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With this film version, Edge of Darkness joins a host of other British tv series that were uplifted and transplanted across the Atlantic for American audiences. We have had numerous examples of this in the past Steptoe and Son (1962-74) becoming Stanford and Son (1972-7); Man About the House (1973-6) becoming Threes Company (1977-84); Whose Line is it Anyway (1988-98) given a facelift as Whose Line is it Anyway (1998-2006); The Office (2001-3) reworked as The Office (2005-13); Life on Mars (2006-7) becoming Life on Mars (2008-9); Eleventh Hour (2006) becoming Eleventh Hour (2008-9); The Prisoner (1967-8) remade as The Prisoner (2009); and Being Human (2008-11) remade as Being Human (2011 ), while other attempts to do Transatlantic versions of Doctor Who (1963-89, 2005 ), Fawlty Towers (1975-9) Absolutely Fabulous (1992-2004), Cracker (1993-6) and Red Dwarf (1988-99) wisely never got past a pilot episode, if that. All of these have failed to replicate the quality of their originals. There has been the odd exception Till Death Do Us Part (1965-75) becoming All in the Family (1971-9), while Max Headroom (1987-8) built an intelligent Cyberpunk series out from the British Max Headroom (1985). There has been the odd Transatlantic cinematic spinoff from British television as well try as one might obliterate them from memory, it is difficult to forget The Avengers (1998) trashing tvs The Avengers (1962-9) and The Singing Detective (2003) (which was ominously also produced by Mel Gibsons Icon Productions) vandalising the dazzling Dennis Potter mini-series The Singing Detective (1986). Film versions of other British tv works such as Pennies from Heaven (1981), The Saint (1997), Traffic (2000) and State of Play (2009) fared better to various degrees but all were inferior to the televised originals.
In the case of Edge of Darkness, the film version comes from Martin Campbell, who also directed the original mini-series 24 years earlier. Indeed, the Edge of Darkness mini-series got Martin Campbells name noticed and allowed him to branch out into feature film directing. He subsequently went onto increasingly big-budget works like the psycho-thriller Criminal Law (1988), the US tv movie Cast a Deadly Spell (1991), the sf film No Escape (1994), the James Bond films GoldenEye (1995) and Casino Royale (2006), The Mask of Zorro (1998) and The Legend of Zorro (2005), the mountaineering action film Vertical Limit (2000) and the DC comics superhero adaptation Green Lantern (2011).
The main problem I had with a remake of Edge of Darkness other than that it seemed a plain out bad idea from the outset is that the original is so much a product of the time and place it was made England in the 1980s under Margaret Thatcher and the era when nuclear power and Ronald Reagans escalation of the nuclear arms race had angry protest mobs out in the street that it is hard to think how the story could possibly be translated to the USA in the 2000s. The whole era of the Cold War, the nuclear arms race and nuclear power protest movements have either disappeared or are marginal issues today. The dramatic crux of the original series was the break-in to a nuclear reactor to steal some of its materials, yet it is hard to think how such could hold any frisson today with the nuclear power industry in heavy decline in both the UK and the USA, following the disasters of Three Mile Island and Chernobyl.
The films answer seems to have been to take only some aspects of the mini-series and make its own story out of them. What we end up with is a film that bears superficial resemblances to the original there is Craven the widower cop who sees his daughter blown away with a shotgun on his doorstep in front of his eyes; there is his investigation into the daughters past where she is found to have connections to activists who broke into a nuclear power facility; there is a Jedburgh; there is a sinister nuclear power corporation with shadowy connections to government backroom deals and that is about it. To Martin Campbells credit, he does retain the narrative device of Craven having conversations with his dead daughter, which one thought would be one of the first things to go in the film, although her appearances are less ambiguous here than in the original. However, the crucial aspects that are missing from the film are actually the most dramatically interesting scenes in the mini-series the gripping climactic episodes where Craven and Jedburgh conduct a break-in to the Northmoor facility and Jedburgh returns with two pieces of fissile plutonium and upstages a nuclear conference; and the environmental angle and remarkable science-fiction ending where the Earth was coating itself with black flowers to bring about another Ice Age.
It is sad seeing what the magnificent original has been reduced to in the remake. The original was an incredibly powerful work that minced no words politically, nor in its well-ahead-of-its-time environmental advocacy; the remake is little more than a cliched corporate whistleblower thriller, which now features Mel Gibson in full Righteous Wrath mode a la Mad Max (1979) and in particular Ransom (1996), Payback (1999) and The Patriot (2000). When you think of Bob Pecks quietly understated Craven in the original and try to imagine him holding a gun to the foreheads of executives to demand the truth or casually shooting people in his way, as Mel Gibsons Craven does here, it seems as far away from the character as it is possible to get. There is precious little of the titular darkness to the remake, only the turnings of cliched plot mechanics. Martin Campbells pacing is surprisingly slow, even despite the fact that he has pumped the story up with more in the way of crashing/speeding cars, gunplay and a considerable number more on-screen deaths than were ever present in the original.
Surprisingly little is done to update the milieu of the original to the 2000s, except perhaps to have Emma Craven obligatorily listed as a terrorist suspect. Indeed, the remake seems to want to assiduously avoid holding any political position other than a few cliche corrupt corporate and political figures to the extent that, even though environmental awareness is a far larger issue in the 2000s than it ever was in the 1980s, the film minimizes this almost altogether. It even rewrites Emmas background from an environmental activist who was part of the break-in to simply being an employee of Northmoor. Now she has also improbably been poisoned as well as blasted away by a shotgun (chiefly, it seems, so that the film can retain the scene where Craven discovers her lock of hair is radioactive). The nuclear power aspect has been largely dropped and now Northmoor is engaged in some vaguely explained dealings creating illegal nuclear weapons for foreign powers. (One of the numerous improbabilities of the script is that of a US politician who argues in favour of the threats out there, yet seems to support building nuclear weapons for hostile foreign powers. Another is the character of Jedburgh, where the script cannot seem to decide whether he is engaged in aiding the conspiracy or helping expose it). At most in terms of political position, we get a climax with Jedburgh blowing away the corporate executives saying: This country deserves better, an action movie proclamation that is blandly devoid of taking any particular side with any substantial issue, something that could never have been said of the original mini-series. In so doing, it is hard not to think that the film is doing exactly what it accuses its politician figure (Damian Young) of being worthy of execution for of taking the safe easy road rather than standing up to tackle the big moral issues it raises.
Mel Gibson does passably well as Craven, delivering the appropriate grief and anger required of him, and giving the nearest to a performance that Gibson might ever be accused of doing. The biggest disappointment is the recasting of Jedburgh with Ray Winstone. One might note that this is a reversal of the casting in the original where Craven was British and Jedburgh American there, things are swapped around here. Somehow, Jedburgh as a Texan CIA agent with a dangerous intelligence beneath the loud and vulgar demeanour worked far better than Ray Winstone as a coldly anonymous security contractor for hire here does. While Joe Don Baker gave a performance of a lifetime as the original Jedburgh, Ray Winstone plays with a gravelly steeliness but does little to make the part memorable. A blandly villainous Danny Huston is also little replacement for Kenneth Nelsons magnificently chilling Jerry Grogan in the original.
You have to ask how Martin Campbell could so sadly betray such a brilliant original. The only equivalent might be when George Sluizer made the excellent Dutch thriller The Vanishing (1988) and was then employed to conduct the total bastardisation of an American remake with The Vanishing (1993). The only answer you come up with is that Martin Campbell was little more than a hired gun on either version who never understood why the original worked, and that all the effect of the mini-series was down to Troy Kennedy Martins writing. Alas for Kennedy Martin, he died in late 2009 and never got to see the abortion made of his screenplay. One reads that Kennedy Martins death was due to liver cancer otherwise you might be tempted to assume that it was down to a heart attack after reading the script for the remake. The best thing that can be said about the remake is that hopefully it will mean the original will be re-released and discovered by audiences anew for the masterpiece that it is.
Trailer here:-


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Invoice Template Free Download Word
Invoice template for word – free basic invoice at invoice examples
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subset: commoncrawl


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Born: Chicago, Illinois Resides: Washington, D.C., Middleburg, Va.
1973 – Workshop, National Collection of Fine Arts, Washington, D.C.
1971 – M.F.A. (Painting), George Washington University, Washington, D.C.
1970 – The Corcoran School of Art, Washington, D.C.
1968 – B.F.A. (Painting), University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana, Illinois.
2007- Adjunct Professor, Art, Lord Fairfax Community College, Warrenton, Va.
1996- Art instructor, Fine Arts Department Chairperson, Middleburg Academy, Middleburg, Virginia.
1995-96 -Tech Ed instructor, Potomac High School, Dumfries,Va.
1979-90 –Drafting Instructor, Maryland Drafting Institute, Langley Park, Md. (part time)
1971-95 –Art and Drafting teacher, Eastern High School, Washington, D.C.
Solo Exhibitions
2017 -Loudoun Public Library, Ashburn, Va., July 13-Sept.
——–Middle Street Gallery, Sperryville, Va., May 12-June 18
2016 -Marymount University, Arlington, Va., September
2015 -The Arts Club of Washington, Washington, DC, September
———Middle Street Gallery, Sperryville, Va., September
2014 -Middle Street Gallery, Sperryville, Va.
2012 -Phoenix Gallery, NYC , (Oct. 31- Nov -24)
2010 -Middle Street Gallery, Washington, Va.,
2008 -Middle Street Gallery, Washington, Va.
———Lord Fairfax Community College, Middletown and Warrenton, Va.
2006 -Middle Street Gallery, Washington, Va. (
2004 -Sonia Zaks Gallery, Chicago, Illinois
——–Middle Street Gallery, Washington, Va.
2003 -Gallery K, Washington, D.C.
1995 -Gallery K, Washington, D.C.
1993 -Gallery K, Washington, D.C.
1991 -Danville Museum of Art and History, Danville, Virginia, "Drawings-Wayne Paige"
——–Sonia Zaks Gallery, Chicago, Illinois,
——–Gallery K, (one person exhibition-Retrospective).
1990 -Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, Michigan,
1988 -Gallery K, Washington, D.C.
1985 -Sonia Zaks Gallery, Chicago, Illinois
——–Washington County Museum of Fine Arts, Hagerstown, Maryland
1984 -Gallery K, (One person exhibition).
1982 -Gallery K, Washington, D.C.
1978 -Gallery K, Washington, D.C.
Selected Group Exhibitions
2016-Road Trip: a journey through the GW Collection, George Washington University Media Cntr.
2014 -Washington Art Matters II (1940s-1980s), American U. Art Museum, Jan.-Mar
2011 -Phoenix Gallery, NYC, (Group Show) May 25 through June
2010 -Katzen Art Center, American U., Washington, D.C. "Good Things come in Small Packages",
——–Elisabeth French collection.
——–Gallery Neptune, Bethesda, Md. (Group show).
2006 -Katzen Art Center, American U., Washington, D.C., "Remembering Marc and Komei", group show.
2002 -Gallery K, Washington, D.C., group shows in June and December.
2000 -Gallery K , Washington, D.C., group shows in June and December.
1999 -Gallery K, Washington, D.C., "Drawing Show"
1998 -Maryland College of Art and Design, Silver Spring, Maryland, (two person exhibition).
1997 -Gallery K, Washington, D.C., "Small is beautiful".
1994 -Arts Council of Fairfax County, Northern Virginia Community College,
——–Annandale Campus, "Open Exhibition 1994", Juried show, Leslie Exton,
——–Juror," Best in Show" award.
——–Arlington Arts Center, Arlington, Virginia, "Painting 1994", Juried show,
——–Donald Kuspit, Juror.
1990 -Arts Council of Richmond, "High Contrast", Richmond International Airport,
——–Richmond, Virginia, Mel Watkin, WPA, curator.
——–Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, Michigan, (One person exhibition).
1989 -Chicago International Art Fair, through Zaks Gallery.
1988 -Dimock Gallery, Washington, D.C., "The George Washington University
——– Alumni Competition", Wretha Hanson, Franz Bader Gallery, Juror, awarded,
——– "Cecille R. Hunt Memorial Prize".
1987 -Arlington Arts Center, "Arlington Arts Center 10th Anniversary Show".
1986 -Strathmore Hall Arts Center, Bethesda, Maryland, "Ambiguous Relationships".
1984 -Arlington Arts Center, "Annual Area-Wide Juried Painting Competition", Holly Solomon, juror.
——–Dimock Gallery, "The George Washington University Alumni Competition", Janet Flint, juror.
1983 -Maryland Art Place, Baltimore, Maryland, "Emergency"
——- Anderson Art Gallery, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond,
——- Virginia, "Southern Fervor".
——- Kathleen Ewing Gallery, Washington, D.C., "Love- No Hearts, No Flowers".
1982-Dimock Gallery, "The George Washington University Alumni Competition",
——-Jane Livingston and David Tannous, jurors.
——-Chicago International Art Fair, through Zaks Gallery.
1981 -Gallery K, "New Work by Gallery Artist".
——–Arlington Arts Center, "Juried Show".
——-Washington Project for the Arts, Washington, D.C.
1980 -Gallery K, "Gallery K's Dog Show".
——-Arlington Arts Center, "Arlington Arts Center Area Wide Juried Painting Exhibition
——-Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., "Works on Paper", juried show,
——-William Lieberman, Metropolitan Museum of Art, N.Y., juror.
——-Artist Invitational Museum, Washington, D.C.
——-1979 -Arlington Arts Center, "Elements of Art: Texture"
——-Gallery K, Group showings in August and December.
1977 -Gallery K, "Summer Show".
1974 -Washington County Museum, Hagerstown, Maryland.
1973 -Washington County Museum, Hagerstown, Maryland.
——–Jacobs Ladder Gallery, Washington, D.C.
1972 -Washington County Museum, Hagerstown, Maryland.
——–Jacobs Ladder Gallery, Washington, D.C.
2016 – Franklin Park Arts Center, Purcellville, Va. , "Tiny Treasures", "Best in Show"
2002 -The School of the Art Institute of Chicago, "Teacher's Institute in Contemporary Art," NEA funded grant.
1994 -Arts Council of Fairfax County, "Open Exhibition 1994", "Best in Show" award.
1989 -Virginia Commission on The Arts, Print and Drawing Category.
1988 -The George Washington University, "Cecille R. Hunt Award" (First prize).
Collectors (Sampling)
American University Museum
Prudential Insurance Corporation
The George Washington University
Western Michigan University
Danville Museum of Fine Arts and History
Marymount University
Elisabeth French Collection
Radio One
Gudelsky Collection
The Arts Club of Washington
-The Sow's Ear Poetry Review, Summer edition, 2014
-Washington Art Matters, Washington Museum, Sidney Lawrence, 2014
-See.Me, Art takes Times Square, published Spring 2013
-Spande, Thomas, "Flight 0101: New Drawings by Wayne Paige", Rappahannock News, Nov. 11, 2010
-Rousseau, Claudia, "Neptune's January: Full of Color, but not much play", Montgomery Gazette, 1/20/10
-Kenny, Steven, "…0101…". Rappahannock News, Oct. 23, 2008
-"Who's Who in America" , 2007, 2008 editions
-London Art News, "Wayne Paige's Pegs", January 24, 2007
-Wolf, Maggie, "Wayne Paige", élan magazine, November, 2006
– Cohen, Jean, "101 Off-Beat Things", WHERE Washington Magazine, August, 2001
– Longaker, Mark, "Gallery Views", The Georgetowner, July 8, 1999.
-Who's Who in American Art, 17th, 18th, and 19th editions.
-Smith Lawrence, Caliban, Laguna Beach, California, 11th Edition 1992.
-Maher, Mark, "Art Review", Kalamazoo Gazette, March 18, 1990
-Miller, Lenore, "Wayne Paige: Drawings, Gallery K…..", Washington Review, June/July 1988.
-Miller, Lenore, "Arlington Arts Center, 10th Anniversary Show", Washington Review, Feb/Mar 1988
-Miller, Lenore, "Art Reviews", Washington Review, April/May 1986.
-Umbaugh, Nellie, "Urban art Work……", Hagerstown Journal, March 13, 1985.
-Behrens, Anne, "Arts", The Washington Post Virginia Weekly, November 29, 1984.
-Richard, Paul, "Galleries", The Washington Post, February 26, 1983.
-Lewis, Jo Ann, "Galleries", The Washington Post, September 18, 1982.
-Cox, Judith, "East Coast Reviews", New Art Examiner, April, 1982.
-Lewis, Jo Ann, "Galleries", The Washington Post, February, 13, 1982.
-Arnebeck, Bob, "Windows", Washington Post Magazine, January, 1982.
-Fleming, Lee, "Area Wide Juried Painting Exhibition", New Art Examiner, November, 1980.
-Forgey, Benjamin, "On Paper, Maturing Freshness", The Washington Star, September 18, 1980.
-Fleming, Lee, "Galleries and Museums", Washington Galleries Magazine, September, 1980.
-Richard, Paul, "Paper Pleasures", The Washington Post, September 18, 1980.
-Forgey, Benjamin, "A back to basics series at Arlington Arts Center",
The Washington Star, September 19, 1979.
-Tannous, David, "Wayne Paige at Gallery K", Art in America, March/April 1979.
-Forgey, Benjamin, "Galleries: Worlds of Nightmares……", Washington Star, September 19, 1978.
-Richard, Paul, "Portrait of the City", The Washington Post, September 16, 1978.
-Lewis, Jo Ann, "Galleries", The Washington Post, February 12, 1977.
-Cohen, Andrea, "Jacobs Ladder: Fashion is out of Fashion", Washingtonian Magazine, 11-72.
-Forgey, Benjamin, "The Art Scene", The Washington Star, August 1, 1972.


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|Message view
|« Date » · « Thread »
|« Date » · « Thread »
|Deng Ching <och...@apache.org>
|Changes made for CONTINUUM-2391
|Wed, 24 Mar 2010 04:35:09 GMT
Hi, These are the changes I made in trunk to fix [CONTINUUM-2391] Master should not pass full path to local repository to the agent: 1. Add <localRepositories> configuration in build agent configuration file 2. Pass only the name of the local repository from the master to the build agent when building and releasing projects 3. The build agent will match the passed local repository name from the master to the local repositories configured in the build agent config file. This is not case-sensitive (e.g. if Master passes 'DEFAULT' local repository name, the build agent will still be able to match it to a local repository configured with a 'default' name) 4. If no matching local repository is found in the build configuration file, then the local repository set in the build agent's settings.xml file will be used Any thoughts or comments? :) Thanks, Deng
|View raw message


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About this Business
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From Our Editors
Children naturally believe that life is all about having fun. This requires the instructors at My Gym Children's Fitness Center to perform two seemingly incompatible tasks: helping kids lay a strong physical, emotional, and cognitive foundation and letting them laugh and play to their hearts' content. The staff welcomes the challenge. Grouping kids by age into nearly a dozen different classes, the instructors teach students aged 6 weeks through 13 years the importance and fun of socializing, exercising, and eating broccoli without using their taste buds. More advanced courses, meanwhile, teach proto-persons more specialized skills such as basic karate.


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GLOW: 5 Things About The 'Gorgeous Ladies Of Wrestling' That Inspired The Netflix Show
Netflix's new 'GLOW' show will deliver an elbow drop to your screen on June 23, so get to know all about the outrageous and totally real 'Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling' that inspired this new streaming series!
1. Yes, G.L.O.W. was a real thing in the 1980s. During the height of the 1980s wrestling boom, American businessman (and wrestling fan) David B. McLane came up with the idea of an all-women wrestling program. He teamed up with B-movie director Matt Climber to make the dream come true. "David wanted to combine the glamor and the grit [of professional wrestling]," a former G.L.O.W. wrestler said during the 2012 documentary, per Refinery29. "Matt's idea was to make it campy and silly." The result was the Glamorous Ladies Of Wrestling, which ran from 1986 to 1990.
2. The women of G.L.O.W. were everything but wrestlers (at least, at first.) Before the show went off the air, more than 40 women graced the G.L.O.W. ring. These women portrayed characters like Tina Ferrari, Matilda the Hun, Sally The Farmer's Daughter, Little Egypt, Sunny the California Girl, Roxy Astor and Colonel Ninotchka. However, very few of them were actual wrestlers. Most of them were often actresses, dancers and models that answered a casting call for " a new sports entertainment show," according to the Washington Post.
3. The women were encouraged to make it seem real. During the eight-month season, the G.L.O.W. women bunked at the Riviera Hotel, but they were never allowed to go out and party together. "The rules of GLOW were clear: We were always in character, and forbidden to socialize with our enemies on the show," Jeanne Basone, who played Hollywood on G.L.O.W. "There were even two buses, one for the bad girls and a separate one for the good girls."
4. It was problematic. On one hand, G.L.O.W. has been viewed as a very empowering organization that allowed women to achieve levels of fortune of fame. "We came alive in the ring," Dee Booher, who played Matilda the Hun. "Like winding up a good-girl doll or a bad-girl doll." On the other hand, with characters like Jailbait, Little Feather and Mike the Headhunter, G.L.O.W. could be seemed as being marred by its use of racist stereotypes.
"There are things that are incredibly offensive in wrestling," GLOW co-creator Liz Flahive told Vanity Fair, "and that was very interesting to us. We wanted to see our girls grapple with the stereotypes of the time and what they were being asked to deal with in the name of a job."
5. It ended as quickly as it started. G.L.O.W. was abruptly cancelled in 1990 when the show's main financial backer, Meshulam Riklis – an Israeli billionaire and the owner of the Riviera Hotel – pulled funding. The reason has never been revealed but some suspect that Meshulam's wife, Pia Zadora, was jealous. With the show over, most of the G.L.O.W. women found regular 9-5 jobs. None became full-time actors and only a handful — including Lisa Moretti, Olympia Hartauer, Trudy Adams and Cynthia Peretti – became full-fledged wrestlers.
However, the legacy of G.L.O.W. continues to live on. The original wrestlers continue to attend G.L.O.W. themed events. "Person after person came up to us at the last cruise saying, 'I was dead inside. You woke me up,'" Eileen O'Hara, who portrayed Melody Trouble Vixen on the show, told the Washington Post. "They figured, if we could be that outrageous, then so could they."
GLOW comes out on Netflix on June 23. Are you excited to watch it, HollywoodLifers?


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APRA AMCOS & PPCA announce partnership
APRA AMCOS and PPCA (Phonographic Performance Company of Australia) have announced they will work together to further develop the ATSI (Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander) Music Office.
This new cross-industry partnership will help the ATSI Music Office deliver its key goals and objectives. PPCA will work with APRA AMCOS and the ATSI Music Office to provide opportunities for ATSI artists, build market presence and help address problems associated with remoteness.
"As a nation we derive enormous national pride from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture, both past and present," said APRA AMCOS CEO Brett Cottle. "APRA AMCOS is committed to supporting and investing in the future of ATSI songwriters and composers. We welcome the support of the PPCA which will assist with the ATSI Music Office's industry development work."


text: I am not a big fan of chocolate sponge normally but black bottom is made using a darker less sweet sponge and I have to say I am converted, it was lovely! The addition of the dollop of cheesecake and the cream cheese frosting made for a scrummy cupcake. I wasn't sold on the vanilla though, the icing had a strange taste to it like the ready made icing you can buy in supermarkets and the sponge was quite dry. Very disappointing! My husband even paid me the best compliment ever by saying that he prefers my vanilla cupcakes. Life made!


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My close personal acquaintance Jim Niginowitz finally emailed me back almost a year after I asked him for another Mock Draft feature. Turns out he got stuck in his hyperbaric chamber, which just so happens to be in his mother's basement. Weird.
His preliminary comments: "Shaw, I knew the FOBL went through a talent drought, but Jesus Christ, did OOTP13 add a "Steroids: Very High" modifier? Good thing you kept that 1st and 2nd rounder, huh? Fuckhead. At least you got some value for it. What's DES' excuse? Five million bucks? UTI should flip that pick for $10 million on principle and belly-flop into it Scrooge McDuck-style."
Anyhoo, here's how he sees this draft shaking out.
1-1 Arizona Discotheques - I was going to say pitching was a no-brainer here, because they have a bunch of "meh" in their system, but they only have 2 legitimate hitting prospects, both young OF. I think they have to add a big infield bat here, and 1B Doug "Boomer" Davis is the smart pick, despite having the work ethic of an asthmatic Frenchman.
{snark} An aside... good thing they got a long close look at what P Doug Rogers was capable of. He was dominant during his 0.2 IP of major league action. That's what the callup exemption is for right there! {/snark and kisses}
1-2 Marlboro Townies - DC is a savvy bastard. Three straight playoff appearances, then a tank year resulting in 2 1st rounders during the best draft class in history. Too bad they don't have 5 straight picks here, because that's what they need. It would appear that SP Theron Wilkinson is the easy pick here, but I think beta tester DC gets scared off by Wilkinson's Tyrion Lannister-esque stature and takes masher LF Julian "Wonder Boy" Castillo (New OOTP v13 feature: super-shitty nicknames, and more of them!)
1-3 Wisconsin Snowbirds - WIS is picking 3rd? And it's their pick, not some lubricant-free-rape victim's? Wow. I have been gone a while. Bruno has to take SP Theron Wilkinson. He could be his #1 SP right now.
1-4 Utica Wombats - Holy shit, what an embarrassment of riches pitching prospect-wise. Unless v13 kills them all, UTI will have the most dominant staff in FOBL very soon. As a result, Nick goes for a big stick here (as he does most every night, from what I hear). LF Shawn "Sniper" Lewis gives UTI an older, more-ready prospect to pair with his older pitching prospects. Lewis compensates for his macular degeneration with an impressive work ethic and moderately cool nickname.
1-5 Utica Wombats (from Des Moines) - What a windfall for UTI. I think the best move is trading this pick and acquiring some extra picks given the depth of power hitters in this draft, but I can't fault Nick if he stands pat. Assuming he does, I think he goes with another hitter, but a young one. 2B Jerry Davis would be a brave pick, but Nick loves those big sticks and he takes SHB 1B Raúl Lara.
1-6 Virginia Woodchucks - VIR's aversion to drafting pitchers is well-known, but he has plenty of hitters ready to pounce. Buddy G is sitting right behind him, praying Subby gets cold feet on taking 4-pitch flamethrower SP Pete Michaels, but Subby breaks Buddy's heart and Michaels is a Woodchuck. Your foil-covered shower shoes are in your locker, rook.
1-7 Capital City Metropolitans - It's strange seeing CAP picking this high for so many seasons. But it's working out for Buddy, I guess, because his "Top Prospects" list is fucking insane. They don't even need this pick. They should trade it to HOL for a few million bucks and the crumbs at the bottom of a Pringles can. If that punk-rock fool doesn't see the wisdom in that, then he takes the SP consolation prize SP Artie Davis.
1-8 Montego Bay Red Stripe - DocP has a tough choice here. The clearly-best SP and hitters are off the board, but Doc really doesn't need pitching either, because they're loaded. I think MBJ is a potential trade partner for UTI at 1-5. If DocP could slide into that spot and grab 1B Raúl Lara, I think they do it. Barring that, they take the next-best thing, 1B Ewan Kirbishly.
1-9 Wichita Tumbleweeds - WIC's system is in rough shape. No power, no contact aside from C Kinney, and no real pitching to speak of other than Brit Miller. WIC is also averse to taking teenage SP, but I don't think they can go wrong with taking the BHA here, who is the versatile 3B Pepe Peña.
1-10 Utah Raptors - Allo desperately needs a power hitter here, but I think he decides to pounce on one of the undervalued young SP and hopes that a solid hitter is available in the 2nd round, or that he can swing a trade to acquire another 1st rounder. The awful 3rd pitch and nickname aren't enough to scare him off of SP Don "Pinocchio" Cooper.
Part 2 to come...


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Brunch in Norfolk means options and decisions. Are you looking for the classic bacon, eggs, and mimosa? Or, are you a more of an eggs benedict lover? Vegan option your thing, there's something for you too. The options are endless; making a decision on what to order will be the most difficult part of your next brunch experience. Take a look at a few of Norfolk's best brunch spots, wishing you happy brunching!
Omar's Carriage House—Located in beautiful downtown Norfolk, the original Carriage House was built in the 1840s, which is now Omar's Carriage House restaurant. Donut Sandwich for Brunch, yes that is an option at Omar's. The sandwich includes egg and cheese in between two Krispy Kremes with fresh fruit. The Lamb Burger is also a fan favorite featuring an outstanding garlic aioli. Lastly, for the season they are offering a Pumpkin Waffle, which is a cinnamon-spiced Belgium waffle with a pumpkin whipped cream, and comes with scrambled eggs and bacon. Can we try everything?!
Chow — Down on Colley Avenue is where you can chow down on some creative brunch fixings at Chow. Benedicts, it's their thing. Try the Duck Benedict, featuring duck confit covered in a peach compote. Looking for a vegan option? Try the Vegan Benny, portabella caps topped with spinach and roasted red peppers. Meat eaters, look for the Pitboss 2000 Benedict, your choice of Memphis beef, W. NC chicken. Or SC pork topped with an apple slaw.
Streats— Oh 21st Street, that's where you'll find Streats. Their Brunch menu is absolute bananas. Literally! The Fat Elvis is a chocolate chip pancake stuffed with friend bananas and bacon topped with a peanut butter maple syrup. They also offer delicious Brunch drinks like the Basil Bloody, a basil infused Vodka twist on a Bloody Mary.
Toast — They keep it toasty down on Colonial Avenue, where you can always find fresh, crisp Toast. At Toast, they pile delicious ingredients high atop a grand piece of toast; it is truly a unique meal that will leave you begging for more. Keep it HOT with the HOT CHIX featuring confit chicken with honey butter and buttermilk lupo. The SMK SALMON (Nova Lox) has caper butter, crème fraîche, and everything spice, the perfect brunch meal. Did we mention you could add a boiled egg atop any toast option? Grab a side dish, the True Grits are truly a must; creamy grits with a choice of sweet or savory butter. Can we order seconds?!
456 Fish— Located at, you guessed it 456 Granby Street is 456 Fish. Sometimes, Sundays can be a hot mess, but if you order A Hot Mess at 456, it will make those problems disappear. A Hot Mess features a Chicken Fried Steak, O'Brien Potatoes, sautéed sweet peppers and onions and is smothered in white gravy, all on top of a Texas Toast with a fried egg and cheddar. That mess sounds like a yes! 456 also serves up the classic Mimosas, Bloody Marys, and Screwdrivers all for your best brunching experience.


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Spontanuous,enthusiastic,vivid,chearful,Natural VO
Voice Description
Vivid and enthusiastic voice for commercials and promotions. Clear and expressive for presentations. Acting voice for movies and Audiobooks. Welcoming voice for on-hold messages and phone systems.
Voice Genders and "Ages" I Can Perform
• Child
• Teenage Girl
• Young Adult Female
• Middle Age Female
Language(s) of Which I Am a Native Speaker:
• Arabic
• English - Other
I Offer my Services for these Recording Purposes
• Commercials
• Promos
• IVR, voicemail, phone systems, and on-hold messages
• Training, business presentations, sales, and web sites
• Audiobooks
• Videogames
• Documentaries
• Movie and game trailers
• Podcasts
• Others (on-camera, infomercials, live announcers, spokespersons)
Jobs I Am Willing to Take (Union-wise)
• Non-Union Jobs
My Union Affiliations and Memberships
My Recording and Delivery Capabilities
• I can record and then deliver the audio files via Email
Pre-, Post- and Production Services I Offer
• I offer translation services
My Home Base
, Egypt
Accents, Impersonations, Characters and Dialects
I can personalize a young girly voice, as well as an adult female. I do it in Arabic (Egyptian & Fosha accents), and in English (Clear American, and neutral English accents).
My Voice Experience
My friends have been always telling me I have a gorgeuous voice. Since i was a young girl i was performing little girls' voices for school plays, and radio. So i thought why wouldn't i start a voice over freelancing voice over job?!!! So i started by performing some short voice overs for odesk and elance clients. They were short audio recordings, and am looking forward to investing more time and effort in this field.
My Training
Unknown - Click here to ask Rania Habib
My Studio Equipment
I have a home studio, with a Shure SM58 Microphone.
Additional Skills
I am having a work experience of 15 years as an International Business Developer, with an MBA in Global Management.
Payment Methods Accepted
• Personal checks, cashier's checks, or money orders in any currency
Contact Information
To contact Rania Habib by email or phone, please click here.
• Currently Rania Habib is a Standard subscriber.
Rania Habib does not appear to be an active participant of the Voice123 marketplace at this time.
Rania Habib was last active on Voice123 more than 365 days ago, OR may not be receiving our email messages.
Rania Habib does not appear to be an active participant of the Voice123 marketplace at this time. Rania Habib was last active on Voice123 more than 365 days ago, OR may not be receiving our email messages.


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I had hoped to take an image like "Winding" when I was in Iceland, but I didn't know where to find rivers that ran in the pattern I had envisioned. Ultimately, in the valley of þakgil, I found a group of small streams that formed an intricate, abstract pattern — I knew that a drone shot would be perfect.
One of the most interesting parts of this image is that you can see small waves forming within the river. Few aerial images of Iceland's rivers are close enough to see such detail in the water.
Abstract, intricate, and sharp, "Winding" perfectly demonstrates the power of drone photography. It is impossible to take an image like this from the ground.
If you wish to order a print of "Winding," you have four purchasing options:
Option One:
Metallic paper
Option Two:
8x12, ready-to-hang foam backing
Metallic paper
Option Three:
12x18, ready-to-hang foam backing
Metallic paper
Option Four:
16x24, matted, framed, signed
Archival Hot-Press Rag Paper, Matte finish
(Read more about the high quality of my mats and frames)
To order any of these sizes, just contact me through the "Purchase" button at the bottom of this page. For the subject of your message, type "Winding." For the body of the message, copy and paste the option that you choose. If you would like a custom-made print, please describe your specific requirements in the body of the message. Payment is through PayPal or check. International shipping is billed at cost — I will pay for shipping within the continental United States.
See the example below:


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I consciously said, when the leading groups come – the lead group and the yellow jersey group – Im not going to bother with my phone. Australian Ryan Howells had driven from his home in Barcelona, and ridden up the Col du Tourmalet with a group of friends to watch the Tour de Frances Pyrenean …
The post Put your phone down: How taking photos can ruin the enjoyment of cycling appeared first on CyclingTips.
In his own words, Stuart Tripp went into last weekend's Paracyling World Cup with "mixed feelings". He'd ridden well at the Paracycling World Championships a few weeks earlier, finishing fifth in both the time trial and road race, but the 48-year-old Aussie wanted more. He started the meet in perfect fashion, winning the H5 time …
The post Hand-cycling for mental health: Stuart Tripps journey back from the brink appeared first on CyclingTips.
The post The complete gift guide for cyclists: Father's Day 2018 appeared first on CyclingTips.
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WELCOME TO YOUR DAILY NEWS DIGEST. HERES WHATS HAPPENING TODAY: Favors, and results, are traded all the time in the pro peloton, but it's not usually as obvious as it was at the GP Minsk over the weekend. The path to unlocking the Vuelta a España heads uphill. Fabio Aru heads to the Vuelta, a ...
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What good is a pair of road cycling shoes without pedals to go with them In this third round of CT Recommends, we take a look at what CT staffers are using for road pedals. Ultimately, there really are only four main players when it comes to road-oriented, three-hole pedal systems: Shimano, Look, Speedpl...
In less than two-and-a-half years, Melbournes Lionel Mawditt has gone from riding his very first road race, to riding some of the biggest road races in the U.S. Its been a rapid rise through the cycling ranks for a man who represented Australia at three inline speed skating world championships between 2013 and 2015. In …
The post From inline skating to pro cycling: A chat with Aussie climber Lionel Mawditt appeared first on CyclingTips.
Crud Roadracer MK3 Mud Guard Set
The Crud Roadracer Mk3 mudguard incorporates a unique, super fast fixing system and has been widened to accommodate tyres up to 38c. Weighing in at only 260 gra...(more)
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Hilton San Francisco Union Square
September 21-22, 2017
The Virtual Reality Developers Conference (VRDC) Fall 2017 brings together creators of amazing, immersive virtual, augmented, and mixed reality experiences of all kinds to share best practices and demo new technology. Brought to you by the organizers of the Game Developers Conference (GDC), VRDC Fall 2017 taps expertise from game, entertainment, and tech fields to bring you the state of the art in producing content for virtual, augmented, and mixed reality.
To meet the growing demand for high-quality content in the space, VRDC Fall 2017 expands to cover VR/AR and mixed reality in games, entertainment, brand experience, and a wide range of innovative use cases.
The first edition of VRDC attracted top tier press from technology and mainstream media outlets. Check out some of the immersive articles written by industry-leading publishers!
With Limited Resources, VR Developers Test Solutions for Abuse on Average Users
VICE - Motherboard
Read more »


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When Christmas comes, every gets excited and busy wrapping gifts for friends, rehearsing for caroling, sending greeting cards, buying goods and most especially decorating the whole houses with lights and Christmas ornaments especially the Christmas tree.
It's been a part of our Christmas tradition to put up Christmas tree even outside our houses come early January. Everyone is indeed excited in designing and decorating the tree will all possible ornaments that we can make and get from stores and shops. But when everyone gets involves it seemed like we don't really care about what the tree would look like. Just like this.
This is perhaps the most decorated Christmas tree. Standing firm in one of the houses in Finland, the tree carries ornaments and lights of various designs of over 12, 000 ornaments.
Just imagine fixing and keeping the decorations after. Thank you so much for dropping by and reading this blog post. For more amazing stories, feel free to visit our website more often.


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Baldi hot springs arenal
Hot Springs Arenal Costa Rica
Baldi hot springs arenal
8.00am Pick up from San Jose to La Fortuna
Private Transport from San Jose or Liberia Airports or San Jose Hotels to Arenal Relax and enjoy the beautiful scenery of tropical mountains and farms as you drive to the Arenal region. Our driver will greet you at the airport or your hotel and help you with your luggage. He'll be happy to stop for bathroom, food or photo breaks along the way.
1.30pm. Natural History Rainforest Volcano Hike and Baldi Hot Springs plus dinner.
A visit to Costa Rica is not complete without seeing Arenal's famous volcano! Hike through the Arenal National Park and rainforest with an experienced naturalist, bilingual guide who will point out flora and fauna in the primary and secondary rainforest that lines the base of the Arenal Volcano. Note though.. that it is more than 6 years since lava activity has been seen, although your can still hear it sometimes. However, tours are still very interesting as you learn about the history of this impressive volcano!
Night at Hotel San Bosco (Standard Double Room with breakfast) or other similar priced hotel such as Hotel La Fortuna, Hotel Monte Real
Note all hotels can also be upgraded.
Rafting Costa Rica
Rafting Costa Rica
8.30am Whitewater Rafting Class III/IV . Full day tour with 2.5 - 3 hours of non-stop whitewater action!! The river canyon includes exotic wildlife and continuous rapids.
Bring on the adrenaline! Experienced and first-time rafters love the Río Sarapaqui for full-day, class 3-4 rafting. The Sarapiquí River is one of Costa Rica's most-exuberant rivers and the perfect rafting trip for adventurous paddlers. You'll get about 2 - 2.5 hours of rafting with more than 12 continuous, class-3-4 rapids along more than 10kms of lush, vibrant rainforest. Make your way through exciting rapids like "The Pipeline," "The Terminator," and "Dos Locos".
This fast flowing river has its origins from the mountains of central Costa Rica and runs to the border of Nicaragua. The Sarapiquí winds down a narrow waterway, surrounded by lush tropical vegetation, as well as farmland and towering trees. The area is habitat to several different species of birds such as toucans and hummingbirds. Frequently spotted are monkeys, iguanas and river turtles as well as sloths. The river is great for rafting, a mixture if exciting white water rapids and quieter sections for wildlife viewing and relaxing!
Once at the river, our experienced guides will give you a thorough safety talk, get you set up with your helmet, life jacket and paddle and then you're off – we'll stop along the way for a nice, tropical fruit break and afterward we take you out for a typical Costa Rican "casado" lunch.
Night at Hotel San Bosco (Standard Double Room with breakfast) or other similar priced hotel such as Hotel La Fortuna, Hotel Monte Real
Rafting Costa Rica
Rafting Costa Rica
10.00am Lost Canyon Canyoneering
Canyoneering is a brand new sport that's becoming very popular the world over! Located near the Arenal Volcano, our rugged, mountainous terrain is ideal for incredible canyoneering options & huge, breathtaking waterfalls! We combine rappelling, down-climbing and river tracing in a deep, tropical canyon.
Lost Canyon Adventures tour logistics:
1) Travel the old-fashion way! Start off by doing a fun 4x4 off-road adventure as you climb about 15 minutes up into a quiet mountainside community.
2) Prepare to get wet! Your guides will give you a thorough safety talk to explain important rappelling and down-climbing techniques. You will be provided high-quality technical climbing gear such as a harness, helmet & gloves.
3) Take a deep breath! You'll rappel down 150-ft waterfalls for the thrill of a lifetime! Make your way along the river bed by down-climbing and rappelling a series of 4 waterfalls that get gradually bigger and… BIGGER!
4) Save the best for last! The biggest and most-exciting waterfall is your last descent… you'll finish with a 200ft-guided-rappel at the end!
5) The hike back up takes about 10 minutes, but take your time to enjoy the intense rainforest that surrounds you! At the top, you'll arrive to our Canyon House where you can change into your dry clothes and then sit down to your best meal in Costa Rica!
Free afternoon
Night at Hotel San Bosco (Standard Double Room with breakfast) or other similar priced hotel such as Hotel La Fortuna, Hotel Monte Real
Costa Rica Vacation Packages
Costa Rica Vacation Packages
8.00am Collective Shuttle transport from La Fortuna to Manuel Antonio Beach
Time for sun and fun on the beautiful beaches of Manuel Antonio! Shared transport to Manuel Antonio. Journey time 4-5 hours.
pm Relaxing afternoon at the beach
Night at Hotel Cabinas Espadilla (Standard Efficiency Double Room)
Relaxing day at the beach
Night at Hotel Cabinas Espadilla (Standard Efficiency Double Room)
Boat Trip Manuel Antonio Costa Rica
Sail aboard the Tom Cat or the Spanish Dancer. The Costa Rica Pacific coastline is one of the most beautiful in the world. The unique geology of the region insures a surprise around every island and shore. Come aboard and try and spot dolphins, whales, sea turtles, and birds of the Manuel Antonio Marine Preserve. Enjoy a feast of fresh fruits, grilled fish brochettes, pasta salad, drinks and the finest hospitality.
We stop for a leisurely swim at one of the white sand beaches and dive on the underwater reefs of the Manuel Antonio Marine Preserve
Includes snorkeling equipment, a tour of the offshore islands and a delicious meal plus transport from your hotel Manuel Antonio.
Night at Hotel Cabinas Espadilla (Standard Efficiency Double Room)
8.00am or 1.00pm shared shuttle from Manuel Antonio to San Jose (4 hours)
Arenal Volcano Hotel - San Bosco Inn: 3 nights.
Manuel Antonio Hotel - Cabinas Espadilla : 3 nights
Cabinas Espadilla is located on the central Pacific coast of Costa Rica and 5 kilometers away from the town of Quepos. The is situated less then a 5 minute walk from the entrance to the most famous national park in the country. The hotel has a relaxed ambiance with easy access to great restaurants and entertainment. The hotel is not deluxe; the rooms are basic but roomy and comfortable with a/c and a little kitchenette plus a nice pool and best of all, one of the few hotels in manuel antonio only steps away from the beach!
Minimum 2 people (Double occupancy): $899 per person (up to Dec 14th 2017).
Dates of trip: We can schedule dates by request.
Included on Trip: All accommodation, all transport, all tours in the itinerary, breakfasts in Arenal only and 3 lunches and 1 dinner
Not Included: Flights to Costa Rica, evening meals and some lunches/brealfasts, optional tours or transportation to other places not included in the schedule
What to Bring: T-shirts, shorts, light rain jacket or poncho, sandals (sports sandals are best), light hiking boots, sun screen, insect repellant, any personal medication, swimming wear, towel, traveler's insurance is recommended (to include adventure sports), full passport and a credit card (VISA and MC preferred, other cards are difficult to use sometimes).
Adventure tours such as whitewater rafting, horse riding, kayaking, canyoneering and hiking require physical effort. Clients should be in good condition. For client safety and enjoyment, Monteverde Tours reserves the right to offer a substitution, postpone, change or cancel any tour due to unfavorable conditions. Full refund is given if (on rare occasion) a tour is cancelled by the operator. Monteverde Tours and its affiliates are not responsible for lost, stolen or damaged items.
Call or Chat with us
for FREE worldwide on WhatsApp
+506 8547 3312
Click to Quick Connect
Chat With Us
Send Us an Email
Or use our Contact Form
Are you in Costa Rica?
Call Us!
(506) 8547 3312
200m East of Banco Nacional,Puntarenas
Postal Code: 60109, Costa Rica


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Golden Globe Awards: Best Hair & Makeup — Jennifer Aniston & More
The funniest award show of the season officially kicked off with some amazing beauty looks from beautiful celebs on Jan. 11! See all the hair & makeup looks and vote on your favorite below!
Broadcast live from the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, Calif. on Jan. 11 with amazing hosts Tina Fey and Amy Poehler, we loved the looks brought by some of our favorite stars like Reese Witherspoon, Jennifer Aniston, and Nina Dobrev!
Golden Globe Awards Best Hair & Makeup — Jennifer Aniston, Reese Witherspoon & More
Jennifer surprised us by wearing her hair up to show off her black sequin halter dress. Her hair was done by Chris McMillan using Living Proof products.
Reese looked stunning with her hair in a deep side part.
Amal Clooney rocked subtle waves and a deep red lip. Her hair and makeup looked gorgeous against her black Dior dress. Her hair was styled by Danilo using Pantene products.
Nina Dobrev's stunning hairstyle was done by Riawna Capri using Clear Hair Care products.
Kate Hudson wore her hair in a sleek, tight, low bun. It was styled by ghd Brand Ambassador, David Babaii.
More Beauty At The Golden Globe Awards
Keira Knightly looked stunning. Her hair was styled by Ben Skervin using Vidal Sassoon.
Jennifer Lopez was a complete bombshell with huge hair and a sexy smokey eye. Her hair was done by Lorenzo Martin. Her makeup was done by Mary Phillips.
Kerry Washington pulled her hair up to show off her stunning makeup and the gorgeous neckline on her dress. Her makeup was done by Carola Gonzalez using Neutrogena products.
Dakota Johnson looked super sexy with waves in her hair, styled by Dove Celebrity Stylist Mark Townsend.
Who had the best hair and makeup at the 2015 Golden Globes? See tons of stars in the gallery attached!
— Dory Larrabee-Zayas
Follow @DoryLarrabee


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Executive or Company Pensions
An Executive pension is a company pension where your employer makes a payment into the pension plan on your behalf. You may also pay into it.
There are three different types of pension arrangement possible:
- A straightforward company pension plan
Normally taken out with a Life Insurance company that helps you build a fund for your retirement and that helps you make the most of your retirement fund. All regulatory issues are dealt with in the background and you need only choose how much to contribute and which of the company's funds to invest in?
- A self-directed pension plan
This gives you extra choice in where to invest your money. You can invest directly in a portfolio of equities [shares] via a stockbroker or purchase investments with other approved fund managers. All the regulatory issues are still provided by the insurance company.
- Small Self-Administered Pension Scheme*
These are the fastest growing sector of the Irish pensions market. With increased financial awareness, many Irish proprietary directors and key employees want greater control over their pension scheme, what it invests in and what price they are prepared to pay to reach their financial objectives. SSAP's allow our Financial Advisers tailor the pension fund to suit your needs. What's more, they can do so at costs significantly lower than a traditional pension plan from a life insurance company. At a time when most people are looking for something different and better value for their money, the traditional offerings look increasingly less attractive to higher net worth individuals.
*Please note that Small Self-administered Pension Schemes [SSAP] are not regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland and as such, setting up and investing in an SSAP or buying property directly is a non-regulated activity. Investors are not covered by the Central Bank of Ireland's Consumer Protection Code; do not have the protection of the Statutory Compensation Fund and cannot avail of the Financial Services Ombudsman's Bureau services. SSAPs are regulated by the Pensions Board and the Revenue Commissioners.
Adelphi Financial Brokers can help you tailored the pension service to your needs. We provide full set up, administration and technical assistance as well as helping you to choose quality investment products.
Four great reasons to choose an Executive pension
- Choice
Executive pension plans offer a range of options depending on how you (the member) want to save for your retirement.
- Security
If the trustee asks us we can switch your fund into more secure funds in the five years before your chosen retirement date. This service is called an Individual Investment Service.
- Flexibility
The trustee can choose your level of contribution (subject to a minimum amount per month) and you have the option to increase or reduce it at any time. You can contribute lump sums each year instead of (or as well as) regular contributions if you prefer, and you can even take a payment holiday if you need to.
- Tax relief
You and your employer could get full tax relief (subject to Revenue limits) on payments made into an Executive standard plan.
Please call or email us for a personal financial review or to learn more about a specific service.
Call: 051 318 000
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com


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Company Information
STA Travel
As a trip leader, you'll know there's a lot to remember when planning an educational trip. STA Travel Education make organising a tailor made tour easy, and help create trips that are aligned to your curriculum objectives.
Travel opens up the mind - it inspires, educates, excites and brings subjects to life. We can provide educational trips all across the world. Whether you're looking for a city break, a subject specific tour, trek, activity course or a volunteering experience, we have it all.
Here's 10 reasons to travel with us:
1 - WORLDWIDE EDUCATIONAL TRAVEL, TAILOR MADE Create your ideal trip, perfectly aligned to your curriculum objectives.
2 - REGIONAL EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT EXECUTIVES We can offer you personalised, face-to face support throughout your booking.
3 - SPECIALISTS IN GROUP TRAVEL More than 35 years' experience of booking educational trips. Our Educational Travel Experts have been there, done that and are ready to share their hands-on experience with you.
4 - WORLD-CLASS TRAVEL PARTNERS We only work with the most reputable tour operators and accommodation providers across the globe so you can book with confidence. We're continually working with our suppliers to maintain and improve standards of health, safety and hygiene.
5 - GREAT DISCOUNTS FOR STUDENTS Our unique airline partnerships offer the lowest and most flexible airfares for students.
6 - BEST PRICES, GUARANTEED We'll always give you the best price, but if you happen to find better elsewhere, we'll beat it*. *For full terms and conditions on our price beat guarantee please visit statravelgroups.co.uk/price-beat
7 - YOU CAN TRUST US We're fully ABTA and ATOL-accredited and have all of the relevant qualifications and associations including School Travel Forum membership.
8 - WE'RE PASSIONATE ABOUT TRAVEL When our Educational Travel Experts aren't helping your students start the adventure, you'll find them on the road having their own so they know our destinations inside out!
9 - PEACE OF MIND Wherever you are, our Global Travel Help is there for you 24/7.
10 - WE ARE RESPONSIBLE We offer travel experiences that are sustainable and responsible. We believe in giving back to communities through our partnerships with Teenage Cancer Trust.
Company Email
Website Address
Telephone Number
033 321 7848
Company Address
STA Travel Education
St George's House
56 Peter Street
Greater Manchester
United Kingdom


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How nice it would be if similar rough and tumble debates on foreign policy were allowed to appear on prime time television in the USA.
mikhail kasyanov
Press Freedom in Russia? Tune in to the Political Talk Shows to See for YourselfLien permanent Catégories : International 1 commentaire 1 commentaire
The Indefatigable Bill Browder: Selling the Magnitsky Act to Europe
Refusal to apply common sense to issues of current EU-Russian relations has so far blinded commentators to the peculiar behavior of the Magnitsky Act's number one lobbyist before the European Union. In the following reportage on a seminar devoted to these matters sponsored by the ALDE bloc and held at the European Parliament building on Wednesday, I propose to break that taboo…Lien permanent Catégories : International 0 commentaire 0 commentaire


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Ballistic are a group of highly talented, international, business development professionals focused on lead generation and new opportunities exclusively for creative, marketing, PR and advertising agencies.
Our clients range from large multi-national advertising agencies to small independent specialist communication agencies.
From our experience in winning business for creative agencies around the globe, we understand the time and cost involved in maintaining a dedicated business development function and therefore we've streamlined a process of engaging new opportunities with the lowest risk to our clients.
Firstly, we understand your unique identity and USP (unique selling point), which then helps us to act as your in-house Business Development team at a fraction of the cost. We locate, engage and confirm the prospects to get your foot in the door, from there we leave you to do what you do best.
After the meeting our after care service guides you through the next steps to maximise the potential out of each prospect opportunity.
Ben Cooke
Managing Director
Having completed a Degree in Chemistry, specialising in pharmaceutical and medicinal subjects, Ben went onto direct sales within the healthcare industry, working with medical communication and technology companies.
Prior to founding Ballistic, Ben was the Director of New Business Development at a large Healthcare Events Agency, W&O.
Robin Phillipps
Client Services Manager
Robin has a wealth of experience in Business Development and Key Account Management within Sales and Marketing. From his time working in recruitment he established solid contacts throughout Europe and the Middle East allowing Robin to gain a strong presence within the industry.
His objective is to nurture and perpetuate new and existing relationships with Ballistic to ensure complete client satisfaction.
Have you got a business, medical or marketing degree? Do you currently work in Business Development or speak multiple languages?
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It appears as if Lenovo is on a launching spree. The Chinese tech giant, just last week, had launched the K6 Power smartphone in India and now the company is launching another phone named Lenovo Zuk Edge tomorrow (in China).
The smartphone, in the recent past, had been leaked several times along with the live images. Now, a fresh render of the smartphone popped up online giving us major insights about the design along with the pricing and other information.
Also Read: Google Assistant on Allo App Now Understands and Speaks Hindi
Let's take a look at the leaked specs one by one.
Fresh renders of the smartphone reveal a thin bezel display with a low screen-to-body-ratio. Earlier leaks have suggested a curved design display like the Galaxy S7 Edge. However, the latest render doesn't reveal anything as such.
Most of the front is occupied by the 5.5-inch Full HD display with a rectangular-ish home button (which may double as a fingerprint scanner) sits below it. Power button and volume rocker are placed towards the right side and a gold trim runs along all the edges of the device.
Click Here for New Android Smartphones Best Online Deals
Top-of-the-line hardware
As per the earlier rumours, the device will be powered by a quad-core 2.35GHz Snapdragon 821 chipset along with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage space. An Adreno 530 GPU will take care of graphics.
The smartphone will be backed by a 3,000mAh battery and support for Quick Charge technology is expected given it features a Qualcomm chipset.
Android 6.0 Marshmallow
According to the rumours, the smartphone will run Android 6.0 Marshmallow out-of-the-box with ZUI running atop.
Also Read: Hurry Up! OnePlus 3T 128GB Variant Is Up for Grabs at Re. 1
13MP primary camera with support for 4K video recording
The imaging department is rumoured to be taken care of by a 13MP primary camera which will be capable of 4K video recording. For the selfie lovers, there will be an 8MP front facing camera.
May be priced around Rs. 27,000
According to the fresh leak, the smartphone may be priced around CNY 2699 which roughly translates to Rs. 26, 747.
As far as the availability is concerned, given the company's history, the Zuk Edge should be launched in India in a few weeks.
Click Here for New Smartphones Best Online Deals
Source: Weibo, Slashleaks


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Cleveland Cavaliers tickets have taken a complete 180 degree turn since last season. Granted, the basketball team is still young and not winning a whole lot of games, but they added some attractions. The main spark that has brought the Cleveland fan club to life is the drafting of Lebron James.
Lebron James is a high school sensation who came straight to the pros. He is built tough and ready to rumble with the big boys. This natural born basketball player has everything someone needs to be a superstar in the NBA.
Since the addition of Lebron James, Cleveland Cavaliers tickets have gone crazy. Everyone, especially early in the season, wants to come see this amazing kid play ball. For a losing team with little playoff chances, they sure do pull a lot of fans.
Getting tickets to Cavaliers games is not that hard to get in Cleveland. Those fans have seen him play and are thinning out. But if you are looking to get Cavs tickets when they are on the road, you better prepare in advance. He is helping sell out every stadium.
Founded: 1970
Location: Cleveland, Ohio
Stadium: Quicken Loans Arena
Conference: Eastern Conference
Division: Central Division
Nickname: Cavs, Cleveland Cavs, The Cavs
Cleveland Cavaliers Championship Titles: 0
Cleveland Cavaliers Conference Titles: 1
1970-now, Cleveland Cavaliers; NBA
Cavaliers Rosters
Brown, Devin
Brown, Shannon
Gibson, Daniel
Gooden, Drew
Hughes, Larry
Ilgauskas, zydrunas
James, LeBron (C)
Jones, Damon
Jones, Dwayne
Marshall, Donyell
Newble, Ira
Pavlovic, Sasha
Simmons, Cedric
Snow, Eric (C)
Varejao, Anderson
The Cleveland Cavaliers, more commonly referred to as the Cavs is a professional basketball team that is located in Cleveland. It is one of the eight teams that are members of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association (NBA). They started their career as an expansion team in NBA in 1970 but it was not until 2007 when they bagged a title.
The play their matches in Cleveland wearing blue, orange and white colored uniforms. They played their first match ever in 1970 with the status of an expansion team. The franchise Cleveland Cavaliers have managed to reach the Conference finals only twice and have managed only one Division Championship. In fact to date it is the most long standing team that has never made it to the NBA Finals.
During the mid seventies season the team successfully acquired the veteran center Nate Thurmond who successfully led the team to a winning season which was its first. Further they had a record of 49-33 win loss which resulted in its qualification for the playoffs. The victory owed to the solid defense of the team that featured Thurmond. But eventually the team was heavily defeated by the Boston Celtics in the final of the 1976 conference.
Through the late 80's to the early 90's, the team posted 57 winning records in two individual seasons and advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals in 1992. Some of their star players included Brad Daugherty, Mark Price and Larry Nance. Nate Thurmond, Smith, John Johnson and Austin Carr are amongst the other historic players that are worth a mention. Their series of frustrating seasons continued even in 2002-2003 season.
They luckily acquired the number one draft pick in the NBA Lottery which they utilized to acquire a high school player LeBron James. Things were looking hopeful with his inclusion in the team and he managed win the NBA Rookie of the Year title. Season 2004-05 saw LeBron James flourishing into a superstar. His averages increased drastically. He together with Drew Gooden and Zydrunas Ilgauskas formed the effective centre of the team. In fact he is being compared by many to the all-time greatest player Michael Jordan.
Later the year 2005 brought many changes for the team. Mike Brown was employed as the coach and Danny Ferry who was a former player was hired as the general manager. Several multi year contracts were made with some players namely Larry Hughes, Donyell Marshall and Damon Jones who were all free agents.
Cleveland Clinic Courts, a practice facility was inaugurated in 2007 in Ohio and quickly became known as the best facility around. 2 courts, a conference room, front offices and a kitchen are featured by it. The local TV commentary is handled by Fred McLeod and Austin Carr whereas it is hosted by Jeff Phelps and Campy Russell.
Cleveland Cavaliers is the team of NBA. NBA stands for National BasketBall Association. We have a minimum service charges on discount Cleveland Cavaliers basketball tickets. Your Cleveland Cavaliers ticket will be shipped through FedEx. We gives you guaranteed lowest price online on basket ball tickets. We are not affiliated with Cleveland Cavaliers. We are committed to provide you best service. SportsTicketsGuide is the intermediate company betwen buyers and Cleveland Cavaliers Tickets sellers. Our all our concern are about our visitors thatswhy we are offering discount Cleveland Cavaliers tickets.
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Gail McConnell is an optical physicist at the University of Strathclyde who develops novel optical systems for biomedical imaging. She spoke to Margaret Harris about her recent research and some of the challenges in the field
How did you get into biomedical optics?
After I did my first degree and my PhD in the physics department here at the University of Strathclyde, UK, I had an industry job lined up that had nothing to do with biology whatsoever. But this was around the time of the September 11th terrorist attacks, and the company panicked and rescinded its job offer, leaving me high and dry. At that point my PhD supervisor said, "Well, I've got three months' worth of post-doc salary for work in this newly created 'Centre for Biophotonics' – would that interest you?" During my PhD I had spent a lot of time developing lasers using nonlinear optics, and when we wrote papers we'd always include a paragraph mentioning possible biomedical optics applications. But we never actually did any of that future application work, so I thought it might be nice to try.
That three-month post opened my eyes to the possibilities, and then I took a two-year appointment where, as well as engaging in technology development, I was also working with some of the biologists. They would bring their specimen preparations – biological cells and tissue – and I would help them to do some confocal imaging or wide-field epifluorescence imaging. This was a baptism of fire for me because I had never done any biology – I'd never really even done any chemistry, and I had never looked down a microscope until very late in my doctoral studies. But it was also a kind of gateway to another world, and I started to appreciate both what was driving biological and biomedical research, and some of the limitations of commercial imaging technologies. That gave me a sense of how I could use my knowledge in physics to develop better technology for biomedical imaging.
Although I come from a laser development background, as time has progressed I've started to appreciate that the laser is potentially just one component within an optical imaging system, and there are other technologies that also need to be developed. This could be optical technologies, addressing questions such as "Can we redesign the microscope objective lens to give more information about the specimen?" But there are also questions like "How can we prepare the biological tissue or specimen in a way that gives more meaningful or revealing information about biological function?" As a consequence, in the last five years we have really developed into more of a biophysics group rather than a physics group who happen to be working in the life sciences.
What are some of the major challenges imaging biological samples?
That very much depends on the biological question that you are trying to answer. This is an extreme example, but behavioural scientists working at the border between biology and neuroscience are interested in animal behaviour, perhaps in response to a reward or some pharmacological intervention. What they need is a video or camera-based system that can track the movement of the whole animal, and that would obviously require quite a different type of optical imaging solution from the type of systems we develop, which are more about understanding sub-cellular activity or structural morphology within individual cells. Biology and biomedical challenges are so diverse that it's not a case where one solution fits all. That's why physicists are constantly developing new types of imaging systems. As biologists are using more advanced instruments they are learning more, and as soon as they reach a technological threshold they want to image deeper, they want to collect images more rapidly, they want to see more spatial detail and they want to use the latest fluorophores and photoproteins. At the same time, increases in computational power are making storage and analysis of big data sets possible – it's a cyclical process that drives the technology development.
Could you give us an example of how this has worked in one of your projects?
The development of the so-called "Mesolens" is a good example. This project was initiated in the mid-1980s by Brad Amos, one of the developers of the point-scanning confocal microscope. Although this instrument can produce 3D images of cells with sub-cellular resolution, and without needing to section the tissue mechanically, he noticed that whenever biologists gave him a large volume of tissue, they were inevitably disappointed with the resolution. So he set about trying to find an optical solution to this problem – how could we accommodate large volumes of tissue without compromising the spatial resolution? I started working on the project around 2009–2010. A prototype of what we now call the Mesolens had been funded by the Medical Research Council (MRC), and Brad had done some preliminary tests, but he was approaching retirement and the MRC rules are that when you retire, you no longer have lab space. After some negotiations, we were able to move the whole project to Strathclyde, and since then we have developed a confocal version of the Mesolens that makes it possible to image up to 120 mm3 of tissue with sub-cellular detail throughout.
This has taken us in directions that we never expected because it's such a departure from a standard confocal microscope. Initially we thought that the Mouse Atlas community (which is developing a 3D computer model of successive stages of mouse embryo development) would be a key user, and that drove some of the lens design parameters. For example, a mouse embryo at day 12.5 is around 6 mm long and that is why the Mesolens has a 6 mm image field. But while the Mouse Atlas community is engaging with us, we are also seeing applications emerging that we did not expect.
I understand there's now a Mesolens spin-out company.
Yes, but I have made a conscious decision to not become a part of the company at this time. This is partly because I don't want to compromise the prospect of academic funding routes, but mostly because I want to focus on the scientific development rather than get diverted into financial management and other technical aspects of the business. I'm a bit of a card-carrying academic, and because my basic training is in physics, I also have a remaining curiosity around what new physics can emerge while we are studying these biomedical processes.
What's the most frustrating problem in developing the Mesolens?
One of the difficulties we had to overcome was mirror jitter, which wasn't something we expected to be a show-stopper.
If you take an image with your mobile phone you have maybe 10 megapixels, but for full Nyquist sampling – using the Mesolens to obtain all the available information – we need a 400 megapixel camera. At the moment we have the next best thing, which is a 260 megapixel effective camera where we obtain images by moving the sensor within the body of the camera. But what we really want is to scan a laser beam across 20,000 by 20,000 pixels, and that means we need to accurately sweep the laser spot across many points within our 6 mm image field. At Photonics West we met a company called Nutfield Technology that sells scanning mirrors to the digital video industry (particularly Pixar) so they can project digital images onto a large cinema screen while ensuring there are no gaps.
We were able to work with them and now we have mirrors that can scan our laser spot as accurately as we need to get reproducible data.
Where do you see the field going in the future?
Biomedical research is generating vast data sets. We have excellent microscopes and the biologists are desperately keen to use them to see ever more detail. This might mean using super-resolution techniques to resolve very fine spatial detail, or making very fast recordings of physiological behaviour or intact organs. Either way, it inevitably leads to giant data volumes. So we can generate the data, but are we adequately placed to analyse it? Can we retrieve meaningful measurements and perform appropriate statistical analysis of these data sets that we can now generate? I see a great drive towards every biomedical imaging centre needing a computational biology expert around to help unpack these data volumes so they can provide the biomedical research community with the information that they actually want, rather than what the physicists think they want.
In some ways this is a "luxury" problem because we have these fabulous new tools, and we just need to make sure we are using them to the best of our ability. For example, we were using the Mesolens to image some mouse lung tissue recently, and that generated a 200 GB data file. We can reconstruct that dataset in 3D, but if, for example, we want to count the number of cells within the tissue, that takes quite a lot of computational power. We are starting to become smarter as a community about using computational methods to retrieve meaningful information from these very large datasets, but the datasets are only going to get bigger. I also think that biologists are becoming more keen on quantitative information. Rather than just generating a pretty image, they now want numerical values, and they want to make measurements from within their datasets. This is great for physicists. We can help, through collaboration and interdisciplinary research, to push it along.
- Enjoy the rest of the 2017 Physics World Focus on Optics and Photonics in our digital magazine or via the Physics World app for any iOS or Android smartphone or tablet.


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As a preemptive warning, this and all other OOTs will be full of spoilers for the entire game.
More than any other medium, video games have the ability to revel in absurdity. And two of the most absurd developers in the industry are Hideo Kojima and Platinum Games. So the idea of Platinum taking Kojima's insane Metal Gear universe and adding their own brand of insanity is a promising prospect. However, there were reasons to be worried about Revengeance. Originally announced as Metal Gear Solid: Rising, Kojima was unable to create a fun game around the free-cutting mechanic, and the project was handed to Platinum with less than a year to develop it. And while that short development cycle can be seen in the final product, it is a feat that Revengeance turned out as well as it did.
On the insanity front, Metal Gear Rising delivers. It takes the absurdity of Metal Gear Solid 4 and ratchets it up to eleven. The butt metal soundtrack, over the top characters, and goofy little touches all help make Revengeance as dumb as a game with a fake word in its title should be.
Rising takes place four years after the events of MGS 4, and it is a solid continuation of that world post-Solid Snake. Metal Gear Rising fits the universe, but it doesn't rely on it. You fight Metal Gear enemies, PMCs play a large role in the story, SOP and the Patriots are mentioned, Sunny makes a cameo, and of course you play as Raiden. But that's pretty much where the direct references end. It would have been easy for them to have Otacon or Rose in your ear the whole game or drop references to Snake constantly. Instead, they created a game with an entirely original supporting cast. They even have their own take on Raiden.
Raiden has always been one of the more divisive characters in the Metal Gear franchise. Both his debut in MGS 2 and his transformation in MGS 4 drew ire from some people. Therefore, it shouldn't be surprising that Platinum decided to go in their own direction with the character. Raiden is still a cyborg ninja in Rising, and he even gets more cybernetic enhancements early in the game. However, he is much less serious than he was in Guns of the Patriots. I wouldn't call him irreverent, he's not Nathan Drake, and he definitely isn't the Raiden in MGS 2. He just has much more personality than he did in his last appearance. He makes occasional quips, shows emotions, and is able to hold a back and forth conversation. He no longer sounds like he's on a suicide mission, and that's a positive change.
At the start of the game, he is working for a peace keeping operation and his goal is to protect those too weak to protect themselves. He then comes across a plot to take over the world and re-introduce the "War Economy". Raiden's opposition to them makes sense, and the discovery that they are training child soldiers gives him even more motivation given his past. Then about halfway through the game, his "Jack the Ripper" persona is revealed. Previously, this was just a nickname he was given as a child soldier. Now it's a bloodthirsty alter ego. I hate this story beat. The "Ripper Mode" you gain as a result has almost no impact on the gameplay, and it just makes Raiden an unlikable asshole. Thankfully, it's dropped just as quickly as it's introduced, and Raiden goes back to being likable for the remainder of the game.
One of Metal Gear Rising's strengths is its pacing. It's not a very long game. By the time I finished, my in-game clock was at about five hours. This apparently doesn't count time spent watching cutscenes, so my total playthrough was probably closer to six or seven hours. For somebody looking for a long or highly replayable game, this probably isn't it. However, I think the length, despite being a symptom of the short development cycle, is beneficial to this game. Metal Gear Rising gets off running from the word go, and it rarely slows down. The game throws boss fights at the player every half hour or so, and the speed of the gameplay fits the pace of the story. In fact, the only down points of the game are when you are forced to slow down. There are parts in Revengeance where stealth is encouraged. I get them wanted to appeal to the average Metal Gear Solid fan, but that's not what this game is. It's mostly avoidable, but it's annoying to have your team yelling at you for being seen and it really drags down chapter 2. In fact, that entire chapter is filled with forced stealth, gimmicks, backtracking, and not a single boss fight. It almost undoes all of the good done by the introduction and Chapter 1. Thankfully the game picks up after that and mostly drops the stealth. You still have Gears of War style finger to ear conversations replacing codec calls, but the never get too intrusive.
The combat in Revengeance is just as flashy as that in Platinum's other games. As you input combos, Raiden pulls off incredible moves that are fun to watch. However, Revengeance is also much easier than something like Bayonetta. You can pretty much mas your way through most of the game and still look cool doing it. The light/heavy attack system is simple, but it is satisfying and the game plays great at 60 FPS. If there is one complaint to level at the core gameplay, it is that the camera fails to keep up with the action sometimes. The one are of the game that can be difficult to grasp at first is also a big reason why the game is so simple. That would be the parry system. Rising doesn't have a dodge button. Instead, you avoid getting hit by flicking the left stick towards an enemy and hitting an attack button. The timing on this is very generous, so if you are constantly attacking and flicking the stick you will block most attacks. The system can be hard to grasp at first, but it is easy to exploit once you do.
The other system that makes the game easier is the "zandatsu" system, which is combined with the game's "blade mode". Blade mode can be activated when you fuel cell meter, or FC, is at 100% or higher. When blade mode is activated, time slows down and you can slice your enemies into hundreds of pieces. This is incredibly satisfying, especially when you get to do it to a boss or larger enemy. The zandatsu system allows you to use blade mode to slice certain parts of an enemy and then hit the circle button to rip out their innards. If you do this successfully, you refill your health and FC. For basic enemies, you can do this whenever. For larger ones, you need to beat up on them first and then trigger a canned animation. This can get repetitive, but it's fun to do and makes it very hard to die.
There are other aspects of the gameplay outside of the core, some of which work and some of which don't. The four main bosses in Rising have a Mega Man-esque feature where you steal their weapons once you beat them. These consist of three secondary weapons which replace your heavy attack and one main weapon which replaces Raiden's sword. The three secondary weapons are the pole-arm, which has sweeping, quick attacks, a magnetic sai, which propels Raiden towards an enemy, and pincer blades, which have a slow, powerful attack and a charge attack. The Muramasa Blade is basically just an improved version of Raiden's sword, which makes sense but is kind of disappointing. Overall, I really like the secondary and alternate weapons because they allow you to tune the game to your play style and increase replayability.
Metal Gear Rising has an upgrade system that allows you to upgrade your weapons, health, and energy consumption as well as purchase additional outfits and new abilities. This system isn't problematic or intrusive in anyway, it's just kind of pointless. I guess I'm glad that it doesn't play a larger role in the game, but that makes me wonder why it's even in there in the first place. At least they allow upgrades (as well as unlocked weapons) to carry over to subsequent playthroughs, making them a de facto new game plus mode.
A system of the game that I can't wrap my head around is the sub-weapons. This is a group of grenades and rocket launchers that I never used. The controls are slow and clunky, and throwing a grenade is nowhere near as fun as slicing an enemy up. You can ignore this too, but again I have to question its inclusion at all. I fell it can only hinder somebody's enjoyment of the game if they think it is necessary to interact with.
Up to this point, I have been talking around the best parts of this game. The best parts of Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance, far and away, are the boss fights. Platinum pretty much nails everything from the characters and mechanics to the the set pieces and music. Metal Gear Rising almost single handedly make up for all the terrible video game boss fights. But instead of saying why they are collectively great, I want to go through all seven of them, one by one.
I cannot think of a better way to open this game than the Metal Gear RAY fight. By reusing an enemy from Metal Gear Solid 2, they are able to show how far Raiden has come since that came. And in addition to that, it's just a ton of fun. The amount of standing at the base and cutting the legs is a bit ridiculous, but once he thrusts his arm at you, you realize what you're in for. You catch the arm, and the lyrics to "Rules of Nature" start playing. Then you swing the RAY around and run up the arm before slicing it off. The second part of the fight is more interesting from a mechanical standpoint and ramps up the insanity even more. Leaping from missile to missile and running down the side of a clock tower are able to one up the first phase of the fight. And if you don't want to keep playing the game after this fight, then you're not a person I want to associate with.
You then go from the largest scale fight to the smallest. The fight with Wolf is not flashy or really mechanically deep, but it is probably the most important fight in the game. What the Wolf fight does is it teaches you to use the parry properly. All of Wolf's attacks are able to be parried, and you cannot beat him without parrying his attacks. Parrying is also a necessity in the Mistral, Monsoon, and Sam fights as well as an incredibly useful tool for regular enemies. If you don't learn the system, you will never get past the Wolf fight. It acts as a barrier halfway through Chapter 1 to determine if you are ready to play the rest of the game. In terms of being awesome, you are fighting a robot wolf with a chainsaw for a tail. I also like that Wolf becomes your ally, although I wish he fought alongside you more often.
Mistral does not have a ton of character development, as she is introduced and then killed off right away. However, what is there works, and she does have a really cool design. It is a good use of the dwarf geckos visually, and it gives you a way to regain health throughout the fight. The fight itself however is really cool. It is the only fight in the game that changes location as much as it does. However, part of me wishes the entire thing took place on top of the pipe. The limited motion makes it feel like a fighting game, and the camera angle makes parrying look really cool.
Monsoon is similar to Mistral in the sense that he is killed as soon as he is introduced. However, I find his character to be a lot more off putting and his design a lot less interesting. His fight is much better though. The parts where you are forced to use blade mode are a bummer, but everything else works really well. The idea of a character whose limbs come apart is really clever for a game about precision slicing, although I was disappointed that I never had to cut specific segments off. The parts I really like are when he comes through the fog to attack you and when he combines multiple attacks in a row. The take full advantage of the parry system and make it look like a great fight sequence in a movie. The ending where you run up an obelisk and then attack each other in mid air is also pretty great.
The Sundowner fight is the only one that I don't like. It's a shame too, because he is one the best characters. He's a great warmonger who only becomes forgettable because of how memorable another character is. But his fight is just frustrating. The whole game up to this point rewards a button-mashy, fast approach to the combat. However, Sundowner forces you to slow down and go into blade mode in order to slice his shield apart. It is really antithetical to the way the rest of the game works and isn't very fun. In fact, the Monsoon, Sundowner, and Armstrong fights all have annoying blade mode portions that feel like they only exist to justify the mechanic. And while they are annoying distractions in the other two, they consume the bulk of the Sundowner fight.
Sam was basically the opposite of Sundowner for me. The fight with him is great, but the character was sort of a let down. The reason he is a let down is because I feel like there should be more to him. The game presents him in the opening chapter as the guy in charge, and he has a relationship with Wolf that is never fully explained. However, he disappears for the majority of the game and is never fully developed. I don't need developed characters in a game like this, but the fact that they try to introduce some sort of emotional connection is never justified. His fight makes up for it though and is probably the best in the game. The one on one, face off nature of the whole thing is intense. The portions that involve you just walking back and forth waiting for him to strike are nerve-racking and awesome. It also makes good use of the parry system and the entire fight has the fighting game feel that part of the Mistral fight had. Since the two of you have very similar weapons, the whole thing feels like two equals going head to head with no gimmicks. It is a pure sword fight and it works.
But at the end of the day, Senator Armstrong steals the show. He doesn't have a whole lot of screen time, but he does a whole lot with it. His speech about the state of American politics is hilarious and well delivered. His plan is ridiculous enough for a comic book villain, and just the idea of a US Senator hocked up on nanomachines and fighting a cyborg ninja is perfectly absurd. Even if you never play this game, I recommend you watch his monologue. The fight itself is just fine. The excavator fight at the beginning is bad, but the regular fight is okay. The QTE where you constantly punch him and his health barely goes down is pretty hilarious, but nothing about the fight is special. It works and never annoyed me, but that's about the highest praise I can give it. It really didn't matter though because I spent the entire time thinking about the cutscene that preceded it.
Metal Gear Rising is a wonderfully absurd game. If you love Bayonetta or Metal Gear Solid 4, then there is something for you here. Platinum made a game that fits the Metal Gear universe and formula while also keeping it fresh. This feels like the natural continuation of the series, and I hope we get a sequel one day. The game is by no means perfect, and the short development time shines through at points. But in spite of all of this, Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance is an incredibly fun romp.