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The Safety Instrumented Function: An S-Word Worth Knowing
Understand the SIF to Control Confusion, Complexity and Cost of Safety Instrumented Systems
The term "safety instrumented function" or SIF is becoming common in the world of safety instrumented systems (SISs). It is one of the increasing number of S-words--SIS, SIL, SRS, SLC, etc.--that are coming into our safety system terminology.
The definition of a SIF as provided in IEC standard 61511, "Functional safety: Safety Instrumented Systems for the process industry sector," leaves a bit to be desired as a practical definition, and the application of the term leaves many people confused.
IEC standard 61511 defines a safety instrumented function as a "safety function with a specified safety integrity level which is necessary to achieve functional safety. A safety instrumented function can be either a safety instrumented protection function or a safety instrumented control function."
A safety function is further defined in 61511 as a "function to be implemented by a SIS, other technology safety-related system, or external risk reduction facilities, which is intended to achieve or maintain a safe state for the process, with respect to a specific hazardous event." The standard 61511, however, uses the term SIS and SIF somewhat interchangeably in places.
From this definition we can also see that there are two types of safety instrumented functions. The first is a safety instrumented protection function, which is a safety instrumented function operating in the demand mode. The second is a safety instrumented control function, which is a safety instrument function operating in the continuous mode.
(Safety Instrumented Systems (SIS) Used for Non-Safety Applications)
Figure 1: The Critical Link
A safety instrumented function (SIF) detects a specific hazard and brings the process to a safe state.
Let us look at some of other definitions of SIF that may make things a bit more clear. In their book, Safety Integrity Level Selection, Systematic Methods Including Layer of Protection Analysis, Ed Marszal, PE, and Eric Scharpf describe it as, "a function that is a single set of actions that protects against a single specific hazard. The term SIF often refers to the equipment that carries out the single set of actions in response to the single hazard, as well as to the particular set of actions itself."
From these sources we might define the SIF as an identified safety function that provides a defined level of risk reduction or safety integrity level (SIL) for a specific hazard by automatic action using instrumentation. A SIF is made up of sensors, logic solver, and final elements that act in concert to detect a hazard and bring the process to a safe state.
(Shifting to a Safety Mindset)
Another view of a SIF is that of an instrument safety loop that performs a safety function which provides a defined level of protection (SIL) against a specific hazard by automatic means and which brings the process to a safe state.
What a SIF Is
Both these definitions define the key properties a SIF as illustrated in Figure 1. Its basic properties are outlined in Table I. Some examples of SIFs are:
- High pressure in a vessel opens a vent valve: The specific hazard is overpressure of the vessel. The high pressure is detected by a pressure-sensing instrument and logic (PLC, relay, hardwired, etc.) opens a vent valve, bringing the system to a safe state.
- High temperature in a furnace that can cause tube rupture shuts off firing to furnace: The specific hazard is tube rupture. Instrumentation automatically causes a main fuel trip that removes the heat, bringing the system to a safe state.
- Flame-out in an incinerator that can lead to a release of toxic gas causes process gas feed to be shut off: The specific hazard is a flame-out. The automatic instrument protective action is to close process gas feed to the incinerator, which stops any toxic gas release bringing the system to a safe state.
- Flame-out in an incinerator that could cause fuel gas accumulation and explosion causes a main fuel gas trip: The specific hazard is a flame-out. The automatic instrument protection action is a main fuel gas trip, which cuts off the fuel and prevents fuel gas accumulation, bringing the system to a safe state.
What a SIF Is Not
There are functions that may seem like a SIF or part of a SIF, but are not. A SIF is normally associated with life-and-limb protection. If you have identified an instrumented protection function and the consequence of the hazard could be killing or injuring, the function is a potential SIF (pending SIL analysis--there may be adequate layers of protection so that identification of the protective function as a SIF is not required).
(Fieldbus for Safety Instrumented Functions)
However, when a SIF operates, there may be related actions that occur at the same time that place portions of the process in desirable operating states to minimize startup time, loss of inventory, process equipment problems, etc. Operating companies sometimes fall into the trap of considering these related actions as part of the SIF. Considering related actions that are operational complicates the SIF and can increase the difficulty of achieving the target SIL. This can lead to increased and unnecessary cost, burden, and complexity.
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NXTGEN Networks needed a new quickbooks form design and created a contest on 99designs.
A winner was selected from 74 designs submitted by 23 freelance designers.
NXTGEN Networks http://www.nxtgennetworks.com
Network, Computer, and Technology Consultants. Providing a wide array of competitive services and products for small-medium sized businesses. With customers in a half dozen states, we need our "brand" to stand out, look great, and cant people's eye.
This background will be used on all of our corporate forms in QuickBooks including invoices, sales orders, purchase orders, statements, etc.
QuickBooks Form background. 8.5" x 11" @ 150 DPI
RED To be used: RGB 228, 8, 2 #e40802
please check out attached files for existing design ideas and concepts (please make the QB Form style similar so there is consistency, but overall creative design/implementation is up to you)

subset: commoncrawl


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Because there's so much that is unknown about Shakespeare's life we can't 100% guarantee the accuracy of this Shakespeare timeline. However, we've made a gallant effort and the timeline below give a good idea of the course of Shakespeare's life with a combination of historically documented and dated facts about Shakespeare along with generally accepted dates for specific events.
Born in Stratford-upon-Avon to tanner and glove maker, John Shakespeare and his wife, Mary (Arden). His actual birthday is unknown but assumed to be April the 23rd. His baptism was recorded in the Parish register of Holy Trinity Church on April the 26th.
If Shakespeare went to school this is when he would have started because children in Stratford began their schooling at the age of seven. He would have gone to the local grammar school.
Shakespeare marries Anne Hathaway November the 27th at Temple Grafton, a village near Stratford.
Susanna, his first child is born.
Judith and Hamnet, twins, are born , February 2nd. Shakespeare goes to London and starts his theatrical career.
Shakespeare establishes his career and begins to make a name for himself.
Writes: The Comedy of Errors, Henry IV Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3, Richard III, The Taming of the Shrew, Titus Andronicus.
Dedicates Venus and Adonis and The Rape of Lucrece to Henry Wriothsley, Earl of Southampton – thought to be the beautiful youth of his sonnets.
Writes: Venus and Adonis,
Begins writing: The sonnets, Love's Labour's Lost, The Two Gentlemen of Verona.
Founding member of the Lord Chamberlain's Men, an acting company.
Published: The Rape of Lucrece.
His son Hamnet dies. Shakespeare purchases New Place, a large house in Stratford.
Writes: The Merchant of Venice, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Richard II, Romeo and Juliet.
The The King's Men and perform regularly at court.
1607 Susanna Shakespeare marries Dr. John Hall.
1608 The King's Men begin playing at The Blackfriars.
1608 Shakespeare's mother dies.
Writes: All's Well That Ends Well, Antony and Cleopatra, Coriolanus, Hamlet, Julius Caesar, King Lear, Macbeth, Measure for Measure, Othello, Timon of Athens, Troilus & Cressida, Twelfth Night.
1609 The Sonnets are published.
Writes: Cymbeline, Pericles Prince of Tyre, The Tempest, The Winter's Tale.
Shakespeare retires from the theatre and returns to live in Stratford. Works on new plays with his friend, John Fletcher.
1616 Judith Shakespeare married Thomas Quiney.
Writes: Cardenio, Henry VIII, The Two Noble Kinsmen.
Shakespeare dies on 23rd April 1616 (on his birthday) and is buried in Holy Trinity Church , Stratford Upon Avon.
Above not quite enough Shakespeare info for you? Check out our Shakespeare biography or the Shakespeare timeline infographic:
Read about Shakespeare's life >>
Read about Shakespeare timeline >>
Read about Shakespeare biography >>
Read about Shakespeare's early childhood >>
Read about Shakespeare's teenage years >>
Read about Shakespeare's lost years >>
Read about Shakespeare's London years >>
Read about Shakespeare's final years >>
Read about Shakespeare's death >>
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TImothy says:
have you got any info on the globe theatre???
Saro Guregyan says:
I was wondering who the author was of this so i can provide a proper MLA citation?
allie says:
thanks English homework is now done
tom says:
thanks was really helpfull
jade podd says:
helpful time line!
Maxwell says:
Yea it's pretty good , the life and time of a rare gen should not be oblitrated in the minds of every generation….kudos to your wtrite up.
Tatiana says:
it gave me a little something but not enough for my 3 page essay so i think you need to do a little tweek 🙂
Caitie says:
There wasn't very much information, but thanks!!!!!! It is really gonna help with my English project!!!!!!! 😀
lucy says:
it was okay but i was hoping for a bit more information 🙁
BBird 500 says:
Very helpful! Thnx
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Party rock is in the house tonight
Everybody just have a good time
And we gonna make you lose your mind
Everybody just have a good time
We just wanna see yaa!
Shake That !
I am so ready to rock Javelina Jundred this weekend ;-) it is going to be FUN!!! This is preview of my costume I hope to God it doesn't rain until after I finish my had my fall apart. I hope I can keep the hat on for the hundred. I am going as Lady Luck so I should get Lucky right??
Please send me all those wonderful vibes out on the course.
You can follow me on their web-site I am # 333.
Looking forward to my buddy and amazing tattoo artist Clifton Carter who will pace me 30 miles ;-)) yay see you on the trail peeps ;-)))
Thursday, November 10, 2011
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I'm either getting old or getting young, because it takes more concentration than I can afford to wade through this semi-interesting novella about the Ubuntu design meisters taking an axe to the "quit" function.
I really only have one thing to say in reply: Quit means quit. One thing that always irritated me about Windows programs over the years was that some of them seemed to hang in memory until forcibly removed.
Even Skype, which I use only rarely, drives me batty because clicking the giant X in a box in the upper right corner, which on most planets means "Your work here is through," only causes it to sink into the system tray.
If I actually want to rid the running system of it, I have to use the even more brutal right-click-quit-and-confirm command. Rubbish.
Quit means quit, and if the logic behind removing quit functions is to keep programs running silently in the background, count me out.
When I say stop, I mean stop. When I say close, I mean close. When I say quit, I mean quit — with extreme prejudice.
Furthermore this is not a new perspective for me. I hated it when AT-style hard-switch power systems, circa 1998, made the move to power systems that required you to hold down the button for the system to turn itself off.
There was never anything quite so satisfying as hearing the snap and click of an old-style power switch, viciously and unequivocally severing the system from its power source, in the space of an instant.
I want the same behavior from programs. Quit means quit, and chances are I'll seek out applications that follow that rule.
Of course, most of the computers I use couldn't run Ubuntu if their temporal existences depended on it, so the chance that a quitless program and I might cross paths … well, it's pretty slim.
In closing I'll say that it's altogether possible that I completely misunderstood the point of that missive. It was quite long, you see. And while that's sometimes a sign of a well thought-out argument, this time it only meant more words to string through my brain.
And in the end, for me, the issue is simple: Quit means quit. That is all.


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Watching a download of a 1969 big-budget all-star-cast war movie, "Battle of Britain." It's funny just how BAD special effects were before CGI. ;) Saw "The Town" last night and thoroughly enjoyed it. Two thumbs up and definitely worth seeing on the big screen to get the full effect of the Fenway Park shoot-out. Seriously though, if you like action flicks, go see this one. Ebert had this to say:
"Here is a well-made crime procedural, and audiences are likely to enjoy it at that level..."
There's a great scene in The Town where the bank robbers - dressed as nun's in full habits, wearing ghost masks and carrying assault rifles - have seemingly eluded a massive police chase after a botched armored car heist, and are about to ditch the getaway vehicle. The come screeching to a stop in their old neighborhood (The Town), realizing only too late that they've pulled-up in front of a squad car occupied by a single, older officer. It's one of those classic moments, and the cop basically gives the boys a free pass by intentionally looking the other way long enough that they have time to escape. Classic.
It's not a very deep film, and it's certainly no "The Departed," but it was worth the $15.50/seat to sit in the VIP at the Waterfront theater and watch all the action. Read Ebert's review of the movie here.
Monday, September 20, 2010
Movies, Special Effects, The Town
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Revlon® Nail Enamel delivers gorgeous smooth, chip-resistant color to nails.
Revlon Nail Enamel gives up to 10 days of lasting color & shine*. Revlon's exclusive silk-protein shield works to instantly help even out the surface of the nail while rising above color to automatically smooth away bubbles, streaks and brush marks.
Made in U.S.A.
|0.15 lbs
|0.5 fl oz (14.7 ml)
|SanaCause Points
Ethyl Acetate, Butyl Acetate, Nitrocellulose, Tri Benzoin, Isopropyl Alcohol, Propyl Acetate, Acetyl Tributyl Citrate, Stearalkonium Bentonite, Serica (Silk Powder) (Silk Powder), Dimethicone, PPG 2 Dimethicone, Triacetin, Citric Acid, Maleic Acid, Tetrabutyl Phenyl Hydroxybenzoate, Benzophenone 1, Silica, Stearalkonium Hectorite, Alumina, Calcium Sodium Borosilicate, Calcium Aluminum Borosilicate, May Contain (+/-):, Mica, Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Iron Oxides (CI 77491, 77492, 77499), Red 6 Lake (CI 15850), Red 7 Lake (CI 15850), Red 34 (CI 15880) (CI 15880), Yellow 5 Aluminum Lake (CI 19140), Ferric Ammonium Ferrocyanide (CI 77510) (CI 77510), Aluminum Powder (CI 77000) (CI 77000), Bismuth Oxychloride (CI 77163) (CI 77163), Carmine (CI 75470) (CI 75470)
Revlon was founded in 1932, by Charles Revson and his brother Joseph, along with a chemist, Charles Lachman, who contributed the "L" in the REVLON name. Starting with a single product - a nail enamel unlike any before it - the three founders pooled their meager resources and developed a unique manufacturing process.
Today, Revlon is a global leader in cosmetics, hair color, fragrances, skin care and beauty care products. As one of the strongest consumer brand franchises in the world, Revlon's products are sold in over 100 countries across six continents.
As a leading cosmetics brand, Revlon revitalized the industry over the years with iconic nail and lip colors and breakthrough technology like ColorStay transfer-resistant lipstick and makeup.
Revlon does not conduct animal testing and has not done so since 1989. They comprehensively test all of their products using the most technological advanced methods available ensuring they are both innovative and safe to use. The company believes that women should have the opportunity to express themselves through makeup, so the products are sold in many markets around the world and as such, are subject to local rules and regulations. Regulatory authorities in a few countries conduct independent testing in order to satisfy their own mandatory registration requirements. Revlon complies with all regulations in the countries in which their products are sold, and supports the advancement of non-animal testing alternatives and methodologies in the industry.


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Parents of children with special needs are invited to RSVP for our March 13th event!
JOIN US for a celebration! FREE Child Care provided! RSVP below.
Next meeting: Tuesday, MARCH 13, 2018
When: Tuesday, March 13, check-in at 4:30 p.m.; meeting is from 5:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m.
What: LEUSD's Parent Power Network is a monthly support and social gathering especially for parents and guardians of special needs children.
Where: Please RSVP to receive location information and directions
To RSVP: Please telephone Mirna Escamilla and RSVP before Tuesday, March 6th by calling (951) 253-7159, or RSVP via email: email@example.com


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Firmware upgrading has five steps
Insert a blank formatted memory card in the camera.
Turn on your Camera while holding down the [DISP/BACK] button.
The number displayed on the screen is the camera's "CURRENT" firmware version.
Use of either of the following batteries.
You can download the firmware upgrade using the "Downloading the firmware upgrade" link on this page.
|Firmware upgrade
|File name
|Firmware update transfer program for Windows XP users
|File name
|Firmware update transfer program for Windows Vista / 7 users
|File name
|Firmware upgrade
|File name
|Firmware upgrade transfer program
|File name
You can choose either of the following methods.
Before this procedure, the software provided on the CD-ROM bundled with the camera must be installed on the PC.
Both the downloaded firmware upgrade file and transfer program must be placed on the desktop of your PC.
1.Remove all the USB devices connected to the PC except for the mouse.
2.Connect the camera to the PC.
* Refer to the your "Camera" Owner's Manual for more information on connecting the camera.
As the software "MyFinePix Studio" is activated automatically after connecting, this software must be stopped before the next procedure.
3.Invocation for the transfer program
Double-click "FPUPDATE.DAT" file on desk top of your PC
Click the [OK] button on the dialog.
Click the [Exit] button on the dialog.
4.Turn off the camera.
5.Disconnect the camera from the PC.
This completes the copying procedure of the firmware update to the memory card. For the next step, keeps the memory card containing the copied firmware update in the camera.
Check the memory card containing the copied firmware update into the camera.
Always use fully-charged NP-45A when updating the firmware.
Press the [OK] button.
(The screenshot is an example of firmware upgrade from version 1.00 to version 1.01)
The firmware updating has started.
It takes approximately 3minutes for completing the firmware update.
When this screen appears, the firmware update has been successfully completed.
Following the procedure in step 1) "Check the firmware version," confirm the current firmware version.
Cf. Please reformat the media before taking pictures.


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High school hockey: Fairfield Prep tops rival ND-Fairfield
MILFORD -- For 22 minutes the ND-Fairfield hockey team's defense and goalie Stone Denbok had held Fairfield Prep's potent offense to just two goals.
And when Jonathan Suporn scored shorthanded, cutting Prep's lead to 2-1, it appeared the Lancers were poised to play with the state's second-ranked team.
But that's when the Jesuits took over.
Prep scored six second-period goals -- four of which came with a man-advantage -- as the Jesuits blitzed the Lancers 7-2 at Milford Ice Pavilion Thursday night.
Six different Prep players scored goals, led by Kevin Brown's two. David White and Matt McKinney each had a goal and an assist, and Connor Henry potted one and assisted on two. Prep outshot ND 48-12, improving to 3-0.
"We've worked well as a team," White said. "Everyone's scoring."
Denbok made 27 saves in two periods before Scott Klein took over and stopped all 14 shots he faced. Christian LaCroix also scored as the Lancers dropped to 1-1.
"We played well in spurts," ND coach Steve Hetherman said. "The boys have to learn."
Thanks to Denbok and a strong defense, ND stymied Prep's first four power plays. Suporn's shorthanded goal at 6:50 of the second cut the Lancers' deficit to one.
But Nick Bargiello's goal 29 seconds later, just two seconds after Prep's power play expired, boosted the Jesuits' lead to 3-1. Brown's power-play strike at 8:57 lifted the Jesuits' edge to 4-1.
"We got a couple in transition," Prep coach Matt Sather said. "When you face an aggressive penalty kill you have to be able to score on the rush."
"We had a little momentum and gave it right back to them," Hetherman said.
Prep then scored three times in just 2:18 while on a five-minute major power play. The Jesuits gained the elongated man-advantage when ND forward Cam Barquinero was disqualified for cross checking Prep forward Tim Edmonds in the throat after the whistle at 10:25.
"You can protect your goalie, but your stick can't be elevated," Hetherman said.
"It was basically my fault, I put it in after the whistle," Edmonds said with a grin. "Sometimes you have to crash (the net) hard."
After Henry's pinpoint wrist-shot made it 5-1, White and Kenny Kochiss set up Brown's second goal with stellar passing in ND's zone. White's back-hand pass found Kochiss, who whizzed a pass across the crease to Brown for the tap-in.
"(Kochiss) made a great pass to Kevin," White said. "Kevin worked his butt off to get to the front of the net. It was a great goal."
White scored just 50 seconds after Brown, putting Prep up 7-1.
"It's not really anything I do," White said. "I just get on the lucky end of it."
The Jesuits scored first late in the game's initial period. Matt McKinney circled the net, finding Edmonds, who fired a snap-shot by Denbok, putting Prep on the board.
"Coach always preaches moving our feet, and we weren't doing that in the beginning," Edmonds said. "My line was able to do that ... and we capitalized on a great pass from McKinney."
McKinney's goal from Mike Ventricelli at 3:49 of the second helped Prep build a 2-0 lead.
email@example.com; twitter.com/Pat_Pickens
Records: ND-Fairfield 1-1; Fairfield Prep 3-0; Goals: FP--Kevin Brown 2, David White, Nick Bargiello, Connor Henry, Matt McKinney, Tim Edmonds; NDF-- Christian LaCroix, Jonathan Suporn; Assists: FP--C. Henry 2, White, Bargiello, McKinney, Sean Henry, Aidan Rush, Mike Ventricelli, Kenny Kochiss; NDF--Tom Bergamasco; Goalies: FP--Matt Beck (10 saves); NDF--Stone Denbok (27 saves), Scott Kline (14); Shots: FP--48, NDF--12.


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Zootopia is the NEW Boat Party on the Island and the ONLY 4 hour Party in Tenerife, bringing you TWO different Parties each week.
Our Unique Boat sails every MONDAY & FRIDAY with a max capacity of 100 Party animals.
Both Parties include Dolphin & Whale sightings and a spot of swimming later in the trip.
MONDAY– All your favourite Dance, Club & R n B music with our Resident DJs "The King Brothers" (Dani & Riko King) 2 of the top 5 finalists the Tenerife DJ awards, as we set sail in the Zootopia Project Animal Party. Drinking Games, Champagne Showers & shots.
FRIDAY – Set sail aboard the Ragnarok with our crew of Vikings as we challenge the alcohol Valhalla. Drink beer from a horn, Roar like a Viking and dance like there is no Tomorrow, with a few surprises along the way. Viking drinking games and prizes for the best Viking outfit.
Pre~Party & Meeting point @ Claddagh Irish Music Bar
Meet the Zootopia crew. Enjoy special drink offers. Face and Body paint/glitter. Meet all your new boat buddies. Get Drunk.


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Total: $0.00View Recent
Capezio Ultra Soft Footed Tights Amazing Self Knit Waistband offer the quality and durability of Capezio's Ultra Soft Tights. Feature a wide, elastic-free, soft self knit top band. Squeezing, bulging, and hard visible lines under your leotard are a thing of the past. Fabric: 86% Tacte Nylon, 14% Spandex.
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text:
On behalf of Porsche Asia Pacific, it gives me great pleasure to welcome you to our homepage that covers all Porsche activities and events across the Asia Pacific region.
Porsche Asia Pacific Pte Ltd commenced operations on the 1st October 2001 and was founded to give Porsche closer ties with Asia Pacific markets that are becoming increasingly more important to us and to support our importers.
Porsche Asia Pacific supports the Porsche importers in 13 countries: Brunei, Cambodia, French Polynesia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mongolia, New Caledonia, the Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam. In our office, we offer full support to our importers with dedicated people who look after all aspects of Sales, After-Sales as well as Marketing and Network Development issues. We also have a technical hotline where our importers can contact us quickly and efficiently to resolve problems as soon as they arise so that customer inconvenience is kept to a minimum and we liaise directly with the factory in Germany to ensure that our importers are up to date with all the latest product and technical information.
The establishment of a regional office in Singapore has given the company the opportunity to get closer to our markets and our customers; this gives us the perfect foundation on which to base our future plans, as without direct knowledge from the markets, we are not in a position to know what are the needs, wants and expectations of our customers. It also gives us the chance to get feedback directly from our markets so that we can work with our importers to improve and enhance the services that you, our highly valued customer, receive. This is very important to us if we are to ensure our future growth and grasp the opportunity that new exciting Porsche models will offer.
We are continuously developing and expanding our network of dedicated importers in all countries of the Asia Pacific region. Furthermore we are still a growing region, constantly looking for new potential Porsche markets in our region. Porsche enjoys excellent relations with the customers in the region, we have Porsche Clubs established in many of our markets and we certainly look forward to welcoming more enthusiasts to our family.
I hope that you will enjoy the content of our homepage and I can assure you that we would welcome any feedback or comments on its content. Just Contact Us!
With best wishes
Martin Limpert
Managing Director
Porsche Asia Pacific Pte Ltd
20 McCallum Street #12-01
Tokio Marine Centre
Singapore 069046
Republic of Singapore
Phone: (65) 6645 4911
Fax: (65) 6645 4900


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ArenaNet co-founder and former Blizzard employee Patrick Wyatt recounts the chaotic, spectacular dev process behind the original Warcraft. This is Part 3 of the story, crossposted from his blog. You can visit Wyatt's blog to read Part 1 and Part 2.
The first-ever multiplayer game of Warcraft was a crushing victory, an abject defeat, and a tie, all at once. Wait, how is that possible? Well, therein lies a tale. This tale grew organically during the writing to include game AI, the economics of the game business, fog of war and more. Read on if you have lots of free time!
After six months of development that started in September 1993, Warcraft: Orcs vs. Humans, the first product in what would eventually become the Warcraft series, was finally turning into a game instead of an extended tech demo.
For several months I was the only full-time employee on the project, which limited the rate of development. I was fortunate to be assisted by other staff members, including Ron Millar, Stu Rose, and others, who did design work on the project. And several artists contributed prototype artwork when they found time in between milestones on other projects.
The team was thinly staffed because the development of Warcraft was self-funded by the company from revenues received for developing titles for game publishers like Interplay and Sunsoft, and the company coffers were not deep.
At that time we were developing four 16-bit console titles: The Lost Vikings 2 (the sequel to our critically-acclaimed but low-selling, side-scrolling "run-and-jump" puzzle game), Blackthorne (a side-scrolling "run-and-jump" game where the lead character gets busy with a shotgun), Justice League Task Force (a Street Fighter clone set in the DC Comics universe), and Death and Return of Superman (a side-scrolling beat 'em-up based on the DC Universe comic series of the same name).
With the money received for developing these games and other odd jobs the company was able to pay initial development costs.
For most of the history of the game industry, independent game development studios -- which is to say studios that weren't owned by a retail game publishing company -- usually funded their projects by signing contracts with those publishing companies. Publishers would "advance" money for the development of the project. In addition to advances for development, publishers were responsible for publicity, marketing, manufacturing, retail distribution, customer support and so forth.
Back in the early '90s, there were many more retail game publishers than exist today, but the increasing cost of game development and especially of game publishing led to massive industry consolidation due to bankruptcies and acquisitions. When you think of a retail game publisher today you'll probably think of Activision Blizzard, EA, or Ubisoft, instead of the myriad mid-sized companies that existed 20 years ago.
As in all industries, the terms of contracts are drawn up to be heavily in the favor of the people with the money. This is the other golden rule: "he who has the money makes the rules". While in theory these agreements are structured so that the game developer is rewarded when a game sells well, as in the record and movie industries publishers capture the vast majority of profits, with developers receiving enough money to survive to sign another agreement -- if they're lucky.
When I mentioned "advances" paid by the publisher, the more correct term is "advances against royalties", where the developer is effectively receiving a forgivable loan to be repaid from royalties for game sales. It sounds great: develop a game; get paid for each copy sold. But the mechanics work out such that the vast majority of game titles never earn enough money to recoup (pay for) the advances. Since development studios often had to give up the rights to their title and sequels, these agreements are often thinly disguised work-for-hire agreements.
To aim for better deal terms, a common strategy employed by development studios was to self-fund an initial game prototype, then use the prototype to "pitch" a development deal to publishers. The longer a developer was able to self-fund game creation the better the eventual contract terms.
Perhaps the best example of this strategy is Valve Software, where Gabe Newell used the wealth he earned at Microsoft to fund the development of Half-Life and thereby gain a measure of control over the launch schedule for the game -- releasing the game only when it was a high-quality product instead of rushing it out the door to meet quarterly revenue goals as Sierra Entertainment (the game's publisher) desired. More importantly, Gabe's financial wherewithal enabled Valve to obtain ownership of the online distribution rights for Half-Life just as digital downloads were becoming a viable strategy for selling games, and led to that studio's later -- vast -- successes.
The downside to self-funding a prototype is the risk that the developer takes in the event that the game project is not signed by a publisher -- oftentimes resulting in the death of the studio.
The company I worked for -- at that time named Silicon & Synapse -- was self-funding Warcraft, along with another project called Games People Play, which would include crossword puzzles, Boggle and similar games found on the shelves at airport bookstores to entertain stranded travelers.
By developing two games that targeted radically different audiences, the company owners hoped to create multiple sources of revenue that would be more economically stable compared to betting all the company's prospects on the core entertainment market (that is, "hardcore" gamers like you 'n' me).
Of course spreading bets across diverse game genres also has risks, inasmuch as a company brand can be diluted by creating products that don't meet the desires of its audiences. One of the great strengths of the Blizzard brand today is that users will buy its games sight-unseen because they believe in the company's vision and reputation. That reputation would have been more difficult to establish had the company released both lower-budget casual titles and high-budget triple-A+ games, as did Sierra Entertainment, which is now out of business after repeated struggles to find an audience.
In any event, creating Games People Play turned out to be a misstep because developing a casual entertainment product was so demoralizing for the lead programmer that the project never matured and was later canceled. Or perhaps it wasn't a mistake, because the combination of Warcraft and Games People Play convinced Davidson & Associates, at that time the second largest educational software company in the world, to purchase Silicon & Synapse.


text:
We don't want to make light of what you're going through. Getting an HIV diagnosis may feel like the worst thing that has ever happened to you.
But pay attention to this: There is life after testing positive. One million Americans are now living with HIV, and approximately 25 percent of those newly diagnosed with HIV are women. Yes, that's right: women. In fact, although women with HIV may seem invisible, there are more than 126,000 women living with HIV in the United States.
So, take a deep breath. No matter how alone you may feel right now, know that there is a big community of HIV-positive women out there ready to provide information, support, advice and many other resources. In this booklet, you'll meet some of these women. We hope they will help you fight the fear, ignorance and prejudice about HIV and HIV-positive people that unfortunately still exist. We hope you'll use this booklet to learn more about HIV -- and to discover some helpful steps you can take to live a full and happy life with HIV.
More From This Resource Center
Newly Diagnosed? Words of Encouragement from HIV-Positive Women
What Every HIV-Positive Woman Should Know About GYN Care and Prevention


text: Is it just me, or does Fantasini's world of mystery and magic bear a striking resemblance to Mr Green's? A charismatic hero, surrounded by magic and mystery, a conundrum wrapped in a puzzle with an art for showmanship. Much like the amazing Twin Spin, Fantasini's world of slot magic features the unique linking reels that "chain" two adjacent reels together for wins to boggle the mind, and fatten the wallet!


text:
By: Jagdeesh Mann in Vancouver, BC
New Canadians from South Asia, China and the Philippines are more likely to donate to charitable causes than the general population, a new survey has found.
The survey by the Angus Reid Institute and CHIMP or the Charitable Impact Foundation, found this segment of Canadians – many of whom are motivated to give by their personal religious faith – are more likely to donate to charitable causes than the general population, and more likely to say that they should be doing even more than they already are.
The key findings stated:
• From poverty reduction, to faith-based issues, to human rights, people born outside Canada are more likely to have donated to each of the 11 charitable areas canvassed in this survey;
• While three-in-ten respondents from the general population (30%) say they should be "doing more" to contribute to charitable causes, this sentiment increases to four-in-ten (41%) among those born outside Canada
• Seven-in-ten immigrants surveyed (71%) say their religious beliefs have a strong influence on their giving habits, while fewer than half of the general population say this (46%)
• Money sent to family overseas is a significant source of giving for immigrants – one-in-four (27%) are currently sending money in this way
The survey sample was primarily drawn from individuals who were born in the top three emigrating nations – China, India, and the Philippines – though a handful of respondents say they were born in another country outside of Canada.
In addition to the sample of 439 residents born outside the country, this survey also captured a large group of second-generation Canadians.
"With the percentage of Canada's population who are immigrants expected to grow in coming years, this segment becomes more important to the Canadian story with each passing year," said Shachi Kurl, the executive director of the Angus Reid Foundation.
The survey authors said in their report that Canadians as a whole population can be divided into four groups in terms of their charitable behaviour: The Non-Donors, The Casual Donors, The Prompted Donors, and The Super Donors.
The Non-Donors (14% of the general population) are just that: People for whom donating money is simply not something they do. At most, members of this group donate less than $100 dollars and support just one charitable cause in a typical year. The vast majority of this group is even less charitably active.
Slightly more active in their charitable activities are the Casual Donors (31%). Members of this group spread their money around, with most donating to at least two different charities each year, but none of them report donating more than $250 annually.
The other two groups – the Prompted Donors (34%) and the Super Donors (21%) – are each significantly more likely than Casual and Non-Donors to support a variety of charities and to spend more than $250 per year.
Those born outside Canada are much more likely to fall into the Super Donor category. More than one-in-three (36%) may be considered members of the most generous segment of the population, compared to one-in-five (21%) within the overall population, said Kurl.
Across each of the 11 donation areas canvassed in this survey, those born outside of Canada are more likely than the general population to have volunteered or donated to all of them, with the exception of animal welfare causes.
Notably, second-generation Canadians as likely as immigrants to volunteer or donate in many charitable areas. This means that they are also much more likely than the general population to be involved. There is however, a large disparity between first and second generation Canadians in two areas – religious causes and involvement in their own ethnic community.
The role of personal faith is evident among Canadians born overseas. While just three-in-ten (31%) among the total population say they are involved with a religious or faith-based cause, this number jumps to six-in-ten (61%) among immigrants and four-in-ten (43%) among second-generation Canadians.
When looking at the impetus to give, faith is again a factor. Seven-in-ten immigrants to Canada (71%) say their own personal faith has a strong influence on their views of charitable activities. Just under half (46%) of the general population says this. Second-generation Canadians fall in between these two groups (55%):
One-in-four immigrants (27%), are also currently sending money to family overseas in the form of remittances. This represents double the number of second-generation Canadians who say the same (13%), while just a handful of general population Canadians say they are currently remitting.
The group remitting in the greatest numbers, by a large margin, are Filipino immigrants. Among this group, 43 per cent say they are sending money back overseas currently, while those from South Asia (25%) and China (15%) report doing so at a much lower rate.
New Canadians also ranked higher in the "should be doing more to support charitable causes" segment when compared to the general population.
Jagdeesh Mann is a media professional and journalist based in Vancouver. Mann is also a member of the NCM Collective and regular contributor for New Canadian Media. This piece was republished under arrangement with the South Asian Post.
Commentary by Andrew Lam in San Francisco
In America, when a source of authority says it randomly singles you out, you should always be wary.
On Monday, video surfaced of a Vietnamese American, David Dao, being forcefully dragged from a United Airlines flight departing Chicago for Louisville, Kentucky. Dao, 69, had allegedly refused to voluntarily give up his seat on the overbooked flight.
The video quickly went viral around the world, including in China, one of United's largest markets, where it broke records for being the most widely shared video on social media. United stocks quickly plummeted, dropping 4 percent early Tuesday.
Many of the comments in China and elsewhere, meanwhile, questioned whether Dao, initially believed to be Chinese, was singled out for his ethnicity. His bleeding face is now the poster child for perceived racism in the friendly skies.
"Reflecting on my three nightmare-like experiences with United," Richard Liu, the CEO of popular online shopping platform JD.COM posted on the Chinese site Weibo. "I can say … that United is the worst airline, not one of the worst."
Chinese media also drew attention to an online petition entitled #ChineseLivesMatter calling for a boycott of United Airlines.
Reaction from the Asian American community has been equally swift and stinging.
"There is no justification for inflicting violence on any American who poses no physical threat regardless of race, occupation, or other characteristics," declared the advocacy group PIVOT, which works on civic engagement issues in the Vietnamese American community. "As an organization that aims to engage and empower Vietnamese Americans for a just and diverse America, PIVOT categorically condemns United Airlines and the Chicago Police for their violent actions."
According to reports, Dao and his wife were among four passengers selected to involuntarily relinquish their seats to make room for United employees.
In its response to the growing PR nightmare, despite a public apology, United's CEO, Oscar Munoz added fuel to the growing fire after a leaked email was released showing Munoz referring to Dao as "disruptive" and "belligerent."
Few in the Asian American community are buying the airline's defense.
"How exactly were the four people selected to give up their seats on this flight? What is the method of 'random' selection?" asked blogger Phil Yu, better known as Angry Asian Man. "Do United computers come with a Random Passenger Removal Generator? Or does a flight attendant just take a quick glance around the plane and pick a poor sucker?"
In another online post, one gate agent wrote it is typically the agent that decides who to bump. "Usually, depending on the airline, it is determined based on the last passenger to check in for the flight."
Reporting on the incident, Business Insider noted passengers can be "involuntarily denied boarding based on a number of factors." These include "fare class of their tickets, frequent-flyer status, their itinerary, and when they checked in to the flight."
Yet to be sure it is not all algorithm.
Like others, Yu believes Dao was selected in part because United staff assumed that as an Asian he would be compliant. "If the 'randomly selected' passenger had been a blonde white lady, and she refused to give her seat, there's no way in seven hells that these cops would have dragged her ass out kicking, screaming and bloody," Yu wrote. "Such indignities are apparently reserved for 69-year-old Asian physicians."
He added, "Clearly, they were not counting on this guy to put up a fight."
Commentary by Jonathan Manthorpe in Vancouver
How does Donald Trump's mind work? The Beijing government hasn't a clue; neither does the rest of the world. Maybe the president-elect's thinking is a mystery even to himself.
Sensibly, Chinese Communist Party leaders have opted not to interpret Trump's telephone conversation on Friday with Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen as a deliberate act jettisoning nearly 40 years of careful obfuscation that has kept the peace between Washington and Beijing.
Instead, the men behind the high red wall of the Zhongnanhai leaders' compound in Beijing decided to say that the phone call was a "petty trick" by Tsai. "For Trump," said a state-controlled newspaper, "it exposed nothing but his transition team's inexperience in dealing with foreign affairs."
So Beijing has decided that for the moment there should be no crisis. Trump, though, seems reluctant to go along with that idea and appears, in fact, to be setting up the Beijing regime as a whipping boy. On Sunday evening he used his preferred method of communication with the world — Twitter — to say:
"Did China ask us if it was OK to devalue their currency (making it hard for our companies to compete), heavily tax our products going into … their country (the U.S. doesn't tax them) or to build a massive military complex in the middle of the South China Sea? I don't think so!"
This suggests that, unlike the other promises he has already abandoned, Trump might charge ahead with his campaign vow to stick massive duties on Chinese imports.
That could pose a threat to the survival in power of the Chinese Communist Party — whose Mandate of Heaven is now expressed in the growth of China's gross domestic product. And that is a far more pressing question for Beijing than the fate of Taiwan
But the Taiwan question cannot be ignored. The Communist Party claims the island and its 23 million people are "a renegade province" that must be gathered into the bosom of Mother China — by force if necessary. Three generations of Chinese have been indoctrinated at school with this mantra, even though it has little historic, legal or political merit. But there is a long history of authoritarian states being mauled to death by the hyper-nationalism they have fostered in order to stay in power.
So there are reasons to applaud the phone call between Trump and Tsai. It is shining a bright light on the iniquities visited upon the people of Taiwan, a vibrant democracy with one of the world's most successful and sophisticated economies, by the sleazy deal between Washington and Beijing.
The breach of protocol established in 1979 would be far more welcome if someone more trustworthy than Trump were about to become the U.S. president. It's hard to believe that Trump will see through what he started on Friday, that the ridiculous "one China policy" will be ditched, and that Taiwan will be able to take its proper position as an internationally recognized independent nation.
As with so many U.S. diplomatic follies of the last half century, the blame for this one can be laid at the feet of Henry Kissinger.
Like Trump, Kissinger's capacity for self-promotion has successfully masked his lack of more useful talents. In 1971, Kissinger was President Richard Nixon's national security advisor when he went to Beijing to negotiate with Premier Zhou En-lai the establishment of diplomatic relations.
At the time, Washington still recognized as the legitimate government of China the old Kuomintang regime of Chiang Kai-shek, which had fled to Taiwan in 1949 after losing the civil war to Mao Zedong's communists.
Premier Zhou played Kissinger like a violin. Despite Nixon's insistence that Taiwan's independence must be guaranteed, Kissinger told Zhou that he could foresee the island becoming part of China. He also agreed to "acknowledge" China's claim to Taiwan. This wording — which the Chinese usually translate as "accept" — has remained part of the problem.
(In contrast, when then-Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau was negotiating Canada's establishment of diplomatic relations with Beijing, he insisted that Ottawa would only "note" the Communist Party's claim to Taiwan. Most other countries have followed the Canadian model.)
The establishment of Washington-Beijing diplomatic relations meant that the fiction that the Chiang regime in Taiwan was the true government of China could not continue. In 1979, during Jimmy Carter's presidency, the U.S. ended formal diplomatic relations with Taiwan — though, like most other countries (including Canada), it keeps an unofficial embassy in Taipei and continues to have a military and intelligence relationship with the government.
With this ambiguous diplomatic and legal relationship has gone what is known as the "one China policy," which Beijing has insisted other governments, especially Washington and Taipei, accept as a condition of economic relations.
In essence this policy says that everyone accepts that there is only "one China." What constitutes China is left undefined. Beijing, of course, says China includes Taiwan and the Chinese Communist Party is its sovereign authority.
In Taiwan, around 90 per cent of the island's people want to keep their independence. If pushed, they will say there is indeed only one China — but Taiwan is not part of it.
The same goes in Washington. So for nearly 40 years, peace has been maintained across the Taiwan Strait and relations between Beijing and Washington have continued without serious conflict because everyone has agreed to accept there is "one China" without asking what that means.
U.S. administrations have added a couple of other ambiguities to this "don't-ask-don't-tell" approach. There is domestic legislation — the 1979 Taiwan Affairs Act — which requires Washington to help defend Taiwan if it is attacked. It is left up to each Washington administration, however, to decide how enthusiastically it rushes to Taiwan's defence. As U.S.-China economic interdependence has grown, it has become less and less likely that any Washington administration would go to the wall for 23 million Taiwanese, even if they are part of the democracy circle.
And in a sop to Beijing, successive U.S. presidents have kept well away from any formal or even informal association with their Taiwanese counterparts.
That's why Trump's phone conversation with Tsai stands out.
It's not entirely clear that it has dawned on Trump yet that, on January 20, he will become the U.S. president. He is still acting like someone who just won a game show and is revelling in the attention showered on him by groupies.
Whether the phone call means anything more than that will be seen after January 20.
Republished under arrangement with ipolitics.ca
A recent ruling on a territorial dispute in the South China Sea between China and the Philippines has left Canada "deeply concerned" about escalating tensions in that region. Meanwhile, China is furious that the ruling favoured the Philippines, and the ruling poses a dilemma for Taiwan.
Several countries in East Asia including China, the Philippines, and Taiwan have competing claims over the South China Sea area, which includes fishing grounds and some of the world's busiest shipping lanes, with 30 percent of global trade passing through these waters. The region also includes two chains of islands, the Spratly and the Paracel islands, some of which are believed to be untapped sources of natural gas and minerals.
Epoch Times
Falun Gong practitioners in the 100-odd countries where the spiritual discipline is practised take every opportunity to raise awareness about the ongoing abuses toward their fellow practitioners in China. That has been the case since 1999 when the Chinese Communist Party under then-leader Jiang Zemin launched a widespread campaign of persecution against the group.
So when a new report came out about the killing of Falun Gong prisoners of conscience to supply China's lucrative organ trade, teams of practitioners in several provinces across Canada hit the road, their vehicles loaded up with banners, petitions, flyers, and other materials.
Epoch Times
The recent ruling by The Hague's Permanent Court of Arbitration rejecting China's territorial claims to islands in the South China Sea has not only sparked a fire-breathing response from Beijing, but has also left Taiwan unhappy.
Taiwan is concerned about the ruling's impact on its sovereignty over Taiping Island, which it considers its southernmost point.
Epoch Times
Fearing that their island city is going to the dogs, close to half of Hong Kong residents interview in a recent survey are looking to move.
And Canada is their top pick to start a new a life.
Some 42 percent of Hong Kong residents want to leave, a survey by independent think tank Civic Exchange showed in June. This compares with 20 percent wanting to leave neighboring Singapore.
Seventy percent of 1,500 people surveyed said Hong Kong had become "worse" or "much worse" to live in, with the biggest concerns housing, the "quality of government" and education, the Thompson-Reuters Foundation reported.
The number of Hong Kong people emigrating to Canada almost doubled in the first quarter of this year compared with the same period last year, and the number moving permanently to Taiwan rose 36 percent over a similar time frame, data shows.
The most recent data from the United States is from 2014 and flat. Emigration to the UK has declined, but the minimum amount for those seeking to qualify for residency as investors there has also doubled to 2 million pounds ($2.64 million).
Australia doesn't provide data for Hong Kong but aggregate figures for emigrants from mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Macau and Mongolia rose slightly last year.
The diminishing confidence in Hong Kong's future follows the "Occupy Central" protests in late 2014 demanding Beijing grant Hong Kong full democracy.
"After Occupy, (Hong Kong people) started to be nervous about the future," said Andrew Lo, a director of Anlex Services Limited, which handles Taiwan immigration cases, according to reports in Hong Kong.
Mary Chan, of immigration experts Rothe International Canada, said the immigration process typically takes one to two years. "Which is why the numbers are only increasing now," she said.
The disappearances of five Hong Kong booksellers who specialized in gossipy political books about Chinese leaders, some of whom were believed to have been abducted by Chinese agents, has also eroded broader confidence in the "one country, two systems" formula under which the former British colony returned to China in 1997.
One of the booksellers who returned to Hong Kong told media he may emigrate to Taiwan because he no longer feels safe in the city.
"Young people were more upset about the government two years ago but the sense of dissatisfaction actually cuts across ages now," said Professor Michael DeGolyer, who co-led the study.
The Mainland Affairs Council in Taiwan, a self-ruled island China considers a breakaway province, said it expected the increase in Hong Kong immigrants to continue.
"Taiwan is an open, pluralistic and liberal democracy. The people are very friendly. Housing prices and consumer prices are relatively cheap, while entrepreneurial opportunities and the similar cultures of Hong Kong and Taiwan are all factors for Hong Kong residents to consider coming to Taiwan," it said.
Hong Kong's immigration department declined to comment on the survey. The Security Bureau declined to answer questions about whether the Hong Kong government was concerned about emigration or believed it was due to political concerns.
It provided its own emigration estimates based on the number of requests it had received for certificates of no criminal conviction. Those figures showed a slight increase last year but were below where they were a decade ago.
When activists began setting fire to trash bins and hurling bricks at police during a February riot in Hong Kong, Chris Lee became more convinced his decision to leave his siblings and mother behind and move to Taiwan was the right one.
Hong Kong, long known as one of the safest and most law-abiding cities in Asia, has become increasingly polarized with occasional violent protests, fueled in part by tensions with Communist Party leaders in Beijing over the Chinese-ruled city's democratic future.
"It's not just the politics that are messed up," said Lee, who moved to Taiwan in March and opened a restaurant. "It is also the people who have become irrational and fickle that drove me to leave."
Independent public policy think tank Civic Exchange study also measured wellbeing in terms of how quality of life is perceived in three major Asian cities: Hong Kong, Singapore and Shanghai. The survey interviewed over 1,500 people in each city. The report includes respondents' reactions to issues such as the environment, housing, education, government and transportation. The study aims to gauge and compare wellbeing across Asian cities with a goal of identifying issues and policy gaps that will generate engagement with governments, academics, NGOs and the broader public in the quest to shape public policy.
Highlights of the findings include:
In general, Hong Kong respondents are significantly more dissatisfied than their counterparts in Shanghai and Singapore.
In terms of life-satisfaction level, Shanghai ranks first (score: 7.4 out of 10), Singapore ranks second (7.1) and Hong Kong is a distant third (5.8)
70% of Hong Kong respondents think Hong Kong has become worse since they started living there. This percentage gets higher with younger respondents.
66% of Hong Kong respondents think Hong Kong is not a good place for children to grow up in, vs. 16% and 13% in Shanghai and Singapore, respectively.
A lot more people worry about poverty in Hong Kong than they do in Singapore or Shanghai.
42% of Hong Kong respondents would move away from Hong Kong if they were free to choose, vs. 17% in Shanghai and 20% in Singapore.
by arrangement with the Asian Pacific Post
by Jeremy J. Nuttall in Ottawa
The federal New Democrats are demanding action from Ottawa after hearing the Chinese government is refusing to recognize Canadian citizenship when granting visas to those with roots in Hong Kong or Mainland China.
NDP immigration critic Jenny Kwan said she is sending a letter to Foreign Affairs Minister Stéphane Dion after speaking to travel agents in Toronto and Vancouver who report Beijing is denying Canadian citizens of Chinese origin the right to obtain visas using their Canadian passports.
Instead, they are reportedly being issued travel documents as Chinese nationals, which means they won't have the protection of the Canadian embassy while travelling in China.
Kwan said until June 2, Canadian citizens born in Hong Kong or Mainland China could choose to travel as Chinese nationals or Canadian citizens. Now Beijing is apparently forcing them to travel as Chinese nationals.
"It's a major shift in practice from what it used to be and is of big concern to people," she said.
Even Canadian citizens born here to Chinese parents must apply for Chinese travel documents if they have not travelled to the country as Canadians before, Kwan said.
One Toronto travel agent, who spoke to The Tyee on the condition of anonymity, said his company arranges visas for visitors to Mainland China. Applications have been denied for people born in Hong Kong, Mainland China, or Taiwan, the agent said. The Beijing government has also denied visas to Canadian-born children of Chinese origin parents, he said.
The rejections have come with notes directing the applicants to go to a Chinese consulate in person to apply for travel documents.
Many people have opted to cancel their trips to China rather than travel as Chinese nationals, said the agent.
Tightening controls?
China expert Charles Burton, a professor at Brock University, said the move appears to be part of Beijing's attempt to tighten control globally to mute dissent against the ruling regime.
Burton pointed to a recent case of a Hong Kong bookseller with a Swedish passport who was arrested in Thailand and sent to China for "interrogation" as an example of Beijing's actions.
He said the reported policy would be in line with China's policy of considering anyone with Chinese heritage as subject to Beijing's authority.
"I think it does have a chilling effect on people of Chinese origin who felt that acquisition of foreign citizenship gave them a degree of protection," Burton said. "It goes against international law; it's part and parcel of China's refusal to acknowledge the authority of international regimes in general."
He said the policy could be considered discrimination because Beijing is issuing visas based solely on people's ethnicity.
Burton said Canada must raise the issue with China at the highest levels.
The revelations come four weeks after Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi had a tantrumwhen a Canadian reporter in Ottawa asked him about China's detention of Canadian citizen Kevin Garratt, aggressive moves in the South China Sea, and the disappearances of merchants in Hong Kong selling books critical of the Chinese government.
Following the outburst Ottawa faced criticism for its declaration of plans to deepen ties with China.
Global Affairs Canada said it was aware of the visa situation and intends to raise the issue with Beijing, but would not grant an interview with Dion.
** Story update, June 30: Since NDP MP Jenny Kwan's initial complaint, the Chinese embassy in Ottawa has issued a statement saying it has not changed its policy, but gives no explanation for why it was asking people to apply for Chinese travel documents.
"It should be noted that we welcome visit to China by Canadians of Hong Kong origin," read the statement. "There is no such a thing as China tightening its travel document-related policies."
Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Hong Lei also addressed the issue in his regular press briefing in Beijing.
Kwan released a statement in response suggesting that people who had problems apply once again and to bring the full Chinese statement from the Chinese embassy with them when they do.
Republished with permission from The Tyee.
By Jagdeesh Mann in Vancouver
Though it can be criticised as lip service, the Canadian government's ongoing 'dialogue' on human rights with China sometimes has a bite.
This was evident last week when China's touchy foreign minister threw a temper tantrum at a press conference in Ottawa when questioned about Beijing's dismal human rights record.
The current practice calls for Canadian ministers to confine human rights discussions to private meetings with their Chinese counterparts. But as much as Canada has failed at curbing Beijing's habit of executing dissidents and suppressing minorities such as Tibetans and Uighurs, China has failed at trapping the issue to government chambers sealed behind closed doors.
Thus every time the world's economic dragon fumes at being bridled by 'Western' values, the issue of human rights gains more ink in the Sino-Canada storyline.
So what should Canada's terms of engagement be with world's next rising economic star, the current elephant-in-heat India?
Last year, India's economy sprinted ahead to post a world-beating 7.6% GDP growth rate, though this result seems wind-aided thanks to some artful statistical spackling of poor data.
And as with China, this top-of-the-class economic report card has not spawned a halo effect to remove attention from the subcontinent's own poor human rights record. In the foreground of the recently-stalled Canada-India free trade talks are ongoing protests by Canada's politically influential South Asian community calling for protection of minorities in India.
These boiled at high heat last April when walls of protesters confronted India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi upon landing for his official state visit to Canada, dogging him from Ottawa to Toronto, and to Vancouver.
Human rights violations are again casting a shadow over Modi's state visit this week to the United States where he will be addressing a joint session of the US Congress. Even though India is being feted by the West as a counterweight to rising Chinese assertiveness in Asia, US elected officials are also petitioning for change in how the Indian government treats minority Christians, Muslims, and Sikhs. This includes a group of 34 senators and congressmen penned a letter recently urging the Prime Minister to 'hold perpetrators of this violence to account'.
These episodes of bloodshed include the infamous 2002 Gujarat riots in which hundreds of Muslims were killed by Hindu mobs and in which Modi was allegedly complicit – an event that led him to be denied a visa to the United States in 2005.
For Canada's one million strong Sikh population, justice remains outstanding in the targeted killings of thousands of Sikhs in Delhi in 1984, along with the earlier attacks on the Golden Temple when hundreds of innocent worshippers on pilgrimage were shot down by Indian soldiers. The failure to convict the organisers of the Delhi mass killings and resolve this violent chapter against India's Sikh minority – which like Christians in India form a mere 2% of the population – has allowed the wounds to grow toxic.
Although official reports record the killings of nearly 3,000 Sikhs, unofficial estimates are as high as 30,000. According to Barbara Crossette, a former New York Times bureau chief in New Delhi, "Almost as many Sikhs died in a few days in India in 1984 than all the deaths and disappearances in Chile during the 17-year military rule of Gen. Augusto Pinochet between 1973 and 1990,"
And so this past weekend on Saturday, Sikhs in Vancouver again gathered at the downtown Art Gallery to hold a vigil for victims of these events. This is the first of two annual commemorative events – the second, the annual Sikh Nation Blood Drive is held in November to mark the Delhi killings. It is the largest third party blood drive in the country for Canadian Blood Services.
Now in his early 20's, Manveer Singh has worked as an organiser for the art gallery vigil. Like others of his generation, he was born outside of India and after the 1984 atrocities. Yet the horror of these events spared few – virtually every family knew of someone who was murdered or was a casualty of violence. These wounds have filtered into the current generation through emotional osmosis.
For Singh, Canada's aspiration to expand its trade relationship with a state that refuses to account for the blood on its hands undermines Canadian values.
"At the political level, there is a reluctance to address these past events and press for convictions in the Delhi genocide as this would anger the Indian government," said Singh in reference to the Canadian government averting its eyes from India's record of violence towards minorities.
"What pains us most is that those from India's Congress Party who were behind the killings still live free with impunity," added Singh, who is currently a university student in Vancouver.
The future lies to the west over the Pacific for both Canada and the United States. North American companies have pivoted towards Asia – the next evolutionary step beyond NAFTA is the Trans Pacific Partnership, a free trade agreement between the US, Canada, Mexico and seven Asian nations that is looking to include India in its next stage.
In this ever unfettered global economy, uranium dug out from the Prairies is today shipped across the Pacific to power India's nuclear power plants and feed its energy starved population. But in this same environment of capital and labour mobility, blood spilled in Delhi thirty years ago can stain the earth red in Canada today.
The Sikh community in Canada is politically potent, punches above its weight, and stands to be a key arbiter in the future of companies like Saskatchewan-based Cameco, which last year signed a $350 million deal in 2015 to provide uranium for India's reactors. For Canadian resource companies seeking to reach India's 1.2 billion consumers, they may find their caravans blocked by the ghosts of 1984 that haunt this new silk-road connecting cities like Vancouver, Saskatoon, and Toronto to Asia's new El Dorado.
A number of Canadian elected officials have attempted to lay these spirits to rest by seeking official recognition of the Delhi killings as a genocide in order to close the chapter and move forward.
In 2011, MP Sukh Dhaliwal was the first to raise this topic at an official federal level. The member from Surrey-Newton put forward a petition in the House of Commons for official recognition of the 1984 killings as an act of genocide, plowing ahead with the convictions of his constituents despite a rebuke from then Liberal party leader Michael Ignatieff, as well as the Indian consulate in Vancouver. Dhaliwal received support from current Minister of Innovation, Navdeep Bains.
When asked if he would re-submit a proposal, Dhaliwal stated, "I was happy to forward petitions on behalf of my constituents, and now with e-petitions as a new way to facilitate grassroots democracy, I will continue to advance the petitions that are submitted by Surrey-Newton residents."
NDP leader, Tom Mulcair has also issued an official release on the matter, stating that he and the federal NDP "firmly stand in solidarity with the community, independent human rights organizations and Canadians across the country, in seeking justice".
And just this past week a motion for recognition of the Delhi killings as a genocidal act was voted on in the Ontario house. Put forward by Ontario NDP MLA Jagmeet Singh, it was defeated by the Liberal majority.
Singh tweeted afterwards, "By voting against the Sikh Genocide Recognition motion the Liberals turned their back on human rights, justice, reconciliation & healing. They not only turned their backs on the Sikhs but all the Hindu & Muslim families who risked their lives to save their Sikh neighbours."
The World Sikh Organisation (WSO), the activist organisation that contributed mightily to Justin Trudeau's victory, also expressed its disappointment at the defeat of MLA Jagmeet Singh's bill. "We also call for justice for the victims of 1984, and that those who were behind the attacks need to be brought to justice instead of being allowed to live free with impunity," said WSO legal counsel Balpreet Singh, adding the organisation supported Sukh Dhaliwal's petition.
With 16 MP's of Sikh heritage in the House of Commons, this matter will not fade into the recesses of the past. The recent recognition of the Armenian genocide by the German government as well as the apology for the Komagata Maru incident have bolstered confidence of achieving genocide recognition from Canada's Sikh community.
Even the Government of India's Nanavati Commission Report acknowledges "but for the backing and help of influential and resourceful persons, killing of Sikhs so swiftly and in large numbers could not have happened."
Despite such a damning statement, the Indian government has yet to move on convictions against the senior Congress Party members who organised the attacks.
Last year, Canada's then-Conservative government's Minister of Foreign Affairs issued a statement on the anniversary of China sending in the tanks against the protesters in Tiananmen Square, "Canada urges China to break its silence on the events of 26 years ago by openly accounting for the people who were killed, detained or went missing and by launching a process of national healing and reconciliation."
The Canadian government has yet to make an equivalent request to India for its Tiananmen moment, when its tanks crackled over the marble promenade of the Golden Temple in 1984 and when senior Congress Party officials ordered police to stand down while sword-wielding mobs cut down thousands of innocent people.
With discussions of free trade in the air, the timing is right for that statement. It stands to be a rare moment where investing in the fight for human rights would provide a good return for business.
Jagdeesh Mann is executive editor of the South Asian Post based in Vancouver. Twitter: @JagdeeshMann. An abridged version of this was first published in The Globe & Mail.
This commentary was republished with permission from the South Asian Post
by Florence Hwang in Regina
Attendees from across North America gathered to discuss ways to revitalize Canada's Chinatowns at the Edmonton Chinese Chinatown Conference, held on June 11 and 12. It's possibly the first of its kind in terms of scale and scope, says one organizer.
Topics included "Transforming Chinatowns: Social, Economic and Cultural Trends" and "Development Strategy and Planning and the Chinatowns of the Future: What Would This Look Like and How to Sustain Them?"
The first conference on this topic was held in 2011, but it focused mostly on the City of Edmonton. This year's conference took the issue to a larger stage, drawing on the expertise and experience of Chinatown activists from all over Canada and United States.
Conference organizer Lan Chan-Marples says some recommendations for revitalizing Chinatowns that came out of the weekend included hosting night markets, cultural festivals and historical walking tours.
Chinatowns were formed in the 1880s in major cities in the United States largely because of the Chinese Exclusion Act. In Canada, they arose with the building of the Canadian Pacific Railway, on which many Chinese immigrants worked.
These enclaves enabled Chinese immigrants to form tightly knit communities, capable of defending themselves against hostile external forces, and create job opportunities.
Before the 1950s, most Chinese immigrants in the United States and Canada came from the southern province of Guangdong. Since then, the population has became much more diversified.
Intention of the conference
Claudia Wong-Rusnak is the City of Edmonton Project Manager for the Chinatown plan. She was also one of the panelists at the conference.
Wong-Rusnak says there have been many decisions made in the past few decades that impacted the city's Chinatown, but that they now need the residents' assistance to put those plans into action.
"That's why we're having a conference. That's why we need a comprehensive plan because the old one [that was made in the 1980s] didn't materialize. The city council is extremely dedicated to seeing Chinatown thrive," notes Wong-Rusnak.
She says the two Chinatowns in Edmonton, which are quite close to one another, have had competing interests, making progress difficult.
"The north Chinatown is a very commercial centre. South Chinatown is more of a destination and houses the multicultural centre, the Benevolent Association and the seniors' home. Ideally, Chinatown should have both elements of business and culture," she says.
"We're suggesting we grow a core so that we can have a destination and explore those connections to downtown and to each other physically," Wong-Rusnak explains. She also hopes that they can "continue storytelling and celebrating our Chinese culture through softer means."
Revitalising Chinatown's across Canada
Named Toronto's first Chinese historian, Valerie Mah discovered very little had been written about the Chinese when she attended Teachers' College in Toronto.
Mah was born in Brockville, Ontario, where her grandfather had a laundromat and her parents opened a restaurant in 1930. When her mother was born, there were only two Chinese families in town, but many "bachelor" Chinese men owned or worked in Chinese restaurants.
Mah is still involved with the Chinese community, even in her retirement from teaching. She sits on both the Yee Hong and Mon Sheong Board of Governors, two major Chinese retirement homes.
"My hope is to try and help 'East Chinatown' become a vibrant community. Some of the older owners are retiring and I am working on their offspring who are carrying on in the community," says Mah.
Creating change through collective dialogue
Yi Chen, a filmmaker who was born and who grew up in Shanghai, China, was asked to speak at the conference about her 30-minute documentary that explored Washington, D.C.'s Chinatown.
Chen said she wanted to be part of this conference because it gathered Chinatown activists from major cities across Canada and the United States to talk about a topic she's very passionate about.
"More importantly, this kind of collective dialogue about Chinatown's future is unprecedented and much needed," she says.
Like in Edmonton, the Chinese population in D.C. is hoping to revive their Chinatown by working with grassroots and non-profit organizations with similar interests, as well as the municipal government.
Nicole So, who has helped establish the Youth Collaborative for Chinatown group and organized the "Hot and Noisy" mahjong social events in Vancouver, saw the conference as "a unique opportunity that brings together individuals from Chinatown all across North America."
These events are vital "to further the conversation about the different Chinatowns, especially given the rapid developments and changes seen in recent years," she says.
"Who we are, what we do and where we come from is nested in the history and lives [and] the actions of all those who came before us," she continues. "So I think it is important to remember and cherish that, especially for someone like myself—to learn about their roots and remember how things used to be.
"New things are always coming along, but once old things are lost, they are gone for good."
This content was developed exclusively for New Canadian Media and can be re-published with appropriate attribution. For syndication rights, please write to firstname.lastname@example.com
This content was developed exclusively for New Canadian Media and can be re-published with appropriate attribution. For syndication rights, please write to firstname.lastname@example.com
-- Canada's economic development minister Navdeep Bains at a Public Policy Forum economic summit


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Ah Camden, the home of rock and roll and the birthplace of Punk! Now 1 Big Night Out brings it's unique party to Camden Town, promising cheap booze, free shots and great times!
1 Big Night Out promises you a rocking night out, starting between 8PM & 9PM at Bar 55, before we hit 3 other awesome venues, culminating with queue jump entry to one of Camden's famous clubs for 1 truly Big Night Out
Included in your ticket price
Queue Jump Entry to 4 of Camden's best venues including independent bars and drinking dens in Camden's world famous Stables Market
A welcome shot in each venue
Happy hour drinks prices all night
Party guides to rock your night
Good times guaranteed!


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chef Pan Chef Cooking shows in North chef in Gan Ner Anemone 63 Gan Ner, Areas of Practice Culinary voyage, Menus range, meat meal, Social events, Cooking show and more. Specializing in Meals and Menus range. You can get advice with regard to Special Meetings or meal for two, Pan Chef Cooking shows chef with extensive knowledge and experience in fields Dairy meal Cooking show and Family Meal.. For further details enter to my card.
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Many students have found a minor in philosophy to be a valuable supplement to other majors in the natural and social sciences and other humanities departments. Students are strongly encouraged to take Philosophy 100: Ethics, Justice, and Society as a first course in philosophy.
You will need to complete six courses.
One of the following 200-level courses
- PHIL 250: Ancient Philosophy: Plato and Aristotle
- PHIL 251: Rationalism and Empiricism
One of the following 300-level courses
- PHIL 301: Ontological Commitments
- PHIL 302: Epistemology: Rationality and Objectivity
- PHIL 303: Understanding Language
- PHIL 304: Philosophy of Mind and Cognitive Science
- PHIL 310: Seminar in Philosophy
- PHIL 311: Ethical Theory
- PHIL 312: Political Philosophy
Philosophy Elective Courses
- Four electives
Majors and minors are not permitted to take any courses within the department for S/NC credit.


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Seattle's own GOLDEN TATE will be hosting Uncork for a Cause this Tuesday, December 18 at 6 PM at The Fairmont Olympic Hotel in Seattle, WA. The event is benefiting a special charity called Gilda's Club Seattle. Admission is only $75 per person and includes a free bottle of Gilda's Club Cabernet that Golden will AUTOGRAPH for a nominal donation. Guests will also enjoy hors d'oeuvres, beer and wine bar, and an auction packed with local and national sports items, fine wine lots, and VIP tours with many elite wine producers from Washington and California.
Join us at The Fairmont Olympic Hotel and help support the many programs and services provided by Gilda's Club Seattle. For more information on this event for a great cause and to purchase tickets, please visit: http://uncorkforacause.com/articles/show/71-Uncork_for_a_Cause_with_Golden_Tate_to_benefit_Gildas_Club_Seattle


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20 okt 2018 kl. 13:00 - 14:30
Copenhagen Visitor Service, Vesterbrogade 4B, 1620 København
Copenhagen is home to some of Scandinavia's most innovative contemporary architecture. This 90-minute walking tour explores some of the city's newest buildings as well as urban development over the past 20 years.
DAC's expert guides give a deeper insight into Danish architecture, infrastructure, and urban life. Stroll past the harbour and learn how new city initiatives are embracing the waterfront. Visit parks and public spaces designed to support this livable city, a trademark of Copenhagen design.
Join us for a new perspective on this historic city.
Architecture to go: 90 minutes of new architecture
Salg lukket


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Catalog Details
BI4770 - Animal Physiology
Credits: 4
Examines the various systems of the body including the respiratory, cardiovascular, digestive and excretory systems using a comparative approach. Discusses the control of these systems and behavior by the nervous and endocrine systems. Inherent is an analysis of an interaction between the mechanisms of homeostatic regulation and the environment. Laboratory investigations using local animals illustrate some of the principles outlined in lecture through the use of student and/or instructor generated hypothesis testing and uses modern equipment including computers, Data Acquisition Units, amplifiers, transducers, stimulators and activity monitors. Additional course fee required. Spring of odd years. Prerequisite(s): Junior or Senior Biology or Psychology major. (WRCO)


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Long may he run
With two albums released in 2012, Neil Young & Crazy Horse embark on a new tour. On "Americana," Young, Billy Talbot, Ralph Molina, and Poncho Sampedro pay their respects to "Oh Susanna," "Jesus' Chariot (She'll Be Coming Round the Mountain)," and more. On "Psychedelic Pill," they stretch out — one track, "Drifin' Back," clocks in at almost a half hour long. Pictured: Sampedro, Talbot, and Young . 7:30 p.m. $58-$258. TD Garden, 100 Legends Way, Boston. 800-745-3000. www.livenation.com
Ha-rvard Director Andrew Bujalski returns to his alma mater for a screening of his 2002 indie film, "Funny Ha Ha." "About a third of the cast and crew were fellow Harvard grads, and it feels very much like the film is my [unofficial] post-grad thesis." The debut feature looks at contemporary relationships through Marnie, a 23-year-old office temp. 7 p.m. $12. Harvard Film Archive, 24 Quincy St., Cambridge. 617-495-4700. hcl.harvard.edu/hfa
Filling and burning The filling in of Back Bay and the Great Fire of 1872 made it possible for Boston to welcome the wealthy and the immigrants. The filling created beautiful boulevards and architecture; the latter destroyed Boston's commercial district but made way for improved streets and new building codes. It's all chronicled in "Boston in the Gilded Age: Mapping Public Places." Monday hours are 10 a.m.-7 p.m. (through March 17). Free. Boston Public Library Norman B. Leventhal Map Center, 700 Boylston St., Boston. 617-536-5400. www.bpl.org
Brian and his buddy Dogs, cats, and birds are the typical family pets that rule our lives. But for Brian McGrory it was a rooster named Buddy that changed his life. The award-winning columnist will talk about Buddy and his book, "Buddy: How a Rooster Made Me a Family Man."7 p.m. Free. Brookline Booksmith, 279 Harvard St., Brookline. 617-566-6660. www.brooklinebooksmith.com
Newport goes nutcrackers Rosecliff's grand ballroom, dining room, and sweetheart staircase welcome snowflakes, mice, soldiers, and other characters at Newport Nutcracker at Rosecliff. And Island Moving Co. welcomes company members, guest artists, and kids from Rhode Island studios. Nov. 27-30 at 4 and 7:30 p.m. (Nov. 30 at 4 p.m. is sold out). $50-$90. Rosecliff, 548 Bellevue Ave., Newport, R.I. 401-847-4470. www.islandmovingco.org
Our digital future At Fission strategy, partner Cheryl Contee helps nonprofit organizations and foundations "use social media to create social good." So, perhaps the Yale and Georgetown alum can enlighten our face-in-the-phone culture at "The End of the Digital Divide: What It Means for the Nation's Future." Nov. 27 at noon. Free. Joan Shorenstein Center on the Press, Politics, and Public Policy, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, Taubman 275, 79 JFK St., Cambridge. 617-495-8269. www.shorensteincenter.org
It tolls for tree When you hear the Old South Church Great Bell chime, it means the Copley Square Holiday Tree Lighting is true to its name. Music will be provided by the Trinity Church Choristers, the United States Air Force Brass Band, and Boston Children's Chorus. Santa and Rudolph stop by, the Fairmont Copley Plaza hosts a family reception, and before the lighting there will be balloon artists, stilt walkers, and jugglers (3-5 p.m.). Nov. 27 from 5-6 p.m. Free. Copley Square, Boston. 617-536-2101. www.friendsofcopleysquare.org


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OTTAWA — Horace Mann representative Cindy Musselman and CSM Financial for Educators have opened a new office to serve their educator customers and employees.
"As your full-time Horace Mann representative, I understand the needs of our local educational community," said Cindy Musselman. "Together, Horace Mann Insurance Co. and I are committed to helping secure your family's future through a lifetime of changing needs."
The office is located at 628 Columbus St., Suite 413 in Ottawa. Office hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. or by appointment. The phone number is 815-434-0300 or her cell number is 815-879-0300.


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Indians fall as McAllister struggles on short rest
ANAHEIM -- There is no way to erase what took place over the past six games, but the Indians will at least have a day to try to forget about it. Thursday's scheduled off-day could not have come at a better time for the reeling Tribe.
It is only one month, but April is in the books and it was ugly for Cleveland.View Full Game Coverage
ANAHEIM -- There is no way to erase what took place over the past six games, but the Indians will at least have a day to try to forget about it. Thursday's scheduled off-day could not have come at a better time for the reeling Tribe.
It is only one month, but April is in the books and it was ugly for Cleveland.View Full Game Coverage
On Wednesday, the Indians took a 7-1 defeat to the Angels on the chin to complete a disappointing month and put a final touch on a disheartening 0-6 trip through San Francisco and Anaheim. Los Angeles lefty C.J. Wilson carved up Cleveland over eight innings in its latest loss, which made for a quiet clubhouse before the trek to the airport.
"Things aren't really going the way that we'd like right now," Indians first baseman Nick Swisher said. "But there's no quit in this team. There's always fight. We've got a nice off-day tomorrow. It's big-time needed. Hopefully, we just go home, relax a little bit, get our minds right and get ready to go."
Pitching on short rest, Indians starter Zach McAllister was not sharp in an abbreviated effort, though his defense once again hindered his performance. Cleveland catcher Yan Gomes made a costly throwing error, Wilson handcuffed the Tribe's lineup and the Indians' typically-solid bullpen could not keep the score close.
It was one of those days for Cleveland, which has had a lot of them of late.
Over the past six losses, the Indians posted a .183 (35-for-191) team average, which included a .167 (6-for-36) showing with runners in scoring position. Cleveland managed only 13 runs on the trip (2.2 per game) and stranded 36 runners. The pitching staff struggled as a whole, posting a 5.55 ERA (30 earned runs in 48 2/3 innings).
Along the way, other setbacks were added to the pile of problems. The Indians pulled struggling starter Carlos Carrasco out of the rotation and put him in the bullpen, and the team saw All-Star second baseman Jason Kipnis exit Tuesday's game with a right abdominal strain.
The Indians ended April in last place in the American League Central with an 11-17 record.
"My feelings about our team don't change on a road trip," Indians manager Terry Francona said. "It was a really tough trip. There's no way around it. We're going to have to be strong enough now to go home and be able to look at our record for a little while and not be happy with it, knowing that the best way to remedy it is to play better.
"We're going to have to be strong, because this was a tough trip. Not a lot went right for us."
The Indians asked McAllister to start on three days' rest and he accepted the assignment, having only logged 75 pitches in his outing against the Giants on Saturday. In 4 1/3 innings against the Angels, the big right-hander was charged with five runs (four earned) on four hits, ending with five strikeouts and four walks.
"I didn't have the command that I would've liked," McAllister said. "But, as far as the way my body felt and my arm felt, I felt extremely good out there."
L.A. first broke through against McAllister in the second inning, when Hank Conger drilled a 2-2 offering into the right-field seats for a two-run home run, putting Cleveland behind, 2-1. In the third, Howie Kendrick singled and stole second, but advanced to third when Gomes fired the ball wildly into center field for his seventh error on the season.
Albert Pujols brought Kendrick across the plate with a sacrifice fly, giving the Angels a 3-1 lead.
"There's times when he knows he has to be perfect," Francona said of Gomes. "If a guy has a good jump, he tries to maybe be a little too quick."
McAllister was pulled from the contest in the fifth inning after issuing a one-out walk to Mike Trout and then giving up a double to Pujols. Two batters later, lefty Marc Rzepczynski relinquished a two-run single off the bat of David Freese. Trout padded the Angels' lead in the sixth inning with a two-run double off Carrasco.
Armed with a 7-1 lead, Wilson cruised to the win. The veteran southpaw allowed only two hits in eight innings, finishing the day with eight strikeouts and one walk en route to a victory. Cleveland's only run against Wilson came in the second inning, when David Murphy singled to center field to score Asdrubal Cabrera.
"[Wilson] was very aggressive with different fastballs," Francona said. "He was cutting it, changing speeds with it. And then off of that, a breaking ball. He was just so aggressive in the zone and working ahead. He was just attacking."
Cleveland sang a similar tune after facing Giants starters Tim Hudson (Friday) and Ryan Vogelsong (Sunday) in the last series, and then in the wake of games against Angels hurlers Tyler Skaggs (Monday), Jered Weaver (Tuesday) and Wilson.
A team can only tip its cap so many times.
"There always are [two sides]," Francona said. "The only side that I really care about is us winning."
McAllister agreed that Thursday's off-day will be well received by the Tribe.
"Definitely," said the pitcher. "This was definitely a rough road trip for us. It'll be nice to be able to get a day of just relaxing and get away from baseball. And then, get rejuvenated and get ready for this next home series."
Jordan Bastian is a reporter for MLB.com. Read his blog, Major League Bastian, and follow him on Twitter @MLBastian.


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Hobbies & Crafts CMS Templates
We have a collection of 15 designs in this area!
Do you have a hobby or craft that you love so much that you want to share with the world? These hobby cms templates are perfect for those who have an interest in a subject that is done in their spare time. Whether your hobby is collecting an item, playing games, roaming around in the outdoors, creating art, molding models, cooking delicous foods, gardening, reading, or playing sports. It doesn't matter, but you if you want to share it with the world you want to check out our hobby cms templates.
Our hobbies & crafts CMS templates consist of designs from five different PHP engines: Drupal, Flash CMS, Joomla, Mambo, and PHP-Nuke. These engines allow you to manage your website easier than you can imagine as you do not have to know anything about HTML or other coding languages once its installed. Content can be written and updated by a point and click system making it extremely effective for your content writers who might know nothing about web design. Using our hobbies & crafts CMS templates will allow you to have a professional looking website without ever having to mess with source code when adding or updating content.


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As we too often find out when traveling these days, the cost of the trip is not necessarily the cost of the trip. Little fees, taxes, charges and surcharges pop up along the way, sometimes so often that before you're even at your destination, your budget has been all but blown.
Keep your eyes peeled for these expensive travel fees. With a little extra effort, you may be able to avoid them.
The rental car fee: From convention center expansions in San Diego to sports stadiums in Houston and Seattle, cities are increasingly finding the airport rental car counter a swell place to pick up some quick cash to fund construction projects. At Chicago's O'Hare Airport, you'll pay $8 per day, on top of substantial taxes and fees, so the city can build a new rental car center at the airport. In Charlotte, N.C., travelers helped build the NASCAR Sports Hall of Fame. Often, these fees show up as undecipherable line items on your final bill.
How to avoid: In many destinations, you'll find that the overall tax burden is lighter when you rent a car at an off-airport agency location. Anyone headed to a destination that has reasonable public transit links might consider picking up the car a few stops away. You may be able to pick up a car at an in-town location and return it to the airport without an additional charge.
Britain's departure tax: The government calls it an "Air Passenger Duty," and it's supposed to end global warming. Flying London to New York? As of April, those flying coach will pay about $100. Everyone else will pay just over $200. You'll pay it even if you're using frequent-flier miles.
How to avoid: Flying home from London by way of another destination lowers the cost of the fee; just check that it doesn't increase the cost of the ticket, thus negating your savings. Irish airfare taxes, for instance, are much lower.
The human being fee: Looking for the best deal on your next flight? Resist the urge to pick up the phone. Many airlines will charge you a fee for tickets booked with a live human. Again, $25 (that's what you pay for United and American, among others) may not sound like much on its own, but these things add up.
How to avoid: Book your ticket and make any changes to that ticket online. Or find out what the best fare is by talking to an agent, then hang up and book online.
Overpriced hotel parking: Overnight parking fees are the newest profit center at far too many hotels. Even city hotels are taking the explosion of overnight parking fees as a sign that it's cool for them to drive their existing rates into the stratosphere.
How to avoid: Read the fine print before you book — particularly in cramped destinations such as San Francisco, where we've seen overnight parking fees hit nearly $70. Rent a car for one day at a time from a location near your hotel and return it to the rental agency at the end of the day (let them take care of the parking). Or stay in the suburbs and use public transportation. Or stay in the city and do the same.
The change fee: United and American are charging $200 to change a domestic flight and even more for international trips. If you're looking to change an upcoming itinerary and you booked through a third-party website, brace yourself, because the site may also want to charge a change fee as well. Say you booked a flight on United from New York to Orlando, Fla., and it cost you $280. You booked it through a third-party site, say, CheapTickets. You have to change the flight because you're needed back home a day early. The cost of the change is now almost greater than the cost of the original ticket.
How to avoid: Southwest does not charge change fees plus you have to book directly with Southwest, so there's no issue of third-party fees. If there's a good chance you'll make changes, consider buying one of American Airlines' Choice Essential fares. For a bit more, there's no change fee, you get a checked bag round trip and priority boarding.
Article source: http://www.latimes.com/features/food/la-tr-money-20130804,0,412641.story