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Theo van Doesburg
Het Bouwbedrijf: Vol. 6, № 6
March 1929, pgs. 116-122
The mass, the opposition of the colors, the play of light give depth to certain surfaces, instill infinite values in all modulations of I don't know what secret architecture, which is the gift of genius.
— H.A.C., in Les demières Nouvelles
The structure on the Place Kléber in Strasbourg, named "Aubette" is the remnant of a large but straggling monastic complex, dating from the thirteenth century; most of the buildings were demolished in the sixteenth century (1552). The remaining ones were adapted to military use. In 1764, in connection with the construction of new highways, the French architect Blondel was commissioned to build a structure on the Place Kléber which could serve as a model for the style of that time. Blondel, nicknamed "The Straightener," encompassed the entire straggling complex in the enormous façade, which even now occupies nearly the full Northern side of the Place Kléber. This complex was named "Obet," later "Aubette." For nearly a century the building was used for military purposes, until in 1845 a café (Café Cade) was established there, to which in 1867 a concert hail was added, which served for quite a long time as a music school. In 1869 the Aubette was acquired by the city, which turned it partly into a museum in which paintings by famous masters were housed. A year later it was burned by the Germans, not a single artwork being saved. Only Blondel's façade survived.
In 1911 the Place Kléber was to undergo an important renovation, in which no less than 46 architects would take part. However, the plans, now kept in the city archives, were never executed and thus the Aubette remained an undistinguished, neglected building, disgracing the square rather than enhancing it.
Just as the Aubette in Strasbourg was transformed in the course of time in accordance with the circumstances and the needs of the time, so the building presently has had to conform to contemporary needs. The Aubette, and primarily the right wing, has changed into an amusement center. In 1921 the developers Horn and Heitz Brothers leased the building from the city for a period of ninety years. The city stipulated, however, that no essential changes could be made in the façade, this being a Monument historique. Except for the marquee over the terrace, 53 m in length, which links the halls looking out on the square, and for the modern electric light sign on the façade, nothing on the exterior was changed. Nevertheless, the tall plate glass panes of the Five O'clock and the adjoining cafés, which are mounted in thin iron frames, give the façade a modern look. Originally, I had wanted the neon sign to run the length of the entire façade, but the city government, which is even now in litigation with the developers because the strictly horizontal, dominating marquee over the terrace does not correspond to the style of the eighteenth century, refused Its permission.
The developers — one of them, Mr. Paul Horn, is himself an architect — originally did not know what to do with the many halls. The projects designed during the first five years with the assistance of many architects-decorators were not executed. Among these there were all kinds of "modern" and "classic" style variations, with Biedermeier prevailing. On paper, the Aubette traversed all styles, from Empire to Jugendstil, and as they say, the realization was mainly prevented by the high costs and by the monetary instability of that time. Mr. Paul Horn had seen to it that the foundations were reinforced and had combined many smaller rooms into a few large ones. In short, the rough work had already been prepared when I got involved with the Aubette in September 1926. The Horn brothers invited me to come to Strasbourg and, encouraged by the possibility to realize my ideas about interior design on a grand scale and without restrictions, I accepted the commission to transform the principal halls in a modern sense, architecturally as well as aesthetically.
The first task was the design of new floor plans in accordance with the location and purpose of the various halls. These designs were approved by the city as well as by the developers without important changes. Here I operated in the most functional manner, but how could one possibly define a priori the whole life and activities in such a building before learning how they actually develop. The floor plans undeniably bore the mark of metropolitan activities, while I avoided defining function and purpose too strictly.
I set myself the task of creating a galeria, aiming at connections between the spaces, which would allow the public to come and go, without the necessity of remaining in any one of the halls for a long time. The existing arcade, which separates the right wing from the left, connecting the main entrance at the square with one of the main streets in the center, facilitated this task. This arcade gives entrance to the spaces on the ground floor: cafés, restaurants, the Five O'clock (with decorations by Mrs. Täuber-Arp), pastry shop, bar, and service quarters with elevator.
Also to the stairwell, leading to the Caveau-Dancing and the upper floors. In order to assist the public in finding their bearings I placed an information chart at the main entrance of the arcade. Every section bears a number of a definite shape and color, while this same sign is clearly visible at the entrance to each room.
Located on the ground floor are the arcade, café-brasserie, café-restaurant, tearoom, the Aubette bar and a service area. In the basement are the telephone booths, toilets, coat rooms, the American bar and the Cabaret-Dance hall, painted by Hans Arp. On the mezzanine are located: toilets, coat rooms and a billiards room. On the first floor above ground level are the Cinéma-Dancing-Cabaret,a small and a large function room, and a service area. On the level above that are located the apartments of the director and the permanent staff; also the store rooms for provisions. In the adjoining rooms are the offices, while the enormous kitchens and the cooling installations are on the mezzanine.
The principal materials used for the interiors, in accordance with modern requirements, are: concrete, iron, plate glass, aluminum, nickel, hard caoutchouc (used for the first time by me for stair banisters and bars on doors), terrazzo, rabitz, linoleum, parquet, tiles, duralumin, lincrusta, ripolin, frosted glass, rubber, leather, enamel, silver leaf etc, I avoided the use of wood as much as possible: the doors are all executed in iron and plate glass without subdivisions. The windows and doors giving onto the arcade were extended up to the ceiling, making for maximal light, transparency and orderliness. Hereby the annoying space between ceiling and window and between ceiling and door was eliminated.
The lighting, being different in every hall in accordance with its purpose, required special study. We were aiming for an even, clear, yet gentle illumination, which should suppress shadows as much as possible. The old-fashioned central light sources were ruled out everywhere, while we employed direct and reflected light, depending on the purpose. In the large cinema-dance hall on the first floor above ground level, the lighting is indirect, accomplished by reflectors mounted on nickel rods, which are hung in space across the full length of the hall. In the large banqueting hall there is direct lighting, by way of normalized enamel plaques in which milk glass lamps are mounted. The same lighting method was employed in the small function room and the tearoom. Originally I intended to light the arcade as well as the various rooms by way of neon light bars (lumière froide), but had to relinquish that plan for lack of white neon light. In the café and the restaurant I applied light bulbs in horizontally and vertically oriented sockets.
Tables, chairs, sofas and other pieces of furniture are standardized in size as well as in shape. This furniture, in which all artisticity has been ruled out, is factory produced after my designs. I kept to the most elementary forms. Although the pieces are sufficiently stable as the result of a logical construction, I avoided weightiness. The chairs are of the Thonet type, but the proportions were changed in the execution. The legs of the red and black leather sofas (in the café and the restaurant) were replaced by thin nickel feet. This was done with the side boards and cabinets as well.
Notes on the paintings
The compositions on the ceiling and the walls of the large banqueting hall and the cinema-dance hall were executed en relief, for two reasons. First, in order to achieve a stricter definition of the planes and to counteract interaction of the colors, and second in order to avoid incidental or arbitrary merging or changing of the planes. These planes are separated by 50-cm wide bands, which are raised 5 cm. In this banqueting hall light and color were of direct functional importance, and since tables and chairs are only put In on the occasion of a banquet, the fixed furniture actually consisted only of color and light. The latter became the "content" of the hall, and in order to avoid all restlessness I adopted a standard dimension for the arrangement of the planes. This dimension, 1.20 m by 1.20 m, was determined by the height of the radiators, which was proportional to that of the smallest enameled lighting plates and ventilation grids. The smallest color plane is 1.20 m by 1.20 m, while the larger ones are always a multiple of 1.20 m plus the width of the bands. I kept a neutral zone, separated by grayish or gray from the composition, at the altitude of the public. I used the same patterns at the entrances and exits, and, vertically, in the corners, where the switchboards, advertisements, clocks, emergency exits and service exits are located. These neutral fields should, of course, not give rise to empty spaces, and therefore had to maintain the equilibrium by the regularity of their location. The lighting plaques and ventilators were organically absorbed in the overall pattern. Although the cinema-dance hall is generally assumed to be the most successful, it posed a much more difficult task than the banqueting hall, as I did not have a single wall at my disposal for the desired animation of this space by means of color. All walls were interrupted, one by five windows looking out on to the square, which occupy nearly the entire height, another one by the entrances and exits of the office, a third one by the entrance and the doors to the small function room, above which are located the unavoidable openings for the projectionist. The projection screen for the cinema had to be placed against the opposite wall; moreover, there was an emergency exit in this wall, on the left. The ceiling was partitioned by the lighting fixtures on rods. Because the windows, as well as the doors and all other elements disrupting the walls lent a strong orthogonal accent, this hall was very amenable to application of an autonomous, diagonal color arrangement capable of resisting the tension of the architecture. The planes themselves are raised 4cm, and separated by bands 4 cm deep and 55 cm wide. The gallery, which occupies almost the entire right wall, is placed in such a location that it, like all the other elements, is in harmony with the overall pattern.
The solutions for the cafés and the restaurant on the ground floor are, as much as possible, in keeping with the objects there. Originally these cafés were intended to become conspicuous solely by means of their function and their materials. After all, paint is but an illusionist material for achieving what ought to be achieved by the practical and esthetic properties of the materials themselves. I had to abandon this plan because of financial retrenchments, and the available material could only be used for the sofas, floor covering and tables. The mirrors which I placed over the red and black leather sofas are bordered on both sides by flat aluminum plates. These serve at the same time as reflectors for the socket lighting fixtures. The main illumination is indirect, by means of reflection against the shiny white areas on the ceiling. I put nickel grates in front of the undivided plate-glass panes in the café for protection. In the café which runs parallel with the square, I kept the office open.
I had the signs in the whole building executed in the same print, and I used the same kind of sober lettering for the electric sign on the façade and the transparencies in the awnings.
Originally I had intended to construct the whole interior of the Aubette purely architecturally and with the use of durable materials. However, I soon discovered that I had fallen into the hands of speculators and that the city authorities as well as the developers, for very "personal" reasons, were pushing all the time for greater economizing. The money allotted by the city to the developers was not squandered on materials, nor on the installation. Everything had to be inexpensive. Therefore I was forced to resort to ersatz [substitute] materials, which could not benefit the appearance, certainly not in the long run. Although I do not want to disagree with the critics who considered many features to be very successful in architectural as well as in painterly respect (to the extent that the approximation of an ideal is at all possible in a transformation using the simplest of means), yet much of the plastic unity was lost here because of economizing and too much haste. The appearance is also impaired by the total lack of maintenance and by the rough ways of the Strasbourgers.
In any case this was the first attempt, in contrast with rationalism, to combine everything to create the atmosphere of a plastic architecture.


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The Audience and the Story/
There are all sorts of forms of storytelling, and all sorts of relationships between "author" and "audience." When we talk about transmedia, we often talk about the role of the audience (as well we should), and giving control of the story over to the audience. We also talk a lot about "story" versus "world." But what is the ideal relationship? I don't think there's only one, and I think it's important we remember that. I read an article this weekend on GameSpy about Skyrim and the future of gaming. The article suggests that Skyrim's open world and ability to generate meaningful, rather than random, quests in some ways customized to the individual player, is where storytelling in gaming is headed. Skyrim can create situations that have meaning to a player based on past experiences, and thus the storytelling comes not from an authored storyline the player is following, but from one created by the player through the very act of playing.
The actual storytelling comes afterwards, when veteran players retire their hearths and relate unforgettable, unbelievable tales of adventure to one another.
So while the idea of a linear story written by an author and delivered through dialogue and cutscenes in the style of Batman: Arkham City or Assassin's Creed: Revelations is probably going to stick around a while longer, this developing approach to more dynamic stories will certainly have an impact on the narrative experience of future games. The Radiant systems create opportunities, rather than guarantees, but if things come together correctly, the experiences can be exhilarating. These kinds of systems will only continue to develop, and eventually may learn to spontaneously create more subtle and complex dramas in the future.
As Chuck Wendig puts it, "The game does what I like games to do in terms of storytelling: it lets me assemble the story of my own telling. I don't mind a game that has its own story to tell, but the games to which I really respond are the ones that give me all the pieces and let me put them together according to my own style of play. It cedes some narrative authority to me."
This raises some interesting questions for me. After all, I've always preferred games with amazing stories written into them than not. Games like Final Fantasy VI, Baldur's Gate, and Ogre Battle 64 are all most awesome for me because of the stories behind them, combined with the gameplay itself. Ogre Battle is a tactical wargame, and I play it to design and control my army, but I love the characters and the story behind it, the reasons for the war and the shifting machinations. Baldur's Gate (made by the same guys as Dragon Age -- I just haven't played many more-recent games) allows me to fully create and roleplay my own character, and explore the world fairly freely, but still has a driving story that I'm following and uncovering, featuring my character. And Final Fantasy VI is extremely linear in most ways, with characters I have very little customization over, but which are fully realized characters with arcs and backstories set in a fabulous plotline, and is still a game I consider to be one of the best I've ever played.
So is the player-experienced storytelling of Skyrim the pinnacle of storytelling? Clearly there's a place for it, and quite possibly a significant place, but I don't think it will ever completely replace more narrative games. Or at least, I hope it won't.
Let's look at it from another angle: that of an author. If I'm creating a story, sometimes I'm happy to try to craft a world that people will want to just play in and create their own stories. But often (and in my case at least, more often) I have a story that I want to tell. After all, there's a reason I'm telling the story in the first place.
This is true of when I run a game of Dungeons and Dragons, too -- some DMs will give full control over the story to the players, and build the narrative around them; while my players clearly control what they do and how they react to the situations around them, they trust me to create a compelling story that they can follow and be a part of, and I enjoy creating a story that puts them at the centre but which I ultimately weave the fabric of. Different strokes for different folks.
And I think when we talk about putting control of a story in the hands of the audience -- and here finally we get to why I'm writing about this on a transmedia blog -- we sometimes put too much emphasis on that, as if no matter what, the story the audience wants to tell is more important than anything else. I think we sometimes underestimate the importance of an author's story.
John Green's NYT-bestselling new novel The Fault in Our Stars could not have been told by his massive and dedicated audience. Giving them that world and situation would certainly not have resulted in the same work of genius that he wrote, and while it might have been a cool experience for those audience members, it wouldn't have been the same experience. And there's a lot to be said for the experience he did create.
I love the ability to create my own character in a world and explore and tell my own story there, but I also want to be told a good story -- especially if I can be made to feel like the hero of the story. When that happens, I'm ok with ceding control, with going along for the ride.
So is there a balance? I think there is. I think there's a way to tell a story, a relatively-linear narrative, while simultaneously giving the audience a place in that story.
One way I think is in the discovered story -- something I think ARGs do a lot. Your role as an audience member is partially to figure out, to uncover, what the story is, and what's going on, even if the hero and all the other characters are controlled by an "author". I think there's a way to have such a story while also generating your own narrative in the way that you experience that story.
I think a benefit of a larger transmedia world can be the ability to have both -- to tell the audience a story or let them discover it, while simultaneously giving them an opportunity to be the hero in their own story.
But clearly not everyone agrees with me. I'd love to hear your thoughts. What makes a good story as an audience member? Do you want to be told? Do the telling? Some combination? Is it possible to find an ideal, or will we always need to understand that different people want different things from their stories, and we can't satisfy them all?

subset: commoncrawl


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Leticia Ribeiro is one of the most revered female BJJ athletes of all time. Come read about this prolific athlete and how she continues to contribute to the art of Jiu-Jitsu.
Tactician (n):someone good at planning tactics: the specific means of accomplishing goals. When it comes to BJJ, Professor Ribeiro is like the keenest tactical general. She leads her garrison into battle with the most efficient and effective strategies in order to dominate their opponents on the mats. Her troops are prepared for what they will be facing and there is not one angle that anyone could approach from for which she is not ready with a counter. Although an adept tactician in her field of BJJ today, once upon a time even Professor Ribeiro was an eager apprentice. It's time to take a look back and see how this sharp woman has become the heroin we have all come to admire.
BJJL: Where did you grow up, what was your childhood like?
LR: I grew up in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil. My childhood was great! I still have a lot of great memories, back then we played a lot in the streets. It was safer more so then than it is today.
BJJL: What did your family think when you decided to start practicing BJJ?
LR: In the beginning it was hard, back then Jiu-Jitsu was a male sport. We had very few women training and competing. Soon as I started to train I fell in love with the sport and I knew that it was what I wanted for my life. After my mom really understood how I serious I was and what this meant to me, she gave me her full support.
BJJL: What was your first competition like?
LR: My first competition was the Copa Gracie. It was in 1995. I was a blue belt. I had three fights and three submissions by arm bar.
BJJL: Who or what motivates you and pushes you to achieve your goals?
LR: In 1996, that was the first time I knew I wanted to be a world Champion. I went to watch the first world championships ever. They didn't have a women's division but it was great to watch the black belts competing for the first time, especially Royler Gracie. I dreamed that one day I would be there and I worked for it.
BJJL: What has been your biggest challenge since you began BJJ?
LR: I think my biggest challenge and goal was to help develop women's BJJ programs all over the world and to make the female divisions stronger. WE DID IT!!!
BJJL: What matchup would you like to have that has never happened?
LR: I have fought ALL tough fighters from my generation and after mine. I can SAY THAT I'm really happy, satisfied with my career. I have achieved a lot as an athlete and a teacher.
BJJL: What is your pet peeve as an instructor?
LR: I don't have anything bad to say about teaching, my students, I love what I do so that makes my job REALLY easy.
BJJL: How does your tournament prep differ from your normal training?
LR: My routine changes, my day completely changes that's why I decided not to compete so much lately. I'm focused on my gym and my students. If I decide to compete again, I will dedicate my whole day, my whole life, towards training.
BJJL: Any charities that you support?
LR: Right now, we are trying to support young talents from Brazil. We are helping them to have a better life living with the sport, just like us.
BJJL: What are your thoughts on the Equal Pay issue in BJJ?
LR: I think it is time for that. I talk about myself and many other fighters that I know. We train hard, we changed and dedicated our life for the sport. We do all that we can to see the sport grow and we ALL DESERVE better opportunities. I know how things once were and how they are, they are MUCH BETTER and getting better and better. I'm so happy with all the progress, even if it is slow but continuous.
BJJL: You truly fight for your students. You walked out onto the mat during World's in 2014 (blue belt match). You wouldn't let your student leave the mat (time had expired) until you had the ref correct his error. This led to your student winning when originally the ref had sided with her opponent. I've NEVER…seen anyone else do that. What prompted you to do it?
LR: Yes, I fight for them now. I know how hard they train and how much they want to be champion. I know being a referee is hard, they have to think fast and mistakes are going to happen. As instructors our jobs are to help referees also. Mistakes at worlds are sad for the sport and for athletes.
BJJL: How has BJJ for women changed in the last 5 years?
LR: I moved to the USA 8 years ago since worlds came back to the US. Things changed a lot for the better, the IBJJF is doing a great job. I can see the progress of the sport at each tournament and seminar that I teach and am so happy to be part of that.
BJJL: Would you like to see BJJ return to submission only?
LR: I would like to see more submission only tournaments, it's fun.
BJJL: Are there any IBJJF rules you would like to see changed or completely removed?
LR: I think right now, the double pull. If they give two points for whoever gets on top, it will stop that a bit. It's boring. They should do something to block it.
BJJL: So many are apt to return to the mat even though they are injured and they reinjure themselves (often worse). What advice can you give on injury prevention and proper recovery?
LR: I've had some injuries in my career but nothing serious thank God. I think the best way to prevent injuries is to workout in order to make your muscles stronger and keep your joints safe.
BJJL: As one of the female legends and pioneers for up and coming female BJJrs…what advice can you offer up?
LR: Believe in yourself, give 120% when training, keep going, dedicate yourself to what you want, DREAM…ACHIEVE.
BJJL: Proudest Moment?
LR: It was 3 years ago when I opened my first academy here in America and now I am opening my 2nd.
BJJL: Long term goals?
LR: I want to change people's lives with Jiu-Jitsu and to be happy.
BJJL: Any regrets?
LR: No.
BJJL: Is there anyone you would like to thank, that you have never had the opportunity to thank for helping you get to where you are today?
LR: I'm thankful for many people in my life. First God, my family, my partner Morango, my friends, my students, and everyone that helped me to get to where I am today.
William Ward said, "the mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires." Professor Ribeiro started out on a journey 2 decades ago. Along with her peers she ushered in a brand new era for BJJ. She is a pioneer in the game, a brilliant professor, and a remarkable inspiration. Her contributions to BJJ will be felt for years to come. She has had a hand (be it directly or indirectly) in developing each generation and helping elevate the game and its competitors to ALL new heights.
In a wheel chair and paralyzed from the last rib down Max is going to compete in the 2015 IBJJF World Championships. A little background on a great warrior. Photos courtesy of Paulo Bihis and Bathala Apparel.
Maximiliano Ulloa is a purple belt under Leticia Ribeiro who trains at Gracie Humaitá South Bay. He's 37 years old and will be fighting as a light weight (157) for the first time in his life.
Max became a paraplegic in 2012 after a fall from a second story balcony pinched spinal cord at level T7. With a T7 injury he has lost the use of his abs as well as his legs and lower back.
Before his injury Max was a 1 strip blue belt.
Max spent 2 months in hospital and 2 weeks in outpatient rehab when insurance only provisioned for 1 PT visit per week. He was home alone for 2 months then his brother moved to California to help. Six months after his accident resumed training because of his failing insurance need for rehab. He trains 8-10 hours a week.
Max took several months to travel across the US alone. He visited family and academies along the way. While he was visiting Miami for two months trained at the Rilion Gracie Academy. With Leticia's blessing Max was awarded his purple belt from Rilion 2014.
Motivated to inspire other spinal cord injury people Max started the non-profit RollingtheWalk.com. He is supported by the great people at Jiu-Jitsu Changed My Life.
Photo Credit:Paulo from Bathala Apparel
Max ->
"Not a Phase, Being Tapped is Part of the Game:" An Interview with 2013 & 2014 IBJJF World Champion Gezary Matuda
Gezary Matuda is the reigning (back-to-back) light-featherweight IBJJF World Jiu-Jitsu Champion. At the finals, Gezary ("Ge") beat Ariadne de Oliveira from team Maestre Wilson in a bracket that consisted of the all-time great Leticia Ribeiro, as well as the talented Nyjah Easton. Ge fights for American Top Team out of Coconut Creek, Florida, having received her black belt in 2012 from Ricardo Liborio. Her first instructor was Alexandre "Penão" Conceição, a 6th degree Carlson Gracie black belt who is one of the most regarded but underpublicized jiu-jitsu instructors in the world. (Penao was Anderson Silva's BJJ coach and Stephan Kesting raved about him in one of his blog entries after attending a seminar.) Born in Curitiba, Paraná, in 1984, Ge and her husband, Katel Kubis, the ATT pro-team Muay Thai coach, moved to the United States in 2009. They live in Deerfield Beach.
Ge's demeanor is always bright and friendly. She's one of those positive, forward-looking people whose expansive personality makes them seem much larger than they physically are. Fighting at 118 lbs., she overwhelms with her brightness. The undershirt she wore at the Worlds was a white tank top by Slept Fightware with a large red-lipstick kiss imprint on the front and the words "Don't let the looks fool you!" on the back. Ge and Katel are very good-looking. They seem like they were paired on purpose for style magazines. As if life wasn't unfair enough for the rest of us, they can both destroy another human being in about five seconds: Katel has a knockout highlight reel, and Ge has an arm-bar one floating on the web.
Perhaps because of the striking influence (not just from Katel, Ge was originally a Muay Thai fighter), her game is an intense assault on your senses, as if possessed by the demon of speed. Standing, she goes for takedowns, preferring to shoot in. Even when she pulls guard, she goes for an immediate tripod sweep, not letting her opponents rest mentally at any point. She has talons for grips and is relentlessly throwing submission attacks and wave after wave of sweeps. Her motor revs at the redline the whole match. She forces you to reach her intensity, both physically and mentally. After my encounters with her, I have always left with the clear thought: this is what a world champion looks like, acts, and feels like. Her warm up drills turns legs to jelly.
Aside from her wins, Ge is most proud of and happy whenever she sees a flourishing women's jiu-jitsu program. She is a strong advocate for women in the martial art. I had the chance to interview Gezary Matuda last week. I was extremely impressed with her positivity that's measured by her understanding of the difficulty of the sport. Below, she gives one of the best answers to overcoming the "tapping out phase" all Jiu-Jiterios encounter when they first begin.
1) Gezary, congratulations on your amazing win. I'd like to start by simply asking how does it FEEL to be the champion? What sacrifices did you make and how did your family, teammates, and sponsors help?
It's magical to see your dream come true! I was beside people that were with me all the time from the beginning of camp, and then we got to celebrate together at the end, it's priceless!
This is the result of a lot of effort, dedication, and hard work with my team. This couldn't be possible done alone. I feel blessed for having with me my coaches, teammates; all of them helped me by not making my training easy. It didn't matter if I cried, they made me go beyond my limit.
Also my sponsors Shoyoroll and Slept Fightware that believed in me, I am glad to have them support me.
2) When you were a white belt, did you envision becoming a multiple time world champion across all your ranks? (Gezary is a 5-time champion: 2 at black, 1 at brown, 1 at purple, and 1 at blue.) Who identified your talent early on and how did that person motivate you to work hard for the next ten years to reach where you are today?
When I was a white belt, I used to watch the girls that today I have the honor to fight at black belt. I always wanted to fight and my dream was be a Black Belt World Champion! And now I am, twice! My first teacher was Alexandre Penão (black belt from Carlson Gracie). I am so thankful for everything he taught me. He always supported me and put me to fight. At that time there wasn't a lot of girls fighting in Curitiba and I usually have to fight with heavier girls than me. And he always said, "you can do that, believe!" And here I am 10 years later. I kept his words in my mind: believe you can do that!
3) How would you describe your game? During the Worlds, how do you maintain focus when someone else tries to impose their game?
My game is the game plan that my coaches set for me at my camp. I never change what I was trained to do. If I can't do it the first time, I keep going and adapting until I can put everything in practice. I don't give up when my opponent imposes their game. I keep my game plan until the last second of the fight!
4) Can you give your thoughts on the two major rule changes this year? (The 20 second double-guard pull and the knee reap rules.)
I agree with the new rule of double pull. The fights got more dynamic and the advantage point encouraged the fighters to rise. I think these changes are important to Jiu-Jitsu's evolution for competition.
5) When you teach, what is your advice to white belts to get them through that phase where they are being "tapped" by everyone?
I believe that's not a phase. Being tapped is part of the game. It's a sign that you're learning! Look at the bright side. This happens at sports and at life, too. Jiu-Jitsu is selective, the most dedicated are the ones that keep going. I identify with Rocky's phrase: "It's not about how hard you hit, but how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward."
6) Finally, what advice do you give to women Jiu-Jiteiras, especially beginners, to keep them in Jiu-Jitsu?
I would love to see even more Jiu-Jiteiras on the mat! Girls have a lot of fun. Keep on training and don't give up the first time it becomes difficult! Talk to your teacher, and make your goals clear. If you're thinking about competing, don't think it will be easy! You'll never see how far you can go if you give up!
Thank you, Aiseop and BJJ Legends, for the opportunity. I am very happy to have done this interview.
Gezary Matuda is available for workshops, seminars, or camps. She is a highly regarded teacher.
She gratefully accepts inquiries through:
Leticia Ribeiro, Beatriz Mesquita and Carol Vidal inspired younger generations of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu grapplers at their recent camp.
If you missed the Leticia Ribeiro Women's Grappling Camp (not to rub it in), but you REALLY missed out. The camp was an eye-opening experience, an inside look into the inner workings of champs, and most of all, it was truly an uplifting experience for women and girls of all ages and skill levels. Sixty women and girls from 26 academies traveled from all across Texas and Oklahoma. One woman traveled from as far away as Puerto Rico to participate in the Leticia Ribeiro Women's Grappling Camp in Arlington, Texas.
Read the rest here and check out the gallery by Mean Streak Photography->
I went to this camp in LA. Knocked my socks off my bare feet! I'm a black belt and I've been training for 15 years. I've trained with a lot of wonderful people. I have never trained with 4 world champions on the same day in the same room. If you've got an problem with your technique there WILL be someone in that room who's gone through it too.My hat is off to the Gracie Humaita Women's team. They are an aspiration.
This could be you (LA WOMAN) Register: http://leticiacampla2012.eventbrite.com/
JITSPLAYER.COM is a special projects jiu-jitsu site from NAKAMA BRAND. They provided this to us, BJJ Legends - jiu-jitsu magazine - Aimed to deliver creative and imaginative media content that celebrates the players who embody the lifestyle. JITSPLAYER- beast mode on the battleground | NAKAMA
REGISTER AT: http://LeticiaCAMPLA2012.eventbrite.com/
Attention all female Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu fighters/grapplers: here is your chance to train with Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu World Champion LETICIA RIBEIRO, 3rd degree black belt under Royler Gracie (who appeared in BJJ Legends, jiu-jitsu magazine) and leader of the Gracie Humaitá women's team, one of the best female fight teams of all time. Join us in Los Angeles for a three-day Gi and No-Gi grappling camp exclusively for women, led by Leticia and her talented team members, including Penny Thomas, Bia Mesquita, Mackenzie Dern among others.
This is a very exciting opportunity to sharpen your Jiu-Jitsu skills with one of the world's best female fighters. This camp is OPEN TO ALL TEAMS, SCHOOLS, and LEVELS. Come learn the techniques, strategies, and approaches to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu that have made Leticia one of the most dominate forces in the sport today!
Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is a uniquely universal art. With its broad arsenal of techniques, strategies, and styles, one of the many qualities that makes it so unique is that anyone can learn and make it their own, regardless of size, gender, age, or strength. Because of this, it's no surprise that a growing subculture in the sport of BJJ is women practitioners.
Of course, women continue to be an unfortunate minority in a predominantly male sport, but that doesn't stop them from connecting and finding ways to train in the sport they love.
A recent trend in BJJ has become events held exclusively for women. Open mats, tournaments, and seminars have all been on the rise in the past few years, thanks to the efforts of women passionate about the sport and determined to empower others on their Jiu Jitsu journey. One of these women is Mollii Khangsengsing, a purple belt under Eduardo Rocha in Oakland, California. Mollii is the founder and coordinator of the Sweaty Betties, an all-women's BJJ group dedicated to "foster a positive, supportive, safe, and fun training environment for women in which to learn and practice BJJ regardless of their school affiliation."
We are excited that Leticia Ribeiro is coming back to Texas to teach another all women seminar, this time in Austin. After last year's success in Dallas and San Antonio she is coming back with her protegee Bia Mesquita to teach at Relson Gracie Jiu-Jitsu (http://www.gracieaustin.com). It's especially exciting since the gym in Austin is run by a female brown belt Christy Thomas. So it is a total women powered event.
Here is the registration link:


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A great car? Depends on who you ask
How the 2014 Ford Fiesta Titanium changed my view of driving
The 2014 Ford Fiesta makes its way to the top of the subcompact segment.
The Ford F-150's "other" V-6 engine falls short on fuel economy, still has plenty of kick
The 2013 Ford Fusion Energi offers 21 miles of all-electric range.
The 2013 Ford C-Max Hybrid SEL goes tire-to-tire with the Toyota Prius V, but does it come out on top?
The 2013 Ford Taurus SHO attempts to put a premium spin on the full size sedan. Does it succeed?
Ford's resident leviathan bowls into 2013 with minor changes, same stout substance
After nearly a decade, the wait is over. Ford's hot hatch is back.
Can the 2013 Ford Fusion cash the check written by its redesigned exterior?
Smaller engine adds frugality and fun. What's not to like?
LA Woman: If they said I never loved you, Ford Mustang GT, you know they are a liar.
Like Pinocchio, the Ford Focus Electric declares, "I'm a real car!"
The 2013 Ford C-Max Energi is the first car to out-Prius the Prius.
The 2013 Ford Flex is the best station wagon you'll never know.


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donderdag 7 juli 2016
Een beetje luieren / A bit lazing around
18 opmerkingen:
- Elizabeth S zei
Greetings Ilona! Yesterday I was visiting Birgit's blog and saw a familiar face sitting around the table enjoying a Strawberry Tea and I thought "Wait a minute, whose blog am I on?", because there was your Schepje! I knew that if he was there, then you could be too far behind! ;P
How nice for you and Birgit to get together to visit and the gifts- hers to you and you to her, are all Beautiful!!!
What a fun hobby this is where strangers can meet up and become friends in person as well as on line. God bless us all! :D
Have fun being lazy while you can Ilona, because the summer will be over before you know it!
- 7 juli 2016 om 23:27
- Isabel Ruiz Alonso zei
¡Qué bien Ilona! Es estupendo poder conocer en persona a todos aquellos que admiramos en el blog. Me alegro que hayas disfrutados de ello.
Feliz verano. Aunque no salgas de tu ciudad, también hay muchas formas de disfrutar de esta época del año.
- 8 juli 2016 om 00:13
- Daydreamer zei
Dear Ilona, I will miss your blog posts while you are on "vacation" at home! But I will know you are busy making fantastic and beautiful minis for all the lucky people who go to the Fair! It was so wonderful to read that you and Schepje visited with Birgit and the BiWuBeareys!! What fun that must have been! And also to have a visit with Elga! I have looked at her miniatures on her blog with Amazement and know she is having a great time at Castine! I hope you enjoy a little bit of "lazy days" in your summer too!
- 8 juli 2016 om 00:46
- Susanna Zanchi zei
Happy summer Ilona!Un abbraccio!
- 8 juli 2016 om 08:23
- Elga zei
I had lots of fun visiting with you Ilona, it was great to finally meet you in person. I would love to come again one day when I fly through Europe, I enjoy having so many friends all over the world! :-) And how nice that you could spend time with Birgit too!
- 8 juli 2016 om 11:24
- Giac zei
Hallo Ilona,
Hoe mooi dat je te ontmoeten 2 geweldig en vriendelijk kunstenaars. Het moet zo leuk geweest! Geniet van de rest van de zomer.
Grote knuffel
- 8 juli 2016 om 13:15
- Drora's minimundo zei
What a small world ours is and how wonderful that online friends can meet in person. Like Elizabeth, I too, was confused looking at the first photo.
Lovely gifts exchanged. Enjoy all.
I'll miss your posts while you prepare for the show but I know we'll get to see and enjoy your creations. Good luck and happy creating days.
Hugs, Drora
- 8 juli 2016 om 20:02
- The Old Maid zei
Happy summer to you, Ilona!
It must have been a lot of fun to meet the ladies we all know from blogger. :D I am sure you all enjoyed the time together and it was a great idea to take Shepje with you!
Have fun creating new miniatures for the fair!
- 8 juli 2016 om 21:39
- Contrastes-Rosa Mª zei
Que maravilla conocer a Elga y a Birgit, compartir las experiencias de nuestro mundo mini.
Sus rosas preciosas,que pases un feliz verano,besos:-)
- 8 juli 2016 om 23:44
- BiWuBär zei
Hopefully your summer break is only because of preparing for the fair... and not because I made you walk for miles and miles through Kiel and Plön... *LOL* It's somehow unbelievable that only one week ago we've been together - I will always treasure these 1 1/2 days! Fluby, Rosey and Bowler were having an It-was-soooooo-good-to-see-Schepje-again-Kaffeeklatsch today... although I suspect this to be one half happiness about meeting Schepje again and one half just for having an excuse and a reason to simply enjoy a Kaffeeklatsch. I don't need to tell you that these furry guys are smart when it comes to things like these - sometimes I wonder where they got this from... *coughcough* I'm wishing to you a wonderful summer and good progress on creating many, many miracle pieces for the next fair and I'm really looking forward to see you back to blogland!
- 9 juli 2016 om 17:41
- Nono zei
Geniet van je zomer, Ilona! Ik ben gisteren terug van Canada en leest jouw laatste text. Leuk, de bezoek van Birgit! Mooie vazen en bloemen!
- 10 juli 2016 om 14:53
- miniacollection zei
It's always so nice to meet fellow miniaturists from all over the world. Have a great summer!
- 10 juli 2016 om 18:55
- Fabiola zei
It's nice to meet online miniaturists. Beautiful gifts.
Happy summer!
- 11 juli 2016 om 15:59
- Tessa Liduina zei
Wat leuk dat je twee mede-bloggers hebt kunnen ontmoeten. Ik kan me voorstellen dat je het druk hebt en niet al teveel kunt posten en reageren; hetzelfde geld voor mij :-(
Succes met de werkzaamheden voor de show in oktober. Je zult vast weer met prachtige miniaturen te vinden zijn.
- 13 juli 2016 om 12:05
- Cinderella Moments zei
You're having tons of fun! I love all the minis! The cows are beautiful too!
- 18 juli 2016 om 19:19
- 17-17 zei
Fantastic flowers and all minis, I love them!
Happy Summer Ilona!
- 23 juli 2016 om 21:32
- ANNA zei
Quedria enviarte mi blog para que lo mires haved que te parece gracias
- 8 augustus 2016 om 14:15
- Hannah zei
How wonderful to have meet two mini-friends! I'm so happy for you! I'm still on a blog-break here, but I suddenly missed reading your blog, so here in the middle of the night I had to stop by =) Wishing you a nice and creative autumn =)
(saw some cows in another post, LOVE them! and your flowers are beautiful as always!!)
Hugs Hannah
- 8 september 2016 om 23:47


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Karen Hartman
Karen Hartman
Marcel Antons
Karen Hartman
Louise Cunningham
WDC/Regina Asmutis-Silvia
Karen Hartman
Rodrigo Hucke-Gaete
Bruce Mactavish
Sei whale
Sei whales are the least known of the rorqual family, and at sea they may be confused with other rorqual whales, including the fin whale and the Bryde's whale. It has also been known to mate with the fin whale and produce at least first generation young. Currently two sub-species of sei whale are recognised; B. b. borealis - the northern sei whale, and B. b. schlegelii - the southern sei whale. The names 'pollack whale', 'coalfish whale', and 'sardine whale' arose from the fact that the sei whale generally showed up at the same time as those species. In fact the name "sei" comes from the Norwegian word for pollack, "sei".
Unlike the Bryde's whale with three ridges on the top of its head, the sei whale has a single ridge that runs from the tip of the snout to its two blowholes. It also lacks the asymmetrical white lower jaw found in fin whales. It skims the water for food while swimming and has short ventral pleats and fine baleen with densely packed bristles which increase the efficiency of feeding. The sei has a sickle-shaped dorsal fin. The tail fluke is rarely seen above the surface, though during shorter, shallower dives, the 'fluke prints' it leaves in the water enable it to be followed. Colouration of the sei whale ranges from greyish blue to dark grey to brownish in some individuals.
The sei whale does not gulp-feed like the other whales in its family and while swimming, the dorsal fin and back remain visible for longer periods of time than with the other large whales. The sei will breach occasionally, and at a low angle, after which it flops onto its belly. Sei whales are very fast. When the animal is swimming the blowholes and dorsal fin are visible at the same time. Sei whales are found in nearly all waters of the world, including the sub-Arctic and sub-Antarctic where they go for summer feeding, but not in the Mediterranean or Baltic seas. They are usually seen in small groups, although when food is plentiful many more may be seen. They are thought to migrate into warmer, lower latitudes for the winter. They are most common in the southern hemisphere. Northern hemisphere and southern hemisphere populations do not mix. Sei whales may be seen close to island shores, but are rarely seen inshore elsewhere.
Sei whale populations were severely depleted by the commercial whaling industry. They are classified as Endangered (IUCN 2008). As with other large whales, they are threatened by noise and chemical pollution, vessel strikes, global warming, sonar and entanglement in fishing gear.


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The first public concert of Eric Saade in Moscow
On December the 3rd Eric Saade will give a concert in Moscow. Brand Armani Exchange invites all to attend the amazing show; during one hour Eric will perform new hits and also popular "Girl from Sweden" and "Wide Awake". After the show you may take an autograph and make a photo with the singer.
This is the first solo performance of Eric in Russia. Eric Saade is a frequent singer on radio stations in Moscow. This year, his track "Wide Awake (Red Mix)" reached the top of Russian charts, entering the Top 5 Shazam, Top 20 iTunes, Tophit 100. In addition, Eric Saade often became the winner of music awards in his native country, and took the first places in the charts of Sweden and Europe.
Anyone may enjoy the concert of Eric Saade. In addition to the live show, the guests will be provided with pleasant gifts from the brand Armani Exchange.
Sincerely yours, ericsaade.ru
Развернуть >>
CIS&REST © Ericsaade.ru. 2011-2016. Посетителей с 21.04.2011: 265435 Посетителей с 31.12.2017
: 8744


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Members of the Illinois House and advocates on both sides of the gun issue are debating whether civilians need to be armed with military-style assault rifles.
The House Judiciary Committee had its third gun hearing in two weeks on Thursday.
Chicago Democratic Rep. Edward Acevedo (ah-sih-VAY'-doh) wants to ban assault weapons. He says civilians don't need them.
National Rifle Association lobbyist Todd Vandermyde says law-abiding gun owners use them for self-defense, hunting and sports shooting.
Gov. Pat Quinn has been pushing a ban on semi-automatic, high-capacity rifles since before the Connecticut school massacre last month. That and a federal court ruling ordering Illinois to eliminate its ban on carrying concealed handguns have put firearms back on center stage in the Legislature.
(Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)


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Attacks on education are any intentional threat or use of force—carried out for political, military, ideological, sectarian, ethnic, religious, or criminal reasons—against students, educators, and education institutions.
You are hereHome › Initiatives ›
Strengthening Monitoring and Reporting of Attacks on Education
Timely and accurate monitoring and reporting of attacks on education is crucial for responding to attacks, for holding perpetrators accountable, and for seeking to prevent attacks from occurring in the first place. Yet reliable, first-hand information may be difficult to collect as areas most vulnerable to attacks may be the least accessible because of poor security and infrastructure.
Those with the greatest access to information or responsibility to monitor may lack skills, resources, or motivation to monitor, or may face serious security threats to their own safety or that of witnesses. Reporting systems may be weak or non-existent or not linked to effective responses. Monitoring and reporting of attacks on higher education is particularly lacking.
Governments, and relevant UN bodies, NGOs, and others should monitor, report, and respond to attacks on education. The UN-led Monitoring and Reporting Mechanism on Children and Armed Conflict (MRM) (established by Security Council Resolution 1612 in 2005) has an explicit mandate to monitor attacks on schools, teachers, and students, as well as military use of schools. Based on this information, the UN Security Council can take strong action against parties that attack education.
Education under attack 2014
GCPEA has taken over responsibility from UNESCO for producing the Education under Attack series. Education under Attack 2007 was the first major document specifically addressing worldwide attacks on students, teachers, and educational institutions during armed conflict and insecurity. The more extensive 2010 volume brought this issue to the fore, highlighting the severity of the problem. It served as a crucial advocacy tool in the lead up to Security Council Resolution 1998 (2011), which made attacks on schools and hospitals a trigger offense to the monitoring and reporting mechanism on children and armed conflict. With Education under Attack 2014, GCPEA expands this advocacy function by feeding into the post-2015 agenda setting on education and development frameworks.
GCPEA Advocacy
GCPEA engages in advocacy with members of the UN Security Council, other states, and international treaty bodies to promote the strengthening of existing monitoring and reporting systems as well as the creation of new systems where needed. Following its work with other organizations in advocating for Security Council Resolution 1998 in 2011, the Coalition has continued to urge member states to highlight the problem of attacks on education and military use of schools during Security Council debates. During the 2013 annual debate on children and armed conflict, sixteen states referred to the issue in their statement at the debate, including Canada, which spoke on behalf of the Friends of Children and Armed Conflict, which represents some 38 states. The Coalition is also advocating for treaty bodies to raise the issue of attacks on education and military use of education institutions in their questions to states as part of their standard practice, and to incorporate comments on these issues in their concluding observations when relevant. The Coalition is thus submitting reports to treaty bodies when they examine states where attacks on education or military use are taking place. The submissions identify attacks and military use that is occurring, and suggest questions to put to the state.
The Coalition urges:
- States, local organizations, and relevant international agencies to rigorously monitor attacks against education and use that information to devise effective, coordinated responses, including preventive interventions, rapid response, and both legal and non-legal accountability measures for perpetrators.
- Country task forces of the UN-led Monitoring and Reporting Mechanism (MRM) on grave violations against children in situations of armed conflict to enhance the monitoring and reporting of attacks on schools, students, teachers and other persons related to the school (protected persons); threats of attacks against protected persons; and actions by parties to the conflict which impede children's access to education, including the military use of schools, as requested by the Security Council in Resolution 1998 of July 2011.
- UN human rights monitoring mechanisms, including the Committee on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights; the Human Rights Committee; the Committee on the Rights of the Child, and the Human Rights Council and its special procedures, including the Special Rapporteur on the Right to Education, to give greater attention to monitoring and reporting on attacks on education.
Additional Resources
- Submission to the Committee on the Rights of the Child upon its examination of the State Report of Ethiopia September 8, 2014
- Submission to the Committee on the Rights of the Child upon its examination of the State Report of Nepal September 8, 2014
- Submission to the Committee on the Rights of the Child upon its examination of the State Report of Mexico August 12, 2014
- Submission to the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women Discussion on Girls'/Women's Right to Education (Article 10) July 7, 2014
- Attacks on Education Should Lead Security Council Debate March 7, 2014
- Submission on the Third and Fourth Periodic Report of India to the Committee on the Rights of the Child August 15, 2013
- Submission on the combined initial and second periodic report of Afghanistan to the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women June 28, 2013
- GCPEA Priorities for the Protection of Schools, Teachers, and Students in the 2013 Security Council Debate on Children and Armed Conflict June 2, 2013
- UN: 'List of Shame' Cites School Attacks: Security Council Should Impose Sanctions for Targeting Children, Teachers June 12, 2012
- UN Security Council: Protect Schools, Hospitals in War Zones Armed Groups Should Comply with New Global Initiative July 13, 2011
- GCPEA Briefing Note June 24, 2011: Expanding the Monitoring & Reporting Mechanism (MRM) June 24, 2011
The Problem
Attacks on education violate the right to education and other internationally protected human rights applicable at all times.
Attacks on students, educators, and education institutions can have a devastating impact on access to education and education systems and on a society's overall development in the long-term.


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IBPS Clerk Mains-V GK Questions Asked In 2nd Shift Day-1
International Maritime Organization Headquarters.
Answer : London
Kanha National Park is located in
Answer : Madhya Pradesh
BRICS Headquarters is located in
Answer : Shanghai
SAARC Summit 2016 to be held in
Answer : Islamabad
Capital city of Turkey
Answer : Ankara
What is the Currency of Russia?
Answer : Ruble
Accidental Insurance Cover comes under
Answer : PMSBY (Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojna)
Where is the place IDFC Headquarters
Answer : Mumbai, Maharashtra
Recently Laxmi Vilas Bank has introduced its co-branded credit card in association with which bank
Answer : SBI
Who is the winner of Macau Open 2016 winner
Answer : PV Sindhu
_________ has earned itself a place in the Guinness Book of World Records for the state government's green drive under which 10 lakh saplings were planted in one day within a span of eight hours.
Answer : Uttar Pradesh
Who is the Prime Minister of United Kingdom
Answer : David Cameron
Subir Gokaran is appointed as
Answer : Executive Director
12th Jan is celebrated as National Youth Day in memory of
Answer : Swami Vivekanand
5-10 Lakhs loan limits under mudra yojna comes under
Answer : Tarun Shishu Kishore
What is the Full form of ECR ?
Answer : Earnings Credit Rate
OMO is an instrument of
Answer : RBI
Conversion of Physical Security in Electronic Form
Answer : DEMAT
Where is located the Indian Overseas Bank Headquarter
Answer : Chennai
BASEL norms is related to
Answer : Banking
Date of implementation of Bharat Stage Vth
Answer : 2019
IBPS Clerk Mains-V GK Questions Asked In 2nd Shift Day-1 Reviewed by SSC IBPS on 18:09:00 Rating:


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BX Series
Find prior models if available
Start with the strength and versatility of a compact utility tractor. Blend them with the agile handling of 4WD and the feel of a garden tractor. Add new upgraded features, then reinforce the end product with incomparable reliability, and you've got the Kubota BX-Series.


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Bag Shot – What's in your bag? Part 2
Uncategorized /
by Bellamy /1 min read
Remember this? Well, it is back.
I love my camera bags, and I love to see what is inside other peoples camera bag. With that in mind I have decided to run a what is in your bag feature. So, first up we have my most recent acquisition. My limited edition Domke beams edition F-2. Today I have the Canon 7 black paint, film case, moleskine, phone, spare phone battery and the Fujifilm GS645S medium format camera. Not much, really, there is tons more space available in this cavern of a bag.
Now, as this is a feature, and as I only have so many bags, what I need is YOU! Send me your bag shot and get it featured on the site.
What I need from you:
1. A high resolution horizontal image. Please not vertical images, I cannot use them. More than one is fine, but no more than three.
2. Details. Give me details people, about you, about your gear, about your photography. The more details the better.
3. Contact info. Do you tweet? Let me have that info. Twitter, tumblr, blog, flickr the more the merrier.
There has been a great response so far, but I need more! So keep them coming. I promise I will feature every bag that I get sent (as long as it isn't full of kittens or porn).
2 comments on "Bag Shot – What's in your bag? Part 2"
Its all so neat! My camera bags are all filled with folded up polaroid negatives, film wrappers, business cards, stashes of film, pens, notepads, hard candies…. hmm sounds more like a purse/murse actually. Anyhow, pic coming.
What's that boxy thing with the Crumpler logo on it? Looks like you use it for storing film rolls — where can you find one?


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I'm not sure if this is typical cat behavior or not, but Periwinkle likes to give us "kisses." Well, I guess technically she thinks she's cleaning us. But we like to think we're getting some lovin' from our cat.
Sometimes they come out of the blue. But usually you have to work for them. First you have to pet her. Then, you nuzzle your nose on the top of her head. After you've done that, she might lift her head up. If so, then you tuck your forehead under her chin. And, if she is so inclined, you might get a kiss. A sand-papery kiss.
I managed to catch it on film using my cellphone the other day. Usually it comes out all blurry. But you can actually see her tongue on Dan's forehead if you look close enough.
Dan is the one who gets multiple kisses in one sitting. Mainly because she works her way to the hair line when she kisses you. Being that my hair is long, once she gets to it, she stops. But since the Hubby has short hair, she'll just keep going and going and going...you get the picture.
This particular day, she decided to keep going towards the Hubby's nose and lips. She started by sniffing them both out. When she got to his mouth, she gave one small kiss.....
Anyone else have a cat that likes to give kisses? I know dogs are infamous for it, but I've never seen cats do it.


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A group of unions called in their top national negotiators Monday to help fight a Walt Disney World proposal for a two-year wage freeze that would affect 7,400 Disney workers.
A similar wage-freeze proposal led to a strike at Disneyland in California last year. A union negotiator said Monday that a strike in Florida is a possibility if the company sticks by the plan for a wage freeze.


text: By Clarissa Allison | July 8th, 2016 Monorail Lighting Monorail Lighting is an inventive alternative to conventional track lighting. Monorail is a low or line-voltage, two-conductor rail that can be cut to custom lengths before installation. It is available in single-or two-circuit configurations, and sections may be joined together using connectors, to create longer runs.… Read more


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Wednesday, August 13, 2014
Soma Saga Running A Prototype Efneo Gearbox
Efneo is a Polish company that has been developing a three-speed crank/bottom bracket gearbox. They picked up one our frame to test their latest prototype on. And they sent us this picture. The design is very minimalistic and compact. The gearing is equivalent to a 45-33-24t crank. It is compatible with conventional rear gearing or you can run it by itself -- say on a fixed gear. You can shift with the pedals still, something difficult to do with a front derailleur. Also the shift action is much quicker than with a front derailleur, says Efneo.
We don't know when this will make production or what the price will be, but they are doing pre-sales at 15% off the regular price. www.efneo.com
Labels: new product, prototype, saga touring, technology
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I'm impressed at the pace of it all! (My greedy little gamer hands are loving it!)
As a game I'm involved in evolves, usually through new rules or supplements, I think it's valuable to reasses the game as a whole. Bolt Action was different, if only slightly, before Armies of Germany came out. Since, it's changed multiple times, at the release of every new rule, leaving us with what might end up being a different game than the one we started with.
This is almost always perceived both positively and negatively by players. Player A liked a certain unit before its rules were changed, and now likes the rules less. Player B disliked that same unit before the rules were changed, and now likes the rules more. I think that each "Armies of" book has improved the game, and look forward to seeing what subsequent "Armies of" books will do to Bolt Action.
Taking the game as a whole, and identifying every individual part that's been changed, even at this early stage, would involve something much grander than the scope these articles undertake. That being true, I've decided to focus on only infantry in this small article. Many of these points won't be changes to pre-existing rules at all, but significant facts about Bolt Action that players must be cognizant of moving forward. That is, of course, until the next big change comes out that changes everything!
Bearing all this in mind, remember that this is an infantry article. Wacky, outlier vehicles, like my old favorite the Churchill Crocodile, have a big effect on game balance as well; and that factors into overall balance in Bolt Action. This is an infantry article, though, so remember that going forward.
|Dreaded American small arms!
Comprehending the power of a rifle-equipped American soldier in Bolt Action took a few games for me, and the scary part is, I'm pretty sure the realization hasn't fully set in yet. In every spatial-manipulation combat game I've played, a standard by which all other units are measured has been more or less perceived by the games' players. Be it a pawn in chess, a Space Marine in 40K, or even a piece in checkers, there's some sort of bar set for your expectations. Yes, even boring old checkers had different "units", and while the difference between an American rifleman and any other nation's might not be as profound as the difference between a piece and a king in checkers, it's still a big deal!
At first glance, it might not seem a big deal to a new player. American riflemen don't suffer the same penalty other riflemen suffer when firing on the move - a fairly innocuous sentence, right? Or at least, that was my opinion: "I've played a lot of WWII games in many genres and those Garands are just their thing. It all evens out in the long run, because of..." Except, in Bolt Action, I'm not sure that there's yet a word that fits at the end of that sentence. What really does even out the American rifleman advantage?
Before you can critically think about it at all, you've got to start out with one declaration of fact:
An American rifleman costs the same as any other nation's rifleman, but is better than any other nation's rifleman.
Once that's out of the way, state another truth:
Riflemen, most likely, make up the majority of one's force in Bolt Action.
If you're at all like me, even this might fail to sway you in your perception of American infantry. I've got to see things in action, on the tabletop, before I can really wrap my brain around them. That's when things get worse, or better if you're playing Americans!
Die roll after die roll, situation after situation, you sit back and watch the Americans shoot, move, and communicate better than the other nations' forces. A German player advances his squad of five rifles against an enemy, and rolls five dice needed anything from a 4 to a 6+6. An American player advances his squad of five rifles against an enemy, and in every situation, is roughly 17% more likely to score a hit. In a situation where the target unit is hit at a -3 penalty (behind hard cover and down, or behind hard cover while the shooter has one pin marker) something fairly common in Bolt Action, Americans need only roll a 6 to hit, while every other rifleman in the game needs to roll a 6, followed by another 6, to hit, because they suffer a penalty for firing on the move.
I'm not claiming that there's a balance issue with Americans. I don't have the game experience with and against them to make that kind of claim. I'm only saying that the American Rifleman is better than anyone else's rifleman, for the same cost.
I will admit, however, that it's hard to say "I'm not claiming there's a balance issue with Americans," and "...the American Rifleman is better than anyone else's rifleman, for the same cost," with a straight face.
Let's not be hasty, though. Who knows how the other units available to each nation in their "Armies of" books balances this rifleman factor out?
|Hey! I can finally use images from the Pacific! Thanks, Bolt Action!
Early battle reports from Dano and I will show to the uninitiated that American airpower was mighty mighty before the release of the FAQ/Errata! Our early games were characterized by a brutal, painful, waiting period before the airpower arrived. These periods could generally be characterized by statements like, "Things are going pretty poorly for you, but you haven't called your air in yet." Or the ever popular, "I would have already won if not for your air!" Once it did finally come in, air strikes went a little something like this:
(At the end of a turn.)
Dano: I issue a fire order to my Forward Air Observer. It calls-in air on your StuG.
(I sigh, and my shoulders slump.)
Me: OK...
(I weep a single tear at the start of the next turn. Dano callously throws a tissue at me.)
Dano: Let's see if the air comes in...
(A fateful die roll. 50/50 chance!)
Dano: Yup! Here it comes. Let's see what it rolls... OK I hit nine times at +4 pen. Time for the results!
Six or so pins, plus usually an immobilized result, and maybe a fire as well, generally occurred, if the tank didn't explode immediately. It was awful. It wasn't a matter of *if* air would kill my vehicles outright, but *when*. To make matters worse, the Americans could do this twice during a game for the price of one observer!
Thankfully, for game balance's sake, HE no longer works this way. For a detailed breakdown on how HE now works, please refer to the FAQ/Errata Warlord Games recently published. Now, armoured vehicles only suffer the results of one hit from these terrifying HE weapons, however every other unit is still a victim to the HE threat.
Regardless, this was a welcome change. The game is better for it.
Unfortunately, I bought a Soviet list with two 152mm guns before they made this change. I want my money back!
|+5 points. Yes, please.
For +5 points, your German (and only German) rifleman can be turned into an assault rifleman. For those 5 points, he gains an extra shot when firing, an extra swing in close combat, and ignores the movement penalty for firing. Being the only infantry in the game that can enjoy the benefits of an assault rifle, some could say that the German player has an advantage. In fact, it could be argued, that the assault rifle advantage is greater than the American rifle advantage. (Of course, only American players would argue this.) Regardless, it's a powerful ability.
In fact, I view playing as Germans as merely the admission ticket to purchasing assault rifles; at least from an infantry point of view. With American rifleman, my points buy a superior soldier. With German rifleman, my points buy me access to assault rifles. I do not think that assault rifles are the end-all be-all of Bolt Action. There is a significant point investment involved in upgrading riflemen to assault riflemen, unlike the American rifleman that receives his bonus at no additional cost. However, once upgraded, the assault rifleman becomes the best soldier in the game.
Back to the LMGs - the idea of assault rifle superiority becomes most apparent when comparing the cost of an LMG upgrade to an assault rifle upgrade. One LMG upgrade costs a player 20 points, and with those points, the player gains one extra die in shooting. In addition, three of his shooting dice are now capable of hitting targets at 30" instead of merely 24". On the other hand, a player could buy four assault rifles for those same 20 points. With them, he gains four shots, four swings in close combat, and a loss of movement penalty for the assault rifles when they are firing. Certainly, an extra six inches of range from an LMG is handy, occasionally, but the benefits of the assault rifle far outweigh those of the LMG, in my opinion.
|The benefit of playing Soviets? More Soviets!
The Soviets have the most character-defining special ability in the game, without it effecting game balance much. Every Soviet player you play against, regardless of his list, will cause you to feel outnumbered. As everyone knows, the Soviet player gets a free inexperienced squad in his army list. This is a fine advantage, to be sure, as extra bodies on the battlefield are always beneficial; and in Bolt Action, order dice are the queens of the tabletop. However, inexperienced infantry evaporates before enemy fire. It cannot be used in the same way as other classes of infantry in the game, and it even lacks in the shooting department compared to other infantry. Regardless of its effect on the game - which I feel is minimal compared to other nation's abilities - the free squad makes a list feel more "Russian". Everyone wants to see more Soviet units, and the free squad provides that "more" that everyone expects.
Of all the nations, the Soviet player receives the most symbiotic benefit from his two national abilities. A Soviet player is encouraged to play with the "quality of quantity" mantra in mind. Those inexperienced units are less likely to flee the table, given the other Soviet national ability that allows for rerolls to morale tests to flee. So yes, while more inexperienced Soviets will fall before opponents' fire, they will stay on the field longer than anyone else's troops, when it comes to morale tests.
All that said, I've yet to see Soviets on the table. I have an idea as to how I would play them, given their abilities; and I don't think they would play at a heavy disadvantage against Germans, given those same abilites, but I must confess that I've yet to see them on the table. Maybe I'll bring them to Cold Wars and find out!
To all my opponents: Bring extra dice if I play Soviets. Your dice are going to run out of ammo before all those inexperienced Communists fall.
|"The good rules for us have to be in here somewhere. Pull up your socks and have another look with me."
(Queue crickets.)
I'm a British player, and I'm not quite sure what to say when it comes to British infantry. They have no special weapons, unlike the Americans and Germans; and they have no unique rules that make them feel special, like the pro-horde rules of the Soviets.
So far, my British lists have felt "unique" because they have a free Forward Artillery Observer and are able to purchase a Crocodile - which leads me to a point I promised myself I wasn't going to make. The British don't even have interesting vehicle choices!
The Americans maintain their runnin' n' gunnin' abilities with gyro-stabilizers, all the German MBTs have bigger anti-tank guns than comparable tanks from other nations, and the Soviets get the Josef Stalin tanks that have huge anti-tank and HE capabilities. Meanwhile, the British get the Crocodile - hardly a nation-defining vehicle.
So, all you readers, tell me what I'm missing in the Commonwealth troops. I'm going to bring them to Cold Wars, yet I don't feel like I have a single thing to hang my hat on outside an artillery observer. Maybe that's all I should get? Maybe I need to wait until the British book comes out in March, when all the secrets will be revealed to me? Let me know! On the forum! Sound off! Help me out!


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I've said it before and I will say it again: Teething bites (pun intended). Finding relief for your little one can sometimes seem impossible. All they want is for the pain to go away...chewing sometimes helps. During this time, everything goes straight into their mouths. And since babies have a hard time keeping hold of things, they are constantly hitting the dirty ground that we walk on. Now the problem we face is germs. So why not fashion a chewable necklace that allows you to hold them while they soothe.
RubyRoo Baby says it all, "Stylish teething necklaces make teething easier by making your baby's favorite place to be - your arms - a little more soothing with beautiful wearable teether that's safe and soft to chew."
Style choices:
I have the Cora style RubyRoo Baby necklace in True Turquoise. I chose this color because I wanted something bright that would catch Baby A's eye and keep her attention. I love that it draws her attention away from the necklace that I have worn everyday since my Dad passed. I was constantly prying it out of her hands and mouth but did not want to remove it. Since I'm usually not the jewelry wearing type when she is not playing with it, I tuck it into my shirt or remove it and place it into its resealable bag. However, if you are a jewelry gal and would like to coordinate with your wardrobe, they do have multiple colors available.
Color Choices:
Fresh Mint
True Turquoise
Strawberry Pink
Glacier Gray (only available with Cora)
Elegant Ivory (only available with Ava)
What I Love:
- Soft food grade silicone beads are the perfect size and are individually knotted for safety
- The nylon cord is smooth so it does not catch my hair
- Can be chilled in refridgerater for extra relief
- Customizable 30-inch cord that you can customize to suit your style
- Comes with a resealable bag for germ free travel
- Phthalate Free, Latex Free, Lead Free, BPA Free
- Dishwasher safe.
- Truly keeps Baby A occupied and happy
Both Baby A and I are so happy that we tried RubyRoo Baby's teething necklace. Its nice to have something that won't fall to the floor every time she drops it or moves onto something else and it keep her more focused when she is nursing. With her no longer being so easily distracted nursing has become more pleasant for the both of us. #MakingLifeEasier! Thanks RubyRoo!
Make sure to stop by Amazon to order today!
***WARNING: This product is NOT a toy. Do not place jewelry around baby's neck or leave baby unattended with jewelry. Do not let baby chew on clasp; clasp is not chewable. Inspect jewelry before each use; if damaged, discard.


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The Bay Area Air Quality Management District has issued a Spare the Air Alert for today.
Burning wood, manufactured fire logs or any other solid fuel, both indoors and outdoors, is banned for 24 hours.
First-time violators will be given the option of taking a wood smoke awareness class online or by mail in lieu of paying a $100 ticket. Second-time violations will result in a $500 ticket, and subsequent ticket amounts will be higher.
The public is advised to check before burning during the Winter Spare the Air season, which runs from Nov. 1 through Feb. 28.


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FCC Admits CableCARD Is A Failure
Last week the FCC admitted that CableCARD, a system originally designed to open up the market for video content, is a failure. According to their own document, "The Commission's CableCARD rules have resulted in limited success in developing a retail market for navigation devices. Certification for plug-and-play devices is costly and complex." Ars Technica points out that in the FCC report, a grand total of fourteen non-leased set top boxes were available in the US at retail in 2008. That means that nearly every set-top box in the US is leased by a cable company, allowing them virtually unlimited pricing control and no incentive to innovate. Until very recently, you couldn't even get your Windows PC to be a DVR unless you bought it OEM from HP or Dell or someone, where they would install the CableCARD for you at the time of purchase. The FCC is currently taking suggestions on how to replace CableCARD with something that would actually make the network open.
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Shumaker helps a wide range of clients make sense of the business, technical, and legal concerns related to creating, licensing and financing evolving technology. For-profit companies and nonprofit organizations alike rely on us to facilitate the preparation of software development and licensing agreements, equipment leasing and purchase agreements, and internet service provider and hosting agreements.
Software developers and web designers similarly ask us to represent their interests in structuring these agreements, and our experience on both sides of the table means we can anticipate problems and create an agreement that satisfies the needs of all parties. In our areas of geographic focus, we work with venture investors to identify and invest in emerging technology companies.
Shumaker lawyers bridge the gap between always changing business demands and technology capabilities – from the most technical clients who routinely purchase and manage technology for their organizations to those who lack considerable experience with technology but want to fund and invest in the growth of technology companies.
When it comes to effectively structuring the business side of new technology investments, we believe that understanding the clients' "need" for new technology is far more important than the size or location of the business. Our clients are often relieved to find that Shumaker lawyers understand how technology works and can incorporate that understanding in new technology purchase agreements, without needing to wade through complex engineering or electronic terminology. We understand new technologies, as well as software and website deliverables, but we speak business.
At the start of structuring a technology purchase contract, we will sit down with the technology experts from both the developer and the purchasing company, and make certain that all the objectives of both sides are clearly documented. We customize our software agreements to the specific assignment. We have found that explicitly describing the work required, the deliverables expected and the warranty/support provided is the best way to avoid problems down the road – this is the same process followed for technology purchases for our law firm. We don't drag the process out – agreements that we structure are typically completed in a matter of days, not weeks or months.
Because we understand clients' business goals and the technologies they are considering, clients don't hesitate to call us and ask, for example, if we can quickly review an agreement before a board meeting. In addition to our quick response, we strive to ensure that the contracts and agreements we structure are the foundation of a working relationship without surprises or problems. We focus on positive, efficient and practical documentation that outlines accountability, not vague promises of performance – this is at the heart of the technology agreements we create.
No matter what side of the technology equation you are on, you will find that we speak your language and know how to advance your goals and address your concerns. If you are a purchaser of software, hardware or digital/web design, we help define what deliverables are critical to the success of the project and make certain that such needs are properly documented in the development agreement. This kind of detailed process helps developers as well, so that all sides agree upon the deliverables expected. Our lawyers move easily between engineering and business perspectives, so that there are no misunderstandings about what each is to accomplish.
On the financing side, we also understand how our private equity and venture capital clients think and operate, and work with them as business partners in making successful technology investments. We have a feel for the deal and the people involved, and are comfortable with their entrepreneurial viewpoints, making sure any investment arrangement is right for both sides. It's a practical, business-focused approach that epitomizes all of our technology counsel – making sure the legal details are covered so that the technology development and deployment is seamless and effective, and business goals are met.


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The Alexander Polynomial of a 3-Manifold and the Thurston Norm on Cohomology
Published Versionhttps://doi.org/10.1016/S0012-9593(02)01086-8
MetadataShow full item record
CitationMcMullen, Curtis T. 2002. The Alexander polynomial of a 3-manifold and the Thurston norm on cohomology. Annales Scientifiques de l'École Normale Supérieure 35(2): 153–171.
AbstractLet M be a connected, compact, orientable 3-manifold with \(b_1(M)>1\), whose boundary (if any) is a union of tori. Our main result is the inequality \({\parallel \phi \parallel}_A \le {\parallel \phi \parallel}_T\) between the Alexander norm on \(H^1(M,\mathbb{Z})\), defined in terms of the Alexander polynomial, and the Thurston norm, defined in terms of the Euler characteristic of embedded surfaces. (A similar result holds when \(b_1(M)=1\).) Using this inequality we determine the Thurston norm for most links with 9 or fewer crossings.
Terms of UseThis article is made available under the terms and conditions applicable to Other Posted Material, as set forth at http://nrs.harvard.edu/urn-3:HUL.InstRepos:dash.current.terms-of-use#LAA
Citable link to this pagehttp://nrs.harvard.edu/urn-3:HUL.InstRepos:9871964
- FAS Scholarly Articles [14543]
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The National Enquirer has learned that Dana Reeve — widow of Superman star Christopher Reeve — has been diagnosed with lung cancer.
Sources said that Dana, 44, who took up the battle for stem cell research begun by her heroic husband, is receiving treatment.
Dana has also limited her public appearances as she battles cancer.
On July 13, she cancelled an appearance in Washington, D.C., for "family reasons."
She was to appear with actor Michael J. Fox to support a bill to lift restrictions on stem cell research.
In addition to coping with the tragedy of Christopher's death last October 10, Dana lost her mother Helen, 71, earlier this year. She died on February 10 from complications following ovarian cancer surgery.
A source said Dana, who was not a smoker, is being supported by family and friends.
The tragedy comes as Dana has become a strong advocate for breakthrough medical solutions as dedicated as her brave husband, who was left a quadriplegic after a horseback riding accident in 1995.
Since Christopher Reeve's death at 52, Dana, who lives with their 12-year-old son Will in Pound Ridge, N.Y., has taken up chairmanship of the Christopher Reeve Paralysis Foundation.
The organization funds research that develops treatments for paralysis and other disorders.
Dana proudly launched the foundation's Superman Tag program, which raises money through the sale of dog tags engraved with the Superman "S" shield and the foundation's new tagline, "Go Forward."
As the cancer she must now battle struck, Dana was reinvigorating her singing career.
In June, she performed a cabaret act at Feinstein's, a club in New York's Regency Hotel.
Numerous calls placed by The National Enquirer for comment to the Reeve foundation were not returned.


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You are currently browsing the monthly archive for August 2011.
Librarian Pamela Jackson and Interim Associate Dean Anne Turhollow have been busy over the summer creating some excellent tutorials to help students and library patrons better use the library. Check them out!
Here's a heads up if you're planning to study in the SDSU Library during the next four days: we're going to experience some air conditioning and electrical issues due to the new student union construction project.
On Thursday, August 11, the library and 24/7 Study Area will close at 10pm and reopen at 7am on Friday, August 12. During this time, both the electricity and air conditioning will be off.
The air conditioning will be off in Love Library on Saturday and Sunday, August 13-14. Both Love Library and the Library Addition will remain open, but only the Library Addition will have air conditioning.
One of the first television shows I remember watching was I Love Lucy. As I child, I thought Lucy's madcap adventures working in the chocolate factory and hawking Vitametavegamin were a riot. As an adult, I still enjoy watching the show in reruns, and her movie The Long, Long Trailer is one of the funniest films I've ever seen. Over the years, I've also gained a far greater appreciation for Lucille Ball as a groundbreaking actress and comedienne and as a businesswoman and television pioneer.
August 6 is Lucille Ball's birthday. She would have been 100 this year. If you're interested in learning more about this incredible lady, the SDSU Library has many resources for you to explore. The Media Center has recordings of her television shows and movies, including The Long, Long Trailer. Do yourself a favor: check out some of these recordings and watch this woman act. If laughter is, indeed, the best medicine, you'll have added at least five years to your life. And if you want to learn more about the woman behind the laughter, I've listed some of the books we have about Lucille Ball.
Once in his life, every man is entitled to fall madly in love with a gorgeous redhead. – Lucille Ball
Media Sources
Ball of Fire: The Tumultuous Life and Comic Art of Lucille Ball
Love, Lucy
Lucille: The Life of Lucille Ball
Seriously, what's going on with all the construction? First Aztec Center gets razed, now the library?
Easy there…we aren't tearing down anything. We're undergoing a few improvements. Room LA1103 is being converted into a tutoring center, which will open fall semester. The Donor Hall and Room LL108 (Quiet Study) are being recarpeted. They look like a mess now, but both areas are going to look great when they're finished!


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NEW YORK Hundreds of protesters chanted and waved signs on Thursday to voice their outrage at Republican front-runner Donald Trump outside the New York venue where he and his two rivals for the presidential nomination gathered for duelling speeches.
Inside a hotel near Grand Central Terminal, Trump, U.S. Senator Ted Cruz of Texas and Ohio Governor John Kasich were addressing a New York state Republican Party gala as they campaign for the state's primary contest on Tuesday.
A group of the protesters stormed the mezzanine of the Grand Hyatt with a banner that read: "NYC Rejects the Party of Hate." Eleven of them were reported arrested.
Outside the hotel, many anti-Trump demonstrators called the New York billionaire businessman a fascist or white supremacist. They even teased him about his signature hairdo.
"We Shall Over Comb," read one sign. Others said: "Deport Trump," "No allegiance for Trump," and "Black lives matter."
Trump has drawn many protests for policy positions that include building a wall along the U.S. border with Mexico, deporting 11 million illegal immigrants and banning Muslims temporarily from entering the United States.
A series of speakers addressed the protest crowd with a loudspeaker. Police set up portable barriers to keep protesters separated from traffic and allow pedestrians to pass on busy 42nd Street.
"Although Trump is from here, there is no place for him here," said one of the speakers, Nabil Hassein, 27, of the group Millions March NYC.
Kasich scored a victory with the endorsement of former New York Governor George Pataki, an unsuccessful candidate for the Republican nomination for the Nov. 8 election.But all signs point to a Trump victory in New York, a win that would help ease the pain of a loss to Cruz in Wisconsin last week and Cruz's outmanoeuvring of Trump to sweep all the Republican delegates in Colorado.
The Trump campaign got some good news when a Florida prosecutor announced that Trump's campaign manager, Corey Lewandowski, would not be prosecuted on a misdemeanour battery charge involving a reporter he was accused of grabbing at an event last month.
Trump, a staunch anti-establishment candidate, is responding to the challenge from Cruz by taking steps to reset his campaign to try to draw in more support from establishment Republicans.
A top Trump adviser met in Washington with the candidate's congressional supporters. The aide, Ed Brookover, told the lawmakers how they could help Trump on his "glide path" to the nomination.
Brookover told about a half-dozen lawmakers who have endorsed Trump how the front-runner would win the 1,237-delegate majority he needs to become the nominee.
Some establishment Republicans, alarmed at Trump's comments on immigration and trade, are hoping to force a contested convention by denying him the delegates needed to win.
Lawmakers at the meeting told Reuters they came away feeling comfortable that Trump can get the delegates he needs to clinch the nomination ahead of the party's July 18-21 convention in Cleveland. More meetings will be held in the coming weeks.
The lawmakers said Brookover explained how conservative estimates showed that Trump would likely secure 1,265 delegates - more than needed to win the nomination.
Representative Renee Ellmers of North Carolina, who attended the gathering and also met with Trump several weeks ago, said she had urged him to "change his tone" when it comes to women to broaden his appeal.
"Basically, what I told him, in that meeting we had: You don't have to change your message, you just have to go about it ... in a little softer way, a little better tone," Ellmers said in an interview.
(Additional reporting by Susan Cornwell in Washington; Writing by Steve Holland; Editing by Jonathan Oatis and Peter Cooney)
This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
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Updated Date: Apr 15, 2016 07:01:53 IST


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Legal Fictions and Constitutional Change
Enough with the anti-partisan principle already! I hear you.
I was asked a few months ago to write an essay on "constitutional change" for a book about the Constitution. After scratching my head, I decided that the best way to approach this topic would be to describe various fictions that the Supreme Court uses to make (and conceal) dramatic constitutional change. The next batch of posts will about that subject.
Let's start with a famous example. In Brown v. Board of Education, the Supreme Court held that racial segregation of public schools was unconstitutional. Chief Justice Warren's opinion emphasized the importance of education in the Court's decision. Over the next four years, other cases were filed challenging state segregation of facilities such as parks, golf courses, drinking fountains, etc. The Court responded with per curium opinions that invalidated those segregation policies without any explanation except "see Brown." The fiction in Brown was that it was just about education.
This is what we might call a "dicta/holding" mismatch. In other words, the Supreme Court makes the medicine go down easier by understating the breadth of the holding in the breakthrough case and then applying the real holding without explanation. Step One is easy to understand. Step Two is necessary to avoid inflaming or antagonizing public opinion (at least that's the best justification).
More tomorrow.


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Ian Poulter
Ian Poulter: The Biography of Britain's Golfing Hero tells the story of one of Britain's finest golfers. Charting Poulter's life from when he first picked up a golf club aged seven and hit the ball 140 yards to his triumphant, pumped-up charge in the 2012 Ryder Cup, this is a story every golf fan will want to read.
Poulter has earned his success the hard way and the book details how he grafted to become a professional golfer, having to pay to play at the golf club that employed him. It details his struggle to turn professional in 1994 before his obvious talent saw him join the European Tour in 2000, where he immediately won Rookie of the Year.
Today, Poulter is known for being one of the most flamboyant and outspoken voices in professional golf, unmissable on the course with own range of garish clothing. Now a fixture in the world's top 15 players, a friend and neighbour of Tiger Woods in Florida and one of the most recognizable and sometimes controversial players on the planet, the book looks at all the stories, such as why he wore an Arsenal shirt at the Abu Dhabi Championship in 2006 and how he almost came to blows with Colin Montgomery in a London restaurant.
Of course, the book also looks closely at all Poulter's golfing achievements. And what a golfer Poulter is. Ranked fourth in the World Golf Rankings in 2010, he is a stalwart of the European Ryder Cup team, twice victor in the World Golf Championship Matchplay Tournament and a winner of numerous European and PGA Tour events.
The book puts all these aspects together to create a biography that is fascinating, revealing and honest. In fact, much like Ian Poulter himself.