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National Register of Historic Places Program:
Elkhorn Band Shell, Sunset Park, Wisconsin
The National Register of Historic Places is the official list of the Nation's historic places worthy of preservation. Authorized by the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, the National Park Service's National Register of Historic Places is part of a national program to coordinate and support public and private efforts to identify, evaluate, and protect America's historic and archeological resources.
The Elkhorn Band Shell, located near the center of Sunset Park on the west side of Elkhorn, Wisconsin, was built in 1926 for roughly $5,000 by local contractor Jake Bauerman. Commissioned by the city council in Elkhorn for the Holton-Elkhorn Band and based on a design by a G. Pheby of Phoenix, Arizona, the Elkton Band Shell reflected Elkhorn's strong musical history. The Frank Holton Company, which produced brass band instruments, had moved from Chicago to Elkhorn in 1917. Founded by Frank Holton, who played trombone in John Phillp Sousa's band, the Holton Company moved to Elkhorn when business leaders from the town financed a new factory to lure the company from Chicago. At the local concert held in Mid-August of 1926, the local paper reported that an estimated 4,000 people came to hear the Holton-Elkhorn Band in their new band shell. When the County Courthouse expanded and threatened the Elkhorn Band Shell in 1963, concerned citizens acted to preserve it, and the Elkhorn Band Shell was moved to Sunset Park. The Elkhorn Band Shell is a fine and well preserved example of an innovative 1920s band shell.
Read the full file on the Elkhorn Band Shell
To see more photographs of National Register properties go to our photostream on Flickr.
See our Weekly List (with previous highlights)


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bhalliburton necesitaba un nuevo diseño de logotipo y lanzó un concurso de diseño en 99designs.
Un ganador ha sido elegido entre 199 diseños de 32 diseñadores freelance.
Deconstruct Media
Deconstruct Media is a web site that helps web sites sell their ad space to advertisers. We are disrupting the current balance of advertising networks and direct sales forces that currently monopolize the relationships of advertisers to web sites. We are aggressive and fast-moving.
Small and large web publishers are our target market.
I tend to be a minimalist when it comes to a great logo. I have found that my favorite logos tend not to be 3D, have crazy Web 2.0 bubbles or gradients, etc. I am open-minded and recognize that this is a unique situation, so maybe I am wrong here, but that is what I have found!
When I think about deconstruction, I tend to think of deconstructionism in painting, versus something like a building. Probably the most classic example of deconstructionism is Picasso's cubism period, when he broke down traditional precepts of how people look in paintings with his new postmodern critique of the human form. Think cubism! The words could be cubism, or there could be cubism going on around them.
Some of my favorite logos: Cogmap.com, beehivebaltimore.com
As you might imagine, the logo needs to demonstrate the versatility to work on a light or dark background and in black and white.
Update: The logo should be vector, duh. Also, the logo should be fun and bright. We are not a funeral home or a branch of the government. We are an Internet start-up. We are jeans and t-shirts bringing awesome new technology to the world.
Descubre cómo funciona un concurso de diseño u obtén más información sobre nuestros servicios de diseño de logo.

subset: commoncrawl


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Ann Street, Fortitude Valley, Queensland 4006
Fortitude Valley (or 'The Valley' as it is known to locals) has a well deserved reputation as Brisbane's home for one-of-a-kind fashion. With the mix of fashion designers, artists and musicians working within the area, it's no wonder that this inner-city suburb is inspiration for beautiful fashion. One street within The Valley that continues to offer an array of unique boutiques is Ann Street. Here you will find arguably Brisbane's best boutique for innovative fashions - Blonde Venus. It is a rather unassuming outlet from the exterior but was the first to deliver the world's cutting-edge designers to an eager local market. The store is Australia's exclusive stockist for a number of international labels and is heavily involved in showcasing the city's young and very talented design aspirants. With the opening of its sister store The Outpost in a sneaky alley nearby, the stores continue to offer something different for locals and visitors alike.
Other must-shops on Ann Street include Ultra Suite, with its impressive offering of local and national designers, and Mod Cons, a hot-spot for gifts and quirky homewares, and stockists of jewellery and homewares designer Dinosaur Designs.
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Ann Street, Fortitude Valley,
Queensland, Australia


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"An Uncommon
Deborah Strobin and Ilie Wacs
Barricade Books, $24.95
Just as many people believe that the name of every victim of the Holocaust deserves to be remembered in perpetuity, so, too, it is held, the story of each survivor deserves to be told and heard. Both gestures are rooted in the dual needs to honor and to remember.
Deborah Strobin and Ilie Wacs, in their joint memoir, "An Uncommon Journey: From Vienna to Shanghai to America — A Brother and Sister Escape to Freedom During World War II," shed light on a story of survivorship less often told but nevertheless worthy of being heard.
Between 1937 and 1941, approximately 20,000 European Jews fled to Shanghai, China, seeking refuge from the ever-tightening noose of Nazi oppression. The Wacs family, residents of Vienna, was among them — Moritz, a skilled tailor, Helen, a shy housewife and mother, and their two children, Ilie and Dorit. In August 1939, heeding the stern warning of one of Moritz's gentile employees (who seemed to know that war would begin on Sept. 1), the family boarded the last ship to leave Vienna for Shanghai before the Anschluss.
Part of this book's uniqueness is its format. While the overall story is told chronologically — from childhood in Vienna, which Dorit (Deborah) is too young to remember firsthand, to competent adulthood in the United States — the narration alternates between sections headed "Brother" and those headed "Sister." They often cover the same material, though from different viewpoints, which adds nuance. Each contributor has a distinctive voice. That those voices are quite different is jarring at first, but, ultimately, it leads to a clear understanding of precisely who each of the authors is.
For Ashkenazi Jews from central Europe, settling into life in Shanghai was by no means easy. In addition to the obvious differences of language, culture, and climate, there were also the issues of poverty and the hardship of war that had to be faced daily. Soon after the Wacs family's arrival, the Japanese occupied Shanghai. Along with a number of other people, Jews were forced to relocate within a one-square-mile area of the Hongkou district that was designated as the Restricted Sector for Stateless Refugees. In other words, a ghetto.
Interestingly, the Japanese occupiers remained unresponsive to pressure from their German allies when it came to sending the Shanghai Jews back to Europe. Mr. Wacs writes that one reason for this may have been that, during the Russo-Japanese War of 1905, the only money Japan was able to raise in Europe was from Jewish sources.
Although life in the Shanghai ghetto may not have been so harrowing as in the Warsaw ghetto or others, it was nevertheless grim. The Wacs family occupied an apartment of one and a half rooms, with a communal toilet outside. Even boiled water had to be purchased daily. For cooking, a large flowerpot was turned into a makeshift hibachi.
Eventual liberation came in 1945. Mr. Wacs writes: "Then on July 17, 1945, I will never forget the date, American bombers made their usual noon appearance, high in the sky. Only this time, instead of flying over, they opened their cargo doors, and bombs fell like rain. Until that moment, despite all our hardships, I had considered myself a spectator of the war, staring out my window, drawing the life below. As the ground shook and Mutti screamed for me to 'Run!' it occurred to me that I might not be around to see what happened next."
His sister, Ms. Strobin, eight years younger, has the following recollection of the same event: "We heard the planes before we saw them, and I could tell they were American planes. American planes were like a bullet, buzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz, while Japanese planes were squeaky and clunky sounding. Mutti yelled at both of us, 'Get downstairs!' but Ilie wouldn't budge, he wasn't finished with his drawing. . . . He was trying to capture the moment in charcoal. . . . As the bombs began to land, he kept drawing."
Relief from war's end was short-lived. It wasn't long before the Chinese Communists began their takeover of the mainland. According to Ms. Strobin, "Once again, we were on the last ship out. Last boat out of Vienna, because of Papa's stubbornness, and, for the same reason, we were among the last people to leave Shanghai."
The remainder of the book is an account of what happened to the authors and their parents in the many years that followed. It is an intimate, sometimes poignant, look at a family that kept going, out of affection and loyalty to one another and despite the cruel vagaries of history.
A worthwhile subtext is how both of the authors came into their own. Mr. Wacs had an easier time of it. His talent as an artist was discovered while the family was in Shanghai. Through the intervention of a sympathetic member of the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society, young Ilie was sent to art school in Paris. This led to a successful career in the fashion world — in Paris and as a well-known designer of fine ladies' coats in the U.S. Eventually, he retired from business to devote himself to producing art. His family's experience as stateless Jews who fled for their lives has had a significant effect upon his work, which has been exhibited, among other places, here on the South Fork.
For Ms. Strobin, the road to self-discovery and fulfillment was less direct and took longer. Over time, however, she morphed from a shy, insecure refugee girl into a confident and accomplished woman who has written a record of significant achievement as a fund-raiser, most notably in the area of stem cell research.
Two aspects of the book require comment. The first is the question of proportion, always a difficult thing to achieve. The authors' wartime experiences and reflections occupy well less than half of the volume. Inasmuch as this part of their story holds the most potential for the greatest interest, one wishes it had been longer. Also, the book could have used a better proofreader; there are a number of missing words and small grammatical errors that should not appear in any published work.
These concerns notwithstanding, however, the authors' stories stand on their own and speak for themselves. Papa and Mutti would be justifiably proud of their progeny.
Ilie Wacs lives in Sagaponack.
A weekend resident of East Hampton, James I. Lader regularly contributes book reviews to The Star.
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Break Dancing Gorilla [VIDEO]
The Calgary Zoo, that's in Canada if your not up on your Geography, has a new promotional video up on Youtube.
The video features Zola the Gorilla bustin' some serious moves! Yes folks, it's a break dancing gorilla. Ah, those crazy Canadians.
Check out the video that has already gotten 800,000 plus views on Youtube after the jump.


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Tyler's Sylvia Facklam Wins $5,000 in the Hot 107.3 Jamz + Fenton Mazda '10 Secret Celebrities' Contest
It wasn't easy, but patience and diligence certainly paid off for Sylvia Facklam, of Tyler, who won our first ever Hot 107.3 Jamz + Fenton Mazda 10 Secret Celebrities Contest!
Congratulations to Sylvia, who took home a check for $5,000 for correctly guessing all 10 celebrity voices in our 10-word phrase aired on the station.
Did you miss a couple of celebrities? Here are the 10 in order:
- Charlie Sheen
- Dr. Phil
- Hulk Hogan
- Ellen DeGeneres
- David Letterman
- Christopher Walken
- Mike Myers
- Dave Chappelle
- Donald Trump
- Mel Gibson
Congratulations again to Sylvia, and thank you to everyone who participated, and a big thanks to Fenton Mazda for sponsoring!


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The latest slaughter of innocents and those who tried to protect them may not turn out to be a tipping point for the country. But President Obama has left no doubt that it was a tipping point for him.
Forgive Republicans if they'd like to see this year end as quickly as possible. It was somehow fitting that even as House Speaker John Boehner was reportedly offering concessions Sunday on talks to avoid the fiscal cliff, Republicans were splintering on Twitter and TV over Obama's impassioned call to action on gun control.
Not that Obama mentioned gun control in his speech at a memorial for the 20 children and six adults killed in a shooting rampage in Newtown, Conn. He didn't. But as Atlantic associate editor Brian Fung pointed out on Twitter, Abraham Lincoln didn't mention slavery in the Gettysburg Address, either.
Obama was clear enough when he said that this was his fourth speech to comfort a community after a mass shooting, and that we are not doing enough to keep our children safe. He was clear enough when he said that he would use the power of his office to try to prevent future massacres.
"We can't accept events like this as routine," Obama said. "Are we really prepared to say that we're powerless in the face of carnage, that the politics are too hard? Are we prepared to say that such violence visited on our children year after year after year is somehow the price of our freedom?"
The message came through loud and clear to conservatives. "Appropriate: citing scripture, detailing the bravery, and expressing sorrow. Not appropriate: spending 3 minutes calling for gun control,"tweeted GOP strategist Matt Mackowiak. Added Michael Biundo, a former aide to presidential candidates Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum, "Mr. President, with all due respect, we needed you to be a father tonight, not a policy preacher." But other Republicans seemed to be having watershed moments of their own. GOP fundraiser Caroline Wren said she was breaking with her GOP friends. "He's exactly right, gun violence must be addressed. The time is now," she tweeted.
I confess I was prepared for Obama to present an encore of his performance in Tucson after the Gabby Giffords shooting – an emotional, eloquent, non-committal speech that drew on faith without promising action. I was prepared to argue that it would be inappropriate for him to do anything but that on Sunday night in a community gripped by such pain. How could he, when he did not know the politics of anyone in the room? How could he risk offending people who had suffered unimaginable losses?
But Obama proved me wrong. Speaking as both a parent and a president, he made his case in plain language devoid of political rhetoric, stripped down to bare common sense: This can't go on. Mass shootings cannot become routine and accepted in America. We've got to protect our children. We've got to take what steps we can.
It was one of the highest profile moments of Obama's presidency, and he didn't waste it for fear of igniting anger among gun-rights lobbyists and enthusiasts. He used it to start the process of winning hearts, minds and support for a sea change in gun politics.


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WORK will start this winter preparing a site in Purbeck ready for the drilling of an oil and gas exploration well.
The project, at California Quarry near Swanage, is being carried out by InfraStrata plc and will only use conventional drilling methods.
The company says it will not involve hydraulic fracturing (fracking), either now or in the future.
InfraStrata's chief executive, Dr Andrew Hindle, said: "We have now discharged all the pre-start planning conditions required by Dorset County Council and are preparing to start on the site this winter.
"Before this, we plan to run a short seismic programme to further image the geology under the wellpath and finalise the design of the well."
The planning consent restricts site construction and drilling activity to between September and March.
"Before we start on site this winter, we are going to hold another public information event to ensure that everyone living locally and further afield is fully informed of our plans,' Dr Hindle added.
"We want people to know that we are only using conventional drilling methods to target Jurassic and Triassic sandstones and limestones to reach reservoirs which have been in production elsewhere in Dorset using these same methods for many decades."
The three-acre site for the exploratory well lies within California Quarry, southwest of Swanag. It is on a previously quarried area of a working quarry which he company says has been chosen carefully to minimise the impact on neighbours.
The project includes the construction of an enclosed well site compound within the three-acre site comprising a flat stone surface, soil screening, containment bunds and a security fence. Using conventional directional drilling, the well will reach a depth of approximately 2,000 metres (6,600 feet) below the sea to the south of the site.
There are three phases to the drilling process.
1. Construction of the wellsite - expected to take up to eight weeks
2. The assembly and installation of drilling equipment and facilities and drilling of the exploratory well - expected to take up to eight weeks and likely to be undertaken in late winter or early next winter.
3. Should oil or gas be encountered, the drilling rig would be demobilised and InfraStrata would undertake a long-term test with the well to establish whether it could produce oil or gas commercially using conventional methods.
Any subsequent development of the site would require planning permission. If no commercial oil or gas are encountered, then the well will be plugged and abandoned and the wellsite restored to its original state.
Speaking about the potential benefits of the project, Dr Hindle said: "If oil or gas were encountered and later successfully developed in Purbeck - following the relevant approvals - it would have a positive longer term impact on local and national industry, with local job creation and other economic benefits.
"In the short term, although drilling operations require specialised personnel, some support services contracts will be sourced locally. Nearby hotels, guesthouses and shops will benefit from the drilling rig and associated services personnel."


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Handy Ma'am Housekeeping Service is a division of Freedom Services Inc. a locally owned Maine corporation with offices in Waterville, Maine.
We specialize in residential house cleaning in the Waterville, Bangor and Augusta areas and beyond. Whether you live in Bangor or Biddeford, Bar Harbor or Belgrade, Handy Ma'am Housekeeping Services is available to provide you with high quality home cleaning and housekeeping at competitive rates. Attention to detail and great communication lead to a positive cleaning experience you can count on.
Detail is the difference between what is usual and what is unusual or special. Our attention to detail in the cleaning of your home sets us apart from others. Little things mean a lot, simple things do make a difference, a difference you can see.Learn more ...
Maine Office Cleaning Associates specializes in delivering customizable, trouble free, office cleaning services to small and mid size professional office and business locations throughout the state of Maine.
Our focus is providing office cleaning to companies in Maine that want a more detailed customized cleaning process. We know that the first impression your office makes on a patient or client is very important to you. We know that having a clean and healthy work environment is important for your employees as well. We take this responsibility very seriously and offer high quality, detailed cleaning, without a long term contract. We believe that you will be happy with the quality of work we are doing for you. Your satisfaction is our contract. Learn more ...


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Description:10 x Fujitsu 72.8GB Ultra320 3.5-inch SCSI 10K 80Pin Hard DrivePart Number(s)Fujitsu Part# MAW3073NC
Overview:HP Compaq Hard Drives undergo an intense qualification process that eliminates data integrity problems firmware and O/S incompatibilities and other causes of data corruption or premature failure. HP Compaq Hard Drives are specifically designed and tested for flawless operation in your equipment. Supply your Proliant server a Genuine HP Compaq Hard Drive and you will prevent incompatibilities that can rob your system of performance or cause you to lose valuable data. This Hard Drive is designed for any Ultra320 Ultra3 or Ultra2 capable ProLiant Server ProLiant Storage System AlphaServer or StorageWorks Hot-Plug enclosure.


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New no-knead book -- anyone read it?
I stumbled upon the following article in the NY Times on a new book called, Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day.
From the looks of it, it seems that the author takes a master recipe in which a wet dough is mixed, but not kneaded, and then popped in the fridge overnight, and then adds a lot of variations to create different breads. Anyway, I was curious whether anyone here had read it and, if so, what you thought.


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Find us on:
Browse Sections
Most men need to pay more attention to their health. Compared to women, men are more likely to:
The good news is that you can start taking steps to improve your health today.
See a doctor for regular checkups even if you feel fine. This is important because some diseases and health conditions don't have symptoms at first. Plus, seeing a doctor will give you a chance to learn more about your health.
You can also take care of your health by:
Make eating healthy and being active part of your daily routine. A healthy eating pattern and regular physical activity can help lower your:
By keeping these numbers down, you can lower your risk of serious health problems like type 2 diabetes and heart disease.
You can also help prevent health problems by:
Use these tips to take charge of your health.
Small changes can add up to big results – like lowering your risk of type 2 diabetes or heart disease.
Check out more small changes you can make to keep yourself healthy.
Don't be embarrassed to talk about your health. Start by talking to family members to find out which diseases run in your family. Use this family health history tool to keep track of what you learn. Share this information with your doctor.
Many people think of the doctor as someone to see when they are sick. But doctors also provide services – like shots and screening tests – that help keep you from getting sick in the first place.
Screenings are medical tests that doctors use to check for diseases and health conditions before there are any signs or symptoms. Screenings help find problems early, when they may be easier to treat.
If you are age 50 to 59, taking aspirin every day can lower your risk of heart attack and colorectal cancer. Talk with your doctor about whether daily aspirin is right for you.
Depending on your insurance plan, you may be able to get screenings and shots at no cost to you.
The Affordable Care Act, the health care reform law passed in 2010, requires most insurance plans to cover many screening tests. This means you may be able to get screening tests at no cost to you. Check with your insurance provider to find out what's included in your plan.
Even if you don't have insurance, you can still get health care. Find a health center near you and make an appointment.
Content last updated on:
July 18, 2018
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Metal Shield keychain
Scuderia Ferrari Store Exclusive
Sure to make an impact, the new Scuderia Ferrari keychain features a 3D Shield.
The true Scuderia Ferrari fan will appreciate the Shield in its classic colors, as well as its unique curved, 3D shape, which defines the metal keychain. The O-ring opening and a hidden hook complete the accessory, which is useful for protecting keys. An attention to detail can also be seen in the red velvet box, featuring a contrasting Shield print.
- Hidden clip
- Red velvet box
- Composition: 95% Zama, 5% Metal
We offer both Standard and Express shipping: choose the service that best meets your needs at checkout.
We provide an easy return service: just ship your items back to us using the UPS return label included in your package within 30 days of delivery.


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adidas collaborated with a renowned performance artist Marina Abramovic to create a short film for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. Video takes inspiration from Abramovic's 1978 performance Work Relation and explores the notion of teamwork and parallels between sport and performance.
Same as the original piece, the reenactment features a group of 11 people (a reference to the number of soccer/football players on the field) transporting stones from one side of the court to the other. They are all arranged into three contrasting models: a couple, two individuals and a human chain. By doing so, Abramovic explores the contrast of cooperation and efficiency.
Work Relation was a perfect piece for adidas to pay tribute to its partnership with the 2014 FIFA World Cup. According to Abramovic who appears in the video herself, she sees a broad affinity between sport and performance.
"One similarity that I wanted to highlight in this video is the importance of group collaboration. <…> I believe that it is important to learn from other disciplines in order to bring new life to whatever it is that you do."
The black and white video was shot by SHOWstudio in the manner of early motion cinematic experiments. All participants are dressed in their personal clothes, however they all wear a white lab coat from Marina Abramovic Institute and adidas' Samba sneakers. As the performance author explained, the apparel was meant to create a sense of collective experimentation and mute external distractions.


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Delayed delivery: Plan B Burger opening pushed back by slowed renovations
There's a new plan for Plan B Burger Bar taking shape at the site of the former downtown Post Office.
Originally slated to open sometime last fall, Steve Grathwohl, an assets manager with Westport Property Management, the property owner, said it now looks as though the renovated building won't be ready for the popular restaurant chain to be open until spring.
Work on the site at 1262 Post Road came to halt for a period, he said, as the developers waited for a crusher to come on site to pulverize bricks from the demolished section of the former postal building.
All but the building's facade has been demolished. The facade, built in 1936, will be incorporated into the multi-tenant commercial structure. Plan B will be the anchor tenant.
"It's full steam ahead now," Grathwohl said. "You should see a lot of progress between now and the spring."
He said once the new section of the structure is completed, "the tenants have to get in and their own fit-out."
While the burger restaurant will take up 4,600 square feet of the building that fronts on the Post Road, the rear of the building will house four retail tenants.
"We are actively talking with four other groups," for the other space, Grathwohl said, although he declined to identify those groups.
The former Post Office was purchased by 1262 Post Road Holdings, LLC, an affiliate of Wilton-based real estate investment firm Westport Capital Partners, for $4.3 million in 2012.


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Production Weekly, via Twitter, has announced the tentative mid-June start date for the filming of the Andy Tennant comedy "Bounty Hunter" starring Gerard and Jennifer Aniston.
We have verified this information through official sources. 😀
Two new posters from The Ugly Truth and Gerard attends a New York Rangers hockey game.


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The development of Ted Cheatham and Bruno Faidutti's "Silk Road" from conception to publication.
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This month I'm delighted to be able to bring the story of the complete development of Silk Road in the words of its designers, Ted Cheatham and Bruno Faidutti, as well as its publisher Zev Shlasinger of Z-Man Games.
Silk Road started out as an abstract game, and I got to play a very early version of it in 1999, when Ted was its sole designer and the game was known as "Valencia". In the intervening years, Ted developed it, shelved it, then got Bruno Faidutti involved, and in late 2006 a very different but still recognizable game, "Silk Road" was published by Z-Man Games. Along the way, the game evolved from an abstract, to a fantasy theme, up into a science fiction game, and ultimately to its current historical setting in Southern Asia.
It is my hope that "The Designer's Mind" will be the first of a series of articles to profile the development of a single game in great depth.
Silk Road is a "pick up and deliver" game – in which all players share the same caravan, which moves each turn further west from its starting point in Changan, China. With each move, players must bid for the right to control which direction the caravan will move. Once it arrives at its new city, the high bidder gets to choose which of the actions available in that city he will take for himself. Then it is he who decides which player gets second choice of action, and so on, until the last player who gets… no action.
In the first half of the game, players are investing in goods, and in the last half they are selling off the goods they collected previously. However, if a player cannot direct the caravan in a way to sell off what he has collected, he will receive little or nothing for it at the end of the game.
JBD: Well, let's get started learning about Silk Road by asking about the very first idea that started it. I'll gladly fall the into cliché trap and ask "which came first – the theme or the mechanisms?"
Ted Cheatham: Silk Road definitely came from mechanisms first. I decided it was time to try my hand at a game when I was in Mississippi (around) 1997.
Auction games always have a trade off of bidding for what you need at the cost of letting another player get the thing that he needs most. The initial premise I had was, let's make an auction more important as things leave the board since people will have less to choose from and in many cases not get anything at all. What if there were circumstances where only one or two people would benefit by winning an auction and the other players got screwed over? So, with 4 players, if the first player moved and made a play that only lets one other player have an action, it is critical to be second or first. Anyway, that was what drove the idea of the game initially.
Commentary: This basic idea does make it into the final product – but with a twist. The winner of the auction gets control of the pawn and gets first choice of the spoils. However, instead of the second choice going to the next highest bidder, the high bidder gets to choose who goes next, and so on.
Ted: The first cut was a grid with no real theme at this point. The base part was a set collecting game.
A player would bid to place a leader pawn on a spot on the grid. (He) could then take that tile or any tiles around the spot where the leader pawn was placed. It was a true auction where you auctioned 1st, 2nd , 3rd and 4th place player (one auction with most money first, second money second, etc).
So after the first turn, the board may look like this after 4 players played. The shaded spaces represent tiles taken.
The "1" shows where the pawn is. For the next round after bidding, if a player who won the bid moved the leader pawn to "2", only that player would get a tile since there are no longer tiles adjacent to it. This was the value of the bid and the screwage factor as I like to think of it. And, remember other players paid money for the follow on places...more screwage.
As the game develops and tiles are taken, the bid winner forces the tiles that are available for other players to take. And, with the right play, (he) can keep follow on players from getting any tiles at all.
Anyway, that was my goal and this game seemed to accomplish it. The game played four bidding rounds as a turn. By that time, enough tiles were gone and the scoring occurred.
Here was another point I was after. I wanted players to have a challenge in choosing which items to hold for the best score and which items to sell in order to raise needed cash. Starting capital was limited to only get you through a round or so. I thought that the pain of going last at auction was so bad that people needed to manage their money well and insure they could get into at least a couple of auctions. This was carried over to the next version of the game as well.
Commentary: Ted Cheatham is making the game really hard on players! He's setting players up to get shorted out of winning any goods if they bid too low, AND he's adding tight money management. I can easily imagine a player getting shut out of the game early. In Silk Road, there is a further complication. Not only do you want money to bid for control, but then you need money to buy goods in the first part of the game. You can't sell your goods until the later half of the game. However, there is enough money so that players aren't likely to get shut out of the action.
As is the case with the next version of the game, sets were valuable, and players needed to win auctions to insure they could complete sets.
JBD: How did playtesting go?
Ted: Reaction was favorable. My game groups have been pretty good about play testing for me and letting me know their comments. In recent cases one guy in our group has made both of these comments after playing prototypes several times:
"Ted, this one is ready, just send it off to someone" and "Ted, I have played it three times and it doesn't work...put it away".
JBD: Did you have a written version of the rules at that point, or did you just teach it verbally? Did that present any problems?
Ted: I probably didn't have written rules at this point. I jot down the essential items on a piece of paper to make sure I remember the basic rules and any special items. At my first play tests I assume something will have to change. Only after a "solid" play test to I try to upgrade components and add rules.
The next logical step for me was an external play test. Fortunately, I had the venue. In those days, Greg Schloesser and few other friends would meet at least once per quarter. We used to call it the "Gathering in the Woods". I decided to take the game there and ask them to try it out. They were willing.
Responses were that it was a good game that fell in the "7" rating category. Well, I found this encouraging since I have seen many games published that rate well below a "7". I don't recall any recommended changes so I decided a few more play tests would be in order.
JBD: I would have been afraid that I was getting biased comments because they came from people I knew. That a "5" to anyone else would have been a "7" to friends. What made you feel that you were getting the unvarnished truth?
Ted: You never know here. I try not to wear my heart on my sleeve. A part of this again is that I do play a lot of games and I have a feel for what I like and don't like, and a little feel for what other gamers may like. If I cannot get one of my games to work, I stop forcing it on people until I can make it better. There is some bias at work with friends, I am sure, but even today I can tell by comments what is working and not working in my prototypes. Today, BTW, I do what I call "blind play testing". My blind testers won't let me play with them and they won't let me answer any questions about the game unless something is very, very confusing.
At this point, I asked a group to try it without me and give me comments. The real change came from Frank Branham. Frank is a fine designer in his own right and has vast experience in game play.
Frank Branham is the original and offbeat designer of "Warhamster Rally" and "Dia de los Muertos".Ted: Frank was concerned it was just too abstract and plain and needed a theme and a feel. He recommended and suggested that I could accomplish the same goals by perhaps putting the game onto an island with limited areas. This was the major take away I got from this play test session.
I worked to adopt the island idea. I spent a bit of time pondering how the island should lay out and what the sections should be. There were important parts of the earlier game that I wanted to keep. The bidding had to be important and would be motivated by the fact that tiles are leaving the board, causing some players to lose actions. To me this was a major goal of the game.
So, I laid out what I thought was a good mix on the island sections to force some tough decisions. I put in harbors to let people move to other areas of the board so the game would not get locked into a corner. The island of Valencia was born.
Now I felt I needed a theme. So far, the game was purely about its mechanisms and I was like Reiner Knizia in search of a theme. My theme was clearly pasted on.
Ironically, Knizia has said that he often starts with theme. However, the way Knizia approaches theme and spins it into a set of mechanisms is sufficiently abstract that many people feel that the theme is pasted on.Ted: I thought about it for quite a bit and took the easy road of sci fi and fantasy to invent a world and why in the heck people would want to collect things.
Full rules and fantasy story of Valencia
JBD: It's a pretty thorough backstory - one that seems more like it came with an American-style, simulation-heavy fantasy game than a modern Euro. Even though it was "pasted on", did it direct your design in any way?
Now, I had an island lay out and I felt to get the game to the next level, I needed some nice art and a board, etc. By sheer fluke in discussing this with Greg one day, it turn out that his wife, Gail, was a nice artist and like drawing. She agreed to take a crack at the board and pieces. I think she did a wonderful job and just what I asked for. If you look at the board, you will see some areas where I cut and pasted some grass over some paths. This is where later play testing showed my original map needed to be changed.
As for the tiles, Gail sent these to me in black and white. I went into MS Paint and added color to make four sets of different colored tiles. That is what you see today. But, the art is just what I asked for!
With a game that has been well received by its playtesters and a set of attractive components, Ted submits it to the experts at the international Hippodice competition. Hippodice regularly receives over a hundred new game submissions. Some are from new designers like Ted Cheatham, and many are from seasoned professionals such as Michael Schacht. Judges include board game enthusiasts from the Hippodice club as well as professionals from game publishing. Games to have emerged from the Hippodice competition include Spiel des Jarhres winner "Mississippi Queen" and "Chinatown".
Ted: 2001. I decide to send my creation to the Hippodice competition. This will tell me how good the game is.
Well, the game made it to round two...which was promising but never what you hope for.
The notice from Hippodice Authors Competition telling Ted Cheatham that Valencia advanced to round two, but not the final round. It includes comments from playtesters criticising the game for being too "dry", lacking tension during rounds, and being too long for what it is. They are definitely encouraging, though - are they also encouraging with games that did not make it into round two?
Ted: I always listen to comments...even if I don't necessarily believe. But, I took these to heart.
Getting an honorable mention may not be what Ted Cheatham hoped for, but the competition at Hippodice is pretty stiff! Buoyed by this encouragement, Ted continues to develop the game… but suffers a big setback in morale.
Ted: I think Alan was being fair and honest in his opinion. I think he understands the game industry and he understands what sells. I think I was discouraged because at this point, I really did not know what to do. Maybe I had just invested too much in the game and saw the things I liked in it and saw as working. The bottom line is that I was out of ideas. I really did not know how to fix this problem and liven the game up without taking out the key ideas that I originally wanted in the game.
Ted: OK, more play testing. The next big play test with changes was at the Gathering. I asked Alan Moon (who I greatly respect as a designer) to take a look. We got in a 4 player game in which I did not play. Alan's comments were that the theme was really pasted on and the game was too dry. Ok, here is a guy who knows success and knows what sells, Spiel des Jahres winner. My walk away, this game does not stand a chance, it is time to put it on the shelf.
JBD: Did he really come across as flat-out discouraging? Was it that you weren't sure how to take the criticism and turn it into an improvement? Or were you just at a point where you needed something positive to keep going?
JBD: I can see that being a tough crossroads. As you say, the game does what was intended. Finished. But on the other hand, it is not really successful. But does this mean you're at a dead end? Was your goal then to try to make it into something OTHER than what was intended?
Ted: At this point, I think I resigned myself to give up. Let's face it, I had a career at the time, family, etc. I play a lot of games and enjoy them and that is what gaming is about. I am not a designer. I gave it a good college try. At this point, I felt that the game did what I intended it to do. I think I decided to just give up the game design thing and spend my gaming time playing good games. It is a lot of work to put together prototypes, rules and then continue to play test and tweak little things.
Life is just too short to push an issue that is a losing point and of no real significance.
Ted "officially" gave up on his game at this point, but we know that the story has a happy ending! It shows how game development, like fairy tales, can take unexpected turns – if the hero is willing to fight!
Ted: After a few months I decided that there really is a decent game in there. And, there are some ideas that I really have not seen in any other game. Maybe I just need some help to get this to the next level and bring some excitement into this pasted on theme, dry game.
JBD: OK, so how did Bruno Faidutti get involved?
Ted: Well, I was true to my word. I put Valencia on the shelf. And, there it stayed for a couple of years. Although I had game ideas pop up now and again, I did not act on them.
Some time later, my friend Ty Douds had his first game, "Victory and Honor", published. This is of significance as both Ty and I were play testing our games at Gulf Games II. At the time, we all thought "Victory and Honor" was a great game idea, but that it was too long and complex. Over time, Ty did a wonderful job of streamlining an excellent idea into the game that was eventually published.
Right after Victory and Honor came out, Greg Schloesser asked me how Valencia was coming. I mentioned it was dead.... on the shelf. Greg was ever encouraging and said, it takes time and ideas...there are some nice ideas there and you should not let it die.
Now my thoughts changed. I thought, "you know, Valencia is not a bad game. At its heart, it does work and has some unique ideas. It just needs help." I still did not know how to fix it. It was time to turn to someone else and ask for help. And, at this point, the idea was to get it published and I felt, selfishly, I should get the help from a published designer because that would add some credibility to the game. My thought process here was this was like book publishing. An unknown author has a heck of a time getting a break. I was a nobody and needed help from a professional. The real question was, who?
To me the choice was obvious. My first choice was Bruno Faidutti. He had worked with a lot of people and had so many different style games.
I had never met Bruno. I went to his web site to find his email address and sent him an email. Basically, I told him I had a game that had done well in Hippodice and it was just dry and not that fun, but...it worked. Would he be interested in working with me to spice it up. Thankfully, he said yes. I sent him the files and we were on our way!
JBD: Wow! I would never have guessed that you didn't know Bruno Faidutti when you invited him to contribute to the game. That's an awful lot of guts - to just contact a well-known designer on that basis.
So, what were the first issues you addressed with Bruno?
Ted: I sent the email and waited patiently. Bruno responded with something like "let me see what you have and I will let you know". An objective person would say that he is hedging his bets. Be nice, take a look and one can easily get out of this saying they are busy with other projects. Not me! I am thinking and telling my wife, " Bruno is going to look at my game!"
In hindsight, you wonder why Bruno would be interested at all. Since I did not know him and he had probably never heard of me, he was taking a big chance. Maybe it was the fact that I mentioned Hippodice to him that made a difference. Maybe he was just interested in looking at something new. As he says to this day, the timing was just right. I am very glad it was and that he took the time to look at a game from an "unknown".
JBD: Well, Bruno, what was your reaction when you got the invitation from Ted to contribute to the development of Valencia? Had you gotten "cold" invitations like that before?
Bruno Faidutti: I regularly receive proposals from game designers, usually wannabees but sometimes also well known designers, asking me to help them on a design and make it a collaboration. I get three or four such requests every month, and necessarily decline most of them.
From time to time, there's one where I feel both that there is something interesting and that I could add something else which is also interesting. And even when I accept, it doesn't necessarily mean that we will succeed. I think I went on with Valencia because I had heard a bit about Ted on gaming mailing lists and he seemed to be a nice guy, and because the core collecting and trading system sounded interesting. Also, from his email, it seemed he was really open to dramatic changes to the game, which is necessary. My few bad experiences with such requests were usually when we tried to keep too close to the original idea of the original designer, so I always ask "are you ready to change almost everything and end up with something that may look completely different?" It seemed this was clearly the case with Ted, so I decided to try it.
JBD: At what point did you decide to commit to the project?
Bruno: I told Ted I was ready to try, and he sent me the files for Valencia. I made a copy, playtested it with some friends, and discussed it with them. We all felt there was great potential in the game. I emailed back to Ted, probably with already a few ideas concerning the mechanics and the theme based on our first play of the game.
JBD: Did you feel that it was close to completion, or that this was really just the beginning?
Bruno: I was sure it was the beginning, since Valencia worked as a game, but had a theme problem, and my experience is that when you change the theme of a game, it leads to many more changes in the systems. My first take on Valencia was to try to find a setting that would make more sense, and see what implications it has for the game.
JBD: Ted, I recall you saying earlier that the one core distinct mechanism in the game was the bidding in which one player gets left out. Ted, were you ready to change this mechanism if Bruno suggested it? Because then, I could imagine you feeling that the game may become a good game - but is no longer the one you had a passion to develop.
Ted: This idea of passing the start player was the one change that I had come up with when I went to Bruno, as was the fact that someone got left out of an action. I think these were two core ideas that were unique in the game, at least to me. But, I really was open to ideas and I think if the ideas are good enough you can convince the other designer of the merit. This process took on a give and take and exchange of ideas. It was like "let's try this" and we would. We would then get back together to discuss what we liked and didn't. Over time I think we both kept the two main ideas of the game that I wanted.
JBD: Bruno, apart from a general sense that "there is a game here", what did you see as being the essential mechanism that you wanted to build your changes around?
Bruno: I don't remember exactly now how Valencia played, and exactly what I liked in it, but [the mechanism in which players bid to avoid getting shut out of a turn] is probably one of the ideas I really liked and didn't want to change. And I also felt it did fit very well in a commodity trading game, which was a kind of game I liked and had never designed so far.
JBD: I'll add that I can see the similarities - but also the distinct differences between Valencia and Silk Road. In Silk Road, there is a bid for control - and one player does get left out. But in Silk Road, the player left out is not the lowest bidder. The high bidder passes the turn to any player of his choice, who then does the same, and so on - until there is one player left who gets no action. That's very different. Also, in Silk Road, being left out is not so bad because you get the proceeds of the following auction. This mechanism I see as the key similarity – and also the key difference - between Valencia and Silk Road. As you mention, Bruno, another key difference is that the game has now a track, and goes from a starting place to an end, which was not the case in Valencia.
Bruno: Yes - Valencia was kind of free form, like a normal map. The high bidder has control of the movement pawn, gets the first choice of adjacent spaces and it goes anywhere adjacent from there.
JBD: I thought that the track was the single freshest idea that was added to the original design. It definitely gives the game a story line as players begin accumulating goods and then hustle to try to sell them off at the most advantageous price.
Bruno, what were some of the very first things you changed?
Bruno: The first version we made together with Ted was called Nebula's Hoard, and had a science fiction setting. The game worked well, well enough to present it to some publishers, and we still have some hope to have it published, since it feels quite different from Silk Road, with different actions and a very different scoring system. The game was about getting ore from different planets, with all the players taking part of the same expedition in the same big spaceship. I think that the idea of having everything visible from the beginning on a track gave the idea for the Silk Road theme, and then it went quite fast. There have been, if I remember well, fewer versions of Silk Road than of Nebula's Hoard, and this probably means the game was better. Also, the theme feels much stronger.
Ted: Bruno did manage to keep the original feel of Valencia. He now used Suns and the system of planets around it similar to the sections of the board in Valencia and he kept the trading and set collecting idea. Also, with limited cubes or planets around the solar system, he kept the "somebody does not get an action" that we both really liked. Additionally, he added some event cards. This game went through three or four variations and lots of play testing with various cube selections, planet powers, and planet mixes.
Why did we stop with Nebula's Hoard? My push back was that in this version it was a little too random for my tastes, space games don't sell, and there were some rather large scoring swings. I have heard a similar complaint from Silk Road that the scores can be very out of line. And, I have seen it happen. However, if people are paying attention and involved, the game will be very close. When you play a game and everyone at the table says to a player, "How could you let him have a turn now???!!!! You know what action he will take!" You know that you have a player that is not paying attention.
The next step was Bruno suggesting tiles much like you find today in Silk Road, and a setting in the desert with a caravan type theme.
First the tiles - we played with a mix of characters that eventually became the final ones in the game...Grand Vizier, Thief, etc. But, the original cube tile mix remained fairly constant throughout the design from this point.
Bruno suggested a board that looked somewhat like an Elfenland board where you would move from city to city collecting goods and selling goods. I suggested we take the board to a linear model much like you see in Silk Road. This proved to be the design we kept. Also, this is where it went into two colors of tile mix, the Orange and Purple. Basically, you are acquiring as you move along first and then selling in the second half.
Next, Bruno who is extremely quick, put together the final tile set and board layout in a nice graphic and we were off to play testing. BTW, Bruno's prototypes were far superior to mine....you can tell he is a professional.
Now comes the cool part! Shortly after all this occurred, I met Bruno for the first time at the Gathering of Friends and we played the prototype together !!! My guess is this was April 2004. At this point, we decided it was ready and decided to look for a publisher. We got our contract on February 9, 2005.
Ted, Bruno and Rick Thornquist playing Silk Road together for the first time
JBD: It seems that the game transitioned from being more of a set collecting game - where players score based on what they've collected - to a trading game - where you try to buy low and sell high. Selling in Silk Road is key, and being able to sell is one of the critical goals you work toward. How did that change come about?
Ted: This one, to me, just evolved naturally. When Bruno suggested the desert theme and the tiles, it just happened and seemed to work very well. I will give Bruno all the credit for this one.
JBD: The idea of having each player choose the next player to take an action is, as far as I can tell, unique to Silk Road. Why did you move to that, and away from the more obvious choice of high bid goes first, then next high, etc. Were there distinct playtesting problems there that you had to work out?
Bruno: This is an idea I had long time ago, and thought it could be used some day in some game, but never found the right occasion. Then someday when thinking on Nebula's Hoard / Silk Road it came back to me and I thought that it might well fit there - and it did.
Ted: I am glad Bruno was supportive and it stayed in the final version and in my opinion it is key to making the game work.
JBD: Do you remember any particular ideas from playtesters that made it into the game?
Ted: Actually, at this point, people played and there were not a lot of suggestions from my playtest groups. This is really why I thought we had hit the mark.
Bruno: I'm sure the idea of dividing the tiles into two series, for the first and second half of the game, came during playtesting. At one time I even thought of three different parts. but it was not necessary.
JBD: By the time you were submitting the game, what was your opinion of the game? What were you going through during this time?
Ted: Once the game was ready, my frustrations were the same as my early frustrations with Valencia. I felt we had a solid game that really should be printed and fit into the family/gamer market as a strong 45-60 minute game. I felt (and still do) the rating for the game should have been 6 - 9 out of 10. We found in pitching the game that this game was not for everyone. Some people really will not like the passing of the start player mechanism which is a core part of the game. Some people will not like the fact that someone will not get and action every turn. Early on, I felt the game could be very mean if you pick on one player. As a matter of fact, this is one of the few games that my wife never played in play testing because she is not a fan of "in your face" type games. Realistically, the game is nicely balanced to compensate players for not getting an action. The other thing we encountered was a company or two said the scores were too wild. Again, if you play this and pay attention it will be a very close game all the way around.
The real bonus was finding Zev. I had taken a prototype with me to GenCon to show around. He volunteered to look at it and had enough interest to take a copy with him. To Zev's credit, he likes new ideas. Silk Road was right up that alley because it had some unique ideas that worked very well together. And, after playtesting, he knew he liked it and he had several ideas to spiff it up.
JBD: One key criticism of Valencia that Ted mentioned was that it was too "dry". This is a criticism I see levelled at many games, and it seems to be the most vague and most difficult to address. If someone said of a game, "it is too chaotic" or "there are not enough decisions", or "there is too much down time", I can imagine specific ways to address that. But how do you make a game less dry?
Bruno: Well, you could say that dryness can be thematic in desert games, but yes, I did feel this. I even think the game still is a bit dry, with few rules and a rather pedestrian basic system of just swap and sell. However, a more plausible setting, a story arc, and some fun tiles with effects that are a bit out of the main system, such as the thief and the great vizier, are all ways to reduce this "dryness". I also have troubles defining exactly what dryness is in a game, though I have no problems feeling it in a game.
JBD: When you playtested, did you encourage negotiation, discourage it, or say nothing? Do you know what people did in practice? I can see this being a game that plays very differently depending on how players interact.
Bruno: I think this is less about real negotiation than about sniveling, and I always felt that games where you could snivel and try to explain your opponents were fun - as long as it didn't become the heart of the game, which it doesn't in Silk Road. I've never seen players play Silk Road really seriously, remembering every cube taken by every opponent, but I've always seen it played seriously enough so that you can try to explain other players why you were losing. And, of course, there can be some petty vengeance, the thief being very useful for this.
JBD: Zev, generally, what do you recall your subjective reactions were once you read the rules?
Zev Shlasinger: I liked the simplicity of the rules, knowing that the actions were where the complexity lies. The rules also seemed pretty clear.
JBD: Did playing the game tend to confirm your initial opinions, or open up a very different set of opinions?
Zev: Pretty much the game confirmed my initial opinions. The most surprising thing was the short length of play.
JBD: What immediate changes did you propose and why?
Zev: I believe the main change was disallowing some of the tiles in the last cities because they were useless there. We also added permanent tiles to some cities, solidified the rule to play the game from West to East, etc.
JBD: There is, I'm sure, a very big line between "really liking" a game and seeing something that makes you want to put your money on the line and publish it. Where is that line generally, and how did it apply to Silk Road?
Zev: It's hard to draw a line - it's subjective and differs with each game. I might have a business reason for doing a game or vanity one or a prestige one. Of course I always look for good, but of course my "good" can be different from other's value of "good". In Silk Road, I really like the mechanic of choosing who goes next. I thought that was unique and really had me take notice. I confess I also wanted to do a game with Bruno's name: he has a fan base, is known in the industry, and thought this would be a good opportunity to form a relationship.
Bruno: And it worked – now we know that we are in the same hotel in Essen, and Zev had a few other prototypes of mine in test.
Ted: The addition of Zev to the process was very helpful. Zev came up with the idea to add permanent tokens to the board.
JBD: These are bonus actions that the high bidding player gets to take in addition to getting first pick of the regular actions.
Ted: I thought this made very good sense especially to put them into the choke points where the caravan was forced to move there anyway. This was a very nice incentive to keep the bids up.
The next discussion from Zev was the strength and the powers of the various character tokens. Oddly enough, the one that had the most discussion was the "thief" token. We all had ideas and we play tested a few to include things like, take money instead of cubes, look at cubes and pick one of your choice, etc. Of all of the items that we talked about, this one got the most traffic. In the end, we kept the original power of the thief!
Also, the end game scoring was initiated by Zev. (This gives points for having majorities in each color of unsold cubes that you have at the end.) After various point allocations in play testing we settled on the rules as they are today. This was a nice addition to give some additional points to players who could not get their cubes sold earlier.
JBD: Tell us about the finishing touches - adding the historical material and the design of the game board art.
Ted: This part became a research project. Zev said, ok Silk Road what period? What are the cities? We need artwork to match the time frame. Well, I just had a game board with lines and circles….now I had to figure this out.
One of the maps I got looked very much like our board. So, I took that year as the general time frame. Next, I worked very hard combining several Silk Road maps to put actual city names in about the same area as the circles on the board. Some cities on the maps had to be omitted, but generally, you have actual cities on the Silk Road in about the right location on the game board.
Early board art for Silk Road
The board design graphics were next. What came from Zev was a board background without the roads and cities that looked great. However, when the roads and cities got added, it just did not work for us. Although it was functional, Bruno and I both did not care for it. I scanned a section of the Elfenland board and sent it to Zev as an example of how we thought it might look better and more functional. Thanks to Zev who took the time to start over and give us the great looking board we have today.
Bruno: I'm also impressed by the graphic work - it's light, discreet, but looks wonderful and fits the game perfectly.
Ted: Then Zev commissioned the cover art that has remained the same and it is wonderful.
Next we wrote a blurb for the back of the box, and with the help of Patrick Korner and Henning Kroepke, we got some German rules.
JBD: Please offer some thoughts on the final product. I'm especially interested in not just hearing that you like it, but any thoughts on how it compares with your vision of the game - and what it might become - when you first got involved. If it's better, missing something, or just different - in what ways is that the case?
Bruno: My main surprise when receiving my set was how similar the functional design was with my prototype - but after all, it probably means that my prototype was well made. I really liked the added printed tiles as chief of the caravan bonus, which bring some more variety in the game; but unfortunately I didn't playtest enough the other last minute addition, the two points bonus for color majority. If I had, I would have noticed that it didn't add anything to the game.
JBD: Also - I've seen that some players have complained about the turn-passing mechanism. Some seem to feel that it can be too arbitrary, that it can freeze a player out. So please feel encouraged to talk about that mechanism and what in your opinion makes it "just right".
Bruno: I think it's exactly the opposite - it's a balancing mechanism, since you are usually given your turn at the best times when you are behind - or perceived as being behind, which brings back the sniveling issue...
JBD: I've played Silk Road several times and what always strikes me is how such an effective game comes out of so simple a set of rules. The reaction to the rules is invariably "That's it?" It soon becomes apparent that these few mechanisms - bidding for control, picking an action, and choosing the next player - deliver exactly what is needed.
With such a simple rule set, it might even seem as though the entire game was created in a day. As is the case when playing Silk Road, getting it right is a matter of choosing the winning path from many alternatives, of selecting the one action that pays off best, and of knowing whom to trust with the next decision.


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Fantasy Baseball 2013: 10 Best Picks at First Base
There isn't a position in fantasy baseball with more depth than first base. Last season, there were 16 first baseman who hit at least 20 homers and 15 who drove in over 80 runs. That type of production is littered throughout every draft.
Let me be the first to tell you that I personally tend to wait on taking a first baseman unless the value dictates otherwise. What I mean is, if I have the last pick in a 12-team league, and Joey Votto is still on the board when my turn comes around I just can't say no. I suggest others do the same. Allow one of these guys may fall to you at the right price. No need to reach here.
Here are the best fantasy baseball options at first base.
- 10
Freddie FreemanAtlanta Braves
Last season, Freeman finished ranked 17th among second baseman as a 22 year-old. In the process of doing so he also managed to score more runs (91), drive in more runs (94), walk more (10.3%) and strike out less (20.8%) than the previous season. Oh and just in case you weren't aware, he did this while suffering through vision problems for a good portion of the season. Love this kids potential, he will make his owners very happy this season.
- 9
Billy ButlerKansas City Royals
Butler set career highs in homeruns (29) and RBIs (107) in his fifth season. While he has always been a solid source of batting average and run production his power output was a bit of a surprise. Heading into last year he broke the 20 homer plateau just once. As a matter of fact he just hit 66 long balls over his first 2,501 plate appearances heading into last year. Needless to say I think he ends up seeing a drop towards the 20 range in homers, making him a solid option, but not a stud.
- 8
Allen CraigSt. Louis Cardinals
The sample size isn't all that big and he has trouble staying healthy but when he's on the field the dude mashes. Over 783 career at-bats he has posted a .300-121-37-150-7 line. If he manages to play 155 games this year, it's feasible he sees 600 at-bats. That would be roughly 77 percent of his career total. Extrapolate those numbers out and you have a guy who puts up a .300-93-28-119-5 line.. The only thing I think that can stop him is another injury, and that is the only reason he isn't higher on my list.
- 7
Paul GoldschmidtArizona Diamondbacks
Getting your hands on a first baseman with legitimate 20-20 potential isn't something normally feasible. Goldschmidt would have accomplished the feat had he not been limited to just 145 games last season. His 20 homers last year were honestly a bit disappointing considering this kid has Top-10 power potential. Expect him to improve on that, with 30-plus a strong possibility. The extra power will come at the expense of his batting average, but his improved plate presence makes a dip below .250 unlikely.
- 6
Adrian GonzalezLos Angeles Dodgers
There were two causes for concern when it came to Gonzalez, the first of which being the fact that his walk rate dropped to a career low 6.1 percent. I believe those struggles came hand in hand with his non-existent power over the first half of the season. Even the best hitters can hit a cold patch, and that results in poor discipline at the plate. Now that he is out of Boston (where the media can be brutal) expect him to relax and bounce-back to the level of play we have come to expect from him over years.
- 5
Edwin EncarnacionToronto Blue Jays
Encarncacion showed glimpses of power throughout his career but he truly blossomed last year with a full compliment of at-bats. He led all first basemen in homers (42) and RBIs (110) while hitting .280 in the process. While some type of regression is to be expected after his huge season, there are signs that it won't be all that drastic. He walked 84 times last season while only striking out 94 times. That selectivity will help him post another big season.
- 4
Buster PoseySan Francisco Giants
For starters Posey has posted a career .314/.380/.503 triple slash. Those are absolutely absurd numbers for any player, but especially for a guy that spends a majority of his time behind the plate. His ability to play first base allows the Giants to keep his bat in the lineup just about every day. He is just 25 and heading into the prime years of his career, so his uptick in power should be maintained. You are looking at a lock for .300-80-25-100 season from a player with dual eligibility. That is some serious goodness there folks.
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Prince FielderDetroit Tigers
His move to Detroit brought with it a drop in power. The 30 home runs he hit where his fewest since his rookie season back in '06. Everything else though was sweet, sweet goodness. He posted a career best .313 batting average while managing to walk more than he struck out. He is improving as a hitter, and that is just scary. It feels like Fielder has been around forever but he is still just 28 years old. His average will likely drop a tad but he will make up for that with a few more long balls. All-in-all expect another elite campaign.
- 2
Albert PujolsLos Angeles Angels
After struggling through adjusting to AL pitching to start last season, Pujols settled in and managed to post a .285-85-30-105-8 season. At 33 there are lingering questions about whether his regression has started. His home run total has dropped for four consecutive seasons while his batting average has dropped for five straight years. Optimists will point out he now has Josh Hamilton for lineup protection and he is in line for a bump in production. I think we get exactly what we got last year.
- 1
Joey VottoCincinnati Reds
Pujols tops most rankings, but the fact that I don't think we'll see anything additional to last season's output makes Votto my pick top pick. Two knee surgeries limited him to only 111 games and completely sapped his power. He still managed to hit a career best .337 though. A return to health brings us a guy fully capable of not only leading the NL in batting average but also finishing in the Top 10 in both homers and RBIs.


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Buzzer Beaters: NHL Visor Debate Restarts, McIlroy & Tiger Pair Up and More
Today's top sports stories:
New York Rangers defenseman Marc Staal took a deflected puck to his face that just barely missed his eye. This has reignited the debate over whether the NHL should mandate eye shields before a player's career or vision is ended by a shot that lands a few millimeters in the other direction. [Yahoo]
The Cadillac Championship kicks off Thursday morning at 11:20 a.m. in South Florida, but for many, the real start time is 11:53 a.m. That's when the pairing of the world's top two ranked players, Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods, will get started. [Miami Herald]
Mark Teixeira, who was slotted to play first base for the U.S. in the World Baseball Classic, sprained his wrist and will be out 8-10 weeks. Replacing him on the squad is the Royals' Eric Hosmer. [MLB]
In further injury news, New York Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony, who left Monday's game against the Cavaliers with a knee injury, had an MRI that revealed fluid buildup. He'll be a game-time decision Wednesday against the Pistons. [NYDN]
Got a few extra bucks lying around? Would you like to own a football team? Do you have Internet access? If you answered yes to these three questions, then you should check out the Craigslist posting that has a chunk of the Cedar Rapids Titans up for sale. [GuySpeed]


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For most of his life, Edwards had been a master manipulator within black power circles. He was an operator--a fixer--with a talent for endearing himself to anyone with clout. He'd talked network executives into making the NAACP's Image Awards a nationally televised event. He'd been the California advance man on the Rev. Jesse Jackson's 1988 presidential campaign. He'd smoothed the way for Nelson Mandela's trip to Los Angeles shortly after the South African anti-apartheid leader's release from prison.
You couldn't help but admire Edwards' brashness. And you couldn't help but understand the contempt he sometimes generated for his unbridled wheeling and dealing--for being a man who, without wealth or political office or a car or a 9-to-5 job, through raw gifts and sheer guff, insinuated himself into the highest levels of influence.
But now it was gone, all the compulsive deal-making juice, all the confidence. His vast network had dwindled to a handful of friends and relatives who knew about his AIDS and were organizing to help him recover. He staggered weakly from the hospital with his new regimen of drugs. Doctors told him he didn't have long.
And then, a few weeks later, came a phone call from the mother of the civil rights movement, Rosa Parks, who'd gotten to know Edwards years earlier during one of her frequent winter stays in Los Angeles. Parks stopped by for dinner and prayers as he was convalescing, and shortly after he was asked if he would help Parks raise the profile of her civil-rights institute in Detroit.
The story of what happened next--how Willis Edwards placed 86-year-old Rosa Parks next to Hillary Clinton at the 1999 State of the Union address, where the president praised her lavishly--was a fixer's crowning moment. Edwards created a buzz that brought Parks the most attention since 1955, when she refused to give up a bus seat to a white man in Montgomery, Ala.
Rosa Parks went to the Oscars, had an audience with the pope and received a Congressional Gold Medal--all orchestrated with Edwards' help. And he negotiated a six-figure payment to Parks for her life story, which was televised this year.
With his spirits and health bolstered by a new sense of purpose, Edwards captured a regional seat on the NAACP's national board and became a key player in veteran state lawmaker Diane Watson's successful bid for Congress last year. He was on a roll, answering the critics who accused him of being out for himself, and telling everyone he knew that despite his fragile health he wasn't throwing in the towel, just wiping off a little sweat.
"People said I was a goner," he says. "But sickness is an attitude. I refused to buy into it."
If Edwards' life were a TV movie, the music director would be bringing up the stringed instruments about now. But they don't make TV movies about 56-year-old middlemen, not even ones with coast-to-coast connections. Yes, he's the guy to call when you need a floor pass on nominating night at the Democratic National Convention or a ticket to a sold-out Patti LaBelle concert at the Greek Theatre. But the perks Edwards dishes out often come at a price. He's also the guy who, when he spots you in a restaurant, joins your table, surveys the menu and orders the lobster.
Yet you pick up the tab because you feel that, sooner or later, it will pay to know this guy because he knows so many people and he knows how to get a job done, damn the rules.
When I tell Edwards I'm interested in profiling him, my phone starts to ring off the hook. "Willis told me to call and add my two cents to the nice, large and favorable article you're doing on him," says one recorded message.
Edwards rattles off a long list of "friends" he'd like me to call: Julian Bond, Johnnie R. Carr, Dorothy Height, C. DeLores Tucker, Sheila Frazier, Beverly Todd, Judy Pace-Flood, Freda Payne, Cicely Tyson, Denise Nicholas, Angela Bassett, Ethel Bradley, Myrlie Evers-Williams, Jesse and Jacqueline Jackson, Bernard and Shirley Kinsey, Brock Peters, Julie Dash, Bill Elkins, Virna Canson, Benjamin Hooks . . .
"Willis, stop!" I say. "This is an article, not your phone book. The story is only going to be so long."
"How long, brother?"
"Well, it's not the whole magazine."
"Bruh-ther," Edwards says, exasperated, "you must learn how to negotiate."
Edwards was born in Carthage, Texas, in 1946, and grew up in Palm Springs, but his reputation as a hard-nosed negotiator started in college, at Cal State Los Angeles, where he was active in student government. Edwards was a 22-year-old sophomore when Martin Luther King was assassinated in 1968. With money saved up from bagging groceries, he joined a large contingent of mourners that flew to Atlanta for the funeral. He was signed on to Sen. Robert F. Kennedy's 1968 presidential campaign and was among the cheering onlookers at the Ambassador Hotel celebrating Kennedy's victory in the California primary when the senator was assassinated. The next year, he walked precincts for a city councilman named Tom Bradley, who was defeated in a bitter mayoral race by incumbent Sam Yorty. By that time, Edwards had been drafted and was on a two-week military furlough before heading out to Vietnam. He spent 14 months in Southeast Asia, was wounded slightly in a land-mine explosion and returned home to Los Angeles with a Bronze Star.
Among the Cal State L.A. students who greeted him at the airport was student body president Steve Cooley, later to become L.A. County district attorney. With Cooley's support, Edwards would be elected the first black student body president in the school's history. He also became a director of the National Student Lobby and head of its state operation. After graduation, Edwards was hired by USC to be its director of black student services. When Bradley defeated Yorty in 1973, he appointed Edwards to the city's Social Services Commission.
Edwards quickly developed a habit of turning up in places where he was least expected.
In the early 1970s, Myrlie Evers Williams, activist and widow of slain civil rights leader Medgar Evers, flew from Los Angeles to Washington, D.C., for a sold-out performance at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. She saw Edwards, a familiar face, wearing a white denim tuxedo with satin lapels. As the crowd of luminaries meandered toward their seats, Edwards took Williams' arm and shouted commandingly, "Mrs. Medgar Evers coming through!"
"It was like Moses parting the water," Williams recalls. "I was embarrassed and started rushing through. But Willis had my arm. He slowed me down. He wanted me to pace my walk and just float on through."
By the time the show started, Willis was gone. He had told Williams he didn't have a ticket. Yet during intermission, Williams looked around and saw him. "He was in the presidential box. How he got there? I don't know. But he was there smiling and shaking hands."
In 1976, Edwards arrived at the Democratic National Convention in New York City, planning to sleep on the floor of a hotel room shared by Diane Watson, then a member of the Los Angeles Unified School District board, and Gwen Moore, then a community college district trustee. He talked his way into a position on the delegate credentials committee and ended up escorting Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis to a meeting with party chairman Robert Strauss and Chicago Mayor Richard Daley. Edwards asked Onassis if she wanted to also meet Bradley, who was being honored at the convention, and she said yes. "The mayor stood up like a little boy, like the queen was summoning him." Edwards brought him in and then looked around the room at JFK's widow, Strauss, Bradley and Daley. Willis Edwards was in his glory: the fly on the wall.
Through his work in credentialing, Edwards landed a hotel room and also ended up with some influence over convention seating. He wrangled a limo for Bradley and slipped Watson and Moore into a VIP box next to Onassis and actors Yul Brynner and Lauren Bacall. ("They needed some black faces in that picture," he rationalized.) From their vantage point on the final nominating night of the convention, Watson and Moore watched as Edwards, who had called in a chit from Bradley, was introduced as L.A.'s youngest commissioner and led the Pledge of Allegiance.
Edwards came home inspired to be more than a fly on the wall. In 1978, he ran for an Assembly seat against Moore and seven other candidates. She defeated Edwards, despite backing from Bradley and the Rev. Jesse Jackson. His effort was marred by rumors that he was gay. (Edwards refuses to answer questions about his sexuality: "It's nobody's business.") But he was about to begin a new chapter.
By 1980 Edwards had been a force in the small Beverly Hills-Hollywood branch of the National Assn. for the Advancement of Colored People and became interested in the Image Awards, the organization's annual dinner salute of the entertainment industry. At a time when Hollywood was being criticized for not doing enough to promote and recognize the careers of African Americans, the Image Awards were a valued evening of recognition for the industry--and offered new connections.
When Paramount wanted to gauge black reaction to the movie "White Dog," a film about a German shepherd trained to attack blacks, it hired Edwards and another man as private consultants. They gave the movie a thumbs-down, and the picture was shelved. The film's director blasted the studio's decision, accusing Edwards of acting like a "paid censor."
In 1982, Edwards became president of the Beverly Hills-Hollywood branch of the NAACP and went on the attack, accusing the movie and TV industries of failing to hire blacks in key positions in front of and behind the cameras. He threatened to call for national boycotts and take action against advertisers. He also sold the first of two taped Image Awards shows for national syndication, a prelude to his goal of a live network telecast.
In 1986, with "The Cosby Show" tops in TV ratings, the NAACP branch decided to honor Bill Cosby with the Medgar Evers Medal of Honor, an award created for the occasion. NBC President Brandon Tartikoff was persuaded to present Cosby with the award at the Beverly Wilshire in front of an audience that included Miles Davis, Cicely Tyson, Harry Belafonte and Sidney Poitier. When Tartikoff went to the men's room, Edwards followed. After a brief discussion, Tartikoff agreed to put the Image Awards on NBC. The announcement was made during the show to thunderous applause.
The branch became energized. It swelled with new members recruited by Edwards from USC and local churches in South Los Angeles and artists frustrated over a lack of opportunities. But some longtime members suspected that Edwards was exploiting his unpaid position for personal gain.
"We were volunteers," says Bob Jones, now vice president of Michael Jackson's MJJ Productions. "They [Edwards and his allies] were living off the NAACP. I have never known Willis to hold down a job."
At one Image Awards, Tavis Smiley, then a young aide to Bradley, used his credit card to rent a Lincoln Town Car for Edwards, but Edwards would not turn the car in. "The bill was enormous." Smiley recalls. "I'm a young kid, not making any money. He eventually made good on it but it tested our relationship."
Edwards dismisses the episode.
"I don't understand what the big deal is," he says. "Tavis was paid."
Comedian Arsenio Hall went further, condemning Edwards as an "extortionist" and "tennis-shoe pimp" in 1988. Edwards, Hall claimed, had threatened to go public with a complaint that Hall had not hired a sufficient number of blacks to work on his talk show. For a $40,000 contribution to the NAACP, Edwards was willing to remain silent, Hall said. In response, Edwards filed a $10-million defamation lawsuit against Hall. The lawsuit was eventually settled for a substantial sum, Edwards says. Hall would not comment.
Edwards was reelected branch president in 1989, but resigned that same year amid criticism that the branch wasn't keeping a tight rein on its finances. He was also under fire for taking a $25,000 payment to be co-executive producer for the Image Awards, and the national NAACP took over the ceremony.
Edwards lost his national platform, but that didn't slow him down. "He has always been someone who comes out of the ashes," says Sandra Evers-Manly, president of the Black Hollywood Education and Resource Center.
He focused on local issues, such as coordinating Mandela's visit to Los Angeles, working on Watson's losing campaign for the Board of Supervisors and operating inside Bradley's entourage. He put together a video salute to Bradley after he suffered a heart attack and stroke. But he remained bitter about the controversy over the Image Awards. He felt betrayed, both by the national organization and by the branch members who revolted against his leadership.
"I got into my own life," he says. And then AIDS intruded.
His family, like many of his friends, had watched in silence as his weight decreased, suspecting the worst. Now Edwards was forced to tell people he had "the virus," to admit that he needed help with transportation, housing, food and medication. He was staying with a friend in View Park, one of Los Angeles' wealthiest black neighborhoods, in early 1997, when he learned that Rosa Parks was going to visit.
Willis Edwards was 9 when Rosa Parks' simple act of civil disobedience rocked the nation and captured his childhood imagination. He first met her in 1980, when he escorted her at the Image Awards where she was honored. "Rosa Parks stands for something," he says. "Children write stories about her. I've walked in a room, a restaurant with her and watched. People start whispering: 'Rosa Parks is here! Rosa Parks is here!' And they start clapping."
And now she was going to visit him. "I got on the phone and started calling people. 'Rosa Parks is coming to my house!' There is a network of people and if you call them, you know the word will spread around the city." The visit lasted three hours.
Edwards regained some of his strength throughout the year. By 1998 he was back in step, organizing events for Parks. A week before the Oscars, with the help of a high school friend who was coordinating red carpet arrivals at the event, Edwards scored seventh-row seats and a police motorcade for Rosa Parks, approved by then-Police Chief Bernard Parks. She walked down the red carpet with Edwards on her arm.
Edwards was looking healthier than many people had seen him in a long time. He was eating well and walking every day in Griffith Park. It was on one of his early morning walks that Edwards imagined Rosa Parks in the gallery--in the first lady's box--when President Clinton delivered the 1999 State of the Union speech. The political calculation was easy: Clinton, immensely popular with blacks and facing impeachment, was likely to welcome the public relations glow from Parks. Edwards called the White House and got nowhere. So he employed elemental leverage: He called the staff of House Republican Leader Dennis Hastert (R-Ill), who said that Hastert would be more than happy to seat Parks in the speaker's box with his wife, Jean. That accomplished, Edwards called a friend over in the White House. Do you know Dennis Hastert has agreed to seat Rosa Parks in his box? "I'll get back to you," was the reply. Within minutes, Edwards had secured a seat next to Hillary Clinton.
"We know it's been a long journey," Clinton told Congress in his speech as he described an initiative to bridge the racial divide. "For some it goes back to before the beginning of our republic, for others back since the Civil War, for others throughout the 20th century. But for most of us alive today, in a very real sense this journey began 43 years ago when a woman named Rosa Parks sat down on a bus in Alabama and wouldn't get up. She's sitting down with the first lady tonight, and she may get up or not as she chooses. We thank her." It was the loudest applause of the night, and Edwards felt vindicated. Only now, he told himself, did the initially resistant Clinton staff members get it.
Edwards "could see the picture, the image and the power of the image," says Minyon Moore, then the political director at the White House. "Once he has that idea and image in his head, you can forget it. It will become a reality."
The speech made other things possible. Parks flew to St. Louis to meet with Pope John Paul II. And Rep. Julia Carson (D-Indiana) nominated her for a Congressional Gold Medal, which required two-thirds approval of Congress.
Tavis Smiley, by now a contributor to a nationally syndicated black-oriented radio network in 100 U.S. markets, got a call from Edwards. "Brother, I have a little project for you," Edwards said. Smiley agreed to broadcast the names of those who had not signed the legislation. Within weeks there were more than enough signatures to place Parks among the select group receiving the highest award bestowed by the U.S. government.
Hundreds gathered in the rotunda of the U.S. Capitol in June in 1999 as Clinton, top lawmakers and civil rights leaders honored Parks with a congressional medal designed by African American artist Artis Lane--a Willis touch. That same year, she received an honorary doctoral degree from USC. When Parks needed a place to stay in Washington, D.C., Edwards arranged for her to check in at the Mansion on O Street, a luxury hotel. "I'll put her up free for life," H.H. Leonard, the owner, told Edwards. In 2000, Parks' institute obtained more than $1 million in federal and private donations, the largest amount it has garnered in a single year. And Troy State University Montgomery's Rosa Parks Library Museum opened up on the site of the Empire Theater--at the same spot where Parks was arrested on that bus in 1955. Meanwhile, "The Rosa Parks Story," a television movie that aired in February, began preparation, with Edwards as executive producer.
The surge of energy Edwards experienced from working with Parks soon pushed him back to the NAACP. He was elected to the national board in 1999 and two years later encouraged the national civil rights organization to have its annual board meeting in Los Angeles, the first time in its 93-year history. He was appointed by Chairman Julian Bond to the committee that oversees the Image Awards. He was also the parliamentarian of the NAACP's convention in Houston this past July.
At last year's convention in New Orleans, Edwards spoke about the hardships of living with HIV.
"The NAACP, after initially not having the best attitude [about AIDS], has overcome that, and to a large extent we have Willis to thank for that," Bond says. "Here is a functioning person whom we know."
But Edwards is not always an easy person to know. "He lives on his wits and flashes of brilliance," says Watson. "Willis is that pilot light that sparks the fire that cooks the food."
He was an early spark in her decision to run for the congressional seat left vacant by the death of Julian Dixon. She was U.S. Ambassador to Micronesia when Edwards called, urging her to run and then becoming instrumental in her campaign's fund-raising. (He receives a percentage of the funds he raises.) "He has a gift of making the deal," she says.
Still, Watson did not offer Edwards a congressional staff job after her victory.
"You can't say, 'Willis, go do this and that and bring back a report,' " she says. "He's too compulsive. He works for the moment." She describes her longtime friend as a free spirit who wouldn't work well in a structured environment.
After walking six miles in the hills of Griffith Park, Edwards sits down one morning to breakfast: oatmeal, eggs (easy over), toast, peaches, hash browns, milk, orange juice and coffee. The medication makes it difficult to taste the food he is eating, but he has to eat a heavy meal to maintain his weight. He's been told he has diabetes. He has good days and bad days.
He's trying to interest the mother of Emmet Till, the teenager whose death at the hands of racists in Mississippi was another major civil rights outrage of 1955, in a movie deal. He worries about his 87-year-old mother's comfort and the future for his nieces and nephews. He'd like to buy a car and move out of his two-bedroom apartment and into a house. He's mulling whether to write his autobiography.
Interesting. What would the Edwards' legacy be? I ask. For once his tongue freezes. He offers the legacies of others, of unsung heroes in Los Angeles, people such as the late Rev. Thomas Kilgore of Second Baptist Church, and South-Central social activists such as Mary Henry and Lillian Mobley. But not his.
"It's something I have to think about," he says. "Give me 20 minutes."
"No, Willis," I say. "You like to negotiate. Let's negotiate your legacy."
"I can't define my legacy to you," he says. "It's better for others to say."
I realize that a middleman has no legacy without the people whose lives he travels between. The legacy of a middleman is: He loved the game. He loved getting people on the outside inside the door. He liked to make sure the people he admired got invited to dinner. And he always made sure he had a good seat.
John L. Mitchell is a Times staff writer whose last article for the magazine was an interview with Rodney King.


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We know our readers drive some freakin' awesome Mustangs. So, every month, we want to help you guys show off your sweet ride.
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Give us your best shot. Take a picture of your 'Stang, fill out the form below telling us why it's so awesome, and get ready to be the next official AmericanMuscle Ride of the Month!


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Montana's Two-Year College Initiative Events
Montana Tuning Retreat
When: September 5, 2013
Where: Helena Red Lion Colonial Inn
Presented by: Dr. David Marshall, Dr. Shelly Valdez, Dr. Daniel McInerney
Retreat Theme: Participants will engage in understanding the concept of Tuning, a faculty-driven process that makes what students know, understand, and are able to do at the completion of a degree in a given discipline or professional program explicit for students, faculty, family, employers and other stakeholders.
For additional information please contact Sue Jones
Third Annual Teaching Learning Conference
When: April 12, 2013
Where: Helena Colonial, Red Lion
Keynote Speaker: Dr. Martin Carcasson, Colorado State University
Conference Theme: Student Sucess
For additional information please contact David Hall
Two-Year & Community College Education Statewide Summer Conference
Best Practices in Serving the Underprepared Student, June 6-7-2012
2011 Listening Sessions
The Office of the Commissioner of Higher Education held community listening sessions at each of Montana's five Colleges of Technology to discuss the Board of Regents' goals of extending the comprehensive two-year mission to each of Montana's COT campus. The sessions also sought input on the Regent's goal to rebrand and rename the Colleges of Technology. The listening sessions were held in each community where a College of Technology resides (Missoula, Helena, Great Falls, Butte, and Billings) and were open to the public. See Press Release.
Governor's Forum on Adult Credentialing: Building a Skilled Workforce
August 12, 2010 | Kalispell, Montana
- "Its Not ALL About the Kids" James L. Applegate, Senior Vice President, Lumina Foundation
- Feedback report
- Responses Compiled from Listening Sessions - September 2010
Quick Links


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The average pay for a Software Architect with Linux skills is {{pay}} per hour.
The average pay for a Software Architect with Linux skills is €38,000 per year.
Job Description for Software Architect
Software architects create customized software solutions such as web services, user interfaces, coding programs, and databases, and they are employed primarily by large corporations and agencies which create software for other companies. These architects must always strive to create efficient and satisfactory software solutions for end-users, and they are often responsible for creating standard coding practices and programs for other software designers within their companies.Read More...
Software architects must always ensure the cost-efficiency of their software and stay up-to-date with the latest developments in their fields. They are often expected to design and implement programs, and then follow-up to debug and ensure the software is functioning well in all aspects. They may also administer training manuals and programs to employees to help them grow accustomed to new software.
- Design new operating system components.
- Conceive, experiment with, and present architectural approaches for operating system components.
- Design new software applications.
- Conceive, experiment with, and present architectural approaches for software applications, including web, client, server, and others.
- Ensure architectural integrity and consistency across the entire product.
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