text:
I see these kinds of posts on all different types of blogs and it's always interesting to me to read about how people spend their days. I have always thought that no one would care what my DITL looks like cause to me it's usually pretty boring. :) However for the past 2 months at work I have been working rotating, weird hour shifts and I kind of want to document it so that when I look back years from now I can remember this weird time in my life. I say weird because I have days go by (or whole weeks) where I'm like, "What the heck have I done these past few days besides sleep and work? Oh, nothing, that's right."
And who knows, maybe one of you will find this interesting?? I decided I would document one of my days working midnight shift because that is the weirdest transition for me and the hardest to get anything done (outside of work) during. I am on midnights this week so I picked Monday to share with you all.
4:30 pm - Wake up. My first thought, "Ughhhhh..... I feel like I've been hit by a truck...." I am really good at falling asleep and sleeping during the day, but when I wake up I feel horrible.
4:35 pm - Meander downstairs to eat dinner. I make some of my favorite pasta and pack some leftovers for work later. I also have some strawberries and spinach salad.
5:00 pm - Clean kitchen and pack the rest of my food and fill my water bottles for work.
5:15 pm - Walk back and forth between the living room and kitchen 5 times because I am too disoriented to remember what I was going in the living room for.
5:20 pm - Oh yeah, I wanted to check my cell phone. Grab it and zombie upstairs to get ready for work.
5:50 pm - Make my bed, clear off my nightstands (trying to create a good (daily) habit), pack my purse
6:00 pm - Head out to run some errands
6:30 pm - Off to improv rehearsal before work
9:30 pm - Improv rehearsal is over, time for second dinner! I grab a Greek salad and sandwich from my favorite Greek restaurant and head on to work. I get hungry a lot more often when I am on mids for some reason.
10:00 pm - Get settled at work and take over for the person before me.
12:00 am - Wow! Those first 2 hours of work flew by!! Time to eat some snacks. I have a granny smith apple and some cheez-its. Yumm.
1:30 am - I am hungry and my co-workers are getting tired so they aren't telling jokes and entertaining me anymore.
3:00 am - Time to go heat up my leftover pasta. Yay! 3rd dinner!
3:30 am - Pasta was delicious and eating killed some time. :)
5:00 am - Someone sneezes over our intercom system. I find it hilarious, but no one else laughs. I am an awkward person.
6:45 am - My relief is here! It's almost time to go home!
7:00 am - I am on the way to freedom.
7:15 am - The person behind me honks their horn at me because I am not moving and the light is green. I didn't see the light was green because I was so engrossed in eating my egg and cheese biscuit from McDonald's. :( Sorry dude. I proceed forward with biscuit hanging out of my mouth.
7:30 am - Home sweet home.
7:35 am - After rinsing out my water bottles and cleaning my food containers, it's time for a quick shower.
7:50 am - I am knocked out for the next 8+ hours.
People always feel bad for me when I tell them I am working the midnight shift but really it's not that bad. You gotta make a living somehow! Anyway, I usually have fun while I am working - it's a unique and fun job. It is stressful at times, but I like it. Yes, it is strange hours, but I don't have too hard a time getting used to it. My problem is adjusting back to day shift after midnights. Yikes! That is a nightmare.
I also find that I am more tired and hungry the weeks I work mids. I'm not really sure why that is...
In case you are wondering why there are no pictures of me in my DITL post it's because I didn't want to ask my co-workers to take any of me. That would have been weird, but here's a picture from my work trip to Houston in November. This is what I sometimes look like at work, except my console is never that clean (there would be lots of snacks surrounding me) and I have to wear a headset.
This was completely posed by the way. I wasn't actually working here.


text:
The San Ysidro Land Port of Entry-between San Diego and Tijuana-Mexico is the busiest border crossing in the world, processing around 50,000 vehicles and 25,000 pedestrians per day. The new border station currently under construction in three phases is designed as the 'port of the future' to address GSA goals to update and modernise outdated infrastructure for reduced processing and wait times at the border.
Setting a new bar both operationally and in terms of high-performance buildings at international border crossings worldwide, Phase I of the project targeted for completion in 2015 includes security and inspection enhancements for greater safety and efficiency and is targeted to achieve LEED Platinum certification through energy efficiency and water conservation strategies.
When completed, the project will accommodate a staggering 34 lanes of traffic with 110,000 sq ft of vehicle inspection canopies, and 200,000 sq ft of administrative and operations facilities. Sustainable water management strategies will reduce water use by an anticipated 28 million gallons+ per year including the use of a rainwater reclamation system treating grey and black water on site. Optimised and efficient mechanical equipment combined with photovoltaic panels and a geoexchange heat pump system support a design goal to become the first 24/7/365 facility to achieve net zero energy in the United States.
To offset the intense operational and regional environment, inspection canopies shelter officers and serve as a visual gateway for millions of people coming into the United States each year. The canopies clad in ETFE (Ethylene Tetrafluoroethylene) provide soft filtered natural light and much-needed shade from intense regional sun, a calming presence amidst chaos. The thin, long span profiles are gracefully supported by 120-ft masts float lighting across the site and offering uninterrupted sight lines for enhanced site surveillance. Artistic elements throughout the site offer a welcoming aspect to the border crossing experience.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
We keep hearing gamers wail about the DirectX 10.1 release and how it kept DirectX10 compliant hardware away from the party. Our own PC Guy Johnathan Neuls dug into the story and found the truth of the matter. While you can't use the update with your fresh new card, you likely won't care.
At the Siggraph conference just this last week Microsoft dropped what, at first glance, was a bit of a bomb on DX10 video card owners. Microsoft announced the SDK beta for DirectX 10.1, which introduces a number of new features. Some are interesting, some aren't so much, and some are likely to royally piss off the people who own DirectX 10 compatible cards like Nvidia's 8800 series or the AMD HD2900.
Direct3D 10.1 is not, and is not planned to be, compatible with any hardware in existence. Before you get angry that your new 8800 won't run this new update, keep in mind D3D 10.1 doesn't really add anything we, as gamers, care too much about. In short, it makes some features mandatory that were previously optional. D3D 10.1 will require 32-bit floating point filtering (16-bit FP filtering is currently required) and 4x MSAA w/2 required sample patterns (whereas manufacturers can currently choose whatever they like for antialiasing). This new D3D with Shader Model 4.1 is also bringing several new features like TextureCube arrays (indexable in Shader code), rendering to block-compressed textures, and blending on all snorm and unorm formats.
It would seem that "complete D3D 10", as Microsoft called it in their Siggraph slides, is mostly a release aimed to bring the duopoly of Nvidia/AMD onto slightly more equal footing in terms of benchmarking and is specifically targeted at, as Microsoft puts it, "an upcoming generation of graphics hardware." AMD is actually quite happy about the new beta and, specifically, Shader Model 4.1:
"The fact that 2x, 4x and 8x multi-sample anti-aliasing (MSAA) all have to be supported (and with exactly the same sampling patterns)" would be a "big gain for consumers." Huddy claimed that this would "allow "exact" comparisons of images rendered with MSAA enabled, so that direct benchmark comparisons will now always be meaningful."
It will be a long time before we see any developers requiring DX10.1 compliant hardware to run their software, so you needn't worry about your video card making a trip to the local dump anytime soon.
Largely overshadowed by the "D3D 10.1 destroys the world" headlines is the fact that DirectX 10.1 also includes a total replacement for DirectSound in the form of XAudio2. Does "XAudio" sound familiar at all? It should... it comes from the 360. "XAudio2 is a new cross-platform audio API (Windows and Xbox 360) that is based on the Xbox 360 XAudio API," Microsoft explains.
This wouldn't be Microsoft if there wasn't any drama, surely, so be aware that "...some Windows Vista audio drivers are not compatible with XAudio2 and will generate errors, possibly including access violations." Good times.
This is just a beta SDK, and future releases of the SDK are slated for Nov 2007, Mar 2008, Jun 2008, and Aug 2008. The June 2008 release should begin an ongoing four-update-per-year DirectX SDK release schedule.


text:
Boulder County is concerned about the potential for significantly expanded oil and gas drilling within the county, and supports appropriate, tighter restrictions on drilling and increased local control to mitigate the impacts of these activities.
However, Boulder County and other local governments in Colorado do not have complete authority to regulate drilling. In order to ensure both our Comprehensive Plan and Land Use regulations are as thorough and up-to-date as possible, today we approved a temporary moratorium on the processing of the required development plans for local oil and gas permits under the county Land Use Code (Resolution 2012-16). This will give us time to make sure that, within the limits of our legal authority, we are able to mitigate local impacts from these activities and to maximize protection for the people and environment of Boulder County.
Boulder County does not voluntarily allow oil and gas drilling on its open space properties. Like many private landowners, we often do not own the rights to a given property's oil and gas deposits. In other cases, the mineral rights were leased prior to acquisition of the land by the county. In those instances, the county does not have the ability to prohibit drilling, even though it is the surface landowner. As the surface owner, we do negotiate surface use agreements prior to drilling, and in doing so, we attempt to minimize those impacts to the maximum extent possible.
Through our Land Use Code, we do have some local authority over oil and gas drilling on private and public land; however, substantial authority for regulation of oil and gas operations lies with the state and federal governments, so there are limits on what we can restrict. For instance, it is unlikely that Boulder County could simply prohibit hydraulic fracturing on either public or private land in the county.
Boulder County has and is actively supporting efforts to strengthen state regulation, and to expand local authority in the area of oil and gas drilling. We supported legislation signed by former Gov. Bill Ritter to strengthen oil and gas rules and to reform the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission. We have also advocated for a stronger disclosure requirements of fracking fluids, although the COGCC ultimately approved requirements that did not include our requests for a process that would allow any leaks to be traced, nor for pre- and post-drilling water monitoring. Finally, we are supportive of legislation that Rep. Matt Jones of Louisville is sponsoring in the 2012 General Assembly to expand local authority over drilling.
We also authorized staff to set a public hearing for Thursday, March 1 to take public testimony on the local impacts associated with oil and gas development, and on the appropriateness of continuing or amending the temporary moratorium on the processing of land use applications for oil and gas development which we approved today. This meeting will begin at 4 p.m. in the Commissioners' Hearing Room on the third floor of the Boulder County Courthouse at 1325 Pearl St. in Boulder. Staff from several county departments will be making presentations regarding our current regulations and the development we have seen on our open space properties.
Cindy Domenico, Will Toor and Deb Gardner serve as Boulder County commissioners.


text:
Cleveland Clinic Diagnoses Health-Care Act
Just over a year from now, the Affordable Care Act is set to unleash enormous change in the health-care sector, and Cleveland Clinic Chief Executive Delos "Toby" Cosgrove is preparing his institution by expanding its reach and striving to make caregivers more cost-conscious.
The nonprofit has grown steadily since Dr. Cosgrove, a heart surgeon, took over in 2004 and now includes eight hospitals in Ohio along with its flagship campus and facilities in Florida, Las Vegas and Toronto. It's also helping to build a new hospital in Abu Dhabi.
Dr. Cosgrove has pushed efforts to translate the system's research work into new commercial opportunities ranging from a social-media site on beauty to a medical-device startup developing artificial-heart technologies. Cleveland Clinic is also striking deals with employers such as Wal-Mart Stores Inc. to send workers to there for complex procedures, moves that lock in patients for high-end surgeries.
The new federal provisions—which include cutbacks to Medicare payments and the creation of new health-insurance marketplaces for consumers—will test institutions like Cleveland Clinic, as will new forms of payment that swap the fee-for-service model for one intended to reward hospital systems for efficient, high-quality care.
Dr. Cosgrove, 72 years old, sat down recently to discuss the changes to come. Edited excerpts:
WSJ: How does the health overhaul affect you?
Dr. Cosgrove: We knew that we had to reduce costs and we had to drive a more efficient health-care delivery system. [The law] just gave additional impetus to get that done.
WSJ: What risks do the exchanges carry for systems like yours?
Dr. Cosgrove: The forcing function of the ACA is going to drive more coordination of care. It's going to not allow doctors to be necessarily independent; they'll have to be in relationships with hospitals and other providers. All of these things carry big changes and] there are risks to them. I think we are in good shape to start with because of our model of care.
WSJ: Are you looking at possible mergers?
Dr. Cosgrove: Absolutely. We have been in discussions with numerous players from one coast to the other. We have yet to execute major M&A. But we are in the prospect of having those discussions.
WSJ: With what types of possible partners?
Dr. Cosgrove: Hospital systems…We have talked to providers generally.
WSJ: Are you considering launching your own health-insurance plan?
Dr. Cosgrove: Are we considering forming our own? No. Would we consider joining with another one? Yes.
WSJ: You didn't join the federal government's accountable-care-organization initiatives, which aim to reward health-care providers for efficiency and coordination. What is your approach to these new methods of payment?
Dr. Cosgrove: We will have an ACO. We didn't [initially join], because we thought that there was a lot of learning to be done. We would just as soon be fast followers, rather than pioneers. Pioneers frequently have high mortality rates.
WSJ: Why do you pay doctors a salary, rather compensate them based on productivity?
Dr. Cosgrove: I, as a cardiac surgeon, never had to justify the fact that I was doing a heart operation, because it didn't make any difference to me financially. I could tell someone that I think they needed a heart operation and it wasn't going to do anything for my back pocket. You take the financial incentive out for doing more or doing less.
WSJ: There is a lot of concern that health-provider consolidation leads to higher costs. Is that legitimate?
Dr. Cosgrove: We're going to not drive the cost in a particular community...What we're talking about is consolidation on a much bigger scale, across the country. I don't think that anyone would suggest that supermarkets have not reduced the cost of food across the United States or that books from Amazon don't cost less than books do from your local bookstore.
WSJ: You are consolidated in the Cleveland area. Do you use that leverage in negotiating prices with health insurers?
Dr. Cosgrove: Yes, we do. We also consolidate services and drive efficiency of services across this organization. We've consolidated our hospitals. We've consolidated cardiac surgery, pediatrics, rehab, psychiatric care, obstetrics, to bring them together and have higher quality and lower cost, more efficiency.
WSJ: Has that translated into lower prices that you charge to private insurers?
Dr. Cosgrove: No. But we know that the payer is going to pay us less [in the future], so we're getting ready. If we hadn't done that [boosted efficiency], we'd probably be running in the red. Medicare pays 6% under the cost of delivering care, Medicaid 13% under the cost of delivering care.
WSJ: Patients complain about charges that hospital systems levy for outpatient care at clinics, which independent doctor practices can't do.
Dr. Cosgrove: The facility fees are really driven, frankly, by Medicare [payment rules]. If there wasn't a facility fee, we wouldn't do it. But we were out of compliance with the Medicare law if we didn't have facility fees. By the way, so does everyone else in this community.
WSJ: Why bill them to the private insurers as well?
Cleveland Clinic
Operating Revenue, in billions
Operating Income, in millions
- mid-Dec.2012: 41,971
- end 2011: 39,347
*Doesn't include residents.
Dr. Cosgrove: If everybody does it, why wouldn't we?
WSJ: What are your plans internationally?
Dr. Cosgrove: The Abu Dhabi thing is a very big opportunity for us. That is a huge undertaking. There are going to be a lot of other opportunities if we do this one well.
WSJ: Would you look at other places?
Dr. Cosgrove: Absolutely. First we're going to place referral offices [sites that provide services including medical education and coordination of overseas patients' visits to the clinic] in several locations around the world. We have placed one in Riyadh. We are looking at China, England and perhaps Turkey, for openers.
WSJ: You've started posting the prices of various health-care supplies in operating rooms. Should doctors consider costs? Some argue they should weigh only clinical factors.
Dr. Cosgrove: You can't do that. What is the most expensive instrument in the hospital? The doctor's pen. We have to make them cost-conscious. Otherwise, how are we going to reduce the cost?
WSJ: Do you think employers will stop providing health insurance, even though they can pay a penalty under the health overhaul law?
Dr. Cosgrove: The first ones will be the small companies…Every CEO I've talked to knows how much he'd save between insuring his people and paying the federal penalty.
WSJ: What does that tell you?
Dr. Cosgrove: The first time some big player does that, it's going to fall like dominoes. What that does is drive everybody to the exchanges.
WSJ: What does that mean to you?
Dr. Cosgrove: It's going to be a faster move towards one payer. Increasingly, people think that in 10 years you're going to have 75% of the health-care costs paid by the federal government.
WSJ: You think we're moving toward a single-payer system?
Dr. Cosgrove: Well, the question is how long...I don't think in the next 10 years, but I think it probably is going to head in that direction.
Copyright ©2019 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 87990cbe856818d5eddac44c7b1cdeb8


text:
"Faith without works is dead." James 2:26
We've all heard it said, "Your life is too loud for me to hear what you say." This means a person is not living the Christian life, so others won't listen to you "preach" at them - they see how you actually live.
But the reverse is also true. If we are truly saved, are truly living the Christian life, there will be fruit evident even to those who are outside the Body of Christ. They may not be able to put into words what's different about us, but they will most certainly notice and the Holy Spirit can use this to draw them to Him.
There are so many small ways we can show the love of Christ to this world, we just need to keep our eyes open so we see the opportunities. One easy way is when we are shopping and have a coupon we decide we won't use after all. Give it to someone who is looking at that type of product or just leave it laying on the item it's for. If you have a more general situation, say "$5 of a $20 purchase", just ask God to show you who to give it to. You'll both be blessed!
Today I'm giving you a yummy Cheese Pizza for all those summer picnic & party LOs. I made this years ago using a free action called PizzaPizza!
If you download, please leave me a comment at the bottom of this post as I have disabled 4shared comments. This helps me to know what you like for the future and please support this blog by shopping my PayPal store. God bless you!
Download here. Check out my TERMS OF USE here.
The password is jesuschristislord.


text:
A Greymouth court hearing was packed with drama amid allegations of false testimony, a hostile witness and a member of the public being threatened with contempt for passing secrets to witnesses in the waiting room.
The main witness was first to feel the wrath of Judge Michael Behrens in the District Court when her evidence in chief differed greatly to the statement that she had given to police, alleging that Vulcan Drew had throttled and threatened to kill her.
She was declared a hostile witness.
Defence lawyer George Linder then earned a rebuke from the judge by opening his cross-examination by demanding the witness admit that she had a track record of making false accusations.
"What's that got to do with it? I'm only interested in these allegations," the judge scolded Mr Linder.
Focus then switched to a woman in the public gallery who had twice left the court as the complainant was giving evidence. Police and court security reported to the judge that she had been seen whispering to Drew's witnesses, but the woman claimed she had gone out only to use her cellphone and visit the toilet.
She had known Drew since he was a child but was an impartial spectator in the courtroom, she said.
Ordering that she have no further contact with the witnesses, Judge Behrens said she would be locked up for contempt if she did.
Drew, 22, of Cobden, was charged with assault with intent to injure, common assault and threatening to kill. He and the complainant were in a relationship but no longer living together.
Judge Behrens found Drew not guilty of the assault with intent to injure, but convicted him of common assault and threatening to kill. He was sentenced to 100 hours' community work.


text:
- Font:
- +
- -
NEW YORK — A "terribly wrong" miniseries about events leading to the Sept. 11 attacks blame President Clinton's policies, former Clinton administration officials said in letters demanding that ABC correct it or not air it.
But in a statement released Thursday afternoon in apparent response to the growing uproar, ABC said, "No one has seen the final version of the film, because the editing process is not yet complete, so criticisms of film specifics are premature and irresponsible."
Former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, former National Security Adviser Sandy Berger, Clinton Foundation head Bruce Lindsey and Clinton adviser Douglas Band wrote in the past week to Robert Iger, CEO of ABC's parent The Walt Disney Co., to express concern over "The Path to 9/11."
Clinton spokesperson Jay Carson told MSNBC in a statement, "ABC/Disney acknowledges this show is fiction and in direct contradiction of the 9/11 Commission Report and the facts, and it is despicable that ABC/Disney would insist on airing a fictional version of what is a serious and emotional event for our country.
"No reputable organization should dramatize 9/11 for a profit at the expense of the truth."
The two-part miniseries, scheduled to be broadcast on Sunday and Monday, is drawn from interviews and documents including the report of the Sept. 11 commission. ABC has described it as a "dramatization" as opposed to a documentary.
"For dramatic and narrative purposes, the movie contains fictionalized scenes, composite and representative characters and dialogue, and time compression," ABC said in its statement. "We hope viewers will watch the entire broadcast of the finished film before forming an opinion about it."
Content 'incontrovertibly inaccurate'
The letter writers said the miniseries contained factual errors, and that their requests to see it had gone unanswered.
"By ABC's own standard, ABC has gotten it terribly wrong," Lindsey and Band said in their letter.
"The content of this drama is factually and incontrovertibly inaccurate and ABC has a duty to fully correct all errors or pull the drama entirely. It is unconscionable to mislead the American public about one of the most horrendous tragedies our country has ever known."
The letters pointed out examples of scenes they had been told were in the miniseries, but which they said never happened. Albright objected to a scene that she was told showed her insisting on warning the Pakistani government before an airstrike on Afghanistan, and that she was the one who made the warning.
Other political news of note
Animated Boehner: 'There's nothing complex about the Keystone Pipeline!'
House Speaker John Boehner became animated Tuesday over the proposed Keystone Pipeline, castigating the Obama administration for not having approved the project yet.
- Budget deficits shrinking but set to grow after 2015
- Senate readies another volley on unemployment aid
- Obama faces Syria standstill
- Fluke files to run in California
- Animated Boehner: 'There's nothing complex about the Keystone Pipeline!'
"The scene as explained to me is false and defamatory," she said.
Berger objected to a scene that he was told showed him refusing to authorize an attack on Osama bin Laden despite the request from CIA officials. "The fabrication of this scene (of such apparent magnitude) cannot be justified under any reasonable definition of dramatic license," he wrote.
Fears of misinterpretation
Lindsey and Band objected to advertisements for the miniseries, which they said suggested that Clinton wasn't paying enough attention to the threat of terrorism.
"While ABC is promoting "The Path to 9/11" as a dramatization of historical fact, in truth it is a fictitious rewriting of history that will be misinterpreted by millions of Americans," they said. "Given your stated obligation to 'get it right,' we urge you to do so by not airing this drama until the egregious factual errors are corrected, an endeavor we could easily assist you with given the opportunity to view the film."
The five-hour miniseries is set to run without commercial interruption. Director David Cunningham said it was a massive undertaking, with close to 250 speaking parts, more than 300 sets, and a budget of $40 million. Cunningham has said he shot 550 hours of film. The cast includes Harvey Keitel, Patricia Heaton and Donnie Wahlberg.
MSNBC and The Associated Press contributed to this report.


text:
Dance companies see winter coming long before the rest of us. Many of their performance dates have been booked since May, and their season brochures have long since gone to the printers for distribution to potential subscribers.
The Washington Ballet was among the early birds this year, with internet subscriptions offering a 50 percent savings by simply entering the promotion code "TWBSPECIAL." Four different subscription packages are available, but fans must not procrastinate because the special deals are only good until Monday, Sept. 12.
Just returned from a triumphant engagement at the Bodrum International Dance Festival in Turkey, the Washington Ballet company appears especially vibrant these days, and it is planning a rich array of new and classical works for its hometown fans.
"The Great Gatsby" will be reprised at the Kennedy Center, for example, with live musical accompaniment Nov. 2-6. This is easily the most ambitious production staged by the company's director, Septime Webre, since he arrived in Washington some 12 years ago. Like the F. Scott Fitzgerald novel it is based on, "The Great Gatsby" ballet is set in the "Roaring '20s," under the gathering dark clouds of the Great Depression — but, oh, how these dancers make it all look so glamorous!
Then the series changes gears for a contemporary twist in Twyla Tharp's "All American Program," Feb. 22-26, followed by the world premiere of "Alice (in Wonderland)," April 11-15, and Webre's own celebration of Cuban culture, "iNoche Latina!," May 9-13.
Also available is a Family Series whose highlight will be the 50th anniversary presentation of "The Nutcracker" at the Warner Theater, Dec. 1-24. Three premieres are also being planned for the season's closing months. Watch for details, or go to http://www.washingtonballet.org or call 202-362-3606.
Dance Place is celebrating its 31st season at its performing arts center near Catholic University. Directors Carla Perlo and Deborah Riley are promising a diverse lineup of "great dancing, fresh ideas and compelling performance art from emerging and established artists."
Look for the hippest "hip-hop" performers from D.C. and Philadelphia, for starters, plus five contemporary dance companies from New York. A "family festival" in late November hosts intergenerational classes and interactive matinee performances, plus Dance Place will be launching a new resident company, Revision Dance Collaborative, this season. Charge your tickets at 202-269-1600.
More international color
The arts of the Far East return to the Kennedy Center in "China: The Art of the Nation," with nearly 300 singers, musicians, dancers, and actors. Highlights include a free Millennium Stage performance by the Tangshan Shadow Puppet Theatre; the debut of the Beijing Dance Theater; a celebration of Chinese symphony and opera; and an outdoor exhibition of sculptures by some of the nation's talented visual artists.
Still, it's the National Ballet of China that always causes this writer's heart to beat a little faster. Returning to the Kennedy Center finally after its acclaimed 2005 appearance, this company will perform a mixed repertory program in the Center's Eisenhower Theater, Sept. 22-24.
Ballet fans may appreciate "The Red Detachment of Women," but the Wow! factor goes way up for the troupe's performance of the second act of "Swan Lake." This unique pas de deux has the ballerina spinning on pointe atop her partner's head while extending her other leg high in the air. Amazing.
The Suzanne Farrell Ballet kicks off the Kennedy Center Ballet Series to celebrate its 10th anniversary in grand style. Nothing is more beautiful to balletomanes than "Diamonds," first danced on Columbia's Merriweather Post Pavilion stage in 1967. Farrell's company preserves the George Balanchine legacy at the Kennedy Center's Opera House Oct. 12-16.
American Ballet Theater returns to its former residency at the Kennedy Center with Alexei Ratmansky's wildly imaginative "The Nutcracker," Dec. 8-11. It will be followed by Russia's premiere Mariinsky Ballet, Jan. 17-22. The Paris Opera Ballet will grace the Kennedy Center stage with "Giselle," July 5-8.
The Kennedy Center's Contemporary Dance Series opens with the Beijing Dance Theater in "Haze" where the dancers perform in the midst of a smog cloud on a padded stage in the Eisenhower Theater, Oct. 26-27. There are a half-dozen other international dance troupes in this series, but the one not to miss is America's unique Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Feb. 7-12. Columbia's Alica Graf is back performing with the company, making it well worth the price of a subscription for local balletomanes.
The Kennedy Center has promised more free programs this season, with a new policy for giveaway tickets, including seats at the coveted Kennedy Center Honors Gala, coming Sunday, Dec. 3. Line up at the center Saturday, Sept. 17, but call toll-free 800-444-1324 first, or go to http://www.kennedy-center.org.
Around the state
Some choreographers are turning to literature to inspire their dancers. Ballet Theatre of Maryland will present Nathaniel Hawthorne's "The Scarlet Letter" and "The Firebird" for this 40th season at the Maryland Hall for the Creative Arts in Annapolis. For family viewing, BTM performs "Aladdin" Oct. 21-23 and "The Nutcracker" two weekends in December. To subscribe, call toll free 866-438-3808.
The Baltimore Ballet will be giving a free presentation as part of "Free Fall" at the BMA Saturday, Oct. 8. Learn what it's like to be a professional dancer, see how dancers train, enjoy performances from famous ballet variations, and try out some dance moves on stage — if you dare! The performance is free, but you still need to reserve a ticket, as space is limited. For information on this month-long city-wide arts extravaganza, go to http://www.FreeFallBaltimore.com. The Baltimore Ballet is also presenting "The Nutcracker" at Goucher College, Dec. 10-11. Tickets always sell out early, so send an e-mail now to email@example.com.
Theatre Project's original "Pass The Hat" tradition is being resurrected for its own 40th anniversary year. First up, Sept. 16-17, is "Affectations," a commissioned work which should whet your appetite for the good works to follow at this Baltimore landmark..
Renowned dance artists Eiko and Komo showcase their provocative choreography at the University of Maryland's Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center, Sept. 14-15. The couple has danced together nearly 40 years, and their latest collaboration, "Regeneration," reflects the joy and sadness of these two visionary artists. (This performance is for mature audiences and contains nudity.) For details, contact http://www.clarice-smithcenter.umd.edu.
Taylor 2 Dance Company, an offshoot of the fabulous Paul Taylor Dance Company, stops at the Black Rock Center for the Arts in Germantown on Saturday, Oct. 22. This must-see company founded by modern dance master Paul Taylor will perform familiar works from Taylor's eclectic repertory. There's also a master class in the works. Call 301-528-2260 or send an e-mail to firstname.lastname@example.com.
Ailey II performs at Towson University's Stephens Hall Theatre Sept. 16. This company has spirit and energy to spare, feeding off some of the country's best dancers as they pass through the New York City studio. For more information and possible classes with the dancers, call 410-704-ARTS or http://www.towson.edu.
If you can't make it to a live show, "Ballet in Cinema" presents dance on the big screen, beginning with Bolshoi Ballet's "Esmeralda" Oct. 9, then "The Sleeping Beauty" Nov. 20, and the Royal Ballet's "Beauty" Dec. 15. Check local theater listings for dance and opera and other live performances offered at local theaters. for these opera and dance events.
Get in the act
L'Etoile/The Russian Ballet Academy of Maryland is holding auditions for its "Nutcracker" production this Saturday, Sept. 10, from noon to 2:15 p.m. All students must be registered in advance with a paid fee of $15. Performances will be at the Century High School in Carroll County, Dec. 10. For registration details, go to http://www.russballet.org or call 443-851-1650.
The Howard County Ballet will hold auditions for "The Nutcracker 2011" at the Howard County Center for the Arts this Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 10 and 11. Open to all area dancers, the audition fee is $15. Call 410-465-9414 for information and to reserve a space.
The Misako Ballet does not perform "The Nutcracker." Instead, the company dances in small venues like the upcoming studio concert Sept. 17. Director Misako Aoki-Oda is currently holding auditions by appointment. A large-scale February production is planned for the Jim Rouse Theatre. Call 410-884-9690, or watch this space.


text:
To Strengthen and preserve our Nation through teaching and practicing our Traditional values on our land with our resources for our people.
To provide a safe, secure environment in which to help, primarily First Nations youth at risk and young offenders find a better path for life by providing a cultural and spiritual context through which to learn life skills, academic and vocational training.
Our youth and adult justice workers attend court with clients when needed, and help clients set up life plans when they are released from corrections. We receive referrals from the RCMP, Corrections, the MCFD and the communities to assist in resoving issues through restorative justice practices that do not involve the court system. Our workers go out to the rural communities and schools to attend cultural events, facilitate workshops on anti-bullying, involve youth in positive activities and assist them however they can to avoid becoming stuck in negative cycles. The society holds wilderness camps, where, through trained facilitators, elders and community members, participants are immersed in four-day programs, based on the Medicine Wheel, which provides an effective model for living that re-establishes self-worth.


text:
The request arrived by e-mail, from a mother on behalf of her teenage son. "He is still having foot pain, and we need an excuse for phys ed. Can you write a note?"
A few weeks earlier, I had seen the boy, a competitive athlete, and diagnosed Sever's apophysitis, an inflammation of the heel bone, a common problem that is a lot less serious than it sounds. I reassured her that with rest, pain medication and time, it would get better.
I wrote a note excusing the boy from physical activity for two weeks, since intensive running and jumping would aggravate the condition.
This was a sincere kid in a family I had a good relationship with, so when I got that second request for a PE excuse note, stating the same pattern and location of pain, I complied, reiterating my original medical advice.
Less than two weeks after that, I received another message from the boy's mother: "He's still in pain, and it got worse after [sports] tryouts. Can he stay out of PE longer?"
"After tryouts?" I wrote back, with a growing sense that I had been taken for a ride. "Just so I understand, you let him try out for a team, even though I had excused him from PE, and now you want another note from me?" She confirmed that her son had tried out for a sports team while having stayed out of PE because of my note.
Like many doctors, I am increasingly besieged by requests for excuse notes. The majority of these notes are for infectious illness and aches and pains that require a student to get a respite. Many of the requests are legitimate. Keeping a sick kid out of school or an injured kid off the field is a good thing.
But school notes are becoming the bane of a pediatrician's existence. They put a burden on our practice and often put doctors in the odd position of arbiters between students and schools, giving us an uncomfortable power. I can excuse a kid from PE, a game, a day of school — in fact, from months of class, or even longer. Whatever we write is assumed true and clinically accurate. But as the case involving the tryouts demonstrates, we're not always given the full story.
Often the requests come without having the patient come into the office. The reasons are many. For example, the child is better and needs a note after the fact:"My child was sick last week; he's better now, so can I get a note to cover his illness?" In other situations, the parents are too busy, can't take a day off from work or don't want to pay for a visit. Schools and child-care centers often demand a note to make sure a child doesn't have — or has been treated for — a contagious illness such as pinkeye before being allowed back in.
Other requests require visits that are largely unnecessary. In some states, schools are under the pressure of having their funding tied to attendance rates. Regardless, schools want to keep kids in school. Doing so sometimes means asking that a student get a clearance note from a doctor for a minor ailment that otherwise wouldn't require an office visit.
While that may make sense for the school, an appointment triggered only by a school's attendance rule puts a burden on a parent. It also may make it impossible for a kid who really needs to see his doctor to do so. What then? Maybe that child ends up being seen where the doctor or provider may not know him well, such as at an urgent care center or emergency room. Parents also lose in having to get children to the doctor for things that in a different time did not require any sort of medical opinion.
Also, in some cases parents and kids take advantage of the physician's excuse. If it's not to help a child save herself from PE so she can be ready for track tryouts, say, it's to get other breaks.
Once I had a family request a note intended to have a child assigned to attend a particular high school. Their rationale? The child had a mild case of scoliosis (curvature of the spine) and so "he needed" to be at the school closer (and more highly rated) than the one he was slated to attend. I declined their request. Given that most cases of scoliosis are completely without any symptoms or impact on a person's health, I'm quite sure any colleague or spine specialist would have done the same.
So how can we fix this problem? I've borrowed an idea from the British — "fit notes," which focus on what a patient can do rather than what he or she can't. In these missives, I would, for example, excuse a student from basketball because of heel pain but tell the PE teacher the student can exercise on a stationary bike or do some upper-body weightlifting or other activity that's non-weight-bearing. So far I haven't gotten any pushback.
With respect to infections, I would suggest that schools be mindful of the latest recommendations from doctors, with an eye toward both keeping infections at bay and keeping kids in school. For example, too many schools still bar kids with treated head lice because they see a few nits (lice eggs) in a child's hair, even though those bugs are most likely dead. The American Academy of Pediatrics a few years ago suggested that schools move away from a "no nit" policy. Still, nearly four years after that policy was adopted, I regularly receive requests from parents whose kids have been referred for "clearance" to attend school after the child has been treated for lice at home with over-the-counter medicine.
Moving forward, school systems, doctors and parents need to agree on guidelines that help keep kids in school or get them back as soon as possible and that spell out when a doctor's note might be needed for the good of others.
As for my patient with the sore foot, I turned down his mother's persistent request for another note. She had taken advantage of my trust, and I told her the issue was between her and the school to figure out. Her message back suggested she had gotten the point. I have had no such further requests from her. We both learned a lesson.
Parikh is a pediatrician in Walnut Creek, Calif.


text:
Gun control moms shed their fear, find their political voice
They started out cautiously, afraid of attracting unwanted attention from their opponents, gun rights supporters like the National Rifle Association, who they knew were not only well-organized and well-funded, but armed.
But as the women who founded Connecticut's three chapters of One Million Moms for Gun Control watched their membership skyrocket, and witnessed 5,500 people turn out at last month's March for Change in Hartford, they abandoned their fear.
The One Million Moms group, founded the day after the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre, now claims 80,000 members in 80 chapters nationwide. Still largely made up of women, the group has even changed its name to the more muscular "Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America."
On Wednesday, 200 woment from 30 states will travel to Washington D.C. and discuss gun control with their legislators in an event dubbed "Moms Take the Hill." Additional groups will rally in Hartford the same day.
"I can't say it's unprecedented, but it's a remarkable moment," said Todd Gitlin, journalism and sociology professor at Columbia University. He should know. Gitlin was part of a culture-changing grassroots movement once himself. President of Students for a Democratic Society, or SDS, Gitlin helped organize national demonstrations against the Vietnam war.
The gun control advocates' passion and willingness to personally step up and make a difference puts them in the same camp as historic social movements, like the fight for civil rights, Gitlin said.
More Information
"Moms Take the Hill"
Who: Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, joined by individuals from over 30 states
What: A lobby day and rally
When: Wednesday, March 13
Where: Washington, D.C., but a lobby day will also be held in Hartford from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Why: To demand the passage of comprehensive gun control laws
The difference today is that the Internet and social media enabled the gun control movement to grow at lightening speed.
"I remember the night I created my (Facebook) page I asked my husband, `Are you sure you're OK with me doing this, because I have a feeling it's going to snowball,' " said Kara Baekey, who launched the Fairfield County chapter of One Million Moms. Soon after she had almost 700 followers.
Such easy contact is a double-edged sword, and gun control advocates quickly found themselves fielding nasty comments and veiled threats from gun rights supporters who used the same Google searches, Facebook pages and Twitter hashtags to express their disagreement.
There were taunts from men telling them to drop the cause and return to their housework, and so many "scary" comments that Baekey banned 30 people from her Facebook page.
The response was similar to the death threats and vitriol that journalists at The Journal News, in Westchester County, received from some gun rights supporters after that paper published an interactive map with the names and addresses of pistol permit holders.
"There was very aggressive behavior there," Bethel resident Kathleen Eggert said of reaction from gun rights activists in early public hearings. "There was a lot of intimidation and hissing and booing. I think the subject matter is scary too."
But, Eggert, who taught in Bridgeport for 10 years, refused to let her fear get the best of her.
"I just couldn't stand in the background wringing my hands, thinking this is so awful and watching it happen over and over again," she said. "It makes me nervous and I'm afraid, but that's the commitment I've made."
Gun rights advocates, on the other hand, say they, too, have been subject to inflammatory comments through email and social media.
"One woman sent me something a few days in a row," said Scott Wilson, of the Connecticut Citizens Defense League. "A picture of one of the children murdered and said I was responsible for their death."
Comments directed at them are rarely talked about, though. Wilson said he feels like gun owners have been unfairly attacked for defending their second amendment rights.
"I think we've been demonized, vilified and ostracized for the simple fact that we own guns or are being vocal to defend," he said.
Gaining new strength
Everything changed on the two-month anniversary of the shooting, when a crowd of 5,500 turned out in Hartford on a weekday morning to March for Change, despite an historic blizzard that paralyzed much of the state just days before.
"There was something very empowering about being at that rally," said Nancy Lefkowitz, who co-founded March for Change with fellow Fairfield resident Meg Staunton. "So you mess with me, you mess with them. And since the march, the governor has come out with a bold agenda. I like to think that 5,500 people standing in his backyard really had something to do with that, and he said as much."
Many suburban parents at the rally also heard the plight of families affected every day by gun violence in the state's cities.
"I said OK, this is three miles down the road and it's a whole other culture, and it was so embarrassing that it was so eye-opening," said Lefkowitz. "We feel a responsibility to make sure that voice is heard just as much. Those bullets don't have a sensory device. They hit anybody."
Nicole Matthews, a Bridgeport mom who lost her 18-year-old son Shaahyid Matthews in 2005, said she was disappointed it took so long for those in the suburbs to realize the extent of urban gun violence.
"I'm not afraid because I'm the one who had to sit and make funeral arrangements," Matthews said. "I'm the one who had to deal with my other kids. I'm afraid it might get worse."
Kingsley Osei, of Connecticut Against Violence, a group focused on overall violence in the inner-city, said he welcomes the groups' efforts, but worries that they are too focused on issues that won't put a dent in the amount of gun violence in Bridgeport, New Haven or Hartford.
"Their focus is on assault rifles," he said. "We have a small handgun problem. I'm not sure if they do help or not. If we all work together, it may help because it's all about strength in numbers."
Awakened and angry
Many in the grassroots movement for new gun laws in Connecticut never imagined becoming politically active -- until Dec. 14, 2012.
"I think we're shocked at ourselves," said Lucy Davies, who attended a meeting on the March for Change and ended up helping to organize transportation from Wilton, where she lives. "But it's still, to this day, different for me putting my kids on the bus everyday."
Connecticut's gun control efforts are not centralized. In addition to the Million Moms, there are local groups that have adopted the same agenda, including a ban on assault rifles, limit on high-capacity ammunition, background checks for all gun purchases and registration of guns.
"Historically, mothers movements have been very, very powerful forces," said Kristin Goss, author "Disarmed: The Missing Movement for Gun Control in America." "It's not unprecedented and it's not unusual."
Liz Perry put a post on MoveOn.org in late January calling for people to join her cause by attending a meeting at her Greenwich home.
The New York City schoolteacher was surprised when 30 strangers showed up at her door. Two weeks later, the group was standing in front of the old post office on Greenwich Avenue holding signs calling for gun control.
"The most interesting thing was the reaction of drivers," she said. "Greenwich is not known for its activism, so it was kind of fun to be active in that way." A similar rally was held there again this weekend.
It's easier to keep each other going when one joins a local group, Perry said. It has also helped when contacting legislators, she said. "Our organization has the name Greenwich in the title, so it's like there's no question we're your constituents."
March for Change, on the other hand, has partnered with Connecticut Against Gun Violence, which has been doing this work for decades.
"The passion has always been on the other side of the issue," said Ron Pinciaro, director of Connecticut Against Gun Violence. "We've always had a lot of support, but it hasn't been a vocal support. They're awakened and they're angry."
Lisa Labella, former Fairfield County coordinator for the Million Mom March in 2000, said she's never seen anything like what's happening now in Connecticut.
"In 2000, I believed we were right, we had the public behind us, we had the right policy," said Labella, who does community outreach with Connecticut Against Gun Violence. "But I think we were naive in the politics. We learned they're (politicians) hearing from a lot of different people who don't agree with us. I feel sorry for the freshmen legislators up at the General Assembly."
Goss, associate professor of Public Policy and Political Science at the Sanford School of Public Policy at Duke University, said the local movements have likely gained loyal followings so quickly because individuals were already concerned due to mass shootings in the movie theater in Aurora, Colorado, Tucson, Arizona and the Sikh Temple in Wisconsin. She calls the recent grassroots movement the best opportunity to get significant action in Congress on gun control.
The rise of the gun control groups has forced local gun rights groups to amp up their efforts contacting legislators as well.
"We've had a lot of people become hands on," said Wilson. "We care about our rights and we don't want to see our rights stripped away from us. The knee-jerk reaction is to just take everybody's guns and then things like this won't happen."
His 4-year-old group had just fewer than 3,000 members on Dec. 13, 2012. It has since doubled.
The groups are disappointed, however, that lawmakers seem to be letting the public outcry sway their reactions to the Newtown shooting.
"Our people got upset because after the shooting all of a sudden we had 100 gun bills," said Robert Crook, director of the Connecticut Coalition of Sportsmen, noting that the majority are resurrected bills that failed in the past. "If they pass one or they pass them all, it wouldn't preclude what happened. The gun didn't do it. It was just sitting there until it was picked up by a mentally ill man who got it from another person who wasn't following gun safety rules.
"It's all emotion out in Fairfield County and hopefully we don't write laws based on emotions," he added.
Next steps
Gun control advocates take exception to the idea that emotion is bad. They scoff at the concept of the "Connecticut Effect," a term used by a National Rifle Association lobbyist from Wisconsin dismissing the gun control movement.
"That may be true for some people," said Brad Greene, a Sandy Hook resident involved with both the Newtown Action Alliance and March for Change. "We're a very kind of fickle country with short attention spans. I can tell you though, the people that are really active in this reject that notion of the `Connecticut effect.' But the only person I can speak for is me and I'm not going away."
Over the weekend, Greene, who works in human resources in Shelton, hosted 20 friends at his home to write letters to their legislators -- on green stationary in green envelopes.
Pinciaro said he continues to see the momentum continue to build on his side of the debate.
"Everybody would tell us it's going to die down," he said. "It's still building. I'm still getting over 700 emails a day."
Monroe resident Jennifer Aguilar works at Monroe Early Learning Center, which is in the building the children from Sandy Hook Elementary School have attended classes since the shooting. She said she hopes the efforts can lead to the beginning of a world against violence.
"I know there's a lot of people that fear that this will happen again," she said. "I don't live in the fear of it. My fear is that this will go away if we don't keep at it."
There's little chance of the debate quieting down soon. On Tuesday, the Gun Violence Prevention Working Group split into partisan factions, as GOP lawmakers opposed expanding the state's ban on assault weapons and a prohibition on large-capacity ammunition magazines.
"This isn't going to just be an, `OK the laws are passed, we're done,' " Baekey said, noting that even if local laws are passed, they could be challenged, and enforcement of existing laws will remain important. "There's still a lot of work that needs to be done."
firstname.lastname@example.com, 203-330-6321, http://facebook.com/ktorresbpt or http://twitter.com/ktorresbpt.


text:
16433 Scenic Highway 98Fairhope, AL 36532
- 5 ##Beds##
- 5 ##Baths##
- 7,999 ##sqft##
- Single-Family
This property is not available and may not be listed in the MLS.
Listed by COURTNEY
To manage reports, go to your Dashboard.
Information is provided in part by the IDX program of the Baldwin REALTORS® Association. All information provided is deemed reliable but is not guaranteed and should be independently verified.


text:
8mm v-groove high quality embossed laminate flooring
1,Surface : Little Embossed
2,Size :808*127*8mm
3,Click System : Arc / Double Click
4,Abrasion Class : Ac1 Ac2 Ac3 Ac4
1) About our company
Changzhou Shenzhou Wooden Co. Ltd. is specialized in producing laminate flooring , which is located at North of INdustrial Park CUIqiao , Henglin town , Changzhou City. The company is adjacent to 312 national way by its south and Shanghai - Nanjing express way by its North. With total invsetment of 30 million RMB in manufacturing base, it occupies a land area of 18,000 square meters . With first class automactic production line and diamond tool whiah is from Germany , its annual output up to 5 million square meters, which ensures products meet and even surpass Europe and national standard .
We take the lead in passing the ISO9001 and ISO 14001 Quality Management Certification .The network of sells throughout China and extends to USA, ROmania, Italy, Ireland, ukraine etc .
2) Why choose jiuzhou laminate flooring ?
(1)Numerous design options
(2) Realistic look and feel
(3) Lightweight resilient flooring tile and easy to install & clean
(4) Extremely hard - wearing
(5) Water resistant
(6) Warm and quiet Underfoot
(7) Hygienic
(8) Excellent UV Stability
(9) Certified to ISO 9001 ISO 14001 CE Standards
(10) Recyclable
3)Our Plant
6) Our Supports And Advantages:
1) Pay more attention to laminate flooring European standard, and control the quality strickly.
2) Making samples free for all partner.
3) Developing some fashion colors for matching for your colors which is sales well in your market.
4) OEM with your brand.
5) Help you to do some inspections free, to make you know clear about your products.
6) Fighting together with you, then make a best sales method.
7) Visit your market, more in-depth understanding your market.
8) Dedication to innovation and invest in new products, really would like to cooperate with right partner.
7) Our Promise:
(1) If you use JIUZHOU FlOOR, we guarentee at least 15 years with normal use.
(2) We guarentee to deal with any claims, and must give you a satisfied result in the shortest time.
8) Delivery Terms And Payment Terms
(1) About 20 days after received your deposit
(2) 30% T/T in advance, balance after at sight of B/L copy
9) Detailed Information about products
|Little Embossed
|808*127*8 mm
|Click System
|Arc/Double click
|Abrasion Class
|Ac1 Ac2 Ac3 Ac4
|Balance Paper
|Brown Balance Paper
|Formaldehyde Emission
|Absorbent thickness expansion rate
|Bending Strength
|Delivery Times
|20 days after receiving deposit
|Minimum Order
|Payment Terms
|30% T/T in advance or 100% L/C at sight
|Trade Terms
FOB Shanghai or CIF
32 pcs/Pack
Packing Details for 1*20 FCL
Pallets:28 Pallets/84cartons/2758.31sqm
Origin of production
Subscribe to:
sign up for the latest catalogue, new design and promotion
- Tel:
- 86-519-88501275
- Address:
- Cuibei Industry Zone,Henglin Town,Changzhou City,Jiangsu Province,China


text:
The ideal customer experience is everything today, and it starts with a modern digital foundation. You can't give customers the timely and relevant experiences they expect with outdated solutions that are cobbled together. Read The Blueprint Redefined to see how a modern digital foundation can get you there.
You'll learn:
- How a unified platform lets you easily manage and refine customer experiences
- Three steps to deliver great digital experiences on all devices
- The roles of personalization, analytics, and asset management
To read the guide, simply complete the form.


text:
Insights and ideas from Jay Graham, Adobe® Photoshop® Lightroom® user
Professional PhotographerVisit this innovator's website
Showcasing stunning locations
For some of his most stunning landscape and architectural photography, San Francisco Bay Area-based photographer Jay Graham strays no further than his own proverbial backyard. Graham specializes in photographing destinations, special events, and architectural projects and devotes much of his energy to scouting places to discover their unique perspectives, angles, and how natural light influences a location's mood and beauty. In this interview with Photoshop.com, he reflects on his creative process, photographing on location, and the joy of sharing his images both digitally and through photography books.
Photoshop.com: Which piece of equipment couldn't you live without and why?
Jay Graham: A camera—without that it's hard to corral the pixels. I love my Canon 5DII but I've also gotten some great shots with the iPhone 4. I'm also getting to the point where it would be hard to live without Lightroom. I've been teaching classes in Lightroom on a one-to-one basis and am using it in the workshops I teach. It has become essential.
Photoshop.com: What role does Adobe Photoshop Lightroom software play in your photography process?
Jay Graham: Lightroom plays a major role from beginning to end. I use it when shooting tethered to be able to accurately judge the composition, exposure, and detail when I'm shooting architectural interiors. I can then choose the heroes, do quick adjustments, and give the client a preview of the final image to come. I use it to organize and edit my whole library, create preliminary album sites for clients to choose finals from, add images to my website with NeonSky's plug in, create, order, and print books with Blurb, update albums on Facebook and SmugMug, run portfolio slideshows during open studios, and print from it on an Epson 7880 and a smaller printer when making greeting cards.
Photoshop.com: How did you create the particular result in the Ghosts (Image 2) photo?
Jay Graham: I started doing a series on Angel Island a couple of years ago. I'd kayak from Sausalito to the far side of Angel Island. I'd leave Sausalito about an hour before sunrise so that I could be in the old, abandoned hospital taking advantage of the low-angle light flooding in just after sunrise.
For the Ghosts shot I had the camera on a tripod and took multiple exposures using the self timer on the camera. I positioned myself in different areas of the shot for each exposure. When I got back to the studio I selected three different images, did preliminary exposure, contrast, and correction adjustments in Lightroom and then sent them to Photoshop software. I blended them together in Photoshop and then went back to Lightroom to finalize the final composite. I used one of the presets in Lightroom to give it a cool blue look. It won third place in the International Photography Awards (IPA) contest in the historical architecture category.
Photoshop.com: Describe a favorite photo you've shot and what grabs you about it.
Jay Graham: It's hard to choose one favorite but I really love Golden Gate Commute (Image 1). It says so much and was shot from a perspective that most people don't see and can't figure out. I shot it on one of those fantastic, lucky mornings in early spring. I went to specifically photograph my wife and her rowing partner rowing a double shell underneath the Golden Gate Bridge. I got that shot just after 6 a.m. and then saw the Golden Gate Commute. I shot a few test shots to get just the right angle and then began shooting as bicyclists rounded the north tower of the bridge. I finally got the perfect shot at about 6:20 a.m. As I was heading back around the tower I took a portrait of a local cyclist using the orange tower as a background. Portfolio shot number three before 6:30 a.m. What a morning! I use Lightroom to keep track of the different versions of the shot using virtual copies. I have about four different crops of the image that I use for different purposes. The great thing about Lightroom is that they are just virtual copies so they don't take up much storage space and are easy to manage.
Photoshop.com: How do you know that a photo is really good?
Jay Graham: What a question! Sometimes you just know right off the bat. Other times it takes a while to get used to the shot and really appreciate it. Really good photos keep you coming back for more. You don't get tired of looking at them.
Photoshop.com: Was there a defining moment when you knew that it was time to take pictures professionally or was it a gradual transition?
Jay Graham: I bought a SLR camera when I was in college and took a photography course. When I came home for the summer I found out my mom had enrolled me in a photography class at UC Santa Cruz taught by none other than Ansel Adams. However, I didn't immediately pursue a career in photography. I worked as a general contractor until I was 38, and that's when I decided to turn my attention to photography. I took five or six classes at the Academy of Art University in San Francisco and then I worked as a photography assistant for a while. I moved pretty quickly into my own studio, mostly because I was married and had a small child so I needed to make money! At first I was afraid to shoot people, so I focused on architecture. Today I shoot landscape, architecture, events, and some travel photography. And yes, I do shoot people now too!
Photoshop.com: How is your photography workflow different today than when you started out?
Jay Graham: I've been an avid Photoshop user since Photoshop 2.5. The very first Photoshop job I had was for Better Homes & Gardens. I had to drop a scene into a window and I swear it took me 100 hours. Of course, the technology and my Photoshop skills have come a long way since then. I participated in the first Lightroom beta and it has really turned my workflow around. Today, I use a combined workflow that includes both Lightroom and Photoshop.
Photoshop.com: What are your favorite features in the latest version of Lightroom?
Jay Graham: The new noise reduction in Lightroom 3 is a big enhancement. The perspective control and lens correction are also critical to shooting architectural work. I also enjoy the integration between Lightroom and Photoshop. It is really easy to take images from Lightroom, work with them in Photoshop, and then take them back into Lightroom.
Photoshop.com: Do you have a favorite Lightroom preset or plug-in?
Jay Graham: I love the new Blurb BookSmart plug-in. It makes gathering photos in Lightroom and publishing a book through Blurb a simple, linear task. I just pick the images I want to use in Lightroom and publish them using the Publish Services feature, which connects directly to the Blurb BookSmart software. A lot of times when I'm building a book and I put images next to one another I realize that they need some fine tuning to look just right. The really cool thing is that instead of having to make changes and reimport the images I can just go back to Lightroom, edit the images, republish them, and when I go back to BookSmart the updates are all there. The templates are easy to modify too for those times when I have an image that can't be cropped or I want to change the text block size. I'm currently working on a book with my wife to commemorate the amazing pilgrimage we took on the Camino de Santiago in Spain and I can't wait to see the finished product!
Photoshop.com: What are some of the challenges in shooting on location versus in a studio?
Jay Graham: As most people know, weather is one of the main challenges shooting outside, on location. The best light is at either end of the day, and I'm a morning person so that works for me. Also, shooting at different times of year can be tough. A client may decide in the fall that they need a shot that they should have gotten in June when the sun was in a different location. That's when we need to get creative, but that's part of the fun. I get bored shooting in a studio; I have to see what's out there. I once shot a hotel in Baja, California and fought a hurricane the whole time. It was difficult but it made for some really neat photos.
Photoshop.com: Describe the most remarkable photo shoot you have done.
Jay Graham: That's a tough one. I've been on many remarkable shoots. One that stands out was when I was shooting for the book Indochine Style in Vietnam and Laos. The author, Barbara Walker, did all the hard work – scouting, finding locations, and setting the itinerary. I got to shoot five or six days a week for two and a half months. What a luxury and challenge. New and exciting places every day. I think my photography improved dramatically during that time.
Photoshop.com: How do you share your photography with clients, family, and friends?
Jay Graham: I love digital photography. It's so easy to share. Books are wonderful. Remember when you'd get duplicate prints from the drugstore and put them in an album for a friend? Now making a book is much easier and longer lasting (and you can have multiple copies). I use books as gifts for friends and clients and as leave-behind portfolio pieces. It's easy to share the electronic version using Blurb BookShow. Using it, I share books on Facebook, my blog, and my website. I use SmugMug galleries for clients and friends. I also use Lightroom to place images on my website and create web pages for clients to preview preliminary images from a shoot.
Photoshop.com: What advice would you give to someone just starting out?
Jay Graham: First, make sure you're passionate about photography. Keep your eyes open, always watch the light, keep shooting, and don't forget the U-turn—if you see something that catches your eye, turn around, go get it. Working with established photographers is a perfect way to learn different ways of doing business whether it's shooting techniques or business practices. Working with a few different photographers gives you a full palette of styles and practices to choose from.
Blurb Plug-in for Lightroom


text:
Sea, Air Evacuations Proceed from Lebanon
By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, July 18, 2006 - A contracted ship has docked in Lebanon to evacuate U.S. citizens caught in the fighting there, and U.S. officials have ordered the expeditionary strike group based around the USS Iwo Jima to assist in the effort, DoD officials said here today.
DoD contracted a Greek ocean liner, the Orient Queen, to evacuate American citizens from Beirut, and that vessel has docked, a senior DoD official told reporters.
The liner can hold up to 750 people for the five-hour voyage to Cyprus, an island nation in the western Mediterranean. In addition, six CH-53 helicopters -- three from the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit and three from U.S. forces based in the United Kingdom -- are evacuating Americans citizens from the American embassy compound in Beirut. The air evacuation is aimed at citizens with special needs. The helicopters deliver the refugees to Cyprus. DoD is building to a capacity of 300 people evacuated by air per day. "We will increase that number if needed," the official said.
The destroyer USS Gonzalez is providing security for the Orient Queen, officials said.
The official said DoD is finalizing contracts with up to four other vessels with capacities ranging from 200 to 300 people to over 1,000.
State and defense officials did not specify the number of Americans that U.S. forces would evacuate from Lebanon, saying they will evacuate however many Americans want to leave the country. There are around 25,000 American citizens in Lebanon, but not all will want to leave the country, an official said. "It could be 5,000 (who want to leave); it could be 10,000," a State Department spokesman said. If fighting intensifies between Israel and Hezbollah, more Americans may wish to escape the battle, officials said.
The headquarters of Task Force 59, commanded by Marine Brig. Gen. Carl Jensen, is directing the evacuation operation from Cyprus. The Iwo Jima group, which includes the Iwo Jima, the USS Nashville, the USS Whidbey Island, the USS Trenton, and the High Speed Vessel Swift, will arrive off Lebanon later this week.
The contracted carriers and the U.S. Navy ships will have more than enough capacity to evacuate anyone who wishes to leave, the senior Defense official said.
Brig. Gen. Carl B. Jensen, USMC [http://www.usmc.mil/genbios2.nsf/biographies/5436BC9815DDE57585256AC40047F182?opendocument]
Related Site:
U.S. State Department Update: The Situation in Lebanon [http://www.travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/tw/lebanon_update.html]
Related Article:
U.S. Contracts Cruise Ship For Possible Lebanon Evacuations [http://www.dod.mil/news/Jul2006/20060717_5677.html]
NOTE: View the original version of this web page on DefenseLINK,
the official website of the U.S. Department of Defense, at


text:
Black TQ Style T-Shirt
Sound-reactive ladies' graphic equalizer t-shirt with heart EL panel and wide spectrum sound sensor. No longer will blokes in T-Qualizers grab all the attention on the dancefloor.
The super-stylish TQ Style t-shirt is a sound-sensitive, light-up masterpiece complete with an awesome heart-shaped equalizer panel.
Funky feminine design combines with advanced lighting science to make the ultimate clubbing tee. The very latest EL (electroluminescent) technology enables the T-Q Style's flat panel to illuminate and pulse in time with the beat - with no bulky bulbs or LEDs required.
As with the original T-Qualizer, the T Q Style has a small built-in power unit come sound sensor that tucks discreetly into a pocket sewn into the base of the shirt. Sound frequencies from music (or loud voices, clapping etc) are converted into bars of light on the EL panel, expertly imitating the graphic equalizers on stereo systems.
The TQ Style's controller box boasts a wide spectrum sensor that detects low level sounds but works perfectly in noisy head-banging conditions.
It takes 4 x AAA batteries (available below) to power up the t shirt and get the heart beating to the music.
After a hectic night on the dancefloor, it's easy to detach the battery pack and give the t-shirt a wash (by hand, to protect the high-tech bits). The EL panel is durable enough to cope with a bit of gentle scrubbing.
The TQ Style is the ultimate in clubwear chic - perfect for gigs, raves, parties, clubbing or just jumping about to your favourite tunes at home.
It's a fitted cotton and Lycra mix (excluding the high-tech bits, obviously) and comes in Small, Medium and Large. See below for size info and current availability.
Take dancing to the next level and WEAR the beat! Get some serious Girl Power going wherever you glow! TQ Style is also available in pink cotton.
- Stylish, light-up TQ Heart t-shirt
- Innovative sound-sensing, wearable EL lighting technology
- Adjustable wide-spectrum sound sensor
- Small, lightweight and fully detachable battery pack
- Funky heart equaliser design
- Stylish black fitted cotton/lycra
- CE & RoHS compliant for safety and quality
Dimensions Packaged (H x W x D)
22cm x 24cm x 4.5cmPowered by...
4 x AAA batteries (not included - add batteries to your order below)T-Shirt Sizes
- Small - Ladies' size 8-10
- Medium - ladies' size 10-12
- Large - ladies' size 12-14
Care Info
- Don't over-bend or fold the EL panel
- Remove battery pack before washing
- Carefully hand wash only
- Don't submerge EL panel
- Don't tumble dry
- Don't iron over plastics
- Ensure thoroughly dry before reuse
- Avoid pulling connection cables when putting on / removing Tshirt
- Read Instructions before use
Video coming soon...
Like the above product? Tell the world!
What's New
Our latest gifts, lights, gadgets, T-shirts and party products...
- Super Bright LED Egg Light
- Dream Light Construction Night Light
- Wooden Winter Star Light 36cm
- Light-Up Blushing Teddy Bear
- LED Light-Up Bunting
- Origami Elephant Light Chain
- Felt Fox LED Stringlights
- Copper Cookie Cutter Stringlights
- Turquoise Metal Lantern Stringlights
- Gold Whisper LED Light Chain
- Festive Cone LED Fairy Lights
- Chewquacker LED Glow Duck
- Batman Eclipse USB Light
- Bath Gem Light
What's Hot
Products popular with lighting lovers and party people...


text:
BOILING SPRINGS � Gardner-Webb University men's basketball head coach Tim Crafthas finaled his coaching staff heading into the 2013-2014 season.
GWU hired former Armstrong Atlantic and Newberry head coach Jeremy Luther as an assistant coach, and also promoted Paul Hemrick to assistant coach.
The pair joins assistant coach Takayo Siddle, who is entering his fourth season on the GWU staff.
"I am excited to get our coaching staff in place, and feel very good about this group moving forward," said Craft. "Jeremy Luther has been successful as a Division I assistant coach and as a head coach on the Division II level, and brings a wealth of experience in all areas of the business to our program.
�Paul Hemrick made a strong impression on everyone associated with the GWU program during his time handling operations. He understands the landscape of this campus and has great feel for the makeup of our current roster."
Luther has 14 seasons of experience on the college sidelines, including the past six seasons as a head coach at a pair of NCAA Division II programs. The Tallahassee, Fla., native forged an 82-80 overall record in those two head coaching stops.
He spent 2007-2009 rebuilding a Newberry program that had not won more than 12 games in a season since 2003-2004. In just his second season, Luther led the Wolves to a record-setting 21-8 overall record and a second-place finish in the South Atlantic Conference. The overall and league win total (10-6) both established new school marks for Newberry.
Luther also directed Armstrong Atlantic to a pair of winning campaigns during his time in Savannah, including a 15-12 mark in 2012-2013.
He spent 2001-2007 as an assistant coach at Mercer, helping the Bears to an Atlantic Sun Conference regular season title in 2002-2003. Mercer finished that season 23-6, the most wins in school history at that time.
Luther also spent time as head coach at Windsor Academy in Macon, Ga. (2000-2001) and as an assistant at North Greenville (1998-2000).
Luther started his own playing career at Robert Morris (1992-93) before playing two seasons at Liberty and Covenant College. In is final two seasons at Covenant, Luther netted 1,300 points. He was named to the NAIA Division II All-America team following his senior season, when he pumped in 26.0 points per game.
Luther graduated from North Greenville in 1999 with a degree in English. He and his wife, Ginny, have two children � Bryson (6) and Kendall (3).
Hemrick enters his third season at GWU, serving the past two as Director of Basketball Operations. The John's Creek, Ga., native helped the Runnin' Bulldogs to a record-setting campaign in 2012-2013, with Gardner-Webb posting a 21-13 record and finishing just a game out of first place in the Big South Conference regular season standings.
Hemrick spent two seasons as head coach at Westminster Christian Academy in Watkinsville, Ga., where he led the team to a 17-8 record his first year. He directed the Lions to a pair of state tournament appearances in his tenure and developed five All-Region selections.
Hemrick spent 2005-2009 as a student manager at the University of Georgia, coordinating film exchange and assisting with equipment and game filming. He graduated from Georgia in 2009 with degrees in business administration-management and education-sports management.
He was married in August 2013 to former Gardner-Webb volleyball player Melissa Richie.
Gardner-Webb opens the 2013-2014 season on Nov. 8 at Xavier.


text:
Sci-MX GRS 9 Hour Protein System 1kg
Key Features
|Free UK Delivery?
|Sci-MX's GRS-5 Protein System is made from a blend of 5 different types of protein, namely whey protein isolate and concentrate, egg albumen, calcium caseinate and soy protein isolate. This variation of protein sources provides a wider spectrum of amino acids than if just one or two protein sources are used. Along with the addition of Aminogen, it also ensures a slower and enhanced, sustained time-release effect as each different protein type is synthesised at a different rate by the body. Ideal for in between meals or at bedtime to ensure long periods of amino-acid supply
|Ingredients: Whey protein concentrate*, calcium caseinate*, soy protein isolate, cocoa powder, fructose, MCT-oil, stabiliser: cellulose gum, rice starch, egg albumin, flavouring, whey protein isolate*, calcium* (from natural milk source), magnesium oxide, Aminogen, phosphorus, ascorbic acid, lactase enzymes, sweetener: sucralose, niacin, d-alpha tocopherol, d-calcium-pantothenate, pyridoxine-5-phosphate, riboflavin, thiamin mononitrate, biotin, retinol, folic acid, cholecalciferol, cyanocobalamin. *sources of lactose and milk protein.
|Nutritional Breakdown Per Serving
|Nutritional Information Per serving (56 g) Energy 850kJ / 203kcal Protein 40 g Of which amino acids 40 g Carbohydrates 2.24 g Of which sugars 0.56 g Fat 3.57 g Of which saturates 1.92 g
Delivery and Return Details
Free Delivery:
Free delivery to mainland GB addresses on orders over £99 are by either a parcel courier or a pallet courier. See below for further information.
Standard Timescales:
Expected delivery is within 3-7 business days.
One Man Pallet Delivery:
Expected delivery is 3 - 5 business days. All deliveries are made Monday - Friday between 7am and 6pm. These are kerbside only. We advise having two bodies available to help the courier with larger or heavy deliveries. Please note, Powerhouse Fitness advise against one man delivery for larger or heavy orders.
Express Delivery:
Order before 3pm for delivery within 48 hours. Available on selected products only and subject to availability. Friday after 3pm, Saturday and Sunday orders will normally be delivered on a Tuesday.
Two Man/Ground Floor Delivery: (Up to a maximum of 350kgs)
This service is available on larger orders or premium priced products. You will be called to book a delivery day in advance. Subject to suitable and safe access, the couriers will place the product into a ground floor room of your choice.
Parcel Delivery:
All parcels will require a signature.
Please note: Any installations ordered during the month of December will be carried out in January 2019. Installations are a two-man service and are booked with you in advance. Installations are normally within 10-14 working days.
Life Fitness Install is UK mainland only
Commercial/Business Orders Delivery:
For commercial gyms/studios please call the sales team to discuss delivery and installation options.
Delivery times can increase during busy periods of the year. Please call to confirm current lead times if you require a quicker or dated delivery.
Different Deliver Address / ID Checks
We can carry out further checks to verify the cardholders details, such as requesting identification. We will never ask for any sensitive information to be sent to us. Please note the confirmation email is an acknowledgement and is not an acceptance of your order
Delayed Delivery
If you are looking for an extended delivery time or to delay the dispatch of your order please call us as charges may apply.


text:
|2013-05-11, 23:39
|Link #382
Join Date: Dec 2003
As someone now well versed in what has happened in past eushully game I thought soukoku wasn't that bad. I guess it was not what old time fans expected from the company.
|2013-05-11, 23:46
|Link #383
Join Date: May 2006
Location: 大陸の片隅
I hated Soukoku because of how moot it made the War of the Three Pantheons feel. "Whoooo we can have superpowers, whoooo we can stand toe-to-toe with these freaks from another world! HUZZAH HUMANS" wasn't exactly the whole mood of it all. Humans never really had powers to begin with; they used technology to try and turn the tides against both the Old and New Pantheons, and just from looking at the remnants of the tech from that war (with the hints and bits from ZERO, Genrin 1/2, etc.), you can get an idea as to how desperate/diabolical human tech was at the time.
That is to say, curbstomped. So bad. So hard. And yet it was because of humans trying to tinker with something beyond their comprehension that led to all this mess in the first place, that both worlds ended up fused with one another and that all hell broke loose.
I mean, come on. For reference, Celica himself couldn't even keep up with Majin Haishera, before he became a Godslayer, and he was a pretty competent swordsman at that point - "Barouhart's best", or so Celica's master praised him as. Louie couldn't fight Majin Dianne on an equal footing unless he exploited her weakness, otherwise he would get his ass kicked, and this is the son of one of Buleard's Ten Pillars. Ignaat, for all his Dragon-obtained strength, could only take on a Majin or something such as powerful on one-on-one combat, and even then it was still risky for him unless all the odds were in his favor.
And you expect me to believe that some no-name high school kids with super powers are able to fight these Majins and Angels on an equal footing? Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight.
Last edited by Hemisphere; 2013-05-12 at 00:07.
|2013-05-12, 00:34
|Link #384
Join Date: Dec 2003
hmmm... in this case the RTS element used in madou kokakou might be a missed opportunity, as I think kakakou did a pretty decent job playing out a conquest -type plot. Its going to be hard to get the feel for a war in an RPG-based game revolving around a band of heroes.
I suppose the angels and demons in soukoku were relatively low ranked? With exception of demon-route Mehisha or Hagenti (defeated with ganoel's powers) in dreamland.
The way I see what happened in soukoku is that the angels and demons were in a deadlock, so even a slight tip in the scale can cause the war to be won/lost. Also depending on Syuya's actual power he can be extremely OPed (ability to absorb powers and also create monster clones on demand, with blood control giving him acceptable combat potentials- though I am not sure if the full extents of his powers are canon or just a way for Eushully to tie in the card game system).
|2013-05-12, 00:37
|Link #385
( ゚∀゚)アハハ八八ノヽノヽノヽノ \ / \/
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: (◣_◢)
But Hemisphere! Zombies are so op. And those debuffs....
I'm sad Soukoku didn't have that three-headed angel from the final Asomo mission...
Last edited by Drkz; 2013-05-12 at 00:51.
|2013-05-12, 00:44
|Link #386
Join Date: May 2006
Location: 大陸の片隅
They'll probably use that conquest RTS engine for a (dun dun dunnnnnnnnnn) Genrin 3. And I hope they do, because we need a Genrin 3.
The moment some high school kid with super powers could take on Majins and such in just a few days without no prior training nor conditioning, with the battles having no sense of dread or urgency to them at all, was when I just basically threw my hands up in surrender and went full-on "just here for the fuckans" mode instead, seeing as it basically trampled all over the feeling of oppression and brevity that I was used to in Eushully games.
And I don't know if it's officially canon, but to me, superpowers will never count. Never saw 'em before in Dir=Lyfna, and I'm hoping I never will again, ever, because they just screw up the lore. I don't really want to come off as just a bitter old fart, but seriously. High school kids. With superpowers.
What I would've preferred is if Soukoku was something more along the likes a game that had humans slowly gathering together to build their sort-of-mini resistance, trying to adapt to the fusion of the two worlds as it slowly progresses, while fighting off forces from the "other" world who view them with hostility and curiosity. They would also be slowly expanding their territory in order to make sure that they had "some place to call home" while the two worlds slowly fused together, discovering new things along the way, and they'd be doing it all it with technology under their belt. The humans would be doing their damned best to adapt, and we would slowly be introduced to the artificial machine gods of man, and be able to use them as units instead of just having them introduced and hinted to via stupid cards. Humans would be shown initially winning thanks to the novelty and the power of the technology that they posses only for the ending to slowly hint that the Old and the New Pantheons have gotten tired of their shit, ending with some bittersweet optimistic remarks about how the future looks bright and all that stuff. Now that I would've supported.
|2013-05-12, 01:33
|Link #387
Join Date: Dec 2003
1) The cubes which granted them power (and somehow stopped an earthquake): what are they exactly? I don't recall seeing them at the MHI.
2) Isn't what you said sort of the story of the human route? Trying to secure shelter while trying to find a way home while remaining neutral.
The story isn't too unbelievable: if two forces are in a stalemate position, they will *really* want to use the humans as a tool to tip the scale. From the human perspective (outside of two key figures: sayane and narumi): they have no clue exactly what is going on, or even have the time to worry about the fused world... they just want to "go home".
Harem route:
Dark corona is :O??? Can even learn the dictatorship skill eventually.
Too bad her stats without beastmode is completely horrible: even worse than the basic cannonfodders you get initially.
(I guess she is still horrible with beastmode, I dont get the concept of assassin in this game as they lack the range to do their job)
|2013-05-12, 01:37
|Link #388
Join Date: May 2006
Location: 大陸の片隅
Yeah, those stupid deus ex machina cubes don't sit well with me either. Just take them out, make technology the cutting-edge (and ONLY) advantage of humans, and I'd be more accepting of Soukoku. The foundations were there, but the execution was just iffy at best.
That, and have them explore the levels humanity is willing to reach just to try and stand on equal footing with the gods they stood against (genetic manipulation, WMDs, etc.), and what they were willing to sacrifice in order to get that far just to survive. That was another aspect I felt Soukoku really missed out on, because the whole "lol superpowers" aspect just downplayed it so badly (it's also relevant as to why the existence of the 'Godslayer' is such an anathema to the entirety of Dir=Lyfna, lore-wise; because Gods are as close to the penultimate existence as you can get).
|2013-05-12, 01:52
|Link #389
( ゚∀゚)アハハ八八ノヽノヽノヽノ \ / \/
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: (◣_◢)
Dark Corona. Lewd Corona!!!
I don't think your suppose to consider it canon. Cause I don't want a polar bear route so it isn't canon. They tried something new, sadly nippon wasn't ready for ero-card game. Now they went for LESS COMBINE ALL KNOWN SLG ASPECTS AND PUT THEM IN ONE GAME. What they'll do now... time will time. In the mean time. MAIDS. I NEED MY BROKEN MAID ARMYYYY.
|2013-05-12, 02:01
|Link #391
Join Date: Dec 2003
did soukoku do that bad in japan in terms of sales?
Honestly if they made a mehisha figure I would buy it.
I think I also like kokakou more than soukoku, which I like more than kamidori.
However gameplay balance wise I think kamidori really shined. Kokakou isn't that bad if not for the steep learning curve (I rmb confusing the dark/ice/no-elemental type when I started) and faceroll endgame difficulties.
The tech is def there: we some 3v6 battles on the last fight, I would like to see more epic battles.
They are going to surprise us and make a FPS next. Mark my words.
|2013-05-12, 02:03
|Link #392
Join Date: May 2006
Location: 大陸の片隅
FPS brb tearing up my Eushully fanclub membership card while weeping fresh tears of blood.
If they make a Mehisha or even an Atori figure I would make sweet sweet greasy monkey love to them all day and night long reward their efforts with an appropriate purchase.
|2013-05-12, 11:43
|Link #394
Join Date: May 2006
Location: 大陸の片隅
Speaking of Eushully figures, the one (and only) Eushully figure I remember seeing was Sylphietta's from Meishoku no Reiki. This one (might be NSFW? only if you click on the nudie naughty bits).
God, I remember that game's hilarious append content, where Sylphietta and Ignaat's daughter (the Lily prototype) made the Yuusha her bitch. Hahaha.
I don't really think any Eushully title would translate well to being an anime, or OVA for that matter.
|2013-05-12, 11:53
|Link #395
Join Date: Dec 2003
its not just a doll, its a madou kokakkou!
I prefer a Lune one over Aru desuno~
I think madou has enough juice in it for an anime. Although new material, like the war of the three gods would be more interesting. (reminds me of utawarerumono: still waiting for sequel to come out)
If that happens this thread will be flooded by so many people -_-
|2013-05-12, 12:24
|Link #398
Join Date: May 2006
Location: 大陸の片隅
She's badass incarnate, but she's definitely got her cute moments. Not overly moe appeal gushing kawaii cuteness, but still very cute moments nonetheless.
Like the time she commented on how Celica was treating her like a lover, in VERITA (and she was enjoying it immensely, as Celica was pretty much pampering her at the time - after an intense DUEL TO THE DEATH, no less). Or that time she was faintly amused by Celica "messing up" in one moment, then jealous the next after he takes an "interest" in Eklia Femlins from their encounter in Genrin 2. Or how she basically fondles Celica like a baby after his reawakening in ZERO. And such. Or when she scolds Celica for forgetting her name, then laughing it off during the ZERO epilogue. Etc...
I'd also like to think of it as a huge in-joke. Seeing as while Haishera does accompany Celica in their travels together as a sword (and when he's staying in Lewinia), she is not always in the form of one; she often takes the form of a dagger or short sword in order to conserve energy (as they don't get into life-or-death battles as often as one might think). Short sword/dagger = chibified sword, so the chibified Haishera form...makes sense if you think about it (gag-wise).
Besides, an angry Haishera plushie is the closest thing I can get to having something resembling Haishera. Don't ruin this for me. ;w;
|2013-05-12, 18:30
|Link #400
Behold! We are the Nine!
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Sendai, Japan
Age: 34
Same here, I like Louie more.
Maybe because the first game I played is Genrin II.
I also prefer Genrin II's girls: Faamishirusu, Ekria (Kishougun Ekria >>> moe Ekria), the dragon knight girl with dual scythe, Shirufia, ...
|eukleia, eushully, kamidori, kokakou, srpg
|Thread Tools