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Will I buy Diablo III? Yes. Will I play Diablo III? Yes.
Will I play Diablo III more than once? Maybe.
Will it matter how I build my character? No.
From what I've read--and correct me if I'm wrong—if two players have max-level barbarians side-by-side in Diablo III, items and names aside, there will be zero difference between our characters. We will have access to the same base stat build and access to the same selection of skills and runes.
Welcome to the 'stupidification' of Diablo, where build skill no longer matters. If I didn't care about character build and only wanted to find items, I'd rather put 80 hours into Final Fantasy.
Differentiation between characters was what made my Diablo II characters unique, not the items I had. Why can't I make a unique stat-heavy ranged barbarian or a melee wizard? Well, that seems impossible in DIII.
'Leveling' the playing field reduces replayability and the customization we've come to expect and love in Diablo II. I want my characters to be tweaked how I want and not some cookie-cutter build.
There's some evidence that character builds, player-defined stats, and fixed skill trees lead to great games, especially within the Blizzard family. This was the case in Diablo and Diablo II obviously. But what about the introduction of heroes in Warcraft III (both Reign of Chaos and the Frozen Throne), where proper hero skill placement and attribute calculations could mean the difference of a ladder spot, or more importantly victory or defeat? And what about the long-lasting playability of Defense of the Ancients (DotA), a wildly popular mod to Warcraft III, which has evolved into its own genre. In each of these games, efficient skill placement and calculating attributes was not only critical, but it made playing and replaying the game fun. I'm pretty sure if you nerfed or removed the skill tree and attributes in these games or allowed unlimited skill 'respecing,' replayability would suffer.
If I didn't care about character build and only wanted to find items, I'd rather put 80 hours into Final Fantasy.
If I'm Blizzard, I want "replayability" built into my game. I want players coming back for more. I want them building and rebuilding characters over and over. I want the difference between newbs and players to be more than items and reaction time. Right now, I'm only going to play this game five times until I max out each character class and then... well really, what's the point?
I remember spending hours calculating optimal builds and skill placement in D2. I remember doing math on the fly about MF% 'magic find' or CtB% 'chance to block' or HP to MP ratios for the perfect PvP mana-shield sorceress. Teach the next generation of Diablo players how to do math instead of doing it for them.
So Blizzard, give us back the power to allocate stats, let me build unique characters built for rushing, magic finding, and low level PVP. Or at least make it an option for the non-lazy stupid players—you could call it "Hardcore Mode."
UPDATE (following reader feedback): This was simply my opinion based on how much I enjoyed the stat and skill tree in Diablo II, which was also a core feature of Diablo. Some of you agreed and some disagreed — we're all likely going to play Diablo III regardless. And that's a good thing.
Of the links I've seen in the comments, this discussion in the Battle.net forum was the most thorough and well-reasoned. And while I don't agree completely with his or her breakdown, only time will tell whether it enriches or takes away from the game.
None of us in the beta got to see how the game will play out much past early character development. I do agree with the Dontinquire's conclusion that "[s]tat point allocation has not disappeared, it has transferred... [to] something that you may buy on the auction house. Crafting systems exist to transfer player customization into a marketable form... The real bitterness may come from the fact that many hardcore players just do not want the choice to exist in its current iteration."
Perhaps, fundamentally, I just believe stat and attribute customization should be made on the base character level rather than primarily materializing as enhancers from items, gems, etc... At the base level neither player has to customize anything. We both can go into the auction and buy the same items and allocate our skills the same way at any point. You don't get penalized for making any decisions along the way as long as you put in the hours. At any point, if you're like, 'OOOH he has a cool equipped character with these skills,' I can just go buy the same items and switch my skills and it makes no difference what decisions I made along the way which is fine—but its a sharp departure from DII."
Obviously, as many have pointed out, moving towards item-focused gameplay is better for Blizzard's bottom line from the transaction fees we'll all incur in the auction house. To all the commenters, I hope to see you all in 'hell' in a few days.
Jesse (@jessema) is on the Legal Team at Gawker Media and has been an avid gamer since Contra.


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Durham cops lied about 911 calls
From The Indy
Several Durham police officers lied about non-existent 911 calls to try to convince residents to allow them to search their homes, a tactic several lawyers say is illegal. The officers targeted residences where individuals with outstanding warrants were thought to be living, and told them that dispatch had received a 911 call from that address, when no such call had been made.
However, Durham Police Chief Jose Lopez says the 911 tactic was never a part of official policy. Last month, the department officially banned the practice, according to a memo from Lopez.
The tactic came to light at a court hearing on May 27, when a Durham Police officer testified it was part of official departmental policy. The hearing involved a defendant who had been charged with marijuana possession. (The INDY is not naming the defendant because the charges against her were dropped.)
In February, Officer A.B. Beck knocked on the door of the defendant's home in South-Central Durham. When the defendant answered the door, Beck told her—falsely—that someone in her home had called 911 and hung up, and that he wanted to make sure everyone was safe. The defendant permitted Beck to enter her home, where he discovered two marijuana blunts and a marijuana grinder. (more…)

subset: commoncrawl


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Past Exhibitions
Through regular exhibitions, the FIDM Museum explores all aspects of fashion. From thematic exhibitions drawn from our extensive collections to annual surveys of contemporary costume design, the FIDM Museum presents a range of exhibits designed to educate and entertain. Explore highlights of past exhibitions through selected images and text.


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Good product - Super convenient for travel
I really like using this product, but it is a bit of a splurge when comparing to using a liquid or lotion make up remover that will last much longer. I find the advantage of using the towels is the convenience when traveling, but the smell and convenience is really nice after a long day of work. This doesn't replace my moisturizer or cleansing routine, I only use it in addition to my normal regimen.3


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Increasing the use and adoption of NFPA codes and standards, working to get ahead of the growing number of wildfires around the world, and the determined effort to increase the use of home fire sprinklers in all new homes were just a few of the topics addressed by outgoing NFPA Chair Thomas Jaeger at the Opening General Session at the 2012 NFPA Conference & Expo in Las Vegas.
Did you miss Mr. Jaeger's remarks at our NFPA's Conference & Expo in Las Vegas? Now you read the full transcript of his remarks or watch his presentation below.


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06-09-2017, 07:53 AM #1Dutchbopper Guest
I only do a few gigs every year. The reason is simple. There are no paid gigs for the kind of stuff I play (mainstream and bebop). Nobody over here in the Netherlands can survive playing jazz, not even the name players. They all teach on the side. Amateur jazz combos mostly play for nothing, ruining the market further. I don't blame them. The alternative is NOT playing out ever. Sure there are a few corporate gig possibilities (wallpaper gigs I call them, I find them utterly boring) but even these do not amount to much money wise. A plumber will invariably make more in the same time.
So money wise, jazz is not relevant. You'd be lucky to find a non paying gigging opportunity. Still, this week ago I was confronted with a trend that even lowers the bar further. I play in the combo of a jazz vocal group (8 singers, think New York Voices, Manhattan Transfer etc.). Some venues that we approach actually want us to PAY for a gig if the revenues are below the break even point (booze and bar personnel). To minimalise the risk of losing money they simply demand the band pay for any deficiency in revenues.
Heck, that's new to me. I told the band leader not on my turf. The situation is bad enough as it is. I hate playing for free. But paying for as gig? Haha ... I'll stay home.
Is this a new trend?
"Pay to play" has definitely been a thing on this side of the pond for quite a while. I think it's disgusting.
Heck, we were doing "pay to play" back in the late 80's-early 90s. Then live music in general took a nosedive, alot of clubs even closed. I have no idea how it works these days, because I haven't played out in quite awhile, but I have a friend who opened for a national act, and he had to "sell x number of tickets"- meaning, if he didn't sell them, HE had to pay for them. That's pay-to-play. So I guess in at least some instances, it still happens.
Pay to play gigs in Toronto have been common for a long while. Luckily, Toronto has a large corporate base which supplies musicians with many higher paying opportunities. There are also cocktail parties/weddings which provide higher paying opportunities. These are the type of gigs that many musicians find boring, however they do offer opportunities for you play and be paid. That being said, you still need to supplement your income with a day job. The average house in Toronto sells for about 1 million dollars (that's a lot of cocktail parties). I refuse to pay to play, and I also do a very limited number of commission gigs (that is where you get paid a percentage of the bars intake while you are performing). I play a couple of weekly gigs (paying) and focus my energies on weddings (I do about 50 a year) and corporate events ( I do about 35 a year). This does not equate to a salary that is sufficient enough to live in a million dollar house.
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
When we moved to New England in 1977 rock bands were paying to play in Boston.
Danny W.
There are two clubs in Warsaw.
If you want to play on jam session you have to pay about $3.
but I never heared about paying for playing gig.
Originally Posted by kris
Yeah, the pay to play scheme I've seen here for at least 20 years (and I'm sure it's been around longer) is the "Get a book of tickets, sell 'em all, you keep a cut." But people rarely "sell 'em all."
I've been in bands that did the DIY punk aesthetic thing...rent a VFW hall, sell your own tickets, take your own risk...we always made money, which we blew on beer. Man, I don't miss being in rock bands.
We have one very good paying regular gig, but most paying places want to pay a very low amount. We just skip those "opportunities". It's not worth it to me. The rest only hire a solo person doing a lot of Billy Joel type stuff or just have an open mic.
We used to have a weekly commission based gig, taking a percentage of the nights total sales. Sometimes those nights would be a big windfall, but others they would be a wash, maybe making more in tips than in our cut from the club.
I haven't heard of any pay to play around here.
Originally Posted by ruger9
The bad economy and cities looking for every dollar they can isn't helping. Lots of small bars and restaurants that had live music on weekend had to stop because cities started making restaurants get cabaret license for clearing a couple tables and having a band. Then ASCAP and BMI going after anyone with a band or even playing a CD or radio to pay royalty flat fee, so not only live music is disappearing so is even playing recorded music in restaurants, clothing stores, all over. Music scene is turning into internet and big clubs.
Originally Posted by mr. beaumont
There was a pub down south that put on acts every weekend, very well attended. The acts (I knew them) were paid but, at the end of the evening, the landlord produced a hat and asked everyone to stick in something for the band. It looked pretty brazen, and it was.
Everyone I knew immediately thought 'Huh, you admit you're not paying them enough, then!'. The point was by that time they were a kind of captive audience, and a bit sloshed, and it played on their feelings not to look mean.
I used to play there before they started all that but, if I had been, I'd have asked him not to do it.
Sorry, that story hasn't got much to do with pay-to-play gigs. I don't know about things in the States but would they let you ask for contributions at the end?
On the grounds you're all starving, naturally... make the proprietors look guilty :-)
Wow! What stories.
If I have to pay to play a gig, then that would be very disconcerting. But if there is truly no audience for a type of music, as we know full well in certain areas this is the case, then the only other alternative is to rent a venue and put on a show yourself.
This would be an even worse option, since now you have the expense of renting a venue and all of the other costs.
I guess that if there is no demand for the music, then the only option is to rent a venue or partner with someone that owns a venue, assuming some of the expense and risk.
"Times, they are a-changin'....," as Dylan pointed out...
Are these still happening? Showcase gigs. Apparently so. I used to hear about them in the 80s and 90s.
pay-to-play showcase | So You Wanna be a Rockstar?
Last edited by mrcee; 06-09-2017 at 02:56 PM.
You have to see it from the venues side as well. These guys aren't raking it in. The showcase thing is a racket tho. I don't do those and neither do any jazz guys I know.
Anyway I think the scene is a bit better in London. That's why everyone from Europe comes here I guess.
I will take any gig that's offered to me that I think sounds interesting regardless of pay and so on, provided it wasn't on a fri sat or sun. I wouldn't pay to play.
I have trouble asking any of my bands to work for free though.
But yeah the money can be very poor. One possible solution for a band leader is to take the money from functions and sink it into a communal pot that subsidises the badly paid gigs.
Finally jazz musicians do better than rock/pop etc bands playing originals where I am. Even signed bands. We get paid at all.
Last edited by christianm77; 06-09-2017 at 04:11 PM.
Originally Posted by AlsoRan
Anther thing I used to see was musicians would play some cocktail Jazz for an Art Gallery opening in trade to use the Art Gallery one night for a small concert. A win-win for both especially since the art gallery crowd tend to be the types to throw parties and want some live music.
Originally Posted by Dutchbopper
Er, um, WAIT A MINUTE. I was thinking of WOMEN...
Say hi to my Hague boys if you see 'em (Juraj, Vincent, Danny Nicholas, Peter Crazy Man Beets, and especially Anette Von Eichel. She lives in Cologne now but still gives classes at the Royal Conserv. Great lady).
Good to hear from you, too, Dick. Keeps those videos comin'...
The audience for jazz is tiny. Local musicians around here make little or nothing on gigs, and at least one well-known local venue with frequent national acts pretty much expects the local musicians to spend what they get paid at the bar. If you don't, you don't get another gig there unless you drew really well.
The national acts at that venue cost the customers $25-50 per set, occasinally more (Pat Metheny was about $100 a ticket a year or two go). Those national-class musicians that I have talked to seemed pretty satisfied with their cut there, and schedule it as a destination gig. So it's good they make some money at it.
The funny thing is that the local jazz festival draws thousands of people each night for several evenings, but those folks never seem to come out to clubs to hear jazz. So it looks like there is a market for festival jazz but not for gigging jazz.
My band is frankly not IMHO good enough to charge people to listen to us, although a couple of us would like to gig a lot. One of us (at 60) still has dreams of making it big in music and playing, as he puts it, bigger stages with bigger audiences. Good luck to him- he's talented and maybe can make that work. I'm not likely to progress much beyond the intermediate stage of development and would be fine never gigging at all, as I generally find the audience a hindrance to the experience of playing jazz; I much prefer rehearsals to gigs. Part of it is that most of the audience often can't hear- they applaud mediocre rote solos and don't repond to good, passionate and inventive solos. We have a standing coffee house gig once a month for tips, which is enough for me.
Originally Posted by Cunamara
It comes down to how much do you want to play what you want to play.
It can be similar in amateur dentistry, sometimes you have to offer free anesthesia and $10 a tooth just to get to try out your new drill or pliers.
Originally Posted by cosmic gumbo
Originally Posted by christianm77
I was surprised that was the case even then, and even for people like Gary. From everything I've read about Pat's career, his band lived hand to mouth a long time before they made any money.
for what it's worth, if I'm leading a gig, I pay people out of pocket if the gig doesn't pay and hire the best players. If I don't feel like doing this, I just don't take the gig.
Originally Posted by pcsanwald
I haven't heard of pay to play around here (sf bay area), but I have certainly heard of leaders taking risks and losing money. One friend who leads a quintet recently filled a local club and was happy to break even.
a couple of years ago I heard of a trio with a recent grammy award still taking $100 gigs.
I produced a benefit concert a couple of years ago where I had to guarantee the food service people a minimum sales figure, $300. Meaning, if they grossed $200, I had to pay $100. as it turned out, they were way over.
I play twice a month with an octet at a large local restaurant for food and tips. no big deal for me, since I have a day gig, but there are some top (in our area) working pros in that band.
another top local player put out a very well produced album ... I asked if it made any money. the response was bitter laughter.
Originally Posted by Dutchbopper
Originally Posted by ragman1
That's where I draw the line. I'm only now just starting to introduce standards into my repertoire, so I can't comment much on the jazz side. I can say it's much harder to get the exact same dollars today than it was 20 years ago when I wasn't as good of a performer. I have one venue where I do a solo show and do it for dinner and drinks, because I like the owner and the place isn't big enough for her to get enough people in to recoup what I would normally get. Since I want to gig for the rest of my life, I can envison playing for only dinner and drinks in the future, but I won't pay. I'd rather be a busker.
It continues to amaze me that some top players in my area, in between the name-gigs, will play for dinner and a pittance in tips. And, lots of great players play weekly rehearsal bands.
I haven't heard of outright pay-to-play in my area, but there's the "exposure" justification for NO pay. It's common among visual artists around here, too- worse, actually, artists often have to pay to be entered in shows, gallery sit, and of course, provide wine & cheese for openings.
There's a lot of open mics and First Friday-type events where local amateurs play for free.
Among my friends who do paying gigs, I hear stories of last minute cancellations or being stiffed because of a small crowd. Solo acts seem to get more work.
It seems like the only people making much money performing are doing "society" gigs, or "name" acts at places with a cover or selling tickets.
Change photographer to musician
Pay-to-play started in rock music. The first I heard of it was the 80's but I guess it goes back to the 70's.
I was a photographer when the medium went from film and chemistry to digital and computers....and internet...the same thing that killed music as a career also killed photography.
Originally Posted by cosmic gumbo
The city I now live in has a "band(it) director" that runs 3 or 4 18 piece big bands around the area. To play in any of them, you have to pay a $30 "initiation" fee, then pony up $25 a month to him to stay in. You then work all gigs for free and he pockets any proceeds. Pathetic, IMO.
And people are paying him? That's up to $1800/month just from the dues. Not a princely living, but not bad as a sideline. Hard to say what he makes off the gigs, but it might add up to a princely living, dunno. I'd pass.
For the most part it's a millennial world as far as entertainment. A lot of them think music should be free. Nothing us old farts can do about it.
I'm not paying to play. No way.
Lot of this is driven by real estate prices and fees.
I use to play at a suburban weekly chess club which met in the upstairs/back of a church. We were well-behaved and the pastor let us teach kids chess at his weekly summer camp sessions. Chess club probably got the better of the deal. (Back in the 70's, the NYC chess venues were frequently over an inexpensive restaurant, in walk-up spaces....now these no longer exist.)
In NYC suburbs, people in big houses might have spaces for jam sessions, if spouses, kids, etc. will put up with it. Apt. dwellers---not so easily arranged.
I've played in student groups when I worked in NYC...I found I could play OK in real time live sessions, and the value of the sessions depended on how well people "dug into" tunes, and learned them. Am I going to pay $50/week to play with a bunch of people whose ability and commitment, is maybe questionable....probably not.
The golf course I play at has live music 3 or 4 nights/weeks with open mike sessions, one night/week. I keep saying I'm going to hook up with a girl from HS who studied voice at Manhattan School of Music, but so far inertia and travel hassle, hasn't allowed that to happen...It's a fringe suburban location, she lives in Manhattan which is $30 travel and 1.5 hrs. time to get to my place, then a 30-minute drive to get out to the golf course, and then the same thing reversed at the end of the night. A lot of aggravation to be able to play 3-4 songs at a time.
We used to pay to play, in a sense, back in the '60s. We would rent the American Legion, VFW, or whatever was available, charge at the door, and hope to make money. We mostly made a little. That's not what is being discussed above, though. We were just our own promoters.
To Stevebol, In regard to his post that now have vanished, ...
I don't think your video was slow. I do think pro film format is 35mm though, today practice is to shoot at 35mm, transfer to digital for post FX than back to tape ... . Once I saw some early Scorcese's effort at 16mm, in theater. It came out at 1/4 of screen area and the sound was really bad experience ... Regarding birds making music, here are some MIDI birds
On topic ...
Pay to play? No, do not do that.
Rent the place to organize own gig? Yes, by all means.
Sent from VladanMovies @ YouTube
Originally Posted by Vladan
It's that little bit of grit that makes the Walking Dead look so good on TV.
Digital has come a long way. I think you have to have excellent colorists. Analog technology is a portal to the past.
I wonder if the ability to edit endlessly in the digital realm has impacted performing. Young musicians can play. They're just sorry ass performers.
Quentin Tarantino still uses 35mm. Not a huge fan but he's definitely interesting. Eastwood does.
I agree. Don't pay for a gig. Rockers could be incredibly stupid.
Midi birds. Lol.
I just came back from NYC, where I heard a sextet consisting of 4 well known guitarists, bass and drums. The music was great. I knew three of the names, living in California.
The club was small. Admission was $20. Drinks were reasonably priced. Two sets.
I don't know how the revenue is divided, but the math indicates that the musicians weren't getting anywhere near rich.
Those guys have nationally recognizable names. If this group can be heard for $20 admission in an intimate club, what is the average guy worth?
I assume this is a labor of love for these players -- not their bread and butter. But, it still says something about the economy for jazz guitar.
Originally Posted by ah.clem
what is the purpose of "pay to play"? i've never heard of this! i get some $ for playing at the wineries in my area. let's drop this thread and never mention it again! i don't want to give these people any ideas!!


text: UCL Division of Psychology and Language Sciences We undertake world-leading research and teaching in mind, behaviour, and language. It brings together researchers in a range of disciplines such as cognition, neuroscience, linguistics, education, communication, medicine, health, phonetics and development. The Division is a vibrant environment for both study and research. UCL is the top-ranked university in the UK for research in Psychology, Psychiatry and Neuroscience. News and Seminars Research Study PALS NewsFunnelback feed: https://cms-feed.ucl.ac.uk/s/search.json?collection=drupal-brain-science...Double click the feed URL above to edit Tweets by UCLPALS Follow us Follow us on Twitter Follow us on Instagram Follow us on Facebook Watch our videos on YouTube Research ThemesClinical, Educational, and Health PsychologyExperimental PsychologyInstitute of Cognitive NeuroscienceLanguage & CognitionLinguisticsSpeech, Hearing & Phonetic SciencesUCL Interaction CentreUCL ranked 4th worldwide for psychology by THE Read about sustainability in the Division The Division has been awarded an Athena SWAN silver award recognising our commitment to gender equality. Sign up to the Divisional Subject Pool View the PALS Email Charter here


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A collection of scholarly works about individual liberty and free markets. A project of Liberty Fund, Inc.
A History of Banking in all the Leading Nations; comprising the United States; Great Britain; Germany; Austro-Hungary; France; Italy; Belgium; Spain; Switzerland; Portugal; Roumania; Russia; Holland; The Scandinavian Nations; Canada; China; Japan; compiled by thirteen authors. Edited by the Editor of the Journal of Commerce and Commercial Bulletin. In Four Volumes. (New York: The Journal of Commerce and Commercial Bulletin, 1896). https://oll.libertyfund.org/titles/2236,
A four volume set edited by the by the "Editor of the Journal of Commerce and Commercial Bulletin" in New York city. It consists of: Vol. 1: "The United States," by W.G. Sumner. Vol. 2: "Great Britain," by H.D. Macleod; "The Russian Empire," by A.E. Horn; "Savings Banks in the United States," by J.P. Townsend. Vol. 3: "The Latin Nations," by P. Des Essars; "The Banks of Alsace-Lorraine after the Annexation," by A. Raffalovich; "Canada," by B.E. Walker. Vol. 4: "Germany and Austria-Hungary," by M. Wirth; "The Netherlands," by R. van der Borght; "The Scandinavian Nations," by A. Jensen; "Japan," by J. Soyeda; "China," by T.R. Jernigan.
The text is in the public domain.
This material is put online to further the educational goals of Liberty Fund, Inc. Unless otherwise stated in the Copyright Information section above, this material may be used freely for educational and academic purposes. It may not be used in any way for profit.


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|System: Xbox 360, PS3, PC
|Dev: Rocksteady Studios
|Pub: Warner Bros. Interactive
|Release: May 29, 2012
|Players: 1
|Screen Resolution: 480p-1080p
|Alcohol Reference, Blood, Suggestive Themes, Use of Tobacco, Violence, Mild Language
by Josh Wirtanen
This summer is a good time to be a Bat-fan, as the final chapter in Christopher Nolan's film trilogy hits theaters in July and we're all salivating in anticipation. Of course, July feels like a long way off for the more impatient among us. Thankfully, Rocksteady just dropped a pretty substantial piece of content that should kill our Bat-cravings for a while. That's right, Batman: Arkham City's final DLC is here, dubbed Harley Quinn's Revenge, and it brings the Arkham City story to a close. Is it a worthwhile purchase for those of us who loved Arkham City, or is this just Rocksteady's attempt at squeezing every last drop of revenue they can out of the Batman IP?
Well, I would argue that Harley Quinn's Revenge is the first Arkham DLC that doesn't feel like a cheap cash grab. (Unless you consider the Catwoman DLC to be supplemental—which I don't.) This content actually is part of the game's story mode. And not only that, but it allows players to step into the role of Robin. Sure, there was the Robin DLC Bundle that came out a while back, but that only let us take on the game's challenge missions with Tim Drake. This time, we get to actually bring the Boy Wonder into part of the story.
I say "part" here because for about half the time you will be playing as the Dark Knight himself. In fact, during the "open world" segments, you will exclusively play as Batman. Robin's sections are a lot more straightforward and narrower in focus. But that's not necessarily a bad thing. As owners of the Robin DLC Bundle already know, Drake's fighting style is quite a bit different than Batman's, mainly due to the bo staff he wields. It's actually a lot of fun seeing him in action after being so used to Batman's fighting style. Additionally, he has some nifty gadgets to play around with. Most notable is his bullet shield, which can be used to block incoming attacks or bash thugs in the face.
So how's the story? Well, first of all, I must warn potential buyers that this content takes place after the conclusion of the main game. If you purchase the content, you are allowed to access it whether you've finished the main game's storyline or not. But I would strongly recommend finishing Arkham City before playing this. It constantly makes references to the game's ending, in no subtle terms. If you care about spoilers at all, the ending will be completely ruined for you by jumping ahead. And really, Arkham City had one of the most emotionally impacting endings I've seen in a while—I would even venture to say that Rocksteady was pretty ballsy for ending the game the way they did. So just do yourself a favor and finish Arkham City. The DLC will still be there when you're done.
Set just a couple weeks after the events of Arkham City, Harley Quinn's Revenge shows us how Harley is dealing with the events that transpired at the end of the main game. Let's just say she's not taking it well. You begin the content as Robin, searching for Batman after he's been missing for two days. A section of Arkham City is quarantined off by Jim Gordon and the Gotham City P.D., while Harley is on the inside holding officers hostage. It's assumed Batman is mixed into this cocktail of crime and craziness somewhere.
This is the setup for what is ultimately a two-hour return to Arkham City, allowing players to see the aftermath of that whole fiasco. Unfortunately, it feels like there were some missed opportunities here, as this could have been an incredibly emotional ending to the masterpiece that was Arkham City. Instead, it's a tiny little romp that in the beginning seems to suggest that it might explore a darker side of Bruce Wayne's psyche (Oracle claims Bruce hasn't been himself lately) then never delivers on that. But that's not saying it's not entertaining. On the contrary, Harley's Revenge will remind you how fun the combat was in Arkham City. It just lacks the emotional impact of its predecessor.
Of course, another thing fans might find disappointing is the fact that this time we don't have access to the whole of Arkham City; we're confined to the Industrial District. The good news, though, is that we get to explore a couple new places we didn't have access to in the base game. Additionally, there is a new faction of thugs to dispose of, all wearing Harley Quinn-inspired getup.


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Last edited by Frenchy180; 01-17-2019 at 12:39 AM.
*** God Bless Our Military Men And Women***
Adopted Bronco 2015 CJ Anderson
We get Ottawa's Draft Pick in the Duchene trade, which will be a Lottery Pick, in the upcoming Draft. So, if we go by where we chose in the Lottery year before last, we will get the 4th Pick. The 4th Pick is the worst Pick that the worst team can possibly get in the Lottery, and judging by our history, it will be the worst pick. So, I wouldn't bet on Kakko or Hughes. We just aren't that lucky.
We also have Makar about to join the team after the college season is over. That should be a boost. Shane Bowers is headed our way. And hopefully Conor Timmons will eventually recover from the Concussion that has kept him off of the ice for a year. I suspect Timmons career could well be over before he ever sees NHL ice. Really too bad. And, if we continue to drop like a sack of dirt, as we have for the last month, our own Draft Pick should be a pretty good one. So yeah, in a few years, and with a new Goalie, we should be competitive with the top teams.
MacKinnon has MRI on injured foot. Won't be involved in "skills" competition at NHL All-Star game.
Welp all star break did them no good
I'll be shocked if Bednar makes it to the end of the season. Clearly he has lost the team. But, then again, I don't believe we have a lot of "rocket scientists" in the Front Office. So, who knows.
This is starting to feel like the worst Avs team in franchise history.
Is it baseball season yet??
This year we have Ottawa's Pick. And Ottawa is very likely to be the worst team in the NHL. So, once again, I fully expect us to get the 4th Pick. However, if the Avs keep losing, we may very well have two Lottery Picks.
Might as well just tank now top line was figured out weeks ago, we have no depth behind that, no goaltending and no discipline. Coaches and front office are obviously content with not winning
Maybe that's why they haven't fired Bednar yet. My fear is that players like MacKinnon could go to the press with Trade demands.
A blind squirrel found a nut.


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Good on Defense Secretary Leon Panetta for making one of his final moves the choice to end policies meant to keep women away from combat jobs. (Linked: David discussing the policy shift yesterday on Erin Burnett Out Front - Note: He vehemently disagrees with my position) Provided standards remain high as ever, there's no reason for women to be denied the chance to serve where they'd wish. I'm with Senators McCain and Murray on this one.
Sen. John McCain, an Arizona Republican who spent six years as a prisoner of war during the Vietnam War, said he supports lifting the ban on women serving in combat, pointing out women are already serving in harm's way. But he said the move should not fundamentally change the military.
"As this new rule is implemented, it is critical that we maintain the same high standards that have made the American military the most feared and admired fighting force in the world - particularly the rigorous physical standards for our elite special forces units," McCain said in a statement.
Thousands of women in the military have already found themselves in combat situations, said Sen. Patty Murray, D-Washington. Recent wars such as Iraq and Afghanistan have lacked a real front line, and women serving there have come under fire and had to fight back alongside male counterparts, she said.


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Tag Archive | Echo Park
Book Review: The Madonnas of Echo Park by Brando Skyhorse
Ratings: ★★★★✩
This book is all about identity. It relates the stories of several Mexican immigrants and its second generation as they try to live the American Dream around the Echo Park area in the city of Los Angeles. As with other ethnic groups within Los Angeles, they see themselves as Americans but also set apart from others by their Mexican background and culture. Holding on to their Mexican heritage, integration between ethnic groups is a slow and hesitant process that continues to be a struggle even for the second generation, often accompanied by feelings of a loss of identity and belonging.
Another recurring theme within this patchwork of stories is the lack of family cohesion. Children grow up without their fathers, often even unaware of who their father is. Mothers are forced to abandon children in an effort to escape the poverty trap. Instead of a family, the community takes on the role of parents, which explains in part the close knit structure of these communities. As prosperity also reaches these immigrants and the face of the neighbourhood changes, their communities change too, perhaps not into the American Dream as once hoped for, but into something that is American nonetheless.
While all this takes place in the background we meet an older Mexican going through the daily humiliation trying to find a day's work waiting to be picked out in a carpark. We meet his wife and his daughter as they all drift apart and struggle with their own financial troubles and relationships. We meet their friends, their lives mingle and touch but never quite seem to overlap, just like a patchwork quilt. Their choices both exasperate and touch but always evolve around the area of Echo Park. It's like the bigger the country, the less people will travel.
Each of these people get their own voice within the book. They tell their own story and we get different accounts of shared experiences. This is what gives the book its cohesion and warmth. Their voices ring true and they sketch a warm, vivid and sometimes ugly picture of what it is to live as an (il)legal Mexican in Los Angeles, both decades ago and in the present day. As with some sketches, it leaves vague edges and some of the characters blend together but what remains is a strong tale of people who try to find a balance between holding onto their heritage and finding their own place within the melting pot of American society.
The Madonnas of Echo Park by Brando Skyhorse
Free Press, 2010
ISBN (ebook): 978-1-4391-7085-4
More about Brando Skyhorse: http://www.brandoskyhorse.com


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The Financial Planning Association announced the recipients of its annual awards to be presented during its Oct. 19-21 FPA Experience annual conference. The honorees are led by noted advisor Elissa Buie, who will receive the P. Kemp Fain, Jr. award during the conference. That award goes each year to an individual who has made "outstanding contributions" to the profession in various areas, and is a public proponent of the group's Core Values. It is named after pioneering planner Kemp Fain Jr., who was the first person to enroll in the CFP certification program, and was a leader in both the International Association for Financial Planning (IAFP) and the Institute of Certified Financial Planners (ICFP).
Buie is the president and CEO of Yeske Buie, a bicoastal planning firm in which she partners with fellow advisor industry leader Dr. Dave Yeske (they are partners in business as in life). The FPA announcement of the award calls Buie "a consistent force in the profession," who first came to particular prominence in the founding of the FPA through the 2000 merger of the ICFP and the IAFP. She is a past chair of the FPA, a frequent writer on advisor topics, and is the current chair of the Foundation for Financial Planning.
FPA also announced the winners of the 2013 Heart of Financial Planning award, who are recognized for their contributions to the planning community and the public. This year's award winners are planners and educators Elaine Bedel, Harold Evensky and Deena Katz, Kacy Gott and Savvy Ladies, a New York-based nonprofit that educates women about the importance of financial planning.


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Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Down on the Farm
The farm, of course. We've got a nice big barn, a farmer, a horse and cow, a fat little pig, a duck and a chick and a nest. I drew the templates on template plastic and then cut them out double-sided, with scrapbook paper on one side and this really awesome vintage wood-grain printed paper on the other side (I found the paper at the Goodwill Outlet Store, as part of a book of samples for some Japanese company that printed laminate? Anyway, FULL of paper with faux wood grain and marble and cork and stuff). I did it a really stupid way that made it take forever, however--next time, I will spraymount the papers together, then cut them all as one piece, instead of cutting out each side individually and then fussing them together interminably.
Laminated, they're nice and sturdy, and their simple forms and two-dimensionality is actually really engaging--I've already seen the girls use that in some interesting ways in their play this afternoon, and when Sydney spilled her chocolate soymilk all over the farmer and her barn, I was extra-stoked about the laminating. It's as easy to make two of something as it is to make one, by the way, so I have a second farm play set up in my pumpkinbear etsy shop today.
It seems, yes, that for my girl Willow, the farm, unlike her other passions of outer space, the ocean, earthworms, the Nutcracker, rollerblading, and all the other billion things she loves and forgets about and then loves again later in a slightly different way, farming is no passing, here-and-there fancy.
Willow loves farms like she loves dinosaurs.
I totally get this, by the way. Although Sydney and her dear daddy are generalists, interested in billions of things but not to the exclusion of billions of other things, Willow and I are obsessives. She loves dinosaurs and farms the way I love handicraft, say, or medieval literature, or 1980s pop culture.
The fun thing, though, is the way Will gets us all passionate about her passions. Sydney, at almost two years younger, is always a willing follower (and growing to be sometimes a leader, that big girl), but I wouldn't have told you this time last year, a brown yard languishing out the window, that this time this year I'd have a little garden--A lasagna garden, to be exact, and today I harvested cranberry beans, orange tomatoes, husk cherries, and jalepeno peppers. Tomorrow I plan to cut some kale.
I also couldn't have told you that during our trip to California, in between all the beaches and aquariums and hands-on museums we could handle, I would research and discover a wonderful little farm for us to tour one day. Ardenwood had enough baby goats for Sydney to get over her goat-phobia slightly, and a lovely docent for me to once again obnoxiously out-docent (I can't help myself--she tells me that farm women had to hang all their clothes to dry, and I talk about the benefits of shade-drying versus sun-bleaching. She shows me the one-piece clothespins they used, and I tell her how to make clothespin dolls. She tells me that blue jeans take forever to dry on the line, and did I know that they were invented in California, and I tell her that the adoption of the clothing of poor workmen into mainstream society is a metaphor for Americanization, etc.) It also had some handy tips for my own at-home gardening and someday farm dreaming:Most importantly, however, it had, as have the best tourist farms we've visited, several working fields of crops to examine. Upon seeing them, my future farm girl stooped to examine a few plants up close, then immediately took off down the rows:
Trying to envision just where to put the big barn with the baby chickens and the baby kittens and the stall for every horse, I bet.
2 comments:
- cake said...
love that faux wood paper!
that green thing, in the husk, in the photo? that is a tomatillo, right? not a husk cherry?
also, i think i noticed syd choosing a pepper plant from the neighborhood plant exchange. it was one of the peppers that i started. i wonder if that pepper pictured here is one of those? if so, if you leave it on the vine a bit longer, it will turn a deep, gorgeous red. if it is largish, it is a sweet pepper. if it is smallish, it may be a very hot one.
i'm excited for you and your first garden! growing stuff is almost as fun as making stuff.
- August 13, 2009 at 8:19 PM
- julie said...
Yep, tomatillo. I will try leaving your peppers on longer, although with the small bounty of my very first small garden, I am having a VERY hard time waiting for things to be fully ripe before I pick them. I keep picking the tomatoes, for instance, even though they may be supposed to go through another color change, and I keep picking the cranberry beans before they're fully and completely cranberried.
But it's just so fun!
- August 13, 2009 at 9:32 PM


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Here you will find further information on education, advanced training, further education, studies, distance learning, universities of applied sciences, universities in Germany, Austria and Switzerland as well as worldwide educational offers and overviews of Bachelor's and Master's degree programmes.
Education and Studies - Restoration, Art and Historic Preservation
Where can you study restoration or art conservation?
Here you will find further information on education, training, further education, study, distance learning, colleges, universities (Germany, Austria, Switzerland and worldwide), diploma and internships offers and applications.What are the admission requirements?
Depending on the university, there are different admission requirements for the course of study, e.g. for a school-leaving certificate with a technical college entrance qualification or a passed master's examination. Most training centres require a one-year subject-related pre-study internship in a restoration workshop of a museum, the preservation of historical monuments, in a private company or with a recognised restorer. In addition, an aptitude test and, in some cases, a portfolio, e.g. with drawings or work samples, must be proven.
How long does the course take?
Depending on the type of training, the course takes between three and six years.
Universities and Institutes in Austria
IKR - Institute for Conservation - Restoration at the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna (A)
The course of study Conservation and Restoration at the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna offers a 10-semester Dipl.-Studium in five main fields of study:
- Wall Painting/ Architectural Surfaces
- Object Wood/Musical Instruments
- Painting/Sculpture
- Paper / photo / book and archive material
- Modern and Contemporary Art
ICORT - Institute of Conservation Sciences and Restoration - Technology (A)
The Institute for Conservation Science and Technology (ICORT) in Austria offers the following specialization opportunities at the Ordinariat for Conservation and Restoration: finds, paintings, objects, stone and textiles.
Colleges and Universities in Germany
HAWK University of Applied Sciences and Arts - Hildesheim
University of Applied Sciences Hildesheim/Holzminden/Göttingen
Faculty of Conservation of Cultural Property
- Bachelor's programme Preventive Conservation
- Master's Degree in Conservation and Restoration
- Master's programme in the preservation of historical monuments
The two restoration courses offer the following courses of study:
Book and paper, Mounted wooden sculpture and paintings, Furniture and wooden objects, Stone and ceramics, Wall paintings/Architectural surfaces
The following courses are equipped with their own full-time professors or lecturers:
Archaeometry/Chemistry, Archaeology, Historical Monuments, Photography, Artistic Practice, History of Art/Restoration Theory, Microbiology, Museology
University of Applied Sciences - Erfurt
Main focus of the FH Erfurt in the course of studies Conservation and Restoration: Archaeological cultural heritage and arts and crafts, glass painting and objects made of glass, sculptural works and architecture made of stone, wall painting and architectural setting and mosaic.
Technical University - Cologne
Fields of study: Restoration and conservation of paintings and sculptures, wooden objects, written documents, graphics and book illumination, murals and stone objects, textiles and leather objects.
University of Applied Sciences - Potsdam
Fields of study: Conservation and restoration of murals and historical architectural colour, objects made of stone and their framed surfaces, objects made of wood and their framed and refined surfaces.
University of Fine Arts - Dresden
Hochschule für bildende Künste - Dresden with the course of studies: Art Technology, Conservation and Restoration of Art and Cultural Assets:
- Archaeometry and scientific research in conservation/restoration
- Basics of conservation and restoration of works of art
- Conservation and restoration of polychrome sculptures, panels and retables
- Art technology, conservation and restoration of painting on mobile image carriers
- Conservation and restoration of murals and architectural colouring
University of Applied Sciences - Berlin
The restoration and excavation technology course at the Hochschule für Technik und Wirtschaft Berlin has four main focuses:
- Archaeological-Historical Cultural Heritage
- excavation technology
- Modern materials and technical cultural assets
- Audiovisual and photographic heritage
Technical College for Paint and Varnish Technology, Munich
Information on the training objective, admission requirements, training content, final examination, costs, promotion of training to become a master gilder and training to become a master church painter.
State Academy of Fine Arts - Stuttgart
Fields of study: Restoration and conservation of... Paintings and framed sculptures Archaeological, ethnological and craft objects Graphics, archival and library material
Technical University - Munich
No specialisations in the usual sense, but the teaching of a wide range of subjects: conservator, restorer, art technology, materials science, as well as natural sciences and humanities, with the possibility of focusing on the main studies.
Universities and Institutes in Switzerland
University of Applied Sciences in Bern (CH)
Studying at the Bern University of the Arts offers the main areas of study: Painting and sculpture, architectural surfaces and interior design, graphics, written material and photography, textile restoration as well as modern materials and media.
ETH Institute for Monument Conservation (CH)
ETH - Eidgenössiche Technische Hochschule in Zürich - Current projects, events and continuing education, overview of publications, biography of Swiss art and monument conservation.
ABEGG Foundation (CH)
The Abegg Foundation supports research into and the preservation of old textiles. The Swiss Foundation's Textile Conservation / Riggisberg course is affiliated with the Berne University of Applied Sciences.
Conservation of cultural heritage - Conservation and restoration of art and cultural heritage
The following is a compilation of universities, institutes, academies, further education and training centres and the possibility of distance learning in the field of cultural heritage conservation and restoration and conservation of art and cultural assets:
ABK - Stuttgart
Centro del bel libro ascona
HKB - Bern University of the Arts (CH)
Hornemann Institut
Ligatus - University of the Arts London (UK)
Technical University - Cologne
University - Dresden
University - Hildesheim
University of Applied Sciences - Berlin
University of Applied Sciences - Erfurt
University of Applied Sciences - Potsdam
Europe University Viadrina
Fachschule - Gotha
Istituto Europeo del Restauro
Benefits, Services and Prices
Create your free profile, with detailed projects and references.
Here is an overview of the benefits of Romoe.
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Proform - Professional Dial Bore Gauge 2-6" range (778-67411)
Vendor: Proform
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Easily determine the dimensions of your rod and cylinder bores with these handy Proform dial indicators. Proform's Universal Dial Indicators are available in three different sizes 0-1", 0-2.5", & 2-6" with graduation of 0.001". The 2-6" is the Professional Dial Bore Gauge that features an extendable handle all protected by a durable carrying case. Also available separately is the Proform Universal Magnetic Deck Bridge will go over cylinder bores up to 4-1/2". This is used to check piston-to-deck clearance. Because it is magnetic it will hold firmly in place.
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Vague timelines for the Murray Basin Rail Project are keeping businesses and grain traders in the dark, restricting them from being able to plan future work in anticipation of the project's completion.Read more here
The Victorian Government has awarded a Metro Tunnel Project package of works worth $1 billion to the Rail Infrastructure Alliance, which consists of John Holland, CIMIC's CPB contractors, Rail Projects Victoria, and Metro Trains Melbourne.Read more here
A private consortium has injected $5 billion into the Melbourne Airport Rail project, lifting total funds to a whopping $15 billion in a renewed effort to expedite construction and bring forward the project's completion date. The private consortium, coined as AirRail Melbourne, agreed to match the two $5 billion commitments from Federal and State Governments.Read more here
iSeekPlant is committed to supporting efforts to promote and identify indigenous owned businesses supplying to mining, resources and infrastructure projects. this supplier has identified itself as being Indigenous Owned or Affiliated under the following conditions:


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Angles 9 – Injuries (CF 303)
By the time Charlie Haden founded the Liberation Music Orchestra in 1969, the link between free jazz and the American freedom struggle was well established. By having his large band perform arrangements of tunes from the Spanish Civil War, he broadened that association and aligned the music with a worldwide struggle against brutality and injustice.
The LMO's example may well have been on Swedish saxophonist Martin Küchen's mind as he has grown Angles into its current nine-piece configuration. Not only is Küchen an unabashedly political artist determined to call out fascism and warmongering, he's also, like Haden, a musician of broad musical interests. Küchen is equally persuasive playing ultra-minimal whispers with the trio Looper, peeling back the paint in full-on free jazz mode with the Trespass Trio, and using stark melodies to embody anguish in solo performances.
Angles is his forum for composition and arrangement. With five horns, a vibraphone, rhythm section, and a pair of pianos on hand, played by great players including Johan Berthling, Magnus Broo, and Mattias Ståhl, it affords him a deep store of sonic and emotional resources, and he makes good use of both. Injuries was recorded in a studio that was once a movie theater, and its spaciousness may well have contributed to the album's clear presentation of some outsized instrumental voices. On "European Boogie," you get the feel of air moving back and forth as keyboard and mallets exchange patterns, and the contrasting densities of massed brass, suspended vibes, and low, swaggering drumbeats on the South African-flavored "Ubabba" convey a sense of vertical space; this music feels like it stands tall.
The music's emotional range is as broad as its sound. While "Ubabba" engenders infectious jubilation, the title tune's Iberian-tinged theme expresses an Ayler-esque degree of pathos. And while it's not exactly rare for people to try and play like Albert Ayler nowadays, it's another thing entirely to plumb his extremes of joy and despair. Ayler wanted to heal the world with music; the record's liner notes articulate the realization that no single revolution is going to redeem mankind. The job will never be over, and thus there will always be a need for artists like Küchen to both challenge and uplift with stout-hearted passion, disciplined musical organization, and a facility with a sturdy tune. The struggle continues.


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Failure by Palestinians to get Security Council approval for UN membership was not unexpected, says Middle East expert Daniel Levy, but the attempt should be seen as a "desperate plea" by Palestinians for revitalizing the process for a two-state solution to which Palestinians remain committed. However, the stalled peace process looks increasingly irresolvable, Levy says, and may be "on a trajectory away from being able to put humpty dumpty back together again." He says that fundamental questions on both sides need to be addressed to help move forward, including the entrenchment of Israel's political right and the lack of a credible unified Palestinian movement. He also says the issue provides "a new set of problems" for the United States, including preventing "Israeli excesses" in the Palestinian territories and the collapse of the Palestinian Authority.
Last week the Security Council announced that there was no consensus on admitting Palestine as a state to the UN. What's the thinking of the Palestinians right now?
People tend to misread where we are now. The Palestinian leadership has not said that a two-state solution is no longer feasible. They haven't said that what we have to do now is pressure Israelis, sanction Israelis, have a popular uprising, call for the boycotting of Israel. There are literally about half a dozen things the Palestinians could do to radically reset the way we look at the Israeli-Palestinian impasse. They have not done those things.
More on:
Going for a vote at the United Nations is much more accurately understood as an almost desperate plea to try and give some hope and meaning to the prospect of getting somewhere through the old peace process. The Palestinians say that if there's a settlement freeze by the Israelis, they will go back into negotiations the next day. The explanation to why they were taking this route, to the extent it was explained at all, was always about giving a kick start to get people refocused on negotiations.
So Palestinians never had any real hope in achieving membership this way?
This tactical move of going to the Security Council would never have achieved [UN] membership because the United States was always going to veto the effort, even if the Palestinians gained the necessary nine votes, which they have not. The statehood effort would not have shown American isolation as it did in February when the Council voted fourteen to one (NYT), with the United States using its veto, to condemn Israeli settlements. This time the British, French, and Germans said they were not going to support this statehood move. So from day one, the Palestinians knew they couldn't get membership or even a vote that looked really stark for Israel and or even to force an American veto.
There are literally about half a dozen things the Palestinians could do to radically reset the way we look at the Israeli-Palestinian impasse. They have not done those things.
The other option was to go to the General Assembly where the Palestinians could get potentially a very large majority in their favor. But that's not what they chose to do, and it's very unclear that it is something they will do. President Mahmoud Abbas will have to decide what he does next.
So where does that leave the Israelis and the United States, especially given the upcoming 2012 U.S. presidential campaign?
The tactics that the Palestinians are employing probably create more discomfort for the United States than they do for Israel. You have an Israeli-Palestinian reality, which is looking increasingly irresolvable and increasingly questioning the very possibility of a two-state solution. There's a whole new set of other problems for the United States as it manages its relationship with Egypt and other Middle East states. I think the challenge for the United States is, given all the limitations of American policy, whether it can prevent further deterioration and further problems in 2012.
More on:
What are these problems?
[Preventing] the worst excesses on the side of the Israelis in the territories and [preventing] the collapse of the Palestinian Authority [because the] Israelis are withholding tax revenues. The one possible area of progress is the effort by the Middle East Quartet [the United States, the European Union, Russia, and the United Nations] to try to get the parties to present borders and security proposals. The Quartet has asked the Israelis and Palestinians to present proposals (OmanObserver) on borders and security. What's unclear is whether the Quartet will try and get them to present those proposals in the absence of the parties resuming negotiation and presenting those proposals to each other.
So is the two-state approach still viable?
We may look back and say, "It needed heavy political lifting to carry it across the finish line" and that was provided in the year twenty-whatever. But it's hard to imagine when that heavy political lifting from the outside is going to insert itself into the picture. The reality is--with over five hundred thousand Israelis creeping up to 10 percent of the Israel-Jewish population living beyond the Green Line [the border before the 1967 war]--it has become impossible to remove these Jewish outposts, which even the Israeli legal system considers illegal.
You have an Israeli-Palestinian reality, which is looking increasingly irresolvable, and increasingly questioning the very possibility of a two-state solution.
You [also] have an entrenched right wing in Israel. [Though] the new Israeli Labor Party leader, Shelly Yachimovich is now rising in the polls (NYT) [in the wake of this summer's widespread protests on growing economic inequality in Israel], she is doing this in no small measure by consciously avoiding promoting the territories, the occupation, security issues--by making all of those things secondary. She doesn't address those issues. So the hegemony of the right in Israel is something that is becoming increasingly entrenched.
On the Palestinian side, you have a leadership that's still committed to that two-state vision, though increasingly it looks like something unattainable. So if you add that to the inability of the international community, led by the United States, to summon any real political depth when it comes to trying to force through hard choices on the parties, for the Israelis, there is very little incentive to try and change this reality. And even if you know how to carve out a deal, if it was seen as unjust by a lot of Palestinians, then I think there wouldn't be the same kind of regional support.
So at the moment things are at a standstill and it's hard to drum up optimism with the two-state solution, but do you hope that in a year or two things might improve?
I think the opposite. I think left to their own devices, things won't improve. They are not at a standstill; they are on a trajectory away from being able to put humpty dumpty back together again. But there are things that can be done that conspicuously are not being done. Given the permanence of the right in Israel, there are things that could be done to start facing some fundamental questions. I think those are not being done. There are things on the Palestinian side to encourage the reconstitution of a credible unified national movement that would be able to make decisions. That's not being done. There's a list of other things that are not being done.


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Mike Seeger dies at 75 in Lexington
[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="152" caption="Mike Seeger"]
Celebrated folk musician Mike Seeger has died at home August 7 at his home in Lexington at the age of 75 after ceasing his battle with cancer. A six-time Grammy nominee whose influence on American folk music won praise from Bob Dylan, Seeger spoke with Hook music editor Vijith Assar three years ago. His last Charlottesville concert appearance was in March of this year at Gravity Lounge. He was half-brother to fellow folkie Pete Seeger.
3 comments
Another iconic musician has died. Half-brother of the immortal Pete Seeger (Where Have All the Flowers Gone), Mike Seeger was a well-respected, versatile, and knowledgeable artist in his own right. He was a founder of the New Lost City Ramblers and learned songs from "old-time" musicians of the 1940's. The world is a lesser place without him.
I played a couple of shows with Mr. Seeger last summer, he was the nicest man you could meet and was very funny. We traded CD's and he gave me a copy of the New Lost City Ramblers box set. He also signed my banjo and when I asked him to he said "why would you want to ruin such a nice instrument?". I will always remember him, God Bless.
Godspeed Mike Seeger. Thanks for enriching our lives... Can I have your amazing chromatic set of juice harps?


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Whatever the male species did to deserve the recent run of lousy comedies that neuter them into a bland, whiny pudding — the trajectory of Man Up through Guys With Kids to CBS's new and painfully bland smarm-com We Are Men (8:30/7:30c) — can I just collectively say on behalf of the entire gender: We're sorry! Haven't we suffered enough?
Apparently not, because Men hits new lows in bromance abuse, cheapening the whole idea of "band of brothers" with its soggy account of male bonding at an apartment complex for jilted and/or unhappily divorced losers. The new kid on the block, Carter (Chris Smith), is left at the altar in a reverse-Graduate gag that's the cleverest part of the pilot. Such a milquetoast he makes How I Met Your Mother mensch Ted Mosby seem as dangerous as Ted Bundy, Carter is adopted by an unappealing threesome that includes middle-aged horndog Frank (Tony Shalhoub, slumming), sad sack Gil (Kal Penn, who's almost as hilarious here as he was as a wet blanket during HIMYM's dark period, which means not at all) and arrogant Stuart, overplayed by Jerry O'Connell, who parades around shirtless in a rainbow of Speedos that flaunt what some might call manhood. But they would be wrong.
These Men of no certain age and character aren't so much bad influences as terribly unfunny company.
With NBC's The Voice coming on so strong (with blind auditions continuing at 8/7c), and even ABC's Dancing with the Stars (also at 8/7) in a resurgent mode thanks to some strong and newsy casting, CBS can ill afford polluting its aging comedy lineup with a show this limp. I wouldn't be surprised if Mike & Molly, curiously and currently benched as a midseason replacement, makes a triumphant return appearance before October is out.
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In happier news, CBS's Mom holds up nicely in its second episode (9:30/8:30c), winning us over the second Allison Janney voices to her TV daughter Anna Faris what many of us were thinking while watching last week's pilot: "When are you gonna stop with the bangs?" Hair jokes aside, this multigenerational comedy about messy lives finds actual substance amid the one-liners, as Christy (Faris) tries to be there for her own daughter Violet (Sadie Calvano) when it appears that yet another teen-age pregnancy may be adding to the family tree. Between Faris's endearing anxiety and Janney's carefree sarcasm as the incorrigible Bonnie, there's a lot of sharp, smart comic timing on display, even when the material veers into groaner territory. You could do far worse than Mom. (Like, say, Fox's Dads.)
In the first week ratings battle at 10/9c, NBC's The Blacklist soundly whipped CBS's Hostages — thanks in part to The Voice as a powerful lead-in, but don't discount the buzz rightfully declaring Blacklist one of the strongest pilots of a weak fall, and James Spader's mysterious Red Reddington one of the season's true breakout characters. We haven't seen the second episode of Blacklist, but it features promising casting: Isabella Rossellini as the target of an assassin known as "The Freelancer," and ER's Parminder Nagra joining the show as part of Red's surveillance and security detail.
CBS did make the next two episodes of Hostages available for preview, and while there are inevitable improbabilities to nitpick and a few too many subplots distracting from the main action, the thriller momentum escalates as Dr. Ellen Sanders (Toni Collette, suffering nobly and fiercely) faces the consequences of her impulsively heroic action to swap the President's meds. It's not just her captors getting in her face — "Did you really think you'd get away with this?" lead tormenter Duncan (Dylan McDermott) pulls from the cliché book while putting Ellen through the psychological wringer — but the Secret Service is also snooping around, making things uncomfortable for the good and bad guys (which aren't always easy to tell apart). And schisms begin to erupt among the black hats, some of whom are just becoming aware of the enormity of their now-complicated mission. More of them, less of Ellen's annoying family, please. (Maybe her son could go on a date with Homeland's Dana Brody and they could elope, making both shows better.)
THE MONDAY GUIDE: Another of Monday's new hits, Fox's Sleepy Hollow (9/8c), introduces a new supernatural nemesis, "The Sandman," who invades people's dreams — including those of Deputy Abbie (Nicole Beharie), who is compelled to seek out her sister (Lyndie Greenwood) at the local loonie bin. ... All of which might not be as scary as Bravo's The Real Housewives of Miami, which moves to a new time period (10/9c) as Adrianna and Joanna try to bury the hatchet (if only!) so as to move on with their dueling weddings. ... Rhetorical question prompted by this week's Castle (ABC, 10:01/9:01c): Gee, do you think new federal agent Beckett (Stana Katic) will find the deadly toxin in time to save her fiancé Castle (Nathan Fillion), who has less than a day to live after being exposed? ... PBS's Independent Lens begins its 12th season with the uplifting documentary Don't Stop Believin': Everyman's Journey (check tvguide.com listings), about Arnel Pineda, a Filipino singer discovered on YouTube who becomes the new front man for the rock band Journey — who presumably welcome him with "Open Arms."
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Up for sale is a beautiful 14K White Gold Diamond Baguette Anniversary, Promise, and Stackable Band.
Round Brilliant diamond weight 0.15 carats.
Color F Clarity SI
Diamond Baguette weight 0.70 carats.
Color F Clarity SI
-Model #: SJ2100BAG
-Metal Type: Rose, Yellow, and White Gold
-Metal Purity: 14K
-Gold Weight: 2.8 Grams Approx. depending on ring size
-Total Diamond Weight: 0.85Carats
-Color: F
-Clarity: SI
Brief Overview:
-Free Sizing W/ Purchase
-30 Day Return Policy
-Conflict Free Diamonds
-Satisfaction Guarantee
-Appraisal Included W/ Purchase.
-Black Velvet Box Included W/ Purchase.
Make a Payment Plan:
Feel free to let me know of any questions or concerns you might have.
Please look at all my other jewel's for sale.
Satisfaction Guarantee:
Seller of Jewels is dedicated to bring you a pleasant no-hassle online buying experience. All of our Jewelry come with a 30 days money back guarantee. If for any reason you are not completely satisfied, please contact us and we will make it right.
Authenticity Guarantee:
All pieces are 100% original with any additions always stated in item description.
We accept PayPal, Etsy Gift Cards, and Credit Cards.
We do LAYAWAY Plans.
Seller of Jewels offers layaway plans for our customers. A 20% deposit as down payment is required to secure the purchase. The customer must pay off the remainder over three months in a monthly payment program.
Please contact us if you would like to set up a layaway plan.
Shipping from United States
We ship worldwide. Shipping inside the United States is free. International shipping varies depending on location.
Free Shipping for all Domestic Orders
Seller of Jewels orders are shipped with the reliability and accountability of FedEx or USPS shipping.
International Orders
USPS First Class International Mail: Orders typically take 2-4 weeks to arrive via USPS First-Class Intl. Mail. Tracking number available when choosing this shipping option, and status updates beyond the United States are only available for select countries.
Many packages take time passing through customs, especially those containing jewelry. This process is completely out of our control. Seller of Jewels is NOT RESPONSIBLE for any CUSTOM FEES you made be charged with. If you have any questions please feel free to ask.
We will provide proof of mailing and customs identification numbers.
We are not responsible for any customs fees involved with the delivery of packages for international orders.
Returns & Exchanges
I gladly accept returns and exchanges
Just contact me within: 14 days of delivery
Ship items back to me within: 30 days of delivery
I don't accept cancellations
But please contact me if you have any problems with your order.
The following items can't be returned or exchanged
Because of the nature of these items, unless they arrive damaged or defective, I can't accept returns for:
- Custom or personalized orders
- Perishable products (like food or flowers)
- Digital downloads
- Intimate items (for health/hygiene reasons)
Returns and exchange details
We have a 30 day return and refund policy.
If for any reason you are dissatisfied with your Online purchase, you may exchange or return the jewelry for a full refund within 30 days from the day you receive the item.
Please follow our 3 easy steps below:
1. Let us know you would like to return the item:
Contact us on Etsy thru a message or call 626-617-5470 to let us know you would like to return the item.
Repack the item(s) in the original packaging materials. To receive a refund, you must provide the ring in the condition the ring was sent to you. Please write a note inside the package with the name that was on the order so we can make sure the money is refunded to the correct person.
Once you have packed the item, ship the item to 1475 S. Harbor Blvd. #D5 Fullerton, CA 92832. For your protection, we recommend shipping returns insured using FedEx, UPS, or USPS Priority Mail with a tracking number.
Whats the Most Important thing to remember when Buying a Diamond?
When you go out to buy a sparkling diamond, you must consider 4Cs of diamonds - Cut, Color, Clarity and Carat weight, as a base for your buying decision. These 4Cs will help you to choose the best diamonds on the same criteria on which jewelers use to select them. To learn more, click on Diamond Buying Tips.
How do I Care for my Diamonds?
Regular cleaning of Diamond Jewelry is essential to maintain shine and brilliance of diamonds. On wearing them, they get dirty as you use various skin and body care regimen such as soaps, lotions and even our skins natural oils. Even when you are not wearing them, they collect dust. You can clean your diamonds at home by your own by using soft brush, water and soap or by using readymade jewelry cleaners. You can also take services of a professional jeweler, where he will check security of the settings also. Diamond jewelry should be stored individually in a soft cloth pouch to ensure that a diamond should not scratch other diamonds or other jewelry. You should not wear diamond jewelry while doing heavy work. You should avoid the situation where your diamonds come in contact with chlorine bleach, hair spray or other chemicals because they can pit or discolor the mounting.
What is a Gemstone?
A Gemstone is a mineral or rock, which can be used in jewelry after cutting or faceting and polishing. Gemstones are diverse in their beauty and many gems are available in a stunning variety of colors. After a skilled cutting and polishing of a gem, full color and luster can be seen.
How do I Care for my Jewelry?
Jewelry requires proper care and treatment for its longevity so that it can even be handed down as heirlooms to future generations without losing their shine and sparkle. Regular cleaning of Jewelry is essential to maintain shine and brilliance of jewelry's gemstones and metal. On wearing jewelry, it gets dirty as you use various skin and body care solutions such as soaps, lotions and even it becomes oily from your skin's natural oils. Even when you are not wearing them, they collect dust. You can clean your jewelry at home by your own by using soft brush, water and soap or by using readymade jewelry cleaners. You can also take services of a professional jeweler to keep jewelry clean. Jewelry should be stored individually in a soft cloth pouch or plastic zip-lock bags to ensure that a piece of jewelry or gemstone should not scratch other jewelry or gemstones.
What is a Birthstone? What are the different Birthstones?
A birthstone is nothing but a gemstone only, which is associated with the date of one's birth and the wearing of such birthstone is considered to bring good luck and health. Certain gemstones are believed to have Supernatural powers and their relationship with planets.
Birthstones, on the basis of calendar months, are described as under:
January's Birthstone – Garnet
February's Birthstone - Amethyst
March's Birthstone - Aquamarine
April's Birthstone - Diamond
May's Birthstone - Emerald
June's Birthstone - Pearl or Alexandrite
July's Birthstone - Ruby
August's Birthstone - Peridot
September's Birthstone - Sapphire
October's Birthstone - Opal or Pink Topaz
November's Birthstone - Citrine / Yellow Topaz
December's Birthstone - Blue Topaz
Frequently Asked Questions
Sizing details
If you purchase the ring and for any reason it is not the correct size we will resize or make a new ring in the exact size you need.
Custom and personalized orders
We are here to make your jewelry dreams come true. If you need any adjustments or changes on a piece of jewelry we have we can make the changes to fit your needs.