text:
Get some character
December 04, 2008
We have entered the final month of 2008, and Screen Play has been busy writing newspaper features looking at the highlights of the year.
Revisiting Grand Theft Auto IV reminded me that what I most loved about the game was its fantastic characters - particularly Niko, a refreshingly bold departure from typical video game archetypes.
But it's disappointing that he should stand out so much because developers are so often lazy or unoriginal.
Today I thought it would be fun to not only nominate your favourite (original) game characters, but also list those hoary character cliches that we have seen so many times before.
You know the ones, like the amnesiac tween, the trash-talking black dude or the pure-hearted (sexually unattainable) princess. Fire away in the comments section below...
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Recent comments
- DexX
- December 04, 2008
...Farah, especially in her interactions with the titular Prince in Sands of Time. The final scene of that game is, I think, one of the most romantic in game history (not that there's a lot of competition).
...most of the cast of Uncharted: Drake's Fortune. Nate was just this guy looking for a big break, not an indestructible hero. He was sarcastic, scruffy, and sloppy. Elena was a great match for him - ambitious, sometimes to an unhealthy extent, and happy to trade insults with Nate.
...pretty much everyone in GTA4, but especially Elizabeta. How often do you see a black, plus-sized lesbian gangster in any media, let alone a mainstream game? She stood out in a very strong cast.
...Duke Nukem. Sure, he's a cliche and a cipher and all that, but the fact remains that he had personality at a time when player characters were mute placeholders. Doom's space marine, Heretic's silent elf, Quake's mute soldier... none of them made an impression like The Duke.
...Kratos. He starts off the first game as a caricature, but as the series goes on he shows more and more depth, and we are finally shown more and more of what turned him into a monster. The lead-up to the finale of Chains of Olympus is simply heartbreaking.
...Alyx Vance. Honestly, what more needs to be said? She's one of the most positively written-about characters in gaming history, and there's a reason for that.
...Pey'j and Jade in Beyond Good and Evil. Jade gets a lot of attention, but what really made this game click for me was the interaction between the protagonist and her best friend. Bugger the rest of the plot - I was being driven toward the finale by the need to save Pey'j. Oh, and the post-credits revelation... *shudder* Where the f--k is our sequel, Ubisoft?
...Ratchet and Clank. They aren't terribly deep or original, but few games have made me laugh the way I do when the Lombax and the robot get into a groove.
...Guybrush Threepwood, the speaker of some of the funniest dialogue ever written for a game.
...GLaDOS, the speaker of the remainder of the funniest dialogue. Never before have I loved an evil computer so much.
...SHODAN. Best game villain ever. 'Nuff said.
Sick of...
...the tough-talking space marine with one distingushing character trait. You know what I mean: the squad consists of almost identical space marines, except that there is the crazy one, the funny one, the bitchy one... Even some very good games are guilty of this one.
...the pneumatic-chested heroine who thinks it's a good idea to go into battle wearing a tea towel and a few pieces of gaffer tape.
- Mr Ak
- December 04, 2008
I hate the silent protagonist. Master-chief, Gordan Freeman, I don't care. Script a complex character if you're not going to provide options of me to create one.
Good characters - Nico (and everyone else in GTAIV), Alyx Vance, Tidus (FFX), Kratos, Tenpenny (GTA SA - although that's more voice than scripting), the guy in the Jerusalem Bureau (Assassins Creed), the chick with the umbrella in Soul Calibur (more in terms of backstory than writing of design)
- Mr Ak
- December 04, 2008
GlaDOS. How could I forget GlaDOS?
- InstinctSage
- December 04, 2008
Favourite original character? Harold from Fallout, possibly.
"How did you survive?"
"Didn't! I got killed! Haaahahaaa I love that joke!"
"What's with the tree on your head?"
"His name is Herbert... I talk to him when I get lonely.
Just kidding! His name's Bob!"
For character cliche's I'll fall back on the old stalwart of JRPGS containing angsty adolescent males being pushed around by bossy adolescent females until they finally get off their lazy self depreciating butts and save the world.
- Pylades
- December 04, 2008
Great characters:
Niko (GTA IV)
An older, weary and thoroughly jaded guy, who still held onto what little hope he had of getting an ordinary, good life. He'd be right at home in a Scorsese film, which is ultimately what GTA feels like to me, with an injection of the bleak, cynical GTA humour.
Kratos (God of War)
"I am but a slave to the Gods of Olympus. I grow weary of their demands"
They took what could easily be a cliche, and injected so much life into it. Chains of Olympus in particular added a lot to this character, explaining WHY he's a bundle of absolute hate and anger, and injected him with a lot of classic Greek themes (fate, struggle and the horrors that arise from having the arrogance to struggle against what has been ordained)
CJ (GTA: San Andreas)
I've probably surprised a lot of people by listing him, but for me he's the first time that game developers listened to old-school or early 'Gangsta' rap (Public Enemy, early Ice-T, Ice Cube and 2Pac) and actually GOT IT. He's an example of the streets and the gangsta lifestyle who's actually trying to rise above it, but the constant cycle of crime, poverty and violence makes escape near impossible.
SHODAN (System Shock 1 & 2)
"Look at you hacker...what can you hope to accomplish against an immortal, perfect machine?"
Oh wow. Just...wow. Every maniacal AI in movies is in the shadow of HAL, every one in games is in the shadow of this horror. Utterly mad, her calm tones and clinical, vicious taunting have wielded their influence since, and the horror is only accented by the fact that YOU are responsible for her delusions of godhood. I'm very much of the opinion that the only challenger SHODAN has in the psycho-AI stakes, Portal's similarly snide and even more psychotic GLaDOS, was a subversion/parody of her. I learned to hate her almost as much as I came to hate...
Arcturus Mengsk (Starcraft)
"I will RULE this sector, or I will see it burned to ashes around me!"
I'm really hard pressed to think of a game that has aroused more hatred from me towards a character. The betrayal you suffer at the end of Chains of Olympus was probably crueller, but the callous, cynical and scheming way that Mengsk sells out everyone around him in the closing chapters of the Terran campaign secured his place. Fantastic voice acting from the cast really sealed the deal. I've put him here mostly as a reminder that classic tropes, like this 'magnificent bastard', can be pulled off well, and feel amazing when they are.
- Kevin Davis
- December 04, 2008
I personally like Jade from Beyond Good And Evil. There are very few female protagonists compared to male, and the ones that do exist are mostly big breasted brainless bimbos. Jade stands apart because she's just a photo journalist caught in a tough situation. And her relationship with Pey'j generates some genuine pathos rarely seen in games. And I do like the green lipstick and outfit too. :)
- Karl
- December 04, 2008
Favourite of the year is Sackboy, he's made me laugh more than any character
- Awesome Wells
- December 04, 2008
Spiky-haired emo kid - Every JRPG ever.
Favourites: Alyx, Minsc and Boo (who are no doubt standing ready), HK-47 (to be honest, I could include the entire KotoR cast here), Cortana, Manic Miner and my dog in Fable 2.
- Marttin
- December 04, 2008
I for one do not feel insecure by Space Marines in Space Marine games.
- death to nerds
- December 04, 2008
Mute teenager with spiky hair.
- Austin
- December 04, 2008
@Mr AK
Master Chief wasn't a silent character...
- Culture Warrior
- December 04, 2008
Love - Max Payne. Snake MGS. Dante DMC. Ryu Hayabusa and Link, don't say much but still kick ass. Sam Fisher love his hoarse voice.
Loath all bosses that talk during a battle. Just shut up and fight coz I hate hearing the same thing over again especially if its a difficult boss.
And hate the wise old man who always give you advice or some form of weapon/upgrade or whatever towards the end of your journey.
Please get rid of that karate kid crap.
- DexX
- December 04, 2008
> Mute teenager with spiky hair.
Better mute than whiny.
- Migwelion
- December 04, 2008
Captain Olimar from pikmin, his ships log entries are hilarious and touching. " I often boast about my limitless supply of self control, but just looking at this (bottle cap)........ I ... must.... dance!"
HK47 from Knights of the old republic was an entertaining response to the Phantom Menace's revelation that Vader built C3P0.
I could see him dating GlaDOS
- toodles
- December 04, 2008
sacboy dressed as chuck norris... oh that would be so awesome
- mickyb
- December 04, 2008
For me the character that came out of the closet was Master Chief. Whats the go with the suit??
- zebba
- December 04, 2008
+1 for Jade from BG&E. Ditches the big breasted stereotypes and is all that much hotter for it :)
+1 for CJ from GTA:SA (actually, pretty much all the characters in that...). Mega-buffed or mega-lardo - all good!
+1 for Arcturus Mensk. His speech at the end of the Terran missions is a classic
- Infinitum
- December 04, 2008
The Gears cast is utter cliche, but I confess in this case to enjoying the lack of complexity.
Frank West from Dead Rising was original. A 30-something photographer with a sensible gravity-respecting haircut and no long-prophesied destiny. I believe it was made by Capcom for the US market, so that could explain it, but they definitely broke old habits.
- bucko
- December 04, 2008
Cate Archer from No One Lives Forever. Awesome & very funny game.
Also Harold from Fallout brings back happy memories, that game had some awesome characters. Dogmeat and the Vault Overseer who does not let you back in at the end of the game are other memorable ones.
- Sammiebe
- December 04, 2008
I would like to nominate the entire cast of No More Heroes to the list of favourites.
Travis Touchdown is my new favourite anti hero, and the other assassins presented some of the most original and engaging characters I've come across in a game to date. I urge anyone with a Wii to track this game down, its the video game equivalent to Kill Bill.
lmao @ Poochie:
Hi, Poochie. You look like you've got something to say. Do you?
Yes, I certainly do! (Poochie's mouth stops moving and Meyers' voice is heard) I have to go now. My planet needs me.
The whole cel with Poochie on it is moved upwards. A screen shows some handwritten text: "Note: Poochie died on the way back to his home planet".
- death to nerds
- December 04, 2008
'Better mute than whiny'
Indeed! Link > That chump from FFX
- Cannon
- December 04, 2008
I thought the Lord or Colonel guy's speech towards the end of Gear of war 2 was pretty uplifting.
Cliche character, but good writing for the speech.
- December 04, 2008
Reno and Rude from FF7. Those guys were cool
- Mr Ak
- December 04, 2008
Re Frank West.
And the fact that he wasn't really that likeable. I loved that.
Still, they lost points for having an armed federal agent in stiletto heels. It's a good rule, ladies; if you're going to carry a gun, buy sensible shoes.
- peter bayliss
- December 04, 2008
Gabriel Knight. I love when you open his cupboard, and the description text is something like "all blue jeans, white t-shirts and black overcoats". The man knows what he likes! And he rides a boss motorcycle! In pre-apocalypse New Orleans! And he's a witch hunter but doesn't even realise it!
Plus he owns a second hand bookshop, so its kind of like Black Books but with more murderous voo-doo cults and sadly less Bill Bailey
- Regent
- December 04, 2008
The whole cast of Advisors in Civ 2.
Quistis (FFVIII) *ducks!* ...yes I know, I know. Its just that scene with her on the massive machine gun gunning down that robot-spider is awesome.
Does the evil guy in the Nightmare game count? :P
ahh, I go think some more. Back later :D
- December 04, 2008
A tired cliched character is the one you have no choice but to be rail roaded into taking along with you due to plot elements dictate that they betray you.
I blame Cloud and his lack of personality for this. Here's how it all probably transpired.
Cait Sith: I insist I come with you
Cloud: .....
Cait Sith: Does that mean yes?
Cloud: .....
Actually, it just occured to me I have most likely mixed up Squall with Cloud with the dialogue options. How could I be so foolish? They're so like totally different characters.
A lesser example would be Bishop from NWN 2. You knew he was bad news. When he first joins your party, fair enough - he is a ranger and you need his help to track through Luskan territory which happens to be his area of expertise. But unless you're playing an evil character there is no sense bringing him along with you, as well, you're forced to bring a Paladin along with you anyway and plus he is a jerk. I could see it from a mile away that he'd betray you. Hell, you guys could be the biggest dicks in the Sword Coast together, reletentlessly and mercifulessly bagging the crap out of that chump Elanee (another stupid added on railroaded freakin character) and he still turns on you. Yes, I am aware that you can make him turn again and help you at the end, but it's still STUPID.
Baldurs Gate 2 did it better with Yoshimo.
No spolier tags either, cause if you haven't played these games before now, you don't deserve them.
- Iwasiw35
- December 04, 2008
I was pleasantly surprised by Tidus in FFX as he was nowhere near as whiney as the previous leads. His mentor was pretty damn cool too (Auron? The one who looked like George Clooney).
Kratos is so damned cool that they should never EVER make a God of War movie as you could never carry that personality off on screen.
I also really liked JC Denton. He had confidence without being too arrogant and was very laid back most of the time. I have permanently changed the way I say the word "sure" in honour of his smooth delivery.
- Pylades
- December 04, 2008
Gears of War is an interesting case. The cliches are so thick on the ground that I feel them crawling up my leg, and yet, their omnipresence, the very structure of the game, and the relentless "macho" suggests to me that it was all a very deliberate decision.
CliffyB seems to have actively gone out his way to make the video game equivalent of an uber-macho 80s action film, like "Commando"
- Awesome Wells
- December 04, 2008
Ooooh...good call on Frank West.
- DexX
- December 04, 2008
Very happy to see some SHODAN love on here.
Maybe one day we'll get a System Shock 3. Anyone know who the licence went to when Looking Glass folded?
[DexX attacks one of SHODAN's security cameras. 999999 - MAX DAMAGE!]
- Mr Ak
- December 04, 2008
Gayest. Action Villian. Ever.
(not. that. there's. anything. wrong. with. that.)
Seriously - mesh top, tight pants, oiled muscles. Such an inadvertent stereotype.
- InstinctSage
- December 04, 2008
Unless there's a scene where Marcus is carrying a child out of a burning building with one arm, Gears of War is not a video game equivalent of Commando. :-P
I preferred Janice Polito to SHODAN, personally.
I dont' know how many times I've paired the terms "Impractical and unnecessary" together, but ever since I was told not to carry all the chemicals at once, I've been using it over and over.
Heck, most of the voice logs from SS2 are just basically awesome.
*puts on East Enders accent*
"I found these schematics on Dr. miller's desk. They're plans for the kind of cyber modification that's been illegal for 50 years. That's not like him. I was going to talk to him about it and then I noticed. The DNA sample he specced for the prototype.... It's mine."
- Swimsuit Places
- December 04, 2008
Lots of good suggestions thus far.
Baldur's Gate 2 had such great character writing that even with some glaring cliches (burly dwarf, annoying gnome) the characters were fantastic.
Do yourself a favour and hit up wikiquote - The banter between Jan Jansen and everyone is (teen girl squad) SO GOOD.
- Blunt
- December 04, 2008
Mr AK
Your talking about Bennett right? (vest and villian) The fact that he was a mesh vest wearing tool only made Matrix killing him so much sweeter....
"Hey Bennett, let off a little steam"
Classic Arnie.
- nurgodzilla
- December 04, 2008
Here are some of my faves
Auron from FFX silent but cool
Kratos from GOW, one bad ass mofo
Nate from Uncharted, i swear that guy must have been based on my best mate
Snake from MGS3 snake eater the original and best bigboss, i have never been attached to a game charachter as i was to him, the torture scene still gets me bad
Dante from DMC loud but cool
Katsumi from DOA, the hottest gaming female EVERRRR
- Pylades
- December 04, 2008
Instinct, while Marcus may not do that, he and the rest of the COGs are as hysterically macho as Ah-Nuld was in Commando, or any action hero in an 80s action movie.
Oh, and of course *spoiler warning*
"The Polito form is dead!" Has any big reveal ever hit like that?
- paul
- December 04, 2008
GladOS has to be my fave, but some others that don't seem to be listed above:
HK47 (KOTOR) - I played through as an (otherwise useless) tech one time just to unlock all his story line.
Urdnot Wrex (Mass Effect) - Couldn't help feeling sorry for the big guy, and he was the most expressive companion, in spite of being the least human looking.
Gnarl (Overlord). Cheesy as hell, but made me laugh a number of times.
April Ryan (The Longest Journey) - few adventure games manage to humanise the protagonist to this level.
- Jacob Martin
- December 04, 2008
Link from Zelda is a very expressive character, he's neither buff nor too fat, he's kind of like the average Elf who you could kind of relate to.
I've seen more people in my trip to Queensland who have a Link body type than a buff Space Marine body type. Once saw a guy who looked like Link in boardshorts too.
For some reason I always thought Phoenix Wright was a pretty awesome character. He's not the most articulate guy and he fumbles occasionally just like... well... anybody like him would under pressure. But he gets things done, depending on how you can work with the evidence he's got.
Kirby is also awesome, big pink blob, so cute, but can pack a punch.
Chun-Li from Street Fighter has dignity compared to many fighting game girls and has retained that dignity throughout many years and games. That's something Kasumi from Dead or Alive can't affirm of herself because she's an eye candy character by comparison.
Characters I wanted to strangle:
Neku from The World Ends With You for having a real life counterpart who had the same looks (and headphones) as this guy I knew from school who was just as much as a angsty tosser as Neku was.
Ryu: that Hadokening cheater deserves the punches he takes in Street Fighter, he relies on cheap shots to beat you.
- Joka
- December 04, 2008
I'm glad Auron & Guybrush got a mention, personal faves.
Others include - Midboss from Disgaea, Yangus from DQ (love the cockney) and Samus Aran.
*Hits Sin with Auron's Dragon Fang for 999999*
- mugs protege
- December 04, 2008
i avert your eyes to conker, the mans squirrel who neither has the knowledge nor the effort quota to complete the tasks at hand. but yet by some twist of fate completes a task, whether it was his original one or not; there is a solid result.
i admire his y gen attitude, a total hero to hard done by's everywhere.
had never seen a character like him and am positive there will not be an equal stand out for a long time(until people forget about him).
- paul
- December 04, 2008
...forgot to add to my last post:
Neeshka (NWN2) - "So You're part demon are you?"; "Ssshhh.. Don't tell anyone, it's supposed to be a secret".
- Cannon
- December 04, 2008
Atlas + Fontaine from Bioshock. It was only really voice acting for the most part, but sooooo good.
- Migwel
- December 04, 2008
@Jacob Martin
Oh yeah I forgot Phoenix Wright & friends (especially Gumshoe & Francisca). I love how they all have their faults and struggle at times.
Canadian Judge would have to be the aboot the best pallet swap I can think of.
- Dean
- December 04, 2008
@ Mr AK re. "re:Commando - Gayest. Action Villian. Ever .../...
Seriously - mesh top, tight pants, oiled muscles. Such an inadvertent stereotype."
...And he was Australian.
- terrarocks
- December 04, 2008
Kai from Heavenly Sword really sticks out in my mind. There is something about the empowerment of the intellectually impaired that really worked for me. Oh, and she was cute taboot.
Altair from Assassins Creed. I know opinions are divided but I liked him and his development.
ps I'm a Lara fan.
- Dean
- December 04, 2008
GTA IV must have been the most overrated game of the year. Just didn't live up to the hype. Niko however I thought was an excellent character.
The worst characters of the year, whilst not actual game characters are the Avatars on the 360s new NXE.
- Mr Ak
- December 05, 2008
sorry, what? Phoenix Wright is a man? I never played the game, I just presumed they were a woman. huh.
@ Canon.
a)I'd agree, but go further. Every single character in bioshock was awesome. Except the main one. And even he had awesome elements.
b)well expressed
- Metro Metro
- December 05, 2008
Manny Calavera and Glottis...
Wander(?) and Agro...
- DexX
- December 05, 2008
Can't believe I forgot Kai from Heavenly Sword. She gets so many brilliant moments of comedy and tragedy. She has an incredible scene when you find out what it was that damaged her mind so much - seeing her mother murdered by Flying Fox. Moments after this revelation, when Flying Fox finds her in the present, her scream of terror is just... wow... I have never felt so much sympathy or fear for a game character before.
Her funniest moment is when she's trying to get a password from a bad guy minion. "Give me the password, or..." *points her crossbow at his groin* "...I'll hit your weak point for massive damage!"
Most of the Heavenly Sword cast is good, actually. I especially liked the dynamic between Bohan and his freakish son. There aren't many games with boss fights that end when you successfully make the boss cry and run away. It might sound cheesy, but it worked flawlessly in the game.
Damn it... if only they have fine tuned the actual gameplay a bit more, made it a bit more fun to play, they would have had a classic on their hands. If the game was as good as its cinematics, it would have received universal accolades.
I still think they should string together some gameplay video and all the cinematics and edit it into an animated feature film. It's a great watch, even if some of the dialogue is very cheesy.
- Jeremy
- December 07, 2008
Ironic you should illustrate this with Poochy - the new Americanised "Prince" (of Persia) really reminds me of the Simpsons' satire on committee-designed characters.
I think he grates even more because of how poorly he comes off compared with his predecessor in "Sands of Time".
- Adam
- December 08, 2008
how is it that no one has mentioned Max Payne, fantastic character, the angst he has suffered is so heartfelt.
- DexX
- December 08, 2008
Jeremy, didn't you ever play Warrior Within or Two Thrones? They were abominations compared to Sands of Time, and yeah, most of the problem was in the characters.
The charming but amusingly dorky English-accented prince was replaced with an angsty, stubble-faced, American-voiced tosser.
Smart, loveable, and realistically-proportioned Farah was replaced with not one but TWO Lara Croft-like bad girls with pneumatic breasts and revealing costumes that would make Cher blush, and the original's witty snarks and flirting was replaced with snarling cliches.
The wonderfully atmospheric mock-Arabian soundtrack was replaced with bland metal.
Oh, and the exploring punctuated with fights changed to endless battles linked by brief acrobatic sequences. Not only did fighting become the focus, but the combat was insanely difficult. I walked away from Warrior Within for over a year because I got so badly stuck on a single running battle with no checkpoints (I cheated in the end - beat one bunch of enemies, ran back to the previous checkpoint, beat some more, saved again, beat some more, saved again, until I cleared the whole room). The fairly benign san zombie deaths from SoT were also replaced with gruesome decapitations and dismemberments.
After being brutally disappointed by Sands of Time's sequels, the new PoP sounds like a very big step in the right direction for me: we're back to a friendly female sidekick with a sensible body and clothes made of more than gaffer tape, ongoing conversations between the protagonists filling out characters and story, a preference for graphical beauty over grittiness and violence, more exploration and acrobatics than combat, and a more casual-friendly degree of difficulty.
It's on my Christmas list, and I'm hoping to find it under the tree... *crosses fingers*
- Tervicz
- December 08, 2008
Although the 'tude problem of Warrior Within is exactly as bad as everyone makes it out to be, I actually think the gameplay is better than in Sands of Time. The combat in SoT is terrible; you do some awesome acrobatic bits then have to fight far too many baddies. Seriously, the fights drag on far longer than is fun, and each enemy is felled by one of two moves: bouncing off a wall or flipping over their heads.
The WW combat was more varied and more interesting. And although the fights were far more frequent, each encounter lasted about a tenth of the time of the battles in SoT. I also found the combat easier than in the previous game.
The acrobatics was certainly present in WW as well. the way the levels were laid out, where you came back to previous areas but with new paths and locations open was better than the purely linear pathing in SoT. While it was still linear, it felt like you had more freedom than you actually did.
Oh, and did you even play Two Thrones, DexX? They actually listened to fans, and mode the atmosphere much closer to SoT, and killed off boob lady and brought back Farah. They also did something great with the combat: often, if you didn't want to fight, you could do a bunch of acrobatics to get the drop on the baddies and insta-kill them. So it basically turned much of the game's weakest component (fighting) into its strongest area (acrobatic platforming). If I remember right, the story was pretty good, and the ending linked back to the first game perfectly. They even attempted to explain why the prince's attitude was so bad in WW. Something to do with being corrupted by the sands, I think.
- Daniel Lamb
- December 09, 2008
I Like Ratchet and Clank, I don't care what anybody says. I just do.
Niko from GTA IV is awesome to me. Sack Boy as well.
Jimmy Hopkins from Canis Canem Edit and James Earl Cash from Manhunt are on my list.
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text:
Thirty-six hours removed from perhaps its most successful pay-per view to date, the UFC announced a sale to WME-IMG.
Station Casinos owners Frank and Lorenzo Fertitta, along with friend Dana White, purchased the struggling Ultimate Fighting Championship for $2 million in 2001. They sell it for $4 billion.
"No other sport compares to UFC," Dana White explained in a release. "Our goal has always been to put on the biggest and the best fights for our fans, and to make this the biggest sport in the world. I'm looking forward to working with WME | IMG to continue to take this sport to the next level."
New ownership tasks White with continuing his role as company president and figurehead. The Fertittas and White retain a passive, minority stake in the company. The government of Abu Dhabi also retains its ten percent stake in the business.
The road from $2 million to $4 billion stretched a great distance and contained many the roadblocks. The company removed one earlier this year when New York became the fiftieth and final state to sanction mixed-martial arts. The UFC forged a network television deal with Fox in 2011, entered into a sponsorship contract with Reebok in 2014, and instituted a strict drug-testing regimen in 2015.
The Ultimate Fighter reality show, though now past its sell-by date approaching its 24th season, perhaps acted as the greatest catalyst in moving the sideshow to the big tent when Stephan Bonnar and Forrest Griffin put an exclamation point on appointment viewing with a fight for the ages. Business began booming, with Chuck Liddell, Randy Couture, and Tito Ortiz generating massive pay-per view numbers for a company blocked from cable television providers and pulling in dollars from VHS-tape sales the decade earlier. When pro-wrestling icon Brock Lesnar debuted for the company in 2008 the UFC elevated to still a higher level, particularly when the heavyweight peaked in popularity at UFC 100 by helping to generate 1.6 million home subscriptions. The emergence of Conor McGregor, Jon Jones, and Ronda Rousey took the company from a lull after Lesnar's initial retirement to new heights.
The transaction appears the embodiment of the business axiom "buy low, sell high." Following a fallow period from roughly 2011 to 2014, the UFC engineered a renaissance in the business that began last year and continues into 2016.
The William Morris Endeavor represents actors, artists, and other public figures atop running the Miss America and Miss Universe pageants and launching an eSports league. The International Management Group represents a variety of athlete clients, owns digital and other broadcasting rights for numerous prominent sports leagues, and runs the IMG Academy in Florida that grooms high school athletes for a bigger stage. The companies merged in 2013 when WME purchased IMG.
"We've been fortunate over the years to represent UFC and a number of its remarkable athletes," WME | IMG Co-CEOs Ariel Emanuel and Patrick Whitesell explained in a news release. "It's been exciting to watch the organization's incredible growth over the last decade under the leadership of the Fertitta brothers, Dana White and their dedicated team. We're now committed to pursuing new opportunities for UFC and its talented athletes to ensure the sport's continued growth and success on a global scale."

subset: commoncrawl


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FPP E-Newsletter October 2012 (PDF Version)
Dear Friends,
Dear Friends,
Estimados amigos:
Teman-teman yang terhormat,
Book available on request from FPP office: firstname.lastname@example.com
Conservation agencies now recognise indigenous peoples' rights to ownership and control of their lands and resources, but how has this new partnership turned out in practice? Fifteen original case studies from Latin America provide practical lessons in how the interests of indigenous peoples and conservation objectives can be reconciled.
Puede solicitar el libro a la oficina: firstname.lastname@example.com


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This guide has been crafted to help you find the best eReader, because while books haven't gone anywhere (and they're not about to – there's still something magical about thumbing through those pages), eReaders open up a whole raft of possibilities for reading on the go.
You can carry a whole library of books in one tiny device – but which device is the best Kindle or the best e-reader on the market?
With Holiday Winter Season deals on eReaders dropping right now there has never been a better time to pick up a quality eReader for cheap.
- Only interested in Kindles? Check out our round-up of the best Amazon Kindle deals
- Read our the Amazon Kindle Oasis review
The lack of dead-tree media means ebooks have the potential to be cheaper, although, for tax and publisher reasons, this isn't always the case. They're certainly quicker to get hold of – if you want to read a book, you can do so with a couple of clicks on the appropriate ebook store. And you can customise your experience, making the font larger, highlighting favourite quotes non-destructively, even looking up words you don't know using the built-in dictionaries.
Kindle by Amazon is the most established platform, and by far the top dog when it comes to e-readers. If you want the pick up a device on which you can read all your favourite novels or textbooks, some variety of Amazon Kindle is likely to be the best option.
The Kindle is lightweight and ultra-slim, and thus perfect for travelling, and it has an anti-glare screen which makes reading one feel more like looking at the pages of a real book.
Some Kindles also come with a backlight, so you can continue reading while your e-reader adapts to your surroundings. Read in pitch black conditions, read out in the sun, or even enjoy a book in the bath – Amazon's engineers have thought of everything when it comes to enjoying ebooks.
The Amazon Kindle is not the only option, though. Tablet style e-readers offer similar options and bring the added benefit of being able to use other apps and browse the internet. Battery life will, of course, not be as long with all the extra features in use or without those power-saving e-ink screens. So make the right choice for you, and take a look at our top picks to suit all lifestyles and budgets.
Our pick of the best ereaders for you
1. Kindle Oasis
Read anywhere with the weather-proof big-boy Kindle
Reasons to buy
Reasons to avoid
Amazon's Kindle collection is extensive, but the Kindle Oasis is, as far as we're concerned, the best Kindle on the market. It has a large-enough screen, it's brightly lit when it needs to be, and it has built-in Wi-fi for downloading new titles.
The Kindle Oasis, robust and weighty, is even waterproof up to 2 metres, which is a feature that's of questionable value but one we love anyway. We're also fond of that ergonomic design, which pushes the centre of gravity to one side (your choice) in order to make the whole thing easier to hold with one hand. It feels much more like a book than any of its predecessors.
2. Amazon Kindle Paperwhite
A super-clear screen for comfortable e-reading
Reasons to buy
Reasons to avoid
As long as you're happy having a smaller screen to read from, the Amazon Kindle Paperwhite is a great little companion. It's compact enough that it'll slot into any available space in your handbag or backpack, and brilliantly clear.
That name isn't just a marketing gimmick, the screen really is clear and white and oh so readable. Sometimes the light can get a little bright, even on the dimmest brightness, but that's a small niggle with an otherwise excellent e-reader.
3. Amazon Kindle Kids Edition
The best eReader for children
Reasons to buy
Reasons to avoid
The Kindle Kids Edition is an ideal eReader for both beginner and more-experienced readers. The bundle includes a brightly coloured durable cover, one year of Amazon Fire for Kids Unlimited (which includes popular series like Harry Potter, Geek Girl, and timeless classics like The Secret Garden) and a 2-year worry-free guarantee.
You can set educational goals for your child, and manage content with easy-to-use parental controls. You can also view your child's reading progress for each book and track reading accomplishments for each day.
Since Kindle Kids Edition is designed only for reading, it does not have access to the Internet or social media. Kindle Kids Edition includes tools to help young readers tackle more challenging books, such a vocabulary Builder: Words looked up in the built-in dictionary are automatically added to Vocabulary Builder and Word Wise.
Once your child has outgrown the Kindle Kids Edition (or if you fancy borrowing it), the device can be turned into a regular Kindle Paperwhite, with access to Kindle's full library of titles.
4. reMarkable
An ereader, and so much more
Reasons to buy
Reasons to avoid
Highlighting and bookmarking is a common feature on most e-readers, but none does quite the same job as the reMarkable. It's truly an advanced e-reader, on which you can scribble, draw, and sketch to your heart's content using a battery-free pen, and use its massive screen to read all your favourite ebooks.
We have concerns about its battery, which is notably shorter than most because of its more advanced hardware makeup, it's not entirely compatible with all ebook formats (although converting formats is relatively trivial) and it's damn expensive. But the reMarkable so much more than every other e-ink device, we can't help but love it.
5. Kindle
A classic Kindle – affordable, and still perfectly useable
Reasons to buy
Reasons to avoid
For all the upgrades it's undergone over the years, the base-standard Kindle remains a very good e-reader. It might not be the most up-to-date version, but ebooks haven't exactly changed. If you just want a cheap, solid platform for reading ebooks and perhaps purchasing from the Amazon store, this will do the job perfectly.
The only thing it really misses is a backlight behind its anti-glare screen, but since there's rarely a backlight on a paper book we think you'll be able to cope.
6. Kobo Aura One
An excellent Kindle contender at a much lower price
Reasons to buy
Reasons to avoid
Just picking up a device to read books doesn't necessarily mean emptying your wallet on a Kindle Oasis. The Kobo Aura One, at a fraction of the price, is a great alternatice. It's functional, with many similar features to the Kindle, although it tends to jumble up your virtual bookshelf a little more than its rival.
There's a backlight, so you'll be able to get stuck into a novel in bed without waking your significant other, and the screen is on the larger end of the Kobo line. Kobo's friendliness to libraries is also a big plus; if you're racking up a big ebook bill with Amazon, borrowing those books could be a much better option.
7. Kobo Aura H20 Edition 2
A life-proof safety-packed e-reader for on the go
Reasons to buy
Reasons to avoid
Many people pick up an e-reader when travelling, because it's a far lighter and more straightforward way of keeping a big bundle of books with you, and there's no chance of your bookmark getting jostled out of place in a bag. But backpacking or hiking comes with its own risks, and the Kobo Aura H2O can stand up to them.
It's waterproof, so it'll take a dunk in a metre of water, and it'll resist both sand and dust – if you're likely to be reading in extreme conditions, this is the choice for you, and it has plenty of storage so you can absolutely pack it with text.
8. Amazon Fire 7 Tablet
A tablet, yes, but one with perfectly good e-reader chops
Reasons to buy
Reasons to avoid
The Amazon Fire 7 is an affordable tablet that's surprisingly capable once you get into it – and it's a great family tablet, too, with a restricted mode for kids. But it's also the perfect way to access the Kindle store, and all the readable benefits of an Amazon Prime subscription.
Sure, the screen doesn't have quite the serene readability of an e-ink display, and the battery can't match that of a Kindle, but if you're investing anyway, it may suit you better to pick up a device with a host more capabilities on board.
- Want a more full-fat tablet experience? These are the best tablets available today


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The 27th ARTS AWARDS
for Distinguished Service to the Arts in the Capital Region
SUNDAY, JUNE 2, 2019 – 5:30pm
Whitaker Center for Science and the Arts
222 Market Street, Harrisburg, PA 17101
Glamorous Attire – Black Tie Optional
- Ronnie Waters
Central PA Jazz Legend and Music Educator
- The State Museum of Pennsylvania
Commonwealth Asset and Local Treasure
- Anne Yellott
- Steve Rudolph
Since 1989, the Awards for Distinguished Service to the Arts in the Capital Region have honored artists and arts leaders, philanthropists and visionaries, educators, organizations and companies. The theatrical gala, presented by Theatre Harrisburg, the region's oldest performing arts organization, is one of the most eagerly anticipated events on the cultural calendar.
Pre-Show Party: Gala Reception with complimentary wine & beer – Cash bar availableHeavy hors d'oeuvres
Arts Awards Gala Production: A stirring and theatrical showbiz salute to the honoreesSunoco Performance Theatre – 7:00 p.m.
Afterglow: Mingle with the recipients and indulge in decadent desserts
Event Sponsor: VIBRA HEALTHCARE
Proceeds benefit Theatre Harrisburg, a non-profit 501(C)(3) organization. A copy of the official registration and financial information may be obtained from the PA Department of State.


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Former Justice Dept. Leaders Slam Barr's Commentary on Inspector General's Report
Letter to the Editor: Lawyer for Man Who Sued Musk Claims 'Justice Worked' Despite Defense Verdict
Shearman Vet, Silicon Valley CEO Aim to Upend Legal Talent Market With New Startup
Higher Law
Cannabis & the Legal Industry
Cheryl Miller tracks law firm cannabis practices and clears the haze around the biggest legal issues. Sign up for the weekly Higher Law newsletter.


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Fri 11/11 7pm-8pm
Caroline Preston discusses her amazing, unusual novel
The Scrapbook of Frankie Pratt
The Scrapbook of Frankie Pratt is a visually stunning, totally unique, full-color novel in the form of a scrapbook, set in the burgeoning bohemian culture of the 1920s and featuring an endearing, unforgettable heroine. Caroline Preston, author of the New York Times Notable Book Jackie by Josie, uses a kaleidoscopic array of vintage memorabilia—postcards, letters, magazine ads, ticket stubs, catalog pages, fabric swatches, candy wrappers, fashion spreads, menus and more—to tell the tale of spirited and ambitious Frankie's remarkable odyssey from Vassar to Greenwich Village to Paris, in a manner that will delight crafters, historical fiction fans, and anyone who loves a good coming-of-age story ingeniously told.
Caroline Preston pulls from her extraordinary collection of vintage ephemera to create the first-ever scrapbook novel, transporting us back to the vibrant, burgeoning bohemian culture of the 1920s and introducing us to an unforgettable heroine, the spirited, ambitious, and lovely Frankie Pratt.


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The incorrect reporting of an arrest after the Boston Marathon bombings reminds me of another big story botched by the media more than a dozen years ago.
I was with the national press traveling with George Bush in 2000, when shottie reporting of the election results turned the state of Florida into a circus, and forced the Supreme Court to choose a president. "We don't just have egg on our face." Tom Brokaw said on election night. "We have an omelet."
But this was different. It wasn't a national tragedy we were dealing with back then. It was a national election that turned the media into an international joke.
The media became a joke again Wednesday. But it was no laughing matter.
News organizations have always believed the most important thing to be…is first. First in information. First on the scene. First in video. Wednesday afternoon, CNN was first. First in getting it all wrong.
At 1:45, the CNN Breaking News Banner kicked in across our television screens. Complete with ominous music and computer generated graphics created to signal calamity, they proudly and boldly reported, "ARREST MADE IN BOMBINGS CASE" It didn't take long for other media outlets to scramble their way to the top of "Speculation Mountain."
Within minutes, Fox News was claiming a Federal Marshall had a suspect in custody. Their anchor going so far as to report, "They got 'em!"
Enter the AP.
Just before 2:00 o'clock, the Associated Press claimed "sources have confirmed" an arrest. It's not clear, exactly, who their sources were. But if it was CNN, they had a big problem that was about to get even bigger.
Minutes after the AP joined in the fray of ineptitude, CNN went further down the rabbit hole, deciding to give a description of the man in custody. A man who didn't even exist.
"According to my sources…" John King of CNN began telling the country. "The suspect is a dark-skinned male individual." Apparently, CNN was the only entity to see the intrinsic journalistic relevance of that information. Information, by the way, which just so happened to include the Ethiopian runner who won the marathon earlier in the day in as a suspect.
What bothers me most about King's blunder, is that he didn't give a description. He issued a characterization. It was useless, inflammatory, and did absolutely nothing to advance the discussion of the story. Other than to make CNN the story.
Twenty minutes after that egregious report, John King and Wolf Blitzer were backtracking faster than Michael Jackson could moonwalk. But not nearly as graceful.
By half past 2:00, CNN was forced to report "Conflicting Reports of Bombing Arrest." Essentially telling us the Breaking News they'd been broadcasting for nearly an hour was wrong. And to remind us just how cataclysmic their mistake was, they continued to keep their Breaking News Banner on the screen. Basically, breaking the news that their breaking news was, well…broke.
Around this time, the Internet began to snowball within the frenzy of inaccuracy. Boston.com reporting (in BIG BOLD LETTERS) MARATHON BOMB SUSPECT IN CUSTODY.
Interestingly, just above that caption (in tiny bold letters) read this:
"US Attorney's Office: There is no marathon bombing suspect in custody and no arrest."
And what about the New York Post? They were busy splashing photos of two men with a gigantic caption labeling the unidentified persons as, "BAG MEN." Later in the day the Post issued an update. Again, prominently displaying the images of the "BAG MEN" on the front page, telling us those two men – the two men THEY incorrectly identified – had, in fact, been cleared. Never once bothering to apologize for their abhorrent mistake.
Incidentally, this coming from the very same paper who told us immediately after the bombings, there were 12 people dead and that "Authorities ID the suspect as a Saudi National."
By days end the media's descent from "Speculation Mountain" was all but complete. But the damage had been done.
We live in a world with a news cycle that never sleeps. There are cable outlets, and magazines, bloggers, Tweets and Facebook posts. Unnamed sources can be anyone with a keyboard or a cell phone. If you believe the line between journalism and entertainment is blurred, you'd be wrong. It's non-existent. The journalistic bar has been set so low, we can now step on it. Still, that's not an excuse to substitute being correctly 2nd with being 1st and wrong.
The FBI issued notices to the media asking them to dial down the rhetoric. Imploring them to, "exercise caution and attempt to verify information through appropriate official channels before reporting." I hope the media listens. I hope they show restraint and begin to display some respect. Not just to those who were injured or lost their lives. But to their families, the residents of those surrounding communities, and to the city of Boston. A city which, at present, finds itself in the middle of chaos, confusion, and lockdowns. While doing its best to make its way through a series of wakes.


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Social Forum (Deutsch)
Ein offenes Forum zum Chatten über alles, was Sie wollen - speziell für unsere deutschsprachigen Schüler.
Social Forum (Nederlands)
Een open forum om over alles te praten wat je maar wilt, vooral voor onze Nederlandssprekende studenten.
Social Forum (Français)
Un forum ouvert pour discuter de tout ce que vous voulez - en particulier pour nos étudiants francophones.
Reiki III Post-Course Online Professional Training - IHReiki
Welcome to your online Shinpiden Reiki Level III Professional Development course.
Reiki III Post-Course Online Personal Training - IHReiki
Welcome to your online Shinpiden Reiki Level III Personal Development course.
Transition to Shinpiden Level III Training
Welcome to your online Transition to Shinpiden Level III course.
RIII Professional Training (All)
Welcome to your online Shinpiden Reiki Level III Professional Development course.
RIII Personal Training (All)
Welcome to your online Shinpiden Reiki Level III Personal Development course.
Reiki with Children Webclass
This one-hour webclass with Bronwen Logan begins with connecting to the child within yourself using Reiki techniques. Bronwen develops this practice from an internal self-practice to an external practice for children which is valuable for any parent, guardian or professional practitioner.
Working with children reminds us of a reconnection to simplicity, innocence and spiritual wisdom. Keys to innately understanding and living the system of Reiki.
Suitable for:
- Personal practice (if you have kids, work with kids or just love kids)
- Professional practice
BOOK HERE: https://ihreiki.com/product/reiki-with-children-webclass-16-november-2019/
Teacher: Bronwen Logan
Length: 60 minutes
Venue: Online at Ki Campus
Includes: Downloadable .pdf with practices and class notes
Distance Healing with Animals Webclass
Animal adorer, Bronwen Logan, lives in Australia with many animals such as chickens, ducks, a pet pig, dogs, cats, horses, mini horses, goats, and bees while the local wallabies, lyre birds, bower birds, kookaburras and magpies play around. During this one-hour webclass, Bronwen explains how to most effectively perform distance healing treatments on your own animals and on others and their animals. Bronwen always begins her understanding of any practice by working the three diamonds (the Japanese energetic system), and Japanese cosmology.
Suitable for:
Personal practice (if you have to be away from your animals, especially if they're sick)
Professional practice (performing distance healing with animals and their human friends)
Super Chanting Event Webclass
Frans Stiene will be chanting the Great Light mantra for an hour and a half.
You can chant along or enjoy sitting in this space, being open for healing to take place. There will be instructions on how to sit in this open space at the Ki Campus when you book in.
What we will be chanting...
The Great Light mantra is a Japanese esoteric mantra which is often used for healing and empowerment.
Improve your Health & Reiki Practice with BreathWork
Reiki Meditations Forum
Here you are welcome to discuss any of the Reiki Meditations available at IHReiki.
Emotional Weirdness Teleclass
Do you ever get emotionally weird?
This is a one-hour webclass with Frans Stiene as he looks at ways that you can work towards creating a more permanent sense of happiness in your life by utilising elements of the system of Reiki.
Discuss your teleclass here...
Compare the Reiki Precepts with the 6 Paramitas
Energetic Sensations Teleclass
Do you have questions about the things you feel, hear or sense when working with Reiki?
Listen to a one-hour webclass with Frans Stiene as he guides you through a grounded understanding of what energetic sensations are and what they may mean to you.
Here is the forum for you to chat about the teleclass.
Reiki Rules Teleclass
Do they Benefit You?
Listen to a one-hour webclass with Frans Stiene to understand what is or isn't appropriate for a Reiki practitioner to do from a grounded, practical and experienced perspective based on an understanding of the Japanese system of Reiki.


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Posts Tagged 'performance'
Extreme 2016-2017 Performance Summary
In my first year as the Director of Performance Training, I wanted to take some time to summarize our accomplishments in performance during the 2016-17 Network training season. Below you will find where the mission has taken us in the last 9 months, and I hope, some inspiration and vision for where we can go in the future. Thank you for the opportunity to be a part of this organization and the impact it is making on our community.
Extreme Pride!
Josh Nimmo


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Arrows fly directions can be changed in the air.It is one of the funniest things to do in archery.It's actually quite easy, all experienced archers should easily be able to learn this.
image/text credit: larsandersen23
It can be done with ordinary arrows, but it is far easier to learn with an arrow where there is air resistance at the tip of the arrow.Best with a set of extra feathers in front of the arrowBut arrows with big hunting tips also work (but it is harder).
You place the arrow on strings, not in the middle, but at least one hand width from the center.One has to experiment finding the right distance from the center of the string.
When the arrow is shot, then the "wrong" centering causes pushing the back of the arrow to the one side, and then the air resistance causes the arrow to rotate back, this makes the arrow turn.


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Serviced Office Space Bordeaux
Make a Quick Enquiry or Add to List, then click SHORTLIST in top right hand corner.
Rue Gutenberg, Mérignac, 33700
Our ref: # 4086
A modern, low-rise business centre situated on the perimeter of Bordeaux Airport, set in a modern business park surrounded by green open spaces; this virtual office space in Rue Gutenberg, M...
call us
for pricing
Rue du Golf, Merignac, 33700
Our ref: # 4083
A modern, low-rise business centre set in landscaped gardens with views overlooking a lake; this office space in Rue du Golf, Merignac, located within a dynamic hub of the Bordeaux area is a...
call us
for pricing
Area Information
Bordeaux is a port city on the Garonne River in the Gironde department in southwestern France. The Bordeaux metropolitan area has the sixth-largest urban population in France. The men of Bordeaux are known as "Bordelais" and the women are referred to as "Bordelaise. Bordeaux is at the centre of one of France's most famous wine regions. This area also offers incredible dining opportunities, and is a relaxing and romantic area for travel.
Business Information
Bordeaux's wine industry is one of its major economic resources and the city hosts the world's main wine fair, Vinexpo. Besides wine, ten's of thousands of people work for the aeronautical industry in Bordeaux. The city is home to some of the biggest aeronautical companies including Dassault, EADS Sogerma, Snecma, Thales, SNPE, and others. Dassault Falcon private jets are built in Bordeaux, as well as the military aircraft Rafale and Mirage 2000, the Airbus A380 cockpit, the boosters of Ariane 5, and the M51 SLBM missile. Many buildings throughout Bordeaux offer serviced offices around the aeronautic companies.
Entertainment And Dining Out
Sightseeing in Bordeaux will include many museums, such as the Musée d'Art Contemporain. Housed in a monumental colonial warehouse, this contemporary art museum offers an excellent collection of arte povera (Italian for poor art'). This is the experimental art of the late 1960s. They also offer a vast selection of temporary exhibits. For dining, Philippe Chez Dubern specializes in fish and seafood. This restaurant was founded in 1886 by the Dubern brothers. The menu uses the best produce, cooks items simply but perfect, and serves the food in airy rooms with crystal chandeliers.
Transport Information
The Bordeaux-Mérignac Airport is west of the city. This regional airport offers mostly domestic and international flights targeted at connecting Bordeaux to European hub' airports like Paris, London, Madrid, and Amsterdam. An express bus runs every 45 minutes from the airport to the city centre, with stops on the demand. The main train station in Bordeaux is Gare Saint Jean, and it is located close to the centre of town. Buses, trams and taxis leave from the station to destinations throughout France and to other points in the city. By car you can reach Bordeaux from the north - taking the A10 highway or N10. From the south and east - take the A63 highway.


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Handbook of Sustainable Development
Second Edition
Edited by Giles Atkinson, Simon Dietz, Eric Neumayer and Matthew Agarwala
Chapter 28: Financing for sustainable development
Samuel Fankhauser and David Pearce
Does the pursuit of sustainable development require special financing? The answer is not obvious. Achieving sustainable development is about policy measures that alter human behaviour towards the environment and towards society in general. Such behavioural change can be achieved in various ways. Some of those involve financial flows, others do not. At the national level, the traditional way for environmental policy to change human behaviour is through a combination of price incentives, regulation and moral suasion. Of these only the first is associated with financial flows, from private entities to governments (in the case of taxes) or vice versa (in the case of subsidies). Fiscal incentives, both taxes and subsidies, are used widely around the world to address environmental externalities, for example in the form of pollution levies, effluent charges, carbon taxes or renewable energy subsidies. We have known since Pigou (1920) that this is an effective way to correct market failures and incentivize behaviour change. Environmental regulation is even more popular. Environmental, health and safety rules, performance standards and other coercive laws to ban adverse behaviour by-and-large define the standard approach to environmental and social policy. They work fairly well in many cases, although economists have warned of the often higher cost of a direct regulatory approach.
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Air Duct Cleaning • Free Estimates • Hardwood Floor Cleaning & Polishing • Schedule Pick-Up • Rug Cleaning
Tile & Grout Cleaning • Upholstery Cleaning • Wall to Wall Steam Cleaning • Padding • Rug Appraisals
Rug Repair & Restoration • Rug Sales • Rug Storage • Victory Rug Cleaning • Mercer Rug Cleaning
Air Duct Cleaning
Did you know the average 6-room house collects 40 pounds of dust each year? If your air ducts aren't properly maintained and cleaned, this dust just continues circulating through your breathing environment.
A growing concern in today's households is air quality, ranked among the top five environmental risks to public health*, which may be indirectly related to your air ducts. Air ducts can carry large amounts of dust, debris and pollen, which may be contaminating your home's breathing environment. Some research indicates that cleaning heating and cooling systems may even extend the operating life and decrease your overall energy costs. If you've ever wondered why dust keeps reappearing so quickly after a cleaning, it may be time to clean your ducts.
Hadeed uses the RamAir System which harnesses the powerful "Push-Pull" method of cleaning ducts. This device blasts debris out due to its 45 degree angle design, helping to propel contaminants toward the opening. A clear vacuum box waits at the opening, illuminated by LED lights so you can see exactly what is being removed from your system. We continue this process with every air duct throughout the house. In extreme cases, insects and vermin make their home in air ducts. We often find droppings and dead bugs littering the ducts, and these are telltale signs you may be living with some unwanted guests. Don't let this happen to you.


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Bilingual Retail Account Manager – French/ English
We have the privilege of supporting this amazing consumer goods firm during a time of exciting growth!
They have a very strong GLOBAL presence, where values such as leadership, integrity and respect embody their operation.
We are currently looking for an ambitious and dependable Retail Account Representative to take on responsibility for sales to Independent Merchant/Outlet stores as well as account profiling, planning and problem resolution.
What you should expect:
- Communicate pricing, promotions, and merchandising opportunities
- Mail/Email product presentations and information to specified accounts
- Drive sales growth through regular contact with established accounts and develop growth opportunities
- Plan and execute a call schedule that will maximize sales with the assigned accounts
- Prepare and maintain a business and profit plan for account base
- Work with accounts to resolve issues/conflicts
What you should bring:
- Post secondary education, preferably in business (or equivalent experience)
- 1-2 years of experience in sales or marketing, preferably in durable goods
- Must be detail oriented and have highly developed computer skills using database and Microsoft applications (analytic skills are an asset)
- Experience using SAP is a definite asset
- The successful candidate must be a team player that displays initiative and the ability to work independently
- Strong problem solving, and communication skills are essential
- Willingness to travel and work occasional evenings/weekends as necessary
This is great opportunity to work for a well recognized and respected brand name. Please send resume to Shannon A. Terpstra… firstname.lastname@example.com Please include a summary of your related experience and why you feel you are a good fit.
Job ID
Shannon TerpstraEmail to recruiter View recruiter profile
Apply Online
If your qualifications are a match for this position please apply online for immediate consideration. Thank you for your application.
Position Applying For:
Bilingual Retail Account Manager – French/ English


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"Director Ben Dawkins got in touch asking us if he could use 'Rival Dealer' by Burial to make a short film that has been inspired by the track. We said he could, and his interpretation is exciting and beautifully made" [via Hyperdub FB page]
Δευτέρα, 26 Μαΐου 2014
[Dealer]by lkrory21 at 12:37 π.μ.
Εγγραφή σε: Σχόλια ανάρτησης (Atom)


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I write a customize source of flume to read data from memory cache (Redis). And it results the CPU usage of redis is too high. So I want to decrease the trigger frequency of the source. So could you tell me how to configure flume to decrease the frequency?
Thanks a lot


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Written by: Seonaid Charlesworth, PhD Vice President, Executive Assessment and Succession at LHH Knightsbridge
Investing in leaders is critical in a downturn
Retaining strong people is more important in a downturn than when the economy is strong. The biggest reason is that you'll expect more from them. While the workforce shrinks, these leaders will take on more work. They'll make more difficult decisions. You will ask them to step up while people around them are disengaging.
A resource-based company in Calgary had scheduled to run a leadership development program for its key talent earlier this year. It was an important investment in these high potential leaders. A week prior, the Executive Team had made the painful decision to lay off 10% of its managers for the first time in the company's history. It was a necessary decision for the survival of the company. Now was it the right time to proceed with the leadership development program? The Executive Team said yes. They rationalized that the quality of leaders who remained now mattered more. These leaders needed to rebuild their teams, find creative ways to share resources and provide a clear direction to their departments. They placed a bet that strong leadership was the way through a tough time in the company's history.
Another reason why strong people matter more in a downturn is that they will always have options to leave you—now or later. While you have them in the short run, how you treat them will determine whether they will stay in the long run. If they stay, they could be riding out a soft market, looking for their next opportunity. And there are many new opportunities surfacing for strong people. The banks and insurance companies are heading to Alberta to recruit, because they know it is easier now than ever to pry loose strong talent. Our Career Transition practice reports that many of the people they are supporting through being laid off are finding unexpected opportunities with employers that hadn't previously recruited them. For example, a bank recently recruited geoscientists as specialists for jobs they had previously contracted out.
The most important reason why strong people matter more in a downturn is that business decisions are tougher in a downturn. You have difficult decisions to make about the business. The quality of those decisions will have a greater impact on results than when the market is rising and everyone is making money. Knowing your key talent helps ensures the right people are making these decisions.
What are companies doing to invest in people during a downturn? They start by redefining the leadership capabilities the company needs to achieve its business priorities. A large oil and gas company is engaged in redefining the required capabilities of its leaders to more closely align with its strategy. It's shrinking its competency model from 18 competencies down to 2. This move allows the company to become laser focused on the kind of leadership behaviour that matters most right now.
Next, companies are shifting to highly individualized development for a handful of key leaders. A poor investment in leadership development when resources are scarce is large-scale programs based on conceptual models of leadership. If there is a 2x2 conceptual model of leadership involved, you're likely taking leadership out of the business and into the ivory tower. These investments, if they have a return, take too long to be realized. A more direct return can be achieved from an assessment center approach to leadership development. In this program, a handful of leaders tackle simulations of challenges they will face in their business in the next 1-3 years. Then, they are given feedback and coaching to prepare them for these specific business issues.
A good investment in leadership development is a practical, business focused opportunity. Some companies are targeting unique experiences to their key talent. This can include expanding a leader's portfolio to an adjacent area. It can also include tough work like turning around an underperforming team or making tough people decisions. Still another opportunity is to give key talent a rich technical experience like divesting a business or redesigning a program to run at a lower cost.
This downturn is an important opportunity for companies to increase their value proposition to the strongest talent in the market. Here are three ways you can offer key talent more than your competitors.
1. If you recently shifted your business priorities and structure, you likely created succession opportunities sooner than would otherwise have happened. A global, Calgary-based company recently made a change in its Executive Team. This one change caused a cascade of succession opportunities deeper in the organization. When they realized the same high potential leader was on the slate for 9 critical roles, they were forced to take a more rigorous approach to reviewing talent. Succession opportunities are a great time to review the talent pool, and give leaders a fresh look.
1. In making tough people decisions, you are putting a spotlight on the quality of each leader's contribution. People who have been contributing less than others get noticed more quickly. Other people may get a second look when leaders realize a different kind of contribution is needed.
2. A downturn is a great opportunity to review and rationalize investment in corporate programs. Key talent can take on a redesign of a program or improvement in a process, which can be a once in a career opportunity. An oil and gas company in Calgary put its leadership development program on hold this year to reduce expenses. This program had been running for a dozen years. With the program on pause, some talented leaders in HR reviewed it and found that the content was outdated and misaligned with the company strategy. They undertook a full redesign of the program to better link it to business results. When the program runs in the future, it will give leaders a clear understanding of the leadership skills required to execute the company's strategy.
In a volatile, uncertain market, there is value in investing in strong talent. Leading companies use the unique opportunities that only emerge in a downturn to build for the future.


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- 3 beds
- 2 baths
- $249,900 price
- 3435421 mls id
- Year Built: 1950
Don't Miss This Great Investment Opportunity! This property has a long term tenant who operates an Antique Shop and there is a Three Bedroom, Two Bath Home that is currently occupied as a rental. Continue as an investment property (current NOI is $23,358), live in the house (when lease expires) and collect rent from the Antique Shop rental or live in the house while operating your own business. Permitted uses for B-2 Zone include but not limited to Child Care Centers, Financial Institutions, Clubs and Fraternal Organizations, Essential Services, Private Garages, Retail Services, Vehicular Sales and much more. Don't Miss This Great Opportunity!
- Site Link
- Style Other Style
Courtesy of: 608-Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage
Office Phone: +19086883000
Listing Agent: Robert Schrieber
Updated: 11th December, 2019 6:49 AM.
2036-2042 Route 31 Lebanon Twp., NJ


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Warren Buffett Quotes About GeeksQuotes about: Geeks
Investors should be skeptical of history-based models. Constructed by a nerdy-sounding priesthood using esoteric terms such as beta, gamma, sigma and the like, these models tend to look impressive. Too often, though, investors forget to examine the assumptions behind the models. Beware of geeks bearing formulas.
I mean, they were getting the mortgage of some guy in Omaha, you know, securitized a couple of times. I mean he had all these - they had all these types from Wall Street, you know, and they had advanced degrees, and they look very alert, and they came with these - they came with these things that said gamma and alpha and sigma and all that. And all I can say is beware of geeks, you know, bearing formulas. They've heard that in Europe.
Warren Buffett
- Born: August 30, 1930
- Occupation: Investor
- Cite this Page: Citation


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Ashraf Shannon reports from Gaza for PressTV, 6 October 2014.
Egypt has sealed off its crossing with Gaza Strip for five days. Egyptian officials have allegedly closed their border with Gaza for Eid al-Adha holidays. But Egypt's crossings with Israel will remain open during that time. The Rafah passenger terminal which is Gaza's only gateway to the outside world bypassing Israel has been closed since Saturday as Eid Al Adha or the or Feast of Sacrifice observance began in Palestine.


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Have you ever talked to Mythbuster about getting your dose of The Red capsule" yet? Some who haven't studied the scenario imagine that, as in the days of the Industrial Revolution, people will retrain, new jobs can be created, and the effects shall be brief lived. There are a nuber of causes that the roles of doctors and different medical personnel will at all times be safe… even when the tools they use are way more complex and self-pushed. Simple machine studying will be fast, provided that you have already got labeled examples for 'supervised learning'. In this article, I'll briefly speak about what exactly Artificial Intelligence (AI) is, why it's important and how it's slowly merging into each and every sector of our life. So editors are typically selective about which jobs are going to fade due to increasing artificial intelligence. Associated areas of computational analysis are Synthetic instinct and Artificial thinking.
There are perhaps some private points at play in Her (associated to Spike Jonze's ex spouse Sophia Coppola and her 2003 movie Misplaced In Translation, additionally starring Scarlett Johansson and involving an unlikely relationship) however they are not absolutely played out.
Humanoid robots, corresponding to Honda's Asimo, are built by a workforce of scientists who have studied robotics at larger education and know the ins and outs of electronics and artificial intelligence. Extra to the purpose, while the development is that half the world's jobs will disappear within the subsequent 5 to 10 years (and won't changed by the creation of recent jobs), much more jobs will probably be lost in the years following. For instance, should you had the sentence We Will Assist Tom Ford Escape from New York", and your system hadn't seen any examples of Tom Ford" or Ford Escape", you will have human input to construct the data. Ideas have been put ahead, e.g. tax the businesses which change people with robots. With companies integrating every little thing they do into an digital log, and machines gaining the scary capacity to learn and self-update, I think this can be less and fewer of an AI weak point.
An automated online assistant offering customer service on an internet web page – one in every of many very primitive purposes of synthetic intelligence. For others it will be staying happy when one can not contribute to the dry technical or handbook jobs similar to economics, plumbing, and book holding, as robots have these jobs. Obviously if the professional jobs are replaced with ease, it goes without saying that the trades will vanish (and have vanished) into skinny air. They'll and so they do. When people want a product, there isn't any motive why they won't interact with a robot.
What Daedadus really is, is the world's first successful wholly autonomous AI. No matter mysterious organization managed to create the primary true synthetic intelligence succeeded so effectively that their creation managed to persuade them that they'd failed… and then escaped.


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Ask Suzanne
Check out this week's Functional Fitness Motivational Moment!
Learn more Age Reversing & Weight Loss Tips every Thursday here by Suzanne Andrews.
Check out this week's Functional Fitness Motivational Moment!
Learn more Age Reversing & Weight Loss Tips every Thursday here by Suzanne Andrews.
I just got back from the gym (choreographing my next PBS series) and have a swollen tongue from biting it! Not literally, but figuratively. I look around and see so many people doing the exercises way too fast to be effective. Not only that, but with every forceful lightning speed lift, they are putting themselves at a huge risk for injury. I overhear someone who has sore knees and cringe when I see what she is doing to her joints. I see the guy with the bad back lifting way to much weight and swaying his torso and I want to say something to help but bite my tongue because some people don't welcome unsolicited advice. At the gym, no one knows that I'm a clinician with 30 years of experience. They don't recognize me from my show as I wear no make-up and very baggy clothes. I'll be the first to admit, make-up, good lighting and clothing really makes a differenceJ.
Most exercisers feel that the key to an effective workout is to try to move the body as quickly as possible. The thinking is that more movement leads to more energy consumption, which leads to fat loss and strength gaining. The fact is, when it comes working out for strengthening muscles, increasing flexibility and losing weight, exercising at a slower pace will get you faster results.
As far as lifting weights, raising and lowering the weight slower is much more effective than fast weight training because when your muscles have to continually exert force in order to keep the weights in position, your muscles are forced to contract longer causing them to adapt by building more muscle which causes your body to tone up much more quickly. (Ladies, don't worry about getting big bulky muscles, you don't have the testosterone needed for that). When your muscles are placed under enough strain to become fatigued, they send signals to the rest of your body to strengthen your muscles enough so they can avoid fatigue in the future. Lifting weights slower might look easier, but it is actually more challenging. The beauty of training this way is that you don't have to do countless sets either, so a 30 minute workout can be just as effective as an hour workout. Just lift the heaviest weight that you can do correctly and safely. How do you know if you're lifting the right amount of weight? The first rep will feel moderately easy, but by the last rep, you can barely lift it. When the last rep becomes easy, just increase the weight and keep the repetitions the same. The end result? A sleeker, toned appearance in 30 days.
The added benefit of increased muscle is a faster metabolism. Since I have a thyroid disorder that slows my metabolism,(making it difficult- to say the least- to lose weight), I've found this technique really works and has the added benefit of increasing your energy and making you look and feel younger. Instead of feeling totally worn out after a super-fast paced work out, you're left with enough energy to get through the day and your metabolism gets a jump start on weight loss – even if you're weight loss resistant like most of us ladies over 50. Need some inspiration? I do to and I get it in the form of letters. Here's one I would like to share with you.
Another plus of going slower is you're more likely to stick with a program that doesn't leave you feeling like you got hit by a truck!
By developing more skeletal muscles, you'll have the strength needed to get through your day and perform activities with energy. You'll gain improved lung capacity, a stronger heart rate, improved oxygen saturation and lower cholesterol. All of these factors, combined with the overall improvement in body tone, makes Functional Fitness exercisers feel younger.
Not only is lifting weights slower more effective, but it is also a lot safer. Lifting weights slower makes it less likely to perform movements incorrectly, which is one of the leading causes of injury.
As a rehab therapist it is expected that I, and my Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy colleagues use this technique; because insurance wants us to get the client off therapy as fast as possible using only evidenced based exercises. (Exercises that have been medically proven to work for specific conditions – this includes the order of the exercise, the speed of the exercise, how many sets and how many repetitions). So it's up to the therapist to get the person well enough for discharge fast. Although this way of exercising is not commonplace at the gym or in exercise classes, it has been medically proven to get the fastest results. One day longer really can be one day stronger with Functional Fitness!
Love and healthiest blessings,
Suzanne Andrews
Suzanne Andrews is a licensed Occupational Therapy Clinician with 30 years exercise expertise. Airing to over 49 million on Public Television, Suzanne Andrews, a licensed Occupational Therapy Clinician, (they specialize in function) creates evidenced based fitness programs for specific health conditions. Originally created in 2008 with it's first run on WDSC TV, Functional Fitness with Suzanne Andrews broadcasts on 113 Public Television stations.
What You Must Know to Get Through the Tough Times
I wrote this when my youngest son was little. It stemmed from a patient responding to my coaxing her to exercise, "what would you know, you've probably never been sick a day in your life!" (Nothing could be furthest from the truth).
My son is in college now, but the message is timeless and it can help you get through tough times...
The teacher who influenced me the most didn't produce a scholarly curriculum or carry out formal daily lesson plans. Even though he often wishes to, he is unable to assist me with my day to day operations. Yet, he motivates me day after day to reach beyond what I thought I was capable of and surpass it. Every new day, he continues to teach, to inspire and to influence my life in a way I never thought was humanly possible. He weighs a mere 68 lbs and proudly stands 4 feet 3 inches tall. He is my son, the child that several doctors predicted I would not be able to conceive.
Lesson One: A Ray of Light From Darkness
At the age of 10, I was placed in the terminally ill section of the children's hospital. At the age of 20, I again overcame odds and beat a severe infection in my right ovary that affected my reproductive system. At the age of 24, my left ovary was removed and for the third time, emergency surgery saved my life. However, there would be one more emergency surgery and this one would bring great joy. My son's triumphant arrival by C-section on a memorable day in spring taught me to believe in the unexpected and to never give up hope.
Lesson Two: Appreciate the Little Things
To this very day, I marvel at my son's accomplishments and realize how important it is to praise not only his efforts, but also other people who come across my path in life. My son has taught me that the simplest joys in life; laughing, listening and loving are the best gifts we can give and receive. As he continues to discover life's daily events with sheer fascination, I feel privileged to have the opportunity to reflect on his newly acquired knowledge and see the sparkle in his beautiful innocent eyes. Each fresh new moment I spend with him offers the most enriching learning experience I have ever had. He's taught me to believe that I can be a compassionate mother, a loving wife, an inquisitive student of life and a better person who has the ability to make wise choices.
Lesson Three: Choose Healthcare, Not Sick Care
One of those choices is keeping off those extra sixty pounds that once wore on me like a backpack full of rocks adding stress to every joint in my oversized body. Now I'm not talking about being a size 2, I'm talking about being a size healthy. My dear son made me realize that "love thyself' is not just a cliché. By getting in shape, you are essentially saying to all those that love you, "I love myself enough to take care of my health and I want to be around a long time to share my life with you." When we commit to love our body, we make wholesome choices and feel free to discover the restorative powers of good health. From the moment you realize you love yourself enough - a paradise lost is regained. Those seeds of wholeness - given to you at creation are within you. When you are discouraged, just look at your creation, your little miracle, and know the motivation to make healthcare a priority is within you!
Keep those letters coming as you motivate me!
Healthiest Blessings,
Suzanne Andrews founded Functional Fitness in 2008, the most popular fitness series for boomers and seniors broadcasting on over 159 Public Television stations throughout the US and Canada. Read Suzanne's inspiring comeback story of how she survived a near fatal accident, From Deaths Door to Producing a National Fitness Series. Feel free to send Suzanne a message here.
Try These Stress Buster Weight Loss Techniques!
When I tell people I lost 60 pounds, they ask, "How did you do it?" Dieting and exercising weren't the most important tool that got the results I wanted." There wasn't a potion, pill or get fit scheme that worked either. Believe me, I tried them all.
Without learning how to be confident, especially when life got stressful, I would never have lost the weight and kept it off for 19 years now and counting.
Since stress raises your blood sugar as much as a candy bar, reaching for a cupcake or glazed doughnut when you're stressed means you're really getting a double whammy of sugar! Sure, that's what your body wants when you're overloaded with responsibilities, but all that sugar will keep you gaining weight, because excess sugar turns to body fat.
So what do you do when the little stress devil on your shoulder is pushing your hand into the cookie jar?
Take a deep smile breath and invite the angel on your other shoulder to guide you to better choices. Practicing smile breaths helps eliminate comfort food cravings and enhances mood.
To Do: Breathe in through your nose for two counts as you expand your belly, smile and slowly release your smile as you exhale through your mouth. Feel the tension disappear from your body as feel good hormones are released into your body!
Practice yoga. Not the kind that makes your body yell, 'hey, what are you doing to me, I'm not designed to bend like that!' Here's a beginner yoga pose that's been proven to increase confidence.
To Do: Stand with your feet a little hip width apart, reach your hands up as shown. Incorporate three smile breaths while doing the pose and you have instant stress release.
Focus on your accomplishments and recall this feeling of confidence every time you feel stressed. Your mind is the CEO of your health. Treat your health like a job: treat it poorly and your body will fire you. Treat it well and your body will reward you.
Suzanne Andrews founded Functional Fitness in 2008, the most popular fitness series for boomers and seniors broadcasting on over 159 Public Television stations throughout the US and Canada. Read Suzanne's inspiring comeback story of how she survived a near fatal accident, From Deaths Door to Producing a National Fitness Series. Feel free to send Suzanne a message here.
I Start Working Out, but keep Stopping and Re-Starting – Any Tips to Keep Going?
Staying or getting in shape isn't always easy. Whether you're beginning or beginning again, here's an inspiring behind the scenes story filming my last DVD, to help you keep going when the going gets tough!
Scary turbulent plane ride, brutal weather, computer crashes, my series producer, Glenn Poyer, recounts the harrowing behind the scenes events filming Arthritis Relief Walking Workout…
When Suzanne Andrews read Amazon's Vine Voice five star review (by Deborah Broadhurst) of Arthritis Walking Workout, tears of joy streamed down her face, as it was the realization of a dream 10 years in the making – "one that had been diverted many times," says Suzanne, who consulted with several doctors during the six month writing and research process that goes into each and every Suzanne Andrews Functional Fitness DVDs. "There were two, maybe three times that this walking program never got made."
As happy and motivating Suzanne Andrews seems in Arthritis Walking Workout, you'd never suspect the founder of Functional Fitness on Public Television just completed one of the most harrowing projects of her career. Sure, Arthritis Walking Workout, based on medically proven movements to ease arthritis pain, was shot at the most beautiful gardens in North America, the Butchart Gardens, with an exquisite plethora of flowers in the background, giving the viewer the image of serenity. But getting there was just the beginning of harrowing moves you don't see on the DVD.
Before we were about to leave, Suzanne had a major accident while preventing a patient from literally getting crushed to death. The patient was OK but the 400 pound impact tore Suzanne's rotator cuffs, leaving her with 0 function. She couldn't even lift her arms, dress, or wash her hair so how was she going to film a fitness video? After emergency surgery, she did three hours of therapy a day in excruciating pain. It took one year to go from not being able to lift her arm at all to regaining 99% function.
During recovery, Suzanne interviewed many doctors for the project. Because all the doctors mentioned reducing stress retards arthritis symptoms, Suzanne travelled 4000 air turbulent miles to add a stress releasing atmosphere to the workouts. A trip that should have lasted seven hours turned into twenty five harrowing hours!
Arriving just hours before the hair and make-up call time of 4 AM, the crew awoke sleep deprived to an atypical bitter cold rainy day for summer weather. Graham Bell, Public Relations director at the gardens, came to the rescue by providing umbrellas to protect the specialized light weight professional cameras that took three years of savings. Suzanne Andrews, who is susceptible to the cold due to a thryoid disorder, kept moving - even in between takes - to stay warm. After continuous takes of three (8) hour days to film the two workouts (imagine exercising for 8 hours straight!) and six months of editing, the finished editions went to our presenting Public Television Station to receive frame by frame scrutiny from the program director and the station engineer. Suzanne anxiously awaited their constructive critique. After one particularly long day of treating rehab patients, Suzanne opened up her email and began shaking. The episodes were rejected. People were in the background and the station would not accept the film that way. After the initial shock, a serious problem solving session ensued and after another 4 weeks of specialized editing, the people in the background vanished.
The workouts were finally ready to be sent for DVD mastering and the unthinkable happened – the external hard drive with the entire edited workouts crashed. All that hard work - gone! What to do? Were the raw clips on another hard drive? A huge sigh of relief. All the raw clips were on another hard drive. The editing process began once again. The end result? A high production broadcast quality DVD featuring two walk workouts in the most beautiful garden in North America.
To say we are thrilled to introduce Arthritis Relief Walking Workout is an understatement. Getting a 5 star review makes us want to do the happy dance!
Have you gone through a tough time in your life? How did you get through it? Leave a comment and together, we can help each other get in the best shape ever!
Suzanne Andrews is a licensed Occupational Therapy Clinician with 30 years exercise expertise. Airing to over 49 million on Public Television, Suzanne Andrews, a licensed Occupational Therapy Clinician, (they specialize in function) creates evidenced based fitness programs for specific health conditions. Originally created in 2008 with it's first run on WDSC TV, Functional Fitness with Suzanne Andrews broadcasts on 113 Public Television stations.


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In our hearts we feel we deserve the person who attracts us, the career our childhood illuminates our dreams to pursue. With enough disappointments life depicts a totally different outlook on what we feel we deserve. We deserve the right to be happy although in the beginning we're so eager placing our happiness in the hands of another who may be unable to carry the weight of responsibility behind it. Later understanding that happiness is self deserved never rewarded. We deserve the right to feel free, yet free somehow never feels adequate when we as a people are scolded for voicing our opinions and concerns on the issues constantly keeping us all segregated as a whole. Most importantly we deserve to feel important because we are through the eyes of the ones who've always believed in us.
Deserve belongs to us because we're well deserved.
– C.A. Thomas


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The pie's the limit in brookfield.
It just goes to show that when you find something you love (or it finds you), the sky's the limit. I began working at Glass Nickel Pizza as a daytime phone person at the Madison East location. I enjoyed the people and the job so much that I wanted to learn everything about the pizza business and GNP. So I moved from phones to the pizza kitchen, and learned everything from opening to closing from an awesome bunch of people.
I realized I loved making great food and providing great service. So I continued to hone my skills for a year in Milwaukee then back to Madison to become manager at Madison East. Two years later, I was traveling to other GNP stores helping them build and grow their businesses from the experience I gained over 10 years.
Then, serendipity stepped in. As I was helping other owners, the ownership for the Brookfield store came available. And member of the GNP family looked me straight in the eyes and said, "You know, that would be a great opportunity for someone". So with hint taken, I dove in.
My favorite part of this job is making people happy, while just having a great time at work. You may see us joking, or singing at the top of our lungs to bad music. But you'll always find us making excellent food, providing top service and being active within the community with donations, sponsorships, and sweet deals. So from phones to ownership, I'm proud to bring the GNP tradition to the great people in the Brookfield area. To me, that's a sky-high feeling.
With those five immortal words, Glass Nickel Pizza Co. set out on a dream to offer the best pizza in town. Opening November 5th, 1997 on Atwood Avenue in Madison, Wisconsin, the first store was abuzz with excitement and orders. We will never forget the first call for our Deluxe Pizza and the subsequent shout from the kitchen, "We need green pepper! Someone chop a green pepper!" Three days later our first employee was hired. Today, not only is he still a part of our family, but our GM.