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In 2020, the phrase 'remote work' rocketed in popularity! Almost every office around the world started using terms like it and other variations such as 'working from home', 'hybrid schedules' and 'virtual work'.
Some people were more comfortable with this new way of working, but for others it was the start of a difficult time. For example, Google Trends' analysis demonstrated that 'Tips for working from home' was searched about 600 thousand times between March-April 2020. It was difficult for people to stay productive and to keep in touch with colleagues as well during this testing time.
Nobody really knew what to expect, and it wasn't clear how long this situation would last for too. Even the world-famous Forbes magazine started to use headlines like 'Remote work will stay forever' and 'Offices are no longer required'.
More than a year later, we are either working from home ourselves, or we know someone who is. So, it's important to help yourself, and those around you, to deal with the new changes that have occurred. Because not everyone is happy with working remotely.
Forbes published a special survey provided by FlexJobs in May 2021, and it said that 65% of respondents would like to keep a remote work schedule after the pandemic, and 33% noted that they would prefer a hybrid type of work schedule. But, as you can see, there's a huge proportion of people that aren't too comfortable with the idea of working from home.
No doubt that both remote jobs and hybrid schedules will blossom even further throughout 2021, so how can we make sure that everyone feels productive and happy within this new working style.
Keep on reading, and we'll share some tips with you on how to stay productive and to keep connected with colleagues as you continue to work remotely.
Making the most of remote/hybrid work
1) Organize your workspace
Some companies are ready to invest in and organize workspaces for their employees at home, and others have allowed members of staff to grab some equipment (including chairs, tables) from the office to take home.
But, sadly, not every office can afford to do this.
So, perhaps you'll need to go and get your own equipment - buy a comfortable chair, a table and make your 'space' your 'office' space. Having a 'space' that resembles work, instead of home, will help you to get into the 'work mode' and should help your productivity.
2) Set tasks and deadlines
To remain productive you need to organize your days, this way you'll know what you're doing and when.
It's recommended that you keep a calendar or tasks list in front of you, so that you don't lose focus. You can ask your manager and team for support on this matter.
3) Take breaks
It's easy to forget to take a break from work when you're working from home. But, you've got to remember to take tea breaks, exercise and walks during your day. You will quickly burn yourself out if you over-work yourself.
You can organize exercise classes at home, for example. You can find a lot of free exercises via Youtube or social media networks that are given out by famous fitness providers.
Some companies even started inviting trainers and doing workouts online for all their colleagues to participate in. For example, at Careerist, we do yoga classes together and anyone can join in.
4) Arrange video calls
Chat via Zoom with your colleagues. Make sure you keep in contact with them. It doesn't have to be a scheduled meeting, although these are great opportunities to discuss important business, but it can be informal.
Talking to your colleagues allows you to share your worries and concerns, and you can talk openly with them, just as you would if you were in the office.
You could even arrange a 'Zoom party', if a college has something to celebrate - everyone could get a piece of cake and a coffee, and everyone could talk together via video chat.
5) Arrange online training
2020 was the year for online learning! You can help yourself, and your colleagues, by setting up online courses for everyone to follow.
It's a team exercise, plus, you'll all be learning something new too. It's also an opportunity for everyone to do something that isn't only work-related.
6) Fixed working schedule
It's important for the employer and the employee to be online at the same time. However, working from a distance does mean that working hours seem to get blurry.
It's very important to define your boundaries, so your colleagues don't abuse your remote working schedule.
Explain what hours you will be working to your teammates, and they should adhere to your schedule. You should respect their schedule too.
7) Deal with distractions
While working from home distractions will occur. You should try to keep children and pets occupied while you work, because you'll become distracted very quickly and this is not good for your work.
If you need to take care of your kids, or pets, take a break away from your 'office' and go and play with your pet and entertain your children.
8) Dress well
Over the past year a lot of funny pictures of people working in a shirt and shorts have circulated the internet. Albeit funny, this is quite unprofessional and it can take away from the seriousness of a meeting.
If you have important meetings online, you should choose a comfortable, but work related wardrobe. Plus, if you dress in clothes that you'd usually wear to work, you'll feel more in the 'work zone' too.
Additional thoughts
- If you work in the same city as your colleagues, but you're still not able to work in your office, I suggest that you arrange a small outdoor get together with your teammates every few weeks. It will be nice to see your colleagues face to face and you can catch up like you did before.
- Special tech services like Teamweek, Harvest, Asana, Trello, TickTick, Toggl, AtTrack and many others can be used to increase self-control, scheduling tasks, time and resources amongst teams.
- At Careerist we have our own secrets to achieving successful remote work. Employees in our company are distributed all over the world, but we all find time to learn English together, do yoga and even take part in cooking classes. Plus, everyone always knows their tasks and can always ask for help and support when they need it.
- The world has changed dramatically in a year. Many companies are trying to bring back their staff to their offices, or they are offering new hybrid schedules to members of staff. But, Psychologists say that it's somewhat presumptuous to believe that when we return to the office that we will be returning to the same scene that we left in early 2020. Some people have lost their communication skills, some are out of the habit of driving two hours into work every single day and others just don't want to be in a big office building anymore.
- People have changed over the past year and it's important to appreciate and to understand how people feel about work now. Employers need to give their employees, and themselves, time to adapt and get used to the new working conditions again.
You've probably made your mind up by now about whether or not you like or dislike remote work and hybrid schedules.
I was, like so many others, 'lucky' to have been sent home to work remotely during the pandemic. And to tell you the truth, it was not an easy time for me - I struggled with finding a balance between work and personal life. Although I'd dreamt of working remotely and living in Bali in the past, nothing actually prepared me for the last year of working from home.
It was so hard to organize myself, and it was hard using the kitchen table as a workplace and a personal space. There were many ups and downs. And sometimes it seemed that I was going crazy, but then I'd turn to my colleagues and friends for support.
And then other times were so amazing. We would all celebrate a colleague's birthday and we'd share various events via video chat. We even had breakfasts online, created videos, rapped, and danced. And, to be honest, I don't think such events would ever have taken place had it not been for remote work.
Working from home will not suit everyone, so, if you find yourself lacking productivity and missing your colleagues try some of the suggestions above. They may not solve the problem entirely for you, but they can alleviate the effects.
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This has been another historic week in the world of AR/VR/XR. From successful virtual surgeries (seen below), to all-time highs for simultaneous VR users, to significant updates from Oculus that some feel may be the last updates we get for a while due to "not much else being possible for a VR headset."
This wasn't just one opinion, but we've encountered this in multiple forums and online publications.
Aside from us having released the first in a series if HMU improvements, it's somewhat saddening that more than one group can see creativity reaching its end just because we cannot imagine what could come next. The very notion that drives innovation takes creative leaps and creative advancements that can't be easily found by simply iterating what already exists.
Iteration is easy, innovation is hard. And it should be, otherwise it wouldn't be innovative.
We're going to enjoy the updates along with everyone else that has already gotten v28 updates for their Oculus Quest 2, but we're still thinking about the future and should be publishing our second installment in our series on how updates to what the HMU can offer will help open the way for innovative experiences. Look for this on the Other Realities Journal this Wednesday.
Thank you for reading and subscribing, and as always if you have any suggestions or just want to say "hi" you can message us on Twitter. Our directory is continually growing with entries for all kinds of AR/VR/MR/XR resources and interesting experiences, some that we haven't written about or featured. Yet. If you'd like to suggest an entry for the directory we have a directory suggestion form to make submissions very quick.
See you in the next issue!
ZED RUN | Digital Horse Racing
With thousands of daily viewers on their Twitch Stream, virtual horse ownership, breeding, and racing is growing fast. With non-fungible tokens (NFTs) providing clear ownership and with winning horses paying real money we can see this growing beyond its current niche audience.
Doctors Perform One-Of-A-Kind AR Surgery In Boston - VRScout
Hipinsight is the first FDA approved AR surgical guidance system for hip replacement powered by Microsoft HoloLens2, and has been used recently for its first successful surgery recently. Being able to see inside a patient is vital for diagnostics (X-Ray, ultrasound, etc.), but being able to accurately visualize a patient's body during surgery, inside and out, is beyond anything currently being done with robots and cameras placed inside a body. You can also watch a snippet from the surgery to get a sense of what surgeons saw during this historic event.
Snap Teams with LACMA & LA Artists to Launch Location-Based AR Art Monuments Around the City « Next Reality
If all you know about Los Angeles is from movies you may not know about the thriving art scene that's been growing over the last decade. Snapchat (based in LA) is teaming up with a group of local artists to create a series of location-based augmented reality monuments and murals around the city.
What is Immersive VR? - The 8 Tiers of Immersion in VR
Vive published a very easy to understand breakdown of the levels of VR immersion a user can expect with each category of currently available VR headset. We have already found this very helpful in discussing how immersive an experience can be based on how the user is experiencing it.
Fortnite and Zelda can up your surgical game • tectales
We probably weren't the only children who tried to convince their parents playing video games would give us better hand-eye-coordination. Now a study from a University of Ottawa medical student has found they could benefit surgical skills training. Laparoscopic surgery, a procedure aided by a video camera and remote controlled instruments,
INOPTEC - Dimming for AR Glasses
Great advances seem obvious in hindsight but that most don't think of themselves. Dimming the glass in an AR headset to increase visibility is one of them. A large problem with AR experiences are bright lights making it difficult to read or even see elements projected into a headset. This video takes you through the thinking and the hardware Inoptec used to to make this possible.
LiDAR Enabled Templates - Lens Studio by Snap Inc.
If the real world monuments Snapchat published we featured above are something you'd be interested in learning to make these project templates are a great starting place. Run them as-is or modify them to get a feel for what goes into making this type of experience. The project has really good instructions and documentation for what you need to do to get up and running in a matter of minutes.
Oculus Quest 2 for 3D Stereo Photographers
Lenticular photographer Michael Brown shows the various apps for the Oculus Quest that are capable of showing 180° and 360° video and images, along with other kinds of dimensional photographs. If you are trying to decide which one may be for you this overview might be helpful.
One More Thing
The Importance of APOKI: Virtual Artist, Rabbit, and Trailblazer — VirtualHumans.org
We freely admit a fascination with virtual beings and constructed performance personas, so featuring this interview with APOKI should come as no surprise. The very real South Korean singer has an audience of millions of views & followers on TikTok and social media. In a world where authenticity has been the currency for drawing audiences the very talented and creative people behind virtual beings are giving audiences what they're looking for even if it's through the experiences of an avatar with rabbit ears. Check out her YouTube page for more of her work. Who knows, maybe you'll find another artist for one of your playlists.

subset: commoncrawl


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Imagine a world where you no longer have to work because you have enough passive income to pay for your best life's living expenses? It's possible if you spend and invest your money wisely and build your own portfolio of the best passive income ideas covered below.
I've been working on building passive income since 1999 when I first graduated from college.
Only until 2012 did I start making enough passive income where I felt comfortable negotiating a severance to no longer work for a living. The figure was about $78,000 a year. With my passive income, I focused on traveling the world and building this site to generate more passive income.
Today, my family makes roughly $300,000 a year in passive income so that both my wife and I can stay at home and raise our boy until he goes to kindergarten. San Francisco is an expensive place to live and we're ultimately shooting for $300,000 a year in passive income by 2023.
Below is our current passive income portfolio where we still save at least 20% of the income and reinvest the money back into existing investments.
Here are the best passive income investment ideas to help you get started.
Best Passive Income Ideas
1) Open An Online Savings Account
One of the easiest ways to start generating passive income is with a high yield savings account. The Federal Reserve cut rates to 0% in 2020 and will likely stay at 0% or close to 0% for the foreseeable future.
Our current favorite is the CIT Bank Savings Builder account.
CIT Savings Builder Account: Top Features
- No opening or monthly service fees
- Minimum deposit of $100
- No online transfer fees (ACH)
2) Invest In Real Estate Crowdfunding
One of the best passive income ideas stems from my love of real estate. I've currently got $810,000 invested in real estate crowdfunding after selling my San Francisco rental for 30X annual gross rent. My favorite platform is Fundrise, founded in 2012 after the JOBS Act was created.
Fundrise is the most innovative real estate crowdfunding platform. They invented the eREIT space and are working on Opportunity Funds to take advantage of new tax laws.
My other favorite real estate crowdfunding platform is Crowdstreet, for accredited investors. They were also founded in 2012 and are mainly for accredited investors. Both Fundrise and CrowdStreet are free to sign up and explore.
I've personally got $810,000 invested across 18 different commercial real estate projects around the country. My current internal rate of return is about 15% since 2016.
3) Invest With A Digital Wealth Advisor
Robo-advisory was invented in the SF Bay Area where I'm from. The industry has drastically cut down on fees (0.25% vs. 1% – 3% for traditional advisors) and can help you invest passively.
I recommend exploring an account with Betterment because they'll build a portfolio around your preferences. The first $5,000 managed is free and you can see what type of customized investment portfolio they'll create for you based on some answers you give.
Here is one of their sample portfolios with a 5 out of 10 on the risk tolerance scale. They use low-cost Vanguard ETFs so you pay the lowest fees possible.
4) Invest In Various Bonds
With so much volatility in the stock market, bond investing has become much more attractive. If you are a high income earner, then look to municipal bonds since you don't have to pay state or federal income tax.
You want to build a bond step stool not a ladder in a flat to inverted yield curve environment. The short end of the yield curve is much more attractive relative to the long end.
For example, you can earn 2.74% if you invest in a 1-year bond, but you're only going to make 0.16% more if you invest in a 10-year bond.
The same is true for government bonds. In exchange for your cash now, they promise to pay back your initial investment plus interest.
If you are in a high tax bracket, then consider municipal bonds from your state where you don't pay state income tax or federal income tax. Earning interest from bonds is a pretty easy choice amongst this list of the best passive income investments, and a good way to diversify if you're only holding stocks or cash.
5) Invest In Peer-to-Peer Lending
Peer to peer lending (P2P) gives you a chance to help out others and make money doing it. You lend your money to someone else with the goal that they'll pay you back plus interest. The simplest way to begin a passive income stream with P2P lending is with Lending Club.
It requires an initial investment of $1,000, but you choose how to spread your cash across different loans. Screening your loans will help increase your success. If it doesn't work out, Lending Club has a good collections process to tap into.
6) Create A CD Step Stool
Certificates of deposit are risk-free investments up to $250,000. Like a savings account, your money is insured by the FDIC or NCUA.
Earning passive income on a CD is pretty easy. The trouble is that higher rates tend to require longer periods of investment. Not having free and unrestricted access to your cash can be difficult.
If you set up a CD step stool, your investments mature at various intervals. But you're taking advantage of the short end of the yield curve where you get the most bang for your buck. Accessing your funds on a rotating basis makes CD ladders an effortless passive income stream.
There's no need to invest in a 5-year bond or CD at less than 2.5% when you can invest in short-term CDs or bonds that yield more.
7) Buy Dividend Stocks
When it comes to passive income ideas, dividend stocks are a time-tested option and one of the easiest ways to generate passive income.
Making money this way isn't a guarantee since the market can fluctuate, but it can help you build up a significant passive income stream over time. The easiest way to invest in dividend stocks is to buy a low-cost equity dividend ETF like HDY, SPYD, VSDA, NOBL, SPDV, TDIV, SPHD, PGX, LVHI and others.
You can also build a dividend heavy portfolio with digital wealth advisor Betterment as well. I wouldn't bother picking individual dividend stocks. It's much safer and smarter to buy a dividend ETF for the long run.
8) Become A Landlord
Real estate is my absolute favorite asset class to building long term wealth because it's a tangible asset that provides shelter and can generate rent. I've been buying real estate since 2003 in San Francisco, and it's turned out to be a great move.
The only problem is is that you have to come up with a 20% – 30% downpayment to buy rental property. That's a concentrated bet on a single asset with leverage.
Then you have to find tenants and maintain the property. Once I became a dad in 2017, I decided to simplify life and sell one property and reinvest $550,000 of the proceeds in real estate crowdfunding for an easier life.
9) Rent A Room In Your House
Renting out a spare room in your house is a great way to earn extra income. I did this for years after I bought my second property in San Francisco since it was a four bedroom house with only two of us living in it.
Today, you can use Airbnb and other platforms to help find you tenants. It's good to utilize all your rooms until you can fill them with your own family. Because we didn't have children, we decided to rent out the entire rental house and buy a smaller house. But of course, then our son came!
10) REIT: Real Estate Investment Trust
Another option to start in real estate without the hassle of being a landlord is with real estate investment trusts (REIT). You don't own any specific building (typically), but you do own part of the REIT and its portfolio, which often trade publicly like stocks.
Public REITs give you much broad exposure than real estate crowdfunding, which is great for more specific real estate exposure. For example, I believe the heartland of America will be a multi-decade real estate winner. Therefore, I invest in commercial properties in non-coastal cities via a platform like Fundrise.
Public REITs and real estate in general has performed extremely well over the past couple of decades.
11) Start a Blog
Blogging is one of the best ways for anybody to make money from the comfort of their own home. I've been blogging since 2009 and Financial Samurai now generates a healthy amount of income. Given I've been blogging for so long, I'm totally bias into believing that blogging is the best passive income idea.
However, blogging is not passive. It's taken me three hours to write this post. Hopefully it will rank well in the search engines and generate passive advertisement revenue in the future, but there are no guarantees. You've first got to put in a lot of work before making a good amount of passive income blogging.
If you want to make money blogging, this guide can walk you through getting started. After your initial time investment, you can earn tons of cash.
12) Publish an eBook
You don't need a big publishing deal to write a book. Plenty of authors self-publish their work and make good money doing it, including myself! Everybody should consider self-publishing as a passive income idea.
In 2012, I wrote a book called How To Engineer Your Layoff, to teach others how to negotiate a severance instead of foolishly quit their jobs with nothing.
The book now generates about $4,000 a month in passive income. It started off as 100 pages. Now, in its 4th edition published in 2020, the book has grown to over 180 pages.
First things first. To have a successful self-published book, you need to start your own website. So don't delay.
The Best Passive Income Ideas Take Time To Grow
All passive income first requires plenty of activity. Some investments, like dividend investing and real estate crowdfunding take less effort to get started than others.
The earlier you can start building your passive income, the better. You don't want to wake up one day hating your job and not having any ability to do something new. Hopefully this article has given you a great idea of the best passive income ideas today.
I credit passive income for enabling my wife and I to live the life we've always wanted. It is a blessing to take care of our two young children full-time, especially during a global pandemic!
About the Author: Sam worked in investment banking for 13 years at GS and CS. He received his undergraduate degree in Economics from The College of William & Mary and got his MBA from UC Berkeley. In 2012, Sam was able to retire at the age of 34 largely due to his investments. He spends most of his time playing tennis and taking care of his family. Financial Samurai was started in 2009 and is one of the most trusted personal finance sites on the web with over 1.5 million pageviews a month.


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Visitors | Locals | Relocation | Students | Business | Home
Red Cliffs and Quail Creek Reservoir state parks are a popular combined trip. Located 39 miles from Cedar City and only 3 miles from each other. These parks offer the best of both red rock and water activities. The climate here differs considerably from that of Cedar City. With average temperatures typically 10 degrees higher. Red Cliffs is an amazing concentration of red and orange color hills and canyons that invite the adventurous to explore. The main canyon hike leads along Quail Creek to pools trapped by the rock formations. Rock climbing and repelling opportunities abound in the park. For those who prefer more leisurely activity, picnic tables and fire pits are available for a small fee. It's a great place for overnight camping as well.
Approximately 3 miles downstream and across I-15, Quail Creek empties into Quail Creek Reservoir; strikingly blue and contrast in the surrounding landscape. Here you can picnic, swim, tan and participate in various water sports. Restrooms, pavilions and fine beaches are available these areas. The quickest route is to take I-15 south to leeds, exit 23. Then follow the main street south through town until you see signs to the parks.
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Zion Weather Red Cliffs Recreation Site Quail Creek State Park
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In this one-off short story set in the Bitter Sixteen universe, everyone's favourite wise-cracking beagle Daryl gets a slightly more violent Christmas than he bargained for...
'★★★★ This sparky debut puts the classic comic book origin story through the pop-cultural blender by gifting superpowers to a kid who just happens to be a massive sci-fi geek. For Smallville, substitute Tref-y-Celwyn, the mid-Welsh town where vowel-deficient teenage loner Stanly suddenly discovers a talent for flight and telekinesis. Accompanied by a potty-mouthed beagle (just go with it), Stanly up, ups and aways to London, where he throws his lot in with a bunch of Generation X-Men investigating a series of sinister child abductions. Zippy prose keeps the story barrelling along, the genre references come thick and fast (even the dog a Yoda impression does) and, in Stanly, Mohamed has created a hero you'll really root for. A flying start.' —Paul Kirkley, SFX Magazine
'★★★★☆ Bitter Sixteen was an engaging, funny and heartwarming coming of age story that took tried-and-true tropes in new directions. Mohamed's Stanly at first seems familiar: a geeky teen with few friends who is constantly bullied in school, discovers on his sixteenth birthday that he can levitate and move objects with only his mind. But Stanly has to work hard to figure out how to use his powers, which don't come easily. Add in the bestest side-kick ever—a talking beagle named Daryl—and you have a winning combination for a story.' — Tammy Sparks, Books Bones & Buffy
'★★★★★ The plot is an absolute page turner – it is hard not to like Stanly, and Daryl (the talking dog) becomes an immediately likeable presence. The plot moves in a way that may seem relatively formulaic for those who have read a lot of Superhero tales, but the twists here are stonkingly big, and always surprising, making this a very fresh and original read. In addition, the villain is truly chilling – and one who I would love to see portrayed on screen.' — Luke Marlow, The Book Bag
'★★★★ If you know your Calrissian from your Kobayashi, then YA novel Bitter Sixteen is the most fun you can have in the superhero genre...' —Aliya Whiteley, Den of Geek


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1. Make borax crystal hearts! Borax and pipe cleaners are super cheap and students love watching the crystals grow. You can find directions on Steve Spangler's site here.
5. If you are teaching genetics, this speed dating activity is a blast! I put up lights around my classroom and moved the desks in long rows so students face each other. Each student gets assigned a different monster and they rotate around the room on different dates, completing punnett squares with each date. At the end of the 3 dates they pick a monster they would like to go on a second date with. Its a valentine's day they won't forget! You can find the lesson here. Don't teach genetics? Check out this blog post with other versions here.
I hope you and your students have a fun day!
Be sure to check out other holiday blog posts I have to read about activities you can do throughout the year!
Rock on,


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Oklahoma Governor Stitt Says Tribal Operations Illegal After Jan 1, Chickasaw Threatens Legal Action
Posted on: December 6, 2019, 06:12h.
Last updated on: December 9, 2019, 03:16h.
Oklahoma's tribal casino compact negotiations could be heading for court after Governor Kevin Stitt said operators would be breaking the law if they continue to offer class III gaming beyond January 1, 2020.
Tulsa World reports that, on Thursday, Stitt questioned how the tribes could operate beyond that date without a legal contract.
Earlier in the week, the Chickasaw Nation, Oklahoma's largest gaming operator, complained to the US Department of the Interior that Stitt's actions represented an "intolerable risk" to the tribe and reserved the right to take legal action against the state.
Talks Collapse
The word from the tribes is that negotiations stalled within hours of getting underway in late October, after the state immediately demanded arbitration and the tribes immediately refused.
Their position is that their compacts, signed in 2004 by 35 of the state's 38 federally recognized tribes, were expected to roll over on their January 1 expiration.
That claim is backed up by former governor Brad Henry, who negotiated the original model compact with the tribes. He said in October that his administration wanted the tribes to be tied to the agreement beyond the first term.
The model compact states the agreement will renew if "licensees or others are authorized to conduct electronic gaming in any form other than parimutuel wagering on live horse racing."
In October, the Oklahoma Horse Racing Commission approved all horse track gaming and racing license applications for calendar year 2020, which includes electronic gaming. The tribes' lawyers argue that this demonstrates, in clear language, that the law is on their side.
Cash Squeeze
Nevertheless, Stitt is determined to squeeze more money out of a tribal casino market that is the second-wealthiest in the US. Last year, the tribes contributed $138.6 million to state coffers on revenues of $2.3 billion.
"The truth is on our side," Stitt claimed Thursday. "I feel so confident that Oklahomans can see right through a certain industry, the casino industry, saying, 'These go on forever.' That can't be true."
The state's share of gross gaming revenue (GGR) from slots and other electronic games starts at 4 percent and rises to 6 percent when an operator's GGR exceeds $20 million. For table games, including craps and roulette, it's ten percent.
Stitt has claimed that Oklahoma tribes pay the lowest revenue-share percentages in America — a dubious assertion when you consider that Arizona-based tribes pay between one and eight percent and in Minnesota they pay nothing.
Law and Logic
The tribes have said they are prepared to negotiate, but only if they receive something in return. Stitt has said he wants 25 percent of class III gaming revenues, which includes slots and table games. But it's unclear what the state is bringing to the table in return.
The fact is our compacts renew and that our gaming will be as lawful in January 2020 as it is in December 2019," Stephen Greetham, senior counsel for the Chickasaw Nation, told Tulsa World. "Governor Stitt's position is not supported by law, logic, or the compact's plain language.
"Those are the terms the state offered to us 15 years ago, and it is beyond untenable for it to arbitrarily and at the 11th hour suddenly say it didn't mean what it said," he added. "Oklahoma is better than that, and the state-tribal relationship deserves better than that."
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Denise Gillespie December 17, 2019
We should have elected Mick Cornett. He knows how to work well with others. Stitt needs to quit trying to bully and threaten the tribes, and honor the agreements that were made. If he wanted more, maybe he should have asked, instead of told!
Marcus Loring de la Houssaye, CEO of Catahoula Tribe December 16, 2019
Do the people of the Native Nations not know that a corporation named STATE OF OKLAHOMA has no jurisdiction in or over a sovereign nation? We all need to study sovereignty as a people and a nation and learn to mind our businesses and rule our own nations. I AM THAT I AM, Marcus-Loring, a spiritual being having a human experience and a living man, in whom the flesh lives and the blood flows, standing upon the land of my ancestors who discovered Columbus lost upon our shores over 500 years ago. I hereby declare and give notice of error. I am not an Indian because Columbus did not arrive in India. Nor am I properly identified as DELAHOUSSAYE, MARCUS LOVING which was created by and is a corporate franchise of THE STATE OF LOUISIANA, which is a corporate franchise of the DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. I was biologically created by my biological father and mother who gave me a proper name with proper capitalization. My nativity is upon the land of my ancestors who were here for millenniums before we discovered Columbus lost upon our shores. I am also Cajun and a descendent of French travellers who arrived in the Canadian Maritimes in 1604 and I am not aware of any evidence as proof that I was born in or that I am a citizen of the DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA also known as the UNITED STATES. I was born as an American State National pursuant to 8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(21) which is my private legal, lawful, political, birthright status. I was born as and I remain an American State National and my birthright heritage and allegiance is to my family, tribe, State and to My Creator also known as My Father in Heaven, who shall be my sole judge. I am appointed in original, superior jurisdiction as a beneficiary of the Divine Trust published and constructed by trust indenture and found in the Book of Genesis 1:26-2:25. I have been given dominion over all things, to protect and name, made by Our Creator which includes the land, air and water and all man-made government corporations and it's agents who are hired and paid by "We the People" to provide government services. I am about My Spiritual Father's business and as a Son of the Great Spirit also known as Our Creator, I am led by the spirit. In that status, capacity, position and jurisdiction my mandate is clearly defined in Joshua 1:5-9, Isaiah 6:1 and Romans 8:14-39. And all creation eagerly awaits the revealing of the Sons of God, for all creation shall be set free from corruption into the glorious liberty of the Sons of God. PUBLIC SERVANTS obey your sovereign masters.
Betty December 16, 2019
State of Oklahoma started putting an extra 5% tax on jackpot winners as of 2018. What more do they want!!
Steve Huston December 13, 2019
Does the governor not realize that tribes also build roads, pump money into school programs that would not be available otherwise and provide thousands of jobs for natives and non-natives. It appears he wants to be a one term wonder.
Judy Hawke December 12, 2019
It's their land!!!!!!! Why do they share at ALL??!!??!! That governor looks like a money grabbing liberal communist who wants to control EVERYTHING!
Joey Garicia December 10, 2019
Greed so ugly we pay the lowest but yet we still pay being that we are on OKLAHOMA INDIAN TERRITORY and the number of millions does not include the amount of donations tribes give to local communities such as libraries, fire stations, parks, that are also used and service by non tribal members even with employment they hire non tribal members at times, what happen to the lottery money that was promised to go to education that some went into financial debt to teach adolescent kids for low pay but in our day and age no pay...instead paying and walk outs occur they grant epic schooling pretty much home schooling great idea when u back out on agreement...the Govna need to go Stitt down
Joey Garicia December 10, 2019
we pay the lowest being its OUR land and we are on OKLAHOMA INDIAN TERRITORY , should be happy that we pay at all, we already contributed millions which in fact that number is not including of donations tribes give to local communities such as libraries, fire stations, parks, places that are open to the public not only for tribal members..Greeds ugly and he should address the lottery money that was supposed to go to education budgets so teachers wouldnt have to protests and walk outs ..instead of paying they do epic charter school so parents can practically home school their kids not a bad idea if you dont want to come off the money that was promised or in the original plan..Dear Govna..go stitt down
Shelly Riley December 10, 2019
They should leave it alone. As stated before, the government, is trying to get one over on the Native Americans. We have wised up to your backstabbing ploys. Leave us alone for once. Everyone benefits from the casino moneys.
Tinker December 9, 2019
All the Oklahoma governors are trying to be like Hitler whole stole all the gold from the Jews n killed them. Closing the casinos are about the same. Killing off the livelihood of casino workers, but not bothering the white oil refineries. Think about it. I did.
Liz Harrison December 9, 2019
Gov Stitt you are limiting your effectiveness and your time in office when you pursue your own bad logic instead of the will of those you represent. We are taxed to the hilt and something in our lives teeters on rebellion because of it. Not only are you asking for a much greater portion of our work, you take the very incentives we have of going to the casino. Do you really think we will support you in this? This is enough to stop us from patronizing the casinos. It isn't for entertainment that I go, no, I can get that from phone apps. I go to win, not to pour the money into taxes that are not being handled by good stewards of our resources. Get this Stitt, we are the voters, you work for us.
crystal December 9, 2019
Why don't tribes ask to audit the State? Where is the money going because it's obvious it's not going to our childrens education Native or Not that is where the money is suppose to be going. We are not a State where our Casino's make a million dollars a day. My tribe is struggling and we get doubled taxed our childrens money get's tripled taxed by the State of Oklahoma. With all the revenue from marijuana sales the State needs to leave the tribes alone.
Lewis Yahola December 9, 2019
Nothing has changed. Just like the government has always done. Make a deal with the tribes then break it. Why do u think natives say white man speaks with a forked tongue. Politicians are just over paid crooks anyway. Hey governer lets think about cutting y'alls over paid selves then put that money towards Oklahoma. Just one time lets see a signed deal to the natives stand. Y'all talk so much about people just wanting hand outs but the government is the same way. Gimme, gimme,gimme.
Rose December 9, 2019
Agreements need to be honored.
Dartagnan Warren Warren December 9, 2019
No. No. No. I say that the state has a compact... Soo honor the agreement. It's just another example of trying to screw us again. I vote no
Mary H Deer December 9, 2019
Why doesn't Stitt repeal the lowering of taxes Fallin allowed for the oil industry.
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Find Us
Map to Mere
Map to Goldsmith and Young once you are in Mere. Directions below the Map
Goldsmith & Young is located in the South West corner of Wiltshire, England just off the A303 trunk road to the West, in Mere.
We are ten minutes drive from Gillingham Railway Station (Dorset), which is on the main Waterloo to Exeter St.Davids line via Salisbury.


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Custard is a relic of old-world style of baking and desserts that's managed to hang on into modern times, mostly because of how delicious it is. It remains relevant for serving with pies, tarts and puddings, and is infinitely more accessible with the help of a tool like a Thermomix. It's incredibly simple and showcases perfectly the immeasurable difference between homemade and store-bought, and just how superior the former can be, even with the simplest of recipes. Enjoy a rich and creamy topping in minutes!
This Chocolate Custard recipe (Americans, read: pudding) is unbeatable when you know that your kids will want dessert, but you don't want to give them store-bought sweets or slave over another meal at the end of the day. May we present the ultimate solution to your conundrum: 8 minutes, 6 ingredients and 1 Thermomix. Combine all of your ingredients in one pot, cook for 8 minutes and serve however you like – dressed up with fruits and toppings, or dressed down with a spoon, right out of the bowl. Either way, you will have the sweet sound of silence thanks to this easy recipe.
Smoothies perfectly straddle the needs of a sweet tooth and a refreshing drink, somehow without being classified as neither a dessert nor a meal. Their appeal really comes from their ease and ability to incorporate fresh, seasonal fruits — we love mango, as seen in this recipe — and please pretty much everyone at the table. For extra hot days, or when you've made too much, pour any excess into popsicle moulds and freeze for a refreshing treat.
There are some things that can't be beaten nor faked – and French style, custard based ice cream is one of them. What should be reserved for pastry chefs or those who have trained is democratized by a Thermomix, allowing everyone at home to try and recreate their favorite recipes. This recipe for Licorice Ice Cream is a velvety and rich dessert, that requires a little bit of care to execute, but is well worth the effort. Surprisingly, it won't take up too much of your time, so don't hesitate to give it a whirl (literally).
Give your desserts a tropical makeover with this fragrant and flavorful Mango Sorbet with Mint and Lime. A truly dazzling and unique dessert that's perfect for hot Summer's evenings, when the heat has you feeling full and in need of refreshment. The only fresh ingredients you will need are mint and lime, so can be made with little to no thought in advance! Frozen mangoes mean you can eat this straight from the bowl, however we do recommend crockery and a spoon.
These Thermomix Jam Donuts are a simple homage to a classic treat that's popular with all ages, known loved in its many different forms across the globe. This rendition keeps things simple with an airy, yeast dough that's fried and piped full of sweet raspberry jam (or any that takes your fancy). This is a great beginners recipe for a first foray into donut making, as Sophia has included some trade secrets that are imperative to success. There is resting time to allow your dough to prove, so make sure you have plenty of time and activities in between. They're worth it, we promise.
Switch up your dessert routine with these fun and indulgent Oreo Truffles. These tiny balls are bursting with richness, all you will need is one or two to satisfy a sweet tooth. Individual globes of chocolate and cream cheese get a little bit of texture from the cookies, which makes them the perfect addition to any platter and a winning submission at a potluck! They're great for busywork when feeling creative with kids, and truly are an all-rounder. Setting time is 1 hour, so make a batch in advance, chill and enjoy.
What can you make when you have only 15 minutes of prep time, some coffee, creamy Italian mascarpone and sweet spongy biscuits? It couldn't be anything other than this incredible Thermomix Tiramisu, inspired by one of Italy's finest exports! This quick, no-bake dessert gives off sophisticated vibes, perfect for a dinner party. Cooking the egg yolks means that those with particular dietary requirements who might usually be excluded can enjoy this light and flavorful treat too. A winner for everyone; chef and diners alike!
Ice cream has been a much beloved dessert since long before the advent of freezers, and still to this day remains a favourite of many. Such a flexible treat, it can be the main event or a demure side, indulgent or light, even bordering on healthy. With the latter in mind, this Thermomix Strawberries & (Ice) Cream was created. You won't find an easier dessert with such broad appeal. Use frozen strawberries and a milk of your choice (non-dairy for vegans or lactose intolerant) and sweeten with honey or agave to taste. Kids won't tell the difference, even if you tell them!
These dreamy, airy pancakes will please even the pickiest of eaters. They are, as pancakes always are, delicious and super versatile for whatever flavors you may want to add. Additionally, this recipe makes it it nothing short of effortless to bring together — so why not make your morning extra special (or give your afternoon snack a fun reimagining) in less than 20 minutes? Combine all ingredients in your Thermomix, mix and fry – serve with your favourite toppings like bacon, strawberries, whipped cream and maple syrup.


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Psychic Readings – What Is Better: Live or By Phone?
Lots of people believe that a real-time psychic analysis– one performed in-person– will certainly somehow prove to have a greater degree of accuracy. In this short article I resolve the question from the perspective of the psychic medium, consisting of discussion of exactly how intuitives receive information and what to anticipate throughout a psychic reading.
Ethics, Values, and Morals (and Consciousness)When you straighten your body/ personality/ intelligence/ mind with yourself as Consciousness after that your sense of right as well as incorrect ends up being clear. Your Moral compass is plainly regarding You and also just how You desire to navigate life.
Get Beyond Your Comfort Zones to Receive Your Greatest Breakthrough!You have to obtain beyond your Convenience Zones to get all that God has for you. To get beyond your Comfort Zones you have to enter the unidentified dogmatic. Right here is a wonderful tip from Dr. Calvin Ellison on starting to get beyond your Convenience Zones.
Mysticism: Five Stages of Becoming a MysticThe five phases of necromancy aren't as facility as you might think. In contrast to popular idea, you don't have to have a lengthy hair of white hair as well as reside in an exotic, remote part of the world to be a mystic.
If You Want To Receive The Right Answer You Have To Ask The Right QuestionThe genuine concern is "Are you asking the best concern?" As I tuned in this is what was revealed to me. The question is not whether to purchase the home or not; the actual inquiry is will you enable on your own to live a detailed life or will you let your self live a life that will do? The genuine question is "Is the decision you are trying to make coming from an area of love or is it coming from an area of anxiety?"
Who Is Behind The Wheel Of Your Vehicle, Faith Or Fear?For fifteen years since 1999, I took a trip up and also down the freeway to the Sunshine coastline to deliver some life-changing workshops or workshops. Sometimes, when driving from side to side I had some unbelievably deep and also meaningful insights which turned out to be life-changing for me. It was as an existence entered into my hands to assist me through the harmful storms.
Declaring I AM Brings Forth The Powerful Presence That Transforms Our Beliefs Into RealityAs I started in my new career I started to declare my intents as an Inspiring writer as well as Audio speaker as if they were currently true. In the beginning just claiming I AM an Inspirational writer really felt really uneasy. It really did not feel real or real. It felt as if I had to wait to come to be effective (what ever that implies) before I might successfully call myself a writer. Not true! These I AM declarations were like my business card welcoming the greatness currently within me to rise. It remains in the proclaiming I AM a Motivational writer that we touch base with the Motivation within that enables me to write and also to provide talks in a manner that inspires others.
Oh, to Them Who DieWe only have the one death to sustain. It suffices for us. It is a great support that fatality is nothing more than any person else needs to withstand. In this we encounter what all in mankind face, whether by pain or by tranquility. And fatality is however a transition.
The Messiah's Ministry In Deepest DiscouragementThere are times in all our lives when we're driven right into the inmost discouragement. Times when whatever we might do, we've done, where all we can be, we have actually been. We entrust our susceptability, berthing in the best harbour, yet discover that port has actually given that been declared unsuited for mooring.
I Became A SeekerAfter my home town experienced a destructive flooding, most of the community's individuals were shocked and really feeling the strain of recovery, which was even worse than the flood itself. Losses such as photos, family members treasures, as well as other souvenirs left them adrift regarding their place in life. My husband, David, and also I were consisted of amongst those feeling the pressure.
Inner Self – The Path to Ultimate TruthIn this world there are numerous things we understand around. There are different principles to research upon as well as keep ourselves upgraded. What, When, Why & Where are the most evident question we seek a solution for each time. This food craving for more has actually made us knowledgeable & flourishing. Truly, knowledge is the beacon of our life.


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Silent soldier will remember First World War heroes from Hoghton
The Silent Soldier was unveiled in honour of the centenary of the end of the First World War.
A ceremony at the War Memorial - opposite the entrance to Hoghton Tower - on Sunday saw a former president of the village's Women's Institute reveal the statue.
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Hide AdTony Harkness, clerk at Hoghton Parish Council, said: "It is to mark the end of the First World War and also to mark the fact that people returned from the First World War.
"The Royal British Legion approached us about whether we wanted to put a silhouette figure and we thought the most appropriate place would be the War Memorial.
"At the same time Hoghton's Women's Institute approached us and said they wanted to celebrate their 90th anniversary.
"The asked to sponsor the Silent Soldier.
"They put on a short ceremony where they dedicated the silhouette.
"A plaque has also gone on the silhouette."
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Hide AdAt the event president of the WI, Anita Pugh read out the names of the group's previous presidents.
A member of the WI also read a poem to commemorate its 90th anniversary.
Afterwards those in attendance - including county and parish councillors, WI members and residents numbering about 30 - also dedicated a bench in memory of parish and borough coun David Dickinson.


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The University of Miami endured a tumultuous year of surprises and hurdles: from responding to the coronavirus pandemic to implementing new health practices, to adapting to society's new normal.
The university enrolls more than 17,000 students and employs more than 16,000 people across three campuses: the Coral Gables Campus, the Medical Campus in downtown Miami, and the Marine Campus on Virginia Key. Like many universities, UM was tasked with adapting to remote and hybrid learning environments while also striving to mitigate the spread of the virus on its campuses.
The UM community, filled with students, professors, faculty and administrators, weighed in to express their perspective on the overview of the year.
Julio Frenk, president of the University of Miami, said he is proud of how the community responded to the urgency of the pandemic and adapted effectively as a response.
"The university had to adapt its modes of learning, research, and health care delivery, the community never stopped providing education, breakthroughs, or service," said Frenk. "The university was also able to mitigate financial losses in a timely manner without compromising the sustainability or strength of the institution."
Redesigning campus for the COVID pandemic
For on-campus learning, UM geared up for the fall semester by placing signs and markers across campus reminding students and the entire community to practice social distancing, wash their hands frequently and to wear a mask on campus at all times.
"This has been the most challenging semester that my colleagues and I have experienced in our entire academic career," said Roni Avissar, dean of the Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science. "While many universities around the country have preferred to close their campuses, under the leadership of President Frenk, a global authority in public health, we have chosen to confront the multiple challenges that Covid-19 has presented to us. Thanks to the determination and discipline of our students, faculty, and staff, we were able to successfully balance our commitments to safety and academic excellence."
The seating areas within the food court and other on-campus eateries were closed off. Students were also encouraged to utilize the daily symptom checker while on campus to spot any possible indication of the virus. Classrooms experienced a wide adjustment as well, with some seats being blocked off due to the 6-foot-rule, and students had a transparent plastic screen in front of them for added protection.
Senior Joshua Dos Santos says the university did the best it could in keeping COVID cases to a minimum by going fully remote at the end of spring semester and then taking the necessary measures to reopen campus in the fall.
"The university had to do what they had to do to limit the amount of COVID cases on campus," said Dos Santos, a criminology major.
Abigail Adeleke, student government president, said that this year was a learning experience for the entire UM community and the world. Although she said it was challenging, she said that she is thankful for 2020 for making her a better leader within the community and working alongside other students to help tackle issues and find solutions.
"One fact that keeps me hopeful is that diamonds are made under pressure," said Adeleke. "When we go through difficult times in history and in our personal lives we become more resilient, more compassionate, and more capable of the next difficulty. I am thankful for 2020 for opening my eyes to the world around me but also for making me a better leader."
Going remote or remaining in person
Students and faculty could decide if they wanted to spend their semester fully remote, hybrid or in person.
According to the Office of the Provost, each semester the university offers approximately 4,500 course sections. In the fall, approximately 1/3 of the course sections were conventional face-to-face, approximately 1/3 were in hybrid format where students normally had one day per week in the classroom with the faculty, and approximately 1/3 were online.
In an effort to reduce campus density, approximately 20 courses that the university anticipated would have high enrollments were converted to online format. The 1/3 fraction that was online was driven by 25 percent of the fall semester instructors being granted online teaching accommodations due to pre-existing conditions for them being at high risk as defined by the CDC. Some faculty teach more than one course.
"They didn't rush into the semester; they took their time to establish a plan that would benefit everyone involved," said Dos Santos, 21."It makes me happy knowing the university did their jobs in making campus life and my role as a student less stressful."
Geethika Kataru, a sophomore double majoring in political science and motion pictures, said the university has done an excellent job in keeping the staff and students safe during the pandemic this semester. Kataru, who is 20 years old, was a hybrid student this semester living in Eaton Residential College.
"I believe that UM has done a great job comparatively to other colleges at contact tracing and keeping people isolated," Kataru said. "I've heard some stories at other schools of students leaving quarantine early or not following proper isolation guidelines, and I am glad that our school has prioritized, ensuring that these guidelines are followed."
Yearning for more human interaction
Senior vocal performance major Emma Skowron said she missed having one-on-one interaction with her professors. Although she resided on campus, many of her music classes were held virtually.
"For singing it just created a lot of obstacles in my classes so I wasn't able to have the performance experience one would normally have," said Skowron, who took online and in-person classes.
Despite this, 21-year-old Skowron, said she felt that the school adequately kept students informed during the pandemic.
"I thought the voice department and Frost did a good job of keeping us updated on policies and what our semester would look like as they had that information," Skowron said.
As a nursing major, Sierra Frey was scheduled to take in-person labs and clinicals off campus at nearby hospitals. But COVID-19 meant that two of those off-campus classes had to be changed.
"When they first announced to us that we would not be working in the hospital setting, I think a lot of us got stressed out about how we would learn the skills we needed to know," said Frey, a junior.
Instead of going into the local hospitals, Frey experienced many of the real-life situations in the classroom or on virtual simulations.
Lost experiences felt within UM community
Although she was learning all of the information, Frey said it was not the same experience she had imagined.
"It does feel like I missed out on the true experience," Frey said. "Also, each day just felt super repetitive."
She compliments the school on the safety precautions that were taken.
"Nursing did a good job with seat assignments and making sure we were all 6 feet apart," Frey said. "They also made us clean our desks before and after each class."
Frey plans on coming back next semester and hopes to get into the hospital to experience real clinicals.
Freshman Nyayaongah Gony finished high school in Lincoln, Nebraska, under the heavy cloud of COVID-19 restrictions. And as the pandemic continued to ravage the nation, she realized that her first year in college would be much like her last weeks of high school—with masks, social distancing and remote learning.
"I didn't think coming to college would be that much different," said Gony, a communications major. But the visions high school students have of going off to college to stretch their wings and experience a sense of independence were blurred once Gony arrived on campus.
"I am disappointed I had to start my first year of college in a pandemic because I wanted to be able to go out and have fun," said Gony, 18. "I mean we are in Miami after all."
Unsociable environment causes students to act out
The university's adjustments did experience pushback from some members within the UM community. With the decision to open campus for in-person classes, some students expressed concerns of others jeopardizing their safety by holding and attending parties. There were also possible concerns of students attending super-spreader events outside of campus and possibly contracting the virus and coming back to campus.
The social scene was negatively impacted due to the virus, said Paul Spada, a brother of the Pi Kappa Phi.
Spada says living in the frat house helped him from becoming completely lonely, but there were also downsides.
"When one person got sick, the whole house had to quarantine," said Spada. "We couldn't have anyone over, and it was a never-ending cycle of coming in and out of isolation."
In the month of UM's reopening, a video was posted on Tik Tok showing freshmen on camera partying in a room at one of the residential colleges on campus, which violated the university's social distancing guidelines.
The following month, there were reports of fraternities having parties off campus in their frat houses, this sparked an investigation. It ultimately ended with the suspension for Sigma Chi (Sig Chi) and probation orders for Pi Kappa Alpha (Pike).
Alley Masocco, a senior religion and healthcare major, says students are at fault for many of the university's COVID cases.
"The university really did well following COVID guidelines; it was the student body who didn't take care of themselves throughout the course of the semester," said Masocco.
Emphasizing the importance of wearing masks and maintaining social distance, UM outlined the policies of acceptable behavior.
Masocco, 22, said she understands that Halloween is a holiday that people enjoy, but it wasn't the year for people to go out and party.
"It was definitely a challenging semester academically and socially, the school did what they could," said Masocco. "It was up to the students to follow university guidelines."
Rebuilding campus interactions and relations
Housing and Residential Life continued to take care of students who were in isolation at the end of the fall semester, with meals and support services provided throughout the length of their isolation until they were cleared through Student Health Service according to Patricia A Whitely, vice president for student affairs.
As of Dec. 10, the cumulative total of coronavirus cases at the university is 1,502—with 62 active cases, two new cases and 1440 people who have recovered.
Shirley Gelman, vice president of student government, said that despite the challenges at the university, many student organizations strived to create socially distant events like watch parties, movie nights, and classroom experiences to still foster a sense of community and socialness on campus.
"Although there are many horrible things going on in the world, I think our school and campus community did its best to provide a social, safe, healthy, and engaging environment," said Gelman. "We all learned a valuable skill which is adaptation. This is something our school has become very good at through the socially distant events that we held throughout the semester. We are always evolving to find the best solutions."
Students complain about increase in tuition
Some members of the UM community also expressed discontent with the increase in tuition amidst a global pandemic. Many suggested that the administration does not value the safety and well-being of students and operated in-person due to monetary gain.
Junior finance major Matt DiRico said UM's tuition does not justify the learning experience this semester.
"I believe they're charging too much for a product that isn't currently living up to expectations because of the COVID situation," DiRico said.
Kaylin Baer, a junior in the Miami Herbert Business School, said it is disheartening that UM values people's money over their well-being.
According to the University of Miami, the tuition rate for the Fall semester was $26,040, or $52,080 for the academic year. This represents a 3.3% increase from the previous fall. In response to the COVID-19 financial impact on our students and families, the university said that they maintained its commitment to meet financial need and increased the amount of scholarships awarded this fall.
University plans ahead for the spring semester
Looking ahead, the university plans to continue with both on-campus and virtual classes for the Spring semester. Social distancing and the mask mandate remain in effect on campus until further notice from administration. Students were vocal about how they will endure next semester differently based on their experiences and setbacks from the fall.
"We've faced many hardships because of the pandemic, and as always our top priority is the well-being, health and safety of the UM community," Bachas said. "When we return in the spring, I'm sure we will remain engaged, involved and supportive of each other as we navigate this crisis together."
One of the things Emma Skowron, a senior vocal performance major, said she will do differently when she returns next semester is to be more assertive about people around her if they have been exposed to the virus.
"I think I just want to have more open conversations with the people I see about how careful they are being so that I feel safe," said Skowron, 21.
According to the Office of the Provost, the spring semester will be very different from the fall. Currently, the university is projecting about 58% of the course sections being face-to-face, about 8% being hybrid/blended, and about 33% being online, due to some faculty being eligible for online accommodations due to existing high-risk factors. There may be small variations over the next eight weeks as instructors or their family members may receive new diagnoses affecting their ability to safely be in the community.
Next semester, the university will be offering some course sections online and also in face-to-face modalities to provide more flexibility; this would not have been common in the fall semester.
Sense of resilience on campus
"Though we have faced many challenges this academic year, I have witnessed immense perseverance and resiliency from our faculty, tech-support teams, student public health ambassadors and UM staff," said Leonidas Bachas, the dean of the College of Arts and Sciences.
Sophomore business administration major Jesse Brenner said he felt comfortable the entire semester and will be returning to campus in the spring.
"No doubt I'm coming back," Brenner said. "I am feeling more and more comfortable each day here, so I see no reason why I can't come back in the spring."
Ryan C. Holmes, the associate vice president for student affairs and dean of students, said he is looking forward to the spring semester and is proud of the university's resilience and alertness throughout the year.
"The word that comes to mind for me is resilience," said Holmes. "As a total campus community, we chose to meet all happenings head-on. We did not avoid the pandemic, we planned as best we could and executed in ways unseen. We had many successes in opening the campus and keeping it open. We will continue to work towards next semester."
Kaylin Baer, a junior in the Miami Herbert Business School, says she hopes that next semester is like what it was before the pandemic wreaked havoc on campus. She said the university community can't live in fear of the virus forever and wants her normal college experience back.
"While the year invited more catastrophic conditions than we might have ever anticipated, I am particularly proud of our community for imagining and pursuing better ways to teach, to connect, and to thrive," said Karin Gwinn Wilkins, dean of the School of Communication. "Our instructors and students inspired thoughtful and insightful pedagogical practices that navigated a variety of hybrid circumstances. We will conclude this year with a sincere appreciation."
One U stands together
Frenk said that while challenges remain as the community finds itself facing a third global surge of the pandemic, he is very proud of how students, faculty, and staff have demonstrated their commitment to one another and to the U
"Thanks to everyone's hard work, we end 2020 having achieved our goals," said Frenk. "We kept one another safe. As expected, we saw cases of COVID-19 on campus, but we managed to avoid in-classroom transmission of the virus. We saw minimal hospitalizations and, gratefully, no fatalities among students or employees resulting from the pandemic. Second, we preserved the continuity of our mission."
Althea Castro, Emilia Darquea, Brianna Jackson, Max Jenkins, Nick Tobin, Summer Xia, Sophie DeBiase-Harris, Samuel Gonzalez, Jarius Howard, Dante Johnson, Morgan Ledenko contributed to the reporting of this story.


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When the new Mortal Kombat title was announced a while back, one of the first questions I had were of course which characters would make the cut. It was announced not too long ago that Mileena (Which is one of my all time favorites) would be making her way to the next generation's title, and now we have a video to go along with that statement that shows the classic character pulling off some of her trademark moves in the brutal half-Tarkatan style we all know and love. If you watch the video you can also get another look at the fast-paced tag team combat that is in the game as well as a nice X-Ray rib-shattering shot to follow that.
On top of the brand new game footage we also now have an official PAL box-art which features Sub-Zero and Scorpion fighting with the classic MK Emblem in the background. I think this background looks great and the game is coming together wonderfully. Mortal Kombat will soon be remaking it's rebirth on the PS3 and Xbox 360 on April 19, 2011. For now though you can check out the Mileena clip below to hold you over until then.


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A friend asked that I create a piece for her to show off her expertise.
Laurel is an instructor and badass of the sea. This is a rough cut.
All of us should be grateful to Steve Wilson from Porcupine Tree. Harmony Korine sets this piece on fire.
I've shot for SeaDoo a bunch of times. This was a corporate video, but this is MY cut. We had some incredible rigs working on this show.
Pat Longman brought his Libra Head to fly on the end of a 15 foot Technocrane to be strapped in to the baddest cameraboat there ever was. Gary Lowe's Cat. Cameraboat.com
Thanks go to Radiohead and their track Optimistic. Without their track driving the images, it'd be just another boat video.
I cut this montage from bits, slices, pieces of incredibly beautiful women playing to camera. I shot everything you see. It's my personal cut.
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The parliamentary investigation panel adopted its final report with nine votes to one.
The commission said that the government's actions suggested that it "was not exactly clear on the price of Citadele shares, and that it trusted the opinion of the investors. The Privatization Agency had not calculated the price and had not set any price range that could be used to compare offers."
The commission also indicated that the state will be able to only partly recover resources invested in restructurization of Parex bank, Citadele's predecessor. According to estimates, some €500-700 million will not be recovered.
Lawmakers believe that a new parliamentary panel for investigating the impact of the takeover and restructurization of Parex back in 2008, and its effect on the national economy, should now be set up.
The report also describes the process of sell-off, reproaching the government for making a controversial and non-transparent decision to continue sell-off negotiations with one of the candidates exclusively - a group of international investors with Ripplewood Advisors LLC as the leading investor.
Even though the economy minister at the time, Vjaceslavs Dombrovskis, recommended continuing negotiations with three short-listed candidates, the Cabinet of Ministers made a different decision, effectively turning a competitive process into a one-horse race.
Ripplewood Advisors LLC offered the lowest possible price for the shares, the commission believes, arguing that if the government had not made the decision on exclusive negotiations with just one potential investor, the price most likely would have been higher.
The parliament lawmakers concluded that the main goal of the process had been to sell the bank regardless of price, and to prevent the possibility that future shareholders are related with capital coming from Russia.
The commission says that whether the Citadele sell-off will promote development of the financial market in Latvia is a big question mark at this time.
In one of several curiously naive observations lawmakers indicated the goal of the financial investors was to earn a profit and therefore the investors are not interested in sustainable development of the Latvian national economy - a questionable criticism which presumably applies to all other commercial banks, too.
There is no re-sale ban included in any of the agreements to stop the new owners selling the bank on, the panel also noted while concluding that expenses for consultations and public relations services in the sell-off process were "overblown".
The sell-off of the state-held 75 percent stake in "Citadele" bank was completed on April 20, 2015, with "Citadele Holdings LLC", a subsidiary of "Ripplewood Advisors LLC", and a group of international investors, becoming shareholders in the bank. The price paid for the state-held stake was €74.7 million. The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) retained its 25 percent stake in the bank.
Latvian Privatization Agency's board chairman Vladimirs Loginovs said in an interview with LETA earlier that the price of the sell-off deal had been just one of the government's goals. Other goals were to diversify the investors base in the banking sector, attract a stable and growth-oriented invests, and develop the stock market.
He said that the sell-off procedure had been organized in line with the common procedures, attracting professional consultants - "Societe Generale".
Another important factor was that the European Commission had set a requirement that the bank should be sold by the end of 2014 and was not ready to extend the deadline.
Citadele bank, established as a result of reorganization of the bailed-out Parex banka, became operational on August 1, 2010. In late 2008 the Latvian government took over Parex banka, which was the second largest bank in Latvia at the time, in order to stop the local banking system going into meltdown.


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Drug innovators dream of unitary SPCs
With the increasing likelihood of a functioning Unified Patent Court coming into existence next year, European drug makers are having a think about the benefits of a supplementary protection certificate that would be valid across all EU member states.
Elise Melon, head of IP policy and operations for UCB in Brussels, says she has noticed the pharma industry's increased appetite for a unitary SPC system over the past five years. She believes many people have been waiting to see what happens first with the UPC.
"Parallel litigation in Europe can be quite intense," she says. "We are really looking forward to the UPC, but for us in the pharma industry, the system needs to have unitary SPCs to be meaningful. This will facilitate the process and streamline the procedure for both applicants and offices."
Other Managing IP stories published this week include:
Podcast: Managing IP 2020 review – 12 months in 40 minutes
'No useful policy justification' for PTAB presumption change
In-house: brand restrictions may help low-quality goods flourish
2020 revisited: six stories that could reshape IP
In-house reveal US patent litigation trends they'll watch in 2021
USPTO comments should lead to e-commerce liability, say brands
Counsel split on practicalities of design discounts
China tops alcohol trademark list
Mainland China has filed more trademark applications for alcoholic drinks than the rest of the world combined since 2017, new data revealed this week.
According to Clarivate Analytics, a specialist in IP data, applicants from China filed the most applications in Nice classes 32 and 33 (covering alcoholic beverages).
Mainland China also topped the list as the leading innovator in that space, with 30,645 patent applications between the year 2000 and now, according to data from Derwent World Patents Index.
The report, Distilling the IP dynamics of the alcoholic beverage industry, adds that an increased demand for craft beer, a trend seen in many countries, is boosting China's beer consumption.
Despite the global pandemic causing a slump in on-premises alcohol sales, booming online sales have meant that the market for alcoholic beverages is expected to increase from $515 billion at the end of 2019 to $528 billion by the end of this year, the report adds.
However, this online boom is not yet reflected in domain name take-up.
Most alcoholic beverage brands have not enhanced their web presence beyond a standard '.com' homepage, the report notes, adding that top-level-domains such as '.gin', '.whiskey' and '.tequila' have yet to be acquired.
Jeff Roy, president of the IP group at Clarivate, said: "The alcoholic beverage industry continues to adapt, evolve and flourish despite unpredictable market dynamics and changing consumer preferences.
"By tapping into the power of integrated insights from our data, we have an understanding of the innovation lifecycle and can project the likely trajectory of trends and their possible impact on the beverage industry."
Nokia challenges CJEU referral of Daimler case
The German court had asked the CJEU to consider whether the Finnish standard essential patent (SEP) owner was abusing its dominant market position by refusing to issue a licence to Daimler's suppliers and instead seeking a licence from the end user – in this case, Daimler.
The regional court also asked if SEP owners had the right to choose which company in the supply chain to sue for an injunction over patent infringement.
A referral to the CJEU is probably bad news for Nokia because it could cause a potential two-year delay in what has already been a drawn-out negotiation process with the automotive maker.
Daimler, on the other hand, will see the referral as one small win among a series of losses, including one from this summer when the Mannheim Regional Court ruled that the automotive maker was unwilling to accept a licence offer on fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory (FRAND) terms.
The Mannheim court also rejected Daimler's request for a referral to the CJEU.
The Düsseldorf referral comes after Nokia made a licensing offer in September to tier-one suppliers of connectivity modules.
USPTO receives Senate letter asking if women are excluded from patent bar
Last week, US senators Mazie Hirono, Thom Tillis and Chris Coons sent a letter to USPTO director Andrei Iancu asking whether women had been excluded from the patent bar due to systemic bias.
The letter followed on the heels of a published paper by Mary Hannon at DePaul University in Indiana in which she argued that qualified women were excluded from the patent bar because of "the perpetuation of an institutionally biased and archaic set of scientific and technical requirements by the USPTO".
Hannon wrote that even though the gender gap has been acknowledged by the USPTO, no attempts have been made to increase opportunities for women to participate in the bar.
In her paper, Hannon gave proposals for closing the gender gap, including expanding the types of technical degrees required for patent bar eligibility, and implementing an apprenticeship programme.
In the letter sent to Iancu, the senators cited statistics from studies from 2011 and 2014 which revealed that women made up only 18% of patent agents and patent attorneys in the US.
The letter's authors argued that having more female patent prosecutors would help increase the patenting activity of female inventors because female prosecutors could contribute their expertise to goods and services catered to women.
To practise at the USPTO, candidates must pass a six-hour exam and have a university degree from one of 32 specific majors. These listed majors exclude relevant degrees to patent prosecution including industrial and fashion design.
The letter also cited outdated requirements for science degrees, which must be certified by one of two accreditation bodies, both of which excluded computer science degrees from Stanford University and the University of California, Berkeley.
The three senators asked the USPTO director to respond to six questions about patent bar eligibility by January 15 2021.
ICC publishes 2020 IP roadmap
The report identified key topics including artificial intelligence and product piracy as being important to IP professionals in the future, and laid out how IP could act as a catalyst for sustainable development.
The 2020 roadmap was compiled from the knowledge of more than 100 IP experts from around the world.
Executive coordinator and project chair Mathias Karlhuber, partner at Cohausz & Florack, said: "The world is changing at a rapid pace, and with it also the conditions for innovation and creativity.
"Today, companies are challenged more than ever to assert themselves in the market with their IP strategies. The current edition of the IP Roadmap makes an important contribution to the understanding of the different market mechanisms and to the worldwide protection of intellectual property."


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The musician and activist, who has collaborated with Michael Stipe on a new song for Earth Day, is asking questions of the music industry, and the likes of Coldplay are happy to answer.
Given that it's an industry addicted to air travel, whose artists put on energy-intensive live shows and release albums on vinyl, the music business is rightly being scrutinised for its green credentials. But as Brian Eno argues, an increasing number of musicians and workers are also trying to improve sustainability and public understanding. "Lots of people are becoming aware that we can't just talk about the problem – we have to do something about it in our own practice," he says.
On Earth Day this year – 22 April – the producer, artist and activist plans to light up the internet with previously unheard music to direct attention and funds towards the climate crisis. Approximately 100 artists will release material exclusively via Bandcamp – with the platform dropping its usual 15% cut to 10% – and the proceeds being distributed among causes at the forefront of the emergency.
"I've just finished a piece this morning with Michael Stipe," says Eno, revealing an exclusive collaboration with the former REM singer called Future If Future. "This will be the first time I've worked with him, though I did sing with him once on Saturday Night Live or something like that," smiles the 73-year-old, in his west London recording studio. "I'm very pleased with the way it's gone. It's a very good song, a very Stipe song. Beautiful lyrics, extraordinary piece."
The list of other participants is international, intergenerational and eclectic: from alt-poppers Anna Calvi and the Weather Station, to generation Z icon Declan McKenna and songwriter Murkage Dave. Coldplay – who Eno has produced two albums with – will also share music as part of it, and Eno has produced new material with Hot Chip, featuring Savages' drummer Fay Milton.
Another contributor is London saxophonist and songwriter Laura Misch. "Music is not created in a vacuum and we need to protect the environment it springs from," she says. "One track feels like a drop in the ocean, but I've come to realise that every drop counts."
Eno, world-renowned as a founder member of Roxy Music, a pioneer of ambient music and collaborator with David Bowie and U2, has been an advocate for greater action on the climate crisis for years, including supporting the work of law firm ClientEarth alongside musicians such as Pink Floyd's David Gilmour.
Convinced that the music community could be doing more, and frustrated that less than 3% of philanthropic funding is directed towards the climate crisis, Eno co-founded a charity called EarthPercent in 2021. Engaging all corners of the industry – from live touring to publishers – by asking them to pledge a small percentage of their income, its goal is to raise $100m (£76m) by 2030. EarthPercent diverts that money to "the most impactful climate causes", a group of projects and charities selected by an independent "expert advisory panel", made up of more than a dozen contributors that include IPCC author Tamsin Edwards, Prof Brian Cox and activist Tori Tsui.
"We've been trying to say to people, 'Look, if you want to find a simple way of joining the climate struggle, this might be the answer,'" says Eno. "We're a shortcut to a lot of things that otherwise might be fairly hard to do." For example, getting help to organisations devoted to nature stewardship, clean energy transition and climate justice.
Today his studio is quiet, but recently it's been a buzz of activity with presentations, talks and brainstorms, as Eno has gathered creatives at his headquarters. "It's been so nice to see the enthusiasm and intelligence that's in the music business," he says, "especially with new artists. You don't have to convince them. What you have to do is say to them, 'How would you deal with it?' They've got lots of ideas."
A portion of EarthPercent's mission is about addressing the music industry's own environmental impact. In particular, the carbon output of touring has come under the spotlight and in recent years some high-profile artists have taken steps to tackle the problem.
Coldplay's Music of the Spheres world tour is structured around a series of comprehensive "sustainability initiatives" – measures such as a kinetic dancefloor that harnesses the energy of the crowd, and an app supplying travel advice to concertgoers – that seeks to cut carbon emissions by 50% compared with their last global shows. They'll share their findings, creating a blueprint for a more sustainable model around stadium events.
"Their [contribution] is really important," says Eno. "They've taken the matter very seriously and committed a lot of resources to it. They're at the front of this in terms of saying, 'We still want to play to people, so what do we do?' Coldplay have been very conscientious and intelligent."
Other grassroots organisations – such as Music Declares Emergency, A Greener Festival and Reverb – have grown in membership, with major and independent record labels joining forces to commit to climate goals in late 2021. Massive Attack and the 1975 both had "super-low carbon" gigs scheduled, albeit nixed by Covid, and metal band Bring Me the Horizon reduced emissions by 38% during their UK arena tour in September 2021 through approaches such as serving plant-based meals to crew, production trucks fuelled on HVO renewable diesel, and the introduction of more energy-efficient equipment.
Music – like other industries – relies on sustainable transition in other sectors (energy, travel, shipping). Until then, international touring continues to have an environmental impact – a criticism sometimes levelled at artists.
"We all have a footprint, we are all compromised," said Eno last year. "The problem with the hypocrisy issue is that it turns the spotlight on you and says, 'You're the problem – you've got to solve the problem for yourself.' As individuals, we aren't really the problem, we're in a system that is problematic."
If successful, Eno plans for his Earth Day project to be an annual campaign, and hopes that EarthPercent's work could extend into other creative sectors. "The biggest movement in human history is now in existence trying to deal with climate change," he says. "We're doing something as a community, and humans like that feeling. That's the thing capitalism didn't really understand. It turns out that what really sustains us is doing things together."


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Kastoria's lake is a jewel that forms a unique landscape of natural beauty.
Taking a stroll through the lakes route is a must for visitors, not only for its beautiful scenery and magnificent photographic snapshots, but because it combines natural and cultural delights. We make stops at the old town, the historical district of Doltso with the typical mansions, the paths and the scattered post-Byzantine churches.
The architectural variety of the mansions and the traditional houses of the 18th and 19th centuries is one of the most impressive in Greece. We continue the route by the lake with the next stop being the Dragons cave – a unique sight of stalagmites and stalactites in a prehistoric natural cave.
The next destination is the convent of Mavriotissa or Messonisiotissa (as it was originally named) with its hagiographies to the 13th century and the chapel of Ag. Ioannis the Theologist of the 16th century.
Through the entire tour we are escorted by pelicans, geese, swans and ducks!
This tour is also wonderful when taken on bicycles (rental can be arranged by us for your tour).
Duration: Between 2 and 3 hours, depending on the means of transport (Bus, bicycles, on foot)
Suggested requirements: Camera, comfortable footwear and curiosity!


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Sing us a lullaby -
For the days that passed And the ones that have left us Who are asleep at last. Sing us a lullaby - For the tiresome helpers Who despite the chaos served as protectors. Sing us a lullaby - For the song that has died And with it a dream Of harmonious life. Sing us a lullaby - For the friends who are gone And the love that we cherish That we must carry on. Sing us a lullaby - That we shall always remember One that pinches the heart And will stay with us - forever. *Today, there are recorded 2.48 million deaths worldwide due to the Covid 19 virus. This poem is in memoriam to those millions of lives lost, their heroes and their loved ones.* Your comment will be posted after it is approved.
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AuthorIn April 2020, while experiencing her first ever global pandemic, Tamar Pelzig pledged to write something every day, even if it's only a word, so she welcomed to the world a daily blog to keep her creative writing wheels rolling. Categories
December 2023
Header Art: Daniel Landerman |


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Most of the time we resolve tasks in a binary fashion - the result is either success or failure. Cypher gives an option to graduate the success on failed rolls, aka the "failing forward" technique.
Dramatic Task Resolution
But what about all those times when a fail is a fail, and we as GMs shrug and inform the player her attempt was not a success? Cypher asks for rolls only when there is a chance of failure and a chance of success. If one of these two conditions is not met, there is no need for a roll - it is either routine or impossible.
Most GMs take this condition a step further where they look for a chance of exciting failure or exciting success for a roll to happen, reasoning if there is no tension in the scene, then instead just move the story forward to a place that has it.
The main problem is that someone needs to figure out the exciting part, and by someone, I mean the GM. Here are a couple of examples that might help get into this kind of thinking, and later we will touch on some potential problems that come with interesting failures.
Example Scene
A player wants her character to scale a wall. A pretty simple scene, and as with any climbing tasks, it's a perfect fit for graduated success, which we will take into an account. We already know the success outcome - the player character will be on the top of the wall. Here are some interesting failures to consider:
- She falls and loses some Might points.
- For a graduated success example, she might scale it but damage it a bit so that it's harder for others in the party to climb it after her.
- Critical failure might mean that she falls and breaks her arm, or some of the gear she bears.
- She scales it, but drops her weapon.
These are all interesting, but we can get even more ideas if we know why she is scaling the wall, as the previous examples are missing her intent:
- If she was trying to hide, she broke her stealth while climbing it too loudly.
- She's trying to break into a property unnoticed, but trips the alarm.
- If she was scaling it to get a better attack position, that advantage is now gone.
- If she was running away from a thing, the thing catches up.
Interesting Complications
You can already spot the first problem here, yes? Some of the examples above are story complications, where we should consider using GM intrusions.
Interesting failure must be a logical consequence of an unsuccessful attempt. It exists in a place between a fumble and a story complication. We don't want to complicate the failure without handing out XP.
Scene Tension
I already mentioned that it's easier to figure out fail states when we know the player's intent behind an action. But there is also a question of scene tension. If the scene does not have any tension, it is much harder to come up with interesting states for player actions.
If we put our wall in the middle of nowhere, with no danger around it, no sense of urgency whatsoever, then we shouldn't care about any failure states, and also our success state is not very meaningful. To quote CSR:
Skip the boring bits. Monte Games Cook
Managing Risks
So we've set up our wall scene with tension around it. The danger is imminent; the environment is treacherous, the clock is ticking. Now we're talking! Our imaginary GM can now glimpse into the unfurling of space-time and gauge the spectrum of resolution states, from fumbles and failures to successes and major accomplishments.
Switch to the player's view, and we come to our second problem. Failure being interesting now, it bears an additional risk. Failure doesn't just mean that our player doesn't make her climb - something might bite her ass off now!
This means that the GM must telegraph the danger and potential fail states so that the player is allowed to manage the risk appropriately.
Not That Good:
GM: You see a wall blocking your path.
Player: I scale the wall! rolls without effort and fails
GM: You don't manage to climb quickly enough, and the monster bites your ass off!
Player: WTF !? table riot
GM: You see a wall blocking your path. The ground trembles, loose rocks are rolling down and devious groaning is getting closer and closer.
Player: I scale the wall!
GM: There is a chance you will not scale it fast enough before the monsters catch up. Loose rocks are also a problem; you might fall off and break something.
Player: I use all the effort I have! rolls with effort and fails
GM: You grab a loose rock, it breaks and you slide down a few meters towards the sharp, saliva-covered teeth. You manage to stop just out of their reach.
Holly Monte, that was a tense scene!
Sliding down was a natural consequence of a failed roll, and now you can complicate the scene further with GMIs, unless the whole thing was GMI-ed in the first place. Note how we didn't let her slide all the way down into the hungry jaws, that would be a critical fail. We leave the danger to loom over the scene until the beasts get their turn. Our player was aware of the risks, gave her best and failed. In this example our fail state was exciting but logical, and the danger was telegraphed in advance.
What About Combat?
Hitting and avoiding hits is one of those binary things, they either happen or not. Cypher recommends against using graduated success in combat, but lets shake it up a little.
Consider a grappling move. A player wants to grab an opponent and bring him into submission. I already wrote about Combat Maneuvers in depth (spot how we deal with failed states in that article).
Player: I jump to grapple him into submission!
GM: There is a chance he evades your move and gets into a better position for his next attack. If you critically fail, you might get your face smashed. For minor success, his effort to break free will be hindered. On a major success, you got the mofo, and get a free attack.
What we did here is create an interesting and meaningful choice for the player. Her risky move can have a big payoff, but she can also get smashed really hard. Don't take this grapple mechanic to heart, it was just for illustration purposes.
Social Encounters
The technique is a godsend for social ecnounters, especially in situations where players are draining the life out of your NPCs. Trying to haggle for better prices with a merchant? On a fail, you will get worse prices. Persuading some poor soul into doing your bidding? On a fail, he will nope out and lower his disposition. Bothering the barista with a million little questions? There is a chance he gets actually pissed.
Have failures bring life to your NPCs, and make them seem more real and exciting. It will be more interesting to players as well, as sometimes the risk will pay off, and sometimes they will be worse off.
In Conclusion
Thinking about failure states will help you craft more exciting scenes, so make sure you include this information in your exposition. Keep failures as logical consequences of player actions, and use GMIs for story complications. Announce possible resolution states before the roll is made. Skip the boring bits.