text:
Register Now | |
My Points | |
My Games |
I have been a super Star Wars fan my whole life. I already own a couple of older Star Wars RPGs. I am excited for a new one (assuming it is better than the two I already own) But I am not supper excited about breaking it up into 3 different role playing games. I like the break up for the 40K stuff, but I am not sure if I like the idea for Star Wars.
This brings me to my main question. Can you play a Jedi? Nothing I have read suggest you can. Maybe playing Jedi will be its own game latter on.
Without Signature
Page 1 of 24 (349 messages) | 1 2 3 4 5 ...Last page » |
As long as the new book doesn't deviate too far from what is in beta, there are rules on the use of the force. They only cover advancing a character to a very limited force sensitive state, but are indeed there. There are rules for a lightsaber, but the actual means of learning the lightsaber skill are obfuscated (no class can naturally learn how to use the weapon, needs GM fiat).
All the rules are there to support jedi (in other words, its a matter of building a list of talents/abilities and such that = jedi). But no, there is no specific "Jedi" class.
Personally I'm quite OK with the splitting of the content. Jedi represent a fairly "high level" of Star Wars play, and to create a system keyed to that initially would make those who don't wish to play Jedi in an annoying place. Also, the further mechanics that could be added into a "Jedi centric" system (lightsaber forms, oodles of powers, a more fleshed out light/dark side system) would take up quite a bit of space next to the sorts of things that cover the other parts of society.
As pointed out, yes, you can play a Empire Strikes Back-level Luke-type Jedi with EotE pretty easily. Prequel Jedi wouldn't quite be there, but you're only missing a few little things.
To answer your other question, yes, there will be a book dedicated to Jedi. First book is Outer Rim, second book is Rebels and Soldiers, third book is Force Users.
Hrathen said:
I have been a super Star Wars fan my whole life. I already own a couple of older Star Wars RPGs. I am excited for a new one (assuming it is better than the two I already own) But I am not supper excited about breaking it up into 3 different role playing games. I like the break up for the 40K stuff, but I am not sure if I like the idea for Star Wars.
This brings me to my main question. Can you play a Jedi? Nothing I have read suggest you can. Maybe playing Jedi will be its own game latter on.
Oh boy, here we go again… (sorry, but this question caused a lot of extremely "heated" talk in the Beta forum)
In short, it's really going to depend on how you define "Jedi."
Can you play a character that starts out with a lightsaber and awesome Force Powers? Nope. Lightsabers (at least in the Beta rules) are incredibly powerful and ludicriously expensive (you can buy starships for less money). There's not even a Jedi "class" to be found, and FFG has been pretty clear and up front that Jedi and related themes are not going to be a feature of Edge of the Empire.
However, what you can play is an untrained/self-taught Force-Sensitive who will eventually develop into a capable Force-user, but it's going to cost a lot (and I do mean a lot) of experience points to get to that point, and even then you're about on par with a Jedi Padawan in terms of your ability to use the Force.
FFG has said (during the GenCon 2012 announcement of the RPG line) that they plan on doing 3 core rulebooks, with Edge of the Empire being the first and focusing on Han Solo style characters; if you've seen Firefly, that's pretty close to the feel of what FFG is aiming for.
The second core rulebook, slated for 2014, will focus on the Rebellion and taking the fight to the Empire.
The third and final core rulebook, slated for 2015, is currently going by the title "Force and Destiny," and this is the book that will fully delve into Jedi and the Force.
So, if you want' full-blown Jedi and Force badassery, you're going to be stuck waiting to 2015.
There's a few folks, myself included, that are working on varying degrees of homebrew material to patch at least low-level Jedi (and some other Force-using traditions) into Edge of the Empire, so that the option is available, even if only on an unofficial level.
Contributing Author of the GSA at http://gsa.thegamernation.org/
"If you've never seen an elephant ski, then you've never done acid."
- Eddie Izzard
Excellent synopsis Donovan. Nothing else to be said.
Star Wars Edge Playaids
Warhammer Playaids
"I dont need a medal, God knows what I did" - SGT William Hisle, WWII, after receiving a letter regarding a belated recommendation for the Medal of Honor. A hero twicefold, he threw the letter away. RIP Grandfather.
Hats off to FFG for taking this approach, in my opinion. :)
Why… are these boards… so… slooooooow?
I would say no, but I would have to confess to being at least partly wrong. Numerous things are absent, because they'll flesh out a later book, and would have made this one a robust, Pathfinder+, beat something to death with it tome of a book, and as much as I whined about the absence of Jedi, on the beta forum, I can appreciate them, at least in my opinion, taking the most powerful, potentially unbalancing part of the system, setting it aside, and saying lets make everything else EVERYONE will need to make this game work actually work, first, and once the structure is stable, add the Jedi Tower to the castle proper. It also gives them considerably more time to shape things, without us all waiting two years for any book, and gives Disney the chance to Pac-Man the whole EU part of Star Wars, wipe away the crumbs and implement its own "what comes after Episode 6" plan, and let that book relect it, instead of the material we all already know.
It does have ruimentary Force powers, and you CAN make them a biit better than rudimentary, if you wish. The power to use it is capped at 2, minus GM fiat, and the lightsaber, while still a rather wonderful cheese pole, is both rather difficult to use properly (only Untrained, unless your GM says otherwise), and even more difficult to acquire, so you may want to emulate a more Kyle Katarn-esque Force-wielder, who has the Force, but keeps it as a last resort, and focuses more on the tried and true, and much safer to display in public, humble blaster, rather than some fancy, ancient weapon, in a age where melee is quaint, and Indiana Jones will just shoot you, after you do your little exhibition.
There aren't many active Jedi in the era, so finding another to learn from, if you would wish to, is highly unlikely.
Thankfully, in a few years, the setting will broaden, and one might be able to more easily play in other times and locations, and the Force will again wax strong, but till then, it's doable, but you might want to focus on something else, or something in-between.
"You were warned, and chose not to heed our words. Thus, your fate is your own."
I. J. Thompson said:
Hats off to FFG for taking this approach, in my opinion. :)
Indeed! This way of making the game solves the problem no other Star Wars RPG has solved before: How to balance Jedi against other types of characters. The answer FFG came up with "you don't". When the Jedi book finally appears, it will probably have a section talking about how to integrate characters from the other books into a Jedi campaign, and it will probably say that these characters should have X amount of XP to be at a level that can at all be comparable.
Let's face it: Jedi rarely if ever went on missions along with non-Jedi in the canon anyway. Luke stayed with the others, as a force-sensitive farmboy (which Edge of the Empire supports anyway) until the beginning of The Empire Strikes Back, when he went off on his own and never really rejoined the others. In the prequels, the Jedi operated completely on their own. In the few situations where non-Jedi featured prominently, they were either there for politics or as an enemy (Jango Fett).
Jedi going on missions along with non-Jedi is something we expect because of A New Hope and some EU material that was likely inspired by West End Games' somewhat unbalanced approach anyway. Keeping Jedi separate from everyone else seems to be the way Star Wars works best, and FFG has been able to put aside their expectations and see this for themselves.
Without Signature
TiLT said:
Indeed! This way of making the game solves the problem no other Star Wars RPG has solved before: How to balance Jedi against other types of characters. The answer FFG came up with "you don't". When the Jedi book finally appears, it will probably have a section talking about how to integrate characters from the other books into a Jedi campaign, and it will probably say that these characters should have X amount of XP to be at a level that can at all be comparable.
They haven't solved the problem. Not yet. They didn't say' "you don't" - they said "wait and see" which doesn't mean that they even have their final answer figured out yet.
And that worries me, because that's how the WH40K lines developed without being fully compatible with one another. I do not want the same thing to happen with the SW lines. I need them to be 100% compatible even if that just means higher powered options come in at higher xp levels. Do not give me a constantly evolving base ruleset - and that means that Force powers introduced in EotE need to set the pattern for the Jedi that will come later.
I'm actually not here to ask about those daft force users (Jedi or Sith, they're both wrong and single-minded. Grey forever!)
That's common sense and you all answered it.
I'm actually more curious about the second 'core' book. Because I have a question in a similar vein…will the Empire (it's military structure, etc) be playable, for those who want an Imperial campaign. I reliase that limits it to mostly Humans, droids and some near-Humans that the Empire…tolerates.
But one thing I always loved to do was play a 'Rebeliion'-era character that comes form the Empire. Not the cruel-hearted nazi-esque gits that are mis-represented by Rebel propaganda, but the common Imperial pilot, soldier, officer that has had the family serving in the 'military' (Republic Navy to Imperial Navy) for most of thier heritage. The regime might have changed, but the job didn't, (Best example of this is the old game TIE Fighter. You're not evil. You're just a pilot fighting for what you reckon is right and involved in the politics of the Empire.)
All I'm typing here is just to not forget those on the non-rebel (or neutral) side of the fence, and that not all of them are the 'bad guys', or at least not on purpose. At the least, a sourcebook for Imperial services to go with the Rebellion core book, would be greatly appreciated (and purchased!).
Aye if you couldn't tell, I'm pro-Imperial. There's a reason the New Republic didn't last long (besides invasions), and why the Galactic Empire still exists (sans insane Emperor, and even complete with alien stormtroopers and officers, that can actually shoot!) in the Expanded Universe of the future generations in the Star Wars Timeline: The Empire endures.
Even a stopped clock gives the right time, twice a day.
So you have gone back to first principle with this newest edition of Star Wars RPG. The story premise is the same as when West End Games started, with the original trilogy between New Hope and the Empire Strikes Back. The Empire is strong, rebels are smal but gaining strength, and no real jedi to speak of except for Obi Wan Kenobi and Yoda.
I am excited to see the finished product, but when's the release date? I think it's silly that I can download the EotE dice app from google play, and not even have the game to use it with.
William Starbrand
I know that I'm probably unusual in this, but I truly hope that they don't present Jedi as "high level." As far as I'm concerned, that's pretty blatantly nonsense, based on the evidence of the movies. The majoriity of the Jedi were wiped out by "mundane" threats such as groups of clone troopers. Only the most dangerous/powerful Jedi are vastly more powerful than the other inhabitants of the galaxy… and I would argue that any warrior with a similar level of experience, well-equipped, should be equally dangerous.
I will be seriously disappointed of Jedi are presented as inherently superior in the way that the Space Marines were presented as superior to Inquisitors (for instance) in WH40K. It might work for 40K, I'm no expert on the setting, but I don't want a Star Wars Galaxy where everyone should be cowering at the feet of a few powerful force users. That's never how I perceived things based on the movies, and that's definitely not how I want to play my games (and in fact, is the reason I avoid Star Wars video games like the plague)
I'd disagree with you, based just on what we see in the movies alone. Luke in RotJ (a barely-trained Jedi who'd yet to become a Knight) was largely able to solo the "encounter" on Jabba's Sail Barge, with Princess Leia offering a bit of help and Han getting a lucky attack roll due to being mostly-blind.
As for Jedi being taken out by groups of Clone Troopers, let's consider their targets.
Aayla Secura - Shot & killed from behind with the element of surprise, hardly a "fair fight"
Plo Koon - Was pretty much unaware he was being shot at until it was too late (already been hit, again not a "fair fight")
Ki-Adi Mundi - it took quite a few hits from a signifcant amount of massed fire to take him down.
Storming of the Jedi Temple - you've mostly got younglings/children and junior-level Padawans (maybe equal to starting PCs). Vader's also tagging along to take out any serious Jedi threats like Cin Drallig who could easily deal with 'measly' Clone Troopers.
Now consider your average adventurer, such as the likes of Han Solo, Princess Leia, or pre-ESD Luke Skywalker against similar odds.
It's been made pretty clear that in a "fair fight" where the Jedi knows the danger is coming, the advantage is to the Jedi. Put Han or Leia or pre-ESB Luke (all sans their plot armor; i.e. regular PCs) in the exact same situation that Ki-Adi Mundi found himself in (out in the open with no cover), pretty sure those would get dropped even quicker than Mundi did. And they'd certainly not fair any better than Aayla or Plo Koon in those particular situations.
Note that aboard the Death Star, the Heroes of Yavin stuck to stealth as much as possible, and running away when stealth wasn't an option. Only Han was brazen enough to charge at a group of stormtroopers, but that was more a surprise tactic and the troopers thinking it was more than just one guy charging after them with a Wookiee lagging far behind. And when the jig was up and the stormtroopers realized that Han was just one man… well, the mighty Solo let out a cry of fright and started hauling ass in the opposite direction. Meanwhile, we've seen Jedi Knights take on similar, if not worse, odds and come out on top.
So generally speaking, there's a boatload of canon of varying degrees that shows that in many cases, a trained Jedi is better than a regular person of similar or even greater experience. Compare ANH versions of Luke and Han to the RotJ versions of Luke and Han. In both cases, Han's been at the "adventurer" gig a lot longer than Luke has, but by RotJ Luke is capable of going one-on-one with Darth Vader and not getting slaughtered outright, where Han would have about the same odds as he did in ESB against the Dark Lord of the Sith.
I'm not saying there needs to be huge difference in the level of power between Jedi and non-Jedi, but rather that there is going to be a difference. Best thing FFG can do is try to ensure their game system is as stable and functional as possible before pulling back the curtain on a character type that has a history of pushing prior Star Wars game systems up to and beyond their breaking point.
Contributing Author of the GSA at http://gsa.thegamernation.org/
"If you've never seen an elephant ski, then you've never done acid."
- Eddie Izzard
You see, I would use the sail barge as an example of what a PC can do against a bunch of minions. Han Solo, not Luke Skywalker, took out the only credible threat in that fight (Boba Fett). Luke took out one of Boba Fett's many weapons, but didn't stick around to fight… and that's Luke at the tail end of a long "campaign."
The other "PCs" in that situation were working with significant disadvantages, except Lando, who clearly had a rash of bad rolls. Han was blind, Leia & Chewie were bound. Oh, speaking of Leia… she ALSO took out a significant threat while Luke was mowing down mooks and nameless schlubs. Even R2 succeeded in injuring a "named" character (admittedly, a kowakian monkey lizard… but he had a name!).
You disregard the deaths of the various Jedi (only referencing the ones we see on-screen, which in itself is ridiculous… we know that the vast majority of Jedi were killed by clone troopers that day) by using the excuse that they were surprised, yet we are told that super-human reflexes is a basic talent that all Force Sensitive types have, even without Jedi training.
In the end I think you're very busy trying to justify Jedi super-dominance by pointing out scenes where they took on hordes of nameless minion types, while disregarding the fact that Obi-Wan struggled with Jango, Luke was bound by Boba, etc.
Of course Han Solo isn't a match for Luke in a straight-up fight. Han Solo isn't a fighting machine. Luke is. The question isn't whether Luke would best Han in a one-on-one fight, the questions are whether Luke is all-around more competent than Han in every possible facet of existence (as Jedi are usually presented in the EU), and whether Luke has that kind of edge against someone who has spent the kind of time Luke has in intense, non-Force combat training.
The Star Wars Galaxy should be big enough for people without glow sticks to make an impact.
William Starbrand said:
So you have gone back to first principle with this newest edition of Star Wars RPG. The story premise is the same as when West End Games started, with the original trilogy between New Hope and the Empire Strikes Back. The Empire is strong, rebels are smal but gaining strength, and no real jedi to speak of except for Obi Wan Kenobi and Yoda.
I am excited to see the finished product, but when's the release date? I think it's silly that I can download the EotE dice app from google play, and not even have the game to use it with.
William Starbrand
Well, the dice app can be used for Beta, Beginners and the X-wing games currently, as well as other games that need "regular" polyhedral dice. And the release date is probably not set since the book probably hasn't headed off to the printers yet, so Q2 Spring 2013 is all they've given.
While I haven't played the old systems, I have seen some PbP examples of how overpowering Jedi can be compared to non jedi classes. The same was often true in the SW Miniatures (which I did play). While there will be those who want those OP'd Jedi powers, there will be those who don't. It would be nice if FFG could classify force powers and thier ranks according to how they would fare compared to their non-force wielding party members. That would help us GMs so we could state: "You can level force abilities to tier 1" to keep them generally in line with the rest of the party, tier 2 being powers like a PC and a half, and tier 3 being anything above. However I also understand that balancing that within a system of multiple powers would not be a simple task, and I wouldn't envy whoever's job it became to try to institute such a system.
Another thought would be for force users being able to utilize combat force abilites only every other round or so, restricting those abilities to be similar to grenades or other throwaway equipment. From what I viewed previously, there were limits on how frequently force skills could be used, but it was all too easy to replensh them, so the limits were ineffective. Force users used up their abilites destroying their foes, but replenished a good portion of their abilities (if not all) inbetween encounters. It is a balancing act though because players are spending their experience points on these abilities, to take the ability away after one or two uses can be frusterating to the players.
This considered, what about force powers that have a basic level usage, that would align closely with a regular PC's abilities. The basic use would be lightly limited, or not at all. Add in the overpowered version. You can use the OP version as a single large hit, but you sacrifice all access to the power for a time. Kind of like overloading your blaster for an explosion, You get past the large obstacle, but you'll need a new blaster. Jedi PC could use "move object" to throw pebbles or pull a key to him at a basic level, but moving a boulder or X-Wing would block access to "move object" for the rest of the day (or whichever time range would be correct for game balance.
Any thoughts on this?
Page 1 of 24 (349 messages) | 1 2 3 4 5 ...Last page » |


text:
Online Electives
What are Electives?
Electives are courses you can choose outside core or compulsory courses in your degree program. They can be chosen from ALL courses available at the University that do not have any other conditions (such as a course requisite) applied to them.
You can choose an elective in any area of interest, or you can use electives to extend and complement your core studies with more courses in the same area as your major degree program(s), as long as there are no restrictions on the course.
Available courses
The courses below are available for undergraduate students to study as electives. There will be some variation in availability of courses over academic periods. Check whether the course you are interested in studying is available by clicking the links below.
For more courses please check the course lists within other programs (eg B Arts, B Science) in the undergraduate Program Handbook.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Higher megapixels gives you more detail and definition for making large prints and cropping in on your subject. Sony?s advanced Super HAD (Hole Accumulated Diode) CCD design allows more light to pass to each pixel, increasing sensitivity and reducing noise.
A new High Sensitivity Mode (ISO 1000) allows you to shoot with great results in low-light conditions -- and Sony?s original Clear RAW? NR (Noise Reduction) image processing technology helps suppress the color noise that can accompany high-senstivity shooting.
At VGA resolution4, Sony?s Smart Zoom� feature intelligently ?crops into? the central portion of interest in your photo without sacrificing full CCD resolution -- avoiding the image degradation of other digital zooms.
The DSC-W50 can capture VGA (640 x 480) audio/video clips at high frame rate (up to 30 frames per second), with length limited only by the capacity of your media.
User-friendly controls and simple on-screen Function Guide text/icon display help you set up camera functions for terrific shots -- and you?ll have greater creative freedom to adjust color mode (including ?Natural? for subtle colors and ?Rich? for more intense colors), sensitivity, brightness and image size.
With its powerful Lithium Ion rechargeable battery, the DSC-W50 can capture up to 390 images3 -- enough for a whole vacation. The compact BC-CSG Battery Charger is also supplied for battery recharging on the go.
The DSC-W50 has a built-in slot for optional Memory StickDuo? or higher-capacity Memory Stick PRO Duo? media -- the ultra-compact media for shooting, storing and sharing your photo images.
The DSC-W50 connects easily to any PictBridge? compatible printer with the supplied USB cable, so you can print directly from your camera. You can view images and make print selections right on the camera?s LCD screen -- with simple menus for print quality, date and index print.
The DSC-W50 has a bigger, brighter 2.5?1 LCD screen for setting up and viewing images -- with a one-touch ?Play? button that makes it quick and easy to view your photos.
3X Optical Zoom helps the DSC-W50 bring distant subjects closer and lets you frame shots for better composition; Sony?s precision 2X Digital Zoom provides an additional 2X magnification to enlarge details without jagged edges.
With 32 MB2 Internal Memory, the DSC-W50 allows you to shoot without a flash memory card -- then transfer your images to optional Memory StickDuo? media, upload to your computer or make prints on your digital printer.
Sony?s new software that makes it easy to import images via camera or Memory Stick� media -- then organize and browse through photos on your PC with simple scrolling through thumbnail images.
Sony Rewards is a free loyalty program with many ways to earn, including earning at least 1 point per $1 spent when you shop at Sony Store. To earn points on your purchase, simply log in or join now to link your Sony Rewards account to a Sony Store account. Click here to learn more. You can also log in or enroll to earn points after completing your Sony Store online purchase.


text:
Your feedback may be published in the Officer magazine as a "Reader Feedback" item. Please indicate in your message if you DO NOT wish your comments to be published. Your phone number is needed to verify message authenticity; it will not be published. Letters should be no more than 500 words and may be edited for grammar, style, and length. The Officer reserves the right to refuse publication of correspondence for any reason.
First Required
Last Required
Email: Required
Phone Number:
If you respond and have not already registered, you will receive periodic updates and communications from Reserve Officers Association.
Please enter a user name and password for logging in when you return. You can use this password to update your information or receive personalized content.
User Name: Required
5 to 60 characters
Password: Required
5 to 20 characters
Repeat Password: Required
Feedback | Contact Us | Advertising | Privacy Policy | Disclaimer | Print Page | Site Map
Copyright ©2013 Reserve Officers Association of the United StatesOne Constitution Avenue, NE Washington D.C. 20002-5618Local: 202.479.2200 TOLL-FREE: 800.809.9448


text:
- Freedom of Format - Although this is more for prior eHow writers, I still think it's a benefit. You won't be stuck with a single format. You can write any type of article you like, as long as it's at least 325 words in length. The site recommends a minimum of 400 words, however, to ensure your work is included in the index. There are several formats available, including how-to, but you can also start with a blank canvas and format your articles however you desire.
- Fantastic (Working) Publishing Tools - This is one of my favorite things about Infobarrel. Their publishing tools are amazing. You have ultimate freedom to create your articles any way you want them, the tools are easy to use and I've never, ever experienced a technical glitch.
- Embedded Links Allowed - You may insert up to two self-serving links within the body of your articles. This means you can place keyword-anchored back links to your other works instead of tacking them on at the end.
- Second Chance on Denied Articles - If you have an article denied, you can fix the problems and re-submit, so you don't have to lose all your hard work. I've had a few denied articles, before I was very familiar with the guidelines, for adding a link in the first paragraph of the article. In my experience, you'll rarely be denied if you can write in a way that makes sense and you follow the guidelines.
- Referral Program - Infobarrel also has a referral program, which allows you to earn a portion of revenue from your referral's content. You get 2 percent of all ad impressions generated by their articles. (NOTE: The links to Infobarrel in this article are my referral links. If you don't want to sign-up as my referral, please visit the site directly at Infobarrel.com).
Infobarrel Review: Earn Residual Income From a Variety of Sources
Saturday, April 17, 2010
9 comments:
- amber said...
Thank you for reviewing Infobarrel. I was accepted to DS after eHow switched over, but the copy write issue and finding resources don't appeal to me.
Specifically I'm glad you talked about the fact that you keep your copywrite on Infobarrel. That pretty much cinches it for me; I'm going to sign up and give them a try. I'm a little confused about their rights though. Does "irrevocable, perpetual, unlimited free of charge and exclusive right to publish the Original Content on the Site and/or on other Internet Sites" mean I wouldn't be able to delete things I've written there? - April 17, 2010 at 3:57 PM
- Deanna said...
Thanks for this wonderful review on Infobarrel, Willow. I am currently trying some new things with my writing and if some of them don't pan out I will be sure to give Infobarrel a try. :)
- April 17, 2010 at 10:21 PM
- Bristolboy said...
I have only a few articles on Infobarrel but have found it to be a rather useful income stream for the amount of work I put in and it is definitely a site I should do more work on.
- April 18, 2010 at 3:24 PM
- POSHADORNMENT said...
Yes you can delete articles, but you must write to the admin to ask them to do it for you. I deleted about 40 articles recently with no troubles.
Willow how do you make money on IB? I have had as many as 60 articles there and not seen much traffic or revenue. I moved the lion's share over to Suite. I love the ease of writing for IB and if I could figure out how to make some money I'd go back. - April 20, 2010 at 6:44 AM
- Missy said...
Thanks for the info on InfoBarrel; I'm definitely going to look into it. I hate the new Ehow.
- April 20, 2010 at 9:49 AM
- mommymommymommy said...
I have been writing on IB since January and LOVE IT! Friendly, non-combative forums, administrators who do as you ask, and the freedom to write in different formats. I have 91 article up, as of now.
I backlink all of my article on Xomba and Shetoldme.
Give it a try! - April 27, 2010 at 11:33 AM
- bestmommy said...
Another site I use to promote ehow articles is Redgage. They also take photos and videos. I've run into many ehow writers there and I've been having a good experience so far. They pay a small amount per page view and I've also been awarded 2 feature bonuses since joining 2 weeks ago and have earned a total of $8.91. It's very fast and easy to post links and pics, but videos take a bit longer to upload. If you're ever suffering from writer's block just hop on redgage and post links to your existing content until you feel inspired again. If you sign up and would like to give me the referral just use "bestmommy" on the new account form. We don't earn anything from referrals content but you'll automatically become my "friend" and we could view each others content and I'll do my best to help with any questions you might have.
- May 3, 2010 at 10:19 AM
- brasscupcakes said...
Hi, Willow,
Great article and it sounds like Infobarrel is a nice community.
However, if I didn't misunderstand the terms you related on copyright, I don't really understand what good it does an author to retain it, if Infobarrel "maintains an irrevocable, perpetual, unlimited free of charge and exclusive right to publish."
Presumably, exclusive also excludes the author, no?
Given that many members due to the ad support will have subject areas they concentrate on, there's nothing whatsoever to stop Infobarrel from stitching together an entire book from a single author's posts, without sharing any of the royalties.
I do realize the terms are no more exploitative than the terms at most other such sites.
However, as an old media refugee, accustomed to health insurance, reimbursed expenses, a 401k (all gone now, of course), I cannot help feeling sad for the younger writers coming up now.
Ten years ago, who would have believed so many people with ability from the so-called first world would be willing to toil for such wages.
When it comes to writers, clearly, there's no need to out-source.
Sorry for being such a downer. I really and truly wish all of you the greatest success. - May 27, 2010 at 8:52 PM
- Anna said...
Thanks so much for your site, it has been so helpful to me! I do upfront pay stuff, but find Infobarrell to be such a great site to post whatever content I feel like writing about. It gives my mind a break from the humdrum routine of Demand and wiseGEEK. For freelancers looking to earn residual income over time, I cannot recommend this site enough.
- June 24, 2010 at 10:15 PM


text:
Indiana Lawmakers Returning to Consider Veto Override
By The Associated Press
Indiana lawmakers are returning to the Statehouse for one day next month to possibly override Republican Gov. Mike Pence's veto of a local tax measure.
By The Associated Press
Indiana lawmakers are returning to the Statehouse for one day next month to possibly override Republican Gov. Mike Pence's veto of a local tax measure.
By Brian Mackey
The Illinois House on Wednesday rejected an attempt to take a closer look at the field of psychiatry and its role in shaping Illinois law.
By Lauren Chooljian
When we started brainstorming for the Year 25 series, Roger Ebert was one of the first names that came to mind. What was the life of a to-be Pulitzer prize-winning film critic like during the intense twenty-something years? We had to find out.
By Lauren Chooljian
More and more airline travelers have their eyes and fingers glued to tablets and e-readers, according to a study released Wednesday from DePaul University, leading authors of the research to call for an end to the ban on electronic devices during takeoffs and landings.
By Carrie Johnson
For the first time, the U.S. government has acknowledged killing four American citizens in lethal drone strikes far outside traditional battlefields, confirming information that had been widely known but has only recently been unclassified under orders of the president.
By Jim Meadows
The sponsor of a bill that would change Illinois' so-called Facebook law to help employers says he doesn't think the measure will win passage during the spring session.
By Jeff Bossert
A teacher at University of Illinois Laboratory School, commonly known as Uni, says an attempt to unionize is based on confidence in the school's curriculum.
By Sean Powers
A committee of University of Illinois students and faculty on the Urbana campus passed a resolution on Wednesday, re-affirming its stance that Chief Illiniwek is an "inappropriate symbol" for the U of I.
By Marianne McCune
Chuck used to sell marijuana in California. But the legalization of medical marijuana in the state meant he was suddenly competing against hundreds of marijuana dispensaries. So he moved to New York, where marijuana is still 100 percent illegal. Since making the move, he says, he's quadrupled his income. (For the record: His name isn't really Chuck.)
He spends pretty much every day dealing what he calls "farm-to-table" marijuana. On a recent afternoon in his dimly lit New York apartment, he was just about to complete a daily ritual: loading about 50 baggies of marijuana, worth a total of about $3,000 into his backpack, before heading out to make deliveries. "We're helping keep people stoned on a Friday night in New York City," he said.
Eighteen states and the District of Columbia have now legalized marijuana, either for medical use or for fun. And, it turns out, when one state brings an underground market into the mainstream and another doesn't, there are economic consequences in both places.
Dealers aren't the only ones with an incentive to move marijuana out of California. The legalization of medical marijuana led to a rush of pot farmers with permits to grow marijuana legally. That in turn led to a supply glut — and plummeting wholesale prices. Some growers haven't been able to unload all their crops at the price they want on the local, legal market. So they break the law and send it out of state.
Special Agent Roy Giorgi with the California Department of Justice is supposed to stop the illegal flow of marijuana in California. That can mean crouching in the brush in some remote part of the mountains, or it can mean heading to a FedEx or UPS in California's pot country to take a look at all the outgoing parcels and try to detect marijuana inside.
He estimates that 1 in 15 packages he examines has marijuana in it. "Right now, Northern California bud, that trademark, that stamp, is really some of the best in the world," he says.
Of course, all of Giorgi's efforts to catch marijuana growers and dealers tend to drive people out of the illegal marijuana business. That, in turn, means Chuck has less competition — and can charge higher prices.
Chuck sells marijuana for about $60 for an eighth of an ounce; in California, it would be anywhere from $30 to $45. With his New York customers, Chuck talks about marijuana like it's a rare California wine. When he pours out the contents of his backpack to reveal strains with names like Girl Scout Cookies and AK47, his clients are wowed.
Because Chuck is working in an illegal market, his customers have a hard time finding other marijuana retailers. "There's plenty of weed in New York; there's just an illusion of scarcity, which is part of what I'm capitalizing on," he says. "This is a black market business. There's insufficient information for customers."
This is what economists call information asymmetry: Chuck knows more about the market than his customers do. If weed were legal, his customers could comparison shop — they could look at menus and price lists and choose their dealer. As it is, once they find Chuck, they're likely to stick with him.
Note: A version of this story originally aired as part of the WNYC series The Weed Next Door. The headline on this post was inspired by @MichaelMontCW
By Becky Vevea
The Chicago Board of Education voted on Wednesday on proposed closings or changes at 54 public schools.