text:
The 2011 CFP Board Registered Program Conference featured a research poster session for graduate students (both master's and doctoral) to share their unpublished research and studies exploring one or more areas related to the personal financial planning profession. The research poster session took place during the Welcome Reception at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday, August 11, with the participating students available to discuss their research and studies.
Research Poster Titles:
The Effects of Information from a Financial Advisor on the Financial Behavior of Low-Income Employees
Crystal R. Hudson and Dr. Lance Palmer, CFP®
University of Georgia
Over the last few decades, American corporations have transitioned from a primarily defined benefit environment to a defined contribution environment and this transition has shifted the responsibility for retirement planning from the employer to the employee. Unfortunately, low-income employees may have been at the greatest risk of being unprepared for this transition and therefore not adequately prepared for retirement. Aside from saving for retirement, low-income employees also lack financial knowledge and financial skills that are needed to make good financial decisions, establish good credit, and achieve long-term goals. Thus the combination of low incomes and poor financial behaviors warrant a focus on low-income employees in this study. Of great interest are the following research questions: Is the financial behavior of low-income employees significantly worse than in other segments of the workforce? Would information from a financial advisor impact the financial behaviors of low-income employees?
This study will use data from the 2007 SCF database to determine if low-income employees' financial behavior is significantly worse than middle-income and high-income employees. To determine if financial information from a financial advisor has a significant effect on the financial behavior of low-income employees this study will first compare the financial behavior of low-income employees who received financial information from a financial advisor to that of low-income employees who received information from an informal source and a public source. Through a regression model this study will determine if receiving information from a financial advisor has a significant impact on the financial behavior of low-income employees.
The Impact of Financial Sophistication on Demand for Disability Insurance
Janine K. Scott
Texas Tech University
Disability insurance is a vital hedge against an unexpected loss of human capital, yet less than half of U.S. households own this type of insurance. This paper explores factors that affect demand for disability insurance and investigates the impact of financial sophistication and professional financial advice on insurance ownership. Prior research shows that low financial knowledge, behavioral biases, and other barriers to purchase are related to low demand among households. Using the 2007 Survey of Consumer Finances we find that demand for disability insurance increases with financial sophistication, the use of a financial advisor and proxies for group insurance availability. Results indicate that low demand for disability insurance can be attributed to both demand and supply factors.
Integrating the Art of Financial Planning into the Financial Planning Capstone Course
Martin Seay, Elizabeth Jetton, CFP®, Dr. Joseph Goetz
University of Georgia
It is widely accepted that there are two areas of financial planning that must be mastered in order to excel as a professional in the field. The first component is the mastery of technical knowledge spanning numerous topic areas. Coursework is most often focused in this technical area in order to provide students with knowledge base necessary to understand the issues facing clients. The second component of effective financial planning is a mastery of the art of financial planning. An important part of the art of financial planning is the ability to properly frame and communicate complex concepts and information to clients in an understandable and meaningful manner. This is a skill that requires practice and is often not given as much attention in the classroom. As CFP Board takes steps to integrate a capstone course into the financial planning curriculum, it is important to acknowledge and integrate this aspect of financial planning. This poster offers a profile of the capstone course as it is currently taught at the University of Georgia and provides qualitative data on the students' experience. In addition to the final comprehensive plan presentation, students are currently required to complete presentations throughout the course on each of the topic areas of a financial plan and given feedback on how to effectively communicate with clients. This process of regular feedback on each section of plan integration provides for greater experiential learning effects and skill development in communication. Qualitative data indicates that students felt better prepared for the professional world and more confident with client interactions.
Raising the Next Generation of Financial Planners:Mapping Degree Program Characteristics to the Profile of a Desirable Entry-Level Hire
Laura Ricaldi, Dr. Vickie L. Hampton, CFP®, John Salter, CFP® and Deena Katz, CFP®
Texas Tech University
A profile of the desirable entry-level financial planning hire was created based on a survey of financial planning practitioners conducted in 2009. Twenty-two technical competency areas and personal skills were identified based on importance and required expertise. In phase two of the research (2010), program directors of CFP Board-registered degree programs were surveyed. Directors were asked to rate the importance and expertise expected of their students regarding these same twenty-two competencies and skills. Questions were also asked related to the demographics of the registered programs, whether selected content and courses were offered, and questions related to the CFP® Certification Examination.
Overall, program directors' ratings of the level of expertise they expected of students were in line with what planners desired of an entry-level professional. Where differences between program directors and planners did lie were in the ratings of importance. In general, program directors tended to slightly overestimate the importance of a number of the technical skills, and highly underrate the importance of the "softer" skills relating to communication and counseling compared to practitioner respondents.
Which Types of Risk Tolerance Questions are Most Strongly Associated with Portfolio Allocation Preference?
Michael Guillemette
Texas Tech University
A variety of risk assessment surveys are used throughout the industry when financial planners are determining an optimal portfolio allocation for their clients. The literature on risk tolerance overwhelmingly justifies the use of surveys based on validity and reliability or psychometric testing which generally measure the consistency of correlations among questions in the survey. Yet most surveys contain questions where no theoretical justification is provided for their inclusion, and there has been little research examining the relation between these questions and actual investor portfolio behavior. The purpose of this study is to sort questions from a risk tolerance survey based on theory in order to determine which types of questions are most likely to reflect a client's actual portfolio allocation preference. I compare Arrow-Pratt, loss aversion and outcome-based measures on the preference for risky assets. I find that outcome-based and loss aversion measures should be used when determining a client's portfolio allocation preference. These two measures are also strongly associated with recent investment changes. The findings of this study should provide planners with a better understanding of how well different risk tolerance questions predict client response to market risk in order to more accurately align portfolio recommendations with client preferences.
Top Ten Teen Financial Tips Train Teens
Joan Stafford
University of Missouri
The "Top Ten Teen Financial Tips" program began in August 2011 as an education outreach to Missouri high schools. Twice a week, two Personal Financial Planning students traveled to a Missouri high school Personal Finance class to talk with teens about ten, basic personal financial practices; discovered through a survey of students at both the University of Missouri and Missouri State University. As every high school student in the state of Missouri must complete a ½ credit of personal finance as a graduation requirement, enrollment in the courses is high and well distributed across socio-economic spectrums.
During an hour long program, the Personal Finance students engaged the high school students in discussion, games, and quizzes designed to teach them the top ten teen financial tips: Education for Income, Budget Your Money, Establish Good Credit, Emergency Money, Manage Your Risks, Compounding Interest, Smart Investing, Don't Forget About Taxes, Think Outside Your Box, and Believe You Can. The intent of the program was to support efforts of personal finance teachers, to provide peer education in personal financial planning principles, and to introduce personal finance as a career option to students.
The program was funded by a grant from the Youth Advisory Board of State Farm Insurance. During the 2010-2011 school year, the program reached 50 high schools and affected close to 5,000 high school students across Missouri. This poster will share the outline for the PowerPoint, results of basic survey data collected from the high school students.
Understanding the Shift in Demand for Cash Value Life Insurance
Barry Mulholland, CFP®
Texas Tech University
Life insurance is a tool that households use rationally to hedge against the uncertainty of labor income flows over the life cycle. Overall demand for life insurance continues a 50-year decline. Concurrently, there has also been a shift away from cash value life insurance toward term life insurance over the past 15 years. The popular press and some life insurance demand literature suggest the change in demand is driven by mainly changing demographics and changes in timing of family formation. This paper attempts to identify exogenous factors influencing the demand for cash value life insurance beyond the demographic factors. Using the 1992 through 2007 Surveys of Consumer Finances and logistic regression, we find that the late 1990s introduction and expansion of tax-advantaged retirement accounts, such as Roth IRAs and increased IRA limits, as well as the introduction of education savings plans, such as 529 plans and Coverdell ESAs, is having a downward affect on cash value life insurance demand. We also explore as a possible exogenous factor the effect of the changing U.S. tax laws after 2001 regarding increasing estate tax exemptions but find no significant evidence of a change in demand for cash value life insurance due to these tax law changes.
The Center is creating an academic home for the financial planning profession.
Learn More
More News
© 2012 Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
1425 K Street NW #800, Washington, DC 20005
phone: 800-487-1497 (Toll-Free) / 202-379-2200 | fax: 202-379-2299 | firstname.lastname@example.com
We welcome your feedback and invite you to complete a brief 5-question survey to help us improve your experience on CFP.net.
It's easy to participate and will take less than 2 minutes:
Click the "Yes" button below to continue your visit on CFP.net as intended. When finished, simply retrieve and complete the questionnaire that will appear in a new browser window.
Quick Links
Find a CFP® Professional
Verify Certification
Get Certified
Create an Account | Log In
Apply for the CFP® Exam
Center for Financial Planning
Career Center
Find CE Programs
Brochures & Publications


text:
Garth Brooks adds 'wow factor' to NightShine
It was pretty cool to have Garth Brooks headline NightShine: An Evening for Denver Health Foundation. Just how cool, though, bears further explanation.
There isn't a country music fan out there (at least I don't think there is) who doesn't know that Brooks is the best-selling solo artist in the history of recorded music. Sales figures change from minute to minute, but at the end of 2009, it was determined that 68,363,000 copies of his recordings had been sold, which is 7 million copies ahead of the Beatles. His last tour, in 1996-98, had 350 performances in 100 cities that were seen by 5.3 million fans. A 1993 Super Bowl appearance was seen by 1 billion television viewers around the world.
Plenty of fans were disappointed when Brooks said he was going to retire so that he could spend more time with his family. He didn't disappear entirely; the occasional charity gig, and the big pre-inauguration show on the National Mall for President Barack Obama helped keep him in the public eye. Then, this past December, he launched a five-year deal to perform weekends at the Wynn Las Vegas.
So how did he wind up on the National Western Events Center stage last Saturday, performing in celebration of Denver Health's 150th anniversary?

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Daniel Leija, a fifth grade teacher at Esparza Elementary School, was recently selected as Region 20's Texas Elementary Teacher of the Year. He will now advance to the state-level competition with other selected Region nominees as the Texas Elementary Teacher of the Year.
"I am deeply honored to be selected," stated Leija. "I will be forever grateful to the administrators, fellow teachers, family and friends who helped me make this milestone a reality."
Leija is known around his campus as "Dan, Dan the Science Man." Students and faculty alike flock to his classroom to witness scientific experiments come to life and to marvel at his various science collections. His experiments are regularly broadcast campus-wide, cultivating a love of learning and a heightened fascination for the science field. In addition, Leija mentors retiring or separating military personnel interested in becoming teachers.
Facilitated by the Texas Education Agency (TEA), the Texas Teacher of the Year (TTOY) Program annually recognizes and rewards teachers who have demonstrated outstanding leadership and excellence in teaching. If selected, the TTOY becomes a spokesperson for public education and is honored at a special ceremony in Austin. The TTOY, a dedicated and highly skilled candidate who is capable of inspiring students of all backgrounds and abilities to learn, becomes a candidate for National Teacher of the Year honor.
Past NISD honorees include 2009-2010 Region 20 Elementary Teacher of the Year and TEA state finalist Maricela Alarcon (Burke Elementary School), 2007-2008 Region 20 Secondary Teacher of the Year Cesiah Boryczka (Warren High School) and 1980 Texas Teacher of the Year Peggy Carnahan (Jay High School).


text:
GRN 1003020 is based on/references this Resource page
As most of you know by now, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) convened a Consensus Development Conference on VBAC (vaginal birth after cesarean) in Bethesda, MD, March 8-10, 2010. I felt privileged to represent CfM and be one of the voices for consumers, trying to keep the focus on what is best for women and babies rather than the concerns and pressures that hospitals experience.
It was clear that many of the presenters really understood the problem of VBAC bans, especially Rita Rubin who gave a powerful presentation of women's stories. There was plenty of frustration, too, especially near the end when the panel ethicist refused to acknowledge a pregnant woman's right to refuse surgery, even when she has appropriately weighed the risks to herself and her baby.
All in all, I think the conference really moved the VBAC conversation in the context of other problems in maternity care. It remains to be seen just how much medical practice – and culture – will change as a result of the panel recommendations.
This Grassroots Message includes CfM's response to the NIH Consensus Report on VBAC. At the bottom, I've included links to the NIH conference documents, media coverage. Happy reading!
We hope that consumers are appropriately considered to be stakeholders, and are included in any such collaboration.
The NIH documents call all be reached from their press release, including the full report, the full evidence report, and recorded webcasts of the conference:
There has been a great deal of news coverage, including:
Many organizations are developing press releases and responses including ICAN and Lamaze International.
A running blog discussion from the conference can be found at
and several blog postings with ongoing discussion can be found here:
This article anticipated the NIH conference and very much supports CfM's philosophy:
A fairly comprehensive list of articles on this conference is available at:
There's even a petition: http://www.petitiononline.com/VBAC2010/petition.html


text:
State making progress with background checks
HARTFORD -- Connecticut officials report making progress in addressing backlogs in background checks that soared into the thousands after the December shooting rampage at Sandy Hook Elementary School and the passage of expanded state gun control laws.
Lt. Paul Vance said state police have caught up on processing fingerprint cards needed for pistol permit applicants. Criminal histories for about 2,900 applicants are still under review, with the oldest one dating back to May 13, he said last week.
"They're pumping them out and they're getting them out under the eight- or nine-week deadline," Vance said. "Basically, they're caught up."
Back in early May, about 9,300 people were waiting for background checks to be completed. That figure included pistol permit applicants and people who needed checks for employment.
Reuben Bradford, commissioner of the state Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection, said then that state police also needed to complete an additional 62,000 gun registrations received from dealers and private parties that were transferring firearms. Those transfers all had cleared the necessary background checks, he said, but the information hadn't been entered into the agency's system for firearms tracking.
"There was a clog in the system, with the volume of pistol permit applications that came aboard. But they were able to devise a way to alleviate that backlog," Vance said. The backlog of employment-related checks is also being addressed, he said.
With the start of the new fiscal year July 1, Connecticut has begun to hire and train more people in the state police department to help handle the processing of background check requests in light of the new gun legislation, considered among the strictest in the country.
Jeff Higgins, an employee at TGS Outdoors, a gun store in Branford, said he has seen some improvement with the time it takes to get instant background checks completed over the phone for existing permit holders or to get a reference number for new purchasers. But there are still issues, he said.
"Sometimes we call in and I get right through. And other times it's busy, busy, busy, busy," Higgins said, adding that it's typically busy at lunchtime, after work and on weekends, when customers frequent the store.
Higgins said there is still confusion about the gun law and concerns that certain forms needed for new certifications, including future long gun and ammunition purchases, haven't yet been posted online for consumers. He said the forms were expected to be ready July 1, when that section of the new legislation took effect. Michael Lawlor, Gov. Dannel P Malloy's undersecretary for criminal justice policy at the Office of Policy and Management, said the various forms are expected to be posted this coming week.
Starting Oct. 1, the sale of ammunition and ammunition magazines will generally be prohibited unless the buyer shows a new ammunition certificate and a driver's license or other valid form of identification or has a pistol permit, gun dealer sale permit, or long gun or handgun eligibility certificate. A national background check will be required to obtain an ammunition certificate.
The long-gun eligibility certificate, which will require completion of an instructional course that Higgins said hasn't been determined yet, as well as state and federal background checks, will be required beginning April 1 for anyone 18 and older who buys or receives a long gun, typically a rifle or shotgun. But people who already have pistol permits and have undergone a federal background check won't need the long-gun certificate to purchase a rifle.
With the fall hunting season looming, Higgins said he's concerned the extensive backlogs for background checks will resurface. He said many hunters don't have pistol permits.
"We are only a couple months away from the start of hunting season," he said.
Yet Lawlor said it's unclear whether there will be a rush to obtain the certificates for long guns and ammunition.
"The unknown thing is how many people in Connecticut own long guns who want to buy another one and don't already have a pistol permit," he said.
And given that more than 200,000 residents already have pistol permits in the state, there may not be a large number of people seeking other certificates that require additional background checks, he said.
"It is Connecticut," Lawlor said. "I don't think there's that many more people who want to buy more guns in the future."


text:
What is physical activity?
Being physically active can mean doing simple daily activities or more energetic activities.
Order our information about the benefits of physical activity, and get active with our exercise-to-music DVD. All free.
If you're planning a trip and you have cancer, there might be extra things to consider. Get advice about travel and insurance.
From coffee mornings to climbing mountains, we've got the event for you. Join Team Macmillan and change lives.
What's happening near you? Find out about support groups, where to get information and how to get involved with Macmillan where you are.
Community member, Kath, was diagnosed in 2012 with squamous cell cervical cancer at age 36. Read her inspirational story of how she went on to have a son after treatment.
This group is for cancer survivors and people who have finished treatment. It is a space to discuss things like the physical and emotional after effects of cancer, returning to work, or trying to move on with your life.
We rely on a number of sources to gather evidence for our information. If you'd like further information on the sources we use, please feel free to contact us on: firstname.lastname@example.com
All our information is reviewed by cancer or other relevant professionals to ensure that it's accurate and reflects the best evidence available. We thank all those people who have provided expert review for the information on this page.
Our information is also reviewed by people affected by cancer to ensure it is as relevant and accessible as possible. Thank you to all those people who reviewed what you're reading and have helped our information to develop.
You could help us too when you join our Cancer Voices Network – find out more at: http://www.macmillan.org.uk/cancervoices
Need to talk? Call us free* 0808 808 00 00 7 days a week, 8am-8pm


text:
Grains rallied into the end of the trading session close finishing near the highs of the day. For the month of January, front month contracts finished as follows: corn down 7 cents, soybeans up ½ cent, and up 13 ¼ cents for wheat.
The weather forecast for South America is still calling for favorable conditions for the following couple of weeks besides dryness for the next couple of days in Southern Brazil.
Wheat has once again gained on corn and is now trading at a 27 cent premium to corn in the March contracts. This is significant since it has been trading in and out of a discount to corn since June which has surely affected the amount of corn being fed in the world. If wheat is no longer cheap enough to be a feed substitute the corn market may have to rally to ration demand. Much of this depends on the South American crop as the market has already priced in a high risk premium for crop damage. Obviously there has been some damage from the heat stress; the question still remains how much.
Tomorrow is the first day of the month and we could continue to see wide fluctuation like we saw today for end-of-month position squaring. We will continue to monitor export sales as well as weather in South America. Longer term we still think these rallies need to be sold for the New Crop months. The market has relied on world weather concerns to keep us supported over the past few years. If we get the acres back from preventive plant as well as a few acres out of CRC we could easily see the increased acreage needed to replenish stocks.
We like the current EHedger recommendations which allow for much price fluctuation while still protecting a lot of your downside price risk. Please signup using the link below if you would like a free email trial of our research.
Best Regards,
Trading commodity futures and options involves substantial risk of loss and may not be suitable for all investors. You should carefully consider whether trading is suitable for you in light of your circumstances, knowledge and financial resources. The market information contained in this message has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable, but is not guaranteed as to its accuracy or completeness. Market information may not be consistent with current or future market positions of EHedger LLC, its affiliates, officers, directors, employees or agents.


text:
Knoxville double century
Here's a quick summary:
We didn't leave LA till 7pm, therefore we arrived in Davis around 2am.
Slept for a few hours at Tim's place (same as for Mt Tam!).
Got to the start late and were the last two to leave.
Spent all day being playing catch-up; barely made the lunch cut-off.
My cassette fell off at one point (don't ask).
We miss a turn b/c it was marked poorly, and rode 14 miles out of the way, round trip.
The sweep SAG missed us cause we were off-route.
The checkpoint with our lights and warm clothes was closed and gone.
Riding downhill in the dark and cold sucks: You want to go faster to warm up, but you can't see shit.
Eventually we get in touch with the organizers and they say they have to come get us.
We wouldn't finish till 3am if we rode on.
Super cold waiting for them.
My first DNF on a ride, ever.
Happy Birthday!


text: Job Discussion Forums :: View topic - Black Sea and teaching opportunitıes Get TEFL Certified & Start Your Adventure Today! Job Discussion Forums"The Internet's Meeting Place for ESL/EFL Students and Teachers from Around the World!" FAQ Search Memberlist Usergroups Register Profile Log in to check your private messages Log in Black Sea and teaching opportunitıes Job Discussion Forums Forum Index -> Turkey View previous topic :: View next topic Author Message TheresaJoined: 05 Jun 2003Posts: 75 Posted: Tue Jan 20, 2004 7:03 pm Post subject: Black Sea and teaching opportunitıes İs anybody currently working ın the Black sea area? İ want to stay in Turkey but not where İ am and today someone told me that the locals up there have a good sense of humour which would certainly make a change from all the complaints. Any ınfo gratefully receıved. With bayram coming up does it make sense to try and apply for jobs now? Does anyone know of any schools ? İ suppose that it would be a good idea to go there and knock on doors. Back to top dmbJoined: 12 Feb 2003Posts: 8397 Posted: Wed Jan 21, 2004 8:25 am Post subject: Just a thought- most of the schools will be closed for Bayram. Back to top GoforthJoined: 20 Jan 2004Posts: 3Location: Singapore Posted: Thu Jan 22, 2004 3:25 pm Post subject: Trabzon, on the Black Sea There is a nice little school in Trabzon called Only English, formerly The Only English School. It's on a side street off Maris Caddesi. They are always looking for native speakers and offer a reasonable salary. You might also find work at Tomer or in The Anatolian High School. The Black Sea Technical University is also a place to try - they offer the best salary in the city, approx $1000 per month for prep school. Trabzon is a cool place to live in. Even though the salaries are pretty low, it's cheap and the fresh mountain air - if you can get it - is worth a packet. Back to top Display posts from previous: All Posts1 Day7 Days2 Weeks1 Month3 Months6 Months1 Year Oldest FirstNewest First Job Discussion Forums Forum Index -> Turkey All times are GMT Page 1 of 1 Jump to: Select a forum Where to Begin----------------General DiscussionNewbie ForumCurrent Events ForumTechnology ForumOnline Teaching Forum Africa Forums----------------General Africa Forum Asia Forums----------------CambodiaChina (Job-related Posts Only)China (Off-Topic)Hong KongIndiaIndonesiaJapanMalaysiaPhilippinesSingaporeTaiwanThailandGeneral Asia ForumVietnam Caribbean Forums----------------General Caribbean Forum Europe Forums----------------Czech RepublicFranceGermanyGreeceItalyMacedonia and the BalkansPolandRomaniaRussia & C.I.S.SpainTurkeyUkraineUnited KingdomGeneral Europe Forum Latin America Forums----------------ArgentinaBrazilChileColombiaCosta RicaMexicoMexico (off-topic)PeruGeneral Latin America Forum The Middle East Forums----------------BahrainEgyptIsraelKuwaitOmanQatarSaudi ArabiaUnited Arab EmiratesGeneral Middle East Forum North America Forums----------------General North America Forum Oceania----------------Australia/New Zealand You cannot post new topics in this forumYou cannot reply to topics in this forumYou cannot edit your posts in this forumYou cannot delete your posts in this forumYou cannot vote in polls in this forum This page is maintained by the one and only Dave Sperling. Contact Dave's ESL Cafe Copyright © 2018 Dave Sperling. All Rights Reserved. Powered by phpBB © 2001, 2002 phpBB Group Teaching Jobs in China


text:
Design you own personalized rug, available in your choice of size and color. Depending on the colors selected, material is polyester or nylon carpet fibers.
Would you like us to help you find a similar item? Talk with our Design Consultants toll-free at1-800-927-5164.
*Shipping transit time varies based on destination. Free shipping offers are limited to the 48 contiguous states of the USA.
International Customers (including Alaska and Hawaii) please contact a Customer Service Representative if you have any questions about placing an order with PoshTots.
This item is custom made especially for you upon order.Click here for our policy on custom made items.
Promotion codes cannot be used for sale item purchases.
*Free shipping offers are limited to the 48 contiguous states of the USA.


text:
Apr 04, 2013
Event: Florida Relays - Gainesville, Fla.
The Short Story: Senior Frank Afriyie and redshirt junior Jaleesa Williams highlighted VCU's first day at the prestigious Florida Relays. Both throwers took down the school record in the discus marking the first time in school history that the Rams have set a school record in the same event on both the men's and women's side. Sophomore Kiara Porter had two great showings in the 200-meter and 400-meter, while senior Dionna Hayes ran a season best in the 100-meter.
Full Results from Florida Relays
How It Happened
- Williams joined her sister Jessica as the first two Rams to perform at the event, both logging top-11 marks in the discus. Jaleesa finished second with a top throw of 49.40 meters (162' 1"), while Jessica was 11th with a toss of 43.89 meters (144').
- Just over an hour later, Porter hit the track and blistered her way to a time of 53.41, which is currently the eighth-best 400-meter time in the East Region this spring.
- Hayes took the track just a short while after Porter and posted her best time of the year in the 100m, clocking in at 11.89, the 25th-best time by a collegian on the day.
- Afriyie kept things going strong for the Black & Gold when he stepped into the circle and unleashed a school-record breaking discus throw of 50.69 meters (166' 4"). Sophomore Brandon Ruffin finished seventh in the event with a toss of 49.74 meters (163' 2").
- Porter stepped back on the track to wrap up VCU's strong first day with a personal record in the 200-meter with a time of 23.59.
What They're Saying
Head Coach Jon Riley
- " Jaleesa and Frank both had some of their best days ever of practice this week and it showed in their performances today. To break both discus marks on the same day is an unexpected achievement and we look forward to seeing how much further we can go with continued focus in this area."
- "Kiara had an awesome debut in the 400m. She began her outdoor 400m campaign last year at the Florida Relays with a 53.98 and she opened this season at the Florida Relays with 53.41. She game back 3 hours later to run a personal record in the 200m with a time of 23.59. I'm confident those times will get her into the East Regional Championships. The focus is to continue to improve."
- "Dionna had a season best in the 100m. She is coming into form and I think she's going to have a good year for us."
- "Overall, we had a pretty good first day of running and throwing. We're all looking forward to an even better second day."


text:
- Onanel (pronounced o-nuh-el) is the nom de guerre that I've been using for years.
- I do not believe in a "God", however, I also do not deny the possibility that a "God property" may exist.
- The only people that matter in my life are those that I can learn from.
- Hexagon Lavish® is the name of my Atlanta, Georgia-based, informational interpretation R&D startup.
- Most of what I know was derived from willfully engaging in conversations with those that were employed in industrial research and an acquaintance of mine who was a chemist during the Apollo 11 mission.
I do not like making attempts at trying to define intelligence, but, at times, I will. Intelligence is something that no one can clearly attribute a definition to, especially in the case of classifying it as it's being applied in different fields. However, if someone views me as being "intelligent", then so be it. One thing that makes defining intelligence so complicated is the fact that there are different types of intelligence. If you were to define "being smart" as getting a high grade on a test, then getting high grades does mean that you are "smarter". Of course, being smart in a subject such as chemistry, and being able to ace the tests, doesn't mean that you won't be a complete idiot in biology or other subject matters. At best, I, myself, am in the middle of the Gaussian curve when it comes to having any "skills" in physics.
I do not possess a college degree mostly due to the fact that I just do not want one. If that bruises the ego of those that are in possession of college degrees, then so be it. I worked two jobs while I was in high school (Duluth High School), where I excelled being a part of the [scientific] debate team during my junior year and graduated the following year. Shortly thereafter, I attended Gwinnett Technical College–in-and-out of school–for a few years. I was selected–one out of 21 students–to take a particular exam in which, not only was I the first one to finish the exam, but also achieved a 93 percentile on the exam [the school's highest]. After that, my collegiate interest began to wane and even though I teetered with the thought of attending Missouri University of Science and Technology, after coming in contact with Missouri S&T's then Chairman of the English Department, Gene Doty, back in 2005, I came to the realization that I just did not desire the credentials typically associated with having a college degree. I just do not want one.
Now, how "intelligent" do you think I am after reading that? Probably not all that intelligent, right?. I mean, after all, the intelligence community is too wrapped-up in important issues that involves real science such as climate change, Maxwell's equations, theoretical physicists squawking about the year 2100, metaphysical malarkey, sending people to Mars with no chance of them returning, bicentennial men, warp drive a la Star Trek brainwashing, people who think that depleted uranium produces chronic low-level radiation…you know, it's all about that real science.
^That was sarcasm.
Obviously, from reading my blog, it should be inferred to you that I'm cut from a cloth that's separate from other researchers. Not saying that I'm better than other researchers–far from it–however, I'm different by definition. Understand, just because others have definitions it doesn't mean that I have to go with their definitions. For instance, take physics into account. I can define physics in a way that's different from someone else's definition but if I were the only one with my definition of physics, I'd be screwed (nh). When things are broken it's useful to take a gander at the definitions of words to see if they make any sense. If you don't question the definitions of words then you are trapped by those definitions. To say that subject matter, such as quantum mechanics, is critical to its definition would be nonsensical. Is the Copenhagen Interpretation exceedingly better than the Many Worlds Interpretation?
The more closely you look at the definitions, the more weird they are, and a lot of this has to do with internal psychology. Statistically, you can say whether or not I'm involved "in field", but that's something that I have to tell myself. There's social validation. If my peer group were people that went with someone else's definition of physics, I'd be screwed (nh). Once you have definitions by social validation, then money comes into play–and money can change those definitions.
I am more of a research engineer than I would be a research scientist–once again, it all depends on the definition and when that definition falls into play. Depending on the type of research I may be doing, such as CMAs, there is a very real sense in which what I do isn't engineering but rather physics. As an engineer, I'll apply basic principles that do not change and I won't be all that interested in figuring out what those principles are. However, there are situations in which an "engineering" approach won't work because the rules (principles) have changed and the goal is to figure out what the rules are. One thing that I find rather amusing is that a physicist will say that what I'm doing [in respect to my research in CMAs] is "not physics" when it's apparent that they lack an understanding of what it is that I do. All they know is that I use mathematics and I sit in front of a computer, and to them, that is enough for them to define what I'm doing as "not physics". Suppose instead of engaging in modeling Lagrangian and Hamiltonian formalisms for control manipulation algorithms (CMAs), I was modeling electron flows through semiconductors. At that point, I'd be doing physics, right? Can anyone tell me what's the difference between doing the former and the latter? I can't grab a bunch of CMAs, but I also cannot grab a handful of electrons either.


text:
Turkey's installed wind capacity must rise nearly tenfold if the country is to meet its official goal of 20GW of wind capacity by 2023.
Roughly 450MW is under construction and will be connected to the grid in 2013, says Christian Johannes, general manager of Turkey-based wind consultancy Re-consult. Andi Aranitasi, a senior banker at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development says he expects Turkey's wind capacity could rise by as much as 800-1000MW this year.
Johannes points to expectations that energy regulator EMRA may seek new applications for wind farm licenses this year, tenders for existing wind farm expansions and the development of new sites. He says that while 9.2GW of wind projects already have or are eligible for licenses, only about half of that capacity is likely to be operating in the next three or four years.
The reason is that the extremely high fees some investors agreed to pay in a grid connection tender has made those projects financially unfeasible. EMRA must therefore issue new licenses if the government is to get anywhere near to its capacity target.
According to figures from Turkish energy regulator EMRA, Turkey's installed wind capacity amounted to about 2.13GW at the end of 2012. This is 332MW, or 18.5% more, than the 1.8GW recorded at the end of 2011.
In the meantime, Turkey's wind sector continues to grow despite the lack of a strong incentive system, although a higher feed-in-tariff (FIT) continues to rank high on the wish list of many market participants. Turkey offers a feed-in-tariff of $0.073/kWh, although the tariff has rarely been used since market energy prices have historically been about 10-20% higher.
Electricity prices are expected to rise in 2013. "The FIT is seen as being more of a safety net than the driver for the market," says Aranitasi. "Perhaps wind has developed a little bit less quickly than the government would like, but the projects that have been developed are usually the ones with the better capacity factors that are more commercially viable."
While a FIT of up to $0.11/kWh for projects with locally manufactured content is foreseen, no producers are known to have secured the local content premium, although that could change after secondary legislation was approved last year clarifying local content requirements.
Since $0.11/kWh is the tariff if the entire turbine is manufactured in Turkey, and no company yet does that, the highest price realistically available now is $0.087/kWh, says Aranitasi. This is the FIT offered for using locally manufactured towers and blades, the two components currently manufactured in Turkey.
Merchant risk has complicated project financing, and non-recourse project financing is not yet a feature of the market, although Turkish companies have not shied away from taking on this risk. While a core group of foreign investors has gained a strong foothold in the Turkish market, this has almost always been through joint ventures with local partners.
"When we entered the market in 2006 or 2007, it was truly a greenfield market," says Gokhan Baykam, CEO of Italian renewable energy developer and operator Relight. "Now there's a decent installed capacity and a good level of know-how and it's much easier to set up a joint venture." A major reason Turkey is continuing to attract foreign investors despite low incentive prices is the country's strong wind resources, says Baykam. "All of our projects have capacity factors above 30%."


text:
This Romeo-and-Juliet story is about a vampire and a werewolf who realize too late that they are mortal enemies. Lia Ortega-Rodriguez (Angel Locsin) is a werewolf who is a member of the Taong Lobos, a group of powerful wolves that has been protecting humans from vampire invaders who began attacking the country 300 years ago. The vampires were mostly killed off but a group of them have been living in hiding, waiting for a time when a prophetic battle would restore their power. The vampires now believe that Mateo Rodriguez (John Lloyd Cruz) is their prophesied savior. But Mateo knows nothing of his fate and falls in love with the beautiful Lia. Will the two young lovers be forced to carry out their destinies and fight each other? "Immortal" is a 2010 Filipino teleserye directed by Chito Roño. It is a sequel to the 2008 fantasy series "Lobo."
This show does not have any episodes


text:
Fudge Granola Bars
Makes 12-16 bars
½ cup (4 ounces) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
⅓ cup honey
⅓ cup of firmly packed brown sugar
2 eggs
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups granola
5 ounces semisweet or milk chocolate, chopped
½ cup sweetened shredded coconut
¾ cup chopped dates or dried cranberries
⅓ cup chocolate-covered raisins
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ salt
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
¼ cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
⅔ cup whole pecans
2 ½ ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped, melted and cooled, for drizzling
Preheat the oven to 350oF/180oC. Line the bottom of a 7 by 11-inch brownie pan or a 9-inch square pan with parchment paper and spray the paper with non-stick cooking spray. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
In a large bowl, stir the butter, honey, brown sugar, eggs and vanilla together. Stir in the granola, chopped chocolate, coconut, dates/cranberries, raisins, cinnamon, salt, cocoa, flour, sesame seeds, and pecans until blended. Pat the mixture into the prepared pan. Place the pan on the prepared baking sheet.
Bake on the lower shelf of the oven for 20-24 minutes, or until the top seems set, the edges seem dry, and the centre is just a bit jiggly. Let cool completely on a wire rack, then freeze or refrigerate for 1 hour. Cut into squares. Drizzle with melted chocolate and let the chocolate set (or refrigerate to set the chocolate).


text: They always know how to make you smile. Let that special someone know you think theyre the best with our signature Mugable bouquet! Colorful carnations and poms are hand-designed inside a reusable mug, complete with a star-shaped message pick. Add to the fun with a festive balloon. delicious candy and a cuddly plush bear. One look and they'll think you're the best, too!


text:
CraftKitsandSupplies�carries a�large selection of�Wood�Craft Kits�and Wood Model Kits.� Building a�Wood Craft Kit�is a perfect project for children to learn and participate in group activities. Geared for�ages 7 and older, these craft kits are�ideal for�Girl Scout�and�Boy Scout�projects.
We also�carry a complete line of Beads, Birdhouse Kits, Christmas Crafts,�Craft Supplies,�Kids Crafts,�Misc Crafts, Wood Craft Kits,�and much more.


text:
Copyright 2013, Heather Wilkinson Rojo
Wednesday, March 20, 2013
A New Hampshire Yankee, Home on the Range...
Copyright 2013, Heather Wilkinson Rojo
7 comments:
Beautiful photos Heather! Thanks for posting them and sharing with those of us who cannot attend.ReplyDelete
The mountains would be great wallpaper for your iPad.ReplyDelete
Sounds like you are having a wonderful time there in Utah. Thanks for posting these photos. They're beautiful.ReplyDelete
We unexpectedly got to see the Golden Spike re-enactment a few years ago and it was delightful. There were re-enactors portraying all the notables, who spoke their famous speeches; the trains steamed in (magnificent!), and we onlookers got to play the onlookers of that historic day--although when we were there there weren't a lot of people, so to remain historically accurate, wehad to applaud and cheer as if we were each seven people!ReplyDelete
We are almost opposites, in a sense. I was all over most of the west as a youth and didn't get back east, beyond Chicago, until after college. There is definitely a "sky" and distance difference.ReplyDelete
Lewis and Clark did a good job of telling us early about the northern part of the west. You could drive up to where they were in a mere few hours (western hours, let's say).
How families filled in the US map is an interesting topic. Are you thinking of putting Labels so that we can see where people went and when?
Your photos and arrangement are spectacular.
A day trip out to the Kennecott Copper Mine is well worth ot. also.ReplyDelete
Here is an old video that depicts one of the many St. Louis to San Francisco train routes that were used in the 1950s.ReplyDelete
Trains were important to early settlement in the west, but they are still a big deal for moving material long distances.
My great-grandfather (the Irish immigrant), grandfather, father, great-uncles, uncles, brothers, cousins, and myself all worked for railroads at one time or another. I spent one summer while in college out on the rails with a track crew when there was still a lot of "manual" work involved. It was a nice indoctrination to work.


text:
Freedom of the Press
You are here
2012 Scores
Press Status
Press Freedom Score (0 = best, 100 = worst)
Legal Environment(0 = best, 30 = worst)
Political Environment(0 = best, 40 = worst)
Economic Environment(0 = best, 30 = worst)
Freedom of the press is protected by law. However, the law allows for the prosecution of journalists for vaguely defined offenses related to the exposure of private information, and sets serious penalties for leaking government information to the press. Although there has been discussion about repeal, journalists are still subject to desacato (disrespect) laws that are meant to protect government officials from public criticism. Press freedoms continued to be severely threatened by the judicial branch and institutions under the direct supervision of President Ricardo Martinelli in 2011, and the risk of legal repercussions and judicial intimidation encouraged self-censorship among Panamanian journalists.
Since 2008, libel and slander against high-ranking public officials have not been subject to penal sanctions, but they remain criminal offenses. Cases occur regularly and often take years to move through the legal system. A draft bill introduced in the National Assembly in early January 2011 would have imposed a prison sentence of two to four years on any individual found guilty of "insulting" the president or any other government official. However, the bill was withdrawn in less than a week due to widespread complaints that it represented an assault on free expression. Press freedom advocates continued to push for the full decriminalization of libel and slander throughout the year. Another bill, introduced and withdrawn in September, would have regulated the salaries of journalists and required them to hold Panamanian citizenship and a university degree in order to practice their profession. In a positive step, a court dismissed a criminal defamation case in July against Grisel Bethancourt, the president of Panama's National Association of Journalists (CONAPE). The lawsuit had been brought against Bethancourt in 2009 for an article about the murder of a young girl that was based on public court documents. Despite the existence of transparency legislation, access to public information remains limited. Government officials sometimes refuse to release information, especially in cases involving corruption.
Journalists in Panama remain fairly safe compared with colleagues in neighboring countries. However, in a very unusual incident, the owner and program director of Radio Mi Favorita, Darío Fernández Jaén, was shot and killed in November 2011 while walking home in Penononé, in the central province of Coclé. In addition to being a politician with the opposition Revolutionary Democratic Party (PRD) and a former governor of Coclé, Fernández hosted a radio program in which he was critical of President Martinelli and his administration. There were reports that Fernández had received threats in relation to his recent reporting on the allegedly corrupt allocation of local land titles. One perpetrator was arrested later the same month and reportedly confessed to having been hired to carry out the killing.
Harassment of journalists who are critical of the government continued in 2011, and the Martinelli administration persisted in vilifying independent media organizations. Martinelli announced in May that a national dialogue on freedom of expression would be held to address the increasing number of press reports on governmental abuse and threats. However, days later the president accused the media of having a hidden agenda. A smear campaign was launched in May against journalists who reported on U.S. diplomatic cables released by the antisecrecy organization WikiLeaks that were considered damaging to the administration. Videos were broadcast anonymously on YouTube and by the ruling Democratic Change Party on television, mainly targeting La Prensa newspaper journalists Lina Vega Abad and Santiago Cumbrera. The videos questioned the reporters' credibility and personal integrity, and were seen as retaliation for their reporting on government corruption. Cumbrera was also verbally abused and threatened in June by Labor Minister Alma Cortés and her staff after he published damaging information on one of the government's social programs. In addition, he received threatening telephone calls in August following his reporting on irregularities in the government titling of public lands.
Foreign reporters also faced official harassment in 2011. In February, two Spanish journalists and human rights activists, Paco Gómez Nadal and Pilar Chato, were pressed by the Panamanian government to accept voluntary repatriation to Spain after they were arrested in Panama City and accused of "disrupting public order" while covering a protest by indigenous and environmental groups against mining law reforms. This was not the first time that Gómez Nadal had been threatened with deportation for his defense and coverage of the rights of Panama's indigenous peoples and his criticism of the government. In July 2010, he was threatened and detained at the Panama City airport for hours and had his passport and residence permit temporarily confiscated without explanation.
All Panamanian media outlets are privately owned, with the exception of one state-owned television network and one radio station. There are about five daily papers, 100 radio stations, and several national television networks. Cross-ownership between print and broadcast media is prohibited. There have been allegations that the government distributes official advertising according to political criteria.
There are no government restrictions on the internet, which was accessed by nearly 43 percent of the population in 2011.


text:
Tanzania, United Republic of
major macro economic indicators
|2018 (e)
|2019 (f)
|GDP growth (%)
|Inflation (yearly average, %)
|Budget balance (% GDP)*
|Current account balance (% GDP)
|Public debt (% GDP)
(e): Estimate. (f): Forecast. *Fiscal year from 1st July - 30th June. 2019 data: FY18/19.
- Rich in mineral resources (gold, copper)
- Gas potential: offshore reserve discovered in 2010
- Tourism potential (national parks, coastline)
- Regional cooperation strategy
- International support in the form of concessional loans
- Development of monetary policy instruments
- Heavily reliant on the price of gold
- Dependent on the agricultural sector (29% of GDP and 65% of employment) and weather conditions
- Inadequate infrastructure, especially in terms of power generation and transport networks
- Inconsistent industrial policy and business climate shortcomings
- Religious tensions between Zanzibar and the mainland
Public investment drives growth
Growth is expected to remain vigorous in 2019, driven by public investment in infrastructure as part of the Five-Year National Development Plan. Projects to develop hydropower plants, extend the ports of Dar es Salaam and Mtwara, and construct a rail network, among others, are set to go ahead. The first phase of the railway network, a line linking Dar es Salaam to Morogoro, could even be completed before the end of 2019. In addition to activity in the construction sector, public investment should also support energy and transport. However, the ban on exports of unprocessed minerals, significant changes in mining legislation, a less favourable business environment compared with other East African countries and persistent delays in VAT returns are expected to weigh on the growth of private investment, particularly in the mining sector. The activity of the gold sector and, consequently, exports (gold being the main export product) will continue to suffer from the dispute between the authorities and Acacia Mining, a company that owns and operates three major mines in the country (Bulyanhulu, Buzwagi and Mara-Nord). Exports should nevertheless get a boost from increased tourism revenues, thanks in particular to the expansion of the national airline, Air Tanzania. Weather permitting, agricultural production, especially of export crops, should continue to increase. Private consumption is expected to benefit from relatively low inflation and the gradual recovery in credit growth.
Public spending causes the twin deficits to widen
The budget deficit is expected to continue to widen as capital investment spending on infrastructure increases. The 2018/19 budget forecasts a rise of almost 30% in this expenditure, while the increase in current expenditure, which represents more than 60% of total spending, should be more measured. On the revenue side, the government continues to prioritise expanding the tax base (domestic revenues represent only 15% of GDP), but progress remains slow so far. In particular, the authorities are considering stepping up the use of electronic collection systems to make headway in this area. Given the higher financing needs generated by infrastructure projects, the level of debt, and in particular its commercial component (about 20% of the total), is expected to continue to increase. However, the level of debt remains limited, and the risk of debt distress is contained.
The current account deficit, on which the trade balance will continue to weigh heavily, is expected to follow the same path as the budget deficit. With mining exports set to remain weak, the trade balance is expected to deteriorate, mainly reflecting the increase in imports of capital goods needed for infrastructure projects. The increase in services related to these projects should limit growth in the services surplus, despite the upward trend in tourism receipts. While official transfers have declined in recent years, the surplus in the balance of transfers will be sustained by remittances from expatriate workers. The income deficit will continue to be affected by corporate profit repatriation. While FDI plays a part in financing the current account deficit, bilateral and multilateral loans also remain necessary.
The "Bulldozer" is keeping a tight grip on power
Since the 2015 election of President John Magufuli from the Chama cha Mapinduzi (CCM) party, which has been in power since 1977, the government's authoritarian shift has been widely criticised. A growing number of journalists and members of the opposition have been arrested since President Magufuli took power. In 2018, laws introducing costly licenses for bloggers and banning the publication of statistics without the agreement of the statistics office added to the sense that the regime is tightening its grip on the freedom of expression. Nicknamed Tingatinga ("Bulldozer" in Swahili) since his time at the Ministry of Public Works between 2010 and 2015, the President seems to be seeing his popularity wane: according to a survey published in July 2018, his approval rating has fallen from 96% to 55% in the span of two years. President Magufuli's style and decisions also fuel divisions within the CCM. Nonetheless, by installing allies in key positions within the government and the party, the President is trying to protect himself against the emergence of threats within his own party. His governance style and investor-unfriendly policies are generating growing mistrust from international donors and hurting the perception of Tanzania's business environment, which remains restrictive, coming 144 out of 190 countries in the Doing Business ranking.
Although rejected by the East African Court of Justice, the legal action brought by separatist activists on the island of Zanzibar in February 2018 to challenge the legality of the union with the country shows that separatist tendencies, or at least calls for more autonomy for the island, remain a source of tension.
Last update: February 2019


text:
Mercan told the European Wind Energy Association annual conference last month that the country must spend some $10 billion annually through to 2023 to boost overall power capacity from 55GW to 110GW, with wind capacity targeted to rise nearly tenfold to 20GW. (For more, see 'manufacturers take pragmatic view'.
Mercan added that "the (Turkish) wind industry must be as domestic as possible" as it grows. One way Turkey's government has sought to encourage this is by offering a higher feed-in tariff (FIT) of up to $0.11/kWh for five years if the entire turbine is manufacturerd in Turkey.
Tower production
Turkey already has a thriving tower production business, and blades can also be sourced locally. The highest FIT theoretically now available using these components is $0.087/kWh.
But there has not yet been a rush to produce other turbine parts locally. Local content legislation is not yet crystal clear, and some investors say it makes more financial sense to import machinery to Turkey and take advantage of export credit financing benefits this may bring.
Most industry participants believe more needs to be done, including the development of a more bankable incentive mechanism, if Turkey is serious about attracting investments and reaching its ambitious wind targets.
Low tariff
Turkey's wind energy sector has grown despite the lack of a strong incentive system. A FIT - set at $0.073/kWh, available for ten years and not adjusted for inflation - has been used rarely as market prices for power have been higher. On the downside, this means banks have shied away from project finance and the field of investors has been limited.
"A higher feed-in tariff is critical to establish a healthy financing market and meet the 20GW target," said Ibrahim Erden, business development manager at Turkish utility Enerjisa, who also stressed the importance of other issues, such as streamlining the permitting process, providing clarification on local content subsidies, granting additional wind licenses and strengthening national infrastructure.
"Our company does not directly rely on a feed-in tariff because we have a large portfolio with hydroelectric power and gas, which we can use to balance," Erden said. "But being open to these balancing risks can be a problem if your portfolio is not large and flexible enough."
Obtaining a higher tariff may be difficult in the near term after some developers agreed to pay exorbitant fees for grid connections. However, the general consensus is that these particular projects are economically unfeasible and will not be built. Meanwhile, a tender for additional capacity is expected to be launched later this year.


text:
Heading towards Autumn and I am engrossed once again in the issue of gender blind practice in family services. Another Local Authority, another case of assumptions based upon the idea that mums are the 'proper' carers for children whilst dad is at best an add on and at worst a threat to the very existence of mum and her children. Another long drawn out battle to get someone, somewhere, to listen to the fact that mum is quite possibly the danger to her children in this family. More children failed by social workers who are riddled with the feminist ideology that appears to create a gap in awareness that mothers as well as fathers can be dangerous to their children. A young man of 17 who is now in long term psychotherapy because he was physically and mentally abused by his mother after the father was evicted from the home when he was nine years old, aided and abetted by the local domestic violence family support worker. A young man who was beaten regularly by his mother, left alone to bring himself up and given drugs to sell to feed himself.
Gender blind practice, it leads to distress, damage and in some cases, death. And in too many cases it is not men who become family annihalators.
Daniel Pelka was four years old when he was killed by his mother and his step father. He was starved, beaten and suffered months of 'incomprehensible cruelty' at the hands of his mother Magdelena Luczak and stepfather Marius Krezolek. Like Baby P, this case hits our consciousness square between the eyes and much time is spent agonising in the media about how such a thing could possibly happen. My question is, how does it not happen, given the kind of institutionalised practice which leads to such devastating outcomes for children.
Looking at these cases of mothers who abuse or kill their children, through a feminist lens, the responsibility is almost always shifted to a man, in these kinds of cases, step fathers. Through a feminist lens, women cannot be perpetrators and are quite simply, also the victims, usually of a man who is controlling and abusive. Similarly, when women kill themselves and their children, the background to the case is either that the woman has a mental health problem or that they are being driven to escape from a controlling and abusive man. Never, ever, is the situation analysed in terms of the responsibility of the woman for failing to do whatever it takes to ensure that she does not put her children at risk.
I have even heard this feminist analysis applied by the fathers rights group Families need Fathers. The argument being that step fathers are more dangerous to children than biological fathers. This disengenuous attempt to align with the feminist argument, that women should never be blamed, misses the point that step fathers can also be biological fathers and vice versa. And it overlooks the reality, which is that mothers and fathers, be they biological or step parents, can each, in different circumstances, pose great dangers to their children. To miss this point is to create a lethal gap in practice around the separated family, which can lead to tragic consequences.
This is not to say that separated families are automatically dysfuncational, they are emphatically not, by default, problem families and we should not approach them as if they are. Most separated families get on and do what they have to to create safety and security for children and most parents bear the brunt of the pain so that their children do not have to. But in some families, the separation itself cracks open a fault line which brings with it the risk of serious dysfunction and it is this fault line which we must examine, with gender aware and not gender blind practice, if we are going to properly protect children over the longer term.
Gender blind practice is rife in family services in my experience, it is present across social work, housing, health services and CAFCASS. Gender blind practice means understanding the family from a basic level analysis, which, in the past forty years, has been underpinned by feminist teachings.
I recently heard that a very senior social worker referred to social work as being a 'feminist industry.' This astonishing admission, was followed by the most lucid critical analysis of social work in the UK, in which the issue of fatherlessness was pinned down with such absolute accuracy that anyone who regularly reads this blog would be heartened.
Why then, I wonder, do we continue to experience the consistent choking of such analysis and silencing of those voices which express concern at the way that feminism strangles the life out of reality based practice around the family?
The same reason, I guess, that it takes over fifteen years of persistent and determined unpicking of gender bias, to uncover the kind of discriminatory practice that leads to fathers being routinely blamed for being domestically violent, simply for wanting to have a relationship with their children after separation.
Little wonder it takes that long, when the leading Domestic Violence Charity writes on its FAQ information sheet –
Unfortunately, even after separating from their abusers, many mothers find it extremely difficult to protect their children from ongoing abuse as a result of the requirement to comply with contact orders made by the family courts. (Women's Aid FAQ – 2013)
The last paragraph needs explaining a little because to the uninitiated, the statement by Women's Aid can be quite discomforting and it can be difficult to see how it leads to the 'routine assumption that fathers are domestically violent simply for wanting to have a relationship with their children after separation.'
Feminist practice in social work starts from the premise that women live and work in a patriarchal society. In this society (the same one that you and I live in), women are always oppressed and men are always the oppressors. This derives from a belief that men have access to money, control and power, simply because they are born male. Women, in this patriarchal society, have no access to money, control and power, simply for being born female. In a patriarchal society, the role of feminism is to even up the power balance and ensure that women are not oppressed by their lack of money, control and power. This is achieved by ensuring that women can be supported financially by the state and not dependent upon men for money if they wish to leave a relationship and by ensuring that women have control over where their children live. In this patriarchal society therefore, any man who seeks to prevent a woman from leaving a relationship and taking the children with her, to be cared for as she determines, is considered to be controlling and abusive. Fathers who wish to have a shared care arrangement so that they can participate in the upbringing of their children, are, in this patriarchal society, considered to be abusive and are often thought to be attempting to continuing to control the mother through the children.
There is no place for a father who simply loves his children and does not wish to be removed from their lives in this patriarchal society, apart from the role which is considered to be properly his, which is in paying his child maintenance.
Simply writing those paragraphs leaves me shaking my head in disbelief that our practice around fragile families is underpinned by this blanket nonsensical approach. And I am left again, wondering, not how these tragedies in families happen, but why they do not happen more often. The gender blind feminist approach to supporting the family seems to me to be so far away from the reality of what is actually needed that I am surprised that tragedies are not occuring on a daily basis.
And then I remember. They are. Only society does not pay attention to them because they are not happening to women. They are happening to men and their children and men don't count as victims, EVER, in this patriarchal society we are told we live in. And, neither, it seems to me, do children.
The tragedies we don't hear about are the children who are abused and damaged on a routine basis by their mothers, (the NSPCC's own figures showing that mothers are are equally likely to be involved in mal treatment and murder of their own children as fathers) and the men who suffer domestic abuse (the Home Office statistics show that 40% of victims are men) and the reason we do not hear about these tragedies? Let me introduce you to domestic violence against men, the Women's Aid way.
On the Women's Aid website there are pages and pages of information, statistics, research and 'evidence.' Evidence like this –
Research in Scotland, re-tracing men who were counted as victims in the Scottish Crime Survey, found that a majority of the men who said that they were victims of domestic violence, were also perpetrators of violence (13 of 22). A significant number of the men re-interviewed (13 out of 46) later said they had actually never experienced any form of domestic abuse (Scottish Executive Central Research Unit, 2002). Other evidence also confirms that men who report that they are victims of domestic violence have mostly had different experiences from women victims/survivors and require a different response.
(Coulter 2007; Robinson and Rowland, 2007).
Which is pretty much the only information for or about male victims of domestic violence you will find on the Women's Aid site. This would not be a problem, it is, after all, Women's Aid, who are a women's rights organisation. Except that the inclusion of 'research' which concludes that most male victims are actually perpetrators speaks volumes, especially to the men who are in the 40% of victims that the Home Office tell us exist.
This 'patriarchal' society that we live in has no male victims and when men say they are victims, they are usually lying and when someone raises the issue of violence against men, they are usually 'apologists' for violent men. This circular argument, which is underpinned by the notion that women cannot, do not, and will not do anything wrong, (unless they are coerced into it by a man), ignores completely the way in which women can, do and will, harm others, including their own children, and it prevents the kind of interventions that safeguard children on an ongoing basis.
Gender aware practice holds men AND women responsible for the damage they do.
Gender blind feminist based practice, silences victims, prevents debate and creates a lethal gap into which children can fall whilst we are all to busy looking the wrong way to notice that women as well as men can be dangerous to their children.
One leads to the kind of whole family practice that prevents tragedy, the other allows tragedy and then seeks to find a man to blame for it.
Those who suffer most are our children.
Isn't it time we took the blinkers off?


text:
Parallels Plesk Panel Windows IP Address Configuration with a Hardware Firewall
This process updates Parallels Plesk Panel database records, modifies network adapters settings, reconfigures FTP and WWW servers, and updates DNS records.
To Change Server IP Addresses
- Remote desktop onto your hosting server.
- Run Plesk Reconfigurator.
- Select Change Server IP Addresses.
- In the window, select the IP addresses to change.
- To map to a new IP address:
- Select Create New IP Address.
- Enter IP Address and Network Mask.
- Select the appropriate Network Interface Name.
- To map to an existing IP address:
- Select Map to Existing IP Address
- Select the appropriate address.
- Click Next.
Note: IP address allocation is monitored. Attempting to add IP addresses to your server that have not been purchased is a violation of your terms of service agreement and may result in the suspension of your account.


text:
UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN River Falls
"The mission of the Department of Residence Life is to create residential communities where students live civilly, learn effectively and discover success."
Your college career can be one of the most memorable and exciting times of your life. And it can begin while you live on-campus in a vibrant residence hall community.
You will learn about yourself and others as you immerse yourself in your residence hall community by making new friends, engaging in lively discussions and balancing your time between classes, study, and new activities.
You will discover the advantages of living on-campus when you're close to classes, minutes from dining options, and in a supportive environment with no worries about rent, utilities, or a daily commute.


text: Obviously, we are all reading and loving R. Kelly's new autobiography Soulacoaster. (I can't wait to finish so that I can store it between my other favorite memoirs The Gastronomical Me and The Autobiography of Malcolm X.) There is however, one thing missing from this literary tour de force and that's a narration by classically trained actor and expert annunciator Gary Oldman. What? Jimmy Kimmel has taken care of it? Great. Now the book is flawless.


text:
|Virus Check Alert (Type-F)
|Wed, 20 Aug 2003 01:40:51 -0400
JENS SpinNet$B%a!<%k%&%$%k%9%A%'%C%/%5!<%S%9$O(B address@hidden $BMM$+$i(B address@hidden $BMM$X$N%a!<%k$K%&%$%k%9$r8!CNCW$7$^$7$?!#$7$+$7$J$,$i!"%&%$%k%9$N6n=|$O=PMh$J$+$C$?0Y!"%&%$%k%9$,address@hidden:IU%U%!%$%k$r:o=|$7$^$7$?!#%&%$%k%9$K$h$jAw?.<T$,56Au$5$l$?>l9g$O!"<B:]$NAw?.<T$H0[$J$k%a!<%k%"%I%l%9$KBP$7!"K\%a!<%k$,Aw?.$5$l$k>l9g$,$4$6$$$^$9!#$=$N:]$OK\%a!<%k$r:o=|$/address@hidden(B $B%&%$%k%9$N>pJs$O0J2<$NDL$j$G$9(B address@hidden>!'(B details.pif $B%&%$%k%9L>!'(B address@hidden $B%a!<%k$NBjL>!'(B Re: Approved $B$4MxMQ$N%3%s%T%e!<%?$,%&address@hidden@-$,$"$j$^$9!#(B $B;j5^$43NG'D:$/$3$H$r$*4+$a$7$^$9!#(B URL: http://www.spinnet.jp/vcheck/sinfo/index.html Dear Customer: The mail which was sent from address@hidden (from address) to address@hidden (to address) has been detected that it was infected with a virus. Unfortunately, the virus was unable to be disinfected with our Mail Virus Check Service. Please be notified that the attachment was deleted. The information on the virus is as follows: infected file name: details.pif virus name: address@hidden Subject: Re: Approved Your computer might have been infected by a virus, so we recommend you to check on it. URL: http://www.spinnet.jp/vcheck/sinfo/indexe.html === address@hidden<>pJs(B ( email header ) === Received: from KIMI (kimi.CERCA.UMontreal.CA [22.214.171.124]) by smtp2.att.ne.jp (Postfix) with ESMTP id C9ED0254B8 for <address@hidden>; Wed, 20 Aug 2003 14:40:46 +0900 (JST) From: <address@hidden> To: <address@hidden> Subject: Re: Approved Date: Wed, 20 Aug 2003 1:40:46 --0400 X-MailScanner: Found to be clean Importance: Normal X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook Express 6.00.2600.0000 X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Priority: 3 (Normal) MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/mixed; boundary="_NextPart_000_16DBDE61" Message-Id: <address@hidden>
|[Prev in Thread]
|Current Thread
|[Next in Thread]


text:
finally we arrived in california.
driving through the crazy hot and desolate mohave desert, we headed into joshua tree national park.
it was like being on another planet, those crazy trees!
it was also fitting that u2 came on just as we entered the park, since they named one of their records after the place.
after exploring the park, we continued on our journey and spent the night in palm springs.
a gorgeous oasis and a great break from the heat. we spent most of our time at the best western hotel pool (a great place to stay in palm springs if you don't want to break the bank), but we did run to ralph's for some provisions.
wearing: american eagle shorts, forever 21 tank and victoria's secret pink blue jays tee, pendleton bag, minnetonka moccasins and oakley frogsters


text:
A multimedia art exhibition is underway at the Chengdu Art Academy.
2019-07-19 to 2019-08-18
The lotus blossoms inside the Culture Park in downtown Chengdu are now in full bloom.
2019-06-18 to 2019-08-18
To commemorate the 500th anniversary of Da Vinci's death, an exhibition titled Da Vinci in Chengdu is underway at Eastern Suburb Memory in Chengdu.
2019-07-10 to 2019-10-10
An ongoing art exhibition titled Record of Future at the Chengdu Art Academy displays 65 excellent works by fresh graduates from art universities and colleges in Sichuan.
2019-06-22 to 2019-07-14
Lotus blossoms at Chengdu Du Fu's Thatched Cottage Museum are now in full bloom.
2019-06-27 to 2019-07-27
The ongoing exhibition titled Old Masters - Australia's Great Bark Artists at the Sichuan Museum displays 144 pieces/sets of bark paintings.
2019-06-26 to 2019-08-26
The ongoing 2019 Chengdu People's Park Lotus Show showcases over 6,000-pot blooming lotus of more than 10 species.
2019-06-20 to 2019-07-21
The vast expanse of lotus pond full of blooming flowers at the Qianmu Hetang (about 133.33 hectares) is now a perfect place to relax in the summer days.
2019-06-07 to 2019-07-07
An exhibition featuring lacquer paintings by artists from southeast China's Fujian province is underway at the Chengdu Art Academy.
2019-06-07 to 2019-06-18
During the three-day traditional Chinese Dragon Boat Festival, some exhibitions in Chengdu may be good choices for you to spend the holiday.
2019-06-07 to 2019-06-09
An exhibition of Guqin is underway at the Sichuan Museum.
2019-05-18 to 2019-06-28
The ongoing exhibition Wild Plains-He Duoling Solo Exhibition at Sichuan Art Museum displays 135 paintings created by artist He Duoling.
2019-05-16 to 2019-06-14
The exhibition of 55 traditional Chinese paintings by eight female artists is underway at the Chengdu Art Academy.
2019-05-15 to 2019-06-04
The 2019 Panda Cup International Youth Football Tournament will take place May 25-29.
2019-05-25 to 2019-05-29
Russian comedians Kaparulin Valeriy and Ivanov Gleb will present a clown show at the Chengdu Milk Deluxe Concert Hall on June 1, the Children's Day.
The ongoing Chinese Cuisine (Recipe) Exhibition at Chengdu Museum showcases 1,500 recipe books.
2019-05-15 to 2019-06-15
The exhibition of Award-winning Photos of The Chengdu Panda Asian Food Festival—Global Photo Contest is being staged at the Chengdu Museum.
2019-05-15 to 2019-05-22
The art exhibition Free Co-existence is underway at the Blue Roof Museum in Chengdu.
2019-04-27 to 2019-06-23
Chinese food culture is an important part of the Chinese civilization.
2019-04-30 to 2019-06-09
An invitational exhibition for young artists titled Remoulded Individuals - Staring from the Medium is underway at the Chengdu Art Academy.
2019-04-24 to 2019-05-12
The exhibition SERPENTIform will be staged at the Chengdu Museum from Apr. 30 to Aug. 25.
2019-04-30 to 2019-08-25
The duo exhibition brought by artists He Xiangyu and Liang Chen will be staged from April 27 to July 28 at the LUXELAKES·A4 Art Museum.
2019-04-27 to 2019-07-28
The 1st Tianfu Greenway Cultural Tourism Festival is underway.
2019-04-19 to 2019-05-17
The harvest season of cherries is coming. It is right time to pick them fresh off the trees.
2019-04-12 to 2019-05-31
The celebration for the 130th anniversary of the Wangjiang Tower & 23rd Chengdu Bamboo Culture Festival is being staged in the Wangjianglou Park.
2019-04-07 to 2019-04-27
The 2nd Pidu Azalea Blossoms Show is now running at the Shuguo Juandu Scenic Spot.
2019-03-29 to 2019-04-28
The 2019 China·Dujiangyan Water-releasing Festival will take place on April 4-7 in northwestern Chengdu's Dujiangyan City.
2019-04-04 to 2019-04-07
The 10th Chengdu Qingbaijiang Cherry Blossom Tourism and Culture Festival is underway at the Fenghuanghu (Phoenix Lake) Park.
2019-03-21 to 2019-04-10
The 9th Chengdu Tea-leaf Picking Festival is underway at Chengjia Chaxiang.
2019-03-16 to 2019-05-31
It is time to view peach blossoms in suburban Chengdu.
2019-03-11 to 2019-04-07
The national event will offer a good opportunity for exhibitors to showcase their products and for foodies to taste different food and wine.
2019-03-21 to 2019-03-23
These days pear trees in and around Chengdu are bursting into full bloom.
2019-03-08 to 2019-05-06
Bewitched: Liu Deyang's Art Exhibition is underway at the Chengdu Art Academy.
2019-03-05 to 2019-03-18
It is right time to take a flower viewing trip to the outskirts of Chengdu.
2019-02-15 to 2019-04-05
The spring flower show will be staged at the Chengdu Botanical Garden.
2019-03-08 to 2019-04-18


text:
Artist description:
Took 10 minutes to draw. Used a reference pic in reader's digest. Save the Polar Bears!
Java Draw Created Feb 20, 2012 460 x 640px Unless noted Copyright 2012 ELLIPSIS_15.
We encourage you to submit a comment and let the artist know what you think of this drawing. Please log in or join to post a comment.
Post a comment
Simple is best as they say hehe. It is true sometimes- especially in this drawing! I am in love with the color combinations- obsidian and gold. I can barely believe that it took you just ten minutes! I like the message in it too- fab work! 5/5 hearts
Very simple but VERY AWESOME!!!! 5h
Amazing! 5h!
I looked at the thumbnail and was like: "What's that?" but now I see and wow, this is really cool!
WOWOW This is INCREDIBLE!!! Very important message too!!! Awesome!!! 5/5 Collection!!
really well drawn... I love the outline of the polar bear :) 5/5
Absolutely wonderful drawing!!!! So greatly done and proportioned!!!! 5/5 favs!!!! Collection!!! :-D
perfect lines, great silhouette..5/5..
It looks awesome :D!Im always crying if i see a dead animal,5h


text:
We've already taken our trip through the lows of 2010. Let's celebrate the highs.
Although sometimes it seems like the past year in videogames will be mostly remembered for the high-profile flops and games that didn't live up to the years of hype, there were also some pretty impressive games released in 2010, too. The year brought with it some long-in-the-making, big-budget extravaganzas that — in an ironic twist — were actually worth all the money poured into them. Gamers also enjoyed some surprising breakout indie hits.
Here are Wired.com's selections of the 20 best games of 2010, as chosen by Chris Kohler, Gus Mastrapa, Daniel Feit, Jason Schreier and John Mix Meyer.
20. Fallout: New Vegas (Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PC)
With Fallout 3, Bethesda planted its flag in the wasteland sands, reviving the venerable PC franchise for a new generation. Fallout: New Vegas brings the game back to its roots. Obsidian, a studio founded by folks who created the original games, took the West Coast homecoming seriously, delivering plot, characters and places that are harrowing, creepy, quirky and sometimes altogether odd. Fallout: New Vegas may be buggier than a Radroach nest, but wading through the pests is totally worth it. —Gus Mastrapa
19. Kirby's Epic Yarn (Wii)
Kirby's Epic Yarn didn't do anything especially novel with its gameplay, but I have an inkling that's not why this cooperative platformer kept popping up in our Game of the Year discussions. What left such an impact were the graphics, the beautiful digitally photographed bits of string and fabric that move and shift so naturally, as if the entire game were made from stop-motion animation. It's not just the visual flair, it's the surprising ways the imagery interacts with you that makes the game a joyful experience. —Chris Kohler
18. Castlevania: Harmony of Despair (Xbox 360)
Harmony of Despair is the Castlevania game I never knew I wanted. After years of derivative sequels, Konami mixed up the formula in an unexpected way with Harmony of Despair. By throwing together a collection of the series' past heroes, monsters and environments in multiplayer arenas, a genuinely new game was born. It makes up for its missing narrative by emphasizing replayability, treasure hunting and online co-op. The game has only improved since our initial review thanks to downloadable content, including four additional characters, a pyramid level and 10 remixes of past Castlevania anthems. —Daniel Feit
Photo courtesy Konami
17. Super Meat Boy (Xbox 360, PC)
Super Meat Boy is one of the hardest platformers I've ever played, and one of the best. It features more than 300 fun-size levels, all of which are filled with tough, clever platforming challenges. Super Meat Boy keeps the frustration to a minimum due to its slick, responsive controls — plus the fact that you instantly respawn after you bite it. Your death count will number in the thousands by the end of the game but Super Meat Boy's design takes care to make sure you know what you're up against as soon as you enter each level. —John Mix Meyer
17. Super Meat Boy (Xbox 360, PC)
Super Meat Boy is one of the hardest platformers I've ever played, and one of the best. It features more than 300 fun-size levels, all of which are filled with tough, clever platforming challenges. Super Meat Boy keeps the frustration to a minimum due to its slick, responsive controls — plus the fact that you instantly respawn after you bite it. Your death count will number in the thousands by the end of the game but Super Meat Boy's design takes care to make sure you know what you're up against as soon as you enter each level. —John Mix Meyer
16. Costume Quest (Xbox 360, PlayStation 3)
Costume Quest marks a fascinating change in course for Double Fine, the development house run by Tim Schafer. Rather than getting bogged down by projects that could take years to finish, Schafer has tasked his team with creating small games on the cheap. Project lead Tasha Harris took the assignment to heart, crafting a lean, lovely role-playing game that captures the magic of Halloween without stooping to base nostalgia. The downloadable game's faithful re-creation of classic role-playing mechanics serves as its own tribute. Some old things never broke and just don't need fixing. —Gus Mastrapa
15. DeathSpank (Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PC)
Writers may get the first word in Hollywood, but in games their contributions are frequently an afterthought. DeathSpank feels like a game where the writer kept his foot in the door no matter how hard the programmers slammed it. Ron Gilbert's incorrigible humor permeates everything; each item, location and character is imbued with a hefty slathering of quirk. And while Gilbert's contributions are the main reason to play this bite-size, downloadable RPG, don't underestimate the appeal of its Sergio Aragones-style art and Diablo-inspired gameplay. It's just that good — no joke. —Gus Mastrapa
14. 3D Dot Game Heroes (PlayStation 3)
If you think Nintendo keeps making the same games over and over again, you haven't played 3D Dot Game Heroes. This retro-styled PlayStation 3 game clones the first The Legend of Zelda shamelessly, completely and absolutely perfectly. But whereas Miyamoto and company rehash the same themes to explore evolutions in gameplay, developer Silicon Studio is more interested in delivering the most fiendish dungeons it can muster. Heroes' eye-popping look, a melding of high-def visuals and chunky old-school pixels, cements the game's devotion to the past. —Gus Mastrapa
13. Pac-Man Championship Edition DX (Xbox 360)
The only thing harder than reinventing a classic is reinventing it twice. Namco Bandai took 2007's critically acclaimed Pac-Man Championship Edition and somehow came up with an even more compelling incarnation of gaming's most iconic hero. In Pac-Man Championship Edition DX, the best part of Pac-Man — eating the ghosts — has been elevated to new heights. As you tear through the maze at high speeds, you pick up more and more pursuers who form a trail behind you. Find a power pellet and you get to eat all your enemies in a gluttonous orgy of revenge. —Daniel Feit
12. Metroid: Other M (Wii)
We can still have a debate over whether the spotty quality of Other M's frequent cinematic interludes justified the critical drubbing the game took in some circles, or whether Nintendo's attempt to infuse cardboard cutout Samus Aran with some degree of human fallibility was well-advised. But there's still nothing else quite like a Metroid game, and the subtle and sometimes ingenious ways that Other M brought that unique style into 3-D after all these years make it one of the standout experiences of 2010. —Chris Kohler
11. Mass Effect 2 (Xbox 360, PC)
Some argue that Mass Effect 2 lost the plot when it strayed away from galactic exploration and targeted a single, ultimate mission. But the streamlined role-playing sequel is better for its focus. Losing the aimless wandering and obsessive-compulsive planet-scouring of the first game imbues this sequel with a pace and forward momentum that feels peppier and more thrilling than any role-playing game you've ever played. Those who claim that Mass Effect 2 was a watered-down RPG deserve a renegade Shepard punch in the jaw; this is more about literally playing a role than it ever has been. —Gus Mastrapa
10. Dragon Quest IX (DS)
Role-playing games can be a real chore. As much as I loved growing up with them, increased adult responsibilities severely limit the amount of time I can dedicate to 40-hour epic grind-fests. That's why the DS is perfect for gargantuan games like Dragon Quest IX — I can play it wherever I want, whenever I want, for as long or as short a time as I want. This might be the most complete Japanese RPG on the DS, offering a charming story, goofy characters and enough dungeon-hopping to please even the heartiest of spelunkers. Tons of side quests and robust multiplayer give you plenty of portable goodness to consume. —Jason Schreier
9. WarioWare: D.I.Y. (DS)
The difference between WarioWare: D.I.Y. and other make-your-own-game games is that it is not created with the intent of turning players into DLC content providers. Its intent is to make the very act of creation a playful experience in and of itself. Though it has a rudimentary distribution system for the microgames that result, I don't give a damn if nobody else sees my WarioWare creations. The fun part was making them work, all for me. —Chris Kohler
8. Limbo (Xbox 360)
Why the hell was Limbo so interesting, anyway? Other games have had surreal graphics, clever platforming puzzles or ambiguous plots. Perhaps what compels us to play it and what leaves a lasting impression is the way the game deconstructs the platformer, giving us a deliberately sparse experience that constantly makes us question what's going on — and why we're taking an active part in it. And unlike the twist endings of BioShock or Shadow of the Colossus, Limbo has the balls to leave us guessing at the end. —Chris Kohler
7. Bayonetta (Xbox 360, PlayStation 3)
Wired.com's Gus Mastrapa may have called Platinum Games' graphic design "a toxic spew of kitsch," and he is probably right, but the fact of the matter is that Bayonetta deserved serious props for rethinking all the mundane elements of action games and attempting to give them a surprising new feel. And besides all of that artsy-fartsy stuff, the gameplay kicked ass. —Chris Kohler
6. Donkey Kong Country Returns (Wii)
Donkey Kong Country did indeed return in 2010, as one of the Wii's best games yet. Some of the waggle controls may be wonky, but it's still a must-play experience, putting the challenge back into a genre that was sorely lacking it. The backgrounds are gorgeous, the music is stellar and the characters are bizarre and hilarious — what other game pits a giant, tie-wearing gorilla against manic-depressive parrots and crabs wielding salad forks? —Jason Schreier
5. Minecraft Alpha (PC)
While an early version of this indie PC game was released in 2009 after a week of development, the alpha and beta versions released this year caused Minecraft to explode in popularity. Giving lie to the notion that there is nothing new under the sun, Minecraft captivated players with its odd combination of deliberately clunky graphics, merciless difficulty and opportunities for creative expression. The danger to triple-A publishers is clear: A free indie game that's addictive and frictionless enough can siphon players' limited time away from your games just like that. —Chris Kohler
Photo: evilhayama/Flickr
4. Heavy Rain (PlayStation 3)
When I think back on Heavy Rain, I remember the characters, the scenes, the lines, the mood, how it affected me emotionally. I remember it like I remember great movies. I enjoy story-based videogames, but this is the only game that has ever had this effect on me. In my memories, all the artifice and occasional clunkiness of the gameplay has been smoothed away; all I remember is feeling like it was really happening. —Chris Kohler
3. Red Dead Redemption (Xbox 360, PlayStation 3)
Who would've thought that one of the best games of the year would be a Western? Rockstar's epic sandbox killed any misconceptions that it would be Grand Theft Auto in the desert, weaving a solid narrative that would be worth the price of admission even if it didn't take place in such a stunning open world. The story of protagonist John Marston is equal parts fascinating and heart-wrenching, with an ending that would make Shakespeare hold back a tear or two. And besides, you can spend hours upon hours getting drunk, playing blackjack and tying women to train tracks — isn't that what gaming is all about? —Jason Schreier
2. Super Mario Galaxy 2 (Wii)
You could take any one of Galaxy 2's hundred-odd individual levels and make a whole game out of it. Bursting at the seams with creativity, the Mario team's second Wii outing was one of the most constantly surprising game experiences of the year. Would that its aesthetics and writing were not so heavily reliant on (and often weaker than) its 2007 predecessor! But on sheer gameplay, Galaxy 2 was an unparalleled success in 2010. —Chris Kohler
2. Super Mario Galaxy 2 (Wii)
You could take any one of Galaxy 2's hundred-odd individual levels and make a whole game out of it. Bursting at the seams with creativity, the Mario team's second Wii outing was one of the most constantly surprising game experiences of the year. Would that its aesthetics and writing were not so heavily reliant on (and often weaker than) its 2007 predecessor! But on sheer gameplay, Galaxy 2 was an unparalleled success in 2010. —Chris Kohler
1. StarCraft II (PC)
Counting the beta, I've played at least a thousand hours of StarCraft II this year. I've played it in 10-minute bursts, eight-hour tournaments and everything in between. I've played matches against the computer, matches against other players and hundreds of cool custom maps, each with their own unique forms of gameplay.
If 1998's StarCraft revolutionized the real-time strategy genre, StarCraft II perfected it. Everything is polished, clean and user-friendly, whether you're playing against the computer or other humans. Like chess, StarCraft II appeals to an extraordinarily wide range of players, from newbies to professionals. Anyone can play and anyone can get good; even if you don't have perfect instincts for micromanagement, with enough practice you can still learn how to play the game at a competent level.
Some critics have given Blizzard Entertainment flak for splitting StarCraft II's campaign into three separate, fully priced games, but I don't think it's warranted. How many companies continue to patch and refine their games at no extra cost years after a release? How many products ship with a map editor so powerful that players can create entirely new games with it? How many games are so infinitely replayable that they've turned into Korean national sports, fostering superstar celebrities that can earn six-figure incomes just by playing?
Ten years from now, when we think about the games of 2010, StarCraft II will be the one that stands out — probably because we'll still be playing it. — Jason Schreier


text:
Dallas-based artist Matthew Cusick cuts and arranges pages from old maps, layer upon layer, creating stunning portraits and landscape scenes.
In his own words:
Maps have all the properties of a brushstroke: nuance, density, line, movement, and colour.... [And] since each map fragment is an index of a specific place and time, I could combine fragments from different maps and construct geographical timelines within my paintings.
"Charlie's Angels" (2009) [Brainiac]
Images: Matthew Cusick
"Course of Empire" Mixmaster 1 (2003)
"Transamerica" (2004)
"Bonnie" (2004)
"Malvo" (2011)
"Kara's Wave" (2009)


text:
Curtis Rapp Skater Profile
Hometown: Latham NY, Stance: Regular, Age: , Status: Am
Last Update: Wednesday, July 9, 2008 Submit an Update
In Stock Now With Immediate Shipping
Couldn't find any Curtis Rapp products, but check out some random products from our Shop. Yeah, Curtis Rapp probably shops here...
Curtis Rapp Comments
Other Skater Links
- Full Skater Database - 6000+ skater profiles.
- Skateboarders on Instagram - browse your favorite pros and ams on Instagram.
- Skate News and Videos - daily skate news and videos from around the web.
- Media Coverage - we log all major magazine coverage by skater and photographer.
- Skate Photographers - we log all major magazine coverage by skater and photographer.
- Contest Results - over a decade's worth of contest history.