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DVDiva for 2-1-2008
Published 6:00 pm, Thursday, January 31, 2008
ADRIFT IN MANHATTAN (R) The lives of a doctor in mourning for her dead son, a photographer obsessed with her and a patient of hers who's going blind become intertwined in this character study starring Heather Graham and Dominic Chianese. Having never been a big Graham fan - who I feel has always shed her clothes in films because she is unable to shed any real emotion - I must concede she carries this film. For those who care, she also sheds her clothes, but hers is the pivotal character, and she breathes life into the derivative, morose story. B-
BEYOND THE RING (R) A retired fighter must go back into the ring to get the money to pay for his daughter's life-saving operation. Film was written by martial arts master Andre Lima, who also stars. I say master because that's what the propaganda on the DVD cover says he is. I've never heard of him, but I'm hardly a connoisseur. Anyway, I can say he's no master at acting, or writing screenplays. After piddling around for more than an hour, the film finally gets around to the big "fight" and all I can say is Lima's no action hero either. Gary Busey is amusing for a while for his natural creepiness, but he's definitely taken one too many blows to the head and left his acting skills in the dressing room. F
BLONDE AMBITION (PG-13) Oklahoma woman travels to New York to visit her betrothed, finds him in bed with another woman, decides to stay in the city for a while, gets a job and inadvertently becomes part of a corporate scam to overthrow the CEO. Jessica Simpson's questionable acting skills are actually not an obstacle in this film so panned by test audiences that its theatrical run was cut short to try to recoup the investment through DVD sales. Oh, I'm not saying she's good in the film, I'm just saying everything else - especially the story, dialogue and cast performances - are so awful she doesn't stand out. D
BLOOD DESCENDANTS (R) A patriarch murdered 100 years ago rises from the dead to avenge his family name. A kind of unique Amish zombie twist certainly drew my interest, but the actuality was a big, laughable letdown. For a slasher film, there was not a lot of slashing going on and when it did, the effects were mediocre. C-
BORDERTOWN (R) Jennifer Lopez plays a reporter from Chicago who travels to Juarez, Mexico, to investigate the brutal murders that have claimed at least 375 - some say as many as 5,000 - young women in the area. The film could have been more important than it's going to be had it stayed focused on the theme, but a series of flashbacks J.Lo's character has dilute the intent. While the killings seems to be a cause du jour for the entertainment industry, at least someone is trying to bring attention the atrocities through marches, speeches and films. B-
THE COMEBACKS (unrated) A losing coach takes over a losing college football program and the team starts winning. Spoof of sports movies has a couple of laughs, but it's more of the same stupidity we've been getting the last few years from films like "Epic Movie" and the "Scary Movie" sequels (the first was actually pretty funny). The producers of "Wedding Crashers" may have been involved in this film, but only from the standpoint of cashing in on the name. The writing, talent and charm of "crashers" is nowhere to be found in this mess. C
CONFESSIONS OF A SUPERHERO (R) Documentary follows several people who dress as comic characters and make their living posing for pictures with tourists on Hollywood Boulevard in Los Angeles. Fascinating look at a small group, some of whom are a little too "in character," notably Batman, who doesn't play around about being the Dark Knight. A-
DADDY DAY CAMP (PG) Sequel to "Daddy Day Care" has the guys trying to keep a run down kids camp in business and out of the hands of the rival bully who wants the land to expand his camp. Formulaic horror shouldn't even attract the wee ones. Eddie Murphy, who never saw a sequel he didn't like, had the sense to keep away from this stinker. Cuba Gooding Jr. didn't. Oh, and speaking of stinkers, what has happened to Gooding? It's hard to say which film is worse, this or "Boat Trip." I think if the Academy Award people could rescind an Oscar for fraud like the Grammys did with Milli Vanilli, they might have a case with Gooding. He hasn't behaved like an actor since "Jerry Maguire." F
FAMILY GUY PRESENTS BLUE HARVEST (unrated) The cast of the Fox animated show take on the "Star Wars: Episode IV: A New Hope" personas in this homage. Though many are understandably miffed this episode clocks in at a scant 48 minutes, this is an example of quality over quantity. Hard core fans of the show and the film will delight at the in-jokes - a knowledge of the cast, crew and their other projects doesn't hurt for "Robot Chicken" references - but it's hilarious and shocking regardless. Besides, any show that can make a die-hard liberal actually appreciate a cameo by Rush Limbaugh can build bridges. B+
FEEL THE NOISE (PG-13) A troubled rapper from Harlem in trouble with a group of thugs he stole
tire rims from flees to Puerto Rico where he finds love in the form of a girlfriend and for a style of music he had never heard before. Producer Jennifer Lopez certainly should get credit for trying to bring the glorious sounds of reggaeton to a bigger audience, but the music - and Omarion's awesome ponytail 'fro - are about all this stale story have to offer. C
48 ANGELS (PG-13) A terminally ill boy hoping for a miracle boards a boat sans oars to meet God before God comes for him and becomes stranded on an island with an angst-ridden teen and an unconscious man the boy thinks is Jesus. Irish film delivers solid performances and a heart-tugging story of hope and faith. B+
THE GAME PLAN (PG) An Elvis-loving, self-centered professional quarterback gets a visit from the young daughter he never knew existed. With a story as shallow as its lead male character, I should be trashing this film right about now. But, I just can't. Apparently, I'm just a sucker for muscle-bound hunks going ga-ga for kids and animals, which I did at least once before for Vin Diesel in 2005's "The Pacifier." So here I go again. His character doesn't like to share the spotlight, but Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson doesn't seem to care about the old adage about working with kids and animals and his affability, a cute kid and a slobbering bulldog make this a much more pleasurable experience than a movie like this should be. B-
GHOST SON (not rated) A woman's dead husband apparently impregnates her and the resulting offspring isn't quite normal. Possibly the most feeble, stupid, hilariously bad movie of the last few years. Inappropriate laughter - particularly during the ghostly whisper and breast-feeding scenes - is unavoidable. Might be worth renting for its camp value, but for no other reason. C
GRAYSON ARMS (R) A woman buys a dilapidated, rent-controlled apartment complex with hopes of forcing the tenants out so she can transform into an upscale residence falls under suspicion when her renters start dying. A rare appearance from Michael Learned ("The Waltons") and a funky hairdo on Judd Nelson aside, there's little of interest to this predictable unthrilling thriller. C-
HE WAS A QUIET MAN (not rated) A tread-upon office worker is poised to blow away some of his co-workers when another tread-upon employee beats him to the draw and he becomes the hero. Physically, Christian Slater is almost unrecognizable as the meek little man filled with rage and the same goes for his performance. He gives one of the best performances of his career, as does Elisha Cuthbert, who plays a woman paralyzed in the gunman's rampage and now wants Slater's character to kill her. The story falls in places, but it's a decent ride the rest of the way. B-
HUNTING PARTY (R) Three journalists working in Bosnia get a tip on the location of the world's most wanted war criminal. Kind of a "Three Kings" meets "The Last King of Scotland," film is never as funny or as harrowing as those two films at their best and most extreme, but Richard Gere and Terrence Howard make it watchable. Based on a true story, don't miss the DVD feature of the funny, original Hunter S. Thompson-esque article - "What I Did On My Summer Vacation" - written by Scott Anderson for Esquire magazine the film was adapted from. B-
THE INVASION (PG-13) A space shuttle crashes back to Earth, bringing with it a virus that quickly spreads around the world, turning the population into "soulless replicants." Third remake of "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" lacks more than just the rest of the title, but it's not terrible. The space shuttle crash that brings the virus to the planet is itself a bit soulless of the filmmakers, especially when it's said several times in the fake newscasts that the crash sprayed debris from Texas to Washington. The portrayal of the infected in the film is as understated as the first two films, which was terrifying in them but not so much this time. Nevertheless, this OK thriller is far from great, but you could do worse for something new to watch this weekend. B-
JIMMY AND JUDY (R) Edward Furlong plays a man obsessed a desire to videotape his every waking moment who goes on a crime spree with his girlfriend. This film brings a nice, new perspective to this theme, though it's never been done better than in "Badlands," Terence Malick's 1973 masterpiece. Drags a little in the second act when the young couple take refuge in a drug-crazy commune but an interesting film for those who want something akin to "Natural Born Killers' without all the gratuitous violence. B
JUAREZ, MEXICO (R) A private detective investigating the disappearance of a young woman in the Mexican city discovers the secret of the hundreds of killings that have plagued the area for years. Pitifully lame film exploits the very real terror that Cuidad Juarez is experiencing to this day. Unlike "Bordertown," which wants to bring attention to the killings, this film wants nothing more than to cash in on the tragedy. The lead actor looks more like a surfer than a private dick, and it turns out he also wrote and directed. Looks like his ego, and his desire to make money off one of North America's most unfortunate ongoing crimes, overrule any desire to make good movies. F
LOVE LIES BLEEDING (R) A disillusioned Iraqi vet finds a bag of money and sets out with his girlfriend for a better life but they are pursued by the ruthless drug dealer - and DEA agent - who feels the cash is his. Christian Slater kinda turns the tables on his "True Romance" character by playing the bad guy going after the poor kid who's just trying to right the wrongs society has heaped upon him by going on the lam when a bag o' cash comes his way. On, it's no "True Romance" but it's a pretty good little drama Slater fans especially will enjoy. B
THE NINES (R) Ryan Reynolds, Hope Davis and Melissa McCarthy star in what essentially are three short films with overlapping themes and characters. Beyond that, the film is almost impossible to describe without giving too much away, something many critics - and trailers - have no problem doing, but I have issues with. There are supernatural aspects involved and if you liked Darren Aronofsky's "" or a weird little indie made in and around Dallas in 2004 called "Primer," you will love this. B+
PARADISE, TEXAS (PG) A boy with dreams of going into show business is cast alongside a Hollywood actor in an indie movie being shot near the boy's hometown. Cute enough but very predictable, film's sound effects are terribly bothersome and distracting. Good effects should go unnoticed. These slap you upside the head with a deafening roar. B-
SAW IV (R) Jigsaw and Amanda may be dead, but the games continue. I may be a fan of the series, but the shark has been jumped. The neatest - or grossest - thing about the films was the elaborate devices Jigsaw came up with to torture and eventually kill his victims. The selection here is the weakest yet and the thin plot doesn't make up the difference. D
SEPTEMBER DAWN (R) Based on the true story of the Mountain Meadows Massacre of 1857, a group of settlers traveling through Utah are brutally murdered. Whether the 120 men, women and children were killed by Paiute Indians or Mormons is something disputed to this day although the film has a definite opinion on who did it. Real people were characterized in the film, but not all, and it surprisingly doesn't affect the quality, though the love story isn't needed. Well acted and a fascinating look at a part of our history many not be familiar with. Check out the extras for two documentaries on the event and talks with descendants of the victims. B+
STONE & ED (R) Two hapless stoner brothers learn they aren't actually related and go on a parent search when get caught in the middle of a feud between a drug lord and the CIA. Saying filmmakers were "under the influence" when writing and filming this junk is an insult to stoners everywhere who, so I've heard, actually can be quite funny. There aren't enough mind-altering substances in the world - illegal or legal - that can make this film watchable. F
SYDNEY WHITE (PG-13) A college freshman ditches her snooty sorority sisters to take up with a group of geeks. Stereotypes abound, the cheap jokes are, well, cheap, and "Revenge of the Nerds" never looked so good in comparison. But there's something about Amanda Bynes movies I'm just a sucker for and things do get better if you can get through the first 45 minutes. Strictly a chick flick, though. B-
WEDDING DAZE (R) A man's fiancee dies and on a dare to get back in the dating pool, he proposes to a waitress, who accepts his offer. Low expectations certainly paid off with laugh out loud moments that came totally out of the blue. Jason Biggs and Isla Fisher share a great chemistry and both are great at physical comedy without being total hams. OK, Biggs can sometimes go too far, but he's kept on a leash here. B
RECENT RECOMMENDATIONS "Golden Door" (A), "Hack!" (B-), "Hatchet" (B-), "The Killing Floor" (B-), "Smiley Face" (B), "Sunshine" (B), "The Ten" (B-), "3:10 to Yuma" (A), "Vitus" (B-) and "White Noise 2" (B).
COMING SOON New releases next week include: "Across the Universe," "Elizabeth: The Golden Age," "The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford," "The Jane Austen Book Club" and "The Brave One." Releases the week of Jan. 28 include: "Becoming Jane," "Gone Baby Gone" and "Martian Child."
Videos and DVDs courtesy of Blockbuster video. Nancy Adamson is the news editor for the Reporter-Telegram. Her e-mail address is firstname.lastname@example.com


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February DiscipleMen Podcast Coming Soon
Don't miss the February installment of NCMM's DiscipleMen Podcast, posting soon. NCMM Board President Mike Young discusses how NCMM can help you grow new ministries to men as he casts the vision for NCMM's future.
The DiscipleMen Podcast is a relatively recent offering from NCMM. Each month we interview an NCMM member on a topic related to men's discipleship.
The podcast is available on your smart phone through ITunes, Google Play, or Stitcher. Search NCMM on those apps and you should find our episodes.
We need your help!
Subscribe, then rate and review any of the episodes currently available. The more activity generated in the next several weeks, the better our ratings will be.
Available episodes include:
Leary Gates Introducing the DiscipleMen Podcast
David Murrow Why Men Hate Going to Church
Steve Demme Balancing Ministry and Family
Steve Sabol Taking Church to the Streets
Ken Canfield Seven Secrets of Effective Fathers
Pat Morley Taking Back Ground…One Man at a Time
Glen Dry Doing Church Outside – The Sportsman's Church
Come to a Regional Meet-Up Near You
Ministering to men is one of the toughest jobs on the planet. You can spend all your time and energy pouring into other men's lives – but fail to build meaningful relationships with men who share your goals and vision.
NCMM wants to help you stay strong. And one of the ways we're doing that is through regional meet-ups in cities around the country. We schedule these meet-ups adjacent to bigger men's events sponsored by one of our NCMM members. That way you can attend the big event and the regional meet-up the same weekend.
Anyone can attend these meet-ups free of charge. They include a complimentary breakfast or lunch and a couple of hours for networking and fellowship. There's no sermon or singing – just a chance to meet men who struggle with the same challenges you do. It's a perfect opportunity to share strategies, encourage one another, and pray for your brothers in Christ.
Before or after the meet-up we strongly encourage you to stick around and participate in the larger men's event. All of these events are sponsored by NCMM members.
And one more thing – if you know other men who minister to men, bring them to a meet-up. It's a great way to encourage these brothers and give them a peek at what NCMM is all about.
We've got four more regional meet-ups scheduled for 2017. Here's when:
April 28 — New Orleans, LA
5 to 8 p.m., dinner included
Event: LifeWay Main Event, April 29, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
May 5 — Victoria, TX
8:30 to 10:30 a.m., breakfast included
Event: Reload 361, May 4, 6 to 9 p.m.
July 28 — Nashville, TN
Noon to 3, lunch included
Event: LifeWay Main Event, July 28 and 29, 5:30 p.m. to noon
August 18 — Greenville, SC
Noon to 3 p.m., lunch included
Event: LifeWay Main Event, August 18-19, 5:30 p.m. to noon

subset: commoncrawl


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Industry hopes Tralee will boost confidence
The building industry is hopeful the approval of housing at Tralee will speed-up other stalled development projects in the Canberra region.
The New South Wales Planning Minister has approved 2,000 homes for the Queanbeyan site, despite the Canberra Airport fighting the proposal for more than a decade.
The Master Builders Association (MBA) says around 3,000 Canberra construction workers have lost their jobs in the past 12 months, which is around 20 per cent of the total workforce.
MBA's Jerry Howard says it is due to a lack of large construction projects being planned for the near future.
"In no way will we see the level of construction activity that we've had in Canberra over the past few years," he said.
"We're suddenly entering into a period of, I would say a slowdown."
Regional executive director of the Housing Industry Association (HIA) Neil Evans hopes the Tralee approval will provide confidence for other developments.
"It's a positive thing," he said.
"I think from what I've read and seen, the maps show that the housing is outside the flight path.
"There is land under it, but there's no land directly under the flight path. And I think it will be a great project.
"There needs to be simple, effective and guidance rules, regulations put around these types of things so we don't see another ten year saga somewhere else in the country."
Topics: urban-development-and-planning, housing, act, canberra-2600, queanbeyan-2620


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Healthy Chicken Piccata and More Favorite Italian Recipes
Cheesy lasagna, buttery chicken piccata, fried eggplant parm, those are all Italian, right? So they qualify as Mediterranean and thus healthy. Unfortunately many of those Italian classics have been Americanized in a not-so-healthy way. Fortunately it's easy to reinterpret such classics into dishes that can clearly be called healthy.
Related Recipes
Our recipe for Chicken Piccata with Pasta & Mushrooms is a perfect example. Typically Chicken Piccata starts with a thin piece of seared chicken breast. No problem there. The issue comes with the sauce, which in most cases is based primarily on butter. We use chicken broth, white wine, capers and lemon juice as the base of the sauce and add just 2 teaspoons of butter as opposed to the 6 tablespoons you'll find in many recipes, cutting the fat by 22 grams. We also added mushrooms to the sauce and opted for whole-wheat pasta—this dish now delivers a respectable 16% of your daily fiber needs.
We made over some of our other Italian favorites, including Neapolitan Meatballs (we added bulgur to stand in for some of the meat and keep them lean). Our Corn & Broccoli Calzones have less fat and calories than typical calzones, plus plenty of added vegetables. We also made a delicious Skillet Tofu Parmigiana, that many tasters declared would get their tofu-phobic families to eat the soy-based product. And then there's lasagna… this Mushroom, Sausage & Spinach Lasagna is one of our favorites.


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Sunshine State Softball Fall Expo and Instructional Clinic
Sunday November 25, 2012
1:00 p.m.-5:00 p.m.
Windermere Preparatory High School
6189 County Road 535 (Also known as Winter Garden Vineland Road)
Windermere, FL 24786
For players ages 13-18 years old (JUCO players also accepted)
Cost: $50.00 per player (There will be a 50 player camp/limit)
Instructors/College Coaches Confirmed to Attend:
Chris Kuhlmeyer, Belmont University (NCAA DI)
Dave Deiros, Florida Gulf Coast University (NCAA DI)
Alissa Smith, Daytona State College (NJCAA)
Lee Dobbins, Emory University (NCAA DIII)
Michael Bastian, The Fastpitch School Director, Former Chinese National Team Coach
Monti Van Brunt, The Fastpitch School, Former professional coach in Holland and Italy
Clinic will feature instruction from the above mentioned staff in the areas of offense, defense, hitting and pitching. There will also be scrimmages coached by the staff to evaluate and instruct players in a game atmosphere. Invitations to other college coaches not instructing the event from around the country and region will be sent out to observe and recruit the event.
For more information contact Lee Dobbins at (423) 552-0490 or email at email@example.com


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User talk:Lois Griffin
From OLPC
Thanks a lot! Next time, if no admin reacts or sees the assault, try dropping a note in an IRC channel... can't guarantee it'll work, but hopefuly it'll call the attention :) Cheers, and thanks again! --Xavi 16:00, 31 May 2007 (EDT)
- You're quite welcome. —Lois Griffin 19:24, 1 June 2007 (EDT)


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Stay in touch with the relationships that matter. Easily add important contacts to MailChimp.
Contactually helps you manage your professional relationships. With MailChimp, you can easily message groups of contacts, but how do you keep the 1-1 relationships strong?
Contactually connects to your e-mail and social accounts, prioritizes all your contacts, and most importantly, actively reminds you to keep in touch with the relationships that matter.
With Contactually's MailChimp integration, you can easily connect MailChimp to Contactually. As you identify contacts, Contactually will automatically add contacts to lists. * As you meet new leads, automatically add them to your monthly sales email. * As you meet new contacts, automatically add them to your holiday card list. * If a lead moves to a client, Contactually can move them between lists.
Also, Contactually tracks your MailChimp conversations, so when you want to reach out to a particular contact in Contactually, you'll be able to see e-mails, tweets, phone calls and MailChimp campaigns for that relationship.
Compatible with: * Gmail * Google Apps * Microsoft Exchange and Outlook * IMAP * Salesforce * Highrise * SugarCRM
Additional Information & Help
This description was submitted by the integration's developer. MailChimp lists available integrations for customer convenience only, and we don't endorse or guarantee these services or products.
Log in with your MailChimp account to leave a review.
This is just not working. I thought as contacts were entered in MailChimp (via EventBrite) they would be put in the synced bucket in Contactually. I now have 15 contacts in MailChimp. ZERO in the Contactually bucket.
Not logging in my contacts.
my buckets are not syncing as it explains
Doesn't add contacts to buckets as specified.


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The Short, Official Bio
I'm the author of nine novels for adults and young adults, including the Stone fantasy duology (The Arm of the Stone and The Garden of the Stone) and Passion Blue and Color Song, a pair of historical novels for teens. In addition, I've written a handful of short stories, hundreds of book reviews, and a number of articles on writing and publishing that have appeared in Writer's Digest, among others. In 2006, I served as a judge for the World Fantasy Awards.
I'm co-founder, with Ann Crispin, of Writer Beware, a publishing industry watchdog group that provides information and warnings about the many scams and schemes that threaten writers. I received the Service to SFWA Award in 2009 for my work with Writer Beware.
I live in Amherst, Massachusetts.
The Longer, Less Official Bio
I was born in Exeter, New Hampshire. My father, a university professor, was very successful in obtaining research grants and guest professorships–during my childhood and adolescence we never lived in one place for more than a couple of years at a time. In addition to several U.S. states, I've lived in Ireland, England, and Germany, and traveled throughout Europe.
I graduated from Vassar College with a degree in Comparative Religion–which didn't do a lot to help me find a conventional job, but did satisfy my fascination with world belief systems, an interest that's strongly reflected in my writing.
For several years I supported my writing habit through a variety of dull, poorly-paid, and sometimes horrible jobs (the weirdest was probably my stint as a research assistant/housekeeper/dogsbody for an egomaniacal self-help author whose elderly husband spent much of his time in the basement with his huge collection of Hustler magazines). Eventually I wound up as the financial manager of a not-for-profit corporation–a very odd place for a "D" math student to find herself. In 1999 I happily left the world of offices and salaries behind to become a full-time writer.
My first novel, a young adult historical called The Lady of Rhuddesmere, was published in 1982. Two more YA books followed: Worldstone, a parallel world fantasy with a contemporary setting, and Guardian of the Hills, a historical fantasy that takes place during the Depression.
I switched to the adult market for a pair of duologies: The Arm of the Stone and The Garden of the Stone, high fantasies set on an alternate Earth where technology is outlawed; and The Burning Land and The Awakened City, epic fantasy adventures with topical themes of political oppression and religious terrorism.
Most recently, I've returned to my YA roots with Passion Blue and Color Song, a pair of historical novels set in fifteenth century Padua and Venice, about a talented girl's struggle to become a painter in defiance of the rigid social conventions of her time.
My other writings include book reviews (published in Fantasy magazine Black Gate, and SF Site), a handful of short stories (I'm a contributor to the Cast of Characters anthology edited by Lou Aronica), and a number of articles on writing and publishing that have appeared in venues such as Writer's Digest and Romance Readers Report.
I'm also co-founder, with my late friend and colleague Ann Crispin, of Writer Beware, a publishing industry watchdog group sponsored by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America. Writer Beware works to educate writers about the perils of the publishing industry, in part by documenting, exposing, and raising awareness of the huge variety of literary schemes and scams. I created the Writer Beware website, and maintain the very active Writer Beware blog and Facebook page.
I live in Amherst, Massachusetts, with my wonderful husband Rob (who doesn't understand my need to write, but fully supports it). I'm a keen flower gardener, a voracious and eclectic reader, an enthusiastic hiker and biker, a film buff, and a bit of an exercise and nutrition nut.
I also spend far too much time online. In keeping with that, you can find me on Facebook and Twitter.
How I Became a Writer
My mother is a published author. Her novel, a Southern gothic called Laurel, was published when she was 23; it got a rave review in the New York Times and was made into a TV movie.
Even so, while I don't remember a time when I didn't write–poems and stories as a child, a few semi-serious short fiction efforts in high school as part of an honors English course–it never occurred to me that I might follow in my mother's footsteps. Writing was just a hobby, something I did for fun.
That all changed the year I was 17.
I'd just graduated from high school. My father had gotten yet another research grant and my family was traveling to Germany; I wanted to defer my college admission and go along. My parents were fine with the idea of a gap year, but they weren't about to let me loll around reading books and absorbing culture, which is what I really wanted to do. Either I had to attend school (not likely, since I couldn't speak a word of German) or come up with some sort of worthy project to keep me busy.
"OK," I said. "I'll write a novel."
Did I honestly think I could just sit down and bang out a book, when I'd never been even remotely serious about writing, and the longest thing I'd produced to date was a 30-page short story? No. It was a ploy to placate the 'rents. I figured I'd do a few chapters–enough to demonstrate that I was trying–and then say I'd run out of inspiration and spend the rest of the year doing what I liked.
The joke was on me, though. By the end of the second chapter I was hooked; and before I was halfway through I knew I'd found what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. (I give my mother a lot of credit for not trying to talk me out of it.)
By the time I returned to the States to enter college, the book I'd never planned on completing had turned into The Lady of Rhuddesmere, and had been polished under my mother's sharp editorial eye. In my spare time, I began playing the submission game. This wasn't nearly so complex and confusing as it is now. There was less of everything–fewer publishers, fewer literary agents, fewer sources of information and vastly fewer ways to access them (basically, you went to the library). It was also a time when you could still submit to major publishers over the transom.
Which is what I did. Despite what I now realize was a truly awful query letter, I got a lot of manuscript requests. And a lot of rejections. After about two years of fruitless querying, Lady landed at a publisher that, unbeknownst to me, was preparing to close its doors. The editor who'd asked to see my book was planning to go out on her own as a literary agent, and offered to represent me.
My serendipitous new agent took the hassle of photocopying and mailing out of my hands (I do not miss those pre-digital days), but wasn't initially able to improve things on the rejection front. She never gave up, though. Eight years after I finished Lady–long past the time when I'd abandoned any hope of a sale–she sold it to Frederick Warne, then an independent children's publisher (it's now an imprint of Penguin).
I will never forget the day she called to tell me about the offer. It was like a message from outer space. When I woke up the next morning, I was convinced I'd dreamed it.
My editor, Meredith Charpentier, was wonderful–caring, engaged, and meticulous. Over the next few months, I worked under her guidance to turn a flawed manuscript into a publishable novel. I completely rewrote the book (among other changes, Meredith asked me to switch from a third- to a first-person viewpoint), and then rewrote it again. It was a tough experience, and I had to put my ego on hold. But I learned more about writing and self-editing during those months of intensive work than I have before or since. I'm the writer I am today in large part because of Meredith.
There's just one thing in my career journey that I regret. For about five years after I graduated from college, I stopped writing. I'd convinced myself that Lady would never sell, nor would the short stories I was dutifully turning out in order to hone my craft. I decided my hopes of a writing career were foolish, and made a conscious effort to set them aside. It's unfortunately very easy for me to stop writing, since I find the process difficult and often unrewarding (I'm one of those writers who prefers editing to composing). But I'm not a whole person without it. Those were not happy years.
Would I have begun writing again, if Meredith hadn't bought The Lady of Rhuddesmere? Honestly, I'm not completely sure. I had lost my faith in myself, and I don't know if I would have been able to get it back without outside help.
But I hope so. I hope I would somehow have realized on my own what my career has taught me: that the effort is worth it, no matter what. That you can't ask why you write, or what for–you just have to do it. That you never stop developing and changing, and that every book makes you better.
I try to remember that every day.
Interviews, etc.
Q&A with Kirkus Reviews about Renaissance art, astrology, and Passion Blue.
Randy Dotinga of the Christian Science Monitor interviews me about Writer Beware.
A 2011 interview about Writer Beware and Passion Blue, conducted by Stacey O'Neale of YA Fantasy Guide.
A 2011 podcast interview mostly about Writer Beware and literary scams, conducted by Irene Watson and Victor R. Volkman of Authors Access.
A 2007 interview with Women on Writing, about Writer Beware and writing scams.
Interview about The Burning Land with Paul Goat Allen of Barnes & Noble's Explorations newsletter.
Interview about The Awakened City with Lee Barnathan of SciFi Wire.


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Out-of-Control Car Unable to Miss Any Parked Cars
[+] Striiiiiiiiiiiike!
[–] Striiiiiiiiiiiike!
Description: A drifting car hits 4 cars.
Tags: Car Accident, Fail, Video
Views: 4,028
Rating: 7.06
Date: Oct 30, 2013
Tags: Car Accident, Fail, Video
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Latest update on topic "how to write internal memo" was on 23 December 2015 by Ask Naij.
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BMFA Classifieds Hacked
July 23rd, 2009 No comments
PLEASE NOTE. The site has been the victim of a malicious attack, the admin team are working to get things back to normal as soon as possible.
All users will need to re-register at some point over the next couple of days as there are serious problems with the databases. This means that all the current ads will be lost. Keep checking back here for updates.
Categories: BMFA, General Discussion BMFA, Classifieds, hacked


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Main Objective: Destroy Forces Before the Nuclear Strike, Breach the Tactical Operations Center
Bonus Objective: Destroy the Science Facilities [0/2]
Old Soldiers: Complete the "Old Soldiers" mission in the Heart of the Swarm campaign.
Nuclear Launch Rejected: Destroy 20 enemy structures before the 1st Nuclear Strike in the "Old Soldiers" mission.
Recalled Down the Thunder: Complete the "Old Soldiers" mission in less than 20 minutes on Normal difficulty.
Clear out the Terran base to the right. Not only will it free up an expansion, there is also a Science Facility to destroy for the bonus objective. Clear as much as you can, because these are free units that you will lose after the nuclear strike. Doing so will reward you with the Nuclear Launch Rejected achievement.
Saturate your base as soon as possible. Warfield will randomly drop nukes on your base and army so spread your buildings and always be mindful of the whereabouts of your army. You don't have to worry about adding much static defense at your base because there aren't that many drops. A few Spore Crawlers will be enough to give you enough time to send a pack of speedlings back to deal with Vikings and/or drop.
Spread creep with your first queen. Not only will it help with mobility, it will give you vision and let you know of any impending attacks. There will be an attack at roughly around 8:30. After you deal with this first attack, it's pretty safe to take that expansion you cleared earlier.
At roughly 11:20 there will be a group of vikings that will attack your base. This is where raptor lings with metabolic boost really shine. They can make it back to your base in record time and if you need to build more they build almost instantaneously.
There's quite a bit to deal with over by the right science facility. You should have a stable economy by now which will allow you to clear it out with a few waves of units.
This level is pretty much a war of attrition. As long as you do damage, regardless of how many waves of units you send, you will be victorious. After clearing out the units in the front of the left base, even returning a while later, the units and the buildings initially destroyed are not rebuilt. Clearing out this base will give you a gold expansion which will pretty much ensure victory from here on out.
Building a mix of units, especially after evolutions, make for very effective armies. The main composition of units used for this level was comprised of zerglings, roaches, hydralisks, and abberations.
At this point you can send wave after wave of units until you clear out the remaining Terran forces.


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Good Questions: A Sofa That Will Work For Both of Us?
Hello AT,
You've helped many times before and I appreciate it! This one is urgent.
My husband and I just bought our first home, yay!
With it comes new furniture and finding our style.
I am a girl, into the way my furniture looks and expresses my style. But I will admit, my style isn't all that practical...
My husband is concerned with how the sofa feels when he is watching football and if he can spill a beer on it.
Needless to say, we are having trouble compromising.
I need help finding a sofa to start off on the right foot that can meet both of our needs.
I love the look of a white couch, but I know that isn't the most practical.
My husband would love something that reclines, but I can't deal with the look of that.
It reminds me of my Grandpa.
Please help to suggest a sofa that would work for us!
Thanks! Amanda


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I am unable to edit galleries that have previously been created. The galleries show up when in browser so i know theyre still there but when i go into the post/page editor the galleries do not show so i am unabe to make and edits.
The blog I need help with is danieltalbotphotography.com.


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Neueste Uploads
Yanive Nizard Lafrance
Drum_tama_6Bois-des-filion, Canada
Konto Statistik
I always had a passion for photography, my uncle who was a photographer often took me with him to take photos. Later, I followed film photography courses at high school and courses of design. Now, I am at college in photography and that impassions me. Moreover, I have worked with photoshop for several years already.
angemeldet seit:October 21, 2006
Ausrüstung:Canon Rebel XT 8,2 MP Manfrotto tripod 190CL Manfrotto head 488RC4 Canon 18-55mm Lens Sigma 17-70mm Lens Sandisk UltraII 1Go Photoshop CS2 Wacom Intuos3 6"X8"
Favorisierte Themen:Street photos, nature, wildlife, cars, traffic, buildings, people, fisheye photos, sports, everything that I can photograph in montreal
Portfolio suchen


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Shakir, Noor Adila Aluwi (2009) Application of design of experiment technique in the single step pretreatment process for diamond coating. Masters thesis, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering.
Full text not available from this repository.
|Item Type:
|Thesis (Masters)
|Additional Information:
|Supervisor : Prof. Dr. Noordin Mohd. Yusof
|T Technology > TJ Mechanical engineering and machinery
|Mechanical Engineering
|ID Code:
|Deposited By:
|Kamariah Mohamed Jong
|Last Modified:
|18 Nov 2011 04:31
Repository Staff Only: item control page


text: hi folks, I've checked in the MI changes to support read() and write() returning the real error values from I/O errors. I've also done the MD parts for x86 and sparc (see my recent checkins to locore.s and trap.c on those platforms). as discussed before, I'm going to leave the rest of the MD parts for other folks to do. it's pretty straightforward on most platforms, just store the return value from uvm_fault() into some register in the trapframe, then have the onfault handler return that. (Ben Harris is way ahead of the game, he's already updated arm26!) -Chuck


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Sorry guys about this question but i checked everywhere and read that lion is primarily 64 bit but it can boot into 32 bit. SO is it possible to install LION or ML on my laptop which is 32 bit only, and boot only into 32 bit.
Laptop is an LG R400 with an Intel Pentium Dual Core T2060 + GMA 945


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replenished the shirt inventory from the boatshow and we have this rack setup at the studio now . Various designs here as well! Also just got new stickers featured below. All stickers are 6″ Die cut (Outline cut) and UV coated, good for the boat or car, or anywhere, also available here at the studio. Also not pictured 6″ and 8″ Tuna Stickers. Will have new Swordfish color stickers and Vinyl cut stickers from the new painitng soon before the holidays. Stay tuned for more updates.
Monthly Archives: November 2011
New Painting: "Daytime Delight"
"Daytime Delight" 40″x47″
Acrylic and enamel on canvas . 2011
It's no secret now that giant Broadbills can be boated in broad daylight, the tricky part is fishing your line at 1700 ft! In the past few years this recent discovery has taken off in the South Florida fishing community. This September and October were no different. I had the pleasure of heading out on multiple trips in the past few months boating these brutes. You just can't imagine the amazing colors these fish portray as they are lit up in the water during the day, deep purple magentas, bright browns and ambers, and of course everyfish you pull up has his or her own character and coloring.
It was only natural that I finally did a daytime scene portraying the action at the surface. The fish usually come to the boat relitively quickly and you must take advantage of that oppurtunity, the minute they break the surface, and see your boat and what they have in store, they make a mad dash, and your on for another battle! The swordfish above is not letting up easy, he has breached the surface, shown his glory in daylight, seen his fate, and will battle us until the end…..
Limited Edition, Signd prints will be available starting next week.
Original for sale.


text: On Wed, Jan 06, 2010 at 06:34:38PM +0100, Christoph Hellwig wrote:> On Wed, Jan 06, 2010 at 10:32:59AM -0700, Matthew Wilcox wrote:> > On Wed, Jan 06, 2010 at 06:21:12PM +0100, Christoph Hellwig wrote:> > > Add a generic implementation of the old select syscall, which expects it's> > > argument in a memory block and switch all architectures over to use it.> > > > Don't we want an ifdef around compat_sys_old_select() like the one> > around sys_old_select()?> > Because nothing in compat.c does it. If we want to bother saving those> few bites we should do it for more functions, and in a consistant way.Actually, I'd be a lot happier if we had lib/syscall/old_select.c, insteadof cluttering fs/select.c with that. Objections?


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|Reviews for Cool On Your Island
| umi ryuzzaki1 chapter 1 . 2/27/2015
best story ever I think you are good we should team up
| dragon of winter nights chapter 1 . 1/21/2007
XD I finally got a chance to hear this song this morning, after ...*adds dates up* nearly five years of wondering? ; And I immediatly ran back to read this fic. It makes me feel all nostalgic now - your clemi fic still makes me smile so much.
Just wanted to say thank you for that - for five years of entertainment when I was upset and needed something to lift my spirits. _ Thank you!
| Green Animelover chapter 1 . 2/7/2006
i really liked it...it was so sweet
| LostInPrettyEyes chapter 1 . 7/20/2005
Hey Umi-chan3. THIS ROCKED!
I enjoyed it it was really well written. Great choice of song for the mood too! Well, have fun on this trip thingy and maybe you'll find more comments from me when you return...FROM CEPHIRO!
Lol kidding, but if you were going there, I'd be fully jealous.
| Obscure Entity chapter 1 . 12/19/2004
Aww, that was so sweet. Umi is always so sad, Clef is good for her. I love this pairing so much more that Umi and Ascot, it seems so much more right. Thanks for writing this.
| Lalaith Quetzalli chapter 1 . 11/18/2004
I have never heard this song, but I really don't care. This fanfic is so sweet... Write more UmiCleff
| Silvanus16 chapter 1 . 8/28/2004
I like! _ I can see why you call it your favorite! It was so sweet T_T P
| toysrusgirl chapter 1 . 1/20/2004
Wow.. that was VERY good..! And the ending is adorably sweet!
| LIONKATE chapter 1 . 6/23/2003
Wow Umi-chan you write the best stories and everything when it comes to Umi. I've never heard Tori Amos but I've read the lyrics on your stories so I'm gonna check her out.
| keiko chapter 1 . 4/29/2003
wow. that was just simply beautiful.
| Storm Demon Not signed in chapter 1 . 12/17/2002
Awww *sniffles* That was so sweet! .~, keep it up!
| Blood Everlasting chapter 1 . 11/5/2002
That is sooooo sweet! I can't believe how innocent and romantic this is! I've never read anything that touched me so. I am very impressed!
Ja ne, and keep up the great work!
| Yunari Rizaki chapter 1 . 9/10/2002
Awwwww...this is another one of your great fics, Umi-chan. Sorry I haven't e-mailed you in awhile. My computer hasn't been working well lately! I updated mine! Bye!
| Winter Yuy chapter 1 . 7/31/2002
| Twin Umi chapter 1 . 7/17/2002
I LOOOOOOOOOOVE this fanfic0 I hope you write another one with Umi and Clef in it.


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Sales up on both sides of bay
Published 4:00 am, Friday, August 11, 2006
The 49ers and the Raiders say their season tickets are being renewed at a higher rate than they were last year.
In the Raiders' case, the bar was set exceedingly low, partly because of the dreaded personal seat licenses that were dissolved in the offseason when the club took over its own marketing and ticket-selling functions from the now-defunct Oakland Football Marketing Association.
But neither team has revealed how many season tickets it has sold in the wake of symmetrically awful 4-12 seasons on both sides of the bay.
"We don't get into specifics on our tickets," 49ers spokesman Aaron Salkin said. "They're being renewed at a record number rate." They've been sold out every season since 1981. They have not had a home game blacked out on local television since early that season.
In the most recent figures made available by the 49ers, they sold 59,694 season tickets in 2004.
Both their preseason home games -- tonight against Chicago and Sept. 1 against San Diego -- are sold out, the 49ers said.
Raiders Chief Executive Amy Trask said she would provide information on sales after the exhibition season. In the meantime, she said, "the response from our fans has been tremendous.
"They have been very enthusiastic about the opportunity to work directly with the team for the first time since we relocated (from Los Angeles) in 1995. The feedback we're getting is that they're absolutely delighted."
The marketing association was the organization that the city of Oakland and Alameda County set up to handle ticket sales. The idea was to maximize the city's and county's share of the sales of tickets and PSLs. Instead, following inaccurate projections of how many PSLs would be purchased, fans stayed away because of the costs, the team's poor performance and the association's heavily criticized customer service.
Last year about 29,000 PSLs and season tickets were sold at the 63,132-seat McAfee Coliseum.
If the Raiders don't sell out at least some of their home games this year, they won't be able to pin some of the blame the marketing association or public officials, as in years past.
"We have substantially increased the sales force," Trask said. "The prior regime didn't have an emphasis on sales and service. We have both."
She wouldn't promise an end this year to the blackouts that have plagued the Raiders since they returned to Oakland.
"The situation we took over on Jan. 1 was abysmal," she said. "It will take quite a bit of time to correct that situation."
Besides not having to pay for seat licenses, Raiders season-ticket holders were given first crack at individual game tickets.
"We are significantly ahead at this point of where we were last year," Trask said.
The Raiders host the 49ers in an exhibition Aug. 20 at 5 p.m. Oakland's other preseason home game is five nights later against Detroit.


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We all know how toddlers love to find things…so here's a fun toddler hunt where they can find some colors while learning their numbers! Print out the sheets of numbers for what ever numbers you are trying to teach your toddler. Cut them out and glue them on a sheet of colored construction paper. (So have all 1-6 on one color, then 7-12 on another color). Then if you have it, put some contact paper over the whole sheet so that you can use them over and over. Then cut them into cards (see above). Now hide them (in obvious places) so that your toddler can wander around the room and find them. The different colors will help her find them. This way after you find them all you can have your toddler put them in piles with matching colors. Then you can take the number from a color group and put them in order!
– print out the sheets of numbers
– scissors ( adult use only)
– colored construction paper
– contact paper
– glue
– appetite for having fun!
– Let your toddler hide them around the room for you to find!
– Be sure to talk about the colors your toddler finds and what keep repeating what number is on the back to your toddler can learn the numbers.


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First download and install Quickteller app and MyPaga app on your Android phone on Play Store and iOS device from Apple store for easy login and sign up process.
Few days ago, we take a macro review of MyPaga and Quickteller as an online service that can be used to buy airtime both at the local and international level, pay DSTv subscription fee, GOTv subscription fee, Pay utility bills including PHCN bills online, book flight ticket online, and some other online transaction processes which including how to send money to anyone across the country and outside on Quickteller and MyPaga.
Today, we are to take a diverse comparison of both MyPaga and Quickteller service on how to buy airtime using the interswitch. The dept comparison between Mypaga.com and Quickteller.com.
Quickteller vs MyPaga is one of the things have been so concern myself with over the past few days as to which one is better and secure when it comes to picking the best internet banking service for transferring money from one account to another, pay DSTv subscription, renew my GOTv subscription, pay utility bills without leaving the comfort of my room, send money to my love ones, buy airtime when I run out of call card and most especially, to buy airtime etc.
You will want to believe with me that Quickteller vs MyPaga service is not rats race, just that they are very good competitor in what they do, and how the do it to suits their customer the best.
However, here in this post we will review the inner value of both Mypaga.com and Quickteller.com based on experience and time with spent using the service on how to use the service to buy airtime.
Quickteller Vs MyPaga Professional Service
First good thing about Quickteller and MyPaga is that their registration process is quiet easy and doesn't require any stress. After successful registration on both service, a token will be send to your mobile number and email address to verify you truly fill in your exact detail during the process of registration.
After registration on either MyPaga or Quickteller, simply login via web-browser or smartphone app you downloaded above.
Note that review of these services will be based on our experience so far without keeping to ourselves single point you need to know on how to buy airtime with it.
How to Buy Airtime on Quickteller
Buy airtime on Quickteller and MyPaga takes almost the same process. If you are a quickteller subscriber already it will be very easy to login to your account and buy airtime but if you are a new subscriber, register first on Quickteller.
1. Login to your quickteller account and click on buy airtime button
2. list of Telecommunication services available will be displayed, then click on your network provider
3. Another page will pop up, enter the amount of you want to recharge and your mobile number (Double check)
4. Click on continue button for confirmation page to pop up and then, pay.
5. Click on Pay button and you will be taken to a page to enter your ATM card number and your name.
6. If you are using token, you will be prompted to press your token and enter the displayed digits.
How to Buy Airtime on MyPaga
1. Login to your MyPaga account with either your number or email address
2. To the left of the page, click on buy airtime/data
3. A new page will pop up, tick whether to buy airtime or data and fill in the details
4. Select mode of payment on your account page and click confirm
As simple as that. That is how to buy airtime from Quickteller and MyPaga interswitch service
Now, let take a look at Quickteller vs MyPaga justification on how to buy airtime. From experience with both inter-switch service, both requires you to either link your bank account or add your ATM card for easy transaction. On MyPaga, when you link your account to your account, you will easily have direct access to sending money directly from your phone when you login.
While when you want to buy airtime on Quickteller either on app or via web, you will have to enter your ATM card number and token often.


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Articles tagged with: paid surveys
Make Money Online »
Paid online survey programs are a very new concept to earn money by working from home, at the convenience of one's own time, place and pace of working. This concept is the most ideal way of work for mothers who have been caught between taking care of kids and at the same time who don't want to sacrifice their career. This is also suitable for working people who want to make an extra income and for students who have the necessity to earn while they learn.
First we should understand what …
Career Tip »
Millions of people worldwide are enticed by the opportunity to work at home. A job from home allows individuals considerably more flexibility, extra time with family and generally alleviates the immense stress which may result from an active career. At home jobs are also desirable for individuals who wish to make an extra income in addition to their day job, college students, disabled persons, at home mothers and senior citizens.
Thousands of people search the internet everyday in hopes of finding financial freedom from the comfort of their own home. Unfortunately, …


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Secrets Of GamesSecrets, News, Tips, Guides, Cheats and More
Monday Night Combat Packs Bonus TF2 Items on PCPosted on January 25, 2011
The PC edition of Monday Night Combat packed a few surprises when it launched on Steam yesterday. Everyone who buys Uber Entertainment's DotA-ish class-based shooter before February 1 will receive bonus items for Valve's Team Fortress 2 plus TF2 items to wear in Monday Night Combat. Yes, there are new hats for you to covet.
As the Steam store page details, all TF2 classes get to slip on a Monday Night Combat cap while the TF2 Scout receives the stylish accessories of MNC mascot Bullseye. Each MNC Pro, meanwhile, receives fitting tinkets worn by a TF2 class.
To get the bonus items, you'll need to buy Monday Night Combat for PC before 10am PST on February 1. The game costs $14.99, while a four-pack is a bargain $44.97.
Also kept under …
Go to Source (ShackNews)
Interview – Monday Night Combat devs talk Steam, baconPosted on December 16, 2010
I'm not going to be shy about it–I'm damn glad that I'll be able to play Monday Night Combat on PC. We need more downloadable-sized shooters on PC; I'm still miffed that EA let Battlefield 1943 drift into PC-port limbo-land.
Anyway. MNC sizzles onto Steam January 17; we thought we'd take a moment to get to know Uber Entertainment, the bacon-loving men behind the game. We spoke with Chandana Ekanayake, executive producer and art director about the special guest coming to the PC version, the dev's background, and how Uber's experience working with Valve has differed from its cooperation with Microsoft.
PC Gamer: MNC was Uber Entertainment's first game, but the studio is made up of people with a PC development heritage. Your founder and president worked on one of our most-loved titles of 2009—Demigod—with your creative director John Comes. You worked on Morrowind. How has that background helped or influenced your decision to bring MNC to PC?
Chandana Ekanayake: Great question! Here's a few others:
Steve Thompson, Cinematics Lead – Dungeon Siege, Dungeon Siege 2
John Comes, Creative Director – C&C Generals: Zero Hour, LOTR:Battle for Middle Earth, Supreme Commander, Demigod
Tim Cox, Environment Art Lead – Neverwinter Nights 2
Jon Mavor, CTO – Total Annihilation
With our combined background in both RTS and action games, we wanted to make a hybrid shooter game that we all wanted to play as developers, keep it more accessible and light hearted. That's how the idea of Monday Night Combat was born and developed. We're big believers in "find the fun first" method of game development which means get the game playable as soon as possible with the most minimal art assets. For the first year of development the game was in white box mode.
Keeping the art simple allows us to iterate on the gameplay fast, experiment with different ideas and throw away mechanics that don't work. Early on during development, our daily process started with ideas we want to throw in the game, once it was in, we all play-test it as a group, and the ideas people like stay in and things that suck get thrown out.
We still play-test the game everyday and feedback from everyone at the studio as well as fresh eyes from people that we bring in gives us good information as to what to adjust and balance. This is why we wanted to do a beta to further tweak balance for PC and also make sure the game runs well on the various PC configurations.
PC Gamer: At what point did you decide to bring Monday Night Combat to PC?
Eka: We always knew we wanted to bring MNC to PC as it started it's development there but we could only concentrate on one platform at a time with our smaller crew. We initially chose XBLA as it seemed like a great place to get noticed for a smaller indie studio like Uber.
PC Gamer: It's not uncommon for a developer to delay or cancel the PC version of a game and say that it isn't willing to dedicate the resources—even with content as seemingly simple as DLC. Why is it worth the time and effort to bring MNC to PC? What's attractive about the platform?
Eka: Our basic philosophy with Monday Night Combat is that it's a game as a service. Since it's primarily a competitive multiplayer game, we feel it's important to listen to our community and keep updating the game with balance adjustments and new content. What's attractive about Steam is the ability to push content and changes out to our players in a fast manner as well as experiment with ideas and get fast feedback from our community.
We're also impulsive and if we get an idea in our heads that just makes us go "awesome!" then we want to get it into the game as soon as possible and get it into the hands our our players. Just today, we had this crazy idea for a special guest character that just makes total sense in the world of Monday Night Combat (at least to us). We ran the idea by creators of this special guest and they loved it. So said special guest character will be making an appearance when the game launches on January 17th. I know, I know, stop teasing but it'll be awesome!
PC Gamer: What's the reception been so far on the announcement?
Eka: So far the reception has been very positive with some concerns about support for our console version. We're on our forums daily and we'll continue to be as well as supporting both the PC and console versions of the the game.
PC Gamer: You're planning to add "editor support" to MNC on PC sometime in January. What form will that take? Is it a level editor, modding tools, or something different?
Eka: Monday Night Combat is built using Unreal3 and it's suite of powerful tools. Players will be able to edit levels and create mods with the same tools we used to create the game.
PC Gamer: In October, Penny Arcade wrote about an experience that you guys had trying to push an update for MNC through Microsoft certification onto XBLA. Has working with Steam and Valve, so far, been a different experience than working with Microsoft?
Eka: Traditionally, consoles have been fixed hardware closed platforms without too many software updates to make it simpler for the end-user while PC gamers are used to more frequent updates. The consoles are evolving slowly but they have some ways to go before catching up with Steam and its ability to put out content faster.
PC Gamer: What other changes are you making/have you made to the PC version of the game? Did any portion of the interface require significant reworking? Did any weapons or levels need to be tweaked or rebalanced?
Eka: On top of supporting higher resolutions, bigger textures and tweakable graphic performance, we reworked most of the various menus to better suit the PC version. The biggest changes went into the Multiplayer Lobby, server browser, favorites and custom games. We spent a fair amount of time setting up a good default control scheme for keyboard and mouse and adding hotkeys to our skill purchase and turret buying menus. Some of the classes have gone through balance changes and we'll continue to balance them throughout the beta.
PC Gamer: We share your open, romantic enthusiasm for bacon. What kinds do you eat? At what point did eating it turn into a conversation of "Hey, this stuff is pretty good. We should put it in our game."
Eka: Bacon is a steady part of our balanced diet here at Uber and putting it into the game wasn't even a question of "if" but "when." Our favorite bacon right now is Country Smoked Cajun Bacon from The Loveless Cafe in Nashville. We just ordered 30lbs of it last week!
PC Gamer: Keep fighting the good fight. Thanks for your time, Eka.
Go to Source (PC Gamer)
Monday Night Combat is coming to PCPosted on December 14, 2010
Monday evening is the appropriate time to make an announcement about a game called Monday Night Combat. Well done, Uber Entertainment. The Washington-based independent studio's take on class-based multiplayer shooting was previously an Xbox exclusive, which this surprise announcement happily breaks. January 17 is the release date, $15 is the price, and the Steam page tells us that MNC will support dedicated servers and that "editor support" is planned for January. Update: pre-orderers get access to a beta this week. Video within.
The basic concept: classes that owe Team Fortress 2 some hat-tipping meets Smash T.V. meets broadcast television-style sports presentation meets Defense of the Ancients-style minion-robots creeping through the environment.
Go to Source (PC Gamer)
Monday Night Combat statues are looking to capture your Money BallPosted on November 12, 2010
The problem with reality is that you can't take a PitGirl or Assassin with you everywhere you go. Actually, you probably could, but that'd technically be kidnapping. Let's try that again: The problem with reality is that you can't lock your own PitGirl or Assassin in a room for you to ogle at your convenience. Okay, we're really bad at this.
Clean slate: Uber Entertainment is finally offering figurines based on characters in its XBLA game, Monday Night Combat. $69.99 will net you a nine inch tall statue of either PitGirl, Assault or Assasin. The Tank is a bit taller at 10 inches and a bit pricier at $89.99.
Monday Night Combat statues are looking to capture your Money Ball originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 12 Nov 2010 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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text:
Contact Person: Don Spence
Purpose: The St. Vincent De Paul Society is an organization of Catholic lay people and has two objectives: (1) to live out Jesus' Gospel Message of love in their own lives; and (2) to personally serve those in need, offering help in kind plus the comfort of friendship as Christians.
Commitment: We have many activities (see below) and need volunteers with a limited time commitment. So please consider signing up for one or more of the many possibilities:
Packing food for the less fortunate (Monthly). Distribution of food (Monthly). Hunger Center (Bi-monthly 4:00 -7:00 p.m.)
Pick-up at Trader Joe's & Giant Eagle (10:00 a.m.) Blanket Sunday (1 per year)


text: I found my beautiful Bella at the Ga SPCA. She had been left there by a man whose shitzhu was beating up on her as a baby. She was three months old when I brought her home. She has been a huge addition to my family and my heart. She is the sweetest most lovable baby girl in the world!!Add to Favorites


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Green Houseguests: DIY Towel Origami Basket
We are full flung into the heart of summer. As it fleets by with in a flurry of warm weather activity, it often brings guests to our homes. Houseguests sometimes get a bad rap, but I am of the belief that if you invite someone to enjoy the amenities of your gracious EcoNest, they might as well get the royal treatment (and hopefully leave a happy camper).
Houseguest etiquette is based on common sense and common courtesy. Eco-friendly lifestyle choices should be easy enough to share within the close quarters of living together for a short period time. Let's face it; green comes in many shades, and a certain level of tolerance and sensitivity is required on the side of the host and the guest to balance out the visit.
If you're hosting visitors this summer, why not indulge your guests in some basic green pampering amenities? Here is a link for creating a DIY Spa Towel Origami Gift Basket. You'll need a bath towel, a face towel and some safety pins. Follow the 8 easy steps to make a decorative basket. Fill the basket with some eco-friendly items from the list below and your houseguests are sure to feel appreciated.
10 eco-friendly spa (and DIY) inspired gift items to include in your basket:
1. Soy Candles
2. Handmade Organic Soaps
3. Shampoo and Conditioner
4. Body or Hand Lotion
5. Spa Slippers (DIY!!)
6. Pumice Stone
7. Aromatherapy
8. Music
9. Organic Herbal Tea
10. Organic Wine
Now, if towel origami becomes your latest DIY love craft, you've got to check out a company I read about over at Green Your Decor. Le Viette's promo states: "All of our eco-friendly towels are made with 100 percent organically grown cotton bamboo pulps, garnished with glitters of charm, elements of surprise, and sprinkles of love." Le Viette comes from the French word for towel, serviette. Check out their collections of "dessert" gifts and decorative items for the home that are truly unique.
Ronnie Citron-Fink lives in New York with her husband, two children (when they come home to the nest), two dogs and a cat. Ronnie is a teacher and a writer. She has been a contributing writer for Family Fun magazine. She currently writes articles about education and home design. Her writings are in four books including Family Fun Home and Some Delights of the Hudson Valley.


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But the interesting runner is late developing Awesome Vision (3-1) who just now is coming into his own. He's coming up to this two-turner the right way, Tom Albertrani is quietly having an excellent season and this colt won his only start at today's trip. The race he comes out of already has produced a next out winner from two starters.
Taking Awesome Vision to win at 5-2 or greater and key-boxing him first and second in the multiples with his rivals here.
Number of Selections since May, 2007: 1354
Number of Win-Place-Show Finishers: 417-255-207
Amount Wagered: $2,708 [to win only]
Total Dollar Return on Investment: $2,851.90
Profit to Date: $143.90


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14K Large Diamond Slice Ring
The bigger sister to our small diamond slice ring, this breathtaking ring features raw, laser-sliced diamonds. Each diamond slice resemble snowflakes in both their unique features owning to its natural black, white and gray rutilations and its mottled colorings.
These rings features a one-of-a-kind raw diamond polished to a glowing shine set in a wire bezel to keep the focus on the diamond. Shapes and color differ and range from round to ovals and blacks and grays. Available in size 5-9.
SKU: product-RINGS-404
- 14K yellow or white gold
- Diameter of diamond measures approximately 7mm
- High polished finish


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Meet the Filmmakers
Director/Producer–Roberta Grossman
An award-winning filmmaker with a passion for history and social justice, Roberta Grossman has written and produced more than forty hours of documentary film and television. Grossman's last film, Blessed Is the Match: The Life and Death of Hannah Senesh, was shortlisted for an Academy Award, won the audience award at 13 film festivals, was broadcast on PBS and nominated for a Primetime Emmy. Grossman was the series producer and co-writer of 500 Nations, the eight-hour CBS mini-series on Native Americans hosted by Kevin Costner. Her feature documentary, Homeland: Four Portraits of Native Action, premiered in February 2005, and screened and won awards at festivals worldwide. Homeland aired on public television stations in November 2005. Other writing and directing credits include In the Footsteps of Jesus, a four-hour special for the History Channel; Hollywood & Power: Women on Top, a special for AMC; The Rich in America: 150 Years of Town and Country Magazine for A&E; The History of Christianity: the First Thousand Years, a four-hour special on A&E; and Heroines of the Hebrew Bible and Judas for the A&E series Mysteries of the Bible.
Writer/Producer–Sophie Sartain
An award-winning writer for print, film, television and digital media, Sophie Sartain's experience includes stints as Executive Director of Editorial Services for MGM Home Entertainment, Managing Editor of Sony Online Entertainment, and Director of Development for Katahdin Productions, where she also served as writer and co-producer of Blessed Is the Match: The Life of Hannah Senesh (PBS, 2010). Sartain created and co-executive-produced the VH1 special, Fortune Files, and has contributed as a writer on several film and media projects, including In the Matter of Cha Jung Hee (PBS) and The Rich in America (A&E). As a grant writer, Sartain has raised more than $1 million for documentary projects. As a freelance writer, her clients have included 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, Universal Studios, New Line Home Entertainment and ABC Radio Networks.
Producer–Marta Kauffman
Marta Kauffman co-created and executive produced the Emmy Award-winning series Friends. Previously, Kauffman co-created and served as co-executive producer on the critically acclaimed comedy series Dream On. While on Dream On, she received an Emmy Award nomination and a CableAce Award. Kauffman also co-created the comedy series The Powers That Be for Norman Lear. She served as executive producer on the one-hour drama Related on the WB. She also co-created and served as executive producer on the comedy series Family Album and Veronica's Closet, starring Kirstie Alley. In addition, she served as an executive producer on the series Jesse, starring Christina Applegate. Most recently, she was executive producer of the documentary, Blessed Is the Match.
Executive Producer–Lisa Thomas
An innovative entrepreneur, philanthropist, film producer and Grammy Award-winning music producer, Lisa Thomas is best known as the cofounder and former CEO of Clif Bar, Inc. From the moment it was introduced to the marketplace in 1992, Clif Bar—an all-natural energy bar—was a success. Over the next several years, Clif Bar, Inc., appeared frequently on the annual Inc. 500 list of the fastest growing privately held companies, and in Working Woman Magazine's 500 fastest growing companies owned by women. Thomas produced Blessed Is the Match: The Life and Death of Hannah Senesh and executive produced the feature documentary Homeland: Four Portraits of Native Action (2005). She also produced Sacred Ground, a companion album to Homeland that won the 2005 Grammy Award for Best Native American Album.
Editor/Post Production Supervisor–Chris Callister
Chris Callister has directed and edited documentaries, short films, and music videos, and his work has been seen around the world by over a million people. He has edited for The History Channel, Universal Sports Network and the Sundance Institute. His credits include the feature documentary Blessed Is the Match (assistant editor and post-production supervisor); music and concert videos for The Killers (writer, director and editor); the feature film Cyrus (apprentice editor); and the short film The Liar (writer, director and editor), which screened at numerous festivals including the Santa Barbara International Film Festival. Callister received his master's degree in film production from USC.
Katahdin Productions
Founded by Lisa Thomas, cofounder and former CEO of Clif Bar, Inc., Katahdin Productions is a nonprofit documentary production company based in Berkeley, California, with production offices in Los Angeles. Dedicated to creating high-quality documentary films, educational materials and media projects for museums, philanthropies and other organizations, Katahdin productions tackles issues of social, political and historical interest. Since its inception, Katahdin has produced Homeland: Four Portraits of Native Action which was distributed nationally to PBS stations in 2006, and Blessed Is the Match: The Life and Death of Hannah Senesh, which was broadcast on PBS in April 2010 on the award-winning series, Independent Lens. View Katahdin's Sample Reel.


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.db file extension
- .db
- 1. Generic database file.
- 2. Borland Paradox database file.
- 3. Thumbnail cache file, used by Windows XP and later to hold a cached
thumbnail view of the image files in the same folder as the file.
- Thumbs.db
- Windows XP generates a file called "Thumbs.db" to
hold cached thumbnail view information. This file is only visible if you
have selected the folder view option "Show hidden files and folders" and
deselected the option "Hide protected operating system files".
The "Thumbs.db" file can be deleted to save space, and Windows will recreated it if a thumbnail view is required of the folder.
To prevent Windows from generation a Thumbs.db file on Windows XP: Go to Control Panel > Folder Options > View and check "Do not cache thumbnails"
Can you add to this? Do you know of any applications not already listed which will work with .db files, view .db files or open .db files? Are you able to contribute any additional reference information or file format information about .db files or have you spotted any errors or omissions? If so please let us know by emailing us at firstname.lastname@example.com - Thank you.


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Call (888) 651-9785
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October 2011
The London Eye overlooking Big Ben, Parliament and Westminster Abbey
August 2011
Cameron and Dustee (cousins) with their grandfather Rick and family relative Jay near the Tower Bridge.
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June 2010
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December 2009
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April 2008
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3 Dead in Rido Cagayan de Oro
Three men were killed in a shootout at a busy street in Cagayan de Oro City on Sunday afternoon.
Mawi Solaiman was shot dead by three unidentified motorcycle-riding gunmen while on duty as an employee of an "ukay-ukay" shop in Daumar-Yacapin Street.
According to the police, one of the suspects has evaded arrest but two other suspects were shot dead.
The police could still not confirm who fired back at the suspects.
According to SPO1 Neil Delas Alas, investigator of Police Station 2, they are eyeing "rido" or family feud as the motive behind the incident, involving the family of a certain "Jabar" who owns the "ukay-ukay" shop where the victim works.
Abdul Racman Jabar, the cousin of the owner, did not reveal the details of the family feud but confirmed that the victim is also their relative.
Police are now checking CCTV footage in the area to give light on the case and to determine who fired back at the two suspects, as well as to identify the other suspect who managed to escape.


text:
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I am so inspired by today's featured artist, Marijke Bongers because of the wonderful collaboration between mother and daughter. Marijke, a former wedding dress designer, is from the Netherlands and sent me a link to her intricate work as current multi-media artist and museum educator.
It's easy to see creativity runs in the genes as her talented 11 year-old daughter Caitlin has teamed up with her mom to write a blog about her love for making cupcakes and "plushie dolls." They will also have a soon-to-be Etsy shop that will feature some of Caitlin's "plushie doll" work (hmmm…I think I see the makings of a future designer here!).
Thanks for sharing with us Marikje!


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We continue with Part 2 of the Paris Guide for First Time Travellers. You can catch up on Part 1, What to See in Paris.
There are many things to do in Paris that tempt first time visitors. Whether you're staying for a few days, a week or even longer, there are many activities to suit various interests and budgets. Tempted as you may to cross items off your to-do list, it pays to select a few that appeal to you and allow enough time to enjoy them.
Watch the Tour Eiffel Light Show – The Eiffel Tower light show runs in the evenings, hourly on the hour. The best spot to see the Tour Eiffel sparkle against the dark sky is at the Trocadéro. Go a little early to secure a good position. The area attracts a lot visitors and consequently you'll see mobile souvenir sellers trying to sell you items. Like any busy site, keep an eye on your belongings while you're taking photographs and enjoying the free show. Métro: Trocadéro
Ride the Bateaux Mouches– Take a ride on the Bateaux Mouches from Pont d'Iena for a spectacular tour of Paris along the Seine. The best time to go is not during the day. Go around sunset when there is a little light in the sky and spot lights project onto the illuminated buildings. Try to secure a good spot on deck where you can easily move around without other people getting in your way.
If you're planning to take this tour during the cooler months, dress warm and take a scarf, hat and gloves as it can get cold and windy. There is an added bonus to seeing Paris at night. Your cruise is likely to coincide with the Tour Eiffel Light show (on the hour) or you may see people Tango dancing along the Seine. Métro: Alma-Marceau
Paris by Night from the Bateaux Mouches cruise – (L) Notre-Dame de Paris (R) L'amour…
Catch the Métro – The fast and efficient métro is a great way to discover the art and designs of the various stations while getting from A to B. You can buy a single ticket, a carnet of 10 or a Passe Navigo Découverte (2010 rates) if you're staying for a week or more. Some of the métro stations are works of art themselves, and it is worth keeping an eye on the interior design and art nouveau exterior during your travels. Métro station highlights include:
- Abbesses – an art nouveau entrance and a series of painted walls along a circular staircase. Tip: See it on your way to Montmartre.
- Cité – art nouveau entrance. Tip: See it on your way to Notre-Dame de Paris.
- Bastille – has part of the original prison wall at Bastille
Métro station art – (L) Art nouveau sign, (R) Pont-Neuf, La Monnaie interior
Stroll along Seine – No matter where you are, a leisurely stroll along the Seine is a way to embrace the romance of Paris. Best vantage points are opposite Notre-Dame de Paris, along Pont Alexandre III and near the Tuileries. Beneath the quai, you're likely to see a less romantic view with rows of tents occupied by the homeless.
Catch a Show – For some travellers, a visit to Paris wouldn't be complete without seeing a show at any of the famous cabarets. Most shows are similar with elaborate productions, music and costumes. Don't expect the show at Le Moulin Rouge to resemble the movie of the same name or for the other venues to offer a genuine Parisian experience. We have been to Le Lido along the Champs-Elysées and word at the time was that if you're after a little more risqué in a performance, go to the Crazy Horse.
Shop – From department stores, to designer labels and independent boutiques, there's always something to tempt the first time visitor.
- Our pick for department stores or Grands Magazins is Galeries Lafayette. Three buildings make up the department store giant:
- The main store is at Lafayette Coupole, with women's fashions and cosmetics under a stunning glass dome. The lingerie floor is well worth a look.
- Lafayette Maison sells items for the home.
- Lafayette Homme is the menswear store and houses Lafayette Gourmet and a wine cellar on the first floor. This food hall is a haven for foodies where you can buy gourmet items. Take a look at Sadaharu Aoki's patisserie for unusual cakes and chocolates.
- Virgin Megastore at the Carrousel du Louvre is like an Aladdin's cave for French (and imported) music, books and DVDs.
- Fnac (various locations) is an electronics store which also sells books, music and DVDs, useful if you need a gadget for your camera, laptop.
- Pylones (various locations) has unusual gifts for the home, office or just for fun.
- Carrefour is a chain of supermarkets (various locations) with an extensive range of products. They also sell wine and other alcoholic drinks.
- Nicolas (various locations) is a caviste which stocks a good range of wines.
- For luxury shopping, Faubourg Saint-Honoré, Avenue Montaigne, Avenue des Champs-Elysées and boulevard Haussman are home to several designer boutiques.
- If you live outside of the EU, you can claim a détaxe on purchases made on the same day, in the same store above a qualifying minimum amount.
- If you're visiting Paris around Christmas, don't miss the stunning Christmas window display of Galeries Lafayette and the glittering lights covering the facades . Printemps, another department store, is also worth a look for its decorations.
(L) Christian Dior at Place Vendome – (R) Glass coupole at Galeries Lafayette
Take a Day Trip – If you feel inclined to venture outside of Paris, a popular day trip in the Ile-de-France region is to the Chateau de Versailles. To get to Versailles by train, take the RER from St-Michel Line C to Versailles Rive Gauche and alight at Versailles Rive Gauche station. The Chateau is located within a 5-10 minutes walk. Allow a full day for the visit to explore the interior of the Chateau including the restored Hall of Mirrors (Galerie des Glaces) as well as the grounds and the fountains. If you're visiting in winter, it can get very cold in the gardens but the scenery will leave you enchanted.
Previously in the Paris Guide for First Time Travellers: What to See in Paris
Next in the Paris Guide for First Time Travellers: What to Eat and Drink in Paris, Paris Travel Tips and Advice
This article is posted on Gourmantic.com - All rights reserved - Copyright © 2018.


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The first tranch of the 2,500 post offices due to be closed under Royal Mail plans has been announced sparking claims the move would cause "great harm" to communities.
Nearly 200 sub-post masters and mistresses reacted with anger and sadness after they discovered their post offices would be forced to close by the end of next year.
It was the first of a planned 36 announcements over the next nine months that will see a total of 2,500 post offices earmarked for closure.
A total of 58 branches have been named in Kent, 45 in East Yorkshire and 77 in the East Midlands.
Six-week public consultations will be held in all affected areas before the final decisions are made, but it is expected that the vast majority of the 180 named will be closed.
The government says cuts are needed as the current 14,000-strong network has been losing £4 million a week.
Though many sub-postmasters were afraid to talk – worried that the Royal Mail would deny them any compensation – some expressed anger, saying customers would lose out from the closures.
Chris Saville, 60, the sub-post master at Great Mongeham in Kent, admitted that his post office lost money.
"But the nearest post office is over a mile away in Mill Hill. And there is not a direct bus connection. The pensioners in the village will suffer."
Roger Gough, Kent County Council's member for regeneration, said: "This is a damaging and rushed process, which will cause great harm to Kent's urban and rural communities.
"It is most important that we clearly demonstrate the knock-on effects that losing these branches will have and we're asking Kent residents to come forward and help us build that picture."
Peter Daniel, who has run the Eastwood post office on the outskirts of Nottingham for the last 15 years, said: "We are very sad. We are not just a post office, we are part of the local community. There is a little, old lady who lives round the corner and my wife and I go and read her gas metre for her, because she can't see too well. Who will do that now?"
Compensation of between £40,000 and £70,000 is being given to all sub-postmasters that see their offices close.
But George Thomas, the general secretary of the National Federation of Sub-Postmasters, said: "This doesn't go into the pockets of sub-postmasters. They need to use that money to pay redundancies to any staff and to buy back their leases."
Postwatch, the consumer group, said it agreed with Royal Mail that the network was unsustainable and that cuts were needed.
However, it said it had concerns over some of the branches earmarked for closure in Kent, saying locals will have to travel too far and the closure could hit communities too hard.
It urged customers to use the six-week consultation period to lobby the Post Office if they had concerns.
However, some campaigners warned that six weeks was not long enough for a thorough consultation.
Gordon Lishman, Director General of Age Concern, said: "The fact that the Government and the Post Office are ploughing through the local consultations in six weeks rather than twelve, suggests that decisions may have already been made."


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by Alyssa Morrow
The design exhibition Process: Design and Response recently opened its doors to the Madison community. Various UW-Madison Design Studies faculty and staff displayed their work. The exhibit features the work of interior, apparel and architectural designers, all of which emphasized the process of creating.
While entering the exhibition, the design "Release" by Carolyn Kellenborn immediately took my breath away. Kellenborn, a talented designer with globally displayed art, uses design to express the development of feelings in a physical manner. According to Kellenborn, her design "Release" displays the feeling of being "bound up and in tension." The design demonstrates the lifting of these tensions and being released from them. Another of Kellenborn's pieces, "Weighting," was inspired by the everyday responsibilities that weigh an individual down. Many of Kellenborn's designs use every day emotional motifs that make her art relatable for all viewers.
Another featured designer at the exhibition was Wei Dong, who specializes in design visualization and Asian design. At the exhibition, Dong featured his piece, "Diluting." This construction, built from wooden pieces, is a concept representing the progress of architecture through time. The beginning of the sculpture represents the ancient era of Asian design, moving on to classical, and then to the future of architecture. As Dong stated, the sculpture represents "moving forward into the unknown."
Director of the exhibition, Liese Pfeifer, featured some of her work as well. Pfeifer, a notable sculptor, focuses on mimicking her art after the natural world. One of her sculptures featured at the exhibition was "Rain." This piece boldly spanned a whole wall, and was constructed from industrial felt, stainless steel and glass. As the materials of this piece demonstrate, Pfeifer aspires to produce art that is consistent with her environmental morals.
This exhibition is free and will be open until October 21, 2012, in the Ruth Davis Design Gallery of Nancy Nicholas Hall on the UW-Madison Campus. Gallery hours are 10-4 Tuesdays, 10-6 Wednesdays and Thursdays, noon to 5 on Sundays, or by appointment. For additional information contact (608) 262-8815.


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Neil Gordon's business prowess was well known.
He helped turn a single chemist in Donaghadee into a network spanning both sides of the Irish Sea.
Today the firm which bears his name, and which he co-founded with his brother Robert, employs around 800.
What he was perhaps less well known for were his charitable endeavours.
For one, the Christian elder was a board member of the charity service known as the SOS Bus.
Commonly seen in Shaftesbury Square, this gigantic yellow vehicle helps often drunk and drug-addled revellers late at night in the Province's capital, offering everything from soup to medical support.
The north Down-based entrepreneur was also a trustee of the Lighthouse Trust.
Founded in 1997, it assists children with cerebral palsy, offering them an eight-week summer school.
He was a co-founder of the Donaghadee Community Workforce, designed to help the long-term unemployed back into work via socially-useful projects, and was also one of the executive members of Belfast City Centre Management since 2004, rising to the rank of vice-president and remaining active in it right up until his death.
He also earned various posts and accolades within the industry.
Lastly, in his spiritual life, he was also an elder in Donaghadee's Shore Street Presbyterian.
His contributions to civic life were cut short when he died on June 20, aged 61, following a fight against colorectal cancer.
He had been born in Newry on October 17, 1952.
The son of a farmer, and one of five children, he was educated at Newry Model Primary, Newry Grammar, then the University of Bradford, where he studied pharmacy.
He had worked at his uncle's pharmacy in his early teens, and it was when he was in his late 20s that the first branch of the company was opened.
This eventually went on to become a network of 62 shops, covering both Northern Ireland and Scotland.
It was at the time of this initial opening that he met Carol, his future wife.
His funeral heard that expanding the business seemed like a fun adventure to him; scarcely like work.
However, around the turn of the millennium, Mr Gordon began a long battle with cancer.
In its latter stages, he had to go to Germany for treatment.
His faith and the support of fellow churchgoers aided him, and he was said to have borne his burden with – as one brother put it – "unbelievable courage, strength and determination".
Neil's legacy, he added, would be the example he set in always thinking of others.
He is survived by his siblings, mother Jean, widow Carol, their children Ryan, Gareth and Fiona, as well as his grandchildren, Jack and Emily.
Around 700 people came to his funeral at St James' Anglican Church, Holywood, on June 23. He is buried at Newry Road Cemetery, Banbridge.


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Transmission lines, including directional couplers, of arbitrary cross section and an arbitrary number of dielectrics can be analysed with atlc. The impedance Zo of a two-conductor transmission line, as well as the odd-mode, even-mode, differential mode and common mode impedances of a directional coupler can all be computed with atlc. Tools to both analyse and synthesise directional couplers are available.
atlc likely to be of use to radio amateurs, professional RF engineers, students and academics.
Great effort has been put into making atlc portable. Whilst written under UNIX, atlc's portability means pre-compiled command-line Windows binaries have been produced by Mark Chun KH6HPQ and others from the source code without any changes at all. A port to OpenVMS in a possibility, although the main development is aimed very much at UNIX.
In addition to the the commmon Linux PC, atlc has been tested on a Sony Playstation 2 as well as the Cray YMP-EL supercomputer, which is available for free public access at Cray-Cyber network.
It has also been tested on Debian Linux, Slackware Linux, Gentoo Linux, Redhat Linux, Suse Linux, IBM's AIX, Apples's OS X for Mac,
HP's HP-UX (both PA-RISC and Itanium), SGI's IRIX, Sun's Solaris, SCO's UNIXWare, HP's Tru64, Cray's UNICOS, NetBSD, OpenBSD and FreeBSD. If you run atlc on any other operating system, please let me know.
Previous version of atlc could use multiple-processors if present, to reduce execution time. This has been temporarily disabled, as the algorithm had some intermittent problems on IBM's AIX operating
system. Careful checking showed the problem that only seemed to affect AIX, was a real bug with the potential to occur on other operating systems, although it only ever showed up under AIX. Hence the current release has disabled the support for multiple processors - atlc will run fine on multi-processor machines, but it will only use one of them. A revised method of computation has been determined, which will re-enable the use of multiple processors. It is hoped to release this by early November 2004 at the latest - probably some time in October 2004.
atlc is written and supported by Dr. David Kirkby (G8WRB), who works at the department of Medical Physics, University
College London. He has to suffer the Southminster Branch Line to get to work.
Return to the atlc homepage


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According to the comment forms we've received, over the past ten years we've met or exceeded the expectations of 98.07% of our passengers.
You can choose to view comments from people that have travelled to the following countries on our coach tours and river cruises. Just click on the appropriate country to view their comments.