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r/K selection theory
In ecology, r/K selection theory relates to the selection of combinations of traits in an organism that trade off between quantity and quality of offspring. The focus upon either increased quantity of offspring at the expense of individual parental investment of r-strategists, or reduced quantity of offspring with a corresponding increased parental investment of K-strategists, varies widely, seemingly to promote success in particular environments.
The terminology of r/K-selection was coined by the ecologists Robert MacArthur and E. O. Wilson[1] based on their work on island biogeography;[2] although the concept of the evolution of life history strategies has a longer history.[3]
The theory was popular in the 1970s and 1980s, when it was used as a heuristic device, but lost importance in the early 1990s, when it was criticized by several empirical studies.[4][5] A life-history paradigm has replaced the r/K selection paradigm but continues to incorporate many of its important themes.[6]
In r/K selection theory, selective pressures are hypothesised to drive evolution in one of two generalized directions: r- or K-selection.[1] These terms, r and K, are drawn from standard ecological algebra as illustrated in the simplified Verhulst model of population dynamics:[7]
where r is the maximum growth rate of the population (N), K is the carrying capacity of its local environmental setting, and the notation dN/dt stands for the derivative of N with respect to t (time). Thus, the equation relates the rate of change of the population N to the current population size and expresses the effect of the two parameters.
In the etymology of the Verhulst equation, r comes from rate while K comes from carrying capacity. In German, the word for capacity is Kapazität and K stands for the "Kapazitätsgrenze" (capacity limit).
As the name implies, r-selected species are those that place an emphasis on a high growth rate, and, typically exploit less-crowded ecological niches, and produce many offspring, each of which has a relatively low probability of surviving to adulthood (i.e., high r, low K).[8] A typical r species is the dandelion Taraxacum genus.
In unstable or unpredictable environments, r-selection predominates due to the ability to reproduce quickly. There is little advantage in adaptations that permit successful competition with other organisms, because the environment is likely to change again. Among the traits that are thought to characterize r-selection are high fecundity, small body size, early maturity onset, short generation time, and the ability to disperse offspring widely.
Organisms whose life history is subject to r-selection are often referred to as r-strategists or r-selected. Organisms that exhibit r-selected traits can range from bacteria and diatoms, to insects and grasses, to various semelparous cephalopods and small mammals, particularly rodents.
By contrast, K-selected species display traits associated with living at densities close to carrying capacity, and typically are strong competitors in such crowded niches that invest more heavily in fewer offspring, each of which has a relatively high probability of surviving to adulthood (i.e., low r, high K). In scientific literature, r-selected species are occasionally referred to as "opportunistic" whereas K-selected species are described as "equilibrium".[8]
In stable or predictable environments, K-selection predominates as the ability to compete successfully for limited resources is crucial and populations of K-selected organisms typically are very constant in number and close to the maximum that the environment can bear (unlike r-selected populations, where population sizes can change much more rapidly).
Traits that are thought to be characteristic of K-selection include large body size, long life expectancy, and the production of fewer offspring, which often require extensive parental care until they mature. Organisms whose life history is subject to K-selection are often referred to as K-strategists or K-selected.[9] Organisms with K-selected traits include large organisms such as elephants, humans and whales, but also smaller, long-lived organisms such as Arctic terns.[10]
Continuous spectrum
Although some organisms are identified as primarily r- or K-strategists, the majority of organisms do not follow this pattern. For instance, trees have traits such as longevity and strong competitiveness that characterise them as K-strategists. In reproduction, however, trees typically produce thousands of offspring and disperse them widely, traits characteristic of r-strategists.[11]
Similarly, reptiles such as sea turtles display both r- and K-traits: although sea turtles are large organisms with long lifespans (provided they reach adulthood), they produce large numbers of unnurtured offspring.
The r/K dichotomy can be re-expressed as a continuous spectrum using the economic concept of discounted future returns, with r-selection corresponding to large discount rates and K-selection corresponding to small discount rates.[12]
Ecological succession
In areas of major ecological disruption or sterilisation (such as after a major volcanic eruption, as at Krakatoa or Mount Saint Helens), r- and K-strategists play distinct roles in the ecological succession that regenerates the ecosystem. Because of their higher reproductive rates and ecological opportunism, primary colonisers typically are r-strategists and they are followed by a succession of increasingly competitive flora and fauna. The ability of an environment to increase energetic content, through photosynthetic capture of solar energy, increases with the increase in complex biodiversity as r species proliferate to reach a peak possible with K strategies.[13]
Eventually a new equilibrium is approached (sometimes referred to as a climax community), with r-strategists gradually being replaced by K-strategists which are more competitive and better adapted to the emerging micro-environmental characteristics of the landscape. Traditionally, biodiversity was considered maximized at this stage, with introductions of new species resulting in the replacement and local extinction of endemic species.[14] However, the Intermediate Disturbance Hypothesis posits that intermediate levels of disturbance in a landscape create patches at different levels of succession, promoting coexistence of colonizers and competitors at the regional scale.
While usually applied at the level of species, r/K selection theory is also useful in studying the evolution of ecological and life history differences between subspecies, for instance the African honey bee, A. m. scutellata, and the Italian bee, A. m. ligustica.[15] At the other end of the scale, it has also been used to study the evolutionary ecology of whole groups of organisms, such as bacteriophages.[16]
This theory has also been applied to politics, for example, in the book The Evolutionary Psychology Behind Politics.
Although r/K selection theory became widely used during the 1970s,[17][18][19][20] it also began to attract more critical attention.[21][22][23][24] In particular, a review by the ecologist Stephen C. Stearns drew attention to gaps in the theory, and to ambiguities in the interpretation of empirical data for testing it.[25]
In 1981, a review of the r/K selection literature by Parry demonstrated that there was no agreement among researchers using the theory about the definition of r- and K-selection, which led him to question whether the assumption of a relation between reproductive expenditure and packaging of offspring was justified.[26] A 1982 study by Templeton and Johnson, showed that in a population of Drosophila mercatorum under K-selection the population actually produced a higher frequency of traits typically associated with r-selection.[27] Several other studies contradicting the predictions of r/K selection theory were also published between 1977 and 1994.[28][29][30][31]
When Stearns reviewed the status of the theory in 1992,[32] he noted that from 1977 to 1982 there was an average of 42 references to the theory per year in the BIOSIS literature search service, but from 1984 to 1989 the average dropped to 16 per year and continued to decline. He concluded that r/K theory was a once useful heuristic that no longer serves a purpose in life history theory.[33]
More recently, the panarchy theories of adaptive capacity and resilience promoted by C. S. Holling and Lance Gunderson have revived interest in the theory, and use it as a way of integrating social systems, economics and ecology.[34]
Writing in 2002, Reznick and colleagues reviewed the controversy regarding r/K selection theory and concluded that:
|The distinguishing feature of the r- and K-selection paradigm was the focus on density-dependent selection as the important agent of selection on organisms' life histories. This paradigm was challenged as it became clear that other factors, such as age-specific mortality, could provide a more mechanistic causative link between an environment and an optimal life history (Wilbur et al. 1974;[21] Stearns 1976,[35] 1977[25]). The r- and K-selection paradigm was replaced by new paradigm that focused on age-specific mortality (Stearns, 1976;[35] Charlesworth, 1980[36]). This new life-history paradigm has matured into one that uses age-structured models as a framework to incorporate many of the themes important to the r–K paradigm.
|— Reznick, Bryant and Bashey, 2002[6]
See also
- 1 2 Pianka, E.R. (1970). "On r and K selection" (PDF). American Naturalist. 104 (940): 592–597. doi:10.1086/282697.
- ↑ MacArthur, R.; Wilson, E.O. (1967). The Theory of Island Biogeography (2001 reprint ed.). Princeton University Press. ISBN 0-691-08836-5.
- ↑ For example: Margalef, R. (1959). "Mode of evolution of species in relation to their places in ecological succession". XVth International Congress of Zoology.
- ↑ Roff, Derek A. (1993). Evolution Of Life Histories: Theory and Analysis. Springer. ISBN 978-0-412-02391-0.
- ↑ Stearns, Stephen C. (1992). The Evolution of Life Histories. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-857741-6.
- 1 2 Reznick, D; Bryant, MJ; Bashey, F (2002). "r-and K-selection revisited: the role of population regulation in life-history evolution" (PDF). Ecology. 83 (6): 1509–1520. doi:10.1890/0012-9658(2002)083[1509:RAKSRT]2.0.CO;2.
- ↑ Verhulst, P.F. (1838). "Notice sur la loi que la population pursuit dans son accroissement". Corresp. Math. Phys. 10: 113–121.
- 1 2 For example: Weinbauer, M.G.; Höfle, M.G. (1 October 1998). "Distribution and Life Strategies of Two Bacterial Populations in a Eutrophic Lake". Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 64 (10): 3776–3783. PMC 106546. PMID 9758799.
- ↑ "r and K selection". University of Miami Department of Biology. Retrieved February 4, 2011.
- ↑ John H. Duffus; Douglas M. Templeton; Monica Nordberg (2009). Concepts in Toxicology. Royal Society of Chemistry. p. 171. ISBN 978-0-85404-157-2.
- ↑ Hrdy, Sarah Blaffer (2000), "Mother Nature: Maternal Instincts and How They Shape the Human Species" (Ballantine Books)
- ↑ Reluga, T.; Medlock, J.; Galvani, A. (2009). "The discounted reproductive number for epidemiology". Mathematical Biosciences and Engineering. 6 (2): 377–393. doi:10.3934/mbe.2009.6.377.
- ↑ Gunderson, Lance H.; Holling, C.S. (2001). Panarchy: Understanding Transformations In Human And Natural Systems. Island Press. ISBN 978-1-55963-857-9.
- ↑ McNeely, J. A. (1994). "Lessons of the past: Forests and Biodiversity". Biodiversity and Conservation. 3: 3–20. doi:10.1007/BF00115329.
- ↑ Fewell, Jennifer H.; Susan M. Bertram (2002). "Evidence for genetic variation in worker task performance by African and European honeybees". Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology. 52: 318–25. doi:10.1007/s00265-002-0501-3.
- ↑ Keen, E. C. (2014). "Tradeoffs in bacteriophage life histories". Bacteriophage. 4 (1): e28365. doi:10.4161/bact.28365. PMC 3942329. PMID 24616839.
- ↑ Gadgil, M.; Solbrig, O.T. (1972). "Concept of r-selection and K-selection — evidence from wild flowers and some theoretical consideration". Am. Nat. 106 (947): 14–31. doi:10.1086/282748. JSTOR 2459833.
- ↑ Long, T.; Long, G. (1974). "Effects of r-selection and K-selection on components of variance for 2 quantitative traits". Genetics. 76 (3): 567–573. PMC 1213086. PMID 4208860.
- ↑ Grahame, J. (1977). "Reproductive effort and r-selection and K-selection in 2 species of Lacuna (Gastropoda-Prosobranchia)". Mar. Biol. 40 (3): 217–224. doi:10.1007/BF00390877.
- ↑ Luckinbill, L.S. (1978). "r and K selection in experimental populations of Escherichia coli". Science. 202 (4373): 1201–1203. doi:10.1126/science.202.4373.1201. PMID 17735406.
- 1 2 Wilbur, H.M.; Tinkle, D.W.; Collins, J.P. (1974). "Environmental certainty, trophic level, and resource availability in life history evolution". American Naturalist. 108 (964): 805–816. doi:10.1086/282956. JSTOR 2459610.
- ↑ Barbault, R. (1987). "Are still r-selection and K-selection operative concepts?". Acta Oecologica-Oecologia Generalis. 8: 63–70.
- ↑ Kuno, E. (1991). "Some strange properties of the logistic equation defined with r and K – inherent defects or artifacts". Researches on Population Ecology. 33: 33–39. doi:10.1007/BF02514572.
- ↑ Getz, W.M. (1993). "Metaphysiological and evolutionary dynamics of populations exploiting constant and interactive resources – r-K selection revisited". Evolutionary Ecology. 7 (3): 287–305. doi:10.1007/BF01237746.
- 1 2 Stearns, S.C. (1977). "Evolution of life-history traits – critique of theory and a review of data" (PDF). Annu. Rev. Ecol. Syst. 8: 145–171. doi:10.1146/annurev.es.08.110177.001045.
- ↑ Parry, G.D. (March 1981). "The Meanings of r- and K-selection". Oecologia. 48 (2): 260–4. doi:10.1007/BF00347974.
- ↑ Templeton A.R.; Johnson, J.S. (1982). "Life History Evolution Under Pleiotropy and K-selection in a Natural Population of Drosophila mercatorum". In Barker, J.S.F.; Starmer, W.T. Ecological genetics and evolution: the cactus-yeast-drosophila model system. Academic Press. pp. 225–239. ISBN 978-0-12-078820-0.
- ↑ Snell, Terry W.; King, Charles E. (December 1977). "Lifespan and Fecundity Patterns in Rotifers: The Cost of Reproduction". Evolution. 31 (4): 882–890. doi:10.2307/2407451.
- ↑ Taylor, Charles E.; Condra, Cindra (November 1980). "r- and K-Selection in Drosophila pseudoobscura". Evolution. 34 (6): 1183–93. doi:10.2307/2408299.
- ↑ Hollocher, H.; Templeton, A.R. (April 1994). "The molecular through ecological genetics of abnormal abdomen in Drosophila mercatorum. VI. The non-neutrality of the Y chromosome rDNA polymorphism". Genetics. 136 (4): 1373–84. PMC 1205918. PMID 8013914.
- ↑ Templeton, A.R.; Hollocher, H.; Johnston, J.S. (June 1993). "The molecular through ecological genetics of abnormal abdomen in Drosophila mercatorum. V. Female phenotypic expression on natural genetic backgrounds and in natural environments". Genetics. 134 (2): 475–85. PMC 1205491. PMID 8325484.
- ↑ Stearns, S.C. (1992). The Evolution of Life Histories. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-857741-6.
- ↑ Graves, J. L. (2002). "What a tangled web he weaves Race, reproductive strategies and Rushton's life history theory". Anthropological Theory. 2 (2): 2 131–154. doi:10.1177/1469962002002002627.
- ↑ Gunderson, L. H. and Holling C. S. (2001) Panarchy: Understanding Transformations in Human and Natural Systems Island Press. ISBN 9781597269391.
- 1 2 Stearns, S.C. (1976). "Life history tactics: a review of the ideas". Quarterly Review of Biology. 51: 3–47. doi:10.1086/409052.
- ↑ Charlesworth, B. (1980). Evolution in age structured populations. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.


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I believe that a skilled paladin has a good chance against every other class in one-on-one combat (except warlocks, no one can beat warlocks). This is especially true if the paladin plays to her strengths. The best strategy for a paladin is to be a rock, and let your opponents break themselves on you.
Let me illustrate this with my strategy for fighting mages:
- I generally turn on Fire Resistance Aura and try to close to melee range using a 2H weapon.
- The Seal I use for most of the fight is Seal of Justice.
- I usually put up Blessing of Light, and switch to Blessing of Wisdom if my mana gets low.
- When I take damage, I start healing very early (around the 80% mark) with Flash of Light. The idea is to heal through the damage and run the mage out of mana. When he's out of mana, I can kill him at leisure.
- Save Hammer of Justice until after the mage Blinks out of a Seal of Justice proc.
- Save Divine Shield (bubble) for when the mage sheeps you, but don't use it right away. Stay in sheep and let your health regenerate. Most PvP mages will start a Pyroblast when you are sheeped. You need to wait until the Pyroblast is almost finished casting, then bubble out of the sheep and take the Pyroblast on your bubble.
Anyways, following this strategy I can usually beat an equally-geared mage more than half the time. Occasionally the mage will get a string of crits and blow you away, but it's a reasonable fight.
The problem, however, is that the fight takes three to four minutes. All paladin fights take a long time. All the other classes kill quickly or are quickly killed. The paladin's strength is her survivability and ability to outlast her opposition. Unfortunately, the way the Honor System and Battlegrounds are implemented really hurt the paladin.
The Honor System rewards those classes which can get a lot of kills. Since there is no penalty for dying, a character who can kill someone really fast is at an advantage over someone who kills slowly. Every class can spec for high DPS except the paladin. So every class can rack up honor faster than the paladin.
The other problem is that a paladin has high survivability, but low DPS. However, the paladin's survivability drops dramatically if faced with superior numbers. For example, if I am guarding a node in Arathi Basin by myself, and one Horde player comes by, I can draw out the fight for a very long time (several minutes if need be). Long enough for reinforcements to arrive. However, if two Horde players come by, I will die *very* quickly. I will die just as fast as any other class would. The extra survivability does not help in that case.
(The exception to the above is if I have the bubble up. Then I can stall for 12 seconds, and then die immediately after.)
So the number of times that paladin survivability actually plays a role is a lot lower than it appears. In my view, it only makes a difference in equal number fights, which are fairly rare.
The implementation of Battlegrounds also hurts the paladin. Survivability means that you do not die easily. But what happens if you do die? You are kept out of the battle for an average of 15s. This is a very short time when you consider how long it takes a paladin to kill someone. The penalty for dying is very low and this devalues the effect of survivability. Dying a lot is okay if you can kill a lot before you go. I suspect that if the resurrection timers were increased from 30 seconds to 2 minutes (giving an average time dead of 1 minute), paladins would become much more powerful in PvP.
Battlegrounds are designed for the high DPS style of the other classes, and thus the low DPS style of paladins is disadvantaged.


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GFOA is always on the lookout for news items that will be useful for finance professionals, research that might help you do your job better, and legal and regulatory updates you need to know about. Check the GFOA news page for the updates and any relevant GFOA announcements, and see the GFOA Newsletter archive for back issues of our weekly electronic newsletter.
GFOA Leads Effort to Support Legislation to Classify Municipal Securities as High Quality Liquid Assets
On May 27 the GFOA joined with the National League of Cities, National Association of Counties, U.S. Conference of Mayors, National Governors Association, National Association of State Treasurers, the National Association of State Auditors, Comptrollers and Treasurers and others to urge members of the U.S. House of Representatives to cosponsor legislation that would classify investment-grade municipal securities as High Quality Liquid Assets (HQLA). The joint letter is available below.
Keynote Speakers Press Release
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GFOA's 109th Annual Conference in Philadelphia
MSRB Filed Proposed Municipal Advisor Core Conduct Rule with SEC
The Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board filed a proposed rule with the SEC that would "govern the core conduct of municipal advisors, including their fiduciary duty to put the interests of state and local government clients ahead of their own," the Bond Buyer reports.
Shortage of Treasuries Stresses Repo Market
A shortage of high-quality bonds is disrupting the $2.6 trillion U.S. repurchase agreement market, the Wall Street Journal reports.
SEC Still Greatly Underestimating Burden of Complying with Rule 15c2-12, SIFMA Says
The SEC's revised estimates of the compliance burden imposed by its main disclosure rule still contain "gross inaccuracies," according to a March 27 letter the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association sent to the SEC. The letter was a response to updated SEC estimates about the amount of time required for market participants to comply with Rule 15c2-12.
Popular Annual Financial Reporting Award Winners Announced
The winners of GFOA's Popular Annual Financial Reporting Program have been announced for fiscal years ended in 2013 (the most recent awards).
Distinguished Budget Program Hits Milestone
The GFOA is pleased to announce that its Distinguished Budget Presentation Awards Program has just surpassed 1,500 participants (for budget years beginning in 2014, the most current time period). Read more about the program. Contact John Fishbein, the program's senior manager, with any questions.
GFOA Submits Tax Reform Comments to Senate Finance Committee
This week, the GFOA joined with the National League of Cities, U.S. Conference of Mayors, National Association of Counties, and International City/County Management Association in providing comments to the Senate Finance Committee.
Treasury Closes SLGS Window
On March 13, 2015, the U.S. Treasury Department announced that it will suspend sales of state and local government series securities until further notice. The suspension is aimed at helping the Treasury manage debt subject to the federal debt ceiling, which the Treasury Department announced would happen on Sunday, March15.
Supreme Court Justice Kennedy Weighs In on Online Sales Tax Legislation
On March 3, 2015, Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy invited a legal challenge over whether states can require out-of-state and online retailers to collect sales taxes. Justice Kennedy's opinion was issued as part of the Supreme Court's unanimous ruling in Direct Marketing Association v. Brohl. Kennedy's comments reveal the court's awareness of the need for federal intervention that would enable states to collect e-commerce taxes.
GFOA Publishes An Elected Official's Guide: Internal Control
What is internal control?
Well-Funded Municipal Pension Plans Share Common Traits
The Center for State and Local Government Excellence examined the public pension systems in four states that have a long tradition of being well-funded to determine what they have in common.
Ash Center for Democratic Governance Announces 2015 Bright Ideas
The Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation at the John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, recently announced the organizations chosen for its 2015 Bright Ideas program.
Moody's to Post Ratings on EMMA in 2015
The Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board announced an agreement with Moody's that will see the credit rating agency post rating updates automatically on the MSRB's Electronic Municipal Market Access system starting later this year. This is an exciting announcement, as Moody's is the last of the four major credit rating agencies to agree to post its ratings on EMMA since the official repository for information on municipal bonds came online in 2009.
Traditional Pension Plans Cost Less than Defined Contribution, Study Shows
A misperception persists among some that defined contribution plans save money, when compared with traditional pensions, but several states that switched to DC plans have experienced a much different reality over time, according to a recent study from the National Institute on Retirement Security.
GFOA Issues Survey on SEC MCDC Initiative
This week the GFOA is circulating a member survey to inquire about your experiences with the SEC's Municipalities Continuing Disclosure Cooperation initiative. The MCDC initiative was launched by the SEC last March and invited issuers and underwriters to self-report instances of material misstatements in bond offering documents regarding the issuer's prior compliance with its continuing disclosure obligations.
Ask Me Why I Care
The purpose of the Ask Me Why I Care: Public Service Stories project is to show young people, in this time of virulently anti-government environment sentiment, that government jobs will allow them tackle the most daunting issues in our society and to make a difference in people's lives.
The Muni Meltdown that Wasn't
The Muni Meltdown That Wasn't, a Bloomberg Brief, discusses the "inexpert testimony" that flew fast and furious during the panic of 2010 and questions why the opinion of non-experts was taken so seriously – especially in light of the fact that none of their dire predictions about an imminent municipal bond market collapse came to pass.
GFOA Executive Board Approves 10 Best Practices / Advisories
The GFOA's Executive Board approved six new best practices and one new advisory at its January 2015 meeting. The board also approved updates to one other existing best practice and two existing advisories. These documents provide recommendations to government finance officers in the areas of budgeting, accounting, retirement benefits administration, debt issuance, and investment management.
Congress Begins Work on Comprehensive Tax Reform
Last week Senate Finance Committee Chairman Orrin Hatch (R-UT) kicked off his committee's work on organizing the Senate's tax reform plan by announcing five bipartisan working groups to explore the existing federal tax code and identify areas that are ripe for reform. The working groups are: Individual Income Tax; Business Income Tax; Savings and Investment; International Tax; and Community Development and Infrastructure.
White House Announces New Infrastructure Investment Proposal
On January 15, 2015, the White House announced a new proposal aimed at increasing investment in national infrastructure projects covering surface transportation, water, and broadband. A key component of the program is the Qualified Public Infrastructure Bond program. The program would augment private activity bonds, expanding their scope to include financing for airports, ports, mass transit, solid waste disposal, sewer, and water, as well as for more surface transportation projects.
Marketplace and Internet Tax Fairness Act
Despite the best efforts of the state and local community, House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) was unwilling to bring the Marketplace and Internet Tax Fairness Act to the floor for a vote by the full House of Representatives in the final days of the congressional session. The measure would have enabled state and local governments to compel online retailers to collect and remit taxes from remote sales, and extended the current moratorium on the taxation of Internet access for ten years.
Pension Plans Can Provide Retirement Income at Half the Cost of Individual Accounts
Defined benefit plans are inherently more cost-efficient than defined contribution plans, according to A Better Bang for the Buck, an updated study by the National Institute on Retirement Security. A typical DB plan provides equivalent retirement benefits at about half the cost of a DC plan, and 29% lower cost than an "ideal" DC plan modeled with generous assumptions, according to the study.
City of Houston's New Financial Policies Promote Fiscal Responsibility, Transparency
Strengthened financial reserves, increased transparency, and an expanded focus on long-term planning are among the highlights of new financial policies approved this week by Houston City Council.
GFOA Files Amicus Briefs in Important Tax-Related Cases
The GFOA joined the State and Local Legal Center and several other national associations representing states and local governments in filing amicus, or "friend-of-the-court," briefs before the Supreme Court in two important tax-related cases. Decisions in both cases are expected this spring.


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Consumers beware! Business Lawyer Los Angeles in Northgate did you know that anybody who is interested in being a general contractor in Washington State and has the petty cash of $109.70 for a license and a bond fee of only $12,000.00, is able to work at this professional trade? A specialty contractor's bond is only $6,000.00. No knowledge or testing required. Rip-offs are welcome.
This means Joe Blow, without any experience–or at best, minimal knowledge, may be hired to build your house. Then Mr. Blow will turn around and hire incompetent sub-contractor's or specialty sub-contractors, breach the contract, file bankruptcy, be forgiven in court for the debts they owe at the homeowner's expense and cause numerous liens on their property.
Then these wannabe contractors are able to recycle their crime and start another business under another name, over and over again. Attorney For Starting A Business guess what? It's all legal in Washington State and they know this. This careless practice and fraudulent crime against homeowners and taxpayers are not tolerable in such states as California and Florida. This is another reason that there is so much construction going on in the State of Washington. It's easy-pickings for contractor criminals.
The 4 Consumer Rights
The property owner has the burden of proof. They are the victims. Fraud has a different meaning in Washington State. In bankruptcy court, fraud is very hard to prove. If proven against the contractor, the homeowner has a slight chance of seeking a judgment, but collecting that is another challenge. All these crooks have to explain is they went over their heads in expense. The fact is they underestimate the job, usually on purpose. In their trade, the terminology is called "low-balling." They take draws of money from what the property owner has paid, then fund other projects and don't pay their supplier's bills they have in the victim's name. This results with liens on the property owner.
The sub-contractor are protected under the responsibilities of the general contractor, whatever that is worth. Be acquainted with everybody who sets their foot on your property. Write down company names and vehicle license numbers. And if you file a lawsuit and hire an attorney, make double sure the lawyer is competent. Call your state Bar Association to check the status regarding disciplinary actions or complaints against the attorney you choose.
Foreclosure Rights - Defense by Recoupment in a Foreclosure Case
There are reliable, capable and honest people who work as contractors and lawyers, Great Lawyers Near Me but the crooked and incompetent ones have put them few and far between, and that truly is a shame.
My chalet-style house has been completed now for three years, but it stood in limbo for seven months in a tangled web of failed inspections and citations. I use to pride myself in the decisions I made in business and investments, but now I am so skeptical of the system and how it works against victims, like myself. My experience was a devastating blow to my confidence and trust.
Perhaps readers will join my cause for justice. The rules and laws are too slack and unjust. Just remember wherever you live, in whatever state, please protect yourself and your investment. Be cautious, alert and informative about your decisions when hiring a general contractor or specialty contractor. And it also goes for the attorney you hire. Pass this information and advice to your family and friends, "consumers beware of unscrupulous contractors and attorneys."
Business Lawyer Los Angeles in Northgate ?
Have you ever wondered where all these somewhat confusing terms came from? Well the answer is they are all types of Lawyers originated from various legal systems. Some of the terms are from the English legal system, some are from Scotland and some from the American legal system.
An Attorney is somebody legally empowered to represent another person, or act on their behalf.
A Lawyer is somebody who can give legal advice and has been trained in the law.
Are Attorney and Lawyer are synonyms? Basically yes, but they are not necessarily Interchangeable terms, you cannot for instance say I give you the Power of a Lawyer, but you definitely might say I give you the power of Attorney...
Look again at the above definitions, does it now make any sense? Off course it does.
An attorney in fact is an agent who conducts business under authority that is controlled and limited by a written document called a letter, or power, of attorney granted by the principal. An attorney at law is an officer of a court of law authorized to represent the person employing him (the client) in legal proceedings.
A Solicitor- One that solicits, especially one that seeks trade or contributions. The chief law officer of a city, town, or government department but does not act as an advocate in court, as opposed to the Attorney who pleads in court. (English Law).
A Barrister(Called Advocate in Scotland) presents the case in court. Most senior and distinguished barristers are designated King's (Queen's) counsel.
Most lawyers are found in private practice, where they concentrate on criminal or civil law. In criminal law, lawyers represent individuals who have been charged with crimes and argue their cases in courts of law. Attorneys dealing with civil law assist clients with litigation, wills, trusts, contracts, mortgages, titles, and leases. Other lawyers handle only public-interest cases--civil or criminal--which may have an impact extending well beyond the individual client.
These issues might involve patents, government regulations, and contracts with other companies, property interests, or collective-bargaining agreements with unions.
Other lawyers work for legal-aid societies--private, nonprofit organizations established to serve disadvantaged people. These lawyers generally handle civil, rather than criminal, cases. A relatively small number of trained attorneys work in law schools.
The real life situations have created "specialties" according to business profitability. This is how terms like Vioxx Lawyer, DUI Lawyer, Lemon Law Lawyer , Structured Settlements Lawyer and others came about.
Additional Information:
The 4 Consumer Rights
Divorce means the legal dissolution of marriage. Divorce is usually one of the most traumatic experiences in a person's life. Apart from being stressful and painful, a divorce proceeding may also prove to be an extremely costly affair. Very often, people going through a divorce do not have sufficient resources to hire an expensive lawyer. Many lawyers in the US specialize in divorce and annulment. Money plays a vital role in the selection of a good divorce lawyer. For many people, an affordable divorce lawyer is one who charges the least amount to represent them in their divorce case.
Many people are unable to pay for these legal services. Most states in the US have legal aid services that offer discounted legal services. They also offer free services to people who are incapable of hiring a lawyer to plead their case.


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We were really happy to see our knitted bannister was still up in PT. Reyes Station and in good condition after all the rain. A little shrunken.When we sewed it on in Sept. we had labeled it with a paper laminated label I think. We knew these labels wouldn't last and we have switched to cloth labels.I like how these cloth labels refer to garments. They also get the pieces all ready to go to summer camp.
Other People's Blogs About Streetcolor Blog
It turns out that yarnbombing is something people like to blog about.Well me of course, but also folks out and about looking around and having adventures, commenting on surprises.It's a real joy and a enveloping feeling to see the knitting on other blogs.
Here are a few.


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Press Release
|View printer-friendly version
|Macy's Stores Open at Midnight Nationwide on Black Friday
New Features on Macy's Mobile App Will Help Customers Locate Specials In-Store
Plus Macy's will donate
Macy's Black Friday Specials, Get a free pair of high-definition headphones with any
"Black Friday is a day dedicated to finding the best deals," said
Macy's offers a sneak peek at 15 of this season's Black Friday specials:
Macy's Mobile App – Black Friday Feature
MAC at Midnight
For more on Macy's Black Friday event, including all product images, please visit magicbulletmedia.com/MNR/MacysHoliday2012. For Macy's media materials, including images and contacts, visit our online pressroom at macys.com/pressroom.
About Macy's
Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available: http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/mmg.cgi?eid=50458662&lang=en
Source: Macy's, Inc.
Macy's Media Relations


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The funeral Mass for Michael A. Moyemont, 56, of Dwight, will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday at St. Patrick's Catholic Church, Dwight, with Father James Rickey officiating.
Burial will be in Mt. Olivet Cemetery, Dwight.
Friends may call from 4 to 7 p.m. Tuesday at the church.
Hager Memorial Home, Dwight, has charge of arrangements.
Mr. Moyemont passed away unexpectedly Thursday morning, March 22, 2013.
Mike was born March 20, 1957, in Pontiac, a son of Paul and Gretchen (Bagnell) Moyemont.
He is survived by his daughter, Morgyn Moyemont, Dwight; his sons, Todd (Jamie) Moyemont, Royalton, and Shane Moyemont, Stephenville, Texas; sisters, Colleen (Fred) Ward, Glendale, Ariz., Kathy (Art) Bunting, Dwight, and Carol (Larry) Flud, Glendale, Ariz.; brothers, James (Julie) Moyemont, Peoria, Ariz., John (Mary) Moyemont and David Moyemont, all of Dwight; one brother-in-law, Gary Seabert, Mt. Grove, Mo.; and numerous nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents, his sister, Mary Seabert, and Morgyn's mother, Christin Moyemont.
Mike graduated from Dwight Township High School.
He was a member of St. Patrick's Catholic Church, Dwight.
He was a third generation plumber, taking over his family business, Moyemont Plumbing and Heating.
He was very active with St. Paul's Catholic School in Odell. Mike enjoyed playing pool and spending time with his children.
He will be deeply missed by his family and many friends.
In lieu of flowers, donations are preferred to his family for his daughter Morgyn's education.
Michael A. Moyemont
The funeral Mass for Michael A. Moyemont, 56, of Dwight, will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday at St. Patrick's Catholic Church, Dwight, with Father James Rickey officiating.


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An interview on Forbes talks with Mike Capps, President of Epic Games about the developer's future plans (thanks Eurogamer). Along the way he explains that they are not working on any Unreal/Unreal Tournament games at the moment, though there's no word on whether they have any Jazz Jackrabbit projects in the works. Here's word:
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Losing face? The symbolism of facial mutilation
In August 2010, 'Time' magazine's front cover featured a photograph of a young Afghan woman, Bibi Aisha, whose nose had been hacked from her face by her in-laws as punishment for fleeing her abusive marriage.
The world was appalled. At Swansea university, historian Dr Trish Skinner was struck by references to the 'medieval' nature of the act. "It got me wondering whether facial mutilation really was a typically 'medieval' act, and how we tend to apply this term to modern cases without really considering what separates us from the Middle Ages."
With a Wellcome Trust fellowship, she now plans to examine the comparison more closely by looking at punitive facial mutilation in the Middle Ages: what crimes it punished, what theories of government, justice and religion underpinned the penalty, and what the people of the time thought about the practice.
An important strand of the project will explore what medical recourse people had if they were wounded or mutilated. There were two kinds of medieval medic: 'learned' physicians, concerned with analysing humoral imbalances and the effects of the elements or seasons on the body as per the classical texts, and surgeons (often barber-surgeons), who did the urgent, bloody, practical work of setting bones and sewing up wounds. Skinner will be exploring the extent of the overlap between the work of these two types of practitioner (which medical history has tended to see as entirely separate).
Empire in the East
The emperors of the Eastern Roman (Byzantine) Empire had to look as 'godlike' and perfect as the heavenly authority they represented, making facial mutilation an ideal political weapon. In 695, Justinian II's political opponents cut off his nose, displacing him from the imperial throne for ten years; when returned, he wore a gold prosthesis. And a century later, Empress Irene had her nine-year-old son Constantine blinded so that she wouldn't have to relinquish power to him.
The choice of mutilation in each case is interesting. While blinding and nose-cutting were both disfiguring, blinding had the additional pragmatic advantage of severely disabling someone, so they couldn't effectively lead an army or wield a weapon. Why did Justinian's enemies not blind him and prevent his return to power?
The answer may lie in the deeper symbolic meanings that different body parts had in the Middle Ages. "There was a real sense that the eyes are the window to the soul," says Skinner. "Lips could be cut or slit for blasphemy, and the nose had very, very strong associations with betrayal in medieval times. I've also found later associations between the nose and penis in the literature."
Justinian's missing nose may therefore have acted both as a symbol of emasculation and as a warning that he would betray the people's trust in him if allowed to rule. "Facial mutilation as a punishment wasn't just about looking awful or disabling someone physically, it meant much more than that. That's why you have to be very cautious drawing very simple comparisons across time."
Kingdoms in the West
The Western Roman Empire had disintegrated by the fifth century and barbarian tribes had taken over its former territories, forming Europe's first kingdoms. The new rulers were determined to assert their royal authority, and nose-cutting and blinding were common, widely recorded penalties for treason – specifically for rebellion against the king.
How did their new subjects respond? With apparent equanimity, on the whole, it seems. "The reports of many chroniclers and clerics of the time are very matter-of-fact. They say things like: 'So-and-so's son-in-law challenged him and was blinded.' That's the end of the matter." Whether this means such acts were widely accepted as normal, Skinner has yet to determine.
One writer did express a degree of concern that might resonate with us today. Gregory of Tours, a Frankish bishop living in seventh-century Gaul, chronicled the events he witnessed, including cases of facial mutilation, in ten volumes of early Frankish (Merovingian) history.
"It's a really intelligent text to read," says Skinner. "Gregory thinks about what he sees going on, and he lets you know when he thinks things are right or wrong. As a bishop he doesn't like the tortures and mutilations he witnesses. But he sees it's justified sometimes." He appears to condone the penalty when three rebels who attempted to assassinate King Childebert II had their noses cut off and were set free to be ridiculed. "They're expected to survive and act as an example to deter other people from treason." Elsewhere, however, Gregory sees facial mutilation as an indication of the ruler's excessive cruelty, condemning King Chilperic for ordering all 'criminals', regardless of the crime, to have their eyes torn out.
His mixed feelings made him unusual for his time. "Gregory sometimes seems to share our modern horror of facial mutilation, but I've yet to find anyone else who is as explicit in their condemnation."
Crime and punishment
To complicate the issue further, at the same time it was being used as a punishment for treason, facial mutilation also became a punishable crime. To curb the violence endemic in their kingdoms and establish public order, Europe's new kings turned for help to the Empire they had helped bring down.
"All of these peoples had invaded somewhere that already had a tradition – more or less – of Roman law," says Skinner. "And one of the things they all seem to think they have to do, if they're going to look like legitimate kings, is to mirror that tradition and issue written laws, rather than continue their own traditions of tribal courts."
The first of these early law codes appeared in the Frankish Kingdom in the fifth century – setting out fixed financial penalties for specific misdeeds. "One of the crimes in these law codes that comes up again and again is deliberately injuring somebody else. They go into absolutely amazing detail about which bit of the body it is you're injuring – face, head, skull, hair, down to literally fingers and toes." Mirroring our modern notion of justice, the state began to step in and impose a solution, to 'keep the King's peace'.
Yet while his subjects could be fined for it, facial mutilation remained a punishment a king could lawfully order for high treason or attempts on his life. This contrast has prompted medieval historians to debate the motivations behind these purportedly 'anti-violence' laws. Did they really represent the king's view of justice? Or were they simply an assertion of power?
An eye for an eye
The tensions inherent in medieval notions of crime and punishment, justice and law, echo across the centuries to today. In Afghanistan, Bibi Aisha's in-laws argued that, in the tradition of their Pashtun tribe, a dishonoured husband was said to have 'lost his nose'. Her punishment in kind was therefore a 'just' one, endorsed by tradition and tribal 'law'.
But the state intervened – as it did in medieval times to stop people taking the law into their own hands – and the punishment became a crime. Bibi's father-in-law was arrested, and the provincial police chief made a statement to the global media, declaring the act to be "against Afghan-ism, against Afghan and sharia laws", and spoke of bringing the perpetrator "to justice".
What that justice would involve remains to be seen. Sharia law sanctions eye-for-an-eye retributive justice – 'qesas' – for intentional injury or murder (qesas can't be used to punish other crimes, including unintentional bodily harm). A prominent example is the case of Majid Movahedi, who in 2009 was sentenced by an Iranian court to be blinded in both eyes for throwing acid in the face of a woman who rejected him. (His victim was to carry out the sentence herself, dropping five drops of sulphuric acid into each of his eyes – but she pardoned him at the last minute.)
If ordered by a sharia court, the blinding of Movahedi or cutting off the nose of Bibi's father-in-law would – by definition – be legal. But that wouldn't settle the question of whether it would be just. Is it right to cut off someone's nose for having done so to someone else – or to blind someone with acid for having thrown acid in someone else's face?
On some gut level, the punishment does seem to fit the crime, and it's understandable that a victim might feel that no other penalty could really be adequate. On the other hand, it's hard to feel entirely easy about the idea of judicial mutilation, whatever the crime. Movahedi's sentence, when first announced, was condemned by media and human rights organisations around the world as 'barbaric' and 'medieval'.
The latter comparison isn't entirely accurate: punitive blinding and nose-cutting in the Middle Ages seem to have been a less precise match between crime and punishment, normally used for treason. It may be, however, that the symbolic meanings of body parts in the Middle Ages imbued such punishments with a sense of inherent legitimacy. Skinner's research will shed further light on how notions of crime and justice underpinning facial mutilation have evolved or persisted over the centuries.
This feature also appears in issue 72 of Wellcome News
Image: A barber having cut a customer's nose off, 1895. Credit: Wellcome Library.


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The unseasonably cool temperatures could not stop crowds of people waiting in long yet fast moving lines at Woodside Creamery's opening Saturday.
The seasonal opening of Woodside Creamery in Hockessin was something Martha Ploener had been waiting months for.
Saturday's opening came and Ploener, of Hockessin, was there with her son, Josh Ploener to enjoy their first Woodside ice cream of the year.
"You can't get any better ice cream than this," she said.
They ate their ice cream at one of Woodside Creamery's picnic tables under a sunny, albeit chilly day.
The unseasonably cool temperatures could not stop crowds of people waiting in long yet fast moving lines at Woodside Creamery's opening Saturday.
Among those there for the grand opening was 7-year-old son, Danford, who celebrated his birthday Saturday at Woodside Creamery with parents Allyson and Mark Mason, of Wilmington, and his sister Henley Mason, 8, along friends Kyle Immediato and Conrad Murphy, both 6 of Hockessin and Olivia Fennimore and Isabel Fennimore, 6, both of Wilmington.
"We were hoping it would be nice," Allyson Mason said. "It's a little windy but it's a beautiful day."
All of the children decided to try the dirt flavor, a variation of chocolate ice cream.
There was also a contingent from All Saints Catholic School at Woodside, including Dave Stetler and his sons Colin and Hadyn, Michelle Nardozzi, Edison Pard and Jonathan Wade. The school was celebrating the medals it won Saturday morning at the 36th Annual Catholic and Private Elementary School Science Olympiad held at nearby St. Mark's High School Saturday.
"It's a big day," Nardozzi said. "It's a celebration for us."


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Hi! I'm Tammy from Karamat. I'm thrilled to be here with my first project to share with you.
1 Meadow Friends Charm Pack
3/4 yard Meadow Friends 19486 14 (backing and binding)
3/4 – 1 yard Twill Tape or ribbon (the Moda twill tape from a Jelly Roll or Fat Quarter Stack is perfect)
Batting – at least 19″ x 27″
1. Select 16 charm squares for the kite.
2. Pair the 16 charm squares up, and with right sides together sew 1/4″ seams on the left and right edges.
4. Pair the 16 2-print pieces up (seam running left/right rather than top/bottom). With right sides together, sew 1/4″ seams on the left and right edges.
5. With the seams on the left and right hand sides, cut each pair in half. Iron open. You now have 16 4-patches. If you would like more variety in your 4-patches, feel free to make them from the additional charm squares… just make sure to leave 4 – 6 charm squares for a later step.
6. Arrange your 4-patches in the following order:
Row 1: 2 4-patches
Row 2: 4 4-patches
Row 3: 4 4-patches
Row 4: 3 4-patches
Row 5: 2 4-patches
Row 6: 1 4-patch
Stitch together.
7. Layer batting and backing. Quilt as desired. Make sure to align your kite top to either the left or right side; the remaining fabric will be used for binding.
8. Now that your piece is quilted, we will cut it into the kite shape. Using your rotary cutter and ruler:
Cut 1: From the top center to the far right edge (bottom of row 4)
Cut 2: From the top center to the far left edge (bottom of row 4)
Cut 3: From the cut at the bottom of row 4 (right side) to the bottom center
Cut 4: From the cut at the bottom of row 4 (left side) to the bottom center
10. To make Kite Bows: layer 1 charm square (right side down), 1 5″ x 5″ piece batting, and 1 charm square (right side up). Free form stitch a bow shape, and cut out (I used a pinking shears for a little extra interest). Repeat for a second bow.
11. Attach the twill tape to the back of the kite with a few hand stitches (through the backing and batting, ensuring you don't stitch through the quilt top). Attach bows to the twill tape, about 6″ to 8″ apart, using either a few hand stitches or with a couple of machine stitches.
12. Hang and enjoy a little bit of Spring!
Tammy Blackburn


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Step Outside with Me!
Step Outside with Me!
For more than 30 years KathyAnne has conducted workshops sponsored by professional arts organizations. This site has tutorials and information on some of those processes.
Don't miss the new workshop - Create Authentic Art—Develop your Artistic Story - July 8-14, 2018 at Hudson River Valley Art Workshops.
Kathyanne White
930 South Cowboy Springs Trail
Prescott, AZ 86305


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Dive under the sea with Ariel the mermaid in this splashy Disney musical.
Ariel is now officially a part of your world, Broadway! Starring newcomer Sierra Boggess in the title role, Disney's beloved animated film The Little Mermaid opened in a lavish adaptation for the stage at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre on January 10. After the show's curtain calls we followed the huge cast—including stars Norm Lewis (King Triton), Sean Palmer (Prince Eric), Eddie Korbich (Scuttle), Tituss Burgess (Sebastian) and Sherie Rene Scott (Ursula)—over to the world-famous Roseland for an opening night bash. Check it out.


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In the race for the 2013 Elliot Norton Awards, Lyric Stage Company's "Avenue Q" and SpeakEasy Stage Company's "Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson" are the front-runners with five nominations apiece. Close behind, with four nominations each, are the American Repertory Theater's "The Glass Menagerie" and SpeakEasy's "The [Expletive] With the Hat."
Among theater companies, SpeakEasy leads the field with 11 nominations, ahead of Arts-Emerson with 10, the ART with nine, the Huntington Theatre Company and Lyric Stage with seven each, and Company One with six. The Boston Theater Critics Association will give the awards in a ceremony May 13 on the Paramount Center Mainstage.
Competing for outstanding production by a large resident theater are the ART's "The Glass Menagerie" and two Huntington shows: "Good People" and "Our Town." Nominees for outstanding musical are "Billy Elliot the Musical," presented by Broadway in Boston; "Fela!," presented by ArtsEmerson; and the ART's "Pippin." John Tiffany ("Glass Menagerie") is up for the directing prize, as are Maria Aitken for "Private Lives" and "Betrayal," both at the Huntington, and Rebecca Taichman for "Marie Antoinette" at the ART. Cherry Jones ("Glass Menagerie"), Bianca Amato ("Private Lives"), and Brooke Bloom ("Marie Antoinette") are vying for outstanding actress, while LeRoy McClain (the Huntington's "A Raisin in the Sun") competes for the actor award with the stars of shows seen at ArtsEmerson: Steven Epp in "The Servant of Two Masters" and Gísli Örn Gardarsson in "Metamorphosis." Outstanding ensemble nominees are "The Glass Menagerie," "Our Town," and "The Servant of Two Masters," while design nods go to "Marie Antoinette," "Metamorphosis," and "A Raisin in the Sun."
Nominees for outstanding production at a midsize theater are "The [Expletive] With the Hat," Lyric Stage's "Chinglish," and SpeakEasy's "Clybourne Park." Directing nominees are David R. Gammons ("The [Expletive] With the Hat"), Spiro Veloudos ("Avenue Q"), and Paul Melone ("Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson"). Competing for the actress prize are Evelyn Howe ("The [Expletive] With the Hat"), Marvelyn McFarlane ("Clybourne Park"), and Celeste Oliva ("Chinglish"). For actor, the contenders are Will Lyman, for both "Long Day's Journey Into Night" at New Repertory Theatre and "Operation Epsilon," from Nora Theatre Company and Catalyst Collaborative@MIT; Maurice Emmanuel Parent for "The [Expletive] With the Hat"; and Steven Barkhimer for both Gloucester Stage Company's "Round and Round the Garden" and Actors' Shakespeare Project's "Middletown."
Nominees for outstanding small theater production are Company One's "The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity," Moonbox Productions' "Of Mice and Men," and "Ted Hughes' Tales From Ovid" by Whistler in the Dark, seen at ArtsEmerson. In the fringe theater category, nominees for outstanding production are "Dog Sees God: Confessions of a Teenage Blockhead" at Happy Medium Theatre, "A Behanding in Spokane" at Theatre on Fire, and "Tigers Be Still" at Zeitgeist Stage Company. Director nominees for small or fringe theater are Shawn LaCount ("The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity"), James P. Byrne (the Gold Dust Orphans' "Mary Poppers" and "Mildred Fierce"), and Alice Olivia Choate ("Of Mice and Men").
"Avenue Q," "Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson," and "Mildred Fierce" are up for outstanding musical at a midsize, small, or fringe company. Nominated for outstanding actor in a musical are Sahr Ngaujah ("Fela!"), Gus Curry ("Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson"), and John Ambrosino ("Avenue Q"). Vying for the actress prize are Erica Spyres ("Avenue Q"), Amy Jo Jackson ("Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson"), and Andrea Martin ("Pippin").
For outstanding visiting production, "War Horse," presented by Broadway in Boston, is up against "Metamorphosis" and "The Servant of Two Masters." New-script nominees are Robert Brustein's "The Last Will," from Commonwealth Shakespeare Company and Suffolk University; Alan Brody's "Operation Epsilon"; and Ryan Landry's "Mildred Fierce." Solo performance nominees are Georgia Lyman ("Chesapeake" at New Rep), Seana McKenna ("Shakespeare's Will" at Merrimack Repertory Theatre), and Hershey Felder ("Maestro: Leonard Bernstein" at ArtsEmerson).
The Elliot Norton Prize for Sustained Excellence will go to Will Lyman. Actors' Equity Association, founded 100 years ago, will receive a special citation, and the Elliot Norton Lifetime Achievement Award will go to 80-year-old Broadway legend Chita Rivera.Jeffrey Gantz can be reached at email@example.com.


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Splore needed a new button or icon design and created a contest on 99designs.
A winner was selected from 160 designs submitted by 31 freelance designers.
I'm the founder of a consumer Internet startup, a software engineer by education, with over 20 years experience designing, building, and selling commercial software solutions.
Splore is currently in beta, and is targeted towards anyone interested in connecting with others who share their interests. We believe social technologies should provide meaning and value, and Splore was designed to protect individual's identities while still providing a safe way to interact with others.
We're designing the ability for our users to create personal groups - we call them "Circles of Trust" - where they can identify other individuals that they want to follow and/or interact with more intimately on our site. For example, I may create a circle of trust for my immediate family, another for the people I interact with about my home theater hobby, and another for the group of people I work with. I need an icon that captures this concept graphically - this will be used in the application where users will be able to create these groups, or where the groups are represented in other parts of the UI. See the site as reference for overall color schemes - the icon doesn't need to incorporate our logo colors, but shouldn't be too loud or stand out in a bad way. Format preference Adobe Illustrator and/or Photoshop CS5.


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From Fedora Project Wiki
i'm going to try using this page to keep track of work
working on:
- 2.6.33 on stable releases.
- 2.6.33 on F-13.
- 2.6.34-pre on rawhide.
- https://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Development/SteeringCommittee/Nominations
- aesni-intel issues with dm-crypt (https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=589390) <= rawhide
- try to clean up the kernel wiki pages a bit.
- r8169 issue for dgilmore (https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=538920)
- fat issue from fedora-devel-list (https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=587126)
- spot's graphics lockup issue?
- squashfs-tools fix (https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=523504)
- https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=560031
- backporting nhorman's patch to sane kernels for abrtd.
- aesni-intel issues with dm-crypt (https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=571577) <= F-13 workaround
FESCO Election Questionnaire (WORK IN PROGRESS)
- Posted by Bruno: What is your take on the granting exceptions to Fedora packaging rules for Mozilla products in order to use their trademarks? For context, see the recent Thunderbird discussion on the devel list.
- I believe these things have to be addressed on a case-by-case basis. While I believe that the Mozilla trademark policy may harm us by delaying us from occasionally shipping patches, I believe it would harm the distribution worse to not have the name recognition and icons of the Mozilla project. Perhaps some passive aggressive push back could encourage the Mozilla Foundation to change their policy, but I do not believe stripping the icons and names as Debian has done with iceweasel is beneficial for our users either.
- Posted by Bruno: What is your take on guidelines for packagers with respect to adding new features into supported releases? I expect there will be exceptions, but there should be some guidance for what is generally expected.
- As a kernel developer, I prefer to err on the side of cautious and conservative updates, and the principle of least surprise for the end user. That said, the kernel is probably one of the worst cases for this. Mind you, they live for a very very long time in updates-testing before being pushed anywhere near updates. That said, aside from bugs, which will always occur, the kernel's feature set does not change much from release to release unlike much more visible packages like desktop environments, etc., so the same rules may not apply as directly. In general, I think it depends entirely on the maintenance policy of the upstream project, the competence of the packager/maintainer, and the expectations of the users. We, as a project, do not attach a technical competence requirement to packagers to be able to fix bugs in their own packages, so expecting them to be able to backport security fixes from possibly vastly divergent development branches may be a tall order. In summary, I would prefer conservative updates, but there are many factors that effect that, so in effect "it depends."
- Posted by Paul: What are three things you intend to work on and complete during your time on {the Board,FESCo} -- in other words, personal goals for your term?
- There are three things I would like to see from FESCo this year.
- Foster an environment of technical leadership from FESCo. Not issuing edicts, but helping set the technical direction of the Fedora OS.
- Push for a Fedora Technical Lead who is trusted by the developers and FESCo in the same way that the Fedora Project Leader rallies the community, this is related to #1, obviously.
- Less redundant work for FESCo, there's no reason every provenpackager request must be voted on by FESCo. I confess at least to probably not being the most qualified person at Fedora packaging to be able to vote on them, whereas I think I have the experience to serve in other capacities.
- There are three things I would like to see from FESCo this year.
- Posted by Paul: (FESCo nominees) Name a new technical capability that you feel the Fedora distribution does not include now, but should have by the release of Fedora 15.
- It would be supremely excellent if KMS was working to a point where we had proper oops-over-X display working.
- Posted by Paul: (Board nominees) Other than the general idea of better communication, name a specific improvement you think would help one or more Fedora teams work more efficiently, either individually or together.
- Posted by Michael: How are you going to represent the Fedora community (the voters) on {the Board,FESCo}: They vote once, you decide for the period of your appointment - or you ask for input and base your decisions on that?
- I believe that in electing me, the developers who vote have put their trust in me to base my decisions on my experience. That said, my opinion is rarely ever made up, and I would welcome anyone to contact me publicly or privately with issues they may want to see addressed.
- Posted by Michael: What is your hidden agenda behind running for {the Board,FESCo}? (Asked with a wink, may be answered with one ;) )
- Taking over the world, obviously. ;-)
- Posted by David: (for both FESCo and Board) There appears to be a disturbing increase in the amount of flames/annoyance/anger/frustration within the the Fedora project of late. To what do you attribute this, and how do you plan on addressing?
- I attribute this to a lack of a coherent direction for the project. Half of the packagers seem to be content making something for their own consumption, whereas the other half believe our direction should be producing a coherent and consistent operating system, as opposed to a collection of packages we collect and ship every six months. I'm not sure what the best way of addressing this, as it reflects a fairly deep schism in the community. It seems no matter what is done, half (obviously it isn't a fifty/fifty split, but it serves the purpose of illustration) the community will be unhappy with either direction, so perhaps more tolerance of the opinions of others with some offline reminders to people when they cross the line would avoid the confrontational and long winded email threads which have been occurring.


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Along with many other quilters, when I am not sewing I am in the garden or knitting or painting ...... I always have several projects on the go at once. As I run a small quilting group from home I always have some hand work to do - at the moment I am hand quilting a grandmothers flower garden quilt started in 1968 and inherited unfinished off a neighbour of my mothers which I have enjoyed so much that I am now making another one!
Quercus, the guild affiliated group I attend, always has a challenge on the go so I'm doing that too,plus various quilts for one or other of my 4 children. I seem to have got myself involved in helping to run the annual Quercus/Puddleduck quilt show too so that keeps me busy - actually, I don't have that much time for quilting at all sometimes!!
As I am the secretary of Quercus please do contact me if you wish to know more about the group, we are always open to new members or visitors and would love to see you.


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The following daily tabloids are mostly in Pilipino or Tagalog language with the exception of People's Journal and Tempo, which are both in English. They retail for six to seven pesos (US$0.11 - US$0.13) per issue and are popular among the Filipino masses.
Another tabloids in the Metro Manila market include: Abante Tonite • Bagong Tiktik • Bandera • Bomba Balita • Inquirer Libre • Pang-Masa • People's Monitor • People's Tonight • Pilipino Star Ngayon • Pinas • Pinoy Parazzi • Pinoy Weekly • Remate • Saksi sa Balita • Sikat • Taliba • Tanod • Tumbok
Abante Newspaper Slogan: Abante Una Sa Balita
Broadsheets in the Philippines are mostly published in the English language. Their readership consist mainly of the middle and upper classes and cost between fifteen to twenty five pesos (US$0.27 - US$0.45) per issue. Sunday issues usually has more pages and cost slightly higher that the regular issues.
(According to philippinecentral)


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The people who make FarmVille, CityVille and Empires & Allies think their company's stock will be worth at least $1 billion when they go public. The New York Times thinks the company's value could go up to $20 billion.
However it adds up, Zynga is clearly a huge player in modern video games. How do they compare to those other giants in video games?
Here is the market cap for the biggest players. Market cap may not be the perfect way to measure how much a company is worth (it's the number of shares multiplied by the share price), it does help put things in perspective.
At the low end, Zynga is in the same league as Ubisoft. At the high end, it's almost Nintendo-sized.
(All market cap figures via Marketwatch)