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Have you ever heard a band at a wedding and thought: "man, they're good! Where else can I see them?" Live bands that play at family events are not often touring or recording artists. But here are 10 Read more →
Starcraft II vs. League of Legends in competitive gaming
With the creation and growing popularity of E-Sports, competitive gaming is drastically growing. More and more people start practicing everyday in the hopes of flying overseas to tournaments, or teaming up in a 'gaming house' to refine your play. E-Sports is largely dominated right now by RTS (Real Time Strategy) and MOBA (Multiplayer Online Battle Arena) games. As an avid player of both, and someone who does dream of being a competitive E-Sports player, I wanted to talk about the major difference between these two styles of games for anyone trying to do the same. But can't decide exactly which game type they should shoot for.
Specifically my experience comes from playing Starcraft II and League of Legends. I cannot speak for any of the other E-Sports games that reside in the same genres.
The Stress
During team fights, and certain points during the lane phase players can experience an extreme adrenaline rush with League of Legends. These are the clutch moments when a good engage or well-placed ultimate can make the difference between a win and a loss. In Starcraft II, every second could be the difference between victory and defeat. Every moment you spend rushing for Dark Templars in Starcraft could be a waste of time if they know it's coming. Apart from being a multiplayer combat game, Starcraft II is largely about deception and prediction. Knowing what the other person is doing without being able to see it. This is compounded by the fact that in Starcraft, you never feel 'safe'. It is not often that in professional games an enemy player snowballs into completely steam rolling their opponent. The game isn't over until the 'GG' is thrown down. Starcraft II is significantly more stressful, but at the same time drastically more exciting throughout the entire game.
For some though, this could be a negative rather than a positive. I personally don't like feeling tense for a 20-minute match. Though League of Legends might not have the constant adrenaline rush like Starcraft II, it does allow players to relax at points. Likewise, in League of Legends you aren't going to suddenly look back and find the enemy team in your base, breaking your toys like you will in Starcraft II. But, more often then not the primary source of stress in League of Legends comes from other players who leave, or troll by playing a attack damage character as a mage. This can often be worse than the stress from Starcraft II since you can't do anything about it.
The Team
The high level Starcraft II competitive tournaments are Single-Player. A player doesn't need to rely on anybody, and their skill in a game is completely dependent off the amount of time they personally spent practicing. If they win, it was because they were better than the other person. Nobody can question that, or take that from them. This is a double-edged sword though. If they lose, they have nobody to blame but themselves. After losing, again and again, this can steer people away from this sort of gameplay because it is extremely difficult to have your lack of skill shoved in your face over, and over, and over.
In League of Legends, you have somebody watching your back. If you make a mistake, likely your teammate can compensate to adjust for the mistake and the game continues without any consequence. As long as you are willing to recognize the mistake, you will improve without having to suffer a crushing defeat. Also, having a team gives you the chance to socialize during those long hours of practice. But, the other side of this coin is that it is very easy to start convincing yourself that the games you're losing are because of your team. Often, this is not the case. I've played a lot of games of League of Legends, and I've been in only a few where I could say that another player who didn't leave the game really was the sole reason we lost.
The Community
The League of Legends community, in my opinion, is worse than the Starcraft II community. Of the other topics I've brought up in this article, this is the only one where I strongly feel that one game is superior over another. Though I also believe that the reason the Starcraft II community is better, is not because the people who play it aren't the same jerks. It's because in Starcraft II, time spent typing and trash talking is time spent losing. If you devote any of your APM (Actions Per Minute) to that sort of thing, you will get behind the other person you are bashing. That doesn't mean it never happens, just the chance to call someone out on their sexual orientation doesn't seem as important anymore when it could mean you lose.
As I said earlier a good part of the League of Legends community, including some professionals, seem unable to believe that losing a game is their fault. They are as just as likely to praise, as they are to demean.
The Learning
Watching a professional play Starcraft II, then watching an average person plays is so drastically different that you might think for a moment that they're playing a different game. As an observer, you have no idea what is going on sometimes, much less the ability to comprehend how the player can. However, watching the difference between an average League of Legends player and a professional is not so visually different. But it is different. The point here is not that professional Starcraft play is more difficult, but that what needs improvement is usually very obvious in Starcraft II. Even when watching the replay of a lost game, you can often point out exactly what you did wrong and make a note in your gaming Day9 gaming journal to not do that again.
Not often enough are games of League of Legends lost in a single moment, watching a replay could give you very little information on what you and your team did wrong. That's because League of Legends is a game of making decisions that are so subtle, they often go unnoticed by the untrained eye. Knowing when to expand could mean life or death in Starcraft II, while in League of Legends the same could be said for good ward placement. In Starcraft II, players need to learn the ins and outs of three different races and all of their units. They have to gruel over hundreds of build orders, and learn how to do all of this on several completely different maps. But in League of Legends, the players only have to learn how to farm correctly and know how to use their champion against the opposing champion. Then learn that all again with 90+ champions. Learning how to be a professional in Starcraft II might take longer, but being a professional in League of Legends might be more difficult because of how often new champions are introduced and how drastically the game's meta can change overnight.
The Game
Both of these games are challenging and fun at the same time. Neither is a better game over the other. But, since Starcraft has been around for longer I would say that it would be more difficult to break into the professional scene with this game over League of Legends. Also, since League of Legends gameplay seems more 'casual' than Starcraft's, it would probably be easier to get a team willing to give competition and real practice a shot.
What drives me to become better when playing Starcraft II is the knowledge of what I need to improve on. What drives me when playing League of Legends is the knowledge that with each new champion I try and learn, the game changes.


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Update: Dell agrees to buy Compellent for $960M
Analysts have said there is considerable overlap between EqualLogic's target audience and Compellent, as both cater mostly to midmarket companies. However, Compellent does provide Fibre Channel-based networking, a widely used enterprise standard, while EqualLogic provides only iSCSI connectivity.
Although Compellent is "in a slightly different place" compared to 3Par, it has had "very good success against 3Par, and also covers the midrange even more effectively," Anderson said.
He noted that Compellent has been "doing many of the same things as EqualLogic in terms of virtualization and automated tiering." It will take multiple product generations but eventually many of Compellent's technologies will be extended across the broader portfolio, he said.
Compellent has 2,500 customers and 490 employees, and logged about $125 million in revenue during 2009. It has sold its products entirely through channel partners. That program will be maintained and improved, but Dell has also signed a reseller agreement with Compellent to sell its products directly.
The agreement is meant to help Dell sales teams learn about Compellent's products and spread the word to customers prior to the deal's closing, Johnson said.
Meanwhile, Dell's move to buy Compellent is expected to put a damper on its partnership with EMC. Under that agreement, Dell sells EMC's high-end Symmetrix product as well as the midrange CLARiiON line.
EMC and Dell have been in discussions, and will "continue to support those [joint] customers as they want to be supported," Anderson said.
While Compellent will give Dell a solid hand in the storage market, it will remain open to additional acquisitions, executives said.
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The Jack Mitchell Cross Country Invitational was held Tuesday, Oct. 1 at the new cross country course behind Hodgenville Elementary. Over ten schools participated in this growing run meet and the Middle School Boys Team from LaRue County placed first in the event. The meet is held annually and is named after long-time LaRue County track coach Jack Mitchell who continues to coach from the sidelines!
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Start of call: The representative seems courteous and helpful, and merely has a few questions to assist with the cancellation process. Although the questions appear unduly personal, you may ease any stress of the experience by looking at this picture of a smiling lion cub.
Minute six: Although theoretically willing to assist with the cancellation, the representative is concerned that your desire to abandon such a caring, loving service may be due to latent feelings of resentment of one or both parents, and suggests weekly therapy along with a complimentary 20 Mbps upgrade. During this phase, you may need to gaze at this bunny for strength.
Minute eighteen: Now sobbing into his mouthpiece, the representative demands to know, to learn, to feel the reasons why you have chosen to break the heart of this fine service that exists only to serve you. Was it that one time the Game of Thrones season finale got all blocky? That wasn't our fault, dammit! During this phase, hide all sharp objects and secure any firearms you may own. This kitten represents your last best chance to retain your sanity. Good luck.
The inspiration for this post, if you need it.
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Today the Sunday Mirror launches a campaign to force Twitter to get rid of the paedophiles who prowl it in search of young victims.
Backed by child protection experts, we demand that the website monitors its users and closes child abusers' profiles, reporting them to police.
And we want links to sick child porn pictures, posted openly by these perverts on the site used by millions of youngsters, banned for good.
Our campaign, comes a week after our front page investigation discovered hundreds of paedophiles using Twitter as a playground, swapping vile images and videos of children and using it to find victims.
In the wake of our revelations Scotland Yard officers arrested a man and a woman at a London flat.
Twitter agreed to shut down 36 profiles of suspected paedophiles – but it has NO policy to act to keep its site free of child abusers unless it receives complaints. This week our investigation leader, child protection expert and criminologist Mark Williams-Thomas, found 35 MORE paedophiles on Twitter in the space of an hour.
Mark, who has drafted our campaign plan, said the major fault with Twitter is that no one is employed to actively look for suspect profiles and content – they only react if suspect material is reported. He said: "Twitter needs to send out a message that child abusers will not be tolerated."
Last night the NSPCC backed our campaign. Jon Brown, head of sexual abuse programmes, said: "Your investigation highlighted the devious methods some paedophiles will use to target their young victims. Anything that can be done to stamp this out is to be heartily welcomed."
Jim Gamble, former head of the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre, said: "Twitter are years behind sites like Facebook which are much more pro-active in preventing misuse. I would implore Twitter to embrace the issues that you have highlighted."
Esther Rantzen, founder of the child protection charity ChildLine, said: "I think this hideous aspect of social networking has come as a shock to all of us.
"But now the Sunday Mirror has brought it to the nation's attention, Twitter will have to take responsibility and police their service more vigorously."
A government spokesman said: "The internet industry needs to equip parents better so they can choose whether to block content their children access."
Del Harvey, director of trust and safety at Twitter, which has 500million users, insisted child porn was not tolerated. "When we are made aware of links to images or content promoting child pornography they will be removed from the site," he said.
But we think that is not good enough. And we are not alone. Twitter will now be discussed at the October meeting of the UK Council for Child Internet Safety which represents 180 organisations.


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A tennis lover's oasis, La Quinta (pronounced la-KEEN-ta), which is consistently rated among the "Top 10" tennis facilities in the nation by Tennis Magazine, has been holding court as the premiere public tennis club in the Coachella Valley (La Quinta, Palm Springs, Rancho Mirage, etc.) for decades.The spectacularly landscaped grounds at La Quinta, which feature tens of thousands of flowers and trees, are not quite as hallowed as Wimbledon. But the weather's better. And so's the view.
Nestled majestically against the Santa Rosa Mountains, La Quinta is a feast for tennis gourmets, who enjoy the fully stocked pro shop, the awesome sunken center court, and the Olympic-sized pool and spa (just recently upgraded), all of which surround the historic Clubhouse, which was once a private estate.
While the tennis facility offers immaculately maintained hard courts, you can also head over to the clay courts and do your best impression of Rafael Nadal dominating the French Open.
There are several United States Tennis Professional Association-certified teachers here who spread the gospel of tennis with joy and passion. Think Bud Collins, without the loud shirts.
As a parent of a daughter who loves the game, I especially like that the pros at La Quinta are really great with kids, and they can help your game - whether you're a beginner or a budding pro.
La Quinta is the crown jewel of this So-Cal desert region that has become a tennis player's kingdom. Many of the world's top players can be spotted warming up on La Quinta's courts on the days they have a match at nearby Indian Wells.
But La Quinta isn't just for the professionals. It's for everyone. You can choose from a variety of tournaments, for example. The emphasis here is on fun and participation - but you can get as competitive as you want. There's no shortage of 'A' players on these grounds to challenge you.
The tennis program here got underway in 1978 when a consortium of famed former players – Charlie Pasarell, Arthur Ashe, Stan Smith, Bob Lutz, Marty Riessen, Roscoe Tanner and Dennis Ralston – joined forces to create one of the premier tennis facilities in the country.
In this age of extreme sports, tennis may not be as popular or trendy as it was in the 1970s and 1980s. But for those of you who know that there is still no better game on earth, La Quinta remains our Mecca.
And yes, the poolside bistro, which is just a lob shot from the courts, serves strawberries and cream.


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- recipe by Raji Ramakrishnan submitted on 09-05-2012
(Ukadiche Modak, Indian Sweet Coconut Dumplings, Thengai Kozhukattai)
Kozhukattai (Indian sweet and savory dumplins, Modak, Kudumu) is a popular dish of south India. It is a steamed food prepared during festivals like Ganesh Chaturthi and Varalakshmi Viradham. This can be cooked anytime as it is liked by everyone. My mother in law always grind the coconut little bit in order to enable us to make the balls very easily. Varieties of sweet and savory kozhukkatais can be prepared according to your taste. Rice flour is partially cooked initially and formed as a dough. Then it is shaped like a small cup and stuffed with sweet/ savory fillings. Thereafter it is steam cooked.
Coconut in tamil is called Thengai and Malayalam Thenga and in Hindi Nariyal. Here is the coconut sweet version.
Transfer the cooked rice ball to a plate and keep covered for 10 minutes. Later, apply some oil on your palm and knead the dough smoothly. Make small balls out of it and prepare the cover. Fill the thengapoornam (coconut stuffing) in it. Cover and steam for 5-7 minutes. After removing the cover of the cooker, or kadai, allow to cool and then take out the kozhukkatai (Modak). Your Prasad is ready for naivedyam.
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Legislature Completes Work On Flush Tax Increase
Legislature Completes Work On Flush Tax Increase
ANNAPOLIS, Md. —
Marylanders can likely expect a hike in their annual sewer bills.
The state legislature finished work Monday on a proposal from Gov. Martin O'Malley to double the $30 fee.
Members of the House of Delegates voted 89-48 to accept Senate amendments, including a provision that exempts residents who live in places where wastewater is not discharged into the Chesapeake Bay.
The so-called "flush tax" is used to fund a bay restoration account.
House Environmental Matters Committee chairwoman Maggie McIntosh said the exemption, which would affect people in western Maryland and on the Eastern Shore, is expected to reduce revenues by $1.6 million.


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Pleasure, Pain, and Saddam Hussein
A meditation on recreational violence.
In the Nov. 28 Washington Post, James Grimaldi reported that a member of the team assigned by the United Nations to inspect weapons sites in Iraq, a Virginian named Harvey John "Jack" McGeorge, was a founding officer of the Leather Leadership Conference, past president of an S&M club in Washington called the Black Rose, and a bondage instructor in Leather University's Dungeon 501. Four days later, the United Kingdom's foreign office released a report detailing human rights abuses committed by the government of Saddam Hussein. The juxtaposition provided a timely reminder that one man's recreation is another man's torture.
It goes without saying that adults should be allowed to engage in whatever sexual activities they desire, provided all parties consent. That's what Chatterbox wants to believe, anyway, and mostly does. But what about when the desired sexual activity is torture?
The S&M community has a simple answer: It never gets that far. In an interview with Salon's Kerry Lauerman, Jonathan Krall, founder and director of District of Columbia Sexual Minority Advocates, emphasizes that this is a world governed by strict standards. There are "dungeon monitors" to make sure nobody gets carried away. Local S&M groups standardize "what's appropriate and what's not appropriate." But when he gets down to specifics, he isn't particularly reassuring. Asked about a seminar McGeorge apparently gave on "knife play," Krall replied, "Picking up a knife and rubbing it across your lover's body to titillate them doesn't sound nearly as dangerous to me as bungee jumping." An etiquette guide provided by Black Rose weighs in on knife play solely to tell bystanders to keep their distance: "If a Domme is bending closely to the breast of her sub to do a cutting, she should not have to worry about someone bumping into her arm as she draws the blade down the skin." (The guide also chirps brightly: "Don't bogart that sling! There are never enough play stations for everyone to play at the same time.")
This is shaky ground for liberals (like Chatterbox), who on the one hand strongly advocate mandatory seat belts and steep cigarette taxes and on the other hand don't want to interfere with even the most rococo pursuit of happiness. As that pursuit drifts into the realm of actual violence, though, the whole notion of "consent" fuzzes up. What, exactly, does it mean to want pain? It doesn't help clarify matters to consider reports that Saddam and his sons commit torture partly for the sheer fun of it. It would be less awful if their victims were willing. But how much less awful? Running his finger down "Annex One" of the U.K report—"Methods of torture"—Chatterbox asks himself where S&Mers would draw the line. "Eye gouging" is surely beyond the pale, and "piercing of hands with electric drill" probably is, too. But "suspension from the ceiling" has definite possibilities, and so does falaqa, in which victims are beaten on the soles of their feet until they lose consciousness. By no means does Chatterbox mean to make light of these horrible practices. Quite the opposite: Chatterbox is trying to add a little weight to decisions about personal pleasure that shade into voluntary mutilation.
Calm down, Krall would say. This is all about fantasy and playacting. For most people, it no doubt is. But playacting is in Saddam's bag of torture tricks, too! The eighth item on Annex One's list is "mock executions," wherein "victims are told that they are to be executed by firing squad" They're hooded and shot at with blank rounds. Speaking for himself, Chatterbox would much rather be beaten into unconsciousness.
McGeorge submitted his resignation after the Post story appeared, and the U.N. was probably right to reject it. His sexual hobbies have no bearing on his fitness to hunt down anthrax in Saddam's basement. And Chatterbox doesn't particularly want the law mucking around in this. But when happiness requires misery, tolerance will only get you so far.


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MOUNT CHARLESTON, Nev. (AP) — Fire prevention advocates, area residents and Clark County officials are marking the anniversary of the start of a massive wildfire on a mountain near Las Vegas with a call for awareness of drought and effects of climate change.
A Tuesday event at the Resort on Mt. Charleston aims to showcase woodland scars, lasting effects and steps toward recovery from the Carpenter 1 fire.
The lightning-sparked burned for more than three weeks last July, forcing evacuations of hamlet homes and charring more than 43.5 square miles while more than 1,300 firefighters battled to contain it about 25 miles northwest of Las Vegas.
Two firefighters were hurt and six structures were lost.
A month later, storm runoff from thunderstorms washing over scarred areas swept into northwest parts of Las Vegas.
Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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"Accessible luxury" leader Coach is benefiting from the down economy as fashion plates favor $200 Coach bags over $650 Prada purses. The retailer saw comp sales jump 25.5 percent in its third quarter ending June 30, and expects to grow its store count by 16 percent (25 stores) this year. Coach currently has a 19 percent share of the U.S. market for luxury handbags (see chart on left.)
Owners of A-class malls that don't already have a Coach should take note, says Morgan Stanley's Brian McGough. He says Coach could open 100 new stores by 2007, and he has identified 125 A malls, mostly in the Southeast and southwestern U.S., that Coach might target.
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Home > Home, Garden & Office > Resin Succulent Plant Planter Flower Pot Garden Craft Decor Hedgehog Design
Product Details
- The best miniature flower pot to display a flower or small plant!
- Also able to hold pens and small accessaries.
- Perfect decoration for the home, garden, or office.
- Material: Resin
- Color: As Pictures Show
- Size: Approx. 11x 11x 14..5cm/ 4.33x 4.33x 5.71inch
- Planting Space: Approx. 6.5x 6.5x 8cm/ 2.56x 2.56x 3.15inch
Package Includes:
- 1x Succulent Plant Pot ( the succulent plant is NOT included)
Due to the light and screen setting difference, the item's color may be slightly different from the pictures. Please allow slight dimension difference due to different manual measurement.


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#NeverAgain: Act Now on Gun Violence
We remember the lives stolen and the communities shattered at Columbine, Virginia Tech, Oak Creek, Sandy Hook, Charleston, Orlando, Las Vegas, and Sutherland Springs. We've said "Never again," and we have to do more. We come from people who put prayer and activism in the same breath to battle Jim Crow, to ensure voting rights and marriage equality, to protect health care and the rights of religious minorities. Together we are breathing our prayers and pushing for justice—we speak up, vote, lobby, march, protest, blog, tweet, and insist that our lawmakers recognize the value of every person. Now is not the time to make it easier for people to carry and use guns. Now is not the time to turn our teachers into armed guards. Now is the time to do three things. 1. Challenge Congress We need federal gun law reform: community safety is a human issue, not a partisan one. We've had enough, and Congress must act! Share this statement in your networks to tell Congress to reject: - H.R. 3668: The Sportsmen, Heritage and Recreational Enhancement Act, which eliminates restrictions on silencers, and - S. 446: The Constitutional Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act, which weakens restrictions on carrying guns across state lines. 2. Confront the NRA We believe in God's authority over life and know that killing is not God's will for us or our country. That's why we're boycotting companies that support the NRA [1] and voting out all NRA-affiliated politicians [2]. 3. Follow the Youth Everytown for Gun Safety is the leading national gun violence prevention organization. Text REJECT to 64433 to join and learn how to talk to your congressperson about gun reform! On Wednesday, March 14, we marched with students who walked out of their classrooms and remembered their friends and loved ones. On Saturday, March 24, we supported the children and youth leading the call to stop gun violence in Washington, D.C., and at sibling marches across the United States and on six continents around the world. This is just the beginning! Let's lift our voices. Let's flood the Congressional phone lines. Let's be the groundswell that changes the tide! Enough! The Rev. Jacqueline J. Lewis, Ph.D. Senior Minister, Middle Collegiate Church Auburn Senior Fellow Rabbi Sharon Brous Founder/Senior Rabbi, IKAR Auburn Senior Fellow Valarie Kaur Founder, The Revolutionary Love Project Auburn Senior Fellow The Rev. Dr. Katharine R. Henderson President, Auburn Seminary Brian D. McLaren Auburn Senior Fellow Lisa Sharon Harper Founder and President, Freedom Road LLC Auburn Senior Fellow Rev. Michael-Ray Matthews Director of Clergy Organizing, PICO National Network Auburn Senior Fellow Rev. angel Kyodo williams Founder, Transformative Change Auburn Senior Fellow Rev. Traci D. Blackmon Executive Minister of Justice and Local Church Ministries, United Church of Christ Auburn Senior Fellow Sr. Simone Campbell, SSS Executive Director, NETWORK Lobby for Catholic Social Justice Auburn Senior Fellow Rev. Peter Heltzel, Ph.D. Associate Professor of Theology, New York Theological Seminary Auburn Senior Fellow --- [1] Which companies support the NRA? https://www.esquire.com/news-politics/a18700113/companies-that-work-with-the-nra/ [2] Which politicians are NRA-affiliated? https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2017/10/04/opinion/thoughts-prayers-nra-funding-senators.html
VP Pence: Publicly Declare That White Supremacy Has No Place in the White House
I write to you as a person of faith who has given my life to serve my Lord Jesus Christ. I know you also proclaim a deep Christian faith and it is in the spirit of our shared faith that I call upon you to act with the courage of your convictions in this moment. You are well aware of the horrific events in Charlottesville that injured dozens and killed one young woman, Heather Heyer. Her death is the direct result of the rallying of people who call themselves the Alt Right but who are in fact the modern day manifestations of the Ku Klux Klan, Nazis and white supremacists. As you are also aware, President Trump has equivocated in his condemnation of the events of Charlottesville, saying that there are 'good people on both sides'. These organized groups of men bearing torches chanted Nazi slogans from World War II. These are not good people who share American values, and this false moral equivalency has emboldened and encouraged the leaders of the Alt Right who are planning more rallies and threatening more communities in the coming days. While you have condemned the violence you have refused to specifically denounce President Trump and even recently confirmed that you "Stand with the President" and his "both sides" argument. Your position is extremely hurtful to all those who have felt the brutal effects of Nazis, the Klan and white supremacy and betrays the American values and Christian values of dignity, justice and equality that I believe you hold dear. There can be only one moral position when it comes to condemning racism, anti-Semitism and white supremacy. Take the moral convictions of your Christian faith and publicly declare that white supremacy is repulsive, counter to all this country stands for, and has no place in the White House; condemn and affix blame solely on the shoulders of these white supremacy ideologues for inciting hate. You must be clear that there can be no moral ambiguity when it comes to these groups and their fixation on white Christian supremacy in America. We stand by to make faith leaders available to you from around the country to provide counsel. Rev. Dr. Noel Castellanos President, Christian Community Development Association Board Member: National Association of Evangelicals (NAE) and World Vision Auburn Senior Fellow
We Pledge To Resist Deportation And Discrimination Through Sanctuary
Calling upon the ancient traditions of our faiths, which recognized houses of worship as a refuge for the runaway slave, the conscientious objector, and the Central American refugee fleeing the civil wars of the 1980s, Sanctuary is once again growing among communities of faith that are standing in solidarity with immigrants and marginalized communities facing immoral and unjust deportation and discrimination policies. We find ourselves entering a new phase of U.S. history wherein the politics of fear has stoked an atmosphere of racism and xenophobia across the country. The new Administration has pledged to criminalize, detain and deport undocumented people at new levels that will tear families and communities apart. As people of faith and people of conscience, we will take civil initiative out of our moral obligation to embody principles of human rights and dignity, and resist any harmful and unjust policy proposals that further undermine due process and lead to racial profiling and discrimination. By signing this pledge, we are dedicating ourselves to educate and activate our congregations, to amplify and respond to the voices of immigrant leaders, and to speak out against the discrimination of any and all marginalized people. We are ready to open the doors of our sacred spaces and accompany those facing deportation and discrimination. We support those answering the call to provide sanctuary at schools, hospitals, college campuses, community centers and family homes. We will work with partner organizations to create sacred space of sanctuary wherever it is needed.


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I realized that I will always find excuses not to do things around the house as I always have urgent quilting matters to attend to..... I had to be very firm with myself, the house first this time! Curtains were washed and ironed, broken things turfed out and not used stuff around the kitchen, given away. So, at last my mind is uncluttered and ready to be creative again.
While painting Jopie's room from top to bottom, I realized that the bed in "his" room needs a new quilt as the old one is very threadbare. As Willem is retiring, I'm planning to make a scrappy quilt from his old ties which I have kept for "one day".... There are still a few beauties in his cupboard, they might disappear... It will take some time though.... More about that later in the year, I feel such a bed quilt can be a fitting memory of his working years.
In the meantime, Elizabeth has two lovely Spaniels who were rather naughty puppies... But oh so beautiful, so one could not really be angry at them for too long.... I made two scatter cushions for her some time ago and I really liked it... So did Abigail and Rebecca, I still don't know which one was the culprit... The corners of these cushions never looked the same after they got hold of it, maybe the teeth were itchy... Any way, Elizabeth and I both liked the cushions and I decided to recycle it as it was such a shame to throw it away. However I don't like to remake projects as the excitement is gone, so it took some time to finish.... Luckily I finished those before the end of last year. I had to unpick all the hand stitching and re-embroider it, this time on cream fabric instead of the black of the first version. Every time I visit them, I check the cushions and am happy to report that Abby and Rebecca are now two well behaved dogs...!
|Fused squares stitched with blanket and chain stitch.
Embellished with pieces of leather, clay and wooden beads. Hand quilted.
|Fused squares stitched with blanket and chain stitch.
Embellished with leather, wooden and clay beads. Hand quilted.
|Close up of second cushion. Some of the black stitching "slipped" a bit ...
Because the covers had inners in when I took the photographs, the designs look slightly distorted...
|Rebecca (left) the smooth hair beauty with curly top Abby (right), the headgirl!


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Japan Eats!
About This Show
What is Japanese food? Sushi? Ramen? Kaiseki? What about Izakaya? What exactly are they? Akiko Katayama, a Japanese native, New York-based food writer and director of the New York Japanese Culinary Academy, will tell you all about the real Japanese food and food culture. Her guests will range from a sake producer whose family has centuries of sake-making history, to a great American chef who pushes the envelope of Japanese cuisine. Japanese cuisine is demystified here!Read more »


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Library services
Online access
CAS fellows have electronic access to all the online resources of the University of Oslo (UiO). There is no formal library at the Centre, but there is a collection of publications by former research groups and a collection of encyclopaedias.
How to access electronic journals
Order books
Books and journals may be ordered from all Norwegian libraries through the ORIA library system. CAS has a common ORIA account available for all researchers. Fellows receive information about the ORIA services on arrival at CAS.
Orders will be delivered directly to the Centre within approximately one week.
Visit the University library
Fellows may also use the university library, which is located about thirty minutes from CAS by tram/metro.


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Caught in the Web: Jim Cleamons in talks to become Puerto Rican national team coach
-- The Times' Broderick Turner reports that Lakers assistant coach Jim Cleamons has been contacted by Puerto Rican officials to become the national team coach. Turner also talks to Steve Kerr, Rick Fox and Robert Horry about what qualities the next Lakers coach will need to have to minimize the transition period in the post-Phil Jackson era .
-- Ball Don't Lie's Dan Devine has a photo-caption contest featuring former Laker A.C. Green.
-- NBA.com's Micah Hart highlights Ron Artest's tweet where he jokes he's replacing Charlie Sheen on "Two and a Half Men."
-- ESPN Los Angeles' Brian Kamenetzky provides a report card on Derek Fisher.
--The Daily News' Elliott Teaford provides a list of free agents the Lakers might want to pursue.
-- Lakers.com's Mike Trudell previews Andrew Bynum's offseason.
-- Forum Blue and Gold's Phillip Barnett has a few quick-hit thoughts on the Lakers.
-- Silver Screen and Roll's C.A. Clark wonders whether Brian Shaw is the right man for the job.
-- Laker Nation's Kevin Figgers argues the Lakers need to hire Jerry Sloan as their next coach.
--Thanks to colleague Austin Knoblauch for passing this video along from Norm McDonald meeting up with Pau Gasol impersonator Michael Fanter.
Tweet of the Day: "I love my @NBA citizenship award!!!!!" -- ronartest (Lakers forward Ron Artest)
Rick Friedman Reader Comment of the Day: "It's always fun when I hear that Kobe should pass the ball and get teammates involved. Uh, you mean pass to Fish or Ron, whoa that didn't work. Well then to Lamar or Pau (who gets pushed out of the post), nah. Okay he should pass to Blaker and Matty who couldn't hit a 3 when needed. I forgot, pas to Luke and Joe and Theo (who). Of course, the Rooks, well no. I'm sorry, to Brownie, yes to clank those bricks. Perhaps big Drew, at least when he's in uniform. Wouldn't it be nice to pass to someone that he could actually rely on! I just can't figure out to who or even whom?" -- D[erek]J[eter]
-- Mark Medina
E-mail the Lakers blog at firstname.lastname@example.com
Photo: Phil Jackson had the Midas touch when it came to dealing with superstars such as Kobe Bryant, enigmatic figures including Lamar Odom and veterans such as Derek Fisher during his coaching tenure with the Lakers. Credit: Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times


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Painting, drawing, printmaking, sculpture, photography, life drawing, portraiture, landscape, children's art and more....
There are a range of workshops designed for both beginners and those with experience who wish to broaden their skills or consolidate concepts and techniques.
The workshops are open to all members of public.
- 9 week, Spring Short Courses & Weekend Workshops - October/November
- Summer School Workshops, January
- 9 week, Autumn Short Courses & Weekend Workshops - April/May
- Winter School, July
Short Art Courses and Weekend Workshops
The weekend workshops and short courses provide a thorough and concentrated experience in a range of art forms.
The short courses are of nine weeks duration for 3 hours per week. They are offered during both the day and evening.
Summer and Winter Schools
The Winter and Summer School workshops are of varying duration over a nine day period and concentrate on a diverse range of media areas.
Tutors are active and respected artists in the fields in which they teach. Their experience has been gained through study and studio practice in Australia and overseas.
The Institute has a supportive and friendly atmosphere with small classes encouraging individual expression. Workshops are held at the BIA studios located at Windsor, seven minutes drive north of the city. There is ample car parking and regular public transport by bus or train.


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Barbados Sea Turtles
OK, so maybe we don't have any dolphins in Barbados, but you can still have an experience of a lifetime as you swim with the turtles!
Barbados is home to a healthy population of hawksbill and leatherback turtles. Once endangered by over-fishing, these great creatures are now protected and monitored throughout the Island.
In some areas the local fishermen feed and care for them, scraping barnacles of their backs and making sure that their nesting area is safe.
Turtles are sociable and tend to stay in the same area, following a steady routine. So long as they do not leave a habitat, they can be seen playing and feeding along the inshore reefs. In certain monitored areas they have become accustomed to humans and are relatively tame. You can swim with them as they feed amongst the coral. A good way to do this is with a sailboat tour and snorkeling picnic.
Join Calabaza Sailing Cruises for an unforgettable cruise and swimming adventure with the turtles.
If you are in Barbados at the right time you may even take a moonlight cruise to see turtles nesting. Pregnant turtles come out of the water to lay their eggs in the soft sand along the shore. So if you are in a turtle nesting area, walk gently. When the eggs hatch the tiny newborn turtles emerge from the sand and make their way to sea. If you are lucky you might see them on a moonlight cruise.
There is lovely story of the opening of the Turtle Beach Resort. The grand opening was, by coincidence, planned for a turtle hatching night. The bright lights of the hotel, and maybe the champagne, confused the baby turtles who waded into the hotel cocktail party instead of into the sea. Delighted guests helped them find their way to safety.


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To Our Practice
Welcome to the practice of Dr. Stephen Franzino, located in the beautiful Napa Valley. Sports Medicine of Napa Valley was founded to provide high quality sports medicine and arthroscopic surgery to residents of the Napa Valley and surrounding areas.
The founder, Dr. Stephen Franzino, is a board certified and fellowship trained orthopedic surgeon with an additional board certified subspecialty in sports medicine. He specializes in sports medicine related injuries and surgery of the shoulder, elbow, knee and ankle.
Sports Medicine of Napa Valley is dedicated to providing the most technologically advanced surgical and non-surgical techniques to restore health, happiness, and the pursuit of sport to athletes of all skill levels.


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Andi Kang has an enviable problem. With over 450 households, she has too many clients and wants to scale back, but can't find the balance between her sense of obligation to her relationships and her need for a more balanced workload.
Kang started in the advisory business after working for more than 10 years as a buyer and manager for Gucci and Saks Fifth Ave. In 1989, pregnant with her second child, she and her husband moved from Cincinnati to Orange County, Cal., and Kang looked for a more kid-friendly career. "I wanted to be able to have Thanksgiving with my family," she says.
Once there, she and her husband went to see a financial planner; Kang, who had taken some graduate-level business classes in Cincinnati and had an interest in finance, ended up getting a job with that company—and was miserable. She wanted to do comprehensive planning but wound up mostly selling life insurance and annuities. "It was very difficult for me," she says.
She stuck it out for a year and a half before starting her own practice, Crown Wealth Management, in Costa Mesa, Cal. "I didn't want anyone to tell me what I could and couldn't sell my clients," she says. She organized seminars and workshops at local colleges and companies to drum up leads. She bought four practices. She now serves 459 households, has $70 million in assets under administration, $12 million in assets under management—and one assistant. So much for family time.
She's seen three coaches over the past three years and all tell her to cut back to 100 clients.
But Kang, who is active in pro bono programs with the Financial Planning Association, feels it's hypocritical to get rid of clients who might not have the preferred amount of assets. "I feel passionately about helping the under-served. How can I tell clients to go to someone else when my job is to help people," she says.
She is interviewing to bring in a junior advisor to work with her less-affluent clients. Still, she fears she may have to sell or give away some accounts. She's rating all of her clients on a complex formula including total gross revenue as well as charitable intent, and found her top 46 households make up 75% of revenues. The clock is ticking. On to the experts….
Brian Lauzon, managing principal, AdvisorAssist
The first thing is for her to focus on the role she plays with clients. I call it finding your area of genius. She needs to identify which functions fall into that area—financial planning, portfolio management, or something else—and spend 80% of her client time on that activity. She should say, "If I had a magic wand, how would I spend my client time?" Then outsource the rest. Build a team of external partners to help her focus on her area of genius.
Using qualitative factors to rate her clients is terrific. But that should come after a more quantitative rating system looking at client profitability. Then she can define her service model for different clients. For example, she'll meet with certain clients twice a year and reach out to them two to three times in between—whatever the right number is. She sounds like a very caring and helpful person and she takes her relationships seriously and personally. She just has to be careful that doesn't also lead to client-driven service models.
The junior hire is a great idea. Once she has defined her service levels, she can decide what she should be doing and what can be delegated, which gives you a pretty specific list of required activities. It will help her identify the profile of the ideal candidate for junior advisor. There also needs to be a path for growth for the new hire, to attract serious, long-term candidates.
She'll have a like-minded team. So the firm is not just Andi. People are clients of Crown, not necessarily the clients of Andi. There will be a Crown way of doing things.
Hellen Davis
It's an ethical issue. And that's why she's in such a quandary. If she takes one red dime in trails for clients she must service them. It's that simple.
I would suggest she make a decision about whether she's going to keep that money or not. If she wants to keep the money, she needs to provide service and, perhaps, get a junior associate. My suggestion is she tell her clients she's going into semi-retirement and hand some of them off to someone else.
The problem is the junior advisor is going to leave her. It's not lucrative enough to make money from the type of book she's talking about. , I think it's likely he or she will leave her high and dry. I see this all the time. And it usually happens within a year. Also, if you were the client and had dealt for a long time with the same person—clearly a very caring person—would you want to deal with someone else? She may find it hard to completely stop working with them anymore. If they need something, they will call her. It's inevitable.
She would have to tell those clients she's going into semi-retirement, hand them over, and make sure that associate answers all the phone calls.
Or she can transfer her clients to her broker-dealer. Hand it to the company. I've just told probably 30 financial planners in the last six months to do this. She'd explain to most of her book that she's semi-retiring and provide a phone number for them to call. She also can provide clients with the names of maybe five advisors she respects whom they can turn to. She just has to give a definite date for when she will stop working as their advisor.
Ultimately, I don't feel this is the advisor's responsibility, at all. If a doctor retires, does anyone question his or her right to bow out or expect the person to provide a replacement?
Philip Palaveev
I have never fired a client. I emphasize that you have to be very careful whom you take on as a client, because it's tough to get rid of them. She has a lot of clients but has shown it can be done and done well.
Whatever she does, it's really important that she doesn't try to change who she is. If this is how she enjoys running her practice, it's critical she maintains that level of excitement and enjoyment. And it may be better to do what she wants and not pursue the highest profits. At the end of the day, not every advisor has to build a business empire.
But just for sanity's sake, she does have to do something. She's very very busy.
Hiring someone could be a solution. The issue is resources. You need at least $500,000 in revenues to hire an associate, to assure you have enough to pay a salary. But she also has to be clear about what she's getting into. Having an associate will involve training. It will not immediately lower her work load.
The first priority is to look at her clients and identify who are the ones she has an ongoing commitment to, what is the extent of those commitments, how much time does she spend with them?
Then she has to look at what she does for clients and what she can standardize—her planning process and the documents she produces, her investment process, etc… Not using the same portfolio, but using model portfolios and a manageable number of investment choices. That will increase her efficiency. The more you standardize, the more you can reduce the number of hours you spend with clients—and the less urgency there is to let them go.