text:
In a recent Books & Culture, Thomas Albert Howard weighs in on how evangelical colleges might prepare themselves for the likelihood that one or more of their (somtimes quite treasured) professors might convert to another of the Great Traditions of the Church. His proposal is suggestive.
I begin with this: this Thomas Albert Howard is not the other Tom Howard who, as a Professor at Gordon College, became Anglican and then converted to Catholicism, lost his job at Gordon, and went on to make a name for himself. Oddly enough, this Thomas Albert Howard is now a professor at Gordon. And he weighs in in a way that would have kept The Original Tom Howard at Gordon (Howard #1).
Howard #2 suggests colleges can either abandon doctrinal statements, harden them up into never-to-change-perpetual-statements-and-articulations, or work at learning how to keep them soft enough to be adaptable without being little more than a wax nose.
First, he suggests, get a working group at each school to study faith statements thoroughly. The problem, we all know, is that these statements (because they inevitably get too specific and wander into too many delicacies) get too far from the great creeds. Then they sit there for a generation or two, and then someone with enough moxie to say "Hey, we don't really believe this anymore" gets his hands slapped, and everyone shifts into conscious but that gentle art of common Christian pretence of saying that word or line can actually mean more than first blush … and then it lasts another generation, and then someone wakes up one day, says "We've got to re-look at this" and the whole thing gets redone with very minor changes. And everyone pats one another on the back and says semper reformanda and "looky at how faithful we've all been for so long." C'mon, we all know it: schools are afraid of worrying or offending rich supporters. It's the opposite of what honesty is and what freedom of thought is too.
This little cheeky paragraph really only tells the truth and tells us that we need to develop a better system. Having a committee always checking said doctrinal statements is a good idea.
Second, Howard #2 suggest there should be an exception clause for those who would be significant contributions to the campus and who would contribute both to the Christian mission and to the conversation. Of course, this would not be easy, and some professors (as would be the case with some at my school) would start urging more and more exceptions until the dying of the light, but still, it is a very good idea to have an exception clause.
Howard #1 might still be at Gordon and Hochschild #1 might still be at Wheaton, and John Wilson, over at Books and Culture would have had a different article in this slot and I'd not have had a good time chatting about this issue on this blog for a few months.
- Related Topics
- Theology


text:
And so it begins.
Fans have been anxiously waiting for the return of "Venice the Series" since its 2014 season four finale. Though an official return date has yet to be announced for the popular web series, the show has confirmed to Soaps.com that they will begin filming in the beginning of 2016. Not able to contain their excitment, they tweeted:
Can you believe it, it's October! That means it's one month closer to Venice Season 5!!
— venicetheseries (@venicetheseries) October 1, 2015
The web series stars Crystal Chappell ("One Life to Live's" ex-Maggie, "Santa Barbara's" ex-Jane, "Guiding Light's" ex-Olivia, "Days'" ex-Carly, "B&B's" ex-Danielle) as Gina, Jessica Leccia ("As the World Turns'" ex-Innocencia, "Guiding Light's" ex-Natalia, "One Life to Live's" ex-Inez) as Ani, Nadia Bjorlin ("Days'" Chloe) as Lara, Galen Gering ("Passions'" ex-Luis, "DOOL's" Rafe) as Owen, Christian Le Blanc ("Y&R's" Michael, "As the World Turns'" ex-Kirk, "Guiding Light" ex-wedding guest) as Jake, Hillary B. Smith ("One Life to Live's" ex-Nora, "B&B's" ex-Dr. Barton, "As the World Turns'" ex-Margo) as Guya and various other daytime stars.
Morning Beauties!!! Its an @OpenBook_Prod kind of day... @venicetheseries season 5 schedule and budget ?. Make it sweet!
— Crystal Chappell (@crystalchappell) October 1, 2015
Soaps.com will update readers on further details as they're released. In the meantime, visit Venice the Series on Soaps.com to read past recaps and get reacquainted with the cast through our character profiles and visit the official Venice website to order past seasons on DVD.
Follow Soaps.com on Twitter and Soaps.com on Facebook.
Photo Credit: John Paschal/JPI
- Amy Mistretta

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Talkin Texas
How much nicer it is to be writing a basketball preview after Ben Howland's collection of tall young men finally showed up and (mostly) played like a real honest to goodness basketball team.
Premium Content
Subscribe today to read the full article and get everything Rivals has to offer.
- Member-only message boards
- Exclusive highlights and recruiting interviews
- Exclusive coverage of Rivals Camp Series
- Breaking recruiting news


text:
For those of you who don't know me, I am Rick Phillips, Director of Sales and Marketing at Parkview Homes. In 2008, I relocated from Southwest Florida to Peterborough, Ontario. Prior to moving here, I did extensive research before choosing Peterborough as my new hometown, and more specifically the College Park area located in the West End.
Before I conducted my research to find my new hometown, I determined a list of "wants/must haves" that my new hometown would ideally provide for my family and I:
- I wanted to live in an area with many convenient amenities close by.
- I wanted easy highway access to visit family in Toronto.
- I wanted to be close to many lakes and rivers and tourism located in the Kawartha's.
- I wanted to be in an area with great schools.
After extensive research, I purchased my new home in Peterborough, more specifically the College Park area, and I must say it is a fantastic place to live. Not only did Peterborough and the College Park area meet all my "wants/must haves", Peterborough offers so much more! In terms of entertainment, lifestyle, indoor and outdoor recreation, travel and tourism and overall quality of life, Peterborough is a fantastic place to live, work and play.
I currently have the pleasure of selling a brand new community just seconds from my front door; Lyon's Gate III. I couldn't be more excited about this new community, not only because I get to work in my neighbourhood, but also because I get to share the neighbourhood I have called home for the last five years with many new families. My hope is that they will have the home of their dreams and they will enjoy this spectacular neighbourhood as much as I do.
In terms of amenities Lyon's Gate III and the College Park are in a premier location! These communities are located just minutes from:
- Peterborough Sport& Wellness Centre
- Mapleridge RecreationCentre
- Fleming College
- PRHC (PeterboroughRegional Health Centre)
- Lansdowne Street Shopping & Restaurants
- Highway 115
Not only does the College Park area provide you with the best location in the city, Peterborough as an entire city also offers so much to see and do!
- Vibrant Downtown:
- Wide array of unique shops and restaurants
- Peterborough Musicfest
- Taste of Downtown
- RibFest
- Hootenanny on Hunter
- Peterborough Folk Festival
- Markets
- Wednesday Downtown Farmers Market
- Saturday Farmers Market
- Parks and Splash Pads
- Trails
- Jackson Creek Park
- Trans Canada Trail
- Rotary Trail
I am so happy with my decision to call Peterborough and the College Park area my hometown. After five years I couldn't image a better place for my family and I to live!
Lets become neighbours! I would like to personally invite you to come and experience the amazing lifestyle in Peterborough's College Park area. With the 407 joining onto Highway 115 in only a few more short years, now is an amazing time to invest in Peterborough, and experience the unbeatable lifestyle it provides.
I look forward to touring with you around the area, and having the opportunity to show you many of the fine amenities that Peterborough has to offer you and your family.
1633 Lansdowne Street West, Peterborough
I look forward to meeting you!
Rick Phillips
Director of Sales & Marketing
Office – 705.748.4663
Cell – 705.868.6441


text: It's been a while since we've posted to our blog as most of our attention has been focused on the information in the member's area. But we also wanted to interact with our non-members more, so we'll be more active in our blog. We hope you enjoy the posts and discussions here. Don't be surprised if you see the design … Read More


text:
Ordinance of December 30, 1958, relating to the Law on Liability (status as of December 5, 2006)
|Year of Version:
|Date of Entry into Force:
|January 1, 1959
|Date of Text (Issued):
|December 30, 1958
|Type of Text:
|Implementing Rules/Regulations
|Subject Matter:
|Enforcement of IP and Related Laws, Other
|The notification by Switzerland to the WTO under Article 63.2 of TRIPS states:
'The Ordinance sets out the procedures relating to the liability of officials and Federal employees.
N.B. : Cantonal officials and persons entrusted with public law tasks by the Cantons are responsible under Cantonal laws. It was not thought necessary to cite these laws here since they are in close conformity with Federal legislation.'
|Available Texts:
Ordonnance du 30 décembre 1958 relative à la loi sur la responsabilité (état le 5 décembre 2006) (Version with Automatic Translation Tool)
Verordnung vom 30. Dezember 1958 zum Verantwortlichkeitsgesetz (stand am 5. Dezember 2006)
Ordinanza del 30 dicembre 1958 concernente la legge sulla responsabilità (stato 5 dicembre 2006)
|Related Legislation:
Relates to
|WIPO Lex No.:
WIPO Lex: Disclaimer and copyright notice


text:
Church: *What People Experience in Churches (Barna report) * Study Says God-Connections at Church are "Rare" * Are You Remarkable?" * Setting the Captives Free: Churches that Raided Slave Ships
Counseling: Why I Don't Advise Pre-Martial Counseling Anymore
Facebook: Why Facebook Users Add And Remove Friends (infographic)
Faith & the Presidency: Jimmy Carter on his Faith-Filled Presidency
Giving & tithing: Paul was Post-Tithing
Islam: Ask a Muslim
Jesus & religion: * Jesus vs. Religion? * Why I Hate Religion, But Love Jesus
Leadership: * 10 Mistakes Leaders Should Avoid at All Costs * How to Keep Camels Out of Our Tent (required reading)
Marriage: 5 Ways to Build a Solid Foundation for Marriage
Media addiction & multitasking: Multitasking: This Is Your Brain On Media (infographic)
Prayer: The Biggest Problem About Prayer
Resolutions: 12 "Other" Life Resolutions/Habits to Consider
Starting the day: * Slay Your Dragons Before Breakfast (required reading) * The first thing you do when you sit down at the computer
Violence & the Bible: Kingdom Killing of Canaanites? Genocide and Joshua…


text: Looking for a graphic designer to create an infographic for me. All research for infographic will be done by myself, just need some creative photopshop/illustrator skills to put them all together. Budget: $25-$40 for (1) infographic project. If I like your work...there will be many more projects in the future. Please post sample of work here in this thread or reference me to your portfolio. (looking for vector style designs) Thank you! -punkcash


text:
If anyone who views this video as anything other than a crime against God, please vacate the space in front of you're computer and cleanse yourself. With fire.
"We Dare" (notice how Nintendo wouldn't let them spell it "Wii Dare") is the latest in Ubisoft's "Games You Can Feel" initiative. Although what you're supposed to feel with this boggles the mind and shivers the very essence of the soul.
The game encourages you to hide the Wiimotes in an unspeakable fashion in order to get you're Mii's (small, mascot like versions of yourself, designed to appeal to families with children) to perform strangely innocent looking tasks despite the dubious nature of the player's prompted actions.
How the actors kept straight faces and how the developers escaped from the lunatic asylum are questions still up for debate.
Lee Hazell


text:
The North Face Endurance Challenge is a mere 32 days away. Earlier this year I put this race on my calendar with intentions of running my second 50 mile race. When I became injured in early June, I thought I may have to drop down to the 50k. Well I was out of commission for much longer than I expected, and was hoping to be running in time to run the half marathon. I am now officially registered, and I cannot wait! It will not be a fast race for me. In fact, it may be a run/walk depending on how my foot feels. But I will be racing none the less and I can't tell you how excited that makes me.
I have been running every three days or so, all trails, all at a super easy pace. My foot seems to be holding up pretty well. It gets tight every time I run, but it doesn't get any worse afterwards or the next day, so I think I am on the right track. I am also getting treatments twice a week at work to get myself back into balance. The last thing I want is to go full steam ahead with my body all out of whack and end up right where I started. I am grateful to be running again, even if it is a just a tiny bit compared to where I was before. I have to admit it is frustrating to see my average pace so slow, but I know over time if I work hard and play things right my speed will start to come back.
Two weekends ago Steve and I did a 6 mile run/walk at my favorite place, Lapham Peak.
And this past weekend we met up with our friends Cindy and Scott at Scuppernong. I ran 7.5 miles before I forced myself to stop (see, playing it smart!), while Steve and Cindy continued on for a total of 12 miles.
Running friends are the best!


text:
(Frank brings out Earl Sweatshirt in LA)
Thanks to Rap-Up we have good footage of Frank Ocean's L.A. channel ORANGE concert. Even though Frankie is originally from Nawlins, he really made his mark when he moved to the City of Angels. As usual guests were minimal but he did bring out one Earl Sweatshirt for a rendition of their track "Super Rich Kids." He sounded horrible during his set, and admitted this on Twitter. Hopefully, he wasn't really zannied-out as he mentions on his verse.
"L.A. is something special to me," said Ocean, who was born in New Orleans and currently resides in L.A. "I wrote channel ORANGE here, I wrote Nostalgia, Ultra here. I fell in love here, I got my heart broken here. I got a little famous here, I got a little paid here. I fuck with L.A. in a special way."
watch more footage after the jump… courtesy of http://www.missinfo.tv
Views: 680
guys relax, it's not that serious if they said he sounded bad


text:
Aspen GrovebyScorpio44©
[This story has no explicit sex in it. If descriptive sex is why you want to read a story, read a different story. This story is about making a difference with, by and for friends. It's just a story, until you and I make it true.]
None of what happened was planned, at least not by me and certainly not by Ron. Ron turned seventy on May the twelfth last year. Everyone living in the Aspen Grove section of the Colorado Sunset Hills Retirement Community attended the party for him. He and Emma, his wife of almost fifty years, had lived in Aspen Grove for three years and had made lots of good friends.
What happened started at the party. At the birthday party he danced with Emma and just about every other woman in our community. He didn't dance any of the fast stuff fast but he danced. The party lasted hours and we all had a good time. He didn't want presents for himself. He wanted every body to bring a present to the party for a game he thought of. The presents were to be wrapped and for either a male or female. It would be embarrassing for a man to open a present and inside find perfume.
Each person would choose from the tables covered with presents and that was their birthday present from Ron and whoever actually brought it. No one put a price limit on the game and we were not to put our name on the outside of the gift.
I thought long and hard about what I could give that would mean something to the person who got it and wouldn't break my small bank. In the end I made a gift certificate on my computer and put it in a shoe box, put a marble inside so it would make noise if someone shook it, wrapped the box in green paper and took it to the party. The gift certificate was for two days of companionship. For two days of the person's choosing, I would be with them. Go for a walk? If that's what you want, you've got it. Sit on the porch and watch the grass grow? I'm there. Whatever.
There were almost thirty people at Ron's birthday party. None of us knew how sick he was. Well, probably Emma did, but she didn't say how sick he was. We all noticed he had lost some weight and that he had a little less white hair, but that doesn't always mean you have three weeks left.
After we ate everyone gathered for the celebration. Ron gave us the rules again for his game. When he gave the signal we all went to the tables and picked a package and came back to our seats. Then he would call on one person. That person could open the present they picked or trade someone for the present they picked and open that one. If they opened the present they picked they got to choose who was next. If they traded the person they traded with went next.
He looked over the crowd and he picked Carl White, his bridge partner whenever Emma wasn't. Carl switched with John Tinker and opened what he took from John. He got two decks of very nice playing cards in a fancy box. John went next and opened what Carl had traded him, and smiled, it was a nice bottle of wine in a fancy box. He picked Carolyn to go next and she opened the box to find a gift certificate for a massage at the spa. There were plenty of offers to trade. She picked who went next and we all enjoyed seeing what people had made, bought or given. I was thinking a lot about the small thing I had given. It wasn't, in my thinking, as good as some of the other gifts. I spent some time regretting that I hadn't splurged and bought something.
When there were five presents left I noticed mine was one of the five. It sat on Marge Wilson's lap. Henry Carter had opened his gift and picked Marge to go next. She traded my present to Francine and opened the present she got from Francine. It was four movie tickets to our local AMC Theatre. Francine shook the green box, heard the marble I had put inside rattle around and traded the box with Ken. She opened the box he had been holding and found a bus pass good for a month. Ken traded my green box to Pam and got tickets to the next bus trip to Las Vegas. That left Emma and Beth. Pam looked at the box and traded with Beth. Pam got a gift certificate for thirty dollars at our local market. Beth held the green box and said, "Seems no one wants to open this one. It must be intended to be yours, Emma."
Emma gave up the silver wrapped box from her lap. Beth opened the silver package and got a gift certificate to one of the restaurants in our area.
Emma looked at the green box and said, "Green has been my favorite color for all my life. Thank you, whoever gave me this." She opened the box and read the certificate. She dropped the box on the floor and rushed out of the room crying. All of us sat stunned. Me, most of all. I made Emma cry. I had no idea how my gift could or would make anyone cry.
Ron followed her out of the room. Sandy had been sitting on her other side and she picked up the box. She read what I had written and looked up at me. Tears ran down her cheeks.
"How did you know?"
"Know what?" I was in the dark.
"Ron is dying. This is his last birthday." Sandy said. The room was silent. No one moved. "I thought that Emma, Ron, Beth and I were the only ones who knew."
Beth said, "No wonder none of us could open it. It was for Emma."
The party broke up. Sandy, Emma's best friend, stayed back to be with Ron and Emma. I stayed. I didn't know what to do but I stayed. When Emma and Ron were ready to go home I walked with them. Emma held Ron's hand and carried the green box in the other. Sandy walked with me and held my hand.
We got them home and settled. Emma kissed my cheek and said she would wait to use the certificate. Sandy and I left and I walked her to her apartment. She held my hand and said, "Of all the presents Emma got the best one."
"I don't know about that."
"She's been living with Ron for almost fifty years. When he's gone she will need companionship more than she ever has. You gave her the prefect gift. She burst into tears because she is terrified of being alone."
At her front door she kissed my cheek and I walked home. I wondered how I gave the gift I gave and how it got traded enough to end up with Emma. I didn't have any answers.
Two days later I saw a hospital bed being delivered to Ron and Emma's place. I went over and Ron was thinner and weaker. He was in the bed and a nurse was checking his vital signs. She was from the hospice care provided through the Colorado Sunset Hills Retirement Community. I helped bring some chairs into their bedroom so visitors could sit. There was room for four chairs. One was always Emma's.
A week went by with an almost constant stream of people in and out of their home. We moved the hospital bed into the living room and borrowed some chairs from the club house. Now as many as ten people could visit with Ron and he could watch their 60" TV. Like all their friends I was there for part of almost every day. Every time I went to visit Emma was sitting on Ron's right side, holding his hand. When we moved the hospital bed to the living room the guys from Aspen Grove came and put the queen bed back in the bedroom. Emma cried when she looked at it.
Every time I saw the queen bed it was made. I figured Emma for one of those people who always makes the bed as soon as they get up. In a conversation with one of the nurses she shared with me that Emma never slept in the queen bed. She squeezed into bed with Ron and held him all night long, every night.
At eleven one night my phone rang. The nurse told me Ron was gone. I dressed and went over. I held Emma's hand as the hospice people and the people from the coroner's office took Ron away. They were gentle and ever so careful with him and with Emma's heart. When they were gone Sandy looked in on us and saw that I was on duty. Beth came by, as did four or five others, but when they saw I was there, they went home.
I sat on the couch and held Emma all night. At about three she fell asleep and I think I did too. Sometime about dawn we were both awake and went into the kitchen. We made breakfast together. Toast, coffee and some jelly.
We went back into the living room and Emma started crying. Walking into the room she saw the empty bed and that was enough. She came into my arms and sobbed. After standing crying for a few minutes she walked us to the recliner that everyone knew was where Ron sat to watch movies and football before he was sick. She pushed me into the chair, tilted it back and crawled into my lap where she cuddled in and cried herself to sleep. I didn't know what to say, so I didn't say anything.
At ten three guys came and took the bed. I signed their paperwork. Emma just wasn't there enough for details like that. She and Ron had planned and paid for everything before he started hospice care. A woman from the mortuary came by and finalized the time for the service and burial. I said I would let everyone know. She left me with paperwork showing directions, date and time.
At eleven, Sandy and Beth arrived together. They brought lunch. They fed Emma almost like she was a toddler. I ate the sandwich they brought me and drank the iced tea. They stayed for a while and Sandy thought I ought to go home and get a nap. When she said it Emma started to cry. She said, "Don't go. Don't leave me."
Beth said, "Sandy and I will stay with you."
Emma looked at me and said, "Sleep here. Don't go."
I went in and took a nap on the queen bed. Beth stayed until five and then she woke me so I could be with Emma. At six Carolyn and John brought dinner to us. They stayed until eight and went home. Emma and I talked until after eleven. Actually, Emma talked and I listened. She talked about life with Ron.
She started drifting to sleep after eleven. I recommended she go to bed. I told her I would stay right there on the recliner. She went into their bedroom and did her ritual. She came back out wearing a long green plaid flannel nightgown. She stood in front of me for a long time looking at me.
Her hand reached for mine. When she had it she said, "Hold me."
I stood and held her. It was if she was so fragile she might break. She backed up a little and I released her. She took my hands and led me to the queen bed where she sat and began unbuttoning my shirt. I started to say something and she put a finger to my lips. Then she finished unbuttoning my shirt and tossed it to a chair. She undid my belt and unzipped my chinos.
The last woman to do that had been my wife, the night before her heart attack six years before.
I finished the job and stood before her in my boxers. She turned and crawled into bed. She held the covers open for me. We didn't talk. I got in and she molded herself against me. I know we slept but I also know we spent most of the night just holding each other.
In the morning there was a knock at the front door. We didn't hear it. Beth and Sandy came in and found us asleep holding each other. They backed out and came back two hours later. They made breakfast and made enough noise that we woke up and got out of bed. I dressed and Emma went into the bathroom for her morning ritual.
In the kitchen Beth kissed me good-morning and so did Sandy.
"We saw you two sleeping." Sandy said.
"I don't know what to say."
"God, don't feel bad! If someone had been there for me like you're here for Emma I would have come back to the living lots faster than I did."
"All I've done is hold her and listen."
Beth got up and kissed me. "Silly man, you say that like it wasn't much! It is everything. She had counted on you from the day of the birthday party. You promised her you would be here for her."
"Would one of you do me a favor?"
"Name it!"
"Go to my place and get me some clean clothes. I don't think leaving Emma would be Ok."
They took my keys and left. While they were gone Emma came out and ate breakfast. "Where are they?"
"Went to get me some clean clothes for today."
"I hope they bring you your clothes, Beth's and Sandy's would be too small for you." She smiled. Her sense of humor was coming back. She ate a good breakfast and we were at the sink doing dishes when Beth and Sandy returned. I thanked them for the clothes and went to take care of a shower, etc.
Emma sat them down and talked to them. She was sad, aware of the hole in her life and that it would hurt for some time... and she was back. They asked about finding me in bed.
"The most comfort I've had in the last three weeks was knowing that Nick would be here for me. He held me all night long on Ron's recliner after Ron went. He didn't make me talk. When I cried, he cried. He helped me cry! Last night we were on the couch falling asleep and he sent me in to get ready for bed. When I came out of the bathroom in my flannel nightie I saw an empty bed. I went to him and he held me. I took his clothes off and I pulled him into bed. He held me all night long. I miss Ron. Nick doesn't breathe like Ron. I got up once in the night and when I got back in bed Nick just gathered me close and held me. He didn't wake up."
When I came out feeling clean and fresh all three women kissed me. Beth's kiss was much more than a quick kiss. I didn't ask what they meant. I just enjoyed receiving.
The next day was the funeral. Emma went with me to my place and picked out what she wanted me to wear to the funeral. We carried my stuff back to her place and after she was ready I got ready. Everyone who had been at the birthday party was at the funeral. The three grown children of Ron and Emma were there. Their son took me aside at the gathering after the funeral and warned me not to try to move in on his mother. I asked him if he was going to take care of her.
"I pay her rent and stuff! Yeah, I'm taking care of her!"
Sandy and Beth came and sat with us. They had heard him.
Beth said, "Where were you the night your father died?"
"At home. I didn't come because there was nothing for me to do."
"Nick, sat up all night holding your mother while she cried. All night!"
Sandy added, "And where were you for the three weeks your father was in bed dying? You weren't here. You were the one Emma called when Ron needed hospice care. She asked you to tell Jennifer and Janice. You waited until three days before Ron died to tell them. Except when Ron and Emma slept at night we all were here. Not only were you to busy to come, you robbed your sisters of being with their Dad the last days of his life. And now you want Nick to stop being here?"
"You have some nerve."
"I wanted to be here! I have a company to run! I have bills!"
"You have excuses. I hope they keep you warm at night. Your excuses haven't helped your mother at all. Nick has. He's not after her money. He's not after anything except to be comforting to her. You could take lessons."
"I want to protect her."
"From what? Love, companionship, caring people?"
"No, from getting hurt."
"Don't you think it hurt when her husband of fifty years and your father is dying and you and your sisters don't drop everything and be here?"
"But, she understands why I wasn't here."
"When she would have been sitting on the couch all alone watching the ambulance drive away with Ron's body in it how much good is understanding that being here wasn't important to you?"
All three of us got up and walked away from him. Emma was surrounded by people. Her daughters had flown in from London and New York. They sat at either side of her. They stayed for two days. Her son went home before the gathering was over.
During the two days I rested a lot. Holding Emma took a toll on me emotionally. That's not a complaint. I'd do it for every one of my friends. Sitting on my front porch the second afternoon I saw the daughters take their mother out. They left in a cab. Three hours later they came back and Emma was smiling. I decided that being the companion for any and all my friends was my new career. My mission for the rest of my life.
The next day Emma called Beth and Sandy. They went to her and the three talked for a couple hours. Then, they came to see me.
We sat in the shade on my small patio. Emma started the conversation.
"Nick, I cannot thank you for what you gave me. There aren't words or actions that would even come close."
Beth put her hand on Emma's arm and said, "Emma shared something with us this morning. She wants you to know about it but it is still too hard for her to say. It took her a long time this morning to tell us. The last thing that Ron said to her was that he loved her and that she shouldn't worry, Nick would be there for her."
Sandy spoke, softly. "A couple days before Ron left he and I were alone for a few moments. He asked me if I would help you care for Emma. He said that knowing the three of us were here for her made leaving easier. She was loved and cared for."
"I don't know what to say."
"Then listen. We have learned something here. Being alone sucks! Being loved and cared for is better. From now on, in our community, we are the companions. In sickness, loss, bad weather, or death we will do just what we did. Somehow we did what was the right thing. It hasn't been a week and Emma can laugh."
"Deep inside I'm still bleeding, still in pain that all of us have been through. And, I'm back because of the three of you. We can do this for all the people we love. Can we agree to be the companions?"
I nodded. We all did. We had lunch together. I went to play bridge in the afternoon. I listened. Harvey was hurting. His son had been in rehab for a drug and alcohol problem and Harvey had his hopes up that the man would get his life in order. He found out his son had been arrested in Chicago for drunken disorderly conduct.
When the bridge time was up I called my team and we went over to Harvey's. Sandy stayed with him until ten that night and I went and sat in his living room until two in the morning. We talked. Not much but as much as Harvey was up for.
Emma brought breakfast and Sandy spent a couple hours with him. We traded off for days until Harvey sorted out his feelings and dealt with the powerlessness of wanting someone else to change. Then he came back to us. We knew he was back when I went over to have breakfast with him and he had showered and shaved on his own.
A week went by and we didn't hear of anyone needing the team. On Saturday night at just after nine my phone rang. I heard Beth's voice.
"I don't need the team. I don't want the team. I want and need you, Nick. I need you to come here and hold me, help me cry." She hung up. I walked to her home. Before I knocked she opened the door. She had already been crying. Curt's picture was not on the wall. It was on the coffee table with a box of tissues.
We went to the couch and sat together. She held my hand, looked at Curt's picture and cried. I realized that today was something big for them. I didn't need to know what it was. I needed to feel her loss. I had one of my own. I had that empty space that will not get filled. I touched my the hole in my soul and we cried together. We never said a word.
At dawn she went into the bathroom and washed her face. She went into the kitchen and made a Spanish omelet for both of us. Her coffee is always good so I was thankful for a good meal and that the crisis was over. She led me to the door and kissed my cheek as I left.
At home I took the phone off the hook and went to bed. When I got up at three to pee I put the phone back on the hook. When I came back to the bed it rang.
Beth said, "Yesterday was six years since Curt died. Every other year I had thought about dying. Every other year I cried and hurt and didn't share it! Last night you were there! You helped me cry! I love you for that."
She hung up. I hadn't said anything except, "Hello."
At seven the phone rang again. The voice was Beth's. "Have you had dinner?"
"Then come over. It's ready." She hung up again.
The door was open. She was standing just inside in jeans and a sweatshirt with a torn open neckline. It may have started with a crew neck but somehow now it was bigger. She had the table set and the wine poured. It was delicious. I said so.


text:
A common mistake people make when choosing a tennis racquet is to buy whatever their favourite player is using, instead of looking at what will actually suit their own style of play. We're all individuals, so when you choose a tennis racquet it's important to choose one you like the feel of. Whether or not a racquet works for you will depend on what style of player you are, what you like to do and what you want to achieve.
Try to find a racquet that feels comfortable, because if you feel comfortable and confident then you will play better. The first test is in your hand – if a racquet feels comfortable when you hold it, that's a good start. Then if you can, give the racquet a good hit and that will determine if you like the racquet or not.
Five things to consider when choosing a tennis racquet
1. Weight
The weight of the racquet you should use depends on your strength and how you swing. A lighter racquet is easy to move and swing, and has the balance of weight in the head – so when you hit the ball, the head drops and that's where the weight comes into play. A heavier racquet has more weight in the handle than the head, and overall is more solid for those harder, faster balls that come towards you.
2. Head size
A smaller head size gives you more control, while a larger head size gives you a bigger sweet spot (the area where the strings create the most power for the least amount of effort), so the style of player you are will determine what size you should try.
3. Width
Narrow-bodied racquets give you more control, and wider racquets give you more power, so again, your swing style will determine which is better for you.
4. String tension
Strings are very important – they're what we consider the motor of the racquet. They're what give you power and control depending on the tension. The tighter the strings the more control you have, the looser the strings the more power. If you have a very big swing then you need tighter strings that will give you more control, while if you have a slower swing you should have looser strings for more power.
5. Grip
The wrong grip size can cause tennis elbow, and a worn out grip will cause you to grip the racquet too hard and too firm and stiffen your arm up. If you hold the racquet in your hand, you should have about a finger's width distance between the tips of your fingers and the base of your palm.
Choosing racquets for kids
When you choose a racquet for a child, you have to be very careful not to choose something that could injure them. Adult racquets are generally way too heavy for kids. There are smaller racquets in different lengths and weights, so things like the child's height and how strong they are will determine the racquet that is right for them.
Lou Smarrelli has over 30 years experience helping people to choose the perfect racquet. For more information visit prellitennis.com.au


text:
The bandstand was set up at the end of a vast asphalt parking lot next to a playground. By as early as 6:30 p.m. a few people had set up lawn chairs front and center to get a good view of the band. And by 8 p.m., as bandleader Larry O'Brien gave the down beat for the opening theme, the lot had been transformed into a veritable sea of faces, eagerly waiting to hear the Glenn Miller Orchestra.
As the evening progressed, it was clear that they got what they wanted. Those who remembered when Miller himself was around smiled with satisfaction as the band launched into old favorites like ''Tuxedo Junction,'' ''String of Pearls,'' ''Pennsylvania 6-5000,'' and, naturally, Miller's famous theme, ''Moonlight Serenade.''
Vocalists Colleen Miller (no relation) and Gary Martin and the Moonlight Serenaders (patterned after the Modernaires of Miller's day) sang faithful renditions of tunes like ''Someone to Watch Over Me,'' ''Serenade in Blue,'' and ''Kalamazoo.'' Before the first set was finished, dancers had popped up all over the parking lot, in the aisles, along the sides, and in front of the bandstand.
''You almost have to dance to this music!'' O'Brien said. Larry has been directing the band for about a year now, succeeding Jimmy Henderson, who took over the leadership from Buddy Morrow. Other leaders of the Glenn Miller Orchestra have been Ray McKinley -- who was its first director when the band was formed again 12 years after Miller's disappearance during World War II on a flight between England and France -- and clarinetists Buddy DeFranco and Peanuts Hucko. Larry has spent most of his life playing trombone in bands, and this is not his first experience in the Miller band, either -- he played for a short time 20 years ago under Ray McKinley.
''I consider myself primarily an instrumentalist,'' he says. ''I wouldn't take a job where I couldn't play.'' At this outdoor concert, he played several fine solos, among which was a lovely ballad entitled ''Red Bamboo,'' which he dedicated to his father, who was sitting in the audience.
O'Brien takes his leadership seriously. ''I'm responsible for the musical integrity of the band -- that's my main job. I had played under McKinley and I had a strong feeling that the Miller music should be played as Glenn played it. Whenever it will fit, we try to use the Miller style -- the clarinet-tenor lead, the doo-wop brass, and all of that. I think when you have something that's a winner that you should stick with it, and not be subject to the whims of any current fad that comes along.''
Even though there is what O'Brien calls a big-band ''mini-revival'' going on, things are definitely a different kettle of fish than they were back in the '30s and '40s when the big band was king. Not only is it hard to find places to play, but, as O'Brien pointed out, ''There are no new bands coming up. Count Basie, Woody Herman -- they're all getting on in years.''
Despite the problems of keeping a big band working, the Miller band enjoys tremendous popularity and manages to do 50 weeks of one-nighters every year. This is great for the Miller image, but, once again, it's no easy task to keep a large group together -- perhaps even more difficult now than it was back in the big-band era. Life on the road is a hard row to hoe for many of the players who join the band.
Asked if there was much turnover in the band, Larry answered, ''Yes -- more than I'd like, more than I care to even talk about. It's a sign of the times. People are hopping around to different jobs like crazy. People don't stay on one job for more than two or three years. And not only that, this is a hard existence. Some people can take it, some can't.''
Road manager Dick Gerhart, who has been with the band 14 years, playing tenor sax as well as taking care of the business end of things, added, ''We try to hire good players, but it takes a couple of months to get them in the chair the way you want them, and you never know how the road is going to agree with them. We do 50 weeks a year -- it's very difficult. So you enjoy them while you have them - that's about all you can do.''
Referring to the leadership of the Miller band as ''a formidable challenge,'' O'Brien said he sometimes finds the band members, whose average age is 24, a bit of a problem. ''Kids have no manners nowadays,'' he complains. So he keeps a tight rein and is strict, expecting courtesy and good behavior from the musicians under his direction.
But the kind of dedication he feels, both to the band itself and to the music Glenn Miller made famous, is not always matched by the younger members, who sometimes have quite different reasons for joining up. One player said: ''Guys come on and stay on as long as they feel they have to to get something out of it. They want to tour Japan, or make a record, or make connections with other bands. We're paying dues. We're here to learn things, but it's not like when Glenn Miller had the band. That was the music they wanted to play. That was their music, but with us, it's a nostalgia trip, it's something you can learn something from.''
Several members complained that the pay is too low, and trumpeter Joe Rodriguez, who had been with the band for seven weeks, was especially vocal about this:
''It's low pay, and hard hours.'' He added that he dislikes traveling on the bus, but said he wants to stay until after the Japan tour in February. ''What makes it worthwhile are the other players. They are excellent musicians.''
But most of the musicians seem content with their lot -- several have played with the band before and have come back for another go-round, and some are college students who want to return to their studies. Others expressed appreciation for O'Brien -- his musicianship, and his faithfulness to Glenn Miller's music. Groaned one member who had played under a former leader, ''Then we had disco versions of 'String of Pearls' and 'In the Mood!' ''


text:
Erstellen einer Webseite
Orçamento $250-750 USD
I need someone to create a prototype of a website.
This needs to be a rough sketch of what I am planning on doing with basic functionality to be able to present to potential investors.
The basic functionality will be:
Homepage with world map, zoomable, ability to mark points. All Countries and regions will be clickable.
Homepage will have a set of check boxes and options to get certain countries / regions marked (ex.: distance to a certain starting point will colour in countries within that distance).
Every country / region will be clickable and lead the user to a new page with pictures and texts about that region / country
Travel offers will be displayed on the various landing pages.
Page will be based on either PHP and Javascript only in the frontend or Javascript on the server-side as well ( depends on feedback from developer).
Unique URL-structure for landing pages is key.
Future features will be discussed after prototype presentation.
This is a small project as it will be extended. Project will be extended with the developer who has built the prototype so keep that in mind when setting pricing.
Frontend script will be the following Javascript:
[url removed, login to view]
Please start your offer with "*" to indicate you read through the whole description.
40 freelancers estão ofertando em média $606 para esse trabalho
Hello there, Greetings! We have gone through the complete job description and are pretty sure to assist you with this task as we are expertise team of developers & designers working on Web & App Development/Desig Mais
* Hi, I have read your post and understood your requirement. Looking for the freelancer to work on your next project? Or just need some issues/bugs/fixes ASAP? I have 8+ years of experience and I'm here for you! Mais
*,Hi, I have gone through your post and would like to discuss further on the same to get more detailed insights of the requirement. We have done work on a very similar requirement to [login to view URL] has always built Mais
Here you can go with Elite-LEVEL Freelancer, EliteSolution. Let's go together for your project. How are you today? I am a full stack developer who has good experience in mobile and web development I am her Mais
* Hi, You can get the prototype done without any coding using tools like [login to view URL] You only need the designs done and then using Invision have a clickable prototype, which is more than enough to convince Mais
Dear Sir. I had read your descriptions about project. Kindly give me a chance, i would like to discuss more about project and sure everything clear. I am a developer very strong in below skills. + Core: Php, Ruby, J Mais
"*" Greetings from Webs Cybernetics!! My name is Jhalak Sanwal, I have read your project description very carefully however it was not that long. :) Take a look to my last work: [login to view URL] Mais
* Hi there. Hope you are doing great today !! I hope, your search for right contractor end here. Helping you with creating a prototype of a website is definitely something I can take care of for you! I am a talent Mais
Hi, I am ready to start it. But i have some questions for you. So kindly leave message for me, then i'll discuss it in depth.
Hello, Hopefully you are doing well. We are Really interested to do work with you, We are Web & Software development company having more than 6-year experience in Software development we totally committed to quali Mais
Hello, we can do this project for you ! We are a team of 15 designers & developers PORTOFOLIO . https://www.freelancer.com/users/profile.php?id=16762597 GRAPHIC, PRODUCT, INDUSTRIAL & ANIMATION: Photoshop Mais
Hello there, Check my website design portfolio : [login to view URL] I build valid, responsive HTML5, CSS3, JQ, JS, bootstrap and Word Press, Magento, Drupal, CI, based websites Web Portfolio: Mais


text:
Recently, I gave a talk before one of the local Act for America chapters in Orange County, California. Act was founded by Brigitte Gabriel, a Lebanese Christian immigrant to the US, to inform the public about the threat of radical Islam. My topic was one that many in the audience might not have been aware of – anti-semitism on university campuses. So what is the connection? In my view, the connection is that most anti-semitism in the US today is located on our college campuses and is largely driven by two student groups: the Muslim Student Association and Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP).
The latter group was co-founded by UC Berkeley professor Hatem Bazian, a Palestinian Muslim activist, who has also co-founded American Muslims for Palestine, the Zaytuna College at UC Berkeley, and the Islamophobia Research and Documentation Center, also at UCB.
I showed the audience video clips of three radical Islamic imams who have spoken at UC Irvine (where I taught part-time until last year): Abdul Alim Musa, Mohamed al Asi, and Amir Abdel Malik Ali. In a 2001 speech at UCI, Al Asi stated, "You can take the Jew out of the ghetto, but you can't take the ghetto out of the Jew". In a 2006 speech at UCI, Ali called Rupert Murdoch a "straight-up Zionist Jew" literally spitting the word "Jew" out as did the Nazis.
I also showed the audience a caricature of Ariel Sharon posted on the UCI Muslim Student Union's mock "apartheid wall". Sharon was pictured with all the stereotypical Jewish facial features that were used by the old anti-Jewish Nazi newspaper, Der Stuermer.
Finally, I showed the audience a clip of the 2010 disruption of the speech by the Israeli ambassador to the US at UCI. I then went on to recount the things I had learned as a campus activist for ten years.
To be sure, the MSU and SJP both deny that they are anti-Jewish – only anti-Zionist. They state as much before all their UCI events. I could also add that SJP has non-Muslim members including some Jews who vehemently support the Palestinian cause. There is also the Jewish Voice for Peace, a despicable left-wing group that joins hands with Israel's foes and doesn't even support the right of pro-Israel voices to speak in public and on campuses. Like SJP, they use Brown Shirt tactics of intimidation and disruption.
But the Jew hatred inevitably seeps out in the vitriol of MSA-SJP invited speakers like the ones mentioned above. Beneath their protestations, they know the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is not over land, rather it is over religion. The mostly Muslim Palestinians will never accept a Jewish state.
Another aspect of the problem is the cowardly reaction of most university administrators. Despite years of complaints by Jewish students of being bullied and intimidated, universities either turn a blind eye or give lip service to the problem while doing little to nothing. After the 2010 disruption of the Israeli ambassador's speech, the Muslim Student Union, which planned the disruption and lied about it afterward, was suspended for one year. Yet, on his last day before retiring, the then vice chancellor reduced the suspension to one quarter-ten weeks. In the meantime, an SJP chapter was formed at UC Irvine to take its place. In contrast to this farce, the Orange County DA prosecuted and convicted the 11 students who had been arrested for the incident.
In addition, in May 2015, students from SJP and other student groups attempted to force their way into a film showing about the Israeli Defense Forces being hosted by Students Supporting Israel at UC Irvine. The mostly female audience was terrified and called campus police who came and restored order. It was revealed that there were also "legal representatives" at the incident demanding entry for the protesters. These "legal representatives" were from the National Lawyers Guild-attached to the UCI Law School. The NLG was formed in the 1930s as a legal arm of the Communist Party USA. In a letter issued after the incident defending the protesters, they denied any disruption and stated that after the event was concluded they accompanied the protesters "back to the Cross Cultural Center". (The SJP got off with a warning letter from the administration.)
This highlights another problem. For years, the MSU and SJP have used the CCC as a staging area for their disruptions of Jewish events on campus. In 2015 and 2016, I personally witnessed them march out of the CCC and back into the CCC when they protested against the annual I(srael)- Fest held on campus by Students Supporting Israel and its predecessor group Anteaters for Israel).
After years of complaints and bad publicity, the University of California Regents decided in 2015 that the problem of anti-semitism on UC campuses had to be addressed via a revised Statement of Principles on Intolerance that would specifically address anti-semitism. This was largely thanks to the work of the AMCHA Initiative, formed by two Jewish UC professors to document and protest against anti-semitism on campus. I was proud to join with my AMCHA colleagues in speaking to two UC Regent working groups formed to deal with the problem and draft a new statement. This was realized in March 2016 over objections by the pro-Palestinian lobby. In response the UC Irvine chancellor appointed a working group to determine how best ti implement the findings of the Regents.
Yet, this has not solved the problem. The Israel-Palestinian conflict continues to be a vehicle for anti-Israel agitation on campus that often crosses the line from legitimate expression of opposition to Israeli policies to anti-Jewish expression. The disruptive tactics of the SJP continue. Jewish students who support Israel and affirm their Jewish identity are made to feel uncomfortable on campus. I am not talking about oversensitive snowflakes here. Anti-semitism is real, and in my view, it is the worst-ism on campus today.
I should note that my speech was well received, and I have been invited to speak to another Act chapter in May on the same topic. Universities are under a lot of public scrutiny today over the crazy left-wing agitation going on. Hopefully, this other problem will also come front and center to public attention.
The views expressed in this opinion article are solely those of their author and are not necessarily either shared or endorsed by EagleRising.com


text:
8 Budget D
We obviously love browsing endless inspiring images of enviable, perfectly designed spaces, but when it comes to replicating the looks in our own home, most of the time our eyes are bigger than our wallets. Thankfully, many manufacturers have caught on to what today's style-savvy consumers are after and are creating items inspired by high-end design. We've taken some of our favorite interior snaps and shopped for the key components that get the look without breaking the bank.
What items are you wishing you could find for less? Let us know in the comments and we'll get to hunting!
Photographs: 1. Douglas Friedman (photographer and source), 2. Steven Gambrel (designer and source), 3. Barrie Benson (designer and source), 4. Nate Berkus photographed by Pieter Estersohn for Architectural Digest, 5. Betsy Brown photographed by Don Freeman for House Beautiful, 6. Valorie Hart (designer and source), 7. Timothy Whealon photographed by William Waldron for Elle Decor, 8. François Halard
|Indian in origin, these peacock mirrors, made up of small disc-shaped mirrors surrounding a central mirror, are real statement makers. Though vintage and authentic versions are available sporadically at flea markets and on eBay, mainstream retailers are making their own versions at much more wallet-friendly price points. Peacock Mirror, $399, Wisteria
|We love the look of this kitchen by Steven Gambrel and can't take our eyes off of the statement lighting hung from the vaulted ceiling. These eye-catching pendants with milk-glass shades have a retro, industrial feel, but somehow look sophisticated at the same time. Lucky for us, we found how to get the look for less. Dana Pendant, $190, Rejuvenation
|As seen in this space from Barrie Benson, we're digging the look of large, swing-arm sconces that we've been seeing in seriously stylish interiors. Though many oversized versions also come with a hefty price tag, this particular pick will give you that Parisian look for a fraction of the price. Bare Arc Wall Lamp, $420, Allied Maker
|Summertime always makes us look to nautical influences when updating our décor, and this rope mirror, reminiscent of the one in Nate Berkus's New York powder room, will inject some seaside glamour into your space. A simple loop detail at the top adds a special touch and elevates the entire look. Know Your Ropes Mirror, $140, Bliss Home and Design
|One of the hottest, and most polarizing items seen in today's designs is Serge Mouille's three-arm floor lamp. Though some fail to find the appeal while other décor lovers can't get enough, there's no denying the popularity of the piece. Sculptural, slightly insect-like, and popular in modern-eclectic rooms, it's one of our personal favorites; we're digging the look of this design with more rounded shades. Praying Mantis Lamp, $345, Organic Modernism
|Classically French in style but with modern comforts, this tufted cocktail ottoman looks stunning in this New Orleans home from Valorie Hart -- plus, who doesn't like to put their feet up on the table? We love the combination of traditional detailing with family-friendly applications. Add an oversized tray to corral tabletop necessities and provide a solid surface, and then just kick back, relax, and put your feet up. Maison Tufted Cocktail Ottoman, $795, Wayfair
|The classic look of a black and white kilim has been a style staple for years now, and we see no sign of its popularity waning. The visible stitching when individual panels meet as seen on vintage versions is charming but until we can afford their less-than-charming price tags, we're happy to hold ourselves over with this big-box-retailer Scandinavian version. Stockholm Rug, from $199, Ikea
|We've always loved the layered and collected look of photographer François Halard's mantle where decorative objects and ethnic accents mingle in harmony. In contrast to the rustic elements Halard added in a giant, gilt frame mirror and Jacques Grange white table lamps. The sculptural quality of the table lamps is definitely eye-catching despite their absence of color. We've found a way to get a similar look for way less with, believe it or not, a children's lamp. Checkmate Table Lamp, $59, The Land of Nod


text:
October 23, 2012
The Wi-Fi Alternative: Wireless Broadband for Access Anywhere, Anytime
By Rick Klau
With Internet connection spots around the country, Wi-Fi seemed to promise a nirvana for users. But as it turns out, the cost of accessing those hotspots can add up. You do, though, have another option-one that lets you work from trains, planes, automobiles and beyond.
About 10 years ago, I spent a few months working at an Internet service provider, selling Internet access to businesses. At that time, few businesses had dedicated Internet connections in their offices. The most popular service was a T-1 line, a dedicated connection that provided the buyer with 1.54 megabits per second. A business could get a connection that was nearly 30 times faster than dial-up, for $1,500 per month. A few years later, consumer broadband offerings started showing up, including cable Internet access from the cable companies and ISDN and DSL services from the phone companies, with costs typically ranging from $50 to $200 per month (depending on the type of service and the equipment involved).
All of these services, regardless of their underlying technologies, had one thing in common: wires. Any faster-than-dial-up connection relied on a technology known as Ethernet, which sported a plug slightly fatter than a phone jack and meant you had to be near the connection point. Or you had to invest in a costly network that would carry the Internet data from the connection point to your PC.
That all changed with the advent of Wi-Fi, which grew to prominence in 2004 and 2005. Just ahead of that growth, in 2003, I wrote about Wi-Fi in a nothing.but.net column and marveled at the futuristic nirvana we would all live in by 2006: "More than 90 percent of all laptops sold by 2006 will have wireless capabilities built in. Is it possible that true wireless Internet access has arrived?" Well, yes. Just not from Wi-Fi.
What happened? Allow me to recount the situation—and, better yet, what turned out to be the solution (at least for me).
Wi-Fi, as you'll recall, is the now-ubiquitous technology that allows computers to share an Internet connection at short range. T-Mobile (in partnership with Starbucks) has thousands of access points (known by their more colloquial term "hotspots") around the country. Almost every airport has wireless Internet access (for a fee). Most hotels—and nearly all of which cater to business travelers—offer Wi-Fi in their lobbies and in their rooms. Wi-Fi is now a must-have component of many professional conferences, and the cost of making a home Wi-Fi-friendly is now less than $50.
Ironically enough, it's this ubiquity of Wi-Fi that caused me to invest in yet another technology, all but abandoning my prior reliance on Wi-Fi. A couple of months ago, as I filled out an expense report, I added up how much I spent on Internet access in that month alone. Five airports at $6 to
$10 per hour added up to $40. Three hotels at $15 per night was another $75. Per-hour access at a handful of Starbucks added up to $12. In all, I'd spent more than $125 that month (a month that was far from unusual) for what amounted to a few days' worth of Internet access.
Given the pricing trend over the past decade—faster speeds at lower prices—I wasn't thrilled that I'd found a way to reverse the trend. There had to be a better way. Thankfully, I found it in the course of a recent business trip.
Productivity Packaged in a Wireless Broadband Card
I spent a week on the East Coast in May, and after a day's worth of meetings in Washington, D.C., I reserved a ticket on the Acela Express (Amtrak's high-speed train to New York) for 7 a.m. the following morning. Knowing I'd be spending six hours on the train that day (three to New York City, and three back), I decided to swing by a Verizon store to pick up a wireless broadband card and make my trip more productive.
Unlike Wi-Fi, which works within a limited distance between your computer and the Wi-Fi hotspot, wireless broadband options provide you with a cellular connection for your laptop. Think of it as broadband dial-up: Your computer effectively dials out to a high-speed Internet connection using a wireless broadband card, and it keeps you connected for as long as necessary.
In my case, this was a huge plus. Finding and keeping a Wi-Fi signal while on a high-speed train is impossible, so connectivity for my laptop was out. My Treo 650 smart phone allows me to send and receive e-mails, but I've always found that to be useful as a fallback, never as a primary device for Internet access. Not only is the Treo keyboard tiny, but long messages are nearly impossible to compose and send on the device in anything resembling a reasonable amount of time. Three concentrated hours on the train seemed a perfect opportunity to test the wireless broadband option.
If it worked, the wireless card would do something else for me—save me money. Unlike the myriad access providers I'd used in past months for Wi-Fi, wireless broadband involves just one provider, and many plans are available for a flat rate.
In my first month of using it, I've paid a flat $80, and in exchange for that, my laptop is now connected whenever I want it to be. For example, stuck in traffic for nearly two hours (I wasn't driving!), I was able to work uninterrupted using the wireless broadband card—including with instant messaging, e-mail and even some downloaded audio. (Streaming video is identified as an expressly prohibited activity on the Verizon network; other networks may be more forgiving.)
When Shopping for Services
If you're intrigued by the wireless broadband option, here are a few pointers. Verizon claims average speeds of 700k to1000k, and those have been well within the range I've seen. Other carriers offering similar services include Sprint and Cingular. When comparing services, look not just at price (your cell phone company may well try to bundle wireless broadband in with your voice service) but also at download speeds. An important tip: Ignore the "maximum" speed—that's a theoretical number that reflects life on a planet in which no other humans are using the service you're using for that period of time. Just focus on the average speed.
And as always, it's good to check out head-to-head reviews (in which you'll notice that the equipment you use is as important as the service itself) through sites like CNET and others.
Also, when you're investigating service options, it is (as with most things tech-related) helpful to have a handle on some key acronyms. So herewith: Verizon's service is an implementation of EVDO (Evolution-Data Optimized), a technology that can attain data transfer speeds in excess of 2 megabits per second. Sprint also uses EVDO, while other carriers rely on EDGE (Enhanced Data rates for GSM Evolution)—a conceptually similar but technically different protocol that accomplishes a similar goal: high data transfer rates.
And interestingly, the wireless broadband phenomenon is not limited to laptops. Many cell phones today include support for EDGE or EVDO, giving them the ability to download video and audio. (If you're interested in longer descriptions of what EVDO and EDGE do and why it matters, check out their respective entries in Wikipedia, www.wikipedia.org.)
Another Bonus
The day I chose to get to New York on Amtrak back in May just happened to be the day of Amtrak's largest power outage in 30 years. All trains up and down the Eastern seaboard were shut down. While continuing to work on my laptop, I periodically posted updates about the delay to my blog, and a few hours later I started receiving (while still using my wireless broadband card) dozens of e-mails from people I didn't know asking about the power outage. Curious where these people were coming from, I checked my site stats: Most of them were coming from USAToday.com, where they'd found my blog and linked to it as an example of what people were doing to get through the delays. While the real benefits of the wireless broadband card are its reduction in cost each month over Wi-Fi in a variety of places and its enabling me to work whenever and wherever I want, the fact that I got my company coverage on USA Today's site doesn't hurt.
So here's the bottom line. If, like me, you're spending a ton of money on Wi-Fi, the wireless broadband card offers you dramatically increased opportunities to get and stay online. While speeds likely won't mirror what you're able to get on a Wi-Fi connection, it's more important when you're on the road to have access than it is to max out at the equivalent of a couple of T-1s. Plus, as the USAToday.com tale illustrates, you never know for sure what other benefits you might derive from true anywhere, anytime access.


text:
I'm definitly going to have to try this bread! The hardest part will be trying to convince my husband to wait the 45 min. before cutting!
No Knead to Freak Out–Part Two
As promised, I have pulled out the gloves (oven mitts, in this case) for a second round of No Knead Bread. When we last talked about my adventures with this bread, I left you with the thoughts that I had fallen in love with the overall appearance, crust, interior and crumb of this bread, but that the flavor left much to be desired. So I played a bit with the original recipe (which I have moved to a permanent position in this post) and was really pleased with the results. A single bare bite of this second attempt, with not even the slightest drizzle of olive oil pooling in its crevices, confirmed that this bread is definitely worth the hype. The added salt (an extra 1/2 teaspoon) this time around clearly gave the bread a new life and dimension and made for an even tastier crust.
More importantly, while the first loaf tasted of not much at all, this loaf was full of flavor, almost a Sourdough Lite, if you will–certainly the result of an extra eight hours tacked onto the first rise (for a total of 24 hours as opposed to 16 in the first attempt). I knew there would be some improvement this time around when I lifted the plastic wrap from the bowl after the first long rise and the vigorous bouquet of yeasty alcohol smacked me on the nose. Hooray!
After catching onto the smell wafting through the apartment during the baking of this loaf, my No Knead confidence was restored, and I quickly devised a dinner menu that would rely on what would surely be great bread to make it complete, lest you think I never eat anything other than baked goods. And so it had to be: a mountain of fresh, tender black Pacific mussels, steamed in a luscious broth of sauvignon blanc, butter, shallots and garlic, with a spritely green salad on the side. There really was just no other way around it.
So for me and my palate (and the husband's too, though he seemed to like the first loaf just fine as well…he is steadfast and true that way) this is the recipe for No Knead Bread that I will be using again and again.
No Knead Bread
Adapted from Jim Leahy of Sullivan Street Bakery, NYC and Chocolate and Zucchini
470 grams of all-purpose or bread flour (I used King Arthur Bread Flour)
2 1/2 teaspoons of salt (I used my favorite fleur de sel)
1/4 teaspoon instant yeast
350 grams water at room temperature
Extra flour or cornmeal for dusting
Whisk the flour, salt and yeast together in a large bowl. Stir in the water with a wooden spoon or your hands, until fully incorporated. The dough will feel stickier and wetter than other bread doughs and will come together in a shaggy-looking ball. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it rest for 24 hours at room temperature (ideally about 70 degrees).
After this first rise, the dough will be doubled in volume and covered in little bubbles. Turn the dough out onto a well-floured surface (it will still seem wetter and looser than other bread doughs). For this step, I like to take my favorite huge cutting board, cover it in parchment, securing it with tape, and then flour the parchment like mad. Gently pull at the sides of the dough for a rectangle shape, and then fold it into the thirds, with the two sides pulled towards the center. Give the dough a quarter turn and then fold into thirds again. Turn the dough over and shape into a ball. Cover the ball with plastic wrap and let it rest for 15 minutes. In the meantime, clean the bowl and lightly grease it. Put the dough back into the bowl, cover with plastic and let it rise a second time, for 2 hours.
30 minutes before the second rise is complete, preheat the oven to 450 degrees, with the dutch oven inside of it. When the second rise is complete, CAREFULLY remove the screaming hot pot from the oven and remove the lid. Sprinkle the inside of the pot generously with flour or cornmeal. Place the dough inside the hot pot, sprinkle with more flour or cornmeal, and replace the cover.
Bake at 450 degrees for 30 minutes with the lid, then remove the lid and bake for 15 minutes more, until the crust is so beautiful you almost begin to weep. Carefully remove the hot pot and turn the bread out onto a cooling rack. Let the bread cool for AT LEAST 45 minutes before slicing. The water needs to redistribute itself throughout the bread, so if you don't wait to cut it, the crumb will be rubbery, and after all that work, you don't want to risk that, do you?
Ensuring he will be out of the house doing something husbandly is really the only way to achieve this (I find that suggesting the driving range works well).
Keep me posted on your results, and enjoy! 🙂
I just mixed up some dough last evening. I plan on mixing some olives and rosemary into half of the dough before the second rise and leaving the other half as is.
Last time I made it, I used slices of it for panini with pesto, tomato, and fresh mozzarella; it was absolutely divine.
Thanks for stopping by! My next No Knead adventure will involve some add-ins, now that I've got the recipe the way I like it.
Happy Baking!
Oh how I love this bread. I found it a few year ago in the pages of a Williams-Sonoma catalog. Of course the lime green Le Crueset pan that they were trying to see made it look even better. I have to tell you though I found my all time favorite flavor. I used 1 c. of dried blueberries and the zest of a lemon. Holy Cow it was amazing. This recipe is truly the best in the whole wide world. I've been enjoying poking around your blog! Thanks
Leave a comment
recent posts
sites i love
This work is licensed under a
Creative Commons License.


text:
iPhone 6 has an anodized aluminum body with the diamond cut edges and glass inlays for a truly incredible fit and finish.iPhone 6 supports ultrafast wireless standards so you can browse, download and stream content even faster. The all-new A6 chip was designed by Apple to maximize performance and power efficiency to support the incredible new features in the iPhone 6, including the stunning new 4-inch Retina display—all while delivering even better battery life. With up to twice the CPU & graphics performance, almost everything you do on this iPhone 6 is blazing fast for launching apps, loading web pages and downloading email attachments.
By clicking to enter, you certify that you are a US resident over the age of 18 and that you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms and Conditions and agree to receive promotional emails and special offers from trusted 3rd parties. No emails will ever be sold.


text:
This section of the website is now closed
Remember Me
About | Hackney Geography | Contact
Yeah! Hackney is an independent hyperlocal community forum, discussion notice board, local news blog and social network for people who live & work in the London borough of Hackney.
Yeah! Hackney is a project by Emily Webber>


text:
Gaya Island Resort is located on Pulau Gaya, the largest of a cluster of five islands that form the Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine
Park, a natural conservation area off the coast of Borneo, close to Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia.
121 villas designed in Sabahan architecture style, uses local materials that blend harmoniously with the tropical forest surroundings.
Each of the 47 sq villas are scattered around across the resort, which have splendid views overlooking the tropical sea waters
Feast Village is an interactive all-day dining experience, offering diverse culinary dishes from the Asia-Pacific region and beyond; located by the
swimming pool, with views of Mount Kinabalu and the surrounding beach.
Fisherman's Cove is open only for dinner and is a seafood restaurant, offering freshly caught seafood cuisine with a breathtaking view of the sea and extremely romantic.
Pool Bar & Lounge is a contemporary, casual pool-side lounge overlooking the lap pool and floating cabanas. A perfect place to relax with sundowners and refreshments.
Set amidst lush mangroves, Spa Village Gaya Island is a tranquil hideaway surround by distinctive island flora and fauna, where just the waves lapping onto the beach and smooth orchestral sounds of the island's natural wildlife, is enough to send you into a deep and relaxing slumber.
The spa menu reflects the cultural healing traditions of Sabah's indigenous people, ranging from rice scrubs to rhythmical massage techniques that help to restore the balance of the body and mind.
Free Wifi is only available in the public areas of the hotel
Breakfast is serviced at the Feast Village and offers a vast buffet of wester and local food options for guests.


text:
New Montgomery schools' chief pledges no major changes
In Stamford, Conn., Starr known for work ethic, adherence to data
Click here to see the video
The new superintendent for Montgomery County Public Schools brings a reputation for sticking closely to data, hard work, and navigating tough political environments.
In return, he'll get about 130,000 more students and 180 more schools than he's used to.
Joshua P. Starr, now in his sixth year as superintendent of Stamford (Conn.) Public Schools, will replace outgoing Superintendent of Schools Jerry D. Weast, whose last day is June 30. The Board of Education announced Starr's selection Monday evening.
"Montgomery County has a rich tradition of doing some remarkable work in education," Starr said during a telephone call with reporters Monday night. "In many ways, Montgomery County has been on the forefront."
Those who have worked with Starr in Stamford, where the school district has 15,500 students and 20 schools, characterize the 41-year-old father of three as a hard worker who adheres vigorously to data and makes tremendous efforts to standardize instruction and evaluations, and improve results for minority students.
Starr also has been described as someone who did not always maintain the best relationship with teachers, and had trouble with school board members who pressed for lots of details about his approach, said the Stamford teachers union president and a former Stamford school board president.
While his district is about one-tenth the size of Montgomery County schools in terms of student enrollment, number of schools and operating budget ($223 million this year), education officials pointed to Starr's leadership position in New York City Public Schools, where he rose to be director of school performance and accountability, as proof he can work effectively in a large school system.
They also say Stamford schools' demographics, where 40 percent of the students are eligible for free and reduced-price meals about 9 percentage points higher than in Montgomery County have given him good preparation for the county's diverse student body.
Starr also worked in the New York City Department of Education as deputy senior instructional manager.
Baltimore City Public Schools Chief Executive Officer Andrés Alonso said Starr, whom he hired at the New York City Department of Education to work on special and bilingual education issues, proved capable in handling issues related to hundreds of thousands of students. Starr also helped to create a new education accountability system, Alonso said.
"He brought to it exactly what I hoped that he would bring, which was enormous capacity for work, a real sense of accountability and scale, a lot of knowledge about the workings of schools," Alonso said.
On Monday evening, Starr said he saw no need in Montgomery County for charter schools, which are publicly funded schools that have more flexibility in their educational methods than traditional public schools. School board members have opposed charter schools.
Starr also stressed his work to close the racial achievement gap in Stamford, evoking the signature campaign of Weast's 12-year tenure.
"I'm not interested in making any sweeping changes," he said.
In 2010, black students in six Stamford schools met state-mandated academic progress targets compared with three schools in 2009, and Hispanic students in 12 schools met the targets in 2010 compared with six in 2009.
"I think he will come and match the vision and the passion and the commitment of every single student," said board Vice President Shirley Brandman (At large) of Bethesda on Monday. "He's deeply committed to that balance between equity and excellence."
Weast said of his likely successor, whose appointment is conditional pending final contract negotiations, "He's got good ethics, and he knows how to inspire people to the next level."
Weast also told Gazette editors Tuesday he didn't view the fact Starr headed a small district as detrimental.
Starr started his education career as a special education teacher in New York City Public Schools in 1993, working with severely emotionally disturbed adolescents.
"I'm glad to see that he has firsthand experience with special education, which I think is an area that the next superintendent needs to focus on," said County Councilman Philip M. Andrews (D-Dist. 3) of Gaithersburg, a member of the council's Education Committee.
Under his six-year leadership, Stamford schools have shown progress in some academic areas. From 2006 to 2010, the average SAT score rose by 62 points to 1,500, although it lagged behind the state average in 2010 by 25 points, according to information from the Connecticut State Department of Education. On the Connecticut Academic Performance Test in math, the percentage of students scoring at or above "proficient" was higher in 2009-10 than 2006-07, but has declined the past three years and was lower than the state rate each year.
On April 20, the Stamford Advocate's website reported that in 2010 Starr expensed a $499 dinner for eight at Shula's steakhouse in New Orleans while on Stamford Public Schools business. Starr called the expense a reasonable one, at a time when 12 special-education teacher positions are scheduled to be cut from the school system's budget.
Starr has a doctorate degree from the Harvard Graduate School of Education and earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Wisconsin.
As part of the Stamford Board of Education that hired Starr in 2005, former board President Susan Nabel said she was impressed with his drive to use data and standardize curriculum to make students and teachers accountable. He also reformed curriculum that differed from school to school.
"He's really been tested in the crucible here," Nabel said. "We don't seem large to you, but the size of our district really intensifies the management of diversity. He really has learned how to navigate between different constituencies."
Toward the end of his time in Stamford, Starr had contentious relationships with school board members who wanted more details than the superintendent previously provided regarding his approach, Nabel said.
Starr and his staff closely studied Harvard Business School's "Leading for Equity" report on Montgomery County Public Schools that chronicled the system's successes in closing the achievement gap under Weast, recalled Lora Rossomando, president of the Stamford Education Association, the system's teachers union with 1,400 members.
She praised his work ethic, his efforts to win more money for the school system from state coffers and his determination that the school system meet his goals, with which Rossomando said she agreed.
In stark contrast to Montgomery County, the union was not consulted when the school budget was being drawn up, Rossomando said. Teachers often felt rushed and unprepared for the changes Starr pushed for in classrooms, she noted.
"I didn't think he prioritized teachers in the classroom as much as we would have liked them prioritized," Rossomando said.
On Monday, Starr said his work in New York City taught him the value of working within a large system.
"A superintendent cannot do everything alone," he said.
Joshua P. Starr and Stamford Schools
-Age: 41
-Family: Married, with three children
-Education: Harvard Graduate School of Education, University of Wisconsin
-Experience: Stamford Public Schools superintendent; New York City Department of Education's director of school performance and accountability; New York City Department of Education's deputy senior instructional manager; administrator in Plainfield, N.J., and Freeport, N.Y.; special education teacher in New York City Public Schools
-Stamford Public Schools fiscal 2011 operating budget: $223 million
-Stamford Public Schools enrollment: 15,490
-Percentage of students eligible for free and reduced-price meals: 40
-Percentage of minority students: 60
-Percentage of English-language learner students: 14
-Average SAT score in 2010: 1500


text: Hello all, Have an idea concerning active Twitter accounts that have a decent number of very active followers. It's fairly original and we can approach from it several different directions. There is literally no investment except a few retweets and then a few days of waiting. I'm interested in starting with a handful of partners as soon as possible so please contact me via skype: wineandcheese29 Also I don't care about your reputation on this forum or if you're even a member. This is an excellent opportunity because each party holds enough responsibility that neither side will win if one attempts to screw the other. I'll be on all night and tomorrow. Thanks,


text:
Reviewed in a vacuum, Destiny would be the most competent of shooter experiences. If the merit of a game was based solely on its fundamental mechanics and whether or not one has fun engaging with those mechanics, then this would be the shortest review you'd read this year; Destiny would get 100% and I'd tell you that you couldn't possibly go wrong.
Unfortunately, publishers and marketers ensure that games can never be reviewed in a vacuum, and contemporary big budget titles are always more than a primary game mechanic. Still, it would be nice to review Destiny without the rubbish preamble that overhyped the game's eventual release. It would be nice to play through the game without that cloying mantra from marketers and PR representatives saying, "Judge Destiny by what it will become, and not what it is now." I don't buy that. We've all bought Destiny now, and we're reviewing what is in front of us – that's how video game reviews work.
Yes, in the future there will be more content for Destiny, and features will be added as the game continues to evolve. If that model sounds familiar, then you've played MMO games before. This game should have been marketed as an MMO, and not some new industry buzz-genre known as a "shared world shooter". But Activision didn't want to do that (probably rightly so) because they wanted to get the console shooter fans firmly on board. MMOs are a hard sell these days, but for all intents and purposes, Destiny is an MMO. Here's the thing though: I HATE MMOs, but I had (and I still am having) terrific amounts of fun with Bungie's new baby.
That's not to say that there aren't any oddities or frustrations to be found. Destiny, underneath its shining surface, has issues. For instance: its storytelling is abysmal, which is made even more conspicuous by the fact that this is a Bungie title. Bungie is capable of incredible narrative techniques; Halo: Reach is a textbook example of storytelling done right. Bungie crafts rich science fiction stories, but with Destiny it seems that development energy was channelled elsewhere. This is probably my biggest gripe with the game, because the universe of Destiny is enticing. It has staggering potential in terms of lore and plot, but you'll only get glimpses of that greatness peppered throughout the story campaign.
About that story
I cannot actually tell you what happens throughout the 15 or so campaign missions. There's the Traveller (yet another vastly underutilised narrative trope) and it's kind of sick. That's a problem because the Traveller is protecting humanity's last city in the galaxy. So you and your Ghost (a little robotic, floating entity made up of Light from the Traveller and talky-bits by actor Peter Dinklage) traverse the solar system in an attempt to find what's making the Traveller so glum. I don't know what it was that was causing the problem with the Traveller because the narrative is so appallingly dull that I switched off. There's something about a Black Garden and then stuff explodes and you get to go home to cheerful people proclaiming that the day is won but the fight is only just beginning.
In a lot of ways it's like Diablo III: I still cannot tell you what happens in the story of Diablo III despite having played through it about 12 times. It all comes down to bad storytelling, and just like with Diablo's world of Sanctuary, Destiny's poor narrative is made worse by the fact that the game's universe is one I want to know more about. It's a fantastic vision of the future, full of enemies with rich backgrounds and varied designs; the medieval overtones that pervade the whole concept of player Guardians are wonderful, but all of this is hidden away out of the game. Throughout the game you'll unlock Grimoire cards, which contain much of the lore of Destiny. But in order to read up on this lore you need to leave the game and log in to Bungie's website. There you'll find all the Grimoire cards you've unlocked and you'll be able to read up on the game's rich backstories and canon. It's a crying shame that Bungie forces you out of their world in order to learn more about it.
There is no reason why this content couldn't have unlocked in an encyclopaedia of some sort that's accessible in the game. If they wanted to keep the entire mechanic of Grimoire cards in-game, then they could have easily added a library of sorts for you to explore in the Tower (the game's main social hub). Instead, you need to leave the game to learn about the game, and I found that incredibly short-sighted.
It's also a pity that your character doesn't speak more often. There are one or two occasions when the banter between you and your Ghost is genuinely amusing, and it's a pity this device wasn't utilised any further to create a better sense of identity for your character.
Bang bang, bang bang bang bang! Shoot shoot shoot, bullet bullet gun! Zap zap zap pow zap pow!
But enough bitching about wasted opportunities for expounding game worlds; there's a lot of good stuff too. Destiny's shooting mechanic is sublime. I haven't played a console shooter with controls as good as these. Enemy AI is also incredible, with the various alien species adopting different tactics during your encounters with them. These are some of the smartest enemies I've faced, and at times the game bares razor-sharp teeth. Over-confidence will often be your downfall, and even the most seemingly straightforward encounters can suddenly spiral out of control and have you running for cover. I loved that about Destiny – you're always kept on your toes, and when you get that notification that respawning is restricted in the area, you cannot help but feel a little pang of uncertainty.
I really cannot emphasise this enough: Destiny's shooting feels fantastic. Ploughing your way through low-level enemies never gets boring, and the thrill of downing a particularly large boss is only made less enthralling by the fact that you'll often get bugger-all loot.
In terms of weapons, Destiny has quite a variety on offer. Your vanilla weapons come in familiar, tiered RPG levels like Uncommon, Rare, Legendary and so on. The Uncommon weapons have upgrades to unlock as you gain XP. Essentially, as you level up, so do your guns. You're then given the option to change scopes, boost damage output and more. As you move into Rare and Legendary items, the amount of add-ons and unlocks for weapons and armour increases. Once you hit the level cap (20), you can start finding Exotic weapons. These weapons are game-changers and offer unique abilities that can give you a serious edge in combat. They also look amazing, with stylised additions and unique names that set them apart from ordinary guns.
Loot please?
So how about that loot system? Well, it's a fickle beast. Anyone expecting Borderlands levels of loot drops is going to be thoroughly disappointed. Loot gain is a very slow trickle in Destiny. While you'll get numerous pick-ups during missions, about three-quarters of the time those pickups will be worse than your current gear. You also get loot pick-ups called Engrams, which are essentially loot blueprints that need to be unlocked by a specific NPC called the Cryptarch; he's found in the Tower. Unfortunately, this NPC is pretty rubbish at his job because very often you'll take a Rare or Legendary Engram to be decoded, only to get an Uncommon unlock. Add in the fact that you'll often get gear that's for a different class or for two levels below yours, and you've got a loot system with serious room for improvement. On the flipside, a fickle loot system does make it that much more exciting when you actually find something you want.
Guardians of the Galaxy
The three classes of Destiny all play essentially the same way until you reach a point where you can unlock a subclass. The Titan, Hunter and Warlock all have a second set of subclass skills that you can interchange whenever you want. These subclasses play very differently to the main set of class skills. I played as a Hunter, but opted to stick to the main Gunslinger set of skills. A friend of mine (who joined me on numerous occasions to play through the game) also played as a Hunter but chose the Bladedancer subclass. It was interesting how different our games became. I opted for sniper rifles and hand cannons so that I could maintain long to medium range methods; this complemented my Golden Gun Super Ability. My friend's Bladedancer subclass emphasised close combat due to the Arc Blade Super Ability: a close combat flurry of blade attacks. This obviously meant he opted for assault rifles and shotguns for a medium to close range method. So while the three classes of Destiny might not be wildly different, their subclasses definitely flesh out the options.
Character customisation is entirely aesthetic; the three available races (Human, Awoken and Exo) do not offer any race specific perks. In fact, character customisation is a little limited, and there were occasions where I came across other players in the Tower that looked a lot like me. Still, you can further distinguish yourself from other players by unlocking or purchasing different player emblems and space ships. You can also buy tints that re-colour your armour sets in order to stand out from the crowd a little more. The tints are only available once you hit the level cap, so you'll be waiting quite some time until you can completely customise your character.
The daily grind
MMOs have grinding in them, don't they? What about Destiny? Yes, you will grind for loot and XP in Destiny. Luckily the grind is still a lot of fun thanks to that impeccable shooting mechanic. Bounties also help in boosting your XP gain, and you can activate up to five Bounties at once. Bounties are rather varied and will see you doing things like melee killing 30 enemies without dying, or defeating specific boss characters in specific Strike missions. You can also get Bounties for the Crucible (the competitive multiplayer portion of Destiny) that can net you further XP.
This is also where things become a little complicated in Destiny. On top of XP you need to acquire Marks and Reputation for various factions within the game. Vanguard Reputation is the most common, and normally you'll get this for completing Bounties and Patrol missions. Patrol missions are open-world exploration missions that vary in their requirements; they're normally very repetitive and very grind-y, but the upside is that you get to explore the lavish areas of the game. Acquiring Reputation is the only way certain merchants will sell top-level gear to you, which is purchased using corresponding Marks (basically another currency). Once you hit the level cap you can join one of three factions: the Future War Cult, Dead Orbit, or New Monarchy.
Each faction offers different equipment that boosts different stats: Strength (reduces the cooldown of your melee ability), Intellect (reduces the cooldown of your Super Ability) and Discipline (reduces the cooldown of your grenades). They also offer specific weapon types, so you'll obviously pick the faction that offers the guns you prefer or the attribute boosts that correspond to your play style. Once you pick a faction you can wear a faction cloak; doing so will turn any Vanguard Reputation and Marks you earn into faction-specific variants in order to unlock faction-specific high-end gear for sale by your faction leader. What's bizarre is that this isn't explained very well at all; you'll likely be scratching your head at Vanguard Marks and Crucible Reputation for the majority of your climb towards the level cap. This is something Bungie stumbles over on numerous occasions: explaining the game's various intricacies in terms of loot gain, weapon damage types, and factions.
Competitive multiplayer takes place in the aforementioned Crucible. Your typical game modes are there: Clash is a 6-v-6 team deathmatch; Control is a point-control team game where areas need to be held to score points; Rumble is a free-for-all, six-player deathmatch; Salvage sees two teams trying to salvage artefacts before the enemy team can; and Skirmish is like Clash, but on a smaller scale and with revives added in as an alternative to respawning. Shortly after the game released, Bungie added a new, vehicle-based competitive mode called Combined Arms.
Multiplayer is your standard affair, but you do take your character and weapons from the main game into the Crucible. You can also earn Crucible Marks and Reputation to spend on unique weapon and armour unlocks in the Tower. Maps are numerous and varied in size, with particular standouts being the Moon-based First Light map, and the close-quarters Shores of Time map on Venus.
The PvP component is competent albeit unimaginative. It runs the risk of becoming just another way to farm for top-end loot rather than an enticing game mode to distract you from the main campaign. I also, on occasion, experienced some lag that saw shots registering long after they'd hit targets. It wasn't game-breaking but it was noticeable coming out of the campaign mode and Strike missions.
In closing
This is a game made for multiplayer. In the moments that I played Destiny on my own, it felt like little more than a proficient science fiction shooter. The moment I was playing with friends, whether we were playing story missions or tackling the numerous Strike missions (the game's highlight for me), Destiny would blossom into this incredible, space-aged adventure. You have to play this game with friends in order to truly have the most fun. And fun you will have, because despite the shortcomings and bizarre design choices, Destiny is incredibly enjoyable to play. Yes, level objectives could definitely be more varied (I lost count of how many times I had to fend off waves of enemies while my Ghost hacked a console or unlocked a door) and greater care could have (should have) been taken in introducing the universe, but I still had fun.
During the 18 or so hours I spent shooting my way across the solar system, I never once felt bored. And again, much like Diablo III, Destiny only really starts once the campaign is over and you hit the level cap, and I can see myself spending many more hours pursuing that Exotic loot and working towards that endgame Raid. So while Bungie's new universe may have stumbled in its debut, there's no denying that this is the start of something special.


text:
There is a myth in Business Intelligence. The perception when we speak about Centralized BI is that IT will be a bottleneck in the process. Perhaps we can do a small recap of BI history to understand the reasoning behind this myth.
Tag Archives: federated bi
Is Self-Service BI Scary?
Self-service BI is a hot topic as the year is coming to an end. It is a major trend that will continue in 2017. Some CIOs think it is a scary scenario, while other CIOs fully embrace it. Why do we see such duality? It can be attributed to two main models in Business Intelligence: federated and centralized.
Continue reading
Centralized vs Federated BI
Federated BI failed. It forced users to work in silos and created a data mess. And now, Centralized BI is rising. Most organizations are moving to a centralized model of Business Intelligence.You might be wondering why is federated so messy and why is centralized so good? Check out this clear infographic about the differences between the two biggest models of BI.