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The Death of the Death Penalty
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I have played quite a number of games, including one that, when you died, would take all the gold you had obtained up until that point. The game actually threw this in your face. "Scavengers thank you for the 2000gp left on your body!" And this was money you couldn't get back. And I've played Roguelikes, which have "Dead is Dead" all mapped out. I generally get to level 30 and end up dying and ragequitting for months until I decide to roll a new character and start again. Obviously, my inner masochist enjoys these games.
I end up somewhere in the middle. I want some penalty for dying (obviously, one that makes it a good thing to not die), but not to the point of ridiculousness.
I think it's all a matter of building your gameplay around it. Someone mentioned Bioshock in which death is a slap to the wrist. I didn't like it but I can see someone liking it. And there are games with crazy death penalties, like roguelikes, that literally have you start over. Roguelikes wouldn't be half as fun if that didn't happen, because it's a genre built on the variety of experiences that you have with every new 'life'.
That's touting? That's a horrible mechanic. If you're doing well you're you'll keep doing well, but if you screw up once it'll get harder and harder until you can't finish the level at all. That's the opposite of what it's supposed to do.
The way Torchlight had it laid out was pretty neat:
Resurrect where you fall = Lose a lot of gold and fame.
Resurrect back at the start of a level = Lose some gold.
Resurrect back in town = Lose Nothing.
It's of course little more than a making you make a choice as to how much time you want to waste getting back into the game, but it's a nice set of choices to have all the same.
Also, loading kind of bugs me, it's not a punitive death penalty, but with all the advances in game tech, why is it exactly we're still forced to load the game again to re-do a level/area when we fail? I not all that savvy on the technical things, but can someone explain why I have to load a save/watch the loading screen again after dying in an area that's -already- been loaded? Is there not some way to have that info. stored in some kind of temporary buffer when your character dies and make the process instantaneous?
I mean, Prince of Persia seemed to do it fine, and many games that use checkpoint systems also have minimal wait times between deaths, why can't all games have something similar? Are games like Oblivion or Fallout 3 simply too large and system heavy to implement this? BioShock, woeful as the Vita-Chambers were, was pretty comp. intensive at times but didn't seem to struggle with regards to this.
Diablo 2 did it right. You got to play the training wheels game until you learned it. Then when you were ready you played the "real" game on hardcore mode.
WoW needs a hardcore server that you can't play on until you already have an 85. But without pvp deaths (or deaths caused while recently in combat with other players) counting, because WoW pvp is hideously broken and unbalanced.
If you don't like having a DP, go back to town and start over? What, do you want someone back at the res shrine with a cookie to make it all better? It's a PENALTY for dying, and a hell of a lot better than losing your inventory to other players as they loot your corpse. Besides, if "you're doing well" then you shouldn't die, should you? Dying means you screwed up, and so you get penalized.
And yes, sometimes you die enough that you can't finish the quest or the mission or clear the map, and you have to start over. Like the article said, if you're going to take away the penalty, then you're just invicable with a temporary lapse of consciousness, and there's no incentive to do well or get better. I tend to think Guild Wars has a very good system that's punishing but not damaging to the players.
I don't think it was the length of Too Human's death animation thing that was the problem, at least not on its own, I think it was the fact that it happened so damn often because it was WAY too easy to die. WTF is wrong with a good old-fashioned health potion, you bastards?!
I don't remember much about that game now, never even finished it, but the image of that damned golden Valkyrie is etched into my brain to this day.
Punitive indeed.
My answer: it depends on the game. As has been said, death and death penalties make dying and surviving meaningful. Otherwise, you're just going from A to B with some minor inconveniences along the way.
You want to talk masochistic fun? Get yourself a copy of Dungeon Crawl Stone Soup, a wonderful game where you don't just die: you die and have to start over from scratch. It sounds like an exercise in frustration, but there is something to be said about that magical feeling of achievement when you can scratch tooth & nail to make it a bit further.
(I've restarted well over 30 times and still haven't come close to the game's goal.)
Single player never inflicts more than a couple minutes penalty? Only if you're just trying to complete, games where you're being ranked, a mistake can cost you a fair bit more time than that.
Just to make an example, lets say you're trying to get platinum on a level on Bayonetta, or triple S rank a level on DanteMustDie mode. If during the last boss you screw up and get hit by the instant death attack...you have to use a continue or yellow orb and your shot at platinum/SSS is kinda screwed up, time to go back to the start of the level.
Aye - randomly-generated levels make permadeath workable. I'm the kind of guy who'll ragequit after only a few deaths in a "typical" game - but in NetHack I just jump back in.
I see your point. There are games were, as you said, dying feels natural and sometimes even entertaining, but sometimes it's just way too painful.
In singleplayer games, the only game that made death very annoying was FarCry on the PC. That game (without mods that already corrects this problem) only relied on checkpoints and you couldn't never, ever, be able to save and/or quicksave. Sometimes the distance between checkpoints was pretty far and that becomes a real problem about half-way and beyond. I never finished this game for that very reason, and because I hated those damnes mutant monkeys.
For MMOs, belive it or not, I played Ultima Online in a private server a few years ago, after playing World of Warcraft for a year or so (Burning Crusade era) and I felt your pain when you died. I clearly saw where Blizzard took it's inspiration for death, but WoW made it a million times better. Guild Wars was another MMO where the death mechanic is very frustrating.
Guild Wars won't take away your precious XP, it won't wear down your armor or weapons as there is no need at all to repair armor and weapons, in fact, there is no such option, your armor and weapons never wear and are always up and running for the next battle. Nor does it make you walk overly long distances to reach your corpse. So, if those penalties are completely nonexistant on that game, what does it make it so annoying?. When you die, you resurrect at the nearest resurrection shrine, but your stats are lowered temporaly and the only way to remove those are returning to a Post or Town or kill like a million baddies to return to your normal stats.
You're severly weakened and you may not survive the next battle, when you die again, you get even more weaker and so on and so forth until you get your stats at 60% lower than they originally were, forcing you to retreat the nearest Post or Town and battle all the way, again, killing the same baddies you already killed, if you killed any in the first place.
But also death can be rewarding, even make it part of the story itself, just look at Planescape Torment. I can't say much, because it would be a spoiler, but I'll just say that to solve something that may not have a solution at all, death is the only way to go.
When I tried out SWTOR at one of the later conventions the death system looked interesting, it was either get knocked unconcsious and sent to a medbay or use resources to revive yourself during the battle (both probably have a few setbacks) but I didn't get to try any out because the guy running the station did something that sent me back to the starting point...or something.
Storing an area in a buffer would presumably (I'm not checking my facts here, i'm about to go to bed and if I check i'll research all night) make the loading screens even longer, due to having to load it and keep an extra copy. It works for small files (youtube videos) but its horrible for larger files.
Actually, this is just in theory, but I may as well think "out loud". I'm pretty sure the level would have to be held in the same state in the RAM constantly. With games trying to use up every inch of a computers capability, it's would just not be acceptable to think everyone has that space in their computer to spare.
I'm going to have to talk this one through with my computing teacher. You've peaked my curiousity
Well, there is a difference in death penalty for sure. But in the past is was more enjoyable for some games because they made the entire level enjoyable instead of only certain parts. When playing SMB even though the last level had **** being thrown at you from everywhere you never really thought, "God I can't believe I have to play this part again." It was more under the lines "Okay I died in the area coming up, how do I not die there again." You thought this mostly because there were patterns to see and the mistake came from you messing up, not because of the enemy AI.
Now when you play games like we have today, the AI tends to take cheap shots at us for no expected reason nor can we tell when it will come. AI could go from magically 1-shoting us with a pistol from 300 yards away. To knowing the exact moment to throw a grenade that will give the player no time to react and die.
Could you imagine playing Mega-man where the boss knew when you would jump and countered you every time. Or in Zelda where the enemy knew the second you brought your defense down and attacked. I would say that deaths have been less about the player messing up and more on how the computer AI can just **** with you. Which doesn't make gaming fun in deaths as it used to.
To me there would be a simple fix: Blame the AI. No I don't mean that it would be the games software's fault. I mean that if you took a cheap shot on the enemy in the distance and were able to place the blame on the enemy near you, you could have his own friends turn on him. There are multiple occasions in real life where a feud between two people somehow brought in the spectators as well. Turns into a messy free for all but enjoyable to watch.
I have to disagree with the flat "no" at the beginning of your post. When you have a legitimate threat of loss, yeah, the game is more pulse-pounding. And when you then do lose, it's decidedly unfun and you (or at least I) want to throw something, and possibly do. The moment a game stops being fun is when it fails, and in my opinion getting pissed off is unfun.
Well, on one heand I hate most severe death penalties... but on the other hand, I love EVE Online and its PVP combat is awesome in part because of the death penalty... putting a lot on the line can really ratchet up the intensity, and even a relatively uneventful lowsec/nullsec roam can up my heart rate a bit.
Also, on the debate about Guild Wars's penalty: It didn't really bother me. yes, the penalty could be a thorn in your side and it did provide positive feedback for defeat, which is not a good thing, but I thought it felt pretty natural and did a good job at keeping players with an incentive to avoid death in a game where the resurrections are otherwise pretty cheap and easy to come by.
On the topic of death penalties, Guild wars 2 is supposedly not going to have one past having to wait for someone to resurrect you (which anyone can do and they get a small xp bonus for doing so) or teleporting to a waypoint of your choice. In fact you get rewarded for just participating in the world events even if they fail (granted, it's a smaller reward)
Not really, try going back some and have very long times in between saves, an easy to fix it is checkpoints before and after every large enemy encounter and the ability to start the area over again. Basically give me the choice of location to start from when I die and do remember what my fng equipment was.... I really hate it when a game only saves the level and no tthe location and the has the nerve to give you default equipment....
To the op
Also death needs to work in a fashion that you simply do not want to die, IE you die you lose half of your money. Something bioshock bypassed completely a shame when a dev goes retarded like that.
For MMOs you have 2 issues at play a much longer and complicated game needs a less annoying death mechanics. I kinda liked FF11s death mechanic but for one thing when you get knocked a level you lose the ability to use that levels stuff, and that should not be, the death mechanic should focus on levels 2 levels per death under 20, 2 levels twice as much exp to gain per death under 40,ect,ect.
Tho for new games like wow:AC and such where you can level to 10 in 3-6 hours you need to start out 2 at double exp rate, the only thing that the game cares about is all the stats/bonus you gained, but to use and get powers,equipment ect,ect it sees your real numbers.
Now we can take this mechanic and add a pay off mechanic say you are tried of dredging for exp either in game money or IRL money under 4$ you can pay it all off.
The best way to pay it off is to calculate the cost of the character minus rare equipment, includes cash/items/equipment on hand or in storage, say current character costs about 2000 , so first DP is half that 1000, then anymore than 1 DP is a quarter that so if you are 4 DP in its 1750 to pay it off.
Good riddance.
Death needs to exists as a failure to slap the players hand and say "you fail." A game need to have a failure condition or its no fun. We like to win, but winning all the time is predictable and boring. Like you hinted at in your article, its all about balance and what is appropriate to provide a punishment but not be so severe that it the player gives up. For example, lets take the (new) Prince of Persia. Lots of people complained about never being able to "die" and it being too easy. This drove them away because they felt no difficulty and incentive to try and win. Yet, I found that although you couldn't "die" you could still fail, and failure still set you back and punished the player. The punishment was light, only setting the player back a minute or two, a mechanic that seems to encourage trying again until you get it and minimize time to get back to where you fail over punishing for failing. I personally think that forcing the player to traps back through a section and redemonstrative there knowledge of obstacle they already did is pointless and like the idea of immediately putting you back to take on the challenge you lost not the ones you already know. Still, it is clear from opinion that the perception here is that there is not enough punishment and thus an empty sense of accomplishment. It's the designer's job to find the sweet spot that is between "too much, I give up" and "too little, this is boring."
Awesome games discussion Shamus (as always) but coincidentally I've always wondered at the death penalties found in old rts genre games. Like compare Close Combat: A bridge Too Far and Dawn of War.
Every soldier, from every unit, from every theatre, had a name, rank, experience, morale, number of bullets. And this was carried into the *next battle* fought in the theatre as well in the campaign modes.
Every dead/incapacitated soldier meant the loss of that soldier, permanently from your campaign in CC: ABTF.
So do you risk that rifleman unit you've had since day 1 of Operation Marketgarden to storm that german machinegun unit that has been 'smoked' when theres a good chance it will be assaulted by a german infantry platoon hiding in the cottage on the other side of the road? Or do you all that machinegun unit to hold you up as they allow german infantry to get into defensive position for a counter attack ... inevitably losing more of your beloved troopers?
Whereas modern games such as the Dawn of War, you don't get these attachments beyond the mechanics of their presence ... the attachment to a squad of guardsman is very very low because if a guardsman dies ...? Meh ... hit train button .... done.
But in the old close combat series? A dead soldier was a dead soldier ... he will never be back, his experience is gone and will never return ... and if casualties get too high you may be forced to disband the unit permanently to make room for a more effective (albeit rookie) unit of troops.
That sort of death penalty in a game without death penalties beyond victory or defeat I always found startling.
Then there's defcon: Everybody dies ... and that's just bleak and terryfying ... no DP ../. just that knotted pit in your stomach as you see 50-60 nukes bearing on your cities and you have only 2-3 towers left and knowing that you've been utterly destroyed.
Yes sir, in Vindictus if you die then you can choose just to fail the dungeon and return to town or wait for someone else to resurrect you. I'm sorry if I was unclear.
It's true that there isn't a lot of hate over the Gandalf's death and subsequent resurrection. I attribute this to the fact that it was somewhat explained and if anyone could come back from the dead it would be Gandalf. Still I know I wasn't the only one who bated an eye at Gandalf the White. It's still a lot better than when someone comes back without any explanation like in Highlander: Endgame. My point is that videogames need more dramatic weight in their combat and that can be best achieved by a significant death penalty.
Honestly, I prefer fairly harsh death penalties in MMORPGs. But I don't play 'em for community, or Skinner Box rewards... the only way I've ever had fun in any of those damn games is immersion through light role play. I'd prefer to be part of a fantastic world that tries not to break my suspension of disbelief.
While I agree with you in that receiving a death penalty can be unfun, I'm of the opinion that the risk is worth the reward. That's just my opinion, though.
I have to agree with PaulH. Having harsh and/or permadeath penalties changes the way that you play. I'm guessing the penalties in wow are for the pvp areas, to prevent one wide from becoming nearly invulnerable if they happen to be close to a resurrection point.
It also works to make you play more conservatively even without competition. In the free mmo www.realmofthemadgod.com , you can reach the top level within a few hours... But you'll constant be paranoid trying to prevent them from permadying and probably poising all of the equipment. The agonizing situations happen when your friends are in trouble and you have to weigh preventing their deaths against loosing you own skin. In RotMG the permanent death and loss of items makes people keep coming back to what would otherwise be a pretty short game, and the item loss both prevents the game from being flooded with top tier items and encourages player to work together to save each others items from fading away (or steal the items for themselves but that's a different story).
Much like old school roguelikes, he permadeath adds depth to RotMG because it changes the way that you play. but this would not work out well for a game like WoW where each character takes an exponentially great time investment. Not to mention the pvp elements in WoW. Can you just imagine the grieving in WoW if the deaths were permanent? Players from each side would be regularly trying to wipe out the other sides' low level characters before they become a high level threat. Assassinations of high level characters would be server wide news. There would be huge arms races for to tier items. It would be a totally different game.
Actually that sounds like a cool idea for a different kind of game. It would be a lot less casual though.
No, and I'd fight to keep it.
You talk about how death is a punishment. I'd say death can also be a reward and a learning experience in itself. It just has to be handled properly.
Example: Gordon Freeman's HEV suit
You know when you're dying, you know what death will cause you, you're actually frightened of death. And you swear at the enemy rather than the death.
Same as the A.I. Director in Left 4 Dead. You swear at it, rather than the death.
BUT...in Too Human, you're stuck in treacle trying to defend yourself and then it slings in 10 seconds of "You were shit!".
That's where the problem comes, IMHSHO. Treat death with respect and it's as meaningful as it's ever been. Turn it into a fingerwag and you'll piss people off.(Unless you want to piss them off - IWBTG)
(Seriously, what would you replace Death with in IWBTG?)
One interesting thing that no one has pointed out about Bioshock is how the death system worked itself into the story
Of course I turned off that mechanic after the first playthrough, but I did feel like that part of the story was deadened by quick-loading all the time.
And I also wanted to nod at Guild Wars for doing death penalties right. Some one said that was shit because it might make a section impossible after a while, and that was true, but if you had to give up, all you had to do was instantly warp back to town to remove the penalty. It gave you incentive to not die, but it didn't rape you for one mistake. Only after 4 or more mistakes did it really matter.
Also, another nod to Too Human for being retarded with the death penalty. It almost was slapping you in the face for not being good enough in a game that was hard. For a game where I heard the devs were OBSESSED with game flow, I have no idea why you'd implement a feature like that which slowed the flow down to a snail's pace.
the death penalty is needed,if there wasnt or it was very lenient it wouldnt be very fun. you unfairly compare "Too Human" to "WoW" now lets look at this.
in "Too Human" if you were playing a melee fighter death was CONSTANT every 5-10 seconds you died,then a 20 sec un-skipable cutseen,then you would once again die in said time frame then repeat about 5-10 times in nearly every encounter.if you played ranged you wouldnt die as much though you would have to pick away at each individual enemy with at least 20 hits each to take one down. out of that there was no other penalty.so invulnerability there...if you dont mind the wait.
now compared to "WoW" if you die a few things happen. first when you die the fight you were in all things left alive (unless their boss specific mobs) would regain their lost live and remove all debuffs. next you will have to release your spirit and track down your corpse to revive,its no so bad even if its a 5 min walk cause in that time you can think/discuss of an new strategy to defeat that encounter/boss,and on top for that your equipment gets damaged by 10% everything you have equipped. its a loss of money,and repairs get pretty expensive after some time. and with this you can only die a set amount of times before you HAVE to go back to a town/settlement and repair.but that can be cutout threw engineering if you get not only the mats but also the recipe itself.so again another time waster. lastly it makes it a learning experience,it allows you to adapt and (once again) think instead of just throwing yourself at it again. (i might have missed something else but i cant remember for not playing for a while)
though you really cant compare the 2 seeing as one is an MMO and the other is a SPE.
but all it really comes down to is tastes,some people like death to be a challenge to overcome,while others want a more relaxed death penalty.
i would prefer if death was something to be feared,but not so much so that it scares people away from risks. your saying that the already relaxed death penalties area bit too much,i say let them be in the middle at least hardcore to the rare extreme,but any easier,then death wont be a fear or something to avoid again in the near future.
just my 2 cents...
I have to disagree. When I played Kirby's Epic Yarn, as cute as the game was I couldn't help but notice that when the only penalty for getting hurt was a loss of beads (or whatever those things were), the game became a lot less challenging and pretty soon, it began to suck a lot of fun out of the title. By the time I reached the end of the game, I found myself wishing that Kirby wasn't so darn invincible. I can't help but think that the lack of an ability to die (and by default, a death penalty) is a large part of the reason why I've made little effort to play the game anymore since I beat it.
Contrast to games that do offer a more traditional death penalty, such as the Super Mario series (particularly since I just got the All Stars game). When I can die and get sent back to the beginning of the level or the half way point, or have to start all over while trying to collet 100 purple Luigi coins, I get a much greater sense of accomplishment out of actually pulling it off than when I'm playing Kirby where getting to the end of the level is a guaranteed thing. Plus playing the levels themselves is a lot more intense when I have the worry that one wrong move could cost me big time.
So I think that when done right, death penalties actually do make games more fun.
Arguably death should be a set back, but still fun. Idk how to explain like a previous poster was saying death works in most single player action games like call of duty because it's a quick back to last checkpoint thing so you have to find a different way to beat that one part, and this is a lot less noticeable than running back to your corpse and then back to wherever it is you're questing in a MMORPG. I guess the difference is what you do when regaining that lost time back. I guess a good death animation which sets you back but not necessarily by replacing you far away would work, or if some logic was applied to where you come back, like at the nearest hospital-ish place could help build realism, but overall if dying makes the game boring it's not working right. Frustrating as all heck, sure, but avoid boring.
If you read the article you'd see Shamus clearly stating that removing all punishment for death is bad for this very reason.
Must not have paid close enough attention to the full article. >_<
Borderlands almost perfected death, with the only loss was some money and that you respawned not so far away. Left 4 dead was also good at death, you got a little break and lost your equipment but that could be found right next to your corpse so your friends could take it for you. In single player in battlefield: bad company it was just to easy, you respawned right next to were you had died and you had infinite lives. As long as you had ammo you could get through anything.
both of "MMO"s I play have no death penalty, they are Die2nite(this is built around dying) and TDP4 team battle(only top 100 people and those playing player-made tournaments care about their deaths)
I think there should be additional rewards for "acing" a section without dying/damage rather than punishing failure. That way the hardcore get their reward for putting the time in and doing it "right" and your kid sister can bumble her way to the end racking up 64 deaths. If the combat mechanics are good players should want to get through without dying.
Eve seems to have a big following and the death penalty there can be quite steep. I'd also like to add that I loved my time on Endwar where experienced units could be killed rather than just defeated. It changed peoples strategy and cut out the rambo tactics with powerful units, if hey were defeated and isolated then they could be killed perminently before the evac chopper arrived. Added a whole new level of spite and entertainment that would not be there otherwise.
The game becomes more real if a kill feels like you have struck a major "blow" to the enemy rather than thinking hell respawn in 5 minutes and well go again.
Interestingly I don't think you need a huge penalty for deaths to make the hardcore take it seriously. If there is death tally that is easily viewed by anyone then the serious crowd would hate this to show they keep getting smashed up.
Harder than Contra? Gouls n Ghosts? Druid? Bionic Commando? Thunderforce? You died an awful lot on those games. Unless I ramp the difficulty up to hardest I rarely die on modern games unless its something like team deathmatch.
I beat 3 on that list without cheats, I'm not sure I have the stomach for it now though. I'm now an adult with other time commitments.
I think the industry may need to rethink the whole mentality of success and failure, this may seem a bizarre question but why do games need death at all? Now don't get me wrong, I'm not talking about something like Fable 3 where death is irrelevant, I'm talking about having something other than death, because y'see the problem is that death is an ending, but in the process of trial-&-error that is play we don't actually want our games to end, as such.
So why not make death a new (bittersweet) beginning?
This could completely change the way MMOs are played, instead of taking one character up a linear path of ascension the player would instead raise each character to the height of their potential, then (willingly or not) pass the proverbial baton on to the next, effectively going back and forth in terms of power, so their current character can "stand on the shoulders of giants", so to speak.
Obviously this is a very rough idea, but you get my point right?
Also I'd like to see characters die of old age in MMOs, which again helps to expand out of the linear nature of these games, just imagine if WOW was like the game "kind of the hill", if levels were actually meaningful.
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July's Spotlight On……
*** Jessica Fellowes ***
Hi Jessica, thank you for talking to 'Break A Leg Review', our first question is what inspired you to start writing and what drives you to continue as a writer?
Reading got me started as a writer – I was a ferocious reader as a child – but it wasn't immediately obvious that I would write for a living and took until my mid-20s to realise that was what I wanted to do! Now I love it because in the modern world there's a natural pairing with public speaking, which sorts out all my frustrated acting ambitions. So I have this great life in which half my time is spent quietly in the corner at my desk, and half is on the road, meeting people, on a stage, putting on a show!
Tell us about your new book 'A Year In The Life of Downton Abbey'
It's a look at how a house like Downton Abbey as well as Downton Abbey itself would have operated across the seasons in 1924. As well as revisiting some past episodes in which seasonal traditions were celebrated – whether Christmas or cricket – we have recipes and tips on how to do similar events yourself. With gorgeous photography throughout.
Did you have any idea that 'Downton Abbey' would be such a hit show for your Uncle?
I think if any of us had said that we thought this show would become a cultural reference point around the world, watched by over 330 million people, win hundreds of awards and be Britain's most successful television export ever, someone would have telephoned for the doctor!
Who is your favourite character in the show and why?
Lady Edith – she always has been my favourite and it's funny because when I first said this a few years ago, everyone thought I was very odd but now people adore Edith. The question Julian gets asked the most is if he will let her have a happy ending! But my interest in her was really about the fact that she represented a fascinating type of woman in that period – the one who had been brought up expecting a life that the war turned completely inside out. There were many fewer women than men by 1919 (nearly two million) and marriage was simply not on the cards. While this was of course heartbreaking, some women jumped the obstacles to find an arguably more interesting and fulfilling life – they went out and became not just teachers and nurses, now that they had to support themselves, but also scientists, doctors, pilots, business owners… They were the real forerunners of the female equality movement and we owe them a lot. I like that Edith of all the daughters probably wanted the least but has ended up achieving a life that is more varied and exciting than her peers, despite her share of heartbreak.
We hear that Rob-James Collier (Mr Barrow) can be a 'trickster' on set, have you ever been on the receiving end of his mischief?
Ha ha, he's certainly nothing like his character – he's very funny and mischievous but also very big-hearted. No tricks on me thank goodness but I've started to get involved with one of his favourite charities (the Chilterns MS Centre) – he ran the marathon for them this year and made a hilarious film on his phone to help fundraising that involved Brendan Coyle (Bates) stomping around the set in a huge cape.
We're sure you cannot possibly divulge any of the forthcoming storylines for series six, but what would you personally like to see happen?
Now that I've actually read the scripts I'm afraid I can't answer this question at all! I'm too nervous – it's more than my life's worth to even accidentally reveal a spoiler. I can tell you that fans will not be disappointed – it's as rollicking a ride as all the previous seasons. They're definitely going out with a bang.
What is your greatest ambition?
To be allowed to keep on doing what I'm doing, I'm having so much fun.
They say never meet your heroes, who are your heroes? Have you met them? Did they disappoint?
The person I would most like to meet is Sir Ken Robinson (see his TED talk on education). Somehow I feel he wouldn't disappoint but I would say that, wouldn't I?
Favourite Things (quick-fire questions):
Favourite television programme (apart from 'Downton Abbey')
Favourite restaurant
The restaurant at Cliveden House.
Favourite time of year
Favourite Actor or Actress
James Stewart
Favourite quote
'Man cannot live on bread alone, he needs his bit of crumpet.'
Link to Jessica's website: https://jessicafellowes.wordpress.com/


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8 April 2018
This is my 2nd pair of same model to have a spare dry pair. Gloves are hot and also comfortable, thin wrist is easy to put on and user wetsuit. After many sessions still no water came in like other model did, happened to me very soon with flash bomb 3/2.


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- January 28, 1955 - March 26, 2015
- Xenia, Ohio
of Jeffrey's Passing
Share This Obituary
Make a Memorial Donation
Tributes.com partners with over 100 national charities. It's easy and secure.Donate
Jeffrey was born on January 28, 1955 and passed away on Thursday, March 26, 2015.
Jeffrey was a resident of Xenia, Ohio at the time of passing.
Funeral services will be held 1:30 PM Monday, March 30th at the McColaugh Funeral Home, Inc., 826 N. Detroit St., Xenia with Pastor John Lockwood officiating. The family will receive friends 11:30 AM Monday until the time of service at the funeral home.


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If there was a work slowdown at Planet Hollywood, how would you know?
There seems to be a lot of progress as Planet Hollywood is carved out of the former Aladdin. It is just that the progress appears to me to be occurring in a manner characterized by lack of speed.
Across the street, Project City Center is making noticeable growth. The rate of the work being done at PCC, seems to be much quicker than that at PH. I don't get it.
(If you are in the area, as I am, you can not help but compare the two, as both can be seen at the same time.)
On the front of Planet Hollywood (Las Vegas Boulevard side) I noticed what appeared to be a Las Vegas Boulevard side garage entrance, (similar to the taxi entrance which drops to a lower level at the Riviera). Perhaps I am wrong, as it is not done yet. I suppose that this would be a good addition to the Harmon Avenue garage entrance, as long as the sidewalk is not traversed by vehicles as it is at the Riviera.
[See one of the photos I am including and decide for yourself.]
My posts have been much more infrequent lately. Indeed I am keeping on, just slower. Much like Planet Hollywood.


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Kosher salt
1/4 cup almonds
1 1/2 pounds haricots verts (French string beans), root ends removed
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
2 shallots, minced
Freshly cracked black pepper
1/2 lemon, zested and juiced
It's officially American Chocolate Week. Check out photos of mind-blowing chocolate creations.
Get our take on the best in food news, recipes and more from around the web, including the best Valentine's Day recipes.
Train frontman Pat Monahan, an avid chocolate lover, shared with us his top five reasons for eating dark chocolate.
Anthony Bourdain and Eric Ripert have teamed up with master chocolatier Christopher Curtin to create the "Good & Evil" chocolate b …
Are you infatuated with ice cream? Do you lust over lobster? Swoon at the sight of chocolate? Here's the best recipe for each food …
Indulge in our decadent chocolate desserts, from cookies and cakes to puddings, souffles and truffles.
Satisfy that chocolate craving in your very own kitchen. All you need is baking chocolate and a little know-how. It also helps to …


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Rapid development, integration, updating and deployment of eLearning courseware and content
eLab – e-learning application builder
eLab, an eLearning course builder, enables the rapid development, integration, updating and deployment of eLearning courseware and content.
- Multi-lingual: French, English and Arabic
- Easy Image, Sound, Narrations and Flash integration
- Easier navigation
- More options and customization
- Automated SCORM Packaging
- Customizable templates to suit your needs
- Easy HTML editor integrated in all text fields
- and much much more!
The eLab Player is a light-weight (100K) and unique Macromedia Flash SWF [1] movie that is composed of a series of intelligent, interchangeable and reusable templated pages that manages the output presentation.
Build highly interactive e-Learning courses in a snap!
Easy to use, Easy to create!
This Flash movie can be modified, re-ordered at will and populated by content structured in the XML file it calls. In addition, Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) technology is leveraged to format the data, so that every aspect of the final output can be controlled from the outside. With this approach, the instructional designer need only update the XML document to change any aspect of the content displayed in the Flash SWF movie.
Faster Development & Rapid Integration
The eLab Editor is a standalone desktop authoring application that enables the rapid integration of course content into pre-defined learning activities or Learning Objects. The eLab Editor permits the designer to determine the course structure, integrate the content, determine which media elements will appear, set quiz and interactivity parameters. Once the course is built, the eLab Editor generates an XML file and a CSS file that interacts with the eLab Player.
Great Advantages:
Rapid and easy e-learning development
Structured courses
Multiple learning activities
Great solution to accelerate your course development pace
Highly interactive
Great enterprise solution
Easy SCORM integration LMS/LCMS ready
Easy Integration
- You can choose to deploy the SWF and its linked XML, CSS and media files by:
- Uploading it into a Learning Management System or Learning Management System (LMS/LCMS)
- Launching it from a Standalone Web page
- Packaging it to launch from a CD-ROM
Fast and Easy Content modification and updates
The very nature of the eLab Editor is to facilitate rapid integration, manage product content, make modifications and update without the intervention of a Flash developer.
Because the content is separate from the player in a universal and flexible format such as XML, translation of the course text is simplified and rapid. The eLab Editor authoring application can be purchased on a per-use basis.
The eLab Player, which contains the interface, doesn't require any modification unless of course it is to reflect cultural needs, i.e.: text flowing from right-to-left rather then left-to-right.
We can develop a custom player and additional custom templates to meet client's needs.
Minimum Operating Specifications
- We confirm that both the eLab editor and player will operate on:
- Windows XP up to and including Windows Vista, Windows 7, 8, 10 and higher or MAC
- an Internet connection as slow as 56K
- Internet Explorer (v. 5 and later), Firefox (v. 1.5 and later), and Safari (v. 1.3 and later) browsers
- In addition, the end user or learner will also need the following:
- 128 MB RAM (256 MB RAM recommended)40 MB free hard disk space
- 1024 x 768 resolution VGA monitor and 32-bit high definition
- 16-bit sound card
- Speakers or head-set
- Microphone
- Flash Player v.8 minimum (free to download)
Download Information
*** Use any username and password to access the application ***
PC: https://www.informusgroup.com/eLab_demo_setup.zip (Version 5.0 latest)
MAC: https://www.informusgroup.com/eLab_demo_mac_setup.zip (Version 4.0, latest mac)


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How to easily track your flight delays and cancellations?
Airline travel can be fun and exciting -- but it can also be quite stressful, especially when flight delays and cancellations get thrown into the mix. When the airline changes your flight plans less than 14 days before your scheduled trip, passengers are typically...read more
Cancelled flight: your rights when it comes to flights from Europe
For many people, traveling to Europe is the dream of a lifetime. Whether you're going to see the Eiffel Tower in Paris or the Vatican in Rome, Europe is full of exciting sights and experiences! But when your airline cancels your flight, you can be left in a rather...read more
Air Transat: refund or compensation, how does it work?
The Canadian airline Air Transat is one of the world's most highly rated air carriers -- in fact, in the Protégez-Vous customer satisfaction survey, it has been rated as the best airline for holiday travel every year from 2012 to 2016. While Air Transat has generally...read more
Where should you send your flight delay claim form?
After experiencing a delay or cancellation that disrupts travel plans, receiving compensation as quickly as possible is a top priority for many travelers. While many airlines offer refunds for cancelled or delayed flights, for many people, this doesn't make up for the...read more
British Airways claim: 3 important informations to collect
British Airways is one of the largest airlines in the world, serving five airports in Canada and providing travellers with access to exciting locations in 130 countries around the globe and is a popular choice for international travel. Like any airline, however, these...read more
Ticket Cancellation from a Passenger: What are the Options and Penalties?
If you have ever been in a position where it was necessary for you to cancel an airline ticket, you are more than aware of the various questions you have in regards to this process. Ticket cancellation can pose a number of issues if you are not informed about the...read more
Flight Insurance: 5 Benefits for the Passengers
It is always beneficial to have extra protection while flying. When you purchase your airline tickets, you don't have the coverage that you think you do. Unless you purchase a ticket that allows refunds, there is a possibility that you could lose the cost of your...read more
What is Air France's Compensation Policy in Case of Flight Delay?
Delayed flights are often an annoyance that can create both travel and monetary setbacks. When you have to deal with a delayed flight, one of the first questions that come to mind is how am I going to be compensated for this? Flight delays are problems that cause...read more
What are the Benefits of Going through a Flight Claim Service for a Refund?
Flight claims are often a touchy subject among airline consumers. People rely heavily on airlines to get them where they need to be. However, this process is not without its troubles. From baggage gone missing to flight delays and cancellations that can leave the most...read more
Air France Delayed Flights: How Long Do I Have to File a Claim?
A delayed flight causes a host of issues that can lead to lots of questions from travelers. If a flight is delayed and you miss your connecting flight, are you reimbursed? If you have to spend a night in a hotel, does the airline pay for the room and boarding costs?...read more


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@das_j Can confirm that 1.0.2 fixed the importing issues for my pool
Search Criteria
Package Details: mkinitcpio-sd-zfs 1.0.2-1
|Git Clone URL:
|https://aur.archlinux.org/mkinitcpio-sd-zfs.git (read-only, click to copy)
|Package Base:
|Compatibility between systemd and ZFS roots
|Upstream URL:
|systemd zfs
|Last Packager:
|First Submitted:
|2016-08-04 21:09
|Last Updated:
|2017-11-10 13:13
Dependencies (2)
Required by (0)
Sources (1)
Latest Comments
jrudess commented on 2017-11-11 03:23
das_j commented on 2017-11-10 13:12
@robree @nibjob Please test the current version
roobre commented on 2017-11-04 14:42
It seems that this issue just hit me too. Since there's no response upstream, can anyone link to the previous compiled version? /cc @nibjib
nibjib commented on 2017-10-10 22:08
I also had this issue: running 'dmesg' in the rescue console allowed me to see that the unit generator 'initrd-zfs-generator' was failing with a segfault, causing a fallback to the standard systemd-fstab-generator that creates the sysroot.mount unit from the 'root' kernel parameter (which, when prefixed by 'zfs:' doesn't work for the standard 'mount' command, as you might expect).
Luckily I had the previous version of this package in my aurutils-managed local repository to downgrade to.
If it's useful, I can upload both packages for comparison and to aid in tracking down the error?
fclad commented on 2017-10-04 23:45
Same problem here. I had to rollback my root partition and create a new ramdisk, the pool was not imported on boot.
das_j commented on 2017-09-30 19:45
@jcstryker I have the same problem, but only on some machines.
I don't have a lot of time to investigate, so it might take a while.
If you have any hints, I'd be very grateful.
jcstryker commented on 2017-09-22 03:32
Current upstream version is 1.0.1.
I am also am getting an issue where pool doesn't get imported on boot, causing sysroot.mount to fail.
Need to use "zpool import -N <zpool>" and restart sysroot.mount to continue.
This happened out of the blue, not sure which update may have caused this. Any idea why?


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Having a November Break camp was a life-saver for us! It has always been very difficult to arrange for child care at this time of year. In addition, our son loved the camp, had a lot of fun, and improved his skills. We hope that the November Break camp will be offered again! – Natalie Paul
Notre fils de 8 ans a participé pour la première fois au camp de soccer au mois de novembre à TFS. Il a adoré sa semaine avec coach Mustapha et coach Alex qui lui ont permis de s'améliorer techniquement tout en s'amusant. Une équipe chaleureuse, accueillante et très compétente! Merci à tous! – Coralie Koeune
Hi Michael & Hoop House Team!
I just had to send in a small note to say THANK YOU and just let you know that Julien truely enjoyed the time he spent this summer with Hoop House Camp.
He is making sure already, that I am going to sign him up again next summer ~ so you are on my list ~
Thanks for introducing the sport to him in such a positive way, and just so you know, he is still practicing at home so "Look Out" in 2011!! -Marla & Julien
My son thou roughly enjoyed his time at Hoop House Basketball camp.
He had a blast and now loves basketball. The individualized attention
allowed him to develop skills while having fun. He has already asked
to return to the camp next year! -Veruschka Muller


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Telephone: (800) 292-2424 Fax: (404) 292-3049
© 2015 Davis Manufacturing Veterinary Products. All rights reserved.
Davis Manufacturing


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|Biosequences .. Software .. Molbio soft .. Network News .. FTP
This is to announce that the Gopher services provided by the Arabidopsis thaliana database (AtDB) project at Stanford University are being terminated. We aim to make all AtDB's services available via the Web and recently announced full-Web access to the "classic" ACEDB-based database. Similarly, we have converted all our Gopher-based services into Web pages. This has made our Gopher server superfluous and so we are discontinuing it. Services previously only available via Gopher, but now in user-friendly Web-format include genetic-map, CAPS-marker, codon-usage and tables and the Compleat Guide (protocols). All of these, and more, may be accessed from AtDB's home page at: http://genome-www.stanford.edu/Arabidopsis/ David Flanders AtDB Curator


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Biologist Jennifer Coulson and LDWF request that you please report sightings of the rare swallow-tailed kite.
Of particular interest are:
- Any sightings of a kite on LDWF managed lands
- Areas where kites are often seen
- Sightings of more than one kite
- Sightings where kite(s) vocalized (giving kee-kee-kee or klee-klee-klee calls)
- Kites carrying nest material or food
- Nests or roosts
- Any kites found injured, ill, or dead.
Please report the following information about each sighting (if known):
- Date of sighting
- Time of day
- Number observed
- Location [please be specific and include the Parish or County, nearest town and approximate distance to it, nearest road (including street address if applicable) or road junctions, nearest river or creek]
- What you observed the birds doing (e.g., one perched in a cottonwood while another circled overhead)
- Observer's name and contact information (phone number with area code and email address)
To Report a Sighting:
Email Jennifer Coulson at firstname.lastname@example.com or call her at 504-717-3544
Jennifer Coulson is studying the population ecology of the swallow-tailed kite. She is trying to determine the geographic range of this species within Louisiana and Mississippi, the current population size, and factors that may limit the current population size. Aspects of her study include nest monitoring, a radio-telemetry based survivorship study, characterization of nesting and roosting habitat, and aerial surveys of premigration roosts.


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Can someone please explain the Keurig coffeemaker to me? I know the coffee is good, but one cup at a time does not sate my caffeine lust. I need a pot of coffee to make it to noon. I know; a pot of coffee might not be a great idea but guess what? I function at a high level, and I move quickly. To the untrained eye, I probably resemble those people in the silent flicks who look as if they are running around at warp speed.
I will give the Keurig and its copycat coffeemakers kudos for making very good tasting coffee. However, when you do the math, that cup is expensive. The positive of these one-cup wonder machines is that I can't screw up the strength of my coffee. It's written in stone or at least sealed in the miracle cup packet. With a Keurig, I would not have one day of drinking mud and another day of drinking brown water. The strength of the brew would be consistent, and another plus: the Keurig does have fun flavors. Okay, I am reversing my opinion on the Keurig; It does seem to have built in advantages that might turn me into a fan.
What will never get my endorsement is the gift I got from one of my editors a few years back in lieu of a Christmas bonus– the two-cup Mr. Coffee coffeemaker. When my editor gave this appliance to me, she said in a serious tone, "You could put it on the counter next to your big coffeemaker."
"Why do I need a baby coffeemaker if I have a big coffeemaker? My big coffeemaker has the capability of making just two cups. It will make one cup if I ask it to."
"But you don't have to use the big coffeemaker? See, it's little."
I looked at her with doubt in my eyes. "I still don't get it. But if you want, I will keep it on my counter next to my big machine and let guests think Mr. Coffee procreated. How should I tell people he had this baby? Was it an affair with my toaster oven or did it spontaneously reproduce?"
"Just forget it! Give it back! I'll just give you cash as a bonus instead. Happy?"
"Truthfully? Yes!"
Well, to be fair to my editor, I guess that those mini-makers do come in handy in places like hotels. I do like being able to make a cup of coffee whenever I want, but why do hotels insist on putting the little coffeemakers in the bathrooms? It seems a bit unsanitary. This is a place where I believe the Keurig would be better because it is self contained and contains no leftover brew hanging around in lavatory open space.
I got a $5 off coupon for Bed Bath & Beyond, and my daughter thinks I should use it to get myself a Keurig. She thinks once I have a cup of this magical brew, there will be no turning back. She told me that some people love Keurig so much, they forget how to make real coffee in a regular coffeemaker. I have to wonder what she would think of the percolators my mom had. I bet her generation would never figure them out.
As tempting as a Keurig sounds, I think I should stay with the real coffeemakers. What if there is an apocalyptic event and all the Keurigs do not function properly? Shouldn't there should be someone left who knows how to make coffee "the old-fashioned" way?


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Warning Photo overloaded post...lol!
So far so good... I am really enjoying the process of putting together a month at a time as opposed to a week at a time. The Momento app really has been awesome to use and the pages are coming together quickly. Here are the first few pages...
OK not bad but I was not entirely happy with the way the pages were looking. The pages above were what did it... the left is ok but I love the right more. I like the square photos better and a border helps to lift them off the background. Check: square photos and white borders!
As I am doing a 6x8 album, there is not a lot of room for journaling and not every photo I take has journaling to go with it... soooo I will utilise the 6x4 pockets for journaling a couple of days at a time, as well as the odd 3x4.
And then some weeks I may just make a half page divider insert to hold all the journaling...lol!
The month of January was a good learning curve and I'm eager to start the month of February making a few changes as I go. I reckon it will June before I find my style and I'm ok with that... this is the first year of paper for me, so I'm being very forgiving and not worrying too much that the pages are not perfect. This is real life after all *wink*
How is your PL coming along?


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Axtonshop Terms and Conditions
The owner and operator of this website is the Axtonshop (online trading name of BL Books Ltd), in which is a company registered in England and Wales (company registration number 09174866) whose registered office is at Ashford House, 1st Floor, 100, College Road, Harrow, HA1 1BQ. Our registered VAT number is GB232030176. In these Terms and Conditions: "We" and "Us" means 'Us' Axtonshop (an online trading name of BL Books Ltd). "You" means the person using the website. These website terms and conditions ("Website Terms") apply to your use of the Axtonshop website at www.axtonshop.com or www.axtonshop.co.uk (the "Website").Last update December 2018.
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In case you change your mind abour your purchase, you can return the product to Axtonshop within 14 days of the delivery of your order. You have the right to cancel the contract at any time up 14 days after you receive the goods. Exceptions: perishable items (e.g. food and baby milk); medicines; personalised for you; sealed Products which are not suitable for return due to health or hygiene reasons if unsealed after delivery, unless such products were damaged or faulty when delivered to you or have been incorrectly delivered; or unsealed products which are not suitable for return due to health or hygiene reasons. If you return the items with which the free promotional item was gifted, then we reserve the right to request the return of the free promotional item too. Nothing in these terms and conditions affects any statutory rights you may have as a consumer under the UK Consumer Contracts Regulations. A full refund will be given for you, within 14 calendar days of the day on which the goods have been returned, to the original method of payment, of the returned items their original condition and accompanied by a copy of the delivery note or receipt. Any postage costs incurred when returning your items will be at your own cost. We will accept items for return in any of the following cases: The item was found to be damaged or faulty. We will either replace the item or give you a full refund. Please confirm which option you prefer. The item was incorrectly supplied. If we have made a mistake in fulfilling your order, a full refund will be given. In all these cases Axtonshop should be contacted before returning an item. Items should be returned in their original packaging to Axtonshop premises. In the event that a despatched item is delayed or assumed lost in transit we cannot offer to replace or refund until 10 business days after despatch if the item was sent within the UK or 30 business days after despatch if the item was sent to Rest of the World. Axtonshop shall have no liability to you unless you let us know within a total of 30 days of the date on which the goods were despatched to you. If you notify a problem to us under this condition, we only will be bound, at its option, to make good any shortage or non-delivery; to replace or repair any goods that are damaged or defective; or to refund to you the amount paid by you for the goods in question to the original method of payment. If your Products have been supplied by a third Party Supplier, contact us at [email protected] to check the address of return, in which it may vary by each supplier. These terms do not apply for business customers. Instead the following policy applies.
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Yearly, there are thousands of autos that are taken again by banks and other institutions, providing you with the prospect to seek out and purchase any type of car for a lot less than you possibly can expect to pay when shopping for the auto from a dealer. The trick is to discover a ca auction that gives you the bottom costs and dependable service, all from the comfort of residence.
Although a mess of firms concentrate in vintage car insurance, there are a lot of firms that do not write such insurance policies. Choosing a reputable firm shouldn't be all too difficult. It's possible you'll need to seek advice from a automobile collectors membership for suggestions on choosing a decent insurance coverage supplier. The internet is one other good resource, as many antique car insurance coverage and collector clubs can easily be discovered. A meticulous seek for an acceptable insurer may end up in finding an excellent supplier to fulfill your insurance wants.
Insurance corporations usually supply discounts in your automobile insurance coverage which might embody a few of the following: Anti-lock brakes, Anti-theft gadgets, Air luggage, Good Student low cost in your driving age kids under 25, having prior insurance coverage with one other service in case you are switching, and some provide annual pay plan reductions.
India Business Automobile Market Evaluation" is an outcome of the intensive analysis and objective analysis achieved by our business experts on the Utility Vehicle, Multipurpose Automobile and Industrial Vehicle markets in India. The report offers detailed data and statistics on production, gross sales and export developments for each of the abovementioned market phase. It research all the past and current trends prevailing in the market to provide the long run market outlook.
The automobile has arguably shaped the modern world greater than any other invention, and it has come to mean far more than a solution to get from level A to level B. Two developments from the late 19th century led to the automobile of today. One was the introduction of the interior-combustion engine to energy the horseless carriage—an innovation that might have remained out of reach for the center class had not Henry Ford efficiently challenged a patent held by George Selden, who tried to maintain the breakthrough proprietary. The opposite was the know-how to extract and refine petroleum, offering a plentiful provide of liquid fuels nicely suited for motor autos.…


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Opening in October 2015, the Liberty Center, located on I-75, between Cincinnati and Dayton, Ohio is a $350 million real estate development featuring retail, office and residential buildings. Skudo's HT Commercial Mat System was used to protect the concrete during construction. CLICK HERE to read the full article by Ryan Olson for Concrete Contractor magazine!
For all your temporary surface protection needs, Skudo's got you covered


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Education and Health Nepal is a fully registered Nepali and UK charity operating strictly in the fields of Education and Health services.
We founded EHN Nepal in 2013 and EHN UK in 2015 with two founders and several board members in each NGO. To date EHN has taken nearly 300 volunteers to help and support various schools, hospitals and project in Nepal. Most of the projects we work with are based in rural locations as we feel these are the area's that need the most improvement and support.
From the 300 volunteers we have placed around 50% in education and around 35% in medical based projects with the remaining percentage either doing rural farming or a tree planting project we ran in 2014. With the education volunteers they split into two groups, the first is Government school education where volunteers work with the Nepali teachers and staff to help improve the level of spoken and written English and more recently computer studies. The second project that education volunteers help with is the day to day running of the disabled day care facility in Kathmandu.
Most volunteers stay for one month and would take an average of 5 or 6 45 minute lessons a day for 6 days a week. In most cases the volunteer teacher will work alongside a local teacher for the first few days before taking their own lessons. The disabled day care volunteers work the same day week but will only take 2 or three lessons a day with the rest of the time spent playing, cleaning, cooking or taking the children out for a walk and a little exercise.
This means over the last 4 years EHN education volunteers have provided some 8100 hrs plus of lessons and another 8100hrs of disabled child care.
The effects on the Schools has been the easiest to notice with students getting higher and higher English pass marks. The two main schools we work with have both seen the average English pass mark rise from 70% to 82 to 84%. We have also seen a big increase in the confidence of children especially the girls. In Nepal woman are still very much second class citizens and will go without so much to make sure the men in their families get what they want. This also extends to education so in many cases daughters will not be offered the same educational opportunities as their brothers which is why helping to improve their confidence really helps them later in life if they don't want to marry and want to pursue a career. The other noticeable effect EHN has had on both schools in the number of new students enrolling. The Government of Nepal started assessing all schools in Nepal two years ago with the idea of closing the ones that were not needed. The way they assessed this was based on new student numbers which for many Government schools was dropping due to the increase in private schools opening that charge a fee to all students. This meant that many Gov schools will be closed leaving the local community with no choice but to pay or not send their children to school. With the poorer people of Nepal and many of the girls only getting an education because it was free this meant many would not be able to get an education. With Rupa and Damagde School EHN has seen an increase in student numbers due to the regular number of western volunteer teachers attending the schools. Rupa use to get around 20 students a year but before we started with them they were down to just 10 but just had 19 new students enrol. Damgade has been even better and was also down to 10 or less per year but have just enrolled some 30 new students.
We will be looking to work more on the computing side of education in the coming years while maintaining the volume English teaching volunteers.
With the Disabled day care we put volunteers in to help the staff run the center plus look after the children. This project is more about child care than education but volunteers are still asked to help with eye hand coordination exercises, arts and craft work and with the older ones some basic English and maths. Most families in Nepal do not get any support if they have a disabled child and therefore still need to work so having a safe place for their children to ply and develop is vital service allowing them to work and earn money.


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The spring and summer collection from ICIW is the biggest release we have ever had. In the collection you can find everything for your training, including t-shirts, shorts, hoodies, trousers and tank tops. The choice of design and material in these garments is with you as a practitioner in focus for us to be able to offer functional clothes with stylish design.
Welcome spring!!!


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It appears as though President Obama may be doomed to the same fate as pogs, snap bracelets, cargo pants, and any synth music act from the 80's–he's not as cool as he used to be:
An Associated Press-mtvU poll found college students cooling in their support for President Barack Obama, a fresh sign of trouble for Democrats struggling to rekindle enthusiasm among many of these newest voters for the crucial midterm elections in three weeks.
Forty-four percent of students approve of the job Obama is doing as president, while 27 percent are unhappy with his stewardship, according to the survey conducted late last month. That's a significant drop from the 60 percent who gave the president high marks in a May 2009 poll. Only 15 percent had a negative opinion back then.
When the lofty rhetoric dies down, the hope is lost, and the change promised doesn't come, Obama begins to look like most everyone else in Washington: A politician who will do and say whatever is necessary to get elected. He's made empty promises about Obamacare, and an assurance that "no family making less than $250,000 a year will see any form of tax increase." And what happened there?


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Our family at Grieco Mazda of Delray Beach is constantly growing and we are always happy to add a new member! We know the game of credit isn't always the easiest to play. Maybe you have bad credit from too many credit cards. Maybe you've been through a divorce or declared bankruptcy. Or maybe you're a recent college graduate with little or no credit at all. But family sticks together. Whatever has happened to your credit, we want to help you rebuild it. So don't worry, our Mazda finance center will take care of you! We specialize in car loans for bad credit.
There's nothing we enjoy more than getting our customers on the road in a beautiful brand new Mazda. That's why we'll work with you to get you guaranteed credit approval. Buying a used car? No problem! We'll get you approved no matter what. Grieco Mazda of Delray Beach has partnered with several leading financial institutions to get our customers into vehicles regardless of their credit score - all that's needed is a job with steady income and a willingness to pay. And bad credit car loans doesn't mean a high rate; you may qualify for lower rates regardless!
Our Mazda dealership has everything to meet the automotive financial needs of drivers in Wellington, Royal Palm Beach, and the surrounding areas. We have a team of experts that specialize in car loans with bad credit for customers, no credit, bankruptcy, divorce, repossessions and more.
If we've nailed your credit situation, click here to contact Grieco Mazda of Delray Beach for an appointment or complete a quick application. We look forward to serving you!
Grieco Mazda of Delray Beach
2001 South Federal Hwy
Directions Delray Beach, FL 33483


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America's Job Center of California
America's Job Center of CaliforniaSM (AJCC) is your easy one-stop access to the state's employment-related services. Explore the resources through this Web portal or visit a local center. We are here to help employers find qualified workers and job seekers find good jobs. Employers can get help in posting job openings and recruiting candidates. Job seekers can get assistance in assessing skills, finding job opportunities and training, prepping a résumé, and much more.


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Tri-Decadal Global Landsat Orthorectified ETM+ Reg Scene V1Entry ID: ETM_V1
Abstract: The first generation of U.S. photo intelligence satellites collected more than 860,000 images of the Earth?s surface between 1960 and 1972. The classified military satellite systems code-named CORONA, ARGON, and LANYARD acquired photographic images from space and returned the film to Earth for processing and analysis.
The images were originally used for reconnaissance and to produce maps for U.S. ... intelligence agencies. In 1992, an Environmental Task Force evaluated the application of early satellite data for environmental studies. Since the CORONA, ARGON, and LANYARD data were no longer critical to national security and could be of historical value for global change research, the images were declassified by Executive Order 12951 in 1995.
The first successful CORONA mission was launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base in 1960. The satellite acquired photographs with a telescopic camera system and loaded the exposed film into recovery capsules. The capsules or buckets were de-orbited and retrieved by aircraft while the capsules parachuted to earth. The exposed film was developed and the images were analyzed for a range of military applications.
The intelligence community used Keyhole (KH) designators to describe system characteristics and accomplishments. The CORONA systems were designated KH-1, KH-2, KH-3, KH-4, KH-4A, and KH-4B. The ARGON systems used the designator KH-5 and the LANYARD systems used KH-6. Mission numbers were a means for indexing the imagery and associated collateral data.
A variety of camera systems were used with the satellites. Early systems (KH-1, KH-2, KH-3, and KH-6) carried a single panoramic camera or a single frame camera (KH-5). The later systems (KH-4, KH-4A, and KH-4B) carried two panoramic cameras with a separation angle of 30� with one camera looking forward and the other looking aft.
The original film and technical mission-related documents are maintained by the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). Duplicate film sources held in the USGS EROS Center archive are used to produce digital copies of the imagery.
Mathematical calculations based on camera operation and satellite path were used to approximate image coordinates. Since the accuracy of the coordinates varies according to the precision of information used for the derivation, users should inspect the preview image to verify that the area of interest is contained in the selected frame. Users should also note that the images have not been georeferenced.
In addition to the images, documents and reports (collateral information) are available, pertaining to frame ephemeris data, orbital ephemeris data, and mission performance. Document availability varies by mission; documentation was not produced for unsuccessful missions. Corner coordinate data is a critical component of the index information. Accuracy in locating corner coordinates varies according to how coordinates were derived and according to the accuracy of information used for the derivation. As a general rule, metadata corner points have errors less than 10 miles from their actual ground positions for the CORONA and LANYARD systems, and less than 50 miles for the ARGON system. After a search of the metadata, the user should inspect the browse image and its immediate neighbors in the image series for the point of interest before placing an order for photography. For example, each CORONA image is about 10 miles wide and looking at three consecutive images in a series will compensate for 10 mile errors in cornerpoint locations. The Appendix Guidance on Metadata Accuracy gives insights into the accuracy of corner coordinate data used within the imagery index, and will aid the reader in using the index to select imagery frames of interest. Also, the use of browse imagery allows the user to review a reduced resolution image to determine whether or not a specific site is contained in the selected frame.
Purpose: The CORONA Image collection was driven, in part, by the need to confirm purported developments in then-Soviet strategic missile capabilities. The images also were used to produce maps and charts for the Department of Defense and for other Federal Government mapping programs. The CORONA system provided a cost effective method to map the earth from space with stereo-optical images. CORONA demonstrated that the ability to adapt rapidly to a changing world is critical to the success of U.S. intelligence. This need to adapt grows even more acute as the pace of technological advancement increases. Data provided by CORONA offers beneficial information for environmentalists, scientists, scholars, and historians.
Related URL
Geographic Coverage
Spatial coordinates
Data Set Citation
Dataset Originator/Creator: USGS
Dataset Title: Tri-Decadal Global Landsat Orthorectified ETM+ Reg Scene V1
Dataset Series Name: Landsat Tri-Decadal
Dataset Release Date: 1995-02-24T00:00:00.000Z
Dataset Release Place: Sioux Falls, SD USA
Dataset Publisher: USGS
Version: V1
Data Presentation Form: PhotographsOnline Resource: http://earthexplorer.usgs.gov
Temporal Coverage
Start Date: 1999-06-29Stop Date: 2001-12-30
Location Keywords
Science Keywords
Quality Product anomalies may exist.
Access Constraints none
Use Constraints none
Ancillary Keywords
Data Set Progress
Data Center
Distribution Media: ftp download
Distribution Format: Filmscans
Fees: Scanned: No Costs, $30.00 (USD) service fee per scene for unscanned scenes
Role: TECHNICAL CONTACT
Phone: 605-594-6151, 800-252-4547
Fax: 605-594-6589
Email: lta at usgs.gov
Contact Address:
LTA Customer Services U.S. Geological Survey EROS Center 47914 252nd Street
City: Sioux Falls
Province or State: SD
Postal Code: 57198-0001
Country: USA
Role: METADATA AUTHOR
Phone: 605-594-6151, 800-252-4547
Fax: 605-594-6589
Email: lta at usgs.gov
Contact Address:
LTA Customer Services U.S. Geological Survey EROS Center 47914 252nd Street
City: Sioux Falls
Province or State: South Dakota
Postal Code: 57198-0001
Country: USA
Extended Metadata Properties
(Click to view more)
Creation and Review Dates
DIF Creation Date: 1999-06-01
Last DIF Revision Date: 2018-11-08


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Currently listing 273 recipes in 47 categories!Latest Recipes
3 cups pineapple, diced
2 cups coconut water
1 avocado, peeled and pitted
2 tablespoons agave nectar
3 tablespoons lime juice
pinch of sea salt
Place all ingredients, except for the avocado, in a high-speed blender.
Puree until smooth. Add in the avocado and blend briefly to the desired consistency.
Serve immediately
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Macquarie Capital and R/GA Ventures Launch Platform to Promote Innovations in InfraTech, with a Focus on Energy
New York, 31 Jan 2018
The Macquarie Capital Venture Studio with R/GA seeks companies with the potential to accelerate industries including utilities, transportation, and environmental services.
Today, Macquarie Capital and R/GA Ventures announce the launch of the Macquarie Capital Venture Studio with R/GA, a platform designed to promote innovations in InfraTech, with a focus on energy from source to switch.
As a global leader in infrastructure, Macquarie Capital has spent decades creating opportunities as a deal-maker, developer, financier, and investor in assets that communities depend upon—from roads to airports to wind farms. Today, Macquarie Capital continues to look beyond convention with this new initiative focused on innovative energy solutions: identifying and promoting companies with the potential to accelerate industries including utilities, transportation, and environmental services.
Seeking to capitalize on emerging technologies and market opportunities across the infrastructure value chain, the Studio will provide select B2B, B2C, and B2G companies with financial capital, access to Macquarie Capital's vast industry network and specialist knowledge, and expertise from R/GA's award-winning strategists, technologists, designers, consultants, and more.
"Macquarie wants to be at the forefront of emerging technologies, particularly around real assets. This initiative is much more than capital; it will help Macquarie engage entrepreneurs, connect clients with new solution providers, and support innovation," said Michael Silverton, Head of Macquarie Capital Americas. "We're looking for entrepreneurs who have developed products and services that have the power to increase efficacy, efficiency, and sustainability across the entire sector."
The Studio is open to companies at a variety of stages, from early to growth, and business models including B2B, B2C, and B2G. Qualified candidates have achieved significant momentum in the form of customers and revenue. Ideal products and services can unlock innovation across the energy ecosystem and the infrastructure value chain at large.
Sample Areas of Interest
- Energy and Renewables
- Utilities (Power, Water, and Waste)
- Transportation
- Smart Cities and Grids
- Batteries and other storage technologies
Sample Technologies
- AI/Machine Learning
- Blockchain
- Internet of Things
- Drones and Robotics
- Sensors
The year-long Studio will be split into three modules of three companies each. Each module will begin with a Product and Brand Assessment, during which companies' strategic needs are identified to inform a product/market impact plan. A customized team of R/GA's award-winning strategists, technologists, designers, and consultants will then collaborate with the company to help execute this plan—providing the same transformative services offered to the agency's Fortune 50 clients, and preparing them for future milestones including fundraising, pitching, and business development.
"R/GA is excited to collaborate with an industry leader like Macquarie Capital to launch this innovative Studio, leveraging our creative capital and network to create value for the participating companies," said Stephen Plumlee, Global Chief Operating Officer of R/GA and Managing Partner of R/GA Ventures. "Rolling admissions and the module structure will enable R/GA to offer the participating companies an increased level of engagement and support."
The year-long Studio will take place at the New York City headquarters of R/GA and Macquarie Capital, with applications opening the week of January 29, 2018 and rolling throughout the year. The first program module will take place beginning in May 2018. The program will culminate in a Demo Event in Spring 2019 where companies will have the opportunity to present to an audience of investors and industry executives.
For more information about the Studio or to submit your company for application, please visit: www.macquariecapitalventurestudio.com and follow #macquariecapitalvs on Twitter.
Stephen Yan
Macquarie Group Media Relations
+1 212 231 1277
About Macquarie Group
Macquarie Group Limited (Macquarie) is a diversified financial group providing clients with asset management and finance, banking, advisory and risk and capital solutions across debt, equity and commodities. Founded in 1969, Macquarie employs more than 13,966 people in over 27 countries. At 30 September 2017, Macquarie had assets under management of $371.3 billion. For more information, visit www.macquarie.com and follow @macquarie.
About Macquarie Capital
Macquarie Capital is the advisory, capital markets and principal investment arm of the Macquarie Group. Macquarie Capital provides strategic M&A and capital raising advice as well as partnering with clients by investing capital into their projects and companies. Macquarie Capital is a leading sponsor and developer of infrastructure assets across a wide range of industries including communications, transportation, green energy, midstream and upstream energy, conventional power, regulated utilities and related technology.
About R/GA Ventures
R/GA Ventures helps industry leaders embrace disruption, connecting them with emerging startups, technologies and consumer behaviors to drive their businesses forward. Since 2013, the R/GA Ventures portfolio has grown to include more than 80 companies across a variety of verticals. R/GA Ventures and R/GA are part of the Interpublic Group of Companies (NYSE: IPG), one of the world's largest advertising and marketing services organizations. Learn more at ventures.rga.com and by following @rgaventures.


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Saint Petersburg – Tsarskoe Selo – Saint Petersburg
2 days/1 night
A walking tour around the city of Saint Petersburg, which is rightfully called the second capital of Russia, namely because of its size and cultural heritage. A visit to The Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood. A tour to the Hermitage. An out-of-town tour to Tsarskoe Selo with a visit to the Catherine Palace and park.
A walking tour. The concise beauty of the Kazan Cathedral's and Mikhailovsky Garden's fence design; the intricate lace of the railings on the embankments and bridges; the never-ending melody of the cast-iron lacework represents the uniqueness of Saint Petersburg, and is one of the distinctive features of the "Northern Capital".
A tour to the Temple of the Resurrection of Christ (The Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood). Built in the early 20th century on the site where Emperor Alexander II had been mortally wounded. All the interior walls of the cathedral – from the basement to the main dome – are covered by an amazing mosaic carpet of icons and ornaments. The decoration of the temple is considered the country's rarest collection of the Russian mosaic art.
A tour to the Hermitage, featuring one of the largest collection of works of art and monuments of the world's culture, beginning from the Stone Age through the current century. Among the pearls of the Hermitage's collection there are works of Leonardo da Vinci and Raphael, Gauguin and Picasso, Titian and Rembrandt, as well as other artists.
An out-of-town tour to Tsarskoe Selo with a visit to the Catherine Palace. Tsarskoe Selo was a country-side residence of the Russian emperors; now it is one of the most beautiful suburban areas in Saint Petersburg, which you can visit any time of the year. During the tour, you will explore such internationally famous monuments as the Catherine Palace, the Cameron Gallery, the Hermitage and the Grotto pavilions. And of course, you will hear the story about the main glorifier of the Tsarskoe Selo's beauties, Alexander Pushkin, after whom the town was named.
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STUART — U.S. Rep. Brian Mast, R-Palm City, spent 2½ hours fielding mostly hostile questions Monday night at a town hall meeting in Stuart.
There were impassioned pleas to preserve health insurance and angry denunciations of President Donald Trump.
Many in the crowd were from the anti-Trump group Indivisible Martin County and came with T-shirts and red and green cards to signal their disapproval or approval of comments. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee also bought ads encouraging Mast critics to attend.
A fair number of Mast supporters were on hand as well.