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Taipei Game Developers Forum
Indie Space
Alain Xalabarde
Alain is a Game Designer at IGT, the world leader in casino games. He has a background as an award-winning film-maker and is a published author. Prior to working at IGT, Alain was the founder of A-line Games. His works include board games, video games and, of course, casino games.
7 Mysteries of Luck in Games
Games like Hearthstone are a clear examples that luck, when used right, can have outstanding results. However, many game designers are still turned off or scared by luck in their own games. This is usually due to a lack of knowledge and awareness of its true potential as well as of its dangers. Alain Xalabarde presents incredibly insightful techniques learnt from making games where luck was the only tool.
© 2017 Taipei Game Developers Forum all rights reversed.


Welcome to the Genetic Disorders Forum - a health community featuring member and doctor discussions ranging from a specific symptom to related conditions, treatment options, medication, side effects, diet, and emotional issues surrounding medical conditions.
Genetic defect? symptoms listed? ideas?


If you are a PhD student or a young researcher, we would like to invite you to a pre-conference workshop that will take place on September 20 (15.00 pm - 18.00 pm).
The aim of the workshop is to provide the participants with an opportunity to discuss different aspects of starting a successful research career in the field of economics. Mikuláš Luptáčik , Tatiana Kluvánková and Andreas Woergoetter will share their experience on the topics such as formulation of a good research question, publishing in high quality journals, teaching economics and identifying policy implications of research. The panel discussion will be combined with an interactive working session to encourage the experience exchange and networking among the participants.
If you are interested in this opportunity, please, register until August 20 via the following link: https://bit.ly/2N5QeJA or directly in the main conference registration form. Please note that the number of places in the workshop is limited and the registrations will be accepted on the "first come - first served" basis. The workshop is free of charge for SEAM participants.


From Route I-495, take Exit 28. Follow Route 111 north toward Harvard for about 0.6 mile. Turn right onto Littleton County Road and then immediately right onto Sherry Road and follow for approximately 0.4 mile to a small parking area on your left.
Join us for a taste of forest therapy with Pam Frederick, Certified Nature and Forest Therapy Guide. This introduction to "forest bathing" will slow us down and open our senses to the healing power of nature. See with the eyes of a child, feel the breeze on your face, and settle into the stillness and beauty of nature.
Program Full: Please register to be added to the wait list.
Want to learn more about birding? Join us for our first Discovery Day of the year to learn essential skills, like how to use a scope, identifying birds by habitat, and birding by ear. Bring binoculars and a healthy sense of curiosity.
All participants will be invited to take part in our All Day BioBlitz on June 22.
On Saturday, September 29, SVT and the Harvard Conservation Trust (HCT) wrapped up a two-year collaborative project with the official opening of our new hiking trail at Horse Meadows Knoll. Several local officials and many interested hikers joined us for the early-morning event, which included trail walks led by SVT staff and board.
This lovely property on Sherry Road in Harvard is a great place to view bird, beaver, and bat activity. The 1-mile trail meanders by a beautiful pond and wetlands, and it also passes rocky outcroppings and goes up and over a drumlin-shaped knoll.
Explore it for yourself! Learn more and download a trail map.


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Стефа́н Ілько́вич Рома́нів ( , Мельбурн, Австралія) — громадський та політичний діяч української діаспори, перший заступник Президента Світового конгресу українців, голова комісії з визнання Голодомору геноцидом проти українського народу, Голова Проводу ОУН(б), офіційний представник Торгово-Промислової Палати України в Австралії.

Життєпис
Стефан Романів народився 12 листопада 1955 року в Мельбурні, Австралія. Батько родом із Тернополя (прибув до Австралії у 1949 році), мати — німкеня (Штуттгарт, Німеччина).

З молодих літ відвідував українську греко-католицьку церкву у Мельбурні, рідну українську школу. Закінчив педагогічний університет у Мельбурні, працював учителем початкової школи.

Був головою осередку СУМ у Мельбурні, крайової управи СУМ в Австралії, головою парафіяльної ради Української греко-католицької катедри в Мельбурні. Очолював парламентську комісію з питань багатокультурності в штаті Вікторія.

Нині є виконавчим директором організації (Комюніті ленгвіч ін Австралія), яка відповідає за вивчення іноземних мов і збереження культур. В Австралії майже 70 мов, які діти можуть вивчати у школах.

Багаторічний голова української громади у Вікторії, голова Союзу українських організацій в Австралії, довголітній керівник української братської школи та голова шкільної ради, колишній заступник голови Світової управи Спілки української молоді (СУМ).

З 2008 по 2018 рік Стефан Романів був Генеральним секретарем, а 27 листопада 2018 року обраний Першим заступником Президента Світового конгресу українців (СКУ). Також він є голова комісії з визнання Голодомору геноцидом проти українського народу.

У лавах ОУН працює довгі роки на різних посадах — крайових та світових.

Сім'я
Разом з дружиною Анастасією мають двох дорослих дітей — Петра і Терезу.

Нагороди
 Відзнака Президента України — ювілейна медаль «25 років незалежності України» (22 серпня 2016) — за вагомий особистий внесок у зміцнення міжнародного авторитету Української держави, популяризацію її історичної спадщини і сучасних надбань та з нагоди 25-ї річниці незалежності України
 орден «За заслуги» І ступеня (20 серпня 2008) — за вагомий особистий внесок у зміцнення авторитету України у світі, популяризацію її історичних і сучасних надбань та з нагоди 17-ї річниці незалежності України;
 орден «За заслуги» II ступеня (29 листопада 2007) — за активну громадську діяльність, вагомий особистий внесок у висвітлення правди про Голодомор 1932—1933 років в Україні;
 орден «За заслуги» III ступеня (17 серпня 2006) — за вагомий особистий внесок у зміцнення міжнародного авторитету України, популяризацію історичних та сучасних надбань українського народу, активну участь у житті закордонної української громади;

Статті. Інтерв'ю
 Романів: Українців 60 мільйонів і ми усі маємо воювати проти Путіна і російської агресії / Промова на VI Бандерівських читаннях // ВІДЕО
 Чат-конференція з головою ОУН (бандерівців) Стефаном Романівим, 13.07.2009
 Стефан Романів: «У діаспорі нас учили, що українська нація не обмежена територією», 13.02.2010
 Стефан Романів: мусимо обстоювати українську позицію, 14.06.2010
 Стефан Романів — Запоріжжя, 12.09.2011 Відео
 Зустріч з Головою ОУН(б) Стефаном Романівим — Дніпропетровськ, 12.09.2011 Відео
 Голова ОУН (б) Стефан Романів: «Треба в себе вірити і брати відповідальність», 09.02.2012
 Стефан Романів: Двомовність, тримовність і Державна мова в нормальних Державах, 02.07.2012

Примітки

Діячі ОУНР
Українські громадські діячі
Уродженці Мельбурна
Світовий конгрес українців
Спілка української молоді

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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Varms.net
It's Illegal and Disgusting
Tag: Kore wa Zombie Desu ka
Weekly Anime Round-Up: April 2nd-8th
Visitors of Varms.net and listeners of the Spoony Bard podcast know by now that there is one thing around here we love as much as video games- anime. Unfortunately, we have not made very many endeavors to cover it, until now. Thanks to the wonders of the internet, there are many services that will allow viewers to watch anime shortly after it airs in Japan, and I have found myself glued to my television every week to watch these goodies as fast as I can get them. Each week I'm going to cover the shows I am watching, with a brief description of what's going on (spoiler free, of course), and if I'm enjoying the show. Keep in mind I won't hesitate to drop a show if I lose interest, but I will mention if I do and the reasons I dropped it.
This show takes place in the year 2040, in a world where everyone uses "neuro-synchronization" technology. This technology merges man and computer, allowing it's users to be connected to the internet and even dive into virtual worlds and play virtual reality MMOs. The story surrounds a boy named Haruyuki Arita who is picked on for being short and overweight, and plays VRMMO games to escape from his miserable reality.
One day Haruyuki is approached by a classmate he has a crush on to meet her during lunch. When he does, she asks him to download and run a program called "Brain Burst." This program allows the user to enter the "accelerated world", where the time seems to almost be at a standstill. This week's episode ended right when things got very interesting, but that is to be expected for the first episode of a show like this. This show has some very cool concepts and has lots of potential, and I'm looking forward to more.
Kore wa Zombie Desu Ka? OF THE DEAD
(Is This a Zombie? 2nd season)
That's right folks- Korean Zombie Desk Car is back! Season one offered a crazy mix of comedy, action, and drama, and this episode kicked off with that signature zaniness that kept me watching the first season. The wacky cast is joined by a new character, this time it's a cute girl with a severe drinking problem that barfs rainbows. It also seems that the megalo monsters are back, meaning poor Ayumu must continue to cross-dress as a magical girl to fight them. I'm excited to see what crazy antics are to come from this show for the rest of the season, especially since this episode was better than I expected it to be.
Medaka Box is one of the most highly-anticipated shows of this season, since it's an adaptation of a popular manga and it comes out of studio Gainax. Never having read the Manga, I have no idea what I'm getting into, but Gainax seldom disappoints. The show is about a super-popular girl named Medaka, and girl that became the class president with 98% of the vote. Her main policy as president is having a suggestion box where students can submit whatever problems they are having, and the student council will solve them. The show has a vibe to it similar to Gurren Lagann, probably because Medaka seems to be like a female version of Kamina. Medaka has a determined, positive to the point of madness attitude and may turn out to be a very interesting character. The show still seems to be establishing itself, so I'm not quite sure how I feel about this show after the first episode, but I'm still interested to see more.
Natsuiro Kiseki
(A Summer-Colored Miracle)
This kind of show tends to be something I would normally pass on, but I decided to give it a shot after hearing some buzz around it after it aired. It's about four girls that gather around a rock that is said to grant the wishes of close friends, and one day they find out it seems to be true. The show starts off like a typical "slice of life" drama, seemingly grounded in reality, but the first episode ends with flying girls. I am not quite sold on this show at the moment, but there is some potential here.
(Mysterious Girlfriend X)
I picked this show up because of it has a rather strange premise, and I just had to see it with my own eyes. This is a love story about Akira and his unusual girlfriend, Mikoto. The two begin to date shortly after, get ready for this; Akira develops a physical addiction to Mikoto's drool. Yes, you read that right, the main character has to taste drool from his girlfriend once a day or he becomes ill. How did he become hooked on her drool in the first place? Well, he tasted some of her drool from a desk she was napping on; because that is the first thing you should do when you see the bodily fluids of another person. I am watching this show only because I am curious to see where on earth they are going to go with such an insane story.
This one is about a guy named Chihiro that is obsessed with all things zombie: movies, games, toys, you name it. His love of zombies reaches an extreme when he begins to develop a fetish for zombies. One day, his cat is struck by a vehicle, and he attempts to revive his dead cat with a resurrection potion he makes with instructions from writings from an old temple. In this episode he bumps into a wealthy and popular girl from a nearby school while trying to revive his dead cat and not much else happened. I'm not sure if I will dig this show, but things could get interesting.
Upotte!!
Upotte!! is the only show with a stranger premise than Mysterious Girlfriend X. This show is about girls that are anthropomorphized assault rifles, and proof that Japan will turn anything into cute girls. Each of the girls personalities are derived from the features of the rifles they represent, as well as their country of origin. This show offers a strange brand of humor wrapped around a concept that seems too crazy to be real. So far the show has been pretty funny, and the weird idea behind it has captivated my interest.
Posted on April 9, 2012 Author DarkCategories Articles, FeaturedTags accel world, Anime, Kore wa Zombie Desu ka, manga, medaka box, moe, Natsuiro Kiseki, nazo no kanjo x, sankarea, upotte!!Leave a comment on Weekly Anime Round-Up: April 2nd-8th
Stark's Top 10 Best Anime of 2011
As promised in the Disney Afternoon episode of Spoony Bard, I am presenting my picks for this year's top 10 anime. In my opinion this has been one of the best years for anime in a long time, with a slew of fun and unusual shows to watch, along with a few surprise hits. Without further delay, here are my favorite series from 2011, starting with number 10.
10. Boku wa Tomodachi ga Sukunai (I Don't Have Many Friends) A.K.A. Haganai
Kodaka Hasegawa is a transfer student of St. Chronica's Academy, a catholic high school full of students who fear him because of his blond hair, giving him the label of delinquent by ignorant classmates. He eventually runs into a girl named Yozora talking to an imaginary friend she calls her "air friend". She convinces Kodaka to help her form the "Neighbors Club" at the school, as a means to make real friends and develop an actual social life.
The real fun begins when a girl named Sena shows up. She is very popular and comes from a wealthy family, yet is arrogant so she has no friends. Sena and Yozora instantly clash, and Yozora becomes brutally cold towards Sena. Yozora loves picking on Sena's busty, full figure, often calling her "Meat". The fights between these two characters alone could make this show work, but the Neighbors Club gets even more recruits as the show moves along. The crazy members include a freshman scientific genius and pervert named Rika, an effeminate, gender confused boy named Yukimura, a child-genius teacher and nun with a swearing problem named Maria, and Kodaka's sister Kobato, who is a crazed fan of an anime show called "Full Metal Necromancer", to a point where she dresses and role-plays herself as a vampire.
This show and it's insane cast of characters had me laughing and watching to the end. This 12 episode series is full of comedy, fanservice, and "Meat" bashing, and will bring a smile to the face of any anime fan. It's only failing is it seems to have ended right as a major development in the story popped up, so here is to hoping for another season!
9. Kyokai Senjou no Horizon (Horizon in the Middle of Nowhere)
Horizon is a show that has made it into my top anime of the year by doing what it does best: having fun. Horizon wasn't made to change anime forever or provoke philosophical discussion. This show is a crazy mix of comedy, sci-fi, fan-service, action, politics, and fantasy, and it will keep on blazing its own crazy path of fun with or without you. I got hooked after my first episode, but this is a show viewers will either love or hate.
Horizon takes place in the distant future, where the Earth is no longer habitable, and what little area that is left and is survivable has been divided into dimensional territories. The universe of this show is actually very detailed and in-depth, as one could write an entire article simply explaining it all. All there really is to know is that there are cool fights featuring an unusual blend of magic and technology, busty girls in skintight outfits, really cool airships, and tons of comedy. This show is certainly not the next Evangelion, but it delivers lots of fun and plenty of action to anyone willing to give it a chance. It ends at 12 episodes with an open ending, and a second season is very likely to come in 2012.
8. Hidan no Aria (Aria the Scarlet Ammo)
Not far into the future, a special school known as Tokyo Butei High School has been formed to train teenagers to fight criminals in order to deal with a dramatic rise in crime. A boy attending this school named Kinji is attacked by a notorious criminal with a vendetta against the Butei known as the Butei Killer. Kinji's life is saved by a high-ranking female Butei named Aria, and eventually the two of them join together to bring the Butei Killer to justice and to clear the name of Aria's mother, who has been wrongfully blamed for the actions of the Butei Killer.
A unique element of this show is that several of the characters are descendants of famous historical characters both real and fictitious, for example, Aria is a descendant of Sherlock Holmes, so her intuition is almost always correct. The main storyline is often sidelined by harem-comedy antics with bits of fanservice, and does not conclude after its 12 episode season. As of now there are no plans for a second season, but there are fans out there, I included that have been hoping there will be at least one more season. This show was far from perfect, but it was a fun ride with a decent helping of action and cute characters.
7. C3 Cube x Cursed x Curious
C3 is about a boy named Yachi that receives an unusual package from his father, a heavy black cube. This cube turns into a cute girl named Fear, claiming to be a cursed tool from the inquisition era used as a torture device. She now hopes to free herself of the curse of her past, however there are many who would hunt her down for her power or simply to destroy her for her terrible deeds of the past.
The fights between Fear and her enemies are the highlight of the show, as Fear shows her dark and sadistic side using her awesome weapons and powers to fight the enemies of Yachi, his friends, and herself. Yachi also has several friends that come to his aid as the show moves along, including a girl that turns into a sword, and a female classmate that uses cursed tools to fight alongside of him. This show features some very unique animation sequences, with many unusual and abstract art styles. It is also a strange yet fun mixture of humor, action, drama, and fan-service all rolled up into one package.
6. C- The Money of Soul and Possibility Control
C was so odd in concept that I couldn't help but keep watching. In C, people can be invited to the hidden realm known as the financial district, where someone can exchange their future potential for wealth. The catch is, within the financial district members must make "deals" every so often to stay. The "deal" is a battle between two members of the financial district (called entrepreneurs) and monster-like beings called Assets. The winner can take the wealth of their opponent; however a loss can result in going "bankrupt", where your future can fade away.
That's right; they have decided to turn economics into a high stakes game of Pokémon. The actions of the members of the financial district and the results of "deals" tend to have far reaching consequences, making major changes to the "real" world. Losing a deal is devastating to someone when the return to the real world, where they see what truly happens when you have spent "your potential". The over the top asset fights and the mysteries behind the financial district and its effect on the real world kept me watching to the end, which was unfortunately abrupt at only 11 episodes. The ending came in felling a little rushed, but it did at least draw to a conclusion.
5. Mirai Nikki (Future Diary)
Mirai Nikki is about a student named Yuki that keeps to himself and withdraws into an imaginary world where he talks to the god of time and space, "Deus Ex Machina". Yuki uses his cellphone to keep a diary of his daily life, until one day Deus changes his phone to predict the future, and finds that Deus and his realm are real. This gets even more complicated when he finds that Deus has entered him into a survival game with eleven other players, each one with a diary that has similar yet unique abilities. The players of the game must use the diaries to predict the moves of their opponents to eliminate them or avoid being eliminated. The sole survivor of the game will be rewarded by taking the place of Deus as the ruler of time and space.
This show is made even more interesting by Yuno, a girl that has been stalking Yuki and is also a contestant in the survival game. Yuno is a frightening example of what the Japanese call a "yandere" character, or a character that is loving and obsessive in an extreme, often destructive and unhealthy manner. Yuno has devoted herself to helping Yuki survive the game no matter what, and will go to any length to do so. The murderous insanity and obsession of Yuno alone will keep most viewers watching, if anything just to see what crazy shit she will do next. As of the writing of this article, this show is a little over halfway done, and is running into the winter of 2012.
4. Kore wa Zombie Desu ka (Is This a Zombie?)
This show is about a zombie, a pink chainsaw-wielding magical girl, a necromancer, a vampire ninja, cross dressing, demons, a Dyson fan, and magical ninja soup. This show takes every anime cliché in the book and mashes it up into comedy. Not since Excel Saga have I laughed at an anime show so much. Every episode seems to get even crazier than the last, and they even manage to squeeze a story in there. That was strangest element of this show–its almost parody-like humor would sometimes step back for a bit for a somewhat dark storyline, and that seemed to make the show that much more addictive. The humor/serious story mix is a bit much for some viewers, but I couldn't resist the wackiness this show delivers along its storyline. This was yet another show that pretty much "ends" at 11 episodes, however there were 12 episodes that originally aired and well as a 13th episode that was added with the Japanese dvds. Both episodes felt to be more filler and fan-service grade material, but they are there nonetheless. A second season is lined up for April 2012, so there will be even more craziness to look forward to next year.
3. Guilty Crown
I can't resist a good sci-fi anime. Guilty Crown is the big "risk-taker" of the winter season, as it is an original show with a fairly high-budget production. Guilty Crown takes place 2039 Japan, 10 years after an incident known as "Lost Christmas" caused an outbreak of a deadly disease known as the apocalypse virus. Japan is ruled by an international organization known as the GHQ, a military force placed in charge of Japan to prevent the spread of the apocalypse virus. Naturally, there are those who aren't happy about this, and so a rebel group known as the "Funeral Parlor" has risen up against them.
The awesome action really starts when a socially-awkward high school student named Shu Ouma gets mixed up in a fight between the two forces and is infected with a genetic weapon that gives him "the power of kings" also known as the genome void. With this ability Shu can pull weapons and tools from the chests of certain people. These items are known as "voids", and represent part of the personality of the person they are extracted from. These tools vary wildly from person to person, and have amazing effects. This show is action-packed and full of mystery and intrigue, and I want to watch more and more with every episode. Guilty Crown was one of my contenders for number one this year, and one of the reasons it isn't is simply because it hasn't ended yet, also and there have been some incredible shows this year. It continues on for a second season in winter 2012, and until then I'm stuck with lots of questions to be answered.
2. Puella Magi Madoka Magica
This anime was one of this year's biggest hits. It was a top contender for this year in many rankings, and usually dominates without question. I had a tough time deciding whether or not this should be my number one pick of the year, and if I could have two number one spots this one would be in there. However my personal taste put this one at number two, but keep in mind this show is so close the difference is trivial. When this show was airing I had no clue why everyone could not stop talking about it. Every picture I saw looked like nothing more than a magical girl show for kids. It was a tough sell, but I eventually gave into peer pressure and watched it.
My mind was blown away. What appears to be this saccharin sweet magical girl show turns out to be a dark tale of conflict, deception, and despair– while features the cutest, most heartless, purely evil villain in all of anime. In Madoka Magica, the adorable cat/rabbit like creature called Kyubey approaches teenage girls with an irresistible proposition- he will grant them a wish, in exchange for becoming a magical girl in the duty of fighting witches, dark beings that normal people cannot see, yet are a cause of unusual suicides and murders. However, even this noble task is more than what it seems, and the deals made with Kyubey come with many hidden costs.
The story is filled with major plot twists and revelations, and gets epic enough to where many fans have said this show is the "Evangelion" of our time. As a matter of fact, Hideaki Anno, the creator of Evangelion himself has publicly praised this series. I was shocked by how much I fell in love with this show. The amazing and unique animation, flashy fight sequences, and riveting storyline will hook any anime fan, and has been given acclaim by both critics and fans around the world. As an added bonus, the soundtrack to this show was done by Yuki Kajura, the amazingly talented composer behind the music of the anime series Noir and one of my favorite all time video games, Xenosaga episode 3. The show draws to an incredible conclusion at 12 episodes, however 3 movies have been announced.
1. Steins;Gate
I have the only "top anime of 2011" list that does not have Madoka Magica as the top listing, and trust me, even though it was a tough call, this show was my personal favorite. This show is about a group of friends that discover a method to use cell phones to send e-mails to the past, or as they call them, d-mails (short for Delorean Mail). The first half of the show consists of the antics and misadventures the group has experimenting with the d-mails, however the latter half of the show has the group of friends realizing that their actions not only have dire consequences, but that also there are those in the world that are not pleased with their actions.
This show has an oddball cast of interesting and amusing characters that grow on the viewer, and deals a lot with internet and otaku culture. The series itself seems very slow to start, but trust me, after a few episodes almost any sci-fi anime fan will get hooked by curiosity alone, and once things get moving viewers will be holding on to the edge of their seats. This show concludes at 24 episodes, however there is a movie coming soon that will further expand upon the ending.
Posted on February 27, 2012 Author DarkCategories Articles, FeaturedTags [c] control, Anime, aria the scarlet ammo, boku wa tomodachi ga sukunai, c-, c3, cube x cursed x curious, future diary, guilty crown, haganai, hidan no aria, horizon in the middle of nowhere, i don't have many friends, is this a zombie, Kore wa Zombie Desu ka, korean zombie desk car, kyokai senjou no horizon, madoka, magica, mirai nikki, steins;gate5 Comments on Stark's Top 10 Best Anime of 2011
Spoony Bard Podcast: Episode 37: This One's About Anime, Deal with It
Stark and I recorded a podcast. It is long. I knew that something was awry when Stark started the pre-cast conversation by referring to what we were about to do as "the podcast of his dreams". Something else seemed to be up as he seemingly had nothing to say in that prep conversation, and even told me that he brought notes. For someone that I have struggled to get an hour long "podcast friendly" conversation out of, he came to play. Try as I might I could not shake him from talking about anime. If you are looking for an expert on the subject, I think that we found ourselves one.
You guys wanted to hear about anime, and we did that for you. From our introduction in middle/high school all the way to current, we talk about everything noteworthy about our lives and anime.
[powerpress]
Posted on August 15, 2011 April 26, 2013 Author gillmanCategories Featured, Podcasts, spoony bardTags akira, angel beats, angel cop, anime conventions, armatage the third, art books, comic party, cowboy bebop, crunchyroll, ecchi, ecci, echi, elven lied, excel saga, fist of the north star, full metal panic, ghost in the shell, giant robo, gundam, gurren lagann, gurren lagon, harem anime, hentai, high school of the dead, is this a zombie, japan, kiddy grade, Kore wa Zombie Desu ka, lodoss war, manga, metal gear, moe, moi, neon genesis evangelion, noir, outlaw star, please teacher, project ako, read or die, record of loduss war, roroni kenchin, saturday morning anime, sci fi channel, tenchi muyo, toonami, trigun, vampire hunter d, welcome to the nhk, yu yu hakasho2 Comments on Spoony Bard Podcast: Episode 37: This One's About Anime, Deal with It

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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New Zealand Pacific Partnership on Ocean Acidification
The New Zealand Pacific Partnership on Ocean Acidification (PPOA) project is a collaborative effort between the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP), the University of the South Pacific, and the Pacific Community, which aims to build resilience to ocean acidification in Pacific Island communities and ecosystems, with financial support from NZ Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the Principality of Monaco. The PPOA project follows the "International Workshop on Ocean Acidification: State-of-the-Science Considerations for Small Island Developing States" that was co-hosted by New Zealand and the United States, in partnership with SPREP, as an official side-event of the 3rd UN SIDS Conference.
The PPOA project is working to build resilience Ocean Acidification in Pacific Island countries by:
1. Identification and Implementation of Practical Adaptation Actions – At pilot sites in Fiji, Kiribati and Tokelau the project will carry out an assessment of needs and priorities that will guide the implementation of adaptation activities at the site. Work is currently underway to develop on the ground adaptation and resilience activities.
2. Research and Monitoring – The project will establish chemical and biological baselines which will be followed up by routine monitoring of key parameters.
3. Capacity Building and Awareness Raising – Throughout the implementation of adaptation activities, the project will seek to build capacity within the local communities and partners, to address OA and to develop effective coastal zone management. Additionally, the project will seek to raise awareness of ocean acidification at all levels across the region.
Quaterly Reports
NZPPOA project has selected Nanikaai village as its Kiribati pilot site. This was based on the endorsement made by Kiribati Government. Baseline assessment of Nanikaai was completed in March by the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources Development and the results will be shared at the follow up workshop in April.
Download - Kiribati Quaterly Report
Tokelau Government has confirmed and selected all its three atolls as the pilot site for the New Zealand Pacific Partnership Ocean Acidification (NZPPOA) project. Various consultations have taken place where the Council of elders 'Taupulega' and communities have identified priorities for the project which are coral and coastal replanting, waste management and community awareness just to name a few. Tokelau also have obtained their iSAMI spectrophotometer for ocean acidification monitoring.
Download - Tokelau Quaterly Report


Kay Haring, sister of Keith Haring and author of Keith Haring: The Boy Who Just Kept Drawing, will be visiting Bradbury-Sullivan LGBT Community Center for a book talk and signing.
This stand-out picture book biography follows iconic artist Keith Haring from his days doodling in his childhood home to his meteoric rise as one the most influential artists of the late '70s and '80s. Written by Keith's younger sister Kay, this biography sheds light on Keith's great humanity, his concern for children, and his disregard for the establishment art world. Featuring reproductions of Keith's signature artwork throughout, this is a story to inspire, and a book for Haring fans of all ages to treasure.
Kay Haring is the younger sister of Keith Haring. She is a wife, mother, writer, hiker, lover of art, and the wonders of nature. Kay has spent many years both working and volunteering for nonprofits, in management and fundraising capacities. She has held board positions for a wide variety of nonprofits, many related to the arts. She is interested in sharing nonfiction stories with children that are inspirational and thought provoking. Kay spends time in southern California, Hawaii and Utah but her heart resides in Pennsylvania. This is her first picture book.


As the World Wide Web becomes more ubiquitous, the potential audience you can reach becomes greater. Despite this reach however, your message must be information-rich in order to deliver the maximum value. As technology has allowed web standards to improve significantly, it is now possible to resort to alternative media forms to deliver a message. A great way to deliver the maximum amount of information is to use graphics and animation over conventional text.
When considering the amount of information delivered, there is an important concept to consider called media richness theory. The idea is simple: the richer the media in question, the higher the quality of information conveyed. Researchers found that in one minute of video, it is possible to convey approximately 1.8 million words of information. With this astounding information density, there is the potential to effectively deliver information in visual and demonstrative forms with audio to supplement it.
An added benefit of this form of information delivery is the ability to incorporate semantics into your message. In other words, graphics, animation, and audio allow you to build a greater of emotional connection with your audience. By capturing this emotional potential, you can have a greater influence on viewers with your message. By harnessing the benefits of emotional marketing, it is also easier than ever to build a long-term connection with your viewers.
In order to deliver value with your information graphics however, it is important that you carefully plan out your storyboard before you begin. The reason for this is that viewer attention span has decreased substantially in the last 15 years. In 2000, the average person's attention span was 12 seconds. This number has dropped to 8.25 seconds in 2015. Further, in the first 10 seconds of a video advertisement, approximately 20% of viewers click away from the video. After 30 seconds, approximately 33% click away, 45% by one minute, and over 60% after the two minute mark.
While animation graphics and audio can deliver a higher amount of information in a shorter period of time, it is crucial that your message be succinct and capture the viewer's attention in the first few seconds. Despite the quality of your teams' brainstorming session, if you don't provide sequence to your information delivery, you will fail to capture the attention of your target audience, and as a result, viewership will wane.
Additionally, taking the time to plan a story board of your animation brings the entire team together allowing for a more integrated environment when developing the animation. The more integrated this environment, the more seamless your final animation will be.
Another factor to keep in mind is the simplicity of your message. The more simple the message, the more memorable it is to viewers. Additionally, simple and short videos are shared more often. Research suggests that videos that are 15 seconds in length or shorter are shared 37% more often than those between 30 seconds and 1 minute in length. This is because viewers will be more inclined to watch a video if it requires less time commitment on their behalf.
It is also crucial that your brand animation provides insight into your company's values. As mentioned earlier, it is now easier than ever to incorporate semantics into a video. This means that you can give viewers greater insight into the values that your company promotes. Capturing brand values in the delivery of your message translates to greater consumer loyalty and as a result, repeat customers.
The hallmark of any business is its ability to deliver value to the consumer. The better you can communicate your ability to deliver value, the more inclined the consumer will be to try your product or service. The use of graphics and animation can help tremendously increase the richness of this message.
A great way to do this is to showcase people using your product as well as their reaction to using your product. By letting the viewers see people react to the usage of your product, the viewer can emotionally connect with the video and visualize themselves reacting the same way when using your product or service.
Another great way to add value through video, animation, or graphics, is to give an actual demonstration of how your product works. This takes away any ambiguity surrounding the use of your product, and gives you the opportunity to present the use of your product in a favorable light.
Ultimately, the more engaged you can make the consumer to your animated video, the better the impression that will be left.
Another important consideration to keep in mind when making your video is the use of high-quality audio to complement the delivery of the animation graphics. As consumer attention span is limited, it is vital that the script be thoughtfully written so as to deliver the maximum value in the fewest words possible. What is key is that you recognize your target market, what you want your target market to take away from your message, and what emotions you want your target market to feel.
Although it is tempting to deliver as much information as possible, it is important that your talking speed stays close to approximately 130 words per minute. Even though more information can be delivered, exceeding this threshold results in less information sticking with the viewer as they experience information overload.
A best practice when writing the script is to make sure that each word spoken delivers value in some way. When writing, ask yourself what the purpose of each word is. If a word serves little purpose, then remove it. By writing your scripts in this way, your message will be well-paced, packed with high quality information, and will better resonate with the viewer.
What is most important of all however, is that every aspect of your animation is integrated and consistent. By presenting the viewer with high-quality animation and graphics that are supplemented with clear and concise audio, the viewer will fully feel the impact of the message you deliver. Further, your message will resonate with the viewer far better then any message delivered through less rich media.


Twelve months ago he was a Warriors discard with a reputation of being more fun-loving than hard-working but such has been Konrad Hurrell's influence since joining the Titans that teammates now describe him as the "heart and soul" of the team.
A serial prankster with a perennial broad smile and bouffant of hair to give the holder of the Guinness Book of World Records' largest male afro a run for his money, it's easy to see Hurrell as little more than comic relief but his wholehearted performances throughout 2017 have earned him widespread respect within the playing group.
The Titans are back in action this TONIGHT at Cbus Super Stadium. At the family friendly time of 6pm, it's perfect entertainment for all the family. Get your tickets HERE.
In a team that is second last for metres made Hurrell is punching out an average of 152 metres per game, trails only prop Jarrod Wallace for average number of carries per game and leads the team for tries scored with eight.
But more than planting four-pointers before blowing a kiss to his mum, it is power-packed charges from deep within the Titans' half to get his team on the front foot that his teammates most appreciate.
"I get to play outside him so I'm probably a bit biased but I think he's the heart and soul of our team," said winger Anthony Don.
"He provides so much punch with his carries and his energy is so good, it takes at least four people to tackle him each time.
"You know what you're going to get with Koni week in and week out and he's proved to be one of our best players this year.
"He's always laughing and always smiling and gets on with everyone in the team. He's a joy to play with."
With the team struggling to put wins together in bunches this season Hurrell's infectious nature and high-pitched squeal of a laugh is the perfect stress relief, his propensity for pulling pranks catching out plenty of his teammates during the course of the season.
"No matter how down we get he's always happy," says five-eighth Tyrone Roberts.
"He doesn't take too much in. He just keeps us happy, makes us humble and when he's down when he's not playing good we know.
"I heard him say something on the radio that he'd let his mum down and that's the kind of person he is. He doesn't like to let the boys down. When he's smiling we know he's going to have a big game."
The incident Roberts is referring to was Hurrell's angry outburst against the referees in the Round 15 clash with the Rabbitohs where he disputed a lost ball in the ruck, shot out of the defensive line that gave Souths the space in which to score and then further remonstrated with the match officials.
It was an uncharacteristic display of anger and once which earned a stronger rebuke from his mother than it did coach Neil Henry.
"Neil was more professional, Mum was a bit more over-the-top, family grilling," recalls Hurrell.
"I gave her a call and said, 'Hi, how are you?' and straight into it; 'What happened to you? You're face wasn't that nice!' So I Iearned from it and just got to move on."
It was a rare moment when his boundless passion got the better of him but given it is the essence of who he is it's not something that anyone wants to limit.
He is the king of the kids, and has become extremely active in the Gold Coast community working with junior clubs and disadvantaged kids and is the Titan every fan wants a photo with.
He signed a two-year contract extension before the 2017 season kicked off and says every game that he gets to play for the Titans is a blessing he won't ever take for granted.
"For me to play bad or not do my job I get a bit angry about it because the opportunity is there and I'm not taking it," Hurrell said.
"Playing alongside these boys is a dream come true and I don't take any opportunity for granted.
"I'm blessed to be a part of the team and one part of me loving the game is playing with the heroes I look up to and getting amongst them and taking every opportunity."


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Home » Dean Cain And Will Cain Aren't Related — Unless Fox News Is a Family
Dean Cain And Will Cain Aren't Related — Unless Fox News Is a Family
After rising up in California, Dean attended Princeton College, the place he performed soccer and dated Brooke Shields. After school, Dean signed with the Buffalo Payments, however a coaching camp harm ended his NFL profession.
He headed to Hollywood, and his guest-starring roles on A Totally different World and Beverly Hills, 90210 led to his breakout position as Clark Kent within the 1990s ABC drama Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman.
Dean can also be a longtime Donald Trump supporter who has made dozens of appearances on Fox Information. "I've full and full religion within the president in getting America again up and operating," he stated in a Could 2020 interview with Donald's daughter-in-law Lara Trump, which was revealed on Donald Trump's YouTube web page. "Perhaps it's as a result of he's exterior the field, possibly as a result of he's not a profession politician that I feel he's uniquely outfitted to do that."
TagsArent Cain Dean Family Fox News Related
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Celebrate all of the Washington Redskins' Hall of Famers with this exclusive, one-of-a-kind, team color, t-shirt from the Pro Football Hall of Fame! This new design for 2018 features Class of 2018 member Bobby Beathard! DOES NOT INCLUDE CHAMP BAILEY.
Celebrate all of the Washington Redskins' Hall of Famers with this exclusive, one-of-a-kind coffee mug from the Pro Football Hall of Fame! DOES NOT INCLUDE CHAMP BAILEY.
Commemorate and Celebrate the Redskins Inductees with this updated 2018, including Bobby Beathard, bronze coin card from The Highland Mint!


Nantwich Cheese source Extra Mature Cheddar from handpicked dairies in the UK, our profile requires that the cheese be matured for approximately 15 months.
Product to be supplied in boxes with a food grade, heat sealed, clear plastic pouch. This will be subject to change depending on the format purchased.