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IntroductionI've worked building tools and engines for artists making games and visual effects for more than ten years, and I've always been baffled by the distinction that people make between "programmer art" and "real game art". Also, I've noticed that the only people who will give you a free pass for bad programmer art are other programmers. Regardless of how fun your game is, or how technically awesome your tech demo is, the non-programmers you show it to are going to think: Is that a jetpack or a tumor?
Often, you can find a way to generate good art without having to create it from scratch. Mason McCuskey offers some excellent suggestions for sources of game art in his article "Creating Good Game Art When You're Not An Artist".
But sometimes, you just have to create your art from scratch. Budgetary restrictions or game contest rules, or simply a tight deadline for a prototype might require you to set down the figurative slide-rule and pick up a paintbrush.
But I can't draw...really.. I mean, look at this:
If that's what your programmer art looks like, this article is for you.
I thought I'd share a set of tips for making better programmer art. These tips are intended to be useful to anyone, regardless of artistic ability or experience. While tips like "practice sketching everyday" or "visit an art museum" might be useful for the aspiring game artist, this document is meant for the non-artist, how to trick people into thinking that you--the left-brained, code-writing, math-loving programmer--have some artistic ability. In addition, none (mostly) of these tips require "practice", because, while practice is useful and even essential to being a true artist, it always seems like the your deadline is coming up with the sunrise and you just need some damn sprites.
Some of this is aimed at Photoshop users, because that's what I know, but the same concepts apply to any paint program, and there are equivalent operations to everything I mention here in the Gimp, and probably in whatever package you use.
This is also aimed at participants in LudumDare or similar contests where you try to create a game from scratch in 48-hours. My compo games tend to fare well in the graphics category (alas, killer gameplay continues to elude me), even though I don't consider myself a particularly good game artist. Many of these example come from my LD entries, and much of this experience is stuff I learned by doing these contests and being forced to generate art with an insane deadline. Moreover, they should be valuable to anyone trying to produce quality art (or some approximation thereof) with a short schedule or limited budget.
Tip #1: Start with a Color Palette
The is the most common mistake I see, and the easiest to avoid. The default palette for most paint programs hearkens back to the DOS days (can you find the connection between the colors in this palette and the four-bit binary numbers from 00 to 15? Of course you can. If you couldn't figure that out, you'd be a real artist.)
By palette, I don't mean a 16 or 256 color palette from the VGA days. I simply mean a coordinated color scheme for your game. If you start with a well chosen palette first thing, your scribbles will appear aesthetically pleasing and even intentionally "graphic designy" rather than "crap".
But where do I find a palette? I can't even coordinate colors when I dress myself in the morning!
Well, a little color theory goes a long way, and if you spend fifteen minutes googling "color theory" or "colour theory", which is the inferior British version of the theory, you'll be ahead of the game. But if you don't have time for that, here's a few things that work wonders:
- Use a photographic image. Think about the theme or setting of your game, and find an image that reminds you of it. If you're making an abstract game, consider theming it, but you can just find
any image you like. Then, when making your game art, NEVER use the color chooser, instead ONLY sample colors from your palette image with the eyedropper tool. With a little luck, your game will pick
up the "mood" of this image.
- Use a palette from a real artist. There are sites listed below that have great pre-built palettes to start with. Start with one of these, and use the colors in your game. With this approach,
you'll often need more than the 5 or so colors you get in the palette.
- Resist the urge to free-pick from the color chooser, instead, make new colors by combining ones from your palette. For example, draw atop the palette with a semi-transparent brush.
This example uses a "monochromatic" palette, all the colors are different shades of a very similar hue, other color schemes have more variety but what's important is that the colors all work together well.
- Adobe's Kuler Site
- ColourLovers
- MultiColr from idee labs
This awesome site is the best of both worlds: make a palette and get a bunch of photos that go with it. Just pick a few colors you like, then pick an image that looks good, then color-pick from it. Done!
Tip #2: Hide your shame with a clever theme
I can't draw!
Maybe, you're just too cool to draw. Maybe it's intentional. That's it. Instead of making good art, choose a theme that requires bad art. It worked for "SketchFighter" and "Crayon Physics"
Or use what you've got available. Just got some crap on your desk? You could have made one of the most popular games of all time, Desktop Tower Defense.
People are starting to catch on to this trick, but it's got a few years of life left in it. Be creative... maybe your characters are all gingerbread cookies, and you can literally bake them up. Or some kind of zombie bacon attacking your kitchen. Or even a furry chest in need of a shave.
Tip #3: Simple Shapes and Silhouettes
Circle, Square, Triangle, Rhombus, Trapezoid, Parallelogram, etc.. You know how to compute their area exactly, but do you know how to draw them badly? Sketch a couple of shapes freehand, and then add eyes (for a character) or wheels (for a vehicle) or whatever. They'll probably come out wobbly and goofy, not very precise at all.
Depending on how much coffee you've had already, they might be a completely different shape. That's ok! That's good, in fact, as the imperfections and variations create "personality" and make them come alive. Don't use the "shape tools" in your drawing program, it is the destroyer of sprite's souls. By making their forms distinct, you make it easy for the player to differentiate between them visually.
"Smiles" from Sykhronics is a great example of this. Distinct shape and color help you immediately recognise the shapes. You could probably still play the game on a two-color iPhone.
Look at the silhouettes of the shapes. You can use "threshold" or select the outside, invert it, and fill on a new layer, to see this directly. Can you tell what they are just by their outline? Can you tell them apart at least?
This is even more important in 3D. Assign a solid black material and view the model on a white background (or vice versa). Zoom out until it's as big as you expect it to be on the screen during normal gameplay. Does it read?
This is explained way more eloquently in this blog post:
Good Design lies in the foundation
Tip #4: Draw more than you need
For the next few tips, we'll develop a sprite for a hypothetical platformer. Let's say we need an enemy, something you can't jump on top of without taking damage. My first though was some kind of spikey turtle (real original, huh?).
The first mistake a programmer will make is to think that his or her ugly sprite will get better by just continuing to work on it. It won't! If it starts out bad, it stays bad. So instead of pixel-pushing for an hour, just sketch a bunch of and only detail the one you like the best.
I started sketching some random enemies, not putting to much detail or thought into them. You can do this quickly and just abandon anything that's not working. I didn't like my turtle at all (he looks kind of like a vampire ferret that someone set on fire). I decided I liked the lobster guy the best, because of his interesting shape, clear silhoutte, and I think he's kind of a unique enemy.
Tip #5: Work at higher resolution
For sprite art, I work at 10x the resolution I need. So if I am making a 64x64 sprite, I work using at least 640x640. Sometimes, a rather ugly character at hi-res becomes a pretty good sprite. Even for backgrounds and logos and stuff, I try to work at 2-3 times the target resolution. If you are careful about the edges when downsampling (see next tip) you can get lots of detail with crisp edges.
For the lobster guy, I took the original sketch and traced over an outline. I typed "lobster" into Google Images and that gave me the idea to make him blue instead of red, and gave me some ideas for more details. Then I colored him in on a different layer below the outline, so I didn't have to worry about messing up my outline. Once he was filled in with solid colors, I set "lock alpha" on and just added some shading.
Don't lose sight of the fact that you're going to downres the heck out of him. You can get caught up in drawing all kinds of fine detail, but it will all get turned to mush in the next step. It's always a good idea to zoom out to get an idea of what the finished product will look like (or just check the Navigator window).
He's still kind of sloppy and not very detailed but next we're going to downsample him and that will hide all of that. Well, mostly.
Tip #6: Watch your Edges
Photoshop (and other paint programs) tries to helpfully blend everything together, giving you nice, smooth antialiased edges. Which is great, except when you want a crisp edge for your 1-bit alpha. Photoshop has ruined many a 3D tree-billboard and beautiful 2D sprite edge with it's overzealous edge mushing. Here's my workflow for making sprites into game-ready images. I should make this an action or a script, someday, but it's pretty simple:
Step 1: Isolate the hi-res version on a transparent background
Step 2: Downsample to target resolution
Here's he's (just about) 64x64, still against a transparent background.
Step 3: Make a crispy edge
Here's how to get the edges right:
- Magic Wand the transparent parts. Important: Set a very low "tolerance" value and most importantly, make sure "anti-alias" is set to OFF.
- Invert the selection (CTRL-SHIFT-I). It should be about a pixel or so bigger than the subject.
- Make a new layer underneath the subject, and fill the selection with solid black (or your outline color).
- If you're game engine wants a color-key background like in this example, add it now as a solid layer below. If you're using transparency, just leave the transparent background as-is.
Step 4: Clean up the pixels
Only now do you start messing with individual pixels. Your outline will probably be a little chunky, use the pencil tool to clean it up, and also add detail to the parts of the sprite that got a little blurred in the downsampling. Here, I just cleaned up the face, the tail, and the antennae.
The point is the most time-consuming way to paint a sprite is one pixel at a time. So you want to put off on this step until as late as possible.
Done: The final enemy sprite
Here's the final sprite at regular and 2x size. It's not perfect, and it's certainly not going to get me a job at Square or anything, but it turned out all right for programmer art.
Tip #7: Create Variations
You might want twenty monsters or spaceships for your game. Great! But you only have so much time. If you create one or two monster-spaceships that you like, you can make variations of them. Change the color. Many of the creatures in "Diablo" were just other creatures with different colors. Same deal with Pac-Man. Or you can change the scale, cut and paste parts. Instead of a meatasaur, vegisaur and a monkisaur, create a whole genus of related meatsaurs with slighty different features. You can turn out five or ten variations in the time it takes to do one new creature.
With the hue/saturation tool, I made a red version of the and erased his antennae. Then I added wings to get a completely different enemy. An added bonus of this technique is that it will make all your enemies look stylisticly similar, so your levels look more consistent, almost as if you planned it that way.
Tip #8: Avoid AnimationThe word "animation" comes from the ancient Sumerian "A'Nimaatii", which was a type of slave assigned to do a thankless, repetitive task such as rowing or turning a millstone. There is little more painful in game art than have to create not just one frame that looks good, but ten or twenty. So don't do it!
- Use a theme that doesn't need it. Spaceships don't need much animation. Vechicles don't really, and you can fake wheels moving. If you can come up with a concept that doesn't need animation, you're much better off. And you'll save yourself some coding time, too.
- If you must, start with simple cheats. Just flip an overhead sprite of a character horizontally and you've got a 2-frame run cycle. You can get away with amazingly few frames, look at sprite rips from old gameboy and NES games to see just how few. Final Fantasy Sprites
- Use templates. Don't steal a sprite rip, but steal the poses from it. For this sprite, I found an example of a sprite from Mega-Man, and drew a new sprite, but used the same poses.
- Rotoscoping: it's not just for singing orcs anymore. Many digital cameras have a "burst" mode, or you can film a short video and extract the frames. Film yourself doing a few simple actions, extract the frame and start tracing. Recognize this? Warning: this can turn into a time sink if you're not careful, so don't get carried away filming stuff. It's just a guide.
Tip #9: Skyboxen
Making a 3D game?
Implementing a simple skybox is not very hard to do. But in terms of visual bang-for-the-buck, they can't be beat. The skybox does the important job of FILLING THE SCREEN WITH SOMETHING.
I say "skybox" here but this could be any type of panoramic background, from a cube-mapped skybox, to a panoramic image on a sphere or hemisphere, to a simple background image for a 2Dish game.
But where do I get a nice skybox image?
- Wait until sunset or a nice cloud formation wanders by, go outside (or get up to your roof) and take some photos. Obviously, this is weather dependent, you don't get brilliant sunsets everyday
(unless you live in Florida), but you can post-process the heck out of whatever you shoot. Just to illustrate, the day after I wrote this, I took these pictures on the way home from the supermarket.
This was a little unusual, where I live is not known for gorgeous sunsets like this, but even on a normal day you'll get something.
ps. They're a bit blurry, but I've included links to the full-res versions, so if you want to use them for something go ahead, use without any restrictions.
- Paint it yourself! Here's a quick tutorial I whipped up on painting skies:
Compare how much better Zillagame (my first ludumdare entry ever!) looks. On the left, no skybox (and an alpha sorting bug), and on the right with the skybox we just made.
- If this isn't for a contest, there are tons of free or reasonably priced skybox images online.
Also, keep in mind that the sky is the major light source for the outside world. This goes hand in hand with the "color palette" tip above. Use colors from the skybox when making your level and setting up your lighting.
Of course, your game doesn't have to take place at sunset. Unless it's a racing game, I think there's some sort of law requiring that. A clear midday sky, a photoshopped alien landscape, whatever is most appropriate for the setting of your level.
Tip #10: Bake in lighting
This works for a level or a character. It might not be "correct", especially when you mix it with runtime lighting, but it looks good. If you texture your level/character without overlapping anywhere, you can do this without writing an extra line of code by baking light and combining it directly into your color texture map, and if you take a bit of time to handle multiple UV sets you can get full-on lightmapping in your game.
In my 48 hour game, "Bugzapper", all the lighting on the structure is baked into the texture. In fact, I ran out of time to even paint the diffuse texture. The light direction is totally wrong with respect to the skybox, but most people won't notice that, anyways.
Here's instructions on how to use Blender to bake. Maya and others have similar fuctions. Don't worry about baking all the fancy amboccl/normal map stuff, if you're not writing a real game. Just
bake EVERYTHING in ("aka full render bake") to the base texture and then use no lighting or very simple lighting in your game.
Baking Lighting with Blender
Here's another example of using this on a terrain in blender to make it look good:
Blender terrain baking
One word of warning, don't try to figure this out during a contest. Try it out beforehand to get the process down first, you can waste a lot of time figuring out how to do this, but once you have it, it can take 15-20 minutes during a contest and make a huge difference.
Also, wait until you are sure you are final with your model's textures before doing this. You can't unbake, and you don't want to have to do this twice.
Tip #11: Get a TabletEven if you have no aspirations to be a game artist, if you are doing any drawing on your computer at all, then you owe it to yourself to get a tablet. You don't need a big one or a fancy one, a 4x6 is fine. You can find used serial tablets on ebay super-cheap, and Wacom's new "Bamboo" looks very affordable. Drawing with a mouse is like drawing with a brick.
When a lot of people I know first buy a tablet, they take a while to get used to it. Here's some tips to help make the most of a tablet
- In the control panel, crank up the pressure sensitivity towards firm. You want to have to really mash down on it to get full pressure. By default, the pressure is way too loose and you end up losing most of the control
- Drawing with a sheet of blank paper totally changes the feel. Different types of paper -- copy paper, magazine pages, construction paper, etc -- can totally change the feel. Experiment.
- Practice. I know I said none of these tips require practice, but I lied. Try these exercises:
- In Photoshop, make 10 squares in a row and fill them with greyscale from 0% (black) to 100% (white). Beneath them, make 10 empty squares. Try to shade the squares below to match the guide squares (if you squint your eyes at them). Try this with different brushes, practice the pressure sensetivity.
- Try handwriting something, like the alphabet or copy a passage of text. Start out very large, with huge letters, and get progressively smaller. This will both get your hand used to the tablet, and your eyes used to looking at the screen while you are drawing somewhere else.
Also, in this day of touch-screen interfaces, having a tablet can be a cheap way to prototype touch-style gameplay (though without the multitouch). It's not exactly the same but it's a lot closer than using a mouse.


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WHITEWATER, Wis. (Blugolds.com) – The UW-Eau Claire softball team never trailed as the Blugolds defeated Benedictine University (Ill.) 5-1 on the second day of the regional round of the NCAA Division III Championship at van Steenderen Field today.
The Blugolds scored three runs in the top of the first and never looked back. With two outs, Taylor Pierce (So.-Ashwaubenon, Wis.) nailed a home run to right field, bringing in Amanda Fischer (So.-Wausau, Wis./West) and Abby Hansen (Fr.-Kaukauna, Wis.).
Emily Haluska (Sr.-Stevens Point, Wis./SPASH) scored a run in the top of the second and while Benedictine scored once in the fifth to make it 4-1, the Blugolds regained a four-run cushion in the top of the seventh after Jenny Hess (Sr.-Wisconsin Rapids, Wis./Lincoln) scored a run.
Pierce had a good game for Eau Claire, leading the team with two hits as she went 2-for-4. She had a game-high three RBI and scored one run. As a team, the Blugolds finished with eight hits while Benedictine had six.
Emma Wishau (Jr.-Burlington, Wis./Waterford Union) pitched a complete game, her seventh of the season, striking out three batters while giving up just one earned run. She didn't allow a hit through the first four innings and ended the game allowing just six. Wishau is now 9-3 on the season.
The Blugolds improve to 27-8 overall while Benedictine drops to 26-15.
Saturday, the Blugolds will play again at 11 a.m. against UW-Whitewater in an elimination game.

subset: commoncrawl


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WINTER HAVEN, Fla. – Brandeis University senior left fielder Brian Ing (Sandwich, Mass./Sandwich) had three extra-base hits and three RBI in support of junior Elio Fernandez (Bronx, N.Y./Fordham Prep) , who had a career-long outing for the Judges, who defeated St. Joseph's College of Brooklyn, 10-6, for their third win in a row at the Russ Matt Invitational in Florida.
Ing had his second career three-hit game, and finished just one shy of his career-best with his three RBI. Ing drove in Brandeis's first run of the game with a double to center field in the second inning. He added a two-run double that capped a four-run sixth inning and put Brandeis ahead, 6-3. Ing added his first collegiate triple in the eighth inning, crossing the plate one batter later for the final Judges' run of the game.
Fernandez, who was making his fourth career start in 23 previous outings for the Judges, pitched into the eighth inning for the first time to earn his first career victory. His previous career-long outing was six frames against Case Western Reserve last season. Fernandez allowed the Bears eight hits, with six of them coming in SJC's three-run fourth inning. He doubled his previous career-best with six strikeouts and did not walk a batter. Other than the big inning, Fernandez did not allow a runner past second base.
The Judges had two other offensive stars . Junior 1B Tom McCarthy (Yonkers, N.Y./Fieldston School) was 2-4 with three RBI, while rookie 3B Greg Heineman (Wilbraham, Mass./Minnechaug Regional) was 2-3 with a double, triple and two RBI. Both players drove in runs in both the sixth and seventh innings, with McCarthy's two-run single in the seventh providing some key insurance runs, as SJC scored three unearned runs in the ninth inning against the Brandeis bullpen.
St. Joseph's had one multiple hitter, DH Thomas McKenna, who was 2-5 with an RBI. Left fielder Michael Camerada had the Bears' lone extra-base hit, a double that kick-started their three-run fourth inning. Chris Cutrone suffered the loss for SJC, going 6.2 innings, allowing eight hits and nine runs (eight earned). He struck out four and walked three.
The Judges return to action in Florida tomorrow at noon against Capital (Ohio) University.


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Home > Prescription Glasses > Dsquared > DQ5190 (001)
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NBC Orders Charles Manson Drama Starring David Duchovny
Mar 31, 2014 6:37 PM EDT
David Duchovny has lined up a killer follow-up role to Californication. The Golden Globe winner will star on Aquarius, a new NBC series about the real-life serial killer Charles Manson, the network announced on Monday. In the drama, which has receive… Read more


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From Hybridgraphics
Bumblebee allows you to run specific programs on the discrete graphic card, inside of an X session using the integrated graphic card. Martin Juhl started with the project and published under GPL v3. To improve co-operation, some developers decided to fork the project into a team: Bumblebee-Project.
What it does - and does not
Currently, Ubuntu and Arch Linux is supported by the installer. Work is in progress to support Fedora, Debian and OpenSUSE.
Arch Linux and Gentoo are support by:
- Arch Linux - ArchWiki: https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Bumblebee
- Gentoo - Iegor: https://github.com/iegor/bumblebee-Gentoo-support
Power management has temporary been disabled, but will be re-added later.
Installing it
git clone email@example.com:Bumblebee-Project/Bumblebee.git cd Bumblebee sudo ./cleanup sudo ./install</pre>
Installing on Ubuntu
If you're using Ubuntu, you can install Bumblebee from a PPA. If you've installed versions before 2.3 from ppa:mj-casalogic/bumblebee or MrMEEE/bumblebee, you've to run the cleanup script first:
wget https://raw.github.com/Bumblebee-Project/Bumblebee/master/cleanup chmod +x cleanup sudo ./cleanup
The nvidia drivers supplied with Natty and before may not support your graphics card. Therefore, add the PPA containing more recent drivers:
sudo add-apt-repository ppa:ubuntu-x-swat/x-updates
Next, add the Bumblebee PPA:
sudo add-apt-repository ppa:bumblebee/stable sudo apt-get update sudo apt-get install bumblebee
Testing it
You can compare display performances with and without bumblebee :
glxgears optirun glxgears
Note: when running just glxgears, if you see this message:
Running synchronized to the vertical refresh. The framerate should be approximately the same as the monitor refresh rate.
The FPS value will always be close to 60. Instead you should do:
vblank_mode=0 glxgears
Configure it
On versions prior to 2.3, you had to run bumblebee-configuration to configure Bumblebee. Newer versions automatically detect the right version for you.
Uninstall it
If you're really using an old version (from MrMEEE, versions prior to 2.3):
wget https://raw.github.com/Bumblebee-Project/Bumblebee/master/cleanup chmod +x cleanup sudo ./cleanup
In other cases, you need to run the following to uninstall Bumblebee:
If you're using Ubuntu and have installed Bumblebee through the PPA, you can remove it with:
sudo apt-get remove bumblebee
Reporting bugs
Run bumblebee-bugreport and follow the instructions, bugs or feature requests can be reported at https://github.com/Bumblebee-Project/Bumblebee/issues.


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Wikipedia's Mathematics article describes the topic, not only its branches, but also how it is related to science, what the role of aesthetics is in it, etc.
Paul Taylor: Practical Foundations of Mathematics. Free online book on mathematics, huge areas of mathematics are described thoroughly, many of them closely related to computer science and functional programming (relational algebra, category theory, Curry-Howard isomorphism).
G.J. Chaitin especially his Understandable Papers on Incompleteness, especially The Unknowable (the book is available on this page, just roll the page below that big colored photo). The book begins with the limits of mathematics: Cantor on paradoxes, Gödel on incompleteness, Turing on uncomputability, Chaitin on randomness); but (or exactly that's why?) it ends with writing on the future and beauty of science. See also Chaitin's thoughts on HaskellWiki's Algorithmic information theory page.


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The commissioner announces a name, and the man of the moment takes the stage at Radio City Music Hall: the NFL's newest draftee, all smiles, dressed for the world's hippest prom. The crowd cheers; cameras flash. Roger Goodell and the player embrace. And embrace. And embrace.
Player and commissioner rock back and forth gently, like clumsy dancers at a wedding. The draftee, often a 300-pound man, nuzzles his face into Goodell's neck, like a Kodiak bear tucking into a salmon. Hands pat backs; arms drape torsos. Both participants act like they want the hug to last forever. Viewers start to worry that it will.
Finally, the commissioner tears himself away: there are only 10 minutes between draft announcements and others would like a moment with the NFL's newest star -- like the television cameras, or his mom.
Last year's on-stage hugs at the NFL draft were so long, strong and intimate that they became a source of awkward comedy. "Hug montages" sprang up on YouTube, while sports humor websites marveled at how the draft suddenly evolved from a pseudo-graduation ceremony into a nationally-televised serial bromance.
There is more to the draft hug phenomenon than just cuddles and laughs, however: Commissioner-on-player hugs reveal how social standards change while human biology stays the same, and how the neurochemistry that maintains order among primate societies can lead to warm feelings and rumpled formal wear.
Appropriate Touch. Draft hugs may seem uncomfortably snug, but players are not breaking any hard-and-fast etiquette rules. If the hugs are too long, it may be because we are too old.
"We are dealing with a different generation," according to Jacqueline Whitmore, author of Poised for Success: Mastering the Four Qualities that Distinguish Outstanding Professionals, as well as the Etiquette Expert blog. "This generation is not as formal."
Casual, non-romantic hugging has become more socially acceptable. It can be seen at commencement ceremonies, where the hug often replaces the formal handshake when graduates take their diploma from the dean or superintendent. It can even be seen in politics, Whitmore notes: President Obama often greets dignitaries with a manly half-hug (shake with the right hand, warm pat on the shoulder or back with the left), a maneuver which would have been too intimate for public greetings in past generations.
Hugs seem simple enough, but the Internet is full of how-to advice for novice huggers. A WikiHow article titled "How to Hug" by Jack Herrick has been viewed nearly a million times. Its advice is broken down by hug category: crushes, lovers, friends, family. With no "commissioners" category, only Herrick's "tips that apply to any kind of hug" apply to the draft. "Hug only when the person you want to hug extends his or her arms," the article advises. "Avoid hugging the person too tightly … hold the hug for a moment before letting go."
Draftees heed that first bit of advice well; it's the other two that need work. Whitmore said that the willingness/eagerness of the recipient to be hugged is the most important point of etiquette, particularly when that person is an authority figure. "These young guys take their cues from the commissioner, who is welcoming this hug," Whitmore said.
"The commissioner is kind of a huggy guy," she added, an observation rarely made about Roger Goodell in a non-draft context.
As for hug duration, hugging is not bull riding: there is no eight second rule. "It's hard to define in words," Whitmore said of hugs that feel too personal. "You just walk away and think: 'that was weird.'"
None of the participants in last year's hugs reported anything creepy. Only the audience felt a little awkward.
Good Grooming. Something primal is also at work when a new NFL player bear-hugs the commissioner. According to Dr. Paul J. Zak, author and director of the Center for Neuroeconomic Studies at Claremont Graduate University, hugs release oxytocin, a hormone which triggers feelings of safety and the emotions associated with familial bonds. "Oxytocin makes you treat strangers like family," Zak said.
Zak watched videotape of last year's draft hugs and noted the intimacy of the hugs. Participants sometimes clasped each other by the back of the neck: body language usually reserved for lovers or parents. "The players see the commissioner as a surrogate father," Zak explained.
The neuroscience of oxytocin works at deep evolutionary level. Zak explained that the triggers in the draftee's mind when his name is called are similar to the "safe signals" that relax the brain when a possible foe is revealed to be a friend. Zak describes a subconscious emotional response with roots that predate the birth of the NFL considerably. "I've joined a new Alpha Male's troop. I'm going to groom the Alpha Male, and show I'm a good cooperator, a good part of the team. Hopefully, that alpha will share some resources with me."
For Zak, those deep feelings have a greater impact on the duration and intensity of the draft hug than the millions of dollars the player has just earned. "It's less about the money and more about the belonging," he said.
Hug it Out. Goodell's reputation as an alpha hug wolf and last year's parade of snuggles have created a potentially uncomfortable situation for this year's draftees. Some of the draft's more reserved prospects may prefer a handshake, but a national audience now expects something more affectionate, and no one wants to start his career by demonstrating his reluctance to groom the alpha.
Whitmore warns her professional etiquette clients that when a hug is expected or offered, something more formal could be misinterpreted. "It could be deemed as offensive," she said. Luckily, human interaction is sophisticated enough that the body language of hugs is "almost instinctive," in her words, and Goodell can veer quickly toward something less personal, like the hand-jive he shared with draftee Melvin Ingram last year.
Zak's research indicates that hugs like those seen at the draft are a healthy part of human interaction, and notes that men create rituals, particularly around sporting events, that allow them to touch each other in non-romantic ways. "Physical connection is a great way to build a human connection," he said.
Last year's hugs may even be topped soon, as younger generations become less self-conscious about physical contact and the NFL attracts more prospects from European and other openly-affectionate cultures. "You might see one of the players kiss him," Whitmore said.
As long as it's all done in the spirit of goodwill and celebration, there should be nothing awkward about a big hug or a little kiss, even when they are shared by a boss and a new employee in front of millions of viewers. "If I were drafted into the NFL," Whitmore said. "I would be hugging the commissioner too."


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This Forum is to gather all topics and discussions around the 2011 Federal Election. This was born out of the Jimbo thread entitled the "real issues".
This forum will be archived 1 week after the end of the election.
Use this control to limit the display of threads to those newer than the specified time frame.
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All Toyota 4x4s to undergo safety tests
* Urgent safety tests * including the Land Cruiser and RAV4 * Fears after Lexus GX460 sales suspended...
Toyota is to test the safety of all its 4x4s including those available in the UK after safety concerns led to the worldwide suspension of Lexus GX460 sales.
A Toyota UK spokesman said: 'We are now conducting driving tests for all Toyota/Lexus 4x4s including the Land Cruiser, Land Cruiser Prado and Rav4.
'The tests will be as close as possible to the emergency-handling tests that the Consumer Reports magazine [the US publication which labelled the Lexus GX460 a 'safety risk'] has conducted.'
The manufacturer has also confirmed that, unlike the GX460, sales of its other SUVs will continue as normal.
Safety fears spark tests
The latest safety problem to hit Toyota was sparked by the global suspension of sales of its new Lexus GX460 SUV.
An article published by Consumer Reports, a US-based independent review organisation, warned consumers not to buy the Lexus GX460 after its test revealed serious flaws with the vehicle's handling.
Out of control
The article said: 'When pushed to its limits on our track's handling course, the rear of the GX we bought slid out until the vehicle was almost sideways before the electronic stability control system was able to regain control.'
The review continued: 'In real-world driving, that situation could lead to a roll-over accident, which could cause serious injury or death.'
Sales suspended globally
Toyota has confirmed that sales of the flagship 4x4 will be suspended while it undertakes safety tests of its own.
A statement from the company said: 'At this time we have asked our dealers to temporarily suspend sales of the 2010 GX460.
'Lexus' extensive vehicle testing provides a good indication of how our vehicles perform and we are confident that the GX meets our high safety standards.'
The Lexus GX460
The Lexus GX460 was launched in the US three months ago, and around 5000 vehicles have been sold.
Other than the US and Canada, the 2010 Lexus GX 460 is sold only in the Middle East and Russia.


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Flight delays and finger-pointing follow furloughs
Travelers faced another day of furlough-related flight delays, as the political finger-pointing over automatic federal spending cuts in Washington intensified.
FlightAware.com, which tracks flight delays and cancellations, counted 4,749 delays of U.S. flights and 273 cancellations by 5 p.m. Tuesday. For comparison, there were 6,670 delays and 333 cancellations for all Monday, according to FlightAware.
At mid-afternoon Tuesday, Los Angeles had delays up to 45 minutes, with planes held at their gates or while taxiing, for the airport's third day of problems with furloughed air-traffic controllers, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.
Arrivals into Dallas-Ft Worth were delayed a half-hour and climbing because of furloughs, according to the National Air Traffic Controllers Association
And planes in the Washington area were being held on the ground at Dulles and had ground delays at Ronald Reagan National airport because of staffing, according to the controllers' union. Planes headed to National were being delayed an average of an hour and 13 minutes because of staffing, according to the FAA.
At the same time, criticism of the furloughs intensified from congressional Republicans, while Obama administration officials said Congress must fix the problem through negotiations over spending.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., led the attack by accusing the administration of trying to score political points on the backs of weary travelers stuck on tarmacs. He said the FAA should have planned better for spending cuts and avoided furloughs.
"That means prioritizing funding to ensure that flights are not needlessly delayed or canceled," McConnell said. "There is no good reason for these delays."
Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kansas, who has fought FAA's effort to close 149 towers at smaller airports, said "something is clearly wrong at FAA." And Sen. John Thune of South Dakota, the top Republican on the transportation committee, said the crisis over flight delays "smells of politics."
But Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said he warned of furloughs at a White House news conference Feb. 22, and that Congress has not acted. The FAA had to cut $637 million because of a spending impasse between Congress and the administration, and LaHood said there was no way to avoid furloughs.
"We're getting a lot of inquiries from Congress and people are trying to figure out how to fix this," LaHood said. "As is the case with Congress, they wait until the 11th hour. It's time for them to fix this."
Michael Huerta, the head of the FAA, said the agency has few options. Furloughs reduce spending $200 million, leaving another $437 million to cut from contracts such as closing towers at 149 small airports and reducing training and information technology, he said.
"We've used all the flexibility we have," Huerta said. "Congress needs to come together and resolve the whole sequester issue."
The lingering dispute left delays and cancellations continuing to mount. According to FlightStats, which tracks delays and cancellations, there were 50 cancellations and 124 delays as of Tuesday morning.
The most affected airports are New York's LaGuardia, Fort Lauderdale, Orlando, Tampa, Denver, New York's JFK, Miami, Charlotte, and Chicago's Midway.
The FAA attributed 1,200 of Monday's delays to staffing reductions from the furloughs, with another 1,400 delays were caused by weather and other factors.
Hardest hit during the first three days of furloughs been the New York-area airports, which operate in the most crowded airspace in the country. At 3:30 p.m., wind was delaying flights into Newark by an average of two hours and 19 minutes, into LaGuardia nearly two hours and into JFK an hour and 18 minutes, according to the FAA.
"Yesterday and Sunday, the impacts that we saw were primarily in the Northeast -- that didn't surprise us," Huerta said. "We'll continue to monitor it pretty carefully as we go through this week."
RELATED:Flight delays erupt as air traffic controller furloughs begin
ALSO RELATED:Airlines sue to stop air traffic control furlough
The FAA said on Tuesday afternoon that travelers "can expect to see a wide range of delays that will change throughout the day depending on staffing and weather related issues."
In addition to New York, the FAA was seeing problems at airports in Los Angeles, Dallas-Ft. Worth, Las Vegas, and Washington, D.C..
"Controllers will space planes farther apart so they can manage traffic with current staff, which will lead to delays at airports including DFW, Las Vegas and LAX," the FAA said in a statement. "The FAA also expects delays at Newark and LaGuardia because of weather and winds. The FAA will continue to work with the airlines throughout the day to try and minimize delays for travelers."
TWITTER:Follow USA TODAY's Nancy Trejos
The delays are increasing the political finger-pointing over automatic federal spending cuts in Washington, where the airline industry and pilots also are suing to stop the furlough of air-traffic controllers.
Senate Committee on Science, Commerce and Transportation Chairman John Rockefeller IV, D-W.Va., and Ranking Member John Thune, R-SD, sent a letter to LaHood and Huerta yesterday saying that the furloughs and plan to close air traffic control towers "raises serious safety and operational issues."
READ MORE:Airlines ask that fines for long tarmac delays be halted
"We are now faced with substantial possible disruption to the air transportation system," they wrote.
The airline industry trade group, Airlines for America, the union Air Line Pilots Association and the Regional Airline Association asked a federal court Friday to stop the furloughs. But the U.S. Court of Appeals for District of Columbia Circuit hasn't scheduled a hearing, and the next documents in the case aren't due until May 22.
Paul Hudson, president of the consumer-advocacy group FlyersRights.org, said politicians are using flight delays to pressure their opponents into a compromise over federal spending.
"Regardless of that, passengers shouldn't be held hostage to these political disputes," he said.
If furloughs continue, Hudson urged the FAA to shift controllers to important hubs where traffic is heaviest, such as New York and Chicago, rather than spreading the furloughs evenly across the country. He said three-hour delays that have been threatened in places would be catastrophic.
"If you choke up those points, you hurt the whole national system," Hudson said. "Of course, we haven't seen that yet, and no one knows for sure whether the estimates are exaggerated or not."
The U.S. Department of Transportation is now reviewing a motion filed by two airline industry associations, Airlines for America and the Regional Airline Association, requesting a moratorium of the tarmac delay rule that requires airlines to let passengers off an aircraft if it has been delayed on the tarmac for at least three hours on domestic flights and four hours on international flights.
The groups say the furloughs will make it difficult for airlines to abide by that rule.
Airports throughout the country said they could not yet determine how the furloughs were affecting them.
Miami International Airport had delays on Monday afternoon due to weather. This morning, 11 arriving flights and four departures were delayed. "Nothing unusual there," said airport spokesman Greg Chin.
He said he could not tell what kind of impact the furloughs were having because "so much depends on conditions at other airports."
Delta said that its mainline flights have been mostly unaffected, but on Monday there were cancellations of roughly 90 regional, connecting flights in the northeast.
"We've experienced delays, particularly in the Northeast'' ranging from 60 to 90 minutes, Steve Gorman, Delta's Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, said in a conference call. That knocked the airline's on-time arrival rate of roughly 86% down to roughly 78%, he said.
But most regional passengers were able to get rebooked on other flights, and airline officials said they expected to be able to stick to the full schedule for their mainline flights.
Still, said US Airways Chairman and CEO Doug Parker in a conference call to investors: "We can handle it for a little while but this can't continue.''
Regional routes, flown by smaller jets, will be particularly hard hit, he said in the call with investors. "It will have an impact on small communities . . There are other ways to cut these costs rather than harming the air travel system and the flying public.''
Allison Steinberg, a spokeswoman for JetBlue Airways, said the airline had delays on Monday "on a 'blue skies' day when we normally would not have seen any."
"Unfortunately, delays and cancellations due to FAA furloughs are occurring," she said. "Our focus remains on running as safe and efficient an operation for our customers as possible. We're working to minimize any inconvenience as a result of sequestration and recommend customers regularly check the status of their flights."
Stay tuned for updates throughout the day.
Contributing: Charisse Jones, Ben Mutzabaugh


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33rd Thredbo National Running Week – January 12 to 19 2013
Thredbo National Running Week is part of the YMCA of Canberra Runners Club program. The program includes a wide variety of activities for all ages, such as swimming, golf, tennis and volleyball. No expertise is required – just a desire to have some fun. The 2013 program is available here.
Deep Space Mountain Marathon, half marathon, 10k & 5k run & walks. Sunday 11 November.
Former Honeysuckle Creek Space Tracking Station to former Orroral Valley Space Tracking Station and return, Apollo Road, Namadgi National Park A.C.T. 6.30am 42.2 km marathon, 1290m of ascent ; 7.30am 21.1 km half marathon run & power walk, 645m of ascent; 8.00am 10 km run and walk; 8.30am 5 km run and walk. Click here for an entryform.
Triple Tri. - Sunday 4 November
Rae Palmer is looking for a runner for the relay team, the last 13k. Must be female & over 50! email her here.
Campbell Rise
Tony Booth
Ewen Thompson


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- DOL National News Releases
- The Official Blog of the U.S. Department of Labor
- YouTube Video from the U.S. Department of Labor
- Links to BLS Latest Numbers RSS Feeds
- Links to OSHA RSS Feeds
What Is RSS?
RSS stands for Really Simple Syndication. It's an easy way for you to keep up with news and information that's important to you, and helps you avoid the conventional methods of browsing or searching for information on websites. Now the content you want can be delivered directly to you without cluttering your inbox with e-mail messages. This content is called a "feed."
RSS is written in the Internet coding language known as XML (eXtensible Markup Language), which is why you see RSS buttons commonly labeled with this icon:
What Is an RSS Reader?
An RSS reader is a small software program that collects and displays RSS feeds. It allows you to scan headlines from a number of news sources in a central location.
Where Can I Get an RSS Reader?
Some browsers, such as the current versions of Internet Explorer, Firefox and Safari have built in RSS readers. If you're using a browser that doesn't currently support RSS, there are a variety of RSS readers available on the web; some are free to download and others are available for purchase.
How Do I Use RSS Feeds?
The first step is to choose an RSS reader. Each reader has a slightly different way of adding a new feed, also called a "channel." Follow the directions for your reader but, in most cases, here's how it works:
- Click on the link or small XML button near the feed you want. For example, DOL News Release Feeds: News and Features. You'll see a page displaying XML code.
- From your web browser's address bar, copy the URL (Web address). For example, the URL you would copy for DOL News Release Feeds is https://www.dol.gov/rss/releases.xml.
- Paste that URL into the "Add New Channel" section of the reader. The RSS feed will start to display and regularly update the headlines for you.
What other RSS feeds are available in government?
- The USA.gov website has a list of Government RSS Feeds throughout the federal government.


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South University, Columbia (View Other Campuses)
Established in 1899, South University is a private, nonprofit institution with a long history of driving student success.
We take issues surrounding your health and safety very seriously. Information about our school security policies, crime statistics and crime logs can be found in our annual Jeanne Clery Disclosure of the Campus Crime and Security Act Report. Paper copies of the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Crime and Security Act Report are available on campus or by calling us at 866-629-3031.
Additional safety information regarding our drug and alcohol prevention program can be found in our Drug Free Schools and Workplace Policy.
Are you a service-oriented professional or student-centered educator? Are your academic credentials backed by substantive career experience? Do you possess the knowledge and skills needed to connect with students and excel in an evolving global marketplace? South University offers a wide range of employment opportunities for individuals who share our commitment and values, a passion for delivering excellence, and an enjoyment of a fast-paced, challenging environment of higher learning. To explore career opportunities at South University, please visit South University jobs.
All online faculty positions allow individuals to work through online communication from their present location. Candidates must have previous teaching experience and possess a master's degree to teach undergraduate program courses and a doctoral degree to teach master's and doctoral program courses. For program-specific courses, industry experience is preferred. Previous online teaching experience is desirable, but not essential. All faculty must supply their own computer equipment (specifications to be provided) and Internet access. All faculty must be willing to complete an online faculty development course and orientation prior to teaching. To apply for an online faculty position, please complete the following steps.
Step 1: Download and review the Employment Info packet
Whether you are considering a career move or looking for your first job opportunity, we understand that you will weigh the rewards and benefits a university has to offer. South University is committed to providing competitive salary and benefits, including:


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For discussion of Electric Universe and Plasma Cosmology. The ideas and opinions expressed on this forum do not necessarily reflect those of T-Bolts Group Inc or The Thunderbolts Project(TM)
Thank you.I sincerely congratulate you with this genuine cosmic and spiritual experience Have you thought of what this really means, spiritually meeting the goddess Nuit, a clerarly stated Milky Way goddess, under the Milky Way contours?
Some of the things you say make logical sense, but it doesn't all come together for me.I certainly understand why you´re having "problems with my literal translations". I too have had the very much same spiritual experience of the Milky Way goddess as you describes, (so we are indeed kindred spirits) but I´ve transformed this mythical/mystic experience to deal with real cosmological informations about the Milky Way formation and the Story of Creation.
The wind cries Mary.Note: As the Egyptian goddess Hathor and Nuit Milky Way goddesses is equal to the Greek goddess Aphrodite and the Roman goddess Venus, who gave name to planet Venus, isn´t it then natural logics to place the Venus myth and its attributes to the Milky Way and NOT to planet Venus? I´m quite sure of this. And you should really be too, having a personal meeting with the very essence of this.
I have a forum just for that.- Feel free to contact me personally if you like to have a chat on some spiritual experiences.
I am a Jew, circumcised of God.Thanks for the biblical reference. It's Jewish rather than Christian so it doesn't affect my understanding. I've not had chance to read the psalm properly yet.
Even astrology still keeps these meanings.Zeus is universal mind and the god of justice among other things. Athene is nous and the goddess of wisdom, weaving and warfare among other things. That is not just my opinion but that of lots of ancient Greek philosophers and modern scholars
Are you still asking this?And what were you pointing to?
Obvious, what you were saying was what I was pointing to.And so you do know what I was referring to.
No I don't.
I could answer it.Questions you cannot answer you mean?
My backup here is Velikovsky and Talbot.It was asked to see if you could back up your statement. The answer is obviously 'no'.
Ancient vs modern definitions was the differentiation I was making.There are no differences in the ancient usage. The modern usages are irrelevant.
Thanks for elaborating.No a myth is a myth; a parable is a parable. They are two different literary devices.
Unless other cultures gave him a different name.No, I was referring to the fact that neither the planet Saturn nor the god Kronos (or any of his counterparts) feature much in mythology.
I don't know how to verify this, but according to Talbot naming the constellations came later.Not particularly but they did give us the constellations and various asterisms.
Judge not by appearances.It has been my experience on various fora that people who, like you, respond in single short sentences do so in an attempt to hide their lack of knowledge and understanding in the topic being discussed.
My apologies for not being up to your expectations.Norman is Danish yet he still manages to provide full responses using proper sentence structure.
Velikovsky was a charlatan. Try checking his sources for what they say and what Velikovsky says they say.My backup here is Velikovsky and Talbot.
They have done the research, and have got the references, for the TBP interpretation.
No. You made the assertions, I aksed for evidence. The onus is on you to provide it. I cannot be expected to prove a negative.You are the one disputing the interpretation, so I'm looking what evidence you got.
As per Egyptian practice.I am a Jew, circumcised of God.
No need to apologise. I have had this sort of debate with supporters of the Saturn theories before so you entirely matched my expectations.My apologies for not being up to your expectations.
comingfrom and Norman,
Have you read Parmenides' poem, it may be of interest to you both:
Keep in mind that it is incomplete and may have been reconstructed incorrectly.
The steeds that bear me carried me as far as ever my heart
Desired, since they brought me and set me on the renowned
Way of the goddess, who with her own hands conducts the man
who knows through all things. On what way was I borne
along; for on it did the wise steeds carry me, drawing my car,
and maidens showed the way. And the axle, glowing in the socket -
for it was urged round by the whirling wheels at each
end - gave forth a sound as of a pipe, when the daughters of the
Sun, hasting to convey me into the light, threw back their veils
from off their faces and left the abode of Night.
And thou shalt know the origin of all the things on high,
and all the signs in the sky, and the resplendent works of the
glowing sun's clear torch, and whence they arose. And thou
shalt learn likewise of the wandering deeds of the round-faced
moon, and of her origin. Thou shalt know, too, the heavens
that surround us, whence they arose, and how Necessity took
them and bound them to keep the limits of the stars . . .
How the earth, and the sun, and the moon, and the sky that is
common to all, and the Milky Way, and the outermost Olympos,
and the burning might of the stars arose.
seasmith wrote:~
He's seen the Queen, if that's what you mean.
God reveals Himself to whom He chooses, and endues them with knowledge.more than suggest that humans are able to gather knowledge and communicate with the creation as such. A human skill, which is ignored in the TBP way and method of thinking and interpreting the ancient myths.
A scripture sprang to mind, while I was reading that.Thoughts and comments anyone?
Norman wrote:SUBJECT: POEMS, MYTHS OF CREATION AND LOGICAL COSMOLOGY
The Parminede´s Poem - http://philoctetes.free.fr/parmenidesunicode.htm - so nicely linked by Grey Clod, thanks again more than suggest that humans are able to gather knowledge and communicate with the creation as such. A human skill, which is ignored in the TBP way and method of thinking and interpreting the ancient myths.
More from Parmenides: Parmenides Cosgonomy - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parmenides#ThoughtOf the cosmogony of Parmenides, which was carried out very much in detail, we possess only a few fragments and notices, which are difficult to understand, according to which, with an approach to the doctrines of the Pythagoreans, he conceived the spherical mundane system, surrounded by a circle of the pure light (Olympus, Uranus); in the centre of this mundane system the solid earth, and between the two the circle of the milkyway, of the morning or evening star, of the sun, the planets, and the moon; which circle he regarded as a mixture of the two primordial elements.
My Mythological understanding and perception of the creation is:
1. The numerous cultural Stories of Creation deals primary with the Milky Way.
2. The central light of the Milky Way represents the First Light. (Not "the Sun")
3. The central bulged structure of the Milky Way represents the "Mount Olympus".
4. The entire Milky Way band around the Earth represent the (Winged) Cosmic Serpent – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ouroboros
5. The two hemisphere white contours of the Milky Way represents the two secondary cultural deities of Light (Not the Sun) and "first humans" of both genders. In the TBP interpretations these two Milky Way figures are for instants interpreted as planet Saturn and the Sun on the northern hemisphere and as planet Venus – where the myth of the Mother Goddess Venus really belongs to the southern Milky Way hemisphere, observable in the night Sky from the "Underworld", the Earth southern hemisphere.
6. On both hemispheres, a circle (often with 4 spokes) represents the Earth celestial axis.
7. The "Tree of Life" stands in the creational center, Eden, the Milky Way center.
8. Stars, star constellations, the Sun and Moon and the planets are daughters and sons of the central Milky Way Light, i.e. they all (we all) origin from the formation in the galactic center and have spread out from here.
9. Thus, biblically spoken, everything is expelled out from the center of creation.
Thoughts and comments anyone?
The geometry involved of universe is shown on a turtles back.
Another way of looking at some of astronomical/astrological verbiage of long ago can be seen here:
Celestial Ascent in Myth and Cult
(The Macrobius part he mentions is actually from Porphyry quoted by Macrobius, i can give the specific
part here if needed.)
This Lundwall guy has some other vids, that are quite interesting and treats these metaphores
a bit more to the intention of what these picturesque texts are talking about.
But of course I'm giving only my opinion here.
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McMINNVILLE, Ore. – With its offense flagging and its conference rival driving for the winning score, third-ranked Linfield reached down deep to pull out a thrilling 27-24 victory over No. 20 Pacific Lutheran in a NCAA Division III first-round playoff game Saturday at rainy Maxwell Field.
Linfield (9-0), the Northwest Conference champion, advances to play North Central (Ill.) Nov. 24 at a site to be announced on Sunday. Though Linfield does expect to host a second-round game, official pairings won't be confirmed by the NCAA until Sunday. Kickoff will be noon local time.
Pacific Lutheran (7-3) came up just a bit short in its best season in many years. All three of the Lutes' losses came against playoff-qualifying teams, two were by the Wildcats.
The Lutes outgained the Wildcats in total yards, 339-249, had more first downs, 17-12, and controlled the ball for 33 of the game's 60 minutes. But five turnovers proved costly, three of which were subsequently and suddenly turned into touchdowns on the first or second play.
Mickey Inns passed for 210 yards but was held without a touchdown pass for the first time this season. Inns completed 22 of 35 attempts but suffered his first interception since the third week of the season – a 31-24 road victory over PLU.
The Wildcats had to overcome a brilliant performance by the Lutes' 6-foot-3 receiver Kyle Warner, who riddled the Linfield secondary for 12 catches and 205 yards. Warner was held without a touchdown on a day when PLU needed it most.
Linfield drew first blood when Josh Kay capped a 10-play drive with a 47-yard field goal at 7:13 of the first quarter.
PLU responded with its own scoring drive on the ensuing possession, moving 75 yards in eight plays to the end zone. Halfback Niko Madison swept 6 yards around left end as the Lutes took a 7-3 lead.
Linfield moved inside the red zone to the PLU 12-yard line but Inns was sacked by Doug Sullivan on third down and the Wildcats settled for a 42-yard field goal from Kay.
Linfield capitalized on a PLU miscue moments later. On the first play following the kickoff, Lutes quarterback Dalton Ritchey was stripped of the ball and Dominique Forrest recovered at the PLU 9. Two plays later, Chad Coburn ran straight ahead with the ball from the Wildcat formation, scooting 4 yards into the end zone. After Kay's extra point, Linfield led 13-7 with 6:13 left in the first quarter.
Forrest came up big once more, snagging a Richey pass at the PLU 36 to set up Linfield's next touchdown. Coburn again wriggled his way to paydirt from the four-back formation, scoring on a 1-yard run six plays later. The 'Cats led 20-7 with 3:22 left in the quarter.
The Lutes forced a turnover of their own, jarring the ball losse from tailback John Shaffer, but PLU's drive stalled when freshman tackle Marq Randall sacked Ritchey on a third-and-long play from the 35.
With steady rain falling throughout, both defenses dominated the first half as the team combined for five turnovers, three by the Lutes. Linfield outgained PLU 161-93 during the first two quarters.
PLU kept the pressure on the third quarter, driving 80 yards in seven plays after a punt to pull within 20-14. Ritchey passed 21 yards to Lucas Sontra with 8:30 left in the period. The Lutes put together another long drive following a punt, netting a 20-yard field goal from Jacob Schrader with 1:35 left in the third quarter. The Lutes saw their chance to take the lead thwarted when Ritchey's pass to Kellen Westering in the corner of the end zone was batted away by Colin Forman.
Inns and the Wildcats moved to the PLU 3, but Evan Peterson fumbled as he fought for extra yardage, momentarily taking the wind out of Linfield's sails. But on the first play following, Ritchey was picked off in open space by linebacker Tyler Robitaille, who waltzed 10 yards into the end zone and putting the hosts back in front by 10, 27-17.
The Lutes refused to fade, convert two fourth down plays, plus three third-down plays, on the way to Ritchey's 13-yard keeper around right end that trimmed the margin the 27-24.
PLU got the ball back at its own 22 with 1:33 left but had already expened all of their time outs. Ritchey was sacked on first down by Mike Maierhofer and on second down, the Wildcats were penalized 15 yards for a facemask after stopping Warner short of the first down. A 21-yard pass over the middle to Daniel Herr pushed the Lutes into Linfield territory. With the crowd on the edge of its seats, Ritchey was sacked by Bryan Dundas on the next play and on fourth and 16 from the 47, Ritchey threw incomplete, ending any remaining hope of a PLU upset.
Ritchey completed 22 of 33 passes for 284 yards but the sophomore was sacked six times on the day with Dundas and Maierhofer chalking up two each.
Forrest piled up a game-high 10 tackles to go with his interception and fumble return. Forman had seven tackles as well as a pair of fumble recoveries and a key pass breakup in the end zone. Robitaille was credited with six tackles along with his game-changing interception return for a touchdown.
'CAT SCRATCH: Saturday's paid attendance was 1,804. . . since 2009, the Wildcats are 9-0 in games played at Maxwell Field during the month of November. . . Inns suffered his first interception in seven games on the Wildcats' opening drive. . . the Lutes turned the ball over on the first or second play of drives four times. . . Linfield ran its win streak over PLU to 12 games. . . Linfield punter Josh Repp averaged 45 yards on five punts, including a 49-yarder that was downed at the PLU 9. . . Linfield is now 15-7 all-time in the NCAA playoffs and has reached the second round of the postseason tournament for the fourth straight year.
Linfield converts turnovers into points, beats PLU 27-24
|No. 20 Pacific Lutheran (7-3)
|No. 3 Linfield (10-0)
McMINNVILLE, Ore. – With its offense flagging and its conference rival driving for the winning score, third-ranked Linfield reached down deep to pull out a thrilling 27-24 victory over No. 20 Pacific Lutheran in a NCAA Division III first-round playoff game Saturday at rainy Maxwell Field.


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Making people aware of usages and advantages of a product is the chief purpose of a promotional staff in Green Point . Looks are essential for the promotional personnel, equally more important is associated qualities like good manners, friendliness and, patience transparency of deliberation and speech fundamentally all the facial appearance as a person that ultimately will make him a likable person for the target clients.
The mixture of attractive appearance and personable manners works wonders in captivating a positive impression from the clients. A crumb of awareness of the product being promoted also comes across as an added benefit in managing the work better.
Some people are content to stay in the same job their whole lives. They are happy to be doing what they do everyday, are satisfied with their role and do not aspire to any more. They may have important considerations in the other areas of their lives, or are simply not especially ambitious. Every company needs people who operate the routine jobs and are the backbone of the business.
But ideas, drive and dynamism are required to keep a business moving with the times and to keep ahead of the competition. Motivating staff and offering opportunities for advancement is an important part of the process of bringing this important resource into the business.
Promotion offers benefits in several ways.
- It demonstrates that the business is forward-thinking and prepared to reward enthusiasm and hard work. Staff need to know that they have a goal to work towards. If there is no goal a company can become stagnant and lacking in energy. People need an incentive to motivate them to achieve more.
- It rewards effort. When someone is motivated and innovative being promoted helps them feel valued and respected for their loyalty and effort. It reassures them of their value and encourages them to continue working hard. People will then come to work with a new lease of life, renewed pride in themselves and their role and a greater feeling of commitment.
- It moves us out of our comfort zone. Achieving additional successes beyond our job remit can be seen as a choice, something that we have volunteered to do. When we are promoted our role becomes more elevated and there comes with it the pressure to consistently do well, take on more responsibility and prove that the faith in us is warranted.
- It stops us from becoming bored or automated in our approach to our work. When we are promoted we are being rewarded to take on additional skills, rise to a new challenge and be more stretched and involved. There is no room for complacency at this time, we have to be alert and receptive to the new situation in which we find ourselves. This provides stress, but it is often the good stress of learning, developing and growing.
- Often businesses find that the new ideas come from introducing new blood into key roles. New staff may see things in different ways, ask questions about why things are done a certain way, suggest short cuts or alternative methods of working and procedures. Promoting good staff can bring valuable, fresh energy on board.
- When someone is promoted it reminds other staff that the potential is there to advance and be rewarded with success. This can re-invigorate the whole business and enthuse and energize staff. Hard work is seen to be worthwhile and appreciated.
Promotional Models For Field Marketing


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TOASTMASTERS CAN HELP YOU GET READY -TVjCChhaarlr*le s G. Steele, Executive Office partner: 28 At frequent intervals, the practice offices of Haskins & Sells are asked to provide speakers. Or an individual in any of those offices is invited to give a talk on short notice. The request may come from a school or college, a business organization, a civic group, or perhaps a radio station. The subjects can range from careers in accounting to income taxes to a complex federal regulation. Whatever the subject, those who ask H&S for a speaker expect the best. It is in the cards for almost everyone who spends more than a few years with the Firm to be called on, eventually, to face an audience. When your turn comes, will you be ready? Will you feel confident in standing up to speak before a large group of people, most of whom are strangers? Can you deliver your message clearly and effectively, without suffering the tortures of platform-fright? Can you field questions deftly, and give satisfactory answers? When it is over, will you be satisfied with your presentation? Will your listeners be glad they heard you? One of the best ways to make sure that the answer to these questions is "yes" is to take part in Toastmasters International, the worldwide organization devoted to self-improvement in public speaking. A good many partners and managers in the Firm have trained themselves in Toast-masters, and the consensus among them is that they have benefited from it and enjoyed it. There is a Toastmasters club in or near almost every city and town where H&S professionals work or live. If there are several clubs in one area, a person interested in joining can visit the meetings of several clubs in "I found that my experience in Toastmasters in Detroit (1958-61) helped me develop confidence in appearing before audiences, and practice, particularly in extemporaneous speaking, helped to build confidence." turn and select the one that suits him or her best, according to the convenience of its meeting place and time or the conviviality of its members. In fact, there are roughly 3,500 Toastmasters clubs in the United States (and more in a dozen other countries), and every large city has a good many clubs from which to select. In Toastmasters the members (men and women, despite the masculine sound of the name) learn by doing. Everyone takes his or her turn delivering prepared speeches of five to seven minutes in length, following a prescribed plan to develop various speaking skills. A member is also called on to give talks of one to two minutes' length with no advance warning. Everyone serves as evaluator, on his feet in front of the club, following the prepared speech given by another member. And everyone is subjected to an evaluation from a fellow member. As the weeks pass, each member also serves as Toastmaster (chairman) of the meeting, and in that position gains experience as a master of ceremonies responsible for making the meeting run on schedule. The Toast-master calls the meeting to order, introduces the speakers, leads the applause and in general sets the tone of the session. In addition, members rotate as general evaluator of the entire meeting, with the task of commenting on how well the speech evaluators, the Toast-master for the day and various others have performed. Clearly, by the time you have attended a dozen weekly (or biweekly) meetings of a Toastmasters club, you have practiced expressing yourself orally before a group in a number of different roles. In doing so, anyone is bound to grow both in ability and in self-
Object Description
Toastmasters can help you get ready
Steele, Charles G.
Bozo, Frank
Toastmasters Club
Speeches, addresses, etc.
|Personal Name
Steele, Charles G.
Harris, Will
Haskins & Sells. Executive Office
Haskins & Sells. Omaha Office
H&S Reports, Vol. 13, (1976 autumn), p. 28-32
|Originally published by: Haskins & Sells
|Copyright and permission to republish held by: Deloitte; Illustrations by Frank, Bozo
|PDF page image with corrected OCR scanned at 400 dpi
|Deloitte Digital Collection
|Digital Publisher
|University of Mississippi Library. Accounting Collection
|Date-Digitally Created


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Clarke: Don't barrack Odemwingie
Steve Clarke has urged West Brom supporters not to let their feelings towards striker Peter Odemwingie affect their backing for the team in Saturday's home clash with Sunderland.
Clarke confirmed Odemwingie is part of his plans to face the Black Cats, returning to favour after his Twitter rants against the club and the bitter on-off transfer saga with QPR last month. Head coach Clarke knows some supporters will be in no mood to forgive Odemwingie but he has asked them to put any negativity towards the Nigeria international to one side.
Clarke said: "I understand some of the supporters might not want to forgive Peter quickly but, when they go to the stadium, all I ask is they support the team."
He added: "If Peter scores a hat-trick and they choose not to celebrate Peter's goals, they should celebrate the fact that the team have scored.
"All we can ask is that the supporters support the team and don't allow their feelings over one player to over-ride the fact that the support has been great this year, home and away."
Clarke admitted Albion's shortage of options means Odemwingie will play again this season.
He said: "We've had a couple of little chats but nothing in-depth and he knows the situation.
"He knows he needs to work hard and he has to be ready for his opportunity when it comes and, for sure, it will come, because we only carry a small squad.
"Will he be considered for Saturday? Absolutely. I've got 20 players available and he'll be involved with the 20 players."
PA Media


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Latest News
Webkinz: Stuffed animals take on virtual lives of their own
When the little girl found out that Apricot Lane in Kansas City's Town Center Plaza had sold all of its Webkinz, she threw herself on the floor and cried, right there in the store.
"She had been to three different stores," said owner Sheri Bell, recalling the girl's tears. "They save up their allowances for them. I can't even tell you the devastation on their faces. It's horrible."
A lot of grade-schoolers feel like crying when they learn that stores are virtually Webkinz-less at the moment, all sold out of the tiny, $11 stuffed animals made by Canadian toymaker Ganz. Some stores don't expect new shipments until the end of April, if even then.
This isn't a weird plush passion. Though a lot of Webkinz just went on spring break with their owners, the toys aren't the entire draw.
Each comes with a secret code granting access to the interactive Webkinz World of virtual reality.
That's where the toys come alive in cartoon form. Kids adopt them, then build lives for them _ feeding them, dressing them, furnishing rooms for them.
"You can do lots of stuff with them," said 8-year-old Katharine Chester, a third-grader and proud owner of three Webkinz.
Not since Beanie Babies have parents and retailers seen a craze like this. Ganz reports sales of more than 2 million Webkinz since April 2005. Some of those Webkinz cats, dogs and frogs showed up in Easter baskets around town earlier this month.
"It seems that everybody has one now," said Melissa Goldenberg in Leawood, Kan., whose three daughters own about a dozen Webkinz. "You go to a birthday party and that's what people are giving and getting."
Retailers had no idea they were about to ride a wave of hysteria when they put Webkinz out last year. Last August at Apricot Lane, owner Bell had a basket of them. They sat, unsold, for weeks. She soon thought about donating them to charity.
Then, before Christmas, sales picked up, and they soared higher after the holidays.
"If I knew then what I know now ..." said Bell, who calls Ganz every day to track her next shipment.
About a month ago, the phone started ringing at Ferrell's Hallmark Gold Crown store in Lenexa, Kan.
Do you have Webkinz?
"We've had an order in for over a month, and we can't get them in," manager Lola Belknap said. "The demand is bigger than what the factory can take care of."
Katharine Chester was the first student that computer teacher Chris Trotta saw playing with a Webkinz.
"What is that?" Trotta asked as Katharine started spending after-school computer club time playing the games at webkinz.com.
It was a new virtual world for kids, joining the already popular Club Penguin, where kids play with virtual penguins. Today, the Webkinz and Club Penguin sites each boast more than a million visitors every month.
In Webkinz World, kids earn virtual Kinz cash to spend on their pets by playing arcade games, answering trivia questions and taking jobs from the Employment Office.
Seeing how engaged Katharine became in Webkinz World, Trotta, like other teachers around town, bought some for the school. Tommy Boy the cat, Jumper the frog and the others live in a bin marked "Webkinz" in the computer lab.
"I'm always looking for things for girls," Trotta said. "Around the age of fifth grade, it seems that girls tend to lose interest in just-fun computer things.
"They still use computers for schoolwork and such, but they don't just use it for fun activities. And boys are involved forever in computer games."
Turns out, though, that Webkinz are just as popular with the boys. During a recent session of Trotta's computer club, 9-year-old John Rosher played in Webkinz World with his frog, Toado.
John wanted a Webkinz, "because everybody had them."
He showed off nine rooms in Toado's house, including the game room he furnished with an air hockey table.
"Dude, where'd you get that?" a boy sitting nearby asked, pointing to a tropical plant shooting sparks in one of Toado's rooms.
John had just won $175 worth of Kinz cash by making hamburgers, a job that boosted his Webkinz spending account to $1,603.
"You have $1,000, John?" 9-year-old Izzy Laskero asked from two computers down. "I have $8,000!"
"I don't know how you guys get all this money," Trotta said, overhearing the exchange. "Don't you have to feed your pets?"
Yes, they do. In Webkinz World, children have to set spending priorities. New shoes or food for the pet?
A virtual Webkinz gets sick when ignored. It's Health/Happiness/Hunger meter plummets.
When store owner Sheri Bell's daughter got her first Webkinz before Halloween last year, she stuffed it with her favorite foods _ virtual cookies, cakes, hamburgers.
"But one day she signed on and his face was blue with a thermometer in his mouth, and she had to take him to the clinic," Bell said.
Parents applaud life lessons like that delivered in a virtual world they say is kid-friendly and kid-safe.
"I feel like they're learning a lot of tools," Goldenberg said. "Right now, it feels like a safe thing for them to be doing."
Even, she said, when her daughters send e-mails to their friends in Webkinz World. Chat-room exchanges are limited to pre-composed messages, benign as "I hope your day is completely cool!" Messages can be sent only between friends who know each other's secret user names.
Trotta, the teacher, likes that games on the site with names like Wheel of Wow and Quizzy's Question Corner are non violent.
Still, some parents are more excited than others. Josh Reid, the father of three grade-school girls, works at Chic A' Dees Trophy in Overland Park, Kan., where names are put on a waiting list for the next Webkinz shipment.
Reid hasn't bought one for his daughters. "We try to keep an eye on what they take in their brains," he said.
"It's like anything else. It's something a parent can purchase and sit their down in front of the computer for a couple of hours and not worry about them. It'd be something neat for a parent to share with their kids. But I don't think that's happening."
Oh, but it does. And some parents get so hooked on the Webkinz games through their kids that they log on when the kids aren't around.
"I didn't realize how much I have been playing the games on there until today, when their Web site has been down all day!" one cyberspace blogger confessed.
Adults, too, are fueling a hot secondary market for Webkinz. Adults who beat the kids to the stores are selling the animals on eBay, sometimes for twice their retail value. Late last week the online auction site listed more than 10,000 Webkinz items for sale.
One man recently bought $366 worth of Webkinz at Ferrell's Hallmark in Lenexa. That's why that store's manager and others are considering purchase limits.
"We don't want adults buying them to sell them on eBay when there are so many kids saving up their allowances," Apricot Lane owner Bell said.
And oh, what a child won't do for a Webkinz.
One little boy in Belknap's Hallmark store pulled a $20 bill out of his pocket to buy one.
"You must have worked hard to earn that,'" she told him.
Yes, the boy said.
I had to fold my mother's underwear.


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Listening to the news that the Corps of Engineers was stopping the water releases into the St. Lucie and reducing discharges into the Caloosahatchee River I thought, "oh thank you!" Our government at work helping us.
In my non-PC opinion the news report should read: the rains have stopped. We are only going to allow the poisoning of your environment and economy for just awhile longer, at least slow way down till next summer so we can continue to protect sugar at all costs while slowly destroying The Everglades eco system, two rivers, and their associated marine systems at their outflows along with the long term negative effect on Florida Bay and The Keys.
Now there is a plan for a lake or water retention areas? Buy land not buy land? There is one solution; the water must flow south as was intended by the creator. There is one thing for sure without continuing public pressure, change if any, will come slowly.
Article Photos
Capt. GeorgeTunison
Fewer rains and discharges seem to be reflected in the current red tide report from the FWC.
Karenia brevis, the Florida red tide organism, was measured in water samples collected this week ranging from background to very low concentrations at several locations in, along and offshore of Pinellas County south to Lee County.
Tables and maps of sample results are available on their web site: (myfwc.com/research/redtide/events/status/statewide/).
The website also provides links to additional information related to the topic of Florida red tide including satellite imagery, experimental red tide forecasts, shellfish harvesting areas, the FWC Fish Kill Hotline, the Florida Poison Information Center (to report human health effects related to exposure to red tide), and other wildlife related hotlines: (myfwc.com/research/redtide/events/status/contact/).
Lionfish are back in the news again and it will be interesting to see what comes out of the big lionfish summit held at Coco Beach that ended this past Thursday.
"The expansion of lionfish populations represents a serious threat to marine ecosystems in Florida," said FWC executive director Nick Wiley. "Dealing with this highly invasive, nonnative species and the negative impacts on our environment and economy will require a strong cooperative effort among government agencies and affected stakeholders.
Native to the Indo-Pacific region, lionfish were first spotted in Florida waters in the mid-1980s. In recent years, their numbers have increased dramatically and their population has spread throughout the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico and up the Atlantic coast of the United States. Lionfish have no natural predators in our waters, and they eat and compete for food with native species, including economically important species such as snapper and grouper.
As stated before, do not touch a lionfish as you will be stung by its beautiful, flowery, poisonous 5-10-inch quills that extend all around its body. If you are stung immerse the affected part in very hot water and have a friend tightly squeeze any unaffected body part with Channel Locks to take your mind off the lionfish sting. It can be pretty bad, I know.
Any lionfish should be removed with a dip net or spear. Florida Sportsman Magazine showed a great recipe for them.
If gearing up for trout choose a light to med-light, 6 1/2 to 7-foot graphite rod with a smaller quality reel fully loaded with 15-pound braid line. Attach a 36-inch piece of 15-20-pound quality fluorocarbon leader material to your main line with no swivel using a back-to-back Uni-knot. When casting a spoon use a tiny 35-pound rated SPRO swivel before your leader.
Capt. George Tunison is a Cape Coral resident fishing guide. Contact him at 239-282-9434 or firstname.lastname@example.com, or www.flyingfinssportfishing.com.


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A book and a blanket on the sand would be enough to enjoy a getaway to Palm Coast and the Flagler County beaches, but one also should arrive with a thirst for shopping, history and the outdoors.
Hiking, camping and kayaking opportunities abound in Flagler County's roughly 570 square miles, enough incentive to explore beyond the dunes.
Although Flagler has been overshadowed as a tourist destination by world-famous Daytona Beach to the south and historic St. Augustine to the north, such diversions have turned the county into a quiet gem that recalls Old Florida spots that preceded Walt Disney's landscape-changing Central Florida arrival in 1971.
Flagler Beach, the county's centerpiece tourist stop, welcomes visitors with a signature landmark that makes it easy to visualize the laid-back lifestyle.
About 3 miles east of Interstate 95, Flagler Beach Municipal Pier is hard to miss with the city's name emblazoned in yellow block letters atop a weather-beaten A-frame. It houses a bait shop and restaurant, where fishing and tide reports are updated on a chalkboard for anglers who pay $6 for a day's fishing on the 800-foot pier.
Along State Road A1A, two larger chalkboards are available for visitors to scribble their own messages. Even without a fishing pole, guests can stroll on the pier for $1.50, the better to ogle the day's big catches along with sea gulls, pelicans and other birds interested in a free meal.
That unassuming style helped make Flagler Beach a finalist in Budget Travel magazine's "Coolest Small Town contest" in 2013, praised by the magazine as an area that "seems to attract more sea turtles and right whales than spring breakers." Flagler Beach also was honored by Where to Retire magazine as one of the top retirement spots in Florida in a 2012 poll.
The Atlantic waves always have been a magnet for surfers, but even without a board, one can catch the vibe at High Tides at Snack Jack (snackjacks.com). Perched on a dune near the southern border of Flagler Beach on A1A, Snack Jack has been a surfer hangout since 1950, and diners nosh on steamed shrimp — cash only — at rustic benches on a windblown deck.
North on A1A, a few blocks from the pier, Oceanside Beach Bar & Grill (oceansideflagler.com) offers American, Italian and Southern-style favorites prepared by a family with roots in the Flagler Beach restaurant business since 1989.
For another taste of local history, artifacts from prehistoric times to the space program are displayed at the Flagler Beach Historical Museum (flaglerbeachmuseum.com).
Although a cozy, one-room building in the middle of the city's pedestrian-friendly business district, the museum is packed with interesting tidbits: Timucuan Indian trinkets; photos of Charles Lindbergh on a visit to Flagler Beach in 1931; and a Flagler Beach flag that traveled aboard space shuttle Endeavour with astronaut Scott Kelly, whose parents live in the city.
There's another history museum in Bunnell, where Holden House opens to visitors on Wednesday afternoons. Built in 1918, Holden House is now operated by the Flagler County Historical Society. It's about a 10-mile drive inland from Flagler Beach.
Within walking distance of the Flagler Beach museum, meanwhile, are shops that sell everything from ukuleles to health food, galleries featuring the work of local artists and a bookstore that specializes in fiction by Florida authors.
If window-shopping isn't strenuous enough, you can burn off calories by hiking or paddling on the Intracoastal Waterway at Gamble Rogers State Recreation Area, just south of Snack Jack. Or head north on A1A past the blink-and-you-miss-them destinations of Beverly Beach and Hammock to smell the roses, literally, at Washington Oaks Gardens State Park in Palm Coast, where landscaped gardens showcase azaleas and camellias under the shelter of an oak hammock.
The park's rose garden is part of ornamental plant and fruit orchards designed by Louise Young, wife of the property's original owner, Owen D. Young, a businessman who built a winter retreat there in the late 1930s. Now the garden features Gold Medal and Ingrid Bergman red roses, among other varieties.
Across A1A, Washington Oaks offers less fragile diversions, such as camping next to the ocean, where coquina rocks accent the sea oats that border the beach.
Just north of Washington Oaks, the ocean also is the backdrop for Marineland Dolphin Adventure (marineland.net). That's the latest incarnation of the historic Marineland park that opened in 1938. The colder months are prime viewing season for endangered northern right whales that migrate south from December through March to Florida's Atlantic coast between Jacksonville and Cape Canaveral.
In 2006, Marineland reopened as an affiliate of the Georgia Aquarium to offer a variety of programs that allow guests to touch, feed, swim and communicate with dolphins. Cost of the interactive programs starts at $29, but visitors can watch the dolphins for general admission of $9.95 adults, $5.95 for age 12 and younger.
Like the rest of Flagler County, the park has found a way to keep its history from growing old.
firstname.lastname@example.com or 407-420-6213
Flagler County's state parks
Gamble Rogers Memorial State Recreation Area, 3100 S. S.R. A1A, Flagler Beach: On the southern border of Flagler Beach, this 145-acre park features nature trails; boat ramps; canoe and kayak rentals; a full-facility campground; and picnic pavilions with a view of wildlife on the Intracoastal Waterway. Beach access also is available. Hours: 8 a.m.-sundown daily. Cost: $5 per vehicle. Visit floridastateparks.org/gamblerogers.
Washington Oaks Gardens State Park, 6400 N. S.R. A1A, Palm Coast: This state park, roughly 9 miles north of the Flagler Pier, features formal gardens with native and exotic plants as well as fishing on the Matanzas River. On the beach side, the park offers wide beaches accented by famous coquina-rock formations. Hours: 8 a.m.-sundown daily. Cost: $5 per vehicle. Visit washingtonoaks.org.
Bulow Plantation Ruins Historic State Park, Old Kings Road between Old Dixie Highway and State Road 100, Flagler Beach: The park is on the site of a working plantation destroyed in the Second Seminole War in 1836. The ruins include a coquina sugar mill; foundations of the plantation house and slave quarters; a walking trail; picnic areas; and canoe rentals to explore Bulow Creek. Visit floridastateparks.org/bulowplantation
If you go
Palm Coast and the Flagler beaches
What: Roughly 570 square miles bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Putnam County to the west, Volusia County to the south and St. Johns County to the north, Flagler County is known for its beaches, fishing and outdoor activities.
Getting there: Flagler Beach, the county's centerpiece, is roughly 3 miles east of Interstate 95 at State Road 100, roughly 90 miles north of Orlando and 68 miles south of Jacksonville. The Flagler beaches are bordered by St. Augustine to the north and Ormond Beach to the south.
Accommodations and activities: Flagler County features a variety of hotels, from locally owned bed-and-breakfasts, cabins and furnished apartments to national chain hotels. The area is known for its fishing, surfing, shopping and outdoor activities at Gamble Rogers Memorial State Recreation Area in Flagler Beach and Washington Oaks Gardens State Park in Palm Coast. Visit palmcoastandtheflaglerbeaches.com for details.