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The following article is the first of two new features I will be adding to the blog this week. In what I hope is the first in a series of interviews with various players, gamemasters and other members of the roleplaying-game community, I present Ego Check. Ego Check will be a place to learn more about the people who you may have interacted with briefly on Twitter or through Comments on a variety of blogs. It is an opportunity for me to conduct a long-form interview to gain insight into how active members of the role-playing community are influenced and think about current topics and trends throughout the gaming world. The first Ego Check is focused on Jeff Gupton of Blackbyrne Publishing.
In the interview, he recounts his journey as a young player of roleplaying games and how this eventually led to him creating his own publishing company. He speaks about the trials and tribulations of 3rd Party Publishing (3PP), and advocates for greater unity in the 3PP community. I hope you enjoy the following interview as much as I did conducting it!
Can you please introduce yourself, and talk a bit how and when you started playing Dungeons & Dragons?
Greetings and Salutations! (ok, normally I don't talk like that, but wanted to show off) My name is Jeff Gupton and I am the owner of Blackbyrne Publisher, a third-party publisher for both 4th Edition Dungeons & Dragons, as well as Pathfinder Roleplaying Game.
It was the spring of 1981 when I saw some of my 5th grade classmates playing this odd game with no board, no pieces and these weird shaped dice. Then I heard what they were saying, almost telling a story of sorts, so I sat and listened. I heard about spells being fired off, monsters being slain and treasure being found and was instantly hooked. That summer I saved all of my allowance and walked the four blocks from my home to The Hobby House and bought my first boxed set for Dungeons & Dragons. (not the Red Box everyone knows, but the one just prior, yes I'm that old) That fall when I returned to school, I had my box in my backpack, filled with characters I'd written and adventures I'd planned, and was ready to fight the good fight. It's the feeling that I had when first playing the game that I hold on to as I write the adventures for Blackbyrne Publishing, hoping to convey or pass that along to the new fans of today.
As a side note, normally these were the same people who teased me about my weight issues and only kept me around to make fun of or play tricks on. But when we were playing D&D, that changed, there were no jokes at my expense, we were a team, and I think that says a lot about the game itself.
"Gamer" stereotypes often emphasize the negative affects of role-playing games, but it sounds like you gained acceptance and perhaps some level of respect with your peers when you started to play Dungeons & Dragons with them?
Yes, sadly, the mere mention of "gamer" in certain circles conjures up images of loners who live in their mother's basement with wall to wall comic books and no real life friends, just the virtual ones. I myself have ruined many a first date by mentioning my appreciation for D&D, and while my wife isn't a gamer all the time, she does appreciate and admire my passion which translates into unending support for what I do. I think gamers on the whole tend to put aside differences when faced with common interests. (the exception being participating in Edition Wars) When talking about the same game in a similar frame of mind, everyone becomes non-prejudiced, I wish more people outside the community could think like that. Of course, shows like The Big Bang Theory make nerds cool again, so that's a plus.
As I got older, through 2nd and 3rd Ediction mainly, I had several people try to get me to run games for them as DM because of the originality of my adventures, gamers love a good story and I love to tell them, so it was a perfect match. I am proud to say that, with the release of my adventures and some of the bits I have put on my website, the gaming community it beginning to react in the same way, appreciating my writing and creativity. Respect from my peers is honestly how I measure success, not financial gain, but I do like getting paid for what I do.
I am very interested to hear about your current work. But first, how do you think those early experiences with D&D shaped your interest level and devotion to roleplaying games?
I think those early memories and experiences had a very deep impact because they were positive, it was on those occasions when I gamed that I felt accepted, a part of something larger.
(time to sound like my father . . .) In those days, there was no Internet and no way to globally share information other than TV and magazines.
To think I was participating in something bigger didn't really hit me until '83 when I moved to Sacramento and within a month I easily found a group to join. (right around the time of the Sat morning cartoons as well, THEN I knew it was BIG) I've talked about it before, but one of my most enjoyable games was as a player running through The Sinister Secret of Saltmarsh. The DM for the adventure was somewhat new, but told the story flawlessly, which drew me in despite the mechanical errors we were all making. That was about the time I decided that the rules should be secondary to the story, which is how I liked to run my games as a DM, still do to a certain extent. The other influences were the movies of the time, Krull, Dragonslayer, The Hobbit and Hawk: The Slayer just to name a few, all helped me with ideas for adventures, and later campaign settings.
That flows well into one thing I wanted to ask. Could you describe the process of being a player and DM and how that morphed into the desire to write your own adventures?
I began as a player, as most who are in the game do, but I was the type of kid that didn't wait very well, the kind that shake presents to guess what they were. I always wanted to know what was behind every door, under every rug, inside every chest and sometimes as a player, you just don't get all that information, you just failed to open whatever it was you wanted to open but my curiosity was too great. Many times we would finish an adventure module and I would run out to find a copy just to see what it was we might have missed. I even called out a DM for skipping parts, only to be told my first lesson as a DM, "NEVER run an adventure as is, make it yours."
That's when I began to play from behind the screen, and it was a liberating experience to say the least. Not only was the story in my hands, it was in my head as well. I could answer questions on the fly because the information was all mine, that was the most fun I've ever had playing D&D. After building up some confidence with running published adventures (and making them "mine"), I started to write my own. I remember the first one I wrote and then later ran. It was for 2nd Edition and I based it off the song "Sacred Heart" by Dio, a theme I actually revisited again in 3rd Edition but as a campaign arc instead of a single adventure. It was then I knew I was hooked, there was no turning back.
I continued to write adventures and work on settings through 2nd and 3rd Edition, but it was when 4th Edition came along that I felt like I was returning to the early days, that sense of nostalgia when I bought new books was very strong. I had been running a campaign for my group set in Forgotten Realms during the spring of 2009 when the bug to get published bit me. I did a mini-adventure for them that really blew their minds, something unique and different that they weren't expecting. Since they seemed to really like it, I decided to pitch the idea to Wizards of the Coast (WOTC) as a Dungeon magazine article. While waiting for a response (that never came) I spent the weekend stuck in the house with a bad back. While I was resting up, I decided to listen to the Penny Arcade podcasts and when I got to series 2 with Wil Wheaton, I decided to Google his name and see what he was up to. That was when I discovered the world of Self-Published authors and researched the hell out of that topic.
I made myself a deal, if WOTC didn't accept my adventure, I would publish it myself. Well, at the end of the 60 waiting period, I had myself declared legally insane, started up Blackbyrne Publishing and created "Within Death's Gaze", the adventure I hope WOTC thinks is the "one that got away". As a side note, "Within Death's Gaze" was also inspired by music, the album "Red of Tooth and Claw" by Murder By Death.
You talked about taking that first step into self-publishing. For those of us that perhaps think about doing that with our own stories and adventures, how did you make it happen?
The first thing I recommend is to slap yourself in the face, hard, and then ask yourself if you are still interested. You cannot please everyone, and if you try, you will be metaphorically getting slapped in the face every single day, taking the bad reviews/feedback and learning from them is how you will grow and earn respect at the same time. Iit took me a while to learn this, so I am putting it first so others won't take as long as I did.
If you survive that phase, then you need to talk to the people in your life about it, it's a major investment and I don't mean just money, there is time, focus and emotional investments as well. If your loved ones are behind you and willing to not only watch you stumble and fall, but be there when you pick yourself up, then you have everything you need to move forward.
Next on my list would be to research and network, and a lot of it. Talk with other publishers, either just starting out like you, or already established. I spoke to a few companies that were in both categories and received some sound advice from getting a business license to dealing with the Open Game License (OGL) and Game System License (GSL) issues. I also hit the message boards and asked gamers directly what it is they wanted (specifically for me, what they wanted in an adventure) and take the information you can work with (remember, can't please everyone) and build your product within your means. For example, the #1 complaint I heard about published adventures was the lack of included maps, which is what I decided to specialize in, followed very closely by weak storylines and encounter links.
From the other publishers I've talked with, starting out slow is the best course of action, like wading into a pool rather than cannon-balling into the deep end. All the programs I used in the beginning were open license freeware, or demo versions of larger products, mostly because I couldn't afford anything more at the time, but mostly in the event it blows up in my face, I'm out no real investment. As I progressed, I bought more professional software and was able to upgrade my work. Work with what you have, I was lucky enough to have an art major in my group, so I turned to her for art for my first full adventure. Looking to your Friendly Local Gaming Store (FLGS) is also a bonus, if you are lucky to have one. Ask them if you can have a game day to promote your products and then invite participants to spread the word via the internet.
Last on my list would be, broaden your horizons, or the other cliché, don't put all your eggs in one basket. When I set out on this path, I was looking at only doing adventures, but in the almost two years since, I saw that there should be more variety to offer. Including the adventures I am writing, I have a Campaign Setting (CS), a novel (set in the CS), a free-form rule set for various genres, a unique game using my free-form rules and kicking around the idea of either a magazine, or a co-op and magazine aimed at third-party publishers and independent game companies. There is a mountain of advice I could give, but those are the highlights, perhaps when I get the magazine up and running, I will devote more time to that topic.
You've obviously put a great deal of time and effort into building your publishing company. What would you say about the landscape for 3rd party publishers right now? How has it changed, for better or worse, since you started in 2009?
I think the landscape has changed very drastically since 2009, and for the better. In much the same way as Auto-Tune has made stars out of unknown performers, the internet has made publishers out of average gamers and, unlike Auto-Tune, that's a good thing. The one thing that can make or break a game is too much of the same and not enough variety.
Anyone who was around the gaming world at the end of 2nd Edition should remember that the repetitive, and often useless, books that TSR, Inc. was producing that suffocated the industry. (my opinion, of course, but other's share this) When WOTC opened up their d20 system to third-party publishers for 3rd Edition, it was a breath of fresh air. Now we could, as gamers, get more unique and interesting products from a wide variety of sources. With the explosion of the Internet and the ease of obtaining information, this community grew even larger with the advent of 4th Edition.
Looking back over the last two years, I can see some of the companies that were rising up alongside mine have been silent for some time, which makes me thankful to still be in everyone's face at this time in our economy. Even over the last year, more and more companies are popping up ready to release product and join the community, and that I think is fantastic. Competition is nothing to fear, it's what should be driving each and every one of us to put out quality rather than quantity.
The other advantage, which I have been talking with others about, is now that the community has grown to the size it is, it's time for unification. As independent publishers and game companies, our individual voice could be lost to the cacophony of individual voices all shouting for space. Whereas, if we all spoke as one, or at least one at a time, we would be heard by a much broader audience giving us all a chance to survive and grow. I know with Blackbyrne, there is no way that I could reach every potential gamer or DM, but as a group we could bring attention to the fact that there are quality products out there for your games that aren't released directly from WOTC or Paizo. In the end, it's the gaming community that wins, having a plethora of product to choose from can only help enhance their individual games, from players to DM's, there is something out there for everyone's tastes. Looking ahead, I am a firm believer that the 3rd Party Publishing is going to be the backbone of the community, using the variety to keep the interest fresh and unique.
How do you see that unity developing between 3rd party publishers who are in competition with each other to some degree?
As I see it, I know that my adventures aren't going to appeal to everyone out there, but I also know there is a bigger audience than I currently possess. If other companies see things the same way (as I hope they do) they should also know that a combined effort would bring all of us to the forefront easier than each of us clawing our way along. Even some of the bigger, already established companies should remember, they were once the little guy and could have used a boost like a unanimous voice.
It would also be easier to address some issues with WOTC and Paizo that all of us have been struggling with regarding the open system licenses. For the most part, I do not hear much in the way of negative comments toward Paizo (not opinion, just observation), but there are some serious problems with WOTC and maintenance of their GSL. I am almost certain that many complaints from individual companies go unnoticed or at least ignored, after all they are from low profile sources. But a unified, high-profile co-op could make it easier to get resolutions regarding the issues. After all as much as we need them, interest in our products is symbiotic with the sales of their products and we could help each other stay the course through these troubled times.
That sounds like an interesting idea, but how would something like that work? I imagine there are many 3rd party publishers out there just trying to survive. What exactly would you propose to create greater unity between 3rd party publishers?
I think that it might work if enough like-minded publishers would commit to the idea. It would be a source for shared resources, shared advertising and community support. For example, a full-page ad for a gamer magazine could cost me as an individual company $400 for one issue, which is so far outside my budget it's not even funny. If say 10 publishers in a co-op setting place the same ad, not for each company but for the co-op's website which would contain the information for each company, then it only costs each of us $40 which is perfect for someone who is like me who has a limited budget and, occasionally, must draw from a household budget for certain expenses. Perhaps a smaller scale co-op could work where (like a 4th Edition adventuring party) everyone were to assume a role: a Pathfinder publisher who deals with supplemental core rules, a 4th Edition adventure publisher, a publisher creating source books for a campaign setting in either 4th Edition or Pathfinder (or both) and so on, that way no one is stepping on each other's toes.
Then, the hypothetical co-op could also share artwork that they could not afford individually. Theoretically commissioning one artist for X amount of pieces that would cost $20.00 bought one at a time, end up being more like $12.00 en masse. The co-op would have to work as a single entity, rather than multiple parts, in order to attain the benefits, but finding the right group of publishers who are willing to work with each other is the true task.
I encourage anyone else who is of the same mind as me to come forward and toss out some ideas, as they say, united we stand, divided we fall. Wow, I am so starting to sound like a Marxist!
Your plan seems to require coordination between many entities, and I certainly wish you luck with that. What about the individuals out there that want to dip their toe in the self-publishing waters but not open their own business; how should they start?
For someone wanting to get their ideas into print, but don't want to take the plunge of a full-blown publishing company, there are many avenues out there. First I would recommend Lulu.com for individual writers who have work that doesn't require anything more than proofreading and simply want to get their work in print/circulation. But for something more specific to the gaming community and requiring more than just the written word, I would recommend contacting some of the other established companies.
Similar to WOTC, there are some companies out there who take in submissions and publish the works as freelance writer publications, Soldier of Fortune by Matt James comes to mind. I have published two such adventures as "Fan Submitted" works from writers who contacted me looking to get their work out into the community. I would love to take on more of these projects, but my time has become limited as of late and I need to focus much of it towards my existing projects, especially if I (as the publisher) need to create maps, find art and format the work into a PDF. If someone was to provide me with an almost ready to go PDF, then it would be a different story and I'm sure other companies feel the same.
You mentioned earlier that you thought Dungeons & Dragons, 4th Edition was more assessable for 3rd party publishers. Why do you think that is? Also, being a long-time player of multiple editions, what do you think about the evolution of D&D over the years?
I believe Monte Cook has been heard as saying some of the early 3rd Edition rules were specifically written for min/max exploitation, but that might have been a rumor, but seemed true at the time if it was a rumor. Without creating an Edition Wars send up, there are a lot of enjoyable aspects of 3rd Edition (and 2nd Edition) that I have fond memories of, but most of those memories were as a player and not the DM. With the release of 4th Edition, it seemed very clear to me that the balance of the rules made a DM's job much easier, restructuring of monsters so that even at Level 1, a party would have multiple targets on the grid rather than a handful of non-threatening monsters that theoretically could kill you in one lucky shot.
Honestly, this ease is a double-edged sword, on the one hand it makes it easier to work with the mechanics so that more time can be spent on story and roleplaying. On the other hand, this ease also makes it easier for DM's to create their own adventures and not need to rely on published products to run their games. Having spent the better part of (gulp) thirty years playing D&D, I can honestly say that with each change in Edition, the progression has been a logical one. While there are some people who still enjoy and prefer the original version, if the game had never changed I doubt it would still have the same following.
People change, as do their tastes, perceptions and attitudes, we are a fast food, video game society and to not keep things fresh and contemporary is to commit corporate suicide. My kids are between 10 and 17 years old and I have taught them how to play 4th Edition and they love it, I don't think I could say the same for any of the previous editions.
I have also heard from others that 4th Edition is the "easiest" to run as a DM. And you point out that ease could result in lower demand for pre-published materials. Especially with many free online resources and adventures out there, why should a DM pay for your or other 3rd party published adventures?
If anyone's life is as hectic as mine can be, easy or not, you don't always have time to prepare something for your weekly games. That is where published adventures come in handy, you can "cut and paste" ideas and fill in the gaps with your own information or use the adventure in its entirety.
One feature specific with my adventures is that I provide maps for every encounter, that alone saves time for both creating/drawing your own and then translating them into dungeon tiles or even 3-D terrain. Also, with the ease of 4th Edition, new DM's are popping up all the time, and in some cases, at a younger age. Having a ready-made, hassle-free adventure can be just what you need to "cut your teeth" behind the screen. Since I also convert my adventures to work with Pathfinder RPG, published adventures can relieve some of the stress of being a DM for the same reasons I felt 3rd Edition was not DM friendly. However, sales of my 4th Edition adventures and Pathfinder RPG adventures seem about even, so it is hard to tell which market might have an advantage over the other.
How you decide on price point? And is Blackbyrn your only job?
I set the prices based on what I see out there with other companies, factor in the value of what I am including (mainly all the maps) and set a list price. Then I mark it down if I think the market would support it at a better price. Now the print on demand is based on my actual cost and fair market price for similar products. My full-time job is being a dad and husband, but the one that pays is a purchasing agent for a small local supply house. This works for the moment because, in my down time, they don't mind if I do a little writing here and there. I spend my evenings and weekends working on new products and play-testing the adventures.
It has been great learning about your journey as a young player and DM to your current endeavors with your publishing company. Where can DMs check out your products and contact you with questions?
The best place for current information would be our website, www.blackbyrnepublishing.com, where I post current news, or you can join the Forums and talk with other DM's and players about almost anything you like including my products.
To get a hold of me directly, I am available at email@example.com and I do answer every email I get (non-spam that is). Thanks for the opportunity to talk about myself, my Ego needs to get out and stretch every now and then.


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Jerry Wesley Real Estate & Property Management
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Wesley Property Management (WPM) is a full service property management company, specializing in the management of single family homes, duplexes, apartment complexes and townhomes.
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19. Your biggest daydream about this WIP's future.
I'd like this book to be my break-out hit. The one that gets me noticed, the one featured in Publisher's Weekly, the one that gets me invited as a guest to more conferences. Of course, I hope that about every new book, so . . . "This is the one!" I think. So far, I've yet to be right. But maybe this time?


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Today, I had a lunch meeting at a new restaurant, which has been open two months. Since I haven't been yet, I went online last night to peruse the menu so I could make the best choice. No menu. This morning, I called the restaurant. I was told to "look on Facebook, the menu is there." Nope, not there either. He offered to read the menu to me, which was great, but he was on a cell phone and I could only hear about every 15th word. Sigh.
Now don't get me wrong. I am far from perfect, and I've been known to stray for a good meal. When I do, though, I am generally able to plan around it. I had a strenuous training session with Daniel early this morning, and there was no way I was going to chance it for a "meeting meal." I also knew better than to go hungry, not find something I wanted and settle on something less than desirable.
So what did I do? Before the meeting, I ate one of the reserve meals I'd stocked in the kitchen at work. I went a little late to lunch, and during the meeting, just sipped water. I didn't make a big deal about it, nor did anyone at the table ask about it. (And that was nice; usually people make a fuss when you don't eat or you eat differently…)
I'm giving myself a little pat on the back for the way I handled it, but what I really want to say? It's 2013, people. Get a website and add your menu!
How do you deal with eating clean while eating out? Have you ever compromised when eating out and regretted it? Any tips or tricks to share?


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Before 1980, the idea of "computer for everyone" was considered as a very unlikely, if not an absurd idea. However, keep in mind that most of the advanced technology we have today started from a mere dream. It was IBM who made it possible by introducing the first computer intended for home usage, called "IBM PC (Personal Computer)" in the early 1980s. It is true that before IBM, several companies had already attempted to release a personal computer, but none of them shared the similar popularity as IBM PC. Since that time, the computer technology started to grow immensely.
In 1987, Intel introduced the first 32-bit processor 80386 which is the third generation of processor. During the next 20 years, the development of processor has been quite outstanding and nowadays we are quite familiar with the multi-core processor known as the 8th generation of processor. To practically compare the third generation processor and the 8th generation processor is virtually impossible, however, it is still possible to compare those two using a measurement of performance in MIPS (Million Instruction per Second) scale. The 80386 processor had the processing capability of 8.5 MIPS while the high-end processor introduced in 2006, Intel Core 2 Extreme is working at 57,063 MIPS, which is 6713 times faster. It is not even necessary to mention that there exists a prototype called "Intel Polaris" capable on working in 1,800,000 MIPS just to show that there is significant improvement in processor's performance.
The capacity of computer has also been increasing rapidly. In approximately 20 years, hard drives (common non-volatile storages for computers) has evolved from a fifty two-foot diameter disks holding only five MB (5,000,000 bytes) of data to today's drives at the size of 3.5 inches wide capable of storing one TB (1,000,000,000,000 bytes) or more. Moreover, the development of "flash memory" made it possible to have an even smaller device with decent storage capability. The smallest flash memory available commercially called microSD is only at 15mm x 11mm x 0.7mm, or about the size of a fingernail. Despite its physical size, it can store up to 8GB of data (around 1600 MP3 or 13 movies in VCD's format!).
The most popular Operating System (OS) in the world, Microsoft Windows had only started in 1985. The first two unsuccessful versions of Windows were nowhere near the Windows we know today. They were barely called Operating System because they were merely extensions to the console-based MS-DOS and inherit the latter's flaws and problems. The later version of Windows called the Microsoft Windows 3.0 scored a significant success. It was capable of running multi-task applications thanks to its new memory management. Another significant improvement was its user-friendly GUI (Graphical User Interface), making it possible for the PC users to enjoy better interface that previously only be enjoyed by the more exclusive Apple Macintosh users. The latest version of Microsoft Windows is called Vista that was released in 2006 as a replacement for Microsoft Windows XP. However, despite many new exciting features introduced in Vista, many people still reluctant to upgrade their system.
Computer technology may have changed a lot, however, the same thing may not necessarily true for human. Since 20 years ago, some programmers have been keeping on developing a certain useless and troublesome programs called computer virus. It is a program that can copy itself and infect a computer without permission or knowledge of the user. If anything different about developing virus 20 years ago and now, then it should be the motives. "The most significant change has been the evolution of virus writing hobbyists into criminally operated gangs bent on financial gain" said F-Secure's chief research officer Mikko Hypponen. Unfortunately, "This trend is showing no signs of stopping".


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Today EIZO Technologies is an international manufacturer of standard and customized high quality display solutions, panel PCs, converter cards, and data signal distribution systems and now has over 75 employees working at our site in Wolfratshausen near Munich.
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As a subsidiary of the EIZO Corporation, EIZO Technologies is one of the world's leading manufacturers of high-quality visual solutions. EIZO Technologies GmbH develops and produces high-quality, custom display and monitor solutions, converter cards, and data signal distribution systems for air traffic control and industrial applications.
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Ok, analytical mind. You're awesome, and you aren't needed here right now. You can come back after we put the notebook down. Heya, Muse, you still here? Let's play!
2 thoughts on "An even more brief letter to my brain"
To analyze or not to analyze. That is a daily question. Today, I need my analytical brain, but I can't find it right now. Once I find it, I won't need it for long, so I will send it away as you do with yours. It's a good strategy!


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On the eve of what would be his 100th birthday Nora Guthrie says of her famous folk singer father, Woody Guthrie, that he was too busy breaking molds to fit into one and always resisted being "put in the straight jacket' of political parties.
Woody Guthrie was "a commonist, not a communist," his daughter says in an interview with The Guardian's Ed Vulliamy.
Born in Okemah, Oklahoma on July 14, 1912, Guthrie came from humble (and conservative) origins to become one of America's most beloved radicals and musicians. Leading up to the centennial of his birth, remembrances and reflections of the man abound and many events are planned in celebration of his life, music, and cascading influence on American culture.
More than 40 years after his death, and with the obvious glare of depression-era themes returning to contemporary life in the United States, Woody's songs have as much relevance as ever.
"The sad truth," Robert Santelli, director of the Grammy Museum and author of several books on music history, told the New Star-Ledger, "is that many of the issues that Guthrie wrote about are still very much with us. Disrespect for immigrants, the difference between the haves and the have-nots, disenfranchisement, the lack of desire to aid people in trouble, we still see all of that.
"Guthrie saw his family, friends and relatives lose their farms to the Great Depression or the Dust Bowl, or both. He developed a sense of responsibility to become the voice of those people who had no voice."
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British rocker and folk musician Billy Bragg, who helped bring Guthrie's music to the current generation with his Mermaid Avenue sessions with US band Wilco, says Woody's message is as urgent as ever. "Woody had 'This Machine Kills Fascists' painted on his guitar. We're still fighting that fight now," said Bragg.
On Tuesday, Smithsonian Folkways will release "Woody at 100: The Woody Guthrie Centennial Collection." The boxed set, which features an essay by Santelli, collects more than 50 of Guthrie's best-known songs, with six previously unreleased tracks.
Rounder Records is also planning a tribute to Guthrie which will culminate in seven CDs and a book by the label's founder, Bill Nowlin.
Woody's son, Arlo Guthrie, who has established himself as a well-known American folk musician in his own right, will return to his father's home town on Wednesday to celebrate the centennial in a solo acoustic concert at the newly renovated Crystal Theater in Okemah.
"To put it in perspective, my father didn't see himself as an originator of ideas," Arlo Guthrie said of his iconic father in an interview earlier this year. "He saw himself as somebody who was a link in a long chain of people who have tried to make a difference and who stood up for certain principles that are uniquely American."
And so, he said, speaking of all those both perform and love Woody's music and fight for a more just world, "It's not a big stretch to see yourself in that long link somewhere."
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An inspired Yuvraj Singh once again led from the front with an all-round effort while leg-spinner Rahul Sharma produced a five-for as India 'A' cantered to a crushing 93-run win in the one-off Twenty20 match against the West Indies 'A' here on Saturday.
Opting to bat, the hosts posted a mammoth 214 for seven, before bowling out the visitors for just 121 in 16.3 overs at the Chinnaswamy Stadium, which witnessed Andre Russell creating a record in List A cricket as he grabbed four wickets in as many balls in a sensational bowling effort, which, however, went in vain.
Before picking up two wickets, Yuvraj had stroked his way to a 35-ball 52, hitting four boundaries and three sixes. Both Unmukt Chand (47 off 29) and Kedar Jadhav (42 off 21) belted four fours and two sixes each in their brisk knocks.
With the ball, Rahul was by far the most impressive bowler, returning impressive figures of five for 23 on a pitch where his teammates plundered runs at will. The win could be called a consolation for the hosts after the 1-2 defeat in the unofficial ODI series.
Earlier, after being carted around by the Indian batsmen, the West Indies 'A', albeit a little too late into the innings, found their man in Russell who dismissed Jadhav, Yuvraj (52), Naman Ojha (0) and Yusuf Pathan (0) in the first four deliveries of the penultimate over.
The damage had, however, been done by then as the hosts closed in on 200. Seeking to make a comeback to the Indian team, Yuvraj put on a handy 80-run partnership for the fourth wicket with Jadhav, capitalising on a good start given by Uthappa and Chand for the first wicket. The opening duo put on 74 runs in 6.4 overs before they were separated.
The left-handed Yuvraj was merciless against some wayward bowling and played shots at will before edging Russell to West Indies 'A' captain Kieran Powell at midwicket.
Jhadav, who was sent into bat ahead of Yusuf, did not disappoint. Initially, Jadhav even outscored Yuvraj. He was a treat to watch as he collected runs with his lofted and ground shots.


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TagsAgile Agile board baking boards beta Bitbucket bug fix commands conference Daring dashboard demo EAP GitHub Integration GitLab How we Scrum InCloud integration Javascript workflow JetBrains Kanban makeitworkflow post-mortem Promotion RC release REST API roadmap Scrum search TeamCity time tracking update webinar Workflow workflow editor workflows YouTrack YouTrack 4.1 YouTrack 4.2 YouTrack 5.0 YouTrack 6.0 YouTrack 6.5 YouTrack 7.0 YouTrack Daring YouTrack InCloud
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Tag Archives: screencast
YouTrack Screen-Cast—A Practical Hands-On Guide On Issue Juggling
Building on the knowledge gained in the first part of the Tracking YouTrack series, in this episode Vaclav Pech and me will go through the many aspects of issue management in YouTrack. We'll learn how to create new issues quickly, … Continue reading
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YouTrack Screen-Cast—A Practical Hands-On Guide On Searches
Watch this screen-cast and join Vaclav Pech on his journey to learn YouTrack search queries. The idea came from a short phone call, where I've tried to provide Vaclav with some YouTrack's tips and tricks, so this screen-cast is made … Continue reading
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Watch this demo to integrate YouTrack with GitHub
It's been a while since we've introduced native integration with GitHub. Today we invite you to watch a short screencast showing how to set up an integration between YouTrack and GitHub and how to use it in action: Watch more … Continue reading
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Pewter Casting
At Canterbury Fair in 2006 a NZ knight, Sir Sebastian vom dem
Schwarzwald, taught a class on making soapstone molds and casting with Pewter. After seeing this I was hooked.
Longhouse Token
I wanted to make a nice Event Token for the Arrowsreach Longhouse feast with a Viking theme. Some quick research on Viking hordes turned up quite a few silver pendants and broaches that could be replicated in Pewter.
Dess. nr. 144 Found in a gravesite at Lillevang, Bornholm, Denmark. Dated circa 1,000 A.D. Stylized Viking ship, originally a brooch. Dragon heads clearly depicted on stern. Produced in silver and bronze.
I also found an online store selling similar reproductions in silver. http://www.urweg.com/
Soapstone Mold
Here is the hand carved soapstone mold for the token. Notice the "scratches" to allow the gases to escape when the metal poured. There is a second mold at the bottom of this stone for making vervelles.
Completed Token
Here is the completed token with cord attached.


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I wants to understand the integrals of the form
$$\lambda (x) = \int_{0}^{\infty} \frac{\sin^{2} \alpha x}{\alpha^{2}} d\mu(\alpha), (\mu(0)=0)$$ where $\mu(\alpha)$ is a non decreasing function such that the integral converges for all real $x.$
Trivial Example: If we take, $\mu(\alpha)= \alpha,$ then $\lambda (x)= |x|\frac{\pi}{2}.$
My Questions are:
(1) Can you give few more examples of non decreasing function $\mu(\alpha)$, so that we know the exact value of $\lambda (x).$ ?
(2) Suppose the above integral ($\lambda (x)$) converges for the given non decreasing function $\mu(\alpha).$ Can we expect(to evolute) to get the exact(precise) values of $\lambda(x), (x\in \mathbb R)$ ?
(3) Why $\lambda (x)$ in the literature it is known as "negative definite function" ; can you motivates me bit ? (For instance, Arne Beurling, in his paper, "on the spectral synthesis of bounded functions" called this $\lambda (x)$ as negative definite functions)
(4) Does there exists any well-known analogue of ``negative definite functions" defined in $\mathbb R^{2} (\mathbb R^{n})$ ? If not, what one can expect ?


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She is regularly invited as a speaker and writer by top skin care & lifestyle brands and a prominent industry awards judge and continues to consult within the industry as well as resident skincare expert on a number of prestigious health and detox retreats.
To discuss commercial projects and brand collaborations, find contact details here.


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Duels and Deception by Cindy Anstey
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Find it on: Book Depository
This book was totally cute. I'm realizing more and more how much I'm missing out on by not incorporating more regency romance into my diet.
I think what I loved most were the array of personalities and the humor, though I'm a huge sucker for this time period. I always crack up on how scandalous things like "escorting a lady" or "showing a bit of ankle" were back then.
The first half of the story was really fun. Lydia meets Robert in the first few pages – Lydia being a wealthy land owner and Robert being a lawyer on his way to her place to talk about the estate. Lydia is headstrong and intelligent, and the others that were set to help her manage her estate push back at her constantly. Hence, Robert comes in to take a look at what is really going on and to address any legal matters. Robert immediately finds himself in awe over Lydia and the two have instant chemistry in my opinion. He constantly is trying to make excuses to be around her.
Anyway, not long after they meet, Lydia gets kidnapped along with Robert. That was probably my favorite bit – especially the way it was told.. I was laughing so much. Blah blah blah happens (I don't want to spoil) and then they escape. The description of the book makes it sound like the whole kidnapping ordeal is most of the book, but be warned, that isn't the case. That bit is over really quickly.
My biggest complaint is that the story moved a bit slow in the middle and up until the end. It wasn't exactly dull, I think I just was expecting a bit more action (hence the title). But things did finally pick back up and I loooved the ending! (Even though I guessed who was guilty right off the bat.)
The best part was getting to read from both Lydia and Robert's POVS. I loved being in Robert's head.. he was so sweet and funny and just adored Lydia to pieces. He kept scolding himself for how much he kept thinking about her and my heart just swooned.


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Meet Your Inspector
Bill began his career as a journeyman cabinetmaker, learning to craft interior and exterior millwork in Washington, DC. This early experience gave him an eye for detail and an appreciation for wood, which is the primary building material in most homes. Bill went on to own and operate his own building and remodeling company in Lancaster County. His years in the trade have helped him to understand not only what goes into building a quality home, but what can go wrong as well. Often, he would begin a project by disassembling the defective portion of the home before putting it back together properly. Bill recently retired from pastoral ministry where he helped in the founding of a local church in Millersville.
Bill desires to help you understand your home and to provide you with an honest, accurate inspection report.


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Cottage rentals in Canada. Vacation rentals by owners.
CANCELLATION WEEK. SATURDAY AUGUST 10/19 TO SATURDAY AUGUST 17/19. BOOK TODAY. BRAND NEW TO OUR INVENTORY. BOOK TODAY! Situated on a point on a large lot, the cottage offers privacy and seclusion. No neighbours are visible. The far side of the lake is completely uninhabited.. The lake itself is wonderful for swimming - either off the dock or the flat rocks, boating and fishing. 700 feet flat rock shoreline. There is also a sand beach located at the end of the lake. Boat Launch nearby on lake. Large separate bright pine panelled "sunroom" overlooking the lake. We have maintained the natural rustic atmosphere of an original Canadian log cottage nestled amongst the red pine and birch trees. Efforts to modernize have been kept to a minimum. Yes, we have hot and cold running water, and a basic bathroom cum utility room with sink, toilet and shower. And yes the kitchen has all the appliances except a dishwasher. A wood stove provides all the warm comfort necessary for the cooler shoulder seasons. However, we have resisted the trend to bring in TV, internet, etc in order to preserve the serenity of the property and allow our guests to reconnect with the natural surroundings. Windmill Point is approximately a 1/2 hour drive from the eastern entrance to Algonquin Park. The Park has a wide range of walking and hiking possibilities, an outdoor Logging Museum, and Visitors Interpretive Centre and Gallery, all worth a visit. The wolf howling experience, which is held on selected evenings generally in August, is not to be missed. Every season has its special attractions - not least of all autumn. The autumn period with its spectacular colours, and cool, crisp clear days is a particularly good time to experience MacKenzie Lake and Windmill Point Cottage.
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Trawbreaga Bay, Malin Head, Inishowen, County Donegal, Ireland
The view from 'Knockmany Bends' overlooking 'Five Fingers Strand' & the sand dunes of Lagg. This strand takes its unusual name from the five long black sea-stacks that can be seen on this rocky shore. The surrounding sand dunes are some of the highest in all of Europe! These dunes were formed around 5000 years ago and now have their own protected & unique ecosystem.
Each year many folk travel abroad to highly congested tourist traps in search of tropical waters & white sandy beaches. If they only realised what is already here in Ireland along our Wild Atlantic Way, they may think twice before spending a small fortune when they easily visit areas like here for free & also have the entire beach to themselves. Now I'm no rocket scientist 👨🔬 but I know when something makes perfect sense 👍


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Technology, Common Myths and Quick FixesJan 23rd, 2011 | By E.G. Sebastian | Category: Personal Development
by Kyle Wilson
The internet, email, iPods, BlackBerries, TiVo, etc., are all amazing technological advances that have created many advantages and conveniences readily at our disposal, but if we are not careful we might miss the real keys to success — as Jim Rohn would say, "Designing a life versus just making a living."
It reminds me of something the comedian, George Carlin, said after his wife's recent passing:
"The paradox of our time in history is that we have taller buildings but shorter tempers; wider freeways but narrower viewpoints. We spend more but have less; we buy more but enjoy less. We have bigger houses and smaller families; more conveniences but less time. We have more degrees but less sense; more knowledge but less judgment; more experts yet more problems; more medicine but less wellness.
We've learned how to make a living but not a life. We've added years to life not life to years. We've been all the way to the moon and back but have trouble crossing the street to meet a new neighbor. We conquered outer space but not inner space. We've done larger things, but not better things."
Wow! Well said!
Carlin's quote raised this key question: Is everything moving at such a fast pace that we have trained ourselves to try and find the quick fix or overnight success formula in most of what we do, including our health, relationships, skills and finances?
As I went through the 20 plus hours of Classic Jim Rohn footage recorded in 1981, 1983 and 1985, I was continually reminded of the rock-solid principles and ideas Jim has shared over the past 40 years. Principles, that when followed, have had a profound impact on so many peoples lives! Why? Because principles do not change (regardless of technology). Whether it is a 12-year old, a 24-year old, a 40-year old or a senior citizen, we are all subject to the guiding principles of success.
Now, I also recently watched a new personal development movie making the central point that we are what we think about, and if we want something we must think about and speak it into being. And this is true in the sense that yes, whether in the form of praying, stating your intentions, or writing your goals out –amazing things can and do begin to happen. Then I waited to hear the next point in the movie. But honestly, if there was a next point, I never got it. The whole movie seemed to keep restating point number one: You are and get what you think about.
Okay… But I think there is more to the equation.
During the movie, I couldn't stop thinking of Jim's simple formula: There are about a half dozen things that make 80% of the difference in any area of your life, and that success is based on your philosophy, your attitude, your activity, your results which then affect your lifestyle.
In other words, after you come up with what you want and state what you want, you then have to go do the activity — the work, the discipline — to get what you want. To have a harvest you have to plant the seed, water the seed, keep the weeds out and only then can you harvest the crop.
In fact, Jim demystifies the whole subject of success and failure with these two definitions:
"Success is neither magical nor mysterious. Success is the natural consequence of consistently applying basic fundamentals."
"Success is nothing more than a few simple disciplines, practiced every day; while failure is simply a few errors in judgment, repeated every day. It is the accumulative weight of our disciplines and our judgments that leads us to either fortune or failure."
I do believe there are many ways to jump start your success in any area of your life, including goal setting and visualizing what you want. In fact Jim says, "You cannot change your destination overnight, but you can change your direction overnight."
But for true, long-term, real success in life you must know and follow the laws and fundamentals of success on a consistent basis. Whether it is a company, a family, your health, relationships or money… there are proven principles that when followed will produce successful results.
Yes, life and technology are moving fast! And we can benefit greatly from so much that is available to us. But to build a life, make sure and build it on the fundamentals of success.
To Your Better Future!
Kyle Wilson
Kyle is the president and founder of YourSuccessStore.com, Jim Rohn International, and Chris Widener International. For nearly 20 years, Kyle has been promoting hundreds of seminar events. He has worked with many of the world's top speakers and authors including Jim Rohn, Zig Ziglar, Brian Tracy, Mark Victor Hansen, Og Mandino, Les Brown, Denis Waitley, and Harvey MacKay. Kyle is founder/editor of six personal development publications, including Your Achievement Ezine, Messages from the Masters, Quotes from the Masters, The Jim Rohn Weekly Ezine, The Denis Waitley Ezine and The Chris Widener Weekly Ezine. Kyle is also a weekly contributor as well as the co-architect of the Jim Rohn One-Year Success Plan. He has also produced/published over 100 hours of personal development DVD and CD programs.


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|800 g
Super Feeder 6kg
The 6kg feeder is designed for indoor usage or under cover. The flow of the food can be adjusted and the feeder can be hung to aviod wastage A lid can be purchased to prevent birds purching on the feeder. This lid will not keep feed dry if left out in the rain. Very robust construction for strength and longevity.
Out of stock


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R.E. Michel buys hvac distributor
August 17, 2000
GLEN BURNIE, MD — The R.E. Michel Co., based here, has purchased the assets of Southaire Supply, a Birmingham, AL wholesale-distributor of hvac products. Serving the trades from Birming-ham and Tuscaloosa north to the Tennessee line with Comfortmaker® air conditioning and heating products, they will continue to do business as Southaire Supply, now an affiliate of R.E. Michel Co. For more information regarding R.E. Michel, visit www.remichel.com (website).
Publication date: 08/21/2000
Publication date: 08/21/2000


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My marriage is no longer enjoyable
We have been married for 11 years, have one 5 year old daughter that that I absolutly adore and can't imagine or even want to imagine her not in my life...
My wife never has been what I'd conside a generally "happy" person. Always negative and feeling sorry for herself, and constently tried to keep up with her sister. In the past few years, I've noticed that she has become more and more bitter. She loses her temper easily and often, and when it's because some something I did ( not make the bed, empty the dishwasher, etc. ) she can and has in the past become verbally and physically hit me before. I haven't and never would hit her and would never call her names and attack my family like she does me. I'm getting really, really tired of it. I don't want to get a divorce, but I'm starting to get worn down by the negativity, the attitude, the hitting and lack of interest romanticly and sexually. I don't know if because I've put her feelings and wants ahead of mine that she no longer respects me or what.
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Well may you have many more miseries to come then
Tell her to grow the f*** up and that if she hits you or treats you badly you'll consider divorce.
Sounds like you guys would benefit from some counseling. I'm not married, but that's just my opinion.
I think your wife sounds like she's just not happy...with anything in her life. But most likely the bigger part of what she's not happy about is herself, so she takes it out on you. You are in this together, so the two of you need to have a talk about what needs to change to get your marriage and both of you individually back on track to being happy again and support one another. If she's dealing with depression, suggest a therapist. If you're having marriage issues, go to couples counselor. Ask her what would make her happy and how you can help. But change does come from within, so she has to be the one willing to make those changes. Maybe plan some well deserved date nights, or weekends away - find a way to reconnect. It's worth it.
I am not sure if you were expecting an input; I am woman, so here is what I think; talk to her, clearly tell her no hitting, address this urgently; I can not put more emphasis on this NO HITTING; tell her and ask her if she hits you one more time what she expects you to do; give her fair warning and tell her that everything you do is because you love your family; other than this try not to judge her and find her faults; same she should do with you; help as much as your energy allows, and when you can not excuse yourself because you will have to get to it later; announce it, do not be passive; lastly, you can not change anyone, only yourself, so you be the one that brings joy, in the right dose, do not be a show off; in life not everything is perfect, and once we have children we need to create a safe and loving environment, otherwise I am not sure how the children are able to adapt.Wish you health and happiness to all of you. Be kind to everyone.


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Gambling is not a rich man's game. It is played by gamers irrespective of their bank's accounts. The more the digits in the bank account the more is your allowance to place the bets. But wait! If that so there has to be a point to stop right? Or else, the digits would end up to singles very soon. Gambling doesn't really always depend on luck it also depends on knowledge about that gambling you have your bets on. Gambling could be divided into two types: first chance-based and second skill-based.
Chance-based Gambling
Luck is the source you gamble with. Here luck can make you or break you. You have no choices to make here. You make the bets and keep your finger crossed with eyes closed. In here, the gambler has no way to change or influence the outcome, because the whole event depends on probabilities. Chance-based gambling gives the gambler much less chance to win while the host much greater hand to be the king. Even if you win a few times because of the gravity of luck you possess but that wouldn't last long.
Some Casino games like Roulette, bingo, slot machines, dice games fall under this category. While some lottery games such as pull-tabs, lotto max, archery, keno require a lot of luck to be titled as a winner.
Skill-based Gambling
Don't go with the name, this gambling type also requires luck but you may affect or rather be a winner by your skills and knowledge. Not entirely depending on the luck you could expect the expected output through your skills and judgment to place your bets. These skills come with experience over that sport and you can make a calculative guess considering the past.
Games like Horse racing, cricket betting, football betting, poker etc require both brains as well as luck. Here is a list daftar judi bola.
Depending totally on luck isn't the most appropriate thing to do. Things left to chances may destroy you to pieces if made high bets. Yet bet with skills isn't a bad option. Using brains can assist you to be a good bidder and you never know you might have got some talents. Trying just luck is all for fool make use of that incredible brain of yours to make huge cash and life a life you have always wondered for. Don't just uselessly make the bid. Sometimes the day isn't yours. Go home and take a tight nap and come back tomorrow. The place is all your to play.


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Our malls are under attack. Not from some terrorist organisation with an anti-capitalist ideology. Not from criminals. From wives. Yup. … More
Tag: parody
I Am Social Media, Therefore I Am
(with apologies to God, who did a pretty epic job with Creation) He left the featureless building and turned in … More


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Ramon & Pedro's 'Le Miroir' Presents a Full Life Lived Within the Confines of a Bathroom Mirror
When crafting stories to immortalise on screen filmmakers often reach for epic events, those formative experiences which are encompassed by phrases such as; "that was the Summer that changed my life" or "after we met I knew things would never be the same again". Yet we all know from experience that real life tends to slip by steadily, with these milestones padded out by the much more mundane aspects of existence. Using good old camera trickery to deliver a narrative that could easily have fallen from the pages of David Eagleman's book Sum, Le Miroir captures a lifetime lived in the POV reflection of the bathroom cabinet:
Conceived and directed by Swiss creative partnership Ramon & Pedro (Antoine Tinguely et Laurent Fauchère), Le Miroir pulled together three generations of the Destraz family to play the 'aging before your eyes' Louis, filling the teen role only after extensive casting hunts and makeup tests. The five day Red shoot was proceeded by a fortnight of set building which, along with the use of body doubles match moving the actors, allowed the production to pull off this 5-90 year old progression over its 6 minute running time. The behind the scenes video reveals some of the techniques they used to pull it off:
As well as performing on the festival circuit, grabbing 'Most Creative Short' in the Shanghai International Film Festival and an 'Audience Award' at the Manlleu Film Festival, Le Miroir must have also really impressed someone over at Warner Bros as the company placed it nationwide across 80 Swedish screens as the opening act to Todd Phillips' Due Date.
Whilst we're on the subject of limited perspective shorts, another excellent example of a film narrowing its field of view (this time to body parts rather than location) to deliver a compelling story is Tom Willems' Left Right. The film focusses attention on the jealously which ferments in a left hand after dominance is snatched away from it and placed with the right at an early age:
In what ways have you imposed limits onto a project's narrative to inspire creativity?
Le Miroir
Ramon & Pedro
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12 Comments
that bathroom short was hella cool. sound design was spot on.
July 19, 2012 at 10:04PM, Edited September 4, 7:54AM
I have to recomend "Enter the Void". This French full-length movie (directed by Gaspar Noé) has 'poin of view' master shot like in "le miroir". "Enter the void" is very interesting from DOP point of view :) A lot of flying mastershots and so on...
July 20, 2012 at 1:23AM, Edited September 4, 7:54AM
what a phenomenal short! great link guys! Also, reading that end section to the article about WB picking it up as an opener for Due Date, made me beg the question of why this isn't done more often? Wouldn't having an opener for a feature film, give audiences more incentive to be at/in the movie theatre longer, engaged, consuming? I admit I haven't given much thought to the realistic financial implications of this strategy, but my intuition tells me that public would be interested in this and at little cost to studios/distributors because of the immense opportunity for exposure that is provided to the short film makers. On the musical side, almost all live shows have openers. I wonder when this feature became a staple in that industry? I assume that at one point it was not, so there must have been a conscious, calculated decision to incorporate this element. Anybody have any thoughts on this subject?
July 20, 2012 at 12:29PM, Edited September 4, 7:54AM
It's not cynical to think that ad money, and spreadsheet algorithms govern decisions in big business. You are right about PIxar, they are a modest exception to the general trend, even if it is merely their own shorts as an extension of the features. It is more enjoyable nonetheless. When I open a boutique movie theatre 20 years from now, I'll show independent short films before the features. I hope others will join me in this fantasy and help make it a trend.
July 22, 2012 at 12:23PM, Edited September 4, 7:54AM
That was very good. It got me after he was a father, because at that point the story became interesting. I did a film, with a lot of POV (inspired by Shane Hurlburts last 3 miniutes) which you can see at www.PaintingWithLights.net
:-) Leo
July 26, 2012 at 3:15PM, Edited September 4, 7:54AM


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– Phil Mitman, Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corp.
"We wish to thank you for changing the times on our signs you made for us, and not charging anything. Its nice to know there are nice people and businesses out there."
– First United Church of Christ, Easton
"Our canal boat season will be off to a good start next year thanks in part to your very kind and generous donation of awning services for the Josiah White II."
– National Canal Museum
"I cannot thank you enough for your help with the flags. Because of you and Elwood we were able to begin raising $147,000 for the Red Cross"
– Robin Lee, WZZO
"We are very pleased with our new awning. We thank you for a job well done!"
– The Moore Family
"Thank you so much for the beautiful job you did on our awnings. We are more than satisfied."
– Mr. & Mrs. Hathaway
"Thank you so much for your services. The awning looks great and its easy to work."
– Mr. & Mrs. Hriniak
"I want to thank you for working us into your tight schedule before Memorial Day. You came through for us and made our reunion weekend much more pleasant."
– Becky E.
"The fellows did a wonderful job in our car port and I am very happy to have called you to do the job. It looks real nice and we love it."
– Fran P.
"The awnings look great… had many compliments!"
– Sandy D.
"A big thank you for a job well done. We are so pleased with our awning and have received many compliments. We have say outside many nights enjoying the awning."
– Janice S.
"On behalf of the Easton Area High School Marching Band, I would like to thank you so much for repairing the tent cover. Your generosity of time and talent in repairing it allows us to use our funds directly for programs for our students."
– Lucille Arnold, IMA President


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Region 4 Patrol 218 West Yakima, Jerome, ID (208) 324-6000
Fax (208) 324-7897
For further information, contact Captain Kedrick Wills at (208)324-6000 or (208)736-3070
For Immediate Release: 11/23/2009 2:00pm
Contact: Captain Kedrick Wills
Driving safely... so easy everyone should do it
Many think aggressive drivers are only those who display their aggression with such acts as tailgating, cutting in front of other vehicles, or expressing their impatience with rude hand-gestures or verbal harangues. While these acts certainly are among the most egregious forms of aggressive driving, Corporal Aaron Bingham and Trooper Tyler Barrett of the Idaho State Police say motorists driving over the speed limit, driving a vehicle without properly functioning equipment, talking or texting on cell phones, and even eating while driving, are also considered aggressive drivers.
"When your attention is not 100 percent focused on the act of driving, the chances of you being involved in a vehicle crash rise dramatically," Barrett said. "When you mix driving at freeway speeds of 75 m.p.h. with lack of attention, the results can be deadly."
Bingham and Barrett are members of the Region 4 Idaho State Police Aggressive Driver Strike Team. This week, ISP troopers will be out in force on the day before Thanksgiving, with the stated goal of working toward a "zero fatality" holiday weekend. Region 4 has investigated five fatality crashes in the past seven weeks, all of which occurred due to some form of aggressive driving.
"With the increased volume of traffic we expect over the Thanksgiving weekend, people need to be especially careful," Barrett said. "Among the easiest ways to avoid a crash is to slow down. For people involved in a crash, the chances of surviving are increased many-fold simply by buckling up."
Last year, on the day before Thanksgiving, Region 4 Troopers conducted 245 calls for service. These calls included 198 traffic stops, 3 vehicle accidents, 31 motorist assists, 3 agency assists, and 10 calls for abandoned vehicles, traffic hazards, etc.
"People need to understand when they drive aggressively they are not only endangering themselves, they are endangering every other motorist. The effects and consequences of a fatality or serious injury accident are far reaching. Such a tragedy seems even more profound when it occurs during the holiday season."
Barrett says there are many ways to avoid becoming an aggressive driver or being the victim of an aggressive driver.
"Make sure you're rested before you begin travelling. Make sure you know what route your taking, and give yourself plenty of time to arrive at your destination," Barrett said. "Most importantly, treat other drivers the way you want to be treated. If you do witness an aggressive driving incident, don't take matters into your own hands. Call and report the incident as quickly as possible."
Motorists can report aggressive drivers by calling *477.


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A Modern Approach to the Classic Figure
ARC Living Master™ Robert Liberace
The safety of our students is of paramount concern.
All workshops have been postponed due to Covid-19 outbreak!
New dates will be announced when everything has calmed down.
Course fee: €1850
Only 4 Seats left
This two week day class will explore both classic method of figure drawing and the modern manner of alla prima oil painting with an emphasis on modeling and finish. The first week will be devoted to red chalk and silverpoint drawing using modern drawing tools and focusing on anatomical precision. The complexities of drawing technique including hatching and sculptural modeling will be highlighted.
The final week will focus on the alla prima painting approach which will allow students to compose a figure painting with the look and finish of classic Renaissance paintings. Though alla prima (the direct manner of finishing a painting while it is wet) is often considered an impressionistic approach, it is also ideal for the careful and thorough modeling which is a hallmark of classical painting. This approach will allow students to thoroughly and efficiently complete a painting without the time consuming classic approach of glazed layers. Methods of drawing, paint manipulation and color arrangement will be included and a thorough analysis of the anatomy will be stressed.
INSTRUCTION: Demos and on the easel critiques.
CLASS HOURS: 9am to 4pm with lunch at 12 noon. Classes are 6 hours a day, five days a week, Monday to Friday.
Instructor's Website
APPLICATION: To apply for this course:
By filling out the following application, you agree to our studio rules. Students are admitted into the program automatically upon complete payment until the maximum number is reached. Payment by Paypal, using credit card is our regular method of payment. If you prefer to make payment via bank transfer, please email email@example.com for instructions on how to proceed.
Tuition is non-refundable. Should the Flemish Classical Atelier cancel the course for any reason, fees are refunded. All fees are due upon registration, unless specified.
You may make your own living arrangements. There are landlords who will give our students special prices for long term stay. You can share this housing with 2 other students. There are 2 bedrooms and 3 bedroom housing. There are also all classes of hotels and hostels. An accommodation list can be provided to you.
If you have any questions, please send us an email or use the contact form at the top of the page


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Our ACTS School of Frontier Missions is a long-term training school designed to prepare young leaders to pioneer churches and houses of prayer in the Middle East, North Africa, Eurasia, Asia, and beyond. Prospective students can apply online today!
ACTS hosts several events every year to inspire and mobilize believers to engage their lives in the Great Commission. Our Annual Conference is hosted in Colorado Springs every year with prominent missions and church leaders. We also seek to ignite campus movements through our campus tours and meet students where they are.
ACTS Research is an online resource center providing free tools and resources to equip missionary and prayer movements with Christ-centered, gospel-saturated materials, as well as engaging and inspiring stories from the field.
If you cannot complete this form now, you can return to it later. Copy the following link:
Copyright 2015 ACTS | 640 Chapel Hills Dr, CS, CO 80920 | (719) 785-8481 | firstname.lastname@example.com | Privacy Policy | Refund Policy


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The found - and shared - the numbers of people kicked off or denied Badger Care for no reason other than Teapublican greed, otherwise know as austerity.
And as horrifying as those numbers are, there's more. There's always more:
Another part that the Walker Administration tried to sneak passed is the fact that the number of people kicked off of BadgerCare that was revealed last week is 10,000 more people than they originally declared it would be! Do they think we wouldn't notice? Or does the Walker administration believe it can play fast and loose with the facts when it pertains to people's lives? Altogether, this decision to reject federal funds for BadgerCare and force people off has consequences across the state. The only solace is that this decision can be overturned at any time, we can reach out and accept these federal dollars for BadgerCare and we must keep fighting to do so.They also point out that this does not include the people that are going to lose their coverage due to WalkerCare and the refusal of federal funding.
I would also point out that the numbers might be even worse than reported here.
Remember that the nepotism-plagued DHS office in Milwaukee County has been caught repeatedly wrongfully denying people food stamps. Do you think for one second that they weren't doing the same for Badger Care? And do you think that Milwaukee County is the only one in the state where this was happening?
I wonder which will come first - enough people hitting rock bottom that we'll be finally able to start reclaiming our state or we hit the saturation point and the state cannot be corrupted any more.


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Giselle Palmer+Favorites
Giselle Palmer
Date of Birth:2/7/95
Height:5 ft 8 in (172 cm)
Weight:134 lbs (60 kg)
View Giselle Palmer's Media:
If you love leggy blondes with soft beauty and a sensual style, then Giselle Palmer is going to make you fall in love! This blue-eyed Texan beauty has silky blonde hair, long legs, and natural 34DD breasts. She was Twistys Treat of the Month in October 2017 and Penthouse Pet of the Month in February 2018.
Standout scenes for Giselle have included some kinky cat role play in Darker Side of Desire 2 (Sweet Sinner), squirting in He Made My Wife Squirt (New Sensations), and orgasmic ass fucking in Interracial Anal 4 (Dark X).
Tattoos: A woman's body with spider legs on front right thigh; black widow on left side rib
Photo Gallery
Recommended Movies


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Main: 508-222-5200
TeleHealth Now Available! Learn More
Home > Patients & Visitors
We offer a wide range of specialized programs and services - from emergency care to comprehensive cancer care to the many specialties in between. Through the combination of outstanding, well-trained medical staff and modern technology, we strive to provide the very best care to our patients and their families.
The information here is designed to serve as a guide to assist you during your time at our hospital - whether as a patient or visiting a loved one.
For the health and safety of our patients, visitors and staff, our hospital is a smoke-free institution. Smoking is not permitted anywhere on our campus.
We use hospitalists as part of the inpatient health care team for its medical patients and for surgical patients with medical needs. The hospitalists work with emergency department physicians, nursing staff, and other critical members of our health delivery team to provide efficient, quality care from admission to discharge.
A hospitalist is a physician who specializes in the medical care of patients who are in the hospital. Hospitalists are trained the same way as primary care physicians (PCPs). They attend medical school and complete residency training, usually in internal medicine.
The hospitalists at Sturdy Memorial manage all aspects of a patients care in the hospital, such as ordering tests, prescribing medications, monitoring results and progress, and readying them for discharge. They are considered to be the leader of the hospital health care team and see their patients at least once a day while they are here. If you or a member of your family needs to speak to the hospitalist assigned to you, that can be arranged through your nurse.
We deliver to patient rooms! Flowers and gifts can be ordered over the phone and will be delivered by a staff member to the patient. Call us at 508-236-8044 to place an order.


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This week has flown by! I've been busy studying for an online class I'm taking. The final test is 200 questions that has a three hour time limit. It's been years since I've taken a test and I'm crossing my fingers that my memory is up to the challenge. So, if you believe in the power of prayer... say a little prayer for me!
When I sat down to create this Ladybug Birthday Card I was in the mood for something bright and cheerful. I love ladybugs and this image by Bugaboo is one of my favorites. I colored it with Copic markers and added the clouds using a punched out Pansy flower and sponging with Bashful Blue ink. The design comes from one of the sketch choices at Tuesday Morning Sketches. The patterned papers are part of my hoarded stash and are both from American Crafts. The sentiment stamp is from the TPC Studios Greetings set and the final touch was some purple twine from Doodledug Design. Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful day!
My Ladybug Birthday Card is entered into the following challenges:
- Tuesday Morning Sketches: Sketch
- Use It Tuesdays: Birthdays
- Shopping Our Stash: Summer Theme or Summer Colors
- Creative Card Crew: The Great Outdoors
- 7 Kids College Fund: Anything Goes w/ a Twist of Alcohol Markers


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You are currently browsing the monthly archive for November 2013.
The Book
The book slowly and inevitably was coming to the end. She savoured every word, unwilling to part with it, suddenly frightened of finding herself back in her own world. The story wove itself into her daily routine, slowly, imperceptibly enveloping her in a different reality. Surreal, compelling, it drew her away from the constant battle she waged with herself. And all the time, while she read, you were there. At first she was not aware of your presence, from sentence to sentence. But as the words led her closer and closer to the conclusion, she understood her reluctance to relinquish the story. It was you, after all, who told her of the writer, of the character in the book who talked with cats. You knew she would like it. You knew her so well. And if you didn't – do we ever know the other? – you loved her for who she was, and understood what she felt. You were always there, even in all the years you lived apart. You fed her stories in your frequent letters, inspired and guided her. Did she appreciate it? She must have, for her love for you was as great, and accompanied her every step. Not that she thought in these terms, all those decades in another place, far away from you and home. She reached for the book too late. You were gone by then. Regrets seeped into her daily life, casting an endless shadow on even the sweetest of memories, the sunniest of days. The tears slowly subsided, but the pain remained. The loss was too great to fathom, the wound would not heal, but it did not bleed as much. And then she reached for the book, and you were there. Was this the last book you read before sight left you, abandoned you to constant darkness, shrank your world drawing it into an abyss from which you cried out your unbearable anguish? Were the last words on the page the last words that illuminated your brilliant mind? They could have been, for now, as she read them, ever so slowly, you appeared, reading them over her shoulder one more time. And then the story wrapped itself into an invisible ball and rolled away into her subconscious, to rest there with all the other books she read, together with you. She closed the book and cried, the wound now opened anew. She felt your embrace and words of comfort. Don't cry, you seemed to say across time. Don't cry.
Time spent in the company of cats is never wasted.
Sigmund Freud
Mr Nakata talks to cats. He has long conversations with them, although not all cats are easily understood; it seems Siamese are the most outspoken, with a large vocabulary, but that is because most are pampered and spend time in front of a TV, thus soaking in all sorts of information. I talk with cats too. It's a two-way conversation, although there are times when my cat speaks to me without any invitation, she clearly has something to say. It is never without meaning, and I always listen. Mr Nakata had an accident as a child, which wiped out his memory but gave him the gift of understanding and talking to cats. Not a bad exchange. I did not have to go through one though, and have talked to cats since very early on…


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Does Price Matter in Charitable Giving? Evidence From a Large-Scale Natural Field Experiment
Dean Karlan, John A. List
NBER Working Paper No. 12338
We conducted a natural field experiment to explore the effect of price changes on charitable contributions. To operationalize our tests, we examine whether an offer to match contributions to a non-profit organization changes the likelihood and amount that an individual donates. Direct mail solicitations were sent to over 50,000 prior donors. We find that the match offer increases both the revenue per solicitation and the probability that an individual donates. While comparisons of the match treatments and the control group consistently reveal this pattern, larger match ratios (i.e., $3:$1 and $2:$1) relative to smaller match ratios ($1:$1) had no additional impact. The results have clear implications for practitioners in the design of fundraising campaigns and provide avenues for future empirical and theoretical work on charitable giving. Further, the data provide an interesting test of important methods used in cost-benefit analysis.
Machine-readable bibliographic record - MARC, RIS, BibTeX
Document Object Identifier (DOI): 10.3386/w12338
Published: Dean Karlan & John A. List, 2007. "Does Price Matter in Charitable Giving? Evidence from a Large-Scale Natural Field Experiment," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 97(5), pages 1774-1793, December. citation courtesy of
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Time and time again we hear about people talking about the smallest half hel-met and we hear them asking where they can find one. The truth of the matter is that the smallest helmet isn't always necessarily the best one.
There are a number of things that you should think about when you begin your search for the smallest hel-met. One thing that you might want to ask yourself is will the smallest half helmet provide you with the neces-sary protection. Many times those who try to make a hel-met that is really small will skim on the parts that matter the most.
One part of the helmet that manufacturers might take shortcuts on is the inner padding. In order to make the outer shell of the helmet small, you have to reduce the size of what is inside of the helmet right? This isn't necessarily the best way to go because it reduces the effectiveness of the helmet all together. DOT helmets are made to meet certain standards that are set in place in order to provide safe helmets for riders. If your helmet does not meet these standards, then you should question whether or not it is right for you. Beware of those that claim to have the smallest helmet because it may not necessarily be the safest one for you.
Appearance often has a lot to do with how riders pick their gear. The helmet is certainly no exception, which is why many riders really don't care what it looks like on the inside as long as it looks good on the outside. Unfortunately, this isn't the right attitude to have when it comes to your helmet. Safety should always be your number one priority.
Finally, you might want to inspect the materials used to make the sup-posed smallest half helmet before you purchase it. There may be some instances where manufacturers will skim on the materials used in order to make the helmets smaller. This means that the outer shell might be thinner than normal. Again, this isn't going to make the safest helmet for the rider. Instead, look for helmets that have thick polycarbonate shells that will hold strong against high impact pressure.
The next time you shop for a helmet, ask yourself whether or not you are willing to sacrifice your safety for the appearance. This might help you make your decision when considering which one to buy.


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Epson Announces the XP-850 Small-In-One PrinterIt wasn't to terribly far back that we were simply amazed that we could print photos at home, but nowadays we demand a lot from our printers. The new XP-850 is a reflection of this - it's absolutely packed with features.
The XP-850 prints with Claria Photo HD six-color inks to give more accurate and more pleasant colors. It can pump out a 4x6 photo in 10 seconds and thanks to a dedicated photo tray, direct CD/DVD printing and more, you'll be well equipped for just about anything you need to do.
If you want to print from your smartphone or tablet you can do that too - wireless capabilities allow printing directly from your device with no need for clumsy cords. You can even employ automatic photo correction and red-eye removal right from the printer.
The XP-850 is due out sometime this month (November, 2012) at a price of $299 USD. Check out the Epson website for more details.


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Left demand Lokpal Bill draft before all party meet
New Delhi: Left parties on Sunday asked the Government to give them a draft of the Lokpal Bill before convening any all party meeting on the issue.
"It is not only the issue of whether the Prime Minister should be brought under the purview of Lokpal. There are many other aspects of the bill which we would like to study," CPI(M) General Secretary Prakash Karat told PTI here.
"As far as the Left parties are concerned, we would like the government to give us a draft of the bill. Only if we can study such a draft, will we be able to give our opinion and an all party meeting can be fruitful," Karat said.
Karat has spoken to the leaders of other Left parties who were also of the opinion that the Government should first come out with a draft of the bill before holding any discussion.
Yesterday, CPI national secretary D Raja had also said the entire proposed legislation should be distributed to the parties for a proper debate.
"They should give us the entire draft bill, the one they are going to bring to Parliament. How can a proper discussion take place without it?", Raja had said.
"… This is not the way to consult political parties since the government is saying that they will discuss only one issue, whether to include Prime Minister (in the ambit of Lokpal) or not," he had said.


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Rodents, live crickets lead to failing scores
Hacienda Durango, Rios Meat Market, Taqueria Vallarta #4 fail inspection
SAN ANTONIO – Three San Antonio restaurants failed their recent health inspections because of several violations.
Hacienda Durango on Callaghan Road received 43 demerits from Metro Health and were shut down on June 26 due to a rodent infestation.
The inspector required that professional pest control be called in and the restaurant be cleaned top to bottom.
An employee tells KSAT's Behind the Kitchen Door they fixed everything and were allowed to re-open after one day. She believes they now have once-a-week pest control service.
Rios Meat Market near Highway 90 and Nogalitos failed their inspection with 38 demerits.
A meat case and deli case were found at an unsafe temperature. The inspector wrote that she spent a majority of her visit throwing food away.
The owner claims he's had excellent scores since 1988 and had bad luck his time. He says he's done selling meat and may have to close.
Taqueria Vallarta #4 on Nacogdoches failed their latest inspection with 34 demerits.
The inspector found unsafe food temperatures and spotted dead and live crickets in the establishment, among other violations.
The owner says they had their walk-in cooler repaired and all other issues were corrected. Metro Health checked them out again last week.
The following restaurants just earned perfect scores from Metro Health:
- Aloha Kitchen on Harry Wurzbach.
- I-HOP on Hot Wells Boulevard.
- The McDonald's in front of SeaWorld on 151.
- Perry's Steakhouse and Grill at the Shops at La Cantera.
Copyright 2012 by KSAT.com All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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1. Planning
Step A: SoCCratic Dialogues
AI and its local partners organize extensive dialogues to engage with individual communities to understand the community's issues and aspirations. This helps to customize the SoCCs Menus to their specific needs and capabilities and familiarizes community members with the concept of SoCCs. The community should be helped to visualize the future they want and how SoCCs can help in taking steps towards that goal.
Step B: SoCCs Game
The purpose of this game is to help create the SoCCs Earning and Redeeming Menus in joyful participation with SoCCs members. The game is best played at the start of the SoCCs program allowing the community to come together and creatively decide upon their own social capital initiatives.
Step C: Determine Value of SoCCs
While SoCCs are not to be exchanged for money except by authorized vendors, it is necessary to establish the notional value of SoCCs so that the SoCCs points for each activity can be determined accordingly. The local NGO partner should be consulted to ensure that the budget for the project can cover the Redeeming Menu items proposed on the times within the budget.
Step D: Recording SoCCs
After the SoCCs Menus are made, SoCCs Books should be distributed and explained. As practice for using the SoCCs Book, each participant should earn five SoCCs for participating in the Menu making activity. They should record the five SoCCs in the SoCCs Book, and have the SoCCs Manager verify their earnings.
Step E: Individual Goal Setting
An exercise of goal setting for members is a powerful process to think about their future and to motivate them to turn their vision of this future into reality. This process helps them to choose where they want to go in life which has proven as an effective tool for the success of the program. People could also be encouraged to set goals on how many SoCCs per week they will earn. These goals can be written down on the inside cover of the SoCCbook.
Step F: Training of SoCC Manager
Asia Initiatives supports the local partner with selecting the SoCCs Managers as needed. In person or online training is undertaken for the SoCCs Managers and ongoing support is provided online.
2. Execution
Step A: Project Activities
SoCCs Managers oversee the execution of the project with support from local partners and AI. The Earning Menu activities of the participating community members are guided and recorded. After periodic completion of SoCCs earning cycle, the redeemed good and services are distributed at an award ceremony. The ceremony recognizes the good work done by community members and encourages them to continue!
Step B: Documenting SoCCs:
Every month the local partners/project partners are required to submit the SoCC data in an excel template provided by AI, unless the online platform is being used and the data is available automatically for the SoCC Manager, local partner and AI to see. This data consists of details of the members participating in the SoCCs program, the SoCCs earned and redeemed for that period. This data helps AI to analyse the progress of the project compared to all the on-going projects and suggest ideas to improve the project.
Local partners are required to submit Interim as well as Annual reports to AI to analyse how the project is proceeding. This report includes a summary, a brief description of the progress, an overview of the financial situation, etc. Any delays or deviations to the program are included and explained along with a comparison between actual compared to expected results.
The impact of the program reaches various audiences best in form of visuals as well as videos. Thus AI encourages our partners and the managers to use this tool effectively throughout the program.
3. Evaluating the SoCCs Menu
AI and its local partners reevaluate Earning and Redeeming Menus every six months in order to keep people engaged with improving their communities and their lives.