text:
Wishing all our All Rounder Cricketers and their parents all the best for 2019!
**Private Coaching at all venues has started so please confirm your session ASAP.
**Friday Youth Sections start on Friday at 18th January, book your spot now
Contact us on firstname.lastname@example.com or 021 762 0080 or 084 2000 590
2019 is filled with exciting events for all cricket enthusiasts:
The Cape Town Premier League powered by All Rounder Cricket Academy are proud to announce the launch of our CPL6's Tournament which will start on Sunday 20th January beginning with the U13 Age Group.
The CPL6's competition will run once a month from January to April hosting a different age group every month, these age groups will be from U13 down to U10 with the U13s starting in January and U10s finishing in early April. All of this year's CPL6's will be hosted at Cape Town Cricket Club in Plumstead.
The tournament includes a Mini Cricket competition where each team entering can put together their Mini Cricket Team of x8 Players to play a match as the curtain raiser to each age groups competition.
The 6's format of the game has become so much more popular ever since the introduction of T20 cricket…fast action-packed cricket which caters for types of cricketers and fans alike!


text: Do you love to play Rubik's Cube? I don't or actually I can't play it. But it doesn't stop me to show you this Google Rubik's cube which comes with the popular logo of Google product instead of plain color. If you love the popular Google products such as Gmail, Picasa, Google News you may want this complicated puzzle whether to play it in your spare time or just to save it as one of your collection lines.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Gordonsville, Orange County, Virginia, United States on the map, where it is located. Latitude and longitude coordinates: -78.187781, 38.1373577. According to the latest data, the population is — 1,593.
— Catlett
— Leesburg
— Holland
— Gahanna
— Fostoria
— Herndon
— Culpeper
— Manassas
— Boise
You can use the HTML-code on your website or blog. Just copy a ready link to this page, or do it through social networks in which you are registered.


text:
Запись от Про искусство размещена 26.06.2018 в 13:28
Cherry fruit
the Artist Lyubov V. Titova was born, lives and works in Moscow. Graduated from the Architectural Institute, where her favorite subjects were painting, academic drawing, composition.
"Когда I write watercolor, I feel good. And if she gives me so much joy, it"s possible that my paintings will bring joy to someone-то more.. really надеюсь.." @- says about his work the artist.
still life with watermelon
Still life with viburnum
still life with currants and rose
Still life with grapes and ears of corn
Phlox and briar
the Palette of summer
Lovely rose
Tangerine mood
Link to original
Размещено в Без категорииПросмотров 224 Комментарии 0
Всего комментариев 0


text:
Clair and Helen Knightly have a complex mother/daughter relationship. Frustrated with looking after her mother, she ends up crossing a line she never thought possible. She kills her mother. She didn't plan it but it takes care of an unconscious desire to be free of her. Over the next twenty-four hours, she must confront the freedom she never thought possible.
Ms. Sebold can write such haunting fiction. Her characters want freedom and do whatever it takes to obtain it. There is such power and emotion in each character. Ms. Sebold brings it out in a way that compels you to read on.
Helen had a rough life. She was doing her best to stay afloat. Reaching her limit, she didn't know what to expect but she wanted change. Clair Knightly hated going outside. Worst of all was losing her husband. She did things to comfort herself while slowly losing her mind.
This book while well written had me questioning the character's motives. I didn't agree with all that Helen did but then I've never been in her situation. She just stopped thinking and reacted. This book did upset me but then life is never as simple as I would like it to be. This book does make you think. I found the ending too abrupt.
Alice Sebold/Adult Fiction/ Relationships/ 291 pages/ 3 out of 5
Back to a couple of review books and then hopefully get a few of my own. :)


text:
Salesman's Baseball Cap Case$127.00Cap Sample Case - Sample Bag - Baseball Caps Lightweight and Compact Sample Case Helps Organize Baseball caps. GDC24 - 24 Caps on 2 shelves $127.00 GDC6 - 48 Caps on 2 shelves $149.00 GDC72 - 72 Caps on 3 shelves $185.00 GDC96 - 96 Caps on 4 shelves $287.00 Each case is made-to-order and can be fully customized by material color and strap color as well as printing, embroidery and dye sublimation. Online orders will be produced in only solid black. Fully structured yet easily folded to a compact size for storage and shipping. Full zipper opening allows easy access to your product and professionally displays your samples. Zippered document pocket, adjustable shoulder strap and carry handle. Please allow for a 4-6 week lead time as these are made-to-order. Please call us or email us needs concerning customizing this case.
WARNING: Cancer (and/or Reproductive Harm) - www.P65Warnings.ca.govLearn More
Custom Apparel$0.00We have a full embroidery and screen printing department that is ready to implement your company brand. Call for a printed catalog and talk to our sales team for quanity discounts.
Local (208) 344-4400
Fax: (208) 344-6244
(800) 284-2247
WARNING: Cancer (and/or Reproductive Harm) - www.P65Warnings.ca.govLearn More


text:
Rating score
Based on 0 ratings
Score breakdown
The Pinball Hall of Fame is an attempt by the members of the Las Vegas Pinball Collectors Club to house and display the world's largest pinball collection, open to the public. A not-for-profit corporation was established to further this cause. The games belong to one club member (Tim Arnold), and range from 1950s up to 1990s pinball machines.
10,000 square feet is dedicated to the Pinball Hall of Fame, where the entire family can enjoy non-violent pinball arcade games for small dinero. All machines are available for play, so not only can you see them, you can actually play your old favorites. The pinball machines are all restored to like-new playing condition by people that love pinball and understand how a machine should work. All older pinballs are set to 25 cents per play, and newer 1990s models are set to 50 cents per play.
Since it is a non-profit museum, older games from the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s are the prevelant, as this was the "heyday" of pinball. There are no "ticket spitters" here (aka kiddie casinos or redemption). It's all pure pinball (and a few arcade novelty games) from the past.
Hours: 11am till 11pm, 7 days a week.


text:
8 years later, missing dog found in Cape Coral https://t.co/JV629OA4vd pic.twitter.com/VEEzmRmKPQ
— The News-Press (@TheNewsPress) July 31, 2017
Story originally posted to Naples Daily News. (SOURCE)
Let's go back to Father's Day of 2009. Tessa, the Yorkshire Terrior, wandered outside of her home in Fort Myers Beach, Florida, after someone left a gate open. Her owner, Louise Friedlander had been visiting the area at the time. She spent hours looking for Tessa and spent months placing ads in the newspapers, posting fliers, and getting friends to search the neighborhood.
Sadly, Tessa was not found.
Eight years later, Louise Friedlander's phone rang. In the wee hours of the morning on June 30th, animal control officer in Lee County told her that Tessa was found outside of a fire department station.
The recovery of Tessa was poignant as Friedlander had just put down her dog, Ted, the other Yorkshire Terrier she picked out at the same time as Tessa. After putting down Ted, she vowed to never get another dog. Until of course, she found Tessa again.
When she visited Tessa, her furry friend acted like she hadn't been gone a day. She told local newspaper Naples Daily News, "She jumped up on the cage and she wagged her tail and licked my hand and she smiled, like a Pepsodent smile."
After making sure everything was okay, when Friedlander brought her home, Tessa didn't miss a step. She didn't even have issues with the two new Yorkshire terriors in the home. Friedlander is extatic to have Tessa home. "I truly believe that it was a miracle and that Ted brought her back," she told the newspaper.
Now this is one happy ending you guys!


text:
The final scene of Strictly Ballroom, Murial in her wedding dress and Abby Cornish's smile in Candy.
These are just some of the iconic moments that will form Starstruck: Australian Movie Portraits at the National Portrait Gallery.
The exhibition, which opens today, explores striking and beautiful portraiture that has emerged from 100 years of Australian movies and will be a delight for film buffs and lovers of photography alike.
Created in partnership between the National Portrait Gallery and National Film and Sound Archive of Australia (NFSA), curators of the show Penelope Grist, Assistant Curator at the Portrait Gallery, and Jennifer Coombes, Curator at the NFSA, had a wealth of items to draw on for the exhibition.
"Starstruck features 275 items, predominantly drawn from the NFSA's superb collection," says Penelope, explaining that the portraits cover such beloved Australian actors as Hugo Weaving, Nicole Kidman, Hugh Jackman and Cate Blanchett and photography from iconic films like Australia, Moulin Rouge!, RED DOG and The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert.
Jennifer adds that patrons will be drawn into the history of Australian screen.
"The faces and fashions may change, but our fascination with movies is still as strong as it was 100 years ago," she says. "Starstruck takes you on a journey that all generations can enjoy together – whether they are revisiting the classics or discovering them for the first time, there is something for everyone."
Director of the Portrait Gallery, Angus Trumble, says he expects Starstruck to encourage visitors to think about the portraiture in the form of stills photography.
"We are always trying to push the boundaries of thought around portraiture through our exhibitions," he says. "By bringing the Portrait Gallery and NFSA together our curators have uncovered the often over-looked stills photographers who operate between the real world of filmmaking and the fictional world being created on film. The portraits they take lie in an extraordinary realm between real and fictional."
National Film and Sound Archive CEO, Jan Müller, believes Starstruck is a wonderful way to share a century of movie portraits with film lovers, fashionistas, and history buffs.
"Collecting, preserving and sharing Australia's audiovisual history is the NFSA's reason for being, and this exhibition is the perfect example of how we can bring it out of the vaults and make it relevant and fun to contemporary audiences," he said.
If you're a film buff, why not take the Exhibition quiz before your visit?
The Essentials
What: Starstruck: Australian Movie Portraits
When: Showing from Friday 10 November until 4 March 2018
Where: The National Portrait Gallery, Parkes
More information: starstruck.gov.au


text:
Hi, I'm Soph and this blog is my little slice of life on the internet. I'm 23, I went to University of Birmingham and my Labrador is my best friend. The way to my heart is definitely through food and drink – think Parisian macarons, rare filet steak or afternoon tea and lots of lovely gin…
I began blogging in 2016 during my Erasmus year in Paris. Mostly just my Mum read it, but I loved it anyway. I wrote about a Parisian night out, about my struggles with my accent, about my top tips for any students starting a year abroad. Sharing your opinion on the internet can of course be a little daunting but I found that the more I wrote honestly about my experiences, the more I connected with other students experiencing the same things. You can find all my Erasmus themed posts under the 'Paris' header.
I relaunched my blog in February 2018 during my final year of University, and here we are! I decided that writing is a passion of mine and that it is something I definitely want to pursue – so, of course, this requires practice. Alongside my final year studies, I wrote about the importance of #selflove, about the meaning of my degree, and about how to be supportive to any sleep-deprived, panicked final year student you may have in your life. You can find all my University related posts under the 'Birmingham' header.
I've secured my first graduate role in London so this blog will reflect my first few steps in the big, bad world of employment.
Writing is a passion of mine and you don't become a brilliant writer without some practice! This blog is a good form of procrastination but I also hope it's helping me find my voice – if you read a post and love it, or hate it, or want to discuss more, please get in touch.
I am available for guest posts and freelance journalism.
My latest guest posts can be found here, for Ruth, and here, for Sadiye. If you're interested in exchanging posts, please get in touch.
My gorgeous logo is from the very talented Rebecca.
For any PR enquiries please get in touch at email@example.com
Disclaimer – all views are my own. Any work in affiliation with a company or another blog will be stated clearly.


text:
Beard Bro is reader-supported. If you decide to buy through a link on this page, we may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more.
To the uninitiated, the beard brush seems like another marketing gimmick that is the offspring of the innovative and shrewd brains behind the entire men's grooming products boom that we have witnessed as of late.
A countless number of times, I have heard the argument, 'What's so special about rubbing a dead animal's coarse hair on your face? Why not buy a cheaper plastic comb off the drugstore shelf instead? However, those arguments are mainly put forth by men who are sprouting fresh facial hair and have yet to transcend the barrier to reach manly glory.
Anyone who's grown a beard will know that a beard brush is a vital tool in helping you tame that rogue hair on your face. It helps to give your beard a sense of direction, helps to scrape off dead cells that lie lurking in the form of flakes in your beard and also will dislodge any residue of yesterday's dinner (eww) that you may be harboring in your beard.
Oh, almost forgot. A plastic comb is going to make your beard messier and aggravate split ends. There's more to it. But for now, I can't wait to share with you my pick of the best beard brushes in the market.
100% Boar Bristles
Learn More
Long Handled
Long Handled
So, without further delay, let's check out our list of the best beard brushes of 2018:
A Perfect Pair
This excellent beard brush is the perfect size to pair up with any typical 2oz tin of beard balm, so you can easily apply the balm to the brush and get to work. Alternatively, if you're using a liquid oil, the Can You Handlebar brush will still evenly distribute it across your beard, massaging and stimulating your hair in the process for improved beard health.
Beneficial For All Beards
Regardless of what style you're rocking or aspiring to, this brush will help you achieve it. The bristles help to evenly spread the oils, giving you that healthy shine.
Part of the magic here is that the brush is so easy to use, even when you're on the go and need to take it with you. It's designed to be easy to travel with, stacks up perfectly with most balm containers, and can even hold onto the applied oils on its own so you don't always have to reapply it as often – you'll waste less balm/oils, which will save you money that adds up really quickly, especially for guys with massive beards.
This type of brush will leave your beard feeling softer, fuller, and just great overall. Shorter beards also stand to benefit a lot from the stimulation of these bristles.
Proudly Made in America
This brush is made by the Can You Handlebar brand, who has expanded to house a whole line of beard-related goods.
They like to work close to home to ensure the best quality in all of their products, they take a very hands-on approach to how they do business and you can tell there's a lot of pride that goes into this company.
Overall, it's easy to give this brush the number 1 spot when you take everything into consideration.
First-Cut Boar Bristles
This beard brush by Seven Potions is an excellent choice, it's made with the best boar bristles to ensure ultimate softness and durability.
Using the first cut bristles means you're getting the bulb end of each bristle, which has a softer rounded tip that feels a lot better on your skin. As you can imagine, the naturally rounded tip of each bristle is going to feel better than getting something from a subsequent cut, where the end that touches your beard and face has already been cut, making it sharper and of lower overall quality.
While feeling soft, the bristles are also very firm and durable, which is important. Later cut bristles on some brushes may feel like they have more give to them, but even despite that, the ends will feel scratchy in a bad way, and they won't last as long.
Quality Pear Wood Handle
This is a good size brush to grab in your palm, unlike some of the smaller brushes out there. Due to this, it's not as ideal for travel, nor does it come with a little tin like our top pick, but if you just plan on using it at home, this is still very worthy of your consideration.
It's made from pear wood which will prevent warping, so aside from developing a natural patina from the oils over time, this brush will hold up for quite a while. You won't need to even think about replacing it until way down the road. The bristles are going to last a long time, and the brush itself will maintain it's integrity.
This is a perfect example of choosing between buying a cheaper version of something and having to replace it over and over and never having a great experience with it, as opposed to spending a little more to get the proper version and saving money in the long run, not to mention having a much better time using it.
It is 2018. Vikings no longer look haggard. Instead, they sport smooth, trimmed, combed and buttered beards.
Smooth Viking started off with a catchy brand name and backed it up with a bunch of quality products for beard grooming.
So much so, that they have quickly become one of the most popular brands in men's grooming.
Their beard brush is one of their flagship offerings and is the #1 selling product on Amazon in the 'Beard comb' category.
It features a compact and ergonomic handle with wild boar bristles. That sounds like any other beard brush. But Smooth Viking does not use filler bristles (read synthetic). It is one of the handful of brands that use 100% wild boar bristles.
The bristles are firm and help to untangle even the curliest and coarsest of facial hair. I'll let your imagination do the thinking if you are looking to use this elsewhere. Point being, that it will work flawlessly even with the thickest hair on your body.
The handle is easy to grip and use and you will not find boar hair bristles clinging on to your beard.
Even if you have patchy beard, this helps to remove 'beardruff' and also any dirt, food particles that may cling on to your beard. If you are using beard butter or oil, then the long bristles ensure that it is evenly distributed on your beard hair and the skin underneath.
Even the tiniest hair strands are evenly covered.
Also, in the rare event that you have a problem with the beard brush, Smooth Viking has one of the best customer support teams in the business. Reach out to them and they will help you instantly. This is the perfect brush/comb combination to add to a beard kit.
Grave Before Shave is well known in the beard industry. We've reviewed a number of their products, and they are always quality. When doing our annual round-up, we found that they created a beard brush and we just had to give it a go.
For starters, unlike traditional palm style brushes, this brush features a long handle. One of the reviewers on our team has hands like baseball mitts, and he preferred the handle. The palm style brushes can be engulfed in your hand if your hands are too big.
The bristles are made of 100% boar bristles. This is the most common material. If you've ever used a brush with bad synthetic bristles, then you know they do more harm than good. With that being said, this brush is completely cruelty-free. No boars were harmed in the making of the brush.
The handle is made of a Bamboo material. Overall it seems durable and also looks pretty nice to boot.
ZilberHaar was a newer brand for us to see. Which is strange because they have hundreds of solid reviews. This is another long-handled brush, but the brush part is definitely smaller than the Grave Before Shave option.
The bristles are 100% boar which is great because we aren't big fans of the cheap synthetic stuff. Brush bristles are something that you can either get very wrong or very right. In this case, they got it right. The bristles are perfectly stiff and can pull through the thickest of beards.
Some reviews have noted the product "feels cheap." We completely disagree with that statement. The brush is made of a pearwood grown in the Black Forest of Austria. The bristles are then handpicked and inserted into the hand-carved pieces. How on earth does that "feel cheap." We'll give it to you, the hand-carved wood is quite delicate and soft, but that just demonstrates the fine craftsmanship put into this product.
If you are thinking of using a long-handled option, you can't go wrong with this German hand-crafted piece.
If you do not have a Dumbledore beard and your primary intended use of a beard brush is to evenly spread beard oil or butter that you use, then you may like this brush from Huntsman Beard instead.
Like my #1 pick, this also has wild boar hair bristles. But the bristles are a tad softer than the ones on the Smooth Viking brush. This enables you to brush repeatedly until the balm or oil is distributed on the hair and the skin.
Make no mistake, this will also serve perfectly if you are looking to detangle your beard and scrape off beardruff.
But some people prefer softer bristles while others like them thorn-sharp. That's just a personal preference.
The brush itself has a beautifully designed handle. Goes on to show that there's always scope for aesthetics no matter how mundane the usage of the product may be.
The handle is oval shaped and has a natural wooden tanned finish. Looks great on the counter when not in use.
I must mention a couple of things though. When you take it out of the box, it may have a slight odor which may seem offensive if this is the first time you are using wild boar hair products. Just leave it in the open for a couple of days and the smell should dissipate.
Also, it is common for a few bristles to fall off when you first use any beard brush. I just ruffle my fingers through the brush a couple of times and a few of them fall off straight away. That's completely normal. At least you won't find boar hair in your beard afterward.
It is surprising that at a time when there's a lot of demand for American made products, Zeus has managed to elbow out a lot of local brands with its quality. This is a German made beard brush that has excellent customer reviews all over.
The reason is the quality of the boar hair they use in the brush. This is the first cut bristles of a wild boar.
Now, we have heard about first and second cuts in timothy hay while feeding rabbits. What's the deal about it in beard brushes?
The first cut is the part of the hair that grows closest to the animal's skin. Something like the stem at the base of a plant and that makes it considerably thicker than the upper part of the hair.
So, these bristles are extremely firm. In fact, I would rate them as 'bordering hard'. If you have a short beard or stubble, you may want to check out the #2 pick in this list instead. But if you have a beard that is longer than an inch or so, this one is going to be just perfect.
It will detangle anything and is also perfect for spreading beard balm, butter, wax, oil or conditioner.
The handle is only about 3 inches in length though. You may want to keep that in mind as it will affect how you are able to use the brush.
On the upside, that makes the brush perfect for traveling. It will even fit into your pocket.
Also, none of the bristles fall out even when the brush is new. So, if you hate to find brushes shedding, try this one.
It comes with a neat looking rucksack that can be used during travel.
The Beardman is a relatively new entrant into the world of beard brushes. But in very little time, their beard brush has managed to ruffle the beards of more popular brands. This is a soft bristled boar hair brush.
So, if you find hard bristles too harsh on your skin, here's one more option for you. Also, at 4.5 inches in length, the handle is slightly longer than most other brushes in this list.
This makes it easier to use and hold especially if you are a big man.
It has a conventional rectangular shaped handle though that makes this look like a shoe-polish brush. It is made of bamboo and has a natural polished finish. This also gives it a woodsy aroma that sort of conceals the pungent odor that wild boar hair bristles have.
I found that a few of the bristles are ready to jump off right when you take it out of the box. Use the same trick here. Just run your fingers over it once and let the loose ones fall off.
The brush works perfectly for beards of all sizes. You can use it for spreading beard oil as well as for general brushing purposes.
You've got to hand it to Rocky Mountain Barber for incorporating a neat design feature into their beard brush. The brush is the only one which has a contoured design of the bristles that allows better contact with the beard.
If you are using this to apply beard balm, then the contour allows the balm to evenly coat hair strands at different stages of growth.
The bristles are on the softer side which also makes this an excellent choice for someone with sensitive skin.
Coming to the quality, the bristle quality is top notch.
It is 100% boar hair without synthetics or fillers.
It flows through even extremely curly beards and helps to detangle it and prevent ingrown hair. Also, it has a solid poached wooden handle with a shiny black finish.
The Rocky Mountain Barber logo with its prominent 'Coat of Arms' acquires a prime spot on the front face as well as on the side of the handle in contrasting white.
The package includes a neatly designed wooden box that makes a perfect travel case as well as a great gift box for that wannabe beardsman in your circle.
Last on this list is this military style brush from Brush Strokes. While the above options are great, they can be a bit pricey. This option is perfect for anyone on a budget and gets the job done.
While we would of liked to see only boar bristles used, this brush features boar as well as a plastic style bristle, which is why it's so affordable. The ratio of boar bristle to synthetic is about 1/50. So the number of boar bristles is quite minimal. With that being said, the bristles that are synthetic aren't cheap plastic that stops being stiff after a months use.
The brush is quite small, but fits in the palm of your hand nicely. This would be a perfect travel brush in your toiletry bag. The body of the brush is also made of durable wood.
Overall, at this price point you can't go wrong. If you aren't into the hype of 100% boar then this option is perfect for you.
There! That eases the task for you. Those are the best beard brushes in the market and I have just separated these from all the clutter that would otherwise overwhelm you. And in case you are wondering how I picked those, then here's a small buying guide that will help you understand what separates a good beard brush from a gimcrack.
A good quality beard brush is an investment that will help you circumvent a lot of the common problems that come with a beard. And here are a few factors that will help you spot a good one.


text:
Searching business directory sites?
Opentag Business Directory is a global online directory site to submit your business links. Submit your site in Opentag Business Directory to strengthen your business connection. Opentag Business Directory is designed to ensure the maximum traffic and less spam for your website(s), resulting a quicker progress for your businesses.
Wood Flooring Directory
Till now it is a free listing site and merging with more than 500 business sites each day. In this site you will reach to a bunch of business categories, according to your necessity among which Wood Flooring directory is best. Like yours, more than 500 business sites enjoying in the best result in the global online market. Your response to build the largest global business directory is always expected by us. Opentag Business Directory eases your access to obtain a high page rank and calling maximum traffic towards your website.
Submit your listing in this category.
Example http://www.example.com, http://example.com, http://subdomain.example.com
We have designed the best, trimmed infrastructure for your business listing necessity. Submission in this Online Directory can take you to the wider world of others awaiting for you. Do not miss this great chance to attach with the online Business Directory. This business directory site can help expanding your business immensely in a positive way. So, Please, stop guessing and do submit your business ASAP.


text:
An initiative to promote young farmers participation entrepreneurship and innovation
for sustainable rural areas
Projects & Practice
An initiative to promote young farmers participation entrepreneurship and innovation
A family-owned strawberry farm in Estonia used EAFRD funding to develop the generation of solar power, enabling the farm to expand and increasing their profits.
Natural potential of rural areas often remains unexploited. In Estonia the construction of a water themed park generated interest in the countryside and attracted visitors through promoting eco-tourism and environmental education.
The "Living on the Edge" route comprises of 21 different sites presenting the nature, culture and history of South-Estonia using the yellow frame, the iconic symbol of "National Geographic".
The Onion Route is a network of tourism service providers and a unique cultural space in the Eastern part of Estonia.


text:
Snack Review
Taste test: These were good pork rinds, with a light and airy texture and good crispness.
They were tasty, with a mild heat at first and a hot aftertaste that didn't linger for too long. They were admired by several people around the chip bowl.
Shop: Buy Pork Rinds on Amazon #ad
Smell test: Regular pork rinds smell. Intense, but not really a hot smell.
From the package: "Ingredients: Pork Rinds, Salt, Spices, Maltodextrin, Autolyzed Yeast Extract, Onion and Garlic Powder, Dextrose, Hydrolyzed Soy and Corn Protein, Yellow No. 5 and 6 Lake, Caramel Color, Spice Extractives, Soy Sauce (Wheat, Soybeans).
Online store: Buy Pork Rinds on Amazon #ad
Company: Rudolph Foods Co., Inc.
Categories for this snack:
This snack was discovered at Snaxpo. Review published .
Most popular in previous months
Still hungry? Check out the 100 latest reviews


text:
Santa's annual voyage around the world starts in Canada.
Yes, you heard it right!
Every year, since the far-off days of 1905, the streets of Toronto have hosted the Santa Claus Parade, a unique event animated by allegoric floats, bands and live characters where the star of the show is – of course – Santa Claus.
This year, the parade starts at 12:30 on the 20th of November, and will wind its way from Christie Pits Park to the St. Lawrence Market, through the main streets at the center of this Canadian city. The event can also be followed live on TV, in streaming and via an App. It seems that even Santa Claus has succumbed to the charms of technology.
The Santa Claus Parade is also a charity event: it is a non-profit organization, receiving no financing from public coffers. Going back to the first parade it has always been put on thanks to donations, sponsors and the invaluable help of hundreds of volunteers who take care of all sorts of activities (that include marketing, social media, management and graphic design…).
During the parades, collections for charitable organizations are taken. One of these is the Red Noses Charity: $2 buys a clown or Rudolf-the-reindeer style red nose, to be worn during the event. The proceeds are donated to the Santa Claus Parade and the Air Cadets of the Toronto 180 Mosquito Squadron.


text:
The List: The top dunks of 2013
What's your dunk preference?
We like our dunks with power. We like our dunks with victims. And we like our dunks in game situations.
With that said, here's our list of the top dunks of 2013 — from prep schools to college hoops to the NBA.
Did your favorites make the list?
No. 10 DeMar Derozan, Toronto Raptors
His 2013 master work: Thunderous dunk over Denver's Timofey Mozgov in February.
The bad thing about DeMar Derozan playing in Toronto: very few people know he's in the NBA.
But he can definitely be occasionally found if he has more moments like this.
No. 9 Marcus Lewis Eastern Kentucky University
His 2013 master work: Dunking an inbounds pass against Southwest Missouri State in February.
What a high degree of difficulty on this one. The one-handed catch, while the defensive player slides under you. The extension. And the impressive slam.
Also, did you see that sick dunk by Victor Dukes (which follows the Lewis dunk on the tape)? The dunk by Lewis happened in December 2012: had it occurred a month later, it would have made our list.
No. 8 Blake Griffin and Jamal Crawford, Los Angeles Clippers
Their 2013 master work: Crawford's lob pass to Blake Griffin against the Milwaukee Bucks in March
This is a dunk where we had to give credit to both the deliverer and the dunker.
Yes, Crawford walks in setting up the between the legs pass. But that's OK.
He got it up near the rim, and Griffin did simply did what he does.
No. 7 Seventh Woods, Hammond High School (S.C.)
His 2013 master work: His dunk vs. crosstown rival Dreher High School at the Chick-Fil-A Classic in South Carolina.
If you've never heard of Seventh Woods, you better ask somebody (or watch this ridiculous mix-tape video from his freshman season at Hammonds High School in Columbia, SC). Woods is now a 15-year-old sophomore and might be the most complete player on this level.
Woods stands 6-feet and—while he can dunk with the best of them—what makes him special is his fundamentally sound style of play that makes him mature beyond his years.
No. 6 Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles Lakers
His 2013 master work: Vicious dunk over Gerald Wallace and Chris Humpries (February 5, 2013).
Will Kobe ever come back to resemble the player he once was? That's doubtful.
But we do have the memories.
No. 5 LeBron James, Miami Heat
His 2013 master work: Catching a lob pass from Dwyane Wade and finishing with a left-handed dunk.
An ESPN announcer called this Christmas day basket the best dunk he's ever seen.
We'll say the announcer hasn't seen too much basketball.
But this is pretty impressive on many levels: the accurate pass off the glass. The left-handed catch off the glass. And pulling his head back so it didn't slam against the bottom of the backboard.
No. 4 Russ Smith, Louisville Cardinals
His 2013 master work: Dunk over Kentucky's Julius Randle on Dec. 28.
Russ Smith. He brings energy on every play and your love or hate for him is determined by whether he's hitting shots.
Smith got on a little run toward the end of the first half of Saturday's game against Kentucky, and tried to send a message with this combination of speed, leaping ability and power:
Yes, Louisville lost the game. But in dunking over Randle, one of the best freshmen players in college basketball, Smith gave us a moment to remember.
No. 3 Javonte Douglas, College of Central Florida
His 2013 master work: An incredible tip-dunk against Pasco-Hernando Community College.
The problems playing in a small college environment: there's often very little evidence of some of the great moments.
Thank goodness someone had a camera out for this one.
No. 2 Christian Terrell Jacksonville Providence High School (Fla.)
His 2013 master work: A devastating summer league dunk.
It was just your typical summer league game in Florida. And then this happened:
Why do we like this dunk so much? That Terrell brought so much anger with him to the rim, where he faced a tough challenge.
This dunk generated one of the best Youtube comments that we've read this year:
"That was almost a hate crime. LOL."
Terrell, a 6′ 2″ guard, will play at Florida Gulf Coast next year.
And there's no truth the DJ started playing The Wobble in the gym as the victim of the dunk recovered.
No. 1 DeAndre Jordan, Los Angeles Clippers
His 2013 master work: A dunk over Detroit's Brandon Knight during a March game at the Staples Center.
What started out as a normal lob pass from Chris Paul to DeAndre Jordan turning into this:
We love the reaction from the fans. From the announcers. From Jordan's teammates.
And as RIP Brandon Knight became a trending topic on twitter, we loved the memes that were created in the aftermath:


text:
If you are 'living one day at a time', suffering from an addictive habit such as alcohol, drugs or porn that is affecting your life, your marriage or your business, you may be surprised to hear your problem is not the drink, the drug, or the actions you take. when you try to give it up. The problem is the energetic form of the addiction itself that is causing you so much despair.
Having an addiction is like having different people living in your body. When you want to give up an addiction, the addicted parts of you resist violently, dragging you back into the same old destructive physical, emotional and mental patterns. You can try to ignore or avoid the problem, but no matter how hard you try you are always living with 'the elephant in the room'. You can never relax because you fear succumbing to the demon, which—like the force of a gathering storm—rumbles and boils deep within you.
You could try something that's more manageable such as cigarettes and coffee. Things would definitely be better. You wouldn't have memory loss or the worry each morning about what you did the night before. But try as you may, the deep addictive need does not go away. It just attaches itself to something more acceptable and a little less destructive.
These energetic forms exist as a dull, heavy ache in the pit of your belly. They require more and more addictive substances to help cover up their quiet, desperate feelings of loss and despair. And you continue to face a great emptiness in your soul.
To gain freedom, peace and wholeness by throwing your alcohol, drugs or porn away and going into rehabilitation is a great start, but removing the addictive substances from your life is never enough. Even if you do manage to give up the physical addictive problem, its energetic form remains within you desperate with desire. These energetic forms take hold because they can. Because they find an empty place within you to call home, and they settle there and continue taking up more space.
Giving up an addiction is not about avoiding, confronting or controlling your pain and despair! Addiction exists because these forms within you need to be comforted, reinvigorated and transformed. Until they are, they will remain out of balance and desperately trying to meet their needs by tearing you apart and pulling you in different directions.
Overcoming addiction despair depends on your ability to reactivate your energy and invigorate the life force that was lost, because emptiness and loss may be the real reason you became addicted in the first place - the form of your addiction has simply filled this empty space.
Clearing the debris and pain of addiction is rather like a country lane being cleared after the wreckage of a storm, it enables you to move your vehicle forward and merge into the activity of the nearby freeway. Within you, new movement begins, gently freeing your addictive self, transforming its pathway and enabling new life-force to merge into the larger, more powerful flow of your being.
When these forces are rebalanced and the lanes of life-force are brought together to support and revive your energy structure, you become self supporting and self sustaining; you gain the internal structure of support you need to reawaken, revive and tenderly moving yourself towards a naturally healthy, whole and complete state.
Once the way is cleared and energy fields are opened, you access the reservoirs of wealth and vitality easily within yourself. Then, like wreckage on the road, the blocks of your addictions slip away, unable to maintain their lethal, malignant and ravaging hold.
By activating your life-force, your addictions cannot maintain their vice like grip because new internal strength and fortitude is nourishing and supporting the whole of you, overcoming the energetic forms that had entered to fill your emptiness. It is by accessing your own life-force that you finally actualize your health and wellbeing, enabling you to move forward and overcome the obstacles of addiction.


text:
Our Values Match Our Vision – The Kidsfirst Design Principles.
Here at Kidsfirst we put a great deal of thought and passion into every detail of our kindergarten spaces - inside and out – to provide the highest quality standards in early childhood education.
Our kindergartens have always placed huge importance on creating inspiring, interesting, balanced spaces for children's learning.
Look inside and you'll see a place with room for activity or rest, and rich with culturally diverse learning resources, for work or play. Step outside and you'll find playgrounds abundant with action and laughter, or quiet restful corners. There'll be pockets of garden bursting with colour and New Zealand native plantings inspired by our natural surroundings.
Look around and you'll see our kindergartens are places where children, teachers, whānau and community are engaged with each other, with places, opportunities and ideas, and our heritage. Where we are so very proud of what we do, and the difference we make in lives everyday. Places where people are both inspired and inspiring as well as passionate – we love what we do here at Kidsfirst - and it shows.
So how do we capture a snapshot of all these fantastic values and ideals that make up our Kidsfirst spaces - all the many brilliant things, that combined, are at the very heart of our kindergartens?
That's where the 'Kidsfirst Design Principles' come in - covering every aspect of our kindergarten buildings, playgrounds, landscaping, furniture, resources and equipment. It's a set of comprehensive guidelines with information and ideas to support a well-informed and successful re-fit, repair, rebuild or new build of our kindergartens.
The intention behind them is to provide a 'go-to' to brief all of those involved in the design process and bring them 'up to speed' on Kidsfirst values and our vision.
Kidsfirst's Jenny Pitama led the work on the design principles. She explains, "When considering our kindergarten design principles, we had to think - who and what are our spaces for? Our kindergartens need to be inspirational places that bring people together. Places to enhance learning and teaching and to welcome new and existing families."
In our 'Kidsfirst Design Principles for Buildings' we've aimed to capture all of our wonderful ideas for what makes a great kindergarten space. From our purpose-built activity and sleep rooms for littlies, to the indoor/outdoor flow, to the colour palettes and designs that reflect our surrounding natural and local environment. From kitchens to bathrooms, lighting to heating, windows to doors, the latest technology to security - we've covered every building detail in line with our value set and vision.
"Pop inside a Kidsfirst kindergarten and you'll see for yourself rooms that are welcoming, warm, light, open, safe and secure."
Outside you'll see what our 'Kidsfirst Design Principles for Playground and Landscaping' is all about. It reflects the importance our kindergartens place on natural outdoor environments that are spacious, well resourced, stimulating and exciting places for adventure and play. Spaces that are open, safe and secure, in natural colours and durable materials. You'll find spots basking in sun and places for shade dwelling too. There'll be a playground area that is accessible and inclusive, allowing for challenges and risk-taking opportunities and providing a variety of age-appropriate experiences.
Kidsfirst kindergartens pride themselves on their outdoor environments. As it says in our Design Principles, "Outdoor areas are natural, reflecting our bi-cultural commitment and where iwi narratives are reflected in our art. Where significant local sites and landmarks are acknowledged, and they are planted with natives and fruit trees."
Even tiny but important details have been included - like placing 'peek holes' and 'little windows' at different heights along a section of fence so the sights of the local community spill into the kindergarten.
It's an attempt to provide a thoughtful and planned approach to enriching all of our kindergarten environments. A flick through the 'Kidsfirst Design Principles for Furniture, Resources and Equipment,' shows a preference for furniture that is locally or New Zealand made, that is durable, sustainable, safe and that caters for both children and adults. The use of environmentally friendly materials that are upcycled (like kitchenware, plates and cutlery), or recycled, like jam jars for painting instead of plastic pottles.
"We try to consider natural colours and materials like flax baskets for storage as well as hand-picked resources like shells, stones or feathers."
Our clear intention is to have a set of guidelines at the ready - a tangible resource to match the Kidsfirst values with our vision. So now, whether its an architect or contractor, landscaper or teaching team we have a very clear direction around what's important to us at Kidsfirst, and what it takes to be able to successfully create and re-create our wonderful whānau-friendly buildings and spaces.
This year has seen some golden opportunities to be inspired by design… with the opening of two brand new Kidsfirst kindergartens - Kidsfirst Diamond Harbour Early Learning Centre, which won a Canterbury Architecture Award and Kidsfirst Glacier Country in Franz Josef, on the West Coast. This was a real chance to design and create purpose-built interesting and inspiring spaces, that were as environmentally friendly as possible, and would include state-of-the-art features for our next generation's newest learners.
The building process behind both of these new centres were wonderful opportunities to consider not only what is important from a design aspect for our kindergartens, but the importance of our values and vision as well.
Following the Canterbury earthquakes some Kidsfirst kindergartens are still in the process of sorting re-builds or repairs to structurally strengthen their buildings. This brings with it fantastic opportunities to retrofit, repair or purpose-build our spaces - by design.
And with two more brand new Kidsfirst kindergartens in the pipeline, in Rolleston and The Bays area (Mount Pleasant, Redcliffs), we can't wait to put our Kidsfirst Design Principles to the test!
As reflected in our Kidsfirst Design Principles, you can be sure that a Kidsfirst kindergarten is a quality kindergarten, a place you can be proud of and that - like our values and vision - will stand the test of time.
We are so very proud of all of the interesting, creative spaces across the network at Kidsfirst kindergartens. Every single one a wonderful place for learning, exploration, adventure and challenge with chances to play and inspire the imagination.
Ma te kōrero ka mōhio
Ma te mōhio ka mārama
Ma te mārama ka mātau
Ma te mātau ka ora ai tātou
Through discussion comes awareness
Through awareness comes understanding
Through understanding comes wisdom
Through wisdom comes wellbeing for all.


text:
Church and ministry leadership resources to better equip, train and provide ideas for today's church and ministry leaders, like you.
Get updates from Religion Prof: The Blog of James F. McGrath delivered straight to your inbox
Apparently it isn't only Ewoks that turned C3P0 into a deity.
James, I really hate to be "that guy," but… how would you feel if someone made a picture of C-3PO as Jesus?
I've shared that sort of thing too. Why?
lol, didn't see that.
I guess I'm just oversensitive.
I am interested in these sorts of images from an academic perspective, as illustrating how people bring religion and science fiction together. If I had a penchant for collecting or making only images that poke fun at religion, or some religions, then that would indeed be an appropriate cause for concern!
Yeah, it would be lol.
I agree though, it is interesting. I guess a lot of it has to do with the perceived otherworldliness of the supernatural and religion. Same impulse that leads to things like Chariots of the Gods, perhaps.
After reading the Secret Book of John, I'd say good sci fi existed around 200AD, with enthusiastic followers/believers.
I like the Toledoth Yeshu with flying Simon Magus.
The recently built Wat Rong Khun Buddhist temple in Thailand contains murals of sci-fi characters like Superman, Neo from the Matrix, and others.
Hehehehe, statue boobs…
Also, that building kind of looks like something out of the Narnia movies.


text:
Privacy Policy
This Customer Privacy Policy is provided by Pine Row LLC*. This Notice explains how we collect and disclose customer information when you initiate a transaction to obtain products or services from Pine Row, LLC.
Confidentiality and Security
Protecting customer information has always been important to us. Access to customer information is limited to those persons who need to know that information in order to complete a transaction you initiate. For example, customer financial and shipping address information is only shared with the financial institutions and shipping companies as required in order to provide products or services requested by a customer in an individual order transaction. All transactions are accomplished through Pine Row LLC (dba classicjapanesemotorcycles.com) which is a legally registered entitiy with the Ohio Secretary of State.
Customer information we collect.
We collect customer information from you when you place an order online or through use of other forms, such as your name, address, email address, telephone or cell number.
Policy for disclosing information outside Pine Row, LLC.
No personal or financial information we collect on customers or former customers is ever disclosed or sold to any outside source or third party at any time. We do not use customer information collected on customers or former customers to any affiliated or nonaffiliated companies for marketing purposes. Since this is our policy, there is nothing you need to do to request us not to share customer information with such third parties.
All sales are final. There is no refund or return of any product order or shipments costs related to the transaction. Please be certain that the part you order is what you want. Products sold by Pine Row LLC are typically used, very rare, parts. As manufacturers sometimes changed parts during a production run, fitment of parts to your particular motorcycle cannot be guaranteed. If you have any question regarding the suitability of any part ordered, please email me BEFORE ordering at
email@example.com and we can discuss any questions you may have.
Unless otherwise agreed upon, orders will be shipped by best method through the US Post Office, FedEx, or UPS. Shipping Costs are listed at the time of sale, and are included in the prices listed.
*Pine Row, LLC, an Ohio limited liability corporation, is registered with the Ohio Secretary of State and has registered the trade name "classicjapanesemotorcycles.com".


text:
Although many LEED certified projects are based on the new construction checklist, the U.S. Green Building Council has several different guidelines that existing buildings can use to achieve LEED certification. Two of these are featured this week: LEED for Commercial Interiors (LEED-CI) and LEED for Existing Buildings Operations and Maintenance (LEED-EB O&M).
Autodesk Gallery at One Market – San Francisco, California
Built in the early 1900s, the Landmark at One Market was previously the home of the Southern Pacific Railroad Company headquarters. It's been more than 90 years since its original construction and now the building is joining the elite ranks of projects that have attained LEED Platinum certification.
The building, now occupied by Autodesk, achieved the highest level of LEED certification in the Commercial Interiors category. In addition to being the home of Autodesk's San Francisco operations, the facility also houses the Autodesk Gallery at One Market. The gallery is open to the public and features the design projects of Autodesk customers.
"We are excited for the entire project team that the Autodesk office space in San Francisco has achieved LEED Platinum certification," said Marc H. Flax, Associate AIA, senior vice president and director at HOK San Francisco. "From the beginning stages of this IPD project, the extended team agreed contractually to share both the risks and rewards of this ambitious project. LEED Platinum certification was a goal and certainly qualifies as a huge reward. This level of collaboration and sustainable design is something that we want to repeat on future projects." Source: Autodesk
Watt Plaza – Los Angeles, California
Watt Plaza is a pair of 23-story office buildings that recently received LEED for Existing Buildings Operations and Maintenance (LEED-EB O&M) Gold level certification.
"LEED Certification of Watt Plaza was based on a number of green measures taken to positively impact the project itself, the broader community and reduce global climate change. These measures include: water conversation, waste recovery, alternative transportation options, energy efficiency measures, and an indoor air quality management program." Source: Business Wire
Drury University Sports Arena – Springfield, Missouri
The O'Reilly Family Event Center at Drury University isn't constructed yet but thanks to a $600,000 donation from Brad Pitt and his brother, Doug, the facility is now aiming for LEED Gold certification. The project was designed to be green from the start but the initial goal was LEED Silver. via [ecorazzi]


text:
Aliens, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, the Dutch version of The Vanishing, Firefly — just because something is a genre story doesn't mean it can't be great storytelling. But as someone who loves genre work – sci-fi, fantasy, police procedurals, film noir, yaoi, you name it — I've often noticed that there seems to be this general, unspoken acceptance of lazy technique, of bad writing. The opinion seems to be "Hey, it's just a sci-fi story, what do you expect?"
Well, I say "No more!" There are enough examples of quality writing in genre work that there is no excuse for writing stories that can't stand toe-to-toe with more "mainstream" work. And I believe the first step to recovery is admitting that you have a problem. Thus this series of posts on "How To Write Badly" – because knowing is half the battle.
The first shameful technique we'll discuss is something I like to call "The Idiot Plot Device".
What Is It?
Especially common in horror films, The Idiot Plot device is when a character or characters do something incredibly stupid merely (or mostly) to further the plot. Bobby and Susie know there's a killer in the woods but decide to sneak out for a little heavy petting between the pines anyway – thus allowing the killer to claim his next victims and allowing the story to move forward.
How To Tell It's In Play
If you're watching a character about to do something and you find yourself mouthing the words "Oh, my God – what a dumbass!" that's a pretty good sign.
But it's not enough in itself. Good creators write about all aspects of the human condition — even those moments when people are not being very bright and even about folks who are just downright dumb. No, for it to be The Idiot Plot Device, the idiocy has to be necessary to further the plot: meaning when it's clear that if Bobby and Susie just did the smart thing, stayed inside and saved their heavy petting for a day when they aren't being stalked by a maniacal killer, the plot wouldn't move forward and the writer would be stuck. (Or, at least, the writer would have to be a bit clever to figure out how to put the characters into danger again.)
In addition, The Idiot Plot Device usually requires a character to act in a way that stretches credibility – the action is just so dumb, so incompetent, so inappropriate based on everything the character's seen that the only possible explanation is that the writer had painted themselves into a corner and didn't know (or couldn't be bothered to find) any other way to amp up the tension or move things forward.
A variation of The Idiot Plot Device is the I'm So Upset/Freaked Out/Scared I'm Going To Act Like An Idiot Plot Device where characters under duress do something incredibly stupid (such as when Lambert just stands in front of the monster in Alien doing nothing, thus getting herself and the character trying to rescue her killed.) More sympathetic to an audience than The Idiot Plot Device — after all, we've all had moments when we've been overwhelmed and made bad choices — this technique still suffers from the same problems as its Idiot brother, namely that it uses lazy writing to move the plot forward.
Some Examples From The Wild
Keeping with our Alien references, the first time I ever truly noticed this cop-out was while watching the movie Alien 3 when a character, working with buckets of explosive accelerant he and his buddies were using to trap the monster, chooses to carry a bucket of the accelerant and a flare at the same time (!) which, of course, soon causes an explosion that blows their entire plan (and several cast members) all to hell. If he hadn't done that, the plan would have succeeded and the movie would have been over some 45 minutes early.
Another example from the world of sci-fi comes from the popular series Battlestar Galactica (a frequent offender) where much-maligned Vice President Baltar chooses to secretly hand over a nuclear bomb to an abused Cylon as a "token of his good will" which then soon after leads to her blowing up several ships, thousands of people and alerting the rest of the enemy Cylons to the few surviving humans' location. Yes, he was feeling a bit insulted at that moment by the President of the Colonies, yes "Head 6" encouraged him to give her the device, but willingly handing over a nuclear bomb to an angry enemy of the human race? Really? Really? Yes, really — otherwise Season 3 would not have been possible.
(And yes, temporary insanity definitely falls under The Idiot Plot Device, in case you think Head 6's encouragement offers that excuse…)
Why It's Bad Writing
It's bad writing because it breaks audience identification with the characters, it breaks realism but mostly, it's just incredibly lazy.
It creates distance between the audience and your work
The best stories are the ones where you can put yourself in the character's shoes, where you get to experience their successes and failures right along with them. The character doesn't have to be exactly like you — in fact, it's even better when you get a chance to identify with a character you would ordinarily think of as an "other" — but the character should exhibit enough universal and compelling elements so you can really feel that, if you were in the same situation, you'd be making at least some of the same choices. You're immersed and engaged because it could just as easily be you in the situation the creator is portraying.
But The Idiot Plot Device breaks that. The character is taking an action so stupid, so inappropriate, all you can do is sit there and shake your head. In that moment, you aren't identifying with the character — you are standing apart in judgment, thus creating distance between you and the work.
It's not very realistic
In addition, your suspension of disbelief is also put into question. Sure, we all do stupid things, but for almost all of us, the self-preservation instinct is very strong. When characters act against that — or against their own interests in general — there needs to be a very good reason, otherwise audience members wind up consoling themselves with "Well, it's a just a movie (TV show, book, etc.), it's not supposed to be realistic." And woe be to any writer who wants their audience thinking that while experiencing their story.
It's just downright lazy
Mostly, though, The Idiot Plot Device is just lazy writing. It's relying on the darker, more cynical parts of human nature to hide an author's lack of imagination. As a writer, you know that at least some of your audience will give you a free pass for such shortcuts, with apologies like "Well, in 'real life', people do lots of stupid things when the shit hits the fan, so I guess they might do this too."
But it really takes no intelligence at all to move the plot forward this way. It's easy to have someone do something dumb that creates trouble — it's a much tougher assignment to have everyone be smart, act smart, make good decisions and still keep your story from getting resolved right away. In order to pull that off, you need to be at least as smart as the characters you're writing and probably a lot smarter.
This becomes clearest when a writer has created (or is including) a really smart, capable hero, like Ripley from the Alien series. She's fought dozens of these aliens before, she's tough and decisive and she's smart. Left to her own devices, she should be able to handily destroy the alien in Alien 3 in the first act. But that would make for an awfully short movie so the author has a choice — make the alien as smart as (or smarter than) Ripley foiling her brilliant plans with equally brilliant countermoves…. or have her surrounded by idiots who won't help her despite overwhelming evidence that she's credible and then actively foil her plans against their own interest through their own stupidity.
Which choice do you think requires more effort, more skill, more creative thinking, thus increasing the odds for a more satisfying story?
A major reason that The Idiot Plot Device is so unsatisfying is that it is a form of cheating, of stalling — if people were making smart choices, the story would resolve quickly. But the author has to fill 90 minutes of screen time (or 44 minutes of TV time, 24 pages of comics, whatever…), so they keep their characters in jeopardy through a series of stupid choices and bonehead moves.
Yes, some people might find those stupid choices believable — but satisfying, engaging? Not likely.
How To Transcend
The fact that this technique is used so often, though, gives a special advantage to the writer who's willing to put in a little more effort. Audiences have been trained to accept this form of laziness, so when you subvert that expectation, you earn strong credibility in their eyes. Have your character actually be smarter, more rational, more capable than your audience might expect and suddenly things get a lot more interesting!
One of the best examples of this again comes from the Alien series, this time from the second movie, Aliens.
Here's the scene: the marines have just gotten their asses handed to them by the aliens. They are demoralized and at a loss of what to do — how do they fight these seemingly unstoppable monsters? Well, Ripley suggests dropping a whole lot of nuclear bombs on the critters from orbit. (Which in itself puts this movie in a special category — I don't care how badass a monster is, no beastie of flesh and blood is going to stand up against an H-Bomb and this was something that scif-fi movies, particularly from the 70s and 80s, would always seem to conveniently forget…)
So, there we have it, problem solved! Ah, but the "company man" nixes the idea — there's lots of expensive equipment on the planet, you see — "This installation has a substantial dollar value" — and he forbids the use of nuclear weapons. And, at this point, we in the audience are prepared to accept this — it seems at least somewhat plausible and really, how else is the writer going to keep everyone in jeopardy? Thank you for remembering that nukes exist, filmmakers, but even though these monsters have just taken out 80% of their platoon and every adult man and woman in the colony, we'll accept that those puppies are not an option!
But then, Ripley says the words you and I would actually say if we were in that situation. She looks that company man right in the eye with an incredulous sneer and exclaims 'They can BILL me!" And then manages to convince the Marines to overrule the company man and nuke the entire site from orbit.
Now we as the audience don't have any idea what's going to happen next! The movie's not even half done and our heroes are going to do exactly what we would do with their technology and in their situation — fly the heck out of there and nuke the monsters from the safety of space! How is the writer going to keep things going from here? He's just painted himself in a corner, right?! We're now completely engaged — and in no small part because, despite not knowing how things are going to continue, we're convinced that this creator isn't going to foist lazy cop outs on us. It turns out we're watching a movie where characters are going to make smart choices yet still get in trouble because the monsters are just as smart and so, once the shit hits the fan again, our own brains start to work in overdrive to try to figure a way out — as if we were there ourselves.
We're engaged. We trust the creator. We know we're in good hands and in for a good ride. And that's exactly how you want your audience to feel.
Suffer No Fools!
Sure, you can get away with lazy writing techniques like The Idiot Plot Device, but if you choose the harder path, you will create a far better experience for your audience… and a far more memorable work. Make things hard for yourself — have all your characters, both heroes and villains, consistently make smart, self-interested choices — for every move, take the time to think of a brilliant countermove; for every strategy, think of a really smart way for the other side to foil it!
If you can do that, you will find your work being remembered not for its genre, but rather for what an awesome, compelling story was told.
Want to read more posts like this? Don't miss out! Subscribe and get them emailed right to you — for free!
Hey! Download one of our free full-color guy-on-guy comics! Just sign up over at our Free Comics page and we'll send you the download link!
Learn More!
- Want to read some of my other articles on good storytelling? Click on over to our writing section!
- Wondering what some of our stories are like? See a selection by clicking on Yaoi 911 Art!


text:
Your source for the latest technology information of interest to credit unions across America.
Subscribe to our weekly e-mail newsletter and/or our monthly newsletter and stay on top of the latest technology trends in Hardware, Software, ATMs, Biometrics, Wireless, Online Banking, Marketing, Security, Internet Access and Call Centers.
Dell Has a New Cloud Strategy, but It's Still an Infrastructure Vendor
Dell announced a new service that brings the user experience for buying, installing, and using new servers on-premises as close as it can be to spinning up a VM in the cloud. Through a web portal, a data center manager selects location, specs, and number of servers they need, which kicks off the process of preparing the hardware for shipping and installing it in one or several data centers of the customer's choice.
Hunting Money Launderers? There's AI for That
Encouraged by a recent green light from regulators, the financial services industry is exploring new ways of using artificial intelligence to help them comply with banking regulations and to better detect fraudulent transactions. Currently, transaction monitoring typically scrutinizes a limited data set and relies heavily on humans trained to spot red flags. Transactions are segmented by broad categories such as a client's business type, location or risk level as determined by the FI, which allows significant data to fall through the cracks.
Within the retail segment, cash handling expenses run between 4% and 15%, according to analysis conducted by IHL Group in 2018. These numbers are mirrored in the FI sector, with McKinsey reporting cash costing between 5% and 10% of FI operational budgets. This article offers a few tips that can help develop your cash strategy within the branch.
Why Unauthenticated SMS Is a Security Risk
The author contends that there is a huge, growing security problem with SMS - it has become the root behind many types of cybercrime. Attackers can execute several types of cyberattacks through SMS, and he discusses two of them in this article.
Global Wearable Electronics Market 2019-2023 |15% CAGR Projection Over the next Five Years
The global wearable electronics market is expected to post a CAGR of more than 15% during the period 2019-2023, according to the latest market research report by Technavio. There has been a substantial increase in the integration of advanced technologies such as AI, VR, and contactless payments into wearable electronics devices. This is resulting in the rising demand for wearable electronic devices. Apart from these factors, the development of a mobile app ecosystem will also play a vital role in the growth of the market during the forecast period.
MobileIron Introduces Zero Sign-on Technology to Eliminate Passwords
MobileIron has introduced what they are calling the industry's first mobile-centric, zero trust security platform. Their goal is to make the mobile device your ID and access to the organization. They claim to be able to eliminate passwords for any device, whether managed or unmanaged.
Five Ways to Make Social Media a Strong Arm of Your Marketing Plan
The author posits that it does not matter whether you are on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter or Snapchat — all of these platforms are just too crowded to embrace the wishful thinking of "If you build it, they will come." He states that by demonstrating authenticity, using employees as social media ambassadors and featuring personal stories, FIs can wield social media to engage consumers in new, meaningful ways and capture new leads.
Online Banking/E-Commerce/Website Design
Savings App Automatically Drains Deposits from Rival FIs
Dobot, a clever automatic savings app with a simple interface and friendly name, helps Fifth Third Bank appeal to Millennials while also siphoning deposit dollars away from competitors. Dobot (the name is short for "the robot for your dough") is a savings sweep app geared for Millennials. But the automated savings tool is also designed to make it easy for people who don't think they can save, or don't take the trouble to save, or don't put money away toward specific goals.
VMware-VeloCloud Sees the Future of SD-WAN with 5G, Hybrid Cloud
As SD-WAN, the network edge, hybrid cloud and 5G shift and mature, preparing network infrastructure and software capabilities to support these areas has become crucial, according to the GM of the VeloCloud business unit at VMware. An expanded SD-WAN platform would use data patterns and network performance information -- gleaned from thousands of customer deployments -- to detect patterns, determine fixes and automate policy changes. Although 5G networks aren't fully developed, the company believes an SD-WAN running on 5G could result in "single milliseconds kind of latency."
Cisco Drops Advanced Malware Protection for Networks into SD-WAN Console
Cisco has added its Advanced Malware Protection (AMP) for Networks into its software-defined networking-wide are network (SD-WAN) console to further beef up WAN security. Cisco's SD-WAN customers are now able to sandbox and block standard polymorphic and file-less malware across wide area networks with a few clicks on the console. AMP works with Cisco's Viptela SD-WAN technologies.
Prioritizing CX and AX: How Dynamic Routing Can Benefit Your Contact Center
The author maintains that Dynamic Routing (DR) is an effective way to ensure your contact center can flourish, featuring technological solutions that can have a considerable impact on CX (Customer Experience) and AX (Agent Experience). He goes on to lay out the case for implementing DR in your contact center.


text:
Simona Halep returned to Romania to a hero's welcome and a big reception at the Arena Națională in Bucharest Wednesday.
Imagine thousands of your countrymen and women chanting your name – just for winning a tennis tournament. It has to be truly heady stuff.
And it speaks to what her accomplishments mean to the people of a country with a population around 20 million.
Two of the foremost names in Romanian tennis – Ilie Nastase and billionaire Ion Tiriac, without whose financial support Halep might not even have had a career, were there to greet her at the airport.