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I'm Kenny Flannery, living out of a backpack since 2007 — Travel light, often hitchhike, sharing advice and stories with words, a camera and a podcast.
Showing posts from June, 2008
Boston Lodger
Instead of leaving Boston I ended up getting in touch with Chris, a old friendI haven't seen since high school at least, he's livin…
Bouncing through Boston
In the evening of my first full day in Boston I met up with a couchsurfing host named Mike after wandering around Quincy Market in the rain…
Classic NYC and off to Boston
The past week was spent wandering NYC and late nights every night. Larry came into town, I met him at the Shake Shack with the tenants of t…
NYC Free and Drunk, Philly Dreaming
My final court appearance went as smooth as something like that could go, I'm done with all of it. I capped the morning by getting a ne…
Greyhound as Usual
Greyhound is known for being unreliable and generally sketchy, and my 2-3 day trip did not disappoint. I launched off from Phoenix, leaving…
Finishing Phoenix, NYC Bound
My time in Phoenix was relaxing and rewarding, generally good times. I spent a most weekdays at the construction site with Larry installing…
Travel Advice
@HoboLifestyle on Instagram
Buy some of Kenny Flannery's photography here.
Buy some of Kenny Flannery's photography here.


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By SHERIDAN CYR
Jennifer Magnoli is well-known by Southington students, faculty, and town officials.
As a 15-year-old, she bested every Southington High School student with her speech about the Constitution during the American Legion Oratorical Competition. She went on to win the state titles in 2016 and 2018 and went on to represent the state at the national competition in Indianapolis.
So it was no surprise that the Southington senior was named co-valedictorian at Mercy High School in Middletown. In any competition, Magnoli usually comes out on top.
She credits her family for continuing to motivate her in her pursuit of academics and extracurricular activities.
"When I found out I was a valedictorian, I remember feeling very grateful for the support of my family, friends, and Mercy High School family—all of whom offered me constant encouragement and energy to continue pursuing academic excellence," said Magnoli. "The support of my family allowed me to develop a greater level of confidence and a proactive attitude toward my education and to see it as an opportunity for intellectual, personal and spiritual growth."
Magnoli immersed herself in extracurricular activities and volunteering opportunities during her education. She served as the president of the McAuley chapter of the National Honor Society, and a president of the La Galatea Chapter of the Spanish National Honor Society. She was a Mercy Ambassador, peer minister and Eucharistic minister, a member of the Mercy-Xavier show choir and theater, and a
member of the St. Paul Roman Catholic Church choir.
Additionally, she has volunteered at numerous positions including at the Mercy Library and media center, Hatton Elementary School, Mercy High School theater arts summer program and St. Paul Church Confirmation. Magnoli's resume features 12
awards and recognitions from local to national.
"The atmosphere at Mercy High School, and my previous middle and elementary schools, fostered my commitment to education," she said. "Mercy feels like a home away from home, and having the support of my Mercy sisters motivated me to explore academic subjects with curiosity, openness and confidence."
Magnoli looks ahead to furthering her education at the University of Connecticut with a full-tuition from the Presidential Scholarship for Valedictorians. She will pursue a business major, but will keep her options open.
"I am open to exploring other majors and career paths once I begin at UConn," Magnoli said. "There may be another track I haven't explored yet that better suits my skills and interests. Whatever path I choose, I definitely want to use that knowledge to give back to the community or begin my own non-profit initiative."
Magnoli thanks her dedicated teachers and faculty members at St. Dominic School, St. Paul School and Mercy. She also thanks the American Legion, VFW and Lions Club; parents Bob and Kathy Magnoli; brothers John and Mario; grandmother and extended family.
"We are extremely proud and happy for her to experience the rewards from the hard work she expended during her four years at Mercy," said Magnoli's father, Bob. "The better she did at school, the more work she put in. She thrived on improving her GPA year after year."
To comment on this story or to contact staff writer Sheridan Cyr, email her at email@example.com.

subset: commoncrawl


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127: Gaming Ability
"With their proprietary designs, consoles seem to hinder universal accessibility development. It was difficult to find features like Peggle's in console games. These options, when they do exist, are not always so high profile."
Christina Gonzalez looks at the increasing opportunities for gamers with disabilities.
I read this and not surprisingly leave a little bit saddened. There was was a time, when simply getting a version of a game that did what the mainstream needed was pretty difficult to come by. Now, there is are well established elements that need to be included or available to consumers.
I'm not surprised that the disabled are mis/under-represented. Sadly, at least in America, people largely don't care about the disabled, they are the subject of ridicule and hatred. I'm glad some effort to accommodate the disabled is taking place, and yes it should be a well established element of the games creation, and consoles and computers really. But I'm not surprised by their having limited resources devoted to their plight. The disabled tend to be poor, and are really only cared for/about by their families. Few others give much of a damn. At least corporations are forced, via bad pr, to accommodate them. And politicians who provide lip service. But you won't find much sympathy, not amongst the general populace. They are seldom reflected upon, and basically uncared for.
Has this been published before?
I'm sure I've read it before and commented on it...
Anyway, will add to this comment later - got an interesting anecdote to add :)
Really interesting article. Never took in realization the amount of people with disabilities trying to play games made fit for mainstream needs.
But you don't even have to go that far nowadays. For some reason, a certain number of companies are bit by bit leaning away from the capabilities of physically normal people and betting on some kind of "super powered" gamers. Two things I find the most:
- Lack of captions.
I don't have problems with the English language, even though I'm a foreigner, nor I have hearing incapabilities but I find it so eerie when I buy a game only to find it has 30 hours of FMVs and not a single one has subtitles. This is even why I can't see movies in my own language without subtitles. Games are pretty and most of the times when people are talking, something else is going around them. It's impossible to have 100% focus on what people are saying and 100% focus to what's happening when I suddenly hear something explode 20 feet away.
- The need for every button in a keyboard to represent a (necessary) game function.
I'm looking at you TES: Oblivion. I'd very much appreciate that when I play a game I don't have so many important keys to use that I only have the illusion of being able to customize my keyboard. If I have a hard time reaching CTRL to combine with P while at the same time pressing W,A,S,D to move my character then rearranging the CTRL key will only switch it with another key already in use that'll now be in an uncomfortable position. It's switching an ugly neon pinkish green with an ugly violet blue.
You don't have to have a disability. Nobody has the same kind of hands or the same kind of thought processing. I know they usually play test the games they make but do they really do it with the goal to see if the game doesn't have too many bugs or badly thought levels or do they actually go like "So Mark can actually play this game well. Let's try with Cindy, she has smaller hands so maybe the buttons schematics won't work well with her. And then don't forget Jorge, he usually isn't good with whipping key combinations, let's see if he's actually able to perform several button combos to beat up these 30 bad guys or if we have to make a more accessible system."
For me, this makes it seem that the more to the future we go into, the more game developer's are expecting us to either have a good number of experience with difficult controls, high attention capabilities or already be born with skill in our DNA.
I don't want games to be dumbed down, I rather enjoy play troughs that demand the best of me. But I'd prefer that a game didn't feel like piloting an airline plane. Unless...you know, I was playing a flight simulator.
you see, games are made to sell. if the most are not disabled, why waste money and time on making feutres for disabled people? it isnt right, but its the way it goes.
While Figure09's being a bit... curt over the subject, they raise an interesting point. Most of the target base for mainstream games aren't just white men between 14 and 26. They're white men with fully functioning limbs and vocal chords (for screaming at other people over XBox Live...)
I always found it amusing that the Internet now has to ascribe to Web Accessability (which is fun in my case as a Flash developer), but no one's been held accountable for some games being impossible to play one handed. Mind you, if we did Guitar Hero would be suddenly in so many violations it'd be a crime in the name of political correctness.
I do agree that subtitles should be in every game, as should options to make the visuals easier on the eyes (high contrast and colour blindness tools) as well as enforcing screen flashes to a maximum hertz to help prevent people with photosensitive epilepsy having seizures. Some disabilities will always be a problem to cater for (I can almost imagine someone screaming "what do you mean he can't play Halo 3 just because he's paraplegic, I'm suing Microsoft?!"), but there are still plenty of things people SHOULD do to help out people who can't see or hear as well as the rest of us.
We can't even get developers to provide full controller customization which incidentally would help with allowing disabled people to play games more easily. The problem is that developers of console games especially hold the players in contempt so even the most obvious accessibility options are almost completely ignored. Just look at simple things like motion controls, and games like Lair one of the dev team actually went around blaiming users for not liking his shitty motion controls! If you talk about playing Southpaw or Legacy you will also be told that you should "play the game the way it is supposed to be played." funny thing is on pc there is almost no game that does not allow one to create a southpaw or legacy layout if you feel like it...
I wonder if these morons who want you to play the game "correctly" realize that many of the games on consoles have broken default layouts that force you to do things like stop moving to give orders because the developers don't think about their layouts let alone respect the players enough to give them real control. Developers have to actually respect players before we can really start talking about any kind of accessibility.
23% if the US has some disability or other. Obviously some of which don't affect people's ability to play, but in many instances do. I don't know any statistics about other nations.
I wrote this article. I normally just lurk around here, but heck, I logged in.
If you increase your potential audience, you might sell more copies. It's not guaranteed, but most games aren't bestsellers anyway. There's also something that I didn't really get a chance to go into, and that is the sort of moral argument some take involved in accessibility (not just in gaming terms). This has been applied to private products before. But that's a whole other can of worms. :)
40% of Americans play computer games (arbitrary number that came up in the top few results when I typed the number into Google). Now if both of these are spread evenly distributed, this only means a 10% cut out of the entirity of America down to 30%.
That's even assuming the numbers are evenly distributed - if they're not the numbers at the extreme are either double the audience (where all disabled persons in America are also video game players, which while unlikely, but possible all things considered), or complete non-factors (because the blind and deaf have understandable problems playing HALO).
But assuming an equal spread (so that one in four gamers suffers a disability), and assuming that the publishers ideally want to have thier game played by everyone in the United States, is that extra 10% of the population of America marketable to? Considering the extra effort and consideration that must be taken to make a game caterable to everyone. I mean, could you imagine having to make your average first person shooter caterable to the non-correctably visually impaired, colour blind, hearing impaired or bodly disabled?
And the big question - is it profitable? Because that's what we're up against now. Making a profit. If it costs an extra thousand pounds to pay for the coders to overhaul the graphic engine so that there's a mode that raises the contrast for red-green colourblindness, and the game only sells an extra fifteen copies because of it, is that considered a success for the disabled, or pandering to political correctness?
Maybe they could just make sure no one ever puts the same saturation red on the same saturation green on signs in computer games...
Actually, it's not just about making money. It's been shown frequently that companies that take into consideration the 'human factor'-in this specific case people with disabilities- tend to reap other benefits, including things like consumer loyalty, which can eventually affect not only the company's bottom line, but their sustainability.
In addition, reaching out to that extra 23%-because the number of people around the world who are or will play videogames in the next 10 years say is probably in the billions, that 23% could mean a hell of a lot of money and sometimes for doing things as simple as adding subtitles. Hell, there are already cases where disabled people play MMO's and find a really supportive, awesome environment, because in that game they are judged on how they play, not on how they look, or their lack of physical abilities.
Not all games are or should be made for all people. But I think that encouraging the expansion of playability for people with disabilities not only increases the opportunities for them to interact with us, enriching our lives in non-fiscal related ways, but generating a kind of goodwill that can make this profitable to do so.
I hate to pick that apart, but that IS making money...
But I want to know whether that thing's profitable or not. Long or short term are both important, but more and more so it's turning into short term are more important than foresight.
Imagine how much of an asshole you'd look if over Vent you complained that the paladin couldn't tank well enough and then you get told he's actually only got one arm and is crippled from the neck down...
MMOs are a good example of games you can play easily no matter your disability. But I already know about these. I'm worried about things that are inherently more complex to bring to the disabled market and whether political correctness could mean for stupid things being forced to happen- like bringing puzzle games to those with visual problems, rhythm games to the hearing impaired and requiring the Nintendo DS to come with a gigantic pen because not providing a stylus people with poor motor-skills can hold is discriminatory.
The goodwill IS invaluable. I just hope people are doing it because it generates goodwill and are not looking at the bottom line.
Now that looks wierd if you're reading my post and wondering why I'm pointing out things like profits and publishers getting in the way of things, but in the ideal world I'd like to see people make the right games for the right people and not have to dodge things like financial security, the media, Jack Thompson or people bemoaning political correctness.
But come on. If a publisher demands that FPS License Sequel 72 should be playable by little Jimmy Quake tournament champion who was hit by a bus two years ago and hasn't been able to play his games since his life saving operation that left him quadroplegic, you can almost bet they're not doing it because of good will factor. More than likely they're hoping to shift more copies of the game by looking like they're an amazing company who cares even for those who can't play thier game hoping to drag extra space from magazines who wouldn't DARE argue with something that politically correct.
I agree with all your points and will support any motion to spread gaming to more people. But sometimes I feel people see this less as a problem to overcome and conquer in gaming and more as a PR angle for when people come up with a solution for it.
KaynSlamdyke, you're the only one talking about PC here. I could give two tugs of dead dogs cock about it. I can see where you'd want to bring it in, but to me it truly is irrelevant to the discussion.
However the mindset that you initially represent is, while pervasive in the West, one that is stupid. (not you, the attitude) You even say yourself:
"Long or short term are both important, but more and more so it's turning into short term are more important than foresight."
The long and short of it is; generating goodwill and taking a loss on certain things in order to make them more accessible to more people will be better-both in terms of profits (the short term that most businesses look at) and in terms of improving the community and I daresay games at large, which most people who are part of the culture of gaming will at some point take a look at.
But one has to step back and be willing to see that long term view. It may not be profitable for years, which can seem like an eternity, but could also make all the difference.
And again; I don't think that all games should be for all people. But when one can (reasonably) make concessions to allow colorblind, hard of hearing, or people with some other disability able to play your game, then I'm all for it. When doing so means adding another 100 hours and hundreds of thousands of dollars, then I get it; it just can't be reasonably done.
But that doesn't mean it shouldn't be kept in mind for future efforts, when technology costs may decrease enough to mean that it's only 15 hours and a thousand dollars. You know?


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Trash to Treasure Sale
Organization: Latrobe United Methodist Church
Description: The trash to treasure sale will be held until 2 p.m. both days. Lunch will be available along with a bake sale. Proceeds will benefit Jumonville Family Retreat and the general fund.
Location: 440 Main Street, Latrobe
Date & Time:
This event listing was created by Adams Memorial Library Staff. If you are in charge of this event and notice any errors, please contact firstname.lastname@example.com


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Friday ThanksCategories Friday Thanks, Projects
Reading Time: 1 minute
Dear Cherry Coke,
Thanks for being just sickly enough that I can't drink you every day without regretting it. It's good to have boundaries and you help to enforce the knowledge that a little every now and again is better than too much.
See other Friday Thanks here (or here) or visit the original inspiration for the project here.


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I was having a lot of problems with my Surface Book. It was locking up often when it went into sleep mode, and all my external monitors would break every time it went into this mode. The only way to fix it was a hard reboot, by holding down the power button. Even if it didn't need a hard reboot, I would have to do a full reboot just to get my monitors working again. Installing the beta intel drivers have seemed to fix the issue. Here is a link to the latest drivers, Intel Beta Graphics Drivers
Make sure you download the zip. Extract the zip to disk, and then go into Device Manager, pick the intel graphics card, tell it to let you choose graphics driver to install, and pick install from disk. There is a little better instructions here however make sure you use the version of the drivers I have linked.


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Program type: Demo
Price $ 19 /
Purchase - Get it Now
File size: 3026 Kb
Date: 10/22/2015
Install support: Install and Uninstall
OS: WinXP, WinVista, Win7 x32, Windows2000, Windows2003, Windows Vista Ultimate, Windows Media Center Edition 2005, Windows Vista Starter, Windows Vista Home Basic, Windows Vista Home Premium, Windows Vista Business, Windows Vista Enterprise, Windows 8
Requirements: 20 MB of free space
Language: English
social networks blocker or the distraction blocker, good application blocker or also games blocker
SprintWork Distraction Blocker 1.5.1
[Homepage] - by: Veridium Software - Download links for SprintWork Distraction Blocker
Click to enlarge
SprintWork is an effective distraction blocking and time tracking software that can help you get work done on time and recover valuable time lost to social media and games. By default SprintWork blocks Facebook, Twitter, Youtube and other social networking websites using a fully customizable website blocking list that can be set in three modes: block list, allow list and complete blocking of all Internet access. All three modes can be configured to take effect only on specific times of day or days of week with the option to lock settings changes for a certain period of time.
In addition to online games SprintWork can also block or time restrict desktop games and programs and it tracks active time spent on each program, total run time, start and stop times and every Window title each program had while using it.
Recent changes in this Major Update:
Remarks - Comments - Reviews (Add your opinion about this program)
See also in Internet and communication: Finger and WhoIs


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ski voss
Posted on September 29 2017
Shot by Nick Pearce & Nicole Portheim.
The mountains of Voss in Norway are a Winter wonderland. Nick took advantage of some great conditions for this backcountry ski touring adventure:
"Voss is a little town in the mountains on the west coast of Norway. In the summer this small town is world famous for it extreme sports. Hosting the Voss extreme week in the end of June. The biggest extreme sports festival in the world. Athletes compete in base-jumping, long boarding and kayaking to name a few.
But come winter Voss takes on a much more chilled vibe. Being coastal it gets plenty of snow, some of the best in Norway. In spring with the days getting longer all the time it's paradise for being in the mountains. The town has 2 small ski resorts. But there are plenty of fun lines, if you are willing to hike to earn your tear.
Enjoy but play safe."


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Electric utility customers generally are high on their local utility provider but are eager for them to see them become more aggressive champions of solar power, a new survey shows.
A robust 55 percent of 1,000 consumers rated their utility's customers service "8", "9" or "10" on a 10-point scale, according to the November survey by DEFG on behalf of the Utility Customer Research Consortium.
The survey, just made available to The Energy Times, reported: "Between one-fourth and one-third of consumers feel that they are getting comparatively better value from their electric company as compared to other service providers such as cable, internet, mobile phone, and landline providers."
And on the solar front, the report said: "Approximately half of the respondents were very interested in using solar power that was owned by either them or generated by another provider. Additionally, half of them said they would be "more interested" if that "other provider" turned out to be their local electric utility."


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Hydraulic Control Valves
Hydraulic valves(hydraulic control valves) are components used in hydraulic drive systems or hydraulic control systems to control fluid pressure, flow, and direction. The valve controls pressure is called a pressure control valve, and the valve control flow is called a flow control valve.,the valve controls the direction of on,off and flow is called a directional control valve.
Hydraulic Relief Valves
Hydraulic Modular Valve
Hydraulic Solenoid Control Valve
Hydraulic control valve in the hydraulic system is to control the flow direction, pressure and flow of the oil in the hydraulic system, so that the actuator and its driven working mechanism can obtain the required direction of motion, thrust (torque),and the speed of movement. Any hydraulic system, no matter how simple, can not lack the hydraulic valve; the hydraulic mechanical equipment of the same process purpose, through the different combinations of hydraulic valves, can form a variety of hydraulic system solutions with different oil passage structures. Therefore, the hydraulic valve is the most extensive, most widely used and most active component in hydraulic technology; whether a newly designed or operating hydraulic system can operate normally and reliably according to the established requirements, depending on the performance of the various hydraulic valves used and the reasonable matching of the parameters.
Pressure Control Valve:
According to the function,pressure control valve can be divided into overflow valve, pressure reducing valve and sequence valve according to the purpose.
1,Overflow valve: It can control the hydraulic system to maintain a constant state when the set pressure is reached. The relief valve for overload protection is called a safety valve. When the system fails and the pressure rises to a limit that may cause damage, the valve port will open and overflow to ensure the safety of the system.
2, Pressure reducing valve: It can control the branch circuit to obtain a stable pressure lower than the oil pressure of the main circuit. The pressure reducing valve can be divided into fixed value pressure reducing valve (output pressure is constant value), differential pressure reducing valve (input and output pressure difference is fixed value) and proportional pressure reducing valve according to the pressure function controlled by it. (Keep a certain ratio between input and output pressure).
3,Sequence valve: After an actuator (such as hydraulic cylinder, hydraulic motor, etc.) can be actuated, the other actuators are actuated in sequence.
Flow Control Valve:
The flow rate is adjusted by adjusting the orifice area between the spool and the valve body and the local resistance generated by it, thereby controlling the speed of movement of the actuator. The flow control valves are divided into five types according to their purposes.
1, Throttle valve: After setting the throttle area, the moving speed of the actuator which can not change the load pressure and the motion uniformity is not stable.
2,Speed control valve: When the load pressure changes, the inlet and outlet pressure difference of the throttle valve can be kept constant. Thus, after the orifice area is set, regardless of the load pressure, the speed control valve can maintain the flow rate through the throttle valve, thereby stabilizing the moving speed of the actuator.
3,Diverter valve: Regardless of the load size, the two actuators of the same oil source can obtain equal flow or equal-flow diverter valves or synchronizing valves; the proportionally distributed flow rate is proportional to the diverter valve.
4,Collector: The action is opposite to the diverter valve, so that the flow into the collector valve is proportionally distributed.
5,Split flow manifold: both split valve and collector valve
Directional Control Valve:
Directional control valves are divided into one-way valve and reversing valve according to the purpose.
1,Check valve: only allows the fluid to be unidirectionally connected in the pipeline, and the reverse is cut off.
2,Reversing valve: change the on-off relationship between different pipelines, according to the working position of the valve core in the valve body, two, three, etc.; according to the number of channels controlled, two-way, three-way, four-way , five-way, etc.; such as two-position two-way, three-position three-way, three-position five-way, etc. according to the spool drive mode is divided into manual, motorized, electromagnetic, hydraulic and so on.


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SpaceTime with Stuart Gary Series 19 Episode 66 - Quantum entanglement and the speed of light23 Sep 2016, 10:13 UTC
Stream episodes on demand from www.bitesz.com or www.spacetimewithstuartgary.com (both mobile friendly).
Hi, Stuart here with the Show Notes for Series 19 Episode 65:
*Quantum entanglement and the speed of light
New research indicates that quantum entanglement -- the effect Albert Einstein referred to as spooky action at a distance -- isn't just stranger than we imagine – it's stranger than we can imagine.
*A new way to determine the age of stars
Scientists have developed a new way of understanding how stars like our Sun evolve. The new research is a first attempt to build a comprehensive model for the activity and evolution of these stars.
*Discovery of an impossible cloud in the atmosphere of Titan
Astronomers have detected a puzzling ice cloud that's apparently formed out of thin air in the Saturnian moon Titan. The cloud -- detected in Titan's stratosphere -- is composed of a compound of carbon and nitrogen in the chemical cocktail that colours the giant moon's hazy, brownish-orange atmosphere.
You can find enhanced show notes, including photos for this episode at http://www.bitesz.com/spacetime-show-notes
Subscribe, rate and review SpaceTime with Stuart Gary at iTunes, audioBoom, Stitcher, Pocketcasts, Google Play (US only), Tunein, Podbean or any good podcatcher app.
Email: email@example.com
Join our mailing list at http://www.bitesz.com/join-our-mailing-list
For more, follow SpaceTime on Facebook, twitter, Tumblr and Google+:
Facebook: @spacetimewithstuartgary
twitter: @stuartgary
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Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/2/collection/cabtNB
If you're enjoying SpaceTime, please share and tell your friends. The best recommendation I can receive is yours. Thank you...
#astronomy #space #science #technology #news


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Escalating fight rivets, divides nation
Both sides claim the advantage as watershed issue engulfs politics and personalities
Faces of the fallen
Sunday, March 14, 2004
The Iraq War won't quit. Since Baghdad's fall, there are no battle lines. Fighting takes on a new lethal form in ambushes, bombings or plane crashes. Injury and death come almost daily.
Young evangelicals and gay issues
Stay by SJC called unlikely
By Kathleen Burge and Frank Phillips, Globe Staff, 3/13/2004
Legal specialists said yesterday that Governor Mitt Romney would probably not succeed in persuading the Supreme Judicial Court to stay its historic decision legalizing gay marriage.
Romney confirmed yesterday that he was considering asking for a stay as the Legislature and voters consider a proposed November 2006 ballot initiative that would overturn the SJC's ruling. The SJC ruling calls on the state to begin issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples on May 17. The Globe reported the strategy Friday.
Clergymen, churchgoers protest gay marriage
Mayor Nickels is singled out by about 60 demonstrators


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Need to know: Somatoform disorders
Dr Wolfgang Meyer answers questions from GP Dr Linden Ruckert
Dr Wolfgang Meyer answers questions from GP Dr Linden Ruckert
How common is somatoform disorder in general practice? At what age would it typically start?
According to new research, patients with somatoform disorder represent 25-50 per cent of patients presenting to GPs with physical complaints for which no organic cause is readily apparent and for whom symptoms, or illness, have become a way of life. Somatoform disorder is a chronic, severe psychiatric disorder characterised by persistent physical symptoms without a demonstrable organic pathology or physiological explanation allied with clinical indications that the symptoms are linked to psychological factors or conflicts. The usual onset is in adolescence or early adulthood.
The condition persists for years, with symptoms typically including a combination of pain, pseudo-neurological, digestive and sexual complaints.
How does it usually present? Are there any clues that might help us to be alert to the diagnosis earlier on?
Somatisation is best viewed as a process of inappropriate focus on physical symptoms and denial of psychosocial problems. Many of these cases involve iatrogenic complications, including unnecessary and repetitive investigations and surgery and possibly even drug dependence. Patients often indulge in 'doctor shopping'.
GPs are best able to detect these disorders because they have the full history of repeated physical complaints and accompanying investigations accumulated over the period of treatment. There are two types of presentation: occasional somatisers, who present intermittently and tend to respond quickly to medical attention possibly individuals at a particularly stressful point in their lives; and chronic somatisers, who express distress and concern about their physical state and are not amenable to change or psychological interventions because they genuinely believe they are physically ill.
Either may occur acutely, intermittently or chronically. It is important to remember that somatisation may co-exist with, or overlie, established medical illnesses.
Somatoform patients are usually quite emotional when recounting their symptoms, indicating their desire to be cared for, yet they are not consciously seeking to remain ill they are unaware of the psychological forces at work.
This might be because it is more acceptable to admit to and discuss physical problems, rather than psychological issues, or because the patient is so detached from his feelings that he is not conscious of any psychological issues and is involuntarily forced to convert them into physical symptoms.
What are the formal criteria for a diagnosis?
According to DSM-IV classification, each of the following criteria must be met, with individual symptoms occurring at any time during the course of the disturbance:
Four pain symptoms: history of pain related to at least four different sites or functions.
- Two GI symptoms: eg, nausea, bloating, food intolerance, diarrhoea.
- One sexual symptom: eg, sexual indifference, erectile or ejaculatory dysfunction, problems with menses.
- One pseudo-neurologic symptom: eg, conversion symptoms such as blindness, double vision, deafness, loss of touch, paralysis or localised weakness, difficulty swallowing or breathing, seizures or dissociative symptoms such as amnesia or loss of consciousness other than fainting.
In somatisation disorder, one of the most complex of the somatoform disorders, most symptoms begin in adolescence or early adulthood and affect all parts of the body, with headaches, back pain, gastrointestinal complaints, pelvic pains and breathing problems the most common presenting symptoms.
The typical somatisation disorder patient has a complex medical history of shopping for both diagnoses and doctors and is very concerned about his health because he does not know why he is ill, despite appropriate interventions. Obviously we must not miss organic illness nor lead the patient to feel we are not excluding this.
How can a GP differentiate it?
The best approach is a sensitive yet rigorous history-taking which elicits family history, stressors, individual and family illness, conflicts in relationships, grief over loss or separation or other significant life events; this, allied with an acknowledgment of the stress/symptoms link, will help GPs reach the correct diagnosis.
Non-directive interviewing is often more successful than direct questioning because it offers insight into the emotions that the patient associates with the symptoms. It's best to avoid suggesting cause-and-effect relationships between the patient's feelings and presenting symptoms.
What treatment is appropriate by GPs?
There are two treatment goals: return to functionality and prevention of secondary worsening of iatrogenic problems. Key factors associated with a better response to treatment include: younger age; continuing employment; work satisfaction; and the lack of pain-related insurance payments. Usually, the best treatment is a calm, firm and supportive GP who offers symptomatic relief and protects the patient from unnecessary diagnostic or therapeutic procedures.
GPs should focus on the stress associated with the disorder and on reducing help-seeking behaviour.
Pharmacological interventions are less appropriate for these patients, unless there is a co-morbid condition like depression which needs to be treated. Patients must deal with the issues driving their disorders and reduce help-seeking behaviour, so a cognitive approach that helps them to re-attribute their symptoms from physical to psychological causes is best, while group therapy and hypnosis have also been shown to be useful.
What pitfalls should the GP be aware of?
Treating somatoform patients is extremely difficult because some will not believe their emotions provide the foundations for the illness. They are unaware of the psychological factors driving their physical disorders, do not consciously cling to the role of patient and will press for medical interventions.The ever-present risk is that GPs, fearing these patients might be suffering from an undiagnosed or unusual physical problem, may put them through months or years of tests before considering psychiatric explanations.
What I'll do now
Dr Ruckert responds to the answers to her questions
- I was surprised to hear that up to 50 per cent of patients presenting with unexplained physical complaints would be diagnosable as having somatoform disorder. I will be more aware of this now.
- I will try to be more alert to the possibility of its onset in adolescents or young adults. Perhaps we can prevent chronicity and later work for ourselves.
- Preventing investigations and procedures can be difficult to achieve, especially if there is secondary gain. Sadly, specialist care and cognitive therapy are hard to come by.
Wolfgang Meyer is consultant psychiatrist and psycho-therapist at the Priory Hospital Hayes Grove and honorary clinical lecturer, Queen Mary University of London, Bart's, and the Royal London School of Medicine. Competing interests: none declared


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Recipes to Spice Up Your Valentine's Day
Sujata Iyer
Feb 8, 2019
Need some recipes to 'spice' up the special Valentine's night? Read on for some truly tantalizing ones.
Everyone wants to have a romantic Valentine's Day. Everyone wants to make sure that the day is extremely special and that it stays etched in their memories for years to come. There are plenty of romantic ideas that people can think of, but nothing comes even remotely close to matching up to the romance of a home cooked, candle-light dinner.
Cooking for someone is a very special thing to do. You need to tease the taste buds with something delicious and then reward them with something even better. So, especially for all you happy couples out there, we give you some delicious recipes that are sure to leave you and your partner licking your fingers.
Recipes for Valentine's Day
Cooking can be a sensuous experience, when done with the person you love. And Valentine's Day is the most special day of the year for couples. So why not take advantage of this day and get some delicious cooking done with your partner? You'll spend that much more time together and you'll truly appreciate the food that you'll work so hard to make.
Breakfast in Bed: Coffee and French Toast
Nothing is more special than waking up in the morning to the aroma of freshly brewed coffee and French Toast wafting into the room. Surprise your girl with this easy breakfast. Let's see how to get the bread done.
You'll need
Loaf of Bread ~ 1
Eggs ~ 6 - 7
Powdered Sugar ~ 1 small can
Break all the eggs into a bowl.
Add about 3 spoons of the powdered sugar to the eggs and whisk thoroughly.
Make sure that there are no lumps of sugar in the egg yolk.
Place a pan on the stove to heat.
In the meantime, cut up the loaf of bread into heart shaped slices.
When the pan is heated, gently dip a slice of bread into the sweet egg yolk.
Keep it in for about 3 seconds and then flip it over to let the other side absorb the egg.
Now, place this slice on the pan and let it get cooked.
You can lift it from one side to check if it is done.
Once it's ready from one side, flip it and let the other side cook.
Repeat with the other slices and arrange them neatly on a plate and accompany it with a pot of fresh coffee and a red rose for effect.
Lunch or Dinner: Option 1 - Horseradish-Crusted Salmon with Golden Beet Sauce
This one's a designer recipe by none other than the star chef, Marcus Samuelsson. A perfect Aphrodisiac entrée that will have all the right juices flowing. Enjoy it like it should be.
You'll need
Horseradish Root (fresh) ~ ½
Salmon Steaks ~ 4
Ginger ~ 1 small piece
Garlic ~ 3 cloves
Onion (finely chopped) ~ 1
Fish Stock ~ 2 cups
Dry White Wine ~ ½ cup
Beet Juice from Golden Beets ~ 3
Balsamic Vinegar ~ ½ tbsp
Sour Cream ~ 1 tbsp
Fresh Thyme ~ 2 sprigs
First, get the salmon ready.
Peel and finely grate the horseradish root.
Sauté the salmon steaks in a pan for at least two minutes.
Remove the salmon from the pan and apply the grated horseradish on both sides, generously.
Place the steaks in the oven at a temperature of about 400°F for 15 minutes, or until they turn a shade of golden brown.
In the meantime, you can get started on the beet juice. Take the beets and coat them with a ginger and garlic paste, together with olive oil and place it in an oven at 400°F to heat for an hour.
Then, let them cool down and extract the juice from them, using a juicer.
Take the onion and the thyme and place them in a 12 inch skillet until they sweat out and the onion is semitransparent.
When that happens, add the white wine and the fish stock and keep them on low heat for about 15 minutes.
Then, add the beet juice that you extracted, the vinegar and some salt and pepper to taste. Mix this until all the ingredients are well distributed.
Remove from the stove and get ready to serve.
Option 2 - Chicken in Champagne and Mushroom Sauce
Nothing says celebration like some sparkling champagne. Celebrate V-day in style with this recipe that infuses two wonderful flavors!
You'll need
3 cups sliced mushrooms
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 tbsp. butter
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 cup champagne or any other white wine
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 cup whipping cream
4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
In a bowl, mix the flour with the pepper and salt.
Now, one by one, cover each chicken breast with this mixture and lay them out on a plate.
Place a skillet on medium heat, and heat the olive oil.
Place the chicken breasts on the skillet and cook until they are slightly golden in color.
Make sure that the chicken does not get completely cooked at this stage.
Remove the chicken from the skillet.
Now, in the same skillet, add the butter and the mushrooms.
Let the mushrooms cook until they drain out their water.
Now, add the champagne and stir, then add the cream and let the mixture boil.
Once it begins to boil, reduce the flame and let the mixture simmer for about 10 minutes.
Add the chicken breasts back into the skillet and stir the mixture properly.
Let this be on a medium flame until the chicken has cooked completely through (approximately 10 minutes, check by poking the chicken).
Once it is ready, serve with bread or steamed rice.
Dessert: Coffee Cream Dessert
After that delicious meal, if you still have room for dessert, then here's something you can try out. It's a dessert using a blend of coffee and cream that you both will love!
You'll need
Sugar ~ 3 tbsp
Heavy cream ~ 3 cups
Unsweetened Chocolate ~ 1 ½ oz
Instant Espresso Powder ~ ½ tbsp
Egg Yolks ~ 2
Vanilla Extract ~ 1tsp
Whipped Cream ~ to garnish
Chocolate Shavings or Chips ~ to garnish
Begin by heating an oven to 300 °F.
Boil some water in a kettle.
Put the cream and sugar in a saucepan, until they simmer.
Then, remove it from the stove and add the chocolate and espresso powder.
Add the egg yolks and vanilla extract and whisk until a smooth consistency is obtained.
Put this molten chocolate into heart shaped custard cups and place them in a baking pan.
Pour the hot water in the pan, so that it reaches halfway up the custard cups.
Bake these in the oven for around 25 minutes (or until the center sets).
You can serve this dessert warm or cold. Just remember to garnish it with a dollop of whipped cream and sprinkle the chocolate shavings or chips on the whipped cream.
These recipes are very easy to prepare and are exceptionally delectable too. So get to the kitchen and have some fun! Happy Valentine's Day!
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Steven Barwin
Steven Barwin is a high school teacher. He is the author of several books in the Lorimer Sports Stories series including Spiked, which was Resource Links' Year's Best book, Icebreaker and Slam Dunk, both of which were named Best Books for Kids and Teens by the Canadian Children's Book Centre. He is also the author of the teen novel Trap Jam. Steven lives in Thornhill, Ontario.
Teen Books (1)
Sixteen-year-old Angelo has moved to Toronto from the Philippines to join his mother, who has been living and working in Canada for most of Angelo's life. Adjusting to a new country isn't easy for Angelo, with a new language, curfews, new rules, and pressure from a mom who seems like a stranger. Angelo's mother takes him to the Filipino Community Centre where he meets Marcus who has shared the same experience.
At school, Marcus introduces Angelo to Felix and Darius. The boys quickly give Angelo a reality check, pointing out how rich everyone else is, and how no one respects poor Filipino immigrants. They lure Angelo into running petty thefts as a way of proving his friendship. But when Angelo is accused of stealing something valuable from the house his mother cleans and she loses her job, he realizes that everyone sees him as just a punk. He wants to set things right, but how can he go against his friends without getting the law involved?
"Cold Grab presents readers with one boy's experience in leaving behind a home he loves to join his mother in a new country. Readers journey with him as he struggles to find his place in this new-to-him world, and they can connect with the lessons Angelo learns and reflect upon the application of these lessons in their own lives."— CM: Canadian Review of Materials
"Author Steven Barwin's portrayal of adjusting to life and family in an unfamiliar environment and the perils it engenders is told in the straightforward terms we have come to associate with his sports novels. Barwin presents the clash of values and culture experienced by Angelo and how he works through it without sentiment or preaching, making a complex and nuanced situation accessible without diminishing its urgency."— Resource Links
Educator Information
This book is part of the SideStreets series. SideStreets are edgy, fast-paced novels that combine real-world themes and believable characters to make for short, heart-stopping books — sure to engage the most reluctant reader.
Themes: Law & Crime, Diversity & Multicultural, Assimilation, Peer Pressure
Interest age: From 13 To 18
Fry Reading Level [grade]: 3.3
Lexile Reading Level: HL560L
Additional Information
192 pages | 5.25" x 7.50"


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Sheff Wed 2 Walsall 1
Sheffield Wednesday salvaged their first home league win of the season with a last-minute winner from on-loan Argentinian striker Pablo Bonvin.
But the managerless Owls had to come from a goal behind after Walsall had taken a deserved 19th-minute lead through striker Darren Byfield.
After the break Wednesday were a changed side and after 71 minutes they levelled the scores when Gerald Sibon headed home from six yards.
The home side then snatched the winner at the death when Bonvin's 15-yard effort was deflected over Walsall goalkeeper James Walker.
The win sees the Owls leapfrog Walsall in the league and could be the ideal boost ahead of the midweek South Yorkshire derby against Barnsley.
But the result could have been very different after Wednesday suffered a dreadful start.
On seven minutes Walsall's Fitzroy Simpson fired a fierce 25-yard drive at goal, but Owls goalkeeper Kevin Pressman was equal to it.
The visitors took the lead when Simpson's short corner was crossed into the box by Matthew Gadsby for Byfield to head past Pressman from eight yards.
Walsall could have extended their lead on the half-hour mark when Gadsby's ball into the box again caused Wednesday problems, only for Byfield to head over.
Wednesday's only real effort came in first-half stoppage time when Trond Egil Soltvedt headed wide a Sibon corner.
At half-time Wednesday caretaker boss Terry Yorath made a double substitution by bringing on Owen Morrison and Bonvin - and the switch proved to be crucial as Wednesday looked a more dangerous side.
Bonvin had a goal disallowed in the 66th minute for offside following good play from Morrison and Alan Quinn.
Morrison then played an influential role in the home side's equaliser. The Northern Ireland international raced to the byline before sending an exquisite cross into the box to Sibon, who headed past Walker for his second goal in as many games.
Walsall had a couple of chances late in the game to snatch the winner, substitute Pedro Matias sending two good chances wide of the target.
But it was the home side who ultimately grabbed the much-needed three points.
Morrison was again the provider, feeding the ball to Bonvin and the Boca Juniors star netted his third goal of the season when his deflected effort looped over a helpless Walker.


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text: Brainfeeder producer Lapalux actually released his sophomore album 'Lustmore' on April 7, but is only now available to stream worldwide. The album is loosely based on a phenomenon called Hypnogogia; a transitional state of consciousness between wakefulness and sleep. Opening track 'Puzzle' drips with a palpable sexual tension, whilst the catchy 'Closure' is far more mournful. An album as close and enveloping as it is distant is probably best described by the man himself: "Whenever I think about the album I think about the bar scene in 'The Shining'," Howard says. "There's something about that strange, hallucinatory psychological madness that relates to the music, both in the making of the actual record and the way it sounds." Stream below via Spotify.


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Most of the people would never even consider doing something like this, but this guy is all but ordinary. His name is Danny Macaskill and he a true adrenaline junkie. Danny comes from Scotland and he is 31-year-old professional cyclist. So far, he had done some very extreme stunts but this time he decided to take things a 'little' bit further.
This time, Danny decided to take things a little bit further. His idea was to climb a Cuillin Ridgeline on the Isle of Skye, Scotland and then ride down. Going up this cliff is scary enough, but to go down on a bike is just crazy! But, crazy is what Danny likes, and he seems to be having the time of his life.
The video is incredible and the view is just breathtaking. Check out this amazing adventure and tell us what you think about it. Don't forget to SHARE.


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Brother of late Tony Gregory criticises TD Maureen O'Sullivan over election claim
THE brother of the late Tony Gregory has criticised Independent TD Maureen O'Sullivan over a claim contained in her election literature.
Ms O'Sullivan, a Dublin Central TD, has told voters she served as Mr Gregory's director of elections prior to his death.
She admitted that this is incorrect and she in fact served as an election agent for Mr Gregory.
But the claim has infuriated the late TD's brother, Noel Gregory, who is supporting independent councillor Christy Burke ahead of next week's election.
"She never served as Tony's director of elections. It is disingenuous." Mr Gregory said. Ms O'Sullivan accused Mr Gregory of "splitting hairs", adding that the row is over a choice of words.
"What Noel is doing here is unnecessary and upsetting," Ms O'Sullivan added.
Online Editors


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Many of us worry about climate change and want to make our homes more sustainable to protect the planet for future generations. But with so much information out there it can be difficult to know where to start and do your bit for the environment.
That's why we've teamed up with E.ON to come up with five changes – both big and small – that will make your home more eco-friendly, starting by switching to a renewable energy source like solar power.
Install solar panels with battery storage and not only could you cut your carbon footprint* and potentially cut your monthly bills by up to £400** but, thanks to E.ON's 'Solar Reward' scheme***, you could even make money by exporting extra electricity you generate back to the grid.
Want to learn more? Then visit the E.ON website here for more information.
The first step in creating a more sustainable home is by making sure it's powered by a cleaner, greener, renewable energy – like solar power – and reduce your use of the dirty fossil fuels that pollute the planet****.
Solar panels work by capturing the sun's energy to convert into electricity to keep your home running. Amazingly, this works even when it's not sunny. So you don't need to be put off by the grey skies outside!
E.ON offers different solar panels depending on your home – and your budget – as well as a team of helpful experts who are on hand to guide you through every step of the process.
There are also flexible payment options available, which means you can choose how you would like to pay for your new panels. And remember, sunlight is free, so once you've paid for the initial installation you'll likely see your electricity costs drop, according to the Energy Saving Trust.
To make the prospect of installing solar panels even sweeter, E.ON also offers the option of paying new solar customers back for extra energy through the 'solar reward' scheme. Generate your own electricity and you could get paid 5.24p/kWh for your export***, meaning you actually get money back while helping the planet. Definitely a win-win!
Learn more about E.ON here.
Whether you are new to solar energy, or already have solar panels installed, battery storage is a must.
Just like the name suggests, battery storage allows you to keep hold of excess electricity generated by your solar panels so you can use it when you need it later.
This means your home will rely less on the grid, meaning your electricity bills could be cheaper and your carbon emissions most likely will be lower, according to the Energy Saving Trust.
Want to know more? E.ON has lots of information on choosing a battery storage solution that's right for you.
To see even more benefits from your move to solar power, install an E.ON electric vehicle (EV) charger outside your home and use your greener, renewable electricity to help keep your car running – rather than polluting the air with harmful petrol or diesel fumes.
Not only is charging your car in your own driveway more convenient than waiting at a public charging point, but your charger will also be connected to your internet at home, allowing you to monitor, optimise and control your charging.
You could also qualify for a government grant of up to £500 to put towards the cost of installing a charger. If it sounds daunting then don't worry, E.ON takes the stress out of the situation by applying on your behalf. Click here for more information.
Some 55 per cent of what you spend on energy goes on heating, according to the Energy Saving Trust, which means it's important to make sure that your boiler is working at its best.
How much money you could save each year will depend on how old and inefficient your existing boiler is and the fuel your boiler uses. The Energy Saving Trust has lots of helpful information here.
If you're thinking about replacing your boiler, E.ON offers a no-obligation survey, carried out by a qualified expert, which will help you assess all of your options.
E.ON also has an online offer of a new boiler from £1,995***** within five working days if you have no heating and hot water******, as well as flexible payment options. More information can be found here.
Installing a smart meter is a simple way to manage the energy you use at home.
When you know exactly how much you're spending – to the penny – in near real-time, you can make small changes to help you use less energy.
Plus, it will help with more accurate billing for your home.
E.ON are installing smart meters for their electricity and gas customers. Want one? Visit eonenergy.com/smart, and you could get a smart meter installed for free.


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Easy Play Strategy-- Level 1-9
Feudon is a strategy game set in ancient Rome. As a strategy game, Feudon deals much with resources and battles, so newcomers should know the difference between renewable resources and fixed resources. When you've learned the rules and ways, you will have a fantastic journey through the game.
► Available Resources
Gold 100, Silver 10000, Bugles 30, Training Space 1, Builder Teams 2, Levies 12, Exploits 10000.
► Level Limit
Highest Senatus level in this Area: 9
► Area
Level 9
► Enemy NPC
Players can follow the tutorial to get familiar with the game at their first login. What we talk about here is how to use resources smartly and develop our force quickly.
First, about resources. You are suggested to use the default 200 Gold to buy 2 training spaces and 1 builder team. This will cost all the Gold but be profitable. You'll need a great deal of Hero training and Building upgrading.
Second, about upgrading Buildings. Buildings should not get upgraded too high and too quickly. That is because player of higher level, which means he has a higher level Senatus, gets less Exploits than lower level Players when attacking the same NPC. However, players still need to upgrade Buildings to fight superior NPCs and enter a higher level Area at last. (Every Area has a level. If you want to relocate your City into a higher level Area, you need to defeat the specific NPC it requires.) In this case you can try to upgrade Buildings according to the process of NPC fighting. For example, you may consider upgrading only when you cannot get over certain NPC and you need more advanced Heroes and Equipment.
Tips: Do not upgrade your Senatus to the highest level it can be in that Area, especially when you stay as a newcomer.
Third, about fighting NPC. Both luck and Array are important. Players rely on well-trained Heroes and fine Equipment to past NPCs. You know, Infantry block, Calvary miss offenses and Distal Units hit critically. However, they launch these skills randomly. If you are a lucky guy, they launch and they launch at the right time. If not…
You can also adjust the formation of Array to strengthen your offense and defense. Deploy Infantry in the front to block offenses, Distal Unit in the back to emit more damage. Smart Arrays get you past NPCs quickly. As for NPCs in Apennine, there are 3 Heroes you can recruit after you defeat them, of which Spartacus is a must to have for he has the Rage Skill of Guard and is a good shield.
Easy Play Strategy-- Level 10-20
Easy Play Strategy-- Level 20-30
Easy Play Strategy-- Level 30-40
Easy Play Strategy-- Level 40-60
- Pandiva Member
- Welcome back home!


text: Each Personal Attendant near Vista Should Know about Recent Calcium Supplement Study Bone health is a very important concern for senior citizens, as age naturally decreases the body's efficiency in processing calcium. Many seniors choose to take a calcium supplement to try to ward off osteoporosis and other bone-weakening diseases. While the average personal attendant


text:
Are you looking to plan a function, special event, meeting or wedding in Melbourne? If so, one of the first things you will need to do is to search some of the best function venues in Melbourne. At Shavan's Indian restaurant, we provide unique and captivatin
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Recipe (all Stampin' Up!)
Stamps: Hello There
Ink: Night of Navy
Paper: Night of Navy, Real Red, Whisper White card stock
Misc: Beach House washi tape, Regals Candy Dots, Dimensionals
If you live in Canada and would like a copy of the new 2014-2015 catalog, or to order these items or any other Stampin' Up! supplies, please contact me: email@example.com


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It's the final weekend, summer's last gasp. Say adieu to the season by partaking in one of these 10 activities.
10 things to do this weekend
It's the final weekend, summer's last gasp. Say adieu to the season by partaking in one of these 10 activities.
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Big Wheel races, the Four-Legged Follies dog show, an apple pie bake-off, a carnival and two beer gardens are part of the festivities planned for LAST FLING, Naperville's four-day Labor Day extravaganza. If you love a parade, organizers claim that Last Fling's parade is the largest Labor Day parade in the state. A free shuttle runs between the festival and the Naperville train station. Running Sept. 3 from 5:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m., Sept. 4 to 5, from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. and on Sept. 6 from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Main Street and Jackson Avenue, Naperville, 630-961-4143, www.lastfling.org.
Skokie Swift train, pantographs raisedRIDE:
Following the bittersweet "last" theme, the Central Electric Railfans' Assn. (CERA) is hosting the UNDER THE WIRES trips on the Skokie Swift Catenary trains. This fall the Chicago Transit Authority will replace the wire system used on the Skokie Swift yellow line trains with a conventional third rail system. CERA's two-hour rides, departing at 9:00 a.m., 12:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. on Sept. 5 are $20 in advance, leaving from the station at 5001 W. Dempster St., www.cera-chicago.org.
If you're the sort who'd rather be in a parade than on the sidelines, grab your baton and head to Lakeview for the 41ST ANNUAL LABOR DAY PARADE. Organized by the Wellington Oakdale Old Glory Marching Society, the parade is open to everyone, is less than a mile long, and has no political agenda. Comfortable walking shoes recommended, flags and face paint optional. The parade starts at 11:00 a.m. Sept. 6. at Pine Grove and Wellington Avenues, ends at the front lawn of St. Joseph Hospital, 2900 N. Lake Shore Drive, with a performance by the Jesse White Tumblers.
Tufted titmouseBIRD-WATCH:
Whether you are a dedicated birder or a first-timer, you can join like-minded enthusiasts for a free guide of suburban fauna in flight at WALK WITH THE BIRDS at the Crabtree National Center in Barrington. Birders should meet at the Wild Bird Center in Libertyville at 8:00 a.m. Be prepared to walk two-to-four miles (winged flight may sound good by the end). Reservations are required. 1322 S. Milwaukee Ave., Libertyville, 847-573-1450, www.wildbirdcenter.com.
Eat pierogi and more pierogi at the 25TH ANNUAL TASTE OF POLONIA. But don't overeat, because you'll need to be light enough on your feet to polka to the sounds of four days worth of bands. The festival runs 5:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. on Friday, 12:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, and 12:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 3 to Sept. 6. Tickets are $3 to $6. Copernicus Cultural Center, 5216 W. Lawrence Ave., 773-777-8898, www.copernicusfdn.org.
A last gasp of a different sort, Big Wig nightclub is closing its doors and hosting a FIVE-DAY FAREWELL BASH. The Wicker Park icon opens at 8:00 p.m. every night through Sept. 5, with celebrity DJs, cocktail receptions and an auction of the bar's furnishings. Cover is $5 after 10:00 p.m. 1551 W. Division St., 773-235-9100, www.bigwignightclub.net.
If the summers of your youth were spent listening to what's now considered an "oldie" while eating fried chicken, then the FIRST ANNUAL SUMMER WING FEST 2004 is your kind of event. Sponsored by oldies station WJMK-FM, more than 16 different area restaurants will whip up their chicken wing recipes between 1:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m. Sept. 4 and Sept. 5. Tickets are $5 for adults, $2 for kids under 12, plus the price of your favorite wings. A portion of proceeds benefit the Neighbors of River West and the Jesse White Tumbling Team. Don't eat in advance. Division Street and Elston Avenue, 847-361-1254, wingfest.net.
It may turn hot (really!) in September, but for many local pools and beaches, Labor Day means no more splashing until May. Take advantage of the three-day weekend to take one last dip at INDEPENDENCE GROVE'S SWIMMING BEACH. Operated by the Lake County Forest Preserve, the beach is lifeguard-supervised and has all the amenities of your local pool -- an adjacent beach house with locker room and shower facilities -- in a much prettier setting. Beach admission is $3 per person with parking for Lake County residents, and $6 per person plus a parking fee for non-residents. The beach is open Sept. 4 to Sept. 6 (weather permitting) 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Buckley Road (Route 137) just east of Milwaukee Avenue (Route 21), Libertyville, 847-968-3499, www.LCFPD.org.
Count Basie's tour bus, circa 1939JAM:
Celebrate what would have been Count Basie's 100th birthday and more at the 26th ANNUAL CHICAGO JAZZ FESTIVAL. This favorite free festival will feature the sounds of Toshiko Akiyoshi with the Chicago Jazz Orchestra, the Ron Perillo Trio and others on several stages throughout Grant Park. Keep your stress level low and take public transportation. Nothing kills a music buzz like parking lot gridlock. Sept. 3 to Sept. 5, 12:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. 300 S. Columbus Dr., 312-744-3370. egov.cityofchicago.org
Whether you have a hankering to see Robin Hood take from the rich or just want to eat a giant turkey leg with your bare hands, this is your last chance to whoop it up medieval style (at least until next summer) at the BRISTOL RENAISSANCE FAIRE. Activities include juggling, maypole dances, and shopping among many a medieval vendor. Advance tickets are $17 for adults, $8 for kids. Open Sept. 4 through Sept. 6, 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. I-94 at the Illinois/Wisconsin border, 847-395-7773, www.renfair.com/bristol.
If you must labor on the laptop this Labor Day, send us a quick e-mail at [email protected]
about the events you are most looking forward to this fall.


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Need a last minute Christmas gift for the gal who has it all? Or just a regular non-holiday, non-specific gift because if they're used to having it all they will welcome getting even more? Look no further!
1. Jewels
Of the treasure chest variety, just a couple from your jewel pile. To be clear, we do not want jewlery. Just jewels.
2. Tupperware
Tupperware is a great way to contain items that you own. Girls love items, but we don't want them all over the place. Give us some tupperware!


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13 November 1997
Hand to Mouth: a Chronicle of Early Failure
by Paul Auster
Call no man a failure until he is dead. Paul Auster, one of the most haunting talents in American letters today, spent his young adulthood staggering from one financial and emotional disaster to another, until he was convinced that his dream of living as a writer was simply unworkable. Hand to Mouth is partly an intimate disquisition on money; partly, as we travel with Auster around (naturally) Paris and Dublin, an ironised work of travel literature; and partly a warm sigh of relief, tempered with nostalgia for his penurious youth.
The memoir initially resembles a fluent bar monologue — but as always with Auster's prose, that polish offers a surface more amenable to ghostly reflections. Writing of his ambition to live as frugally as possible, he says: "Life was cheap in those days" — given the historical context of campus protests against Vietnam, a pungently ambiguous remark. We are treated to fondly comical vignettes of Auster seeking enlightenment through blue-collar vacation work as a waiter, an air-conditioner installation man, and a janitor aboard an Esso oil tanker.
With a gloriously austere horror of the "proper job", Auster then scraped by for years on freelance translation of French poetry and prose (including, bizarrely, the North Vietnamese Constitution). The only regular gig he ever had was a part-time job writing catalogues for art books. He jacked that in after seven months — when he saw Duchamp's famous 1947 Surrealist catalogue (decorated with a rubber breast and the legend "Prière de toucher "), now swathed in bubble wrap and priced at thousands of dollars. "The joke has been turned into a deadly serious transaction, and once again money has the last word."
Aged 30, flat broke and with his first marriage in shreds, Auster tried to turn entrepreneur, inventing a baseball card game that he hawked round toy companies to a humiliating fusillade of rejection. Then he bashed out a pulp detective novel, Squeeze Play, which he sold for a measly $900. Auster's audacious coup de thêàtre, after the memoir stops at page 125, is to reprint as appendices his early "failures": three quasi-Beckettian plays, the colourful felt-tipped card game, and the novel.
That he disrobes his juvenilia so breezily is the blackest joke in the book. It is confessedly a new failure, that of Auster the garlanded writer and film-maker to keep his own promise — he says of one of the plays, consigned to his desk: "My plan was to keep it there and never look inside the drawer again." Suddenly the cosy line between past failure and present success becomes a knotted scrawl.
So Hand to Mouth in total is a contradictory text about embarrassment, nerve, and the writer's motivations, Auster toying ruthlessly with his own values of literary decorum. And there is much here that prefigures his great work: the best play, Blackouts, has a man pay a private eye to spy on him, and we learn that Auster's first book reviews were signed "Paul Quinn" (both tropes resurface in the New York Trilogy); a protesting student he knew at Columbia blew himself up with a home-made bomb (Leviathan ). The detective novel is a fine fiction, even though Auster has coolly given away the story's gimmick in the memoir.
Even the title of this cunning book is doing more work than is obvious. You put your hand to your mouth to signal uncertainty, silence or surprise, or to smoke, as well as to eat — but the hand and the mouth need not even belong to the same person. Auster ends his memoir on a note of grim wonder that, despite his best efforts, he somehow wasn't allowed to sell out. He hasn't started now.


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My 80 year old mother purchased $11,000.00 worth of furniture from Ashley Furniture including a $450.00 warranty to cover the leather and wood. After 3 years her "leather" couch began peeling.
Huge sheets of the top layer of leather have come off so the couch looks like a bad rummage store piece. She went to the store to talk to them because she wears a hearing aid in one ear and has a cochlear implant in the other so talking on the phone is very difficult for her. She was told the store had been sold and the new owners were in Lubbock, Tx and she would have to call them. She called and was told they would investigate.
After several calls on her part and sitting on hold for extended lengths of time she was told because the store had sold she was out of luck they would not honor the warranty. At this point I got involved as I thought maybe with her hearing difficulties she had misunderstood. I called consumer affairs for Ashely Furmiture and was rudely told I could only deal with the Lubbock store. I tried to explain to the woman that Lubbock had told us to call them and she rudely told me that she could not help me in any way.
I then called the Lubbock store back and was told by Cynthia she would check on it and call me back the next day. After a week I tried to reach her but instead talked to Daniel who had spoken with my mother. He told me he would have to check on it ( wonder what he was doing during the 2 months between talking to my mother and talking to me??). He called me back the next day and informed me there was nothing Ashely would do nor would they honor the warranty.
He was unbelievably rude and was telling me I could pursue any means I wanted but Ashley was NOT going to do anything. I asked to talk to his supervisor and was transferred to Tammy. She also said she would have to check on it with her superiors and call me back. The next day I received a call from Ashley service department and was told they had contacted the previous owner and he said there was nothing they would do.
He said they would give my mother a discount if she wanted to go pick out a new living room set but they could tell me how much of a discount until she actually picked out the furniture. (As if she would buy one stick of anything from them ever again).
At this point I feel i need to explore a class action suit or perhaps a private lawsuit. This is fraud and they should not be allowed to get away with it.
Product or Service Mentioned: Ashley Furniture Furniture Set.
Monetary Loss: $1500.
If only there was a way for the people who posted here to come back & read about your desire for a class action suit ~ there certainly seems to be enough complainants here to do that. Maybe if you post here every week, the newer people would see it & could contact you......


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"To forget the mistakes of the past and press on to the greater achievements of the future.
To wear a cheerful expression at all times and to give a smile to every living creature I meet.
To give so much time to improving myself that I have no time to criticize others.
To be too large for worry, too noble for anger, too strong for fear and too happy to permit the presence of trouble.
To think well of myself and to proclaim this fact to the world, not in loud words, but in great deeds.
To live in the faith that the whole world is on my side, as longs as I am true to the best that is in me."
-Christian D. Larson 1874-1954
-The Optimist's Creed


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I-17 & Loop 101 Closed this Weekend!
ADOT Weekend Freeway Travel Advisory (March 24-27)
I-17 South closed between Dunlap Ave. and Camelback Rd. for resurfacing
Southbound Interstate 17 closed between Dunlap Avenue and Camelback Road from 10 p.m. Friday to 5 a.m. Monday (March 27) for rubberized asphalt resurfacing. Southbound I-17 on-ramp at Peoria Avenue closed. DETOUR: Please consider alternate routes, including Loop 101 and southbound State Route 51. Expect heavy delays on southbound I-17 frontage road or 27th Avenue. Note: Northern and Glendale avenues and Bethany Home Road narrowed to one lane in both directions at I-17. No left turns allowed from north- or southbound I-17 off-ramps at Northern Avenue or Bethany Home Road due to pedestrian-fence work on overpasses.
Eastbound Interstate 10 ramp to eastbound US 60 (Superstition Freeway) in Tempe closed overnight from 10 p.m. Friday to 6 a.m. Saturday (March 25) for traffic-flow sensor installation. Eastbound I-10 on-ramps at State Route 143 and Broadway Road closed. DETOUR: Alternate routes include eastbound Baseline Road to northbound Priest Drive to access eastbound US 60.
US 60 (Superstition Freeway) left two lanes closed in both directions between Country Club and Mesa drives from 9 p.m. Friday to 8 a.m. Sunday (March 26) for barrier-wall repairs. DETOUR: Allow extra travel time and use caution in work zone.
Northbound Loop 101 (Price Freeway) closed between Loop 202 (Santan Freeway) and Warner Roadfrom 10 p.m. Friday to 11 a.m. Saturday (March 25) for sign installation. All Loop 202 (Santan Freeway) ramps to northbound Loop 101closed. Northbound Loop 101 on-ramp at Price Road closed.DETOUR: Drivers can detour along northbound Price frontage road.
Southbound Loop 101 (Price Freeway) right two lanesclosed between University Drive and US 60 (Superstition Freeway) from 10 p.m. Saturday to 10 a.m. Sunday (March 26) for sign installation. Southbound Loop 101 ramps to US 60 (both directions) closed. Southbound Loop 101 on-ramps at University Drive and Broadway Road plus off-ramp at Southern Avenue closed. DETOUR: To access US 60 consider exiting southbound Loop 101 at Broadway Road and using southbound McClintock Drive or Dobson Road.
Northbound State Route 51 (Piestewa Freeway) off-ramp at Highland Avenue closed from 9 p.m. Friday to 5 a.m. Monday (March 27) for city of Phoenix pavement work. DETOUR: Consider using northbound SR 51 off-ramps at Indian School or Bethany Home roads. Note: Northbound SR 51 off-ramp at McDowell Road closed overnight from 10 p.m. Friday to 6 a.m. Saturday (March 25). Consider using northbound off-ramp at Thomas Road.
Loop 303 closed intermittently (up to 15 minutes each time) in both directions near Thomas Road in Goodyear from 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday (March 26) for APS overhead power line work. DETOUR: Please allow extra travel time.


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Every Frame a Painting This is the first of two new videos today. Watch this one first. Off the top of your head, could you sing the theme from Star Wars? How about James Bond? Or Harry Potter? But here's the kicker: can you sing any theme from a Marvel film? PSG Art tutorial Foreword I believe there is logic behind why a picture works or not. I also believe that humans are meat machines, and that one day computers will be able to emulate humans and what we do. Since logic can be formulated into rules, guidelines and theories, these can be shared.
Pixar's 22 Rules of Storytelling These rules were originally tweeted by Emma Coats, Pixar's Story Artist. Number 9 on the list – When you're stuck, make a list of what wouldn't happen next – is a great one and can apply to writers in all genres. You admire a character for trying more than for their successes.You gotta keep in mind what's interesting to you as an audience, not what's fun to do as a writer.
Create Online Newsletters There are many web tools around that you can create online newsletters and share them with others. Tackk is one of them. It is pretty easy to use. After signing up, choose a theme, then use the editor widget to change the fonts, colours, backgrounds, add features such as contacts, items for sale, maps or a comment button. When you are done, just share your Tackk with others using a link or any social media platforms. By clicking on the theme, add pictures, text, lists, buttons, embed videos, songs or pictures from the web. Digital Painting In Photoshop: The Magic Box Learn HUNDREDS Of Digital Painting Pro Workflows, Techniques & Time-Savers Step-By-Step! Detail image from my 'Animal Farm'digital painting for ImagineFX Magazine.[ click to enlarge ] Digital painting is powerful. The various effects and moods you can achieve with Photoshop and a digital tablet now seem infinite. The speed at which you can craft a beautiful image of an imagined world is mind-blowing.
Dr. Grob's Animation Review Director: Tim Burton & Mike JohnsonRelease Date: September 23, 2005Rating: ★★★★Review: The shy Victor and Victoria are forced by their unsympathetic parents to marry each other. Luckily, they actually like each other, but then Victor accidentally marries the deceased Emily who takes him to a world underground, while Victoria is forced to marry the evil lord Barkis… 'Corpse Bride' is a typical Tim Burton film, especially in its art direction, in its 19th century, gothic setting, in its dark humor, and in its jolly portrait of death. Because the film is also a Danny Elfman-penned musical, it feels like a successor to 'The Nightmare before Christmas' (1993). Nevertheless, it is far more enjoyable than that sometimes tiresome film: 'Corpse Bride' features only three songs, two of which help to tell the story.
Digital Painting 101: Mixing Paint @mihai.birsan Yes, Photoshop CS5 do have this feature, but its now really that easy to use comprare to ArtRage, Corel Painter or Paint Tool SAI etc. The article above are the most essential way to do color mixing/ Blending by yourself, and useable across many painting application too. Sometimes it is good to get away from the gradient tool and selections. 42 Free Online Magazines for Designers Art and design magazines are designers close companion. Not only it feeds us with latest trends and news in the design industry, it's also a good source of inspiration, particularly useful for those who hit the design block frequently. Just in case you weren't aware, there's a huge pool of free design magazines on the net; we meant those softcopy magazines you can either browse online or download (.PDF, .SWF) for offline viewing.
40 Stunning and Inspirational Flyer Designs Inspiration In the realm of print media, a flyer is the most direct form of marketing for a business, product or service. Designed to be printed and distributed in bulk, the client can expect a 1% return from a well targeted mail-out, and in advertising terms that is pretty good. With the use of flyers, results are trackable if the flyer has a discount code or is a free pass to an event, etc. For these reasons, good flyer design is extremely important for any business. A flyer needs to impart the required information in a relatively small space, whilst also being eye-catching to the particular age group, gender, profession or other group of people you are trying to attract.
FREE Andrew Loomis Art Instruction Downloads The great Andrew Loomis created several amazing and useful books on Illustration, Drawing, and Painting. These rare, out-of-print books are free to distribute, and Illustration Age is honored to offer the following free downloads in pdf format. Please help to spread the word by sharing this post with your fellow artists. Also be sure to browse our own selection of self-published ebooks and audiobooks! Creative Illustration
animationstudies 2.0 As a film-maker who has become further and further drawn into the world of animated documentary, what has enthralled and inspired me is the overt subjectivity of exploring the world through animation; free from the 'baggage' of objectivity implied in… Read more → My local fish and chip shop has a sign in its window that says, in a large font: "CAT FISH – 75p" Just below, in a smaller font, it says "Fish for your cat" This sign always makes…
How to make birds fly good 10. Put some effort in Now we have gone some way to creating a realistic cycle, but what if we have to show our character flying under strain? Perhaps carrying something heavy.


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New series of mockups with dock transparency only
This time I anticipate that I am not convinced with this solution for the following reasons:
EDIT: link fixed
The popover alpha value is quiet low at the moment at 0.015. Increasing it by only 0.01 to 0.025 is a noticeable yet still usable change. Everything above makes it too transparent - the following is 0.025 (maybe even this is too much):
And to answer why this should not be used for notifications is that somehow this value is again far too low for a white background as you won't notice any transparency at all on the notifications then (no idea why the alpha value has different results on dark and light backgrounds):
Current notification alpha 0.1 first without and then with mousover:
Sorry to deviate a little, but are the popups more transparent on mouseover? Shouldn't it be the opposite?
I would fav 0.1 or 0.2. 0.3 seems too much imho
Very nice comparison!
ha that's funny! @madsrh wished it this way =D It was the opposite before.
oops, I should've missed that
Uhm, What does not convince you about my observations against the dock transparency?
Sorry, here we go: I fear this is the outcome of our "downstream" dock, which is has not been planed by the gnome designers. How does the ambiance shell does this?
I think it does not look messy with 0.1 because we now have the thin line at the edge of the maximized windows. Yet I understand that some might find the three colored areas (top panel, dock and window) to look odd.
Yes, you're right. Upstream dock is shorter and appears only in overview, so it's a totally different use case.
Sorry to stress this again, but we still end with the same problem of top panel transparency, and even more since it's easier to have windows below the dock
Ahhhhhhhh, no!
Maybe we have miscommunicated. I said the old Ubuntu notify became more transparent on hover, which was fine since you couldn't click them. But these can have buttons, so no.
Ah not the same thing. With unmaximized window you can still see most of it, so it's clear that it's just a window behind the dock/panel. With maximized window you'll see only a piece of it
This is more an issue in a multi-monitor setup, right? Because I can't reproduce.
Maybe full opaque is really the way to go since there isn't any other way to fix this through the theme. Though that again brings up the dark stripe issue. I'm going to propose something a bit outrageous, but, the idea behind Adwaita's black top-panel and curved edges is to have the top-bar blend into the monitor. Maybe we can follow that idea and have everything become plain black or near plain black when a window is maximized?
There are ways to reproduce it on single monitor as well, it's described in the ticket, but yep it's not a common issue.
This is the same reason why I proposed darker panels.
@luxamman proposed a gradient with Canonical's color (mix to decide), which is a nice idea, but it looks that panel and dock does not support it. Using only solid and bright color, instead, it's a possible way, but either it's very hard to find the right mix or in general a bright but monotone "top line" is not nice to see (unless it blends into the monitor)
So, the question is: whether we flip a nice/working design because of a problem we can not control, for some, special usage scenarios?
As I understand it, it would be a step back to all solid - because to "solve" that problem it would be necessary to make non-transparent bar/dock all the time - or?
And IMO it is not better to have solid bars when windows are underneath - but I also don't understand why having the dock always visible on the bottom when working with a wider display ratio - waste of space^^
I think we could try to have a slight difference in transparency between bar/dock, but still work with transparencies. A much higher amount of people will have a problem with the "grey/dark wall" in max windows mode, than having problems with hiding windows in multimonitor mode behind the dock on the bottom and so on…
I've repeated it multiple times (on the bug report and forum) that the issue isn't multimonitor specific, so please, don't be fooled by this and qualify as a corner case. It can easily triggered on small monitors, like typically a 14' laptop monitor.
(Also, this isn't related to the Dock being at the bottom? Unsure where you read that, it's even not the case in any of the reported screenshot…)
Edit: that's not denying that the wall of grey isn't an issue. We all agree on this.
Now we got two PR's which can be tested by the power of snaps to solve this problem:
https://github.com/ubuntu/gnome-shell-communitheme/pull/189 <- Jet shell
https://github.com/ubuntu/gnome-shell-communitheme/pull/188 <- Purple dash/dock + panel
Get an impression and leave your opinion here.
Quoting @madsrh from GitHub since we should indeed discuss this here :
"A quick note: I don't think of this as 3d (origami style sounds good) and I don't think it will break the user experience. We have lots of 3d stuff in the GTK theme - does the user know the difference between shell and GTK?'
No the average user does not know the difference nor does he want to know
But the shell has other functions than the GTK applications. I would agree to say, that an application is an application and that the user would like them to look all the same no matter if they are built with Qt or Gtk or Java. But since the shell fulfills other, more dramatic tasks than the applications, I think it's good to underline this difference in function -> visually. The shell is the visual manifestation of the operating system the applications run on.
Has anyone being able to remove the shell popover bright border? Cannot find the css definition of that
Edit: Carlo wanted the popup outer border which is the boxpointer border
@mpt wondered why all menus have different colors in the different places and in light and dark versions of the gtk theme.
I thought about this for a while and maybe he is right about this.
Our principles or planing towards the shell and gtk differentiation changed several times since Novemeber. When you dive into the css and try diferent things you know what the shell can render and where it's limits are.
One way to bring all menus to at least the same colors, would be to adapt both light&dark gtk themes to the popup color of the shell. We thought about the different way around some months ago, with changing the popover color to white (Mockups/new design discussions ) but this the problem with that way is, that the shell theme can not change without manually changing it in gnome-tweaks, unlike dark and light css which can change from app to app or by using the new gnome night light feature (gnome-calendar 3.30 and gnome-builder as examples).
So since I am really bad with Gimp I simply clicked the headerbar at a position where the shell menu opens but it looks like I clicked the gtk hamburger menu:
The context menus would look "like this" but again, I clicked the next free pixel on my desktop to give an impression how this would look with gtk context menus:
Thoughts? @madsrh @c-lobrano @luxamman @didrocks @3v1n0 @mpt and everyone else?
Edit: unlike in shell, those would have a drop shadow, like the shell OSDs so "imagine" that


text: Why investors might be ignoring the biggest market risk News around stretched valuations in the North American markets has been hard to escape in recent months. Investors have been waiting for a market jolt as geopolitical tensions have continued to rise in almost every corner of the globe. So far, the markets have shrugged their shoulders as the world enters a new age of turbulence. Chad Larson, Senior Vice President, Portfolio Manager at National Bank Financial, sees another current market theme as being more concerning than the valuations story: the popularity of low volatility strategies. "The amount of money flooding into these low vol strategies makes them even more low vol, so, if there is a market event that causes investor sentiment to get bearish or a market correction, my fear is that we are going to see more pain on the low vol names," Larson says. "They have become the darlings with their quantitative factors and rule-based investing, but that probably carries the biggest amount of risk in the market." Volatility is often bandied around as a negative term, but in times like these embracing it is crucial to achieving to good returns. As well as carrying an elevated weight in cash this year, Larson has looked into the Eurozone and emerging markets for investment opportunities. "From a valuation perspective, maybe there is better value to be found in the Eurozone and emerging markets, but you're also taking on more volatility," Larson says. "The Eurozone hasn't really recovered from the 13s and 14s and shows a lot of opportuntity. It is a great place to get a developed market with better comparable returns to that of Canada." Many Canadian advisors complain that their clients are reluctant to embrace strategies that invest in Europe and emerging markets; investments perceived to be risky. Larson believes that, for advisors, it comes down to making a decision on whether to be a true advisor or simply a service provider. The easy option is to give clients what they want and Larson compares this to feeding ducks: clients quack and then get fed something they want to eat. The harder part of the business, Larson says, is building meaningful realtionships and working to understand who your clients are and what they need, not just what they want. "It takes a few conversations of reminding people that, in the grand scheme of things, Canada is an emerging market – it's output is peanuts in the grand scheme of things," Larson says. "Look at the Euro Stoxx 50, for example. It has some household names that people can relate to. The association or attrition fallacy is common among clients – if they know something, they feel safe. Telus may be a great company, but we have a saturated market for cell phone users. I would rather be in something internatonal that is continuing to add customers." Related stories: Market risks splitting opinion among experts Canada's big banks make bets on bots SHARE


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text: The Wrappers is an unsigned wrap group with years of industry experience already under their belts. They've wrapped everything from christmas presents to Saran wrap, and everything in between. The Wrappers consists of 5 members, each of them bringing their own unique skills to the table. They got their start in the local shopping mall as gift wrappers during the Holiday season and after their first performance, they new they had something special. They then embarked on a east coast gift shop tour, battling any wrappers that dare stand in their way. The Wrappers following grew and they gained the respect of the industry as some of the tightest wrappers around since shrink wrap. The wrap industry has embraced The Wrappers, but they have yet to receive the respect they deserve.