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"Leon is an outstandingly fluent speaker with a wide repertoire of subjects... his views on governance and business ethics, globalisation and fundamental leadership are informed and convincing."
- Peter Isaacson
Leon Gettler is a seasoned independent journalist, and a regular contributor to a long list of respected business and finance publications. He regularly fills in when publishers require urgent or timely articles that require depth of experience, knowledge and expertise.
He wrote for The Age for 18 years under various titles including Chief Industrial Reporter, Investigative Reporter with the Insight Team, and the Business team. For 10 years he wrote the fortnightly column Just Managing. His journalism awards include the United Nations Media Peace Award (1997) and the Professor John Miller Distinguished Achievement Award.
From 2000 to 2003, Gettler was co-editor of The Australian Institute of Management's (AIM) journal Management Today. Currently Gettler is a regular freelance contributor to Management Today and writes a weekly column in Business Spectator. He also writes regularly for ProPrint, CRN, Charter and Public Accountant. He runs two blogs. The first for The CEO Institute is The CEO's Desk. The second, for The Fifth Estate, is Green MashUp. He has two podcasts for RMIT, Talking Business and Talking Technology and also presents weekly news radio shows, Talking Tachless and Shlepping'n'Shmoozing, and a jazz program, Jazz With Gettler on J-AIR (878.8FM or j-air.com.au)
Prior to joining Fairfax Media, Gettler was the senior state political reporter for the Sun News-Pictorial and court reporter and police roundsman for The Truth from 1984 to 1986.
Always versatile, Leon Gettler continually researches global trends in management and business. He covers issues related to Management, Technology, Human Resources, Executive Pay, Customer Service, Management Education, Employee Education and Ethics in many industries worldwide.
Leon writes and manages several blogs. For 9 years, he wrote Sox First(www.soxfirst.com) which covered issues related to the Sarbanes-Oxley act and how it affects the United States business market. Sox First was ranked among the top 50 business blogs on Technorati and has a large international following. It covers corporate governance, ethics and the relationship between business and society. Gettler is frequently approached by US lawyers and journalists to comment on issues covered in this blog.
Gettler's blog Management Line for The Age and Sydney Morning Herald was consistently the top website traffic draw for Fairfax Media Limited. It had significant international readership and was frequently cited by bloggers overseas. Gettler's other blogs included Let's Go Economics, Let's Go Environment, the AMCRC blog, The Business of Green, and Management Buzz for the Australian Institute of Management.
Leon's blog BizzMaven covers all the business issues
Gettler's first book, An Unpromised Land, received the National Book Council Prize.
His second book, Organisations Behaving Badly, was short-listed for the Blake Dawson Waldron prize for business literature.
His third book is 10 Ways To Survive The Corporate World.
He is currently working other books and ebooks for release later this year.
Public Speaker, Presenter and Lecturer
Gettler is highly sought after as a public speaker and guest lecturer. His depth of knowledge and engaging style invite audiences to explore facts, trends and ideas, and relate them into a cohesive story.
His unique point of view, plain-English style, and sense of humour delights and inspires audiences at events and conferences worldwide.
Podcast Producer and Interviewer
Leon Gettler and commentator Garry Barker produce 2 regular podcasts for the College of Business at RMIT (Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology): Talking Business and Talking Technology. In these podcasts, Gettler and Barker interview industry experts on a diverse range of business and technology topics.


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For Information on Public Counter Notices Re: COVID-19 click here.
The Building and Safety division is responsible for three programs:
Building & Safety Handouts online that are available at our 630 Garden Street office.
View Building & Safety staff contact information.
The Property Records database gives users the ability to view public records that are normally available at the Records Public Counter in our 630 Garden Street facility in Santa Barbara, CA.
Building & Safety questions can also be directed via email at firstname.lastname@example.com

subset: commoncrawl


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David Lyles has served the people of the State of Georgia as a prosecuting attorney for nearly 18 years, having spent his entire career in the Superior Courts working with judges, fellow attorneys, and members of the public.
Live so that when your children think of fairness, caring,
and integrity they think of you.
– H. Jackson Brown


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EPA has announced:
"The new Chemical Safety for Sustainability (CSS) Quarterly Research Update is now available. This issue features articles about innovative chemical research and highlights scientific awards, recent and upcoming events, employment opportunities and more."
This research update includes articles on ToxCast and NMDR.
The CSS August Research Update can be access through this URL or by clicking on the image below.


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Moss only grows in the lawn when shade, low fertility or poorly drained soil are present. The moss does not kill the grass, the underlying growing conditions are so unfavorable that the grass simply dies out.
Providing adequate sunlite and drainage can be both difficul and expensive. Low fertility, on the other hand, can be corrected by using a well balanced lawn fertilizer.
Moss can be killed by spraying with copper sulfate or iron sulfate mixed 2 to 5 ounces to 4 gallons of water and applied at a ratio of 1 gallen per 250 square feet. Killing the moss without correcting the conditions that favor its growth will not prevent a reoccurrence of the problem.
Where shade is quite heavy it may be easier to plant a shade adapted ground cover rather than try to grow grass.


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The Journey So Far
The map above shows the route the journey has taken so far. At the time of writing this I am barely two short weeks from completing the second of the six continents. Flying out of Panama after Europe and North America I will be heading for country number 30 of the Chasing the Sunrise journey traveled to by bike and country number 25 since setting out on A Snapshot of the World over a year ago.
Check out the live tracker here


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- $375,000
- Full Service History
- 727,000 Miles
- Year Built: 2006
- Trans: Automatic
- Fuel Type: Diesel
- Owners: one
- Ext color: Black
- Int color: Brown tan
" NOW AVAILABLE ". $375,000.00 for a 2006 Prevost XLII single slide out touring coach. This coach was ordered new from the factory and a custom Hemphill interior was built for an individual artist. The coach was assigned one driver and only the artist and his close friends used this coach. the complete mechanical and conversion history is available. The coach is located at Hemphill Brothers Coach in Whites Creek, Tennessee, just north of Nashville,Tn on I-24 exit 40. Please call for an appointment if interested.
This coach is located at Hemphill Brothers coach 7471 Old Hickory Blvd Whites Creek, Tennessee 37189


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Tutorials/Getting Started/Getting Started with the VEX CORTEX
From ROBOTC API Guide
< Tutorials | Getting Started
Tutorials → Tutorials/Getting Started/Getting Started with the VEX CORTEX
- 1 Getting Started with the VEX CORTEX
Getting Started with the VEX CORTEX
Configuring the VEX Cortex for a WIRED connection using USB
|This is a guide for setting up the VEX Cortex using the USB A-to-A cable. These steps are required the first time you use your computer to program a specific VEX Cortex, or after you've upated ROBOTC to the latest verstion. Once you've successfully completed these steps you can download your own programs without revisiting them. Note: Administrative privileges are required for some of these steps.
Driver Installation
|ROBOTC 3.05 and later automatically installs the necessary drivers for the VEX Cortex, VEXnet Joysticks, and USB-to-Serial Programming cable. If you need to download the drivers for troubleshooting purposes, you can still find them at www.ROBOTC.net/download/cortex.
Download ROBOTC Firmware
Download VEXnet Joystick Firmware
Setting up VEXnet Communication
VEXnet Remote Control Calibration
Sample Programs
Compiling and Downloading


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Learn about your rights and responsibilities as a renter with this free guide from Consumer Affairs
Download Rental Guide
Ludeman Real Estate
Selling and buying real estate can be daunting and choosing the right agent can be hard. Give us a call for a chat and some helpful advice regarding your property.
122 Liebig Street
Warrnambool Victoria 3280


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Resolving Civil Disputes
Whether you are considering a move to, or are a recent or a long-term resident of, Southwest Florida, our office provides the legal services necessary to solve your legal problem, in a cost effective manner. The Law Office Of Thomas W. Franchino, P.A. regularly resolves:
Real Estate Disputes – Whether arising from a commercial transaction, or from the buying or selling of a home or condominium.
Landlord Tenant Disputes – Whether arising from a commercial or a residential lease.
Construction Disputes – Including construction liens, breach of contract, or construction defect actions.
Commission Disputes
Civil Litigation – Whether in small claims, county or circuit courts.
Appeals – Researching and writing briefs, oral arguments.
If you have a legal problem, please contact our office so that we may further discuss how we might resolve that problem for you.


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Share Item
Clifton Club 10370
The Clifton Club 10370 offers the endlessly reliable and accurate Valjoux 7750 movement, one of the most coveted types of chronograph movement used in modern watchmaking. This Limited Edition watch features a blue and gray dial with a tachymeter scale.
Order by phone Contact Us Shop by phone
If you would like more information about this product or another collection, please get in touch with our Customer center Baume & Mercier+41225802948
Available from Monday to Friday between 8am and 6pm and on Saturday between 8am and 4pm.
The sleek sun-satin-finished dial is balanced by three subdials and a day of the week and date apertures at 3 o'clock. True to the watch's motorsports roots, the blue alligator strap is decorated with fine red stitching and the hour and minute hands have a Superluminova coating, offering even more edge and exhilaration in the design. The watch's case is made from polished and satin-finished steel and comes with a protected crown.
- Automatic, self-winding watch
- Power reserve: 48 hour(s)
- Water resistance: 5 ATM (approx. 50 m)
- Sapphire crystal case back
- Swiss Made
- Valjoux 7750
- Automatic, self-winding
- 28800.0vph/4.0hz
- 25
- Round
- Diameter: 44 mm
- 14.9 mm
- Steel, Polished/satin-finished
- Non-rotating bezel
- Sapphire, Domed, Anti-glare one face
- Sapphire crystal case back, With screw
- Slate-gray, Sun satin-finished, Blue
- Arabic numerals
- Rhodium-plated, C1 Super-LumiNova with blue line
- Adjustable triple folding buckle with security push-pieces, Polished satin-finished finishes


text: PRD Software recently exhibited at the annual CeBIT in Sydney to showcase our IT helpdesk software product, HelpMaster. As usual, CeBIT was busy and had a good cross-section of delegates and visitors. The HelpMaster team were doing non-stop product demos for 3 days straight. Each year, the face-to-face interaction with people from the IT support industry reveals something new. This year was particularly interesting. Here are some key points. Almost no mention of ITIL Hooray!!!....at last!! What a refreshing change! In previous years, ITIL was a frequent discussion point. As a vendor, it was frustrating trying to answer ITIL-based questions, whilst at the same time trying to correct/educate people on their mis-application and/or understanding of what ITIL is and is not. In previous years, it was obvious to spot those who had just done an ITIL foundation course, or who were part of a team/business unit that was undergoing some sort of ITIL transformation (whatever that is). What a relief it was not to hear the question "Is it ITIL compliant?" Managed Services Providers (MSP) are on the rise! There was an increased number of MSP representatives visiting the booth this year. Young ones, old ones, and a good diversity from Australia and beyond. Almost all of them already had some sort of ticketing solution in place (mainly Autotask, ConnectWise, SalesForce, ManageEngine), but almost all of them were dissatisfied with the software. Interesting. Naturally, we pressed them to speak of their pain-points. Common complaints were: • Too expensive, with long-term contacts that they are stuck with • Their hosted data was not fully available to them (for custom reports, exports, analysis etc.) • Limited functionality, or missing functionality - particularly around time, billing and integration with accounting apps. • Limited reporting and/or exporting abilities. • Perhaps the biggest complaint was the performance of the hosted app. Almost everyone commented on how slow their application was, and how unreliable it was. Compounding this was the inability to quickly and effectively speak to someone on the provider-side to address the situation. MSPs are tech-savvy, no-nonsense users of this style of software. They know what they want, and they know what doesn't work. Speaking with representatives from the MSP market is always enlightening. HelpMaster is already used by quite a few MSPs, but this is a market that we're definitely developing for. Stay tuned! Australian Made Helpdesk Software As usual, the HelpMaster stand was displaying our "Australian Made" banner. We also went with the simple "Helpdesk Software" fascia, rather than "ITSM", the company name, or some such acronym that means nothing to most. This approach stopped a lot of people in their tracks. We were encouraged by the number of people that were pleasantly surprised by the combination of these "Australian-made", and "Helpdesk Software". Now you know! There is Australian made Helpdesk Software out there. It was great to connect with IT workers and consultants that were impressed and interested to find us. Many people using foreign-made ITSM software were dismayed by the lack of product support outside of sales channels. Again, the face-to-face communication that CeBIT offers us provides valuable insight. On-Premise ITSM Software There is still a market for on-premise software, and it was reassuring to meet many who preferred their helpdesk and business data to be fully controlled by them, on-site, using their infrastructure. It seems the SAAS market has burned quite a few service-desk operations with limited reporting AND a lack of in-app reporting. This can be a deadly combination for SAAS vendors. A very common question we faced this year was "What is the licensing and cost for this product?" We actually ran out of our licensing and pricing brochure because of this (note for next year). The perpetual licensing model of HelpMaster also means that you can buy the software once, and use it forever. No more vendor-lock-in with monthly fees, and holding your data. It was interesting to see the positive reaction of people when they enquired about our licensing model, and they loved the fact that we were upfront about all costs, no jumping through hoops or vague answers. Running a helpdesk with Microsoft Outlook As usual, we also met a number of businesses that are using Outlook as a support and helpdesk system. For start-ups and small business, this is a natural occurrence, however this year we met more than a few mid-sized, well established businesses (household name businesses) that are still colour-coding email, sorting into customer folders and tagging email for various staff to respond to. If you are a business that is still running your customer support operations entirely out of email, please know that there is a much better way that will yield a massive increase in productivity, transparency, efficiency and overall customer satisfaction. Check out http://www.helpmasterpro.com/Product/Features/Email-to-ticket-conversion Contact us for a demo and let us show you! The HelpMaster Email Manager is one of the most popular and powerful components of HelpMaster. IT Trade-shows are awesome! Trade-shows are a highlight of the year for us. It's great to get out of the office, mix it up and meet people face-to-face. It gives us an opportunity to test our software against the reality of a "give me a 2 minute demo". It's like an elevator pitch for software demos. Most importantly, it gives us the chance meet with existing clients, meet new people, connect with old acquaintances and strengthen the bonds of business friendships once again. Thanks to everyone that stopped at the HelpMaster stand to say hi. We really appreciate it.


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Spread Betting for a Living - How to Make Money
For traders looking to play the markets professionally (or make a living out trading), whether through financial spread betting or any other instrument or investment type, there are a number of considerations that must be taken into account. Particularly for those considering giving up their job to trade financial spread betting for a living, running through the numbers and the practicalities of the plan are an important precursor to deciding whether or not it is viable. By the time you get to making a decision about whether to trade part or full time, you should already be reasonably far into your trading journey, and be comfortable with your ability to make a trade profitable. Beyond that, there are several key issues you need to think about in deciding how best to structure your working life.
Time To Spread Bet
The first thing you should think about is whether you need extra trading time, and whether your strategy can be expanded to fill either part-time or full-time hours. Generally, the bulk of trading work tends to revolve around research and strategy time, in addition to monitoring open trading positions and broader account management. Knowing how much time you need, or more important how you could use your time to turn a better trading performance is important as part of making the assessment as to how much time you need.
Rate of Return
Another key consideration that should be at the forefront of your mind is the rate of return on offer from the hours you spend in front of your trading desk. In the situation where you are deciding between part-time and full-time hours, calculating this as an hourly rate is required to determine whether you can cover your cost of living for the hours you intend to dedicate to trading. Obviously this is dependent on a number of variables, including the amount of capital at your disposal and the efficiency and frequency with which you can generate results, but is nevertheless an essential computation in deciding whether full or part time works for you.
Setting Targets
When taking the step towards becoming a spread bettor for a living, whether through switching up to part-time or full-time exposure, traders should be mindful of the need to set performance targets, to meet them and to learn from them in order to progress. Setting targets helps avoid getting too bogged down in the day-to-day, and allows traders to maintain a general oversight over how their account is performing. This allows strategic decisions to be made more effectively, but most importantly allows traders to make sure they are hitting their earnings targets to make part/full-time trading a viable option.
Spread Betting for a Living
Trading spread betting on a more professional basis is a risky, difficult way to make money, but one that remains viable for traders who take the necessary steps to ensure good results.


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Oxanabol is a steroid with low anabolic activity, stimulating the synthesis of creatine phosphate in muscle cells, which contributes to the increase in strength indicators.
The active substance, oxandrolone, which was originally developed for women and children, is therefore characterized by mild action and does not have side effects when the recommended dose is observed.
Oxandrolone course
A course based on oxanabol solo will yield a result that will differ depending on the diet and training system. Beginners, using 30-50 mg per day for a pronounced anabolic background without any serious side effects, will build up muscle mass and burn a small amount of fat. In addition, oxanabol does not lead to gynecomastia, and PCT after its administration is symbolic.
Most often the main motive to buy Oxandrolone (Anavar) solo is a good and quality weight loss by disposing of subcutaneous fat with the subsequent preservation of muscle mass. The slight lack of daily calories and half-strength training against the background of using this drug will allow you to quickly acquire the desired relief. It should be noted that the musculature will look tough and at the same time filled, which can not be achieved without the use of pharmacology.
Effects of anabolic steroids
Oxanobol in combination with other drugs
Oxanobol enhances the effect of some anabolic steroids, so it is especially effective in combination with methandienone or oxymetholone. Between the cycles it is taken together with methenolone or andriol.
Athletes who have problems with taking testosterone on the course, such anabolic can be combined with nandrolone decanoate. At "drying" the drug shows good results in combination with clenbuterol, fluoxymesterone and stanozolol.
In combination with these drugs, it helps in a short time to increase not watery volume, namely, quality musculature, because when it is taken, excess fluid does not accumulate in muscle tissues.


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Don Nelson, better known as "Nellie" played for the Boston Celtics from 1965 – 1976 and would be a model player through the years where he was highly regarded as one of the best "sixth men" to play the game. He later went on to have an excellent career as a coach where he received numerous accolades and notes as one of the Top Coaches in NBA history.
Don Nelson was drafted from the University of Iowa, where he had numerous battles with future teammate John Havlicek from Ohio State University. He was drafted to the then Chicago Zephyrs but his most successful seasons came as a member of the Boston Celtics where he was a 5-time NBA Champion, the highlight being his foul line jump shot that bounced around the rim before finally going in and leading the Celtics to the championship over his former Laker team. He was known for his unorthodox free throw shooting where he shot the ball using one hand and off one leg in a sort of "hop" shot; despite the technique he maintained a career 76.5% from the line after upon his retirement his number 19 was retired by the Celtics.
After playing for arguably the best coach ever in Red Auerbach and playing with future Hall of Famers such as Bill Russell and John Havlicek, Don Nelson applied this knowledge to coaching from his retirement as a player in 1976 – 2010. During his tenure as coach for five NBA teams Don was known for his innovative tactics, on offense he believed in the concept of playing with a small lineup and sacrificing defense to make his team a better scoring team. He also introduced the league to the "Hack-a-Shaq" technique that was used to try and contain the league most dominant force at the time, Shaquille O'Neil who was a know poor free throw shooter. This was used by other teams against O'Neil and is a staple in any coaches' playbook versus a dominant center. After coaching his last NBA team, he has won the NBA Coach of the Year award three times and coached the NBA All-Star Game twice. Don was the third coach to win 1,000 games in NBA history and later went on to pass Lenny Wilkens as the NBA all-time winningest coach.
Take a look at "Nellie's" free throw technique


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Hurricane season, really June to December (typically impacting the eastern part of DR), but if no storms it's an excellent time to travel. Temperatures don't vary much (mountains an exception). Deeply discounted room rates and some properties in resort areas like Cabarete close up in October.
You may see short but strong daily rains in Santo Domingo (through October). March is generally one of the drier months in Samaná and April weather can be idyllic throughout the country – also breezy months. Standard May to June forecast is pretty much always partly cloudy or partly sunny with chance of afternoon showers.
July to August and the week before Easter are also high season. Expect significantly higher hotel prices and crowded beaches. Most water sports are prohibited throughout the DR during the week before Easter.


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Could Another Train Wreck Be Far Behind?
That's how his trademark "collision cuisine" got it's name. Someone wrote that Cassel's cooking was like a train wreck on the plate--but it worked.
At least that's how he recalls it. And it worked well enough to make the Green Room an institution. The young chef and his "pirate crew" earned impressive reviews, standing ovations from those in the dining room and all kinds of accolades.
Then Cassel jumped to Dragonfly in Hotel ZaZa and, well, it didn't work anymore.
After a few years of catering and odd cooking jobs, Cassel returns to the grind with the opening--soon--of Park, a new concept on Henderson. But does that also mean the return of collision cuisine...?
"That's been my style from day one: It's fusion in that it's fusion," Cassel explains--sort of. "Fusion in its purest interpretation." A few words from the once and future chef:
On probable expectations that he will bring back old Green Room flavors...
We're trying to do that, but at a lower price point. Not with the same dishes, but the same spirit. I'm still tongue in cheek, playful and at times offensively sarcastic.
On the Deep Ellum vibe...
My favorite part of the Green Room--besides the one my liver paid for--was seeing young people sitting next to old Highland Park types, getting exposed to good food. The idea is to have that same energy at Park.
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On the Green Room's famously small kitchen...
My second day I was reaching into the oven and part of the ceiling fell on my head. I had just come from Star Canyon. Right off, I was questioning my decision.
His style and attitude didn't fit with upscale Dragonfly. A lot of press came with his appointment and someone approached him with a cookbook deal, but Cassel and the hotel/restaurant soon parted ways. On the breakup...
Are we talking off the record or on? I can't look in the mirror and say I'm not at all to blame. At the end of the day it was good to get out. I didn't like that place. I sold out. The experience taught me not to do that anymore. Now I'm back to what I'm comfortable with.
The owners of Bolsa considered Cassel for their chef position. But he was still too mired in the wake of the Dragonfly fiasco, still not himself. On the deal that didn't happen...
I didn't want to commit to it full time. And then Graham [Dodds] came on the market. They've been doing well.
Sitting on the sidelines has "been weird," he admits. The bout with Dragonfly and moment of doubt with Bolsa left him perhaps a little unsure of things. When Park's owner, Donald Chick, first explained the concept as they sat on stools in the abandoned space, Cassel says "I didn't see it."
Now? "It feels good to be back in the saddle."


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It was super nice to read…
I am always on the hunt for a webcomic FOR KIDS to read to my elementary art students. So when yours was recommended to me, I just had to check it out! And I love it! You have really done a great job creating relatable and diverse characters that children can understand and empathize with. R.J. Jr is a punny boy who I know my kids will both love and happily eye-roll at. Can you do that happily? I know I was while reading Isle of Elsi! In a "Oh, that R.J. Jr!" type of way.
I am so excited to share this comic with my students. My kids really don't have access to many comics and the fact that your work is out there for free for them to read is super amazing! I know they are going to love following your story and it will inspire them to make comics of their own! Thank you so much for the work you do. I hope R.J. Jr doesn't get eaten!
Please, keep up the hard work and being creative!
The Webcomic Whisperer
All Images Copyright Alec Longstreth.


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So I used to be totally into the Sims back in the day.
I was never very successful at the game but I always enjoyed it. Too much, it seemed. However, my Sims always went insane, or were rejected by the neighbor dude, constantly forgot to take out their garbage, or repeatedly attempted to burn down their house.
Nonetheless, it was a blast, but eventually I moved on to other things and left the Sims behind. Then I discovered The Sims 3. I was tantalized and I thought I would give it another try.
I'm blown away at how much different and improved the game is. They've really made it a lot easier for you now being able to fast forward through boring stuff and making certain things automatic. You guys already know this but bear with me, I'm still geeking out on how awesome this game is.
Choosing the personality traits in Create a Sim is quite possibly my favorite thing so far. I have to keep coming up with bizarro combinations. Eventually I will make a normal Sim and stick with it, but right now, I am just testing out genius traits mixed with insane. And it's working. Seriously. My crazy person is far more successful than my virtuoso. Especially socially. Other Sims don't seem to notice her talking to park benches, ranting at restaurant entrances, or freaking out on herself. They just like her. She hasn't lost her job yet, and I can't wait to see where this is going.
I am excited to be taking on this crazy adventure of getting sucked into the Sims 3 (and it's happening very quickly). I can't wait to learn all about the cool new features and see what kind of other great stuff awaits me. I hope you are patient with me as I learn the game and expand my knowledge.


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Today's News
Site Search
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A temporary retail store in the heart of Chicago is all heart for a good cause.
by ArchNewsNow
October 20, 2006
Raleigh, North Carolina: Skylights and garden galleries create a firmly grounded museum expansion that sits softly on the land.
October 6, 2006
Tempe, Arizona: When architects were asked to be as innovative and hi-tech as their client, collaborative team expertise delivered the vision.
September 20, 2006
The message seems to be that if we merge greater intelligence about the common good with our traditional urge to procreate as individuals, we might have half a chance to thrive as a species several generations hence.
by Margaret Helfand, FAIA
September 14, 2006
Libidos on fire in Venice: Urbanism may not be sexy, but our lives may depend on it.
September 12, 2006
by Paul Scarbrough, Akustiks
September 7, 2006
An exhibition explores the reinvention of urban public spaces to meet the demands of 21st century recreation and leisure.
by Zoë Ryan, Senior Curator, Van Alen Institute
September 6, 2006
Iconicity taps into the deeper emotional needs of consumers through experiential, implicit signals that transcend the more rational elements of price and convenience.
by Kenneth Nisch
August 22, 2006
Logan, Utah: Inspired by the surrounding mountains, a new building establishes a campus arts precinct that bridges the town/gown divide.
August 8, 2006
Portland, Oregon: Sensitive historic restoration combined with contemporary design expands a museum into a dynamic new art center.
August 1, 2006
Toronto, Canada: A new campus building is a symbolic and physical bridge between an academic community and the city.
July 19, 2006
Two views on trends in public and academic libraries
by Kenneth Caldwell
June 27, 2006
Commendations to: Calatrava; Delugan Meissl Architects; mecanoo architecten; and Riken Yamamoto & Field Shop
May 22, 2006
Toronto: Pubic/private-sector collaboration and a shared vision deliver CPR to a once-blighted square, and offers a lesson in successfully blurring the lines between the two.
by Effie Bouras, Assoc. AIA
April 27, 2006
Evanston, Illinois: Engineering and design education now cross traditional departmental boundaries in a light-filled, LEED Silver campus building.
March 28, 2006
North Queensland, Australia: Post-cyclone, northern Queensland has a major opportunity to rebuild for a changing climate.
by Tony Fry
March 24, 2006
Newark, NJ: Current news about "starchitects" designing high-rise housing in New York is at an all-time high, but Mies did it across the Hudson River 46 years ago.
by Fred Bernstein
March 14, 2006
A design competition and conference seek to merge technical ingenuity and compelling design.
by Kyle Copas
February 28, 2006
Baltimore, Maryland: Modern design, vibrant colors, and symbolic interior elements help create a new cultural destination in the city's Inner Harbor and museum district.
February 15, 2006
Los Angeles: A new library adds to the revitalization of a once riot-torn community.
January 31, 2006
© 2020 ArchNewsNow.com


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Michigan law students and alumni enjoy career opportunities throughout the United States and the world. Resources are available for students to explore summer and permanent employment opportunities in law firms, accounting firms, investment banks, corporations, government agencies, and public interest organizations. The Office of Career Planning provides specific support services and informational programs for students exploring careers in private practice, a government role, national or international public-interest positions, judicial clerkships, or legal academia.
The Office of Career Planning (OCP) assists students and alumni in developing their career skills and in searching for satisfying professional employment. OCP provides individual counseling, career workshops, and an excellent library and resource center. Students have access to a free telephone, fax, and copier for career purposes. OCP maintains an active career resource for students, alumni, and legal employers available on the Web. The Office of Career Planning coordinates the Early Interview Week and Fall On-Campus Interview Program that attract hundreds of legal employers to Ann Arbor to interview second- and third-year J.D. students as well as LL.M. candidates. Additionally, the OCP coordinates a smaller Winter On-Campus Interview Program that focuses on first-year students. Michigan students are eligible to participate in specialized job fairs held throughout the year, and OCP publicizes thousands of permanent and summer employment opportunities offered to Michigan law students and alumni.
Many Michigan law students apply for a judicial clerkship to begin upon graduation. OCP sponsors a series of programs on judicial clerkship opportunities and facilitates the application process in concert with the faculty clerkship adviser.
OCP counselors work closely with students to provide individualized assistance. In addition, career programming for first-year students focuses on job search skills and strategies, self-assessment tools, and information on the myriad practice areas and practice settings available to students. However, pursuant to the National Association for Law Placement's Principles and Standards, the Office of Career Planning does not make "placement services" available to first-year students prior to November 1, and prospective employers and students should not initiate contact with one another before December 1.
Transfer students are introduced to the Office of Career Planning's staff and resources with a special program offered in August. Dual degree candidates are encouraged to utilize the varied resources of the OCP throughout their studies, even during terms when they are pursuing classes in another discipline. Specialized career programming and counseling are available for international LL.M. candidates. Staff members of the OCP and the Office of Graduate Studies and International Programs work in tandem to provide services for foreign graduate students as well as J.D. students interested in careers in international law. Public Interest Program
The Public Interest Program is dedicated to helping students and graduates integrate public service with their professional development.
Through career advising, up-to-date job information and their vast knowledge in the public service arena, they assist students in finding public interest and government jobs worldwide. In addition, the Law School has one of the best Loan Repayment Assistance Programs in the nation.
The Law School offers several fellowships for public service students, including the Perry Watkins Fellowship, the Fiske Fellowship and the Dean's Public Service Fellowship. Additionally, the office provides assistance to those applying for public interest fellowships outside the Law School. More than 12 Skadden, six NAPIL, and two Echoing Green Fellowships have been awarded to Michigan law students. Starting with the second semester of law school, OPS can assist students with applying their developing legal skills to real world issues. The office maintains a database of hundreds of public interest and government agencies with part-time internships for students, who then work under the supervision of lawyers. Although pro bono offerings may vary depending on changing legal needs, OPS regularly has placements in the areas of civil rights, criminal law, poverty law, environmental protection, and community economic development, to name only a few.
Please view the Public Interest Community Web page here.
Students are encouraged to attend the career programs, make use of the excellent individualized counseling services available and to utilize the library and related office resources of the Office of Career Planning for the Public Private and Nonprofit Sectors.
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All you need is Love!! (24 cookies)
Regular price $90.00
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Sweet cookies are the PERFECT touch to you event or even as a sweet gift!
Cookies are handmade and decorated just for you! Never pre made or frozen.
Set comes with the following designs:
-"all you need is love " plaque
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You get 6 of each design. Cookies will be made just as shown in images. Each cookie does come individually wrapped and sealed for max freshness and protection.
**Please indicate what date they are needed by or they will be shipped in 7-10 business days**


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|Review: Anubis Gate - Andromeda Unchained
|Andromeda Unchained
Label: Locomotive Music
Year released: 2007
Duration: 65:34
Tracks: 14
Genre: Progressive Power Metal
Rating: 4.75/5
Review online: December 29, 2007
Reviewed by: Larry Griffin
for:Andromeda Unchained
Rated 4.42/5 (88.33%) (24 Votes)
Not being familiar with Anubis Gate's back catalogue, I would not have picked this one up normally if not for the extremely positive comments I had read about it - and I'm really fucking glad I did so, now. From what I understand, the band played a very Queensryche-esque style of Heavy Metal before this album; a bouncy, dynamic sound with power and energy spewing from every pore and crack, and that will make this one all the more surprising to anyone who expected anything like the old sound. Apparently, though, Anubis Gate neglected to inform their fanbase of their celestial ascent to the heavens after their sophomore album A Perfect Forever (2005), which has also apparently turned them into gods among men.
The band finally graces the puny Earth with their presence again in the year 2007, and release this, an album of crushing magnitude and power. Andromeda Unchained is absolutely a world class album, boasting commanding, riff-heavy song structures comparable to that of Communic's equally excellent Waves of Visual Decay, alongside eerily spacey melody lines and vocal melodies that recall Pagan's Mind and several older 70s Prog Rock bands. Jacob Hansen did the vocals here, and I cannot stress enough how much of an asset he is to this band's sound now. He's got a voice very reminiscent of James LaBrie, except Hansen has a certain outer space edge to his voice that really lifts it up, giving it something special that most vanilla Prog vocalists do not have. Hansen often sounds like he's coming back home from a journey to the far corners of the galaxy, and he really pours his heart and soul into every song here. Fabulous work, Mr. Hansen, absolutely stellar.
The quality of the music here is sky-high all the way through, and the only variation is that some songs are simply great and others are jaw-dropping in their repertoire of stunning riff patterns and outer-space thrills and chills, to the point where you wonder if human beings could've even created this music - it's out of this world, that's for sure! An interesting quality of this one is how it builds up from more straightforward and easy to enjoy songs like the bouncy, kinetic "Snowbound" and the ball-crushing "Waking Hour." These are indeed excellent songs, with catchy, accessible choruses alluring the unsuspecting listener into a snare, where he will be crushed by the suffocating, bone-grinding breakdown of "Snowbound" and the brilliant riffs of its follow-up. A devious trick indeed!
After a few fillers (still better than a lot of music today, mind you!) the band jettisons even further into progressive mastery with an enormous leap in complexity and quality. "This White Storm Through My Mind" is most likely the best song here, and better than anything 90% of Prog bands today will ever produce. It's a riveting, stirring eight minute epic, packed with ominous, dark riffs over a dreamlike beat and celestial, hypnotic vocal lines, eventually spiraling out of control into a bellowing, planet crushing solo for the last half of the song in a manner akin to a space shuttle veering off track into a thunderous asteroid belt. "The Final Overture" follows suit, a six minute tour-de-force in raw cosmic power, flowing as easily as the stream of life into the ever-blue ocean - very high quality song.
"Take Me Home" is a poignant, sickly-sweet ballad that actually does not come off as cheesy or overdone, but rather emotional and heartfelt instead. It's a soaring song that will lift you straight up to the stars, sprinkling your frail form with light, ample doses of cosmic dust, weathered with age. "Point of No Concern" is likely the most progressive track to be found here, integrating stoic electronic elements into the already intriguing mix, as well as packing what is probably the most infectious chorus here, as well. "The End of Millennium Road" is on the same level of quality, a majestic, grandiose piece that is just about the definition of a grower. It's a very fitting end to the album, with a nostalgic, "wandering" sort of feel to it, that inevitable, slightly sorrowful atmosphere that lets one know the end is coming, and it never fails to put a smile on my face.
Anubis Gate are just entering their own little Renaissance era, and I'll be extremely happy to see them keep up this kind of quality on a follow-up. This isn't perfect, featuring a few tracks that are slightly weaker and could've been cut, but it is an endearing, soulful journey into levels of outer space higher than you thought possible. Get this if you like great Prog Metal, period.
|Other related information on the site
|Review: A Perfect Forever (reviewed by Christopher Foley)
Review: Andromeda Unchained (reviewed by Sargon the Terrible)
Review: Anubis Gate (reviewed by Christopher Foley)
Review: Anubis Gate (reviewed by Larry Griffin)
Review: The Detached (reviewed by Christopher Foley)
Review: The Detached (reviewed by PowerMetal59)
|Click below for more reviews
|Latest 0-9 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z Various Books/Zines
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Copyright © 1999-2020, Michel Renaud / The Metal Crypt. All Rights Reserved.


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When it comes to information security, hackers and cybercriminals aren't always the biggest threat. Normal people who leak information without recognizing it are the real risk. Help raise awareness about information security with a digital learning solution that takes your employees from potential hazards to strong lines of defense. We'll create a tailored solution that helps your staff recognize information attacks and react appropriately. Whether it's examining a scenario or analyzing screen shots of expert email phishers, we know our digital learning solution will be packed with realistic content.
If you want to see concrete examples of our work, contact us and we'll be happy to set up a meeting with you!Contact us


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Controlled explosions, squealing tires and lots and lots of crashes. That's what residents of Broderick Tower can expect to see and hear a lot of over the next few weeks as Transformers 4 begins filming in and around its main movie set on Bagley Ave. this week.
The set is quite the site to see in downtown Detroit. Crew have transformed an abandoned lot once used for Kid Rock's "Care" video into a bustling Asian-inspired city. The set features stone lion statues, a derailed transit train car, a three-tiered pagoda, a broken and battered giant umbrella structure (spaceship?) and fake Chinese storefronts touting market fabrics and goods.
But Transformers isn't the only blockbuster to hit the streets of Detroit. Here are a few other recent or upcoming Detroit film projects to check out:
- How to Catch a Monster (2014)
- Need for Speed (2014)
- Google Maps App Commercial (Released July 2013)
- AMC's Low Winter Sun (August 2013)
So keep an eye out for Mark Wahlberg sightings and click here to find out the details of upcoming street closures from our friends at MLive. Transformers 4 is scheduled to be released in June of 2014. See below for more photos from the movie set.
Have you seen any of the Transformers or other Detroit film action taking place downtown? What would you like to see filmed in Detroit? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
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The Age Old Question: SELL and Take Profit or HOLD and Let it Ride?
We recently received an unsolicited call from a buyer asking if we would consider selling our 18 unit apartment building.
Like many investors, this buyer said they are desperately looking to add properties to their portfolio. He said they would be willing to make a very enticing offer.
To quote the Godfather, "An offer we can't refuse".
As both investors and commercial realtors, we are well aware of the properties market value. Moreover, when a property is not formerly for sale, our immediate thought was we can probably get an extra couple thousand dollars by providing exclusivity to the buyer.
After punching a few numbers into the calculator, we paused, looked at the potential profit and thought "wow!" perhaps we really should entertain an offer from this buyer.
With a bit more reflection, Hummm… we thought, seems almost too good to be true, better go back to the calculator for a closer look. Let's see:
- Penalty for early termination of the mortgage
- Capital Gains Tax
- Recapture on the CCA taken
- Legal and Accounting Fees
- Other fractional costs
Even after carefully considering all of these costs, the final amount we would put in our pocket was surprisingly a respectable amount.
Then why, like so many others did we decide to hold?
We'll speak to our decision in a moment but we offer up the following thoughts for your own consideration:
- Travel your own path, make decisions based on what's right for you. Too often we are like salmon swimming at the bottom of the rapids. Everybody seems to have a feeling of what they would like to do but nothing happens until somebody finally jumps, then it's kitty bar the door!
- I heard this saying from an old mentor, not sure whether it's his or it came from somewhere else, but he told me early on, "You never go broke making a profit". His point was: if your making money there is really no wrong answer. Sure, you want to be as successful as possible but know your own situation and goals, read the market and make your decision, take or leave your money and move on. Do not get frozen into inaction, potentially missing opportunities simply because you're hoping to squeeze that last penny out of an asset.
- Don't make decisions based on what the news or your neighbour says. I recently had a client who just sold an investment property for a significant profit. He then sent me an article about the real estate market dropping by 4%, telling me he was putting his real estate plans on hold and would sit in equities on the sidelines. The stock market dropped 1200 points that day!
- It has often been said that what made Wayne Gretzky so good was his ability to see the big picture. He would go to where the puck was coming to rather than chase it around. Point being, you can't simply look at a snap shot of today. For instance, what is the value today, what are cap rates today, can they compress further? What are interest rates today and more importantly, where are they headed? If cap rates have little or no compression left and interest rates are on the rise (no matter how slow) what's the future value for an investment? We are sure the mainstream would say hold but is that right for you?
- Be relentless in your pursuit of scenarios and options. Sure, number crunching is important, but age, legacy, lifestyle, (how about just happiness?) all need to be considered. We recently sold an apartment for a client who made a significant profit; but he could have held and perhaps over a lengthy period of time could have made more. He hated the apartment though. Didn't like the location, the building or the business in general so in a market where the majority keep holding… he sold, made a tidy profit and is looking for other opportunities.
So what did we do?
After weighing the pros and con, we decided at least for the moment, to hold. But it was close!
Most importantly, we considered many issues; market conditions, cap rates both today and tomorrow, interest rates now and tomorrow, our age, our goals, our options to reinvest the profits to make more, our happiness factor, and more all came into play.
Please do not misinterpret this as confirmation that you or anyone for that matter should follow our decision or that holding is the right answer. Rather, take it as an example that we considered carefully a broad host of scenarios unique to us and our situation and you should do exactly the same.
Remember, if you're making money there is likely no wrong answer, just what is the MOST right for you.
What Does This Mean For You?
As previously mentioned, we are both real estate brokers and investors. A split personality of sorts!
As brokers, we often wonder why we're not receiving more calls from investors looking to sell or at least wanting to explore the options. It clearly remains a strong seller's market. Demand continues to far outweigh the supply. We see deals on the market for a few weeks or often just days, trading at extremely low cap rates. It's hard to imagine but we have even seen deals with cash on cash returns of 2% or lower. It certainly would seem, selling should be more prevalent.
As investors we understand the issues at hand, because we live it every day.
- What do we do with the money?
- How much do we actually put in our pocket?
- How can we possibly find new deals that make sense?
- How long will we have to wait to find something new?
- What other options are there?
Since every investor has a unique situation and criteria, we know the decision to sell or hold can be complicated and downright difficult.
If your current situation is such that you are struggling with the sell versus hold decision, we welcome you to call us at M Commercial Realty to discuss.
You can be assured that unlike many other real estate brokers, we get it because we are living in your world. Thus, our advice will be as honest and straightforward as you will find.
Finally, we would like to share with you snippets from two recent articles regarding this topic (follow the links to the full article):
Skyline Apartment REIT exits Hamilton
Steve McLean | Property Biz Canada | Residential | 2017-09-19
Skyline Apartment REIT's $173-million sale of 11 Hamilton apartment buildings to Q Management LP earlier this month fits the company's historical strategy and will fill its coffers for new investments.
"The bulk of our assets exist in secondary and tertiary markets," said Skyline Apartment Asset Management Inc. president Matthew Organ, adding Hamilton has evolved into more of a primary market since the portfolio was assembled between 2009 and 2015.
"Hamilton has become a hot market and, as a result, pricing has risen to the point where it's very difficult for us — given our model and returns to our investors — to acquire there."
Redeployment of capital
Skyline Apartment REIT will redeploy the capital from the sale toward other accretive acquisitions and new-build properties in strong secondary and tertiary markets, though Organ said there was nothing he could speak about at this time.
"We've got a couple of medium-sized portfolios that we're looking at and a number of one-off assets. If most of those things come to fruition within the next four to six months, we'll probably be looking at acquiring another 1,000 units."
Value-add, newly built assets and new construction
Much of Skyline Apartment REIT's growth has come from adding value to its assets, and that will continue to be important.
"The bulk of the assets in the province are 45 or 50 years old, so that's where the value-add comes in," said Organ. "You can acquire those types of assets and bring them up to a good standard. They're absolutely rentable and there's a huge market for that."
GWL's longstanding love for apartments continues
Paul Brent | Commercial | Property Biz Canada | 2017-03-23
A self-professed "office guy," Paul Finkbeiner has learned to love apartments for the steady, predictable profits they churn out for his pension fund shareholder base.
"A lot of my competitors are only waking up to it the last five years saying, 'Oh these apartments are really good.' We have known it for the last 20," said the president of GWL Realty Advisors Inc., one of the country's largest real estate organizations with more than $17 billion in assets.
An office executive with Trizec Corp. and Brookfield Properties in the early 1990s, he came to know and love multi-residential when he joined GWL as president in 1995.
"Apartments, when I first looked at them, I couldn't figure out why people didn't buy them. This is going back, but there was a three per cent vacancy level. In some cases there was a wait list to get in. So why are we not buying more of these things?
"Since then, the apartment asset class has performed best in my almost 25 years here; it has always outperformed the others."
Inventory problem one downside
The apartment sector, which comprises about 25% of GWL's asset base with about 15,000 units, has one significant downside.
"You can't buy a lot of it because a lot of the private guys know how good it is," said the GWL chief. "We have bought a fair bit, but you need to build it now."


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Kevin Goodell (left), a member of the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians and tribal natural resources crew member, and Mike Kennedy, natural resources director for the Siletz Tribe.
"I love working in the forest. Feels good just to be out here," says Kevin Goodell, a Siletz tribal member who serves on the tribe's natural resources crew. "We log the trees, we go back in and plant them, we thin them. It's a cycle that keeps the forest healthy and keeps it here for future generations―for my kids and grandkids."
Healthy forests are an integral part of the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians' way of life—spiritually, culturally, and economically.
"Forest health is our shared focus," says Kate Danks, Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) district conservationist in Lincoln County. "Pre-commercial thinning is essential because it removes damaged and diseased trees, and it opens up the canopy, allowing more sunlight in. The open understory also provides better wildlife habitat." Read more >>
Farmer & Rancher Stories,
Soil Health
A Puerto Rican monarch butterfly in a garden at the University of Puerto Rico's Utuado butterfly house.
The monarch butterfly is the iconic butterfly native of the Americas. The black-and-orange butterfly can migrate thousands of miles each year from North America and South America to Mexico. But the subspecies in Puerto Rico, Danaus plexippus portorricensis, is considered non-migrant. It likes to stay put!
The Puerto Rican monarch butterfly was identified in 1941 as a separate subspecies. It has also been found in the Virgin Islands, Cuba, the Cayman Islands, St. Lucia and Jamaica.
The adult Puerto Rican monarch grows up to 40 millimeters in size, and there are few differences to distinguish between the sexes. Like the monarch, the Puerto Rican monarch is particular about its host plants. Monarch butterflies depend on milkweed to lay their eggs, and the plant provides the only food source for monarch caterpillars. Read more >>
Caribbean Area,
monarch butterfly
Plants & Animals,
Discover Conservation
A workshop he took two years ago prompted Willie Earl Paramore to become a beekeeper.
In September, Willie Earl Paramore will turn 90, but he isn't letting any grass grow under his feet. He doesn't stop moving, learning or doing. He manages a forest, hiking and four-wheeling though 540 acres, where he sets the prescribed burns himself. He also keeps bees, building his own bee boxes and moving them around to get the best nectar. And he is still on-call for the Paramore Drug Store that now belongs to his son. Willie Earl is frequently the featured speaker on bees and trees at the town civic group meetings and Rotary Club.
"I retired 21 years ago and have been playing ever since," he said. Everyone in town knows him and they will tell you right away that no one in town can keep up with Willie Earl, no matter what age.
A third-generation farmer, Willie Earl became interested in forestry when he planted two acres of longleaf pine trees for his Future Farmers of America project in 1942. But then he was drafted. When he returned from the army he married his high school sweetheart, Corrie, settling in the small rural town of Marianna, Florida. They raised a family and he was the town pharmacist, but it wasn't long before Willie Earl started acquiring land. Read more >>
longleaf pines,
multi-generational farmer
Farmer & Rancher Stories
Through landscape conservation, both agriculture and wildlife thrive.
Two-thirds of the land in the lower 48 states is privately owned, and these productive working farms, ranches and forests account for much of our nation's open space and wildlife habitat. USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) provides technical and financial assistance to help agricultural producers integrate wildlife-friendly conservation practices on private lands.
We've seen lots of successes over the years, and I've written a poem that highlights these private lands successes as well as honors the roots of land ethic. Read more >>
Discover Conservation
Scotty Herriman places a trusting hand on the no-till drill he viewed with such skepticism for decades. Today, he often leads the state in dryland no-till corn yields.
Back in 2009, you couldn't pay Scotty Herriman to try no-till. "Our bottomland is tight, heavy clay," he insisted. "It won't work here."
Scotty has been growing corn, soybeans, wheat and milo on 2,000 acres in Nowata County, Oklahoma for more than 50 years. So, it's generally wise to take his word when it comes to farming. But Scotty is the first to acknowledge he misjudged no-till. Six years after switching to no-till, he says, "it will work here, and I've proved it."
As is the unfortunate truth for many producers, it took a series of disasters to get Scotty to consider changing from the conventional farming practices he had used for decades. He had seen others try no-till as early as the 1970s, but even during the severe drought of 1980-1981, Scotty doubted the cost-effective and water-saving system. He was convinced a chisel was necessary to break up his soil, and the cost of a no-till drill was a gamble that outweighed the potential benefit. Read more >>
soil health
Soil Health,
Discover Conservation,
Farmer & Rancher Stories
The Hulett family (left to right) Mandy, Richard, and their children.
Vermont dairy farmers use bedded pack to help improve the herd, environment, and farm
For nearly 20 years, Richard Hulett and his father, Dick, have protected and improved the natural resources on Deer Flats Farm, their 1,000-acre cattle farm near Pawlet, Vermont. Winters in Pawlet can be long and snow, ice, mud, and manure can build up. That's why the Huletts decided to put a bedded pack system to work on their operation.
Prior to the bedded pack, the cattle were on pasture. "It was a mess," says Richard.
"These barn systems are covered by a roof and filled with bedding material to provide manure storage and improve animal comfort and health," says Sally Eugair, an NRCS soil conservation technician. Bedding costs are much higher for bedded pack than for any other housing, but can improve herd health by providing comfortable places for herds to spend the winter months. Read more >>
Farmer & Rancher Stories,
Conservation Programs,
Discover Conservation,
Plants & Animals
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Intercontinental Samui Baan Taling Ngam Resort And Spa
Overview of Intercontinental Samui Baan Taling Ngam Resort And Spa
You crave seclusion, an island retreat where beauty and harmony combine with the most indulgent amenities. You are a discerning traveller, and relaxation time is precious. Welcome to Le Royal Meridien Baan Taling Ngam Sui, where all this and more is promised to you.
Set on Koh Samuis peaceful west coast amidst a coconut grove, Le Royal Meridien affords breathtaking panoramic views of the Gulf of Thailand and neighbouring islands.
From the moment you arrive and are escorted to your luxury villa, you are enfolded in timeless hospitality, tranquility and a sense of wellbeing. Each villa affords a gracious living experience, with elegant furnishings, superior amenities and peaceful beachside living with breathtaking views.
Take time to inhale the fresh sea breezes, gaze up at the dreamy blue skies, and gaze upon a pristine landscape of exceptional natural beauty.
An array of exciting dining options await you from the fine Thai and international cuisine of Lom Talay to the laidback seafood spectacle of The Promenade. Or savour the Royal Thai dishes of Ban Chantra with its backdrop of classical Thai music. All of our restaurants offer you stunning sunset views, extensive wine and drinks list and attentive waiter service.
If the romance of our location wins your heart then you will want to try one of our private dinner options, where you and your partner can share a candlelit meal with champagne on the beach, the Sala Thai or Fah Tai Terrace. Magical. Our chefs will also create a fabulous barbecue for you and guests in your villa too for an unforgettable tropical evening.
And of course the Pool Bar and Verandah Bar serve up a gorgeous choice of cooling drinks, cocktails,wine and peer. The Pool Bar also provides light refreshments throughout the day for your further pleasure, while the Verandah stays open-late for that special nightcap.
In addition to our Infinity pool, you will find another five swimming pools in-resort for you to choose from. Activities available include everything from a fitness gym and in-villa movies to our incomparable Spa. Bringing a new level of spa expertise to Koh Samui, all of our treatments use only Chi water with its special detoxifying and re-energising qualities. Whether you go a la carte or select one of our super-indulgent packages, you will find yourself replenished and your body re-awakened in this holistic idyll.
Koh Samui affords a wealth of sporting, cultural, and entertainment opportunities; let us be your guide. Try watersports from kayaking to sailing, trek in the majestic and unspoilt mountain jungle, hire transport to explore the island or visit temples, markets, or animal sanctuaries. The choice is yours, we will simply ensure that your experience is the best one possible
Rooms of Intercontinental Samui Baan Taling Ngam Resort And Spa
View the lowest available quote with just 1 Click. We automatically include any valid promotions, so you only see the best deal.
For more room information, visit our Rooms & Rates page
THB 8,111 / night
THB 8,740 / night
THB 10,205 / night
THB 11,776 / night
THB 14,392 / night
THB 16,485 / night
THB 19,624 / night
THB 21,195 / night
THB 24,336 / night
Photos of Intercontinental Samui Baan Taling Ngam Resort And Spa
Handpicked for Intercontinental Samui Baan Taling Ngam Resort And Spa
The Intercontinental Samui Baan Taling Ngam Resort And Spa features in our Top 10 hand-picked hotels of the Best 5 Star Resorts in all Samui.
All our hand picks are regularly reviewed to keep you up to date.
Last updated on 05 Apr 2013.


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The water hose is one of the few essentials for any home gardener. Whether you're tending to your lawn, garden, or sprinkler system, a trusty hose is necessary for carrying water to your plants. But not all hoses are made equal. Today, we will explore what makes the best garden hoses for backyard gardeners.
The Rundown
Looking for an irrigation upgrade? Before making an impulse purchase, you should know exactly what to look for according to your individual needs. In other words, let me help you make the right choice to make sure you don't get, well, hosed.
Best Water Hose
This is the generic tube component of the hose. The thing everybody, even non-gardeners, keep coiled up in their garage. So, for this, I'll keep it simple.
As explained by Blain's Farm & Fleet, the basic garden hose is made with either vinyl, rubber, or a combination of both. Rubber hoses are heavy-duty and more cumbersome to carry, although they last longer and can tolerate hot water well. While vinyl hoses are comparatively lighter, I've rarely owned one that lasts longer than a single spring and summer season.
When searching for the best water hose, pay attention to the ply count. Simply put, plies are layers. And more ply means more strength. Your typical garden hose will consist of between one and six plies, with the best water hoses for backyard gardeners will land somewhere in the middle.
Size and length are important considerations here. When taking length into account, you have to keep in mind that water pressure decreases the longer the hose extends.
This means that you should figure out precisely how long your hose needs to be to reach across your yard, and go with nothing further than that. When it comes to size, your standard ¾-inch diameter tubing is ideal as this width allows for the most water to be carried at once. If you still end up with a lot of hose, you may want to take a look at our hose reel reviews to keep everything tidy.
Lastly, you'll need to think about coupling. (And no, not that kind of coupling.) Coupling, or fitting, refers to where the hose connects to the tap or spigot. You will have the choice of either plastic or brass. While brass lasts longer, plastic is the perfect choice for those of you with weaker hands like me.
Best Expandable Hose
If you're my age, you might remember a time when you needed to link two water hoses together to buy yourself some extra length. Thankfully, today there are stretchable hoses on the market that can expand to several times their reach when unfilled.
These collapsible garden hoses contain an elastic rubber inner lining that allows the tube to contract in the absence of water pressure. This is super convenient if you're limited on space, or hate having to deal with constant tangling or kinking.
This particular brand of hose is several times lighter than a conventional garden hose, and come up to three times longer when fully expanded. For those of you with a larger-than-average yard size, an expanding garden hose is a must.
However, be sure to check the fabric quality–I've heard from multiple buyers that 600Dx600D nylon outlasts 420Dx800D by a long shot.
Best Soaker Hose
What is a soaker hose? The soaker hose is an all-in-one drip irrigation system. It's like a regular water hose, except it's punctured with small holes along one side. Depending on the pressure, this allows for water to drip or spray out of the hose and be applied directly to your plants. Talk about efficiency!
A soaker hose is ideal for getting at those hard-to-reach areas at the root level. Laying a soaker hose down along the soil and gently applying pressure allows you to water your plants while preserving far more water than a traditional hose.
It makes sense, then, to go for a soaker if you're living in a water-sensitive location or somewhere prone to droughts. We suggest looking out for a model with a thick rubber tube as insects and other critters who rummage around your soil tend to eat away at the hose over time.
Best Lightweight Garden Hose
There's nothing worse than dragging around a heavy, kinked hose in the middle of the summer heat. Thankfully, advances in manufacturing have made hose portability a dream.
Super-slim lightweight hoses are now commonplace with the introduction of synthetic fibers known as polyethylene. A slim garden hose made of this material makes all-day gardening feel like a breeze.
Even lighter yet, featherweight garden hoses weigh approximately 0.1 lbs per foot of tubing. These are simply the best lightweight garden hoses on the market, as they can be handled comfortably by young and old alike.
So, what's the catch? Unfortunately, the fiber quality of lightweight, slim garden hoses is no match for the tough rubber and heavy nylon found in the best water hoses. If longevity is a concern, we suggest picking up a couple to last you through the summer.
Best Hose Nozzle
When choosing the best hose nozzle, there are two major elements you need to pay attention to. First is water pressure, second is ergonomics.
The best high-pressure hose nozzle is one which has a pistol grip and a metallic composition. These units are by far the most effective for generating pressure in comparison to, say, the turret grip handle or the watering wand.
This is because their lock mechanism is far more secure than their plastic competitors, and their ergonomic fit means you can firmly squeeze the trigger.
To make it quick for you: the best hose nozzle for pressure is both metallic and features a pistol grip.
Best Garden Hose Reviews
Check out the guide below to see how the best garden hoses on the market measure up.
Best Water Hoses
First, we'll start with reviews of three noteworthy water hoses.
GreenPro Rubber Garden Hose
The 2018 Pro Green rubber hose offers a 5-year warranty to go along with its excellent materials – a hybrid polymer with anodized brass ends.
I found it easy to set up, and it holds together well in the long run thanks to its sturdy manufacturing. The Pro Green hose is rated for 150 psi working pressure.
Gilmour PRO Commercial Hose 50 Feet
For gardeners who want maximum durability, you'll find that the Gilmour PRO rubber and vinyl hose can handle just about anything you throw at it.
With 500 PSI burst strength, a crush-resistant brass connection, and integrated O-ring, the Gilmour PRO commercial hose can handle tough jobs. It's especially suited to warm environments with its rubber material composition.
Craftsman Premium Rubber Garden Hose, 50FT.
For a good combination of durability and affordability, the Craftsman Premium rubber garden hose fits the bill.
While the Craftsman hose sits on the heavy end of the weight scale at 10 lbs., you'll enjoy its full lifetime warranty and tough design at a great price point.
Best Expandable Hoses
Next, we'll share our best expandable hose picks.
Ohuhu 100 Feet Expandable Garden Hose
With its fun name – Ohuhu – and highly-expandable design, this hose can handle any garden challenge.
We think you'll particularly like its 8-mode spray nozzle, leak-resistant brass connector, and kink-resistant capabilities. Best of all, the Ohuhu hose won't slow you down at a mere 2.68 lbs.
Quality Source Products 50 Feet Expandable
While expandable hoses don't often win awards for durability, we think the Quality Source garden hose will impress you with its multi-layer latex core and distinct lack of plastic fittings.
Brass connectors, kink resistance, and a 12-month warranty for manufacturing defects round out the package.
Hospaip 50ft Expandable Garden Hose
The Hospaip 50 ft. garden hose clocks in at a very reasonable price point while still delivering great value.
While some customers reported leaking, its brass connectors, zinc alloy spray nozzle, and 2750D polyester fabric cover are considered industry-standard when it comes to durability and pressure capability. The Hospaip hose also comes with a free 8-pattern hose nozzle as a bonus.
Best Soaker Hoses
Next up, we'll share the top three soaker hoses.
Gilmour Flat Weeper/Soaker 50 Foot
The Gilmour soaker hose combines a bottom-of-the-barrel price point with above-average features, including a clog-resistant fabric cover, 7-year warranty, and flexible tubing that makes it easy to use for both new seedlings and mature gardens alike.
With a perforated PVC liner and fabric cover, the Gilmour gains resistance against ultraviolet light.
Osmile Professional Series Soaker Hose - 100 Foot
The Osmile soaker hose will make you smile when you realize it can achieve 1 gallon per foot per hour at low pressure, making it great for both the lawn and the garden.
The Osmile includes a ¾" hose connection for maximum compatibility.
Melnor Flat Soaker Garden Hose; 50 ft.
Melnor offers a 2-year limited warranty on this flat soaker garden hose that measures in at 50 ft.
We particularly appreciated how easy it's stored thanks to its flattening capability, flexibility, and rust-resistant end cap that allows for easy connection to standard garden hose thread.
Best Lightweight Garden Hoses
The next three products are our picks for the best lightweight garden hose.
Forever Steel House (50') 304 Stainless Steel Garden Hose
The Forever Steel Hose garden hose offers a stainless-steel take on the classic garden hose formula.
We've truly never seen anything like it. With its flex ridge design, it avoids kinks and tangles, and there isn't anything out there that's going to puncture stainless steel. Best of all, it weighs in at 5.3 lbs.
LawnTEC LawnPRO 50' Expanding Garden Hose
The LawnTEC LawnPRO 50-foot garden hose weighs in at under 2.5 lbs., making it a great choice for gardeners who need a durable product that's feather-light.
With copper fittings and steel assembly clamps, the LawnPRO hose can handle the toughest garden conditions. Plus, it's all backed by a 12-month manufacturer's warranty.
Growfast Garden Hose, 100FT Expandable Lightweight
The most durable lightweight hose on this list is the Growfast Garden Hose. It's a 100-ft. expandable lightweight hose that weighs in at 4.76 lbs.
Even at this light weight, it still packs brass connectors and a durable latex material for puncture and tear resistance.
Best Hose Nozzle
Of course, the nozzle also matters. Here are our top 3 picks.
Homitt 10 Pattern Hose Nozzle
The Hommit 10-pattern hose nozzle comes with an adjustable water flow valve, portable lock bar, and a standard ¾" connector designed for all standard hoses in the United Stastes.
Even at its low price point, the Hommit nozzle still packs a punch with 10 configurations: vert, angle, center, mist, shower, rinse, cone, jet, ½ vert, and soaker.
VicTsing Garden Hose Nozzle
The VicTsing garden hose nozzle offers 8 spray patterns, including center, flat, mist jet, cone, shower, soaker, and rinse. Its advanced materials include a metal body and a rubberized outer coating, making the VicTsing easy to grip and slip-resistant.
You'll also get a 12-month warranty and a 60-day money back guarantee.
Gardenite Garden Hose Nozzle
For a heavy-duty garden hose nozzle that can really pack a punch, the Gardenite hose nozzle offers a pistol grip front trigger, a flow control setting knob, and a durable design with 10 configurations.
This nozzle just looks like it's made for tough situations, too.
Best Garden Hose Reel
Last, but not least, our picks for the best garden hose reels out there today.
RL Flo-Master 65HR8 Retractable Hose Reel
A good hose reel is worth its weight in gold, and the RL Flo-Master 65HR8 gets the job done with an automatic guide that stops hoses from overlapping while retracting, a bonus 8-pattern nozzle included with every purchase, and mounting brackets that enable a 180-degree swivel.
The mounting hardware comes included with the package.
Liberty Garden Products 704 Decorative Cast Aluminum Wall Mount Garden House Reel
This reel evokes a sense of Victorian-era sensibilities with an intricate design and bronze texture. Fortunately, the Liberty Garden hose reel combines functionality with form.
It can hold up to 125-feet of 5/8" garden hose and includes a shelf for frequently-used equipment. A 1-year warranty doesn't hurt, either.
Suncast SFB205M 225-Foot Capacity Housemobile Pro Hose Reel Cart
With support for up to 225 feet of hose, the Suncast Hosemobile reel cart (try saying that 5 times in a row) wins our "Most Durable" award in the reel category.
We particularly like its functional design, ability to hold gardening accessories, and sturdy resin for maximum durability.
The Roundup
In the end, the hose you decide on should be one suited for you and your specific gardening needs. However, broadly speaking, the best water hose for backyard gardeners is the Growfast Garden Hose. It's lightweight, sleek, and built to last. Overall, this hose offers a complete package that any gardener could benefit from.


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Military divorces are somewhat more complicated than others because of the special rules and requirements that apply to U.S. service members and their spouses. These differences often create issues pertaining to such things as support, residency or filing requirements, and military pensions. The following is an overview of some of the steps you may need to take when getting divorced from a spouse in the U.S. military.
Get to Know Military Divorce Laws
Unlike a regular divorce, a military divorce is governed by both state and federal laws. Federal laws may impact the division of military pensions, while state laws could change how alimony and spousal support are decided. Look into the applicable laws and seek the advice of a professional.
One outstanding alternative that allows couples to avoid lawyers and courts entirely is to hire divorce mediators. San Diego military couples should definitely consider this alternative before moving forward with divorce proceedings.
Establish Jurisdiction
The court needs the power (also known as the "jurisdiction" or the authority) to grant a divorce and bind the parties to the court's orders. This is easy to determine for civilians, since jurisdiction is generally determined by where the person lives. However, for military personnel, jurisdiction may be the place where the person is stationed or maintains a legal residence.
Be Aware of Residency and Filing Requirements
U.S. military personnel and their spouses basically have three choices when it comes to where they can file for divorce:
- The state where the filing spouse resides
- The state where the military member is stationed
- The state where the military member claims to hold legal residency
You'll need to investigate and determine which of these choices you should make.
Watch for Automatic Stay for Active Duty Relief
Military members who are on active duty have certain protections in court proceedings, such as the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA), which can "stay" or temporarily hold up the entire case if the divorce case was filed while the service member was on active duty or within 90 days from his or her release from active duty. Be careful not to file for divorce during active duty.
Divide Military Pensions and Benefits
Courts look to the Uniformed Services Former Spouses' Protection Act (USFSPA) regarding the division of military pensions and other retirement benefits between spouses in a divorce. Not all states treat military retirement pay as community property, and the USFSPA doesn't say how to divide the amount of retired pay, so the specific state laws will govern. Get familiar with these laws and seek professional advice in your state.
Consider Options for Spousal and Child Support
Special rules regarding spousal support (alimony) and child support exist for the military, and these rules ensure the military member's family support obligations continue even after a divorce or separation. You can seek to have a court enforce spousal and child support by requesting a court order to that effect or by way of wage garnishment or a voluntary or involuntary allotment. You may also request that the court require the breadwinner spouse to maintain life insurance that would cover child or alimony support payments for a certain period.
For couples who want the opportunity to make the divorce process as smooth, respectful, and amicable as possible, there's an amazing alternative to the animosity and high costs of traditional divorce: divorce mediation. San Diego couples can rely on Divorce Options San Diego's experienced divorce mediators to handle every aspect of their divorces, and there will be no need to spend a small fortune on attorneys who are focused on winning instead of ensuring fairness and mutual satisfaction for both spouses. To learn more about how divorce mediation can be the best option for you and your spouse, call the expert mediators at Divorce Options San Diego today at (858) 281-2628.


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We work in partnership with the best machine distributors. In our showroom in Breukelen we have top quality machines from Kees van der Westen, La Marzocco and Unic as well as the Blossom Brewer, a high tech machines for brewing perfect filter coffee.Read more
At the Buscaglione Barista Academy (BBA) we share our passion for Buscaglione coffee with you. Courses from the Specialty Coffee Association of Europe (SCAE) can be followed as well as Buscaglione courses.go to the academy
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Who are we?
Buscaglione is a Roman family business with a long tradition in high quality espresso. Our Dutch team is based in Breukelen.Read more
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Many CIOs are often faced with the challenge of building or upgrading the PMO. There is often a temptation to go for 'best practice'. As result, some CIOs set the goals too high. I have seen many a organisations bogged down with PMO processes that everyone detests but without any improvement in effectiveness. Before we can talk about setting or upgrading PMO, we need to know why your organisation needs a PMO? Because one type of PMO does not fit all organisations.
Why do you need a PMO?
According to the Project Management Institute (PMI), the primary goal of a PMO is to help maximise the value of 'project management' by standardising the practices and consolidating the initiatives across the enterprise. A PMO helps organisation get efficiencies of scale and improve governance of projects. It can help an organisation meet its goals by right project choice, delivery and benefit realisation.
One size does not fit all
While PMOs exist in many organisations they are not all alike. Even the abbreviation PMO can mean a Project or Programme or Portfolio Management Office. Generally speaking, an organisation's maturity in managing small and large projects determines what type of PMO they need. With maturity, the PMO focus shifts from managing projects to governing portfolio of projects for an enterprise.
What are the PMO functions ?
There are different types of PMO. The scope often varies based on its purpose, here are some common PMO functions:
- Monitoring and controlling project performance
- Project tracking, dashboard and reporting.
- Periodic project review.
- Developing Project management (PM) competencies and practices
- Coaching, mentoring, support and training on project management (PM) practices and standards
- Standardisation and continuous improvement of PM practices
- Assisting with business case development.
- Multi-Project Management
- Managing project repository of all projects undertaken.
- Coordination between projects
- Centralised project resource management and allocation (or a pool of project managers).
- Organisational learning
- Monitor and manage PMO performance
- Conduct post-project reviews and audits
- Support the project governance committees
What type of PMO do you need?
Before setting up a PMO, you need to be clear about what type of PMO your organisation needs. If project management practice is ad hoc or lacks a standard approach, then perhaps a Project Management Office is what is needed. Or perhaps a major programme needs its internal project office to help the Programme Director keep control over different aspects of the programme. In a more mature, large enterprise there may be a need to control and manage a diverse portfolio of projects and optimise project investments.
An assessment of the maturity and readiness levels in relation to project management practices and experience ought to be performed to set up a clear baseline. Target levels must align with executive expectations but more importantly make a realistic estimation of the effort required to close the gaps. In my experience, gradual steps that increase transparency and allow the organisations to learn and see the benefits are more effective than accelerated programs.
Defining PMO Role
Once you understand what is needed, it is important to clearly define the PMO purpose and its role. Greater clarity about what the PMO is trying to do, how it will work and who the stakeholders and sponsors are, would improve the chances of success.
Mission: It describes what PMO does, how and for whom in simple language. It may be something like "Our PMO establishes and supports project methodology to enable us to deliver projects faster, cheaper and with high quality".
Strategy: It describes the key strategies the PMO will use in achieving the mission. For example the strategies may include agreeing a project methodology, training and supporting stakeholders to apply the methodology and ensuring preparation period project status reports. Adopt a phased approach and try not to do too much in a year.
Reporting: Focus on what is important when deciding what measures to report on. Measures around (plan-vs-actual) scope, schedule, budget, resources and quality are important to project managers and for governance. Consistent definitions of status (Red/Amber/Green) are important. Reporting should not become a burden and needs to be meaningful to the governance committee. For the reports to be meaningful, PMO must make sure that the data is correct, timely and complete.
Sponsor: Many PMOs become ineffective due to lack of sponsorship. PMO brings new methods and disciplines. Establishing PMO is a change program. There is often resistance to change. An effective sponsor is needed to champion and enforce the new way of managing projects.
Stakeholders: Many people often underestimate the range of stakeholders who are affected by the PMO. Other than the obvious project managers, often project sponsors and others involved in project initiation are affected. Project steering committee members may start seeing modified reports. The methodology may ask for scope control or risk assessments, which may be new. Education of the stakeholders is a key to PMO success.
Project Governance committee: A PMO usually operates under a project governance committee. A key function is to update the committee on project progress and health of the project portfolio. This enables better project governance. Governance committee consisting of key executives from IT and business areas are more effective than IT only committees.
Funding: Like any project, defined budget and resources are needed for PMO. It is better to start with modest goals and a budget to match. PMOs that try to do too much too quickly often fail as the stakeholders cannot keep up and get frustrated.
Staffing: Small PMOs may start with just one Project Officer. However, typically a leader and support staff are needed. Some organisations see PMO as a centre of excellence for Project managers and recruit experienced PMs into PMO.
More tips for success
We have already talked about having realistic goals based on the understanding of the current level of maturity and readiness levels. In addition, consider the following:
- Treat PMO as a change Program: Do not under-estimate the impact of this change and the likely resistance from existing project managers and business sponsors. Having an executive sponsor plus the CIO in your court is important.
- Adopt a simple methodology: Even if your goal is to set up 'best in class" methodology, start implementation with only a few core elements of this methodology. Where multiple methodologies are being practiced, agree standard reporting templates, key milestones and key approval stages first. When these are in place, gradually increase consistency.
- Focus on outcomes: Too many PMOs spend a lot of energy in processes, tools and methods. It is better to focus on creating greater visibility of project performance and helping improve governance effectiveness. Ensure that extra work demanded of project managers is worth the benefits and is not a burden.
- Assess progress and promote success: Periodically take stock to check what is working and what is not. Get feedback from the practitioners and the governance committee and make adjustments. Communicate your successes.
PMO is not a "one size fits all" proposition. Depending on your organisation's needs and readiness, you may need more or less advanced PMO. No matter what PMO you choose, having a clear purpose, strategy and sponsorship is critical. Adopt a phased approach and take small steps. Treat the PMO establishment as an organisational change program and you are more likely to succeed.


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This Week's Public Picks
The Public's weekly local music reviews and previews.
Video: "Burned Alive" by Ugly Sun
Recommended if you like: Beach House, Wild Nothing, DIIV
The new video from Buffalo trio Ugly Sun comes for their track "Burned Alive." Not quite as violent as the name would imply, the song is still a driving indie-rock banger. The video features some gnarly motorbike riding, fireworks, beer chugging, and more general suburban mayhem.
Album: 3 by Jawbone
Recommended if you like: Suuns, Beak>, Deerhunter
A new EP titled 3 by the band Jawbone mysteriously and unceremoniously emerged through local indie rock imprint Steak & Cake records this week. The band features Adam Steinbrenner, Elias Van Son, label head Brandon Schila, and Benjamin Randall belting out odd, discordant, and scenic indie-rock. The five song EP includes highlights like the brief yet satisfying weirdness of "Never Enough," the more driving, structured "The Whip," and wandering album closer "Spread."


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The Lightly-Armored Adventurer
TL;DR For light armor to be viable, it must impact stealth.
For stealth to be viable, you must get XP from GP.
For XP from GP to be viable, base it on dungeon level, not monster level.
In "Clones and Rules, Inside and Out," from the blog Semper Initiativus Unum (which will appear on my Friday list), Wayne R. describes some differences between Swords & Wizardry and Lamentations of the Flame Princess.
His points about treasure being based on Dungeon level versus Monster level make a lot of sense to me, for the purpose of exploration.
I think he's right.
When treasure is based on a monster's level, players have every reason to go after tougher monsters. If the treasure is based on the dungeon's level, the players will instead want to delve deeper to get at the better treasure.
Furthermore, when it's a given that players will need to fight monsters, either to get treasure or gain experience, they'll want the best armor they can afford.
Back in September, Peter Dell'Orto wrote about how it's difficult to get players to ditch their heaviest armor ("Armor, Travel Speed, and Players"). And he's right. Why would the players want lighter armor? They're going to fight.
The two points are related.
If the players' stealth is penalized by heavier armor, they'll only care if stealth is a viable option for gaining treasure and experience. It isn't about surprising monsters, it's about circumventing encounters.
Because if you ever get in a fight, the advantage of wearing little or no armor is lost completely. Because the advantage is not being penalized for stealth.
And that's the critical divide.
If you get the majority of your treasure and experience from killing monsters, you have "solved" combat. You always want the best armor, the best weapons. Because combat is inevitable. There's no reason to avoid it.
If instead you get experience based on the dungeon's level, then you want to make it down a few floors as quickly as possible. You want to avoid traps and monsters so you can grab the best possible loot you can find.
That's the excuse for having "way too tough" monsters for an area (to reward clever players for avoiding them), and also to ensure that combat is never "solvable." There will always be something beyond you.
You can still load up on the best armor possible, and just . . . slog your way through fights. But it's a losing battle.
Because you can't clear a dungeon.
There will always be more monsters.


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Like coffee from 7-11 or that one song by Collective Soul, there are just some things you're embarrassed to like. For me, for a long time, NBC's Today show was one of them. A few people know I watch, but I don't publicize it (or at times, even admit it). I just really like Matt Lauer's interview style — is that so wrong?
Well move over, anchormonkey. As the big draw to morning television, you've been replaced. According to the Today show site, weatherman Al Roker recently adopted a 10-week-old puppy. Pepper, as they've christened her, comes from Pennsylvania's Main Line Animal Rescue. And yep, that's the same group Oprah Winfrey worked with several years ago to expose puppy mill atrocities.
So he had me at rescue, but I'm also delighted by Roker's follow-up comment: "This is the kind of dog I used to make fun of … not a real dog."
Why? Because it shows he did his research. He talked to the shelter (as Main Line founder Bill Smith confirmed), asked the right questions, and went with a pup that will fit well in his household. Rather than looks, purebred pedigree, or any other random criteria that don't really matter, he selected the animal based on his family's routine and lifestyle.
Congrats on your new addition, Al — hope it's sunny skies from here on out. Of course, it's a puppy, so there's probably a chance of sprinkles.


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Baby got back — to brown roots, that is.
Kim Kardashian, a honey blonde since the birth of baby North West in June 2013, flaunted a newly dyed 'do on Instagram Sunday.
"I'm back," the 33-year-old captioned.
While logic suggests Kardashian simply wanted a surprising first-of-the-month selfie, rumor has it the dark locks portend an appearance in Vogue. What's more, according to Jezebel's "well-placed source," it may have already happened.
"They're in LA shooting her right now," said an unknown tipster on Sunday.
Does this mean Kanye West will finally get his way? The rapper's campaign to get his fiancée on the cover of the hallowed glossy is the stuff of legend, and most recently he was mad about Lena Dunham's cover girl appearance.
But Vogue Editor-in-Chief Anna Wintour's Kardashian contempt is just as legendary, so only time will tell.