to Creating a Healthy Financial Life," blames it on our tendency to put others before ourselves, calling it a top female "money malfunction." Brixey says, "We are nurturers and caregivers. We take care of everyone else but ourselves and it hinders us later in life."
On my previous reality makeover show, soapNET's "Bank of Mom and Dad," we showcased debt-ridden young adults and their doting parents. On it I encountered many mothers who occasionally dipped into their personal savings to help struggling adult children pay off debt or make rent. But of course that only further enabled their kids to be financially dependent. Handouts do not help!
"It's natural to want to give your children everything, but overindulging your love bundles, especially as they get older — at the expense of your retirement — isn't good for anyone," says Thakor. "A better long-run gift may very well be teaching your kids to financially fish for themselves and limiting financial help to clearly defined timeframes during periods of true economic stress," she says.
How to get back on track: If an adult child is desperate for some financial R&R, offer as many non-financial resources as you want — free meals, shelter or advice on ways to negotiate with creditors. Come up with a plan together that incentivizes your children to solve their financial issues independently. For example, if your daughter successfully pays off her $2,000 credit card balance in the next three months, you may then reward her with $100 to help pay for groceries. Or for every $100 she saves, you'll throw in $10 up to her first $1,000 saved.
Failing to Ask for Help
In the pursuit of "having it all," many of us forget that we don't have to necessarily do it all. As Anne Marie Slaughter wrote last year in her buzzy Atlantic piece, "Why Women Still Can't Have It All," we subscribe to this idealism because many of us feel it's our feminist duty. "Women of my generation have clung to the feminist credo we were raised with, even as our ranks have been steadily thinned by unresolvable tensions between family and career, because we are determined not to drop the flag for the next generation."
While some women defer all financial decision-making to their husbands, others fail to involve their spouses at all. "Since women make about 83 percent of the households purchasing decisions, I work with many women who are in charge of the day-to-day money management, yet are still overwhelmed by it all," says Castro. "They don't ask for help and often feel alone in the financial arena, which can put a strain on the relationship."
How to get back on track: Castro's advice: Commit to weekly money dates to go over household spending, investments and financial goals. Delegate some tasks like reviewing retirement plans, paying certain bills and comparison shopping. "[This way] women feel it's not all up to them to make sure they are reaching their financial goals overtime," she says. Outsourcing some tasks to a certified financial planner can also pay off. (Just make sure you stay involved in the decision-making.)
Secretly Spending
More women than men admit to shopping after a bad day. The guilt and shame tied to buying things we don't need — and probably can't afford — keep us from coming clean about our spending. We also keep it to ourselves to avoid confrontation and fights in our relationships, especially if we're married to savers.
In fact, a survey by TODAY.com and SELF.com found nearly twice as many women as men said they've hidden store bags or receipts from their spouses (32 percent versus 17 percent).
I consulted a young married woman last year living in New Jersey whose compulsive emotional shopping had driven her family $14,000 into debt. Her husband was totally in the dark. At the time she told me, "We keep separate accounts. He doesn't know about my seven credit cards. I get the mail, so I'm able to keep it a secret. He thinks we are up to date with everything, but I am maxed out and interest continues to build."
How to get back on track: If you find yourself in this situation, open communication is the only way to mend the trust you've broken. My advice to her: Confess before the lies ruin your marriage, create a joint bank account for more transparency, set a monthly limit for guiltless spending (a "slush fund" of sorts) and seek counseling for your uncontrollable spending.


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These are some of the things I've been working on for the last week or two. The purse and cell holder I crocheted with Bernat Blacklites using my trusty "L" hook. I think I need to come up with a different pattern for my purses.
The towel toppers were crocheted with Red Heart Sparkling and Jeweltones (both discontinued) and I used my favorite "I" hook. I think I must of been half asleep when I worked on the peach towel (the one on the right) - it's shorter and the button is on the wrong side.


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BWC Board of Directors - Bios, duties and terms of service
Biographies | Duties | Terms of service | Annual report | Investment policy statement
Nicholas W. Zuk
Chair of the Board, member of the Audit and Governance Committees
Represents self-insured employers
Term expires June 12, 2019
Nicholas Zuk, of Westerville, is senior vice president, general counsel and secretary of White Castle System in Columbus. Since 1992 he has overseen the company's risk management program and served as a trustee for both the pension and profit sharing plans. He is a current member of the Ohio State Bar Association, the Columbus Bar Association and the American Corporate Counsel. He has previously served as chairman of the board for the National Council of Chain Restaurants and the Ohio Restaurant Association. He holds a bachelor's degree from Washington University (St. Louis) and a juris doctorate from Capital University.
Chan Cochran
Vice Chair of Board, Chair of the Governance Committee, Member of the Investment and Audit committees
Represents the public
Term expires June 11, 2020
Chan Cochran, of New Albany, is founder and CEO of the Cochran Group, Inc., a state capital government affairs consulting firm. He is a former member and chair of Franklin County Children Services and former member of the Veterans Memorial Board of Trustees. Director Cochran served in the Navy - two years in Vietnam and as a shipboard media liaison for the Apollo 11 and Apollo 13 Recovery Missions. He was awarded the Purple Heart and the U.S. Navy Commendation Medal with Combat V.
Peggy Griffith
Vice Chair of Medical Services & Safety Committee, Vice Chair of Governance Committee, Member of Actuarial Committee
Represents employees
Term expires June 11, 2020
Peggy Griffith, of Deerfield, is a member of the Communications Workers of America (CWA) Local 4302. She is first vice-president of the Ohio AFL-CIO Hall of Fame Labor Council. She chaired the CWA's safety and health committee and the joint AT&T safety committee. She has more than 35 years of workers' compensation experience as a member and committee chair for CWA.
Kenneth Haffey
Chair of the Audit Committee
Certified public accountant
Term expires June 12, 2021
Kenneth Haffey, of Chesterland, has been a licensed CPA in Ohio since 1986. He is currently a partner in CPA firm of Skoda, Minotti & Co. in Mayfield Village. Haffey served as a managing partner and vice president for Century Business Services, Inc., a Cleveland CPA firm. Haffey also worked as a vice president for banks in Cleveland and Chicago, and has served as an adjunct accounting professor at Case Western Reserve University since 1990. Haffey received a bachelor's degree from the University of Notre Dame in 1978 and an MBA from DePaul University in 1982.
David W. Johnson
Chairman of the Medical Services & Safety Committee, Vice Chair of the Audit Committee, Member of the Actuarial Committee
Represents employers with more than 100 employees
Term expires June 11, 2020
David Johnson, of Salem, is the CEO of Summitville Tiles, Inc. and is a member and past chair of the Ohio Manufacturers' Association Board. He also is a board member of Consumers National Bank; Radio America, American Studies Center; and Ohio Business Alliance for Higher Education and the Economy boards.
Stephen E. Lehecka
Chair of the Actuarial Committee, Member of the Investment Committee
Term expires June 12, 2019
Stephen Lehecka, of Westfield Center, throughout his career, he has served in actuarial positions for insurance companies in Ohio and Michigan including chief actuary for Westfield Insurance. He is currently a member of the Property Casualty Insurers Association of America. He earned his bachelor's degree in mathematics from Alma College in Alma, Michigan and also completed some graduate studies in mathematics at Michigan State University. He is a fellow of the Casualty Actuarial Society and a member of the American Academy of Actuaries.
Mark J. Palmer
Chair of the Investment Committee, Member of the Governance and the Medical Services & Safety committees
Investment and securities expert
Term expires June 12, 2019
Mark Palmer, of Bexley, is chief executive officer for The Joseph Group Capital Management, an investment advisory firm he founded with his brother in 1999. As of Dec. 31, 2015, The Joseph Group directly managed or advised more than $365 million in investment assets. Columbus Business First magazine has listed the firm in the top 10 fee-only financial planning firms each of the last 10 years and included the firm in its "Fast 50", a ranking of privately held companies based on revenue growth in 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011 and 2012. In 2011 the company was named one of the "Best Places To Work" in Central Ohio by Business First newspaper. Palmer is a registered investment advisor representative with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. He serves as board chair of Methodist Eldercare Services and as a board member of Ohio Northern University. He holds a bachelor's degree from Ohio Northern University and a juris doctorate from Rutgers University.
Tracie J. Sanchez
Vice Chair of the Actuarial Committee, Member of the Medical Services & Safety Committee
Represents employers with 100 or fewer employees
Term expires June 12, 2021
Tracie Sanchez is the corporate president of the Lima Pallet Company, Inc. In 30 years of service to Lima Pallet, she learned to do most of the tasks Lima Pallet has to offer from fork lift operator to sales manager to become the President of Lima Pallet in 2001. She has a strong knowledge of cost savings programs BWC offers to Ohio's employers. She is also involved in the community by serving on the National Federation of Independent Business' Ohio Leadership Council. Mrs. Sanchez is a native of Lima, Ohio, where she lives with her husband, Jeffery, and their three children.
Dewey R. Stokes
Member of the Audit and Medical Services & Safety committees
Represents employees
Term expires June 12, 2019
Dewey Stokes, of Columbus, has a long history of public service to the community, state and nation. He served more than 27 years as a Columbus police officer and was elected Franklin County Commissioner, a position he held for 12 years. He also has a wide range of experience in law enforcement and labor issues, including serving as president of the National Fraternal Order of Police, co-chairman of former Gov. George V. Voinovich's Labor Advisory Committee and member of the Columbus Area Labor Management Board.
Michael P. Taylor
Member of the Actuarial and Investment committees
Represents Executive Board of the Ohio AFL-CIO
Term expires June 11, 2021
Michael P. Taylor of Steubenville spent three decades in the fire service, retiring from the Steubenville Fire Department as assistant chief in April 2018. Over his career, he served on several executive committees and associations related to public safety. He is current president of the Ohio Association of Professional Fire Fighters, which represents the interests of 12,000 professional firefighters in Ohio and coordinates with more than 250 local affiliates. He also serves on the executive board of the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations' Ohio branch, as well as Jefferson County's 911 executive committee. Taylor attended the George Meany Center for Labor Studies.
Frederick J. Treuhaft
Vice chair of the Investment Committee and Member of the Governance Committee
Investment and securities expert
Term expires June 11, 2021
Frederick J. Treuhaft of Toledo is a profit-focused consultant who focuses on transforming complex challenges into business strategies. His background includes more than 38 years experience in all phases of business, tax, estate, strategic and family wealth planning. Director Treuhaft also specializes in working with entrepreneurs, helping start-up businesses grow by teaching owners to understand the potential of their enterprises based on local markets and communities. In addition to consulting activities at his company, Treu Advisors, he currently serves as a co-manager at Reynolds Senior Village, a 55-plus mobile home park where he's working to create a safe and revitalized environment for residents. He's a graduate of the University of Toledo with a BBA specializing in accounting.
The Board of Directors is an independent body of fiduciaries entrusted with setting overall administrative policy for BWC.
Summary of duties
- Advising BWC's administrator on all policy and operational matters
- Safeguarding the assets of Ohio's workers' compensation system, including maintaining the solvency of the State Insurance Fund
- Providing independent verification of BWC's financial and operational performance
Highlights of specific duties
Please see ORC 4121.12 for a comprehensive listing of all board duties.
- State Insurance Fund - The board has specific responsibility to safeguard and maintain the solvency of the State Insurance Fund and other funds.
- Investment duties
- Approve the investment policy developed by the investment committee ensuring that the policy satisfies the requirements in the law
- Review and publish the investment policy statement annually, and prohibit any investment contrary to the policy
- Vote to open each investment class and adopt rules establishing standards for investing in the class
- Submit an annual report to the governor and the leaders of the four legislative caucuses on the value and performance of each investment class.
- Vote to close any investment class
- Actuarial duties
- Prepare and submit (no later than 60-days following introduction) an actuarial analysis of any introduced legislation expected to have a measurable financial impact on BWC. This analysis must include the following:
- A summary of the statutory changes being evaluated;
- A description of or reference to the actuarial assumptions and actuarial cost method used in this report;
- A description of the participant groups used in the report;
- A statement of the financial impact of the legislation, including the resulting increase, if any, in employer premiums, in actuarial accrued liabilities and the relevant percent premium increase associated that would be required to amortize the increase in those liabilities as a level percent of employer premiums over a period not to exceed 30 years;
- A statement of whether the employer premiums paid to BWC after enactment of the proposed change should be sufficient to satisfy the funding objectives the board establishes.
- Prepare an annual actuarial report that consists of valuation of the assets, liabilities and funding requirements of all BWC funds, which will include the following:
- A summary of compensation and benefits provided;
- A summary of the census data and financial information used;
- A description of the actuarial assumptions, cost method, and asset valuation method used;
- A summary of findings that includes actuarial accrued compensation and benefit liabilities and unfunded actuarial accrued compensation and benefit liabilities;
- A schedule showing the effect of any changes in compensation and benefits, actuarial assumptions, or cost methods since the previous report;
- This report must be submitted to the legislative committees that hear BWC legislation no later than Sept. 1 of the year following the year studied.
- Conduct an investigation every five years to update BWC's actuarial assumptions. The investigation should analyze the experience of employers, the mortality, service and injury rates of employees, and the payment of temporary total disability, permanent partial disability, and permanent total disability. The board must submit this report to the standing legislative committees that hear BWC legislation by Nov. 1 following the fifth year studied and must include all of the following:
- A summary of relevant decrement and economic assumption experience;
- Recommended changes in actuarial assumptions to be used in actuarial variations;
- A measurement of the financial effect of the recommended changes.
- Prepare and submit (no later than 60-days following introduction) an actuarial analysis of any introduced legislation expected to have a measurable financial impact on BWC. This analysis must include the following:
- General administrative duties
- Review BWC's progress in meeting cost and quality objectives, and in complying with relevant statutes
- Submit an annual report to the Governor, Ohio Senate President and House Speaker, including the following specific criteria:
- An evaluation of the cost and quality objectives of the bureau;
- A statement of the net assets available for the provision of compensation and benefits, as of the last day of the fiscal year;
- A statement of any changes that occurred in the net assets available, including employer premiums and net investment income, for the provision of compensation and benefits and payment of administrative expenses, between the first and last day of the fiscal year;
- The following information for each of the six consecutive fiscal years occurring previous to the report:
- A schedule of the net assets available for compensation and benefits;
- The annual cost of the payment of compensation and benefits;
- Annual administrative expenses incurred;
- Annual employer premiums allocated for the provision of compensation and benefits.
- A description of any significant changes that occurred during the six years for the portion of the report described above that affect the ability of the board to compare that information from year to year.
- Review all independent financial audits
- Study issues as requested by the Governor or Administrator
- Contract with all of the following:
- Independent actuarial firm to assist administrator in setting premium rates;
- Independent investment counsel to assist the investment committee;
- Independent fiduciary counsel to assist the board in its duties.
- Advise and consent on all of the following:
- Administrative rules for the classification of occupations or industries, for premium rates and contributions, for the amount to be credited to the surplus fund, for rules and systems of rating, rate revisions, and merit rating;
- Administrator duties and authority;
- Rules adopted for HPP and QHP;
- Rules regarding the Public Employment Risk Reduction Program and the protection of public health-care workers from exposure incidents.
- Meet with the Governor to discuss administrator performance
- Develop and participate in a board education program which must consist of the following:
- An orientation for newly appointed members;
- A continuing education program;
- A curriculum that includes member duties, compensation and benefits, ethics, governance processes and procedures, actuarial soundness, investments.
- Appoint the members of the Audit, Investment and Actuarial committees
- Create any committee in addition to the Audit, Actuarial, and Investment committees the board deems necessary to perform its duties
Terms of service
- Initial board members will serve one-, two- or three-year terms.
Please see member biographies for individual terms.
- After the initial appointments, board members will serve three-year terms.
- The Governor appoints board members, with the advice and consent of the Ohio Senate.
- Members can be reappointed.
- $2,500 for attending one or more Committee meetings each month, and $2,500 for attending one or more board meetings each month
- Not to exceed $60,000 per year when combined with compensation for committee assignments
- Must attend at least one board meeting per month to receive compensation for that month
- ${title}${badge}


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Published articles on Newspapers
26 years of Research on Bhrigu Nadi Astrology by Dr. Shanker Adawal. Ask free Astrological queries on Sex and Love Life, Luck, Family Matters, Carrier etc. Horoscope, Astrology, free astrology, Bhrigu Nadi Astrology, Hindu Astrology, Dr. Shanker Adawal, Dr. Adawal, match making, Hindu Vedic Astrology, Vedic Astrology
Sonia Gandhi, Lal Krishan Adavani, AmitabhBhachan, Shiela Dixit, Lalu Prasad Yadav, Narendra Modi, P. Chidambaram, Sushil Kr. Shinde, Mukesh Ambani, Kumar Manglam Birla, Lakshmi Nivash Mittal, Sanjay Dutt, Rajni Kant, Muhammad Nawaz Shari, Zardari, Bilawal Bhutto, Mulayam Singh Yadav, Nitish Kumar, Smt Brinda Karat, Munshi, Rahul Gandhi, Shri Kamal Nath, Ram Vilash Passwan, Manmohan Singh,Bhuddadeb, Bhattacharya, Arun Jaitley, Mayawati, Raj Nath Singh, Sitaram Yechury, Sharad Pawar, Priya Ranjandas
Astrology encompasses a number of systems of divination based on the premise that there is a relationship between astronomical p...
Rahu-Jupiter and its Relevance of Guru Chandal-Yoga!
Love, desire and Union by Bhrigu Nadi Principles!
Saturn and Predictions – My Observation through Bhrigu-Nadi Principles!
Malefic and Benefice Planets - What they give in Life!
Jupiter and Saturn Conjunction - Marriage & Relationship!
Bhritu-Nadi Method of Analysing Conjunctions of Planets in A Sign - Can be used in Chart Analysis!
A Bhrigu Nadi Principle of signs and Planets!
Navamasha Predictive Astrology!
Saturn – Understand Transit of Saturn in Moola, Analysis by Nadi, A Pointer to Research – Part 1, 2
Love, Desire and Union by Bhrigu Nadi Principles
Shri Amit Shah and Election 2019


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GI Festival to honor watermen
Gwynn's Island's annual celebration will recognize the talents of local watermen this weekend. "Honor the Watermen" is the theme of the 62nd annual Gwynn's Island Festival, scheduled for Friday night and Saturday in and around the grounds of the Gwynn's Island Civic Center.
The "world-famous" chicken dinner will kick off the Gwynn's Island Festival on Friday night at the Civic League building. Dinners may be picked up to go (drive through) from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m., with sit-down service from 5 to 7. Dinner includes fried chicken, potato salad, baked beans, cole slaw, ham biscuit and cake. Tickets are $10 and available at the door.
The festival will open at 9 a.m. Saturday and will include fun for all ages and interests, according to Cricket Call, spokesperson for the festival.
Throughout the day, live music will be played by groups, including Yours Truly, After Six, Plastic Happiness, Juniper Green, Craig Todd and Friends and Southern Friends.
Call said the Gold Wing Road Riders Association Chapter "O" from Williamsburg will present a motorcycle display.
Many local books and their authors will be on hand. One book signing includes the 2010 edition of "Inagua," by the late Gilbert Klingel, who made his home in Mathews. It has just been re-released and will be available at the festival. Marcy Benouameur of Onemo, the author's daughter, has written the introduction to the new edition, bringing Klingel's story to the present. She will be signing copies of the book on festival grounds.
The book, a shipwrecked naturalist's story of adventure and discovery on a lonely island in the Bahamas, will soon be available at various locations around Mathews. It can also be ordered directly from the publisher. Visit www.buybooksontheweb.com for more information.
"Anyone loving adventure and the natural world will enjoy reading this unusual true story," Benouameur said.
Call said the Gwynn's Island Museum will be open Saturday from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. and local service organizations such as the Mathews Volunteer Rescue Squad, the Mathews Volunteer Fire Department, Coast Guard/Auxiliary, Mathews Sheriff's Office and others will be in the Civic League Building. Free blood pressure checks will be available.
The annual pet parade will be held at 10 a.m., with registration for the event starting at 9:30.
Other activities include a golf-putting contest, with the top prize of two rounds of golf at the Piankatank River Golf Club; plenty of children's games and more. "Buttons the Clown" will be making the rounds, Call said.
This year's festival features a newly-designed T-shirt, Call added.
The 50/50 raffle ticket goal this year is $3,000. Proceeds go toward maintaining the Civic League building and museum. Contact Call at 725-7577 to purchase or help sell raffle tickets.
Finally, she said the Gwynn's Island Festival souvenir booklet contains articles about Gwynn's Island and advertisements from local businesses. The booklets are free.
"Everyone gets free parking and free admission," Call said. "Come early and stay late. There is something for everyone."
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attempt an equality (or congruence-based) substitution
Major Section: PROOF-CHECKER-COMMANDS
Examples: (equiv (* x y) 3) -- replace (* x y) by 3 everywhere inside the current subterm, if their equality is among the top-level hypotheses or the governors (equiv x t iff) -- replace x by t everywhere inside the current subterm, where only propositional equivalence needs to be maintained at each occurrence of xSubstitute new for old everywhere inside the current subterm, provided that either (relation old new) or (relation new old) is among the top-level hypotheses or the governors (possibly by way of backchaining and/or refinement; see below). If relation is
General form: (equiv old new &optional relation)
nil or
is not supplied, then it defaults to
equal. See also the command
which is much more flexible. Note that this command fails if no
substitution is actually made.
Note: No substitution takes place inside explicit values. So for
example, the instruction
(equiv 3 x) will cause
3 to be replaced by
x if the current subterm is, say,
(* 3 y), but not if the current
subterm is
(* 4 y) even though
4 = (1+ 3).
The following remarks are quite technical and mostly describe a
certain weak form of ``backchaining'' that has been implemented for
equiv in order to support the
= command. In fact neither the term
(relation old new) nor the term
(relation new old) needs to be
explicitly among the current ``assumptions'', i.e., the top-level
hypothesis or the governors. Rather, there need only be such an
assumption that ``tells us''
(r old new) or
(r new old), for some
equivalence relation
r that refines
relation. Here, ``tells us''
means that either one of the indicated terms is among those
assumptions, or else there is an assumption that is an implication
whose conclusion is one of the indicated terms and whose hypotheses
(gathered up by appropriately flattening the first argument of the
implies term) are all among the current assumptions.


text:
Protecting Beneficiaries from Identity Theft
Identity theft is a common crime. Careless handling of personal information makes identity theft easier. As a representative payee, you or your organization keeps records that have personal information for Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) beneficiaries. Examples of personal information include a person's name, date of birth, Social Security number, Medicare claim number, bank account information, address, health records and Social Security and SSI benefit payment data.
To prevent identity theft or accidental loss or disclosure of confidential information, you should have documented procedures in place that protect personal information. If contractors or volunteers perform services for you or your organization, these procedures also should cover their activities. The Social Security Administration (SSA) expects you to oversee the performance of any representative payee duties that you assign to volunteers or contract out.
Below are the most common practices used to deter identity theft. You should include these practices in your procedures for protecting personal information, if you do not already follow them.
Actions Managers Should Take to Prevent Identity Theft
- Screen your organization's employees, volunteers and contractors before allowing them to access confidential paper or electronic records;
- Explain to employees, volunteers and contractors that they are responsible for protecting personal information at all times, both on and off duty. Only permit them to access the personal information they need to do their jobs and to disclose personal information only when appropriate (for example, a bank needs a beneficiary's Social Security number to set up an account or a health care provider needs the beneficiary's date of birth for patient identification);
- Train employees, volunteers and contractors to handle personal information responsibly and remind them periodically of their responsibilities;
- Educate employees, volunteers and contractors about which confidential records can be taken off site and when they can be taken off site. This includes any records and information on laptop computers or other electronic devices as well as paper files.
- Have a system that tracks any confidential records taken off site (for example, an employee must take work home)
to ensure their timely return to the office.
Require the records be transported and stored when not in use in a locking device such as a briefcase; and
- Train managers to recognize situations where employees, volunteers, or contractors have failed to adequately safeguard personal information by failing to secure it from theft, loss, or accidental disclosure. If theft, loss, or accidental disclosure occurs, document each case for future reference, and consider notifying law enforcement, when appropriate.
Actions Everyone Should Take to Prevent Identity Theft
- Avoid leaving paper documents and records containing personal information unprotected on desktops;
- Store confidential records in locking file cabinets or locking desks both on and off site. When taking records or laptops offsite, lock them in the car trunk. Do not leave them in the passenger compartment; and
- Shred papers with personal information, preferably with a cross-cutting shredder, before throwing them out.
Protecting Records Kept on a Computer
- Do not send personal information via E-Mail unless encrypted. Send reports and documents with personal information via regular mail or send them to a secure FAX location.
- Install firewalls, anti-spyware, and anti-virus software to protect your computer from hacking and keep this software up-to-date;
- Use password protection and encryption software to protect confidential files from unauthorized access. Choose a password that others cannot guess and change it frequently. Peripheral data storage devices, such as CDs and flash drives, with records containing personal information should be password protected and encrypted as well. Password protect and encrypt personal information stored on these devices both on and off the work site.
- Encrypt files with personal information before deleting them from your computer or a peripheral storage device. This will ensure that unauthorized users cannot recover the files.
- Lock or log off the computer when leaving it unattended.
Contact Information
If you believe one of your clients is a victim of identity theft, go to SSA's online pamphlet, Identity Theft And Your Social Security Number (SSA Publication No. 05-10064, ICN 463270), and follow the instructions. Contact SSA if you think someone is using a client's Social Security number for work purposes.
For more ideas on preventing identity theft and to learn what else you can do if identity theft occurs, visit the Federal Trade Commission's (FTC) website, Fighting Back Against Identity Theft. The FTC is the lead government agency on identity theft issues.


text:
Lithium, which helps large companies harness the power of their fans for marketing, has raised a new $53.4 million funding round.
The ten-year-old company's mission is to help Fortune 1000 companies figure out who their biggest fans are, and then get those fans to write positive things about them on social networks and custom fan communities.
It can also help companies stop negative comments from spiraling out of control.
CEO Rob Tarkoff, who just joined the company from Adobe in August, explains.
"We have monitoring technology built into the platform...We can actually tie that into analytics, so you can see what influencers in your customer community are saying. We have ways to actually motivate customers to act on your behalf."
The company's founders have a background in gaming, which helps them figure out how to spur people to action -- without bribing them, like Google's marketing partners allegedly did to get positive posts about Chrome.
"We understood the notion of gamification way before it was called gamification. We had a vision of hiring PhDs from Berkeley, social scientists and biologists, and teaching them how to program so they could start to build in scientific motivation elements used in gaming."
Investors in the new round include NEA, whose partner Peter Sonsini will also join Lithium's board, and SAP Ventures, the venture arm of enterprise software giant SAP.
NEA has been bullish about investing in disruptive cloud-based enterprise companies -- it was an early investor in Salesforce.com, led a $75 million investment into Workday in 2009, and last year chipped in to Box's huge $81 million round.
NEA partner Jon Sakoda said that the firm has been looking at Lithium since 2007, but "a lot has happened in social over the last five years. Facebook has now passed more than one billion users, and when we first met I don't know the exact number but it was probably less than 10 million....The enterprise has gone from experimenting with social to embracing social in a big way."
CEO Tarkoff told us that he plans to use the money to expand Lithium's sales methods -- previously, the company sold directly to enterprises, but it will start working more with digital marketing agencies who in turn sell to big brands.
Tarkoff wouldn't share growth stats for the company, but in a press release Lithium said it expects to double in 2012. It currently has about 200 employees and is based in Emeryville, CA, across the Bay from San Francisco.


text:
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text:
In It Worked for Me the enhanced e-book edition you will find twelve exclusive videos featuring first-hand leadership advice and amusing anecdotes from the life of General Colin Powell. Readers also get access to photographs found only in this edition.
It Worked for Me is filled with vivid experiences and lessons learned that have shaped the legendary public service career of the four-star general and former Secretary of State Colin Powell. At its heart are Powell's "Thirteen Rules"—notes he gathered over the years and that now form the basis of his leadership presentations given throughout the world. Powell's short but sweet rules—among them, "Get mad, then get over it" and "Share credit"—are illustrated by revealing personal stories that introduce and expand upon his principles for effective leadership: conviction, hard work, and, above all, respect for others. In work and in life, Powell writes, "it's about how we touch and are touched by the people we meet. It's all about the people."
A natural storyteller, Powell offers warm and engaging parables with wise advice on succeeding in the workplace and beyond. "Trust your people," he counsels as he delegates presidential briefing responsibilities to two junior State Department desk officers. "Do your best—someone is watching," he advises those just starting out, recalling his own teenage summer job mopping floors in a soda-bottling factory.
Powell combines the insights he has gained serving in the top ranks of the military and in four presidential administrations with the lessons he's learned from his immigrant-family upbringing in the Bronx, his training in the ROTC, and his growth as an Army officer. The result is a powerful portrait of a leader who is reflective, self-effacing, and grateful for the contributions of everyone he works with.
Colin Powell's It Worked for Me is bound to inspire, move, and surprise readers. Thoughtful and revealing, it is a brilliant and original blueprint for leadership.
Please note that due to the large file size of these special features this enhanced e-book may take longer to download then a standard e-book.


text:
Country Girl and I went down to the CNY Blooms Flower and Garden Show yesterday. We had a great day but I think it had more to do with the fact that it has been ages since we've done something together than the show. We were actually both a little disappointed. This was my 1st ever show so maybe my expectations were off.
So I'll start with the positives.
We both loved the display at the entrance to the show.
We really enjoyed Rebecca Kolls seminar. She had a great sense of humor and I actually learned a lot in a very short time. I'll be trying her tip to banish my moles and voles. If it works I'll be sharing it here. We also got a copy of her magazine that looked interesting. We both agreed that the show was worth it for her talk alone. I left my bag of goodies in Country Girl's car so she'll drop it at Mom's and I'll pick it up there.
We stopped by the booth of a local nursery so I could say hello to some past students and their family. The booth was absolutely mobbed. I was able to chat for just a couple of minutes with one of kids (who is now an adult) but not any other members of the family. I'm glad they were doing so well! I'll stop by the nursery in April when they open again.
Next we stopped by the Upstate Gardeners Journal booth. I'm quite embarrassed to say that I told Pat that I'd never heard of the Journal. Oops! Of course I have, I first learned about the show from their blog, Ear to the Ground. I'd just never seen the journal in print form so it didn't click with me while we were there. Jan was quite helpful and took down the information for our garden club. I'll be reading it as soon as I get my goody bag back. Check out their blog for pictures of the show that are much better than mine. Be sure to check out their pictures of the best large garden - Landmasters. When I was there you couldn't get far enough away for a good picture. The wood was stunning.
The Onondaga Historical Association also had a both. History and gardening in one place! We talked a little about their blog and some upcoming events.
We also ran into several members of our garden club, Gardening Friends, which was nice as I hadn't seen anyone since November.
On to the negatives.
The Syracuse Convention Center is quite large but they only used a part of the space. The booths we most wanted to see we're TINY. The press of people was so great that I had to pass on several booths as I just could not breathe. It also seemed dark inside. Country Girl found some wonderful wrought iron pieces for her garden at a booth that you could only get 2-3 people into at a time. They had great stuff but it took forever to get in and look and forever again to pay. If I hadn't felt so uncomfortable I might have bought something too.
Everyone had stone walkway and patio displays. Sadly they pretty much all looked the same. There was very little that seemed unique or better yet affordable.
I was hoping for some great flower design ideas. I was disappointed that most of the displays had plants that you'd never see together, either shade plants with sun or plants that don't bloom at the same time. There were lots of water displays and I did find these two that I might be able to do something similar with at home.
I have to say that this bulb display was great.
But what on earth was this monstrosity from the same display?
I'm sorry but this was just absolutely tacky.
Sunday, March 04, 2007
CNY Blooms
3 comments:
Gosh, I am sorry you were so disappointed! I wish I had a friend close by who would go to those things with me!!ReplyDelete
Sometimes these events could do with a little better planning...like you, I really dislike it when you want to see things in a booth but it's so tiny, you have to wait in line to get in! Maybe for next time they'll use up more space!! I agree with you, that last display was a bit tacky...sheesh!ReplyDelete
Sounds like the Indiana Flower and Patio show, which features some nice display gardens, but the rest is like a giant garage sale, with people selling whatever they want, a lot of which doesn't really relate to gardening.ReplyDelete
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text:
This issue of the Dossiers focuses on two main areas: the role of culture in the making of religious identities; and progressive interpretations within Islam. The issue of culture viz religion and identity is crucial to us; one of the aims of WLUML is to facilitate debate towards disentangling cultural identity from religious and political identities.
This publication is out of print and is unavailable in electronic format.


text:
Woman Denied $42.9 Million Win On A Pokie Machine
Katrina Bookman was playing a pokie machine at Resorts World Casino in New York when the unthinkable happened... she won $42.9 Million, or at least that's what her machine said!
She took her obligatory $42.9 million selfie with the winning amount shown on the screen, then went to find out how to collect through the chaos that was happening around her as shown in the video at top, shot by her partner. But that's when things started to go downhill for Katrina.
Escorted off the casino floor, she was told to come back the next day for the decision. Katrina returned the next day and asked, "What did I win? The casino rep replied, "You didn't win nothing."
Katrina says the casino claimed there was a machine malfunction and offered her a steak dinner instead.
That had better be one bloody good steak.