text:
Home Extension Research Progress Report (Purdue University. Ag. Extension Service) Page 001
Research Progress Report, no. 235 (Apr. 1966)
Research Progress Report 235 Project 1332 April, 1966
1965 Forage Sorghum, Sudangrass and Grain Sorghum Variety Testing On the Southern Indiana Forage Farm
J. S. Quick, R. C. Pickett and K. J. Lessman
Agronomy Department
Forage Sorghum and Sudangrass
The results of the forage sorghum and sudangrass yield trials are shown in Tables 1 and 2. Two-year averages are shown in Tables 3 and 4 for those entries tested in 1964 and 1965.
The yields produced by the hybrids and inbred varieties at the Forage Farm were similar to those in 1964. The two-cut Sudan trial was favored by early growing conditions, but moisture was a limiting factor during regrowth following the first cut. The forage sorghum entries produced an excellent early season growth, but a mid to late season drouth limited growth and caused considerable lodging.
The taller, higher yielding forage sorghum hybrids tended to be coarse and may be lower in energy and digestibility than a more succulent type that yields less. The higher yields of the coarse types may enable them to retain a net advantage, but this has not yet been determined. A similar situation exists among the entries in the sudangrass yield trial. Consistent high yields of 8 to 9 tons of dry matter per acre for the
sorghum-Sudan hybrids from a two-cut harvest system indicate a high potential for forage utilization.
Results of the grain sorghum yield trials are shown in Tables 5-8. Tables 5 and 6 contain data from the Forage Farm and Tables 7 and 8 contain data from trials on the Oscar Knies farm 8 miles southwest of the Forage Farm.
Bird damage was successfully controlled for the second year at the Forage yield trial by weekly spray applications of a mixture of DDT, toxaphene and Captan at the onset of seed formation until the hard dough-stage of development. Growth conditions were excellent throughout most of the growing season. Several hybrids yielded more than 100 bushels an acre. Several entries showed lodging susceptibility although the expression was highly variable.
The grain sorghum trials at the Knies farm were grown in a commercial sorghum field to minimize bird damage. Growing conditions were excellent, several hybrids yielded well over 100 bushels per acre, and lodging was not a severe problem.
PURDUE UNIVERSITY • Agricultural Experiment Station • Lafayette, Indiana
Purdue Identification Number UA14-13-RPR235
Title Research Progress Report, no. 235 (Apr. 1966)
Title of Issue Project 1332: 1965 forage sorghum versus sudangrass and grain sorghum variety testing on the Southern Indiana Forage Farm
Collection Title Extension Research Progress Report (Purdue University. Agricultural Extension Service)
Coverage United States – Indiana
URI UA14-13-RPR235.tif
Transcript Research Progress Report 235 Project 1332 April, 1966 1965 Forage Sorghum, Sudangrass and Grain Sorghum Variety Testing On the Southern Indiana Forage Farm J. S. Quick, R. C. Pickett and K. J. Lessman Agronomy Department Forage Sorghum and Sudangrass The results of the forage sorghum and sudangrass yield trials are shown in Tables 1 and 2. Two-year averages are shown in Tables 3 and 4 for those entries tested in 1964 and 1965. The yields produced by the hybrids and inbred varieties at the Forage Farm were similar to those in 1964. The two-cut Sudan trial was favored by early growing conditions, but moisture was a limiting factor during regrowth following the first cut. The forage sorghum entries produced an excellent early season growth, but a mid to late season drouth limited growth and caused considerable lodging. The taller, higher yielding forage sorghum hybrids tended to be coarse and may be lower in energy and digestibility than a more succulent type that yields less. The higher yields of the coarse types may enable them to retain a net advantage, but this has not yet been determined. A similar situation exists among the entries in the sudangrass yield trial. Consistent high yields of 8 to 9 tons of dry matter per acre for the sorghum-Sudan hybrids from a two-cut harvest system indicate a high potential for forage utilization. Grain Sorghum Results of the grain sorghum yield trials are shown in Tables 5-8. Tables 5 and 6 contain data from the Forage Farm and Tables 7 and 8 contain data from trials on the Oscar Knies farm 8 miles southwest of the Forage Farm. Bird damage was successfully controlled for the second year at the Forage yield trial by weekly spray applications of a mixture of DDT, toxaphene and Captan at the onset of seed formation until the hard dough-stage of development. Growth conditions were excellent throughout most of the growing season. Several hybrids yielded more than 100 bushels an acre. Several entries showed lodging susceptibility although the expression was highly variable. The grain sorghum trials at the Knies farm were grown in a commercial sorghum field to minimize bird damage. Growing conditions were excellent, several hybrids yielded well over 100 bushels per acre, and lodging was not a severe problem. PURDUE UNIVERSITY • Agricultural Experiment Station • Lafayette, Indiana


Are many the types of wood and their provenances that we use in the making of our Supreme Casks. Below you will find the many kinds of wood that we select and carefully treat outdoors, in the open air, during a period of time that varies between 12 and 18 months. This is a treatment done in our facilities, that can be found 5Km's from the Atlantic ocean, giving it a preponderant and exceptional geographical location for the process of the wood maturation.
Existing mainly in the west side of the United States of America, this species of wood can be found in the states of Missouri, Ohio, Illinois, Oregón and Tenesse. It's a wood that stands out mainly for it's hight density and low porosity, offering a highly aromatic feature during the period of maturation.
This species of wood grows mainly in the Limousine region, in the south-west of Aquaitaine, where it's estimated to exist around 7 million cubic meters of forest filled with this species of wood. However it can be found all around several large woods all around Europe, with a high incidence in Hungary, Romania, Ukraine, Russia and also in Spain, especially in Galicia.
Easy adaptability to the continental conditions of high and cold lands, existing in Portugal, specially in Trás-os-Montes and Beira Alta. It's a species that is considered as mid-light and sturdy temper. Does not support soaked or heavy soils, prefering areal textures. The wood possesses similar characteristics to other oaks, however, it's more unstable and is very prone to deformation and cracking during the drying process, which in turn, is very slow. It does however surprise with it's aromatic capability, that it confers during the maturation.
It is a large tree, very abundant in the interior, north and centre of Portugal. It's root system is powerful and robust, very expansive but shallow. It's growth is rapid, and it's tannin richness is around 8 to 10%. It's a species of great longevity, being able to reach ages greater than the millennium. Very similar in appearance to the oak, with a noteworthy density, it is a kind of wood with little hardness and quite porous, requiring a very strict selection criteria.


Compatible with: Lamps, Lighting, Ceiling Fans.
This product has been inspected, cleaned, meet manufacturer specifications and is in excellent condition..
Brand: Ting Shen, Model: TS-12V0.6A, Input: 120V 0.16A 60Hz, Output: 12V 0.6A, Compatible with: Lamps, Lighting, Ceiling Fans, This product has been inspected, cleaned, meet manufacturer specifications and is in excellent condition.
Pack of 4 for the UPC: 363736051457Compare and save.AntifungalInsight PhrmActive Ingredients:Tolnaftate 1%Clean the affected area and dry thoroughly. Apply a thin layer of the product over affected area twice daily (morning and night) or as directed by a doctor. Supervise children in the use of this product. For athlete's foot: use daily for 4 weeks. If condition persists longer, consult a doctor. Pay special attention to the spaces between the toes. Wear well-fitting, ventilated shoes and change shoes and socks at least once daily. To prevent athlete's foot, clean the feet and dry thoroughly, then apply a thin layer of the product to the feet once or twice daily (morning and/or night) following the above directions. For ringworm use daily for 4 weeks. If condition persists longer, consult a doctor. For jock itch use daily for 2 weeks. If condition persists longer, consult a doctor. This product is not effective on the scalp or nails.Inactive Ingredients:Butylated Hydroxytoluene; PEG-400; PEG-3350; Titanium Dioxide; White PetrolatumUses:For effective treatment of most athlete's foot (tinea pedis), jock itch (tinea cruris) and ringworm (tinea corporis). For effective relief of itchy, scaly skin between toes. Clears up most athlete's foot infection and with daily use helps keep it from coming back.For external use only. Do not use on children under 2 years of age unless directed by a doctor. When using this product avoid contact with the eyes. Stop use and ask a doctor if: irritation occurs or if there is no improvement within 4 weeks (for athlete's foot and ringworm); irritation occurs or if there is no improvement within 2 weeks (for jock itch). Keep out of reach of children. If swallowed, get medical help or contact a Poison Control Center right away.
Pack of 6 for the UPC: 363736051457Compare and save.AntifungalInsight PhrmActive Ingredients:Tolnaftate 1%Clean the affected area and dry thoroughly. Apply a thin layer of the product over affected area twice daily (morning and night) or as directed by a doctor. Supervise children in the use of this product. For athlete's foot: use daily for 4 weeks. If condition persists longer, consult a doctor. Pay special attention to the spaces between the toes. Wear well-fitting, ventilated shoes and change shoes and socks at least once daily. To prevent athlete's foot, clean the feet and dry thoroughly, then apply a thin layer of the product to the feet once or twice daily (morning and/or night) following the above directions. For ringworm use daily for 4 weeks. If condition persists longer, consult a doctor. For jock itch use daily for 2 weeks. If condition persists longer, consult a doctor. This product is not effective on the scalp or nails.Inactive Ingredients:Butylated Hydroxytoluene; PEG-400; PEG-3350; Titanium Dioxide; White PetrolatumUses:For effective treatment of most athlete's foot (tinea pedis), jock itch (tinea cruris) and ringworm (tinea corporis). For effective relief of itchy, scaly skin between toes. Clears up most athlete's foot infection and with daily use helps keep it from coming back.For external use only. Do not use on children under 2 years of age unless directed by a doctor. When using this product avoid contact with the eyes. Stop use and ask a doctor if: irritation occurs or if there is no improvement within 4 weeks (for athlete's foot and ringworm); irritation occurs or if there is no improvement within 2 weeks (for jock itch). Keep out of reach of children. If swallowed, get medical help or contact a Poison Control Center right away.
Ling and Ting like to be silly in the fourth book in this irresistible early reader series. The beloved twins from the Geisel Honor early reader series are back to share their favorite funny stories with beginning readers, now in paperback. This collection of six laugh-out-loud stories is sure to tickle the funny bone of fans and new readers alike. Kirkus writes about the series, "These twins make learning to read double the fun."
Pack of 3 for the UPC: 363736051457Compare and save.AntifungalInsight PhrmActive Ingredients:Tolnaftate 1%Clean the affected area and dry thoroughly. Apply a thin layer of the product over affected area twice daily (morning and night) or as directed by a doctor. Supervise children in the use of this product. For athlete's foot: use daily for 4 weeks. If condition persists longer, consult a doctor. Pay special attention to the spaces between the toes. Wear well-fitting, ventilated shoes and change shoes and socks at least once daily. To prevent athlete's foot, clean the feet and dry thoroughly, then apply a thin layer of the product to the feet once or twice daily (morning and/or night) following the above directions. For ringworm use daily for 4 weeks. If condition persists longer, consult a doctor. For jock itch use daily for 2 weeks. If condition persists longer, consult a doctor. This product is not effective on the scalp or nails.Inactive Ingredients:Butylated Hydroxytoluene; PEG-400; PEG-3350; Titanium Dioxide; White PetrolatumUses:For effective treatment of most athlete's foot (tinea pedis), jock itch (tinea cruris) and ringworm (tinea corporis). For effective relief of itchy, scaly skin between toes. Clears up most athlete's foot infection and with daily use helps keep it from coming back.For external use only. Do not use on children under 2 years of age unless directed by a doctor. When using this product avoid contact with the eyes. Stop use and ask a doctor if: irritation occurs or if there is no improvement within 4 weeks (for athlete's foot and ringworm); irritation occurs or if there is no improvement within 2 weeks (for jock itch). Keep out of reach of children. If swallowed, get medical help or contact a Poison Control Center right away.
Pack of 2 for the UPC: 363736051457Compare and save.AntifungalInsight PhrmActive Ingredients:Tolnaftate 1%Clean the affected area and dry thoroughly. Apply a thin layer of the product over affected area twice daily (morning and night) or as directed by a doctor. Supervise children in the use of this product. For athlete's foot: use daily for 4 weeks. If condition persists longer, consult a doctor. Pay special attention to the spaces between the toes. Wear well-fitting, ventilated shoes and change shoes and socks at least once daily. To prevent athlete's foot, clean the feet and dry thoroughly, then apply a thin layer of the product to the feet once or twice daily (morning and/or night) following the above directions. For ringworm use daily for 4 weeks. If condition persists longer, consult a doctor. For jock itch use daily for 2 weeks. If condition persists longer, consult a doctor. This product is not effective on the scalp or nails.Inactive Ingredients:Butylated Hydroxytoluene; PEG-400; PEG-3350; Titanium Dioxide; White PetrolatumUses:For effective treatment of most athlete's foot (tinea pedis), jock itch (tinea cruris) and ringworm (tinea corporis). For effective relief of itchy, scaly skin between toes. Clears up most athlete's foot infection and with daily use helps keep it from coming back.For external use only. Do not use on children under 2 years of age unless directed by a doctor. When using this product avoid contact with the eyes. Stop use and ask a doctor if: irritation occurs or if there is no improvement within 4 weeks (for athlete's foot and ringworm); irritation occurs or if there is no improvement within 2 weeks (for jock itch). Keep out of reach of children. If swallowed, get medical help or contact a Poison Control Center right away.


text:
Chap I
chap II
Chap III
How would Lubitsch do it?
jean estevez
"Le cinéma, c'est un stylo, du papier, et des heures à observer le monde et les gens" - Jacques Tati
By Katie Shireen Assef
Jean Estevez was born in Ganges, a small village in the South of France, a few miles away from Montpellier. His father was a contracter who worked on various infrastructure projects throughout France, and much of Jean's childhood was spent travelling around the country in his family's trailer, taking in new landscapes and meeting new people. While in secondary school, Jean discovered the cinema and became mesmerized with the films of the Nouvelle Vague, Billy Wilder, Jacque Tati, Emir Kusturica, among so many others. He went on to study directing at the F.A.M.E. school and acting at the prestigious Cours Florent in Paris. Jean has written, directed and produced several short films, most recently Fahrenheit 99, which is loosely based on Anton Chekhov's 1878 play Platonov, and was screened in New York and Oakland as a finalist in The Book Was Better Film Festival in 2016. In the past few years, Jean has also turned to photography as a form of self-expression; his series "Where the Wild Things Are" explores intrusions of the animal world in everyday life. Deeply influenced by Surrealism, he is currently at work on a series of short films based on Henri Michaux's Plume stories.
Jean Estevez | LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA
phone | 510. 859.6856
email | jestevez@septentrional.us
© all content on this site - 2019

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text: An exercise for me in high level programming language design! Inspired by Perl / 6!

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Q: Sound cannot be played I create a simple project with one layout that contains two buttons, and this is my code:
package com.example.tessound;

import android.media.MediaPlayer;
import android.os.Bundle;
import android.app.Activity;
import android.view.Menu;
import android.view.View;
import android.view.View.OnClickListener;
import android.widget.Button;

public class MainActivity extends Activity implements OnClickListener
{
    MediaPlayer player;
    Button play,mute;

    @Override
    protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState)
    {
        super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
        setContentView(R.layout.activity_main);

        play = (Button)findViewById(R.id.button1);
        play.setOnClickListener(this);
        mute = (Button)findViewById(R.id.button2);
        mute.setOnClickListener(this);
    }

    @Override
    public boolean onCreateOptionsMenu(Menu menu)
    {
        // Inflate the menu; this adds items to the action bar if it is present.
        getMenuInflater().inflate(R.menu.main, menu);
        return true;
    }

    public void onClick(View view)
    {
        if(view.getId()==R.id.button1)
        {
            playSound(1);
        }
        else if(view.getId()==R.id.button2)
        {
            playSound(2);
        }
    }

    public void playSound(int arg)
    {
        if (arg == 1)
        {
            player = MediaPlayer.create(this, R.raw.atur);
        }
        else if (arg == 2)
        {
            player = MediaPlayer.create(this, R.raw.back);
        }

        if(player != null)
        {
            player.setLooping(false);
            player.start();
        }

        try
        {
            if(player != null)
            {
                if (player.isPlaying())
                {
                    player.stop();
                    player.release();
                }
            }
        }
        catch(Exception e)
        {
        }
    }
}

When I tried to click the button the sound doesn't play.

A: Following the logic for your playSound method with an argument value of 1:
1) arg == 1 so:
player = MediaPlayer.create(this, R.raw.atur);

2) player has been set so is not null, hence:
player.setLooping(false);
player.start();

3) Then it's your try block. player is not null and is playing, hence:
player.stop();
player.release();

So I think you are starting the playback and then immediately stopping it. I imagine you should only execute the try/catch code if the method does not receive a valid argument, i.e. it should be an 'else' of the preceding 'if' statement.
EDIT:
Looking at this again, I think the try/catch code should go at the top of the method. It will then stop the player and release it (if it is in use) before trying to start playing a new sound. Logically that makes sense.

A: Use Log to trace the control and find the error !
Log.e("AnyTAG","Description of the Log");

your code seems fine!

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


It's here! US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has released the new M-274 "Handbook for Employers with Guidance for Completing Form I-9". The handbook includes guidance on completing the new Form I-9, which went into effect on January 22, 2017, as well as photocopying and retention, unlawful discrimination and penalties, and E-Verify.


I can hear the rhythmic beat of its heart, pulsing behind my ears. Lub-dub, lub-dub, the unending cadence paces the rhythm of my own heart. It is impossible to ignore the sound. I try to go into my mind, thinking of something else. Yet always I return to the sound of that beat.
Slowly, my body slides into the waiting maw of the terrible monster. I cannot move. I just lay there, waiting to be devoured. And always that pulsing beat pressing against my ears. This moment will change everything. But it must be endured. The beast closes its jaws around me. Then a new sound, a terrible chomping and clicking. The noise is so loud it swallows the beating rhythm of the monster's heart. Again, I attempt to let my mind wander, yet the sound of the gluttonous beast drowns out all thought.
An age goes by, and yet the ordeal continues. Seconds become minutes, minutes turn to an hour. My muscles begin to protest, tensing and railing against the forced immobility. How much must I endure before it is over? How long….
It began several months ago. I remember it clearly. I leaned against a stool waiting for the children to finishing singing. They were so sweet, their voices young and pure. Then I noticed my right leg was going numb. My hand upon the microphone lost feeling. Strange, I thought. I must have cut off my circulation. So I shifted my weight and shook out my hand. But the sensation did not return. Over the course of several weeks, the numbness remained. Gradually, the loss of sensation became a decrease in fine motor coordination. One day as I walked away from the table, my right leg stayed behind. It was time to see the doctor – well, probably past time.
Words were thrown around such as stroke and MS. So here I am, lying within the belly of the MRI machine. Eight hundred images are being taken of my brain and neck. Suddenly, as though nothing has occurred, the chomping sound stops. Again, all I can hear is the rhythmic pulsing of the beating heart. My head is swimming from being supine for so long. Slowly, I rise and the waiting game begins. What the outcome will be, I cannot guess. I hope for the best. But I do not fear. I am in the Master's hands, and there is no better place than that.
I have been thinking about fear of late. Fear is a lack of faith in God.
The same God that fashioned the heavens, that framed me in splendor, is the same God that walks beside me through the hard times. None of us knows what the future holds, but we can be sure that God is in control. What seems bad will work out for good. Whatever path He chooses, I will take, knowing that if I stumble, He will brace my fall. He will lift me up on eagle's wings, and I shall rise. I cast my fear on Jesus and will not be afraid.


text:
Ready to research Teva Footwear and discover 10,000 other top national sponsors?
Teva Footwear
USA-CA
Teva Footwear viewed 0 seconds ago
Thomas Cook viewed 10 seconds ago
Diesel viewed 37 seconds ago
Oakley viewed 50 seconds ago
Cheniere Energy viewed 1 minutes ago
AllWhites Egg Whites viewed 1 minutes ago
Mark Thatcher was the inventor of Teva (pronounced "teh-vah" not "tee-vah"[3][4], and comes from the hebrew word for "nature"). While working as a rafting guide in 1982 he noticed the lack of proper shoes for river activities. Sneakers would become heavy when wet and would take days to dry and thongs would slide off feet very easily. Thatcher fashioned a thong-style sandal with nylon ankle strapping, thus creating the first sport sandal. On November 25, 2002, Deckers acquired the worldwide Teva patents, trademarks and other assets from Mark Thatcher. After this transfer, Teva continued to grow under the supervision of the Deckers Outdoor Corporation. Deckers Outdoor Corporation (NASDAQ: DECK) is a footwear manufacturer based in Goleta, California, United States. It began in 1973 as a sandal producer, run by Doug Otto.[1] Deckers currently manufactures six brands, Teva, UGG Australia, Simple Shoes, Sanuk, Tsubo, Ahnu and Mozo.[2]
Karyn Pashchuk is now following Teva Footwear
Teva Footwear partners with Forecastle Festival
Teva Footwear sponsors Mo Pop
See more updates for Teva Footwear
This SponsorPitch page is about Teva Footwear and contains information about this organization's sponsorship activity, sponsorship decision makers and sponsorship preferences. This page is not endorsed by or affiliated with Teva Footwear, though it may be actively managed and updated by company representatives. If you currently work at this organization, click the Manage Sponsor button to request management privileges. . All trademarks, service marks and copyrights are property of their respective owners.


Engraving of 1749 by John Hinton.
This picture was published in an English magazine. Here Armenia is represented as the homeland of mankind after the great flood.
In the engraved picture the Tower of Babel is positioned on the left with workers erecting ramps.
The genealogical tree of Noah along with the names of different tribes and people emerging from the upper part of the ark is in the center over the name of Armenia.
To the left of it are portrayed pairs of animals lined up on a hill.
Now the picture is at the disposal of the British Museum.


3157/4157AST Sylvania Silverstar Signal Bulbs 3157 AST/4157 AST - Pair - O'Donnell's Auto Parts, L.L.C.
This is actually the second set I bought just to keep as back up when my old ones burn out, which I doubt will be anytime soon! But seeing as how they were discontinued years ago I wasn't planning on taking any chances on not being able to ever get my hands on another set!! Have no idea why Sylvania pulled these off the market?? They're actually wayy better and brighter than even the leds, minus the fact that they do produce heat vs the led but no need for hyper flash and all that goes along with led bulbs as blinkers. Anyways thanks to @ O'Donnell's for having them in stock!!
best looking/brightest turn signal running lights ever!
Plug and play. Easy install. Brightest and best performing turn/running signal bulbs on the market!
I love these bulbs, one of a kind they are!
I love these bulbs. They have a unique look and I love what it adds to my vehicle's look. So sad they will soon be gone.
Wouldn't you know that after Sylvania comes out with a truly superior product, they discontinue it. I'm glad O'Donnell's still had some in stock.
I have had a set for a long time. Like them a lot glad to find more.
Ease of installation, quality of product, much brighter than stock(although these are a different wattage), look great in headlight housing.
None, just wish GM didn't alternate the wattage regulation when switching from DRL to PL to RL( Daytime Running Lights, Parking Lights, and Regular Lights;Headlights). These bulbs are extremely bright when lit alone.
Click the button below to add the 3157/4157AST Sylvania Silverstar Signal Bulbs 3157 AST/4157 AST - Pair to your wish list.


text:
Balotelli had private audience with Pope
POPE Francis cheered fellow Argentine Lionel Messi and other football stars as he led a rally of sorts at the Vatican for Argentina and Italy's national teams ahead of a friendly match.
Francis, the first pontiff from Latin America, is an avid football fan who roots for the Saints of San Lorenzo back in Buenos Aires – so the spiritual leader arranged to meet stars including Andrea Pirlo and Messi in a a private audience in the Apostolic Palace ahead of Wednesday's match, which is being played in tribute to the new pope.
One of Italy's national team members, Mario Balotelli, who is black and has been the target of fans' racism, was the only player to get private time with the pope. Francis and the striker spoke together in a small room off the sumptuous Clementine Hall where the audience was held.
A Vatican spokesman, the Rev. Ciro Benedettini, said Balotelli looked "emotional" after their talk but that the player declined to say what he discussed with Francis.
Francis also dodged the question of whether he'd offer a papal blessing for his home country's team. "It will really be a bit difficult for me to root, but luckily it's a friendly match."
Tagged andrea pirlo, argentina, blessing, ciro benedettini, emotional, friendly, italy, lionel messi, mario balotelli, pope, pope francis, private audience, racism, vatican
Mario Balotelli buys pig
SOMETIMES, really, a headline is all you need.
But in case you want a few more details, former Manchester City striker Mario Balotelli has splashed out on a new purchase, a pet pig.
And the Italy forward, now plying his trade at AC Milan, has revealed on Twitter that he's named his new porcine pal Super.
Tagged ac milan, italy, manchester city, mario balotelli, pet, pig, super, twitter
Transfer Deadline Day XI
SO THE dust is now settling on another deadline day's deals, and to help showcase some of the best business done today, here's my top team of players who were on the move.
Minus Peter Odemwingie, for obvious reasons…
GK – Butland (Stoke)
DEF – Shea (Stoke), Samba (QPR), Monreal (Arsenal)
MID – Beckham (PSG), Jenas (QPR), Scharner (Wigan), Townsend (QPR)
ATK – Graham (Sunderland), Balotelli (AC Milan), Becchio (Norwich)
Posted in Punditry
Tagged ac milan, andros townsend, arsenal, brak shea, chris samba, danny graham, david beckham, jack butland, january transfer window, jermain jenas, luciano becchio, mario balotelli, nacho monreal, norwich city, paris st germain, paul shcarner, QPR, queens park rangers, stoke city, sunderland, tottenham hotspur, transfer deadline day, wigan athletic, xis
Beautiful Subbuteo reboots
CAN I flick it?
Forget your Pro Evos and your FIFAs – the incredible blog Subbuteo Art, dedicated to customising figures from the classic football game, has been wowing me recently.
Any fool can snap the legs off two players to make an extended-legged Peter Crouch – this work takes it to the next level.
Some examples above include Rene Higuita's scorpion kick, a flexing Mario Balotelli, a mulleted Neymar and a overkick kicking Wayne Rooney.
To see more, click on http://subbuteo-art.blogspot.co.uk/
Right, now where are my paintbrushes…
Tagged blog, brazil, columbia, flex, italy, manchester city, manchester united, mario balotelli, mullet, neymar, overhead kick, rene higuita, santos, scorpian kick, subbuteo. subbuteo art, wayne rooney
Jul·31
Lookalike – Carry On Italy
ITALY went cruising into the finals of Euro 2012 last night after Mario Balotelli didn't lose his head, striking a brace against Germany.
But regardless of the on field action, last night I couldn't stop spying at Italian manager Cesare Prandelli – I was loving the fact he's the spitting image of Carry On star Kenneth Connor!
At your convenience, I have placed the two together for you to see for yourselves.
Tagged carry on, carry on at your convenience, carry on cruising, carry on don't lose your head, carry on loving, carry on regardless, carry on spying, cesare prandelli, euro 2012, germany, italy, kenneth connor, lookalike, mario balotelli
Balotelli up for heavy metal award
MANCHESTER City striker Mario Balotelli has been shortlisted for an award by heavy metal magazine Kerrang!
The footballer is up for Hero Of The Year at the K! Awards – against Ronnie Radke of Falling in Reverse, M Shadows of Avenged Sevenfold, Jared Leto of 30 Seconds to Mars and Rou Reynolds of Enter Shikari.
"Much is made of how fun and debauched the Kerrang! awards are," said James McMahon, the magazine's editor.
Mario should fit right in then.
Tagged 30 seconds to mars, avenged sevenfold, enter shikari, falling in reverse, heavy metal, hero of the year, james mcmahon, jared leto, k! awards, kerrang!, m shadows, manchester city, mario balotelli, ronnie radke, rou reynolds
The secret cross-dressing of Mario Balotelli
IN REVEALING a two-year affair with Manchester City star Mario Balotelli, Chloe Evans has spilled the beans on the striker's love of cross-dressing.
Apparently the Italian footballer agreed to donning make-up and a blonde wig in a one off session.
Chloe recalled: "I will never forget the day I gave him a girlie makeover — he loved it.
"We were a bit bored and messing about so I turned him into a WAG for a laugh!
"We got a blonde wig and used my make-up — and before you knew it he was Marilyn Balotelli!
"It was so funny. The lipstick was a really pale pink so it was hilarious against his skin.
"I put it on him really carefully, he kept laughing so it nearly smudged. And he had loads of pink blusher on too.
"I got a blonde wig I had at the time and put that on him too to complete the look.
"Mario loved it. He started prancing around and posing in front of the mirror admiring himself.
"He shook his bum really fast doing silly moves to make me laugh. It was hilarious and then he looked in the mirror and said he was prettier than me."
Dennis Rodman he ain't, but still – the mind boggles.
Tagged affair, blonde wig, chloe evans, cross-dressing, dennis rodman, make-up, manchester city, mario balotelli, mind boggles, prancing around, shook his bum


Heroes of the realm! Soon the gates of S90, Coral Inlet will open! Join us on the 20th of May 10:00 AM EST / 07:00 AM PST / 15:00 AM GMT / 22:00 GMT+8 so you don't miss your chance at being among the first to take their place among the champions of this new server.


In every organization there is a need for approvals on certain types of requests. For instance, gaining approval for vacations. In this blog post I will demonstrate how to create an approval workflow using SharePoint designer 2013. I using a sample of a vacations approval workflow for this example.
Step 1: Requestor creates a vacation request in the SharePoint.
Step 2: Request goes to her/his manager for approval.
Step 3. Manager Approves the request.
Step 4: Mail is triggered to all stakeholders required. Workflow closes.
Now, let's go to SharePoint Designer to create an approval workflow.
1. Open SharePoint Designer and SharePoint Site.
2. Click on Workflows option in the left Panel.
3. Click on List Workflow from the ribbon in top and select the "Vacation Request" List.
4. Provide the Name and Description of the workflow and keep Platform type as SharePoint 2013 in the Create New Workflow Pop up. Then click the OK button.
5.Workflow designer will open. By default Stage 1 is created. Rename it to Manager Approval by clicking over it.
6.In the ribbon, click on Action and select Set Workflow Status. This will add a new action in the workflow.
7. Click on this message link in the action and provide text as "Pending Manager's Approval".
8. Add a log message to workflow history action in the next step. This will add logs in the workflow history list which will be helpful in debugging and audit trail.
9. Create a workflow variable Due Date and add an action in order to add 3 days from current date to due date.
10. Insert "Assign a Task" in the workflow. This will create an approval task in Tasks List and will be assigned to specified person for Approval.
11. Now we need to assign a task to the manager specified in the request. For this, click on This User link in the "Assign a Task" action à. Click on "…" against Participants à, from a popup click on "Workflow lookup for user…" à in Lookup for Person or Group. Then select data source as Current Item and Field from source as Manager Name. Click OK on all popups.
12. In Task Title provide "Please approve vacation request".
13. In Description provide vacation details as described in the image below.
14. Provide Due Date as a variable we have created in previous steps.
15. In the Task Option section, select Wait for task completion.
16. In Outcome Options keep the current selection as it is.
17. Add a condition in the next step, check if outcome of the task is Approved or Rejected.
18. If Outcome is Approved then send mail to Requestor, CC HR and Manager.
19. If Outcome is Rejected then send mail to Requestor and CC Manager.
20. In the Transition to Stage section, select the Go To stage action and configure it to go to End of Workflow.
21. Below is the screenshot of a complete workflow.
22. Go to the workflow design page by clicking on the workflow name.
23. In the start Options, select second option "Start workflow automatically when an item is created".
24. Now the workflow is complete, click on the save button and then click on Publish.
Now you are ready to send a vacation request for your manager's approval.


text:
The long-awaited content update will add new end-game material, a screenshot button, and a range of other fixes and improvements too.
by Joshua Broadwell
Stardew Valley is getting ready to finish up its third year on PC in a big way. Developer Eric Barone has announced that the long-awaited 1.4 content update is expected to release on November 26. The console version of the same update is in the works, but Barone doesn't have an anticipated release frame for it yet.
Though unwilling to spoil too much about what fans can expect from the latest Stardew Valley update, Barone did share a few tantalizing details. One of them concerns marriage events. Every spouse is getting a brand-new event that unlocks at 14 hearts, giving you even more incentive to keep being nice to your loved one.
There will be "more end-game stuff like that to keep things going a little further after you've completed everything" to look forward to, as well as changes to certain, formerly not very helpful, items like the Wild Bait. That's on top of a range of bug and glitch fixes, which is great, but also a bit sad because we won't see things like this anymore.
So long, Farmer Jesus...
One other change worth noting is that the PC version is getting a screenshot button in the options menu that lets you take a shot of your entire farm or whatever area you happen to be in.
In other related news, the Xbox One and PS4 versions of Stardew Valley at last have version 1.3, which means multiplayer is possible across all platforms — except the poor PlayStation Vita version, of course.
Stardew Valley is already one of the best farming sim games on the market right now, and it's hard to believe it's going to get even better — but it's going to get even better. You can check out the full update here, and stay tuned to GameSkinny for more Stardew Valley news as it develops.
Joshua Broadwell
Josh Broadwell's gaming career began early--1993, to be exact--when he was introduced to the Super Nintendo and Super Mario World. Despite all the magnificent games the SNES and, later, the original PlayStation had to offer, it wasn't until the GameBoy Advance era that he finally discovered RPGs, which quickly became a favorite genre. He holds a BA in history, an MA in history, and is currently pursuing an MA in strategic communication.
Games Stardew Valley Genres CasualSimulation	Platforms PC
Published Nov. 13th 2019
Cached - article_comments_article_64438
Why Stardew Valley is King of the Farming Games
Stardew Valley Blooms on Android Today, Brings New Features
Stardew Valley Going Live on Android March 14
11 More NSFW Nude Mods From Your Favorite Games
Stardew Valley Gets Spicy with Battle Royale Mod
More Stardew Valley Content
Stardew Valley Game Page
Stardew Valley Articles


Americas Best Value Inn Lansing is conveniently located just 9. 8 miles from Capital City Airport/ 10 minutes from downtown Lansing/ and 15 minutes from Michigan State University. The hotel is near many attractions including Potter Park Zoological Gardens/ Michigan Women*s Hall of Fame/ Thomas M. Cooley Law School/ Breslin Center/ Michigan State University Museum/ Michigan Historical Museum/ Impression Five Science Center/ and the Bounce Dome. Local restaurants include Barely*s American Grill/ Boston Market/ Los Tres Amigos/ Cici*s Pizza/ and White Castle.. Guest rooms are equipped with mini-fridges/ microwaves/ cable TV with HBO/ free local calls/ and wake-up service. Stay connected with free wireless high-speed Internet access in our guest rooms and common areas. Coffee is provided in the lobby from 6am to 6pm. Sorry no pets allowed. At Americas Best Value Inn Lansing/ We*ve Got You Covered from the time you hit the road until your head hits the pillow.
Americas Best Value Inn Lansing is conveniently located off of S Pennsylvania Avenue off of I-96 Bus. Our address is 1100 Ramada Drive/ Lansing/ MI 48911. .


Grandvalira resort opening date will soon be available.
Andorra, the country of the Pyrénées between Spain and France, is the ideal destination for nature lovers. In summer, Grandvalira offers a magnificent natural setting for outdoor activities enthusiasts: natural parks, hiking trails, mountain bikes. It also offers Grandvalira Bike Park, located in Soldeu, the largest mountain bike park in the Pyrénées, an ideal location for downhill mountain biking, freeride, enduro, disciplines, cross country and rally which have become popular these last years. All available for families (Family Park in Canillo), groups and children.
Book your accommodation in to Grandvalira resort, a few steps from your favourite activity.


The importance of well-designed family, school, and community engagement (FSCE) in supporting children's learning from cradle to career is well documented by a growing body of research. Beyond the research, it is reasonable, and some would say commonsensical, to conclude that parents, as their child's first and primary teacher, offer the most expertise on their child.
However, what may seem like common sense has not been common practice. Historically, school reform efforts have disregarded the importance of engaging families and community. Professionals responsible for this important work are frequently isolated and relegated to low-status positions. Teachers, who bear the primary responsibility for contact with families, reveal that doing so is their number one challenge and the area in which they feel least prepared. State Education Agencies (SEAs), which have the responsibility of building the capacity of school districts and holding them accountable for effective FSCE practice, often lack the capacity and expertise to support their success. Finally, from principals to secretaries of education, those with the greatest influence over policy often view FSCE as good public relations instead of an authentic partnership to support student achievement and school improvement.
But there is good news. While there is much to be accomplished in addressing the systemic obstacles to advancing FSCE, there also has been significant progress over the past several years.
For many years, educators viewed family engagement as fixing parents, and rarely considered the role parents can play in a mutually beneficial relationship. The release of Head Start's Parent, Family, and Community Engagement Framework in 2011 and the U.S. Department of Education (USDE) Dual Capacity Framework in 2012 communicated the importance of educators having the necessary capabilities, connections, cognition, and confidence to effectively engage families.
Statewide efforts in advancing FSCE have historically been less than satisfactory. In 2011, the USDE defunded the 16-year-old, $40 million Parental Information Resource Centers (PIRC) initiative, the primary statewide capacity-building engine for advancing high-impact FSCE in Title I schools and the communities most in need. However, effective advocacy around the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, now called the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), enabled new legislation for the evolution of PIRCs, now called Statewide Family Engagement Centers. While woefully underfunded at $10 million, the first awards were released in September 2018. ESSA also opens the door for families to be more involved in shared decision-making within schools. There is potential for modest progress in practice through ESSA.
Perhaps more significantly, other national associations have joined our organization, the National Association for Family, School and Community Engagement (NAFSCE), in prioritizing advancement of FSCE practice in states. The Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) engaged NAFSCE last year for help in establishing the CCSSO State Consortium on Family Engagement. The consortium's goal is to build the capacity of SEAs to develop birth through grade 12 family engagement frameworks, which can serve as a road map within a state for standards and purposeful pathways to advance FSCE. The 19 SEAs participating in this initiative, serving over one-third of our nation's students, demonstrate significant interest in engagement. Additionally, these SEAs are establishing diverse statewide stakeholder coalitions to codevelop and advance the framework. This is significant and potentially transformational progress.
The National Education Association (NEA) is examining teacher preparation in response to 2011 research which suggests that teachers' primary fear about why they may fail in their profession and ultimately leave it is their lack of preparation to engage families. (This suspicion among educators is reinforced by 2008 research that suggests that only 33 percent of teachers in all communities believe they have a satisfactory relationship with parents. Imagine the percentage in low-income communities where poverty and other complexities minimize effective family engagement. Is that number 10 percent...or even less?) NAFSCE and NEA, with the support of the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, are conducting a national landscape assessment of state-teacher licensure requirements, identifying best practices in preservice FSCE training within institutions of higher education (IHEs), and recruiting SEAs and IHEs to codevelop a pre-service family engagement framework. When teachers are ideally prepared to engage families before they enter the classroom, NAFSCE believes FSCE at all levels of education will be prioritized as the essential strategy we know it is to support child development, student achievement, and school improvement.
To be clear, high-impact and systemic FSCE is in its infancy. But we finally are moving the needle for FSCE policy and practice through federal legislation, statewide capacity-building efforts, and educator preparation. Our nation's students will be more successful because of these efforts.
Vito Borrello is NAFSCE's executive director and the former president of the New York-based Every Person Influences Children (EPIC) and the New York State EPIC Parent Information Resource Center. Reyna Hernandez is director of research and policy development at NAFSCE. She is a former school district community engagement parent facilitator and assistant superintendent at the Illinois State Board of Education.
This essay was first published in The 74, a publication that receives philanthropic support from Carnegie Corporation of New York.


Traffic Arbitrage to beginners. You'll need a clear understanding of the fundamental concepts and metrics behind any successful online ad campaign. Fortunately, you can skip a few classes by taking another look at the rudiments of this particular language right here.
The quicker you catch on to these acronyms, the faster you'll earn money! Here's a breakdown of the main ones.
A reason why PPL offers allow you to earn money faster on Traffic Arbitrage with Affiliate Programs, especially when compared to PPS. However, PPL typically pays less each action. Furthermore, these offers usually have their CPA closely monitored by the provider because they are easily hacked with false traffic.
RS: Revshare (RS) means that you get a percentage of what your user spends. This never expires and the user is referred by you forever.
Read this "How to find the best affiliate marketing niche".
Traffic Arbitrage to beginners. Last week, we talked about getting traffic. Unfortunately, traffic usually comes with a bill, especially in the media buying world. So, you best get used to the following terms if you want to negotiate this bill downwards!
Traffic Arbitrage to beginners. Once you've earned and spent some money, it's time to put things in perspective and calculate your campaign's return on investment (ROI).
Read this: "How to start an affiliate marketing campaign".
Traffic Arbitrage to beginners. In this example, the provider is reporting that you made $500 in new revenues. The CPA is calculated by dividing this number by the number of conversions ("sales" for example) generated.
All new and stable affiliate programs you'll find in this FULL LIST.


Recipient of the Burston Award for Outstanding Achievement in Volunteer Administration (October 2007) from PSDVS.
Melissa is currently attending Marywood University (Scranton, Pennsylvania) for her Ph.D. in Human Development/Health Promotion. She has been focusing all course work on volunteerism and promoting the profession of volunteer administrators.


text:
Carbon Capture Methods Utilizing Organosulfur Compounds
The US National Academy of Sciences and The Royal Society have recently released a detailed report on the causes and effects of global climate change.1 This report states that the Earth's climate is rapidly changing due to human activity.…
The US National Academy of Sciences and The Royal Society have recently released a detailed report on the causes and effects of global climate change.1 This report states that the Earth's climate is rapidly changing due to human activity. Specifically, the burning of fossil fuels to satisfy the energy demands of rising global population has resulted in unprecedented levels of greenhouse gasses in the atmosphere. These high levels of greenhouse gasses are serving to warm the surface of the planet resulting in extreme weather events. Thus, controlling the atmospheric CO2 level is motivating a great deal of scientific research in the area of carbon capture and storage (CCS).
Despite the great strides being made in the areas of alternative energy and solar-energy conversion, consumption of fossil fuels for energy generation will likely continue into the foreseeable future. This is primarily motivated by economic factors inasmuch as fossil fuels are a proven resource base with robust harvesting and distribution infrastructure.2 Presently, there are more than 8,000 stationary CO2 emission sources with an annual output of 13,466 megatons of CO2 per year.2 In this context, development of systems that ameliorate the output of greenhouse gasses from stationary CO2 sources, such as coal and natural gas burning power plants, is urgently needed.
In this document the utility of sulfur nucleophiles for CCS schemes is explored. The main thrust of the research has been utilizing electrogenerated sulfur nucleophiles to capture CO2, which can be electrochemically recovered from the resulting thiocarbonates while concomitantly regenerating the masked capture agent. Further, a temperature swing CO2 capture scheme that employs benzylthiolate as the CO2 sorbent is proposed and methods of manipulating the release temperature and kinetics were investigated. These reports represent the first application of organosulfur compounds toward CCS technologies and there are a number of newly reported compounds. The appendix deviates from the theme of the first four chapters to describe the functionalization of poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene oxide) with ferrocene moieties by the copper catalyzed azide-alkyne coupling reaction. This material is discussed within the context of anion recognition and sensing applications.
Rheinhardt, Joseph (Author)
Buttry, Daniel A. (Thesis advisor)
Angell, Charles A. (Committee member)
Chizmeshya, Andrew V. G. (Committee member)
Characterizing nanomaterials and protic ionic liquids utilizing nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy
Structural details of phosphonic acid functionalized nanomaterials and protic ionic liquids (PILs) were characterized using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. It is well known that ligands play a critical role in the synthesis and properties of nanomaterials. Therefore, elucidating…
Structural details of phosphonic acid functionalized nanomaterials and protic ionic liquids (PILs) were characterized using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. It is well known that ligands play a critical role in the synthesis and properties of nanomaterials. Therefore, elucidating the details of ligand-surface and ligand-ligand interactions is crucial to understanding nanomaterial systems more completely.
In an effort to further the understanding of ligand-surface interactions, a combination of multi-nuclear (1H, 29Si, 31P) and multi-dimensional solid-state NMR techniques were utilized to characterize the phosphonic acid functionalization of fumed silica nanoparticles using methyl phosphonic acid (MPA) and phenyl phosphonic acid (PPA). Quantitative 31P MAS solid-state NMR measurements indicate that ligands favor a monodentate binding mode. Furthermore, 1H-1H single quantum-double quantum (SQ-DQ) back-to-back (BABA) 2D NMR spectra of silica functionalized with MPA and PPA indicate that the MPA and PPA are within 4.2±0.2 Å on the surface of the nanomaterial.
The ligand capping of phosphonic acid (PA) functionalized CdSe/ZnS core-shell quantum dots (QDs) was investigated with a combination of ligand exchange, solution and solid-state 31P NMR spectroscopy. In order to quantify the ligand populations on the surface of the QDs, ligand exchange facilitated by PPA resulted in the displacement of the PAs, and allowed for quantification of the free ligands using 31P liquid state NMR.
In addition to characterizing nanomaterials, the ionicity and transport properties of a series of diethylmethylamine (DEMA) based protic ionic liquids (PILs) were characterized, principally utilizing NMR. Gas phase proton affinity was shown to be a better predictor for the extent of proton transfer, and in turn the ionicity of the PIL, than using ∆pKa. Furthermore, pulsed field gradient (PFG) NMR was used to determine that the exchangeable proton diffuses with the cation or the anion based on the strength of the acid used to generate the PILs.
Davidowski, Stephen (Author)
Yarger, Jeffery L. (Thesis advisor)
Holland, Gregory P (Thesis advisor)
Buttry, Daniel A. (Committee member)
Electrochemistry of palladium with emphasis on size dependent electrochemistry of water soluble palladium nanoparticles
Palladium metal in its various forms has been heavily studied for many catalytic, hydrogen storage and sensing applications and as an electrocatalyst in fuel cells. A short review on various applications of palladium and the mechanism of Pd nanoparticles synthesis…
Palladium metal in its various forms has been heavily studied for many catalytic, hydrogen storage and sensing applications and as an electrocatalyst in fuel cells. A short review on various applications of palladium and the mechanism of Pd nanoparticles synthesis will be discussed in chapter 1. Size dependent properties of various metal nanoparticles and a thermodynamic theory proposed by Plieth to predict size dependent redox properties of metal nanoparticles will also be discussed in chapter 1.
To evaluate size dependent stability of metal nanoparticles using electrochemical techniques in aqueous media, a synthetic route was designed to produce water soluble Pd nanoparticles. Also, a purification technique was developed to obtain monodisperse metal nanoparticles to study size dependent stability using electrochemical methods. Chapter 2 will describe in detail the synthesis, characterization and size dependent anodic dissolution studies of water soluble palladium nanoparticles.
The cost associated with using expensive metal catalysts can further decreased by using the underpotential deposition (UPD) technique, in which one metal is electrodeposited in monolayer or submonolayer form on a different metal substrate. Electrochemically, this process can be detected by the presence of a deposition peak positive to the bulk deposition potential in a cyclic voltammetry (CV) experiment. The difference between the bulk deposition potential and underpotential deposition peak (i.e. the UPD shift), which is a measure of the energetics of the monolayer deposition step, depends on the work function difference between the metal pairs. Chapter 3 will explore how metal nanoparticles of different sizes will change the energetics of the UPD phenomenon, using the UPD of Cu on palladium nanoparticles as an example. It will be shown that the UPD shift depends on the size of the nanoparticle substrate in a way that is understandable based on the Plieth model.
High electrocatalytic activity of palladium towards ethanol oxidation in an alkaline medium makes it an ideal candidate for the anode electrocatalyst in direct ethanol based fuel cells (DEFCs). Chapter 4 will explore the poisoning of the catalytic activity of palladium in the presence of halide impurities, often used in synthesis of palladium nanoparticles as precursors or shape directing agents.
Kumar, Ashok (Author)
Gould, Ian R. (Committee member)
Ghirlanda, Giovanna (Committee member)
Nanoparticles 2
Physical Chemistry 2
Anodic dissolution 1
electrochemistry 1
Electrolytes 1
Ethanol oxidation 1
Ionic Liquids 1
Ligands (Biochemistry) 1
Nanoparticles--Electric properties. 1
NMR 1
Palladium 1
Palladium--Electric properties. 1
Palladium Nanoparticles 1
Size-dependent stability 1
Specific adsorption 1
Surface chemistry 1
Underpotential deposition 1


From Williams turn south on Fourth Street (FR 173-Perkinsville Rd. ) for 3.5 miles to Forest Road 140. Turn left on FR 140 and continue for 3 miles to FR 132; turn left onto FR 132 and follow it to Dogtown Lake . The roads are paved and gravelled for all-weather use.


text:
News PlayStation 2 PS2 Reviews
Shadow of the Colossus Review
November 5, 2005 Aaron-Thomas — 5 Comments
Replay Value:
Online Gameplay:
When you're the developer behind ICO, one of the most beloved PlayStation 2 games ever made, the pressure to achieve the same level of success in your follow-up game is tremendous. After a long wait and rumored sequel that never appeared (NICO), Fumito Ueda has released ICO's spiritual successor, (or is it a prequel?) Shadow of the Colossus. It's a beautiful game with a unique concept, but its deeply flawed execution and almost complete lack of a story make it far less appealing than ICO.
The game begins with a nameless young man on horseback traversing a vast, foreboding landscape. He crosses a massive bridge and enters a temple, where he places the body of a young woman upon an altar. A voice from above questions the warrior's intentions, and it is revealed that young man traveled to this land in hopes of reviving the girl. The voice then goes on to explain that the only way to bring the young woman back to life is to kill the large and powerful colossi that inhabit the surrounding area. It then gives a warning that there may be a great price to pay in doing so, but the young man chooses not to heed the warning and sets off on his adventure.
This is essentially the entire story. In fact, the next time the story is advanced in even the slightest fashion is when you're three quarters through the game. After that, there's no further storytelling until the game's ending, which leaves a lot open to interpretation in its own right, so you're never really 100 percent sure what happened. ICO was able to get away with this sort of minimalist story telling because you felt a connection with the two characters, in no small part because of how much Yorda, the young woman, relied on the boy. Other than the possible kinship you might feel with your horse, there is no such connection here, and the game suffers for it.
Shadow of the Colossus eschews the tried and true, if not played out, adventure formula of killing wave after wave of enemies, collecting random objects and powering up your character. Instead, your only tasks are to locate and slay the sixteen colossi that populate the land. It sounds easy, but there's a little more to this than meets the eye. The temple voice gives you a cryptic clue that describes the colossi's location and demeanor. These clues are worthless as they provide no real information on the whereabouts of the beast nor are they a good indication of how to defeat it. Armed with no real knowledge of where you're going, you mount your horse and gallop out of the temple into a large field. The warrior is equipped with nothing more than a sword, and a bow and arrow. When raised, the sword has the ability to focus sunlight in the direction of a colossus, giving you a general idea of where to go. Since there are mountains, cliffs, lakes, and other obstacles in the way, getting from the temple to your target isn't as easy as following your sword's ray of light. As you travel, the land you've crossed is unveiled on a rudimentary map. Other than showing your heading, pointing out passes through mountains, and where bridges lie, the map is almost completely worthless. There are no markings, so you don't know where the desert is or where the ruins of a city are, and since it's not in color it's tough to tell the difference between a desert and a lake. Unlike ICO, the journey from one point to the next is fairly simple. There's very little to the game outside of figuring out which path you need to take, some climbing, and where you need to be to trigger the colossus attack.
Clearly the colossi are the stars of the game, and though they never speak, they are almost able to convey a sense of personality. Some of them only attack when provoked, while others are relentless from first contact. A few of the colossi have scars, perhaps from previous battles, some have armor, and while most of them walk on land, a few of them fly, or attack from underwater. You really find yourself curious about the fate of these enormous beasts and why they are forced to roam the land.
The goal of every colossus battle is the same – climb onto it, find its weak spot(s), and then stab it repeatedly with your sword until it's dead. This is easier said than done. First off, you must figure out how to get on the creature. The first colossus can be climbed upon by simply hopping onto the back of his leg, stabbing it, which causes him to fall, and then quickly climbing up his back up to his head, where his weak point lies. You can only hang on to the colossus for a short time, which is indicated by a circular meter. The more the beast tries to shake you off, the faster the meter depletes, and the only way to replenish your strength is to find a relatively calm and level place to stand. As you get deeper into the game the process of getting on to the colossi gets more involved and more convoluted. Since these are the only enemies in the game it makes sense that some trial and error would be required to figure out how to climb aboard the creatures, but in some cases this concept goes a little far. You'll have to shoot them in certain places, stab almost unnoticeable weak points, get them to stand in a specific place, and search for vague clues in your surroundings to tell you what to do next. With a little patience, most of these tactics can be figured out (although many will have to consult a guide) but the real test lies in the execution.
You'll never hear the argument that ICO had excellent controls; in fact, its clunky combat was one of its most criticized aspects. Shadow of the Colossus has a similar control scheme, and though it's simple, it's just as unsuitable for fighting now as it has ever been. Jumps are imprecise, aiming the bow and arrow is a chore, and even something as simple as controlling your horse is made too difficult by the controls. What should be a majestic journey across a land bridge instead becomes a battle of getting your horse to not shake his head a whinny every time the path curves a little bit. The developers weren't even able to get something simple like mounting your horse right. Climbing on your steed is done by getting next to it and pressing triangle, which is also the jump button. Even if you're seemingly right where you need to be, it could take jumping in place two or three tries to trigger the mounting animation. Needless to say, this is incredibly frustrating during the heat of battle. Even when you get a handle on the game's controls there are still times where you're going to fall and/or die because you didn't grab a ledge you thought you did, jumped the wrong way for no apparent reason, or misjudged a jump because of poor camera angles. Missing jumps is terribly frustrating because it's often a five minute process of tedious climbing, running, and jumping before you're able to get back to where you were. When this happens two or three times a battle, which it sometimes does, it's very hard to enjoy the game.
There are also plenty of cheap deaths that are totally out of the player's hands. How long it takes to get up after getting hit depending on how hard you are hit, which occasionally leaves you susceptible to repeated and eventually deadly attacks without any chance of getting off the ground. I even had the distinct pleasure of dying during a cut-scene, because I was unable to navigate around a falling structure properly, because the camera was about two hundred yards away.
This all isn't to say that there aren't times when the action's fun, because when it works, it's almost sublime. When the controls do come together, taunting the great beasts by whistling, and then climbing, jumping from limb to limb, and then hanging on for dear life as you plunge your sword into the colossus one final time is a great experience. It's very rewarding to watch as the colossus falls to the ground with you atop it, even if it sometimes feels like more of a victory over the camera and controls than a hard fought win over a giant.
If you make it through the game, which can take 8-12 hours depending on your skill, not only are you treated to a long, rewarding ending, but you'll also unlock a harder difficulty and a time attack mode where you'll want to beat each colossus as fast as you can. Most people won't be interested in either of these options, but anyone who finished the game without sneaking a peak at a guide will probably be hardcore enough to enjoy them.
Shadow of the Colossus is one of the most gorgeous games ever made. A huge, expansive world has been painstakingly created, and it's truly a sight to behold. On your journey you'll often stop to marvel at a mountain vista, or stare across a green valley, wondering what lies between you and your destination. Mountains, cliffs, forests, deserts, and hidden waterfalls, are all waiting to be discovered, and finding them is one of the true joys of the game.
It's obvious that a tremendous amount of effort went into making each colossus a unique, life-like creature. It's hard not to just stand there in awe as the colossi reveal themselves; especially the larger ones. The way they react to you when you first see them, the incredible look of their fur, and the unique ways in which they attack are all impeccably done. Your horse, a black stallion is animated beautifully – you may even stop and admire him as he gallops towards you, mane flowing in the wind.
Shadow's beauty is marred only by a couple of technical issues, but most of them are easy to look past. The framerate, not usually a problem, dips occasionaly when riding your horse, but more noticeably during some colossi encounters. Most of the time these dips in the framerate don't affect gameplay, only becoming a problem when they cause you to fall off a colossus you worked so hard to climb. The main character's design isn't up to the same level of the colossi; he's very aliased looking, and while some of his animations are very nice, a few more variations would have gone a long way towards making him feel more life-like.
The game's camera constantly works to give you the most cinematic view of the action possible, which would be great, except for the fact that this is often the worst angle for actually playing the game. It often feels like you're expending just as much energy fighting the camera as you are the game's great beasts. Part of the problem may be due to the sheer size of the colossi, who range from the size of an elephant, to the size of a small skyscraper. Holding down the shoulder button shifts the cameras focus to the colossus, which helps some of the time, but when you're on your horse or running on foot it's hard to maneuver with the camera showing what's beside or behind you, rather than what's in front.
Much of beauty of Shadow of the Colossus' audio is simply found enjoying the sounds of your surroundings – birds chirping, waterfalls rushing, and your horse galloping across a dry plain. The minimal use of sound effects makes you feel like you're all alone in a huge world. There's very little music in the game, but the few songs that are here are some of the best you're likely to hear in a videogame. When an encounter with a colossus begins, a tense orchestrated theme kicks in, giving the struggle a more epic feel. The voice acting is all done in a fictitious language so it's hard to say whether it's good or bad, especially since there's so little of it.
Despite my harsh critiques of the game's problems, there's no doubt that some hardcore gamers will find Shadow of the Colossus a beautiful, original, and compelling game. For most, however, the lack of a story, poor controls, and miserable camera will be too much to look past. The scale of the creatures is amazing, and there are some tense and exciting moments, but frustration, be it from a terrible camera angle, a jump that went bad, or some other cheap death, always seems to snap you back to reality just as you become engrossed.
dvlboi43
I disagree with you review on several levels. First and foremost I believe that you're looking at the game from the wrong mindset. This is a game that should be viewed as a whole and played thoroughly in order to grasp the sheer vastness of it. if you let camera issues and your own quips with the controls and animations take %25 percent off of a score then you wont ever fully appreciate this game. judging from your review I dont think you spent much time really getting familiar with the game. you did play it through, i'll give you that, but you didn't pick up on a lot of things with the controls. you said the animations got repetitive, there are huge amounts of animations that can be figured out that aren't listed in the instruction manual. one of them is a much easier way to get on your horse (jump towards the side and hold the grab button, he'll latch on and climb up. good for when you're running. like in battle… ^_^). also, you dinged the horse controls for being too hard and imprecise to use. actually, if you let the horse just go freely forward after pointing it in the general right direction, then it'll just follow mostly along a path. this takes care of the winding bridges and canyon chasms. there are so many secret things in this game that nobody really bothers to find out that give it huge replay value. for example, every 2 colossi that u beat in time trial unlocks a secret item. and when you do the same thing on the hard time trial its a whole new set of items. you can also get to the top of the temple, which is one of the most insane gaming experiences ever. as to the story, it was probably made intentionally vague to leave room for your own interpretation. it was designed to provoke thought and speculation, instead of having the entire experience spelled out for you. I haven't played through ICO, but while its fair to compare them because they are related (shadow of the colossus is the prequel to ICO, btw) you are constantly pitching one against the other. they are pretty different games so talking about the control schemes for one (especially concerning fighting) in terms of the other doesn't seem to make sense. there, i've just gone and made a total nerdy prick of myself, but i felt like it had to be said. You did give the game due credit for several of its greatest attributes, and overall it was a great review, but I think that maybe you should take a second look at it. now that you've figured out every colossus, you can see the rest of the fantastic attributes to this game. sorry I rambled, but no one else did so…
Itdoesntmatter
This was written 4 years ago lol
Willcome2Urf
had to follow the recent link..
SerendipityDeus


For home buyers locked in a heated bidding war, there is one weapon that may help ensure victory: an escalation clause.
These clauses are particularly useful in a competitive real-estate market where homes typically get multiple bids. If a bidding war erupts on a home, the escalation clause will automatically raise the buyer's offer on the house by the predetermined increment, up to the maximum amount the buyer authorizes. It eliminates the back and forth of offer and counteroffer and helps the buyer avoid paying too much for a house by getting caught up in the frenzy of a bidding war. But they can be risky for buyers who use them.


Boston Children's Hospital provides the core support for OPENPediatrics, but BCH alone cannot fulfill OPENPediatrics' global mission. We rely on a global network of supporters and collaborators to help us provide clinicians worldwide with access to high quality pediatric care information.
To ensure the highest possible quality, all OP content is peer reviewed. We are developing a global community of peer reviewers to ensure our process provides insight from a wide range of perspectives. For more information, please contact us at openpediatrics@childrens.harvard.edu.
We are actively forming content collaborations with other leading pediatric care organizations in all resource settings around the world. Share your organization's expertise with the world through OPENPediatrics. For more information, please contact us at openpediatrics@childrens.harvard.edu.
Today, clinicians in every country are using this groundbreaking digital platform to enhance their knowledge of pediatric care. Your philanthropy helps to close dangerous gaps in medical training around the world. With your help, we are creating a global community for improving care of children everywhere.
As we expand from our core critical care content into all aspects of pediatric care, we have many opportunities at all giving levels for individuals and foundations to fund aspects of pediatric care that resonate with their interests or mission. Individual donations to OPENPediatrics can be made through the Boston Children's Hospital Trust donation page.
For information on giving opportunities, please contact Zoe Schmitter, Director of International Development, Boston Children's Hospital Trust at Zoe.Schmitter@chtrust.org.
OPENPediatrics is a great way to further your company's corporate social responsibility efforts in a way that can touch the lives of children around the world. For more information, please contact us at openpediatrics@childrens.harvard.edu.


Atkins seeks an energetic and highly motivated self-starter to join our team as a Project Director/Design Manager in our Alternative Delivery Group (ADG) for our North American operations. This position would be ideally based in one of the following locations: Denver, CO; Atlanta, GA; Los Angeles, CA; Seattle, WA; New York, NY; Nevada; Florida; North Carolina; South Carolina; or Texas.
In this role you will have the opportunity to significantly impact the growth of Atkins' alternative delivery (AD) practice in North America. Our AD practice in transportation spans multiple service sectors, including highways and bridges, transit and rail, tolling, ITS, aviation and construction management. You will have the opportunity to leverage more than 3,000 staff in these sectors to deliver design-build and PPP projects across North America.
The candidate will report directly to Atkins' Alternative Delivery Director within the office of the COO and may serve as Project Director on multiple pre-award and/or post-award assignments, or as Design Manager (DM) on select assignments.
The candidate will have proven experience in directing and managing pre-award and post-award services for design-build and P3 projects. Proven experience in highway and bridge project delivery is required; and experience in delivery of projects in other transportation service sectors (rail & transit, aviation) is desired. Proven ability to successfully manage multiple assignments is required.
The candidate will be responsible for directing activities associated with both pre- and post-award phases of alternative delivery projects as listed below. While this position has no direct reporting relationships, the candidate must be able to influence performance by effective collaboration with transportation business unit sector managers (BUSMs), engineering practice directors and technical directors, AD Director, and AD Project Directors.
• Working closely with AD Director and BUSMs, leverage existing relationships with builders, designers and owners to facilitate positioning of Atkins to win.
• Collaborating with BUSMs and AD Project Directors, ensure pursuit team is prepared to execute and deliver pre-award work activity.
• Participate in development and negotiation of teaming agreements between both builders and subconsultants ensuring that Atkins protocols and standards for commercial and risk terms are achieved.
• Prior to shortlisting, assist with preparation and review of SOQs.
quality management, and risk/change management.
• Ensure that project controls measures are implemented. Schedule and conduct periodic project reviews to oversee and facilitate successful project delivery performance.
• Oversee development of post-award scope, schedule and fee development.
• Assist with contract development and negotiation with AD Director and BUSMs.
• Develop and nurture key builder relationships, often as primary Atkins contact on the pursuit.
• Lead transition from pre-award to post-award work planning and resource scheduling.
• May serve as pursuit lead on select large or complex assignments.
• Collaborate with BUSMs and AD Project Directors on multiple AD projects to direct, oversee and ensure profitability, quality deliverables, and risk/change management.
• Oversee and facilitate DMs project planning activities to enable profitable and quality delivery of projects.
• Actively oversee DMs management of budget, schedule and work scope.
• Facilitate active transportation BUSM and practice manager engagement in delivery issues.
• Lead integration of risk/change management processes during delivery, including claims management.
• Develop and nurture key builder relationships, often as primary Atkins contact, on the pursuit. Seek additional opportunities with key clients.
• May serve as design manager on select large or complex assignments.
• Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering with a focus on transportation.
• Fifteen years of directly related experience with at least five of these years in the Project Manager/Design Manager position with project management responsibility on large, complex projects. Successful completion of management role in delivery of one or more projects in excess of $100 million in construction value.
• Five years of specific experience in delivery of design-build and/or P3 projects as a Design Manager, Segment Lead or Discipline Lead with experience in both pre- and post-award phases.
• Excellent technical and interpersonal skills, public speaking and persuasive ability; very strong financial management, team management, and leadership skills; ability to manage and coordinate efforts of various projects to produce budgeted profits and overall results.
• Demonstrated experience in contract negotiations, financial management, fee estimating, risk management, change management and project closeout.
• Demonstrated success achieving budget and schedule compliance on DB projects.
• Excellent communication skills and collaborative approach that permits effective communication amongst leadership, management, clients, project managers and staff.
• Enthusiastic and resilient attitude with drive to achieve and maximize opportunities.
• Must be willing to accept significant amount of travel within the U.S. with potential for periodic temporary duty when assigned to large pursuit or project.


It has great juicy fruit highlights with smooth hints of floral. Inspired by the adventurous nature of a corvette sports car, this cologne is sophisticated and fun. The top notes are pear and tangerine. The heart notes are violet, rosemary, and lavender. The bottom notes are amber, musk, and patchouli.


Few people know more about designing and building miniature golf courses than Bob. After over 25 years of working for one of the largest mini golf construction companies in the world, Bob went out on his own to begin Horwath Miniature Golf Courses.
His experience from building over 150 different miniature golf courses in America and around the world is invaluable to analyzing your needs and wants, finding the most effective ways to meet them, and helping you create the perfect family fun center to serve your community and bring in profits.
In short, Bob Horwath combines the expertise of a large company with the cost-effectiveness of a small business and a friendly, personal hands-on approach. He knows how to deliver and insists on Quality with a capital "Q" — at a price you can afford.
If you're looking for amazing value and incredible service with over 35 years (in the dirt) experience when it comes to building your miniature golf course, Bob's your go-to guy.


Published 04/18/2019 06:17:18 am at 04/18/2019 06:17:18 am in Innovative Parts Cart.
innovative parts cart innovative parts carts.
innovative parts cart b,innovative tools parts cart body,innovative parts cart body,innovative parts carts,innovative tools parts carts,innovative tools parts cart b,innovative parts carts for body shops, innovative parts cartd auto body parts cart innovative tools innovative parts cartd, ironton garden hose reel cart noharmclub ironton garden hose reel cart innovative garden hose wall mount wall mount garden hose reel ironton, parts accessories innovative tools technologies , innovative parts carta auto body parts cart innovative tools less parts handling means less risk of damage.


text:
Nyamandlovu is a  rural district located roughly 40 km northwest of Bulawayo and in Matabeleland North Province. iNyamayendlovu loosely translated means "elephant meat" in the local language, isiNdebele.

The community is predominantly Ndebele and is dependent on rural farming and cattle rearing because the soil is rich and there is abundant underground water.

The land has been redistributed by government to local residents.

Populated places in Matabeleland North Province

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
Over €500k to bring vacant housing units back into use in Limerick
SOCIAL HOUSING: JUST 32 HOMES TO BE REVITALISED UNDER NEW PLAN AS DEMAND GROWS
Anne Sheridan
The Council has said that the level of vacant properties is reducing thanks to this programme
MORE than €500,000 is being provided to Limerick City and County Council to refurbish 32 'void' and vacant housing units.
Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government Simon Coveney has announced the allocation of funding of over €24 million nationally for the return of over 1,400 vacant local authority properties to productive use this year.
Thirty-two homes across Limerick city and county will be brought back into use after €554,000 in funding was allocated to the local authority as part of the nationwide scheme.
The move is a continuation of the Government's commitment under the Social Housing Strategy to deliver 47,000 housing units by 2021 at a cost of €5.35 billion.
Minister Coveney said the plan will bring another 1,400 housing units back into use for homeless households and families on housing waiting lists.
Mr Coveney said that feedback from local authorities in respect of this programme has been "very positive" since its introduction in 2014.
"These measures will also greatly assist local authorities in achieving quick turnaround and re-letting times for such units.
"These measures will mean that there will not be a high number of vacant units, and local authorities will be continued to be supported in the remediation of any such vacant units that do occur.
"I'm happy to be able to continue the vacant property programme and to support the local authorities in the provision of funding for these very worthwhile and important schemes for local authority tenants," concluded the Minister.
Seamus Hanrahan, senior architect with Limerick City and County Council, said they have identified units across the city and county that can be renovated and reoccupied by families and individuals in need of a home.
"The level of local authority vacant houses in Limerick has been constantly reducing as a result of this funding programme over the past number of years."


Abstract: There are deep, yet largely unexplored, connections between computer science and biology. Both disciplines examine how information proliferates in time and space. Central results in computer science describe the complexity of algorithms that solve certain classes of problems. An algorithm is deemed efficient if it can solve a problem in polynomial time, which means the running time of the algorithm is a polynomial function of the length of the input. There are classes of harder problems for which the fastest possible algorithm requires exponential time. Another criterion is the space requirement of the algorithm. There is a crucial distinction between algorithms that can find a solution, verify a solution, or list several distinct solutions in given time and space. The complexity hierarchy that is generated in this way is the foundation of theoretical computer science. Precise complexity results can be notoriously difficult. The famous question whether polynomial time equals nondeterministic polynomial time (i.e., P = NP) is one of the hardest open problems in computer science and all of mathematics. Here, we consider simple processes of ecological and evolutionary spatial dynamics. The basic question is: What is the probability that a new invader (or a new mutant)will take over a resident population?We derive precise complexity results for a variety of scenarios. We therefore show that some fundamental questions in this area cannot be answered by simple equations (assuming that P is not equal to NP).


Anki Packers and Movers is the best and top Packers and Movers in Indore, Gwalior, Pune, Kolkata, Jaipur, Dhanbad, Noida and all over India. So if you want a Best Movers and Packers in Gwalior, Pune, Kolkata, Jaipur, Dhanbad, Noida and all over India call us now 9644963233. Anki Packers and Movers service company in Jaipur Rajsthan best quality professional packing and moving shifting services at the most low prices.
If you are looking Best movers and packers in Indore then Anki Packers and Movers Jaipur is the right place to fulfill all your packing and moving shifting services needs. Top packers and movers in India providing Best movers and packers support with high quality packing and moving transport service with cost-effective rates. Packers and Movers in Jaipur - We offering Best movers and packers services all Location in Indore. Our professionals keep eye on every move. Anki Packers and Movers Jaipur the complete process of home relocation to a great extent by delivering the best service in this area of Indore. Call us for home shifting, office or business relocation, local shifting and car and any type of vehicle moving services anytime any location Of jaipur.


I wanted to build a computer to say i could and this is it. Watched a few youtubes for some ideas and how to do it while on the graveyard shift and stared ordering bits.
I've always thought my system had an issue with cooling the 8700k even tho i had more than enough cooling, until i came across another youtubes regarding deliding the chip. As soon as i pulled off the IHS i noticed there looked to be a hot spot and some thermal paste that must of leaked into the chip. It did cool it down a good 15-20c on stock settings to 70c on small fft but nothing like some peoples reported temps. Next step in to play around in the bois. Any tips? Ive tried a 5Ghz OC with someones numbers and it cools to 80c at 1.35v on small fft so idk.
I filled it with thermal take c1000 opaque and it looked sweet untill i pulled it apart to delid the CPU! the system was starting to gunk up in only 3 months. So now i've drained it and filled with distilled water until my clear cryoFuel comes.
The build went pretty well even tho i had a corrupt genuine windows 10 usb which gave me a few headaches. The auros 1080 ti xtream seems to be a pretty good card giving 2025Ghz, 5616Ghz.
Did you glue the Cooper IHS on or just sit it on the cpu?
Good to hear. That's what I'm planning on doing as well. As far as I'm concerned every little temp degree down I can get helps.
Love the bends... Those look like fun bends to do!! And the copper IHS is awesome! Deliding to the next level!
The Thermaltake has a bad rep for clogging. Looks better w/o it anyways!
No the ram won't be it... I had one of mine featured last month with 2 sticks of G.skill. It would be the stiff competition. Saw some really creative builds this week. Either way this build is appreciated!!
Sorry! Just revisiting it! Beautiful!!
What did you use to relid the IHS? Glue, opoxy, nothing.. etc.
But hey won't that liquid metal be bad on copper? I've only heard things but never found a true answer.
maybe you heard of LM and alluminium? as far as rus portals go, copper and nickel plated contact plates are fine.
Wow, that tubing is great!
Kick *** plumbing! How many deg you dropped after delid?
Though I don't get people using dyes. Transparent tubes look gorgeous.
such a unique design, yet it works so well!
What's a bigger money pit? Fortnite or a PC?
Did it originally come with the 3 rgb fans?
Where did you buy the graphics card from?


Written by Mike James, a freelance writer partnering with Into the Blue on this and a number of other Christmas posts.
For many people, Christmas is the highlight of the year. It's a chance to unwind from the hassles and stresses of life and celebrate the festivities surrounded by friends and family. A time to be happy and to feel loved. But what if you don't?
People can be alone at Christmas for many different reasons – living far from home, no close family, or the recent loss of a loved one are just a few examples. Did you know that around half a million elderly people spend Christmas on their own every year?
It's important not to confuse being alone with being lonely. While it's perfectly possible to enjoy the solitude of your own company anywhere and anytime, Christmas included, loneliness is never fun and can be hard to bear. According to Age Concern, 1.2 million people in the UK are chronically lonely.
If you're dreading spending the Christmas holidays on your own, here are some tips and ideas to help you cope.
Shift the focus away from your own situation and make Christmas all about giving. Many charities and voluntary organisations are active throughout the Christmas period (and beyond!) to help those in need, and an extra pair of hands is always welcome.
Volunteering is a great way to get amongst people and away from your lonely home, while making a real difference to those less fortunate than yourself. Being able to help others at this crucial time of year will give you a different sense of happiness and perhaps the opportunity to gain inspiration and strength from people in all sorts of difficult situations.
Check for charity events in your local area or online, and consider offering to help out at a soup kitchen or charity Christmas dinner, bring gifts to a children's hospital, or visit lonely residents at a Nursing Home.
If there's an opportunity to work through the Christmas period, why not take the chance to keep busy? There are plenty of others who will be keen to take Christmas off to spend time with their families, meaning your offer to hold the fort and keep business going may be very welcome indeed.
Develop a sense of Christmas camaraderie with other colleagues who are also on duty over the festive period and have a little celebration between you. Mince pies at the desk? Fairy lights draped around the office? Christmas carols on the radio?
Even better, depending on the sort of work you do, you could be on an attractive overtime rate. Now there's a Christmas present you wouldn't have had otherwise!
With over a million chronically lonely people in this country, you're certainly not the only one to have nobody to share Christmas with. Chances are that there are others nearby in exactly the same situation. Why not club together?
Investigate local community groups or church organisations to see if you can join in with a community Christmas Dinner, possibly making new friends in the process? Alternatively, if you'd like the opportunity to cook up a Christmas feast yourself, why not be the host?
Orphan Christmas is a new movement originating in Australia, encouraging people to open their hearts and doors to those in the community who may otherwise spend Christmas on their own.
Community Christmas is an initiative to make sure no elderly person has to spend Christmas alone. They organise Christmas Lunches, pub/restaurant visits, film viewings and all sorts of other get-togethers aimed at building social interaction in the community.
Perhaps your friends and relatives are far away, or you're not able to meet up for reasons of illness or mobility issues? In that case, have Christmas party online!
Technology, thankfully, has completely revolutionised the way we're able to communicate with each other – you can now even get Christmas e-Cards here. From text messaging to social media, email to video calling, it's now easy to keep in touch. Use Skype, Facetime or Google Hangouts to set up virtual meetings with your loved ones – whether they live around the corner or across the globe. By setting up a Skype chatroom or Facebook group, people can drop in and out as they please. And the best bit? You don't have to do the cooking or the cleaning, or even get dressed!
Rather than sitting at home feeling down during the Christmas holidays, now is the chance to do something you wouldn't normally have time for. Choir Singing or Quilting? Chess or Country Walking? As long as it's an activity you're excited about and it involves social interaction or team work, it's got to be a good thing.
Why not give a Christmas present to yourself that isn't a 'thing' but an experience? If you fancy yourself as a bit of a wine connoisseur, sign up for a Wine Appreciation course. If you've always wanted to learn how to make chocolate truffles, a Chocolate Workshop may be the perfect answer. From Flower Arranging to Salsa Dancing, Yoga Retreats to Bushcraft Skills, now's the time to broaden your horizons.
Try to incorporate a physical element into your activity as this is proven to have mood lifting benefits. And if your mood is more positive, you're more likely to want to reach out and connect with the people around you.