text:
The Collingwood Group and Motivity Solutions Announce Mortgage Industry Webinar On FHA Risk Management and New Technology Tool
The firms present the fourth installment in their series of informational and educational conference calls, provided by their Risk Management and Compliance Divisions
WASHINGTON, DC and DENVER, CO – January 17, 2013 – (PR Web) The Collingwood Group, a leading mortgage industry advisory group, and Motivity Solutions, a leading business intelligence technology provider, today announced the fourth installment in a series of industry conference calls entitled Monitor Neighborhood Watch and Proactively Manage your FHA Loan Performance. The web-based demonstration will introduce clients and industry participants to the newly developed Neighborhood Watch database tool, NW-Insight. The webinar will be held at 2:00 PM EST on Thursday, January 24, 2013.
NW-Insight is a recently released business intelligence solution that provides Federal Housing Administration (FHA) lenders, Ginnie Mae issuers and warehouse lenders with easy-to-use web-based analytics, dashboards and scorecards, to monitor loan performance, and identify and track default trends for individual lenders by branch, HUD field office, state, and other critical metrics. With this technology users will now have at their disposal a powerful risk management tool that enables users to proactively manage and monitor the FHA compliance of their businesses or the companies they actively do business with, including the performance of third-party originators.
"This is a critical time for our industry, especially for lenders and servicers struggling with compliance, litigation and claims management issues related to their FHA and Ginnie Mae operations," said Brian Montgomery, The Collingwood Group chairman and former FHA Commissioner, "We are confident that NW-insight will be a valuable tool for lenders and servicers to ensure quality control, monitor performance and mitigate risk."
The NW-Insight tool draws on the experience of The Collingwood Group professionals and technological innovation driven by Motivity Solutions to help users avoid costly enforcement activity with automated access to critical business intelligence.
Tyler Sherman, CEO of Motivity Solutions said, "We are pleased to provide this innovative product to help lenders manage their business and easily identify where there is increased potential for enforcement activity."
The webinar, provided at no cost to participants, will describe and demonstrate the capabilities of the new NW-Insight technology. It will be hosted by Montgomery of The Collingwood Group. Scott Kolble, vice president of sales at Motivity Solutions, will be a presenter alongside Montgomery.
About the Collingwood Group
The Collingwood Group (www.collingwoodllc.com) is a Washington, DC-based business advisory firm focused on growing clients' businesses, promoting revenue growth and increasing investment returns. The firm is led by Chairman Brian Montgomery, former Assistant Secretary for Housing and Federal Housing Commissioner, and Vice Chairman Joe Murin, former President and CEO of Ginnie Mae. Both played major roles in the federal government's efforts to address the nation's financial crisis and restore stability and liquidity to financial markets. The firm's expertise spans all aspects of Agency, non-Agency and FHA/VA housing financing programs; Ginnie Mae securitization activities; domestic and international secondary market activities and issues; primary and special servicing; full asset lifecycle vendor and talent management; and all elements of portfolio due diligence, acquisition, property management and asset disposition.
About Motivity Solutions
Motivity Solutions is the award-winning creator of culture changing, business intelligence technology for the mortgage and financial services industries. Its innovative, industry leading Movation Business Intelligence Platform helps lenders get more business and get more out of their business through performance driving business intelligence solutions. Motivity's business intelligence software elevates the success of mortgage banking companies by establishing a performance-driven, self-competitive, accountable and self-compliant business culture. It generates a better understanding of a company's performance with real-time scorecards, dashboards and dynamic reporting capabilities. Founded in 2006, Motivity Solutions is located in Denver, CO. For more information, please visit www.MotivitySolutions.com or call (800) 411-5541.
Press Contacts
The Collingwood Group
Hollis Beckner
Motivity Solutions
Marshall Taylor
Strategic Vantage Marketing & Public Releations


text:
Well after several years of Canon cameras I'm trying a Nikon.
I can't afford a DSLR and I don't wanna really spend much over $400 due to other expenses I have.
The P7700 went to the top of my list.
Nikon COOLPIX P7700 Digital Camera
I'm re-evaluating my shooting preferences and being more...
I've been having focus issues with my HS20....what gives?
Handheld sharp it hasta be a really sunny day anything less and my pics are soft.
Nother question.....the anti-shake icon is always yellow with a ! in it....that right?
This was the best pic of 6 I took at various settings. :mad:
I have a Fuji Finepix S2000HD and I was wondering if anyone else has it and if they have any pointers?
I find my self using manual a lot... that's really the only thing I can tell you...
Sorry, I haven't been on much. Read the threads here a few times but haven't been posting(or on any other photo site) since getting my first DSLR. I recently went fro the D40 to D200, which I love.
I'm looking to find a good compact. Basically, I'd like it for a few concerts that I'm...
Well I sold off my 20D and my lenses.
Got rid of it while i could get SOMETHING out of it.
Value dropped like a rock over 2yrs!
Just too tempting of a money pit and rather not go down that slippery slope. :rolleyes:
Besides I'm going where there are crowds and Mountain Biking more.
A big...
for some reason when i try to transfer photos off my 1200 to my pc windows explorer locks up and resets. i dont have any problems at work running XP, im running vista on my laptop. i havent installed any software, just plugged the camera in like i do my d300. does canon need something special...
In my secret mad scientist laaborrre-a-tory I made what looks like it iwll become the perfect flash accessory for the pocket P&S.. now that I have the design, I just need to refine it some and make it look more pleasing... lol
Funny, AFTER I made it I did a search on line and they have one...
I have been tire kicking on buying a point and shoot for a long time. I've bought my daughter and wife different models of the Canon SD750/850IS family, and they seem to love them. I had toyed with getting a Canon G9, but ended up not pulling the trigger. This new Fuji camera looks pretty good...
For a Christmas gift, how does anyone know about the Kodak Easy Shares.... Are they any good for a beginners, etc.... ?
I went with my kids to a concert last week and of course they had the "no removable lenses" requirement, so we were reduced to her Canon SD850IS, which did OK, but really is out of its element at zooming and high ISO. It is a great camera otherwise. I know that a lot of new cameras are getting...
Well, there's times when I'm out and about where carrying along my XT just isn't practical (i.e. not out exclusively for the photos, but still want to get pictures). For those times I just purchased a Canon SD1100IS. Just came yesterday (along with my wife's birthday present, Canon S5IS) so I...
found this on he smug mug users forum and gave it a shot...works great with my sd850IS.. lol way too cool, i love the internet!
now to test out my newly acquired RAW mode and bracketing!!
All of these shots were taken in my back yard, except for the cat :^)
Originals on my SmugMug page.
My DP1 arrived today.
It is a very well made little camera.
It will take me a little bit to learn how to make it sing.
I've only had a chance to take a small number of shots today. Already, I can tell I'm going to love it!
Here's a couple of quick shots from today:
Which are the tiniest that will still produce high quality shots... comparible to a DSLR in great light conditions... like outdoors snapshots?
Does anyone know of a P&S that has IR included ? I had a co-worker ask me... I showed him the Canon G9 and I think he might forget about IR altogether now:D
The IR I'm used to you have to modify your camera and it'll only shoot IR. Anyone else know anything?
I picked up a Kodak C713 for Jess the otherday. I plan on giving it to her for Christmas. I tried to "train" her to use my Canon but she can't figure it out so I got her a P&S. Has anyone here used the C713?
a co-worker is looking for a good quality inexpensive p&s. something he can take to indoor and out door car shows and get a good shot. im thinking about something around 6mp, cannon or nikon. any ideas of what i should have him look at? i see deals on line but there are so many models of cannon...
Hey Ross, dont you have the G9? How is it for action? little league foot ball, base ball? can it handle anything moving? where does it lay between the pro1 and the 20D as far as shutter lag and shooting action?
Got Josh my youngest a Canon Powershot A630 for his BDay today.
Just turned 15.....man times flies....seems like I just brought him home from the Hospital. :rolleyes:
Anyway it's quite a nice lil 8mp Camera for a P&S.
Got Him a 1GB SD at WM for $14.88!
He got his $150 for the EOS E50 setup...
There are currently 1 users browsing this forum. (0 members & 1 guests)
Use this control to limit the display of threads to those newer than the specified time frame.
Allows you to choose the data by which the thread list will be sorted.
Order threads in...
Note: when sorting by date, 'descending order' will show the newest results first.
Forum Rules

subset: commoncrawl


text:
When I got my Center for Compact and Efficient Fluid Power enewsletter earlier this week, I just couldn't believe that it's been five years since the CCEFP was formed! But finally, after five years of being in an off-campus building, the Center folks are joining their fluid power counterparts at the administrative offices to the Mechanical Engineering building on the University of Minnesota campus. The administrative component of the Center will now be more fully integrated with the Mechanical Engineering department and will benefit from the close proximity to essential departmental services.
I also thought it was pretty cool to see that Milwaukee School of Engineering's Dr. Medhat Khalil, who taught an "Introduction to Hydraulics" course to 16 members of the U.S. Navy. Glad to see that there are people aren't there interested in the field and who had just as much learning as I needed to do a few years ago. Loved the Introduction class!


text:
Over at the Experience Delivers blog, Pierre Tager – Adobe Group Product Manager for Enterprise Cloud – talks about Cloud Manager, an innovative cloud service enabling reduced time and costs for provisioning, managing, and metering Web Experience Management (WEM) solutions supporting digital marketing initiatives.
In an era where enterprises are facing ever-growing competition, digital marketers are demanding to accelerate their go-to-market strategy to build their brand, while creating demand and increasing reach for their products. As marketers, you've all been there: Great marketing campaign idea. Check. Social Community. Check. Implementation time…hmm. That's where it falls flat. How many times have marketing initiatives been held up due to the time it takes to negotiate and buy software? Provision IT resources? Download, install and configure? Fellow marketers, wait no more! Adobe is bringing it all together with a new technology, that combines the best Web platform and modern cloud computing. Introducing Adobe CQ Cloud Manager, designed to help marketers accelerate time to market and provide competitive differentiation in today's ever-changing digital landscape.
Read the complete blog post here.
Join the beta program here.


text:
From staff reports
From staff reports
From astounding highs to crushing lows, there was no shortage of action in 2008.
As we head into 2009, now is the time to look back at some of last year's top stories involving central Ohio high school teams and athletes, including some who have moved on to join the college or professional ranks.
The Newark High School boys basketball team completed an improbable run through the Division I postseason, culminating in the Wildcats pulling off an impressive two-game performance in the state tournament to win the championship.
The Eastmoor football team nearly matched that accomplishment as it made it to the Division III state final before losing. But remarkably, the Warriors were central Ohio's only title-game participants. Pickerington Central in Division I and DeSales in Division II were undefeated in the regular season, but both saw their seasons end in state semifinals.
Staying in football, one of the area's proven top coaches, Scott Wetzel, stepped down at Big Walnut. The Golden Eagles won the Division III state championship in 2007 and were state semifinalists in 2008.
The Upper Arlington girls swimming and diving team again won the Division I state championship, its fourth in a row and fifth in six seasons. St. Charles earned the boys state title, ending Cincinnati St. Xavier's nine-year run.
Kate Turvy, the two-time defending Division I state champion in singles in girls tennis, didn't play her senior year, instead choosing to concentrate on the recruiting process.
Away from the arena of competition, former coach Kevin Chapman was arrested three days after his UA boys swimming and diving team took fourth in the state meet, charged with sexually assaulting a 15-year-old girl on school property 12 years ago.
Here is how the year stacked up through the eyes of the sports staff at ThisWeek:
1 WILDCAT WONDERS -- Winning a state title is one thing, dominating a state tournament is quite another.
But on March 14-15 at Ohio State, the Newark boys basketball team did just that with an impressive two-game performance and a run to the Division I state championship. The Wildcats defeated Lakewood St. Edward 65-52 in the final.
Seeded sixth for the district tournament, the Wildcats didn't even win the OCC-Ohio Division. They were runners-up to Hilliard Darby, which settled the issue with a 54-49 victory in the second round of league play Jan. 18.
Undaunted, Newark never lost again to finish with 14 consecutive victories and a 24-4 overall record, capturing a fourth state title but its first since 1943.
"Once we won the district we knew we had a shot to win state," said graduate Greg Avery, who now plays for Western Carolina. �
The Wildcats rallied past Zanesville 53-48 in the district final and used a 20-2 run in the second half to eliminate Trotwood Madison 70-64 in a regional semifinal. A 62-57 come-from-behind win over Westerville South in the final then sent Newark to state for the first time since 1981.
There, the Wildcats raced past Toledo Whitmer 63-44 in a semifinal to advance to the title game for the first time since 1953. Newark won eight postseason games by an average of 18.5 points, pushing its all-time victory total to 1,418, which at the end of last season ranked third behind Canton McKinley (1,732) and Archbold (1,456).
2 WHERE'D THEY COME FROM? -- Eastmoor became only the second City League football team to advance to a state final, joining Brookhaven, which won the Division II championship in 2004.
The Warriors seemingly came from nowhere. Seeded fourth in its region, Eastmoor stormed through the first three rounds, taking out Germantown Valley View 48-19, Thornville Sheridan 28-6 and Logan Elm 23-0. It then eked past Storm Klein and Licking Valley -- last year's state runner-up -- 14-10 in a state semifinal before the run ended with a 21-10 loss to Aurora in the final.
The Warriors finished 13-2.
Eastmoor was the only area team to reach a state final. Four other area teams advanced to a state semifinal: Licking Valley, Big Walnut (Division III), DeSales (Division II) and Pickerington Central (Division I).
3 BIG LOSS -- The Northland boys basketball team went undefeated in the regular season for the second consecutive season and looked on its way to a possible state bid when its top player, 6-foot-9 Jared Sullinger -- coach Satch Sullinger's son -- was suspended for one game for disciplinary reasons.
The top-seeded Vikings then lost to Westerville South in a district semifinal 67-59 to finish 21-1.
"The bottom line is it's about family, books and then basketball," coach Sullinger said. "It's my job to make sure this program stands for something. If we're going to hang a banner this year, it was going to be a banner that stands for something."
4 LONGTIME COACH CONVICTED -- Three days after the Upper Arlington boys swimming and diving team capped its season with a fourth-place finish in the state meet, longtime coach Kevin Chapman was arrested.
Chapman, who coached the Golden Bears for 18 seasons, pleaded guilty to one count each of sexual battery and unlawful sexual conduct with a minor. According to police, he admitted having sex with the student at least three times in one year in classrooms at the school.
Chapman, 51, was sentenced last July to five years in prison for sexual battery and 18 months for sexual contact with a minor.
5 REALIGNMENT, AGAIN -- The OCC realigned for the 2008-09 school year, going from five six-team divisions to four eight-team divisions (the OCC-Capital actually has seven teams this school year but will have eight when Hilliard Bradley opens next year).
The change marks the seventh time since 1995 that the OCC has realigned. The previous realignment occurred before the 2006-07 school year. This time the OCC purposely put schools in similar areas and natural rivals together -- for example, Thomas Worthington and Worthington Kilbourne are in the OCC-Central, all three Westerville Schools are in the OCC-Cardinal, both Pickerington schools are in the OCC-Ohio, two of the three Dublin Schools are in the OCC-Cardinal -- after avoiding that in the past.
6 SURPRISING STEP DOWN -- Big Walnut football coach Scott Wetzel announced to the school board at its monthly meeting Dec. 8 that he was stepping down, citing his desire to spend more time with his family as the reason.
Wetzel, 44, compiled a 100-27 record in 11 seasons at Big Walnut, guiding the Golden Eagles to the Division III state championship -- their first -- in 2007. This season, the Golden Eagles finished 11-3, posting three playoff victories before losing to eventual state champion Aurora 20-14 in a state semifinal Nov. 22.
During Wetzel's tenure Big Walnut never had a losing season and qualified for the playoffs six times, including the last three seasons. In addition, the Golden Eagles won six OCC-Capital championships, including three outright titles. One of those outright league titles came this season.
Wetzel left open the possibility of returning at some point in the future. His son, Ethan, just completed his first season playing football at Ashland University.
7 THANKS, BUT NO THANKS -- Kate Turvy decided not to play her senior season with the Dublin Coffman girls tennis team despite having won Division I state titles in singles as a junior at Coffman and as a sophomore at Dublin Jerome.
Turvy, who posted a 59-0 record and had won 118 consecutive sets over the course of her sophomore and junior seasons, opted not to play because she was scheduled to take her official visit to Northwestern on Oct. 10, which also was the first day of the district tournament.
Not being able to play at district meant that Turvy would not have an opportunity to get back to the state tournament.
She signed a letter of intent with Northwestern on Nov. 13.
8 GOLDEN ONCE MORE -- The Upper Arlington girls swimming and diving team had no trouble capturing its fourth consecutive Division I state championship and its fifth state title in six seasons.
The Golden Bears scored a meet-record 419 points at state to finish well ahead of runner-up Cincinnati Ursuline (222).
In boys swimming and diving, St. Charles captured its first state championship, scoring 266 points at state to edge runner-up Cincinnati St. Xavier (246) and end the Bombers' streak of nine consecutive state titles.
St. Charles became the first boys team from central Ohio to win the state title since UA in 1987. The Cardinals had been the state runners-up the previous two seasons.
Also at state, Whetstone's Jimmy Beres won the boys diving title, scoring 496.7 points to edge the runner-up, UA's Cameron Horner (463.95). Beres became the first City League swimmer or diver to capture a state title since Beechcroft's D.J. Kelley won the 100-yard breaststroke in 1997.
9 FINALLY, IT'S LAKEWOOD -- Perhaps no central Ohio softball team this decade has been as successful as Lakewood, but a state runner-up finish in Division II in 2002 was the most the Lancers had to show for their efforts -- until now.
They exorcised plenty of demons with a 5-3 victory over Wellington in the Division III state final in Firestone Stadium in Akron, finishing 32-2.
A 5-0 victory over Bloomdale Elmwood in a state semifinal was delayed nearly two hours because two earlier games went into extra innings. It was a good thing, too, because the wrong bus showed up to pick up the Lancers and then the right one wouldn't start after a lunch stop in New Philadelphia.
10 ON THE MAT -- Behind strong performances by Jesse Dong and Chris Kline, Westerville North placed third (66) in the Division I state wrestling tournament behind perennial power Lakewood St. Edward (147.5) and Massillon Perry (90).
Dong and Kline were the only area wrestlers in Division I to win state titles. Dong defeated Massillon Perry's Nick Heflin 6-4 in the final at 152 pounds and Kline beat Davidson's J.T. Rice 5-0 in the final at 160. The only other area wrestler to win a state title was Worthington Christian's Colin Heasley, who defeated Delta's Derrick Yant 3-1 in the final at 160 in Division III.
11 SEEING DOUBLE -- Area girls tennis teams made strong showings at the state tournament, particularly in doubles play.
Columbus Academy's Christiana Raymond and Val Micek won the Division II doubles tournament. In Division I, Upper Arlington's Niki Flower and Stacey Cox placed second. Bexley's Corinne Rauck and Sam Morton placed third in Division II.
In boys tennis, Watterson's Philip Diaz and Chris Diaz won the Division I doubles championship. In finishing 18-0, they became Watterson's first state champions in boys tennis since 1991.
Academy won the OTCA Division II state team titles in boys and girls.
12 CLEAN SWEEP -- Both the Upper Arlington boys and girls lacrosse teams earned Division I state championships last spring.
The boys team defeated Worthington Kilbourne 8-3 in the final to capture its fifth consecutive championship and the girls team beat Cincinnati Sycamore 14-8 in the final to capture its first state title since 2005 but its fourth in six years.
The New Albany girls team won the Division II state championship, beating West Chester Lakota West 21-2 in the final to finish 21-1.
13 RECORD-BREAKING RUN -- Worthington Kilbourne's Claire Durkin captured her second consecutive Division I state track and field title in the 3,200 meters, finishing in a state meet-record 10 minutes, 25.95 seconds. The previous meet record of 10:27.5 was set by Cleveland Heights Beaumont's Katy Radkewich in 1996.
Durkin, who had won the 3,200 last year in 10:33.18, is attending Stanford but is not competing in track or cross country.
14 HAWKS OVERCOME -- The Hartley girls volleyball team advanced to the Division II state tournament for the second year in a row despite losing one of its top players to a season-ending knee injury early in the season.
The Hawks lost to Kettering Alter 25-18, 21-25, 25-20, 26-24 in a state semifinal Nov. 6 to finish 22-7. They won a regional championship and reached state despite not having outside-hitter Giana D'Andrea in the lineup. She missed the final 26 matches after tearing the ACL in her left knee in the third match of the season.
Hartley was the state runner-up in 2007.
15 RUNNERS-UP -- The Columbus Academy field hockey team fell short in its quest to add to its collection of state championships, losing to Shaker Heights Hathaway Brown 3-1 in the state final. With eight state championships, the Vikings, who finished 17-2-2, have more state titles than any other program.
Two City League girls basketball teams fell short in their quests for state championships last March, with Africentric coming closer by losing to Berlin Hiland 44-37 in the Division IV state final. Mifflin lost to eventual state champion Kettering Alter 45-31 in a Division II state semifinal. In five of the last seven seasons, at least one City League girls basketball team has reached a state semifinal or state final.
Worthington Christian fell short in its bids for state championships in boys basketball and boys soccer. The boys basketball team lost to New Knoxville 74-52 in the Division IV state championship game and the boys soccer team lost to Toledo Ottawa Hills 1-0 in the Division III state final.
Canal Winchester was the Division II state runner-up in baseball after losing to Cuyahoga Falls Walsh Jesuit 6-0. The Indians finished the regular season with 12 losses but caught fire in the postseason to advance to their first state championship game.
16 SOCCER SHUTOUT -- In addition to Worthington Christian's stumble, the Dublin Jerome boys team lost in the Division I state final and the DeSales boys team lost in a Division II state semifinal.
The Upper Arlington girls team lost in a Division I state semifinal.
17 MARK IT DOWN -- The Hilliard Davidson boys cross country team turned in the area's highest finish in the state meet at Scioto Downs, placing second (120 points) in Division I behind Mason (100). It marked the highest finish by an area Division I team since the Wildcats won the state championship in 2002.
18 MAJOR MILESTONE -- The Thomas Worthington boys basketball team defeated Delaware 62-53 on Jan. 22, giving longtime coach Bob Miller his 500th career victory.
According to the Ohio High School Basketball Coaches Association, Miller is one of 36 coaches who have reached the 500-win plateau. He compiled a 150-54 record in 10 seasons at Groveport before arriving at Thomas for the 1983-84 season. His record with the Cardinals entering this season -- his 26th -- was 356-204.
19 ON TRACK -- The Reynoldsburg girls team (Division I) and the Hartley girls (Division II) earned state runner-up finishes in the state track and field meet.
Individually, Reynoldsburg's Melissa Dodaro won the Division I discus. Hartley's CharAnna Dixon won the 100 and Aisha Cavin won the 200. Both were on the winning 400 relay with Chesna Sykes and Ashlee Hoffman. In Division III, CSG's Alexandra Roberts won the shot put for a second consecutive season.
In boys track, Whetstone's 400 relay of Blake Callahan, Mario Dovell, Jamon Hodges and Marcus Penn won the Division I title. Reynoldsburg's Mark Knisley (800) and Gahanna's Blake Heriot (200) also were Division I champions and Hartley's Rufus Walls (200) won a Division II title.
20 INSTANT SUCCESS -- Several fall athletics teams at Olentangy Orange, which opened this year, were successful in their inaugural seasons.
Kristen Helmsdoerfer of the girls golf team qualified for the Division II state tournament, where she placed 11th with a 17-over-par 157. She had the tournament's only hole-in-one, on the 166-yard, par-3 No. 2 hole.
The boys golf team advanced to the Division II state tournament, where it placed 10th (710) of 12 teams behind champion Hunting Valley University School (627).
The girls soccer team made it to a Division II district final, where it lost to perennial power Bexley 3-0.
21 TOUGH DAY -- Finishing second in the Division I state boys golf tournament was an especially bittersweet moment for Dublin Jerome senior Aaron Siekmann, who�shot a 153 to finish behind West Chester Lakota West's�Korey Ward (151).
Siekmann also was second at state each of the previous two years. If he would have been three strokes better, not only would he have won the individual title, but Jerome would have won the team title. The Celtics finished second (655) behind Cincinnati St. Xavier (653).
22 PULLING HIS WEIGHT -- Danny O'Rourke, a 2001 Worthington Kilbourne graduate, helped the Columbus Crew capture its first MLS championship. O'Rourke was a starting defensive midfielder for the Crew, which defeated the New York Red Bulls 3-1 in the MLS Cup on Nov. 23 to finish 23-9-7.
23 GYM-DANDY -- DeSales' Morgan Spellacy led the way for central Ohio athletes in the state gymnastics meet.
In the individual portion, Spellacy�won the title on beam as she scored a 9.55 to finish ahead of runner-up Kayla Kmiecik (9.5) of Rocky River Magnificat. She also finished sixth in the all-around as she was fifth on floor (9.375), eighth on vault (9.025) and 19th on bars (8.675).
24 SUPER, JUST SUPER -- Whitehall graduate Domenik Hixon and Marysville graduate Chase Blackburn played for the New York Giants, who upset the previously unbeaten New England Patriots 17-14 in the Super Bowl.
25 ON HOLD -- The softball program at Grandview and all spring sports at Northridge found themselves in jeopardy in 2008.
Grandview's softball program was suspended in the offseason, albeit not for long, before being resumed last month, with veteran coach Jim Amato hired to take over.
The spring sports at Northridge still are in limbo. On Nov. 24, the district's board of education unanimously decided to eliminate four positions, spring sports and extracurricular activities in an effort to balance its operating budget.
No. 10: Westerville North's Jesse Dong won the state championship after defeating Massillon Perry's Nick Helfin 6-4 to win the Division I title at 152 pounds March 1 at Ohio State. Dong's teammate, Chris Kline, won the title at 160 to finish 43-0.


text:
Computational Nanoscience, Lecture 17: Tight-Binding, and Moving Towards Density Functional Theory
Published on
The purpose of this lecture is to illustrate the application of the Tight-Binding method to a simple system and then to introduce the concept of Density Functional Theory. The motivation to mapping from a wavefunction to a density-based description of atomic systems is provided, and the necessary ingredients to do so (two Hohenberg-Kohn Theorems and the Kohn-Sham formalism) is presented.
University of California, Berkeley
Cite this work
Researchers should cite this work as follows:


text:
Poisoned Alabama university trees further damaged by fire
AUBURN, Ala. – Landmark oak trees at an Alabama university that barely survived being poisoned have been further damaged by flames.
Authorities are hoping a video trained on the trees at the edge of Auburn University's campus will show the source of the blaze Sunday morning that consumed toilet paper draped by jubilant football fans after the school's team defeated Alabama A&M.
The Opelika-Auburn News quotes university officials as saying that both trees at Toomer's Corner were significantly damaged.
The trees were poisoned two years ago, allegedly by a University of Alabama fan in a fit of football rivalry.
Once full and lush, the trees are now gnarly and brown. Officials pruned branches before football season, but fans are still allowed to drape toilet paper on the remaining wood after victories.


text:
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – GRAND-AM Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge drivers battled to the finish line on the 3.56-mile road course during the BMW Performance 200 Friday afternoon at Daytona International Speedway. Sports car racing will continue at the track Saturday with the 51st anniversary of the challenging twice-around-the-clock Rolex 24 At Daytona, set for 3:30 p.m. ET.
The BMW Performance 200: Jack Roush Jr. and Billy Johnson drove the GS class No. 61 Roush Performance, Gary Yeomans Ford to the overall win in the Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge BMW Performance 200.
Roush Jr. was pleased to earn the race win in front of his father, Jack Roush Sr: "It is a big deal given what he's accomplished here (at Daytona International Speedway)."
The win marks the team's second consecutive victory at Daytona and Johnson's third at Daytona International Speedway.
"This was awesome. The Continental Series is always exciting," Johnson said.
In the ST class, Vesko Kozarov and Lara Tallman from Skullcandy Team Nissan celebrated their first victory in the No. 33 Nissan Altima Coupe. Tallman is the first woman to win a Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge race since Sarah Cattaneo in 2011 (July 23, 2011 at New Jersey Motorsports Park).
"I couldn't be happier, of course. This is the best place to win and the best place to start the season," said Tallman.
The Ferrari Challenge: Ferrari 458s participated in their first of two Ferrari Challenge races on Friday. The 16-lap dash was won by John Farano from Toronto, Ontario in his No. 85 Ferrari 458CS.
Robert Herjavec from the ABC hit show "Shark Tank" was involved in an early-race incident on Lap 6 and didn't finish the race. Farano will be on the pole for Saturday's race.
The Ferrari Challenge will be followed by the weekend's main event, the Rolex 24 At Daytona, which features 69 drivers from 21 countries outside the United States. The green flag will drop at 3:30 p.m. for the fabled endurance race.
The Rolex 24 Weekend At Daytona will also be bustling off-the-track entertainment including: the Boardwalk Experience Carnival, Sprint FANZONE festivities, the Taste of the 24, and the Chili Cook-Off. For a complete list of the Rolex 24 Weekend At Daytona activities, please visit: http://www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com/Tickets-Events/Events/2013/Rolex-24-At-Daytona/Event-Info.aspx.
Tickets for the Rolex 24 Weekend At Daytona as well as Budweiser Speedweeks At Daytona are available online at www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com or by calling 1-800-PITSHOP.
Fans can also stay connected with Daytona International Speedway on Twitter, Facebook, Google+ and Pinterest for the latest news all season long.
Related Features
3.26.2019NASCAR Cup Series regular season will start and finish at DAYTONA.
3.16.2019Kyle Wyman emerges from late-race shootout to win DAYTONA 200.
3.15.2019Rider making DAYTONA 200 debut wins pole at Daytona International Speedway.
3.14.2019Two classes of motorcycles competed: powerful twin-cylinder bikes in the headlining AFT Twins class and single-cylinder machines in the AFT Singles class.


text:
Pakistan's deadly floods have affected more than 14 million people, with some estimates putting the figure considerably higher. The affected area covers 132,421 km, including 1.4 million acres of cropped land. Continuing rains have caused additional flooding and hindered relief activities.
The Bank has committed $900 million in support of Pakistan's recovery. World Bank Pakistan Country Director Rachid Benmessaoud discusses the unfolding disaster and coordination of a response.
Pakistan floods
sustainable reconstruction in Pakistan?
Completely agree for the need
Web page for reconstruction and economic recovery in Pakistan
Glad to see the institutional
Thank you so much for posting
sustainable reconstruction in Pakistan?
Save and help victims of flood in Pakistan
Flood In Pakistan
Pakistan Flood
This is indeed a major
This is indeed a major problem and any aid is welcome. However some questions become important here
1. how is the aid being immediately channelized?
2. what is the accountability of the Pakistan government?
3. should such aids be linked to a phase-wise reconstruction plan?


text:
|A student in colleege
Jun 2, 2001
How could we eduate our employers, our employees,and our community about aids?
Response from Ms. Franzoi
Through workplace and community-based AIDS education programs.
Graduate School Scholarship
health department rcords
This forum is designed for educational purposes only, and experts are not rendering medical, mental health, legal or other professional advice or services. If you have or suspect you may have a medical, mental health, legal or other problem that requires advice, consult your own caregiver, attorney or other qualified professional.
Experts appearing on this page are independent and are solely responsible for editing and fact-checking their material. Neither TheBody.com nor any advertiser is the publisher or speaker of posted visitors' questions or the experts' material.
Review our complete terms of use and copyright notice.


text:
A reimagined display face, with a twist.
Acropolis is the "Grecian" (bevelled) member of The Proteus Project, a collection of four interchangeable type families designed in different nineteenth century styles.
Every historical revival involves creating things that the original source lacks. In the case of Acropolis, the traditional grecian style has been outfitted with a crucial component which past typefounders neglected to provide: an italic. Lacking any historical precedent, Acropolis Italic attempts to be sympathetic to historical form while avoiding nostalgic clichés.


text:
Willowbrook/Burr Ridge Kiwanis Club
"Serving the children of the world"
We meet every Thursday at noon
Papa Passero's Restaurant in Westmont
Kiwanis is a global organization of volunteers dedicated to improving the world one child and one community at a time. The Willowbrook/Burr Ridge Kiwanis is dedicated to serving the local community through various service and fundraising projects. Our club has been in service to our community for more than 40 years. We are part of Kiwanis International, an organization serving children for over 100 years.
We'd love for you to come join us at one of our meetings or a service project. Please go to our Contact page and drop us a line! Someone will get back with you.


text:
Capt. C.F. Connor, Camp #849
Blueridge Brigade, NC Division
Sons of Confederate Veterans
Old Soldiers Reunion 2005
|Editor, Charlotte Observer
The Catawba County's Old Soldier's Reunion was conceived by and dedicated to those who served in the War Between the States. Some cynics claim it was a different world then. If we examine that previous society and its economic and political scene, we can plainly show that the soldiers fought for patriotic reasons, not for their support of slavery.
In 1860, the Catawba County population was 9,059. One of every three Catawba men who marched off to war never returned; fully 600 of the 1,800 who enlisted. The same ratio today would require sending nearly 27,000 Catawbans off to war, 9,000 dying as a result of battle.
The 600 men who died are those whom we choose to honor. We tried to erect a memorial on the old courthouse grounds similar in theme to the other Catawbans who died in wars past. Our memorial was to be paid for with donations that we would raise. The Catawba County Historical Association strung us along before finally refusing to support our project. The County Commissioners meekly rubber-stamped the refusal.
The SCV floats in the Reunion parade were relegated to 50th and 56th position. I wonder what the Old Soldiers would have thought.
Derick S. Hartshorn
(The author is a prominent genealogist in Catawba County, a member of the Sons of Confederate Veterans, and is their webmaster at www.CatawbaSCV.org)
space provided by
Information on these pages is Copyrighted
by Derick S. Hartshorn (c) 2001, 2004
Data NOT for sale or collection by any commercial or for-profit entity under any circumstances.
Flags-Confederate and all others
See Tom
S. Hartshorn - (C) 2005
Last Modified:


text: On Mon, 16 Sep 2002, Jim Matthews wrote: > I have been seeing a very strange problem with mpich 1.2.3 (and 1.2.4 as > well from someone else who tested it). The problem occurs immediately > following a reboot of the cluster nodes. What happens is that if I try > to run a job on 16 processors, for example, the job will hang and never > start when an mpirun is invoked. The solution is to start with a 2 > processor job, which will always work, and from there go to a 3 > processor job working my way up to 16 processors. Once that is done the > job will run on all 16 processors (or however many) and continue to run > and be re-run, with long periods of interruption, until the cluster is > reboot at which time the problem will once again surface. We had a similar problem once when we installed mpich to compare it with Score. The problem was that mpich didn't work correctly when there were two mpich-jobs on different machines but with identical process identifiers (PIDs). To solve the problem we wrote a little script that logged in onto all the nodes and started a different number of small jobs on the nodes (e.g. node_number * 100 "echo"s). - Felix -- Felix Rauch | Email: rauch at inf.ethz.ch Institute for Computer Systems | Homepage: http://www.cs.inf.ethz.ch/~rauch/ ETH Zentrum / RZ H18 | Phone: +41 1 632 7489 CH - 8092 Zuerich / Switzerland | Fax: +41 1 632 1307


text:
Candidate presented by: Dr. William J. Thorn, Associate Professor of Journalism
One of the world's leading scholars on ethics in media and in human dialogue, Clifford G. Christians has taught at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign since completing his doctoral studies in 1974. He has also been a visiting scholar in ethics at Princeton University and the University of Chicago, as well as a Pew Program Fellow at Oxford University.
Over the course of his 30-year career, Dr. Christians has explored the nature and role of ethics and ethical decision-making in the worlds of professional media and human dialogue. He has studied the ethical implications for journalism in democratic societies and analyzed how professional programs in advertising, broadcasting, journalism and public relations teach ethics and the process of ethical decision-making to the next generation of professionals.
With graduate degrees in theology and communication, Dr. Christians has worked to bring the insights from communication research into organized religion and the field of theology. He was part of both Catholic and Calvinist groups of scholars working to integrate communication theory and research into the theological framework of their denominations.
His work — teaching, lecturing and writing — has taken him to more than 25 countries in Europe, Africa, Asia and Latin America as a visiting scholar or distinguished guest speaker. His articles have appeared in French, German and Spanish, and his textbook on media ethics has been republished in Korean.
Dr. Christians has received eight awards for teaching excellence and more than 25 honors and awards for his research on ethics. He has been editor or an editorial board member for more than 25 academic journals in the United States and abroad, and he is listed in Who's Who, Who's Who In The World, International Who's Who and Outstanding Scholars of the 21st Century. Recently he was given an honorary appointment in privacy protection by the Korean National Commission to UNESCO. The Jesuit leaders of the Cavaletti Conferences in Rome invited him to help them integrate theology and communication.
Dr. Christians has been the author, co-author or editor of 12 books and monographs: Responsibility in Mass Communication (1980); Jacques Ellul: Interpretive Essays (1981); Teaching Ethics in Journalism Education (1980); Media Ethics and Church (1981); Media Ethics: Cases and Moral Reasoning (1983); Good News: Social Ethics and the Press (1993), which received the Book of the Year Award from the Religious Speech Communication Association; Communication Ethics and Universal Values (1997) with Rev. Michael Traber, president of the World Association of Christian Communicators; Moral Engagement in Public Life: Theorists for Contemporary Ethics (2002); An Ethics Trajectory: Visions of Media Past, Present and Yet to Come (2008); Media Ethics in Education (2008); Normative Theories of the Media: Journalism in Democratic Societies (2009); Keywords in Critical Cultural Studies (in press); Handbook of Media Ethics (2009); and Ethical Communication: Moral Stances in Public Communication (2009). His newest book, Ethics for Public Communication, will soon be published by the Oxford University Press.
Because of his important contributions to the philosophy of technology, media ethics and communication theory and his commitment to values and ethics, Reverend President, I hereby recommend Clifford G. Christians for the Marquette University degree of Doctor of Letters, honoris causa.


text:
An International Alliance against Corruption: Mindful of its Actions but Determined to Act
When they first met in 2010, they hardly knew each other. This week, members of the World Bank's International Corruption Hunters Alliance convened their second meeting and for many of them, the fight against corruption is no longer solo.
Once again, the World Bank welcomes more than 200 corruption fighters driving an agenda that is focused on international cooperation, technological tools and new approaches that can be incorporated in their anti-corruption mission. Since their meeting in 2010, a lot has happened. Corruption did not end but many of their collective actions had a profound impact in spreading a higher standard of accountability in public procurement and creating a broader range of enforcement powers. Cooperation between the World Bank Integrity Vice Presidency and a number of national prosecution and investigative bodies has resulted in action against corrupt companies and officials. Examples are many. The point is, working as an Alliance is about sharing information and conducting parallel investigations, that is turning transnational crimes from a challenge to a success story.


text:
Anticipation Fly-Fishing
Anticipation Fly-Fishing • Ladies, inside the heart of every man alive as we speak, is a trout fisherman waiting for his spouse to offer him a fly-fishing adventure for his birthday. It's the proverbial no-brainer, so we are making it real easy, affordable and fun for you. See the "sure to please" package details below which includes two nights lodging for two, a country gourmet breakfast for two each morning, and a full day fly-fishing wade trip and picnic for two, with either Appalachian Angler, Foscoe Fishing Company, or Elk Creek Outfitters. All inclusive lodging, fishing & guide options at $890 and $1090 • Click Here To Get More Information or To Reserve Now
The trout streams in the Blue Ridge Mountains near Valle Crucis, Blowing Rock, Linville and Boone host some of the best trout fishing streams in North Carolina. In most of these streams and rivers you can catch all three types of trout; brook, rainbow, and brown. Overall, fly fishing in the North Carolina mountains is an exceptional experience with over 3,000 miles of pristine trout streams open to fishing throughout Western North Carolina.• Click Here To Get More Information or To Reserve Now
The area's miles of scenic, pristine rivers and streams are a magnet for experienced and novice anglers in search of trout and other species. Known for rushing streams, the area is also home to scenic lakes, including spectacular options on the Blue Ridge Parkway. A wealth of professional Boone Area outfitters and guides can guide you to best-kept secret spots for a memorable day of casting from shore, or wading in the rapids. The Anticipation Package price includes your selection of a full day wade trip below for two, as described below, with your choice from among our three local guides and outfitters' wade trips. | Video by Matt Powell Productions • Click Here To Get More Information or To Reserve Now
Appalachian Angler • Tailwaters Walk & Wade Trip. Wade fishing on the tailwaters can prove to be very exciting. Selective browns and rainbows can be taken on dry flies and nymphs. The fluctuation of water in the tailrace can bring prolific hatches which are key to finding big fish rising. Our guides are often seen on these waters pursuing these great fish. • Click Here To Get More Information or To Reserve Now
Appalachian Angler has been offering guided fishing trips since 1986. Located in beautiful Boone, North Carolina, Appalachian Angler is the pioneer of float fishing in the Southeast and takes pride in offering the most experienced guides in the region. Our goal is to provide each guest with a memorable fly fishing trip, as well as a knowledge base to pursue fly-fishing as a lifetime hobby.
WebSite | FaceBook
Foscoe Fishing Company & Outfitters • Our full day local wade trip takes place on wild and hatchery supported trout streams; however, this trip allows the guide to take you to places that could not be reached with the time allowed on a half day trip. You will also be able to fish an assortment of great locations. We will leave the shop around 9:00 am and will return about 5:30 pm. Lunch is provided on this trip, along with all the fishing tackle and equipment you will need on your adventure. • Click Here To Get More Information or To Reserve Now
Foscoe Fishing Company & Outfitters is the only Orvis Endorsed Flyfishing Outfitter and Guide Service in North Carolina's High Country. We operate a full service fly shop in Boone, North Carolina and offer high quality fly fishing on the Watauga, Linville, Toe, Elk, New River, and many other pristine mountain streams that are located near our shop. The shop is open all year round and we have a professional knowledgeable staff. We also offer float and walk guides on the tailrace waters of Tennessee on the famous Watauga and South Holston Rivers. These waters offer excellent opportunities for catching Brown, Brook, and Rainbow trout. In addition, there is great smallmouth fishing in the area as well.
WebSite | FaceBook | Twitter
Elk Creek Outfitters • Enjoy a Tailrace Wade Trip. All full-day trips include transportation, all needed gear, snacks, drinks and lunch. • Click Here To Get More Information or To Reserve Now
It is Elk Creek Outfitters' goal to consistently exceed our guests' expectations by providing quality fishing adventures tailored to the individual. We achieve this through our extensive knowledge base, years of guiding experience, and honest, hard work. Fishing means different things to different people. We respect the recreational anglers who just want to have a little piece of stream to themselves. We likewise respect the anglers who are possessed, like big fish, and are insatiable in their pursuits. Whatever your passion, we know you'll like fishing with us. We are serious about fishing, and enjoy helping others with theirs. Whether you are a novice or a seasoned veteran, we are prepared to make your ECO outing the trip of your dreams.
WebSite | FaceBook
Characteristics, Features, Benefits, & Advantages • Lodging, breakfast, full day fly-fishing wade trip as per descriptions by outfitters above.
Includes • Lodging in one room, cottage or cabin & country gourmet breakfast for two each morning, and a full day wade trip for one or two as described by each guide above, Free upgrade to any room, cottage or cabin available at check-in.
Cost • $890.00, total for 2 nights plus breakfasts and trip, for check-ins on Sundays, Mondays or Tuesdays, with fly-fishing trip morning after check-in
Cost • $1090.00, total for 2 nights plus breakfasts and trip, for check-ins on Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays or Saturdays, with fly-fishing trip morning after check-in
Does Not Include • NC Trout Fishing License, available for $20 per person at outfitters or online. Does not include taxes or optional gratuities.
Reserve Now • www.themastfarminn.com/reservations-specials
Lodging Options • 2 day flat rate total above for any room, cottage or cabin available at the time of your reservation, and includes breakfasts and fishing trip, see rooms, cottages and cabins by clicking here
Dining Options • See dining options by clicking here
Optional Extras • Numerous options available, contact us by click here for special requests
• Minimum Stay ~ 2 Nights
• Maximum Stay ~ 4 Nights, subsequent extra nights, past 2 nights, billed at regular rates
• Maximum Occupancy ~ For Rooms: Limited to two persons, no extra persons in rooms ~ For cottages & cabins: Limited to 4 person maximum, each extra persons beyond double occupancy in cabins & cottages are billed at $30 per person per day. Children over 2 are considered an extra person.
• Days of The Week Available ~ For check-ins on Sundays, Monday, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, or Saturdays, except for within 5 days of a national holiday
• Months Available ~ April, May, June, August, September
• Months Not Available ~ July, October, November, December, January, February, March
• May Be Reserved No Earlier Than ~ 12 weeks prior to scheduled date of arrival
• Must Be Reserved No Later Than ~ 3 weeks prior to scheduled date of arrival
• Deposit required ~ The standard deposit
• Cancelation Policy ~ Full refund minus a $35 processing fee if cancelled 31 days or more prior to scheduled arrival, 50% refund if cancelled between 31-15 days prior to scheduled arrival, Billed completely without refund if cancelled 14 days or less prior to scheduled date of arrival
• To benefit you must request this special when reserving, this rate cannot be applied to reservations already made
• Offer cannot be combined with any other discounts, special offers, packages, promotions, gift certificates or packages
Make Your Own History at The Mast Farm Inn
Historic Farmhouse, Cottage & Cabin Lodging, Invigorating Retreats & Workshops, Memorable Elopements, Weddings & Honeymoons • The Mast Farm Inn is an award-winning Historic Hotels of America® boutique hotel, and Select Registry® country inn, specializing in historic lodging, weddings, elopements, honeymoons, retreats and workshops, in Historic Valle Crucis, North Carolina. The Mast Farm Inn is on the National Register of Historic Places, as is the entire historic district of Valle Crucis in which it is located; a world-renowned rural mountain village, in the western North Carolina Blue Ridge Parkway mountains.


text: We have the same switch. I was able to get it to work with the latest OFED 1.3 ( available from the Mellanox web site). They have rpms for RHEL4 and RHEL5. Massimiliano On Wed, Jun 4, 2008 at 3:52 PM, Michael H. Frese < Michael.Frese at numerex-llc.com> wrote: > Following Jeff Layton's post to this list [Cheap SDR IB] on January 28, > we purchased 8 Infinihost LX's and an 8 port switch, and began trying to > get > the OpenFabrics (OFED) release of MVAPICH for Fedora Core 6 to run on our > new > machines. We develop and run a multiphysics code in a relatively fine > grain parallel mode > where latency dominates the performance scaling, so it seemed like a good > thing to try. > > This is our first exposure to InfiniBand, though we have considerable > experience with MPI, both in-memory and over GigE, including using netpipe > to > measure latency and bandwidth. > > Those machines have AMD Athlon X2 6000+'s on Asus M2N-SLI Deluxe > motherboards > with an open PCI Express slot that will handle x4. > > The main issue is that we are presently running Fedora Core 8 and the > 2.6.21 > SMP kernel, but there is no OFED release for FC8 yet. Is anyone else > working > on this? Has anyone succeeded at getting it to work? > > We started with OFED version 1.2.5 from > http://www.openfabrics.org/downloads/OFED/ofed-1.2.5/OFED-1.2.5-RPMS/ > We downloaded all the rpms from redhat-release-4AS-6.1 version. > In particular the kernel rpms are kernel-ib-devel-1.2-2.6.9_55.ELsmp and > kernel-ib-1.2-2.6.9_55.ELsmp. > > We used the 1.2.5 version because there don't seem to be any rpms for the > 1.3 version. > > All the OFED rpm's for FC6 installed on FC8 without difficulty, except for > opensm-3.0.3-0.ppc64.rpm > It didn't say "missing dependencies ..." It just got stuck. We had to kill > the 'rpm -ivh', remove the lock file > and rebuild the rpm database. After that, > > # lsmod | grep ib > > shows about 15 IB related kernel mods. > > Even so, at this point, some of the IB stuff works. We can run > ibnetdiscover and see the HCA's on the > two machines that have the rpm's installed, and the switch, too. We could > use > that to make a topology file, but we don't know where to put it, or even if > we > should put it somewhere. We can run ibchecknet, and though it finds 4 > nodes, > it says they are all bad. It also reports "lid 0 address resolution: > FAILED". We have not succeeded in getting ibping to work, and aren't > really > sure what how to specify the remote address for it. > > We found > > /usr/share/doc/ofed-docs-1.2/README.txt > /usr/share/doc/ofed-docs-1.2/OFED_Installation_Guide.txt > > and, as described there, did > > # /etc/init.d/openibd start > Loading QLogic InfiniPath driver: [FAILED] > Loading HCA driver and Access Layer: [ OK ] > Setting up InfiniBand network interfaces: > Failed to configure IPoIB connected mode for ib0 > Bringing up interface ib0: [FAILED] > Setting up service network . . . [ done ] > Loading ib_sdp [FAILED] > Loading ib_vnic [FAILED] > Module ib_vnic not loaded. > Bringing up VNIC interfaces [FAILED] > > That mostly looks bad. > > Does anyone have any suggestions? > > We are willing to try a build from source, but we are unsure of what > challenges might lie down that path. > > We'd rather not fall back to FC6, but we may have to do that. > > Thanks for your help. > > > Mike Frese > > _______________________________________________ > Beowulf mailing list, Beowulf at beowulf.org > To change your subscription (digest mode or unsubscribe) visit > http://www.beowulf.org/mailman/listinfo/beowulf > > -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: <http://www.beowulf.org/pipermail/beowulf/attachments/20080604/7b66ecc1/attachment.html>


text:
I was honored to represent the United States government at the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association (ILGA) Europe's Annual Conference, held in Zagreb, Croatia yesterday. Before an audience of more than 250 activists from 45 countries across Europe, I affirmed the strong U.S. commitment to advance the human rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) persons in Europe and beyond. While noting some positive developments in Europe, such as anti-discrimination and hate crime measures, I also expressed deep concern about negative trends in a number of countries in the region. The Anti-Gay Propaganda law in Russia, for example, has led to an increase in harassment and violence targeting LGBT persons. Similar laws have been proposed or are being discussed in other European countries. And we heard at ILGA how such laws validate discrimination and lead to an increase in violence and intimidation.
On the margins of this important gathering, I also met with Croatian government and EU officials as well as civil society organizations from Croatia and elsewhere in Europe. Those officials included Stavros Lambrinidis, the EU Special Representative for Human Rights, and Aurel Ciobanu-Dordea, Director for Equality in the European Commission's Directorate-General for Justice, who both joined me in delivering keynote remarks.
In a roundtable discussion with LGBT advocates from across Europe, I heard firsthand about the human rights challenges facing LGBT persons, including legal difficulties in changing gender markers on official documents for transgender persons, violence and harassment targeting LGBT persons, particularly around Pride marches, and the pressing need to ensure societies at large become more tolerant and inclusive of LGBT persons and their families. This sobering reality will inform the work of the Department as it continues to use diplomacy and foreign assistance to increase human rights protection for LGBT persons.
In December 2011, the Department launched the Global Equality Fund to support civil society programs and projects that respond to human rights backsliding and advance the human rights of LGBT persons. Since the its launch, the Fund has allocated more than $7.5 million to civil society in more than 50 countries worldwide, including Europe, to help support efforts to challenge discriminatory legislation, build organizational capacity and document human rights abuses that target LGBT persons. As a public-private partnership, the Fund is a collaboration of over a dozen foreign governments, private foundations, and corporations.
While meeting with EU human rights officials and civil society activists, I also highlighted the Presidential Memorandum on International Initiatives to Advance the Human Rights of LGBT Persons as a useful government-wide mechanism to focus attention and energy on common objectives across different government agencies.
The State Department is determined to continue its work in close collaboration with civil society and government partners in Europe to ensure a society where all persons, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity, are treated with equality and dignity.
About the Author: Uzra Zeya serves as Acting Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor.


text:
Sunday, August 28, 2011
22 comments:
That looks like a crappy 70s shower curtain.
- August 28, 2011 at 9:12 PM
- D said...
It is a crappy 70's shower curtain.
- August 28, 2011 at 9:24 PM
Generic. Goes with the church without a cross.
- August 28, 2011 at 11:15 PM
If he were to walk out into a thunderstorm, when lightning hit, it would be conducted around father, leaving him completely unharmed.
- August 29, 2011 at 12:08 AM
Now listen closely... A little off the top, taper the back, and do not touch the sideburns.
- August 29, 2011 at 12:18 AM
Aaaaand maybe that's what they can afford and it's joyful in their cultural context?
- August 29, 2011 at 7:41 AM
- The Underground Pewster said...
Hey, I saw that outfit on a Star Trek episode back in '66.
- August 29, 2011 at 9:19 AM
All that glitters is not gold. Sometimes it's polyester, lurex or just biaxially-oriented polyethylene terephthalate.
- August 29, 2011 at 9:40 AM
- Brian P. Craig said...
When I was a boy, I used to play at saying Mass, wearing a rain poncho as a chasuble. Now actual priests are wearing shower curtains. Fabulous.
- August 29, 2011 at 10:12 AM
Is this a pastor in Vegas? A vestment of simple white cloth with appropriate decorration also in simple style would be much more appropriate.
Mike Forbes+
- August 29, 2011 at 12:16 PM
This set reminds me of when I was a newly minted priest long ago in the far country of New Jersey. One of my first reality checks was discovering closets filled with Gaspard polyester vestments. Wanting something more festive for Easter, I found some silver, gold and blue lurex fabric in NY's garment district and persuaded a parishioner talented at sewing to stitch up a festal set.
On Easter Day, as cast and crew were lined up waiting for the organist to strike up "Hail thee festival day," the warden came by, took one look at me and expressed his opinion by putting on his sun glasses before continuing on into the nave.
The only pictures of that set were taken through a haze of incense that lent them a somewhat Byzantine aspect. Sorry, but none survive for your delectation and delight.
From that happy morning on, it was obvious I was a young priest to be watched closely. Very closely.
- August 30, 2011 at 9:28 AM
- Free Range Anglican said...
Do not knock this fabulous multi-purpose garment!!! It is water resistant, protects the internal organs against radiation in the event of a nuclear emergency or a dental X-ray, glows in the dark if the power goes out, and can function as a tent, a blanket, or even a handy dandy potato sack for the races at the parish picnic. In fact this vestment is so amazingly multipurpose that it can be worn for any occasion, just add pearls or a belt to jazz it up or dress it down, event, emergency or activity... Good for absolutely anything except wearing at the altar...
sorry. I had no idea you meant it for that. My mistake...
how awkward.
- August 30, 2011 at 12:41 PM
Initial impression offered by teenage son while sprinting past the computer:
Is he getting ready to finger-paint?
- August 30, 2011 at 9:01 PM
Will come in handy at all those chicken (or torsk!) dinners as well....
- August 31, 2011 at 5:36 AM
- C. Wingate said...
It's Irene-ic.
- August 31, 2011 at 3:40 PM
Beam me up, Scotty!
- August 31, 2011 at 9:28 PM
- TLF+ said...
"Is that a real poncho or is that a Sears' poncho?"
No prize to award but any who know artist and title have my admiration.
- September 1, 2011 at 2:38 PM
- Gail F said...
Scolding Anonymous: The premise of this blog is that the things in it are NOT the only thing the people can afford, but that they are things people made or bought on purpose because they like them. K? No one is out to make fun of the poor.
This looks like it is made out of...I don't know what. As with many of these things, I imagine someone made it as a gift.
- September 1, 2011 at 5:38 PM
Looks like a survival blanket from an emergency kit.
Or maybe it's supposed to be a cloak of invisibility.
- September 1, 2011 at 7:33 PM
I think it looks more like one of the plastic capes used in hair salons.
- September 2, 2011 at 4:58 PM
- The Bovina Bloviator said...
With so many broke Episcopal parishes these days, protection from a leaking roof seems altogether prudent.
- September 3, 2011 at 9:51 AM
Just who does he think he's jiving with that cosmic debris?
On the other hand there is a priest I know who spills alot and evidently wipes his hand on the chasubles. I bet our altar guild would consider buying something like this to preserve our vestments. So, back to business: who has the better price? Almy, Wippell or Sears?
- September 5, 2011 at 1:56 PM


text:
I know this may sound weird to some people, but in the summer here (in the ghetto, sorry I don't know a better way to refer to this corn) it is sold out of large tubs in grocery carts in the streets. Basically the original version is cooked corn on a cob slathered with mayonnaise (or butter, depending on the vendor), covered with parmesan cheese, and sprinkled with cayenne pepper. So last night, trying to think of something to eat with my black bean enchilada casserole I came up with this vegan version of the original. It turned out so well leftovers are in my bento today.
1 cup frozen corn
good hot sauce to taste
2 tablespoons of nutritional yeast
1/2 tablespoon of vegan mayonnaise (optional, I did not pack mayo for my lunch because it is still pretty good without it)
I just heat the corn through with the hot sauce and add the nutritional yeast at the end. After it is off the heat (preferably just before you are going to eat) mix the mayonnaise in.
If you are okay with egg and cheese and you are not on a diet I would suggest trying the original, especially during the summer with fresh corn. But there is a warning, this is extremely addictive and I have know people to put on a fair amount of weight from this (I had a boss that put on 20 lb. in one summer, but in all fairness she ate a ton of it).
I love corn! Sounds tasty and eh, filling ^_^;
The Big Onigiri.
- Wherever you go, there you are. -
They sell something like this at street fairs and festivals here. No mayo, just butter, parmigiana and/or chili powder or cayenne. It's really good,but I never heard it called that. I think they call it Roasted-corn-on-a-stick, or just Corn-on-a-stick. Love that food on a stick! lol! I like your version, I'll have to try it.
One other way that i've heard of the corn on a stick thing done which i've tried and was really amazing:
Try fresh lime with Chili powder and garlic salt sprinkled on it. OH MY SOUL! It's delicious.
And it's vegan too! And....actually healthy =p
That is how mango is sold on the street, minus the garlic. But I agree it is a very yummy combination.
This is probably a silly question but I have never heard of nutritional yeast.
Would normal yeast do the same job or is it something completely different?
It is different. It is a vegan stand in for Parmesan cheese in this case. I usually get it from the health food store. But if you eat dairy products, the cheese works just as well. I have a link below, if you want a bit more of a description.
This is corn "a la Tijuanense" -- basically Tijuana-style corn, which is sold by street vendors in Tijuana and throughout Mexico. If you've seen the movie "Nacho Libre" you'll easily recognize it.
One of our local taco shops does this with niblets (from a can, I think, since they serve it year-round) as a side dish. It is pretty tasty!
To be honest I "LOL" @ the "ghetto", that was quite funny!
I don't know if this is what you are reffering to?
Because I have heard it been called a lot of different things before, but mostly in "barrio" in Mexico, USA they call it "Elote en Palo o Vaso". You can either have it in a cup or stick.
The recipe is as follows:
Boiled corn (frozen is best), Helmsman's/McCormick mayonesa (mayonnaise), squirt butter and red chile powder.
It is so delicious!
I found a fabulous recipe in an Indian cookbook and it's now my favourite way to do corn. I have it a couple of times a week during the summer. Apparently it's a traditional street food in some parts of India.
You mix equal quantities of chilli powder and salt (garlic salt also works really well) together. You then take half a lime and dip it into the salty chilli powder and rub it all over the cooked cob of corn. It doesn't matter how you cook the corn but BBQ'd is really good. I recommend it to all corn lovers vegan or otherwise! :)
|Last Post
|Sesame salad dressing
|5 years 33 weeks ago
|Authentic paella?
|5 years 34 weeks ago
|IMPORTANT: If you have a blog on JustBento...
|5 years 36 weeks ago
|Shiso - uses for this herb
|5 years 38 weeks ago
|Fuki (Japanese Butterbur) Tsukemono Recipes
|5 years 39 weeks ago
@justbento - strictly site updates
@makiwi - Maki tweets at random


text:
Holy shit, I'm going to be on the radio!
This Wednesday, March 11, at 9 a.m., I'll be the guest on the program Jen's Dish, hosted by Jen Huntley-Corbin. Jen is the Buy Local Coordinator for Farm Fresh RI, which, among other things, organizes the local farmer's markets. She approached me just over a week ago to be on the show and discuss seasonal ingredients in cocktails, among other topics. Maple syrup is fresh right now in our area, so that's the impetus for this program. I have a couple of cocktail ideas in mind that use maple, so it should be fun.
The program airs on WNRI/1380 AM, out of Woonsocket, RI. (Oh, I'm bein' followed by a Woonsocket. Woonsocket, Woonsocket.) The station does not appear to offer podcasts of past shows, but you can listen to a live stream at the station's website. Since I doubt a single person's gonna do that, I've asked Jen for permission to host an MP3 of the program on my own site.
Edited to add: Jen just sent me the numbers for the talk line. If any of you are awake and alert enough to call in with questions, here are the numbers:
Talk Line: 401-769-0600
Talk Line: 401-766-1380
Talk Line: 800-949-WNRI (9674)


text:
Archives: Cook County jail officials recall B.B. King concert: 'A hell of a show'
Subscribe for unlimited digital access.
Try one month for $1!
Subscribe for unlimited digital access. Try one month for $1!
June 10, 2011
Chicago Sun-Times
Blues Fest is upon us. But at Cook County Jail the thrill is gone, baby. The thrill is gone away.
Gone more than 40 years since blues legend B.B. King sang for his first "captive audience" on a stage where killers once were hanged.
People who love the blues say the jailhouse recording, "B.B. King Live in Cook County Jail," is one the best live albums ever. Even Rolling Stone magazine listed it as one of the Top 500 albums of all time.
On Wednesday, then-warden Clarence Richard English and a few of his former head-busting jail guards – J.J. Zurek, Ed Curtis and Raul Estrada – returned to the jail yard for the first time since retiring to talk about their memories of the blustery, sunny afternoon.
"That was a hell of a day. Never forget it," English said. "The guy put on a hell of a show."
Things have changed since Sept. 10, 1970 – the day the King of the Blues went to the "World's Worst Jail."
Back then Cook County Jail was a chaotic hell controlled by jail guard lieutenants called "barn bosses," each with their own band of henchmen. They fought – with their fists and the occasional rifle – to keep heavy-handed control of inmates. King's concert was an experiment by late jail director Winston Moore, a psychologist who wanted to get rid of the barn bosses. It was a way to keep a lid on the joint by offering the criminals a treat . . . instead of the customary choke hold.
"Inmates knew, number one, if they acted up that was the end of the entertainment," Zurek said. "And two, who ever acted up would have to face the other inmates."
No one was really sure if it would work.
It was 87 degrees. Hot.
Almost every prisoner – 2,117 inmates by one count – sat on the jail yard grass where at least a couple times someone trying to make a break for it by climbing the wall took a bullet from a watchtower sniper.
About 200 women inmates sat in the front rows. They were so close King even kissed the hand of one lucky, locked-up lady.
The men – killers, petty thieves and gang kingpins Jeff Fort and Larry Hoover, among them – sat in roped off sections of grass.
Only the guys on Death Row remained locked up, but even they were allowed to listen through slightly opened windows.
About 25 jail guards – a few of them stationed in guard towers toting .50 caliber semi-automatic rifles – on duty to make sure none of the knuckleheads started a riot or tried to escape.
It was Curtis' job to make sure the King didn't get shanked while they walked through the tunnels, iron-barred doors and the electric chair of what Ebony magazine had called the "World's Worst Jail." He thought the place might erupt into a fight.
"If the inmates wanted to do something they could have," Curtis said. "Those rifles were there for show. They weren't going to shoot into the crowd."
But King remained calm; cool even, as he took to the former gallows with Lucille, his guitar, and his band, Curtis said.
The incarcerated members of the Cook County Jail Jazz Band sat in a few tunes, before tape started rolling tape on the historic jailhouse show.
The late Jewel LaFontant, a Chicago lawyer once considered for a seat on the Supreme Court by President Nixon, got everyone's attention by announcing the men responsible for the show – Sheriff Joseph Woods and chief judge Joseph Power. The yard erupted in boos that you can hear on the record's opening track.
But that's as rowdy as jailhouse got. And King was at his best.
"The song that sticks in my mind is "The Thrill is Gone." That is the No. 1 song BB has ever done and I remember looking out over the audience … inmates sitting on the ground. They were hot, but enjoying themselves and getting along. It was really peaceful," English said. "And B.B. was up there sweating and pouring out that blues and making our day."
King talked to the inmates, he even gave life advice to female prisoners.
"Ladies, if you got a man and the man don't do like you think he should. Don't you hurt him," King said. "I said, don't hurt him. Man happens to be God's gift to women."
King says he'll always remember Cook County Jail.
"It was shall I say a captive audience, but these guys really seemed to enjoy the show," King said in an e-mail. "They gave me a standing ovation. I keep that memory with me today."
The days of jail concerts are long over. But if Cook County's live music-loving Sheriff Tom Dart wants a B.B. King encore the blues legend – who still plays more than 200 shows a year – says he is up for it.
"I was just doing what I love to do, and that's playing for the people," King said. "We have not had an opportunity to do any prison concerts in many years. It is something that I would consider doing in the future."


text:
The Independent Games Festival has announced a multi-year partnership with Microsoft Games Studios. The partnership will involve a jury of indie game developers awarding an "XBLA Prize" (XBLA being Microsoft's Xbox Live Arcade service), which will be given out at the IGF, a festival and awards ceremony that happens each March at the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco.
The XBLA Prize will involve a publishing deal to release the winning game on Microsoft's various platforms, including the Xbox 360, the Windows Phone and Games for Windows Live. Winners will also have access to Microsoft's first-party publishing services, including an official slotted release on Xbox Live Arcade.
The IGF honours games across a number of categories. Recent winners include Minecraft, Amnesia: The Dark Descent, Limbo and Monaco.
IGF Announces Multi-Year Partnership With Microsoft For 'XBLA Prize' [IndieGames.com]


text:
Author Notes: Once a week, my husband and I enjoy homemade pizza night. It's become a wonderfully fun tradition and our toppings are often dictated by what's in season at the farmers market. While his side of the pie often look much different than mine -he's a major meat with a side of artichokes guy, while I'm heavy on the veggies- I recently had a major hankering for something that reminded me of Louisiana (where I grew up).
Collards and bacon fit the bill, and this marvelous pizza was born. It's the kind of dish that I would have been thrilled to order, eat and pay for in a restaurant. Quick-cooking the greens in a bit of the bacon drippings before putting them on the pizza keeps them moist and pretty on the hot grill or in the hot oven. If you can grill this pizza, the smokiness imparted in doing so is a great complement to the bacon on the pie. C'est bon? Oui!
Note: my husband and I roll our pizza dough out to 11.5" x 17" to best fit our stone and peel. This recipe will dress half of that crust. Feel free to double for a whole pie, or use the other side to try other great toppings. —em-i-lis
Makes: half of an 11.5" x 17" pizza
your favorite pizza crust
extra-virgin olive oil (I use unfiltered 100% Italian for this)
pinches red pepper flakes
garlic cloves, peeled and very thinly sliced
strips good quality, thick-cut bacon
large collard green leaves, center ribs removed, leaves washed and chopped
ounces buffalo or regular mozzarella (but good quality!), thinly sliced
oven roasted plum tomato halves, sliced
pecorino for grating
Maldon sea salt for seasoning if need be
- Whether you're using a grill or the oven, preheat it to hot (about 450° ambient temp in the grill; 495° for convection oven*). If you're using a pizza stone, remember to put it on or in at this time (NOT when the grill/oven is already hot). Roll out your crust on a piece of parchment. Drizzle your half with the olive oil, and then use your fingers to rub it in evenly. Sprinkle with the red pepper flakes and garlic slivers.
- In a skillet, cook your bacon until about halfway or 3/4 of the way done. You don't want it to burn later. Remove and drain on paper towels. Pour out most of the bacon drippings, leaving just enough in the skillet to coat the bottom. Return the pan to medium-high heat, and add the chopped collards. Stir to coat with drippings and cook for 3-4 minutes. In the meantime, chop the bacon (I remove any egregiously sized fat chunks). When the greens have started to soften and wilt, throw the bacon crumbles back in, toss, and remove the skillet from heat. Don't overcook them.
- Head back to your prepared pizza crust and atop the pepper flakes and garlic slivers, place the tomato and mozzarella slices. Then spoon your greens and bacon mixture evenly over all that.
- If you're grilling, use a pizza peel to put the pizza (parchment and all) on the hot stone, and cook 7 minutes. Remove from the stone and grate fresh pecorino over the top. Season with some Maldon if you think it needs it.
- *When we use our convection oven without the stone, we prebake our crust for 7-8 minutes on parchment. Then we remove the crust from the parchment, dress it with our toppings and return to the oven to cook for another 11 or so minutes. When using our oven and the stone, we don't prebake. Sorry if this is confusing...many iterations over here. :)
- This recipe was entered in the contest for Your Best Dark, Leafy Greens
- This recipe was entered in the contest for Your Best Cheap Feast
- This recipe was entered in the contest for Your Best Dish with Meat as a Flavoring
More Great Recipes:
Pizza|Bacon|Mozzarella|Vegetable|Serves a Crowd|Fall|Spring|Summer|Winter|Entree|Breakfast


text:
The total number of shares that foreign shareholders are holding at Vietjet Air accounting for more than 24% of charter capital.
Recently, Vietnam's Deputy Minister of Transport has signed a written approval for Vietjet's 5 shareholders to transfer 66,506,870 shares, equivalent to 22.169% of the charter capital of 3,000 billion VND to 23 foreign investors.
Earlier, in December 2016, the Ministry of Transport has also agreed for 1 Vietjet's shareholder to transfer 6.566 million shares, equivalent to 2.626% of charter capital for 3 foreign investors, who are: Wareham Group Limited (British Virgin Island), Dragon Capital Markets Limited (Cayman Island) and DC Developing Markets Strategies Public Company (Ireland). The amount of transferred money was not revealed, but ranged from 65 billion VND to 788 billion VND. The transfer has been completed and aproved by the Department of Planning and Investment of Hanoi on December 22nd 2016.
In total, the transfer of shares to foreign investors has reached 24.358% of charter capital.
According to Vietnam Civil Aviation Administration, the transfer of shares to foreign investors of Vietjet is valid. The transfer does not increase the charter capital of Vietjet, foreign investors do not participate in the executive apparatus, management operations and administration works of Vietjet and therefore it does not alter the business plan and development strategy of Vietjet.
Relating to the transfer of shares to foreign investors, according to Decree 92, the foreign parties cannot occupy more than 30% of charter capital and foreign members shall not exceed 1/3 of the total number of members participating in the executive apparatus.
Vietjet Air is the first airline in Vietnam operating under the model of the new generation airline, with low cost and provides a variety of services for customers to select. Vietjet is an official member of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) with IOSA safety operation certificate. Besides the position of "Top 500 Leading Brands in Asia in 2016", Vietjet is voted as "Best Asian Low Cost Carrier" in 2015 by the TTG Travel Awards and Top 3 airlines that have fastest growth facebook fanpage in the world, evaluated by SocialBakers.
Currently, Vietjet is operating 42 A320 and A321 aircrafts, performed about 350 flights a day and has transported nearly 35 million passengers, with 60 routes covering destinations in Vietnam and international routes to Hong Kong, Singapore, Korea, Taiwan, China, Thailand, Myanmar, Malaysia, Cambodia…
Vietjet has planned to develop extensive flight network throughout Asia – Pacific region. Moreover, they are studying for further expansion of routes in the region and has signed procurement contracts to purchase new generation aircrafts.
Relate news: Vietnam company formation
ANT Consulting is here to assist you from the outset; providing corporate intelligence, risk advisory, management consulting services that assist market entrance, and ensure efficient business start-up operation. Our services are as following:
We strive to save your cost by guiding you towards economical solutions that comply with local legislation and procedures. We support you through early logistic solutions and carry you through as your business grows. We aim to bridge the gap between international best practices and local cultures and assist foreign companies and organizations entering Vietnam market to overcome commercial and regulatory issues.
We could be reached at email: firstname.lastname@example.com or tel: +848 3520 2779 . To learn more about us, please visit www.antconsult.vn


text:
All items > Knives > Folding Knives > Rike Knife (Folding) > 1508 Series
- Overall Length:7.625"
- Blade Length:3.25"
- Blade Thickness:0.16"
- Blade Material:Bohler M390
- Blade Style:Drop Point
- Blade Grind:Flat
- Finish:Bead Blast, Satin
- Edge Type:Plain
- Handle Length:4.45"
- Handle Thickness:0.51"
- Handle Material:Titanium
- Color:Gray
- Frame/Liner:Titanium
- Weight:3.77 oz.
- User:Right Hand
- Pocket Clip:Tip-Up
- Knife Type:Manual
- Opener:Flipper
- Lock Type:Frame Lock
- Brand:Rike Knife
- Model:RK1508s
- Country of Origin:China
- Best Use:Everyday Carry
- Product Type:Knife
Like it, or love it? We certainly lean toward the latter. The RK1508s is an integral framelock knife that makes a big splash in terms of detail and refinement. The end result is a knife that doesn't just look ridiculously good, it has high performance materials and build quality to back it up too! This model has a dark gray handle and a bead blasted blade.Features:
- Single-piece titanium, integral frame lock handle.
- Bohler M390 steel blade has excellent wear resistance and hardness properties for top-notch performance.
- Fantastically smooth ball-bearing pivot with every flip.
- Milled titanium pocket clip flexes, reducing pocket wear and tear.
- Titanium pivot collar doubles as a stop plate to prevent overtravel.
- Hardened steel lockbar insert to stand up to repeated use.
- Gentle, effective jimping on flipper and thumb ramp.
- Hidden lanyard attachment.


text:
Postmortem: The Chinese Room's Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs
May 23, 2014 Page 1 of 7
Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs was born out of an ethos shared by Swedish indie & Amnesia franchise creator Frictional Games (FG) and British independent developer The Chinese Room (TCR) towards game design and what games as a medium are capable of doing. This focuses on the creation of games that prioritize immersion, emotion, and the affective experience of the player, combined with a powerful, thought provoking and well-told story.
The game [YouTube trailer] was originally pitched as a short two-to-three hour experience entitled We are the Pig, although this initial design went through numerous changes and expansions during its development. This led to the development time extending from the initially intended 12 months up to 24 months. While the game length increased beyond the original design, some sections still unfortunately did not make their way into the final release such as the Boiler and Fattening levels.
TCR came to this development with prior experience developing games such as Korsakovia and Dear Esther that provided a number of lessons to inform the development of Pigs. FG of course had experience from their previous successful horror titles. This project was however the first time that either company had collaborated with another company on a project and this would have very noticeable consequences throughout the development process.
Pigs has released to predominantly strong critical praise, but has clearly proven to be a divisive title amongst players. The game has demonstrated success in a number of areas, however the game and the development process itself were not without their problems. In discussing both the game's successes along with these problems, this postmortem aims to provide a comprehensive overview of what was an enjoyable if sometimes arduous development.
Concept artwork for the cut Boiler level.
What Went Right
1. Creative Freedom
FG took a very hands-off approach during early development, allowing a high degree of creative freedom amongst the TCR team. FG must be commended for their willingness and openness towards experimentation with an established intellectual property such as Amnesia. Such experimentation with established formulas is something that arguably should be encouraged more across the industry in order to keep pushing at the boundaries of the established design spaces that we currently operate within.
This invitation to experiment meant that in terms of both gameplay and story, time was spent during early development throwing around a lot of different ideas for plot, puzzle scenarios, game mechanisms, enemy designs and enemy encounter scenarios. These ideas ranged from small adjustments to the established Amnesia formula through to more radical and complete departures from it. Some of the ideas that came out of this process had potential for very interesting gameplay, such as enemies that would only appear clearly in the peripheral vision of the player, and a procedurally generated three-dimensional electrified maze, similar to Vincenzo Natali's film Cube.
Early concept artwork attempting to define the appearance of different pig creatures.
While technical limitations of the HPL2 engine prevented the inclusion of the more complex ideas, a number of less technically demanding ones, encouraged by this creative freedom, did make their way into the final game. The intention from the outset was to develop a game that players could not play simply by relying on their experience with Amnesia: The Dark Descent. This was critical in giving players a new experience, and the freedom to experiment provided a catalyst for creating such an experience. The last thing TCR wanted to do was give players "just more of the same" gameplay established in FG's previous titles. While certainly some players would have been happy with this, it was not what TCR wanted to make, and furthermore was not what FG wanted TCR to make. The aim was to bring a fresh approach to the established Amnesia gameplay.
Of course in following a critical success such as The Dark Descent, it would be both naive and a severe disservice to the established fan base to not consider how a sequel may draw on the most successful elements of the original. Ripping out the heart of what makes Amnesia, Amnesia, was not the aim; it was more about structuring a new, but horrific body around an established skeleton. This also applies to linking the game to the overarching franchise mythos. Again, FG did not require there to be any notable link between the games in terms of narrative, but TCR felt that a complete departure from the mythos would risk alienating many of the established Amnesia fans. Indeed, early media releases that prompted a deluge of theories around the game's plot and characters demonstrated the level of investment the fan base had in the established lore, with forum threads spanning over 500 separate pages analyzing the minutiae of the released material on the game.
The response of the community to these early media releases was instrumental in fueling further creativity during the game's development, as a number of forum posts discussed ideas or different plot interpretations that had not been considered. While of course not all of those posts formed the basis of something that made it into the final released game, a small selection was worked into the fabric of the established game and plot where appropriate. Hopefully, some players may recognize small features within the game that they had previously postulated about!
Page 1 of 7


text:
Your loved ones are now just a tap away. Call your friends and family anytime, anywhere for FREE using Nimbuzz calls. Even if they don't have Nimbuzz application, you can still call on their landline or mobile using NimbuzzOut.
A picture is worth a thousand words and Nimbuzz stickers are no less. From blowing a kiss to your sweetheart to punching your buddy, do it all with stickers.
Join Nimbuzz chatrooms to talk about anything you fancy. Discover trends, enter discussions, and make friends with strangers on the World's most popular chatrooms.
Being with your loved ones is probably the best feeling in the world. Nimbuzz HD Video Calling allows you to do the next best - see & talk to them without letting the distance in between play spoilsport.
Staying in touch with close buddies is super easy with Nimbuzz Group Chat. Use it to plan a trip, keep in touch with your classmates, or just gossip with your colleagues.


text:
A Hall of Fame quarterback is being sued for sexual harassment. Multiple reports say Warren Moon is accused of grabbing the crotch of executive assistant Wendy Haskell during a trip to Seattle this year. The 32-year-old was hired by Moon's sports marketing firm in July.
She says she was demoted for not complying with his demands to wear skimpy lingerie and sleep in the same bed with him on business trips.
Photo: AOL


text:
Welcome to HandJobHeaven.net where the ladies are always wearing sexy outfits, Latex, Leather, Shirt and Tie and of course the classic sexy stockings and bra.
Themed handjobs are the order of the day and the girls are always willing to please using their skilled hands!
Gloved handjobs, oily lubed handjobs, outdoor handjobs...these ladies always make the guy cum with her hands!
All our websites are designed for both desktop, mobile and tablet with no loss of functions, so wherever you are, you can enjoy the content!


text:
Paintings that aren't square have been cropped to fit this format. Please click on a thumbnail to view the full painting and it's details.
14x11x0.75." oil on canvas. 2018
Please contact me if you have any questions.
All work is sold unframed unless noted otherwise. Paintings labeled "oil on canvas" are painted on gessoed cotton duck stretched on wooden stretchers. The depth of the stretchers of each canvas is noted after it's height and width. Paintings labeled "oil on linen on panel" are painted on oil-primed Claessens linen that has been glued to an 1/8" MDF panel. Stretched canvases are shipped with hanging wire installed. Panels are shipped with no means to hang them. I use and recommend Command Brand medium-sized picture hanging strips (available at most hardware stores) for hanging panels on clean drywall, with the caveat that removing the strips from a wall occasionally causes very minor paint peel at the spot of adhesion. Also, moist or dirty walls can cause adhesion failure.
Artwork can be returned for any reason for a full refund within 30 days, unless it has been damaged by buyer. Buyer pays return shipping.