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Alpha Hex
Rambling, rumbling, rumination
Posts Tagged 'fun'
Fuzzy Slipper Gaming
Posted in Administrative, Game Design, tagged board game, card game, familiarity, fun, Game Design, gamer, innovation, mmo, nostalgia, SWTOR, video game, wow on December 5, 2011| 12 Comments »
I'm a gamer. I define that as "a guy who plays games for fun". Some might define it as "I play video games for a living", or "video games are my hobby" or "I simulate wars with little action figures and dice" or "my life is meaningless without video games" or even "I spend all my welfare check on slot machines". It's a very fluid term. For me, games are something I play in my few bits of free time, just one option among many ways to spend my time. There are a lot of different reasons to play, though.
Sometimes I want to be intellectually challenged. This is when I'll play a Professor Layton game, Brain Age, Portal, Cogs or Safecracker… something in that vein. I enjoy a mental workout and the joy that comes with figuring something out.
Sometimes I merely want to be entertained. This is when I'll play LEGO Batman with my kids, Arkham Asylum/City, Audiosurf, Rock of Ages, A World of Keflings, or World of Goo (or maybe an Uncharted if I had a PS3).
Sometimes I just want to mindlessly plow through bad guys and collect loot. This is when I'll play Torchlight, a DIKU MMO, Kingdom Hearts or even a JRPG like Chrono Trigger or a Final Fantasy. (The bulk of which really does tend to be "grinding" and killing tons of baddies for cash and experience.)
Sometimes I want to explore and take screenshots. I love WoW for this, but Allods Online, LOTRO, RIFT, Portal 2 and many others are great, too. (This is one big problem I have with console gaming; I can't take screenshots. Yes, it's possible, I just don't have the tech.)
Sometimes I want to smash digital stuff. This is when I'll play Burnout Revenge or Boom Blox, TMNT 2: Turtles in Time or Super Dodgeball… or maybe fire up a fighting game like Soul Calibur, Super Smash Brothers or Marvel vs. Capcom 2, or even River City Ransom as a weird sort of hybrid game.
Sometimes I want grand adventure, and only a journey to Hyrule can scratch the itch.
Sometimes I want a great story with simple game elements, so I'll dig into something quirky like Ghost Trick (a fantastic little game with a very well-wrought story) or a Phoenix Wright game, or fire up an old Sierra or LucasArts adventure game (currently playing through The Dig, then the Indiana Jones games).
Sometimes I really want to get creative and tinker, so The Incredible Machine or Minecraft are the best.
Sometimes I want a good card game, so I'll play Magic the Gathering, the WoW TCG, Rook, Rage, SET, the Monopoly card game or even UNO.
Sometimes a board game is best, so I'll play Ticket to Ride, Settlers of Catan, Chess, Mancala, or my new favorite, Blokus.
…and with all of these, there are at least dozens of other games that easily come to mind, but I'm trying to keep it somewhat concise.
There is some overlap, to be sure. The Portal games are both mentally interesting and entertaining. JRPGs sometimes have great stories too. RockSteady's Batman games are great for exploration, story and fun brawler combat. Blokus is great for flexing puzzle thinking and having fun with my kids.
Still, even with this wide variety, sometimes I just want to play something I've played before, that I know I'm good at. This is the "fuzzy slippers gaming" from the title. It's like that old dog-eared worn out copy of I, Jedi that I read every few years because it's one of my favorite books. Sometimes, I just want a familiar game to go play for a while, maybe because it's about revisiting old, cherished memories that are tied to the game. Maybe it's because I won't have to think too much. Maybe it's because I want to share the game with my kids. There's something valuable about a game that is worth playing again and again.
So, that Star Wars invocation isn't an accident. What of Star Wars: The Old Republic and the familiarity that it's perhaps trying to invoke? As Brian Green and others have noted, it's largely "more of the same", and can fill that niche of "familiar" for a lot of players. I think there's value in that, to be sure. Not enough for me to pay anything more than $10 for an always-online game, and certainly not enough for me to pay a subscription for. Also, there's a distinction between gameplay and the game itself. I'd happily accept a new Miles Edgeworth or Phoenix Wright game because of how they play; that scratches the "familiar" itch while still providing a new story to enjoy. Ditto for a new Professor Layton. Still… I'd get them on sale, simply because if I just wanted the nostalgia, I'd play the older game I already own for free.
Of course, sometimes there are other motivations. I'd buy an English release of Seiken Densetsu 3 because I loved Secret of Mana and want to tell Square that SD3 is a worthy successor. I'd buy a new Chrono game because they dropped the ball by stopping with Chrono Cross and Chrono Trigger is incredible. (It was the first game I wanted to make a direct sequel to, and even wrote up some design documents for it.) Sometimes I do want to tell companies that their trendlines are good and to keep up the good work, though with a side order of "keep this trend, but keep experimenting around the edges". That can be a hard message to send sometimes.
All in all, though, I value innovation and new experiences. That's why I play a lot of different games instead of welding myself to a monogamous MMO. (Even beside the annoyance I have with the subscription model.) There's value in familiarity, but if I have to keep paying for it, well… that's usually something I'm not interested in doing. Tangentially, this is a great article on Frozen Synapse and their business model; my favorite "single pay" model.
Ultimately, I have other games to scratch that itch for familiar gaming, so I'm not going to buy into a new game that does the same old things but asks a premium for it.
This is also why I strongly resist games that require me to be online to play. I don't trust that they will always be available, or that I'll always have a usable internet connection. If the idea is to make me want to go back to play the game, I need to be able to do that on a whim. Similarly, this is why portable games are so great; the low overhead of the DS version of Chrono Trigger means I'll play it more than my old SNES version or PS1 version, and I played those a lot. The easier it is to just get in and play, the better, if you're trying to get me to put your game in that "familiarity" slot. Otherwise, I'm going elsewhere.
As for why this is important when I'm not a continuing stream of obvious revenue via a sub, well, I do occasionally buy DLC, and I do talk about and cheerlead for games that I love. I strongly recommend Chrono Trigger, Minecraft, Frozen Synapse, X-Com, Professor Layton, Recettear, Ghost Trick, World of Goo, Cogs and a whole bunch of other great games. Other people have purchased games I've recommended. I've purchased games other people recommend. If I didn't have that positive experience with the games, then that free advertising goes away. Maybe it's hard to quantify that, but there's value there, and trying to mine it with RealID shenanigans or subs will make it evaporate instantly.
The last thing I want when I go for familiar gaming, my mental Fuzzy Slippers of Comfort +5, is to be hit up for money or a need to login to a server.
I Can Fly
Posted in art, Game Design, tagged art, Druid, flight, fun, Game Design, mmo, Tauren, wow on March 23, 2011| 19 Comments »
OK, WoW Anonymous admission time.
My name is Tesh, and I actually kinda sorta like World of Warcraft. Sometimes, it even makes me happy.
Piggie!
(If you don't understand the piggie, check out the link to Larisa's place. She and BBB have been pontificating on the state of WoW of late, so this is, in large part, for them and anyone else who wants to maybe find a little magic again. I'm definitely out of touch with the WoW mainstream… and I love it that way.) And as any good Peter Pan fan knows, happiness can lead to flight. But I get ahead of myself.
Oh, don't get me wrong, I stand by my assertions that the subscription model* is a Terrible, No Good, Very Bad Idea for several reasons, I wish WoW were more "world-like" and less "game-like", and I still see several problems with the game design of WoW. The one that bugs me the most at the moment is that crafting tradeskills suffer from atrocious pacing, high cost (in time or in gold via buying ingredients at auction) and irrelevance to gameplay and the economy 98% of the time. Sometimes, other people still stink (though my experience with other players is 80% pleasant, 15% awesome and only very rarely bad). I can even see a LOT of little art things to nitpick, since I deal with 3D game art all day. The game still has an unfortunate gravitational effect on the MMO industry on the whole that I think is stifling innovation.
…but y'know what? I'm a latecomer to the party. While I've studied the game off and on since it came out years ago, as a player, the world of Azeroth (and Outland) is still largely new and even joyous to me, even though most of the mechanics are long since rote and bland (though really, the same could be said of most of my beloved JRPGs, even the incredible Chrono Trigger, so that's nothing new). There is still stuff to see, places to go, quests to read, ways to explore. I got my first level 60 character just a couple of weeks ago. My Tauren Druid, Tishtoshtesh, dinged 60 and immediately set out to get the Druid Flight Form. And hoo boy, bob howdy…
I LOVE FLYING
If I could have a supermutant power, I'd want to fly. OK, well, if I could have only one supermutant power, I'd want invulnerability, but flight almost as much. (Since really, flight without invulnerability of some sort is asking for trouble anyway. RIP, Banshee. But I'm not bitter. Nope, not at all.)
So yeah, I'm loving just flying around the Old World of Azeroth, taking plenty of pictures of things that interest me. I've been given license to explore like I've never done before in the game, and I'm taking advantage of it. Let those ground-pounding grinders race to the endgame treadmill (sort of like accelerating into a red light), I have sights to see. I'm sure they think I'm wasting my time, but hey, it's mine to waste.
Sights like these make me happy. (And yes, if I could fly in Minecraft, you can bet your favorite great aunt that I'd spend a lot of time doing so. It's not as pretty as WoW, but seeing the sights from the air is still great fun, like that greenhouse my daughter and I built the other day, or the water-encased diving tower from world's top to world's bottom…)
Tesh's Picasa WoW stuff
More, but better; stitched "panorama" shots
Lordaeron Throne Room
Volcanic Lava Flow
Darkshore Sinkhole
It's a mix of the mundane (shots I took to study how they do texturing and modeling) and the marvelous (the remodeled Darkshore looks especially great from the air), but hopefully there's something in there that shows some of what the game has to offer those who go off the rails, taking to wing to see the sights. There's a world out there to see, and I've been having fun exploring it.
*Disclosure: I'm taking advantage of the WoW VISA card to get some playtime. I keep it around just for big purchases and emergencies. We replaced our 35-year-old house's windows, so I put that bill on the WoW VISA, and bam, four months of playtime in the form of four one-month time codes, just for going through a little extra paperwork. (We paid off the VISA bill almost immediately from savings; we had the money to pay the bill effectively on-hand, but we may as well push it through the system for a little bonus, hm?) I maintain that subs stink, but hey, there's enough fun to be had in WoW to play, at least for a little while. I'll man up and burn out like a bitter veteran later. Maybe. If I feel like it.
…though I maintain that it's possible to like the good parts of the game and dislike the bad parts without conflating the two and condemning the game or praising it to the exclusion of the other. Weird, I know. That just isn't done on the internet.
Posted in Administrative, Game Design, Religious/Philosophy, tagged alpha hex, board game, card game, education, fun, Game Design, learning, mistakes, PvE, PvP, video game, yomi on January 18, 2010| 14 Comments »
What is a game, exactly?
There are a lot of different types of games, to be sure, but to my eye, the heart of what makes a game is the possibility of making choices. Games are differentiated from passive entertainment like TV or film by allowing the end user to have some input that changes the experience. Exactly how much control devs give to the player can vary wildly, but giving the user choices is important. Of course, when you give the end user the ability to make choices, they may make mistakes.
I've come to believe that mistakes are what make a lot of games tick. Part of this is the notion that experimentation and punishment-light mistakes are a significant part of how I define "play". Mistakes are part of learning, and if learning itself is fun, it's usually because those mistakes aren't backbreaking. Take chances, get dirty, make mistakes!
I've been experimenting with board and card game design for a while now. I'm close to having two more PDF games for download, like I presented Alpha Hex. (I'd love it if I could make a bit of money on the side with these, but since I'm a rookie designer, I'd be pleased with feedback.) Card and board games tend to be Player vs. Player, while video games tend to be Player vs. Environment. Sure, there are the occasional cooperative PvE-like board games like Pandemic or Lord of the Rings, and there are many PvP video games like Street Fighter or Counter Strike, but I'm just talking in generalities.
The PvP in Tic-Tac-Toe is trivial. The game can always be played to a draw with two sufficiently competent players. (The level of competency is low, as well.) PvP in Rock-Paper-Scissors is mechanically trivial, though there is a layer of "yomi" when it comes to the psychological games played between players. PvP in Othello is a bit more mechanically involved, as well as strategically and tactically varied. Go and Chess are a step further than that.
In most PvP scenarios, games between equally competent players tend to come down to mistakes. Perfect execution in Tic-Tac-Toe means you always get a draw. A player with better mastery of mind games will do better in Rock-Paper-Scissors. Perfect execution of a strategy in Go or Chess is a different thing, though, since the opponent has more opportunity to throw a wrench in the works. More choices for each player tends to provide greater strategic and tactical depth, largely by giving players more opportunities to make mistakes. Savvy players will capitalize on opponent mistakes while avoiding making any of their own.
In these more complex games, player choices tend to have multiple effects. A knight in Chess, for example, can be used to "fork" an opponent, forcing them into choosing between two (or more!) pieces threatened by the knight. If one of those pieces happens to be the king, the other piece must be sacrificed (or the knight captured). In other words, players can use pieces that have multipronged influence to force decisions on opponents. Force enough of those decisions without making too many yourself, and you can break an opponent.
To a lesser degree, that's exactly how you can win Tic-Tac-Toe, by creating a choice for an opponent; block here or there… but if both are winning positions, the opponent cannot win since they don't get two turns in a row. Connect Four is a step beyond, extending the grid and allowing for more opportunity to force bad decisions. Chess and Go do a similar thing, just with much more effective pieces and a tendency to need to think more than one or two moves ahead. Greater piece and rule complexity allow for increased depth.
OK, so none of this is exactly rocket science. It's Game Design 101 kind of stuff. This is just the sort of thing I find myself thinking about when I try to distill my own game designs. I want to make games that are relatively simple to play, but with tactical or strategic depth, not unlike Go or Othello. The game mechanics are simple enough, but thanks to large decision trees and yomi layers of move-countermove, tactics and strategy have plenty of room to breathe and develop.
On one hand, we have "games" like Candyland, where the entire game is decided by the initial state of the shuffled cards. Players make no significant decisions, they just go through the motions. The "game" is an exercise in foregone conclusions, and players are just seeing what will happen, their biggest decisions being when to turn over the inevitable card, or when to simply quit. (OK, they could also choose to cheat, but that's not quite what I'm getting at here.)
On another hand, we have "games" like Roulette, where the player makes two initial choices (what number to bet on and how much to bet), and random chance does the rest. Slot machines are even worse.
These really aren't games in my mind, but I'm not sure what to call them. Still, people "play" them, and somehow derive fun. Perhaps, like Avatar's popularity despite a weak "story", the fun is derived from the window dressing and the experience. Would a 3D holographic Candyland sell? Perhaps it's all about the payoff or the achievement, where the ends somehow determine that the means were fun. Or maybe it's all about the payoff, and the "game" is just something to suffer through.
On another hand, games like Rock-Paper-Scissors are all about the mind games. David Sirlin's Yomi card game digs even deeper into the yomi layers. The actual conflict resolution is less about the very deterministic mechanics (Paper can never beat Scissors), and more about the player choices, especially since every player can choose rock, paper or scissors at any time. These games can be very satisfying if you find fun in outguessing another player.
Tangentially, PvP in class-based MMOs tend in this direction, albeit more simplistically. Rogues beat Mages who beat Warriors who beat Rogues. There are some ways to alleviate this rigid dynamic (panic buttons like Ice Block for a Mage, Spell Reflection for a Warrior and so on), but for the most part, we're back in RPS territory. Pokemon is similar, just with an extended dependency/elemental heirarchy.
I tend to find this sort of rigid design less than satisfactory. Sure, it might feel great to always beat on the class that you are inherently superior to, but it stinks to lose continually to a class inherently superior to yours. This is one reason why I keep asking for more flexibility in MMO combat (BBB has a great article up on this philosophy), even allowing every player to shift to their own Rock, Paper or Scissors at any given moment. To me, that's more interesting game design, and far more satisfying to pull a victory out of, since it hinges on my choices in the moment, not an irrevocable class choice I made a long time ago. I don't like approaching a RPS game if I'm stuck being Scissors.
On yet another hand, there are the relatively simple two player games that tend to give one or the other player an advantage simply by the way they are designed. Chess gives a slight edge to White, but a game like Y or Hex might have an even stronger advantage for the first player. (Alpha Hex, strangely, gives a fairly strong advantage to the second player. That's the natural result of the capture-countercapture nature of the game.) There are even games that, given perfect execution of a "determined" winning strategy, do not allow one of the players to win. Ever. Sometimes a draw isn't even possible.
These games are where mistakes are especially important. Perfect execution of an invincible strategy makes for a tedious "game" for the player who isn't going to win. The strategy-stealing argument suggests that the losing player cannot "steal" the winning strategy as long as the winner maintains the strategy. The best they can hope for is a draw, if the game even allows that. The game could effectively be declared finished when the initial turn order is decided; it's all just going through the motions at that point.
Unless the winner-to-be makes a mistake.
This sort of strong bias for one player or the other can be a handicap mechanic for players of widely diverse skill levels, but it's not much fun for players who both know the strategies and who can execute them perfectly. That's where a number of fudge factors come into play.
Increasing the opportunities to make mistakes by increasing the number of decisions to make is one way to fudge this bias. That's effectively how Chess evens the playing field. Some games hide information, like Stratego, forcing players to make decisions with imperfect knowledge, effectively playing the odds and trying to outguess the opponent. Many games use a random element, whether it's shuffled cards, dice rolls, variable goals or even just each player holding cards only they can see (until played, anyway). Whatever the case, these fudge factors allow mistakes (or force them!), thereby disrupting the formation of a perfect strategy. The lack of perfect information is a benefit to these efforts to make the game more interesting by inviting mistakes.
Alpha Hex does give the second player an advantage (which messes with the psychology of gamers, since it's usually the first player with an advantage), but the fudge factors of an unknown opponent hand (which cards they are holding, which may be magnified when you're playing with random cards rather than sticking to a purely monoelemental deck) and the ability to play any given card in six different orientations (more choices) help alleviate the bias. The optional elemental rule (especially if randomized) throws another variable into the mix. The also-optional chain rule makes the game very swingy, but gives the opportunity to make up for past mistakes (or even lets players use fake "mistakes" to manipulate the opponent into making their own mistakes… more yomi gaming, there).
Also, the first player can control the pace of the game. A timid player going first might start in the corner, but that gives the second player an advantage. An aggressive player starting on an edge or in the middle will start in a cell that has an even number of cells around it, setting up a sort of "game within a game". (If the board were only ever 7 cells in a circular pattern, the first player playing in the middle would have a very strong advantage. If the first player can manage to win this minigame before filling out the board's other 5 cells, they can come closer to parity.) Even so, the game tends to be decided in a few key points, rather than at any point in the match. The first play is crucial, the 7-cell minigame is important (even if it means you build differently from the seven cell circle), and the transition from the 7-cell to the "endgame" can be a backbreaker.
This is why I've toyed with different board geometry, with more cells in different shapes. I want to disrupt the formation of a perfect strategy, in an effort to make player choice crucial to the game. I want to give the players more chances to make mistakes (and make correct decisions). Alpha Hex isn't a perfect game, but it's been fun to design and to play. I hope others have fun with it as well, and mistakes are a big part of that. (So if you're interested at all in a hex-based card game with shades of Triple Triad, please download the Alpha Hex Paper Beta! I'd really appreciate some feedback on it, too.)
Mistakes are important in game design, too, which is why testing is such a huge component of polishing a game. Mistakes can provide critical feedback, whether it's for the player or the designer. This is also why it's important to learn from mistakes, rather than just blithely go on making the same ones over and over. We are guaranteed to make mistakes, since we're not omniscient. We simply have to learn from them as we try to develop our own perfect strategy. (Interestingly, it's the designer's job to prevent perfect strategies, at least with some games.)
That said, I'll admit that if I do manage to devise a perfect strategy for a game, I almost immediately lose interest in it. A solved puzzle just isn't as much fun. Likewise, "solved" PvP, if dominant or perfect strategies exist, just isn't all that fun to play, at least not for me. It's just going through the motions, convincing myself that I'm having fun doing the same thing over and over. The interesting part is that I get tired of it whether I'm winning or losing.
Perhaps variety really is the spice of life, and making mistakes is a part of that. It's certainly key to making a game interesting in my book.
It should be noted that I'm talking about mistakes that can be learned from, not a Random Number Generator forcing mechanical "mistakes", thereby destroying any sense of control and progress. It's a crucial difference; I don't mind mistakes that I make and learn from, but I can't stand mistakes that the game makes then forces me to live with the consequences. I love game design that makes all mistakes hinge on the player choices… because those are the ones I learn the most from and have the most fun playing.
Posted in Game Design, tagged art, fun, Game Design, game industry on May 23, 2009| 10 Comments »
Shamus has another great article up:
Death to Good Graphics!
While he states things a bit more… vitriolic than I might, I wholly agree with the sentiment. Those of you who know that I'm an artist in the game industry might find that a little odd, so I'll elaborate.
Why do Pixar movies regularly beat out Dreamworks offerings? Both produce well crafted visuals, employing bleeding edge technology. They do have slightly different target audiences, but the visuals are comparable. Monsters vs. Aliens has a character that could pass as Sully's cousin (from Monsters, Inc.). Kung Fu Panda is perhaps the most Disneyish of Dreamworks' lineup, as it shows a great degree of restraint and respect for the source material, but it doesn't really offer a visual enhancement over Ratatouille or Monsters, Inc. (and some of the most visually striking sequences are the "storybook" bits that aren't in the "full real world 3D" style).
The beating heart of Pixar's success is the story. Solid characters drive the story. The visuals are just a means to an end. They look great, certainly, but without the lovingly crafted stories, Pixar movies would be little more than tech demos. Dreamworks is just as technically visually adept as Pixar, but their storytelling leans more to the armpit than the heart. As a result, they don't enjoy the same level of success as Pixar, either critical or monetary.
The beating heart of a game is the fun factor. If a game looks gorgeous, but requires clinical insanity to appreciate the gameplay, it's not much of a game. If the development budget of a game is largely bent to serve the blingy visuals, something else is getting cut, and more likely than not, it's the stuff that actually makes the game fun (or stable).
Look at some of the most popular games out there:
Peggle is extraoridnarily low tech visually, but still has a ton of players. Ditto Bejeweled or the like. They aren't ugly, and they have competent art direction to make them visually appealing, but first and foremost, they are fun to play. This is a big part of why handheld gaming is so significant in the industry, and why "casual" gaming and short session gaming is closer to the future of the industry than Gears of War 5.
World of Warcraft isn't the most visually attractive game out there, but solid art direction and savvy scalable art assets are layered on top of a game that is fun to play (at least until you're burnt out). Age of Conan has detailed art and plenty of eye candy, but just isn't as fun to play as WoW, according to many. (I don't speak from experience on that; AoC isn't interesting to me, but there are those who I respect who like it more than WoW, like Openedge1.)
Uno on XBox Live has sold a few copies, and Castle Crashers is a critical and monetary success, despite graphics that aren't appreciably advanced beyond those of a decade ago. People still play Settlers of Catan, even online, or even Risk or any of its derivatives, and they are far from pixel-shaded DX10 monstrosities.
The priority in game design should be giving the player the chance to have some fun. I love making pretty visuals as much as the next guy (and I was trained to make Pixar-level visuals; I can *do* super high end with the right tools), but constantly chasing the bleeding edge of visual prettiness means making sacrifices in time and monetary dev budgets that more often than not, could be better spent making the core game experience better, whether that means more iterative design with ugly graphics (to see if the thing *plays* well) or more features, less visual creep.
Yes, that may mean fewer artists in the industry, so I may well be shooting myself in the foot on that, but I really do think that the health of the industry depends more on making greater *games*, and not on making prettier games. If you can do both, that's great, but if there has to be a choice made (and there usually is), even though I'm an artist, I'll always side with making a better game.
Stuck in the Web
Posted in Administrative, Game Design, tagged fun, Game Design on November 23, 2008| 8 Comments »
Or, fun ways to waste your lunch break.
Eyeballing
And this is fun for the upcoming snow, though it's technically not a web application. Unless you're in Australia, then you have to wait a bit longer than us Northies.
I'm sure there are plenty of other great toys and games, but these are the ones that have caught my attention of late. Game design isn't all about the gears of war or worlds of warcraft.
Pluggery Tish Tosh Tesh Toyz on Zazzle
Puzzle Pirates (referral link and my pirate)
Wizard 101 (referral link)
My W101 Friend Code:
64503-12124-87113-31892
A Kingdom For Keflings Allods Online art A World of Keflings balance battletech Blizzard blogging board game business business model card game choice Christmas class design dice Druid economy f2p fiction final fantasy finance game Game Design game development game industry gaming Gearpunk guild wars holiday humor indie keflings Kickstarter metal microtransaction Minecraft mmo monetization music NinjaBee Operation Backlog philosophy photography playing cards poker political politics psychology puzzle puzzle pirates PvP RPG sale Shapeways Steam steampunk storytelling strategy subscription tactical tactics Tinker Tinker Deck Tinker Dice video game Wahoo warcraft wizard 101 world of warcraft wow writing XBox Zomblobs
A Green Mushroom
Anjin In Exile
Ardwulf's Lair
Armor Blog
Avatars of Steel
bhagpuss
Big Bear Butt Blog
Blue Kae
Brainy Gamer
Bright Hub MMO Channel
Bull Copra
Cap'n John's Blog
Casual Is As Casual Does
Channel Massive
Cipher Prime
Crazy Kinux (EVE)
Crits Happen
Cynwise
Dacheng
Dead End Thrills
Deuwowlity
Dragonchasers
Dwism
Eccentrica Jones
Elder Game
Epic Slant
epic.ben
Experience Points
Fool's Age
Fun In Games
Game By Night
Games and Geekery
GameSetWatch
Giving Up Control
Gnomeageddon
Harbinger Zero
Heal Over Time
Heartless Gamer
Hiwiller
Hunter's Insight
I Have Touched The Sky
i haz pc
Image Heavy
Imraith
In An Age
Ixobelle
Kill Ten Rats
Level Capped
Mana Obscura
Matticus
Mike Darga
Mind Bending Puzzle
MMO Gamer Chick
MMOMisanthrope
Modran's Random Miles
Muckbeast (Frogdice)
Mystic Worlds
Need More Rage
No Twinkies!
nugget!
Paperwalker
Peregrine Design
Philosopher Gamer
Pink Pigtail Inn
Pixel Poppers
Player vs. Developer
Procedural World
Procrastination Amplification
Psychochild
Psychology of Games
Pumping Irony
Raging Monkeys
Rampant Coyote
Random Lives
Rog's 4th Wall
Running Off Cliffs
Scott Hartsman
Serial Ganker
Shards of Imagination
Sirlin
Spinksville
Stylish Corpse
Sugarpunk
Systemic Babble
Taija's Drawing Board
Thallian and Anton
The Ancient Gaming Noob
The Friendly Necromancer
Tim Howgego
Tipa's West Karana
TK Nation
Tobold
Twenty Sided
We Fly Spitfires
What Games Are
Why I Game
Wiqd
Wolfshead
Word of Shadow
Writer on Fire
Xoduz
Yeebo Fernbottom
zzz Daedalus Project (retired)
zzz Resto4Life (retired)
Tom Purdue on Library of the Lost: Free D…
Snow Geeky! Fandom I… on Steampunk Snowflake
Meeples, Mayhem and… on Meeple Mangling, For Scie…
art post: New Year p… on Snowflake Seeds
[NBI] In which we ce… on NBI: hobNoBbIng
Daily Dose of Dice #5: Alphabet Soup
Atlantica Online vs. Puzzle Pirates: Microtransactions vs. Dual Currency
What a Ship Is...
Tish Tosh Tesh Twit
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Thank you for providing a lovely virtual trip to accompany my morning coffee! The boteh is beautiful, and the yarn shop looks inspiring. I love the way you include bits of information on so many different topics – architecture, history, weather, travel logistics, and art!
That was a wonderful trip to take us on. I liked the fact that the boteh co-ordinated so well with your nails! I've been fascinated by Sanquhar knitting patterns for some time, so I've had a yen to visit and now even keener. Off to follow some of your links now.
I hadn't planned on matching the boteh to my nails! But I think I had a bit of a green thing in my mind – perhaps influenced by the wonderful greens in the trees at this time of the year. I've been fascinated by Sanquhar knits since we moved here some 6 years ago – I can't work out why these patterns are so localised, and even though posh folk like the Prince of Wales wore their knits, the patterns didn't really spread. I did try knitting some gloves – but they used much much finer yarns than mine, and it just didn't work for me. We were disappointed in Sanquhar that the local knitters (who might have given me more ideas for knitting these patterns) do display knitting – but not on Fridays or weekends when we were there!
Please can you go again and take me with you? That sounds like the perfect holiday to me.
Haha! …. we're not sure we're ever going again because it was so perfect with weather, interest, variety etc that we think we might be tempting fate if we went again!
It sounds like you had an action packed week and weren't you lucky with the weather! Very brave of you to stay alone at the North College. Were there any ghosts? So many interesting things in this blog … particularly liked the woven shoes (how uncomfortable) and the ironing board (think I would have just lay down on it). And yes, the tiles, what a clash with the stained glass windows! Probably listed though, like our neighbours' crittall windows ….
You've definitely sold the trip to the rest of us!
Intriguing that you think it might have been haunted at North College, Mandy – I was awake one night into the early hours and walked round the College buildings and gardens (moonlit – magical) all by myself. I felt it to be the friendliest place I have ever known – not at all scary. This from one who is quick to avoid ghost stories! Whole trip was magical really …..
What a scenic, lovely, historic area! – I enjoyed visiting the Scottish west coast via this post.
Thank you! It is a fascinating area, Sheryl – we can't wait to go back and explore more!
What an epic trip! The nature, architecture, textiles – everything is fascinating! I would love to stay in the North College someday – it looks absolutely beautiful. Thank you for taking me on this visual trip – was the perfect start of Sunday morning.
So glad you enjoyed it, Alina! I think you'd particularly love to see the Sanquhar knitting patterns.
Beautiful post filling me with wanderlust. The paisleys are delightful, so fat and material for something I know only as a 2D pattern.
Aaaah – I recognise that wanderlust inspired by internet cruising …. So many gorgeous places to go! Thank you for your kind comments on the paisleys – they were such fun to do, that I haven't stopped making them since I got home! I do hope Lorna will one day produce a book with instructions to make these and other treasures because she has some wonderful ideas.
J > That's a trip D and I would have loved to make. Some years ago I was working away from home, based in Glasgow during the week, and stopping over some weekends. One lovely day I went over to Cumbrae, exploring entirely on foot. Too much walking, not enough time spent at any one spot, but I did prioritize the Cathedral of the Isles, which I absolutely loved. I would have gladly spent all my time there – or an entire weekend or more. Your stop at Sanquahar and travels through the Lowther hills reminds me of our time living in Dumfries & Galloway, back in the early 1990s. D made some Sanquar gloves, though I don't think we have them any more. Thanks again for taking us with you on your curious and thoughtful travels!
Gosh, you have lived in some very interesting places! Cumbrae is wonderful, isn't it – and so little visited. We were amazed at the many people we know here who didn't even know where the island is. And we loved our travels back through Dumfries & Galloway – all definitely on our "To return" list.


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SDCC15: All Things Archie as Archie Comics Prepares for Biggest Comic-Con Presence Ever
ARCHIE #1 Cover by Fiona Staples
New York, NY (July 6, 2015) Archie Comics, the acclaimed and bestselling comic book publisher that is home to some of the best-known pop culture creations in the world, including Archie, Jughead, Betty & Veronica, Josie & The Pussycats, Sabrina the Teenage Witch and the hit AFTERLIFE WITH ARCHIE series, today unveiled plans for an expansive and ambitious presence at Comic-Con International: San Diego 2015—timed to the launch of an all-new ARCHIE #1 from the all-star creative team of writer Mark Waid and artist Fiona Staples.
ARCHIE #1, hitting comic shops and digital retailers on Wednesday, July 8—the same day doors open on Comic-Con International: San Diego 2015—reimagines the classic character and his friends Jughead, Betty & Veronica, Reggie and more, infusing them with a modern day sensibility that still harkens back to the roots of the long-running comedy series. It's a story for all ages that reiterates the vibrancy, relevance and quality that fans have come to expect from Archie Comics as the company heads into its 75th year.
"ARCHIE #1 is a milestone for this company, in every way," said Jon Goldwater, Archie Comics Publisher/Co-CEO. "We are pulling back the curtain and showing fans the true origin of Archie, the love triangle and so much more, under the watchful eye of two of the absolute best comic book creators on the planet – Mark Waid and Fiona Staples. Not only are they brimming with talent, but they're huge Archie fans—once again showing how impactful these characters have been and proving that not only will Mark and Fiona create a legendary story, but they will honor the past while building a new, exciting future for Archie and friends."
The new ongoing comic book series is the first of three "New Riverdale" titles set to roll out over the next 12-18 months, including a new JUGHEAD title in October, spotlighting Archie's burger-loving best friend, from writer Chip Zdarsky (Sex Criminals) and Erica Henderson (The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl) and BETTY AND VERONICA next summer, taking readers deeper into the friendship and rivalry between the beloved teen characters, from legendary writer/artist Adam Hughes (Before Watchmen: Doctor Manhattan).
The relaunch sets the stage for an amazing week of events, giveaways, exclusives and announcements at the biggest pop culture event in the world, Comic-Con International: San Diego 2015—including two exclusive-to-the-show variant cover editions of ARCHIE #1 and a chance to win a free copy of the landmark issue by attending the Friday Archie Comics Forever panel in Room 4.
Archie Comics Panels at Comic-Con International: San Diego 2015
Archie Forever, Friday, 7/10/15, 1:00p.m. - 2:00p.m., Room: 4
Hot off the blockbuster launch of the first Archie #1 in over 75 years, this is one panel Archie fans can't miss! Get exclusive news on the Archie Horror titles, the new JUGHEAD ongoing series, and more! The panel features Jon Goldwater (co-CEO/publisher), Victor Gorelick (co-president/editor-in-chief), Mike Pellerito (president), Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa (chief creative officer/writer of Afterlife with Archie, Chilling Adventures of Sabrina), Mark Waid (writer of Archie), Chip Zdarsky (writer of Jughead), Adam Hughes (writer/artist Betty & Veronica), Dan Parent (writer/artist, Life With Kevin, Archie vs. Sharknado),Anthony C. Ferrante (writer of Archie vs. Sharknado), and moderator Alex Segura (SVP-publicity and marketing/editor of Dark Circle Comics). Plus, an exclusive gift bag ticket and a FREE copy of the all-new ARCHIE #1 for all attendees!
Dark Circle Comics, Saturday, 7/11/15, 1:00p.m. - 2:00p.m., Room: 29AB
Get in on the ground floor of 2015's most ambitious comics imprint as Alex Segura (editor of Dark Circle Comics), Jon Goldwater (co-CEO/publisher), Mike Pellerito (president of Archie Comics), Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa (chief creative officer), and key talent like Adam Christopher and Chuck Wendig (co-writers, The Shield), and Frank Tieri (writer, The Hangman) expand the cinematic and literary universe of titles coming from Dark Circle Comics, including The Black Hood, The Shield, and The Hangman!
Archie Action, Sunday, 7/12/15, 1:00p.m. - 2:00p.m., Room: 32AB
What do the heroes of SEGA and CAPCOM do when facing unbeatable odds? They unite their forces! Find out more about this summer's blockbuster Archie Action crossover event, WORLDS UNITE, asVincent Lovallo (Editor of Sonic the Hedgehog, Mega Man) is joined by Mike Pellerito (president of Archie Comics), Alex Segura (SVP-publicity and marketing), Evan Stanley (writer/artist Sonic Universe), and Edwin Huang (artist of Mega Man) to take you behind the scenes and break the latest news and announcements!
Archie Comics Creator Signing Schedule (Booth #1829)
4-5pm: Dan Parent (Betty and Veronica, Kevin Keller)
5-6pm: Evan Stanley, Dan Schoening, Luis Antonio Delgado, Edwin Huang (Sonic the Hedgehog, Mega Man)
12-1pm: Adam Christopher (The Shield)
2-3pm: Mark Waid (Archie, The Fox)
3-4pm: Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa (Afterlife with Archie, Chilling Adventures of Sabrina)
4-5pm: Dan Parent (Betty and Veronica, Kevin Keller), Bill Galvan (Archie)
5-6pm: Evan Stanley, Dan Schoening, Luis Antonio Delgado (Sonic the Hedgehog, Mega Man)
11am-12pm: Alex de Campi (Archie vs. Predator)
12-1pm: Dan Parent (Betty and Veronica, Kevin Keller), Bill Galvan (Archie)
2-3pm: Frank Tieri (The Hangman), Adam Christopher, Chuck Wendig, Drew Johnson (The Shield)
4:30-5:30pm: Mark Waid (Archie, The Fox)
5:30-6:30pm: Evan Stanley, Bill Freiberger, Dan Schoening, Luis Antonio Delgado, Edwin Huang (Sonic the Hedgehog, Sonic Boom, Mega Man)
12-1pm: Alex de Campi (Archie vs. Predator)
2-3pm: Evan Stanley, Bill Freiberger (Sonic the Hedgehog, Sonic Boom)
Archie Comics Exclusives
ARCHIE #1 SDCC Exclusive Variant A
Get in on the ground floor of this summer's most-talked about comic book relaunch from the superstar creative team of Mark Waid and Fiona Staples with this Comic-Con International: San Diego exclusive ARCHIE #1 variant cover! Featuring brand-new cover artwork from series artist Fiona Staples depicting Archie, Betty, and Jughead enjoying the outdoors, this variant is extremely limited and a must-have for all attendees!
ARCHIE #1 SDCC Exclusive Variant B
Get in on the ground floor of this summer's most-talked about comic book relaunch from the superstar creative team of Mark Waid and Fiona Staples with this additional Comic-Con International: San Diego exclusive ARCHIE #1 variant cover! Featuring cover artwork from series artist Fiona Staples depicting the gang outside of Riverdale High, this variant is extremely limited and a must-have for all attendees!
Also available at the Archie Comics Booth:
ARCHIE #1 Fiona Staples Regular Cover
ARCHIE #1 Blank Sketch Cover
MEGA MAN #50 "Worlds Unite" SDCC Exclusive Sketch Variant
Celebrate 50 issues of Mega Man with the latest chapter in the globe-smashing Sonic/Mega Man crossover event featuring a Comic-Con International: San Diego exclusive cover! This special edition anniversary comic showcases in-progress cover artwork by Archie Action Legend Patrick "Spaz" Spaziante! Don't miss out on this limited edition comic featuring everyone's favorite super fighting robot!
SDCC Exclusive Dark Circle Comics Poster
Featuring a stunning pin-up of 2015's hottest new comic book series THE BLACK HOOD, THE FOX, THE SHIELD and THE HANGMAN by THE SHIELD artist Drew Johnson!
Archie Comics comic books San Diego Comic-Con SDCC
Labels: Archie Comics comic books San Diego Comic-Con SDCC

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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HomePeopleBrittany Murphy Death - Brittany Murphy Cause of Death
Brittany Murphy Death – Brittany Murphy Cause of Death
By Bilal Jhangda
Brittany Murphy death was a tragedic death. She was poisoned and got pneumonia and died. Brittany Murphy passed out in the bathroom of the house she shared with her mother, Sharon and her husband Simon on December 20, 2009. A few hours later, at around 10 a.m., the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles said that she was dead.
The actress from Clueless was only 32 when she died suddenly, which shocked Hollywood and the rest of the world. Since then, there has been a lot of talk about her personal life, conspiracy theories about what caused her death, and a lot of amateur sleuthing on YouTube. What Happened, Brittany Murphy? is a new two-part documentary series on HBO Max that starts on October 14. Its goal is to set the record straight.
What Happened, Brittany Murphy? | Official Trailer | HBO Max
Brittany Murphy Documentary
Brittany Murphy cause of death is still a question for netizens. People over the internet are searching for the cause of the death of Brittany. People want to know about Brittany Murphy death house, Brittany murphy's documentary and Britanny Murphy's husband. In this article, we will try to solve all your queries and curiosity about Brittany Murphy death.
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American actress and singer Brittany Murphy-Monjack. Brittany Anne Bertolotti died on December 20, 2009. Atlanta-born Murphy. Teenager, she moved to L.A. to become an actress. Clueless was her big break (1995). She then appeared in Freeway (1996) and Bongwater (1997). (1998). She debuted in Arthur Miller's A View from the Bridge in 1997. Daisy Randone in Girl, Interrupted (1999) and Lisa Swenson in Drop Dead Gorgeous (2000). (1999).
Murphy starred in two well-received 2000s films: Don't Say a Word (2001) and 8 Mile (2002). Riding in Cars with Boys (2001), Spun (2002), Just Married (2003), Uptown Girls (2003), Sin City (2005), and Happy Feet (2006). (2006). Murphy voiced Luanne Platter on King of the Hill (1997–2010). Something Wicked was her last film.
Murphy died on December 20, 2009, but why is unknown. 32-year-old The coroner noted anaemia and too many prescription medicines exacerbated pneumonia.
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Brittany Murphy Cause of Death – Explained
On December 20, 2009, LAFD responded to "a medical request" at Murphy and Monjack's residence. She slumped in the bathroom. Firefighters resuscitated Murphy. She went into cardiac arrest and died at Cedars-Sinai at 10:04 a.m.
Britain Murphy Death
After her death, an autopsy was undertaken. In a February 2010 report, the Los Angeles County Coroner's Office said the death was unintentional and caused by pneumonia, severe iron-deficiency anaemia, and multiple drug intoxication. Murphy's over-the-counter and prescription drugs were likely used to treat a cold or respiratory infection. Hydrocodone, acetaminophen, L-methamphetamine, and chlorpheniramine were all allowed. "The possible harmful physiological effects of elevated amounts of these drugs cannot be ignored," the paper said.
Brittany Murphy's grave in Hollywood. Murphy was buried in Hollywood on December 24, 2009.
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Brittany Murphy's Death Husband
In January 2010, Murphy's husband, Simon Monjack, and mother, Sharon Murphy, said she didn't use drugs or alcohol and didn't cause her death; they blamed mitral valve prolapse.
Monjack died May 23 at the same Hollywood Hills home. The coroner's findings cited acute pneumonia and severe anaemia. Los Angeles County Department of Health considered hazardous mould in their home a possible cause of the deaths, but Assistant Chief Coroner Ed Winter said there were "no indicators" that mould was a play. Sharon Murphy called mould reports "absurd" and said the Health Department never sought a mould inspection. Sharon Murphy announced in December 2011 that deadly mould killed her daughter and son-in-law and sued the attorneys who represented her in earlier action against the home's builders.
Angelo Bertolotti asked the California Superior Court in January 2012 for samples of his daughter's hair for independent testing. The lawsuit was dismissed when Bertolotti missed two hearings.
Bertolotti stated in November 2013 that antimony and barium poisoning may have caused his daughter's death. Sharon Murphy called it a "smear."
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Brittany murphy cause of death
Brittany Murphy death
brittany murphy husband
brittany murphy poisened
Jeffrey Dahmer polaroids Photos and Victims list : Damher polaroid challenge on TikTok explained
Bill Turnbull Death – BBC Breakfast Host Bill Turnbull dies at 66
Gilbert Gottrifieds Cause of Death – Explained


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Lauren Mickler: A Questioning, Thinking, and Heartfelt Faith
"Everybody needs community"
Australian church outpaces US in evangelizing millennials, says study coauthor
Youth focus: John Vitek was involved in a groundbreaking American study to understand why young people left the Catholic Church. He was invited to share the results in Brisbane. Photo: Emilie Ng
By Emilie Ng
CHURCH leaders in Australia are ahead of those in the United States when it comes to finding new ways of evangelizing millennials, said the coauthor of a recent American study into disaffiliated Catholics.
John Vitek, the president and chief executive officer of Saint Mary's Press in Minnesota, which commissioned a study into why young Catholics leave the Church, said US Catholics could learn from Australia about new models of evangelizing young people, including the approach taken by Brisbane Catholic Education.
"I think here in Australia the Church, especially here in Brisbane, is much further ahead of us in the United States on this issue," Vitek said.
During a visit to Brisbane last week to speak at a research seminar organized by the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference Office for Youth, Vitek visited BCE and was left "inspired" by their Leuven Project, a strategy to promote Catholic identity in schools.
According to Professor Didier Pollefeyt, the Belgian Catholic theologian whose work heavily influenced BCE's Leuven Project, recontextualization should be the "preferred theological option for Catholic schools."
The approach "tries to understand the Christian faith reinterpreted in a contemporary cultural context to ensure that the faith remains recognizable, credible and meaningful for contemporary people."
Vitek said it was a brilliant approach to evangelization and catechesis that could be helpful for the Church in the US, which used a "doctrinal catechesis model" in their Catholic schools.
"Tell them, teach them the doctrines of the Church from Grade 1 in its fullness and precise language of the catechism, and if we do this, they will conform their life to the doctrines," he said.
"I can guarantee you there is not a single shred of evidence that would demonstrate there's any truth to that approach."
His involvement in a study on why young Catholics leave the Church affirmed the need for a renewed vision of evangelization and catechesis.
The study, titled Going, Going, Gone: The Dynamics of Disaffiliation in Young Catholics, is the result of a two-year project surveying, interviewing and analyzing the stories of 204 young people between 15 and 25 who once identified as Catholic but left the Church.
It was released on January 16 this year by Saint Mary's Press and the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate (CARA) at Georgetown University.
"Many of the young people we talked to—these are young people who were in religious education in the parish, went to Catholic schools—they hear these doctrines that are completely disconnected to their life and presented in a nondialogical manner, and they just simply turn it off and say it's nonsensical," Vitek said.
The qualitative, narrative-based research showed "there is no one reason" why young Catholics leave the Church, and most adults are completely wrong in their guesses.
"The reasons most adults think young people leave the Church are not the reasons they leave the Church," Vitek said."Church leaders will guess they reject the doctrines of the Church, they don't feel welcome, the sexual abuse scandal.
"These tend to be the top three reasons adults guess but they are the lowest three reasons that young people leave. The number one reason, and again this is a gross generalization, is they simply don't see it as necessary."
While less than 30 percent of those interviewed found religion "nonsensical" or didn't believe in God, Vitek said the majority did believe in God and weren't necessarily opposed to religion.
"They just don't see it as necessary for them, not necessary for them to be happy or live a fulfilled life," he said. "They're quite culturally affected pragmatists."
Vitek said the Church didn't need to apologize for its teachings, and that many young people who left the Church "were completely ignorant of the authentic teachings of the Church." He said poorly trained catechists or parents "who just didn't know better" may be to blame for a young person's lack of understanding of Church teaching.
"I think there's so much in Church teaching that they could resonate with but it's how you engage with them," he said.
Despite being part of this study, Vitek, who started working for the Church as a youth minister, admitted he had never asked why young people left the Church.
"I started in youth ministry work in 1982 as a parish youth minister and in the '80s and into the '90s, youth ministry was very robust in the States—(there were) high-level engagements, very active," he said. "It was only the mid-'90s where things started declining a bit and I think it was happening gradually so we didn't perceive it as much then."
But a study by the Pew Research Center in 2007 "shocked" Catholic leaders when it revealed that 16 percent of the United States' population had no religious affiliation.
"That is really when the alarm bells started going off in Church leadership," Vitek said.
"I think up until then most of the Church thought, 'We know it's happening but maybe it's not as bad as we think.'"
Seven years later, the decline had worsened.
In 2014, Pew released another study showing people who identified as having no religion made up 22.8 percent of Americans, as opposed to a Catholic population of 22 percent. People of no religion were suddenly a larger religious demographic than Catholics.
"Now all of a sudden in 2014, everyone's in a panic," Vitek said. "Now it was irrefutable, and I think for many of us, it confirmed what we knew anecdotally. So that's when we decided to undertake our study and ask specifically—we understand this is happening across all generations—but why in particular are young people disaffiliating."
Halfway through the project, Pope Francis announced, almost coincidentally, that the next meeting of Catholic bishops would focus particularly on young people. He said the Pope's willingness to hear the voices of all young people including the disaffiliated ahead of the Synod of Bishops on Young People, the Faith and Vocational Discernment, showed the Church needed to get better at listening.
"We sent a copy to Pope Francis and I think the stories of the young people in this study are the stories that Pope Francis wants to hear, wants the Church to hear," Vitek said. "I hope the local churches bring forward these voices rather than the voice of the 10 percent who are highly engaged, although their stories are also very important and true and authentic to their lives, it's not the predominant story.
"What I have seen is that when Church leaders hear the stories, they're really affected and really changed by what they're hearing and begin to think about how they carry out their ministry in really different ways." While there were no easy solutions to bring young people back to the Church, Vitek said it all began with listening.
"My own sense is that it's not that difficult; it's about listening," he said.
Journalist Explores Future of Religion in America
New York Gathering Reviews Disaffiliation Study Findings
Podcast Discusses Young People and Church
Eileen Dignazio says:
These articles are very good and are at the heart of what our parish is focusing on with our new ELM program through the Archdiocese of Hartford.
God's Blessings!
Eileen Dignazio
Director of Religious Education
St. Patrick Parish


The Lady Raider softball team defeated Manson last week by 10 runs, then suffered that fate twice against Okanogan on Saturday.
At Grand Coulee, Lake Roosevelt defeated the Manson Trojans by 33-23 in a long game Thursday.
Sean Garvin pitched one inning when she threw 72 pitches for three strikeouts and nine walks. Kourtney Harrington took the mound for two innings and threw 85 pitches for six strikeouts and four walks. Cassi Palmer also pitched, hurling 83 pitches for five strikeouts and eight walks.
At the plate, Lake Roosevelt had 27 hits off 42 at bats for 33 runs. Lady Raiders also picked up 22 walks/hit by pitch free bases. LR recorded 31 of the 33 runs as RBIs.
Kiana Oliver hit five of seven at the plate with four runners batted in, a double and a triple. She also stole a base.
Savannah Marin was 1.000 at the plate, hitting four of four with five RBIs. Eighth-grader Kelsi Olbricht was six of seven at the plate with two doubles and five RBIs. Olbricht also stole a base.
In a doubleheader At Okanogan on Saturday, the Lady Raiders could not get anything going offensively. Both games ended in the third inning due to the mercy rule. In the first game LR lost 16-1 to the Bulldogs.
Kourtney Harrington pitched all three innings, throwing 110 pitches, striking out three and walking eight.
At the plate in the first game, LR had 13 at bats with seven hits, one run, and batted in one runner. Six Lady Raiders were left on the base path.
Head Coach Jamie Lezard highlighted three girls for their performance in the first game.
In the second game, the Bulldogs shut out the Lady Raiders 18-0.
Cassi Palmer took the mound, throwing 102 pitches for three strikeouts and seven walks. At the plate the Lady Raiders were held to only 10 at bats and three hits.
Savannah Marin recorded two of the three hits, going two for two in the second game, with a steal.
This week, the Lady Raiders look to rebound with a home doubleheader last night against struggling Oroville. On Friday the Lady Raiders travel to Liberty Bell to play the successful Mt. Lions in a doubleheader starting at 3 p.m.


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Woodiphora is een geslacht van insecten uit de familie van de Bochelvliegen (Phoridae), die tot de orde tweevleugeligen (Diptera) behoort.

Soorten
W. magnipalpis (Aldrich, 1896)
W. retroversa (Wood, 1908)

Bochelvliegen

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Old Navy top ($4 similar), Plato's Closet shorts, Lindsay Phillips shoes, Revlon "Wink for Pink"
This is one of my favorite summer looks. A breezy pair of polka dot shorts with a super relaxed white long sleeve. I used to never like white because I am very fair skinned, but now I am getting more and more obsessed with the fresh look it gives an outfit. I am loving these Lindsay Phillips kitten heels because they are so versatile and can go with any outfit that I want to style for the day or night! They just add a little more height and sophistication to any look, yet they are not too difficult to walk in if I am roaming around town. My necklace was my Grandmother's and my bag was a gift.
Love the shorts! I am so glad I came across your blog as it looks like you're doing a great job at creating adorable outfits at reasonable prices. Just followed you!


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ASA Adjudication on Zoë Harcombe
Zoë Harcombe
Six issues were investigated, of which five were Upheld and one was Not upheld.
Websites and other online ads for the Harcombe diet:
a. The home page of the Harcombe Diet website, http://theharcombediet.com, included text which stated "This book, or Stop Counting Calories & Start Losing Weight or The Harcombe Diet for Men will share the discoveries that Zoë made. If you haven't heard of Candida, Food Intolerance and/or Hypoglycaemia and the impact that they may be having on you, learning more about these conditions could be as enlightening for you as it was for Zoë".
b. A web page headed "Phase 1" included text which stated "Phase 1 can be as short as five days long although it is recommended to stay on Phase 1 for longer if you have more than 20lb to lose and/or if you have marked Candida overgrowth"
c. A web page headed "Candida" included text which stated "While researching .to try to understand why people who were so desperate to lose weight were craving and consuming quite specific foods in excess, Zoë came across many publications about three conditions: Candida, Food Intolerance and Hypoglycaemia. The works that Zoë researched were about these separate conditions and the numerous symptoms with which they were associated. Zoë noticed that the doctors, expert in each of these conditions, wrote in their literature about food cravings and eating disorders, but that the authors didn't develop the implications for this. Zoë did".
d. A web page headed "Testimonials" listed a number of testimonials, including "I've lost 24lbs. I just can't believe it. I feel great too - I can't remember feeling better to be honest. Thank you so much for the diet!", "I lost 70lbs on this programme. It was easy to follow. I never felt hungry. I could eat out, take lunches to work, go on holiday and carry on with my normal life while still losing weight. It is so practical and effective. All my colleagues were asking me how I had lost so much weight and I actually didn't want to tell them. I wanted to keep the secret to myself!" and "I read 4 pages and lost two and a half stone - I figured I'd better not read much more".
e. The home page of the Harcombe Diet Club website, included text which stated "Being overweight is about fat stored and losing weight is about encouraging the body to release stored fat. In no way is the body as simplistic as energy in = energy out - and, therefore, we do not need to put less energy in and/or try to get more energy out. We need to eat better, not to eat less. Come and join a growing group of people that are losing weight and gaining health, The Harcombe Diet way."
f. A web page headed "The Harcombe Diet 30 Day Blitz" included text which stated "Imagine yourself in just 30 days time feeling healthier than you can ever remember being. Imagine that you've successfully and easily lost up to 20 pounds in weight. Imagine that some health conditions, which have been troubling you for years have eased or even completely disappeared. Imagine gaining all these health benefits without having to spend one minute down the gym or eating any tasteless and nutritionally void low-fat foods. Imagine no more. Sign up today".
The page included testimonials which included "I've cut my insulin from 40 units to 12 units and I am hoping to be insulin free by the end of next month", "I used to suffer from regular tension headaches ... these have disappeared", "My sister has lost 2 stone" and "I have lost 45lbs so far".
g. Ad (a) linked to a video on a website for a Zoe Harcombe Hook entitled 'The Obesity Epidemic', www.theobesityepidemic.org. The video included a slide which compared a "Ms. Mother Nature" diet to a "Ms 'Eatwell' Plate" diet based on the NHS recommended dietary proportions of "Carb/Fat/Protein". The slide stated that the "Mother Nature" diet consisted of 1641 calories and was described as "Slim & Healthy" compared to 1826 calories for the "Eatwell" diet which was described as "Fat & Sick".
The complainant challenged whether:
1. the claims in ads (a), (b) and (c) relating to Candida, hypoglycaemia and food intolerance misleadingly implied that they caused food cravings and could be treated by the Harcombe diet;
2. the claim "In no way is the body as simplistic as energy in = energy out - and, therefore, we do not need to put less energy in and/or try to get more energy out. We need to eat better, not to eat less" in ad (e) and comparison in ad (g) misleadingly implied that conventional weight loss advice was wrong;
3. the implication in the testimonials in ad (d) that the Harcombe diet led to weight loss could be substantiated;
4. the claim "it is recommended to stay on Phase 1 for longer if you have more than 20lb to lose" in ad (b) marketed treatment for obesity which would not take place under suitably qualified supervision;
5. the claim "Imagine yourself in just 30 days time feeling healthier than you can ever remember being. Imagine that you've successfully and easily lost up to 20 pounds in weight" and testimonials in ad (f) made reference to a rate of weight loss that was not compatible with good medical and nutritional practice; and
6. the testimonials in ad (f) implied the diet could treat medical conditions, including conditions that required medical supervision.
Zoë Harcombe provided a number of recent peer reviewed studies and articles which the advertiser said challenged current dietary advice. They said the conventional view of weight management was the calorie theory, which stated that to lose one pound of fat you needed to create a deficit of 3500 calories. Therefore creating a deficit of 1000 calories a day would lead to a loss of 2 lb per week. However, they did not believe the calorie theory was valid and said that no evidence existed to support it, and that no government or obesity organisations had been able to provide proof to them. Consequently they believed that CAP Code rules relating to weight loss were flawed, because they were based on that theory.
1. Zoë Harcombe said ads (a) and (b) did not mention food cravings. They said that ad (c) was a web page containing further background information on Candida and contained quotes from medical literature and peer reviewed references. They said it did not include claims or mention the Harcombe Diet, but factually reported work undertaken by Zoë Harcombe as a researcher.
2. Zoë Harcombe reiterated that they did not believe evidence existed to support the calorie theory and that it worked as a formula each and every time, in all circumstances. They referred to the various studies and articles which they had provided. They did not believe that ad (g) was within the remit of the ASA.
3. Zoë Harcombe said the testimonials were direct quotations from the book 'Stop Counting Calories & Start Losing Weight' and that they would amend the ad to make clear they were book extracts.
4. Zoë Harcombe said the claim "it is recommended to stay on Phase 1 for longer if you have more than 20lb to lose" was a direct quotation from the book 'The Harcombe Diet: 3-Step Plan'. They believed it was common sense that a weight loss advisor would advise someone to stay on a diet longer if they had more weight to lose.
5. & 6. Zoë Harcombe said the web page was no longer online. They also stated that they did not believe the CAP rules relating to good practise for weight loss had an evidence base.
Ad (a) referred to "Candida, Food Intolerance and/or Hypoglycaemia and the impact that they may be having on you" in the context of promoting the Harcombe Diet book, and the ASA therefore considered it implied that the conditions were associated with diet and being overweight. Ad (b) referred to Candida and stated that this could impact on how long you should stay on Phase 1 of the diet, and again we considered it implied that Candida was associated with diet and being overweight, and that it could be treated by the Harcombe diet. Ad (c) referred to the three conditions in the context of food cravings, and we therefore considered the ad implied the conditions were caused by food cravings, and that they could therefore be treated by the Harcombe diet. We also noted that text further down the page stated that further information was available in Zoë Harcombe's book, including "How can you treat Candida?" We acknowledged that the claims were based on a view expressed in her books, but considered that they were presented as objective fact. We had not been provided with any evidence that Candida, hypoglycaemia or food intolerance were associated with being overweight or food cravings, nor that the conditions could be treated by the Harcombe diet. We therefore concluded that the claims breached the Code.
On this point ads (a), (b) and (c) breached CAP Code (Edition 12) rules 3.1 3.1 Marketing communications must not materially mislead or be likely to do so. (Misleading advertising), 3.7 3.7 Before distributing or submitting a marketing communication for publication, marketers must hold documentary evidence to prove claims that consumers are likely to regard as objective and that are capable of objective substantiation. The ASA may regard claims as misleading in the absence of adequate substantiation. and 3.8 3.8 Claims for the content of non-fiction publications should not exaggerate the value, accuracy, scientific validity or practical usefulness of the product. Marketers must ensure that claims that have not been independently substantiated but are based merely on the content of a publication do not mislead consumers.
CAP has published a Help Note on the Marketing of Publications. (Substantiation) and 12.1 12.1 Objective claims must be backed by evidence, if relevant consisting of trials conducted on people. Substantiation will be assessed on the basis of the available scientific knowledge.
Medicinal or medical claims and indications may be made for a medicinal product that is licensed by the MHRA, VMD or under the auspices of the EMA, or for a CE-marked medical device. A medicinal claim is a claim that a product or its constituent(s) can be used with a view to making a medical diagnosis or can treat or prevent disease, including an injury, ailment or adverse condition, whether of body or mind, in human beings.
Secondary medicinal claims made for cosmetic products as defined in the appropriate European legislation must be backed by evidence. These are limited to any preventative action of the product and may not include claims to treat disease. (Medicines, medical devices, health-related products and beauty products).
The claim "In no way is the body as simplistic as energy in = energy out - and, therefore, we do not need to put less energy in and/or try to get more energy out. We need to eat better, not to eat less" appeared in ad (e) on the home page for the Harcombe Diet Club website. We considered that the claim was presented as factual and that it implied it was not necessary to consume fewer calories to lose weight by dietary change and that conventional weight loss advice was therefore wrong. Ad (g), a page on a website which promoted a book by Zoë Harcombe, included a comparison between a "Mother Nature" diet and the NHS recommended "'Eatwell' Plate", which included the description "Fat & Sick". We considered that, because the claim appeared in the context of a website focused on promoting a book and was connected with the content of that book, that it fell within the ASA's remit. We considered that although it was clear that it related to the content of a book the comparison was presented as factual, and that it implied that conventional weight loss advice was wrong and contributed to obesity.
We understood that it was generally accepted within the public health community that sticking to a daily calorie allowance as part of a healthy diet, and consistently reducing calorie consumption below the respective recommended daily amounts for men and women, would lead to weight loss. We acknowledged that the claims in the ads were based on a view expressed in Zoë Harcombe's books, but considered that they were presented as objective fact and therefore required robust substantiation to ensure they did not mislead. They had provided 10 published and peer reviewed papers, and one short news article, which they said undermined current dietary advice, two of which Zoë Harcombe had co-authored. Six of the papers focused on dietary advice in relation to the prevention or treatment of medical conditions other than obesity, including cardiovascular disease and diabetes, and we therefore considered they were of limited relevance to the claims in the ads, although we acknowledged that they questioned whether current dietary advice was supported by the evidence in relation to those conditions. The remaining papers also questioned current dietary advice, although the majority focused on the advice to reduce saturated fat consumption rather than on general advice to reduce overall calorie consumption. We considered that the evidence therefore demonstrated that there was some level of debate within the scientific community (although not the degree of that debate) about whether current dietary advice was correct in a number of respects, and particularly advice regarding saturated fat. However, we did not consider that the evidence was sufficient to substantiate claims that it was not necessary to consume fewer calories to lose weight by dietary change and that conventional weight loss advice was therefore wrong and contributed to obesity. We therefore concluded the claims were misleading.
On this point ads (e) and (g) breached CAP Code (Edition 12) rules 3.1 3.1 Marketing communications must not materially mislead or be likely to do so. (Misleading advertising) and 3.7 3.7 Before distributing or submitting a marketing communication for publication, marketers must hold documentary evidence to prove claims that consumers are likely to regard as objective and that are capable of objective substantiation. The ASA may regard claims as misleading in the absence of adequate substantiation. and 3.8 3.8 Claims for the content of non-fiction publications should not exaggerate the value, accuracy, scientific validity or practical usefulness of the product. Marketers must ensure that claims that have not been independently substantiated but are based merely on the content of a publication do not mislead consumers.
CAP has published a Help Note on the Marketing of Publications. (Substantiation).
Ad (d) included testimonials which referred to weight loss and we therefore considered that consumers would understand that undertaking the Harcombe diet would lead to weight loss. The CAP Code stated that any claim made for the effectiveness of a weight-reduction method must be backed, if applicable, by rigorous trials on people, and that testimonials were not sufficient to support such claims. We noted Zoë Harcombe said they would amend the claims to make clear they were book extracts, but were concerned that any such quotes were still likely to imply efficacy. We had not been provided with any evidence that the Harcombe diet, which we understood did not rely on calorie reduction, led to weight loss and therefore concluded that the testimonials breached the Code.
On this point ad (d) breached CAP Code (Edition 12) rules 3.1 3.1 Marketing communications must not materially mislead or be likely to do so. (Misleading advertising), 3.7 3.7 Before distributing or submitting a marketing communication for publication, marketers must hold documentary evidence to prove claims that consumers are likely to regard as objective and that are capable of objective substantiation. The ASA may regard claims as misleading in the absence of adequate substantiation. (Substantiation) and 13.1 13.1 A weight-reduction regime in which the intake of energy is lower than its output is the most common self-treatment for achieving weight reduction. Any claim made for the effectiveness or action of a weight-reduction method or product must be backed, if applicable, by rigorous trials on people; testimonials that are not supported by trials do not constitute substantiation. (Weight control and slimming).
Ad (b) was a web page which focused on Phase 1 of the Harcombe diet and included the claim "it is recommended to stay on Phase 1 for longer if you have more than 20lb to lose". We understood that, using body mass index (BMI) as a guide, it was possible for an individual to be more than two stone (28 lb; c. 13 kg) overweight but not be considered obese. We therefore did not consider that the reference to having more than 20 lb to lose specifically marketed treatment for obesity. We concluded that the claim did not breach the Code on that basis.
On this point we investigated ad (b) under CAP Code (Edition 12) rule 13.2 13.2 Obesity in adults is defined by a Body Mass Index (BMI) of more than 30 kg/m2. Obesity is frequently associated with a medical condition and, except where stated in 13.2.1, a treatment for it must not be advertised to the public unless it is to be used under suitably qualified supervision. Non-prescription medicines that are indicated for the treatment of obesity and that require the involvement of a pharmacist in the sale or supply of the medicine may nevertheless be advertised to the public. (Weight control and slimming) but did not find it in breach.
Ad (f) included the claim "Imagine yourself in just 30 days time feeling healthier than you can ever remember being. Imagine that you've successfully and easily lost up to 20 pounds in weight" and testimonials included "My sister has lost 2 stone" and "I have lost 45lbs so far". The CAP Code stated that marketing communications must not contain claims that people can lose precise amounts of weight within a stated period, and we therefore concluded that the claim "Imagine yourself in just 30 days time feeling healthier than you can ever remember being. Imagine that you've successfully and easily lost up to 20 pounds in weight" breached the Code.
The Code also stated that claims that an individual has lost an exact amount of weight must be compatible with good medical and nutritional practise, which would normally be 2 lb a week or less. Such claims must also state the period involved and must not be based on unrepresentative experiences. The testimonials did not state the period involved, although we considered they implied the weight loss was likely to be within the 30-day period specified on the web page. We had also not seen any evidence to demonstrate that the specified weight loss was compatible with good medical and nutritional practise. We therefore concluded that the testimonials breached the Code.
On this point ad (f) breached CAP Code (Edition 12) rules 13.9 13.9 Marketing communications must not contain claims that people can lose precise amounts of weight within a stated period or, except for marketing communications for surgical clinics, establishments and the like that comply with rule 12.3, that weight or fat can be lost from specific parts of the body. and 13.10 13.10 Claims that an individual has lost an exact amount of weight must be compatible with good medical and nutritional practice. Those claims must state the period involved and must not be based on unrepresentative experiences. For those who are normally overweight, a rate of weight loss greater than 2 lbs (just under 1 kg) a week is unlikely to be compatible with good medical and nutritional practice. For those who are obese, a rate of weight loss greater than 2 lbs a week in the early stages of dieting could be compatible with good medical and nutritional practice. (Weight control and slimming).
Ad (f) included testimonials which stated "I've cut my insulin from 40 units to 12 units and I am hoping to be insulin free by the end of next month" and "I used to suffer from regular tension headaches ... these have disappeared". They also appeared in the context of a page which stated "Imagine that some health conditions, which have been troubling you for years have eased or even completely disappeared." We therefore considered the ad implied that "The Harcombe Diet 30 Day Blitz" could treat medical conditions, and specifically diabetes and tension headaches. We had not seen any evidence to substantiate those claims and also considered that diabetes was a condition which required medical supervision, and therefore offers to treat it should only be made if that treatment would be supervised by a suitably qualified health professional. We welcomed the assurance from Zoë Harcombe that the web page had been removed. However, because at the time it was seen it implied the diet could treat medical conditions, including conditions which required medical supervision, we concluded the ad breached the Code.
On this point ad (f) breached CAP Code (Edition 12) rules 3.1 3.1 Marketing communications must not materially mislead or be likely to do so. (Misleading advertising), 3.7 3.7 Before distributing or submitting a marketing communication for publication, marketers must hold documentary evidence to prove claims that consumers are likely to regard as objective and that are capable of objective substantiation. The ASA may regard claims as misleading in the absence of adequate substantiation. (Substantiation) and 12.1 12.1 Objective claims must be backed by evidence, if relevant consisting of trials conducted on people. Substantiation will be assessed on the basis of the available scientific knowledge.
Secondary medicinal claims made for cosmetic products as defined in the appropriate European legislation must be backed by evidence. These are limited to any preventative action of the product and may not include claims to treat disease. and 12.2 12.2 Marketers must not discourage essential treatment for conditions for which medical supervision should be sought. For example, they must not offer specific advice on, diagnosis of or treatment for such conditions unless that advice, diagnosis or treatment is conducted under the supervision of a suitably qualified health professional. Accurate and responsible general information about such conditions may, however, be offered (see rule 12.1 12.1 Objective claims must be backed by evidence, if relevant consisting of trials conducted on people. Substantiation will be assessed on the basis of the available scientific knowledge.
Secondary medicinal claims made for cosmetic products as defined in the appropriate European legislation must be backed by evidence. These are limited to any preventative action of the product and may not include claims to treat disease. ).
Health professionals will be deemed suitably qualified only if they can provide suitable credentials, for example, evidence of: relevant professional expertise or qualifications; systems for regular review of members' skills and competencies and suitable professional indemnity insurance covering all services provided; accreditation by a professional or regulatory body that has systems for dealing with complaints and taking disciplinary action and has registration based on minimum standards for training and qualifications. (Medicines, medical devices, health-related products and beauty products).
The ads must not appear again in their current form. We told Zoë Harcombe to ensure they held robust substantiation to support objective claims. We also told them not to make claims relating to weight loss unless they were supported by robust evidence relating to trials on people and otherwise complied with the Code, not to make claims that the Harcombe diet could treat medical conditions in the absence of robust evidence, or to make claims that it could treat conditions which required medical supervision.
12.1 12.2 13.1 13.10 13.2 13.9 3.1 3.7 3.8
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Easylife Group Ltd


Center Assistant Professor Dr. Devan Stahl recently presented at the Michigan Advance Care Planning Conference: Strengthen Best Practices & Community Engagement. The conference was held October 13-14 in Lansing and presented by the Michigan Primary Care Consortium.
Dr. Stahl presented on "Recurrent and Neglected Ethical Challenges in Advance Directives." The presentation reviewed the ethical challenges providers and surrogates face when implementing advance directives. Those in attendance discussed how to evaluate and resolve these ethical challenges that commonly occur in the acute setting, as well as how to develop strategies for helping patient patients to create meaningful and clinically useful advance directives. The group also discussed the potential use of patience preference predictors as described by Drs. Stahl and Tomlinson in their recent podcast episode: The Patient Preference Predictor: Tomlinson and Stahl – Episode 1.
This entry was posted in Bioethics Events, Center News, Friends of the Center, Uncategorized and tagged advance care planning, advance directives, clinical ethics, conference, Devan Stahl, patient preference predictor, primary care. Bookmark the permalink.


Tompkins County Public Library will be offering winter open lab hours in its digital lab. Open lab hours will provide an opportunity for patrons to drop in and get help with their basic technology questions. Patrons will be helped on a first come, first serve basis. The current schedule for the open lab is Wednesday mornings, from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. Please note that this schedule is subject to change, based upon the demand for open hours, library staff schedules, and programming that would require the use of the digital lab.


Rural houses in Zivogosce are interesting old stone huses which provide services of rural tourism. Rural household Brajkovic is situated in hamlet Strnj, on slopes of mountain Biokovo, near old Napoleon road, 1 km far of seaside and cove Blato Zivogosce. This rural household is made of several renovated old stone houses, which contain different objects and contents. In stone houses, family Brajkovic provides accommodation in 4 apartments and 2 rooms, spacious restaurant which prepares dalmatian specialties, domestic wines, different dishes from grill, iron lid, spit, fireplace, domestic fruit and vegetables. There is beautiful view from restaurent to coast, family apartments in cove Blato Zivogosce and dalmatian islands. During tourist seasideson, family Brajkovic arranges excursions to Mountain Biokovo and surrounding islands. Numerous tourists and guests are gladly coming to rural houses in Zivogosce for good food, beautiful nature and vicinity of seaside.
Rural houses in Zivogosce are specially attractive to tourists because they are located near seasideside. Rural household Brajkovic provides all services of rural tourism in beautiful stone houses.


Lactose intolerance means the body cannot digest the sugar in milk, which is called lactose, because of a lack of the enzyme lactase. Milk or other dairy products may cause stomach cramping, gas, diarrhea or nausea.
Some women who are lactose intolerant find the condition improves when they're pregnant, so I recommend trying a small amount of a dairy product to see if your symptoms have lessened.
How Much Calcium Do You Need When Pregnant?
Calcium is the building block of healthy bones and teeth, and the baby growing inside you needs lots of it. The U.S. Recommended Daily Allowance is 1,200 milligrams daily for women over 24 who are pregnant or breastfeeding. Women under 24 should get 1,200 to 1,500 milligrams daily.
Your baby needs calcium, but so do you. If you don't take in enough calcium to supply the baby, your body will rob it from your bones. This puts you at high risk later for osteoporosis, a dangerous weakening of the bones.
How Can You Get Calcium if You're Lactose Intolerant?
Try a small amount, perhaps a half-cup, of milk with each meal. Sometimes dairy products are easier to digest with food.
Eat calcium-rich foods like green vegetables, especially leafy greens; salmon; dried beans; and tofu.
Look for calcium-fortified foods or beverages, such as orange juice.
Buy lactose-reduced milk and other dairy products.
Experiment with dairy products with less sugar, such as yogurt, cottage cheese and hard cheeses. Be sure to avoid soft cheese, such as Brie or blue cheese.
Ask your doctor if you should take a calcium supplement.
Ensuring you get enough calcium during pregnancy is a little extra work. But you'll be able to cross that worry off your list and rest assured you're starting your baby off on the right foot.
Are you lactose intolerant? How do you ensure you get enough calcium in your diet?


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Doing Women's Legal History
As we approach the centenary in 2019 of women's admission to the legal profession in the UK and Ireland, lawyers and legal scholars have initiated several projects to mark this achievement which aim to uncover and recover the history of women's experiences of law. These include the Women's Legal Landmarks project, the First 100 Years project and the First Women Lawyers in Great Britain and the Empire Symposium series. This is a golden age for legal scholars undertaking historical work on women and law and for historians working on legal issues.
At the same time, many scholars involved in these and other projects face challenges of methodological insecurity, if not ignorance, because they are working outside their own discipline and sources. Women's legal history, while well-developed in North America, is still in its infancy in the UK and Ireland.
A conference will take place at the Institute of Advanced Legal Studes in London on 26 October 2016.
The aim of this conference is to bring together scholars working in the field to share experiences of doing women's legal history, to learn from each other, and to build and develop the discipline of feminist legal history (that is, women's legal history from a feminist perspective) in the UK and Ireland.
There will be two plenary speakers at the conference:
June Purvis, feminist historian, editor of the Women's History Review and convenor of the Women's History Network, who will talk about researching the suffragette movement from a feminist perspective and how the suffragettes have so often been represented by traditional (usually male) historians as mad, irrational, and damaging to the cause of votes for women; and
Gillian Murphy from the Women's Library at the LSE, who will discuss the holdings of the Women's Library including both primary and secondary sources relevant to scholars working on women's legal history.
If you are interested in presenting a paper at the conference, please submit a title and abstract of 250 words to the organiser, Rosemary Auchmuty, to whom enquiries on the academic content of the conference should also be addressed. Email:r.auchmuty@reading.ac.uk. The deadline for receipt of abstracts is 31 July 2016.
For general enquiries please contact: Belinda Crothers, Academic Programmes Manager Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, 17 Russell Square, London WC1B 5DR. Email: Belinda.Crothers@sas.ac.uk
For additional information please click here or contact ials.events@sas.ac.uk.
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Researchers at the Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC) are using drones to detect submerged and buried mines using a system sponsored by the Office of Naval Research's (ONR) TechSolutions program.
Designed to safely remove explosive ordinance in both coastal surf and shallow-water, the Mine Warfare Rapid Assessment Capability system (MIW RAC) consists of a one-pound quadcopter that carries an ultra-sensitive magnetometer for mine detection. .
The system provides a real-time aerial complement to existing underwater mine-detection capabilities, ONR officials said a release, and can deliver real-time search data to a sailor's handheld Android tablet. The system enables teams to find and quickly dispose of mines and metal obstacles in coastal surf zones and shallow-water zones. It's equipped with a unique magnetometer sensor suite that uses complex algorithms to differentiate between objects.
MIW RAC has component parts that were developed by BDS and Physical Sciences Inc. along with TechSolutions' guidance from ONR.
"We took our inspiration from a stationary scanning system developed by BDS," NSWC scientist Rosemarie Oelrich said. "It was sensitive enough to not only detect weapons, but identify the hidden location of the object on a person and the angle in which it was oriented — a knife in a front pocket or gun turned sideways, for example.
Later this year, TechSolutions will deliver prototype MIW RACs to NECC's Explosive Ordnance Disposal Group for further testing and evaluation, and the Navy hopes to see the system issued throughout the fleet next year.