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Workshop: Women in Biomaterials Science
Organizers:Prof. Maria Chatzinikolaidou, Prof. Joelle Amedee, Prof. Pamela Habibovic, Prof. Regine Willumeit
Chairs:Prof. Joelle Amedee, Prof. Pamela Habibovic, Prof. Regine Willumeit
Invited speakers:María Vallet Regí, Complutense University of Madrid, Spain
Anna Tampieri, Institute of Science and Technology for Ceramics, Faenza, Italy
Maria Ginebra, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, Barcelone, Spain
Annelie Weinberg, Medical University of Graz, Austria
Theme of the workshopA special session for women in biomaterials science and engineering is intended to promote interaction across various cultural and gender boundaries and facilitate dialog among women and men working in the field of biomaterials science. Our goal is to increase awareness, promote a tone of inclusion that enhances professional development and generates innovations that positively impact the broader community.
This special event presents a timely discussion of issues facing women in the biomaterials science and engineering professions. Attendees will have a great opportunity to network with distinguished women in biomaterials science from around the world.


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I sort of forgot about this little blog of mine and decided to see if it was even still available! So I've spent the afternoon going over all of my past posts and I can't believe it was Christmas of 2012 since I last posted! Wow, So Much Has Happened since then! For those of you that I am friends with on Facebook, most of you know what's been going on the last couple of years. My intentions are to start this blog up again, so I can communicate better with close friends and family, and those who want to keep up with the Snyder Times! Not to mention, writing has always been therapeutic for me and allows me to go back and reflect.
To catch everyone up since 2012, I will back up and try to cover the top events of the last 2 years. Shortly after we got back from Kaston's Make-A-Wish trip, one of the biggest blessings ever came into our lives. More about that later. In June of 2013, we had the opportunity to go to San Diego, CA for a much needed family vacation for a few days. We were still dealing with the death of Bob's mom Debbie and taking care of his dad and his high medical needs, along with maintaining 2 households. It was amazing and we had so much fun being on the West Coast and getting to see the Pacific Ocean when Bob had just first seen the ocean only 6 months prior on Kaston's Make-A-Wish trip! And ever since Debbie's passing, his dad, Drew had been in very bad health due to unmanaged diabetes. Unfortunately, July 3, 2013, Bob's dad, Drew, passed away. Bob found him at home in his bedroom. His kidneys had failed him. So we planned yet another funeral during the summer. 4 funerals in 4 summers in 1 family. The Boxwell Brothers have been amazing to our family, but just as Bart told us, we really hope we don't see each other for a very long time.
A lot of you may not know this, but Bob has been surrounded by an incredible amount of death in his life and his dad's took the cake. When Bob was 14, his only sister tragically died in a car wreck. She was 16 years old. Over the years other great-aunts & uncles passed along with Debbie's parents, as is expected as people get older and most people experience. In 2006, his biological mother passed away at age 53. In the summer of 2010, his grandmother that he was extremely close to and spent his childhood summers with passed away. In the summer of 2011, Debbie passed at age 59. In the summer of 2012, Debbie's brother Gary passed away at age 61. In the summer of 2013, his dad Drew passed away at the age of 60. And of most of you may remember, not even two months after Drew passed away, Bob's 25 year old brother Matt was in a terrible car wreck that almost killed him. He is still recovering a year and 4 surgeries later. To say that a black cloud has been hanging over this family is an understatement…not to mention Kaston's near death experiences when he was a baby with his heart condition. So we pledged and prayed that 2014 was the year of the Snyder's. And we made it through the summer without anyone dying or having to attend a funeral! It was a much needed relief for our family and our kids. Besides Kaston being born with his medical issues and the amount of stress that brought on our family, those 3 years were the very hardest times of our lives and our marriage. If our marriage can make it through those situations, I have no doubt we can get through anything! The demands of caring for dying parents is excruciating. And we are young. Most people do not have to do this so close together and at this age. Maybe one parent dies tragically or unexpectedly, but to have 3 parents die so young and so close together is unusual. And we finally feel like we have some normalcy in our lives now. After thousands of dollars spent on attorneys fees trying to settle both estates, and paying two mortgage and maintaining 2 households for 3 years, we are getting closer to being finished. We finally were able to clean out his parent's house and get it ready to sell and is currently on the market. Our realtor has been showing it non-stop for the last week and we actually have an offer on it. Just waiting for them to accept our counter offer. Once that is complete, hopefully that chapter of our lives will be closed and we can continue on with the wonderful memories that we have of his parents.
So, let's back up to our blessing that was brought into our life in January 2013, shortly after we were home from Kaston's Make-A-Wish trip! Some friends introduced us to something that has allowed us to travel the world this year. It's hard to go into detail about it, because there's just so much to it, but it has allowed us to have a life I have only dreamt of and still have to pinch myself some times! It has taken some mental changes on our part and made us get outside of our comfort zone a little bit, but we have dove head first into a life changing thing! It is a great place to be in at this time of our lives and we have grown so much over the last year just from the personal development we have gone through. Our dreams are becoming realities. Kaston's Make-A-Wish trip opened up something in us we never really had, nor knew what we were missing. We simply didn't know what we didn't know. The desire to travel.
This year has been filled with many firsts and allowed us to start checking off things on our bucket lists! I have been on an airplane more this year that I have in all of my previous years combined! Beginning in January, Bob and I spent 5 days in Louisville, Kentucky. It was a great getaway for us and we enjoyed our time at the Jim Beam and Maker's Mark Distilleries, along with our tour of the Churchhill Downs. In March, we embarked on an amazing journey together and travelled the Atlantic and spent 10 days in Ireland. I can't even begin to describe what an amazing time we had there! The pictures do not do it justice. We will take our kids there when they are a little older. We topped it off with 2 days in London. I fell in love. We will take our kids there someday too. The kids and I spent a few days in Ruidoso, NM with my family for my grandmother's birthday, Bob & I went to Indianapolis, Indiana in June for the Mended Little Hearts Conference, Las Vegas in July, and then add in a couple of trips to Dallas/Ft. Worth, Oklahoma City, and Possum Kingdom along with a lake trip to Lake Tenkiller in Oklahoma and I'd say we had an incredibly busy summer traveling and blew the last 3 summers out of the water! We ended it with a 8 day cruise out of San Juan, Puerto Rico in the Caribbean just a couple of weeks ago – St. Thomas, St. Kitts, St. Maarten, St. Lucia, and Barbados were our ports of call. WOW! We had an amazing time and it was the kids first time to travel out of the country! The water and beaches were amazing, the cruise itself was unforgettable and I can't wait to have to opportunity to go back to the Caribbean and stay on my favorite island…St. Maarten! We have made friends with people all over the country and met some amazing people from other countries – the people of Ireland are the friendliest by far!
We have some big trips coming up for 2015 and I can not wait to have them on the books permanently! Just trying to figure out when and where, but it's gonna be another epic year for our family! I guess when you go through what we've gone through, priorities change. Cleaning out Bob's parents house was very emotionally draining. They worked their entire lives for a house full of stuff that had no value. The only thing we wanted to keep were the things that had memories attached to them. And there were so many things we simply just had to get rid of. An entire, albeit short, lifetime of working 40-60 hours a week for a house full of things. Oh how I wish we had more memories with them. More peak life experiences shared with them. Because in the end, that's all we really have.
I want to show our kids the world. I am so glad we said "yes" to an idea that we weren't sure of but took a leap of faith. And man, it has sure changed our lives for the better. Bigger things are coming our way and our future has been changed forever. It's a really good place to be at and I thank God every day for placing such an amazing opportunity in our lives. It's crazy how God likes to give you the desires of our hearts…we just sometimes have to ask. And it may not be anything you ever expected, but you know it when you see it. It's hard to believe that He has placed the people in our lives that he has and that we have had the opportunity to meet the people we have. And I know this is only the beginning.
Homeschool is going well and it really fits our family and our family perfectly. We have so much freedom and this new lifestyle fits our schedule nicely!
Of course, there's so much more that has happened, but these are the biggest things that have impacted our family the most over the last couple of years. I hope to be able to keep this page updated more frequently. We have some big things coming up that I will share with you later, so until then…

subset: commoncrawl


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Diabetes Screening
Tests Included
Overview of Diabetes Screening
What is Diabetes Screening?
India has now been branded as the "Diabetes Capital of the World" and thousands of people are being diagnosed with this condition every-day. If diabetes is diagnosed at the right stage, many problems related to it can be prevented. This profile is for screening diabetes in a person. It is highly recommended for people who have strong risk factors for diabetes and heart disease like a family history of diabetes or heart disease, obesity. In addition to this, this profile can also be used to monitor the blood glucose levels in a patient with diabetes & diagnose complications that can develop in a diabetic patient.
Preparation for Diabetes Screening
- Do not eat or drink anything other than water for 8-12 hours before the test.
Sample Type for Diabetes Screening
The sample type collected for Diabetes Screening is: Blood
Tests Included in Diabetes Screening(2 tests)
- Glycosylated Hemoglobin
- Glucose - Fasting Blood
Provided By


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|Eli Zaretskii
|Re: [Savannah-help-public] What gave Moheb Missaghi Emacs write access?
|Fri, 28 Jan 2005 13:51:47 +0200
> Date: Wed, 26 Jan 2005 20:31:33 +0100 > From: Sylvain Beucler <address@hidden> > Cc: address@hidden, address@hidden > > As far as database is concerned, the user is added to your group, but > as pending, so he is 'part' of the group, but the Savane software > consistently avoid taking pending users into accounts. > > If you think that's not clear and could be improved, I suggest you > send a bug report at http://gna.org/bugs/?group=savane :) I tried to send a bug report, but it looks like I need to be a registered user of that site, and my Savannah username is not valid. How can a mere mortal submit a bug there? Did I miss something?
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Monday, January 5, 2009
Feeling a bit guilty that I was knitting furiously for the in-laws, I asked my mother if I could knit anything for her. Assuming she would like a scarf or hat or gloves or something normal. She chose this Alan Dart cat (feck, in finding that link, I see that he now sells it himself. Grrr). Took me 100 years and fifteen million failed auctions on ebay to get the pattern, and OMG what a pain in the arse to knit all the little bits. And he looks odd, which of course my mother pointed out. And he doesnt have any whiskers. Which was also pointed out. I am not sure I want to grace my blog with him, but I think all that work deserves some record.
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Architecturally designed and sun kissed, 'Footprints' is one of a kind. This free standing home offers a versatile, low maintenance Lennox lifestyle and is immaculate throughout. Completed in 2013 this home presents as brand new and will appeal to empty nesters and investors alike.
Designed to capitalise on the fabulous northerly aspect with extensive windows, this home is drenched in natural light year round. The expansive open living space flows to the elevated, covered deck which has an uninterrupted direct line view of the ocean.
Bespoke features include corrugated laser light ceilings, full colour ocean themed glass panel wall in shower area of master suite, open tread timber and frameless glass staircase and a vibrant, summer colour scheme.
This fabulous 'beach shack' sits comfortably on the quiet side of Byron Street (entry via Dodge Lane) on a level, easy are landscaped 300m2 block - no need for a mower!
If you desire an easy, village lifestyle call Lois today to arrange an inspection.
Features include:
Award winning (HIA Townhouse Awards 2014) dual level, bespoke home on 300m2 block
Lower level:
2 spacious bedrooms, both with ceiling fans and built in robes and high ceilings
Contemporary bathroom complete with frameless glass shower and integrated cabinetry
Oversized DLUG (too nice for a car!) can easily convert to another living space + European laundry
Additional carport parking for 2 cars
Easy care gardens surround property
Upper level is a vast open space comprising of:
Oversized master suite, ensuite with bespoke shower area, built in mirrored robes & separate toilet
Kitchen with modern appliances, ample bench space and breakfast bar
Living and dining area flows to large timber deck with glass fencing
Abundance of large windows for capturing NE sun
Back to base alarm system
2 X Hot water systems
Efficient gas heater maintains a temp of 24 degrees
Built-In Wardrobes
Close to Transport
Close to Shops
Alarm System
Close to Schools
Water Views
Ocean Views


text:
Wineries in Merlot Wineries in Millthorpe
Bantry Grove
in Sauvignon / Fume Blanc Wineries, Pinot Noir Wineries, Pinot Grigio Wineries, Merlot Wineries, Chardonnay Wineries
Bantry Grove Wines produce beautiful cool climate handcrafted wines from the region of Orange. Our award winning vineyard offers a variety of complex wines carefully nurtured by grower Terrey Johnson.
25 Victoria St
Millthorpe, New South Wales 2798
Review This Winery


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"Bad Boys".
If you're a woman, you may be voice communication "hmmm" as you hear these lines. You cognise you shouldn't, but you a moment ago can't aid yourself.
There is retributory SOMETHING in the region of these guys that draws you in, even as your leader tells you to "beware"!Post ads:
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So, what precisely is the attraction? It's not necessarily that they are much physically personable or smarter or much elated than the "nice guys". In fact, they can have a reduced amount of of these qualities, yet be harder to refuse.
So what is it? Let's initiate by process these guys. This possession is unanimously practical to males who immoderation women under the weather. Do these behaviors cling a bell?
*calling at 8:30 on a Saturday night to ask if you deprivation to get togetherPost ads:
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*not screening up for a date- followed by no cell phone call for or apology
*never having any legal tender when you are out
* forgetting or ignoring your day of remembrance and another impressive dates
*flirting blatantly with separate women when you are together
*hitting on your biddable supporter(s)
*making stolen property calls at 1am, after they've had a dark out beside others
*is doing case for a sedate felony
Instead of asking "what is it astir these guys"; let's as an alternative sound what it is around the women who can't escape them. The consequent are actualized statements from women who have a what went before of charm to these guys. See if any of these grumble used to.
* "It's ne'er BORING next to him. He's freakish and tickling."
* "He's strong, self-assertive and self-assured; I feel unhazardous beside him."
* "It's not his fault; he's maddening to get his natural life together."
* "I haven't met any person else that makes me perceive the way he does."
* "He's so interesting and aflame."
* "He tells me how substantially he likes me, so he essential really have a feeling thing for me."
* "He wishes me."
* "He doesn't locomote crosstown as impoverished and despairing."
* "I can't allow I've attracted organism like-minded him."
Now, on the external body part of these, they give the impression of being beautiful benign. We all motion at lowest possible a few of these traits in the men we opt for. So, where's the problem?
Essentially it's in his knowledge to assemble the woman's central inevitably. She is the one doing all (or most) of the bighearted. The give somebody the third degree after lies in; "what's in it for her?"
The reply can be found by exploring 3 radical issues:
*level of self-esteem
*capacity for intimacy
*roles that she has been in through her life
If a female feels best about herself, she chooses a officer who communicates some vocally and non-verbally to her that she is valued and valued. She won't let this another someone to threaten her appreciative self-worth. She believes in her facility to play a part in a healthy, interactive tie.
If she doesn't touch appropriate going on for herself, she chooses cause who reinforces her distrustful self-beliefs.
If a woman is efficient of apodictic intimacy, she is spread out to the factual availability of the other than personage. She wants him to be a full up and active participant in the understanding. She can allow herself to be open, defenseless and able to take as powerfully as to get all that honorable intimacy offers.
If intimacy is difficult, she pick out mortal who is distant, demanding to affix next to and not showing emotion and/or evidently untaken.
If a female has had a fit role in her interaction since childhood, she will decide on cause beside whom she can keep on this growing relationship.
If a woman has been too long-range in the role of rescuer, professional person or the one who sacrifices for the apposite of others, this will belike be the office she will motion out in her contact.
Fortunately, supreme women autumn somewhere in concerning on these issues. So the project is to measure up to yourself in respectively stretch and determine on a course of study of goings-on that will comfort you to select a "nice guy", who stirs your senses and meets your inevitably time person truly open for a valid empathy.
Begin beside an estimate of what you convenience best in existence and cannot dwell short.
Go to for an nonfictional prose on "clarifying and aware your values".
Once you cognise what is furthermost principal to you and suppose that you are magna cum laude of achieving it, you will have understood a giant step towards uncovering the permission spouse for you.


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The narrow path was trodden with scores of tracks, winding around the old bleached skeleton of a fallen tree, coming up out of the deep thickets and crossing this old lane - then heading out toward the agricultural fields. Just ahead another trail …
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The narrow path was trodden with scores of tracks, winding around the old bleached skeleton of a fallen tree, coming up out of the deep thickets and crossing this old lane - then heading out toward the agricultural fields. Just ahead another trail led up from some impenetrable briar patches. This was a good sign.
I was making my way along an old lane that I had cut into the thicket some years before. It was overgrown now but still passable enough to walk. There were rubs on some of the saplings along the trail.
My progress was slow and deliberate. I wanted to look this area over carefully, and I had my rifle with me if anything appeared.
The wind was in my face, and I was headed through these woods to one of our stands situated toward the back of the property. I was actually hunting my way toward the stand and gathering some MRI (most recent information) along the way.
Portions of the property have been flooded the last few winters, and we have had some good duck hunts here. This year has been dry, and I was taking the opportunity to do some scouting on the deer movements.
The lane that I was walking down ended just ahead, and I needed to get to the more open woods that lay beyond. Thickets and briars blocked the way. I didn't want to turn around, and I didn't want to make a lot of noise crashing through the tangles. Another deer path just ahead offered a route.
This path led through the briars into the edge of the sawgrass flats. The area is an old Carolina Bay that had been partially drained many years before. It is the only section of the property that hasn't changed in more than 50 years. The ditches aren't deep enough to completely drain this area, and it holds water - most of the time.
The ground was soft and moist but not boggy. Many deer tracks were punched deep into the black earth. More saplings in this area showed scars from bucks rubbing their antlers against the soft bark. I was pleasantly surprised.
Just ahead was a mixed grove of big loblolly pines and hardwoods of oak, sassafras and sweet gum. The understory is open here, and sight distances are greater. I stopped and stood for a while, looking.
Squirrels scampered along the ground and up and down the tree trunks. Birds flitted among the branches. A soft blanket of pine needles carpet the forest floor here. It is a remote area, and it is a beautiful place. I just stood in one spot and took it all in for a long while. There was no hurry.
The stand was just ahead in a big pine, and I eventually headed in that direction. I noticed a new scrape under a scraggly holly bush. A buck had recently marked his territory here, and his tracks were left in the soft exposed ground.
At the stand, I tied my rifle to the pull-up cord and climbed the ladder to the seat. I took my backpack off and hung it on a screw-in hook. From the pack, I removed my jacket and binoculars. I laid the jacket across the seat and hung the binoculars on the same hook, then I sat down and pulled the rifle up by the cord. I could see the corn pile and mineral rock at the end of my shooting lane out front.
The wind was from the north and blew my scent straight back in the direction that I had used to approach the stand. Perfect.
Shafts of sunlight pierced the canopy of the timber and slanted through the understory to the ground below. To the north, a large bean field glowed in the golden light and stretched off into the distance. Unseen blue jays called from the treetops.
I sat for about an hour looking and listening to the woods and marveling at the changing light. When the sun dipped below the trees and the light retreated across the bean field I decided to head back out. I wanted to go out by a different route and wanted to go before it got too dark to see.
From the pines, I headed back through the hardwoods toward the truck. The woods here are dominated by large hardwoods, cypress trees and an occasional pond pine. I was delighted to see all the young cypress trees scattered throughout the woods. They were easy to see with their cloak of copper-colored needles in stark contrast to the gray boles of the hardwoods. One day I think they will dominate these woods.
At one spot, I noticed that a buck had rubbed and broke several of these small cypress trees. I wasn't happy about that. Look out buck! I've got some MRI on you.
Reach Dan Geddings at firstname.lastname@example.com.
More Articles to Read


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I converted the Roundhouse 2-8-0 into a VR V Class, the last members of which were just hanging on into Glenburn's era. I walked through the conversion process in the VR Enthusiast Forum. If you want to know more on how it went and the changes made it can be found here:
Nb. You don't need to be a member of VRE to read this, but will need to join if you want to comment.
I have taken some pictures of the V in service on the "Latest Updates" page:
Here's an overview of the changes made in comparison with the original RTR model.


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Cooper is our 9 week old bloodhound puppy. Cooper loves anything and everything that he can bite or chew. He is getting to know his furry brother and sister (our bassett hounds, Tucker (11) and Mollie (6). Cooper is our little bundle of kisses and energy and we are crazy about him.
The Cutest Puppy
I'm Roscoe. I was adopted by my family from a rescue group in Connecticut when I was a little over a year old. I have to admit, I didn't have the best behavior when I first got to my new home but with my mom and dad's patience, some training and lots of exercise, I've grown up to be quite a gentleman. I even passed my Canine Good Citizen Test this year! My mom was so proud. I like to spend my time taking long walks and using my nose to sniff anything and everything. When I'm not doing that, I like to take a good long nap. I'm a good traveller, too. I once went on a ...
Bacon is a very lovable dog. We adopted her about a year ago. She is turning 3 this year. She has a very relax personality, and she looves everyone. She loves toys, but they don't last very long. Just this winter we found out how much she loves snow. She's also a lapdog, suprise! if you sit on the ground she'll come up and sit down on your lap. it's the cutest thing. She loves other dogs, she can never get enough playing time in


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We have a great selection of sought-after luxury properties, a network of local representatives with first-class real estate throughout Switzerland, and select properties on offer across the world – including Monaco, UK, France, Corsica and Brazil.
Whether it's a castle, farm, vineyard, wine cellar, hotel, mansion, old town villa, new town villa, chalet, ski chalet, mountain chalet, house, land, commercial property, apartment or loft you want to buy or sell, Quality Living can help you do just this.
If you are not a Swiss national and are looking to purchase a property in Switzerland, we strongly advise you to contact us regarding the key legal and tax facts to enable you to make an informed decision. We could also introduce you to a trusted law firm.
Contact us if you would like to see the brochure we designed for a luxurious house on Lake Léman landscaped by the award-winning Irish and international landscaper Martin J. Hallinan and furnished by the globally renowned collector, antiquarian, interior designer and curator Axel Vervoordt.
© copyright 2009-2012 - Quality Living, Geneva, Switzerland. Web site by d-eco creative.


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DoIT Academic Technology provides countless opportunities to gather on campus to learn and discuss a variety of topics. This includes pedagogical discussions and technology demonstrations through Faculty Engagement programs, learning technology trainings from Learn@UW, on-campus sessions for Information Technology Academy scholars, technology workshops from Software Training for Students and special campus events we host or co-host. See the below calendar for upcoming events.
- This event has passed.
Assessment — Teaching Effectively in Canvas
May 16, 2017 @ 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm
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A Teaching Effectively in Canvas workshop, the Assessment session helps you develop and apply smart assessment strategies to your course objectives. Learn to get and give good feedback that strengthens student learning through proven methods of distributed practice and low stakes assignments — and do it more efficiently than you imagined, in Canvas! Participants will learn and evaluate approaches and discuss realistic application using a variety of Canvas tools including rubrics, Speedgrader and peer evaluations.
- Canvas Tools Addressed: Speedgrader, Rubrics, Peer review & grading, Quizzes, Gradebook.
- Teaching & Learning Principles that Benefit Students: Formative & Summative feedback, a better understanding of content-specific systems.
- Administrative Principles that Benefit Instructors: Faster grading, Useful feedback for assignment design, Cohesive grading systems.
- Post-Session: Individual consulting in your Canvas course after the session.
Teaching Effectively in Canvas is a new Faculty Engagement program designed to help make good teaching easier for instructors. It is comprised of four guided face-to-face workshops, with multiple sessions offered of each workshop. Each of the two-hour workshops focuses on a different aspect of teaching and learning and the Canvas tools that align with them, with activities designed to guide instructors through the creation of necessary elements. See all sessions scheduled for May 2017.


text: SOUTH BEND -- Left-handed pitcher Angel Rocha, who just finished serving a 100-game suspension for violating baseball's drug policy a second time, has been activated by the Arizona Diamondbacks and placed on the South Bend Silver Hawks roster effective immediately. Rocha was suspended for testing positive for steroids. Rocha pitched in South Bend in 2004 and 2005, He was 2-1 last season with a 6.98 earned-run average in 13 games. He was suspended for 15 games last season for his first violation of baseball's drug policy.


text:
Which fuel drives your dollar further?
You're parked on the filling station forecourt: it's fuel watch central. You want some cheap fuel. There are four different flavours of petrol - and four different petrol prices. It's the ultimate grudge purchase: if you don't buy petrol, your car becomes furniture - at best, a modern art masterpiece. You're face to face with the fundamental first-world dilemma: Which petrol is really cheapest? Which fuel drives your dollar further? Let's find out.
See also:
- How to slash your fuel consumption >>
- What makes up the price of petrol in Australia >>
- Petrol Vs diesel >>
- Why official fuel consumption tests are rubbish >>
Our way of life revolves around petrol prices. We are all fuel watchers, to some degree.
Fuel consumption is one of modern life's most fundamental exchanges: Money in exchange for miles - cash for kilometres, for the metrically minded.
People obsess about petrol prices. Which is why I got a call from the news director at Channel 7 in Sydney the other day - Australia's premier TV news network - he said: "Do you want to figure out petrol prices?" I said: "OK."
The back-story on petrol prices
You, presumably, are a human being. Me too (more or less). In the modern world, we're on top. And I like being on top. A lot. But we are not on top because of our big brains. Dolphins have big brains, and yet they end up in our tinned tuna. So that's not it. And it's not our thumbs - they certainly make it easier to spank the monkey, or choke the chicken, whatever - but if it was just about physical attributes, I think I'd rather be a lion, or a grizzly bear. Or a wolf. And they're not on top, either.
BELOW: On top, or not
We're on top because we burn. It's all about fuel consumption - access to cheap fuel. Global superiority is all thermodynamics. We burn considerably more energy from cheap fuel than we derive from our food. We are the only species on earth that does this. Collectively, every year, we burn a cubic kilometre of dead dinosaurs' dongers. (Actually it's just dead plants, cooked into crude oil over geologic time, unless you're one of those creationist nuts.) Fuel consumption - access to cheap fuel - puts us on top.
Our access to energy from cheap petrol and diesel is a complete brain bender. It allows us luxuriate in Costa Del Sol, to litigate, we've got the Internet, serial murderers, Kim Jon Un, and the hydrogen bomb.
Just four reasons why it's fun to burn, below
It's a lot of diversified fun to burn cheap fuel. Fun and fuel consumption are inextricably linked.
You enjoy unprecedented mobility as a direct consequence of fuel consumption: us taking 'fire' to the next level. It's all about access to cheap fuel. Seriously. Think about it. You have, today, the kind of mobility that a Roman Emperor or an Egyptian Pharaoh could only dream about after snorting the best drugs.
Your bomby old Toyota Camry full of cheap petrol can take you up to 100 miles per hour without too much effort. You can travel halfway around the planet in a day. Fuel consumption is awesome.
It's a lot of fun to burn cheap fuel. But I bet you don't jump out of bed each morning, do a quick 'fuel watch' assessment, confirm your species' position (still on top) and riff a bit of air guitar because cheap fuel makes you more mobile than Tutankhamun could ever hope to be.
I bet instead you bitch about petrol prices … you ungrateful asshole.
The petrol prices test: who, what & how
Here's what we did with fuel consumption and petrol prices, plus how we did it, and what it means.
First up: the car. New Hyundai Elantra. 2.0 multi-point injected petrol auto. Hyundai whipped up Pete - red-hot technician - and Pete whipped in a special fuel tank, and that allowed us to eliminate all kinds of fuel consumption uncertainty. We could do low-volume, controlled, repeatable petrol re-fills: dead easy. And, to boost our fuel consumption experimental controls, we used a controlled one-kilometre track at the Western Sydney International Dragway, and another secret weapon: Ian Luff - the Luff Man - Australia's pre-eminent advanced driver trainer. He plonked himself in the Elantra and drove like a fuel consumption robot - a robot with Miss Daisy in the passenger's seat.
Above (left to right): The new Hyundai Elantra, Hyundai's master technician Pete, installing the tank, and the Yoda of advanced driver training, Ian Luff (drivetosurvive.com)
Reporting about petrol prices and fuel consumption on TV is so glamorous. You go to all the best places. It's just awesome. I can't work out if the high point is getting high on the smell of garbage from the dump next door to the dragway. (And I love the smell of refuse in the morning. It smells like journalism…) Or perhaps the true glamour was collecting the petrol prices and the fuel samples themselves.
Anyway, you know you're a star when you collect the fuel samples and deliver them to the corner penthouse of garbo central for a day of garbage-snorting, fuel consumption goodness.
So glamourous.
I turn up with five litres of e10 fuel, and 91, 95 and 98 petrol, and the respective representative petrol prices. Plus a calibrated scientific measuring cylinder that allowed us to deliver controlled volumes of each of the fuel samples with a measurement accuracy of about plus or minus five millilitres - which is way better than one per cent accuracy in these fuel consumption tests.
I take an average of the respective petrol prices and I work out how much petrol one Aussie dollar buys of each of the four fuels - a minimum of 740 ml of 98 octane premium and a maximum of 870 ml of e10.
Then we prime up the lines with the target fuel, run the car to get that fuel all the way into the engine, shut down, pump all the residual fuel out of the special tank, tip in the carefully measured control volume of the required test fuel, zero the trip meter, and then the Luff robot takes over, and drives until … dry tank; dead silence. We note the distance and go again … times four fuels. The definitive guide to fuel consumption and which fuel actually drives your dollar further.
The test results
The fuel consumption results lined up pretty well with the theory. Premium 98 delivered the best fuel consumption (in terms of the volume burned per distance driven), followed by premium 95, regular 91 and e10 fuel with the highest consumption - and that's exactly what established combustion theory tells us to expect.
So: No nasty little surprises there. But this wasn't a test of that thermodynamic theory - it was really all about the economic rationality underpinning fuel consumption.
It gets interesting when you factor in the price. Regular unleaded fuel - the 91 octane stuff - took us the furthest on $1.00 in fuel. Premium 98 octane operated at an 11 per cent fuel consumption disadvantage - at least in terms of how far every dollar takes you. Premium 95 octane was eight per cent behind the eight ball and e10 fuel lags by about four-and-a-half per cent.
I've previously done a full report on high octane fuels >> and whether it makes sense to use them.
But if all you care about is the cost of getting from A to B, it's fair to say oil companies are grossly overstating the purported benefits of putting premium petrol in average vehicles. Sure - there's a slight improvement in fuel consumption, but it's way more than eclipsed by the fuel price itself. They just want you to buy premium petrol because it pumps up their profits, while delivering almost no tangible benefit to you.
Do you really need premium petrol?
Of course, some cars, typically European cars or high-performance cars, requires 95 or 98 premium fuel. If you own one of those, then you must use that - otherwise you can damage your engine. Just look inside the fuel flap or the owner's manual, and it'll tell you 'premium unleaded only' or '98 only'.
Below: Need for speed (and premium unleaded)
But the vast majority of Australian cars aren't BMW M3s, Mercedes-Benz E63 AMGs or Porsche 911 GT3s - so they don't need premium petrol, and using premium in them is clearly a waste of money. Cheap fuel: the 91-octane regular stuff - is the best deal. Our petrol prices / fuel consumption test proves it.
So: going too high with octane rating: waste of money. Going too low (in a car that actually requires premium): that's really bad - it can damage your engine.
Everything right & wrong with e10 fuel
E10 fuel - notionally 10 per cent ethanol blended with 90 per cent 91-octane regular unleaded petrol - is perhaps the most interesting aspect to this story. Some people say e10 fuel is inferior, or that e10 fuel will damage your car. There's one thing to remember about these kinds of statements surrounding ethanol-blended fuels:
They're crap.
The vast majority of cars manufactured after the 1980s are completely compatible with e10 fuel - and e10 is anything but inferior as a fuel. Ethanol rocks, as a fuel. Most cars actually perform better on e10 fuel, because it's a cheap high-octane fuel. In fact, if they blended it the full 10 per cent ethanol with petrol you'd get a 95 octane performance out of the resulting fuel, and that would make e10 fuel the premium 'cheap fuel' bargain of the decade.
This is something oil companies do not want to do - presenting you with a viably cheaper alternative to 95 premium - so they say e10 fuel is actually 'up to 10 per cent ethanol' in the fine print, and give it an official octane rating of 94.
Petrol price manipulating assholes.
E10 fuel (or, at least, the ethanol component in it) is also locally manufactured - and ethanol keeps our farmers in business. Ethanol keeps agribusiness turning over, transport, logistics, and there are manufacturing jobs at the ethanol production plant. So that's a win. Plus, ethanol is renewable, and it therefore dilutes our growing national dependency on foreign oil - which we should all be concerned about.
Australia imports more than 90 per cent of liquid fuels - petrol and diesel - often from despotic or otherwise geopolitically crackpot countries and regions, and that means our way of life is leveraged against a very fragile fuel supply chain. And adding a bit of local security (energy security) is a great thing. Trust me on this. Personally, I'd be a lot happier if the Middle East had two-thirds of the world's known reserves of grapefruit, instead of two-thirds of the oil … but you don't always get the world you want, sadly.
The only thing wrong with e10 fuel is the price. It's clearly too high. You can speculate about why. That's easy enough.
Oil companies don't really want to sell ethanol - it's hardly their core business - and there's no question if you made them king for a day, they'd shut down ethanol production for everything except beer, wine and spirits. But it would also be nice for there to be more competition among ethanol manufacturers. That would help drive the price of e10 fuel down.
We certainly need more transparency on ethanol pricing, and proof of two things:
- That the price is a fair representation of the cost of ethanol production, and not just riding off the back of petrol's wholesale 'terminal gate' pricing.
- That oil companies are passing on the price of ethanol into the price of e10 fuel without being systematically uncompetitive on petrol prices.
Currently we're flying blind on both counts.
When to use e10 fuel
Our investigation on 7 News proved that fuel consumption increases just over 4 per cent on e10 fuel - so unless e10 sells at a 4.5 per cent discount relative to 91, you'll be doing yourself an economic disservice by buying it. Petrol prices are important to consider, in terms of relative consumption. That means, in ballpark terms, on current average 91 regular unleaded petrol pricing of about $1.03 a litre, e10 fuel needs to be retailing for something like 99 cents a litre or less to make it a compelling commercial choice for average Aussie drivers.
Our regulators need to get into gear and make that happen, because e10 fuel is otherwise a really good idea.
The great Aussie 'petrol prices' conspiracy
There are, of course, some nutbag conspiracy theorists who live on Planet Rip Off - where petrol at any price is just the world government repressing the masses … along with fluoride in the water, the lizard people, immunisation, Roswell, and the faked moon landing.
If you are one of those interesting individuals, I'd like to talk directly to you now.
If you think petrol prices are too expensive, and you live, say, five kilometres from the local supermarket, as I see it, you have, basically, two options:
- Don't be part of the evil petrol price conspiracy. Dust off your trusty wheelbarrow, walk to the shops, load up the produce and … run back (so the ice cream doesn't melt, and so the chicken doesn't rain Tarantino-esque, salmonella-driven hellfire on your sorry, conspiracy-theoretical ass). All-up, it's gunna take you about two hours to do that.
- Jump in your combustion-powered two-tonne envy-of-Tutankhamun chariot - and drive to and from the shops, in air conditioned comfort. That's gonna take you about five minutes each way, and cost you about $1.00 in cheap petrol - which seems beyond just reasonable to me. Because it's fun to burn cheap petrol - I think we covered that.
As always, if you're in the market for a new car, the lizard people and I can sort one for you cheap - we've got a red-hot dealer in Area 51 - it's part of our evil plan to entrap the world - taking control of car companies by dominating demand. That's the plan. You can always contact me here >> to make that happen ASAP. Leave a comment below so the aliens will know who to abduct and probe - they're very good at that. And trust me, ladies: you haven't really been probed until you've been probed by an extra-terrestrial. That's what I heard.
While you're waiting for that particular close encounter, look out for that critical 4.5-cent differential between e10 fuel and 91 regular unleaded petrol. Remember that the relative petrol prices are critical to which fuel you should buy.


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Fit Guide
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Brand: Minnetonka
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With today's technology, business as usual may never be the same and company's like The Concierge Level, now celebrating its 5th year under a new owner, seeks to sooth the transitional challenge.
"So much has changed in technology and in the way we do business in today's economy," says Denise Reed, the enthusiastic owner of The Concierge Level. On the fifth anniversary of her ownership of the company, Reed's award-winning approach to doing business is to see that every one of her tenants in the office suites has the tools they need to excel and grow their enterprise.
The Concierge Level is physically a collection of office spaces located in Republic Centre- a company founded by Linda Chaff in the early 90s. The prestigious address is often the very amenity that Reed's clients are looking for in a business location. The high-rise office building in the heart of the city offers security, incredible views of the city and the fastest elevators in town. It's stylish city club- the Walden Club on the 21st floor-is the scene of many businesses and social gatherings that require privacy, excellent food and attractive spaces for unique events.
In reality however, the company is so much more, says Reed. She has seen a dramatic shift in the way business is done, with smaller, leaner companies, more one-person entities and more global interaction. "The need for branding your company is critical and that is where we can provide assistance," Reed says.
Among the 75 clients she serves both virtually and on-site, are human resources-related companies, including consultants and recruiters in almost every speciality. There are also investment strategists, hedge fund managers, accountants and attorneys of every stripe, from immigration to tax to general practice. There are writers and designers, too. More importantly, clients can get help with almost anything from data mining to Power Point presentations. They may opt to have their telephones answered or not. The use of shared equipment and space including copying and fax machines, shipping services and conference room rental make doing business more efficient and affordable for all.
"What is exciting to our staff is they gain exposure to all genres of business," says Reed. The variety encourages creative thinking and collaboration. It also creates a big picture of the economy. "We're not an incubator, but it happens."
Because of the synergy of a corporate suites situation, small businesses have the confidence to take on new contracts, to brainstorm with other professionals and to polish their business image.
Brent Russell, vice president and financial consultant for Charles Schwab says it was his company's decision to have his office in the suites, instead of a brick and mortar situation. "It makes sense for us," says Russell. "In terms of efficiency in this market it has worked out very well."
Quick to embrace new technology, Reed has an online blog and opens the conference room to what she calls idea factories that are open to the public and are excellent times to explore ways to use the Internet and social media to promote goods and services and build brand awareness.
As for what's ahead, Reed believes telephone technology will undergo powerful changes in the next few years. "The possibilities are unlimited," she remarks almost wistfully. Is it possible to be wistful about the future- if you happen to be Denise Reed, apparently so, says clients.
If small businesses are looking for well-maintained, monitored and secure locations with off-site data backup and layers of extra services, Reed thinks they may be interested in The Concierge Level. "As the name indicates, the staff is there when the small business owner needs it," says Reed. "Actually, we act as part of your staff." She says it makes no difference- a small company may only need help with one huge mailing a year, or it may need help once a month. "A knowledgeable and familiar staff has more continuity than a temporary service. Leasing office space in The Concierge Level is a great value," she adds.
Tax attorney Hal Baxley says he appreciates the supportive atmosphere. He recently completed a sizable promotional campaign and says, "There's nothing like having a strong support system." Clearly Denise Reed enjoys the challenge of meeting the needs of such a variety of companies. "I love to see companies succeed and grow."
Visit www.theconciergelevel.com for more information.
Photography courtesy of The Concierge Level
This story was originally published in the Dec 2011/Jan 2012 Issue of Chattanooga Magazine.


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Try the new Beta.Halton.ca
Halton Region
1151 Bronte Road, Oakville
Ontario, Canada, L6M 3L1
Phone: Dial 311 or
Toll free: 1-866-442-5866
Email Halton Region
Sustainable Halton is a complex technical growth and land use planning project. To help you understand these reports, we have summarized some of the key terms for you.
Complete Communities offer residents the ability to live, work and play in their local neighbourhood. They provide a range of housing options from single family homes to higher density apartment complexes. As well, they are designed to encourage residents to walk and use public transportation instead of cars.
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Landform Permanence refers to the preservation of natural structures such as rivers, lakes, moraines and hills in urban environments for the benefit of the urban and natural environments.
For example, in Halton Region, Landform Permanence refers to the need to permanently protect landforms such as the Trafalgar Moraine, which contains the headwaters for six creeks in Oakville, filters local drinking water and provides habitat for a wide variety of plant, fish and animal species.
Natural Heritage Systems (NHS) are areas of the natural environment where large, core natural areas are linked together using smaller, ecologically stable corridors of natural habitat. Natural Heritage Systems can be thought of as a necklace of large, green "jewels" joined into one cohesive piece by smaller "links" of natural areas.By creating Natural Heritage Systems, we help to reduce the impacts of fragmentation caused by large scale development and provide sufficient habitat to support populations of native plants and animals over the very long term (greater than 100 years).
The term Primary Study Area (PSA) refers to land situated below the escarpment that is recognized in the current Halton Region Official Plan as Halton's prime agricultural land. PSA land is subject to the policies of the Halton Official Plan and its long-term future was determined as part of the Sustainable Halton process.
At Halton Region, we define the term sustainable development with two principles.
For problems or questions regarding this site, please email Halton
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Your Privacy and Our Website Terms of use
Halton Region is composed of
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and the Town of Oakville .
We have redesigned and optimized Halton.ca for a more user-friendly mobile experience.
Go to Halton.ca Beta.


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While searching for information about the psychology behind YouTube, why it has become such a cultural phenomenon, and why we are drawn to this website full of endless videos about nearly any topic under the sun, I came across mainly links to the YouTube website itself. This could be due to the relative newness of the site and therefore little psychological analysis has been completed or just the large amount of videos regarding psychology on YouTube. The abundance of psychology videos includes topics ranging from general lectures to psychology of pop culture and even in-depth scientific explanations of psychological phenomenon. While some people can easily spend hours on YouTube at a time searching through an unlimited supply of funny videos, the average YouTube video gets only 20 hits in the first month. (Robertson) Because the creators of the site made it easy to upload any kind of videos you'd like, many users upload videos not for the purpose of obtaining "hits" on their video but to send home video updates of their children to relatives or to upload a class projects, where the only views are likely to be classmates and teachers. Only around 1% of videos get over 500,000 views. (Robertson) While YouTube has the capability of reaching information overload, in which users are overwhelmed by the enormity of data offered by the site, users seem to enjoy the amount of information available to them with just a push of a button. The site also serves as an instructive interface in which "how to" videos teach viewers skills ranging from makeup application to self-defense moves. Most videos employ strategies including: the "cute factor," humor, evoking an emotional response, or music. (Cashmore) However, there is no tried and true formula for achieving YouTube success. Videos that are bizarre and offbeat often top the charts in popularity. The unpredictable nature of the website keeps viewers coming back for more and is a large factor in the site's success.
Works Cited
Robertson, Mark R. "Average Number of Youtube Views In First Month." ReelSEO
Video Marketing. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Nov. 2012.
Cashmore, Pete. "YouTube: Why Do We Watch?" CNN. Cable News Network, 17 Dec.
2009. Web. 08 Nov. 2012.


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Hello there!
It has been a few weeks now without a word of us so here I am again. A lot of stuff has happened outside the game that consumed most of the time spent, however, it was all part of starting work on milestone 2.
The most important bits: I have re-done the website. Along with it, I ordered a new server on which I set up all the infrastructure for developing the game once again. That was a very time consuming task but now we have a shiny new and clean box at our disposal. For those of you knowing me from the CanaryMod project: That is why the canarymod.net site is currently down. I'm awaiting a response from the new domain owner.
Anyway. Have a look: Playblack.net
Now to gather some proper in-game screenshots.
Development wise, we also started on milestone 2 tickets.
Since we're using Unity 5 now, I re-wired the savegame system dramatically so it would load prefabs via the AssetBundle API instead of the Resources API. That means we don't have to load all the things into memory all at once and as added bonus, loading of save-games is now asynchronous, which means it feels more fluid.
Additionally there has been work to account for "fixed time situations". That's, for instance, inside dungeons and houses, where the time should not pass but stand still. Of course this leaves a large gaping hole for a lot of feature creep but I'll do my best not to let it in all that much. But the thought of mechanics to manipulate time is tempting!
Also, the sound system got a bit of refreshment. It too loads its audio clips from asset bundles and can be spoken to via the event system we're using.
Next thing in line: Getting some proper in-game material going. Then it's time for a new indiedb page. I think before that there will not be enough stuff to show off.
That was it for today folks, thanks for reading


text: Hello, I recently bought an Wifi+3G 16gb iPad, and after jailbreak, there are some packages that i cannot install, because of conflicts with some "gsc.wildcat". After some googling, I find out that you could fix this by adding that "wildcat" thing on the K48AP.plist and rebooting. The problem is: i already did that, and the problem persists… Already tried restoring, I'm using FW 4.3.1. Any ideas? Thanks.


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Jasmine V Breaks Down Her Beauty Look from the Padres Game
Jasmine V has treated us all to a full tutorial on her beauty look from her recent appearance at the Padres game earlier this month and it's about the only beauty routine we'll be using all summer long.
The 23-year-old singer, and face of Wet 'n Wild cosmetics, broke down how to get her natural and gorgeous look in a new video on Instagram.
"Jasminators! you asked for it, here it is! My step by step makeup look from my performance from the Padres game," Jasmine wrote. "Since it was a day time event I tried to keep it simple and fresh. All the makeup is of course from my favorite brand @wetnwildbeauty :)"
Here's the Natural Look Step By Step breakdown: Foundation: Glam Maker 8-in-1 BB Cream in Medium/Deep; Brush : Foundation Brush; Eye shadow : 10-Pan Studio Eyeshadow palette in Coming in Latte (used a lot of its gold shimmers and browns); Brushes: Large Eyeshadow Brush + Crease Brush; Eye Liner : On Edge Cr�me in Carbon My Reach; Mascara: Max Volume Plus mascara in Amp'd Black; Concealer: Coverall Liquid Concealer Wand in Fair; Highlighter: To Reflect Shimmer palette in Boozy Brunch + Mega Glo Highlighting Powder in Precious Petals; Brushes: Blush Brush + Fan brush ; Lipstick: Naked Protest Velvet Matte Lip Color in Shelly Shocked; Lip gloss: Mega Slicks in Cherish
Watch the vid below!
Posted to: Beauty, Jasmine V, Jasmine Villegas


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I don't know how to pitch. While I have pitched articles in the past, successfully and not, I have found that what usually ends up being sent out reads more like a personal note, introducing myself, and talking about something about which I am super excited. As someone who has never made a successful living wage off writing, I honestly cannot ascertain whether this is an appropriate approach (given that my pitching and writing have often been delayed by both a lack of self-confidence driven by depression), but since my work was recently featured in Five Out of Ten, I figured I would give some insight into what I pitched there, as I find the topic itself fascinating.
So, if you are unfamiliar, Five Out of Ten is a magazine about the culture surrounding games, interested in critical talk about not only the games themselves, but their fit into the society in which they live. From my understanding, it's aimed to give someone who's not very familiar with games an entry point for discussion and food for thought. I cannot say whether it's been successful, largely because those who are my friends and to whom I introduce such to, even if they aren't people who play games, are interested in that discussion already, and have a place from which to engage.
So, as to what I pitched:
My name is Denis, and I have been writing about games for a few years. Below please find a representative sample of my work (which should tell you more about me than any words I could put here):
With the Galaxy in Flames, My Video Game Hero Finally Came out of the Closet
Queer Characters: BioShock
The last of those is perhaps of most interest, as I wish to write a feature exploring what exactly gender means in a digital world. When we are given the choice of choosing our character's creation, gender does find its way there, and it limits us in interesting ways that tell us quite a bit about how we view gender itself. Which is a bit daft, isn't it? Excepting a few games (and of particular, recently), the gender really seems to have little to no effect. I don't ever see my digital penis, vagina, or whatever genital configuration I may have, and yet it seems my gender and sex must always align, yet when I am asked my gender, it always refers to my sex. So it seems a bit silly to make me go through these rigid gender binaries.
Which is why I want to write a piece not only exploring gender in a digital age where my genitals don't matter, but to take it a step further and look at how this systemic boundary frees me in how I can view sex and break those definitions entirely. Who says I am a woman? The fact that I say I am? So do drag queens, and I would write a diary-like feature from the perspective of a drag queen and king (why should only one gender have all the fun?) going through a few character generators, making pointed comments that hopefully illuminate how much symbolism we put in even the most physical of attributes we give our characters. Ideally, it would make a larger comment about how our genital configuration only matters in the rarest of circumstances (depending on how much one enjoys sex with varying partners), and that the entire face of gender should be however the person wishes to express themselves, and how games offer a perfect teaching moment.
The types of games I wish to explore would include at least one MMO (I am thinking either Star Wars or Guild Wars 2), one RPG (one Bethesda and one BioWare, preferably), and then Sims 3. The idea would be to keep it light and entertaining, free of jargon, but still making an overall point of the entire idea of coding gender is very telling of how we see gender in real life, despite the fact that it can be as mutable as sex for some people.
My piece did not really end up like the diary I imagined. One, I had done it with Pokémon and as Erik Hanson of Gamers With Jobs can attest, that was often not on time because it required not only my critically thinking about what I had encountered in the game (viewed through a lens of subverting gender), but treating it as a creative endeavor. Two, the second piece I was being asked to write asked me to contemplate a current issue in games and offer a Player's Guide, so to speak, to understanding the issue. My pitch for that?
The current games landscape is no the games community with which I grew up. I grew up playing games with my mother, and all of her online friends, who were women, black, gay, bi, and every stripe of diversity you could imagine. We did not call each other faggot, we supported each other, and when I came out, my first forays into such were in an MMO, because I felt safe (further making an argument for MMOs as a place to discover our identities by reinventing ourselves). Depending on how personal a piece would be acceptable, I could trace my interactions with online games, from BBS staples, to MUDs I later dialed into, to the earliest MMOs and how that progression has changed over the years.
This took MMOs out of the consideration of my main piece.
Now, it just so happened that I managed to win a copy of XCOM from Bit Creature around that time, so it was heavily on my mind, especially as I did end up playing it using drag conventions. My male soldiers were named after female games people, my female soldiers named after the male games people. It being fresh on my mind, I used it as a jumping off point, then referenced my experiences with Pokémon, and continued on with The Sims and making larger statements about gender and beauty constructs in games. I addressed both men and women, largely because while I can speak about how we sexualize women, I know from experience how the ideal male shape has shaped my own perceptions, especially as someone who sees his presentation ranging the gamut from butch to femme and places beyond quite frequently (the author picture I provided Alan can be used for reference).
The second piece came out pretty much how I expected, however. In some ways, it feels like pieces I've written before, but weaving them together and making an argument from a different angle. EA recently had an LGBT meeting where they discussed, among other topics, how toxic the online environment can be. It's honestly what keeps me from many games, because I have no patience for others' obstinance and poor behavior. Therefore, while I discussed gender, and my own love of playing around with it, the second piece is far more personal, as someone who grew up as a teenager playing various games in the BBS/MUD/MMO space. I love the genre, and yet I hate what it can become.
So, there you have that pitch. I like what I wrote, and I feel glad to be featured along some truly excellent pieces (honestly, I had never thought specifically that way about fate, videogames, and tragedy; we do need more pieces exploring gender and sexism in series like Silent Hill; and there's plenty more to munch and chew on). If you'd like a copy, please go ahead and buy one; the funding model is such that the contributors split the proceeds (minus operation costs), so in a way, you'll be directly funding my work.
Thank you!


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About Vashon Community Care
Located on beautiful Vashon Island , VCC is much loved by our residents and our greater island community.
Welcome to Vashon Community Care – You've Come to the Right Place!
Located on Vashon Island in the heart of the Puget Sound, VCC offers living experiences that are just right for you or your loved one. Featuring Assisted Living, Skilled Nursing, Short-Term Respite Care, and Outpatient Rehab and much more, we will continue to work closely with you and your family to make sure you have the most comfortable and enjoyable experience possible.
If you are not sure what services and living options are right for your situation, contact us at (206) 567-4421 or by email to assess your unique needs and we will direct your inquiry to the appropriate department manager.


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A Social Network for Navy Veterans of the United States of America
I was in VT-26 Tigers from February of 77 to December of 78.
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As part of its efforts to produce technologically advanced youth, the students at the Department of Crop Sciences, College of Agricultural and Marine Sciences at SQU are exposed the latest intriguing crop production technologies, particularly when the country is having limited precious water resources and soil/water salinity is on rise. At SQU, students have successfully grown lettuce, strawberries and few other low stature vegetable crops using vertical farming methods. This technology carries equal opportunities to grow certain crops from home scale to industrial gardening.
Dr. M. Mumtaz Khan, Associate Professor in the Department of Crop Sciences, said that vertical farming is a way of growing various food crops, largely horticultural crops within skyscrapers, abandoned warehouses, shipping containers, vertical and inclined surfaces. The concept of vertical farming started to attract attention in the beginning of the twentieth century. The modern concept of vertical farming is achieved through controlled-environmental enclosed conditions. However, the prime concern is making sure that the production system is economically and environmentally sustainable.
According to Dr. Khan, the increase in global population and shrinking land mass around the planet has forced stakeholders to think quite seriously on the issue of increasing global food supply with less area available. The idea is produce higher yields on a per unit available area. Thus, vertical farming is the idea of exchanging land for value, "sky scrapers and space".
Vertical farming requires specialized architecture e.g. construction of small to large scale structures equipped with controlled environment, hydroponic facilities and efficient recycling of unused nutrient rich water. Greenhouse gardening technology systems developed and paved the way forward for the modern concept of vertical farming. This type of farming is acclaimed by the communities and entrepreneurs throughout the developed and economically advanced countries.
Vertical farming offers benefits to protect crops from weather calamities. Crops being grown outdoors in traditional rural areas often suffers from perils like temperature, rainfall, hail, storms, floods, forest fires and severe drought etc. For example, India, Bangladesh, Thailand and others regions are frequently hit by torrential rains and floods causing huge losses to crop and economy. However, crops in vertical farming systems are protected against extreme climatic conditions. It also saves fossil fuels used in agricultural machinery for the cultural practices. Thus, less fossil fuel burning reduces global warming due to lesser greenhouse gas emissions. In controlled environment, there are few insect pests and disease invasion and they are easy to control. It is useful in producing chemical free food products through minimizing the use of insecticides or fungicides etc. Extinction of useful insects or small animals due to gigantic chemical use in open field is lessened in protected agriculture.
In contemporary agriculture, extensive application of chemicals has caused serious consequences to soil, water and air contamination. It has been reported that food produced with unwarranted chemicals are harmful to human health. In vertical farming food production is increased significantly without disturbing the ecological system. It can also generate employment opportunities in urban areas and can guarantee uninterrupted supply of food to urban societies.
Dr. Khan further said that there is criticism about such production systems. It needs more energy for heating/cooling and lighting the production system which will increase the cost of production and consequently also increase the product cost. The system installation and sky rocketing prices of real estate in urban areas will make it a more expensive enterprise, which ultimately increases the cost of production. In vertical farming, a continuous supply of water is required.
However, Dr. Khan concluded that the future prospects of vertical farming look promising particularly in the wake of ever growing world population. It is estimated that the percentage of urban population will increase from 50.46% in 2010 to 68.70% in 2050. It is expected that world population will continue to increase. World population growth and the need for food security, a healthy ecology and climate, human health and nutrition and other similar factors makes the vertical farming technology a valuable future farming technology.


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My sketch pen is not a sword, it's my friend.
Searching for new ideas is an endless process.
Here are some of his cartoons.
[The Common Man] from India can survive without water, food, light, air, shelter!
After Slumdog Millionaire won the Oscar XD
On democracy.
Each morning I grumble, I plan to resign as I drag myself to office. By the time, I come home I like my work!
My common man is omnipresent.


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Boko Haram Islamists Tie, Slash and Drown 48 Fishermen in Borno State
Boko Haram Islamists kidnapped 48 fish vendors in Borno State this week. The terrorists tied them up, slit their throats and drowned them in a lake.
The Bangkok Post reported, via Religion of Peace:
Boko Haram gunmen killed 48 fish vendors in Nigeria's restive Borno State, near the border with Chad, the head of the fish traders association told AFP on Sunday.
"Scores of Boko Haram fighters blocked a route linking Nigeria with Chad near the fishing village of Doron Baga on the shores of Lake Chad on Thursday and killed a group of 48 fish traders on their way to Chad to buy fish," Abubakar Gamandi said.
He said the insurgents set up a barricade at Dogon Fili, 15 kilometres (nine miles) from Doron Baga, and stopped a convoy of fish vendors around midday, slaughtering some of them and drowning others in the lake.
"The Boko Haram gunmen slit the throats of some of the men and tied the hands and legs of the others before throwing them into the lake to drown," Gamandi told AFP by telephone from Maiduguri, the Borno state capital.
Doron Baga, 180 kilometres from Maiduguri, is the base of the Multi-National Joint Task Force (MNJTF), comprising troops from Nigeria, Chad and Niger fighting the Islamist group.
The MNJTF was formed in 1998 to fight trans-border crime but its mandate was expanded to tame the Boko Haram insurgency in the volatile region.
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Jordin Sparks Starts a Revolution
Jordin Sparks is a sight to see as she appears at Vision East Expo for Revolution Eyewear in New York City on Saturday.
It's been a whirlwind for J, 18, since winning American Idol. She had to be persistent, however, as she initially turned down by Idol!
"I went to audition in LA, because it was the closest audition city to Arizona. You have to go through a couple auditions before you get to Randy, Paula and Simon, but I didn't even make it past the first audition in LA! I was told that I was really good and they really liked me, but something was missing. I went back home and did this thing called Arizona Idol, and as a prize I won a trip to the next nearest audition city, and that happened to be Seattle. This time I made it past the other rounds and finally got to the judges. The rest is history!", said Jordin.
More pictures of Jordin Sparks starting a revolution…


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One of the most popular sportscasters in our region, Northern News Network's Rocky Erickson has been responsible for the play-by-play coverage of over 1500 high school and college ball games since he began his career in broadcasting in 1982. As News Operation Director, Erickson provides a network of over 50 Montana and Wyoming radio stations with sports programming that includes Colorado Rockies Baseball, Denver Broncos Football, a daily regional outdoor program, a daily rodeo feature, and for his Montana listeners, his own "Montana Sports" program which he produces himself each weekday morning.
Regular listeners of "Montana Sports" are continually amazed by the historical detail and human perspective that Rocky Erickson brings to his show. A walking encyclopedia of Montana athletic history, Erickson features the voices of dozens of guests on his show each month, along with the scores and the highlights of Montana sporting events, large and small.
Raised on family's eastern Montana wheat farm at Vida, Rocky Erickson graduated from High School in Wolf Point and received his degree in Telecommunications from Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia. During 10 years with the Enterprise Network, Erickson worked for their stations in Glendive and in Billings, where he was Sales Manager for KURL Radio. Rocky and his wife Kristi have two children and continue to make their home in Billings where he still does free-lance sports casting.
Rocky Erickson is a seven-time winner of the "Montana Sportscaster of the Year" award from the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association, solid evidence of the respect that his peers have for his work! Features Erickson has developed on the Northern Sports Network include special network broadcasts of the Montana/Wyoming High School All-Star basketball game and the historic Shrine Football Game.
No wonder listeners have come to depend on Rocky Erickson as "the Sports Authority" in Northern News Network Country!
Return to Meet Our Staff


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Ben Isitt
Councillor Ben Isitt
1 Centennial Square
Victoria, BC V8W 1P6
Phone: 250.882.9302
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Neighbourhood Liaison
- Oakland Community Association
Regional Service and Civic Committees
- Greater Victoria Harbour Authority
- Greater Victoria AIrport Authority- Airport Consultative Committee
- CRD Regional Water Supply Commission
- Urban Food Table
- Honorary Citizens Committee
- Active Transportation Advisory Committee
- City Family
Ben Isitt was first elected to City Council and the CRD Board in 2011 and re-elected in 2014 and 2018. He holds a PhD and an LLB and has taught history, international relations and labour studies at UVic, UBC and Simon Fraser University. An award-winning historian, author and community advocate, Ben has written several books that challenge how we think about BC politics and Canadian and global history, including From Victoria to Vladivostok: Canada's Siberian Expedition, 1917-19 (UBC Press) and Militant Minority: British Columbia Workers and the Rise of a New Left, 1948-1972 (University of Toronto Press).
Ben's involvement in civic politics builds from his long-standing commitment to social justice and environmental protection. He has volunteered with residents and organizations on grassroots campaigns for worker rights, peace, indigneous rights, the abolition of poverty and racism, and protecting our region's forests and farmlands from urban sprawl. Ben's research on housing, regional land use and public education build on this community work. He combines professional and volunteer expertise with hands-on experience working with Victoria's street community as a Housing Support Worker with the Victoria Cool Aid Society.
Ben lives in the Hillside-Quadra neighbourhood and enjoys spending time with family in the outdoors - hiking, canoeing and backcountry camping. He has travelled to more than 70 countries for work and pleasure, gaining a deep appreciation for the world's diverse cultures and natural beauty.Go to Top


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Two Details Individuals Do Not Really Comprehend In Relation To LASIK Eye SurgeryThe eye can be taken a look at with relative ease regarding both its function and its structure. A functional evaluation includes the ability to relocate the orbit and the reaction of the student to light and lodging.
The function of the eye might be evaluated in numerous ways. The patient might be asked to identify illuminated letter or items of differing sizes on what is referred to as the Snellen chart.
Conversely, the assessment of the structural part of the eye might be made in a number of methods. Stress within the eyeball is measured by a "tonometer." In particular illness, particularly in glaucoma, the stress in the eyeball is increased considerably.
Nevertheless, it ought to be well bore in mind that a client with an eye issue might have other problems also. Typically other physical conditions are primary and impact the eye as a repercussion. The look of the eye can alert the patient and the physician to difficulties in some disruptions of other parts of the body even prior to other signs provide themselves.
One's reliance on sight is highlighted when one deals with a short-lived or possible permanent loss of this important sense. When restorative procedures are sought, certain forms of vision correction such as contact lenses or spectacles are recommended.
On the other hand, some people are troubled with that they have some framed lenses or contact lenses in front of their eyes.
For this factor, advanced surgeries were developed to motivate reduced utilization of contact lenses or glasses. Among which is the now popular LASIK eye surgery.
Basically, LASIK eye surgical treatment is the short-term for "Laser-Assisted In Situ Keratomileusis." Like its concrete equivalent, LASIK eye surgery is another type of vision correction. The only distinction is that with this kind of surgical treatment, one's vision is remedied completely.
With LASIK eye surgical treatment, the refractive mistakes in the cornea are completely changed. This can be done using an "excimer laser."
The primary purpose of this surgery is to develop a threadlike, rounded "flap" in the cornea utilizing a blade referred to as "microkeratome." In a series of unfolding and laser processing, the cornea is finally reformed, permitting better the eye to direct more light into the retina.
Appeal vs. Disadvantages
Amidst the growing appeal of LASIK eye surgical treatment, there are still disadvantages that people need to know. Most likely, the main reason that this type of eye surgical treatment has ended up being well accepted is because most of its cases had actually achieved success.
In spite of its success, there are still some drawbacks. Here is the list:
1. It is an operation applied to the most sensitive part of the eye
Because LASIK eye surgery includes the operation of the retina, which is among the most sensitive portions of the eye, the majority of people state that the operation can be really dangerous.
Simply puts, a basic error might nearly cause an individual's life time loss of sight. Thus, it is necessary to think about lots of factors prior to choosing whether LASIK eye surgical treatment is the right corrective measure one has to go through.
2. It is not a best treatment
LASIK eye surgical treatment might correct your vision but it does not necessarily imply that it can give you a perfect vision. Even if analytical reports show that 70% of the patients may have 20/20 vision, this does not always indicate they have ideal vision too.
Offered all these things, it can be deduced that, in spite of the popularity of the operation, LASIK may not always be the ideal eye surgery the method the majority of individuals why not check here view it
Alternatively, the evaluation of the structural part of the eye may be made in a number of ways. It should be well remembered that a client with an eye problem might have other issues. Typically other physical conditions are main and affect the eye as a effect. The appearance of the eye can inform the client and the doctor to difficulties in some disturbances of other parts of the body even prior to other symptoms provide themselves.
Like its concrete counterpart, LASIK eye surgery is another type of vision correction.


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Liberty CEO: Malone is no Redstone
Suggests broadcast could emulate cable netsNEW YORK -- Liberty Media chairman John Malone's debt and liquidity position isn't as difficult as that of Viacom Inc. and CBS Corp. chairman Sumner Redstone, Liberty president and CEO Greg Maffei said here Wednesday.
"I don't think it's an issue -- or a Sumner Redstone issue," he told the UBS Global Media and Communications Conference.
Malone recently had to sell Liberty shares to cover margin calls, but Maffei said his boss has continued to reduce his debt as of late. Malone's overall net worth is in the billions of dollars, Maffei said Wednesday.
He also expressed confidence in QVC's ability to avoid running afoul of its debt covenants. That would become a risk if operating cash flow trends deteriorate much more from current levels, but he promised management would keep a close eye on the situation given nothing is certain in the current environment.
Maffei also had very strong words on the current advertising environment and the challenges for local TV stations and the broadcast business model in general.
"The ad market is horrible," Maffei told the UBS crowd in his early-morning session Wednesday. He highlighted how local TV stations are under pressure amid declining auto ad sales and how the number of auto dealerships is likely to fall in the current climate. Besides cable networks, Liberty owns a TV station in Green Bay, Wisconsin. "It's a very tough business," Maffei said about the station business.
He also said broadcast networks and stations may have to change in the future and may want to basically become like cable networks.
Asked about that suggestion by reporters after his conference appearance, Maffei said broadcast networks like CBS can continue to focus on getting retransmission money and work with stations, but may do better as cable networks. He pointed to ESPN getting rights to ballgames, arguing that the business model works out better for the Disney cable powerhouse than for broadcast networks.
Overall, the economy is putting a drag on key Liberty businesses, but most are holding up well.
"We are blessed at Liberty" for being less exposed to ad revenue than other media giants given that it has strong subscription and transaction businesses, Maffei told the UBS conference.
Still, the Liberty CEO said in the current economic environment "it is a very difficult environment for almost all businesses."
Things are "very tough" for a business like Liberty home shopping channel QVC, according to Maffei. The products it sells are nice to have, but not must-haves, he explained. For example, at current gold prices, jewelry is less attractive, he explained.
Meanwhile, Starz is holding up well as it hasn't seen any decline in premium services momentum yet, and DirecTV is exceeding market expectations, Maffei touted the strength of other key Liberty assets.


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Startup managers know it can be challenging to keep your team motivated—especially when you can't offer them a mind-blowing salary. We get it: it's hard enough getting your job done when you don't have other people to hold accountable. But don't worry. You can inspire your team to accomplish their goals and responsibilities without holding a million dollars in front of them. And we'll tell you how.
Show your team you care about their happiness and wellbeing
One sure-fire way to inspire your team to work hard is to show them that you actually care about them. Go figure; nobody wants a manager who doesn't seem to care at all about their employees. So, ask your team how they are doing—and show them you sincerely care!
Tell them how important it is for them to take care of themselves, and be understanding and compassionate if they tell you they are not feeling well. (In other words, don't be a jerk about it!) Your team will become more open and honest with you about how they are feeling if you show them that you genuinely want them to feel accepted. Make yourself available. Don't just say it, mean it. Offer up coffee meetings, live the open-door policy and answer your phone.
Avoid meeting for meeting's sake
Sure, ditching the formalized team meetings sounds appealing. Studies show that hosting numerous meetings a week is a pretty big waste of time, especially if the meetings are just for information-sharing. If your team seems burnt out and stressed about meeting, rethink why you're meeting in the first place. Sometimes a simple check-in on projects and goals is sufficient enough.
Hosting collaborative discussions and weekly check-ins will help your team loosen up and help you reevaluate your priorities. Instead of spending time prepping for meetings and formally discussing projects, try initiating a group brainstorm session to inspire your team to achieve their goals and work harder.
Create a positive work environment
A dark, negative workplace is not conducive to inspired employees. So why not make your team's work space as uplifting as possible? Natural light, comfortable seating, and background music can help set the mood for positivity and cause your team to actually feel happy to be at work in the office. (Psss – these things don't have to cost an arm and a leg).
Here's the deal: Employees feel happier when their managers are happy, so if you exude positive energy at the office, your team will likely do so, too. Showing your team that you can be upbeat and lively while working will help them feel more comfortable expressing themselves in the workplace, as well. No, you don't have to be a cheerleader. But if you come to work with a grin on your face, chances are they will, too.
Meet them where they are
Not every employee will have the same work style, achieve the same goals in the same amount of time, or communicate the same way. You're leading a team, not an army of robots. Because of this, it's important for you to meet employees where they are. Show them your gratitude and tell each employee how integral their role is to the team's overall success. Make an effort to meet with them one-on-one to discuss their goals, and make it a point to help them achieve them. If you don't, they'll eventually find someone who will.
These small strategies – being positive, showing them you care, creating an inviting work environment – add up and can make or break the difference in keeping people on your team long-term and having a revolving door of people.


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Fall and Rise: The Argenosian Rebellion
The Fall of Argeno
The battle for Argeno's sovereignty can be attributed to little more than a resource conflict and a poorly played game of chess.
A (Not So)Brief History
Argeno was founded roughly a century ago by King Gaelen Gar. He led a convoy of expatriates from the distant land known as The Domain, a fiercely imperialistic theocracy. Seeking freedom from religious oppression, Gaelen bartered his people's exile with the condition that they settle a land far away and rumored to be cursed by the Geda; the all-in-one pantheon of light aspects worshiped by the hierarchy.
Of the three kings of Argeno, Gaelen was the first. His reign was emphasized by pioneering, the striking out into the foreign lands and laying the foundations for the oldest cities and forts in the land. His forces gradually pushed the savage races back into the lands beyond the Argeno Line, a massive wall constructed to bridge the gap between the twin mountain ranges in the midlands. Behind this wall he founded Argen, the Capitol.
In his 65th year Gaelen perished, passing his reign to his only son Edward. Whereas his father had sought to build and maintain what the fledgling nation held, Edward was more militant. He had grown up on the battlefield, pushing the natives back to the wilds and bore a deep resentment towards them. While major engagements had largely ceased, the savages continued to wage guerrilla war against the invaders, and he swore to break them once and for all. During what became known as the Great Purge, Argenosian forces pushed out into the wilderness and crushed the savage races, taking over the vast majority of the lands beyond the Line. With the help of fantastic weapons the natives never stood a chance, which is covered more in the Razorlead Bounty. However, Edward's reign was cut short in his 50th year when he was slain by a Doppelganger disguised as his son, Saul. After much confusion and a nearly fatal trial, the true culprit was apprehended and Saul became king.
Saul Gar was much more peaceful than his father, and had a mind for infrastructure and engineering like his grandsire. With the savages all but eradicated, he set his focus on improving the lives of Argenosians and diplomatic entreaties to what peaceful tribes and peoples remained magnanimous toward them. He oversaw the construction of the Great Reservoir and the canals and aqueducts that became the iconic envy of many a foreign diplomat. His greatest achievement remains to this day bringing running water and sewage to the major cities, and his reign was largely peaceful until the discovery of the Reach.
The Reach and the Fall of Argeno
The nation enjoyed many years of stability under Saul's reign. The economy thrived, mortality rates plummeted and the military shrank. However, the new generation craved the glory that was related to them by their forbears in the tales of the nation's founding, and thrillseekers began to brave the distant mountains in search of adventure. It wasn't long until the Reach was discovered, lying in a basin over the peaks to the east.
The Reach is a mysterious place. Unlike the cold and dismal headlands of Argeno, it is baumy and filled with a variety of spectacular flora and fauna. Springs burst forth from the ground, and the mountains fairly gush with natural deposits of gold and precious gems. Its bounty is only surpassed by its beauty, and within a year of its discovery an expedition was formed to explore… and to exploit. Tragically, they were not alone.
In the midst of the Reach the expedition stumbled into another; an entourage of graceful golden haired elves with striking emerald eyes and a penchant for making demands. Conflict was initially avoided, but the elves ordered the human expedition to return to their homeland and never return to the Reach. They claimed that only they could understand the fey energies that coalesced there, and as such it was their birthright. Each commander refused to acquiesce, and a wary truce was formed until the heads of the respective bodies could make an appearance and discuss the predicament.
Saul Gar himself made the trip to the center of the Reach where he was to meet with the elven head of house; Vagarin Fel'adrim. Many families made up the nation of elves inhabiting the land beyond the reach, but house Fel'adrim was by far the most eccentric of them. Their totalitarian behavior bordered on the insane, and years of inbreeding had exaggerated the worst and best of their attributes; pride and arrogance high among them. In an attempt to embarrass and defame the modest king, Vagarin posited that the fate of the reach should be decided with a simple game of chess between himself and Saul. Little did he know the King was quite fond of the game… and had never lost a match.
It was at this point that grave mistakes were made. Saul considered allowing the game to draw out in an attempt to assuage the ego of his opponent, but the Reach was such a tantalizing prize that he could not leave the game to any shred of chance. He bested Vagarin in 3 moves, and the elf became so enraged that he upset the board and drew his sword to King Saul's throat. In an instant, his bodyguard and commander Hans Ryker beheaded the patriarch with one fell slash straight from his scabbard. In attendance were Vagarin's two eldest sons: Iver and Algol. They calmly informed the King that he should return to his country and prepare for war.
Invasion and Occupation
Months passed and the Argenosian military scrambled to refit. It had been some years since a threat had posed itself, and the veterans of the Purge were all but dead and gone. Most of the men enlisted had never seen battle, and the veterans that remained knew all too well they faced a vastly different opponent than the savages they had slain in days of old. A year later, As King Saul reached the age of 51, the storm broke.
A vast army of warriors flooded into Argeno over the mountains in a two pronged attack. It was discovered far too late that despite House Fel'Adrim's lack of forces and stature, their canny manipulation skills had left Vagarin with an enormous stack of blood debts that fell to his sons. The Argenosian troops, already woefully unprepared were fallen upon by a host of elven conscripts much larger and faster than the ones they had encountered before. With dark skin and hair, they stood 3 heads taller than their cousins, and wore Adamantite battle-plate that their lauded Razorlead weapons could not penetrate.
The first days were costly, but under the masterful direction of Hans Ryker and the veterans under his command the troops quickly began to revise their tactics against the enemy. Despite retaining a competitive stance, the vast array of experience in the Elven generals proved insurmountable. One by one forts and cities fell until House Fel'Adrim arrayed its forces for the final assault on the Argeno Line. Beaten back and facing imminent defeat, Argen defenders slipped back to the capitol the night before the attack to spend one last time with their families, a day that became known as the Night of Passion. The next morning the elves stormed the walls, routing the last of the Argenosian army.
An outright slaughter was not the intent of House Fel'Adrim. Iver's sadistic appetite demanded the very lives of the Argenosians to be lived out in shame. King Saul was made to stand before his people and, while retaining his crown, appoint Fel'Adrim councilors and statesmen, granting them land and title. The country has now lived under the heel of the Fel'Adrim for the last 18 years, harried by the conscripts whose contracts terminate only upon the death of the King. Saul is kept under constant loyalist supervision, and many would-be assassins have lost their lives attempting to end the occupation; Elf and Argenosian alike.
This is the world you live in.


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Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Machine Quilting Nine Patch Friends
Here is what the quilting looks like on the Nine Patch Friends quilt. I finished the quilting so now am getting the binding ready to put on. Will I make my Thursday night deadline? I am working hard to get it done so check back and find out.
I quilted a spiral in the center of the light squares and petal like shapes around it to make it look somewhat like a flower.
With the black fabrics, using black thread and the other dark fabrics in the quilt you really can't see the leaf and vine quilting between the flower shapes. I know it is there though and if you get your nose really, really close you can see it too!
I told you I changed the design I planned for the small border...well here is what I used instead. The design I had thought I would quilt in this area just didn't work so ripped out what I had started to quilt and then stitched this design instead.
For the outside border I again quilted a flower shape with a spiral in the center of the 9 patch blocks and a leafy vine in the black area. I think I am quilting pretty good then Whoops, I get a zig or a zag or a jiggle. I am such a perfectionist that most of the time I would rip those spots out but this time I am trying to ignore them. In the overall picture of the quilt you don't really see those little oops so maybe I am making progress on my perfectionism (don't even know if that is a word.)
Until Later,
Just looked for more black fabric to bind this and wouldn't you know, not enough solid black in the house. Good thing I have to go to Hastings for physical therapy this morning and can buy some. I keep telling myself, "I will get this finished," " I will get this finished."
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