text:
Ivan Meštrović (; 15 August 1883 – 16 January 1962) was a Croatian sculptor, architect, and writer. He was the most prominent modern Croatian sculptor and a leading artistic personality in contemporary Zagreb. He studied at Pavle Bilinić's Stone Workshop in Split and at the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna, where he was formed under the influence of the Secession. He traveled throughout Europe and studied the works of ancient and Renaissance masters, especially Michelangelo, and French sculptors Auguste Rodin, Antoine Bourdelle and Aristide Maillol. He was the initiator of the national-romantic group Medulić (he advocated the creation of art of national features inspired by the heroic folk songs). During the First World War, he lived in emigration. After the war, he returned to Croatia and began a long and fruitful period of sculpture and pedagogical work. In 1942 he emigrated to Italy, in 1943 to Switzerland and in 1947 to the United States. He was a professor of sculpture at the Syracuse University and from 1955 at the University of Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana.

Most of his early works of symbolic themes were formed in the spirit of the Secession, some of which, like the Well of Life, show impressionist restless surfaces created under the influence of Rodin's naturalism, and the second, reviving national myth, become stylized monumental plastics (Kosovo cycle, 1908-1910). Before the First World War, he left pathetic epic stylization, expressing increasingly emotional states, as evidenced by the wooden reliefs of biblical themes made in a combination of Archaic, Gothic, Secessionist and Expressionist styles. During the 1920s and 1930s, the classical component prevailed in his works. In this period, he created a number of public monuments of strong plastic expression, pronounced and legible shapes (Grgur Ninski and Marko Marulić in Split, Andrija Medulić, Andrija Kačić-Miošić and Josip Juraj Strossmayer in Zagreb, Pobednik in Belgrade, Svetozar Miletić in Novi Sad and The Bowman and The Spearman in Chicago). Portraits take a special place in his opus.

Meštrović achieved works of strong plastic value in the construction-sculptural monuments and projects, mostly with central layout (the Mausoleum of the Račić family in Cavtat, the Mausoleum of the Meštrović family in Otavice, the Meštrović Pavilion in Zagreb, Monument to the Unknown Hero in Belgrade). He also designed a memorial church of King Zvonimir in Biskupija near Knin inspired by old Croatian churches, a representative family palace, today the Ivan Meštrović Gallery, and reconstructed renaissance fortified mansion Crikvine-Kaštilac in Split.

Life

Early life
He was born in Vrpolje, Slavonia, and spent his childhood in the small Dalmatian village of Otavice, the native place of his parents in the Dinaric Alps. His father was a poor peasant and sheep-breeder. At the age of sixteen he was accepted as an apprentice by Pavle Bilinić, a master of a stonemasonry in Split.

His artistic skills were improved by studying the monumental buildings in the city and his education at the hands of Bilinić's wife, who was a high-school teacher. Soon, they found a mine owner from Vienna who paid for Meštrović to move there and be admitted to the Academy of Fine Arts where he studied under Edmund von Hellmer and Otto Wagner. Quickly he had to learn German from scratch and adjust to the new environment, but he persevered and successfully finished his studies.

In 1905 he had his first exhibit with the Secession Group in Vienna, noticeably influenced by the Art Nouveau style. His work quickly became popular, even with the likes of Auguste Rodin who once said that Meštrović is the greatest phenomenon among sculptors and even greater sculptor than he was. Because of that popularity he soon earned enough for him and his wife (since 1904), Ruža Klein, to travel to more international exhibitions.

In 1908 Meštrović moved to Paris and the sculptures made in this period earned him international reputation. At this time, Ivan was a friend of the cubist painter Jelena Dorotka (Helene Dorotka von Ehrenwall). In 1911 he moved to Zagreb, and soon after to Rome where he received the grand prix for the Serbian Pavilion on the 1911 Rome International Exhibition. There his work was praised as being strong and monumental compared to the "soft and ineffectual" pieces exhibited by his contemporaries, Hugo Lederer, Anton Hanak, and Franz Metzner. He remained in Rome, spending four years studying ancient Greek sculpture.

Meštrović became a supporter of Yugoslavism and Yugoslav identity after he traveled to Serbia and became impressed with Serb culture. He created a sculpture of Serbian folk-legend hero Prince Marko for the International Exhibition of Art (1911), which was exhibited along with 73 sculptures at the pavilion of Kingdom of Serbia. When asked about the statue, Meštrović replied "This Marko is our Yugoslav people with its gigantic and noble heart".  Meštrović wrote poetry speaking of a "Yugoslav race". Those who knew Meštrović's views referred to him as "The Prophet of Yugoslavism". He also participated in 1911 at the Turin International.

First World War and Yugoslavia
At the onset of World War I, after the assassination in Sarajevo, Meštrović tried to move back to Split via Venice, but was dissuaded by threats made against him because of his political opposition to the Austro-Hungarian authorities. During the war he travelled to present exhibits in Paris, Cannes, London and in Switzerland. He was a founding member of the Yugoslav Committee.

He was the first artist of Croatian origin to exhibit his work at the Victoria & Albert Museum in London, in 1915.

After World War I he moved back home to the newly formed Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes and met the second love of his life, Olga Kesterčanek, whom he married shortly thereafter. They had four children: Marta, Tvrtko, Maria and Mate, all of whom were born in Zagreb, where Ivan and Olga settled in 1922. He was a contemporary and friend of Nikola Tesla.  Meštrović and his family would later spend the winter months in their mansion in Zagreb and the summer months in a summer house he built by the end of the 1930s in Split. He became a professor and later the director of the Academy of Fine Arts in Zagreb, and proceeded to build numerous internationally renowned works as well as many donated chapels and churches and grants to art students.

By 1923 he designed the mausoleum for the Račić Family Memorial Chapel in Cavtat, also known as Our Lady of the Angels. He also created a set of statues for a never-built Yugoslav national temple that would have been erected in Kosovo to commemorate the 1389 Battle of Kosovo.

Meštrović sculpted numerous sculptures commissioned by the Karađorđević dynasty, especially Alexander I of Yugoslavia. Among the orders of King Alexander are sculptures of a sphinx, Miloš Obilić, Marko Kraljević, the hero of the Kosovo myth Srđo Zlopogleđa,
sculptures of female counterparts to Kosovo's heroes, as well as a self-portrait of Meštrović. Most of the commissioned sculptures had the idea of an integral Yugoslav nation as ideological background. Today, the works are mostly located within the royal compound in Dedinje. Meštrović had a role in the constitution of Yugoslav national identity.

He continued to travel to post his exhibits around the world: he displayed at the Brooklyn Museum in New York in 1924, in Chicago in 1925, he even travelled to Egypt and Palestine in 1927. In 1927 he entered a design for the coins of the Irish Free State, and though his design arrived too late for consideration it was adopted in 1965 as the seal of the Central Bank of Ireland.

Second World War

During the April War in 1941 Meštrović was living in Split. After being warned by novelist and Independent State of Croatia (NDH) minister Mile Budak that the Croatian authorities could not guarantee his safety in Split, he moved to Zagreb in September 1941. Meštrović and painter Jozo Kljaković were arrested by the Ustaše in Zagreb on 7 November 1941, ostensibly due to the regime's fears that the two would emigrate. He eventually served three and a half months in the Savska Cesta prison. With help from archbishop Aloysius Stepinac and subsequently the Vatican he was released, on condition that he travel to Venice to attend the Independent State of Croatia pavilion at the Venice Biennale. From there he relocated to Rome, where he stayed and worked at the Pontifical Croatian College of St. Jerome. He was sponsored here by Fra Dominik Mandić, and during his time in the city was received by Pope Pius XII. In July 1943, Meštrović secured a visa to Switzerland through NDH diplomat Stijepo Perić and moved there. Not all of his family managed to escape — his first wife Ruža died in 1942 and many from her Jewish family were murdered in the Holocaust. Later, his brother Petar was imprisoned for publicly advising Ivan not to return to the country.  Marshal Josip Broz Tito's government in Yugoslavia eventually invited Meštrović to return, but he refused to do so. In 1946, Syracuse University offered him a professorship, and he moved to the United States. He became the first artist of Croatian origin to exhibit his work at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City in 1947.

From 1951 he began making contributions to the Croatian emigrant journal Hrvatska revija, which would later publish his memoirs. He was awarded the American Academy of Arts and Letters' Gold Medal for sculpture in 1953. President Dwight D. Eisenhower personally presided over the 1954 ceremony granting Meštrović American citizenship. He went on to become a professor at the University of Notre Dame in 1955.

At the end of January 1951 Meštrović joined the American campaign for the release of Archbishop Stepinac from prison.

Later years
Before he died, Meštrović returned to Yugoslavia one last time to visit with the imprisoned Cardinal Stepinac and with Tito. At the request of various people from his homeland he sent 59 statues from the United States to Yugoslavia (including the monument of Petar Petrovic-Njegos), and in 1952 signed off his Croatian estates to the people of Croatia,<ref>Ivan Meštrović Museums: The History of the Institution:  "In 1952, a contract of donation was concluded between Ivan Meštrović and the People's Republic of Croatia, by means of which Ivan Meštrović donated to the people of Croatia his family house and atelier in Zagreb (later adapted into an exhibition space - the Meštrović Atelier), the family villa with ateliers in Split (which later became the Ivan Meštrović Gallery), the sacral and art complex Kaštelet-Crikvine in Split, and the Meštrović family vault - The Most Holy Redeemer Church near Otavice. The donation also included several Meštrović's works of art, today the bases of the museum holdings of the mentioned institutions."</ref> including more than 400 sculptures and numerous drawings. Upon his return he vowed to his colleague painter Jozo Kljaković that he would not return to the country as long as the communists were in power.

Two of his children predeceased him. His daughter Marta, who moved with him to the U.S., died in 1949 at the age of 24. His son Tvrtko, who remained in Zagreb, was 39 when he died in 1961.

In 1960 he suffered a minor stroke which affected his eyesight. In 1961, his memoir, Uspomene na političke ljude i događaje (Reminiscences of Political People and Events), was published by the Croatian emigrant publishing house Hrvatska revija (Croatian Review) in Buenos Aires, Argentina. In 1969, they were published by Matica hrvatska in Zagreb.

After creating four clay sculptures to memorialize his children, Meštrović died in early 1962, aged 79, in South Bend, Indiana. His funeral mass was celebrated by the bishops of Šibenik, Josip Arnerić, and bishop of Split-Makarska Frane Franić. His remains were interred at a mausoleum in his childhood home of Otavice. Communist Yugoslav authorities had originally promised the Meštrović family that his remains could lie in repose at the cathedrals in Zagreb and Split. Once his remains had arrived in Yugoslavia, however, the authorities reneged and did not allow this to take place. After communist officials interfered during his funeral, his son Mate Meštrović sharply criticized the level of religious freedom in the country.

His son, Mate, is a Croatian-American diplomat, university professor and editor at Time magazine, who served as a lieutenant in the US Army PsyWar. Later, he served as president of the Croatian National Congress and lobbied on behalf of Croatian self-determination in Washington, D.C., Western Europe and Australia, and was a deputy in the Croatian Parliament, a member of Croatia's delegation to the Council of Europe, and the Inter-Parliamentary Union. He also served as an ambassador in the Foreign Ministry.

Meštrović's grandson Stjepan is an American sociology professor at Texas A&M and author of several books.

Reputation and legacy

His sculptural strengths are manifested in the lyrical and dramatic expression of the human body. Critics in Europe and the United States ranked him highly in the first half of the 20th century. He is one of the most prominent Croatian artists whose work has at times gained worldwide recognition.

Professor Miljenko Jurkovic of the University of Zagreb states he:
is the most renowned modern Croatian sculptor. His works combine various influences, and they are both monumental and poetic. He sculpted in stone, bronze and wood, covering a diverse range of themes – spreading to religious, portraits and symbolic themes.

Historians Wojciech Roszkowski and Jan Kofman report: "Meštrović's sculpture of the 1389 Battle of Kosovo Field won first prize at an international exhibition in 1911, and critics acclaimed him the greatest sculptor of modern times."

Auguste Rodin's evaluation was often quoted: "Meštrović was the greatest phenomena among the sculptors" of his time.

Alonzo Lansford, editor of Arts Magazine in New York City, reviewed the Mestrovic show of 1947 at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. He wrote: "It is therefore singularly significant that he is almost unanimously revered by American sculptors of all schools as one of the greatest living sculptors."

Several streets in Serbia are named after him.

Work

Meštrovic created over fifty monuments during his two years in Paris (1908–1910).
The theme of the Battle of Kosovo particularly moved him, prompting one of his first great works, the Paris Kosovo Monument, as well as other works in bronze and stone. Much of his early work commemorated such epic moments from Slavic history, as he attempted to foster the pan-Slavic cause in his native country.

With the creation of the first Yugoslavia, Meštrović's focus shifted to more mundane topics such as musical instruments or chapels. He particularly oriented himself towards religious items, mostly made of wood, under artistic influence from the Byzantine and Gothic architecture. The most renowned works from his early period are the Crucifix and Madonna; later he became inspired by Michelangelo Buonarroti and created a large number of stone reliefs and portraits. The Croatian dinar featured Meštrović's work History of the Croats.

Meštrović's most famous monuments include:
 Canadian Phalanx, a marble relief, 284 Wellington Street in Ottawa, Ontario
 Gregory of Nin in Split
 Josip Juraj Strossmayer in Zagreb
 Monument of Gratitude to France in Belgrade
 Monument to the Unknown Hero, Avala, Belgrade
 Victor monument on Kalemegdan Fortress in Belgrade
 Svetozar Miletić in Novi Sad
 Nadežda Petrović in Čačak
 Nikola Tesla in Zagreb
 History of Croats in Zagreb and in the Royal Compound, Belgrade (two copies made)
 Mausoleum of Njegoš on Mount Lovćen in Montenegro
 The Spring of Life in Zagreb
 Domagoj's Archers in Zagreb (Meštrović Foundation)
 The Bowman and The Spearman in Chicago
 Martin Kukučín in the Medical Garden, Bratislava, Slovakia
 Ion I. C. Brătianu in Bucharest, Romania (24 noiembrie 1937)
 King Carol I in Bucharest, Romania (1939) - this monument was destroyed by communists after 1948
 Relief of Cardinal Stepinac with Christ, Zagreb Cathedral
 St. Jerome the Priest, Washington, D.C.
 Christ and the Samaritan Woman and St. Luke (1957), Notre Dame
 Crucifix and Young Christ Teaching in the Temple (1957), Keenan and Stanford Halls, Notre Dame
 Crucifix at St. Joseph Cathedral (Baton Rouge, Louisiana)

Galleries displaying his work include:
 Ivan Meštrović Gallery in Split, created after his major donation in 1950, which includes 86 statues in marble, stone, bronze, wood and gypsum, 17 drawings, and also eight bronze statues in the open garden, 28 reliefs in wood in the kaštelet and one stone crucifix
 Ivan Meštrović Memorial Gallery created in 1973 in Vrpolje, his birthplace, with 35 works in bronze and plaster stone
 Snite Museum of Art at the University of Notre Dame has many of his works. He was artist-in-residence at Notre Dame and resided in South Bend, Indiana, until his death.
 National Museum of Serbia holds sculptures and monuments (a total of 45 works) including Miloš Obilić, Kosovo girl, Srđa Zlopogleđa, Kraljević Marko, and Widow
 Louisiana Arts and Science Museum (LASM) (retrieved January 29, 2016) in Baton Rouge has a large collection of his sculpture and drawings.
 Church of Sts. Cyril & Methodius and St. Raphael (New York City)

He painted in oil (Moja majka [My mother], 1911).

Written works
He wrote essays (Moji razgovori s Michelangelom [My Interviews with Michelangelo], 1926), memoirs about the public and political life of his time (Uspomene na političke ljude i događaje [Memories of Political People and Events], 1969) and short stories (Ludi Mile [Crazy Mile], 1970).

 Stepinac - duhovni heroj (Stepinac - Spiritual Hero), Hrvatska revija, Buenos Aires 1956.
 Uspomene na političke ljude i događaje (Memories of Political Persons and Events), Hrvatska revija, Buenos Aires 1961, reprinted by Matica hrvatska in 1969.

 Gallery

 References
 Notes

 Bibliography
 Adamec, Ana. (1984). Ivan Meštrović 1883-1962, SANU, Belgrade.
 Ali, Abdullah Yusuf. (1915). Meštrović and Serbian Sculpture, Matthews, London.
 Casson, Stanley. (1929). Some Modern Sculptors, Oxford University Press, London
 Ćurčin, Milan. (1919) Ivan Meštrović - A Monograph, Williams & Norgate, London.
 Goode, James M. (1974). The Outdoor Sculpture of Washington D. C., Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington D.C.
 G. Bozidar/N. Gattin (1987) Ivan Meštrović, Zagreb

 Kečkemet, Duško. (1970). Ivan Meštrović. The Only Way To Be An Artist Is To Work, Spektar, Zagreb.
 Kraševac, Irena. (2002). Ivan Meštrović i secesija Beć-Muenchen-Prag 1900-1910, HAZU, Zagreb.
 Schmeckebier, Laurence E. (1959). Ivan Meštrović – Sculptor and Patriot'', Syracuse University Press, Syracuse.

Further reading

External links

 Official Website by Meštrović Museums of Croatia
 Official Website by Meštrović Memorial Gallery Vrpolje
 Inventory of Meštrović Papers at the Syracuse University Archives

1883 births
1962 deaths
People from Vrpolje
People from the Kingdom of Croatia-Slavonia
Croatian sculptors
Austro-Hungarian expatriates in France
Yugoslav emigrants to the United States
Syracuse University faculty
University of Notre Dame faculty
Art Nouveau sculptors
Symbolist sculptors
Members of the Vienna Secession
American male sculptors
Members of the Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts
Academy of Fine Arts Vienna alumni
19th-century Croatian sculptors
20th-century Croatian people
20th-century Croatian sculptors
20th-century American sculptors
20th-century male artists
Yugoslavism
Croatian anti-communists
Catholic sculptors


New Linux OS, New University, New Album!
I am writing this post from my freshly installed Fedora 16 (If you still haven't downloaded and installed yet I suggest you do it). I am really excited and proud I am using Gnome 3.2. It has achieved a tremendous change on how we must start to perceive our desktop environment. It also does this with style (with minimal touches that I really love). And so far is doing great in terms of stability. No freezes at all. OK, some small details on some drivers is my weak point but I have to blame the manufacturers for that. Well, something I always wanted to yell on the internet: WHY ON EARTH DON'T YOU RELEASE LINUX DRIVERS? …sigh. Anyway everything runs smoothly.
Author Kostas AntonakoglouPosted on November 22, 2011 Categories education, fedora, Gnome, music, open sourceTags education, fedora, jamendo, music, open source2 Comments on New Linux OS, New University, New Album!


I've somehow managed to get myself a reputation on ThisIsXbox – I'm the go to guy for the Farming Simulator titles as soon as review code comes in it's sent my way, not that I'm complaining. Each year I load up the game and I always feel the same, 'it's going to be a bit boring this' but each year I'm pleasantly surprised at what Giants Software have done to make the game a little bit better each time.
Yet again, with Farming Simulator 17 they have made enough improvements to make it the best of the bunch.
There are two new locations for your to manage your farming empire in, Goldcrest Valley and Sosnovka You start with different equipment in each one, personally I preferred Goldcrest Valley. As you begin your are given the chance to go through a tutorial, if you haven't played the games before it's a must, I'd forgotten a lot of the controls so it was worth going through as a refresher. I felt the tutorial could have been a bit more detailed, at one stage it briefly explains what to do but I didn't really understand what it fully meant, once I had closed the dialogue box there was no option to bring it back up, I'd have to start a new game for that. It's the same for the tutorials outside of the single player, for the uninitiated they could be easily put off playing.
Once you do get going though, you goal is simple, make money through all the different farming techniques – whether you are growing and selling crops, breeding animals and selling animal produce or making money through forestry. There is so much to do, so it might be wise to stick to one discipline at a time, I got into a good routine with my crops but If I had started trying to do much more I really would have struggled. I actually got some playing the co-op version of the game this year and that's one way to run a farm more efficiently.
The amount of equipment in the game is staggering, and some of the machines you get to use are awesome and this year it includes trains, that's right, trains! They give you the ability to move good around the map in a more timely fashion, they also don't cost anything to run which is good to know. There is a massive amount of stats to go through, from monitoring the prices that produce is being bought for to how well you are looking after your animals, analysing the trends is key to earning more cash to pay off that big loan you have at the beginning.
As well as looking after your own farm, you can visit other farmers around the map and perform tasks for them, to earn cash and most importantly, discounts on the items they can sell you as your relationship improves. You have the ability to hire workers to perform tasks on your own land while working for other people.This year also sees the introduction of Mods in the game, they are well laid out thanks to a good use of filters and are very simple to install, each time you load a game you can switch your downloaded mods on and off easily.
This is the best looking Farming Simulator game I have played, Giants Software have put some real effort into the two locales, Goldcrest Valley is a beautiful American farming town while Sosnovka is a Russian looking rustic farming area, both have their own unique charm though. The game isn't issue free, despite the introduction of radio stations, the game awkwardly freezes every time the song changes. Also, despite clearly putting in lots of effort into the machinery you'll use driving normal vehicles like the pickup truck are awful. The same could be said for the map, I'm pretty forgetful about here things are and what certain icons mean but FM17 doesn't do much to help, it would be nice to be able to set waypoints too.
Farming Simulator 17 is a much improved title, it's very addictive and can wipe hours of your gaming time without even realising it, there is lots to do and discover and it truly gives a representation of just how hard life can be when actually looking after a farm. It's clearly not a game for everyone, but I can see why so many do!
Farming Simulator 17 is the best farming game to date, with a wealth of content, and a huge amount to do, it's well worth upgrading to the latest in the series.


This section of our Troop Web site explains how we keep track of advancements and how you can get the most recent progress update. If you have questions you can email our Advancement Chairman, Mr. Jones, at advancements@troop362.com. Please put the words "Troop 362" in the subject of your email. Otherwise it may be deleted without being read.
Advancements are recorded in our Troopmaster database by our Advancement Chairman, Mr. Jones. In Troopmaster we keep track of each individual requirement for the ranks of Scout, Tenderfoot, Second Class and First Class. For the ranks of Star, Life and Eagle we track COMPLETED merit badges. For all ranks we also record attendance at troop activities such as camping trips, service projects, swim nights, etc. In addition we record hours of service time and information on leadership positions held by each Scout.
Most of this information is also recorded in your Scout book - if you bring it to our meetings.
When you complete each requirement for the ranks up to and including First Class, the Scoutmaster or Assistant Scoutmaster who worked with you will inform the Advancement Chairman about your completed requirements and these will be entered into our system. Merit badges are handled a bit differently.
In order to receive a merit badge you must contact a registered counselor for that badge - see the Advancement Chairman for information on who handles each badge. When you have completed the badge have the counselor fill out a "blue card" (you get blank blue cards from the Advancement Chairman). Take the completed and signed blue card back to the Advancement Chairman - he will take a part of the card and give part back to you for your records. The completed merit badge will then be recorded in Troopmaster. Please note that it is the Scout's responsibility to get the proper signatures on the blue card and give it to the Advancement Chairman. If you are working on a merit badge with a counselor who is a member of our troop you don't need a blue card until you have completed the badge. If you are going to a counselor outside of our troop you should have a blue card when you start the badge.
We generally do not record partial merit badges. It is up to you and your merit badge counselor to keep track of partial accomplishments. One exception is partials from summer camp - we do keep this information. Please note that the Advancement Chairman can answer questions about your records but only a registered merit badge counselor can sign that you have completed all requirements for a merit badge. When you have specific questions about a merit badge please contact your counselor. Also note that you can get merit badge requirements from the web at www.meritbadge.com.
How do I know what I've completed?
This is easy! First look in your Scout book. If you aren't sure if this is up to date check with Mr. Jones. You can do this at a Troop meeting or send him an email advancements@troop362.com. He can show you your advancement information on the computer and even email a report that you can print out with your home computer. Note: Please put the words "Troop 362" in the subject of your email. Otherwise it may be deleted without being read. Thank you.
Eagle candidates can download the Eagle Service Project workbook from the national BSA web site in fillable PDF format. Please follow the download directions on the page. More information about the Trail to Eagle, Eagle candidates, and notable Eagles is available from nesa.org (National Eagle Scout Association).
©2019 Troop 362 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.


Julians is our April pediatric patient of the month! Having graduated from feeding therapy, Julians is now eating like a champ and attending physical therapy with Generation Care Physical Therapist, Jennifer Bastian.
Julians is working to walk independently and has progressed to walking with assistance from a walker and even taking a few steps independently. Keep up the good work Julians!
If you have a child that needs physical therapy or any other pediatric therapy service, visit our Pediatric Care page to learn more about our rehabilitation services.


Having a fleet of vans, cars or lorries sporting smart vehicle graphics says something about your business. It says you are big, professional and profitable. Aside from the boost to your company's reputation, there is all the extra promotion your vans or cars are doing simply by going about their daily work with your custom vehicle graphics on them.
At AB Signs we will make sure that your branding is respected and applied to the vehicles in a way that does it justice.
Whether it's partial vehicle wraps, full wrapping, vehicle graphics or window graphics, AB Signs can design and apply a professional-looking branded solution for your fleet.


It was a crisp morning and the fog was thick in the narrows. Chuck managed to catch a cold Sunday.
The good news is he finally took a moment to sit down and finish one of many essays he has started and another page has been added to the Captain's Notebook.
For my mother, here is a link to all 37 videos in the refit playlist. It has been a while since we've posted video links on our Logbook page, guilty, sorry, XO.
Work has begun getting the veterinary vessel Hallie geared up and ready to depart next week for rounds in P.O.W. Weather permitting.


The hot seat. At a recent meeting of the President's Management Council, President Bush wanted to review agencies' progress on his management agenda. When council members walked into the room, it took them less than 10 seconds to realize that the best-performing agencies were seated closest to Bush, while the worst performers were seated further away. Everyone had two minutes to discuss their progress, then Bush commented on their scores. Talk about accountability.
Mobile haute couture. X2 Corp. of Irvine, Calif., has launched a series of slim notebook PCs just for women, or daring men. The StyleBook 2000 comes in chic colors such as pink, pistachio and piano white. And you can get a matching laptop bag (in microfiber, faux croc, leather or suede) that 'can also be used as a purse,' the company said. Got news hidden in your bag? Share it at buzz@postnewsweektech.com.


Eleanor has always been a daydreamer with her head in the clouds. Even though she's grown up now, you'll still find her off in her own world.
@vincentjeannerot Second workshop in Hong Kong - first day! Ventured to the flower market afterwards, fun times!


Becoming a father is one of the best things that can happen in a man's life. Everyone has different approaches on how to raise their children and not let them down. No two fathers are ever the same, but there are a couple of qualities that make them look like a hero in the children's eyes. Keep reading for the qualities that showed up most often as "great dad" worthy.
A great dad can listen well, without judgment of what's going on in their kid's life. According to the research of neuropsychologist L. Brizendine, there are differences in how men and women react to news of another's struggle. Women hearing of a friend's problem most often experience a flare-up of activity in the mirror neurons at the front of the brain, experiencing what it may be like to be in that friend's position and thus empathizing. Studies of men's brains, by contrast, demonstrate that the mirror neurons light up for a fraction of a second, and then the information travels straight to the temporal-parietal junction, at the side of the head. The temporal-parietal junction is a problem-solving center and is the part of the brain that prompts you to say when confronted with someone else's struggle.
This response is natural, so natural that women often complain about it. Combined with the energized desire to protect offspring, however, it can make children feel like they are more judged than supported. Rather than jumping immediately to criticism, even if it feels constructive, take several minutes to empathize and acknowledge your kid's feelings. It can go a long way toward making that kid feel respected, which in turn means more respect for you.
A great dad can offer advice on where boundaries are respected, and the kid can apply it. This one is tricky but incredibly important. It toes the distinction between guiding children in a direction you feel is safe and allowing them to learn from their own growing sense of confidence and autonomy. Children are, after all, their own people, and this process of self-formation accelerates into the teenage years. Don't try to force your children into doing something they don't want to do. Advice that respects boundaries takes into account that children ultimately make their own decisions, and they define their own values as they learn and grow. More often than not, some of these values will differ from yours. The best advice, this contributor believes, is advice that children can use to help form (but not define or consume) their expanding worldview.
Times have changed since the fifties when men were all expected to be breadwinners for their families. All children need a male role model to look up to. Most girls look to their fathers to see how they should be treated and what to expect of the man they date and marry. Young men admire their fathers and grow up to be just like them. They look for their father to lead them and teach them how to be a man. Though many men still feel that this is a guiding aspect of their own masculinity, expectations of what they should bring to their families has become more multifaceted with time. This means a good dad not only helps the people he loves put food on the table and pay the bills but also takes an active role in understanding who his children are as people and what motivates them.
Never underestimate the value of parental support in a child's life, even when that child's goals seem far-fetched. You want to avoid the possibility of your son or daughter to go outside of the family to find someone to listen to them and comfort them. Everyone doesn't have your child's best interest at heart. Sometimes this means encouraging whatever that dream is, while also providing knowledge of the skills necessary for that child to take care of themselves if and when they start floundering. After all, nothing says "I love you, son" more than a thinly veiled sentiment of "Your dreams are invalid, and I don't believe you can accomplish them, anyway." Prepare kids with the skills they will need to navigate the wide world, but never stop supporting them– You don't want to live on in their memories as the person who extinguished their light.
A great dad is a feminist, but toxic masculinity still exists. When a family has both sons and daughters, and each is treated differently, the kids notice. Often times this manifests unintentionally as a dad's preference to play sports with his son, a desire to be a positive male role model to that son, and the reality that it is often easier to connect with children of the same gender. Where this becomes an issue is a way this makes daughters feel. Having moved past the era of dowries and legislation designating daughters as property, those daughters want to feel like their parents connect with who they are as people. Even if it is sometimes more difficult to find something to bond over with your daughter, putting in that effort will keep her from feeling like an accessory.
Show you value her for her opinions, her decisions, her accomplishments, and whom she is becoming as a person. Invest time in her and give her the advice you think will best help her grow. Listen to her ideas, learn from each other, and grow together. Don't look back in twenty years and realize that you were emotionally unavailable, you didn't take the time to appreciate and help cultivate her personal potential, or that you don't know her opinions on anything. Do something to work on this not tomorrow, but today.


text:
It's Official: For the Third Year in a Row, Earth Has Warmest Year on Record in 2016
By Jon Erdman
For the third year in a row, 2016 set a record warm year for the globe, dating to 1880.
Three separate analyses came to this conclusion, and more importantly, the warming trend in global temperatures continues.
For the third year in a row, the Earth has set a record for warmth, according to three analyses just released from three government agencies.
The planet's mean surface temperature in 2016 was 0.99 degrees Celsius above the late 20th-century average, topping the previous record set in 2015 of 0.87 degrees above average, according to NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies.
Departure from average temperatures (degrees Celsius) in 2016, compared to the 1981-2010 period.
(NASA-GISS)
Eight of 12 months in 2016 either tied or broke the previous record respective warmest months in NASA's database. The other four months ranked no lower than third in terms of the warmest respective months.
2016's Record-Shattering Warmth(Monthly Rankings Since 1880; Data: NASA-GISS)
January Record Warmest
February Record Warmest
March Record Warmest
April Record Warmest
May Record Warmest
June Third-Warmest
July Record Warmest
August Record Warmest
September Tied Record Warmest
October Second-Warmest
November Second-Warmest
December Second-Warmest
A separate analysis released by NOAA's National Centers for Environmental Information also found 2016 was the warmest such period in records dating to 1880; it topped both 2015 and 2014 and finished 0.94 degrees above the 20th-century average.
2016 (black trace) compared to the previous warmest seven years on record.
(NOAA/NCEI)
2016 temperature percentiles. Areas in red denote where 2016 was record warm, dating to 1880.
The globe hasn't had a cooler-than-average year since 1976, a stretch of 40 consecutive warm years, according to NOAA. Every year this century ranks among the top 17 warmest years, with only 1998 occupying the other slot on that list.
Alaska, northwest Canada, the Caribbean Sea, the western Gulf of Mexico, western Atlantic Ocean, northern South America, parts of southern and western Africa, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Indonesia, parts of Australia and New Zealand all reported record warmth in 2016, according to NOAA.
Earlier in 2016, the globe set a record warm mean temperature for 16 straight months that ended in August, the longest such stretch of months a new record-high temperature was set for each respective month in NOAA's 137-year record.
Data from the Japanese Meteorological Agency also found 2016 was a record warm year, dating to 1891.
JMA and NOAA each found that 2013 through 2016 now occupy four of the five warmest years on record. Only 1998 in the JMA database and 2010 in the NOAA database occupied the top five lists other than 2013 through 2016.
(MORE: 2016 Was Second Warmest Year in the U.S.)
Incidentally, estimations from NASA-GISS director Dr. Gavin Schmidt concluded that both 2015 and 2016 would still have set global warm temperature records without the record-tying El Niño. El Niños, the periodic warming of water in eastern and central equatorial Pacific Ocean, can give a boost to global temperatures.
One of Planet's Warmest Decembers
Despite persistent pockets of cold in some areas, December 2016 was still one of the globe's warmest overall.
NASA-GISS concluded December was the second-warmest in 137 years, topped only by 2015.
NOAA's analysis found it to be the planet's third-warmest, while the JMA concluded it was the second-warmest December dating to the late 19th century.
Parts of western Asia and the Middle East, as well as the U.S. Northwest and northern Plains were the chilly exceptions to what was another warm month across the globe.
What's ultimately most important is not whether a given month is a fraction of a degree warmer or colder; rather, it's the overall trend, which continues its upward climb since the late 1970s.
(MORE: Top Weather Stories of 2016)
Global surface temperature anomalies by year from 1880 through 2016, relative to the 20th century average.
NOAA's Arctic Report Card issued in mid-December painted a grim picture of record-low sea ice, one contributing factor to the magnitude of warming seen in the higher latitudes.
(MORE: Arctic Sea Ice a Mid-Winter Record Low)
"We've seen a year in 2016 in the Arctic like we've never seen before," Jeremy Mathis, director of NOAA's Arctic research program, said during a press conference at the annual meeting of the American Geophysical Union in December.
MORE ON WEATHER.COM: Hottest Winter Cities

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Sikkim's Rs 300 crore airport near Gangtok complete, to open after clearance from DGCA
Gangtok | Updated: December 1, 2017 8:33:42 PM
Union Civil Aviation Minister P Ashok Gajapathi Raju today visited Sikkim's greenfield airport at Pakyong and inspected its infrastructure and facilities.
Raju later held a meeting with senior officers of the Airports Authority of India and the state government on making the airport operational, he said. (PTI)
Union Civil Aviation Minister P Ashok Gajapathi Raju today visited Sikkim's greenfield airport at Pakyong and inspected its infrastructure and facilities. He also enquired about management of issues such as landslides near the airport, a state government official said. Raju later held a meeting with senior officers of the Airports Authority of India and the state government on making the airport operational, he said. Sikkim tourism secretary C Zangpo said the airport is almost ready and the decision of making the Pakyong airport operational will be discussed at the highest level based on the union civil aviation minister's feedback, he said. The licence for making the Pakyong airport operational and other clearances will come from the Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), Zangpo said.
Regarding agitation by some families demanding compensation as their houses were demolished by local authorities in compliance with safety requirements of the airport, the tourism secretary said that the matter was sub judice. He expressed confidence that all hurdles regarding the project will be resolved soon. The greenfield airport at Pakyong was approved by the Centre in 2008 and the then union civil aviation minister Praful Patel had laid the foundation stone a year later. The project was completed this year at an estimated cost of Rs 300 crore.
Sikkim's Rs 300 crore airport near Gangtok complete to open after clearance from&nbspDGCA
1Jaipur court convicts 8 Lashkar-e-Taiba members for terrorist activities
2UP Civic Polls results: Amazing! BJP, Congress tied in Mathura Ward 56; child picks winner
3Amit Shah named Yahoo Personality of the Year 2017, PM Modi most searched person in India


When are u guys going to improve 4G coverage in Bdr Sri Sendayan?
It is a no secret 3G data today are not throttle as it was before when 3G was the fastest. I cant even load goggle page or download whatsapp media files if it is not on 4G nowadays. In Bdr Sri Sendayan specifically Suriaman, it is barely 2 bars on 4G and no 4G network or worse no Maxis network coverage at all indoor .
This mean if I spend 50% of my time at home, I am paying half of my monthly fee for no service and that is a daylight robbery.
Hope Maxis improve fast before customers start switching.
This poor 4G network coverage also mean Maxis home fibre that uses 4G network as backup is a failed service continuity plan in case TM fibre is down but no Maxis 4G network coverage in the house.
I'm a satisfied Maxis customer since year 2000 and wish I and all residents in Bdr Sri Sendayan whom on Maxis are your valued customer.
Please prioritise your 4G network coverage expansion plan and do not let us down.
Maxis also poor coverage in Bandar Pinggiran Subang, Villa Damansara and some parts of Kota Damansara. Already 10 years complaining and still no action taken. Will MNP out all business and personal lines by June 2019. Fed up.
Best part? Unifi Mobile has coverage for the above areas and it is FREE!
Everyone should be able to figure out that all Telcos in Malaysia will have good coverage at some place and bad at some other. Be a smart user and test which one is suitable in that location and use that Telco service. Don't expect Telco will do something just because people are complaining. In their POV, what's the point of upgrading and spent millions in one place that may not bring them enough revenue while not losing money at the same time maintaining the service in that place.
Best advice, try the prepaid SIM card for each Telco in your location and see which one is the best. Works for me and no hassle and wasting my time complaining.
Thx man. I'm on Maxis with 2 main lines, 2 supp line & a home fibre. Celcom is the most reliable here in Bdr Sri Sendayan. Will port over to telxo with better coverage if it is less hassle to do.
I've been complaining to their customer service since 2014 when the company that I work for starts their operation in Sendayan Tech Valley. The indoor coverage are very poor. They acknowledge on the poor reception but still they don't have any plan to upgrade their facilities in this area. I've been with Maxis since 2003.


text:
Alumni Review: Adrian Gurney, Audio Production & Engineering 2007
Graduated From: Audio Production & Engineering Diploma (2007)
Prior to his enrollment, Adrian was a successful musician who recorded, taught, toured and performed with such acts as Hamilton's "Poisoned Aeros" and Universal recording artists "Everything At Once". In 2000 Adrian earned a diploma from Mohawk College's Jazz Performance program for Guitar and continued to teach music and write for his solo projects. It is at this time that Adrian enrolled in the Audio Production & Engineering program.
Since graduating from the APE program Adrian has been able to successfully start his own business (GURNZ AUDIO ) where he teaches music and recording techniques. Presently, he has over 45 students and has taken over management duties at Oakville's Inkling Music Studios. He has also produced and engineered an album as well as a single through Hive Studios in Hamilton and continues to write and produce his own music.
"Using the skills I learned at MWI has helped improve the quality of my lessons tremendously. Being able to record my lessons and show students how to use current technologies has made such a difference. They love it and so do I. I see many of my students continuing their music education at MWI."
Adrian goes on to say that the Institute opened his eyes and ears to the many possibilities there are for new sounds and ways of capturing them. His education has enabled him to set up a home studio as well as a studio in his drummers house which has made rehearsals and writing so much easier for him.
"The teachers are amazing and I wouldn't be able to have progressed as far as I have without their guidance. When the album comes out it will sound amazing."
Back to Alumni News
Audio Production & Engineering Diploma, 2007


The 'Complex'ity of Imprisonment--The Northern Ireland Experience.
Source: (2004) Cambrian Law Review. 35: 97-114.
This article will examine the thesis that Northern Ireland experiences a relatively low level of crime. It will explore the possible reasons why crime in the North has not witnessed a dramatic increase. In light of this, the article will highlight the difficulties surrounding the current prison system and illustrate that once again Northern Ireland is experiencing a very different criminal justice system in comparison to Great Britain. Although the prisons are now being used predominately to deal with "ordinary' crime�, they are still part of the political process. This article will consider the proposition that recent demands by prisoner for political "separation� have overshadowed Northern Ireland's "crime consciousness� and the prison authorities have not moved towards a stance of "populist punitiveness�, particularly when the prison regime is being politicised because of the ongoing difficulties surrounding the peace process in Northern Ireland. Author's abstract.


text:
Brands & Products overview
Corporation overview
Subsidiaries and Business Units
back to Corporation
Subsidiaries and Business Units overview
Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations
Bridgestone Retail Operations
Firestone Fibers & Textiles
Firestone Building Products
Firestone Industrial Products
Firestone Natural Rubber Co.
Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations Latin America
Olympic & Paralympic Partnerships
Olympic & Paralympic Partnerships overview
Scout Bassett
Jordan Burroughs
Allyson Felix
Missy Franklin
Will Groulx
Jessica Long
back to Responsibility
Environment & Sustainability overview
In Harmony With Nature
Value Natural Resources
Reduce CO2 Emissions
Tires4ward Program Details
Human Rights & Diversity
Media Center overview
back to Media Center
Brand Assets overview
Research/Innovation
{{ americasService.currentLang.displayValue }}
Nov 7, 2018 NASHVILLE, Tenn.
Bridgestone Employee Participation Leads to Record Support of United Way of Metropolitan Nashville
At Bridgestone, we are committed to living out Our Way to Serve in all that we do, and the results of the 2018 United Way Campaign demonstrate the impact we can make when we work together to serve the communities in which we move, live, work and play.
Gordon Knapp, Bridgestone Americas president and CEO
Eighty percent of Nashville-based employees shared their time in highest engagement level to date.
Bridgestone Americas, Inc. today announced its largest contribution ever to United Way of Metropolitan Nashville through its annual, week-long United Way Campaign. The record-breaking support is attributed to the significant fundraising of Bridgestone employees and the success of its second annual Bridgestone Charitable Golf Tournament, which also saw its highest vendor participation yet. The United Way Campaign is part of the company's ongoing, global commitment to corporate social responsibility, Our Way to Serve.
The 2018 campaign was driven by record employee participation, with 80 percent of Nashville-based employees sharing their time, resources and talent to make the campaign a success. More than 1,500 employee donations comprised half of all contributions, with the Bridgestone Charitable Golf Tournament and Bridgestone company match program contributing the remaining total. The golf tournament, held at the Hermitage Golf Course in Nashville in September, featured more than 50 vendors and raised nearly double the overall donations received in the inaugural tournament hosted last year. These outstanding efforts led to a total of $1.5 million raised for United Way of Metropolitan Nashville.
"It is truly an honor to support United Way of Metropolitan Nashville. For more than 25 years, Bridgestone teammates have been proud to help United Way in its commitment to strengthening personal health, education and financial stability in the Nashville area," said Gordon Knapp, Bridgestone Americas president and CEO. "At Bridgestone, we are committed to living out Our Way to Serve in all that we do, and the results of the 2018 United Way Campaign demonstrate the impact we can make when we work together to serve the communities in which we move, live, work and play."
In addition to this year's contribution, Bridgestone employees participated in numerous volunteer opportunities through United Way. More than 150 Bridgestone employees participated in the organization's Stuff the Bus event, helping to stuff donated school supplies into 11,000 backpacks for local elementary school children. Additionally, employees contributed to sorting 7,518 pounds of food through United Way's Second Harvest event, among others.
"The Bridgestone campaign is a shining example of how corporations can partner with United Way to make a real difference in the community," says Brian Hassett, President and CEO of United Way of Metropolitan Nashville. "We are so proud of Bridgestone's leadership and our long-standing relationship."
Bridgestone and United Way have worked together for more than 25 years, with Bridgestone employees serving alongside the organization in 14 locations across the U.S. The Bridgestone United Way Campaign demonstrates the organizations' shared commitment to make Nashville stronger, safer and healthier and exemplifies Our Way to Serve, the Bridgestone global corporate social responsibility commitment.
To learn more about Bridgestone and its global corporate social responsibility commitment, Our Way to Serve, visit the Bridgestone website here.
About Bridgestone Americas, Inc.:
Nashville, Tenn.-based Bridgestone Americas, Inc. (BSAM) is the U.S. subsidiary of Bridgestone Corporation, the world's largest tire and rubber company. BSAM and its subsidiaries develop, manufacture and market a wide range of Bridgestone, Firestone and associate brand tires to address the needs of a broad range of customers, including consumers, automotive and commercial vehicle original equipment manufacturers, and those in the agricultural, forestry and mining industries. The companies are engaged in retreading operations throughout the Western Hemisphere and produce air springs, roofing materials, and industrial fibers and textiles. The BSAM family of companies also operates the world's largest chain of automotive tire and service centers.
If you're a reporter or journalist with questions about a news item, please contact us via the Bridgestone Media Line
About Bridgestone Americas
Our Tire Portfolio
View more in
Bridgestone Names Marko Ibrahim President of Company's Retail Operations
Bridgestone Leverages Big Data to Implement Optimal Plantation for Higher Yield in Para Rubber Tree Farms
Bridgestone Americas > en > Newsroom > Press Releases > 2018
Subsidiaries & Business Units
Olympic Partnership
Tire Recall Info
© 2020 Bridgestone Americas, Inc.
Find more Bridgestone sites in our Global Directory


Three landscaping pavers with your name or company name will be permanently installed outside of the CSIA Technology Center.
Your name and/or company info & large logo, and link to your website listed on the CSIA Donor Recognition page.
Recognition in the CSIA Access portion of an upcoming edition of SWEEPING magazine.
Free use of the CSIA Technology Center for up to two single-day events to be scheduled w/in 365 days of your donation, based upon availability (or) one day of free Roadshow Education at your location (restrictions may apply).
Two landscaping pavers with your name or company name will be permanently installed outside of the CSIA Technology Center.
Your name and/or company info & small logo, and link to your website listed on the CSIA Donor Recognition page.
Free use of the CSIA Technology Center for one single-day event to be scheduled w/in 365 days of your donation, based upon availability.
A single landscaping paver with your name or company name will be permanently installed outside of the CSIA Technology Center.
Your name and/or company info with a link to your website listed on the CSIA Donor Recognition page.
Did you know that CSIA.org has averaged more than 1,000,000 pageviews over the last two years? Having a link to your website at on our donor recognition page could be a HUGE benefit to you business!
Your name and/or company info listed on the CSIA Donor Recognition page.


Bawdy bandleader Jennifer Cutting personifies Miss Regina Dentata, Organist and Choir Mistress at the Prostitutes, Entertainers & Navigators Institute of Salvation. Photo by Julie Mangin.
Be prepared to sing along during this evening of lusty songs hosted by local musician Janie Meneely and presented by Wammie-award winning ethnomusicologist Jennifer Cutting and her merry band of music-makers. The one-night-only performance will be held at the Galesville Memorial Hall on Saturday, March 3 from 8-10 p.m. Tickets are $20 in advance ($18 cash); $25 at the door.
Perhaps better known for her Ocean Orchestra, Cutting has spent a lifetime culling through historical archives and resurrecting ancient songs that resonate with today's audiences. For this performance Cutting strays from the straight and narrow world of traditional folk music and delves into the dark corners of medieval brothels, Colonial taverns, British pubs and public schoolyards to uncover a feistier tradition full of sexual innuendo and explicit lyrics. Count on Cutting to present them at their rollicking best.
Joining her on stage are Dr. Steve Winick, folklorist with the Library of Congress, Craig Williams, a member of the popular Maryland Rennaissance Fair band The Pyrates Royale, and Riki Schneyer, who, growing up as folksinger Helen Schneyer's daughter, was singing on shows such as Garrison Keillor's "Prairie Home Companion" from a very young age. But don't expect them to be using their real names, and, rumor has it, they will be in costume. This is a come-as-you-aren't gathering, lest your prim and proper neighbors should spy you in the audience (of course, the truly prim and proper won't be there).
From Friggin' in the Riggin' to lesser known ditties like Four Whores of Baltimore, Cutting and her balladeers will offer up verses salacious enough to curdle a librarian's tea. Expect to hear songs you've never heard before (and will doubtless never hear again in polite company) as well as plenty that have the ring of familiarity. Come in good voice (or just a loud one…) and join in on the choruses. No experience necessary! In the low-tech, time-honored tradition of gathering to raise our voices in song, this is community music-making at its tawdry best.
Warning: Do not attend if offended by sexually explicit material. Concert will contain profanity. No recording devices allowed. This is an adults-only performance. Refreshments, beer and wine will be sold. For more information or to order tickets, contact Janie Meneely at 443-786-0463 or [email protected].


text:
Posted By Eric on August 19, 2015 at 11:10 pm in Featured, Video Games
Everybody's Gone to the Rapture – Review
Everybody's Gone to the Rapture
Developer: The Chinese Room
Publisher: Sony Santa Monica
Platforms: PS4
Released: 8/11/15
Verdict: Where is everybody?
Everybody's Gone to the Rapture is a serene walk through the countryside of Shropshire after the rapture. The player explores the village and it's surrounding areas at their leisure peaking into brief moments of the towns folks lives during the events leading up to the rapture. The game offers insight into the cause of the rapture, while never fully explaining it, leaving a certain air of mystery hanging over the experience. The presentation is exceptional and the plot development is delivered in a truly unique method. While light on interaction, Everybody's Gone to the Rapture is heavy in drama and mystery, and a wonderful game for fans of either.
As you wander the empty streets of Yaughton, you'll encounter different "scenes" that help build the backstory leading up to the rapture. Each of the 6 sections of the town follow 1 major character, named at the start of the area, and a couple side stories as well. It's all presented in an open ended nature. You choose to initiate the story by interacting with objects like phones, radios, and glowing balls of light. The latter are the main event stories needed to view the ending, or rapture, for that area's main character. Some other story events play out just by walking within a certain proximity of a scene. It is all wonderful to view, but also entirely optional. You could very well skip the nearby ringing phone and walk straight to the ending if you chose.
The majority of the story events are played out with glowing light filled humanoid objects. These characters, so to say, move as if they're missing frames, and pulse as they speak. Every glowing person looks the same as the last, so it's not possible to tell them apart unless you can tell which is glowing when they speak. Since the models lack details, and the only other method of story delivery is through audio devices like phones and radios, the actors have to deliver an absurd amount of emotion. Needless to say, they nailed it! None of the voice acting is subpar, by any means.
It's these actors that drive the whole of the experience. The story plays out in short scenes designed to deliver small tidbits of backstory about the characters, or the town. Some story events take place years before the rapture, while others take place at that exact moment, or the hours leading up to it. There are also multiple stories being played out in the game – from the interactions between Father Jeremy and members of his parish, to a drama filled love triangle, and even following the cause of the rapture itself. Every plot interweaves with the others in some way, showing how events from one character can affect another. None of the story is delivered in chronological order. One scene could take place years before the next, or minutes after. It sort of reminds me of Lost, and piecing together the backstories of all the characters to find out how it led to the final moments in their arcs.
The incredible delivery of the story, in both acting and method, are the driving force of the game. The world is beautiful, and the story interesting, so it's easy to get immersed in the experience. However, the world is largely lifeless. Not in the sense that no one is there, that's the name of the game. Rather, it's the lack of interactivity with the world you're exploring that leads to the lifeless feeling. You can open some doors and some gates, many of which are locked. You can turn on TVs, and "answer" phones. You can turn on radios, and CB radios. Oh, and there are 5 – 6 microwaves to make ding, but that's about it. Beyond those 7 objects there is literally nothing to interact with. You are relegated to the status of a bystander in a world with nobody left in it. You can't check in cars, pick up newspapers, pour yourself a pint, or anything. There are no collectibles, no puzzles to solve, and no hidden keys to open secret doors. The world is open and vast, but beyond the story – which should only take 5-6 hours – there's nothing left to do. No reason to come back.
While the experience is fairly short, completable in one to two sittings, I found myself getting frustrated by the save system implemented in Everybody's Gone to the Rapture. It took me 3 sittings to get through the game. On the first night I only played for an hour and a half. Just enough time to explore a couple houses, a tavern, and a few other minor locations. I stopped moving feet outside the first tavern you come by. It's literally minutes into the game, but I had experienced over an hour of story and exploration. I had gained a significant insight into the direction the game was taking and decided to stop to go to bed. In the options menu I found only Settings, Continue, and New Game. No quit. No force save. I had remembered seeing a saving swirl spin every now and again, but not sure when I saw the last one. So, I decided to close the application and just pick up where it left off the next day. Unfortunately, I practically had to start the game over again. It was as if I hadn't accomplished anything. I started right next to a ringing phone booth, which is feet from the tavern I spoke of, but indicated that the save file didn't record that I had witnessed this story event yet. I proceeded to check the other areas I had visited already and, needless to say, they played out as if it were my first time again as well.
I tested this again the following night after having viewed 3 story endings. I proceeded a small way into the next area, fully knowing I wanted to stop soon. After witnessing 2 more story events, I quit. The next day I loaded up right after the most recent main story had ended. This wouldn't have been so bad if each story didn't end with a 5 minute slow walk in the stars. It's cool to see the first time, but after that it's just slow and kind of dull, especially after it's been viewed already. The frustration was lessened because that third night I finished the game. However, that doesn't mean that a save system this inadequate should go without mention. A simple "Save and Quit" option would do wonders for this (and every other) game.
The only other minor complaint I have about Everybody's Gone to the Rapture is more of an issue I have with games as a whole. If you listen to the 5/20/15 Podquest you'll hear us discuss the age old technique of creating realistic foliage while saving resources. This is done by combining two flat models, almost images, of a plant in sort of a cross section or "+" pattern. From most sides you see a full plant, but at very specific angles the plant, or other object, practially disappear. This is a neat trick developers have been using for years to save resource power for the actual game and cut down on artist's workload. The downside – it can, and often does, look cheesy. The benefit of these next generation consoles is a load of added power to fully render plants properly. Take at look at the 2014 Uncharted 4 gameplay demo and you can see how good plants can look in games. Then look at games like Bloodborne to see how distracting it can be when done the old way. Luckily, in Everybody's Gone to the Rapture, the plants are only distracting when you give them an extreme close-up. The developers used the added resources to throw in more cross sections into the plants to create a more realistic looking plant at many other angles. It looks good at a distance, but a game this beautiful deserves to look good all the time.
Despite my nit-picking, Everybody's Gone to the Rapture really captured my interest. From the moment I first laid eyes on it's trailer, to the ending credits, I was entranced. Everybody's Gone to the Rapture weaves an incredible tale utilizing one of the most unique storytelling techniques I have ever witnessed. It truly is an outstanding experience, and one that I feel everyone should check out.
Eric is not a boss.
You can Email Eric or follow Eric on Twitter @EricSweeten or Facebook


text:
2019 All-Courant girls volleyball team
Geno Auriemma says there's no longer a UConn-Tennessee rivalry; is he right?
Todt family murders in Florida reverberate in Colchester, where friends, neighbors and clients try to square the horrific crime with the family they knew
Vote in this year's Best of Hartford Magazine readers' poll
Community news for Windham edition
Reminder News |
Finnish American Heritage Society
CANTERBURY - The Finnish American Heritage Society, 76 North Canterbury Road, is looking for vendors for the Tori Open Air Market on Saturday, May 16, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Canterbury Community Center, 1 Municipal Drive. Tables or tents cost $15 rain or shine. Call 860-465-6236 or email rkjkelley1967@gmail.com.
The Fine Art and Craft Exhibit and Sale (FACES) at the Finnish Hall will be Saturday, Oct. 3., at 9:30 a.m., an event in The Last Green Valley's Walktober calendar. A call for artists has been issued to artists in any media. A registration form and prospectus may be downloaded at http://www.fahs-ct.org or by emailing FACESatFAHS@gmail.com. Indoor and outdoor spaces are available.
Finnish American Heritage Society: http://www.fahs-ct.org. Visit us on Facebook: FACES at FAHS.
Wickware Planetarium show
WILLIMANTIC - The next free show at the Robert K. Wickware Planetarium, at Eastern Connecticut State University, 83 Windham St., will take place on Monday, March 30 at 5:30 p.m. Eastern's teaching and presentation planetarium shows are free to everyone, but seating is very limited, so call the Planetarium at 860-465-5300 soon. Or go to http://www1.easternct.edu/physicalscience/planetarium.
Summer journalism workshop
STORRS - To fill a void in health, safety and medical coverage, the non-profit Connecticut Health I-Team is dedicated to producing journalist coverage in the local region. One-week workshops in journalism are being offered this summer for high school students interested in refining their research and writing skills, while learning about the evolving field of journalism from award-winning writers and editors.
The workshops will be held at Yale University, New Haven and the University of Connecticut in Storrs, providing select students with the opportunity to spend a week on a university campus, learn the tools of investigative journalism and work on stories for publication. The dates are: UConn, July Monday – Friday, July 20 - 24 and at Yale University, Sunday – Friday, July 26-31 or Sunday – Friday Aug. 2 - 7.
[Related] Ex-New Britain city hall official had disciplinary trouble before larceny arrest »
C-HIT's workshop graduates have gone on to study at major universities, have been awarded scholarships through the Dow Jones News Fund, and have secured internships at major newspapers, including the Hartford Courant. Go to http://camp.c-hit.org/ or email delucia@c-hit.org.
Horse auction and tack sale
STORRS - The annual horse auction and tack and equipment sale will be held on Saturday April 25 at 9 a.m. The tack sales will begin at 9 a.m., the horse preview at 11 a.m. and the horse sale will begin at 1 p.m. Go to http://animalscience.uconn.edu/horsesale/index.php.
Gettysburg Address Challenge
WILLIMANTIC - The Windham Textile & History Museum, 411 Main St., will host Lincoln's Gettysburg Address Challenge, on April 18 at 4 p.m. Individuals who can recite the Gettysburg address are welcome to perform and costumes, props, music or other creative ideas to enhance the presentation is encouraged. Ribbons will be awarded.
[Related] Coventry police sgt. on leave while department investigates his alleged inappropriate conversations with teenage girl »
Pre registration: $5, walk in: $10 and a suggested donation of $3 to attend.
Call 860-456-2178 or go to http://www.millmuseum.org.
Stonewall maintenance weekend
COVENTRY - The Coventry Conservation Commission and the Coventry Conservation Corps is sponsoring the annual "Stone Wall Maintenance Weekend" on Saturday and Sunday, March 28 and 29, a perfect time for property owners to maintain and increase the visibility of stone walls on their property. Rain date Saturday and Sunday April 4 and 5.
Illusion and Magic Show
[Related] West Hartford police's new task force is tackling local car theft »
COVENTRY - Boy Scout Troop 65 will host an April Fool's Day Illusion and Magic Show featuring illusionist David Garrity and a silent auction at Coventry High School Veterans Auditorium, 78 Ripley Hill Road on Wednesday, April 1 at 7 p.m. Arrive early to bid on some great deals on gift certificates and products for local businesses. For tickets call 860-268-6935 - $10 adults, $8 ages 12 & under, $2 more at the door. Refreshments available with proceeds supporting Scouts attending Maine High Adventure Camp.
Goodwin Conservation Center program
HAMPTON - On Saturday, March 28, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., the Goodwin Conservation Center, 23 Potter Road will have an event called Snow Buddies where winter knowledge is explained. Call 860-455-9534.
Native landscaping lecture
STORRS – "From the Wild to the Landscape - Native Shrubs to Replace Invasives," a free lecture by Dr. Jessica Lubell, UConn Department of Plant Science and Landscape Architecture, will be held at the Connecticut State Museum of Natural History, 2019 Hillside Road, on the UConn Storrs Campus, Saturday, March 28 at 1 p.m. This event will be presented by the Connecticut State Museum of Natural History and Connecticut Archaeology Center, part of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at UConn. Visit http://www.cac.uconn.edu/mnhcurrentcalendar.html or call 860-486-4460.
[Related] Hartford's Amistad Center names Kimberly Kersey as new executive director »
Quiet Corner Reads
THOMPSON - The sixth annual Quiet Corner Reads launch event will be held at the Thompson Public Library, 934 Riverside Dr., North Grosvenor Dale on Wednesday, April 15, at 10:30 a.m. The One Book project each year encourages residents of northeast Connecticut to read the same book at the same time, bringing people together to discuss ideas and to broaden their appreciation of reading. Members include libraries in the towns of northeast Connecticut Visit quietcornerreads.org.
EASTCONN happenings
WILLIMANTIC – Public service videos submitted by EASTCONN's Arts at the Capitol Theater (ACT) high school students are finalists in the Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles' annual Teen Safe Driving Video Contest. The contest is intended to raise awareness of the importance of safety to Connecticut's teenage drivers using student made public service commercials.
Five overall winners will be announced at a Tuesday, April 7 ceremony, when prizes will be awarded. To view all DMV video finalists on YouTube, search for teensafedriving12.
[Related] How 3Ds Help To Sell Your House »
Also: EASTCONN's Arts at the Capitol Theater will present TimeLINES: DanceFest 2015 on Friday and Saturday, March 27 and 28, at 7 p.m., at the Capitol Theater, 896 Main St. DanceFest is a collaboration from ACT's Dance, Audio/Visual, Set Design and Costume departments. Tickets are $8 for seniors and students, and $10 for adults. Obtain tickets in advance by calling the Capitol Theater at 860-465-5636 or at the box office the day of the show.
EASTCONN is a regional educational service center. Learn more about ACT at http://www.eastconn.org/act.
ECSU Youth Soccer Camps
WILLIMANTIC - Eastern Connecticut State University Youth Soccer Camps offer a Spring Break Camp which runs from Monday-Friday April 13 - 17, from 9 a.m. to noon, at the Mansfield Athletic Complex.
We also offer a Summer Day Camp from Monday-Friday July 6-10 and July 13-17, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. which is held on campus at Nevers Field. All camps are directed by our top coaching staff. Campers of a wide range of ages (5-14) and abilities will have the opportunity to develop as players. Our camper to staff ratio is always less than 10:1.
[Related] 'Lifespan of a Fact' debates truth, creative license and journalism at TheaterWorks »
To register, please visit http://www.ecsuyouthsoccercamp.com.
Danish historical presentation
WILLIMANTIC – On Sunday, March 29, at the Windham Textile and History Museum, 411 Main St., explore Danish history with Dagmar S. Noll. Dagmar shares Danish history that she discovered on her travels in Denmark by bicycle. Call 860-456-2178.
[Related] After more than 20 years of playing in Hartford, Dave Matthews Band switches to Mohegan Sun »
Ava Elizabeth, daughter, to Heather Torrey and David Berard of South Windham, Feb. 24.
Toran Royce, son, to Rebecca Osborne and Jason Almeida of Coventry, Feb., 8.
Community meatloaf dinner
COVENTRY – On Saturday, April 11, From 4:30 - 6:30 p.m., the First Congregational Church, 1171 Main St., will have a Homestyle Meatloaf Community Supper. The menu includes meatloaf, potatoes, gravy, vegetable and desserts. Cost: $12 adults, $10 seniors, children under 10 free. Takeout available.
Coventry School notices and events
[Related] Mayor Bronin taps interim Hartford police chief Jason Thody to take job on permanent basis »
COVENTRY – Coventry High School, 78 Ripley Hill Road, has the following public notices and events:
RECORD DESTRUCTION: The special education and related services records of those who attended Coventry Public Schools and were born in 1988 are due to be destroyed on Friday, May 8. Former students may obtain their records before they are destroyed by calling Ann Lang, at 860-742-7317, Ext. 110, no later than 2 p.m. on Thursday, May 7.
BRONZE MEDAL WINNER: Tori Zienka, a junior at Coventry High School, competed in the interior design category at the Spring Leadership Conference for Family, Career and Community Leaders of America, a national student organization that provides leadership development and career preparation opportunities for students in Family and Consumer Sciences education. The leadership conference held at Manchester Community College, 60 Bidwell St., Manchester, on Monday, March 16. Tori designed six scaled rooms with samples and furnishings, received a bronze medal for her accomplishments and is now eligible to go on to the nationals and represent Connecticut in July in Washington D.C.
GRANT AWARDED: The Connecticut State Department of Education, recently awarded Coventry Public Schools a grant to provide professional development for teachers and support student learning as needed after an extensive and thorough assessment has been conducted. Contact Michele Mullaly at mmullaly@coventryct.org or call 860-742-7317, Ext. 114.
ARTS FESTIVAL: Students, Sophia Gagnon and Jasmine Merrill, who attend G. H. Robertson School, 227 Cross St., were honored by the Connecticut Association of Schools, through its Elementary Celebration of the Arts Festival. Nominated by their art teacher, Mr. Ted Berent, the girls were presented their awards at the festival on Monday, February 23, at the Aqua-Turf Club in Southington. Congratulations to Sophia, Jasmine and their families.
[Related] Wadsworth Atheneum to display Rembrandt portrait that hasn't been in U.S. for 53 years »
AUTISM WORKSHOP: On Wednesday, April 1, 2015, from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. in the Coventry High School/Capt. Nathan Hale Middle School Library Media Center a program will be held outlining strategies for supporting individuals with autism spectrum disorders and their families. Officer Gail McDonnell from the Coventry Police Department will also be available with information on Project Safe Return.
FLAUTISTS PERFORM: On Monday, April 20, students in Coventry will attend a performance at a student assembly at Coventry High School's Veterans Auditorium at 78 Ripley Hill Road, when the UCONN Flute Choir led by UCONN Flute Professor Dionne Jackson will perform. Professor Jackson will also give students a master class in flute fundamentals to improve their own playing.
Call 860-742-7336, Ext. 218 or email nsmith@coventryct.org, or 860-742-7341 or email cgould@coventryct.org.
Senator Linares addresses the Hispanic Federation
HARTFORD - State Senator Art Linares (R) addressed the Hispanic Federation during a Connecticut Legislative Luncheon at the State Capitol, on Wednesday, March 18, which brought together Latino community organizations discussing programs which serve Latinos. Visit http://www.senatorlinares.com and http://www.hispanicfederation.org.
[Related] Kaliubon Ramen opens in West Hartford, bringing noodle soup, dumplings and bubble tea to Blue Back Square »
PHOTO: Senator Linares at the podium.
Repair Café Returns
MANSFIELD - The Repair Café returns to the First Congregational Church's Arnold Auditorium, 199 Valley St., Willimantic on Saturday, April 18, from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Skilled volunteers and employees of the Town of Mansfield and the local Access Agency will be on hand to repair and teach repair skills to people bringing in their items. Access Agencies assist elderly individuals in receiving services that help enable persons to remain at home and avoid premature institutionalization. Call 860-423-3333 or email waltonvd@mansfieldct.org.
Mansfield Senior Center events
MANSFIELD – The Mansfield Senior Center, 303 Maple Road, has the following events planned.
[Related] This weekend's Amherst railroad hobby show will fill more than 10 acres with model, toy and real trains »
AARP Tax Aid, on Mondays and Wednesdays. Call 860-429-0262, Ext. 0 to register.
Sit and Get Fit Exercise – Fridays at 10:30 a. m.
Hot Lunch served Monday through Friday at Noon.
Photo Club meets on the first and third Thursday of the month from 10 a.m. to Noon.
Book Club meets on the second and fourth Wednesday of the month at 2 p.m.
[Related] Restoration returns Noguchi monolith to Atheneum floor for first time in more than 50 years »
Senior Center Chorus meets every Monday from 1:30 p.m.
Tuesday March 24 – AARP Home Fit Program.
Food Share: Thursdays April 2, 16 and 30 at 11:30 – 12:15 in Wright's Way back Parking lot.
Fraud Awareness: Wednesday, April 1. Sponsored by Webster Bank.
Intergenerational Dinner: Monday, April 27 at 5 p.m. at E. O. Smith High School, 1235 Storrs Road. Cost is $8.
[Related] CCSU: New $23 million recreation center is more than just a gym »
Massage Therapy and Reflexology: Wednesday, April 22, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Each session is 25 minutes for $15.
Mansfield Commission on Aging Meeting: Monday, April 13 at 9:30 a.m.
Spaghetti and Meatball Dinner: Wednesday, April 15, at Noon. Cost is $5.
Universal Class and Zinio Training: Tuesday, April 14 at 10 a.m.
AARP Driver Safety Program: Wednesday, April 22 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
[Related] Review: Toe-tapping 'Tenderly' spins Rosemary Clooney's troubles through song at Playhouse on Park »
Meditation Class: Fridays, April 10 and 24 at 1:30 p.m.
VAN TRIPS: Monday, April 13 - The Susan B. Anthony Museum in Adams, Massachusetts. $4 with lunch at a mystery location. Tuesday, April 21 – The New England Air Museum in Windsor Locks. $11 with Lunch at Cracker barrel. Thursday, April 30 – Old Sturbridge Village, Sturbridge, Massachusetts. $45.50 for "Broadway Meets Nashville Big City Jamboree.
AARP Car fit Program on Saturday, April 25 from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Call 860-429-0262 or go to SeniorCntr@mansfieldct.org.
Mansfield Public Library money management talks
[Related] City of Hartford's interim chief operating officer nominated to permanent position »
MANSFIELD – As part of Money Smart Week, April 18-25, The Mansfield Public Library, 54 Warrenville Road, will hold the following events. On Tuesday, April 21 at 3 p.m. - Identity Theft Protection Tips and on Wednesday April 22 at 2:30 p.m. - Tax Free Investing Program. Both events will be held in the Program Room at the library.
Comedy night at fire department
SCOTLAND - The Scotland Volunteer Fire Department will host "SVFD Comedy Night 14" on Friday, April 10, at 7 p.m. at the Elks Club, 198 Pleasant St., in Willimantic. The show features the comedians Robyn Schall, P.J. Thibodeau and Joe Matarese. Tickets are $20 by phone at 860-450-1525, Ext 12, online at http://www.svfd16.com, and at J & S Radio Sales, 1147 Main St., Willimantic. A cash bar will be available. Proceeds benefit the Scotland Volunteer Fire Department. Visit http://www.svfd16.com.
Learning in retirement
STORRS - UConn's Center for Learning in Retirement begins the Spring session Thursday, April 2. You don't have to be retired to come join us and learn about many of the classes offered. For a brochure visit your local library or Call 860-570-9012 or go to clir.uconn.edu for a complete listing. Register by mail or online for a half-year registration fee of $15 plus $12 for the session. Classes are held during the day on UConn's Depot campus on Route 44.
[Related] Review: 'Pike St.' an inspiring story of neighborhood tragedy at Hartford Stage »
Puppet performances in Storrs
STORRS - The Ballard Institute and Museum of Puppetry, 1 Royce Cir., at the University of Connecticut will feature professional puppeteers from around the world. On Wednesday, April 8, Fred Thompson will lead a discussion about marionettes; and on Wednesday, April 15, Hua Hua Zhang leads a forum on Chinese Puppetry. Admission to these Wednesday events are free but donations are greatly appreciated. Refreshments will be served. Forums will be live-streamed on our page http://www.ustream.tv/channel/forum-live-stream.
There will be two showings of each of the following Saturday performances, at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. On April 11, Wushan Huang performs featuring beautiful hand puppets performing traditional choreographies; and on May 2, Matthew Cohen and Gamelan Si Betty present a classic Javanese puppet play. Ticket Prices are Adults - $10, Students - $7; Kids: $5. Tickets will be sold in advance through the Connecticut Repertory Theatre Box Office at the Nafe Katter Theatre at 820 Bolton Road, at the box office, by calling 860-486-2113, online at crtboxoffice@uconn.edu., or on site on the days of the shows.
Call 860-486-8580 or visit bimp.uconn.edu.
CHET competition seeks entries
[Related] Parents, teachers push for testing Hartford schools for toxic PCBs »
TOLLAND COUNTY - Tolland County students in grade K-8 are encouraged to enter the Connecticut Higher Education Trust (CHET) Dream Big Competition before the end of March for a chance to win money for college. Dream Big! invites students to share their dreams about life after college in a drawing or essay for a chance to win a CHET 529 College Savings account contribution and promotes the importance of saving for college. Four students from across Connecticut will win a $1,000 grand prize CHET account contribution with 80 students representing the states eight counties winning a $500 contribution to a CHET account.
Teachers, parents and guardians can print an entry form and find more information, including the Official Rules and entry deadlines, at http://www.chetdreambig.com. Winners will be announced and recognized during a ceremony in May.
Museum day trip and tour
WINDHAM – On Saturday, March 28, at 2 p.m., The Mill of the Month program of the Windham Textile & History Museum, 411 Main St., will meet at the Canton Museum of the Canton Historical Society,11 Front St., Canton, and visit one of the Collinsville factory buildings where sharp edged tools were produced. Following the museum tour the group will visit the Crown and Hammer Restaurant, 3 Depot St., Collinsville, in the old Railroad Station. Adults and seniors $10, students $7. Call 860-456-2178.
Hospitality and Docent training
[Related] Hartford's Front Street developer in talks to sell apartment building, invest in new development in the city »
WINDHAM – On Tuesday, April 14, from 1 to 4 p.m., and Friday, April 17 from 6 to 9 p.m., The Windham Textile and History Museum, 411 Main St., is offering a class on Hospitality and Docent training for anyone working in the tourism industry. The class will impart valuable information transferable to any museum or site. The course is free to Textile Museum volunteers and $20 to others. Fee covers hand outs and refreshments. Call 860-456-2178 or 860-423-1878.
Latest theatre guild performance
WINDHAM - Opening Friday, March 27 at the Burton Leavitt Theatre, 779 Main St., "Always…Patsy Cline," starring Laura LaCour and presented by the Windham Theatre Guild. Running until Sunday April 12, tickets are $21 for adults, $18 for students and seniors, $13 for children under 12, and $12 for UCONN,ECSU or QVCC Students with ID. Tickets at the door on Thursday, April 9 will be just $13.
Call 860-423-2245 or go to windhamtheatreguild.org.
Local students make Dean's List
[Related] AIDS CT's red-carpet gala one of several Oscar-viewing parties in Connecticut »
NORWICH – The following local students have made the Dean's List for the Fall 2014 semester at Three Rivers Community College, 574 New London Tpke.
Nicholas E. Brockett and Patricia M. Norton of Hampton; Jarod D. Phaiah of Mansfield; Charlene A. Harrington, Victoria E. Kaczowski, Shawn C. Kutschker, Karen Ricardo-Morales and Yadier Vazquez Rivera of Willimantic; Breana N. Adams, Suyeon An, Raven Dillon, Erik H. Donovan, Lennert, C. Herrmann, Michelle A. McGeowan and Alexandra L. Wilson of Windham.
Latest Mansfield
Climate Change Informational Talks For All Ages
Community News For The Windham Edition
Four Connecticut research projects get NEH funding
St. Mary's Ukrainian Easter Food Sale
WILLIMANTIC - On Saturday, March 28, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., at St. Mary's Ukrainian Catholic Church, 70 Oak St., there will be a food sale of Ukrainian food items such as pierogies, stuffed cabbage, kielbasa and baked goods.
Bingo lovers
STAFFORD - Join us Saturday, March 28 at the American Legion Stafford Post# 26 on 10 Monson Road in Stafford Springs for a night of Bingo. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. and homemade food will be available for purchase. Menu includes soup, tuna and egg salad sandwiches, meatball and sausage grinders, hot dogs, American chopped suey, baked beans, assorted chips, soda and water and assorted desserts. Bingo begins at 7 p.m. Proceeds from this event will support both The American Legion and the American Legion Auxiliary programs. This event is open to the public. For more information contact Janice at 860-742-6355, 1teuke@gmail.com.
UConn student gets special probation in racial slur case
40 years ago, Tony Todt witnessed father's attempted murder plot; this week, he confessed to killing his family
Rev. Lisa Anderson says ministry is the right fit for her


text:
Bill Roper On How Flagship, Hellgate Spiraled Out Of Control
February 7, 2011 | By Staff
More: Console/PC, Production
Bill Roper, former CEO for defunct Hellgate: London developer Flagship Studios, explained in a candid interview how is company met its demise.
"Flagship actually got a lot bigger than we ever intended it to. In our heads, we wanted to have 25 people. Like, that was how big we wanted our company to be," said Roper in a newly-published Gamasutra feature interview.
"We had to grow to a larger size within Flagship to support everything we tried to do with [Hellgate]," said Roper.
Prior to founding ill-fated Flagship in 2003 with former Blizzard staff, Roper was VP of Blizzard North and a director of Blizzard Entertainment. After Flagship's demise in 2008, Roper joined Champions Online developer Cryptic Studios as chief creative officer, then resigned from the developer last year.
Flagship launched action-RPG Hellgate in 2007 -- the game would be the studio's first and last title.
"The biggest failure with Hellgate is we just tried to do too much," Roper explained. "We were a single-player game, or you could go online and play for free. And there was also this hybrid subscription model that you could get into, and the game was coming out on the new Windows platform, and we were part of the Games for Windows program."
He continued, "We shipped in 17 languages, we had a very high-end graphics engine that we had built but at the same time we did low-poly versions of the game. I mean, the list just went on and on and on."
Roper acknowledged that the studio's ambitions spiraled out of control. "I think that was where our 'growing up Blizzard' hurt us, right? [laughs] Because at Blizzard you just go for it. Every time you swing, you swing for the fences."
"A couple benefits we had there [at Blizzard,] we really didn't have at Flagship -- I mean, even Blizzard now, but at Blizzard 10 years ago -- one, there was always support from Blizzard from the top-down, from the publishing-down. We'd go in there and say, 'We need to take six more months. This is why. This is the benefit you will see from it,'" recalled Roper. "And you always had to justify it."
"There was always the support [at Blizzard] to say, 'You know what? If that's what you need to make this game great, then that's what we'll get for you. We'll figure it out.'"
But the startup Flagship didn't have that luxury, as its publishers needed Hellgate to launch. "It still eventually comes down to dollars and cents and time," said Roper. "I mean, I think when Hellgate: London came out... we knew it needed another four to six months. The publishers knew it needed another four to six months."
Roper said the game's publishers weren't willing to put more time and money towards the title. "The publishers were like, 'Hey, we're invested. We're in. We're as in as we're going to get.' So, the game's got to come out, right? You get to that point."
Asked if it's a mistake to adopt the mentality that "the game's just got to come out" even if if it isn't ready, Roper laughed and said, "Yeah. I think it's a horrible mistake."
For more from Roper, read the full, candid Gamasutra feature interview, available now.
123327 newswire /view/news/123327/Bill_Roper_On_How_Flagship_Hellgate_Spiraled_Out_Of_Control.php Loading Comments


The microGranny 2.4 is monophonic granular sampler.
It reads wav samples from microSD card and applies granular algorithms to them. You can also adjust start, end, sample rate (tuned or free run), crush and envelope (attack release). MIDI Input allows external control of all parameters as well as transposition of the samples, or playing individual grains by different keys.


text:
Why Frank Martin > Bill Self
By K. Scott Bailey Mar 29, 2011, 2:05pm CDT
Share All sharing options for: Why Frank Martin > Bill Self
This is not the draft you are looking for... (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
I've made no secret here of my respect for Bill Self. He's no Frank Martin, but I've always liked the guy anyway. That's beginning to change a bit, as I read what he's been saying about Robinson and the Morris twins leaving early for the draft. After initially making the obligatory "Kids need to do what is best for their families" comment, he proceeded to say the following things about three of the best big men in the Big 12 this year:
On Robinson, who is projected to go in the top half of the first round: "He has the most room to improve. He can take a leap like Markieff did this year..." [This despite the fact that the kid desperately needs to start making money to support his family.]
On Marcus Morris, the Big 12 POTY: "Marcus needs to improve his perimeter skills. He needs to be a three." What can be said in defense of this quote? The kid is the best non-Jake player in the league! He can work on his perimeter skills in the NBA. His stock will never be higher than it is right now.
Not directly about Markieff Morris, but seems to have been directed that way, when Self claims that before a kid should leave, he should have 4-5 teams in the lottery interested in them, saying there "Should be backup plans" and trying to spread fear about guys leaving early with an imminent NBA lockout.
All of this smacks of desperation, and I don't remember Frank doing anything even close to that when Beasley and Walker were making their decisions. I think Self is staring a potential 11-7 conference record in the face, and is trying to scare these three kids into sticking around when they shouldn't. It bothers me to see this from a coach I always kind of respected.


This year we are supporting the Diemax Drift Challenge series at the Adrian Flux Arena, with the NADT and our friends from north of the border Diemax Precision Engineering Ltd.
This is a challenge series so we will be running the tried and tested practice comp format from 2016.
Gates will open at 7am. Track will run from 9am till 5pm with 2 breaks for judged run briefing and battle briefing, challenge starts from 6pm till finish.
ALL DRIVERS WILL BE REQUIRED TO ATTEND BRIEFING AT 8.30AM AT EACH EVENT.
Tyre van will be available at each round. Supply/fit/disposal £5 per tyre.
Prize money and Grand Final trophies kindly donated by our great friends the Donnelly's and Diemax Engineering.
Whats it all about you might ask….
Many thanks to everyone for the shares for this challenge series.
PLEASE note that this is a series put together for those that have no or little experience of drift competition, therefore giving drivers the chance to see if they like it before spending massive amounts of money to enter some of the major drift series.
The track is designed to give some speed, some clipping points and the chance to "chase" in twin battle format, so there is no "door on door action" as such, its not encouraged to "take the door mirror off" but to twin drift close but not to the point of damage.
So with this in mind, see you all there, oh and technology permitting the whole series will be on LIVESTREAM via the drift365livestream page.


Before you start on such a critical projectcleaning of synthetic wood its important to know that decking options have grown over the last several yearscleaning of synthetic wood bringing new choices in composite plastic and wood products from which to construct your deck.
Our Wood Plastic Composite products are a beautifulcleaning of synthetic wood cost effective and ethical product for landscapingcleaning of synthetic wood gardening and construction customersAll of our products are available to prospective stockists who are looking to expand their selection of composite decking and composite fencing products this year.
Composite decking costs less over its lifetime than does wood and lasts longercleaning of synthetic wood tooWhile pressure treated lumber may cost less initiallycleaning of synthetic wood maintenance costs are significantly higherOn averagecleaning of synthetic wood maintaining a wood deck will cost £ £ per year.


Discover artistic toilet design concepts here. There, alabaster tubs and different tub fittings were found, along with a classy twin plumbing system to transport cold and hot water individually. Within the grasp tub of a French countryside duplex , flooring-to-ceiling galvanized-iron bookshelves are accessible by means of a steel library ladder.
Trendy loos: Trendy bogs are similar to minimalist bogs, however with some crucial variations. Probably the most crucial area for toilet lighting is the mirror. Cupboard pulls, shower heads and taps are available a wide range of finishes, which allows you to add bits and items of personality into toilet designs of all kinds.
Does solely a small patch of tiles have to be changed, or is your complete rest room outdated and drab? Niches for Toiletries: One technique to create an impact in a small toilet is to take advantage of wall cavities and build storage into the prevailing wall spaces, nooks and crannies.
Eclectic style bathrooms: It involves combining materials like wooden, concrete, ceramic tiles and metalwork to create partaking textures and colors, and benefit from the out there mild. If you're planning a toilet rework, contemplate including a couple of of those fabulous features.