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|Included in photo: Rep. Carolyn C. Kilpatrick (D-MI); Rep. Robert Menendez (D-NJ); Ed Wax, Saatchi & Saatchi; Sam Chisholm, Chisholm-Mingo Group; Ana Maria Fernandez Haar; Wally Snyder, AAF president; Heide Gardner, AAF VP-diversity & strategic programs; Don Richards, Leo Burnett.
On October 6, 2000, President Clinton signed an executive order at the White House that includes language to establish the first multicultural advertising guidelines for federal government departments and agencies.
The inclusion of an advertising section in the executive order is the result of a two-year partnership to share information among the administration, members of Congress, Vice President Gore's Interagency Working Group on Advertising, federal government agencies including the Federal Trade Commission and Federal Communications Commission and the ad industry, represented by the AAF.
The AAF recognized the leadership of U.S. Rep. Robert Menendez (D-NJ) and Rep. Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick (D-MI), who have worked on advertising-related procurement issues for several years and worked closely with the President on the order. Since they co-hosted AAF's 1998 congressional Summit on Diversity both members of Congress have been partnering with the organization to advance multicultural advertising in the private sector as well.
"This is an historic event for the ad industry. We have a remarkable, if not unprecedented, example of top down leadership from one of the nation's largest advertisers," said AAF President and CEO Wally Snyder. "President Clinton, as the chief executive officer of a huge client, has laid down the law with a mandate to take the diversity of the American people seriously and to widen the window of opportunity for minority contractors."
Snyder went on to say, "This is the kind of leadership that will result from the adoption of principles for the private sector on multicultural advertising. They will be policy instruments to be executed at the highest levels of a company."
The White House
Office of the Press Secretary
October 6, 2000
I am pleased today to sign an Executive Order strengthening our efforts to increase contracting opportunities between the federal government and disadvantaged businesses, in particular, Small Disadvantaged Businesses, 8(a) Businesses, and Minority Business Enterprises. These businesses play a vital role in our nation's economy, but historically have been underutilized and at times shut out of Federal procurement opportunities. Accordingly, this Executive Order directs Federal departments and agencies with procurement authority to take aggressive and specific affirmative actions to ensure inclusion of disadvantaged businesses in federal contracting.
I want to thank Representatives Kilpatrick, Menendez, Velazquez and Wynn, and the many others who have worked with us to ensure that the private sector recognizes the importance and utility of contracting with disadvantaged businesses. I particularly commend those members of the advertising community who are working to increase the representation of minorities within advertising, both on the creative end and in transmission to the public. It is critical that the private sector help lead this effort and take advantage of the diverse and creative views that underrepresented groups will bring to the advertising process. I want to commend the American Advertising Federation (AAF) for responding to the Vice President's challenge and working with interested parties to develop the Principles for Effective Advertising in the American Multicultural Marketplace, a strategic plan for boosting minority representation in the advertising industry.
Certainly, the federal government must play a leading role as well. Advertising and the broader information technology industries play an increasingly expansive role in our society. Therefore, in this Executive Order, I am directing each federal department and agency to ensure that all creation, placement, and transmission of federal advertising is fully reflective of the nation's diversity. Further, this Executive Order directs each federal department and agency to take clearly defined and aggressive steps to ensure small and disadvantaged business participation in procurement of information technology and telecommunications contracts.
This Executive Order will ensure that Federal departments and agencies are held accountable on these issues. It does so by clearly listing the responsibilities and obligations of each agency to expand opportunities for disadvantaged businesses and requires the agencies to report to me within 90 days of the issuance of this order the steps they plan to take to increase contracting with disadvantaged businesses. Subsequently, the agencies will be required to submit annual reports on their ongoing efforts in this area to the Director of the Office of Management and Budget to ensure at the highest levels the Executive Branch will sustain on unflagging and aggressive efforts to achieve this important goal.


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Paving project nears completion
Date: June 16, 2009
by: Kurt Schultheis | City Editor
The Florida Department of Transportation's Gulf of Mexico Drive paving contractor, Ajax Paving Industries Inc., will be placing a coat of permanent striping, called thermal striping, on the Manatee County portion of the road Wednesday, June 17.
The contractor received permission from the town to perform the work during the evening hours Wednesday, June 17 and, if needed, Thursday, June 18.
Project public information officer Darren Alfonso said the noise from the two trucks doing the striping will not be excessive. No lane closures will be performed while the company completes the last phase of the paving project.
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25 Business After Hours Networking Event
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2 Florida's Children First 2014 Sarasota Reception
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Mar Vista begins dock construction
Mar Vista Dockside Restaurant & Pub is on track to have a new dock by the end of October.
Aren't you barracuda?
Steven Herich, of Beach Fishing Adventures, recently caught a 30-pound, 52-inch barracuda.
Donation creates summer camp gift
A donation from St. Armands Key Lutheran Church's senior ministry recently made it possible for 13 children to attend Dollar Dynasty's educational summer camp.

subset: commoncrawl


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SANTA CLARA Captain Comeback and Kaptain Bounceback are hitting newsstands and mailboxes this week.
Jim Harbaugh and Colin Kaepernick are featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated, albeit in unconventional fashion. The main photo is of Kaepernick running, the ball tucked under his right arm. Just below that arm is a cutout and taped-on floating head of an agape Harbaugh, who is staring up at his quarterback.
The headline "Holy " is followed by the subhead: "Shout it from the mountaintop, Jim you were dead on about Colin Kaepernick."
It's the first time the 49ers have made the magazine's famous cover since, well, since this time last year. The quartet of center Jonathan Goodwin, quarterback Alex Smith, fullback Bruce Miller and tailback Frank Gore were featured after the 49ers beat the Saints in the playoffs.
There are a few points to be made here.
The first is that the two covers nicely show how much the 49ers have changed in a year. The 2012 cover not only has Smith at quarterback, it has the 49ers in a very traditional backfield formation.
The new cover is of Kaepernick, a most untraditional NFL quarterback, and the story inside details Harbaugh's risky and ultimately rewarded decision to play the young passer over Smith earlier this season.
Another point: The national attention and adulation the 49ers currently are receiving fits a pattern, and it's not a good one for San Francisco.
It seems that whenever the 49ers have won a momentous, prime-time game this season, they've received an avalanche of adoration and have jumped to the top of everyone's power ranking (which, by the way, are about as useful as mock drafts).
And as every true fan knows by now, the 49ers haven't responded well to sweet praise. In fact, they've reacted like someone crashing after a sugar high.
To wit:
A convincing prime-time win against the Lions remember Owen Wilson and Vince Vaughn on the sideline? was followed by a flat loss in Minnesota.
In Week 5, San Francisco thrashed Buffalo 45-3, becoming the first NFL team to have more than 300 rushing and passing yards in one game. The next week: a sluggish 26-3 loss to the Giants.
On "Monday Night Football," Smith completed 18 of 19 passes in a blowout win over the Cardinals. In the 49ers' next game, they fell behind early and were lucky to tie the Rams at home.
A big win for Kaepernick on the road against the Saints was followed by his most humbling effort of the season, a loss on the road in St. Louis.
Finally, the 49ers were the toast of the nation after they beat Tom Brady and the Patriots on national television. A week later also on prime time they suffered their worst loss of the season to Russell Wilson and the Seahawks.
If the 49ers win Sunday, they will head to their sixth Super Bowl. If they lose, it will be another remarkable feat: a consistent win, win, non-win pattern over 18 games.
"No explanation, but it will be a great time to break it," Goodwin said. " I think it's a week we have to get up for. Maybe that's something. Maybe we just kind of got in a lull in the regular season after a little success. Can't have that happen now. It's too big of a game and too valuable a moment."
Goodwin is right. The 49ers have had trouble with success.
It's clear they are very good following a loss they've never dropped consecutive games under Harbaugh and when they're the underdog. It is playing from a position of power against an opponent fueled by its own persecution complex when the 49ers stumble.
And that's the position they're in this week. The Falcons lost only three games this season, are the NFC's No. 1 seed and are playing at home. Yet not only are they underdogs but they find their opponents on the cover of Sports Illustrated this week.
There's also the possibility of the 49ers falling victim to the magazine cover's infamous jinx.
Goodwin said he doesn't believe in the curse. Still, as he was discounting it, he leaned over and rapped his knuckles against his locker a few times.
You know, just to be safe.
"I don't think so, but knock on wood," he said.
© Copyright The Sacramento Bee. All rights reserved.


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Santa Fe justice center ribbon-cutting ceremony is next month
SANTA FE — A new public safety building, a long-held dream for officers in the Santa Fe Police Department, is now a reality.
SANTA FE — A new public safety building, a long-held dream for officers in the Santa Fe Police Department, is now a reality.
TEXAS CITY — College of the Mainland will swear in a new police chief today.
GALVESTON – It was estimated that about 1,000 competitors came to Galveston Island for the Lonestar Triathlon and 5150 on Sunday.
While the majority of Galveston County teams had the week off, there were still some interesting games on the Week 4 schedule.
I have decided we all need a reminder about our emergency warning system, for those who have forgotten, those who never knew, and anybody new to town who was called up in the middle of the night and wondered just what was going on.
When we ran for Congress in 2012, most of the nine candidates agreed on the major issues.
Today, the tall ship Elissa is the most well-known vessel to call Galveston home.
The path to obtaining a diagnosis has been a long and arduous one. It's involved a great deal of waiting. It's also brought surprises.
BOSTON (AP) — Three Afghanistan National Army officers who went missing during a training exercise at a Cape Cod military base were detained Monday at the U.S.-Canadian border, Massachusetts law enforcement officials said.
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — A federal judge has ordered the state to take additional steps to provide voting materials to Alaska Native voters with limited English.
8522 Teichman Road, Galveston, Texas 77553
7800 Emmett F. Lowry Expy., Texas City, Texas 77591
Phone: 409-683-5200 | News: 409-683-5239
Circulation: 409-683-5260 | Classifieds: 409-683-5301
© Copyright 2014 Galveston Newspapers Inc. Terms
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Dentist Can Proceed With Lawsuit Against Yelp Reviewers
A Foster City, Calif., pediatric dentist is being allowed to proceed with a libel suit against a husband and wife.
Yahoo's TV Widgets Service Tries to Bridge the Web/TV Divide
"TV Widgets" -- the latest attempt to meld television and the Internet, this time by Yahoo and Intel -- is here.
Twitter Experiences Growing Pains
Twitter appears to be experiencing more growing pains. Users and the service itself recently have reported a spate of problems...
Facebook Users Redouble Protest Efforts
Facebook fans unhappy about the site's most recent design changes mobilize to make their voices heard.
Twitterers Punked by Early April Fools' Prank
'Premium' account offer turns out to be a joke that some Twitter fans caught on to. Others, not so much.
Google Touts Speed of New Chrome Beta
Google has introduced what it says is a faster beta version of Chrome.
Nokia 'Actively' Considers Laptops
Nokia is seriously contemplating entering the notebook market, according to research firm DisplaySearch.
Study: Social Cliques Carry Over to the Internet
Apparently, high school is never really over -- especially when it comes to social networking.
Smartphone Owners Pan BlackBerry App Store's Starting Price
RIM surprised a lot of people by announcing that apps sold in the soon-to-launch Blackberry App World online store will start at $2.99.
ICANN to Allow Chinese, Arabic, Russian Domain Names
Other non-ASCII characters soon will be permitted as well.
iPhone Apps are the Real Money-Maker, Analyst Says
Some smartphone owners spent as much on apps as on the mobile hardware, a study reveals.
Will Shorter Domain Names Boost Dot Biz?
Get ready for i.biz, u.biz and probably we.biz.
Al Jazeera Lobbies Online for U.S. Cable Access
Al Jazeera English has launched a Web-based grassroots campaign to coax American cable companies to air its shows.
New Version of Jivox Lets Users Create Interactive Video Ads
Jivox is the latest tool to help businesses grab the attention of Web surfers through interactive video advertising.
Save More Money With Better Power Management
It might be the most vexing question of the technology age: Is it better to turn off a PC at night or leave it on?
Articles by Carla ThorntonNext Page


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Real Estate News from Popular Kentucky Cities
- Louisville
- Lexington
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- Elizabethtown
- Bowling Green
- Paducah
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- Fort Mitchell
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- Nicholasville
- Mount Sterling
- Danville
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- Lagrange
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- Fort Knox
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- Prospect
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Real Estate News from Popular Kentucky Counties
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Find Real Estate Listings
(Real Living/Home Realty)
Comments 6
New Carpet & Paint makes this an attractive buy. Three bedrooms, two full baths, laundry room with washer & dryer, Kitchen with range, refrigerator, & dishwasher. Large sun room off the kitchen area. You can't go wrong with this deal, great for first time home buyer or investor. Call Connie Lo...
(Tony Clark Realtors, LLC)
Comments 3
Another Beautiful Home SOLD by Angela Clark CRS 9839 Hwy 231, Utica, Daviess County, Kentucky Chalet-Style Home with walk-out basement on 13.56 Acres. 4 Beds, 2.5 Baths. Soaring Cathedral Ceilings. Rich, Solid hardwood floors. 2 Stone Fireplaces. Attached oversized garage. Detached shop ...
(Tony Clark Realtors, LLC)
Comments 3
Another Home SOLD in "Thorobred Crossing" by Angela Clark CRS 2213 Triple Crown Way Owensboro Kentucky Angela Clark represented the relocating purchaser. With data and a clean offer, the purchaser was able to buy this home for a mere 90% of list price! Congratulations to the very happy pur...
(Tony Clark Realtors, LLC)
Comments 2
Another Beautiful Home SOLD by Angela Clark CRS "Trinity Hills" 2912 Aldersgate Owensboro Kentucky Congratulations to both the seller and the lucky purchaser! Another Beautiful Home SOLD by Angela Clark CRS
(Tony Clark Realtors, LLC)
Comments 2
SOLD by Angela Clark CRS 1919 East 20th Street, Owensboro, Daviess County, Kentucky When I saw this Fannie Mae foreclosure on my "coming soon" list, I knew it was the perfect match for my purchaser. And she is thrilled with the value! Congratulations to my very happy purchaser! Best wish...
(Tony Clark Realtors, LLC)
Comments 2
Make your money work in this updated duplex! Real Estate Investments SOLD by Angela Clark CRS 1708 Todd Court, Owensboro, Daviess County, Kentucky Congratulations to the very happy sellers and purchaser! SOLD by Angela Clark CRS, Tony Clark Realtors 270-929-4022
(Tony Clark Realtors, LLC)
Comments 1
Another Beautiful Home SOLD by Angela Clark CRS 7511 Hwy 136 E in Calhoun, McLean County, Kentucky Charming 1.5 story home with acreage. Congratulations to the very happy sellers and purchaser! Another Beautiful Home SOLD by Angela Clark CRS, Tony Clark Realtors
(Real Living/Home Realty)
Comments 0
Wonderful stone & wood home loaded with extras! Lead glass entry, Four bedrooms, three full baths, great room with soaring ceiling, built-ins, fireplace, wood floors, updated kitchen & appliances, large laundry room, two family area, study or computer area. Wonderful raised patio for entertaini...
(Real Living/Home Realty)
Comments 1
Fabulous country home with 4 bedrooms, beautiful hardwood floors, 3.5 full baths, great room with built- ins, fireplace, tray ceiling, formal dining room, large kitchen with appliances and breakfast area, sun room, walk-out basement with family room, fireplace, second kitchen, & large storage ro...
(RE/MAX Properties East)
Comments 0
Gilda's Club in Louisville is hosting a thirteen week long program to assist smokers in quitting. The smoking cessation classes begin on Wednesday, September 17. The workshop will use the Cooper/Clayton Method. Dr. Thomas Cooper, a dentist and former heavy smoker, developed the program with Dr, R...
(Feng Shui This, Kentucky's Feng Shui Master)
Comments 2
The study of Feng Shui teaches us that we have three types of "luck". There's Heaven Luck, what we bring with us to the planet; Earth Luck, where we land; and Man Luck, what we do with what we have. Our lives are nourished or stymied by each of these. The most important of the three is the M...
(Real Living/Home Realty)
Comments 1
Cute as a button and back up to a Soccer field. No neighbors in the back of the property. Three bedroom brick home with lots of updates. Kitchen with island, nice great room, front porch, rear patio and fence. There's a storage building too! Great price @$74,500 Call Connie Lou for all showin...
(Real Living/Home Realty)
Comments 2
Best deal in town! Four bedroom, 2 1/2 bath brick home in Lake Forest on Woodlake Run. Formal dining room, great room with fireplace and gas logs, kitchen with appliances and breakfast nook. Over 2300 square feet of living area. Two car garage, fenced yard and ready for a new owners. Call Conni...
(Real Living/Home Realty)
Comments 1
Leisure living at its best, this three bedroom brick condo offers 3 bedrooms, 2 full baths, kitchen with range, dishwasher, refrigerator & microwave, great room with past thru window, laundry closet with washer & dryer, patio & 2 car garage. There' as club house with party room with fireplace a...
(Real Living/Home Realty)
Comments 2
Move-in ready, just waiting for that new buyer. Three bedroom brick, 1 1/2 baths, living room, family room, kitchen with breakfast nook and appliances, large laundry room, 1754 square feet of living area. fenced rear yard, and front porch. The price is right @$122,500. Call Connie Lou for you...
This Labor Day, as you enjoy the many holiday events in Louisville because you are off work, is a good time to think about all the people who help put on the events. For event organizers and managers, construction crews, food vendors, cleanup crews, security guards, medical personnel, and musicia...
Labor Day weekend is always the last hurrah of summer and there are always plenty of Labor Day activities in Louisville to enjoy. With weather forecasters predicting that another hard winter is ahead, it's a good time to get out and enjoy the best of Louisville. For the record, it is the Farmer'...
(The Elmore Group with Re/Max Associates)
Comments 1
"The person on top of the mountain did not fall there." ~ Unknown
Louisville is a city known for its great respect for old buildings. In any of the nearly 150 recognized neighborhoods in the city, there are architectural marvels you might enjoy restoring. When you buy an older home, there are many expensive upgrades that lie ahead of you, so it's best to go int...
(RE/MAX Properties East)
Comments 1
The Mayor's Book Club is reading its way around the world with books that are based in different countries and cultures. The Mayor's Book Club meets on the third Wednesday of the month at Louisville's Main Library from noon until 1:00pm. You are welcome to bring your lunch. At the August 20 meeti...
(HUFF Realty)
Comments 2
View the Tour 3 Bedrooms 2 Full Bathroom Peaceful 2.6494 Acres 2 Car Oversized, Side Entry Garage Open Living Room with Soaring Cathedral Ceilings & Walkout to Deck Chef's Kitchen Includes Counter Bar, Eat-in Area, Pantry, Dishwasher, Oven/Range, Refrigerator and Microwave Large Guest Bedroo...
(RE/MAX Properties East)
Comments 1
Having fun at the Kentucky State Fair is easy. Having enough time to fit it all in is the hard part. The 2014 Kentucky State Fair runs from August 14-24 at the Kentucky Exposition Center in Louisville. The eleven day schedule is packed full of special one day events combined with exhibits and s...
Comments 0
Whether you live in Louisville or just love to travel to amusement parks, you are probably happy to hear that Kentucky Kingdom is open again after five years and several futile attempts to revive it. Although some parts of the park are not open yet, investors have spent nearly $44 million to date...
(RE/MAX Properties East)
Comments 0
Want to hear amazing Nashville music without leaving Louisville, and look at stunning boats while you're doing it? If so, the CQ Jam for WaterStep is an event that's made for you. Whether you're a boating enthusiast, a country music lover or both, this is a party you'll want to attend. Jam on the...
Kentucky Real Estate Agents and Real Estate Professionals
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- Philip H. Losey Junior Real Estate Agent
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- Cindy Crutcher Real Estate Agent
- The Miles & Smith Real Estate Group Real Estate Agent


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'Bonito del Norte' Tuna is line-caught and packed by hand. The packers at Serrats include a whole Piquillo pepper, (a sweet and tangy fire-roasted pepper unique to Spain) and then top off each jar with olive oil, to keep the dense white bonito moist and mild. It is a perfect marriage of tastes.
Select Serrats Bonito del Norte is among the finest in the country. Spaniards consider this fish the finest of the tuna family. The Serrats fishermen catch the bonito by individual line, never by net where it could languish, along with turtles and other sea life. The bonito is brought aboard and immediately dressed, thus preserving its remarkably firm texture and fresh flavor.
Set aside your preconceptions about canned tuna – this is in a league by itself. Perfect flavor, very solid meat – almost like a steak, and so fresh and moist due to the olive oil in which it is packed.
Every time you open a jar to prepare tapas, a tuna salad, a sandwich or creamed tuna for the family you will be reminded once more how extraordinarily sweet and light line-caught bonito is -- a far cry from the water packed tuna you get at the supermarket.
When you taste this silky smooth tuna, any other will be a disappointment.
White tuna, olive oil-composed of refined olive oil and virgin olive oil, piquillo peppers, salt.
Serving size: 1/4 cup (55g). Servings per container 2.5. Calories 110, fat calories 50. Total fat 6g (9%), sat. fat 1g (5%), cholesterol 24mg (8%), sodium 390mg (17%), total carb. 0g, fiber 0g, sugars 0g, protein 14g, iron 4%. Not a significant source of vitamin A or C and calcium.* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
2 Jars of Wood-Fire Roasted Piquillo Peppers from LodosaArtisanal Specialty of NavarraAll Natural
Señorío Olive Oil & Colosia Sherry Vinegar ComboCold-Pressed Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Aged Sherry VinegarAll Natural
2 Packages of Artisan Cooking Chorizo Sausage by Peregrino Featured in Food and Wine Magazine! Certified Humane Pork
2 Packages of Mild Palacios Chorizo from SpainAll Natural Sausage - Imported from SpainAll Natural


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Scroobius Pip Polarbear - At Home With Polar - CD- Price: $9.00
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Product Details for Scroobius Pip - Polarbear - At Home With Polar - CD
"I'm excited and delighted to be able to present to you and release the first official collection of polarbear's work! Polarbear has been sitting a top the UK spoken word scene for years now. He has pretty much retired from doing regular spoken word shows to concentrate on his celebrated 60 - 90 minute one man stories. That is one of the reasons I twisted his arm to make a collection of his spoken word pieces (that he may never perform again). This album (that will hopefully become a series with other poets doing the same) is just Mr Bear, at home, with a mic. Telling poems and the stories behind them. Enjoy! - Pip"
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Since 1997, when Jaguar introduced its current generation XK, sales have gone through the roof, especially on the convertible, which outsells the coupe by 8 to 1. As trendy and attractive as the drop top is, the Coupe is actually sleeker and sportier. And in the case of the XKR (offered in either version) it really doesn't get much better.
For 2005, the supercharged coupe received a few mild refinements, but overall it's the same sexy beast capable of sprinting from zero to 60 mph in only 5.3 seconds. That's a surprisingly rapid pace considering the XKR's heft (3,865 pounds) and overall dimensions (188 x 82 inches).
Much of the weight seemingly blows out the window, as acceleration is swift and forceful, a direct result of its 390 bhp. Its 4.2-liter, 32-valve V8 is quite the animal, offering nearly 100 bhp more than the normally aspirated XK8. Mated with a smooth six-speed automatic transmission, the XKR rockets to speed with great enthusiasm and continues to run without hesitation. Cruising at 90 feels like a leisurely drive through the park. Thanks to its slippery aerodynamics, wind noise is minimal, barely a whisper. Virtually the only sound is the rhythmic hum of the fine tuned engine. Squash the pedal and the blower chimes in with characteristic harmony. It's music to my ears.
Engineered with a stiffer body structure and equally stout suspension, the XKR is particularly sporty, able to corner with surprising agility and not bad for a car that's more than a foot longer than a 911. Giant cross-drilled rotors and bright red Brembo calipers peer through equally massive 20-inch alloy wheels, which are, naturally, wrapped in performance rubber. Regardless of its pleasing handling traits, the XKR is more at home on the open highway or cruising Main Street.


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A Dollar for Everyone
sayar is a member of The Motley Fool Blog Network -- entries represent the personal opinion of the blogger and are not formally edited.
All dollar stores seem to be concerned about the impending fiscal cliff and have very cautious projections for the coming year. Dollar General (NYSE: DG) published exquisite results last week but concerns about the future, patchy economy and projections of increased advertisement costs were enough to pull the stock price down. Other dollar stores also faced a reduction in their share prices after a word of caution about future prospects were made.
Churning the numbers
Dollar General has produced stellar numbers this quarter. Revenue rose by 10.3% compared to the same quarter last year and was reported at $3.96 billion. This was the fifth consecutive quarter where the revenue has risen in the double digits. The net income beefed up by 21.3% from $171.2 million to $207.7 million growing consistently over the last three quarters.
The consumers are purchasing on the basis of need in the holiday season, but the company is making progress by increasing its market share modestly even amidst competition. The company's gradual reduction in share price by about 50% has improved customer satisfaction and sales. Further reduction of $500 million in costs will help the company to tap in lower prices.
Dollar General is taking diverse steps to improve customer loyalty and plans to invest in margin improvements for that matter. The company plans to invest in advertisement, lowering prices of certain goods and make a strategic investment of zone pricing.
Market Seems a Mixed Bag/ Reactions to Counter Actions
Dollar General has a track record of 23 years of same store sales growth and it is taking up market share of its peers like Dollar Tree (NASDAQ: DLTR). Dollar General has improved its same-store sales forecast for the year to 4.5-5%, up from the previous expectation of 4-5% while Dollar Tree has witnessed same-store sales growth of just 1.6% (as per last published earnings). Dollar Tree is also trying to expand with an aggressive store expansion program and tap its customers in the constrained economy by offering $1 products.
Wal-Mart's (NYSE: WMT) massive scale and efficiency has pressured Dollar General to operate on lower budgets and spend more on advertising. Though, Dollar General is outpacing the same store sales growth of Wal-Mart, but its entry into the micro market is a concern for the company. In response to Wal-Mart's invasion, Dollar General is building larger stores and selling groceries and other merchandise through Dollar General Markets and Dollar General Plus stores.
Dollar stores understand the value of price conscious consumers. Dollar General's private labels are a relief for consumers suffering from economic pressures. The company is planning to add 150 private label brands which should prove to be a high margin product for the company in the near future.
A Foolish Thought
Dollar General is taking the competition head on and making strategic changes to counter them. Wal-Mart's entry is a great challenge for the company. I feel Dollar General and Dollar Tree both are cheaply priced at a trailing P/E of 16.38 and 15.60, far below the industry average of 21.59. Dollar General has delivered consistently and has tremendous potential to deliver in the future which should not be ignored.
sayardevi has no positions in the stocks mentioned above. The Motley Fool has no positions in the stocks mentioned above. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Is this post wrong? Click here. Think you can do better? Join us and write your own!


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Read the bylaws (pdf)
Contact the Chair
Meetings are held on the third Thursday of each month from September
through April (except December) in locations as specified.
September 19, 2013
Chesapeake Campus
Whitehurst Bldg. , Room 2057
October 17, 2013
November 21, 2013
Norfolk Campus
Martin Bldg. , Room 2610
November 22, 2013
December 19, 2013
January 30, 2014
moved to 4th Thursday because of start of spring semester
Blackboard Collaborate Session
(college closed due to inclement weather)
February 20, 2014
no proposed agenda items- meeting cancelled
March 20, 2014
April 17, 2014
June 12, 2014
Virginia Beach Campus
Joint Use Library
Rooms L102 & L103 (room map)
Minutes (archive)
Agenda items (Inside TCC)
Current Members
Jennifer Hopkins, Chesapeake
Linda Williams, Chesapeake
Phyllis Gowdy, Norfolk
Diana Branton, Virginia Beach
Thomas Stout, Chesapeake, Chair
Robert House, Virginia Beach
Curry-Lourenco, Portsmouth
Fine Arts
Susanne Rauch, Virginia Beach
Michael Plumb, Virginia Beach
Larry Nobles,
Regional Automotive Center
Susan Dozier, Virginia Beach
Jeannie Taylor, Chesapeake
Forrest Crock, Chesapeake
Maura Lansing, Virginia Beach
Calvin Scheidt, Virginia Beach
David Kiracofe, Chesapeake
Greg Frank, Virginia Beach
Ann Ambrose, Portsmouth
Alison Harwell, Virginia Beach
Cheryl Nabati, Virginia Beach
Jeanetta Hollins, Chesapeake
Kelly Gillerlain, Chesapeake
Mozell Person, Portsmouth
Kellie Sorey, District
Rhonda D'Amore (Recorder)
Barbara Murray, Virginia Beach
Judy Gill, Norfolk
* Representatives must be from two different disciplines
MEMBERSHIP: Representatives from the
teaching faculty are elected college-wide by discipline groups as
aggregated below. Counselors, LRC representatives, and academic deans
are elected college-wide by their peers. The classified staff
representative is elected by the Classified Association. Up to three
teaching faculty members may be appointed for a one-year term by the
PAPC to ensure equitable representation from the four campuses.
Each voting member elected
by his/her constituency group shall serve a two-year term, with a 50%
overlap from year to year. If a member should step down from the
committee prior to the end of his/her term, a replacement shall be
appointed by the Committee Chair to serve out the remainder of the term.
At the end of the term, the replacement will be eligible for election
to serve a subsequent two-year term.
Members may be re-elected or re-appointed after one year off the Committee.
Elections will be conducted to fill committee vacancies and results reported to the Chair prior to the April meeting each year.


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Technical Information
Welcome to the Technical Information portion of the U.S. Figure Skating website. Here you will find important information on the many technical aspects of figure skating. For easier navigation, tabs on the left side of the page will guide you to each discipline (Singles/Pairs, Ice Dancing, Synchronized Skating and Adult Skating). Within the tabs are discipline-specific technical information, ISU communications, technical panel information and judges and referees information.
U.S. Figure Skating Alerts and Technical Notifications are on a separate page.
A link to the U.S. Figure Skating Rulebook can be found in the left-side navigation of this page.
Recent Updates
- (8/21) - The layout of the Cha Cha Congelado Step Chart has been corrected on pages Dance-81 and Dance 82 of the rulebook.
- (8/21) - There are no technical notifications this week.
- (8/14) - There are no technical notifications this week.
- (7/24) - There are no technical notifications this week.
- (7/24) - ISU Communication #1885 - Ice Dancing - Corrections to ISU Communications #1857, #1860 and #1875 - has been added here.
- (7/24) - ISU Communication #1884 - Single and Pairs Skating - Amendments and Corrections to ISU Communication #1861 has been added here.
- (7/10) - There are no technical notifications this week.
- (7/3) - Technical Notification #149 - Implementation of ISU Communications #1874 and #1875 - has been posted here.
- (6/19) - Technical Notification #147 - Ice Dancing - Calling Clarifications for Novice, Intermediate and Juvenile has been updated here.
- (6/5) - Technical Notification #148 - Singles Calling Clarification for Novice, Intermediate and Juvenile
has been added and Technical Notification #96 - Competitions - IJS Calculations for Nonqualifying-Level Events and Non Standard Elements Scale of Values has been updated here.
2014-15 Scale of Values for Pattern Dance, Short Dance and Free Dance Elements
- (5/8) - Technical Communication #145 - Ice Dancing, Singles and Pairs - Implementation Date of ISU Communications #1860 and #1861 has been added here.
- (4/3) - Technical Notification #143 - Singles Skating - Spin Clarification for Novice Short Program and Free Skate and Technical Notification #144 - Synchronized Skating - Adoption of ISU Age Changes for the Season 2014-15 for Senior and Junior have been added here.
(4/3) - ISU Communication #1857 - Ice Dancing - Requirements for Technical Rules for Season 2014-15, Additions to the ISU Ice Dancing Music Rhythms Booklet - Spanish Dance Rhythms and have been added here.
- (3/27) - Technical Notification #141 - Synchronized Skating - Senior, Junior and Collegiate Well-Balanced Program Requirements 2014-15 and Technical Notification #142 - Judges for Nonqualifying Theatre on Ice Events have been added here.
ISU Communication #1856 - Synchronized Skating - Technical Requirements Season 2013-14 has been added here.
Use of the International Judging System
The international judging system will be used at:
- Regional and sectional championships - All qualifying levels and all disciplines
- Synchronized sectional championships - Intermediate and above events including adult, collegiate and open junior
- U.S. Junior Championships - All events
- U.S. Championships - All events
- U.S. Collegiate Championships - All events
- U.S. Synchronized Skating Championships - Intermediate and above events including adult and collegiate
- U.S. Adult Championships - Adult gold events and higher in the free skate (singles and pairs) and dance events, including masters open dance


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The National Hockey League has suspended Anaheim Ducks blueliner James Wisniewski eight games for his hit on Chicago Blackhawks' Brent Seabrook.
The incident took place during Wednesday's Blackhawks-Ducks game in Anaheim, Seabrook caught Anaheim's Corey Perry with a hit near the end boards that knocked Perry down.
Seconds later, Wisniewski laid a crushing hit on Seabrook that knocked the Chicago defenceman out of the game. Starting from the faceoff circle, Wisniewski sped at Seabrook and launched himself off the ice and into the defenceman at the end boards.
Wisniewski was assessed a minor charging penalty on the play, while Seabrook appeared dazed on his feet before collapsing to the ice.
"Mr. Wisniewski delivered a retaliatory hit to the head of an opponent who never had possession of the puck," explained NHL senior vice president of hockey operations Colin Campbell in a statement.
"There are certain hits in the game that are tolerable if you got the puck," stated Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville after Wednesday's game. "But if you hit a guy without the puck, you could kill a guy. It's the most dangerous hit in the history of the game. He tried to hurt him. If that's not intent, that's as bad a hit as you can ever have in the game."
Wisniewski, a former member of the Blackhawks, showed remorse for his actions but didn't agree with the eight-game penalty.
"I am truly sorry that my friend Brent Seabrook was hurt on the play," said Wisniewski in a statement. "I certainly wish him the best. I am, however, very disappointed in the length of the suspension. Eight games is incredibly hard to swallow, especially in comparison to other recent hits that have resulted in lesser punishment."
The suspension was not the first for Wisniewski this season. He served two games for a hit on Shane Doan of the Phoenix Coyotes in early November. He was also suspended for one game (crosscheck) in March of 2008.


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Ticket Policy
All sales are final. No refunds or exchanges.
Pick up your tickets at Will Call the day of the event at the box office. If you are the owner of the PayPal account, then bring the receipt or your ID and we will provide you with your tickets.
Upcoming Events
SHFF Film Entry
Call for Entries is now open!
SHFF Film Challenge
Become part of of Sacramento Horror Film Festival history.
Download the instructions here.
Press Room
Read news articles, testimonials and more from ticketholders, filmmakers and other friends of the Sac Horror Film Fest.
2014 Film Submission
2014 Entries are now open!
We only accept original films of a horror, suspense, thriller or science fiction genre. Documentaries, animation, and music videos related to the horror genre are acceptable. Content is not an issue; however any adult XXX rating type content will not be accepted.
- Entries must be submitted on DVD. NTSC format and Region 0 or Region 1 DVD.
- All entries must have been completed after January 1, 2004.
- Foreign films must have English subtitles.
- One film per DVD. If entering more than one film, please submit them separately.
Don't have a Withoutabox account? No problem. Submit using FilmFreeway, or simply download the PDF form, print and fill out, and mail in to the specified address with your entry and entry fee.
For information on how to submit your film to IMDB, click here.


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A subjective look at the A8-7600's gaming performance
Update — Faulty memory appears to be behind the crashing we experienced with the A8-7600T. The AMD-branded DIMMs provided with the Kaveri test system produce errors when running Prime95 alongside the Unigine Valley graphics benchmark. These errors occur with the memory clocked at 2133MHz, the maximum speed officially supported by both the DIMMs and the processor. Dialing back the modules to 1866MHz eliminates the errors, and so does swapping in a pair of Corsair Vengeance DIMMs. The Corsair modules passed a 12-hour stress test at 2133MHz without so much as a single error.
Kaveri is AMD's first APU to feature integrated graphics based on the latest generation of Radeon graphics cards. As we learned in our review of the A8-7600, even a cut-down version of this DirectX 11-class GPU can keep up with the latest blockbuster games. Battlefield 4, Batman: Arkham Origins, and Tomb Raider are all playable at a 1080p resolution. The frame rates aren't great—around 25-30 FPS—and the in-game detail settings need to be turned down to get the games running that well. But the action is smooth enough and the graphics are good enough to deliver an enjoyable experience, especially for so-called casual gamers with less refined tastes. Not bad for a $120 processor that can fit inside small-form-factor and all-in-one systems.
Our deadline for the Kaveri review was extremely tight, so there was no time to test the A8-7600 in additional games. However, I wanted to see how the chip handled a broader collection of titles, specifically the older, less demanding games so frequently discounted on Steam. These games may not be the latest and greatest, but they're still a lot of fun, and they're very cheap to buy. Perhaps the A8-7600 could run them with fewer compromises.
Since I was pretty much zombified the day after the review went up, I decided to find out. Installing and playing games was my only real hope of productivity in that state. The following are my subjective impressions and some accompanying screenshots. Clicking the screenshots will bring up a larger, full-resolution image that provides a better sense of how things look.
First, here are some shots from the games we tested in the review. (Our full, inside-the-second analysis begins here.)
I didn't include the full-sized images in the initial article, but they're worth perusing. All three games look better than one might expect from integrated graphics, especially given the display resolution. That said, Batman and Tomb Raider both crashed to the desktop multiple times during testing, and they weren't the only games to have issues.
Speaking of other games, let's look at batch of first-person shooters.
Borderlands 2 ran reasonably smoothly with only depth of field, ambient occlusion, and antialiasing disabled. The frame rate stuck to around 30 FPS, and I didn't perceive any obvious stuttering. This game is definitely playable, though it did crash to the desktop twice.
Serious Sam also crashed a couple of times. Otherwise, the game ran pretty well with high details and only ambient occlusion and antialiasing disabled. Frame rates bounced around within the 25-50 FPS range depending on how many baddies there were on the screen. The occasional slowdown was noticeable during the heaviest action, but it didn't really affect my enjoyment of the game.
Fraps' frame rate counter showed 30-45 FPS during my Dishonored session. The action felt smooth, with no apparent interruptions to fluid frame delivery. And the game looked decent, too. All the graphical settings were maxed with the exception of the model detail, which was set to normal rather than high, and antialiasing, which was disabled.
Next on the shooter front: Mirror's Edge and Counter-Strike: Global Offensive.
Both of these games ran well on the A8-7600. Counter-Strike regularly hit 60 FPS with the details maxed and FXAA turned on. It felt noticeably silkier than the other shooters, which is exactly what you want in a game that relies on quick reactions.
Mirror's Edge had slightly lower frame rates than Counter-Strike, and I had to disable antialiasing and PhysX effects to make the action stutter-free. After those adjustments, Fraps' FPS counter never dropped below 35 FPS, and Faith's free running felt fluid. Or it did until the game crashed. Twice. Noticing a pattern yet?
Dirt: Showdown crashed to the desktop multiple times, too. It was actually part of the original test suite for the A8-7600 review, but I switched to Tomb Raider after encountering a couple of early crashes on the Kaveri setup. After getting another shot, Dirt: Showdown ran pretty well, at least between subsequent crashes. With high details and antialiasing disabled, the frame rate hovered around 30-35 FPS. There were no obvious stutters or slowdowns.
The only crashing problem in Need for Speed: Shift 2 Unleashed was hitting other cars, and I can't blame the game or the APU for that. With high in-game detail settings, the A8-7600 cranked out 25-30 FPS. The frame rate dipped to the lower end of that range when there were more cars in front of me, but that didn't make the gameplay feel sluggish.
More game crashes hit when I tackled Sleeping Dogs. One of them even hosed part of the Windows install, forcing me to re-image the system. Ugh.
When it wasn't crashing, Sleeping Dogs was too choppy with high details. The game ran at 30-45 FPS with medium details, though. Scaling back the eye candy sacrificed the slickness of the environment, but it was necessary to even out the frame delivery and eliminate stuttering. And the graphics still looked all right.
Just Cause 2 is enjoying somewhat of a renaissance thanks to a free multiplayer mod. The mod crashed on me several times, but the standard, single-player version of the game ran without issue. And it ran very well, too. With high details and everything but antialiasing and ambient occlusion disabled, there were no noticeable slowdowns in the frame rate. Fraps reported 30-45 FPS for the duration of my test session.
A couple of more casual games, Dyad and Trials Evolution Gold, performed impeccably with all their in-game detail settings turned up. Not that we should be surprised. These titles are much simpler than the other games we've looked at so far.
Dyad and Trials Evolution Gold were immune to crashes, and the Kaveri system was perfectly stable in all our non-gaming tests, including those that tapped the integrated Radeon via OpenCL. The A8-7600 still had problems with exactly half of the games we played, though. That's a lot, especially since these aren't overly obscure titles. (I'm not counting Just Cause 2 multiplayer, which could probably use more polish.)
AMD's OverDrive utility showed no evidence that the APU was overheating. Also, there were no problems with Richland-based APUs running in the same test system and with the same drivers. Those chips have an older integrated graphics architecture that may use a separate driver code path, so perhaps this is just a software issue that can be ironed out with a future Catalyst driver release. Fingers crossed.
In between crashes, the A8-7600's gaming chops impressed me. This APU is fast enough to run lots of really good titles at 1080p resolution, and it can handle older games without too much sacrifice. That said, there are still some compromises involved. Even in older games, it's rare to be able to turn the detail settings all the way up, and antialiasing often causes slowdowns. Some visual fidelity is inevitably lost versus what can be achieved with a more powerful GPU.
Some smoothness is lost, as well. Although the A8-7600 was largely stutter-free in the games we tested, the lower frame rates we experienced in more recent titles didn't feel as fluid as the 60 FPS we got in Counter-Strike. The APU was fast enough to run the games we played at the settings we used, but the performance definitely wasn't ideal for most of those titles.
For casual audiences with less refined appetites, the A8-7600 is probably fast enough. Connoisseurs are unlikely to be satisfied, though, and I question how well future titles will run on the chip. The Xbox One and PlayStation 4 have a lot more GPU grunt than Kaveri's integrated Radeon, and developers are likely to target those platforms as their new baseline. Perhaps Kaveri can serve as a sort of gateway drug by giving people a taste of PC gaming without all the trimmings.
95 comments — Last by kamikaziechameleon at 2:32 PM on 01/30/14
For more than a decade, an Xbox console has lived under my television. I started with the original and moved on to the 360, and I have to admit that both offered a great couch-gaming experience in their day. The Xbox One isn't in my future, though. Instead, I'm going to build myself a new home-theater PC.
Now, don't get me wrong. I'm not anti-Xbone or even anti-console. The latest generation of Xbox and PlayStation machines has definite appeal. But, for the first time ever, the PC is comfortable enough in the living room that I don't need a complementary console.
PCs have long worked in the living room, of course. I've had one hooked up to my TV forever. For a long time, though, home-theater gaming rigs felt like transplanted desktops. Even when dressed up in spouse-friendly enclosures and filled with quiet hardware, they were always hampered by a Windows operating system that wasn't designed to be used from the couch.
Then, along came Steam's Big Picture GUI. Unlike the Windows desktop, this interface can be navigated comfortably at a distance with little more than a gamepad. The graphics are decent, the layout is reasonably intuitive, and everything feels generally snappy. Big Picture Mode fundamentally changed my living room gaming experience for the better, and it's the single biggest reason I'm passing on the new generation of consoles.
The supersized Steam UI still has some rough edges. Not all games have controller support, and some of those that do still require a keyboard and mouse to log in to third-party services like Uplay and GFWL. New additions can require a trip to the desktop to install DirectX and other packages. These quirks are annoying, but they reinforce the superiority of the Big Picture UI. When everything works as it should, the interface offers a seamless experience from purchasing to playing.
Big Picture mode is limited to Steam games, but that's more of a benefit than a detriment. Steam is easily the best game distribution platform around. Downloads are speedy, the DRM restrictions are generally reasonable, community-generated content is encouraged, and the selection of titles is incredibly diverse. Bargains abound, too, making it possible to build an extensive game library on the cheap. I've amassed a collection of really excellent indie titles at only a few bucks a pop. Blockbusters aren't as cheap, but they receive plenty of discounts of their own.
Thanks to Steam, PC games are generally cheaper than their console counterparts. I wouldn't go so far as to say PC gaming is cheaper as a whole, but over the long run, the difference is narrower than the console sticker prices suggest.
Up front, there's no question that buying a gaming PC is more expensive than getting the latest console. Once you factor in the cost of comparable hardware, a decent controller, and a Windows license (sorry, SteamOS just isn't there yet), it's hard to come anywhere close to the Xbone's $500 price tag, let alone the PS4's $400 sticker. PCs deliver a lot more flexibility—and often a lot more power—but you pay for it.
The thing is, consoles aren't really as cheap as they seem on the shelf. The Xbox One and PlayStation 4 both have subscription fees attached to online multiplayer gaming. Microsoft charges $60 for a year of Xbox Live Gold, and Sony demands $50 for its equivalent PlayStation Plus package. Even with the attached freebies and perks, those fees add up to quite a lot over the typical console lifespan.
Well, they do over the typical console life cycle. It's not uncommon for consoles to die long before their successors are released. I'm on my third Xbox 360 already, and I was never a heavy user. I know folks who have suffered more Xbox failures and some who have been through multiple PS3s. Most of these deaths have occurred after the warranty expired, leaving owners on the hook. Console prices tend to fall over time, so at least replacements are cheaper than the initial units. They still represent an additional cost, though.
PCs fail, too. Unlike with consoles, however, DIY repairs are a breeze. Individual components can be replaced with off-the-shelf hardware—and without special tools or firmware hax0ring. PC parts may not get cheaper like consoles do, but the options at each price point improve over time. For example, low-end graphics cards generally perform similarly to mid-range offerings from a few years prior.
The rapid rate of PC hardware development has definitely lowered the cost of a decent living room rig. Even relatively modest machines can render the latest blockbusters at 1080p resolution without issue. Yet the Xbone and PS4 have to scale some games back to lower resolutions to deliver smooth frame rates. There's no way to upgrade their guts to get better visuals, either. Equipping a PC for the latest 4K TVs isn't cheap, but at least it's an option.
To be honest, cost has never really been a deciding factor for me. My home-theater gaming rigs have largely been cobbled together from old review hardware, so they've always been cheap to build. They've also had a lot more horsepower than the consoles sitting next to them. But, for more than a decade, I kept using consoles because they provided a smoother, more enjoyable overall gaming experience from the couch.
The Xbone and PS4 are still simpler propositions than a modern gaming PC. However, this latest console generation faces a PC gaming ecosystem that's much more competent in the living room. The gaming rig under my television no longer feels like a second-class citizen, so I can finally ditch consoles completely. Anyone want to buy a dust-covered Xbox 360?
128 comments — Last by AbRASiON at 1:26 AM on 01/17/14
I keep hearing that winter is coming, but in Gotham, it's already here. Snowflakes swirl as I glide through the dim moonlight and onto another empty rooftop. My boots crunch into inches of fresh powder, and the next thing I hear is voices below. The crude, thuggish banter tells me what to expect before I even peer over the ledge. There's at least half a dozen of 'em, some armed and armored, and all oblivious to the shadow perched above.
My mission lies blocks away, and these miscreants aren't related. But they're here and, well, I can't help myself. A moment later, I'm careening through the night toward my first target. His body crumples into the pavement, crushed under my weight. Then the dance begins.
The next victim gets clocked before he realizes what's happening. I connect again and again while his compatriots clue in and begin to circle. One swings a pipe, but my deft counter delivers a critical hit. The next few minutes are a flurry of violence. I leap between opponents like a wrecking ball, my attacks growing more brutal with the building momentum. Most strikes are delivered with carefully timed precision. Every so often, though, I give in to the beast and explode in a burst of unbridled aggression.
Time slows down as the last man falls. For a moment, I feel at peace. This is exactly why I was so excited to play Batman: Arkham Origins.
This franchise and its satisfying combat system were introduced in 2009 with Batman: Arkham Asylum. Two years later, Arkham City polished the package and added a giant city to the mix. Both of those games were created by Rocksteady Studios, but the torch was passed to Warner Bros. Games Montreal for the latest Arkham Origins chapter. That fact made me nervous at first, but a few moments with the game confirm that the core principles remain intact.
For me, the Batman games are all about brawling. Arkham Origins sticks to the established formula here. The controls are tight, and the mechanics reward thoughtful, coordinated attacks over frantic button mashing. Reckless assaults will still do in a pinch, though. The balance between aggression and restraint is what makes the combat so addictive for me. Every encounter is different, and Arkham Origins adds a couple of new enemies to spice things up.
Some situations demand a stealthier approach. Players often find themselves in cavernous settings littered with heavily armed opponents and multiple ways to skulk around. Enemies must be picked off carefully, and there are several ways to subdue them from above, below, and with the gadgets stowed in our hero's utility belt. Arkham Origins has a couple of new toys, including a slick double-ended claw that strings up tightropes and can be used to hurl explosive canisters at enemies.
Although much of the action offers players multiple paths and methods, some of the boss fights feel very scripted. One of the early ones is pretty much just an endless stream of quick-time counters. I couldn't pass it without robotically following the on-screen cues, and even then, it took a couple of tries. That sapped all the fun out of the experience.
The indoor missions lead players along linear paths, and there's generally only one way around a given obstacle. The hand-holding continues with the detective work, which is essentially an interactive cinematic that revolves around "finding" clues identified by giant red markers. It's neat to see crimes recreated from the evidence, but there's no real thinking involved.
Outdoors, Arkham Origins provides a vast playground filled with side quests, activities, and random thugs to engage. There's a new fast-travel system that can be unlocked by capturing various control points across Gotham. I like having the option to warp across the map, but so far, I've been traveling on foot and grappling between rooftops. Coupled with the gliding and diving dynamics, the ability to accelerate past grapple points makes covering distance easy. There's plenty of scenery to take in, too.
I've been playing on a hot-clocked GeForce GTX 680 with the eye candy and PhysX dials turned all the way up. The graphics aren't mind blowing, but this is still a good-looking game with some very slick effects. The snow is especially crystalline; though it doesn't swirl with particle-driven excess during battle, beatdowns leave a nice impression, as do the player's feet. There's some neat heat shimmer and smoke, too, and Batman's cape looks reasonably fluid, despite a few clipping problems. Perhaps I'm spoiled, but some of the models and textures could use more detail. The same goes for the cinematics I've seen thus far.
After nine hours of play time, I'm about halfway through the story. The narrative hasn't really grabbed me, perhaps because I'm constantly distracted by random street fights and other excuses to throw down. The challenge maps are particularly fun; they serve up one fist fight after another and are perfect for quick sessions. Arkham Origins also has a whole online multiplayer component I haven't even touched.
Since I haven't sampled the multiplayer, which is all new and developed by Splash Damage, it seems a little unfair to criticize the game for offering more of the same. But the single-player component very much feels like a tweaked and massaged version of Arkham City. There's some comfort to the familiarity, and there's nothing wrong with offering a slight variation on a successful recipe. I clearly haven't tired of brawling. However, part of me wishes Arkham Origins brought something bigger to the experience. There was a quite a jump between Arkham Asylum and Arkham City, but the step up to the latest chapter feels like a small one. I hope a bolder leap forward lies in Batman's future—just as long as it doesn't ruin the combat.
43 comments — Last by a_non_moose at 11:32 PM on 12/19/13
I was listening to LCD Soundsystem the other day, and New York, I love you, but you're bringing me down somehow coalesced my feelings on Google's recent behavior. Dunno what happened there, but being well into a growler of Tofino Brewing's Hoppin Cretin IPA might have contributed. In any case, I'll take inspiration where I can get it.
Google, you're perfect, please don't change a thing.
If it weren't for you, we might have to use Bing.
Gmail captured my heart, and Android played a part.
If only I could, I would give you a ring.
I love Google. I really do. Its search engine has been a vital part of my Internet experience for what feels like forever. As far as I can tell, Google search remains the best way to find information on the web, especially since it's started spitting out knowledge along with links to third-party content.
Then there's Gmail, the slickest free webmail solution around. Gmail has been boss since back when it was an exclusive, invite-only club. I use it constantly for my personal and work correspondence on every computing device I own.
Android is my preferred platform for mobile devices. To me, it feels much more like a real operating system than iOS. I'll take basic freedoms like file management over the tightly controlled Apple experience any day. Android had some rough edges in its infancy, but it's improved dramatically over the past couple of years thanks to sensible optimizations and thoughtful updates. Speaking of which...
Google, I love you, but you're bringing me down.
I thought we were close, but that's all turned around.
Your KitKat may be sweet, still I fear we'll never meet.
Turns out my Nexus is too old for this round.
In the time that I've owned it, my Galaxy Nexus smartphone has become a faster, more capable device thanks to new Android releases. Google Now integration, combined with speech recognition for search, has made it much easier to get the information I want quickly and easily. Smaller tweaks have been welcomed, too, but Android 4.1's "Project Butter" optimizations take the cake. They made the whole UI much smoother and more responsive.
You can imagine my delight when Google revealed that Android 4.4 KitKat includes "Project Svelte" enhancements aimed at more efficient memory usage. The latest version of the OS is designed to improve performance on devices with as little as 512MB of RAM and to speed up multitasking for all. Such an update seems perfectly suited to the two-year-old Nexus. Google doesn't agree, however. Its KitKat FAQ says the Galaxy "falls outside of the 18-month update window when Google and others traditionally update devices."
What's the point of optimizing Android for less potent hardware if you're not going to bring older, less potent devices along for the ride? Cheaper handsets like the Moto G, probably. And wearables, I suspect.
As Google points out, its 18-month upgrade window is typical for the industry. And that's the problem. Google wasn't supposed to be like the others; it was supposed to be better. Nexus devices don't look quite as sweet when their ticket to OS updates expires 18 months after introduction. At least the ROM community might be able to pick up the slack.
Google, you're awesome, but you're cramping my style.
Your SD aversion has irked me for a while.
The Nexus 5 looks legit, and part of me lusts for it.
But 32 gigs are too few for my files.
Even with a limited OS upgrade path, Nexus devices are still pretty sweet. If only Google weren't allergic to equipping them with expandable storage. The official line is that Google wants to unify storage on a single volume. There are benefits to that approach, and the internal storage should be faster than the microSD alternative. However, Google has been negligent on the other side of the equation. All of its current Nexus devices top out at a measly 32GB. Meanwhile, the latest Apple devices are available with up to 64GB and in some cases 128GB of flash.
Flash chips have become smaller and prices have plummeted in recent years, so there's no excuse for skimping. Apps are only getting larger, especially games designed to take advantage of the latest hardware. Modern camera sensors pack ever more megapixels, expanding the footprint of the pictures we take and the videos we record. Meanwhile, high-PPI displays encourage us to consume media with the highest fidelity—and corresponding file size.
Cloud storage is supposed to bridge the gap, but that's an ugly compromise for all kinds of reasons. What if you have a limited data cap or a slow connection? What if you don't want your data floating around in the ether, where the NSA and others might be able to find out about your Nickelback bootleg collection? Being limited to 32GB of local storage is potentially crippling for both power users and folks with extensive media libraries.
Google, I love you, but you're bringing me down.
You've taken this smilie, turned it to a frown.
Maps that guided my life are now the cause of much strife.
What ever happened to holding my hand out of town?
Google Maps is in a class of its own. For some reason, though, Google seems intent on neutering the Android app. First, it obfuscated the process of caching maps locally, an essential feature for travelers who don't want to pay exorbitant roaming fees. Then, it removed My Maps functionality entirely, preventing carefully crafted maps from being accessed on mobile devices.
The Maps app has undergone some questionable UI changes, as well, although I'm not nearly as irate about those tweaks some of the recent reviews on Google Play. The lost functionality bothers me the most, in part because it makes me reluctant to depend on anything Google makes.
Google, you give and then you take away.
Yet it's hard to complain because I never pay.
Reader may be the worst, but it wasn't the first.
Why get attached if I don't know if you'll stay?
I never really got into Google Reader. When it was shuttered this summer, my life was largely unaffected. But I felt for the folks who had come to rely on the service to digest all of their feeds. Google gave them something they loved and then took it away.
iGoogle didn't stick, either, though it had a good run before being shut down at the beginning of the month. Google has ended other services, too, making me question whether one of my own favorites will be targeted in the next round of "spring cleaning." Since Google's products tend to be free, it's hard to complain too loudly when they're yanked. If only that lessened the feeling of loss.
Google, come on now, you're up in my grill.
I thought we were cool, I thought we were chill.
Now I get why there's plus, social network's a must.
But making me sign up... I swear I could kill.
When Google+ was introduced, I barely noticed. Everyone needed a social network because, um, Facebook, or something. Google's approach to sharing at least seemed to be more sensible than the status quo, but I never paid too much attention, mostly because I'm just not interested in social networking. Google was OK with that, at least for a while. Lately, it's been trying to jam Google+ down my throat.
Google+ first snuck into my life via Gmail, and it's now infected YouTube. Pretty soon, I wonder if any of the company's services will be accessible without a plus account. And for what? So Google can claim to have a bunch of active accounts owned by people who still prefer to hang out at Zuckerberg's house?
I know, I know. Other companies pull this kind of crap all the time. But Google+ was supposed to be the opt-in social network, and Google was supposed to be better than all this.
And oh, just take me off your circles list.
That no one even knows exists.
No matter how much you insist.
Maybe I'm wrong. And maybe you're right.
And maybe I'm spoiled, and this is driven by spite.
Google, I love you, but you're bringing me down.
The little things add up, and then they start to drown.
I take all this for free, then make it about me.
But deep inside I feel like I've been clowned.
145 comments — Last by abdqeb at 12:29 PM on 11/28/13
I'm right-handed. I use my dominant hand for everything from scrawling my name to hurling tennis balls for my dog to brushing my teeth. My right hand also spends an awful lot of time clutching my mouse. That wasn't a problem years ago, when I had the stamina to put in a full day working for TR and then spend hours in the evenings dealing out headshots in first-person shooters. But perhaps due to those marathon sessions, I've developed a bit of an RSI issue in my right shoulder. Recently, it's become difficult to make it through the day without some mousing-related discomfort, especially if I spend a lot of time in Excel. The twinge that manifests in my shoulder toward the end of my shift is painful enough that my freshly downloaded copy of Battlefield 4 remains unplayed.
Working less isn't really an option; there are news posts to write, articles to edit, and reviews to crank out. I could revamp my workstation, but my better half is an occupational therapist, and she tells me that my current setup is pretty close to ideal. The desk could be a bit lower—or the chair a little higher—but that's about it. Even if I got the height just right, I'd still be reaching to the right of the keyboard to use the mouse. That's the problem, she says.
My solution, at least for now, is switching hands.
Having done a fair amount of left-handed mousing after breaking my right ring finger last year, I'm no stranger to the off-hand approach. That initial foray involved moving my usual mouse, a Cyborg Gaming Rat 7, over the left side of the keyboard. The Rat worked in a pinch, but its asymmetrical body is a poor fit for lefties. The shape is all wrong, and the thumb buttons are on the opposite side. Pressing side buttons with one's pinkie is more than a little awkward.
My lefty stint with the Rat 7 taught me another important lesson: I'm pretty lousy with my non-dominant hand. I can move the pointer more or less where I want it within a reasonable amount of time, but forget about hitting a precise target with any semblance of speed. This dynamic was particularly frustrating when transitioning between simple desktop tasks and more detailed work like photo editing, which often requires pixel-perfect positioning. The Rat 7's on-the-fly sensitivity switch proved to be invaluable, allowing me to dial down the DPI to compensate for my lack of coordination.
With those memories fresh in my mind, I started looking for a suitable mouse—something with a thumb button on the right side and an easily accessible sensitivity switch. The selection of left-handed and ambidextrous mice is pretty limited, and most are uber-cheap models that lack premium features like DPI control. In the end, I settled on the SteelSeries Sensei Raw, which has an ambidextrous shell, buttons on both sides, and a high/low DPI switch just behind the scroll wheel. The Sensei is pretty affordable, too. Newegg sells it for only $48, which is less than the ambidextrous Razer alternative.
After a few days of using the Sensei, I'm already in love with its soft-touch exterior. The body is a little small for my tastes, but it's a big improvement over the Rat, at least for my left hand. The wheel and buttons feel solid, the braided cord is incredibly long, and the feet slide smoothly on my desk. Admittedly, the pulsing internal LEDs are a bit much for me, but there are options to tone down the brightness, swap the pulsing for a steady glow, and turn off the lights completely.
Configuring the Sensei for left-handed use is easy. The drivers switch the left and right buttons automatically, but the thumb buttons must be bound manually. That's easy enough, and thanks to built-in macro functionality, side-scrolling and other combos can be tied to any button. SteelSeries software also includes sliders for each of the dual sensitivity modes. The DPI can be set between 90 and 5760 DPI, which is plenty of range for my needs. There's more than enough granularity, too.
After a simple initial setup, integrating the Sensei into my daily routine has proven to be somewhat difficult. The problem isn't mousing with my left hand. Instead, it's simultaneously executing key combinations with my right.
Despite its dominant nature, my right hand is comically inept at hitting vital keyboard shortcuts for copy, cut, paste, and undo. Not only are those shortcuts on the wrong side of the keyboard, but they also feel backward when executed with my right hand. The same functions can be performed with mouse input alone, of course. I can also lift my hand off the mouse and punch Ctrl+whatever with my left hand. But both of those solutions are slower and less efficient than a tag-team approach, especially with my mousing hand already at a disadvantage.
On the flip side, I'm used to moving my right hand back and forth between the numpad and mouse when entering data into Excel. Using the numpad with my left had never felt natural, probably because it involved twisting my body or relocating the keyboard. With the mouse in my left hand, my right rests comfortably on the numpad, avoiding the side-to-side movement that aggravates my shoulder.
Speaking of which, mousing with my left hand has definitely dampened the RSI symptoms on my right side. I'm still using my right-handed mouse from time to time, usually when something needs to be done as quickly as possible, but balancing the load definitely helps. Just days after adding a lefty to my arsenal, my right shoulder already feels fresher.
Mousing with my left hand feels less awkward, too. My speed and accuracy seem to be improving with each day, and I'm finding that I have to concentrate less to get the cursor just where I want it. Movement that was once thoughtful is becoming more automatic. You won't find me gaming with a lefty stance anytime soon, though. I may become sufficiently productive on the desktop, but I doubt I'll ever be as deadly with my non-dominant hand.
The thing is, I don't have to be as good with my left hand. The more time I spend dual-wielding, the more I like the approach. I'm getting used to shifting high-priority tasks to my right hand and more casual mousing to my left. So far, I've been able to lighten the load on my shoulder without completely compromising my productivity. With some custom keyboard macros, I might even be able to get around my shortcut woes. Even if I don't, my days of one-handed mousing are definitely over.
36 comments — Last by pandemonium at 6:06 AM on 11/21/13
Slowly but surely, Valve's plans for Steam in the living room are coming into focus. On Monday, we learned about SteamOS, a Linux-based operating system that will stream games from local PCs. On Wednesday, Valve revealed that a range of SteamOS-powered machines will be available from different hardware vendors. Another announcement is scheduled for Friday morning. Details about a new kind of input device are expected.
I'm curious about what sort of controller Valve may have devised. Company chief Gabe Newell has expressed an interest in wearable devices before. Valve has also worked with the folks at Sixense, whose motion control tech can be found in the PlayStation Move and Razer Hydra. Steam machines will work with standard gamepads, though, so I've made up my mind already. There's definitely a Steam box in my future.
To be fair, that's not going to be much of a stretch. I already have a gaming PC hooked up to my TV. Throwing SteamOS on a rig should be easy, especially since the gaming-optimized OS will be free of charge. The SteamOS source code will be available, too. Open-source software gives me the same warm, fuzzy feeling I get when shopping at a farmer's market or eating quinoa.
SteamOS is also free to license. If the DIY approach isn't for you, there will be pre-built systems from multiple vendors, at multiple price points, and with varying levels of performance. Some of these machines will likely be inexpensive offerings designed mostly for indie games and less demanding titles. These systems will still be capable of streaming the latest blockbusters from a more powerful PC, though.
I can even envision more basic boxes designed primarily with streaming in mind. Nvidia's Project Shield handheld can stream PC games using an ARM-based Tegra4 SoC, and Nvidia has been collaborating with Valve on SteamOS. If the streaming tech is good enough, you could get by with a powerful desktop rig and a SteamOS-based extender for that system. Such a setup would be a lot more economical than maintaining a separate gaming PC for the living room.
At the other end of the spectrum, I expect high-end Steam machines will rival the best gaming PCs available right now. In fact, they may even surpass the fastest Windows boxes. Valve claims to have achieved "significant performance increases in graphics processing" on Linux, and it's working on optimizing audio and input latency. At least for native titles, SteamOS may offer a better experience than running the same games on Windows.
Just to be clear, Valve hasn't abandoned Windows. "Everything that we've been doing on Steam for the last 10 years will continue to move forward," the company says, and it will bring SteamOS's game streaming, media services, sharing options, and family profiles to the standard Steam client. You'll be able to install Windows on Steam machines, too—though presumably not on ARM-based variants, if such specimens do exist.
Some might view the range of Steam box possibilities as a fragmented nightmare. In some ways, it's the antithesis to the one-size-fits-all attitude that permeates the console industry. But I'm thrilled that we didn't get a single Steam console. We got something much better instead: a purpose-built platform to make PC gaming at home in the living room.
We shouldn't have expected anything less from Valve, which has long exploited the best things about the PC platform to the benefit of gamers. It harnessed the power of the Internet early, creating a digital distribution platform that fundamentally changed how most of us buy games. Steam got off to a rough start, and there are some who will always sneer at the fact that it incorporates DRM, but the service has become incredibly refined over the past decade. Nothing on the PC really compares right now, and Valve already has a Big Picture interface primed for big-screen TVs.
Another PC perk—and something you don't get with consoles—is a robust platform for content creation. Mods have long been a hallmark of PC gaming, and Valve has a history of supporting them. Heck, it even hired the folks behind Counter-Strike and Team Fortress, two of the most pivotal mods from back in the day. More recently, Valve created the Steam Workshop, an online marketplace for user-generated content. Creators get a cut of the proceeds, and Valve has already paid out over $10 million to people who have sold items through the Workshop.
If Valve can create an economy around Team Fortress 2 hats, just imagine what it could do with a content conduit for your television. Valve is already working with "many of the media services you know and love" to bring music, movies, and TV shows to Steam. It also has the systems and infrastructure in place to curate and distribute other forms of media itself. Hmmm.
Valve's engagement with the community isn't limited to fostering content development, of course. Steam has become a hub for gaming discussion, and it has a whole social networking aspect that Valve mercifully doesn't beat you over the head with. Then there's the Greenlight program, which gamers have a say in which titles appear on Steam's virtual shelves.
Now, Valve is bringing the community into the development process of SteamOS. 300 people will be lucky enough to receive the initial Steam box prototype. They'll be encouraged to share their experiences with the community in any way they see fit, and Valve has set up a discussion group to solicit feedback from the public at large. I get the feeling Valve is genuinely interested in what we have to say on the subject. That gives me another warm, fuzzy feeling.
Now, don't get me wrong. Valve's planned expansion of the so-called Steam Universe isn't all about giving PC gamers a perfect system to hook up to their televisions. It's also about making Steam the default distribution service for gaming on another set of screens—and for a potentially much larger audience. And I'm okay with that. Valve has earned the praise heaped upon it by gamers, and there's no one else to take PCs into the living room. You don't expect Microsoft to throw its weight behind anything that might compete with the Xbox, do you? Microsoft has been a poor custodian of PC gaming in general, and I trust the folks at Valve more than I do the minds in Redmond.
Well, I don't trust anyone at Valve who says anything about release dates. Or Half-Life 3. But I'll give them the benefit of the doubt that SteamOS isn't part of an evil plan for world domination.
Important questions still remain about SteamOS and the machines designed for it:
Something tells me the next reveal won't provide answers to all those questions. But I'll be hitting F5 at 10AM Pacific Time tomorrow to find out, and I'll be downloading SteamOS as soon as it's available to try things out for myself. Hopefully, my optimism and enthusiasm haven't been misplaced.
87 comments — Last by email@example.com at 2:55 PM on 10/10/13
I thought I'd be writing about Far Cry 3 Blood Dragon this week. The awesome-looking homage to 80s cheese is out, and there's a download code in my inbox. I've heard good things from people who have played, too. There's just one problem: Blood Dragon is apparently about eight hours long. That's great for a game that costs only $15, but it also means I'll have to do some juggling to find enough time to really sink my teeth into it.
As a gamer, the sad fact is I'm past my prime. A decade ago, I would play Battlefield 1942 with friends for eight-hour stretches in a single evening. I had fewer responsibilities and other hobbies back then, and I could get by on a lot less sleep. These days, I'm lucky if I can steal a few minutes here and an hour or two there. Staying up late to play just one more level can leave me zombified the next day. And, tragically, I'm somehow losing my ability to sleep in on the weekends.
I'm rambling more, too. So, moving on...
Gaming in shorter bursts has driven me to spend more time with simpler, arcade-style games. This largely indie-fueled genre has exploded recently, and it continues to produce polished gems at reasonable prices. The latest one on the PC is Dyad, a PlayStation 3 import that's finally made its way to Steam. Like Blood Dragon, Dyad is a visual feast peppered with the neon hues of the 80s. But that's where the similarities end.
Dyad plays like a cross between Audiosurf, Space Giraffe, and Rez HD—on acid. You pilot a glowing, squid-like avatar down a trippy, Technicolor tunnel tuned to the music. The faster you go, the more intense the music and visuals become. It feels like the dosage ramps up as you're sucked deeper into each psychedelic pipe.
The levels last only a few minutes, so you won't be in a trance for long. That's probably a good thing, because I'm not sure how much I actually blink while playing. Despite the bright visuals, it feels like my pupils are dilated to better gobble up all the eye candy.
Each level offers a different challenge based on a few key gameplay elements. You can hook onto enemies to increase your speed and create accelerating bridges between baddies of the same color. Grazing the perimeter of enemies builds up energy for lancing, which turns you into an invincible missile moving at warp speed. While there are slight variations on those themes, the game remains rooted in those basic mechanics.
Unless you're lancing, hitting enemies will slow you down abruptly, harshing the buzz until you can get back into the flow. And Dyad flows. The interplay between the graphics, the music, and the action makes the game incredibly engaging when you're on a roll. Playing isn't just a matter of mashing buttons to the beat, either. It pays to plan your moves carefully, injecting subtle strategy into an otherwise action-oriented experience.
In fits and spurts over the past couple weeks, I've managed to careen through a good chunk of Dyad's levels at least once. Getting a high enough score to move onto the next level hasn't been too difficult. There are plenty of additional challenges on tap, too. A trophy mode brings more goals to each level, and integrated leaderboards will tickle your competitive side. Achievements abound, of course.
If you'd rather just chill, a remix mode offers various toggles that affect how the game looks and behaves. Collisions can be disabled to eliminate speed bumps, and you can load yourself up with infinite energy for lancing—god mode and give all, basically. Combine those tweaks with a continuous play mode that extends the levels indefinitely, and you can sit back and enjoy an epic ride without being any good.
The music in Dyad nicely suits the feel of the game, but none of the background tracks have really stuck with me. You can't use your own songs, either. That's probably my biggest complaint, but perhaps I've been spoiled by Audiosurf's ability to turn any song into a new level. The visuals in Dyad are light years ahead of those in Audiosurf, though, and they play such a big role in pulling me in that I can live with the default soundtrack. I've yet to play a rhythm-infused game—indeed, any game—that's this hypnotic.
Something special happens when I get into a groove playing Dyad. The rest of the world melts away, my heart quickens, and my interactions with the game feel perfectly in sync. In those moments, Dyad is truly transcendent. I become one with it; the immersion is complete. And it's even more intense in a mind-altered state. Except, you know, stay away from drugs, kids.
Even if you're on the straight and narrow, Dyad is a treat. It's a great game to play from the couch, and it's well-integrated into Steam's Big Picture UI. You can also buy it on GOG if you prefer to be free from the shackles of DRM.
Perhaps best of all, Dyad doesn't seem to be terribly addictive. Playing one more level only takes a few minutes, and the rush is usually sufficient for me to walk away satisfied. I'll be back, of course, but I can stop anytime I want. I swear.
16 comments — Last by anotherengineer at 9:49 AM on 05/13/13
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Date change: "Max" Swedish Puppet show
Published on Monday, November 5, 2012 - 2:17pm
Date change: the Swedish puppet performance "Max" (originally scheduled for Monday Nov. 5) has been changed to Wed., Nov 7 at 2 p.m. Our apologies!
"Max" is a big performance for the little ones based on Swedish author Barbro Lindgren's books. The picture books about Max take a look at everyday problems and triumphs typically experienced by toddlers, written in a language reminiscent of children's first sentences.
Best for ages 2-5.
Please register via email at email@example.com or call Woodridge Library (202-541-6226) to let us know that you are coming.


text: Oswestry, Cranberry Moss Camping and Caravanning Club Site (105 reviews) from £7.70 to £12.95 Per person/night Contact Us Book It Images Map Select Section Overview Where Shropshire meets Wales Enjoy our peaceful, family run site set in the rolling pasturelands of Shropshire providing you with an excellent base from which to explore the area by car, foot, cycle or public transport. The north loop of the Shropshire Way covering 297 miles of stunning countryside with extensive views of hills and plains was completed in 2013 and passes within one mile of the site. Walkers and cyclists can also enjoy way-marked trails in Nesscliffe Country Park. There are two World Heritage Sites within easy reach; Ironbridge Gorge and Pontcysyllte Aqueduct and you can also visit the stunning Pistyll Rhaeadr Waterfalls, four National Trust properties and five Heritage Railways. Nearby attractions with something for all the family include Park Hall Countryside Experience, Whittington Castle, Acton Scott, Wroxeter, Lake Vyrnwy, Ellesmere and RAF Museum, Cosford. Food, Flower, Music, Walking & Literary Festivals take place throughout the year at Oswestry, Shrewsbury & Llangollen. Our new social room "The Barn" was built in 2013 and regular events are held throughout the year including the Site Birthday Party in August and New Year celebrations, Bingo, Quiz and Games Nights. Access and SatNav Advice Arriva Bus Services have rerouted their No 70 service to stop outside the gates at Oswestry. It offers the most direct route to Shrewsbury passing through Nesscliffe and Montford Bridge. Towards Oswestry the route takes in West Felton and Whittington. WiFi WiFi is available at this site. However please note the service is supplied by a different provider therefore your Site WiFi card (powered by WiComs) cannot be used. Please contact the site direct for more information. Eat Local Local dry-cured bacon, sausages, eggs, milk, jams, honey, marmalade, ice cream and rapeseed oil are available from Site reception. A farmers' market is held in Oswestry on the last Friday of the month and in Shrewsbury on the first Friday. Facilities Oswestry, Cranberry Moss has the following facilities on or around the site. Members' and non-members' caravans welcome Members' and non-members' trailer tents welcome Hardstanding with electric hook-up Storage facilities Open site Flushing toilet Washbasins Dedicated accessible facilities Family shower room Drinking water taps Washing Machines Ice pack freezing Recreation hall Payphone Designated dog walk Wi-fi (Other provider) Members' and non-members' motorhomes welcome Members' and non-members' tents welcome Grass pitch with electric hook-up Grass only pitch (no electric) A well-sheltered site Showers Electric shaver sockets Parent and baby room Chemical toilet disposal point Motorhome stop-off Dishwashing facilities Shop Gas cylinders Pets welcome Battery charging facilities Reviews Review 1 |2 |27 |Next » Expand review Recommended: yes 4.7 Lovely country parks nearby,excellent for the dog. Maureen and Mick (Club Member) stayed Sep 2014 This review is for Oswestry, Cranberry Moss Lovely country parks nearby,excellent for the dog.Good bus service to Oswestry and Shrewsbury from just outside site entrance. Towing: Easy Location: Country Suitable For: Older couples,Peaceful break Friendliness: 5 Cleanliness: 5 Facilities: 4 Expand review Recommended: yes 5 just booked three nights in November and 24th dec---------3 jan for me its perfect bus stop... Barry Holland (Club Member) stayed Sep 2014 This review is for Oswestry, Cranberry Moss just booked three nights in November and 24th dec---------3 jan for me its perfect bus stop out side of site going to shrewsbury and oswestry thanks Towing: Easy Location: Country Suitable For: Families,Older couples,Groups,Active break,Peaceful break Friendliness: 5 Cleanliness: 5 Facilities: 5 Expand review Recommended: yes 4.3 We have no experience of "club" sites, but this was clean, tidy, well maintained and friendly... hems303 (Club Member) stayed Jan 2014 This review is for Oswestry, Cranberry Moss We have no experience of "club" sites, but this was clean, tidy, well maintained and friendly (from the gentleman warden). We were allowed to choose our plot based on our own criteria. We were shown to our plot and settled in. We were even offered the facility to purchase a morning paper for the following day (Thanks Pete for all your help and warm welcome). There were only two downsides to the stay (only two days/nights). 1. We could not achieve any TV signal despite top of the range TV/aerial/signal booster. This was a big disappointment since as campers for decades (under canvas) our new TV setup was much anticipated. On our departure; The lady warden said TV reception was "usually good" and we should use a signal booster (this despite us saying we already had the best one available). 2. The HELICOPTERS! Perhaps we were unlucky, but day and night at irregular but persistent intervals; came the roar of military helicopters overhead, circling, and obviously training (frequently at low level). Having for years been in camps in the middle of the roar of military equipment, we were hoping to get away from such! There seems to be no mention of this problem elsewhere, but Nesscliff Military Training Ground and Shawbury Military Helicopter Flight School is local and the certain culprits. Be warned, it can sound like an overhead war zone at times. Back to the facilities, The Shower/WC/Motorhome stop off point were all faultless! The lawnmower was active during our stay and the level of detailed care taken was impressive. Apart from the HELICOPTERS, the site is peaceful and very picturesque. We did not venture off-site as this was our "shakedown" trip to iron out the wrinkles with our recently purchased motorhome! Would we visit again? Almost certainly yes, and we would hope that "Pete" is on duty again! Location: Country Suitable For: Older couples,Peaceful break Friendliness: 5 Cleanliness: 5 Facilities: 3 Expand review Recommended: yes 4.7 Stopped here for an overnight stop en route to nfol. alan (Club Member) stayed Aug 2014 This review is for Oswestry, Cranberry Moss Stopped here for an overnight stop en route to nfol. Nice easy site to find with friendly staff . Nice clean facilities as you would expectfrom a club site. The only down side for us was the road noise at night as it seems to be a busy route for Hgvs all night. It wasnt a real problem for us as only a short stay but I might have been if we had a longer stay Towing: Easy Location: Country Suitable For: Families,Active break Friendliness: 5 Cleanliness: 5 Facilities: 4 1 |2 |27 |Next » Travel Local Travel Nearest bus stop: 300 metres from site entrance Nearest train station: Shrewsbury 10 miles Get Directions to Oswestry, Cranberry Moss Staying here? Public transport from the site Bike ride? Find cycle routes nearby Sat Nav Download our POI file Safe Directions Print Friendly PDF Widget by Frixo Standard Fees For more information take a look at Pricing explained. Minimum booking periods do apply. Standard Fee Nightly storage 01 Jan 2014 - 31 Dec 2014£5.75 Motorhome stop-off (per unit) 01 Jan 2014 - 31 Dec 2014£7.10


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