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Joined: 03 Jul 2008
Posts: 30
Posted: Thu Nov 25, 2010 8:52 am
Post subject: adding relationship dice
This idea is partially inspired by Smallville, a pretty cool game in its own right.
Player characters and major Wildcard NPCs can also have relationships which are rated in dice like everything else. A relationship potentially applies to a roll if you're trying to directly help or hurt the related person. So if you have a relationship with your enemy and are in a duel with her, yes. If you're trying to pick a lock to get your boyfriend out of prison, yes. If you're trying to pick a pocket to get some money which you might use to take your boyfriend on a date, no.
If the relationship applies, you can spend a benny to roll your relationship die along with the trait die and the wild die. As usual, best single die counts, but
* any 1 rolled indicates some kind of complication or glitch (assuming the GM can come up with something appropriate); this doesn't negate success, just makes the character's life more interesting
* any pair of 1s rolled is a critical failure, regardless of the third die's result
* a triple 1 is a catastrophic failure: basically, the GM can hose you without limit, as long as your character is still alive at the end
Naturally you can still use additional bennies to reroll all three dice, and the player gets to pick which roll is "best" if it's not obvious (such as getting a raise but a complication versus a success with no complication).
For the record, when I run this, the "any 1 is a potential complication" will apply to all rolls, not just those with relationships involved.
My thought is to allow everybody d4 relationships with the other PCs for free, along with a couple of d4 relationships for NPCs to start. Take 2 levels of advancement during character creation, or use skill points from hindrances if you want more. You can set the dice levels without specifying the relationship if you want, waiting until play to see who you want to attach that d8 relationship to.
My questions:
* Whaddya think, sirs?
* I assume the benny to activate is reasonable (yes?), however
* Should it be one benny per use, or once a relationship is brought in, should I allow it to continue to be used for that whole combat or chase or mass battle sequence?
* Does that initial distribution of relationships seem reasonable? A d4 relationship isn't that valuable: you've got a better chance of getting a complication than of the d4 being your best die, and it costs a benny to use it. (I even thought about saying that you can add a d4 relationship for free any time, maybe with just a limit on the total number of relationships you can have.)
* How much can you improve relationships with an advance? 1 level? 2 levels?
Thanks for all your thoughts.
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Joined: 11 Jun 2006
Posts: 5181
Location: Monroe, Washington
Posted: Thu Nov 25, 2010 12:33 pm
Post subject:
Makes things more complicated, but it sounds like a fun complication!
If I instigated this, I don't know if I would charge a Benny or not. After all, opting out of the task itself is the player's choice and being forced to use the dice, whether they like it or not, would reflect a real conflict of interest.
It's why cops are pulled off a case because a family member was killed.
Of course, this all might be too much, when you can just add an Adventure Card or two.
"And then the indians rode down upon us. They was Arapahoe, Comanche, Cheyenne..... They was only three of 'em, but Dang! They was mean!"
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Joined: 03 Nov 2010
Posts: 284
Location: Alberta, Canada
Posted: Thu Nov 25, 2010 3:03 pm
Post subject:
There are three reasons I think this is a terrible idea.
On a character level:
This is what "roleplaying" is supposed to be about. Relationships between characters are not something you can categorize or quantify; they're entirely dependent on what the PLAYERS think, and that can change on a whim.
So the party leader's ex-girlfriend draws more ire than the criminal mastermind they're after because he spent dice on her at character creation, and has no dice left for the villain? Making it a rule actually RULES OUT brotherhood, loyalty, betrayal, falling in love, etc. It strictures you into playing one narrow set of emotions, and emotions don't work like that, even for fictional characters. What if someone changes their mind about their "relationship?" Girlfriend betrays you, villain turns out to be simply misunderstood, or two characters just grow apart? What happens to the dice?
On a story level:
Why should a character have a better chance of success on something just because they really, REALLY want to? You're not more "able" to pull your girlfriend up over a ledge than you are anyone else of the same size. You might WANT it more, and might TRY harder, but that's what bennies are for -- trying harder.
Not only that, but you're completely ruining dramatic tension. A scene is tense and exciting BECAUSE the task is difficult and BECAUSE the character really wants to succeed. If you take one of these away, it's just another boring dice roll, and giving out "girlfriend" bonuses does exactly that. You've just turned your main villain into another two-shot mook. Whoop-ti-do.
On a Real Life level:
This is the part that genuinely ticks me off. The whole idea of catagorizing and quantifying relationships, even in a roleplaying game, is really indicative of people's attitudes toward other people in general. It's objectifying.
People are not objects, and neither are your relationships with them. These days everyone seems to treat friends like Pokemon cards -- you gotta catch 'em all, every last one, but if someone ticks you off, you chuck that card in the garbage ... you'll probably get another one in the next booster pack anyway. But I challenge anyone here to find even 10% of the people on your Facebook "friends" lists who you would actually enjoy spending time with one-on-one, or could call for help if you got in trouble.
The way a person games speaks volumes about how they see the world, particularly when talking about rules or setting design. Don't treat people like objects. Threat them like people. It's more fun.
[quote="77IM"] it's not specifically allowed by the rules, but the GM
specifically allowed to allow it.
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Joined: 27 Jan 2009
Posts: 1374
Location: Hiding From The Zombies
Posted: Thu Nov 25, 2010 3:19 pm
Post subject:
I'll echo Rachan's above post.
Lee F. Szczepanik, Jr.
Daring Entertainment Google+
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Joined: 03 Nov 2010
Posts: 284
Location: Alberta, Canada
Posted: Thu Nov 25, 2010 3:23 pm
Post subject:
Nothing personal, Azrianni. I've never played Smallville, and I've had plenty of bad ideas myself. Everyone does. Just giving my opinion, that's all.
[quote="77IM"] it's not specifically allowed by the rules, but the GM
specifically allowed to allow it.
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Joined: 03 Jul 2008
Posts: 30
Posted: Thu Nov 25, 2010 3:40 pm
Post subject: relationship dice
I don't mind the thoughts. It helps me to hear what people think. But I've seen relationship dice work in Dogs in the Vineyard, and while I haven't played Smallville yet, I think they'd work great there too.
But I think the system I've proposed handles your objections better than you think. If somebody was really worried about the dice not being able to flex enough, you can just let players switch the way the dice are assigned after each session.
But the idea here is that the dice reflect someone's investment in a relationship. If the villain turns out to be misunderstood, great. Now you have a friend or friendly rival that you're invested in. You can get the die bonus for saving him, or showing him up in a friendly contest, or whatever.
In my experience, especially with DITV, this certainly takes nothing away from roleplaying. What it does, instead, is gives you some story oomph from your relationships. When I try to save my girlfriend from the dragon, I've got a bonus d10 to roll to reflect that I CARE about the outcome.
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Max Schreck
Joined: 04 Dec 2009
Posts: 27
Location: Copenhagen
Posted: Thu Nov 25, 2010 3:48 pm
Post subject:
Lee_Szczepanik wrote:
I'll echo Rachan's above post.
Really? Including the last paragraph about real life?
People can feel however they want about the mechanical implications of the OP's idea, but deducing from that how the OP feels about friendships and relationships
in real life
is a tad self-righteous, especially combined with the almost arrogant parting unwanted "advice" about how the OP should treat his friends, and that people's gaming habits reflect their real life mores.
I for one have more issues with the condescending tone in Rachan's post that I could ever have with the OP's "relationship-objectifying game mechanics." This is compounded by the fact that Rachan recently also injected his expert opinion on how we were ruining Savage Worlds by listing house rules; rules, I might add, that are not official and that no one is forced to use in their own game.
This is just a game. How people play it is nobody's business but their own, and it certainly does not give anyone carte blanche to advise them how to live their life, which is completely separate from the game.
As for the OP: I wouldn't be using the rules that you propose, partly because I don't think they would mesh thematically with the kind of campaigns that I run, but most importantly because I feel that they add needless complication to the rules. I'll refrain from speculating how these rules reflect you as a person.
Are you making a pass at me, Mrs. Blaylock?
Not that I am aware of, Sarah.
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Joined: 03 Nov 2010
Posts: 284
Location: Alberta, Canada
Posted: Thu Nov 25, 2010 3:55 pm
Post subject: Re: relationship dice
azrianni wrote:
... this certainly takes nothing away from roleplaying. What it does, instead, is
gives you some story oomph
from your relationships. When I try to save my girlfriend from the dragon, I've got a bonus d10 to roll
to reflect that I CARE
about the outcome.
But that's the thing, story oomph should come from the story, not from the dice. Getting a +2 on a Persuasion roll against a mob boss in a little Italian spaghetti shop is a MECHANIC. Failing that Persuasion against the boss, but unknowingly convincing one of his mooks to slide you some secret information as you leave, that's STORY. Now you've involved another character, another big plot twist, and graduated an Extra to the status of Important Wild Card.
And I still say if you CARE about slaying the dragon, spend your bennies. That's what they're designed for. Just because I CARE about graduating college, it doesn't make me smarter, and it doesn't mean I'm going to ace all my tests. I have to make the decision to put in the effort -- metaphorically, I have to spend a benny.
P.S. @ Max Schrek >>
My third paragraph was speaking to the greater trend of social decay, not the OP's personal morals. I'm sorry if that wasn't clear. And I understand that things may be very different in Copenhagen, Denmark than they are in Alberta, Canada, where I'm from. But here, in my part of the world, people are zombies, and social networking is to blame. Everyone has a MILLION best friends, and nobody actually gives a crap about anyone.
Yes, this is hyperbole, but it's still representative.
And I never once claimed that "we were ruining Savage Worlds by listing house rules," or that I was an expert on the situation. I merely entered an opinion.
[quote="77IM"] it's not specifically allowed by the rules, but the GM
specifically allowed to allow it.
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The GIT!
Joined: 12 Mar 2007
Posts: 1125
Location: Aquilonia
Posted: Thu Nov 25, 2010 5:52 pm
Post subject:
Rachan wrote:
The way a person games speaks volumes about how they see the world, particularly when talking about rules or setting design. Don't treat people like objects. Threat them like people. It's more fun.
I respect everybody's right to express their opinion but I would like to say that, on a personal level, I really disagree with this statement. Whilst it may be true on occasions I have had, over the thirty years that I've been gaming, the good fortune and privilege to play with some fantastic role-players. These people, and I, have taken many opportunities to play characters that are dramatically different from ourselves both psychologically and morally; that is, afterall, one of the "fun" aspects of role-playing.
I sympathise with
if he is in the unfortunate circumstance where such a statement is true but, please, don't make a generalisation about ALL gamers because of personal experience. It's like saying all gamers have forgotten what soap is
Conan by Monolith Board Games LLC
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Joined: 03 Nov 2010
Posts: 284
Location: Alberta, Canada
Posted: Thu Nov 25, 2010 8:32 pm
Post subject:
Many of the gamers I know HAVE forgotten what soap is. That's why it's so hard to start a group here, because no non-gamers want to be associated with THOSE guys. But I digress
The GIT! wrote:
I have had, over the thirty years that I've been gaming, the good fortune and privilege to play with some fantastic role-players. These people, and I, have taken many opportunities to play characters that are dramatically different from ourselves both psychologically and morally; that is, afterall, one of the "fun" aspects of role-playing.
Likewise. But "fantastic roleplayers" are the exception, not the rule. For the vast majority of gamers, the "fun" aspect lies in bashing monsters and acting out antisocial fantasies.
To be fair, Savage Worlds tends to draw a more mature, roleplaying-oriented type of gamer than other, more popular systems. And also to be fair, the truly "antisocial gamer" is even rarer than the truly fantastic onemost gamers are actually normal people when they're not gaming, even if they do like to rape, pillage and murder in-game.
That said, it's the definition of "normal" I'm calling into question. Is it normal to publicly trash talk someone you barely remember from high school because they deleted you from their Facebook? It is normal, or even healthy, to speed down an icy road, not even paying attention to traffic because your text message convo simply CAN'T wait for the next red light? I could call the cops twice a day to report a texting driverusually with a baby in the backseatwho cut someone off and almost caused an accident.
This is every day crap around here. I worked at a prominent tech retailer, selling consumer gadgets, and I can tell you from "the inside" that all this gadgetry is slowly but surely making "normal" people very object oriented. And with social networking, people are seeing other people as objects to be collectedmore Facebook friends or Myspace hits somehow means you're a cooler/better personand then discarded when they are no longer immediately useful.
And this proposed mechanic not only points in the direction of this type of social decay but
as RPGs are intended to imitate reality to a greater or lesser extent
, it legitimizes this decay, implying that relationships
be mechanically objectified in the game
that's how it works in Real Life, too. Whether the OP is him/herself a victim of this decay, or is simply flexing his/her game-designer muscles, experimenting with ideas, as all of us do, is irrelevant. I've made no attack against his/her personal moral fiber, I've simply stated what I think the mechanic looks like. And that's the MECHANIC, not the OP.
One of the reasons people put ideas on forums is to see if other people interpret them in some way they never intended. Well? Here you go. I'm sure this was never Azrianni's intent, but it's definitely out there. And now he knows, so it's up to him to decide how big a deal it is at his table. I just don't think it's cool to objectify people, even if they are imaginary.
[quote="77IM"] it's not specifically allowed by the rules, but the GM
specifically allowed to allow it.
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Joined: 03 Nov 2010
Posts: 284
Location: Alberta, Canada
Posted: Thu Nov 25, 2010 8:53 pm
Post subject:
And besides, a d10 BONUS is just horribly broken, no matter where it comes from.
If you must use this mechanic, I would say make your relationship roll like any other. On a success you get a +1 to the actual check you're making, on a raise you get a +2. A +4 is basically an auto-success on most rolls, so I would cap it at +2. You still can't "win" just because you "care."
Or even better than rolls, which require having an actual trait D&D 4e has these special feats in one of the later books that let two or more characters with the same feat get a "teamwork bonus" on some particular task. It supposed to reflect characters who, say, had similar training in set-ups and combos in their thieves' guild or fighting academy.
Let characters take an edge that grants them an Attribute roll when interacting with other characters with that edge. Your character and his girlfriend both have the "Madly In Love" edge, so they get a Spirit roll to gain a "rescue me" bonus as described above in this post. Or two characters have the "Swift Strike of the Wrathful Leopard Ninja Assassin Training" edge, so they both make Agility rolls to bonus each other's Fighting rolls and Trick attempts if they work together (but ONLY these two characters can take the edge, it reflects their personal involvement with each other, not a monster-killing tactical thingy.)
Something like that. I would require spending a Benny to use the edge, but that's just me. I'm stingy with bonuses. But if you tie it to an Attribute roll, everybody already has those, so there's no need to spend skill points on a bunch of contrived "relationship" skills you'll hardly ever use. It's economical.
Come to think of it, I somehow don't feel that making it an Edge-and-Attribute-Roll combo WOULD be objectifying the characters. It seems like this way would go the opposite direction, building a MORE personal relationship between them, instead of reducing it to statistics and dice rolls. I actually may use this in my games IF two characters's backstories suggest it.
Bah I'm done now.
[quote="77IM"] it's not specifically allowed by the rules, but the GM
specifically allowed to allow it.
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Site Admin
Joined: 13 May 2003
Posts: 19111
Posted: Thu Nov 25, 2010 11:43 pm
Post subject:
Gang, stay on topic and remember the
forum rules
on treating
respectfully. I'm not calling anyone out as I expect this has run its course. Please don't prove me wrong.
As to the topic, if that kind of mechanic appeals, why not simply make the Wild Die into the Relationship die? Or perhaps more specifically...
Requirement: Novice, Wild Card
You have an emotional connection with another Wild Card (positive or negative). When performing an action that directly affects them, you have a d8 Wild Die instead of a d6. This Edge may be taken more than once to apply to different characters.
Strong Relationship
Requirements: Novice, Wild Card, Connection
Your emotional connection to another Wild Card is even more powerful. You have a d10 Wild Die when performing an action that directly affects them instead of a d8. This Edge may be taken more than once to apply to different characters.
And if you want such an element to be an integral part of a setting, then as a Setting Rule, players might get Relationship as a free Edge at Novice, and choose Relationship or Strong Relationship as a free Edge every Rank. Or maybe characters get a number of those Edges free equal to half their Spirit die type (remember to give it to NPC Wild Cards too).
Clint Black
Savage Worlds Core Rules Brand Manager
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Joined: 24 Oct 2010
Posts: 1802
Posted: Fri Nov 26, 2010 11:19 am
Post subject:
Another way to handle this without adding an Edge or tweaking the core rules in a houseruley way would be to make it a Hindrance. Some other superhero games do it like this as well. Because of the points you get back from taking Hindrances, you're better overall than you would be if you didn't have the Hindrance.
Of course, the biggest drawback to making it a Hindrance is that there's no way to apply it to relationships started after character creation, since Hindrances gained later have no mechanical benefit.
I guess an Edge would work best.
In that regard, instead of an Edge that alters our Wild Die, how about an Edge that gives you an extra Benny (or two) to spend *only* when your actions directly benefit your relationship? The improved version would give you another extra Benny.
'But I don't want to go among mad people,' Alice remarked.
'Oh, you can't help that,' said the Cat: 'we're all mad here.'
The Order of the Dice...
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Joined: 12 Nov 2010
Posts: 85
Location: Berlin, Germany
Posted: Fri Nov 26, 2010 12:40 pm
Post subject:
Though it's more limited in scope, perhaps you could make an Edge around the
hysterical strength phenomenon
. Drawback could be that it's limited to situations involving a character where the player has an emotional bond with, maybe costing a bennie to activate.
Adrenaline Surge
Novice, bond to x, bennie to trigger
In times of utmost distress a deep, primal energy rush infuses you with inexplicable strength and resolve. Your next action affecting x has a Wild Die of d8 instead of d6; additionally add a +2 bonus to the result of the roll.
Savaged Fallout homebrew
Low Life and other stuff
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Joined: 25 Apr 2010
Posts: 6412
Posted: Fri Nov 26, 2010 2:10 pm
Post subject:
SavageGamerGirl wrote:
Of course, the biggest drawback to making it a Hindrance is that there's no way to apply it to relationships started after character creation, since Hindrances gained later have no mechanical benefit.
Other than the increased chance of Benny acquisition.
"And your snooty reporter girlfriend is held hostage. Again. Have a Benny."
"That's the fourth time this session. Best. Hindrance. Ever."
"Got a problem? I've got the solution: Rocket Launcher."
"Not against a Servitor."
"... We're all gonna die."
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Joined: 03 Nov 2010
Posts: 284
Location: Alberta, Canada
Posted: Fri Nov 26, 2010 3:18 pm
Post subject:
Noooooo I think you guys (and gals) are on to something with the Hindrance idea.
The whole point is it's supposed to represent how much you CARE about someone, right? Well, a plain, old adrenaline surge can happen in ANY time of stress (like that little old lady who flipped a car over to save the kid trapped underneath true story), so I STILL can't see why you'd get a bonus for this. And giving out bennies for this Edge is STILL hurting dramatic tension, and rewarding the player because, basically, he's sad and he wants a cookie.
Let's say, whenever you're snooty reporter girlfriend is taken hostage (again), the Hindrance gives you a -1 PENALTY to rolls that aren't somehow involved in rescuing her. This is because, when you CARE, you WORRY, and when you worry, it's harder to focus on anything else.
You may gain an extra Benny for convincing the group to help you go after her, even when the obvious tactical decision is to stop the villain's evil doomsday weapon. Your party member with the Loyal Hindrance may even get one for deciding to go with you, when the rest of the group won't. And HIS girlfriend might get one for sticking with HIM, because she's his girlfriend and yours is missing and that's where she knows she needs to be.
But these are all bennies given for roleplaying your Hindrances, not for a mechanical rule that arbitrarily hands them out as the story unfolds. So it's not just "giving you" bennies, it's giving the whole group more opportunities to roleplay so you can EARN them. And a -1 penalty isn't enough to really set you back much, but it's enough to make you want to get on with the rescuingit motivates without being too harsh.
If you want to get really crunchy, you could say the penalty is -1d4 instead of -1. Then the character might be keeping his cool one day, but completely losing it the next. Stress will do that. Or you could give him a Spirit roll to negate the penalty on any given roll, but failure means he takes the difference as his NEW penalty (rolled a 2, penalty of -1 already in place, TN 4; so 2-1=1 for your actual roll, 4-1=3, new penalty is -3). But personally I think it's too much math, and it takes away from FFF. If there was some way to make negating the penalty look like breaking Shaken without making it TOO easy, that'd be better. That's a mechanic everyone is already familiar with. Or just tell him, "Hindrances are supposed to suck. That's why they're called 'Hindrances.' No negating your penalty."
[quote="77IM"] it's not specifically allowed by the rules, but the GM
specifically allowed to allow it.
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Joined: 23 Jun 2009
Posts: 1591
Location: Austin, TX
Posted: Sat Nov 27, 2010 10:45 am
Post subject:
I like the original idea but I'm not sure about some of the mechanics.
First, if a player spends a benny to activate, and then they pick the "best" roll, they are NEVER going to pick the triple-1s total-hose result. So you can just leave that part out.
Likewise, unless the initial roll was a crit fail, nobody's going to pick that result either (and if they have a benny left they might roll again), so it also might not be worth worrying about. It seems redundant with the idea of gaining a relationship complication on a 1. Plus, if roll 1, 1, 27, and that counts as a crit fail rather than smashing success, I'd feel totally ripped off. Especially if I spent a benny. The only thing less fun than spending a benny and still failing, is spending a benny and actually making things worse!
So I might do as Snate56 suggests and skip the benny cost. Make the risk of rolling a 1 the real cost.
I wouldn't require advances, edges, or skills to affect the relationship dice. I'd just give each player a bunch at the beginning of the campaign -- say, 10 relationship points, that they can distribute just like attribute points (minimum d4, max d12, so you start with at most 5 relationships). Then I'd just adjust them through role-playing. Hate the enemy even more? Increase a die size! Girlfriend dump you? Decrease a die size! (Or maybe increase if you are obsessed.) Because this mechanic is meant to help drive the story (it encourages you to do things involving your relationships because you are more likely to succeed) I think it should stem from the story also.
One thing you could do, as Clint suggests, is use the relationship die as the wild die. You could use d4 to represent "no relationship," so when your character is doing something that isn't really relevant to them, you are actually penalized with a smaller wild die. Under this system, I'd make it really easy to get d6 relationships and relatively harder to get d8+ relationships.
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Joined: 08 Jul 2004
Posts: 2959
Location: Hither and Yon
Posted: Sat Nov 27, 2010 12:21 pm
Post subject:
We have strengthened relationships in our product lines with the use of the Obligations hindrance and how it interacts with Connections.
The Common Bond edge could be expanded to work with any NPCs the character has relationships with. I know some folks have expanded out the use of Leadership edges to work on other WC. Why not those characters with whom you have a relationship?
We've been working on some Social Ties variants for
Echo of Dead Leaves
, and there is a lot to be said for just tweaking what is already present.
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subset: commoncrawl


text:
By Andrew Reed
Declo, ID (KMVT/CNN) - Some parents in Idaho say an elementary school teacher is encouraging bullying.
They say their children had their faces painted by other kids because they didn't reach their reading goals.
Fourth graders in Summer Larsen's class at Delco Elementary School needed to meet a reading goal of 10 points. If those students didn't meet those points, parents say their kids were punished by fellow classmates.
"Not only was my son punished with bullying, but the other students were rewarded with bullying. They are being taught that bullying is okay and that there is nothing wrong with this," said one parent who didn't want to be named.
Larsen has 21 students in her fourth grade class, and nine of those students didn't meet their accelerated reading scores. The students who didn't meet the scores had two options: either get their faces drawn on by other students, or miss recess.
Six of those students decided to get their faces drawn on and three decided to skip recess.
"The class had a discussed their accelerated reading goals and trying to put together some incentives for students to achieve those goals. One of those incentives was who met their goals would be able to paint the face of those kids who didn't meet their goal or those children who didn't meet their goal could also miss a recess," said Superintendent Gaylen Smyer.
"If you ask any 10-year old or fourth grade students I get my faced color on or I don't get to go to recess, they're going to pick get my face colored on. They didn't understand what was going to happen to them later," said the unidentified parent.
While many parents are disturbed, others believe the teacher did nothing wrong.
"I'm just one of many parents who stand totally behind Summer Larsen and her teaching methods and what she does. We think she is a wonderful teacher and we want to see her stay at Declo for many years," said parent Carla Christensen.
The superintendent explains that they take parent concerns seriously. The incident is currently under investigation.
The teacher was put on leave last week, but the superintendent says she's back in the classroom now.


text:
Bishop Verot graduate Bobby Borchering, drafted by Arizona, plays for the Class A Visalia Rawhide. / MiLB.com
Rising up
Heres a look at the four Bishop Verot High School graduates playing professional baseball:
Chris Johnson
Then: Hit .460 with two home runs, 30 RBI and 12 stolen bases as a Verot senior in 2003.
Now: Starting third baseman for the Houston Astros at age 27.
Bobby Borchering
Then: Hit .494 with 13 home runs and 37 RBI as a senior third baseman in 2009.
Now: Playing outfield for the high Class A Visalia (Calif.) Rawhide in the Arizona Diamondbacks organization.
Dan Vogelbach
Then: Vogelbach, 19, hit .459 with a school-record 17 home runs last season at Verot. He also had 50 RBI.
Now: In extended spring training in Peoria, Az., projecting to start this season in the low minor leagues for the Chicago Cubs.
Hudson Boyd
Then: Had a 12-0 record with a 0.46 ERA and 123 strikeouts in 73 innings last season. He also batted .391 with nine home runs and 39 RBI.
Now: The right-hander is in extended spring training for the Minnesota Twins at the Lee County Sports Complex. He will begin competing in the Gulf Coast League for minor league rookies in June.
>> Related link: Search All-Time Southwest Florida Major League Draft list
One major league starter and three big-league baseball hopefuls share a common thread.
Houston Astros third baseman Chris Johnson, Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder Bobby Borchering, Chicago Cubs first baseman Dan Vogelbach and Minnesota Twins pitcher Hudson Boyd all played at Bishop Verot High School in Fort Myers under former coach Tom LoSauro.
Ive been talking to him a lot, Vogelbach said. I miss him. Things arent the same without him. Itll never be the same. No matter where he goes, its safe to say hell always be a Viking.
LoSauro departed Bishop Verot last summer after guiding the Vikings to the Class 3A baseball state championship last season. He declined to talk about the circumstances surrounding his departure after spending 18 years at the school.
Bishop Verot principal John Cavell acknowledged there were some behind-the-scenes issues but said LoSauro was not fired that he received the right opportunity at the right time.
Everything happened in a whirlwind, said LoSauro, now the athletic director and baseball coach at Bishop McLaughlin Catholic High School in Spring Hill, north of Tampa. I left the school on July 24 and moved into my new home by Aug. 1.
LoSauro has followed the progress of his players in the pros with a keen interest.
Its a really great thing as a coach when you have guys come into your program and they just work really hard, LoSauro said. Its nice to see some of the fruits of that labor. Its hard work to get there, and once you get into pro ball, its even harder work to stay there.
Johnson, 27, has discovered the challenge not so much of reaching the big leagues, but of staying there.
Johnson, who graduated from Bishop Verot in 2003, turned down being a late-round pick by the Boston Red Sox, signing with Stetson University instead.
The Astros then chose him in the fourth round of the 2006 draft.
LoSauro called Johnson one of the best defensive shortstops weve ever had.
Johnson converted to third base in the minors. He made his big-league debut Sept. 9, 2009, against the Atlanta Braves. Since then, he has hit .273 with 18 home runs, 95 RBI and five stolen bases in 212 games.
After struggling at the plate last season, Johnson had to compete this spring training against Brett Wallace for the third base job.
Johnson kept the job after hitting .368 with five home runs, 11 RBI and six doubles this March.
Oh my God, you have no idea, Karen Crowther-Johnson, Chriss mom, said of the anxiety her sons uncertain status caused her. Its your son, and you want to see him succeed more than anything. When hes struggling, that weighs on me. Hes the one who has to hit the 99-mile per hour fastball. I cant do it for him.
Crowther-Johnson said that although her son still gets to start, it doesnt exactly relieve her.
I dont know if relief is a good word for it, because he cant stop battling for that job, she said.
Crowther-Johnson intends to watch her son in person next weekend at the new Marlins Park in Miami, where the Astros are playing the Marlins on Friday through Sunday.
LoSauro said Johnsons success hasnt surprised him.
Its really hard to project a guy as a big leaguer, LoSauro said. But I knew Chris Johnson was going to get into pro ball. He was relentless. If there was one word to describe Chris at Bishop Verot, its relentless. He would just get after it. He was a tremendous competitor.
Borchering, 21 and an Alva native, played shortstop until moving to third his junior year at Verot.
The Diamondbacks chose him with the 16th overall pick in that years draft.
Bobby came in, and he was a constant, blue-collar worker, LoSauro said. He was a grinder. Whatever you said, he just did it. Bobby was a power hitter. Chris Johnson was more of a line drive hitter.
Borchering hit .267 with 24 home runs, 92 RBI and four stolen bases for high Class A Visalia (Calif.) last season. Hell start this season again with the Visalia Rawhide. He also switched his primary position from third base to the outfield.
They feel like that can open up some doors for me, Borchering said. Its always better to have more positions to play. Its good that Im learning it now.
Becoming a professional baseball player straight out of high school has its own set of challenges, he said.
Its a whole different game now, Borchering said. Youve got guys from all over the country who want to play pro ball and get better. Its just a challenge, mentally and physically. Its an exciting time, too.
Its a big jump from high school. Youre out on your own. Youre learning how to be a man and also how to be a pro baseball player. Those are two hard things to be doing at once.
Weighing 250 pounds, the 6-foot Vogelbach, 19, has a Babe Ruthian build and swing to go along with it, LoSauro said.
Daniel, he was probably the greatest hitter ever to play at Verot, LoSauro said. And thats not taking anything away from the guys weve had come through there.
He could flat-out hit. For his size and build, hes an incredible runner.
Hes much more athletic than people give him credit for.
Vogelbach and Borchering have reunited in Arizona. Although they play in different organizations, they sometimes meet for dinner, with the younger Vogelbach asking the Borchering for advice.
Vogelbach talked about the adjustments he had to make, the ones Borchering made three years ago.
Its no longer hitting a home run every game, Vogelbach said. You learn every day that you cant dwell on the past. You have to be ready for the game again tomorrow, for it to come right back at you.
I have a goal to be in the big leagues in three years. But Im trying not to worry about that. All you can do is perform and show them what you can do.
Boyd, 19, said he has been trying to watch his weight from when the Twins chose him with the 55th overall pick in the first round of last years draft.
Twins director of minor leagues Jim Rantz said Boyd must keep the weight under control if he wants to rise through the minor leagues. Boyd, listed at 6-foot-2 in the Twins media guide, weighed 275 pounds last summer. As of last week, he had lost 13 pounds, down to 262.
Hes working on it, Rantz said. Were not looking to get him down to 200. Hes just a big kid. Hes got a good arm. Hes got what were looking for. He just needs to get his confidence. Hes got to stay focused on what he needs to do.
LoSauro said hes not surprised at the weight being an issue.
Its hard to keep the weight off him, LoSauro said. Hes the epitome of what were trying to keep kids away from eating. He needs not a fitness trainer but a nutritionist.
Boyds pitching never has been an issue, LoSauro said.
Boyd threw a complete-game shutout victory against Mount Dora in the Class 3A state semifinals last season.
He may have been one of the greatest high school pitchers ever to come out of Lee County, LoSauro said. Hes in that group. He throws an exploding breaking ball. He has great command of a curveball. He could throw the curveball for strikes. He could get a lot of hitters out with that curveball.
Boyd lives in a hotel now instead of with his parents. He does the same routine as his extended spring training teammates, and he projects to begin this season in the Gulf Coast League as one of many teenaged prospects.
Being out there every day, thats become the biggest adjustment, Boyd said. Everyone is tired. You have to find a way to push through it.
Boyd, Vogelbach and Borchering each said they understand that reaching the big leagues like Johnson would be a process. It wouldnt happen overnight.
Getting there, Boyd said, should be easier having played for LoSauro.
One of the things he was good about was he always had a game plan for everything, Boyd said. Youve got to have a game plan for everything. Thats what will always stick with me about him.
Said Vogelbach: He hated to lose. Thats how I am. I cant stand losing. He and I didnt always get along. I disagreed with him a lot. But when it came down to it, he hated to lose, and he always allowed us to learn from our mistakes. He helped us grow as people, too.
LoSauro said theres no reason, barring injuries or setbacks, why the four Vikings couldnt all play in the big leagues at once.
They are all in a close enough age group for that to happen, LoSauro said. A lot of things could happen between now and then. But that would be a celebration there, I can tell you that.


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Mark Lieberman was director of basketball operations for a season under the University of Louisville's Rick Pitino.
Mark Lieberman, a former University of Louisville assistant men's basketball coach, has been hired as the new varsity boys' coach at Floyd Central High School.
Lieberman, 42, a New York native and longtime high school coach in Florida, was approved on a 5-2 vote by the New Albany-Floyd school board Monday night.
Lieberman thanked the board and said, "I'm looking forward to building a great program at Floyd Central." ...


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Did you order the tako-wasa? How about tamago yaki to start? Ooh, and definitely get some ponzu on the side. Better yet, ditch the menu and go omakase like a pro. The chefs will definitely yell 'Arigatogozaimashita' when you leave.
Level 10 Bento! Go through the menu and order every single item you've never tried. There shouldn't be much after 45 different Japanese restaurants! Unless... have you been ordering teriyaki chicken this whole time?


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<!-- sublime: syntax 'Packages/CSS/CSS.tmLanguage -->
If you want to declare more modelines, you need to precede them with "<!-- sublime:", because "<!--" is the only TM_COMMENT_START variable defined for XML files. To make them valid XML, though, you'll need to include "-->" too.
The *.zcml will work as you describe because Sublime Text doesn't assign them any syntax (at least in my config), so SublimeModeliens defaults to the prefix "# sublime:". As it can be seen in your example, it's your modeline that's making the file XML, so before that it was unknown.
It seems I won't have to change the code after all... :)


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Despite cold, windy conditions Thursday, Glendale High school junior goalkeeper Kindra Lierz knew she had to be loose and active throughout.
That's because her Nixa opponents have a talented group of attacking players who use through balls as one of their main weapons.
Lierz was equal to the challenge in the nonleague game as Glendale earned a 3-1 victory, further exerting its dominance as the area's top Class 3 program. ...


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Irish Books
General Books
1 matching titles
Eoin Grogan
Wordwell, 2005. 2 Volumes. Hardback.
Volume I: The later prehistoric landscape of south-east Clare Volume II: The prehistoric landscape of North Munster.
USED. Very good copies in very good dustjackets.
Inventory #: 29023
Quantity Available: 1
Price: £ 85.00
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12 Bayview Road, Bangor, County Down, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom BT19 6AL
Telephone: +44 (0)28 9147 0310 Email: email@example.com


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There are 10 days left to buy a ticket for the 11th annual Home Sweet Home Raffle. The fundraiser benefits the United Way of Southeast Mississippi.
Tickets cost $100. The prize is a $235,000 home in the Kingsmill subdivision.
April 5 is the last day to buy a ticket through the United Way office; any branch of Citizens ...


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Here's my siggy...hope you like it! I loved this mini!
I love that layout! Nicely done!
Only one photo, for now. So this will be around until I get more
Even if this is late, it was fun!
PT: AngelclaudArtroom, SeatroutScraps, GingerScraps, SnickerdoodleDesigns, ScrapFromFrance & Ilonka'sScrapbookDesigns.
CT: SeatroutScraps
Woohoo! got the layout done before the deadline. Can't wait for the chat tomorrow, well...later today..LOL!
Thank you so much for the beautiful kit!!
Proud CTM for Gingerscraps, Little Rad Trio, and LissyKay Designs


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Hunters and gatherers aren't what they used to be, and the quest for food is no longer about mere sustenance. Today we seek out food that excites and delights us, and we're willing to cross oceans and continents to find it. Modern food odysseys have become luxury travel experiences—educational, entertaining, sense-awakening journeys with penetrating insights into cultures through cuisine. Let's explore three cities high on the list of globe-trotting foodies, each destination in the international spotlight for star-studded restaurants, inspired chefs and avant-garde gastronomy.
San Sebastian
Basque flavors and star chefs are transforming global cuisine.
When art and architecture lovers descended on Spain's Basque country in the late 1990s, it was to behold the spectacular Frank Gehry-designed Guggenheim Museum Bilbao. Serendipitously, they stumbled upon a regional cuisine informed by the Basque landscape: cured ham and dried bean stews in the hill towns, and fresh fish and seafood along the Bay of Biscay. Fresh ingredients are essential to both traditional and nouvelle Basque cuisines, including sauces designed to complement salted cod, among them a red pepper sauce called Vizcaino, or Pil-Pil, a mouthwatering blend of steamy hot garlic and oil.
Guggenheim Bilbao still ranks high on most Americans' bucket lists. But today's pilgrimages are increasingly designed around food—particularly around San Sebastian, the Belle-Époque epicenter of Basque culinary superstars. Just an hour's drive from Bilbao, San Sebastian is a global epicurean resort with world-renowned, Michelin-decorated restaurants, including Arzak, Mugaritz, Restaurante Martín Berasategui and Akelarre.
Chefs at these restaurants are on the cutting edge of cocina de vanguardia (avant-garde cuisine), most notoriously the molecular gastronomy often attributed to Ferran Adrià and his celebrated but now closed El Bulli restaurant hundreds of miles away in Catalonia. Adrià's wizardry with aerated gels and foams garnered international publicity, but insiders credit Juan Mari Arzak of Arzak restaurant in San Sebastian with paving Adrià's way. Known as one of the fathers of New Basque cuisine, Arzak shares the kitchen with his daughter, Elena Arzak, named the World's Best Female Chef of 2012 by Veuve Clicquot.
A must-visit on every foodie's list, 110-year-old Arzak is consistently ranked in the top 10 of The World's 50 Best Restaurants list and was the first Basque restaurant to receive three Michelin stars. While classic Basque recipes are the foundation of this fourth-generation family restaurant's menu, science informs its dishes, among them monkfish with gooseberries served on computer screens instead of dinner plates.
The star du jour of Basque high-tech cuisine, chef Andoni Luis Aduriz of Mugaritz, actually apprenticed at Ferran Adria's El Bulli, and his 11-course tasting menu is a 2 ½-hour epicurean adventure. Preconceived notions about food shatter with dishes like "edible stones," presented to all first-time guests. The stones are potatoes cooked to look just like pebbles, and Aduriz wants his patrons to take a leap of faith by eating them. The reward is a meal that is shocking (the beef carpaccio turns out to be watermelon), entertaining and brimming with alchemy.
You'll need a taxi to get to Rekondo, a favorite traditional restaurant halfway up Mount Igueldo with scenic views of San Sebastian and La Conca beach. The fare includes classic Basque asador or "grill," with the most famous dish chulete de Buey, a perfectly grilled steak for two. A tasting at Rekondo's 100,000-bottle wine cellar, named one of the top five wine cellars in the world last summer by Wine Spectator magazine, can be arranged through the local food tour operator, Foods of San Sebastian.
The company also tailors tours of insider Basque-style tapas bars known as pintxos bars, though you'll find many of the finest in plain sight in the Parte Vieja (old section), including BordaBerri, Ganbara and A Fuego Negro, a Euro chic bar where the "coffee" is actually ham soup with almonds served piping hot in a coffee cup.
Where to Stay
Maria Christina, a landmark since 1912. The impressive Belle-Epoque building filled with marble and chandeliers has just been restored. Take advantage of the spa specializing in hydrotherapy.
Hotel Londres y de Inglaterra, with its lovely location on the renowned shell-shaped beach, Playa de la Concha, has also been refurbished, with room décor rivaling wonderful sea views.
Hotel Villa Soro, a charming boutique hotel in a renovated 19th-century palace, is just 10 minutes from Zurriola Beach.
What to Do
The Guggenheim Museum Bilbao is a must-see as much for its Frank Gehry architecture as its permanent collection by Basque and Spanish artists Eduardo Chillida, Juan Munoz and Antonio Sauro. Stay for lunch at Nerua: Chef Josean Martínez Alija's restaurant in the museum received its first Michelin star in 2012.
Detour to the Rioja wine country two hours away and head to Bar Los Caños in Haro. Built into the vaults and arches of what was once the former church of San Martín, the bar serves local Crianzas and Reservas.
Book a tour of a sagardotegia (cider houses like Zelaia, Lizeagaor Gurutzeta), where between January and April visitors can visit cavernous fermenting rooms and taste new cider straight from wooden barrels.
Where to Shop
Buy a traditional Basque beret at CasaPonsol, where the Leclerq family has had their clothing store since 1838.
Rifle through Spanish designer fashions at Does En La Carreta, including the popular Madrid house, Tormeto.
Bring home a traditional Spanish fan from Darlington, which also boasts a nice selection of Spanish jewelry.
Study the selection of Basque gastronomy produced by local artisans at Jurlan, which carries everything from Rioja wine to foie gras.
The Gulf Coast Connoisseur Club is hosting a "Discover Spain" trip Sept. 5-15 with an itinerary that includes San Sebastian and some of the hotels and restaurants featured here. Info: authentescapes.com.
Thirteen million people, and almost as many tantalizing tastes and innovators.
This year, the Michelin Guide awarded its coveted three-star ratings to 17 restaurants in the Tokyo area. By comparison, Paris eateries earned 10. But where does a foodie begin in a city teeming with 13 million people, scores of restaurants and cuisines to be explored, and a language barrier that seems insurmountable?
We went straight to the source: Japanese food writer Shinji Nohara, the go-to translator and guide for celebs like Anthony Bourdain and food critics around the globe. Shinji's moniker, the "Tokyo Fixer," makes sense when you learn that many of Japan's temples of gastronomy still follow the tradition of not accepting reservations from newcomers. It's a cultural thing—restaurateurs show respect for longtime customers by requiring newcomers (locals as well as tourists) to be accompanied or referred by a patron.
Another cultural nuance became apparent when we asked for Shinji's pick of Tokyo's not-to-be missed dish or menu items. He composed a list of 17, each with his preferred restaurant for experiencing that item. That's the way it is in Japan. In a land where food kings are crowned for masterful skill, locals seek out the top tempura, soba, sushi or kaiseki (a traditional multi-course dinner) prepared by a specialist.
That's why Shinji's tours are always customized. He grills potential clients on their food preferences, adventurousness, allotted time and budget. His fee starts at $250, and tours can be tailored to include sightseeing, art and museums and shopping.
A visit to Tsukiji, the world's largest and most famous fish market, is on most culinary travelers' itinerary. With some 65,000 employees, the sprawling wholesale market sells more than 400 different kinds of seafood and includes countless shops, from those selling Japanese cooking tools and groceries to restaurants. "Many sushi restaurants in the fish market are overrated, because even though everything is fresh, the quality also depends on how it is caught [single line, troll or huge net], which port it is from and how it is shipped to the market," Shinji cautions. He recommends Sushi Dai and Ryu Sushi. Visit now, because Tsukiji, which has been in the same location since 1935, is scheduled to move to the Toyosu neighborhood in the Koto Ward in 2014.
If you're confident in your own restaurant editing skills, you might plan a tour that ticks off choices from the Michelin Guide. Topping most foodie lists are chef Seji Yamamoto's three-star Nihonryori Ryugin and Yoshihiro Narisawa's two-star Narisawa. They are the only two Tokyo establishments named to the S. Pellegrino list of the world's top 50 restaurants for 2012.
A luxury food experience should also include up-and-coming superstars, and Shinji's picks are standouts. He likes Shinobu Namae's new L'Effervescence for contemporary French cuisine done with Japanese élan (Namae worked at Heston Blumenthal's Fat Duck in Bray, England, and has already earned his first Michelin star). Equally intriguing are Seizan and its 32-year-old proprietor, Haruhiko Yamamoto, who trained for more than a decade at the renowned Takada Hassho kaiseki restaurant.
For the ultimate immersion in old-Tokyo elegance, Shinji recommends chef Koji Koizumi's new Kohaku, which serves nouveau kaiseki in a charming neighborhood called Kagurazaka. In less than a year, Kohaku has earned two stars from Michelin. Shinji also recommends the gourmet Italian fare at Aroma-Fresca and Ristorante Aso and the Kyoto-style cuisine at Kyoaji, among Tokyo's finest. Notorious for his refusal to accept the Michelin Guide's three-star award, chef Kenichiro Nishi admits new diners at Kyoaji only if brought by a regular.
Where to Stay
The Peninsula Tokyo in the heart of the city's chi-chi Ginza district (some rooms have views of the Imperial Palace), and within walking distance of coveted restaurants and designer boutiques.
Four Seasons Hotel Tokyo at Marunouchi, a haven of high-end design and high-tech luxury In Pacific Century Place, the work of architect Kenzo Tange.
Park Hyatt Tokyo will be forever remembered for its role in the Sofia Coppola movie Lost in Translation. The lobby is perched on the 41st floor of the sleek Shinjuku Park Tower and is noted for its popular New York Bar.
The Ritz-Carlton Tokyo offers rooms with incredible views on the top nine floors of the Midtown Tower. Book early to reserve a Japanese-style room with tatami mats and futons or private dining in a 200-year-old teahouse.
What to Do
Visit the new Tokyo Sky Tree, now the world's tallest tower, which opened in May 2012 with two observatories with a glass outer "air corridor" to get to the 450-meter deck.
Show them America's got talent at Tokyo's top karaoke bars: Big Echo, Mancy's or Karaoke Kan (where Bill Murray sang in Lost in Translation).
Admire the cherry blossoms in April at Kitanomaru Park and Ueno Park.
Get a sense of history at Sensoji (Asakusa Kannon Temple), Tokyo's oldest temple, and visit Meiji Shrine in Harujuku, a Shinto shrine in a 175-acre evergreen forest.
Where to Shop
Omotesando Hills, a 34,000-square-meter complex with 100 shops and restaurants.
Roppongi Hills for international high-end brands and Japanese shops.
Rub elbows with Gwen Stefani's Harajuku Girls, who like to shop in the world-famous Harajuku fashion district.
Online Exclusive: Shinji Nohara's list of where to go and what to order in Tokyo.
Sushi, Sushi Sho
Tempura, Rakutei
Yakitori, Toritama
Wagyu Beef, Shima
Kaiseki, Tomura
Soba, Honmura-An
Ramen, Kaduya
Tonkatsu, Butagumi
Unagi (fresh water eel), Kabuto
Sandwich, Viron
Pizza, Seirinkan
French Pastry, Hidemi Sugino
Japanese Pastry and Macha, Higashiya
Mochi, Matsuhimaya
Chocolate, Toshi Yoroizuka
Craft Beer, Baird Harajuku Taproom
Coffee, Daibo
A city known for commerce and architecture now sets the standard for food.
Chicago's growing reputation as an international haute cuisine destination may surprise those who associate the Windy City with steak houses and deep dish pizza joints. But celebrity chefs like Grant Achatz of Alinea, Jean Joho of Everest and Giuseppe Tentori of GT Fish & Oyster are generating a buzz that's attracting tourists who, in a recent survey, rated the food even above the city's famous architecture as a star attraction.
Chi-town threw down the gauntlet when it defied New York in the pizza wars, first branding its pastry-inspired thin crusts with the prefix "Chicago," and then with Ike Sewell's invention of Chicago-style deep dish at Pizzaria Uno in 1943. Fans of Sewell's buttery crusts (with the caramelized edges of a fruit pie engulfing sinful amounts of cheese) are still queuing up at the original Pizzeria Uno—and at Due, a second outpost around the corner.
Today, revolution and invention continue to drive Chicago's restaurant scene. While diehard steak lovers still flock to Gene & Georgetti for the best wet-aged T-bone in the city (and perhaps the world), globe-trotting foodies angle for reservations at the flamboyant new David Burke's Primehouse, a modern iteration of the classic steak house where innovative dry-aging techniques produce a bone-in rib eye that borders on sublime.
Top Restaurants
Alinea is the top-ranking American restaurant on the 2012 World's 50 Best Restaurants List sponsored by S. Pellegrino. Chef Grant Achatz is known for pushing the envelope with "mad-scientist" vapors, gels and foams, his technique-driven deconstructed cuisine best sampled in the prix-fixe Tour menu, with items like "woolly pig with fennel, orange and squid" or "scallop acting like agedashi tofu." Diners are advised to allocate at least four hours to experience the 20-course tasting of bite-sized courses suspended by wires or served directly onto the table.
By contrast, Relais & Chateaux grand chef Jean Joho is renowned for reinventing the great classics of French cuisine with American ingredients. At four-star Everest, he combines delicacies like foie gras with diced pineapple or caviar with the humble potato and turnip; to honor his homeland, Alsatian wines star in dishes like roasted Maine lobster in Alsace Gewurztraminer butter and ginger.
Achatz's groundbreaking new restaurant is aptly named Next. It features a ticket-only reservation system and a menu that changes every three months. Chefs Achatz and David Beran pay homage to luminaries like Escoffier or Ferran Adria with the quarterly menus, or to culinary destinations like Sicily (through Sept. 9) and Kyoto (Sept. 15 through Dec. 31).
Goosefoot is a tiny 34-seat restaurant where chef Chris Nugent incorporates classical French techniques into a menu crafted of artisanal farm ingredients. Choose from eight- or 12-course tasting menus brimming with creativity with items like sunchoke soup with potato, shrimp and truffle essence.
Celeb chef Stephanie Izard, who opened Girl &The Goat two years after winning Season 4 on Bravo's Top Chef, has been named one of Food & Wine magazine's Best New Chefs. The Goat (a Chicagoan term of endearment) serves up irresistible small plates (a misnomer because each is a fully executed dish). The selection is divided into three categories: meat, fish and veggies, with standouts royal red shrimp ceviche with white asparagus or creamy pork liver mousseline.
Hip new Nellcôte is high on Chicago's hot list for its decadent glamour and chef Van Camp's French American soul food with an Italian twist. Try the Sunnyside Up organic egg pizza with fontina cheese and Perigord black truffles, or the stinging nettle tagliatelle with morel mushrooms and pecorino.
Headed by Michelin-starred chef Giuseppe Tentori, the sleek new GT Fish & Oyster does inventive takes on classics like oyster po'boy sliders with kimchi and peanuts, or Sitka Sound king salmon with sticky rice, mushroom dashi and fiddlehead ferns.
Where to Stay
Radisson Blu Aqua Hotel in Chicago's new 82-story architectural marvel, Aqua, designed by Jeanne Gang and anchoring Lakeshore East.
Public Chicago, Ian Schrager's reinvention of the Gold Coast's famed Ambassador East Hotel and its historic Pump Room restaurant, with food by James Beard award-winning chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten.
Ritz-Carlton Chicago for stunning dining and service and an exclusive venue, with Magnificent Mile shopping right at your doorstep.
Park Hyatt Chicago for rooms with spectacular
unobstructed views across the city, and for
the opportunity to sample chef Ryan LaRoche's award-winning cuisine at the hotel's Michelin Star NoMI restaurant.
What to Do
Explore Chicago's newest neighborhood, Lakeshore East, a 28-acre enclave just south of the river and north of Millennium Park. Don't miss the amazing taste treats at the frenetic 55,000-square-foot Mariano's Fresh Market.
Wet your whistle with a signature Smash cocktail at Maude's Liquor Bar, a chic new interpretation of a Chicago speakeasy.
Go to a concert at Pritzker Pavilion, where you'll hear everything from gospel to rock.
View the newly renovated Indian Art of the Americas and African Art galleries at the Art Institute of Chicago. If there's time, renew your love of Impressionist art at the world-renowned collection, featuring works collected by Sarasota's own Mrs. Potter Palmer.
Where to Shop
Don't miss the treasures gleaned from shopping across the globe by A-list interior designer Alessandra Branca at her Pearson Street boutique, Branca.
Shop with Chicago's social elite on Oak Street, where elegant boutiques like Hermès and Prada are found in wonderfully converted town houses.
The Miracle Mile offers luxury brands from Bulgari to Polo Ralph Lauren. Follow the length of Michigan Avenue from Chicago River to Oak Street.
Shop the Sample Sale Suite at the Chicago Merchandise Mart; the Design Center's annual furniture sample sale is Nov. 18 and 19.


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John Krasinski Gossip
John Krasinski gossip, latest news, photos, and video.
Emily Blunt in Sicario
Macca/ Splash News
Emily Blunt landed in Toronto last night, with her husband John Krasinski. She's in town for TIFF, and the North American premiere of her film Sicario - it's not a surprise at all that John is with her. They're not shy about hitting carpets together, having done so in TIFFs past, like at the world premiere of Looper with JGL back in 2012. Full Story
Aloha! Jerry Maguire and Elizabethtown had a baby
Wenn, FameFlynet, Splash
The new Cameron Crowe movie… For a while there it had no title. Now that it has a trailer, it has to have a title: Aloha. So. Yeah. The name is sh-t. But the cast. This cast! Bradley Cooper Emma Stone Rachel McAdams John Krasinski Bill Murray Alec Baldwin Jay Baruchel Danny McBride This should not be a problem. Full Story
Boston celebrities talk about Tom Brady's balls
Deflategate, in which the New England Patriots are accused of deflating footballs because OH MY GOD WHO CARES. It's the stupidest sports controversy in recent memory and I'm pretty sure it's only a thing because there is no other interesting narrative around this Super Bowl. Full Story
Emily Blunt: Globes Best Braid Crown
Frazer Harrison/ Michael Kovac/ Jeff Vespa/ Getty Images
There were a few braid crowns last night at the Globes. Joanne Froggatt, who won for Downton Abbey, was probably the worst. Emily Blunt probably did it the best. But that's also helped by her highlights. If the hair is just dark, it's almost not worth it. You can never see it. As for her dress, she's wearing Michael Kors. Full Story
Jennifer Aniston is everywhere
Kevin Mazur /Lester Cohen / Kevin Winter /Chris Polk /Getty Images
The PEOPLE Magazine Awards? Right. So, like, the MiniVan Majority Awards? What do you suppose gets exchanged for a PEOPLE Magazine Award? It's the inaugural year. They just named Jennifer Aniston the Movie Performance of the Year (Actress). This is the first award Aniston has ever received for a film role. Full Story
The Blunt-Krasinskis and the Afflecks
Sarah texted me yesterday after I posted that video of Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner doing the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge. "That ALS bucket video is the most I've liked Affleck in a while. That's also the most I've liked Jennifer Garner ever." They were pretty cute, right? And then I saw that John Krasinski and Emily Blunt did their thing and I realised that even though it may not have been intentional, that was one of the few times we've seen the Afflecks be like how we imagine Blunt-Krasinskis to be. Full Story
Emily Blunt rethinks Tom Cruise
FameFlynet, Hewitt / A/ Splash, Stuart C. Wilson/ Getty
Emily Blunt's been in London the last few days to promote Edge Of Tomorrow with Tom Cruise. Check them out yesterday at a photo call overlooking Trafalgar Square. She and John Krasinski went out this weekend too – I've also attached shots of them leaving Chiltern Firehouse where EVERYONE has been partying lately. Full Story
George Clooney introduces Amal
Oh a weekend bonus! Amal Alamuddin has been officially confirmed as George Clooney's latest bonafide. They went to Africa. They went on holiday to the Seychelles. There were photos, unofficial official photos. It's ON. And now… Now it's time to introduce her to his friends. Full Story
Baby Hazel
Daniel Zuchnik /Getty Images
The most unusual book that is one of my favourites involves a boy and his favourite major-league baseball player. Yes, you are reading a Duana article. It's called Last Days of Summer and most people have never heard of it, but basically: Joey, age 12, is having a hard time during WW II. One day this third-baseman shows up to talk to Joey's bullies, and what follows is one of the best buddy comedies I've ever read. Full Story
Emily Blunt: New Year Blonde
Why hadn't I noticed how blonde she's become? She was blonde 3 weeks ago when I last posted photos of her. It was tied up then, maybe that's why. Here she is with her hair down yesterday out to the movies with John Krasinski. It's quite light. Full Story
Everyone's favourite couple goes shopping
FameFlynet, VLNY / Zodiac/ Splash
Do you know anyone who doesn't love Emily Blunt + John Krasinski? I bet you right now, Duana's dropped whatever it was she was doing just to look at these pictures and think about Emily Blunt and John Krasinski. When these two started it was like we all collectively let out a: Yessssss. Full Story
Where are Rachel & Emma?
Bradley Cooper is in Hawaii shooting a movie for Cameron Crowe with Emma Stone and Rachel McAdams. During his down time the other day, he hung out with Emily Blunt and John Krasinski. Who wouldn't hang out with Emily Blunt and John Krasinski? So where are Rachel and Emma? I love celebrity friendships. Full Story
Your Best Friends Are Pregnant
Emily and John John and Emily Going to have a baby In a few months time. Oh here we go. Krasinski and Blunt are going to have a kid. I don't know why this is news but I was all squee at the announcement. Maybe because it seems like they're not doing it for press reasons, but because they might actually want a kid. Full Story
Emily & Annie
Christopher Polk/ Larry Busacca/ Getty
Prada reunion! Feels like it's been a long time since these two were photographed together. Remember when they presented at the Oscars, side by side? Emily was still engaged to Michael Buble back then! And Annie was still with that sketchy thief! Sh-t, that was 6 years ago... And here they are, Emily Blunt and Anne Hathaway, last night at Critics' Choice, both with new partners now, and both married, both on the awards show circuit -- next up: the Golden Globes on Sunday. Full Story


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Michigan State's A.J. Troup and Juwan Caesar, left, celebrate Troup's game-winning touchdown reception during the spring game April 20, 2013, in East Lansing.
- Filed Under
A foot injury and a packed depth chart at receiver kept Juwan Caesar off the field for his first two years at Michigan State, and after a brief try at tight end, he has decided to play elsewhere.
Caesar has asked for and been granted a release from his MSU scholarship, associate athletic director John Lewandowski said today. There was no immediate word on where the 6-foot-4, 212-pound sophomore from Miami (Fla.) Coral Park High will land.
Caesar was a consensus top-100 receiver in the class of 2011, but he redshirted that season with a foot injury. He did not see action as a redshirt freshman and ...


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The Digi Code 5166 is a 16 foot long coaxial remote whip antenna to be used with garage door or automatic gate opener radio receivers that have an F-connector. This allows you to be able to dramatically increase the range of the receiver by remotely mounting the antenna as opposed to keeping it near the opener.


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Pleasant graduate Ashley Andrews shoots a layup for the University of Findlay Oilers.
- Filed Under
College notes highlight Marion natives who are making an impact in college sports. Stats are through Feb. 20.University of Mount Union
Freshman center Jessie Baldridge (Mount Gilead) scored four points in Mount Union's 82-63 win over John Carroll on Monday night. She also contributed three points in the Raiders' 75-67 win against Wilmington last Saturday.
Mount Union, the No. 3 seed, traveled to No. 2 seed Otterbein for the semifinals of the Ohio Athletic Conference Tournament on Thursday in Westerville.University of Findlay ...


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Budget address Thursday
Gov. Peter Shumlin will deliver his budget address to the House and Senate, outlining his proposals for the 2014 state budget, at 2 p.m. Thursday in the House chamber at the Statehouse.
Several sizzling hot social issues are likely to make their way to the stage in the Vermont Legislature this year. First up: physician-assisted death, coming soon out of a Senate committee and bound for a full Senate vote.
The issue is deeply emotional for people on all sides. Should terminally ill people with less than six months to live be allowed to seek a prescription for a lethal dose of medication to hasten their death? Supporters see it as merciful. Opponents say it creates too many slippery slopes.
The issue has been circulating in Vermont for several years, so there will be no time wasted in getting right to the point on it this year.
The Senate Health & Welfare Committee will hold a public hearing Jan. 29, said Sen. Claire Ayer, D-Addison, committee chairwoman.
Her committee will take testimony that week from both supporters and opponents, including medical ethicists, she said.
Ayer said she expects to pass a bill out by the end of that week, Feb. 1, and send it over to the Senate Judiciary Committee, where it will likely fail but go to the full Senate for a vote anyway.
Thats an unusual path. Typically, bills that fail to win a majority support in a key committee are not forwarded to the full chamber. In this case, however, Senate President Pro Tempore John Campbell, who was criticized for blocking this and other legislation last year, has agreed that despite his personal opposition, the full Senate will have a vote on the bill this year.
I dont agree with the bill, but I certainly agree that the majority of the caucus, if they want to, should be able to have a full debate, Campbell said Monday. Campbell said he wasnt sure when that would happen. He suggested the Judiciary Committee might need some time to explore the legal details.
There is little mystery to how the Health & Welfare Committee will come down, as Ayer and other members of the committee strongly support the measure. No bill has been introduced, but Ayer said the committee will probably produce one similar to last years bill.
This is giving people who are dying for whom theres no doubt theyre dying choices, Ayer said.
There is equally little mystery about its prospects in the Senate Judiciary Committee, where it failed last year and will likely fail with a slightly different committee makeup this year. New committee Vice Chairman Joe Benning, R-Caledonia, said he promised his dying mother he would vote against the measure if he ever had the chance.
Sen. Richard Sears, D-Bennington, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, also opposes physician-assisted death. He said he isnt crazy about the bill going to the full Senate anyway, but he said, I dont think I have a choice.
What happens to the bill when it gets to the full Senate? Thats less clear.
Ayer said: I think itll pass but I think itll be close.
Campbell said: I think its a tougher haul than proponents think.
In case of a tie, Lt. Gov. Phil Scott, the Senates tie-breaker, is opposed. Gov. Peter Shumlin is a strong supporter of the measure whose advocates helped him win the governors seat.
However the vote comes out, Ayer knows the issue will create a torrent of comments from all sides. Were going to get bombarded, she said.
Physician-assisted death is an emotional, difficult issue for many that often boils down to personal experience. The angst the issue generates is evidenced by the different names that supporters and opponents call it. Those for it refer to it as death with dignity. Those against it call it physician-assisted suicide. Neither side is the least bit fond of the others wording.
A well-established Patient Choices Vermont will be pushing for the legislation, with examples of patients, including former U.S. Rep. Richard Mallary, and their end-of-life suffering. Among the opponents will be the Roman Catholic Church, disability rights activists and some medical professionals who will argue that the measure poses conflicts.
Among those conflicts: The death certificate for someone choosing to end his or her own life this way would list the underlying illness as the cause of death, not the lethal medication.
Oregon and Washington are the only two states that allow terminally ill patients to seek a prescription for a lethal dose of medication. Massachusetts voters in a November public vote defeated the law there by 51 to 49 percent. According to The New York Times, last year, 114 people received lethal prescriptions in Oregon and 103 in Washington. In both states, about a third of those patients ultimately didnt use the drugs, the Times reported.
Last year, the Vermont Senate briefly debated the issue on the floor before after the Health & Welfare Committee passed it in a surprise move, but some voted against it in the Senate just based on procedural issues.
The House defeated physician-assisted death in 2007, by a vote of 82-63, but House Speaker Shap Smith, D-Morristown, has said that he thinks the tide has shifted in the House on the issue.
Contact Terri Hallenbeck at 651-4887 or firstname.lastname@example.com. Follow her on Twitter at www.twitter.com/terrivt


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Nestled in the majestic Blue Ridge Mountains, the Econo Lodge hotel provides business and leisure travelers with relaxing and inviting accommodations.
Scenic opportunities are plenty thanks to the natural barrier the surrounding mountains and lakes provide. Outdoor enthusiasts will delight in the multitude of recreation areas afforded. Whether you want to golf, swim, hike or bike, there's something for everyone.
After a busy day of work or play, our guests can return to their rooms and relax by the seasonal outdoor pool, which is the largest in the area, or unwind in the exercise room. We provide the following full-service amenities free: continental breakfast, daily newspaper, wireless high-speed internet access, local calls and coffee. Our on-site conference facility accommodates 200-300 people.
Various discounts accepted!
This facility meets ADA Accessibility Guidelines for wheelchair accessibility, including an accessible entrance,
access to goods and services, usability of rest rooms and accessible parking and drop-off areas. For additional
details, please see the ADA website.
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Day One
Begin your cooking tour at the Museum of the Shenandoah Valley. Of special interest on the tour will be the two kitchen exhibits, each of a different era in the Shenandoah Valley. Plan ahead to have the museum Master Gardener present a talk about using garden herbs. Tour the beautiful 6 acres of gardens and be sure to visit the gift shop for the Museum of the Shenandoah Valley cookbook.
Enjoy lunch at nearby Bonnie Blue Southern BBQ & Bakery, famous for its fried oysters, pulled pork sandwiches, shrimp and grits, and home baked pies.
After lunch, visit the Patsy Cline Historic House to learn about the iconic singer's rise to fame. See the kitchen where Patsy and her mother Hilda fixed family meals. Here you will have an opportunity to purchase a cookbook that features Patsy's favorite foods!
Venture to Valerie Hill Vineyard and Winery for scenic views, music, a relaxing atmosphere, and outstanding wines.
Return to your hotel to relax before heading out to dine on your own in Old Town Winchester. Mix a little history into your tour with a guided walking tour after dinner.
Day Two
Enjoy shopping on your own at Creekside Station, a premier shopping destination with Main Street friendliness and city sophistication.
Your next stop is a highlight of your visit - the Coach and Horses Tea Room. With the ambiance of a historic 1790 home, quality foods are accompanied by great service and a full range of teas, scones with clotted cream, and preserves.
This facility meets ADA Accessibility Guidelines for wheelchair accessibility, including an accessible entrance,
access to goods and services, usability of rest rooms and accessible parking and drop-off areas. For additional
details, please see the ADA website.
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Kansas City Chiefs player Jovan Belcher shot his girlfriend "three or four times" in the chest, neck and abdomen, according to audio of first responders communicating with each other during and immediately after the shootings.
The audio by Fox 4 in Kansas City contains the following fragmented conversations:
"I believe our suspect is a Chiefs player, so whoever goes over there, proceed with cautionâ?¦
"We do have a confirmed shooting, and it is I believe, Belcher, possibleâ?¦"
"Early 20s female. She's been shot about three or four times: one to the chest, one to the neck and one to the abdomen. All went throughâ?¦."
"We really want to monitor from us doing PPR, nothing shockableâ?¦"
"OK. I've got two coaches and one other employee here, just trying to (unintelligible) with this guyâ?¦"
"He's got a black pistol to his head. I've got at least four guys standing there trying to negotiate with him. I haven't made contactâ?¦"
Police said Belcher shot and killed his girlfriend, Kasandra Perkins, then drove to the parking lot of the Chiefs practice facility, where he killed himself by shooting himself in the head in front of Chiefs head coach Romeo Crennel and general manager Scott Pioli.
Copyright 2015 USATODAY.com
Read the original story: Belcher's girlfriend shot in chest, neck, abdomen, according to audio


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- Action
- Adult Faery Tales
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- African-American
- Angels
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- Cougar
- Dark Fantasy
- Demons
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- Elves
- Erotic Romance
- Erotica
- Fantasy
- Free Stories
- Futuristic
- Gay
- Gay YA
- Ghosts
- Historical
- Holiday
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- Inspirational
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- Mystery
- New Adult
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- Pirates
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- Science Fiction
- Science Fiction {soft}
- Shapeshifter
- Short Stories
- Shounen ai/Yaoi
- Silver Years
- Spanish
- Steampunk
- Suspense
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- Timetravel
- Urban Fantasy
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Yule Be Mine
Published by: Extasy Books
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Categories: Erotic Romance Fantasy Holiday Magick Paranormal Romance Shapeshifter
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Family tradition is important to Arabel Marx. Every year she comes to her cousin's pub to bless the building against violence under the roof. This year, as she dances her blessing and calls the wild magic, she has an audience. Her cousin's husband has invited their new partner to watch the blessing and this shifter likes what he sees. Zenner is a dragon with a secret. Female dragons are fine, but they are all pull my tail, and Zen likes to play gently with his lovers. Watching Arabel dance the blessing ,he has only one thought, Soon, You'll Be Mine.
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Learn more about the basics of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974.
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) affords students certain rights with respect to their educational records:
The Faculty Staff Handbook Section 2600 defines student education records , the custodian of records, and who has access to the records.
Directory information are those items contained in the education record of a student that would not generally be considered harmful or an invasion of privacy. The items considered directory are:
Students who wish to request confidentiality of their directory information may do so by submitting a Confidentiality Request, located on the Forms page of the Registrar's website, to the Registrar's Office. Students who request confidentiality will not appear in the Campus Directory.


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Carly Ruwan and Austin Brown, Mount students who served with The Women's Connection in Price Hill 'papering' the neighborhood to advertise TWC services.
The College of Mount St. Joseph has been named to the 2013 President's Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll by the Corporation for National and Community Service.
The honor roll recognizes higher education institutions that reflect the values of exemplary community service and achieve meaningful outcomes in their communities. The Mount has made the list every year since 2009.
The Mount's commitment to community service is part of the college's mission. A service event takes place each year during Welcome Weekend to introduce incoming freshman to the mission of service. For 22 years, Mount students have participated in the Christian Appalachian Project's Spring Break WorkFest where they rehab homes for some of the poorest families. Mount students and faculty travel to the United Nations in the summer as part of a class that learns about the UN Millennium Development Goals and works with organizations to support the goals.
Student clubs include Habitat for Humanity and Campus Ministry, which takes students to New Orleans each year to help rebuild the Ninth Ward and St. Bernard Parish areas, in addition to rehabbing homes in the Chicago south suburbs. This year, five Mount students and a staff member worked as VITA volunteers for United Way's volunteer tax preparer program. In addition, many Mount athletic teams participate in service opportunities, and education majors go to inner-city schools for tutoring and mentoring support.
"Service is an important part of who we are," said Kristen Hedgebeth, service learning coordinator at the Mount. "Our academic departments, student organizations, athletic teams, and more engage in meaningful community projects throughout the year. We know that serving is an important part of students' learning and development."


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Getting Started With Cloud Sites - Registering and/or Transferring Domain Names
Note: This article is written for our Cloud Sites Control Panel. You can get to it from the Cloud Control Panel by clicking your name in the upper-right corner and selecting Cloud Sites Control Panel or by navigating to http://manage.rackspacecloud.com.
Cloud Sites makes it easy for you to purchase a domain name directly through the Rackspace Cloud Control Panel. Below, we will go through the process for Registering a New Domain Name and Transferring Your Existing Domain.
Registering a New Domain Name
NOTE: If you are registering a new domain name through the Control Panel, the DNS will automatically be setup for you to point to the Rackspace Cloud. Please see the "What Top Level Domain extensions can I purchase through the control panel?" article for a list of domain extensions available for purchase.
- First, Log in to the Rackspace Cloud Control Panel
- Navigate to Hosting->Cloud Sites
- Click Add a Site
- Select the correct Site Owner (usually "You")
- Next, enter the domain name you want to purchase in the "Domain Name" text box (i.e. www.yourdomain.com)
- The next screen will allow you to review your new domain purchase order. If you are ready to purchase, then click Finish
Transferring Your Existing Domain
With Cloud Sites, you can transfer an existing .com, .net, .org, .us, and .co.uk domain and receive an additional year of ownership for only $10. By transferring your registrar, you will have all of your domain information accessible in one place which makes it possible for us to help you with the renewal of the domain name and other Support issues.
NOTE: Transferring your existing domain does not automatically update the DNS at the domain registrar level. You will need to manually update your DNS if you would like to make your domain live on The Rackspace Cloud.
Follow these steps to transfer your existing domain name to Cloud Sites:For a New Site:
- Log in to the Rackspace Cloud Control Panel
- Navigate to Hosting->Cloud Sites
- Click Add A Site and then enter the domain name in the Domain Name text box
- Check the I already own/manage this domain name check box
- Select Transfer the domain name from the pull-down menu
- Click Next Step
- Last, you will review your order and click Finish once you are ready to process the order
NOTE: Your current registrar may offer "transfer lock" or a similar service as a security measure to prevent unauthorized transfer of your domain name. If this feature is activated, you will need to log on to your account with your current registrar in order to unlock the domain. If you try to transfer a domain that still has the transfer lock enabled, the transfer will be denied by your current registrar. In order to turn the transfer lock function off, you must have access to the administrative email address you used when first registering the domain. Your current registrar will send an email to this account that will require a reply from you, confirming that the transfer is authorized. If you do not have access to this email address, contact customer support for help. You can do a WHOIS search to find the administrative email and the current registrar for the domain. See How do I do a WHOIS search? for more information.
NOTE: All DNS changes take up to 48 hours to take effect. During this time you can check your website by using the test URL (i.e. www.yourdomain.com.websitetestlink.com).For a Site Already in Your Control Panel
- Log in to the Rackspace Cloud Control Panel
- Navigate to Hosting->Cloud Sites
- Click the domain you wish to transfer
- Click the DNS Tab
- Click Transfer Domain
- Review the Order Screen and Click Finish
This concludes How to Register Your Domain and Domain Transfers. If at any point you need additional assistance, please contact Support and a Fanatical Racker will answer any questions you may have.
In the next article, we'll discuss DNS record managment for your Rackspace Cloud Sites.
Carry on the conversation in the Rackspace Community.
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Except where otherwise noted, content on this site is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License
See license specifics and DISCLAIMER


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The woman who gave Bulls center Joakim Noah the middle finger as he left the court Wednesday night has been identified as Filomena Tobias. / Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports
View the full article on USATODAY.com.
Copyright 2015 USATODAY.com
Read the original story: Woman who gave Joakim Noah the finger has a very interesting history


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They say they don't, and I hope that's true. When a company has more than a couple of employees, they can do work internally. The real question that was often brought up by Jobs was whether marketing surveys, etc would tell you what you needed to know, and his conclusion was that they didn't.
Apple's success in the past ten years has been that Jobs and a few others decided on what THEY would want to use, and figured that if they wanted it, then others might as well. As the people in Apple are interested in the areas in question at least as much as the average person, that assumption has proven to be correct.
We see a lot of stuff online that says that there is a certain amount of "interest" in a product, usually quoting some percentage. But interest doesn't translate into sales. At least, not directly.


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Interested in seeing what the Horde mount is? It is the Kron'Kar Annihilator (a scorpion), and you can see a video of it after the jump!
So after seeing both mounts, which one would you rather have? That question is assuming that you're not in any way faction-biased. Personally, I think the scorpion looks really cool. I wouldn't mind riding a lion around either, though.
[via MMO Champion and Curse]
World of Warcraft: Cataclysm will destroy Azeroth as we know it; nothing will be the same! In WoW Insider's Guide to Cataclysm, you can find out everything you need to know about WoW's third expansion, from brand new races to revamped quests and zones. Visit our Cataclysm news category for the most recent posts having to do with the Cataclysm expansion.


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Helpful Notes:
Maximum single blind width is 72".Blinds under 13" will have center tilt only. Your blind will not be able to be raised or lowered.Hold Down brackets are only available with Outside mount blinds.
Welcome to Blinds.com
For a better mobile experience, try our mobile optimized website. You can always come back to the desktop experience whenever you'd like!


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Published: Tuesday, January 22, 2013, 12:01 a.m.
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