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Spend your New Years with people you actually like… bring a friend and toast to another successful year… cause that's what we're doin!!
On a serious note, ladies and gents, we need your brains. Now generally, we got our cameras on the dicks, but after the recent removal of an important and widely used bike lane in Brooklyn a panty ride is scheduled tomorrow in protest. Candy Rain, your favorite source for life, is sponsoring the event, and, we need some stats. We're looking for some specific information to combat the claim that cyclists endanger the children in that area (though many speculate the removals motives… and I don't even know where to begin on that shit)
When was the bike lane removal approved?
How many children were injured by cyclists in that area in the past year?
Are any other bike lanes being removed for the same reason?
Are there any new bike lanes proposed?
How many cyclists in that area were hit on non-bike laned roads?
How many cyclists were hit in that area, in general?
Were there any prior complains about the bike lane? If so, what were the complaints?
Were there any complaints made by cyclists about harrasment from community members in that area?
Also, on a general note, in New York City:
Groups assembling must be kept to 50 people. If more than one group assembles, how far apart do they need to be?
Ride and Die? Screw that! Nekked Bikers Protest 12/19/09
It's a dark tale…of death, corruption, and bigotry abounding in our little corner of Brooklyn. The American youth has posted up throughout the borough, screaming as Santigold put it best; "Its our time, put the lights on us!" Its more than just a coagulation of individuals in a general age group, its a bubbling, surging brew of revolution – by no means unique, but surely needed in a time when the world community has realized…'Sh*t….that didn't work. What now?' There is a lifestyle affixed to sed revolutes: straight women with access to porn, barter employment systems, and BIKING. C'mon, no emissions, no feeding $2.25 to a transit system that can't even provide handicap access, no fat ass (ehem you know that whole obesity thing is an issue)….and the more people who ride, the less SUV congestion we have on our hands. Its sugary goodness. And if you've never taken a high speed dive through the streets of brooklyn with the wind in your respritory cavities and graffitti in your peripherals, then my friend, you are missing out on life.
As good as that all sounds, the Hasidic community of Bedford Avenue disagrees. In 2007 the city acquiesced to the pleas of Brooklyn Bikers and installed an $11,000 bike lane on Bedford Avenue; a straight safe shot to the Williamsburg Bridge (a main vein between the boroughs). However, this november the city threw another $15,000 into the proverbial toilet to SANDBLAST THE BIKE LANE OFF. Why? Well, religious pundits of the Hassidic community had claimed that the bike lane makes it hard for their gentlemen to 'avert their eyes from the scantily clad female bikers' and poses a threat to children exiting school buses. [blank stare] Its NOVEMBER! The argument is moot, we don't normally tend to ride in our skivies during the winter. And I assure you, we will see and avoid your child crossing the street because we HAVE to pay attention – but that douche in an x-terra trying to download shakira on his blackberry may not. Seeing as this cash and submission came up curiously around an election, we'd like to share a few thoughts with Bloomberg, pundits and Community:
1). We are not dumb. Good work on making that corruption so blatant, it makes your argument void. Just admit that there is some ironic discrimination against a cultural group going on from the curly side.
2). Hasidic Community: You would like to pray as you wish AND NOT GET MURDERED. We would like to ride as we wish AND NOT GET MURDERED. Can we work on NOT GETTING MURDERED TOGETHER?! I beseech this community to remember those WE have lost (and ps my family tree has some digit tats too). Observe the Ghost Bikes popping up in and around the Williamsburg Bridge in rapid succession. Those are fallen brothers and sisters dood, killed by cars who decided they have more of a right to life and way.
3). Calling all Revolutionaries!! JOIN OUR FELLOW CANDY RAINER, HEATHER LOOP, IN PROTEST THIS SATUDAY. Attendees will be riding on the here-today-gone-tomorrw path in only their UNDERWEAR as a snarky call-out of that lie. For details, check this MSNBC Article. Support our right to RIDE! And peep the REVOLUTIONARIES who repainted the bike lane and were later arrested by the two-faced powers that be. (I hate when the term vigilante is misused – we are not punishing the Hasidic Community, we are protecting our lives)!
Members of community watch programs and others who use legal means of bringing people to justice are not considered vigilantes. For example, in 1979 Curtis Sliwa founded the Guardian Angels in New York City, a recognized crime fighting organization that now has chapters in many other cities. See also citizen's arrest.
The correct use of the term requires the elements of obstinacy, irrationality, and animosity toward those of differing devotion. The origin of the word bigot and bigoterie in English dates back to at least 1598, via Middle French, and started with the sense of "religious hypocrite". Forms of bigotry may have a related ideology or world views.
Will You Be My Number 2
Kels really kills it with this track. You have to listen to it off his myspace right now. I looked up the lyrics and this is what I found straight off metro lyrics. Perhaps written by the man himself.
It's his best track since trapped in the Closet in my opinion. Peep my thoughts in bold.
Be My Number Two
verse 1:
i could never be ya boyfriend
cuz uu knoe ii gotta speacil girl
(yeap, exactly as I copied it)
nd ii cud never be ya husband
but dht dnt mean uu still dnt rock ma world
nd ii can uu take uu to an island
(what the hell is with the double u)
we can be there just the two of us
god ii love to see uu smilin
all i ask is that you keep it hushed
be ma #2
gurl i love you
be my #2
gurl i need you
be my #2
gurl ur so fine (I think he says "so phat" first?) (so fine)
be my #2
but you will never be my #1 (echo x3)
verse 2:
ii cud take you out to dinner
but theres a couple places we wont go
cuz #1 is a beginner
nd theres a couple things that she dnt knoe
(right? is ths shrt hnd?)
so i can take you to a hotel
we can be there just the two of us
gurl i love you cuz uu dnt tell
nd uu knoe how to keep it hush hush
be ma #2
gurl i love you
be my #2
gurl i need you
be my #2
gurl ur so fine (so fine)
be my #2
but you will never be my #1 (echo x3)
The way you give it to me
ii gotta have it (have it)
cuz shes ma beauty queen
nd ur ma have it (haa–aave it)
so baby…..
be ma #2 (yea)
gurl i love you (ooo i love you)
be my #2
gurl i need you (gurl ii need you)
be my #2
gurl ur so fine (so fine)
be my #2
but you will never be my #1 (echo x3)
It may sound crazii
be my number 2
ur my second baby
be my number 2
wud uu lyke to me ma number 2
listen to me
though i love your sex
i cant.i cant leave her
though ya ass is incredbile (incredible)
i cnt.i cnt leave her
we cud have fun
nd we cud do things gurl
we can do anything uu wnt
nd do it all night long
uu cud be ma number 2
uu cud be ma number 2
ii wanna hve some fun with you (yea!)
nd she dnt have to know
all the thounges (WHAT?) behind doors
(yeaaaa.ooooyea ooo)
For whatever reason he leaves out the best part! So I included it:
Dj Wayne Williams
I see you baby
Untitled ya'll
Like you just don't care, haha
Oh, we gone with this one, we out of here with this one.
Ummm,,,to all you hating motherfuckers, yeah. All you hating motherfuckers.uhhuh,
All you hating motherfuckers, slap. Slap. Slap. Slap.
One of the best comments on the youtube of that song was something along the lines of "Kels, after getting in trouble for dropping number one on a young ass bitch; don't drop a number 2!" Well, I think that is just how I read it but you get the idea. Regardless Kelz is my number 1! The lyrics above remind me of a string a text messages I got late one night after a Candy Rain party. I wish I still had them in my phone but I will try to do them justice.
random text: I wanna show my dick
me: who is this?
RT: genitulla neffu
Now how did I forget a man named Genitulla Neffu?
m: who?
it took a minute but then I realized he was probably talking about this dude that I call "genitalia." I am party-deaf and the first time I meet him I made him say his mame abou 5 times and every time I heard Genitalia.
"Do you know Genitalia?"
RT: yea, he my ukle
Ohhhh. ok. So you want to show your dick?
p.s. I'm wasted right now and I shouldn't be hating on grammar, especially since I almost spelled that like aligating on grammar.
WOrk IT OuT, Get IT IN, LeT the GIviNg BEGIN!
My boyfriend was pretty blown away by the chains action at that crazy party the other night.
you have a mad loud voice. is there any place you could plug our online fundraiser drive?? pretty please? i'll get half naked and climb a chain for you for life!
To the ones we love,
Over the past year and a half we have accomplished the impossible. Starting at a disadvantage of having nothing due to a completely destructive four alarm fire in April 2008, we then set out to renovate a raw building with limited resources. After shedding blood, sweat and tears we miraculously finished construction ahead of schedule in December 2008. Dozens of people have put into making the House of Yes the vibrant place it is today, and with your support we will grow even stronger.
We are in urgent need of raising $17,000 by December 12th, 2009.
For details on the fundraiser and to donate see: http://www.houseofyes.org/support/
With sold-out shows, constant rehearsals and events happening six days a week, the House of Yes fills a crucial role in a community of hundreds. The facilities at Yes simply don't exist anywhere else in a way that is financially accessible to such a large and varied community. In order to survive and continue to expand to serve the community better, we are looking to raise new capital to complete urgent improvements and to ensure the financial stability of the space. Every week dozens of artists, workers and performers donate dozens of hours it all going. It's a labor of love. Giving up, or losing momentum is not in our vocabulary. We know we can do this, but we desperately need your help.
Because your support means so much to us, we have put together some great "Thank You" packages for everyone who donates. All donations are tax deductible, as we are sponsored by a 501c3 not for profit Artistic Evolution. If you are unable to give you can still help us tremendously by spreading the word about the House of Yes and everything that happens here to anyone who might help in any way.
There are four levels of support. Choose the one that fits you best:
Be a Messiah…
…donate $1,000 to ensure our survival.
All Messiah level donors get:
- A Rockstar Night with the Lady Circus! The ladies of Lady Circus will pick you up in a stretch limousine (donated for the night by Stan the Limo Man) to travel to North East Kingdom in Brooklyn for a free dinner and drinks, then to Carnival NYC for comped entry, two bottles of vodka (the good stuff) and rockstar treatment by the carnival performers, the ladies of Lady Circus the creators of TheDanger.com and other all-stars. This will be a night to remember (unless you hit the vodka too hard.)
- Free VIP Admission to all House of Yes event for EVER! Anytime we are hosting a party or performance, your name will be on the list. Skip the line and pay nothing to everything hosted at the house for the rest of your natural life.
- A big thank you with your name (or your company/organization name) on our website. We will show how much we appreciate your support in the most public way possible.
- A Signed House of Yes T-Shirt. They look rad.
Be a Super-Hero…
…donate $500 to help improve the space.
All Super-Hero level donors get:
- Free VIP Admission to all House of Yes event for a YEAR! Anytime we are hosting a party or performance, your name will be on the list. Skip the line and pay nothing to everything hosted at the house for one entire year!
- A big thank you with your name (or your company/organization name) on our website. We will show how much we appreciate your support in the most public way possible.
- A Signed House of Yes T-Shirt. You are too cute NOT to have one of these shirts.
Be a RockStar…
…donate $100 so we can keep the lights on.
All Rockstar level donors get:
- Free VIP Admission to all House of Yes events through New Years Eve! Come FREE to our Christmas Spectacular, No Parking on the Dance Floor, or any of the dozen shows we have scheduled through the end of the year.
- Four comped entries to TheDanger's New Years Eve party! Two spaces, a dozen dj's, performances by the Lady Circus and more all for free for you and four friends.
- A big thank you with your name (or your company/organization name) on our website. We will show how much we appreciate your support in the most public way possible.
- A Signed House of Yes T-Shirt. All the cool kids are wearing them. Where is yours?
Be Awesome
…donate $20 so we can make it till' next week.
All Awesome level donors get:
- A big thank you with your name (or your company/organization name) on our website. We will show how much we appreciate your support in the most public way possible.
- A House of Yes T-Shirt This shirt is worth like $85. You actually make a profit on this deal.
- You get two entries into our Christmas Spectacular drawing. We will be hosting an award drawing with two dozen amazing gifts at the close of our Christmas Spectacular Show: Saturday, December 12th. Gifts include: a Rockstart Night with the Lady Circus, free Yoga Classes, fine-art prints, comped entrance to many different parties and more!
Please, donate here: https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=9973076
Thank you sincerely for your support. Without you, none of this would be possible."
Til' Next Time – Rubbin' Out
Willie the Warlock
This man is dangerous ladies….very, very dangerous. Who knew Unicorn shockers and Pixie Dust would complement a bow-tie ensemble so well? Le Sigh…
Til Next Time – Rubbin' Out
dick pics for you from miami
with love!
NPH as Frosty the Blowman
Oh Neil Patrick Harris, how I adore thee. You've tried to destroy the world, you've branded a hooker's ass, and now…now…you are a dirty old snowball. Good times!
Hello world!
Welcome to WordPress.com. This is your first post. Edit or delete it and start blogging!


text:
Below is one part of a series of charts that we watch related to commodities. We thought that we would provide a glimpse into some of the research and charts that we look at while assessing the economic climate.
From energy to metals, we believe that there is great importance in understanding each aspect of the various markets in order to make an informed decision. Click on the linked image below to download the one page pdf for Grains.
Note: Each chart provides a history back to 2007 in order to see a good range of prices and returns.
Looking to invest in The Disciplined Investor Managed Growth Strategy?
Click below for the 14-minute virtual tour….

subset: commoncrawl


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A Day on Crutches: Step Outside Your World Essay
This content was COPIED from BrainMass.com - View the original, and get the already-completed solution here!
Select an activity that puts yourself outside of your normal environment. If you have access to a wheelchair, for example, go out in the wheelchair to a public setting such as a shopping mall or restaurant.
Describe the activity they chose and why?
· What type of place did you choose to experience and why?
· What did you observe?
· What did you find surprising or unexpected?
· Did you feel comfortable or uncomfortable? Why?
· Did this experience change your views about the people whom you observed? If so, how?
· What did you learn from this experience?
· How could your workplace benefit because you had this type of an experience?
· Why do you feel that employers would seek and value employees with this diverse experience?
· Identify at least two reasons why organizations benefit from having a diversity-conscious culture.
· Prior to this experience did you have a stereotype of the people you observed in this activity?
1050 words. Thanks
I need help in addressing those points how should I address them give examples. Thanks© BrainMass Inc. brainmass.com May 20, 2020, 7:03 pm ad1c9bdddf
Solution Preview
Dear Student,
Hello and thank you for using Brainmass. In this particular case, I think it is easier, if you should do this exercise and experience the world as a handicapped person to use a crutch or be on 'crutches' as it is easier to access & utilise if you need to do a 'true test' of this idea should it be demanded in class. The solution below is based on observation as well as handicap accounts. Please note that all your questions are answered and given attention to in the sample-essay below. I hope it helps.
OTA 105878/Xenia Jones
Stepping Outside My World: A Handicapped Cripple on Crutches
I have decided to step outside my world via taking up the crutches, the tool used by abler handicaps to help them walk, travel and get from place to place. I have done so because I have had a friend in school who was on crutches ever since he survived an accident in the 4th grade and I have always wondered how things are for him ever since. He had always been active but since he was on crutches, he was delimited in terms of sports. It affected his morale for awhile but it never stopped him from trying to do well in school and becoming self-reliant. Also, lately, many of our soldiers coming home from Afghanistan and Iraq have become handicapped, and, despite the advances of medicine to restore their walking capabilities again, many of them have become dependent for the purpose of mobility on crutches. Hence, I have borrowed a set of crutches from the university hospital for the purpose of this paper and decided to spend a whole day in it walking around the nearest shopping center.
I chose the shopping center because it is a place that handicapped and non-handicapped people visit for entertainment, food and to buy supplies for home and office (including groceries). There are bookstores, video shops, apothecaries and pharmacies, clothing stores, fashion stores, hardware stores, game shops, a number of restaurants serving all kinds of cuisine, banks, cafes, movie theatres, craft stores, barbershops and salons, etc. Many people meet their friends in the outdoor cafes and still many more unwind in restaurants with family and friends to celebrate, eat or just enjoy other people's company. It's busy and a place that just about everybody goes to. I wanted to know the ...
Solution Summary
The solution is an extensive 1,472 word essay that does a 'step outside your world analysis' wherein the experience of being a disabled person on crutches for a day while going about normal tasks is recalled and related through the eyes of a normally healthy and able person. Afterwards analysis of the experience is provided and is related to issues of diversity and equality. References are listed for expansion. A word version of the solution is attached for easy printing.


text:
The structure of your text is the "skeleton" that holds the various elements together – in the right order. In order to ensure that your text is properly structured and flows well, it is important to understand the function of the different chapters. In a thesis, everything you write has to have a purpose. In this section you will find advice about what the different chapters should include, and what functions they are meant to serve.
In a good thesis:
- All questions raised by the author are answered or clarified
- The author's intention is clear to the reader at all times
- Everything that is presented, fills a purpose
- The theory presented is put to work
- The methods section is concrete
- The discussion brings together empirical data, theory and method
- The findings are duly presented
- The conclusion follows logically from the argumentation
There are many different ways to structure a thesis. While the IMRaD format is widely used in health care and the natural sciences, formats are more flexible in the social sciences and humanities.
There are many excellent publications on thesis writing.
Last updated: August 7, 2018


text:
Students, the Headteacher, school governors, retired staff members including former headteacher Mr. Gill, who has celebrated his 100th birthday, community representatives, Cllr. Vi Dempster, assistant City Mayor for children, young people and schools, Evington ward councillors and Millers' team representatives all attended the official opening of the College.
Students and staff moved into the new building at the end of last year and then the old buildings were demolished. Cllr. Vi Dempster, as she unveiled the plaque, said that this £26 million transformation was the most ambitious Building Schools for the Future project yet and was part ofthe £350 million BSF transformation of all secondary and special schools in Leicester. Guests were taken on a tour of the site – see pictures below.
The new college has been constructed by the Miller Construction management team. The Senior Project Manager, Steve Merrin of MCUK, has won through to the finals of Construction Manager of the Year. This prestigious award is one of the highest awarded by The Chartered Institute of Building in recognition of an individual's management expertise and contribution to the construction industry. The eventual winner will be announced at the annual dinner in London later in the year.


text:
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Man With DS Gets KO'd For Kicking Kid
Question 1: Who Votes Yes/ Who Votes No
Question: Should we repeal the Massachusetts State Income Tax?
Who Votes Yes
- Rich people
- Old people (60+)
- Young people (18-34)
- Libertarians/Conservatives
Who Votes NO
- Middle age/class
- Teachers and local officials
- Liberals
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Foreign Language/Writing
I will allege, right here, right now, that learning a foreign language is a powerful tool for global communication. I'm probably the thousandth person (but only the ninth kid) to put forth such a claim, but you know, I have my reasons. I'm not suggesting you should travel to France, to Spain, to Italy, to China, or wherever your learned foreign language is predominately spoken. I am, inversely, proposing that you involve your chosen language and its parameters more often in daily communication. What do I mean? Speak to your friends in a foreign language. This will initiate curiousity and it might work out for the best...especially if you mispronounce or incorrectly state something. Secondly, listen to foreign music. We've all memorized, at one point or another, an English language song. Be it rap, rock, jazz, or even the eccentricity we call outsider music, give it a try. You might like it. I never heard "french music" until sophomore year and I don't regret downloading (legal concern or otherwise) french music. A few bands like La Rue Ketanou and Les Cowboys Fringants really struck a chord with me (ha the pun!). By the way, I think that I am a pretty advanced writer; however, I am always interested in finding ways to improve via adding little quirks that increase reader interest. Puns, sayings, and anything that engages the reader is fun. That's all I have for now. Thanks.
Monday, October 20, 2008
No More McDonald's Boycott
A corporate executive for McDonald's restaurants who had been on board of directors of the National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce has stepped down following a boycott of the chain organized by the pro-family American Family Association.Even I didn't boycott Mickey D's over this.
McDonald's officials confirmed today to WND that Richard Ellis, who had been named to the "gay" chamber board after McDonald's contributed $20,000 to the organization, "made a personal decision to step down … after he accepted a new position … with McDonald's Restaurants of Canada."
McDonald's officials also told AFA that the company has no plans to renew its membership in the special interest group when it expires in December. - World Net Daily
Arctic Air Temps At Record High
Less summer ice - which deflects solar radiation - has resulted in a rise in both the ocean and atmospheric temperature.
A boat skims through melting ice on the west coast of GreenlandThe US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) says autumn air temperatures in the region are at a record 5ºC (9ºF) above average.
The annual NOAA report, which monitors climate change, said there has been a near-record loss of summer sea ice, though not as much as last year which was the warmest on record for the Arctic, continuing a trend that began in the mid-1960s.
They also report a loss of surface ice in Greenland. - Telegram.co.uk
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Band Spotlight: The Airborne Toxic Event
Years Active: 2006 to Present
Label: Majordomo
Mikel Jollett - Vocals/Guitar
Steven Chen - Keyboards/Guitar
Noah Harmon - Bass
Anna Bulbrook - Viola
Daren Taylor - Drums
Genre: Alternative Rock
Musical Style: Pop music, but distinctively indie at the same time
- Crunchy
- Confident
- Thoughtful
- Visceral
- Sentimental
- Reflective
- Gutsy
- Earnest
- Rowdy
- Rousing
- Raucous
- Lively
- Fun
- Energetic
- Aggressive
- Gritty
- Crunchy
- Confident
- Thoughtful
- Visceral
- Sentimental
- Reflective
- Gutsy
- Earnest
- Rowdy
- Rousing
- Raucous
- Lively
- Fun
- Energetic
- Aggressive
- Gritty
Top Songs:
- Innocence
- Sometime around midnight
- Does this mean you're moving on?
- Gasoline
Friday, October 17, 2008
Liberals Need to Stop
What's this? A person that admittedly leans left more often than not speaking against the actions of liberals? The only thing more unusual than this is the fact that I'm posting here again. I have to remember to thank Glen for keeping my name on, as I admit I haven't been the most regular visitor.
But I need to get back to the point here. Even though I'm leaning Obama...hell, if I leaned much more my knee-caps might break... I am starting to see some really disturbing stuff all around me. Whether it's in public, online, in television broadcasts, or whatever, there is an absolute lack of any objectivity or, well, thought process.
To give you an example: Say a Democratic senator who had been working with the government for twenty-five years after serving his country abroad for seven years ran for president. He has passed a respectable amount of respected laws and bills, and has a record of working along with the other party to meet compromises. And now picture the Republican candidate: A constitutional lawyer turned senator who, a good year and a half into his first term, begins planning his campaign for president. He has passed almost no laws, let alone voted on many, has had little to no impact on the political scene, and has one of the most conservative voting records in history on both social and economic policy. Not to mention he has a host of ill-conceived and downright stupid connections to people that he just happened to forget to mention to the public. And the people are fawning over him. No matter how much anyone attempts to expose his faults, it is either denied, ignored, or, ironically, attacked as irrelevant or racist. Oh, he's black by the way. Not that that should matter.
You might be saying to yourself...well, actually, you're probably already thinking to yourself if this applies to you, those are lies! Those don't apply to Obama! OFF WITH HIS HEAD!!! Wait, nevermind, that was the McCain rally crowd.
Well, the fact is, a lot of the things the McCain campaign says are falsehoods, and there are a strong number of redeeming qualities about Obama. However, that's not the way everyone seems to think about him. He is infallible.He cannot be attacked, because anything negative said about him is clearly wrong. There's no way McCain can be better than him, ever, so there's no reason to listen to criticism.
Come on people. You need to occasionally think about things. You need to use that thing in your skull that you keep relatively active during the school day (well, unless you're Maio, but he's not rabid either way so I'll let him have his nap). There's nothing wrong with supporting Obama as long as you BACK IT UP!!! Don't shut down anything and everything that could possibly take him off his pedestal. Because if you do, you're just following a mindset that could allow far more dangerous people to be put into positions of leadership with no experience and far more sinister plan's than the Illinois Senator has for this nation.
I mean Christ, people, that kind of thinking could get Palin elected!
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Mass. Ballot Questions 1-3
Views on Question 1 varied by political party and education. Democrats opposed the idea 74 percent to 14 percent, as did independent voters by a margin of 70 percent to 22 percent.My thoughts? "Yes" for all three.
Republicans favored eliminating the state income tax 42 percent to 36 percent.
Of voters with a high school education or less, 41 percent favored Question 1 and 45 percent opposed it.
Respondents with at least some college opposed Question 1, 59 percent to 25 percent. College graduates opposed it 70 percent to 19 percent.
On Question 2, which would decriminalize possession of an ounce or less of marijuana, 62 percent said yes, 32 percent said no and 5 percent said they were undecided or declined to give an opinion.
On Question 3, to ban dog racing, 53 percent of voters said yes and 30 percent said no with 17 percent saying they were undecided or didn't want to give an opinion. - Massachusetts Live
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
A Rant On Public Schooling
School sucks. Don't think that I say that because I don't like it or anything. It really does suck. Where is the structure? They say we should take math, science, English, social studies, and a foreign language. We ought to be allowed to choose what books we want to read and what courses we want to take. We should be able to pick our major as a freshman and take courses relevant to that major so that when we arrive at college we aren't scatterfucked with information that is unfamiliar to us. Math is cool, but it depends on the subject matter. Take geometry and algebra, for example. Most of the bologna learned in these classes does not come back in any way, shape or form save an SAT or similar standardized test. Once you get to pre-calculus, you are trained to believe that what you are doing has some kind of real world value. It doesn't. I can't really speak for calculus, because I am not taking Advanced Placement, but what we've done in honors is just algebra with a few caveats. Statistics is an excellent class that is the most reasonable "math" that I've scene. You systematically go about sorting information. That's fun, but you must have it in you. If you don't then you shouldn't be required to ever take the class. The same rule applies with lower level high school maths (especially if you anticipate being a humanities major). Science is something that should cease being a requirement as well. If you naturally are interested in biology, chemistry, physics, anatomy, or any of the countless science electives, then by all means take these classes! If you aren't curious about said subjects, you shouldn't have to take them. I have to admit that I hated biology, chemistry, and physics at first, but I grew to appreciate them. I had an epiphany of sorts though: when I'm majoring in accounting, science won't matter. I like English, but it is too screwed up as a class. We read books that most of us have no interest in and have to do assignments related to them. For instance, I like to read, but only about topics that amaze me (politics, business, sports statistics). If we could only choose what books we read and do reports on them everything would work so much better. Instead, we are left to discuss the assigned text. I don't care about what other people have to say concerning a literary work because what they say is subjective. I would participate more...if, perchance, my opinion actually mattered. I've been asked before why I don't participate all that often and that honestly is my reason. Grammar, though, is a particularly effective element that needs to be studied by every writer. Social studies is a very broad term for a lengthy list of courses. You have your histories, politics, sociology, justice + crim, and psychology classes under the "social studies" umbrella. In order to take one of these classes, one should have a particular appetite. I think everyone should take a politics class to become familiar with governing institutions that have the potential to dissolve rights. Other than that requirement, one should be able to pick and choose. I've always been a history and politics guy, so taking these classes was naturally appealing. Joe Schmo, a to-be physics major, shouldn't have to. Finally, we have foreign language. Does anyone logically need to learn a language besides English? Nope. If you want to though, you should have that right. What am I trying to say? I am trying to say that public schooling is terrible. A college like system should be instituted that allows for greater concentration on certain subjects. Abolish the MCAS. Abolish requirements. Abolish the income tax, too, while you are at it. Now, I must go back to being the slave to the master I've served for the past twelve years.
Imagine Working Here!
Can you imagine working for a company that has a little more than 500 employees and has the following statistics:This used to be a popular e-mail chain letter in the late 1990s. It hasn't been completely verified or denied.
*29 have been accused of spousal abuse
*7 have been arrested for fraud
*19 have been accused of writing bad checks
*117 have directly or indirectly bankrupted at least 2 businesses
*3 have done time for assault
*71 cannot get a credit card due to bad credit
*14 have been arrested on drug-related charges
*8 have been arrested for shoplifting
*21 are currently defendants in lawsuits
*84 have been arrested for drunk driving in the last year Can you guess which organization this is?
IT IS THE 535 MEMBERS OF THE UNITED STATES CONGRESS. The same group of Idiots that crank out hundreds of new laws each year designed to keep the rest of us in line.
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Sharing My Taste in Music
I've told Glen about this guy so much that I thought it was time to share him with the rest of the Ètudiant. Ladies and Gentleman (who am I kidding, Lady and Gentlemen), Citizen Cope-Salvation:
The non-acoustic is on youtube, too, if you wanna look it up. He has a pretty decently sized collection of songs.
Who won the first debate?
This is a bit late I know. Vote Nader/Gonzalez!
Monday, October 6, 2008
Ben Tan's First Radio Report On China
The following is a ten minute newscast done by Étudiant co-founder Ben Tan for WERS 88.9, Emerson College's radio station. It aired on Sunday, October 5 at 7:00 AM.
Click here to listen.
Sunday, October 5, 2008
Nader/Gonzalez 08'
Ralph Nader on the passage of the bailout.
The Legendary Performance
I love the covers. Good choices.
Thursday, October 2, 2008
Comments From An Anonymous WHS Soccer Player
"We are not that bad; we just can't win. The coach [Sam Hochberg] is putting people in the wrong positions and is playing people who shouldn't be on the field, let alone on the team. He refuses to play the best players at the same time. He doesn't start those who should start and he subs in those who shouldn't be subbed in. Half of the kids couldn't care less if we don't win. Four or five kids trained over the summer. There is a severe lack of balls and heart on the team. We lack focus and discipline to do what the coach tells us to do. The coach is doing a good job, though. We've also gotten screwed by the refs and lost a few heart breakers like our first game against Reading. The star players are disappointments. There is a severe lack of leadership. Too many players are mentally unprepared. These kids are killing us every game. We are not able to mentally recover."The WHS Boys Soccer team is win-less through its first nine games


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Piano Madness- 2016
Dave Zoller, Stefan Karlsson, Jeffry Eckels, Dan Haerle, Steve Barnes and Fredrick Sanders
The Dallas Jazz Piano Society
"Piano Madness"
Steve Harlos, Fredrick Sanders,
and Brad Williams
Assisted by
Jeffry Eckels, Bass and Steve Barnes, Drums
Thursday, April 11, 2019
7:30 pm
Steinway Hall, Plano
5813 Preston Rd # 570, Plano, TX 75093
Admission – $40
Students free with I.D.
On April 11.2018 , the Dallas Jazz Piano Society will present a special benefit concert to raise money for our Keys4Kids program which supports young students in their piano study with instruments and lessons. The event, Piano Madness, will feature not just one but three world class pianists!. Each pianist will do two solo piano numbers and two duo piano numbers with each of the other two pianists! Many of the numbers will be accompanied by Jeffry Eckels on bass and Steve Barnes on drums.


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Everything you take into your life forms who you are. The music you listen to, the books you read, the air you breath, water you drink, the friends and colleagues you have, the food you eat, the thoughts you think, the movies and TV you see, the radio stations you listen to, your family, your beliefs and values. All these things create who you are.
Today we are going to talk a little about the food you eat.
This will not be about a new weight loss diet. It will not be about a new super energy high potency, increase your libido diet. This is about a "taking care about what you eat and where you get it from" diet. This is about eating healthy to prevent serious health challenges. In the process you may well lose weight.
You are what you eat and you are responsible for creating that healthy or unhealthy person you will be. This is not as easy as some may think as it means getting good at finding and trusting truthful sources of information. We live in a world where information is constantly manipulated and given out in a limited form to tell a more favourable story for those whose main agenda is often about making money or supporting a partially true or misleading story.
Renowned neurologist David Perlmutter, MD, in his most recent book, Brain Grain, blows the lid off a topic that's been buried in medical literature for far too long: carbs are destroying your brain. And not just unhealthy carbs, but even healthy ones like whole grains can cause dementia, ADHD, anxiety, chronic headaches, depression, and much more.
Dr. Perlmutter explains what happens when the brain encounters common ingredients in your daily bread and fruit bowls, why your brain thrives on fat and cholesterol, and how you can spur the growth of new brain cells at any age. He offers an in-depth look at how we can take control of our "smart genes" through specific dietary choices and lifestyle habits, demonstrating how to remedy our most feared maladies without drugs. With a revolutionary 30-day plan, GRAIN BRAIN teaches us how we can reprogram our genetic destiny for the better.
Read this book it is a trustworthy source and will change dramatically how you see your food and perhaps the way you eat. Absolutely priceless information!
The next important health and food information source is Dr. Joseph Mercola the founder of Mercola.com the World's #1 Natural Health Website. Dr. Mercola is also somebody to trust having no hidden agendas and a wealth of free information about food, our diets and the dangers that lie in the present healthcare system and technologies such as Vaccinations, for example.
To quote Dr. Mercola: "My motivation, whether you are a member of the Mercola.com community, or have just heard about me for the first time, is to make you as healthy as you can possibly be. This involves:
- Providing the most up to date natural health information and resources that will most benefit you and,
- Exposing corporate, government and mass media hype that diverts you away from what is truly best for your health and often to a path that leads straight into an early grave.
When I offer or recommend products, I do so because I have actively researched them and find they are the best in that category for your health. I ignore substandard products, and products not directly pertinent to your health, regardless of any potential financial upside."
I cannot think of a better source of information on food, health and the risks of outdated and profit seeking medical treatment systems. All this information is free and to the point. No fluff and hidden agendas.
Good health, happiness and growing awareness on the choices you can make for a better life.®
Live, love and laugh, Bob and Marianne.
Please remember to Like Us or Tweet Us Below. Thank you for reading us.


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I step off the train and find myself at a train station that curves, winds, twists, bends, and leaves me disoriented and ontologically estranged.
This isn't my first time in a big city, but it's my first time in a train station that looks like a giant maze with so many people that I'm not sure for a moment where I am or how long I have to live. The platform on the second floor of the train station reaches like latticework into shopping malls, bookstores, tourist stations, some old, some new, some that look like they've suddenly sprouted out of nowhere.
My suit and briefcase melt down into sneakers and suddenly I'm running with a big smile on my face, much smaller than I was before. I'm surrounded by giant lizard people. They're all eyeing me and their tongue shoot out to get me, but I'm running and I feel like I can slip into a new world any minute. One of the lizards chases me into a men's clothing store where I see a suit and tie. The store manager is someone I vaguely remember. He could be my father, or he could be someone else.
"Quick," he says, "get in the suit before they find you." I look back and see that one of the giant lizards is approaching. I get into the business suit, put on the tie, and before I know it I'm a child in a man's body walking to a business meeting. The lizards are gone, but I know they won't stay hidden for long. If I can keep up this disguise, if I can take a few more steps through the latticework, maybe I can convince them that I've always been an adult.


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7.24: USA Eagles v Japan Brave Blossoms: Bonney Stadium, Sacramento - an unlikelier ending to a Test match you'll not see, methinks. 79 minutes plus, and Eagles had drawn level Japan on flyhalf AJ MacGinty's sixth sticksplitter of the evening: 18-all at 65', then gone in front, 23-18, on a touch down by openside Andrew Durutalo in the 69th minute; yet drama of the most unsuspected form would ensue shortly.10 minutes of desperate, knock-your-socks-off rugby and the Brave Blossoms were into Eagles business district in earnest, with their mission, victory; US blindside Scott LaValla was stepping delicately (as a #6 will) through an untidy breakdown when Japan's openside, Michael Broadhurst, streaked into action, absolutely cleaning out LaValla like a waste basket at a janitor's olympics and the errant Broadhurst received an early seat, MacGinty the pill to touch, one won lineout later, one final clearance by the Eagles #10, and one sweet win for USA at 23 and 18 the terminal tallies.
Next up for the US will be Tonga on Wednesday, 7.29, at BMO Field, Toronto, 1:30pm Mountain Time


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Samsung Galaxy Note 10 plus Battery Case Extended Pack Phone Cover 5000mAh Gold
High battery capacity extends the battery life more power on your smartphone. Smart integrated LED battery level indicator shows how much power is left, and puts you in complete control of when to use the battery case compatible with charging. Ultra thin and lightweight, easy to be taken on board.
1. DESIGNED FOR: Specially designed for Samsung Galaxy Note 10 plus, the external battery charging case has precise cutouts for speakers, charging ports, audio ports and buttons.
2. PROTECTIVE CHARGING CASE: Charging+Protecting 2 in 1, with high class material, the battery case could protect your Samsung Galaxy Note 10 plusfrom scratches and other daily wear and tear.
3. HIGH CAPACITY: built-in the 5000 mAh lithium polymer rechargeable battery can effectively provide dual standby time to the mobile phone.
4. CONVENIENT LED INDICATOR: Intelligent switch and accurate power display, the features of 4 LED battery level indicator letting you know exactly the power you have (0--25%--50%--75%--100%).
5. ULTRA THIN: Portable and reduces to occupy the space. Easy to be taken out and slide into a bag. Comfortable grip, simple rounded outlook realize the integration of the case and your phone.
Product Description
for Samsung Galaxy Note 10 plus
Smart integrated led light indicator
Ergonomic design, comfortable grip
Fast charge, rechargeable
Over charge protection
Over voltage protection
Over current protection
Short-circuit protection
Slim fit and lightweight
Full protection from drops and impacts
Extends battery life, supplies long time use of web, video, music and phone calls
Compatibility: Samsung Galaxy Note 10 plus
Battery Type: Li-polymer battery
Input Current: 5V 1.8A
Output Current: 5V 1.5A
Battery Capacity: 5000mah
Color: Gold
Package Included
1 x Samsung Galaxy Note 10 plus Battery Case


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Hi Guest, welcome to the TES Community!Dismiss Notice
Connect with like-minded education professionals and have your say on the issues that matter to you.
Don't forget to look at the how to guide.
Effect of Y6 not doing Science SATS on attainment in Y7
Discussion in 'Science' started by JD1970, Jan 2, 2011.


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Saturday, August 2, 2008
"You give them something"
...They need not go away." Matthew 14.
What is this which the Lord commands that the Apostles give to the others? It begins with a few loaves and fish but ends with an abundance that feeds the hungry thousands with plenty left over. The little they have does not accomplish this; only with the power of God has this been done.
They are sent, then, to give Him to others. Their words, presence and energies are to be multiplied by grace so that the many can be "fed" by God Himself with a life that is not from "bread alone".
There is another "Bread", not from themselves but something received from Another. The Lord sends some to give to others this "something" in order that they "need got go away". We cannot give what we do not have.
The Apostles have been given by Christ that which they did not have before: the grace of the Lord Himself. And this grace is sufficient that they are able to obey His command to "give" something to the others. It is also true that this gift which the Lord sends them to give is something that the multitudes cannot find should they go away even to the ends of the earth.
Jesus the Lord is this "Gift" which is given abundantly, all over the world, as the apostles of today celebrate the feast of the "Bread of Life".
Lord, truly give us to eat of this Bread that we may never hunger or thirst for You again.
+ mcitl
Meeting Christ in the Liturgy offers a reflection for the Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
(Photo: Paleo-Christian mosaic, Church of the Multiplication of the Loaves and the Fishes at Tabgha, Galilee.)
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May 11, 2020. Good news from one of our customers: Haldenwanger Halfoam Team (Morgan Advanced Materials Haldenwanger GmbH) have received the 2019 Leadership Award for Innovation. Congratulations! In one of the projects the Kinetics Neo was used to optimize the debinding and sintering process of HALFOAM ALUMINA ™ which saved over 50% time in their firing process.
January 30, 2020. New Kinetics Neo version 2.4.6 is released. This is mainly a service release where we have fixed an usability issue and added some improvements:
- Improved: geographic map data provider which has unexpectable stopped to provide map data is replaced by Microsoft Bing Maps in climatic predictions (Predictions based on climate temperature profile).
- Improved: If the computer is offline then the offline geographic data will be used.
- Other improvements. Check our Release History for mode details.
November, 27 2019. New article "How to simulate and optimise debinding processes" by Materials World magazine explains how the Kinetics Neo software helps perform polymer debinding processes more quickly and efficiently.
October 30, 2019. New Kinetics Neo version 2.4.4 is released. The "Climatic Predictions" and other new features are added:
- Added: Predictions based on climate temperature profile ("Climatic Predictions"). Now it is possible to predict the reaction progress for the real atmospheric temperatures for a selected point on the Earth, from the selected day of the year, for the selected durations, which is usually several months or years.
- Added: Six new Adjusting Arrows for model-based analysis. Now it is much easier to adjust the positions of the simulated curves manually before optimization. It will improve the optimization results because they depend on the initial values of parameters.
- Added: Undo for all user's actions in model-based analysis. Now it is possible revert the changes after model recalculation or optimization if the results are not good.
- more new features and improvements. Check our Release History page to find out what is new in this version.
October 8, 2019. Kinetics Neo has won the NETZSCH Proven Excellence Award 2019 in nomitation "Excellence in Innovation". Congratulations to Kinetics Neo team and all customers and colleagues who help to improve our software!
Kinetics Neo Roadmap
The actual Kinetics Neo version 2.4.6 was released on January 30, 2020.
Check our release history for more information.
Future Releases
- TMR plot and prediction for acceleration reaction calorimeters (ARC).
- Import of arbitrary user-defined temperature as function of time for using in predictions.
- Adiabatic 24: find initial temperature (ARC only) in predictions.
What Is Kinetics Neo
The kinetics, also called reaction kinetics or chemical kinetics, investigates the rates of chemical processes and allows for the determination of reaction rates. It also takes the factors that control these rates into consideration. Knowledge about points such as these can give deep insight into the detailed molecular mechanisms behind elementary reactions.
NETZSCH Kinetics Neo software is used to analyze chemical processes. The software allows for the analysis of temperature-dependent processes. The result of such analysis is a kinetics model or method correctly describing experimental data under different temperature conditions. Use of the model allows for predictions of a chemical system's behavior under user-defined temperature conditions. Alternatively, such models can be used for process optimization.
The software can analyze different types of thermal curves that depict the changes in a given material property measured during a process. Potential data sources include studies using Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), Thermogravimetry (TGA), Dilatometry (DIL), Dielectric Analysis (DEA) and Accelerating Rate Calorimetry (ARC).
Kinetics Neo Can Help If You Need To:
- Determine the amount of time needed for paint to cure;
- Optimize production time for qualitative ceramics;
- Maximize the quality of metal powder product during polymer burnout;
- Check how quickly a pharmaceutical is able to work;
- Optimize a material's synthesis process when using a new catalyst;
- Find out the curing time for a dental filling.
What Makes Kinetics Neo So Valuable:
- Completely rewritten from scratch, this innovative software is based on the latest technologies.
- The improved user interface is fast and easy to use.
- All model-free and model-based methods are included. The results from all of these methods can be statistically compared with one another.
- The powerful new numerical model-free method ensures fast determination of the best model-free solution.
- Predictions and optimizations can be achieved by means of both model-free and model-based methods.
- A visual kinetic model can be created quickly and easily using the model-based method.
- The kinetic model can contain any number of individual reaction steps in any combination. Reaction steps can be easily added, removed or changed by the user.
- The position of individual reaction steps can be visually adjusted at any time.
- An individual step or the entire kinetic model can be optimized with just a click of the mouse.
- The software provides the formal concentration of each reactant and reaction rate for each reaction step as a function of time or temperature.
- Isothermal crystallization reactions can be analyzed and predicted.
Kinetics Neo Features
Model-Free Methods allow the activation energy of the reaction process to be found without the assumption of any kinetic model (ASTM E698, ASTM E2890, ASTM E1641, Friedman, Ozawa-Flynn-Wall, KAS, Numeric Optimization).
Model-Based Methods apply powerful cutting-edge mathematical calculations to create the best kinetic model; the different kinetic models can then also be compared statistically.
Predictions — Kinetics Neo is used for simulations and predictions once the experimental data has been described by either model-free or model-based kinetics. Predictions can be calculated for various temperature programs: isothermal, dynamic, multiple step, step-iso, modulated, or adiabatic.
Optimization is based on predictions; the temperature program can be optimized to achieve maximum product quality in the minimum amount of time.
System Requirements
Kinetics Neo runs under Microsoft Windows 10, Windows 8.x, or Windows 7 (either the 32-bit or the 64-bit version). Microsoft .NET Framework version 4.7 or later is required.
Minimal hardware requirements are: Intel i5 or similar CPU, 8 GB RAM. Faster processor (more MHz) and bigger RAM increase calculation speed.


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NO STATIK - What Did You Give Away When You Gave In? 7"
3 exclusive new songs that work as a companion piece to their new LP on Iron Lung Records.
This is No Statik. This may be the end.
200 on black vinyl
*** The way Bigcartel sets up the shipping calculator, it is nearly impossible to calculate postage on orders of more than one item shipping to outside of the United States. That means that for orders of certain combinations of format / items, it is necessary to initially overcharge so as to not lose money on shipping. Sorry for this inconvenience but just last week I noticed that as it my shipping was set up, I was losing upwards of $12.00 ea in postage to non US based addresses for SEVERAL orders. For sustainability of the label, that cannot continue happening. What I am getting at, is that if you are overcharged for postage, I will issue a refund of the overpaid amount when I ship out your order. I will be checking every time. ***
4 in stock


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Hello everyone! Lately on Instagram, all you will find is about islands, sea, lace, gold chunky jewelry and happiness, in one word: summer. In this post we selected the most beautiful images from ourinstagram page, from beaches and destinations, to outfits and accessories details. Hope you enjoy!
Love, Eva & Eliza
Why not B & W for summer?
elegant outfits in an elegant background
kimono: Choies / heels: Zara
crop top: Nelly / checked skirt: Missguided / furry cardigan: H&M
lace top: Zara / backpack: New Look / red heels: Zara / sunnies: Vintage
Ultra Romantic white dresses...
Few of the things we love lately, red fruits, salads, chocolate and sushi
skirt,heels: Zara
Summer in red hues ( top&skirt: Missguided)
All the colors in our plates!
bag: Florencemoon /dress: Zara
Pink and Black for celebrating the blooms
sunnies: Asos / bag:H&M / heels: Zara
skirt: Zara / jumpsuit: Missguided
Bright colors in food and outfits for an amazing summer!
For more images check our instagram page here


text: 1 Don't you think in-house financing is a much better option to finance patients? In-house financing greatly benefits clients. However, it is not something most dentists offer. It requires accounting, bookkeeping, etc, which creates more work for the provider. So though it is rarely offered, in-house financing is great for patients, especially […] In-House Financing Plus an Indemnity Dental Plan Equals Great Coverage19 Apr, 2017 in Health tagged ACA 2017 / Affordable Care Act in 2017 / dental plan / fixed indemnity plan / health insurance / HMO / in-house financing dentist / Obamacare / PPO by email@example.com


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Blizzard said:
Warcraft III: Reforged PTR Patch Notes
Version 1.32.6
21 May, 2020
Please note: These PTR Patch Notes are a work in progress and will be updated with further changes before the release of Patch 1.32.6.
This balance patch has a few different goals in mind. For heroes in general, we're looking at the costs and sometimes the functionality of hero ultimate abilities, to make them a bit more competitive with a hero's base line abilities and mana pool.
Items are another big area of this patch. Charged levels 5 and 6 are getting a shake-up to see if we can encourage more usage of these categories going forward.
Additionally, we want to support map makers' future endeavors by doing a balance pass on the units provided by Mercenary Camps. Finally, in 1v1 matchups, we want to address rifle pushes in Human vs. Night Elf and slightly alter the early game in Human vs. Undead.
There will also be a map pool rotation in this patch. One map per game mode will be rotated out and a new one rotated in. This time around, all of the maps are made by our wonderful community map makers.
- Raccoons no longer fade away unnaturally during their death animation in Reforged mode.
- Fixed an issue with the Northrend Tree Wall Doodad where they appeared white on the minimap.
- Resolved an issue with walking animation speed in certain campaign maps.
- Fixed a legacy issue where the Summoned Damage data field for Feedback abilities was capped at 10. This did not affect competitive multiplayer, but was inconvenient for custom map makers.
Unit Balance
- Thunderclap cooldown increased from 6 seconds to 7 seconds across all levels.
- Developers' notes: Over the past year, the Mountain King's Thunderclap has been slightly overperforming. While meta changes in 1v1 have seen its usage reduced, it remains a very strong ability in team games. We want to reduce its uptime, which should also allow players to better micro against the Mountain King by giving them more time to reposition between casts.
- Attack delay increased from 1.35 to 1.4.
- Developers' notes: This change is focused around the Human vs. Night Elf rifleman push. We don't inherently want the rifle push to completely disappear nor for riflemen to fall too far in power, but rather for the push to be slightly more equal between the attacker and defender. We're adjusting the power on both sides, with this being the Human side of the change.
- Resurrection mana cost reduced from 200 to 150.
- Developers' notes: Resurrection already has the restriction of waiting for a player's army to be dead before being cast. At the same time, Paladins often spend much of their mana casting Holy Light to keep units alive in the first place. Reducing the mana cost should help boost the desirability of this ultimate by reducing mana tension.
- Big Bad Voodoo mana cost reduced from 200 to 150.
- Developers' notes: We're reducing the mana cost to help with mana tension. The ultimate itself was not altered at this time, as we want to keep the unique identity of how it works, and instead see if we can push it to be a bit higher of a pick through increasing availability of the spell.
- Earthquake duration reduced from 25 to 20 seconds. Building damage per second increased from 50 to 60. Mana cost reduced from 150 to 125. Earthquake no longer affects friendly units/structures.
- Developers' notes: With Earthquake no longer affecting friendly units, Far Seer players should now have a new slowing option available to them for combat usage. Reducing the duration while keeping the overall damage roughly the same makes responding to a Far Seer casting Earthquake more important and gives a bit more consistency to how much damage it can inflict.
- War Stomp cooldown increased per level from 6/6/6 to 7/7/7.
- Developers' notes: War Stomp has shown to be quite powerful in recent months. We believe this is more due to Tauren Chieftain's ability to more consistently deliver stuns, rather than the damage increase to War Stomp. Simply reducing its damage would be less likely to lower the power of War Stomp. This change doubles the downtime of the ability at level 3, giving opponents more time to counter micro. Additionally, this weakens the Tauren Chieftain's early game allowing opponents to better push for map control.
- Stasis Trap activation delay decreased from 10 to 9 seconds. Detection radius reduced from 250 to 175. Activation time reduced from 1.0 to 0.5.
- New data variable in map editor: Detonation Delay.
- Developers' notes: Witch Doctors are still fairly rare in high-level play. We want to tune up its Stasis Trap ability, and to do that we looked into how it could trap more units. A smaller detonation ring combined with a shorter delay means that units will have less time to move through the area of effect before getting trapped and will have less time to attack the totem when it reveals itself.
- Entangling Roots cast range on level 3 increased from 600 to 800.
- Developers' notes: While we like where the Keeper of the Grove's early game power is, we want to give this ability a little boost in the late game. Since armies grow in size, especially in team games, reinstating its old range should give the Keeper a little more ease of use in late game scenarios.
- Tranquility Invulnerability time removed. Duration reduced from 15 to 12. Healing increased from 40 to 48.
- Developers' notes: In the past we tried an experiment with Tranquility where we would give invulnerability to heroes when casting channeled spells. After testing it, we're moving away from this, as we feel it dampens the personality of channeled abilities. Ideally, a channeled ability is very powerful with the drawback of being interruptible. This weakness is also what gives the abilities their character, as finding the right time and place to maximize its power is the main gameplay of using them. Adding invulnerability clouds this, as it now acts more like a normal "cast and forget" spell, but with a little extra bonus on the end. It also acted as anti-debuff mechanic, which was undesirable. While it could be made to not remove debuffs, that would act as a new special case that's different from regular invulnerability and it would add new complexity for players to memorize. Instead, we want to further reduce the duration of the spell but increase its power of the effect, giving greater benefit even when shut down by opponents, but also encouraging opponents to react quickly to the channeled ability.
- Base damage in bear from increased from 23 to 24.
- Developers' notes: We think bears could use a bit more power in the mid-to-late game in general, especially against Undead. Additionally, with Human vs. Night Elf rifle pushes often occurring right when only a few bears are out, we felt that a slight bear buff would help defenders just that little bit more to keep them in the game.
- Gold cost reduced from 145 to 135.
- Developers' notes: Previously Druids of the Talon had their gold cost increased due to balance concerns with them in the Orc vs. Night Elf matchup. The meta has changed quite a bit since then, and so we would like to reduce their cost back to its old value to better encourage their usage.
- Impale can no longer be interrupted. Units knocked airborne can now take damage and be attacked.
- Two new data variables in map editor: Airborne Units Vulnerable, Uninterruptible.
- Carrion Beetles mana cost increased from 30 to 45. Now spawns 2 beetles at a time, up from 1. Maximum beetles increased from 5 to 6.
- Developers' notes: The being whose might cannot be matched is getting a tune-up in this patch. Previously the Impale ability was hardcoded to be interruptible and make units hit by it invulnerable while airborne. Unlike other channeled abilities, giving a move order to a command group containing a Crypt Lord casting Impale would cause it to move and cancel the ability. This change removes this annoyance. Additionally, making airborne units vulnerable no longer causes units to lose auto attack focus on Impaled units. Airborne units are still untargetable by spells though. This was left in place out of an abundance of caution for introducing unintended bugs.
- More developers' notes: Speaking of bugs, our buff to Carrion Beetles should greatly encourage some new experimentation with this rather rarely picked ability. Now the Crypt Lord can bring about a swarm of summons much earlier and with less mana invested to either scout opponents or make early game pushes. We will be monitoring if this proves to be too much of an issue in the early game, but we feel these changes overall give the ability a much stronger personality.
- Animate Dead mana cost reduced from 175 to 125.
- Developers' notes: We hear rather frequent feedback that this ability is one of the lower tier ones. Directly buffing it too much at this time seemed unwise, as the Death Knight itself is quite core to Undead's best strategies, and buffing it further...
Updated Resource Submission Rules: All model & skin resource submissions must now include an in-game screenshot. This is to help speed up the moderation process and to show how the model and/or texture looks like from the in-game camera.Dismiss Notice
DID YOU KNOW - That you can unlock new rank icons by posting on the forums or winning contests? Click here to customize your rank or read our User Rank Policy to see a list of ranks that you can unlock. Have you won a contest and still haven't received your rank award? Then please contact the administration.Dismiss Notice
Lead your forces to battle in the 15th Techtree Contest. The call is yours, commander!Dismiss Notice
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Created by Mythic
- May 19, 2020
Blizzard said:
May 19, 2020
Hail, Warcraft III: Reforged players!
It's been too long since we've shared an update on our team's progress. After a challenging launch, we've been regrouping, listening to your feedback, prioritizing the things we need to do for the game, and building a plan to deliver on our next steps. While we've been quiet these past few months, know that there is a dedicated and passionate team that's been hard at work on Warcraft III: Reforged behind the scenes. As our team works toward a roadmap that we can share in the near future; we'd like to start communicating more frequently and meaningfully about our plans, and what's coming next for the game. Let's kick that off right now, with the first in a series of articles diving into what the team is focused on.
Ongoing Updates: Bug and Desync Fix Patches
Since launch, we've delivered a series of patches in an ongoing effort to continue fixing bugs and making quality of life changes across Warcraft III. These updates have come at a rate of at least once a month, and include fixes and improvements to art, gameplay, systems, and features across the game, including Campaign, Custom Game, and Versus modes.
Some of our most impactful bugs since legacy Warcraft III involve desyncs which occur when two or more players' game clients get out of sync and force their game to end prematurely. Due to how disruptive these desyncs can be, a heavy emphasis will continue to be on finding and resolving the most common issues that are causing desyncs. In addition to actively approaching desync issues from different angles, we're also developing a tool that will better arm us against future desyncs.
Balance Updates
As with other Blizzard games, our team will also be releasing balance updates for Warcraft III. Our goal is to preserve classic strategies where possible while promoting increased strategic variety. Warcraft III is a hero-focused RTS (Real-Time Strategy game), and we want to celebrate that by providing opportunities for players to open with different Heroes while retaining the unique playstyles inherent to each race and the asymmetry between races.
Each of our balance patches will aim to ensure competitive integrity at the professional level while providing a variety of different strategies for new and returning players of all skill levels. Our first balance patch since launch will be coming to the Public Test Realm (PTR) for testing this week and will feature a bevy of updates. Check out the patch notes soon for all of the details, and don't forget to provide your feedback once you've had a chance to play the changes on the PTR.
Upcoming Features
In parallel to these ongoing bug fixing efforts and balance updates, we're also working to deliver features to the game, including Improved Matchmaking, Ranked Ladders, Profiles, Custom Campaigns, and Clans. While we've mentioned before that these features are in development, we wanted to start providing more details on the direction we're taking with each, share some additional insights, and give players an opportunity to provide feedback. Up first, let's talk about our ongoing improvements to Warcraft III's matchmaking.
Matchmaking Reforged
Matchmaking is the system we use to find and match allies and opponents of similar skill. To support this, player skill is tracked using a numerical representation called a player's Matchmaking Rating, or "MMR" for short. A higher MMR reflects a more skilled player, and matching players with others of comparable skill using their MMRs keeps games as fair and fun as possible.
A player's MMR gets updated at the conclusion of each match, with the amount of points received being dependent on several factors that serve to determine their predicted win chance and an internal value called "variance." We use variance to represent how confident our system is that a player is rated at the right skill level. When starting out, variance is high because the system doesn't have enough information yet. Over time, as more games are played, this number will decrease. Higher variance means that there are larger swings in how MMR is adjusted after each match, while lower variance results in smaller MMR changes. Initially, our system will make large changes to MMR to get a player near their proper rating and then refine over time with smaller changes as more games are played. Consistent performance over time will allow a player's MMR to move up (or down) as they win or lose games.
In a departure from the legacy version of Warcraft III, Reforged now has a per-race MMR in all modes except Arranged Teams which allows for more competitive matchmaking while freeing players to play their favorite races or learn new races without fear of impacting their overall MMR.
Also new, Reforged now features Global Matchmaking for all modes, which allows players to test their mettle against the best Warcraft III players around the world. While this addition is an exciting feature, we are aware of community concerns surrounding latency with Global Matchmaking. In reaction to this feedback, the team has begun rolling out a series of server updates which have reduced the number of high-latency games by over 60% since the week of May 4th. We will continue working to further reduce the occurrence of these high-latency games by implementing additional fixes in the coming weeks, so please continue to give us feedback on your experience.
Warcraft III has three primary matchmaking modes: 1v1, Team Games (2v2, 3v3, 4v4), and Free-for-All (FFA). The goal for all modes is to match players in a way that provides the best games possible while doing so in a reasonable amount of time. To accomplish this, the system starts by looking for a perfect match and slowly loosens its requirements over time if it can't make that match. The parameters for finding matches and the way these restrictions are relaxed are different for each of the matchmaking modes, so let's dive into each of them.
Among the three matchmaking modes, 1v1 will have the most stringent matchmaking parameters as this game mode is all about individual performance. Reforged to further enable players to find the best and most competitive 1v1 matches. As part of these changes, the matchmaker will now adjust search parameters specifically for higher MMR players to find the most competitive matches, even in exchange for longer queue times. Regardless of MMR, the matchmaker will slowly loosen the search parameters as time goes on in order to find a match. This adjustment will take longer for higher MMR players in order to continue prioritizing finding the most competitive matches. We believe these changes will allow the most competitive 1v1 players to find the best matches that most closely mirror their skill.
Team Games (2v2, 3v3, 4v4)
For team games, the system is slightly different to account for the fact that the outcome of a team game is not solely tied to the performance of an individual. Team Game players who watch MMRs closely will notice that it takes more games before their MMR settles into its proper range, and they'll see larger MMR adjustments per game—and for more games—than in 1v1. Since the outcome of the game is influenced by others on the team, the system takes longer to dial in on an individual player's skill.
In recognition of this, Arranged Teams consisting of a full team of self-organized players are now tracked separately using the team's MMR rather than a player's individual rating. Playing games as an Arranged Team does not affect your individual MMR for that game mode or race, so you can switch races freely while within an Arranged Team and not worry about affecting your outside ratings. Since Arranged Teams are tracked separately, they will also have separate leaderboards once Ranked Play arrives to better gauge overall performance.
One of our goals is to provide as many options as possible to allow players to play alongside their friends, and this means minimizing restrictions for party size and MMR. In service of this, players of any MMR can party up together so that—no matter your skill—you can always bring along a friend to play with. Players can also group up as a partial team, allowing friends to queue up together while the matchmaker finds other players to fill the remaining slots to complete the team. Players assembling partial teams will be rated by their individual MMR rather than their team's MMR.
For the first time, the system will allow Random Teams to be paired against Arranged Teams. This is a departure from the precedent set in the legacy version of Warcraft III, so we wanted to share our thoughts behind this change. Pairing Arranged Teams solely against other Arranged Teams often resulted in very long queue times, especially for highly rated teams. These extended queue times often...
Created by Mythic
- May 3, 2020
Demigod Cenarius
by @FerSZ
Watch FersZ bring the Lord of the Forest to life and back.
Sylvan Enchantress
by @AndrewOverload519
She'll let you deep inside, but there's a secret garden she hides.
Mr Planty
by @Kimbo
Made a meal outta me, and came back for more.
Furion Botani
by @Kadzhamit
You can always trust Furion to drain the swamp.
Special thanks to @Storm Knight, @Spellbound, @Directive255, @WhiteFang, and @Edge45 for their feedback.
<< Previous Spotlight (April)
Created by Mythic
- Apr 30, 2020
The Cave is a classic RPG that blends the style of World of Warcraft with Diablo II -- created in the Starcraft II engine, using Warcraft III art, and inspired by decades of playing classic Blizzard games.
"A mysterious cave, a cast of wonky and unusual characters, and no idea how you got tangled up in this mess. 'The Cave - RPG' will lead you on an epic adventure to figure out 'Why am I on an adventure?' Tears of frustration and awkward looks from loved ones as you sit in your chair and giggle to yourself won't be your only takeaway from this game; I hope. Designed by a gamer, for free, for gamers. If you enjoy RPG games, then this was made specifically for you."
-- @Glorn2
- HEROES - Watch your hero evolve as you progress through the game. There are 15 final-tier heroes, touting 10 abilities each, with stat allocations based on the path they took to get there.
- ITEMS - RNG-based loot with hundreds of potential combinations, unique mods, and drop rates high enough that you're never just grinding for that specific item.
- CUSTOMIZATION - Heroes are able to customize/alter the effects of their abilities with glyphs; they have ample stat points to allocate as they wish, special item modifiers, and more abilities than you can shake a stick at, allow you to create and play a hero how you want it.
- BALANCE/META - The game is designed in a way that there is no "meta" for builds. No blowing up monsters 2 screens away, no perfect builds. The situations are loose enough and variable enough, that there is no set way to do things. Play how you want to and remember - you can't DPS if you're dead.
- WORLD - 35 large zones with a "simple" boss per zone; and 11 dungeons containing 3 unique bosses each, designed to scale and allowing 1-5 players to complete them.
- QUESTS - 140 quest, create thick quest density. You will never need to "hang out and farm for a while" to progress. At worst, you may need to explore little, or party up for a tough one. quests are rewarding, and progress the story.
- ENDGAME - The story is fun and cute, and not too challenging. The real game begins when you complete the game. To test players' skills over their gear, all regional bosses and dungeons become reinvigorated as "Heroic" forms, with additional strength, abilities, and AI -- as well as a "Legendary Mode" designed to truly test your prowess. Raid bosses bring that concept to an entirely new level, as they spawn randomly in the world, scale from 7-10 players, and have intricate mechanics and strategies.
- REPLAYABLE CONTENT - Though the game is intended to end, a few things freshen up the game, if you have invested 1000 hours and just want to keep going. Legendary dungeons have random modifiers to them, and cycle through every hour. An "Endless Waves" dungeon allows you to see how far you can progress against randomly generated waves of monsters and bosses.
"It has the nostalgic feel of old Warcraft 3 RPGs, while blowing every other SC2 RPG out of the water. You can build any hero at least 4 different ways and it'll be viable. The progression to end game is fun and doesn't feel grind heavy at all. End game dungeons are a real challenge and very rewarding. Raid bosses give you and 8-9 friends a real challenge."
"You can literally say you made some advanced AI mechanics, since your bosses abilities are so diverse and well randomized -- so hard to predict in some cases."
"Old School"
"Game's epic as shit"
"RPG, old style, Diablo 2 with World of Warcraft dungeon gear hunting"
Play it on the Starcraft 2 Arcade!
NA: battlenet:://starcraft/map/1/305693
EU: battlenet:://starcraft/map/2/214321
KR: battlenet:://starcraft/map/3/131660
Alternatively, you can search for 'The Cave - RPG'.
Starcraft II is free to download - and Arcade is free to play!
Check out the project forum to keep track of the latest progress.
Join the Server!
Created by Mythic
- Apr 28, 2020
Blizzard said:
Warcraft III: Reforged Patch Notes
Version 1.32.4
April 28, 2020
- All Melee units and buildings have received a team color polish pass to increase vibrancy and gameplay readability.
- Female Demon Hunter scaled up to match closer with Male Demon Hunter's silhouette.
- Waterfall changed to use Replaceable Textures. Its tint automatically adjusts in game based on the map tileset.
- Visual effect used for the first stage of buildings damage changed from smoke to fire for better readability.
- Adjusted fire visual effects placements on the Townhall, Keep, and Castle for added readability during their damaged states.
- Northrend Trees have been updated to match Classic visuals. There are now four visually distinctive tree wall sets:
- Northrend Icy Tree Wall
- Northrend Tree Wall
- Snowy Tree Wall
- Scorched Tree Wall
- Footprints have been updated for the following groups:
- Trolls have their own unique footprint.
- Undead units with missing footprints are now fixed.
- Vehicles now have continuous rolling footprint.
- Fixed an issue with the Female Demon Hunter's hero icon appearing incorrectly when disabled while in Demon form.
- Tuskarr Trapper now throws his own spear when attacking.
- Portrait animations have been updated for the following units: Peasant, Sorceress, High Elf, Lich, Dreadlord, Balnazzar, Mal'ganis, Keeper of the Grove, Night Elf Runner, Cenarius, Illidan (Demon Form), Tree of Life, Tree of Ages, Tree of Eternity, and their corrupted counterparts.
- Reduced Violence updates:
- Female Death Knight updated with correct visual effects for spell casting.
- Ogre Magi no longer disappears in the middle of its attack animations.
- Single Player mode has been re-enabled. This can be accessed from its own Create Games section in the Main Menu.
- Fixed multiple crashes on custom games such as Custom Hero Survival.
- Several fixes have been applied to Instance API natives related to unit attacks.
- Blizzard.j and common.j are no longer considered when computing save checksums.
- The "Export All" option in the Asset Manager now functions correctly.
- Destructibles flagged as "Walkable" no longer cause desyncs between Classic and Reforged.
- Reforged Troll mercenary unit selection circles are now smaller and more aligned with Classic.
- All Neutral unit selection circles now properly match the Reforged unit models.
- Creep camps are easier to see on the minimap.
- Permanent morphing units, such as the Obsidian Statue, will no longer briefly display their disabled morph ability icon while transforming.
- Game lighting adjusted to improve Reforged readability and colors.
- Doom Guards now have the correct sound effects for their air and ground attacks.
- Forest, Dark, and Ice Troll Trappers will no longer play the Berserk sound effect when casting Ensnare in Reforged mode.
- Alchemist facial animations and acknowledgement sounds updated.
- Flesh Golem facial animations and acknowledgement sounds updated.
- Sepia tone backgrounds in Classic mode have been reverted.
- The "Use Command Button for Hotkeys" on Mac now functions as expected.
April 29, 2020
- Fixed a bug that caused Multiplayer win totals for Collections to be set to zero.
- Fixed a bug that prevented players in some regions from joining custom games.
- Fixed a bug that prevented players in some regions from starting any game.
- Single player custom games can again be created in the Russian locale.
- Reduced Violence Mode is again enabled where required.
Page 1 of 30


text:
Though Tracy Morgan insists he is nothing like Tracy Jordan -- the wacked-out alter-ego he plays on NBC's hit series 30 Rock -- they do have one thing in coming: a love of exotic pets.
In a new interview with PEOPLE magazine, the 40-year-old comedian says his personal home is a real-life zoo. "It's like going to the zoo when you come to my house," Morgan said, who voices a guinea pig action hero in Disney's new action comedy G-Force. "I have snakes, three sharks, moray eels, piranhas, five scorpions and a bird spider. All of them are predators. They are dangerous, but it's cool to have strong and powerful pets."
"You will be surprised but I do a lot of studying and I watch National Geographic," he added.


text:
Occasionally we hear from our consumers who find a pickle – usually a spear – that appears to have a "bite mark" in it, teeth marks and all. It's unsettling, to be sure! But the culprit isn't human. It's one of our machines, pictured in the video. A small cylinder holds the pickle in place while the ends are cut off. Watch the pickle on the left: If the pickle gets stuck or doesn't move on promptly like it should, the cylinder comes back down and actually punches a hole. When this damaged pickle is cut into a spear, it looks very much like a bite somewhere in the middle. The video is shown in almost real time – about one pickle per second.
Published on November 20, 2017 | in By Lynn.Williams |


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Apricorn Aegis Pro SSD full review
We've looked at encrypted portable drives before, but this one must be the ultimate in security and performance. First there was the numberpad-lockable iStorage diskGenie with a 2.5in hard disk inside. Then, the diskGenie SSD, the same again but with a shockproof SSD in place.
Whichever storage technology is used, the secure enclosure itself is a simple and effective design, initially requiring a six-digit PIN code to first unlock the drive inside. Thereafter you can set up an Admin account and separate User accounts, each with their own PIN code, which can be from six to 16 digits long.
Since all security lockdown is handled on the device, there's little chance of being compromised by attachment to an insecure computer. Keyloggers can undermine the best PC-hosted encryption software using even the longest passphrases.
Solid speed
The principle reason people opt for solid-state is of course speed. In this application of portable storage, an SSD also confers the great advantage of being shock-proof and able to withstand the elements better. That aspect could prove priceless in a portable drive holding valuable data.
SSDs can be written to and read much faster than most hard disks. However both the first iterations of iStorage diskGenie we tried were slowed down by the USB 2.0 interface. Not so the Apricorn Aegis Pro.
Apricorn, Inc is a specialist in storage technologies, a US-based vendor of these secure keypad drives (also seen in the UK under the Lenovo and iStorage names).
In the case of the high-gloss Pro version of the Apricorn Aegis Pro, an extra eSATA port has been added as an alternative to mini-USB 2.0. You lose the attached USB cable (which was often too short for comfort anyway) and gain a much faster connection standard.
Since eSATA is essentially the same fast pipe used by internal disks, but engineered for outboard use, we should see the same speed as drive mounted inside the PC.
You can still use the mini-USB 2.0 port for connection to the larger number of PCs without eSATA, and a DC power inlet is included for instances when bus power isn't enough to power the unit.
If your PC or laptop has the powered version of eSATA, sometimes called eSATAp, you can use the faster link without any extra power lead.
The eSATA on the Apricorn Aegis Pro is a worthy option when you need to get data into or out of the drive quickly.
Ready-fitted with a 128GB Kingston SSDNow, the Apricorn Aegis Pro showed peak read speeds in the ATTO benchmark of 227MBps – an incredible result compared to the circa-30MBps speeds of USB-connected SSD versions. Write performance was excellent too at 161MBps.
With an SSD for storage, performance should remain consistent as the drive fills up; hard disks, especially 2.5in notebook drives, see a marked drop in performance as the drive fills up.
The FIPS PUB 197 validated encryption algorithm should assure that security is high. Yet despite the real-time encryption/decryption of data using the respected AES-256 algorithm, we saw no measurable effect on the performance of this secure storage device.
The main downside to eSATA is that it's not as ubiquitous as USB, and is not always so reliably hot-swappable – some older Windows setups require a reboot when first attached.
Macintosh users are also left out somewhat, with no native eSATA support on Apple hardware, although ExpressCard adaptors can be used with some models of Apple MacBook Pro.
Apricorn Aegis Pro SSD: Specs
- Encrypted portable hard drive
- 256-bit AES encryption
- eSATA
- mini-USB 2.0
- 5V DC input for use with unpowered eSATA or underpowered USB ports
- soft case
- eSATA, mini-USB 2.0 and DC cables included
- 19 x 85 x 120mm
- 181g


text:
Companies shape, visualize and make their future with RIDG. We focus on accelerating ideas to market by giving your team the essential skills to consistently identify, build and deliver through the million dollar teams framework. We help companies drive the necessary change to innovate and disrupt their industry while growing their people and their profits.
See our case studies below to learn how we've helped our clients in the past.
Challenge: Our client was serving a Fortune 500 company who was looking elsewhere to get their core needs met and considering ending the working relationship. They were afraid of losing a long-term relationship and profitable client.
Story: Our client and their core client partners gathered for a full-day Partnership Alignment facilitation – the goal was to gain focus and clarity around what worked in the past, what the future of their relationship could look like, and the critical lines of focus necessary for them both to succeed.
Before coming to the Partnership Alignment Facilitation, our client created an in-depth relationship retrospective that established a history of the work accomplished and the changes they made as an organization. The retrospective tells the story of what happened but also points out key challenges, learning points, and how our client transformed in response to what occurred.
We designed space in the session and on the visually-facilitated work for our client and their core partners to provide feedback on the relationship retrospective. After creating context maps to identify future trends and disruptors, and discussing shared context, our client and their core partners could establish their primary value drivers – the characteristics that would differentiate and strengthen the future relationship.
Both parties then cast a BIG vision for the future – what will the partner/client relationship look like in 2018? Developing lanes of focus allowed our client to focus their decision-making over the coming months, and also gave their core partners a window into their internal strategic plan. We then asked both parties to imagine it was 2018 and if they had failed, to identify the reasons.
This allowed both parties to gain clarity around immediate actions that could be taken to prevent those failure conditions. By the end of the session, both parties had momentum and clarity around what to do next and were aligned and moving in the same direction.
Result: We didn't just stop the leak, we helped them build a whole new ship. Over the six months following the facilitation, a spin-off was created that yielded a 10x return of total revenue for our client within the next year. Their $2,000,000 client was transformed into an intellectual property producing partner worth more than $20,000,000 to date. (18 months post-project)
Challenge – Future business opportunities were falling through the cracks.
Our client was in high growth mode, but found critical team members not reaching their full potential. They were "just getting the job done" and unable to simultaneously keep the future growth of the business in mind. The leadership would often participate in meetings where new client challenges and desired outcomes were being explored, but where the internal team lacked a clear path to capitalize on those insights. Leadership also observed a lack of meeting facilitation and team leadership skills by the internal team. Upon interviewing the internal team, they expressed feeling overwhelmed by three challenges:
1) The project was large, complex, without clear goals, and was breeding uncertainty for them and the client.
2) The time pressure to complete the project restricted their ability to learn new skills
3) The inability to see and communicate future opportunities hindered the team's ability to positively impacting the growth of the business.
Story: The client team participated in the RIDG Million Dollar Team Training to focus on the 'Five Powers of Million Dollar Teams'; Visualization, Storytelling, Questions, Risk/Reward, and Generation skills. These concepts were applied within an innovation design process, aligned with an agile framework. The immersive training sessions emphasized innovation and problem-solving skills while leveraging the current problems inherent within the client work. This allowed the team to immediately apply their learning to current client problems.
Our client and their core team of 10 gathered over the course of five months for seven half-day facilitation-driven training sessions. These sessions were supported by weekly virtual "sprint" calls and online virtual surveys to measure progress. RIDG designed the training to maximize participant ownership of the program, using facilitation methods that could be reused within the company. The participants used the tools provided and facilitated exercises to build their skills and apply them internally.
Result: The training resulted in the development of skills for the team to identify, clarify, and communicate the broad and specific uncertainty that was hindering the success of the project. This resulted in a scalable handbook serving as a guide for them to continue to collaborate and transform. Subsequently, the team was able to solve the right problem for the current project and accelerate the project schedule, resulting in an on-time completion. Leveraging a new framework, the team can now more confidently facilitate meetings and discussions as well as communicate new opportunities more definitively to leadership. They are now able to lead million dollar opportunities throughout the organization. The company is currently working on several million in follow-on sales as a result of the successfully completed project and outcome from the training.
Challenge – A misaligned culture disrupting the success of a critical project completion.
Two extraordinarily smart companies came together to solve one problem, but both had different methodologies to problem-solving. Upon interviewing the teams, they expressed feeling overwhelmed by three challenges:
1) The Lack of common language. Using the same words but being misunderstood.
2) The bottleneck of combining two very different processes.
3) The lack of clarity within the complex problem and potential solutions.
Story: Alignment by fire drill! We implemented the Millions Dollar Team Workshop, a rapid-fire, real-time, immersive session to practice all the innovation skills, language and processes, to solving the current problems in a project. Our client and their core team of five gathered for a half-day facilitation-driven workshop. The participants used tools and facilitated exercises to innovation and problem-solving skills. RIDG designed the solution so that the client participation provided them ownership of the content they created.
They first set the agenda and the core outcomes – what they wanted to learn. Then they were then guided through a series of exercises to enhance the core skills of an innovator: visual thinking and communication, collaboration, design thinking principles, problem-solving capacity, prototyping, testing and intellectual curiosity.
They identified the salient problem on which to practice their skills and used this as the focus for the entire session. This resulted in five potential solutions to present to their leadership on how to accelerate the completion of the project within two variant cultural systems.
Result: By applying a new and common language, process and perspective, the teams got on the same page and were able to accelerate the completion of the work. They began to communicate more frequently, cross-functionally, and collaboratively to get a full perspective of challenges as soon as they arose. They were able to more clearly state a what problems were, reducing complexity. They finished the project on time and even produced white papers on how to integrate cross-cultural systems.


text:
This is the first striker fire gun I ever tried. I am more of a hammer kind of guy so I wasn't too excited BUT I was pleasantly surprised at how much I liked this gun. It was as accurate as my CZ P-07 with similar recoil. I still prefer the personality of my CZ but it was nice to find another similar gun that I might consider if my fav compact 9mm ever peters out (lord knows i fire it enough)
Extra points for how easily Jayson said it was to change out the firing pin spring. I am learning to appreciate guns that are easy to get into when they need some do it yourself power.


text:
Free Automated Clicking Software to Speed Up Online Work
Are you involved with completing online surveys or does your job require you to view web pages on a consistent basis throughout the day? These are two of the numerous reasons why this free auto clicker can come in very handy. This system is able to automatically simulate both left and right mouse clicks within any online window. This can enable you to return your focus to other vital activities and thankfully this package can be yours in a matter of minutes.
Features and Functions of this Free Auto Clicker
One feature of this system revolves around accuracy. You will be shown the exact X and Y coordinates of a page button. This location can then be combined with others within a single window and stored for later use. You are also able to select discrete time intervals between pages (if you are utilising pay-per-flick software for instance) and the program can be cancelled at a predetermined time. Not only will this system help to reduce your stress levels but automatic clicks can preserve the physical condition of your mousepad and keyboard. Finally you can control the actions of the free auto clicker through the use of standard hotkeys.


text:
Many words in the English language have strange origin stories, but those words created by simply spelling a pre-existing word backwards have a very straightforward reason for existing- wordplay.
The Brits turned Yob into a cool slang term for a lad who's up to no good, a well flipped word that rolls off the tongue and easily gets its meaning across without explanation.
And when Dylan Thomas set his play Under Milk Wood in a Welsh town called Llareggub ("bugger all" spelled backwards)- now that was bloody brilliant!
It's not hard to conjure up an explanation for why the sorcerer in Fantasia is named Yensid- the character was modeled after Disney and symbolizes his "magical" imagination.
And if you're long in the tooth like Yensid you may need help with irregularity, so those who wanted to hear nature's call on a daily basis would take Serutan, nature's way to "provide peristaltic stimulation."
See 9 Words Created by Spelling Other Words Backwards at mental_floss