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A Story for the Spiritually Unmotivated
Skip Guinness
Copyright 2010 by Skip Guinness
Running the Rosary
Index of Prayers
Skip's Favorite Charity
Of course my name isn't Skippy Guinness, but I love peanut butter and beer. They represent everything that is easy, enjoyable, and at the same time unhealthy. This little booklet is about another paradox: things that are difficult, unenjoyable, yet healthy. This is a story about exercise and prayer.
For the past 15 years I have been commuting from my home in
to my job in New Jersey . Every working day I walk among people sleeping on sidewalks, holding signs, shaking cups, asking for money. After all of this time I still do not know the correct response. Manhattan
Sr. Mary Alice Hannon does. She is the Executive Director of Part of the Solution, or POTS, in The Bronx. POTS runs a community dining room that is as unique as its name. Volunteers serve 400 people a day, but this is no soup line or cafeteria. The quiet dining room holds only 22 guests. They sit at small tables with attractive centerpieces and they are served healthy meals by a friendly wait staff. More than serving meals, POTS restores dignity.
This project is a prayer, my way of becoming part of the solution even though I cannot find time to volunteer. You too can become part of the solution by spreading the word and donating at the end of story. Sr. Mary Alice gets everything: the copyright, royalties, movie & stage rights, even my fake name.
Running the Rosary
The modern athletic track is made for running. The rubberized surface reduces the risk of injury and the track markings guide runners through a variety of workouts. A standard track has six to eight lanes, each about 42 inches wide and separated by white lines. Distances are easy to count: one lap is 400 meters, 2 ½ laps are one kilometer, 4 laps are just about one mile. The best thing about the track is that no matter how far you run you are never more than two hundred meters from where you started. The worst thing about the track is that it is mind-numbing boring.
The ancient Rosary is made for prayer. The Mysteries tell the most important stories in the lives of Jesus and his mother while the beads mark the way through the mysteries. Traditionally, the Rosary is made up of three groups of five mysteries: the Joyful, the Sorrowful, and the Glorious. In modern times Pope John Paul II advocated a fourth set of five Luminous, or Mysteries of Light. The best thing about the Rosary is that no matter how far your mind wanders the beads can put you back on track. The worst thing about the Rosary is that, like the track, it is mind-numbing boring.
The key to Running the Rosary is to twist exercise and prayer into one effort, like a beer pretzel, so that they support each other. Concentration helps overcome the pain and fatigue of running and the Mysteries provide topics for concentration. I run one lap for one Mystery and use the beads and track markings to guide my progress.
God didn't make me a strong runner. He gave me wide feet, sensitive metatarsals and webbed toes. I shuffle around the track carrying a belly that changes shape with the seasons. Still, the system works well enough. My gut is closer to volleyball than basketball and with the grace of God maybe my sins and errors are similarly proportioned.
In top form I run a five-mile Rosary of all 20 mysteries. Unfortunately, injury, apathy and industry make 'top' a rare form. I invite you to keep reading. Join me as I try to run that five-mile Rosary.
1. The Annunciation
Then the angel said to her "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. Behold, you will conceive a son and you shall name him Jesus" (Lk -31)
The first homeless person I spoke to was Robert at the
. Robert held the door during the evening rush. He was a tall middle-aged African American man and he asked for money politely. There were two choices: either open another door, or go through Robert's door. Most went through Robert's door although few acknowledged him. He held the door for me many months before I asked his name and tipped him for the effort. That's all I know about Robert, but it is enough, he is my brother and I can pray for him. World Trade Center
There is a reason they are called Mysteries. For years I asked "Why?" and listened to the silence. Somewhere along the way I changed the question to fit the answer. Now when I start my run with the astonishing story of the Annunciation I ask "Why not?" The silence is reassuring.
Most outdoor tracks surround athletic fields adorned with lights, a scoreboard, flagpole and bleachers. A brisk eight-minute-mile completes a lap in two minutes. A more leisurely twelve-minute pace takes three minutes. Either way this is not enough time to contemplate the significance of the Annunciation.
The Rosary should start with the Apostles' Creed, but I start at the flagpole with an Our Father. Then I offer an intention while repeating Hail Mary's. Ten of these bring me around to the painted hurdle markers. The remaining space is filled with Fatima Prayers for the souls in purgatory, whatever that is. It seems to be something like: 'Pencils down, life's over, now tally up your score. If you are short just sit there. Prayers from the living can make up your deficit, everyone else come on in'. Approaching the flagpole again I say a Glory Be and move on to the next mystery.
Four Hundred Meters.
2. The Visitation
"And why is this granted me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
For behold, when the voice of your greeting came to my ears, the babe in my womb leaped for joy" (Lk -44).
For behold, when the voice of your greeting came to my ears, the babe in my womb leaped for joy" (Lk -44).
Aidan sat on Forty Third Street Street between Sixth and Seventh Avenues and held a sign that read "homәless - please help." Aidan was friendly and talkative. He looked like he was in his sixties with his white hair and cheery blue eyes. Aidan said he needed a new pacemaker and that he had a brother on the west coast. He admitted that the 'ә' on his sign was deliberate. I looked forward to my morning visits with Aidan but one day he was gone.
Half of my brain is used to repeat the prayers of the Rosary. The other half is an undisciplined place. Mary's soul magnifies the Lord. My right foot magnifies pain. I go back in time to witness the mystery. The child in
's womb jumps with laughter at my approach. The Song of Mary is interrupted as the puzzled kinswomen pause to watch me shuffle by. Elizabeth
They walked everywhere back then. Their feet always hurt. More work went into visiting making it a greater joy, and at times a greater chore. We know what that is like. Sometimes the reluctant visits work out. An elderly neighbor asked me to help change a light bulb. I didn't want to but I made the best of it. A chance question about a framed newspaper article made the trip worthwhile because I love stories. This gentleman's father fought in World War I in a rifle company that was supposed to try to shoot down the Red Baron, from the ground.
Back in college there was a sad old professor who held office hours although nobody ever visited. I didn't want to visit either but I did. He told me stories that he heard from his grandfather about fighting in the Union Army during the Civil War.
Eight Hundred Meters.
3. The Nativity
"There were shepherds in that region living in the fields and keeping night watch over their flock. The angel of the Lord appeared to them and the glory of the Lord shone upon them" (Lk 2:8-9).
Olivia stands at Forty Fifth and Fifth every morning and asks for money. She says she has cancer and that she stays at a local shelter or motels in
where she gets a senior citizen discount. Olivia is very kind. She smiles and greets all who pass whether they give or not. Sometimes I have pocket change for her. New Jersey
Rosaries make good Christmas presents. The best ones for running are short strands of wooden beads on string. Unfinished wood evaporates well whereas sweat tends to accumulate on smoother surfaces like glass, crystal or polished stone. String is more flexible than chains which often kink up and knot. Shorter is better than longer because the slack whips around in the air. Heavy metal crosses are just dangerous.
I'm on the hill with the shepherds, and still feeling okay. It is only 400 meters to the manger, let's check it out. Men will never understand what kind of joy goes with childbirth. I was happy to be the least person in the room. They let me be my wife's "breathing coach," as if during the miracle of bringing forth another life from the inside of her body she might forget to breathe.
Twelve Hundred Meters.
4. The Presentation
"And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, Behold, this child is destined for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be contradicted and you yourself a sword will pierce so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed" (Lk 2:34-35).
Jackie sits on a standpipe on Forty Fourth between Sixth and Seventh. Sometimes she asks for money in a quiet voice, and then smiles. It is almost like she knows she shouldn't be doing it and just wants some attention. On most days she just sits, smiles, and watches the world go by. Jackie says that she stays at a church around the corner.
Running is difficult for the unmotivated. Prayer is difficult for the easily distracted. God gave me an immense capacity for distraction. Life gives me plenty of it. I am married with five children aged from young adult to teens. I work at a bank in
where I try not to get fired. I have a house, two cars and lots of bills. I have brothers, sisters, nephews, nieces, parents, friends, coworkers, and lots of bosses. I enjoy food, drink, laughter and music. I love peanut butter and beer. I don't love exercise and prayer. At times I am sure that I don't even like them. New York City
I run 400 meters to the Temple. I hear Simeon's spooky warning
. However, I know that parents love sharing the joy of their newborns. Mary hands me her baby as I round the 200 mark. I run carefully and hand him back at the flagpole.
One Thousand Six Hundred Meters. One Mile.
5. Finding Jesus in the
"After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions; and all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers. And when they saw him they were astonished; and his mother said to him, 'Son, why have you treated us so? Behold, your father and I have been looking for you anxiously.'"
Grace has the best location. She sits on the
Seventh Avenue sidewalk at either Thirty Fourth or Thirty Fifth with a cute little dog. As the crowds pour out of Penn Station they have to part ways to get around her. I rarely see people talk to the homeless, but often see people converse with Grace, usually about her dog. Years went by before I said hello. One day the dog was gone. Worried, I struck up a conversation. The dog was with "Daddy", her husband, who "works" the sidewalk around the corner. They each try to raise $20 per day.
I have run one mile, said four Our Fathers, forty Hail Mary's and a few dozen Fatima Prayers. Things are beginning to hurt. There is really no need to continue, except for my beer belly and all of the things that can go wrong today.
One day we lost our son in a department store. He disappeared among the clothing racks. I covered the exit while my wife searched the maze of merchandise. Finding Jesus is one of the Joyful Mysteries, but I only remember panic followed by relief. Maybe the finding place was the source of joy. Jesus was found preaching in the
. Our boy was found in a discount rack under a sign that read "CLEARANCE EVERYTHING MUST GO!" Temple
That was long ago. Now my kids are grown and must to choose between right and wrong on their own. When they get lost I hope to find them in the
. Temple
Two Thousand Meters.
6. Baptism of Jesus
"People of the whole Judean countryside and all the inhabitants of
were going out to and were being baptized in the Jerusalem Jordan River" (Mk 1:5).
During the commute home
hangs out in a wheel chair on along Austin Seventh Avenue. He has no legs. Judging by his age and appearance I expected a story about . The problem was diabetes, a disease which is insidious in the general population and devastating in poverty. Nerve endings in the feet are the first thing to go. Without pain small sores go unnoticed, become infected and then gangrenous. Doctors advise patients to watch their blood sugar and exercise. To avoid foot problems one should check them daily, keep them clean, trim the toenails and wear properly fitting shoes. I wonder how these rank among the daily priorities of homeless diabetics. Vietnam
My legs hurt after two thousand meters, but I am thankful to have them. I slow down. Pushing too hard leads to injury. Expecting too much leads to disappointment.
A few years ago our town was embroiled in a land use controversy. Big issues hung on the outcome of the next election, issues like traffic patterns. On the day after the election I saw a friend on the train. He was disappointed because he worked on the campaign and his candidate lost. He told me that he hadn't been to church in years but went at lunchtime, yesterday, to pray for the outcome of the election.
Now I don't want to suggest that God can't fix an election. I am sure that he can, although it seems to contradict a long tradition of revelation and free-will response. Maybe if you really want God to intervene in an election, and if you don't want to be disappointed, the thing to do is to just try to start praying before the polls open, or at least before on Election Day.
The track is hot and I am thirsty. There is a line of people at the river's edge being dunked one by one. Do I really have to stand in line? It's so hot, can't I just run ahead and flop in. Do I want to be baptized and embrace the faith or to simply cool off and go back to the way I was living? My wife says running won't make a difference if I don't change my diet. I guess she's right, I'll stand in line.
Two Thousand Four Hundred Meters.
7. The Miracle at the Wedding
"Jesus and his disciples were also invited to the wedding" (Jn 2:2).
Angela now sleeps in Aidan's spot with a sign and a cup for change. She can go to her mom's at the
Jersey seashore but she doesn't get along with her brother who was recently divorced and is living there. Except for the strange sores on her legs she looks healthy.
Good technique prevents injury. I check my pace and posture. Pulling my baseball cap down to my nose forces me to keep my head up. Now I see only the white lines of the track. Stay between the lines and keep moving forward. If only life was that simple.
I give thanks for my marriage; it is the best thing in my life. I pray that I don't do anything stupid. Taking that job in
was stupid. Other people were moving up. It was my turn. Armed with confidence, a little bit of arrogance and a whole lot of prayer I ignored gigantic warning signs, like the 90-mile commute, and took that job in Connecticut . Connecticut
We are stuck with our decisions. That one resulted in fifteen months of stress, anxiety and disharmony in the household. Many things went wrong including my technique in prayer. I should have been asking God to help me make a good decision. Instead I was asking God to help make my decision good. By rearranging the universe if necessary, because I had already made up my mind and it was a bad decision.
Two Thousand Eight Hundred Meters.
8. The Transfiguration
"And he was transfigured before them; his face shone like the sun and his clothes became white as light" (Mt 17:2).
Jay sits on the north side of Forty Eighth between
and Sixth with a sign and a cup for loose change. He has bright blue eyes and speaks with a heavy Eastern European accent. I see Jay on days when I get a $5.65 sushi roll for lunch. He gets the change. Madison
I can't run the Transfiguration without remembering that cold, moonless autumn night. The white track and field marks dimly reflected the starlight. A line on the football field wobbled as I began the Mysteries of Light. Distracted and fatigued, I slowed down and peered into that area on my next approach. Another line moved, this time closer to the track. Alarmed, I cleared my head to focus on this area in the next lap. The third time around, during the Transfiguration I finally understood. It was a skunk, it was following me, and worse; I was wearing a black track suit with a big white racing stripe.
The distraction was complete, rendering any further prayer impossible. The only thing I could do was ask myself: Does it think I'm another skunk? Am I another skunk? Do I act like one? Do I offend, or put on airs? Am I intolerant? Do I use body language to keep people at a distance? Do I always have to be the center of attention? Transfigure me Lord, help me mend my skunky ways.
Three Thousand Two Hundred Meters. Two Miles.
9. The Proclamation
"When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain; and after he sat down, his disciples came to him. Then he began to speak, and taught them" (Mt: 5,1-2).
Peter used to sit in Jay's spot. He was heavy, with long hair and a beard. There were usually a couple of kittens crawling around him. Peter said he took a bus from
in order to get to this spot and then went home again at night. Atlantic City
The Proclamation covers all of Jesus' teachings, like the parables and the beatitudes. He had some excellent one-liners. What's the most important of these, or the most important mystery of the Rosary? I don't know. That's like asking, "What's the most important part of a wagon?" They are all important.
Years ago I bought and assembled a wagon. Then I put two of my small children in it for a short walk to Grandmom's house. It was a pleasant day and the neighbors smiled as we set out. We didn't make it one block. The wagon came apart at the first bump in the sidewalk. I was left with the handle and front axle. Behind me were the children, tumbled onto the sidewalk. Behind them were the carriage and rear axle. There were tears, bumps, scratches, and neighbors rushing down from porches. It was a spectacular wagon accident.
So after cleaning up the kids I reassembled the wagon, this time carefully following the instructions. In my opinion, the most important part of a wagon is the steel pin that connects the handle, front axle and undercarriage.
Three thousand six hundred meters, it's been a long run and I am not even halfway finished. There will be many more bumps on the sidewalk of life. The Proclamation is like that pin. I hope it holds.
Three Thousand Six Hundred Meters.
10. The Eucharist
"This is my body which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me"
(Lk 22:9).
Maggie sat outside of Our Lady of Victory church on Pine only one block from Wall Street. It was difficult to leave Mass and then ignore somebody asking for help. She said she has been away from her family most of her life.
This next one blows my mind. I go to church and hold God in my hands. Why would he let that happen? I could drop him. He is not going to interfere with my free will, but at the same time, as I hold him in my hands I know that I am not alone. There has been enough revelation over the years to navigate whatever life throws in my running lane.
We need the Eucharist at this picnic.
Four Thousand Meters.
11. The Agony in the Garden
"Watch and pray that you may not undergo the test. The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak" (Mk ).
I had a bad experience in Midtown. It was bitter cold. The temperature was in the teens and the wind howled between the skyscrapers. A man with trash bags duct taped all over his body huddled next to a wall. I asked if I could help and offered some pocket change. He flipped out. He stood up screaming, cursing and waving his arms. I was offering about forty five cents in a life and death situation while there was a coat drive at Penn Station. What a jerk I am. He ended up more exposed to the cold by chasing me away.
On that day I developed rules of engagement. I would only talk to people if they asked for help and I would be polite and ask them their name and treat them nicely. Maybe I can't help much but I can give them the dignity of hearing their own name.
Four thousand meters and now I am feeling it. All of this effort and I've prayed only a hundred Hail Mary's. I witnessed more murders than that on 9/11. A woman in church the next day brought along two children who held drawings for their dad who didn't get out. If pushing myself around this track again can bring her five minutes of peace I'll do it gladly. I tried saying one Hail Mary for every victim of that day and the wars that followed. There are too many. I know that we are supposed to, but I have a hard time praying for dead terrorists. When this trips me up I give them one prayer, a cup of water in Hell. They can share it. bastards.
Four Thousand Four Hundred Meters.
12. Scourging at the Pillar
"I have conducted my investigation in your presence and have not found this man guilty of the charges you have brought against him, nor did Herod, for he sent him back to me. So no capital crime has been committed. Therefore I shall have him flogged and then release him"
(Lk -17).
Molly is late middle aged, maybe in her upper fifties, she begs on
Seventh Avenue. Her large heavy frame hunches over a walker. She is frightening in appearance, fleshy and pale with unkempt hair and thick glasses. When her legs and feet are not bandaged open sores are exposed to the dust and grime. She smiles and blesses me profusely whenever I say 'hi' and give spare change.
The Romans didn't invent terror but as an instrument of public policy they perfected it. Pilate admitted there was no legal case against Jesus. The scourging was issued as casually as a parking ticket. I once again take stock of my posture and straighten up my back, which fortunately is not being shredded by a Roman soldier.
What good is one prayer, one cup of water in Hell? We need the
. The flow rate of the Niagara Falls is roughly 4 million cubic feet per minute. That's about 30 million gallons, or 480 million cups of water per minute. Maybe it's not hopeless. There are 7 billion people on earth. If everybody offers just one prayer maybe we could divert the Niagara Falls into Hell for 15 minutes. Niagara Falls
On rare occasions I pray the Memorare. The Memorare is the Bat Phone of prayers. It is worded to put Mary on the spot. Therefore it should be reserved for only the most desperate situations, especially since most of our problems are our own fault.
More things are beginning to hurt but I think that I can make it. It is only 400 meters. What is this pain I feel compared to being burned alive at work, or shot dead in a desert war, frozen to death on a city street, having your legs amputated for diabetes, or having open sores on naked feet in the biggest city of the wealthiest nation on Earth?
Four Thousand Eight Hundred Meters. Three Miles.
13. Crowning with Thorns
"They clothed him in purple, and weaving a crown of thorns, placed it on him. They began to salute him with 'Hail King of the Jews' and kept striking him on the head with a reed and spitting on him" (Mk -19).
Isabelle works the crowd around Bryant Park during the evening rush. Unlike Grace with her cute dog, and Peter with his kittens, Isabelle is accompanied by two girls, Nellie and Cupcake. She makes a point of asking for money to feed them. It worked once, but when I asked if it was appropriate to have the girls with her she had a quick response: "Only God knows the Heart." Yeah, I guess, but I still think it is wrong.
On one brutally hot day I brought along water bottles and ice. During a break I filled my baseball cap with ice cubes, pressed it on my head and ran back out into the sun. That was a bad idea. I gave myself a blinding brain freeze and quickly dumped all but one of the ice cubes. Even that one delivered a stab of pain along with its little droplets of relief. I compare this with Jesus' crown of thorns which delivered incomprehensibly more pain along with the droplets of our salvation.
I am so appalled by the Romans' behavior that I forget my own pain. They fashioned that crown of thorns, pressed it into his scalp, blindfolded, hit and tormented him. They probably enjoyed it. I'll collapse in my tracks before I quit during this mystery. I think of Jesus' crown of thorns and remember my crown of ice cubes. Sweat drips down my face, but it's not blood. I can do this. I take in enough calories. I hydrate adequately and it will all be over soon enough.
Five Thousand Two Hundred Meters.
14. Jesus Carries His Cross
"As they were going out they met a Cyrenian named Simon; this man they pressed into service to carry his cross" (Mt 27-32).
A man in Midtown struggles behind two large rolling laundry carts, driving them before him like a yoke of oxen. The carts are filled with clothes, chairs, televisions, every sort of disregarded item. Sometimes he is at Bryant Park, sometimes he is at
Times Square. He looks like a ghost who is bound to the Earth and condemned to push those carts around for all eternity. Manhattan
Jimmy was the oldest. There were eight of us when Dad died, plus Mom. In some ways the trauma froze us where we were. At eight and a half years old I was eager and optimistic. I still am, when not running. At thirteen Jimmy was awkward and insecure. He needed his Dad.
Alcoholism is not just about vodka anymore. The modern addict is no match for the variety of chemicals available on our streets, like booze, pot, hashish, opium, cocaine, meth, and acid; or from the pens of physicians like, Xanax, Paxil, and Valium; or from the back doors of pharmacies like, phentobarbital and OxyContin.
We make decisions and can't take them back. I last spoke to Jimmy on Christmas Day, 2001. He was cooking dinner for the family and asked me to stay. Afraid he'd fall off the wagon again, I made up a phony excuse and declined. If I could have one decision back that would be the one. He died on New Year's Day. The autopsy was inconclusive. A little bit of everything, not enough of anything, he died in is sleep. Mom says the Blessed Mother brought him home on her feast day. I believe it. Why not?
I always run this one with Jimmy. He floats next to me, no longer burdened by his body. He knew that the addiction was too powerful. Some addicts turn to crime but as the disease took its toll Jimmy turned to faith. He became more prayerful and devoted as he grew sicker. He even made pilgrimages to the
Holy Land and Medjugorje.
You carried your cross well Jim.
I join my prayers and to his and look for him in the eyes of these struggling New Yorkers.
Five Thousand Six Hundred Meters.
15. Jesus Dies on the Cross
"Aware that everything was now finished in order that the scripture might be fulfilled, Jesus said, 'I thirst.' So they put a sponge soaked in wine on a sprig of hyssop and put it to his mouth. When Jesus had taken the wine he said 'It is finished.' And bowing his head he handed over the spirit" ( Jn -30).
Every morning the breezeway by Penn Station between Thirty Fourth and Thirty Fifth is filled with homeless. They don't hold signs or ask for money. Some are still sleeping when I walk by at There are bags of clothes, leftover meals and trash. It is all cleaned up when I return twelve hours later.
Five thousand six hundred meters, and a broken heart. Now everything hurts. Except for my right hand, nobody is driving a nail through it. It is the same for my left hand and both feet. I can look up to catch a breeze without pressing thorns into the back of my scalp. Looking down, there's only the track, and not my mother watching me die. On either side there are only friendly neighbors sharing the track. It's only 400 meters. Maybe I can make it.
I might be wrong about this but I only give pocket change because I don't want them buying drugs. They are homeless and hungry with no families. Many are physically and mentally ill. These streets bake to 100 degrees in the summer and drop to single digits in the winter. Heaven forbid they get high. That would be a terrible injustice. Only comfortable people are allowed to do that. Like me. I can have a cold beer, or three, every blessed day. Unfortunately, for too many people drugs are the end of the road.
Women bring people into the world and men carry them out. I have seen the end of the road and it was a few dozen meters too short. Grief is a luxury when you are in slippery black dress shoes while carrying a casket across those last dozen meters of snow and ice.
I might be wrong but I don't think that cash handouts are the answer. There are many other ways to help.
Six Thousand Meters.
16. The Resurrection
"The two were running together; and the other disciple ran ahead faster than Peter and came to the tomb first." (Jn 20:4)
Type "HOMELESS" into an internet search engine followed by any one of our nation's forty three thousand zip codes and you will be directed to organizations dedicated to helping the people living on our streets. They are public and private, faith based and secular. You can give time, treasure or talent…even marginal talent. There is no excuse for inaction.
I finally put my feet where my heart is supposed to be and signed up at the community dining room. Prayers don't cook the carrots. They had to be washed, cut and cooked by volunteers along with two hundred pounds of potatoes and four hundred veal patties.
I am moving slow now but the worst is over. We are saved. Let's see if I can catch up with Peter, or the other disciple. It can't be more than a quarter mile to the tomb. I've got better footwear.
Of course we would never believe that Jesus died for our sins. He had to come back from the dead to prove it. We still don't believe. He empowered the apostles to work miracles, gave us the Eucharist and the saints down through the ages. The Blessed Mother visited
, Lourdes Fatima, and Medjugorje. We are surrounded by every miracle of creation. We still don't believe. It is no wonder that we live in a world full of murder, war, poverty, exploitation, even crimes in the Church.
The only thing that I want to do is finish this run and get through the day without making matters worse.
Six Thousand Four Hundred Meters. Four Miles.
17. The Ascension
"'You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witness in
, throughout Jerusalem Judea and and to the ends of the earth.' When he had said this, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him from their sight" (Acts 1:8-9). Samaria
Known as "Sally" to intimates, bell ringers to the rest of us, The Salvation Army is more than a brass quartet and red kettle. It is a way of life. In addition to providing food, clothing, and shelter to the poor, Sally administers excellent drug and alcohol recovery programs. This organization is worthy of your spare change at Christmas. You can even send them a check.
This run is becoming impossible. My legs barely obey my brain and I can no longer concentrate. Jesus is in heaven with so many people that I know. I fill up this lap by remembering every person I ever knew who has died, starting with my Dad. Then I invite grandparents, aunts and uncles, cousins and friends to join me. If I am moving slow I have time to include people I didn't know so well like friends of friends, parents and grandparents of friends. On really bad days I include random dead historical figures like presidents, writers, and rock stars. Sooner or later I reach that flagpole.
Six Thousand Eight Hundred Meters.
18. The Descent of the Holy Spirit
"Then there appeared to them tongues as of fire, which parted and came to rest on each one of them" (Acts 2:3).
If you can't give money then give effort. Habitat for Humanity converts sweat equity to charity. Active worldwide, this group organizes volunteers into construction corps building and repairing the dwelling places for impoverished people everywhere. In the process of helping others you will improve your own handymanship.
Running out of steam… brain malfunctioning… mustn't forget the Holy Spirit…can't remember the seven gifts… Lord grant us Wisdom (check), Knowledge (check), Good Judgment (check), Thrifty, Helpful, Cheerful, (check check check). Wait, no checks, that's the Scout Law, damn, check them anyway, it won't hurt…Understanding (check) Courage, Brave, Loyal (check check check) Piety, Reverent, Trustworthy (check check check), Fear of the Lord (check), and Clean (check). There, I'm all mixed up. Oh well, just help us be good Christians, Lord, or scouts.
Seven Thousand Two Hundred Meters.
19. Mary is Assumed into Heaven
20. Mary is crowned the Queen of Heaven
"Our Lady's 800"
"He said to his Mother, 'Woman, behold your son.' Then he said to his disciple, 'Behold your Mother.'"
Catholic Charities is a blanket organization that includes the thousands of charities associated with the Catholic Church. Put aside the cathedrals, the twisted history, and the artistic legacy. These are not the faith. Put aside the Pope. He's not the faith either. I know some good priests who try and teach the faith. Bad priests undo their work. They are not the faith. I can't tell you what 'the faith' is but I think it has something to do with prayer and sacrifice, with the Rosary and charity. POTS is the faith. So is Dwelling Place NYC, a women's shelter on Fortieth Street and Mother Teresa's Missionaries of Charity working with homeless drug addicts up on One Hundred and Forty Fifth Street. Someday I hope to volunteer more of my time, until then I can pray and give money.
Eight hundred long meters to go. The temptation to quit becomes acute as I near the finish. I am spent: physically, mentally and emotionally exhausted. An old lady with headphones just powerwalked ahead of me. There is nothing left. Four and a half miles is far enough for any unmotivated runner. After all of this prayer and reflection I am pretty sure that the Blessed Mother will not mind if I quit.
But I won't. I'll do it for her. We put so many problems at her feet while our behavior on Earth is still generally atrocious. Somehow I'll get around this track two more times. I'll catch up with that powerwalker. Maybe Mary will smile at me and ask Jesus to grant some of my intentions. We know that with his mother Jesus is always
Kind and Obedient.
(check check)
(check check)
Eight Thousand Meters. Five Miles. Amen.
Except for Sr. Mary Alice and Jimmy all of the names are made up. The real names are not my business to share. If you are interested just ask them. I don't share my own name because I am superstitious. Affixing my name to this will at best diminish the prayer value, and at worst bring me bad luck. You will need Sr. Mary Alice's name to support her. As for Jimmy, I know him well enough. I don't think he minds that I am sharing his name and part of his story.
This prayer is finished. I hope it helps you become part of the solution.
Index of Prayers
The Apostles Creed: I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth; I believe in Jesus Christ His only Son our Lord; He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit, and was born of the Virgin Mary, He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried. He descended to the dead, on the third day He rose again. He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting.
The Our Father: Our Father, who 'art in Heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. Amen.
The Hail Mary: Hail Mary, full of grace. The Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus. Holy Mary mother of God pray for us sinners now, and at the our of our death. Amen.
The Glory Be: Glory be to the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, as it is now and ever shall be without end. Amen.
The Song of Mary: "My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has regarded the low estate of his handmaiden.
For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed; for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name. And his mercy is on those who fear him from generation to generation. He has shown strength with his arm,
he has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts, he has put down the mighty from their thrones, and exalted those of low degree; he has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent empty away.
He has helped his servant
, in remembrance of his mercy, Israel
as he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his posterity for ever."
For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed; for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name. And his mercy is on those who fear him from generation to generation. He has shown strength with his arm,
he has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts, he has put down the mighty from their thrones, and exalted those of low degree; he has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent empty away.
He has helped his servant
as he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his posterity for ever."
Fatima Prayer: O my Jesus, forgive us and save us from the fires of hell, especially those most in need of your friendship.
The Beatitudes
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
Blessed are the gentle, for they shall inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.
Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
Excellent One Liners
"Give to Caesar what is Caesar's but give to God what is God's"
"Let whoever is without sin cast the first stone"
The Most Important Commandment
Jesus replied: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' (Mt 22:36-39)
The Most Important Part of a Wagon: The Cotter Pin
The Memorare: Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that any one who fled to your protection, implored your help or sought your intercession, was left unaided. Inspired with this confidence, I fly unto you, O Virgin of virgins, my Mother. To you I come, before you I stand, sinful and sorrowful; O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions, but in your mercy hear and answer me.
Life is like a race: I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. (2 Timothy 4:7)
The Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit: Wisdom, Understanding, Good Judgment, Courage, Knowledge, Piety, Fear of the Lord
The Scout Law: A Scout is trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean and reverent.
Hail Holy Queen
Hail, holy Queen, Mother of Mercy! Our life, our sweetness, and our hope!
To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve,
To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve,
to thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping
in this valley, of tears.
Turn, then, most gracious advocate, thine eyes of mercy toward us;
Turn, then, most gracious advocate, thine eyes of mercy toward us;
and after this our exile show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb Jesus;
O clement, O loving, O sweet virgin Mary.
O clement, O loving, O sweet virgin Mary.
Pray for us, O holy Mother of God
That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Skip's Favorite Charity
If you are ready to put your coin where your conscience is then please click on the link below and give.
Tell them Skippy Guinness sent you!
Part of the Solution: http://www.potsbronx.org/


text:
Miranda Kerr is smashing while attending the 2012 CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund Awards held at Center 548 on Tuesday (November 13) in New York City.
The 29-year-old model was joined by the always beautiful Karlie Kloss.
PHOTOS: Check out the latest pics of Miranda Kerr
Chanel Iman, Louise Roe, and Coco Rocha were also spotted looking gorgeous at the awards.
Before the ceremony, Miranda tweeted, "On my way to cvff down the stairs wearing giulietta."
FYI: Miranda is wearing a top, skirt and shoes by Giulietta and carrying a Prada bag. Louise is wearing head-to-toe Rachel Roy.
20+ pictures inside of Miranda Kerr and Karlie Kloss looking stunning at the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund Awards…More Here! »

subset: commoncrawl


text:
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by Dennis Yang
Wed, Nov 21st 2007 3:33am
Filed Under:
With gas prices on the rise, telecommuting has encountered renewed enthusiasm lately. With that enthusiasm comes, of course, continued debate as to whether or not telecommuting is more or less productive. Well, the latest study (which is actually an analysis of 46 other studies) finds that telecommuters are happier, less stressful, and have better work-family balance. The study found that telecommuters did not hamper relationships, nor did it artificially stunt career development. According to the study, the number of people who telecommute at least once a month has increased 60 percent in the last few years. These findings really should not be much of a surprise. As more and more employers adapt to the growing numbers of telecommuters, the disadvantages once attributed to the rogue road warriors fade away. So, coupled with the time savings and environmental benefits, it seems that telecommuting is a win-win situation that is here to stay, especially as more and more homes add broadband. That said, it's slightly ironic that as a result of the SBC, AT&T and BellSouth mergers, as many as 12,000 AT&T telecommuters are being recalled to their home offices. If telecommuting increases morale, then it makes sense that the converse is true, and AT&T is about to find that out the hard way.
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Reader Comments
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Haywood, 21 Nov 2007 @ 4:18am
Baffling, yet unsurprisingI've worked for large corporations most of my life, and the ivory tower decisions that come down are a way of life. Still, the disconnect between the board room and the work room is amazing.
Anon, 21 Nov 2007 @ 4:59am
I have this chanceI have the chance to telecommute, but it always feels like you're looked upon as not working as hard as when you're in the office.
If co-workers can't see you by your laptop doing work, it seems to me that they may think you're not working as hard.
It will take a large move to telecommuting to change this image, I believe.
Seth Brundle, 21 Nov 2007 @ 5:01am
Surprised at the conclusionsI have mostly worked from home since about 2001. Recently I had to work out of my office 90 minutes away for 3 months.
It had a tremendous positive affect on my mood, I got more work done, and when I got home I felt my job was done for the day and didnt feel guilty about relaxing. Home and work were no longer an seamless 'blob' - each had definition, meaning, and purpose.
Inside I knew telecommuting was depressing me but, hey, its just too easy to *not* go to work. I know a lot of longtime telecommuters that confide the same to me.
My question is how many of the respondents to the studies *knew* they were responding to their attitudes about telecommuting - because however a telecommuter really feels, they will defend their *ability* to work from home to the death.
David, 21 Nov 2007 @ 5:12am
Re: Surprised at the conclusionsI'm not *surprised* by the conclusions, but I agree with you.
The study was of people who telecommute at least once per month, right? After 3 years at my previous job, I moved 700 miles away to go back to school full time. I kept my job, working from 10 to 25 hours during the semester, and 40 hours during breaks. It was great, and I was able to stay focused and was probably getting more done in 20 hours than I used to get done in 40.
After graduation, I stayed where I was and started working full time from home. I never felt like I was getting enough done, so I would unintentionally work up to 12 hours a day. I barely had any human contact during the week, and I felt completely disconnected from the office. I felt myself getting depressed.
After about 6 months I started a new job. I continued consulting for them part time for a while, but I was using my time more efficiently and felt good about my work. Now after a year at my new job, I'm going to start telecommuting one day every two weeks, and I am sure I will make very good use of that time away from distraction.
I think telecommuting works really well for some people, but I think a lot of people are like me. A few days in the office, then a few days at home, is a good balance.
Will, 21 Nov 2007 @ 5:09am
Ironically........The ad appearing on the right side of this page when I was reading this story is for AT&T's LaptopConnect Card. The ad proclaims is "works in more places worldwide than any other US carrier".
And, of course, the picture on the card is some guy checking his email away from the office.
What dopes. Ha ha ha.
Michelle, 21 Nov 2007 @ 5:44am
More flexability - more workI've worked as a "remote" employee for 3 years now. I don't even have an office at the "office" anymore. I love it. I have time to go to the gym, get my laundry done, eat a balanced diet without resorting to eating at restraunts multiple times during the week and save on gas.
I put in more then 40 hours work time, but i would do that and more in the office with all the people disrupting me during the day to "talk around the water cooler".
As for contact with people, I get instant messaged and called all day, sit on conference calls, etc.
When I worked in cubicle city I was incredibly depressed looking at 4 gray walls, no natural lighting or windows and tied to my computer like it was a ball and chain.
I have the option, 21 Nov 2007 @ 5:56am
to work from homeI work both at home and at the office. Today I'm working from home. The key to successful telecommuting is to have a well defined set of performance metrics and goals to which you are expected to meet. I know exactly what is expected of me and I strive to meet or beat those KPI's every month, and exceed my performance goals every quarter.
The company leaves the decision to me on what work conditions are most ideal to meeting their expectations.
MN, 21 Nov 2007 @ 5:58am
Telecommuting way of lifeI have been telecommuting now 100% of my time for about the last year, before that with a previous company it was only a few days a week and I wished it could be 100%. It takes a strong organized person to be able to do this all of the time. The company I work for now, when you are hired they help you understand and work with you on home officing skills. They want you to be successful so they can be successful. I do put in more hours than normal but who doesnt these days - at least I am home when the kids get home from school and can help them with a quick a question if needed. I am less stressed & have been healthier this past year. You have to keep the work/life balance in check
& sometimes close the laptop. For the lunch hour sometimes I will schedule a lunch 1 or 2 times a week with different friends so I can get the social interaction. If I need to run to the post office I can do that too. I work with a team of other telecommuters and we do get our "office water cooler chats in" but it is done in a different environment via the telephone and email chats. I also do not have the dreaded commute in our MN metro area. I love home officing and have been successful with the situation. I think if more people would telecommute more of their time, they would find themselves having a higher work productivity and actually putting in a few more hours than they were before. The stigmatism of we cannot see you so you must not be doing anything....this is more than likely coming from managament who does not understand telecommuting, if they could understand it more and see the financial benefits of it, I bet they would be on board if they are not control freeks. If it is co-workers that are giving home officing workers a hard time - they are only jealous and probably wish they could do it as well. I agree with the article that AT&T is going to learn the hard way. Once a person is successful with home officing, I believe it would be much harder for that person to adapt to a cubicle environment.
Overcast, 21 Nov 2007 @ 6:29amI'm able to telecommute - but that being said - I live maybe 30 minutes from work. I tend to usually go in, but if there's a doctor's appointment, etc - I can just work from home.
Morale? It's a huge boost - I'm FAR happier here than other places I've worked, and I'll likely stay around for quite some time.
I get plenty done when I'm home - it doesn't really matter, just depends on the day. Although, when I'm at home - I might do other little tasks at home, but then end up keeping my laptop running and doing 'after hours' tasks, like updating server agents, running patches, etc.
Telecommuter at a Telecom, 21 Nov 2007 @ 7:22amI'd love to agree with your conclusion that AT&T is going to "find out the hard way", but having recently seen this done at my office, I cannot.
If my case is similar to the theirs, here's what will happen:
1) A subset of the 12,000 people will find new jobs allowing them to telecommute. It will be a very small minority (We didn't even see 1%). Most will swear up and down that they're going to quit, but will ultimately stick around.
2) Another 10-15% of the employees will deal with it, but will be a little less productive and less happy. These are the folks who's job or who's work style benefited from telecommuting. Many in this group are just *good employees*, so they'll end up working in the office and still be good employees.
3) The remainder (vast majority) will be surprisingly more efficient, and a small percentage of them will actually be more happy. They didn't adjust well to telecommuting, or their manager could never quantify the amount of work they were doing without a set of eye balls on them. Some are good employees with bad managers, others are just bad employees.
It's that third group that will identify to upper management that bringing workers back was a "good idea". Real-estate costs will go up, but real-estate costs for a telecom is #3 behind Access Costs and Staff costs. They're so high that adding room for 12,000 employees (many of whom probably had desks going unused) will go unnoticed.
The complaint often goes: "It's a few people that abuse Telecommuting that ruin it for those of us who can handle working from home." If my company was any example, it's not a "few", it's a lot due partly to the employee and partly to management that didn't know how to manage telecommuters.
Another thing happened at my company: At lower levels, managers began to identify employees who's jobs made more sense with flex time and work-from-home abilities (and which employees were good at handling it) and allowed them to "less officially" return to their original work situation. Several months later, most of Group #2 (10-15%) were returned to their original work circumstances (flex time/work from home).
As a side note, a lot of blame is laid on the "bad telecommuters", but it's really bad management that makes a telecommuting operation fail.
Most people are capable of doing their job regardless of where they are physically. Many managers just don't know how to work with telecommuters or identify when a telecommuting employee is not working at his/her peek.
Even though many of us professionals are "salary" and are not paid by each hour we work, the organization still puts a huge emphasis on the amount of "time" an employee puts into his/her job, rather than the amount of "work" he/she actually completes. And some managers are so anti-telecommuting that they actually force failure on a telecommuter by assigning less important work or requiring that person to spend equal amounts of time justifying his job as he does doing his job.
Anonymous Coward, 21 Nov 2007 @ 7:40am
ATT for you againwhats going to happen is about 10-20% of them are going to another job that alows them to telecommute.
another 30-50% will actually try their dern hardest to work.
while in fact ATT is going to try and lay 100% of them off.
Brian, 21 Nov 2007 @ 9:36am
Re: ATT for you again>
This is likely a strong scenario.
If you have ever worked for a company where they have decided to let an employee go that does not work at the office, there is a different dynamic than if that person worked in the office. I would have to argue it is much easier to let someone go in the office - more predictability, more security, more control of the situation. Call them to your office, their accounts and access are disabled while in your office, inform them of their fate, walk them to their area, clean out personal belongings (or schedule another time for this), escort them to the door, end of story.
If the worker is remote, do you let them know without coming to the office they are being let go? How do you get them to the office without it seeming awkward to call them in? How are you sure they bring company assets with them you will need to collect without telling them? If you can't, how do you follow-up to be sure you do obtain all assets?
It can be done, sure, on a smaller scale with one or two employees, with careful management. AT&T, however, is trying to bring two workforces together where there is probably a lot of overlap, and it knows inevitably that some positions will be cut. You have to be able to see what will work and what doesn't, and this is their strategy.
It is the very realistic scenario that rather than work through such a complicated process with remote workers, AT&T is deciding to bring everyone in-house, assess what resources are needed, how they will be managed, reduce the staff to needed levels, and then decide at what level they will re-evaluate who can work remotely and who cannot.
From many standpoints, if you have the physical space and are not having to build a building for this, this is a much more manageable process to meld two workforces together.
Anonymous Coward, 21 Nov 2007 @ 10:19am
Re: Re: ATT for you again> walk them to their area, clean out personal
> belongings (or schedule another time for this)
> How are you sure they bring company assets
> with them you will need to collect without
> telling them? If you can't, how do you
> follow-up to be sure you do obtain all assets?
So if a person is fired in-house, they're at the mercy of the company to reclaim their assets and if they're fired at home, then the company is at their mercy to reclaim its assets.
Seems like a perfect yin-yang to me. Sauce for the goose and all...
Phil, 21 Nov 2007 @ 9:22amAnother dumbass US corp making dumbass moves.
T, 21 Nov 2007 @ 9:47amI worked at BellSouth as a consultant for several years and now work as a contractor at AT&T. They will not care if changing the telecommuting policy causes a morale problem, because the impact to overall work will not be noticed. A union strike, on the other hand, would get their attention.
natt, 21 Nov 2007 @ 9:47am
makes senselots of ppl tend to abuse the privelege of telecommuting.
it also makes it harder for people to collaborate at work place. it changes the whole dynamics.
i think people need to realize that in many (not all) jobs its not sufficient to write documents or software code sitting on your computer anywhere in the world even when we all plethora of collaboration tools available. Nothing replaces face to face interaction with co-workers and customers while solving tough problems and coming up with new solutions.
If telecommuting works so well, it just makes the case for offshoring stronger. If you gonna work from home, you better live in a place where i dont have to pay you much. Otherwise show up here and talk to me.
Dan, 21 Nov 2007 @ 10:06am
maybe so, maybe notAt our crown corporation, all managers and up are no longer allowed to telecommute. Employees may do so only on a non-scheduled emergency basis. So the tide has turned and telecommuting has gone out the door, so to speak.
I personally work better in the office and like the interaction there. Also, my job is to provide security consulting services to my company, which is pretty hard to do remotely in our case.
Clueby4, 21 Nov 2007 @ 10:13am
Whatever!I'm sorry but if your company doesn't have "metrics", aka management with a pulse, that can determine the performance of their employees regardless of telecommuting status. Then your company has a significantly larger issues; incompetent management, too much management, etc.
And those flapping about telecommuting vs outsourcing raise a good point, but ignore an alternative. Rather then outsourcing offer true telecommuting with reduced compensation. Since telecommuting implies reduced cost for both the employee(travel, attire, etc) and the employer (real estate, network, hardware). And I qualify it as "true" since many companies offer telecommuting but only as alternative workplace, with the expectation you come in when needed which removes most of the employer savings.
Michael Vilain, 21 Nov 2007 @ 10:44am
HP did this with their IT department last yearThey 'consolidated' all their IT into 85 world-wide centers. If you lived to far from one, you had to relocate or quit. It sounded like a shadow layoff at the time. A friend who worked at Agilent at the time said he still couldn't find anyone competent to restart his servers in under 2 days.
Granted, IT is one of those positions where access to the hardware is often part of the job and it's hard to do that without crawling under their desks or around a datacenter.
I guess AT&T doesn't need those telecommuter tax credits next year and is trying to reduced their workforce.
Josh, 21 Nov 2007 @ 10:48am
disconnect between products and practicesAs some have mentioned previously, the thing that I find the most interesting about this story is the fact that this is AT&T. Shouldn't the largest communications company in the US encourage telecommuting? After all, their products and services would benefit from an increase in telecommuting. The consumer DSL and wireless technologies that they offer are essential to any telecommuter. How can they innovate and move forward when they do not support the industries and customers that would use their products. It is a sad state of affairs when large technology providers do not understand the technology they provide.
Anonymous Coward, 24 Nov 2007 @ 6:22amI don't work for IBM, but I am a unix tech support guy who has telecommuted full time for just short of a decade. My company doesn't have to pay for space to put me somewhere. They don't have to pay for bandwidth or a telephone costs. They don't have to pay for hardware costs. And when (as happens VERY often) they need someone to help out at the drop of a hat be it working double shifts or helping in a pinch, they can call me and they know there is a 95% chance I will say "no problem" and be engaged within five minutes.
Were that not the case, they would have to call me on my off time and I would have to consider whether or not it was worth getting all dressed up and traveling for almost an hour in each direction on my own time . . . and even if I did decide that I wanted to bother, it would take one or two hours before I could be ready and appear at work, ready to roll.
So all other benefits for them aside, they have an employ who is willing to drop everything and help in every situation 95% of the time versus perhaps a quarter of the time and they have someone who can be available within five minutes, instead of a couple hours.
Not to mention, I'm more likely to put in far more time working just because I want to. I get ten hours of my life back just by not having to commute. And I'm more likely to be using my most alert and productive hours to work, rather than just whatever my state of mind happens to be after I've dragged myself into an office.
Oh, by the way... I haven't taken a sick day in five years and I work almost every holiday.
Tell me telecommuters are lazy and of less benefit to the company. I fscking dare you.
ATTer, 24 Nov 2007 @ 10:57amIt's the SBC mentality driving this action (SBC bought ATT, BellSouth, Cingular). The 'new' company is called ATT but is controlled by SBC executives. Evidently SBC had their 'telecommuting policy' taken advantage of and abused in the past. Because of this, they've come down pretty hard on it.
J.C. Carvill, 1 Dec 2007 @ 9:02am
Use technology for telecommutersAlthough the main important thing at work is the performance & result improvement, if those employers are still worry because they can't see whether their telecommuters may not work as hard as in the office, I suppose they could install a web cam, audio sensor or keyboard & mouse activity detector. It should be still cheaper than covering for the transport expenses.
J.C. Carvill
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
URL: http://www.cosmosing.com/jeanclaudecarvill/index.php
Withheld, 3 Apr 2009 @ 8:52pmIt is totally ironic that AT&T would send most of their telecommuters back to the office and then claim to be a green company. It just goes to show that the management isn't as committed to the environment as they advertise.
noname, 9 Feb 2011 @ 11:14amAT&T is a horrible company to work for. Truly seagull management.
Danielle, 20 Dec 2012 @ 10:14am
Not surprising....I am not surprised at the study results. I have been working from home since 2009 and I find that the comfort of my home makes me work better. In early 2012 I worked for a company outside of my home office and I hated it. I felt like I had been thrown into a whole new world, and I didn't get nearly as much work done as I would if I was working from home. I have hope that in the near future, all companies will provide employees with the option of working from home.


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Want to avail emergency locks locksmith services in Matlacha, FL? Call us at 239-344-9104 right away!


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This is a hands-on lab activity about the chemical composition and conductivity of water. Working in groups, learners will: conduct an experiment involving the process of electrolysis, prepare an experiment to better understand the process of ion... (View More) exchange, discuss and research the "softness" and "hardness" of water, and use the periodic table to identify elements and learn their characteristics. Background information, a glossary and more is included. Materials needed for each student group include a 9-volt battery, two electrodes (e.g. copper strips, or two #2 pencils sharpened at both ends), electrical wire and glass beakers or ceramic saucers. This activity is part of the Aquarius Hands-on Laboratory Activities. (View Less)
Materials Cost: $1 - $5 per group of students
These two hands-on labs are about the role of temperature and salinity in governing the density of seawater, a major factor controlling the ocean's vertical movements and layered circulation. In the first activity students work in groups to... (View More) determine the density of tap water and of tap water with salt, then compare the densities. The second activity investigates the role of temperature and salinity in determining seawater density. Students use a Temperature-Salinity (T-S) Diagram to examine the effect of mixing on density. A list of key concepts, essential questions, common preconceptions and more is included. These are part of the Aquarius Hands-on Laboratory Activities. (View Less)
Materials Cost: $1 - $5 per group of students
This is a lesson/briefing about the Dawn mission and the significance of its ion propulsion system. Learners will consider cases of science fact versus science fictions, study the challenges of the Dawn mission, and apply the "History Frame"... (View More) strategy to investigate the who, what, when and how in the history and development of ion propulsion. This is activity 1 of 5 in Structure and Properties of Matter: Ion Propulsion. (View Less)
Materials Cost: Free
This is a lesson about radiation and the various sources of radiation that a spacecraft may encounter in its journey. Learners will calculate their annual exposure to high-energy radiation, identify sources of high-energy radiation, and explain why... (View More) the near-Mercury environment is a concern for the Mercury MESSENGER mission. This is lesson 2 of 4 in the high school track of a module, titled Staying Cool. Note: the student guide starts on p. 17 of the PDF. (View Less)
Materials Cost: 1 cent - $1 per group of students


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Jul 21, 2009
[Mabinogi Review: Part 2]
The first thing I noticed as I puttered around the Elf starting area, is that the translation is very awkward. The descriptions of the NPCs make no sense at all, for instance. I suppose though, since 'nobody reads the text' anyway it's not a big deal. =P Some things are not very clearly explained because of this, so I made sure to have the Wiki for the game bookmarked to look basic stuff up, which helped a lot.
As you talk to NPCs, you can mention specific keywords. These can unlock quests or further dialogues with others. Apparently, NPCs have a 'relationship' value that can be raised by regularly doing their daily quests or giving them gifts. This can lead to extra items being sold to you, as well as offering special titles. Keywords are used in the overarching storyline quests, too.
Daily quests in Mabinogi are called 'Part Time Jobs' and are timed. Each NPC in a town has a specific starting time they hand out quests, and a specific time limit. Knowing in which order to do all the quests in town, and managing to fit them all in a daily routine, is a key way to make some steady money and exp. There is also a daily changing 'Quest Bulletin Board' that sells various random quests for a small fee, and other NPC-given quests that you receive over time. All quests give money/exp or items. Often you have a choice of rewards.
After a few days in the Elf starting town, I realized I can freely warp once an (ingame) day to the Human starting zone on the other continent. I was surprised by how much better of a newbie experience the Human zone is -- Elves have a huge, barren desert which can be tedious without a mount, and it's hard to gather some crafting materials as a result. There are a few Elf-specific quests worth doing, however, so I started switching back and forth as I felt like it. Even though I am notoriously bad at making money, it is clear that earning plenty of gold is not a problem in this game if you know what you're doing.
Exploring is key to effective gathering and questing, because quest directions are not specific. For folks who hate 'travel times', this may be an issue. All over the Elf desert, though, are solar-powered teleporter stones that quickly move you to various points once you've discovered them. On the Human continent, moon-powered teleporters that change destinations depending on the day of the week are also available. One thing I really liked about the game, is that there is no real feeling that you HAVE to be doing one specific thing -- I spent some time learning to craft my own arrows and fishing, died a few times in newbie dungeons (which can be soloed), did some crafting quests, and bought some new clothing pieces. Crafting is one of the high points of the game, I think. There are little timed mini-games that affect the quality of the finished product depending on how well you do. For example, with blacksmithing you hit hotspots on the metal with a little hammer, and in tailoring you have to manually sew finishing stitches. Fishing also has a little game, which adds some interest to an otherwise 'one click' type of activity. You can also catch items and quest-giving scrolls.
The common kill quests are very old school. You have randomly placed crowds of mobs, and you mow through them. Nothing too exciting. However, because of the type of combat Mabinogi uses, you can easily be killed by some mobs if you fail to counter your opponent's attacks properly. The key to combat success is to NOT GET HIT. You can buy armor and elemental enchants that can raise your protection against certain magic, but even with that, you can't simply stand still getting bashed and expect to win. Even though the combat system is basically a more complicated version of 'rock paper scissors', it's not entirely brainless either. I actually don't mind a bit of grind, either, as long as I feel like I'm progressing somehow. The fact that you gain combat skill-ups with every attack (when fighting equal or superior level enemies) also helps. =)
[Go to Part 3]
2 comments:
- Anonymous said...
I just started playing this last week. I finally started running out of decent quests at level 21, and the combat and defense levels are ridiculous. Added to this, increasing combat expertise actually makes the enemies tougher. Still, it's dammed addictive. I just spent 2 hours fishing and writing/playing music with two randoms I met on there. Fun times.
- Pai said...
Rebirth is basically a necessity, whenever you can. The boost to your AP from going thru childhood again is invaluable. I'm leveling a pet now as well, so I can solo a bit easier w/it.
Pet AIs are another complex customization you can play with... some people make really complicated and useful ones by hand, which are better than the default ones you get.
I really like how I can do social / crafting stuff for a few days and still feel like I'm progressing my character somehow. My goal now is to find a good guild to do dungeons with. =)
Have you been to the 'Mabinogi World' website? There's lots of useful info there on quests and such.


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Do you dread group projects? Does it always seem you end up doing the majority of the work, or that one person does nothing while the rest of the group has to work twice as hard to compensate for that one person? Join the Center for Leadership and Community Engagement (CLCE) at Leadership Quest II Wednesday, Feb. 13 at 4 p.m. in SURC 137A and learn why this occurs not only in class projects, but also in teams ranging from after school soccer programs, to corporate gurus who simply can't agree. This workshop will give an interactive look at how we can combat these difficulties by becoming team aware and by building a repertoire of strategies that can be implemented in your own teams.
RSVP by emailing email@example.com or calling 509-963-1524.


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Meet The Internet Defense League (And Join It, Too)
from the defend-the-internet dept
Taking a page from Kickstarter, the IDL has set up various tiers to which you can donate to get your own personal mini-cat signal or a t-shirt or some other fun offerings.
Earlier this year, I wrote about the Hacking Society gathering, put on by Union Square Ventures. During that discussion, Clay Shirky brought up the idea of an "Internet Volunteer Fire Department" and Tiffiniy Cheng, from Fight for the Future, explained the IDL and how they were already working on it. You can watch that discussion to get a sense of the thinking behind this effort:


text: I presume that you found out what an 'echo' is-- the repetition of a sound when it bounces back from a surface, commonly encountered in large enclosed spaces like caves and tunnels. 'Faint echo' suggests that the enclosed space is very big indeed, as the reflected sound had to carry a long distance. Quite a big mouth.


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These two video segments introduce students to extremophiles, organisms that thrive in conditions too extreme for most other living things. Students will learn about the intense living conditions in which extremophiles are found and how studying... (View More) Earth environments where extremophiles exist can help us search for and better understand life beyond our planet. Includes links to background information, related resources, and activities. The Real World series of NASA eClips™ connects classroom mathematics to 21st century careers and innovations and are designed for students to develop an appreciation for mathematics through real-world problem-solving. (View Less)
Materials Cost: Free
During this immersive virtual field trip to the Grand Canyon, learners investigate geologic records to discover what the rocks reveal about life and environments of the past. They will then apply those same investigative techniques to the search for... (View More) life in the solar system. Educator resources include a 5E instructional lesson and alignments with Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS); the NRC Framework for K-12 Science Education; Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts; and A Framework for 21st Century Learning. This resource is part of the Infiniscope space exploration experiences. (View Less)
Materials Cost: Free
Invisible Mars is a Science on a Sphere (SOS) and planetarium program that examines the story of water on Mars. NASA's MAVEN mission (Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution Mission) is providing new information about the atmosphere of Mars and its... (View More) probable role in the disappearance of Martian water. The module also provides information on past, present, and future Mars missions, In addition to the downloadable script and materials to run the program, the site also provides background information, docent/facilitator tips, and image sets comparing water features on Earth and Mars. (View Less)
Materials Cost: Free
This series of learning modules is designed for adaptation in an introductory Earth science or planetary science course. The modules actively engage students through Mars remote-sensing data and Earth-based analogs to understanding Mars geology.... (View More) Interviews with planetary scientists and geologists present current issues in planetary sciences. (View Less)
This is an annotated, topical list of science fiction novels and stories based on more or less accurate astronomy and physics ideas. Learners can read fictional works that involve asteroids, astronomers, black holes, comets, space travel where... (View More) Einstein's ideas are used correctly, exploding stars, etc. (View Less)
Using the 5-E model, these lessons introduce planets, planetary systems, star types, exoplanets, transits, light curves, and the Planet Hunters citizen science project. Supplemental materials include data/image sheets. Next Generation Science... (View More) Standards (NGSS) are identified. (View Less)
Materials Cost: 1 cent - $1 per group of students
Students combine science and systems engineering to develop a mission to search for life in our solar system. The mission must meet budgetary, mass and power constraints while still producing significant science. An extensive set of "equipment... (View More) playing cards" determines all critical mission factors such as mass limit, cost, weight, scientific instruments, mobility, and all systems- including power, computer, communication, instrumentation, mechanical, as well as entry, descent and landing. The equipment cards, a design mat and student worksheets are included. The lesson is part of the Mars Education Program series; it models scientific inquiry using the 5E instructional model and includes teacher notes and vocabulary. Next Generation Science Standards are listed. Next Generation Science Standards are listed. (View Less)
Materials Cost: 1 cent - $1 per group of students
This collection of activities is based on a weekly series of space science mathematics problems distributed during the 2012-2013 school year. They were intended for students looking for additional challenges in the math and physical science... (View More) curriculum in grades 5 through 12. The problems were created to be authentic glimpses of modern science and engineering issues, often involving actual research data. The problems were designed to be one-pagers with a Teacher's Guide and Answer Key as a second page. (View Less)
This activity is about viewing the planet Mars (and others) through a telescope. Learners will go outside on a clear evening to view the planets and other celestial bodies for themselves. Using sky charts and other resources, and possibly in... (View More) partnership with a local astronomical society or club, children and their families view Mars with binoculars and/or telescopes. The children who have participated in the other Explore: Life on Mars? activities may serve as docents at this public, community event, sharing what they have done and learned about what life is, the requirements for life, and the possibility for life on Mars now — or in the past! It is recommended that the viewing event be paired with the hands-on experiment within the Searching for Life activity if space and time allow. It also includes specific tips for effectively engaging girls in STEM. This is activity 8 in Explore: Life on Mars? that was developed specifically for use in libraries. (View Less)
This module focuses on ultraviolet radiation on Earth and in space and how it affects life. Learners will construct their own "martian" using craft materials and UV beads. They will explore how UV radiation from the Sun can affect living things,... (View More) comparing conditions on Earth and Mars, and then discuss ways in which organisms may protect themselves from UV radiation. They will then take part in a Mars Creature Challenge, where they will change their creature to help it survive harsh UV conditions — like on Mars. They will then test their Mars creatures by subjecting them to different environmental conditions to see how well they "survive" in a martian environment. This investigation will explore shelter and protection as one of life's requirements and how Earth's atmosphere protects life from harmful UV radiation. It also includes specific tips for effectively engaging girls in STEM. This is activity 5 in Explore: Life on Mars? that was developed specifically for use in libraries. (View Less)


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USA might want to consider changing its tag line from "Characters Welcome" to "Welcome to Summer."
Beginning with the groundbreaking "Monk," which premiered in July 2002, the NBC/Universal-owned network has staked a successful claim to the months previously synonymous with reruns. During the once slow summer season, they've built a brand that combines wit, sentiment and suspense, and often in beach-friendly locales.
The network, known for its "blue sky programming," has six scripted dramas this year — five returning and one new. As it enters its final season, the terrific CIA-centric, Miami-based "Burn Notice" is now followed by the new FBI drama "Graceland," which premieres Thursday. From the Atlantic to the Pacific, USA has got you covered.
"Graceland": In the June 6 Calendar section, a review of the new USA series "Graceland" said that the pilot was directed by Renny Harlin. The pilot was directed by Russell Fine.
PHOTOS: Memorable TV series finales
Based, apparently, on real events, "Graceland" revolves around a beachfront condo in Southern California that is home to an assortment of agents from the FBI, the DEA and U.S. Customs. Overseen by "legendary" FBI agent/surfer dude/Zen master Paul Briggs ("Rescue Me's" Daniel Sunjata), it's essentially a fancy (and coed) frat house with guns.
Which we will get to know, as we so often do in such stories, through the eyes of the newcomer: in this case Mike Warren (Aaron Tveit). A newly anointed FBI agent who thought he had scored a desk job in Washington, D.C., Mike is instead brought to the condo Graceland to replace an agent wounded in a sting operation gone wrong.
Radiating top-of-the-class geekiness, Mike's job for the first 30 minutes is to look wide-eyed and confused as he encounters his disparate new housemates: mischievous fellow agent Johnny (Manny Montana), cranky customs agent Dale (Brandon Jay McLaren) and stern but supportive DEA agent Paige (Serinda Swam). The grim and suspicious Charlie (Vanessa Ferlito) tells Mike not to get comfortable — it's her partner he's replacing — and Paul seems more concerned with assigning the new guy domestic chores and teaching him how to surf than revealing tips from his legendary past.
Until, of course, an operation goes down in which Mike becomes a key player and everyone reveals their talent, quick-thinking and courage, not to mention a few secrets that will propel the show's larger narrative arc.
USA would like us to consider "Graceland" an expansion of the brand — a darker version of its traditionally light 'n' bright fare. Creator Jeff Eastin ("White Collar") and director Renny Harlin do tart up the pilot with funky camera work to increase the artsy-ness factor and capture the gets-real-grit of non-beachfront SoCal.
PHOTOS: Cable versus broadcast ratings
Eastin also, mercifully, avoids any sexual-tension-between-agents subplots. But for all its potentially serious border issues, "Graceland" chooses shade over shadow and remains true to the bromance canon — Paul may have a dark side, but he is very clearly a hero. One who surfs, so how dark can the show go, really?
"Graceland" is an entertaining addition to a strong summer lineup in which attractive people trade witty banter and engage in serious work that provides good clean episodic fun while teaching the main characters the importance of love and loyalty.
And what's wrong with that? Nothing at all. A show doesn't need an R rating to be good television.
Where: USA
When: 10 p.m. Thursday
Rating: TV-14-L (may be unsuitable for children under the age of 14 with an advisory for coarse language)
PHOTOS: TV shows and their spinoffs
Overrated/Underrated 2014
PHOTOS: 101 best-written TV shows of all time


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This Christmas/Holiday themed jingle is a nice blend of electric piano, bells, and synth bells. It includes drums and a peppy piano part. It borders on cliché, but doesn't cross the line. The electric lead guitar adds some 'Hollywood' to the climax. Overall, just a really simple, fun Christmas tune!
More than happy to do edits/changes, just let me know what you need!


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Keeping You at the Top of Your Game
Every sports enthusiast has their own specific needs. One size certainly does not fit all with sports equipment, so at Fordham Sports we focus on you, the individual, using our expertise to find the best available equipment for you and your game. Our expert fitting advice will always ensure comfort and safety for you and your family.
Our tailored approach doesn't end with finding you the right equipment, accessories and clothing because you will then want to continue to play at your best! Our bespoke cricket bat knocking-in system and repair and refurbishment services ensure that your cricket bat remains in tip top condition and that it serves you well for longer.
For Cricket, For Rugby, For Hockey
At Fordham Sports we concentrate on what we know best and that is cricket, rugby and hockey. Both in store and online you will discover a good range of equipment, accessories and clothing. So that you can choose from names that you trust, our products are drawn from the ranges of the world's leading brands. These include Gray Nicolls, Gun & Moore, Kookaburra, Adidas, Asics, Nike, Gilbert, TK, Slazenger, Hunts County and many more.
Using our experience gained over 30 years we hand pick every cricket bat in our range to guarantee you get the very best bat available. The quality of the wood can vary from bat to bat, even between bats of the same model, so we quality assure every bat from the grain, cut and weight.
For Families, For Schools, For Clubs, For Everyone
You can improve your game and achieve your goals with Fordham Sports and all at a price you can afford. At Fordham Sports we have both the products and the expertise to ensure that you find the right solutions for you and your family. Our friendly, professional team are always on hand to help and our loyal customers are testament to the quality of everything we do.


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Microsoft has pulled its faulty update for Office 2011 for Mac. As we reported last week the Service Pack 2 update caused us nothing but grief when once installed Outlook failed to open, claiming it needed to be rebuilt using an older version of the software. Word just hung when opened giving us no choice but to false quit and turn to Text Edit.
We were lucky because we had a Time Machine back up and were able to revert to an older version of Office. We have no intention of trying to reinstall the update.
Microsoft wrote on its blog that the update will be suspended while it investigates the problem.
The company writes: "Unfortunately, a small percentage are experiencing some issues with the update, specifically related to the Outlook for Mac database. We've documented the primary issue and work around in a blog post that can be found here."
Microsoft states: "We encourage you to either wait for the AutoUpdate, or follow the directions in the above blog post before manually updating to ensure you don't experience issues. We will provide an update once we have more information to share."
For those lucky enough to have installed working updates the Service Pack 2 bought full-screen display modes and performance improvements for Lion users of Office 2012.


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15 Michelin 2-star Restaurants in Ginza
Ginza is famous for its culinary expertise. We make booking reservations everywhere from traditional restaurants to unique cafes simple for you so you can leisurely enjoy a quality meal. Peruse our favorite spots in Ginza and make a reservation at what will soon be your new favorite restaurant or cafe!
Results 1 - 15 of 15 Experiences
Results 1 - 15 of 15 Experiences


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Home Page > Furniture and Interiors > Miscellaneous Furniture > Grand Pianoforte, Ebony Inlaid, and Enriched with Gold in Relief. Circa 1851.
All images are from sources out of United States copyright. AntiqueClipart.com makes no guarantees, express or implied, concerning the images' fitness for any particular purpose. All content is available to you "AS IS," and "WITH ALL FAULTS." Since copyright laws differ around the world, you should be familiar with your own country's laws before using this clipart.


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Charity and Walter Feb 4/13/2006 2:35:22 PMI think I know just where this was taken! Was it on HWY 101, near Cannon Beach? I think I remember seeing this very rock on a recent drive there from Lincoln City. Beautiful ...
Oregon Coast at twilight
Uploaded on 8/10/2002 6:45:08 PM
Copyright for this gallery photo belongs solely to Jim Zuckerman. Images may not be copied, downloaded, or used in any way without the expressed, written permission of the photographer.
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Track Description
A suspenseful track which develops through the use of repeating patterns of striking deep strings which increase tension. The haunting piano rhythm, lurking strings and ambient electric guitars add to the moody, atmospheric impression which make this track the perfect score for dramatic, dark and suspenseful movies. The urban and rock drums emphasize the overall tempo and dramatic vibe, so this track works very well in plot-building scenes.
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To VideoHive Authors
Want to use our music in your next project? We would love to see this happen. You are more than welcome to use any of our preview tracks in your project(s).Just follow these simple steps:
- Download the watermarked preview file of the track you like.
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- Also please add a link to the music item in the description on your project page (like it's common with all marketplace items).
After you have released your project, please let us know about it! Perhaps we can help you promoting your project by placing an icon of your file on our profile and/or item page.


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|System: X360, PS3, PC
|Review Rating Legend
|Dev: Steel Monkeys
|1.0 - 1.9 = Avoid
|4.0 - 4.4 = Great
|Pub: TBA
|2.0 - 2.4 = Poor
|4.5 - 4.9 = Must Buy
|Release: TBA 2008
|2.5 - 2.9 = Average
|5.0 = The Best
|Players: 1
|3.0 - 3.4 = Fair
|ESRB Rating: Pending
|3.5 - 3.9 = Good
by James Ruffin
June 5, 2007 - If I were to ask you to contemplate the word "detail," with what sorts of images and words would your mind begin to wrestle? Now, imagine I ask to think about that word in a specific context: video gaming. Now, your task is much more specific. You're probably thinking about graphics, first of all, and you're probably thinking about a couple specific games that I could likely guess. But I won't. Instead, I'll let you revel in the details of your thoughts.
Okay, all done? Great. Now, I want to you come with me for the next couple paragraphs while I introduce you to a game that takes "detail," as we define it in video games, to a graphically extraordinary new level. Taking full advantage of the capabilities of next-gen consoles, 2 Days to Vegas is a third-person action game that takes place in contemporary U.S. cities like New York and Las Vegas, Nevada. Yes, it shares some characteristics with the Grand Theft Auto games, but I make that comparison only to insure ensure that you and I are on the same page here. In truth, at least as far as I am able to discern from the information that the game's developer, Steel Monkeys, Ltd., has released, comparing Vegas to GTA is like comparing Nintendo 64's James Bond: Golden Eye to the Xbox's Halo.
Now that I have your attention, allow me to get specific. Vinny, the game's controllable protagonist, has just been released from Ricker's Island Prison in New York after serving three years for an, to date, undisclosed crime. He has one goal in mind: relax into civilian life. Fortunately for you, life has other, more exiting plans for him. Vinny's younger brother, Tony, has gotten himself into serious trouble and you, as Vinny, will have forty eight hours to go from New York to Las Vegas (surprising, huh?) to rescue him. The game will occur in its entirety during this forty eight hour period and heavy will be the action. To be expected are car chases, shootouts, unexpected plot twists, and free-roaming gameplay (hence the comparison to GTA). Sadly, I have little else to tell you about gameplay or story line specifics as Steel Monkey has been exceptionally tight lipped. But according to "head monkey" Edwin Loo, they have good reason. Steel Monkey is adamant about retaining full creative control over Vegas so they have released information about the landmark game carefully and have refused to name a publisher until the game is complete. According to Loo, releasing too much information to create game hype actually reduces developer control and thus makes making a good game harder.
Steel Monkeys' objective with 2 Days to Vegas is to create a fully immersive, exciting, aesthetically beautiful gaming experience that will have gamers asking, "Grand Theft what?". Remember what I said about game detail? In Vegas, cities will be fully scaled and modeled and award gamers with the feeling of actually driving through their real life counterparts. But the detail won't stop when the buildings reach the ground. Human characters, vehicles, street vendors, and whatever else runs rampant in today's cities will all be remarkably realistic. For instance, we're all aware that in other games of the similar sort the vehicles all look as shiny and new as the day they drove off the assembly line (assuming they weren't wrecked by the player, of course). In Vegas, such is not the case. Ignore the cleaning of your car, and expect the windshield to become dusty and caked with life's grime. And be careful where you park; it will be hard to walk down a city street in Vegas without seeing the meter maids out in full force.
There is some information, however, that may or may not excite you. Under development for nearly two and half years now, 2 Days to Vegas has been, and continues to be, created almost exclusively in-house. Even the game's engine is in-house. According to Loo, this allows Steel Monkeys to maintain control and accomplish original feats that would have been restricted by bringing in outside help. Perhaps most impressive of these new and revolutionary features is the game's "garbage generator" that replicates and distributes the detritus of everyday life throughout the game world. I mentioned the dirty windshield, but now imagine a game world that consists of everyday clutter strewn throughout its environs. I repeat, it's all about the details, and Steel Monkeys' attention to it seems to be remarkable.
All else aside, this game looks fantastic. Steel Monkeys, Ltd. could be shooting themselves in the foot by so staunchly refusing to use outside help. But then again, they could also be geniuses in the middle of creating a ground breaking game. This is yet to be decided, however. What is clear is that if the attention devoted to game play and story line is simply comparable, not to mention equal, to the attention devoted to detail and graphics, this game will be a system selling, break away hit.
James Ruffin
CCC Freelance Writer


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securitywarehouse needed a new banner ad design and created a contest on 99designs.
A winner was selected from 7 designs submitted by 5 freelance designers.
Looking for a flash banner of 468 x 60 pixels to grab the attention of potential customers, needs to sum up the site and what available etc.
Online security wholesaler selling to professional installers of security and fire equipment. Looking for a few ie intruder alarms, cctv, fire banners to grab the attention of potential clients and enhance the opinion of the business.
email firstname.lastname@example.com
- corporate professional feel
- Any images of products must be those available on the site
- No generic security images
- UK Feel
- Item 1...


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For the rest of the year, we'll be spotlighting our KEXP DJs Top Albums of 2014. Click here to check out other lists from our DJs, staff, volunteers, and interns, and click here to see the Top 90.3 Albums of 2014, as voted on by KEXP listeners! Agalloch // photo courtesy of the artist TannerRead more…
Listen Live:
High Quality AAC+
Excellent for PC, Mac, iPhones/iPads, Android Devices, tablets, iTunes, Winamp, and VLC. High quality audio, low bandwidth
MP3 Stream
Best for computers running OSX or Windows with iTunes or the open source VideoLAN Player installed
KEXP AND THE UWKEXP is an
affiliate of the
University of Washington
iTunes and KEXPYou can now find KEXP under "Eclectic" in iTunes after the demise of the "Public" category, to better represent the diversity of our daytime variety shows and numerous specialty programs.
KEXP Suggests