text:
KarinL posted a link on this thread to an interview with someone called Rich Hilleman who seems just as out of touch with core, long term Simmers as the rest of EA. The Gamasutra interview can be found here and is titled "Getting EA ready for the future". Hilleman has broken down us Simmers into 3 categories – those who create houses, those who have a virtual relationship with their Sim, and those who use the game to make movies with. How incredibly shortsighted of him. What about the story tellers and the Sim makers? The competition makers and the CC makers? No to mention the Legacy players or those who write mods so the game is actually playable for most people, or the World makers who can actually make a world that works properly, etc. etc.
His vision for the future is about services, not products:
"And so one of the things that I think is an interesting way to think about this is something I call service-oriented design. You're going to get paid in the future not for your client but for the services, and so don't spend all your time engineering a client to some undefined set of future experiences you think you might make out of it. The best way to build a new product might be to build the services first."
Scared yet? How can EA build a service when they can't even write games properly, maintain a website securely? More importantly, how can they build a service when they are so out of touch with what their players really want? Most Simmers are screaming out for a Seasons EP/a building SP/a University type EP, heck, just a game that WORKS, yet EA get some C lister singer (who's more famous in the UK for her short lived marriage to Russell Brand than her singing career) called Katy Perry signed up in order to endorse an Expansion Pack which should have been part of a previous one, and a Stuff Pack full of crap which will make your town look like a diabetic's nightmare. They then churn out another Stuff Pack endorsed by Diesel, the over priced high street store, which sells t-shirts for £50 (my sister buys them, she's mad).
So using the Sims franchise as a 'hypothetical' example, Hilleman goes on to explain where he can see the future, based on his 3 categories of Simmers:
"If you think about each of those current audiences today and what future Sims product we'd want to give them, what the dollhouser wants is not an application on their computer, but they want an application on their phone that I can go take a picture of that chair, and "get that chair in my game for $20," or for some number. And then what I want is I want the ability to express my houses to my friends; I want to be able to build a parade of homes for my particular house, so that I can win the Bathroom of the Year award for my particular category."
This is the category I fall into, the 'dollhouser' (although I don't want to live in all the houses I build and upload) and I can guarantee you that I am absolutely not interested in an App on my phone which would enable me to take a picture of an object and then pay EA for the privilege of adding it to my latest build. I bought the Sims games and add ons because it provided me with a tool to create houses, a hobby I used to love, with a bit of gameplay thrown in for good measure. And I think you'll find that there is a massive community of builders out there who already express their houses to the community. There's even a forum dedicated to it on the EA website, it's called Creative Corner.
"That second group — the virtual character owners, the people who want a relationship — they want to be able to have a deeper emotional interaction with their characters. What I would give them is the ability to have video chat with their Sims. Now, the Sims speak Simlish — and I wouldn't change that, by the way — but that doesn't mean that we can't have something that produces an emotionally evocative experience."
If I ever came across someone who wanted to video chat with their Sim and had some emotional relationship with it I think I'd quickly make my excuses and leave. Maybe Hilleman is drawing on personal experience?
"The other thing I want to do is make the Sims a part of your social life, make them a part of your friends circle, and how you do that is you make where your Sims go with you be as interesting as where you go. And so for instance, imagine an application that when I went to Mount Rushmore with my Sims in my phone in my pocket, that it sent a note to all of my Facebook friends with a postcard of the Sims standing in front of Mount Rushmore and the note on the back of what we did there. It's a goofy idea, but for somebody who cares about that character as deeply as one of their other friends, it's a natural kind of thing."
How about sharing real life experiences with real life people? The whole point of The Sims was a virtual world, VIRTUAL, not real. A lot of people don't even admit to playing The Sims, it's a guilty pleasure.
"For that last group, you know, the most frustrating thing about using The Sims to make a movie is that unfortunately the Sims do what they want to do. So like in the middle of a perfectly executed scene, they decide to go to the bathroom; it's like, "Uh-oh. Wait a minute." So what movie makers want most of all is the ability to direct the Sims. But if I give them the joystick control to drive the Sims around, they're going to break things, and we're going to have less fun."
What? Have you actually watched any machinima?
"So as an example in this case, what I'll do is instead I'll give them the director. Instead of being able to direct the character themselves, I'll give them Martin Scorsese, who can. Now the trick becomes not getting the Sims characters to do what you want, but getting Martin to do what you want. I'm still abstracted in the same way The Sims has used before, but what I've done is I've turned it into a different kind of a problem that fits to the gestalt of what that customer does."
"The underlying point there is that by building the service first, you align yourself with how your customers value your product. And chances are you built a client that builds the best possible incarnation of that service, that's going to be the way to build the most compelling project. The Sims is just one example; I would say the social and free-to-play and mobile spaces are probably even more important in those places."
Not many of us value your products anymore. EA's stock is the lowest it's been in over 12 years yet all you're interested in is Facebook/Twitter/YouTube giveaways and promotion. Your core gamers are jumping ship because the quality of your products is so poor, not to mention ridiculously overpriced. We're not interested in advertising your games for you for free on our Facebook etc. pages, we want to play an entertaining game for a few hours. That's why so many of us have stopped buying the EPs and SPs.
You won't listen to us so we'll stop giving you our money.


text:
On September 18, we observed POW/MIA Recognition Day. Social Security remembers those missing in action while defending our country. We want to take the opportunity to highlight our special benefits for wounded warriors.
Social Security takes care of our wounded warriors, because we understand that the effects of military service can be profound and lasting.
Social Security pays disability benefits to veterans through the Social Security disability insurance program, which pays benefits to you and certain members of your family if you've worked long enough and paid enough Social Security taxes to qualify.
We can also pay disability benefits through the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program, which is based on financial need.
Social Security has a very strict definition of disability. To qualify for disability benefits, you must be unable to work and have a medical condition that's expected to last one year or more or to result in death.
Veterans who have a VA compensation rating of 100 percent permanent and total (P&T) have the opportunity to receive expedited processing of applications for Social Security disability benefits.
For more information, or to apply, please call us at 1-800-772-1213, or visit www.socialsecurity.gov. You can also get additional information about our benefits and services for veterans at www.socialsecurity.gov/people/veterans.
Please remember that Social Security can help with the emotional, financial, and health issues that result from military service. We will never forget.

subset: commoncrawl


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Monday, September 16, 2013
Glamorous Autumn...
30 comments:
I love all the glamorous shots, the little crystals are so sweet and I love the old books, thanks for the cool shots...I have some creepy house sitters, come over and take a look and let me know what you think...PhyllisReplyDelete
So pretty. Love the candles on the stack of boxes and the box filled with flowers is beautiful.ReplyDelete
your hydrangeas are just beautiful, and love that wooden box, great mix of textures and lovely subtle colors!ReplyDelete
This is a beautiful vignette, Anita. I love your arrangement in the wooden box. I was at Winners (TJMaxx Canadian style) today and saw a 'silver' candelabra and remembered I have a family heirloom one in the closet. I must get it out for this holiday season! Have a wonderful week. Blessings, PamReplyDelete
Just gorgeous, what beautiful pics.ReplyDelete
I luv it. I have only added dried hydrangeas so far about the home. Now I see you added pumpkins to your... luv it. Will be adding a pumpkin or 2 to my bread box full of hydrangea blooms. Thanks for the inspiration Anita.ReplyDelete
Hugs, Gee
I really love this. So pretty!ReplyDelete
Have a great week. Thanks for sharing.
The box is beautiful...you are so creative with details. I so enjoy when you share pictures of your lovely home, Anita!ReplyDelete
Gorgeous vignette!! You have the most beautiful colors of dried hydrangeas.ReplyDelete
Mary Alice
Beautiful, Anita!!!ReplyDelete
The memories attached to your beautiful pieces are what makes them so stunning. The drying flowers are gorgeous eye candy, and I especially love the sheet music in the old window. You give an entirely new meaning to fabulous!ReplyDelete
So simple and so elegant! I have missed you Anita! I have to catch up on all your kitchen redo! I have been such a bad blogger! The whole "crazy life" thing has gotten in the way of blogging! I hope you are well and all your babies are enjoying their new school year!ReplyDelete
I have some left over crystals from a recent project and want to bling up some things. I love the way this all looks, and I really want to do the sheet music in a window. I love to decorate with sheet music, and I love to decorate with windows. I'm feeling like a big "duh" that I haven't put them together before.ReplyDelete
This is gorgeous. I love the elegance of your vignette. Thanks so much for joining Inspire Me. Hugs, MartyReplyDelete
Absolutely Shabby.ReplyDelete
LOVE it the way you created your vignette.
/CC girl
That is just beautiful Anita. You really have a talent to know how to group things together to make a wonderful display.ReplyDelete
Just beautiful, I love seeing how pink work in fall! ClariceReplyDelete
Just stumbled upon your blog while visiting Mary Alice at Chateau Chic. I absolutely love the pink chippy cabinet in your header. I look forward to looking around and stealing ideas:) I am your most recent follower. Hope you'll visit and follow me too.ReplyDelete
White Lace and Promises
I'm a pink freak!
Holy bleep that's so beautiful...and you take spectacular photos! Just gorgeous....ReplyDelete
Lovely vignette! I enjoyed all the details...great!ReplyDelete
YOur title is right... your vignette brings out the glamorous side of Autumn! Just stunning!ReplyDelete
This is so pretty -just a touch of fall with all things delightful added in! JenniferReplyDelete
A gorgeous post. I love the way the rough and rustic work with the chic and elegant, so lovely.ReplyDelete
We'd love to have you share with us.
What a gorgeous vignette, Anita1 I love how the pumpkins look with your hydrangeas! That candelabra is just beautiful.ReplyDelete
Looked at all the photos...wow...what a lot you learned and put to good use. Back in the dark ages (1980) I bought a Pentax K1000...the bottom of the line camera. I took a photography class at the local Jr. College and I was fortunate enough to have had a great instructor. I LOVED, LOVED, black and white photography and spending time in the dark room (that's where I had to learn not to be afraid of the dark). Now I am 73 yrs old and all I have is a Fujifilm DSLR camera with a zoom lens (not removable)which my daughter bought me. I am discouraged about the quality of the photos...and was wondering if a class like the one you and Luis attended would help. I also have the "Photoshop" software which I have not installed. Your outdoor shots have me drooling. I don't have a lot of money to spend for a class but I am willing to look into the cost of one. The cameras you have...I wish I could afford some like them. Thanks for posting these beautiful shots. Your indoor glam shots are so beautiful. Warmly, Mary (The Old Elf) email@example.com
I just viewed your profile...about time I did. What a great write up you posted about yourself, your husband, your devotion to singing and serving in the armed forces. In addition to having such a great home built from items from the home your grandfather built. That is a wonderful heritage for you and to pass onto your children. In reading the posts about the kitchen counter you and Luis both worked on I thought it was so great that Luis is so meticulous(sp). Thanks for all your posts and sharing about you in your profile.ReplyDelete
Warmly, Mary (The Old Elf)
Exquisitely gorgeous Anita! Feels perfectly Fall and vintage, like a fresh breath of crisp air. Love your new pic by the way:)ReplyDelete
Love the chandelier and books. Thanks for sharingReplyDelete
De Oude Huize
Oh that is soooooooo prettyReplyDelete
my kind of arrangement of beautiful things
love the candelabra


text:
Mahesh Bhupathi and Rohan Bopanna saved a match point to breeze into the title clash of the ATP World Tour finale after defeating Leander Paes and Radek Stepanek via Super tie-breaker, in London on Sunday.
The fifth seeded Indian pair halted the winning run of the Indo-Czech combination with a 4-6, 6-1, 12-10 win in the semi-finals and in the process avenged the defeat of the Shanghai Masters final last month.
Paes had said that Shanghai final was a kind of grudge match after the Olympics selection drama when both Bhupathi and Bopanna had refused to pair with him.
Paes and Stepanek's third seed team was the only one to enter the semi-finals unbeaten. They had topped the Group A with three wins from as many matches.
Bhupathi and Bopanna, who are making their debut at the finale as a pair, now have a chance to create history as no Indian has won the year-end championship since Vijay Amritraj's triumph in 1977.
The Indians will face the winners of the other semi-final between English-Danish combine of Jonathan Marray and Frederik Nielsen and Spaniards Marcel Granollers and Marc Lopez in Monday's championship match.
Bhupathi is making his 12th appearance at the finale and has ended runners-up four-times, (three times partnering Paes).
With Paes he ended runners-up in 1997, 1999 and 2000 while in 2010 he finished runners-up with Max Mirnyi.
Like Bhupathi, Paes is 0-4 in title matches at the season-ending championships.
In the first set, Paes and Stepanek converted their fourth break point opportunity on Bhupathi's serve, winning a sudden death deuce for a 4-3 lead.
Serving for the set at 5-4, Stepanek hit an unreturned serve to seal the 36-minute opener.
Bhupathi and Bopanna put Paes under pressure in the third game of the second set. Paes saved two breakpoints when down at 0/40 but hit a backhand volley into the net to gift his fellow Indians a 3-1 lead.
Bhupathi and Bopanna extended their lead to 5-1 after two terrific returns in Stepanek's service game. Bhupathi closed out the 25-minute set with a hold to 15.
The Match tie-breaker was a tight affair with the two teams locked at 3-3 and then 8-8. Stepanek served out wide to Bopanna, who lobbed too short to give Paes a smash winner.
Bhupathi saved one match point with a backhand volley and at 9-9, on Bopanna's serve and hit another volley winner down the middle.
Paes saved the match point with a forehand volley winner, but Stepanek volleyed a backhand into the net at 10-10.
Bhupathi, serving on his team's second match point, serving down the middle, Stepanek returned to Bopanna, who struck a high forehand volley for a winner.
Photograph: Julian Finney/Getty Images


text:
Once a post-flood clean-up and rebuilding begins, flood-damaged vehicles most often are sold for scrap or recycling. Occasionally, however, they find their way into the marketplace for sale to unsuspecting buyers.
While there is no sure way to know if a vehicle has been damaged by a flood, the National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) offers the following 10 inspection tips to prospective buyers to spot flood-damaged vehicles:
1. Check a vehicle's title history using the National Insurance Crime Bureau's VinCheck, the National Motor Vehicle Title Information System or a commercially available vehicle history report service, such as Experian or Carfax, etc. Reports may state whether a vehicle has been flood damaged.
2. Examine the interior and the engine compartment for evidence of water and grit from suspected submersion.
3. Check for recently shampooed carpeting.
4. Look under the carpeting for water residue or stain marks from evaporated water not related to air-conditioning pan leaks.
5. Inspect for interior rust and under the carpeting, and inspect upholstery and door panels for evidence of fading.
6. Check under the dash for dried mud and residue, and note any mold or a musty odor in the upholstery, carpet or trunk.
7. Check for rust on screws in the console and in other areas water would normally not reach unless the vehicle was submerged.
8. Look for mud or grit in alternator crevices, behind wiring harnesses and around the small recesses of starter motors, power steering pumps and relays.
9. Inspect electrical wiring for rusted components, water residue or suspicious corrosion.
10. Inspect other components for rust or flaking metal not normally found in late model vehicles.
These suggestions will not detect flood damage in every case, but they do offer consumers some protection against buying a vehicle that has been damaged in a flood.
If you have any questions or concerns about flood-damaged vehicles, be sure to reach out to the Momentum Volvo Cars team at (855) 695-0307.


text:
How can category theory help my research in set theory?
I rarely use category theory as such in my current work, and one almost never sees any category theory in set-theoretic research papers or at conferences (except of course when the issue is to apply set theory to category theory rather than conversely). Why is this, when category theoretic language and thinking has proved so successful in other parts of mathematics?
Since there seems to be a relatively sizable community of category theorists on this site, many of whom appear to know a lot of set theory or at least have opinions about it, I hope that I might gain some insight.
Note that I am not looking for a reason to do category theory instead of set theory. I am already inspired by a collection of topics, questions and results within set theory, which I find compelling and sometimes profound. What I want to know is whether category theory can provide me with techniques to use to attack those problems.


text:
Los Angeles Coffee Festival Recap
Last month I recently attended the first Los Angeles Coffee Festival in downtown LA. The festival combines coffee, tea, cocktails, coffee wares, and art. There were coffee and cappuccino samples from various companies like Bluestone Lane Coffee, Verve, Klatch, Intelligentsia, Counter Culture, and more.
In addition to coffee, I tried a couple of chai brands and tea. There was also a session for making espresso martinis with Grey Goose vodka and Mr. Black coffee liqueur.


text:
I want to prove that the positive powers of two, mod 10m, cycle with period 4*5m-1. It's simple to prove that the powers of FIVE cycle with this period (2 is a primitive root mod powers of five), but how do you make the leap to powers of TEN?
I'm sure it's something simple -- perhaps related to the Chinese Remainder Theorem -- but I don't see the connection yet.
Thanks for the help.


text:
An elderly UK man on his way to a flea market was, by his own account, nearly "barbecued" when his mobility scooter burst into flames.
The man, a stroke victim, was rescued by a quick-thinking caregiver who pulled him from the scooter, as dramatized in the photo above. Photo of what the scooter looked like can be seen here.
The caregiver, who was coming the other way, spotted a tiny blue flame under his seat, raced to the man's aid and pulled him off the scooter. As she recounted to reporters, seconds later, as the flame reached the scooter's plastic body, the scooter "just exploded" in a giant fireball.
(Photo: Marilyn Barbone/Shutterstock)


text:
Ever been curious what the Predators home planet looked like? Well you're in luck; some behind the scenes pictures of Nimrod Antal's upcoming sequel have leaked showing a few glimpses of what to expect.
Next up for the killer animal treatment are wolves! Not the human hybrid kind, just plain old wolves. This weekend, behind the scenes pictures showcase some of the damage created by the fearsome canines in the upcoming "Wolf Town".
Screenwriter Todd Farmer turns to his blog to explain away the recent delay of "Halloween 3D". He makes sure to get a few digs in on Bob Weinstein as well!
In case you haven't heard, Rob Zombie has been slated to direct an upcoming episode of "CSI: Miami". Via his Myspace blog that doubles as his own personal press conference, Zombie released a teaser image for the episode that shows a few Rob Zombie standards in guest starring roles.
The King of the Zulus has declared that he is bringing back circumcision to his people. This alarms South Africa because the Zulu process includes a month long seclusion in nakedness which comes with a high death rate. Among other maladies there have been many reported cases of rotting penises, hypothermia, and HIV due to doctors using the same knife on large groups of boys.
1945 - The Auschwitz Death March began.


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Flight out of stocks slowsDecember 7, 2012: 10:05 AM ET
Investors continued to pull money out of U.S. stock funds last week, but the pace of outflows slowed considerably.
U.S. stock mutual funds lost just $481 million in the week ended Nov. 28, according to the Investment Company Institute, far less than the previous week's $7.5 billion withdrawal.
In total, investors have yanked more than $14 billion during the three weeks following President Obama's re-election, as they turn their attention to the debate over how to solve the fiscal cliff. The total outflow from stock funds now stands north of $127 billion for 2012.
Investors are hopeful that lawmakers in Washington will come to an agreement that avoids the year-end tax hikes and spending cuts, but caution will prevail until an actual deal is struck. The so-called fiscal cliff could harm the economy at a time when the outlook for growth is already in question.
Related: Bond investors, beware
Meanwhile, investors showed modest demand for bonds, adding $4.5 billion to bond mutual funds during the latest week.
Hybrid funds, which invest in both stocks and bonds, came back in favor with investors, gaining $143 million. That was after two straight weeks of losing more than $1 billion.


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The Mapleson Cylinders - Program Notes
|Band 12
Scattered among the cylinders--and, distressingly, often recorded over Met performances--are "home recordings" of the Mapleson family, here gathered in a sequence. Pitching was necessarily approximate; they were re-recorded at speeds that resulted in normal speaking pitch.
(a) "Good morning, my dear little school." June 21, 19??
Recorded over the continuation of the Manru excerpt (see Side 7/Band 8 for the libretto of the music heard in the background).
(b) "...I want to build my own house with my own blocks!"
March 1(?), 1911
At the end of the Melba Faust "Jewel Song" (Side 1/Band 2).
(c) "...evening paper" ... "just come from a very windy walk on Brooklyn Bridge."
April 8, 1909
At the end of the second cylinder from the Africaine duet (Side 3/Band 3).
(d) "I have a new motto for my paper." November 5, 19??
At the end of Act II of Carmen
(Side 4/Band 1). The music on this recording may be related
to the following traditional round:
Thou poor bird,
mournst the tree,
where sweetly thou didst warble
in thy wand'ring free.
Ah, poor bird,
take thy flight
far above the sorrows
of this sad night.
(e) Christmas greetings
A complete cylinder from the Mapleson Music Library group (M-5).
(f) Au clair de la lune
On the cylinder with the undated "Te Deum" from Tosca (Side 7/Band 2).
(g) Onward Christian Soldiers
On the cylinder with the Sylvia excerpt (Side 4/Band 12).
The remaining three recordings are all undocumented and all badly distorted--in the second case, at least, evidently because Mapleson recorded a second "take" of the same music directly over an imperfectly erased first one. Presumably not from Met stage performances, they were probably recorded in the opera house, and possibly by singers known to history. (The soprano might conceivably be Lionel's wife Helen.) Included here for the sake of completeness, they are emphatically not recommended for recreational listening.


text:
From mixed media of African tribal life and beach-themed paintings to metal surf sculpture and hand-crafted jewelry, The Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel showcases original works of art from four multi-talented artists.
"Travelers love to experience the art and culture of the destination they are visiting, and our art hall provides them with a sample of some of the local talent," said Director of Marketing Donna Bond. "We took an underutilized space at the resort and transformed it into a beautiful display where we can showcase paintings, photographs and sculpture in a gallery-like setting, Additionally, we have had a long-standing partnership with the Festival of Arts and Pageant of the Masters, so it was natural to create a public art display which has quickly become a point of interest for guests visiting the resort."
Working with local artists and galleries such as Karen Tobin's McCullolm Gallery, the resort has featured several amazing exhibits over the past year and a half. The current exhibit featuring artists Gabrielle Pool, Kevin A. Short, Derek McDonald and Laura Carley will be on display through the end of January 2013.
Mixed Media from Gabrielle Pool
New Zealand-born artist, Gabrielle Pool has been exhibiting since 1993. Her paintings and mixed media works have been exhibited in solo and group shows in New Zealand, Australia, Japan, China, the U.S., the U.K., Greece and the Bahamas. Partly schooled in Japan, her early inspiration from her teacher, Mori Sensei has led to a powerful oriental influence, with her first solo show in Chiba-Ken at the age of 16.
In 2004, Gabrielle began to record several of the world's vanishing tribes – the Hamer Tribe in Ethiopia, the Maasai of Kenya, and more recently, the Indigenous women artists of Utopia in Australia's Northern Territory. Gabrielle immersed herself in tribal life, often used sacred body paint pigments in her work. "My painting has always been driven by a desire to preserve and record the history of ancient people and their environments, in a world that seems to be trying its very best to eradicate them and 'civilise' them."
In 2005, Gabrielle was invited by Nelson Mandela to travel to Africa to collaborate in the production of the Unity Series, alongside 20 other leading international artists. The works depicted the five phases of Mandela's life, culminating in his vision for the future, launched at the World Economic Forum at Davos in Switzerland in the same year. In 2007, Gabrielle was the subject of an hour-long TVNZ documentary about her career as an artist, while National Geographic Australia posted a feature article about her challenging views as an explorer.
Surf Art by Derek McDonald
A self-taught artist, Derek McDonald was born in Orange County, California where he began to explore his artistic side at a very young age. Derek was curious about all things mechanical. In his freshman year of high school, Derek took metal shop. It was then that he was exposed to a whole new world which included welding; his artistic focus was found, and metal became his passion. As a young man, Derek's family was far from rich, so to make art, he turned to the open road collecting pieces of metal and other nonsense. He grew fascinated with the challenge of what could be made from his collection of junk. He started making small primitive sculptures or his family and friends in 1985. That evolved, and in 1989 he began selling his art locally.
Hand-Crafted Jewelry by Laura Carley
Laura Carley is a Southern California native. She became interested in art and design at an early age as she was taught to oil paint by her great grandmother who was an artist. Laura received her Bachelor's degree in art from San Diego State University. During her studies at San Diego State University she developed a love for working with metals. Upon graduation she began to create a collection of jewelry which she exhibited at Taboo Gallery in San Diego.
Shortly after, Laura moved to San Francisco where she was quickly absorbed into the jewelry community. She began to exhibit her jewelry in local art festivals such as the Sausalito Art Festival, the Marin Art Festival, the Union Street Festival, the Saratoga Art Festival and the King's Mountain Art Festival. She also joined the Women's Jewelry Association of San Francisco where she won a design award for one of her beautiful heart creations. Her next endeavor was to exhibit at the Buyer's Market of American Craft and the ACC Craft show in Baltimore. Her collection was shown in over 200 galleries across the United States and Canada.
After five years in San Francisco, Laura returned to Southern California, where she settled in Orange County. Soon after, she was accepted to exhibit her work at the Festival of Arts in Laguna Beach. She has now been exhibiting at the Festival of Arts for 12 years. During this time she has also exhibited at the La Quinta Arts Festival, the Scottsdale Arts Festival and the Beverly Hills Affaire in the Gardens.
Paintings from Kevin A. Short
Kevin Short is an internationally collected painter whose works have been exhibited in museums around the world. His bold approach to capturing life's moments has put him at the forefront of the modern impressionist movement. He has won numerous prestigious awards; best of shows, awards of excellence, and first places. He was featured on the cover of the Los Angeles Times, and as the cover artist for the Surfer's Journal. Southwest Art Magazine has featured him and his work in many issues; heralding Kevin's one man exhibitions as "Best of the West". He has been the featured artist for many other national publications and journals, and has authored "Painting Landscapes in Oils" and "The Art of Oil Painting" for Walter Foster Publishing. Kevin was the subject of the documentary: Documenting the Vibe, and his book "TRESTLES" exemplifies how artists can draw attention to land use and preservation. Kevin was recently included in "California Light – A Century of Landscapes" by Rizzoli Press.
Kevin was raised along California's coast. Born in San Diego, and reared in Santa Barbara, his love for the ocean began through sailing, fishing, and spending long days in the surf. Kevin creativity was nurtured in an artistic family in the little California town of Goleta. Years later his studies formalized with oil painting at the University of New Mexico, and Pepperdine University in Malibu. He further distinguished himself by graduating with honors from the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena. Kevin's paintings are displayed in The Ritz-Carlton Club Lounge.
About The Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel
The Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel premiered as the first luxury resort along coastal Orange County in August 1984. Today, the resort is a re-imagined surfside retreat that awakens guests' senses with its unique ocean-front setting and remarkable service heritage. The resort is the premiere destination for travelers who desire a playful approach to Southern California luxury. The resort has been the recipient of many awards over the years, but is proud to boast earning AAA Five Diamond status for the 27th year, the longest in California. The resort offers many extraordinary luxury experiences including Raya, 180blũ, The Market Place, enoSTEAK, Bar Raya, The Spa and Jean-Michel Cousteau's Ambassadors of the Environment. For more information or reservations call 800-241-3333, the hotel directly at 949-240-2000, a travel professional or visit the web site at http://www.ritzcarlton.com/LagunaNiguel.
About The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, L.L.C.
The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, L.L.C. of Chevy Chase, Md., currently operates 80 hotels in the Americas, Europe, Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and the Caribbean. More than 30 hotel and residential projects are under development around the globe. The Ritz-Carlton is the only service company to have twice earned the prestigious Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award which recognizes outstanding customer service. For more information, or reservations, contact a travel professional, call toll free in the U.S. 1-800-241-3333, or visit the company website at http://www.ritzcarlton.com. The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, L.L.C. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Marriott International, Inc. (NYSE: MAR)
Contact :
Deanne French
The Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel
(949) 240-5088


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Eudald News comes out of a larger family of fonts designed in 1998 after the types cut by Eudald Pradell in Spain during the eighteenth century. As denoted by its name, Eudald News is a version adapted specially for newspapers. It was first used by the Portuguese daily newspaper Diário de Noticías in 2006, being now used in various publications internationally.
Eudald News was initially released in a simple form of two weights, Roman and Bold, with one italic and small caps for the roman weight, for the new OpenType version two weights were added: Medium and Semibold with italics and small caps (including italic small caps) for all weights. In addition, all styles have now optional figure styles, lining and old style, both with table and proportional widths. All fonts have extended glyph support for most latin based languages.
Eudald is part of FTF's Iberian historical series, along with Merlo, Rongel, and Geronimo, (available through Enschedé.)
Version history
V1.0—Initial release version; 2010.04


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Female Hatchling
Name: unnamed
Species: Saerulis Crystalwing
Birthday: Sunday, November 18, 2012
Owner: Kestrad
Mother: unnamed
Father: unnamed
These hatchlings are extremely heavy, and perhaps because of this, prefer to be carried. Older hatchlings who are learning to fly rarely walk. A magi with a saerulis crystalwing companion should collect shiny objects for the little ones, otherwise jewelry is sure to go missing. Crystalwings are attracted to anything shiny, and hatchlings seem to enjoy eating random objects. Their meals consist of crystals and colorful rocks, and they are partial to anything from the Caves of Nareau. As soon as they are able, crystalwing hatchlings fly to the caves and spend much of their time there.
Saerulis crystalwings are rarely seen, and little is known about them. They are majestic, brightly colored creatures that prefer to remain far from humans. They are so uncommon that local villagers regard them as myth, though others believe them to have existed centuries ago. What little that is known is this: this lovely creatures fly very, very high and are sometimes seen flying over the tops of mountains, traveling to unknown lands. Their flight is silent and graceful, and their swiftness enables them to pass by unnoticed. According to ancient legend, saerulis crystalwings are originally from the Caves of Nareau, where few venture to go. Indeed, their coloring matches jewels brought back from the caves. These glittering caverns are supposedly full of treasures, but not many who venture there return. If one travels to the far off city of Synara, they can find prized jewels that prove these creatures exist. This is because once a year, these creatures molt, and their fallen gems are hunted for. Saerulis crystalwings grow these jewels as if they were scales, and they are made into exquisite jewelry, sold at a steep price to the wealthy.
Sprite art: Cassowary | Description: Damien


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Wednesday 28 October 2020
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NSI latest news, as well as free advice and information for homeowners and business owners.
Congratulations to the following organisations
Reflecting the growing importance of third party certification in the built environment
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Becoming the first Third Party Certification Body to be formally recognised


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Date/Time: Mon, 10/19/2020, 9:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Price Per Seat: $210.00
This event has already passed
Give the gift of a 12 MONTH Pass! If your artists comes 12X's that is a 50% discount on paint classes! The more they come the better deal it is! BONUS - YOU GET a separate Promo Code (UNLIMITED) $10 OFF for all your family and friends - same restrictions below.
Good for any regular scheduled class or walk in hours to paint Canvas paintings, A Wine glass or Bottle (lights cost extra).
Can not be used on Special events, Fundraisers, or Ceramics.
Good 12 Months starting on the Date of purchase.
Non transferable. Good only for the person it is intended for. Once we recieve your registration we will email you 2 PROMO CODES. One for solely your pre paid registrations and the other for your family and friends to use to paint along with you at a discount.


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Oh you Londoners thought you were so hot, with your 376 video game cosplayers in one place. Well you just got served by Wisconsin, as the Guinness Book of World Records recognises an even larger gathering in the state known for its cheese.
The folks at Wisconsin costume company Buyseasons managed to gather together 425 video game cosplayers in one place yesterday afternoon, shattering the previous record set as some London video game convention back in 2009. A horde of Marios, Pac-Men and Angry Birds flocked to the special event, eager for a chance to prove there's something interesting to do in Wisconsin. For one brief, shining moment, there was.
Go ahead, scrutinise the photo. You won't find one guy just wearing a Mario hat and jeans (the Naruto headband of video game cosplay). This is the real deal. This just happened. Aw yeah.
So take that, England. First the revolution, and now this. That's what you get for being so freaking colonial. Comeuppance.
Wis. costume company breaks world record [The Washington Examiner]


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"I think that what we have to do is to elevate light rail over the interstate highways where we already have the right-of-ways. And every so many bridges, you retrofit the bridges to be stations above."No, you don't build light rail on freeways anymore. Someone needs to give folks a crash course in what works and what doesn't at stimulating land use change. It's not transit in freeways.
Matt Yglesias thinks about what the next big thing could be to spur the economy such as IT did in the late 90's or the railroad boom did in the 1800s. If we're going to spend a lot of money on an industrial policy, shouldn't we do it with something that we know works. Obviously I agree with his thoughts that building high speed rail and metro subways in the densest parts of cities would be a good start. It's also proven to work, so it seems like a no brainer.
A plan to raise the rails in Houston through the medical center gets a writeup in the Chronicle. It seems to me that the stray current issue has been lots of fear mongering from the opponents of light rail. Also, isn't there something better to spend around $300 million dollars of fixed guideway modernization dollars than on a viaduct for a line that would only be 7 years old? Seems to me there is a $50B backlog that should be addressed first.
O'Toole ghostwrites an editorial page at the Denver Post that has so many holes it might as well be swiss cheese. So tired of beating back stupid.
That's right. Unless we change energy sources or greatly increase light-rail ridership, we should just drive our cars to work instead.Really? Maybe people should just not use electricity at all and read by the moonlight. It will be much cleaner. What will they come up with next?
An interesting idea to get rail to Marin from San Francisco. Extend the Central Subway to Sausalito. How much would an anchored tube cost from end to end? It would certainly be cheaper than tunneling that whole way. But as Rafael says, you have to contend with the freakishly strong currents.


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Behind the Scenes at the Plymouth Gin Distillery
Your ticket into the secret world of boozemaking.
Where does Plymouth Gin come from, and how is it made? I hopped a train to Plymouth, England to attend a distillery tour and find out.
Gins vary based on the ingredients they start with and the distillation process they go through. We started out our tour at the ancient copper still, then dipped our hands into Plymouth's seven botanicals.
We took a few scenic detours along the way, including one to the Dartmoor reservoir, the source of Plymouth Gin's water. The abundance of peat over granite (and the lack of limestone) means the water's very soft, resulting in a very smooth gin.
A note on distillation: While the ingredients for Beefeater gin (yup, that tour's up next) steep for 24 hours, Plymouth's are brought immediately to a boil. Head distiller Sean Harrison likened the two distillation processes to steaming carrots (Beefeater) vs. boiling them (Plymouth). At the end of the day, the release of the flavors—as well as the flavor of the final product—varies.
All products linked here have been independently selected by our editors. We may earn a commission on purchases, as described in our affiliate policy.


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New products introduced over the last week include currency-hedged ETFs from iShares; a floating rate Treasury ETF from WisdomTree; an MLP high-income ETF from Direxion; a low-volatility mutual fund from BPV Capital Management; a low-volatility, high-dividend index from S&P Dow Jones Indices; and an interactive calculator from Fidelity Financial Advisor Solutions.
In addition, CAIS, Citi and Atlantic Fund Services announced a collaboration to provide a turnkey solution for hedge fund managers to launch alternative mutual funds.
Here are the latest developments of interest to advisors:
1) iShares Launches Currency-Hedged ETFs
iShares, the ETF business of BlackRock, has launched three currency-hedged ETFs designed to reduce the impact of currency fluctuations on returns when investing in foreign countries. They are the iShares Currency Hedged MSCI EAFE ETF (HEFA), iShares Currency Hedged MSCI Germany ETF (HEWG) and iShares Currency Hedged MSCI Japan ETF (HEWJ).
The new funds track indexes by MSCI that employ a market-cap-weighted methodology and provide comprehensive local country exposure with diversified sector weightings. They also invest in their unhedged parent ETFs—iShares MSCI EAFE (EFA), Germany (EWG) and Japan (EWJ)— and implementing foreign currency forward contracts, the hedged ETFs provide a way to mitigate unwanted currency risk.
2) WisdomTree Launches Floating Rate Treasury ETF
WisdomTree has announced the launch of the WisdomTree Bloomberg Floating Rate Treasury Fund (USFR). For the first time, the U.S. Treasury has begun to issue floating-rate notes (FRNs) to tap the demand of investors to reduce interest rate risk.
USFR seeks to provide exposure to those floating rate notes issued by the U.S. Treasury and has a net expense ratio of 0.15%. Its gross expense ratio of 0.20% and net expense ratio of 0.15% reflect a contractual waiver of 0.05% through USFR's first year of operations.
3) Direxion Launches MLP High-Income ETF
Direxion has announced the Direxion Zacks MLP High Income Shares ETF (ZMLP), which seeks to generate investment results based on the Zacks MLP Index's price and yield performance.
Zacks Index Services compiles and manages the index, which is composed of roughly 25 master limited partnerships (MLPs) listed on North American stock exchanges. The index's holdings are selected using a quantitative, rules-based methodology developed by Zacks to eliminate MLPs with insufficient share prices, market capitalizations and liquidity. All companies in the index are equally weighted so that each holding constitutes 4% of the ETF's portfolio, which is rebalanced on a quarterly basis.
4) BPV Capital Management Announces Low-Volatility Mutual Fund
BPV Capital Management has announced the launch of the BPV Low Volatility Fund (BPVLX), a low-fee hedged equity strategy that seeks to provide institutional investors and advisors with bondlike returns and reduced volatility as compared to the S&P 500.
BPVLX will hold a broad-based equity portfolio. Using a variety of option strategies, it seeks to establish downside protection while simultaneously creating income. Collaring, the process of purchasing a put option while selling a covered call option, is one important option strategy used to help establish a more highly focused risk/return profile.
5) S&P Dow Jones Indices Launches Low Volatility High Dividend Index
S&P Dow Jones Indices has announced the launch of the S&P Europe 350 Low Volatility High Dividend Index. The index, which is designed to serve as a benchmark, measures the performance of 50 high-yielding companies within the S&P Europe 350 that meet diversification, volatility, and tradability requirements.
The S&P Europe 350 is an equity index drawn from 17 major European markets, covering approximately 70% of the region's market capitalization. It is designed to provide broad market exposure in Europe through an index that is efficient to replicate.
6) Fidelity Announces Interactive Calculator
Fidelity Financial Advisor Solutions, a unit of Fidelity Investments, has announced the launch of the Fidelity Yield Investigator, an interactive calculator designed to help advisors as they face increasingly complex portfolio construction decisions amid a fluid fixed-income environment.
The calculator provides an interactive format through which an advisor can research different bond sectors, using corresponding market indices, by inputting hypothetical data such as yield, spread, time horizons and targeted risk and return levels to test how a sector, or hypothetical bond portfolio, may perform in different market conditions. The Fidelity Yield Investigator makes portfolio construction analytics available at no cost in an interactive format, enabling financial advisors to test portfolios in different market environments. Among the scenarios advisors can explore are how time horizons may impact fixed-income asset classes; the relationship between return and duration; and how portfolio composition can impact a fixed-income portfolio.
7) CAIS, Citi and Atlantic Fund Services Collaborate
CAIS, Citi and Atlantic Fund Services have collaborated to create ALTX Trust, which is designed to provide a turnkey solution for hedge fund managers that seek to launch '40 Act alternative mutual funds.
CAIS will list newly launched ALTX mutual funds on its platform and provide wholesale distribution services. As with all funds listed on CAIS, Mercer will conduct strategy due diligence and ongoing monitoring, and provide each new fund with a rating. Atlantic Fund Services will provide fund administration, governance and compliance support, while Citi's investor services division will be the exclusive global custodian for the trust, and will serve as the preferred prime broker to newly launched alternative mutual funds.
Read the Jan. 31 Portfolio Products Roundup at ThinkAdvisor.


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Quiet River of Dust Vol. 1 CD
More Information
Richard Reed Parry – Quiet River of Dust Vol. 1 CD
Track List:
- Gentle Pulsing Dust
- Sai No Kawara (River of Death)
- On The Ground
- Song Of Wood
- Finally Home
- I Was In The World (Was The World In Me?)
- Farewell Ceremony
This purchase includes a digital download of the album. You will be emailed a link to access your download shortly after purchase.


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- Written by Michael Bahati
- Comments::DISQUS_COMMENTS
- font size decrease font size increase font size
21 Best And Essential iOS & Android Apps Every Parisian Expat Needs
Becoming acclimated to a new city or country is hard enough; but then you add in a language barrier, and it can be daunting.
For some, it's not an issue, but for many, a little extra help is vital.
Gone are the days when you had to go to a bookstore or the library to check out books and paper maps in order to prepare for a travel adventure.
Now, there's the internet and, more importantly, apps, which are easy, no-stress ways to have resources at a flick of your thumb to help you adjust to your new surroundings and even keep in touch with friends and family from back home.
Here are a few that are essential to your sanity in Paris.
1. Facebook Group
Everyone knows about Facebook. It's a worldwide social media platform used by millions daily to keep up with loved ones and run businesses. With the Facebook Group app, you can create, manage and track your groups, all in one place. Share photos, plan and schedule meetings, work on projects…the possibilities are endless. A lot of Parisian Expats actually use it.
Developed by the city of Paris, you can use this application to find out about happenings in your arrondissement. Fun things to do for the adults and kids, shows, gallery openings, you can narrow your choices to your interests, and it will provide information about free events, too. All this and more is available in real time. So, if you feel the need to do a last minute activity after dinner with friends, this app is where it's at!
3. RATP: Transport in Paris
Using the subway, no matter what country you're living in can take some getting used to. France is no different. This app helps take the confusion out of travelling on the train and in the bus in Paris. You can personalize it so you can get traffic alerts, preferred schedules and more under your myRATP tab.
4. Uber
Gone is the need for reservations or long lines at the taxi stand. Uber provides personalized service at the touch of a button. Payment methods include your credit card or PayPal, and the app will charge your account at the end of the trip. You'll get a receipt via email. That's it. Uber has revolutionized travel and made it easier to get around town, with a lot less stress. There are low-cost and premium offerings to suit your ever-changing needs.
5. Chauffeur-Privé
Prefer to use a car service in Paris? Chauffeur-Privé is the app for you. You can order a car using fixed or adjustable pricing, depending on your requirements. Order a car through your phone (right away or book for up to 30 days in advance), a quote will be provided, and they'll turn up at your door when you're ready. Your credit card will be charged accordingly.
6. Météo Paris (in French)
This app gives weather information for Paris and surrounding areas, which is updated throughout the day. It also has a historical database going back to 1850 regarding weather events that occurred in France (and Paris in particular) at that time, if you're a weather buff. Check it out before you go on that picnic or hike with friends!
7. Google Maps
Google Maps not only helps you navigate to your chosen destination, but it also can tell you what's nearby for food, fun, and places to stay for the night. Real time traffic information, top-rated business statistics, even where and when to catch a bus or train are all possible through Google Maps.
8. OuiCar (in French)
Getting around France was never so easy. This app connects car owners across the country with potential drivers. Sign up, find the vehicle you want for your trip and book it. According to the site: you find the car you need, you book online, the owner hands you the keys and go! The car is covered by insurance (through AXA) and you have twenty-four-hour assistance available to you. Have a car you want to rent? OuiCar makes that easy, too.
9. Leboncoin (in French)
With this app, you can buy or sell pretty much anything. The software facilitates trade between parties anywhere in France, and you can sort by item and region. It's a good way to find bargains for items you might need to spruce up your new home in Paris.
10. Podcast Republic
Manage your podcasts, videos, audiobooks with Podcast Republic. You can stream or download at your leisure. It is an easy to use, ads-supported app.
Some features include:
- Fully automated download.
- Offline playback of audio and video, save your data consumption
- Multiple playlist support for better organizing your podcast playing
- Synchronize between devices (with Dropbox).
- Features a car mode for easy and quick playback control.
11. Airbnb
People worldwide are opening their homes (and other spaces) to travelers in need of a lodging for the short- or long-term. Airbnb thinks outside the box and makes travel interesting. The app showcases millions of listings in thousands of cities around the world. You can contact potential hosts to find out what's available. If you are the one leasing the space, you can let your future guests know just how wonderful that treehouse with the view of the kiddy pool and cute dog is in the backyard. Easy to book at the last minute.
12. Paris ci la Sortie du Métro
Need to know where to go to catch the train? What car you should be in to get off in front of your exit or transfer spot? This app does all that, and more. It helps you save time and worry using the Métro in Paris so you can work on that novel while you're traveling to your destination.
13. TransferWise (in French)
Sending money abroad can be tricky and pricey. TransferWise has no hidden fees and strives to send money online for a very low price. According to the site, it is up to 8x times cheaper than going through a bank
You can:
- Transfer your money in the right country.
- Send money to your family abroad.
- Send money to a friend
- Pay a bill in another country
- Pay a loan or pay your rent abroad
14. Urbacolors (in French)
Love street art? Urbacolors is a social network "dedicated to the discovery of street art around the world." You can share your pictures with other users, and get to know your city on another level entirely.
14. PAP (in French)
Trying to find a new place to live in Paris? PAP has property listings for sale and lease by owners in France. There are no agency fees. Whether you need a business space or an apartment, loft, or house, PAP can assist you. There's map capability, photos of the place you're interested in, and you can place an ad for the kind of property you need and be updated in real time.
16. Duolingo
If you're living in France and want to study the language basics, then Duolingo is perfect for you. It helps you learn basic grammar, with speaking, listening and writing capabilities. You can learn on the go, and set reminders for daily lessons. C'est bon, n'est-ce pas?
17. Meetup
You're new to Paris and want to meet people. The Meetup app can be used to find groups with interests similar to your own, or to form something new. It has a large, worldwide network of local groups and is very user-friendly. Consider joining an expat group in Paris to help you acclimate faster and make friends.
18. Google Translate
In a bind and need to communicate with that cute guy or girl in a language other than your own? This app translates over a hundred languages through typing on your phone screen; has offline translation capability of 52 languages; has a "camera mode" where pictures can be translated; has a "conversation mode" for two-way speech; and will translate handwriting. A very robust program.
19. Skype
This is another way to keep in touch with friends and family around the globe. It's user-friendly and anyone can start, call or chat on Skype. Videos, voice calls are free, and there are other low-cost options that come in handy for business users, too.
20. WhatsApp
Exchanging messages without SMS fees is what this app is all about. The cost savings alone make this a very attractive option for the expat needing to keep in touch with friends and family and business associates in another country. You can create groups, too and send videos, audio, and images to your heart's content.
21. Doctoralia
Doctoralia is a leader in health professionals and centers' search. Doctoralia healthcare platform connects millions of users with their local medical services. The company was founded in 2007 by a team with years of experience in both the healthcare and Internet industries and has a mission is to become the world's leading destination for finding and booking with healthcare professionals and centers, helping those professionals and centers reach more patients through the Internet. Their main local competitor in France is Doctolib, an app that helps you to find and book an appointment with your doctor in ten seconds.
Over to you!
Did you enjoy this article? Are there apps which you use on a daily basis to help you get acclimated as an expat in Paris? Please leave a comment below. We look forward to hearing from you!
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PASADENA, Calif. — The grandest stage in sports was too much for the guys who are putting together the College Football Playoff to pass up.
The BCS conference commissioners announced Wednesday that Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas, edged Tampa, Fla., in the bidding to be the site of the first championship game in the new playoff system.
"The stadium itself was the biggest determiner," BCS executive director Bill Hancock said about the $1.2 billion dollar, 100,000-plus seat home of the NFL's Cowboys and the Cotton Bowl. "It's still THE stadium with a capital 'T.'"
The College Football Championship Game will be held Jan. 12, 2015.
"We couldn't be more excited about bringing college football's biggest game to Cowboys Stadium," Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said in a statement. "Rest assured, we all pledge to do everything we can to make sure this game exceeds everyone's highest expectations."
The final three sites for the semifinal rotation also were announced during the second of three days of meetings at a resort hotel a few miles from the Rose Bowl. And Cowboys Stadium came up a winner again. The Cotton Bowl will be part of the six-bowl rotation, along with the Chick-fil-A Bowl in Atlanta and the Fiesta Bowl in Glendale, Ariz. The Holiday Bowl in San Diego also bid for a spot in the semifinal rotation, but couldn't pull the upset.
The Rose, Orange and Sugar bowls are already part of the semifinal rotation. The Rose and Sugar will host the first semifinals Jan. 1, 2015,
The next season, the Cotton and Orange bowls will host the semifinals on New Year's Eve. The semis will be played in the Fiesta and Chick-fil-A bowls after the 2016 season.
In the years those games do not host a national semifinal, they will stage a major, BCS-type bowl game played on New Year's Eve or New Year's Day. That means two days of huge college football triple-headers.
For the Cotton Bowl and its organizers, landing a spot in the rotation and the first title game is the culmination of a long slow return to prominence for a game with a rich history.
The game dates to 1937 and has hosted some of the most memorable matchups in college football, including Notre Dame's stirring comeback victory led by Joe Montana against Houston in the 1979 game.
But when the Bowl Championship Series was implemented in 1998, the Cotton Bowl was left out and lost much of its luster. Organizers for years tried to break into the BCS, but couldn't overcome the limitations of their antiquated namesake stadium in Dallas.
Things turned for the Cotton Bowl when it moved out of the old stadium at the fairgrounds in 2010 and into Cowboys Stadium.
When the conference commissioners announced last year that the BCS would be abandoned for a four-team playoff starting in 2014, with the championship game bid out like a Super Bowl, it was all but assumed the Cotton Bowl would be part of the new system and that Cowboys Stadium would be a strong candidate to eventually host a championship game.
They didn't have to wait long to accomplish both goals.
"The Cotton Bowl did it right," Hancock said. "Kept the Cotton Bowl a terrific event, bided their time and now they're back among the top group."
Tampa made a strong push for the first championship game to be played at Raymond James Stadium, home of the NFL's Buccaneers and the Outback Bowl. But Jones' football palace was too much to overcome.
"They were very close. Tampa won a lot of hearts and minds of the commissioners," Hancock said.
Raymond James' capacity is listed at 65,857, but seated about 71,000 for the Super Bowl. Hancock said neither bidder guaranteed a specific amount of revenue.
"Obviously, with 20,000 more tickets certainly there are better revenue opportunities," Hancock said.
As for filling out the rest of the rotation, the sites that got the nod were no surprise.
The Fiesta Bowl has been part of the Bowl Championship Series from the start, though its place among the elite bowls was threatened when the Arizona Republic reported in December 2009 allegations of a political-contribution scheme being run by game organizers. It also was revealed the bowl officials were misusing funds.
The scandal was an embarrassment to the BCS and the conferences that run it, but the Fiesta Bowl overhauled its front office and implemented reforms that allowed the game to stay in the good graces of the commissioners.
"This is a confirmation that that's all in the rearview mirror," Fiesta Bowl executive director Robert Shelton said.
In the heart of both the SEC and Atlantic Coast Conference, Atlanta gives the College Football Playoff a second game in the East, joining the Orange Bowl in Miami.
The Chick-fil-A Bowl, formerly the Peach Bowl, has been played in the Georgia Dome since 1992.
"For 16 years, we've made this our goal," said Gary Stokan, president of the Chick-fil-A bowl.
A new domed stadium is in the works for Atlanta and the Chick-fil-A bowl will move into that when it opens in 2017.
The new postseason system was named the College Football Playoff by the conference commissioners Tuesday, the first of three days of meetings at a resort hotel a few miles from the Rose Bowl.
Now that the sites are locked in, the only major remaining issue to tackle for the commissioners is the composition and structure of the selection committee, which will pick the teams that play for the national championship.
That won't be finalized at these meetings, but it's on the agenda and they would like to leave California with a framework in place.


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The third major nor'easter to hit the Northeast in two weeks lashed a storm-weary New England with heavy snow, whipping winds and blizzard conditions in some areas.
Across Massachusetts, more than 154,000 customers were without power as of 4:30 a.m. Wednesday, mostly in the southeastern part of the state. Thousands more lost power in the other New England states.
A blizzard was confirmed in Boston, as well as parts of Massachusetts' South Shore and Cape Cod. Blizzard warnings were issued for the entire coast of Maine, New Hampshire and most of Massachusetts. The rest of New England was under a winter storm warning.
U.S. & World
The day's top national and international news.
Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker continued to urge residents to remain at home during the worst of the storm during a press conference Tuesday. Non-emergency state employees did not have to report to work.
The governor said power outages are the "biggest concern" due to the heaviness of the snow and the strength of the wind gusts.
"It would be very difficult for [utility crews] to get out there and start working those power outages until the snow stops falling and the wind stops blowing," Baker said.
In Carver, power crews were working through the night Tuesday, while the majority of the town was without power.
Non-emergency employees of Massachusetts' executive branch were asked not to come into work Tuesday. Baker announced Tuesday night that their start time Wednesday would be delayed until 11 a.m.
In the Cape Cod town of Falmouth, police urged residents to shelter in place after receiving over 100 reports of downed trees and wires.
The storm is expected to last through most of the day Tuesday and has already begun disrupting road and air travel.
More than 1,500 canceled flights — over 860 of them to and from Boston Logan Airport — were reported within, into or out of the U.S. on Tuesday, according to the flight-tracking site FlightAware. Airlines pre-emptively canceled nearly 160 Wednesday flights, with over 80 of those scrapped to and from Logan.
On the ground, Amtrak suspended service between Boston and New York City for the day on Tuesday. Amtrak initially said train service would be suspended until at least 11 a.m. The agency said service will be restored "pending improved conditions."
The MBTA and the commuter rail operated on a reduced schedule Tuesday, but normal service is expected Wednesday. All ferry service was suspended during the storm.
Joe Rotella ducked into a train station as he tried to find his way to a hotel that's hosting a convention where he's speaking. Organizers were scrambling to find ways to video conference in speakers whose planes were delayed or canceled, said Rotella, the chief medical officer with the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine.
"As a visitor to Boston, I've been looking forward to this for months and this is kind of an adventure for me," the Louisville, Kentucky, man said. "I didn't have to go through the last two nor'easters so this still feels like fun."
At the Yotel hotel in Boston's Seaport neighborhood, guests were busy rescheduling their flights over breakfast or, in the case of 80-year-old Roy Zaloom of Ramsey, New Jersey, preparing for a morning drive back home with his family.
"Let's' hope this is the end of it, the end of the snow. We've had too much of it at one time," said Zaloom, recalling that he got a foot in New Jersey last week.
Officials with the Massachusetts Department of Transportation said more than 3,300 crews were out treating and clearing the snow-covered roadways. Speeds on the Mass Pike were reduced to 40 and later 20 mph from the New York border to Boston. Numerous crashes were reported throughout the day, several of them involving jackknifed tractor-trailers.
The National Weather Service defines a blizzard as three or more hours of sustained wind or frequent gusts to 35 mph or greater; and falling or blowing snow that reduces visibility frequently to less than one-quarter of a mile. Wind gusts of nearly 70 mph were reported on Cape Cod in the early stages of the storm.
Boston and eastern Massachusetts, as well as Rhode Island, could get a foot and a half of snow, with less to the west of the city.
Schools across the region announced they would be closed on Tuesday, including in Boston and Providence. Boston and a handful of other schools have already announced closures for Wednesday, with additional announcements expected to come later in the day.
Boston Mayor Marty Walsh said Tuesday morning that it was still too early to decide whether schools would be open on Wednesday. The school year has already been extended to June 26 due to the number of snow days this year. The mayor is scheduled to hold a press conference at 4 p.m.
"Originally we thought the snow was gonna end early in the afternoon, so it would be good for tomorrow, but who knows yet? We don't know yet until as we get into this day," said Walsh.
An on-street-parking ban is in effect in Boston. For details on the ban and where you can park, click here. Residents will be allowed to use space savers for parking spots until 48 hours after the end of the storm.
Maine also is bracing for a hard hit from Tuesday's storm. The Portland International Jetport has had 75.5 inches of snow, far above the normal for the date of 51.8 inches, with another 12 to 18 inches is on the way, said James Brown, of the National Weather Service.
"We're not out of winter yet, that's for sure," Paul Knight, of Portland, said as snow accumulated on his eyebrows during a stroll. "The groundhog was right. Six more weeks of winter, and probably then some."
In New Hampshire, where as much as 14 inches of snow is forecast, the storm is wreaking havoc with the age-old town meeting tradition. But Secretary of State William Gardner and Attorney General Gordon MacDonald said under state law, town meeting elections must go on.
Last year, nearly 80 communities postponed their annual elections due to snow, creating widespread confusion over who has the authority to change the date, traditionally the second Tuesday of March. While the Legislature is still working to clarify the law, the secretary of state was adamant this year that towns can't make the call. Most appeared to be heeding that warning Tuesday.
Warner town moderator Ray Martin said turnout was steady early as voters hoped to avoid the worst of the snow later. Standing outside Town Hall, selectman candidate Ed Ordway said those who really want to change things won't be stopped by a little snow.
In Rhode Island, the storm closed schools and businesses across the state, knocked out power and made driving treacherous. Gov. Gina Raimondo urged residents to stay off the roads and let the plows and work crews do their jobs.
"I know we're all ready for winter to be over. This is the third storm in a row. I know folks are weary with power outages but hang in there with us," the governor said.
More than a foot of snow is expected in parts of Connecticut, where Democratic Gov. Dannel P. Malloy is urging people to "take it slow and remember their winter weather driving skills."


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Program of Study
The Nursing courses in the Gateway program are completed (one at a time except for N4520 and N4530) over a 14 month period:
2110 Nursing Agency I: Introduction to Conceptual Thinking (3 credit hours)
Introduction to conceptual thinking about theory, practice and research through the Orem Conceptual Model.
2260 Pathophysiology (3 credit hours)
Concepts of pathophysiologic events throughout the life span; includes pathogenesis, morphologic changes, clinical manifestations, and implications for treatment.
2120 Nursing Agency II: Health Assessment (3 credit hours)
Introduction to a foundation in basic health assessment of individuals from structural, functional and developmental perspectives.
3310 Nursing Agency IV: The Individual in Professional Practice (3 credit hours)
Exploration of nurse agency in the Orem Conceptual Model with an emphasis on social, political and ethical characteristics.
4510 Nursing Agency VII: Conceptual Thinking (3 credit hours)
Integration of theory based practice, education, and research for application in professional nursing practice.
4550 Nursing Systems VII: Concepts of Community Health (6 credit hours)
This course examines synthesis of concepts and practice of Nurse Agency applied to vulnerable populations and communities through classroom and clinical components.
4410 Nursing Agency V: Research (3 credit hours)
An introduction to nursing research emphasizing nursing theory as a basis for research, and the application of research to improve nursing practice.
4420 Nursing Agency VI: Professional Nursing in the Health Care System (3 credit hours)
This course examines characteristics of Nurse Agency that focus on the professional nurse as leader and manager in health care systems.


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All posts tagged Tulip Festival
JetWay Featured as Fantasy Gift in Neiman Marcus 2011 Christmas Book!
Round up nine friends and head to E urope's most celebrated flower shows, organized by the exclusive private jet-chartering company, JetWay Private Air. Your journey begins May 12, 2012, where you'll hop across the pond in first-class style on a Gulfstream G-IV—with a JetWay representative as your group's guide, concierge, and wine aficionado.
Your tour will begin in Merges, Switzerland, at The Tulip Festival, where Lake Geneva provides a sparkling backdrop to 300 varieties of some 100,000 tulips. Later, rest and relax in luxury at the Hotel Lausanne Palace & Spa. Next, you'll fly to Athens, Greece, home of the Kifissia Flower Show, a lavish display of more than 2,000 native and foreign plant species. After a lovely promenade, enjoy superior accommodations at Hotel Grand Bretagne. Your next stop: Avignon, France, where the Altera Rosa Festival awaits. The garden boasts an extensive collection of established rose breeds, which comingle with 30 new species introduced each year. Afterward, head to the Hotel d'Europe Avignon.
Finally, you'll visit London, England's renowned Chelsea Flower Show, site of The Daily Telegraph Garden. Later that night, you'll bask in the beauty of the historic Goring Hotel. This package includes two nights and three days at each destination, gourmet in-flight meals, private ground transportation, and flower show tickets. With the purchase of this excursion, Neiman Marcus will donate $5,000 to the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, an organization devoted to increasing the sustainable use and conservation of native wildflowers, plants, and landscapes.


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Can you be trusted to design your own reality?
Immersed in the Digital World
Augmented Reality technology is all about customizing the world around us. Through video-enabled smartphone and tablet apps, and soon directly through eyewear, it overlays digital data over our perception of the physical world. The virtual world gets layered directly on top of the real one.
A key buzzword within the AR industry is "immersive." Immersiveness is a measure of how seamless the integration is between virtual and physical data. The more immersive a user's experience (or "UX") is, the less the user consciously perceives the augmented content as being separate from, or inferior in quality or value to, what he sees with his naked eye.
For designers of almost any AR app, the more immersive an app is, the better. In a fully immersive environment, a user perceives the virtual data as being equivalent to, and indistinguishable from, his physical surroundings–in other words, just another part of the landscape. The concept video "Domestic Robocop" gives one vision of what this reality might look like:
Just Around the Corner
Of course, no AR company is currently in a position to achieve complete immersion. Hardware limitations make that impossible. As engrossing and useful as the display on a monitor, smartphone, or tablet screen is, it only augments one small rectangle in your field of view, and only as long as you hold the device up in front of you. Looking away from the screen doesn't take much effort. Even the best AR app is no more immersive than a really good movie would be.
But what about in the not-too-distant future, when AR-capable eyewear is commonplace, and AR content is plentiful? At that point, it will be possible for a user to become totally "immersed" in a digitally enhanced view of the world. Personally, I'd love to have that option. That's when AR as a medium will finally realize its potential. Walking directions that I can actually walk on, virtual FAQ buttons on physical buildings, and floating boxes reminding me of people's names are experiences that I can't wait to have.
Our Addiction-Prone Society
If recent experience with consumer technologies has taught as anything as a society, however, it's that the more engrossing a technology is, the more likely it is that a certain segment of the population is going to develop an unhealthy fixation with it. Whether you call it "addiction" (a diagnostic term that gets thrown around far too often, but sure makes for catchy headlines) or simply a bad habit, the fact is that people love to immerse themselves in fantasy worlds to escape the doldrums and difficulties of real life. And fully immersive AR will be orders of magnitude more engaging and attractive than even the best of today's digital content.
We see this type of behavior everywhere today. Gamers will sit in front of their consoles playing massively multiplayer online games for hours and days on end, to the point that just last week someone died from a blot clot after sitting too long playing Halo 3 on Xbox. I've personally seen people dedicate the majority of their non-working hours to online role-playing games like Everquest and World of Warcraft, a phenomenon that has ruined plenty of lives. And there were portions of my college years where the same fate could have befallen me while playing the computer strategy game Civilization–although the internet connectivity of newer games adds a social element that draws players in even further. Not that any of these games are bad in and of themselves. Rather, they're so good–so immersive–that players with poor self-discipline can easily get sucked into playing them longer than they should.
Of course, the same technology that makes these games possible also makes it orders of magnitude easier to access other habit-forming content, such as porn and gambling.
The AR medium will make all of these experiences more immersive and compelling. For example, the story on "Gaming Addiction" linked to the image above contains an ad for "the Peregrine," a wearable glove that replaces the video game controller and proclaims itself to be an "interface like no other." Accessories like that, and the explosive growth of proto-AR gaming systems like the Wii, Kinect, and Nintendo 3DS, demonstrate that AR is the future of digital gaming. And that is because of the unprecedented degree to which these systems allow players to physically immerse themselves in the game world. Likewise, AR (and Kinect) porn and gambling applications are already on their way.
Augmentation or Self-Aggrandizement?
What got me thinking on this topic was an offhand comment by Brendan Scully of Metaio during his presentation at the ARE2011 Conference. Toward the end of a very thoughtful panel discussion on the challenges of designing AR user experiences, Brendan said, "I certainly wouldn't trust myself to design my own UX."
This reminded me of some of the cautionary tales that pop culture has already given us about the drawbacks of having complete control over our surroundings. Star Trek: The Next Generation did this frequently (sometimes to a fault) via the "Holodeck," a holographic room capable of replicating any environment and character imaginable.
In the episode "Hollow Pursuits" (and later episodes), the socially inept character Reginald Barclay literally becomes addicted to living in the artificial worlds he creates there–complete with racier versions of his real-life female acquaintances and diminutive parodies of the men that intimidate him.
Then there's the classic virtual reality tale "Lawnmower Man," in which the title character conquers an artificial world and declares, "I am God here!"
The special effects in these shows may be dated, but their message is timeless: the more control we gain over their personal environments and surroundings, the more those surroundings will tend to reflect our own narcissism.
It seems inevitable that at least some AR users will demonstrate the same tendencies, to varying degrees. For most people, AR will probably be a lot like text messaging or Facebook are today–a technological convenience that many people may actually spend too much time with and joke about being "addicted" to, but that leads to few actual cases of bona fide dependence.
But even if it doesn't amount to "addiction," the potential for unhealthy behavior through AR will always be present to some degree. Even today, for example, a jilted lover could use an AR app to display an ex-boyfriend's or ex-girlfriend's face at the physical location of every past date–reinforcing a vicious cycle of negative emotions. Pornographic content–already ubiquitous and responsible for an array of unhealthy behavior–can be displayed anywhere in ways that standard, two-dimensional monitors won't be able to match.
As AR hardware and capabilities mature beyond today's comparatively simplistic communication technologies into a more immersive environment, the potential for abuse will grow accordingly. To those who become accustomed to living in a "Domestic Robocop"-type world, non-augmented reality may start to seem unbearably mundane by comparison. At that point, we could very well see a number of real-world "Reginald Barclays."
Will government or industry step in to regulate AR content and head off some of these consequences? Perhaps. Although governments have more or less lost the ability to regulate violent content, age restrictions on prurient material remain enforceable, and would certainly be applied in this new medium. Crackdowns on illegal gambling programs may well follow. And just as we see counselors specializing in addictions to such content today, we're likely to see similar services available for those who lose themselves in their own augmented worlds.
Reasons for Optimism
Just because AR will be immersive doesn't automatically make it addictive or dangerous. No matter how convincing its digital content is, AR is, by definition, the intersection between that data and the real, physical world. The most exciting possibilities for immersing oneself in AR are also the same features that would take users outdoors. Therefore, augmented content may never have the same tendency to isolate users into online communities and separate them from physical interaction the way that console-based gaming systems with monitor-dependent displays do today. Proto-AR systems like the Wii and Kinect are already heralded as getting gamers off the couch; AR could be the killer app for getting them outside and into the world around them.
Counselors, meanwhile, need not wait for AR-addled patients to start taking the technology seriously. Today's innovators are already devising ways that AR can be used to counsel patients. Helen Papagiannis, for example, has designed the world's first AR Pop-Up book for the iPad 2. It's designed to let users interact with virtual representations of their phobias–spiders, for example–in a visually convincing, but perfectly safe, way.
In sum, then, AR as a technology will be interesting and powerful medium, with the ability to do both good and harm to individual psyches and society as a whole. It will offer ability to psychologically immerse users in artificial content to a degree unmatched by other technologies. But that ability itself is ethically neutral. How it impacts us–and how much it becomes incumbent on others to regulate our use of it–will depend on what we choose to do with it.


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The Indie International Songwriting Contest is an annual songwriting competition to give recognition to some of the best emerging songwriters in the world, help develop their talent, and provide useful tools for developing the success of the artist. Over $100,000 in useful prizes awarded! We are the first contest of its kind to be conducted COMPLETELY ONLINE.
Check out our new blog for tips on songwriting and how to progress as a songwriter.
Winter 2019/2020 Contest Closed. Winners Announced.
Contest Genres are:
Once you have set up an account, you can submit your bio/profile info and a max of 3 songs per contest period. We ONLY accept online entries submitted via your account. Sign up today! Choose between a BASIC ENTRY (example), or WRITTEN CRITIQUE (example)
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I just want to tell you how much I appreciated the critiques from your recent contest. Although I didn't fare so well in the standings, I learned more from the critiques than I ever have - from ANY source. They were detailed, specific and EXTREMELY well articulated! And yet they were gentle and encouraging. You certainly chose an excellent group of judges. Just wanted to give you a little feedback.Tim WenzelVideoscore Music Compositions