text:
Vladivostok Casinos
Vladivostok Casino Information
Vladivostok, Russia has 7 casinos in which you'll find more than 9,088 slots and gaming machines.
There are a total of 1383 table games. Click a casino on the left for more information on a particular property.
There is poker in Vladivostok! You will find over 2 live poker tables to play at. You will find the following games in Vladivostok casinos: Blackjack, Roulette, Baccarat, Slot machines, Craps, Pai Gow, Sic Bo, Community/Multi-Player Slots, Casino Hold'em Poker, Russian Poker, No Limit Holdem, Texas Hold'em.
Largest Casinos in Vladivostok
The largest casino in Vladivostok, Russia according to gaming machines and table games put together, is Selena World Resort & Casino. It has 2590 gaming machines and 500 tables games.
You can contact the Selena World Resort & Casino at . The Selena World Resort & Casino is located at Vladivostok, Primorsky Krai, Russia.
Visit the Selena World Resort & Casino information page for more details on this casino.
The second largest casino in Vladivostok would be Sun Casino & Resort - Selena World with 2176 gaming machines / table games.
The largest casino in Vladivostok, Russia according to square footage is the Phoenix Resort Casino Primorye, with 80,000 square feet of casino gambling space.
Visit the Phoenix Resort Casino Primorye information page for more details on this casino.
There are currently no news regarding Vladivostok.
Check out our other gambling news.
Something went wrong. Please try refreshing the page.
Vladivostok Casino Stats
|Table games:
|Slot machines:
|Poker tables:
|Total Casino sq/ft:
|157,500 sq/ft
Vladivostok Casino Map
Click here for a bigger map with directions to casinos: Vladivostok Casino Map
Vladivostok Casino News
Click here for full page:
Vladivostok Casino News


text: Contents IT Operations Management Previous Topic Next Topic Alert monitoring Subscribe Log in to subscribe to topics and get notified when content changes. ... SAVE AS PDF Selected Topic Topic & Subtopics All Topics in Contents Share Alert monitoring Alert generation and remediation can be monitored from the Event Management dashboards, alert console, and alert timeline. The Alerts Console shows incoming alerts for discovered business services, manual services, technical services, alert groups, and correlated alert groups. The Event Management Dashboard displays the health of services. It consolidates alert information about discovered business services, manual services, technical services, and alert groups. Additional information is available on the business service map, impact tree, and timeline. If Service Analytics is activated, additional information about automated alert groups is also available. The Overview dashboard displays reports on active alerts. You can drill down to individual alerts from these reports. Monitor service healthOn the Event Management dashboard, you can view alerts by business service, manual service, technical service, and alert group. For services, you can also open a business service map to view relationships between CIs in the service.Create a customized dashboard viewYou can create a customized dashboard view and save it as a favorite link in the navigation tree.Monitor and manage alertsAlerts can be monitored and managed from the alerts console.View alert impact on CIs in a business service mapThe business service map shows active alerts for CIs and the relationships between CIs. The business service map is available for both discovered services and manual services. View discovered service historyThe discovered service history shows the frequency of discovered services for a particular time period. View the impact treeThe impact tree shows the relationships between CIs and the relative percentage impact for each child CI. This information is available for both discovered services and manual services. How alerts work with CIs in maintenanceWhen a CI is in maintenance, the impact tree, the business service map, and Alerts tab are updated based on various factors.Use the Event Management overview dashboardFrom the Overview dashboard for Event Management, you can view and edit reports on active alerts, such as the state of current alerts, the CIs with the most alerts, and alert incidents by severity. On this page Send Feedback Previous Topic Next Topic

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Leduc Transit provides easy access to the airport from the City of Leduc. Take Bus #3 or Bus #10 to travel to EIA.
Bus #3 - Once at the terminal if you wish to travel into airport city and visit the Premium Outlet Collection-EIA then you can hop on an On-Airport Transit bus to travel around airport city. Bus #10 makes a stop at the terminal as well as the Premium Outlet Collection-EIA.


text:
Today we played a new game that proved to be a lot of fun. The group then decided to begin work on Act I Scene ii, beginning with Prospero and Miranda. The participants who have been in the group for awhile have clearly been giving this play a lot of thought. When I asked them what the scene looked like in their heads, several of them suggested that everything should be made out of materials salvaged from the boat in which Prospero and Miranda were wrecked – barrels fashioned into chairs, a tent or their roof made of sails. These are great ideas, and we're going to see what we can do about representing them in our performance.
We went through the scene very slowly to make sure that the participants fully understood all of their lines, and it is a testament to the group that no one got impatient with this approach. We talked about clues in the text – why does Prospero need to ask Miranda to sit down twice? Why does he repeatedly ask her if she's paying attention? The group tossed around several ideas about this, and the participant playing Miranda is going to try some different things until she finds what works for her.
After going painstakingly through a good portion of the scene this way, one of the participants suggested that we go back and let the women on stage go through what we'd done without interruptions. We did this, and it went very well, but the group was concerned that there wasn't enough movement and it would be boring for an audience. We talked about ways to incorporate some movement that would still seem natural, and then one participant suggested that perhaps the other actors, dressed as "spirit versions" of the other characters, could act out the story that Prospero tells in a different area of the stage. That way, even audience members who might have trouble following the language could understand what he is talking about. I saw a lot of eyes light up at this suggestion, and mine probably did, too. We are definitely going to use this approach to the scene.
I made sure at this point that everyone knows that any conceptual ideas like that are completely welcome and encouraged. This is their show, and I want them to own it. They are absolutely growing in that direction.


text:
Cookie Notification
We use cookies to help improve our website and your experience. Carry on browsing if you are happy with this, or find out how to manage your cookie settings.
AES is committed to making a positive contribution to society, in the workplace and communities in which we operate. We're privileged to be able to provide education and development opportunities for young people through our long-standing Youth Development Programmes. AES is investing significantly to ensure that we have the highly productive and skilled workforce required to power our industry in the future.
AES works in our local communities to "grow our future talent". We believe in foraging strong links and partnerships with local educational bodies that benefit the local community. We bring young interested people into our company, helping them develop their interest, knowledge and expertise. Our education initiatives and programmes help us to foster a pool of young people who are already aware of and suited to the culture and job roles required to keep the lights on in the future.
We run a highly competitive apprenticeship programme across Ballylumford and Kilroot Power Stations in Northern Ireland.
Apprentices participating in the three year accredited course receive a Business and Technology Education Council (BTEC) Level 3 Qualification and meaningful experience to prepare them for a career in the associated field. We support them through a further Improver Year, enabling apprentices to achieve a Foundation Degree Course. The vast majority of AES apprentices go on to secure a permanent job after completing their apprenticeship programme. Most stay with AES, a fact of which we are immensely proud as we see these young people as the future leaders of our business.
AES offers a series of year-long, paid work placements for undergraduate and graduate students across Ballylumford and Kilroot Power Stations.
In 2015 AES is supporting eleven undergraduate students, placed in various departments across the business. These placements are often a crucial stepping stone for local young people, offering vocational training and relevant experience in the field associated with their degree. Undergraduate placements are currently available for students interested in Chemical Engineering, Electrical Engineering and Mechanical Engineering.
AES is currently delivering the Northern Ireland Department for Employment and Learning's new Computing and Engineering Scholarship Programme (CESP), hosting engineering undergraduates from Queen's University Belfast and the University of Ulster.
Our paid Graduate Programme builds on this success, bringing back selected Undergraduate Programme participants for a further year of development following their graduation. These young people are able to develop enhanced skills and take on a wide range of projects and responsibilities.
Undergraduate and Graduate Programme participants enjoy a high level of employment after university, and many stay with AES in permanent roles following the end of the programmes.
Practical experience of the day to day work of a power plant can be the opportunity young people need to inspire a successful Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) career. We provide a programme of outreach in local schools, to encourage the study of STEM subjects and raise awareness of potential careers in our industry.
Our programme is delivered by AES people across all departments, and includes:
AES UK & Ireland is a subsidiary of The AES Corporation.
Copyright © 2017 AES UK & Ireland. All rights reserved.
Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without the express written permission of AES UK & Ireland is prohibited.
View our Cookie Policy


text:
Listing ID: 109880
110 SQM Residential Lot for Sale in one of the most exclusive housing project of Crown Communities, an affiliated company fo Vista Land. Meditteranean inspired; Developed Subdivision located at Basak, Mactan, Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu.
Please call or text 09176340970 to schedule lot viewing and look for Rose/Sheryl. Offer price PHP12,500 per sqm. Negotiable. Clean title.
Take advantage and develop your dreamhouse in this exclusive gated community. Easily accessible by public transportation. Less than 30 mins. away from the international airport. Very near hospitals, international schools, markets and malls. Less than 30 mins. away from first class hotels and resorts in Mactan Island.


text:
We have a team of board certified physicians supported by trained staff to provide the best primary preventive care to the patients. Our physicians have earned a reputation in the healthcare industry for their clinical expertise.
At Medical Associates, we use latest healthcare technology to deliver effective medical care. We specialize in primary medical care, preventive care, annual physicals, and more. The ultimate goal of our healthcare team is to provide medical counsel and care to help you live well.
List of our certified professionals include Dr. Rajesh Raina, the founder of Medical Associates who has completed his Residency at the University of Medicine and Dentistry. He was also elected as "Chief of the Department of Medicine" while working in Escanaba, MI.
Dr. Marc Rybstein, specialized Cardiologist with many board certifications and Dr. Laura Rivera, board certified family physician.


text:
What Did We Do?
Darkness Dwells was a continuation on the game developed by Scott Anastasi the trimester before this. In that game, you played a child seeing monsters appear and finding comfort in your parents presence. For this project, we took that game and built it into a horror game where you have to try and keep the monsters out, only using your flashlight. The player had to try and stop three monsters, Longtooth (in the closet), The Gremlin (on the rocking horse) and UnderBed (take a wild guess). Each monster required a different tactic to handle. But there was another factor. There is also a radio that speeds up the rate of which the monsters appear that the player had to turn off.
What Went Well?
During this project our team performed really well in all fields. We communicated often and clearly about what we were working on and when. We discussed changes with each other and made sure we compromised if not all agreed. As project manager I tried to make sure that everyone had something to do at all times, and often tried to tie that into the specialization that that person wanted to use.
As a team we worked closely together with two animators that made the main character models for us. We treated them well and made sure to give them proper feedback and the praise they required. There was large amounts of trust between the game developers and the collaborators, and I think that the trust we had for work to get done was a crucial part for the games completion. We could not have been where we are today without their splendid work.
We used project management tools such as Hack'N'Plan and development schedules with excellency in order to get work done on time, with great success. We scoped when necessary and managed to pivot and change upon feedback with ease.
In my opinion the teams marketing was fantastically executed. We made up a plan, and acted upon it. At the point I am writing this, the game page on itch.io has 1278 views and 342 downloads, as well as being the number 3 most popular game on itch.io. We have had several people play the game and upload the video to youtube where it has received high praise.
What Didn't Go Well?
This game has been my second game as a project manager, and there was a lot that went wrong with it. I enjoy being project manager, but I believe that some of the things that went wrong was that a) no one really wanted to be project manager from the start, so I stepped in just because we needed one, and b) I didn't feel super engaged with the project for a while, so I found it difficult to do much work for it.
Nevertheless, I pushed through my feelings and tried to do my best, and it started off pretty good in my opinion. However, I as a person am very passive, and I don't make a lot of noise when things go against my preference, so when team members started going off the schedule or started giving orders to other members, I didn't really speak up, making it feel like I wasn't actually the project manager.
In order to better myself for future projects, I need to speak up more. I need to start taking a stand if roles or schedules are strafed away from, and make sure we end up where we want to be. I need to try and be more inspiring and helpful, while making sure everyone does the work they're supposed to do.
What Did I Learn?
Working on Darkness Dwells made me learn a whole heap about what being a generalist means. I got to take care of Localization, UI, Options, and many other things I haven't touched as much before (except for UI). It was a very enriching experience and helped me accept that I am a game designer as well as generalist, instead of trying to find a specialisation.
This project taught me a whole bunch of useful information about marketing that I had no experience with before. I now know how to find a market and make a game that panders to that market, as well as creating a brand/identity and promote all of that on social media. I learned about price points and about making assumptions and researching those assumptions for the selected market.


text:
Last November, we went to Taiwan for two weeks and we did a road trip around the island and it was fabulous ! The weather, the people.. and the food, oh the food…. it was just amazing ! We landed in Taipei and we started to drive clockwise around the island.
The flight from Manchester to Taipei airport was a long one, and the 4 hours stop over in Dubai were a bit painful. I thought Emirates was a good airline company, but I have to admit that the service was really poor on that flight and we had to wait almost 2 hours before getting a bit of water. Our seats were broken and we couldn't lower them.. so it was impossible for me to fall asleep ! Thankfully, they had a good selection of tv shows and films 🙂 All the hostesses seem overwhelmed and didn't really know how to handle such a big plane. People were a bit drunk because they served free alcohol. When I went to Singapore I used Quatar airline and I think this company is ten times better for the same price.
Our flight landed in Taipei end of afternoon, and we picked up of car at the car rental company. Everything was smooth but the traffic around Taipei was horrendous. People don't follow any code, they overtake you from left and right, and sometimes at the same time. It is very scary. And then you have the moppets… driving from everywhere without paying much attention. Most of the information is in mandarin or Hokkien, which turns out to be quite difficult for people who don't speak these languages. I was glad to have my personal guide with me, aka my boyfriend, so the experience was more pleasurable. I think it can be very difficult to get around if you only speak English.
We arrived in Keelong quite tired after such a long journey and checked in our hotel. It was already late that night, and raining as well, but we really needed food so we headed for the center.
Keelung is located in the North East of Taiwan and is called the Rainy Port, for obvious reasons. Keekung has a famous Night Market called Miao Kou (基隆夜市–廟口夜市) located a few minutes walk from the train station, in the area surrounding the Dianji Temple (奠濟宮). Night markets are popular around Taiwan, with more than 100 of them and are quite homogenous in their setup, with lanterns lining the store fronts. Even if the name "night" suggests they only open at night, most of them are also open during the day. With little space to cook at home, people prefer to head out almost every night to buy cheap snacks. I can honestly say that I ate the best street food of my life in Taiwan.
The Miao Kou Night Market is famous for its seafood. The milk crab and stirred fried king crab legs are popular but i found the food quite expensive compared to other night markets around Taiwan, probably because it is quite touristy. In the "local" side of the markets, prices were more affordable.. ranging from £0.50 to £1 😉
I realise I didn't take that many pictures that first evening but don't worry, the rest is better documented 😉


text:
Golden State Warriors big man Marreese Speights was busted for driving under the influence early Tuesday morning after celebrating his 27th birthday in Tampa. Per the Bay Area News Group:
Speights was arrested at 3:31 a.m. ET and later submitted to two tests showing breath alcohol content levels of .103 and .106 percent, according to the incident log. Florida's unlawful breath alcohol level is .08 or above.
Speights became involved in a traffic stop due to a failure to yield right of way while pulling out of a driveway in a black 2012 Bentley, according to the incident log. An officer detected indicators of impairment, and after Speights agreed to roadside field sobriety exercises, the player was arrested and transported to a breath testing facility.
The 6-foot-10 Speights, who according to the incident report was cooperative, was booked and later released from Hillsborough County Orient Road Jail on $500 bond, according to Tampa police. […] "We are aware of Marreese Speights' arrest this morning on DUI charges in Florida and are in the process of obtaining additional information," a statement issued by the Warriors read, citing an ongoing legal matter in declining further comment.


text:
A delicate heart shape is soldered onto a dainty rose gold chain.
This feminine necklace is great for layering or added onto our initial Love Letter necklaces as a charm.
Customize your own crew necklace with various initials or a word and choose their placement. $150 per additional letter. Please specify the initials desired in the comment box upon checkout.
Heart measures approximately 6mm long
Necklace measures 16" long with adjustment at 15" and 14"
14k rose Gold
Returns will be accepted for exchange, anzie.com credit or refund for up to 14 business days from the date of receipt. If an item is returned after 14 days but prior to 30 business days, only an exchange or merchandise credit will be granted. Shipping and duty charges will not be credited upon return of merchandise. *Exceptions may apply. View Terms & Conditions for full details.
Enjoy free standard shipping & returns on orders of $100 or more before taxes. Returns are accepted within 14 days of receipt (exclusions may apply). For more details, please refer to our return policy.


text:
RYA Course - Improving Techniques Sailing Lessons
This is a two day course to help RYA Level 2 sailors to further develop their skills.
Seamanship skills to performance sailing
The course covers seamanship skills, day sailing, spinnakers, start racing and performance sailing.
Flexible course dates
Course dates can be arranged with us in advance, however, due to the nature of the sport, moderate to strong winds are required and the course days may have to be changed at short notice.
RYA Improving Techniques Sailing Lessons
cost per person: £160.00
To arrange your RYA Improving Techniques sailing course, please contact us directly.


text:
Supporters across north London couldn't resist after Southampton's thrashing of the Gunners on Saturday afternoon.
It's possible that Tottenham Hotspur fans enjoyed Arsenal's 4-0 loss on Boxing Day more than Gunners fans hated it.
The same old flaws affected Arsene Wenger's men: a poor mentality, failing when it matters most and a lack of squad depth that was once again exposed.
Alan Sugar couldn't resist the opportunity to mock Arsenal on Twitter as a result, despite once again insisting Wenger is the best manager in the Premier League.
And Tottenham supporters themselves were full of festive cheer on social media, too. Who wouldn't celebrate such a wondrous gift from their greatest rivals?
Spurs are now just four points behind Arsenal and, during this crazy Premier League season, anything is possible. History suggests the Gunners will once again finish above their north London foes - but this is a more solid Tottenham team than in the past.
And, as badly as Arsenal have faltered before, there have been few falls from grace as spectacular as their 4-0 thumping at Southampton. After beating Norwich City 3-0 on the same day, Tottenham supporters felt they had a right to brag; many did on Twitter...
Merry Christmas "Specialist in failure" @Arsenal @SpursOfficial #THFC #COYS pic.twitter.com/ntwYVjRVJf— Toby Bilton (@toggytobes) December 27, 2015
With Arsenal getting thumped as well it turned out to be a great day #coys #THFC #shameaboutthearsenal https://t.co/LLId4dyOFF— James Cooper (@JimmyBCooper) December 27, 2015
When Arsenal get smashed and Harry Kane bags a brace #THFC #afc pic.twitter.com/CazmZ3XUBt— Eriksenson (@Eriksenson) December 27, 2015
Some days football produces a near perfect set of results. Like today. And what a shame about the Arsenal eh? #THFC— Greg Campbell (@GregCampbell15) December 26, 2015
Best Boxing Day ever. Go WHL & Spurs win and watch Arsenal get stuffed surrounded by crest fallen Gooners @Jamiealtfitness #coys #THFC— Jai Pushkin (@JaiP72) December 26, 2015
We all know Arsenal fans love a poll, So I've to the trouble of making one #THFC #COYS— Hallsie Hotspur 81 (@Halls_Hotspur81) December 26, 2015
What did you get us for Christmas Arsenal? A 4-0 drubbing on the same day we won 3-0? You shouldn't have!!! #THFC #COYS— Stuart Peel (@JedLomax) December 26, 2015
Have something to tell us about this article?


text:
Four Out of Five Conservative Pastors Voted for Trump Despite Misgivings about His Character
While much has been made about the refusal of most theologically conservative pastors to use the pulpit to teach biblical perspectives on current issues, one thing is clear: they had little hesitation to personally support the more conservative candidate in the presidential election. An election-night survey by the American Culture & Faith Institute (ACFI) shows that 80% of those pastors voted for Donald Trump and only 5% voted for Hillary Clinton – the same proportion that voted for Evan McMullen. In addition, 7% voted in the November 8 contest, but did not vote for a presidential candidate.
That level of support for Donald Trump represented an uptick from June of this year, when 70% of theologically conservative pastors had planned to vote for GOP nominee. During that same time period, SAGE Cons – the politically and theologically conservative Christians who are engaged with both their faith and the political environment – increased their support for Donald Trump from 75% in June to 94% on Election Day.
Misgivings about Both Candidates
The ACFI survey revealed that while some pastors warmed up to Donald Trump over the past year, they never did come to appreciate Hillary Clinton.
Despite early reservations about Mr. Trump, half of all theologically conservative pastors (50%) wound up having a favorable impression of him by the time of the election. (The same proportion – 50% – admitted to having an unfavorable opinion of him.) That thawing of opinion did not occur for Mrs. Clinton, who began the campaign season with low marks from conservative pastors and saw them remain low. On Election Day, when the survey was conducted, only 4% had favorable impressions of her while 95% held an unfavorable opinion of her.
Pastoral opinions of the Vice Presidential candidates were even more bifurcated. Almost nine out of ten theologically conservative pastors (88%) had favorable opinions of Mike Pence. In contrast, just 7% had a favorable image of Timothy Kaine, the Democratic Vice Presidential candidate, while almost three-quarters (72%) had an unfavorable impression of him.
The legacy of Barack Obama did nothing to help the Democratic candidates in the eyes of theologically conservative pastors. Just one out of ten of them (11%) had a favorable opinion of the incumbent president while the other nine out of ten (89%) held an unfavorable view.
The ACFI research indicated that the backing of Donald Trump by theologically conservative pastors was not a foregone conclusion. Barely one-third of these clergy (37%) said that they are "loyal to the Republican Party." The survey also discovered that their support for the New York businessman was in spite of his character. Although past election studies show that the character and morals of a candidate is usually the primary reason that pastors back a candidate, in this election fewer than one out of ten theologically conservative pastors said Mr. Trump's character and morals were a compelling reason to vote for him. Further, seven out of ten of the pastors interviewed felt that neither Mr. Trump nor Mrs. Clinton were people whom they respected and admired.
Critical Issues
Similar to what happened among SAGE Cons, theologically conservative pastors experienced a shift during the course of the campaign in the issues they deemed to be the most serious challenges facing America.
At the start of the Trump-Clinton face-off, theologically conservative pastors were most likely to mention the nation's moral decline (25%), abortion (21%), marriage and family (19%) as the major issues. By Election Day, both the ranking of specific issues and the percentages of pastors identifying those issues as significant had changed noticeably. By November 8, the most frequently cited issue was abortion, listed by (34%), followed by the Supreme Court nominations (21%). This reordering of priorities coincides with the messaging efforts undertaken by several dozen Christian non-profit organizations that were part of the United in Purpose coalition that sought to bring the importance of those particular issues to the attention of Christian conservatives during the last three months of the campaign.
Several issues that are faith-related never caught on as major considerations among theologically conservative pastors. For instance, the June survey showed that only 15% felt that religious freedom was a serious national challenge; 4% mentioned Middle Eastern policies, including the Israel-Palestine conflict; and just 9% identified understanding Islam and how to respond to Islamic aggression as a major threat. On Election Day, the numbers remained virtually unchanged: 13% mentioned religious freedom, 5% listed Middle Eastern foreign policies, and 4% said responses to Islamic aggression.
Being Informed Mattered to Them
The ACFI survey found that theologically conservative pastors were interested in staying informed about the candidates. One indication was that four out of five of them (81%) watched one or more of the three Trump-Clinton debates. Nearly one out of five (18%) credited those debates with influencing their candidate selection.
The survey also pointed out that about three-quarters of these pastors (73%) said that they consulted one or more voter guides before voting. In many cases, those guides were most helpful in giving them insights into other races or initiatives that appeared on the ballot in their state.
More Personal Conversations
The survey also discovered that theologically conservative pastors were more likely to engage in persuasion conversations with potential voters than they had expected. In June, just 23% of these pastors said they were likely to interact with people who planned not to vote or to vote in a way that differed from their own leaning in order to persuade them to support their preferred candidate. Most of them (75%) planned to avoid such a conversation with those people.
However, by Election Day, twice as many (46%) had actually undertaken such exchanges with people who planned to not vote or to support a different candidate than the pastor was supporting.
The Campaign Lured Them In
George Barna, who directed the research study for the American Culture & Faith Institute, stated that as the campaign progressed it drew pastors in, despite their plans to stay at arms-length. "Early on, most theologically conservative pastors indicated that they would personally be attentive to the race for the White House but would not get personally involved in the process. By the end of the campaign season, the intensity and the stakes involved caused a greater number of them to engage with the process. While most theologically conservative churches remained somewhat removed from the election process, many pastors were drawn to the race in ways even they did not expect."
Barna pointed out that one out of every six theologically conservative pastors (16%) personally contributed money to one of the candidates and nearly one-third of them (30%) tried to get unregistered voters they knew to register. "That kind of participation is encouraging," Barna commented, "and gives some hope that in the future they might allow that interest to affect their ministry at the church, as well."
About the Research
The research described in this report is part of the Conservative Clergy Canvass™, a longitudinal survey among theologically conservative pastors of Christian churches. The survey undertaken for this report had a sample size of 500 qualified pastors and was conducted online by the American Culture & Faith Institute on the night of November 8, 2016.
ACFI estimates that there are between 95,000 and 110,000 theologically conservative Christian churches in the United States.
The American Culture & Faith Institute is a division of United in Purpose, a non-partisan, non-profit organization. The mission of United in Purpose is to educate, motivate and activate conservative Christians related to the political process, in ways that are consistent with the gospel of Christ. The organization does not support or promote individual candidates or political parties.
Additional information about this study and related research is accessible on the American Culture & Faith Institute website, located at www.culturefaith.com. To receive a free copy of these newsletters, visit the website and register for the SAGE Con Weekly newsletter.


text:
Mastering Fear and Starting Over
If there is anything I've learned from my time spent with masters of this craft, it's that sometimes you have to admit a design doesn't work, and to start over. And that's where I have been with Mythender for some time now. (And as such, this post might not make much sense of you don't know what I'm talking about regarding Mythender's mechanics.)
I've learned a lot making a 150-dice game with a complex, building currency. I've learned that I can make a fun game with that, a game people like to play…if I'm the one bringing the materials, teaching how the game works, and running the game. People will give a design some leeway when playing in a game with him or her that they wouldn't otherwise, and so I ran a few dozen Really Fun Games of Mythender.
I'll admit that I've been afraid of the flaws in the game, enough to where I didn't really want to write it — I didn't want to put effort into it. And these flaws aren't necessarily with whether the design works (though there are a couple points I haven't yet solved), but whether the design is accessible. Here's what's in my Mythender kit.
That's a slightly old picture. At last count, I have around:
- 50 white dice
- 30 red dice (though, really, I only need 10 for Mythender. The rest are for Don't Rest Your Head)
- 100 or so black/blue dice
- 50+ metal coins
- 50+ little gems, 10 large gems
- two massive stone dice
Because that's how the economy works. And at a game that I'm running, it works pretty well. But not well enough. It's rough to teach. And, frankly, it's a hell of a burden to place on someone I'm asking to play the game. So, right now, I'm putting it aside and looking at other ways of doing what I want.
What I Want Out Of My Game
What Mythender currently does well, which I need to keep doing: (1) tactile reinforcement of play, whether you're increasing in power or being hit; (2) constantly presenting the choice of risking your soul for desperately-needed power. The die game did this well, which is why I kept it. As you continued having actions, your die pool grew bigger and bigger, thus you holding a physical sense of power in your hand.
That power was also your hit points, so to speak, so when you were hit, you lost dice — creating the feeling of actually being hit. Over the last few years, people have loved the shit out of that. It's tapped into the lizard brain and motivated like I haven't seen in other fighty games.
And the deck is initially stacked against the Mythenders in a fight, since they aren't on home turf, so the decision to risk your soul to get a little more power is a very real one, one that I see come up in every game. So whatever new mechanic I make will have to do all that that well.
It'll also have to be easier to handle and easier to teach. Throwing away the old economy (which I might later blog about) for something more immediate is the first step. And there are different ways to handle a sense of growth other than massively large die pools.
Putting Aside Doesn't Mean Throwing Away
Granted, a learned a lot from playing with this game for the past few years. Those lessons stay with me. And the ideas in the design are worth keeping around, to mine for other games. So while it might emotionally feel like I've wasted years, I have got something to show for that.
The Fear
Thing is, there's no guarantee whatever I'll make will do what I like out of the old "millions of dice forevar!" mechanic. Or will be worth my time. Or…well, a number of other little fears that gnaw at me enough to stick to the devil I know. It takes balls to say "okay, do over!" and stick to that, especially when you've been public for a number of years.
Fear keeps us in decisions we don't like, because we are unsure of it being better. But in a creative pursuit, that's bullshit — it's not like we're murdering our old idea babies. We can always go back to them. So why do we fear? Because we're afraid to fail — even though it's by failing and learning that we become better at our craft.
And yes, I'll actually explain the old Mythender mechanic later, for those who are only able to follow along in the abstract. One topic at a time. :)
– Ryan
20 Responses to Mastering Fear and Starting Over
Maybe you've already considered it, but have you considered decks of playing cards? Card decks are generally cheaper, easier to transport, and more accessible to a lot of people than dice, and allow for a lot of interesting tricks
Most relevantly, they also allow for the sense of growing power / taking damage by adding/removing cards from the deck (you see your deck and hand swell as you gain power, but shrink as you take damage).
Additionally, you could have special decks with custom images made up, perhaps for a deluxe kit, backing bonuses (if you did something Kickstarter-ish), pre-order bonuses, or other special events (see the game Yomi by Sirlin Games for a great example of this in a non-RPG game).
I'm not saying it'll fix your problems, but it's an interesting avenue to consider.
– Alex
For other games, yes.
For Mythender, no. It does not have the same tactile feel. And deck mechanics work so dramatically different from die mechanics, in terms of handling time, continually reducing information, etc. It's something I'm using in other game idea, but it's Mythender is a die game.
– Ryan
"Card decks are generally cheaper, easier to transport, and more accessible to a lot of people than dice, and allow for a lot of interesting tricks"; I should clarify that I mean compared to a large amount of dice, not, say, a handful.
Most of my experience is in board game design, and I am a strong advocate of using The Teardown to advance game design. In fact, I find it's a very under-utilized tool for making game mechanics more elegant by starting over with something cleaner and going from there. (I liken it to the Kill Your Darlings rule in writing.) In the case of Mythender, you can pull it into a double-win by both ending up with a cleaner design as well as eliminating a problematic production cost. So that is to say it sounds like the best thing for the game, even if I do also feel the pull of wanting to roll handfuls of dice at a time. But I sympathize, I still think about discarded mechanics that I had a lot of fun with that ended up not being right for the game they're in.
The parallels between Mythender and Tokyo Rain are absolutely uncanny. I am in exactly the same place right now. See you on the other side, brother.
I find this very interesting from the point of view of someone relatively just-getting-into game design. The thing about discarded mechanics is that they are areas of the design space that people explore, and find either (a) don't work for that game, or (b) don't work at all. The latter case is more dangerous, because the neophyte game designer doesn't necessarily know what ideas have been tried and discarded before publication, and also may not know enough to see that and how they don't work.
So this kind of transparency is very useful, to help new people see how much ends up on the cutting room floor. Not that they shouldn't try such things themselves, but that they should at least see what problems exist with them.
(One of our goals in Becoming Heroes was to get to roll a lot of dice; it ended up that other considerations in the game scaled it back to the point where 10-15 per person was enough.)
Yeah. I remember seeing other people talk about "I'll do X, it hasn't been done before" and over the last few years thinking "heh, yeah, that's because X doesn't work."
I tend to keep my mouth shut because (a) that robs someone of hands-on discovery, and (b) maybe they know something I don't about making it work. (And for the life of me I can't think of any examples offhand, but I suppose "fuckton-o-dice!" works.)
One of the hardest lessons a designer has to learn is how to distinguish between "this works because I'm here" and "this can work without my presence."
– Ryan
One of the things I really loved about Mythender was the dice mechanic. But I know that the amount of "stuff" involved in Mythender was also a pretty big burden for a GM. (Not to mention heavy for a convention backpack!)
I look forward to seeing (& playing!) the new & improved Mythender. :-)
Yeah. I have fond memories of you rolling a boatload of dice to spit bees our of your mouth to kill a god. :D
I'm tinkering with a mechanic where your dice step up rather than just increase. Like, you go from rolling d6s to d8s, etc. (And maybe d20s are the new Mythic Die)
– Ryan
I was gonna say drop Storm dice, and just have Thunder dice and Lightning tokens… but a Cortex-y/DitV dice up-steppery sounds like it's got some legs to it!
I guess the hard part is figuring out what the overall "brick" of dice needs would be.
I've already tried a number of small removals from the system, and they cause the system to break pretty bad. :)
– Ryan
Well, then, go forth and rock the dice-steppery. ;)
Or whatever it is I'll rock. I'm not settled on anything yet.
– Ryan
"I'm tinkering with a mechanic where your dice step up rather than just increase. Like, you go from rolling d6s to d8s, etc. (And maybe d20s are the new Mythic Die)"
Yep, this is a good avenue to explore. I don't know if it'll work out or anything, but it seems like the next logical step.
Regardless, good on you for being willing to scrap so much in the name of making it better. I'm going through something similar on a game that got its first playtest at Gateway. It started as a hack of another game, and has now drifted so far that I'm seriously considering replacing the central dice mechanic, which I've realized I don't really like. Now, I haven't put nearly as much effort into it as you have into Mythender, but I've done enough that there some amount of teeth-gritting and plunge-taking involved.
Anyway. Really interested to see where Mythender goes from here.
"I'm tinkering with a mechanic where your dice step up rather than just increase. Like, you go from rolling d6s to d8s, etc. (And maybe d20s are the new Mythic Die)"
The big problem here is that each step is only a 0-2 improvement (1.5 on average), while each new die (for d6s) is a 1-6 improvement (3.5 on average), which is kind of a noticeable difference, plus you lose some tactile effects (although you gain another sort of effect by the different size/shape of the dice).
Still, I'm sure it's something you can solve.
Rock on.
Thanks for your input! Unfortunately, in pen & paper design, math comments fall under either "unhelpful" or "harmful." Which is something I should also post about.
– Ryan
It's a small thing, but the thought of rolling even 10 d20s is very cool to me. I would prefer this over rolling tons of d6s.
This is all said from someone who hasn't played Mythender, but maybe it's helpful.
If not, too bad! It's just a comment, after all.
I have a similar glass, but it's square on the top as well.
I too enjoy your glass. I also prefer rolling more dice = more skill compared to a + modifier to a single die roll. I also enjoy your thoughts as they compare to my own game experiences. thank you.
I like the die step idea… you can still do dice pools but the size would be stunted by die steps taking priority.
Here's to Mythender and new beginnings for old things!


text:
"It is our light, not our darkness, that frightens us... Your playing small does not serve the world." -Marianne Williamson
Shine on
I believe you are destine and designed to shine from the inside out! From feeling good about yourself and loving your body, to feeling like you shine in your career and your passions-- it's all connected!
I'm here to help you shine as brightly as possible. Yoga, vision creation, goal-setting, healthy eating... it's all here to support you on your journey. You are here because you have something incredible to offer the world. (You know it too.) Because you are alive, you've got an awesome job ahead of you. This job involves love, connection, following your bliss, expressing who you are to the max, and bringing forth all that is within you. Share who you are. Share what you've got. Share your unique voice. Use your talents and passions. Love and nourish your body. Do something amazing with all you are. Shine, shine, shine on.
Jenna's Background & training
- 200hr RYT (Pure Yoga, NYC)
- Certified in Childrens Yoga (Next Generation Yoga)
- Creator of East End Mermaid™ Yoga
- Vision & Goal Coach under the ideology of Suzanne Conrad
- Currently sings in the band: The Salty Captain and His Mermaid
- Dancer for over 16 years, performed professionally in multiple theater & dance shows before moving out East.
- Lover of blue beach cruisers, sandy feet, and salty hair


text:
today's ride was one of the most pleasant so far due to its ease, the beautiful scenery, and the quickness with which we got to our destination – over 75KM before lunchtime. we awoke in the house of the lord, ate the food that the padre (named Elvis) had prepared, and were on the road by 8:30am. about 10km into the ride, a peloton (group of cyclists riding very closely together) of young riders approached from the rear, and we rode with them for about 10km. they were a national team of cyclists (one of them being a national champion), and all were impressed by our ability to keep up with them, especially with our bicycles so heavily loaded with gear. accompanying them on their training ride – while taxing – did help to break up the monotony of cycling. in addition, it put into perspective just how fit we have become in the past few months; we can now cover over 60 km between meals – through rolling hills towing all of our gear – and then do another 60 without tiring much.
Trinidad is beautiful. with cobblestone streets and long windy alleys twisting and turning in all directions, it is situated between the foothills of a mountain range and the sea, and is one of Cuba's oldest and most well-preserved cities.
we arrived just in time for lunch, which to our dismay, was very hard to secure with our budget. because most of the city is a UNESCO world heritage city and is visited by many people from all over the world daily, the locals here expect everybody to pay tourist prices. we found the food here to be on average about 10 times the price we had been paying since we got to Cuba, and we had to walk quite a way out of town to find food at a reasonable rate. seeing so many tourists was bittersweet for me. on the one hand, i was excited to see white people again (i know it sounds racist to say so, but i have felt like an alien for so long here), but on the other hand, it was frustrating to witness the way with which they were here to "experience Cuba". they roll into town in their tour buses with AC, DVD players, etc, and get off in centro historico, which has been meticulously prepared for their arrival – the poor people removed, prices ridiculously inflated, and vendors speaking english. they then walk around with their cameras around their necks, being sure not to get separated or wander too far from the bus, and snap photos of stereotypical "Cubans" playing dominos on the curb and drinking rum straight from the bottle with cigars in mouth. they snap these pics, pay the "Cubans" a peso or two, and walk away, never seeming to notice that the "rum" in the bottles is really water, the cigars aren't lit, and nobody ever seems to win the game of dominoes. it is all just a facade, with the locals simply showing the tourists what they want to see so they can go back to their office in the the states or Canada or wherever and show their colleagues how worldly they are and how they went to Cuba and saw real Cubans. meanwhile, all they had to do was walk from their bus 500 meters in any direction and they would've found a completely different world – the REAL Cuba: the oxen pulling the cart (no AC, no DVD player); the kids playing in the street with a half-inflated ball; 8 cent ice cream cones. i'm not sure why this bothers me, but i just want to grab some of these people and point down the street and tell them, "hey, there is this cool place down the street you really ought to check out. it's called Cuba and it is only a few blocks away!" but alas, i don't want to sound like an ass, so i say nothing. perhaps one day i will see one of these people at a dinner party somewhere and be forced to listen to them talk about the week they went to Cuba and saw "real Cubans". they will show everyone pictures on their i-phone 6 or whatever they have, and i will say nothing, because i will have already said it to those i wish to share it with. BTW – thanks for letting me share Cuba with you.
this night was definitely the coolest nightclub experience of my entire life!! we had been hearing talk of a discoteca located inside a cave since we arrived in Trinidad, and since it was Friday night, we decided to give it a try. our experience finding the place was like setting for a bad horror movie where you can hear people in the theatre whispering things like, "no way, why would u go that way?" and "are u serious? nothing good can possibly be down that alley". we had to go down numerous dark alleys, through holes in chain-link fences, and through an abandoned rock quarry to find the place. none of it was marked in any way; we just followed locals who knew where the joint was. we got there a little before 11pm and the place was not yet open; there was only a dark hole in the side of the mountain around which people stood drinking rum and waiting for something to happen. as we waited, others arrived from all directions: some had climbed up a goat trail leading from the neighborhood below; some came from the rock quarry; others seemed to just "appear" from out of the woods. it was starting to look like a party, and i wondered how we were all going to fit inside this cave. finally, a bunch of men showed up carrying cases of beer on their shoulders – about a dozen or so. they entered the cave (which had been locked until this point), disappeared into the dark, and returned 15 minutes later to begin letting guests inside. we stood outside in disbelief for about 10 more minutes as beautiful girl after beautiful girl entered the club (at least a 2:1 ratio – at least!). finally we entered. i really cannot even begin to explain what i saw, but i will try. upon entering, we walked through numerous underground tunnels leading from cavern to cavern, each one half the size of a high school gymnasium. the first cavern contained the bathrooms, which were built into the walls. the second cavern was the dancehall itself; it was like a cross between the Batcave from the old Batman TV show and something from an Austin Powers movie. it was a HUGE lair – definitely the coolest mancave i've ever seen. the ground had been made completely flat, but the walls were still what one would expect in a cave. the top of the dancehall cave was about 30 feet from the floor. among its stalactites hung speakers and lazer lights hidden from view in shadows or in holes; we knew they were there only because of the the visual and audio magic they produced. from the far side of the dancehall, a staircase led even farther into the cave system. this staircase led to a chamber partially above and adjacent to that of the dancehall. the DJ's booth was up there, as were some tables from which some of the best people-watching in the world took place. beautiful women filled the entire dancefloor, dancing their exotic dances to exotic music, while men sat at tables watching, drinking rum, and smoking Cuban cigars (at this point it became more like a James Bond movie than an Austin Powers one). i walked around this place wide-eyed and smiling for what seemed like an eternity. at first, i was still unsure this really existed, and more than once i found myself asking Martin or some other person "is this place for real? is this really happening right now?" which was answered with "i'm not quite sure myself".
we drank and danced for quite some time that night, and what happened in that club will stay in that club and forever in my mind. but if u ever venture out to Cuba, u must visit Trinidad. and while u are there, try to find a place called….well shit, i forget the name, but that isn't important. just ask a local where "la discoteca en la cueva" is. i assure you you will not be disappointed.
sat night was a little more mild than the night before. around the corner from our casa, i found a truck that was full of beer – literally. it had a small swimming pool sized keg in the back of it, and they were filling any container you brought to the back of the truck for 20 cents per liter. i found a 1.5L bottle that had previously contained water, and had it filled with beer for only 30 cents. we filled this bottle 3 times, drinking the first two in front of the church (oh yeah, the truck was parked in front of a church). the third bottle we took to a nice restaurant where we ordered a 65 cent bottle of rum and ate 3 pizzas (30 cents) each. after dinner, we went out to see live music (free) at casa de musica. the others went back to the casa early that night while i stayed and hung out with some Norwegian chicks i had just met – another beautiful ending to another amazing day.
i rode by myself today, as i gotten back later than the others the night before and they wanted to hit the road only hours after i had gone to sleep. i had a gorgeous ride from Trinidad to Cienfuegos (85KM), with a tailwind the whole way. there was a stretch of about 10km where the entire road was covered in crushed up bits of crab – it looked like it had been paved in crab bits. it made for an interesting/fun (and smelly) ride, as i had to focus on dodging the live ones for the whole 10KM as they made their mad dash across the street (to lay eggs?). as i dodged the little guys (or they dodged me), i couldn't help but ponder in awe at the power of whatever instinct was making them cross this road; i tried to think of what would have to be on the other side of a field littered with dead bodies of MY peers that would make me think "i don't know how THEY met THEIR demise crossing this field, but i'm gonna give it a try myself". this is the kind of thing you think about when u are on a bike for 6 hours a day. anyway, if u are ever in that situation (the riding down a road of dead crabs situation, not the pondering crossing a field of your dead peers one), wear a shirt. i found that riding with no shirt + sweating profusely + crab pieces blowing all over in a tailwind = having enough crab bits stuck to your back that you can make a crabcake with the remains of your shower 4 hours later.
anyway, the ride was incredibly pleasant. i spent most of my day singing to myself, and managed to do the whole 85KM in 3.5 hours without stopping. tonight we are sleeping in a church again for free. tomorrow we plan to head west, but who knows what will really happen.
3-24: and then there were two (again)
spent the day relaxing, eating ice cream, and waiting for the wind to die. the wind has been just over 30KPH out of the South for most of the day. since we were to ride west and then South, we decided that it would be better to just wait or head elsewhere. as the wind had not yet died as of 4pm, we are opting to take a ferry to the other side of La Bahia de Cienfuegos and head toward La Bahia de Cochinos (Bay of Pigs), where i hope to get some SCUBA diving and snorkling in before sprinting back to Havana. it turns out that it is almost April now, and I got my 30 day tourist Visa in February. it's funny how easy it is to lose track of time when you travel like this, but i don't think Immigration will accept that as a valid excuse for traveling on an expired Visa. thus, we will be rushing back to Havana to get 30 day extensions before starting our ride of the western part of the country.
dominic left us today. he will be flying back to the UK to celebrate his grandparents anniversary before returning to Mexico to finish his tour of the Western Hemisphere by bike. it was sad to see him go, but for some strange reason, i really do think our paths will cross again over the next year or so; perhaps we will run into eachother riding across the salt flats of Bolivia or something like that.
i still have not figured out what i will be doing after Cuba. i have a month free before my classes in Mexico City start. i have been considering flying back to NY to work for a month, seeing as this trip already promises to be a few months and at least a thousand dollars over budget. i have also been considering going to a marina here in Cuba and asking around to see if anyone will be setting out to sea for a few weeks to a month; i figure i could earn my keep onboard by helping with navigation, piloting, etc, just as i did from Baja California to mainland Mexico.
I said my goodbyes to Nick and Martin and set out to find my way back to Havana. It was about 275km and I had 2 days to get there, although taking 2 days would mean rushing to pack and not having any time to relax back in Havana. I had figured that I could just get a ride from a truck like we'd done back in Santiago. I went to the passenger pick-up point and was told to wait for a few minutes as someone went off to find his friend, he came back and told me it would only cost 75 CUC for him to drive me there in his small car. I'm not sure that my bike would have fit in anyway, but that was just a crazy amount of money – the official Viazul bus would probably have been about 30 CUC and much more comfortable – so I went to the bus terminal to find a better option.
The touts were standing around outside and when I said I wanted to go to Havana they were very friendly, until I told them the 20 CUC that they wanted was far too much. I told them that I'd gone further for 5 CUC back in Santiago, but they just laughed and said that prices in the east weren't real because it's too poor. I waited to see if they'd come up with a different price, but it didn't appear. I could have tried to offer 10 CUC, but I thought they were idiots and was too stubborn to negotiate with them. They told me that if I wanted to find something for that cheap I'd have to ride the 70km to the autopista myself which I wouldn't be able to do. It was like a red flag in front of a bull and I set off.
There was a lovely tailwind from the south east pushing me for the first 20km out of town, until I turned east and spent the next few kilometres fighting to go at 10km/h. Nick & Martin both have trailers, and I notice that unless we have a tailwind I have to push that little bit harder than them because of the drag my panniers create. Going into a headwind is just unpleasant, especially compared with what they experience.
A little further along, the road turned north for a while so the tailwind stopped, but then it came back with a vengeance for a stretch of more than an hour, before a tailwind pushed me to the autopista. At the autopista I asked some locals how much they pay to get to Havana, 10 CUP, and then waved down a bus. The driver came out and I asked him how much it would cost. He told me I had to make an offer so I said 5 CUC, 12 times more than the Cuban price, he turned me down and told me it was 20 CUC. I upped my offer to 8 CUC and he didn't budge and got back on his bus.
About 20 minutes later, a lorry pulled over. Two guys came out and I said I was hoping to get to Havana, they said sure and threw my bike in the back where there was no cargo. I'd never been in the cab of a lorry before and was happy to see the bed which would be where I perched myself for the ride. I made some conversation, but got short answers and so just laid down and enjoyed the ride. After a while, a bottle of rum came out, got passed around, and then the conversation started to flow more freely. It turned out to be a lovely journey and even though I'd spent a lot of my time fighting the headwind thinking about how I'd rejected the people at the bus terminal so quickly, and that my stubbornness was meaning that this was a lot harder than it needed to be. Having said that, looking back I'm glad things went the way they did. When they dropped me off, they didn't ask for any money, but I gave them 10 CUC and they were blown away so gave me a big hug.
Crabs everywhere
Looking over Valley of the Sugar Mills


text:
Year of Creativity - FAQs
Q: Who is The Year of Creativity for?
A: The Year of Creativity is for the woman who is uninspired, disconnected from her creative self, longing for something more. This program is for the woman who wants to dedicate this year to rediscovering inspiration in order to make beautiful things.
Q: I'm not a writer. Will I still enjoy this?
A: YES. While we do talk about writing throughout this course and offer monthly writing prompts, there are plenty of other discussions, resources, and exercises that are not centered around writing.
Q: I'm not a mother. Can I still partake in The Year of Creativity? Will I still enjoy this?
A: YES. Living creatively doesn't always come easy, and everyone needs a boost once in a while. You do not need to be a mother to sign up, and if you enjoy the art we create at Coffee + Crumbs, we think you'll love this course. We do talk about motherhood in each lesson, but the creativity exercises and writing prompts are not necessarily mother-centric.
Q: What kind of time commitment is involved?
A: The Year of Creativity is 100% self-paced. You unlock each month's content on the first of the month and complete it at your leisure. Have 30 minutes a day? That's perfect. Prefer to block off a chunk of time every Saturday? That works, too! You could probably spend anywhere from 2-4 hours a week on the lessons, exercises, and writing prompts.
Q: When you say "creative exercises" are we talking Pinterest crafts? Because I'm not crafty.
A: We aren't either. Rest assured: our creativity exercises are totally feasible, even for the least crafty among us.
Q: What's the format for Year of Creativity? How do I access the content?
A: Upon checking out, you'll be prompted to set up a username and password in Memberspace. We have prepared twelve months of amazing content for you, and we are excited to get started on January 1st!
Q: When does the Year of Creativity start and end?
A: The Year of Creativity starts January 1, 2017 and ends December 31, 2017.
Q: Is this a brand new program? How do I know it'll be any good?
A: This IS a brand new course, but The Year of Creativity is essentially a bigger, better, expanded, more accessible and flexible version of our Known Writing Workshop. Here's what past participants had to say:
"This workshop was perfect for a working mom. I loved that we could sign in and access the lessons and discussion boards whenever we had time. The lessons were so applicable, and had such a beautiful variety to them."
"This course was phenomenal. I was very impressed by the knowledge and wisdom that all of the C+C team members had to offer."
"The most helpful part of the workshop was being surrounded by the words of women who are learning how to pursue their craft in the middle of very tiring and busy seasons (specifically motherhood). I loved hearing how everyone chases creativity and makes time to write, even when it seems like there's not enough time in the day to shower. The support and camaraderie were incredibly helpful to me."
We also polled our YOC girls a couple weeks in, and you can read what they had to say here.
Q: I have a few vacations planned this year; what if I fall behind on the lessons?
A: No sweat! This course is for you, and we want you to use the materials as you're able. Life happens, and we designed this course to be self-paced for that very reason. You can always catch up when you have time! (But we've had some really great creative inspiration happen on vacation… creativity can happen anywhere!).
Q: Will we get any feedback on our writing prompts?
A: We are HUGE fans of peer feedback and are going to be encouraging that in the Facebook group. Once the course has started, you will gain access to an amazing network of creative women who are just as excited about growing in their creative process as you, and we'll have sharing programs set up so you can upload work and gain peer feedback, if you like.
Q: Am I required to share my work?
A: Nope! If you'd like to share part of your creative journey with us throughout the year, we'd love to see what you're working on. If you want to keep it all private and just for you, we wholeheartedly support that.
Q: What if I'm finding out about Year of Creativity in the middle of the year, can I still join in?
A: Yes! But please note that we do have a schedule for the year. If you join in March, we'd love for you to join us right where we are so you can participate in our monthly hashtags and discussion questions in the private Facebook group.
Q: What happens if I find out I'm pregnant with triplets and completely exhausted and I just can't continue the course?
A: You won't lose access to the content. You can still keep getting our emails and our love and our encouragement all year long, and then you can revisit the materials once those babies start sleeping … or start preschool ... or go to college. In the meantime, rest up, read what you can, and soak up all the creative momma love from our Facebook group!
Q: When The Year of Creativity ends on December 31, 2017, will I lose access to the content?
A: No. Content will remain open after the end of the year, and once the Year of Creativity concludes, you'll be able to download all the PDFs and lessons from each of the twelve months and save them forever.
Still have a question? E-mail us at hello @ coffeeandcrumbs.net!


text:
Oh guys. Art Basel Miami starts tomorrow. Oh how magical it would be to attend "the most prestigious art show in the Americas." Okay, kind of a stuffy description there, but I still think it would be IN-credible. I mean, works by more than 2,000 contemporary artists?? I think my art-loving head would explode... I've already spent way too much time going through their online catalog. I definitely have an art crush on these bronze boxing gloves:
I'm starting to think big for 2013, yolo-style... I think a trip to Art Basel - either in Basel (whaaa) or Miami - might be in order.
If you could go anywhere in 2013, where would you go??
Images: Julião Sarmento, Untitled; Fiona Banner, Unboxing; found here.


text:
DragonCon 2016 is over but the fun hasn't ended. I was fortunate enough to be on a bunch (12 in all plus a few I got pulled up on) of the panels on the American Sci-Fi Classics track this year and while not all of them have to do with comics some of them did. One of those was the Watchmen: 30 Years, 35 Minutes Ago, which took place on September 5, 2016. This was a fantastic conversation where we talked about Alan Moore as a writer, the themes of the story, the amazing art by Dave Gibbons and we even touch on the prequels that were a published a few years back.
We also take a few shots at the Zach Synder movie.
If you liked what you heard on this panel and want to check out the various podcasts my fellow panelists host they are...
- Gary Mitchel - (yes, that is his real name) is one of the hosts of the RevNews and RevCast shows over at RevolutionsSF.
- The Rad Ranger - host of the Rad Ranger Radical Radcast and also appears on the Needless Things Podcast from time to time.
- Will Price - Doesn't host anything but you can find him on Facebook.
- Kevin Eldridge - is on the Flopcast.
I do apologize for the sometimes spotty audio. I recorded this with my phone and sometimes it was hard to hear people but I think you can get the gist of what was said.
I also apologize for not getting the name of the young lady in the Silk Spectre costume. She was very nice and even posed for a picture with us.
Thanks again to Gary Mitchel and Joe Crowe for putting up with me again this year.
Next Time: Get out your favorite paper hats because it's time to celebrate some super-hero birthdays with the 2016 Superhero-versary Panel!


text:
Generally speaking, I like trains. I'd even go as far as to say they were my favourite form of transport. I like the mechanical ticking, whirring noise they make and the feeling of escape you get watching the world rush by outside the windows.
But let's be honest with ourselves: trains are not what they once were. They are usually crowded and invariably smell of chips, and, if you're really unlucky, urine. They are never on time when you are, but, magically, they are always on time when you are late. Worse still, there is rarely anywhere to sit down, meaning you end up wedged underneath someones armpit in a corridor, feeling cheated at having paid £50 return for the privilege.
Every little part of me hopes that there will be a sudden return to classic train design. I long to jump on an ordinary train from Stroud to London, walk down the smart, wood-panelled corridor, slide back a compartment door and settle down onto a leather bench, reading an Agatha Christie. Sadly, I fear that this is never going to happen; the closest I will ever get to this experience will be to travel aboard the Orient Express.
The Orient Express trains are amazing, really amazing: impossibly glamorous, ornate and nostalgic. There are various trains dating from different periods, that run in different parts of the world, under the Orient Express umbrella. The most famous is probably the Venice Simplon-Orient Express, but there are three UK trains: the British Pullman, the Northern Belle and the Royal Scotsman.
For those interested, the British Pullman does run murder-mystery events on board, which include a five-course meal (no doubt composed of minuscule, unimaginably pretty food) and, more importantly, half a bottle of wine. However, it is somewhat expensive: the price of a decent second-hand car, a Mulberry handbag or a week in a fairly down-at-heel hotel somewhere in the Med — too much to spend on one train journey... isn't it?
I doubt there will be a time when I can justify a ticket to travel on the Orient Express. On balance, this is probably a good thing: if I ever did, I would probably vomit with excitement, all over the luxurious mahogany fittings, which, I'm sure, is not what they expect from their patrons.
Murder-mystery party games set on trains
A First Class Murder, Paul Lamond Games
Last Train From Paris, How to Host a Murder
Dead on Time, Cheatwell Games
For inspiration
|The most recent, somewhat controversial, dark and rather visually lovely ITV adaption of Murder on the Orient Express, with the wonderful David Suchet as Hercule Poirot. You can watch the trailer here.
|The romantically shot Chanel No 5 advert set aboard the Orient Express.
|The old PC game The Last Express, isn't it beautiful? (see my previous post here if you are interested in this game).


text:
Even though it's hilarious that MTV continues their annual charade that they actually care about music, I still tune in, with all my Twitter friends, and watch the hell out of their show. As I've previously shared, Awards shows, and major TV events in general, are better with Twitter.
When MTV started promoting this year's show, and announcing performers, I was cautiously optimistic. What looks like a good lineup, on paper, doesn't always come to fruition; especially when it comes to MTV. But, as the show grew closer, I got more and more excited, until I couldn't take it anymore!
So, without further ado, here are my Top 5 moments.
5. Danity Kane (minus D. Woods) is back! They appeared on the pre-show and did an interview while looking absolutely fab! They announced their new single, "Rage," would be out soon. Can't wait!
4. Eminem announced his new album, MMLP2 (Marshall Mathers LP 2). It didn't really happen at the show, but there was a Beats By Dre commercial with him in it. Whatever, I don't care. Glad Em's back! Album due November 5th, y'all!
3. Taylor Swift. You can usually keep most of her music, but she was shady and fun last night! Twitter was annoyed that the camera was on her so much during the show. I wasn't. She looked like she was having a blast, dancing through all the performances and enjoying herself. MTV isn't going to put people on TV who look like they aren't having any fun and would rather be having a root canal (like Rihanna, at times). So if Taylor and Lady Gaga were getting every inch of their lives, it makes sense to put the camera on them, does it not? Also, when One Direction was on stage, accepting their award, MTV cut to Taylor and caught her being not-so-nice. It's nice to see Miss Perfect aint so perfect!
2. The crowd and Twitter's reaction to Miley Cyrus' hot ass mess of a performance. I've been vocal that I'm not here for her recent image, and it seems I'm not alone. I had a great time making jokes and laughing at others who were also making jokes. That's what I love about the Internet. They truly get me.
1. Justin Timberlake/NSYNC performance! JT owned the VMA's. It was basically his concert, with an awards show taking place around it. Here for it!
Honorable Mention: Divergent movie's first teaser trailer was released during the pre-show, by stars Shailene Woodley and Theo James. Watch it here.


text:
Motorcycle Helmets
A motorcycle helmet is a kind of helmet used by motorcycle riders to defend their head and face. Motorcyclists are at high risk in traffic crash thus this product helps to secure your body.
A motorcycle helmet is a kind of helmet used by motorcycle riders to defend their head and face. Motorcyclists are at high risk in traffic crash thus this product helps to secure your body.
TMS adult black carbon fiber motorcycle helmet mx dirt bike is available with gear and it is large in size. This acts as an extra protective helmet to safe your head. It has a beautiful gloss UV protected finish and dot accepted Light weight awfully it's long-lasting compound shell is deeply softened and very soothe interior detachable and washable stuffing; well ventilated all function products which are best for off-road ride.
ILM full face motorcycle helmet is available with a removable winter collar scarf plus 2 visors dot. Most colors available in this brand is black it's hard wearing capacity to protect the user with 2 screen clear plus smoke also it's modernize design is used to reduce wind noise with superior lightweight and it has a strong ABS case with quick release band for easy use meet or exceed FMVSS-218 and spot security features. Helmets are sturdy and made of high quality materials that prevent injury occur in heads during any road crashes.
Razor full-face helmet for adults comes with additional pads for a safety and comfortable fit accessible with 17 vents assure to give a cool bike riding feel also it has a band; spacious eye docks in motorcycle helmets are used with spectacles scrutinize with CPSC values suits to head also the diameter of helmet ranges from 21.5 to 23 inch and suitable for age groups includes from 8 to 14 years old. The major goal of a motorcycle helmet is to give protection to user's face, head and neck during any impact, consequently avoiding or reducing most head injuries occurs during accident and saves the vehicle rider's life.
Mostly in today's world without helmet it is impossible to drive vehicles in traffic roads. The recreational activities and jobs often require one to wear a helmet. Wearing a helmet for these jobs, recreational activities and hobbies protects the helmet user from severe head injuries, and that goes for bikers too. But, even with its obvious benefits, the sad fact is that many people still choose to participate in these activities without paying thought to the benefits of using a motorcycle helmet. Don't buy an incorrect helmet size and you are sure to use only branded helmets that people might get to suit their reasons.
Many prestige conscious people believe in wearing a motorcycle helmet as nasty or unpleasant but it does not include being that method, especially with a norm made motorcycle helmet. The sincere line is if you have a high-quality head on your shoulder, you would absolutely want to keep it that way. There is a best method to choose a right type of helmet and that is using our website.
1 . What to do for choosing a best motorcycle helmet?
2 . Does the motorcycle helmet last for several years?
3 . Durable helmets are purchased from where and will it is worthy?
4 . Which material is used in the manufacture of weight less helmets?
Motorcycle helmet act as a safety measures that protect your head from injuries during vehicle driving thus it is the best way to protect your head from accidents. Always people select to use best quality helmets that are available at online site so easily clients can purchase the finest product.
1 . From where I can get an appropriate motorcycle helmet?
2 . Are motorcycle helmet available in online are completely water proof and protects head?
3 . In what way a motorcycle helmet protect the user from injuries?
4 . Does helmets are offered with sunglasses as elective?
5 . At reasonable price can I purchase helmets using your website?
Consequently, what does an avant-garde motorcycle helmet perform for you? Apart from the usual motorcycle helmet an old type motorcycle helmet or eccentric motorcycle helmets are also called as important head device, because they offer comfort and defense attributes along with having the please factor that all bikers desire for. Technology is repeatedly advancing safety technology and we carry on improving and coming out with new products like helmets that also have no exception. Helmets made out of Carbon Fiber are significantly lighter and stronger, thus far also much more relaxing.
For those people of you who will think that simply the best motorcycle helmets have useful uses, such as, defensive your melon against obvious head pavement collision and keeping the sun rays, dust breeze and bugs attack on your face when riding vehicles. You are incorrect and you are available to prove that. The succeeding are several of the uses of the normal motorcycle helmets that you must declaim out quiet. Try to use the best helmet after checking several feedbacks from clients.
If you wear a motorcycle Helmet man deprived of any additionally worry, the following are some of the tried and trusted reasons why you must wear a best motorcycle helmet, whether you are riding bike across the nation or cruising around town alternative motorcycle helmets are absolutely capable of protecting you. A standard company's motorcycle helmet minimize bruising while bike riding. If you are going to purchase a best company helmet please refer to various websites and finally from online store buy a best quality helmet.
Clients can always choose to pick up the finest range of helmet type from online that gives them several advantages. If you already met an accident then you should not be bruising, since if you are, you are not doing something correct. What this essentially means is, while riding a bike or motorcycle going with a helmet is the best way to protect you from head injuries. So if you are a kind of person who merely can't pay attention to the things that happen on the road to evade head scratches, scrape and broken bones then try to use helmets. If you are not using a helmet and met a road accident then actually you will get hurt and to avoid this issue pick up that best motorcycle helmet from online.
Why to use motorcycle helmet?
Wearing an unconventional motorcycle helmets not merely gives you the benefit of selecting your helmet's color and model. It also has added important use, which is balanced sometimes, it protects you from cancer. Sure, using a helmet even a tradition motorcycle helmet defends you from the unsafe UV rays of the sun, which can abolish you in the comprehensive run.
Wearing a superior motorcycle helmet means that you no longer have to worry about being exposed to harmful UV-rays, and lets you have a slight fun while you're at it. So, don't let the sun to indulge the skin of fun guys. Oh absolutely using helmet you can extended your life time. They are also upright for keeping out other things like, hail, strong winds and snowflakes.
Advantages of using helmet
1 . It protects your head and neck from road accidents
2 . It minimize the attack of direct UV rays which may pollute your face
3 . It gives a best look to the vehicle rider
4 . In addition to motorcycle helmets are the best products easily obtained from online
Believe it or not an original motorcycle helmet does more than just add nature to the rider. A good instance is when one decides to strike the open road. Having a best motorcycle helmet not only keeps your head from getting open, it also keeps people's annoying flies that are in profusion in the scenery out of your teeth. For the unlock face helmets, having subject whether you are a prettiness on a bike, having a cheerful, all-girl behavior or you are one of the fellow, miserable. Here after don't think about the without use of helmets when driving bike it is essential to use helmets while road drive.


text:
Hugel & Fils Estate Riesling 2012
The Hugel company was founded in Riquewihr in 1639 by Hans Ulrich Hugel, who was a Swiss national who left his home country during the Thirty Years' War. It has remained in the hands of the Hugel family since then.
In the second half of the 20th century, Jean Hugel played a leading role in Hugel & Fils. Together, he and Hugel & Fils pioneered the reintroduction of late harvest wines in Alsace. The 1984 wine regulations setting down the requirements for Vendange Tardive and Sélection de Grains Nobles wines is usually referred to as "Hugel's Law". Wines in this style were also produced by Hugel before these designations had been invented, and some earlier versions were marketed using designations from the German wine classification, such as Beerenauslese.
There are yet no reviews for this product.


text:
2010-It's been quite an eventful year, both personally and professionally. Year started with something quite probing i.e. testing a middleware application in a span of 5 days. I was asked to test the Service Layer part of the application and I am glad that I did it as I got to learn few more tools like SOAP UI for WSDL and RESTful web services testing. If 2009 was about learning RapidSQL then 2010 was about getting comfortable with DBArtisan. There has been some addition on how to use BPT or Business Process Testing using Quality Center and Quick Test Professional both from HP.
In last 4-5 months; I got to learn about iTKO LISA Test Automation tool which I found good for middleware and back-end test automation (or Automated Checks). It's not easy to use for sure, at first it looks like a configuration management tool and to make learning little difficult, a newer version of this tool does not provide updated version of help documents. I hope going into New Year; the tool owners will improve on help documentation because if they are looking to have a large user base they will have to help users and make them feel at ease with LISA.
Then there came Agile and for first 2 sprints I was kind of confused so I picked a book titled "Agile Testing: A Practical Guide for Testers and Agile Teams" by Lisa Crispin and Janet Gregory. It proved to be of immense value and helped me BIG time. So, now I have the experience in Agile environment (/methodology) as well. Few things I really liked about Agile are quick feedback and less documentation. In few weeks, I'll put a separate post on my experience with Agile as a tester.
These are the few important things that I learned in 2010, more importantly I networked heavily and read a number of recommended books from James Marcus Bach. I hope to finish reading (& learning from) all of them by end of 2011.
There had been some disturbances as well on personal front but all is well that ends well. I am sure to start 2011 with a bang; a lot of things will change with the start of New Year on both of he 'P' fronts. I hope to network with lot more people in testing arena and share & learn with them. Ohh yes, I have few New Year resolutions also, I will blog more frequently then I have been doing in last 1.5 years. There are few more that I'll not talk about.
Wishing you all, a very happy & prosperous 2011. This is Rahul Gupta signing off for 2010.
C Ya!!!


text:
Purpose of Support Groups
Our NEW website is www.pmrgcascotland.com. Please use the new address as information on this site may be out of date...
Purpose of Support Groups
Listening - the primary purpose of our group is to listen to how the sufferers and/or carers are coping with these conditions. The members of the groups find this very helpful. The most common comment we hear at the group is, 'Nobody told me that'. If there is time we then discuss a topic related to our conditions, chosen by the members of the group.
Providing Information - what most members of the group wanted was information about the conditions. Visiting speakers who are medical professionals provide information on the illnesses and their treatment while others such as dietitians, physiotherapists and practitioners of yoga and tai-chi can help with day to day self-management.
We have found Versus Arthritis (formerly Arthritis Research UK and Arthritis Care) extremely helpful in providing information for our group.
The British Society of Rheumatology was also helpful in putting our founder in touch with Professor Baskhar Dasgupta (our patron) and his team who are doing research at Southend Hospital.
We are now affiliated to PMRGCAuk and through the networks share information so that we are kept as up-to-date as possible.
Keeping Hope Alive - we do this by encouraging each other and learning how others cope with the very varied symptoms.


text:
Georgia Stitt
"Re-Creation" - song written for Celeste Mergens
-- read lyrics
Georgia Stitt (composer/lyricist) is currently writing the original musicals Snow Child (for Arena Stage), Blue Ridge Sky (with Hunter Foster), and Juliette et Romeo (for Let It Show Productions in Moscow), as well as an as-yet-untitled oratorio for choir and soloists. Her other shows include The Danger Year; Big Red Sun; Samantha Spade, Ace Detective; Mosaic; and The Water. She has released three albums of her music: This Ordinary Thursday: The Songs of Georgia Stitt, Alphabet City Cycle (featuring Kate Baldwin) and My Lifelong Love. Her choral piece with hope and virtue (using text from President Obama's 2009 inauguration speech) was featured on NPR as part of Judith Clurman's Sing Out, Mister President cycle, and her most recent orchestral piece, Waiting for Wings, co-written with husband Jason Robert Brown, was commissioned by the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra and premiered there with conductor John Morris Russell. Georgia has degrees from Vanderbilt University's Blair School of Music and NYU's Tisch School for the Arts. She is on the Board of Directors for The Lilly Awards Foundation and she is the Founding Director of MAESTRA, an organization for women theater composers and conductors. Other fun credits include being the music director of the recent Off-Broadway revival of Sweet Charity (starring Sutton Foster), music supervisor of the Anna Kendrick/Jeremy Jordan film The Last Five Years, writing arrangements for Tony Bennett's 80th birthday party, serving as the vocal coach for America's Got Talent, and playing a nun in The Sound of Music Live! on NBC with Carrie Underwood and Audra McDonald.


text:
Christmas: When God Became Man
It's not hard to get swept into the excitement of Christmas. However, the challenge with this time of year is that all the emotion and sentimentality can obscure the fact that we don't talk a lot about what Christmas really means. This study of John 1 gives us a glimpse into the meaning behind Christmas, and how at its heart is the belief that God chose to break into human history as a living, touchable human being. We learn not just about this truth, but how Christmas is meant to break into our lives in very tangible ways as well.


text:
Bolivia vs. Argentina: Grading Lionel Messi's PerformanceMarch 27, 2013
This article assesses Lionel Messi's performance for Argentina against Bolivia as the Albiceleste travelled to La Paz for a CONMEBOL World Cup qualifier on Wednesday afternoon. Alejando Sabella's men laboured to a 1-1 draw at the altitude of the Estadio Hernando Siles, but while Bolivia are all but out of the running for qualification, Argentina remain in pole position in the South American group.
Lionel Messi could only deliver a disappointing performance, and struggled along with his teammates. The Barcelona star had one of his poorer games, failing to influence proceedings and missing a glorious chance late on.
This was a far cry from the dominant display he delivered against Venezuela on Friday evening. At the Estadio Monumental, the nation's No. 10 inspired his side to victory with a dazzling showing which earned him delirious plaudits from the fans in attendance.
My colleague Christopher Atkins suggested recently that the days of Messi not performing to his full capacity for Argentina were over, but on the evidence on Wednesday's outing, the superstar hasn't quite overcome this long-standing issue.
While Messi was devastatingly effective and wonderously innovative against Venezuela, he struggled to inspire his charges in La Paz, and trudged off at the end of the contest ruing an opportunity missed.
Clearly, there are factors which affected Messi's performance, and which must be considered in any article grading his contribution. One of these was referred to by the player himself pre-match, and is a common problem for any foreigner attempting 90 minutes of sporting competition in La Paz: the altitude.
Standing at 11,932 feet above sea level, the Estadio Hernando Siles is one of the highest professional stadiums in world football. Along with Ecuador's Estadio Olimpico Atahualpa in Quito, it is one of South America's most ominous fortresses, the thinning air a bane for away teams.
Messi was well aware of this issue before the contest, having been part of several Argentine teams to have struggled in La Paz over the years. He was present in 2009 when Bolivia secured a devastating 6-1 victory over the Albiceleste, and was fully aware of the difficulties of playing at such a height.
The altitude evidently affected the two-time World Cup winners as they appeared leggy and out of sorts, the thinned air clearly having a negative effect on their respiration and rhythm. Angel di Maria and Ezequiel Lavezzi both needed the aid of an oxygen mask, while Messi was particularly troubled by the taxing conditions. At one point he was caught on camera vomiting, having overexerted himself.
This kind of upheaval and change in conditions had a marked impact on this highly-trained, ultra-professional sportsman—and was a key reason why the Barcelona star was unable to recreate the magic of his recent showing against Venezuela.
A second reason that begins to explain Messi's underwhelming showing might have been the nature and approach of the Bolivians, who have emerged as a bit of a bogey side for Argentina in recent times. Tuesday's performance was the third consecutive draw between the two sides, a stat which suggests that La Verde may be particularly effective at stifling and thwarting the Argentines.
Their earlier qualifying clash, in Buenos Aires, was a prime example. The home side endured a frustrating first half before Bolivia took the lead soon after the break. Argentina only secured a point through a Lavezzi equaliser, while Messi was once again ineffective.
These recent showings suggest that even away from La Paz, Bolivia have the capacity to cause Argentina problems and negate their considerable attacking threat.
The two aforementioned factors still don't totally explain, or even excuse, Messi's underwhelming display. Crucially, the skipper had a chance to wrap things up late on, but failed to find the net and beat the impressive Sergio Galarza in the Bolivian goal. After nicking the ball from a defender, Messi found himself one-on-one with the goalkeeper. Some uncharacteristic hesitation eventually cost him, allowing the stopper to block the finish.
It should be noted that the Barcelona man provided a crucial contribution for Argentina's sole goal; some delightful footwork beat two men before an intelligent lay-off found Clemente Rodriguez, whose cross was met by Ever Banega. The troubled Valencia midfielder headed home past Galarza to draw the Albiceleste level.
Messi's arrival in La Paz drew a fervent reaction from the locals, clearly aware of the forward's imperious qualities and keen to catch a glimpse of the superstar's arrival in their city. The Bolivian federation revealed that the gate receipts taken for this contest were a record for the nation's soccer—although the box office crowd will perhaps have been left feeling a little nonplussed by the Barca man's showing.
This reception demonstrates the standing Messi currently enjoys within the world game. Despite still being only 25, the player is a legend within the international footballing community. His arrival in Bolivia brought excitable natives not only flocking to the stadium, but also to the airport and to the team hotel—purely with the intention of spotting the South American wonder.
This anticipation adds to the disappointment of his showing, and it ought to be noted that such levels of expectation accompany only the most excellent of players. The carousel of eagerness that follows Messi wherever he plays only serves to magnify any relative failures such as this.
Despite this disappointing draw, Argentina still remain at the top of the South American qualifying table and are closing in on qualification. Currently sitting on 24 points, with a nine point cushion protecting them from the ominous playoff spot, the Albiceleste look to be favourites to make their 11th consecutive World Cup.
Surely the potential of a tournament triumph, their first since Maradona's inspirational performance in 1986, made all the sweeter by being on Brazilian ground, will be playing on the minds of Messi and Co. While there is time to improve as a unit, a performance such as this does little to suggest that Sabella's men will be pulling up any trees come next summer.
Overall Rating: C-
Despite travelling to La Paz on the back of a dominant victory, Argentina as a collective were unable to break their hosts down effectively, and laboured in the high altitude conditions. Messi failed to rise above the mediocrity of his colleagues, and, unlike in his dazzling performance against Venezuela, was almost impotent in improving the fortunes of his compatriots.
The aforementioned caveats must be considered, but despite this, the playmaker struggled to come close to his own high standards. The harsh grade represents the fact that such a peripheral, hesitant performance is far below what we have come to expect from the world's finest.
With 51 goals this season for Barcelona, Messi currently stands only two goals behind Argentine legend Diego Maradona in the nation's all-time goalscorer charts. The clever money would be on him leading the Albiceleste to Brazil with this title already secured.


text:
Today's tutorial is going to highlight the GRID tool.
It's a handy tool but I think often neglected.
When you work on a block it's on the left side at the bottom of the row.
Start off with a 9 x 9 block and no graph paper.
click the little red square on the grid cool and enter 3 x 3 on the grid setup box.
Then from the top left corner of the block, click and drag down to the bottom right to draw out the grid.
Now easily you can change the grid setup to 2 x 2 and draw more grids inside this nine patch
color it and add to sketchbook
You can easily go back and change the block or add more fun things.
and make a fun quilt layout
So try out the GRID tool and have fun!