text:
Search by
Mario the Magician & His Suitcase Machine
This event has already taken place. Click here for the latest events.Add to Calendar 06-07-2013 06-07-2013 15 Mario the Magician & His Suitcase Machine Join acclaimed children's performer Mario the Magician for an uplifting, inventive, and highly interactive magical performance for the young and young-at-heart. Part retro, part rock and roll, Mario is an artist and inventor who creates his own props. Mario's old world looks and physical comedy style are reminiscent of his heroes, Buster Keaton, and Charlie Chaplin, but he puts a thoroughly modern spin on everything he does. http://www.nymetroparents.com/2015neweventinfo.cfm?id=133601 Metropolitan Room true DD/MM/YYYY
If you go: Please tell them you saw this event on
Upcoming Events at Metropolitan Room:

subset: commoncrawl


text: Alice Lloyd College is proud of its alumni. To us, you are family. Like all Appalachians, we are tied to our home in the mountains. We want you to come home to Alice Lloyd whenever you like, and when you're here, you will be welcomed back by one of these friendly faces in the Office of Alumni Relations.


text:
Skip to comments.Army leaders vow 'gender-neutral' standards for women in combat
Posted on 01/29/2013 7:38:09 PM PST by Tailgunner Joe
As military officials formulate plans to open combat positions to women, the Commander of the Army's Training and Doctrine Command is vowing any changes in job requirements will be handled fairly.
"Soldiers - both men and women - want fair and meaningful standards" Gen. Robert W. Cone said. "I think that fairness is very important in a values-based organization like our Army."
Last week, Secretary of State Leon Panetta and Army Gen. Martin Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, announced the end of the 1994 policy that prohibited women from serving in combat positions below a brigade level. At that time, Panetta said each branch of the military will examine requirements for positions and provide information by May 16 if they feel some jobs should remain off limits to women. Full implementation is due by 2016.
The vast majority of the newly opened positions will be in the Army. As of September, 418 of the Army's 438 military occupational specialties, known as MOSs, were open to women. The remaining positions are now being examined to determine if they will be opened.
Cone said the Army will be "looking at knowledge, skills and attributes of soldiers and get the best match in specialties (now restricted) like infantry, armor, field artillery and engineers."
One of the main areas of examination will be physical requirements.
"Soldiers don't want to see (that) degraded," Cone said.
Cone said each requirements for each position will be examined, such as information on how much infantry soldiers are required to lift and carry and for how long. Once that information is complete, Cone said scientists will develop physical tests to validate those requirements.
He added that TRADOC is also examining armies in countries such as Iraq and Canada, where women already serve in combat roles.
In comments made shortly after the change was announced, Dempsey echoed Cone's statements about fairness and training.
"Some fear that this decision will lower standards in our military. That is simply not the case. The services will carefully examine current standards to ensure we have them right, taking into consideration lessons learned from a decade of war and changes in equipment, tactics and technology. We will study each closed occupational field or unit to determine where women are able to serve," he said.
"Let me be clear: The standards will be gender-neutral -- the same for men and women. The burden of proof used to be 'why should a woman serve in a particular specialty?'" Dempsey added. "Now, it's 'why shouldn't a woman serve in a particular specialty?'"
Yea, right.
""I think that fairness is very important in a values-based organization like our Army.""
Is this a joke?
General idiot here is just angling for a another star.
Should be, but isn't.
WRT "...such as Iraq and Canada, where women already serve in combat roles." What was the last time Canadian's were in combat and how many of their women were involved in sustained, direct ground combat? As far as the Iraqi army, well, we know how their last two major theater wars turned out. Maybe this is designed to give them a "fair" shot.
How about you dimwitted generals worry about combat effectiveness. This is not it.
Women soldiers used in front-line offensive combat operations just don't cut it.
Right. In other words they will determine that the current standards are no longer necessary and they will lower them so that women will be able to qualify. Hence, making them the same for men and women.
Which will decrease the margin of safety resulting in unnecessary loses that gets friendly combatants killed.
Translation: Standards will be lowered across the board so that everyone feels better about themselves. Whether or not America will ever again win a war is irrelevant, as long as nobody's feelings are hurt.
Is this guy actually a career soldier? Did he draw the short straw in the Marxist Club in college and have to infiltrate the military to further their goals?
The nail has been struck squarely on the head.
Does that mean that the women entering the infantry will have to meet the same minimums on the PT test as the men?
The minimum passing score in the Army in each category (pushups, situps, and the 2-mile run) is 60 points.
For a 20-year-old male, that's 42 pushups. For a female, it's 19.
The more common minimum acceptable score for infantry units is 70 points, with a strong push for 80 points. Which are 49 and 57 pushups, respectively.
There certainly are some women who can meet these standards, though not many. Will the women entering the infantry be held to the same standards as the men? Or will they be held to the lower, gender-specific standards?
In the case of an electronics tech, the gender-specific standards make some sense. In terms of general health and conditioning, the male and female standards represent roughly equivalent levels.
But when you're dragging a wounded buddy out of an alley after an ambush, he doesn't get lighter just because you're a woman. In the infantry, objective, rather than relative, measures of performance are appropriate.
Ugh. Where is fairness suppose to fit into an organization in which the main function is to kill or die in order to protect the nation. With men like this running our military it's not really our military anymore is it? I mean these guys are paid to protect our way of life not transform it into somekind of Communist ideal. And the destruction of the natural differences between men and women and all peoples really is at the core of Communism, which itself is just a means to a end.
What's next? Pass a UCMJ regulation against gravity?
No problem, people. We'll just make a standard that lots of women can pass and make THAT the standard for both sexes. Then we'll have infantry made up of women AND weak men! Mission accomplished!
(What mission? Why, turning our armed forces into a new Peace Corp, of course! Only with rifles and APCs!)
Spelling out the realities. You ever go up 1 on 1 in sports against a female? They are always in slow-mo vs a man no what shape the female is in.
Does that mean the women will have to walk point?
Gender neutral = lower standards for all members. Great! The feminization of our Military has begun. How long before we have a military equivalent to France's???
As long as their packs are the same weight and they take their turn humping the .60 cal.
winnah winnah chicken dinnah.
I remember during rugby practice one time the women's varsity politely asked the men's freshman team to scrimmage so they could "up their game". The scrimmage was called after 5 minutes due to the men, playing at 3/4 speed, runing over the women. Both sides realized it was a pointless exercise, not repeated.
The nail has been struck squarely on the head.
Yep! Straight into the cranium. America.....folks......is DEAD.
She was a good country while she lasted, tho, and I loved her dearly. Had great hope for my children.
Be ready to pay up....and accept whatever our elite masters want from us.
Yep, if they're cherries.
No double entendre intended.
Couldn't resist:
First screening test using a live grenade:
Can the women candidates throw a hand grenade far enough to not be killed or wounded by the grenade?
So violence against women is values based? And they cried that the republicans were waging war on women, butdems are putting them women in war and hiding behind them.
the worst part of this horrendous decision is this....if a woman is allowed to be given a combat role, then she can, and will be ordered into one.....she, like every male in the military, will have to accept whatever position that she is ordered to fulfill.BAD IDEA.....of all the inane things coming out of the Obama administration, this is, by far, the worst.
Forgive me but our military leaders running the army talk like little PC pussies.
With all that is going on, I am SO thankful that being in the armed forces is still voluntary.
Someone once said, when a country sends their wives and daughters to fight its war it will soon have neither. ...Or something like that.
Gender neutral. Does that mean every infantryman will be required to lift a box of girl scout cookies?
Translation from lawyer speak. "All existing standards will be replaced with standards that both sexes can perform. Existing standards are seen as favoring males"
They will have to make gender neutral grenades.
"I think that fairness is very important in a values-based organization like our Army."
Hey general dumbsh!t. Yeah YOU. Life isn't fair. Neither is combat. Values don't live between a soldier's legs.
You dumbkopf's have just doomed a lot of MALE soldiers to unnecessary deaths in order to butt snorkel owebama and the rest of his metrosexual commie rat b@stards!
Hate to break it to you, mate, but you are decades too late for that particular worry. Even as far back as the seventies some muck-sucking politico(s) mandated a defined percentage of females in the military. To meet the ordered percentages, standards were lowered across the board by any means necessary, and near as can be determined that has not changed.
An Army of none.
They just change the regulations. It's funny to see four women carrying a stretcher. Mind you this is just in training exercises without full gear and bullets flying.
Already lowering standards
Spelling out the realities. You ever go up 1 on 1 in sports against a female? They are always in slow-mo vs a man no what shape the female is in.If you were to say "usually", I'd agree with you. But "always" simply isn't true.
"Always" my case.
"Always" in my case.
No real man would enlist now, only women and homosexuals will sign up.
Every great empire becomes a victim of its own success.
Spoiled by luxury, the population becomes soft in body and mind, while believing itself enlightened when it is really deluded.
Just examine history: it's the same pattern every time.
Women will probably go Air Force or Navy. SEALS and such you have to volunteer. Homosexuals, not sure where they are hiding out.
You noticed that too? /sarc
I use the common vernacular by calling it the wussification of society.
They are. Anyone in the blast radius will be killed or wounded regardless of gender. The grenade does not care what gender you are when you pull the pin and throw it. It will explode regardless of the distance thrown.
"Fairness"... who does this general think he is, a five-year-old?
Gender-neutral standards? Obviously he's fighting a war against reality because a) the vast majority of humans are either male xy or female xx, and b) it is precisely these chromosomal arrangements that decide the upper limits of strength of the fighting force.
How many BS surveys will be conducted/sent out to the troops to obtain feedback... feedback ostensibly used in order to formulate appropriate, workable policy?
It would be what those old FR threads about being Delphi-ed are all about. Institute whatever-the-h*ll policy they intend from the get-go, but keep a revolt down by making survey participants think that it was some sort of consensus within the ranks.
They'll want honest feedback all right... so they'll know what kind of opposition they face and can thus counter it effectively.
This one will be the ultimate "gender survey"... on steroids.
I wonder if this latest scheme is a follow-up to intergrating perverts. After all, the women are surely more welcoming (than normal males) of the catty, bitchy... er I mean chatty, crafty interior decorators in their midst.
This must be one of those generals who passed Obama's "test" with flying colors.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.


text:
Dr. Alyn L. Adrain has been named president of the Rhode Island Medical Society. Adrain is a gastroenterologist practicing in Providence and a clinical assistant professor of medicine at the Alpert Medical School of Brown University. A Rhode Island native, Adrain has served as a council member since 2006. She holds an M.D. from Brown University. •
Monday, February 20


text:
Fergalicious Conduct Wedge Bootie
Sorry, this item is sold out!
Looks like you've got more shoe shopping to do - have fun!
Looks like you've got more shoe shopping to do - have fun!
Item # 257364
Elevate your style in this fantastic new bootie from Fergalicious. The Conduct wedge is right on trend with its tassel accent and cuffed look.
- Faux suede upper
- Foldover cuff
- Heel zipper with fringe tassel accent
- 3½" stacked wedge heel
- Synthetic sole
- Imported
- View more Women's Fergalicious Shoes
By: BROL
Location: mn
February 10, 2013
"These boots are comfortable and so cute."
By: KRyan
Location: Chicago
February 04, 2013
Loved but broken
"I love these shoes. They go with almost all my outfits. I've only been wearing them for 2 weeks and the heels on both are gone and the rubber trim on one has broke. Very disappointed because I love them. The suede on top was buckled on one shoe when I received them but I loved them so much I ignored it. Despite it all, still loving them!"
By: estuck
Location: San Antonio
January 26, 2013
Fergi Wedge
"I loved the look of this shoe, but wearing it around the house for only 30 minutes was painful."
By: marllin
January 15, 2013
Click anywhere to close this.


text:
At the Feb. 4 Marin Energy Authority meeting, Marin County Supervisor Charles McGlashan, MEA's chairman, publicly stated that I had not carefully read materials relating to MEA.
For the record, I did read MEA's documents, the grand jury's report, interacted with professionals in the municipal investment field and have concluded that MEA's plan to enter the energy business poses a financial risk for Marin County ratepayers and taxpayers.
As your elected county treasurer, I have no agenda, political or for personal gain. My primary responsibility is as an independent fiduciary to protect the fiscal and financial health of this county.
During my tenure, I have seen both exemplary and ill-conceived proposals, but in my opinion, none as concerning as MEA's intent to enter the energy business.
Many residents may be unaware of MEA, but continues with its plan known as Marin Clean Energy.
The plan consists of a majority of Marin cities and towns in conjunction with the county forming a joint powers agreement to replace PG&E as the provider of electricity within our utility bills excepting those cities/towns that have opted out.
MCE will automatically put businesses, households and government agencies in their program, unless they "opt out"; and if they opt out later, it's with a termination fee.
If the program is as good as some believe, you would think ratepayers would have been given the option to "opt in" instead.
To launch MCE, the county has already spent over $850,000 and recently approved an additional $950,000 loan guarantee. Going forward, MEA projects substantial start-up costs and a long-term debt issuance of $375 million, an amount larger than any other in the county's history with no public vote of approval.
I do not understand the rationale to compete with a regulated public utility in the midst of the most serious financial shortfall confronting the county.
This year, Marin County faces a $20 million budget shortfall; county supervisors will likely be forced to cut critical public services, including in-home support for the elderly and public safety.
Over the next five years, the county's annual budget shortfall is projected to climb to $50 million.
The county's focus should be with public works, public welfare and public safety.
MEA supporters, including MEA directors from member cities, minimize the risks associated with their plan.
If that is the case, why hadn't a single Marin town or city provided financial support?
Proponents argue that customer revenue will provide sufficient assurances to lenders, seeking a guarantee of repayment should MEA default on its loans or fail altogether.
In the end, the assurance may likely be the county's general fund; leaving Marin County taxpayers a financial debacle that will dwarf the current budget outlook.
Taking such risks might be understandable if the environmental benefits for Marin were less doubtful.
While there may be some shortterm benefits initially, it is the future years that matter.
Instead, MEA should be working with PG&E, assisting homeowners and businesses in becoming energy independent and providing jobs for those in the energy retrofit business instead of sending dollars out of the county to initially buy energy from Shell.
MEA should not proceed to create a redundant energy business at added costs and financial risks. They have no expertise to buy, own and operate commercial power/facilities.
PG&E is justified in seeking to protect its ratepayer base. It has and needs to continue to build upon its serious efforts to "green" its electricity portfolio.
The grand jury, which consists of 19 individuals without political agendas, has recommended abandoning MCE. I urge each ratepayer to visit its report at www.co.marin.ca.us/depts/GJ/main/cvgrjr/2009gj/clean_energy.pdf
At this time, MCE is moving forward.
We as residents have not had the opportunity to vote, we as ratepayers will be in MCE unless we decide to opt out.
Michael Smith of Sausalito is Marin County treasurer-tax collector.


text:
By GARY ARRINGTONSports writer
Emery complained last time to the Utah High School Activities Association and they complained again this time about the play of Pablo Coro for Juan Diego basketball. Pablo is a Chilean and a Weber State signee and is supposed to be 18 years old. After Orem High School could not make Pablo eligible for the season because of problems, Pablo ended up at Juan Diego in time for region play and eligible to play. That brings us to now.
Emery, after leading by 20 points at the half, lost a heartbreaker to Juan Diego last Wednesday night in Draper. Final score in the loss was 64-63 with the final score being Juan Diego's first and only lead of the ballgame. Coro, after having only seven points in the first half, finished the game with 30 points. The game seemed to change after the Eagle coach threw a major fit on the floor and the calls all went their way after that. I have seen technicals called for much less this season and was very surprised that none was called here. If I talked about fouls that went uncalled, I would be here for a while.
Emery came out hot to start the game. Emery scored the first five points of the game and led 18-4 before winning the first quarter 22-7. Jason Giles scored nine points in the quarter to lead the way. Emery continued the romp in the second quarter with Karson Jensen leading the way with 10 points. Emery led at the half 41-21.
Coro scored 14 points in the third quarter and came away with several steals that led to fast breaks and easy baskets for the Eagles. Despite Giles scoring seven more points, Emery lost the period 26-14.
Emery went cold in the fourth quarter, turned the ball over several times and lost the ball game when Coro made a free throw with five seconds left in the game for the Eagles first lead.
Giles led the team with 16 points, Karson Jensen had 15 points and Nevin had 14 points as three Spartans finished in double figures. Brett Mecham scored six points, Colton Barnett and Tanner Procarione each had four points and Cameron Hansen and Gatlan Huntington each scored two points.
With the loss, Emery was in a three-way tie with Salem Hills and Juan Diego for the region lead.
On Friday night, Emery faced a must win game against the Delta Rabbits and defeated Delta 72-44 and finished the region season tied with Salem Hills for the region championship.
Although Emery won each of the first three periods but not by a lot. Emery led 14-7 after the first period, 26-18 at the half and 40-31 after three quarters. Emery had a major fourth quarter to take a close game and turn it into a blowout.
Emery scored the first points of the ballgame on a basket by Karson Jensen with 3:30 gone in the period. Emery then went down 5-2 and then outscored them 12-2 in the first quarter.
Emery scored the first three points of the second quarter and then the Rabbits scored the next seven points to keep the game close. In the fourth quarter, Emery scored the first nine points of the period and then won the period 32-13 to grab a big win.
Cameron Hansen came off the bench and scored eight points in about two minutes of play to help Emery open up the game in the first quarter. It was team ball in the second quarter and then in the final period, Giles scored 11 points to close out a good ballgame.
For the night, Giles and Gatlan Huntington each scored 14 points in the game as both players hit three 3-pointers. Hansen also finished in double figures with 11 points. Tanner Procarione scored nine points, Karson Jensen scored seven points, Nevin Jensen scored six points, Derek Tuttle scored five points and Colton Barnett and Brett Mecham each scored three points.
Emery has a game this Tuesday night against Union and will host a play-in game Friday night against the Wasatch Wasps at 7 p.m. in the Spartan Center.


text:
Style # 217685
Vintage feel with a classic look, your beauty is disorienting. Wear these pumps to the show matching our Lace Bra Bustier, and Black Statement Earrings. You've stumbled upon a great buy that showcases your sensational sexiness.
- Synthetic upper, synthetic outsole
- Heel height: 6.5" (17 cm) with a 2.5" (6 cm) platform
- Imported
Rated 5 out of 5�by 2 reviewers.
Rated 5 out of 5�by Zully Crazy in Love These shoes are gorgeous I wish I can wear them every day .....love them love them love them ....I got them in black they look better than the picture. March 29, 2014
Rated 5 out of 5�by SDawes In Love These shoes are BEAUTIFUL!!!! The picture doesn't do any justice in how they look in person. December 1, 2013
1-2 of 2


text:
The 2011 Castle Dale City General Election scheduled to occur on
November 8, 2011 to elect (3) three Council members has been canceled.
Section 20A-1-206. Utah Code Annotated, 1953 as amended, specifically
provides that a municipal legislative body may cancel a local election
if the number of municipal officer candidates, including any eligible
write-in candidates for the at-large municipal offices, does not
exceed the number of open at large municipal offices for which the
candidates have filed. Three (3) candidates have filed for the three
(3) open positions of Castle Dale City Council member. Therefore, a
general election will not be necessary and pursuant to Resolution
10-13-11 passed and adopted on October 13, 2011, the Castle Dale City
General Election scheduled on November 8, 2011 was canceled.
Linda Turner
City Recorder
Published in the Emery County Progress October 25 and November 1,


text:
Adele, Lady Gaga, and More Unconventional Pop Stars
Adele has the country's bestselling album for the second week in a row and Lady Gaga is topping Billboard's singles chart. As Britney Spears and Rihanna lag, is the reign of the conventional pop princess over?
Related on The Daily Beast: Gays Turn on Lady Gaga
There is almost nothing about Adele's single "Rolling in the Deep" or its accompanying video that would suggest the makings of a pop behemoth.
Related on The Daily Beast: Top 10 Unconventional Pop Stars
For one, the song's retro, bluesy sound is a far cry from most of today's club music inspired R&B from Rihanna and Bruno Mars.
For another, the woman singing it has ginger colored hair often styled in a retro Dusty Springfield-inspired bouffant. Though she is, in her way, quite beautiful, she's far from sample size, looking nothing like Britney Spears, Beyonce, or many of the other pop stars who have dominated the charts in the last decade.
Yet for the last two weeks, Adele's sophomore album 21, propelled by this song of love and loss, has been the No. 1 album in America, selling more than 500,000 copies, a feat practically unheard of in today's world of digital piracy.
Meanwhile, on Billboard's Hot 100 chart, the woman running the show is the let-your-freak-flag-fly-high queen Lady Gaga. Her latest single "Born This Way" is an intended anthem for America's struggling gay youth and anyone who feels picked on for being an outsider.
The combined success of 21 and "Born This Way" represent a milestone in female pop music-a moment when the loner girls, who were ignored, overthrow the prom queens and take back the crown.
And it's not a two-woman army, either.
Susan Boyle, a Scottish singer who earned international acclaim at the age of 48 when she appeared on Britain's Got Talent, is another breakout star whose unconventional looks played a part in her popularity. When she had a makeover in August 2009, those who fell in love with the homely homebody almost had a collective breakdown.
La Roux, an electropop duo featuring Elly Jackson-an androgynous girl with a penchant for bright orange lipstick and an equally bright red, windblown Flock of Seagulls hairstyle-recently sold 2 million copies of their single "Bulletproof."
Size 28 Beth Ditto, the openly gay female singer of the indie rock band Gossip, has become a favorite on the ever fascistic style scene, singing at store openings for Alexander McQueen, opening shows for Jean-Paul Gaultier, and appearing in fashion magazines all over the world. The 30-year-old also has a major label with Sony.
As does Sia, 35, another performer in an open relationship with a woman, who appears in her video as a construction worker. The Australian singer-songwriter has a blond bob that looks like a child's doll after it's been dragged around the playground.
And then there's Janelle Monae, who is on tour with Prince. The 25-year-old has a traditionally beautiful face that would be the envy of virtually any woman, but she frames it in Cab Calloway-like drag.
Is fat the new thin? Is ugly the new beautiful? Is out the new in?
Even the pop starlets that embody conventional ideals of beauty appear to be throwing on ever more extreme outfits, donning outre head-pieces and sporting clothing that is far more theatrical than in years past, as if to point out that they will not be defined solely by their sexiness.
"You have Katy Perry wearing bright blue wigs and Ke$ha with the smears of paint all over her face, and Rihanna with her big red unruly blop of hair," explained Maura Johnston, the founding editor of music industry blog Idolator and writer at Popdust. "I don't think you would have seen something that wild 10 years ago in the initial wake of the Britney/Christina [Aguilera] boom. Even Selena Gomez, who's this Disney princess, just dropped a single about how she's not pretty enough and doesn't conform to the beauty ideal."
Annabel Tollman, a prominent celebrity stylist whose clients have included Shakira and Scarlett Johansson, has also noticed the trend. "When I'm talking to new artists who I'm working with, people are much bolder about their outfit choices. Gaga gets referenced a lot. She's changed the landscape."
Still, Tollman says the shift by no means began or ended with the "Poker Face" star. "Five pretty girls in mini-skirts are not going to sell a record anymore," she said, in what sounds like a veiled swipe at The Pussycat Dolls. "We had so much of that manufactured pop and people are over it. They want to see real talent."
The changing physical appearances of today's female musicians could also be attributed to shifting economic realities. Stars like The Pussycat Dolls and Britney Spears, with their pricey glam squads, super-producers, and troupes of backup dancers, are a ridiculously expensive proposition in an era where consumers are buying fewer and fewer records. Last fall, Sony dropped Jennifer Lopez and her stratospheric beauty costs were cited by insiders as one of the major impediments of doing business with her.
Related on The Daily Beast: Read Four Reasons Why "American Idol" Is Back From The Dead
By contrast, the women who put on their own eyeliner and dress themselves seem far more likely to write and produce their own music. Many of them even came from independent record labels, honing their talent and their looks in obscurity before garnering partnerships with companies like Sony and Universal. Though the bulk of them are not yet selling to the degree that Spears or Beyonce did, their profits come in more consistently.
Robyn, for example, a rough-looking Swedish electropop singer with a mop of short blond hair (think: Annie Lennox by way of Scandinavia), went from being a 1997 teen star in the Britney Spears vein to doing edgier dance music on an independent label she founded called Konichiwa to getting a deal in the United States with Sony BMG. Not coincidentally, her biggest song to date, 2010's "Dancing on my Own," is about being an outsider, the story of the unseen girl in the corner watching the homecoming queen kiss the guy she wants. The lonely dance hit propelled Robyn from nightclub gigs to selling out Radio City Music Hall last month.
And Gossip, which features Beth Ditto, spent seven years on a small label called K Records, before being discovered by legendary producer Rick Rubin and getting signed to Sony.
But the trend of the rising underdog is not all powerful. Ron Shapiro, an independent music manager and former head of Atlantic Records, noted that country queen Taylor Swift is anything but jolie laide and she's one of the bestselling artists in America today. Still, Swift writes her own songs, which also tap into rejection -- even if those snubs are coming from Joe Jonas or John Mayer.
Nevertheless, Shapiro was relieved that Adele had become such a mainstream success. "The voice is extraordinary, the art and songs and the presentation are authentic... She's so painfully real, and that does let you escape having to be a beauty queen in the traditional sense... And clearly, millions of people in the world feel the same way."
Related on The Daily Beast: Check out more of the latest entertainment, fashion, and culture coverage on Sexy Beast-photos, videos, features, and Tweets
Jacob Bernstein is a senior reporter at The Daily Beast. He has also written for New York magazine, Paper, and The Huffington Post.


text:
- "The Empire's Son"released December 2014A flash fiction commission for legendary author Nike Sulway, as part of her 200 stories of 200 words in 200 days project. You can read it here.December 2014Age: 12+
- "The Mirror in the Middle of the Maze"released 2012
Trust Me Too!, Ed. Paul Collins (Ford Street)2012
The lastest in a series of stories featuring Roslin of Geheb, the protagonist of the Broken Land series.Age: 10+
- "The Jade Woman of the Luminous Star"released 2011Harper Voyager
Ghosts by Gaslight: Stories of Steampunk and Suspense, Eds. Jack Dann & Nick Gevers2011Harper Voyager
"Devotees of M. R. James, H. P. Lovecraft and Algernon Blackwood will relish this superior anthology of original stories…. It seems almost unfair to single out individual works when all 18 are superb and will be cherished by steampunk and horror fans alike." (Publishers Weekly)
"Ghosts By Gaslight is a triumph of a themed anthology. Among the hundred or so books I have read this year, this one is my favorite. Acquire it at all costs. Highly recommended." (HorrorWorld/Cemetery Dance)
- "The Spark (A Romance in Four Acts): A Tale of the Change"released 2010HarperCollins (Australia)
Honarable Mention Year's Best Fantasy & Horror
Legends of Australian Fantasy, Eds. Jack Dann and Jonathan Strahan
Celebrate the legends of Australian fantasy. Extraordinary voices ... extraordinary worlds.
These eleven short novels will take you on amazing new journeys with favourite characters from the worlds you know and love.2010HarperCollins (Australia)
Honarable Mention Year's Best Fantasy & HorrorAge: 15+
- "Ungentle Fire"released 2009Ace (US)
The Dragon Book: Magical Tales from the Masters Of Modern Fantasy, Ed. Gardner Dozois & Jack Dann
Whether portrayed as fire-breathing reptilian beasts at war with humanity or as noble creatures capable of speech and mystically bonded to the warriors who ride them, dragons have been found in nearly every culture's mythology. In modern times, they can be found far from their medieval settings in locales as mundane as suburbia or as barren as post-apocalyptic landscapes-and in The Dragon Book, today's greatest fantasists reignite the fire with legendary tales that will consume readers' imaginations.
With original stories by New York Times bestselling authors Jonathan Stroud, Gregory Maguire, Garth Nix, Diana Gabaldon, Tamora Pierce, Harry Turtledove, Sean Williams, and Tad Williams as well as tales by Naomi Novik, Peter Beagle, Jane Yolen, Adam Stemple, Cecelia Holland, Kage Baker, Samuel Sykes, Diana Wynne Jones, Mary Rosenblum, Tanith Lee, Andy Duncan, and Bruce Coville.2009Ace (US)Age: 12+
- "The Magic Dirt Experiment"released 2005Ticonderoga (Australia)
Magic Dirt: The Best of Sean Williams, 2008, Ed. Russell B Farr (Ticonderoga)
Mitch? 4: Slow Dancing Through Quicksand: Short Stories From Aussie Writers Who Should Know Better (ed Mitch?), March 2005 (first publication)2005Ticonderoga (Australia)Age: 12+
- "The Goggle"released 2003Antipodean SF
Antipodean SF #65 (archived by Pandora), October 20032003Antipodean SFAge: 10+
- "The Butterfly Merchant"released 2003Ticonderoga (Australia)
Magic Dirt: The Best of Sean Williams, 2008, Ed. Russell B Farr (Ticonderoga)
Agog! Terrific Tales, April 2003, Ed. Cat Sparks (Agog! Press)
(Excerpt from The Stone Mage & the Sea.)2003Ticonderoga (Australia)Age: 12+
- "Team Sharon"released 2002Ticonderoga (Australia)
Magic Dirt: The Best of Sean Williams, 2008, Ed. Russell B Farr (Ticonderoga)
Mitch? 3: Hacks to the Max (ed Mitch?), April 2002 (first publication)
Adapted for the stage by the University of Adelaide Theatre Guild, 2009, director Michael Allen.2002Ticonderoga (Australia)Age: 15+
- "The Leaf"released 1991Dragon's Whisper
Dragon's Whisper #4, December 19911991Dragon's WhisperAge: 12+
A flash fiction commission for legendary author Nike Sulway, as part of her 200 stories of 200 words in 200 days project. You can read it here.


text:
Oral-B Professional Care 8850 Rechargeable Power Toothbrush @ drugstore.com - $29.99
was $109.99
(FatWallet Deal Hunter staff posts are certified ad-free. No money, bribes, or candy have been accepted.)
Disclaimer: By providing links to other sites, FatWallet.com does not guarantee, approve or endorse the information or products available at these sites, nor does a link indicate any association with or endorsement by the linked site to FatWallet.com.
About Us | Blog | Site Map | Mobile | Contact Us | Careers | Privacy | User Agreement | D.M.C.A. Notice | Civil Process Policy | Ebates| BFAds


text:
MacT going nowhere
Jason Gregor
April 02 2009 09:38PM
They say timing is everything, and the timing for Darryl Katz to declare his coach is safe is very puzzling.
Prior to the Oilers game tonight against San Jose, Katz sent a text to the pre-game host on Oilers radio, Bob Stauffer, that said basically "MacTavish is going nowhere."
Not earth shattering news to anyone that the owner has the back of his coach, but why he felt the need to say it publicly is perplexing.
The pulse-o-meter in the OilersNation reads that the fan's anger, disappointment and frustration are at an all-time high. The Oilers are on the verge of missing the playoffs for the third straight year, all with MacTavish behind the bench. They are coming off another typical loss, which included a 15-minute lapse that cost them the game, not to mention an illegal stick call that backfired in MacTavish's face.
Yesterday, MacTavish stated that even he would understand if his job security was wavering.
"I've been here for a number of years and I've had terrific support from virtually everybody and if I've got less now than before, it's a hazard of the profession. You have fixed time to deliver the goods. I'm not forecasting anything, but you're always evaluated on how many games you win. We've got ourselves in a position where we should be better."
Did Katz send out the message because he wanted to protect his coach? Was there a need with five games to go in another disappointing season to create more friction between the team and their fans?
The team is underachieving, despite a high payroll and almost no financial flexibility in the future. Season number one as the new owner has not gone the way Katz or anyone in the Oiler organization hoped it would.
His text message just fuels the fire that new GM, Steve Tambellini, doesn't have much say in how the organization is run. And there is no evidence that shows Tambellini has the ability to be a true GM under this regime.
Or maybe Katz just gave his coach the proverbial kiss of death. He wouldn't be the first owner or GM to come out and proclaim the coach's job was save, only to give him a pink slip a month later.
I've stated for months that MacTavish won't be fired, but that he would resign when he felt he wasn't benefiting the team. After the loss to the Ducks, you got the feeling that MacTavish was begining to wonder if his departure behind the bench might be best for the team.
If the coach has the slightest tinge of doubt, why wouldn't the owner? If Katz doesn't realize his team needs changes on and off the ice this summer, you wonder if the fans frustration starts to appear in the form of empty seats next season.
The Oilers haven't been able to realize what time to show up on many nights and today their owner followed suite with some bad timing of his own.
April 02 2009, 11:16PM
Lets see what tomorrow brings, I'd wager Brownlee or Gregor can come up with something, they're usually pretty solid.
April 02 2009, 11:16PM
April fools is on April 1st right?
April 02 2009, 11:20PM
I think Harold ballard has been reincarnated he is Daryl Katz.Thats all we need a owner who wants to play GM of his hockey team and have his President and GM be hand puppets
April 02 2009, 11:21PM
Maybe Katz is trying to gauge how little the fan's opinions really matter. Either way he chose a pretty terrible time to crush our souls further. Why not just cut me off from buying my 'scripts Katz? That I could understand, but keeping MacT?!
Maybe Lowe wanted to fire MacT....... HAHAHAHAHAHAHA
Kevin Lowe handed the reigns over a year too late. By the time this team is ready to win, the vets will be long gone (or shells of themselves). He moved 3 key core roll players last summer that this team could desparatly use.
Jarret Stoll was supposed to be this teams future captain. Some thought maybe that time came prior to last season after the Jason Smith trade. The Oil instead named Ethan Moreau captain and then played virtually all season without their team leader. Stoll was a key faceoff man and a key penalty killer - both problem areas for the Oil since moving him. Also, now without Stoll, the Oilers felt the pressure to get Shawn Horcoff signed. Without another veteran center, Lowe had to act fast to ensure Horcoff was locked up long-term, signing him to a six year deal with a cap hit of $5.5 million (actual $$ figure of $7 million next season). Jarret Stoll soon after his trade signed a new four year deal worth $3.6 million (the same 3.6 that Horcoff is making under his old deal). Now I'm not saying they should've kept Stoll over Horcoff. I'm just saying that with Horcoff signed to a deal paying 3.6 til the end of this season (no 6yr extension) and Stoll signed to that same 4yr deal LA gave him, the Oil may not have been leveraged by Horcoff so badly. Or at least they could've decided to move the impending UFA at the deadline and kept Stoll to be the team leader he seemed destined to be.
This team has lacked energy all season and at times has lacked grit. Raffi Torres' name come to mind? I know he was frustrating at times and he lacked consistency, but he's 27 (just hitting his prime, or physical & mental maturation if you will, lol). Have you noticed what he's done for the Columbus Blue Jackets lately? And now they're looking at him to be a key veteran leader for a young, inexperienced team (kinda sounds like the Oilers). One can only wonder what he could've done for this team. He may have been frustrating, but surely not as frustrating as this year's team. After last season, I figured that I would rather move Ethan Moreau than Torres. Torres is not only younger, but more skilled. And with some criticism of Ethan Moreau this season, could it be that I was right. I'm not questioning Moreau, I'm just saying that maybe he's not the right captain for this team. Heck, take a look around the league at all the other captains and check their ice time to Moreau's. Doesn't that say something. Gritty, classy veteran that any contender would love to have, but maybe not the right man to lead this ship.
With such an urgency to remodel their blueline in more of a puck moving style, Kevin Lowe may have tipped the scales to far. Matt Greene was pegged as Jason Smith's replacement, and with Steve Staios' time nearing an end, Green would've become the big, #4 physical, stay-at-home, shutdown defenseman this club lacks. Instead, he along with Stoll, have taken LA's penalty-kill from 29th last season to 9th this season. The Oilers incidently went from 5th last season to 28th this season. Coincidence? And many of the same things said about Moreau could be said about Staios.
There's a time to be loyal, and a time be right. No one ever questions how loyal the Oil are.
April 02 2009, 11:38PM
I felt sorry for Lowe and MacTavish during that press conference. Both of them have been part of this franchise for years, and I don't doubt that they bleed Oiler blue and desperately want the franchise to succeed. But you can't argue with results and this team has been going in circles since Pronger decided to pull the plug in 2006 and I can't see it changing so long as the old boy culture is ascendant. Lowe's had this team for almost ten years - he's spent most of it filling the front office with the boys on the bus without any thought to how that impacts on the product that ends up on the ice. Loyalty is great - hire all the old Oilers you want but don't make them scouts, or assistant coaches, or farm team coaches or whatever it is Dave Semenko does.
I really like Craig MacTavish. I think he's a smart coach and he (mostly) thinks the game really well. When he's been handed a strong team (after the trade deadline in 2006, when Lowe brought in Roloson) he's done really well. But he's suffered thru a lot of management mistakes over the last three years and you have to wonder whether some of the admittedly boneheaded moves he's made this year have come out of the stress and frustration of being thrown under the bus by his buddies upstairs.
Then again, maybe they win four straight, and Nashville tanks, and all is right with the world again...
April 02 2009, 11:52PM
Jonathan Willis wrote:
D-Mo wrote: MacT looked disappointed to hear that he is not going anywhere. MacTavish looks just like a man who has been subject to unrelenting criticism all year and just saw his playoff hopes disappear should look - defeated. This isn't aimed at you specifically, but while much of the criticism levelled at MacTavish has been valid, much of it has been incredibly personal and unwarranted. He cares - anyone who watches him can see that he cares. Sure, sending out O'Sullivan, Gagner, Nilson, Souray, Grebeshkov and Gilbert as the six players in the last minute of the season that mattered was stupid (as were a bunch of other moves) but his heart's in the right place. I like MacT, I really do. It's a shame that his performance means he shouldn't continue as coach.
Yes, god forbid we judge our coach on his performance.
At least Flames fans are getting a good laugh at this debacle. And for the first time in 30 years, I have no response. How can you defend this?
Tambellini sits with his tail between his legs in the corner, while the Old Boys Club sits behind closed doors in the "Members Only" room and runs the show.
The mediocrity continues...
I'd like to know why people keep saying that mac-t would be hired by another team in a heartbeat if he were to leave. I mean what's this based on. -His three playoff's appearance's in eight years (two first round exits). -Never even been nominated for coach of the year. -Missed the playoffs three years in row even though team's been right up to the cap in each of those years. -Continully seeing player's do good on other team's, come here and start struggling, get traded and their back to normal.
I would shocked if he got hired by another team, and even more shocked if he'll ever have any success as an nhl coach.
I have to say, THE WARRIOR is talkin' a whole lotta sense on the ol' Team 1260 radio show...
This organization has F***ed things up time and time again, and their record of futility goes well beyond the Oilers.
I'm not upset by the news of MacTavish coming back as coach. MacT can coach, but he's not a miracle worker, this line-up sucks!
And to add to that I don't even think that his decison making is that bad. I liked having the kids out their to end the game. Better than Horc, Pisani, Moreau, And staio's. And Hemsky would have just given the puck away anyway. And THE CALL would have been the best coaching decison of the season had it worked, so I liked that as well. The problem however is that he can not coach any kind of system. look at what Nashville and St.Louis are doing with no better team's than our's with more injury problem's. With a good solid system it does't matter as much who play's where because everybody's on the same page, and they only have to focus on their own job's.
Teufel wrote:
I'm not upset by the news of MacTavish coming back as coach. MacT can coach,
Please explain how you came to this conclusion.
April 03 2009, 12:27AM
@ Ballz Johnson:
I'm not defending it. I'm saying that I like MacTavish, and his performance over the previous seven seasons has been good when considered in context.
His performance this season has been quite different from the past seven years, and I think it's unfortunate.
Incidentally, both David Staples and myself are of the opinion that Lowe's refusal to answer questions about MacTavish's future is a strong indication that he will be replaced this summer.
April 03 2009, 12:30AM
volfman wrote:
Please explain how you came to this conclusion.
He coached a competitive team in a season where Todd Marchant was his highest-scoring centre. He's been to the Stnaley Cup finals, and people are too quick to dismiss his pre-lockout work with a very cheap team.
The debacle in 2006-07 was certainly not his fault, given the lineup, and the team's performance in 2007-08 was strong considering he was breaking in 7(!) different rookies.
Unfortunately, this season has gone rather differently.
I've been a fan for over 30 years, since the Rusty Patnaude/Bill Flett days and all I can do is shake my head in disbelief. Edmonton is, and always will be, a no-nonsense blue collar town that doesn't need rich hockey team owners telling average folks (who pay top dollar for Oilers tickets) how to think. Isn't this a democracy? I don't like watching the Oil get speedbagged on home ice all year and then being told we can't complain, to cheer louder and be positive. How many coaches have perennial playoff teams like New Jersey and Detroit had over the past 10 years? Why did Kevin Lowe get to be GM for all those years of mediocrity ? Is all it takes to become a powerful executive on an NHL team a successful hockey career as a fifth defenceman, lucky enough to have played with some true hockey greats? Unbelievable. Kevin Lowe needs to take a bullet for this team instead of deriding fans and dodging questions. Where is the leadership? Selling off Gretz and Messier, the Corson years, the Pronger fiasco, the Burke crap (who's the moron now?) and now the organization telling fans to cheer and not complain after 3 years of no playoffs? I bought a little oilers shirt for my 1 year old son but now when I don't want him wearing it anymore.
This year just didn't turn out well for a number of reasons. They started the year with the longest stretch of away games of any team, with 3 different goalies, with several really young players expected to fill roles they aren't ready for, missing their top defenseman for the last 30 games of the season, without a legit #2 center or any legit snipers.
A lot of people compare us to Chicago, because we're just as young and inexperienced, but what no one bothers to mention is Chicago had been rebuilding for a number of years and had top 6 draft picks for 4 straight years. They had to suck really bad for a long time to get players good enough to take them to the next level and those guys needed a few years to get the experience to get to where they need to be. We've only drafted higher than 13th once since 1995. That's 12 years of drafting #13 and up and that's why we have no legit game-dominating superstars... we haven't sucked enough to get a young roster as dominating as Chicago or Pittsburgh.
April 03 2009, 01:41AM
Dear Edmonton Oilers,
Thank you for taking the eyes of the hockey world off of us. We really appreciate the circus that you're running up there, because suddenly, we're not the butt of all of the jokes around the league anymore.
Love, The Tampa Bay Lightning
P.S. There are plenty of beautiful golf courses in the Tampa area. Do... do you want to hang out for a while next weekend?
oilersseasonticketholdersince99 wrote:
Thats great!!! why did Katz wait until now to speak? We have not heard from him since summer, then he waits till after the season seat renewals and drops this on our lap.I thought that Mac T would be gone after this year,either they fire him or he resigns,where do K lowe and Tambalini fit in all this? Does Tambalini report to Lowe and Lowe report to Katz,so they have nice titles but cannot make any decisions until Katz says so? I hope that this is not the case if it is they should all resign and let Katz be President,GM and coach because thats what it looks like what is happening.
Katz did not speak, he is passionate and texted his confidant - Bob Stauffer.
It appears that KLOWE reports to Bob, who will soon decide whether LOWE and MACT keep there jobs.
Funny how the Katz comments that I have been presenting this year all come at once from the other partixipants and even the Warrior received a kudo - must be a full moon.
But the five-word text was so wrong on so many levels it's remarkable they could have come from somebody smart enough to become a billionaire.
Quote from Terry Jones - step one - MSM is now questioning the integrity of the owner....
Step Two - season ticket holders stop buying
Step Three - the owner now has to consult with backers in regards to this backfired negative branding experiment in regards to the Rexall name within ETOWN.
Step Four - new building is put on hold.... no fan support, financing is in the toilet, government cannot stomach a freebie during a deficit, must run old betsy into the ground.
Step Five - Katz purchases ON and Team 1260 Astral to stop comments from media not controlled by internal media gatekeeper..
Step Six - Bob Stauffer secures lifetime contract with Rexall Sports - his relationship is compared with Katz as a Howard Hughes spokesperson (Robert Maheu) due to Katz alleged fear of germs..... and becomes more reclusive
April 03 2009, 07:06AM
Not for one second do I believe that MacT will be around, at least as a coach before the end of May.
I doubt that Darryl Ballard, er Katz let friendship get in the way of having a successful team.
You don't usually get to be successful by being sentimental. Hockey is no exception.
Success in sports is determined by what winning. The Rexall will be an ugly place next season and throughout the summer if changes aren't made.
And yes, to those that have asked, there is a foreign object in my pants.
April 03 2009, 07:08AM
hmmmmm another year of Mac.T draining talented players into great backchecking marty reasoner clones...... chicago or pittsburg who to cheer for?
April 03 2009, 07:47AM
@ deepoil:
Seriously dude. Give it a rest.
@ Jonathan Willis: That's fair but until you can explain exactly what oiler's hockey is and what our system is I stand by my belief.
The Towel Boy wrote:
@ deepoil: Seriously dude. Give it a rest.
who saw that coming
April 03 2009, 08:13AM
@ volfman: Our system is for 1 period we are a big aggressive fighting team. Than for two games we are a fast forchecking team, we than morph into a defensive first trap team for 1 and 1/2 games, than for 2 periods a goon it up with the toughest team anywhere squad. We than score a goal on a fast break and we field a high powered, young gun mentality till somebody makes a bad pass and than I have the guys change the philosophy back to a trap. Why is this so hard for fans and players to understand. Coach Mac T.
Timing???? WTF is with this timing? If you are the owner and you truly believe in your coach, would you not state publicly alot earlier that he ain't going anywhere, and ya, you underachieving player, you better play for this coach, cuz he's stayin, you might not, but he is. That said, I believe that MacT will resign and move into an office by Klo. MacT can see that things didn't work out. He wants this organization to win. He will pull the plug, and I hope that helps, I'm not sure anymore. In hindsight, I really didn't mind being a low payroll, hardworking, ass kicking team that fought like hell for 9th or maybe 8th......THIS SUCKS.
Gregor you talked about empty seats next season at Oilers games. I bet if this city had an NFL, NBA or MLB franchise where the fans had another team to go watch and support, you definately would see alot of empty seats. It happened in Boston and Chicago when the Bruins and Blackhawks were bad teams for 4 or 5 years. The Oilers management are lucky that they are the only game in town.
April 03 2009, 08:22AM
Jonathan Willis wrote:
Sure, sending out O'Sullivan, Gagner, Nilson, Souray, Grebeshkov and Gilbert as the six players in the last minute of the season that mattered was stupid (as were a bunch of other moves) but his heart's in the right place. I like MacT, I really do. It's a shame that his performance means he shouldn't continue as coach.
Other than no Hemsky and 3 defensemen(well I guess those are pretty glaring errors, I'm not sure who else you send out--Penner as a screen maybe I guess Horc or Brodz to win the draw. So I guess penner, horcoff, hemsky, gagner, souray and one of the two G d men. 3/6 isnt't bad right....
It is an interesting quote that is a big vague if you really read it.
It says "MacT is going nowhere" ... which could mean he isn't being fired or it could be a comment on the results he has achieved as in ...
MacT is doing such a bad job, he's going nowhere with this team.
I really think however that this is about Katz, the owner hearing something he didn't like and didn't want to hear. On his pre-game show they were actually talking about replacing the coach and not about what was happening on the ice. He wanted to stop the discussion and the guessing and get them to focus on the show about the game.
As the boss, he simply wanted the speculation about MacT's future to end.
I further infer and hope that is all it was and I hope they will be reviewing who the coach is starting April 12.
I love the Oil too, but some posters/callers are a bunch of crybabies. "If I'd known this, I wouldn't have just spent thousands of dollars renewing my season tickets."
Riiiiiiight. So sell your tickets to someone else, liar.
MacT isn't coming back. If September rolls around and I'm wrong, don't show up to the games if it means that much to you. But nothing is going to happen between now and the end of the season, so quit crying. Watch some baseball, watch some Final Four. Things will work out.
Most importantly, all you spineless anonymous callers and posters who would never say half the things you say right to MacT or Lowe's face, please, quit pulling the "If this team doesn't do what I want, OTHER people should stop going to the games. NOT ME, of course, I still enjoy hockey. But OTHER PEOPLE SHOULD STOP BUYING TICKETS! That's right, I'm sad my team sucks, but I'm too much of a loser to back up my own words with actions."
That's by far the worst crap on here. See you on July 1st, Oilers Nation. I have women's tennis to watch.
I'm thinking that Katz is backing his coach like any good owner would do, and Mac T will resign at the conclusion of the season. They've said all along that Mac T will have the entire year behind the bench, and it's always important to have the unwaivering support of Papa Katz. If Katz didn't want him behind the bench, he would have been turfed long ago. All I know is this is going to drive the "fire MacT" band wagon UP THE WALL! Should be fun to read some of the comments today...
I just think Katz wanted to know why the hell there is so much talk about the coaches future in the middle of a playoff push. Thats stuff that should be talked about in the off season.
Katz is sticking by MacT? Big surprise.
I've called out MacT many times for dumb decisions this season and past seasons but for some reason I would miss him if he left and in a way it is comfortable having him here. i.e the grass isn't always greener and it's the devil you know.
April 03 2009, 08:33AM
I think they need to decide the direction of this team. Either give it over to the kids entirely(shipping out veterans) or get rid of a bunch of kids and bring in some more grinders.
Thanks for the link to your blog Willis, I hadn't seen the comments yet, that's terrific.
April 03 2009, 08:57AM
Jonathan Willis wrote:
volfman wrote: Please explain how you came to this conclusion. He coached a competitive team in a season where Todd Marchant was his highest-scoring centre. He's been to the Stnaley Cup finals, and people are too quick to dismiss his pre-lockout work with a very cheap team. The debacle in 2006-07 was certainly not his fault, given the lineup, and the team's performance in 2007-08 was strong considering he was breaking in 7(!) different rookies. Unfortunately, this season has gone rather differently.
Bingo, if you go back and check the preseason predictions from all (or most) out side "experts" and then factored in mid season hurdles (ie the Smyth trade/injuries that year) I'd be willing to bet this is the first year this team has "underachieved" under MacT.
April 03 2009, 09:04AM
FMWTFKFL - Fire MacT "Whenever The F*CK Katz Feels Like"
Sidenote, Congrats ONat on 50000+ posts.
April 03 2009, 09:20AM
I'd also like to point out that an orginization would be insane to make moves based off of what it's fans wanted.
April 03 2009, 09:20AM
Bruthah - NNC wrote:
Sidenote, Congrats ONat on 50000+ posts.
WTF? Wow. That is a great many comments. FYI We are upgrading a bunch of stuff behind the scenes on the sites and the comments now have unique IDs which is why they have a 5 digit number in front of them.
We are going to try and put the numbering back to the way it was though - we know its harder to navigate the comments without knowing which comment is #23 etc.
Made the long trip from Calgary for the game last night with my 6 year old in tow...her first Oilers game, which made the night fun.
Listening to Lowe's presser last night was a big of a piss off - he's surprized that people are talking about the coach when the team is in the thick of the stretch drive? Come on Kev, pull your head out of your ass. The team has been horribly inconsistant all year, has been brutal down the stretch, can't win a game at home, and you expect anything else from the most passionate, and dedicated fans in the league?
I'd just like to see a little reality coming from the front office - I understand backing a friend or whatever, but if your loyalty to someone completely obliterates your ability to see the realities of a situation, maybe you shouldn't hire friends.
Other than that, where has last night's game been all year? Sure there were lapses, Gilbert is still horribly soft, we skated the puck into the offensive zone only to turn it over about fifty time, but there was some passion, there was 'jam', there was effort. Why does this show up in game 78 rather than game 28?
"MacTavish is going nowhere"... True story. In fact this team is going nowhere.
Spliff wrote:
I've been a fan for over 30 years, since the Rusty Patnaude/Bill Flett days and all I can do is shake my head in disbelief. Edmonton is, and always will be, a no-nonsense blue collar town that doesn't need rich hockey team owners telling average folks (who pay top dollar for Oilers tickets) how to think. Isn't this a democracy? I don't like watching the Oil get speedbagged on home ice all year and then being told we can't complain, to cheer louder and be positive. How many coaches have perennial playoff teams like New Jersey and Detroit had over the past 10 years? Why did Kevin Lowe get to be GM for all those years of mediocrity ? Is all it takes to become a powerful executive on an NHL team a successful hockey career as a fifth defenceman, lucky enough to have played with some true hockey greats? Unbelievable. Kevin Lowe needs to take a bullet for this team instead of deriding fans and dodging questions. Where is the leadership? Selling off Gretz and Messier, the Corson years, the Pronger fiasco, the Burke crap (who's the moron now?) and now the organization telling fans to cheer and not complain after 3 years of no playoffs? I bought a little oilers shirt for my 1 year old son but now when I don't want him wearing it anymore.
Spliff , you were quoted as saying " Edmonton is, and always will be, a no-nonsense blue collar town that doesn't need rich hockey team owners telling average folks (who pay top dollar for Oilers tickets) how to think. Isn't this a democracy?"
Well Sir , You have to understand if you do not like it watch it on tv if you think the oilers are not worth the tickets. Im not even a oilers fan , Im actually a flames fan. But i do attend about 10 home games for the oilers because i love hockey and don't care if i shell out couple hundred a game for tickets heck if i could get season tickets i would buy them . Just like any other business this is sport , Its called Sports Entertainment. If you do not feel like your entertainment value then please do not watch or go to the games. As for rich hockey team owners they can do whatever they like especially in canadian markets and big U.S ones. For every person who doesn't renew a season ticket there are 10 more ready to buy regardless of win /loss records. Heck Mr.Katz can move the damn team if he wanted too and hire his grandma as Head coach it doesn't matter what fans think. You do not like people running your own business or getting into it so im sure team owners dont like it either. If anyone needs a talking to here is Kevin lowe he has continued on with bad judgements and signings ,not mac T. The poor guy is only working with what he is given. Just like when you go to work , for example if your a mechanic and you don't got a wrench it's going to be mighty hard to turn that nut by hand.But you will try with all your will power to get it off. But sometimes it just doesn't work. (mAc T to is working with the tools he is given . Kevin Lowe Seized everything.
So the Oil brass want us to talk about something besides Mac T hey? Here are some topics....
-For a four million dollar player, why can't Gilbert make a tape to tape pass out of his own zone and why is he softer than the Pilsberry dough boy? -Why is the organization surprised by their own fans booing when they have the 4th worst home record in the league? -Why will Horcs make as much as Datsyuk next year? -Was wasn't the obvious need for a faceoff specialist adressed all year? -Why have the special teams blown goats all year? (I tried to think of a nicer way to phrase that, but I couldn't) -Why is the ice in Rexall so brutal pucks hop over the sticks of our pointmen in the 3rd period every night? -How did that 3 headed goalie monster work out for you this year?
....yeah, I can see why they wouldn't want to talk about the coaching situation with all of these other great topics to hash out....(What's that sacrasm button again? Oh yeah: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~!!!!!)
When did Horn Chen become owner of this team?
April 03 2009, 12:02PM
This sport needs rich business owners who are fiancially stable to run this stuff.
Look at Phoenix when you have struggling business owners running a team. Or look at the Oilers in the mid 90's when we almost lost this team.
Deep Oil: the Howard Hughes reference killed me.
Flames Fan wrote: Spliff , you were quoted as saying " Edmonton is, and always will be, a no-nonsense blue collar town that doesn't need rich hockey team owners telling average folks (who pay top dollar for Oilers tickets) how to think. Isn't this a democracy?"
Well Sir , You have to understand if you do not like it watch it on tv if you think the oilers are not worth the tickets. Im not even a oilers fan , Im actually a flames fan. But i do attend about 10 home games for the oilers because i love hockey and don't care if i shell out couple hundred a game for tickets heck if i could get season tickets i would buy them . Just like any other business this is sport , Its called Sports Entertainment. If you do not feel like your entertainment value then please do not watch or go to the games.
Thats ridiculous. I like Billy Bob Thornton movies but when I saw "Astronaut Farmer" or whatever it was called I left the theatre complaining. Are you saying that if we don't like a product we should stop buying it? Should I stop going to movies when I see a bad movie? Weak argument dude.
@ Spliff:
Spliffy , well in most cases when you do not like a product you either bring it back or stop buying it. In your case billy bob thorton movies ok you like him as an actor , you saw a movie of his you didn't like. Did you read the previews before you went and saw it ? I will not go sometimes if it got bad reviews ill wait until dvd comes out. Just like hockey if the oilers are on a 10 game losing streak do you still wanna see them go play? Probably not so that is my point , do not like something then do not buy it.
That pic of MacT is a turn-on. *turns on*


text:
FlamesNation chats with Max Reinhart
Ryan Pike
July 17 2012 07:34AM
Max Reinhart played an awful lot of hockey last year.
After a regular season slightly shorted by an injury and a trip to Hockey Canada's World Junior try-out camp, Reinhart took his Kootenay Ice into the WHL playoffs for a fourth straight time. After being eliminated from the playoffs, he jumped to the American Hockey League and joined the Abbotsford Heat in time for their playoffs.
FlamesNation's Ryan Pike chatted with the eldest of the three hockey-playing second-generation Reinharts at Flames development camp.
Ryan Pike: You played a lot of hockey last year. How did your season go?
Max Reinhart: Obviously it would've been nice to get a bit of rest in the spring, I think going to Abbotsford and actually playing some pro hockey for the first time, I probably learned as much then as the last four years because of all the good players that are up there in that league. I got to experience that and get it under my belt, that experience. I think that was probably the most important part of my year, just getting into some games up there, especially some key playoff games. It really got me the confidence that I can perform at that level.
RP: How was the transition from being a leader and veteran in Kootenay to being a rookie in Abbotsford?
MR: It was alright. They made it very easy. Obviously I knew a lot of the guys from these camps and playing against them in the WHL. I think that the biggest adjustment was just getting into a new system at the end of the year there. I ended up producing pretty good numbers in the first couple games, and that just got me some confidence and I was able to get myself in the line-up and make a role for myself. That was really just my goal when I was there and kind of get noticed a little bit.
RP: As you head into next season, are you focused on making any particular team?
MR: Obviously the goal is to be in the NHL as fast as possible. That's my goal this summer. I think I have a legitimate shot and it's up to me for these next couple months to get ready and be able to put myself in that spot and hopefully earn my way on right from day one. But if not, I got to be working hard and just when I'm in Abbotsford, I got to make sure I stick out when I'm there and dominate down there so they have no choice but to bring me up. That's my goals for the summer, to make the Calgary Flames, and I feel like this is the closest I've been to being able to crack it. Hopefully this is my year and I'm going to work very hard to get there.
RP: Does the fact that the Flames used so many call-ups last season, even bringing up Sven Baertschi from the WHL, motivate you heading into next season?
MR: It just shows players in the organization that there is opportunity. I noticed everybody getting called up and I'm dying to get my shot and I'm going to work hard to get it.
July 17 2012, 08:43AM
I thought Reinhart had a decent showing at camp and he proved to be an impact player at the ahl level in a small sample size, but o think he will play the year in Abby with the occasional call up.
Ryan in your opinion, which NHL player would be a good comparison for Reinhart, in terms of potential?
July 17 2012, 08:51AM
Daymond Langkow
July 17 2012, 08:54AM
Craig Conroy might be a closer comparison...Langkow was a big time scorer in junior. Not sure Max has 60+ point potential at the NHL level in him.
Love this guy already. Love the way he talks, he's all about working hard and really wants to make the flames. No excuses. That's awesome
I always said Manny Malhotra myself. Maybe with a little more offensive upside.
July 17 2012, 09:32AM
Yeah, he could be in the Sammy Pahlsson school of centers as well.
July 17 2012, 09:35AM
I wasn't comparing point totals, just playing style and hockey awareness. Still stick with Langkow.
July 17 2012, 10:05AM
On the high-end I hope he becomes a Patrice Bergeron or a David Krejci type player (wishful thinking, I know) but I wouldn't be mind if he settled into a Conroy/Pahlsson type player. If one of our 3rd rounder picks actually became an NHLer, I think we win either way.
On the plus, he seems to be a very determined player and judging from scouting reports and CHL totals (on a offensively challenged team) he could become a very valuable member of the Flames for years to come.
Thanks to Mr. Pike for continuing to scratch my itch!
I don't think Reinhart will ever be a first liner, but I like the comparisons to Pahlsson/Conroy and even Langkow (minus the obscene scoring at the junior level). Diamond in the rough material for sure.
Now, imagine if we had ALL three Reinharts on the ice at the same time. Two centers and a d-man (well, move a Reinhart to the wing) - could be totally awesome.
Time to call up Garth Snow and fleece Griffin out of him.
Max Reinhart had 1.279 points per game in the WHL last season. If he would have played in all 72 games he would have had 92 points, not to mention he was playing on a very mediocre team last year and had some minor injuries. He also had 1.42 Points Per Game in the 2011 Memorial Cup run.
If that isn't offensive upside don't know what is.
Personally think he will be a solid second line centre down the road just such a smart player, great on both special teams goes to the right areas.
Griffin has to be the most overrated player in all of junior!! 4th overall are you kidding me.... He can thank Max & his Dad Paul for building up his name. Reilly, Dumba, and Pouliot will all be better NHL players.
I was thinking more along the lines of Mason Raymond. Not the wheels of Mason, similar size players, but a little better IQ which is why he is at center. Definitely the kind of guy they needed to find lower in the draft. Hope his ceiling is high.
If Mason Raymond had any sort of Hockey IQ he would be a star, haha. Max Reinhart has him beat big time in terms of intelligence. Think his style really compares to Daymond Langkow, maybe a few less points but you never know. If Max played the whole year think he easily would have broke 100 points.
On another note Sam Reinhart is a stud!!! Glad we got Max in the third and really like his attitude but man Sam was unreal as a 16 year old.
July 17 2012, 11:50AM
Mitch Wahl scored 96 points in his 20-year old season. Daymond Langkow scored 142 points in his 19 year old season. 90+ points as a 19-20 year old in the WHL is good, but it doesn't really point to a high ceiling at the next level.
Now, if he had been doing that since he was 18...
July 17 2012, 12:31PM
...And then Kent threw dirt on the camp-fire, while we were making smores. Point taken though...
Max Reinhart's ceiling is probably a very good two-way top 6 center. But at least if he continues on his current path, he should be able to make the NHL at some point in his career. I just hope he can become a top 9 center at the least.
The year Daymond Langkow scored 142 points Marty Murray scored 128, how's he doing? Iginla that same year only had 71 points and had to wait till 11th to be taken. Junior success rarely predicts NHL success. If you looks at some of the players playing in the WHL in the 1994-1995 season you may notice that the league wasn't nearly as competitive as it is now and other than a couple Kamloops Blazers no team had much in terms of future NHL stars.
Mitch Wahl has been injured for two years and the Flames gave up on him, thats irrelevant.
Gabriel Landeskog THE ROOKIE OF THE YEAR had 66 points in the OHL as a LATE BIRTHDAY so he had an extra year development, and then had 52 points in the NHL.
Honestly a lot of the big scorers in junior are guys who grow early and have a couple of intangibles but don't develop a complete game and bust. How is Daniel Tkaczuk's 100 points working for us?
Max Reinhart is extremely intelligent, can skate, shoot and if he gains some leg strength projects as a better prospect than he did in junior. Saying a guy can't score in the NHL because he didn't put up lofty numbers in junior is the most ludicrous things I have ever heard. Rob Blake one of the greatest offensive defenseman of the past 20 years only had 13 points his draft year.
Pavel Datsyuk had 8 points in a tier two league his draft year. Henrik Zetterberg had 3 points in a tier two league in Sweden his draft year. Detroit won multiple Stanley Cup's on the ability to find guys who may not have been big scorers in junior/semi pro but had POTENTIAL.
After watching every team play at least once in the WHL last season, I have to say no one forward had as much Hockey Sense as Max, so I like his potential (will maybe other than his brother Sam).
A good counter example is Brandon Ranford. He scored 92 points last season in the WHL but will NEVER play in the NHL, because he is a horrible skater, doesn't head into the corners and is nonexistent on the back check. He is someone the Flames definitely would have drafted too high in the 90s.
July 17 2012, 01:20PM
Wahl did break his face in several places, which would explain his downfall. I don't think he would've been a complete bust, if the Volpati incident never occurred.That kind of injury during the development stages probably shattered his confidence.
The funny thing is Wahl is only 22 and the Flames have him signed for another year, what if he has a great year and stays healthy????
He played alright with limited ice time in Hamilton last season, with a full summer to train. why not? Of course the Flames probably have already given up on him. He showed with the 30 games he played in the ECHL that he definitaly has the talent to play in the A, he finished second on the team in scoring playing in half the games.
He will be great when someone else picks him up
July 17 2012, 01:35PM
I somewhat agree with our friend, McRib. I think Reinhart is the type of player who will outstrip projections based his junior NHLE rapidly, simply due to the type of skillset he has. Not saying he's going to be a first liner necessarily, but the projections as being primarily a checking forward are some that I'd hold off on until we see how he does in the AHL as well.
Honestly after watching Max Reinhart's performance in the Memorial Cup Run two years ago, just can't help but think he will be more than just a third/fourth line grinder.
Think his season last year was kind of unnecessary and he just went through the motions, too good for the WHL not old enough for the AHL, playing on a mediocre team.
Reminds me of Devin Setoguchi's last season in the WHL playing for Prince George (according to NHLE Seto's final 65 point junior season, should have only translated into 19.5 points in the NHL. Funny because Seto is only 25 and has already scored more than 35 points four times)
July 17 2012, 02:15PM
Reinhart just strikes me as the kind of kid that rises to challenges. Going into a league with tougher competition, I expect he will step up. I can certainly see him as a #2 C in the few couple of years.
I liked watching Max at Dev Camp. Seemed like his sweater was always flapping in the wind, legs pumping, hair flying.
I definitely think he can be top 6.
Love this guy as well. It's a shame Feaster is so Sutter-esqe in his reluctance to give any of the youngsters a legit chance to make the team. Dont believe me? Take a look at the roster.
Yeah, I've watched Reinhart here in BC and the kid's a keeper. Agree with most of what McRib says, although Kent's counter-arguments are logically what may happen if the kid doesn't live up to his potential.
The Conroy comparison is a good one, although amongst current players he reminds me most of Dave Bolland of the Blackhawks as regards 2-way play and physique. Of course, Reinhart is not an agitator in the way Bolland can be.
so we thought last year, and yet Roman Horak--HORAK!!--started the season in the NHL.
Besides, it's ultimately Hartley's decision who plays and who doesn't, never mind who Feaster signs as a free agent.
Babchuk was a good example of this under Brent, hopefully it stays that way. I don't think Reinhart is ready for the NHL yet though, obviously if injuries pop up last year in training camp anything can happen, but other than that it's probably still Horak/Bouma that have the best chance of earning their spot on the team other than Sven.
Love this guy as well. It's a shame Feaster is so Sutter-esqe in his reluctance to give any of the youngsters a legit chance to make the team. Dont believe me? Take a look at the roster.
Have to agree with Frank that one mistake by Feaster is overloading with 1-way contracts making it harder for prospects at forward to make the team and also helped cause the Irving situation.
@MC Hockey
it wasn't a barrier last season. Certainly, the injuries helped, but even when the team was relatively healthy you saw Sarich and Babchuk riding the pines in favour of Brodie and Smith, you saw Stajan scratched (briefly) so Horak could stay in the NHL, you saw Karlsson seeing no action whatsoever in favour of repeated callups to Irving. It's the coach's decision who plays, not the CFO, the GM, or the player's agent. If Baertschi, Brodie, Bouma etc. play well enough to make the team, they'll be on the team.


text: Staying In Sochi Is A Hilarious AdventureBarry Petchesky2/04/14 11:21amFiled to: sochi olympics2014 winter olympicsolympicsmediatwittersochintzy47145EditPromoteShare to KinjaToggle Conversation toolsGo to permalink The North American media has descended on Sochi, and...how do we put this gently? Sochi's not ready. The athlete accommodations are fine, if a bit cozy and, um, social. But the media hotels, along with much of the hastily-built city infrastructure, are decidedly lacking. Three of the nine hotels in the mountain complex simply aren't done, and the ones that are open are dirty, unfinished, broken, or infested with something or other. Bruce Arthur is on the scene, and gives a good rundown: Advertisement Advertisement Almost every room is missing something: lightbulbs, TVs, lamps, chairs, curtains, wifi, heat, hot water. Shower curtains are a valuable piece of the future black market here. (One American photographer was simply told, "You will not get a shower curtain.")[...]In the Ekaterininsky Kvartal hotel, the elevator is broken and the stairway is unlit, with stairs of varying and unpredictable heights.Outside the Chistya Prudy, there is a bag of concrete in a palm tree, leaking grey down the trunk. Inside, some of the electrical outlets are just plates screwed into drywall.Sports Illustrated's Brian Cazeneuve had to clamber through a window to get out of his hotel on Tuesday morning, since the doors were all unexpectedly locked. Chris Stevenson of the Ottawa Sun was without electricity for the first day.But it's so much worse than that.Gross? You don't know gross. Arthur again: Advertisement Sponsored Oh, and one journalist in the Omega hotel complex had to refuse a colleague's request to stay a night in the second twin bed because … well, there's no easy way to say this, but when the first journalist arrived, someone had left an indeterminate amount of semen on the sheets of the second bed, and those sheets had been taken away for cleaning, and hadn't come back.German photographer Joerg Reuter has been in Sochi for two weeks, and spent much of that time trying to find a hotel room fit for humans. Advertisement "The outdoor area and floors/staircase/elevator inside were still under construction and completely dirty," Reuter wrote, adding that the room he was shown "had no light in the main room, the water out of the tap was yellow/brown, the air conditioning, TV, kitchenware were all not working ... Beside this the room was totally dirty and everywhere covered with dust."The next room was worse."In some rooms you actually saw that there are still the construction workers sleeping and living," he wrote.Seeing the dog walk out of the third room he was shown was a step too far."When I came out of the elevator, there was the dog. I said, 'Right, that's it,'" Reuter told The Associated Press.So, those dogs. Sochi's privately contracted dog murder squads are apparently falling behind on their work. Every journalist says the area is rife with strays, just generally puttering around and minding their own business. Some are even quite friendly! But don't get too attached to them, as the Detroit Free Press's Jo-Ann Barnas did. Yeah, maybe skip the media breakfast for a couple days. Advertisement Advertisement So the rooms are a mess. Exiting hotels can be hazardous. Even when you've made it outside, you're still not safe:At a reported $51 billion, these are by far the most expensive Olympics in history. But transforming a sleepy beach town with little infrastructure and inappropriate geography into the world's hub requires a massive undertaking, one that Russia hasn't quite completed. Reply471 repliesLeave a reply


text:
It looks like you're new here. If you want to get involved, click one of these buttons!
Warhammer Online developers are busy whipping the company squirrels into action to upload the v1.4.2 patch to all servers. The new patch brings scenario shake-ups, new Tier 4 power alterations and new pets into WAR. Servers are expected to be up and running again no later than 1:00 p.m. EST today.
Power ChangesThe highlight of this patch is a continuing focus on the Tier 4 experience in terms of power levels and power gaps. We took a look at the mechanics for players at all applicable Renown ranks within Tier 4 with a specific focus on the interplay between characters that are above Renown Rank 80 and those that are below. Based on the metrics, feedback, and discussions about this, we decided to make some changes to the mechanics and items that are available within this Tier. A number of item changes, additional items, and small tweaks were made in preparation for this in the previous patch cycle. This patch continues that process. For more details, see the individual sections below.
Read more on the Warhammer Online site.
I still don't understand why Mythic hasn't "fixed" this game.
Nothing they have done since release has made me want to resub.
How can developers be so out of touch with their "core" audience?
Agreed. My heart still aches whenever I see news about this game. I was ready to drop everything for WAR at one time.
This game was so promising... what went wrong exactly?
I believe it was the decision to make it WoW like rather than WAR like.
Everyone wanted it to be DAoC2...they gave us WoW2
Originally posted by kishe
Everyone wanted it to be DAoC2...they gave us WoW2
Actually if they'd given us WoW2 they'd probably have been extremely successful...
I like this game, maybe I'm easily amused or something. /shrug
Game is fine, most people just QQ over every tiny thing. Yeah it has had, and still continues to have some issues here and there, but most of that is usually a result of them making major changes to classes, skills, the new equipment they added, or the recent complete revamp of the RvR Campaign system. Theyve continued making improvements to the game, and also made big changes that some hate and some loved. Those things arr a matter of opinion & personal preference. (90% of comments people make about things being "broken" in WAR has absolutely nothing to do with being broken, its just not what they like so they claim it doesnt work as intended). I came back to WAR myself about 2 months ago, and im having more fun than I had in my previous attemptts to stick with the game since the day it launched.
Class balance, which used to be a very big issue, has been very much improved. The only real thing causing imbalance now is the new equipment and the advantages it gives Melee DPS & Casters vs physical ranged dps classes. But thats more a gear balance issue (maybe a tweak to a skill or 2) not so much an actual class issue. Some of this is being addressed in the 1.4.2 patch + other things they have been testing on the PTS.
dev team is pretty much dead, not much working hands to improve the game much. most are working on SWTOR. anyway, the small changes that are coming from time to time are improving the game slowly. Its has some bugs here and there but mostly its pretty good game. they should revamp the PvE tho. i understand that RvR is the main focus, but from time to time it would be fun to do some decent PvE also. Exploring lairs and stuff is epic fun, but not rewarding currently. RvR is the best in this game. havent seen better RvR in other games. Havent played DAOC much myself so i cannot compare.
All in all even with limited resources this game still alive and kicking. Hope they can get more working hands after SWTOR is finished, so warhammer can get some bigger content updates aswell.
Originally posted by kishe
Everyone wanted it to be DAoC2...they gave us WoW2
I don't think it was too WoWish other than the obvious graphical art. The game appeared to be very small to me and way to linear. The RvR was the best that I've played, but that's not saying much due to lack of quality RvR. I just don't think it had the $ behind it to back it up to seriously compete in the MMO market. It had potential though and I enjoyed it thoroughly for about 2 months.
They had the money for it, they just misplaced their minds when they were developing it. They listened to the player base way too late in the game. Mythic should have known better. You can thank what RvR you DO have now to the beta testers, There wasn't going to be any RvR until everyone in beta started screaming at them. It was just going to be battle grounds.
Originally posted by daelnor
They listened to the player base way too late in the game
Anyone remember closed beta? A ton of people got kicked out of it for speaking out against it. The whole incident with TestPig. They couldn't handle him being right about pretty much damn near everything, and decided to shut him (As well as everyone else saying the same things) up. Now look. They should have listened.
0118 999 881 999 119 725... 3
Originally posted by Yamota
This game was so promising... what went wrong exactly?
I believe it was the decision to make it WoW like rather than WAR like.
I think it was the fact that Mythic was no longer its own company and had to cater to that of it's parent company.
I am entitled to my opinions, misspellings, and grammatical errors.
Originally posted by kaiser3282
Game is fine, most people just QQ over every tiny thing.
WAR had hiccups in the beginning, a rushed release... now it suffers from low populations and past players who can't get over their butt hurt.
If it would release in it's current state... or the way it played 2 years ago... it would be a massive hit.
They did warn us from the beginning this wasn't going to be DAoC 2 - I have given WAR a few chances but it just can't hold my interest.
For those who DO enjoy it - have fun!!
I've noticed every post I see about this game (it seems like its every post) involves revamps and overhauls as if the team can't decide which direction to take war.
Originally posted by Spiritof55
I've noticed every post I see about this game (it seems like its every post) involves revamps and overhauls as if the team can't decide which direction to take war.
It is far from an overhaul.
In this game when you reach max level... (level 40) you still gain ranks... which is purely a PvP rating that grants light stat boosts... it goes from 1 to 100 (1 o 80 previously).
Before you get to level 40, your rank cannot exceed 40... at level 40, your rank is free from the cap... this is their way of allowing progress in the end game... a slow crawl from 40 to 100 but still... progress.
Because the old cap was 80... there is lots of L40/R80s in the game... and because the cap before level 40 is rank 40... there are lots of L40/R40. Some people find the disparity in power between the 2 is too high. It's subjective.
Not true at all Romse. They removed the old RR caps, now starting from level 1 you can get RR up to 2x your XP level. SO at 20 you can have RR 40, 30 you can have RR 60, etc. They also changed the tiers, so now Tier 3 is level 26-39 and Tier 4 is level 40 only. You can get up to 39/78 while in T3 and then hit 40 and go jump right to RR 80 as soon as you get into T4. The way things are right now, basically if you hit level 40 and arent already RR 70+ you did something wrong (like power leveled on PvE and didnt PvP enough to earn RR).
They made those changes to RR caps, as well as the gear changes in 1.4.2 to help narrow the gap between newer players entering T4 and those who have been there for awhile. It would have been a complete gamekiller to have left the previous caps in and having people enter T4 at level 32 with like 40 RR vs a bunch of 40/90-100s.
People talk about how small of a dev team they have an dhow little theyre doing, but theyve actually been doing quite a good job in recent months of listening to the community about changes. The Dev Discussion forums have been active, theyve been taking polls an dlistening to feedback on things they put on the PTS, etc. Between 1.4.2 and the upcoming change sthey will be making to armor values / giving Physical RDPs some usefulness again, the game will be at a near perfect balance. Currently the inability of Physical Ranged DPS to come anywhere near the killing power of Melee DPS & casters due to even squishies having 75% mitigation and the RDPs not having the proper tools to get through the mitigation is the biggest issue. Its not much of an issue n T1-3, but in T4 ther eis a very big difference in damage output between melee DPS (with lots of armor ignores) & Casters (magic not having to go through mitigation) vs Physical RDPS (very minor armor debuffs in comparsion to the amount of armor being stacked, no 50% or complete armor ignoree like MDPS).
Edit: regaridng the tier levels. That is for joining Scenarios, T4 scenarios are ONLY level 40 players. For Open RvR you can still go to tier 4 areas and gain xp/rr/inf starting at level 32, but youll mainly just be leeching points and unable to kill anyone with high RR. Heres a breakdown of the new tier system:
Open RVR:
Originally posted by Spiritof55
I've noticed every post I see about this game (it seems like its every post) involves revamps and overhauls as if the team can't decide which direction to take war.
Well the staff has changed quite a bit since the game launched. They went from just doing what they feel like and not listening to a single request from the playerbase to the current staff at least willing to take feedback and make changes that are largely requested. For example, there were a LOT of complaints about the old RvR Campaign and how boring it was most of the time. They completely overhauled the way the RvR campaign works in an attempt to improve it. Some people like the change, some dont.
What they changed was basically instead of it being a game of "zerg the enemy keep as fast as you can before anyone can come defend, then go take the BOs to cap the zone", to a system in which you now need to capture and hold several (preferably all) BOs for an extended period of time while resource carriers deliver resources from each of the BOs to your WC or Keep. As resources are delivered your keep gains rank. As the keep ranks up you start getting access to siege weapons (ballistas, cannons, oil, arial bombers), and your resource carriers gain mounts and heavier armor. Once your keep reaches rank 4 you gain access to a ram. A ram is the ONLY thing that can damage a keep door, so in order to take an enemy keep you have to put in the effort of getting your keep to rank 4 first, which also gives the enemy time to react and try to counter you rather than their keep getting zerged and taken before they even realize it.
They have made siege weapons VERY useful (single target ballistas can 2 shot pretty much anything but a heavy tank). Arial bombers are great, flying from your keep to the enemy keep much faster than running and allowinmg you drop tons of firebombs (causing some pretty nice aoe dot damage) all ove rthe place as it flies around the enemy keep in circles. You can also leap from the arial bombers to get onto the enemies keep / walls without having to be a melee DPS (able to use locpick / bypass to get in).
They have also removed Keep Lords, turning RvR keep taking into a completely PvP thing, rather than PvE. If you dont come defend your keep, the enemy is going to get a free keep. Nice thing about it is, a well coordinated smaller group actually has a chance to counter a massive zerg since only 4 people can be on the ram hitting a door, and the zerg needs to spread itself out to keep all the BOs covered, allowng the smaller force tot ake on thos eindividual parties at each BO and claim the BOs for themselves. The smaller groups also have a better chance to defend so long as they learn to use siege weapons & other tactics properly. All it takes is a few people with ballistas/cannons to keep dropping the enemy ram extremely quickly, forcing them to have to keep running back for new ones and causing the keep take to be very slow, allowing you to rank your own up and counter.
Originally posted by donaldduck
Originally posted by kishe
Everyone wanted it to be DAoC2...they gave us WoW2
Actually if they'd given us WoW2 they'd probably have been extremely successful...
Touche. It was more like WoW 0.25


text:
- Created 12/10/12 by alyssaw
Outerwear Footwear Pullovers Cardigans Jeans & Trousers Extras Pullover sweaters are probably the best travel clothes. They don't wrinkle, provide much needed comfort on a long flight, and the TSA will – as of now, at least – still allow you to wear them through security (Band of Outsiders, $280 and Rag&Bone, $450.) When she is traveling with you, she can cozy up and lean on you, a great feeling. It's also nice if you are wearing something soft so she can snuggle against you, like these medium weight S.N.S. Herning pullovers. They're both durable (useful... read more


text:
Show them bunny skull n' bones! Dark red tie with white mini logo print. Also Black and Royal (blue) with white mini logo print.
Wear the Psycho Bunny Crest with pride! Navy with gold/white logo crest print. Also in chocolate with pink/white logo crest print and purple with green/white logo crest print.