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Prices start from USD $2,436 per person
Bhutan Central Tour
An inspiring Bhutan Central Tour , Cross the Himalayas to reach Bhutan's heartland. Encounter Buddhist culture and a rural way of life.
Day 1 WELCOME TO BHUTAN AND THE RICE FIELDS AND VILLAGES OF PARO.
Arrive in Paro and transfer to the hotel. Afternoon sightseeing in Paro valley. Visit the impressive Rinpung Dzong, which featured in Bertolucci's film "Little Buddha" and then descend on foot to the traditional bridge and into Paro town, where you can spend some free time.
O/N Paro
Day 2 TEMPLES AND DIVINE MADMEN IN PUNAKHA.
Drive to Punakha (3½hrs). A one-hour drive from Thimphu brings you to the Dochula Pass at an altitude of 3,000m. Stop to circumabulate the 108 chorten and enjoy the view of the Himalayan peaks in the distance. Then descend to 1,200m and visit Chimi Lhakhang, the temple of 15th Century Lam Drukpa Kuenley, also known as the "Divine Madman". Continue towards Punakha Dzong, which was the former fortress capital of Bhutan. The monks live here during the winter months, moving from their cooler summer residence in Thimphu Dzong.For those who enjoy village walks and hiking, we have a choice of two wonderful walking tours that you can opt for today.
O/N Punakha
Day 3 PUNAKHA SIGHTSEEING, HIKING AND OPTIONAL RAFTING
Punakha is warm and dry so it is a nice place for some pleasant walking and visiting villages, getting a feel for the daily life of the people. Start early with a hike to Khamsum Yuelley Namgyal Chorten. As well as visiting the stupa you will get a lovely view of the Punakha river valley from here. Later visit the surrounding villages and a temple or nunnery. Today you have the option to take a rafting excursion on the river too.
Day 4 DRIVE TO TRONGSA WINDING ROADS AND A WATCHTOWER MUSEUM.
Cross the Pele-La Pass (3500mts) today and stop at a stupa built in the same style as Boudinath in Kathmandu.A long, winding road (5½ hrs driving), leads to Trongsa, a small town with an impressive Dzong perched on a promontory. Visit the beautifully restored watchtower museum which has a collection of pieces related to the history of the monarchy. The five statues on the top floor of the museum represent the positive forms of the five poisons in our human nature. We can aspire to transform those poisons into these opposite positive characteristics.
O/N Trongsa
Day 5 BUMTHANG: THE RELIGIOUS HEARTLAND ON A 2,700-METRE PLATEAU.
Drive to Bumthang (2 hrs). Today's cultural sightseeing in Bumthang includes visits interspersed with optional short walks to Jakar Dzong and the important temples of Jambay Lhakhang, Kurjey Lhakhang and Tamshing monastery. See the monks debating in Tibetan style at Karchu Monastery. Try Bumthang specialties including honey and Swiss-style cheese.
O/N Bumthang
Day 6 DAY EXCURSION TO THE RURAL TANG VALLEY.
A 2-hour drive on a rough road takes you to this isolated village at an altitude of 2,900 meters. The Ogyen Choling palace is an interesting living museum of life in feudal Bhutan. It's one of our favorites. After lunch in a local guesthouse, return to Jakar and visit Lake Mebartsho, en route. This is a deep pool in a steep gorge so you must follow your guide's instructions carefully. It is a site of pilgrimage where Pema Lingpa, a local saint and "treasure-reveler" emerged from the lake with a burning butter lamp in his hand.Alternative excursions to Ura village or some hiking options to Kunzangdrak or Tharpaling are also available. You may also wish to stay overnight in the valley but please note that the accommodation is in a simple guesthouse.
Day 7 RETURN DRIVE TO WANGDI
Return drive to Wangdi (5 – 6 hrs). En route, visit weavers at Zungney village and stop to visit Trongsa Dzong.
O/N Wangdi
Day 8 THIMPHU: ARCHERY, TRADITIONS AND THE NATIONAL ANIMAL.
Drive to Thimphu (2½hrs). Spend the rest of the day sightseeing in Thimphu. Archery is the national sport of the Bhutanese so spend some time at the archery ground today where you are sure to find some archers honing their skills. Visit the Chang-gangkha Temple, where locals take their children to be named. Drive up to the Takin Reserve to see the national animal and visit one of a choice of museums. Finally, take a stroll to the Memorial Chorten, where you will meet people of all walks of life circumambulating the stupa with their hand-held prayer wheels.
O/N Thimphu
Day 9 THIMPHU: CRAFTSMEN AND DZONGS.
Today, start early for a short hike to Tango monastery. Drive along country lanes on the way to the trail and then hike uphill for just under one hour before reaching Tango Monastery, one of the most important institutes of Buddhist studies for the monks of Bhutan. A picnic lunch will be served near the riverside before returning to Thimphu.Finally, visit the impressive Thimphu Dzong (Trashichodzong) which is a fortress-like building housing important offices of both the government and the monastic body as well as a number of temples. Dinner in one of our favorite restaurants in the city.
Day 10 THIMPHU AND PARO SIGHTSEEING.
Start the day at the huge Buddha statue with a great view over the city. Visit the Folk Heritage Museum to get an idea of life in an ancient Bhutanese farmhouse. At the Institute for the 13 Traditional Arts (Zorig Chusum) students learn one of 13 skills such as statue-making, Buddhist painting or silk embroidery. If you are interested in traditional herbal-based medicine you can choose to visit the Institute of Traditional Medicine. Alternatively, at the Textile Museum you will learn about the intricate silk weaving which is very much a part of Bhutanese culture.In the afternoon drive to Paro (1 hr). En route stop at Simtokha dzong and the chain bridge at Tamchog Lhakhang.
Day 11 MORNING HIKE TO THE TIGER'S NEST: A TRUE PILGRIMAGE.
Hike or horse ride to Taktsang temple, also known as the Tiger's Nest, which is built into the sheer rock face at an altitude of 3,000 meters. This is a highlight of the tour and involves a 2-hour uphill hike. The visit to the temple, and the return downhill to the base makes this a 4-hour round trip. This hike requires a certain level of fitness but is not excessively difficult. In the afternoon drive towards the ruined fortress Drugyel Dzong from where you can get a view of the distant Jhomolhari mountain and enjoy the rural scenery of the valley with its small villages and farms scattered here and there. On the return to town, visit Kyichu Lakhang, one of the oldest temples in Bhutan. You may wish to book a massage at one of several hotel spas to relax after your hike.
Day 12 FLIGHT DEPARTURE
After breakfast transfer to the airport for check-in and flight departure from Paro. Tashi Delek!
The Cost Includes Accommodation in 3* 4* and 5* tourist hotels according to the package chosen.
Three meals a day.
English-speaking Guide services for the duration of your stay (Other languages on request).
Comfortable vehicle and driver for the duration of your stay.
All transfers between airport and hotel.
Sightseeing and entrance fees as per itinerary.
Government Royalties and Surcharges and all taxes.
Complimentary processing of Bhutanese visa and flight booking service.
The Cost Does Not Includes Visa Fee: payable at the time of booking your tour ($ 40).
Flights: your flight costs are itemized separately.
Upgrades to a higher category hotel accommodation on request.
Drinks and other expenses of a personal nature (laundry, telephone etc.)
Tips for guide and driver.
Travel & Health Insurance: we strongly recommend that you purchase a comprehensive travel insurance to cover medical expenses, baggage loss, and trip cancellation.
All extra expenses incurred due to forces of nature or unforeseen events.
10N/11D Tour Prices
3 person & above
High Season USD $3,186 USD $2,736 USD $2,436
Low Season USD $2,836 USD $2,336 USD $1,936
Visa Fee USD $40
Flight Please see separate tab for flight options and prices.
High Season: March, April, May, September, October, and November
Low Season: January, February, June, July, August, and December
Return flight prices to Paro
Delhi USD $606 USD $765
Bangkok USD $646 USD $780
Kathmandu USD $379 USD $469
Kolkata USD $406 USD $489
Singapore USD $818 USD $1,478
Bagdogra USD $208 USD $352
Gaya USD $390 USD $694
« Reach New Heights (8N/9D) | West to East (14N/15D) »
Trip Duration:
10 Nights/ 11 Days
Types of Activities:
Cultural Sightseeing
Hotels and Lodges
Starting from USD $2436 per person
Trip Rating:
Comfortable touring
8 + 7=
Contact us at: info@bhutanvisit.com
Want to join a group?
If you like this tour but would prefer to join a group, click here for a list of all our fixed departure group tours.


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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


We try to make the impossible possible for our customers.
A friendly, experienced and competent team is ready to help you at any time so that you can order exactly the right part that you need – and at the best possible price.
The multilingual team gives professional advice on all products and services and is offering tailor-made solutions. Even the "hard to find parts" are "easy to find" for the aps experts. Because aps aims to resolve each customer inquiry in a satisfactory way.


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DUEL OF THE TIGERS (1982) 26498
Rocket Pictures Original One-Sheet Poster (27x41) Folded Very Fine Condition
Rocket Pictures Original One-Sheet Poster for the martial arts film DUEL OF THE TIGERS starring Chiang-Chen Yang. The film was directed by Chuan Yang and was released in the U.S. in 1982. But this was a 1979 Hong Kong film DUEL OF THE SEVEN TIGERS. It was also distributed under a couple of other titles: RETURN OF SCORPION and SHADOW OF THE TIGERS. Nice design on this one and the poster is in very fine condition.
CHING-CHEN YANG - Actor
CHUAN YANG - Director
DUEL OF THE IRON FIST (1971) 27403
Howard Mahler Films Original U.S. One-Sheet Poster (27x41) Folded Very Fine Condition Howard Mahler Films Original One-Sheet Poster for the martial arts film DUEL OF THE IRON FIST (1971). The film...
DUEL OF THE TITANS (1961) 9243
Original Paramount Pictures One Sheet Poster (27x41). Folded. Fine Condition. Original Paramount Pictures One Sheet Poster (27x41) for the Sergio Corbucci epic adventure, DUEL OF THE TITANS...
DUEL TO THE DEATH, A (1983) 26499
Unknown Distributor Martial Arts One-Sheet 27x41 Very Fine Condition U.S. one-sheet poster for a martial arts film which we know little about. The title is A DUEL TO THE DEATH and the film...
DUEL OF CHAMPIONS (1964) 11051
Original Medallion Pictures One Sheet Poster (27x41). Fine Plus Condition. Original Medallion Pictures One Sheet Poster (27x41) for the Ferdianado Baldi and Terence Young historical action drama,...
Paramount Pictures Original 24 Sheet Poster (9 feet by 20 feet) Very Fine Condition Original Paramount Pictures Twenty Four Sheet Poster (9 feet by 20 feet) for the Sergio Corbucci epic adventure,...
DYNAMO (1980) 26500
World Northal Original One-Sheet Poster 27x41 Folded Very Fine Condition Original One-Sheet Poster for the martial arts film DYNAMO (1980) directed by Shan Hua. Here was one of the many films...
DRAGON'S INFERNO (1981) 26467
Transcontinental Film Company Original U.S. One-Sheet Poster (27x41) Folded Fine Condition U.S. One-Sheet Poster (27x41) for a South Korean / Taiwan Martial Arts Film from 1981, DRAGON'S INFERNO. ...
DYNAMITE BROTHERS, THE (1974) 23091
Cinemation Industries One Sheet Poster. 27x41 Good Condition.	Original Cinemation Industries One Sheet poster for THE DYNAMITE BROTHERS. Average used condition, classed as Good. Folded.AL...
DROWNING POOL, THE (1975) 5086
Warner Brothers Original One Sheet 27x41 Fine Condition This was Paul Newman's second picture as the detective simply known as Harper. This poster is in fine condition - theater used, but with...
DUKE ELLINGTON (1980) 16673
Polish Poster of Duke Ellington. 26x83. Not a reproduction. Very good condition. Nice portrait of Duke Ellington by artist Olbinski. The camels behind The Duke are supposed to resonate with...
DRAGON LIVES, THE (1978) 26458
Film Ventures Original One-Sheet Poster 27x41 Folded Very Fine Condition Original Film Ventures International One-Sheet poster for the martial arts movie THE DRAGON LIVES. The movie was directed...
DRAGON'S FURY, THE () 26466
THE DRAGON'S FURY Undated Hong Kong film poster (24x36) U.S. One-Sheet Poster for the martial arts movie THE DRAGON'S FURY (undated.) The tagline reads "Young, Quick Tempered and Out of Control." ...
DRESSED TO KILL (1980) 4204
Original Filmways Pictures One Sheet Poster (27x41). Folded. Very fine condition. Original Filmways Pictures One Sheet Poster (27x41) for the Brian De Palma mystery thriller, DRESSED TO KILL (1980)...

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


The Sooners' secondary was the strength of the defense last year, but only one starter, Aaron Colvin, will be around for 2013. As such, secondary coaches Mike Stoops and Bobby Jack Wright have some work to do this spring figuring out who's going to be in the mix this fall.
Colvin (6-0, 181), who opted to stay for his senior year, will be one of the leaders of the defense this year. He finished third on the team in 2012 with 61 tackles, 4 interceptions and 11 passes broken up.
The defensive backfield would have been stronger if safety Tony Jefferson had hung around for his senior year, but he opted for greener pastures in hopes of getting drafted by the NFL. Mike stated in OU's spring football press conference Thursday that Gabe Lynn (6-0, 199, Sr.) would be the starting free safety going into spring camp. Lynn hasn't exactly lit it up in his OU career, but he has made some improvement since 2011. He appeared to make some strides as the full-time nickelback last year.
Mike also said Quentin Hayes (6-0, 181, Jr.) would start at strong safety this spring. Hayes was suspended prior to last season for violating team rules, but since has been reinstated.
Others currently on the roster looking to make some headway in the next 15 practices include safety Kass Everett (5-10, 180, Sr.), and Cortez Johnson (6-2, 191, Jr.). Everett is a junior college transfer who played sparingly as the third team nickelback last year, but was a regular on special teams. Johnson sat out one year after transferring from Arizona, but also was suspended for possession of marijuana. His status is unclear as of now, and in what may be an ominous sign, he was not mentioned in the press conference.
Another name to listen out for this spring: Ahmad Thomas. The 6-1, 205 freshman out of Sunshine State powerhouse Miami Central High School enrolled early and clearly has Mike's eye. Thomas has the kind of size that OU will be looking for in its safeties going forward, especially if the 3-4 move gains traction. Mike could determine that Thomas' future at safety is now.


Marketing your own practice is one of the most challenging parts of business. Most physiotherapists go into private practice because they want to help people, not because they want to own their own small business. Unfortunately, a lot of what you do as the professional is to do the daily work of running a small business. Marketing is an important aspect of this.
Physio123 recommend three fundamental internal marketing practices that you can follow to help your practice develop. Internal marketing is the least expensive and most profitable type of marketing that exists. Internal means you are marketing to your own base of patients/clients. If you do each of the steps listed below you will find success in marketing your practice is not that hard after all.
Many physiotherapists feel that physiotherapists are not salespeople! Remember, yes you are a physiotherapist, but we all need to be sales people.
You sell your patients on procedures or services that they need. You sell your staff on the benefits of working hard for you. You sell everyday. The sooner you claim it, the sooner you'll be able to use your sales techniques to improve your practice.
The first person to whom a potential patient speaks is usually the front office person, receptionist or, in smaller practices, the practitioner. This person sets the tone of the patients experience. He/she is the person who answers the phone, gives them information about the practice, and arranges their appointments, in many cases, deals with their anxiety about the pain they are in.
Answering the phone is one of the simplest, yet most important tasks for the success of a new practice.
Many physiotherapists do not realise the power of their own patient base. They are working, working, working and one day look up to find that half of their patients have gone somewhere else. The most important thing that you must do in your practice is to make sure that your patients remain your patients and refer to you.
It is a lot easier to retain existing patients than it is to create new patients. Look after the patients you have!


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Digital Humanities in Songs and Baudelaire
3Dec 2018 4 Dec 2018
Cultural Mechanics of The Baudelaire Song Project
In the quiet of October 2018, I was listening to a podcast, Cultural Mechanics. Shout out to James O'Sullivan for coming up with such a cool name for a podcast on digital culture and arts. That's how I came across The Baudelaire Song Project.
When I was younger and winning multiple creative writing competitions, I remember quoting this one line over and over again. I read it in a spy-thriller novel. I was enamored by those lines – as an angsty teenager. (Cue Spring Awakening soundtrack in the background.)
Stomp stomp mama.
L' y a la beaute on trouve la morte.
Where one finds beauty, there is death.
– Hopefully, maybe Charles Baudelaire
I truly remember them to have been Charles Baudelaire's lines. I say maybe because when I look up this quote that is etched in my writing so much, I couldn't find it.
Les Fleurs du mal Librivox Audiobook
Life of Baudelaire
Charles Baudelaire(1821-1867) was a French poet, and a literary art critic.
Living in France then, being what it is, meant that Baudelaire witnessed two revolutions in his lifetime. Slowly working his way to a debt, he traveled around writer circles and in 1857 he published his first collection of poetry.
The collection of a hundred poems was considered scandalous since they ranged from vampires to lesbians. Six poems in particular were deemed offensive and he was on trial for them. This, more than anything, gave way for his popularity.
In 1961, he re-published Les Fleurs du mal without those 6 poems, but with 30 new poems.
A defining feature of his poems are the settings in which they take place. There is a definite musicality to them.
The Flawed Bell
It is bitter and sweet on winter nights
To listen by the fire that smokes and palpitates,
To distant souvenirs that rise up slowly
At the sound of the chimes that sing in the fog.
Happy is the bell which in spite of age
Is vigilant and healthy, and with lusty throat
Faithfully sounds its religious call,
Like an old soldier watching from his tent!
I, my soul is flawed, and when, a prey to ennui,
She wishes to fill the cold night air with her songs,
It often happens that her weakened voice
Resembles the death rattle of a wounded man,
Forgotten beneath a heap of dead, by a lake of blood,
Who dies without moving, striving desperately.
— Charles Baudelaire, William Aggeler, The Flowers of Evil (Fresno, CA: Academy Library Guild, 1954)
There are patterns where Baudelaire's poetry has been used over time in Rock, Rap, and Death Metal in French, English, Russian, German, Norwegian, Spanish, Polish, Korean, and Hebrew.
This shows that Baudelaire is still being read and consumed, even today in the 21st Century. Here are some of the more popular examples of Baudelaire poetry inspiration and realization in song form.
I think that was taken from an old idea of Baudelaire's, I think, but I could be wrong. Sometimes when I look at my Baudelaire books, I can't see it in there. But it was an idea I got from French writing. And I just took a couple of lines and expanded on it. I wrote it as sort of like a Bob Dylan song. And you can see it in this movie Godard shot called Sympathy for the Devil [originally titled One Plus One,] which is very fortuitous, because Godard wanted to do a film of us in the studio.
– Mick Jagger, Mick Jagger remembers, Rollingstone Magazine
Oh! You want to know why I hate you today. It will undoubtedly be less easy for you to understand than it will be for me to explain, for you are, I believe, the most beautiful example of feminine impermeability one could ever encounter.
– Charles Baudelaire , " The Eyes of The Poor ", 1869
You want to know why I hate you? Well, I'll try and explain
You remember that day in Paris, when we wandered through the rain
– The Cure in "How Beautiful You Are"
The Angel who gives punishment equal to his love
Beats the anathema with his giant fists;
But the damned one still answers: I shall not!"
— Charles Baudelaire, Translated by William Aggeler, "The Rebel" The Flowers of Evil (Fresno, CA: Academy Library Guild, 1954)
To your son I will return his strength and his colors
And will be for this frail athlete of life
Oil that strengthens the muscles of wrestlers.
In you I will fall, ambrosial plant,
precious grain thrown by the eternal Sower, so
that our love will be born poetry
that will spring to God like a rare flower!
– Charles Baudelaire, The Soul of Wine
Why Baudelaire?
Baudelaire's Self portrait: Dessin par Charles Baudelaire.
Image courtesy: Wikimedia Commons
Baudelaire's poetry connects with an audience. In North Carolina State University's David H. Henard and Christian L. Rossetti study, "All You Need is Love? Communication Insights from Pop Music's Number-One Hits" the most common themes in pop music ranged from loss to aspiration. These themes aligned almost perfectly with Charles Baudelaire's work.
The Baudelaire Song project
Baudelaire's Journal will make BuJo-ers jealous. Image courtesy: LADILETTANTELLE
The Baudelaire Song Project is creating a dataset that brings together different types of music to poetry, as an art form.
Patterns are most commonly and easily noticed in music, for obvious reasons., and finding a sync in the sound of words seems very very cool. Poetry, by nature, is already very musical.
Here's another example for analysis and visualization of poetry that I will pursue in another blog post: Amaranth Borsuk's The Upright Script: Words in Space and on the Page
The Tech Side of Things
The digital method of The Baudelaire Project is helping Prof. Helen Abbott and Dr. Caroline Ardrey use a wider range of parameters for their literary analysis. Overall they are concerned with the following:
Meter/prosody
Form/structure
Sound properties/repetition
Semantics/word-painting
Live performance options.
The electronic version reach of the text
Audio files of the songs
Database of song setting
Creating .csv datasets
Digital Tools used
OperaVox: Detailed analysis of singing voices
Audacity: Open source software for multi-track audio editing and recording for various layers of labeling, annotating, and tagging.
Sonic Visualizer: Musicologists, archivists, signal-processing researchers can study a music file, not just listen to it.
Students have implemented Baudelaire poetry to music – including classical and death metal via a workshop Songs without Borders.
No, not this poetry. But thank you Klaus. GIF courtesy: Giphy
These kids set the poetry to music to create original pieces.
The Baudelaire Song Project consists of:
Research all song settings of Charles Baudelaire's 200+ poems.
Building a dataset with these song settings.
Archive research for each song setting.
Tagging poems with Music using XML markup.
Cross- analyzing and visualizing songs for rich and comparative data.
Collaboration between various music and literary components.
Image courtesy: The Baudelaire Song Project
To research all song settings ever.
Build a timeline of song settings
Facilitate computer-assisted analysis of poetry to song examples.
Determine the most often used poetry.
Explore the ways in which musicians address the challenges of translating literature into music.
Understand the Digital Humanities nature of sound and text interaction.
Use data to map reception to Baudelaire across time and even geographically.
Start with Page 1 of Fleurs du Mal.
Identify the poems with the largest possible number of song settings.
Insert into the database.
Test the data on the database.
Test on Sonic Visualizer.
Test on Audacity.
Verify and Validate.
Digital Humanities Institute, University of Sheffield (UK)
University of Birmingham (UK)
University Toulouse – Jean Jaurès (France)
Professor Helen Abbott, University of Birmingham (PI)
Dr. Mylène Dubiau, Université Toulouse – Jean Jaurès (CI)
Dr. Caroline Ardrey, University of Birmingham (RA)
Setting up the database
Recognizing Baudelaire's prose poetry to require a different set of methodology.
Diversifying into other styles, artists, new song settings etc.
Professor Helen Abbott, Department of Modern Languages – Baudelaire in Song, 1880-1930 published by Oxford University Press
Twitter | Facebook | Website | Email
The Baudelaire Song Project is unique and pioneering. It is not delimiting about what music and poetry can do together.on the other hand, it showcases what could be achieved as a result of the amalgamation of technology, music, and literature.
Baudelaire taking a bow. GIF courtesy: Giphy
Have you read Baudelaire? Is there a place for technology in music and poetry? Does anyone out there know if Baudelaire ever said anything along the lines of "Where there is beauty, one finds death"?!
Tags: Baudelaire Song project, Charles Baudelaire, Digital humanities, digital humanities projects, French poetry, Music, Poetry, University of Birmingham
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The train doesn't go through Templeton very frequently, but we got lucky during Damian's senior portrait session in Templeton the other day. You can hear the train coming for miles so we were clear of the tracks well before it went by. Damian's mom was thrilled that we got some shots with the train going by.
Senior pictures should say something about who you are. Damian brought several shirts and a jacket to wear during the photo shoot and was not planning on doing any in the black t-shirt, but when I noticed he was a weightlifter we took several shots with just the t-shirt and they turned out to be some of their favorites.
It had been a year or so since I used this location, but I was pleased to find some new spots that worked very well and I'm excited to go back to use these again and look for some new ones.


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Start out on the Coffee Pot Hollow Trail on the west side of the parking lot entrance. Take the Spruce Trail to Laurel Path to Kissinger Road to Owl Trail to Piliated Trail. Take Buck Hollow Trail to the southern end of the park, double back, take Buck Hollow Trail to Chestnut Trail to Painted Turtle Pond. Take Chestnut Trail to Oak to mansion. Take road to Watershed Trail, follow to Sheerlund Trail to Coffee Pot Hollow Trail back to Oregon Road parking lot.


The National Association of Shopfitters (NAS) has successfully represented and promoted the shopfitting and interior contracting sector successfully since 1919.
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The Timber Decking and Cladding Association is an independent, not-for-profit technical and advisory body for the timber decking and timber cladding industry. The association offers expert advice and promotes best practice where both material choice and construction is concerned. A recently re-launched website provides interested visitors with ample information and advice, whilst also hosting a comprehensive approved supplier search facility, drilling down to specific components – the only resource of its type dedicated to timber decking and cladding. This same website is also a powerful tool to showcase the strengths and capabilities of the many members who offer quality timber decking and timber cladding products and/or services.
The TDCA also provides a dispute resolution service, should something go wrong. This includes a site visit from an independent expert and a full written report to highlight the findings – an excellent way to prevent a time-consuming dispute between numerous parties and to find an acceptable resolution swiftly.
The British Woodworking Federation is the trade association for the woodworking and joinery manufacturing industry in the UK. It's members include manufacturers, distributors and installers of timber doors, windows, conservatories, staircases, furniture, all forms of bespoke, interior and architectural joinery and suppliers to the industry. The Federation strives to provide the best possible service to its members and to ensure that service represents the best value for their subscription fee. Central to the BWF is our Code of Conduct, against which all members are audited. We believe this is the basis of our success in recruiting and retaining quality members. The BWF brings together individuals and companies within the industry to share problems and experiences and find solutions together. We offer regular opportunities for members to rub shoulders with their competitors and suppliers, whether formally in Federation Committees, or informally at social events.
For over 125 years, TTF members have been supplying the carpentry and joinery sectors with timber and wood products from around the world. The Federation is now the UK's foremost membership body for the timber supply chain. Its Responsible Purchasing Policy, to which all members must adhere, is recognised for the rigorous due diligence of its annual reporting system. The Federation continues to improve its members' standards, most recently on imported plywoods and preservative-treated timber, ensuring that IoC members and others throughout the wood supply chain are purchasing 'Timber you can Trust'. TTF members encompass timber importers, merchants, agents and manufacturers of wood products, and account for around two-thirds of the £10 billion UK timber industry.The Federation aims to bring together those who use our products with those who product and provide them, ensuring that we work as a team to promote the use of the sustainable, renewable material which binds us all.
The Structural Timber Association (STA) is the UK's leading timber association, representing over 600 members from the structural timber industry including suppliers, manufacturers, erectors and designers. It supports members through education, training, and technical guidance and ensures the continued professional development of all members through seminars, factory tours, exhibiting, networking and high-level industry discussions.
Additionally, working closely with such sector bodies as the HSE and BRE, the STA aims to be the focal point of industry research, with outcomes from its Technical Committee demonstrating that structural timber is the most sustainable form of construction in the UK.
IronmongeryDirect are the UK's largest supplier of specialist ironmongery, supplying architectural ironmongery to builders, joiners and shop fitters for over 40 years. Starting out as a traditional hardware shop they have since expanded to now providing architectural ironmongers with over 16,000 quality products, all of which are in stock ready for next day of delivery as standard. "It all comes down to our passion for customers, and making sure that they get the service and the product that they want" Wayne Lysaght-Mason, Managing Director, IronmongeryDirect.
T C Barr WoodWorx Ltd - The "WoodworXs" is based in Lambourne End, Essex. All our work is manufactured and purpose made to suit your individual needs. No two jobs are ever the same, all our work comes with our own personal touch of magic. Please take a minute to view our website where you can satisfy your curiosity by viewing a large variety of previous work.
William Avery Ltd is all about buildings and boats – a business career in Real Estate and a lifetime spent sailing are a perfect balance for an enjoyable business life. With over forty years of experience in the construction industry we are ideally placed to assist you with your commercial construction projects; whether a residential redevelopment or a large scale commercial construction from the ground up, we can help. What's more, having been both the client and the developer on different projects, we understand both perspectives. Why buildings and boats? As a keen yachtsman with his Yachtmaster (offshore) credentials, William Avery has skippered wins at the annual property regatta and the Little Britain Challenge Cup and regularly competes in the annual Round the Island race in the Solent. This love of boats led him to take over the sole UK dealership for Maxi, Delphia and FarEast Yachts.
Batty Joinery - E Batty Contractors Ltd. have been manufacturing traditional joinery products since 1919. Whether our client is looking for bespoke joinery for a contemporary or period building project, an intricately finished hardwood staircase, or the crafting of a simple yet elegant traditional sash window, we are always committed to completing the project on time, on budget and with maximum client satisfaction. Batty Joinery's expert team has the experience and skill to plan, estimate and manufacture a vast range of traditional and contemporary joinery products. Throughout our history, we have had the opportunity to prove our capability, producing a diverse range of joinery for all sectors of building and construction, from health clinics to self-build projects. Understanding the complexities of joinery gives us a unique and prestigious standing in the industry.
If you are interested in becoming a corporate member of the Institute of Carpenters, please click here to find out more.


In mid-October, Ben Taylor filed a civil lawsuit against Richter, alleging that Richter attacked and injured him in an on-campus dormitory. Richter was later dismissed from the BSU football team.
Taylor's attorney, David Claiborne, said Taylor suffered two black eyes, a broken nose, a concussion and a broken arm in the scrap.
Several witnesses told a private investigator that Taylor first shoved Richter and swung at him before Richter retaliated. "What's clear is that three witnesses at the scene uniformly indicate that Ben was the initial aggressor, that he pushed Jace and that he swung at Jace, and that Jace hit him while defending himself," Richter's attorney, Michael Bartlett, told the Statesman in October.
Claiborne and Bartlett were unavailable for comment Thursday.


text:
/* Defines the "about view" controller
 * Constructor function relies on Ng injector to provide:
 *     $scope - context variable for the view to which the view binds
 *     logger - logs and caches session log messages (about.logger.js)
 */
todo.controller('AboutCtrl',
    ['$scope', 'logger',
    function ($scope, logger) {
        $scope.logEntries = logger.logEntries;
    }]);


text:
Margaret's heartbreaker
October 31. Divorce, having caused the Abdication Crisis 20 years previously, created yet another heartbreaking wrench between love and duty. Princess Margaret, the younger sister of the Queen, formally announced that she would not marry her constant companion, the dashing - but divorced - Peter Townsend.
In an official statement, the princess told the nation: "I would like it to be known that I have decided not to marry Group Captain Peter Townsend . . .Mindful of the Church's teaching that marriage is indissoluble and conscious of my duty to the Commonwealth, I have resolved to put these considerations above all others."
As the princess was 25, she could have married without the consent of her sister, the Queen. But such a marriage would have caused divisions within the country and she might have been excluded from the Civil List.
She and Townsend were clearly in love. When the dramatic announcement was made, his butler told reporters: "He is not in a position to make a statement. He is very distressed." When Townsend was posted to Brussels as air attache - widely seen as a ploy to keep the pair apart - Princess Margaret was ill for three days.
June 21. Platinum blonde Ruth Ellis was found guilty of the murder of her lover and sentenced to hang at the age of 28. Her trial had lasted only two days and it took the jury just 25 minutes to find her guilty of killing racing driver David Blakely who was having an affair with another woman. She had shot the man she loved with a gun she had been given as security for a debt at one of the sleazy bars she ran in London. She appealed against sentence but was told that jealousy was no defence and duly became the last woman in Britain to be hanged.
May 1. Stirling Moss became the first Briton to win the Mille Miglia road race in Italy. It was his first continental race since signing for the Mercedes Benz team and he crossed the finishing line half an hour ahead of the runner-up, the legendary Fangio. There have been greater racing drivers since but his is a name which still strikes a chord and the occasional police officer with a long memory can still be heard asking a speeding driver: "Who do you think you are? Stirling Moss?"
September 22. Commercial TV opened in Britain with an advert for Gibbs SR toothpaste, a variety show hosted by Robert Morley and a boxing match from the East End of London. The first night's viewing lasted only 70 minutes and was up against "The Donald Duck Story" on the other side. But what really stole its thunder was the dear old "Archers" on steam radio in which one of the leading characters, Grace Archer, died in a fire.
January 23. The first wave of Jamaican immigrants arrived in the West Midlands to seek homes and work. They confessed to feeling a mixture of hope and anxiety but their confidence was boosted when they were given a hero's welcome at Plymouth, being piped ashore by a naval band. Fears were expressed in other quarters, however, and there was concern about the influx from the Caribbean of immigrants arriving without jobs and with little money.
January 18. Taxi proprietor Ted Tomkins from Walsall put in a bid for police protection to safeguard his cabbies from late night attacks. Drivers were told to take particular care when taking fares to Aston in Birmingham.
February 18. Anthony Wedgwood Benn's bid to renounce his Viscount Stansgate title was rejected by the House of Lords.
March 3. Two dozen passengers were hurt when two Walsall Corporation double decker buses collided head-on at Coalpool railway bridge.
March 14. Wolves manager Stan Cullis was fined 50 for "ungentlemanly conduct" after being found guilty by the FA of touchline coaching. He claimed he had not been given a proper chance to defend himself at a disciplinary hearing.
April 6. Labour lost control of Staffordshire County Council for the first time since the war following a large swing to the Conservatives.
May 31. State of emergency declared as Britain struggled to get to grips with dock and rail strikes.
June 24. Plans were announced to extend Dudley's telephone exchange. It would mean people in Stourbridge, Cradley Heath, Brierley Hill, Lye, Hagley and Kingswinford being able to dial direct without going via the operator.
July 23. Donald Campbell broke the world water speed record at Ullswater.
September 30. Movie idol and teen hero James Dean was killed instantly when his Porsche Spider careered off a road outside Los Angeles.
October 20. The BBC first demonstrated colour television pictures.
December 14. Hugh Gaitskell became the leader of the Labour party following the departure of Clem Attlee to the Lords.


text:
Bryant will offer roughly $16 million in grants and merit scholarships to incoming students in the upcoming year.
Office of Financial Aid
Bryant federal school code: 003402
finaid@bryant.edu
Many Bryant students receive some form of grant, scholarship, work-study, and/or loan assistance. Federal Pell grants also are available to eligible students.
Focus on Scholarships
All new students are considered for academic scholarships at Bryant as part of the admission application process. You do not need to apply for financial aid to be considered. Scholarships range from $5,000 to $30,000 per year.
First-Time Freshman Academic Scholarships
Bryant University offers a range of scholarships to outstanding applicants. We take into consideration your high school grade point average, SAT performance (if you submitted), high school class rank, your leadership and participation, etc. Scholarships are renewable for up to four consecutive years (eight semesters) of full-time undergraduate study at Bryant, as long as you maintain academic requirements. Academic scholarships are awarded at the time of admission.
Athletic Scholarships: For further information, contact the Department of Athletics at (401) 232-6070.
Family Discount: When two or more siblings from the same family are simultaneously enrolled as full-time traditional undergraduates, the second student receives a tuition discount of 10 percent from the University, as long as both continue to be enrolled. Contact the Office of Financial Aid to apply.
Smithfield Scholarship: One full-tuition scholarship is awarded per year to the top-ranked (using weighted rank) Smithfield High School graduate who is in the top 10 percent of his/her class and has been admitted to Bryant. This scholarship is renewable for four consecutive years of full-time study if the student maintains the designated GPA.
Focus on Grants
Grants are awarded primarily to full-time undergraduate students who demonstrate the need for financial assistance. Grants do not require repayment. Continued eligibility is based on an annual review of information submitted on the FAFSA each year. Like all need-based awards, Bryant University grants may vary from year to year based on FAFSA information.
Federal Pell Grants are available for students with an Expected Family Contribution (EFC) within a range determined each year by the U.S. Department of Education. At Bryant, the majority of students eligible for Federal Pell Grants will also receive a Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant.
Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants
Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants (FSEOGs) are reserved for students with exceptional financial need. Federal Pell Grant recipients with the lowest EFCs will be considered first for FSEOGs. To apply for this grant, you must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid(FAFSA).
Government and Private Programs
Army ROTC Scholarship Program
Government-funded Army Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) scholarships are available on a competitive basis to qualified Bryant students. Each recipient receives the full value of tuition per year plus an annual book allowance, academic fees, and a monthly stipend from the ROTC command. Scholarships are available for two-, three-, and four-year terms. In return, scholarship winners enter into a contract with the U.S. Army, agreeing to accept an Army commission as a second lieutenant.
The ROTC scholarship covers the direct cost of tuition. For ROTC scholarship recipients who also reside on campus, Bryant provides funding to cover the direct costs of room and board. For information regarding the amount and conditions of this supplemental fund, contact the Office of Financial Aid at (401) 232-6020.
Army ROTC Tuition Assistance
Any qualified student who enters the Army ROTC Advanced Course and agrees to accept an Army commission as a second lieutenant receives a tax-free stipend for each school month during the Advanced Course. This stipend is unrelated to the Army ROTC Scholarship Program.
National Guard Tuition Assistance
Members of the National Guard may qualify for state-sponsored tuition assistance programs. They also may qualify for Army ROTC tuition assistance benefits under provisions of the Army ROTC Simultaneous Memberships Program. Contact your State Adjutant General's Office or the Bryant University ROTC Office if you are interested.
Private Programs
Many private philanthropic organizations, foundations, and corporations can be significant resources for scholarships. Local sponsors of such programs include service organizations such as Rotary, Kiwanis, Lions Club, the American Legion, and parent-teacher groups. Your high school guidance office may have further details. Federal aid applicants are obligated to report the receipt of all such awards to Bryant's Office of Financial Aid.
State Scholarship & Grant Programs
Many states offer financial assistance in the form of grants, scholarships, work or loans. Check with your state agency for details.
Can first-time freshmen receive scholarships based solely on academic merit?
Yes! If you are applying to Bryant you do not need to submit any additional forms beyond your application in order to be considered for academic merit scholarships. Recipients are notified by the Office of Admission.
Are all Bryant academic scholarships renewable from one year to the next?
Yes, for up to four years (eight semesters), provided that you maintain full-time (at least 12 credits) enrollment status and a cumulative grade point average detailed on the scholarship letter you receive from the Office of Admission.
Can returning students receive academic scholarships for doing well while at Bryant?
All Bryant scholarships are awarded based on academic achievement prior to attending the University. Like most institutions, Bryant has no scholarship programs that provide financial rewards for doing well while in attendance.
Does the University award academic scholarships to transfer applicants?
Yes, Bryant offers a limited number of academic scholarships in this category.
Will privately-funded scholarships from non-Bryant third parties affect my financial aid awards?
On very rare occasions the receipt of these kinds of scholarships will require Bryant to make adjustments to your aid package. When possible, the Office of Financial Aid will make every effort to make these required adjustments to work-study or loan awards rather than to grants.
What scholarships or loans are available for international students?
International students are considered by the Office of Admission for academic scholarship awards when they submit their application to Bryant. A number of privately funded (non-government) education loans are available to international students who are able to secure a U.S. citizen co-borrower.
What financial aid is available for part-time students?
If you are an undergraduate enrolled in two courses (six credits) per semester, you are considered a half-time student. If you meet the standard for need, you are eligible to seek Federal Pell Grants, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants, and/or Federal Direct Loans. To be eligible for continued financial assistance, you must maintain the same minimum GPA as full-time students.


Clockulator is a web app designed and developed by Christopher Calabrese to help people quickly and easily determine what time they should go to bed, wake up and leave their homes so they can arrive at a detination in a timely manner.
The need for Clockulator arose from a time when I had to be at work at different times and locations. The nightly chore of looking up train departure and arrival times, figuring out my door-to-door commute time, determining how long it would take me to get ready in the morning and finally adding that time up and subtracting it from my train's departure time was starting to become time consuming and annoying. I thought there had to be a simpler way so I searched on iTunes for an app. To my surprise, an app that met my needs did not exist.
In the summer of 2013, I took a front-end web development class with General Assembly in NYC and decided that my idea for Clockulator web app would be perfect as a final project. Ever since then, I have been developing the app for public use.
A special thanks to my friend Ben Dewar, Director of Tech Operations at Eyeview, Inc. for suggesting the name 'Clockulator'.
Setting alarms from Clockulator works best using an iOS device such as an iPhone. Due to technical limitations, this web app will not actually set an alarm using your iPhone's Clock app. Instead, it uses an iCal event to trigger a new calendar event using your iPhone's Calendar app. Although I have not been sucessful at getting this feature to work with Android's native calendar app, the Android browser will attempt to login to your google calendar account to create an event.
Please keep in mind that this is a beta version of Clockulator. For its initial release, there are likely to be some bugs that need to be fixed. Already, I am learning that there are things I would have done differently if I had more experience when I started this project. Being that this is a beta version, if you involved with a profession where someone's life depends on your punctual arrival, I would not recommend relying soley on this product. Please see our Terms & Conditions.
Future releases of Clockulator will include additional functionality to the extent of my ability, fix any bugs that I encounter or learn about. Perhaps, one day, I'll even make Clockulator into an actual iPhone and/or Android app!


text:
Viesearch / close protection london
close protection london
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Women Shoes | Men Shoes | Online Shopping in UK | Unze London
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Renovate your Bathroom with Granite Units - Mister Marble
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TripHobo trip planner website is the world's largest platform for discovering user generated itineraries and using them to create customized travel plans. Currently TripHobo is home to over 100,000 user created itineraries and curated content for close to 500 top tourist cities worldwide. In addition to the travel planner platform, TripHobo also provides planning related...
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As an experienced London cleaning provider, we are ready to deliver quality services 7 days a week. We are fully insured and licensed service provider capable of treating all kinds of stains, dirt, bad odours, mold. We offer broad range of cleaning services to both households and businesses. 020 3404 0500
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text:
Groß Luckow er en by og kommune i det nordøstlige Tyskland, beliggende i Amt Uecker-Randow-Tal i den sydøstlige del af Landkreis Vorpommern-Greifswald. Landkreis Vorpommern-Greifswald ligger i delstaten Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.

Geografi
Groß Luckow er beliggende ved grænsen til delstaten Brandenburg i et bølget morænelandskab præget af landbrug. Den ligger tolv kilometer fra Pasewalk, der er beliggende mod øst, og ca. otte kilometer fra Strasburg (Uckermark) der ligger mod sydvest. Ved den vestlige kommunegrænse (og delstatsgrænsen) ligger søen Demenzsee. Motorvejen A 20 (Ostseeautobahn) krydser den sydlige del af kommunen.

Eksterne kilder og henvisninger

 Kommunens side på amtets websted
 Befolkningsstatistik mm
 Groß Luckow i Album Mecklenburgischer Schlösser und Landgüter

Byer i Mecklenburg-Vorpommern
Kommuner i Mecklenburg-Vorpommern
Amt Uecker-Randow-Tal
Byer i Kreis Vorpommern-Greifswald

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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The go-to news source for everything female entrepreneur.
Pre-Startup
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https://lionessmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Lessons-From-Bobs-Burgers.m4a
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Are You Committed To Your Reality Or To Your Dream? Lessons From Bob's Burgers
Dawn Leaks
Are you working from a place of struggle or a place of success? Being committed to your reality can deter you from the true reality you desire. Even before you reach your goals, how you operate each day heavily affects whether you'll reach your goals, and how long it will take for you to get there.
This week, after catching an episode of Bob's Burgers, I was reminded just how self-sabotaging we can be as entrepreneurs. Press play for a dose of Lioness Lessons.
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How To Know If You Should Walk Away From An Opportunity
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Tory Burch's Top 10 Rules For Success
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How Living With Multiple Sclerosis Spurred Kate Milliken To Found MyCounterpane.com
Dawn Leaks is CEO of Lioness and has been empowering women and entrepreneurs for as long as she can remember. A certified life coach, speaker and trainer, Dawn is passionate about helping women reach their God-given potential and live with passion, purpose and confidence. In the past Dawn has served as director of communications for a major nonprofit organization and as the Visiting Assistant Professor of Social Entrepreneurship at Hampshire College. She's a proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. and is an avid R&B soul line dancer.
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1 Who is Scott Porter?
2 Scott Porter Wiki: Age, Childhood, and Education
3 Career Beginnings and Instant Success
5 Accomplished Voice Actor
Who is Scott Porter?
Scott Porter is an American award-winning actor, who achieved stardom as Jason Street in the TV series "Friday Night Lights" (2006-2010), and continued to improve with roles such as Randy in the film "Dear John" (2010), and recently as Mayor Paul Randolph in the TV series "Ginny & Georgia" (2021), in addition to many other notable appearances.
Scott Porter Wiki: Age, Childhood, and Education
Born Matthew Scott Porter on 14 July 1979 under the Cancer zodiac sign, in Omaha, Nebraska USA to Robin Porter and his wife Merle 'Butch' Porter. Of German, English and Irish descent, Scott is the oldest in the family and has two siblings, a brother Brendan, and a sister Ariana. Although born in Nebraska, Scott grew up in Winter Park, Florida, and went to Lake Howell High School, where he played football for the high school team as a wide receiver.
After matriculating in 1997, Scott enrolled at the University of Central Florida, where he was a member of the a cappella vocal group, 4:2:Five, responsible for vocal percussion sounds.
Career Beginnings and Instant Success
Scott's career started on stage when he played Matthew in the Off-Broadway musical "Altar Boyz", and then in 2006 he was selected for the role of Casey Hughes in the soap opera "As the World Turns", taking over from Zach Roerig, but appearing in just four episodes before his contract ended. The same year, Scott was selected for his major role as Jason Street in the sports drama series "Friday Night Lights", created by Peter Berg and based on the book by H.G. Bissinger, starring Kyle Chandler, Connie Britton, and Zach Gilford.
The series won three Primetime Emmy awards, and Scott took home a Gold Derby Award in the category for Ensemble of the Year, with his co-stars. He featured in 42 episodes until the end of the series, which made him rather popular, and set for more roles.
As a result, Scott showcased his full talent in the musical comedy film "Music and Lyrics", next to Hugh Grant and Drew Barrymore, and then in 2008, he starred as Rex Racer in the action-adventure film "Speed Racer", written and directed by Lana and Lilly Wachowski. The following year he had the lead role in the romantic comedy film "The Good Guy", co-starring Alexis Bledel and Bryan Greenberg, and also appeared next to Aly Michalka and Vanessa Hudgens in the comedy-drama film "Bandslam".
Scott Porter
In 2010, Scott appeared in the critically acclaimed romantic drama film "Dear John", with Channing Tatum, Amanda Seyfried and Richard Jenkins, and following the end of "Friday Night Lights" in 2010, continued his television career with another long-running role, selected as one of the main stars in the TV romantic comedy-drama series "Hart of Dixie", with Rachel Bilson in the lead role. He featured in all 76 episodes of the award-winning series, which turned him into a proper Hollywood star.
In 2013, Scott appeared in the romantic comedy film "The To-Do List", starring Aubrey Plaza, and three years later portrayed Donald Hamel in the TV series "Outcast".
The same year, he joined the cast of the award-winning action crime-drama series "Scorpion", starring Elyes Gabel, Katharine McPhee, and Eddie Kaye Thomas, appearing in 13 episodes of the critically acclaimed series.
He subsequently became more focused on a career as a voice actor, though still appearing in a few notable roles in recent years, in 2018 in the film "Brampton's Own", and in 2019 guest-starrinmg in the TV series "Into the Dark". Most recently, Scott portrayed Mayor Paul Randolph in the first season of the TV comedy-drama series "Ginny & Georgia" (2021).
Furthermore, he is working on the television drama movie "Taking the Peins", in which he is set to star with Nikki Deloach and Eliza Hayes Maher. The film is currently in post-production and will be released later this year.
Accomplished Voice Actor
In addition to his on-screen career, Scott is known for voicing several prominent characters. He kicked off his career as the voice of Cyclops/ Scott Summers in the animated TV mini-series "Wolverine" in 2011, and the same year reprised character in the animated series "X-men". In 2013 he voiced Luke in the video game "The Walking Dead: Season Two", which earned him a Behind the Voice Award nomination in the category for Best Vocal Ensemble in a Video Game. Two years later, Scott voiced Dick Grayson/ Nightwing in the video game "Batman: Arkham Knight", while from 2016 to 2017 he voiced Ben Reilly/ Scarlet Spider in the animated TV series "Ultimate Spider-Man".
In recent years, he was the voice of White Wolf in the animated series "Avengers Assemble" (2018-2019), and in 2020 gave voice to The Flash in the animated series "Harley Quinn" (2020).
When it comes to his personal life, Scott has been married to casting director Kelsey Mayfield since 20 April 2013. The two met while working on the TV series "Friday Night Lights", and since the wedding ceremony, the couple has welcomed two children, son McCoy Lee born in 2015, and daughter Clover Ash in August 2017.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CV1PywZv1-G/
As of mid- 2021, Scott Porter's net worth has been estimated to be around $3 million, earned through his successful career as an actor, during which he has secured work on more than 55 projects, including films, TV series and animated series, all of which have added to his wealth.
This successful actor has bluish-green eyes and dark brown hair. He stands at a height of 6ft (1.83m), while he weighs approximately 176lbs (80kgs). His vital statistics are unknown, though he has an average figure.
Scott attended the same school as future screenwriter Jamie Linden and the two have been friends ever since, with Linden being a groomsman at his wedding. While at university he worked as a babysitter, and wasn't one of the party guys at Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity.
His love for football has remained since his high school days, and he still sometimes plays it with friends.
Scott is a comic book fan, and has auditioned for several on-screen superhero roles, including Gambit in "X Men Origins: Wolverine" (2009), and Captain America in "Captain America: The First Avenger" in 2011, but without success. Scott has stated that he's a huge fan of the Wizkids superhero miniature game "Heroclix", and has worked on their YouTube channel, recording unboxing videos and reviewing the new expansions. It's one of his main hobbies, as he enjoys both playing and reviewing the game.
Scott and his family are avid animal lovers and have a pet dog Truffle.
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Procedural Humanities - An Interview with Tarn Adams, Creator of Dwarf Fortress
By Elijah Meeks
The study of video games, and, more frequently though still rare, board games and pen-and-paper role-playing games, has grown in legitimacy and scope this last decade. I've always been interested in the computer game as a medium for analyzing and expressing humanities knowledge, with the way that it packages knowledge, abstracts knowledge and gives the user multiple interfaces and scales with which to interact with that knowledge. As a result I tend to be drawn to games that are less visceral than the current crop of AAA action spectaculars. One of those games is Dwarf Fortress, a fantasy world simulator that looks something like this:
It's not exactly God of War 3 in the graphics department, but then neither was Notes From the Underground. Dwarf Fortress is at its core a management game, like SimCity or Dungeon Keeper, but instead of managing the faceless proletariat to build a creepy utopian supercity, you're trying to convince a steadily increasing mob of short, drunk humanoids to dig deep into the earth, smelt ore, create treasure and, occasionally, get murdered by elephants.
But there are enough weird storylines in games that this shouldn't surprise anyone. After all, doesn't the Terminator show up at the end of Mass Effect? What's intriguing about Dwarf Fortress is that the gameplay is designed to be wholly emergent. There are still scripted events within the game, but the extensive roadmap put together by developer Tarn Adams describes a finished game that contains not only emergent gameplay but emergent narrative and procedural culture. Everyone who has played Grand Theft Auto knows the joy of a sandbox game, but they also know that if they want the story to continue, that they need to re-engage with the linear elements of the gameplay. In Dwarf Fortress there is no linear storyline, there is simply a randomly generated world filled with generated fantasy cultures and mythical creatures (also randomly generated, so that you can end up with a ferocious, giant lemur with horns, wings and poison breath). These cultures and creatures then interact with each other for a set period of time, typically a thousand years, to establish the history of the world you're playing on. The current histories, which can be browsed in "Legends" mode, are rather bloody and simplistic, but you do end up with occasionally heroic story or strangely compelling emergent detail.
Dwarf Fortress is only 30% finished and isn't being developed by a major entertainment software company, and yet it's surprisingly popular. The game itself has served as inspiration for AARs and creative interpretations of game events as well as being used to create simple computers within the mechanical and physical simulation itself. Given my interest in the game and its many elements that straddle the various aspects of the Digital Humanities, I decided to ask its developer a few questions less along the lines of gameplay and more about the development of emergent processes, narrative and community that surrounds a project like this. Tarn was kind enough to give some fairly detailed answers to some questions that I thought would be interesting to the folks here at HASTAC:
Can you give us a brief sketch of your academic background and what drew you to designing and writing games about fantasy worlds?
The first iteration of our fantasy game was written when I was in sixth grade, so it's kind of difficult to trace inspiration there... books, movies, some pen and paper RPGs, other computer games, etc. Just the stuff I was into as a kid. My brother and I kept adding details to the game, and the version of the game I was working on in high school had a persistent world map and tribes of creatures and towns that were kept around from game to game, within a given world. We always preferred games that were replayable (as a practical matter as much as anything, since we could only buy so many games, and if you are writing your own games at home and are the only ones playing them, keeping yourself surprised is very important) and the evolution of our fantasy games into world simulation was a natural outgrowth of that.
Regarding my academic background, I've always been good at math and followed a sort of path of least resistance, starting at my mathematics degree from the University of Washington through to my Stanford Ph.D. and into my postdoc at Texas A&M. At that point I had to make a decision between games and math, since I wasn't talented enough to do those two things at once professionally and be responsible about it. In any case, all the practice at mathematics has helped with game writing, since there are similar skills that come up with algorithms and with spatial considerations.
Can you describe what gameplay typically involves with Dwarf Fortress as it currently exists and the type of gameplay you're working toward?
First you generate a world. Once you've got your parameters selected, you watch the map get created and then you see the history march on for a bit. After you have a world, you can start your game (or you can make another world if you want; you can have several sitting around). Dwarf Fortress is right now divided between "Fortress Mode", "Adventure Mode" and "Legends Mode".
Fortress Mode is the bulk of the game, and in that mode you guide a group of dwarven settlers as they carve their mines into whatever spot of the world map you've selected. They face adversity from within the earth and from the outside world, and you also have to handle food, water, living arrangements, healthcare, and so on. Lots of objects need to be made, both to further work and as treasures as ends in themselves or for trade, and you handle the supply chain and assign jobs. The dwarves operate with a bit of autonomy, but they don't take a lot of initiative, and you tell them explicitly what tasks they are allowed to perform for the most part. Adventure Mode is an incomplete RPG, and in Legends Mode you can look over the history of the world that was created, including the contributions from your Fortress and Adventure Mode games.
The idea now is to expand what we've got -- especially to get fortresses interacting more with the world and to get adventure mode standing on its own as a game. Ideally you'd be able to play in more roles (a god, a human town, a group of bandits, a dragon, etc.), but that is a distant goal.
You have a game that seems firmly planted in the Tolkien style of high fantasy, and yet it contains code for tracking nervous tissue damage, the physics of weapon strikes, geologic processes for creating worlds, different geological layers of stone or soil and even simple genetics. However, there are no languages, no writing, musical instruments but only as goods for trade, et cetera. There's a well-described roadmap for Dwarf Fortress that includes these things, so what determined your priorities in implementing features? How does the proper simulation of the production of nickel silver or steel relate to fantasy storytelling?
Ha ha, the production of nickel silver didn't come out of the desire to tell fantasy stories so much as it came out of the fact that mining is a huge and necessary part of Dwarf Fortress. The priorities have been skewed heavily by that, compared to the last incarnation of our fantasy game (Slaves to Armok: God of Blood), which was only an (incomplete) RPG and so focused more on individual details (to our detriment in the end, since it was harder to expand from a game that was strictly bottom up). There are several languages in the editable raw files, but it is a limited system. In general, it's possible to get along for quite a while before literature etc. goes in, because it is less related to the most simple, exciting game mechanics, like combat and item production (which have received some attention). At the same time, the grammar system, writing and books are on the "short" list of mechanics that are set to go in before many of the other version 1.0 goals, partially because our names have gotten fairly repetitive since we only have one form for noun phrases.
Overall, priorities are determined by what we want to see, what the community wants to see, what are required as stepping stones to handle those things, and sometimes just by whim. Venom came in a bit early partially because we had recently seen a series of cheesy documentaries and really wanted to add compartment syndrome, though it is also a building block toward disease and "curses" for undeath and so on.
Dwarf Fortress has been described as a "fantasy world simulator" and players have to spend much more time managing a society than they do fighting battles or engaging in activity you would typically consider to be the domain of games containing elves, kobolds and adamantite swords. What advice could you give humanities scholars interested in simulating socio-cultural processes and do you see such endeavors as having value to pedagogy and research in the humanities? Are there emblematic games that you could imagine being used as
examples that, with some modification (or acting simply as inspiration) could be used as digital humanities models?
I think if you consider things like the Prisoner's Dilemma simulations and so on, you've at least got a tool worth looking at, but there must be enough being done that my opinion on the value of that sort of thing is pretty irrelevant by now anyway. As long as a person's particular interest admits a model that can run on whatever computer resources they've got available, I think the process can be very instructive. A running model can highlight interesting situations that arise from having so many pieces working together that you might not have been able to predict, and it can alert you to inconsistencies in your system.
You could look at Sim City or the Sims, say, and, sure, with some modification you could model some simple situation. That's probably the boat our game is in. There are some games that play with flocking behavior which could relate to some process or other, but those simulations existed by themselves beforehand as far as I know. I'd be surprised if games arrive at decent models of complex socio-cultural processes before pure researchers, anyway, because game developers have other priorities in general, though we'll take some stabs at problems before academics can focus on them, just because they always come up.
Though there are graphics packages for Dwarf Fortress, the default display is ASCII. Can you explain the practical reasons why you decided to use this for your display? Why do you think the curses interface engenders such loyalty to a particular subsection of the gaming community? Do you see representation of game elements using ASCII as a benefit or a drawback to representation of narrative?
The earlier game I mentioned, Slaves to Armok, was 3D (such as it was, anyway), and that slowed development quite a bit. It's not just a matter of the time taken adding art to the game either -- 3D graphics can really constrain what you do fundamentally. We wouldn't have the fluid simulation we do with any system that departs from a grid. There's also matters of staff/copyright if you actually want to do a good job. It's nice not to have to worry about any of that.
I don't think the curses interface engenders any extra loyalty--people really like their state-of-the-art 3D graphics when they have them as well. DF's extended ASCII display has fans though. It's partially being used to what is there, partially not wanting representations of game objects that make all the choices for you, partially legibility versus some of the tilesets and partially it has to do with traditions among Roguelike gamers, I guess, though everybody will be different.
Whether or not a narrative's representation is effective really depends on what sort of graphics an individual player prefers more than anything, and the time and care put into the narrative are going to matter a lot more than the particular methods used. Even "@...D" can be evocative if you've been stoked with the proper context--it's the most terrifying D you can imagine. At the same time, your imagination on the spot in situations like that is limited to what information you've been given coupled with the existing archetypes etc. in your head, and an artist's dragon could be something you wouldn't normally imagine, and that's great too. To some extent, it depends on how much and in what way you want your escapism influenced by the artist, which is a matter of taste. In Dwarf Fortress, I think the lack of a strict, fixed narrative lends itself a bit more to ASCII to me personally, but that can't be the basis for any kind of absolute judgment. A player that prefers to use a 2D tileset or who wants 3D graphics would enjoy the game much more using those things in general and would become immersed in and enjoy whatever narratives are present all the more if they were using their favored graphics style, or at least a graphics style they can stomach!
The earlier version of Dwarf Fortress was known as 2D, because it included only one 'z-level' (meaning you dug into a mountainside and not deep into the ground, as you do in the current version). You mentioned in an earlier interview that the 2D version was easier to "script" such that gameplay could parsed out based on how far into the mountain a player dug. Can you describe the process of opening up new dimensions of gameplay (literally in the case of the z-axis, but also with the introduction of more complicated game mechanics including complex medical care) and trying to maintain some type of narrative? Is there a tension between story and simulation? Does the introduction of more simulation-oriented game mechanics require a looser narrative form or an entirely different one or just more planning?
Story and simulation are strictly different methods of handling the narrative, though they can complement rather than work against each other. With a simulation, you're essentially letting the computer make narrative choices you don't want to make (or can't possibly make in such volume), instead of removing the related game mechanics entirely. A broader fixed story can be branched or otherwise expanded to encompass simulation outcomes, but that's only possible with a simulation that doesn't produce a lot of variety. A rich simulation
doesn't have to lead to tension though, if the simulation is peripheral to the broader fixed story. Say, the random creatures in Starflight, a procedural forest from a modern RPG, any of the individual fights going through the story of a beat 'em up/brawler, etc.
Ideally in Dwarf Fortress, on the other hand, any fixed narrative is just a placeholder for a simulation which will produce a variety of stories. That's optimistic, but there are a number of scripted events that have been dropped or loosened up as development has progressed. Of course, the stories are compelling as stories for the most only after they are glued together with some care in a player's mind and then in their forum retelling etc. The game's Legends Mode just lists dry chronologies from which stories can be drawn, and in-game narrative is limited and stilted for the most part, as particular cookie-cutter conversations ensue or some actions happen on screen. I've worked to improve the simulation to increase the variety and overall cohesion and verisimilitude, but it's not a fault that the player does a lot in their head to create a narrative that hangs together, even inventing non-existing me6chanics at times; that's part of what makes games great. Some of my fondest gaming memories were when I didn't understand how the simulation worked and just went with it. It can be similar to watching a magic trick being performed that way.
Extensive simulation can actually create a cleaner narrative in some ways. A game with thousands of characters can track all of their relationships without creating a single plot hole or making similar mistakes. Getting a simulation to produce a quality story in a single play-through that's comparable to something produced by an author is way off in dream land with computers as they are now though, at least without the player playing along as I mentioned earlier.
There have been times when your dwarfs have exhibited non-heteronormative behavior due to bugs, as well as designed behavior that runs counter to racial or ethnic stereotypes (and here I mean cultural assimilation between your classic fantasy "races" of goblins, dwarfs, elves and humans). Broadly speaking, how is this tied to the world you're simulating and what's the tenor of player responses to this? Have you been surprised by community response to this or other atypical mechanics of Dwarf Fortress and the gameplay elements attached to them (such as shield babies, mermaid farming, noble assassination, et cetera)?
I've been surprised by some of the specific instances of taking the game to the limits (the Turing complete water-based computer made from some 10000 objects, for example), but I remember the stuff I used to do in Ultima 7, so some of the macabre player behavior comes as no surprise, ha ha ha. The responses to designed atypical elements has been positive for the most part as far as I can tell. There are any number of camps on various issues (should gunpowder be added? etc. etc.), and opinions are all over the place. Experienced players can turn some of the features off if they don't like them (like the cultural assimilation you mentioned), and I provide options like that when I can easily do so.
There's a lot of roughness to the game, and people pretty much take it in stride and have fun with it when possible, although the ones I can see are the ones that haven't left in disgust, ha ha ha. While there's still so much left to add, especially at a basic level, it can be counterproductive to try to polish anything too much. I wouldn't be shocked if the game were sort of rough forever, and just enjoyable to those that enjoy it for what it is, but I've said that I'd like to head toward a more polished state as I finish the version 1.0 goals and that's still the plan.
Similarly, Dwarf Fortress has been described as modeling a communist utopia slowly (and sometimes suddenly) replaced by an autocratic dictatorship. Where does political theory fit into your world of functional alcoholics? Is there a particular political reality that you're working to represent or is this a sign of the community organizing their own explanation of game mechanics?
The situation you described comes more or less out of a single triggered event (the arrival of a Baron, or in the latest version, the option to recommend a dwarf for elevation to that status). The game isn't specifically designed as a criticism of Marxism or colonialism or even feudalism, though our simulation decisions and priorities will inevitably reflect our biases, upbringing, worldview, etc. The hope is to drive as much as possible of what develops, during world generation and beyond, through individual actions, even to the extent that it creates the larger political situation. Where that goal is complicated or virtually impossible for us we'll continue to rely on civilization and group-level decisions that come out of the definitions in the text files (which specify cultural information, though there is some randomly generated information there, and that trend will continue). The current fixed cultural definitions are vaguely aligned with common fantasy races and they each have their own rough political systems but building up a stock universe isn't our ultimate goal, so decisions made there shouldn't be given too much significance. The immediate goal there was to provide us with some variety to work with.
The question of commons-based peer collaboration is brought up in the Dwarf Fortress community regularly, and you've made it clear that you don't plan to open the sourcecode of the game for collaborative effort. There are also a number of third-party tools, visualizers and even interface code that you've shown support for. How do you think all of this reflects the current state of the proprietary vs. free software debate? What role does the community play in the development of this game? Where do you see yourself in the game development continuum?
I don't know about the state of the larger debate, but for our project, we basically want people to be able to do what they like to the extent that it doesn't put us at financial risk. We've been feeling around in the dark on that from the beginning pretty much though. I can't say what would happen to me if the entire source were released, but it seems reckless enough that I'm sticking with the status quo. If we were financially secure, the Dwarf Fortress code would likely be released.
Members of the community make suggestions, thoroughly test the game, find bugs, manage the bug tracker, contribute technical code, support the development financially through donations and word of mouth, help newcomers with their questions and give them a place to hang out and share stories and information, write articles for the wiki, host and produce and provide music and transcripts for the podcast, and I'm sure there are lots of things I'm forgetting. They are the reason I've been able to make the step from hobbyist to full-time developer.
As far as the game development continuum goes, there are more and more people working now that are able to remain afloat making the games they want to make, and I think it's pretty cool. Many people that go into the game industry end up in fairly soul-crushing environments and eventually switch professions. I'm lucky to be able to run with whatever ideas we have and try new things. There are any number of other ways to classify myself among the other game developers, but that's the most important thing to me.
Are there any particular works on history or sociology that have influenced the manner in which you're modeling culture, society and politics?
My brother studied ancient history, and we have a ton of history books around that have heavily influenced our priorities (like the Twelve Caesars or the translations of the writings of the Assyrian kings), but there aren't more theoretical books that we've tried to model specifically as starting points. When I'm trying to model some system or other, I generally try to get down to individual elements that I can use, since that'll lead to the richest simulation outcomes, even if I don't have control over the larger behavior. Using a good, sensible set of individual elements will generally keep the larger behavior more or less within bounds, though you might have to control it for whatever reason (as with caps to avoid memory trouble). The searches basically start at google, wikipedia and relevant sites suggested by the community and move on to specific sources from there if necessary, but I mostly just collect lists or individual simple processes I can make sense of, without paying too much attention to the general conclusions since I'm not going to be able to and don't want to align the many mechanics with sweeping statements (that might be questionable or out of date).
For instance, when we were researching crime for some later additions, we found that the systems that dealt with individual motivations had processes and variables that were more easily adapted to the game than systems that dealt with class struggle or other large-group considerations, simply because the individual is the game's principle unit of consideration, even if we agreed more with the broader conclusions of systems we couldn't use in many cases. As long as an individual mechanic makes sense, the ideology of the overall system is irrelevant, and it'll be intriguing to see what comes out of it. It would be funny if an off-kilter reactionary individual-based model gave rise to off-kilter radical group-based behavior, but that'll have to wait for a pure simulation. Dwarf Fortress is always going to be cobbled together from whatever makes sense at the time. I took my current 30 personality facets from the NEO PI-R test, for instance, without having much knowledge of the theory. If it fits in to the game, makes sense to me and provides enough diversity to be reasonably resilient to future changes, I can use it. On the other hand, the ethics list we have came out of what was necessary for existing game elements and might expand incrementally in that way for a while before I settle on a more formal treatment, if I ever do.
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Elijah Meeks
Digital Humanities Specialist
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