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It's official, Fawad's not coming back for the Ae Dil Hai Mushkil promotions. Probably a good idea.
It's too bad he won't be part of the promos, I always enjoy his interviews. However, I can see that it would be bad for the film and for his career. Better to keep his head down until this controversy blows over, and better for the movie to try to downplay his involvement. On the other hand, according to Bollywoodhungama Karan is firm that Fawad will still be the first guest on the next season of Koffee With Karan, even if they have to film the episode overseas.
In happier news, Arjun Kapoor and Varun Dhawan are going to appear together on Sajid Khan and Ritiesh Deshmukh's talk show. I don't know if Karan was the one to come up with the idea for join interviews on talk shows or if it was already part of the media landscape, but either way, it's a brilliant idea! People will tune in just to see their favorite stars interacting with each other, no matter who is interviewing them. Plus, it let's you promote two movies at once, Arjun's Half-Girlfriend and Varun's Badrinath Ki Dulhania. Oh, and Arjun and Varun are being promoted as childhood friends, which I think I believe. Didn't Boney produce some of David Dhawan's films? So they would have known each other from hanging around on set.
Plus, there's that short film from Barry John's acting studio that surfaced a while back, in which Arjun and Varun acted together because they were in the same class. Seeing as Barry John is in Delhi and it's a few month course, not like years and years, I kind of find it easier to believe that they knew each other already and joined the class together on purpose than that to Bombay boys randomly ended up overlapping in the same short course in Delhi.
And finally, Zeenat Aman! Is ANGRY!!! Her son was riding his bicycle when he was hit by a motorbike which zoomed off without looking back. He hit his head and had to have 40 stitches. And Zeenat filed an FIR against the biker and put pressure on the police until they arrested him. It's not exactly learning karate to avenge your brother's death ala Roma in Don, but it's still got that kind of Zeenat take-no-prisoners attitude.


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This is extremely late and I apologise for that as I have quite a lot over the last few weeks. PWA celebrated their 8th anniversary in April with a great show with appearances from T-Bone and the UK Hooligans.
Tag Archives: The Kings Court
PWA : History of Wrestling Mini-Lecture
In the week of PWA's anniversary show they gave a little mini-lecture on the last 500 years of wrestling. I went along because with three matches and a history lesson how could I ever say no?
PWA : Rising
PWA ended 2016 with a bang and absolutely everyone wants to see them carry on with the positive vibes going into the new year. Its been way too long since we have been to a PWA show so we were extremely excited to be back at the Plymouth School of Creative Arts in Milbay Road for their first event of 2017.
Best of… LEP 2016
I've only been to two LEP shows but I've decided to do a Best Of… for them anyway as the two shows I've been to have been great. LEP is a training academy that puts on great shows with a mixture of their trainees and some of the best talents in the West-Country. The two shows have both been entertaining and jam packed with some of the best moments of 2016.
Follow them on…
Facebook : LEPPromotionsWrestling
Plymouth Wrestling Association : Showdown
The final PWA show of the year promised to have PWA go out with a bang. After a amazing turn out for their last show I was under no doubt they would.
Wrestling Hub September Update
Its that time once again to look back at September and tell you my favourites from the local companies in that month.

subset: commoncrawl


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Hey everyone! Amy K. here with a little "slice of happy" for your Wednesday!
I went with an unusual color combination for my Trendy Triangles.......berry, ocean, lime. Images like these triangles lend themselves to trying out these different color palettes.......so find a trendy color combo. Give it a try!
I thought this birthday sentiment, from Words to Live By, was perfect to use with these triangles!!


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08 Nov Fes NC18: Mission 1
Reconnaissance: Participants interacted with multiple experiential stations aimed at revealing issues and neglected realities present in society
My group surveyed multiple stations depicting different scenes. First, the life of an elderly woman who lived alone and was searching for familial love. Next, we investigated how a space can be drastically transformed by the death of a loved one. And finally, how sexism could be hidden plainly.
To me, the fresh perspectives revealed the parts of society I intentionally or unconsciously ignore. As we discussed our takeaways, I realised the most convenient answer in these situations were not always biblical. I say this because our first response frequently relied on logical or emotional appeals; using logic to combat misogynists or sympathy to counter abandonment. But truth be told, the answer to these conditions actually came, lived, died, and lived again two thousand-ish years ago.
Now the reconnaissance is done. Time for action.
Written by Toby Seah, NUS VCF for Perspective October/November 2018 (FES newsletter)
The In-Between, which was a hidden station, left a deep impression on me. We were invited to step into tents, where refugees live, to read about the circumstances they are forced into and have a glimpse of having a tent as shelter. It was stuffy and claustrophobia-inducing – I remember skimming through the articles provided in hope of leaving the tent as quickly as I could for a breath of fresh air on the outside.
As I stepped out, I saw the bright city lights and the safe, quiet roads of Singapore. Taking a few seconds half in the tent, half in my own reality, I felt an overwhelming sense of shame. I had read hurriedly and did not afford time and attention to this group of people; I took for granted the safe environment I am blessed with.
The In-Between revealed the invisibility of hidden communities. I learnt of them only through word of mouth or by paying close attention to them. The ones privy to this information are thus responsible to share or act on it. I left feeling heavy yet thankful that in God's grace, for the first time, I felt genuine compassion for refugees.
The reconnaissance, though brief, gave me a preliminary survey of my life. It forced me to come face-to-face with issues I would normally avoid. I see more clearly now, every facet of my life – at home, in relationships with others, commuting, engaging the in-betweens, technology use – has to be under the lordship of Jesus Christ.
Written by Rebecca Goh, NTU ECF for Perspective October/November 2018 (FES newsletter)


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Kidepo National Park, located in northeastern Uganda is one of the best places you must visit while in Uganda. Commonly referred to as the true African wilderness, this park is blessed with abundance of wildlife, beautiful scenery and the interesting cultures of the surrounding Karamojong communities. This Itinerary will get you closer to both wildlife and the cultures.
Day 01: Fly to Kidepo Valley National Park from Entebbe
Depending on your arrival time, your safari guide will meet you at Entebbe Airport and thereafter connect you for an internal flight to Kidepo valley national Park. Sometimes referred to as the true African wilderness, this park is one of the remotest and virgin tourism destinations in Uganda blessed with abundance of wildlife, beautiful scenery and rich local cultures of the surrounding Karamojong communities. Upon arrival at Kidepo Valley national Park, you will be transferred to Apoka Safari Lodge for dinner and an overnight stay (Full Board).
Day 02: Full day Game viewing at Kidepo National Park
You will have full day game viewing at the park. After your breakfast, you will head into the park, driving through the park, here you will have an encounter with different residents of the park that include the Giraffes, Buffaloes, Elephants, Zebras, Lions and many other different animal and bird species. You will return to the lodge for lunch and afternoon relaxation. Later in the evening, you will have a sunset game drive in the park then return for dinner and an overnight stay at Apoka Safari Lodge.
Day 03: Morning game drives and afternoon community walks
After breakfast, you will set off for another game drive at Kidepo. Explore the park to its fullest as you encounter different animal and bird species. Later in the afternoon, you will have a community walk to the local Karamojong communities who live around the park. These communities have got unique cultures and ways of life that will give you an experience with the true African cultures.
Day 04: Transfer to Entebbe
After your breakfast, you will prepare for a transfer to Apoka airstrip where you will be transferred to Entebbe International airport. You will arrive in time and prepare for your international flight
End of safari.


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Pests are a common occurence in the garden. Knowing which ones you are dealing with and how they can be controlled are common questions asked at Art's Nursery.
Aphids are tiny 6-legged soft bodied insects that come in a variety of colours including brown, black, gray and green. They are typically found on plant stems and on the undersides of leaves. They suck sap from the plants and when digested leaves a sticky mess underneath the plant. This in turn attracts other problems like sooty mold or ants. The abundance of food allows aphids to spread rapidly to form large colonies. As the plant is weakened, damaged leaves will shrivel and curl. Aphids can be especially prevelant in dry, warm areas like greenhouses.
There are several ways to control aphids. First, as they are soft bodied, remove them by hand or use a sharp spray of water to blast them off the plant. Aphids are not good climbers so any that you spray off will probably not return. You can also use sticky-paper bug traps. A third option is to use insectidal soap sprays that you can purchase from Art's Nursery or make yourself. Ladybugs are also a good option. Release ladybugs on the plant. Over time they will start to reduce the aphid population. Lacewings, praying mantis and a few types of wasps also find aphids very tasty. Finally, if your jurisdiction still permits the use of chemical pesticides, you may be able to find an option to control aphids.
Caterpillars and are multi-legged crawling bugs about 1-2 inches long that are typically found on stems and under leaves. They much on foliage leaving large and irregular holes.
Cutworms are typically gray or cream coloured with black accents and are often found under leaf debris or in the soil. When disturbed they often curl into a "C" shape. They are notorious for cutting off seedlings at soil level.
The most environmentally friendly method of dealing with these pests is to cultivate your soil in the Fall. this kills overwintering eggs. You could also apply beneficial nematodes in the spring or fall to attack the larvae and juvenile pests. As caterpillars and cutworms are larger, they can also be removed by hand. If available, you can also spray with products that contain BT or Bacillus thuringiensis. Cutworms and caterpillars are also preyed upon by certain wasps and flying insects.
Slugs are the nemesis of most gardeners. They common in a variety of shapes, colours and sizes but all are sticky, slimy and soft bodied. They leave slime trails as they travel and chew on leaves they find tasty.
There are many ways to control slugs, but be forewarned, it is not a sprint, it is a marathon. Slug control is something you will have to practice regularly. As they are large, remove them from your garden by hand (or glove!). During the day, they hide underneath objects in your garden. At twillight and through the night they cruise through the garden looking for a meal. Therefore, going out with a flashlight at twillight or in the dark will maximize your harvest. Beer traps are also effective, fill a small deep container with beer and sink it into the garden. The slugs will get thirsty, fall in and drown. We recommend using cheap beer... :)
If you are feeling particularly nasty, spraying slugs iwth a 50-50 Ammonia / water solution or sprinkling them with salt can also be entertaining. As the slugs have soft underbellies, they dislike crossing anything sharp. Sprinkle your garden with coffee grounds, sharp sand or a product known as Diatomaceous Earth. A slugs slime trail reacts when it comes in contact with copper. Line edges of raised beds or containers with copper strips - they will not cross it.
There are also several slug control products on the market that poison them on contact. The number of chemical options is on the decline as governments legislate cosmetic pesticide bylaws.
The last option for slug control is to introduce them to other members of the food chain. Slugs make a nice meal for frogs, toads, snakes and ducks.
Snails are soft bodied creatures that travel around in hard, strangely attractive, shell. They are partners in crime with the slugs. They cruise around in your garden after-hours and chew away the foliage in your garden.
You can control snails in many of the same ways you control slugs.
The presence of root weevils can often be confirmed if you notice squared-off notches in your leaves. The white larvae feed on plant roots, while the black, non-shiny adult weevils chew on leaves in late spring and early summer.
Controlling root weevils is a multi-stage process. Use Beneficial Nematodes to the soil in fall and spring in order to kill off the larvae. To deal with adult populations, ensure that any branches of leaves that touch the ground are pruned away or moved. Use a sticky product like 'Tanglefoot' to trap adult weevils. Root Weevils often do their dirty work in the evening. Look for adults in the dark with a flashlight and pick them off. Another option is to place a white sheet underneath the plant and shake them off and destroy them. If available in your area, you can also spray your plant with neem oil.
Earwigs are long, black or brown coloured, 6-legged pests with pincers near their back end. They chew holes into leaves causing them to brown and shrivel.
Earwigs are drawn to damp, dark places. Place damp, rolled up newspapers on the ground. Dispose of these traps in the morning. Another option is to fill small cans with vegetable-oil and place at ground level. Dispose of the traps when they have caught the pests. Diatomaceous earth and insecticidal soaps are also effective controls. If you can encourage wildlife into your garden, you will find that toads, frogs and birds will also eat earwigs and control their population.
While Ants may be nuisance, they don't harm plants directly. What they are guilty of is farming aphids. They will often encourage aphids populations in order to harvest the sticky sap for their own benefit. If ants are a pest in your garden, lay out ant bait. To destroy an accessible nest, try pouring several jugs of boiling water into it. If the ants in question are large or are finding their way into your home, they may be carpenter ants. If in doubt, call a reputable pest control company.
Scale are insects that suck plant juices from under the safety of a waxy, usually brown coloured shield or scale. They are often found on houseplants or juicy tropicals.When in their protected stage they are generally immobile and can be picked off by hand or fingernail. Heavily infected sections can also be pruned off. In their juveline stage, apply horticultural oil or insecticidal soap. Ladybugs and certain types of wasps also find scale to be tasty.
Spider Mites are tiny, almost invisible, sucking insects of various colours, including green yellow or red, with two dark spots. To spot them, place a piece of white paper below and shake the foliage. Notice if any small dots fall and move around on the paper. Spider Mites favour warm, dry areas and leave a telltale stippling of yellow dots on leaves and a fine webbing. They are often found on the underside of leaves and within the interior of the plant.
The first line of defence is to increase humidity or moisture. Spider mites like it dry, not wet. Spray the insides of plants with water, or wipe larger leaves with a wet sponge or cloth. Mist occasionally. You can also spray with horticultural oils, insecticidal soaps or with organic pesticides that control mites. Beneficial insects like ladybugs, lacewing larvae or predatory mites can also be effective controls.
Mealy bugs resemble small white cotton swabs attached to the leaves and stems of your plant. They damage your plant by sucking the juices and are often found where leaves join stems. They are quite common on houseplants and succulents.
To control mealy bugs, wash them off with a wet sponge and soapy water. You can also dab them with rubbing alcohol.
While we don't consider our dog to be a critter, sometimes the neighboring cats, dogs, deer or even squirels and chipmunks can be a nuisance. Cats tend to be diggers. Use netting and chicken wire to reduce the areas available to them. They dislike getting wet, so a squirt gun can be effective. To make your garden less entertaining for dogs, plant thickly and make the area unfriendly. Sharp or pointy plants like barberry are a good choice. Various commercial products are also available like 'Critter-Ridder'. To deter squirrels and chipmunks, plant your bulbs underneath chickenwire or dip them in Bobbex. Deer are particularly challenging foe. Use fences, as well as repellent sprays like Plantskydd or Bobbex.
For additional information about these common garden pests, please feel free to call Art's Nursery during business hours at 604.882.1201 or drop by and visit us in person
Art's Nursery is dog friendly


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Discover incredible hiking, camping, seafood, and wildlife along this picturesque coastline with Moon Coastal Oregon.
Inside you'll find:
- Flexible, strategic itineraries that can be adapted for your schedule, including: "Coastal Road Trip," "Coastal Camping," "Trails and Tidepools," "Save It for a Rainy Day," "Cozy Seaside Inns," "Foraging the Coast," "Surf Oregon," "Top 10 Photo Ops," and "Undiscovered Beaches"
- Honest advice on when to go, how to get around, and where to stay, from quaint coastal B&Bs to camping in the redwoods
- Full color photos and detailed maps throughout
- Expert insight from Oregon locals Judy Jewell and Bill McRae
- The best spots for outdoor adventure: surfing, fishing, hiking, biking, whale-watching, and more
- Activities and ideas for every traveler, season, and budget: Hop in the car and take the 101 for a stunning coastal road trip, stopping along the way to explore charming harbor towns. Camp among sand dunes and shipwrecks, gaze at free-swimming sharks at the Oregon Coast Aquarium, or visit one of Lewis and Clark's expedition landmarks. Hike through any of the 80 state parks along the coast, forage for your own dinner of fish, crabs, clams, and mussels, and discover the best spots to catch that perfect Pacific sunset
- Detailed coverage of small towns along the coast, as well as the larger hubs including Astoria, Newport, and Lincoln City
- Thorough information, including background on the landscape, plants and animals, climate, and local culture
With Moon Coastal Oregon's expert tips, myriad activities, and local insight, you can plan your trip your way.


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Funding for Innovation in ICT
1 May 2019
Event on the range of funding available for businesses to develop innovative ICT solutions
Innovate UK and the Knowledge Transfer Network are hosting an event on funding opportunities for innovation in ICT.
With well over 1,000 companies, from indigenous SMEs to large international businesses, Northern Ireland has a strong Information and Communications Technology (ICT) sector. However, there is also a real opportunity to build on its present capability in a range of areas such as software engineering, data analytics, networks, financial software, connected health, sensors and cyber security. A strong collaborative approach may accelerate this growth.
What the event will cover
At this event, delivered in partnership with Innovate UK and the Knowledge Transfer Network, you will find out what the challenges are in delivering solutions to clients with increasing demands for new and innovative solutions. Come and find out about the range of funding available for businesses and their collaborators. You will also get practical support and advice on how you can increase your chances of success in leveraging funding in competitive bids.
The programme features:
- innovation funding guidance from Invest NI and Innovate UK
- industry case study
- opportunity to pitch your expertise or seek collaborative partners
- opportunity for 1-1 sessions with expert advisors
- solution providers will be available for practical advice
- masterclass: a guide to writing applications for R&D funding across all sectors
- opportunities to network with potential partners or new suppliers
The expert advisors will be made up of representatives Invest NI, the Knowledge Transfer Network and Innovate UK.
Event details
The event details:
Date: 21 May 2019
Time: 08:30 – 13:00
Venue: Titanic Belfast
Cost: free


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Power Bi is one of the neatest tools that Microsoft has built for data professionals. It allows anyone to build fantastic interactive visualizations that can help tell a story and help someone make decisions. There have been some amazing demo visualizations from Microsoft customers. I've seen a predictive maintenance visualization for airplanes, one for diabetes trends and a fun basketball visual. There are also a fantastic set of custom visual controls, quite a few of which are described in Devin Knights blog series.
If you don't know anything about Power BI, there are lots of resources, including some amazing tips from the Guy in a Cube. Adam Saxton has an amazing channel and puts together some impressive videos with Patrick LeBlanc. They might be one of the best sources for learning to work with the tools. You might want to spend some time playing with Power BI as I can almost guarantee that you'll build better reports with this tool than you would otherwise. You'll impress your customers, clients, and boss with your design work.
Plenty of people have Mac laptops, especially business people, and for quite some time they've had to deal with a lack of native tooling. Certainly there are lots of software ports, and no shortage of web software, but there are always places where a lack of a native solution is problematic. I don't know that we'll get lots of software ported to a new OS, but there is a better solution. Containerization can help smooth the way.
A few years back I met the Kenji Obata, founder of Turbo.net. He was doing some interesting work with containers, and I was fascinated by their work. Since then, they've grown and refined their technology, and now they have Power BI for Mac available. As soon as I saw their walk-through video, I wanted to share the experience. It's pretty amazing, and if I were still running OSX, I'd be looking to use some of the Microsoft tools I want on the native desktop.
This isn't really native, but the experience feels native. The use of containerization technology might be debatable for databases, but for client applications, it's amazing. The way that Turbo.net packages up applications is incredible. I like Turbo, and if you need to use Microsoft client applications on a Mac, you might give them a try. It's not free, but it's way better than virtualization and has some really cool features as well. I'm sure lots of non-technical people, especially management, that might build reports would love the experience of running Power Bi Desktop on their Mac.
They even have SSMS available as a turbo container for the Mac, if you're interested.
Steve Jones
The Voice of the DBA Podcast
Listen to the MP3 Audio ( 4.6MB) podcast or subscribe to the feed at iTunes and Libsyn.


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Davos [Switzerland], Jan 23 (ANI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi hosted a round-table meeting with the Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) of top global companies in Davos, ahead of the World Economic Forum (WEF) on Monday.
He chaired the meeting of around 120 members of the International Business Forum (IBF).
The Prime Minister will host a dinner for global industry bosses from 18 countries later on.
Prime Minister Modi arrived in Zurich earlier in the day and met President of Swiss Confederation Alain Berset before proceeding to Davos for the forum.
Thereafter, he will be addressing the plenary session of the forum on Tuesday.
The first Indian minister to attend the WEF in more than two decades, Prime Minister Modi is being accompanied by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and Commerce Minister Suresh Prabhu, among others.
The last visit by an Indian Prime Minister to the forum was former Prime Minister H. Deve Gowda back in 1997.
The theme of this year's forum is- "Creating a shared future in a Fractured World". The forum aims to set an agenda to address political, economic and social challenges of recent times. (ANI)


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Paris-based Madben makes his debut on OFF Recordings with three tracks ranging from functional to rave-techno, based on the masterful use of distorted drums and synths. 'In Depth' is an even more stripped tool, perfect for lovery of functional techno. 'Momentum' shows the more maximal side of Madben, saturated raw drums and an arpeggiated hook make for a massive dancefloor bomb. Toronto's Basic Soul Unit presents a raw remix in his trademark style for 'In Depth'. Berlin's CYRK, the joint project of Sierra Sam and Pascal Hetzel deliver the second remix, interpreting the original's elements in a hypnotic deep techno style


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Mumbai needs to restore flood plains of its rivers at the earliest
A flood plain is a low-lying area of land along a river which acts as a natural spillway for floodwater during spells of heavy rainmumbai Updated: Sep 03, 2017 21:35 IST
On Tuesday, when Mumbai received its highest 24-hour rain in a decade, the Dahisar River flooded shops, entered homes and swept away cars. The 12-kilometer-long Dahisar drains around 35 square kilometers in the northern suburbs – 6% of Mumbai, but the river, constricted by walls and constructions on its flood plain, was overwhelmed by the downpour.
A flood plain is a low-lying area of land along a river which acts as a natural spillway for floodwater during spells of heavy rain. In cities, where the high price of land makes it impossible to leave flood plains vacant, planners need to incorporate flood plains in their blue prints. Many cities which are prone to flooding are now in the process of restoring the flood plains of water ways that run through them.
One small city in US's Washington state, which faced routine floods in the creek that runs through it, bought homes and properties in the low lying areas of the city, tore down the buildings and created a basin for flood waters to disperse. Another town excavated the flood plain of its river to create a channel for flood waters and ground water recharge. The restored flood plain was planned to be converted into a natural wetland, with local species.
Mumbai has to learn to live with floods. A report on BRIMSTOWAD (Brihanmumbai StormWater Drainage) project explained why the city cannot find a permanent solution to floods. The city receives around 2200 mm of rain every year, 70% of which comes down in July and August. The city's sewage water drainage (SWD), which stretches along a length of 2,000km – equal to the distance between Delhi and Bangalore – and includes underground drains and nullahs (open channels), can handle 25 mm of rain per hour at low tide. Since all of Mumbai's drains empty into the Arabian Sea, tides affect the discharge. On August 29, Mumbai received 315mm of rain from 8.30am to 8.30pm – an average of 26mm per hour. The flow of rainwater was impeded by high tide in the afternoon.
Environment experts have said that Mumbai can reduce the impact of heavy rains if its restores sections of the flood plains of its rivers. Apart from the Dahisar, the Mithi, Poinsar and Oshiwara flow through the city. The Mithi has a catchment area of 73 square kilometres, which means it has to carry rain water run-off from 12% of Mumbai's area. In Mumbai, where land is expensive, buying properties from private owners to create flood plains can be difficult. Environment experts said there are solutions to this problem.
Dr Rakesh Kumar, environment scientists from the National Environment Engineering Research Institute, said, "The National Green Tribunal and the Supreme Court have given orders against construction in flood plains. If there is construction in the flood plain then do engineering to remove the problem or remove the obstruction," said Kumar. "Anything else is a compromise."
Kumar said that local planning authorities should define the course of rivers passing through the river. "Definition of flood plains and demarcation is required if land planning is to be done," said Kumar, The problem, he added, is when, after demarcating the course of the river, local authorities build retaining walls along the course.
Both the Mithi and Dahisar have been constricted by walls. Environmentalists have reported that construction of a retaining wall along the lower reaches of the Mithi at Bandra-Kurla-Complex by the Mumbai Metropolitan Regional Development Authority – the regional planning authority – is destroying aquatic vegetation. Walls have been constructed at the upper reaches in Aarey. Though Dahisar has fewer such barriers, there are concrete walls along some sections. "Building a retaining wall is constricting a river. The retaining walls are not to be constructed. Every river has its own character and one formula does not fit every river," said Kumar. "If it has to be rejuvenated please revert it back (to its natural state). If there are some difficulties engineering methods can be used."


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UWM faculty have teamed up to create TecHealth, an initiative that aims to harness and develop regional, inter-institutional and transdisciplinary research strength to solve problems at the intersection of health and technology.
Working together as core members of TecHealth are UWM faculty Jake Luo, PhD, assistant professor in the Department of Health Informatics and Administration, Noelle Chesley, PhD, associate professor in the Department of Sociology, and W. Hobart Davies, PhD, professor in the Department of Psychology.
TecHealth is designed to be a hub for collaboration that can bring together both experts and resources to foster innovative, research-based solutions to today's health challenges.
Team science solutions to complex health problems
Together with a team of faculty and graduate assistants representing UWM, UW-Madison, Aurora Health Care and the Medical College of Wisconsin, Chesley, Davies and Luo have steep ambitions. They aim to build a regional, transdisciplinary scientific team that merges medical, social science and big data research approaches to better understand the role that digital technology use plays in shaping health and well-being at home, at work, at school and in medical settings.
"We draw on social science to leverage knowledge about how individual attitudes and traits, as well as larger interactional and institutional social processes, influence access to and use of digital tools and applications in ways that impact health and well-being," said Luo. "We merge this approach with more traditional medical models and emphasize big data methods to deepen knowledge about the possible health implications of technology use in key groups and settings."
"By our powers combined"
The TecHealth initiative engages researchers at all levels, from students in training to established experts, in order to foster stronger research aimed at improving public health.
The initiative also aims to collaborate with government and community organizations, as well as businesses, to further the goal of improved public health aided by effective technologies.
- How can health information best be communicated to, and understood, by key groups?
- Do "digital divides" impact health disparities?
- What are the implications of electronic health records (EHRs) for the doctor-patient relationship?
- What are the reciprocal influences between technology and social interactions inside and outside the family?
- What are the health and social implications of new big data approaches to information science?
To begin to forge more collaborative relationships within and outside of UWM, the group held a workshop in October 2017. This event brought together twenty-six researchers from several different organizations to start thinking creatively about how to leverage their collective expertise in more effective ways. The TecHealth team is currently planning a few spring events to build on the relationships forged through this inaugural workshop and to expand opportunities for new collaboration.
The TecHealth collaborative team looks forward to expanding the reach of their initiative to include more researchers with more diverse areas of expertise. "There are opportunities for both medical and social researchers with broad interests in technology and health and a desire to engage in transdisciplinary approaches in grant applications, projects, research papers, and commercial applications to join our team," Luo said.


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Director: Robert Stromberg
"Princess Aurora: "All the other fairies fly, why don't you?"
Maleficent: "I had wings once, and they were strong. But they were stolen from me."
Maleficent (2014)
Maleficent is a live-action remake of the animated Sleeping Beauty film released by Disney in 1959 (the 1959 Disney version was based on earlier tales named Little Briar Rose by Brothers Grimm and The Beauty Sleeping in the Wood by Charles Perault). Maleficent is a modernized version of Sleeping Beauty and the tale focuses on the events that led Maleficent to become a villain. In the remake, an elderly woman tells the story of a young but powerful fairy named Maleficent. Maleficent protects the peaceful magical realm from the human kingdom which seeks to take control of all the land. Maleficent is betrayed by someone that she loves and her heart turns cold. She takes her revenge by cursing the human King's daughter, Aurora, to prick her finger on a spinning wheel before the sun sets on her sixteenth birthday and fall into a death like slumber; only true love's kiss can break the curse. Maleficent soon realizes that Aurora may be the one person to bring peace to both the lands.
You can see the trailer for Maleficent (2014) below:
After watching the trailers for Maleficent, we were uncertain about whether we would enjoy the movie. The first trailer was a bit of a disappointment because the focus was more on Aurora than Maleficent. The second trailer, however, was brilliantly done! The focus was almost solely on Maleficent and showcased the villainous nature to her character. After watching the movie, we both had the same reaction. That it was amazing, and can we see the movie again?! Frances actually went to the cinema a few days later to watch Maleficent again!
We loved the reimagining of Sleeping Beauty (1959) and actually prefer Maleficent (2014). Maleficent (2014) explains a huge plot hole in Sleeping Beauty (1959) – if Maleficent is a fairy where are her wings? In Maleficent (2014), Maleficent has wings initially, but, after a ruthless betrayal, Maleficent's wings are stolen from her. This is a key factor in what turns Maleficent's heart cold, and a brilliant way to put the audience on Maleficient's side. We wanted Maleficient to get her revenge as much as she did. The other twists in Maleficient (2014) also modernized the story, removing some of the plot points in Sleeping Beauty (1959) that haven't translated well over time. We won't discuss the modern twists in Maleficent (2014) here because these are major spoilers. However, there is a link to hidden content at the bottom of this review where we do discuss these points.
We loved the development of Maleficent's character. Initially, the audience sees a kind-hearted side to Maleficent's personality. She cares about the magical realm and will do anything to protect the magical creatures that live there. The costumes that Maleficent wears are all in earth tones (e.g., browns and creams) and her hair is worn down. After her wings are stolen Maleficent changes. She becomes angry and set on seeking revenge against the person who stole her wings. The costumes Maleficent wears are darker tones (e.g., blacks and greys) and her hair is concealed with headdresses that gives her a harsh look. As time passes, it becomes clear that Maleficent isn't as evil as she tries to convince everyone that she is. There are moments where the audience catches glimpses of the old Maleficent who was more mischievous than evil, and the costumes slowly start to shift back towards earth tones.
Just as an additional note, we both loved the cheek bones that Maleficent has. You can see a picture of the effect below. This along with the horns gave Maleficent and truly other-worldly feel!
Aside from the arc of Maleficent's character development and the costumes, we also loved her magic. In particular, we loved how Maleficent's magic was yellow/orange when she was using good magic, but green when she was using bad magic. We also loved how Maleficent's eyes shine green when she is using her magic. You can see a gif of Maleficent using bad magic and her eyes glowing green below:
We also really enjoyed the subtle nods back to Maleficent from Sleeping Beauty (1959). For example, Maleficent's magic was green when she was casting dark spells, and when she curses Aurora, the costume that Maleficent is wearing and the staging of the scene echoes that in Sleeping Beauty (1959).
We thought that Angelina Jolie did an amazing job of portraying Maleficent's character. There were so many different sides to her character, and it is unusual to see such well-rounded "real" woman in movies. Jolie did an excellent job of showing a vulnerable side of Maleficent near the beginning. The scene where Maleficent realizes her wings have been stolen is heart-breaking. Jolie does an amazing job of portraying the mixture of surprise and pain at losing such a key part of herself. The subtle body language that Jolie uses (e.g., reaching out to where her wings were and using a staff because she's not used to walking without the weight of her wings) along with her cries of sorrow brought tears to our eyes.
Jolie also did a brilliant job of portraying the other, more evil side to Maleficent. In Sleeping Beauty (1959), Maleficent's character is quick to rage, but there is also a playful, kind of crazy side to her personality, too. Jolie captured that brilliantly! Particularly, in the court scene where Maleficent feigns that her feelings are hurt only to laugh. This scene was filmed perfectly, and, again, was a nice nod back to the original Sleeping Beauty (1959) where Maleficent does the exact same thing.
Jolie also portrayed a mischievous side to Maleficent's character. For example, Maleficent plays tricks on the three pixies looking after Aurora, like making it rain in their house or pulling their hair; each time the pixies think one of the others is doing it. Also, Maleficent tries to frighten Aurora when she is a baby, but the baby just giggles leading Aurora to gain the nickname Beastie. We can't find any clips or gifs of these yet, but once the movie is released on DVD, we'll add some clips here.
The twist on Maleficent's faithful raven, Diablo, in Sleeping Beauty (1959) was brilliant! In Maleficent (2014), Maleficent saves a raven named Diaval from being killed by turning him into a human. Diaval swears his allegiance to Maleficent in exchange for saving his life. Maleficent uses Diaval as her wings to keep tabs on what is happening in the castle. Diaval was a really great surprise. We hadn't expected the raven to turn into a human or the other creatures that Maleficent transforms him into. Not only was the magic very cool, but Diaval brought a great deal of comedy to the film. He isn't afraid to speak his mind to Maleficent and his complaints about the animals that she turns him into are hilarious. For example, at one point, she turns Diaval into a wolf and he complains about being turned into a dirty dog. Later in the movie, he complains that Maleficent tells him to leave if he's scared because she doesn't tell him how much she needs him by her side. He almost stole the show!
Maleficent: You don't have to stay here, Diaval. This isn't your fight.
Diaval: Really? After all this time? Don't go Diaval! I need you Diaval! I can't do this without you Diaval!
Maleficent: (dryly) I can hear you.
We were initially worried about Aurora, played by Elle Fanning. In the first trailer, Aurora is walking through a forest with strange fairy like creatures and speaking in a terrible British accent! She's also very young, too young for how we pictured Aurora. In the Disney movie, she pricks her finger on her sixteenth birthday. In the trailer, Elle Fanning doesn't look sixteen. She looks more like fourteen or fifteen (Elle Fanning didn't turn sixteen until April 2014, a month prior to the release of the movie). We were pleasantly surprised by Aurora though. Her accent didn't seem so bad when we were watching the movie (mostly because it was never specifically an English accent), and her acting wasn't too bad. Although the moment where she returns home to her father and runs up to hug him made us cringe a little. Yet the scene where she finds out about the curse was well acted considering she is rather upset.
You can see the well-acted scene below:
We think it really did help that Aurora's screen time wasn't actually that large, particularly for speaking parts. Plus, Maleficent knocked her out quite a lot.
For the most part, Aurora just grinned at everything. This was perhaps a little sickly sweet at times, but on the whole it worked.
Aide from Aurora's smiles, there was only one other thing that we weren't keen on. The CGI for the three pixies that look after Aurora was a bit strange. There was just something off about them the entire time they were in their small forms. We can't quite put our fingers on it- perhaps the heads are slightly too large for their bodies, or perhaps because we are familiar with the actresses it is strange to see their faces distorted in shape by the animation. What did you think?
Lastly, I'd just like to leave you with a video that highlights the similarities between Sleeping Beauty (1959) and Maleficent (2014). Enjoy!
Final Verdict: A brilliant reimagining of Sleeping Beauty (1959) that is nostalgic because of the nods toward the original, but with new modern twists that update the tale for modern times.
Click the link to see our discussion of the ending and spoilers for the movie: The Ending of Maleficent.


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My personal blog about the random things that are in my life: writing, knitting, and substitute teaching.
Thursday, April 2, 2015
Blatant Lie
It was an interesting day. They were holding short trainings for all the teachers--trainings that took about an hour--so we subs were covering teachers for one period and then moving on to cover another teacher the next period.
There are pros and cons to this. One big pro is that the teachers were there as the kiddos came into class.
Ms. C was on her way out when a student brought her his SSR log. He explained that he had left it on her desk yesterday, but apparently she hadn't gotten it.
Ms. C told the student he was full of it (although, not quite like that). While her desk wasn't pristine, it wasn't so messy that she'd miss stuff. And she informed the student that she had looked through her stuff the night before and had not seen his paper.
8th graders... *shakes head*
She was accepting those logs. She had a stack of maybe 10 by the time she left. I think they were a day late, but she was still taking them. So, I'm not sure what he got out of the lie. (Perhaps whatever she was deducting for late work?)
Have you ever told a teacher a lie about turning your work in? Did you get away with it?
Today's A to Z Challenge post brought to you by the letter...
33 comments:
In my experience being a teacher, I could tell when a kid was lying:) I love your little crocheted alphabet pieces!ReplyDelete
I was too scared to tell a lie. Although my dog really did eat my homework once. Ate the textbook as well.ReplyDelete
Nope, never told a teacher a lie; did stretch the truth sometimes, but never really a lie :)ReplyDelete
To be honest, I can't remember. If I did, I'm sure I put it so far into the back of my brain that I'd never find it. :)ReplyDelete
- AnonymousApril 2, 2015 at 12:39 PM
I used to lie about having my period in PE class so I didn't have to participate...ReplyDelete
Perhaps he thought he was way late with getting it to her and panicked. Just like with parents, never lie to a teacher.ReplyDelete
Hello there.ReplyDelete
Satan, the first liar, promoted lying back in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3:4, 5). The Bible even calls him the "father of the lie". So with the world today under his influence (1 John 5:19), you can see how lying has become commonplace! God hates lying (Proverbs 6:16-19) and doesn't matter whether we are young or old, truth is always best, especially if we want to have a good standing with God (Psalms 5:6).
Making my way around the AtoZChallenge.
Entrepreneurial Goddess
Hi, did you really knit all the letters? that is brilliant. Hope you enjoy the A to Z challenge.ReplyDelete
martine@silencing the bell
Oh gosh-nope! I never told a lie like that. I skipped school but I couldn't get away with that. These kids seem brash to me or did this always happen?ReplyDelete
I used the period lie to get out of gym, too.ReplyDelete
Yay, I can comment!ReplyDelete
Those little knit letters are so awesome :). I've lied to a teacher at least once, when I totally spaced on a big project that I was supposed to do. I said I was sick and went to the nurse and lied down for a couple of hours while everyone else went to this school fair to display their projects. I was never called out on it and I don't remember it affecting my grade, so I really don't know if anyone was ever even aware of it.
A few weeks ago a mother brought a well chewed exercise book in and showed me the bull mastiff actually did eat the kid's homework. His homework was done but just not in a good state.ReplyDelete
I don't think I ever did? But then I wouldn't have hesitated to and school was a long time ago so let's assume I did.ReplyDelete
No, I can't recall ever telling a lie to a teacher. I might have taken a day off from school to delay having to hand in a project, though.ReplyDelete
I don't think I ever told a lie to a teacher until grad school.. I did get asked to leave class a few times in high school for talking back, my attitude, etc.ReplyDelete
I may have thought about telling a lie about homework, but would have never gotten away with it. My face, my eyes, decide to tell the truth independent of my decision. Awful, I tell you.ReplyDelete
I don't think I ever told a teacher a lie! I was too afraid of the consequences. Now my grandson...there is another whole story to tell!!ReplyDelete
No, I was too timid to do anything like that. I kept my head down at school!ReplyDelete
Oh, I'm sure I did and I am fairly certain the teacher knew it was a lie, too. I remember thinking "LIAR" was written on my forehead as I told the straight-faced fib and yet, she accepted it at that and told me to bring it in the next day. I was taught to not lie. The guilt was horrible. I felt sure I would burn in Hell for telling a lie, too. Needless to say, I didn't do that more than once or maybe age is blocking my memories, but I feel confident there was only the one time.ReplyDelete
I usually got pretty lucky. On the days when I'd forgotten to do the homework, the teacher would be off so I wouldn't have to hand it in. I was a bit of a teacher's pet though, so I'd have done it on the day it was set.ReplyDelete
I don't really remember having to tell any really blatant lies, though there was one time I was caught letting a friend copy my French homework. The teacher paused, looked at what we were doing and asked 'is she copying your homework?'
I replied 'no, she's creatively rewriting it.' The teacher paused for a moment, shook her head and left us to it.Replies
I've been on the other end of that. Unless the teacher has said that I should collect their homework (or it's a major project), I won't. When invariably someone asks about it, I tell them I'm going to pretend I had no idea and that they can take an extra day. There are always a couple students who are so relieved.Delete
Love the knitted letters! As for lies to teachers, I must confess to telling a few fibs to get out of a punishment.ReplyDelete
Perhaps. I learned some very valuable life lessons from teachers that went beyond the grades.ReplyDelete
I appreciate your comments.
I respond to comments via email, unless your profile email is not enabled. Then, I'll reply in the comment thread. Eventually. Probably.


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Long Distance Medical Transportation (Non-Emergency Transportation)
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Cynthia Seputis has a bachelor's degree in music education from the University of Illinois and a master's degree in music education from Northwestern University. She completed all three levels of her Orff training at the University of Nevada in Las Vegas. Seputis has taught K-5 general music at George B. Carpenter Elementary School in Park Ridge, IL, for the past 22 years. She is a regional presenter and is proud to have been part of the VanderCook Orff team since the program's inception over ten years ago.
Ben Torres is in his 12th year in the Richardson (TX) school district and his fourth year as the K-6 music specialist at Brentfield Elementary in Dallas, where he also directs the Brentfield Singers, the Rhythm Cats Orff Ensemble and serves as the JJ Pearce Area Team Leader. Prior to this, he was the K-6 music specialist at Richland Elementary, where he also directed a choir and an Orff ensemble, the latter of which was selected to perform at the 2011 TMEA Convention. Torres received his bachelor's degree in music education from West Texas A&M University in Canyon. He teaches movement in the Orff Schulwerk training course at Trinity University in San Antonio, movement and recorder in the Orff Schulwerk course at the University of Central Arkansas in Conway, and other courses across the country. He is currently the president of the North Texas Chapter of the American Orff-Schulwerk Association.


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A patron review from the Adult Summer Game: "This book contains a selection of short stories meant to inspire, encourage and even teach its readers. Some stories featured are heartbreaking and have you feeling rather sad as they involve death and loss; however, others are uplifting and entertaining. Like the other books in this series, you will experience a multitude of emotions but the common denominator to the stories offered here are love and hope. My husband and I shared many of these stories together."
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Chicago has long been home to one of the world's top bicycle manufacturers - Schwinn! Their iconic styles are a favorite of cycling enthusiasts all over the world. This schematic of a classic Model B-17 is a detailed inventory of all the pieces and parts that make a great bike. Perfect for any cyclist!
This hand screen-printed poster is 17"W x 11"H on 100# Cover Stock Paper. Framed posters are for pickup only. Framed posters will not ship.
Designed and produced by Transit Tees in Chicago's Wicker Park neighborhood.
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Every year around this time I get excited and attempt to see all of the movies that are nominated for Best Picture. I have involved my family in this endeavor as well when possible. There have been several that my children will never see , "There Will Be Blood" as an example. I loved that movie by the way.
I take my cue from the Golden Globes nominations and start from there. There are 5 movies nominations and from those I have seen 4. Here they are and also my thoughts on each of them.
Black Swan: I liked this flick but didn't love it. It was OK


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Iss it's only a theory.
"It's only a THEORY!" It's the battle cry of those people so far beyond the Dunning-Kruger that you couldn't find them with the worlds most powerful teleskope/microscope.
This is a declaration of mental bankruptcy. These people cling to their beliefs as if it were a lifesaver in stormy seas after their boat sank. You cannot educate them on the difference between theory and hypothesis, or more specific, the difference between "theory" in scientific and colloquial use.
Whether it is evolution, germs, gravity or big bang, or something else. Whenever someone says/writes "But it's only a THEORY!", presumably with a victorious shit eating grin on their face, you know they have quit the discussion.
You have won.
By default.
Whatever else comes out their mouth, is irrelevant and warrants no attention, let alone debate.
In scientific terms, a theory is factual. Tested extensively.
It is true.
Any theory that doesn't hold up to rigorous testing, becomes a discarded hypothesis.
It is funny though, you know? Just a century or so ago these people would've been the village idiots. Never would they have children, never would they breed and pass on the idiocy. Everyone would've laughed at them.
But now, they have internet access, and gather in groups, accumulating their collective anti-knowledge in a celebration of cerebral abstinence. And they breed. And they vote.
Anyway. Just rest comfortably in the knowledge that you have won any argument by default as soon as these words are uttered. (If it is about a scientific theory that is)
Take care,


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It's no secret that I love birds, so it was only natural to teach a lesson plan that incorporated winter birds this holiday season! I started off by showing 1st graders how to create bark-like texture by dipping the edge of a piece of cardboard into black paint and dragging it across the paper.
1st graders seemed to like this and found it easy to carry out this technique. I asked students to fill their papers with horizontal bark-texture designs!
Once these were dry, 1st graders created accordian-like folds in their papers to form vertical creases. We cut along those lines to create series of birch trees at each table.
Next, students selected bright and colorful background papers. They selected their two favorite trees and glued them to both sides of their papers.
For the bird part of this lesson, I created templates and passed them out to students. 1st graders traced the bird bodies onto various sheets of colored paper. By the end of the project, I realized that the first graders could have managed just fine without my templates. If I repeat this lesson, I will let students sketch their own bird shapes to cut out. We live and learn!
Once each student had three bird bodies, I passed out "funky paper" from my scrap drawer so students could outline unique wings and tails to go with their bird bodies. We began gluing these birds down onto the paper, between the birch trees.
1st graders began adding on their wings and tails as they cut them from their "funky paper." 🙂
When the glue was dry, 1st graders went in with black oil pastel and added branches to fill the space between their trees. We reviewed the letters of the alphabet that made up tree branches (Y & V) and just went for it! They turned out great. We kept the oil pastels out to add more embellishments: eyes, beaks, and scarves. For the finishing touch, 1st graders smeared white oil pastel dots across the sky to create a flurry of snow.
Here they are, hanging in the cafeteria and front office! Aren't they festive?
Wishing you a Happy Winter!
-Mrs. Heinlein


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Double Rally ExperienceCode: PEVRAD SP129 7 month validity 2 locations 1 person
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Double Rally Experience
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Turn your hand to a spot of rally driving and channel your motor enthusiasm into an unforgettable day out with this Double Rally Thrill experience.
The perfect introduction to rally driving, you'll try out two different cars across a specially-made mixed-material course. With an expert instructor by your side as you take the wheel, in no time at all you'll have learned some brand new driving techniques like skid and brake control and under- and over-steer tricks and tips.
With two rally driving sessions for you to enjoy you'll be able to learn everything new on the first and then let rip on the second, discovering your inner Sebastien Loeb as you slide, drift and rev your way to the finish line. You'll receive a driving certificate as a keepsake of your high-octane day – get a good score and you might even want to frame it!
What's Included?
- Introduction and briefing on circuit driving techniques
- Two hands-on driving sessions in a rally car
- Presentation of driving certificate
- Experience gift pack including personalised voucher and message card
Your voucher is valid for 7 months from the date of issue, while government restrictions apply in relation to Covid-19 we are offering free extensions on all experiences so you can take your experience when the time is right.
What happens on the day?
Upon arrival to your pre-booked rally experience, you will be welcomed and given a full briefing from your qualified, experienced instructor. Then you'll be behind the wheel getting to grips with rally techniques including skid control and oversteer. Your first session will usually feature a 4-wheel drive rally car, while the second session will usually involve a front or rear wheel performance rally car, allowing you a more varied driving experience.
Once you've finished tearing up the mixed material circuit, you'll be rewarded with an individual driving certificate to remember your thrilling day's driving. The perfect experience for fans of the sport, or indeed anyone looking to pick up some new driving skills.
Participant guidelines
- Minimum age: 17 (under 18s need parental/guardian consent)
- Minimum height: 5ft 2in
- Maximum height: 6ft 5in
- Maximum weight: 19 stone
- Fitness/Health: You should be in reasonable health and able to climb in and out of the car. This experience is not suitable for those with epilepsy, heart complaints or pregnant ladies
- You must hold a full, manual driving licence. You must present your licence on the day of your experience; photocopies will not be accepted
- All drivers must have a good understanding of the English language for instruction purposes
- Please note: anyone deemed to be under the influence of alcohol or drugs will not be permitted to participate
- You are welcome to bring friends and family to watch. Viewing areas vary at each venue. Please call the booking number for more information
- The experience content, equipment used and restrictions may vary according to location
- The centres contracted with us hold public indemnity liability insurance. We also hold contingency liability cover.
Some driving operators require customers to complete an Indemnity/Damage waiver form on the day of the experience. This may state that the driver will be liable for a fixed amount of costs should they damage the vehicle whilst driving. Most of these suppliers are able to provide Indemnity/Damage Waiver at a small additional fee (usually £20-£45) payable on site. The purchase of this is optional and is in addition to the Public Liability Insurance held by all venues. The full details of any indemnity or damage waiver will be provided by the activity operator. We are unable to advise or comment on the content or suitability of these products.
A cancellation indemnity, subject to terms, is included with every voucher
Your voucher is valid for seven months from the date of issue. It is essential that you book and take your experience before this date.
This experience is available on selected weekdays. A £20 upgrade fee for a weekend date is available and can be paid directly to the supplier.
We recommend you book 8 to 12 weeks in advance to ensure that dates are available. All bookings are subject to availability.
Please allow approximately 2 hours for the whole experience depending on the numbers on the day.
How it works
All you have to do is pay for the experience you wish to purchase and we'll send a voucher and booking information to you or directly to the recipient, then you just need to check the info and book your experience.
Packaging and Delivery
Please see the following page for information on our packaging and delivery.
All images shown are for illustration purpose only, actual product may vary from images shown.
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2 locations across the UK
Please note some locations indicated on the map may not be completely accurate and should not be used when planning directions.
- Yorkshire and Humber (1)
- Yorkshire – Elvington Airfield
- East Midlands (1)
- Leicestershire – Prestwold Driving Centre


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Posts Tagged 'letters'
"A unit of cultural transmission, or a unit of imitation"*…
Is there any way to intervene usefully or meaningfully in public debate, in what the extremely online Twitter users are with gleeful irony calling the "discourse" of the present moment?
It has come to seem to me recently that this present moment must be to language something like what the Industrial Revolution was to textiles. A writer who works on the old system of production can spend days crafting a sentence, putting what feels like a worthy idea into language, only to find, once finished, that the internet has already produced countless sentences that are more or less just like it, even if these lack the same artisanal origin story that we imagine gives writing its soul. There is, it seems to me, no more place for writers and thinkers in our future than, since the nineteenth century, there has been for weavers.
This predicament is not confined to politics, and in fact engulfs all domains of human social existence…
Justin E. H. Smith rages against the machine. Come for the righteous indictment of algorithmic culture; stay for the oddly redeeming conclusion: "It's All Over." [TotH @vgr]
But we might recall that Socrates (as reported in Plato's Phaedrus) railed against the new technology of his time– writing– and its corrosive effect on memory. Several readers of Smith's essay have suggested that it is similarly "conservative." Smith engages those criticism here.
Pair with "The Age of Post-Authenticity and the Ironic Truths of Meme Culture."
[image above: source]
* definition of a "meme" in Richard Dawkin's The Selfish Gene (1976)
As we muse on meaning, we might send epistolary birthday greetings to Marie de Rabutin-Chantal, marquise de Sévigné; she was born on this date in 1626. A French aristocrat, she is the most celebrated letter writer in French literary history. Those letters– over 1,100 survive– as celebrated for their vivid descriptiveness and their wit. Mme de Sévigné's letters play an important role in the novel In Search of Lost Time by Marcel Proust, where they figure as the favorite reading of the narrator's grandmother, and, following her death, his mother.
Check them out at the Internet Archive.
"The proper definition of a man is an animal that writes letters"*…
From our old friend Shaun Usher, the force behind Letters of Note (c.f. here, here, and here), Letterheady…
…a blog which celebrates and showcases the personalised letterheads of some of the best-known and loved figures in pop culture. Using both found examples and pieces from the collections of others, Usher collects those from the likes of Anaïs Nin, Andy Warhol's Interview Magazine, Michael Jackson and the Grateful Dead. There are fictional examples, too – members of the official Twin Peaks Fan Club were sent notes written on stationery from Dwayne Milford, the Mayor of Twin Peaks, while the author of Psycho, of which the film was later directed by Alfred Hitchcock, wrote for years under a letterhead bearing the name 'Bates Motel: For that wistful country feeling,' in a witty but sinister nod to the murderous venue in his famous horror story…
More of the backstory on AnOther; visit Letterheady here.
* Lewis Carroll (Charles Dodgson)
As we search for a stamp, we might recall that it was on this date in 1964, on the eve of a get-together, that T.S. Eliot wrote his pen pal Groucho Marx: "the picture of you in the newspapers saying that … you have come to London to see me has greatly enhanced my credit in the neighbourhood, and particularly with the greengrocer across the street. Obviously I am now someone of importance."
More on their unlikely friendship here and here. And for the remarkable (and heart-warming) story of the revival of a "lost" Marx Brothers musical, click here.
Abecedarian orphans…
Have you ever seen a place that calls itself "ye olde whatever"? As it happens, that's not a "y", or, at least, it wasn't supposed to be. Originally, it was an entirely different letter called thorn, which derived from the Old English runic alphabet, Futhark.
Thorn, which was pronounced exactly like the "th" in its name, is actually still around today in Icelandic. We replaced it with "th" over time—thorn fell out of use because Gothic-style scripting made the letters y and thorn look practically identical. And, since French printing presses didn't have thorn anyway, it just became common to replace it with a y. Hence naming things like, "Ye Olde Magazine of Interesting Facts" (just as an example, of course).
More castaway characters at "12 Letters That Didn't Make the Alphabet."
As we ink our quills, we might send beautifully-written birthday greetings to Joseph Leo Mankiewicz; he was born on this date in 1909. A producer (e.g., The Philadelphia Story), screenwriter (e.g., A Letter to Three Wives), and film director (e.g., Julius Caesar), Mankiewicz won 4 Oscars, 4 DGA honors, and 3 WGA Awards during a long Hollywood career. He's probably best known as the writer-director of All About Eve (1950), which was nominated for 14 Academy Awards and won six. (His elder brother, screenwriter and drama critic Herman Mankiewicz, won an Academy Award as co-author of the screenplay for Citizen Kane.)
I got a job at Metro and went in to see Louis Mayer, who told me he wanted me to be a producer. I said I wanted to write and direct. He said, "No, you have to produce first, you have to crawl before you can walk." Which is as good a definition of producing as I ever heard.
Kids say the darnedest things…
click here, and again, for larger image
[TotH to Happy Place, via reader KL]
As we unfurl our umbrellas, we might send slap-happy birthday greetings to comedian, actor, singer, film producer, screenwriter, film director, recipient of the French Legion of Honor, and nominee for the Nobel Peace prize Jerry Lewis; he was born (Joseph Levitch) on this date in 1926.
From the time that his success allowed it, Lewis– something of a clothes horse– gave away suits rather than having them cleaned and refused to wear a pair of socks more than once.
With hope that you will be in Heaven thirty minutes before the devil knows you're dead…
From Liz Danzico and her bodacious blog Bobulate:
Forget what you've heard about first impressions; it's the last impressions that count. Last impressions — whether they're with customer service, an online shopping experience, or a blind date — are the ones we remember. They're the ones that keep us coming back. But there's one kind of final impression that people seem to forget.
The closing line of email — that line that you write before you type your name — has been all but forgotten.
Danzico proceeds to offer a kind of taxonomy of ta-ta's:
If a closing line can be so meaningful, so important, why are emailers squandering the opportunity, putting no thought in the closing? Time, perhaps, iPhone-finger exhaustion, multi-tasking—they're all possible excuses. And many times, acceptable ones. We can't be expected to neatly tie up every email every time. But once in a while, it would be delightful if people applied the same sincerity to the last impressions that we do to first ones.
Enjoy Danzico's analysis at "Second Chance for a Last Impression."
Your humble and obedient servant,
[TotH to GMSV]
As we concentrate on the complimentary close, we might recall that it was on this date in 490 BCE that– because there was no postal service, and thus no facility for sending messages with closings of any level of courtesy or creativity– Pheidippides of Athens set out on the run that inspired the Marathon. Pheidippides was on a mission seeking military support from Sparta in defense against the invading Persian army. Tradition (that's to say, Herodotus) holds that he ran the ran 246 km (153 miles) between the two city-states in two days. The Spartans, constrained by religious law, were unwilling to help until the next full moon. So two days later, Phidippides ran the return leg alone.
Pheidippides then ran the 40 km (25+ miles) from the battlefield to Athens to announce the Greek victory over Persia in the Battle of Marathon; he uttered the word Nenikékamen ("We have won"), collapsed, and died on the spot from exhaustion.
Statue of Pheidippides on the Marathon road (source)


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Simon & Garfunkel, Bookends, Columbia KCS-9529, 1968
The best part about landmark albums is that they're usually very good, the cornerstones of every collection, and they sold in such numbers that they are usually pretty easy to find. The Beatles aside, classics like Bookends turn up really often, so I usually jump at the chance to get a better copy than the one I already have.
This album was the first studio release from S&G in nearly 18 months, and it set records for sales and weeks at number one. I might have spent more weeks at the top, but for the soundtrack of The Graduate which was out at the same time, featured Simon and Garfunkel and also peaked at number one.
It's maybe a sign that I bought a later pressing when the album I bought is also advertised on the inner sleeve. Maybe for such a highly anticipated record Columbia did advance promotion, but I have to believe that inner sleeve art would take a while to get caught up to a new release.
In any event, this $3 was a gamble. It was shinny and clean, but it doesn't play very well. There are a few scratched and pops that come through more on a record like this than you might hear on, say, a Led Zeppelin record. This one doesn't rise to the level of a keeper and get re-donated.
Today's Summary:
Cost: $3, $899 Remaining


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This is quite a popular use case around K2 where we have quite a few customers taking advantage of K2 for things like Non-Conformance and CAPA ( Corrective and Preventative Actions ) within the manufacturing industry.
I built a small demo to show a use case around K2 and non-conformance.
The demonstration shows how a new submission can be completed and an approval process takes place. The process includes the ability to add preventative actions and each of these actions starts its own separately managed subprocess.
If you would like access to this and other K2 demos you can self-enroll into the environment here. (Australia and New Zealand only at the moment)
For those that are interested this is a blurb from Wikipedia on CAPA:
"Corrective and preventive action (CAPA, also called corrective action / preventive action, or simply corrective action) are improvements to an organization's processes taken to eliminate causes of non-conformities or other undesirable situations.[1] CAPA is a concept within good manufacturing practice (GMP), and numerous ISO business standards. It focuses on the systematic investigation of the root causes of identified problems or identified risks in an attempt to prevent their recurrence (for corrective action) or to prevent occurrence (for preventive action).
Corrective actions are implemented in response to customer complaints, unacceptable levels of product non-conformance, issues identified during an internal audit, or adverse or unstable trends in product and process monitoring such as would be identified by statistical process control (SPC). Preventive actions are implemented in response to the identification of potential sources of non-conformity.
To ensure that corrective and preventive actions are effective, the systematic investigation of the root causes of failure is pivotal. CAPA is part of the overall quality management system (QMS)."


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The Structure of Fun: Learning from Super Mario 3D Land's Director
從Super Mario 3D Land的製作人學習樂趣的建構
by Christian Nutt [Design, Interview]
April 13, 2012 Article Start Page 1 of 4 Next
It's hard to pinpoint the most interesting thing about last year's release of Super Mario 3D Land for the Nintendo 3DS. Was it its successful proof-of-concept for stereoscopic 3D gameplay? Was it the fact that the game was the first portable Mario developed by the main Mario team?
很難指出去年Nintendo 3DS平台上釋出遊戲Super Mario 3D Land的最有趣的地方在哪裡。
These things are important. But it might well be that the most interesting thing about the game is that it started over from scratch on the concept of what a 3D Mario game is. Director Koichi Hayashida, who works at Nintendo EAD Tokyo, developed the game as though it were the first 3D Mario game ever made, jettisoning much of the legacy of the series post-1996.
更令人覺得有趣的是這款遊戲開始讓我們從頭開始思考3D瑪莉歐遊戲的概念是什麼。任職於Nintendo EAD Tokyo的製作人Koichi Hayashida開發這個遊戲就像第一個3D瑪莉歐一樣,並捨棄這個系列1996年之後的一些包袱。
At this year's GDC, he spoke about that process, and how developing the game during the 9.0 magnitude earthquake that shook Japan in 2011 helped him find the fun in making Mario games. In this interview, he discusses that, and explains how Nintendo draws on Japanese narrative tradition to structure its levels, as well as what he focuses on during play tests.
You've worked at Nintendo since, I guess, the tail end of the NES days, but Super Mario Galaxy 2 was your debut as a director. I was wondering if you could talk a little bit about your path, and how you rose to become a director.
記者:你自從超任時代的尾端就進入任天堂,但到Super Mario Galaxy 2才是你擔任製作人初試啼聲的一款遊戲。是否能談談這經歷,如何躍升為一個製作人。
KH: So on Super Mario Sunshine, Mr. Koizumi was the director. But when I look at my early beginnings, it was actually when I was working on the early Gamecube dev boards. I was creating the 3D library with EAD, and working on that kind of very foundational development there.
該從Super Mario Sunshine說起,小泉先生正任製作人。但更早之前,我正在做Gamecube的開發版,建立3D函式庫,並做基礎研發的工作。
The main programmer of Super Mario 64 was a Mr. Nishida, someone who I really respected. You may also have seen his work in the Super NES Zelda game, where he did the polygon Triforce that appeared in the opening screen. That was something that he had made.
我尊敬的Nishida先生他那時擔任Super Mario 64的主程式,以及開發超任薩爾達遊戲。當時他在Triforce機版螢幕上顯示多邊形,那是他所完成的工作。
So he was studying the Nintendo 64 hardware, and became the main programmer on Super Mario 64, and I had been doing some work on that system at the time, and then became the programmer on Sunshine.
他正在研究Nintendo 64的硬體,然後成為Super Mario 64的主程式,我那時也持續在系統上開發,最後我成為Super Mario Sunshine的軟體。
I am a programmer at heart. I always have been interested in programming. Ever since I started making games on a Commodore VIC-20 when I was in fifth grade — I guess that would be the start of my interest, but my interest in programming was always to the end that I wanted to make games, not that I was interested in programming for its own sake necessarily, so I guess that was the beginning of my career. And that takes us up to my work as main programmer on Super Mario Sunshine.
身為軟體核心,我對程式設計很有興趣,曾經在五年級就用Commodore VIC-20這台機器作過遊戲,我在程式設計的興趣最終導致我進入遊戲界。最後我就當上Super Mario Sunshine的主程式。
And so after Super Mario Sunshine, I worked on Donkey Kong Jungle Beat as the assistant director, and I also did some level design on that game. After Donkey Kong Jungle Beat, I was the level design director on Super Mario Galaxy 1. On Super Mario Galaxy 2, Mr. Koizumi became the producer, and I took the lead, with another — Mr. Motokura, who was in charge of program design, while I was the director. And then on Super Mario 3D Land, I was the director.
在Super Mario Sunshine之後,我以副製作人的身分製作Donkey Kong Jungle Beat,同時在那款遊戲中做關卡設計。之後,在Super Mario Galaxy 1的時候我就擔任了關卡設計企劃的工作。Super Mario Galaxy 2的時候Koizumi是監製,Motokura負責程式設計,我就擔任製作人。Super Mario 3D Land也是。
I was interested to hear in your talk that you tried to imagine what 3D Mario would be like if you left behind the rules that had been established, because that's exactly what I thought when I played Super Mario 3D Land. Why did you decide to do it that way?
記者:我對於你演講時提到想捨棄一些這個系列已經建立的規則並了解3D的瑪莉歐該是怎樣的想法很有興趣。那剛好跟我玩Super Mario 3D Land感覺到的一樣,你為什麼決定這樣做?
KH: Well, every Mario game is, of course, made with all of the learnings in mind from the Mario games that preceded it. So, for example, we made Mario 64, and then Super Mario Sunshine. We were thinking what we had learned in Super Mario 64.
And when we made Galaxy, we were thinking about what we had learned in Super Mario Sunshine. So, one example might have been taking some of the camera control out of the hands of players, so they wouldn't have to worry about that quite so much, when they were playing the game in Galaxy.
從Super Mario Sunshine到Galaxy,關於攝影機控制跟玩家的連動,我們並不擔心沿用,因為玩家也很習慣。
But each time we see a little bit of innovation. And it's wonderful to have all of those elements to draw from, and choose from, to make a new game. But over time, some of those elements can develop their own demerits, such that you can't carry them forward consistently throughout, and just keep adding to a pot indefinitely.
What you have to do is make an investigation at every new stage and say, "Okay, which of these elements is working well for us, and which of them do we need to think about minimizing, or removing entirely?
And, when you think about the fact that we've made five games, starting with Super Mario 64, in the 3D Mario game series, but this is the first that's portable. Then that represents, at least to me, a really good opportunity to change things up a little bit.
So, did you really start with a similar template to the Galaxy/64 lineage and then start removing elements, or did you actually start from scratch and add elements, and then see how they worked?
KH: Well, we certainly tried a lot of things, and if you were at the presentation, then you must've seen that Mario 64 level that we tried to play through using a stereoscopic display to see if it would work or not.
確實作了有很多事情,比如說我們試著在立體螢幕上看Mario 64的關卡運作的情況。
We tried other things involving Galaxy as well. For example, we played Super Mario Galaxy 2 on a very small TV, and what we noticed, of course, was Mario was very, very tiny on the screen, so it was difficult to play the game when he's that small. We realized we have to make Mario a little bit bigger. And that's just more of the technical side of things, I guess, that we were investigating.
我們也把Super Mario Galaxy 2放在一個很小的螢幕上玩,結果瑪莉歐在畫面上小到不行,這樣根本玩不起來。所以才把它放大一些。
I noticed also in the presentation that you gave the game to your son and saw how he reacted. There have also been discussions of similar things. Mr. Iwata discussed how Mr. Miyamoto would kidnap employees and make them play the games. Do you do formal playtests with focus groups, or do you rely more on small tests with friends, family, and co-workers?
KH: Very often we will do our playtesting with family members of our staff, but it really is a case-by-case basis. For example, in the building next to ours in Tokyo, there was an older woman who was an office worker, and we had her do some playtesting for us.
But what we realized was that she had a lot of trouble jumping across even a small gap. We thought, "Maybe if we give her the Tanooki Mario suit, she'll be able to do it if she's just right at the very edge." But there was something she struggled with so much.
When we eventually had her use the P-wing to get to the end of the level, we thought, "Well, okay, she got through to the end of the level, but what we really wanted to see was her being able to jump this gap." And so that's the sort of thing that made us realize we need to put in some access to the Tanooki suit a little bit earlier, if people are having a particular amount of trouble with a certain stage.
And that led us to the White Tanooki Mario suit, which gives players invincibility, as well as the ability to slow their fall after a jump, so they can make their landing easier.
You talked about how Mr. Miyamoto put the P-wing in Super Mario Bros. 3, and so you did something similar. Obviously, hardcore gamers look down on this kind of thing.
記者:你們跟宮本先生在Super Mario Bros. 3時放上翅膀時做的事情類似。這樣玩家就簡單許多。但顯然高端玩家並不認為應當如此。
KH: I guess I would have to say, first, that in my experience I've seen hardcore gamers who try to play the game so that they never let the assist block appear at all, as if that was their goal. You may have noticed that you have those stars that appear next to your save file, you can get from one to five. If you play so that you never make an assist block appear, then you'll have five stars that are sparkling. And I would like to engender this mentality that if you can't do that, you can't call yourself an advanced player.
Do the less experienced players really enjoy this stuff, and have you found detailed feedback that these things really help them get into your games? And as Mr. Miyamoto said regarding Super Mario Bros. 3, maybe go back and challenge the levels once the stress of completing them is taken away?
KH: Some people on our development staff felt like having to die on a stage five times was even too much before an assist block would appear. They wanted us to lower it to maybe just three misses. But when I look back at, say, New Super Mario Bros. Wii, I believe you have die eight times before you would be able to see the Super Guide.
有些我們團隊人員也許覺得死了五次才讓協助寶箱出現有點太超過了。建議降到三次失誤就好,但是當我回頭過來看New Super Mario Bros. Wii,他們的設定要死八次,才會出現過關指示。
But there are definitely those people on staff who suggested that we keep placing it earlier and earlier. But I'm a gamer, so it's hard for me to imagine people wanting that.
But as it turns out, there are some people who might've been happy to play through a level for their very first time as White Tanooki Mario, just being invincible and focusing on the platform challenge. So, when I'm thinking about how we design games, I have to include those people in my thinking, too. I can't just write them off completely.
Talking about level design, obviously the level designs in Mario games are polished — very perfectly, so they perfectly fit together. If a design isn't working, are you more likely to try to refine it, or do you actually discard things that aren't working?
KH: Well, we mock up stages very early, and these are very rough versions that we'll try and play through. And if something's bad, certainly we'll throw it out. But if something shows a bit of promise, we'll hold onto it and keep polishing it.
Speaking of holding on to things, I noticed in Galaxy 2 you have the level from Mario 64, and that's the same level you used to test in 3D Land. Is there something special about that level specifically?
KH: Yes, I guess we do keep using that as sort of our standard test for each new generation. I think one of the reasons for that is because it's a floating island — the entire stage layout — so that makes it something of an easy test case in terms of processing. But, of course I can't rule out the fact that I also just love it as a playable course.
Something that I noticed also with this game is that the levels are pretty quick to get through, if you want to play them. In fact, you even brought back time limits, and the game tracks your quickest completion time. But is that specifically for pacing on a portable gaming? And also, how did you determine what the right length of a level is?
KH: Well, this might be a phenomenon that's probably more prevalent in Japan, but of course you do see people playing games on trains as they commute to or from school or work with their portable gaming devices. When you think about the fact that it would take people 10, 20, or even 30 minutes to play one stage in Galaxy, we knew we had to limit the playtime per stage based on the fact that so many people might be playing on trains.
And so we thought about someone getting on a train and going for a couple of stations and then getting off, and decided that should be the length of time it takes to play one stage. Whether they get all the way through to the end of the stage successfully, or whether they get a Game Over, we want the playtime to fit within that interval.
And when I talk a little about the reason that we decided to go back to time limits on stages, I feel like this is something that is kind of important in an action game. You have to make these instantaneous judgments about what your next action is going to be.
It's not the sort of game where you walk around slowly and explore everything. I certainly enjoy those kind of games, but I don't feel like that's what we're going for with an action game of this type. It wasn't really our focus. So, having that time element challenge is also fun.
Could you talk about the polishing process? We talked a little bit earlier about how you will, if a level has promise, work on it. How many times might a level may go through iteration? Like, a level designer will work on it and then you test it and then give them feedback? Is that how it works? Or is there something different?
KH: Well, I think one thing that really helps a lot is playing through the level a lot. The more you do it, the better you get it, and your time starts to go down and down, and you start to realize what are the really important, fundamental things about that stage. When you're testing the level more broadly, maybe one of the important things is to get lets of different kinds of people to get their eyes on the game, so you get all sorts of different feedback.
And, again, do you source those people just from around you from your families and friends, or maybe the woman who works in the office next door, or do you do formal focus tests?
KH: In my experience, one thing I found that is really helpful is we also get a little bit of feedback from consumers when they see early versions of games at shows. That's something that I really enjoy spending a lot of time poring over the feedback from — although it's not necessarily something that every developer does.
Do you have them fill out questionnaires?
KH: No, we don't use questionnaires. What we find is that they become too subjective. We rely more on the appearance of people actually playing the game. If, for example, you ask someone on-camera to taste something like a new food product, "Well, what do you think of it?" Chances are they're going to say, "Oh, this is really good. This is delicious!"
Just because they have that pressure of being on-camera, they give you an answer that's not entirely honest, even though they don't realize it themselves. So, what we try to rely on is more of that objective feedback that we can see in the expressions on people's faces as they're playing our games. And that's the kind of thing we've learned about from Mr. Miyamoto, who is always really focused on seeing that face, and what's the expression, and what's their reaction.
A lot of developers in the West go so far as to record the play sessions, match them with play data, and watch the eye-tracking, but it sounds like Nintendo goes a little bit more by feel, almost.
KH: Well, of course, I guess the methodology is fairly basic. You just look at someone and see what their experience is of playing the game. But you can get all sorts of information about people playing games, and you have to exercise a lot of individual judgment about what sorts of information are helpful to the development process.
And it's not the kind of thing that you can even design experiments for very well in some cases, because you might have this idea that you're going to get lots of very specifically useful information from a certain kind of test in the beginning, but once you actually try it, that might not necessarily be the case. The importance, I think, is on using what information you do get that is helpful to make the game better. That's a skill that all developers really should work hard to focus on.
I wanted to talk about the level design. In my impression, each level has a core gameplay concept that it's about. And you do that, and you enjoy that, and then the level's over. I was wondering if that's really the mentality you had when creating the game, or if that's just something I was thinking.
KH: Yes, I do think it's really important to decide on a core concept in level design. When I think back in my own career, as to when I might have realized that this was important, I have to look back maybe first at Super Mario Galaxy 1, when I wasn't quite sure I had wrapped my head around that concept.
關卡設計中有核心概念是很重要的,回顧我的生涯,我可能已經意識到這個重要性,我們從Super Mario Galaxy 1開始看,當時我還不確定我是否已經有這個想法。
So you would be going through a galaxy, and every time you get to a new planet, there would be some new thing to play with there — some new concept. So you would end up with lots of different gameplay concepts in a single stage.
Whereas, when I moved onto Super Mario Galaxy 2, I was starting to get a little clearer idea of how this level design philosophy should work: that is, we would start with a very clear concept on a stage and it would be maintained through, I think, the rest of the galaxy more consistently.
等到當我作Super Mario Galaxy 2時,我開始就有較清楚的關卡概念:開始於一個關卡概念,並一路維持下去,其他的部分就有一致性。
But it wasn't really until Super Mario 3D Land that I think I really became a lot more rigorous about enforcing that in level design, where you have a clear concept in the beginning, and that's carried through absolutely all the way.
直到Super Mario 3D Land我才真正嚴肅地強迫自己把這概念放到遊戲設計裡,自開始到結束都有一個清楚的想法。
Why do you think that that's important?
KH: Well, I think it has a lot to do with the acquisition of a skill, which is something that often appears very similar to the way that a narrative can develop. So, if you take a single gameplay element, let's think about the steps that happen.
First, you have to learn how to use that gameplay mechanic, and then the stage will offer you a slightly more complicated scenario in which you have to use it. And then the next step is something crazy happens that makes you think about it in a way you weren't expecting. And then you get to demonstrate, finally, what sort of mastery you've gained over it.
It's very similar to a narrative structure that you find in four-panel comics. Something that's talked a lot about in Japanese manga, for example, is a phrase, kishoutenketsu, where you introduce a concept, and then in the next panel you develop the idea a little bit more; in the third panel there's something of a change-up, and then in the fourth panel you have your conclusion.
So that's sort of what we try to do with the way people relate to gameplay concepts in a single level. We provide that concept, let them develop their skills, and then the third step is something of a doozy that throws them for a loop, and makes them think of using it in a way they haven't really before. And this is something that ends up giving the player a kind of narrative structure that they can relate to within a single level about how they're using a game mechanic.
Did you actually seek to take that concept from manga and apply it to games, or did you just coincidentally realized that it fit after you'd already developed the concept in parallel?
KH: Well, this is something that Mr. Miyamoto talks about. He drew comics as a kid, and so he would always talk about how you have to think about, what is that denouement going to be? What is that third step? That ten [twist] that really surprises people. That's something that has always been very close to our philosophy of level design, is trying to think of that surprise. But this realization, I have to admit, was something that occurred very recently for me. As I was describing earlier, even during development of Super Mario Galaxy 1, I don't think I had fully realized this concept yet.
但我真正實現這個東西,我必須承認是最近才突然發生。如同我先前提到的,即使是Super Mario Galaxy 1的製作過程中,我都沒辦法完全體認到這樣的概念。
During your talk, you talked a lot about the earthquake, and what meant to the development of the game, and I found that your talk was very moving to me personally. But what I found really interesting is you talked about at some point you lost track of what it meant to enjoy making something — and if you do, how it will become enjoyable.
Was it just the earthquake that made you lose track of that, or was it something that you'd felt that you had slowly lost track of and then that moment, that insight, allowed you to regain that?
KH: So, maybe I should offer a little of background about my thinking about this entire process, instead of feelings. Mr. Miyamoto sends out New Year's cards which are always kind of interesting. One of the things that you can see in the cards that he sends out is that he's rather severe with himself about his enforcement about the need to find fun in everything. And that's something that's expressed even in his year-end cards.
And I don't know that I fully understood this myself to the same depth, but as the team leader, I felt like it was important for me to make sure that everyone had good morale, and keep up our levels of fun and interest in making games. And, of course, I myself was interested in making games, and I've always thought it was fun, but I never really dwelled on the importance of why that fun made a difference to our work.
And so it was in that one moment, when my colleague gave me the answer that he got into this line of work simply because "making games is fun", that I was taken aback. I mean, his answer was so simple, and I thought to myself, "How can I convey this to the team? I really want to tell them all about this in a way that they understand." I think that's the moment when I had that realization of its importance.
So, you can try and convey this to people in a number of ways: You can tell them a very detailed story about how turning swimming into a kind of game is a really good example of why enjoying everything is important, but it still might not sink in for some people. And I certainly know that, because that was the case for me.
I didn't necessarily apply that same rigor to finding fun in the detail of every little moment of life until that moment, when my colleague gave me that answer. I think that was a much deeper realization for me.


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Impression Pendants use found textures in the physical world as jewelry molds. They are made by taking clay impressions from textures found around the world from historically and culturally significant landmarks and objects.
Each piece results in a one-of-a-kind connection with its subject. The pendants are 100% analog and hand-crafted, dismissing traditional jewelry-making techniques.
This impression was taken from stone at Le Petit Trianon, Marie Antoinette's Residence in Versailles, France.
.999 solid fine silver pendant
~17mm diameter
14K yellow gold jump ring
.925 sterling 1mm box chain (18" or 24")
(Please note desired chain length in check-out notes)