Cocoa* [40%] (cocoa butter, cocoa mass), sugar* [31%], rice powder* [18%], banana chips [10%] (banana, coconut oil), emulsifier (sunflower lecithin) & natural flavouring.
Made in a factory that handles hazelnuts. Dairy free, lactose free, gluten free, wheat free, casein free, soya free, vegetarian & vegan.


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LIT and HOOBASTANK Announce Co-Headlining "Tried-N-True" Tour with ALIENT ANT FARM and Kristopher Roe of THE ATARIS
SoCal alt/rock bands Lit and Hoobastank will be hitting the road this Fall on the co-headlining "Tried-N-True" tour alongside Alien Ant Farm and The Ataris' vocalist Kristopher Roe. The tour will kick off in Nashville, TN on October 14th and run through mid-November hitting North Carolina, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, and Texas. VIP packages are also available, including the Tried-N-True VIP Meet & Greet Experience which includes a pre-show hang and photo op with members of Hoobastank, Lit and Alien Ant Farm, one VIP exclusive autographed tour poster, one VIP exclusive merch item, priority entry into the venue and more.
Tickets and VIP packages go on sale this Friday, August 26th. For more details, visit the official band websites of Hoobastank and Lit.
Lit is considered one of the preeminent bands to have come out of the post-grunge era of the late 90's and helped define an entire generation of SoCal power punk (No Doubt, Blink 182, The Offspring) with hard-charging hits like "My Own Worst Enemy," "Miserable," "Zip-Lock" and "Lipstick & Bruises." The band has released 7 worldwide studio albums, including their RIAA Certified Platinum A Place in the Sun, and their latest release, Tastes Like Gold (Round Hill Records) featuring the new single, "Mouth Shut" below:
The band has remained one of the most active bands from that era and still consists of three original and primary members including brothers Ajay (lead vocals) and Jeremy Popoff (lead guitar), and Kevin Baldes (bass) along with new drummer Taylor Carroll. Their double-platinum mega-hit "My Own Worst Enemy" is one of the most broadcasted (255 million streams on Spotify), covered (view here), karaoke'd, recognizable rock hits of the last 20 years and won them a Billboard Music Award for Modern Rock Song of the Year, while their unforgettable video for "Miserable" featuring Pamela Anderson was one of the top 10 most played songs of 2000.
On November 20th, 2021, Hoobastank celebrated 20 years of their self-titled release, Hoobastank. The 2001 album launched the career of the band to mainstream success with huge singles including "Crawling In The Dark", "Running Away" and "Remember Me", all of which have since been certified RIAA platinum. Almost two decades later, the band is still clocking in at over 6M monthly listeners on Spotify and "Crawling In The Dark" has surpassed the 100M streaming mark across DSPs. The band's 2003 follow up studio album The Reason took them to even greater heights and solidified Hoobastank as a household name. The title track "The Reason" went 4x RIAA Platinum and racked up quite a few #1 chart positions along the way, while the album went 2x RIAA Platinum. "The Reason" has over 2 Billion streams/views which has helped lead the way to the band's catalog surpassing the 3 billion mark across the various streaming platforms. The band looks forward to continuing their success in the years to come while also celebrating what they have accomplished so far.
Lit and Hoobastank Co-Headlining Tour Dates
with Alien Ant Farm and Kristopher Roe of The Ataris
October 14 – Nashville, TN – SkyDeck
October 15 – High Point, NC – Ziggy's Outdoor
October 16 – Bethlehem, PA – Musikfest Café *
October 18 – Morristown, NJ – Mayo PAC
October 20 – Greenville, SC – Peace Concert Hall
October 22 – Sugar Hill, GA – City Event
October 23 – Wilmington, NC – Surf's Up
October 26 – Tampa, FL – Ritz Ybor
October 27 – Ocala, FL – Reilly Arts Center
October 28 – Ft. Myers, FL – The Ranch
November 2 – Gollad, TX – Schroeder Hall
November 3 – Cypress, TX – Frio Hill Country
November 4 – New Braunfels, TX – Texas Ski Ranch
November 5 – Carrollton, TX – Festival at The Switchyard +
November 6 – Odessa, TX – The Ector Theatre
November 8 – Cedar Park, TX – The Haute Spot
* Alien Ant Farm will not be on this date.
+ Only Hoobastank and Lit
Connect with Lit:
Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram
Connect with Hoobastank:

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Alex Manufacturer Sdn Bhd has grown and develop direction of founder by Alex become an established and recognised company in all Sectors of all the properties development as a main distributor.
Projects completed over past, ranging in value from RM 100,000 – RM 5,000,000. Alex Manufacturer Sdn Bhd has a breadth of experience encompassing all sectors of the from government, industrial, commercial, residential, eduction and leisure to large scale of government and developers projects and small projects such as private housing schemes networks. Contracts have been undertaken successfully all over Malaysia with the main area of concentration being the Petaling Jaya, Kuala Lumpur, Melaka, Kedah, Pulau Pinang, Seberang Prai, Pahang, Terengganu, and Ipoh. Which are easily serviced from our base in Petaling Jaya..
Over the years, the skill and management base of the company has grown and developed and our team of staff and management has an enthusiasm, competence, and commitment unequalled in the industry. Best quality products, an excellent safety record, a proven ability to meet exacting programmes, and our co-operative approach, have ensured the saticfication of client in both the public and private sectors.
Alex Manufacturer Sdn Bhd is the ideal choice for your Fence Sectors development, investment and consultant.


I agree to prioritize the program as an essential part of my leadership development and overall wellbeing.
I agree to attend at least 75% of the entire program.
I agree to show up to the online trainings on time (at least 2 minutes early) and ensure I have a high-speed internet connection.
I agree to show up to each training willing to share transparently to support my transformation and inspire others toward their greatest transformation.
I agree to hold all the information shared during the trainings as confidential.
I agree to be open to feedback and be constructive when giving feedback to others throughout the program.
I agree to do the exercises made available in order to deepen my learning.
I agree to complete my peer group challenges during the program.
I agree to reach out for individual coaching if I need to.
I agree to challenge my deepest assumptions about reality.


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UNLV College of Engineering Plans for Reopening Based on Committee Guidelines
July 13, 2020 | By NACE Staff
TAGS: best practices, operations, nace insights, career development, coronavirus
Contingent on the Nevada governor's directives regarding the coronavirus pandemic and in conjunction with the Nevada System of Higher Education, the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) began the process of returning to on-campus operations, using procedures that maintain social distancing and mitigate risk.
"The College of Engineering at UNLV organized a committee comprised of faculty, staff, and administrators who worked together to write a set of guidelines for our return to campus on August 3," Marian Mason, UNLV's engineering career services (ECS) coordinator.
"The committee worked on the guidelines for approximately two months and considered not only the health and safety of our students, but also that of faculty and staff—particularly those with compromised immune systems."
The College of Engineering's Reopening Implementation Committee used Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines as guidance in developing its reopening plan. The CDC guidelines aim to slow the spread of COVID-19 and minimize the infection of students, faculty, staff, and administrators. As the committee explains, the CDC guidelines are based on three risk tiers:
Lowest risk—Faculty and students engage in virtual-only learning options, activities, and events.
More risk—Small in-person classes, activities, and events. Individuals remain spaced at least six feet apart and do not share objects (e.g., hybrid virtual and in-person class structures or staggered/rotated scheduling to accommodate smaller class sizes).
Highest risk—Full-sized, in-person classes, activities, and events. Students are not spaced apart, share classroom materials or supplies, and mix between classes and activities.
The reopening plan developed by the College of Engineering's committee is based on a scenario of "more risk," with a blend of virtual and in-person offerings.
The committee explains that all student services that can be effectively provided remotely—including advising and career services—will mostly continue to be conducted this way. Contact between faculty and staff will be minimized by avoiding walk-ins to offices and maximizing the use of telephone, emails, and computer cams.
"The factors that most influenced us for fall were prioritizing everyone's safety, while still managing to stay connected," Mason explains.
"The hybrid approach was the solution that received the most agreement by our committee."
Upon their return to campus, the career services staff will offer in-person coaching appointments. Fall hiring events are expected to be virtual at this time. Meanwhile, in-person employer interviews may take place on campus only, while implementing all guidelines issued by the CDC.
ECS staff will use masks (and possibly gloves) and hand sanitizer, and practice social distancing.
"For in-person meetings, we may use a Plexiglas partition," Mason explains.
"We also may be asked to rotate days in the office with remote work from home."
ECS will facilitate virtual calls and/or interviews by using Google Hangouts, WebEx Conferencing, or Zoom.
"We will only allow in-person interviews if an employer insists on coming to campus," Mason says.
"If that happens, a designated space in the lobby of [the building that houses ECS] or in one our conference rooms will be arranged to adhere to CDC's social distancing guidelines. ECS is requiring participants in on-campus interviews to wear a mask, follow social distancing guidelines, and not shake hands."
Mason says that challenges she and her colleagues face in this reopening planning include listening to concerns about health privacy, while keeping everyone as safe as possible.
"My advice to my career services colleagues is to be as patient with your planning committee as possible and to listen to all of their fears and concerns," she says.
"This is new territory for us all, and anxiety is reduced when people feel that they are truly heard."


• Identifying emergent cyber threats: lessons from radical economics for estimating a Benefit-Harm Index by Brian MacAulay (Digital Catapult). Brian illustrated the economic and mathematical definition of the BHI (Benefit-Harm Index) for cyber-threat estimation, and its application in the context of the HERMENEUT project.
• Me, the cyberthreat? The Human Factors as a potential to leverage upon by Alessandro Pollini (Deep Blue). Alessandro discussed the assessment of human and organisational vulnerabilities in complex organisations.
• GDPR: issues and opportunities for the security management in Healthcare by Marco Bechini (DEDALUS). How the new GDPR affects data management in the healthcare domain? Marco presented challenges, open issues and new opportunities to exploit from a technology provider perspective.
• Human Factors for Security: case studies and challenges by Damiano Taurino (Deep Blue). Damiano showed how Human Factors can support Security and Cyber-security analysis in different contexts of application.
The presentations are now available on the IEA 2018 congress website.
Overall, the HERMENEUT Symposium engaged the audience, which actively participated to the following discussion posing questions and asking for additional information about the project. In particular, the HERMENEUT approach and tools for holistic and dynamic risk management raised the interest of participants.


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Sony Classics Acquires Domestic Rights to Woody Allen's 'Magic in the Moonlight'
2:01 PM PST 1/9/2014 by THR Staff
The comedy, about an Englishman brought in to help unmask a possible scam, stars Colin Firth and Eileen Atkins.
Sony Pictures Classics has announced that it has acquired all North American rights to Magic in the Moonlight, the upcoming film from Woody Allen.
STORY: Woody Allen's Next Film Gets Title, First Photos Released
Set among the high society of the south of France in the 1920s, the film stars Eileen Atkins, Colin Firth, Marcia Gay Harden, Hamish Linklater, Simon McBurney, Emma Stone and Jacki Weaver. The plot of the romantic comedy follows an Englishman who is brought in to help unmask a possible scam, and "personal and professional complications ensue."
The film pairs Allen once again with his Blue Jasmine producers, Letty Aronson, Stephen Tenenbaum and Edward Walson. Magic is shot by Midnight in Paris cinematographer Darius Khondji, while Anne Seibel, who also worked on Midnight in Paris, oversees production design.
VIDEO: Cate Blanchett on 'Blue Jasmine,' Woody Allen and the Beauty of Being 'Peculiar-Looking'
The film is the seventh Allen acquisition by Sony Pictures Classics, who have also distributed Blue Jasmine, Midnight in Paris, Whatever Works, Sweet and Lowdown, To Rome With Love and You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger.
Allen, 78, will be presented the Cecil B. DeMille Award at the Golden Globes this Sunday, Jan. 12. He is not expected to appear in person; Diane Keaton will accept the award on his behalf.


Dinner Dash is an arcade game in which your mission is to keep customers happy by serving them as quickly as you can.
The happier they are, the more points you get.
If they are wait too long, they will get upset and leave.
You first seat your customers, and then take orders.
You serve food, give checks and clean dishes.
What a tough and challenging work.
Notes: Need to install "Adobe Flash Player" software.


River Drive is a combination of modern brush and street typography with the look of a newly applied wet substance. This is a new level font creation! Each character is carefully created to produce a perfectly imperfect font set for a playful yet professional look.
Big thanks to The Branded Quotes for providing this free font to us. For commercial purpose check out the Licensed Version which includes the complete sets of River Drive.


My reflexes took over twenty minutes ago. The Electric Grarrl on the mat with me was sweating buckets but still moving as fast as the lightning stripes on his fur. I was faster. The second his arm came toward my head I ducked and swung one well placed jab under his ribs and he hit the mat.
The Techo Master joined us on the mat. Shaking his head his looked down at his student.
"Are you well, Neptune?" The Electric Grarrl on the floor nodded to the Techo Master. Master held out a hand and helped Neptune up. Come on I didn't hit him that hard. Neptune bowed to me to show respect for winning the spar. The gleam I saw in his eyes says he wasn't happy he lost to me. I bowed back and Neptune went to gather his equipment and left out the door.
The Techo Master sighed heavily beside me then turned his sharp eyes to me. I bowed to him. He could take me down way easier than I took down Neptune.
"It is not wise to make enemies at this school. Many hold a grudge," the Techo Master said to me.
"Yes, Techo Master, but he challenged me. You taught me not to back down from a spar in your school." He leveled me with a stare. The Techo Master doesn't like when students talk back. Oops.
"You are dismissed, young one. Remember, three codestones for tomorrow's training." With that, the Techo Master walked over to some young Acaras doing defensive drills. One glance and I could tell the small pink one wasn't balanced.
I grabbed my pack from the back room and walked out the glass doors of the Training Academy.
My name is Karma. I'm a yellow Blumaroo that's been living on Mystery Island my whole life. After losing a volleyball game on the beach one day to some older Myncies my sister told me I was weak and I should start training to build up some strength. I took it to heart. So I did. I started training every day and now I can take out some of the Neopets that have been training for years.
Neptune was waiting for me outside. "You got lucky, girly. You won't take me down next time."
Yeah, we'll see. "Don't be a sore loser, Neptune, and don't call me girly. I won fair and square." I tried to walk past him, but he stopped me with a hand on my shoulder. I sighed and turned back to him.
"What do you want, Neptune?" I asked.
"I don't understand why you don't get a paint job. Yellow isn't very intimidating, ya know," Neptune answered me. Not the response I was looking for.
"Right. I'll give it some thought but don't hold your breath," I replied. I'd never really thought about buying a paint brush before. I thought I looked just fine yellow.
"Yeah, think about it. Pink would do you well, girly." Neptune chuckled to himself and walked off.
He's not a bully. Not really. Just full of himself.
I started my short walk home thinking to myself how ridiculous I would look painted pink. That would be a color my sister would go for. Maybe Neptune has a point. More Neopets would take me seriously if I had a nice Darigan or Fire or Halloween paint job. It'd be hard to save that many Neopoints and afford three codestones every day.
Three Codestones! Three! I can barely earn enough neopoints for the two codestone lessons I've been receiving for the past two months. Maybe I'll have to cut back on lessons to three a week. Three Codestones!! I walked the familiar path back to Russia's and my neohome.
The second I stalked through the door Russia was talking to me. She is my younger sister and a red Wocky. She never goes a day without a wardrobe change and makeup. Her eyes sparkled as she looked up at her big sister.
"Guess what? Guess what? Guess what?" she said to me in a sing-song voice.
"What?" Honestly I didn't really care, but she is my sister and I need to appease her. Thoughts of codestone costs were still at the forefront of my mind.
"I'm only one hundred thousand neopoints away from getting a faerie paint brush at the Trading Post!" Russia sang to me as she twirled into the kitchen. Why is everyone so concerned about paint brushes? There's nothing wrong with my yellow or her red. Is there?
Smells like she is making beef and broccoli. She must have won some from Dice-a-roo.
"That's really great. I'm happy for you," I called over my shoulder as I continued my trek to the living room. It was a small neohome with a small everything else. There was a Zen Sofa in the middle of the room and a Meowclops Coffee Table in front of it. The coffee table was stacked with books that Russia insists I read and the latest issue of the Neopian Times. Russia is always saying she is going to redecorate after she paints herself. She thinks all our furniture should match. I love all our mismatched stuff and I tell her every time.
I opened the Neopian Times. Maybe there was an article on making neopoints faster or how to find codestones or advertisements for cheap paintbrushes.
Lioness, my tigermouse, jumped onto the sofa next to me. I stroked her absently as I scanned the Trading Post column. I thought I'd like to be painted Stealthy, but there weren't any for trade so I continued looking. There were Strawberry Fields Forever paint brushes and Starry paint brushes and Striped paint brushes, but those weren't what I was looking for either. Maybe Fire? Yes, there one was for eight hundred thousand neopoints.
"I can't afford that and three codestones a day. It would take forever," I said to myself or I guess Lioness since she was the only creature in the room with me. "I guess I can play one or two more games a day or try my hand at reselling." I looked down at Lioness. She was asleep. Oh well.
The ground was shaking. Is this an earthquake? What's going on?
I was jerked awake by Russia jumping on my bed.
"Wake up, Karma? Come on, wake up. We need to go play games so I can get a Faerie Paint Brush!" If I didn't get up, she was going to start chanting.
"Okay. Okay. I'm up. I'm up," I said to her and she slowed to a steady bounce. It was slightly better. "Why are you holding Lioness?" I asked her.
"She wanted to jump too. She might be hungry," Russia answered me and looked at Lioness's face. Then turned her to me.
"She might be sick after all the bouncing," I told Russia. She set Lioness on the floor and the poor thing ran under my bed.
We dressed and had our omelette breakfast. Shortly after we made our way to the games room. I was pretty good at a few games but Russia was way better. She had trophies lined across her headboard.
I went to play Kass Basher and she went to play Faerie Bubbles. I was doing really well and would get one thousand off this game easy. Then I heard a scream. Not the scream of a young neopet too frustrated with a game. Not the scream of a baby neopet but the scream of a scared one. The scream of my sister. I tore through the games room looking for her. She wasn't on Faerie Bubbles.
"Russia!" I called her name. I was so afraid some bad pet had attacked her. She isn't trained to fight like me. I called again, "Russia!"
"Over here, Karma. By Dubloon Disaster." She was crying. Something was very wrong. I ran over to her and took hold of her paw.
"What happened, Russia? Where you attacked?" My eyes scanned her over but she didn't seem injured. I sighed with relief.
"It was the Pant Devil. He took all my neopoints. I've been saving so long." She cried into my shoulder. "It's going to take so long to make them up." She continued to sob on my arm.
"It will be okay, Russia. I'll help you make them back. I'm so glad you aren't hurt."
She cried harder. "No, you can't help me. You need the neopoints for codestones."
She was right; I did. I've been training too long to stop.
"I have enough neopoints to pay for today's training. Let's just go home, okay? We can come back tomorrow and play as long as you want," I asked her calmly.
She sniffed one more time. "Okay."
I bought Russia ice cream on the way home. That perked her right up.
"Hey, I bet I can make more neopoints if I sold some of my clothes. What do you think, Karma?" Russia asked me as we walked up the steps to our small neohome.
She did have a lot of clothes. "Yeah. That's a good idea. You can go through it all today and we can go to the Trading Post together tomorrow. I want to look at some paint brushes," I said to her with a smile on my face. She beamed back at me.
I left her at home to play while I went to training. The shop wizard found a good deal on two of the codestones I needed so I was happy.
I walked in through the glass doors and bowed to the Techo Master. He bowed back.
"Three codestones today, student," he said to me. You always pay the Techo Master up front.
"Yes, Master," I replied and handed over the codestones.
"To the mat, Karma." He pointed toward the mat and Neptune. Neptune had a sly smile on his face. I guess he wanted to spar again.
"Drills!" the Techo Master yelled at us and we started moving immediately. He went to the back rooms where he kept his pay.
Neptune glanced at me. "Thought any more about painting yourself, girly?" he asked. He was already out of breath.
"Actually, yes. I'm saving for a Fire paint brush," I told him. I was smiling to myself and he saw it. "And don't call me girly."
"Fire! Really? How are you going to afford that?" he puffed.
"I don't know yet," I replied.
"SPAR!" the Techo Master yelled the second he stepped out of the back room.
Neptune turned to me instantly, his arm swinging as he turned. I stepped back and his punch glanced my side.
What I wasn't expecting was his right leg to be heading for me also. I wasn't prepared and it hit hard and I hit the mat.
I was seeing stars. That was new.
Neptune's face blurred above me. "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to hit that hard." I couldn't tell if he was really sorry or not. I turned my face away and met the eyes of the Techo Master.
"Karma, are you injured?" he asked me. He knew how to handle injuries his students got.
I sat up and the room swayed for a minute then stopped. My side hurt, but I thought I was okay. I told that to the Techo Master.
"Good. Why don't you sit out the rest of training today?" he asked me. I didn't want to sit out. I was fine.
"Master, please. I am fine." I begged him not to let me sit this one out.
"That was not an option. You need to rest or gather your things and go. I'll give you a free lesson when you are better." With that he walked away and told Neptune to finish his drills.
"I really am sorry, Karma. You've never not deflected one of my hits before." He did look genuinely sorry.
"Don't worry. I'll get you back," I told him with a smile as I gathered my things and left.
The day was still young and the air was fresh. Maybe I would go to the beach for an hour or so. The waves would help my side stop hurting. I started walking that direction. The ocean is easy to find on Mystery Island. Just start walking and you will find it. Find it I did.
I walked a few feet into the warm water. It felt nice. I walked in a few more feet.
Out of nowhere a water faerie dove out of the water and splashed back into it covering me in water. I was wiping water out of my eyes when she popped back up beside me.
"Lovely day, isn't it?" she asked me. She lay back in the water and gazed up at the sun.
"I need a favor. Would you mind going on a quest for me? I'll reward you with any paint brush color you like." She smiled at me.
Any paint brush color? But she is a water faerie. I looked at her harder and started to make out the tiny details that marked her as the Fountain Faerie. The blue color streaked through her blonde hair and the water drops painted on her face.
The Fountain Faerie! I don't have to save my neopoints! I can just get her the item she wants. My heart soared.
"Yes!" I told her. "Yes, I accept the quest!"
"Oh good. I can't go on the main land myself, you know." She smiled at me. "I need Blueberry Fruit Pancakes. I am just famished."
I was thinking the Fountain Faerie spoke funny but I'll keep that to myself.
"Yes. I'll go find you some. Can you wait here for me?" I asked her. I was worried she would be gone when I came back.
"Yes, Karma. I'll be here," she answered me before diving gracefully back into the water.
I rushed out of the ocean. The waves pulled against me but I finally made it to the dry land. I took off running to the local Tropical Fruit Shop. I tried my best to ignore the stabbing pain in my side as well as the locals yelling at me to slow down.
I burst into the Tropical Fruit Shop and almost knocked down an Elderlygirl Xweetok.
"Sorry, ma'am!" I called over my shoulder as I scanned the tables and shelves for the Blueberry Fruit Pancakes.
She stumbled out of the shop mumbling something about young hooligans.
I didn't see any pancakes. I started to panic.
"Sir? Do you have any Blueberry Fruit Pancakes?" I asked the exotic Techo behind the counter. Maybe he had some in the back.
"Sorry, but no. I won't have any till at least tomorrow afternoon," he answered me before helping a young Buzz find a special fruit.
Maybe Russia had some at home. I ran out the door and started making my way through the streets and back to my neohome. I rushed up the steps and almost bowled Russia over in my haste to get though the door.
"Karma? What are you doing home?" Russia asked me with a worried look on her face.
"Oh, I was injured sparing and the Techo Master sent me home," I told her as I opened the pantry door looking for pancakes.
"You don't look injured, Karma," she said to me. "You look fine. And what are you looking for?"
Russia knows I try to stay out of the kitchen.
"Oh. Well, I went to the beach after the Techo Master made me leave. I met the Fountain Faerie there and she asked me to do a quest. Can you believe it?" I was grinning at Russia. She gave me a funny look before giving me a smile and a hug.
"Congratulations, Karma. You deserve it. What did the Fountain Faerie ask for? I can help you find it." She shooed me away from the pantry. I was getting nowhere anyway.
"She asked for Blueberry Fruit Pancakes. There weren't any at the Tropical Fruit Shop. Do we have any?" I asked her hopefully.
I saw her face fall again and I knew the answer.
"Oh no! I had some with my ice cream after you left for training. Oh, I'm so sorry, Karma!" She put her face in her hands and started crying for the second time that day. I pat her on the back to try to soothe her.
"It's okay, Russia. I'll go tell her I can't find what she wants. I can save up the neopoints," I cooed to her and hugged her to me. She is so sensitive sometimes.
"Okay," she said to me. "Can I come with you? I want to meet her."
"Of course you can." I held out my paw to my little sister and we stepped out the door and right into Neptune. Why are so many neopets standing right beside doors today?
"Neptune? What are you doing here?" I asked him.
"Well, I just wanted to say sorry again and I brought you some pancakes to make up for it." Neptune held up in front of him. You guessed it. Blueberry Fruit Pancakes.
I gasped with delight. Russia ran and hugged him. Come on, Russia. You don't even know the guy.
I said to Neptune, "How did you know?"
He looked at me confused. "Know what?" he asked.
"That I needed Blueberry Fruit Pancakes for the Fountain Faerie. She came to me in the ocean after I left the Training Academy and the Topical Fruit Shop said they wouldn't have any until tomorrow," I choked out and looked at him in wonder.
He gave us a sheepish smile. "It was just the only thing I had left at my neohome."
Russia started jumping for joy. "Come on. Let's go see the Fountain Faerie. I want to watch her paint Karma." She grabbed both my and Neptune's hands and started pulling us to the ocean to where the Fountain Faerie waited for me.
We saw her as we drew closer. She gave us a brilliant smile and called to me, "I see you brought some friends."
"Yes," I told her. "They helped me find the Blueberry Fruit Pancakes you asked for." I handed them over to her and she gave me a big smile.
She waved her hand over the pancakes and they glittered and disappeared. Russia gasped and I started at the spot where the pancakes were just seconds before. What happened?
The Fountain Faerie saw our expressions and laughed. "Don't worry," she said. "I just sent them to my home on Faerieland. Now," she turned to me, "what color would you like to be? Stealthy, Halloween, Shadow, Fire?"
My answer surprised us all. "I ask that you will please paint Russia Faerie. She's been saving neopoints for a long time and the Pant Devil stole a lot of it today. Besides, I'm happy being yellow." I gave Russia a smile. She looked back at me in shock.
"No, Karma. This is your quest, not mine."
"Yes. But it's your dream, Russia." I urged her toward the Fountain Faerie.
She smiled as Russia approached her.
"You have a very good sister Russia. Step into the water and you will become a Faerie Wocky." The Fountain Faerie helped Russia into the water.
The change started at her paws. The color slowly changed from red to light purple and spread up her legs then her body. The air above her back started to glitter and transformed into pink and yellow faerie wings. My sister was beautiful.
She stepped back out of the water. "Thank you," she faltered not knowing the Fountain Faerie's name.
"Naia." She smiled at the three of us. "You pets have a lovely afternoon. Practice flying with the new wings now," she called before diving back into the water and out of site.
We all hugged each other and spent the afternoon on the beach watching the sun set and Russia practice flying.
"You know," I said to Neptune as he sat beside me.
"What?" He grinned at me.
"I'm still getting you back at the Training Academy tomorrow." Then I splashed water in his face and took off running laughing as I ran because he was right behind me.


The LaGrange Wrestling Club will be having sign-ups tomorrow, Wednesday October 31st, and Friday Nov 2nd, 4:30 – 5:30pm in the Lakeland Wrestling Room.
Sign Ups will take place again on Wednesday, November 7th and Friday, November 10th, 4:30 – 5:30pm in the Lakeland Wrestling Room.
Cost will be 50$ per wrestler! This is for all students Pre K – 5th grade.
Practices will begin after Thanksgiving!
Any questions contact Head Coach, Kevin Watkins, or Donnie Waldron.
The LaGrange Wrestling Club is looking forward to a great youth season!


To become a successful guitar teacher, there are many things you must know and do. There are several key principles most new guitar teachers get wrong when they begin teaching.
Avoiding these mistakes helps you learn how to teach guitar faster, better and easier.
Guitar Teaching Principle #1: Great Guitar Teachers Do Not Teach Guitar... They Teach People.
Teaching guitar is about explaining various aspects of guitar playing, guitar technique, music theory, etc.
Teaching people is about solving your student's individual guitar playing problems, developing a strategic path to reach their specific goals and keeping them motivated every step of the way.
Teaching people helps your students enjoy the process of learning guitar and builds their confidence in their musical potential.
Guitar Teaching Principle #2: Your Guitar Students Don't Care How Much You Know…Until They Know How Much You Care.
Want more guitar students to study with you? Show them that you care more about their success than any other teacher in your area. This alone makes a huge difference between the results your students get from you compared to what they could get from anyone else.
Guitar Teaching Principle #3: Surrounding Yourself With Expert Guitar Teachers Makes You A Better Guitar Teacher Faster.
Surround themselves with average guitar teachers who are not true experts at what they do.
Surround yourself with guitar teachers who know how to successfully handle the same situations you currently struggle with.
Guitar Teaching Principle #4: Balance Patience With Expectations.
You probably know that you need a lot of patience to be a good guitar teacher. What most guitar teachers don't know is how to balance patience with expectations. Your guitar students' progress is influenced by what you teach them and by what you expect from them.
If you fail to consistently set high expectations for your students, most of them will progress slowly. This is not good for your reputation as a guitar teacher. You need to push them a little with realistic, but high expectations. At the same time, you must be supportive and patient as you teach guitar.
Guitar Teaching Principle #5: Don't Settle For Being Good Enough.
Do you want your doctor, accountant, or auto mechanic to be good enough? Or do you want these people to be the best at what they do, so they can serve you better? It's unethical to not be as good as you know you can be. Sadly, many guitar teachers think it is ok to be good enough. This is a big reason why they struggle to earn good money and why their guitar students often don't become great musicians.
Guitar Teaching Principle #6: Being A Great Guitar Player And A Great Guitar Teacher Are 2 Different Things.
Don't be intimidated by guitar teachers in your area who brag about their advanced music degrees. One's musical knowledge or guitar playing skills say nothing about their ability to teach another human being to play guitar.
Your guitar students only care about your ability to teach them solve their problems and reach their goals. Improving your guitar teaching skills makes you the leading guitar teacher in your area even if you aren't the best musician and don't have a music degree.
Guitar teacher training helps you improve your guitar teaching skills quickly.
Guitar Teaching Principle #7: Your Guitar Students Don't Need To Learn New Content From You All The Time.
Your guitar students don't want content from you - they want results. Teaching them content is only one part of giving them the results they need. The other parts include training them how to practice guitar, solving their problems and motivating them to keep going (even when they feel frustrated).
Every guitar teacher needs to start somewhere. The sooner you start teaching, the faster you get over your fears and the faster you get guitar teaching experience. This guitar teaching article explains why it's important to start teaching guitar as soon as possible.
It doesn't matter how big (or small) your local area is. You can and should have a lot more guitar students than you have right now. There are a lot of people around you who want to learn guitar. Your job is to find them and show them that you are the right guitar teacher for them.
You become motivated to become the best teacher you can be, as quickly as possible.
You become driven to help as many people as you can.
Learn how to teach guitar better than anyone else in your area.
Learn how to teach guitar and make a good living at the same time.


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Magic Leap is partnering with the NBA to bring virtual basketball games to its goggles
Shaq says Magic Leap is great, while wearing Magic Leap
By Lauren Goode@LaurenGoode Feb 13, 2018, 7:04pm EST
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Lightfield-display technology company Magic Leap is partnering with the NBA to create digital basketball games that people can watch through its goggles – whenever it is that people are able to get their hands on said goggles, which have been years in the works and are supposed to ship this year.
In a video showed on stage at Recode's Code Media conference earlier today, retired NBA star and current NBA analyst Shaq was seen wearing a pair of Magic Leap glasses and vouched for the product. "When I went to Magic Leap, I watched a full court game right here," Shaq said in the video, gesturing towards the empty space on his right. "Lebron was right here. Then I went over here [gesturing to his left] and watched Orlando play the LA Lakers."
Magic Leap CEO Rony Abovitz revealed the partnership in an interview with Recode's Peter Kafka. NBA commissioner Adam Silver was also part of the on-stage interview. As far as we know, Shaq isn't an official spokesperson for the product – just someone who seems to really like the goggles, and who made it clear he wants a digital version of himself made for the platform.
Florida-based Magic Leap was founded in 2010 and has raised a staggering $1.9 billion in funding to date, from companies like Alibaba, Google, and most recently, Axel Springer. It says it has built lightfield technology that "generates digital light at different depths" to merge the digital world with the real world. Abovitz said today that the system "senses you...[it] gets an emotional state, biomarkers, and information about the world around you" in order to optimize the experience.
Lightfield-display tech is not new, and it's something that other startup companies, like Avegant and Lytro, have been trying to commercialize. But, unlike products from those companies, relatively few people have seen Magic Leap's technology in action, and to say the company has been opaque about what it's making is an understatement. (In the past Magic Leap has even been criticized for putting out highly-produced demo videos to show what the technology does, rather than showing the actual output from the goggles.)
In December of 2017 the company finally unveiled a "creator edition" of its augmented reality system, called Magic Leap One, and said it plans to ship the product sometime in 2018, along with its SDK.
In the video seen today at Code Media, Shaq appears to be wearing the same version of these googles (albeit a very large pair), complete with the Lightpack that holds the guts of the system. The video also showed a brief behind-the-scenes of the making of a Magic Leap video, in a cylindrical soundstage with multiple cameras; but no point-of-view video was seen.
During the Code Media interview CEO Abovitz did offer some hints around Magic Leap's pricing when it ships. "We're not going to be a single product company over time. Just like some companies have a cascade...think of this like pro-sumerish, then hyper-pro, and then mass market," he said when pressed on price. "Think higher mobile phone, higher tablet zone."


Custom reports are free to download, but they are NOT supported. If you have an issue with a report, it will not be changed. These reports have been created to another customers specific requirements. If the report you are looking for does not exist, let us know what you need and we may be able to create a custom report for you. We charge for the development time required for custom report creation.
Similar to the standard owner profit and loss report except it prints one page per property.
Similar to the NZ T41 Rent Summary report, except it allows a user defined date range and an optional note printed on it.
Lists transactions either detailed or totals only, grouped by tender type.
Lists the vacancy rate of properties during a defined date range.
List of who is coming and going for people who do short term bookings.
List of transactions grouped and totalled by payee name.
Simple owner based cashflow report.
This report lists rent balances due for holiday home or short stay accomodation.
The same as the original Rent Summary report, with a date range selection and one column removed, replaced with an invoice number column.
This report contains the same basic content as the Expense Details report. However the report prints in landscape page orientation, and prints a new page per property. If this report is sent to email, it will create a new email for each property, and will insert the owners email address into the email. So this report is intended to be printed or emailed to the property owner.
This report looks the same as the Owner Statement (Envelope) report, except it prints all transactions from after the previous disbursement onwards.
This report is designed by the Australian Tenancy Tribunal. It provides rent payment and arrears information in a format they have suggested.
Check back for new reports which may appear. When new reports are made available a new blog entry will be created.


I didn't think Albinism occured in Amphibians!
cool pic i have never seen a albino one before!!!
We have an albino smooth newt in our pond this year. She appears to be laying eggs so the results will be interesting.
I thought I'd resurect this old thread.
I went round to visit a lady in Kent who has the leucistic Smooth Newts in her pond. Unfortunately I was unable to find them today. She has a fairly large pond (12ft x 12ft) that's 5ft deep with about 12" of substrate at the bottom. The pond's full of Common Frogs with thousands of tadpoles, and anywhere between 50-100+ Smooth Newts. She has taken photos of two leucistic specimens in her pond but I failed to find them today in the depths of the water. She's going to catch one and give me a call if either of the leucistic specimens surface again.
wow! Looking forward to some professional tank-based photos of these beauties.
I just hope they turn up again. Maybe being albino / leucistic they don't like all the hot sunny weather we've had? Maybe tomorrow's predicted rain will bring them out.


The fourth revised and enlarged edition of the Directory of Libraries in India contains much larger number of addresses of libraries in India. Some chapters have been added exclusively to provide addresses of institutions offering courses on important subjects like Management, Medicine and Nursing, Engineering and Technology, Architecture, Law, Agriculture, Sports, etc. In addition, addresses of premier academic and professional institutions of India's neighbouring countries like Nepal, Bhutan, Maldives, Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Bangladesh have also been included so as to give it a wider coverage. It is hoped that the Directory in its present form would be found highly useful by publishers and booksellers in mailing their publicity material. It would also be useful to librarians and all those concerned with educational institutions and organisations for getting information about libraries in India.
K.R. Gupta, M.A., Ph.D., is founder Chairman of Atlantic Publishers and Distributors (P) Ltd., New Delhi. After retirement from the position of Chairman he is working as Honorary Advisor in this organisation. He possesses a thorough knowledge of the book trade. He is also founder President of the Association of Indian Publishers and Booksellers. He has been a member of the executive of Federation of Publishers' and Booksellers' Associations in India.


Find the Perfect .aeg Domain Name!
The .aeg gTLD will create a new generation gTLD serving the interests of internet users by providing an authoritative internet space where information, services and resources of the brand will be closely controlled by AB Electrolux (Electrolux), who own the AEG trademarks. The majority of the anticipated domain name registrations under the .aeg gTLD will be used in the promotion and communication of the AEG brand and its associated products.


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« Pope Francis' 'solution' to Syrian crisis will not work
The Feast of Trumpets is here »
US Senate committee approves military action against Syria
Today, the USA inched closer to getting more support for attacking Syria:
WASHINGTON –- A divided Senate Foreign Relations Committee voted narrowly Wednesday to authorize a punitive U.S. strike against Syria, opening the way for a vote in the full Senate next week.
The vote was 10 to 7, with Democrats and Republicans on each side. Committee Chairman Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) supported the measure, as did ranking member Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) and Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), who has repeatedly urged President Obama to do more to aid the Syrian opposition.
Opponents included conservative Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), and liberals Sen. Tom Udall (D-N.M.) and Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.).
Sen. Richard J. Durbin (D-Ill.), who voted for the resolution, said it would send a clear message to Assad. "This won't be a limited, but a powerful response," he said. http://www.latimes.com/world/worldnow/la-fg-wn-senate-committee-military-strike-syria-20130904,0,7238618.story
U.S. President Barack Obama and some leading lawmakers are coming out strongly in favor of military strikes against Syria, but it appears they have more work to do to convince the American public.
A Washington Post / ABC News poll finds 59 percent of Americans surveyed oppose launching missile strikes against the Syrian government compared to 36 percent in favor. The poll found support for airstrikes against Syria increased from 36 percent to 46 percent if other countries, such as Britain and France participated.
Another poll conducted by the Pew Research Center found those opposed to airstrikes against Syria outnumbered those in favor, 48 percent to 29 percent.
The poll found 74 percent of respondents say that airstrikes will result in an anti-American backlash, while 61 percent think airstrikes would lead to a long-term U.S. military commitment. http://www.voanews.com/content/us-public-skeptical-of-syria-strikes/1742943.html
Secretary of State John Kerry spent much of the afternoon speaking to a House of Representatives committee.
"As we debate, the world is watching and the world is wondering, not whether Assad's regime actually did this," Kerry said. "The world is wondering whether the United States of America is going to consent through silence to stand aside while this kind of brutality is allowed to happen without consequence."
The Senate committee approved a plan that would give Obama authority to order limited strikes against Syrian military targets for 60 days. He could extend the window by another 30 days under certain conditions.
The resolution does not authorize the use of ground troops. It states military action must be aimed at deterring and preventing Syria from carrying out future chemical weapons attacks.
Obama says he is convinced that President Assad's government used chemical weapons on civilians in the attack on August 21, which killed more than 1,400 people near Damascus.
Syria denies using chemical weapons, alleging it was the rebels who deployed them. http://www.voanews.com/content/obama-says-international-credibility-at-stake-on-syria/1743020.html
Those in USA may end up having regrets about what part of its government is hoping to do. The opposition in Syria is not pro-West, and the Assad regime has indicated that it will not go without a lot of fight.
The U.S.A. itself is vulnerable to EMP type attacks and they and/or items such as biological weapons, chemical weapons, terrorism, nuclear weapons, dirty bombs, etc. could affect the U.S.A. because of a conflict involving Iran, Syria, and/or others.
Of course, various ones want the USA to get involved, despite the risks. A reader sent the following:
Secretary of State John Kerry said at Wednesday's hearing that Arab counties have offered to pay for the entirety of unseating President Bashar al-Assad if the United States took the lead militarily.
"With respect to Arab countries offering to bear costs and to assess, the answer is profoundly yes," Kerry said. "They have. That offer is on the table."
Asked by Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-Fla.) about how much those countries would contribute, Kerry said they have offered to pay for all of a full invasion.
"In fact, some of them have said that if the United States is prepared to go do the whole thing the way we've done it previously in other places, they'll carry that cost," Kerry said. "That's how dedicated they are at this. That's not in the cards, and nobody's talking about it, but they're talking in serious ways about getting this done. http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-politics-live/liveblog/the-houses-syria-hearing-live-updates/#e68f139f-e012-476c-876e-2467ba30e5e3
Related to the above, a reader who sent it said that the website that led him to that source commented:
Yes, this is really what America has become in 2013, a "murder-for-hire" thug nation eager to do the bidding of wealthy Muslim countries for the right price. After all, Obama with much fanfare did bring the Chicago Way to the White House when he first began to occupy the president's chair in 2009.
Now, I should add that I do not believe that the USA is simply a "gun for hire" in this situation, though I do believe it has an agenda beyond eliminating Syria from using chemical weapons.
Irrespective of political views, the reality is that the oil-rich Arab nations hope to be able to eliminate Shi'ite Iranian-influence, in the area (which Syria is involved in) as well as the Sunni Muslim Brotherhood (who wants a confederation of Arabic nations in an Islamic state).
No matter what happens now, the oil-rich (Sunni) Arab nations will ultimately not succeed quite as they hope. They will end up in a confederation of North African and Middle Eastern Arab nations, along with Turkey and others (Ezekiel 30:1-9; Daniel 11:40-43). And this will include Syria (though Jordan, Turkey, and some of the oil-rich nations will not be a real strong part of the confederation, and may be among those that will ultimately betray it per Daniel 11:26).
Because of its prophesied role, the situation in Syria will change. As I believe that Syria biblically is one of the nations that will support the final King of the South (Daniel 11:40-43), either Assad will change, die, or be exiled. Israel needs to realize that it can be damaged, perhaps severely by retaliation from Syria and/or its ally Iran (cf. Isaiah 22:1-14).
Ultimately, Damascus will be destroyed (Isaiah 17:1), and it may be because of damage done to Israel and/or the USA.
Some items of related interest may include:
Damascus and Syria in Prophecy Will Bashar Assad hold power as he has it? Does the Bible show that Damascus, the capital of Syria, will be destroyed? What will happen to Syria? Will the Syrians support the final King of the South that the Bible tells will rise up? Which scriptures discuss the rise and fall of an Arabic confederation? Does Islamic prophecy predict the destruction of Syria. This is a YouTube video.
Anglo – America in Prophecy & the Lost Tribes of Israel Are the Americans, Canadians, English, Scottish, Welsh, Australians, Anglo (non-Dutch) Southern Africans, and New Zealanders descendants of Joseph? Where are the lost ten-tribes of Israel? Who are the lost tribes of Israel? What will happen to Jerusalem and the Jews in Israel? Will God punish the U.S.A., Canada, United Kingdom, and other Anglo nations? Why might God allow them to be punished first?
Egypt in Prophecy Does Egypt have a special role in end time prophecy? Will Egypt rise up and then be defeated. What does God teach will happen to those in Egypt? Here is a link to a YouTube video titled Egypt and End Time Prophecy.
The Future King of the South is Rising Does the Bible teach that there will be a future King of the South in Daniel 11? Is this kingdom rising up now? Did the old Worldwide Church of God (WCG) teach that there would be another one? And who is the King of the South? How will this involve Egypt? Is the final King of the South some type of Arab-Muslim confederation? Can Iran be involved? Is there a group that seems to be supporting the goals of the King of the South? Has the Obama Administration supported the rise of this power? This sermon video answers those questions.
The Muslim Brotherhood and the Rise of the King of the South The Bible tells of the formation of a power of nations that are in the Middle East and North Africa that are part of the final "King of the South" (Daniel 11:40-43) The Muslim Brotherhood wishes to have an Islamic empire with basically the same nations. This YouTube video explains what to expect from such a confederation.
Is There A Future King of the South? Some no longer believe there needs to be. Might Egypt, Islam, Iran, Arabs, or Ethiopia be involved? Might this King be called the Mahdi? What does the Bible say?
The Arab and Islamic World In the Bible, History, and Prophecy The Bible discusses the origins of the Arab world and discusses the Middle East in prophecy. What is ahead for the Middle East and those who follow Islam? What about the Imam Mahdi? What lies ahead for Turkey, Iran, and the other non-Arabic Muslims?
What Should You Know About Turkey in Prophecy Do you know the Turkish people descended from? Did the Ottoman Empire possibly fulfill a promise in Genesis? Will Turkey support the European King of the North or Arabic King of the South? Will it betray one of them? Will Turkey be involved in the encouraging the destruction of Israel? Is Turkey going to become Catholic? Is Turkey mentioned in Psalm 83, Daniel 11, and elsewhere in the Bible? This video provides answers.
Is There an Islamic Antichrist? Is Joel Richardson correct that the final Antichrist will be Islamic and not European? Find out.
Barack Obama in Islamic Prophecy? There is actually a 17th century Shiite prophecy that some believe that Barack Obama will fulfill that will lead to a rising up of Islam.
Arabic Nazarenes May Have Kept Original Christian Practices Were their faithful Arabs who held to original Christianity?
This entry was posted on Wednesday, September 4th, 2013 at 3:32 pm and is filed under Prophecy.
CCOG Sermon: The Future King of the South is Rising
Obama Administration: Assad will not be part of Syria's government
Obama on Israel's bombing in Syria
BibleNewsProphecy: Egypt and Prophecy
BibleNewsProphecy: Egypt and End Time Prophecy
BibleNewsProphecy: Damascus and Syria in Prophecy
BibleNewsProphecy: Syria and Damascus in prophecy
Israel Declares Another "Red Line" That Would Cause it to Take Military Action Against Syria
Syria still has 96% of its chemical weapons; John Kerry indicates US policy on Syria is failing
'Friends of Syria' arming opposition


Holdings: Note, To: "My Dear Little Sister" From: Oliver Wilson Cope, [n.d.].
Note, To: "My Dear Little Sister" From: Oliver Wilson Cope, [n.d.].
These materials are owned by the American Catholic Historical Society and maintained at the Catholic Historical Research Center of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia (CHRC) 6740 Roosevelt Blvd., Philadelphia, PA 19149. For more information please see: http://www.chrc-phila.org/ Author signed "brother" with initials, O.W.C.
Cope, Oliver Wilson > Family.


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The Pros and Cons of Season Passes
Season passes have become a popular option for developers and publishers to make additional money on DLC. But the recent issues with Assassin's Creed Unity spotlight the disadvantages of their use.
Ulyana Chernyak
In today's digital market, the use of season passes has become popular to get additional profits from a consumer through a game's shelf life.
But recent news regarding Ubisoft's cancellation of their pass for Assassin's Creed Unity shows some of the concerns over the model and is the subject of today's post.
Season Pass:
The season pass option has appeared alongside the rise of DLC and microtransactions in the Game Industry and has two different uses.
First is that they are viewed as a secondary pre-order on a video game. Where someone can spend money now and be promised future content just like pre-ordering a game from a digital store. This in turn can increase the price of a game from $50-60 to $80-$90 depending on the initial price of the game and size of the season pass.
Another use is that they can become a popular option for sales when the time comes. Since the original purchase will be on sale, many consumers will view the season pass more favorably if they are already getting a huge savings on the original. Also if the DLC that comes with the pass was reviewed favorably, people will be more likely to buy it both on sale or without.
Talking about advantages of the model, they are focused mostly on the developer/publisher.
With the issues of game devaluation and how risk adverse the AAA market is, being able to get more money out of each individual game in a series is important for developers and publishers.
Because gamers these days expect titles to be worked on beyond the game's release date, season pass sales can guarantee that the developer will be paid for their continued work on a title. And again, if the game and DLC are reviewed favorably, then sales of the season pass will go up.
Season passes also offer another avenue for developers to convince consumers to pre-order the game if it means some kind of discount on the pass itself.
The Borderlands 2 season pass had a lot of content, but confused audiences by not including all the gameplay related content.
For the consumer, the main advantage is when the game and pass go on sale as it will allow them to get the "complete version" of the game at a cheap price.
However like pre-orders, season passes are not popular for a lot of gamers as the Assassin's Creed Unity example has demonstrated.
The same concerns about pre-ordering a game are also associated with season passes as the consumer is expected to put money towards something that they have no idea how well it will turn out. While publishers have gotten more risk adverse, so have consumers who don't want to spend $60+ between a game and season pass and find out that the game was bad.
When trying to sell the consumer a season pass, it's important to lay out exactly what it will offer as to avoid any confusion. With Borderlands 2, Gearbox Software didn't explain it clearly that there was additional DLC beyond the season pass and that confused and annoyed a lot of consumers.
The problem is that there is no real definition as to what a season pass should include and it's based on the game and genre itself. Games like Saint's Row 4 had a season pass which included all story based content, but did not give the player any of the cosmetic DLCs.
Another problem with season passes for the developer is that they are a commitment by the developer to put out new content for their title, regardless of how well or poor the game sold. If they fail to put out what they were promised, the negative PR for the season pass will affect future sales from that developer.
With Batman Arkham Origins, the game was shipped with a season pass option but after bugs and poor reviews which led to low sales, the developers stopped after just one piece of story content and the pass was edited to say that there would be nothing else coming.
Arkham Origins was shipped with the promise of more content, but low sales and reviews cut the pass far shorter than the original intent.
But Assassin's Creed Unity is the only example so far of a developer failing to honor their agreement to continue supporting Unity with more content. While the developers have promised one piece of free DLC and a free game from Ubisoft's line-up, that doesn't make up for the fact that now many people see Ubisoft as a failure when it comes to producing a quality game and content. And there is no doubt that this will affect future sales and pre-orders of Ubisoft's games.
Pre-Order Overload:
In order for more consumers to trust season passes, developers will need to commit to season pass development while developing the game and not as an afterthought. A season pass works best if the initial game is of high quality, not being tacked on to a title with shoddy infrastructure from the start.
Great DLC can elevate an already amazing title, but it won't save a sinking ship and can end up costing the developers in PR and future sales as Ubisoft is now dealing with.
(Reprinted from the Xsolla.com Blog)
MobileConsoleProductionDesign


A wonderful day in Ottawa with so many great friends....thank you all!
It's St. Patrick's Day weekend - i hope you get to take in a parade! Clap for those playing and marching, as they're there for you! Have fun!!
916. Learn the rules. Then break some.
600. There are people who will always come up with reasons why you can't do what you want to do. Ignore them.
I have these great little books called 'Life's Little Instruction Book' and they give you little ideas for making life a little better.
629. Don't waste time trying to appreciate music you dislike. Spend the time with music you love.
Now it was just a fluke that I opened to this page and saw a quote on music, but maybe it was meant to be....!
I teach kids to play the pipes and drums. It is a most rewarding experience, and I look forward to seeing where they go with it - and their stories are the best!
Take time to be kind. You'll make friends, and those friends will be the best thing in your life, for a long time. You are important, as are they.
Be sure to go to a ceremony on Sunday, November 11. This year's special as it's the 100th anniversary of the signing of the Armistice. We will remember them.
Don't put off learning a new skill. Taking on a new challenge, be it song, dance or art of any kind - it's all good for you and to be happy. I teach lots of people who are a bit older than 12, and they love a good new set of goals to have. Taking on a new skill means too that you're fulfilling something you've always wanted to do, and that will bring you pride and confidence. And that's a very good thing.
Set some dreams, write down your goals, and go for them. Best thing? They can come true. Now go get what you want!
The Royal wedding of Harry and Meghan was just lovely. Touching and thoughtful, you could see how fond they were of each other.
I wrote a tune for them last fall when they were engaged and sent it along to them. I know it's not the last song that they'll have composed in their honour.
On another day, I had a letter from Her Majesty The Queen. It is just a great honour to get letters of acknowledgement from such a magnificent person.
We have a wonderful endeavor to help mark the 65th anniversary of the Coronation of Her Majesty The Queen. Visit our Facebook page for details on how you can be part of this super celebration!
There are many days when the young among us will teach us simple joy and happiness. Don't forget what makes you happy, and give back where you can. It makes all the difference.
No matter the age and background, when you share your music you share your joy. And that is felt, shared and appreciated. We all have gifts - let's share them all!
Contests are curious things. We need to prepare for them well and be ready to soar or fail - and anything else in between. Being humble and open helps a lot, but that's really only a small part of it.
Listen to your tutor, take the comments in stride, and work towards the next, whatever that is. In your own way, you're already winning.
The months can prove long and dark - don't forget your music! Either playing it or listening to it, having the luxury of music in your life can bring so much to it.
Share with your friends, look for new challenges, and play for others - it can make a day brighter for everyone. Plus you improve and become a more solid performer, so everyone wins.
Go get your music on!
January can be a bleak month, for many reasons, and for many people. I keep busy making plans for the next spring and summer, and taking things off the never-ending checklist. I make sure to call friends and cause laughter to break out, because you never know what great you can be giving. Just give, and you'll get so much more in return.
But don't forget....we're Canadian, and that means we're silly and fun, snowbound and sarcastic. We are champions.


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MINDFULLY CREATIVE PODCAST EPISODE 10: CREATIVITY AND AGING
This episode of The Mindfully Creative Podcast spotlights creativity and the aging process with guest, Wendy L. Miller, Ph.D., co-author of the book, Sky Above Clouds: Finding Our Way Through Creativity, Aging and Illness (Oxford University Press, 2016). In this interview, we talk about key concepts from the book and specifically how creativity can benefit all of us as we age.
"Through their scientific research, clinical practice, and a remarkable life together, husband and wife team Gene Cohen and Wendy Miller uncover new clues about how the aging mind can expand awareness, build resilience, and continue growth, even during times of grave illness, upending long-held assumptions about the aging brain. Cohen, considered one of the founding fathers of geriatric psychiatry, shares from decades of research and personal journals detailing his exploration of the aging brain and the vast potential that is often overlooked. Miller, an expressive arts therapist and educator, highlights stories of creative growth in the midst of illness and loss encountered through her personal life and her clinical practice. Together, Cohen and Miller show how resources that naturally reside within us remain our most valuable tools as we navigate the uncharted territory of aging and illness.
Sky Above Clouds traces the path that Cohen and Miller traveled together as the foremost expert on creativity and aging confronted his own aging process and a metastatic disease that threatened to cut his life short. Cohen's distinguished work led to breakthroughs in science and society as, for more than a decade, despite his illness, he continued to pioneer geriatric research and advance the public conversation about aging well.
Sky Above Clouds draws deeply from the couple's merged wisdom and new lessons learned in a struggle through illness and loss within their extended family, eventually including Cohen's own untimely death. The book blends both authors' perspectives and voices, incorporating journal entries they wrote together in the years before Cohen's death.
What happens when the expert on aging is confronted with his own in the context of a grave illness? What happens when the therapist who helps others cope with illness and loss is forced to confront her own responses to these experiences? With Miller's insights and expressive psychological writing, Sky Above Clouds shows how attitude, community, creativity, and love shape a life through health, illness, and even death. The result is a richly informative and emotional journey of growth."
-Source: Oxford University Press
About Wendy L. Miller, Ph.D.
Wendy Miller, Ph.D. ATR-BC, LCPAT, REAT, LPC, BCPC is an expressive arts therapist, writer, sculptor, and educator. She taught for over fifteen years in various universities throughout the country, including JFK University, San Francisco State University, Southwestern College, Lesley College, California Institute of Integral Studies, and The George Washington University. She is the co-founder of Create Therapy Institute, which offers clinical services in arts-based psychotherapy and trainings in the expressive arts. She is a founding member, and first elected (past) executive co-chair of the International Expressive Arts Therapy Association, where she continues to be on their Advisory Council. Her current work is evolving as she continues the legacy of her late husband's work, pioneer of creative aging, Gene Cohen, and his Washington DC Center on Aging, where she is guiding it into projects on intergenerational communication. She continues to research the relationships among the arts, creativity and health, and recently published her book from the writings she and Gene did together, entitled: Sky Above Clouds: Finding our way through creativity, aging and illness, released in March 2016 from Oxford University Press.During this episode we discuss:
How did the idea of Sky Above Clouds come about?
As the Baby Boomer Generation ages, how are they engaging in more creative pursuits than other generations?
What are, if any correlation between wellness and creativity for older adults?
You can currently find Mindfully Creative podcast on Sound Cloud, Stitch and Google Play. Listen to Episode 10 below:
Cinderblock4
Creative Arts Therapy Week
Creativeidentity
Creativepurpose
Creative Recovery
Creativewomen
Danielle LaPorte
Goals With Soul
Heal My Voice
Legacytalkdc
Sky Above The Clouds
Sparkyourcreativepodcast
The Desire Map
Walking Gallery
Wrting


Slate: What's so good about being Cherokee?
"Over the weekend the Cherokee Nation voted to revoke citizenship from the descendents of slaves owned by the tribe more than a century ago. A group representing the 2,800 affected members plans to fight the election results. What exactly do you get for being Cherokee?
A lot of government assistance. Like the members of other Native American tribes, Cherokees have access to free health care at tribe-run clinics and hospitals. Prescription drugs, eyeglasses, and hospitalizations are all covered under this system, which the tribe operates with funding from the federal Indian Health Services. (The quality of care isn't always the best; in the 1970s the IHS was even accused of sterilizing women without their consent.) The tribe's housing authority also uses government money to help Cherokees buy and remodel homes.
Being Cherokee might also earn you scholarship money. College students can score $1,000 per semester, with preferences given to those closest to graduation. About 2,000 students (or 90 percent of those who apply) receive the grants. Those who are heading into the gaming and travel industries can even get a free ride. The tribe gives full scholarships for students studying hospitality administration through a distance-learning program at the University of Nevada at Las Vegas—with the understanding that students will work for Cherokee-owned casinos and businesses when they're done.
The size of the Cherokee casino business makes membership a boon even for job hunters who didn't major in hospitality. The Cherokee Nation is Oklahoma's biggest employer and has more than 6,000 people on the payroll. Tribal law grants Cherokee members first dibs at these jobs, followed by other Native Americans and then everyone else. (Cherokee citizens can also vote in tribal elections, and they have the right to own Cherokee Nation license plates.)"


If you want to know, how things in Ynet work, or you just can not help yourself with settings of some service, this is the right place for you. In this sections, you will find information about payments, admins, registrars and detailed picture tutorials, how to set and use some of more difficult services.
In left menu, try to click on section, you are interested in, or on services, you can not deal with.
List of admins and registrars is available on notice-boards of civic association (near reception of each dorm).


text:
Glass-bottom deck opens atop China's 'horizontal skyscraper'
Posted: Jun 9, 2020 11:47 AM CST
By Maggie Hiufu Wong, CNN
(CNN) -- It's easy to see why "The Crystal" is one of the most highly anticipated new attractions in China.
Designed by Moshe Safdie, the mastermind behind Singapore's awe-inspiring Changi Jewel, the 250-meter-tall sky bridge is the highest of its kind.
Dubbed a horizontal skyscraper, it stretches 350 meters across four of the eight skyscrapers that make up Raffles City Chongqing, a multi-use riverside complex in the southwest China megacity. Aerial walkways also connect it to two more skyscrapers.
The Crystal recently unveiled its first attraction to the public: The Exploration Deck.
"The Exploration Deck is the first major attraction to launch in Chongqing since the lifting of the country's nationwide lockdown and the public's enthusiastic response is yet another encouraging sign of recovery in consumer sentiment," says Lucas Loh, president of the CapitaLand Group in China.
As a crowd control measure to prevent the spread of Covid-19, a daily visitor quota of 3,000 has been implemented. Each visitor will be allotted a time slot to regulate the crowds.
On opening weekend in late May, almost all available tickets were sold out.
"All visitors to the Exploration Deck are required to wear masks and have their temperatures taken," a CapitaLand spokesperson tells CNN Travel.
"Hand sanitizers are provided at each of the touchscreen panels and frequent sanitizing is carried out at areas with higher touch points -- lifts and interactive panels, for example."
A mini-museum, a park and a glass-bottom deck
The Exploration Deck, spanning over 1,500 square meters, is more than just a viewing platform.
Raffles City Chongqing teamed up with National Geographic to create an exploration-themed exhibition.
"In collaboration with National Geographic, the exhibition brings to life space exploration through five multi-dimensional exhibition zones at the Exploration Deck on Level 47, and showcases how mankind is making life possible on Mars," says the spokesperson.
The first part of the five-part exhibition, on level 1, outlines Chongqing's history and development.
After taking a space-inspired express lift, visitors go on to the Mars exhibition on level 47.
At the end of the tour, visitors will arrive at an indoor park and an open-air glass-bottom viewing deck that offers panoramic views of the fast-developing Chinese city and the Yangtze River.
Yet to be opened, the rest of The Crystal sky bridge will be home to The Private Club, a members-only clubhouse, as well as The Sky Garden, a food and beverage destination.
The 6,000-square-meter Sky Garden will house "six restaurants and bars with different dining concepts." It's expected to open to the public in the third quarter of 2020.
The highly anticipated rooftop pools, however, will be located in the private clubhouse.
Taking seven years and about RMB24 billion ($3.4 billion) to complete, Raffles City Chongqing has what's considered the world's highest sky bridge linking the most number of skyscrapers.
The sky bridge is comprised of 12,000 tons of steel, 3,000 pieces of glass panels and about 5,000 aluminum panels.
The 9.2-hectare complex also includes a 230,000-square-meter shopping mall, which opened in September 2019, as well as 1,400 residential apartments, a luxury hotel and more office space.