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Sajal K. Das received B.S. degree (1983) from Calcutta University, M.S. degree (1984) from Indian Institute of Science, and Ph.D. degree (1988) from University of Central Florida, all in Computer Science.
Dr. Das is a Distinguished Scholar Professor of Computer Science and Engineering, and the Founding Director of the Center for Research in Wireless Mobility and Networking at the University of Texas at Arlington. He is currently a Program Director at the National Science Foundation.
His current research interests include wireless and sensor networks, mobile and ubiquitous computing, biological networks, and applied game theory. He has published 5 patents, 411 articles, 2 books, and 35 book chapters.
Dr. Das has graduated 28 Ph.D., 26 M.S., and 5 B.S. honors students. He is a recipient of the Lockheed Martin Teaching Excellence Award (2009), IEEE Region 5 Outstanding Engineering Educator Award (2008), IEEE Ft-Worth Section Engineer of the Year Award (2007), UTA Academy of Distinguished Scholars Award (2006), University Award for Distinguished Record of Research (2005), Engineering Research Excellence Award (2003), and Outstanding Computer Science Faculty Award (2001). During 1988-99 he was a faculty member at the University of North Texas where he twice received the Student Association Honor Professor Award.
Dr. Das is the editor-in-chief of Elsevier's Pervasive and Mobile Computing journal, and Associate Editor of the IEEE Transactions on Mobile Computing and IEEE Transactions on Parallel and Distributed Systems. He is also founder of IEEE WoWMoM and PerCom conferences. He served as Vice Chair of the IEEE Computer Society's Technical Committees on Parallel Processing and Computer Communications. Dr. Das is a senior member of the IEEE.
2009 Technical Achievement Award
"For pioneering contributions to Sensor Networks."
Learn more about the Technical Achievement Award


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Rosario Dawson Waves At Fans Wearing Revealing Dress in LA
Rosario Dawson waved at fans at the premiere for Seven Pounds in Los Angeles. Dawson smiled and signed autographs for fans as she showed off her cleavage in a one shoulder dress as she hit the red carpet in Westwood LA. Pictures dated 16th December 2008.
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subset: commoncrawl


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DNA Overlaps Among Cousins
I'm having to write this out because my brain is just not processing it and I need to see it- if anyone reads this and has a suggestion, PLEASE comment below or contact me.
Soo.. my mom's predicted second cousin, a descendant of Christian Klein and Gertrude Knopp is also related to a couple of my mom's more distant (projected 3rd-5th) cousins. They just so happen to have an ancestor with the name Gertrude Knopp. Coincidence?
1. It's not the same Gertrude Knopp.
2. Gertrude Knopp, 2nd cousin's ancestor, was born in 1836 in Germany and died in 1899 in Texas. Based on other family trees, her parents were Peter Knopp (1808) and Margaretha Segner (1815) – this is the info I'm trying to verify. I've seen trees with Margaretha's mom's maiden name as Knopp as well.
3. Gertrude Knopp, 3rd to 5th cousin's ancestor, was born around 1834-1836 in Germany and died in 1874 in Minnesota. Based on census records, I think her mother's name was Margaret (maiden name unknown) and born around 1807 in Germany. She died in 1892 in Minnesota.
So 2nd cousin is related to 3rd-5th cousin – they are probably 3rd-4th cousins. Did that confuse you? ha – I'm trying to respect their privacy by not mentioning names 🙂 When I run comparisons, my mom's DNA overlaps in completely different places. I assumed, the connection would be through the Knopp line but if there is no common overlap in DNA, is it possible?
Is it possible but unusual?
Or – could I be looking at the wrong ancestors of 2nd cousin – I ruled out one line completely – but this 2nd cousin does have 2 sets of great grandparents (besides the ones I've ruled out).
There is another 3rd-5th cousin that has not responded to my invitation to share on 23andMe. In his very limited profile, he has listed Minnesota in family locations and Knopp as a surname. I wish to know if he is related to these cousins of mine and my mom's.
I have had lots of people respond recently.. still no response from my mom's closest match. 🙁
But, I am overloaded with the amount of family names I'm looking into. I've also connected with an X-match (3rd to 6th cousin) whose ancestors are from Germany and settled in Gillespie County, Texas. Family names Pehl and Stein – (his great great great grandparents).
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I had to search my matches for knopp lol It's that bad for me. I wish I could help your search but I'm too confused with even my own. i'm really new to DNA testing. I loved this post though as it's the thought process that I relate to 🙂
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I have been hearing some noise about CBC's Canada: The Story of Us, and to be honest, I was excited. I always fall for these milestone events—be they the Olympics or major moments with the Royal Family—and Canada's 150th falls into this category. I also completely understand why Canada 150 touches a nerve and, depending upon my frame of mind at the moment, it touches mine at times too. However, as an eternal optimist, I always hope these events can lead to an opportunity for bridge-building rather than more walls erected.
And it is clear from the very first moment that this a politically-motivated series with an opening statement by Prime Minister Trudeau. It is a statement that needs to be made, but I question the need for it here. His message: that we as Canadians do have a "dark past that we are only just coming to understand as we move forward into a new chapter that is the story of us."
And so it goes. "We are explorers, and risk takers, dreamers and fighting the odds in a land of extremes." Go us!
The first episode is entitled "Worlds Collide," and it very carefully walks the delicate line that currently exists between cultures as we begin—although I find the position of "beginning" questionable—a chronological journey through Canada's history with the story of Samuel du Champlain and the Beaver Wars. Now I say "story" intentionally. Much of the grittier detail is elided over in this retelling, obviously for time's sake. But throughout, I felt this was all sugar-coated; re-enactments enhanced by CGI imagery. Toss in the many celebrities liberally peppered throughout with the odd historian, like John English, Ph.D., History of Trinity College and you have the "opening chapter" of Canada: The Story of Us with the establishment of New France.
The first episode also describes the process by which France promotes population growth in New France: Filles du Roi—Daughters of the King—women sent over by France to propagate and make the new colony viable, the birth of the Hudson's Bay Company and the Battle of Quebec in 1759.
Episode 2 "Hunting Treasures" airing next Sunday, suggests the epic quest for treasures: our natural resources. Our country was not begun by a settler society but rather a mercantile society. The entrepreneurial spirit is strong and is what motivated the quest to conquer a landscape wrought with so many challenges.
First, we learn the history of St. John, New Brunswick, featuring the story of William Hazen, an American who has come north to escape the War of Independence and make his fortune in the wood trade.
Next, the series tackles the complexities that influenced the competition between the Hudson's Bay Company and The North West Company in their quest for dominance and monetary gain. Enmeshed in this competition was the importance of horses and buffalo, and the alliances between Indigenous tribes and their unique connection to the land, all of which presented challenges that needed to be overcome. The abundance of resources created a mindset that ofttimes persists today: resources are to be entirely exploited until they are virtually extinct.
The story of Mathew Bell is the next story to unfold. Bell is a man from Britain who sets the course for industrialization in Lower Canada, and made Canadian winters bearable with his creation of the "Canada Stove." This innovation also made Les Forges Saint- Maurice the first company able to guarantee his employees a year-round wage and set a precedent for company towns that would continue to spring up across the country like Hamilton, Ont., and Fort McMurray, Alberta. We learn a bit about Chief Maquinna of Nootka Sound in present-day B.C., and his influence on the north-west fur trade and current diplomacy for which Canada is renown.
We close with the retelling of Sir Alexander Mackenzie's passage across the Rockies in order to bring The North West Co. to that coast, uniting the fur trade across the continent.
To be perfectly frank, after Episode 1, I was not at all impressed and delayed settling in to watch Episode 2 for the purposes of this review. I was also disappointed that The Story of Us, basically began with the traditional Discovery Story, the way our textbooks have always treated the history of Canada. Understandably there is more documentation regarding the history of Canada post contact, yet still at this time when we are working toward reconciliation, it would have been nice to have more than 45 seconds devoted to the 12+ thousands of years before Samuel du Champlain's arrival.
However, I found next week's instalment much more engaging and I am looking forward to seeing what Episode 3 will bring. It didn't hurt that "Hunting Treasures" closed with Peter Mansbridge evoking some patriotism the way only he can, with his closing statement: "Our natural resources will always be incredibly important, but don't kid yourself … it is our people, Canadians, that are our greatest resource." You don't have to tell me, I am well aware I am a sucker for this stuff!
Overall, the cinematography is stunning. The use of CGI was a bit overdone in my opinion. I am not a huge fan of re-enactments but these were well done. I wish, as a student, when I was forced to learn Canadian history I had Canada: The Story of Us to watch. It is far more entertaining and engaging than the dry textbooks we had to study. By no means does this cover all of the details, but as a tool for educators, it would be a worthy device to introduce segments of our history to students. Parents, sit down with your school-aged children and watch. Some events will be very familiar while others may be a pleasant surprise.
Canada: The Story of Us airs Sundays at 9 p.m. on CBC.


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"For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place and you and your father's house will perish. And who knows whether you have not attained royalty for such a time as this?"Esther 4:14(NASB)
The book of Esther commands a unique perspective on Israel's history, taking a peep behind the scenes of the Persian monarchy and giving insight into a particular historical event that is not mentioned elsewhere in the Scriptures - but which gave rise the Jews feast of Purim.
Throughout their history Israel has been viciously attacked by the rest of the world - a satanically orchestrated plan to prevent God from fulfilling His plans to redeem mankind. They are unknowingly in defiance against God and being used as Satan's pawns to wipe out God's chosen people. And yet it is through Israel that all the families of the earth are blessed.. because Jesus - God's only begotten Son, is the promised Jewish Messiah.. Who was sent to save His people from their sin and Whose death, burial and resurrection paid the price for the sin of the world - for whosoever would believe on His name.
The turn of events that brought Esther, a young Jewess, into the position of queen of Persia, could only have been orchestrated by God Himself. And it was through her intervention at this critical time in their history that the nation, through whom was given the holy Scriptures, was saved from total annihilation.
Her uncle, Mordecai, had uncovered a plot to exterminate the entire Jewish race and he instructed Esther to intervene on behalf of her people. Her initial hesitation was natural.. for anyone, including the queen herself, who approached the great king Xerxes uninvited, risked execution - unless the king graciously extended his scepter towards the uninvited 'guest.
Mordecai challenged her with words that Jews and Christians down through the centuries have often rehearsed in the ears of those who are called upon to carry out a particularly difficult or dangerous task.. in order to forward God's plans and purposes - for who knows whether you have not attained royalty for such a time as this? - Who know whether or not you have been placed in this particular position for this very purpose?
Sometimes God will indeed place a man or woman into a particular place or bring them into a peculiar set of circumstances in order to carry out a distinct task.. to speak a particular word or fulfil a certain challenge. God often graciously uses His people to carry out distinct tasks or challenges, in order to fulfil His perfect plans and purposes, which cannot fail.
But if we are unwilling to take up the gauntlet, God will carry out His initiative through another willing servant or use an alternative course, in order to complete His plan of redemption. Indeed Esther herself was given such a warning that if she acted selfishly and tried to save her own skin, because of her royal status.. her wealth, power and position would hold no security for her. Indeed she was warned - if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place.. but at what a cost. Esther would have lost an opportunity to be used by God in His unfolding plan of redemption..
As believers we are all God's servants and each one has been planted in a place of God's choosing.. to be used by Him as He forwards His redemptive plan. In an amazing way each one of us could be challenged with the words: who know whether or not you have been placed in this particular position for a time such as this? We may not be called upon to act as regent to a great and mighty king, like Esther.. but each one of us can be used by God to minister.. to a lost neighbour, a prodigal son, a straying daughter, a sick relative, a local catastrophe - a hurting heart.
Let us be ready and willing like queen Esther to carry out the work that God has prepared for us to do, even when the task seems difficult, dangerous or daunting - for who knows whether or not you have been placed in this particular position - to pay a little part in the history of man's redemption.
Heavenly Father, thank You for the example of queen Esther who was prepared to stand up for what is good and righteous, despite the possible dangers, embarrassment or repercussions. Help us to do what is righteous in Your eyes and to listen to the promptings of the Holy Spirit - so that we do not miss an opportunity to be used by You in the service to others - to Your praise and glory, in Jesus name I pray, AMEN.
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OpenGov Conversations: Alexander Furnas on Creating Effective Transparency Policies
This post is part of our series, OpenGov Conversations, an ongoing discourse featuring contributions from transparency and accountability researchers and practitioners around the world.
This post, by Sunlight Foundation Research Fellow Alexander Furnas, responds to the following questions:
What are the three most important conditions that make transparency policies effective? And must these conditions precede effective transparency interventions, or can transparency policies actually positively bring about these conditions? Read the other responses here.
Change is hard, and slow in coming. As Weber famously said, "Politics is a strong and slow boring of hard boards." When things do change, they change for a reason. They key for us is figuring out why, and what role transparency plays in that process. The theory of change that I subscribe to is one in which outcomes change when incentives change for key stakeholders. In this light, we must evaluate transparency against its ability to alter the incentives for actors within a system.
This happens in a couple of ways: either through formal/legal or informal/norm-based mechanisms. Formal/legal mechanisms change incentives when the rule of law is strong and there are strenuously enforced anti-corruption and accountability laws that have tangible sanctions. These sanctions must be large enough to alter the self-preservation calculus of political actors despite the low probability of detection (this is essentially Bentham's take on punishment). However, many, if not most, transparency interventions rely on informal/ norm-based mechanisms. These mechanisms – often referred to as 'naming and shaming' – involve exposing wrongdoing, and relying on pressure from the public, watchdogs, NGOs, activists and the media to enforce good-governance norms. Fundamentally, this often translates to electoral pressure as the enforcement mechanism, although certainly public norms also serve as an important bulwark to the existing legal channels.
Transparency is used to help address a range of problems, from service provisioning to undue political influence. I think various features of the issue to which transparency is being applied can make the path to changing incentives significantly easier or harder. When it comes to activating the public (and triggering informal enforcement mechanisms), various features of an issue are likely to matter a great deal. We can imagine a set of (related) related dimensions along which a particular issue area might vary (shown below). My expectation (one which my colleague Lee Drutman wrote some about here), is that the farther an issue is to the left on these various scales, the more suitable and successful a transparency intervention will be. The farther to the right, the more difficult the path to success.
Salient (Cognitive immediacy)
Resource Driven
Simply corrupted (e.g. bribes)
High Traceability (causal path)
Hard to Measurable
Idea Driven
Complexly corrupted (e.g. undue influence)
Low Traceability
Public engagement based enforcement mechanisms are likely to work better when infractions are concrete, measurable, and have a direct effect on people's lives that they can appreciate and understand. For example, far to the left on many of these dimensions, we might find things service level provisioning like seeclickfix, or direct and salient corruption reporting like ipaidabribe. If people routinely get squeezed to pay a bribe, or the roads are falling apart, they feel it. Conversely we expect this to be harder for issues which are abstract, complex, and without clear causality. The notion of undue influence by corporations over regulatory processes, for example, might be near the other end of these scales.
The notion that the ease of activating norm-based mechanisms is likely to vary considerably across the issue space usefully focuses our question about preconditions: How does context interact with issue space dimensions in ways that make triggering public engagement and public norm-based enforcement mechanisms easier or harder? Contexts that are likely to be helpful are ones which raise public tolerance for — and interest in engaging in — issues farther to the right of the issue space scales. Alternately, they are contexts that make it easier to shift the public perception of an issue towards the left side of the scales. The more favorable the contextual factors, the more it will be possible to bring transparency to bear on 'difficult' issues.
Economic development
This factor, essentially, is a stand-in for a range of highly correlated positive attributes. There is a rich body of economic and political science literature on the material determinants of democracy that I expect is highly relevant to any discussion of conditions conducive to transparency effectiveness. Researchers have found that "increases in various measures of the standard of living forecast a gradual rise in democracy. In contrast, democracies that arise without prior economic development … tend not to last."(Barro, 1999) Endogeneity is a notoriously difficult problem here, particularly because the sample of countries is so small; it is unclear the extent to which democracy breeds economic development, economic development helps lead to democracy or some third lurking factor (history, culture, geography etc.) that causes one tends to cause the other as well (Acemoglu, Johnson, Robinson & Yared, 2008). What we do know is that all sorts of positive human development factors tend to be highly correlated.
I expect, specifically, that broad-based economic development, where wealth distribution is fairly equitable is more favorable to effective transparency than high-inequality growth. The norm-based enforcement discussed above requires broad public engagement. This means a literate and politically active populace, with enough leisure time to expend energy on the heady work of civic life. The larger the percentage of the population that can engage in this way the better.
Growth itself, rather than an absolute level of development, may be a key triggering factor here as well. As Samuel Huntington noted in Political Order in Changing Societies, when economic freedoms and opportunities begin to expand a populace's political aspirations and demands tend to increase in tandem. Although Huntington highlights instability concerns, this can be thought of as a virtuous cycle where the growth of opportunity begets further good governance aspirations.
Civil Society Maturity
There are two facets of civil society that I think are particularly illustrative as we think through when transparency interventions are most likely to affect change. The first is civil society's role as information processing intermediaries. The second is the ability of civil society organizations to help represent diffuse interests.
On the first count, well resourced civil societies (this is related to the level of economic development as well, because it requires high human capital labor) can engage in research and analysis of complex, distant and abstract issues. Civil society organizations can engage with topics which fall in the 'difficult' region of the issue space. The output of their work, including fact-sheets, score-cards, and advocacy materials can help simplify these complex materials. By filtering, packaging and redistributing information about complex issues, civil society organizations shift the public perception of those issues – making them more concrete and salient. This increases the effectiveness of norm-based enforcement mechanisms.
The second important feature here is civil society's role addressing the power imbalance between diffuse vs. concentrated interests. Corruption can be thought of as capture of concentrated benefits (by the recipient of a sweetheart deal, or a politician receiving a bribe) at the expense of diffuse costs borne by the public at large, in the form of inefficient, wasteful and illegitimate governance. The economic thinking on collective action (Mancur Olsen etc.) advises that unless those facing the diffuse costs can organize to advocate together effectively, we should expect concentrated interest groups to prevail, as they have the stronger incentive to push for their favored outcome.
Arnold (1992), in the context of legislative action, argues that there are two types of publics – attentive ones and inattentive ones. Attentive publics, are those who are highly motivated and have a lot of skin in the game; for them, benefits are quite concentrated. Such a 'public' might be anything from an industry seeking undue influence and legislative capture or a firm providing kickbacks for a no-bid contract. Inattentive publics tend to be those who bear the diffuse costs. For any individual member, the impact is comparatively small, and so they find organizing in opposition less pressing than other matters.
The hope, then, in curtailing such capture, is in 'activating' these dormant publics, and flipping them from inattentive to attentive. This requires public education, community organizing and significant activism. Essentially, publics can be activated when they begin to view an issue as salient. Raising peoples' estimation of the real costs and impacts of corruption, for example, can change how they allocate their attention and increase the benefit they see in organizing as a group. But the work of activating an inattentive public is one not easily undertaken.
A civil sector, with a broad base of support, existing community networks and relationships and proven skills in advocacy and awareness campaigns are well positioned to do this work. The more depth in the civil sector roster exists on the ground, the more that diffuse interests are represented, and the more that they push public perception of difficult issues into a simpler portion of the issue space, the more effective I would expect a transparency intervention to be.
Support for transparency and good governance within the government
Above I have discussed the importance of public participation in enforcing good governance norms. But engagement is a two way street. Buy-in to transparency interventions on behalf of the populace requires, to some degree, buy in on behalf of those in the government as well. People want to feel like the things they spend their time and energy on matter and make a difference. When this is not the case, it is easier to fall back into a place of "rational ignorance" (Downs, 1957). When the government signals support for transparency policies, and responds to (and applauds) reports of abuse uncovered by disclosure regimes, it encourages citizens and watchdogs to keep up the good work. Indeed, a piece of work I did a few years ago analyzing a handful of citizen participation mechanisms indicated that citizens don't tend to take these platforms seriously unless it is clear that governments take them seriously too. Put another way, the demand (from citizens) for engagement opportunities and accountability practices, is deeply linked to the state-side supply.
"On the state (or supply) side of the relationship, key factors include: a) the level of democratization or space for accountability demands to be made; b) the degree of 'political will' or support from the inside for accountability and transparency demands and initiatives; c) the broader political economy, including enabling legal frameworks, incentives and sanctions which affect the behaviors of public official" (Transparency and Accountability Initiative 2010)
In addition to the "supply creates demand" kind of logic of civic engagement (this is far closer Say's Law than anything I would be willing to argue about other kinds of markets), political will for transparency to succeed also bolsters legal enforcement regimes.
Each transparency intervention will be aided or hampered by different aspects of its context. In some cases the structure of a governmental institution might matter more, while in others a the role of an opposition political party might be critical. Transparency policies need to be deeply aware of these contexts to be effective. But the factors noted above, I think, are fundamental ones. In all cases I can think of, broad-based development, a civil sector that represents diffuse interests, and political will behind transparency within government will make transparency a more useful and effective tool.
Acemoglu, Daron, Simon Johnson, James Robinson, and Pierre Yared. Income and democracy. No. w11205. National Bureau of Economic Research, 2005.
Arnold, R. Douglas. The logic of congressional action. Yale University Press, 1992.
Barro, Robert J. "Determinants of democracy." Journal of Political economy107, no. S6 (1999): S158-S183.
Downs, Anthony. "An economic theory of democracy." (1957): 260-276.
Furnas, Alexander Charles, "e-Pluribus Unum: Direct Democracy through Peer Production" (2011). Honors Theses – All. Paper 689. Available
McGee, Rosemary, John Gaventa. "Synthesis Report: review of impact and effectiveness of transparency and accountability initiatives." Transparency and Accountability Initiative, 2010.


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Guideleines to Selecting The Best Chevrolet Dealer
Chevrolet is one of the companies that provide the best cars that you can find in the market. With Chevrolet you have one of the best performing vehicles on the road. Other than having very advanced features, it is one of the vehicles that are sold at a very completive price. Choosing a Chevy is a step in the right direction in making a successful move in buying motor vehicles. It gives a great experience in vehicles. If that is the kind of car that you want to buy, you must then make sure you buy from the best dealer. You have to make sure you follow these tips to give you an idea of choosing the best dealer.
You begin by checking the preview online. Most Chevrolet dealers are visible online. You may have to think twice when you find that the dealer you are thinking of is not present online. Learn from dealer's website as much as you can how they do their business. Look up about all the information about dealership policies and financing. With all the information with you make your choice will not be difficult.
You should also make sure that you examine all the fianc? options. If you get the best dealer you will also find that they have a variety of financing options. With the right dealer you can be sure to get various financing options to help make the vehicle accessible. The dealers does all that is within their ability to ensure the customer gets the best financing company. When you get the right dealer, you will have one of the best vehicles on the market and at the same time you will have a financier who will help in purchasing it.
You also should think about reading reviews for different dealers. If you want to know the kind of service you will get from your dealer, is to understand what others saying. By reading what other customers are saying about their experience with the dealer, you can tell what o expect from the dealers. Through the reviews you can determine whether the dealer has a bad reputation or not. When you get a reputable dealer, most of the reviews will be from customers who are happy with their services.
If you want to buy your car from a local dealer, make sure you listen to word of mouth. By asking your friends, you can find some who have dealt with the local dealer, and they can tell you their experience. Look for a dealer with professional customer service. A professional customer service provider cannot promise beyond what they can deliver. The best customer service provider will make sure that they can avail their services to their customers when they need them most.
Finding Ways To Keep Up With Autos


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WHAT IT TAKES….In the New York Times today, conventional wisdom guru Mark Halperin says that he's finally learned his lesson: he now believes that political reporters should spend less time covering campaign horserace trivia and more time covering the candidates' actual qualifications to run the United States. Halperin's road to Damascus moment has already been thoroughly mocked throughout the blogosphere this morning, so I'll refrain from adding to the bonfire. But I am curious about his explanation for two decades of merciless campaign gossipmongering:
More than any other book, Richard Ben Cramer's "What It Takes," about the 1988 battle for the White House, influenced the way I cover campaigns.
I'm not alone. The book's thesis — that prospective presidents are best evaluated by their ability to survive the grueling quadrennial coast-to-coast test of endurance required to win the office — has shaped the universe of political coverage.
I've never read Cramer's book (though several people have recommended it), but it sure sounds strikingly familiar. Teddy White's famous "Making of the Presidency" books, starting in 1960, were all narrative tick tocks that emphasized the grueling nature of modern campaigns and their obsessive focus on strategizing and press relations. Joe McGinniss's 1968 The Selling of the Presidency was all about the Nixon campaign's marketing strategy. Even quintessential outsider Hunter S. Thompson, in his 1972 dispatches for Rolling Stone (later collected in Fear and Loathing: On the Campaign Trail '72), mostly spotlighted personalities and campaign minutiae.
These were all tremendously influential books long before Cramer wrote What It Takes. And while Cramer might have taken personality-based campaign reporting further than anyone had taken it before, my (imperfect) memory of day-to-day campaign reporting from 1976 on suggests that suprisingly little has changed in the past three decades. Daily campaign coverage in every race I can remember has mostly been about polls, personalities, campaign strategies, speeches, debate performances, the expectations game, and the all important horserace. Today's coverage may be more intense and even more personality driven than in the past, but it's a matter of degree, not substance.
So what's really changed? The coverage itself seems to have evolved, but it hasn't morphed into something entirely new. Perhaps it's this: in the older books, the fact that presidential candidates had to survive an ungodly gauntlet of scrutiny and rubber chicken banquets was reported as a fact of life, but it was (again, to my recollection) mostly reported as an unfortunate fact of life. As in, "How unfortunate that some of the people best suited to be president will never have a chance because they aren't suited to the preposterous rigors of modern campaigning." Maybe after 20 years of this, Cramer provided the press for the first time with a rationalization for its part in this destruction test: don't think of it as unfortunate, think of it as necessary. By making a mountain out of every molehill, reporters are actually providing a stern test that eliminates weaklings who shouldn't be trusted to have their fingers on the button.
Perhaps. But regardless of whether this is true, it's merely a rationalization. Contemporary campaigns may be even more grueling than they were a few decades ago — thanks to modern technology, longer primary seasons, and a bigger press corps — but I doubt that What It Takes is really reponsible for the media's current fascination with personality and horserace journalism. That's always been there.
And the reason for this is pretty simple, too: campaigns are boring. When you cover a candidate every day for months on end, listening to interchangeable stump speeches hundreds of times and being bustled around like cattle to anonymous coffee klatsches and flesh pressing events 16 hours a day, you're going to seize on almost anything to break the monotony. The candidates mostly won't talk to you, after all, and there are only so many times you can write 3,000-word thumbsuckers comparing the various healthcare plans on offer. What's more, the code of objectivity in American journalism actively prevents reporters from writing about whether the various nominees "have what it takes to fill the most difficult job in the world." That would be too much like taking sides. Unless and until that changes, they'll continue to relieve their boredom by writing about supposedly more neutral topics like polls, insider strategy, and what "many people" are saying.
So while it's nice to see Halperin's mea culpa, I think I'll wait to see if he actually changes the way he covers this year's campaign. And then we'll see if anyone follows suit. My take: since modern press coverage is not a result of the individual foibles of modern campaign reporters, but is rather a natural response to the realities of modern campaigning and the modern media environment, the respective odds are slim and none.


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Teen helps adoptable dogs stand out with handmade bow ties
Originally Published: 03 APR 21 02:03 ET
By Sydney N. Walton, CNN
(CNN) -- It started four years ago with a small donation.
Darius Brown dropped off about 25 handmade bow ties at New York City's ASPCA animal shelter. Hundreds of displaced dogs and cats made their way up north to this shelter following Hurricane Irma, hoping to get adopted and find a new forever home. Brown wanted to give back in some way, so he made pet-sized bow ties that the animals could wear to make them stand out to potential adopters.
"I thought to myself, 'Who wouldn't love a dog in a bow tie?'" Brown told CNN as he reflected on his journey as a pet haberdasher.
He recalled being eight years old when he started learning how to sew bow ties. He credits his older sister, Dazhai Brown, with being the person who inspired him to start sewing in the first place.
"My sister is like a second mom to me," Brown said. "And growing up, pretty much anything she wanted to do, I wanted to do."
Dazhai, a cosmetology student at the time, would make hair bows for her clients. Darius saw her making the hair bows and asked if he could help. Together, they constructed a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle-themed bow tie for him. He was so happy with the result that he continued to help his sister, eventually learning how to make bow ties on his own.
"We had Darius start off by just helping me cut the fabric," she explained, stating that despite his ambitious attitude, his family was initially reluctant to let him help.
Darius was diagnosed with a speech and fine motor skills disorder at a young age. His mother, Joy Brown, explained how he had a challenging time doing tasks that people might take for granted, such as tying his shoes.
"Because of this I felt like it would be better to wait," Joy said. "But I never wanted him to feel like he was different, so eventually, I got him some safety scissors and he got to work."
Joy says that sewing helped Darius overcome the challenges that he faced. "And now he does amazing work with the sewing machine," she continued.
Darius' bow tie donation to the ASPCA quickly caught the attention of many pet shelters across the country and around the world. He began spending his free time at the sewing machine, fulfilling the growing number of bow tie donation requests. He's even started his own dog bow tie business called Beaux and Paws.
His work also caught the attention of former President Barack Obama, who sent Darius a letter in the mail, thanking him for his community service.
"I was in awe when I got the letter," Darius said as he recalled how it left him speechless. "It was amazing and it really inspired me to keep going," he said.
The 14-year-old explained how he's made and donated over 600 bow ties over the past four years. His family constantly praises him for his dedication to his craft.
"It can be stressful at times," Darius admitted. "I always think about how many dogs I can help get adopted." He thinks about how some shelter dogs that don't get adopted can possibly get euthanized.
Darius explained how it hurt when he first found out. "I thought about how if a person was in a foster home for too long, they wouldn't get euthanized," Darius continued. "But dogs that stay in a shelter too long can?"
The positive reaction from all of the shelters along with the letter from the former President inspired Darius to come up with a new goal for himself: donate bow ties to an animal shelter in every state. He's made it to DC, and eight states so far, including Pennsylvania, Virginia and Illinois.
Despite Darius' immense love for dogs, pet restrictions won't allow his family to have a dog at their apartment complex. "But if I could have any dog that I wanted, I would get a Pomeranian, a Golden Retriever, or a Dachshund."
The young entrepreneur wants to continue to expand Beaux and Paws and create a clothing line for dogs one day.
With high school right around the corner, Darius is beyond excited for what the future holds. He's recently been accepted into Choate Rosemary Hall and The Lawrenceville School. His family expressed how proud they are of him and everything he's accomplished so far.
"He just works so hard in everything he does," said Dazhai, a current student at Howard University. "I truly want everything for Darius."
"It just makes me proud to know that he was able to develop this passion and this skill," Joy said. "And now he uses it to help others."
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Today's entry was inspired by an article I found on Twitter, which called into question the use of self-help books. The comment that most caught my eye was, "Advice is autobiographical," which made me start to evaluate this blog and my long-overdue-to-be-finished book based on it. (I know, I know, I'll get it finished eventually.) Read on for where this article took me.
"Easy for You to Say!"
I know people read this blog because I hear from them via the comments or direct email occasionally. What struck me as I read the article was the fact that no one, to my recollection, has come back to me and said, "Wow, that advice really worked for me, thank you!" There might be any number of reasons for that, from being too busy to forgetting where you got an idea to…well, not finding the advice particularly useful or profitable.
Side Note: One thing that elusive book of mine will not do is promise that the reader will become rich or successful by following five easy steps or whatever. I'm not nearly so arrogant. On a related note, it's occurred to me that a lot of people writing career advice books tend to be people who are working on the lecture circuit–think Tony Robbins–as if the path to success and riches involves simply writing a book and getting invited to speak at corporate conferences. That is not my plan, nor would I advocate it.
The comment about advice being autobiographical made me consider the lack of positive responses a little more carefully. Why might people not find my advice useful?
Sometimes it comes down to that difference in autobiographies: "It's easy for you to suggest X. You're a single/40-something/middle-class/heterosexual/white male with no kids!" Or, if you're a regular reader of this blog, you might have those thoughts plus others: "It's easy for you to suggest that I do X. You've worked at Disney/Department of Defense/NASA. You've got an extensive network. You worked in the corporate world before you became a freelancer. You grew up in a different economy from me." Et cetera.
I'd like to think my advice is somewhat universal for technical writing students or professionals, but obviously that is not always the case. Differences in background, experience, temperament, interests, and abilities can slant my advice in a direction that doesn't always work or make sense for you. (I recall my Business Writing 300 class at University of Alabama-Huntsville griping, "We don't all want to be professional writers!")
Likewise, I have an acquaintance who finds my mild-mannered, try-to-get-along-with-everyone attitude irritating. Your personality might differ from mine.
I'm also not the person to come to for advice on handling your personal affairs; I'm here to talk business. Indeed, I'm single again in part because of an argument over different perceptions of "work-life balance," so I'm definitely not the one to come to for handling your romantic life. And really, if you have a question of a personal nature that is not work-related, you should take some advice I've offered previously and seek help from professionals or your personal support network. See? That was useful.
Needless to say, I don't expect all of you to accept all of my advice on everything.
Given That, Why Should You Listen to Me?
I submit that differences in one's personal stories should not preclude me or anyone else from offering useful advice.
Another person's differing background or "slant" on reality can offer you insights you might not have experienced or considered before. Ever read stories (fictional or biographical) about people who have nothing in common with you? Why? Could it be because you're curious about other people, what they do, and how they think?
Also, despite any differences in background, experience, or any of the rest, I still submit that many of the following actions and behaviors I advocate will serve you well in your technical communications career:
- Produce the best work you can.
- Learn what you're writing about.
- Try to get along with all the people you work with.
- Maintain contact with your network to expand your range of friends and, potentially, business opportunities.
- Find out what is required to get you the job/career you want and then do those things (or as many of them as you can), operating on the belief that you can do what you want to do.
Many of these pieces of advice were things that were told to me by authors and acquaintances with differing backgrounds, so you never know what you'll learn where.


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Haunted Trails
Ever heard of Haunted Trails? If not, take a look! If so, take a walk down memory lane.
January 11, 2008
Haunted Trails
Has anyone heard of or been to a place called Haunted Trails? If not, come and take a look! If so, take a walk down memory lane. I took a walk down memory lane on Monday, December 31, 2007 when my family and I went to Haunted Trails in Joliet, Illinois. I had not been to Haunted Trails in many months, and it felt good to play the games and eat their delicious pizza once again.
What is this Haunted Trails place?
The Haunted Trails of Joliet, Illinois is one of the three Trails Family Entertainment Centers in Chicagoland. There is also a Haunted Trails in Burbank, Illinois and the Enchanted Castle in Lombard, Illinois that the Trails Family Entertainment Centers Company owns. It is somewhat like Chuck E. Cheese's, where people play different arcade games for tickets so they can trade them in for prizes (those types of games are called redemption games). Also, there is delicious, cheesy pizza to be devoured by young hungry mouths. It is a great place for younger and older kids, and my Dad.
Here is what the Haunted Trails website, http://www.enchanted.com/amusementsJoliet.html, says about the Haunted Trails in Joliet:
Haunted Trails in Joliet is one of three Chicagoland family entertainment centers comprising the Trails Entertainment Center Corporation. It began as a small arcade and miniature golf facility in 1988, evolving into today's 14 acre indoor-outdoor complex accommodating group events for up to 2,000 guests. Attractions include two 18 hole miniature golf courses, 3 go kart tracks, batting cages, indoor and outdoor rides, games, a restaurant and party room with seating for 325 guests, laser tag, 100s of games including a nickel arcade and a 5 acre picnic grove for corporate and large group events.
Upon visiting Haunted Trails you will view a collection of games so new, they may not be available anywhere else. Rich Oltmann, its owner, designs and manufactures games sold throughout the world. Other manufacturers, from around the world, bring games, for testing and evaluation, to Oltmann, often referred to the "Guru of Games".
Birthday party and group packages offer savings of up to 50% off retail prices. Although the facility is open year round, the outdoor attractions are closed between Nov.1 and April.
This is a picture of Rich Oltmann off the Haunted Trails Website:
My Memories of Haunted Trails:
My family and I have been going to the Haunted Trails in Joliet for many years, since I was around 7 years old. I remember the first time I went there. I was in second grade, and a classmate told me about the Power Ranger pencil toppers that he won at Haunted Trails. I watched Power Rangers in second grade and I was obsessed by it (to the point where I thought my second grade teacher, who looked like Rita on Power Rangers, was an alien), so his pencil toppers intrigued me. I asked my father if our family could go to Haunted Trails to win the pencil toppers. He consented, and my father, mother, and I went to Haunted Trails that night. There were two buildings. I saw a big building (which I later found out was the big game room and restaurant) and a smaller Nickel Arcade (which has older games that a person could play for only a nickel). There was also a miniature golf course, one go-cart course (it now has three), and some batting cages. My family went into the Nickel Arcade, where my classmate told me he got his pencil toppers. So we played a few games and I won two pencil toppers: the Yellow Ranger one and the Blue Ranger one for only 5 tickets each. I still have those pencil toppers to this day, but I have to find where they are in my house. Anyway, my father, not yet enamored by this place, asked me if we were done, and we went home. We did not even set foot in the main arcade room or the restaurant.
Later that year, my family went back to Haunted Trails because they heard good things about it from other family members. This time, we went into the main arcade room and we were enthralled by what we saw – so many games! I instantly fell in love with the place and its many games, as did my father. We also, eventually, fell in love with the delicious pizza served at Charmin' Charley's Restaurant. After a noisy and almost disastrous 6th birthday party at Chuck E. Cheese's, Haunted Trails became our weekly retreat for the next several years. We never even thought about Chuck E. Cheese's again. Okay, I did go back to Chuck E. Cheese's a couple of times over the years (mostly for a couple of birthday parties) and the place has its merits, but Haunted Trails was(and still is!) so much better. We went almost every single Thursday or Friday for games and pizza. We sometimes played on the miniature golf courses and the batting cages, and I loved racing on the go-cart course as soon as the weather got warm (and I got taller!). We would trade in our tickets for prizes, big and small. I myself won stuffed bears, pictures, lava lamps, a huge Care Bear, jewelry, cool pencils, erasers, a disco light, miniature basketballs, and posters, among other great prizes. My Dad mostly went for the sporting memorabilia from the Bulls and Cubs teams. Mom also liked stuffed bears and other stuffed animals, as did I.
What was also cool was that Dad would always find a coupon in the newspaper that rewarded us 80 free tokens if we bought a large pizza and pop for $20. Not a bad deal, I think! In addition, I could bring in my report card from school and get two free tokens for each A on the report card (and there were a lot of As!).
Here is a receipt from our Dec. 31, 2007 outing to Haunted Trails:
Moreover, here is a copy of my college report card (I have edited out all the info except for the course name, credit, and grade). I got twelve free tokens for my 6 As! (And yes, I still bring in my report card!):
I had several birthday parties at Haunted Trails. The two I remember fondly are my 11th and 12th birthday parties. My friends loved the place as much as I did, and they loved the pizza. Even if it was not my birthday, some of my friends and I would go to Haunted Trails to hang out and have a good time. My classes in school also took field trips to Haunted Trails. I also remember all the Halloween events that took place at Haunted Trails.
What does this Haunted Trails place look like?
I will give you all a tour! The outside pictures are a bit dark, since it was nighttime when my family and I arrived on December 31, 2007.
Here is what the place looks like, outside and inside:
This is what the Nickel Arcade looks like now, with the batting cages.
My parents going in the main entrance of Haunted Trails in Joliet.
Once we got inside the doors, we would see a big billboard sign advertising something different every time we went to Haunted Trails. Here is the billboard sign on December 31, 2007:
As soon as our family got past the sign and took a right, we would see the game room:
In this picture is a new virtual jump rope game that I tried to win. I almost won the jackpot twice!
Lots and lots of games in the main arcade room! (as of 12/31/07)
Here's the Tickets and Change Booth, where I would get my free tokens for every A on my report card.
Here are some pictures of the Charmin' Charley's Restaurant:
There used to be a piano under this picture that used to play spooky music, but the people at Haunted Trails have taken it out. Tables and chairs are beneath this picture now.
Yummy, Yummy Pizza! I put Cortona parmesan cheese on mine, which Haunted Trails provides in little packets.
All decked out for Christmas and the New Year! They should clean off some of the tables, though…
This is the banquet room in Charmin Charley's Restaurant where people host birthday parties or huge events.
This is a money booth where a birthday kid could get in and grab as much money whirling around him as he could. I never had an official birthday party at Haunted Trails (only unofficial ones) and so I never got to grab money myself.
This is another area where people have birthday parties. It is above the main game room, by the main door. The area has neon lighting so everyone's white sneakers will light up bright.
The Games
Here are some pictures of the games/attractions that I remember and love the most. These are pictures of Haunted Trails' games from the past and present. The games are definitely the best part of the Haunted Trails experience.
To play the games, my family and I had to get tokens out of the token machine. So let us get some tokens and play! 4 tokens were a dollar, and 80 tokens were $20.
Let us play some games! Some of these games no longer reside at Haunted Trails, but I can always replay them in my memories:
(Courtesy of arcade-history.com)
Dad and I at Haunted Trail's Double Cheese machines about 10 years ago
Double Cheese
: "Double Cheese is the name of the game!†The object of this game was to spin both a larger outer wheel and a smaller outer wheel to land on the cheese icon so a player could get a Double Cheese and the jackpot! The bigger wheel was spun first, and it was not that hard to get the Cheese icon on that wheel. It was harder to stop on the Cheese icon on the smaller wheel. One night I won a jackpot of about 750 tickets! I ran over to my Dad and cheered about the jackpot. He was astounded, as was my Mother, and they told me to get back over to the machine so no one took my tickets (luckily no one did). I wanted my name to be entered in the Double Cheese Hall of Fame, but the stupid guy who worked at the place then did not know how to enter my name into the machine. Still, it was the biggest jackpot I have ever won at Haunted Trails, and one of the best nights of my life. Unfortunately, Haunted Trails no longer has the Double Cheese game.
(Courtesy of arcade-history.com)
The Cyclone Machine at the Joliet Haunted Trails on December 31, 2007
: a hand-eye coordination game. The object of this game is to watch a light spin around the board and press the stop button when the light got to the jackpot area. It was hard for me to press the stop button exactly when the beam of light landed on the jackpot area. Often I would hit the 10 ticket areas on either side of the jackpot area. But sometimes I would hit the jackpot and I won a couple hundred tickets each time. Cyclone is still at Haunted Trails to this day.
My 12th birthday. We are all gathered around for some Colorama FUN!
(Courtesy of arcade-history.com)
Look at that ball spin round and round!
Tickets coming out of the Colorama Machine – the ball had landed on blue, the color I picked!
: One of my favorite games of all time!!! The object of this game is to pick a color (red, green, white, yellow, or blue) and hope that the ball spinning around will land on the color I picked. Each of the five different colors had a different ticket worth: 25 tickets for red and green, 40 tickets for blue, 50 tickets for yellow, and 100 tickets for white. Of course, there was a smaller chance of landing on the white space then the red or green spaces. On Dec. 31, though, the ball landed on white FOUR TIMES in a row! I won one of the times and won 100 tickets. I remember once winning over 300 tickets on Colorama alone for picking the right colors on successive spins.
Me playing The Dealer when I was 12. Was a future gambling addict being born?
The Dealer
: The Dealer was a simulated Poker game where I could win silver coins – worth two tickets each. I was addicted to this game – maybe I was lucky that Haunted Trails took this game out?
This original skeeball game is much like the one my Haunted Trails had.
Variants of the original Skeeball. Taken on December 31, 2007
: Haunted Trails still has variants of the original Skeeball, but I liked the original Skeeball better. I saw the original Skeeball in Haunted Trails' Nickel Arcade in 2006, but since Haunted Trails closes Nickel Arcade in the winter, I did not get a chance to check whether it was still there on Dec. 31, 2007).
Other Games:
In the picture is Dad playing Triple Jam when I was 12 years old and had a birthday party at Haunted Trails. Also in the picture is a magic tic-tac-toe game where I would toss orange balls into holes to get an "x†on the corresponding space on the scoreboard. I would have to get three "xâ€s across, down, or diagonal on the scoreboard to win tickets. I think the game is called "Magic Mr. X†but I could be wrong. My friends are playing a game where they had to throw balls at rows of clowns to knock them down.
A friend and I are racing motorcycles. I wonder who won.
My Dad is next to the new Spin-N-Win machine on December 31, 2007. He said it was easy to win the highest jackpot on the machine (500 tickets). He hit the jackpot about three times while a little Mexican boy hit the jackpot seven times!
Taken on Dec. 31, 2007. One of my favorite games in recent years is Caveman Clobber. The object of this game is to drop balls from a bird's butt into seven slots at the bottom of the game. The trick is that no two balls can be in the same slot! I have never won the jackpot, but several times, I got 100 tickets for getting 5 balls into 5 separate slots.
Taken December 31, 2007. Smokin' Token and Wonder Wheel. These are games that have been at Haunted Trails for years. The object of Smokin' Token is to put a coin in the slot and have the coin go down the slope and go into a slot in the spinning wheel. Different slots were worth different ticket values. It is all about the timing! Wonder Wheel is a bit similar to Smokin' Token, except with different ticket values.
Taken Dec. 31, 2007. Slam-A-Winner is one of the newer games Haunted Trails has, and it is one of my Dad's favorites. If it were working that night, my Dad would have won the jackpot on this game. The object of this game is to press a button and a ball drops into one of the holes on the spinning wheel – the player has to get the timing just right to get the ball into the jackpot hole.
Taken December 31, 2007. Flamin' Finger. The object of this game is to put your finger on the screen and follow the maze to the finish before time runs out. I have never won the jackpot, and it is very hard.
Taken Dec. 31, 2007. Wheel of Fortune is one of my Dad's favorite games at Haunted Trails. He first has to stop the beam of light on the blue space to get a spin on the wheel, and then he has to spin the wheel to win a big jackpot, and he has won several big jackpots!
Taken December 31, 2007. Roll A Win is a very hard game that has been at Haunted Trails for years. The object of the game is to aim the slot to where you want the coin to go, put the coin in, and have the coin land on one of the white strips, and it has to be completely on the white strip or you will not win!
Taken December 31, 2007. Pirate's Revenge. The sword spins around and the player has to press a button in order for the sword to stop and point to,hopefully, a huge jackpot.
Taken on December 31, 2007. I remember playing Big Haul. Aim the slot and put the coin in so the coin falls into one of the trucks! If a coin hits the Dump Lever, the whole truck full of coins dumps over, giving the player many tickets!
Taken on December 31, 2007. Spider Stompin. I remember playing this game at Chuck E. Cheese's also. Stomp on as many spiders that light up as you can! There are three levels – easy, medium, and hard.
Taken on December 31, 2007. The Hot Seat was a game where a player has to sit on the Hot Seat and grip the metal rod as tightly as possible. The chair vibrates. Anyways, the harder a player grips the rod and the longer the player can stay on the chair, the more tickets the player will get.
Taken December 31, 2007. This game is much like the clown game my friends were playing 10 years ago. The object of this game is to shoot balls at the clowns, hopefully knocking them down for tickets.
Taken on December 31, 2007. Bozo Buckets! This game is for little kids, but I used to play it sometimes when I was a little kid myself.
There was also a cool bowling game at Haunted Trails for a while, but I do not have any pictures of it! (Dang!)
There are also games I call coin pusher games. Those games involve a player dropping a coin into a slot and hopefully that coin will push some other coins over the edge of the board and reward the player with silver coins worth 2 tickets each. I did not really play them that much.
There are also games that do not reward tickets – they reward cool stuff like stuffed animals, CDs, money, etc. if a player is lucky enough to stop a beam of light on one of the prizes.
A couple of my friends are at one of the prize machines.
There was also a cool pirate game that I used to play (the last time I saw it was at the Nickel Arcade). I can picture the game quite vividly, but I cannot recall the name. It is a pirate game, mostly blue colored, with drawings of a pirate ship, the sea, and seaweed. The object of the game is to put coins in a slot and hope that the coins each land in slots that spells out pirate - like one slot is the letter P and another one is I and so on. If the coin lands in one of those slots, a certain amount of tickets (10 or 20) are awarded and if you can get all five letters lit up (meaning your coins have each gone into those letters) then you win the jackpot. If a coin does not land in a slot, it goes to a steel bowl in the bottom and you get to use the same coin again. I won several jackpots from this game also.
The Other Attractions (stuff to do besides the games!):
The Bullit Go-Kart course (courtesy of the Haunted Trails website)
My friends and I getting ready to race on the go-karts in 1997
I am racing around the original Go-Kart racetrack in 1997.
This is the original Go-Kart course on Dec. 31, 2007. Sorry if the picture is a bit blurry, but it was dark out when I took the picture.
The Go-Kart rides
: There are three of them now at Haunted Trails: the original, the Bullit, and the Indy one. I remember the original the most.
Next . . .
This is a picture of the miniature golf course courtesy of the Haunted Trails website.
My Dad at one of the miniature golf courses about 10 years ago.
Miniature Golf
: There is one easy and one hard course. I liked playing the easier course, since I was not good at miniature golf. I would get a club and a colored ball (they were available in different colors and go at them holes! There was a haunted house, spooky multi-colored ponds, and ghosts on the course. At the end of either course was a big skeleton head and I would try to hit my ball into its mouth. If it went in I would get a free game!
Coming right up…the Batting Cages!
Picture courtesy of the Haunted Trails Website
The Batting Cages
: My Dad and I sometimes liked to play at the batting cages next to the miniature golf course. Of course, my Dad hit the ball further than I ever could!
There also used to be a lagoon with little boats for kids to ride inside the main game room, but Haunted Trails replaced it with a laser tag course (I have never played laser tag at Haunted Trails, but I want to someday). Obviously, the P.C. Police got on Haunted Trails' case about that lagoon.
Here is a picture of the laser tag course from the outside (December 31, 2007):
In addition, there is the Monster Hop that is inside the main game room, but I have never ridden it. Here is a picture of it, courtesy of the Haunted Trails website:
And let us not forget the Bone Shaker!
My friends and I ride the Bone Shaker at my birthday party about 10 years ago.
Another picture of my friends and me riding the Bone Shaker about 10 years ago
Picture of the Bone Shaker from the Haunted Trails website
The Bone Shaker on December 31, 2007
The Bone Shaker
: Thank God, the Bone Shaker is still at Haunted Trails! It is a ride in the main game room where several people would sit in one of the spinning seats and the ride would spin, spin, and spin until everyone got dizzy! It is like the teacups at Disney World, but spookier. My friends and I always rode the Bone Shaker whenever we had the chance, particularly at birthday parties!
Now that my family and I have played the games and enjoyed some of the activities, let us go to the Prize Area inside the main game room to get some prizes!
The Prizes!
At the end of playing games, my family and I would turn in our yellow tickets to an attendant so he/she would weigh them and give us orange tickets in exchange that were each worth 10 tickets:
After that, my family and I would look at the prizes and chose what we wanted, depending on how many tickets we won during game play.
What the Prize Area Looked Like Then (10 years ago):
Jewelry, stuffed animals, and more! There is also more stuff on the other side of the stuffed animals and hanging on the ceiling, but I did not find pictures. A few years after this picture was taken Haunted Trails put in a Candy Shoppe area where kids could buy tons and tons of candy to their heart's content. The last time I was at Haunted Trails, on Dec. 31, 2007, the Candy Shoppe was no longer there.
Now (December 31, 2007):
Stuffed animals galore!
Some of the higher ticket-priced prizes: TV, lava lamps, microwave, barbecue grill, etc.
Cubs Stuff! I am surprised my Dad did not get any of it, but he probably did not want to pay 1000 tickets for a license plate.
Tons of Simpsons Stuff!
Here is a picture of some of the booths of prizes Haunted Trails has. There is much more than this!
How well did I do at Haunted Trails on Dec. 31, 2007? I myself got 520 tickets (no major jackpots) while my Dad won about 1600 tickets, mostly from playing the Spin-N-Win game. We also had some leftover tickets from other times at Haunted Trails to spend. Here is the loot I got that night:
I got a cool Care Bears picture (that is SO going in my Retro Room!), two stuffed bears (for my Mom), some bracelets for me, and two Welcome snowmen. My Dad could have gotten some Cubs memorabilia, but he did not want to spend so many tickets on those prizes.
Going to Haunted Trails always brings back good memories for me. It was a staple of my childhood, in fact. Always in that place I see a little me running around with tokens in her little cup and tons of tickets overflowing out of her brown bag, smiling and happy to be there with her parents and/or friends. As long as Haunted Trails exists in Joliet (it is not torn down or converted to something else), a monument to my childhood will always stand to be enjoyed by future generations of children (maybe even, hopefully, my own).
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Soldak Entertainment has been making games as an independent studio for the past 12 years. A hallmark of many of the titles they have produced has been the depth in their mechanics, from taking on quests to save a village to managing diplomatic relations all while set within the trappings of an action-RPG. We spoke with lead developer and founder Steven Peeler about their latest game, Zombasite, and how it goes beyond even what they've accomplished thus far.
Co-Optimus: Thanks for taking the time to answer some of our questions about Zombasite! This is the fifth title you've released over the span of 12 years and, in some ways, it seems to be the most ambitious. Do you see this as the culmination of certain ideas and features from previous titles?
Steven Peeler: Zombasite is definitely the most ambitious game we've ever made. It is much larger than any of our previous games in pretty much any measurable way. I wouldn't quite say it's the culmination since that implies that we won't do even better in a future game, but we've certainly greatly improved some major gameplay systems such as the dynamic world and the clans over the span of several games.
Co-Optimus: What's something new that Zombasite brings to the table?
Steven: That greatly depends on what we are comparing Zombasite to.
Compared to other action RPGs, Zombasite has a dynamic world that changes based on what the player does or doesn't do, what the other clans do, and even what the monsters do. It also has lots of zombie mechanics like how you get infected, what can cure infections, what can detect infections, and even mutations that can make the plague even worse.
Compared to other zombie games, the biggest difference is that Zombasite is in a fantasy setting instead of the more common modern day setting. With a fantasy setting you have medieval weapons and armor, magic, fantasy type classes, non-zombie monsters, and more.
Compared to our previous games, there are a ton of new zombie monsters, new classes/skills, new skill mechanics like traits and support skills, better unique monsters (more tactics, taunting, better enhancements, etc), better graphics (normal/spec maps), new clan mechanics, lots of new quests, crafting mechanics, and a lot more.
Co-Optimus: One of the more interesting features of Zombasite, to me, is how the world doesn't seem to wait for you to act. Quests will come and go (which may lead to some serious problems for your clan), NPCs will fight with one another, and clans/enemies will act in their own interests to further their power. It's very impressive but I can't help but wonder why. Why go to such lengths for an action-RPG?
Steven: Why wouldn't you want the game world to dynamically respond to everything? :) Personally I think the dynamic world makes everything more immersive and adds a lot of replayability. You never quite know what is going to happen. I'm even surprised sometimes and vow to get revenge on some NPC that betrayed me when I wasn't expecting any trouble.


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State Farm Bank0.00
Certificates of Deposit7.3/10
Online & Mobile Banking7.1/10
Credit Cards7.2/10
Investment Services6.9/10
Savings Accounts6.8/10
Customer Support6.7/10
Checking Accounts6.8/10
- State Farm Bank is providing good agricultural credits for farmers.
- State Farm Bank's morgage opportunities are good for consumers.
- Bank rates are very good.
State Farm Bank is a bank where is located in Illinois cities generally. The bank's headquarter is located in Bloomington, IL. The bank is offering several banking products to customers. You can find all services and products in the table below.
The bank has generally good reviews from consumers. Especially customer care services are very good.. There are also good reviews of users about the fees and rates of the bank. You will also like rates of the bank for loans. However branches are limited with Illinois at the moment. There are also several good opportunities for savings accounts and CDs. You can check those good opportunities from the official service of State Farm Bank. You can also use online banking and mobile banking services of the bank.
If you are already a customer of State Farm Bank, you can write a review below.
State Farm Bank Info
|Bloomington, IL, United States
|$16 Billion (approx.)
|Location of Branches:


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Your Ibiza Club Guide Since 2006
← Back to Events
With a six date mini season, Holi Garden Festival Ibiza at Benimussa Park first debuted on the island back in 2014 and since then it has continued to celebrate exceptional sounds, colour, love and equality. Expect electric house beats, lots of live music and some of the world's leading DJs. 2017 dates TBA.


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Golden Magnat MT4
- Experts
- Evgenii Golovanets
- Version: 1.1
- Updated: 10 December 2022
- Activations: 11
I'm glad to introduce you to my new Expert Advisor - Golden Magnate. This Expert Advisor is created using artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies and predicting the price fluctuation behavior. Golden Magnate is a fully automatic intelligent system that has proven itself on real accounts. The Expert Advisor finds the best points to enter the market, filtering out false entries with the help of the artificial intelligence module. This allows Expert Advisor to make a large number of profitable deals with high winning ratio. The algorithm does not use dangerous money management techniques such as martingale, grid or hedging. The Expert Advisor is not demanding to a broker, as it is not a scalper or arbitrage robot. Expert Advisor is well adapted to the modern Forex market, suitable for any broker, it is not demanding to the quality of execution. It has proved itself in both volatile and stagnant markets.
Easy to install, just attach to a chart with default settings and select the desired risk level.
Live Trading Results
Golden Magnat for MT5 https://www.mql5.com/en/market/product/88668
Working parameters
- Type of Strategy - Smart Artificial Intelligence trend following strategy
- Working pairs XAUUSD
- Trading time All day long (not a scalper)
- Recommended account type – Any
- Working Timeframe M15
- Settings by default
- Minimum deposit $100
- VPS is recommended
- Not a scalper
- Not a martingale
- Not a grid
- Not a hedge
- No dangerous methods of money management are use
- Hard stop loss and take profit for each position
- Spread and slippage control
- Not broker-sensitive
- FTMO rules, prop firms and challenges compatible
Potential risks
- All the test show just a potential performance of EA
- Real life trading results can vary from one broker to another
- Please check our live signals to see real EA performance


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Bites is Berkeleyside Nosh's round-up of restaurant, bar and food-related news in the East Bay. To stay up-to-speed with all that's going on locally, read our daily Nosh Wire, and check out previous editions of Bites. We always love receiving food-related tips at firstname.lastname@example.com.
NEW OAKLAND TASTING ROOM A Hopland-based winery, Campovida, is launching a new tasting room at 95 Linden St. on Thursday, April 4, from 5-8 p.m. A message posted by Campovida indicates that the owners started their family in Oakland, then moved to Hopland to take over an organic farm and working vineyard. Now they're reclaiming their Oakland roots ("think green acres, just an oakland/hopland version"), starting with a party Thursday in conjunction with Linden Street Brewery and the Fist of Flour Pizza Company. RSVP to Campovida at 707-744-8797 or firstname.lastname@example.com.
BURGER POP-UP Famed San Francisco Chef Chris Kronner, of KronnerBurger, "is taking his burgerly skills to Oakland this Friday for the Creative Growth Studio Party during Oakland's Art Murmur," notes SF Weekly. Tickets cost $30 and include fries, a drink ticket, and music by cosmic-dance band Shock. The event lasts from 5-9 p.m.
All proceeds support the artists and programs at Creative Growth. Learn more here. Speaking of the Art Murmur, Awaken Cafe promises a "sweet, free First Friday line-up," if you're looking for a low-cost alternative. There's lots more Art Murmur news on the organization's Facebook page.
TIME TO CLEANSE Urban Adamah, a Berkeley urban agriculture group that focuses on social justice and experiential Jewish environmental programming for youth and families, will host its monthly gathering for women and girls, especially mothers and daughters, to celebrate the new moon on April 9: "This month's circle will focus on inner healing and cleansing. We will learn about mystical rituals connected to the omer (a Jewish holy time), make herbal (plant-based) medicines and brew healing tea over an open fire." Attendees are asked to bring a vegetarian dish to share, a bowl, spoon and mug for dinner, and tea. See ticket prices and other details here. And this Sunday is Family Farm Day.
TRIBUNE TAVERN The Tribune Tavern in downtown Oakland is set to open Wednesday, April 10. The restaurant is the latest venture from the owners of Oakland's Chop Bar and the Grand Tavern. As its name suggests, the new eatery is located in the historic Tribune Tower building at 401 13th St. in downtown Oakland. Owner Chris Pastena and partners Temoor Noor and Tom Henderson say they are "aiming to engage the local community in a lesser-explored neighborhood." Robert Soviero (previously of the Butterfly Restaurant Group) has signed on as Tribune Tavern's general manager, and Huw Thornton (previously of A16 and SPQR) will helm the kitchen as executive chef. (Diablo Dish got a sneak peak.)
ROCKRIDGE UPDATE Diablo Dish also checked in with Commis owner James Syhabout about his planned Rockridge restaurant Box and Bells. The Dish reports that Syhabout said the opening, in the former Somerset space at 5912 College Ave., won't happen before June. Previous reports focused on May, but it was clear (to us) from speaking with Syhabout that this was somewhat of a reticent estimate rather than a firm commitment. With two successful restaurants underway — Commis and Hawker Fare, both in Oakland — Syhabout is likely familiar with the challenges that can arise when launching a new endeavor. Another high-profile restaurant planned for Rockridge, A16 in the old Hudson location at 5356 College Ave., was aiming for an early 2013 launch. Restaurant reps told Nosh last week that remodeling is underway and the goal is to open by mid-May.
OAXACAN COOKING Chef and author Susana Trilling will offer a one-day-only cooking class and lunch at Comal on April 11, making a special visit from her home in Oaxaca, Mexico. Trilling has a cooking school, Seasons of My Heart, in Oaxaca, and has inspired many with her cookbook, Seasons of My Heart, A Culinary Journey Through Oaxaca, Mexico, and the PBS series of the same name. Trilling's class will cover "the ingredients, techniques and culinary secrets that make Oaxacan cuisine so seductive." She'll demonstrate how to make several classic Oaxacan dishes. Afterward, guests will sit down to enjoy a multi-course lunch of the dishes Trilling prepared. The class costs $50 per person and will take place at Comal, 2020 Shattuck Ave., in Berkeley. Learn more here.
VEGAN CELEBRATION On April 20, Berkeley Vegan Earth Day continues its annual celebration with an eco-chef battle, workshops, speakers, food demos and more at the Brower Center. The event, presented by The San Francisco Vegetarian Society, seeks to share tips about how to live a sustainable, vegan lifestyle. Organizers say area businesses will be on-site with products to sample and buy, and non-profit groups will share a wealth of information about eco/vegan organizations. The event costs $15 in advance, and $20 at the door. (Use the coupon code "Poster" when purchasing tickets online to save $2.) Children under 10 are free. Learn more here.
LISTEN UP Looking for a side of music with that? The ICP Orchestra will play Thursday night at Duende in Oakland at 8 p.m. Tickets cost $15. And Berkeley's Paragon Restaurant & Bar at the Claremont is launching its April music series, starting Friday with The Howard Wiley Trio and continuing Saturday with The Carlos Godinez Trio "and their Rumba-Flamenco sounds." See the monthly schedule here. On Saturday, Duende offers a flamenco performance for $15. If you know of great spots to enjoy live music while you dine, please share them in the comments.
OAKTOWN FARMS Plans for a new urban farm are underway in Oakland, with "the look and feel of a country farm stand, without the drive. We will be your farmers market, all week, not just one day of the week. The best part is the food will all be grown where you buy it, not trucked in…" Oaktown Farms says it's aiming to develop "the first zero carbon, solar powered, rainwater fed urban farm in the heart of the community." Organizers say they'll use the latest technology to "grow with 90% less water and exceed the organic standard by 5% making us 100% organic." The group says it will offer an apprenticeship program to educate at-risk youth, veterans and disabled locals in its Aquaponics-based approach. The farm is set to include "on-site honey bees/honey, our own mushrooms, wheat-grass, locally roasted coffee, eggs, pickles, jam, and lots more." Compost, worms and "plenty of advice" will be available for home gardeners. So far, the endeavor is still in the planning stage, but we'll keep you posted as we know more.
CITY SLICKER FARMS And those who wish to see some existing urban farms can jump on the 'Second Saturday' tour with City Slicker Farms on April 13: "You'll get to see how we do things on the farm, learn more about City Slicker Farms and why we do what we do, and, most of all, meet other fantastic folks who share similar passions – growing yummy, fresh foods to name one." Meet at 1 p.m. at Fitzgerald and Union Plaza Parks, at the corner of 34th and Peralta streets in Oakland. RSVP to Abbey at 510-763-4241 or firstname.lastname@example.com. Light refreshments will be served. There's a suggested donation of $10, to be collected on the tour, but no one will be turned away due to lack of funds.
CLAYPOT AND NEIGHBORS The southeast corner of Dwight Way and San Pablo Avenue in Berkeley is seeing a lot of new business activity. Vietnamese restaurant Claypot opened Monday in the old Bacheeso's space. A Yelp reviewer was quick off the mark, noting the food was "good and spicy," although he wanted more noodles in his pho. The "happy hour" menu offers $1 off all tap beer and appetizers.
ASIAN DELIGHTS Sheng Kee Bakery opened at 2307 Telegraph last month, to largely rave reviews on Yelp. Typical, from Christine H: "i hate sheng kee. i'm going to get sooooooooo fat now." Sheng Kee offers a wide range of Asian pastries, boba milk tea and sandwiches, as well as Peet's coffee. Apparently the long lines of students move pretty quickly. Berkeley is the 12th Bay Area location for Sheng Kee, which traces its roots back to family matriarch Mrs. Kao opening a bakery in Taipei 40 years ago.
ABC UPDATES There weren't any notable liquor license applications posted this week with the state, but several familiar spots were granted licenses: Battambang and Jules Thin Crust in Oakland; Claypot in Berkeley; and The Hobnob in Alameda. The Hot Pot House in Oakland also got its license; it appears to have opened in December and, so far, has four stars on Yelp.
This week's Nosh news (in case you missed it)
Berkeley Wine Festival: Tastings on your doorstep
Nosh on the town: Miss Ollie's in Old Oakland
The Mead Kitchen joins local artisan drinks boom
Contest: Name that nosh
The Nosh Wire: 04.03.13
The Nosh Wire: 04.02.13
The Nosh Wire: 04.01.13
Bites is Nosh's round-up of restaurant openings, happenings and closings in the East Bay. Got a tip or scoop? Send it our way to email@example.com. Follow Berkeleyside NOSH on Twitter, and on Facebook.
Some of these items may first have appeared in Shop Talk, Berkeleyside's regular column in which we post updates on Berkeley businesses. Got a tip for Nosh Bites? Send it to firstname.lastname@example.com


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on 8/25/2013 2:01 PM
Welcome to F# Weekly, A roundup of F# content from this past week: News New Xamarin.Android 4.8 was released with F# Support! Full suite of F# project options in Xamarin Studio on Mac OS X: create apps, unit tests, target OpenGL. TsunamiIDE announced Tsunami Chrome Extension. Minsk F# User Group was registered. Foq 1.1 was released. […]


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No, you don't have to create an account to use the MY Cochrane mobile app. Cancel the request and carry on using the app.
Show All Answers
My Cochrane is a great way to get all the notifications you're interested in: emergency alerts, events, waste and recyling collection, RFP postings and more. Tap the Notify Me icon, tap the categories you'd like to sign up for, then tap beside the way you'd like to get notifications: email or text (you'll be asked to provide your email address or phone number).


text: Hitting trees is big in some of the traditional styles in CMA as a form of "hardening" exercises if you don't have a partner around. I remember once in Beijing hitting trees in the area near my apartment, when an old woman came up to me and scolded me for "destroying" the precious trees. Anyway, I had to move on to another patch of trees. Maybe we'll open a new series "men who hate trees", if we can find more good tree hitting clips.Watch Full Movie Online Streaming Online and Download


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You'd never guess from looking at my wife that she's a former adult film star, which is good because she wasn't. Likewise, you'd never guess from looking at her that she's a big Van Halen fan, which is unfortunate because she is. Not that Van Halen fans are typically easy to spot. Despite the big hair, spandex, and headbands sported by the band in the early days, Van Halen faithful tend to blend into the wider hockeyhead/puckbunny surroundings unlike the more identifiable metal or goth fandoms. My wife, all subtle beauty and unassuming demeanour, still doesn't quite seem the type to be "Runnin' with the Devil" and yet run she does. More to the point of this post, it should be noted that she is not just a Van Halen fan, but a loyal devotee to the original David Lee Roth Van Halen lineup. She does not, as it were, care much for the Van Hagar version of Van Halen.
Which is Better?
Which is better? When it comes to popular music, no question is better loaded for instigating dispute. Forged from the molten entrails of existing artist rivalries, Rock and Roll debates have enthralled music critics and music lovers, friends and foes ever since The King first gyrated those hips on Ed Sullivan in 1956.
Young Elvis or Old Elvis? Beatles or Stones? Punk or Disco? The examples are endless, many seem frivolous while others cut to the very heart of rock 'n' roll music. Few will garner more heated, partisan engagement than "Van Halen or Van Hagar".
Van Halen is an interesting band. Eddie Van Halen was considered a guitar god while his brother Alex plied his trade on a drum kit with more pieces than most music stores' entire inventory. Michael Anthony looked like a former college football player who'd landed the greatest gig in history and Diamond David Lee Roth was the epitome of what a rock front man should be. Inductees into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, they were undoubtedly a major force in the hard rock scene of the late 70s and early 80s, yet many people will only know them for their seminal 1984 album 1984 and the megahit "Jump" it spawned. Males who were entering puberty in 1984 will also be well aware of the "Hot For Teacher" video, but you get my point.
By the time 1984 was saturating the airwaves, Van Halen was pretty much the biggest rock band in the world. Then in 1985 everything changed. Roth either left the band or was kicked out but whichever it was, he was no longer part of Van Halen and embarked on his solo professional ass clown career. Replacing him in the band was Sammy Hagar hence the moniker Van Hagar. This version of Van Halen was incredibly successful but admittedly different in their sound. The original Van Halen diehards were not impressed. My wife, it seems, is one of them. I, on the other hand, and I'm whispering now so she doesn't hear me, don't mind Van Hagar at all. Sure, I like the original stuff. A lot, actually. But I like a good chunk of the Hagar stuff too. A lot actually. Hey, every heated debate needs a fence sitter.
So in honour of my beloved wife's upcoming 42nd birthday, I'm kicking off the weekend with my very favourite Van Halen song. Luckily it's a Roth tune or I'd never hear the end of it from her, or many of you. Crank it up folks, this is "Unchained" from the 1981 Van Halen album Fair Warning.
Official Live Music Video:
Studio Version:


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DeShaun Watson to the ... Kansas City Chiefs?
By Jason McIntyre
Much of the NFL Draft speculation centering around DeShaun Watson has the Clemson QB going in the Top 10 to one of the quarterback-needy teams: the Bears, Jets, 49ers or maybe to the Cleveland Browns 1st overall.
But here's a curveball, from NFL.com – What about the Kansas City Chiefs? They hold the 27th pick in the 1st round, and their starter, Alex Smith, turns 33 in the offseason, and is on the downside of his career:
"These teams appear to be excellent fits for Watson's skill set and I don't think he would be forced to play right away based on their current roster makeup. I would pick Kansas City as the ideal spot for him to have a successful career. Andy Reid is outstanding at developing young quarterbacks and he would mold his scheme/play-calling around Watson's greatest strengths."
In a perfect world, sure, a 2+ year starter who tore up Alabama twice in the National Championship would be available late in the 1st round. Watson could sit for a year, learn a new system, and then start in year two or three.
But we don't live in a perfect world. I'd be a stunner of Watson fell out of the Top 10. Have you looked at who the four QB-neediest teams in the NFL trotted out this past season?
Chicago: Jay Cutler, Brian Hoyer, Matt Barkley
New York Jets: Ryan Fitzpatrick, Geno Smith, Bryce Petty
San Francisco: Blaine Gabbert, Colin Kaepernick
Cleveland: Robert Griffin III, Josh McCown, Cody Kessler, Kevin Hogan, Charlie Whitehurst
Would anyone be surprised if none of these 13 were starters next year? Maybe some bad team signs Cutler to a terrible contract and he struggles.
But why shouldn't those four teams identify their future QB here, and then build around him?


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A list of interesting places and museums in Saarbrücken and the region. Most places are easy to reach by bus or train (public transport within Saarland is free if you own a Semesterticket), for a few you will need a car. The websites are mostly only available in German or French.
Museums in Saarbrücken
A museum of old master paintings and noble chattels. Address: Schlossplatz 16, 66119 Saarbrücken.
Geological and natural history museum. Address: Am Bergwerk Reden 11, 66578 Schiffweiler
A historical museum next to the Saarbrücker Schloss (castle). They've got permanent exhibitions (about the medieval and renaissance Saarbrücken castle, Nazi period in Saarland, the first World War, and 1945-59 in the Saar region) and special exhibitions with different subjects. Address: Schlossplatz 15, 66119 Saarbrücken.
House of artists. Address: Karlstr. 1, 66111 Saarbrücken.
A big museum of modern art close to the river Saar with special exhibitions. Address: Bismarckstr. 11-19, 66111 Saarbrücken.
A museum of prehistory and early history, next to the Saarbrücker Schloss. Permanent exhibition: "A walk from the stone age to the early middle ages". Address: Schlossplatz 16, 66119 Saarbrücken.
A museum of contemporary art in the city centre. Address: St. Johanner Markt 24, 66111 Saarbrücken.
Places of interest in the region
UNESCO World Heritage Site and center for art and industry culture. It's an old steel mill in Völklingen turned into a museum. From Saarbrücken, it is easily accessible by train (with the Semesterticket, the train ticket is free). They've got various special exhibitions and projects on different subjects.
Roman open-air museum. Excavations and re-built houses as well as an indoor museum of Roman culture in the region. Schwarzenacker belongs to the city of Homburg. To get to the museum you have to take a train to Homburg (free with the Semesterticket) and then a bus to Schwarzenacker.
Europe's biggest sandstone caves (created by men) in Homburg. Opening hours: April – October: 9am – 5pm daily. November – March: 10am – 4pm. Entrance only with guided tour. Please call: 06841 2064.
The "Moulin de la Blies" Museum of Faience Techniques in Sarreguemines (Saargemünd), France. Machines and tools used in the ceramic industry, as well as production workshops.
The French city of Metz, capital of the département Lorraine, is a nice place to go for a short trip. The cathedral of Metz is famous for its sumptuous stained-glass windows, some of which were designed by the famous artist Marc Chagall. Metz has a beautiful old town which is very interesting from the architectural point of view, as it reflects the city's changeful history.
The city of Strasbourg (Straßburg), France, founded in 496 A.D., is always worth visiting. There is a famous cathedral ("Münster") and lots of interesting shops. The beautiful old town occupies an island, Grande-Île, and makes Strasbourg a UNESCO World Heritage City.
The Grand Duchy of Luxembourg is a small country adjacent to Germany, France and Belgium, with French, German and Luxemburgish as their three official languages. The city of Luxembourg, with its old quarters and fortifications, is a UNESCO World Heritage City and definitely worth a visit.
In Kaiserslautern, a city in the nearby Palatinate region, there is a Japanese garden. Opened in the year 2000, the garden is a piece of designed nature giving the visitor both strength and relaxation.
Gardens without limits. Gardens in the borderland region of Saarland, Lorraine and Luxembourg, gardens with tradition, future-oriented gardens, small gardens and expansive parks – all reflecting the spirit of their respective locales and the intentions and passions of their creators.
Wolvespark inheriting 21 grown up wolves. The owner and wolfresearcher Werner Freund became famous for living as "wolf among the wolves".


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Master filmmaker Kiyoshi Kurosawa (Cure, Tokyo Sonata) returns with this story of a man who uses an advanced neurological technology to enter the frightening mindscape of his comatose lover.
Special Presentations
Kiyoshi Kurosawa
A mysterious journey into the human subconscious for the origins of trauma and true love, REAL marks acclaimed director Kiyoshi Kurosawa's maiden voyage into the realm of science fiction. Based on Rokuro Inui's award-winning novel The Day of the Perfect Plesiosaur, Real tells the strange tale of two lovers, separated by coma, who meet in some shared space deep within their psyches.
Called "sensing," the innovative practice performed by neurologist Dr. Eiko Aihara (Miki Nakatani) allows entry into the subconscious mind of a comatose patient so as to stimulate memories and emotions that could accelerate the recovery process. Through this procedure, Koichi Fujita (Takeru Satoh) enters the mind of the love of his life, Atsumi Kazu (Haruka Ayase), a manga artist who attempted suicide. Koichi encounters all manner of weirdness within Atsumi's subconscious, such as philosophical zombies and subliminal fogs. In a fascinating yet frightening experience, he tries to decipher what pushed his lover to try to take her own life.
While revisiting the timeless myth of Orpheus and Eurydice, Kurosawa manages to address important social themes like environmental awareness, recurrent suicides in Japanese society, and an artist's freedom of expression.
Mesmerizing and wildly imaginative,
Real is at once a ghost story, a monster
movie, and a mind-boggling psychological
fantasy. Accompanied by the excellent
performances of young stars Ayase and
Satoh — who is enjoying the huge domestic
success of last year's Rurouni Kenshin —
Kurosawa's serene and powerful look at
this story of ultimate love locks the audience
in a quietly disturbing embrace.
Giovanna Fulvi
Special thanks to The Japan Foundation, Toronto.


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CP Island: Event Adventures Coming for All
Something REALLY cool has just been announced – event adventures coming for all players in a future update! To me, these sound like quests, but the concept sounds amazing!
This seems extremely familiar to classic Club Penguin's parties, so I can't wait to see what these event adventures will be. Could we possibly be helping Rookie in Halloween? Maybe something for Winter? Only time will tell, but that sounds really exciting!
Thank you very much for reading, waddle on!
-Torres 126