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Tennis Court Contractors are experts in all aspects of building and constructing a sporting facility. We offer a reliable, professional service at a great price.
There are many factors involved when constructing a tennis court in Risbury HR6 0 and it is important that you get a professional to talk you through them.
Once planning permission is approved the tennis court construction can commence.
This starts with excavating and removing the existing surface down to the necessary depths, once this has been completed PCC edges are laid to the perimeter of the area and a Geotextile laid over the whole area. MOT Type 1 stone is then poured onto the area and spread evenly before being heavy compacted and rolled. Open textured base macadam hard court is then installed to the area before a wearing course of macadam is laid.
This Sub Base specification gives the outdoor tennis courts and indoor tennis courts great stability as well as making it as level and even as possible, Indoor tennis courts are normally made with hard court surfacing.
Other positives of constructing a sub-base to this specification are that it is porous and permeable making the sub-base fully SuDS compliant. A SuDS compatible surface means that water is allowed to pass through the tennis courts surfaces suitably into the substrata instead of flowing directly into the drains and overburdening them and causing them to flood.
If you would like to find out more information regarding constructing a tennis court in Risbury HR6 0 speak to us today. We are happy to give you all the information you require in order to get the best results.
Simply fill out the contact form provided and we will get back to you as soon as we can.
Once the sub base has been constructed the porous wearing course macadam can be used as the tennis courts surfacing however it's possible you may wish to use polymeric sports surfaces or other surfaces for your tennis court or even use a synthetic short piled turf all surfacing options are compliant with ITF, LTA and SAPCA regulations.
If you opt to build a macadam hard court or polymeric surfacing in Risbury an acrylic or polyurethane anti-slip colour coating will be applied to your surfacing before being finished with line marking.
Sometimes adding additional extras to your tennis courts make such a massive difference and make your tennis court surfaces looking from box standard to a new professional and more exciting court for the players.
Some extras can include; floodlights and specialist sports fencing http://tenniscourtcontractors.co.uk/other/tennis-court-fencing/herefordshire/risbury we can included these with the overall tennis court construction and and we have a range of designs to suit your requirements available.
If you have any questions regarding costs for tennis court construction near me then fill in the simple contact box on this page to get in touch with. We will send you over all the relevant information as soon as possible.
As tennis court construction specialists in Risbury HR6 0 we are able to build and create a sports surface that suits your requirements. We understand that every facility in the UK will have different dimensions and needs which is why we can construct a surface that is perfect for you.
There are four main types of tennis court surfaces these include; Macadamn, polymeric, synthetic grass and artifical clay courts. As a very competitive company with high quailtity products and a experienced team we ensure that we have high levels of stock. Synthetic grass courts are the same as an artifical grass tennis court or synthetic carpet court. An artifical grass surface can be used for both indoor and outdoor tennis courts. Artifical clay courts are used outdoors.
Speak with our specialists today if you're interested in finding out more, speak to our team today. We are happy to give you all the information and details necessary to ensure you get the best results. Simply fill out the contact form provided and we will be in touch as soon as possible.
As professionals in the tennis court construction industry, we know just how to construct a tennis facility closest to you so that it will last a long time. We follow simple steps when constructing sports facilities in your surrounding area which are as follows:
Excavate/dig up the existing surface to required depth
Lay down a geotextile membrane
Stone up and install sub base
Install sports surfacing of your choice
Paint the surfacing if you decide on macadam hard court or polymeric
Install line markings
The process of installing a nearby sports facility will vary depending on the surface type.
If you're having a macadam hard court installed, less prep work will be needed, as only a stone sub-base is required. We recommend thinking about your budget and plan for your local facility before having the area constructed.
You may wish to play a number of sports on the facility, along with tennis, you may find that the types of sport you wish to play will affect the surface that you should have installed.
Once constructed you may also require regular maintenance including repainting http://tenniscourtcontractors.co.uk/maintenance/tennis-court-repainting/herefordshire/risbury and relining, to ensure the upkeep.
Things to consider before you start building tennis courts, as well as the construction and the sub-base and surfacing to a sports facility it is also important to consider other things such as fencing and lighting. There are a number of different surfaces aswell as different fencing options available such as chain link, rebound, super rebound and many more.
In terms of lighting, there are several options available, however, it is important to get planning permission where using lighting especially when the tennis court is to be built in a residential area. The amount and number of floodlights needed to light the tennis courts will depend on the size of the tennis court being constructed, on smaller areas 4 lights may be sufficient however on large facilities where they are multiple courts, 6 or 8 may be needed.
All aspects of building a tennis court and the tennis court construction process of a sporting facility will need the skill, experience and expertise of specialist contactor.
The ground preparation works will need a skilled groundworker with a vast knowledge of civil engineering, the surfacing will need a specialist sports surface installer and the fencing and lighting will have to be supplied and installed by professionals from those areas.
Once the tennis court construction process is complete we offer a range of tennis facility equipment in Risbury HR6 0 including nets, fencing and maintenance tools so feel free to ask about these extras or click here - http://tenniscourtcontractors.co.uk/other/tennis-court-equipment/herefordshire/risbury to learn more.
Tennis Court Fencing Choices in Risbury - https://tenniscourtcontractors.co.uk/other/tennis-court-fencing/herefordshire/risbury
Tennis Court Accessories and Equipment in Risbury - https://tenniscourtcontractors.co.uk/other/tennis-court-equipment/herefordshire/risbury
Funding Options to Build Tennis Courts in Risbury - https://tenniscourtcontractors.co.uk/other/tennis-court-funding/herefordshire/risbury
Making Tennis Court into a MUGA in Risbury - https://tenniscourtcontractors.co.uk/other/tennis-court-muga-upgrade/herefordshire/risbury
Tennis Court Specification Design in Risbury - https://tenniscourtcontractors.co.uk/other/tennis-court-design-spcification/herefordshire/risbury
Tennis Court Dimensions in Risbury - https://tenniscourtcontractors.co.uk/other/tennis-court-dimensions-size/herefordshire/risbury
Tennis Court Repair in Risbury - https://tenniscourtcontractors.co.uk/other/tennis-court-repair/herefordshire/risbury
Tennis Court Air Domes in Risbury - https://tenniscourtcontractors.co.uk/other/tennis-court-air-domes/herefordshire/risbury
For more information about constructing tennis courts please fill out the contact form and we will get back to you with details of specification, costs and prices.
We know that you want the best possible tennis court there is and that is why our professional team don't cut corners and ensure they provide you with exactly what you want and need to make what you dream for your tennis court become reality.
You can contact us today for more information regarding the process of building your new tennis court by simply filling in our enquiry form.
As professional constructors we have done work for many schools, colleges, private homes, sports centres and gyms in the past. Whilst doing this we have made differents courts such as a basketball court tennis court badminton court and more.
As soon as we receive your enquiry, we will e mail right back to you with regards to constructing a tennis court in Risbury HR6 0 along with the costs and specifications available.
We cover Risbury (Herefordshire)


text:
Iraq War vet charged in fatal shooting of ex-SEAL
STEPHENVILLE, Texas – The Associated Press
In this April 6, 2012, photo, former Navy SEAL and author of the book ?American Sniper?, Chris Kyle poses in Midlothian, Texas. A Texas sheriff has told local newspapers that Kyle has been fatally shot along with another man on a gun range, Saturday, Feb. 2, 2013. AP Photo
An Iraq War veteran charged with murdering former Navy SEAL sniper Chris Kyle and a friend turned a gun on the pair while they were at a Texas shooting range, authorities said Sunday.Eddie Ray Routh was arraigned early Sunday in the deaths of Kyle, who wrote the best-selling book "American Sniper," and Chad Littlefield, 35. They were killed at a shooting range at Rough Creek Lodge, about 50 miles (80 kilometers) southwest of Fort Worth.
Travis Cox, the director of a nonprofit Kyle helped found, told The Associated Press on Sunday that Kyle, 38, and Littlefield had taken Routh to the range to try to help him. Littlefield was Kyle's neighbor and "workout buddy," Cox said.
"What I know is Chris and a gentleman - great guy, I knew him well, Chad Littlefield - took a veteran out shooting who was struggling with PTSD to try to assist him, try to help him, try to, you know, give him a helping hand, and he turned the gun on both of them, killing them," Cox said.
Capt. Jason Upshaw with the Erath County Sheriff's Office said Routh had not made any comments that might indicate a motive. "I don't know that we'll ever know. He's the only one that knows that," Upshaw said.
Sheriff Tommy Bryant said Routh was unemployed and "may have been suffering from some type of mental illness from being in the military himself."
Bryant didn't know whether Routh was on any medication or had been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder.
Routh was being held on one charge of capital murder and two charges of murder.
Upshaw said Routh used a semi-automatic handgun, which authorities later found at his home. Upshaw said ballistics tests weren't complete Sunday, but authorities believe it was the gun used in the shootings. Upshaw declined to give any more details about the gun.
The U.S. military confirmed Sunday that Routh was a corporal in the Marines, serving in active duty from 2006 to 2010. He was deployed to Iraq in 2007 and Haiti in 2010. His current duty status is listed as reserve.
Routh is being held on $3 million bond. Bryant said he believed Routh was in the process of seeking a public defender.
A knock on the door at Routh's last known address went unanswered Sunday. A for-sale sign was in front of the small, wood-framed home.
Kyle's best-selling book, "American Sniper: The Autobiography of the Most Lethal Sniper in U.S. Military History," detailed his 150-plus kills of insurgents from 1999 to 2009. Kyle said in his book that Iraqi insurgents had put a bounty on his head. According to promotional information from book publisher William Morrow, Kyle deployed to Iraq four times.
Bryant said Kyle, Littlefield and Routh went to the shooting range around 3:15 p.m. Saturday. A hunting guide at Rough Creek Lodge came across the bodies of Kyle and Littlefield around 5 p.m. and called 911.
Upshaw said autopsies were still pending and he could not say how many times the men were shot or where on their bodies they were hit.
After the shootings, Routh left the shooting range in Kyle's black pickup truck, Bryant said, first going to his sister's home in Midlothian, about 25 miles southwest of Dallas, where he told her and her husband what he had done. Routh left, Bryant said, and the couple called local police.
Routh arrived at his home in Lancaster, about 17 miles southeast of Dallas, at about 8 p.m. Police arrested him after a brief pursuit.
Kyle's nonprofit, FITCO Cares, provides at-home fitness equipment for emotionally and physically wounded veterans.
"Chris was literally the type of guy, if you were a veteran and needed help, he'd help you," said Cox, the director of FITCO Cares.
Cox described Littlefield as a gentle, kind-hearted man who often called or emailed him with ideas for events or fundraisers to help veterans. He said he was married and had children.
"It was just two great guys, with Chad and Chris trying to help out a veteran in need and making time out of their day to help him. And to give him a hand. And unfortunately this thing happened," Cox said.
Bryant expressed a similar understanding of the situation. The sheriff said Routh's mother "may have reached out to Mr. Kyle to try to help her son."
"We kind of have an idea that maybe that's why they were at the range for some type of therapy that Mr. Kyle assists people with. And I don't know if it's called shooting therapy, I don't have any idea," Bryant said.
Lt. Cmdr. Rorke Denver, who served with Kyle on SEAL Team 3 in Iraq in 2006, called Kyle a champion of the modern battlefield. Denver wasn't surprised that Kyle apparently used a shooting range to help someone with PTSD.
"For us, for warriors, that's a skill set that has become very familiar, very comfortable for us," said Denver, a lieutenant commander in a reserve SEAL team. His book "Damn Few," about training SEALs, will be released this month. "So I actually see it as kind of a perfect use of Chris' unique skill set and expertise of which he has very few peers."
Craft International, Kyle's security training company, had scheduled a $2,950-per-person civilian training event at Rough Creek Lodge called the "Rough Creek Shoot Out!" for March 1-3. The price included lodging, meals and shooting instruction. Kyle was scheduled to teach the first class, called "precision rifle."
Kyle is survived by his wife, Taya, and their two children, Cox said.

subset: commoncrawl


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A mini gastric bypass is a procedure done on the stomach and intestines to help people lose weight. It is a type of bariatric surgery.
Abdominal Organs |
Copyright © Nucleus Medical Media, Inc. |
Reasons for Procedure
A mini-gastric bypass is a treatment for obesity . The procedure will help limit overeating and decrease how many calories you absorb.
A mini gastric bypass may be recommended for people with a:
- Body mass index (BMI) greater than 40
- BMI greater than 35 with cardiovascular disease, sleep apnea , or uncontrolled type 2 diabetes
- BMI greater than 35 with severe physical limitations that affect employment, mobility, and family life
This procedure may be done after a person has failed to lose weight through other methods such as healthful eating and exercise.
Benefits of bariatric surgery will depend on lifestyle changes that are also adopted. Benefits may include:
- Long-term weight loss
- Improvement in many obesity-related conditions, such as diabetes, sleep apnea, high blood pressure , and high cholesterol
- Improved mobility and increased energy
- Improved mood, self-esteem, and quality of life
- Reduced risk of dying from cardiovascular disease
Possible Complications
Problems from the procedure are rare, but all procedures have some risk. Your doctor will review potential problems, like:
- Adverse reaction to anesthesia, especially in patients who also have sleep apnea
- Infection
- Blood clot formation in the veins of the legs or lungs
- Excess bleeding
- Leaking of stomach contents into the abdominal cavity
- Hernia formation
- Death (rare)
Conditions that may develop after surgery may include:
- Gallstones
- Indigestion or ulcers
- Scar tissue formation creating a bowel obstruction
- Low blood sugar— hypoglycemia
- Nutritional deficiencies particularly low levels of protein or vitamins
- Body image distortion—patients have difficulty adjusting to their new appearance
- Inability to lose weight after surgery
- Excess weight loss (rare)
Problems are more common in older adults. Factors that may increase the risk of problems include:
- Smoking
- Recent or chronic illness such as kidney disease
- Diabetes
- Heart or lung disease
- Bleeding or clotting disorders
Talk to your doctor about these risks before the procedure.
What to Expect
Prior to Procedure
Each bariatric surgery program has specific requirements. Your program will likely include:
- A physical exam and review of your medical history
- Attempts to lose weight through medically approved dietary means
- Ongoing consultations with a registered dietician
- Mental health evaluation and counseling
Before your procedure:
- Talk to your doctor about your medications, herbs, and dietary supplements. You may be asked to stop taking some medications up to one week before the procedure.
- Do not start taking any new medications, herbs, or supplements without talking to your doctor.
- Arrange for a ride to and from the hospital.
- Arrange for help at home as you recover.
- You may be asked to take laxatives or give yourself an enema to clear your intestines.
- The night before your surgery, eat a light meal. Do not eat or drink anything after midnight unless told otherwise by your doctor.
- Shower or bathe the morning of your surgery.
General anesthesia will be used to. You will be asleep during the surgery.
Description of the Procedure
An IV line will be placed in your arm. Fluids and medication will be delivered through this line during the procedure. A breathing tube will be placed through your mouth and into your throat. It will help you breathe during surgery.
Small incisions will be made in the abdominal wall. A camera and surgical instruments will be passed through these incisions. The stomach will be divided into 2 parts. One part will be reconstructed to resemble a tube. The first part of the small intestine will then be bypassed by connecting the stomach tube to a section of the small intestine further down than previous attachment point.
The small incisions will be closed. Bandages may be placed over the incision sites.
Immediately After Procedure
After the operation, you will be taken to the recovery room for observation.
How Long Will it Take?
About 1 ½ to 2 ½ hours
How Much Will it Hurt?
Anesthesia prevents pain during surgery. As you recover, you may have some pain. You will be given pain medication.
Eating too much will cause discomfort. Work with a dietitian to create a meal plan that will provide enough nutrition without causing discomfort.
Average Hospital Stay
This is done in a hospital. The usual length of stay is 2 days. If you have any problems, you may need to stay longer.
Post-procedure Care
While you are recovering at the hospital, you may receive the following care:
While you are recovering at the hospital, you may receive the following care:
- Pain medication will be given as needed.
- On the day after surgery—you will have x-rays to check for leaks from the stomach.
Your stomach will not only be smaller, but will also be swollen after surgery. This will limit the types and amount of food you can eat. You will be started on liquids only. Medications or vitamins may also need to be crushed up or taken as liquid.
While in the hospital, you may be asked to do the following:
- Use an incentive spirometer to help you take deep breaths. This helps prevent lung problems.
- Wear elastic surgical stockings or boots to promote blood flow in your legs.
- Get up and walk in the hall daily.
For best success, you will need to practice lifelong healthy eating and exercising habits. Walk as soon as possible. Make a goal to exercise daily.
You will meet regularly with your healthcare team for monitoring and support.
You may have emotional ups and downs after this surgery. Ask your doctor about support groups or counseling that may help.
Your new stomach is small and slow to empty, causing you to feel full quickly. Therefore, you need to eat very small amounts and eat every slowly. Some basic steps may include:
- You will begin with 4-6 meals per day. A meal is 2 ounces of food. For the first 4-6 weeks after surgery, all food must be pureed.
- After you move to solid foods, you will need to consume enough protein. Follow your dietitian's meal plans.
- Avoid sweets and fatty foods.
- Eating too much or too quickly can cause vomiting or intense pain under your breastbone. Most people quickly learn how much food they can eat.
If you are taking medications or supplements:
- Crush any non-chewable pills
- Opt for chewable pills or liquid when possible
Call Your Doctor
Call your doctor if any of these occur:
- Signs of infection, including fever and chills
- Redness, swelling, increasing pain, excessive bleeding, or discharge from the incision site
- Cough, shortness of breath, chest pain, or severe nausea or vomiting
- Worsening abdominal pain
- Blood in the stool
- Pain, burning, urgency or frequency of urination, or persistent bleeding in the urine
- Pain or swelling in your feet, calves, or legs
- Sudden shortness of breath or chest pain
- New or unexpected symptoms
If you think you have an emergency, call for emergency medical services right away.
American College of Gastroenterology http://gi.org
American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery https://asmbs.org
Canadian Association of Gastroenterology https://www.cag-acg.org
Weight Loss Surgery https://weightlosssurgery.ca
Bariatric surgery. EBSCO DynaMed Plus website. Available at: http://www.dynamed.com/topics/dmp~AN~T483434/Bariatric-surgery . Updated October 23, 2017. Accessed January 10, 2018.
Bariatric surgery. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases website. Available at: https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/weight-management/bariatric-surgery. Accessed January 10, 2018.
Maciejewski ML, Livingston EH, Smith VA, et al. Survival among high-risk patients after bariatric surgery. JAMA. 2011;305(23):2419-2426.
Obesity surgery: Weight loss surgery. Cleveland Clinic website. Available at: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/17285-obesity-surgery/weight-loss-surgery. Accessed January 15, 2013.
Weight loss surgery (bariatric surgery). Boston Medical Center website. Available at: https://www.bmc.org/weight-loss-surgery/options. Accessed January 10, 2018.
Your bariatric surgery experience. Allegheny Health Network website. Available at: https://www.ahn.org/specialties/bariatric-and-metabolic-institute/your-bariatric-surgery-experience. Accessed January 10, 2018.
Revision Information
- Reviewer: EBSCO Medical Review Board Daus Mahnke, MD
- Review Date: 11/2018
- Update Date: 12/20/2014


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also known as: Would you please add another "to do" to your list?
Awesome Hyla at GreenEarthJourney sent me an email last week that she nominated me for a Dottie Award at MomDot.com. Let's have a cocktail made it into the category of Press Secretary. If you have a minute, pop over and cast your vote. Thank you again Hyla and thank you for taking a minute to visit the site.
Part II: Pain
also known as: Now you can laugh at me.
Our little man has a new classmate. His classmate is why some parents drink. Take 200 gallons of piss and vinegar and pour it into a 26 pound beaker, and there you have it. For fun, let's call him Bonkers McNewKid.
Bonkers McNewKid is a whirling dervish. He is into everything. I am perplexed how our child's teachers could be around this level of
Me: What happened to your eye, baby?
Son: Bonkers McNewKid hit me.
Last week, I went to fetch MiniMac. Bonkers was being taken to task by one of the teachers for scratching another child. Yes, I know the tendency for 2 and 3 year old kids to express themselves this way. However, Bonkers immediately comes to me, latches onto my leg like he is in some log-climbing contest and starts to dig in.
I say to Bonkers in a I MEAN IT voice: Do NOT scratch me, Bonkers McNewKid. Bonkers runs away.
We get home and Daddy asked Munchkin what happened to his eye.
Munchkin rats out Bonkers.
Mommy says, "Bonkers is a maniac."
Mommy does not say this in a sing-songy way. Mommy has tone.
Daddy gives Mommy a look.
Mommy realizes we don't call people names as that is NOT NICE.
Mommy hopes Munchkin doesn't listen well right this minute.
MiniMac: Daddy, Mommy said Bonkers is a maniac!
Daddy: Mommy meant Bonkers is a nice boy. Mommy needs to go to time out.
Mommy looks at Daddy as in Whaaaaaaaaat?
Daddy gives Mommy a really good look that conveyed multiple messages.
Mommy returns that look with a look indicating our son doesnt think maniac is a bad word!
Munchkin: I'm telling Miss Lottie (one of his teachers) Bonkers is a MANIAC!!!!
Daddy: Have fun explaining yourself.
Mommy parks it in Time Out.
Another reason Bonkers McNewKid is on Mommy's Poop List.


text: Although teachers often cited his artistic ability, Steve Hanks main interest while growing up around San Francisco was sports. As a young teenager, Hanks pursued surfing and tennis with passion. He eventually tired of a steady diet of competitive tennis, but continued to surf, finding a spiritual connection with the ocean. "Surfing had a strong influence on my paintings," he says. "The ocean often appears in my work, because I have such strong feelings for it." Although it was apparent early on that he had talent, Hanks refused to do the required assignments in his high school art class and earned a grade of C in the class. "To prove I was good, I did a one-man show at the high school and sold my first painting to another art teacher," he says. After high school Hanks enrolled in summer session commercial art courses at the Academy of Art in San Francisco. "The only way I could convince my parents to let me go was to say I was going into commercial art," he says. "I didn t even know what that was!" He did well in his commercial art classes, but it was a life drawing class that captured his interest. He focused his energy on the study of anatomy and figure drawing and transferred into the California College of Arts and Crafts in Oakland, California. He graduated in the 1960s with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree, and then moved back to New Mexico in search of a home art gallery. Initially, he drew in pencil and painted in oils. His paintings were impressionistic while his drawings were more realistic. Eventually, an allergic reaction to oils forced him to experiment with watercolors. Using the techniques learned from other mediums, he found he could create watercolors as "finished" as oils. Deeply affected by the emotions, shifting attitudes and music of the 1960s, the music of 60s icon Bob Dylan often accompanies Hanks as he paints in his studio today. Steve Hanks paintings are much more than endearing images of women and children. Rather than conveying a specific message through his paintings, Hanks prefers to explore memories and emotions. "All art is an escape to somewhere you want to be or a feeling you want to have," Hanks says. "People see different things in my paintings because we all have different backgrounds and feelings." Hanks highly collected nudes convey an introspective solitude that prompts the viewer to think about his or her own life and path. "Women occupy a special niche in my sensitivity. They express more storytelling ability. There s more magic in them," he says. Art jurors began recognizing the quality of his work in 1973. Steve Hanks won the Arts for the Parks Marine Art Award of Excellence in 1990 and 1994, and has been one of the Arts for the Parks top 100 artists since 1989. In 1991, Steve Hanks received the National Watercolor Society Merit Award and the National Academy of Western Art awarded him the Gold Medal in 1992. Since 1993, he has been one of U.S. Art Magazine's top ten American artists. When the Pacific Rim show in Seattle, WA decided to open the show up to a wider variety of art in 1999, they selected Steve as Artist of the Year. Steve was one of five winners selected to the U.S. Art Hall of Fame 2000. He was named as one of the top 25 selling artists in the June, 2002 issue of Decor magazine. The 7th Annual Andre Agassi Grand Slam for Children chose Steve as their Feature Artist in 2002.


text:
Play Full Wild Card in Best Look
Now you can watch full Wild Card in HD video with duration 92 Min and was published in 2015-01-30 with MPAA rating is 339.- Original Title : Wild Card
- Movie title in your country : Wild Card
- Year of movie : 2015
- Genres of movie : Thriller, Crime, Drama,
- Status of movie : Released
- Release date of movie : 2015-01-30
- Companies of movie : Current Entertainment, Lionsgate, Sierra / Affinity, SJ Heat Productions, Silver State Production Services, Cinema Seven Productions, SJ Pictures,
- Countries of movie : United States of America,
- Language of movie : English,
- Durationof movie : 92 Min
- Average vote of movie : 5.4
- Youtube ID of movie : 7fJGbTfFPkM
- Translation of movie : IT,DE,FR,EN,EL,HE,NL,PL,HU,BG,ZH,FI,TR,RU,PT,DA,RO,ES,CS,KA,SV,TH,KO,
- Cast of movie :Jason Statham (Nick Wild), Michael Angarano (Cyrus Kinnick), Milo Ventimiglia (Danny DeMarco), Dominik García-Lorido (Holly), Anne Heche (Roxy), Sofía Vergara (D.D.), Max Casella (Osgood), Jason Alexander (Pinky), Hope Davis (Cassandra), Stanley Tucci (Baby), François Vincentelli (Benny), Michael Papajohn (Pit Boss), Chris Browning (Tiel), Matthew Willig (Kinlaw), Davenia McFadden (Millicent), Jean Claude Leuyer (Julian Reeves), Greice Santo (Cocktail Waitress), Freddie Poole (Frank), Nick Epper (Tony), Lara Grice (First Doctor), D'Arcy Allen (HotShot Dealer), Shanna Forrestall (Marie), Lee Perkins (Mean Dealer), Angela Kerecz (Sexy Santa Annie)
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Director : Simon West, Music : Dario Marianelli, Producer : Steve Chasman, Screenplay : William Goldman, Casting : Barbara Fiorentino, Costume Design : Lizz Wolf, Director of Photography : Shelly Johnson, Editor : Padraic McKinley, Editor : Thomas J. Nordberg, Production Design : Greg Berry, Hairstylist : Katherine Distefano, Hairstylist : Sherri Hamilton, Makeup Department Head : Paul Pattison, Makeup Artist : Susan Spaid, Art Department Coordinator : April LaBranche, Construction Coordinator : James Passanante, Property Master : Charles Guanci Jr., Foley : Melissa Kennelly, Foley : Vince Nicastro, Dialogue Editor : Robert Troy, Dialogue Editor : Richard E. Yawn, Sound Re-Recording Mixer : Chris Carpenter, Supervising Sound Editor : Daniel Pagan, Visual Effects Producer : Lauren Ritchie, Visual Effects Supervisor : Dottie Starling, Stunt Coordinator : Brad Martin, Stunt Coordinator : Ron Yuan, Second Unit Cinematographer : Alan Caudillo, Gaffer : Bob Bates, Steadicam Operator : Gregory W. Smith, Casting : Meagan Lewis, Digital Intermediate : Carl S.G. Moore, First Assistant Editor : Amanda Zemke, Music Editor : Ben Schor, Picture Car Coordinator : D. Scott Guthrie, Costume Supervisor : Wendy Talley, Set Costumer : Renee Ragucci
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Tags: gambling, bodyguard, remake,


text:
LOUISE DEWAST Wednesday, 30 July 2014 09:28 AM EDT
PARIS — Rats are on the rampage in the elegant garden of the Louvre Museum, so bold they romp on the grass in broad daylight, defying death threats from sanitation workers and scaring tourists.
The hot weather in Paris has brought many picnicking visitors to the garden, whose garbage is a feast for the rats. And they're getting help from animal lovers who dig up poison and feed them water.
Maybe it's the "Ratatouille" effect, with the beloved French rat Remy from Disney's computer animated film helping real-life rats win Parisian hearts.
The vermin are finding a lifeline from "people who don't want us to kill animals," said Jean-Claude Ndzana Ekani, a museum employee who was working Tuesday with technicians from an extermination company,
The lush area which extends into the Tuileries Gardens gives a rat plenty of places to hide, but still the critters scamper about openly, unfazed by people strolling about.
The Louvre, which owns the garden, has been trying to combat the rat problem for months but clearly hasn't succeeded. In May, sanitation officials and exterminators decided to embark on an all-out offensive: "A decision was made to do a shock operation," Ndzana Ekani said. Workers, acting methodically, were seen Tuesday pouring poison down the rat holes.
It hasn't helped.
"I see about 10 or 15 (rats) every day," said Traore Massamba, 25, a maintenance worker. "There are a lot of people who come here to picnic and they leave their leftovers, so I think that attracts them."
Dutch tourist Evelyne Delemarre, 31, let out a scream after seeing a rat scamper by.
"I normally don't see any rats," she said. "They're not really clean animals."
No doubt Remy would be offended by such remarks.
But he might appreciate the goings on at the Louvre Garden. He was, after all, an escape artist of sorts — and in the end outdid his enemies.
Rodents have long made Paris their home. In 2000, mice were caught picnicking on the delicate pastries in the window of the luxury shop Fauchon. To the west of the capital, moles are an ever-present problem at the Palace of Versailles — which has its own mole-catcher.
Tourists may have to get used to an occasional rat scampering about the garden.
"We're doing everything we can. This is a recurring problem in all public gardens," Ndzana Ekani said. Given the size of the Louvre garden "we can't eradicate them."
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Clayton Kershaw (16-5, 2.51) vs. Mat Latos (6-12, 3.74).
The Battle for Last Place starts tonight, with the Dodgers 12.0 games behind the first-place Diamondbacks, and the Padres 15.0 games behind. The Padres will need a sweep to escape sole occupancy of the NL West basement, with Cy Young candidate Clayton Kershaw (I love typing that) standing in their way. But Padres starter Mat Latos has thrown five straight QualityStart™s, so don't expect a shootout.
Sax's note: If all goes well, I should be covering the game today from the press box. Give a shout out if you're at the Stadium tonight.
photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images


text:
Israeli warplanes struck several targets inside Syria overnight Tuesday, including a biological weapons research center that was reportedly flattened out of concern that it might fall into the hands of Islamist extremists fighting to topple the government of Syrian president Bashar Assad, Western intelligence officials tell TIME.
So far only two airstrikes have been publicly reported, amid a flurry of conflicting initial reports. Syria officially complained of the destruction of the Scientific Studies and Research Center in Jamarya northwest of Damascus. And a variety of news organizations reported that Israeli jets hit a convoy carrying advanced anti-aircraft defense systems toward Lebanon's Bakaa Valley, presumably for delivery to Hizballah, the militant Shi'ite group closely allied with the Assad regime. If they had been deployed, those SA-17 ground-to-air missiles would intimidated Israeli pilots who now operate over Lebanese airspace with impunity, forcing them to higher altitudes and other operational precautions.
(PHOTOS: Aleppo's River of Death)
A Western intelligence official indicated to TIME that at least one to two additional targets were hit the same night, without offering details. Officials also said that Israel had a "green light" from Washington to launch yet more such strikes.
Hizballah is not Israel's only concern – or perhaps even the most worrying. Details of the Israeli strikes make clear the risk posed by fundamentalist militants sprinkled among the variegated rebel forces fighting to depose Assad. The jihadists are overwhelmingly home-grown Sunni militants but also include foreigners drawn to the fight from across the Muslim world. Loosely organized into several fighting groups, some fighters embrace the almost nihilist ideology associated with al-Qaeda. But jihadist groups are less vulnerable to the same levers that have proved effective against Syria and other states — such as threats to its territory — or even the frank interests of an organization like Hizballah, which as a political party plays a major role in Lebanon's government.
"If we succeeded all these years to deter the Syrians and all the other surrounding countries that possess weapons of mass destruction [from making] use of it, it's because we knew how to deliver the message, that the price would be very high," Amnon Sofrin, a retired brigadier and former senior Mossad official, told reporters this week. "What kind of threat can you put in the face of a terror organization?"
In other words, it may be easier to attack the problem from the other side — simply destroy the weapons you're afraid they'll get their hands on. Among the buildings leveled at the military complex at Jamarya, outside Damascus, were warehouses stocked with equipment necessary for the deployment of chemical and biological weapons, relatively complicated systems typically manned by specially trained forces. The lab facilities dedicated to biological warfare were of special concern, given both the damage that can be done by even small amounts of biological agents, and the interest expressed in such weapons by Osama bin Laden's successor, Ayman al-Zawahiri. No specific armed force was identified as threatening the compound. Intelligence officials said the concern was unconventional weapons "dripping" into control of extremists in the relative chaos of the rebel side.
One Western intelligence official told TIME the U.S. military was poised to carry out similar airstrikes around Aleppo if rebels threaten to take sites associated with weapons of mass destruction in that region.
(MORE: As Bashar Assad Shows His Defiance, Syria Nears Its Existential Cliff)
Sofrin called that logical. "The world should be worried about the possibility that organizations would possess chemical weapons, because we are not the only target in the Middle East," he told foreign reporters in Jerusalem on Wednesday. "Let's go back to 1983, the attack in Beirut on the barracks of the U.S. marines. 241 people killed on Lebanese soil, because they were Americans, strangers."
Though no country has intervened in Syria's civil war directly, Western governments were tracking the country's WMD arsenal even before peaceful street protests were transformed by the brutality of Assad's response into an armed rebellion that has killed an estimated 60,000 people. But Israel and Washington have worked especially closely from the start, and more visibly in recent weeks.When Israeli warplanes began their attack late Wednesday, Israel's military intelligence chief, Maj. Gen. Aviv Kochavi was at the Pentagon on a working visit.
Tensions were already rising. The week began with word that Israel had moved two of its Iron Dome missile defense batteries to protect cities in northern Israel, facing the Lebanese border. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sounded a note of urgency at the weekly meeting of cabinet, the membership of which will be reshaped by a new governing—and yet unformed–coalition following Jan. 22 elections:. "The weapons in Syria are not awaiting the the formation of our government," Netanyahu said.
After the airstrikes, however, Israeli newspapers brimmed with stories assuring residents that the chances of the attacks being answered militarily were considered low. Assad and Hizballah and Iran, which is closely allied with both, are regarded as too busy trying to save the Syrian regime to open a new front. Israel's military has been quietly reinforcing its northern front for the last two years. That may be why Syria's preliminary reaction was a complaint to the United Nations. In diplomatic terms, surgical strikes launched in the name of preventing proliferation of weapons of mass destruction tend to be well-tolerated by the international community, especially when the attacks are not publicly acknowledged. Israel still does not officially acknowledge its secret 2007 destruction of a Syrian nuclear reactor.
"I'm not going to give any condemnation of Israel or rush into any criticism," British foreign secretary William Hauge told the BBC on Thursday. "There may be many things about it that we don't know, or the Arab League or Russia don't know."
At the same time, Israeli officials raised their guard at embassies and other potential targets overseas, citing Hizballah's history of seeking retribution through terror attacks. Friday's suicide bombing at the U.S. embassy in Ankara, Turkey, was attributed to a Turkish leftist group, but made headlines on Hebrew language with a speed driven in part by a new apprehension.


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Like a Hallmark e-card, the latest Zagat Valentine's Day Survey has arrived in our inbox, and 53 percent of couples planning to celebrate the holiday with dinner this year will be doing so in a restaurant. They also expect the total bill to be $142.11. That's quite an expenditure, given that restaurant insiders themselves acknowledge that dinner out on Valentine's Day is a risky proposition.
(MORE: Why Consumers Just Don't Feel the Love for Valentine's Day)
Why? Let's start with what we all want on Valentine's Day: We want to feel special, right? We want the restaurant to be like, "You two are awesome! Have a cocktail on us!" But it's almost impossible for restaurants to coddle when we're one of scores or even hundreds of couples to show up. The best of the bunch will try their hardest, but Valentine's Day is the busiest day of the year for reservation-taking restaurants, reports OpenTable.com. "Remember Atari?" asks Brooke Burton, a Los Angeles restaurant consultant and former waitress. "If a typical night is a level 3 or 4, Valentine's Day is a level 10 — or 11."
The wait staff is sweating to accommodate. The kitchen is struggling to keep pace. Sure, this happens every night. But it's especially tricky on Valentine's Day—when the reservation list is packed with "two tops," industry-speak for tables of two. As a result, the tables for four or more — usually the most lucrative on any other day — go empty. So, for many restaurants, the heat is on to pack in and turn over as many two tops as possible to make up for the loss. "Basically what's going through the manager's mind — besides taking care of the guests — is, 'How am I going to maximize seating?'" says John Fischer, a former general manager at popular fine-dining spots in New York City, and a current associate professor of hospitality and service management at the Culinary Institute of America.
(MORE: The Five Worst New Food Trends)
Meantime, most customers are oblivious. It's Valentine's Day after all! This is the night of all nights to spend some extra time getting gussied up, possibly being a bit late — which will, in turn, mess up the restaurant's mandate to turn the tables ASAP. But oh well. This is also the night to linger, chat, snuggle, savor that bottle of wine. So much so, we're probably not noticing the starving couple at the bar, staring (or is it glaring?) at us as we take our sweet time.
January is slow for restaurants and Valentine's Day is a bright spot, says Steve Dublanica, author of Waiter Rant and Keep the Change, and a former waiter in the New York metro area. And to do that, they need customers to eat quickly, spend a lot, or both. Trouble is, this is also the time of the year when customers are feeling poor. Points out Angeline Close, Ph.D., an assistant professor of advertising and event marketing at University of Texas, Austin, who wrote her doctoral dissertation on Valentine's Day's so-called market resistance: marketing for the holiday starts around January 9. It hits just when you're receiving credit card bills for all those presents you bought in December. You're also getting forms in the mail reminding you of tax time. And yet restaurants are asking us to shell out cash just when we're feeling we should count our pennies. "Valentine's Day happens when we're already emotionally and financially stressed," says Close.
(MORE: Why 2012 Was a Terrible Year for Restaurants)
If you ask psychologists what causes or exacerbates stress, they'll often say it's the feeling of not being in control. On Valentine's Day, both the restaurant and the customer feel they've lost much of it. "Some call it amateur night," says Michael Symon, chef-owner of several popular Cleveland restaurants, including Lola, and co-host and star of several television cooking shows. "At Lola, on a usual night, 65% of the customers are regulars. If we say the lamb is best medium rare, they trust us. But on Valentine's Day, maybe only 5 or 10% are regulars." What this comes down to: Instead of the typical two special orders he might get an entire night, he'll get no less than 50 on Valentine's Day, whether it's requests for sauce on the side or a steak well-done instead of medium rare. "We always try to make guests happy, but it does affect the flow," says Symon. Considering that the kitchen crew is seeing 50 tickets for two people at one time instead of the usual 25 for four, it's no wonder the kitchen's a veritable pressure cooker.
Understandably, then, many restaurants (though not Symon's) institute a prix-fixe menu. Yes, from a financial standpoint, it can guarantee that a table will spend a minimum amount — but it's also plain efficient. Customers take less time deciding on what to order; and the kitchen isn't stuck making 30 different entrées. But that also means we're deprived of the much-raved-about something á la something we've been dying to try. To compensate, restaurants make awkward attempts to enliven the menu, creating separate selections for "ladies" and "gentlemen" and serving up sappy-sounding cocktails.
MORE: Is the Bourbon Boom for Real?
One final note about what people want on Valentine's Day: sex. But it turns out an alcohol-infused three-course dinner isn't exactly the best preparation for lovemaking. "If you're thinking of sex, it's best to keep it light and avoid fatty foods," says Marty Klein, author of Sexual Intelligence. And wouldn't you know it, but the most popular types of restaurants for Valentine's Day happen to be fondue, Italian and French, according to OpenTable.com. Dessert — which that prix-fixe menu forces us to order — isn't helpful either.
PHOTOS: Love Ever After: A Valentine's Day Special


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situation as of tonight. Come to think of it we have heard nothing of
Netanyahu this time round, as well as from the Iranians. I regard
that as ominous
grows for military action against Syria
The U.S.
and France say they are in position for a strike; Arab League joins
call for punitive action; British PM calls in Parliament for
emergency vote.
August, 2013
appeared to build Tuesday for Western military action against Syria,
with the U.S. and France saying they are in position for a strike,
while the government in Damascus vowed to use all possible measures
to repel it.
prospect of a dramatic U.S.-led intervention into Syria's civil war
stemmed from the West's assertion - still not endorsed by UN
inspectors - that President Bashar
government was responsible for an alleged chemical
on civilians outside Damascus on August 21 that the group Doctors
Without Borders says killed 355 people. Assad denies the claim.
Arab League also threw its weight behind calls for punitive action,
blaming the Syrian government for the attack and calling for those
responsible to be brought to justice.
Prime Minister David Cameron recalled Parliament to hold an emergency
vote Thursday on his country's response. It is unlikely that any
international military action would begin before then.
Defense Secretary Chuck
said U.S.
military forces stand ready to strike Syria
at once if President Barack
gives the order, and French President Francois Hollande said France
was "ready to punish those who took the heinous decision to gas
is weighing a response focused narrowly on punishing Assad for
violating international agreements that ban the use of chemical
weapons. Officials said the goal was not to drive Assad from power or
impact the broader trajectory of Syria's bloody civil war, now in its
third year.
Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Monday the West should be under
no illusion that bombing Syrian military targets would help end the
violence in Syria, an ally of Moscow, and he pointed to the volatile
situations in Iraq and Libya that he said resulted from foreign
military intervention.
Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem said his country would use "all
means available" to defend itself.
have the means to defend ourselves and we will surprise everyone,"
he said. At a news conference in Damascus, al-Moallem challenged
Washington to present proof to back up its accusations and he also
likened the allegations to false American charges in 2003 that Iraq
possessed weapons of mass destruction before the U.S.-led invasion of
that country. "They have a history of lies - Iraq," he
President Joe Biden said there was no question that Assad was
responsible for the attack - the highest-ranking U.S. official to say
so - and the White House dismissed as "fanciful" the notion
that anyone other than Assad could be to blame.
that there's any doubt about who's responsible for this are as
preposterous as a suggestion that the attack did not occur,"
spokesman Jay Carney said.
U.S. official said some of the evidence includes signals intelligence
- information gathered from intercepted communications. The U.S.
assessment is also based on the number of reported victims, the
symptoms of those injured or killed, and witness accounts. The
officials insisted on anonymity because they were not authorized to
publicly discuss the internal deliberations.
United Nations said its team of chemical weapons experts in Syria had
delayed a second trip to investigate the alleged attack by one day
for security reasons. On Monday, the team came under sniper fire.
Obama decides to order an attack against Syria, it would most likely
involve sea-launched cruise missile attacks on Syrian military and
communications targets.
U.S. Navy has four destroyers in the eastern Mediterranean Sea within
range of targets inside Syria. The U.S. also has warplanes in the
Cyprus, Defense Minister Fotis Fotiou said naval traffic in the
eastern Mediterranean was very heavy with vessels from "all the
major powers." He also said Cypriot authorities were planning to
deal with a possible exodus of foreign nationals from Syria.
military intervention in Syria was running into fierce opposition
from some members of Congress. A growing chorus of Republican and
Democratic lawmakers demanded that Obama seek congressional
authorization for any strikes against the Assad regime.
Heyman, a former British officer who edits The Armed Forces of the
UK, said the lack of a UN Security Council resolution authorizing the
use of force against the Syrian government greatly complicates
matters for the West. He said that may make it difficult for Cameron
to win parliamentary backing.
clear the governments want some form of military operation, but if
the Security Council doesn't recommend it, then the consensus is that
it's plainly illegal under international law," Heyman said. "The
only legal way to go to war is in self-defense and that claim is
difficult to make."
a permanent member of the Security Council, has steadfastly opposed
any international action against Syria.
Foreign Minister Emma Bonino said her country would not back any
military action against Syria unless it was authorized by the
Security Council — even though it considers a chemical attack to be
a war crime.
Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle said Monday that if the Syrian
government were proven to have been behind the gas attack, then
Germany would support "consequences." But with less than
four weeks until national elections, it is unlikely Germany would
commit any forces.
opposition parties have rejected military intervention without UN
proof that the Syrian government was behind the attack. And a senior
member of Chancellor Angela Merkel's party said the German military
was already at "the breaking point" due to commitments in
Afghanistan and elsewhere.
for some sort of international military response is likely to grow if
it is confirmed that Assad's regime was responsible.
UN confirmed its chemical weapons team's mission faced a one-day
delay Tuesday to improve preparedness and safety after unidentified
snipers opened fire
on the team's convoy Monday.
Geneva, UN spokeswoman Alessandra Vellucci said the UN inspection
team might need longer than the planned 14 days to complete its work.
She said its goal is to determine what chemical weapons might have
been used in the August 21 attack.
Obama administration is making a legal argument for undertaking a
military response to the use of chemical weapons against civilians in
Syria, but said any action against the Syrian regime is not intended
to depose Assad.
said the United States and 188 other nations are signatories to a
chemical weapons convention opposing the use of such weapons. Those
countries have a stake in ensuring that international norms must be
respected and there must be a response to a clear violation of those
norms, he said.
a veiled allusion to difficulties in getting any strong action
through the Security Council, France's Hollande said that
"international law must evolve with the times. It cannot be a
pretext to allow mass massacres to be perpetrated."
then went on to invoke France's recognition of "the
responsibility to protect civilian populations" that the UN
General Assembly approved in 2005.
discussed Syria on Tuesday with Prime Minister Stephen Harper of
Canada, a NATO ally, and in recent days with Cameron, Hollande and
Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd.
office said he agreed with the assessment that the Assad regime used
chemical weapons against its own people, and called it an outrage
that requires a "firm response," without defining what that
might entail.
supporting calls for action against Syria, the 22-member Arab League,
which is dominated by Gulf powerhouses Saudi Arabia and Qatar,
provides indirect Arab cover for any potential military attack by
Western powers.
an emergency meeting, the Arab League also urged members of the
Security Council to overcome their differences and agree on
"deterrent" measures.
council holds the Syrian regime totally responsible for this heinous
crime and calls for all involved in the despicable crime to be given
a fair international trial like other war criminals," the Arab
League said in a statement.
predicted a possible three-phase campaign, with the first step —
the encirclement of Syria by Western military assets by air and sea —
already underway.
two would be a punitive strike, taking out high-value command and
control targets and communications centers," Heyman said. "That
could be done easily with cruise missiles from ships and aircraft.
Phase three would be a massive takedown of Syrian air defenses. That
would have to be done before you could take out artillery and armor,
which is the key to long-term success."


text:
Washington – Secretary of State Colin L. Powell today announced the appointment of Helsinki Commission Chairman Rep. Christopher H. Smith (R-NJ) and Ranking House Commissioner Rep. Benjamin L. Cardin (D-MD) to the U.S. Delegation to an international Conference on Anti-Semitism. The Berlin conference will be held April 28-29 under the auspices of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe , an international regional security organization.
"I am greatly honored to represent the United States at this historic meeting," said Chairman Smith. "I expect this conference to be very instrumental in the battle against anti-Semitism, as elected officials, government leaders and executives of non-governmental organizations come together to discuss how to fight this destructive evil. We will continue our efforts to speak out publicly in the struggle against this ancient plague."
"The Berlin Conference will continue to shine the light on these destructive actions, and I am pleased to have been selected to serve on the official delegation at this important event," said Commissioner Cardin. "Anti-Semitism still afflicts societies throughout the world, including the United States . While we've made some progress in moving governments to respond through public denunciations and vigorous law enforcement, there is much more we can do to confront and combat anti-Semitism."
Former New York City Mayor Ed Koch will chair the U.S. Delegation. Chairman Smith served as Vice-Chairman of the U.S. Delegation to the first OSCE Conference on Anti-Semitism, held last summer in Vienna and headed by former New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani.
During the 2002 Berlin Parliamentary Assembly session, the U.S. and German Delegations organized an historic forum focused on the troubling rise in anti-Semitism and related violence in the OSCE region. The forthcoming conference in April is another in a series of OSCE meetings on anti-Semitism since the U.S. and German delegations forged new ground on this critical issue.
The United States Helsinki Commission has been actively involved in the battle against anti-Semitism.
May 22, 2002 – Helsinki Commission Hearing: Escalating anti- Semitic Violence in Europe
July 8, 2002 – Berlin Parliamentary Forum: The Disturbing Rise in anti-Semitism – organized by Helsinki Commission Chairman Rep. Christopher H. Smith (R-NJ) and German Bundestag Member Gert Weisskirchen
July 9, 2002 – Congressional Record Statement: Concerning Rise in anti-Semitism in Europe (HRes. 393) by Chairman Smith
July 10, 2002 – Berlin OSCE Parliamentary Assembly Meeting Supplementary Item "anti-Semitic Violence in the OSCE Region" – offered by Chairman Smith and Commissioner Rep. Benjamin L. Cardin (D-MD)
December 6-7, 2002 – Porto OSCE Ministerial Council – Decision No. 6, Tolerance and Non-Discrimination – condemned increase of anti-Semitic violence and called for a special OSCE event to address the reoccurring problem
December 10, 2002 – Washington Parliamentary Forum: Combating anti-Semitism in the OSCE Region – cosponsored by Chairman Smith and Weisskirchen
February 13, 2003 – Introduction of concurrent resolutions on anti-Semitism (SConRes 7 and HConRes 49) – sponsored by Commission Co-Chairman Senator Ben Nighthorse Campbell (R-CO) and Chairman Smith
February 13, 2003 – Congressional Record Statement by Co-Chairman Campbell: Resolution on anti-Semitism and Related Violence
February 19, 2003 – Congressional Record Statement by Chairman Smith: Condemning anti-Semitism
February 21, 2003 – Vienna Parliamentary Forum: Special Meeting on anti-Semitism – co-chaired by Chairman Smith, Weisskirchen and French National Assembly Member Michel Voisin
March 14, 2003 – Congressional Record Statement by Chairman Smith: Commemorating 60th Anniversary of Rescue of 50,000 Bulgarian Jews from the Holocaust
April 30, 2003 – Statement by Chairman Smith: Ten Years of Remembrance: The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
May 22, 2003 – SConRes 7 passes by unanimous consent – Concerning the Rise of anti-Semitism in Europe
May 22, 2003 – Congressional Record Statement by Co-Chairman Campbell: Prevention of anti- Semitic Violence
June 19-20, 2003 – Chairman Smith serves as Vice-Chair of U.S. Delegation to Vienna OSCE Conference on anti-Semitism
June 25, 2003 – Debate in House of Representatives on HConRes 49 with Chairman Smith, Commissioner Cardin, Commissioner Rep. Alcee L. Hastings (D-FL)
June 25, 2003 – House passes HConRes 49 – Concerning the Rise of anti-Semitism in Europe
July 5, 2003 – During Rotterdam OSCE Parliamentary Assembly Meeting, Chairman Smith sponsors Supplementary Item on Combating anti-Semitism in the 21st Century
October 14, 2003 – Warsaw OSCE Human Dimension Implementation Meeting Chairman Smith presents U.S. statement on Prevention of anti-Semitism
December 1-2, 2003 – Maastricht Ministerial Council – Decision No. 4, Tolerance and Non-Discrimination – approves Berlin follow-up meeting on anti-Semitism and tasks ODIHR with collecting information on legislation fighting anti-Semitism


text:
Puzzle Categories
Download a FREE Solution for your puzzles!
Cast Amour
Object | Disassemble and Reassemble the Puzzle |
Difficulty | Level 9 - Gruelling |
Brand | Hanayama |
Types | Hanayama Metal Puzzles, Akio Yamamoto |
Dimensions | 2 in x 2 in x 1 1/4 in / 5.2 cm x 5.2 cm x 3.1 cm |
Packaging | Cardboard Box |
Watch the video review! Read reviews, and write your own! Request the FREE solution for this item!
Product Info
Note: Our level rating system is different than Hanayama's. Hanayama's level 1 is equivalent to our level 5.... level 6 is equivalent to our level 10.
A masterpiece by metal smith Akio Yamamoto, the key word for this puzzle is 'love'. The two individually linked loops make this puzzle extremely challenging. The objective is to remove the masterfully united 'Adam' and 'Eve' loops from the metal plate crafted in the shape of the 'Forbidden Fruit'...and, if you succeed in putting them back together again, your love may just come to fruition.
-Yamamoto 1991-
Customer Reviews
Disclaimer: These reviews are written by our customers. Puzzle Master makes every attempt to keep these posts informative and relevant. If you find a post objectionable or inappropriate, please let us know by sending an email to [email protected]
More of a level 8 in my opinion. The solution was fairly standard for this style of brain teaser.
I'm not a fan of this one. It's definitely over rated for difficulty by a couple of steps. I've done a lot of mechanical puzzles, but I'm actually not very expert at them - I have a hard time thinking out of the box. But I found the solution to this one easily, and not by stumbling onto it. I also don't care for the visual design, I think it's kind of tacky. But if you don't mind the looks and you're looking for a Level 7 (Hanayama 3) this one could be a good choice.
I think it is not easy to take apart, but once you did it - it is even harder to put back together. I like such puzzles, because putting back together is part of the solution, sometimes being more tricky itself. The looks are great, the material is good and the solution is original. I recommend it to everyone who wants a great puzzle in their collection.
I also believe it was easier to take apart than assemble. You can always count on Hanayama for high quality puzzles, this is no exception. Recommended!
It seems as though these Cast Amour games and Puzzles are good and stimulating.Good effort was put into making or putting them together.
I agree with the other reviewers, it doesn't really deserve a Hanayama 5 rating. It took me about 15 minutes.
Nice, smooth operating puzzle. Probably a 7 to take apart and a 8 or 9 to put together.
I didn't find this as tough as other level 9's. It is harder to assemble than take apart. Very nice puzzle.


text:
FE 100mm F2.8 STF GM OSS
This 100mm mid-range telephoto prime lens is a superb creative tool that offers outstanding G Master resolution plus innovative STF (Smooth Trans Focus) optics for magnificent bokeh. It features fast, precise, quiet DDSSM autofocus, and close-up capability up to 0.25x magnification. Built-in Optical SteadyShot image stabilisation minimizes blur that can occur during low light or macro shooting.
Advanced optics and design achieve extreme resolution and absolutely breathtaking bokeh that combine for overall performance that epitomizes the G Master concept.
This lens has been specifically designed to produce extraordinarily smooth, natural bokeh without vignetting. The result is naturally immersive depth and dimensionality.
Extreme image-wide resolution and sharpness fulfill the demanding 50 lines per millimeter MTF requirement that is the basis of G Master optical design.
DDSSM (Direct Drive SSM) focus drive provides fast, precise, quiet autofocus, allowing the user to concentrate fully on capturing superlative stills or movies.
G Master series lenses take imaging and expression to previously unattainable levels with a stunning blend of extremely high resolution and softly dissolving background bokeh.
[1] APD [2] Aspherical lens [3] ED (extra-low dispersion) glass
MTF (Modulation Transfer Function) describes how well a lens can reproduce fine details, measured as the degree of contrast achieved between finely spaced lines.
[1] Contrast (%) [2] Distance from optical center of lens (mm) [3] Max. aperture [4] F8 aperture [5] Spatial frequency [6] 10 line pairs / mm [7] 30 line pairs / mm [8] Radial values [9] Tangential values
Learn the four unique advantages of using Sony's E-mount lens for video shooting. The combination of Sony's lenses and cameras will enhance your video creation experience.
1. Focusing ring / 2. Aperture ring / 3. Macro switching index / 4. Macro switching scale / 5. Focus hold button (customisable) / 6. Aperture click switch / 7. Shake compensation switch / 8. Focus mode switch / 9. Macro switching ring / 10. Macro switching unlock button / 11. Mounting index / 12. Aperture scale / 13. Lens contacts / 14. Lens mount rubber ring / 15. Aperture index / 16. Lens hood index
Follow the link below for lens/body compatibility details.
Specifications & Features
- Minimum Focus Distance
- 0.85m / 2.79 ft. (at "0.85m-∞" position); 0.57m / 1.87 ft. (at "0.57m-1.0m" position)
- Maximum Magnification ratio (x)
- 0.14 (at "0.85m-∞" position); 0.25 (at "0.57m-1.0m" position)
- Filter Diameter (mm)
- 72
- Weight
- 700g (24.7 oz.)
What's in the Box
Hood (model): ALC-SH147, Lens front cap: ALC-F72S, Lens rear cap: ALC-R1EM, Case


text:
Pop Up Shop
Brockley Central wearies of waiting for the Tea Factory's slow striptease - we are ready for our new gallery and coffee shop now thank you. We grow frustrated at our inability to find out what, if anything is happening to the "west side cafe" or the final Harefield Road unit. The makeovers of The Talbot and Meze Mangal seem far, far away.
We also know that occasionally people come on to the site, by googling terms like "shops to let in se4" or "commercial estate agents in Brockley". So people out there are sniffing around the area.
This thread is a conceived as a local wishlist, operating on a collective cosmic ordering principle. If enough of us believe that box 21 contains £250,000, then it will be so. Let's give Brockley Central's passing entrepreneurs a helping hand.
So please nominate the kinds of businesses you'd like to see opening locally, being as specific as possible and giving examples, if possible.
For example, we've long made-known our desire for a tapas bar in Brockley, but specifically, we'd like something a bit like Meson Don Felipe in Waterloo.


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By David Crane defrev (at) gmail (dot) com Several weeks ago, DefenseReview had an interesting conversation with Ralph Lermayer, Editor of
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KAC BulletFlight Sniper App for M110 SASS-Mounted iPhone or iPod Touch
By David Crane defrev at gmail dot com January 29, 2009 DefenseReview ran into Rob Silvers (a.k.a. Robert Silvers) of Advanced Armament Co. (AAC) fame at the AAC booth at the very tail end of SHOT Show 2009, whereupon Rob showed us the ballistic computing software application a.k.a. ballistics calculating software application he had designed for the Apple iPod Touch …
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Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Other Old Schools
Among the many, many roleplaying games produced since 1974, I suspect only a handful of them have changed enough over the years to make the use of the term "old school" in reference to them meaningful. The two most obvious are Traveller and RuneQuest, as I've noted before. In the case of Traveller, I think it was the advent of Traveller: The New Era in 1993 that precipitated the biggest and most lasting schism in the game's fandom, as TNE introduced both a new rules system and effectively rebooted the Imperium setting with which the game had become so strongly identified. I don't think Traveller fandom ever really recovered from the launch of TNE and, indeed, the entire subsequent history of the game and its setting can be seen as a series of course corrections, modifications, and outright backpedaling in relation to what GDW did in 1993. I think it could be argued that the launch of Hero Wars (now HeroQuest) in 2000 had a similar impact on RuneQuest/Glorantha fandom, but, not being plugged into that community, I can't be certain if this assessment is correct.
But, beyond these three games, how many other RPGs have both sufficiently changed over the years and are still played by enough people that there's even a need to distinguish between their current incarnations and their "old school" ones? As I understand it, there are some disagreements among Tunnels & Trolls fans about the merits of editions after the 5th, but those disagreements are comparatively small, owing perhaps to the relative smallness of T&T's fanbase. I also vaguely recall that there was a minor split in GURPS fandom between those who favored pre-Compendium GURPS and those who did not, but I have no idea whether such a split continues or if it was ever enough of a concern to make talk of "old school GURPS" meaningful. I'm sure a similar kinds of minor split exists in the Champions/HERO community too, though, again, this is an outsider's conjecture.
No one speaks of "old school Space Opera" or "old school DragonQuest" or "old school Call of Cthulhu" and for good reason. These, and other games like them, are either so little played in 2011 that no one cares to make any distinctions between "before" and "after" in their histories or they've changed so little over the years that such distinctions are impossible to make. This is why "old school," as a term, largely remains the province of Dungeons & Dragons: it's one of the few RPGs that has a large, active base of players and has experienced a number of major changes, both mechanically and philosophically. It seems to me that these are the primary ingredient for the acknowledgment of an "old school" within a game's history and they're ingredients most RPGs simply don't possess.
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What about World of Darkness? There is a sharp divide between the "old school" of the "old World of Darkness" (oWoD) with games like Vampire: the Masquerade, Werewolf: the Apocalypse & Mage: the Ascension & the "new World of Darkness" (nWoD) with games like Vampire: the Requiem, Werewolf: the Forsaken & Mage: The Awakening. It is a pretty bitter gulf, actually, despite the fact that oWoD is pretty universally recognized as being mechanically broken.
(Disclaimer: I use the nWoD to run my Weird Fantasy game, but don't have anything invested in the nWoD setting.)To a degree - Rolemaster has two (somewhat) different audiences. One group of folk playing from the early days using what we call "2nd edition" (now referred to as Rolemaster Classic (RMC)). The other group of folk using the Rolemaster "standard system" (RMSS). The changeover from RMC to RMSS is not dramatic but significant enough (IMHO) such that there are the 2 audiences.
ReplyDeleteRolemaster's schism is actually fairly significant - enough so that ICE has kept both versions in "print" for the past several years. The skill system changes are the major bone of contention, though there are others. Now that ICE is once again under new management, the old arguements have flared up as both sides want their version to be the basis for a revised Rolemaster.
ReplyDeleteI think the term "old school" often refers not only to the game itself, but the style of play it promotes. D&D is, again, the biggest example of that. "Old School" D&D feels like a grittier, more "in your face" style of play. Largely due to the presentation. The b&w illustrations, the propondence of evil creatures, and the promotion of "good guys" fighting the good fight. Whereas new D&D, especially 4E, feels scrubbed clean, and very sterile. It's all about button mashing, and shiny new pwrz, rather than building and tweaking characters.
I don't get a chance to play a lot of games anymore, so I don't know if any other games have had this happen as well.blizcak mentioned WFRPv3 as a rift-opener, but there was a similar conflict among fans when WFRPv2 was released. So WFRP is a good example, albeit a game with far less fans than D&D.
In Sweden, the leading fantasy rpg "Drakar och Demoner" had a few versions that lead to much acrimony among the fans, almost at the level of the D&D version debates. Although again, the fan base is not as big as that of D&D.
Strangely enough, no "old school Drakar och Demoner" has emerged.
Also, "Mutant Chronicles" had predecessors that were very different, and the outrage agains MC was at the level seen mostly in regards to decisions made by WotC.
/MagnusNo one speaks of... "old school Call of Cthulhu"
This is technically true, but there's been a raft of Cthulhu licensed products over the past decade or so that decouple the brand from BRP and create a bouquet of distinct Cthulhu flavours. It's not a schism, you can use CoC to refer specifically to the "oldest school" game, but I guess there's still a division of the fan base and its expectations.
...I still can't decide if this is smart or not, BTW. I think they work because they're partnerships between distinct entities: the setting and the ruleset (and ownership of those components is clear and separate). That doesn't seem quite possible with D&D. Maybe it's because Cthulhu-ness was always a licensed property with its own fan base. Maybe the Old School Lovecraftians are still spitting mad about their spooky getting quantized.Battletech springs to mind. (Granted, it's better known for being a wargame, but there's plenty of RPG support for it.) In the early 90s (IIRC), a major update to the game took place in the form of the Clan invasion, which basically overhauled the technology levels of the game and radically changed the political situation of the in-game universe.
I know there is a niche of Battletech fans (myself included) that felt that something important about the game's tone and style changed with that update. When I play Battletech or Mechwarrior these days, it's almost always set before the big change using the original technology levels. I don't hate the post-Clan stuff, but it doesn't feel like the same game I fell in love with back in the 80s. Does that make it an old/new school divide?I think there is also the minor distinction between an "old school" approach regarding game mechanics and an "old school" approach regarding the way the people play the game.
For D&D it seems that both are involved with that "Old School" movement.
For T&T, even if one is playing the newest 7.5 rules (and I don't see as many fundamental differences as some others do between that version and 5th) the old adventures (GM and Solo) and the new ones are extremely compatible in the way they are played (and many times both exist in the same campaign with no problems). The attitude towards gaming of 'old' T&T and 'new' T&T are arguably the same.
CoC, is similar in that the system versions aren't significantly different and the old adventures and approach are still as valid now as they were 25+ years ago."I'm sure a similar kinds of minor split exists in the Champions/HERO community too, though, again, this is an outsider's conjecture."
The current edition of Champions is not that different from the 4th edition published in 1989 - which was the first edition published as a nice hardcover. 4th edition rationalized and cleaned up the rules from the earlier editions, but I never felt it was a drastic departure like the last couple editions of D&D. Just my opinion as a Champions referee.Maybe the Old School Lovecraftians are still spitting mad about their spooky getting quantized.
This, except it isn't so much a matter of quantifying the "mythos" that rankles, as it is that I'm not a fan of the way Chaosium handled it. CoC partakes way too much of Derleth's and others' (mis)interpretation and bastardization of Lovecraft's work to hold much appeal for me as an admirer of HPL's fiction.I think that the old/new school division is so powerfully pronounced with D&D fans for obvious reasons. As you pointed out, it's the 400kg gorilla and it reaches an enormous audience. I'm sure that the divide increases proportionally with the size of the crowd. Another key reason is that there is such a radical change in game mechanics from the initial to the current edition that it was DESTINED to tear the community apart.
One could argue that these divisions exist from the beginning; there will be those fans that like a game just the way it is, and there will be those who think that this approach or that rule is "broken" and they will desire to see the game take a different direction. So when a popular/venerable game changes to appease the unhappy or to attract new customers, it will absolutely cause dissention among the original "contented" crowd.
And my vote is for Gamma World. WTF?
Word verification: elydr - old school elfAlthough RuneQuest and HeroQuest are very different games, I'm not sure it's accurate to call it a schism, as that implies a certain amount of ill-feeling or One True Wayism. From what I've seen, both "sides" seem content to let the other get on with it with no fuss, but I have to admit that it's very much an outsider's perspective.
ReplyDelete@kelvingreen In the early days of HeroWars and leading up to the release of HeroQuest, there was a fair amount of flamage, ill-feeling, and One-True-Wayism flying around -- it was just reasonably well contained to the RQ/HW mailing lists. One advantage that HeroWars/HeroQuest had was (a) it was relatively easy to use legacy materials without too much effort, and (b) there was a large fan movement that made it their business to enact point -a-: that is, a great deal of fan effort went into making legacy materials more widely available, /and/ in original and converted/translated form.
And, I think the one-true-wayism was muted somewhat by the fact that the leading light behind the movement to a new set of rules was the principle voice behind the Gloranthan IP (Greg himself), and that HeroQuest proceeded (more than HeroWars) from the fundamental assertion that "your campaign was yours and you could what you liked with the background". In fact, Stafford, and others, went out of their way to explain how local variances /didn't/ break the notion of a canonical background (by proceeding with an "all stories are true" point of view).@Andy
Well, you took my example of Battletech and I would definitely agree with you, there is a split in the game pre-/post-Clan Invasion. The rules didn't necessarily change a whole heck of a lot (nothing near the degree of changes D&D went through with various editions), but they kept adding more and more new and improved weapons, `mechs, systems, technologies, factions and so forth that the feel of the game completely changed.
It went from a declining-empires/dark ages feel to something approaching the Star Wars Prequels or somesuch. It just wasn't the same.
I think you can easily define the Battletech "Old School" as 3025-era players of which I am proudly one.I agree with Andy about BattleTech. I was gung ho until the Clan invasion, so I ignored all products related to it. Eventually, I grew apart from it as a result of the new official emphasis. Another uprising occurred when BattleTech made the move to collectible clicky miniatures (along with a change of scale and a new time period). I was at the Origins seminar where Jordan Weisman fielded questions and complaints from an audience that contained some gamers who were very fervently opposed to the new direction. So there have been at least two major schisms in BattleTech.
ReplyDeleteI don't know If I'm in the minority but I associate "Old School" with PCs starting out as normal folks (with hero potential) who get more skilled/powerful/adept through play over time.
who doesn't have fond memories of their newly minted fighter being shove out the door by his father, equipped with nothing more than a sack, some hand me down leather armor, a vaguely martial farming implement (and maybe bag of sandwiches his mother packed) to head out into the world and seek his fortune.@Rob Crawford
I don't know about the state of the SJG forums now (nor at the time of the launch of GURPS 4th edition, because I mostly avoid forums), but some of us who preferred 1st-3rd editions simply abandoned hope and concentrated on filling the gaps in our pre-4th edition collections. It wasn't so much a change in rules as a change in approach: the new emphasis on republishing old books in much more expensive editions rather than releasing new source books or reprinting out-of-print books; the new meta-setting (I'm not sure if that's the right word); even the new layouts. It's a matter of preference, but it's clearly a divide. I'm still not sure I would use the term "old school" for it, though.RuneQuest suffered an earlier schism in 1984 with RQ 3, which a) introduced Sorcery, b) decoupled RQ from Glorantha, and c) transfered publication to Avalon Hill, who seemed pretty clueless about how to develop and market an RPG. Among the RQ grognards I knew in college (a) was a big deal, since many considered it "broken". (b) and especially (c) essentially sunk the game until Mongoose picked it up again in 2006.
Also, to clarify comments on GURPS: SJG republished updated and collected material in more expensive hardback editions. IIRC, they said retailers liked $35 hardbacks better than $20 softcovers. (Thanks, White Wolf and WotC.) The rules tweaks ticked people off, although I never understood that: 3rd edition suffered from redundant and contradictory material in scattered sourcebooks, which the Compendia only partly rectified. Making advantages and disadvantages more general and orthogonal made sense to me. For that matter, the great HP/FP swap fixed both the "body-building mage" problem and split HT for large creatures. (Background: 1-3rd edition based FP on STrength and HP on HealTh. Mages expended FP to power spells; large creatures required far more HP than their HT score, coincidentally about the same as their ST score ...)I think that, to an extent, Old School is a style of play, not necessarily something inherent in edition schisms. I have a friend who ran a 3.5 D&D game, which he did just as he had once run 1e games, and the feel and style was the same (with buy in from the players). Newer rulesets might make it easier to resist the old school ethos, but I think it is intrinsic in the style.
ReplyDeleteYou couldn't call it a schism, nor an old-school/new-school divide, but Trail of Cthulhu is something of a reinvention of Call of Cthulhu. Although the mechanics of Trail's Gumshoe system are rather different to BRP, I'd suggest that Ken Hite and Robin Laws would say Trail of Cthulhu is about supporting mechanically the kinds of game people were trying to play in Call of Cthulhu anyway.
Also, I'm not a historical wargamer, but my impression is that there is a succession of phases that their communities go through, as their games swing between accurate simulation and "bang, you're dead" gaming. At the moment, rules that reflect wargaming as a social hobby are in the ascendant, which, in a sense, is reaching back to the hobby's roots - H G Well's Little Wars, for example, and you can hardly get more old-school than that. I believe that Black Powder encourages players not to fixate on the rules in the book, but to make gentlemanly agreements at the table on how something should play out, which reminds me of Matt Finch's "rulings, not rules". If they are "old-school", though, it is only in spirit not in presentation: the books are lavish publications, heavily featuring beautiful photography of miniatures on the table.Following up on what Mordecai said -- I cannot speak for anyone other than myself, but what angered me the most about the nWoD was the way it tossed aside so much rich background. Yes, the rules were probably horribly broken; but if White Wolf had kept the setting (refining and rebooting as necessary) but changed the rules as needed, I would have switched to nWoD.
ReplyDelete'Trail of Cthulhu' set out to 'fix' something in CoC that wasn't broken... that cheeses off some of us CoC fans. But I still value its contribution of interesting alternate views of the Mythos... it makes for a nice CoC supplement.
I'm with those saying that 'old school' is more about an approach to gaming... a more individualized, DIY approach that doesn't need as much 'official' sanction. A willingness to make up your own rulings for something rather than clamoring for a 'professional' to pass down the word from on high.
Also, for me, it's a general... distrust... of over-produced glossy hardbacks with full color paintings on every page... vs. the energy and verve that was on show in a lot of 'amateur' products.
It has some common blood with the punk and low-fi movements in music. Taking back something that was getting a bit too corporate... celebrating the idea that homemade is better than store bought.Around 2003, I was playing Magic: the Gathering with a group at a comic shop. One day I declared that I was putting the damage from one of my creatures "on the stack" (a rules change that came about in 1999 with Sixth Edition). Everyone looked at me like I was trying to pull some ridiculous rules shenanigans on them. I tried to explain it, and the guy there who others relied on for rules interpretations just said, "That's not in my Revised rulebook."
Only time I saw that with Magic, but I suppose it's possible that the old school crowds can be found in pretty much any game that has seen changes.
Also, I think knobgobbler is right on in comparing old skool RPGing to certain music scenes. Fight On! often gives me a feeling similar to reading ska zines back in the day (where'd they all go?).It's been mentioned at least twice, but definitely there is a schism amongst WFRP fans; particularly with the release of 3rd ed.. While 2nd ed. introduced a few mechanical changes, for the most part, the largest change was the introduction of new developments in the Old World (which I ignored). 3rd ed. is a drastic mechanical departure.
ReplyDeleteI think it could be argued that the launch of Hero Wars (now HeroQuest) in 2000 had a similar impact on RuneQuest/Glorantha fandom, but, not being plugged into that community, I can't be certain if this assessment is correct.
I'd have to say it's true. You now have the sense that Heroquest is the only way to play adventures in Glorantha, at least from the various mailing lists, even if you don't agree with the play philosophy involved with the new rules. Which admittedly I don't. They can actually get quite preachy about it (although in many cases it's just supporting an element of work they have laboured long and hard on), in a fanatical convert sense. Some individuals in the community actually got quite rude about it.
I think the exact point of schism was when Tales of the Reaching Moon was shut down, since that fanzine had a tremendous effect on uniting a Runequest fan community during the dark ages of Avalon Hill. [Interestingly enough, you could easily argue that Avalon Hill's mishandling of Runequest was what gave the fan community such strength.]
Interestingly the Mongoose Runequest II rules might reunite the camps to a degree. At least, it combines the simulationist (Runequest) approach with the new cultural definitions proposed by the narrative (Heroquest) camp.
[Then again the official idea of what is Glorantha tends to get "Gregged" every few years (eg Heroquest Glorantha is different from Heroquest 2 Glorantha), so everyone really runs their own game of Glorantha with common and recognisable elements.]I experienced this a few years ago whe I started reading BoardGameGeek.com. In it, there is a sharp schism between Old School Gamers (which I'll call OSG) and Modern Gamers (MG). Old School gaming is associated with "Ameritrash" - lots and lots of "chrome" filled rules which add flavor but can make it unclear as to what the rule IS; usually lots of detailed pieces, esp. figurines or chits, and especially a thematic attitude toward problem solving through violence and a conservative political strain...this is very much consistent with RPG's and their "Fighting Men" and general Hack N' Slash attitude...Modern Gaming is associated with the "EuroGames" trend which kicked in during the 90's...this trend entailed simplified rules, less "chrome" leading to a more abstract flavor, and a more "politically correct" approach to themes. Modern RPGing saw the trend towards storytelling rather than straight smash & grab, and a more inviting stance towards women players in general. I'd say gaming across the board has followed this line. I think it's a mistake to adhere strictly to one school, however...BOTH schools have their serious flaws AND advantages...
ReplyDeleteI like to see how Gamma World gets mentioned again and again as it holds a special place in my heart. In case you are interested in (yet another ;-) old school alternative for Gamma World (besides Mutant Future - which is great), I have spent the last couple of weeks on a new project called "Gaia Gamma", an old school revisioning of Gamma World. You can find the details spread all over the accompanying blog http://www.gaiagamma.com) which chronicles the way the game is designed.
Input and followers are more than welcome as the game design process is meant to be an open space for ideas and the game itself follows a "release early, release often" philosophy in order to document the desig steps.- AnonymousApril 20, 2011 at 4:31 AM
There is indeed a split between Chivalry & Sorcery 2nd edition and C&S 3rd-4th edition, as you can see here:
and here:
http://tinyurl.com/3tehtca I can vouch for there being a MASSIVE rift between players of old white wolf and new white wolf :D
I know alot of people who were flat out addicted to that crack, but refuse to buy anything from the new edition. I suppose its something to do with metaplot rather than rules though, after X amount of years you have quite alot invested in the setting, and when they do a complete restart it's like they pulled the rug out from under you!
Actually thinking about it, I'm guilty of this myself, I really like Mage, but the new edition leaves me cold (thats more to do with the magic system though, Mage has the best open ended magic system I've ever seen, so seeing it replaced by a point by spell system left a bad taste in my mouth - Do like the Orpheus reboot of Wraith though because it's a continuation of the existing metaplot rather than a restart :D)Shadowrun had a pretty big split between 3rd and 4th edition too. They changed the mechanics from the ground up when they removed variable target numbers, rewrote the Matrix replacing cyberdecks where you had to actually plug your brain into the matrix using a fiberoptic cable drilled into your skull with a wireless matrix where anyone could interface with it using a palm sized comlink and a bunch of other stuff...
ReplyDelete@Viktor Haag - HARP caused quite a bit of a stir when it was first announced. Many (including myself) felt that the last thing ICE needed was yet another fantasy system to confuse consumers. It was basically seen as a D20'izing of RM. Some of its reviews even stated that it did D20 better than D20!
ReplyDeleteIt is pretty much all of those things. I like HARP in and of itself. I especially like the spell system, but especially dislike the combat. However, my biggest problem with HARP is that it competes with RM. I just don't get the logic of one company publishing two systems for the same genre.
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't call it a real schism (the fan base is too small, and we were desperate for any new material at the time) but a lot of DragonQuest players we're seriously ticked by TSR's changes to the game - and more particularly their decision to kill it and bury/not publish work in progress.
If you want a huge schism outside of roleplaying, the StarFire SF wargame community went through a huge one a couple of years ago with the move from 3E to 4E (and especially the decision to kill the release of a major revised 3E supplement). There were extremely nasty flame wars, threats of law suits, division into camps and beleaguered neutrals, etc. Since then there has been internal work on a new "old school" edition to be marketed simultaneously with the current iteration of 4E.- AnonymousMay 17, 2011 at 9:43 AM
Old School, I think is also a mindset or a philosophy toward gaming rather than a specific edition. Older RPGs by virtual of being sandbox games can acquire the title easier than more modern games in which the focus has been more about (re)creating the video game experience around the tabletop.
I see that younger gamers raised upon newer games come with surprise and shock, when a GM allows them to do something unscripted or tells them to disregard the dice roll and act it out. The best players combine both - and that is the essence of Old School - but even the most able of fatbeards find this an arduous task.
So, I am wondering if the synthesis is what we will need in the years ahead. As I am now raising the next generation of gamers - sure they will be coloured by Wii's and interactive virtual environments but I am trying to instill all this is meaningless unless you can see the story in your head - first.