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In his final show, Conan O'Brien joked about new possible uses for his "Tonight Show" studio – including "Hair and chest oil storage for the cast of 'Jersey Shore.'" Stephen Colbert is doing him one better: auctioning off part of his set for good causes – and for laughs.
The faux hard-hearted host -- and recent Grammy winner -- sold his interview table last week, raising more than $14,000 for the Red Cross' Haiti earthquake relief effort. The latest item, his C-shaped desk ("C" for "Colbert"), notched a final bid of $14,800 late Monday night. The money will go to the Medical University of South Carolina's Dr. James W. Colbert Endowed Chair, named for the host's late father.
This comes on top of Colbert's support of the Olympic speed skating team, where he rallied fans to give more than $300,000 after the main sponsor dropped out, and his embrace of veterans' causes following a week of "Colbert Report" taping in Iraq last June.
You almost wouldn't notice the good deeds for all the comic juice Colbert has squeezed out of the auction and Olympic campaign, portraying the efforts as an ego trip for a character obsessed with getting things named after him (the auction bit is called "Own a Piece of Histor-me").
Colbert has gotten laughs signing Olympic skater Katherine Reutter's thigh, and racing skater Shani Davis, who apparently didn't get the comic's blowhard act at first, and called him a "jerk" for insulting Canadians.
Comedy and giving back share a history. Bob Hope entertained U.S. troops through several wars, often making himself the butt of the joke. The Comic Relief shows in the U.S. raised money for the homeless. Jerry Lewis, of course, set the beneficence standard with his annual MDA Telethon.
Music stars, though, are generally the prime draw for emergency fundraisers, such as last month's successful Hope for Haiti Now show.
For Colbert, charity isn't necessarily a special event – between his website and show, he's made modest fundraising a regular part of his act.
This week, a portrait of Colbert goes up for bid, for the benefit of the Yellow Ribbon Fund, which assists injured service members and their family. The painting features an imperious-looking Colbert clutching his Emmy, in an endless picture-within-a-picture depiction that hangs on his set.
The painting and its planned sale are good as evidence as any that there's more than one side to Stephen Colbert.
Hester is founding director of the award-winning, multi-media NYCity News Service at the City University of New York Graduate School of Journalism. He is the former City Editor of the New York Daily News, where he started as a reporter in 1992. Follow him on Twitter.


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Game of Thrones Episode Companion – Season 5 Episode 10
It's ok guys, it's ok; there are THEORIES!
So the winner of the War of the Five Kings is….Balon Greyjoy!!! Ah, so another season of Game of Thrones comes to a climactic end. Whilst this season has arguably been the worst (of the best) so far, you cannot deny that the finale had some wonderful moments. Well, depending on your definition of wonderful. As it stands now, essentially every story has caught up or even overtaken the books – save for an entire side plot featuring the Greyjoy family which fans are hoping will make an appearance in season 6. This episode popped in to say hi with pretty much every 'main' character, so let's start in the east and do a little banana shaped trip across Westeros and Essos.
The climactic scene of episode 9 was, of course, Daenerys flying off on Drogon. Now, Drogon is still a young'un and not fully grown, so it is understandable why he was hurt so badly from a few blades. We aren't exactly sure where Daenerys has landed, but due to the arrival of the Dothraki, you can assume it's somewhere within the Dothraki Sea, which is north of Meereen. It wasn't revealed who the Khal of this particular khalasar is, but we know that what remains of Dany's ties with the Dothraki is limited; will she be greeted with welcome arms, or a sword to the face? In the books, Drogon makes himself a home in a cave, which Daenerys calls Dragonstone after her old home. She also gets very ill and has the poos before she seen by a lone Dothraki scout, who then sends for the rest of the khalasar.
Further east, in Braavos, we saw the concluding chapter for Arya this season. After a bit more overkill with Meryn Trant's evilness (yes, we get it, he's a dick) Arya is able to finally act out her revenge, wearing the face of the girl that she helped mercy kill a few episodes ago, which was a pleasant scene to watch! What was interesting here was that we saw, in some form, how the faces actually work. They appear to literally be masks that the Faceless Men can chop and change as they please. Additionally, the show also implied truth behind a theory that many fans already speculated – that Jaqen H'ghar is just a face, not a person. Seemingly as punishment for going against the Many Faced God, Arya is now blind, and even that does happen in the books, but under slightly different circumstances.
Over the Westeros now. The slightly seemingly irrelevant Dorne scene concluded with the unexpected death (we assume, anyway) of Myrcella. It was kind of obvious as soon as Ellaria kissed her on the lips what would happen, but my mind was briefly taken away from thinking about it too much as soon as Tyene Sand said "bad pussy" and I cringed. I mean, really? As if the Sand Snakes couldn't get any worse…. As mentioned prior, this whole side story differs quite dramatically from the books. To avoid mild book spoilers (for scenes that I am 95% sure will not appear in the show), skip ahead to the next paragraphs. Ok? Ok. Well, for starters, Jaime is off in the Riverlands, and nowhere near Dorne. Mycrella is still there, and is guarded by a member of the Kingsguard named Arys Oakheart. Doran Martell's daughter, Arianne (who sadly does not appear in the show) seduces Arys and convinces him to make Myrcella queen, seeing as in Dorne, age matters in succession, not gender. The reason for this is to largely defy the Lannisters. Without going into too much detail, someone snitches, and Arianne's little rebellion fails, with Myrcella losing an ear in the process and Areo Hotah (the big guy with the glaive that protects Doran) killing poor Arys. What do the Sand Snakes have to do with this? Well, not much…they kind of just bang on about revenge until Doran imprisons some of them, whilst Ellaria…also doesn't do much, and is a lot nicer! So, anyway, the question that arises now is 1) how will Jaime react? And 2) how will Doran react? I've said before about how much I like House Martell in the books, and unfortunately they haven't really shone in the series, but there is still in in season 6!
Right, King's Landing. It was a shame that we didn't get to hear of Margaery's fate; so at this stage we have no idea what the High Sparrow has in store for her. In the books, Loras is off fighting on Dragonstone, and so the whole trial surrounding his sexuality doesn't happen. Instead, Margaery's own virginity is taken into question (bear in mind that book Tommen is about 8 or so, so they didn't seal the deal). Nevertheless, I'm sure light will be shed on her early next season. No, instead, the focus was on Cersei and her brilliantly done walk of punishment. It was horrible to watch, in a good way…and it was just about long enough that you felt uncomfortable and, despite what you may think of the Queen-mother, sorry for her. The question that now of course is how will Cersei respond to this? Will she get revenge, or is she truly broken? As an interesting side note: lads, this was just a body double with Lena Headey's head CGI'd on. Some people are complaining that it looked a bit rubbish, but honestly I don't think you would know. We very briefly saw the return of Kevan Lannister, standing with Pycelle, in the Red Keep. Kevan has been acting ruler since Cersei's imprisonment, whilst Tommen pouts in his room. We were also introduced to a new member of the Kingsguard….who looks somewhat familiar…but I can't quite put my finger on it….
Everything that surrounded Winterfell was show-only stuff. In the books, we last we see of Stannis is that he is marching…forever marching. He does not engage the Bolton force. Sansa is still in the Vale with Littlefinger – in the series, she has taken the role of a character called Jeyne Poole, who marries Ramsay as a fake Arya. Nevertheless, Theon still steps up and leaps from the walls of Winterfell with her to freedom…only to run into Stannis' army. Right…let's talk about Stannis. Despite being a Stannis fan, I don't feel as upset about his death as I thought I would. It was almost inevitable. He became such a tragic figure, and as I mentioned last week, truly desperate. But, like the man he is, he went down a trooper, in the most stoic, Stannis way possible. So, yes, whilst I am a bit gutted that the One True King is dead (in the series, anyway….), it's almost a relief. Now, all the legit Baratheons are dead… On the plus side, Brienne finally got her revenge…at the expense of forgetting all about Sansa. Shame we didn't actually get to see the fight, but I guess a lot of the budget was spent on Drogon and Lena's head. Now, Melisandre…what is your game? You got the impression that her confidence in Stannis was waning as this season went on, especially after her interactions with Jon. Which brings us on to…
The Wall. Firstly, Sam. Now this conversation is carried out a little differently in the books, and it's actually Jon who insists that Sam go to Oldtown to become a maester, pretty much as soon as he is elected Lord Commander. Sam also takes Gilly, the baby, and Aemon with him, the latter of whom still passes away, but during the journey. Melisandre never actually goes with Stannis, and stays at the Wall. As do Shireen and Selyse, who are still very much alive. The climactic events happen in a slightly different albeit somewhat similar way too. In the books, the Night's Watch are annoyed at Jon not just due to his empathy with the Wildlings, but because he wants to attach Winterfell to remove the Boltons from power (and existence). The attack on Jon happens through the teary eyes of the Watch brothers, and is not led by Alliser Thorne. Jon is also not tricked about Benjen either – no, no one has heard from Benjen since A Game of Thrones. Also, Olly isn't there, because that little bastard is a show only character. Nevertheless, Jon is assassinated "for the Watch". This is where book readers are; "[h]e never felt the fourth knife. Only the cold." BUT DON'T WORRY!!! Since this happened in A Dance With Dragons back in 2011, fans have been scrambling together any theories they can on how Jon might have somehow survived this assassination. Now, show Jon looked pretty darn dead to me, but that doesn't necessarily mean that he will stay dead. One theory is Melisandre. She returns to the Wall, but for what purpose? We know she has a bit of an interest in Jon, and know that Red Priests have some sort of power that allows them to bring back the dead – think back to season 3 with Thoros and Beric. I believe that she will use her power to resurrect Jon. This may well change the Stark bastard, but changed Jon is better than no Jon, isn't it? Kit Harington has said in a very recent interview that Jon is dead…but my argument is that he wouldn't really turn about and go "nah he comes back", right? RIGHT?! It also seems kind of weird that they would kill off our only real link to the Wall. Sure, Melisandre and Davos are now there too, but they are more supporting characters. There are also dozens of other theories surrounding Jon, such as his parentage, or whether he is some kind of 'chosen one', and whether the title A Song of Ice and Fire alludes to him partially. Also, he had his stare down with big baddie White Walker, the Night's King in episode 8…surely that was not for nothing….right?! Well, until either The Winds of Winter or season 6 are released (the latter, I'm sure), I guess we can keep on speculating.
Well, now you have just under a year to kill. My advice? The same as last year: read the books. They are phenomenal, and further expand on this world that we know and love. As for me, I need to find some games to review…
Game of Thrones Episode Companion – Season 5 Episode 7
RIP Old Flaydy.
Season 5 of Game of Thrones has indeed been a rollercoaster of mixed emotion to some. Whilst certain areas have most definitely dipped due to bad writing, directing or acting, I think that it is important to note that the good outweighs the bad. After season 4's GO-GO-GO action packed attitude, it's easy to look at 5 as being nothing but filler. It's slower, definitely, but not slow. Personally, I thought that this episode was one of the better – they seem to be going in a bit of a pattern: good, ok, good, ok, good etc. The title The Gift is a bit of an odd one; it's apparent that towards the end of the episode numerous characters have mentioned "gifts" – Ramsay's 'gift' to Sansa, and obviously Jorah's gift of Tyrion to Daenerys. However, the Gift is also the name of a stretch out land south of the Wall given to the Night's Watch by an old Stark king. Funny that that wasn't mentioned at all.
Let's kick off by addressing the death of a fondly looked upon character, Maester Aemon. By now, we all know that Aemon was a Targaryen, so I thought I would provide a bit of information on his background, and "Egg." At the beginning of A Game of Thrones, Aemon is already one hundred years old – an outstanding age to reach even by today's standards…even more-so in cutthroat Westeros. Aemon was the third son of (who would later be king) Maekar Targaryen, who himself was a fourth born and only became king due to a string of unexpected family deaths. As a third born son, it was unlikely that Aemon would inherit the throne (that, and the Targaryen family tree is so complicated that there were tens of potential heirs). As such, he was sent to Oldtown, to the Citadel, to train to be a master at the age of nine or ten. When he completed his training, Aemon was sent back to sit on his father's small council. However, good natured Aemon thought that this would undermine the current Grand Maester, and so he retired to Dragonstone to serve his older brother, Daeron. After Daeron's death, many urged that Aemon take up the throne and become king. Aemon refused, and the recommended the crown go to his younger brother, Aegon (or "Egg" for short). Aemon then took himself to the Night's Watch, thus quelling any uprising or rebellion that might be sparked in his name against his brother. Aemon served in the Night's Watch for over fifty years, seeing many commanders rise and fall, including Brynden Rivers, a Targaryen bastard, who went on to become the Three-Eyed Raven (Crow in the books) that Bran seeks out. Aegon's adventures can be read about in George R. R. Martin's prequel novellas Dunk and Egg. So, all in all, Aemon Targaryen was a very nice man who gave up the throne and heard about the decline and decimation of his house from thousands of miles away. And now his watch has ended.
Further on south, we see the Sparrows orchestrating their own decline and decimation of not one, but two great houses. Whatever the outcome of these trials, you can bet your bum that the Tyrell's name has been tarnished, as emphasised by Olenna's lack of words during her exchange with the High Sparrow, who is revealing himself to be an extremely dangerous man. If found guilty, Loras and Margaery will be given the Mother's Mercy, whatever that is. Additionally, if found guilty, I imagine that that's the end of Margaery's queenship right there! Similarly, the Lannisters now find themselves in a similar pickle. You may remember that cousin Lancel has a lot of beef on Cersei – including their own incestuous relationship, as well as hers and Jaime's. This is where the religion of the Seven falls slightly short, though, as Targaryen families would often wed incestuously (causing some ill-fated offspring), and no one really bat an eyelid…not openly, anyway. If the accusations against Cersei prove true (I mean, we know they are), then you can bet your other sweet bum that Tommen's kingship will be null, resulting in the throne passing to Stannis. This is purely speculation, as the books haven't gotten that far yet, but I can't help fearing a little for Tommen's life. Myrcella's too, though she is protected in Dorne and I don't really care about her because this new actress is a bit pants. If Stannis is declared rightful king though, how will the Sparrows respond to his newfound Red God religion…? Either way, karma's a bitch, Cersei.
As a side note, the terrifying women that imprisoned Cersei are known as the Most Devout. These are different from the Silent Sisters, who you may or may not know about: Silent Sisters are women who take a vow of silence and swear to serve the Stranger – the god of death. We have seen them quite a few times throughout the show's history, tending to the dead. Usually they dress themselves in robes and bare a standard with the seven-pointed star on it. If you rewatch the series, have a look at the background detail and see if you can spot them. Make a game out of it. Most Devout, however, are the ruling council of the Faith. They used to serve the High Septon, but since his imprisonment they have become supporters of the High Sparrow. The only named Most Devout in the series so far is Septa Unella, the one that actually grabbed Cersei. Think of them as strict nuns.
Before I end, I think it's important to comment on Theon/Reek's position and why he told Ramsay about Sansa. Reek isa broken man – completely. We have seen this multiple times throughout season 4, such as when he was shaving Ramsay and Ramsay told him about the Red Wedding, or Yara's awful rescue mission which I pretend never happened (she should have taken a leaf out of Sansa's book and shouted "YOU ARE THEON GREYJOY!!!"). Theon is petrified of the Boltons. We know what Ramsay did to an extent – physically – but the emotional damage goes a lot deeper. He's trained Reek like a dog: rewarding good behaviour, but severely punishing any sort of bad behaviour. This is why, I think, he has not told Sansa that Bran and Rickon are still alive – he knows what will happen to him if Ramsay finds out he told. Bad things. Very bad things. But Sansa is strong. She has endured this much, and with Stannis coming in from the north and Brienne watching from the south, I am really hoping that she gets what can only be described as a Game of Thrones happy ending.
That's all for this week – nothing else really needs to be touched on. Jorah and Tyrion's escapades were pretty self-explanatory, with the slavery and fighting pits mirroring that of ancient civilisations such as the Romans (see Gladiator). Meanwhile Stannis continued to become more and more likeable by refusing to burn his daughter. What a nice guy. Though I'm still certain that his batshit wife is going to do it. And Sam…..Sam became a man! Oh my. And even the Dorne scenes weren't too bad this week! Of course, the real MVP is that brute that cut Tyrion free and Dany's perfectly ironed dress.
Game of Thrones Episode Companion – Season 5 Episode 6
Littlefinger….what is your endgame? You crazy man.
Unbowed, Unbent, Unbroken, or, Burning Cersei, is the sixth episode of season 5. Gosh we're already over half way through! Interestingly, this is the third episode to feature a house's words as its title, the first being the very first episode Winter is Coming, and the second being the end of the first season Fire and Blood. Fun fact. Anyway. Whilst some argue that season 5 has been a bit slow, I think the biggest disappointment is some of the plot changes. Now, this isn't a book-fan complaining because there are changes; this is a book-fan complaining because some of the changes are absolute crap. For example, Loras' trial. I have already expressed how they have ruined this bad-ass knight's character, but what the hell was the trial? Granted, the outcome is interesting, and leads itself into a book-based plotline. However, the way it was executed was absurd: let's listen to this one lower-class brothel worker against the whole of the royal family. Squires may be required to bathe their knights, which is a perfectly plausible reason for seeing this birthmark. The whole scene just felt rushed for the sake of moving the plot along. And what will happen to OlyvAR now that he has confessed? The Sparrows are ridiculously militant – which means that they should probably kill or torture him (the latter being part of their confession technique, in a fashion). And what was OlyvAR's motif for confessing? Perhaps Cersei (or maybe Littlefinger?) paid him off? Nevertheless, one man against the entire royal family with no real proof? Not even the Sparrows are that insane. Guess we will see how this plays out… We alsoOl once again got to see how wet Tommen is, bless him.
My next aggression is with the Sand Snakes, again. Bronn aptly sums it up: "oh, for fuck's sake". These daughters of Oberyn are just ridiculous. Book Sand Snakes, whilst equally annoying, do at least have some logic behind what they want to do – albeit flawed. These guys? No idea. Oberyn repeatedly said that in Dorne, they do not hurt little girls. What do the Sand Snakes want to do? Hurt Myrcella. I think. I don't even know. What I do know is that fight scene was all a bit too silly. Yes, yes, we understand that these are your trademark weapons, you two-dimensional shits, but really? A whip? REALLY? And Obara, the spear one…Jesus it's just a bit cringey really! And if that cut somehow festers and kills Bronn, I swear down…! They're misguided, I get that, but to the extent that I just want them all to die – Ellaria included. The Martells are my favourite family…in the books, but now it just seems to be show-Doran I like. Their resilience, patience and cunning has been replaced by misplaced vengeance and bad acting. As a side note, the setting of the Dornish scenes, the Water Gardens, is a small palace just down the road from Dorne's capital, Sunspear. Oh, also, how the hell did Jaime and Bronn sneak into the Martell's PRIVATE gardens in blood stained uniforms? JUST as, coincidentally, the Sand Snakes were doing their…thing. God I'm angry.
Moving on. Tyrion appeared to be the voice of reason, raising many good points as to how Daenerys would probably suck at ruling in Westeros. Jorah's luck seems to go from bad to worse; not only did he learn about the death of his father, but has also contracted greyscale and been captured. 'Tis not a good day to be a Mormont (though not as bad as Stark….). If you remember, the reason why Jorah fled Westeros to Essos was because he sold poachers into slavery – so it's a somewhat ironic twist of fate given the position he is now in. His father was Jeor Mormont, Lord Commander of the Night's Watch. Jorah's crimes brought dishonour to his family, much to his father's disappointment. In fact, the sword that Jon wields, Longclaw, was originally Jorah's before he left.
Some quite interesting parallels can be drawn between Cersei and Tywin in this scene. Firstly, we see that she has taken up residence in his old office (is she acting as Hand of the King now…?). Additionally, during her scene with Olenna, the Queen of Thorns (yay!), she uses the Jack Donaghy technique of making her opponent wait, mimicking Tywin's letter writing performance. However, this doesn't stop her from getting burned by both Olenna and Littlefinger!
Before we discuss the ending I thought that I would touch on the Faceless Men. Essentially, these guys are elite assassins. This makes me doubt the Waif's (the other girl in the House of Black and White) story, as Faceless Men cost an arm and a leg to employ. Only the richest can afford them. They can be hired to kill anyone, but at a lofty price. Furthermore, there is a theory that the Jaqen we see here is not the same as the one Arya met before; rather, Jaqen is just one of many faces! Oooh!
The climax of the episode (no pun intended) saw an emotional end to Ramsay and Sansa's dream wedding. Poor Sansa can't catch a break. Her character has gone a long way since she was last at Winterfell – to the point where she is beginning to become a player. We saw how brilliantly she handled Myranda earlier in the episode. Whilst the consummation of the marriage was awful, I think that she knew what was coming (no pun intended). Now, I'm in no way saying that what we saw wasn't rape; it was, and it was horrible. But I think that it is important to note that Sansa, to quote producer Bryan Cogman, "isn't a timid little girl walking into a wedding night with Joffrey. This is a hardened woman making a choice and she sees this as the way to get back her homeland." It was horrible, unfair and quite emotional to watch (give Alfie Allen an emmy!) but she isn't a silly little girl any more…she knew what to expect. The next question is, how will she react? I am just thankful that they changed this scene from the books, in which Ramsay makes Reek sexually…interact with his new wife (a cut character), which is extremely disturbing.
To conclude, it seems like episode most counterbalance one good scene with one bad. As I said before, I'm completely happy with a lot of the changes being made (you know, because my opinion matters), just not when they are replaced with flawed, badly written shite. Bring on episode 7, which looks a lot colder…
Game of Thrones Episode Companion – Season 5 Episode 5
"Promise you'll protect me" – Shireen Baratheon to Davos….my God, please don't be foreshadowing!
After the rollercoaster ride that was last week's episode, Kill the Boy, with its ominous title, was a brilliant reminder of how great this show can be sometimes. Apart from the fact that, on the intro map, the Water Gardens is listed as Dorne. I…um…not sure what happened there. Anyway, without any King's Landing drama, this week's episode saw us spending a lot of time up North and across the sea. So let's start at the Wall.
Jon's always been a fan favourite, but it's interesting to see him really take a deserved leadership role, whilst encountering hardships. Moreover, it's great to see that the King of Grammar, Stannis, is becoming more book-inspired; hopefully, fans of the show will now be able to see why he is such a favourite to book readers. It was even more refreshing, like an ice-cool glass of OJ, to hear Stannis' ulterior motives instead of just "it's mine by right" – in this episode, he actually mentions saving the realm from the White Walkers. Previously, it's just been Melisandre banging on about this, with Stannis uttering his aforementioned mantra. Finally, now, we see that the One True King really does care about protecting his people. However, if TV has taught me anything, it's that when we get an expositional monologue, or develop a sudden fondness to a character, it probably means they are going to die. This is purely speculation, as book Stannis now spends a few hundred pages trekking through snow, but I fear for the Mannis' life. Fingers crossed. Will the season end with a Bolton/Baratheon brawl? The title of the episode, Kill the Boy, is taken from a rather pithy quote from Maester Aemon: "kill the boy and let the man be born". He says this, as we know, to Jon. The meaning of this is pretty straight forward: to become a true leader, Jon must overcome any inhibitions he has about himself (think back to an Alliser Thorne quote – "if [a leader] starts second-guessing himself, that's the end"). He must metaphorically kill this boy, so that the man inside him may flourish like a flower. But more bad-ass. Of course, with all episode titles, this probably refers to something else. But what….
Before we move on, I thought I'd give a bit of information about the Citadel, which Sam mentions. In the southwest of Westeros lies the oldest known city: Oldtown. This beautiful port city houses a population of around 500,000, equal to that of King's Landing, but lacks to squalor of its somewhat sister city. Oldtown is governed by the Hightowers, who are powerful allies to the Tyrells. Notable Hightowers include Ser Gerold Hightower, who was the Lord Commander of the Kingsguard during Aerys Targaryen's rein. Oldtown is home to a structure known as the Citadel. Well, multiple structures to be technical. These buildings act as a college of sorts where maesters are trained. I'm sure we are all familiar with maesters now – essentially the doctors, scholars, scientists and academics of Westeros. You may have noticed, through watching characters such as Luwin, Pycelle or Qyburn, that they wear chains. Each link of the chain symbolises an accomplishment, for example, a bronze link represents knowledge of astronomy, where steel is smithing. As you might imagine, the Citadel also houses the largest library in Westeros.
Anyway, Bolton/Baratheon brawl, etc. etc., "kill the boy"…oh yeah. So I thought that this could also tenuously link to Ramsay's motifs after Roose announces that his wife Walda is preggo. Ramsay is obviously very worried about his position, but through a heart-warming speech about rape and murder, we learn that Roose does actually kind of care for him. It also allows us to see how evil Roose actually is. Cold, calculating; you would be mistaken for thinking he was a lot like Tywin. But Roose doesn't mind getting his hands dirty – and beyond. In fact, he rather enjoys it. And so Sansa's torture begins….
Across the sea then, sad to see that Barristan Selmy is indeed dead. Like I said before, this doesn't happen in the books, so his death was greeted with a mixed response from many. I am pleased, however, that they addressed how awful it was in the episode – Daenerys says something about him being cut down in an alleyway. But at least Grey Worm still lives! Having served the Mad King Aerys, Barristan served as a font of reason for Dany…but with him gone, one wonders what slightly mad decisions Daenerys might make. Like, you know, burning a possibly innocent man alive. Her quote "we'll let the dragons decide" could well be a throwback to Aerys, who would often 'let fire decide' the fate of those who upset him. Nice to see a bit of gore though, wasn't it? Feels like it's been a while. By marrying Hizdahr zo Loraq, Daenerys hopes to bring an end to the bloodshed caused by the Sons of the Harpy. But who is/are the Harpy? Will this appease them? Her story currently parallels what is going on in the books: book Hizdahr, in a similar manner to the show, continuously bugs Daenerys about reopening the fighting pits. Eventually, he outright buys them. Daenerys still proposes marriage, though in a more roundabout way, and he seems a little more eager than he does in the show to accept.
The episode concluded with a Tyrion/Jorah scene. If you look at a map of Essos, you'll notice that between Volantis (where Tyrion was captured) and Meereen (where Dany resides) is Valyria. You probably have an informed knowledge of Valyria, but the gist of it is this: Valyria was a metropolis of advancement. Years ahead of any other city in the world, Valyria was the grandest of its time. Dragons flew about the skies, and it was also the ancestral home of the Targaryens. One day, however, the Doom came. Nobody really knows why, but a chain of volcanos suddenly erupted, destroying the city and desolating the land for miles around. Now, it's a wasteland, with many people believing it is cursed and haunted. Jorah choses to navigate part of the waters for two reasons: it's quicker, and there are no pirates. There is, however, a more serious threat: the Stone Men. We have been introduced to the disease of Greyscale through Shireen Baratheon. She, however, was cured…albeit horrifically scarred. Some aren't so lucky. Many of these are taken to this region of Valyria, known as the Sorrows, and left. These Stone Men eventually succumb to the disease, robbing them of their wits and, eventually, life. The disease is contracted if they touch your flesh. Think a zombie bite. Oh Jorah… We see here that he is taking on the mantle of a book-only character called Jon Connington – whose story has been completely omitted – who contracts the disease whilst travelling with Tyrion before he is kidnapped. Phew. Anyway, next week's episode is titled Unbowed, Unbent, Unbroken, which, as well all know, are House Martell's words. Fingers crossed we get to see why they are the most awesomest of the Westeros houses!
Game of Thrones Episode Companion – Season 5 Episode 4
Some humanisation of Stannis!
This week's episode, The Sons of the Harpy, certainly had its ups and downs. So let's discuss the lower points before moving onto the arguably better aspects. Firstly, the Sand Snakes. What a load of monkey poo. The Sand Snakes are the bastard daughters of Oberyn Martell, with various women. In the books, there are eight in total, so you can see why Benioff and Weiss have cut that down a bit, which is fair enough. Naturally, they are pretty pissed off about Oberyn's death, as is Ellaria Sand. I mentioned before about how Ellaria is partially seeming to take the role of Arianne Martell, who is Doran's daughter and overall great character, sadly. So why was it a bad scene? Believe it or not, this is largely due to TV-stuff as opposed to "that didn't happen in the book-stuff". Book Sand Snakes are still bent on revenge, and filled with anger, so no real problem there. The problem was that their introductory scene was so bland that it was cringey. I think a mixture of bad acting and bad writing is to blame – the Sand Snakes themselves just seem extremely wooden, especially Obara and her bloody exposition. Yes, we understand; you're the 'tough one'. And Tyene is a mummy's girl. Brilliant. Established. Game of Thrones is chocka-full of monologues – some of which are brilliant (Jaime in the bathtub) and some…are not so. This was certainly one of the latter. Ellaria too. She was great in Season 4, but seems to just be so awkward this season. Such a shame – the Martell's are my personal favourite house, due to the likes of Oberyn, Doran and Arianne. Here's hoping that we see more Doran action in the next few episodes to redeem this. This is perhaps one of the worst scenes in the series far (though not quite as bad as Yara's rescue mission of Theon in S4 and Ramsay's plot armour).
Moving on, to somewhere in the middle. We got to see another side to Margarey. Away with the façade of purity and kindness, is this her true face? It was certainly interesting to see the type of king that Tommen is – a bit of a wet wipe. Knock Joffrey all you want, but he would have sorted those religious fanatics good. Their whole ideology, combined with their violent approach, makes the seemingly docile High Sparrow even more terrifying. They represent the Faith Militant – an army that serve the Gods. We discussed last week how big religion is in Westeros, so if it were to come down to crown vs religion, I think we would see a close fight on our hands. Of course, Cersei describing a sinner hid behind gold…could very easily describe her too, couldn't it?
Before we look at the closing scene in the episode, I think it's important to note how often Rhaegar Targaryen was mentioned this episode, leading many fans to believe the truth behind a certain theory surrounding this character. By now, you should know all about how Rhaegar kidnapped Lyanna Stark (Ned's sister), sparking Robert's Rebellion. It all began at a tourney in Harrenhal. As Littlefinger explained whilst Sansa was in the Winterfell crypts, Rhaegar won the tourney. However, instead of presenting the traditional flower to his wife, Elia Martell (you raped her, murdered her etc.), he gave it to Lyanna Stark (who was with Robert Baratheon). Cue gasps. Rhaegar then kidnapped and raped Lyanna….that is, if you ask a supporter of the Baratheons and North. If you ask a Targaryen supporter, they will tell that Lyanna willingly ran off with Rhaegar; indeed, Barristan himself, a good friend of Rhaegar's, states how he would go into the town disguised as a bard and sung to the poor folk. Here's where the theory kicks in. As this is all just a theory, there are no spoilers, but if you want to bypass this anyway JUST IN CASE then please skip down until after the next image.
I might well have mentioned this before, but there is a huge fan theory that Rhaegar Targaryen and Lyanna Stark are Jon Snow's real parents, making Jon a Targaryen. There a numerous reasons and nods to this, but I'll just go over the most basic. Firstly, as Stannis points out in this episode, Ned Stark was extremely honourable (to a fault), so it seems extremely unlikely that he would be unfaithful to his wife and sleep with another women. Secondly, after the Battle of the Trident, in which Robert kills Rhaegar, Ned travels to Dorne to a place called the Tower of Joy. After killing what remains of Aerys' Kingsguard (excluding Barristan and Jaime), Ned enters the tower to find his sister, Lyanna, dying in a bed of blood. She keeps saying "promise me, Ned. Promise me." In his point of view chapters, Ned never reveals what he was made to promise, but many fans believe that Lyanna gave birth to Jon and died. Ned promised not to tell anyone the baby was hers because Robert would have had Jon killed. Hence, Ned, sacrificing his honour, pretends Jon in his. There is a wonderful extract in the book detailing the events at the Tower of Joy, which can be watched/listened to here.
Righty right. That last scene. I've expressed before my feelings towards Emelia Clark's ok-ish acting (though she has gotten better), but on top of that, Daenerys has very little idea of how exactly to rule. Can you fault her? Kind of. She had queen-hood thrust on her quite literally in the form of Drogo's penis. After his death, she makes it her mission to liberate the slave cities in the aptly named Slaver's Bay. But, ultimately, she has no idea what she is doing. Her people are too many to feed, and she has a massive uprising in the city. She completely underestimates her enemy – an enemy at her front door. Which resulted in the climax of this week's episode. The Sons of the Harpy are a rebellion group that seems to be comprised of ex-slave Masters and even some ex-slaves, who do not want to live in Dany's new world. Whilst the final scene of this episode did provide us with some fancy sword fighting, I can't help but feel disappointed at the outcome. The Unsullied are supposed to be the greatest warriors…well, ever. With such strict discipline, they become master fighters. Even when outnumbered like they were in this episode, they still kick-bum. Arguably, fighting with a spear in such a confined place may be what led to their downfall, but I still think that they should have had a better chance than they did. But then again, they lack 'real' combat experience – all they know is training. Whilst the Sons of the Harpy are made up of civilians, some of these may well have been pit-fighters, explaining their skill in battle. Nevertheless, what went down will certainly leave a certain khaleesi most angry. Most angry indeed! This brings us on to Barristan Selmy. Barristan the Bold is one of the greatest knights in the Seven Kingdoms. He has so many bad-ass accolades to his name, such as the time he singlehandedly snuck into a fortress after Aerys was kidnapped and rescued him. His skill and mentality reflect that of a typical Arthurian knight. Finally, we got to see him fight. Obviously now he is an old man, and was wearing very little armour, but he still held his own. Whilst his (and Grey Worm's) fate is left unknown (unless you watch the preview for the next episode, in which it I spoiled in the first five seconds…), I think we can all agree that he fought brilliantly. They are both still very much alive in the books, however, so keep your little fingers crossed!
Game of Thrones Episode Companion – Season 5 Episode 2
This article is to be read after the episode has been seen, as and as a result may contain spoilers up to the episode that it's covering, but no further. So if you haven't seen the episode yet, go and watch it. Then come back and read this. Then watch the episode again. Then read this again.
Meereen looks a bit like Aku-Aku from Crash Bandicoot in the opening credits.
Let's kick off with Arya's story in Braavos. We saw Braavos very briefly in season 4, when Stannis and Davos visit the Iron Bank to ask for money. But now we get to see the city alive. So, Braavos is one of the Nine Free Cities – that is, cities in Essos (the eastern continent) that do not follow a king. Instead, Braavos is ruled by a Sealord. Cast your mind back to season 1, and the wonderful Syrio Forel ("not today"). Syrio was the First Sword to the Sealord of Braavos. Kind of a big deal. Braavos is a bit like Venice with Britain's weather. It's built on a load of canals, so boat travel is the most efficient way of getting around. We follow Arya as she finds the House of Black and White, the episode's namesake. This is home to the Faceless Men: the organisation of assassins that Jaqen H'ghar is part of. OMG book spoiler – the old man in the books is never actually revealed to be Jaqen, though there were theories, so this is an interesting turn of events. Side note: one other thing that I did notice is that Arya's list has gotten substantially shorter…no more Thoros, Beric or Mel, or Ilyn Payne. Has she forgiven or just forgotten…?
Sticking in Essos (it's a pretty gosh darn big place), we caught up with Varys and Tyrion on their way to Meereen via Volantis. Volantis is another of the Free Cities, located at the very south of the map (Braavos is pretty north). Notably Volantians include Talisa – Robb Stark's baby momma. Whilst we wait for Varys and Tyrion to catch up, let's travel to Meereen ourselves, kids! As you can see, this episode saw Daenerys making a tough ol' decision. The title House of Black and White may well refer to Dany's decision of killing Maran…Meren….Maranana…I can't remember his name. Not important. That guy. Personally, I think she did the right thing, though as we saw, it led to a riot between the old Masters and the freed slaves. Interesting, parallels can be drawn here with both Robb and Joffrey: Robb had to execute Rickard Karstark for killing his prisoners, just like Daenerys. Joffrey had to run from the lynch mob throwing rocks and poo, just like Daenerys (though maybe not the poo). What does this mean? Who knows!
Over to Westeros. Once again, Brienne's bad track record proceeded her. Though, I can't help but think that she didn't try very hard before running off in a huff….though it did prove how bad-ass is she is. Notice as well, Sansa's bird-like outfits, mirroring Baelish's mockingbird sigil. Could the title Black and White refer to them too, or is that too tenuous?
In King's Landing, we see just how highly Kevan Lannister thinks of his niece. Kevan is very much his brother's brother. He idolised Tywin, so you can imagine that Tywin's death has affected him pretty badly. But Kevan ain't no fool. He can see right through Cersei for what she is. Along with complimenting bumbling (but wonderful) Mace Tyrell, Cersei seems to be slowly manipulating what remains of the Small Council. She obviously hates Pycelle (who doesn't?) and is trying to worm Qyburn in there. I've talked about Qyburn before, but we'll have a quick recap. We first met him in season 3 in Harrenhal, where he came to serve Roose Bolton. After Jaime lost his hand, Qyburn stitched him up and escorted him and Brienne back to King's Landing. Qyburn is a Maester, like Pycelle, Aemon and Luwin (RIP). However, Qyburn was banished from the Citadel (their HQ) for…unethical experiments. What these were exactly, we don't know. But we do know that he used his knowledge to potentially save a dying Gregor Clegane (the Mountain) and he had a curious fascination with the dead dwarf's head…hmmmm.
At the Wall, Stannis finally starts being awesome like his book counterpart, offering Jon Snow the goddamn North. The letter that Stannis received was from Lyanna Mormont, who is niece of Jeor Mormont (the old Night's Watch Lord Commander) and cousin of Jorah Mormont. The letter is pretty awesome as it declares that, even though Roose Bolton holds the North and Stannis wants to take it, the Northerners bow to one king, and his name is STARK. Frickin' awesome. One day, I hope that the Seven Kingdoms are ruled by the Starks and Martells. WHICH BRINGS US NICELY ON TO:
Dorne. Hell yeah. Personally, the Martells are my favourite house. About 300 years before the events of Game of Thrones takes place, Aegon Targaryen, known as Aegon the Conqueror, landed in Westeros with his dragons and armies and tried to take over. The whole country bent the knee, apart from Dorne. The Martells words "Unbowed. Unbent. Unbroken." is a symbol of their resistance. Throughout the ages, the Martells have often been pissed on, but have never faltered and always risen above it. They are a strong house, somewhat isolated (both geographically and politically) from the rest of Westeros. Our first encounter with the Martells was through the fantastic, late Oberyn. We know that he was bent on revenge against those that murdered his sister, Elia, and her children. Elia, if you remember, was married to Rhaegar Targaryen, Dany's older brother. The Mountain "raped her. Murdered her. Killed her children." But you know all this. So the Martells are a bit bitter. But do they incite open war? No. Doran Martell – Oberyn's older brother and head of the family, Lord of Sunspear – is cleverer than that. We briefly meet Doran in this episode. He is pretty much wheelchair bound due to severe gout (caused by the lavish Dornish lifestyle, some say). Doran may seem weak, but he is patient. He will bide his time, like so many Martells have before him. Partially, this is why I am so scared for Jaime and Bronn going to Dorne. I love the Martells, but gosh darn I hope those two are safe (this is a diversion from the books so I have no idea what's going to happen!). We also briefly saw Myrcella (who has been recast) walking around the Water Gardens with a young man, Trystane Martell. Trystane is Doran's son. In the books, he has another daughter, Arienne. Unfortunately, she seems to have been omitted from the show, but it appears though Ellaria Sand, Oberyn's ex-gf, is taking on her character responsibilities. So there's a little history lesson to wrap up this week's episode companion. Now, please join me in staring at Daenerys' ridiculous eyebrows until the sun rises.
Game of Thrones Episode Companion – Season 5 Episode 1
This article is to be read after the episode has been seen, as and as a result may contain spoilers up to the episode that it's covering, but no further. So if you haven't seen the episode yet, go and watch it. Then come back and read this. Then watch the episode again. Then read this again.
It's that time of year again! I thank you for taking the time to visit. Like last year, I will be writing spoiler free (beyond this episode) episode companions for Game of Thrones season 5. These companions will serve to clarify certain points in what can often be quite a convoluted plot. Now, George R. R. Martin has actually gone out and said something along the lines of "book readers are going to hate this season because it's so different". Personally, I'm excited to see where the show deviates from the book – it will be exciting to see new and interesting things and spoilers that I'm unaware of…so, I will try try try not to fill these reviews with WELL IN THE BOOKS THIS HAPPENED!!!. Try. I won't be able to help myself a bit.
One of the first things you may notice in The Wars to Come was a little addition to Winterfell in the opening credits: it now displays the flayed man sigil of the Boltons. Lovely detail. The episode kicks off with a flashback from Cersei's childhood, in which she meets a witch called Maggy the Frog (not Osha!). This is the first actual flashback we have seen in the show so far. Interestingly, the books are full of 'em (see, I can't help myself), and show headers Benioff and Weiss went on record to say that they wanted no flashbacks, dreams or prophecies. Yeah….that's…that's never going to work. For those who didn't pick it up, Cersei was supposed to marry "a prince" (Rhaegar Targaryen). Maggy says in her prophecy that Cersei won't marry a prince; she will marry a king. Which she did, in Robert. That is, until a younger, more beautiful comes to take her place (Margaery Tyrell). Robert will have twenty children (all of his bastards), but Cersei will only have three (Joffrey, Tommen, Myrcella). If you think back to season 1, Cersei mentioned to Catelyn that she and Robert had a son that died in infancy – whether this is a show continuity error, or whether Cersei was simply lying to Cat, we shall never know. One thing they omitted in this scene from the books was a third piece to Maggy's prophecy, which I shan't ruin in case it pops up….but it seems pretty important in the books so here's hoping. #Valonqar. In real time, Cersei appears to be becoming more and more paranoid – emphasised in a strong scene between her and Jaime, degraded only by Twyin's omniscient googly-eyes.
Sticking in King's Landing, we once again are reunited with Lancel Lannister. Lancel was Robert's cupbearer in season 1, and played a part in his death. In season 2, he bedded his cousin Cersei before suffering a wound on the Blackwater. He has now cut off his luscious blonde locks and found religion. We also see the return of Kevan Lannister, Lancel's father and Tywin's younger brother. Kevan, like Lancel, appeared in seasons 1 and 2 but was omitted in 3 and 4. Thankfully, he's back, with the same actor playing him. With the Lannister name now in peril, how will this new family dynamic affect their future? There was also mention of the Sparrows, who are a group of pious folk, who we will see more of in future episodes. My qualm with this episode follows Loras' scene. Loras Tyrell's sole purpose in the show seems to be that he is gay. It defines his character. In the books (sorry), he is one of the best knights in the Seven Kingdoms. After Renly, his love, his killed, he becomes angry and seeks to avenge him by joining the Kingsguard. He is arrogant, rash, and a total bad-ass, looked up to by Tommen – somewhat mirroring a young Jaime. He's still a homosexual, but it is nowhere near as prominent as it is in the show…and there is no OlyvAR either. But it has enabled me to use the word 'qualm', so I guess I'm thankful for that.
Across the Narrow Sea, we know have two main characters! I'm glad to see that Varys is travelling with Tyrion – hopefully we get to see some super dynamic adventures between the two of them. They arrive in Pentos. Cast your minds back to the very first episode. Pentos was the place where Viserys and Daenerys lived, before they went off with Drogo. The "colleague" that Varys mentions, Illyrio Mopatis, was the large man from season one: a magister in Pentos. It is revealed here that Varys intends to put Dany on the throne. Will be see some Dany and Tyrion action? Goodness I hope so.
Speaking of the Mother of Dragons and so on, what a heartbreaking scene that was, with the Unsullied that just wanted to be cuddled. They are eunuchs – castrated at a young age – so they feel little to no sexual desires towards the women….they just want someone to hold. Which raises questions about Grey Worm and Missandei's relationship; again, another show-only inclusion as she is about 10 in the books. It's a nice relationship, don't get me wrong, but I think it will backfire if they add a sexual aspect to it. The man that killed the Unsullied was a member of The Sons of the Harpy – the Harpy being the animorph for the slave Masters or Meereen, a statue of which we saw being destroyed at the beginning (along with half of the CGI budget – though did anyone else notice the rope graciously caressing the harpy's bottom? No? Just me. Moving on). The Sons of the Harpy are, as you would imagine, quite angry at Dany for abolishing slavery. Ruling isn't easy, but at least she has sexy Daario to suggestively stroke his dagger hilt at her. Emilia Clarke's acting seems to have improved slightly too, which is a plus. Oh, and the others two dragons' names were finally mentioned in-show: Viserion and Rhaegal, named for Daenerys' brother and son respectively.
There were some scenes around the Vale of Arryn with Sansa, Littlefinger and Brienne and Pod…but that's all quite self-explanatory. Young Robin Mumbreast has been left in the care of the Royces, a family sworn to the Arryns, in order to make him more lordly. And to remove him from Littlefingers plans. Which leaves us with the events at the Wall. With proposals for a new Lord Commander imminent, and the captured Wildlings getting restless, tensions are high…not entirely helped by the arrival of the one true king, Stannis the Mannis. As a side note, Janos Slynt, the guy that follows Alliser Thorne around everywhere, ex-captain of the City Watch in King's Landing, seems to have been given the stereotypical coward treatment. In da books, he was a buffoon, but not a coward (and often referred to himself in the third person, yes he did). Someone on reddit compared this to The Hobbit's dreadful display of "the funny coward"…I can't even remember that character's name as I have blocked it from memory. Anyway, The Wars to Come ends with the execution of Mance Raydar, the King Beyond the Wall. A scene that gave me chills, I have to say. Up until the recent emergence of the White Walks, Mance was the biggest threat to the Seven Kingdoms. He was able to unite the Wildlings under one king; a feat that has not been achieved in…well, ever. Though different from the books, I loved Ciaran Hinds portrayal, and am sad to see him go. This scene, however, was significantly altered from the books, and it seems like they have omitted an entire future storyline because of it. A very cool story line. They have also butchered Stannis; he seems to just care about conquering the North, whereas book Stannis was a lot more conscious about the threat of White Walkers. I've said before, but it's important to be aware that the books and series are very different – it's an adaptation – but that doesn't stop me from wallowing in pity and crying "BENIOFF AND WEISS WHYYYYYYYYY". Either way, Jon Snow's actions of mercy killing him old friend will have consequences I'm sure. Also I'm putting money on him and Melisandre getting it on. He does have a thing for red heads…
Next week (or a few days ago, if you were naughty and watched the leaked episodes online), we get to take our first trip to Dorne, home to my personal favourite house, the Martells. See you then and stuff!
Game of Thrones: A Telltale Games series – Episode 1 review
The emotions that you will experience whilst playing this game are awfully akin to the series itself… Also these screenshots are taken from the internet and are not my own…sorry.
It's about time we had a good A Song of Ice and Fire/Game of Thrones game. There is one, aptly named Game of Thrones, that I was going to do a review for, but it was so bad that I couldn't play it. I've heard it gets better but….my goodness. So, thank you, Telltale, for a much-needed filling of an empty void!
I won't go over what Telltale Games' games entail; I've written about four of them now so go and read some of my old reviews, you lazy rascal. What's instantly unique about Game of Thrones – A Telltale Game Series when comparing it to other titles such as The Walking Dead, The Wolf Among Us and Tales from the Borderlands is the departure from the somewhat signature Telltale 'cartoony' graphics. Instead, Game of Thrones meets us half way, forming an amalgamation of animation and real-life style graphics. The result….well, it grows on you. When I first started playing I was immediately disheartened by the seemingly bad graphics. The combination just didn't seem to work – it seemed a shame, therefore, that Telltale had ditched their old ways for this title. Personally, I think seeing a Game of Thrones title utilising these graphics would have been pretty interesting! Instead, we have a watercolour painting gone wrong. The backgrounds are beautiful, a bit like an Edward Hopper painting (I Googled 'watercolour artists' and his name came up….), but the character models are a let-down. As you well know from my past reviews, Telltale characters tend to have quite a woody appearance at times as it is. Due to the 'realism' displayed in Game of Thrones, this vastly exaggerated. Characters just look dead-faced more often than not, resulting in a break in immersion that is only really saved by the pretty good voice acting. You do get used to it, after a while, but the resent lingers like the odour of yesterday's ham.
But the main thing with any Telltale game is surely the story, right? Well, fortunately, Game of Thrones thrives in this category. It's important to note here – which has disappointed some fans – is that this is a Game of Thrones game, not A Song of Ice and Fire. The reasons for this are probably numerous, but largely I think that it is down to the sheer popularity of the show. I love the books, but I feel Telltale made the right decision in basing it on the series: it enables them to utilise resources readily available to them, without the inevitable backlash from fans claiming that the Iron Thrones still hasn't been accurately portrayed. The story kicks off at the end of season 3, and will lead up to season 5, running parallel with events from the TV series. The opening scene is set in a camp site. Bawdy men are joking about killing and fighting and other manly things. Your character, a squire named Gared, is sent off to fetch some supplies. Now, Gared is the squire to Lord Forrester, head of a Northern house loyal to the Starks. As Gared wanders past festivities left, right and centre, you're greeted by a weaselly looking man wearing a stupid hat. "Oh!" I cry. "A Frey!" Suddenly, it all clicks, as the camera pans up and the Twins are revealed. "I know where we are…" I say to myself, as the Rains of Castamere begin to play. Then, all hell breaks loose, as the Red Wedding is in full swing. Gared must stumble back to Lord Forrester, amidst the battle waging around him. The emotion is there, but the whole area just seems pretty deserted and empty; sadly, despite being in a camp full of soldiers, this whole execution seemed pretty lacklustre. With current-gen consoles you would think that someone could have programmed in a few more fighting soldiers to, you know, make the whole thing seem a bit real. But hey. Moving on. So, yes, Gared is one of three characters that you play as in Episode One: Iron From Ice. The other two are Ethan Forrester, one of Lord Forrester's sons, and Mira Forrester, a daughter who is in service to Margery Tyrell at King's Landing. Like Tales from the Borderlands, jumping from character to character could be disorderly and incoherent, but the game pans out just like an episode of Game of Thrones, and with that in mind, it works. There are plenty of "oh shit!" moments, accompanied by some emotional heartbreaks and violent action. So your standard Game of Thrones recipe (albeit no boobs…yet). Without giving too much away, the events brilliantly kick-off this new chapter in the GRRM universe and leave you wanting more.
As mentioned, voice acting is close to top notch in Telltale's Game of Thrones. Natalie Dormer, Peter Dinklage, Lena Headey and Iwan Rheon all lend their voices to the game, enabling this little adventure to sit canon with the series. Speaking of, Ramsay Snow gets some more limelight here, ever emphasising what a cruel, brilliant character he is. Ethan Forrester's voice initially makes you want to punch him in the face, but you get over it pretty quickly. I, for one, am looking forward to seeing what other beloved characters show up to aid (or hinder) the Forrester's tale.
Like all Telltale games, episodes will be released at regular intervals, so you have plenty of time to catch up before Episode 2: The Lost Lords is released in February. Of course, if you want the full experience, then wait until all episodes are released and play in one fell swoop. Although, unlike previous Telltale games, Game of Thrones will feature six episodes instead of five, so see you in a year! There are a few bumps in the road, but all in all Telltale have created another wonderful addition to their portfolio, and have finally given fans the Game of Thrones game that George R. R. Martin would be proud of!

subset: commoncrawl


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Now, in five gorgeous hardcover photography books, Winery Dogs of Napa Valley, Sonoma, Oregon, Central California and New York, you can meet the lucky dogs who work and play in the stunning vineyards. Whether they're racing through the vines, snacking on ripe grapes, or greeting guests in the tasting rooms, winery dogs make the winemaking process magical. The rich photographs and engaging stories make these books treasured keepsakes to be read again and again.
5 - 5
In the latest edition of Winery Dogs of Napa Valley we honor the hardest working, sweetest and most enjoyable employees in the wine industry. Whether they're working in hospitality greeting guests or in pest control chasing away rabbits and moles, the winery dogs of Napa are sure to make you laugh, melt your heart and even impress you with their selfless community services. And, once again, Andrea MacNamara Jacoby has beautifully captured them in their element, while Jacque Rogers Foster creatively provides details of their daily lives; together they're sure to entertain every wine- and dog-lover alike, and encourage many return visits to the beautiful Napa Valley.
176 Full-color pages
10.5 x 10.5"
Hardcover with glossy jacket
9 - 9
Meet Sonoma's latest and greatest winery dogs! Discover the tour guides, the greeters, the healers and the salesdogs that make Sonoma wineries magical. Whether they're swimming in the Russian River, chasing bungs, riding in forklifts or selling wine with their charm, these Sonoma dogs are busy enjoying the good life. From the Havanese office lapdog to the Great Pyrenees outdoor protector, Andrea Jacoby captures their unique personalities and Elaine Riordan provides an insiders view of the life of a lucky winery dog.
Meet Oregon's favorite winery dogs! Discover the vineyard inspectors, the pest eradicators, the ATV riders, the tasting-room babysitters, and the marketing professionals who leave guests with a memorable first impression. From a tortilla-loving Australian shepherd to a mixed breed who took on a billy goat to a Catahoula leopard dog who overcame extreme abuse to become a tireless vine protector, these dogs enjoy a charmed life in the Northwest countryside. On every page Andrea Jacoby captures them at their best—swimming, fetching, running, or lounging at their scenic homes in Oregon's famous wine country.
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Winery Dogs of New York celebrates the lives of the dogs who live and work at the wineries in the Finger Lakes, Hudson Valley, and Long Island. Whether they're chasing mice and deer from the vines, greeting customers at the tasting rooms, or lifting the spirits of employees, all are invaluable assets to the wineries. They're therapy dogs, show dogs, and search-and-rescue dogs. They swim in the pristine lakes, they race up bales of hay, and they corral goats and sheep. They socialize with picnickers, snack on grapes, and sip wine, and then they go home to lie down companionably with roosters, donkeys, horses, cows, and cats. To watch them run with joy in the vineyards is to know that New York's winery dogs have found the perfect life.
1 - 9
176 Full-color pages
10.5 x 10.5"
Hardcover with glossy jacket
8 - 9
Meet the winery dogs of Central California! Discover the tour guides, the guard dogs, the hunters, the greeters, and the recyclers. Whether they're riding in forklifts, swimming in irrigation ponds, chewing on corks, catching golf balls, or sunbathing, these California dogs are always in the spotlight. From greyhounds to poodles to Border collies to golden retrievers to Jack Russell terriers, with a healthy showing of mixed breeds, the winery dogs take full advantage of their lives in the vineyards. In appreciation, they give love and provide ongoing entertainment to winery employees, visitors, and their animal friends.
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Monday, June 29, 2009
How the Western was Won: Killing the Fluke
I knew Hal had it in the bag when, prompted by a cameraman, he retraced his steps for a photograph on No Hands Bridge. No Hands Bridge sits at the 96.8 mile mark along the Western States 100 Mile Endurance Run. The old bridge spans the American River and marks, for most runners, the realization that, yes, they are really going to finish a 100-mile foot race. For Hal, it marked the realization that, yes, he's really won this thing!
Hal had been leading the race since mile 56, but he really had no idea how far behind the next runner was. But you see, confidence was his thing. It was a feeling he was familiar with, because he had won this same race in 2007. He started this year's race with the confidence of a winner and ran throughout the day with a desire that only winners exude. He pushed hard at the start in order to create a gap from the rest of the field; only a few went with. When he reached the canyons through which the course weaved, Hal pushed harder in the 110-degree heat. He knew those behind him would have to match it or fall behind or fall down. So, by the time he reached No Hands Bridge in the day light (a feat only a few other winners have managed) he was confident enough to back track for that photographer. He did the work and he was determined to enjoy it now.
In the 25 miles I spent with Hal as his pacer, few words were spoken and all attention was paid to the following foot-step; focused. He worked hard the entire way and he stopped only twice; once to clear a small back spasm and once to clear a bug from his eye. I knew he was having some fun when a chuckle pursed from his lips when I asked him if he would kindly run faster so we wouldn't have to climb the final hill to Robie Point in the dark. There were never any identifiable issues; it was text book. It was an awesome thing to witness and physically be a part of.
In what Western States' race management has called the most competitive field in the race's history Hal Koerner was able to place one foot in front of the other, farther and faster than any of the other 399 contestants in the race. Hal covered the course in 16 hours, 24 minutes and 55 seconds. 27 minutes ahead of second place finisher Tsuyoshi Kaburagi from Japan and 29 minutes ahead of third place's Jez Bragg from the United Kingdom.
238 runners finished Western this year, a finishing rate of 59%. Tough odds! This held true to form for our local contingent as well. Along with Hal, Neil Olsen (from Central Point) finished in 22 hours, 54 minutes and 14 seconds in 46th place. Ashland's Rob Cain overcame serious back cramps to finish in 23 hours, 38 minutes and 40 seconds, for 66th overall. Under the tough conditions, Jenn Shelton (from Ashland) and Tom Pelsor (from Yreka) both stopped short of their goals, only to save themselves for another chance to dance again soon.
Jenn Shelton runs the downhills hard early in the race.
Hal makes it look easy early on.
Hal's up to his neck at the river crossing at mile 78. A welcomed sight after running through the dust and 100 degree temps.
Rob Cain; is he smirking? He loves the pain.
Neil Olsen approaches Michigan Bluff (mile 56). His expression says it all.
Hal Koerner is led by his pacer, Ian Torrence, as he comes into Rucky Chuck River Crossing (mile 78).
Here's a line up of the press folks:
Auburn Journal article
Sacramento Bee article
Mailtribune article
Runner's World article
Trailrunner Magazine
Ultrarunning Magazine
Final results for the 2009 Western States 100 Mile.
Photography was provided by Pete Zinsli, Glenn Tachiyama and John Medinger.
18 comments:
- tomdog said...
Excellent job Hal! Winning twice at WS, let alone once, is quite the achievement. Let it all sink in and enjoy the moment. It is times like this that we are truly alive.
- Tuesday, June 30, 2009 6:22:00 AM
- kate said...
we sent some photos my husband took at Peachstone to email@example.com- hope Hal enjoys them!
- Tuesday, June 30, 2009 7:48:00 AM
- Michael Valliant said...
Simply, awesome. Congratulations. Great and inspiring stuff!
- Tuesday, June 30, 2009 8:19:00 AM
- TD said...
Great work Hal- awe inspiring- even following from a distance online.
- Tuesday, June 30, 2009 8:39:00 AM
- Kurt said...
Man what a great race !!! Congrat's Hal on a super win as well as other great runs by RV Runners.
- Tuesday, June 30, 2009 8:46:00 AM
- Tammy said...
Wow. leaves me speechless. Congrats Hal!
- Tuesday, June 30, 2009 4:18:00 PM
- Unknown said...
Awesome job Hal! Way to come back and defend. What an inspiration
- Tuesday, June 30, 2009 5:13:00 PM
- Speedgoat Karl said...
Way to go Halomatic! Next up...Wasatch, now that one is gonna be a heater too. I'll make the chicken. If you are here for the OR we can go out and beat each other up. You the man!
- Wednesday, July 01, 2009 6:19:00 AM
- JC said...
What an amazing job Hal! Your performance truly represents more than the 16+ hours of racing- it represented a lifetime of inspiring, constant work. Hope to you on the trails soon.
- Wednesday, July 01, 2009 1:42:00 PM
- Will Cooper said...
I'm glad Hal won this thing, particulalry with such a "deep" field. He deserves more credit than he's been given, and now with two consecutive WS victories in the face of so many ultra "elites", he's not only earned his spot among the very best, he smacked them ALL getting there. Rock it Hal!
- Wednesday, July 01, 2009 3:51:00 PM
- Matt said...
Congrats from San Diego! Hearing Anton Krupicka report on a blog I used to follow the race that Hal "just blew-up Mackey" was pretty epic. Hal is a big dog.
Will we see him at WOH 50K in Oct.?
Keep-up the good work!
- Wednesday, July 01, 2009 5:40:00 PM
- Rogue Valley Runners said...
Oh my, thanks for all the kind words. I haven't run a step since the race but the memories have been more than enough to get me through. All of you have been so inspiring to me and that truely helped leading up to the race and through it. I can't say it helped with the heat but....
I'll post a follow up blog here shortly but tonight it's the High Sierra Music Fest and a solo show from John Butler.
Thanks again and keep running out there.....
- Thursday, July 02, 2009 9:10:00 AM
nice work hal! work hard, play hard.
- Thursday, July 02, 2009 6:54:00 PM
- Daniel Murphy said...
In truth, I didn't know that people ran 100 miles!!! Amazing.
My family and I are here in Ashland, and we continually marvel at the excellence of people--their goodness, tolerance, achievements.
Thank you, Hal, for your amazing achievement.
- Saturday, July 04, 2009 6:32:00 PM
- Unknown said...
Congrats to all those who finished! But Hall. Dood! Simply amazing run!
Much respect Hall!
Scott J (the non-famous mexican juan)
- Monday, July 06, 2009 11:19:00 AM
- Todd said...
What can I say, except "Can I have your autograph?"
- Tuesday, July 07, 2009 4:53:00 PM
- vishus said...
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- Wednesday, June 15, 2011 11:21:00 AM
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- Wednesday, June 15, 2011 12:14:00 PM


text:
The Lord of Grace, Mercy, and Justice
God must give us new hearts if we are to repent (Eph. 2:8–10). But once these hearts are ours, we must turn to Him for salvation both from His wrath and our enemies. He will deliver us if we patiently ...Read More
Reasoning with the LORD
Isaiah 1:18 is a great promise indeed, assuring us that no matter how much sin has stained our souls, God can cleanse us completely and make us stand before Him as His holy people. But for this to happen, we ...Read More
Jonah's Anger
Jonah's depression over the death of a plant (Jonah 4:5–9), Dr. R.C. Sproul tells us, means that the prophet cared more about plants than about people. Jonah forgot that no sinner deserves God's forgiveness—even a prophet of God Almighty—and ...Read More
The Mandate to Forgive
Calvin also comments, "No one may presume to approach God and ask forgiveness, who is not pure and free from all resentment." If we are withholding forgiveness from those who have truly and humbly sought our pardon, then we are ...Read More
The Fifth Petition
When we ask the Father to forgive us in Jesus' name, we are asking Him to do something that He has promised to do. Therefore, we can be confident that He forgives us when we seek His face. This is ...Read More
The Duty of Forgiveness
The forgiveness we enjoy from God in Christ Jesus has consequences for our lives. First, we are absolved from guilt and never need to fear His wrath again. Furthermore, God's forgiveness means that we, too, must forgive those who have ...Read More
Dying to the Law in Christ
Matthew Henry comments on today's passage: "The doctrine of the gospel, instead of weakening the bond of duty, did but the more strengthen and confirm it; and therefore, though he was dead to the law, yet it was only in ...Read More
True Repentance
Repentance is a gift from God. We express contrition for our sins and their offense to our holy Creator, but the Holy Spirit must give us the ability to do this. Without His sovereign work, we do not care that ...Read More
Turning from Our Ungrateful Ways
Paul's teaching in today's passage actually leads us to expect that there should be former adulterers, homosexuals, thieves, blasphemers, alcoholics, and others in our congregations. The church of Jesus Christ must not close its door to any sinner who repents ...Read More
Embracing the Penitent
Although not everyone who has been subjected to church discipline repents, there are many times when a disciplined sinner is humbled by the church's treatment and, forsaking sin, returns to the fold. When this happens, church leaders and laypeople must ...Read More


text: Step past a striking entrance, and follow a winding path that leads towards the Amandari Spa. All of the open-air spa rooms are impeccably furnished, and come outfitted with spacious baths and modern amenities. Add a luminous glow to your skin with a detoxifying body scrub, followed by a herbal or milk bath. Round out the session with a massage; we recommend the signature massage, a relaxing treatment that combines the soothing strokes of Balinese and Swedish massage treatments, along with acupressure techniques. Facials, manicures, pedicures and reflexology are also available at Amandari.


text:
On the subject of food, I understand a bit better why New Zealand isn't quite as well known as France or Italy. All in all, pretty dreadful stuff.
Just ask anybody, Vegemite is a travesty of a sandwich spread. All the pros are switching to Marmite. :-)
Did I stray off-topic..?


text:
- Home
- Government
- Departments E - G
- Economic Development
- Why Garland
- Location & Transportation
Location & Transportation
Garland is in the heart of the Greater Dallas Fort Worth Metroplex and offers easy access to interstate 635, George Bush Turnpike, and interstate 30. Garland's strategic location offers face-to-face connectivity to a massive customer base within a few hours of travel. A large part of the city's industrial and office base is located off the major highways running through the city.
|Commute Times
|Less than 15 minutes
|15 to 29 minutes
|30 minutes or longer
|Mean Travel Time to Work (Minutes)
Source: U.S. Census ACS 2018
Garland features an extensive bus service which connects to the surrounding Dallas Fort Worth Metroplex. View a map of the bus services (PDF).
Before the Great Depression, the Santa Fe (now Kansas City Southern) and MK&T Railroads (who later merged with Union Pacific) wrote the history of Garland's business expansion, primarily centered on the distribution of cotton and onions, and telephone/telegraph services.
Heavy rail and passenger rail lines play an important role in Garland's future development. The development of the Union Pacific Inland Port in Southern Dallas over the next 30 years promises to increase Class I rail traffic throughout the Union Pacific system, including short line feeders such as the Dallas-Garland-Northeastern Railroad.
Garland has two light rail stations linking residents and employees with the region. Located in the heart of two of Garland's largest employment centers, the Forest/Jupiter and Downtown Light Rail Stations serve more than 3,000 riders each weekday. The City continues to encourage higher intensity residential, retail and employment uses adjacent to the stations for its near and long term economic growth.
- In 2013, Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) opened the eastern extension of the Blue Line that connects Downtown Garland with Downtown Rowlett. The North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG) Mobility 2030 Plan also recommends study of the Kansas City Southern rail corridor north from Downtown Garland to Lake Lavon to accommodate future passenger rail needs. This could ultimately give Garland three DART rail stations, further interweaving the city into the center of the Metropolex.
Located at the crossing of two key heavy freight lines and both regional and interstate transportation corridors, Garland is a powerful part of the regional economy.
The competitive advantage of Garland's central location has been enhanced with the completion of the eastern section of President George Bush Turnpike (north and east) to Interstate-30 (south) and Interstate-635 to the south.


text:
(written from a Production point of view)
According to the Star Trek: The Next Generation Companion (3rd ed., p.38), the Ferengi D'Kora-class Marauder design was inspired by a horseshoe crab on Herbert J. Wright's desk. As such it was carried over into the script of the first season episode, "The Last Outpost", where the design was to make its debut as the very first new alien starship design of the new television series Star Trek: The Next Generation, referenced to as "a strange horseshoe crab-like design, a bit smaller than the Enterprise."
Design Edit
Designer Andrew Probert explained his thought processes, when translating the script description into the first new alien ship for the show, "The Ferengi ship I wanted to have, not only an obvious shape difference, but a textural difference as well. The original description of the Ferengi ship ship was a horseshoe crab design with a neck that would extend. The front of the ship I wanted to look fairly dangerous. Something that seems real dangerous-looking to me are the pincers on an earwig insect. I designed the front of the ship to basically have that shape. On the underside of the vessel is a boarding ramp which can be seen when the ship turns around. The back of the ship is basically used for cargo storage seeing how the Ferengi are traders." (Star Trek: The Official Fan Club Magazine issue 60, p. 5) As it so happened, the horseshoe crab design coincided with Gene Roddenberry's dictum of warp engines operating in pairs as Probert reiterated:
"Now, Gene dictated that there are no three-engine starships and no single-engine starships. When I was first designing the new Enterprise he said, "The Federation ship's engines always are co-dependent". It is the same as to say they always worked in twos. So that's why when Sternbach and I came up with the Stargazer, it had two sets of twos. And then I started thinking that, back in World War II, all the nations that had fighter aircraft and airplanes did the same thing: they took off, they flew, they landed, they maneuvered. They usually had one engine, two wings, two tailwings – so they all had the same components, but they all looked different. There was a national design bias to each aircraft, but technically they all did the same thing. So my thinking was in Star Trek – since the Enterprise used to have two engines – I came up with the idea that the engines had to reach out to each other in order to work co-dependently. In other words, there would be no obstructions between the engines to disrupt the energy fields or connecting forces between them. And, well, all the alien ships could look different but still operate in the same principle. So that's why the Ferengi Marauder is curved, is concave, because that allows the two engines to reach each other." [1](X)Further clarifying on his design, he commented:
"The Ferengi people were basically space pirates, so I tried to give their ship a threatening look by adding pointed areas at the front, like the back of a pincher bug, and had had it look dirtier and was a little battle-scarred. Then to support the pirate persona, and provide for future episodes, I designed an extendable boarding ramp into the underside of the ship's nose, with a clawed front that would be used on raids. Another feature I designed into the Marauder was a large attack ship nestled into an underside docking cavity. This forward-swept wing "drop ship" could land for planetary raids or maneuver in space. The Marauder's overall length was to have been about 1,200 feet." (Starlog photo guidebook Special Effects, Vol. 5, 1996, pp. 111-112)
Primary studio model Edit
|Construction of the D'Kora-class studio model at Gregory Jein, Inc.
As the first new alien starship design for The Next Generation, the intent was faithfully adhered to at Gregory Jein, Inc., when the recently revived company constructed the studio model as its first Star Trek commission. Describing the build, model maker and owner of the company, Greg Jein, elaborated, "The Ferengi ship was basically an organic shape, so we chose to carve it out of foam rather than clay. Once the hard foam was vacuformed over it, which gave us a nice removable shell, we detailed those shells with model railroad parts and some pin striping tape. Then the next step to that, was putting the finished pattern into a mold in which we did a fiberglass casting of it which held the armature and the lighting packet." (TNG Season 4 DVD-special feature, "Select Historical Data")
Apart from the below-mentioned articulation, Jein also constructed Probert's embedded drop ship as a detachable piece, so the ship could be filmed with an empty berthing slot after the drop ship had left, if script requirements ever called for it, which, as it turned out, never would.
The scene where the Ferengi "surrendered" was in the script described as: "The snake head-like prow's pushing out from the ship body," (Scene 21) and (Scene 22): "The Ferengi ship now extends gun-like arms from either side of the prow." Clarifying, Probert put it as follows, "The Marauder's stretching neck... was a locked-in script requirement, to reveal their ship's sensitive areas as their way of surrendering. The writer/producers wanted it to look like a horseshoe crab... [T]he "claws" were a variation of the Klingon disrupter designs from TOS." (remember the metal plates on either side of the "barrel"?" [2] [3] The "surrender" features were also faithfully translated onto the studio model at Jein's company.
The articulated D'Kora-class model (measuring 36"×32") was listed as Lot 710 in the 40 Years of Star Trek: The Collection auction with an estimated sale price of US$4,000 to $6,000. It sold on 7 October 2006 for US$15,000 ($18,000 with buyer's premium).
After acquirement, the owner sought out professional modeler Richard Long of Sovereign Replicas, in order to have restoration work done on the model. Long had to repair a crack on the ventral side of the model, repair a flaw in the casting and reconstruct the drop ship, as the model came to him without it. [4] In return for his services, the owner allowed Long to take molds from the model and construct a limited number of non-articulating models from them as payment. [5] [6]
Other physical studio models Edit
Though constructed to all the specifications asked for, in the end the primary model proved to be faulty as Image G's CEO Tom Barron testified to:
"The only person we could find who was willing to try to build it on our timeline was Greg Jein, who had been working on Star Trek forever. But on top of everything there was supposed to be this articulation – the arms were going to extend out into a threatening posture. Well, of course, we were trying to knock this stuff out in an incredibly short period of time. We're literally talking about a situation where hours made the difference. The Art Department came up with drawings, and Greg did exactly what was required; it was a motion control, articulated ship that had these arms that extended out, but, because of the timeline, that articulation was never really seen on the show. The model worked but it was too time-consuming to shoot it. I remember it had internal lighting, but when we went to articulate the arms it crushed the neon, so the lights all got knocked out right away! Because of the problem with the articulated ship, Greg knocked out an additional version that was literally just a casting that he did in a day. We slapped it on a stick, and that's what we used in the show more than anything else. We did end up with a shot where the arms moved a little bit. Then, when they finally cut the show together and put it on the air, there was almost none of that left either. Then, when they decided the show ran a little bit long, they cut another second; then, if there were any extra commercials, that cuts out the rest of the shot. From then on, we used this shell, and we never used the articulated one again." (Star Trek: The Magazine Volume 3, Issue 1, pp. 61-62)
All the footage taken from the physical studio model(s) were shot at Image G, footage of the faulty model also used in later episodes as stock footage.
A smaller, simplified studio model, cast in resin, painted in a base color with additional weathering, showed up in the Profiles in History Hollywood Auction 40 as Lot 1483. Incorrectly described as a "Screen-used Ferengi ship from Star Trek: Deep Space Nine", measuring 12"×10", and with a mounting rod attached to it. At a first cursory glance it fitted the description Barron gave of the second model. However, one of the above shown behind-the-scene photos, showed a smaller model under construction at Jein's model shop at approximately one-third scale, nicely conforming to the model offered up for auction. Furthermore, the auction description notwithstanding, the apparent lack of detail and lighting made it almost certain that the model was constructed to function as a camera test model, something the description itself hinted at, "It has the attached puppeteer rod and handle that allowed an off-screen handler to manipulate the miniature during flight sequences." (In motion control photography, it is the camera that moves, not the model). Estimated at US$1,000-$1,500, it sold on 12 June 2010 for US$1,400.
CGI model Edit
Making its last appearance in the season seven episode, "Force of Nature", the design was not seen again in the Star Trek franchise for nearly seven years. Its non-appearance in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine is somewhat ironic (aside from further debunking the above-mentioned auction claim as bogus), as the Ferengi were one of the more regularly-featured species in the series. Ronald D. Moore commented: "The Marauders are presumably still around, but we haven't wanted to feature them in an episode". (AOL chat, 1998)
It was not until Star Trek: Voyager's final season episode, "Inside Man", that the design was called upon to make another appearance as a protagonist. By that time however motion control photography, using physical studio models, was no longer employed by the franchise as a filming technique, and a CGI model had to be constructed. Visual effects supervisor for the episode, Ronald B. Moore, had the studio model shipped over to newly-formed Eden FX as reference for the CGI build, being one of their very first projects as a new company. The studio appeared not to be in a hurry to get the model back, as it resided crated-up in the kitchen of Eden FX for weeks after the episode had finished. (Star Trek: The Magazine Volume 1, Issue 24, p. 54) As the next-to-last existing physical studio model to be translated into a CGI version for a running Star Trek television production, the CGI model was built and rendered by Brandon MacDougall, who had moved over from Foundation Imaging, to join the new company. [7]
Further readingEdit
- Star Trek: The Official Starships Collection, issue 16, 2014


text:
Hey all! My name is Shannon and I am not forum-savvy so feel free to point me to a different location or yell at me about posting here.
I'm just looking for a little help with a Tolkien translation for a quote! I have no idea where to look, and I've searched the corners of the internet for a LOTR linguist who could draw me up a short phrase -
I am about to get a tattoo of the doors of Durin or gates of Moria directly as it is drawn in the novel, in place of the text that reads:
"The Doors of Durin, Lord of Moria. Speak, friend, and enter. I, Narvi, made them. Celebrimbor of Hollin drew these signs."
I would like to replace that with the following:
"All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us."
I know - seems irrelevant. But the doors of durin are one of my favorite illustrations and the quote is the msot impactful, for me, in the entire novels.
I need advice on the appropriate language, what is the language used in the original illustration? What are the symbols? Can you tell me where I can have a translation made for me?
Click here to see image
Oversized image replaced with link by White Council Moderator


text:
Comment 4 for bug 978785
|Launchpad Janitor (janitor) wrote :
This bug was fixed in the package unity - 5.10.0-0ubuntu3
unity (5.10.0-0ubuntu3) precise-proposed; urgency=low
[ Oliver Grawert ]
* Enable subarch specific quilt support
* add linaros disable_
[ Didier Roche ]
* remove a symlink and replace with a real file for
want v3 format with full source upstream derived branch)
unity (5.10.0-0ubuntu2) precise-proposed; urgency=low
[ Ricardo Salveti de Araujo ]
* Enabling build with OpenGL ES2.0 support for ARM and disable maintainer
mode on that arch to avoid -Werror failure (LP: #980544)
unity (5.10.0-0ubuntu1) precise-proposed; urgency=low
* New upstream release:
- bamfdaemon crashed with SIGABRT in g_assertion_
- We are using 1 bad hack for compiz hanging on startup (LP: #963264)
- GConf backend steals glib events from compiz (LP: #965220)
- when I closed QupZill brawser it crashed and then and then I sow
worrning that compiz crashed but fire fox and chrome is estle working.
- compiz crashed with SIGSEGV in std::basic_
from unity::
- unity-panel-service crashed due to heap corruption in g_free() from
- Opening dash while an application is maximized makes unity completely
useless, have to relogin (LP: #975103)
- unity crash on alt-tab (LP: #975168)
- Top bar - Menus should be condensed to fit panel/overlay of appmenu
- Topbar - window controls for maximised windows in the top bar should
conform to Fitts's law (LP: #839690)
- [FFe, UIFe] Dash - When the Dash is open and there is a maximised app in
the background, the top bar background should not disappear
- Dash - The inner bottom left, bottom right and top right corners of the
desktop dash border are rendered incorrectly (LP: #839476)
- Showdesktoped window contents invisible in window spread (LP: #877778)
- Maximized windows can be accidentally closed from wrong monitor.
- Unity launcher on-screen corruption on resume from suspend with nVidia
proprietary driver (LP: #915265)
- Launcher - Inserting items into launcher makes unnecessary animations on
other monitors (LP: #925021)
- Far left character in panel (and launcher popups) distorted
- Jenkins build failure: SetAcceptKeyNav
- super+<unbound key> and sometimes super+<number> keys now cause launch
to wedge with the key hints shown and retains focus instead of selecting
the requested window (LP: #934084)
- three-finger move does not move (Precise) (LP: #940612)
- compiz crashed with SIGSEGV in std::__
from unity::
- indicators appear intertwined with global menu (LP: #953868)
- [5.8 pre staging] "sticky edge" option does nothing visible
- HUD: The selection always returns to the first item whenever menus are
updated (LP: #962984)
- Multimonitor - Using single launcher, the HUD draws incorrectly on a
secondary monitor (LP: #963577)
- Type your command does not appear translated in the HUD (LP: #964074)
- HUD doesnt receive input after pressing Tab (LP: #964760)
- compiz crashed with SIGSEGV in g_variant_unref() from
- HUD denial of service (LP: #948820)
- Application launch time increased with type-to-search in unity 5.8
- Weird translation on the shortcut overlay dialog (LP: #971332)
- compiz crashed with SIGSEV in g_type_
- Launcher - launcher have a weird background if cursor is over it while
opening dash (LP: #974408)
- compiz crashed with SIGSEGV in
- Compiz: Growing idle memory consumption with latest Nux/Unity (~60
MiB/h) in unity::
- [nvidia] minimized windows are white in the window spread (LP: #977189)
- compiz crashed with SIGSEGV in nux::Rect::Rect() from
- Alt-tab - Reduce the spread delay for all items other than the initial
item the select lands on after alt-tab opens (LP: #838232)
- Dash - The Dash search box should expand horizontally when the Dash
switches to full screen mode (LP: #841907)
- window selected via ALT+F1 doesn't get focus in unity (LP: #875932)
- Non square icons don't fill result tiles as much as they should
- Dash - the spinner and the 'clear' button (the circle with the X) in the
Dash is blurry (LP: #891691)
- Dash - Update the Dash card view so that the implementation conforms to
the attached designs (LP: #901164)
- Launcher bar doesn't saturate when focused via keynav when dash opened
- Global menu doesn't work with multiple monitors (twinview) (LP: #921918)
- Number shortcut overlay won't show if mouse hovers launcher bar area
- Colour of launcher on second monitor is not restored after closing the
dash (LP: #925442)
- [autohide] app icons in HUD are poorly scaled (LP: #931406)
- Show default HUD icon for Desktop (nautilus) menus (LP: #931548)
- Hud shows wrong application icon when activated with the dash showing
- Window management - Dragging down a maximized window from the panel has
not predictable results (LP: #934680)
- Launcher - Properly colorize icons (LP: #938620)
- lens bar clickable area needs to be expanded (LP: #937193)
- Multimonitor - hidden menu indicators are shown in the non active
monitor (LP: #951747)
- Wrong glib #include in Hud.h (LP: #952117)
- [FFe, UIFe] New animation for adding launchers for newly installed
applications (LP: #955147)
- HUD remembers icon of last used app (LP: #961161)
- Launcher - window buttons are not horizontally ad vertically aligned
- Opening HUD after dash shows window title in the panel (LP: #963134)
- Dash picking a really odd color with default wallpaper (LP: #963140)
- HUD overlay has one pixel gap on left side (LP: #964061)
- Launcher icon indicators doesn't redraw when changing the launcher
settings (LP: #964851)
- Dash home results take too long to appear (LP: #965492)
- Multimonitor - Only the panel that controls the focused window should
draw its title (LP: #968261)
- Performing a pinch gesture over a window has no effect (LP: #969554)
- Dash section header icons are missing (LP: #971233)
- Unity displays "no search results" with results present (LP: #971430)
- Pressing Ctrl+Tab from the command lens switches to the wrong lens
- PanelMenuView causes gtk assertion to fail (LP: #971947)
- [regression] The keyboard shortcuts overlay bottom is truncated.
- Not minimizable windows have an enabled "minimize" button on the unity
panel (LP: #936425)
- HUD maximize button affects Dash (LP: #939054)
- Panel opacity toggle doesn't quite work (LP: #940683)
- Dash is totally broken when disabling the blur effect (LP: #941066)
- Dash collapsed view has scrollbar (LP: #956500)
- HUD too many triangles with new transition effect (LP: #961230)
- Menu bar not transparent when invoking dash with super key whilst HUD
enabled and vice versa (LP: #962410)
- Windows controls lost if dash is opened after HUD (LP: #963118)
- HUD service returning more than 5 entries (LP: #965299)
- Dash - Search box text is clipped (LP: #966424)
- IBus Pinyin pup box disappears in the hud (LP: #968777)
- Dash and HUD search fields appear in slightly different places
- Super+Tab, super, loses focus (LP: #970420)
- Dash - reduce frosty effect (LP: #978785)
- HUD doesn't ignore key events while ibus is active (LP: #957927)
- "Show Dekstop icon" typo in Unity's translation template (LP: #934526)
- Starting dash or hud with mouse over launcher desaturates all icons
- Untranslatable strings in the hints screen (LP: #975815)
- Dash text input does not get focus (LP: #774447)
- dash ignore queries done just after session start (LP: #979799)
* Cherry-pick an additional commit for a crash
* debian/control:
- build-dep on latest libnux-2.0-dev for ABI break
- bump Standards-Version to latest
-- Didier Roche <email address hidden> Fri, 13 Apr 2012 14:34:15 +0200