text:
Paulos Kidane was a poet, actor, and sports reporter. Political turmoil consumed his career and ultimately took his life. By Mohamed Keita
Paulos Kidane was not a political man--his passions were sports and poetry--but he became caught up in the destructive political whirlwind consuming Eritrea and Ethiopia in the late 1990s. Uprooted from his home, forced into state media service, thrown into prison for no reason other than sheer intimidation--the story of Paulos Kidane reflects the agony of the free press in this volatile region in the Horn of Africa.
After years of suppression, Kidane sought to break free from the politics that had overtaken his life. He wanted simply to cover the games he loved and to compose verse rather than propaganda. In July, in the searing, unforgiving landscape of northwestern Eritrea, he died seeking that end.
To write his story, CPJ interviewed 10 people in the Eritrean diaspora, many of whom would speak only on condition of anonymity because their families remain vulnerable to government reprisals. CPJ also reviewed a dozen personal notes that Kidane was able to send out of the country.
Kidane began his career in the mid-1990s as a freelance sportswriter in his native Ethiopia. At the outbreak of the border war with Eritrea in May 1998, Kidane was among more than 65,000 people of Eritrean descent who were deported.
Kidane landed abruptly in the Eritrean capital, Asmara, a foreigner in his own motherland. "He had difficulties with [the local] Tigrinya language, especially writing, so I told him he could write in Amharic," according to Khaled Abdu, co-founder and former chief editor of the now-defunct independent weekly Admas. Abdu hired Kidane as the paper's sports editor after meeting him in the summer of 1999.
Kidane's sports section focused on European soccer leagues and World Cup news. His favorite team was the prestigious Spanish club Real Madrid, Abdu recalled.
With the conflict raging, Admas, like most of Eritrea's private press, adopted a supportive stance in its coverage of the government's war effort. "There was no room for criticism," Abdu said. When Admas published dissenting opinions, arrests and government threats ensued, forcing Abdu himself into exile in 2000.
In May of that year, authorities recognized Kidane's skill in Amharic and knowledge of Ethiopia, conscripting him into service as a presenter for the fledgling Amharic-language service of state broadcasters Eri-TV and Radio Dimtsi Hafash (Voice of the Broad Masses). The service was designed to broadcast anti-Ethiopian propaganda, giving prominence to the views of Ethiopian dissidents. As a Ministry of Information staffer, Kidane also covered European league soccer games on youth-oriented Radio Zara FM and Canal 2 television, according to former colleagues.
In a strange twist, Kidane's fluency in Amharic vaulted him to fame as a film and stage actor. Kidane was given roles as villainous Ethiopian military officers in state-produced films and stage dramas recounting Eritrea's 30-year armed resistance against Ethiopian occupiers. The country was still feting its Tegadelti--the veteran fighters of the ruling Eritrean People's Liberation Front known by their khaki uniforms and black sandals.
In one film, "Anbelbeli," Kidane donned the olive fatigues of a ruthless Ethiopian colonel who executes villagers and orders the shelling of enemy positions, only to be killed when the Tegadelti valiantly overrun his military outpost. During annual Independence Day celebrations, hundreds of people filled Asmara's Liberation Avenue to watch Kidane perform similar roles in street theater dramas.
For a time, his forced national service helped shield him from the worst abuses of the government's crackdown on the press.
On September 18, 2001, just a week after the terrorist attacks against the United States, a split between reformers and conservatives within the ruling elite erupted into the summary ban of the private press and the arrests of more than a dozen independent journalists. A close friend of Kidane, Admas editor Said Abdelkader, was among at least 15 journalists thrown into prison without charge or trial for their critical coverage of the increasingly authoritarian regime of revered rebel leader Isaias Afewerki. Abdelkader and the others have not been seen since shortly after their detentions.
Kidane himself was detained for a week at a military camp in Sawa in January 2006 during one of the government's frequent roundups of journalists and other citizens, according to a colleague and fellow detainee. The reason was unclear. "Nothing happened. We were there playing cards among ourselves for several days," the colleague added.
Throughout 2006, in the face of such bullying tactics, several journalists in the Eritrean state media fled the country, some by foot, according to CPJ research. In November, in a move to intimidate others and prevent then from following suit, authorities arrested Kidane and at least eight other state journalists. Kidane was interrogated about his e-mail correspondence, according to one source, and several prisoners were allegedly beaten.
All of the journalists were released without charge after several weeks, but Kidane was hospitalized for respiratory problems he developed while in detention, according to the same source. Authorities forbade him from leaving Asmara.
The detention seemed to push a long-anguished Kidane into action.
The culture of the Ministry of Information, where staffers were encouraged to spy on one another, had tormented Kidane. According to a former colleague, "You had to be careful, even with the tone of certain jokes reflecting poorly on the government." In expressing his frustration, Kidane once wrote, "For me it is tough because I am a sensitive man." Kidane, who loved to write poems, was reduced to writing nationalist and anti-Ethiopian items, "proverbs, amazing news, facts, records, etc." in the state-run daily Haddas Erta, according to one of his personal notes obtained by CPJ.
Born in Ethiopia, Kidane never felt comfortable in Eritrea either. "He was visibly frustrated," Abdu said. "He told me he had lived in Ethiopia all his life." Kidane was also struggling to support his wife and infant daughter, according to a friend.
In June, he set off on foot for Sudan in hopes of starting a new life.
There are approximately 130,000 Eritrean refugees in eastern Sudan, with about 120 asylum seekers arriving each week, according to Annette Rehrl, a spokeswoman for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in Sudan.
At least 19 journalists have fled Eritrea since 2002 in response to threats, harassment, and imprisonment--the third highest number worldwide, according to CPJ research. The government's absolute monopoly on domestic media, the fear of reprisal among prisoners' families, and tight restrictions on the movement of all foreigners led CPJ in 2006 to name Eritrea one of the 10 most censored countries in the world.
Many refugees flee from years of compelled national service, while others leave after the arrest or disappearance of a relative, according to Rehrl. Eritrea's compulsory national service conscripts the able-bodied population to military, agricultural, construction, or civil service duties that is often extended for many years.
Eritrea, home to 4.9 million, conscripts the highest proportion of citizens in the world into military service, forming sub-Saharan Africa's largest army, according to U.N. figures. After fighting two bloody wars against its neighbor and arch foe Ethiopia, the Red Sea nation is on a seemingly permanent war footing.
Authorities frequently order military roundups of citizens, including civil servants such as Kidane, in response to perceived threats of Ethiopian aggression. The Ministry of Information itself has artillery weapons to repel an Ethiopian attack. Overlooking Asmara across a fortified hill named Forto, the modern complex occupies the former site of Italy's main colonial military base.
International inquiries about jailed journalists, particularly those imprisoned in the 2001 crackdown, have been ignored or met with hostility. "This is an Eritrean issue; leave it to us," Information Minister Ali Abdu told CPJ in June when he was asked to confirm the death in prison of Fesshaye "Joshua" Yohannes, the award-winning editor of the now-defunct independent newspaper Setit.
But seven days of walking--surviving on dry rations, water, and powdered milk--was too much for Kidane, the only journalist and the senior member of the group. An epileptic, he collapsed in a violent seizure and temporarily blacked out. Shaken, badly needing rest, and pained by blisters on his feet, Kidane begged his companions to continue without him, the woman said, breaking into tears. The journalist had to be left in the care of residents in a nearby village teeming with government informants.
It was the last time Kidane was seen alive. He was 40.
Kidane's condition was not critical when the group left him, the woman insisted, saying that even in the event of complications, he would have survived had he received proper medical care. She believes Kidane may have been captured by government security forces.
More than a month after reports of his death circulated on Eritrean diaspora Web sites, officials would not publicly confirm that Kidane had died. In a telephone interview with CPJ in August, Abdu, the information minister, finally acknowledged that the journalist perished while attempting to leave the country, but he offered no information about the circumstances. "We don't know," he said.
What is known is this: The Eritrean government is responsible for creating the stifling and exploitative conditions that led Paulos Kidane to flee. He wanted to pursue his passions. Instead, his career and his very life were taken from him.
Mohamed Keita is the research associate for CPJ's Africa program.
EDITOR'S NOTE: This report has been updated to reflect the correct name of the state daily Haddas Erta.


text:
Small splinters that randomly occur in tin solder, which lace the insides of gadgets, usually result in circuits shorting out. NASA missions, pacemakers and energy plants have all failed at some point due to the phenomenon. Conservative estimates of the cost of such splinters, or whiskers as they are named, have totaled nearly $10 billion since 1940.
Preventing whiskers is a major concern to the electronics industry. The most prominent defence measure known is to use lead during the production process. Companies, excluding rogue Chinese toy manufacturers, are all being forced to slowly eliminate the use of lead in their products. Tin whiskers occur randomly, but as devices become smaller the potential damage they may cause increases. The addition of lead to the tin used in soldering reduces the occurrence of whiskers dramatically. The EU has led the way in calling an end to the use of lead in electronics. Japan, China, South Korea, Argentina, Australia and the USA are all set to follow with similar laws being put in place.
There are two sides to the argument: Lead is toxic; it can cause serious health issues if it leaks out. It makes sense to prevent the potential hazard. However, leaks that cause serious health ramifications are rare if proper disposal measures are put in place. The advantages of including it as a preventive measure are unquestionable.
Technology of pivotal importance, e.g. medical and military devices, will inevitably remain with the toxic metal in place. The only real losers will be the consumers of all things gadgets, unless of course, a solution is found quickly. As yet, no realistic alternative exists. [Yahoo News]

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Halos giving Mulder shot at comeback
Veteran lefty, two-time All-Star, hasn't pitched in big leagues since 2008
ANAHEIM -- The Angels have agreed to terms on a Minor League contract with veteran starter Mark Mulder, the two-time All-Star who hasn't pitched competitively since 2008 and hadn't really considered a comeback until this past fall.
The contract -- first reported by ESPN's Jerry Crasnick on Wednesday -- includes an invitation to Spring Training and will pay Mulder more than $6 million if he reaches all incentives, an industry source confirmed. The Angels have not confirmed the signing.
Asked if Mulder would be willing to go to the Minor Leagues if he doesn't crack the Angels' rotation out of Spring Training, his agent, Brian Charles of Big League Management Company, said: "When the time comes, we'll evaluate the situation. Right now, though, he's looking forward to the opportunity to start in the Angels' starting rotation."
The Angels, who are still expected to make a run at Masahiro Tanaka or Matt Garza, currently have a rotation of Jered Weaver, C.J. Wilson, Garrett Richards, Hector Santiago and Tyler Skaggs. But the latter three have options, with Santiago also able to work out of the bullpen, and Skaggs, 22, needing to win a spot in Spring Training to avoid starting the season in Triple-A.
Joe Blanton also is still on the roster, though it's unlikely he'll actually open the season with the team, and Wade LeBlanc was signed earlier this offseason to a Minor League contract. Chris Volstad will be released from his Minor League deal so he can pitch in Korea.
Mulder, 36, has been working as an ESPN analyst for the last three seasons and got the itch to come back while emulating Dodgers reliever Paco Rodriguez, who flings his throwing hand up in the air upon delivering a pitch.
The Angels' Spring Training site of Tempe, Ariz., neighbors Mulder's Phoenix-area home.
There, he'll continue his trek back to the Majors.
"He's giving this 100 percent," Charles said, "and the way he's throwing, he feels that he can be a starting pitcher in the Major Leagues."
Mulder was the No. 2 overall pick in the 1998 First-Year Player Draft and one of the game's top left-handers from 2001-05, averaging 18 wins and posting a 3.65 ERA for the A's and Cardinals. He finished second in voting for the American League Cy Young Award as a 21-game winner in 2001, joined Tim Hudson and Barry Zito to form Oakland's "Big Three" in the early 2000s and pitched in the playoffs three separate years.
But shoulder woes plagued him shortly after going to St. Louis in the deal that sent Dan Haren to Oakland in December 2004.
From 2007-08, Mulder pitched only 12 2/3 innings. He underwent arthroscopic surgery to repair fraying in his left rotator cuff in September 2006, went almost an entire year without pitching in the big leagues, gave up 17 runs (15 earned) in 11 innings over a three-start stretch in September 2007, and underwent another procedure to repair damaged tissue in his rotator cuff shortly thereafter.
When Mulder returned again late in June 2008, he had a new release point and initially was working as a reliever. On July 9, he made what ended up being his last professional start -- a 16-pitch outing that saw Mulder throw eight straight balls and exit with one out in the first inning at Citizens Bank Park, his shoulder preventing him from making an effective pitch without pain.
By June 2010, Mulder proclaimed he was retired from the game and was focused more on competitive golf. The following April, he was hired by ESPN to serve as an analyst.
Then, during this past fall, Mulder realized Rodriguez's delivery may work for his beleaguered shoulder and confirmed it while playing catch with former Cardinals teammate Kyle Lohse at their daughters' birthday party.
"The best way to describe it is, the ball is coming out of my hand better now than at any point when I was in St. Louis," Mulder said of his comeback attempts in a recent ESPN.com story. "I wouldn't be trying this if I didn't think the stuff I was throwing was good enough [to pitch in the big leagues]."
Mulder spent the month of November working himself back into shape in Arizona, before throwing off the mound just before the Winter Meetings and reportedly sitting between 89-90 mph with his fastball.
The Angels were one of several teams that saw Mulder throw that day, and again at least one other time later in December. Now -- like they did with Chad Cordero last spring -- they'll give him a chance to compete for a spot in their pitching staff.
"I think that it was a combination of both the opportunity to be in the starting rotation combined with the Angels being a championship-caliber team, being a winning organization," Charles said. "Those elements combined to make it a really good fit."


text:
Gifts under £250
Officially-licensed, world-exclusive F1 gifts available for under £250. From race-used bodywork, to signed photos and reengineered gear ratios, own the moment where your F1 hero carved out their legacy in one of the world's most evocative sports.
Every item is approved under licence from F1's teams and comes with an official certificate of authenticity.


text:
Tay phuong pagoda – Thay pagoda – Van phuc silk
Tay Phuong Pagoda:Tay Phuong pagoda was built in the 8th century and has been restored several times since. In 1632, the pagoda was rebuilt according to the Sino-Vietnamese character Tam (three), featuring three sections: the upper sanctuary, back palace, and lobby rooms. After climbing 239 stone steps bearing the signs of the passage of time and sheltered by the shade of age-old trees one reaches a gate. The gate carries the name of the structure: Tay Phuong Co Tu (Ancient Pagoda of the West). According to the inscription on a 17th century stone stele it also has two other names: Sung Phuc Tu and Hoang Son Thieu Lam Tu. Thay Pagoda:The Thay Pagoda was built in the 11th century following the Sino-Vietnamese character Tam. Therefore the pagoda consists of 3 sections. The outer section is the place for the ceremonies and offerings. It is called the Ha Pagoda. The second section is the place for praying to Buddha. It is called the Trung Pagoda. The third section is devoted to the Priest Tu Dao Hanh. It is called the Thuong pagoda. Van Phuc Silk Village:Just 15km to the west of Ha Noi is a place renowned over centuries for its silk-making and silk products – Van Phuc village in Ha Dong of Ha Tay Province.In recent years, the village has enjoyed the revival of its craft due to a surging demand for silk in both the domestic and foreign markets.It has long been a universal byword of luxury, often worn by the world's richest, most powerful citizens, nowadays, the fine and lustrous cloth that originally comes from the cocoon of the silkworm is much more affordable for "ordinary" folk.Silk is currently enjoying a fashion renaissance, particularly as its many varieties can be made into a wide range of designs suitable for all facets of modern life.
All Details :
The Hanoi's special charm is also found in its traditional pagodas and temples, along narrow streets filled with vendors and beside quiet, reflecting tranquil lakes. 8:30am. Pick up at your hotel in Hanoi, spend a full day to discover Hanoi's surrounding area and visit Thay & Tay Phuong Pagodas to learn about Viet traditional architecture style, Vietnam Buddhism religion & daily life of local people outside city of Hanoi.12:00pm, lunch at a local restaurant.1:00pm discover full afternoon in the silk village of Van Phuc. Taking photos & shopping there until 4:00pm. Leaving Van Phuc Silk Village to hotel. Arrive hotel at 4:30pm. Finish the unforgettable trip at your hotel in Hanoi.Tour Cost included:Meals as mentioned in the itineraries: Vietnamese food, Asian Food basic.Private transfers within the tour by air-conditioned vehicle, including pick-up and drop-off at hotel.English Speaking Tour guide. Other languages on requestAll entrance and sightseeing feesAll taxes & services charge. Tour Cost Non Included: Beverages and other meals do not indicate in the program.Travel insurance Personal expensesTipping/ GratuitiesAny additional expenses caused by reasons beyond our control such as natural calamities (typhoon, floods), flight delays, rescheduling or cancellations, any accidents, medical evacuations, riots, strikes etc...


text:
Discuss Anything About The Wii Here.
Feel Free To Talk About Anything Here.
What happened to 3DSISO?
Wish Your Fellow Members Happy Birthday.
(Posts will not add to you post count)
This is a place to get other consoles.
for all your PS2 and PS3 Console needs
for all your Microsoft console gaming needs
Use this control to limit the display of threads to those newer than the specified time frame.
Allows you to choose the data by which the thread list will be sorted.
Order threads in...
Note: when sorting by date, 'descending order' will show the newest results first.
Forum Rules


text: Quavis Posted November 5, 2010 Thanks for the reminder on the ddt file I was about to start holidaying, which would have been a waste of time. I'll just start working on my training schedules and tactics setups instead Will probably be giving it a try with either FC United or Chippenham (whichever has the lowest rep) unless another lower rep team comes up in my loading for those two. It should be interesting to see who we all can sign in the first seasons now that we cant make offers to uninterested players (which eliminates half the people that signed for us last year lol!). edit: I forget, is it ok to delete certain files so that certain teams and players from certain leagues are properly represented in-game for this challenge? (note: this is not done in any editor) 0 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites


text:
17 September 2013 at 12.31pm | Comment on this article
Verdi's grand opera Les Vêpres siciliennes will be staged for the first time at the Royal Opera House on 17 October, in a brand new production by Stefan Herheim. The opera will also be screened live in cinemas around the world on 4 November.
'The trailer hints at the themes of revenge and occupation that are core to the opera,' says trailer director Tom Turner. 'It is a depiction of the opera's beautiful surface, yet alludes to a broken reality beneath it.
'Although there is a sinister element to the trailer, there is power and strength in both the dancer and the music; art will triumph.'
Tom worked closely with the production's dramaturg Alexander Meier-Dörzenbach. Watch an interview with Alexander about Les Vêpres siciliennes.
One of Verdi's less frequently performed works, Les Vêpres siciliennes was written for the Paris Opéra in 1855 in the traditions of French grand opera and includes impressive choruses, passionate duets and showpiece arias. Stefan's imaginative production will draw parallels between the opera itself and the opera house for which it was written. Find out more about his vision for the piece here.
'Stefan Herheim is the hottest ticket in the operatic world right now,' says Director of Opera Kasper Holten, 'and he is making his UK debut with this enormous production, which will be conducted by Antonio Pappano.'
Les Vêpres siciliennes runs from 17 October until 11 November 2013. Tickets are still available.
The production will also be screened live in cinemas around the world on 4 November and is staged with the generous philanthropic support of Mrs Susan A Olde OBE, Mrs Aline Foriel-Destezet, Mr and Mrs Baha Bassatne and The Maestro's Circle.


text: As small businesses grow into large corporations that have to deal with mergers and hostile takeovers, their identities and branding similarly grow, evolve, and often end up being a mish-mash of various names which are then shrunk into acronyms and initialisms to make them easier to remember. A similar thing is done for companies named after their founders, so the folks at Mental Floss did their homework and discovered what several popular acronyms actually stand for. Would Allen & Wright root beer really taste the same? [YouTube via Tastefully Offensive]


text:
How did you get your start in journalism?
When I was growing up, my mother used to call me "nosy," though I preferred the word "curious." I was never shy about asking questions. And I always loved reading newspapers and magazines like Time or Newsweek. I also loved to write. So it was really the perfect storm for me being a journalist. After graduating from Boston University, I worked for several newspapers. Somewhere along the line I discovered B2B publishing. I got my first exposure to retail reporting at Hearst Corp., at a publication called American Druggist. From there, I went to Chain Store Age, where I started out as an assistant editor, and gradually worked my way up. I've been here for some 20 years, but it's gone by in a flash. I think that's mainly because retail never gets old. It's always changing.
Tell us about a particular story that was one of your favorite experiences.
In 1993, I traveled to Lawrence, Kansas, for the opening of a new Wal-Mart. It was the company's first-ever venture into green building…and it was the first time that I was exposed to what would later become a major trend in retail store construction and operations. It was a huge deal for Wal-Mart at the time, and the company was eager and open to talking about it. Their excitement was contagious. I came back all fired up and became the green advocate at Chain Store Age. More recently, my favorite articles have been those in which I highlight emerging retailers that are still way under the radar. I love writing about new retailers.
Chain Store Age has been around a long time—founded in 1925. How do you keep content fresh, especially today when people are consuming news around-the-clock through a variety of mediums?
We use our website, e-newsletters and social media platforms, mainly Twitter—I love to tweet— and Facebook, to keep our content fresh and keep our readers informed. And we do e-newsblasts for breaking news. The challenge for editors is keeping up with all of the information that is available, managing it all, and getting it out to readers. Our print publication is not about news anymore—news is for the Web. The print pub is more about analysis and expert commentary.
What do you think is the biggest trend happening among retail chain stores?
The biggest trend for retailers is the push to offer a true omnichannel experience, one that provides customers with a seamless and consistent shopping experience by connecting all channels—physical, online and mobile—and customer touchpoints. Many retail companies are still not there yet, in part because they are used to working in silos, with departments focused around specific channels. Breaking down these internal silos is the first step to providing a true omnichannel experience.
Are there any retail innovations you are excited about?
I wouldn't know where to start…there are so many. Overall, I'm excited about the way retailers are using technology not for its own sake, but to create unique and memorable in-store experiences that engage customers. I love the way, for example, one brand recently used virtual reality to enhance their store experience, allowing shoppers to experience the Moab Desert and Yosemite National Park. I also like "smart" fitting rooms. The mirrors in the fitting rooms double as large touch screens that, among other things, enable customers to browse the online catalog, request additional items and adjust the lighting to various settings. And because all of the items in the store are RFID tagged, different sizes and colors of the items a customer brings in are automatically brought up on the screen.
When you go shopping, can you ever just shop, or are you always looking for the next great story?
It depends. There are certain stores I visit once a week, and that's just to shop. But if a new store or new format from that company opened, that's a story. And when I travel, I always make it a point to check out the local retail in hopes of coming up with a story. I have a friend who won't travel with me anymore because she says all I want to do is look at retail.
You've traveled a lot for your job. What has proven to be the best place in the world to shop?
New York City is still the mecca of shopping, at least for me. It is the most important retail market in terms of exposure and the point of entry for new concepts—even though it has some of the most expensive rents per square foot in the world. My second favorite retail market is London.


text:
Bringing together cultural heritage and emergency management professionals at the local level--where virtually all initial disaster response occurs--is the purpose of the Foundation for Advancement in Conservation's Alliance for Response initiative.
Launched in 2003, Alliance for Response is a series of one-day forums designed to link key cultural heritage and emergency response representatives, leading to new partnerships and local projects. Alliance for Response fosters cooperation among cultural organizations, influences local planning efforts, and enhances the protection of cultural and historic resources.
Several cooperative disaster networks have formed in the regions where Alliance for Response forums have been held. Now in its second decade, the Alliance for Response initiative has reached several thousands of individuals from more than 1,000 museums, libraries, archives, and other collecting institutions in regions across the country. Alliance for Response is generously supported by the National Endowment for the Humanities.


text:
by Brian DeCandia, sports information graduate assistant
AUGUSTA, Ga. – The No. 26 Georgia College women's tennis team's (16-8) Peach Belt Conference (PBC) Tournament came to an abrupt end Friday afternoon as the Bobcats were defeated by No. 12 Clayton State University (14-6), 5-2.
The Bobcats found themselves in a hole after doubles, 2-1. Out of the No. 1 spot, Kayla Barksdale (Augusta, Ga.) and Bertille Lion (Lyon, France) dropped the first match of the day to Ivanna Krommelova and Viktoriya Semyrodenko, 8-2. May Johnson (Sydney, Australia) and Michelle Lingner (Dunwoody, Ga.) got the victory out of the second spot defeating Katie White and Marie Cercelletti, 8-6. Johnson and Lingner improve to 14-5 on the season.
Lisa Setyon (Paris, France) and Kelly Edwards (Roswell, Ga.) played out of the No. 3 spot for the 'Cats but were edged out by Martina Dedaj and Jessica Budd, 8-6.
Lion played in the No. 1 spot and fell to Semyrodenko in straight sets, 6-2, 6-0. Kim Lochner (Neu-Isenburg, Germany) played out of the four spot for the Bobcats and was toppled by Cerceletti, 6-1, 6-0. Lingner played out of the sixth spot downing Charlotte Fabakius, 6-2, 6-2, improving her singles mark to 12-5.
In fifth singles action, Setyon dropped the clinching match to Dedaj, 6-3, 7-5, halting the match at a 5-2 score.
This brings an end to the PBC Tournament for the Bobcats. The team will now await their fate for an at-large bid to the NCAA Regionals.
The Georgia College Department of Athletics, back-to-back winners of the PBC Commissioner's Cup, sponsors 10 varsity athletic programs at the NCAA Division II level. As a Division II program, Bobcat Athletics prides itself on balancing the life of the student-athlete, evidenced by the teams' multiple appearances in post-season competition as well as documented academic success and community-service involvement. Sign up at www.twitter.com/BobcatSports and www.facebook.com/gcbobcats for up-to-the-minute reports, and visit www.GCBobcats.com for more information, and to nominate your favorite former Bobcats and Colonials to the GC Athletics Hall of Fame.


text: The Two-Way New York Sues JPMorgan Over Mortgage-Backed Securities October 1, 2012 The suit relates to the securities sold by Bear Stearns, which collapsed in 2008 and is now owned by JPMorgan. It's the suit first to be filed under the auspices of the RMBS Working Group, set up by President Obama to investigate and prosecute alleged misconduct that contributed to the financial crisis. From 'Morning Edition': NPR's Jim Zarroli reports Listen Toggle more options Download Embed Embed <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/162120238/162135710" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">


text:
Larry Moniz, Award-Winning Author, Journalist, and Publicist Guests with Mike Angley
MA: Today's guest is Larry Moniz, an award-winning author, journalist, and publicist. His background is so varied, that I'm going to let him tell us all about it.
LM: I'm a seasoned journalist and publicist transitioning to fiction writing.
I have 14 years experience as a senior public relations executive in the development and implementation of successful, goal-oriented communications and marketing support programs for major national corporations. I wrote the first public relations program for Coleco's Cabbage Patch Kids and that program subsequently won the Silver Anvil Award from the Public Relations Society of America. The Silver Anvil is recognized as the most prestigious award in public relations.
My public relations skills are augmented by being an experienced journalist and winner of 12-business writing awards for articles in 2000 through 2003 competitions. I was the founding editor of a highly successful new weekly newspaper, building from inception "the best newspaper to cover West Milford since the 1960's" according to one long-time resident.
I also have 12-years prior experience as a skilled radio and daily newspaper editor and reporter for major media outlets in New Jersey, New England and Europe. I also published and edited a weekly newspaper serving Northern Ocean and Southern Monmouth Counties. Unlike many weeklies, this newspaper, The Progress, concentrated on real news, and regularly scooped far-larger dailies and weeklies with news events in the towns we serviced.
My experience also includes nearly five years as a crime and courts reporter and being a full-time sheriff's deputy, thereby bringing a depth of firsthand knowledge about crime and law enforcement possessed by few other writers.
MA: Tell us about that transition to fiction.
LM: I've been an avid book reader since I was a child and always fascinated by words. I've been a journalist and writer for more than 45 years. Disabled due to COPD stemming from undiagnosed asthma and hence hard to hold down a full-time job, books were the logical alternative for me to keep busy and hopefully earn a living.
MA: Did your professional career inspire your writing?
LM: Yes, my career as a journalist and publisher set the stage for my creating the Inside Story: Murder in the Pinelands investigative team to investigate major crimes.
MA: Are any of your characters based upon real-life people with whom you've interacted?
LM: The dead sailor found in the pinelands was based on a similar situation I covered in another state. Like one of the first cops on the scene, I didn't believe the crime was a suicide because witnesses saw him walking without a rifle yet he died before he could reach and get his rifle, the weapon that killed him. Using that isolated incident I built up a plausible story line that would explain things that were known and much else that was secret.
As to other characters, if I were a newspaper publisher today I would be very like Manny Bettencourt, publisher of Inside Story.
Murder in the Pinelands is the first in a planned police procedural series dealing with the way different ensemble members encounter various criminal, corruption and other illicit activities and bring the perpetrators to the bar of justice.
MA: How did you develop the character of your protagonist?
LM: My investigative team is loosely based on law enforcement personnel I'm met over the years. The protagonist just sprang from my brain. He and his wife were just there one day, begging to be transcribed.
My hero's greatest strength is his conviction that his take on the sailor's death is correct. His weakness is that the conviction becomes a compulsion that keeps him awake at night and unable to concentrate on his daytime job as a police sergeant and SWAT team leader. The stress leads to his making a mistake and his patrol partner nearly dies in a shootout with bank robbers.
MA: Do you have just one antagonist or several?
LM: Actually, there are a couple. As the book evolves, they begin to seek a shadow figure, an assassin from Saddam Hussein's regime sent to this country to avenge the death of Saddam's kin by this Navy sailor.
But no one can find this shadow figure until investigation in several states leads to positive proof the man exists and he's been hiding in the U.S. with political support from entrenched Washington politicians.
MA: Did any of your real-life experiences factor in to the plot at all?
LM: Yes. I was at the suicide previously described. I also have covered politics and cover-ups for many years. Like the reporting team, I also have prior law enforcement experience as a sworn deputy sheriff.
MA: So what will be next on your fiction plate?
LM: I'm putting finishing touches to a resurrected novel involving time travel into the past by two former military special operatives endeavoring to head off the kidnapping of Thomas Jefferson before he can complete the Declaration of Independence.
I also am working on an outline for a 1930s era detective novel in which millions of dollars and an entire railroad train vanish.
MA: Oh my! They both sound interesting. Please visit Larry's website for more information about him and his stories: http://www.larrymoniz.org/ Read More


text: Tempur-Pedic Swedish Neck Pillow. Pressure-relieving TEMPUR material. Orthopedic design. Perfect sleep. Orthopedically correct shape supports the natural curve of your neck, spine, head and shoulders Helps relieve shoulder, neck and back pain by allowing muscles to relax completely Clinically proven to improve quality of sleep by reducing tossing and turning Helps prevent snoring and other sinus-related problems that may disrupt sleep Medium-thickness pillow Feature removable, washable covers that are resistant to allergens and dust mites Available in two sizes: Low Profile – (12" w x 20" L x 4" h) High Profile – (12" w x 20" L x 4.5" h) Sweet dreams! The one and only TempurPedic Swedish Neck Pillow helps you sleep better by conforming exactly to the shape of your head and neck. TempurPedic pillows' heat-sensitive material molds to your exact body shape to evenly distribute weight and pressure. Each pillow is designed and shaped to correctly align your neck and spine while you sleep to give you enhanced comfort all night and greater spinal comfort all day. For a more comfortable night's rest the choice is clear: you need an original TempurPedic pillow from Brookstone. Order today! Note: This is a personal care item and cannot be returned if opened. Pillows may only be returned if the plastic wrapping enclosing the pillow is not opened, removed or pierced in any way and if the product box is not damaged.


text:
Trade price New Zealand dollars + GST
- Intended applications: In-line switchmode DC power supply.
- Classification: Class 1.
- Protection: Short circuit, over voltage and overload shut down.
- Construction: Desk top in-line power supply, ABS plastic IP40.
- Input: NZ / AU standard mains power point connecting.
- Output: Flying lead with standard DC plug ID 2.5mm * OD 5.5mm, centre +ve (1.0 meter)
- Operating conditions: 47~63Hz, rated ambient temp 30 deg C.
- Manufactured standard: ASNZS 60950.1
- Dimensions: H. 35mm, L. 167mm, W. 67mm, 0.62kg


text:
Use our patient tools for secure, convenient, 24/7 access. Learn more
This facility is a member of
The Sleep Disorders Center at Adventist Hinsdale Hospital offers a home like setting in a private room. Patients sleep in a queen size bed, and are free to bring items from home that make bedtime comfortable.


text:
Ban-hammers and other facts of life
There's a call for action going on – see TJ's site for the details. And many respected and well-known bloggers are jumping on the bandwagon. I joined – heck, helped start – one some time ago. This one… I cannot, in good conscience, join the call to action. In fact, I think it's cause regrettable, but have to speak against the call.
We the community constantly complain of bots and hacks. Yes, we do, I hear it frequently. We don't like cheaters who snag all the nodes before we can get there. We despise the hacks who get a little faster or hit a little harder or go places we're unable to go. We hate the flood of a server with false gold or counterfeit blues in mass that shatter our economy. All this makes the game less fun. And a less fun game is one we don't play as much – maybe even quitting. And that means Blizzard doesn't make money. So when we complain of something on a consistent basis, Blizzard listens.
But catching these folk is not easy. Nobody – well, most folk – don't openly announce, "I'm turning on my farmbot now." Nobody openly admits to setting their log-and-move bot to farm AV rep. Instead, it takes monitoring and detective work.
And any such work, regardless of how well done, gets false positives. And those inevitable events are where all the friction develops. In the case of WoW and things like it, the friction is worse because it's not law but policy. And I need to digress…
In law (at least in the US for US citizens – a separate rant that does not belong here), a false positive leads to an arrest, and (hopefully) a dismissal or verdict of innocent. Or successful appeal. Notice that there are multiple chances to identify and reverse a false positive in this situation. The reason is that the penalty is loss of freedom, with several other restrictions commensurate. But a WoW account ban isn't an arrest.
It's a denial of service. It's the company saying, "you can't play here any more." It's hurtful and potentially shameful, but it's not restrictive in any legal sense.
And Blizzard, listening to our complaints, wants to ban the abusers. But they'll inevitably pick up a few strays – some false positives. It's time for the pondering question:
Which is better. Should Blizzard warn the accounts identified, then wait to see who says, "not me", then evaluate those, and remove those not found "innocent"? Or should they block everyone, listen to the appeals, and then allow back those who are found innocent? Consider this in light of both the penalty to the innocent AND the effect the guilty pending justice can have upon the game.
Returning to outside the game, this is the reason people arrested go to jail. Some can be released for a while, but basically they're all constrained till the evaluation can be completed.
If you are going to protest – to join the call for action – I highly recommend you move further than, "this is wrong." I recommend you suggest fixes – things that allow the main issue to continue being resolved, while reducing the pain for false positives. Remember that Blizzard does not want to lose most of its customers – and it'll sacrifice a dozen to keep a million. (There is an old but relevant cliche in the philosophy of law. How many guilty will you allow to go free to avoid convicting one innocent? What ratio of guilty to innocent banned from the game is acceptable?)
Personally, I think Blizzard could do some PR work – not changing the system, but changing the wording of the ban – to improve the situation. They could call it a freeze, saying that if there is no appeal in 30 days the account will be banned, and then acting based upon the appeal. They'd get more appeals than they do under the current system, which in turn would probably need more staff to process, but they'd irritate and frustrate a much smaller number of innocents.
That said, I need to move a bit further, because what I've written above would imply I could support the call for action. And I said instead I lean to opposing it. See, there are some details that we cannot know.
For example, one of the big groups of this ban was purchasers of Glider. Blizzard apparently got (through court order) the list of people who've purchased it over a period of time — to include their credit card numbers. I know people who purchase things like this, look it over, and delete it — never use it in the game itself, just curious as to what all the fuss is about. They want to speak knowledgeably of the issue when they speak against it, or maybe it's just simple curiousity. Whatever the cause, they've left a credit card number. And Blizzard has it. And Blizzard now has a reason to ban.
We have, in my library, a number of petty rules. Rules such as "you can only have these videos for a week." Almost all our rules are here because while MOST people would return things in a timely fashion so others can use it, some won't. Some won't because they're forgetful. Some won't because they'd really like that item in their own personal library. Regardless of the reason, we have some rules that exist because there are a FEW who HAVE TO BE TOLD. And we enforce the rule – if the video is late, you get charged a fine. Late enough, and you're banned. You cannot check out anything else until the situation is cleared.
We inevitably get people who tell us they turned the item in already. Sometimes they're right. We inevitably get people who tell us something happened – they were robbed, or they had a fire, or they had to be out of town for a month or two, or… Sometimes they're right. And sometimes…
We have – had – a patron who kept telling us her car was broken into. As in, once a month (give or take). We started requiring she bring a police report for us to accept such a claim. Her car quit being the target of burglars.
I used to work in a prison. I am really, really aware that there are a number of people who can convincingly state that they did not do… whatever. Despite the witnesses, fingerprints, DNA, and videotape, it WAS NOT THEM. And if it weren't for the rest, it'd be convincing. It has made me somewhat cynical.
The banhammer is doing what we the community want it to do. And there will be collected, along with the guilty and those who are truly innocent, those who are unknowingly guilty and those who are smooth talkers. There is no perfect system. And I accept this problem.
Oh, one more point. There will also be those who simply didn't pay attention. Say, for example, you downloaded and started using the absolutely gorgeous druid forms Andrige created, you're violating the user agreement. Heck, he even warns you about it in the opening discussion. Yet I've seen the forms posted on several of the blogs now involved in the call to action with a 'wink wink' comment about using maybe subjecting you to a ban, (but nobody ever gets banned, really, over this.) (Yes, I saw that on one blog. I'll refrain from posting which not least because it's a paraphrase. Those that did, who read this, will recognize the remark.)
If you violate the contract, the other party to the contract is allowed to end its contribution. In other words, banhammer. And the real, honest answer is that we don't know if the people we're defending are truly innocent, innocent of intent, or just sweet talkers. And I'm afraid I have to oppose a call to action that may be wrong itself. An appeals process exists, which doesn't HAVE to exist. So, sorry, but no. Good luck, and if you're innocent I hope you prevail.
49 Responses to "Ban-hammers and other facts of life"
I'm going to probably go against popular grain, but to you, Kirk: Thank you. My account got hacked once, and I understand the feeling of anguish that banned folks must feel. The frustration and anger are palpable….yet after it got resolved, and even though during the first couple days of 'fruitless' calls to Blizzard support, in the end things got worked out. Yes it took longer than I wanted, yes I could not play until the temporary ban got lifted, but YES, I am glad that the system is in place to initially uphold the "contract" and then allow for redress of grievances. They don't need to, as you stated so well. Blizzard is not a court of law. This whole matter will pass, and I hope for the innocent-banned they get justice served.
But I agree with you on this matter. It's unfortunate, but not something I can 'protest' in good faith.
I don't believe the issue is the fact that there can be false positives. The issue isn't that Blizzard "doesn't have the right" to do what they did. The issue, for the most part, is that in enacting a mass ban such as this, they have created a situation where there is going to be an onslaught of emails to their appeals system that they cannot possibly keep up with. Those who have gotten an erroneous ban can expect a much lower chance of getting their accounts back because of the overwhelming volume of appeals hitting the system at once. Further exacerbating the situation is that in a mass action like this, you are more likely to get a higher percentage of false positives.
You seem to be advocating that Blizzard has the right to do what they need to do to protect their service, and if one or two innocent people get hurt in the process, so be it. So I'll approach this from the same angle. Blizzard is providing a service, and we are the customers. We are letting the company know that we disagree with the aforementioned situation, and feel that the risk it poses to us – potentially losing our accounts, or losing our in game friends because of a false positive – is not justified by the gain in getting rid of botters.
Frankly, most of the danger of botters is past. In this age of daily quests, where you can easily make two or three hundred gold in a couple of hours, every day, botting to farm just isn't worth a lot of money anymore. The impact on the WoW economy is much lessened, compared to pre-BC, and especially pre-daily quests.
So, my suggestion is that Blizzard come up with better procedure, or at least hire some help to sort through all their inevitable emails, when a situation like this occurs.
And I'm sorry, but there's no way on earth you can justify charging someone $45 for their next three months of gameplay, banning them the same day, and then saying "Oh, I'm sorry, that $45 is non-refundable." That's just bad business no matter how you look at it.
So anyway, I think the overall point is that you're not looking at the same issue we are. We're not protesting bans. We're not saying that false positives are unacceptable and should never happen. We're just saying that someone caught in a net like that should be able to expect better than "email this address, and we'll get back to you in a few weeks. Maybe a month. Maybe."
Aaaand I accidentally cut off my last part. To append:
So overall, while I can say that I don't have any expectations for you to jump in support of the issue (I don't expect anyone to do anything like that), your "anti-call" in opposing the issue seems a bit mean spirited. Are we attempting to pull some strings, somewhere? Hell yes. But we're doing it in the hope that maybe, just maybe, someone in Blizzard with half a chance to do something about it sees it, and says "oh, let's make sure we really look into this guy's account." We just want to make sure that our friend doesn't slip through the cracks.
You wrote:
I know people who purchase things like this, look it over, and delete it — never use it in the game itself, just curious as to what all the fuss is about. They want to speak knowledgeably of the issue when they speak against it, or maybe it's just simple curiousity. Whatever the cause, they've left a credit card number. And Blizzard has it. And Blizzard now has a reason to ban.
You know, that all sounds noble but how would you like it if someone used that as an excuse for buying child porn? "Oh I know it's despicable to buy pictures of grown men with 3-year-old girls, but it's for research." Yeah, right. No judge will buy THAT, either.
I agree, there may be cases of false positives and such. But if a person is naive enough to use their real name and same credit card to purchase software that they know is against the terms for playing WoW, then honestly, I can't feel too bad for them.
For example, one of the big groups of this ban was purchasers of Glider. Blizzard apparently got (through court order) the list of people who've purchased it over a period of time — to include their credit card numbers.
This was not the source of the Glider bans. Patch 2.4.2 updated the client (not Warden) and MDY and Lavish both missed the new detection method. Anyone using Glider or Innerspace between the 13th and 20th was banned.
I wrote a little history lesson about the last major banwave on my blog yesterday and a follow-up post about the botters being back in action again today.
I'm a little on the fence about how many strikes you get before you are out. I lean more towards one strike and your perma-banned. Namely because these detections are easily discovered and circumvented once it is known that they exist. It's very difficult to catch a repeat offender once they are alerted. You might scare a few straight, but most will just breathe a sigh of relief and wait until the exposure isn't as great. Secondly, Blizzard very very rarely issues a ban without being virtually certain that the account is botting. Player reports, for example, are escalated to specialists and are not investigated by the standard issue GM.
In fact, from Blizzard's track record, they are NOT likely to ban an account even for having a credit card match the account:
1) Blizzard has shown that they will allow someone to get banned, then repurchase a new account with the same credit card and user information. It's very possible (if not likely) that some people purchased Glider and stopped using it after they were banned once.
2) There is no evidence showing that Blizzard bans accounts linked by credit card. There are plenty of reported bans where the person banned has other accounts that were not botted with identical information.
3) Blizzard has always acted against the botted account, not all accounts by that individual. The exception is when bot software is loaded into memory to bot on one account while another account is played legitimately.
4) Having a Glider key and account does not mean that the person ever botted themselves. It's probable (but rare) that someone would get an account to read their private forums.
Kirk, I really think you're putting words in our mouths here. No one has said ANYTHING against mass bans. We understand why they're there! And YOU understand that mistakes happen in these bans. Our friend was a mistake. And we, as Aetherial Circle, well, we have blogs. A lot of us do. And we're using them to make a ruckus. Are we protesting the mass ban? No. Are we protesting that Lamaa got banned? Yes, but not as much as we are protesting that AT THIS POINT it seems that he has no recourse. THAT is unacceptable to us and we are using our position as bloggers, with influence, to call attention to this fact.
As Fio said, your anti-call does seem mean spirited. And you seem to be missing our point. OUR point, not THE point. Our friend got banned and we want him back. We can't do much, and I don't think ANY of us, as honest players, want to change the "mass ban" system because it of course catches more guilty parties than innocent. But we are indeed flexing our e-muscles in the hope that a little attention called to the subject will save our friend and get him back to us as soon as possible. I feel you are painting us all with an extremely unflattering brush – I am a WoW playing blogger who wants to help out her friend. The rest of those people who posted are people who are friends of mine, or who at least respect me, or at least respect what we're trying to do. It's not a "bandwagon," it's not people asking for a revolution or huge change. We just, as Fio said, don't want OUR friend to slip through the cracks. All those other innocent players caught, well, I'm sorry for them, too. But Lamaa is our friend and we are using the resources at our disposal to do what we can for him.
You seem to be missing my point. Lamaa didn't violate the ToS. Unless you consider a programmable keyboard to be a cheat – unlikely considering Blizzard endorses one in particular. He didn't breach contract, not even "a little bit." Now, you can make your cynic argument all you want, but I'd ask how many heart to heart chats you had with the lady who's car kept getting "broken into." How many late nights did you spend chatting amiably and unguardedly with the prisoners who "didn't do it?" The fact is that the two situations are hardly analogous.
Now, to quote you:
"But as to asking that Blizzard do an automatic appeal of every account, beyond whatever they have already, because of a possible false positive? No. The world is not perfect, and the path you are asking is that I demand it till there are NO false positives. It cannot be done, and so I will resist it."
Where did I EVER suggest that Blizzard do that? Frankly, you're putting words into my mouth. The only thing I said was that either Blizzard find a better way to handle things than their current system, or to make sure that they have enough manpower to handle the stress on their EXISTING appeals system if they decide to keep up with the mass bans.
And finally, as TJ said, you're missing the point. We're not arguing against mass bans. We're trying to draw attention to the fact that this particular case is, we believe, unjustified. And we don't want it slipping through the cracks. Frankly, you can make all the legalese arguments you want, and I don't give a crap. You're not refuting our point, because you're not even addressing it.
Just a brief refutation:
"Gads, that sounds pompous. Yes, you have muscle, and you should use it on behalf of those who need it. Sympathy for and support of your friend – yes. Assistance within the bounds? certainly. Demands that the process be ignored? No."
We're not demanding that the process be ignored. We're demanding that the process be FOLLOWED. He's appealing. What we want to be sure of, as much as we reasonably can with our bit of 'muscle,' is that his appeal actually gets looked at and considered, and not just rubber stamped "No."
If that's abusing the system, then we have a different definition of that concept, and probably will not agree in any way, no matter what.
BTW – I just read the TJ reference and umm… Laama was botting. Sorry you got caught, but you were almost assuredly botting. Since I have been following this topic (and the botting community in general), there have only been two real cases of "false positives." It's remotely possible that Laama was a false positive, but in the other two cases when this occurred – there was FAR FAR more outcry on the subject by a LOT more people. The likelhood of one lone guy getting a false positive are so remote as to be impossible.
Interestingly, one of those false positives was linux related and Laama points out that he used linux as part of his defense. I know if I were accussed of botting, I would latch onto one of these known false positives in an effort to create some sympathy to my cause. Of course, if that were REALLY the case, then you would see a similar outcry with more evidence that a "I don't know what happened" as the supporting argument.
As I think my last comment points out, Blizzard goes to extremely great lengths to give everyone the benefit of the doubt. If anything, there are not strict enough more often than not. I guarantee that they found SOMETHING they felt warrant the ban and that they wouldn't have acted if they hadn't thought that something was significant.
Laama's response is typical of one that I have seen hundreds of times as someone who botted on an unknown alt got their main banned and now they are trying to paint a picture about how they aren't the bad guy. I find the whole "we know him" defense ludicrous (and one I have also heard a hundred times). No you don't. No one knows anyone that well over the internet. Hell, I found out a couple of years ago that my best friends Dad was molesting young girls. There is NO WAY that I would have thought him capable of doing something like that and I knew him very closely for 20 years.
Kirk, honestly, this is what it comes down to – if I can use my blog to find someone who knows a guy who knows a guy who has a cousin who once dated some guy at Blizzard's dog, who can bump Lamaa to the top of the list for appeals, then why shouldn't I? If a friend of yours got into a bad situation and you had the means to help out a bit, wouldn't you? I posted in support of my friend. And everyone who has jumped on this "bandwagon" isn't bashing Blizzard, they're calling attention to the fact that this situation happens, that it's frustrating and uncertain, and they're doing it because they're MY friends. Or Fio's friends. Or BRK's friends.
You are insistent on interpreting our words any way you want to, and I guess it's clear now that we can't stop you from inferring whatever you please. No one is making any demands. You are determined to find some kind of sense of entitlement or system-flaunting attitude in my post where there isn't one. Everything you are saying that I said was not said. It's all your own inferrence.
We want our friend back. We don't like that he's not getting any response from Blizzard at all. You can't TELL ME that if you lost your account, all your hard work, that you wouldn't be distressed. We're distressed and unhappy. This isn't a fighting the system thing, this is a basic, human nature, we miss our friend and we're scared we won't get him back thing.
We're upset. We're sad. For us, and for Lamaa. We're not trying to break rules. We're just human with normal human reactions. It all comes down to friendship here, and you can't find fault with that.
[…] Edit: An interesting post about the why of the ban series can be found at priestly endeavors here. […]
sid67 – at least one part of your argument is moot – I KNOW him. Sure, no one really knows anyone over the internet. But he kicked my ass at mini-golf. I was watching. He totally didn't cheat.
I KNOW the guy.
I actually pointed that article out to Lamaa.
And about 4 weeks ago, Lamaa was cheering in guild chat because he finally got WoW working with WINE. Do you believe he was preemptively setting up his defense in case he got banned?
Some of us have met Lamaa in person. Quite a bit of the guild has met up at this point. So all I have to say to your assertion is that if we don't "really know him," you have even LESS to base your opinion on, not knowing him at all.
I'm basing my thoughts on similar stories that I have found while investigating this, where the appeals process takes weeks if not months. Given that, I think it is reasonable to assume that Blizzard does not have the staff to handle this, or at least does not put a high priority upon it.
But regardless, it seems that you've decided that you can say what we mean better than we can. I'm not going to continue rehashing this any more here. Its obvious that you've made up your mind and aren't even reading what we're saying. So, I'm done here. I only hope for your sake that this never happens to you or someone you are friends with.
Kirk, what this seems to be coming down to is that you're offended that I've used my blog to express my feelings on the situation.
I have not asked anyone to do anything to bend the rules in this matter. The quoted post was from our guild forums where I was just simply letting my guildmates know what was going on and why I haven't been online. I enjoy the game (though the game would be nothing without my friends), but I am glad I haven't gotten so serious about it that I make comparisons between potential contract infringers and child molestors/criminals. You guys are hardcore ❤
Not to get caught in any blog crossfire here, but what exactly is Blizzard's review/appeal policy for banned and suspended accounts? Many people have mentioned a review process (and how it seems to be ignoring Lamaa), but I don't have any details and I wasn't able to find anything on Blizzard's sites. Just curious.
You're making me sound like a crooked politician, man.
TJ, as a reader of most of the blogs of "the gang," I find this all very interesting. And initially, I thought, hell yeah, let's make ourselves heard! But now, I've changed my mind. I think Kirk has some really good points that are being ignored, either deliberately or due to being too emotionally close.
Your comment above says, "you're offended that I've used my blog to express my feelings." But that isn't entirely true – in fact, it isn't even mostly true. To quote your blog post:
"I know this is a long shot, but someone on our guild forums pointed out that a lot of us have blogs, and drawing as much attention to this issue as possible could maybe speed along the process of getting this rectified."
That to me doesn't sound like "expressing feelings." That to me says, "I want to leverage our semi-fame in order to get special treatment." Special treatment, in this case, being to, "maybe speed along the process."
How is that fair? Why should "celebrities" or their friends get special treatment? What if my account gets banned – who will stand up for me to "maybe speed along the process"?
Which brings me to Kirk's point – how is this right? You're demanding that the process be ignored or that your friend get special treatment. Leaving aside whether Lamaa is guilty or not, I can also take exception with the efforts of a "cult of personality" trying to give privilege to some and not all. As Kirk says, if you want to propose a real solution that would apply to all victims, and isn't a massive cost burden, feel free. But all you've done is say that he deserves to have his case more closely scrutinized merely because he's lucky enough to have highly visible and vocal public advocates – not because of any real facts about his guilt or innocence (other than, "I'll vouch for him").
So I have to go along with Kirk – special treatment for some does not benefit everyone, and in fact, hurts the rest who don't get it, by subjecting them to separate and less favorable rules. The appeals process might suck (I pray I never experience it), but it is there.
Not to get caught in any blog crossfire here, but what exactly is Blizzard's review/appeal policy for banned and suspended accounts?
It's nothing more sophisticated than someone reads your email, looks up why you got banned, and then decides how they want to respond. The customer service rep rarely take the time to write a personalized email because your "case" fits into the same mold as hundreds of other similar "cases". You get the canned response. In other situations, the offense is so obvious that they don't even feel compelled to explain themselves beyond the initial ban email. LOTS of offenders don't even get the courtesy THAT initial ban email at all and only find out when they attempt to log in.
Of course, the REASON that they have so many similar cases is because they take extremely great pains to make sure they know with near certainty that they won't get false positives. Now – in the cases where they have reversed false positives it's because they are getting lots of emails complaining about the same thing and they can reproduce the effect. It's never the "lone wolf" whose unique situation got them banned.
I can't emphasize enough how thorough and certain Blizzard is that the account is in TOS violation before they ban. In their mind, they have ALREADY done all the due diligence in making the determination and no new evidence that you provide through the appeal process is going to sway the outcome. I can tell you that they 100% believe they had just cause for the ban before they took any action against an account. That's how they operate and many people (myself included) are critical that they are not aggressive enough.
This entire subject is a bit of a particular interest of mine and I have read and participated in countless threads (official forums, Glider forums, ISX forums) on the subject. Outside of a Blizzard employee, I can tell you that I am about as well versed on "what happens" as it gets.
My earlier comment about Laama specifically is that the response sounds, smells and feels like a botter. More importantly however, nothing said gives me any indication that Blizzard will overturn the decision. If they DO overturn it, then it's because they want to avoid a PR controversy in the blogosphere. In this regard, I 100% agree with Kirk's stance on favoritism.
This is worth repeating because it's the most important part. If you got banned, then Blizzard feels they already did the due diligence. Your odds of changing their minds on that fact are so slim as to be nearly nonexistent. The whole "appeal" process is really almost irrelevant because it's nearly impossible for you to contribute new evidence supporting the appeal.
I will say that VERY VERY rarely, the "my account was stolen" tactic or "my brother did it" approach seems to have the highest success in the "appeal" process and can warrant the more personalized email response. It's laughable, but for whatever reason, the customer service reps seem to have a little more difficultly disregarding the "I was hacked by botters while I was on vacation" excuse.
I would say that I am sorry to you for losing your online friend. I'm not sorry they got banned for cheating.
I understand being frustrated and emotional about a friend. I think it stepped over the line when TJ's post asked for people to raise a hue and cry to "maybe speed things along." That is exerting one's influence in order to achieve treatment not available to everyone.
As far as Blizzard's lack of response, hoo boy, absolutely, this pisses me off, too; this objection is right on the money, and really goes to the heart of the issue. As someone who has a blog category devoted to what I call "customer DISservice," I can completely sympathize with the lack of Blizzard's response.
In fact, had TJ's post been to the effect that it's high time we demand they devoted some of those record-breaking revenues to some real and responsive customer service, I would have wholeheartedly agreed.
However, again, my fault with this (and it's not with caring about friends), is the seeming attempt to employ influence to gain special treatment for someone. And a system that allows special treatment for some is inherently unfair – and a system that should be suspect.
TJ may be willing to "bump her friend's resume to the top of the pile," and as her friend, that would certainly be a perk to be envied – but that doesn't make it right. In fact, that's uncomfortably close to nepotism, favoritism, cronyism, and some other fancy isms I can't even contemplate. In short, it wouldn't be fair.
Does that mean you can't drop off the resume in person to an HR representative, and offer to answer any questions? Not at all – but tampering with the actual process… that makes me uncomfortable.
Processes that are created to make things fair are usually inherently burdensome. We acknowledge this when we say Blizzard should "fully investigate" in order to make sure they ban the right person, even as we admit this would be costly and time consuming. How ironic that we want them to do everything in their power to be fair, but we then hold them to a different standard and we're willing to bend the rules when it comes to us?
Perhaps the lack of response is due to this burdensome process in an attempt to be fair. They must read all the emails, they must check their facts, they must be willing to hear your side. Agreed, all. And perhaps a simple, "your email has been received, and we will review your petition" would go a long way to making us at least feel like we haven't been arbitrarily zapped by Zeus from on high. I cannot argue with this at all; I think it's necessary.
But I object to lobbying the public toward the cause of getting someone special treatment not afforded to all – that isn't right.
I should say I sympathize with *the frustration over* the lack of Blizzard's response.
Kirk, sorry for (unintentionally) going against your very clearly worded attempts to separate discussions. I felt that I was responding to points over there and here which essentially covered the same ideas; not wanting to engender carpal tunnel, I was being lazy and copying over. I will respect your wishes and confine further comments to here; that said, I think I've contributed what little I can offer, being generally of very small brain.
Perhaps the lack of response is due to this burdensome process in an attempt to be fair.
The assumption as a "customer service" issue is that Blizzard is ignoring them or not looking at the problem. Umm.. well, they did that already and thought you were cheating. So what you are REALLY asking is for them to look at it again because you don't agree.
The point is that Blizzard has already done their due diligence on the issue. They did so prior to issuing the ban and they take great pains to ensure there are no false positives. As far as they are concerned, they already investigated the issue and responding by banning the account.
Now, would you rather have Blizzard customer service reps focus their attention on legitimate and valid customer service issues that have NOT been investigated or have them focus on issues that have already been resolved where the outcome is not likely to change. The reality is that ban reversals very rarely happen and I (personally) would prefer they devote resources to more legitimate complaints.
That poor guy who got his account hacked shouldn't have to suffer any longer than necessary because a customer service rep has to write a personalized email to someone who got banned for botting.
Talisker, with regards to the job thing, that's just simple networking. If a job opened at my company, that fit Fio's qualifications, you can bet I would march my butt over to HR and vouch for him. I can't make them hire him, but I can ask them to take a close look.
Similarly, I can't make Blizzard do anything for Lamaa, but I can attempt to make them take a look.
I went to bat for a friend. I used the resources at my disposal. I just can't apologize for that.
If, when Blizzard gets to Lamaa's appeal, they find him, for whatever reason, to be truly bannable, well, we're SOL. AC does NOT support that kind of behavior, and we ARE firmly behind our friend.
I'm really bothered by being told what I can and cannot correctly say on my blog – that I've worded something wrong, that I've taken the wrong tack, that I'm being offensive to tons of nameless people I don't know.
I DO know Lamaa. I write about my life, the things that I'm involved in, and Lamaa is part of that. I can't censor myself because some people have the [honestly, what I believe to be misguided] view that I have some sort of real power. What I have is friends. I went to bat for my friend, and in response, people who I like and respect went to bat with me.
I can't, I just can't see that as wrong. It's my blog. I'm sorry that other people don't have the same access to me and my blog that Lamaa does. I'm sorry that other people who got banned don't have blogs. But creating and maintaining a blog isn't some great lofty position that only a few can achieve, and it doesn't grant me any kind of special power or pull, other than to connect me with people of a similar mind.
I think what I am having trouble grasping here is the fact that I am being told, basically, what I can and cannot say on my personal website, that I pay for, maintain, and write about ridiculous crap on. Blizzard doesn't know who I am, they don't give two shits about me. But I know who Lamaa is, and I give a whole heck of a pile of shit about him. Ok, that came out wrong, but I hope you're getting my point. I just can't, not at all, see anything wrong with me posting what I want, and what I feel. I see it as the same as asking readers to donate to my pet charity (the TJ Needs a Pony Fund, if anyone is interested), or asking readers to vote in some contest that you or a friend are a contestant in… It's just me, one person, and my views, and what I hope will happen.
Lamaa will go through the appeals process like anyone else. There's nothing that can be done to change that, and frankly it's laughable for me to even think I hold any kind of sway at all. But I feel like I've drawn attention to the situation, positive or negative, and I feel like I've DONE something in circumstances where we all feel kind of helpless. It never occurred to me, even for a second, that I was abusing any kind of power, or asking for special treatment… Like I've said repeatedly, I am FOR the mass bannings. They catch more guilty people than innocent. They catch a lot of people who claim to be innocent and will claim that in the face of overwhelming evidence. They also caught someone who I truly, TRULY BELIEVE has committed no crime, so to speak. Being in favor of this kind of system, I think that the chances of catching someone honestly and truly innocent are extremely rare, and I think Blizzard knows that.
I cannot express to you how absolutely and totally convinced I am that Lamaa has done no wrong. Setting aside all arguments that I can't personally "prove" it, or that no one really "knows" anyone on the internet, please accept, for the sake of argument, that that is my position. Imagine me just completely convinced of his innocence. Also take into account that I believe that Blizzard probably does NOT catch that many TRULY innocent people. He is, in my mind, one of a very small number lost in a sea of false appeals, liars, cheaters, etc. What I am saying, on my blog is, HEY. Pay attention to THIS GUY. I believe he is the real deal.
I 100% believe that and am committed to it and stand behind it. That's my position, and that's why it's on my blog.
He is, in my mind, one of a very small number lost in a sea of false appeals, liars, cheaters, etc.
It is admirable that you are sticking by your friend. However, what are the odds that one of those "very small number lost at sea" just happens to be the one guy you know personally who got banned?
I'm sorry for your loss. I really am. You are truly a collateral victim in this ordeal. You believe your friend. You trust your friend. To me, I think that's what is most upsetting about this story. Because I don't believe Laama. I sincerely think that you are being lied to by a friend. Moreover, a friend who is letting you stomp around the blogosphere defending their name.
From an outsiders point of view, it's always disturbing to see someone abuse someone else's trust. I just want you to know that my remarks aren't directed at you personally. You should stand up for your friend. That's what friends do. Someone should remind Laama of that fact.
Kirk, unless I missed it completely (and please correct me if I did), you are opposed to any sort of appeal process. Currently there is none. I have asked for one to be implemented. Nowhere have I read any argument against immediate and permanent bans for misbehavior. Yours, however, is the first and only argument I have read demanding the status quo–that is, no chance of appeal, much less success–be maintained.
And that, my friend, simply isn't right. Does Blizzard have that right? Of course they do (until a court says otherwise). Are they abusing that right? Currently, in the opinion of many of their more influential customers, they are.
no, Kirk is not opposed to an appeal process. And there is one, albeit not immediately obvious from the Account Suspension E-mail: "Any disputes or questions concerning this account action can only be addressed by Account Administration. To learn more about how Account Administration is able to assist you, please visit us at http://www.blizzard.com/support/wowaa/."
Kirk's reply to this: "I think Blizzard could do some PR work – not changing the system, but changing the wording of the ban – to improve the situation. They could call it a freeze, saying that if there is no appeal in 30 days the account will be banned, and then acting based upon the appeal."
Obviously, there should be a way to appeal, I don't think anyone has any problems with that. Kirk has a problem with TJ's appeal for mass action on behalf of her friend.
"TJ wrote: I think what I am having trouble grasping here is the fact that I am being told, basically, what I can and cannot say on my personal website"
I think, as I am reading all these replies, is that Kirk is not telling you what to write at all, but he is highlighting his opinion that a "call to arms" disagrees with him on moral grounds. Not that you are wrong, but that you have differing opinions.
I am saddened if your friend is offline for a time. That totally sucks.
However, I agree that the process in-place can not be resolved overnight. Blizzard, having done a mass-ban, will need some time to sort things out with appeals. While I too would hope my friends helped make sure my account was not ignored, I also would not want the (perceived) push to get my appeal short-listed to the top.
So, rather than inflame the issue farther,. I'll bow out and watch the weekend unfold as it will…..
I just left a comment in your later post – but i realized it probably belongs here. So reposting the comment:
I usually just lurk in the shadows when reading WoW related blogs and never comment. This time however, i felt i should post a comment in agreement with your sentiment.
If i read the sentiment correctly (and correct me if i am mistaken) but the whole "crusade" by the "blogginest" guild in WoW does seem predicated on the absolute and unquestioning faith on the victim.
I absolutely agree with their demand for Blizzard support to be more responsive. What i do not agree with, however, is the implication, in most of the posts, that Blizzard is/was more in the wrong than Lamaa.
I do not know much about Glider, i have not read the TOS in its entirety and i certainly cannot comment on Blizzard's ability to know for sure if a person "botted" or not. But what i can say is that there certainly was an attempt to download the program.
Perhaps (and i plead partial ignorance on this subject) Blizzard doesnt really have a way of knowing whether that bot was used to not. In that scenario, equality would dictate that all such persons should be banned. Something like if there is suspicion of cheating in an exam and no way of knowing who did and who did not – there is no other equitable way other than cancelling the exam. The blogginest guild in WoW clearly refuses to give Blizzard any benefit of doubt.
To summarize, i agree with their call for Blizzard to be more responsive. I disagree with the hamhanded (and perhaps arrogant and lopsided?)way of expressing it.
I think what you are missing here is that you are not disagreeing with TJ or telling her she is wrong, but you are saying she was wrong to post it on her site. That she was wrong to use a medium that she owns and operates as she sees fit.
It's like marching into her bedroom and telling her that she is wrong to own a couch and place it where she wants it. You can express an opposite viewpoint to her on the position of the couch, and argue there is a better choice (say, a futon), but you are out of your mind if you think it's appropriate to tell her what she can buy with her money and do in her own space.
Disagree, sure. Dictate? Ha ha, you're funny.
It's fine to say "I think you're taking the wrong approach." It is not okay to say "You should not have written this on your blog and you should not use your blog this way."
It's like marching into her bedroom and telling her that she is wrong to own a couch and place it where she wants it.
Bullshit. Kirk made his thoughts in HIS bedroom, not in hers. Which he has every right to do — as she does in hers.
I actually get a little irked when people say that you can't disagree with someone on their blog. Having a blog entitles you to an opinion, but you better expect people to DISCUSS that opinion. And not everyone is going to agree with you. The very best blogs entries are the ones that provoke discussion.
@Kirk – then I apologize, I must have read it incorrectly. As I read it, it sounded like you were saying she did not have a right to call people to arms on her blog, when she did, in fact, have this right. Or that it was an abuse of power, and therefore "should not" be there. AKA, saying what she can or cannot have on her blog. Simply disagreeing is fine. I have no problem with you disagreeing with TJ, that's your right, I ain't gonna deny you it.
@sid67 – like I said above, I must have misread something. However, I did not say anything about disagreement and discussion being bad. In fact, I made a distinction between demands of saying what people can and cannot do, as well as discussion/debate/disagreement. Those are all totally cool with me. Hell, go to my blog and disagree with me all you want. I don't care. Just don't tell me what to write. 🙂
(also, sorry about slow reply, I was watching this, just had a raid)
Well, Kirk, take this as my disagreement, that telling someone what they can and cannot do on their personal space is different than saying you disagree with it. Disagreeing is cool. Said it before. Telling them they can't is out of line. That's my only point, and of course it's an opinion you're free to disagree with. Otherwise, no argument here, totally cool with me of you to disagree with TJ and her points.
Yeah. Good post. I feel bad for the guy, but I'm not joining the call to whatever either. I've been to software conferences where speakers went over what Warden is, what it does and everything inbetween. A few things to remember – Blizzard knows more about this than you do. Warden doesn't autoban people – the case had to be flagged and manually banned.
It seems like this lamaa guy was a nice guy and all, but I'm just going to say it would be really hard to call "false positive" for this. I don't know him personally, or what he had/has on his machine so there's no way I'm going to declare him an innocent bystander. imo.


text:
This month marks somewhat of a watershed for women's football Down Under, with the baton being passed from the most experienced current coach in the international arena to one untested at the top level. Tom Sermanni will commence his new role with FIFA/Coca-Cola Women's World Ranking leaders USA and will hand over Australia's reins to former Netherlands international Hesterine de Reus.
In the eight years that Sermanni was at the helm, women's football in Australia, led by the Matildas, made a quantum leap in every respect. A significant boom in participation coincided with the national team growing from being a bit player on the world stage to holding down a regular spot in the top ten of the global ladder.
The portents were there from Sermanni's very first match in charge. Australia defeated Germany almost eight years ago to the day, in what was the nation's first win against reigning world champions.
I had the opportunity to watch some of the Matildas' matches at Germany 2011 and I very much enjoyed their style. We have some very ambitious plans.
There followed consecutive appearances in the quarter-finals of the FIFA Women's World Cup™, and an Asian crown. The Matildas are still the only male or female Australian team to conquer Asia since the nation joined the confederation in 2005. It is a significant feat considering Asia's strength in women's football on a global scale.
Memorable moments
A maiden appearance in the AFC Women's Asian Cup in 2006, and subsequent FIFA Women's World Cup in China PR a year later, were breakthrough moments according to Sermanni. "Those two tournaments reinforced to the players that we had players that could attack, try and win games, and play football," Sermanni told FIFA.com. "Some of the cohesion and style of football gave our players the belief that they could match some of the best in the world."
And what changes has Sermanni seen in the Australian team since he took charge? "There are probably two major differences," said the affable Scotland-born Australian, a veteran of the FIFA Women's World Cup in 1995. "The attitude of the players is one of having a feeling of belief that they can go out and potentially win against anyone. Previously the team perhaps went out hoping to grind out a result, and hope not to get beaten.
"The other thing is that technically the players Australia are producing are very gifted. I think that, other than the Asian nations, the Australian players are as naturally gifted as anyone in the world. I think that is a result of the coaching system which has included trying to identify players that can all the way to international level."
Since qualification for China 2007, women's football has enjoyed a far greater share of the spotlight with the establishment of the W-League in 2008, which benefits from free-to-air TV coverage. Participation has undergone exponential growth, while several national team players enjoying rapidly growing profiles.
"The most significant change has been the number of girls playing, which has helped bring the game into the mainstream," said Sermanni. "If you look back to the '90s, the game was almost a minority sport in Australia. So at the elite level this change has resulted in far better quality of players coming through, having played since the age of six and seven. Because of this the profile improves, and young players can see that the game offers a lot as a professional sport."
New horizons appear
The recently appointed De Reus comes with an impressive CV in terms of development, having worked extensively in youth and technical development, notably with the Netherlands' national youth team programs. Most recently, De Reus, capped 43 times by Oranje Leeuwinnen, had a brief stint at PSV FC Eindhoven, following a two-year spell as Technical Director and head coach with Jordan.
De Reus will have the opportunity to groom a youthful Australia side, who were one of the youngest at the last FIFA Women's World Cup with a dozen teenagers in their ranks.
"I had the opportunity to watch some of the Matildas' matches at Germany 2011 and I very much enjoyed their style of football," said De Reus. "We have some very ambitious plans for the team over the coming years. With support, I am confident that we can perform on the international stage to the level that we aspire too."


text:
Gotham City Impostors is one of those ideas just stupid enough to work. The general premise is that Batman has ditched his crime fighting duties for some reason, leaving an army of costumed idiots with delusions of grandeur to take his place. An opposing force of Joker fans stand in their way, and everybody has guns.
Utterly ridiculous, yet suitably audacious.
Audacity, however, is a running theme in Gotham City Impostors that extends to every corner of the game.
Gotham City Impostors (PC, PlayStation Network, Xbox Live Arcade [reviewed])
Developer: Monolith Productions
Publisher: Warner Bros Interactive Entertainment
Released: February 7, 2012
MSRP: $14.99 (PC, PSN) / 1200 Microsoft Points (XBLA)
Gotham City Impostors is a team-based first-person-shooter in which groups of "Bats" face off against "Jokerz" with a variety of conventional and exotic weapons. While the premise is certainly unique and more than capable of raising an eyebrow, the meat of the game is as typical as you can get. Impostors liberally pinches elements from Team Fortress 2 and Call of Duty to create a fairly traditional first-person shooter underneath a layer of mostly cosmetic innovation.
There are five maps and a handful of game modes, including deathmatch, capture-and-hold and capture-the-flag -- the latter of which features a slightly unique twist. Called "Psychological Warfare," this mode has teams carrying a battery to a mind control device. If one team succeeds in powering their device, the opposing team will be rendered helpless, unable to fire weapons and view their surroundings properly while a voice tells them how useless they are. Little twists like this permeate the experience and go some way toward obscuring how derivative the basic action is.
Would-be heroes and villains will find a range of weapons to unlock, from standard assault rifles and shotguns to more exotic items such as bows and explosive slingshots. In addition, players can pick one support item from a selection of throwing stars, grenades and axes, as well as one gadget. Gadgets represent the most inventive aspect of Monolith's shooter, allowing players to use grappling hooks to zip around a map, roller skates to move faster, rubber soles to jump higher, or scanners to mark enemy opponents on the map. Picking the right gadget is an integral part of creating a successful character, as it can have a significant influence on one's play style.
As players earn XP and level up, they'll be able to select perks and killstreaks (known as "fun facts" and "rampages") as well as new body types to alter their physical stats. After a few levels, players can also join online gangs and fight for territory, which is determined by each member's success in battle. At the end of each round, costume coins are awarded to purchase new cosmetic items and create a personalized avatar. This focus on personalization is the game's biggest draw, but the implementation proves to be its biggest problem.
A single item of clothing, for example, can cost anywhere between 100 and 400 costume coins, and the average player will typically gain between twenty and thirty coins at the end of every game. Bearing in mind that Bats and Jokerz both have their own unique costume pieces, and that it can take over five games to earn a single item, one can imagine just how long it takes for a player to feel like their character is truly their character.
The same can be said for leveling up in general. Each level gained usually awards a single unlock point for one item category, be it weapons, mods, rampages, or body types. These unlock points aren't universal, meaning that you can only spend weapon points on weapons, mod unlocks on weapon modifications, etcetera. Again, this means that it can take quite some time to craft a character that a player is comfortable with -- longer than it takes for a player to become bored of the five maps and limited game modes on offer.
Now, there's a very "good" reason why it takes so long. Impostors has copied a free-to-play model, meaning that it's been designed specifically to make regular progress excruciatingly time consuming, while offering ways to speed up the process for a price. There are over 150 items of downloadable content available for purchase, ranging from costume pieces to XP boosts and unlockable "mascots" that follow players around the map. It's a blatant and transparent attempt at aping a freemium game, with the added caveat that Gotham City Impostors isn't actually free to play.
Yes, it's true that most of the DLC is available for free in the game, but the whole operation has slyly been developed in order to make unpaying gamers struggle uphill to get their goods. The whole point of Gotham City Impostors is to not-so-subtly encourage the player to pay a little extra and unlock stuff early, ostensibly buying their way to completion. It would be underhanded if it wasn't so shamelessly blatant.
The trouble is, Gotham City Impostors barely struggles to justify the admission fee, let alone its ancillary prices. It's not a bad game, by any stretch of the imagination, and can in fact provide an hour or two of genuine entertainment, but it's as threadbare as a shooter can get. Even with the added gadgetry and cartoon atmosphere, Impostors is a fairly bland shooter in a market crammed full of more exciting ones. It feels like the kind of obligatory multiplayer mode tacked onto a predominantly single-player game, rather than its own title geared entirely toward online play. Rather than, say, Call of Duty or Team Fortress, this title evokes memories of the forgettable modes found in F.E.A.R or BioShock 2.
The small amount of maps are hard to distinguish from one another and are all fairly straightforward, the combat is the kind of simplistic run-and-gun action we've been playing for years, and you can more or less see everything that the core gameplay has to offer within an hour. The only thing to keep playing for is more aesthetic loot, but most gamers will grow weary of the same old levels and the same old action long before they're satisfied.
Gotham City Impostors desperately wants to be a freemium game, that much is evident. The gameplay is functional without being exceptional, and the focus is placed entirely on personalization at a price -- be it time or money. The limited range of maps, game modes and weapons seems to indicate that a whole slew of premium DLC will soon be arriving as well. It's unquestionably clear that Monolith and Warner Bros. conspired to make a Batman-flavored Farmville, but console restrictions on such a business model prevented them from going all the way.
That's a fine excuse to carry an initial price tag, but not an excuse to charge the full fifteen dollars for a game designed around microtransactions. This is a case of a game maker attempting to have its cake and eat it too -- charging the maximum price for a downloadable title while trying every trick in the book to squeeze extra cash along the way. And for a game that isn't even all that great in the first place, Gotham City's sheer gall boasts a level of ballsiness that almost demands respect.
Not enough respect to save this game from the weight of its own mediocrity, however.
You are logged out. Login | Sign up
Gotham City Impostors reviewed by Jim Sterling
An exercise in apathy, neither solid nor liquid. Not exactly bad, but not very good either. Just a bit "meh," really.
How we score: The Destructoid reviews guide


text:
Kashif on October 17th, 2008
Most people find that financial troubles happen occasionally. This is precisely true if you are young and just beginning your career. One of the options you have for getting out of debt is declaring Bankruptcy. However, this is not the best option nor should it be done by the majority of people. Individuals can announce […]
Continue reading about The Importance of Setting Financial Goals


text:
The schematic appears to be the one in the patent/AMZ schematic. With a different heater resistor value. I didn't check every component against the schematic. The main fix is to throw the Behringer "tube" in the garbage and put in a real tube.
Dirk_Hendrik wrote:http://dirk-hendrik.com/images/tk999_schem.gif
analogguru wrote:If this is really as shown, this would be sick....
Butler is runnig the tube at +/-12V (= 24V), the VT911 as shown is would only be running at 9V.
Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 3 guests