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When Barry Fairweather dies unexpectedly in his early 40s, the little town of Pagford is left in shock.
Pagford is, seemingly, an English idyll, with a cobbled market square and an ancient abbey, but what lies behind the pretty façade is a town at war. Rich at war with poor, teenagers at war with their parents, wives at war with their husbands, teachers at war with their pupils.... Pagford is not what it at first seems. And the empty seat left by Barry on the town's council soon becomes the catalyst for the biggest war the town has yet seen. Who will triumph in an election fraught with passion, duplicity, and unexpected revelations?
Blackly comic, thought-provoking, and constantly surprising, The Casual Vacancy is J.K. Rowling's first novel for adults.
©2012 J.K. Rowling (P)2012 Hachette Audio
A part-time buffoon and ersatz scholar specializing in BS, pedantry, schmaltz and cultural coprophagia.
"Pagford upon Avon"
Or perhaps a better title for my review would be: You don't have S3X near unicorns. In some ways this novel seems like a more middleweight 21st century counterpoint to Martin Amis' novel 'Money'. J.K. Rowling's new "adult" novel could just as easily been titled 'Poverty' or 'Mortality' (sorry J.K., but Hitch beat you to that title), both of which are themes that play throughout this novel.
It is weird for me, as a reader of all her juvenile fiction, to think of her in the same way with 'Casual Vacancy'. It appears it is hard for J.K. too. Rowling clearly is strongly connected to young adults, because the best parts of 'The Casual Vacancy' orbit the novel's younger characters.
In 'Casual Vacancy', Rowling falls back into writing about factions and tribalism in communities. Instead of a sorting hat, Pagford's tribes are sorted by money, by politics, by class, and in the case of those around Barry Fairweather -- by luck. It really seems like you can't write about England's poverty or class struggles without a little bit of dark humor and tragicomedy.
But, there is a real danger in writing a novel your loyal readers might not be ready for. We are creatures of habit and expectation. Go back and ask Melville how his loyal followers liked Moby Dick. I am positive that there will be scores of readers that will be upset, disenchanted, and disallusioned with Rowling's new book. But that is OK. In a greater way that is probably just what JK wants and expects (obviously on top of being read).
The British actor Tom Hollander's participation in the audiobook was a brilliant (seriously brillaint) move. The tecture of his voice is easy, lyrical and clear. He is able to subtly voice the many shades and variations of English class (Ruth and her husband Simon are good examples of his deft reading). The clarity and crispness of his voice also makes this an audiobook that you can listen to ALMOST as easily at 2x speed as 1x speed (although as an American, I didn't dare listen to it for long at 3x speed).
I'm not sure I would call it a great book (sorry folks, it isn't 'Bleak House' or 'Les Miserables'), but neither my money/credit nor my time was wasted listening to it.
trying to see the world with my ears
"Skippy Dies in Marriage Plot on Coronation St"
I mean that in a good way. I've never read or seen a Potter, but love witty light Brit lit. This IS a fun listen, though some of the characters and observations are mean-spirited. This also does a novel's job - observes and comments on the human condition, so although light, it is in the tradition (though not same fighting class) of a Trollope or Austen - keen observation of daily life beyond the surface, and well-expressed. Rowling makes even a journey across a parking lot interesting, and the narrator is A+
I downloaded this only out of curiosity and lost a night's sleep because I couldn't stop listening. If you like story-telling and don't need a happy -ever-after resolution, this may be for you. If you like sparse, taught prose and postmodern-y novels, maybe skip it.
I usually avoid novels with adolescent characters and their concerns, but. like Paul Murray, Rowling makes even that age group interesting for me. (Sorry if that sounds ageist; I'm a self-absorbed babyboomer - and we're in the novel too)
"This is not a magical book, it can't be."
Oscar Wilde's famous line "The good end happily and the bad unhappily, that is what fiction means" sums up the hero's journey that is the Harry Potter series. Inventive and imaginative, the reader enters a world that could never be, and encounters characters full of the greatest attributes of mankind: kindness, loyalty and courage prime among them. Goodness inevitably triumphs over evil, and the victory is won by not a single hero, but a band of friends exhibiting humanity at its best.
Humanity is not at its best in "The Casual Vacancy", far from it. Readers who found it exhilarating to imagine themselves soaring through the air on a broomstick or a hippogriff are rudely dropped onto the hard asphalt of contemporary class and racial bias. It is not a pretty sight or enjoyable experience. It is not meant to be.
I responded the same way many readers did by realizing that there isn't a single character that is not deeply flawed, and in many ways, unlikeable. The one person we would actually like to have as a friend dies at the outset of the book, and even he has imperfect relationships with those closest to him. His presence created equilibrium between warring factions driven by prejudice and mistrust. His death upsets the balance and begins a cascade of events which ends in tragedy. A more hopeful book would have the characters experience epiphanies which would change them internally and the world around them externally.
But this is not a hopeful book. I don't think it was meant to be. The author masterfully weaves the strands of the plot until all the characters have to look at themselves deeply if they are capable of it. Many of them are not, and are not changed by the losses they experience. This is where fantasy and reality collide, good is not going to triumph over evil, and that is depressing and heartbreaking.
The point, I believe, is that complex problems do not have easy answers, and sometimes have no answers at all. The Potter series is about finding the hidden power within you. This book is about the hidden powerlessness we feel as a society when confronted by the fear of those who are not like us. While we have best of intentions, our fear triumphs over our desire to do the right thing.
I believe Ms. Rowling's intent was to make us think deeply about intractable problems, and I think she was successful in doing so. It is not an enjoyable read, but it is an important one. It makes us uncomfortable, this time she didn't want to entertain us with fantasy, but to give us a big dose of reality as seen by a skilled storyteller.
"Rowling can create despicable as well as loveable"
When I finished listening to this book I immediately wanted to talk about it. My initial feeling was one of bafflement, mostly because, while this book was not what I consider "enjoyable" by most of the definitions I use for that word - I did enjoy it.
I tend to be drawn to books that will allow me to disappear into them. I want to escape from reality and inhabit a different world for a while, fall in love, have grand adventures, make new friends. This was not the book for any of that. Instead The Casual Vacancy keeps you right here in "the real world". More than that, it shines an unforgiving light into all of the dingiest, ugliest, saddest and most tragic corners of the world and introduces you to a whole town full of despicable, ugly and tragic characters and it does it in a gorgeous way. The world is painted with the skilled brushes of JK Rowlings fantastic command of language and brilliant story-telling.
This is the first Tom Hollander narration that I have listened to. I have listened to A Lot of audiobooks though, and have experienced that a narrator can make or break a book in audio format. I enjoyed Tom Hollander very much.
Like the rest of the world, I became a fan of the author through the charming and magical world she created with Harry Potter. Those audiobooks are some of my absolute favorites. I have listened to them over and over - they are a great thing to just throw on when I am bored and have nothing new to listen to. It has been my experience that JK Rowling's books have many and unexpected layers, so I WILL be listening to this book again once it has had a bit more time to digest in my head, though I don't see it going onto my list of often repeated files.
Because I do enjoy that world so much I really wanted to support the author in this newest endeavor. I went in knowing that this was an adult book, not a fantasy/sci-fi book and most definitely NOT HP. Even so, it was difficult to divorce myself from those preconceived notions and just give this book a shot on it's own merits. There were a few spots in the book where I found myself pulled out of the story a bit by the swearing. I found myself wondering how much of it was necessary to the story and how much of it was an artifice to break from the HP mold. I do not have an issue with swearing, and it is clear that some measure of it is completely appropriate, and perhaps even necessary to illustrate the world created in The Casual Vacancy. There were still a few spots where it seemed - contrived almost - and reminded me that I was reading a JK Rowling book rather than getting me to forget about the author and immerse into the story.
I don't want to live in this world (even though I am aware that I do). All in all though, I am glad I made the purchase, and though this book had a lot of hurdles to jump - I think that it was worth the effort to experience what I view as a piece of art. The characters in this book are not the loveable oddballs of HP, but they do show that Rowling can create the rainbow of despicable humanity just as well.
I don't feel like I have said a whole lot to really encourage anyone towards this story, but I do think that any book that makes you think, makes you want to talk about it, makes you pause and reassess the way you view the world, is a good book. The Casual Vacancy did all of those things for me. Instead of wanting to escape into it's world it made me relieved to return to my own. Instead of falling in love with the characters, it made me recall why I love the people in my own. Instead of making me want to escape, it actually made me want to take action.
"Excellent reader. Dark book"
I'm sure, (in the way that someone who has never met or spoken with the author can be sure) that J.K. Rowling was trying to write a book that was as far from Harry Potter as she could get. She had to show that she could do something else. She has certainly succeeded. I don't think that this was supposed to be a light hearted romp at all. It is not. This book is dark and brooding. If you are waiting for the uplifting moment, it never comes. The other side of that is that she wrote this book very well. Part of what makes it dark and disturbing is that she is good at description and she is excellent and setting a scene in small towns in England. I didn't really like the book but I was engaged with it to the end.
The reader knocked this one out of the park! I think that part of what made the book so engaging was that he was reading it. I hope this book lands him a big stack of contracts to perform other books. He needs to do more!
I didn't like the story but it was well crafted.
"very enjoyable"
Having never read Harry Potter, since children were already grown,I was interested to hear the author's style and can now see, after listening to just 1/3, how the story just pulls you in. Rowling touches on so many areas of British life, housing projects, drugs, upper class snobbery, Indian immigrants.etc
all of Crystals encounters with social worker
ability to differentiate voices
"Modern "Train Spotting", Depressing but good"
JK Rowling has proved that she is a great writer. She has taken a complex story that interlinks the lives of several families in a small town. At casual glance, the families are predictable. However, once the story unfolds, everyone is shown to have skeletons in their closets. If you read the reviews that say this is a dark comedy, don't believe it. It is more like the dismal stories that Oprah tends to feature. If that is your cup of tea, this is the book for you. The narration is spectacular. The narrator keeps you wanting to go up the next hill in the dismal story.
"SNORE - Can't Finish - ONLY Negative Review Ever!"
Tom Hollander, yes. J.K. Rowling - NOT LIKE THIS, NO! If they have the same richness and suspense of the Harry Potter novels I enjoyed as I kid, I would.
Anything!? I listened at work and in the car for 2.5 hours. Then, I read other reviews via Google to see if maybe it has a surprise in store. Apparently not. Apparently, she is saying her royalties from the HP franchise allow her to write what she wants. That doesn't mean it's good.
This book - the first 2.5 hours anyway - is comprised of character descriptions of average, stereotypical people in a small town. So far, a guy has died, and people have gossiped about it. Looks like their might be a battle over who takes his small-town political spot maybe. Woohoo.
Language is crude. Rare witty moments.
My mother would call this in movie-format a "slice of life." I can look out my window or at my coworkers for that. If I was READING without benefit of a narrator, I'd not have the desire to turn the next page.
I think she's trying to make a political statement in their somewhere. Descriptions of places or a rainy day are excellent. Not a three-part book I can bear to finish.
I loved her writing. This is like Harry's Aunt and Uncle's daily life along with that of their friends and neighbors. Nothing more. Depressing (social service visit of a drugged out mother etc.).
Narrator was awesome. Not sure how he stayed awake though... Since I'm giving up 2.5 hours into this without an understanding yet of which of the TWENTY characters is which, I can't vote for a favorite performance of one...
Just cut the plot... Wait... ADD a plot!
This is the ONLY negative review I've ever written. I've only returned one other book (and that just wasn't my cup of tea, so I didn't review at all).
Devoted Darwin8U Disciple (Thank you Cornwinkle for gracious mention!) You are bulletproof--love the dog.
"Pagfordians Serve a MEAN Spot of Tea"
(Second writing)
*Making the leap from the world of magical youth to all-things-adult is not always and easy transition...how many jaws hit the ground when Hannah Montana dropped it like it's hot with a pole on the Teen Choice Awards, a move unanaimously considered by critics to be *inappropriate* and *ill-advised*. I am NOT saying this book is inappropriate or ill-advised -- only noting that there is always a risk involved when a anyone makes a 180* turn from the iconic role people have readily and so fondly associated them with. And this is a certainly a complete change of direction from an enchanted world to a mean gritty village on the opposite pole.
Apparently this turn-about was also difficult for the professional critics (and amusing): 1) Time magazine went so far as to *award* Rowling the Booker Prize, raving that it is *brilliant* and full of *literary intelligence*, going on to quote, "Rowling shows off a new descriptive dexterity, an extra verbal gear that until now she kept in reserve: a used condom in the grass is 'the gossamer cocoon of some large grub.'" 2) The NY Times called the novel *dull* and *crudely staged*, quoting the exact passage (that so moved Times Entertainment) as an example: "a gross description of a used condom 'glistening in the grass beside her feet like the gossamer cocoon of some large grub.'" Who am I to argue with the pros...
My unprofessional opinion: I agree with Time Magazine somewhat, but I experienced what the NY Times observed. I struggled to stay with this and admit I probably would not have were it not for Rowling's name and my expectations. Any book about hard drug abuse, violence, rape, bullying, suicide, and skanky sex, is of course a demanding read...combined with a roster of mean and nasty amoral characters-- and the demand is not worth the reward. Yes, the wretched characters tugged at my emotions, (the teen characters were the highlight of this book), but they were largely already so irrevocably damaged, or so repellent that it was logically impossible to cling to any hope. The first 2/3 of the book is burdened with descriptions, the dreary town, the residents, the politics, the history, the mundane day-to-day -- so slow and ponderous that it feels almost like it is written in real time. The novel picks up speed towards the end, but not the mood -- depressing and disparaging, perhaps Rowlings views of some of society, and her rally for change.
There are moments of brilliance, some great socio-political agendas going on, and some satirical humor, but I have to disagree with reviewers that compare this to other great English novels and their dark humor. The humor here is much darker than the British classics; it's black, mean-spirited schadenfreude and I almost felt guilty for even thinking of a grin. There will be some that will pass on this book because of the subject matter or be turned away by the language, others will find it slow, some may not be willing to allow Rowling such a reversal, and I'm sure there will be those that unfairly compare this to her monolithic HP series. Myself, I'll be recommending Casual Vacancy very judiciously to just a few friends. Rowling is an immensely talented writer and thinker, and I understand where she was going with this, I just couldn't go there with her, but admire her willingness to explore and take us along. I'm looking forward to her next transition, and not looking back. Even with the *brilliance* and *literary intelligence*...this just wasn't my preferred cup of tea.
"Read reviews before you purchase"
The story was extremely depressing & slow. I almost fell asleep while driving. The narrator is probably good, but there's not much he could do with this story. I read lots of English novels...not just Harry Potter. I love JK Rowling, but this is just not up to her standards. I tried to plod through, but after starting the 2nd download, I just had to quit.
It was just a very depressing & slow story overall
He was good, it just wasn't good material.
Not really. I wasn't expecting all the bad language.
I wanted to like this book, but I just couldn't.


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Whether you want to save a bit on gas or to help the environment, learning how to drive "greener" can come in handy.
"The key to EcoDriving is that anyone can do it, in any vehicle, and best of all, it's easy," said Dave McCurdy, president and CEO of the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers.
The alliance is a trade association of 11 car and light truck manufacturers, including the Big Three of Chrysler, Ford and General Motors, along with others such as BMW, Volkswagen and Toyota.
The alliance sponsored an effort to encourage more drivers to take simple steps to improve their fuel efficiency and reduce their carbon footprints.
The EcoDrive effort aims to produce the highest mileage from every one of the roughly 245 million vehicles, regardless of size or age, in the U.S.
The EcoDrive website includes tips for greener driving, along with a calculator that lets visitors figure out their carbon dioxide emissions and a virtual road test to try out their new-found knowledge.
"It's time that we all begin taking the steps necessary to reduce our carbon footprint," McCurdy said.
Driver versus car
You won't get any argument from Gil Portalatin, hybrid propulsion system applications manager for Ford. Portalatin believes that great mileage comes from not the car itself, but from the driver.
And becoming a "greener" driver isn't that hard, he said.

subset: commoncrawl


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Kids will go crackers for our giant critter stacker! Terrific play value: more than a towering, stacking toy, it's a menagerie of plush animal pals. Squeeze 'em, stack 'em, shake 'em — each piece is a toy in itself, with different sounds and textures to explore. Great for coordination; outstanding quality. A whopping 17"H, for bigger stacking fun! For newborns and up. Imported. Designed by OneStepAhead. See Product Details
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So colorful and imaginative
By Missy
from Burke, VA
About Me Parent of Two or More Children
Comments about One Step Ahead Animal Crackers Giant Stacking Toy:
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Christmas gift
By MieMie
from Alexandria, IN
About Me Grandparent
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Grandson's Favorite Gift.
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Grandson love it!
By mpiperd
from Euless, TX
Just gave to grandson for Christmas but think he is really going to enjoy!
(3 of 3 customers found this review helpful)
Tons of fun!
By Iowa Mom
from Iowa City, IA
About Me First Time Parent
Our 6-month old LOVES this toy. It's a great go-to now and will be for a long time.
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Animal Crackers Giant Stacking Toy Standard Delivery (lower 48 states): Standard Delivery Charges See Lower 48 Shipping Chart
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Support Stacy! | Join Stacy's Team! | |
SPCA Humane Investigations | ||
$350 Milestone
Raised $350.00 or more!
Walking towards my Goal!
Goal: $2,500.00 |
Please help Marvin and I to End Pet Homelessness
On Saturday, May 5th, Marvin and I will be walking with hundreds of other wonderful people and their dogs in 17th Annual Wag n' Walk, a walk to help end pet homelessness. I hope you will sponsor me (and my dog!) as we walk to raise essential money for The SPCA for Monterey County and all their important services. Last year's walk raised over $100,000 for the shelter animals and we hope to break that record this year!
Not only are Marvin and I walking this year for the animals, but also in loving memory of my grandfather, William Donald "Sandy" Sanders, who passed away unexpectedly from a heart attack on 02/15/12. He was Marvin's pal and always loved when he would come to visit. They would sit in the backyard, lounging in the sun. He would tell Marvin his stories and just pet his head and loved him. Please help me honor my grandfather during this year's Wag n' Walk!
Please visit my webpage to see your donation and watch as you personally make the total grow. Thank you so much - I look forward to hearing from you soon!
Help support my efforts as I walk to help end pet homelessness!
Thank you for supporting The SPCA for Monterey County. Your contribution is greatly appreciated. On behalf of all the animals, thank you for supporting us in finding loving and caring homes.
You can also mail donations directly to The SPCA for Monterey County at: P.O. Box 3058, Monterey, CA 93942. Click here for a printable donation form!
Please make a notation on your check designating where the donations should go such as: participating walkers name/team, Wag n' Walk. Thank you. Your contributions will help more than 12,000 animals whose lives are touched each year by The SPCA for Monterey County.
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Highlights: Kenya (Nairobi, Amboseli, Naivasha, Masai Mara)
See the best of Kenya on this far reaching tour. You are met at the airport on arrival and transferred to your hotel downtown. The next morning you can stay in town to enjoy sightseeing at the Karen Blixen Museum, Elephant Orphanage, and Giraffe Manor - or depart right away to the plains of Amboseli. This small park is famous for its great elephants and the matchless view of Mount Kilimanjaro. Enjoy two days of game viewing with your private expert guide, in the comfort of your own vehicle. Drive back through Nairobi to Lake Naivasha in the Rift Valley where you can stroll along the lakeside and view the hippos. There is an optional boat tour to nearby Crescent Island that offers rare game walking. Then drive to Masai Mara for two spectacular days of game viewing. This park has the best game viewing in the world because of its small size, and the ability to go off-road to the animals. There is no substitute for a tented safari - and the sense of being connected to the land. Return to Nairobi for some final souvenir shopping and a farewell dinner. Kensington Tours has its own offices in Nairobi, Kenya, and Arusha, Tanzania. Our prices include the support of our own dedicated team on the ground! Another reason we deliver unbeatable value.
In the unfortunate event of serious illness or injury, all travellers are covered by this "Flying Doctors" Insurance policy. This emergency evacuation insurance policy covers the cost of the evacuation flight back to Nairobi for treatment. This insurance policy however DOES NOT cover the cost of any medical treatment received.
A privately driven vehicle will provide you with a transfer to & from the airport.
The Country Lodge Nairobi is owned and operated by the Fairview Hotel Group and provides guests with excellent accommodations options at a very reasonable price. The property is located in the Upper-hill neighbourhood of Nairobi, an area of the city that is rather lively, boasting a number of picturesque gardens, ethnically inspired restaurants and a wide range of activities. Guests at the Country Lodge can be assured that they will have a safe, clean and quiet place to rest their head during their stay in Nairobi. Throughout the hotel a wireless Internet connection is made available for usage. Guest will always wake up to a quality, hot breakfast before heading out to explore this dynamic Kenyan capital city.
A privately driven vehicle with guide is made available for usage today in Nairobi.
Stop in for a visit to the David Sheldrick elephant orphanage at the Nairobi Game Park headquarters. The elephants are fed from 11am to noon. Visit these and other endangered animals like the black rhino.
Enjoy a visit to the Giraffe Center where you can hand-feed the giraffes. Then stop at the Karen Blixen house, once lived in by Karen, and made world familiar as the movie set for "Out of Africa" with Meryl Streep and Robert Redford. (Try to see the movie again!) Ms. Blixen's good works, among and for the local people, have made her into a legend. If you are interested in the local jewelry you can visit the Kazuri Bead Factory, it's an all-woman craft workshop that is renowned for making fabulous clay beads and jewelry. The Factory is a co-operative enterprise founded several decades ago by an Englishwoman who wanted to help single mothers become self-supporting. The clay beads are as amazing as the story of the Factory's evolution.
This morning you'll meet up with your guide and head off to Amboseli National Park. Head directly into the park for game viewing and then return to the camp for late check-in or check-in first and then head out for an afternoon game drive. Chat with your guide for their recommendation based on your arrival time and park hours.
This afternoon you'll meet up with your guide and head out into Amboseli National Park. The park is famous for being the best place in Africa to get close to free-ranging elephants. On a clear day, you'll also have spectacular views of Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest free-standing mountain in the world.
The Sopa Lodge in Amboseli is seated near Mount Kilimanjaro, with a keen view of the mountain's supreme heights and surrounding landscape. The 83 rooms are spacious and full of character, each constructed like private hut using local materials and fixtures. The dining room is decorated with authentic African carvings and vibrant, burning colors, with Pan African and continental cuisine served. One may pass the time observing the habits of the regional game or rummaging through the Maasai market, where proceeds are gathered for reinvesting into the indigenous community.
This morning you will meet up with your guide for your game drive through Amboseli. Famous for its great herds of Elephants. The African elephants are distinguished from Asian elephants in several ways, the most noticeable being their ears which are much larger. The African elephant is typically larger than the Asian elephant and has a concave back. Both African males and females have external tusks and are usually less hairy than their Asian cousins. The elephant's gestation period is 22 months, the longest of any land animal. At birth it is common for an elephant calf to weigh 120 kilograms (260 lb).
This afternoon you will meet up with your guide and head out into Amboseli National Park. Along with the great herds of elephants, the park is also home to cheetahs, lions, baboons, wildebeest and buffalo to name a few.
You will meet up with your guide and head off to Naivasha. The drive will be about 6 hours.
Sign up for optional activities on-site. Activities include Crescent Island boat tour, hiking and day trip excursions to Mt Longonot and Hell's Gate, or simply walk along the lakeshore and relax at your lodge.
*Activity fees vary and are paid on-site to the lodge and/or park authority.
The Simba Lodge is situated not far from Nairobi, surrounded by gardens on the serene Lake Naivasha. Its 70 rooms are spacious and pleasantly decorated to fit in with the light, earthy and calm surroundings. Dining is an all-around pleasant experience, where one may choose their favorites and make new discoveries at the wide buffet. Traditional and international cuisine is offered, as well as curries, which are popular with the locals. Hell's Gate is not far, and there are plenty of activities such as cycling and rock climbing there. Otherwise, take a boat ride or nature walk during your free time.
Your guide will drive you from Naivasha to Masai Mara. This drive will take about 5 to 6 hours. Drive times may be longer in the rainy season (April to early May and November). Stop for refreshments and souvenir shopping at roadside stands along the way or head straight to the park. Enjoy game viewing as you enter Masai Mara and drive to your camp.
Head out this afternoon, accompanied by an experience tracker-guide, on an exciting game viewing adventure. Search some of the area`s wildlife hot-spots determined by your guide, as they`ve learned and now understand the games daily routines through tracking. Some wildlife is more difficult than others to spot, for instance the Leopard. These spotted cats blends almost seamlessly into the tall grass and shrubbery, and are even more challenging to spot up in their favorite hangout, the trees. Your guide will take you to nearby watering holes, where on a hot day, you`ll spot many bird and wildlife species, including the elusive Leopard.
The camp is an all season camp located along the banks of the Olare Orok River, on the boundary of masai Mara game reserve and Mara North conservancy, and conducts its game drives in the Masai Mara main reserve, Kenya. Olumara is hidden in the shadow of indigenous trees. The camp recreates the atmosphere of the natural environment. Each room is furnished to a complete standard. The beds have been hand carved from specially selected wood from fallen trees. The interior of each tent also includes a hot and cold Shower, flush toilet, dressing area and a mirror. Each tent has a large, extended Balcony for relaxation, reading, and game viewing or even holding private events e.g. private dinners.
Just like the local wildlife, you`ll head out bright and early this morning, alongside an experienced tracker-guide for the day's first game drive. The eco-diversity and sheer size of the Masai Mara Game Reserve provides the necessary requirements to house a wide range of animal species. The most recognized are known worldwide as the African Big 5 which includes the African Elephant, Cape Buffalo, Rhinoceros, Leopard, and the King of the beasts, the Lion. The term Big 5 was coined by big-game hunters as these species were the most difficult and dangerous to track and hunt. Subsequently the term was adopted by the tourism industry for marketing purpose, spinning a web of positivity opposed to the negative effect portrait by the original terminology. Numerous other species of bird and wildlife inhabit this dynamic location including Hyenas, Gazelles, Impalas, Giraffes, Zebras, Vultures, Cranes, Eagles, Falcons, and Ostriches.
On today's afternoon game drive the choice is up to you: search for the Big 5 or expand your horizons to discover something different. Masai Mara not only has a rich mix of animals – it also has an incredible array of bird life with almost 450 different species.
Your guide will drive you from Masai Mara to Nairobi, with short stop-overs for refreshments and souvenirs. Be aware that during this commute you will drive across some unfinished patches of road. This drive will take approximately 6 hours.
The opportunity to explore the local markets and shops presents itself today as so you can interact with the local vendors in search for the perfect handicraft or souvenir for yourself or your loved ones.
Before leaving that night, stop by the Kensington office for free use of Internet and lounge. If you like, we can make reservations for dinner at a local restaurant as well. Please let us know in advance and if you are vegetarian.
Depart from Nairobi international airport - end of itinerary.
PASSPORT/VISAA Passport valid for at least six months and visas are required for both Canadian and US citizens. Visa may be purchased on arrival at the airport. Single entry visa is $50 per person, payable in cash, new bills (no credit cards). Visas may also be obtained in advance through a visa service or through the embassy directly. Processing generally takes 5-7 working days.
Please note obtaining a visa is your responsibility. These requirements change often and therefore it is best that you check with the embassy of Kenya for the most up to date visa information.
Nairobi (NBO) (Jomo Kenyatta International) is 16km (10 miles) southeast of the city. Mombasa (MBA) (Moi International) is 13km (8 miles) west of the city. NOTE: Only newly printed USD currency and local currency will be accepted in East Africa, any USD currency printed without the new security measures will not be accepted. HEALTHHealth insurance is essential. Guests of Kensington Tours are covered by East African Flying Doctor Services included in the tour price. This coverage guarantees that any member injured or ill while on safari will be airlifted back to Nairobi to the international hospital. We recommend that you see a health-care provider who specializes in Travel Medicine. The doctor or health-care provider will determine what vaccinations and medication you will need, depending on factors such as your health and immunization history, areas of the country you will be visiting, and planned activities. For more information on travel requirements, visit the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) website: http://wwwn.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/kenya.aspx COUNTRY INFOCapital - Nairobi. Language - Swahili is the national language and English is the official language. There are over 42 ethnic languages spoken, including Kikuyu and Luo. Religion - Mostly traditional but there is a sizeable Christian population (both Catholic and Protestant) and a small Muslim community. Time - GMT + 3. Electricity - 220/240 volts AC, 50Hz. Plugs are UK-type square three-pin. Bayonet-type light sockets exist in Kenya. Telephone - Country code: 254 (followed by 20 for Nairobi, 41 for Mombasa and 51 for Nakuru). Mobile phone coverage is widespread. There are Internet cafes in major cities and hotels.
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A total of five players from River Valley were selected to the 2012 All-Ohio Valley Conference football team, as voted on by the coaches within the league.
The Raiders — who finished the year 2-8 overall and 1-4 in OVC play — finished in a three-way tie with both South Point and Rock Hill for fourth place in the league. All three of those programs had five choices apiece, while OVC-champion Coal Grove led the way with eight total selections. Fairland and Chesapeake each had seven honorees on the 2012 All-OVC squad.
The senior quartet of Kyle Brown, Chris Clemente and Austin Whobrey were chosen to the All-OVC first team, while senior Ethan Dovenbarger and junior Justin Mabe both earned honorable mention selections. All five Raider honorees are first-time recipients of this award in football.
Dave Lucas was again named the coach of the year after going unbeaten in OVC play. The Ohio Valley Conference does not select a player of the year.
2012 All-Ohio Valley Conference Football Team
Kyle Brown, River Valley Sr RB-DL 6-02 236
Austin Whobrey, River Valley Sr QB-DB 6-02 170
Chris Clemente, River Valley Sr WR-DB 6-02 190
Alex Bare*, Coal Grove Sr QB-DB 5-09 150
Kyle Estep, Coal Grove Sr RB-LB 6-03 180
Brandon Hogsten, Coal Grove Sr FB-DE 5-11 200
Austen Pleasants, Coal Grove So OL-DL 6-05 280
Tanner Murphy, Coal Grove So FB-LB 5-10 210
T.J. McCoy#, Chesapeake Sr OL-LB 5-11 230
Javon Thompson, Chesapeake Sr WR-DB 6-01 165
Jacob Collins, Chesapeake Sr RB-LB 5-07 150
Nate Jones, Chesapeake Sr RB-LB 5-10 190
Tyree Ceasar, Fairland Sr FB-DE 5-08 205
Cody Midkiff, Fairland Sr WR-DB 6-01 170
Kyle Sowards, Fairland Jr WR-DB 5-09 150
Shane Harper, Rock Hill Sr FB-LB 6-00 205
Ethan Baker, Rock Hill Jr OL-DL 5-08 175
Chance Blankenship, Rock Hill Fr RB-DB 5-07 140
Austin Majher*, South Point Sr RB-LB 5-05 155
Larry Brandon, South Point Sr RB-LB 6-01 233
Josh Browning, South Point Jr WR-DB 5-11 145
Ethan Dovenbarger, River Valley Sr TE-DE 6-04 230
Justin Mabe, River Valley Jr WR-LB 6-02 175
Tyler Henry, Coal Grove Sr OL-DL 6-03 250
Isaiah Gunther, Coal Grove So RB-DB 5-07 155
Caleb Lindsey, Chesapeake Sr QB-DB 5-11 155
Mark McMillian, Chesapeake Jr OL-DL 6-02 275
Nathan Campbell#, Fairland So RB-DB 5-08 155
Tyler Campbell, Fairland So OL-LB 6-03 250
Jordan Blagg, Rock Hill So TE-DE 5-07 140
Jordan Hairston, Rock Hill Jr TE-LB 6-00 180
Gage Townson, South Point So QB-DB 6-02 165
James Leonard, South Point So RB-LB 5-09 160
Coach of the Year: Dave Lucas, Coal Grove*
Final OVC Standings: Coal Grove 5-0, Chesapeake 4-1, Fairland 3-2, River Valley 1-4, Rock Hill 1-4, South Point 1-4.
* — indicates first-team choice in 2011, # — indicates honorable mention choice in 2011.


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CNHI/Southeast Iowa
- CNHI/Southeast Iowa
Expert: Schools need shelters
Ninety-four percent of Oklahoma schools do not have tornado shelters, according to Gov. Mary Fallin, even though at least one weather expert says they should be standard. With two Moore schools destroyed in Monday's EF-5 tornado — and ...
Twitter introduces website security tool after AP account hacked
Twitter is adding a new security tool to its website, making it harder for outsiders to gain access to accounts, a month after a false posting triggered a stock-market decline.
Siblings withstand storm in fridge
Brother and sister co-owners of a Chinese takeout restaurant huddled inside a refrigerator to survive Monday's deadly tornado that claimed 24 lives.
Mom delivered baby as tornado struck
Shayla Taylor was so far along in labor that her nurses at Moore Medical Center decided not to move her when Monday's tornado hit. They waited out the storm in an operating room, where the wall disappeared as the tornado hit the building.
Stabbing trial pushed back
OTTUMWA -- The trial of an Ottumwa man accused of stabbing another man to death has been pushed back. Twenty-year-old Brandon Seim was charged in November 2011, when he was 18, with the stabbing death of Andy Madren, 34. When officers arrived at the
Offering a few helping hands
Two area women formed a business around the idea that people who have lost loved ones may need assistance in getting estates squared away.
TIMELAPSE: Take a tour through the damage in Moore
Take a driving tour of the damage in Moore caused by Monday's tornado.
Mayor wants tornado shelters in new homes
Moore Mayor Glenn Lewis wants tornado shelters in all new homes in his city, where an EF-5 tornado damaged or destroyed more than 12,500 homes Monday afternoon. A proposed ordinance would require a shelter inside or outside each new residence.
Officials release storm survey results
DES MOINES -- Officials with the National Weather Service have released a report on this week's severe weather, confirming that three tornadoes hit Iowa. That broke a nearly year-long streak without tornadoes in the state.
AUDIO: Residents share their tornado experiences
Moore, Okla., residents talk about living through Monday's EF-5 tornado.
In fan fiction, your favorite characters do what you want them to
When J.J. Abrams took over the "Star Trek" franchise in 2009, he boldly went where the series hadn't gone before — romantically — pairing Uhura with Spock. Many fans disliked the change. Some loved it. Others didn't care, because they just wanted to see Kirk and Spock make out.
VIDEO: Orlando shootout tied to Boston bomb suspect
The FBI says it was involved in a fatal shooting near Universal Studios in Orlando, Fla. CBS News senior correspondent John Miller reports that the victim was a friend of Tamerlan Tsarnaev, the older brother suspected in the Boston Marathon bombing.
Okla. officials vow not to quit looking until everyone is found
The tornado that killed 24 people and injured at least 100 others in the Moore and Oklahoma City area cut a 17-mile-long path that started in Newcastle and ended at Lake Stanley Draper. Nine of the dead are children.
- Photos: Aftermath of massive tornado in Moore Storm victims were pulled from the rubble and residents began surveying the damage late Monday and early Tuesday in the Oklahoma City suburb of Moore, where a powerful tornado destroyed entire neighborhoods and left dozens dead.
Where to get the best deal on beer, haircuts, movies
Looking for a good deal on a six-pack of beer? Try Charlotte. A haircut that won't burn a hole in your wallet? Harlingen, Texas, is your best bet. A trip to the movies? Hilo, Hawaii, is supposed to be nice this time of year.
- More CNHI/Southeast Iowa Headlines
Expert: Schools need shelters


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Boomers will be spending billions to counter aging
NEW YORK — Baby boomers heading into what used to be called retirement age are providing a 70 million-member strong market for legions of companies, entrepreneurs and cosmetic surgeons eager to capitalize on their "forever young" mindset, whether it's through wrinkle creams, face-lifts or workout regimens. It adds up to potential bonanza. The market research firm Global Industry Analysts projects that a boomer-fueled consumer base, "seeking to keep the dreaded signs of aging at bay," will push the U.S. market for anti-aging products from about $80 billion now to more than $114 billion by 2015. The boomers, who grew up in a culture glamorizing youth, face an array of choices as to whether and how to be a part of that market.


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PAT CAPUTO: Jim Harbaugh may be annoying, but his brilliance can't be denied WITH VIDEO
Jim Harbargh doesn't fly under the radar.
When the Super Bowl-bound San Francisco 49ers' head coach was the quarterback at Michigan, the Wolverines were run with an iron fist by Bo Schembechler.
Subsequently, Michigan's players dared not provide bulletin board material for the opposition - with an exception. Harbaugh came out the week of the Ohio State game and guaranteed victory.
He delivered, too.
It wasn't the start of the legend, really, although Harbaugh did have an excellent college playing career (third in Heisman Trophy voting). Harbaugh was a solid NFL quarterback during a long professional career. Nothing more. Nothing less.
The legend part is developing for Harbaugh as a coach.
What Harbaugh has done as a head coach, in college at Stanford, and now in the NFL by taking the San Franciscon 49ers to the Super Bowl, has been monumental.
It's amazing how the 49ers are considered the NFL's most-talented overall team. In 2010, the season before Harbargh arrived, the 49ers were 6-10. They hadn't compiled a winning record in eight years. They were a study in NFL dysfunction. Mike Singletary, the previous coach, was a dignified Hall of Fame linebacker, a teammate of Harbaugh with the Chicago Bears, who could not control his squad.
The 49ers have reached the Super Bowl for the first time since the salad days of Bill Walsh and George Seifert at head coach, and Joe Montana and Steve Young at quarterback They started winning immediately under Harbaugh. They lost, narrowly, to the Giants in the NFC championship game last year. Sunday, they trailed the Falcons 17-0 on the road - and still won. Continued...
This is not new. It is, rather, Harbaugh's second so-called miracle. Stanford was 1-11 the season before he took over. He was soon upsetting the likes of USC, when it was at its very best during its scandal-marred days of Pete Carroll, and then eventually dominating the PAC 12 Conference. Stanford was 12-1 Harbaugh's last season there.
These weren't just building programs. These were lightning fast bottom-to-top turnarounds.
In the process, Harbaugh has had these moments that have made him the coach many love to hate.
When he beat Carroll at USC one year, Carroll greeted him for the traditional postgame handshake by admonishing Harbaugh for running up the score. Harbaugh shot right back at him.
In 2011, the 49ers visited Ford Field. It was a close game on the scoreboard, but the 49ers were decidedly more physical than the Lions on the field. At the end of the game, Harbaugh had his famous (or shall we say infamous?) handshake incident with Lions' head coach Jim Schwartz, who was livid, and needed to be restrained.
The Lions were 5-0 entering that game, the 49ers 4-1. The 49ers are going to the Super Bowl. The Lions, who have won one playoff game since 1957, are preparing for the fifth overall selection in the upcoming NFL Draft.
This isn't the only way the specter of Jim Harbaugh is haunting this state. As the Rich Rodriguez experiment failed miserably at Michigan, while Harbaugh was leading Stanford to such stunning success, he became the most logical choice for the Michigan job. Oh, except, he had much publicized tiff with several people associated with the Michigan program early in his tenure at Stanford. He questioned the academic integrity of Michigan's football program. Former Michigan running back Mike Hart went as far as to say Harbaugh isn't a Michigan man. His former teammate, Jamie Morris, one of Michigan's all-time best running back, also ripped him, as did then head coach Lloyd Carr, who referred to Harbaugh's thoughts as "elitist."
I criticized Carr harshly for allowing this. Harbaugh's comments seemed innocent enough. I couldn't have been more wrong. A few years later, an academic think tank revealed Stanford had an academic program specifically designed for athletes. Harbaugh's comments were worse than being "elitist." They were phony.
Harbaugh has, what tactful people refer to, as a "strong personality."
Maybe that's what make him a great coach. It's incredible how team-oriented the 49ers have become. Keeping Colin Kaepernick at quarterback after Alex Smith returned from a concussion was one of the gustiest moves ever by NFL coach. Smith was playing very well before he was hurt, but Kaepernick is clearly better. Continued...
If the 49ers win the Super Bowl, there will many people across the football landscape muttering under their breath: "That &%#@^ Harbaugh."
Jim Harbaugh isn't necessarily liked, but it is impossible not to respect what he has accomplished as a coach.
It has been unquestionably brilliant.
Pat Caputo is a senior sports reporter and a columnist for The Oakland Press. Contact him at email@example.com and read his blog at theoaklandpress.com. You can follow him on Twitter @patcaputo98
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This is the most well known version of the unique Ferret family. This model by Jon Bottomley of the FV701H Ferret Mk-2/3 Recce Vehicle features full interior detail with many alternative parts and 3 radio sets (No-19, Larkspur or Clansman) and matching bases.
The model can be completed to depict early, mid or late (Gulf war) vehicles and also has alternative BREN or GPMG armament. An etched brass detail set is also included and features sand channels, and many finer details. It is the only correct shaped kit on the market today.
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Our 10 Ferret & CVR(W) model kits form a unique 'mini' collection of classic British military vehicles


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On July 25, the Wichita Mountains Prevention Network (WMPN) partnered with Jackson County Tobacco Education Committee (JCTEC) and student volunteers to conduct 15 tobacco Reward Reminder Visits in Jackson County. Out of the 15 checks done, 14 retail establishments did not sell tobacco to a minor. Reward Reminder Visits commend clerks and retailers who refuse to sell tobacco products to minors. The research-based outreach program encourages retailers to comply with Oklahoma's statutes prohibiting the sale of tobacco products to minors.
During Reward and Reminder Visits teams of adults and underage youth visit retail establishments where youth attempt to purchase tobacco products. Clerks who sell receive a reminder that doing so could result in a misdemeanor charge and a $200 fine. They are also encouraged to check ID before completing future sales. Clerks who do not sell are eligible to win a reward. All store clerks who did not sell this quarter were entered into a drawing for a $25 American Express gift card. The winner of the gift card was Erica Kirby from the Wal-Mart Supercenter at 2500 N. Main St., Altus OK. Thank you, Erica and the other retailers in Jackson County, for not selling tobacco to minors!
The tobacco industry spends approximately $186 million in Oklahoma and $13.4 billion across the nation each year advertising its deadly products. Published research studies have found that kids are twice as sensitive to tobacco advertising as adults. Youth are more likely to be influenced to smoke by cigarette marketing than by peer pressure, and one-third of underage experimentation with smoking is attributed to tobacco advertising. Since young children are seen by Big Tobacco as replacement smokers, educating the youth of this community is a large part of the mission of the JCTEC. JCTEC also seeks to change social norms and policies surrounding tobacco use.
The committee also works hard to educate tobacco users about tobacco cessation resources. The OK Tobacco Helpline is available and free to everyone, 1-800 QUIT NOW. Services are available in Spanish and many other languages. For direct access to the Spanish Quit Line call 1-800-793-1552. The deaf and hard of hearing may access the TTY Quit Line at 1-877-777-6534 or Videophone at 1-866-748-2436 (ask for direct VP number.
Approximately 35, 000 Oklahomans called the Quit Line in 2011. Helpline Quit Coaches are highly trained in applying motivational interviewing and cognitive behavioral therapy. They use these techniques to address negative thoughts that keep participants from success. Nicotine replacements treatment is available through the helpline. Most participants are eligible for a two-week starter kit that includes nicotine gum, patches and lozenges.
For more information about the Oklahoma Tobacco Helpline, go to www.ok.gov/helpline/ for more information about quitting tobacco use go to: www.smokefree.gov. If you would like more information pertaining to the Reward Reminder Visits or JCTEC, please contact Kim Booker at Wichita Mountains Prevention Network at (580) 355-5246.


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in game event will be from dec21st ->jan 7th. Bla bla rare stuff pets bla. What do you get a game that is based on horror and zombies for the end of the world? More zombies.. In a different tone This video was a random click on youtube because I was bored, but the overt symbols in it is amusing to me. Supposedly her record label is a pyramid, but the gas masks , end of the world them to the lyrics , and the chorus of we rise all scream illuminati theme for the game. I am highly amused
Ok so late to the show- waited for the ftp 15 dollar deal and got it...heh. So is there a server people are on or does it matter? Not even sure do they do guilds or groups and if so, should I be in it? Does it matter what faction you choose for a guild?
Servers matter only for PvP. PvP is really bad and you shouldn't do it unless that changes. Factions matter only for PvP and flavor. Pick the faction whose flavor appeals to you. They do guilds, TSW calls them Cabals. They are faction-specific, although there may be cross-faction Cabals and/or umbrella corporations later. It's up to you if you want to be in one and which one. Misconception is probably top dog for progression stuff, but most people don't want to be that serious. I personally am in the SA goon cabals, which is not an option open to you if you are not an SA goon. There are not inherent advantages to being in one like WoW, where you got bonus XP or reduced repair costs or whatever, only whatever advantages your cabal happens to provide, like people to group with regularly or cabal bank stuff or whatever.
I admit that I haven't read this thread before the last couple of pages, but I'm with walTer. Is there a night of the week when people get together? Is there a guild to join? Do the locals (aka, those reading and posting in this thread) have a dire need for some particular kind of character?
There is no BF cabal that I'm aware of. You could start one if you want. I am on most nights (Raiser) and can answer questions or help out, but I'm heavily involved in my cabal and will not be leaving. If you want to build for ease of grouping, healers are the most frequently needed early on, and both tanks and healers at endgame. At endgame, though, good DPS -- in damage output, not-getting-killed ability, and utility all -- are not to be scoffed at. Good DPS are in demand, although of course bad DPS abound. I wouldn't worry too much about what BF people need more of. I do have a Templar alt (Reiser) that I'm kind of lazily playing occasionally, he could use some dungeons and whatnot. I can also just come on my main and destroy things if necessary.
All good info thanks. Right now I am at the "i just woke up in the it is all in my mind tutorial" so I need to get my brain around the game but yeah maybe we can work on a BF group for people that are super casual. Ah damage, tank etc...lol I have been playing GW2 so much I forgot that I need to pay attention to this here. :)
From what I've been told by Ini you can eventually do everything, so it doesn't really matter too much what you decide to do initially (since it will only effect your levelling and stuff)
That is correct. There are no classes or levels and every character can eventually do everything. I recommend you make sure you have a functional solo build rather than beelining for all the healing stuff or whatever -- I did that for a while and it was possible but very slow. (TSW makes this less of an issue, though -- you have to go through the early abilities to get to the late ones, and you will usually have to pick up some offensive abilities on the way to the healing ones.)
My advice is to focus on solo early on, then add needed group skills. There are too many places where you are forced to go solo to focus on group first. Here is a good site for newbs, as he has a bunch of builds you can achieve early on, instead of the end game super builds most sites focus on. And yes, even though nearly everybody still focuses on the holy trio roles, TSW is much more flexible in reality. You can have healer-tanks, ranged DPS heals, whatever you want nearly. Oh, and gear matters. A lot. Oh, and the limitation for Cabals to be faction specific is a major pain in the ass. Apparently they figured everybody was going to be really, really into PvP, and even then I really wish they had gone another route for choosing who would be fighting whom.
Great stuff ty! Now one more question and it is probably stupid BUT... I took magic as my starter which I am quite enjoying but I want to wield the machine gun as well so I found on, put a skill point in it and I am allowed to put the weapon in my secondary slot but I cannot seem to use it. Is there a "swap weapon" button? Do I neee to be a higher level? Am I just doing it all wrong? fwiw, I am still just poking around in the starter zone for now.
Weapon swaps happen automatically when you use a skill from that weapon type, you'll have to buy those skills with AP. Your skill bar contains skills from both weapons, they aren't separate bars.
Yeah, I don't know what's up with that car. The weird thing is, there are other cars around, and they look fine. It's just this one that's fucked up.
As much as I don't really care for this game it was wise of them to shift to this model. Better to do it like this than to go to a SOE style of make the game utter shit unless you want to put down coin.
Why? I still wish I had lifetimed to TSW, and I have never regretted my lifetime to LOTRO, even though I'm currently not happy with the entire state of the game now. I got years of good fun out of it, and saved money in the long run. And indeed I am still playing. People just need to understand that 1) there are no guarantees, and 2) you're taking a chance. #2 in itself isn't a bad thing, as long as you understand point 1.
I paid lifetime to throw money at Funcom for making this game. I never expected what they are giving us for the grandmaster now nor did I expect the game to last extremely long without some sort of revamp. I just wanted to encourage developing the ideas in this game into something more workable. If you purchase with that intent it is no different than a kickstarter, folk give tips to waitresses so on so forth. I don't know why anyone else has to care that someone else purchased a lifetime sub.
I'm glad you don't feel burned, but I do and a bunch of others do too. I won't be lifetiming anything ever again if there aren't changes. Anyway, Issue #5 is out and is apparently AMAZING. A bunch of people I know were raving that if this was the quality of upcoming content it was absolutely worth paying for. I haven't started it yet.
So how do you guys with builds that don't have self-healing actually make it through a given combat? Just survive long enough/burn the enemies down quick enough to be the last one standing? This is my latest character. complete with a build I got from a site that I don't really like (the build that is, the site is fine I guess)
I haven't tried a build like yours, but offhand here's some stuff I'm noticing about yours: 1. Four of your seven passives are about healing, and so is at least one of your actives. I forget the exact details. That's DPS abilities you're leaving on the table. Which is fine, but then you need the healing. With a more damage-focused build, things will die faster. I've had the most success by just maximizing my damage output. 2. You're running AR/Chaos. When you use one melee weapon, you're essentially all melee, because your ability to do anything with your melee weapon requires you to be in melee range. I like to use Slow The Advance when soloing too, but that's because with two ranged weapons I can take advantage of the Hinder to pile on damage. Your ability to do that is severely limited because your main builder and one of your finishers is melee. So Slow The Advance isn't able to do its job very well for you. If you want to continue with a hybrid ranged/melee build you may want to change how you're approaching it. 3. I don't remember for sure but I think frenzies are all AOEs right? They'll do much less damage to a single target. (Changing this will mean changing pretty much your whole build, since a lot of your passives are built around frenzies.) 4. Escalation is not great for damage. You can do better. It does apply Exposed if you slot Intensity as a passive, but not only does that take a valuable passive slot, most things that aren't dungeon bosses will probably die long before you've put up 10 stacks of Exposed on it. If you want to stick with those two weapons I can try to see if I can assemble something workable from them when I get home tonight. I'll see if I can catch you on IRC.
I'm not sure you're supposed to, especially since even some of the heavy hitting combat skills have self healing built in. Now you might have one skillset dedicated for group play where you have little to no healing, but shift from out of that as soon as you go solo again. Also, as counter intuitive as it is, the assault rifle is a group healing tool, with the heals tied to the DPS you are doing (the more DPS, the more healing). I can kinda see the logic, as you are supposed to be "supporting" your squad with it. In other news... To my surprise I see that they are still offering the Grandmaster's Pack, which includes Lifetime, so I guess we'll be seeing if I put my money where my mouth is. It's going to have to wait for after the New Year though. I am completely tapped out with the Holidays... Not arguing with you here, but I am curious-- does not Lifetime become basically a free subscription now, with all the benefits of a paid subscription for the life of the game? Isn't this fair? It's exactly what Turbine did with theirs, and there were few complaints, although to be fair by the time F2P came along all us Lifetimers were already well beyond the breakeven point. As I've said, if Lotro where to end right now I've still saved money on my lifetime, even if that wasn't the reason to get it in the first place.
Yes sort of. I discussed this a bit upthread. There's two ways to compare and neither comes out favorably. Vs. Subscription Subscription is $15/mo., which is now $10 worth of Funcom Points, 10% off the shop, and a monthly item. Sometimes new content will cost less than that, giving you money left over for fun stuff. Not very much, because most of the cool stuff is more than that. Lifetime is exactly the same, except 20% off. That is not much of a thank-you to the people who supported TSW early and big. Vs. F2P According to Funcom, lifetimers and subscribers will always be able to buy the new content with their stipend, so it will never be more than $10. This first one will be $5. So expect a price of $5-10 per issue. That's less than $15. You won't get the free monthly item; value that however you wish. You also don't get the discount. You would have to buy a lot of stuff for the discount to break even, more than I think most people will and certainly more than I will. If they'd given us the stipend they're giving us now and also the content, I'd be satisfied. I don't think that's asking very much. Subscribers could have the deal they have now, which seems fair since the idea would be to subscribe to content updates. In general, none of us object to the Bee 2 Play transition or the new compensation model, but the way they've handled it speaks volumes about their disrespect and apathy towards lifetimers. We gave them a lot of fucking money. In many ways the deal isn't "bad" in a vacuum, but compared to what things look like for lifetime vs. people starting now on the B2P model, there's very little differentiation. I don't want power-buying or anything like that, everyone should be on even footing gameplay-wise, but I think we are more than entitled to a bit of love for our support. As for lifetiming the game at all, I think we all expected F2P/B2P at some point, but this was very soon and makes the complaints I have somewhat more... egregious.
Lum, I haven't spent any time testing it but maybe try something like this: Active 1. Safety Off 2. Three Round Burst 3. Four Horsemen 4. Suppressing Fire 5. Lock & Load 6. Amor Fati 7. Domino Effect (Elite) (lots of options here) Passive 1. Extra Bullet 2. Eagle Eye 3. Improved Bursts 4. Ferocity 5. Twist the Knife 6. Iron Maiden 7. Live Wire (Elite) (this is really expensive and will only be helpful once you have some crit on your gear, just slot whatever til you can get it, maybe Seal the Deal or From the Abyss) Lots of other options as well -- Mad Skills as a passive, for example.
I can't get all of these yet but switching to single target AR skills with anima shot for leech tanking bosses seems to work pretty well in Blue Mountain for now while earning AP. Also, there's a Mayan apocalypse-themed thing up today, new mobs and quests.
Yeah, that's all stuff to work towards, I don't expect you to have all of it yet. In the meantime it will hopefully illustrate the kinds of synergy you're looking for and the general idea behind a "kill everything fast" build.
Is there a breakdown somewhere of how the F2P works for this re: microtransactions and buying content? I might pick it up if there's a Steam daily or flash sale on it. A friend was enthusing about it when it was P2P.
Short version: once you buy the box there is virtually no need for microtransactions whatsoever; even cosmetic clothing upgrades are available for in-game currency. You could buy XP potions or special clothing if you really wanted to, but it's really just like GW2: buy once, done.
That is sort of true. Future DLC will have a cost attached. If you buy it during December, you get the new DLC for free, otherwise it's $5. Everyone is pretty happy with the DLC, it is real cool.
A heads up for people considering starting now. We're right in the middle of our "End of the World" event (where else but TSW?), which, while fun and all, has the added "feature" of zombies climbing out of the soil nearly wherever you go. This can be a little confusing to a new player, since if you kill the zombie you immediately get more zombies. The good news is that they don't aggro unless you attack first. The bad news is there are a *lot* of AOE attacks in TSW. I'm actually buying the Secret World for a couple of my friends as a Christmas gift, but I'm holding off getting them started in it until after the event. Things can be confusing enough in Kingsmouth without *extra* zombies....
Yeah, you really have to control your AOE attacks at the moment, because otherwise, you can get wiped quite quickly by these things. Neopythia and I didn't notice a One Death spawning while we were fighting Draug with new characters, and so it accidentally got aggroed by our AOE, and then killed - and a second one spawned instantly, also died, which instantly triggered the spawning of a Seven Death, that handily wiped us.
I think that's quite reasonable. On top of showing your support, the expectation was that you'd hit a break-even point in a bit more than a year. Now the replacement scheme pushes the break-even point out past two years, and possibly longer depending on what the actual cost of the content winds up being. That's a poor way to treat your staunchest and earliest supporters, and stuff like this is one of the main reasons I've never bought a lifetime sub to any new game. The reality is that they've got your money and probably already accounted for it last fiscal year. As you're not a source of new revenue anymore, you're at the bottom of the priority list. At this point the business folks (who are the ones actually in charge) are going to be looking for the minimum way to get you to shut up and go away.
So being relatively new to the game let me ask a few things. The game is hard, yeah? After coming over from a Ranger in GW2 which is an amazingly powerful and easy character to play, I find that I really need to watch myself in this game. Leveling- It seems to be pretty slow- I don't mean in a bad way but I just want to make sure I am doing things right. I have spent many hours in Kingsmouth and things seem to move pretty slowly...Seems right? Weapons and gear- at this stage, is it better to just use drops or should I buy better ones to meet my level? Crafting...it seems somewhat complicated or am I just lame? Also, should I be crafting my gear already? And finally, regarding skills, at this low level should I be overly worried about a perfect build yet or just do a bit of experimenting before I really start to specialize ? It seems that you are allowed enough points and the way the game is made that you have a lot of freedom to make a build but also to switch builds fairly easily to fit your current situation. As for Maggie up there, well yeah they seem to be pretty lax on things in here. heh
The game will start kicking your ass around Blue Mountain if you haven't worked out a good build. If you are having trouble before then it is likely you're doing something wrong. What's your deck look like? The later areas will give more XP and therefore more AP and SP. I just use quest and dungeon drops. Don't worry too much about crafting til endgame. Don't sweat it too much about your build being perfect, but start to look for synergies, and make sure you have a sensible set of abilities. Very generally, you'll probably want something like this for your actives: 1. Single-target builder 2. Weapon 1 consumer 3. Weapon 2 consumer 4. AOE builder 5. Cooldown 1 6. Cooldown 2 7. Elite Your single target builder should be something of the same type as at least one consumer if possible. You can depart from this template but it's a good starting point. There are some good soloing builds available, I can post some if you need.
My current build is here: http://chronicle.thesecretworld.com/character/Cavort Blades/Chaos, trying to wean myself off Assault Rifle (Anima Shot-tanking monsters works but is about as fast as and as thrilling as watching paint dry), which relies on doing about 100 points of self-healing a second and damaging critters fast enough for them to die in the meantime. In case of emergency there are two oh-shits (stunning swirl and the 2 defensive buffs) that let me heal up by punching a stunned or weakened mob in the face. It took me through Blue Mountain fairly well and is holding up OK in Egypt. In case of super difficult fights I can switch back to a healing AR leeching build that will let me survive most things - I had to do this for a Templar faction fight at the end of Blue Mountain (the one that ends in Tibet) that was one of the toughest thus far.
First up, I am not looking for massive amounts of info- I don't want to be THAT GUY...last nite a guy on general- Where do I buy guns, what money do you use, how do I start a quest, can I change my hair?...non-stop- lol. That said - good tips - thank you. Here is my mess so far: http://chronicle.thesecretworld.com/character/Fir-e I chose Elemental because - eh dunno, but I wanted some magic and frankly it seems do do the deed- it seems to hit pretty darn hard. Double pistols thrown into the mix because, well double pistols are cool. What I really need to figure out is this- 1) is that combo just stupid? and 2) if not, then I need to know what types of stats on gear I need to look for. If my weapon choice is bad, ugh well I like Elemental- it does seem to hit like a brick and the THOR HAMMER OF DOOM!!!!! is great, but I would really miss my dual pistols but I can live without them, I guess, if it is a bad combo choice.
Oh that is easy to link http://chronicle.thesecretworld.com/character/ThornFalconeye I get confused a lot with my key layout, is there any way to have a second weapon set on shift or something? I can play Keyboard hero but I cannot find a way to hit 6 and 7 without my hand leaving the keyboard.and me looking down.
I know you can re-bind the Aux ability (8) so I'm assuming you can rebind the others. One of my cabal-mates rebinds it to R because he always has Rocket Jump in that slot (as do I, actually). Pistols/Ele is okay. I wouldn't run the late nightmares with it but it should carry you through just fine. Both are very crit-heavy; there's also a lot of Chains in both but Chains are mostly not helpful unless you know ahead of time you only care about AOE. Your build is kind of a mess, though. Here's some things I noticed off the bat. Active stuff: 1. You have lots of Strike attacks. That's good! You can use passives that buff Strike attacks. 2. You have lots of builders. That's bad. You need exactly one single-target builder. Take your pick of the best available to you for either weapon. I think The Business is probably slightly better damage but it isn't a Strike. (I don't think Pistols have any Strikes.) You don't need Ignition, The Business, and Ignite. 3. Electrical Storm is okay, you may want to use an AOE builder instead of an AOE consumer, though. Up to you. 4. Molten Earth is a good choice for a soloing elite. You'll probably want a few others eventually for dungeoning, especially Do Or Die (in Miscellaneous). 5. Doing what I said will leave you with some empty slots, probably two. Those can be DPS or survivability cooldowns, like Anima Charge. Use these if you overpull or otherwise find yourself in a tight corner. Passive stuff: 6. Volatile Current buffs Shock. You aren't using Shock. Get rid of it. 7. Get rid of your passives that exploit Hindered. Hinders tend to be on long cooldowns and those passive slots are better spent. You also can't use them in dungeons, because Hindering dungeon bosses is Very Bad -- I'll explain this in a sec). You have two of those passives. (Don't use passives that exploit Impaired either, for the same reason.) The reason Hindering dungeon bosses is bad is that they get a stack of Rising Vigour every time they're Hindered or Impaired. At 3 stacks, they're immune. If the tank needs to interrupt something, and Rising Vigour is stacked to three, he's fucked. No one should Hinder or Impair dungeon bosses except the tank, ever, unless they ask. 8. Affliction is nice, especially if you're using abilities that exploit Afflicted (notice Lum's deck does this), but if they don't stack you may find that you're overwriting it. Still useful maybe, but something to consider. 9. In theory, your rotation is 6/7ths Elemental (5x Elemental builder, 1x Elemental consumer, 1x Pistol consumer). That makes Elemental Precision probably worth it, and Straight Shooter probably not. (If you don't have better options, you can leave it in for now.) 10. This is really expensive and probably a good ways in your future, but Live Wire is one of the best DPS passives, especially in a crit-heavy build, so you may want to move towards that. (Seal The Deal is good too, IIRC.) That tends to work a little better in Burst and Focus builds since they hit more than once per use and thus have more opportunities to crit. (Before you get too excited, you can only crit once per ability, but it's more chances per use for it to happen.) In the meantime, use whatever, but definitely don't waste your Elite passive slot on something that requires Hindered to work. Hopefully that will get you a good start. I can help more if you need.


text:
Web edition: June 1, 2012
Print edition: June 16, 2012; Vol.181 #12 (p. 20)
Bruce Spiegelman isn't always happy with the way his research gets portrayed. He and colleagues discovered a hormone that muscles make during exercise. When given to mice, the hormone causes the animals to burn more energy and lose weight, and improves their response to insulin — all without changing how much the mice eat or exercise. The press touted the discovery as "exercise in a pill."
"I really hate that," says Spiegelman, a cell biologist at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School in Boston. "The goal is not to put exercise in a pill."
His goal, instead, is to harness a special type of fat, called brown fat for its color, to replicate the metabolic benefits that exercise delivers. While some researchers have dismissed this fat as a mostly obsolete relic that makes little if any contribution to people's energy expenditure, new research shows that it can make humans feel the energy burn. Some scientists have found chemical secrets for activating brown fat already in the body, while others are learning how to turn energy-storing white fat brown.
Together, such efforts may help fight the battle of the bulge, reducing obesity and the diseases that go along with it. Turning brown fat on may also benefit people who cannot exercise because of disabilities.
Fired up
For many years scientists have recognized brown fat as an energy-burning powerhouse that helps animals and human babies stay warm. But general wisdom held that the brown fat pads on babies' backs melt away during childhood, leaving adult humans with only white fat. Then three independent studies published in the New England Journal of Medicine in 2009 revealed that adult humans do have deposits of brown fat, especially around the neck and collarbone (SN: 5/9/09, p. 10). Some studies suggested that brown fat could become active in the cold, but no one knew how well it would work.
André Carpentier of the University of Sherbrooke in Canada counted himself among the doubters of brown fat's energy-consuming potential. Even if the little brown fat depots in the neck turn on, "I was skeptical that it was enough to burn a lot of energy," he says.
To find out what brown fat really could do, Carpentier and his colleagues asked six healthy men to put on bodysuits that can be used to regulate body temperature. The researchers pumped cold water through the suits so that the temperature of the men's skin dipped by about 3.8 degrees Celsius — just enough to get brown fat active, but not so much that muscles would generate heat by shivering. Shivering would have meant muscles were burning energy, and the researchers wanted to make sure the energy consumption, tracked via full-body PET scans, came from fat alone.
All of the men burned more energy in the cold suits than at room temperature, but the degree to which brown fat kicked in varied, the researchers reported earlier this year in the Journal of Clinical Investigation. On average, the men burned 250 extra food calories during three hours in the cold. Cutting that many calories from the diet on a daily basis would add up to about half a pound of weight loss per week.
The researchers measured noticeable increases in the amount of energy that brown fat consumed in the form of glucose and noted that the brown fat's volume shrank. The brown fat "was actually burning its own fat," Carpentier says. Studies in mice have shown that brown fat will burn through lipids contained within its own cells as well as lipids in white fat cells.
When brown fat was activated, the men's metabolic rate was 1.8 times the rate at rest. The study is the first to demonstrate that brown fat contributes to adult human metabolism.
"But you nevertheless have to keep things in perspective," Carpentier says. Walking raises the metabolic rate to about two to three times the rate at rest, and running cranks it up to 10 times the resting rate. "I don't think we're going to solve the obesity and diabetes problem just by activating brown fat," he says. But stimulating the fat could supplement other obesity-fighting measures.
Burn boosters
Previous studies have indicated that brown fat is harder to find in obese people and diabetics than in lean or healthy people. That's probably because the brown fat in obese people is immature and doesn't have the energy-burning capacity that typically makes the fat easy to spot on scans, says Devanjan Sikder, a neurobiologist at Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute in Orlando, Fla.
Sikder and colleagues reported last year in Cell Metabolism that a brain chemical called orexin helps brown fat mature. Orexin, also called hypocretin, is famous for stimulating appetite and keeping people awake. Sikder's team plans to start a clinical trial to test orexin's ability to get brown fat going in humans.
Firing up brown fat may just take a little muscle. Getting the heart pumping is one way to generate natural substances that stimulate brown fat, Sheila Collins of Sanford-Burnham and her colleagues recently found.
During exercise, the heart releases molecules called natriuretic peptides, which help lower blood pressure by signaling the kidneys to dump fluids. Those same hormones help feed energy to the heart by turning on brown fat, Collins and colleagues reported this year in the Journal of Clinical Investigation. The heart hormones caused both white and brown fat cells from mice and humans to produce more of some proteins that stoke brown fat's fires. Such heart hormones might trick the body into thinking it is in a cold environment and should throw another log on these fires.
Although the body naturally makes some brown fat-boosting substances, including two more possibilities reported recently in Cell Metabolism, it's not clear what the long-term consequences of extra doses might be. Since natriuretic peptides also help regulate blood pressure, one possible consequence of the hormones identified by Collins' team might be low blood pressure. But Collins says that a little bit might be enough to rev up brown fat without causing unwanted side effects.
"I don't think it takes a huge amount of these peptides to have a beneficial effect over time," she says.
The heart isn't the only muscle with the power to kick-start metabolism. During exercise, skeletal muscles release a hormone called irisin, Spiegelman and colleagues reported in Nature in January. It's irisin that some have christened "exercise in a pill."
Irisin doesn't seem to turn on brown fat deposits in the neck, though. Instead it encourages brown fat-like cells within white fat to get going, essentially turning white fat brown. Spiegelman's group has dubbed these brownlike cells "beige" cells.
No one knows how many beige cells can exist within white fat, so it's difficult to predict just how much energy might be burned by stimulating the cells. Also unknown is whether obese people have fewer of the cells than normal-weight people.
Stoking brown fat does have the potential to aid in weight loss and help fend off diabetes. But Spiegelman dismisses the idea that the average couch potato could take a pill and get the benefits of exercise without ever jogging a step or lifting anything heavier than the remote control. Burning more energy, he notes, isn't the only benefit of exercise. Even turning brown fat up to the max probably won't improve bone strength or increase lung capacity or do many of the other things exercise is good for.
Still, for people who cannot exercise — such as those paralyzed by accidents or disease — irisin and other brown fat stimulants may be the next best option. They could possibly confer another perk of exercise, too: strengthening neural-muscular connections.
Spiegelman hopes the molecules will help people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis hold onto nerve connections or even build new ones, possibly delaying or reversing the disease. "That's a bit of a dream," he says, "but why not dream?"
M. Bordicchia et al. Cardiac natriuretic peptides act via p38 MAPK to induce the brown fat thermogenic program in mouse and human adipocytes. Journal of Clinical Investigation, Vol. 122, March 1, 2012, p. 1022. doi: 10.1172/JCI59701. [Go to]
P. Boström et al. A PGC1-α-dependent myokine that drives brown-fat-like development of white fat and thermogenesis. Nature, Vol. 481, January 26, 2012, p. 463. doi: 10.1038/nature10777. [Go to]
A. M. Cypress et al. Identification and importance of brown adipose tissue in adult humans. New England Journal of Medicine, Vol. 360, April 9, 2009, p. 1509. [Go to]
F. M. Fisher et al. FGF21 regulates PGC-1α and browning of white adipose tissues in adaptive thermogenesis. Genes & Development, Vol. 26, February 1, 2012, p. 271. doi: 10.1101/gad.177857.111. [Go to]
K.-M. Jung et al. 2-Arachidonoylglycerol signaling in forebrain regulates systemic energy metabolism. Cell Metabolism, Vol. 15, March 7, 2012, p. 299. doi: 10.1016/j.cmet.2012.01.021. [Go to]
A. Ortega-Molina et al. Pten positively regulates brown adipose function, energy expenditure, and longevity. Cell Metabolism, Vol. 15, March 7, 2012, p. 382. doi: 10.1016/j.cmet.2012.02.00. [Go to]
V. Ouellet et al. Brown adipose tissue oxidative metabolism contributes to energy expenditure during acute cold exposure in humans. Journal of Clinical Investigation, Vol. 122, February 1, 2012, p. 545, published online January 24, 2012. doi: 10.1172/JCI60433. [Go to]. [Go to]
D. Sellayah, P. Bharaj, and D. Sikder. Orexin is required for brown adipose tissue development, differentiation, and function. Cell Metabolism, Vol. 14, October 5, 2011, p. 478. doi: 10.1016/j.cmet.2011.08.010. [Go to]
W. D. van Marken Lichtenbelt et al. Cold-activated brown adipose tissue in healthy men. New England Journal of Medicine, Vol. 360, April 9, 2009, p. 1500. [Go to]
K. A. Virtanen et al. Functional brown adipose tissue in healthy adults. New England Journal of Medicine, Vol. 360, April 9, 2009, p. 1518. [Go to]
Suggested Reading
T. Hesman Saey. The other, friendly fat. Science News Vol. 175, May 9, 2009, p. 10. Available to subscribers online: [Go to]
Guide to the benefits of exercise: [Go to]
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