text:
|2012-06-02, 02:26
|Link #21
It also explains the not so good work she's done.
|2012-06-02, 02:39
|Link #22
Pretentious moe scholar
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Vancouver, Canada
Age: 31
It's hard to tell which has more drama, Okada's shows or posts about her.
I mean, sure, I think AKB and BRS are as cringeworthy as the next pretentious moe scholar. But I have to question how much of that is really her fault. Look at the concepts she got to work with. Compare with AnoHana, Wandering Son, and Hanasaku Iroha just last year.
In light of the "specifications" for each show, I'd say Okada's work ranged from good to brilliant.
Call me when her Okada-isms ruin something that should have been good, because it has yet to happen.
In my experience, Okada's fans tend to rever her work on shows like True Tears, Toradora, Wandering Son, Ano Hana, and Hanasaku Iroha. On the other hand, stuff like Fractale, AKB, Black Rock Shooter and Canaan seldom receives the same praise. Aquarion Evol might be an exception because a lot of Okada fans seem to consider it a guilty pleasure, but even that's not respected the same way the former works are.
|2012-06-02, 02:54
|Link #23
Lets be reality
Join Date: May 2007
Praise the heavens she has her own thread, was sick of seeing her mentioned in any P.A Works anime thread let alone others.
TJR has a list of writers that have been prolific, they just don't seem to be attention whores like Okada as well as attracting people to talk about them all the time through their trolling ways.
|2012-06-02, 02:59
|Link #24
Monarch of Rughzenhaide
|2012-06-02, 03:19
|Link #25
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Tennessee
Age: 31
Hanasaku's pretty cool though, and Toradora and AnoHana do indeed rule
|2012-06-02, 03:29
|Link #26
Monarch of Rughzenhaide
Well as mentioned in my massive tldr wall and also very well in Archon's post, True Tears and Wandering are more works of art, whilst Toradora and AnoHana are more *ahem* "commercialized" works that work on having a good laugh or emotion . No idea how to describe Iroha. Maybe I'll just call it Sparkling - the anime!
But math homework > Wandering Son? That's harsh man!
It's ok, for that I will think of you as a lesser kouhai who has yet to appreciate the art of genuineness and subtlety.
EDIT: Just realized you're the same age as me. Epic fail by me.
EDIT2: I have now SUBSCRIBED to this thread.
|2012-06-02, 03:43
|Link #27
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Tennessee
Age: 31
Nah, I can appreciate things that are subtle perfectly fine, just not things that are boring. I hope I haven't let you down as your senpai ;_;
Though we do agree on Hanasaku Iroha being a pretty baffling series, at least. I'm still not completely sure what to make of it. Come to think, the way it treats such mundane issues as srs business (Omelette rice, etc) kind of reminds me of Hyouka's Chitanda and the way she treats anything and everything as though it's the mystery of the century. "Oreki, why do people keep checking out this book? I'm curious! Oreki, why did my math teacher make a minor mistake? I must know!" Maybe Hyouka's writing is kind of Okada-ish in that sense.
|2012-06-02, 03:53
|Link #28
Monarch of Rughzenhaide
God forbid Okada ever writing an anime original script for Kyoani. Then the world will be doomed with all its moe and crossdressing antics.
Plus PA works will be very very angry at her if she did since they are kinda rivals :3. And of course, Okada will be in no position to tell staff from the mighty Kyoani to F-off and do what she likes. Actually... on second thought... I would like to see that. Okada being all arragont and and all and then the Kyoani Staff firing her ass mid-series. Would provide lulsy drama.
|2012-06-02, 04:03
|Link #29
Well, like I said. I myself wasn't very attached to True Tears. Wandering Son was arguably worse in that regard because I wasn't really liking any of the characters. But I appreciate their intent. Though I guess True Tears never bored me. It was too nicely packaged to do such a thing. But if you liked that, then it's more of the directing and audiovisual experience, not Okada's writing. The way I see it, it really provided the perfect stage for the play, except Dr. Casey didn't give a shit about the play itself.
But it's ok! Hiromi's still pretty hawt.
|2012-06-02, 04:08
|Link #30
Monarch of Rughzenhaide
But it was very obvious that the "smelly wench" writer wanted to perv it up, granted it is a lot more subtle than the ero she tends to add recently.
|2012-06-02, 04:27
|Link #31
Criminal Unrequitor
Graphic Designer
Join Date: Jul 2010
Anyway whatever, Okada's not exactly in her game mode this year. I only like EVOL because of how straight face it is with a technically terrible script. It's like you can't help but love it sometimes. Same with AKB0048. BRS was just terrible while I appreciate Lupin more on its artistic merits rather than the writing and dialogue.
|2012-06-02, 05:27
|Link #32
Me at work
Here's the original japanese arcticle that lead to the ANN article that says her "emotions were shaken" ,which to me is normal when you're told your work needs a major rewrite,but it's not like she quit the project,she stayed on board,rewrote the script and went on several promotional interviews alongside Nagai so I don't buy into her not liking the show.
Though if anyone feels like translating I'd appreciate it because I don't always trust ANN.
|2012-06-02, 05:39
|Link #33
Monarch of Rughzenhaide
What I got from that article using my limited google translate (lol), was that Okada was inspired by I Can Hear the Sea and Only Yesterday. Both of them are Ghibli josei dramas. Never seen I Can Hear the Sea, but I did see Only Yesterday, which was excellent. So this is where she got her inspiration from for her drama scripts? No wonder why she was great (compared to the rest) in the past.
But look at her now... sigh.
Don't trust me on this, google translate is unreliable lol. It came out all grammatically wrong, but i did see those two films mentioned. Or maybe they were comparing Ano Hana to them. If they were LOL. Just no, Anohana is in no way comparable to those two (Well at least Only Yesterday since I saw that one), doesn't have the quality .
Maybe a kind person can translate?
|2012-06-02, 05:59
|Link #34
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: UK
Age: 27
Well here are my experiences of Okada's work:
Ano Hana – Fantastic drama up until the ending. But I think a lot of this was the Nagai factor too. (Overall: 9/10)
AKB0048 - It's actually decent when there's no weird shit. But there's plenty of weird shit overall. (So far: 6/10)
Aquarion Evol - Same as above. And the plot is just God awful really. (So far: 6/10)
Canaan - I really liked this one. It was dark and had great characters and dialogue. The plot wasn't all that great though. I thought it was good but not great. (Overall: 7/10)
Black Rock Shooter – Great dialogue. Terrible plot AND characters... (Overall: 5/10)
Fate/Stay Night - >_____<'
Fractale – I actually liked this one. The dialogue was good and the characters were good too. It wasn't great but it was enjoyable and I think the bad aspects are due to other factors *cough*Yamakan*cough* (Overall: 7/10)
Gosick – Great dialogue and good characters but I'm guessing this was more of a straightforward adaption than something Okada could actually worked with. The bad aspects were due to its questionable plot which I doubt Okada had much control over (Overall: 7/10)
Hanasaku Iroha – It's definitely flawed but overall I enjoyed it immensely. My final opinion on how much Okada contributed to it will depend on how good Tari Tari is. (Overall: 8/10)
Hourou Musuko – Great series but yeah it seems like it was just a straightforward adaption. (Overall: 9/10)
Toradora! – I loved this show to bits. I think it's the first Romcom I watched and I still think it's among the best. Great character interactions and great dialogue. But I also think that was mainly due to the Nagai factor and the plot was already established by the author so Okada couldn't ruin it. (Overall: 9/10)
True Tears – To be brutally honest, I didn't think this was all that great. It certainly had excellent dialogue but like Archon Wing I felt kinda emotionally detached to what was going on and after the motorcycle crash, it just gets stupid. (Overall: 7/10)
So basically she does excellent dialogue and characters but she really needs to work on her ability to write plot because it's just God damn awful. And she ought to stay with Drama/SoL because slapstick comedy will almost always bring down an action/adventure type. In fact she should just stay away from comedy since it almost always feels inappropriate when she does it.
I can't help but feel like we're being a bit elitist here as well. Maybe Mari Okada genuinely enjoys stupid weird stories like AKB0048, Aquarion Evol and Black Rock Shooter just as much stories like Ano Hana and True Tears? If so who are we to judge? Maybe we should just accept that she's a lost cause?
As for her blatant hatred for men, yes it's annoying as hell but if you think about it you have to wonder if any female writer can survive in the Anime Industry (Home to all sorts of weird fetishes) without developing a rather cynical view on men.
I'll also quote this from another thread.
Those scores are for the anime btw, not for Okada...
Last edited by Haak; 2012-06-02 at 06:22.
|2012-06-02, 07:00
|Link #35
Me at work
Takuya Sato
|2012-06-02, 08:08
|Link #36
Senior Member
I personally think this is a good thing, in and of itself.
More anime original works means:
1) The quality of anime isn't limited by the quality of current/recent manga, LNs, and VNs (i.e. if manga, LNs, and VNs go through a bit of a weak patch for one or more of them, anime doesn't necessarily have to get "dragged down" with them).
2) Even for high-quality manga, LNs, and VNs, the pacing and format differences between these three and anime can cause anime adaptations of them to feel a bit off. Anime originals are first and foremost anime, and so can be ideally paced for the anime format without needing to slash and burn vast quantities of content.
3) The anime industry is less likely to "burn through" all of the existing good manga, LNs, and VNs due to lack of alternatives. More anime originals means that the anime industry can "take its time" a bit more when it comes to adapting manga, LNs, and VNs.
Long story short, more anime originals is good for the anime industry, imo.
And I'm not sure if we'd have as many anime originals over the past two years if not for Mari Okada. TJR raised the names of some other prominent anime writers, but after I looked a little bit into them, I don't see either of them as being anywhere near as active with anime originals, recently, as Okada has been.
AnoHana, Hanasaku Iroha, Aquarion EVOL, and Black Rock Shooter (the TV series) are all recent anime originals, and Okada wrote all of them (there may well be other recent Okada-wrote anime originals that I'm not aware of). Reception has been mixed for Aquarion EVOL and BRS, but AnoHana was widely praised, and even some people who were often critical of HSI (like myself, Demi Soda, and Archon_Wing) ended up more or less liking it overall.
Okada isn't "saving" anime, but her prolific works does make anime that little bit less reliant on manga, LNs, and VNs, and I think that's good for the anime industry. And Okada's works do tend to be either "Dumb, but fun" or "Excellent", imo. She's not a great writer, imo, but she does tend to be an entertaining writer (albeit sometimes for questionable reasons).
Now, I do think that much of what makes Okada an entertaining writer will, over time, have diminishing returns (in how much it entertains anime-watchers). You can only "troll" your readers/viewers so many times before your schtick gets old. Okada is eventually going to need to write something that's just plain "legit good" again, without needing trolls to amuse (some) of the audience. Eventually, she's going to need another True Tears or AnoHana. Here is where her current career direction is a bit worrisome to me, and a lot of other people following her career. I get the temptation to do nothing but "Dumb, but fun" if you, as a writer, can get away with it. But when a writer does that when s/he's capable of much more, that's a bit sad, imo.
|2012-06-02, 09:59
|Link #37
I think this would be the case for any major self-respecting studio production comittee with clout though.
|2012-06-02, 10:04
|Link #38
Criminal Unrequitor
Graphic Designer
Join Date: Jul 2010
|2012-06-02, 10:14
|Link #39
Monarch of Rughzenhaide
A lot more than a handful . Though it's very common for directors and writers to be freelancing between studios. Unless you're named Shinbo, in which case you stick with Shaft .
Anyways guys, I was just kidding regarding Okada writing for Kyoani and then getting fired. Don't take it seriously
|okada, writer
|Thread Tools


text:
Agreed HW. This must have been in the works for some time.Hockey Widow wrote:Meds wrote:TEAM1040 now reporting that Nicholson is in negotiations from his home with the Canucks and that he will accept the position of team President and then name Trevor Linden as the new GM.
I think I'd prefer the reverse of that.....
I think I could live with all of that. But no way was this put together in one day.
I think I also agree with Meds here. Trevor and Bob Nicholson both seem like they would make good team Presidents, but I'd prefer to have a GM with some actual experience and a track record this time around.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Some of the women here are receiving attention they have long deserved, while at least one, Dora Carrington, is likely to be familiar to many general readers, at least via the movie in which Emma Thompson portrayed her. The other women in the book may be familiar to specialists or devotees in some fields: Claude Cahun (about whom I've written here before), Paula Modersohn-Becker, Emily Carr, Dorothy Bussy, Suzanne Valadon, and Judith Gautier.
Caws's tone is often light, but her sentences are full of information and insights. At first, I thought the book lacked structure and import, but by the second chapter, I had changed my mind completely -- the wonder of the book lies less in its individual portraits of each woman than in the force that comes from comparison and accumulation. Caws is not just celebrating interesting lives, lives deserving more notice -- she is showing ways that women learned to live according to their own standards, ways that women crafted lives for themselves in societies and cultures where the sorts of lives they wanted to live were seldom rewarded and were often perilous. Some of the choices these women made took tolls, but many of them opened up possibilities and pleasures that less daring people (of any gender) might envy.
Glorious Eccentrics is a marvelous book not just because it does the good and noble work of bringing the art and lives of some wonderful women out of whatever shadows covered them, but because it tells lively stories about these women. Each chapter has a different sort of approach, because, as Caws says at the beginning,
Most appealing to me are the crucial moments of their lives or thoughts, those crisis points that mold the mind and heart and grip the imagination. I have chosen to speak of these women because their very intensity beckons my own -- not the particulars of their lives, but the odd details that challenge society's norms and beckon to us others, eccentric in our own way, often interior.It is those moments that Caws makes fascinating and appealing by using the women's own words whenever possible, as any good scholar might, but also by stretching a bit, speculating. For instance, about one of Carrington's portraits of Lytton Strachey, she writes,
The painting conveys all the wonder and terror of Carrington's adoration. How private it is: how it should not be shown to others. Here is the surprising part, until we try to understand it a bit: even not to the person loved. His portrait, with its so clear statement of adoration, is not always to be shared, in agony of soul, with the very person adored. The dread is double: showing it to others, but also showing it to the beloved. Intimacy does not require, in all cases, the sharing of the expression of emotion. Here is Carrington's profound instinctive comprehension of something indeed too deep for words. It is the image itself that reaches the profoundest depths. She has loved Lytton the way few people have the ability to love. Even during the rages of jealousy portrayed in the descriptions of her, alone, outside the lit windows of the house where Lytton is with his male lovers, and she sees them through the windowpanes, even during the loneliness and her own incapacities for painting, about which she always blames herself, it will be this relation of her mind and heart to the one she so terribly loves that will matter.(I'm sure it's not to everyone's taste, but I love how that last sentence whirls out of control with passion.)
Love -- its creative and destructive power -- is a theme running through many of these lives, and both Carrington and Dorothy Bussy loved gay men (in Bussy's case, André Gide). The chapter on Bussy is a masterpiece, because in it Caws quotes at length from Bussy's letters and journals, trying to show, as she later tries to show with Carrington, that her love was not something to be scoffed at, dismissed, or marginalized, as many writers (about the men) have done. About the relationships between Bussy and Gide, Vanessa Bell and Duncan Grant, and Carrington and Strachey, she writes,
In my view, neither the various household arrangements nor the various emotional involvements were unsuitable, for, despite the anguish, they worked. In each case, a strong-minded and artistically oriented woman, married to a heterosexual man, remained in her most important relation with a man oriented toward other men. In each case, it was the singular and "inappropriate", thus eccentric, relation that lasted as the crucial one, for the work and the life of both beloved and loving -- each dependent upon the other. We have only to reread these letters between Dorothy and the man she spent her life loving and translating to see the essential nature of the relation between them. These three beloved men, all extraordinary, all homosexual, were able, for all the pain caused by the inbalance [sic] of their relations, to nourish the mind and work of the imaginative and strong personalities that these women were. We too have to make a true reading as best we can.I'm not sure it's possible to offer any sort of "true reading", but I do like Caws's attempt to offer a different one, one opposed to the often trivializing readings of most of the men's biographers. She may err toward celebration, but that, to me, is preferable to the opposite.
There's much more -- more stories, more words, more sparkling moments of insight.
My greatest regret about the book is that the paintings reprinted in it are reprinted in black and white, which makes them seem far more drab than they are. Even the cover of the book, though reprinting a marvelous Cahun photograph, is drab, is this is unfortunate, because what is contained here is anything but drab.
I wish I had boxes of this book to give away to young writers and artists of all sorts, male and female. We need more eccentrics, and we should never be afraid to glorify them.


text:
Become a part of the community. Register and take part in all the features the site has to offer.
The time has come to roll out our NEW Outdoorphoto Community site. This means that youll be able to browse, but not contribute to our Community (including the Forum, Classifieds and Gallery) sites for 7 working days. New user registrations will commence once the new site is live.
Forum: Camera Equipment
Sub-Forums Threads / Posts Last Post


text:
Download the latest version of NVIDIA GeForce 6800 Ultra drivers according to your computer's operating system. All downloads available on this website have been scanned by the latest anti-virus software and are guaranteed to be virus and malware-free.
Browse the list of top matching drivers below to find the driver that meets your needs. To see more matches from our driver database, use our to customized driver search engine.
To download, select the best match for your device and then click the Download button. Need help? You can get help and discuss drivers on our free driver forum. If all else fails, you can request the driver and we will find it for you.
NVIDIA GeForce 6800 Ultra Driver Update UtilitySupported OS: Windows 10, Windows 8.1, Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP
File Version: Version 3.5.3
File Size: 1.4 MB
File Name:
Download >>
D00221-001-002.exe Driver
NVIDIASupported OS: Other
File Version: Version 6.14.0442.30
Release Date: 2004-07-12
File Size: 62.9 MB
File Name:
Download >>
233 DownloadsSubmitted Dec 6, 2009 by DriverGuide (DG Staff Member)
iMedia (PT.U08-PV.U08) Driver
Packard BellSource: Manufacturer Website (Official Download)
Supported OS: Win Vista
File Version: Version 10.3.0.33
File Size: 87.7 MB
File Name:
Download >>
85 DownloadsSubmitted Oct 25, 2011 by Sathishkumar (DG Staff Member):
"SATA Driver File"


text:
Emirates unit sees big Global Village success
Dubai, April 28, 2012
Transguard Group, an Emirates Group company, wrapped up a successful season at Dubai's Global Village, where it was responsible for logistical movements and secure handling of a record Dh213 million ($58 million) banknotes over a five-month period.
The 151-day event, which is also the largest outdoor family entertainment venue in the region, kicked off on November 1, 2011 and closed at the end of March this year, with retail sales topping a staggering Dh1.5 billion.
To ensure shoppers had easy access to their cash, Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank (ADIB) installed a total of 10 ATM machines around the site, located at key national pavilions including the UAE, Saudi, Malaysia, Syria, Vietnam, Iran, Pakistan, Africa, India and Turkey.
'With five million visitors recorded at Global Village during the 2011/12 season, the logistics involved in ensuring that the ADIB cash machines remained stocked and in full working order required precise planning and careful execution,' said Simon Cooper, the general manager, Cash Services at Transguard.
'Fortunately we have an abundance of experience in this area, Transguard currently manages the transportation and logistics for the majority of cash in circulation in the UAE,' he added.
According to ADIB, cash availability ran at 100 per cent during the entire five months, without a single 'cash out', ensuring that Global Village consumers and retailers from the 28 country pavilions were able to make the most of the international retail experience.
The ATM located adjacent to the UAE pavilion saw the highest amount of customer withdrawals, issuing a whopping Dh36.2 million - followed by Saudi Arabia (Dh32.7 million), Turkey (Dh30.2 million) and India (Dh25.3 million).
"Contracts with major entertainment and retail destinations such as Global Village give us the opportunity to demonstrate Transguard's unrivalled experience in successfully handling logistics for the secure movement and management of millions of dirhams, and working with the ADIB team has been both seamless and efficient," said Imran Khan, ATM operations manager at Transguard Cash.
As an integrated Facilities management company, Transguard was also responsible for the cleaning of Global Village, allocating a total of 145 staff every day over 150 days, a total of 174,000 man hours, said a company statement.
The cleaning team emptied 420 rubbish bins, three times daily during the event and also had to clean up after the sandstorms Global Village experienced this season, being called into action on five separate occasions to clear sand and debris deposited by the storms throughout the site, it added.-TradeArabia News Service


text:
'Senior' prom
Salem 'senior' prom an event for the ages
SALEM — The corsages were pinned, the lights were dimmed and the ballots were cast for the night's king and queen.
And as disk jockey Jason McCollin turned up the volume of "Red Roses for a Blue Lady" and couples flooded the floor, the years began to melt away –and the Ingram Senior Center's 2014 "Senior Prom" was officially underway.
Hosted by members of Salem High School's Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA) club, it was surely a night to remember.
School staffer Janine Parent, who oversees the 100-member club with Diana Jeans, said the prom, where local seniors dress up in formal attire and hobnob with high school students, has become a popular annual tradition in recent years.
"The kids look forward to it as much as the seniors do," Parent said.
Jeans said the prom is now in its fourth year and the event gets a little bigger each time, with plenty of area businesses stepping up to lend a hand.
About 30 high school juniors and seniors made this year's event happen, arriving early to deck out the senior center's dining room with cascades of stars and balloons, whip up a big bowl of punch and lay out the colorful boutonnières and corsages so they were ready to pin on the 50 or so well-heeled guests as they entered the hall.
McCollin, who teaches line dance classes at the center, stepped away from his DJ booth periodically to join his friends, both young and old, on the dance floor.
Door prizes of gift cards from local shops and restaurants, and an ice cream sundae bar rounded out the night's festivities.
For some of the students, this was their second time attending the "prom."
Senior Connor Sheehy said he enjoys hearing the stories some of the older guests often share: memories of their original prom days long gone by.
"It's so nice meeting them and hearing all the different perspectives," he said.
Fellow senior Brittney Fleming said last year's event was an eye opening one, as she hadn't realized so many of the guests would be so eager to get on the dance floor. "It's so fun to see how much they love dancing," Fleming said. "They really feel like they're at a real prom."
Student Haley Kalil agreed. "I love it when you see some of the couples out there," she said.
Local couple Alice and Leo Moisan, who have lived in Salem for over 50 years, said they haven't missed a "senior prom" yet.
"It's the friendliness of the students that makes it so special," Alice Moisan said. "They're so open, so approachable."


text:
13 killed in worst-ever Everest accident
Nepalese tourism ministry said 13 bodies had so far been recovered and ferried to base camp. As many as seven climbers were said to be missing.
Kathmandu: A massive avalanche today struck Mount Everest killing at least 13 Nepalese Sherpa guides and injuring several others in the deadliest mountaineering accident on the world's highest peak.
The avalanche occurred at around 6:45 am at an altitude of about 5,800 metres in an area known as the "popcorn field" which lies on the route to the treacherous Khumbu icefall.
An official from the mountaineering division at the Nepalese tourism ministry said 13 bodies had so far been recovered and ferried to base camp. As many as seven climbers were said to be missing.
"The avalanche hit the Nepalese Sherpa guides and climbers as they were heading towards Camp I from the Base Camp of the Everest," said Tilak Pandey, an official at Mountaineering Division of Tourism Ministry.
"There were around 15 climbers from six different expeditions including Alpine Ascent and Summit Nepal, when the avalanche swept them away," he said.
A spokesman for Nepal's tourism ministry said that some missing climbers had been rescued, but more are still missing.
The local guides had climbed up the slope early in the morning to fix ropes for climbers and prepare the route for mountaineers when the avalanche hit, officials said.
Himalayan Rescue Association along with Nepal Army, Armed Police Force personnel and mountain guides carried out the rescue operation at the site, Nepal Trekking Association said.
Several injured climbers were brought to the base camp and three were said to be in a serious condition.
Around 4,000 people have scaled Mt Everest since 1953 when Tenzing Sherpa and Edmund Hillary made it to the summit of the peak.
More than 250 people have died while attempting to climb the Everest. This year over 300 climbers have taken permission to climb the Everest.
The accident comes during the peak climbing months of April and May as hundreds of climbers converged at base camp in the hope of scaling the 8,848-metre-high summit.
Nearly 100 Sherpa guides and climbers have been trapped above the avalanche site. Ethnic Sherpas act as guides for the mostly-foreign clients.
The worst recorded accident on Everest has been a snowstorm on May 11, 1996, that killed eight climbers. Six Nepalese guides were killed in an avalanche in 1970.


text:
The internet has become a major source of gaming content with the passage of time. Just like the games that can be installed and played on the computer, the online games also need a computer to run. The main reason why online games are now taking over the local computer games includes their wider range and easier availability. It is possible to enjoy racing games like truck games and car games to even bike games and unicycle racing games. Then there are traditional classics like card games, casino games and highly popular arcade games which give a hint of the days of gaming long gone by.
The thing that is important to know about online games is that online games are not just about playing. There are complete communities built around these games. You can find blogs and discussion forums about online games which are extremely helpful in enjoying the game to the max. In case you are stuck somewhere and need some help or if you have developed some nice trick or strategy that you want to share, these forums and blogs are just the place. Above all, you can find reviews about the games that you should play and the games that you should avoid.
Playing online games is extremely exciting and at the same time, extremely challenging. The adrenaline pumping that you can receive by playing online games can not be paralleled by anything else. There are a number of people who are involved in playing games online. You can easily find competition and you can also find allies for your games.
The best thing about online games is that you can find free online games. You have to look for them though. Most of the online gaming sites provide you a subscription model. In this case, you would get a free trial membership that would last for anywhere between a week to a month. After this, you would have to cough up money to keep on playing games online. Creating a new account would not help because you would not be able to transfer your game levels and statistics from the old user account to the new user account. The thing is that free online games are available. While they are not exactly free because they are being sponsored by advertising on the site. You would have to look for the games that are completely free and not just a 'free trial'.
There is an endless variety of online games that you can play – from games as simple as Texas Hold'em Up Poker that allows you to gamble against other players to games like Chess where you pitch you gray cells against the power of a computer or the brains of other people. After you have finished a long and tiring day of work, online games can be the perfect way to vent your frustration and make yourself fit and free for another day at work. With online games, you can easily get fast track entertainment at almost no cost.


text:
Meet thousands of Bascom singles through one of the best Bascom online dating sites. Matchmaker.com has great instant messenger and live video Bascom chat service for our members. Bascom dating has never been easier with our show interest feature that will allow you to break the ice with attractive local singles.
Matchmaker.com has some great services for Bascom singles looking for a longer term relationship. Besides our great Bascom chat product with live video matchmaker users can send email messages to people in the area. The Bascom dating scene can be hard to find the right person at times; however, we are here to help and our Bascom online dating service is free to register.
BascomJoin Now Free!
Bascom Girls | Bascom Men | Bascom Gay | Bascom Lesbians
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
More Bascom Links:
Bascom Personals | Bascom Speed Dating | Bascom Chat | Bascom Singles | Bascom Love
Senior Dating | Catholic Dating | Christian Dating | Muslim Dating
Black Singles | Asian Singles | Latin Dating
Try our Bascom dating service today. Matchmaker.com is one of the oldest Bascom online dating services on the Internet and has brought thousands of couples together from the area. Test drive our Bascom Chat room with one of the best online communities for the Bascom single person. Also, keep in mind that we have a huge member base of Bascom singles and that we also cater to members of the many backgrounds.
Still not convinced that matchmaker is the free Bascom dating service for you? Once you've filled out the quick registration process you will be to see full size photos and profiles of thousands of Bascom singles. Did you know that free Bascom dating is a few clicks away? Find love and romance in Bascom at matchmaker today!


text:
Find Our Latest Video Reviews on YouTube!
If you want to stay on top of all of our video reviews of the latest tech, be sure to check out and subscribe to the Gear Live YouTube channel, hosted by Andru Edwards! It's free!
Wednesday August 19, 2009 2:50 pm
Corsair Flash Voyager GT: World's Fastest Thumb Drive at 128GB
Posted by Mark Rollins Categories: Storage, USB
Take a good look at the Corsair Flash Voyager GT. It may be a little fat around the USB connector, but it is, according to the company, the fastest USB drive in the world. Well, that's according to the company, so we can take that with a grain of salt, but still, impressive nonetheless. With reading speeds of up to 32 MB/s and write speeds of up to 25.6 MB/s, that might be hard to top, at least for now. Sadly, we don't have word on pricing or availability, but we do know it will pack in 128GB of storage space.
Read More | PR Web
- Related Tags:
- 128gb, corsair, corsair flash voyager gt, flash drives, flash voyager gt, thumb drives
Latest Gear Live Videos
- Subscribe:
- YouTube
- iTunes High Definition
- iTunes Standard Version
© Gear Live Inc. {year} – User-posted content, unless source is quoted, is licensed under a Creative Commons Public Domain License. Gear Live graphics, logos, designs, page headers, button icons, videos, articles, blogs, forums, scripts and other service names are the trademarks of Gear Live Inc.


text:
Base Oil Change & Lube: $28.99 (coupon)
Open Mon-Fri 8:00am-6:00pm / Sat 8:00am-4:00pm
Handy Lube Express — An automotive maintenance and repair company committed to protecting your family and restoring our environment.
The Handy Lube Express experience starts when your vehicle is pulled into one of our convenient Oil Change & Lube Service Locations in Cumming or Canton, GA. Our services include a complimentary safety evaluation. All light bulbs are checked to help ensure that running lights, marker lights and brake lights are functioning properly. The condition of your vehicle's tires is visually checked for unusual wear, tread life and defects. A general visual inspection is performed to identify other potential safety issues. Our findings are then reported to you so you can make a well-informed decision and, if necessary, appropriate action can be taken.
Additionally, our certified technicians also perform a service review. The service review is performed free of charge while your vehicle is receiving its 17-point check and full-service oil change. A report is generated to advise you of our service review findings. The report includes the evaluation of all the major systems on your vehicle, as well as our recommendations on any maintenance that may need to be performed.
At Handy Lube Express, we specialize in using sustainable products that provide environmental, social and economic benefits, helping to protect the public health, welfare and environment over their full commercial lifecycle. Every attempt is made to collect and Recycle Motor Oil, oil filters, antifreeze and other waste products at our facilities to be reintroduced back into the marketplace and reused. Our chemical menu has been shortened extensively and includes less corrosive, non-chlorinated products. Residual metals are removed from the waste stream and collected by metal recyclers for sustainable use. Car batteries are properly collected and recycled through remanufacturing. Our employees are keenly aware of the responsibility we share in the community and take our role very seriously. Our goal is improving and preserving the environment for future generations.
We would like to thank you for visiting us on the web by offering you this Oil Change Coupon.
Be sure to Bookmark HandyLubeExpress.com and check back soon for more valuable links and content!
[ top ]


text:
The Hop Gallery is delighted to be sponsoring this exhibition of work from the 6th Form Visual Arts Department of Sussex Downs College (Lewes Campus).
The Hop Gallery team realised that the students within the Visual Arts Department were…Continue
Added by Andy Walters on July 14, 2011 at 8:30 — No Comments
© 2018 Created by FEnews. Powered by
Badges | Report an Issue | Privacy Policy | Terms of Service


text:
Turkey is a country with two right wings. One is nationalist and secular, built on the oversized legacy of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the nation's first president. The other is nationalist as well, but rooted in Islam and a renewed interest in the legacy of the Ottoman Empire. For all their differences, the two sides share some crucial features: besides being nationalist, they are also anti-imperialist, see Turkey as having a unique role to play in the region, and are not inclined to consider themselves as being on the right. Although the Islam-based wing currently governing the country—with Tayyip Erdogan of the Justice and Development Party (AKP) at its head—has gained popularity by casting itself as a more benign alternative to the authoritarian and militarist tendencies of the secular Kemalist leadership, in its actions and even its views, it has increasingly come to resemble its adversary: initiating repressive measures against the opposition, upholding and in some cases expanding limitations on free speech and freedom of the press (imprisoning no fewer than seventy-six journalists), and continuing to restrict the use of the Kurdish language and limit the extent of Kurdish political representation in the country. Like the secular Kemalists before it, the Erdogan government also disapproves of anyone using the term "genocide" to describe the widespread slaughter of Armenians that occurred in 1915 in the waning days of the Ottoman Empire, the predecessor to the modern Turkish state.
What exactly happened to the Armenians, and why are so many Turks still sensitive about the issue? According to a number of Turkish scholars, including Türkkaya Ataöv, a professor emeritus at the University of Ankara, Armenians living in the Ottoman Empire were armed and fighting actively in World War I alongside the empire's enemies in the Entente, and so posed a threat to a state that was already on the defensive. Their fate cannot count as genocide because it was decided by a "civil war." In talks he has given on college campuses and to audiences around the world, Ataöv generally does not offer any figures to establish how many Armenians lost their lives in this "civil war," except to say that of the 235 who were removed from Istanbul, just three of them died, one of natural causes and two at the hands of thugs who were later tried and executed for their crime. Ataöv's is an especially extreme version of denialism. Other Turkish scholars have conceded that the Armenians suffered great losses, reaching even into the hundreds of thousands, though many argue that the massacres were the work of bandits or marauding Kurds rather than Ottoman Turkish officials operating under orders from the government.
Internationally, a growing number of scholars agree that the fate of the empire's Armenians was not determined by civil war but instead amounted to a genocide. Just after the start of World War I, the Ottomans suffered a catastrophic defeat by the Russians in the battle of Sarikamis, with some Armenians fighting alongside the Russians. Afterward, most of the Armenians living in the eastern borderlands of the Ottoman Empire were rounded up, placed in camps, and deported to various locations throughout Anatolia and the Levant—men, women and children alike who in the course of these deportations suffered expropriation, starvation, rape, abduction and massacre at the hands of groups with ties to the Ottoman army and government. In the accounts by these scholars, the number of Armenian dead generally ranges from about 1 million to 1.5 million.
There are many apparent paradoxes in the history of what happened in 1915, and they nourish the ongoing ambivalence about whether the Turkish state's treatment of the Armenians was criminal. For instance, several of the perpetrators were tried by Ottoman authorities over the period from 1919 to 1922, and some were even executed. Around the same time, the Great Powers (primarily Britain) initiated a separate investigation, but the suspects, detained on the island of Malta, were not prosecuted and were ultimately allowed to go free. There were also Armenian nationalists who, as World War I came to an end, downplayed the number of dead and emphasized Armenian military engagement on the side of the Entente (including Russia). They sought to position themselves to claim that enough Armenians had survived and done their bit in the war to merit being granted an independent, or at least autonomous, Armenian state.


text:
The mission of the project is to capture digital images of headstones. As decades pass by many stones are becoming harder, if not impossible, to read. By archiving the images, these important records can be saved to assist future researchers.
If anyone has an interest in helping Jim McKane with this important project, Jim is looking for:
1) people lto upload any and all headstone photos you may possess
2) co-ordinators to assist in "approving" the photos as they are uploaded.
3) volunteers to photograph headstones of cemeteries and upload them.
4) genealogical societies, church groups and others who would like to create a photographic archive of their cemeteries
5) assistance to install a link to CanadianHeadstones.com on any websites possible.
This Headstone Photo Project is a privately sponsored, non-profit, educational site. Success of the Project will depend completely upon the activities of many volunteers and other individuals who contribute photographs to the archive.
If you can assist in any way or have questions, please email Jim: firstname.lastname@example.com


text:
Concord grape
The Concord grape is a cultivar derived from the grape species Vitis labrusca (also called fox grape) that are used as table grapes, wine grapes and juice grapes. They are often used to make grape jelly, grape juice, grape pies, grape-flavored soft drinks, and candy. The grape is sometimes used to make wine, particularly kosher wine. Traditionally, most commercially produced Concord wines have been finished sweet, but dry versions are possible if adequate fruit ripeness is achieved. It is named after the town in Massachusetts where it was developed.
The skin of a Concord grape is typically dark blue or purple, and often is covered with a lighter-coloured epicuticular wax "bloom" that can be rubbed off. It is a slip-skin variety, meaning that the skin is easily separated from the fruit. Concord grapes have large seeds and are highly aromatic. The Concord grape is particularly prone to the physiological disorder Black leaf.[1]
In the United States 417,800 tons were produced in 2011.[2] The major growing areas are the Finger Lakes District of New York, Lake Erie, Lake Ontario, Southwestern Michigan, and the Yakima Valley in Washington.[3]
Concord grapes are often used to make grape jelly and are only occasionally available as table grapes,[4] especially in New England. They are the usual grapes used in the jelly for the traditional peanut butter and jelly sandwich, and Concord grape jelly is a staple product in U.S. supermarkets. Concord grapes are used for grape juice, and their distinctive purple color has led to grape-flavored soft drinks and candy being artificially colored purple while methyl anthranilate, a chemical present in Concord grapes, is used to give "grape" flavor. The dark colored Concord juice is used in some churches as a non-alcoholic alternative to wine in the service of communion.[5] Concord grapes have been used to make Kosher wine[6] and sacramental wine. The oldest sacramental winery in America, O-Neh-Da Vineyard, still produces a Concord wine for the altar.[7] Non-toxic sprays that contain methyl anthranilate can be sprayed on the bushes as a cost-effective bird control management. The spray repellent renders the fruit and foliage unpalatable to the birds.[8]
The Concord grape was developed in 1849 by Ephraim Wales Bull in Concord, Massachusetts.[9] Bull planted seeds from wild Vitis labrusca and evaluated over 22,000 seedlings before finding what he considered the perfect grape, the original vine of which still grows at his former home. The pollen parent is unknown. Although Concord is frequently considered to be basically a Vitis labrusca cultivar, some have argued that the hermaphrodite flowers suggest at least a small amount of Vitis vinifera in its pedigree. This trait has not been proven to exist in any native American grapes. Recent genetic testing has confirmed that Concord has roughly ⅓ Vitis vinifera parentage.[10] However, Concord is definitely much more labrusca-like in its characteristics than vinifera-like. Many consider the likely male parent to have been Catawba, itself probably half labrusca, which Bull had growing nearby.
In 1853, Bull's grape won first place at the Boston Horticultural Society Exhibition.[9] It was then introduced to the market in 1854. Dr. Thomas Bramwell Welch developed the first Concord grape juice in 1869.[9] Through the process of pasteurization, the juice did not ferment. Welch originally introduced the grape juice to his church, to be used for communion.
Ripe grapes (foreground) and unripe grapes (background). Unripe grapes can be made into verjuice.
Concord grapes growing on Grape Island, Massachusetts.
See also[edit]
- ^ R. Irvine & W. Clore The Wine Project pg 31 Sketch Publications 1997 ISBN 0-9650834-9-7
- ^ "Noncitrus Fruits and Nuts 2011 Summary". United States Department of Agriculture. Archived from the original on 31 December 2013. Retrieved 8 October 2012.
- ^ "Concord grape". National Grape Association. Retrieved 8 October 2012.
- ^ "Why can't I find Concord grapes in the grocery store?". Concord Grape Association. Retrieved 8 October 2012.
- ^ Garrett Peck (3 August 2009). The Prohibition Hangover: Alcohol in America from Demon Rum to Cult Cabernet. Rutgers University Press. p. 180. ISBN 978-0-8135-4849-4.
- ^ "The 11th Plague? Why People Drink Sweet Wine on Passover". Retrieved 2011-11-04.
- ^ "O-Neh-Da Authentic Sacramental Wine". O-Neh-Da Vineyard. Retrieved 30 December 2012.
- ^ [1]
- ^ a b c "The History of the Concord Grape". Concord Grape Association. Concord Grape Association. Retrieved 30 December 2012.
- ^ Sawler J, Reisch B, Aradhya MK, Prins B, Zhong G-Y, et al. (2013). "Genomics Assisted Ancestry Deconvolution in Grape". PLoS ONE. 8 (11): e80791. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0080791. PMC 3823699 . PMID 24244717.
External links[edit]
|Wikimedia Commons has media related to Concord grapes.


text:
Top-ranked Alabama earned a last-minute road win at LSU, Oregon's offense looked unstoppable versus USC, Kansas State survived without Collin Klein, and Notre Dame escaped Pitt -- barely. What does it all mean for this week's Bowl Projections? Mark Schlabach and Brad Edwards look into the future and make their bowl selections.
Back to All News


text: Rum A Casper Family Changes Careers To Make Alcohol By Bob Beck • Jul 11, 2014 Bob Beck Many people have ideas for small businesses, but not many of them quit their day jobs to try something unique, especially when it's something they know little about. But that's exactly what the Pollock family of Casper did in starting Backwards Distilling Company. "My son's an absinth drinker and absinth is hard to come by and he and she were talking… why don't we just make some make some… and then we all looked at each other and we all stopped and went hmmm."


text:
Three Homers & Solid Pitching Powers ODU Over Tribe, 10-1
ODU Wins Optima Health Challenge
Four-Run Rally In Ninth Wins It For Monarchs, 6-5
Myers and Eldridge drive in two runs each
No. 7 Virginia Edges ODU, 10-9 in 10 Innings
Eldridge leads ODU with four hits
Three Hit Night For Eldridge And Perez - But ODU Loses To Liberty
Monarchs pound out 11 hits
Baseball Weekend Recap With Head Coach Chris Finwood
ODU is coming off their first sweep against JMU since 2004- Hosts Richmond Tuesday
ODU vs Longwood, 5/15/13
ODU vs Longwood, 5/15/13
ODU vs GMU, 5/5/13
ODU vs GMU at the Bud Metheny Complex, 5/5/13
Key Dog Classic
Key Dog Classic, ODU vs VCU
ODU vs Temple
action photos from the game
ODU vs Rutgers
action photos from the game
2013:Tied for second on team in homers with six...Finished season with an eight-game hitting streak...11 multiple hit games..Hit walk-off gamewinning homer vs. Longwood...Knocked in 3 runs in a game vs. Rutgers...3 hits in a game at Liberty... 2012: Knocked in the game winner in his first collegiate at-bat in the 10th inning vs. Temple and the 10th inning win vs. VMI...Hit his first collegiate homer vs. VCU on April 28th...Knocked in three runs in the same game vs. VCU...Knocked in two runs in a game vs. VMI... Comes to ODU from Virginia AAA State runner-up South County High School...First Team Washington Post All-Metro...First team All-District, All-Northern Region and All-State in 2011...Homered in the State Championship game... Perez also had the game-winning hit in the State Quarterfinal game against Nansemond River in their 12-11 come-back victory. In all, Perez had two homers and five RBI in that contest... Perez was also named co-Player of the Year in the Patriot District...Hit nine home runs and 12 doubles along with a .488 batting average with 19 walks and a team-high 37 RBI. ...All-District, and All-Region selection in 2010...
PERSONAL: Full Name:Michael Joseph Perez...Son of Michael and Denise Perez...Sisters-Alyson(12) and Caroline (10)...Major:Information Systems...Favorite sports personality:Bryce Harper...Person in history would most like to meet: Roberto Clemente...Hobbies: Fishing, and the beach...Favorite Foods: Mother's Cooking...Favorite Movie: "Jaws"...Favorite Book Read:"Larry Brown's" biography... Dream vacation: Outerbanks of North Carolina...
YR G AB R H 2b 3b HR RBI TB SLG OBPCT SB BB BA 2012 39 98 10 19 3 1 1 12 27 .276 .319 1-1 15 .194 2013 46 149 31 41 11 0 6 29 70 .470 .353 1-2 16 .275 TLS 85 247 41 60 14 1 7 41 97 .393 .369 2-3 31 .243


text:
Delayed Gratification: The key to untold riches down the line
You have probably heard about the two most important metrics for the success of a website: traffic and conversions. No one will dispute that the more traffic you receive, and the better that traffic converts, the more sales/profits you are going to make. Entire professions are dedicated to driving traffic to your website and to improving your landing pages' conversion rates. The general wisdom is that these two important fields need to be treated separately. But in this post I am going to explain why the two are more tightly related than they initially seem.
Going Back to the Source
Certainly you can do all sorts of things to your site to "improve" the likelihood that the visitor will stay around longer and perhaps take action eventually. But I think that too much effort and thought is put into driving traffic from as many sources and keywords as possible and in trying to optimize everything that can be optimized on a website. Yet little thought is put into something as obvious as trying to understand clearly what each visitor is expecting when they see your landing page.
Think about it. Visitors land on your website all the time, but the path of clicks they followed to get there, and their expectations once they arrive, are often completely different from visitor to visitor. One visitor may arrive after reading a favorable review of your services from a reputable blog site or online magazine. Another may arrive directly from your Google AdWords ad that promised a discount on purchases "today only." This is what I call the visitor's frame of mind. It is a very important concept for conversion: the source of your traffic preconditions your visitor to take (or not to take) action on your content.


text:
Walleye (stizostedion v. vitreum)
Walleye, a favorite fishing catch, inhabit waters in all parts of the state, but mainly the large, cool lakes in northern Minnesota. Their eyes are sensitive to light, so they go to deep dark waters during the day and move to shallow lake areas at night. Minnesota's record walleye weighed 17 pounds 8 ounces. Pecan Crusted Walleye recipe.
Minnesota Statutes 2004 - 1.146 State fish


text:
GREENWICH, Conn – Show promoter Ron Vastola was pleased with his inaugural American Antique Toy & Coin-Op Show held one day only at the Greenwich Community Center, March 3, 2012. More than 40 exhibitors were showing all or parts of their collections to a large appreciative audience of collectors. Shoppers did not know quite what to expect, "creating a good buzz and very good sales!" Vastola said. He said one customer bought three important slot machines.
Collections at the show were varied, since both the promoter and exhibiting dealers were not sure what the shoppers would want. Mike Caffarella, a toy dealer and collector from Lancaster, Penn., exhibited a collection of early iron toys. His front-and-center-piece was an early steam locomotive, tender and two cars about the size of O-gauge electric trains. He also was showing an early sled with artistic paint decoration. He said at a show like this "we have a good opportunity to sell from our collections because we get a different audience coming in."
Read the preview article on the show's debut: Hershey drive-in theater owners launching antique toy show in March 2012 debut
Dealer Rich Brikos packed his booth with a cross-selection of antique gum machines. He had several dozen, all in excellent original condition or restored in some cases. He said morning sales were good, with machines starting at about $100 each. These were going to homes where they would be novelties for the family and may even serve as a little savings account. All the machines were rigged to keep the money when you bought a gumball or some M&M's.
National Juke Box was exhibiting just that: antique and restored juke boxes. Owner John Papa finds old coin operated music makers and restores them to excellent playing condition. While most end up in private homes, some return to service in restaurants, especially players of old 45 RPM records. An early arcade fortune teller dazzled the crowd in Papas booth. In exchange for a coin, the machine told the buyers their fortune on a small card. The fortune teller was a wax figure who became very animated when you dropped in a nickel or a dime.
New England Amusements of Manchester, Conn., and Larry Garland of Seven Valley, Penn., were also offering early music players. Casino slot machines were surprisingly good sellers that day. Several exhibitors reported sales including Rec Room Specialties from Toledo, Ohio, which sold three machines. Caffarella also sold one as did a few other exhibitors.
Vastola expects to make the show an annual affair with the same site reserved for next year at about the same time. For more information check his website.
antique gumball machines
More Related Posts from Antique Trader:
More resources for antique and vintage toy collectors
- Warman's Toys Field Guide: contains over 500 color photographs


text:
Tekken (US - BD RA)
Gabe visits the octagon for another "classic" video game adaptation...
I have played exactly zero hours of Tekken the video game. I found (find) the post Street Fighter II fighting games impossibly difficult, especially when put against friends that had the skill set to destroy me with a two million hit combo right off the bat. Apparently there are 17 or so games in the series at this point, along with an animated film, so the eventual presence of a moderately priced live action feature isn't a surprise (though the nearly 17 years it took to happen seems excessive). As a noob, I have no real expectations except for those laid out by other video game films. I know that Tekken will either be a bad movie with redeeming entertainment value, like Mortal Kombat, or a soul-sucking bore with all the redeeming value of lyme disease, like Mortal Kombat: Annihilation. I do know something about director Dwight H. Little, and I'm surprised the production hired him, considering his years of experience. It seems to me these modest video game and live action anime films are usually put together by a relatively untested guy, usually one that comes from special effects, second unit, or stunt direction. Little can't cost a lot, but he's been in the game since the early '80s. His schlock pedigree is actually rather impressive, including Raiders of the Lost Ark rip-off Bloodstone, Halloween 4 (a film that distinguishes itself by being slightly better than Halloween 5), a strange slasher movie take on The Phantom of the Opera starring Robert Englund, one of Steven Seagal's 'best' films ( Marked for Death), a genuinely entertaining Brandon Lee/Powers Boothe vehicle ( Rapid Fire), and two sequels nobody wanted or asked for ( Free Willy 2 and Anacondas 2). If that CV doesn't scream 'I'm ready to direct a movie based on a 17 year old videogame', I don't know what does.
Tekken starts with a prologue that explains the back-story in about a minute flat. Part of me thinks 'Oh good, we don't have to waste time on a derivative plot', but another part of me thinks 'Oh, there goes all the film's narrative aspirations'. I'm sort of happy to turn my brain off, but more disappointed that the film promises not to over step my depressing expectations right off the bat. Even sadder, this creates the mood of a sequel no one asked for to a film that was never made. From here we learn about the characters (this guy is old, he listens to the Beatles, and we learn about the post-apocalyptic universe (nobody has heard of the Beatles). Most of this information is conveyed via the most blatantly expositional dialogue ('This reminds me of that time this specific thing happened to me'), and most of the dialogue gives away the ESL roots of the screenplay thanks to awkward speech patterns. When not being expositional or pooping out bad one-liners, the dialogue is made up of inspirational speeches aimed at the main character, who has an apparently low sense of self worth. The flat, lifeless performances don't help. Of course it doesn't really matter because we don't care about these characters at all, and the filmmakers have little interest in compelling us to change our opinions.
The three people it took to write this hogwash decided to use the Running Man template (which I've established in my Running Man review wasn't Running Man's original premise), and set the plot around a tournament meant to divert a sad population's attention away from their problems. This is apparently not the story behind the videogame (I watched the film with a friend that filled me in on the basic factoids of the game). The 'Reality TV/Game of Death' trope is painfully overused, but does allow the filmmakers to set the story in the familiar world of MMA octagons, which isn't clever, but probably sold a couple of tickets this way, and the move earns them a few context points (the Tekken universe is literally run by corporations as well, which makes the plotline, oooooo, topical). If we get down to the brass tacks, the point of the exercise isn't originality, or even plot, but to create something that fans of the game will recognize. From this standpoint I have to give Tekken some credit for making a movie mostly about a martial arts tournament, and even including levels (the octagon grows set pieces) and character selection screens for good measure. If there was one thing unforgivably wrong-headed about the two Street Fighter movies it was the distinct lack of street fighting, and in the case of the second film, a distinct lack of anything from the games outside of character names.
Little does his job as a B-list director just fine. He sets up a consistent look, points the camera in the right direction, and manages to capture the action. Mostly. Unfortunately, for the most part this consistent look is dull. The overuse of over-cranked slow motion is the most blatant bad decision, but I'm also not too fond of the sub-Ridley Scott Bladerunner rip-offery. Every scene is shot using multiple gelled lights, but only just enough to be able to discern the images in the utter blackness. There's also some smoke thrown in for good measure, just in case we didn't get the whole Bladerunner connection. Little's action direction is capable, save a scene he shoots through strobing lights (which blurs all of fight choreographer Cyril Raffaelli's hard work), but he regrettably keeps things chaste enough for a hard PG-13 rating…which is too bad, because he still got an R. The R is then entirely wasted. Characters engage in dirty sex acts, but we never see it, and they punch each other into bloody pulps, but the gooey stuff almost all occurs just off-screen. In fact, I could almost swear I noticed some shivering cuts meant to delete some of the gory moments. If the film had earned its R rating with some kind of gut punch (I mean this literally), beheading, or eye gouge I might have been willing to forgive its other trespasses, because I'm simple like that. In their defense it's entirely likely that the production simply didn't have the money to resubmit the film for a PG-13.
Director Dwight Little's cinematographic choices sit somewhere between the modern and the '90s, which is generally good for the 1080p transfer. The image is consistently colourful, and features a whole lot of high contrast texture. Everything is lit from, like, half a dozen angles, leading to unattractive mixes of green, blue and red, but these do show off the format's abilities to separate elements. Important details are rarely lost in the mess of deep blacks and neon highlights, and the more vibrant hues rarely bleed or bloom, though the overriding green lighting schemes do wash out some of the blacks on occasion. Detail levels are consistent, though never exceedingly sharp, which isn't really a problem considering the intended look. The one element that may turn some viewers off is the incessant fine grain. I'm guessing this grain, which mostly looks like real deal 35mm artefacts, has been added on purpose since the specs tell me the film was shot using digital HD cameras. If I'm correct (and lord knows I am not always correct) this means all these sharp, consistent little black dots are supposed to be here, and shouldn't be counted against the transfer.
Overall this Dolby TrueHD 5.1 soundtrack is just fine, but not very impressive in terms of overall stereo and surround effects. During the fight scenes the majority of the fighting noise is entirely centered. The stereo and surround channels feature vague crowd noise, and the interminable throb of the musical score, but I only distinctly noticed a handful of directional movements during the fisticuffs, usually pertaining to a stylized, slow motion impact. The shooting and exploding scenes are punchier, LFE-heavy, and generally more dynamic, but even these aren't particularly zippy, or directionally endowed. Many things make Tekken feel like it's 10 to 15 years old, and the use of Nu-Meteal/Techno Metal on its soundtrack. Though the score is also spiked with ridiculously mawkish Celtic numbers meant to evoke touching moments. Both brands of music are kind of low on the track considering the total lack of subtlety inherent in the styles, but nothing warbles or distorts at high volume levels, and the LFE presence is plenty punchy.
The only real extra here is 'Stunt Stars: Tekken' (51:00, HD). This is a decent episode of some sort of TV or web series featuring fight choreographer Cyril Raffaelli, a long time favourite of Luc Besson, mostly known for his on-screen appearances in the District 13 movies, and the fact that he and his friend David Belle more or less patented Parkour/free running. Raffaelli's presence clearly had a positive effect on the film, in terms of both the fight scenes, and the brief Parkour sequence. This featurette shows him planning with the actors and stunt men, playing the game for inspiration, and allows him to discuss his technique. Also included here is 2nd unit director Doug Aarniokoski, stuntmen Gary Stearns (whose final battle stunts are actually covered pretty extensively) and Ilya Nikitenko, production designer Nathan Amondson, and stunt coordinator Eric Norris (Chuck's son), who talk up Raffaelli's skills. The trailer, and trailers for other Anchor Bay releases are also included.
Fun fact: Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa, who plays big scary headliner villain Heihachi Mishima, and who somehow walks away from this mess with his dignity in tact, also played the big scary headliner villain Shang Tsung in Mortal Kombat. I suppose it's good to have consistent work in this economy. Not so fun fact: Tekken is pretty much a terrible movie all around. I doubt fans of the video game series will like it very much, and I know non-fans will probably hate it. If it had really earned its R-rating with some truly irresponsible sex or violence some of us might have fun, but it's mostly a very hard PG-13. This disc's A/V quality isn't anything special, but there are no immediate issues, and extras are brief, but not a total waste.
*Note: The images on this page are not representative of the Blu-ray's image quality
Review by Gabriel Powers
Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian
Disc Details
Release Date: 19th July 2011
Discs: 2
Disc Type: Blu-ray Disc
RCE: No
Video: 1080p
Aspect: 2.35:1
Anamorphic: No
Colour: Yes
Audio: Dolby TrueHD 5.1 English
Subtitles: English SDH, Spanish
Extras: Stunt Stars: Tekken, Trailers, Digital Copy, DVD Copy
Easter Egg: No
Feature Details
Director: Dwight Little
Cast: Kelly Overton, Gary Daniels, Ian Anthony Dale, Cung Le, Roger Huerta
Length: 91 minutes
4Review Guide
Follow our updates
Reviewer Agony
Space Buddies US - BD RA Kiss the Bride AU - DVD R4 Get Rich Or Die Tryin' UK - DVD R2 Farce of the Penguins US - DVD R1 Cannibal Terror US - DVD
Award Winning
Amazing Spider-Man (2D), The US - BD Humphrey Bogart - The Signature Collection, Vol. 1 US - DVD R1 Terminator 2: Judgment Day Skynet Edition UK - BD RB Finding Nemo (2D) US - BD Event Horizon US - BD
Released Soon
Sicario: Day of the Soldado US - DVD R1 | BD RA Kino Lorber Dan Curtis Announcements US - DVD R1 | BD RA Don't Worry, He Won't Get Far on Foot US - DVD R1 | BD RA Prehystaria US - BD RA Eighth Grade US - DVD R1 | BD RA
Most Talked About
Bound: Olive Signature Collection US - BD RA Arrow November Releases US - BD RA Don't Worry, He Won't Get Far on Foot US - DVD R1 | BD RA Minute to Pray, A Minute to Die, A US - BD RA Shout Factory Updates US - BD RA


text:
It seems Jill Zarin has yet to find a hobby after all. According to a new report, the Real Housewives of New York City star channeled her inner Al Gore last week following her appearance on Bravo's Watch What Happens Live.
The NY Post is reporting Jill demanded a recount after a poll from the show had her losing to her costar Ramona Singer in a landslide. The question of the poll was whose side were viewers on when it came to the two ladies. Andy Cohen read the results at the end of the show with 78% of the votes going to Team Ramona, and the remaining 22% in favor of Team Jill.
Sources tell the Post Jill demanded a recount immediately following the show. The renewed Jill reportedly went as far as to tell Bravo she would get her lawyer to "audit" the polling numbers. Yikes.
Jill denies calling her lawyer but admits she was surprised to have received so little votes, you know, being that she's so well liked by the fans and all. "They had a problem," Jill tells the Post. "My initial reaction was surprise, based on my own fans and how they were telling me they supported me. That night, we said, 'We don't think these numbers are right.' " Wowzers.
Whatever the case, there was a recount as Andy admitted on Sunday night there was an error with the poll results. The final tally? Ramona still came out on top with 59% of the votes. No word yet on whether Jill would like another recount.
Oh yeah, Jill asked her followers on twitter to vote for her during the live show while Ramona didn't.
In other Jill news, her face is making headlines today after she walked the red carpet this weekend for the annual TV Land Awards. After debuting what looks to be a new face, many media outlets are speculating she went under the knife. We put together the above before and after photo which you can click on to make bigger.
In a poll by PopEater, over 95% of those polled believe she went under the knife. Jill however denies such a thing tweeting earlier today, "How funny is this? 95% [of PopEater users] think I had surgery. Should I be flattered they think I look better? Ask Dr. Pat Wexler. She is my doctor." We'll let you be the judge with more
photos of Jill below.
Click The Continue Reading Button To See More Photos of Jill From The Awards Show!
UPDATE: Board Certified plastic surgeon Dr. Michael Salzhauer of Balbody.com tells Reality Tea, "It appears that Jill Zarin has had a nose job or Rhinoplasty to narrow and lift the tip of her nose." Dr. Salzhauer adds that Jill's smooth forehead is most likely the result of Botox injections. "She most likely has used dermal fillers such as Restylane or Juvederm to smooth out her "laugh lines" and give more volume to her cheeks."


text:
- Inside Athletics
- Tickets
- Fan Zone
- Media Zone
- Social
- Shop
- E Fund
(June 3, 2008) - After finishing the season with a 14-10 overall record, and reaching the Atlantic Sun conference finals for the third consecutive season, the East Tennessee State University women's tennis team continued to make history this week earning its highest final rankings in school history, according to the ITA.
The Bucs finish the year ranked15th in the ITA Southeast region. This marked the fourth year in a row that ETSU has been ranked by the ITA at season's end, while being the only A-Sun member to receive a final ranking in 2008.
"Being the only conference member to be ranked at the end of the year is a great accomplish to our girls and program," said head coach Steve Brooks. "We played a tough non-conference schedule throughout the season and it was good to see that pay off."
Leading the way individually for ETSU was junior Yevgeniya Stupak. Stupak finished the year with an individual regional ranking of 14th, becoming the first-ever ETSU women's tennis player to be ranked in singles and doubles regionally at the same time. After claiming 23 victories, including wins over No. 39 Yvette Hyndman of
"If you look at how many great tennis players there are in Division I, it's a great honor to have a player like Yevgeniya ranked at the end of the year," said Brooks. "Yevgeniya had a solid year up until she got injured the last three weeks. It would have been fun to watch how things might have been different if she hadn't got hurt, but this is a season she can build on and be proud of, and hopefully she'll get a chance to play in the NCAAs again next year.
For all ETSU women's tennis and athletic news visit www.ETSUBucs.com.


text:
Lulu 7-Piece Full Panel Bedroom Package
Delivery Includes:
- Delivery and placement in your home. Learn more about our delivery process.
- Basic assembly of your item (except items marked "Customer Assembly Required").
- Disposal of packing material for most items.
Pick-up Includes:
- Free shipping to almost any store of your choice (selected in checkout).
Specialty Installation and Assembly:
- We offer professionally licensed installation and assembly services at competitive prices in many communities in Canada. Call 1-888-933-8786 to check if these services are available in your area.
Special Order
This product is ordered directly from the manufacturer and is not eligible for refund or exchange once shipped.
This package includes:
1 x Lulu Full Panel Footboard $129.97
1 x Lulu Full Panel Rails $189.97
1 x Lulu Nightstand $289.97
1 x Lulu Chest $539.97
1 x Lulu Dresser $639.97
1 x Lulu Full Panel Headboard $229.97
1 x Lulu Mirror $199.97
Full retail value of this package:
Items available to be purchased separately
Lulu Full Panel Bed
Item Code: LULUWFBD
Lulu Nightstand
Item Code: LULUW2NS
Dimensions: Width: 20.87'' Height: 25.28'' Depth: 15.75''
Lulu Chest
Item Code: LULUW5CH
Dimensions: Width: 28.78'' Height: 47.62'' Depth: 15.75''
Lulu Dresser
Item Code: LULUW6DR
Dimensions: Width: 56.81'' Height: 30.61'' Depth: 15.75''
Lulu Mirror
Item Code: LULUW0MR
Dimensions: Width: 33.23'' Height: 39.37'' Depth: 1.5''
Other items and packages in this collection
Product OverviewLighten up your child's bedroom with the Lulu 7-piece full panel bedroom package. Tinted in a replicated white paint finish, this matching set provides not only the perfect place to sleep, but also many great options for tucking away clean clothes and socks. The combination of grooved side panels, beaded rectangular frames and brushed nickel hardware create a timeless design that makes every morning feel a little bit more light and airy. Kids grow up fast, so leave them with bedtime memories that last.
Key Features:
- Engineered wood makes a frame that is both sturdy and solid.
- The whitewash finish matches with almost any decor, especially bold colours.
- Each drawer includes easy-glide hardware and front dovetail-joint construction for many years of reliable use.
- The grooved side panels, beaded frame and slotted top piece give these pieces a country cottage charm.
- The wide mirror surface provides you a great view and is easy to clean.
- This package includes one full bed (headboard, footboard and rails), nightstand, dresser, mirror and chest.
Dust the surface with a dry cloth as needed.Dimensions:
- Headboard: 58.1" W x 53.4" H x 1.7" D
- Bed Rails: 55" W x 7.2" H x 76.8" D
- Footboard: 56.9" W x 19.8" H x 0.6" D
- Dresser: 56.8" W x 30.6" H x 15.8" D
- Mirror: 33.2" W x 1.5" H x 39.4" D
- Nightstand: 20.9" W x 25.3" H x 15.8" D
- Chest: 28.8" W x 47.6" H x 15.8" D
Wood: Engineered Wood
Engineered wood provides the warmth and beauty of natural wood. It can be easily and beautifully finished with paints, stains and varnishes. Engineered wood products are designed and manufactured to maximize the natural strength and stiffness characteristics of wood.
Finish: Replicated White Paint
With all the country charm of whitewash without the chipping and peeling, this replicated white paint finish provides a bright, simple look that helps surrounding colours to pop, leaving you with a mix-and-match style.
Hardware Type: Brushed Nickel
Solid, simple and somewhat shiny, the drawer pulls featured throughout the Lulu bedroom collection provide attractive functionality to complement the charm of the grooved panels and beaded drawer frames.


text:
All vehicles purchased by OpenRoad Auto Group are expertly reconditioned. In fact, we spend over 6,500 technician hours each year reconditioning used cars before we put them on sale. From mechanical and safety to cosmetic touch-ups, we recondition every used car. So, no matter what condition your vehicle is in contact us for a quote.
Learn more about selling your car to OpenRoad
Car buyer tip! Remember, if you trade-in your vehicle and buy a new or used vehicle from OpenRoad, you will only pay taxes on the balance between your trade-in value and your new car purchase price.


text:
The past three days have been overcast and horribly muggy, with record breaking temperatures in the 90s! Instead of bringing relief, late day rains have ushered in overnight sogginess…..enough apparently, for this to happen:
I've occasionally seen bright yellow mushrooms among my irrigated St. Augustinegrass, but never did I expect "sprouts" in a container receiving no irrigation OR hand watering! What's even more surprising is this ➡ I inspect my plants daily (am I a wierdo? ;)) and yesterday there was no hint of mushrooms!
Needless to say, I checked the other potted bromeliads and though I didn't see any strange fungi 😉 a flower spike was forming in one of the front containers and definately worth showing you:
Related articles
- Grey mushrooms (sapphicscientist.wordpress.com)
- Mushroom Foraging in May 2012 (generallordisimo.com)


text:
Elderly and disabled threatened by Medicaid cut
Thousands of elderly, disabled and mentally ill North Carolinianscould lose Medicaid benefits that pay for assistancewith daily activities such as dressing, bathing, eating andmedication management under a plan under developmentby the NC Department of Health and Human Services, the agency hasacknowledged.The loss of benefits means that some of those people, including themost frail and vulnerable, face being pushed out of adult-care homes asstate officials scramble to find housing for them."It's really going to stretch our resourcefulness to find an accommodationfor these people," said Brad Deen, a spokesman for the department.
"We will find appropriate accommodations. It will require someingenuity. We're also going to need the assistance of people's familiesand friends. It's not going to be easy, but it's going to take a whole lot ofus working together."
The Department of Health and Human Services, or DHHS, plans totighten eligibility standards for people who receive Medicaid personalcare services. Current standards require recipients to demonstrate unmetneeds in at least one of five so-called "activities of daily living," includingeating, dressing, bathing, toileting or mobility. Under the new standards,scheduled to take effect on Jan. 1, 2013, recipients would have todemonstrate that they need assistance with at least two of those activities.
State officials maintain they are under pressure to implement the newstandards to comply with a federal mandate to create uniformity in billingrates, eligibility criteria and scope of services in the delivery of personalcare services to people who live in group homes and in independentlivingarrangements.Talking points for a DHHS presentation to a joint legislative committeelast week that the agency provided to YES! Weekly indicate that 3,700to 4,000 Medicaid recipients might not meet the new eligibility requirementsunder the state's proposed plan, which is based on a waiver availableunder the 2010 Affordable Care Act, also known as "Obamacare."
The changing regulations have created anxiety in particular for theresidents and staff at Danby House, a group home in southwest Winston-Salem that held an emergency meeting for family members of residentson April 5."I have a 106-year-old woman with Alzheimer's living here who isable to lift herself off the toilet and who is able to lift herself out of bed,but she needs reminders," said Business OfficeManager Alex Dagenhart. "That would not be covered under this new plan."
Deen said DHHS is working with the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to address the needs of Alzehimer's patients, who need special care units.
"We certainly recognize that," Deen said. "There are people who need another level of care."
Several residents, mostly elderly but including one man who is disabled because of high blood pressure and kidney failure, who spoke to YES! Weekly last week said they fear they will lose their Medicaid benefits and be forced to leave the group home under the new rules. Many of them said they do not have family members who would be able to take them in and that they could not afford to live on their own even if they were capable of taking care of themselves.
"If I was to lose my Medicaid, I would be on the street," said 55-year-old Terry Cochrain, who became disabled after working in construction for 30 years. "I'd be sleeping under a bridge. I couldn't get to medication. I'd probably be dead within six months."
Cochrain said he stays active by working in the garden at the group home, pushing elderly women around the facility in their wheelchairs and helping them remember things. His parents, who are also in poor health, pay for some of his medications. He does not have children of his own, so there is no other family to turn to for help.
Gloria Warden, a 75-year-old woman who has lived at Danby House for more than seven years, relies on staff at Danby House every day to help her put on support hose, which improve her circulation. Because of back problems she sometimes needs someone else to make her bed, but is otherwise able to handle most activities of daily living.
"I need Medicaid to help stay here, to pay copays at the doctor and dentist," she said. "If I lose my Medicaid I wouldn't have nowhere to live. I wouldn't have transportation to the doctor. I would have to quit wearing support hose because I would be unable to take them on and off."
Deen said DHHS might be able to finesse the challenge for residents such as Cochrain and Warden through a new round of eligibility assessments.
"We're going to contract with a vendor who is going to do assessments," he said. "It could be that they're going to get bumped up from one [activity of daily living] to two [activities of daily living]," he said. "If it turns out they really only do need assistance with one ADL and it's not a profound need, it could very well be that this person does not need to be a resident of an adult-care home. There could be a community-based service that could meet their need."
That would be unfair, said Nina Warwick-Joyner, an administrator at Danby House.
"These ladies and gentlemen have worked all their lives," she said. "They've paid in to these programs. When they need it, the state is not there for them. It's heartbreaking."
Dagenhart said the new eligibility requirements would force many group homes to close their doors. Danby House, operated by Meridian Senior Living, depends on Medicaid for 30 percent of its billing. But Magnolia Creek, another Meridian Senior Living facility in Winston-Salem, receives 90 percent of its revenue from Medicaid. Dagenhart said Meridian Senior Living is the largest provider of assisted living services in the state.
"Adult-care homes get paid room and board and they also supplement that by providing personal care services to residents," Deen said. "We have to admit that room and board rates are rather low. That's one of the things we're hoping to look at. We're hoping we can find something to do to help them with that.
"To make a financial go of it, they really need both," he added. DHHS is also scrambling to find accommodations for more than 1,000 group-home residents with mental illness diagnoses who face displacement because of federal guidelines prohibiting facilities whose patient roster is comprised of more than 51 percent of people with severe mental illness from receiving Medicaid funds.
DHHS has identified 5,792 residents with mental illness diagnoses across the state, with a disproportionately high number residing in the Triad. Guilford County tops the state with 328, Durham and Gaston counties are tied for second with 262, and Forsyth has 258. The state's two most populous counties, Mecklenburg and Wake, each have fewer than 200 residents with mental illness in group homes.
The state agency is currently assessing 25 homes to determine whether they meet the definition of an institute for mental disease and should be considered ineligible for Medicaid funding.
'If I was to lose my Medicaid, I would be on the street. I'd be sleeping under a bridge. I couldn't get to my medication. I'd probably be dead within six months.'
Terry Cochrain
The agency plans to finalize a report by July 1.
A March 2012 DHHS PowerPoint presentation lays out the likely impact on individuals with mental illness in stark terms:
"The 25 homes being assessed have more than 1,000 residents who may be affected in some way by the [institutes of mental disease] determination.
"The [adult-care homes] may decide to discharge those residents for whom Medicaid and Medicare funding will not be provided to avoid being classified as an [institute for mental disease].
"Conversely, [adult-care homes] that are [institutes for mental disease] will no longer be able to rely on Medicaid and Medicare funding for any of their residents.
"There is a lack of adequate housing available to meet the resulting increased demand for community based care based on the CMS requirement."
Deen said DHHS is working with the affected group homes to help them get their mentally ill populations under 50 percent so they can continue to receive federal funding.
"We're trying to keep drastic things from happening," Deen said. "We're trying to keep disruption to a minimum both for the adult homes and the individuals who reside in them."
Deen said the state plans to accommodate people with mental illness "in their homes and communities," but some are burdened by a level of severity that might make them eligible for care in a special-care unit.
"There are people with a level of dementia comparable to a person with Alzheimer's who might qualify for care in an adult-care home," Deen said. "There's a little bit of unknown right now because these are plans on paper and it's not exactly clear how that's going to work out…. We are certainly going to find individuals whose needs are not being met under these new regulations. And when we find these people, we're going to have to address it."
Complicating matters, the state is under pressure from the US Justice Department to shift disabled residents from group homes to more independent settings. The Justice Department has argued that "reliance on unnecessary institutional settings violates the civil rights of people with disabilities."
Dagenhart said the network of group homes in North Carolina is among the most robust in the nation, acknowledging that the reliance on such facilities by frail, elderly, disabled and mentally ill residents imposes a cost on state taxpayers when the federal government is unwilling to pick up the tab.
"We have a lot of people who will establish residency in North Carolina for their parents," he said, speaking to the appeal of group homes.
Deen said group homes have filled a vital niche in care for mentally ill adults, in particular. He said DHHS has been frustrated by federal regulatory roadblocks to the state agency's attempt to create an intermediate category of care for mentally ill residents that would fall between hospitalization – which is expensive – and community settings.
"Placement in the communities may end up being inadequate for a number of people," Deen said. "That's why the adult-care homes for the last 15 years have been a great middle ground. Now, the feds are telling us we can't do that anymore."
DHHS estimates that its plan to comply with federal mandates will result in an increase of $15.1 million for personal-care services to group-home residents and $21.9 million for in-home services, a category that currently has higher eligibility standards than group settings.
Senate President Pro Tem Phil Berger, who represents part of Guilford County, indicated last week that he was aware of the potential cost impacts to the state under the plan submitted by DHHS to the federal government, but had not studied the plan closely enough to discuss the situation further.
Sen. Pete Brunstetter, a senior budget writer from Forsyth County, said he believed the plan submitted by DHHS "would allow these services to continue to be funded after Dec. 31," adding that the matter is "complicated" and he would decline to comment on the potential budget implications for the state.
"We're really going to have to rely on the families, individuals, nonprofits, churches to really make sure we can find adequate and appropriate accommodations for vulnerable people," Deen said. "It's not just government. The alternative to finding adequate and appropriate accommodations for these people is you're going to see floods of people in emergency rooms, jails and prisons. And, quite frankly, those are the more expensive alternatives."


text:
Message Board
Humphrey Carpenter Message Board
Talk about the novels, new and used books that Carpenter has written!
Author Carpenter's Book Reviews
J.R.R. Tolkien: a Biography
J.R.R. Tolkien's "Lord of the Rings" is one of the most imaginative and popular epics of the day. It is especially popular with young readers. Parents concerned with the content of Tolkien's trilogy would have a challenging project reading all his works to get a perspective on his thinking. Humphrey Carpenter's masterful biography makes the project much easier by describing who Tolkien is and how he thinks. Carpenter describes Tolkien's deep Christia...
Humphrey Carpenter is best known for his biography of JRR Tolkien and his study of CS Lewis and friends in 'The Inklings'. He here turns historian, and in this short book assesses the life and works of Jesus Christ (for the Oxford University Press, and the old Fontana Past Masters series). The frontispiece claims that he presents it without 'religious preconceptions', an impossibility, but all things considered he does well. He covers the reliability of ...


text:
For the second consecutive Monday, Nichole Marquis is a tournament state playoff individual champion and the Lady Spartans girls golf team performed well enough to play together another Monday before wrapping up their 2012 season.
Marquis, a Moberly sophomore, fired an 8-over-par score of 80 yesterday to win the MSHSAA Class 1 Sectional 3 tournament played at Green Hills Golf Course of Chillicothe and led the Lady Spartans to a second place team finish.
That effort qualified Moberly's varsity golf team to the Class 1 state championships to be held Oct. 15-16 at Meadow Lake Acres Country Club in New Bloomfield.
The Lady Spartans team turned in a score of 397 Monday, which was 7 strokes behind sectional team champion Trenton High School.
Top two teams from sectionals as well as the top 10 inviduals who are not members of those teams qualify for state.
Chillicothe's golf course has been friendly to Moberly this season.
On Sept. 20 the Lady Spartans finished second at an invitational held at this site with a team score of 375, therefore second year Moberly coach Adam Smith said his girls went into sectionals with some needed confidence.
"We're all very excited about qualifying for state. Going in to sectionals, we felt pretty good about playing here and that we had a decent opportunity to qualify based upon the fact we played this same course did well on it before," said coach Smith. "The girls all took notes about their play from the September tournament, and we had a sheet filled out, providing a hole-by-hole analysis of the course. The girls studied that sheet and when we practiced on the course Sunday we talked about what to do on each hole."
"The key was for us not to worry so much about hitting the ball hard for distance, but to place the ball in good position for the chance to make par or even a bogey. I thought having a bogey on a few holes would not really hurt us, and the girls responded well."
Placing third in the team standings was Mexico with a 404, Brookfield turned in a 407 and Kirksville had 429.
Marquis is the youngest member of the Moberly varsity squad with the others being all juniors, and she consistently has turned in at least one of the lowest two scores of the g roup all season.
After winning the District 5 tournament as individual champion a week ago while leading the team to a first place finish as well, Marquis was the best among 50 golfers competing yesterday at the Sectional 3 state qualifier with her score of 80. That was 3 strokes better than what she carded at this course a month ago.
Marquis was 6 strokes better than second place finisher Layne Ray of Mexico, and placing third was Miranda White of Brookfield who shot an 87.
"This particular course at Chillicothe was pretty much tailor-made for a golfer like Nichole because she hits the ball hard and long. Much of the layout of this course suits someone who can play like that," said coach Smith. "She took good notes on the course, made the right kind of adjustment to achieve a better score."
Rebecca Burkhart of Moberly carded a 100 - about 9 strokes over from her season average said Smith - and was 14th overall.
Other Moberly scores were Callie Robinson (104), Rayanna Barfield (111) and Harley Backe (113).
Moberly last sent a girls golf team to state in 2009, the same year the program won districts, and that team placed 16th at state under Jean Anderson who served as coach for 25 years and then retired before Smith took over the program last season.
The Lady Spartans golf program also made state appearances as a team five other times in the past 12 years: 2008 (3rd), 2006 (7th), 2002 (15th), 2001 (4th) and 2000 (4th).
Other Local Golfers
Bethany Stallo of Salisbury qualified for the Class 1 state championships with her score of 93 and a fifth place finish at sectionals. In addition, Shelby De Tienne also qualified by placing 11th and her score of 99.
Salisbury had two other individual golfers compete at this sectional. Hannah Nicolay barely missed the cut for state when she turned in a score of 103 to place 18th overall and Lexi Richards was 40th with a score of 116.
Westran senior Cheby Ingebriston was 28th with a score of 107 yesterday and Shanna Surber was 4 strokes behind her placing 33rd.
To view the complete results of the Class 1 Sectional 3, or any of the other tournaments being played, visit the website mshsaa.org and click on the link for girls golf.


text:
You will learn
There are application and scenarios where you need a table function instead of procedure to leverage the advantage of direct selects on the output i.e. filtering, sorting and grouping. In the following exercise we show you how you can easily transform a procedure to a table function.
Please note - This tutorial is based on SPS11


text:
in this section
Roseanna Zia awarded an ONR Director of Research Early Career Grant (DORECG)
Professor Roseanna Zia was awarded an Office of Naval Research Director of Research Early Career Grant (DORECG) — one of only 5 awarded annually.
The DORECG was recently established to recognize the very best of our ONR Young Investigator Program (YIP) recipients. On an annual basis, the ONR sponsors 1600 single investigator grants. Zia was one of the small number of the very competitive 2014 YIP award recipients, of which approximately 30 per year are awarded. Of these, 5 per year are selected for the Director of Research ECG. The Director of Research noted in the award that, "This is a tremendous accomplishment, and is indicative of the quality and impact of your research."


text:
Spy Kids' Alexa Vega and Big Time Rush's Carlos Pena, Jr. Marry in Mexico
Jan 5, 2014 7:00 PM EST
Alexa Vega and Carlos Pena, Jr. tied the knot Saturday in Mexico, People reports. "Mrs. PENAVEGA," Vega tweeted on Saturday. The couple said "I do" at the Grand Velas Riviera Nayarit in Puerto Vallar… Read more