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Category — Misc. Contract Cases
Activision Settles with Two Former Guitar Hero Executives
Categories: Controller Cases • Copyright Cases • Employment Law Cases • Injunctions • Misc. Contract Cases • Non-Compete Cases • Settlements • Trade Secret Cases • Trademark Cases • Unfair Business Practice Casses
In February, Activision launched a new lawsuit against The Ant Commandos (TAC), Reverb Communications and three former Red Octane executives/employees: former executive producer John Tam, brand manager [name removed on request] and hardware group member Jamie Yang. These former executives founded a new company with TAC – Loadstone Entertainment.
Activision has settled with John Tam and [name removed on request]. The two have consented to a permanent injunction restraining the two from:
- distributing a demo created by TAM incorporating elements of Guitar Hero II;
- using or disclosing any Activision trade secrets;
- taking steps to develop drum, guitar or synthesizer-based games for the next year;
- "working on" a guitar controller for the XBox 360 version of Guitar Hero II for six months after release; and
- competing against an undisclosed list of peripheral devices for six months after Activision commercially releases them.
The two were also ordered to return all materials relating to Activision's proprietary information.
As far as I'm aware, no settlement has thus far been reached with Jamie Yang, Reverb or TAC.
Dale's Comment [written April 26, 2007]: On a personal note, I was one of the lucky one's to pick up Guitar Hero II for the Xbox 360 on launch day. The local Best Buy had about 100 of them on the morning of the launch. As I understand it, they sold out within hours and, to the date of this writing (owing partially to extreme demand and problems with some versions of the initially released guitar peripheral), I still can't find them for sale anywhere in Toronto. I would like to purchase a second guitar peripheral. I'm having a blast with this game. As one of the commentators in a recent Joystiq Podcast pointed out, my fingers ache and want to stop playing long before the rest of me does!
Sources: GameSpot | Gamasutra | GameIndustry.biz | 1Up.com | CVG | Kotaku
Activision Sues Ant Commandos and Former Guitar Hero Executives
Categories: Controller Cases • Copyright Cases • Employment Law Cases • Misc. Contract Cases • Non-Compete Cases • Trade Secret Cases • Trademark Cases • Unfair Business Practice Casses
In a new Guitar Hero related dispute, Activision (Guitar Hero publisher RedOctane's parent company), has filed a fresh lawsuit against guitar peripheral maker The Ant Commando (TAC), Red Octane's PR firm Reverb Communications and three former Red Octane executives/employees: former executive producer John Tam, brand manager [name removed on request] and hardware group member Jamie Yang. The former executives founded a new company with TAC – Loadstone Entertainment.
The complaint alleges:
"copyright infringement, trademark infringement, misappropriating trade secrets and confidential information, breach of contract, interference with contractual relations, and more. "
GameSpot is reporting that Activision has already obtained a temporary restraining order against the defendants restraining them from:
- distributing a demo created by TAM incorporating elements of Guitar Hero II;
- using or disclosing any Activision trade secrets, including: music licensing contract terms, in-game advertising, sales figures, marketing plans, product designs, and possible future songs and artists to be featured;
- developing a guitar controller for the XBox 360 version of Guitar Hero II for three months after release;
- soliciting Activision employees, partners or Asia-based manufacturing partners; and
- taking any steps to develop, market, manufacture, sell, or distribute any guitar or drum based video games.
As recently as December 27, 2006, Activision and Red Octane had settled a different dispute with TAC concerning the sale of unlicensed guitar peripherals. See here for details.
Sources: Gamasutra | GameSpot | Kotaku
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In-Fusio Sues Microsoft Over Mobile Halo Development Rights
Categories: Misc. Contract Cases • Publisher/Developer Cases
Text of Complaint (December 18, 2006)
Memorandum in Support of TRO (December 19, 2006)
French Mobile Game Developer, In-Fusio has filed suit in the District Court of Seattle for breach of contract and breach of good faith and fair dealing. It seeks an injunction prohibiting Microsoft from terminating a development and distribution agreement.
In September of 2005 Microsoft entered into an exclusive Development and Distribution Agreement with In-Fusio to develop versions of the popular Halo video game for certain mobile platforms. Under the deal In-Fusio was to make scheduled minimum royalty payments totaling $2M between Jan 1, 2006 and Jan 1, 2008.
After making its first $500,000 payment, and submitting several design concepts that were not acceptable to Microsoft, the parties were at an impasse. According to In-Fusio's Memo, Microsoft both: (i) couldn't decide, internally, what it wanted the mobile version of Halo to be; and (ii) wanted In-Fusio to develop more of a "dumbed down" version of the Halo game for mobile platforms than what In-Fusio thought it had bargained for.
Nonetheless, according to In-Fusio's claim, Microsoft insisted on receiving the next scheduled royalty payment of $500,000 in October of 2006 after Microsoft allegedly agreed to "postpone" such payment obligations while the parties resolved their design differences.
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Mark Bragg File's Virtual Property Complaint Against Linden Labs
Categories: Cheating • Hacking • Misc. Contract Cases • Modding Cases • Player Bans • Unfair Business Practice Casses • Virtual Property Cases
Text of Bragg v. Linden Labs Complaint (Oct 4, 2006)[.zip format]
Jurisdiction and other Interim Court Filings
While I was converting this blog to WordPress over the last 8 weeks, Mark Bragg sent me his updated complaint against Linden Research Inc. ("Linden") that was filed on October 4 in the Chester County (Pennsylvania) Court of Common Pleas. Mr. Bragg is seeking a jury trial. On November 7, Linden petitioned the US District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania to take jurisdiction of the case.
I'm just now getting the time to review the claim and post this blog entry about it.
The complaint contains a terrific history (frankly, the best I've read) of Linden, its MMORPG Second Life and describes how Linden differentiated Second Life from its competitors by granting "ownership rights" to in-game property (most MMORPG publishers claim/retain ownership in all related virtual property). It also contains a history/description of virtual property generally in the context of the growing MMORPG phenomena.
The 239 paragraph complaint alleges violation of Californian and Pennsylvanian unfair practices and consumer protection laws, fraud, violation of California's Civil Code concerning auctions, conversion (theft), interference with contractual relations, breach of contract, unjust enrichment and tortuous breach of the covenant of good faith and fair dealing. He discounts many of the provisions of the Linden Labs Terms of Service ("TOS") as being unenforceable due to unconscionably. Suffice it to say, when this case is over, I suspect Linden will be updating its TOS!
This Law.com article provides a good summary of the facts. The complaint, itself, is worth reading if only for its best-in-class description of the MMORPG industry and related virtual property issues. Excellent job Mark!
Dale's Comment: Given that many courts in many countries have upheld the validity of extremely one-sided Internet-service click-wrap/shrink-wrap agreements, I think Mark will have a tough time overcoming the clear provisions contained in the TOS. But he makes many compelling arguments pertaining to the contradicting public statements of Linden representatives, rights in and to virtual property purchased from other Second Life users, and the right to recoup the real $U.S. dollars he paid into the Second Life economy and not returned when Linden booted him from the game.
Bragg is claiming ownership to his in-game property. I am quite sympathetic to his arguments and have advocated, here, for the the recognition, at law, of rights in and to virtual property. But, if analogies to real-world and intangible property are taken to their logical extreme, Second Life players could argue that Linden would never have the right to shutdown their MMORPG and deny virtual property owners of their "right" to access, use, sell and other wise deal with their virtual property when, as will inevitably be the case one day, Second Life ceases to be a profitable game for Linden.
This could be a very important, precedent setting case if it goes to trial. It could set the ground rules for the application of laws to virtual property going forward. Needless to say, I'll be following this one closely.
[Dec 13, 2006 Update: Mark has sent me this link where the most recent court filings in the case can be found. At the moment the parties are fighting over the most appropriate jurisdiction for further proceedings.]
Sources: *Law.com | Blogger News Network | MMORPG BLog | Pilly.com
Related Posts:
- Mark Bragg File's Virtual Property Complaint Against Linden Labs (November 16, 2006)
- Linden Lab Sued for Alleged Breach of Virtual Land Contract (May 18, 2006)
Massive Black Sues Ex-Employees for Pilfering Development Business, Fraud, Etc.
Categories: "Inside Baseball" • Criminal Prosecutions • Employment Law Cases • Misc. Contract Cases • Non-Compete Cases • Unfair Business Practice Casses
Massive Black is suing its former employees James Xi Zhang and Jenny Chen for interference with contractual relations, fraud, unlawful access to computer network, trespass, breach of contract and interference with prospective business advantage. Massive, a game-art and design subcontractor for games such as Killzone 2, Helgate: Longdon and Battlefield 2142, alleges, among other things, that Zhang and Chen, while still employed by Massive Black, competitively bid on projects from Massive's customer, without Massive's knowledge, won the contract and used Massive's resources (equipment and development personnel – while still on Massive's payroll) to work on the pilfered projects. Massive also alleges that up to $150,000 was siphoned out of the company using inflated expense reporting.
Sources: 1Up.com | Discussed in the April 14, 2006 "1Up Yours" Podcast (Time Index 48:15-52:15) | Gamasutra
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THQ Settles Tetris Rights Dispute
Categories: Misc. Contract Cases • Publisher/Developer Cases • Settlements
In 2005, THQ sued The Tetris Company, alleging breach of contract, claiming it it had met all the requirements of its deal to have their license agreement renewed until 2007. THQ was previously prevented from releasing a Nintendo DS version of Tetris when Nintendo published the title itself last April. Under the settlement THQ will publish a version of Tetris for the Xbox 360 in Europe and North America. Presumably THQ has no rights to publish Tetris in Japan or for the DS. Tetris was published last year by AQ Interactive on the Xbox 360′s launch date in Japan.
Sources: Gamasutra | GameSpot | EuroGamer | Ferrago | GameIndustry.biz
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Atari Sued over RollerCoaster Tycoon Royalty Dispute
Categories: Misc. Contract Cases • Publisher/Developer Cases • Royalty Disputes
Atari is being sued by RollerCoaster Tycoon developer Chris Sawyer for between $4.8 & $5.2 M U.S. (depending on the report) plus interest in alleged unpaid royalties. Sawyer alleges Atari breached its contract by failing to to give his auditors access to Atari's accounts between 1999-2001.
Sources: CNet | GameIndustry.biz | The Inquirer
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Activision Countersues Spark
Categories: Misc. Contract Cases • Publisher/Developer Cases • Trade Secret Cases • Unfair Business Practice Casses
Activision countersues Spark Unlimited alleging fraud, breach of contract, trade secret misappropriation, trademark infringement, false designation of origin, and false advertising.
Sources: Gamespot | GameIndustry.biz | Next Generation
Related Posts:
- Activision Countersues Spark (October 6, 2005)
- Independent Developer Spark Sues Activision (August 26, 2005)
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Gizmondo Settles Jordan Lawsuit, Raises New Capital
Categories: Misc. Contract Cases • Settlements • Struggling Firms
Gizmondo has settled its sponsorship agreement lawsuit with Jordan Grand Prix in an out of court mediation by the payment of $1,500,000 in cash and the issuance of 30,000 shares of the Company's restricted common stock. Gizmondo had contracted with Jordan to feature Gizmondo advertisements on the side of Formula 1 race cars.
Source: Gamasutra
Related Posts:
- Gizmondo Europe to be Liquidated (February 7, 2006)
- Gizmondo Europe Files for Bankruptcy Re-Organization (January 23, 2006)
- Gizmondo May Hand over Smart Adds Inc. to Repay $21m Debt (January 16, 2006)
- Gizmondo Settles Jordan Lawsuit, Raises New Capital (September 7, 2005)
- Handheld Games Sues Tiger Telematics, Makers of the Gizmondo Portable Gaming System (June 8, 2005)
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Independent Developer Spark Sues Activision
Categories: Misc. Contract Cases • Publisher/Developer Cases • Unfair Business Practice Casses
Call of Duty: Finest Hour developer, Sparq, files $10 million suit accusing publisher of fraud, breach of contract, and stealing employees and sequel ideas.
Related Posts:
- Activision Countersues Spark (October 6, 2005)
- Independent Developer Spark Sues Activision (August 26, 2005)
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Handheld Games Sues Tiger Telemeatics, Makers of the Gizmondo Portable Gaming System
Categories: Misc. Contract Cases • Struggling Firms
Handheld Games seeks $75,000 in damages saying that neither the promised Gizmondo development kits nor the final master license agreement ever arrived.
Source: Gamasutra | GameIndustry.biz | TVG | Ferrago
Related Posts:
- Gizmondo Europe to be Liquidated (February 7, 2006)
- Gizmondo Europe Files for Bankruptcy Re-Organization (January 23, 2006)
- Gizmondo May Hand over Smart Adds Inc. to Repay $21m Debt (January 16, 2006)
- Gizmondo Settles Jordan Lawsuit, Raises New Capital (September 7, 2005)
- Handheld Games Sues Tiger Telematics, Makers of the Gizmondo Portable Gaming System (June 8, 2005)
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Prometheus: 10 Things You Must Know About Ridley Scott's Sci-Fi Return
We got a sneak peek at clips from the film today, followed by a Q&A with Ridley Scott, Michael Fassbender, Noomi Rapace and Charlize Theron – here's what we learned…
The release date for Prometheus is still a little way off, but today we got a sneak peek at some footage from the movie, followed by a quick Q&A with director Ridley Scott and stars Noomi Rapace, Charlize Theron, and Michael Fassbender. HereŌĆÖs what weŌĆÖve learned:
1.┬Ā┬Ā┬Ā┬Ā ItŌĆÖs set in the same universe as Alien, around 30 years before the events of the first film (Prometheus takes place in 2089 and 2093; Alien was set in 2122). But while the original idea was to tell the story of the ŌĆśspace jockeyŌĆÖ from Alien, Prometheus soon evolved into its own thing. Scott explains, ŌĆ£The connection to the original Alien is now barely in its DNA ŌĆō you kind of get [a connection] in the last seven minutes or so.ŌĆØ
2.┬Ā┬Ā┬Ā┬Ā Although Scott reckons he wasnŌĆÖt overly concerned about weaving in references to the other Alien films -┬Ā ŌĆ£the more I got into another story, the less inclined I was to take on board that it was connected to the original,ŌĆØ he says ŌĆō youŌĆÖll still spot several ŌĆśEaster eggsŌĆÖ in the film.
3.┬Ā┬Ā┬Ā┬Ā Noomi RapaceŌĆÖs character, Elizabeth Shaw, might not be Ripley, but it sounds like sheŌĆÖs going to be pretty impressive in her own way.┬Ā ŌĆ£She grew up in Africa, and her father was a priest,ŌĆØ says Rapace, ŌĆ£But her father died when she was quite young, so sheŌĆÖs been on her own. She became a scientist, but she still has this gift of believing [in God].ŌĆØ Her faith will be tested, though: ŌĆ£She goes through a lot of things in this movie, and she transforms. She becomes more of a survivor, and a fighter; a warrior, in a way.ŌĆØ
4.┬Ā┬Ā┬Ā┬Ā Whatever it is that Shaw and the rest of the team go through, itŌĆÖs going to be pretty scary. ŌĆ£I dreamt nightmares for, like, two weeks, probably,ŌĆØ Rapace said. ŌĆ£I had these weird, f**ked up images in my head.ŌĆØ
5.┬Ā┬Ā┬Ā┬Ā Scott promises that thereŌĆÖll be a new scene thatŌĆÖs on a par with the iconic chestburster scene, ŌĆ£but we canŌĆÖt say what that is.ŌĆØ (We canŌĆÖt wait to find out.)
6.┬Ā┬Ā┬Ā┬Ā It wonŌĆÖt all be terror, though; thereŌĆÖll be some laughs, too. Michael Fassbender plays David, the shipŌĆÖs android, and a lot of the humour will come from him. ŌĆ£There was a lot of fun to be had with that character,ŌĆØ says Fassbender. ŌĆ£ThereŌĆÖs something quite childlike about him.ŌĆØ
7.┬Ā┬Ā┬Ā┬Ā Although the original Alien got an 18 certificate, this one may well get a 15, or even a 12A. Scott doesnŌĆÖt feel that certification is important, aside from the financial considerations involved: ŌĆ£I want the certification for this film that allows me to make as large a box office as possible.ŌĆØ
8.┬Ā┬Ā┬Ā┬Ā Prometheus might be Ridley ScottŌĆÖs first 3D movie, but he says he found adapting to the new way of filming pretty easy. ŌĆ£ItŌĆÖs not brain surgery,ŌĆØ he says. ŌĆ£ItŌĆÖs actually pretty straightforward.ŌĆØ He speaks highly of the RED camera he used, too: ŌĆ£The RED was superb: the quality is fantastic. Whether itŌĆÖs 2D or 3D, itŌĆÖs amazing.ŌĆØ
9.┬Ā┬Ā┬Ā┬Ā Before the film had even been greenlit, Scott got together a team to figure out the production design. Led by Arthur Max, ScottŌĆÖs go-to production designer, a digital design team sat in ScottŌĆÖs LA office while he was working on the script, producing designs for the ship, the space suits, and everything else the film needed. The result was a phonebook-sized book of images that Scott used as his production bible once filming began.
10.┬Ā But while the production design looks incredible, Scott reckons the story is really the most important thing. ŌĆ£One of the problems with science fiction, which is probably one of the reasons why I havenŌĆÖt done one for many, many years, is the fact that everything is used up,ŌĆØ he says. ŌĆ£Every type of spacecraft is vaguely familiar, the corridors are similar, the planets are similar, so what you try to do is lean more heavily on the story and the characters.ŌĆØ
Prometheus is released in the UK on 1 June.

subset: commoncrawl


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Though fall has officially started, temperatures in the Sacramento region are expected to reach the high 90s this weekend. Summer seems to want to stay a bit longer, so here's a listing of fun adventures to enjoy before the seasons actually change:
Get Wet: The American River is still warm enough for swimming or wading, and it's a cheap way to relax and spend time away from home. And the last day of rafting season is Sunday, so if you've ever wanted to, now's the time!
Go Pick: The crowds don't usually reach Apple Hill until October, so now is the perfect time to enjoy the fruity, festive fall attraction. Taste some wine and beer, get the kids excited for the changing seasons (there's a litany of kid-friendly activities) and indulge in some homemade pie.
- Follow Fair Oaks-Carmichael Patch on Twitter
- Like Fair Oaks-Carmichael Patchon Facebook
- Sign up for the daily email with links to the latest news.
Get Lost: Dixon's 53-acre Cool Patch corn maze claims to be the world's largest, and also includes pumpkins for sale, a scarecrow contest and a teepee village. If you go in the evening, be sure to bring a flashlight so you can read the map.
Go Fresh: With the Davis Farmers Market consistently offering a variety of produce and freshly-made goods, this Saturday morning activity will leave your taste buds satisfied.
Get Your Fit On: For Elk Grovians with a competitive side, the first qualifying event for the "Fittest of Elk Grove" athletic competition is this weekend. It's the event's third year, and categories include men, women and team.
Get Stuffed: At least 20 food trucks will unite for Trucktoberfest Saturday at West Sacramento's River Walk Park. Enjoy gourmet snacks, craft beers and live entertainment by the river from 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Is your event listed in our calendar? Don't miss the chance to reach thousands of Fair Oaks and Carmichael readers on our home page and through our daily newsletter: Post your Fair Oaks and Carmichael event listings for free at fairoaks-carmichael.patch.com/events/new!


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Heavy Glow
Heavy Glow is a power rock trio from San Diego. I talked with their guitarist, lead singer and primary song-writer Jared Mullins this week. As a musician myself – approaching 40 years of age – I'm always impressed and more than a bit jealous when I speak to young turks like Jared who seem to have all their ducks in a row career-wise and are focused driven to succeed in music. My cop out is usually that I have a family to support and can't force my them to squeak by on Ramen noodles salvation army clothes just so diddle away the hours on my music career. Talking to young guys like Jared occasionally is good antidote to this crappy attitude – it helps jolt my ass out complacency.
Anyway, I really like Heavy Glow's music – it's slightly edgy, mainstream enough to not require repeated listens to get into – and has an absolute affinity to early Rush music. In fact, I'd describe the band as Cream crossed with early Rush circa Fly By Night, only with a white-boy baritone blues singer.
We hear two of the bands songs from their last self titled release Heavy Glow: Grinning In The Dark and Trailin' St. Judas Blues
Ben Sommer: I'm here with Jared the lead guitarist and the singer for the band Heavy Glow and this is www.BandsLikeRush.com. Jared, why don't you just say hi, and give us a brief intro to fans who don't know of your work, and what the band is all about, what you're up to, et cetera.
Jared Mullins: Yeah, definitely. Heavy Glow is a new rock band with classic-rock vibes, very similar to bands you hear like Rush and Cream and all those good guys. We're based in sunny California.
Ben: In San Diego, right?
Jared: Yeah.
Ben: Cool, so tell us a little bit more about your music, your approach to recording and where you are in your career. Clue into the people who are listening to this, Jared and I talked last week, and I totally screwed up my computer set up and lost the recording, and so he and I are trying to relive this great conversation we have last week, so that's why maybe kind of giggling to each other. I see that I remember you Jared telling me a bit about how you got an interesting new experience you had recording your last album with the famous producer, and then we also talked a lot about your approach to promoting. So if you want to hit any of those in any kind of order.
Jared: Yeah, definitely. Well, I'll just ramble, and if I ramble, you just must let me know, but Heavy Glow is a new band. We put out to EPs. The first one we recorded in 2009, and after recording, it was Stevie Salas, who is kind of my mentor. Stevie is well known for working with basically everybody in the business. He is first and foremost a guitarist. When Stevie was 18 or something, he was up working in a record label up in Los Angeles. They'll sleep on the couch and George Clinton wakes him up and says, "Hey, I heard you can play funk guitar." And that was basically what started him off. So he played with George Clinton for a while. He played with Rod Stewart. When Mick Jagger went on his solo tours, he decided to have Stevie as Keith Richard's substitute or whatnot. So we actually worked with him and went up to Velvet Revolver's studio, and it's good that we then got a six-song EP in four days, recorded old school the way that I like it. Everybody is set up in the same room live with guitars, bass, drums, and we did some vocal overdub and all of that kind of stuff. We just recorded another EP. I guess I adjusted to it, but it's about a year ago actually. When that came out, we did that in one day with the same kind of set up where it's just the whole band is in one room, and everything from mike the way it's used to be. We're really just going for that very real and authentic vibe from the music, and I think it goes well with the style of music that we have.
Ben: Yeah, definitely. You guys are a power trouper. That is just a stupid term, the power trio. The style, there is no fuzz or frills, and bands, that had nothing to do with you, but like early Rush, before they got into the additions to the synthesizers and other different instruments. But recent bands like Green Day, well, I don't know. Maybe there is a bit of similarity between your styles, but I always envy those small-type trio bands or quartets who their music, whether it's live or recorded is the same, it's simple. It's almost like you guys consciously have to avoid all the neat tricks in sonic gizmos you can bring into the studio to experiment with your sound and you can do something big to keep it simple, I'm sure, and that allows you to go through recording a whole album in one day as you will play it all live, which is the vocal overdub, and then it will also allows you to recreate the exact same experience live. Is that a conscious thing with you or what?
Jared: Yeah, part of it is forced. We're four musicians, so we can't afford the biggest producer that's working with cold players or something like that, and I don't even know that I would want that really. I'm very really happy with the stuff that we put out. I think it translates well. I was even listening to Nirvana last night and even Ryan Adams yesterday, and I think the best music is the kind of music where if you listen to it immediately, you can't help but feel something. Even listening to Nirvana, there is not really much changes. They are three-piece. The bass isn't really that good. The drum is okay. I never reflected Grohl as awesome a drummer until he played stuff, but the songs are pretty much always the same as the power chord bit, but always it's something about the way it sounds or whatnot to get me listening to it, though.
Ben: I know what you mean. I feel the exact same way. Kurt Cobain is a raunchy guitarist because he's kind of like an updated version of Neil Young. But yeah, I agree, there had been music that's odd Rush-like almost. [00:05:23], but yeah, I like it. When you said you don't have a lot of money for a lot of big-time producers, well that doesn't mean you need to limit yourself in the studio. I and others, we play a lot of different instruments where we use various creative synthesizing type approaches, so you could do that with the same budget, why don't you? Because you're not just interested in the style?
Jared: I could, but I don't know what I listened to that has something on it already. I don't know that anything I've really gotten into has that in it, and I don't really consider it like an option for me, I guess. I don't know.
Ben: Yeah, or with keyboards, it's something I don't understand too much, but keyboards or if you play ukulele, or you could even layer the vocals in a thicker way than you do currently. From my ear, when I was listening to music, I don't hear too much over the top vocal harmony.
Jared: Yeah, exactly. And at first if you had it more than the second one, I don't the second has anything. But we're actually midway through recording an album now, and we're using very tasteful keyboard and Hammond organ and that kind of stuff and doing some vocals and stuff too, so a new crop of vocals and stuff, so it's a little bit different. I don't know, for some reason I get the skids and anybody's synthesizer. I just think 80% of it is in.
Ben: Well, it's funny because back then the synth meant a handful of usually cheesy sounds that was the only sound, that's what synth meant. Now, synth means, for instance, I record with both synth, but I use various plug-ins that sound exactly like a vintage Rhodes or a B3 or the really cool old vintage synths like the ARP, et cetera. Of course, you and I can probably name plenty of great classic rock songs with those instruments in them, but it doesn't necessarily mean cheesy, although I understand the skidoo feeling you get when the word comes up.
Jared: Definitely, we're actually using a lot of, I guess, the word is weird, I don't know. We've got some parts in the new album with [00:07:47 that sound] in it. We've got some parts with kazoos actually. Before you called me here, I was actually embarrassingly making my kazoo with some of the CDs that we have over here.
Ben: You're practicing?
Jared: Exactly.
Ben: Why did you have to practice kazoo.
Jared: It got a very small sweet spot on it. It's really weird.
Ben: That sounds like a line out of the next final tap, I'm sorry.
Jared: Yeah, it should be, huh? And we're going to use some stylophone, too and things like that, so it should be fun.
Ben: Neat, so I already alluded to it, but what I hear in you guys is music, and what I think the fans of Bands Like Rush will like it is the in or the angle with anything Rush-related in Heavy Glow, and when I heard it, I thought, "Well, here is kind of, you know, there is a lot more to it." I think those influences you list on your site are probably closer to the truth like Cream and those early 70's hard rock plus some of the punk influences, but early Rush with the first two albums plus a little bit more prog change up, even in that early Rush but with the baritones, vocalist versus Getty Lee's wail is how I would characterize this. It's very cool, so you mix up the rhythmic and harmonic elements more than other bands who sound like you guys on the surface. What's your approach to doing it? Are you guys that conscious or is that just a music you hear on your head?
Jared: It's probably a little bit of both. I have a really good rhythm section. Dan and Joe are really good at turning the beat up in their head. Do you know what I mean? We'll just turn the whole thing around. And in some of it, too, it's just we don't want to do the same thing over and over. So I think with the music, there is a very tasteful prog rock element, in the sense that it's not your typical three-minute verse chorus, verse chorus with immediate bridge kind of song. It's straightforward without being…
Ben: Predictable.
Jared: Yeah, it's not predictable, but at the same time, I don't want to make music for musicians only, do you know what I mean?
Ben: Yeah.
Jared: We could very easily get off on doing a 10-minute jam, and it would be really cool for us and the musicians in the room would high five us at the end of the night, but I don't know. It's all like instrumental masturbation, I don't know. I'm just not…
Ben: Yeah, the funny term I heard though, they call it 'achievement rock'.
Jared: Yeah, I would much rather just have taste volumes in the music. It's something that might throw you a little bit for the sake of subtlety, but it doesn't throw you so much that it's distracting.
Ben: Right, cool.
Jared: Yeah, I appreciate the comparison to Rush, too. The first thing that I think of when I think of Rush is working, man. I think we probably talked about that the last time too. But I can't tell you how many times I'd be working outside or something and then that song would come on, and I was just go with it. It's actually the best thing I ever…
Ben: Yeah, that's exactly the vintage I was thinking of.
Jared: Yeah, and it's very super simple song. I think there is a really cheap archs, and then the guitar solo breaks often are almost kind of a riff, but the guitar solo is so hooky that it catches up anyway. It's got that jam prog rock bit to that, I don't know.
Ben: Oh, I agree. So what's up with you guys lately? Do you guys have any big gigs you want to promote or events or albums? You alluded to something you're working on now, but now is the chance, anything going on?
Jared: Yeah, definitely, we are halfway through an album right now, so that should be out here, hopefully, in the next few months. It's going to be our first full length. We're pretty excited about it. Our last EP, 'The Filth & The Fury', was just nominated for best rock album of the year here in San Diego. Every year San Diego has a music awards. They've doing it for 25-26 years or something like that. Not only it, you see, it got nominated for best rock album of the year, so that's just the big news here lately, so I'm pretty excited about it. If any of your listeners have not heard it yet. They should go and check it out definitely.
Ben: Cool, I always include one or two songs. I think by picking the favorite or two favorites and intersperse them within our conversation. Cool, great, so Jared, this has been great talking to you. Again, we'll stay in touch and thanks for talking to us.
Posted in Interviews | 2 Comments »
2 Responses to "Heavy Glow"
Brilliant post – cool interview – still enjoying the blog – i always thought after the Gold……Rush was a good name for a Rush tribute band


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Black and white blog.
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Black and white blog.
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text: Comments on: Area home prices jump as housing market improves Back to the article » Matt Connolly • | January 14, 2013 | 12:00 am The Washington region's housing market is red hot, with more homes getting snapped up mere days after going on sale. While the area weathered the housing crisis better than much of the country, the past year saw an increase in sales prices and a decrease in time houses lingered on the market. Fewer houses are being sold compared with last year, meaning that more listings have multiple bidders... Web URL: http://washingtonexaminer.com/article/2518558 Share this article on Facebook or Twitter Print this article


text:
"Loved this story."
I love the audio versions as I can listen while I drive.
The tattoo on his back. I would love to be able to see it.
Yes and they are all just as good.
"A good story line."
I really like Lorelei King as a reader. Her voice is great and she changes characters with ease.
Quite a good story. At first was a little slow but got going and was really good. I recommend it.
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Herc's Thursday TV Talkback!! Yack Here About PARKS, ROCK, IDOL, BANG, SHORE, ROB, FINDER, UP, SCARED, FIRM, JOKERS, ARCHER, The 26th GOP Debate And More!! Plus RUCKUS, INSIDE COMEDY And FAT CHEF!!
According to a CBS poll, 91% of Americans approve of the proposals offered by Barack Obama during his 2011 State of the Union address. Tonight on CNN, Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich will discuss what an asshole Obama is.
With exactly one week to go before February Sweeps, NBC gives "The Office" the night off but it is doubling-down on the "30 Rock," creating a "Parks and Recreation" sandwich.
Premiering tonight:
Fat Chef (10pm Food Network) "gives viewers an inside look at the struggle chefs face when their love for food becomes overwhelming and affects their health." Newly uncloseted diabetic Paula Deen is not among the 12 culinary professional profiles.
Inside Comedy (11pm Showtime) David Steinberg tonight interviews fellow comics Jerry Seinfeld and the amazing Don Rickles, and will eventually get to Larry David, Chris Rock, Sarah Silverman, Garry Shandling, Mel Brooks, Carl Reiner, Martin Short, Tim Conway, Jonathan Winters, Billy Crystal, Robin Williams, Steven Wright, Ellen DeGeneres, Brad Garrett, Kathy Griffin, Jane Lynch, and Steve Carell.
Russell Simmons Presents The Ruckus
The Ruckus (10pm Comedy Central) is a new showcase for stand-up comedians from the folks who mounted "Def Comedy Jam." This one is hosted by the great "Curb Your Enthusiasm" fixture JB Smoove. Does Steve Prokopy know there's a fat comic out there calling himself "Capone"?
Thursdays, Nov. 24, 2011-Jan. 19, 2012
(18-49 finals; repeats in grey; last week in parentheses)
5.7 (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) American Idol
5.3 (5.3) (3.5) (2.8) (2.6) (2.9) (4.6) (3.0) (3.3) Big Bang Theory
3.5 (3.8) (4.5) (0.9) (0.7) (---) (---) (---) (---) Grey's Anatomy
3.5 (3.8) (4.0) (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) Jersey Shore
3.5 (4.1) (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) Rob
3.2 (3.2) (1.8) (1.7) (1.7) (2.8) (2.8) (1.6) (1.7) Person of Interest
3.0 (2.7) (1.9) (1.7) (1.5) (2.7) (2.7) (1.6) (1.6) The Mentalist
3.0 (2.9) (1.1) (0.9) (0.9) (1.1) (2.9) (2.9) (---) The Office
2.2 (1.7) (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) The Finder
2.1 (2.3) (2.7) (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) Private Practice
2.0 (0.7) (1.3) (1.5) (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) NBA Basketball
1.9 (1.9) (0.9) (0.7) (---) (0.7) (1.8) (1.8) (---) Parks and Recreation
1.9 (2.0) (0.7) (0.7) (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) Up All Night
1.8 (2.2) (2.7) (---) (---) (---) (1.9) (---) (---) Wipeout
1.6 (1.8) (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) 30 Rock
1.1 (1.2) (1.5) (0.3) (0.3) (0.3) (0.4) (0.4) (0.3) Vampire Diaries
1.0 (1.0) (1.1) (1.0) (1.1) (1.1) (0.9) (---) (---) Beyond Scared Straight
1.0 (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) GOP Debate
0.9 (1.0) (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) The Firm
0.8 (0.7) (0.6) (---) (---) (0.7) (0.5) (0.8) (---) Daily Show
0.8 (0.7) (0.7) (0.6) (0.7) (0.7) (---) (---) (---) Impractical Jokers
0.7 (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) Archer
0.7 (0.6) (0.8) (0.6) (0.4) (0.8) (0.7) (0.5) (---) The First 48
0.7 (0.6) (0.5) (0.8) (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) NY Ink
0.7 (0.7) (0.8) (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) Project Runway
0.7 (0.8) (0.8) (0.3) (0.2) (0.3) (0.3) (0.3) (0.2) Secret Circle
0.6 (0.6) (0.5) (---) (---) (0.6) (0.5) (0.6) (---) Colbert Report
0.6 (0.6) (0.6) (0.5) (0.4) (0.6) (0.5) (0.5) (0.4) Impact Wrestling
0.6 (0.5) (0.5) (0.5) (0.5) (0.5) (0.3) (0.4) (0.4) World's Dumbest
0.5 (---) (0.7) (0.6) (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) American Pickers
0.5 (0.6) (0.5) (0.5) (---) (0.5) (0.5) (0.5) (---) Braxton Values
0.5 (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) Cajun Pawn Stars
0.5 (0.5) (0.8) (0.6) (0.6) (0.6) (0.5) (0.5) (0.3) Conan
0.5 (0.6) (0.5) (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) Man Woman Wild
0.5 (---) (0.5) (0.5) (---) (---) (0.4) (---) (---) Swamp People
0.5 (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) Unsupervised
0.4 (0.4) (0.5) (0.4) (---) (---) (---) (0.4) (---) Chelsea Lately
0.4 (0.5) (0.5) (0.7) (0.5) (---) (0.4) (0.4) (---) Chopped
0.4 (0.5) (0.6) (---) (---) (---) (---) (0.5) (---) College Basketball
0.4 (---) (0.4) (---) (0.4) (---) (0.3) (---) (---) House Hunters
0.4 (---) (0.4) (---) (0.4) (---) (---) (---) (---) House Hunters Intl
0.4 (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) Jail
0.3 (---) (0.4) (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) Dual Survivor
0.3 (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) Ancient Aliens
Readers Talkbackcomments powered by Disqus
+ Expand All
Jan. 26, 2012, 7:04 a.m. CST
26th GOP Debate
by Michael Lunney
So, why do Republicans love the rich and despise the middle class show, again... whoopee....
Jan. 26, 2012, 7:39 a.m. CST
To think that Food Network
by Truxton Spangler
at one time was actually about food, how to cook it, and enjoy it. Not reality shows, or other crap like they show now. Even an attention whore like Batali's show was about cooking, not mugging for the camera, or hanging out with celebrities.
Jan. 26, 2012, 7:48 a.m. CST
to think that the Fox News Channel
by Michael Lunney
at one time was actually about presenting the news in an unbiased manner..... oh wait a fucking minute... that NEVER happened.... what was I thinking.... oh yeah.... at one time the SciFi Channel was actually about presenting the best of science fict.... oh... wait..... i give up
Jan. 26, 2012, 9:23 a.m. CST
Ignore Everything Else
by Aquatarkusman
Just watch Rickles.
Jan. 26, 2012, 10:07 a.m. CST
I DO like how Newt's sci-fi geek side is coming out in his nomination run...he promises to have the first permanent moonbase within 20 years using his executive power. Awesome.
by Dogmatic
Jan. 26, 2012, 10:07 a.m. CST
That sounds like what I would DO if I were President. Which is why I won't ever be.
by Dogmatic
Jan. 26, 2012, 11:15 a.m. CST
by thelordofhell
Best comedy on TV you're obviously not watching
Jan. 26, 2012, 11:32 a.m. CST
by chad kuhns
Archer and Parks are about the only two things I find even remotely worth watching tonight. Archer is easily the best animated show on television right now.
Jan. 26, 2012, 11:46 a.m. CST
Yea Person of Interest, Big Bang and The Office tonight!
by room23storeblogspotcom
Almost as great as Fringe Friday!
Jan. 26, 2012, 11:53 a.m. CST
Agree with the love for Archer
by TheBringerOfRain
Very funny show with a great voice cast. I look forward to the show every week. room23storeblogspotcom, got some bad news if you are looking forward to a new Office tonight...
Jan. 26, 2012, 12:02 p.m. CST
Oh well 2 out of 3 ain't bad
by room23storeblogspotcom
and now I won't have to decide which to watch on-line.
Jan. 26, 2012, 12:08 p.m. CST
by meCPS
Isn't this tha same team that gave us Adult Swim's Frisky Dingo? Love how H. Jon Benjamin's Archer is a more refined (and intelligent) version of his clueless Xander Crews character.
Jan. 26, 2012, 12:40 p.m. CST
Looks like theres going to be a second 30 Rock.
by room23storeblogspotcom
Not sure if this is true, but maybe they are trying to burn off episodes since it hasn't aired new episode since last May of something? I would guess that they have more episodes then the schedule allows?
Jan. 26, 2012, 1:15 p.m. CST
dogmatic to the moon, Alice, to the moon...
by Michael Lunney
I hope you don't really believe Newt's bullshit about the moon base. Same bullshit as Bush in 2004 promising manned exploration of mars. All one could hope for from any conservative president along thses lines would be a proposal to visit the rings around Uranus. Newt or Mitt, Mitt or Newt? Doesn't sound so much like a choice as it sounds like the beginning to a satanic incantation to conjure up a demon to destroy humankind.
Jan. 26, 2012, 1:53 p.m. CST
of course 91% approve, the speech is polled till it hits that
by Saen
Obama does nothing without running 100 polls. Of course of all those things he listed not a single one will be done correctly if at all.
Jan. 26, 2012, 2 p.m. CST
Herc, geez...
by Chris Moody
...Obama was just rehashing the rhetoric that he used in his last two State of the Union addresses. BTW, are you still going to pretend that you are "unbiased" or even a "Republican?" Yeah, there isn't a need for the Republicans to debate how much of an ASSHOLE that Obama truly is because 57% of the country already know that. Obama's approval rating is at 43%. He will NOT win reelection unless: A.) He raises his approval rating; or, more likely, B.) He uses the media to attack the Republican candidate to lower his approval to Obama-like lows. Obama is an arrogant prick who wants to blame Bush for the problems in this nation...when the mediocre man has been vacationing in the White House for over three years. Worst. President. Ever!
Jan. 26, 2012, 2:29 p.m. CST
by Judge Briggs
Your opinion means as much as Sean Hannity's - fucking nothing because you're a partisan hack who spews half-truths and lies. And thanks to people like yourself, this country is in political gridlock ... ...and I wouldn't be surprised that you rather see Obama lose his job than millions gain employment ... That's the reality of the GOP these days - so obssessed with Obama, they aren't doing their job with getting people back to work. But the public isn't that stupid ... hence the high approval rate for the SOTU. ...and by the way, the economy is improving which means his chances get better by the day. Remember, Bush killed the economy, Obama killed Osama. That and the field for GOP candidates is a fucking joke. Good luck getting Gordon Gekko elected ... you'll NEED it. Bad!
Jan. 26, 2012, 2:40 p.m. CST
by Michael Lunney
Same lies and hate, different day- yawn. Your bullshit always makes even the most ignorant liberal seem like a genius in comparison to your tired talking points that no one believes anymore. Most normal people know Bush fucked up the economy. Most normal people don't have conservative-style memory loss. It's not a blame game - just reality. Obama is not perfect. He's done some pretty fucked up, non-progressive proposals. But conservatives only seem to hate working Americans right now. Most normal people are tired of that. Conservatives fighting to preserve Freedom and liberty?- nothing but Leave it to Beaver era bullshit. Corporate America is all that matters to them.
Jan. 26, 2012, 2:41 p.m. CST
by Michael Lunney
You always prone to just spewing ignorant lies? Jesus told me to ask you....
Jan. 26, 2012, 3:29 p.m. CST
I can't believe the Republican candidates still believe they have a chance
by sunwukong86
Obama's not great but the republican candidates are worse. I have no doubt Obama will win in the fall.
Jan. 26, 2012, 3:36 p.m. CST
Don Rickles is awesome
by angry kitty
Love that guy. Too mean and gritty to die. Thank God, cause he's hysterical. Glad I have Showtime, will def need to check This Inside comedy show out
Jan. 26, 2012, 4:34 p.m. CST
I almost forgot it was Archer Day. WOO HOO
by happybunni
Jan. 26, 2012, 4:39 p.m. CST
by TopHat
Megan Kelly said so! Don't you talk shit about her or Fox News!! If I agree with her and the other pretty female reporters on Fox News they'll like me. Its true! WE HAVE A CONNECTION.
Jan. 26, 2012, 4:52 p.m. CST
IT is funny when mcgootoo...
by Chris Moody
...accuses someone of "hate" simply because they don't agree with his wildly leftist political and economic views. I don't "hate" Obama. I just think that he is a moron. He impresses other morons by spewing the same ridiculous "goals" for THREE YEARS IN A ROW that he has no true intention of keeping. He is the WORST PRESIDENT EVER. I don't care if you or some of your friends want to continue giving him head, but don't call me a "hater" because I disagree with what he is specific about...or roll my eyes over the many things where he remains "ambiguous." BTW, Obama doesn't have a monopoly on "hope and change." We ALL want hope and change. In fact, I "hope" that we "change" administrations in November to someone who isn't nearly as mediocre or miserable as the current moron in office.
Jan. 26, 2012, 4:54 p.m. CST
@ judge briggs:
by Chris Moody
From 2007-2008, Senator Obama voted for the budget that the Democrat-controlled Congress pressured Bush upon... ...including the Barney Frank/Christopher Dodd nightmare... ...that harmed the economy. Yeah, Obama promised in 2009 that unemployment would never reach 8% if his economic policies were passed. Since the summer of 2009, they have never been LOWER than 8%. Worst. President. Ever!
Jan. 26, 2012, 5:11 p.m. CST
Worst. President. Ever!, ccchhhrrriiisssmredux? Really?
by Mugato5150
I realize you're probably like 16 years old but worst President even in your lifetime? Really?
Jan. 26, 2012, 5:25 p.m. CST
Impractical Jokers! It's funny as fuck.
by V'Shael
Good to see it's getting ratings comparable to The Daily Show and other "hit" comedy cable shows.
Jan. 26, 2012, 7:14 p.m. CST
So sad.................................................................
by axcel1
"Person Of Interest" is a repeat tonight, a good repeat, but, still, a repeat.
Jan. 26, 2012, 7:17 p.m. CST
So, room23storeblogspotcom, does "Fringe Friday" include...............................
by axcel1
"Kitchen Nightmares"?
Jan. 26, 2012, 8:06 p.m. CST
For the record
by BugDOC
Two of my best friends are on the seal team that did get Osama and Obama was not there. In reality it was the hard work of many military personnel that got him. I agree. Obama worst ever
Jan. 26, 2012, 8:41 p.m. CST
Worst President Ever = WORSE PHONY GOP MEME EVER
by Mr. Nice Gaius
After the national embarrassment of the Bush-Cheney administration, they'll say anything to hide the egg on their faces. We've seen it every day since those two sets of clown shoes left office.
Jan. 26, 2012, 8:55 p.m. CST
For the record...
by Mr. Nice Gaius
...without the President (aka Commander in Chief) making the call and giving the order, everyone's favorite SEAL team fantasy doesn't happen. And the same goes for his refocused policy on finding Osama in the first place. Yes, a tremendous amount of credit goes to the intelligence and military personnel who put the pieces of the puzzle together. Without their efforts, we may have never found that SOB. But of all the available options, Obama chose the most risky and potentially catastrophic of them all. It was a gutsy fucking move and he deserves every bit of credit for the decision.
Jan. 26, 2012, 10:08 p.m. CST
cancelled my 30 Rock season pass tonight
by Uncle Pooky
i have no interest in that show anymore.
Jan. 26, 2012, 10:56 p.m. CST
Not even the worst president of the last four years.
by Hercules
word to your mother
Jan. 27, 2012, 1:43 a.m. CST
Politics, NO! Archer, baby, Archer!!
by BrannigansLaw
I always save my Archer eps until Saturday morning. I watch Archer, Star Wars, and some anime with a big ol' bowl of cereal all huddled up on the couch. I create my own Saturday morning cartoon run:o)
Jan. 27, 2012, 4:04 a.m. CST
Apparently "socialist" has been redefined to mean
by V'Shael
Someone that once said something negative about rich people.
Jan. 27, 2012, 6:22 a.m. CST
If you're a chef and you're *not* fat, I ain't eating' your food
by gruntybear
That's all I'm saying.
Jan. 27, 2012, 9:18 a.m. CST
by MegaBeth
91% of Americans are assholes, so it would make sense that they would approve of the asshole President's asshole ideas.
Jan. 27, 2012, 9:27 a.m. CST
Not really
by MegaBeth
Obama's call was cowardly. We could have had a F117 drop a couple JDAMs on Bin Laden's crib and the job would have been done without placing Seals in danger, without losing a stealth helicopter and it's technology to the Chinks, and without getting about 50 CIA informants tortured to death in Pakistan. He was more worried about his international image than getting the job done effectively and safely. So even the one thing he did right during the last three years, was done wrong. Let's face it, Obama is a clown who seduced all you simpleton Libs into believing he was the second coming of Christ. When in reality he is just a nerd who is probably a closeted homosexual. By the way Big Bang Theory is the best comedy of Television. The writers for that show are fantastic.
Jan. 27, 2012, 10:02 a.m. CST
Well there goes your case...
by KatyaDC
By the way Big Bang Theory is the best comedy of Television. The writers for that show are fantastic.
Jan. 27, 2012, 10:03 a.m. CST
by KatyaDC
With that one phrase, you negated any arguments you might have made with one fell swoop.
Jan. 27, 2012, 10:41 a.m. CST
by Mr. Nice Gaius
What a bullshit, cowardly response. Dropping a couple of JDAMS just down the street from the Pakistani military with potentially nothing to show for it except a major international incident is about the stupidest thing that could have been done. The job was done in the most effective way in order to guarantee success. And what are the SEALs if not a team trained to be placed in danger? And no one said Obama was "Christ". That was a meme guys like you decided to use as a way to stoke division. Kind of like the whole Kenyan-Muslim-Socialist canards that continue to embarrass sensible conservatives. "Chinks"?! Wow. Ooookay...
Jan. 27, 2012, 3:26 p.m. CST
megabeth - 100% asshole
by Michael Lunney
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text:
Former Georgia Bulldogs guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope is expected to be a mid-first round selection in tonight's NBA Draft, but he seems to have an idea of what team could select him and his comments narrowed speculation down to two.
Caldwell-Pope has been paying attention to his stock throughout the draft process and he has been enjoying watching his stock on the rise.
"Just moving up in the draft, it just made me proud of myself," Caldwell-Pope said, via NBC Sports.
While Caldwell-Pope cannot be 100 percent sure where he will spend his rookie year playing, he stated that he expects to go to a team that he has worked out for and that he expects to go in the top ten.
"It would be surprising just to go to a team that I didn't work out for," Caldwell-Pope said. "They haven't seen me, what I can do. it would just be surprising to me."
When you look at the teams Caldwell-Pope worked out for — Minnesota Timberwolves (No. 9), Portland Trail Blazers (No. 10), Dallas Mavericks (No. 13), Milwaukee Bucks (No. 15), Boston Celtics (No. 16) and Cleveland Cavaliers (No. 19) — the Wolves and Trail Blazers are the only two teams selecting in the top ten.
If Caldwell-Pope's top ten prediction is going to come true, it looks like you can pencil him in to one of those two teams — at least that is where he expects to land.
Tags: 2013 NBA Draft Basketball Georgia Bulldogs Kenny Caldwell-Pope Kentavious Caldwell-Pope Minnesota TImberwolves Portland Trail Blazers


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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Analogies are stupid are are prone to hyperbole. Don't be like the rest of the internet and use them in an argument. You could argue that the authenticator is like a seat belt and should be mandatory. Conversely, you could argue that it's like buying a guard dog when you already lock your doors and set the alarms, and therefor unnecessary. It's stupid. It gets us nowhere.
Let's get this straight.
No one should be arguing that Authenticators are ineffective.
No one should be arguing that attempting to but a system in place to handle protecting and restoring compromised accounts is a bad idea.
No one should be arguing that mandating them to combat a major spike in compromised accounts is a bad idea.
No one should be arguing that owning a Mac or running anti virus software will insulate them from getting phished or key-logged.
No one should be calling anyone irresponsible or stupid for not wanting to pay a single penny more for a security feature that should have been shipped from the beginning.
No one should be down-ranked for being against this rumored mandate.
No one should be using stupid logical fallacies and ad homenim to debate people on EITHER SIDE.
I would love to see a review of each side's argument over the past week. But I think the nature of the Blog, and the fact that this medium is more opinion-based than journalistic means that we (sadly) won't see such a thing.


text:
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Please Register as a New User or Login as Existing User to gain full access to all the photos on this site. Registration is quick and completely free.
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Si Litchfield on The Wicked Witch of the West
© Si Litchfield, May 2010
Route: The Wicked Witch of the West
Climbers: Simon Litchfield
Camera used: Canon PowerShot G6


text:
Cleaning day today — we sweated and look who ended up taking all the rest 😋
Cleaning day today — we sweated and look who ended up taking all the rest 😋
Happy kid = Happy parents 😊
Me "kinect"ified!
I have started playing with Kinect sensor for HCI activities…especially I am interested in exploring how to seamlessly integrate this with our existing products — absolute fun! (not for my wife though, who is not able to play Dance Central nowadays — time for buying another Kinect sensor!?)
Taken by a city girl, who has never seen this on a tree..my wife :) (Taken with Instagram at Chitrakut mahal)
Didn't miss torrent downloaded content in luxuria buses a bit, was happy to see aXXo :) (Taken with instagram)
Time well spent with my Kinect…Wii/WiiFit are going to be relegated for some time in my house, for sure :)
I received my Xbox360 Kinect today….pretty excited!! (Taken with instagram at Intel - Sarjapur Road)
Jam at 08pm…we never ever miss traffic at Bangalore. (Taken with instagram at Cisco Systems India Private Limited)
Reason I love Multiplexes (Taken with instagram)
Company perks - we keep your shoes clean. (Taken with instagram at Intel - Sarjapur Road)


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Pre-professional Office
From Director Megan Rigney:
The Office of Pre-Professional Programs
Interacting with Office of Pre-Professional Programs
Megan M. Rigney
Cindy Cogdill
Kelly Davis
Premed Listserv
The Premedical Advisory Committee Letter of Evaluation:
During the fall semester, the Office of Pre-Professional Programs will hold an informational meeting for all students planning to apply to medical, dental, veterinary or other health professional school in the coming summer. At this time the Pre-Application for the Committee Evaluation will be distributed and students will register with the office in order to obtain a premedical advisor. This advisor will work closely with the student throughout the year and will ultimately write the committee letter of evaluation in consultation with the premedical advisory committee.
How important is the Committee Letter?
Programming and Events:


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De Nardo, Guglielmo and Sciacca, Crisostomo (2006) Study of J/psi pi+ pi- states produced in B0 -> J/psi pi+ pi- K0 and B- -> J/psi pi+ pi- K-. [Rivista]Full text not available from this repository.
|Item Type:
|Depositing User:
|ing Paolo Nicastro
|Date Deposited:
|20 Oct 2010 08:00
|Last Modified:
|30 Apr 2014 19:42
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Favorite decades: 1910's, 1800's, 1870's
Favorite artists: Anthony van Dyck, Giovanni Boldini, Henry Fuseli, Thomas Lawrence
Find me at:
Click "browse" to find whatever it is you're looking for.
Happy Valentine's Day!
Red glazed cotton corset, c. 1880. Made by Farcy & Oppenheim, Paris. Labeled inside "C. P. a la Sirene," this was one of the finest corset-makers in the late 19th and early 20th century, showing in World's Fairs and Expositions. The corset laces up the back and has slot and stud fasteners in front, (each stamped "C P"), allowing the wearer to put on her own corset once the proper fit was determined. Colorful corsets became fashionable and accepted in the 1880s.
This corset is currently on exhibit along with other lacy unmentionables for Valentine's Day.
TEXTILE TUESDAYS: Each Tuesday we post a piece from our textile collection. Some items have been on exhibit, some will eventually be shown in our new Historic Textiles Gallery and some may be just too fragile to display. We hope you enjoy our selection each week – do let us know if there's something in particular you'd like to see on TEXTILE TUESDAY! #TextileTuesday
Visite à l'accouchée by Edouard Frederic Wilhelm Richter, 1874 Paris, Berko Fine Paintings
(Source: berkofinepaintings.com)
The Dance by Aimé Gabriel-Adolphe Bourgoin, 1870 France, Rijksmuseum Amsterdam
(Source: rijksmuseum.nl)
Lord Almeric Athelstan Spencer-Churchill and Lady Clementina Spencer-Churchill by James Sant, 1877 England, private collection
(Source: the-athenaeum.org)
Waving to the Procession, Paris by Albert Roosenboom, ca 1880 Brussels, private collection
It was sold by Christie's in 2008.
Click for a massive image
An Acquired Taste by Albert Roosenboom, ca 1870's, private collection
Sold by Christie's in Amsterdam to an anonymous buyer in 2012.
(Source: christies.com)
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Prep Time: 1 Hour
Yields: 4-6 Servings
What's great about this recipe is that it can be made with any type of seafoods, even mixed, and wonderful with chicken as well. Quiche has been around for centuries, however here in Louisiana we have raised it to a new level by adding our fresh crawfish tails. Get creative and try adding some of your favorite seasoning meats such as andouille, tasso or chopped smoked sausage.
1 and 1/4 cups crawfish tails
2 tbsps butter
1/3 cup chopped onions
1/4 cup minced garlic
salt and cayenne pepper to taste
4 eggs
2 cups heavy whipping cream
1/4 tsp Tabasco
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp dried chives
1 (9-inch) prepared pie crust
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup grated white Cheddar cheese
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a saucepan, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add onions and cook until tender. Add garlic and season to taste with salt and cayenne pepper, stirring occasionally. Add crawfish tails and cook about 1 minute. Remove from heat and let cool. In a large bowl, combine eggs, cream, Tabasco, Worcestershire, chives and salt to taste, whisking to mix well. Set egg mixture aside. Place prepared pie crust in a pie pan. Spread cooled crawfish mixture on bottom of pie crust, top with egg mixture then sprinkle evenly with Parmesan and Cheddar cheese. Bake 50 minutes to 1 hour or until set.
844 Government
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For more information on this site, please read our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service.


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Smoking Cessation Health Center
Nicotine Replacement Treatments May Not Work Long-Term
Professor: 'We Shouldn't Over-Emphasize Nicotine Replacement Therapy'
Steven Schroeder MD, professor of medicine and director of the Smoking Cessation Leadership Center at the University of California, San Francisco, reviewed the study findings for WebMD.
"It's a useful reminder that there are many ways to help smokers quit and we shouldn't over-emphasize nicotine replacement therapy," he tells WebMD.
However, he sees some limitations to the study. He questions whether more participants were needed to find the true effects of the medication with or without counseling.
Another limitation, he says, is that few took the treatment as recommended.
His bottom line: "I tell [smokers] it's important to quit. Some do it cold turkey. But data show if you get counseling and one or more of the medications, it will increase your chances of quitting long-term." He is referring to previous studies showing that the combination approach helps people quit.
The study is ''seriously biased," says Saul Shiffman, PhD, professor of psychology at the University of Pittsburgh and a longtime researcher in the field. He serves as a consultant to GlaxoSmithKline, which markets the nicotine replacement products Nicorette and NicoDerm CQ.
He, too, cites the limited use of the products as a problem. He believes clinical trials, such as those that compare using the medications to not using them, give a truer picture. Numerous clinical trials, he says, ''show that these medications double your chances of quitting."
Nicotine Replacement: Industry Weigh-In
''When it comes to smoking cessation, there is no 'magic pill,''' says Deborah Bolding, a spokesperson for GlaxoSmithKline, in an emailed statement to WebMD.
She cites ''hundreds of clinical trials'' showing the products work when used as directed. NRT products, she writes, have ''helped millions of smokers quit by gradually weaning them off their tobacco addiction and [the approach] is recommended as a [primary] therapy for quitting."


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Summary of LAS-CC procedures for proposals (requires Adobe Acrobat)
UCC guidelines on the Format for Proposals
Coversheet forms (for both MS Word and Adobe Acrobat)
General Education Home Page
|Date Proposals Due to LAS
Dean's Office (GC 206) by 4:30 p.m.
(First Tuesday)
|LAS Curriculum Committee
Meetings 11 a.m. in GC 200
(Second Tuesday)
|Date Proposals Due to UCC in the UCC Office by 12 noon
|UCC Meetings
11 a.m. in MSU 312
|Tues. Sept. 3
|*Tues. Sept. 10
|Thurs. Sept. 12
|Thurs. Sept. 26
|Tues. Oct. 1
|Tues. Oct. 8
|Thurs. Oct. 10
|Thurs. Oct. 24
|Tues. Nov. 5
|Tues. Nov. 12
|Tues. Dec. 3
|Tues. Dec. 10
(Finals Week)
mtg @ 10 AM
|Thurs. Nov. 15
|Thurs. Dec. 5
|Tues. Jan. 21
|*Tues. Jan. 28
|Tues. Feb. 4
|Tues. Feb. 11
|Thurs. Feb. 13
|Thurs. Feb. 27
|Tues. Mar. 4
|Tues. Mar. 11
|Thurs. Mar. 13
|Thurs. Mar. 27
|Tues. April 1
|Tues. April 8
|Thurs. Apr. 10
|Thurs. Apr. 24
New program and program
versions are effective the corresponding semester of the
following academic year after they are passed by the UCC.
The UCC has the right to grant exceptions in unique circumstances. (From the UCC website)
Note: Julie Fiorini (firstname.lastname@example.com) maintains the proposal ID database. Please contact her via email to get ID numbers assigned for your proposals.
Updated 12/23/13 K. Friehauf
Lynn Kutch - chairperson
Modern Language Studies
Randy Schaeffer – vice chairperson and UCC representative - Mathematics
Lynn Kutch – secretary – Modern Language Studies
Mahfuzul Khondaker - General Education Committee Representative – Criminal Justice
Kim Shively - UCC representative - Anthropology/Sociology
Sharon Lyter – alternate UCC representative – Social Work
Cristen Rosch - Biology
Charlie Shim - Computer Sciences
Andrew Skitko - Electronic Media
Ellesia Blaque - English
Steve Schnell - Geography
Ilene Prokup - Nursing
Allan Bäck – Philosophy
Matthew Junker – Physical Science
George Hale – Political Science
Avidan Milevsky – Psychology
E. Zayaitz – Dean
David Beougher - Associate Dean
University Curriculum Committee (UCC) home page
Kutztown University home page


text:
Home > Post > Post 12 > Post 12 News Release > 2012 News Releases > News Release
News Release
Trooper Kendra Wilson
Public Affairs Officer
Kentucky State Police
Post 12, Frankfort
(502) 227-2221
Click here to e-mail Trooper Kendra Wilson
Shelby County Man Arrest on Wanton Endangerment 1st Charges
Date of News Release: 07/02/2012
(Post 12 Frankfort) -- Troopers from the Kentucky State Police Frankfort Post respond to a verbal domestic call on Zaring Mill Rd. The investigation has revealed that Alex D. Claypool fired a hand gun striking the tires of a vehicle that his wife was attempting to leave in.
Alex D. Claypool, age 23 of Shelbyville, KY, has charged with one count of Wanton Endangerment 1st, and one count of Tampering with Physical Evidence. He has been lodged in the Shelby County Detention Center. KSP was assisted by the Shelby County Sheriffs Office. The incident remains under investigation by the KSP Frankfort Post.


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Online ISSN: 20400934
First published in 2005
2 issues per volume
Current Issue:
Volume 0 / Issue 0
***International Journal of Performance Arts & Digital Media is now pulished by Taylor & Francis*** Go to the Journal's home page
The International Journal of Performance Arts and Digital Media (IJPADM) is an interdisciplinary, peer-reviewed journal which draws contributions from a wide range of researchers and practitioners who are placed at the rapidly developing interface of new technologies with performance arts.
The Journal acts as a forum to energise innovative and creative thinking and practice surrounding the combination of digital technologies with the performance arts (theatre, dance, music, live art). Disciplines represented in articles may be domain-specific or in convergence.
The journal actively encourages debate and cross-disciplinary exchange of a broad range of approaches surrounding the use of new media and information technologies in the creation and implementation of performances. Such debate may extend into associated implications teaching and research at undergraduate and postgraduate level
Relevant topics include:
- Cultural mediatization
- Live performance with interactive systems
- Performance pedagogy, education and new media
- Virtual and physical bodies
- Motion capture technologies
- Distributed non-linear performance
- Web-based performance and virtual performance spaces
- Audience-performer-new media
- Interactive performance installations
- Interdisciplinarity and digital media in education
- HCI and live performance
- Space, experience and the body
- Real-time music control
- Practice based research with new media
- Assessing digital performance
- Online/disc performance
Readership includes lecturers, researchers and students in performance-based arts at Universities, Colleges and Schools of Higher Education; practitioners and educators in music, theatre and dance and performance; researchers and software developers with an interest in the performance arts.
The Journal is edited at the School of Intermedia and Performance Arts at Doncaster College
IJPADM is now inviting full-length articles (ideally between 5000 and 8000 words), shorter articles for debate on current issues ( 1500-3000 words), and reviews of live or media-based performances, ( about 1000 words).
IJPADM also welcomes the submission of book review essays specifically to galvanise debate among those involved with performance arts and digital media (1500 and 3000 words).


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If anyone needs me, please email me or message me on facebook, or my skype if you have it. Or really anything I use aside from tumblr. I just haven't been feeling this blog at all, so I'm basically on hiatus. I might reappear soon, I might not for ages.
If you need my facebook or whatever just send me an ask, I'll try to at least check back throughout the next day or two for that.
OOC: Fan art would be awesome! I don't know why my answer didn't post the first time… anyways, yes, it would be awesome :)
Well everypony, have some answers! Sorry, I can't get a read more to work right now.
Q: Could Discord be behind this?
Not likely. For one, his statue still stands exactly where it should. And of course, it's not really Discord's style. He favors complete chaos, but he's rather physically harmless. Discord would choose to cover Equestria in random, irritating pranks…. not beasts that slaughter ponies, nor the death of a princess.
Q: Have you asked Zecora for help?
I visit Zecora as regularly as I can, considering how much more dangerous the Everfree forest is now. She's working hard at trying to create a concoction that will harm the creatures, but she hasn't come up with anything yet.
Q: Have you tried this/that/etc to kill the creatures? What kills the creatures? Tell us more about them?
The skin of the previously posted spiny creatures is tough, too tough for any defense we ponies can create. Blades won't sink through it…. They may look frail and brittle but they're not. They have strength like nothing I've seen. They can bruise with enough force, you can drive them away if you last long enough to bore them. Occasionally even a really tough pony like Rainbow Dash can deliver enough hard blows to kill them. They don't eat ponies, they just like to… attack. Like a cat with a toy. They play, they kill, and they leave. Pegasi like Rainbow Dash like to attack them from above, with kicks powered by their speed. Unicorns such as myself can use magic to beat them with other objects with pretty good force, but direct magic seems to do nothing. Earth ponies…. Well, earthies are advised not to go out alone.
The other creatures, we've taken to just calling "the infected". They look like ponies… I think they all were ponies, once. They eat flesh. And if a pony gets bitten by one, they become infected too. They're no more difficult to kill than a pony, not that I'd know, but altogether more dangerous than a pony… considering what they turn you into with the tiniest bite or scratch.
None of the spiny creatures seem very inclined to enter buildings, preferring easy prey. The infected will try to break in if they see someone enter or if you don't have your windows boarded up enough to prevent them from seeing you. If they see you go into a building and they cant get in, they'll screech until enough others come around to break down the door together.
No matter how many of the creatures are killed, more take their place. I don't think they're born into existence, I think they're created… I don't know who or what is creatng them, and I don't know where they're being created… it's too dangerous to just go around looking for the source.
Q: What about other animals, how to they fight back? Can the larger animals harm them?
Smaller animals hide out with us in our homes. Most of us allow them their space, they stay in corners and under things, and find food for themselves. Larger animals… I haven't seen any since all this started. They must have fled somewhere. I wish we knew where they've gone, if there's somewhere out there that's safe…
Q: Are these creatures everywhere? Is there somewhere outside of Equestria that's safe?
I've heard from ponies all over the wide land of Equestria and nowhere is free of the creatures. I've heard of foreign lands beyond Equestria, but nopony's proved they've actually been out of Equestria before. Oceans span around all the continent as far as anyone can see, and all documented expeditions into the unknown have always proved fruitless, or never return at all. It's been the same through all of pony history.
Q: Do you know how Celestia died?
No. I have no clue. She was just found lifeless. No wounds, no trace of poison… just lifeless. I didn't even know she could be killed. I don't think anypony did. It must have taken some truly great force to defeat her so easily.
Q: Have you managed to examine any of these creatures?
I wouldn't touch one of the infected, it's too risky. I've examined one of the spiny creatures, but only externally. Even when dead, they're impossible to, you know, cut open.
Q: Can't you put up some sort of defense around the town to keep it safe?
No material we have is strong enough to hold them back indefinitely. Not to mention, crowds attract them.
Q: Do you know where Luna could be?
Not at all. I wish I did. I wish I knew why she left. Why she left all of Equestria with these creatures and with no ruling… I can't imagine any reason why she would leave her royal duty like that, but she's certainly not dead. The sun and moon both rise precisely as they should, and only she knows that power. There's the possibility of her being taken by force, but I honestly just have no idea. There are no signs, no clues to help.
Q: Can't you use the elements with another kind pony?
In theory, it's possible, but we still don't know the source of these creatures. All we could do is kill them one by one, and as I said, more always come. Until we know the source, we simply can't form any solid stradegy past what we're doing already. Not to mention, any pony with such a pure element of kindness is next to impossible to find- it's certainly nopony in Ponyville who hasn't been hardened from the terrors we're all exposed to. And finding a really, really nice pony isn't exactly on top of my priority list these days.
Q: What IS your plan of action now?
Those of us who are left are focused on just staying alive. Desparation has driven it to be very "every pony for themselves"… Money is pointless, ponies take what they need. Applejack offers up portions of food for free, and has to defend her land from ponies who would rather steal more than their fair share of food. Mostly, everypony hides inside, leaving their homes only to scavenge for supplies or when Applejack has new crops to give out. A few of us go out more often, some to try and attack the creatures, others simply looking for answers, like me. It's dangerous to go out even when no creatures are visible, considering how the infected will track you even after you've gone back inside. Not to mention the meaner ponies that like to take out their anger on others. It's just ridiculous what our land has become.
I'm just doing my best to investigate when I can. My magic is powerful enough to cast a shielding spell, I can hide myself from creatures, but no other unicorns have managed magic that powerful yet, despite my teaching efforts. It's still dangerous for me, I can't hold the spell for long periods of time…. I spend a lot of time transporting back and forth between here and Canterlot, searching the Royal libraries for any information on the creatures or any foes the Princesses may have that could do this. I have no leads yet. The rest of my spare time I spend checking up on other ponies, at least the ones that let me in. I teach other unicorns any new spells I've learned that can be helpful, if they're basic enough for others to perform. So far I've been able to teach most of them a spell for strengthening their barriers on their doors and windows, and many of them have picked up my locating spell, which is remarkably helpful in a place where society is falling apart. Sometimes you need something, and there just aren't shopkeepers to help you.
Until I have any leads or new information on he situation, this is all I can do.
Q: Who else in Ponyville is alive?
Not many are left. The Carrots are gone, I don't know if they're dead or if they just left. Mrs. Cake is dead, Mr. Cake takes care of the baby ponies alone now. Cheerilee uses the school as a safe haven for foals who've lost their families. The spa twins are gone. Derpy and Dinky are in Cloudsdale. Cloudsdale has cut off contact with the land, aside from a few ponies that come and go each week for food in exchange for rain. Our land would run totally dry, otherwise. A good amount of pegasi did stay behind, the bravest of the brave, but most of them are up there away from the creatures of the land. They have their own creatures to deal with, sky-dwelling beasts, I haven't seen one aside from a dark spec in the sky too far away to distinguish. I don't know what they're like, but it can't be any better than down here.
Lyra and Bon Bon are alive. Roseluck and Daisy are too, Lily's dead. Berry Punch is gone. Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon and their parents left at the first sign of trouble. Lemon Hearts is… okay. She's recovering from some serious wounds right now.
Speaking of, Nurse Redheart is the only one left with medical training. She doesn't always have time to help everypony, so she's training Minuette to deal with minor injuries. Anypony who might be infected and not turned yet gets locked up in what used to be the solitary confinement rooms in the mental wing of the hospital.
There are about two dozen other ponies I don't know very well who are also still here, but everypony else is gone or dead.
Well, that answers the questions that keep getting repeated. I hope that helps.


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Last Updated
Last Updated
Deng Xiaoping
Last Updated
Alternate titles: Teng Hsiao-p'ing
External Websites
Britannica Web Sites
Articles from Britannica encyclopedias for elementary and high school students.
- Deng Xiaoping - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up)
(1904-97). During the Cultural Revolution of the 1960s, China's Communist government publicly humiliated former vice-premier Deng Xiaoping by parading him through the national capital in a dunce cap. Yet, after the death of Mao Zedong in 1976, he emerged as his country's paramount leader. Deng was acclaimed as a reformer who resisted rigid Communist ideology, introduced elements of free enterprise, and helped restore stability and economic growth. His international image was tarnished in mid-1989, however, when he ordered a military crackdown on pro-democracy protesters.


text:
Katharine Herrup, friend and editor (depending on how this goes, not necessarily in that order, or either, for that matter) has challenged us with a simple question: Why aren't there more über successful women in tech, and everywhere, for that matter?
Kat (I'll get away with that for as long as I can) does so in a provocative and timely way by suggesting that the next Steve Jobs, the second coming of whom might be, ought to be, no reason shouldn't be, a woman.
Long overdue. Glass ceilings are meant to be broken. Right on.
But … as I began reading her post something disturbed me straight away. It wasn't the stirrings of latent male chauvinism, though it did occur to me that any contrarianism might be construed as such, and who's to say what evil lurks in the hearts of men? And then there was this friend/editor thing. I questioned myself: I have a daughter, and very much wanted our only child to be a girl, and told people who asked why (even though it was none of their business), it's because girls are better people.
It was through the renewed recollection of this pro-girl bias that I began to understand what was bothering me about Katharine's seemingly impeccable thesis.
In making Steve Jobs a benchmark for women, she had actually aimed too low.
I mean this as no disrespect to Steve; my thoughts on his place in the history of the world are a matter of public record.


text:
Cardwell was taken into custody last week in Thailand, where he was reportedly living a life of luxury on money that he is charged with swindling from the companies that hired and trusted him.
We await his return to the United States, most likely in shackles, and wonder what more we will learn as the wheels of justice grind on.
But no matter what, it's a very good thing that Cardwell's days on the run are over.
Thumbs down to the reports that the Boys & Girls Club of Park County is struggling to keep its doors open.
The club serves nearly 600 kids and provides them with a safe, healthy environment. Its budget has dropped from almost $800,000 to around $500,000, and it needs all the help it can get from donors and government and private agencies that provide grant dollars.
We applaud the efforts of the staff and the board, as well as the people in our community who support the club. Gov. Matt Mead and Rep. Cynthia Lummis were asked this week if they could help secure the club's finances, and let's hope any and all means to boost its fiscal situation are used.
The club does a lot of good, and as Mead said, every penny spent there is money wisely invested for the future.
Thumbs up to the annual Jake Clark's Mule Days, which are under way in Ralston this week.
Mules are fascinating, if at times cantankerous, animals who played an important role in the settling of the West. They are tough animals that can perform duties that man or horse struggle with, and it's worth noting that even in the 21st century, they are highly valued.
In addition to an event that hails the hardy animal, Mule Days is also a lot of fun for people, with music, a dance, good fun and other attractions. We hope you get a kick out of it.
Thumbs down to a report from the Powell Police Department that local residents fall victim to scams that cost them thousands of dollars.
There are a lot of crooked people in this world who are willing to spend more time trying to cheat people than if they would simply get a job and earn some money. But while most of us can avoid these traps, some continue to fall for the bogus offers and wild schemes that these scam artists float.
Take the good advice of investigator Michael Hall and beware any offer that seems too good to be true. And if you are unsure what to make of an offer to make you suddenly rich, bring it to the cops and let them take a gander at it.
Thumbs up to dads.
Sunday is Father's Day, and we salute the men who raise kids, pay bills, mow lawns and cheer from the sidelines.
Here's to the men who support the kids they fathered, and to those who love and cherish the children they are lucky enough to have become part of their families later in life. Families come in all kinds, and anyone who serves as a father merits praise.
Hooray for fathers, Sunday and every other day.


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August 1, 2002
Axiom Audio Epic Grand Master Home-Theater Speaker
If there's any real
difference between the world of audio when I was a pup and now, it would have to be in the
realm of affordable loudspeakers. In the old days, if you had a good ear, but not much
money, you were almost forced to build your own speakers. Besides, even the best speakers
you could buy were horribly colored compared to live music.
These days, you'd have to go out of your way to hear a
really bad-sounding loudspeaker (or else duck into one of those single-brand stores at the
mall whose brand name rhymes with "no highs, no lows"). Plus, you'd be
hard-pressed to buy the raw drivers for as little as some companies are selling their
fully assembled loudspeakers.
And that's a good thing, too, when it comes to home
theater. Now we're talking about, not two, but five loudspeakers -- plus
a subwoofer. Of course, in the early days of HT, some of the mass-market manufacturers
decided that most people were going to try to pay the same amount for the whole HT speaker
system that they would have previously dedicated to a stereo pair, so those companies
flooded the market with "complete" speaker systems that sounded like five
transistor radios, with a table radio for the bass.
These cynically marketed underachievers probably did more
to turn people off home theater than Jack Valenti has in his whole career.
Fortunately, there are also a lot of audio manufacturers
that take pride in what they do. Even better, there are a few that take great pride in
surpassing your expectations, overwhelming you with the quality and affordability of their
offerings. Axiom Audio, for example.
Axiom offers its Epic Grand Master home-theater speaker
system -- that's right: front left and right channels, a center speaker, two surrounds,
and a subwoofer -- for the barely credible price of $1510 (and the system price even
discounts Axiom's already more-than-reasonable individual speaker prices)!
But there's more. It's scary good.
We carry within us the wonders we seek without us
Axiom, based in Dwight, Ontario, has been around almost 20
years. The firm's founder, Ian Colquhoun, is best known for his pioneering work on
loudspeaker design at Canada's National Research Council lab under the direction of Dr.
Floyd Toole. There's now an entire generation of Canadian speaker designers who have come
of age using the NRC, but Colquhoun was there at the creation. Axiom, unlike some of the
huge Canadian speaker builders, however, has remained low-key -- some might actually say
invisible. But thanks to the Internet and a growing collection of rave reviews, the
company is becoming better known among discerning audiophiles and home-theater buffs.
Axiom now manufactures almost 20 models, as well as a lineup of audio and speaker stands.
The Epic Grand Master system consists of a pair of
Millennia M22Ti SE stand-mounted two-way loudspeakers ($400/pair), a VP100 center-channel
speaker ($220/ea), a pair of QS8 "quadpolar" surrounds ($470/pair), and an EP175
self-powered subwoofer ($500/ea). The system's individual components all share certain
attributes, so we'll discuss those details before describing the specific speakers
All of the Epic Grand Master speakers employ 1"
titanium tweeters and 5.5" aluminum midrange/woofers (actually, the EP175 has
neither, boasting a 10" aluminum driver instead). Metal drivers are used because they
are intrinsically rigid while remaining light, and therefore capable of moving quickly and
uniformly. Titanium offers the added advantage of rapid heat dissipation, so its a
fine material for tweeters, which build up a lot of heat as they vibrate at high
frequencies. All of the speakers have magnetic shielding, so they can be placed close to
your television monitor without distorting its image or color values. All of the speaker
cabinets are constructed so their side walls are not parallel to one another -- Axiom
calls this "Anti-Standing-Wave" construction because (all together now) it
minimizes internal standing waves. They all have gold-plated five-way binding posts. They
are all clad in functional, but certainly far-from-sumptuous, vinyl veneer (available in
black oak, maple, and cherry).
The M22Tis and EP175 also share "Vortex porting,"
which is a plastic collar that smoothes the air flow at the port entrances. This certainly
seems effective, as I never heard any port chuffing, even at high volume levels, but I
have to say that the Vortex ports have a disturbingly puckered, organic look to them. Good
thing they're out of sight on the rear of the 22s and under the subwoofer's grille.
The Millennia M22Tis are tall (19.7"H by 7.7"W by
8.5"D) stand-mounted two-way, three-driver loudspeakers. Each sports a single 1"
tweeter and two of the 5.5" midrange/woofers. The speaker's side walls taper back
from the broad front panel to a narrower rear panel -- seen from above, it resembles a
truncated wedge.
The VP100 is built to rest on either of its wide panels and
sports two of the 5.5" midrange/woofers with a single 1" tweeter resting between
them. The implementation of the "Anti-Standing-Wave" cabinet asymmetry is
particularly clever -- while one of the wide panels is at right angles to the face and
rear panel, the other rakes back from the 7.5" front panel toward the 6" rear
panel. This not only minimizes internal cabinet standing waves, it offers two distinct
mounting options. Set the speaker on the surface at right angles to the front and rear and
it fires straight ahead; set it on the raked surface and the speaker's face slants upward
-- perfect for mounting beneath a monitor or screen aimed at ear height.
The QS8s aren't just clever, they're brilliant. They
are designed to be wall-mounted (hardware is included) or stand-mounted on their dedicated
stands ($139/pair). The QS8 is an oddly shaped box -- seen from above it resembles a
rectangle with two diagonally opposing corners lopped off. The two tweeters reside in
those sloping walls -- one firing toward the front of the room, the other firing toward
the rear. Set into the top and bottom of the speaker (see why you can't just set them on
top of something?) are the 5.5" drivers. Think about it -- you've got four drivers
firing in four different directions. That's about as diffuse as surrounds get.
Additionally, these l'il guys (8.25" by 11" by
6") feel like bricks -- at 11 pounds each, they weigh almost as much as the much
larger M22Tis.
The EP175 has a 10" aluminum driver and an internal
175W amplifier. It comes with all the standard amenities: variable low-pass filter, a
variable phase switch, level control, and line-level input.
Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe
As impressive as the Epic Grand Master system sounds, I was
initially a tad dubious about how much enjoyment it was going to offer, following, as it
did, on the heels of the Thiel PowerPoints, which cost $1300 each, and the superb
Polk LSi15-based system, which costs about twice as much as the Axioms.
And, I must confess, the transition was not a painless one.
The Axioms definitely have a break-in period during which the tweeter seems quite rough
and the woofers seem decidedly lightweight. But over time that began to change, and it
wasn't long before I began to notice how much I was enjoying films and music through the
That pleasure was every bit as great as with the two
preceding systems, although, of course, the sound was not identical. The Polk system was
robust, full-bodied, and va-va-vivid. In comparison, the Epic Grand Master system was
leaner and less Technicolor. Some listeners may find this a more accurate sound -- I
myself am not sure that's the case. It's just a different take on reality, sort of like
the difference between two film stocks -- Agfa's reds might be deeper than Kodak's, but
the relative values across the full spectrum remain the same. Both look (sound) real, but
they don't look (sound) the same.
Keeping in mind that I used the Polk LSi7s rather
than Polk's dipole surrounds, the Axiom QS8s actually did a better job of presenting a
diffuse, all-encompassing surround field.
The differences between the Thiel PowerPoint system and the
Epic Grand Master system were less dramatic. The Thiels are hard to beat when it comes to
enveloping a listener in a seamless surround environment, but the Axioms come awfully
close. As with the Polks, the Thiels seemed to have a richer tonal palette and a wider
dynamic range, but it was a question of degree, not day and night.
I think the EP175 subwoofer requires a word of explanation.
One result of the trend toward louder and more "exciting" soundtracks has been
the dramatic increase in deep bass energy we have come to expect from them. Most subs sold
these days are aimed solidly at the home-theater market and concentrate on delivering that
extreme LF punch. The old audio ideal of a subwoofer unobtrusively adding spatial
information to a recording without calling attention to itself seems to have fallen off
the map.
The EP175, compared to many contemporary HT subs, seems a
tad lightweight. Its 9dB down point is given as 22Hz, but I'm sure that's in the ideal
room, in the single best position, and with a tail wind. I suspect 30Hz is more like it.
So, if dino footsteps are your thing, or Saturn V takeoffs,
or underwater depth charges, you can buy more boom from another subwoofer. But you might
be making a mistake.
The EP175 is fast and tuneful and very, very clean. If you
take the time to set it up optimally with the M22Ti SEs, the results are astonishingly
transparent and musical. That $900 speaker system will give you bass down 30Hz and a
seamless, thrillingly musical soundstage. If your HT system has to perform double duty and
play your music as well as your films, you could do a lot worse than the EP175. In fact,
you'd have to spend a lot more money to do better.
No cure for this sort of madness, though a legacy from a
rich relative [can] work wonders
Even in most films, you'll never feel at a loss with the
EP175. I watched Black Hawk Down, for instance, and never thought the helicopters
or RPG explosions lacked body. This is a relentlessly loud movie, filled with every
variety of ordinance, explosion, and environmental effect imaginable and the Epic Grand
Master hammered me repeatedly with realistically overwhelming sound. But it wasn't simply
loud, it was real.
The Last Waltz was quite simply gorgeous -- not
merely the László Kovacs and Vilmos Zsigmond cinematography, which is luscious,
but musically as well. The Axioms are musical superstars and I thrilled to Muddy Waters'
searing "Mannish Boy" and Dylan's cocky "Baby Let Me Follow You Down."
One of the daffiest moments in rock'n'roll history has to be Neil Young turning in a
sensitive, sublimely beautiful "Helpless," sporting a cocaine booger that looked
big enough to eat the stage.
The front line of the M22Tis and VP100 was seamless in its
presentation of primary sound material. The VP100's woofer/tweeter/woofer layout was
responsible for some mild lobing if I changed position from one side of the room to the
other, but mild is the keyword -- I've certainly heard worse from far more
expensive center-channels. The VP100 was articulate and clear and delivered dialogue
comprehensibly, even when layered with other conversations, as in the new release of McCabe
and Mrs. Miller, or surrounded by ordinance, as in Black Hawk Down.
But mamma! The QS8s are astonishing. Period. No
qualifiers are needed -- not for the money or of their type or considering.
I have simply never had a surround speaker that better lived up to the surround paradigm.
In fact, the QS8s did such a full-bodied, completely immersive job of distributing Black
Hawk Down's soundscape all around me, that I spent a certain portion of the
movie keeping my head down in response to the metal I heard flying around.
For example, there's a great scene where Spc. Grimes (Ewan
McGregor) asks Spc. Waddell (Ian Virgo) why he's not shooting back at the Somalis.
"We're not being shot at yet!"
"How can you tell?"
"A hiss means it's close. If you hear a pop, then (bullets
hiss over his head) -- now they're shooting at us!" I'd already hit the deck -- I
wasn't taking any chances!
Of all the wonders that I yet have heard . . .
The entire Axiom Epic Grand Master home-theater speaker
system is extremely impressive. At a price-point that most companies would consider entry
level, Axiom has delivered a system that lets you experience the full-bodied sound and
subtle nuances that only well-to-do home-theater buffs used to be privy to.
Compared to cost-no-object speaker systems, the Epic Grand
Master actually acquits itself pretty well. The M22Tis may lack that effortless sweetness
of the truly expensive soft-dome tweeters used in the top-tier offerings, but they also
have a frank tell-it-like-it-is honesty that may be more accurate.
And compared to expensive, more powerful, HT-designed
subwoofers, the EP175 may lack a little heft and slam. But its musical performance -- as
opposed to special-effects delivery -- is exemplary. If I had to make a choice, I
know which way I'd go.
But as ready as it is to be compared with the best systems
available, the Axiom Epic Grand Master is not a cost-no-object speaker system. It
costs a smidge over $1500 -- and that's almost miraculous. If you're looking for a
sound system at any price, you should hear the Epic Grand Master before you audition
anything that costs more. You might be able to buy a much bigger television than
you've been budgeting for.
Ain't the modern world wonderful?
...Wes Phillips
Axiom Audio Epic Grand Master Home-Theater Speaker
Price: $1510 USD (system price)
Warranty: Five years parts and labor
Axiom Audio
Highway #60
Dwight, ON, Canada P0A 1H0
Phone: (705) 635-2222
Fax: (705) 635-1972
Website: www.axiomaudio.com
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