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High Lords of Terra
"Functionaries are like books in a library: the higher they are, the least they serve."
- – Georges Clemenceau
"The measure of a man is what he does with power."
- – Plato
The High Lords of Terra (aka "Asthmatic Assholes") are the twelve members of the Senatorum Imperialis, the Council of the High Lords of Terra, and the rulers of the Imperium of Man in the Emperor's absence.
After Horus got his heresy on, the Emperor had to "ascend" the Golden Throne to keep himself alive. Since he wasn't dead, Roboute Guilliman reasoned that a new leadership was needed to guide the Imperium. He took the job of Lord Commander of the Imperium from Rogal Dorn and set up the High Lords from the old Council of Terra inviting the heads of the Administratum, the Officio Assassinorum and the Adeptus Mechanicus to the table as well. As time went on, the Ecclesiarchy, the Inquisition, the Navigators and others were also invited. They seem to have influence over the Minotaurs.
While it's plainly evident that they are not making the Imperium better, there is some evidence that they may be making the Imperium worse than it actually needs to be (although whether this is due to malice or incompetence is anyone's guess, most people are betting on the latter). Exactly what they decide on isn't clear either. "Making decisions that affect the whole galaxy" sounds like a lofty purpose but really all the different departments seem to do things by themselves. The Space Marine chapters decide where they fight, the Inquisition governs itself, the Navigators govern themselves, the Administratum is like a machine just left running and doesn't even change gears... so unless they are just the people with the stamps to approve everything, we need some more fluff on what they are doing GW!
Well good news, I guess: as of 6th they are becoming more and more pro-active. AND in the new series The Beast Arises has them as the main characters and thus we can finally see how they run things. TL:DR oh, my God-Emperor, they're worse than the fans believed. During the War of The Beast, about half the High Lords were politicking and trying to use the biggest Ork WAAAGH! in their favour, getting billions killed along with dozens of Space Marine Chapters and even, it seems, a Primarch. The others tried to deny its existence entirely, leaving only the Grand Master of Assassins to deal with reality (go figure why he wanted to kill the jackasses). Funny enough they're also all portrayed as being very good at their jobs (the Imperial Navy High Lord is a skilled admiral, for example), they're just too focused on the interests of their own factions to work together. Of course, then the Grand Master of Assassins did The Beheading.
For the times the present day 41st millennium High Lords are mentioned, they tend to be treated with rather neutral tones. Typically the fluff only brings up their reactionary declarations to military matters and nothing about their politics, leaving their effectiveness and competence open to speculation. Given that Warhammer 40k is often about Your Dudes ("Your Setting" in this case), this is likely intentional.
The High Lords at the end of the 41st Millenium and the Rise of the Primarch[edit]
Watchers of the Throne: The Emperor's Legion has actually finally given us details about the High Lords during the Fall of Cadia, giving us a full list of names and allowing some to show political opinions (Mostly concerning the proposed usage of the Adeptus Custodes that is the main issue for the first half of the book), but considering that Guilliman replaced many of them and the book states that members tend to have short reigns due to the stress of the job resulting in early deaths and/or retirement, who knows what they are like now, if any are still around. Lev Tieron, the Chancellor of the Imperial Council of the time, notes that many of the High Lords he'd known and read about were technically mad, obsessed, or just plain power-hungry, but that they were still the best qualified to do their jobs. Make of that what you will by comparison. In counterpoint, at least 3 of them were involved in a massive conspiracy to smuggle / lure (potentially a bit of both) a Dark Eldar Haemonculus onto Terra and into the Palace so that he could fix the Golden Throne / try to resurrect the Emperor. Insanity of the plan aside, it goes without saying that the High Lords had also given considerable "payment" to the Dark Eldar in exchange (read LOTS OF slaves and torture victims). They even contrived to attack various parts of the Inquisition in order to keep the secret. This worked surprisingly well, right up until the conspirators tried pulling the same trick with the Custodes who promptly carved them to pieces. Even whilst the Great Rift was unfolding, the conspirators still tried to keep covering their bases, ignoring the Astronomicon failing in order to cover up their dirty laundry. Far less doddering incompetence and far more sneaky bastarding evil.
As of the Gathering Storm, Roboute Guilliman came back to Terra and proceeded to go full 'Powerfisting-mode' at several members of the High Lords following an attempted coup d'etat against him, replacing them with people Papa Smurf trusts in the capabilities and competences of. The other High Lords who were not removed were given a mean look by the Blue Wonder and were essentially given a second chance with Robby keeping a close eye on them. As you can imagine, the surviving old turds promptly shit themselves as now they are forced to actually do their fucking jobs for once.
The High Lords are theoretically a dynamic body of 12 (or 13; see below) members that changes based on the needs of the Imperium. That this is the same number of members as are on the Skaven council of 13 is something we're probably not suppose to notice.
Nine Permanent Members[edit]
In reality, the same nine old fucks decide everything millennium in and millennium out because they/who they represent are just so influential, leaving only 3 seats up for grabs. These nine guys are:
- Ecclesiarch: The Space Pope, the leader of the Adeptus Ministorum, or Ecclesiarchy. Was granted a seat in M32 for the first time, seat which became permanent three centuries later. During the Age of Apostasy, the Ecclesiarch briefly usurped the Master of the Administratum as most powerful High Lord. Goge Vandire solved that problem by being head of both, then went nuts with power and had to be killed by the Sisters of Battle. As of M41/M42, the Ecclesiarch is considered tied with the Fabricator-General and the Grand Master of Assassins for third most powerful High Lord.
- Fabricator-General of Mars: The head of the Adeptus Mechanicus will occasionally take time from meditating on the Omnissiah or running his own nation to help run the Imperium. The only member of the 'High Twelve' that isn't regularly stationed in the Palace itself, mostly due to practical reasons: the most recent one had great difficulty attending meetings in the 'flesh' owing to being augmented to the size of a small building. Luckily, Mars is close enough to Terra to allow for old-fashioned vox communication so it is in the end but a minor hassle. He also seems to have an unspoken role of being the one to lead repairs and maintenance of the Golden Throne.
- Grand Provost Marshal: Head of the Adeptus Arbites. Makes sure the Imperium's myriad jackboots know whose skulls to bust. Often the head of the Arbites on Terra, which is actually a pretty good qualification, as Terra is one mean beat.
- Inquisitorial Representative: A member of the Inquisition, sent to insure that the Emperor's pet psychopaths are up to date on what laws to enforce, which can be difficult given how factionalized the Inquisition has been shown to be in fluff. An Inquisitor's term is 5 years after which he has to step down to make place for another. It is interesting to note that while there is hefty political competition for the other seats, the seat of Inquisitorial Representative carries little merit because it prevents an Inquisitor from carrying out his primary duty: to directly protect the Imperium from its many enemies by working in the field, not from working at one of the shiniest of desks in the galaxy. They are selected, often unanimously, from Inquisitor Lords from the sectors near Terra, granting the individual the title of Inquisitor Lord Terra even after his service ends. On the plus side, the Inquisition mostly runs on an "influence" system, and becoming the Inquisitorial representative gives the Lord Inquisitor in question a substantial boost in influence. Furthermore, one almost never becomes a full-fledged Inquisitor (let alone a Lord Inquisitor) without a lot of hard-earned field experience doing dirty work in the nastier parts of the galaxy, so the Inquisitorial Representative is likely to be one of the more competent and practical members of the bunch (whether the Inquisitor in question is entirely sane and rational is another matter altogether). However, in rare cases the Inquisition is too busy to send a representative because Xenos and Chaos incursions are too numerous. It's been noted by Imperial historians that whenever there wasn't a representative from the Inquisition on the High Lords to keep things in check, bad things happened.
- Grand Master of Assassins: Perhaps equally surprisingly, the other High Lord who often acts as a check and balance for sanity (for reasons which, if not obvious, will will become apparent if you read The Beast Arises series) is the head of the Officio Assassinorum, and an informal watchdog of the Council. The Grand Master is constantly watched by the other High Lords, out of concern that he might assassinate the others - mostly because one Grand Master did. Funny story. It's seen as tradition for the Master of Assassins to send back the corpses of the other High Lord's spies periodically, as a polite reminder that they do not tolerate the other lords messing with their business. His situation in the council is a bit complicated: theoretically, the Officio Assassinorum is a branch of the Administratum, so this guy has the Master of the Administratum as his boss. Also, he needs the whole council's approval to send out his assassins away from Terra after a target as per Big.E's edict. On the other hand, any attempt by the Master of the Administratum (or any other High Lord) to boss the assassins around is likely to result in death due to be seen as trying to pull a Goge Vandire; so the Grand Master has a lot of practical independence politically speaking.
- Master of the Adeptus Astra Telepathica: The guy in charge of the selection, training, and use of Astropaths and other various kinds of sanctioned psykers within the Imperium. Making sure the Imperium's giant network of psychic email servers don't go to shit is so damn important to keep it running that they gave the guy a permanent seat.
- Master of the Administratum: The head of the Imperial bureaucracy. While the the Master of the Administratum is an equal with the rest of the High Lords on paper, in practice he is considered the "head" of the Senatorum and most powerful of the High Lords, and they are fucking territorial about that. With the Emperor appointing Roboute Guilliman Imperial Regent, the Master of the Administratum is now the second most powerful High Lord, with the Fabricator-General and Ecclesiarch now fighting for third most powerful. He is still very upset about this.
- Master of the Astronomican: While the Adeptus Astronomica isn't nearly as large or influential as the other members' branches, they keep the light of the Astronomican burning. The Astronomican in turn keeps the Imperium from collapsing, and every other High Lord from being fucked inside out by daemons on their way to meetings, so they let this guy have a chair along with his pal/rival from the Adeptus Astra Telepathica. Because the Adeptus Astra Telepathica serves as the Astronomican's recruitment arm, having these two members disagree on policy is uncommon, but they are legally independent bodies (each of equal rank with the Administratum), so it's certainly possible.
- Paternoval Envoy: Representing the Navis Nobilite, the third of the guys to get a seat because otherwise the Imperium would collapse without faster than light travel and communications. This guy makes sure that the Navigators have a say in what's going on, so they won't get declared abominations of the holy human form. Unlike the other posts, he is not the head of the combined Navigator houses, but a representative from the Paternova, the currently effective head house of the Navis Nobilite. The Paternova cannot attend meetings because he stays in the Palace of the Navigators due to...changes he underwent upon assuming the post, which would cause
mass rioting among the populacequestions among the less-informed. As a result, the Paternoval Envoy is a young, still fully-human looking Navigator (except for the third eye, of course) and usually chosen from a weak house who couldn't upset the balance of power among the Navigators should the position go to his head. Theoretically, the Paternova's rank equals that of the other two people who run the Imperial Fleet (both of whom sometimes also get seats - see below), but he's just too practically important and significant for anyone to really claim they outrank him.
Three Dynamic Members[edit]
The remaining three fluid positions are held by people either beholden to one or more permanent members, or by people so powerful they just walk in to take a seat. Needless to say, they keep the seat as long as they, or their allies, are strong enough to hold it. They include:
- Independent
- Captain-General of the Adeptus Custodes: Gets on the council by virtue of being the Emperor's BFF and the leader of the Adeptus Custodes. He has very little to actually say about galactic affairs, likely because he has his hands full with ensuring the security of the Imperial Palace and the Emperor. He sticks his head out every now and then to make sure the High Lords keep their shit together and to tear the next Goge Vandire a new asshole. While he generally despises playing politics with mere mortals, whenever he does attend a meeting, all the other High Lords shut their flapping gums and pay close attention to what he has to say.
NOTICE ME, SENPAI!. Not really, it is more about a Custodian being a murder machine leagues ahead of anything short of Greater Daemons. The current Captain-General is Trajann Valoris, currently the only High Lord other than Guilliman known to be getting a model and rules for the tabletop.
- Captain-General of the Adeptus Custodes: Gets on the council by virtue of being the Emperor's BFF and the leader of the Adeptus Custodes. He has very little to actually say about galactic affairs, likely because he has his hands full with ensuring the security of the Imperial Palace and the Emperor. He sticks his head out every now and then to make sure the High Lords keep their shit together and to tear the next Goge Vandire a new asshole. While he generally despises playing politics with mere mortals, whenever he does attend a meeting, all the other High Lords shut their flapping gums and pay close attention to what he has to say.
- Administratum Subordinates
- Chancellor of the Estate Imperium: The Imperium's head paper pusher. Seriously, he's a glorified secretary. The most useless of the High Lords, and only gets on if the Master of the Administratum feels he needs another vote on things and can muscle him in
- Lord Commander Militant of the Imperial Guard: The leader of the Emprah's hammer. Nominally in charge of every man, woman, and child in the Imperium with a flashlight to point, although the bureaucratic distances and sheer, incomprehensibly large numbers of personnel involved means that he mostly dictates uniform and grooming standards, and maybe operational doctrine if the bigwigs at the Departmento Tactica are feeling indulgent. With the Master of the Administratum in charge of his record keeping and the Chancellor of the Estate Imperium in charge of his bank account, though, The Lord Commander Militant hasn't got as much of independent swing as one might think. Still, someone needs to give career bureaucrats some form of advice in military necessity, therefore his seat.
- Lord Commander of the Segmentum Solar: A direct underling of the Lord-Commander Militant that often only gets a seat whenever the military situation goes from shitty to completely FUBAR and there's a need for some crusade or other to set things
righta little less wrong in the Imperium. He is the commander of the Imperium's forces (those that listen to the military bureaucracy anyway) in charge of guarding humanity's chewy center, Segmentum Solar.
- Lord Commander of the Segmentum Solar: A direct underling of the Lord-Commander Militant that often only gets a seat whenever the military situation goes from shitty to completely FUBAR and there's a need for some crusade or other to set things
- Lord High Admiral of the Imperial Navy: Discards the shiniest of flying space cathedrals in favour of the shiniest of desks. Like his counterpart(s) in the Imperial Guard, he often gets a seat when there is some Ork WAAAGH!/Tyranid Fleet/Black Crusade/Tau Expansion/... happening. Unlike his counterpart, though, he isn't dependent on the Chancellor for his money, but is dependent on the Navigator houses and the Astronomican for navigation; and on the Adeptus Astra Telepathica for communications. As a result, he doesn't have as much wriggling room as one might think either, but the same thing about military necessity also applies here.
- Speaker for the Chartist Captains: Spokesperson of the Merchant Fleet, this High Lord defends the interests of the various trade captains within the Imperium. They are similar to but less powerful than Rogue Traders, but make up about 90% of the Imperium's spacefaring capability. They might not look like much at first glance, but along with the various Psykers above they're the glue keeping the Imperium together by making interplanetary commerce possible at all (which is a matter of survival for many, many planets), so they too get a voice in running things when there's a seat free (read: in those times of relative calm when the military situation is galatically stable). There are four levels of Merchant Charters, from flying fixed and limited routes to being allowed to travel through all of Imperial space within the Segmenta.
- Ecclesiarchy Subordinates
- Abbess Sanctorum of the Adepta Sororitas: The head of the Adepta Sororitas. The only member of the High Lords who is a woman by default, she is elected from the leaders of every order of the Sororitas. Like the Inquisitorial Representative, there is no real race for this position. It is, in fact, considered a penance to become the Abbess Sanctorum, which, given the other assholes in the Senatorum, is not that far from the truth. Before the Abbess is formally inducted, she is to take a pilgrimage to San Leor, the homeworld of the Daughters of the Emperor. The current would-be Abbess, Sister Sabrina of the Order of the Ermine Mantle, disappeared during her pilgrimage. Tradition dictates there cannot be another Abbess elected until the current one's fate has been determined, so the seat of the Abbess remains empty as of now.
- Cardinal of the Holy Synod of Terra: Some old guy from a group of old guys who spend all their time arguing about slight deviations in doctrine. Their only useful function is electing the head of the Ecclesiarchy who gets them their chair on the council. Mentioning that this is a conflict of interest is considered heresy. The Holy Synod is an organization that primarily concerns itself with running the church on Terra, so in theory, it can provide up to 3 Cardinals to fill all 3 dynamic Senate seats.
The Thirteenth Lord[edit]
The position of Lord Commander of the Imperium's armed forces was one that Rogal Dorn was originally invested with as the coordinator of the loyalist war effort during the Horus Heresy. Roboute Guilliman took it from him at some point afterwards and used the title Lord Commander of the Imperium (as the first man to command the forces of the Imperium in its entirety) where it became synonymous with Lord Guilliman even past his injury and eventual removal by his brother Fulgrim (presumably because no one had the balls to remove the plaque from the door). The position lasted at least until the 32nd Millennium and was the de jure leader of the Senatorum Imperialis, and on paper was the commander of the entirety of the Imperium's military forces. We say "on paper" because the last dude prior to Chapter Master Slaughter Koorland was a puppet of the other agents of the senate, and was generally incompetent. Koorland's successor, Maximus Thane, also took the role of Chapter Master of the Imperial Fists, and was presumably the last to hold the title, because after issuing a series of standing orders, he decided to leave Terra and rebuild the broken Imperium following the War of The Beast, only returning to deal with The Beheading. The post appears to have been abolished at some point after this.
As of the closing years of the 41st millennium, Roboute Guilliman is back as the Lord Commander again, mostly because nobody else available could be trusted with a job that important, but also significantly due to the fact that nobody dared to say no to him when he announced he was taking his seat back. At least, not to his face. Several of the High Lords did, however, attempt to stage a coup, which was foiled by the Adeptus Custodes. He also appointed Dante as Lord Regent of the northern half of the Imperium.
The Senatorum[edit]
As mentioned, the High Lords of Terra are a dynamic organisation, that shifts and changes according to the politics of the day. The seventeen Lords listed above in no way represent the entirety of Imperial government, nor do those Lords who don't get a seat on that particular day lose their ability to have their voices heard or impact policy; the Senatorum actually consists of tens of thousands of politicians, all with their own voting rights and agendas. However, the full body virtually never meets in session, and those positions that fall out of eminent favour simply don't occupy seats on the "High Twelve", which also comes with a reduction in privileges, including the right to give orders to Custodians (they make the distinction between High Lords and those of the High Twelve). That right to give orders, however, is rendered moot within the Imperial Palace, with the obvious exception of the Captain-General. Known lesser lords and positions are as follows:
- Chancellor of the Imperial Senate: a rank that exists outside of the High Lords, who acts like the presiding officer of the council. Their job is sometimes more arduous than the actual High Lords, as they have to essentially herd, bully, intimidate, sweet talk, and basically cajole all 12 into regular sessions, as well making sure the process doesn't turn into an eternal game of pass the buck. They are also meant to be as politically neutral as possible, which considering how much cross intent and vested interest floats around the council is either very easy or extremely hard. Guilliman kept the role after he returned, assigning the previous holder of the role to be his personal Remembrancer. Not a bad retirement, all things considered.
- Commandant of the Schola Progenium: The head of the Schola Progenium, and the joint senior-Commissar of the Imperium, presumably with the head of the Commissariat. Makes sure the new generations properly worship the Emprah and properly hate anything the government does.
- Lord Constable of the Synopticon: The head of the Synopticon. What exactly this does is unknown. "Synopticon" is a word that means "Surveillance of the few by the many", as his title is "Constable" that presumable makes him some kind of rule enforcer for the Senatorum itself, making sure proper procedure is followed but involved in this more directly than the Chancellor? Best guess is he's the leader of the space CIA, as opposed to the Inquisition's space FBI.
- Mistress Plenary of the Catacombs: The person overseeing the Catacombs. What exactly that means is unknown, but given what is usually placed in the catacombs of the Imperial Palace, it probably isn't pretty.
When it is expedient or politically advantageous to do so, the High Lords may choose to take seats in various chambers around the Imperial palace. While some chambers are large enough to seat the whole of the senate and then some, others are barely larger than an office, where lesser lords get excluded.
- The authors of the Horus Heresy series are collectively referred to as the "High Lords of Terra" on Black Library's blog. According to Dan Abnett, this is intended as self-deprecation. Yes, even the makers of 40K canon think the High Lords of Terra are useless.
- All tea and biscuits are the property of the High Lords of Terra and no one else. They are needed for the constant meetings the High Lords have (most likely to decide what colour to paint the Imperial Palace's walls this season).Of course it should be GOLD, the Emprah's favorite!
- The High Lords do decide on foundings of Space Marines and assign the title of Warmaster to special individuals undertaking Imperial crusades. However considering how many chapters turn renegade or do their own thing and how many crusades seem to fall into failure, this could be further proof of the High Lords' collective uselessness.
- With Papa Smurf as defacto leader of the entire Imperium again, the usefulness of the High Lords have went up a reasonable notch.
- Their Fantasy equivalent, the Council of Thirteen manages to be more effective and productive despite being run by megalomaniac backstabbing ratmen drug addicts.


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Skaface is a great comp. It was a landmark comp. Most of the best ska bands that existed at this time contributed in some way. This one happens to
carry the distinction of containing the first appearance of No Doubt...back when they mixed some ska in with everything else. It can carry a moderate price tag (mainly
because of that No Doubt factoid, I would imagine). It is worth tracking down.
Track Listing:
- The Toasters - Ska Killers
- Bim Skala Bim - Shoes
- Rhyth-o-matics - Skatalation
- The Scofflaws - Rudy's Back
- The Donkey Show - Feeling Nice
- Let's Go Bowling - Bitch
- The N.Y. Citizens - D.A.N.C.E.
- Crucial DBC - Don't Run Away
- No Doubt - Everything's Wrong
- The Boilers - Bal'man Jump
- Skankhead - Circus Skank
- Thick as Thieves - 12th Street
- Exterminators - Big Talker
|Value ($)
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This page was last updated on October 5, 2019.

subset: commoncrawl


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Financial Advice By: Carmen Wong Ulrich
Q: I recently became unemployed and am now receiving unemployment benefits from the state. How can I negotiate with my credit card holders an affordable APR% and is there anything else I can do to lower my other monthly bills such as rent/housing payments, utilities, car notes, etc?
A: Facing piles of bills when you have little or no money coming in can feel incredibly overwhelming. But you absolutely can do it! The secret to keeping your head above water is to take each piece of your financial life bit by bit. This helps to keep things from spiraling out of control and will set you right back up on your feet once you start working again.
First, let's tackle that debt. Getting a lower APR (annual percentage rate) happens only with leverage—the leverage a great credit record as well as an ability to pay gets you. At this point, you may have little on your side to help get your rates down. However, it's always good to talk to your credit card company to see what you can do to lower your payments before you fall behind. Call your lenders and let them know what you can pay every month. They may even be open to settling your balances for less than what you owe. Key here is to be proactive with each card to see where you stand. If you end up batting zero and your payments are still unmanageable, head ASAP to a non-profit credit counselor near you. You can find one at NFCC.org. It's important to go with a non-profit counselor first. They do charge a small fee (from $20 to $50), but it's for administrative costs. These counselors do not make a profit off of your tough situation. But they will give you solid guidance on how to manage these debts.
Next up is the biggest bill in almost all of our lives: Home. There is rarely a way to cut your mortgage payment, but if you're a renter and have been a great tenant, you can approach your landlord to see if there's anything you can do to possibly help with building maintenance to lower your rent. For example, offer to take out recyclables or trash, or do some landscaping in return for a cut in monthly rent.
Also, you're right to be very mindful of all your other expenses such as groceries, gas and utilities. Go to the free site LowerMyBills.com to shop around for cheaper landline, cell phone, cable, and utility providers. If you have to drive, carpool as much as possible and use sites like GasBuddy.com to find the cheapest gas near you or along your commute. As for groceries, go crazy with coupons! Search not only coupon sites like Coupons.com, RedPlum.com, CouponCabin.com, but also manufacturer sites themselves. If you like a certain brand, do a search for that brand name plus "coupons" to be directed to the manufacturer's site. And don't forget promotional codes for both online and in-store shopping! Head to FatWallet.com and RetailMeNot.com to find codes that will save you even more. And with coupons in hand, then search for who is selling what you want for less at Pricegrabber.com.
And when you're unemployed, you may want to stop going out or doing anything entertaining because you feel like you need to save money every day. But don't isolate yourself because you're short on funds. Reach out to your family and friends and make sure they know that you're looking for work. They may help in the job search and be able to offer some much-needed personal support. Plus, you don't need to spend much to enjoy yourself. Offer to host a pot-luck dinner, or if the weather is warm, meet in a local park for a pot-luck BBQ. Surround yourself with support and your head will stay well above water in more ways than one!
– About the writer: Carmen Wong Ulrich is the co-Founder and former President of ALTA Wealth Management and a Professor in NYU PolyTech's school of Finance and Risk Engineering. She is an author and the former host and co-creator of CNBC's "On the Money," and currently the money advice columnist for Good Housekeeping, a contributor to MSNBC and CNN as well as a frequent expert guest on ABC's "The View."


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Last week, while visiting my family on the east coast, I spent two lovely days in the Laural Highlands of Pennsylvania. My main goal was a visit to Fallingwater, but while perusing its website I found that there was another Frank Lloyd Wright home in the area, called Kentuck Knob.
Kentuck Knob, otherwise known as the I.N. Hagan House, is a Frank Lloyd Wright designed deluxe Usonian home. It was completed in 1956 and is located about 7 miles from the Kaufmann's Fallingwater. The Hagans, who were friends of the Kaufmanns, asked then 86 year-old Wright to design their full-time residence on 80 acres of property which included the summit of Kentuck Knob. It is constructed of tidewater red cypress, local sandstone, glass, and topped with a copper roof. The Hagans lived here for 30 years, until 1986, when they sold the property to Lord Peter Palumbo of London, England, who still owns it today. It was opened to the public in 1996.
Photos from the front
View of the main entrance, from underneath the carport
FLW "cherokee red" signature tile (see right of entrance, above)
Left of the entrance – window cutouts and overhang view
Dedication Plaque, underneath carport
Storage area attached to the carport, opposite of main entrance
Detail of overhead lighting
Lamp post at the foot of the drive
Photos from the back
Water feature, back patio view
Water feature, detail
Back patio entrance, open hexagon skylights
View of the back of the house, through the trees
Flagstone patio, detail
View from the scenic overlook, near the house
I made reservations to Kentuck Knob for our first day. I knew pretty much nothing about it (unlike Fallingwater), and despite its smaller size I knew it was an opportunity not to be missed. It's no surprise that it turned out to be a lovely home, thoughtfully designed and in perfect harmony with its surrounding. It's shape and materials are somewhat discreet, but the scalloped edging, artful window cutouts and the unique hexagon openings over the rear terrace give it an abundance of charming character.
Photos from the grounds (sculpture garden and other curiosities)
The cutest little white caterpillar on a description plaque near the trail
Sculpture (detail): Red Army (1991), Ray Smith (1945- )
Sculpture (detail): Inside of an old fashioned British phone booth
Sculpture: Finial from One, Poultry, London EC4, 1870
According to a nearby plaque, the finial above was the upperemost element of a building known as Number One, Poultry in the heart of the city of London. It was designed by Victorian Architect John Belcher Jr. in the Venetian-Gothic Style. Apparently the building was replaced in 1998 and the finial was shipped to the United States, first for the grounds of the Farnsworth House (designed by Professor Ludwig Mies van der Rohe in Plano, Illinois), but eventually transported to Kentuck Knob in 2003.
Sculpture: Berlin Wall Section (1961-1989) East German, Reinforced Concrete
Sculpture: Apple Core (1990) Claes Oldenburg (1929- )


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Technology today is evolving at a remarkably high speed. It is defining new trends that will take computing to the next level and create impressive impact on our society. In the Emerging Technologies Track, we invite submissions on a wide array of technical topics that have the potential to significantly change the way we live and work. The areas of submissions include, but are not limited to:
- Social Computing
- 3D Printing
- Smart Home & Smart Auto Technologies
- Internet of Everything
- Bots and Communication Interfaces
- Drone Technologies & Applications
- Virtual & Augmented Reality
- Advanced Robotic Systems & Applications
- Modern Cryptography and New Gen Security Systems
- Geospatial & Hyper-Location Technologies
- New Wireless Technologies (Gigabit WiFi, WiGig, 5G, Cloud Radio Access Networks, etc.)
- Wearable Technologies
- Electronic Payment Systems
- Environmental/Green, Clean Technologies
Important Information
- Click here to know more about the GHCI 2016 session formats.
- Each session format has a unique set of requirements. Please review the essentials for your proposal type and ensure your submission meets all the requirements.
- Check out our tips for creating the perfect submission.


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The Barbet is an old French breed threatened with extinction.
The Authentic Barbet
"The Barbet is not a spaniel, but a Griffon whose origins have been very much a topic of discussion"...written in 1933, by M Dhers for the Chasseur Français. Stonehenge considered it was: 1. a variety of poodle, 2. the result of a crossing of a spaniel and of the water spaniel, 3. a breed of its own. One could answer... 1. the poodle came after the Barbet 2. the water spaniel is a perfected Barbet 3. that the 3rd option is most likely the most correct."
The Barbet having been the subject, historically, in our little canine world, of a major debate and continues to be, one needs to take a stand and decide as a breeder, aficionado or simple owner, what to believe and what not to.
There are those of us who believe in the 1894 standard written for a Griffon Barbet. We believe that a Griffon is not a Poodle. The poodle is a sophisticated, elegant dog with its own standard. We don't support any radical standard changes as there have been, in such an old French breed. The Barbet is a Griffon that was transferred into the SCC group 8 because of its remarkable ability to swim. It is and must remain a rustic, all around dog, that can retrieve from water and hunt on land, when trained. The Barbet also excels in agility and is a very intelligent dog who learns very quickly. The Barbet is also a lovely, affectionate companion who does need space and activity. He is a member of the family!
Why "Authentic" Barbet?
We would like to stress our will to continue the phenotype/appearance of the Barbet from the 30's, as documented in many books and photographs. If some still have Barbet blood in them, we wish to promote it and continue to strive towards the morphology, natural (retrieving and hunting) ability, character, health, the multitude of colors that make the Barbet special, and a rustic, sound animal as there were documented to be at the turn of the 20th century and throughout most of the 20th century before some radical changes were made to the breed and its appearance and to the standard.
As a reminder, back in "those days" there was no DNA (a medical test to confirm parentage by using saliva or blood), but when you looked at the dogs, you knew where they were bred and what breed they were. The Barbet not SCC registered, had the appearance of a purebred dog and were admitted to the Titre Initial registry after having been seen by a judge of the SCC. Their origins can be traced through ownership. How to achieve our objective? By selecting as much of what little Barbet blood still flows through the veins of some of the descendants of Mrs Pêtre's dogs, and her father's. The Barbets that have been selected so far, for reproduction, have been very similar to the old (blood)lines and very promising for the future of the Authentic Barbet. We also believe in communicating openly about the true pedigrees of our dogs and why we do what we feel needs to be done for the future.
Below is a brief history of the Barbet from 1891 to 1970, when Mrs Pêtre, Dr Vincenti's daughter, was offered a Barbet and decided to start breeding again.
The standard was written in 1891 by J de Coninck, president of the Société Havraise pour l'Amélioration des Races de Chiens. He thought the Barbet was more of a water dog than a gundog. The Barbet was in the FCI/SCC 7th group until 1986 along with the Griffon Korthals of which he was one of the founding fathers along with the Griffon Boulet. He also participated in the making of the Berger de Beauce along with the Briard and the Poodle.
1920-1930: Le Houelleur M Le Houelleur, an SCC judge and hunter decided to acquire a Barbet and used him to hunt in the many areas of France he lived in and travelled through. He had already seen Barbets working in the Somme, the North of France, the Loiret, the Causses area and saw how quickly they adapted to the terrain. He became a breeder. His kennel name was Floirac, town where their family home was and still is, in Dordogne where the family spends holidays and summers together to this day.
1930-1940: Le Houelleur/ Dr Vincenti The kennel name" Mas de la Chapelle", was registered at the SCC in 1933 by Dr Vincenti. The 2 dogs he used as foundation stock were Hourie de Floirac and Iff de Floirac from M Le Houelleur. Hourie de Floirac: b. 15/8/33 out of Beseff de Floirac and Piram ( Barbet that came from a kennel in the Somme area of France) 46cms/ 20kgs/coat white with black, woolly. Qualities: hunted remarquably well, natural retriever, very intelligent, excellent model. Iff de Floirac: b. 6/3/ 34 out of Beseff de Floirac and Piram 55.5 cms/woolly coat, black heads, white moustache, good nose, very affectionate Defects: sometimes a bit stubborn, too tall, too good looking, too distinguished (!!!) These 2 Barbets had 3 litters. Joyeuse was born in one of those litters. 39 pups were born in the Mas de la Chapelle. Joyeuse du Mas de la Chapelle: b. 7/3/35 48.5cms/20.4kgs/wooly coat/ white with black on the croup/very intelligent, gay/expansive/ an ideal Barbet/ only problem could be that her head is not round enough. Joyeuse is probably the most well-known Barbet of that time because she was presented at many dog shows.
Dr Vincenti kept very strict records on each dog he produced in his kennel book that is available to us for perusal. Example of overall remarks about the dogs: The dogs were white with black (as opposed to several of M Le Houlleur's who were black with white). Good hunters/Very intelligent/flexible/ affectionate. Head length 20 cms/ woolly coats. Records were kept on all the dogs as far as morphology (positive and negative points), colors, measurements, ability to hunt and character. Unfortunately, as in other breeds, WWII did a lot of damage (and to dogs, too!) and it was difficult to find good quality dogs to keep the line going. M Le Houelleur had sold his last Barbet and stopped breeding in 1941 and Dr Vincenti had died. In the North of France, the numerous Barbets were just about exterminated after the war. Just about doesn't mean completely as it was known that there were still a few Barbets, mainly in the south of France. No one, unfortunately has ever looked into what stock could be left in the north of France, Belgium or the Netherlands as it is a tedious and time-consuming task. No one can say either or prove that the breed was extinct unless one has turned over every stone in the countries where there were Barbets starting at the beginning of the 20th century who most likely reproduced at some point.
1940-1960's: The Ayme brothers Very few births registered at the SCC, but a few doing their best so as not render the breed extinct. Barbet were used for hunting and not for attending dog shows. The document below was taken from M Hermans' Club du Barbet review no.2
As far as the Barbet was concerned, breeding went forward for a few years with the Ayme brothers, who lived in the mas (Mas de la Musique), next to the Vincenti family's Mas de la Chapelle. They were far away from Paris and the SCC, and didn't feel concerned with dog shows or beauty, the Barbet was a working hunter and that was their reason for being. Eventually, new blood had to be found as they were confronted to the inbreeding problem one has with not enough different blood. Thanks to Quesop (Portuguse water dog) brought back from Portugal, in a truck full of bulls! and mated to Bella, breeding was continued. There are numerous family photos where the resemblance with Dr Vincenti's Barbets is striking. Resemblance/phenotype that was continued, for lack of genetic proof so necessary to some ...
In the late 1960's M Le Houelleur who had been corresponding with Miss Postigo wrote an article about the Barbet, published in the SCC official review.
In 1970, Miss Postigo who lived in Marseille and worked closely with the Ayme brothers offered Mrs Pêtre one of her father's Barbets' descendants named Thais. Mrs Pêtre decided to start breeding again. S'Gandar was the son of Quesop and Bella from the Ayme brothers. They were mated. Bella was the daughter of Thian and Tahio who in turn were son and daughter of Kino du Mas de la Chapelle and Lita. And a long line of descendants was started. Some successful, some less as is the case with most breeders. Mrs Pêtre was helped in her endeavour by several willing people until the early 80's, when M Hermans had decided to re-incarnate the Buffon Barbet from 1776, by crossing T.I. dogs found in shelters with poodles and more poodles and discarding all of the Griffon Barbets in the south of France along with their breeders, descendants of Dr Vincenti and M Le Houelleur's Barbets from the 30's. The Barbet war had began and is ongoing to this date, 30 years later. With facts, true history, original documents, photographs of lines and true pedigrees being made available to all of us, perhaps there will be a solution found at some point in the future. In the meantime, you as a reader, can make your own opinion and not rely on someone else's.
For more documents and facts, please refer to : Barbet: French National Treasure: here Authentic Barbet: www.frenchwaterdog.org
These documents were written by Elaine Fichter and are posted here with permission by the author.
Contents may not be used without written permission by Biscay Water Dogs.
Copyright © 2020 | site design by Insight Studios


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Most of our work now comes from recommendations. Here are some examples of the feedback we have received.
Whether you are a large commercial roofing customer or a residential customer requiring a small roof repair, we give the same prompt, reliable and fully guaranteed service to all our customers.
"I could not let the day go past without saying a big thank you to Tony and Alex, who were quite frankly amazing."
"I would strongly recommend this company. I am very fussy and nothing was too much trouble."
November 2018
Click image to enlarge.
"Many Thanks for completing the recent roof job…"
You have been very thorough and professional throughout our dealings with you and we will not hesitate to recommend your company to anyone."
Mr & Mrs Thomas
January 2015
"We would like to thank Brendon Roofing Ltd for doing an excellent job in carrying out the re-roofing of the old section of house at Wynes, Stogumber, Somerset".
The works were carried out in August 2014 with minimal disruption despite some heavy rain when the roof was at felting stage.
Wynes is a Grade 2 Listed property dating in part from the 15th Century and possibly earlier. The house roof last received attention around 1930 when the thatch was replaced with asbestos cement fibre slates.
Consent was received from West Somerset Council to replace these slates with Marley Eternit Thrutone slates. These were selected due to their lighter weight and the limited structural capacity of the roof support structure. Approval was also granted for the application of a sarking layer of rigid polyurethane foam insulation boards with breather felt and counter battening to achieve a 'warm roof' construction. Brendon Roofing were selected because of their experience in this type of construction.
Brendon Roofing Ltd. also have the benefit of a close association with Mike White Ltd. lead works who carried out the work on an historically problematic valley gutter and SR Scaffolding who provided an efficient and friendly service.
The works carried out included:
- controlled disposal of asbestos
- renewal of fascia and barge boards
- new lead flashings and co-ordination of lead works specialist
- partial reconstruction of a chimney
- lime render
- cast iron guttering
One particularly challenging part of the works was the re-slating of a section of roof that varied in pitch along its length. The smaller 250 x 500 Marley slates were specified to lessen the visual impact of this and Brendon Roofing Ltd. carried out the works skilfully achieving a very satisfactory visual appearance.
Our thanks go to the cast of Brendon Roofing Ltd. in order of appearance from Emma for her efficient office based communication, Jack for his attentive estimation, Russell for his seamless contract and technical management, Tony for his initial construction co-ordination, Simon (Scratch) for his leadership and communication throughout the construction phase, Jason and JJ for their cheerful perseverance throughout and to all other participants along the way.
We have no hesitation in recommending Brendon Roofing Ltd. for a friendly and reliable roofing service.
Paul Haines and Patricia Hardwick
August 2014
"Thanks for completing the flat roof job on friday. It was done to an exceptionally good standard…
My husband is very satisfied with it and all the dealings with you have been very professional. Thank you again"
Mrs Susan Thomas
August 2014
"We write to thank you and your staff for an excellent job on our roofline at 'The Retreat'. The standard of work and attention to detail is first class."
We would like to thank personally all the lads that worked on the project, Tony, Darren, "Scratch", Jason , JJ, Daryl, Dave and Jack for his initial survey. Well done boys.
The house looks great now and neighbours have remarked on it, we will have no hesitation in recommending Brendon Roofing Ltd to anyone. Can we take this opportunity to wish you continued success.
Thanks again.
Kind Regards.
Alan and Jo
July 2014
"I would like to take the opportunity to thank you and your team for the work carried out…"
We were impressed with the professional approach from the first site visit to completion. We were very pleased with the work, including the courtesy shown by both your team and the scaffolder (SR Scaffolding).
Mr & Mrs Dixon
Feb 2014
"Thank you so much for the prompt and efficient service…"
It is much appreciated that you managed to repair my roof so quickly, inspite of the difficult weather conditions. I will definitely recommend you to anyone who may need a roof repair.
Mrs Milroy, March 2014
"Thank you for a very good job done…"
…both of your staff were very polite and worked continuously until the job was fulfilled. Our property was left clean and tidy. Even in the interior of the garage was cleaner than when they arrived. You would not know anyone had been there other than our brand new roof."
Murray A Turner, November 2013
"…the men who came were so pleasant, conscientious, quick and hard working…"
"We want to thank you for the work you did on our roof. You responded so quickly to our call, which was a bit of an emergency for us, and the men who came were so pleasant, conscientious, quick and hard working. They explained what they were doing, and were very helpful. We are so relieved to have the roof done, and will ask for your help again when we need it."
Thank you.
Anne and Richard Temperley – August 2013
"Many thanks for the excellent work you recently carried out in replacing my felt roof…"
"…I am most satisfied and am awaiting the first storm of rain for the proof that all is well! I would also like to pay my compliments to your two installers Tony & Jason who were extremely pleasant, polite, most accommodating and efficient. Many thanks and regards."
Mr Cox, Spaxton, July 2013
"I would like to say that all the people from your company were exceptional, not only in the quoting of work but in attitude to me as a customer…"
Special thanks must go to Jack who explained the work carried out to me, step by step, which was appreciated. Many thanks".
Brian Cronk – August 2013
"…the finished workmanship was impeccable…."
"After being let down badly by the first roofer that I took on, Brendon Roofing were brilliant. I had water coming through a stripped roof and within 48 hours Russell had a team up there (on a Saturday) successfully getting me watertight. They went on to complete my other two flat roof areas and I can honestly say that they did a brilliant job – they arrived on the day and at the time promised, they worked diligently throughout the day, were polite and courteous throughout, cleared up the site at the end of the day, and the finished workmanship was impeccable. A professional company with a well-deserved reputation."
Sue, May 2013
"…they were friendly and worked hard…"
"Your blokes came and did my roofing work. They were friendly and worked hard and got the roofs done and left it very tidy. Thanks again"
Nick Shute, February 2013
Many thanks for your swift response to the task in hand…
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Trevor Keates, January 2013


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Some fans still hate to see Tiger Woods win, but his three victories this season surely have delighted PGA officials, tournament directors and television executives.
The Greenbrier Classic, which begins Thursday and features Woods for the first time in its three-year history, cut off badge sales last week because of high demand -- a first.
Woods' victory at AT&T National on Sunday should prompt even more interest in the Greenbrier, said tournament director Tim McNeely: "His win will certainly impact the interest in our event generally, I think. And our [television] viewership will be significantly increased and, hopefully, interest in our event next year via sponsorships and badge sales."
Woods' first PGA Tour victory in more than two years, at the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill in March, led to that tournament's best television ratings in a decade. Woods' Memorial victory propelled ratings 138 percent higher than the 2011 tournament.
On-course attendance is seeing a big boost at tournaments Woods has played in. In March, the Honda Classic drew 45 percent more fans than the previous year; Woods hadn't played the tournament since 1993, when he was an amateur. The 2012 attendance was 60 percent higher than in 2010.
Like the Greenbrier Classic, the Honda Classic is a younger tournament, at 6 years old. The final day saw its private hospitality areas stretching from the 15th to 17th holes sold out for the first time in tournament history. Tournament officials are looking into expanded seating areas for next year.
Like the other tournaments, television viewership also increased, which was beneficial for PGA National, where the Honda Classic is played, and the surrounding area. Woods stormed back from nine shots back to pull within one of eventual winner Rory McIlroy on the final day, pushing television viewership up 78 percent over the previous year.
"The big attendance is great," PGA National general manager and vice president Joel Page told The Palm Beach Post, "But the main hit for us is in the worldwide marketing. People around the country and world see us on television."
The Honda Classic estimates that the overall economic impact from the tournament on the community is about $30 million.
But as much as a winning Woods helps ratings, attendance and host cities, Woods' success doesn't necessarily affect recreational golf, said Gregory T.A. Nathan, senior vice president of the National Golf Foundation.
"It can be said that professional golf, with or without Tiger, has only a modest effect on recreational golf," he said. "[The National Golf Foundation's] research has shown that people play golf and buy golf-related products because they like or love golf, not because of Tiger Woods."
That being said, Nathan doesn't dismiss Woods' success completely: "He does raise the profile and interest in the game when he's in the hunt or the winner's circle."


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Here's where they get written.
The William Morris blind has been with me since I wrote my first book after returning from a year in Russia. The Food and Cooking of Russia first appeared in a gorgeous hardback edition with Allen Lane in 1982. The (then) picture editor Susan Rose-Smith and I spent days researching nineteenth-century illustrations. The cover shows a painting by the artist Boris Kustodiev.
I worked on this book while reporting the news from Moscow. At the height of the Cold War, 1979, Western journalists had to live in designated blocks away from the Russian population. My trips to the Lenin Library and to Moscow's Food Museum were ways of making contact with 'ordinary' Russians. I cooked every recipe and used my experience of the country in that stunning year to portray their everyday life – something that was hardly imaginable for those who thought of it – I 'm jumping a couple of years ahead now – as 'the evil empire'.
Here's the latest (2006) edition, available from Amazon. At least the text is the same, with a new preface explaining more about how I came to write the book.
A second cookbook followed in 1989, The Food and Cooking of Eastern Europe.
It followed the same format, and, besides good recipes, you'll find a lot of material from my travelling across what was then the whole of the Communist 'East' Bloc. I was in Albania, Yugoslavia, Czechoslovakia, East Germany, Hungary, Poland, Romania and Bulgaria. The cover painting is by Karoly Ferenzy, from the National Gallery in Budapest. The revolutions of 1989 did away with the collective East Bloc and restored these diverse countries to sovereignty. There's an introductory section for each nation while the recipes are arranged as a cook would want them: starters, soups, meat, fish and so on. Find the 2006 edition, again with a new preface, on Amazon.
I struck out into new territory with my edition of Filippo Tomasso Marinetti's Futurist Cookbook, which also appeared in 1989. Marinetti, who was a poet and a master publicist, also alas an enthusiastic follower of Mussolini, followed his earlier ground breaking Futurist Manifesto of 1909 with a late venture into food in 1932. The Italian original is a very dull experience compared with the stunning edition publisher Conway Lloyd-Morgan and designer Liz McQuiston put together, with a translation by Suzanne Brill edited and with an introduction by me. Getting to understand what Marinetti, who worked with the painter Fillia and other artists, was doing with food was a treat and a revelation. As I made the recipes I kept notes on the colours and shapes and volumes that appeared. The experience was much closer to making art than cooking. You can eat some of the recipes, but that always seems to me the wrong approach. Part of this hybrid book is given over to food scenarios which always seemed to me like short screenplays. Three quarters of a century before the celebrated avant garde chefs of the 1990s like Fernan Adria and Heston Blumenthal, Marinetti experimented with themed food and food that played with the diner's expectations. He suggested scenarios in which to stage it as well as to eat it. Hip modern eating owes him a great deal. This book has been out-of-print for some years now, but Penguin are promising a new edition in July 2013.
See my website for reviews, details of other editions, and other occasional food books.


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Great Noir By Women
Love noir, but want to read more female authors? We feel ya! Check out our list of great noir by women to get your hardbitten mystery on.
Love noir, but want to read more female authors? We feel ya! Check out our list of great noir by women to get your hardbitten mystery on.
Congress voted to cut the powers of the first African American Librarian of Congress and give some of her powers to Donald Trump.
From freelancing in your house to working in the White House, ten books by women that offer career advice and job tips.
Last night, I had a hot date. In bed. With my three cats and my latest pile of comics. As ...
Why you need to pick up a new anthology of horror poetry and short fiction from black women writers!
Nicole takes a look at women's relationships in EMBROIDERIES by Marjane Satrapi
Sarah Nicolas discusses the historical women she'd like to see more books written about, based on Mackenzi Lee's Bygone Badass Broads Twitter Series.
Nonfiction about reproductive rights to read in the wake of SCOTUS' historic abortion decision.
Mini-reviews of graphic novels, biographies, and more books about Margaret Sanger, the founder of Planned Parenthood.
Have a few extra dollars floating around? You might consider sending them to the VIDA literary count.
19 great images from around the world of women reading collected from the New York Public Library's Digital Collections
We talk MELODY: THE STORY OF A NUDE DANCER by Sylvie Raincourt, and being trapped in a bad situation
Alan Moore and Kevin O'Neill announced an anthology of horror comics about a woman without a single woman creator on board.
In chapter 22 of Alan Moore's Lost Girls, around the point at which the story moves from simply taboo to extreme, ...


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by Stuart
This GE side by side refrigerator is a piece of crap!
The pipes freeze and the side of the fridge ices the copper pipe freezes and then defrosts leaving a flood at the bottom of the fridge.
The repair men replaced the mother board and thermostat even though they are in working order.
They replaced them since the have no idea what to do to fix this piece of over $2000 piece of junk. GE will replace it if I pay $1000.
Never again will I by GE.
They will not admit that there is a flaw in the fridge even thought the repairmen told me that the way it was built was incorrect and the newer model fixed the defect.
So basically I am screwed.
Comments for GE Profile Side by Side Refrigerator (model #psc25mgsabb)
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A recent "Forbes" article reports that the top dream job for women is teacher, while the top dream job for men is airline pilot. Women may need to start taking a page from the boys' playbook. The difference in salaries between the two occupations is substantial. Although women have been flying the friendly skies for years, their numbers are still lower than men. Women may wonder if the financial and emotional rewards of becoming a pilot are worth pursuing flying as a career.
Higher Salary
Teachers can make between $30,150 and $81,230, depending on location, class size and education level. On the other hand, airline pilots, co-pilots and flight engineers make a median salary of $118,070 annually. Quite a difference between the two dreams. A pilot on a major carrier can earn an average of $76,050, with top experienced pilots bringing in close to $146,040. Being a pilot will not bring on a life of poverty. That is not to say you receive that salary up front. Pilots work their way up to the major carriers. The regional carriers pay considerably less, with some salaries starting as low as $20,000 annually for a first officer.
More Sexism
Up until 1993, women could not be fighter pilots in the military, which is a large provider of trained pilots. Removing the barrier did not create a huge rush to the front of the plane. Today only 4 percent of pilots are female, a statistic that remains constant over the years. Being the only woman among 3 or more men in a space essentially the size of a closet is not so appealing. Thankfully, some of the sexism toward women is dissipating as older male pilots are retiring and new attitudes are ushered in.
Ease of Entry
You cannot become a pilot overnight. However, you also do not need to spend multiple years in college studying for flight exams. The easiest path to becoming a commercial pilot is by starting in the military, which provides flight training and instruction. Upon exiting, you will have enough flight hours to become a commercial pilot. Even if you choose to skip the military route, becoming a pilot is as easy as going down to your local flight school and signing up for lessons. As you gain more confidence, you will eventually graduate to solo flights. After that, you can become licensed to fly smaller planes such as crop dusters and charter planes. As you accumulate more flight time and gain knowledge of the different instruments, you will work your way up to flying commercial. The private route is more expensive than military training, with total costs coming close to $100,000.
Time Away From Home
Many women cite long hours and time away from home as some of the reasons to avoid pilot careers. It's true that a pilot's life is filled with erratic schedules and long periods of time spent outside of the home. This can stress a relationship and make it difficult when it comes to having a family. Over 50 percent of male pilots have at least one divorce under their belt. Conversely, flight attendants who have essentially the same schedules tend to be female. Perhaps it's time for women to move from the aisles to the cockpit.
Video of the Day
Photo Credits
- Digital Vision./Photodisc/Getty Images


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Main features
- 100% viscose jersey
- Crew neck
- Dropped shoulders
- Water-based foil print with embossed details
Made in: Tunisia
Product code: 3KG8C14BQ_100
100% Viscose
Clothing care
- Maximum temperature: 30°C. Gentle cycle
- Do not bleach
- Do not tumble dry
- Line dry in shade
- Delicate iron at maximum temperature of 110°C. without steam, which could damage the garment
- Do not dry clean


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Sep 26, 2017
At some point in our lives, we all find ourselves asking questions about our lives, our general existence, our purpose, and yearning for more. We want to find the meaning of Happiness with a capital "H" and we'll search everywhere outside of ourselves for answers. Rabbi David Aaron has grappled with these questions, both within himself and while guiding others, and provides deep insight to understanding where these questions come from and how we can conceptualize the answers. He speaks about the importance of deepening our relationship with truth and focusing on our internal makeup rather than our external selves, while keeping the door wide open for more thought-provoking discussion.
Rabbi David Aaron is the Dean and Founder of Isralight and Yeshivat Orayta, as well as the author of 8 mind-opening books including The God Powered Life and Love Is My Religion.
In this week's episode, you'll learn


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Waking up with your face in dirty straw surrounded by musty stone walls. Definitely not a Folgers morning.
Tomorrow's Monday update WILL take place as usual. I was impatient with this, but will get back on schedule.
Amazing paneling!!! Feels like I'm just as groggy and unhappy as him to wake up in a cell! :D
Good! Well, I mean, I sincerely hope you never wake up in a cell. But that's the emotional punch I'm aiming for. ;)
Poor baby. Good times are coming Taran, just hold on.
Though it might take a while to recognize their goodness...
Correct response, Taran. Correct response.
It's a nice cell, at least (I mean, no cockroaches or... feces all over.). it's a decent one!
eEEEEWWWW! I suppose the rats might have already eaten any fecal material that might have been lying around!
Oh, yeah! I forgot about the rats! XD


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SHANGHAI, Oct 10 (Reuters) - Shanghai Port, the world's busiest container port, saw its container volume rise 5.6 percent in September from a year earlier, bouncing from falls in the previous two months, according to data issued by the port's operator.
Container throughput reached 2.91 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs), up from 2.61 million in August. The year-on-year increase for the month compared with a fall of 7.1 percent in August.
The rebound could bode well for China's trade in September. Economists polled by Reuters expect annual export growth to reach 5 percent in September, up from 2.7 percent in August, with imports returning to growth after contracting in August.
Shanghai Port's container volumes over the past year, including percent changes from a year earlier:
Month Container Change Volume('000 TEU) (pct) Sep-2012 2,909 +5.6 Aug-2012 2,606 -7.1 Jul-2012 2,843 -1.8 Jun-2012 2,771 +5.7 May-2012 2,839 +2.8 Apr-2012 2,719 +2.5 Mar-2012 2,729 +3.4 Feb-2012 2,187 +13.1 Jan-2012 2,619 -3.3 Dec-2011 2,658 +7.4 Nov-2011 2,625 -0.5 Oct-2011 2,684 +14.3 Sep-2011 2,755 +8.5 Aug-2011 2,806 +6.3
Source: Shanghai International Port (Group) Co Ltd
(Reporting by Shanghai Newsroom; Editing by Jason Subler and Aannd Basu)
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Keywords: CHINA PORT/VOLUME


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If I was stranded on a deserted island but I could have a shipment of candy bars magically float onto the island every week, with the catch that it would have to be the same candy bar for eternity.. I would have no problems choosing my candy bar.
I often flirt with other candy bars… almond joys, reese cups, m&ms, skor…. But I always end up with my trust snickers bar. It's the nougat, I think. Oh and the caramel, and don't forget the peanuts!
When I was a kid, I had a particular way of eating every candy bar. I deconstructed them. Always. So, with a snickers bar, I'd eat all the chocolate off, then the nougat and lastly I'd eat the chewy peanuts with caramel. It wasn't until I was about 19 when, for whatever reason, I ate the snickers regular and I thought to myself….. hmmm.. who knew the layers tasted better all together than they do separately (I guess everyone probably knew this)??? It was like I'd discovered a whole new candy bar.
So, my love for snickers means I bought about 13 pounds of snickers when I was buying up all the Halloween candy and then realized… umm.. there really isn't much you can do with snickers besides eat them (which, I've done plenty of in past weeks).
After the success of the congo bars… I was still craving something rich and gooey and bar-like. So, I tried this recipe from Paula Deen.
And these hit the spot pretty well, although I think I prefer the congo bar recipe. (maybe I should have added 3 times the butter to this recipe, too). I chopped up a ton of snickers bars and added them to the batter before I poured it in the dish and I think that the caramel from the snickers got a little burned, because there was a strange dark molasses-y type of flavor to these. But they were good, but they weren't congo bars. Which reminds me.. I need to try congo bars with the right measurements, don't I? Hmmm..
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
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Teenager accused of making false bomb threats released from jail after paying $100
The teenager accused of making two false bomb threats to Arborland businesses on Saturday was released Tuesday night from the Washtenaw County Jail after posting a $100 bond.
Courtesy of the Washtenaw County Sheriff's Office
Officials at the Washtenaw County Jail confirmed Cody Sliwin, 18, left jail at about 8 p.m. Tuesday. Sliwin was arraigned on two counts of making a false report of a bomb threat Tuesday afternoon.
He was only required to post 10 percent of his $1,000 bond in order to leave jail, according to a judge's ruling.
Ann Arbor police Lt. Renee Bush said Wednesday that police used cell phone technology in order to track down Sliwin and arrest him.
The Starbucks and Noodles & Co. in the Arborland shopping center, 3601 Washtenaw Ave., were both closed Saturday afternoon as police investigated the threats.
Police initially responded to the area at 4:30 p.m. Saturday and searched the area using a bomb-sniffing dog from the University of Michigan Department of Public Safety to search the stores.
Both businesses reopened, but another bomb threat was called in at 5:20 p.m., according to police. The restaurants were searched and nothing was found, according to police.
If convicted, Sliwin faces up to four years in prison and a $2,000 fine. He's scheduled to return to court for a preliminary exam at 8:30 a.m. Feb. 2.
Kyle Feldscher covers cops and courts for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at firstname.lastname@example.com or you can follow him on Twitter.
Tony Dearing
Wed, Jan 25, 2012 : 8:58 p.m.
Commenting on this story has been closed.
N. Todd
Wed, Jan 25, 2012 : 8:48 p.m.
If I were to write a book about bomb threats; one of the first few chapters would discuss reasons why it's a poor decision to use your own cell phone.
Wed, Jan 25, 2012 : 7:58 p.m.
What Judge?
The Black Stallion3
Wed, Jan 25, 2012 : 7:55 p.m.
This must be a very sensitive issue given all the deleted comments.
Usual Suspect
Wed, Jan 25, 2012 : 8:21 p.m.
Are you kidding? The picture MAKES the story!
Wed, Jan 25, 2012 : 8:02 p.m.
In the first story all the comments were deleted because they commented on appearance of the individual. I assume the same is true here. In such a case, it might be better to not include a picture than to delete so many comments. I don't think the picture adds much to the story in this case.
Wed, Jan 25, 2012 : 7:15 p.m.
This bond is an honest to god joke! I just googled "bomb threat suspect bond" and each one of the stories I read from around the country had bond in the thousands to hundreds of thousands of dollars! It costs more to pay a traffic ticket!
Wed, Jan 25, 2012 : 6:45 p.m.
Whoo-hoo, this is just lover-ly !!! This is a serious crime....and a slap on the wrist and out on $100.00 ?
Wed, Jan 25, 2012 : 6:31 p.m.
This gentle " tap on the wrist " release , in this time in history, seems insane.
Wed, Jan 25, 2012 : 8:47 p.m.
Yes, insane ... kind of like fishing -- catch & release?
John of Saline
Wed, Jan 25, 2012 : 6:27 p.m.
Dude needs a new hobby.
Wed, Jan 25, 2012 : 6:11 p.m.
Given the amount of business lost when all of the businesses in that building were evacuated and the amount of resources spent from muliple police agencies, the idea of $1000.00/10% bond is a slap in the face. The judge might as well say that he doesn't think the police should investigate such offenses. Hopefully all of the busineses affected will go after this guy civilly to recover their losses.
Wed, Jan 25, 2012 : 6:08 p.m.
I'm sure it all was just a big misunderstanding!


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So last Sunday the other volunteers and I were invited to a wedding by Mama Gladness, and of course we couldn't say no. The bride is employed by Mama Gladness, and she and the groom have been living together for many years and have three children – this was just to make it official. First, we had to climb a mountain in a distinctly unimpressive car to get to the church, which turned out to have only about 15 people in it, including the three of us and Mama Gladness. Slightly intimidating.
|Beautiful church, though.
|The inside during the ceremony
The priest stopped on several occasions to translate for us mzungus, which was nice, although the whole thing was fairly simple.
Afterwards, we got a ride with the pastor to the bride's house, where the party was being held. I then got a lot of awkward questions about whether I was Christian… always interesting. The party itself was nice, lots of food and dancing. The KKKT on the back of the chairs refers to some kind of community organization that rents them out – I still have a moment of double-take every time I see the logo, though. Then an, oh right, I'm in Africa moment.
|Feeding each other the first bites of cake
African wedding cake – and they do refer to it as such – is, um, a little different than what we're used to at home. In fact, it consists of a whole goat, with head and hooves left intact, the rest skinned and cooked. Honored guests are brought up to the front to be personally served a piece. Thankfully, Christine's vegetarianism saved the day and gave us a convenient out.
|Sorry, Meghan! Also that guy's face pretty much sums up how I felt.
|Dancing the presents up
I really liked the way the presents were done – instead of being heaped on a table, the presents, mostly unwrapped, were danced to the front of the tent and given directly to the bride and groom. Lots of beautiful fabric, some furniture, cooking pots, and a big old pot for money.
|Our white horse?
So remember how I mentioned the not exactly totally confidence-inspiring car ride up? Well, turns out that the car wouldn't actually start for the way down. So instead Mama Gladness sent Eric, her other son, to get another vehicle. This is what arrived. Oh, and the ground? At least 6 inches thick with dust the consistency of flour. This picture is, in fact, the car while it was stuck in said dust. I don't have pictures of us all in our wedding finery getting behind to push, but I can assure you it happened.
Upon climbing into the van, we realize that seats are for sissies, and this ride is going to be a little bumpy. And did I mention dusty?
|Hakuna Matata?
All in all, a truly unique wedding experience, one that there is not the slightest chance that I will ever be able to forget. Note for the future: When/if I ever get married, definitely want a mzungu wedding cake.


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What authors particularly inspire you? Do you read them when you are working on a book?
An author who inspired me some years ago, when I was looking for representation, is Louise Penny. Along with enjoying her Gamache series, it was also a matter of the permission she gave me to break some rules, or what I thought were rules.
Louise Penny proved:
Yes, I can set my stories in Canada, where I live.
I can be a touch sappy if I want.
Tension doesn't have to be a kidnapped president or a primed pistol.
It all seems self-evident now, but when you're trying to make your manuscript as marketable as it can be, you read between the lines of all the advice that comes at you, and draw your inferences, right or wrong.
Louise Penny breaks rules, and her writing can be unreservedly melodramatic at times (but so what, and yay Louise!) She's got insecurity issues. I heard her on a podcast describing how devastating a bad review can be, no matter how many good ones she may have. Frankly, she's got a lot of good ones, not to mention countless awards. But still she avoids reading her reviews, for fear of the rotten one, and that's so human, isn't it.
In the big picture, the whole world loves her, and I love her too, for her strengths and weaknesses, and for what she did to the rules.
For the second part of the question, I regret that I don't have time to do either right now. In normal circumstances, if I'm writing a lot, it's a relief to put my work aside and read. Sometimes something challenging and different, but often I turn to the comfortably familiar, especially when stressed, and Louise Penny and her village of Three Pines is about as comforting as it gets.


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Per Forgeworld Recommendation, we will be changing Elysian Plasmaguns to 2 damage instead of 3 when they overcharge.
We apologize to anyone who's list this impacts, and if you would like to submit an amended list, we will not hold it against you.
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Kids Test Solar-Powered Computer Tablet for Schools in India
Photo via Procsilas via Flickr Creative Commons
The One Laptop Per Child project might need to step up, now that tablet devices are on the scene. Rice University has partnered up with Nanyang Technological University in Singapore and Villages for Development and Learning Foundation in India to develop a solar powered tablet computer that can be used in schools that lack electricity. Dubbed the "I-Slate," it is already being tested out in classrooms. Rice University states that the I-Slate is currently in development at the Institute of Sustainable and Applied Infodynamics (ISAID) at NTU, but the first protptypes built this summer are undergoing tests this month in India.
"President Obama's visit to India this week highlights Indian economic achievements, but India's full economic potential will only be realized with sustainable, low-cost technologies that benefit all segments of the population," said Krishna Palem in a press release. Palem is a Rice University professor leading an effort to create a low-cost, electronic tablets that can replace the handheld slates currently used by school kids.
The I-Slate uses an energy-sipping microchip that allows the device to run on solar panels -- much like the way solar powered calculators work.
"Children in Indian village schools are just like their peers anywhere in the world: eager to learn, tech savvy, and willing to try new pedagogical tools that engage their creative minds,"said Rajeswari Pingali, ViDAL president. "The I-slate can help bring the marvels of ICT into thousands of rural schools and contribute to an improved learning experience."
Rice University plays an important role, in that students from one undergraduate course spent 10 weeks writing self-directed math applications for the early prototypes. I-Slates can then come already equipped with educational programs and games for the students. So far, students have taken to the pads and their feedback is helping to create the next generation of prototypes. The I-Slate creators have high hopes that this could be a low-cost solution for a high-quality education for millions of school children one day -- and all while running on a little bit of renewable energy.
Follow Jaymi on Twitter for more stories like this
More on Computers for Kids
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Pedal-Powered OLPC Laptop for Kids in Afghanistan (Video)
Newest One Laptop Per Child is a $75 Tablet, Slimmer than the iPhone
Hot New Laptop Design Keeps Kids in Developing Nations on Cutting Edge of Technology


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Muddy Creek Greenway runs nearly three miles along Muddy Creek from Country Club Road, through Jamison Park, under Robinhood Road, and terminating at the bridge to the Summerfield Development opposite Jefferson Elementary School.
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Storage For Downsizing In London
Downsizing from a sprawling house to a smaller one, or from a house to a flat, is something many of us will do at one point or another for a whole host of possible reasons. It may be that children have flown the nest, leaving unnecessary amounts of empty space in their wake. It could be that straitened circumstances compel us to live more frugally or a cohabiting relationship has come to its natural end. For whatever reason it's occurring, a downsizing move doesn't just mean finding a smaller place to live; it also means less room for our possessions. We may be well into adulthood, with many decades of accumulated belongings behind us, groaning shelves and bursting wardrobes. Now we're faced with a challenge – we must be ruthless and dispose of everything that isn't essential. What an emotional undertaking that can seem, adding an unwanted stress factor to an already stressful move. But there's a way out and that way out is storage! It's a cost-efficient way of buying yourself as much time as you need, so that you can either hold on to everything or enjoy the luxury of taking your time, working out what to keep and what to throw away at your own pace, without the pressure of looming deadlines or dreaded cut-off points.


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Are Linear Games Inherently Bad?
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I see something like this in many, if not most, professional game reviews, "This game is awesome, but it's too linear."
Now, I understand that if a game tries have an open world fails horribly at it, that's different. If the game thinks it's open-world, but really isn't, that's bad. But, these conditions are because the developers didn't put enough thought into the open-world design and they didn't commit to linearity. They don't commit, because they rightfully believe they will be lambasted by critics who firmly believe that linearity is inherently bad.
Are games inherently bad? Why or why not?
Because sandbox is the in thing this gen apparently.
Not by any means, there are plenty of linear games that are great. You mentioned some of them.
The problem with linear games is the developers have to know what they are doing, or the whole thing could potentially fail...
I'm personally a fan of open world games, but still love a good linear experience when it is done right.
No, its not. That won't stop me from wanting more games to be more non-linear though. If I make the comment "too linear" it doesn't necessarily mean that it makes the game bad so much as it could have been improved. Games have been and still are long linear chains of pre-planed events even if attempts have been made to wave our hands and disguise it so linearness can't be bad since all games have it.
are you calling PoP sand of time bad because it's good. linear games are good because your actions are planed around a line of where you have to go making interesting story
No. No game is inherently bad. It's all about the execution. Left 4 Dead is still one of my favourite games. EVER. But Sandbox styled games are becoming the new "gimmick" of modern-day videogames.
I agree, linear games can be great but they have to be done right, they should have a gameplay style that works with the ....linearity...ness. Bulletsotrm for example felt way to linear because the game mechanics and even the characters attitudes were all action and mayhem, the game should have given players a wider space to go nuts and have fun with that, rather than cattle-prod them through bottlenecks and corridoors over and over.
Well, I think it depends of your definition of linear. I for one don't think there are true non linear games out there (perhaps save some text based games like like MUDs). At best they offer choices of different linear branches.
But to be more to terms with the industries definition: The mentioned good linear games are linear, they do offer either some sort of freedom, or randmoness because of how the enemy AI is programmed so they react differently everytime a game is reloaded. To summarize it, you could say that they still are somewhat procedural.
On the other hand, bad linear games, like call of duty SP, have almost everything hard scripted, so each situation plays out exactly the same, and it takes away the feeling of accomplishment of improvising a solution out of a tight situation and transforms it into simply going to the more or less exact motions the designers intended.
I don't really understand why linearity has suddenly become such a "bad word". In a well-designed game you won't even notice that it's guiding you along a linear path, and many games are stronger because they're linear. It allows the creators to create a very streamlined experience for the audience (if done right) and keep the player immersed. It's a lot harder to maintain a steady flow of gameplay in a sandbox (but not impossible).
Bad is as subjective as it gets.
But, given how well things like God of War, Halo and Call of Duty sell, I'm going to guess most people don't think it is bad.
I agree, linearity isn't a bad thing. But, sandbox does seem to be the in thing, and I've probably had more fun with open world games (Morrowind comes to mind).
This is a point of discussion that drives me nuts, because, I too, have gotten the response "it would be good, but it's too linear." Since when is this bad? If people are going to consistently stand up for games as a wonderful storytelling device, they have to understand that 90% of storytelling is linear. That's how it works. Sure you can convolute a story, have it double back on itself, or present it in reverse; but it still has a start point, an end point, and a sequential progression of events to connect those two points. Linear.
Even sandbox games do this, but the point of sandbox games is to pile on so much more content, that you are often distracted from the linear progression of the narrative (this is not meant to be a slight against sandbox games at all). However, lots of other games make a design choice by saying "We think we have a really interesting story to tell, so we're going to have the player focus almost exclusively on that," and that really isn't a bad call at all.
So the next time someone expresses a distaste in linear games, point out to them that their games of choice are in fact linear as well, but just presented in a different way.
I will admit, this did have some element of exploration, though.
Not at all. Linear games can be amazing. Like mentioned above, Mario! Absolute classic, you dont see him roaming a sandbox now do you? You know why!?...hes way too awesome for the sandbox to be able to contain him and him 80's italian stereotype moustache. In general, it all depends on where the story takes the game, if the plot unfolds nicely, at a steady, understandble pace and the gameplay is imaginative and enjoyable along the way....Yeah, its probably going to be a good game. At no point do you 'need' to add the option of freedom, because then you're giving the player his own goals to achieve ( which is all well and good ), and this defers them from the original goal. Of pwning koopa ass as an italian plumber. Or running really fast and collecting rings. or stopping a locust invasion etc. etc.
Linear games are usually far better than sandbox/open world games because the level design and mission quality are usually so much higher. Very few devs have the ability to pull off a quality sandbox game. The 1st Mercenaries is probably the best example on how to do a sandbox game properly, and it made me realize how bad the GTA games are. You can really tell each mission in Mercenaries was basically designed from a linear standpoint; great attention was paided to the level design and enemy placement for each mission. Then, all these stand alone missions were placed on a canvas to create a map. Whereas in GTA, you can really tell the map was created first and then the missions were added in with the expectation that they would be good instead of actually making them good. There are just so many more creative ways to go about completing a mission in Mercenaries campared to the GTA games, I had a great time finding ways to not piss off the factions in Mercenaries.
There's linear, ala Halo where you're given one path but open environments with the enemy doing something different every time.
The 'new' gimmick? RPG games have been sandbox based since the early 90's (Legend, Blade of Destiny etc). And that's where the complaint comes in. FPS games are, by their nature, linear, and so linear play in FPS games is not bad. But in RPG games, where the emphasis is meant to be on exploration and doing what you want, then linear gameplay is bad.
Personally I prefer semi-linear games. Those are games like Dragon Age. You have a specific goal and you are limited in what you can do or where you can go at that specific time but you are free to accomplish those goals in any order you wish. You could go to the Circle tower first and go to the elves last. Or you could go to Redcliff first and go to the dwarves last.
For me truly sandbox games tend to make me lost sight of the goal. I start doing one thing then notice something else so I go to check it out. Before I know it I completely forgot what I was doing before.
Linear games are fun but having some freedom improves it. For me it goes Semi-Linear > Linear > Sandbox.
I find that a story heavy game is better linear, open world games struggle to find pacing and can often suffer for it. When a dev accepts which style is best and designs around that then it works. When they try to hammer square block through circle hole it just doesn't work.
uhhhh no linerarity isnt bad at all
its not like "games must eather be this or that"
its all about the kind of game your making
Well... it depends what you mean by linear. I have nothing against linear stories or linear progression (i.e. level 1 -> level 2 -> level 3 etc).
However, I prefer the gameplay and level design to allow for a little bit of elbow room.
I agree - a lot of good games are linear, and there are a lot of bad games which are sandbox. Some games do like to even out the linearity though. There's a really interesting thought about that in this article - http://www.nowgamer.com/features/1349/the-making-of-goldeneye - which says that early in development, Goldeneye was meant to be an on-rails shooter like Virtua Cop - about as linear as it gets. When they changed this, they fleshed out the levels so that the player was able to essentially explore outside of the set path that was designed before.
It's probably likely that there'll be good games doing one or the other, but a lot more good games striking a balance IMO. Mass Effect features linear levels set in an Open world - the first level on Crysis features a sandbox area with no linearity aside from a start and end point (and a few funnels), and eventually moves into focused gameplay. Without linearity there's no compulsion to move ahead.
Of course there's also FFXIII, which was 20 hours of running through corridors. Fun.
No, linearity isn't bad. Hand-holding and railroading are, though. As you've already stated, games that attempt to appear non-linear but just end up being a linear game with a bunch of crap tacked on to the sides are also bad.
For me, it's not overly-linear unless it is just running down a corridor with no other rooms to enter like the doors are painted on the fucking walls, making you stop every now and then to fight some enemies and has a huge glowing neon sign saying "Go straight in this direction you stupid cunt!" every 5 meters
It's just a question of current taste, really. Linear games are not bad otherwise.
Well good linear games include Escapist favourites like Silent Hill 2 and as you mentioned Half Life 2/Portal so I'd be surprised if many people here at least argue that linearity is bad.
Since When? I have never heard of anyone say this sentence in real life, sure people say its good, but do people really think its worthy of that title?
Not at all. Linearity is a story telling technique (for want of a better word) and works really well when the game has a powerful and compelling story. In sandbox games it's easy too easy to be sidetracked.
There is a difference between "go to point B from point A" and "go to B from A, BUT you absolutely HAVE to do this, that and the other" basically, if I have to simply go from here to here doing the same thing each time, with little to no choice on how to do it, it's the bad linear. Now Half-life had a lot of weapons, and different ways to deal with each encounter, as do most shooters, giving them a degree of choice, as opposed to a puzzle game with only ONE solution, or a game where the only way to win is to use this move, at this time.
Linear storytelling has to be done well and no linear story telling has to be done REALLY well. Bar story telling. Sandbox for sandboxes sake is needless. In fact needless exploration or stupi side quests/jobs for upgrades is a big minus in my eyes.
A big issue is some games give you too much of one or the other. Other get the mix right. There's liniar game play and storytelling. You can have an open world and a set story with side bits or a closed world with an open story, or vice versa.
Although both of those do follow a path, they both encourage tons of exploration. In fact, the latter's main idea is exploration. Metroid Prime is very far from being a "brutally linear" game.
I have no problem with linearity, none at all. It has its advantages. Most of my games are linear and I greatly enjoy them. Sandbox games are fun as well. It's just two different types of games. Just Cause 2 would not have been the same as a linear game, and Red Faction Guerilla would have been much better off as a linear game (which is one reason why I'm getting excited for its upcoming sequel!"
I do! OK, not the best, that title belongs to Super Metroid. But it's way up there. Also, IGN has continually named it their "best PC game of all time". It's held in very high regard in many places.
You too? Metriod was Awesome XD
"Too linear" means the game feels overly constrained. Someone tried to draw a contrast between Halo and Call Of Duty which kind of illustrates the principle, but Call Of Duty features fairly large levels that allow for slightly different approaches. It's linear but I can move around and approach fights differently.
But there are games that restrict you to a very narrow corridor where you are always aware of the boundaries of the level. That's too linear. It's one think to bump up against the limits here and there (either the obstruction or invisible wall) but when I'm going through a forest and its all I see in a level as narrow as an indoor level, the game has failed to immerse me. That's too linear.
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