text: Colin McRae Rally 3 - Game Guide by Jamie Stafford/Wolf Feather firstname.lastname@example.com Initial Version Completed: May 23, 2003 Version 1.0 Completed: May 23, 2003 ============================================== ============================================== ============================================== JOIN THE FEATHERGUIDES E-MAIL LIST: To be the first to know when my new and updated guides are released, join the FeatherGuides E-mail List. Go to http://www.coollist.com/group.cgi?l=featherguides for information about the list and to subscribe for free. ============================================== ============================================== ============================================== CONTENTS Spacing and Length Permissions Introduction Championship Mode Stages Mode Extras Mode Navigatorspeak (English Language Audio) Tuning General Tips Racing Tips: Braking Racing Tips: Cornering Racing Tips: Coasting Racing Tips: Weight Shifts Racing Tips: Wet-weather Racing/Driving Online Resources Contact Information ============================================== ============================================== ============================================== SPACING AND LENGTH For optimum readability, this driving guide should be viewed/printed using a monowidth font, such as Courier. Check for font setting by making sure the numbers and letters below line up: 1234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012 ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZabcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz This guide is now approximately 95 pages in length in the Macintosh version of Word98 using 12-point Courier font. Therefore, printing this guide in its entirety may not exactly be a great idea. ============================================== PERMISSIONS Permission is hereby granted for a user to download and/or print out a copy of this driving guide for personal use. However, due to the extreme length, printing this driving guide may not be such a good idea. This driving guide may only be posted on: FeatherGuides, GameFAQs.com, f1gamers.com, Games Domain, PSXCodez.com, Cheatcc.com, gamesover.com, Absolute-PlayStation.com, RedCoupe, ComputerUnderground.com, InsidePS2Games.com, CheatPlanet.com, The Cheat Empire, a2zweblinks.com, Gameguru, cheatingplanet.com, GameReactors.com, RobsGaming.com, Infogrames Australia, neoseeker.com, CheatHeaven, IGN, ps2fantasy.com, and vgstrategies.com. Please contact me for permission to post elsewhere on the Internet. Should anyone wish to translate this driving guide into other languages, please contact me for permission(s) and provide me with a copy when complete. Remember: Plagiarism in ANY form is NOT tolerated!!!!! ============================================== ============================================== ============================================== INTRODUCTION Colin McRae Rally 3 is the first appearance of the Colin McRae Rally series on PlayStation2. Not surprisingly, its graphics are excellent, the cars have more tuning options, the sounds are better and more convincing, and the frustration factor has been raised :-) Whereas most rally racing games tend to lean toward the arcade side of the racing genre (V-Rally 3 and especially Shox being two recent examples of this), Colin McRae Rally 3 is closer to the simulation side of the racing genre. With this in mind, Colin McRae Rally 3 is definitely NOT a game for just casual players of racing games. The main focus of CMR3 is Championship Mode, a three-season career mode where the player takes the role of Colin McRae himself. Nicky Grist provides the voice of the navigator (in the English-language audio only), adding another layer of realism to the game. There are many parts and vehicles which can be unlocked in the game; some only require finishing a rally, whereas others are unlocked by winning a rally. The Gran Turismo series, perhaps the most successful racing series on PlayStation and PlayStation2, introduced rally racing in Gran Turismo 2, and then brought it back with many visual changes and a few new venues in Gran Turismo 3. This is likely the first experience with rally racing for many PlayStation and PlayStation2 gamers. While Gran Turismo 2 includes two point-to-point stages (which were unfortunately eliminated from Gran Turismo 3), the Gran Turismo series primarily feature circuits, which are fairly rare in actual rally racing. To this extent, the Colin McRae Rally series is much more realistic than the Gran Turismo series, although the Gran Turismo series certainly excels in its vast multiplicity of tuning options. Please note that this guide does not provide detailed instructions for each stage or super-special stage in the game. After all, that is the job of the navigator!!! Also note that some of the information in this guide come from some of my other guides, with appropriate modifications: General Racing/Driving Guide V-Rally 3: Game Guide World Rally Championship: Game Guide ============================================== ============================================== ============================================== CHAMPIONSHIP MODE Championship Mode is the career mode of Colin McRae Rally 3. Here, the player takes the role of Colin McRae, participating in six rallies per year across three seasons of competition. For each rally, there is a specific progression which is followed. Day I: Shakedown Day Here, the player is given the opportunity to test the vehicle's set-up on a short stage which is (at least in theory) similar to what will be encountered in the actual rally on Days II and III. The player can also use Shakedown Day to gain information on the first three stages of the rally (all occurring on Day II), and change the car's set-up as needed. Day II: Start of Rally This is the time for each competitor in the rally to be presented to the gathered spectators. During this time, the running order for the rally is shown at the bottom of the screen; this is based upon the results of the previous rally (or the previous season, if this is the first rally of a given season). Start of Rally must be loaded and begin to play before the player can elect to end it prematurely and get started with the rally itself. Day II: Stages 1-3 At the beginning of each stage, the player is first shown the preceding vehicle - generally a competitor, but this will be the Marshals' vehicle if the player is the first competitor to take the stage - leaving to start the stage. Except for the first stage of the rally (when the vehicle is in perfect racing condition), the player is given a status update of the parts of the vehicle: tires, suspension, brakes, etc. Also important here, beginning with the second stage of a rally, is that the overall ranking for the rally is shown. The player's position in the rally is highlighted in yellow. Finally, the stage itself begins. There is a four-second countdown timer shown; when the timer reaches zero, the player can begin the stage, and the navigator (Nicky Grist, in the English audio version of the game) will begin to give driving instructions. At the end of each stage, the player is shown how her or his stage time compares with those who ran the stage previously. There is NO way to know at this point how the player's time compares with that of the other competitors in the rally. Day II: Service Area I At the end of the third stage, the player finally has the opportunity to fix damage and to prepare for the next three stages. The vehicle damage is automatically fixed by the CPU; since each team only has thirty minutes to repair a vehicle and tune it for the next three stages of the rally, not all damage incurred in the first three stages of the rally will necessarily be repaired, which makes safe, cautious driving quite important throughout the rally. At the Service Area, the player can also view information on the next three stages, and make the appropriate tuning choices. It is important to realize, however, that there is no Shakedown possibility here, so the player is essentially 'blind' in terms of knowing how the selected tuning options will work on the upcoming three stages. Day III: Stages 4-6 These stages operate in the same manner as the first three stages of the rally. Day III: Service Area II At the end of the sixth stage of the rally, the player is given one final opportunity to repair any vehicle damage (again, this is handled by the CPU). The player can also then view information on the upcoming Super-special Stage, and then alter the vehicle's set-up accordingly. Day III: Super-special Stage Each rally ends with a Super-special Stage, which is a head-to-head competition with a randomly-selected opponent still participating in the rally (as a rally progresses, some opponents will fail to finish a stage and are automatically given a DNF designation). A Super-special Stage is a so-called 'parallel circuit,' in which there are two lanes running essentially side-by-side with similar obstacles, and crossing at a given point on the circuit. The player will ALWAYS begin in Lane 1 (the left-most lane), and a full 'lap' leaves from the Start/Finish Line of Lane 1, through Lane 2, and returns to the Start/Finish Line of Lane 1. The navigator is still available and reads the pace notes as usual. The true trick for the Super-special Stages, however, is that they take place at nighttime. Therefore, visibility is extremely poor. Visibility may also be worsened by inclement weather. Day III: Podium Should the player be fortunate enough to finish a rally in the top three positions, the player will be required to go to the Podium Ceremony. Finishing in Second Place or Third Place, the player is shown Colin McRae and Nicky Grist driving onto a platform. Finishing in First Place, however, McRae and Grist are shown driving onto the platform, them hoisting their trophies and waving to the gathered spectators. Day III: Unlockables Should the player simply finish a rally, new tuning parts will generally become available. If the player WINS a rally, however, a new vehicle will generally be unlocked; this vehicle, however, cannot be used in Championship Mode. Fortunately, Colin McRae Rally 3 permits a maximum of three game saves for Championship Mode. The vehicles unlocked in Championship Mode are cumulative across ALL the game saves. Also, at the end of each event or stage in a rally, the player's progress is automatically saved. This happens VERY quickly, so if a player is not at all happy with performance on a given stage, the console must be VERY QUICKLY reset and the game reloaded to avoid having that stage's time counted in the rally; by quickly resetting the console, however, the player will be forced to rerun that stage. Finishing the third and final season of a career presents the player with a career ranking (in letter grades), followed by a slide show of rally images. ============================================== STAGES MODE Here, the player can compete on a single stage. However, the rallies and stages available depend on what has already been unlocked in Championship Mode, so the player must first work through Championship Mode. In Stages Mode, the number of players is selected, then the desired vehicle. Unfortunately, however, there is no vehicle tuning permitted beyond the use of either Manual Transmission or Automatic Transmission (unfortunately, Semi-automatic Transmission can only be selected in Championship Mode). Next the transmission selection is made. Then the player can choose a rally and a stage from that rally. The competition against the clock then begins; if the player has selected a super-special stage with the single-player option, there is no CPU-controlled opponent, so the player still races solely against the clock. The player's time is shown at the end of the stage, along with the differential to the best time for that stage (excluding times from Championship Mode), if applicable. The player is also given the option to rerun the stage, or to move on to the next stage (if applicable). ============================================== EXTRAS MODE Extras Mode primarily consists of video clips. As rallies are completed in Championship Mode, their opening video clips become available in Extras Mode. However, there are a number of initially-available video clips under the heading 'CMR3:' 001: Driving Conditions 002: Crew Report 003: Vehicle Showcase 004: Track Shakedown The 'CMR3' video clips all run consecutively. Unfortunately, there is no way to select any individual video clip. ============================================== ============================================== ============================================== NAVIGATORSPEAK (ENGLISH LANGUAGE AUDIO) Colin McRae Rally 3 (in the North American version) offers audio in English (the default setting, featuring Nicky Grist), French, and Spanish. This section covers the navigator's driving instructions in English. The navigator will give instructions to inform you of the many twists and bumps in the road ahead. Many times, these instructions are spot-on, although at times they are given just as you reach the specific corner or caution mentioned. Sometimes, however, the instructions are not quite exact, so take care to not follow the instructions to the letter without questioning. For this reason, it is also important for the player to keep looking as far ahead as possible, so as to not be mislead by any incorrect instructions and to also (hopefully) spot any potential shortcuts or unannounced areas of potential danger. If the sign panels at the top- center of the screen are activated, these will almost exactly mimic visually what the navigator is saying. Distance: The navigator will sometimes indicate distance. This is measured in meters (remember that one meter is slightly longer than thirty-nine inches). Most distances are '50' or less, but sometimes '100' or more will be heard. Direction: The navigator will indicate whether the upcoming turn is to the left or the right. '1' Corners: First gear is suggested for the corner. This call is extremely rare in Colin McRae Rally 3. '2' Corners: Second gear is suggested for the corner. '3' Corners: Third gear is suggested for the corner. '4' Corners: Fourth gear is suggested for the corner. '5' Corners: Fifth gear is suggested for the corner. '6' Corners: Sixth gear is suggested for the corner. However, if it is not possible to attain sixth gear, this means to go as fast as possible in as high a gear as possible. 'And:' This functions as a conjunction, indicating that the second instruction immediately follows the first instruction. It is also possible to be given a 'sentence' with 'and' used repeatedly to join multiple instructions. Note that 'and' can be interchanged with 'into' without any change in meaning; however, 'and' is used more often because it is shorter to pronounce. 'Care:' This catch-all call indicates a dangerous section ahead. This could include steep embankments, deep ditches, a narrowing of the road, a minor jump or crest, or other potential problems. The actual obstacle may also be indicated here. 'Caution:' This catch-all call is stronger than the 'Care' call. Some slowing may be in order here. 'Crest:' This call indicates a rise in the road ahead which will obscure the view if using one of the in-car cameras. The vehicle should not actually go airborne when topping the crest. 'Cut:' This means that a corner SHOULD be able to be shortcut at least slightly without causing any damage to the vehicle. 'Don't Cut:' Perhaps the most important utterance from the navigator, this call indicates that shortcutting the apex of the upcoming corner will produce extreme danger. This can range from large rocks or boulders at the apex to an unprotected cliff drop-off to a deep ditch. This call takes on added importance when on a steep uphill or\ downhill grade during a turn, especially in hairpin corners. 'Hairpin' Corners: Interestingly, many so-called 'hairpins' are actually U-shaped, double-apex corners. 'Into:' See 'And,' above. 'Jump:' This call indicates a rise that will send the car airborne if taken at full speed. 'Keep' + Direction: Stay to the indicated side of the roadway in order to avoid one or more obstacles or dangers. 'Long:' The upcoming corner is long. While this is not always the case, a corner designated as 'long' will often include an implied 'tightens.' 'Narrows:' The road ahead will narrow. 'Opens:' The upcoming corner has an increasing radius. Use caution in accelerating, as accelerating too soon could result in hitting obstacles or flying off cliffs. 'Outside:' Instead of cornering normally (outside to apex/inside to outside), keep a wide berth around the corner in order to avoid one or more obstacles or dangers. The type of obstacle is also often noted. 'Straight:' Listed in the game manual but not actually used in the game, this call indicates to go straight through the upcoming (slight) turns. 'Tightens:' The upcoming corner has a decreasing radius. Slowing will almost certainly be required before exiting the corner. While this is not always the case, a corner designated as 'long' or 'very long' will often include an implied 'tightens.' 'Tunnel:' There is a tunnel ahead. This is an important warning, meaning that the driver must be sure to remain on the official roadway to avoid slamming into the side(s) of the tunnel. 'Very Long:' The upcoming corner is extensive and will seem to go on forever. While this is not always the case, a corner designated as 'very long' will often include an implied 'tightens.' A very important note concerning the navigation calls is the numbers used. Distance calls are in increments of either 10m or 100m; any other number used in the navigation calls are suggested gears for corners. This is important to remember, as many of Nicky Grist's calls can sometimes sound rather smashed together, like a run-on sentence. For example, '3 left, 50, 5 left' may instead sound like '3 left 55 left;' '6 left, 100, 5 right, 30, 3 right' may instead sound like '6 left 105 right 33 right.' Knowing and internalizing the distance/gear convention is extremely important to properly interpreting the navigation calls, especially since the indicator panels at the top-center of the screen (if activated) do not provide a suggested gear (they only indicate the type of corner, although the color of a panel is generally indicative of a corner's severity). ============================================== TUNING Tuning takes on a VERY important role in Colin McRae Rally 3. Not only must a player take into consideration the terrain and weather conditions for a single stage, this must generally be done across nearly half of a rally at once, meaning that compromises are often required on one stage to have the best chance of placing first on another stage. The tuning in CMR3 generally falls into seven categories, with subsets of tuning options available: Brakes Brake Power: Brake Power controls the amount of brake pressure used whenever the brakes are applied. The options here are Light, Medium, and Strong. Brake Balance: This controls where the maximum amount of braking occurs, ranging from Front to Middle to Rear. Gearbox Gear Ratio: Adjusting the Gear Ratio has a tremendous effect upon both acceleration and top-end speed (in a straight line). A Low setting provides the absolute fastest and strongest, but at the sacrifice of top-end speed. A High setting gives the best top-end speed, but at the sacrifice of acceleration. Medium is the 'middle ground' setting. It is important to note that Nicky Grist's gear suggestions are generally based upon the Medium setting; using a Low or High setting will therefore require some mental adjustments on the part of the player. Transmission: Here, the player can choose from Manual, Semi-automatic, and Automatic. With Manual, the player must handle all gear shifts, which can greatly help to obtain the maximum performance from a vehicle when used properly. With the Automatic setting, the CPU controls all gear shifts. With Semi automatic, the CPU performs gear shifts, but the player can also force a gear shift at any time. Tires Tire Type: There are numerous types of tires used in the course of a rally. The options include: Tarmac Intermediate (barely wet conditions) Hard (excellent life, low grip) Soft (poor life, excellent grip) Wet Gravel Dirt Hard Gravel Stud (for snow/ice) Short Stud Medium Stud Long Stud Engine Power Balance: This controls how much power is given to the front and/or rear axles of a vehicle; this can thus also change the 'type' of vehicle. Front: The vehicle handles like an FF vehicle, which usually results in understeer. Middle: The vehicle performs like a standard 4WD vehicle. Rear: The vehicle handles like an FR vehicle, usually with great tendency to oversteer. Turbo: The player can choose the amount of turbo boost for the engine. The settings here range from Standard to Super to Super Mad. Launch Control: The Launch Control system, if enabled, can reduce wheelspin at the start of a rally. Perhaps the best- known example of this in motorsport currently is the traditional standing start in F1 competition. Chassis Chassis Type: The options here are Standard, Light, and Super Light. The lighter the chassis, the less weight is involved (theoretically resulting in faster speed and cornering), but the vehicle then becomes more and more prone to damage, which can adversely affect handling. Suspension Springs: The springs help to control the amount of vertical movement of the vehicle when riding over rough terrain or over obstacles. A Soft setting permits maximum vertical movement. A Hard setting allows only minimal vertical movement, but the vehicle is then much more prone to 'jumping.' A Medium setting is the 'middle ground.' Anti-roll: Anti-roll can reduce the chances of the vehicle rolling over when cornering at high speed. The options here are None (off), Medium, and Strong. Note that higher Anti-roll settings make cornering generally more difficult. Steering Steering Sensitivity: This controls how quickly the controller responds to the player's steering input. Options here are Fast, Standard, and Slow. ============================================== GENERAL TIPS Buy or rent or borrow any game in the Gran Turismo series, but especially Gran Turismo 2 or 3. In one of these games, work through the License Tests, as this will teach how to approach the various elements of racing, from judging braking distances to controlling a car on a surface with little grip. Gran Turismo 2 introduced rally racing to the series, so GT2 and GT3 both include a Rally License; the time and effort spent in acquiring the Rally License in GT2 or GT3 will help with Colin McRae Rally 3. Overall, Gran Turismo 2 is probably a better choice of the three games in the Gran Turismo series, as GT2 includes the Pikes Peak Hill Climb and Pikes Peak Downhill courses, the only point-to-point rally venues in the series thus far (all other rally events are held at actual circuits); unfortunately, both Pikes Peak stages were removed for Gran Turismo 3 :-( In rally racing, the principles of standard pavement-based racing apply. However, there is generally less tire grip in rally racing (unless a rally takes place primarily on tarmac, such as in Spain), which makes anticipation a key element in correctly holding a tight racing line at the apex of a corner, in judging braking distances on a steep downhill grade, etc. In general, '5' and '6' corners do not require braking to safely clear; '2' corners and hairpins DO require braking; '3' and '4' corners may necessitate braking depending on the surroundings and the entry speed. However, if on a steep uphill or downhill grade, even '5' corners may require braking, while possibly '2' corners will not necessitate braking. Hairpins ALWAYS require braking. Do not depend solely upon the navigator's instructions and the sign icons at the top-center of the screen (if activated) to drive cleanly through each stage. Try to look as far ahead as possible and use the lay of the land to determine what the road ahead will entail. Most roads follow the contours of mountains, using a series of switchbacks for climbing and descending steep mountainsides; those with even moderate backpacking experience will be easily able to recognize these contour patterns and thus be better able to anticipate upcoming corners. On occasion, visibility is clear so far ahead that it is possible to see turns one hundred meters - or more - beyond what the navigator is currently saying. Some roads leave one particular mountain and run along an adjacent mountain, and this can sometimes also be seen across a valley. For those roads atop short ridges or in vast plains, it is often possible to see the various turns far ahead. Try to use really tall objects such as trees - and especially telephone poles, as they are almost ALWAYS located directly next to the road - to determine the location and severity of upcoming turns. While not always the case, hairpin corners in Colin McRae Rally 3 often come in groups of two or more (with each corner leading in an opposite direction). This is good to remember for anticipating upcoming corners. Proper tire selection is EXTREMELY important, as selecting the wrong tire compound for a stage can slow the car by up to several seconds PER SECTOR. However, since most of the stages in Championship Mode (the game's career mode) are run consecutively without any Service Areas and opportunities to change vehicle settings, this will sometimes mean a MAJOR compromise on one stage in order to attain the best possible time on another stage. To the extent possible, ALWAYS brake in a straight line. If braking only occurs when cornering, the car will likely be carrying too much speed for the corner, resulting in the car sliding, spinning, and/or flipping. (While a car may not necessarily flip in this situation, a slide or spin can still mean the difference between winning and ending up in last position at the end of a stage.) A very important note concerning the navigation calls is the numbers used. Distance calls are in increments of either 10m or 100m; any other number used in the navigation calls are suggested gears for corners. This is important to remember, as many of Nicky Grist's calls can sometimes sound rather smashed together, like a run-on sentence. For example, '3 left, 50, 5 left' may instead sound like '3 left 55 left;' '6 left, 100, 5 right, 30, 3 right' may instead sound like '6 left 105 right 33 right.' Knowing and internalizing the distance/gear convention is extremely important to properly interpreting the navigation calls, especially since the indicator panels at the top-center of the screen (if activated) do not provide a suggested gear (they only indicate the type of corner, although the color of a panel is generally indicative of a corner's severity). Performing well in Championship Mode, especially above Normal difficulty, can be extremely difficult. Once Championship Mode has been cleared at least once, the player may benefit greatly from running each rally and each stage multiple times in Stages Mode. This means that the player will not be able to tune the selected vehicle - also, Semi-automatic Transmission cannot be selected - but this will allow the player to become more familiarized with that rally's stages. When ready, the player can then go to Championship Mode to participate in that rally; hopefully, the stages will thus not appear so 'foreign' and the player will have a better notion of what to expect and how to generally approach each stage and its various sections and difficulties. (Of course, this is VERY unorthodox for those desiring a truer rally- racing experience, in which the driver has little or no prior familiarity with the stages of a rally.) ============================================== ============================================== ============================================== RACING TIPS: BRAKING The first step in driving fast is knowing when, where, and how much to slow down (braking). In some games, a brake controller can be acquired or purchased, allowing the player to customize the brake strength by axle or by adjusting the bias of the brakes toward the front or the rear of the car; in other games, this is part of the 'stock' feature of the cars. The use of a brake controller will affect the braking zone, as will other factors. Specifically, the car's speed on approaching a corner, the amount of fuel in the car at a given moment, the drivetrain of the car, the weight of the car, and even the car's center of gravity can all affect the braking zone. Similarly, the driving conditions - sunny, overcast, damp, wet, icy, snowy etc. - will affect the braking zone for each corner (as well as the car's ability to attain high speeds). Except for purely arcade-style games, the braking zone will differ somewhat for each car depending upon its strengths and weaknesses. It certainly helps for the player to try a Free Run or a Time Trial (if these modes exist in a given game) to learn the circuit(s) - including the braking zones. When looking for braking zones, try to find a particular stationary object near the entry of each corner; it helps tremendously if this object is far enough away from the circuit that it will not be knocked over during a race. To begin, try using the brakes when the front of the car is parallel with the chosen stationary object. If this does not slow the car enough before corner entry or if the car slows too much before reaching the corner, pick another stationary object on the following lap and try again. Whenever changes are made to the car - whether to the brake controller or to other aspects of tuning and/or parts - it would be a good idea to go back into Free Run mode and check that the braking zones still hold; if not, adjust as necessary using the method in the paragraph above. For those races which include fuel loads, the car will become progressively lighter during a race. The lesser weight can often mean a slightly shorter braking zone; however, if tire wear is excessive (especially if there have been numerous off-course excursions), that might dictate a longer braking zone. Cars with a higher horsepower output will inherently attain faster speeds, and will therefore require a longer braking zone than cars with a lower horsepower output. Try a Volkswagon New Beetle, a Mini Cooper, a Dodge Viper, a Panoz Esperante GT-1, a Corvette C5R, and an F-2002 (all in stock/base configuration) along the same area of a circuit and note how their braking zones differ. A final note on braking: To the extent possible, ALWAYS brake in a straight line. If braking only occurs when cornering, the car will likely be carrying too much speed for the corner, resulting in the car sliding, spinning, and/or flipping. (Some games purposely do not permit the car to flip, but a slide or spin can still mean the difference between winning and ending up in last position at the end of a race.) If nothing else, players should strive to become of the 'breakers' they possibly can. This will essentially force a player to become a better racer/driver in general once the player has overcome the urge to constantly run at top speed at all times with no regard for damages to self or others. Also, slowing the car appropriately will make other aspects of racing/driving easier, especially in J-turns, hairpin corners, and chicanes. ============================================== RACING TIPS: CORNERING Ideally, the best way to approach a corner is from the outside of the turn, braking well before entering the corner. At the apex (the midpoint of the corner), the car should be right up against the edge of the roadway. On corner exit, the car drifts back to the outside of the roadway and speeds off down the straightaway. So, for a right-hand turn of about ninety degrees, enter the corner from the left, come to the right to hit the apex, and drift back to the left on corner exit. See the Diagrams section at the end of this guide for a sample standard corner. For corners that are less than ninety degrees, it may be possible to just barely tap the brakes - if at all - and be able to clear such corners successfully. However, the same principles of cornering apply: approach from the outside of the turn, hit the apex, and drift back outside on corner exit. For corners more than ninety degrees but well less than 180 degrees, braking will certainly be required. However, for these 'J-turns,' the apex of the corner is not the midpoint, but a point approximately two-thirds of the way around the corner. J-turns require great familiarity to know when to begin diving toward the inside of the corner and when to power to the outside on corner exit. See the Diagrams section at the end of this guide for a sample J-turn. Hairpin corners are turns of approximately 180 degrees. Braking is certainly required before corner entry, and the cornering process is the same as for standard corners: Approach from the outside, drift inside to hit the apex (located at halfway around the corner, or after turning ninety degrees), and drifting back to the outside on corner exit. See the Diagrams section at the end of this guide for a sample hairpin corner. If there are two corners of approximately ninety degrees each AND both corners turn in the same direction AND there is only a VERY brief straightaway between the two corners, they may be able to be treated like an extended hairpin corner. Sometimes, however, these 'U-turns' have a straightaway between the corners that is just long enough to prohibit a hairpin-like treatment; in this case, drifting to the outside on exiting the first of the two corners will automatically set up the approach to the next turn. See the Diagrams section at the end of this guide for a sample U-turn. FIA (the governing body of F1 racing, World Rally Championship, and other forms of international motorsport) seems to love chicanes. One common type of chicane is essentially a 'quick-flick,' where the circuit quickly edges off in one direction then realigns itself in a path parallel to the original stretch of pavement, as in the examples in the Diagrams section at the end of this guide. Here, the object is to approach the first corner from the outside, hit BOTH apexes, and drift to the outside of the second turn. There are chicanes of various types in rally racing, but they are not necessarily considered as such because the competitors tend to think corner-by-corner, and not complex- by-complex like circuit-based competitors. FIA also seems to like the 'Bus Stop' chicane, which is essentially just a pair of quick-flicks, with the second forming the mirror image of the first, as shown in the Diagrams section at the end of this guide. Perhaps the most famous Bus Stop chicane is the chicane (which is actually called the Bus Stop Chicane¹) at Pit Entry at Spa- Francorchamps, the home of the annual Grand Prix of Belgium (F1 racing) and the host of The 24 Hours of Spa (for endurance racing). Virtually every other type of corner or corner combination encountered in racing (primarily in road racing) combines elements of the corners presented above. These complex corners and chicanes can be challenging, such as the Ascari chicane at Monza. See the Diagrams section for an idea of the formation of Ascari. However, in illegal street/highway racing, the positioning of traffic can 'create' the various corners and corner combinations mentioned here. For example, weaving in and out of traffic creates a virtual bus stop chicane (see the Diagrams section at the end of this guide). Slowing may be necessary - it often is - depending on the distance between the vehicles. See the Sample Circuit Using Some of the Above Corner Types Combines in the Diagrams section at the end of this guide; note that this is a diagram for a very technical circuit. At some race venues, 'artificial chicanes' may be created by placing cones and/or (concrete) barriers in the middle of a straightaway. One such game which used this type of chicane is the original Formula1 by Psygnosis, an F1-based PlayStation game from 1995, which used this at Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve along Casino Straight (shortly after passing the final grandstands at the exit of Casino Hairpin). There are a few 'artificial chicanes' in Colin McRae Rally 3. One thing which can change the approach to cornering is the available vision. Blind and semi-blind corners require ABSOLUTE knowledge of such corners. Here is where gamers have an advantage over real-world drivers: Gamers can (usually) change their viewpoint (camera position), which can sometimes provide a wider, clearer view of the stage, which can be especially important when approaching semi-blind corners; real-world drivers are obviously inhibited by the designs of their cars and racing helmets. Great examples of real-world blind and semi-blind corners would be Mulsanne Hump at Le Mans, Turns 14 and 15 at Albert Park, each of the first three corners at A1-Ring, and many forest-based stages in rally racing. Also important to cornering - especially with long, extended corners - is the corner¹s radius. Most corners use an identical radius throughout their length. However, some are increasing-radius corners or decreasing-radius corners. These corners may require shifting the apex point of a corner, and almost always result in a change of speed. Decreasing-radius corners are perhaps the trickiest, because the angle of the corner becomes sharper, thus generally requiring more braking as well as more turning of the steering wheel. Increasing-radius corners are corners for which the angle becomes more and more gentle as the corner progresses; this means that drivers will generally accelerate more, harder, or faster, but such an extra burst of speed can backfire and require more braking. See the Diagrams section at the end of this guide for sample images of a decreasing- radius corner and an increasing-radius corner. For traditional road racing circuits, increasing-radius and decreasing-radius corners may not be too much of a problem; after several laps around one of these circuits, a driver will know where the braking and acceleration points are as well as the shifted apex point (should a shift be required). However, for stage-based rally racing, where the roads are virtually unknown and the driver knows what is ahead only because of the navigator¹s instructions (which - based upon notes - may or may not be absolutely correct), the unknown can cause drivers to brake more often and/or more heavily. For rally-based games, such as the Need for Speed: V-Rally series (PlayStation/PSOne/PlayStation2) or for World Rally Championship (PlayStation2), there is often specialized vocabulary used: tightens¹ generally designates that a corner has a decreasing radius, whereas widens¹ or opens¹ indicates that a corner has an increasing radius. This need for extra¹ braking is also tempered by the fact that in much of rally racing, corners are either blind or semi-blind, due to trees, buildings, cliffs, embankments, and other obstacles to clear vision all the way around a corner. One particularly interesting aspect of cornering is one which I honestly do not know if it works in reality (I am not a real-world racer, although I would certainly LOVE the chance to attend a racing school!!!), but which works in numerous racing/driving games I have played over the years. This aspect is to use the accelerator to help with quickly and safely navigating sharp corners. This works by first BRAKING AS USUAL IN ADVANCE OF THE CORNER, then - once in the corner itself - rapidly pumping the brakes for the duration of the corner (or at least until well past the apex of the corner). The action of rapidly pumping the accelerator appears to cause the drive wheels to catch the pavement just enough to help stop or slow a sliding car, causing the non-drive wheels to continue slipping and the entire car to turn just a little faster. Using this rapid-pumping technique with the accelerator does take a little practice initially, and seems to work best with FR cars; however, once perfected, this technique can pay dividends, especially with REALLY sharp hairpin corners, such as at Sebring International Raceway or those often found in rally racing. ============================================== RACING TIPS: COASTING Some players may believe that a good racer is ALWAYS either accelerating or braking. However, this is not always the best way to approach a given section of a circuit or rally stage. Coasting can sometimes be beneficial. First, consider standard street or highway driving. Street- legal cars are designed for the same foot to be used for both acceleration and braking (with the other foot used for operating the clutch if the vehicle uses a manual transmission). There is always a slight delay between acceleration and braking as the driver moves the foot from one pedal to the other; during this time, the vehicle is essentially coasting - that is, the vehicle's current momentum is the only thing moving the vehicle. In real-world racing, there are a number of drivers who use 'left-foot braking.' In other words, one foot is used for the accelerator, while the other foot is used for the brake pedal. Yet even in left-foot braking, a driver must take care to NOT be pressing both the accelerator pedal AND the brake pedal simultaneously, as this could cause the engine revs to spike and/or cause undue tire wear. Therefore, even though for a much shorter duration (perhaps best measured in hundredths of a second) than in standard 'right-foot braking,' there is always a short period of coasting. In many racing games, I find that coasting through tight corners (including tight chicanes) can sometimes be the best method to safely navigate these difficult sections - and this is true in both pavement-based games and in rally-based games. Certainly, braking properly (i.e., in a straight line BEFORE reaching the corner or chicane) is key to successfully coasting. However, using NEITHER the accelerator button NOR the brake button will cause the vehicle to coast, thus using the natural momentum of the vehicle to perhaps swing the vehicle around the corner or through the chicane. This is actually somewhat tricky to explain in words, and is really something that each player should try several times (especially on tight, technical circuits, such as Monaco and Bathurst, or virtually any stage of a rally-based game) to truly understand this technique. Once learned, however, players may easily find themselves adding this technique to their gaming repertoire :-) ============================================== RACING TIPS: WEIGHT SHIFTS Modern racing games are especially adept at simulating a vehicle's weight shift in a variety of situations. This section assumes that a vehicle is moving in a forward direction. When cornering, a vehicle's weight shift is to the opposite direction; in other words, if a vehicle is turning to the left, its weight will be shifted to the right (and vice versa). If the player attempts to corner too quickly, the resultant weight shift risks to slide the vehicle toward the outside of the turn; in extreme cases, the vehicle could lift and have only TWO wheels actually touching the ground, or potentially the vehicle could even flip onto its side or its roof!!! While it is certainly fun to see a vehicle on two wheels or on its side or roof, this is obviously counter- productive, especially in a close race or in a time trial mode. Tires and downforce play a role in helping to keep the vehicle on the ground during cornering, but once a given speed is surpassed for the type, radius, and angle of the corner in question, the player will have limited - if any - control of the vehicle. During acceleration, the vehicle's weight will naturally shift toward the rear. In most situations, this is not a particularly crucial phenomenon. However, if the vehicle is moving fairly slowly and the player suddenly slams on the accelerator, or especially if a race has a standing start (such as F1, TOCA, and rally races), this weight shift should be crucial. As the vehicle weight shifts to the rear of the vehicle, the rear suspension and tires could potentially take a lot of punishment. This is especially important for the tires, as the extra weight will require an appropriate amount of 'extra' acceleration (especially if the vehicle uses rear- wheel drive, which is true of many racing vehicles) to compensate and get the wheels to turn enough for the tires to adequately grip the racing surface to help to propel the vehicle forward. However, overcompensation could result in excessive wheelspin, which is quite likely to create undue tire wear. While braking, a vehicle's weight will shift toward the front of the vehicle. If the player brakes too late to corner safely yet still attempts to take the corner even semi- normally, the weight will load to the front outside wheel (in relation to the corner; i.e., to the front-left wheel if taking a right-hand corner) and risk causing the vehicle to slide off the course in the direction of the front-outside wheel. Even if not attempting to corner, the weight shift to the front during braking requires a little extra care to ensure that the front wheels do not lock (in those games which support wheel-lock, such as Pro Race Driver). In rally racing especially, the trick to successfully navigating many of the tight corners on the various stages is to use the vehicle's natural weight shifts to help successfully clear each section of the stage. This requires excellent knowledge of each rally car's capabilities and limitations, as well as superb anticipation and planning for each corner. Obviously, since most rallies are held on point-to-point stages, there is only one chance to successfully navigate each twist in the raceway, and using a vehicle's natural weight shift is crucial to 'getting it right' the first (and only) time!!! ============================================== RACING TIPS: WET-WEATHER RACING/DRIVING Almost everything written to this point in the guide focuses solely upon dry-weather racing/driving conditions. In fact, most racing/driving games deal ONLY with dry-weather conditions. However, simulation-based games (such as rally games) will include at least a few wet-conditions situations. This can range from Gran Turismo 3 - which uses two circuits (hosting a total of eight races between Simulation Mode and Arcade Mode) where the roadway has A LOT of standing water, as if the races take place just following a major prolonged downpour - to F1 2002 - where in most situations, players can purposely select the desired weather conditions for a given race. In wet-weather racing/driving conditions, it is IMPERATIVE to use tires designed for wet-conditions usage. For example, in F1 2002, in a full 53-lap race at Monza, I purposely tried running as long as I could with Dry Tires, then switched to Rain Tires when I could no longer handle the car's inherent sliding about... and my lap times instantly dropped by more than five seconds. In games which offer Intermediate Tires, such as Le Mans 24 Hours, the period when the racing circuit is simply damp (at the start of a period of rain, or when the circuit is drying after a period of rain) can be tricky in terms of tires. Intermediate Tires are certainly best for these racing conditions, but the time in Pit Lane spent changing to Intermediate Tires can mean losing numerous race positions, especially if the weather conditions change again a short time later and require another trip to Pit Lane to change tires yet again. Tires aside, simulation-style games simply will not allow a player to drive a circuit the same way in wet-weather conditions as in dry-weather conditions. The braking zone for all but the gentlest of corners will need to be extended, or else the car risks to hydroplane itself off the pavement. Throttle management is also key in wet-conditions racing. Due to the water (and perhaps even puddles) on the circuit or stage, there is inherently less tire grip, so strong acceleration is more likely to cause undue wheelspin - which could in turn spin the car and create a collision. If a car has gone off the raceway, then the sand and/or grass which collect on the tires provide absolutely NO traction at all, so just the act of getting back to the pavement will likely result in numerous spins. In general, cornering is more difficult in wet conditions than in dry conditions. To help ease this difficulty in cornering, simulation-style games will sometimes allow the player to change the car's tuning during a race (if not, the player will be forced to try to survive using the tuning set- up chosen before the beginning of the race). Tuning is covered in more detail in another section above, but the main aspect to change for wet-weather conditions is to raise the downforce at the front and/or rear of the car; this will help improve cornering ability, but will result in slower top-end speed and slower acceleration. If the car's brake strength can be adjusted, it should be lowered, as strong braking will raise the likelihood of hydroplaning off the pavement; lowering brake strength will also mean an additional lengthening of the braking zone for all but the gentlest corners of a given circuit. Registering Colin McRae Rally 3 grants access (for North American players) to Nicky Grist's pace notes for a stage in the Rally of Australia. While not particularly useful for gameplay purposes, it does add another sense of realism to the atmosphere of the game. ============================================== ============================================== ============================================== ONLINE RESOURCES Here are a few Internet resources for World Rally Championship, the actual FIA rally racing series which provides the basis for V-Rally 2. Codemasters (http://www.codemasters.com/) This is the American Web site for Codemasters, the publisher of Colin McRae Rally 3. A CMR3 sub-site is also available. FIA World Rally Championship - Mailing List (http://www.dusty.com.au/) Touted as "the world's biggest rally mailing list," results will be sent via e-mail for each competition. Rally-Live.com (http://rally.racing-live.com/en/) This site - available in English, French, and Spanish - includes rally news and images, information on drivers and teams, regulations, information on each racing venue, an online store, forums and chat capabilities, wallpapers, screensavers, and more. RallyForum (http://www.rallyforum.com/) This is primarily an online discussion area for everything related to World Rally Championship. RallyRallyRally (http://www.rallyrallyrally.com/) This site covers World Rally Championship, British Rally, European Rally, American Rally, and Asia/Pacific Rally news. World Rallying (http://www.worldrally.net/) This site is an independent source for information on World Rally Championship, including results for every season since 1994 and an online discussion area. ============================================== ============================================== ============================================== CONTACT INFORMATION For questions, rants, raves, comments of appreciation, etc., or to be added to my e-mail list for updates to this driving guide, please contact me at: firstname.lastname@example.com; also, if you have enjoyed this guide and feel that it has been helpful to you, I would certainly appreciate a small donation via PayPal (http://www.paypal.com/) using the above e-mail address. To find the latest version of this and all my other PSX/PS2/DC/Mac game guides, visit FeatherGuides at http://feathersites.angelcities.com/


text:
DHS Releases Career Guidance for IT Professionals
Homeland Security CIO Richard Spires aims to help people make better career decisions.
Many experts have long concluded that the federal government lacks a clear career path for federal IT professionals, making it difficult for government to effectively compete for and retain these professionals. But the Homeland Security Department is hoping to change that, in part by introducing a new guide that helps IT professionals at the agency navigate their careers and make better decisions about their professional development.
In a blog post Friday on CIO.gov, DHS Chief Information Officer Richard Spires announced the release of the first guidance document for IT workers, which lays out what it takes to succeed at DHS. The guidance features career profiles for 11 IT functional areas across three career levels -- individual contributor, manager and senior leader. The profiles are designed to help employees determine how to best prepare for new career opportunities with the agency, Spires said.
"This guidance provides employees with the framework to navigate the enterprise's complex IT landscape to experience a long, meaningful career at the agency," Spires said. "'IT Career Path' also serves to help establish DHS among the best workplaces in the nation for IT professionals."
The guidance also includes maps to help employees consider career options both insides and outside their current IT function."Together, the career profiles and maps simplify a sometimes convoluted path and enable employees to chart a course for developing the right skills, as well as how to best prepare themselves for their next career opportunity," Spires wrote.
DHS enlisted the advice of more than 100 IT and human capital professionals in developing the guidance. The guidance is part of DHS' IT strategic human capital plan, which launched two years ago in an effort to establish a vision for DHS IT human capital programs and processes, Spires said.
The lack of a defined career path for IT professionals -- particularly for those in IT program management and cybersecurity positions -- has long been considered a disadvantage for the federal government in effectively recruiting and retaining these skilled professionals. Agencies like the Office of Personnel Management and Office of Management and Budget have been working to develop new career paths for IT workers across government.
"Dedicated to strengthening the recruitment, development, retention and recognition of our IT workforce, the plan also is designed to transform the agency's IT environment -- which many do not readily consider when seeking employment and planning their career -- to enhance the agency's attraction to today's professionals," Spires wrote.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Hart Street enjoys an ideal, central location; it is a mere five minutes' stroll away from Princes Street - the main thoroughfare of the city - and a large number of museums, galleries and other visitor sites are within comfortable walking distance.
James and Angela Wilson's Georgian home is extremely elegant and welcoming. Fine furniture, old prints and authentic period details make this a wonderful setting for a visit to Edinburgh.
The small-scale nature of the enterprise offers a personal service tailored to the needs of the guests - breakfast times are built around the guests' own schedule and preferences, and breakfast itself can be adjusted to suit the tastes of the individual - from a traditional cooked breakfast to a Continental medley of yoghurt, fresh fruit and excellent coffee. All of this is served in the splendid, formal dining room of the house. Newspapers are always on hand, and there is plenty of time to linger.


text:
A help desk for computer related questions. HTML and web development help, and maybe some programming for fun. Geeks and non-geeks welcome.
This is for all threads deemed *very* important. All of the old sticky threads will be in here.
Post questions, threads regarding, suggestions, problems about online journals or your personal website here…
There are currently 2 users browsing this forum. (0 members & 2 guests)


text: Party animals, do not miss out on a night of revelry at Green Mango Club! The club sits in the heart of Chaweng, and boasts an open-air design concept, as well as a series of bars and spacious dance floors. It also features large screens, a pool table, games and live shows to keep party-goers well entertained throughout the night. Green Mango Club remains open until the wee hours of the morning, and draws in lively clubbers leaving other clubs and bars within the vicinity when they close for the night. This is truly a spot for late night owls in search of endless fun!


text:
Curry's 29 lead Warriors over Cavs in OT
CLEVELAND -- Stephen Curry somehow misplaced his shooting touch coming out of the locker room at halftime.
He located it just in time to save the Warriors.
Curry scored 29 points and made a clutch jumper with 13.5 seconds left as the Golden State opened a long road trip with their fifth straight victory, 108-104 in overtime against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Sunday.
Curry, who nearly recorded a triple-double by adding 11 assists and nine rebounds in 48 minutes, was just 1 of 11 from the floor in the second half and OT when he pulled up and knocked down the game's biggest shot to give the Warriors a 108-104 lead.
"Thank God for the green light," Warriors coach Mark Jackson said. "He's a guy we believe in. We're not going to tell him to stop shooting."
David Lee, who didn't have a point or rebound in the first half, finished with 19 points before fouling out for the Warriors, who are on the road for seven games over the next 13 days.
Kyrie Irving scored 27 for Cleveland, which dropped its fifth straight and lost its third tight game in a row. The Cavs lost by three in Boston on Saturday and two in double-overtime against Atlanta on Thursday.
"We've just got to close out games better," Irving said. "It sounds simple but we've just got to do a better job of it."
Irving drained a 3-pointer with 9.5 seconds left in regulation to tie it 99-all. The Warriors, who once trailed by 17, quickly pushed the ball up the floor for one final shot, but Curry's 8-foot runner in the lane bounced off the rim in the last second, sending the teams to overtime.
Curry threw his head back in disbelief at the miss.
"It was my best look," he said. "I just missed it."
But the silky smooth point guard more than made up for it in the extra session.
After Irving missed, Curry fed Andre Iguodala on the wing and the Warriors forward alertly hit a cutting Draymond Green for a dunk to put Golden State ahead 106-104 with 59 seconds to go.
Jarrett Jack misfired for the Cavs, and with the 24-second shot clock winding down on the Warriors' next possession, Curry dropped a contested 23-foot jumper from the left side to put Golden State up by four.
"It was frustrating," Curry said of his drought before hitting his big jumper. "None of them were tough looks. They were shots I made in the first half. You realize you have time to make some more plays. I was blessed I had more opportunities."
The Warriors then stole Cleveland's last inbounds pass to wrap up a grind-it-out win.
Green went just 2 of 10 from the field but added 10 rebounds, and Klay Thompson scored 16 for Golden State.
Curry's shot wasn't falling after halftime, so he adjusted his game and picked up seven assists in the second half and overtime.
The loss wrapped up a strange weekend for the Cavs, who excused Andrew Bynum indefinitely on Saturday for conduct detrimental to the team. The Cavs are trying to trade the 7-foot center, who signed a two-year, $24 million contract with Cleveland in July and showed flashes of being dominant again but became a headache.
Bynum's bizarre situation continues to hover over the Cavs.
His locker was empty except for a half-loaf of whole grain bread, a jar of peanut butter, headphones, a pair of sneakers and shower sandals. It's unlikely he'll be back to fetch them as the Cavs will either deal or release him before Jan. 7, the deadline for his contract to be guaranteed.
The Cavs beat the Warriors at their own fast-paced game in the first half, building a 64-47 lead with 1:13 left before halftime on Jack's 3-pointer.
But Curry, who came in shooting just 32 percent (20 of 63) from the field in his past four games, knocked down a pair of 3-pointers and Golden State closed the half with an 8-0 tear to pull within 64-55 at the break.
Curry went 5 for 5 from long range in the first half.
The Cavaliers reeled off 18 straight points in the first quarter, turning a five-point deficit into a 12-point lead. Irving and C.J. Miles made 3-pointers during the stunning run, which helped Cleveland open a 35-26 lead after one.
Game notes
The Warriors have won six in a row over the Cavs. ... Not surprisingly, Jackson had high praise for Curry, who came in averaging 23.2 points and 9.5 assists. "He's a star player," Jackson said. "I think people realize that. I love the fact he's picking and choosing when to facilitate, when to score. He's scoring the basketball but even more impressive is he's second in the league in assists." ... The Warriors will travel 8,300 miles on their road trip, which ends Jan. 8 at Brooklyn. ... Cavs coach Mike Brown said he had to take off his expensive shoes during the pregame walk-through and convince his young players he wasn't wearing Hush Puppies.
Regular Season Series
GS leads 1-0
Game Information
- Referees:
- Courtney Kirkland
- Michael Smith
- Steven Anderson
2023-24 Pacific Standings
Team | W | L | PCT | GB | STRK |
LA Clippers | 37 | 18 | .673 | - | W1 |
Sacramento | 32 | 23 | .582 | 5 | W2 |
Phoenix | 33 | 24 | .579 | 5 | L2 |
LA Lakers | 31 | 27 | .534 | 7.5 | W1 |
Golden State | 29 | 26 | .527 | 8 | W3 |


text:
Proposal Would Prohibit Ohio Doctors From Revealing Drilling Chemicals To Public
< < Back toDoctors given access to the proprietary chemical recipes that oil and gas drillers use as they crack into Ohio shale would be prohibited from sharing the information with the public under an energy proposal moving through the Ohio House.
Environmentalists liken the restriction to a gag order on medical professionals. Drilling companies say it's necessary to protect trade secrets.
Similar limits on medical professionals have become law in Pennsylvania and other drilling states. The rules are separate from new chemical disclosure guidelines in the bill.
An Ohio legislative committee was debating the provision Tuesday ahead of a possible vote.
It is part of a wide-ranging energy bill laying out other rules for Ohio's growing oil and gas industry. The legislation also adjusts Ohio's alternative energy standard to include waste heat.


text:
I'm presently running Firefox 3.6.8 on Ubuntu 9.04. My Firefox extensions include Ubuntu Firefox Modifications 0.9rc2. I've upgraded Firefox on this install a few times; as far as I can recall, some version of this extension was present when I initially installed Ubuntu 9.04. I have disabled it, mostly because I didn't know what it provided me, nor was I able to find out when I tried a bit.
What does the extension do?


text:
The Stone Throwers vs. the Caring Spirit
A press release on the website of Westboro Baptist Church reads: "Thank God for 14 more dead troops. We are praying for 14,000 more."¹ Strident members of this small Midwestern church (not affiliated with any Baptist denomination, despite its name) believe God is angry with America for tolerating homosexuality … therefore, God is killing off the military and causing natural disasters. Church members refer to these tragedies as GodSmacks, delivered by a vengeful sovereign who hates sinners.
Meanwhile, Westboro's hypercritical words and ways are deeply disturbing to most people. For example, church members picket the funerals of dead servicemen and women while holding signs that read "Pray for More Dead Soldiers." According to their website, members have participated in more than 47,000 pickets in over 850 cities in the past two decades.²
So what's going on here? This highly offensive behavior all begins with a "critical spirit" – an excessively negative attitude characterized by harsh judgments. Sadly, the belittling attacks of the WBC members have become the very standard by which they are being judged in the public arena.
Realize, criticism breeds criticism, whereas compassion breeds compassion. Jesus Himself said, "For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you" (Matthew 7:2 NIV).
Faultfinders Focus on Failures
Anyone can develop a critical spirit by focusing on the failures of others, and obviously no one is without fault. But faultfinders feel justified in playing dual roles: both judge and jury. Meanwhile, those being judged feel unjustly criticized … compared … condemned.
God, on the other hand, never focuses on our faults in ways that wound our spirit. Instead, His goal is to bring positive – though sometimes painful – conviction to motivate us to change. His plan is that we be conformed to the character of Christ. The critical spirit displayed by members of this caustic church in no way reflects the love of Jesus or the compassionate Spirit of Christ.
How do we discern between a critical spirit and a caring one? Here are nine key distinctions:
• Condemns the person as well as the action • Condemns the action, but not the person
The Bible makes the following contrast – "The words of the reckless pierce like swords, but the tongue of the wise brings healing" (Proverbs 12:18 NIV).
• Focuses on others' faults • Focuses on our own faults
Jesus uses an exaggerated word picture – "Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?" (Luke 6:41 NIV).
• Ridicules others • Encourages others
Proverbs 11:12 (NIV) says – "Whoever derides their neighbor has no sense, but the one who has understanding holds their tongue."
• Makes judgments based on appearances • Makes judgments based on facts
In John 7:24 (NIV), Jesus presents this imperative – "Stop judging by mere appearances, but instead judge correctly."
• Assumes the worst about others • Assumes the best about others
Jesus uses many questions to convey … the obvious – "Does our law condemn a man without first hearing him to find out what he has been doing?" (John 7:51 NIV).
• Tears others down without seeing their • Builds others up according to their
unmet needs inner needs
The apostle Paul makes this point plain when he says – "Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen" (Ephesians 4:29 NIV).
• Publicly criticizes others • Privately confronts others
Matthew 18:15 (NIV) is clear about confronting in private: "If your brother or sister sins, go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over."
• Reacts pridefully when given advice • Responds positively when given advice
The wisdom of Solomon is seen in Proverbs 13:10 (NIV) – "Where there is strife, there is pride, but wisdom is found in those who take advice."
• Lacks mercy toward others • Extends mercy toward others
James, the brother of Jesus, brings us this challenge – "Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment" (James 2:12-13 NIV).
Notice how Jesus instructs His followers to examine their own faults before attempting to find fault in anyone else. For example, when the religious leaders want Him to approve the stoning of a woman caught in adultery, Jesus invites anyone without sin to throw the first stone. Not a stone is thrown. Then, rather than condemning the remorseful adulteress, He sends her on her way to "sin no more."
Yet today, members of this negative, unorthodox church espouse that "God hates sinners" … but the truth is God loves sinners! However, He does hate sin because it deviates from His perfect plan for our lives.
Christ's Mercy – To Save Sinners
Consider the powerful words of the apostle Paul: "Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners – of whom I am the worst. But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his immense patience as an example for those who would believe in him and receive eternal life" (1 Timothy 1:15-16 NIV).
Nowhere in the Bible is one sin designated as the worst of all sins. In fact, God has a laundry list of sins that He wants to rid us of: "The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like."³ (Notice the words hatred, discord and dissensions, which ironically these church members are known to contentiously promote.)
We don't have to be members of a stone-throwing church to be resented and reviled by others. All that's needed to be a stone thrower is to spew out criticism with a hardened heart.
Ultimately, people with a critical spirit judge others with condemnation, while people with a caring spirit speak the truth with love. What a warning from Jesus to us all: "You … have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge another, you are condemning yourself …"(Romans 2:1) Ouch!


text:
Joseph is notably extant. He is a former commissioner of the Internal Affairs Commission, a subsidiary body of ASUCD government. He used to be Vice President of the Davis College Democrats, and he was formerly the Treasurer of DCD, and was the ASUCD IAC First Alternate Commissioner. Joseph was an active campaigner for the Phil Angelides for Governor campaign in 2006.
Other activities/groups Commissioner Bleckman is involved with include volunteering for KDVS and Undergraduate Admissions, the Davis Honors Challenge/University Honors Program, and the Living and Learning Community at The Colleges at La Rue. Joseph co-hosts the KDVS radio show "Math Robot" on Wednesdays from 9:30AM - 12:00PM. During the summer of 2007 the host of KDVS Public Affairs show California Focus. During his time with KDVS Joseph volunteer as an engineer for various shows and is an adminstrative assistant to KDVS. He was also a student member of the Academic Senate in the Admissions and Enrollment committee, which works to ensure fair and benefitial admissions practices at UC Davis. Joseph is currently the Undergraduate Alternate TAPS rep.
Joseph was an official candidate for the ASUCD Senate in the Fall 2006 Elections. He did not win the election, during which he ran as an Independent. In late 2006 he created the Aggie Centrist Team which he briefly ran on before accepting an invitation to become a Student Focus member in student government. He ran again in the Winter 2007 ASUCD Election under Focus. He lost again. He suprisingly received fewer votes in his second election, likely because he spent the vast bulk of his time in the second election talking to voters about the importance of voting yes on a referendum to keep Unitrans funded, rather than about himself. As expected the Unitrans measure ended up close to the 20% voter turnout threshold it needed to take effect - netting 22% in total. It passed overwhelmingly with 89% approval of those who voted. Joseph was a policy minister for GO in the Fall 2007 ASUCD election and is a current member of GO. He decided to run for ASUCD President in the Winter 2008 ASUCD Election with Andrea Thomas.
He maintains his own compost bin that he started after going to a presentation from Project Compost.
Joseph Bleckman mentored Greg Webb during his freshman year and helped put him on the path to righteousness.
Greg Webb on Joseph:
When I stand up for students, I do it because Joseph convinced me it was worth it. Saving face with the hands of power makes people powerless if in the selfish acts we lose our principles. Joseph is a martyr, a victim of the lost souls desperately attempting to save face to a God that sees beyond the cracked mirrors and toxic smokescreens. I am proud to have upheld the good fight when the tired champion named Joseph had moved on to more important battles. Joseph Bleckman is a visionary of hope and a champion for the hopeful.
Presidential Advertisements
Winter 2008 ASUCD Elections |
Senate Candidates |
Independent: Greg Webb |
LEAD: Sergio Blanco, Andrew Bianchi, Poonam Dayalji, Erica Oropeza, Ramneek Saini, Rebecca Schwartz |
GO: H Seigenfeld, Chris Dietrich |
Executive Office Candidates |
LEAD: Ivan Carrillo + Molly Fluet |
Independent: Andrew Peake + Laura Nevins |
Independent: Joseph Bleckman + Andrea Thomas |


text:
I've lost what little patience I had with the politicking over the health care reform and also over the humongous chasms between the parties. Now, the Democrats are nothing to crow about, the weasely lot, mostly. But the Republicans would like to live in some sort of a jungle (except with wingnut churches and wives, to take care of all non-battle stuff). I can't honestly see how this country can ever be run to the satisfaction of most, given the differences in almost all values. Or so it feels today.
Here's what I just read:
President Obama exhorted Senate Democrats on Sunday to put aside their differences and seize their moment in history by passing landmark health legislation. But senators said he did not mention sticky issues like abortion or a new government-run insurance plan.
Thorny unresolved issues include the proposal for a government-run insurance plan; insurance coverage for abortion; cost-control measures, including the powers of an independent commission to rein in Medicare spending; and requirements for employers to provide health benefits to workers or pay a penalty.
That last sentence has so much material in it that it would take ten books to spell it all out, by the way. But nobody tries to spell any of it out. In particular, nobody spells out what happens if those "thorns" are pruned out. To take just one example, look at the very end of the sentence, all about the requirement for employers to provide health benefits or to pay a penalty.
Suppose firms are not required to provide benefits, even though that IS the way Americans are predominantly expected to get their health insurance. Where will the workers go for their coverage, then?
The answer would be that fabled insurance exchange, where abortion might not be covered, even if it's medically necessary and where the policies which are offered might be only individual policies, always more expensive than group policies. All this ties into the question of a government-run option and into cost-control in general and so on.
Despite these grumbles, the proposal would cover many more Americans and that should be a good thing. But this is the Republican response:
The Senate Republican leader, Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, said Mr. Obama needed support from every Democrat because the bill had "virtually no appeal to any Republican senator."
"Here we are a few weeks before Christmas, with Democrats trying to squeeze every single one of their members to swallow a pretty bitter pill for the American people," Mr. McConnell said.
I'd like an amendment which requires all politicians to use whichever health insurance system works the worst in the country. Now that would be a way to get some improvements.


text:
Home | Reviews | Extras | Forums |
Cat Planet CutiesSynopsisKakazu Kio suddenly finds himself between a soft place and a soft place when he has an encounter of the fourth kind with Eris, a Catian alien who has arrived on Earth to meet new people, sample their food and... well, just have fun. But while a lot of the Earthlings doesn't seem to mind -- or even notice -- their new alien visitor, there are others out there who can and will react quite differently to our cat-eared friend from outer space. ReviewI have to hand it to AIC on this one: they've managed to create a light, ecchi entertainment series that actually entertains, at least for the most part. Part of the reason is because Asobi ni Iku Yo! puts a little more thought into the elements it includes in most of its runtime, and as a result feels more like a really bizarre episode of The X-Files than just some random, light entertainment. For instance, you're not going to mistake Elis as being anything but an alien, and not just because of the occasionally twitching cat ears on top of her head. She's got a nifty, tight bodysuit that enhances her strength, a small army of robotic servants that do her bidding, and a ship that she can call on whenever she feels like it. But she's so openly friendly and cheerful that I suspect people have an easy time overlooking the ears and the tail. (Her bountiful chest might also help her with distractions, should she ever need it.) So yeah... you're not going to mistake this for a non-ecchi show anytime soon. Within the ten first minutes, our hapless male lead is going to wake up with her in his bed, wearing (presumably) one of his shirts that barely contains her chest. The shenanigans continue later, when the other Catians arrive and mistake a school swimsuit for popular female fashion suitable for meetings. It's also that kind of show. So, why is this show so much fun when it sounds like any other ecchi show out there? Well, first and foremost, it does play around with the whole concept of aliens, but also how people would comically overreact if aliens really did arrive. While the initial crowd seemed unaffected by Elis' arrival, other groups quickly take a keen interest in her, and not always with benevolent intentions, but usually funny ones. (For instance, there's an organisation that are just OUTRAGED that their first encounter would be with such an airhead as Elis, and they're more than happy to resort to violent means to rectify the situation.) Not to worry, though, because there're also various organisations that are positively beaming with excitement over her arrival. In fact, after a couple of episodes, I humorously wondered whether there were any people left who WEREN'T part of some kind of secret organization. Of course, the show does have some darker sides to it. Nothing too outrageous, of course, but even from the opening we are introduced to what basically amount to an infiltration attack at sea. Not all organisations are played for laughs either, which means that the cast of the show are going to be involved in some pretty rough firefights at times. So I guess this is as good a time as any to introduce you to Kio's two other love interests that he doesn't really know he has. (Because he's oblivious, see?) There's Futaba Aoi, a deadpan secret agent who has the ability to transport just about anything straight into her hands if it's within her transporter range. She used to be an agent of an organization that wanted Elis dead, but since that meant going against Kio, she naturally deserted that organization for his sake. And then there's Kinjou Manami, Kio's childhood friend, and.... a secret agent for the CIA. She starts out quite tolerable at first with her blunt and direct nature, but quickly sours that relationship when she turns violent towards Kio for little to no reason other than there's still people out there who find women abusing young men funny. She'll later turn the show nearly intolerable once the whole love rectangle element gets off the ground. In fact, said love rectangle is allowed to take up far too much time. Which would have been fine if there'd be any actual progression, but Kio remains clueless (though he DID pick up on Elis' intention when she offered him her first mating season), and so Manami loses her temper at him far more often than I would have liked seeing. At least Aoi's just being wishy-washy; I can deal with that most of the time. After all, I've watched and rewatched Ah! My Goddess at my leisure. But then, Keiichi and the goddesses at least had the good sense to put any relationship issues aside whenever a critical situation arose. On levels of entertainment, Asobi ni Iku Yo is too much like Koihime Musou in that it varies greatly from episode to episode. Some episodes, mainly the first ones, are quite funny, while a lot of the later ones are just tedious. The last story arc is actually fairly entertaining for the most part, but it's also the part where the whole aforementioned love rectangle gets to go on for much too long. (Straight up to the last ten minutes.) But the real curveball of the show -- and possibly my favorite episode of all -- is episode 9; a melancholy, self-contained little piece about the very first Assistaroid. It gets a little referential about a song from a show called Captain Future, an old Toei series, but it's mainly about the Assistaroids themselves and why they are designed they way they are. It probably won't make you break out the box of paper hankies, but maybe you'll feel a little misty-eyed all the same. Asobi ni Iku Yo! is available on Crunchyroll right now, so I recommend you go check it out. It's not the most brilliant show out there, but it's a fun and mostly lively show. And since Tim synchroed it with me, I'm going to let him round off this review with his opinions. Tim: My opinion on Asobi ni Iku Yo! isn't as positive as my colleague's, though I do agree the show is pleasant for the most part and that Elis is pretty cute. The Kio/Manami/Aoi triangle is really annoying, and the series just drags out and out until the final episode. Which is a shame, because the animation and art are great, the fight sequences are decent, and there is some legitimate problem-solving that goes on when it comes to Elis and her race versus an evil group introduced a quarter or so into the series. It's a weird juxtaposition of sci-fi action and bland, by-the-numbers romantic comedy. If you think you can stomach the romantic comedy aspects, I'm sure you'll enjoy Asobi ni Iku Yo! just as much as Stig did. As for me; I wish Aoi would've slapped Manami a lot more often for interrupting important scenes with her endless whining about her feelings for Kio. Drags seriously from the middle and almost all the way to the end, but is otherwise actually quite fun. — Stig Høgset Recommended Audience: There isn't a whole lot of onscreen violence in this show, and, offhand, I have problems remembering if anyone actually died in fights. The gunfights themselves do occasionally get relatively serious, so it's safe to say that you need to be at least a teenager to watch this. Version(s) Viewed: crunchyroll.com stream, Japanese with English subtitles Review Status: Full (12/12) Cat Planet Cuties © 2010 Okina Kamino / Media Factory / Embassy of Catia |
© 1996-2015 THEM Anime Reviews. All rights reserved. |


text:
What to do when health problems or medical treatments thwart your love life
This is the time of year when stores are filled with red hearts and other reminders that Valentine's Day is approaching. It's a mood booster, not to mention a nice break from all that winter grey (at least up here in Boston). After all, what would life be like without romance, love—and sex?
Unfortunately, a variety of health problems—as well as some of the treatments for them—can get in the way of sexual desire and functioning. Here's a quick look at some of the main sources of trouble and suggestions about what to try first. If these initial strategies don't work, have a heart to heart with your doctor about what to do next. There may not be a quick fix for health-related sexual problems, but there are steps you can take to help ensure that you can still enjoy a love life while taking care of the rest of your health.
Arthritis comes in many guises, but most forms of this disease cause joints to become stiff and painful. The limitations on movement can interfere with sexual intimacy—especially in people with arthritis of the knees, hips, or spine.
One common solution is to try different positions to find a way to make sex physically more comfortable. Another option is to take a painkiller or a warm shower before sex to ease muscle pain and joint stiffness. Or try a waterbed—which will move with you.
You can read more online by viewing this helpful article posted by the American College of Rheumatology.
Cancer treatment may have long-term impact on sexual desire and functioning. Surgery or radiation in the pelvic region, for example, can damage nerves, leading to loss of sensation and inability to have an orgasm in women and erectile dysfunction in men. Chemotherapy can lower sex drive in both men and women.
When you talk with your doctor about your cancer treatment, bring up any concerns about sexual functioning. There may be ways to modify your treatment to limit its effect on sexual function or to address problems that develop after treatment.
The American Cancer Society has an excellent article on the topic of sexuality after treatment that is worth reading.
About one-third to one-half of people with major depression (where mood impairs ability to function) experience sexual problems. Depression can be both the cause and the result of sexual problems. For example, depression may cause a loss of desire. Or sexual problems may develop first—perhaps as a consequence of some other health issue—leading to depression.
Someone who takes an antidepressant for depression may face a double whammy, because some of these drugs further impair sexuality. For example, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs)—among the most commonly prescribed antidepressants—prevent or delay orgasm in 30% to 40% of people, and cause erection problems in 10% of men.
If depression is a cause of sexual problems, then treating the depression should alleviate them. But if sexual problems develop after you start taking an antidepressant, the problem is more likely to be the drug. A first step is to wait it out, because sometimes these sexual side effects diminish with time. If they persist, talk with your doctor about whether lowering the dose might help. It's also possible that you can switch to a different antidepressant with fewer sexual side effects.
For more information, read an article on depression and sexuality from the Harvard Mental Health Letter.
One-third to one half of men with diabetes experience problems having or maintaining an erection—what doctors refer to as erectile dysfunction. The disease contributes to erection problems in at least two ways: by harming nerves and by damaging blood vessels in the penis. Women with diabetes also may develop nerve and blood vessel problems that affect sexual desire, arousal, and the ability to have an orgasm.
Carefully controlling blood sugar through a combination of diet, exercise, and medication (if necessary) is a first step to avoid nerve and blood vessel damage.
The American Diabetes Association also offers advice for men and for women about how to deal with sexual problems that may develop as a consequence of diabetes.
Heart disease
Cholesterol-clogged deposits inside coronary arteries are often at the root of heart disease. These deposits aren't limited to the heart, but extend to arteries throughout the body. They are a leading cause of erection problems in men (one reason why heart disease and erectile dysfunction often occur together), and can also contribute to arousal difficulties in women.
High blood pressure creates other problems, by damaging the inner lining of arteries and impeding blood flow to the penis and the vagina. Making matters worse, some blood pressure medications can cause erection problems.
Engaging in regular physical activity—which helps lower blood pressure and improves blood flow throughout the body—may not only help improve your heart health but may also improve sexual functioning. (Think of it as one more motivation to get off the couch.) If a blood pressure medication is contributing to your sexual problems, switching to a different drug may help.
The American Heart Association has published brochures and other advice for people who want to remain sexually active following a heart attack or stroke.
And by all means discuss your concerns with your doctor the next time you go for a heart checkup. After all, one of the reasons for keeping your heart healthy is so you can share it with someone!
For more information
Much more information about how to maintain healthy sexual functioning as you age and face health problems is available through our Special Health Report, Sexuality in Midlife and Beyond.
Or you can contact any of the advocacy organizations listed below for additional information about how to cope with specific health problems:
The American Diabetes Association
The American Heart Association
About the Author
Ann MacDonald, Contributor
As a service to our readers, Harvard Health Publishing provides access to our library of archived content. Please note the date of last review or update on all articles.
No content on this site, regardless of date, should ever be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from your doctor or other qualified clinician.