Ah, the glorious retirement years. Whether you are close to retirement or have another decade to go, it's never too early to prepare for a great retirement. We've gathered five ways to really enjoy your retirement years when you plan ahead.
Do your best to get out of debt before you retire. While many believe there's good debt and bad debt, any debt means you owe interest to someone. Use your working years to pay off your mortgage, credit cards, and any loans before retirement. You'll be in a better position financially and it's a great feeling when you head into retirement debt-free.
After you no longer receive paychecks from your company, it's important to know where your income sources will come from after you retire. The Social Security Administration can help you get a good projection of how much to expect and what happens if you delay taking benefits. If you have a pension or annuity, you will want to get an idea of how much income you'll receive. Be sure to include money from any work you plan to continue doing and income from your retirement savings.
Create a budget based on your monthly needs when you reach retirement and don't forget to calculate for increasing health care expenses as you age. Create a long term care plan before you retire to decide where you want to receive care and how you will pay for it.
After working hard to provide for your family, retirement is the time to de-stress and explore the world. However, traveling doesn't need to take you to far-off places. Retirement travel can include weekend trips to the beach, nearby cities, or trips to see the grandkids.
Keep your mind active and growing by taking a class or learning new skills. Whether it's writing poetry, learning a new language, painting, kayaking, or sailing, make goals to keep your body active and your mind sharp.
Retirement is a great time to support your local community or organizations you are passionate about by volunteering your time and resources. While retirement can be a lonely time for some people, giving back elevates happiness levels and helps connect you with new people in your community who are interested in similar causes.
Are you prepared so you can enjoy retirement? Learn more about creating a long term care plan during your retirement planning years.


These free range chicken tenders are so tasty you'd never guess that they are also gluten free. Made with three types of quinoa (red, white and black) and 100% chicken breast, they're so scrumptious you can't help but want for more!
Chicken (55%), Water, Quinoa Crumb (9%) [Flour (Rice, Gram, Maize), Salt, Dextrose, Quinoa [Red, White, Black], Potato Flakes, Sunflower Oil, Garlic, Pepper], Sunflower Oil, Salt, Modified Starch (1420), Dehydrated Vegetables, Mineral Salts (450, 451, 452), Maltodextrin, Dextrose, Yeast Extract, Thickener (415), Acidity Regulator (330), Spice.


text:
Georges Bordat, dit Jo Bordat, est un entraîneur français de saut à ski.

Il a entraîné à leurs débuts les combinés Fabrice Guy, Sylvain Guillaume, Sébastien Lacroix et le sauteur Nicolas Jean-Prost.

Ancien chasseur alpin, moniteur de ski de fond, gardien de refuge, il participait également à l'organisation des compétitions de saut.

Très estimé, il a œuvré toute sa vie pour la pratique du saut à ski dans le Jura.

Références et notes

Entraîneur français du combiné nordique
Décès à 79 ans
Décès en janvier 2014
Décès à Gap
Naissance en juin 1934
Naissance dans le 3e arrondissement de Lyon

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Storm Ideas are a specialist digital and content agency working on a daily basis with large, globally recognised clients in the US TV industry. We are looking for a web designer with skills in digital design and front-end development to extend our capabilities in delivering rich and engaging user experiences.
It doesn't matter if you are a seasoned veteran or just starting your design career - if you have the skills then we want you to apply.
Negotiable, competitive and commensurate on experience.
To apply for this position, please send your CV and portfolio to careers@stormideas.com.


text:
Ecosophy or ecophilosophy (a portmanteau of ecological philosophy) is a philosophy of ecological harmony or equilibrium. The term was coined by the French post-structuralist philosopher and psychoanalyst Félix Guattari and the Norwegian father of deep ecology, Arne Næss.

Félix Guattari
Ecosophy also refers to a field of practice introduced by psychoanalyst, poststructuralist philosopher, and political activist Félix Guattari. In part Guattari's use of the term demarcates a necessity for the proponents of social liberation, whose struggles in the 20th century were dominated by the paradigm of social revolution, to embed their arguments within an ecological framework which understands the interconnections of social and environmental spheres.

Guattari holds that traditional environmentalist perspectives obscure the complexity of the relationship between humans and their natural environment through their maintenance of the dualistic separation of human (cultural) and nonhuman (natural) systems; he envisions ecosophy as a new field with a monistic and pluralistic approach to such study. Ecology in the Guattarian sense, then, is a study of complex phenomena, including human subjectivity, the environment, and social relations, all of which are intimately interconnected. Despite this emphasis on interconnection, throughout his individual writings and more famous collaborations with Gilles Deleuze, Guattari has resisted calls for holism, preferring to emphasize heterogeneity and difference, synthesizing assemblages and multiplicities in order to trace rhizomatic structures rather than creating unified and holistic structures.

Guattari's concept of the three interacting and interdependent ecologies of mind, society, and environment stems from the outline of the three ecologies presented in Steps to an Ecology of Mind, a collection of writings by cyberneticist Gregory Bateson.

Næss's definition
Næss defined ecosophy in the following way:

While a professor at University of Oslo in 1972, Arne Næss, introduced the terms "deep ecology movement" and "ecosophy" into environmental literature.  Næss based his article on a talk he gave in Bucharest in 1972 at the Third World Future Research Conference. As Drengson notes in Ecophilosophy, Ecosophy and the Deep Ecology Movement: An Overview, "In his talk Næss discussed the longer-range background of the ecology movement and its connection with respect for Nature and the inherent worth of other beings."  Næss's view of humans as an integral part of a "total-field image" of Nature contrasts with the alternative construction of ecosophy outlined by Guattari.

The term ecological wisdom, synonymous with ecosophy, was introduced by Næss in 1973.  The concept has become one of the foundations of the deep ecology movement. All expressions of values by Green Parties list ecological wisdom as a key value—it was one of the original Four Pillars of the Green Party and is often considered the most basic value of these parties. It is also often associated with indigenous religion and cultural practices. In its political context, it is necessarily not as easily defined as ecological health or scientific ecology concepts.

See also

 Ecology
 Global Greens Charter
 Green syndicalism
 Simple living
 Silvilization
 Spiritual ecology
 Sustainable living
 Yin and yang
 Environmental philosophy

Notes

References
Drengson, A. and Y. Inoue, eds. (1995) The Deep Ecology Movement: An Introductory Anthology. Berkeley: North Atlantic Publishers.
Guattari, Félix: »Pour une refondation des pratiques sociales«. In: Le Monde Diplomatique (Oct. 1992): 26-7.
Guattari, Félix: »Remaking Social Practices«. In: Genosko, Gary (Hg.) (1996): The Guattari Reader. Oxford, Blackwell, S. 262-273.
Maybury-Lewis, David. (1992) "On the Importance of Being Tribal: Tribal Wisdom." Millennium: Tribal Wisdom and the Modern World. Binimun Productions Ltd.
Næss, Arne. (1973) The Shallow and the Deep Long-Range Ecology Movement: A Summary". Inquiry, 16:95-100
Drengson A. & B. Devall (2008) (Eds) The Ecology of Wisdom. Writings by Arne Naess. Berkeley: Counterpoint
 Levesque, Simon (2016) Two versions of ecosophy: Arne Næss, Félix Guattari, and their connection with semiotics. Sign Systems Studies'' 44(4): 511-541. http://dx.doi.org/10.12697/SSS.2016.44.4.03

External links
Ecophilosophy, Ecosophy and the Deep Ecology Movement: An Overview by Alan Drengson Ecospherics.net. Accessed 2005-08-14.
The Trumpeter, A Journal of Ecosophy.

Ecology
Postmodern theory
Environmental philosophy
Environmentalism
Arne Næss


text:
Kaljulaid invites IMF chief to Three Seas Initiative summit in Tallinn
Kersti Kaljulaid with Kristalina Georgieva, IMF Managing Director.
President Kersti Kaljulaid discussed the Three Seas Initiative during a visit to the International Monetary Fund and invited the organization's head to join the summit in June in Tallinn, during a working visit to the USA on Monday.
At a late-night meeting, Kaljulaid and Kristalina Georgieva discussed the current state of the world economy and trends that will have the most impact in the near future the President's press service said.
"The climate crisis and the fight against it is one that can threaten global financial stability but also offer new opportunities if we are smart and able to reap the benefits of new technologies," Kaljulaid said after the meeting.
The Three Seas Initiative was another key topic at this meeting as well, and Kaljulaid stressed after the meeting that acting together can be far more successful in tackling the major challenges - and the decades-long infrastructure investment gap that the Three Seas have developed. Kaljulaid also gave Georgieva an official invitation to attend the June summit in Tallinn, the spokesman said.
Discussed with @KGeorgieva #IMF also the concept of #ThreeSeas @3seaseu #Tallinn2020 summit and business forum. It's always easier to tackle big challenges – which historical gap in infrastructure investments in the region certainly is – in cooperation. pic.twitter.com/De7BdRx6xC
— Kersti Kaljulaid (@KerstiKaljulaid) March 2, 2020
Kaljulaid also met with US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin on Monday and focused on three topics - anti-Russia sanctions policy, anti-money laundering, and the Three Seas Summit and Business Forum in Tallinn in June.
The president is on a working visit to the US this week. Until Wednesday, the Head of State will be in Washington, where she will meet with officials from President Donald Trump's administration on Tuesday and Wednesday and speak at the AIPAC Congress on Digital and Cyber Issues. On Thursday and Friday, she will be in New York, with several meetings scheduled for the UN and the Three Seas Initiative. The Head of State will return to Estonia on Saturday.
The Three Seas Initiative summit will take place for the first time in Estonia this summer. While the initiative has so far focused on infrastructure and energy issues, in Tallinn it will have a focus on digitalisation and smart connectivity.
Great to meet again @KGeorgieva at #IMF @imfnews. Had a really in-depth discussion about global economy and forces impacting it. Such as #climate change, which can put financial stability at a risk, whereas it can also provide lots of opportunities for growth. pic.twitter.com/Ldd9rXk4ny
It will also bring together heads of state, business leaders and top officials from Europe and America.
Austria, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia and Slovakia are members of the initiative that connects the Baltic, Black and Adriatic seas. It also has important partners such as the European Union, the United States and Germany.
Editor: Helen Wright
united statesthree seas initiativeinternational monetary fundkersti kaljulaid
IMF: Estonia needs a plan to restore budget buffers
Estonia joins Three Seas Initiative Investment Fund with €20 million
Ten states have confirmed participation in Three Seas Initiative summit
Estonia third country to join Three Seas Initiative Investment Fund
Kaljulaid and US delegation given coronavirus all-clear
Kaljulaid not to attend Estonian Congress anniversary over COVID-19 fears
Gallery: Kersti Kaljulaid meets Jared Kushner, Ivanka Trump in Washington
President Kaljulaid meets US treasury secretary in Washington
US to put up to $1 billion towards Three Seas Investment Fund

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Feng gong also be called Wu gong, which also is made of Electrolytic Copper and Tin, Traditionally, a feng gong is played with a small soft mallet, which gives it a roaring crash to match their namesake.
Now there only are two size Feng gong, 27cm and 28cm. And for each gongs, there is a standard mallet. Meanwhile, we can make a metal C-stand for each gongs. You can suspend the gong on the C-stand, then exhibiting it in building hall.


We offer thermally broken aluminium windows by The Heritage Window Company.
Slimline aluminium windows are a specialist product suited for replacement of steel windows often met in Arts and Crafts and Art Deco style houses where a slimline is the first characteristic and requirement.
Historic buildings often require special profiles to match a shape of frame reveals. We offer thermally broken aluminium windows by The Heritage Window Company who developed a range of profiles to meet requirements of historic buildings.


text:
Four New Cases Reported Thursday, Including One More Traced to Wedding Cluster
Thursday, October 29, 2020 - 2:57pm
UPDATED Thursday, October 29, 2020 - 7:38pm
A coronavirus case cluster that has contributed to an overall spike in Covid-19 patients on Island this week continues to expand, with Island boards of health and the Martha's Vineyard Hospital reporting a combined four new cases Thursday.
An earlier report stated that there had been five new cases Thursday, including a patient who tested positive off-Island. Health agents later corrected that number to four.
"Through contact tracing we learned that the individual tested off-island is no longer an Island resident and has not lived on the Island for several months," Tisbury health agent Maura Valley wrote in an email. "The report has been revised to remove this individual from the positive case count."
One of the new patients is connected to a case cluster that health agents identified earlier this week, Ms. Valley confirmed. The cluster stemmed from a wedding held on the Island over Columbus Day weekend. There have now been 10 patients to test positive who were connected to the wedding, eight of whom remain on Island, and at least six of whom are in isolation.
The new positive patient connected to the wedding cluster is a contact of a wedding guest, but did not attend the actual event, Ms. Valley said. This is the first individual connected to the wedding who tested positive but did not attend the event.
"The individual is a contact of one of the wedding positives," Ms. Valley said. "It wasn't some kind of incidental contact with the event."
Three of the new patients Thursday, including the individual connected to the cluster, were reported by the Martha's Vineyard Hospital. In a phone interview, Ms. Valley confirmed that the boards of health had learned of one additional patient who had tested positive at TestMV.
The four total new cases on Thursday add to a week that has already seen the highest number of virus cases on-Island since the pandemic began. Two new patients were reported Friday, six on Monday, three Wednesday and now four on Thursday, making 15 in the last seven days and 13 since the weekend.
Seven of the patients have tested positive at the Martha's Vineyard Hospital. Eight others have tested positive at TestMV.
The hospital tests symptomatic patients and their close contacts for the virus, while TestMV is a free, comprehensive testing site focused on asymptomatic patients.
In the hospital's daily Covid-19 update, which is accurate as of 9 a.m. Thursday, 59 patients have tested positive for the virus — an increase of three from yesterday's numbers. Forty-four patients have tested positive for the virus at TestMV.
The hospital also reported on Monday that a patient had been hospitalized over the weekend in fair condition.
The patient was released from the hospital Tuesday in good condition, according to spokesman Marissa Lefebvre. Two Covid-19 patients have now been admitted to the hospital in October, after the Island went the entire summer without a Covid-19 hospitalization.
Including the five new patients Thursday, the Island has now eclipsed the 100 positive test mark, with a total of 103 patients having tested positive for the virus. An additional 24 patients have either tested positive for viral antibodies or been symptomatically diagnosed with the virus.
Statewide, case numbers have continued to climb, with the state Department of Public Health reporting more than 1,000 new cases for five straight days. Hospitalizations and the seven-day average positive test rate have also nearly doubled since lows in mid-September, according to the DPH.
This story has been updated to clarify that one of the original five new cases reported Thursday was tested off-Island and has not been an Island resident for several months, according to health agents. The story and headline has been edited to reflect that change.
fact checker, mv
Good job with the contact tracing. Remember... 'mask it or casket'
Robert M , edgartown
Total disregard for the health care community. Time to put penalties on this sort of selfish behavior.
I Hate Wearing a Mask, MV
I hate wearing these masks. They are claustrophobic and remind me constantly of the threat we are facing. But I wear one. Not to protect myself because they aren't very good at doing that even if they help the wearer a little. I wear one because I know they are quite good at protecting others from my germs. I'm not really that civic minded a person and I probably don't do enough for the community compared to others who donate their time and serve others. But I do have a certain level of standard and that involves not hurting and killing innocent others. So I wear the damned thing, correctly, and with a bit of pride for my very modest sacrifice. I think of our healthcare workers and supermarket employees who wear them all the time. And when I see the work trucks go by packed with young men who don't give one ounce of care and don't wear masks, and when I know all of us wearing masks are why they have work (the new boom in demand is because we have so few cases) I think what selfish jerks. You young and not so young men who think you are above this thing are threatening our businesses, the education of our children and your own livelihoods. Get with it "tough" guys. Wow, that was a tad sexist, and I do know a few women who throw caution to the wind as well. If you are making bank right now owning a business that employs people who share rides, and those employees live in communal houses (often twenty or more to a house) maybe consider doing your part by demanding mask wearing. This virus is very real and a little discomfort is the least you can do to respect your elders, the children, businesses and your creator.
Astrid, Vineyard Haven
I am of course all for mask wearing, but rather than blaming workers and calling for their employers to demand they wear masks even in their own shared houses, why not call for employers to provide better, less crowded housing, or suggest ANY kind of individual apartment housing option on the island, or call for employers to provide COVID-safe transportation between job sites? If you have to sit in a truck with people everyday and there's no way to distance, a mask will not be enough protection anyways. Instead of blaming people who live "twenty or more to a house" you should "do your part" to demand more from the people who actually have the power.
Hospital Urges Caution as Covid Cases Surge Again on Eve of Holiday
Covid-19 case numbers have increased sharply on the Vineyard, prompting public health officials to...
Island Towns Issue Mask Advisories as Covid Cases Climb
Martha's Vineyard towns are issuing indoor mask advisories as a public health precaution, as Covid...
Island Classified as High Risk for Covid
Martha's Vineyard is currently classified as high risk for Covid-19, with case counts on the rise...


text:
RamonaMead.com
Review Policy & Contact Info
10 of the Best Books About Gratitude
I'm repurposing a post from 2018 today. Since it's Thanksgiving week, it's time to talk about gratitude again!
Two years ago, my dear friend Amber (of Kingfisher Coaching and Retreats) and I taught an afternoon workshop we called The How & Why of Establishing a Gratitude Practice.
In my Grateful Every Day shirt, ready to start the workshop!
Several women joined us for a look beyond the buzzword "gratitude," to explore what it truly means and how it can affect our lives.
Gratitude is the act of noticing and appreciating all the good things in your life. So from there, a gratitude practice is training yourself to notice and appreciate positive things, then being thankful for them.
In theory, it's pretty simple, but training yourself to focus on finding the positive, instead of the negative things going on around you, takes practice and commitment, especially in the midst of a global pandemic!
Defining what gratitude isn't is equally important.
A gratitude practice is NOT:
Denial. We're not ignoring negative things necessarily, just not giving them as much energy/focus. Or are putting them in perspective.
Being a Pollyanna, "Everything is always great!". Sure, I believe gratitude leads to positivity and optimism, but it doesn't mean we're that way 24/7.
Wearing rose colored glasses: An optimistic perception of something, often thinking of it as better than it actually is.
Dismissing bad things with "at least…" (You broke your leg? Oh well, at least you're alive.) It's okay to acknowledge how much it sucks to have a broken leg. Then look around and notice the friends who are visiting, the beautiful flowers someone sent, the novel you can finish or the Netflix show you can binge on while you're on bed rest.
It is totally okay to acknowledge when we're feeling low, angry, sick, sad. It's about acknowledging those feelings without wallowing in them for an unhealthy extent. Again, during a pandemic, this has been particularly challenging for me.
As part of the workshop, we discussed books on the subjects of gratitude, happiness, and habit development, particularly those which have been helpful on our own journeys.
I'm sharing that list here, with a few newer ones added on, for you to explore if you're looking for some inspiration and guidance!
Grateful: The Transformative Power of Giving Thanks by Diana Butler Bass
From Goodreads: If gratitude is good, why is it so hard to do? In Grateful, Diana Butler Bass untangles our conflicting understandings of gratitude and sets the table for a renewed practice of giving thanks. With honest stories and heartrending examples from history and her own life, Bass reclaims gratitude as a path to greater connection with god, with others, with the world, and even with our own souls. It's time to embrace a more radical practice of gratitude—the virtue that heals us and helps us thrive.
The Joy of Appreciative Living by Jacqueline Kelm
From Goodreads: Based on a national "joy study," here is a workshop leader's 28-day blueprint to greater happiness broken down into three remarkable steps. Just three exercises in twenty-eight days? It sounds so simple because author Jacqueline Kelm makes it simple. The book will highlight exactly how and why these exercises work. The Joy of Appreciative Living transforms complexity, insight, and years of trial into one focused, high-powered program of daily practice that can make all the difference in your world.
The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin
From Goodreads: In this lively and compelling account, Rubin chronicles her adventures during the twelve months she spent test-driving the wisdom of the ages, current scientific research, and lessons from popular culture about how to be happier. Among other things, she found that novelty and challenge are powerful sources of happiness; that money can help buy happiness, when spent wisely; that outer order contributes to inner calm; and that the very smallest of changes can make the biggest difference.
You Are a Badass – Jen Sincero
From Goodreads: In this refreshingly entertaining how-to guide, #1 New York Times Bestselling Author and world-traveling success coach, Jen Sincero, serves up 27 bite-sized chapters full of hilariously inspiring stories, sage advice, easy exercises, and the occasional swear word. If you're ready to make some serious changes around here, You Are a Badass will help you: Identify and change the self-sabotaging beliefs and behaviors that stop you from getting what you want, blast past your fears so you can take big exciting risks, figure out how to make some damn money already, learn to love yourself and others, set big goals and reach them – it will basically show you how to create a life you totally love, and how to create it now.
Good Morning – Brook Noel
From Goodreads: Good Morning offers proven tools to help us live our best life daily. While studies show breakfast to be the most important meal of the day, Brook Noel believes a positive "emotional breakfast" is a key source of emotional, mental, and physical strength for the day. Good Morning provides readers with a daily dose of inspiration to make every day matter.
The Gratitude Diaries: How a Year Looking on the Bright Side Can Transform Your Life by Janice Kaplan
From Goodreads: In this New York Times bestseller, Janice Kaplan spends a year living gratefully and transforms her marriage, family life, work and health. Her pioneering reseach was praised in People andVanity Fair and hailed on TV shows including Today, The O'Reilly Factor, and CBS's The Talk.With warmth, humor, and appealing insight, Janice's journey will empower readers to think positively and start living their own best year ever.
Living Life as a Thank You by Nina Lesowitz and Mary Beth Sammons
From Goodreads: Each chapter includes stories of individuals whose lives have been transformed by embracing this program, along with motivating quotes and blessings, and a suggested gratitude practice such as keeping a weekly gratitude journal and starting a gratitude circle.
29 Gifts: How a Month of Giving Can Change Your Life by Cami Walker
From Goodreads: More than a memoir, 29 Gifts offers inspiring lessons on how a simple daily practice of altruism can dramatically alter your outlook on the world. The book also includes personal essays from others whose lives changed for the better by giving, plus pages for the reader to record their own journey.
book recommendations thankful
What I Read This Week: November 22, 2020
Five Things Friday: November 27, 2020
What kind of books are you looking for?
Ramona Mead
My mission is to get you out of your reading comfort zone! I can recommend the "right" books for whatever you're facing in life. I weed out the overhyped trendy titles. By sharing my experiences, I will lead you to a richer reading life. As an Amazon Influencer, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Five Things Friday: January 15, 2021
What is Magical Realism?
Book Club Discussion Questions for Memorial by Bryan Washington
What I Read This Week: January 10, 2021
Five Things Friday January 8, 2021
Ramona's bookshelf: read
by Blake Crouch
What if you were able to go back in life and take the path not taken? It's a fascinating concept. It took a little while to get into, and I got bogged down by the heavy science in the middle but otherwise this is a pretty good book. It's...
by A. S. A. Harrison
This is a thriller that unravels gradually. The twists aren't sharp but they are there. Every single character is unlikable, their behavior deplorable, but I couldn't help rooting for them at times. I went back and forth between the audi...
by Katie Kitamura
Three and a half stars. This book wasn't what I expected from reading the dust jacket, it's not an intense thriller. There is a mystery gradually unfolding, which we learn about from the first person narration of a wife who reluctantly a...
Between Breaths: A Memoir of Panic and Addiction
by Elizabeth Vargas
Three and a half stars. I was not familiar with Elizabeth Vargas prior to reading this, but I admire her greatly now. This is a brutally honesty memoir, written with grace and good intentions. The writing is a bit superficial at times, I...
Into the Water
by Paula Hawkins
I pushed myself through this book because I thought it *had* to get better. The last 25 pages were the best part because I got resolution of open issues, but otherwise reading this was a waste of time. The story was sloooow and felt supe...
Share book reviews and ratings with Ramona, and even join a book club on Goodreads.
Ramona Mead on What is Magical Realism?
Bev on What is Magical Realism?
Tarissa on What is Magical Realism?
What is Magical Realism? - RamonaMead.com on 2021 Reading Challenge Categories
Copyright © 2021 RamonaMead.com. All rights reserved.
Join my 2021 Reading Challenge!
Sign up for my mailing list to receive newsletters and book recommendations all year long.


At 17 years old, I was captain of my soccer team and very confident in my skills. But when I attended a soccer camp at the University of Mississippi the summer before my senior year of high school, all of that changed.
I quickly discovered on the first day that the majority of my fellow campers were from nearby Memphis schools with incredible soccer programs.
These girls had been playing soccer since they could walk, and most of them were competing nationally on travel teams.
With a little practice, I had picked up the sport naturally and began performing at or above the level of the other girls on my team. But I had no idea how severely lacking my skills were until I was challenged by some of the best high school players in the South.
Camp was exhausting. We had three-a-day practices, hours of drills and constant one-on-one matchups. In every possible scenario, I couldn't keep up.
These girls ran circles around me and I began to look and feel like I had never touched a soccer ball in my life. In a week's time, I went from being one of the best players on my team to the last girl picked for scrimmages.
I stuck it out but the week totally killed my confidence. And at times, I was flat-out humiliated. I left physically and emotionally exhausted.
But something unexpected happened when I returned home.
I performed at our first team practice like a completely different soccer player. My coach and teammates noticed it too. I dominated the drills and controlled the ball with ease.
I scored more goals that season than my previous three years combined. And my team won more games than we had in years. Because of how much I had improved, I was stronger and my whole team was stronger.
This improvement wasn't an accident. I was better because of the time I spent working with and learning from players who were much better than me.
And that happens in business and in life also.
While it's easy to be the big fish in a small pond, growth doesn't happen there. If we want to grow and truly become better in our gifts, we have to work with and learn from people who are better than us. We have to surround ourselves with women and leaders who are stronger than we are.
Yes, it's a humbling experience. But when you push yourself out of your comfort zone, you'll return like I did—a completely different person, a better leader. There's no better or faster way to grow in your gifts than to surround yourself with other rockstars who are more experienced and more knowledgeable than you are!
Thank you for this. Oh, how I can relate and re-relate this on to my daughter who is/was playing volleyball. Now, for it to work in me, I desire to continually surround myself with those that are ahead of the journey. whether it is another widow, a Mom trying to work full time for the 1st time in a long time, whomever the LORD puts in my path, I desire to learn. Thanks for the encouragement today.
In and of itself, I don't disagree with the advice — though I would throw in a caution… You didn't throw in the towel after your experience — when evidence suggests that the vast majority of people, after having a "humbling" experience surrounded by people with far superior skills/abilities, will give up altogether.
You said it yourself: being surrounded by those with far superior skills "killed [your] confidence".
So I say all that to confirm that the results are as you've said — but you MUST stick with it after such experiences, and most people don't. They give up because they've been psychologically defeated.
But this is where it dovetails into mentoring… Everyone should be involved in mentoring in three distinct roles: 1) you should be mentored by someone who is further along than you, 2) you should have a group of peers that you meet with and 3) you should have someone whom you're mentoring who isn't as far along as you are. You're speaking to the first role — and I agree. But you also should not lose sight of those around you (your peers) or those that might be further behind (those whom you could mentor).
I am in absolute agreement with Eric J.
in my life, and seen the success of it.
advice to the end of her story.
I love this article! Often I have shied away from that feeling of mediocrity. Feeling like I need to continue to polish my strengths and let them shine bright. Letting my strong suits help to hide/blind people away from my weaknesses. I am learning to show and grow. To be with those that are better than me at task/talents I want to improve in myself and to show my scars and areas of weakness. This has allowed me to grow and develop. Thank you for sharing both your strong and talented side and your weaknesses.
great article, I enjoyed reading it and it was inspirational.


Let me tell you about a magical place where the rate of unemployment is 4.9%. The unemployment rate is so low that business owners need to import workers from overseas to work unskilled jobs for above minimum wage. In other parts of the country, business owners export work to factories overseas where they pay less than minimum wage, but this place is magical. The median household income is $94,460, $20,000 higher than the $74,540 for the country.
These figures describe a place called Alberta, a province which has added 81,800 jobs in the past 12 months, while the rest of Canada lost 9,500.
Just think about that for a second; Alberta added 9 times more jobs than the rest of Canada lost. That's ridiculous and embarrassing. It's magical. The bulk of the loss was from Quebec, Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland (a combined loss of 37,800 jobs). Ontario gained 10,300 jobs in the past 12 months despite losing 33,900 this June. And Ontario has a population three times as large as that of Alberta!
Canada is bleeding on the table, while Alberta is doing laps around the hospital. No matter your stance on the environment, climate change, and the oil sands, it is impossible to ignore the prosperity that the tar sands have brought Alberta.
And people are running to Alberta for that very reason. Since 1976, 483,600 people moved to Alberta from elsewhere in Canada. During the same period, 465,400 people fled the barren wasteland known as Quebec. The mass exodus was caused in part by separation anxiety, but also because of the lack of opportunity in the province and on that side of the country.
This is actually how it works.
Yet, there are those out there who still want an unconditional ban on oil extraction.
The motley crew of "activists" are more ready than ever to somehow "save the planet" through a minuscule reduction in Canada's fossil fuel impact on the world, under the assumption that China and America will play along and slow the rise of the oceans (spoiler: they won't). Perhaps they also think that we can save the environment without efforts from the (by far) largest polluters (spoiler: we can't). Therefore, until we have a viable alternative fuel source, and until other countries agree to limit fossil fuel use as well, we should take all we can out of the ground.
Instead, other provinces have done all they can to keep it in the ground. Quebec has banned the recovery of shale gas based on anecdotal evidence and little corroboration from any of the hundreds of studies on the matter (of the 20,000 wells in the US, contamination has only occurred a handful of times in the event of surface leaks and other breakdowns, and not as a side effect of the process itself). Instead of evidence-based decision-making, we have a case of decision-based evidence-making.
How about we consider all the other goals accomplished by not closing down the oil sands solely due to self-righteous aggrandizing, such as poverty reduction and improving the wages of workers? A job in the oil sands can offer a $90,000-$120,000/year salary, right out of high school (actually), not including overtime pay. The net result? Tim Horton's needs to close down restaurants because no one is willing to work for as low as $17/hour. If that's not an easy way to naturally achieve a living wage, I don't know what is.
Instead of holding ourselves back with energy regulations that will have only a negligible effect on worldwide emissions, let's get Canada moving again. Let's open the taps in every province. Let's drill for oil.
A Protest in Toronto Against the Tar Sands and Line 9: Seriously!


Our core strength is working with young people to create engaging Cinematic Theatre productions. We also deliver masterclasses and workshops to teach students from a unique artist's perspective.
Our Artist in Residence programs are designed to cater for the needs of the teacher and work within the guidelines of the curriculum, all while delivering a quality performance outcome and positive learning experience for young people.
A full residency sees the realisation of a new production from page to stage (and screen!). We can provide scripts, write new scripts on commission, or facilitate a devising process with the students. Through weekly sessions, the artist-in-residence can direct the performance, design the visuals, and teach new understandings to students throughout the process.
Part residencies are also available to fit your brief. Resident artists can assist with the facilitation of play building sessions, direction, filming, design, video editing, programming and technical production.
Masterclasses are the perfect opportunity to introduce students to the concept of Cinematic Theatre. Using engaging examples from real productions, we demonstrate each convention with a clear mix of theory and practice. Afterwards, the students should feel confident in their choices to integrate screen and stage elements.
A 60-90 minute presentation for student groups and professional development. The presentation will inform and entertain students about the creative rationale we use to integrate media into live theatre and provide a platform of knowledge and ideas to write, design and produce a Cinematic Theatre performance.
This presentation takes students through the creative process of integrating cinematic elements for a specific dramatic style. This session can focus on Epic Theatre, Hyper Realism, Collage Drama, Physical Theatre, or Australian Gothic.
Oftentimes, creative people learn better by doing! Workshops are a great way to get students up and involved in the process of making Cinematic Theatre work.
Working from a cinematic pretext, students will be involved in sustained improvisation to explore a theme or social context. Students will utilise play building techniques to harness these ideas for performance. This workshop is perfect for beginning a new unit of work.
Focusing on a script from Markwell's repertoire, students work with a director to analyse the text for performance. Students will explore the issues and characters with an insight into the process of developing performance works.
We also run workshops for teachers on how to integrate new media into theatre work. Includes practical information on writing and developing scripts, filming and editing, cinematic design conventions, operating live media, and technical tips.
Markwell Presents has previously been engaged to deliver Professional Development programs for Drama Queensland, Queensland Theatre Company, and La Boite Theatre Company.


text:
Beha'alotcha ('When you set up')
Torah: Numbers 8:1-12:16. Haftarah: Zechariah 2:14 (10)-4:7
Eminem has a song called 'Be Careful What You Wish For,' in which he reflects on the consequences of fame and fortune:
So be careful what you wish for
'Cause you just might get it
And if you get it then you just might not know
What to do wit' it, 'cause it might just
Come back on you ten-fold.
In Numbers 11, the people of Israel wished for meat. They got it, and it came back on them ten-fold.
A year after being set free from Egypt, the people kept Pesach, which served as a reminder of God's goodness and power. They then began to complain because they were weary of eating manna each day. They longed for the days in Egypt when they had onions, leeks, cucumbers and garlic; all of it tasty stuff but none of it filling.
According to the commandment in Deuteronomy 24:5, newly married men were to spend the first year of marriage with their wives before they went to war. God took Israel as his bride and stayed with his people for a year at Sinai. When the cloud of his presence rose to move on, the people cried, 'Rise up, O LORD, and let Thine enemies be scattered; and let them that hate Thee flee before Thee' (Num 10:25, JPS Translation). Israel's divine husband was going to war on behalf of his people.
In spite of the evidences of the power and faithfulness of God, the people were dissatisfied; and dissatisfaction with God and his provision shows a lack of faith and trust. Israel should have been content with the daily supernatural provision of manna. They were soon to arrive in a land flowing with milk and honey where they could eat whatever they wanted; but they wanted meat. The people wished for meat and it came back on them ten-fold.
I don't know how I would have acted if I had been among the Israelites. I hope I would have been content with the manna but understanding why people grumble against God is not to approve the murmuring. We are all guilty of unbelief in one way or another.
Over the centuries, Jewish people have (quite rightly) wished for the promised Messiah but time and again they have backed the wrong horse; each time with disastrous results. Shimon Bar-Kokhba, the imperious military dictator who led the Jewish revolt against Rome between 132 and 135 C.E was hailed as Messiah by no less a figure than Rabbi Akiva. Bar-Kokhba relied on his own powers and, according to Jewish sources, when he went into battle he asked God to 'neither assist nor discourage us.' His supremely self-confident war against Rome ended in tears.
In the seventeenth century many Jewish people, including leading rabbis and prominent community leaders were caught up in the messianic fervour that surrounded the messianic pretender Shabbetai Zvi who, when threatened with death, converted to Islam.
In almost every century since the time of the second temple there have been false messiahs, and their effect on the Jewish community has been devastating. Messianic 'Rabbi' Glen Harris points out that the discovery that these men were not who they claimed to be resulted in widespread disappointment and division. People were left in despair, having invested their hopes, their energies, and in some cases, their worldly possessions, in these men.
'Another effect of false messiahs,' says Harris, 'was that it left the largely Roman Catholic leaders of Europe, as well as the Islamic leaders of the Middle East, feeling smug and disdainful toward the Jewish people. As a result, anti-Jewish legislation became more common and severe through much of the world. Perhaps saddest of all is that many Jewish leaders over the years have all but abandoned hope in the Biblical promise of the Messiah, preferring not to risk further division and decimation in the Jewish community should another false messiah arise.'
Glen Harris makes the observation that these would-be messiahs and the movements they started had certain things in common:
These were ambitious individuals who were accountable to no one.
Rather than allowing the Scriptures to be their guide, people allowed circumstances to dictate their expectations.
Lack of knowledge of the Scriptures, especially those prophecies concerning the Messiah, coupled with looking to extra-biblical sources for authority, (for example, the Zohar), allowed people to be more readily deceived.
The emphasis on personal, subjective, emotional experiences, as over the unchanging word of God.
Esoteric 'knowledge' allegedly available only to an elite group, served as an enticement to join the movements. Furthermore, considerable pressure was put on people to either 'get with the program' or else risk missing out on God, and be labelled as 'unspiritual.'
The fixing of dates for Messiah's coming was characteristic of some of these movements, as was the belief that our efforts can hasten His coming.
Most significantly, these (and other) false messiahs were able to draw and deceive people who had already rejected Jesus as the Messiah. When we shun the truth, we become vulnerable to a lie.
Jewish people have lost their lives and livelihoods following pseudo-messiahs. Before you wish for the Messiah, the true manna from heaven, be sure you know what you are wishing for or those wishes will come back on you ten-fold.


text:
Colleges with History Majors
Grades & Scores
Your GPA
SAT Critical Reading
SAT Mathematics
ACT Composite
Select a state: Select... Alabama Alaska American Samoa Arizona Arkansas Armed Forces - Americas Armed Forces - Europe, Middle East, Africa Armed Forces - Pacific Bureau of Indian Education California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Department of Defense Education Activity District of Columbia Federated States of Micronesia Florida Georgia Guam Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Marshall Islands Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana National Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Northern Mariana Islands Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Palau Pennsylvania Puerto Rico Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas U.S. Minor Outlying Islands Utah Vermont Virgin Islands Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming Or select any regions that you prefer (as many as you like):
(350) Southeast
(230) Mid Atlantic
(214) Great Lakes
(177) West
(143) Plains
(128) Southwest
(101) New England
(46) Rocky Mountains
(6) Outlying Areas
(2) Us Service School
Show all 10 Show fewer
Your Course Load
How challenging were your high school courses?
I took what was needed to graduate.
I took some tough classes but didn't go crazy.
I took a couple of APs/Honors but only in my strongest subjects.
I took the hardest classes my school offered.
What size college do you think you'd like?
I want to see all my options.
The bigger the better.
Something in the middle: not too big and not too small.
A small school where kids and professors really know each other.
How important is keeping college cost low?
Very important.
Somewhat important.
Other factors matter more to me.
Select your home state: Select... Alabama Alaska American Samoa Arizona Arkansas Armed Forces - Americas Armed Forces - Europe, Middle East, Africa Armed Forces - Pacific Bureau of Indian Education California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Department of Defense Education Activity District of Columbia Federated States of Micronesia Florida Georgia Guam Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Marshall Islands Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana National Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Northern Mariana Islands Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Palau Pennsylvania Puerto Rico Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas U.S. Minor Outlying Islands Utah Vermont Virgin Islands Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming What is your family income? Select... 0 - 30k 30k - 48k 48k - 75k 78k - 110k 110k +
You cannot choose more than 10 items
Work Load
What's your ideal work load?
Not too much. College is about a lot more than just the books.
A good balance. Enough to keep me challenged and engaged.
Bring on the books. I'm all about rigorous academics.
It's a Saturday evening on campus. What are you most likely doing?
Making sure I can fit all the parties I want into one night.
Having a dinner with a few close friends.
Reading a good book and finishing up homework.
Sports on Campus
To tailgate or not to tailgate: do you want a school where sports are big on campus?
Definitely! Mascots and face paint all the way!
I'll probably go to some games, but they're not a big deal.
No way. Sports are not my thing.
How do you feel about fraterities and sororities?
I can't wait for pledge week! I like a campus with an active Greek life.
I will probably pledge, but I'm keeping an open mind.
I don't really care one way or the other.
I want a school without Greek life.
Is it important to you that your classmates come from a diverse range of nationalities, ethnicities, beliefs, and backgrounds?
Yes, a school's diversity is very important to me.
Yes, it would be nice.
Other factors are more important to me.
I'm interested in a school that is:
All Female
All Male
Clubs & Leadership
Did you participate in clubs, community service, or student government?
I didn't participate in clubs or activities.
I participated but wasn't overly involved.
I was pretty active, with a few leadership roles.
My leadership was recognized at the state or national level.
Music & the Arts
Were you involved in music, fine arts, or the performing arts?
Yes, but only for fun.
I was accomplished and plan to major in the arts.
I'm very accomplished, one of the best in the country.
Did you play sports during high school? How seriously did you participate?
I didn't participate in high school sports.
I played in high school but mostly for fun.
I think I'll qualify for a college varsity team.
I'm ranked among the top nationwide.
Main Search Results
More fascinated by the past than by the future? Do you love learning about people, places and events that happened long ago? Do you like to read, but are more interested in facts than fiction? Then a History major is probably perfect for you.
History majors study the events, people and geography of the world. While a good deal of a History major's time is spent in libraries, History majors learn to study and interpret far more than textbooks. History majors seek to go beyond the textbook by studying a wealth of primary texts such as letters, diaries, magazines or newspapers printed during the time they are studying, original musical or dictated recordings, and original video recordings. Even a log of goods on a ship crossing the ocean can be of importance to a History major, for every scrap tells a tale.
If you have a curious mind and possess an ability to take lots of "small" facts and see the "big picture," then this is definitely your field.
Important classes in high school include all things history: US history, world history, Roman and Greek history. Also critical are AP English, current world problems, and courses in philosophy or religion.
History majors generally find work in a variety of fields: academics, government, publishing, journalism, and education. Some History majors become historians or seek work in libraries or museums.
Famous figures with History majors include Conan O'Brian, Edward Norton and Sacha Cohen.
Massachusetts Hall, Cambridge, MA 02138
North America's oldest college, founded in 1636 and located in Cambridge across the Charles River from Boston, Harvard is a remarkable place that considers itself a remarkable place. Crimson undergraduate life begs a bullet-proof ego to help ensure success, because ... learn more
Heavy Focus on Undergraduate Arts and Science, Research University
77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02139
Something of a fantasy camp for world's top geeks, where elaborate practical jokes known as "hacks" are an art form, MIT sits proudly on the Cambridge side of the Charles River. Tour guides explain how many Smoots it takes to ... learn more
Focus on Undergraduate Professions, Research University, Focus on Undergraduate Arts and Science
Woodbridge Hall, New Haven, CT 06520
Founded in 1701 by those who felt Harvard had lost its way, Yale took as its Latin motto Lux et Veritas, Light and Truth, to suggest that those in Cambridge could no longer see the Veritas. Thus was the Harvard-Yale ... learn more
1 Nassau Hall, Princeton, NJ 08544
Situated in an affluent New Jersey college town rather than a city, Princeton is bright, beautiful, and sometimes a little smug. It is no accident that F. Scott Fitzgerald wrote This Side of Paradise about his years here. Those who ... learn more
Heavy Focus on Undergraduate Arts and Science, Research University, Focus on Undergraduate Professions
Younger than the Ivies and sunnier, too, Stanford has become the nation's most selective institution by providing a world-class education to those dreaming of Silicon Valley riches, as well as those with Olympic medals on their minds. In fact, given ... learn more
West 116 St and Broadway, New York, NY 10027
Founded in 1754 as Kings College, Columbia needed a new name when students like Alexander Hamilton won the American Revolution. Benefitting from the Manhattan Renaissance of the past 20 years, Columbia now has single-digit selectivity. Its long commitment to the ... learn more
1200 E California Blvd, Pasadena, CA 91125
Engineering,Computer Science and Mathematics are among the most popular majors at California Institute of Technology, located in sunny Pasadena, CA. Often compared to other well-known tech schools like MIT, Caltech stands out due to its small size and favorable student-to-faculty ... learn more
1101 E. 58th Street, Chicago, IL 60637
On a collegiate gothic campus built with Rockefeller money in a setting like the East Coast urban Ivies but in the Midwest on the Windy City's South Side, the University of Chicago is sometimes called "the place where fun goes ... learn more
207 Parkhurst Hall, Hanover, NH 03755
The only Ivy with the feel of a college rather than a university, Dartmouth is a haven for undergraduates. Its idyllic setting in a classic New Hampshire town comes complete with Dartmouth's own skiway. Famous for traditions like the Homecoming ... learn more
2101 West End Avenue, Nashville, TN 37240
The bookstore apparently does not sell a t-shirt that reads, "Vanderbilt…It Even Sounds Expensive," but it could, because the campus, a registered arboretum, looks like it costs plenty. Great academics, southern charm, SEC football, and the bright lights of Music ... learn more
One Prospect Street, Providence, RI 02912
By contrast to Columbia's curriculum that includes courses required of all students, Brown has long offered the most open-ended Ivy program, with self-designed study leading to concentrations rather than traditional majors. The "choose your own adventure" ethos may contribute to ... learn more
34th and Spruce Streets, Philadelphia, PA 19104
Founded by practical polymath Benjamin Franklin in 1740, the University of Pennsylvania comprises the Wharton School of Business, Engineering, Nursing and the College of Arts and Sciences. Greek life and chants of "Let's Go, Quakers!" at spirited athletic contests contribute ... learn more
Facts About Colleges with History Majors
There are 1,397 History Colleges.
Browse History Colleges by Majors
History Colleges
Browse History Colleges by State
(25) History Colleges in Alabama
(2) History Colleges in Alaska
(8) History Colleges in Arizona
(16) History Colleges in Arkansas
(132) History Colleges in California
(15) History Colleges in Colorado
(16) History Colleges in Connecticut
(3) History Colleges in Delaware
(8) History Colleges in District of Columbia
(31) History Colleges in Florida
(43) History Colleges in Georgia
(1) History Colleges in Guam
(4) History Colleges in Hawaii
(9) History Colleges in Idaho
(46) History Colleges in Illinois
(38) History Colleges in Indiana
(25) History Colleges in Iowa
(26) History Colleges in Kansas
(23) History Colleges in Kentucky
(21) History Colleges in Louisiana
(9) History Colleges in Maine
(23) History Colleges in Maryland
(48) History Colleges in Massachusetts
(39) History Colleges in Michigan
(28) History Colleges in Minnesota
(20) History Colleges in Mississippi
(34) History Colleges in Missouri
(7) History Colleges in Montana
(15) History Colleges in Nebraska
(5) History Colleges in Nevada
(11) History Colleges in New Hampshire
(26) History Colleges in New Jersey
(8) History Colleges in New Mexico
(87) History Colleges in New York
(47) History Colleges in North Carolina
(6) History Colleges in North Dakota
(61) History Colleges in Ohio
(24) History Colleges in Oklahoma
(18) History Colleges in Oregon
(84) History Colleges in Pennsylvania
(5) History Colleges in Puerto Rico
(7) History Colleges in Rhode Island
(29) History Colleges in South Carolina
(9) History Colleges in South Dakota
(39) History Colleges in Tennessee
(88) History Colleges in Texas
(9) History Colleges in Utah
(10) History Colleges in Vermont
(40) History Colleges in Virginia
(16) History Colleges in Washington
(16) History Colleges in West Virginia
(30) History Colleges in Wisconsin
(7) History Colleges in Wyoming
Getting into College
Starting College
We'll let you know as soon as we launch Colleges.


With thanks to Sky Racing... Get all the key insights from QLD Jockeys & Trainers to give you the ultimate confidence when punting on some of QLD's favourite tracks. More tracks coming soon!
- Jeff Lloyds' favourite barrier is 4!


text:
Home»News»"Thailand"
Asian countries welcome cruise newcomer
Viking's latest ocean liner Viking Orion has arrived in Asia, making her debut voyage from…
Star Cruises homeports Superstar Libra in three new ports
Star Cruises, one of Asia's leading cruise brands, announced it would be homeporting SuperStar Libra…
Ovation of the Seas arrives in Laem Chabang
Royal Caribbean, the largest fleet in Asia, has sent one of the biggest ships in…
Star Cruises to homeport SuperStar Gemini in Laem Chabang
Star Cruises announced it would be deploying the SuperStar Gemini to Laem Chabang. The ship…
Costa Cruises to homeport ship in Thailand
Costa Cruises will be homeporting the Costa Victoria in Laem Chabang port which is near…
Costa Cruises to homeport in Thailand
Costa Cruises Asia has announced that it will make Laem Chambang in Thailand, its latest…
Port report: Phuket
It's one of the most picturesque and popular destinations in Thailand, and with more and…
ASEAN a popular destination for Royal Caribbean
Royal Caribbean Cruises, one of the largest ocean-cruise operators in Asia, lists the ASEAN region…
Singapore & Thailand's renewed unity
Singapore and Thailand are to work together to provide more cruise industry opportunities between the two…
Thailand's top 17 attractions
Chinese tourists have had the official say in which of Thailand's products and services are…


What does Tumblr's ban on x-rated content mean for recovering adult film addicts like this guy?
Tumblr announced this week that it will no longer allow x-rated content on its platform. A public outcry ensued.


text:
Sponsorship deal to help taekwondo go global
The World Taekwondo Federation (WTF) signed its largest sponsorship with Booyoung Group on Tuesday, aiming to boost globalization of Korea's traditional martial art.
The WTF, led by President Choue Chung-won, inked a six-year global partnership deal worth $10 million with Booyoung Group in Seoul on Tuesday. The amount and length of the deal is the largest-ever for the international governing body of taekwondo.
More than 100 guests attended ceremony, including Vice Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Kim Chong, former Prime Minster Han Seung-soo and Booyoung Chairman Lee Joong-keun.
"This year, taekwondo was selected as a sport for 2020 Summer Paralympics in Tokyo, and with Booyoung's support, we will be able to cement the status and position of taekwondo," said WTF chief Choue at the signing ceremony.
The WTF previously partnered with Samsung Electronics from 2005 to 2008 and Macquarie Group of Companies, Korea from 2008 to 2013. It has since been looking for global sponsorship.
According to latest list from the Fair Trade Commission, Booyoung is Korea's 19th largest chaebol. It has been working to promote taekwondo in foreign countries like Cambodia and Laos by building taekwondo training centers there. It also sent taekwondo volunteers to Vietnam to promote the sport, in association with the Asia Taekwondo Union.
"We feel proud to sponsor WTF," Booyoung Chairman Lee said. "We will put more effort into globalizing taekwondo."
BY JOO KYUNG-DON [joo.kyungdon@joongang.co.kr]


text:
Pakistan Muslim League (Zia-ul-Haq Shaheed) is a far-right wing and pro-Islamism political party in Pakistan formed in 2002. It is one of the factions of the original Pakistan Muslim League, named after General Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq, Pakistan's military dictator from 1977 to 1988.
It was founded by his son, Muhammad Ijaz-ul-Haq, in 2002 with an initial aim of bringing back the religious government previously in 1980s.
PML -Z want a peaceful world for a human and socially just society with equal opportunities for all in light of the universal principles of Islam.
With the general elections of 2002, Ijaz Ul Haq won the National assembly seat and gained the Federal Religious Affairs ministry .
In March, PML-Zia successfully contested by-elections held in Bahawalnagar for Member of the Punjab Provincial Assembly, upsetting the Pakistan Peoples Party. During the floods of 2010, the party also came to attention for distributing relief goods worth millions of rupees in Southern Punjab
On October 9, 2011, PML-Zia became the only party to support the PML-N's threatening to dissolve the Punjab Assembly and pre-empt the PPP's expected victory in the 2012 Senate elections. In the general elections in 2013, PML-Z contested two seats and won again from NA-191 Bahawalnagar in the National Assembly, and two seats in the Punjab Assembly. Ijaz's constituency NA-191 recorded the highest voter turnout in the country for 2013.
Powered by WordPress | Theme Designed by: www.tuneintuit.net | Thanks to http://www.motocyclefairingsblog.com, 889934.com and http://www.gcoffeebeans.co.uk


Leasing a vehicle is anything but a small decision. There are many factors to be taken into consideration when shopping for the best vehicle leasing offers. At UKCarline we believe that one of the biggest things to look out for is the mileage on a vehicle.
If you're leasing a vehicle in a professional capacity and require it for frequent long journeys you might well have a problem if you have a limited number of miles on your contract. When browsing for a new leasing deal always make sure that you're taking into consideration the amount of miles you're likely to drive, weighing it up against the mileage offered as part of the contract. Lease programs can vary a lot from company to company.
Our leasing options are very popular because you can extend your mileage during your contract with UK Carline if you find yourself needing extra miles. The deals on our website are available on all mileages up to 60k per year depending on the finance company and between 18 months to 5 year leased. We only display our best deals but can customise it any way you want to. All you have to do is enquire for a custom quote.
For more vehicle leasing tips follow us on social media and receive news of the latest UKCarline blog posts.


Sliding table saws, shapers, moulders, four-sided planers, power feeders, and safety products for any kind of woodworking machinery. A Woodworking machine is a machine that is intended to process wood. These machines are usually powered by electric motors and are used extensively in .
RSWOOD – CMC is an italian company that takes pride in its thirty-year long experience in the sector of woodworking, and deals . Used Woodworking Machinery Tools at Surplex. JET makes all of its woodworking machines with the enthusiast in mind. Designed to allow woodworkers to do more in their shops, these tools are engineered .
Find great deals on for Used Woodworking Machines in Industrial Woodworking Equipment and Machinery. The high-tech most widely sold machining centers in the world meet the needs of everyone who works on wood. The machines are characterized by a high quality control, flexibility and . Wide range of woodworking machines by the Belgian manufacturer Robland. Discover our panel saws, combined machines, boring machines and other . For over years VITAP is production and sale of woodworking machines. SCM Group build woodworking machinery and automation equipment for many other materials.
Invest in quality and innovation, choose SCM Group. Busy Bee Tools has the woodworking machines and tools that every serious woodworker is after.
With a wide selection of band saws, table saws, planers, . Buy and Sell new and used woodworking machinery and equipment in WOODWEB's Woodworking Machinery Exchange. Versatile woodworking machine Multipurpose. Importer and Dealer of New Used Woodworking Machinery and Complete Plants. EX-FACTORY also facilitates Auctions, Liquidation . Beam processing, Assembly tables, Production lines, Panel processing machines, Timber-frame house construction, Prefabricated house construction, Machine . Our company is professional woodworking machine manufacturer and exporter ,we supply combination machine ,sliding table saw ,edge banding machine with . We are your woodworking machine specialists for industry, business and hobby use.
Find great deals on for Woodworking Machines in Industrial Woodworking Equipment. Felder machines and tooling – get the most out of wood! Do all of your woodworking fast, easy and on the smallest of footprints! First Choice Industrial is a full-service distributor of used new woodworking machinery and equipment for woodworking, aerospace, marine and sign-making . If you are looking for new or used Woodworking Machines, then you have come to the right place! Woodworking Machine Services is your Western Canadian . Baileigh Industrial offers metal machinery and metal fabrication equipment.
Look no further than Baileigh Industrial for you Fabricating Needs. Minimax Classical Machines Practical, compact and robust, Minimax machines work with ease any kind of wood or derived guaranteeing the highest quality and. Woodworking Machines – Australia's largest online Machinery market place. Search for Used Woodworking Machinery or New Woodworking Machinery with .


text:
Q: Exporting Windows Event Logs to CSV - Powershell 2.0 I have a requirement to export Windows Event logs to CSV from our production environment periodically.
I have a simple XML Config file containing a list of machines I need the events from, and a list of Event Ids that I need to retrieve.
From here I'm looping through each machine name in turn, and then each event Id to retrieve the logs and then export to CSV. I'd like one CSV per machine per execution.
Once I've worked out all my variables the PS Command is quite simple to retrieve the log for one Event Id
foreach ($machine in $config.Configuration.Machines.Machine)
{
    $csvname=$outputlocation + $machine.Value + "_" + $datestring + ".csv"

    foreach ($eventid in $config.Configuration.EventIds.EventId)
    {
        Get-WinEvent -ComputerName $machine.Value -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue -FilterHashTable @{Logname='Security';ID=$eventid.Value} | where {$_.TimeCreated -gt $lastexecutiondate} | export-csv -NoClobber -append $csvname
    }
}

Execpt I'm unable to append to a CSV each time, PS 2.0 apparently does not support this. I've tried extracting all Event Ids at once but this seems to be a bit long winded and may now allow use of a config file, but I'm fairly new to PowerShell so I haven't had much luck.
I also need to specify multiple LogNames (System, Security and Application), and would prefer to run one statement as opposed to the same statement 3 times and appe but I'm unsure of how to do this.
Unfortunately at this point Google has me running in circles.

A: The following is something I culled together to allow me to export the prior 24 hours of events for select event logs - I'm going to create a scheduled task out of it so it pulls a daily.
Hope this helps someone else...
$eventLogNames = "Application", "Security", "System", "Windows PowerShell"
$startDate = Get-Date
$startDate = $startDate.addDays(-1).addMinutes(-15)

function GetMilliseconds($date)
{
    $ts = New-TimeSpan -Start $date -End (Get-Date)
    [math]::Round($ts.TotalMilliseconds)
}

$serverName = get-content env:computername
$serverIP = gwmi Win32_NetworkAdapterConfiguration |
    Where { $_.IPAddress } | # filter the objects where an address actually exists
    Select -Expand IPAddress | # retrieve only the property *value*
    Where { $_ -notlike '*:*' }
$fileNameDate = Get-Date -format yyyyMMddhhmm
$endDate = Get-Date
$startTime = GetMilliseconds($startDate)
$endTime = GetMilliseconds($endDate)

foreach ($eventLogName in $eventLogNames)
{
    Write-Host "Processing Log: " $eventLogName

<# - Remove comment to create csv version of log files
    $csvFile = $fileNameDate + "_" + $serverIP +"_" + $eventLogName + ".csv"
    Write-Host "Creating CSV Log: " $csvFile
    Get-EventLog -LogName $eventLogName -ComputerName $serverName -After $startDate -ErrorAction     SilentlyContinue | Sort MachineName, TimeWritten | Select MachineName, Source, TimeWritten, EventID, EntryType, Message | Export-CSV $csvFile #ConvertTo-CSV #Format-Table -Wrap -Property Source, TimeWritten, EventID, EntryType, Message -Autosize -NoTypeInformation
#>
    $evtxFile = $fileNameDate + "_" + $serverIP + "_" + $eventLogName + ".evtx"
    Write-Host "Creating EVTX Log: " $evtxFile
    wevtutil epl $eventLogName $evtxFile /q:"*[System[TimeCreated[timediff(@SystemTime) >=   $endTime] and TimeCreated[timediff(@SystemTime) <= $startTime]]]"
}

A: Why do I get Failed to export log Security. The specified query is invalid. I get this for each type of event log (system, application etc). This happens only to evtx export. I get the csv file tho`....

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Q: argparse: ArgumentDefaultsHelpFormatter with MetavarTypeHelpFormatter Is it possible to combine the functionality of argparse.ArgumentDefaultsHelpFormatter with argparse.MetavarTypeHelpFormatter?
There are examples on how to use any one of these in the docs, but it's not clear how one would create help text that combines the best of both?
For example, I would like something like the following:
parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(prog='PROG')
parser.add_argument('--foo', type=int, default=42, help='FOO!')
parser.add_argument('bar', nargs='*', default=[1, 2, 3], help='BAR!')

to produce something like the following:
usage: PROG [-h] [--foo int] [float [float ...]]

positional arguments:
 float         BAR! (default: [1, 2, 3])

optional arguments:
 -h, --help  show this help message and exit
 --foo int   FOO! (default: 42)

A: In theory you can define a new formatter class that is a subclass of both of the other classes. (I could find a bug/issue where that is suggested by the developer.)  Whether that will work with this pair is needs to be tested or checked in the code.  Basically we need to see whether the methods that these 2 classes change are compatible.
import argparse
class MyFormatter(argparse.ArgumentDefaultsHelpFormatter, argparse.MetavarTypeHelpFormatter):
    pass
parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(prog='PROG', formatter_class=MyFormatter)
parser.add_argument('--foo', type=float, default=42, help='FOO!')
parser.add_argument('bar', nargs='*', default=[1, 2, 3], help='BAR!', type=int)
parser.print_help()

produces
2035:~/mypy$ python3.5 stack41195224.py
usage: PROG [-h] [--foo float] [int [int ...]]

positional arguments:
  int          BAR! (default: [1, 2, 3])

optional arguments:
  -h, --help   show this help message and exit
  --foo float  FOO! (default: 42)

Note that I had to specify a type for the positional as well.  Without that I got an error:
AttributeError: 'NoneType' object has no attribute '__name__'

With this requirement, I suspect the MetavarTypeHelpFormatter does not get much use.  The default 'string' type (None) will produce an error.  This is a convenience formatter class, and likely to create more problems than it solves.
The defaults help formatter just adds a ' (default: %(default)s)' string to the help string.  You can do that yourself.  So it is just a convenience class, not something that anyone requires.
The alternative to subclassing these 2 classes, is to subclass their parent, and include all the methods that the 2 subclasses change.

adding:
parser.add_argument('foobar', type=str)

displays
1039:~/mypy$ python3 stack41195224_1.py
usage: PROG [-h] [--foo float] [int [int ...]] str

positional arguments:
  int          BAR! (default: [1, 2, 3])
  str

optional arguments:
  -h, --help   show this help message and exit
  --foo float  FOO! (default: 42)

Using just
parser.add_argument('foobar')

produces
AttributeError: 'NoneType' object has no attribute '__name__'


text:
Berne Wood-Fired Pizza
Eventbrite Pizza Ordering
2022 Stage Sponsors
Weddings/Events
Zwingli United Church of Christ
Worship Service: Sundays at 10 AM
23148 Co. Hwy. 24, West Concord, MN 55985
We've been known for many things over our nearly 150 year history - wood-fired pizza, Swiss roots, a fabulous turkey supper, and a community of hardworking and giving people. We've been all of these things, but, most importantly we're a community of faith. We pride ourselves in our willingness to continue to grow and change. Our congregation's demographic makeup is proof that all roads lead to Berne! Members comes from several area towns including Pine Island, Kasson, Mantorville, West Concord, Byron, Zumbrota, Rochester, and Owatonna. Our beliefs are basic but rooted in acceptance of all people. We value each person's individual spiritual journey and welcome all people to take part in the sacrament of Communion. The UCC is a church that is called to be "a united and uniting church." Finally, we are believers in the power of peace and possibility. It is our hope that every member and guest finds comfort and a sense of belonging at church. Please join us any Sunday!
For more information, visit our website or find us on Facebook!


The Total Motion Aquathlon returns to the iconic Tooting Bec Lido, the largest freshwater swimming pool in the UK, on Saturday 25th May 2019 for the latest edition of this popular event, and now in it's 3rd year as part of the BTF London Senior League.
The event will begin with a staggered start to the 810m, 9 length swim of Tooting Bec Lido, and followed by a run of 2 loops of Tooting Common, totaling 5km. As always the aquathlon will be chip timed, allowing you to receive times and splits immediately after you finish via text message. If you wish you may enter The Total Motion Aquathlon as a relay team with one person swimming and one running.
Entry is FREE for our supporters committing to raise a minimum of £100.


This past weekend Alex participated in the Special Olympics Regional Aquatics Meet. She has improved since last year and managed to snag a third (freestyle) a second (4x100 Relay) and a first in the backstroke. John and I are quite amazed at Alex's backstroke; she swam straight with perfectly coordinated hands and legs. She had never really mastered the backstroke until this year. Kudos again to her unbelievable coaches.
The Special Olympics is one of Alex's many communities and a very important part of her life. Lately I have been obsessed with Alex's prom experience and my concern about the school's suggestion Alex ask her Special Olympic girl friends to attend with her. I have analyzed and overanalyzed my aversion to this suggestion, and in the end have accepted my gut feeling, this was not an acceptable solution for Alex, at that time and place.
In my quest to understand, I keep returning to the idea of community, and particularly an "inclusive community". I try to reconcile this idea of community with Alex, and I keep arriving at the same place, a philosophy of a sense of belonging for my remarkable daughter. Alex is just as deserving of a community, or communities as anyone else. A community who values the gifts Alex brings and does not focus on her disabilities.
Community is a way of relating to other persons as brothers and sisters who share a common origin, a common dignity, and a common destiny. Community involves learning to live in terms of an interconnected "we" more than an isolated "I'. It involves making choices which reinforce the experience of relatedness and foster the sense of belonging and interdependence. Community begins, but does not end, in our face to face relationships with the persons who are closest to us.
We are all parts of many communities and bring diversity to each one. For example I am part of the Hughes family, but we are the ones who live in Colorado and have the daughter with down syndrome. I am part of the Bender family, but the only catholic in the clan. I am part of my college community, friends from 30 years ago who are still bound by four common years of learning and growing, my gift is living in the best place to visit. The list goes on and on, the tennis community in our valley, past work associates from various employers and so many more.
Having a sense of belonging is my vision for Alex, Courtney and Tom. Alex's IEP has goals in place to assure she has the tools to advocate for herself to realize this dream. For example, I believe speech articulation and conversational skills are important for Alex and I argue for more speech therapy every year. I believe social skills are important for Alex and I argue for peer groups each year. Basic reading and math are important and I argue for tougher reading and math goals each year. Alex loves sports and I argue for play time on the basketball team each year. This may seem like a lot of work on my part, but it is not, the reward far exceeds the effort.
However, these are the tactics, not the results. The results are in the communities Alex chooses for her life. Just like us, Alex can choose to participate or not in any community, this is a basic human right, whether or not she has a disability. It is her decision, no one else's, our job is to facilitate these choices for Alex.
Alex is a member of the Special Olympics Community. It is an inclusive community, everyone who wants to join can, in whatever capacity is appropriate. Each event is attended and supported by coaches, volunteer, families and in many cases the local population. Everyone feels a sense of belonging, where the athletes are supported by everyone, and an individual's inabilities are never mentioned. The athletes are praised; the coaches appreciated and the parents proud. I am a part of that community and feel a profound sense of belonging and comfort.
Alex is a member of the WindWalkers Community, where she rides and volunteers. WindWalkers has a similar approach as the Special Olympics; this community includes families, peers with and without disabilities and a staff that is inclusive and supportive. We have all become part of the WindWalkers family. Alex feels important and contributing and I feel a special sense of belonging with this community.
Alex is part of the Hughes and Bender family Communities. Once again she is included and valued for what she brings to the family. No one ever underestimates her; she makes her own decisions, voices her own opinions and is known as the "funny one". She brings so many gifts to our families and we learn from her every day.
Alex is also a part of her High School Community. She participates in the school plays, attends three regular Ed classes (with support) and loves to attend and be a member of sports events. Alex's IEP is written to support her in theses activities and ensure her success. Her teachers work hard to implement her goals and most of the time Alex feels she belongs.
High School is an unusually difficult community for many teenagers, kids will naturally create sub groups as they begin to understand social norms and experiment with their meaning. Natural exclusion occurs and it is a difficult time for many students including Alex. Alex recognizes this and like many teenagers subconsciously avoids situations which will make her feel different. She wants to fit in, and although self confidence and independence is extremely important for her, we try to facilitate inclusive community opportunities for Alex.
The prom is the perfect example of this, Alex's desire, just like all teenagers was to attend the prom with her peer group. These are the people in her high school community who should make her feel valued and included. These people exist occasionally in Alex's high school, but the idea of consistency in these relationships is not implemented, and that is where my gut reaction kicked in.
Alex did not want to create a sub community within her high school group. She did not want to invite people from her other communities, the Special Olympics or others. Alex rightfully desired to go to her High School prom with her high school community. Why should her desires be different than anyone else's? Why should her opinion be dishonored? My simple answer, they should not be.
I try to understand the High School's opinion that Alex ask her Special Olympic friends to attend the prom with her. They rightfully believe Alex feels included and confident with these girls. Despite the usual girl pouting episodes, like all teenage girls, these girls are supportive and encouraging of each other. But there is a difference, these girls are not part of Alex's high school community, nor do they want to be, they attend their own high schools, not Alex's.
My angry response to this request came from frustration, not any desire to disrespect the friendship these girls share. Very simply, Alex wanted to go to the prom with her peers. Equally simply, she did not have the opportunity. From my perspective this was due to poor planning and a last minute recognition Alex's IEP was not being followed.
In many ways Alex is a part of her high school community. Every student and teacher in her small rural high school knows Alex. When walking down the hall with Alex I hear "hi Alex" from every other student and teacher. Her teachers and the administration care about Alex, monitor her education and teach her as well as they can.
But there is one part of Alex's participation in her high school community that we need to work on, the community is not inclusive, Saying hi to Alex is not enough. All kids, with and without disabilities should be invited to participate with their peer groups on the sports team or in their school proms, no matter the abilities. It should not be such a struggle for Alex or any student to feel included. As previously quoted: "community begins, but does not end, in our face to face relationships" there is more to a community than acknowledging a member, it is about accepting the member.
This idea of an inclusive community is a change in the approach and support every student is entitled to receive to succeed as adults. I know Alex wants to feel included in every one of her communities, just like me and just like her peers with and without disabilities. In my humble view, this is a basic human right.
It is not beyond my sense of irony to recognize Alex's song for the talent show "That's what Friends are for" from the Jungle book relates directly to the prom. Magic.
Thank you for this wonderful post that addressed my previous question. I agree with your reasons, but perhaps I just feel differently because the majority of my friends in high school attended another school--we would all go to each other's proms because that's how we would have the most fun.
However, you are absolutely spot on in your view of community and Alex's relationship to them.
thanks - so hard to explain and create..
In many ways Alex's experiences with the prom were completely typical. It is sad how the school reacts though- so adversarial!
She has her niches and your wonderful support. Coping with disappointment is so hard to learn and I hate seeing my child crushed too.
Hugs and more success- I raise a glass to you and yours!
Thanks Starr for the blog info and support.
April - thanks to you too...I am at a loss sometimes - Alex's school is very small and there is only one other student in her classroom - this girl just turned 18 and in the process of transitioning to the Transition porgram. This is great as Alex gets a lot of one on one instuction - but not so much peer support. It is so tempting to look at another high school, but she would absolutley refuse to move.
Alex is in "Taking Charge" the PEAK program, it just came to our Valley by special funding from the CO Developmental Disabilities Council - I am a PATH Facilitator and the issue seems to be getting the school to support Person Centered Planning and actively promote it - - We have a PEAK mentor here but she works only a few hours a month. PEAK just lost about 75% of their funding and are scrambling to figure out how to stay alive.
Many girls in Alex's class went with each other, and when Alex asked at the last minute they were "busy" I do not think this would have been the case if Alex had been supported in asking the girls earlier.
So not by way of excuse - but small, not so well funded school districts have theit own host of problems - not only with regular ed kids, but the step child special education kids they are mandated to educate. So we just plug along, have started a SEAC and feel some positive momentum for the next generation of students who will live in our beautiful valley - thanks for letting me share.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts and Alex's experiences. I went to the Ds symposium in town recently on education and it was very interesting. She really focused on community too. We will be in a very small school too and I think this can add some extra challenges.


Below are independent comments from 119 of our travellers who have visited Central Kalahari Game Reserve, and have kindly agreed to share their thoughts.
On this trip, I visited Botswana between 18 Mar 2018 and 1 Apr 2018 and I travelled with 3 other people.
On this trip, I visited Botswana between 16 Dec 2017 and 22 Dec 2017 and I travelled with 1 other person.
On this trip, I visited Botswana between 21 Apr 2017 and 28 Apr 2017 and I travelled with 4 other people.
On this trip, I visited Botswana between 5 Mar 2017 and 17 Mar 2017 and I travelled with 1 other person.
On this trip, I visited Botswana, Zimbabwe between 8 Oct 2016 and 26 Oct 2016 and I travelled with 6 other people.
On this trip, I visited Botswana, Zimbabwe between 6 Mar 2016 and 16 Mar 2016 and I travelled with 1 other person.


2 storey building with 2 x 1 bedroomed units, and a 3 bedroomed unit plus a 4 bedroomed unit, all fully equipped for a lovely vacation.
Easy walking distance to beach, beach bar and 2 other restaurants.
Surfboards available for rent at the beach bar. This casual bar serves breakfast and lunch, dinner upon request. Excellent Winter surfing.
Cancellation policy: Reservations must be cancelled 2 weeks prior to stay to ensure deposit refunds.


As I stated in my previous post, I had a couple of friends stay over at my place for a couple days. I was expected to do some basic things with them: go out to lunch, show them around campus, watch a movie or two, etc.
So imagine my surprise when they ask me if I have a copy of Risk with me.
As it turns out, I did. I only keep one board game in my current room at all times, and that game is Risk. It is, without doubt, my favorite board game of all time. And so when someone comes over to my home and asks me to play...well, my eyes light up a little bit, I can tell you that.
And now, a few tidbits on Risk.
-Ruling over others (financially or territorially).
It's the second one that I feel is key. You see, when since I was young, I have had megalomaniacal tendencies. Remember how I mentioned that I am a monarchist? Well, in the perfect monarchy, I am king. Perhaps being hooked on Pinky & the Brain didn't help. Neither did the "Hail Andrew!" salute instated in middle school by my peers. And, yeah, being called "God" in high school just exacerbated the situation. The point is, I want to rule over you. Risk provides me with the euphoria of conquest without the blood-stained clothing and war-crimes.
When I play Risk, I play Risk. I like to say that I am one of the best Risk players I know. People often comment on how I will stare at a board for minutes at a time, contemplating whether or not I should weaken my defenses in Ukraine so that I can overtake Ural.
However, my strategy is different than most players. You see, most players play to win. I, on the other hand, play to ensure that another player loses. At the beginning of a game, I will usually pick a player at random (though I do have favored targets) and then make it my mission to clear the map of all their troops. At that point, a new player will be chosen at random, and the process continued.
And yet, for some reason, I often (not always, but often) end up winning anyway. It may be luck, but I like to think that it has to do with my focused game play, intelligent attacks, knowing when not to attack, and knowing how not to be attacked. Put together, these allow me to not only accomplish my initial goal, but to accomplish my secondary, tertiary, and (ultimately) final goals leading to victory.
1. The Blitzkrieg General: Try to expand and attack as quickly as possible along a single path, usually leaving your backside vulnerable, but giving you a large boost in reinforcements while depriving others of the same.
2. The Brooder: Do not attack for the first couple turns, favoring instead to build up armies in one or a few contiguous territories.
3. The Leonidas (Formerly called the "Whim-and-a-Prayer Player"): Attacking with everything, all the time. Even in the face of overwhelming odds, they will attack, hoping that the dice rolls are in their favor.
a) The Bargainer: "All I want is Siam. Give me Siam, and I'll let you have all of South America."
b) The Threatener: "You will stay away from my territories, or I will personally end your reign in Asia."
c) The Peacenik: "If you don't attack me for the next three turns, I won't attack you either."
d) The Deceiver: "Don't worry, if you move you troops away from Alaska, I promise I won't attack (heeheehee)."
e) The Ally: "We can help each other, you and I. Working together, we can destroy our friend over there.
I have elements of all of these subcategories except for The Deceiver. I am quite sure that in all the years I've played, I have never put-and-out stabbed anyone in the back. It's just bad policy that may work once, but as George W. Bush says, "Fool me once, shame on—shame on you. Fool me—you can't get fooled again."
I have a primary Risk group that I like to play with during vacations in Southern California; myself and three others. I personally four is the minimum number of players in order to enjoy a game to its fullest. We are all Diplomats, and it shows. At least three times on any one turn, one of us will point to another. They will then bring that player to another room to discuss the game and strategies and politics, as will the two remaining at the board. We tend to speak in very hushed voices, giving it a real feel of a cloak-and-dagger political movie.
When I talk to the others in these correspondences, I tend to speak in absolutes. "I can tell you now, attack him in the Western United States this turn. If you don't, he will come back and destroy you in all of your Canadian territories and weaken your position overall." I probably wouldn't speak with such authority if I didn't turn out to be right about 95% of the time. However, people are always distrustful, and so they won't always take my advice. I can't help but feel vindicated when my soothsaying proves correct.
Often, though, the games in this group end up in little teams forming. Such is the case when two of the players happen to be dating. This gives their bargaining process a little something extra. After all, they can offer each other things I can't - and won't - attempt.
I even have created a principle based on Risk. It's been dubbed "The Madagascar Syndrome." The basis behind this has come from the many games I've played with my normal group. In it, we noticed something very peculiar. When there were multiple troops on the African island of Madagascar, they would all fall, with relatively little difficulty. However, if there was but a single troop on Madagascar, that troop would win an abnormally high number of battles. What's so special about Madagascar? Who knows, but it must be a nice place, for that troop to fight so hard for it. Hence, when any one troop on a territory wins more battles than the odds would predict, it is a case of the Madagascar Syndrome.
Now, I use the term "Madagascar Syndrome" in common usage. It's actually a very relevant term in gaming. I've noticed time and time again in Wii Boxing that I can beat down an opponent to their final health bar with relative ease, but goddammit, I can't finish them off before the bell rings. Have you ever played a fighting game in which you've beaten an opponent down to a tiny fraction of their life with little to no problem, but they come back and kill you before losing any more of that fraction? Congratulations, you're a victim of the Madagascar Syndrome.
Keep in mind, I have no idea what the story would be, or how it would relate to the Madagascar Syndrome, but it will be good.
In closing, Risk is cool!
YOU SHOULD'VE TAKEN URAL! AND YOU SHOULD'VE LET ME TAKE OVER "mexico..."
Ah, Andrew, we all know that your true goal is to prevent Eddie from winning. Any self respecting monarchist would rather have a socialist dictator like myself come in second place then allowing a capitalist have the potential for overthrowing you. No matter who you are playing with, your goal is to prevent Eddie from winning, and every decision, be it in Berkeley or Bellflower all plays into the master goal of preventing him from winning.