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I'm going through the 1,000 Knitters messages in a more organized fashion, trying to figure out how we're going to make this work. You perhaps are thinking I should have considered this before announcing the project. However, my life to this point has included far too much thinking and far too little doing. Had I imagined what my mailbox would look like stuffed with hundreds of excited messages waiting to be sorted, I would have retired, shaking, into a dim corner and sat there until the vision faded.
Until I can answer all individually, I'd like to address a few common concerns collectively.
- Please rest assured that it is not possible to break a camera merely by sitting in front of it.
- No, I will not need my wide-angle lens to fit you into the frame.
- You are not the ugliest person I will ever have photographed. That honor belongs to a prominent socialite, a twig-thin product of goodness knows how many expensive spa treatments, who earned the title by continuing to call me "Manuel" after she had been introduced to me by name and reminded of my correct name several times. Ugly is as ugly does.
- Everyone is photogenic while they're knitting.
- Indulgence in self-deprecation during your shoot will result in my giving you That Look, which I inherited from my mother. Believe me when I say that you do not want to be on the receiving end of That Look.
The image of a common thread–or yarn, in our case–is too potent to resist. So I've decided that when it's your turn to sit, you'll pick up and work on a scarf, one scarf, in which all 1,000 of you will have a hand. The first knitter will cast on 22 stitches. The final knitter will bind off. If you're in the middle, you'll knit rows, join a new ball, fix dropped stitches or do whatever happens to be needed at that point before passing the scarf along.
(Don't ask what'll happen to the scarf when it's finished. I haven't thought that far ahead yet.)
Knitting Update
So close. So close. Four more rows to the end of the center of the christening shawl, and two of those are plain.
I tried so hard, so very hard, to make this look like anything other than used cheesecloth. Perhaps, some day, the shawl will look at this pre-blocking photograph as I do my eighth-grade school portrait: a dreadful mess of acne, too-large glasses and impossible hair waiting to blossom into the sprightly, long-limbed Adonis you all know today.
Shut up.
I do have to set it aside briefly this week to finish up my final Dulaan pieces, of which there are two in progress. I will not have been the most prolific Dulaan knitter by a longshot, but I'll have met my modest goal.
Hey, Konchog–is there anything particularly Mongolian I should drink to celebrate?


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And today's last word in business concerns another unlikely franchise, "Jersey Shore."
UNIDENTIFIED GROUP: I love "Jersey Shore."
UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN: I love Guido.
PAUL DELVECCHIO: There's no way I'm going to Jersey without my hair jell.
The MTV reality show begins its sixth and final season tonight. The show's producers say they want to go out on a high - and the ratings still are. So, say goodbye to Snooky and the guy who nicknamed himself The Situation.
INSKEEP: Aww. They're part of a cast of self-described Guidos and Guidettes - mostly 20-something Italian Americans, dedicated to tanning, boozing and fist pumping to techno music. "Jersey Shore" debuted in 2009, you may recall. It followed eight cast members living and partying together in Seaside Heights, New Jersey, and the crew went on to film in Miami and Florence, Italy.
MONTAGNE: They started spinoff shows and made Barbara Walters list of the 10 most fascinating people. Snooky even exchanged tweets with John McCain, protesting a tax on tanning salons.
INSKEEP: And if you're wondering how "Jersey Shore" affected our culture, remember that it brought in huge ratings worldwide. Yes, for some people in the world, that is their view of America. And the show also ushered in a new wave of voyeuristic reality shows like "Here Comes Honey Boo Boo."
And that's the business news on MORNING EDITION from NPR News - Boo Boo - I'm Steve Inskeep.
MONTAGNE: And I'm Renee Montagne. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.


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Obama: 'Military Will Be Leaner,' But Ready For All Threats
Saying that "the size and structure of our military and defense budget have to be driven by a strategy — not the other way around," President Obama just gave a broad overview of his administration's new military strategy.
Speaking at the Pentagon, Obama said that:
"As we look beyond the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan — and the end of long-term, nation-building with large military footprints — we'll be able to ensure our security with smaller conventional ground forces. We'll continue to get rid of outdated Cold War-era systems so that we can invest in the capabilities we need for the future, including intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance; counterterrorism; countering weapons of mass destruction; and the ability to operate in environments where adversaries try to deny us access.
"So, yes, our military will be leaner, but the world must know — the United States is going to maintain our military superiority with Armed Forces that are agile, flexible and ready for the full range of contingencies and threats. ...
"I firmly believe, and I think the American people understand, that we can keep our military strong — and our nation secure — with a defense budget that continues to be larger than roughly the next 10 countries combined."
Right now at the Pentagon, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta is briefing reporters about the review. There's a webcast here. The administration's report about its plans is posted here.
Update at 11:30 a.m. ET. On The "Two-War" Strategy:
As we reported earlier, there has been speculation that the administration's plans would mean the U.S. military would no longer be able to conduct "two sustained ground wars at one time," as The New York Times put it.
Panetta just said that "make no mistake, we will have the capability to confront and defeat more than one adversary at a time."
And here is what the Pentagon's report says on that point:
"U.S. forces will be capable of deterring and defeating aggression by any potential adversary. Credible deterrence results from both the capabilities to deny an aggressor the prospect of achieving his objectives and from the complementary capability to impose unacceptable costs on the aggressor.
"As a nation with important interests in multiple regions, our forces must be capable of deterring and defeating aggression by an opportunistic adversary in one region even when our forces are committed to a large-scale operation elsewhere. Our planning envisages forces that are able to fully deny a capable state's aggressive objectives in one region by conducting a combined arms campaign across all domains – land, air, maritime, space, andcyberspace.
"This includes being able to secure territory and populations and facilitate a transition to stable governance on a small scale for a limited period using standing forces and, if necessary, for an extended period with mobilized forces. Even when U.S.forces are committed to a large-scale operation in one region, they will be capable of denying the objectives of – or imposing unacceptable costs on – an opportunistic aggressor in a second region. U.S. forces will plan to operate whenever possible with allied and coalition forces. Our ground forces will be responsive and capitalize on balanced lift, presence, and prepositioning to maintain the agility needed to remain prepared for the several areas in which such conflicts could occur."
Update at 11:50 a.m. ET. But Has The Two-War Policy Changed?
Asked if the administration is now saying that U.S. military strategy no longer envisions being able to conduct ground wars in two "theaters" at the same time — and instead focuses on being able to fight one regional conflict and one "holding action" simultaneously — Panetta said the "fundamental question" remains can the U.S. confront more than one enemy or aggressor at a time "and be able to defeat them?"
"With the joint force we are creating here we can," the defense secretary said.
Then Gen. Martin Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, added that "nobody has said and no where in this document does it say we're not going to fight land wars. ... It does say specifically [that] we have to be capable of conducting operations across the full spectrum. ... It would be really a mistake ... to walk away with the impression that we're going to niche ourselves to some point on the spectrum of conflict."
Update at 1:50 p.m. ET. Republican Reaction:
The Associated Press reports that Rep. Howard 'Buck' McKeon (R-Calif.) the chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, issued a statement saying, "This is a lead-from-behind strategy for a left-behind America." He called it a "retreat from the world in the guise of a new strategy."


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William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare was born on April 23, 1564, in Stratford-upon-Avon. The son of John Shakespeare and Mary Arden, he was probably educated at the King Edward VI Grammar School in Stratford, where he learned Latin and a little Greek and read the Roman dramatists. At eighteen, he married Anne Hathaway, a woman seven or eight years his senior. Together, they raised two daughters: Susanna, who was born in 1583, and Judith (whose twin brother died in boyhood), born in 1585.
Little is known about Shakespeare's activities between 1585 and 1592. Robert Greene's A Groatsworth of Wit alludes to him as an actor and playwright. Shakespeare may have taught at school during this period, but it seems more probable that shortly after 1585 he went to London to begin his apprenticeship as an actor. Due to the plague, the London theaters were often closed between June 1592 and April 1594. During that period, Shakespeare probably had some income from his patron, Henry Wriothesley, earl of Southampton, to whom he dedicated his first two poems, Venus and Adonis (1593) and The Rape of Lucrece (1594). The former was a long narrative poem depicting the rejection of Venus by Adonis, his death, and the consequent disappearance of beauty from the world. Despite conservative objections to the poem's glorification of sensuality, it was immensely popular and was reprinted six times during the nine years following its publication.
In 1594, Shakespeare joined the Lord Chamberlain's company of actors, the most popular of the companies acting at Court. In 1599, Shakespeare joined a group of Chamberlain's Men that would form a syndicate to build and operate a new playhouse: the Globe, which became the most famous theater of its time. With his share of the income from the Globe, Shakespeare was able to purchase New Place, his home in Stratford.
While Shakespeare was regarded as the foremost dramatist of his time, evidence indicates that both he and his contemporaries looked to poetry, not playwriting, for enduring fame. Shakespeare's sonnets were composed between 1593 and 1601, though not published until 1609. That edition, The Sonnets of Shakespeare, consists of 154 sonnets, all written in the form of three quatrains and a couplet that is now recognized as Shakespearean. The sonnets fall into two groups: sonnets 1–126, addressed to a beloved friend, a handsome and noble young man, and sonnets 127–152, to a malignant but fascinating "Dark Lady," who the poet loves in spite of himself. Nearly all of Shakespeare's sonnets examine the inevitable decay of time, and the immortalization of beauty and love in poetry.
In his poems and plays, Shakespeare invented thousands of words, often combining or contorting Latin, French, and native roots. His impressive expansion of the English language, according to the Oxford English Dictionary, includes such words as: arch-villain, birthplace, bloodsucking, courtship, dewdrop, downstairs, fanged, heartsore, hunchbacked, leapfrog, misquote, pageantry, radiance, schoolboy, stillborn, watchdog, and zany.
Shakespeare wrote more than thirty plays. These are usually divided into four categories: histories, comedies, tragedies, and romances. His earliest plays were primarily comedies and histories such as Henry VI and The Comedy of Errors, but in 1596, Shakespeare wrote Romeo and Juliet, his second tragedy, and over the next dozen years he would return to the form, writing the plays for which he is now best known: Julius Caesar, Hamlet, Othello, King Lear, Macbeth, and Antony and Cleopatra. In his final years, Shakespeare turned to the romantic with Cymbeline, A Winter's Tale, and The Tempest.
Only eighteen of Shakespeare's plays were published separately in quarto editions during his lifetime; a complete collection of his works did not appear until the publication of the First Folio in 1623, several years after his death. Nonetheless, his contemporaries recognized Shakespeare's achievements. Francis Meres cited "honey-tongued" Shakespeare for his plays and poems in 1598, and the Chamberlain's Men rose to become the leading dramatic company in London, installed as members of the royal household in 1603.
Sometime after 1612, Shakespeare retired from the stage and returned to his home in Stratford. He drew up his will in January of 1616, which included his famous bequest to his wife of his "second best bed." He died on April 23, 1616, and was buried two days later at Stratford Church.


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The pictures do indeed tell the story.
Patricial Krentcil, the so-called tanning mom who couldn't stop trying to bronze her body and was accused of taking her 6-year-old daughter into a tanning booth (Krentcil says she didn't do that) has gone pale.
In Touch challenged her to quit, and "after an entire month out of the sun (real and artificial)" she's looking much different in a photo shoot for the magazine.
"I feel weird and pale," she tells In Touch.
She also claims she really has given up her obsession — mostly. In Touch says Krentcil admits she likely will "squeeze a tan in here or there."
Copyright 2020 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.


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Saturday, May 19, 2012
Selling Out
Alas, for the conspiracy theorists among my readership, this does not mean I've had any connection whatsoever with "D&D Next" (have I mentioned how much I dislike that name?). In fact, if what I've heard about the "online playtest agreement" one needs to sign to participate in the upcoming playtest is true, I won't even be involved in that.
Despite that, I do want to say that WotC pays well, pays quickly, and has been almost completely hands-off in the process of writing these articles. I haven't been asked to change what I've written or insert plugs for 4e products or anything of the kind -- quite the opposite in fact! That they're willing to pay me to write articles about stuff that doesn't directly translate into sales of any product they're currently selling has earned them my respect, if not my love.
74 comments:
The two issues that don't sit well with me are that 1) to get access to the playtest draft, you *must* provide feedback in return and 2) the possibility of signing an NDA. Number 1 is not wholly unreasonable, but it's not what I'd prefer, which is to be able to look at the draft without any expectation that I'll provide anything to WotC whatsoever. Number 2 is more worrisome, since it may limit what and where I can talk about the playtest draft.
I guess my notion of what "open" means -- it's conducted out in the open with no strings attached -- and WotC's -- anyone can participate if they follow our rules -- are quite different.- otyughMay 19, 2012 at 12:43 PM
Great article.
"Gygax, writing in issue #13 of The Dragon (June 1979), stated unequivocally that AD&D was a "different game" than OD&D."
Pedant alert: Your Gygax quote is from Dragon #26, not Dragon #13. The essay is "From the Sorcerer's Scroll: D&D, AD&D and Gaming." - Alan De SmetMay 19, 2012 at 1:00 PM
I don't think the intent of section 3 is to force you to provide feedback. Even if it was, how could they enforce it? Wouldn't filing, "5e is terrible. I suggest cancelling it and bringing old editions back into print instead" meet the requirement? I believe the intent is to clarify how and where you're to file feedback.
There may not be an NDA. Where the agreement is currently being used, for the new D&D miniatures game, there isn't an NDA. You agree to the agreement and you get a download link to the game's text. With a playtest likely to be thousands, if not tens of thousands, large, an NDA may be silly. If there is one, yeah, it will limit what and where you can talk about it. If your primary goal is to be able to write about it, that's probably a deal breaker. Depending on the specifics, it may be a problem for others, including me. We'll know in a week or so.
As for "open," I'm pretty sure they're using the term the same way video games have "open" playtests, as opposed to closed playtests. "Open" means "anyone willing to sign up can." Definitely no connection to the Open Gaming License, similar Open Source agreements, or the general idea of openness in communications. - ADD GrognardMay 19, 2012 at 1:02 PM
I just don't understand the OSR anymore. I thought I did. I mean, why are we out here doing what we have been doing for years just to roll over and fetch bones for Wizards?
Who CARES about this project? Why does it matter? Mind you, I have read posts from OSR blogs for YEARS about how much they hate Wizbro and how they ruined the game and it would be a 'cold day in hell' before they get support from the OSR community.
James, don't you feel the least bit hypocritical about flying that OSR flag up there? And I'm not trying to be an ass. I'm asking an honest question. The only reason they are using bloggers the way they are is because they realized how many followers read those blogs everyday. Most people are doing all this promotion for free. At least you are getting paid.
And when this whole thing turns out to be another mess it spells the end of this scene because Wizbro will say 'Well, you guys helped make it' and then what is your comeback?
I can't take anybody seriously anymore. Over the past 5 months I have watched numbers dropping, blogs disappearing and more and more OSR folk jumping all over the bandwagon.
Can someone explain to me what happened? Did slipping people a fiver really kill the OSR? Because by the end of the year there won't be an OSR at the rate we are going. How can anyone turn around and bad mouth these guys after accepting money from them. All the Bloggers who seem to be getting tapped by Wizbro have enough clout to make money from gaming without resorting to helping keep afloat the very boat everyone seemed to want sunk a year ago.
Seriously...can anybody reading this explain this to me? - Stephen TeixeiraMay 19, 2012 at 1:03 PM
No reason to be apologetic, you are now a small part of the history of D&D, congrats!
ReplyDelete Thinking in terms of the Man and selling out is missing the point, as is a benefit to WotC in direct sales - assuming any visit to the WotC site via the links in the article doesn't in fact lead to any sales. Mutually beneficial relationships bringing prestige, power or plain old money can be far more subtle than a rallying cry allows for.
For example, given the readership of Grognardia in terms of numbers and interest, any relationship with WotC into which James Maliszewski enters could be worth a great deal, with the links and the positive comments presumably fine extras. Implicit acknowledgement, acceptance and support could be plenty, without the explicit.
Am I remembering rightly that Zak Smith is also or was being paid by WotC? I find the idea Zak and James might both be receiving money from WotC surprising given the way things have developed over the past few years, and the impressions I got on views from reading the blogs.
Here's a thought, and a question. If centres or opinion formers with a larger reach appear within a community, that community can presumably be engaged more easily by adjacent interests. If this is so, is the radicalism of a community like the OSR sustainable?- The Rot GrubMay 19, 2012 at 1:06 PM
Is it me or are both links going to the 1st article? (Congrats on getting online-published, btw!)
ReplyDelete - Alan De SmetMay 19, 2012 at 1:26 PM
Like the true meaning of Christmas, the OSR lives in your heart. So long as people are enjoying OSR games, nothing WotC can do can kill off the OSR. Have faith in the genuine appeal of old school games to keep the OSR alive and vibrant. Have faith that the bloggers who chose to become what was once lone voices in the wilderness aren't going to be bought off for 4¢ a word and a shiny new 5e.
ReplyDelete That's the thing: there's simply not enough more or fame in this hobby to truly make "selling out" an option. If WotC asks me to write a short article on Topic X, makes no demands on my shilling for them or their products, and pays me more per word than I made when I was working full-time as a freelance writer, why wouldn't I take it? I don't see the problem at all.
ReplyDeleteYou're almost certainly right. It's simply that, after both the Pathfinder and DCC RPG open playtests, I expected that WotC would follow suit and make the rules freely available with no strings attached. Maybe it's unfair of me to expect that, but that's what it'll take to get me involved.
ReplyDelete- thaddeus_urbanMay 19, 2012 at 1:43 PM
Oh wow. I'm pretty new to the whole OSR scene, and apparently I'd completely misunderstood it.I had thought the Old School Renaissance was about playing campaigns with Old School RPGs, or systems derived from them, and sharing one's own rules tweaks and campaign info within that context. Additionally, interest in the history of the hobby seemed to be a substantial aspect.It had not occurred to me that the primary and defining requirement was a frothing hatred of Wizards, and that actual gaming preference was secondary to that.Snark aside, are you seriously suggesting that a handful of articles about the history of the hobby invalidate all the work he's done exploring the origins of the hobby and sharing his Dwimmermount work and promoting other OSR projects, just because those articles happened to be paid for by Wizards?
ReplyDelete - ADD GrognardMay 19, 2012 at 2:00 PM
This whole myth about how small and under-monetized the gaming community is I think is really going to fall apart very shortly. I feel that this is the myth propagated by Wizbro in that, because they are losing players and sales are down, that gaming is shrinking.
I think Kickstarter is proving there is no lack of interest in gaming...just bad game systems:
And while not an RPG per se, this was very interesting:
And of course the high roller of late:
Nearly a million for what was once a $5 mini game?
There is no lack of players or money in the hobby.
I just feel like we are all getting played by a company that has proven time and time again that they are at a total disconnect with the gaming world. - Jason JutaMay 19, 2012 at 2:13 PM
James, and anybody else who works in the RPG industry (however infrequently) shouldn't feel any reason to do anything based on other people's feelings about what OSR support means. What business is it of other people if he wants to write an article for WotC, which can help pay the bills. Nobody that I know of has ever signed a contract with the OSR community to only do one thing, support one thing, think one way, etc.
Nice one James, you have a lot of knowledge to bring to the table, and I'm sure WotC appreciates that. And I don't believe they are stupid enough to think you are going to suddenly start supporting 5th edition just because of two articles - in fact if they do anything wrong (in terms of what the OSR community wants), we all know you'll be all over it.
I'm a full time illustrator who was worked for them many times, and I don't see how that is any indication of my 'loyalty' (like it matters anyway) to any version of D&D (I prefer anything pre 2nd-ed to be honest). It may surprise some people, but not everyone who works at WotC is an out-of-touch madman with wierd ideas about game design. Generally they're a mixed bunch with all sorts of tastes and ideas; they're professional in their business dealings; and they're human beings with families to feed and jobs to do. Some people are just wound up so tight. Its a game, people. Pretty sure everyone has their own version of the game they love by now anyway. For me its 1979 Ad&d, but some other people may love other versions.
The chances of wotc making your, or my, favorite set of rules again as a NEW game is zero percent, and no amount of bellyaching and complaining is going to change any of that at all. If James wants to do articles about D&D history and make some cash on the side. Awesome!! You know some of those new pups that read that are going to hit ebay and check out some old stuff that they may not have thought available.
You think 5th is gonna kill osr? Did 3rd? Or 4th? If anything it just makes it stronger. Am I gonna buy 5th? Nope, but im not gonna badger people that do. Let them play what they want. I sure wouldnt want 3rd, 4th, or 5th players constantly harrassing me about MY game and neither would anyone else.
People really need to take their blood pressure meds and relax.
James, I read your blog , as well as a few others, and I do it for enjoyment, or a laugh and a good memory being brought back. I get it...
Some comments I've seen on here are real downers. There's a few posters on here that I'd love to meet and some I'd prefer to avoid, and if youre thinking "is he talking about me?" then chances are I probably am.- ThemetalearthMay 19, 2012 at 2:17 PM
Honestly, I was unaware that people over the age of 19 were allowed to call others, or think of them as, "sell outs." Beyond that, frothing hate for WoTC (and often by extension, people who play their games) is the most tiresome and counter productive thing the OSR has to offer. Every time someone posts about such things, we all collectively slide further and further into what I like to think of as the Mom's basement of our discontent. That's no place to go. And I say this as someone who thinks B/X was as far as things needed to go.
ReplyDelete As far as your involvement with Wizards, I'll repeat here what I said on G+...Ummm...who'd be better to write about the history of D&D than an OSR guy? You don't send an apostle into a land where everyone already has received the message. It was a good bit of writing that probably reached some folks that needed to know the history. Good on you, James! :)
ReplyDelete- 5 Stone GamesMay 19, 2012 at 2:22 PM
"Selling out was the entire point"
attributed Marilyn Manson
Anyway congratulations on the article, James. Thats a nice coup.
For an arm of such a large company WOTC is an excellent corporation. They make mistakes like all companies but on the whole they straddle the line between corporation and hobby quite well.
Steve Jackson Games, not as large and more of a card game company these days is another such corporation. I've done D20 and Car wars stuff for them and it was good business.
As to what ADD Grognard said, I kind of agree, I have more games than interest me to collect or that I can play already. Buying more makes little sense.
However there is money there , its just not enough for a full time hobby in the sense we expect it. Its pretty hard to have a company with staff that can keep up the churn.
The demand just isn't that high.
The peculiarity of this hobby is that companies need to act like a company that can sell you the razor (rules) and have you come back for the proverbial blades on a regular basis
Unfortunately for them, the razor is ever sharp and people are all blacksmiths ...
OK that was really strained but you know what I mean ..
This makes Kickstarter a powerful tool, you can reach fans directly and worry only about them allowing moire creative freedom and products people want.
I think its great. - Ned LeffingwellMay 19, 2012 at 2:25 PM
People usually accuse someone of selling out when they are jealous.
ReplyDelete - Alan De SmetMay 19, 2012 at 2:44 PM
So about 1,500 RPGs have been pre-ordered across 5 products. TSR was moving tens of thousands of copies of D&D every month during its heyday. In book publishing in general a book that sells 10,000 copies is a failure. So, yes, tabletop RPGs are a microscopic community. Old school fans are a subset of a microscopic community. Compared to the "good old days", damn few people can make a living writing RPGs.
But so what? Work to grow the hobby as you can. Enjoy what you have. Take solace that thanks to the internet, PDF sales, and print-on-demand, it's easier than ever to share our creations with each other. Stop worrying about Wizards of the Coast. If you have no interest in 5e, then they really don't matter to you. They certainly can't hurt you. They aren't attacking you. The OSR does not exist because WotC allows it to. - ADD GrognardMay 19, 2012 at 3:09 PM
Ok, first I am a capitalist and fully believe in making money...it was just a few weeks ago I posed the question 'When did the OSR become a bunch of commies?' whenever I have mentioned monetizing the hobby, like it used to be, and been accused of being a profiteer because 'everything should be free' according to most responses I have seen.
I'm talking about working for Wizbro. I mean if it's just about money I guess it's ok to work for the Ku Klux Klan or the Modern Nazi party...right?...cause it's just money...
And this statement is not directed at James, but at a community that for YEARS that has ran this company in the ground and will start all over again at launch.
It just seems hypocritical to sit and watch a group of people you thought you had at least a small clue about how they felt about this issue and then wake up and find everybody posting nothing but free PR for what they have called the devil for years.
That's the part I have a problem with. Or is it ok to work for the Nazis if you just do it part time?...See how that sounds?
To a lot of folks that's kind of what it feels like we are hearing.
I'm a grognard and damn proud of it. I started wargaming when I was 9. I am not against modern games and play a wide variety of material from video games to Pathfinder, Arkham Horror, etc. That is not the issue. The issue is WotC and their parent company and the manner in which they have handled this property (as someone said, where is that VTT they promised us?...for 4e no less)
I guess my question is when does one get off the BS bus? 5e? 7e? 37e?
I thought we had a good thing going out here. I must have been wrong. Everyone just needed something to do until the next abomination came along.
My bad... Oh come on, ADD G. - not the "reductio ad hitlerum" argument again... That's a game company we're talking about, right? However wrong you feel Hasbro has done to D&D, please think twice before comparing it to Nazis, KKK or the like - if you've been playing wargames since you were 9, you're supposed to be an adult now... unless of course you're 10 ;-)
I especially *like* your comment that, while you compare people who write for WoTC to nazi followers, "this statement is not directed at James"... Nooo, who'd think that? What the internet allows is such rude behavior - would you imagine saying such a thing to James face-to-face? You would, really? Hm?
Come on, get a life, man...- anem kramMay 19, 2012 at 5:18 PM
Maybe they were drinking Pepsi Next in the boardroom when they came up with that name. Sounds like a great job to have.
ReplyDelete I dont know if my post made it through so here's a second try...
I dont have a problem whatsoever with writing articles for WotC. I would fo the same.
However, the issue of timing cant just be explained away either. Why werent they beating down the door of select bloggers at the outset of 4e? Why not halfway through that edition? Why now? The answer is petty simple to my mind and the whole thing is ass backwards. If you want OSRians yo buy your game, then make a game we want to play.- ADD GrognardMay 19, 2012 at 7:47 PM
I have a life. I am an adult. And when I say something I don't turn around tomorrow and do a 180 because somebody shoves money in my hand.
And my comparison to fascism is to reflect (you do know that corporations are historically at the center of fascism...right?...just checking) on the tactics being used. I'm quite certain that when I have tried to make a point and shown evidence of how this company acts, by fear and intimidation tactics on shop owners, that you have just passed right over that. That for 12 years it has been bucketful after bucketful of the same old rhetoric. Even now they are doing it again but the rose colored glasses have been firmly positioned and here we go again.
And I'm not comparing people who write for WotC to nazi followers. Don't take things out of context. I'm saying where do you draw the line for money. I mean if the message is so important do it for free. Refuse payment. Send back the check.
WotC is killing 2 birds with one stone. They are dividing the OSR by offering token acknowledgement of certain figures in the community who think they are being handed an olive branch when in fact its a rotted carcass of bad corporate gaming and when it goes south the OSR will blame their own for participating. It is a masterpiece of marketing.
As for not directed at James, yes I would say the same to anyone's face that I say on the internet and I wanted him to understand that this is not a personal vendetta against him or whatever I will be accused of next. It's about ANY OSR member participating in this farce. Play testing or otherwise.
I'm not the only one who feels this way...strap on your flack jacket and get a load of this post:
http://moldyvale.blogspot.com/2012/05/survival-guide-for-may-24th.html - 5 Stone GamesMay 20, 2012 at 12:24 AM
Dude, 4e is not my cup of tea but its been a lot of fun for a lot of people and that is all that can be asked of any game. I suspect 5e will be the same.
I am as conservative as any Grognard in my game tastes but I can't see
anything that Hasbro did that was a betrayal of D&D, of Gary or Dave
or anything else.
Diet Soda, Buddies, Snacks, Imagination and Friendship didn't go away when At Wills, Dailies and Encounter Powers came along. and they won't leave with 5e either. Or when they sell out. It's a very specific thing.
It's when you take something you're passionate about creating and make it worse for money. For example, if an RPG writer decided to make his game 4e compatible, just because he thought it would sell better, even though he considered the result objectively worse than his initial vision... that's selling out.
It's objectively bad. Bad for the long term health of whatever market too, because bad products will tend to do poorly in the long run, even with that fast buck. Like WotC, they're insisting 5e be crunchy and rules heavy so they can sell more books to the people who do play, ignoring that hardly anyone plays anymore compared to the rules-light glory days of the basic set. The result? No creative freedom for the designers, no passion, a bad product, an unhealthy market.
It's the reason I rejected the wotc editions. I see dollar signs behind too much of what they do, like Dilbert's Le Canard Bleu, money dictates the game's design.- FaoladhMay 20, 2012 at 3:13 AM
Happy for you that you can get paid for doing what you love.
Not interested in a closed playtest that calls itself "open". Open playtests are forums for comment by the public. Playtests hidden behind NDAs and contractual agreements are corporate shenanigans.
Dubious, but hopeful, about 5E/"D&D Next". Also hate that name. Still not fond of any WotC edition to date, or for that matter of the last TSR edition (the so-called "2.5").
In other words, nothing has changed except that you are getting a decent paycheck out of the hobby. Which is a good thing. Oh man, what have I got myself into? So this no game... Fear, intimidation and loathing, rotten fascist corporations aiming to divide the OSR... On the other side, the True Grognards, who'll fight the Enemy to the end and never surrender. And, worst of all - the traitors, those who would pass to the Dark Side for money... It all sounds like it's wartime - or some kind of guerrilla... And all I wanted was to have a bit of fun with my friends, back in '84...
Please, grow up. A bit.D&D is a game. A hobby. Having fun. It's not a religion. Nor is the OSR a cult. Nor a political-revolutionary-ideological-whatever-you-want organization. So maybe calm down a bit, put your AK-47 back in the closet and try to do your own version of the rules if you think the WoTC ones are such a "rotten carcass" and an "abomination"...And please, don't compare anyone to the Nazis - regardless of context. Unless you're talking about WWII, of course...;-)- Timothy ArthurMay 20, 2012 at 9:29 AM
What they release later this month to the public isn't going to be a game it looks like it's just a playtest.
ReplyDelete - DrZannMay 20, 2012 at 10:12 AM
I totally agree, I've been playing D&D since 1980 and am a big fan of the OSR. I'm also one of those people that got some fun out of D&D 4th Edition. But like you said, I'm not in it for the rules. I'm in it for the friends, socializing and good times. That's what gaming is about.:)
ReplyDelete You know that pretty much every playtest run by a company is covered by an NDA? And many are not open and some are invite only.
Compared to what I have seen from some other companies in the last 15 years WotC is practially BEGGING people to playtest here.
So for a free set of rules you have to send in your comments? Gasp! How awful.
People are looking for controversies where there are none.- Mark CraddockMay 20, 2012 at 1:39 PM
I'm in Tim's camp.
My main gripe is the willingness of people to skewer rules and a company before they've seen anything. I've done an enormous amount of playtesting and the lack of NDA for Pathfinder & DCC RPG were the exception, not the rule.And neither of those companies were owned by Hasbro.I'm currently under NDA, but I really hope everyone decides to take a look at 5E.Even if it means waiting a bit for character creation rules. Feel free to label me a sell out. I sell games for a living anyway. - Cooper_kuandikaMay 20, 2012 at 1:45 PM
I know that just because someone "goes there" doesn't mean I should follow them, but this is the internet and I can't help it!
My problem with the Nazis might be the opposite of my problem with WotC. Although I very much don't like later versions of D&D, it's not because they advocate and organize for the killing of millions of people. And the problem with swastikas is not that they look bad.
I think it's great that WotC asked James to share his perspective on D&D with therir very large audience. I'd be disappointed if he'd declined. - FaoladhMay 20, 2012 at 4:45 PM
First, I was a regular playtester for Steve Jackson Games for years. I never once signed an NDA, nor was I required to sign a contract. I read the draft, sent in my comments, and they sent me a copy of the published product, which included my name in the credits and frequently incorporated changes occasioned by my comments (as well as those of others). Those were open playtests, not corporate focus groups with discussion closely circumscribed by lawyers. Lest you think that SJG was the only company that did so, I've also playtested for some other, smaller companies that used similar procedures.
Second, a playtest is not a "free set of rules". It is a discussion regarding the current draft of a set of rules with an eye to learning how the audience will perceive and interact with the rules document, and then fine tuning that document to better reflect the intentions of the authors.
There is no controversy. A term is being used in a way that is opposite to the way that I and others in the gaming industry have used it. I commented on that fact. Doesn't matter much to me, I just don't intend to involve myself due to the fact that the reality, separated from the difference in usage, is not the way that I want to interact with the design process. If you want to, go for it. - DrZannMay 20, 2012 at 6:07 PM
I was under the impression that play-testing for SJG was contingent on a selection processes from a pool of e23 customers that have spent a certain amount of cash ($50) over a time period. That is what it says on the web site anyway. Sounds more like clever marketing than an open play-test to me.
Green Ronin's Dragon Age 3 beta on the other-hand is what I'd call a open play-test. - DrZannMay 20, 2012 at 7:19 PM
You know, I'm seeing a lot of people talking about the "Open Playtest" but I'm not seeing the term actually being used by WoTC. Is a Public Play-Test the same as an Open Play-test? Or am I just not seeing it?
ReplyDelete - SlerotinMay 20, 2012 at 7:31 PM
Selling out? I don't think so. And even if you did have a connection to D&D Next, so what?
For everyone: We're talking about games here.
Do you think avid Monopoly players get into arguments about whether the Original Board is better than the Family Guy Board or the Star Wars Board? Do spades players bash on Rook players? Do you think Operation purists turn their nose up at the SpongeBob SquarePants version?
This is supposed to be a fun hobby, not Version Jihad. Oh yeah, and companies are in the business of making money, but you get the choice to vote with your dollars or not.
But I get it, it's fun to debate. Maybe I'm taking some of these posts too seriously. Perhaps in this post I'm doing the very thing that I'm railing against. Oh well. "Likewise, Gary Gygax's sesquipedalian writing style elevated their texts above mere game books, in the process sending a whole generation of gamers scurrying to their dictionaries to look up words such as "milieu," "dweomer," and "puissant,"—not to mention Latin abbreviations, such as e.g., i.e, and q.v.—to cite just a few examples I still remember to this day."
I had to laugh at this, since "sesquipedalian" sent me scurrying to the dictionary. Good article, I'll be interested to see what else you have in store.Exactly what did you think the OSR was about, because I never got the impression it was about damning WotC or Hasbro to languish forever, or ignoring every thing that was BECMI, or 1e, or 2e. Hell, I never even got the impression that it was about ignoring 3e or 4e either. I always got the impression it was about a style of gaming, and an interest in preserving the roots of the hobby. Certainly I never got the impression it was some holy war against any new editions of D&D.
ReplyDelete- FaoladhMay 21, 2012 at 1:04 AM
That's what it is now. This replaces the earlier requirement that one subscribe to Pyramid Online (and before that, it was similarly easy, though I forget the specific requirement - it may have been simply participation on their online forums, but it's been a while and there may have been other requirements I've forgotten), now that they've changed to a different model for that magazine. That they no longer do open playtests is one of the reasons that I no longer playtest for them.
ReplyDelete - yellowdingoMay 21, 2012 at 3:47 AM
Unless you equate the nostalgia with the reprint of old editions for sale...
Nah! It was educational beyond belief and disappointing to many when the future generations of the game were not. - Christian de la RosaMay 21, 2012 at 5:14 AM
An interest in official WotC D&D [whatever ed.] will also benefit the OSR community, as a rising tide lifts all boats.
As for you selling out to the man: I strongly approve of creative people actually getting paid for their work, instead of them building cred for free while their kids starve. Let a thousand neckbeards wail!
IMO, YMMV, etc, as usual. But seriously, comparing the WotC staff to nazis? Get the fuck outta here! - AlasterMay 21, 2012 at 12:37 PM
I think the term sellout is thrown around way too easily in this case. Writing two articles (neither of which really promotes any edition) for a bit of cash, does not make James a sellout.
Now if he suddenly starts praiseing the latest version of D&D spewing endless amounts of dreck about its greatness, denouncing all other editions while stuffing huge wads of cash in his pockets then yes he sold out, but as far as I can tell that hasn't happened.
Even if James does decide sellout down the road, so what? It's not the end of the world or the OSR. The OSR will continue to exist as long as there are people who enjoy the older editions. - Dan2448May 22, 2012 at 12:06 AM
I thought this was extremely well stated. I couldn't (and haven't) said it better myself.
ReplyDelete - Alan De SmetMay 22, 2012 at 12:39 AM
WotC is, at least sometimes, referring to it as an "open playtest." See, for example, https://www.wizards.com/DnD/Article.aspx?x=dnd/4ro3/20120522#80412 (search for the phrase "open playtest")
ReplyDelete - Wally HollandMay 22, 2012 at 12:25 PM
What I think you're missing, James, is that being 'involved' necessarily means taking part in the discussion/feedback, and not just the 'bickering on Twitter' nonsense that WotC would get nothing out of. The 'test' part of 'playtest' is important.
There's no reason anyone should give a damn whether you get to read the materials now or with the 80% of readers/players who won't join the playtest, of course. They don't need to 'get you involved.' Either you're involved in the development of the game or not.
Pathfinder's 'open playtest' wasn't nearly as 'open' as you've been led to believe, in any case -- ask the hardcore participants how much their feedback to Paizo mattered at all... - FaoladhMay 22, 2012 at 11:58 PM
" Do you think avid Monopoly players get into arguments about whether the Original Board is better than the Family Guy Board or the Star Wars Board?"
I've seen it happen, so yes.
"Do spades players bash on Rook players?"
Good question. I do know that poker and blackjack aficionados look down on pretty much every other game in the world, possibly excepting chess, as being unimportant and a waste of time. Chess players, on the other hand, think that anyone who doesn't play chess is, by definition, an idiot.
"Do you think Operation purists turn their nose up at the SpongeBob SquarePants version?"
I think that I would love to meet an Operation purist. And, yes, I think that they would, indeed, sneer at a version of the game marketed at a particular fandom that isn't Operation fandom. - jhbrinegMay 23, 2012 at 10:30 AM
At least as I understand the phrase, "selling out" means compromising your principles for money. James's articles don't seem to compromise his principles in any way; he's speaking of pre-WotC D&D as he always has. Accepting money from WotC also does not seem to compromise his principles; he has never said that he would have nothing to do with WotC. So where's the sellout?
ReplyDelete - Alan De SmetMay 24, 2012 at 10:42 AM
So the playtest is open, and the final agreement is up. The weird bit about you "will" file feedback has been replaced with "may." It still says the only reason you get to download the documents is to playtest and give feedback; so if ones goal is to write about it you're out of luck.
Something I hadn't noticed before; they're claiming feedback is "work for hire." I doubt that would hold up in court, since they aren't really paying you for your time (a one time free PDF is unlikely to count). However, I respect the intent: if you give them feedback, they should be able to safely use it. - Alan De SmetMay 24, 2012 at 11:56 AM
Quoth Wizards of the Coast:
> Can I blog/post/talk about my playtest experiences with others who may not be in the playtest?
> Yes. You may publicly discuss your thoughts about the D&D Next playtest materials and your experiences while playtesting.
https://www.wizards.com/DnD/Article.aspx?x=dnd/4news/dndnextfaq#80439 - DrZannMay 24, 2012 at 1:33 PM
Thank you for the pointer! But I was looking for an official WoTC statement, from the Suits. Doesn't really matter now, after a good night's sleep I'm pretty sure "Open" and "Public" refer to the same thing. It just struck me a odd that the official WoTC statements where using a different term.
ReplyDelete - kewlmarineJune 28, 2012 at 3:40 PM
Rest assured that the ilk that reside at Knights & Knaves are jealous the lot of them. Good luck at WOTC.


text:
Hospitals and organizations operated by religious institutions will not have to pay for or provide free contraception coverage to their employees, but the insurance companies that offer coverage to those workers will have to do that, White House officials just told reporters during a conference call.
They're explaining changes to a controversial plan the administration unveiled in recent days. The goal of the change appears to be to provide the coverage, but at the same time to not force religious groups to violate their principles.
President Obama is going to formally announce the changes later today.
As we said earlier, watch the Shots blog for much more.
Update at 12:20 p.m. ET. Obama On The Rule:
At the White House, President Obama just said that "no woman's health should depend on who she is or where she works or how much money she makes," and noted that "the overall cost of health care is lower when women have access to contraceptive services."
The new rule is "mindful of another principle," he said — "religious liberty."
Our original post:
Reports are popping up on various newssites that, as The Associated Press puts it, "President Barack Obama will announce a plan to accommodate religious employers outraged by a rule that would require them to cover birth control for women free of charge, according to a person familiar with the decision."
ABC News' Political Punch blog, which appears to have been ahead on this development, said earlier that sources say the plan "will be respectful of religious beliefs but will not back off from that goal, which many religious leaders oppose since birth control is in violation of their religious beliefs."
The New York Times reports that the administration:
"Seeking to rein in a runaway political furor over birth control and religious liberty, is set to announce a possible compromise on Friday that is meant to calm ire from the right about a new administration rule that would require health insurance plans — including those offered by Roman Catholic hospitals, universities and charities — to offer free birth control to female employees."
The White House has scheduled a 10:30 a.m. ET "background conference call" with reporters to talk about "women's preventative services and religious institutions." We'll be hearing from NPR correspondents about what's said and will update with the news.
And the Shots blog will be following the story throughout the day.
Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.


text:
TMJ – Temporomandibular Joint Information
Temporomandibular joint and muscle disorders, commonly called TMJ, are a group of conditions that cause pain and dysfunction in the jaw joint and the muscles that control jaw movement. We don't know for certain how many people have TMJ disorders, but some estimates suggest that over 10 million North Americans are affected. The condition appears to be more common in women than men. TMJ is referred to by different names such as TMD, TMJ disorder, and TMJ dysfunction.
For most people, pain in the area of the jaw joint or muscles does not signal a serious problem. Generally, discomfort from these conditions is occasional and temporary, often occurring in cycles. The pain eventually goes away with little or no treatment. Some people, however, develop significant, long-term symptoms.
- What is the temporomandibular joint?
- What are TMJ disorders?
- What causes TMJ disorders?
- What are the signs and symptoms?
- How are TMJ disorders diagnosed?
- How are TMJ disorders treated?
- Conservative Treatments
What is the temporomandibular joint?
The temporomandibular joint connects the lower jaw, called the mandible, to the bone at the side of the head, which is the temporal bone. If you place your fingers just in front of your ears and open your mouth, you can feel the joints. Because these joints are flexible, the jaw can move smoothly up and down and side to side, enabling us to talk, chew, and yawn. Muscles and ligaments attached to and surrounding the jaw joint control its position and movement.
When we open our mouths, the rounded ends of the lower jaw, called condyles, glide along the joint socket of the temporal bone. The condyles slide back to their original position when we close our mouths. To keep this motion smooth, a soft disc lies between the condyle and the temporal bone. This disc absorbs shocks to the jaw joint from chewing and other movements.
The temporomandibular joint is different from the body's other joints since the joint actually dislocates after opening past a certain point. The combination of hinge and sliding motions makes this joint among the most complicated in the body. Also, the tissues that make up the temporomandibular joint differ from other load-bearing joints, like the knee or hip. Because of its complex movement and unique makeup, the jaw joint and its controlling muscles can pose a tremendous challenge to both patients and health care providers when problems arise.
What are TMJ disorders?
Disorders of the jaw joint and chewing muscles – and how people respond to them – vary widely. Researchers generally agree that the conditions fall into three main categories:
- Myofascial pain, the most common temporomandibular disorder, involves discomfort or pain in the muscles that control jaw function.
- Internal derangement of the joint involves a displaced disc, dislocated jaw, or injury to the condyle.
- Arthritis refers to a group of degenerative/inflammatory joint disorders that can affect the temporomandibular joint.
A person may have one or more of these conditions at the same time. Some people have other health problems that co-exist with TMJ disorders, such as chronic fatigue syndrome, sleep disturbances or fibromyalgia, a painful condition that affects muscles and other soft tissues throughout the body. It is not known whether these disorders share a common cause.
People who have a rheumatic disease, such as rheumatoid arthritis, may develop TMJ disease as a secondary condition. Rheumatic diseases refer to a large group of disorders that cause pain, inflammation, and stiffness in the joints, muscles, and bone. Both rheumatoid arthritis and some TMJ disorders involve inflammation of the tissues that line the joints. The exact relationship between these conditions is not known.
How jaw joint and muscle disorders progress is not clear. Symptoms worsen and ease over time, but what causes these changes is not known. Most people have relatively mild forms of the disorder. Their symptoms improve significantly, or disappear spontaneously, within weeks or months. For others, the condition causes long-term, persistent and debilitating pain.
What causes TMJ disorders?
Trauma to the jaw or temporomandibular joint plays a role in some TMJ disorders. But for most jaw joint and muscle problems, scientists don't know the causes. For many people, symptoms seem to start without obvious reason. Research disputes the popular belief that a bad bite or orthodontic braces can trigger TMJ disorders. Because the condition is more common in women than in men, scientists are exploring a possible link between female hormones and TMJ disorders.
There is no scientific proof that clicking sounds in the jaw joint lead to serious problems. In fact, jaw clicking is common in the general population. Jaw noises alone, without pain or limited jaw movement, do not indicate a TMJ disorder and do not warrant treatment.
The roles of stress and tooth grinding as major causes of TMJ disorders are also unclear. Many people with these disorders do not grind their teeth, and many long-time tooth grinders do not have painful joint symptoms. Scientists note that people with sore, tender chewing muscles are less likely than others to grind their teeth because it causes pain. Researchers also found that stress seen in many persons with jaw joint and muscle disorders is more likely the result of dealing with chronic jaw pain or dysfunction than the cause of the condition.
What are the signs and symptoms?
A variety of symptoms may be linked to TMJ disorders. Pain, particularly in the chewing muscles and/or jaw joint, is the most common symptom. Other likely symptoms include:
- Radiating pain in the face, jaw, or neck
- Jaw muscle stiffness
- Limited movement or locking of the jaw
- Painful clicking, popping or grating in the jaw joint when opening or closing the mouth
- A change in the way the upper and lower teeth fit together
How are TMJ disorders diagnosed?
There is no widely accepted, standard test available to correctly diagnose TMJ disorders. Because the exact causes and symptoms are not clear, identifying these disorders can be difficult and confusing. Currently, we note the patient's description of symptoms, take a detailed medical and dental history, and examine problem areas, including the head, neck, face, and jaw. Imaging studies may also be recommended.
You may want to consult your doctor to rule out other causes of pain. Facial pain can be a symptom of many other conditions, such as sinus or ear infections, various types of headaches, and facial neuralgias (nerve-related facial pain). Ruling out these problems first helps in identifying TMJ disorders.
How are TMJ disorders treated?
Because more studies are needed on the safety and effectiveness of most treatments for jaw joint and muscle disorders, experts strongly recommend using the most conservative, reversible treatments possible. Conservative treatments do not invade the tissues of the face, jaw, or joint, or involve surgery. Reversible treatments do not cause permanent changes in the structure or position of the jaw or teeth. Even when TMJ disorders have become persistent, most patients still do not need aggressive types of treatment.
Conservative Treatments
Because the most common jaw joint and muscle problems are temporary and do not get worse, simple treatment is all that is usually needed to relieve discomfort.
Self-Care Practices
There are steps you can take that may be helpful in easing symptoms, such as:
- Eating soft foods
- Applying ice packs
- Avoiding extreme jaw movements (such as wide yawning, loud singing, and gum chewing)
- Learning techniques for relaxing and reducing stress
- Practicing gentle jaw stretching and relaxing exercises that may help increase jaw movement
- Exercises if appropriate for your particular condition
Pain Medications
For many people with TMJ disorders, short-term use of over-the-counter pain medicines or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS), such as ibuprofen, may provide temporary relief from jaw discomfort. When necessary, we can prescribe stronger pain or anti-inflammatory medications, muscle relaxants, or anti-depressants to help ease symptoms.
Stabilization Splints
We may recommend an oral appliance called a bruxism splint, stabilization splint, night guard, or bite guard, which is a plastic guard that fits over the upper or lower teeth. Stabilization splints are the most widely used treatments for TMJ disorders. Studies of their effectiveness in providing pain relief, however, have been inconclusive. If a stabilization splint is recommended, it should be used only for a short time and should not cause permanent changes in the bite. If a splint causes or increases pain, stop using it and let us know.
The conservative, reversible treatments described are useful for temporary relief of pain – they are not cures for TMJ disorders. If symptoms continue over time, come back often, or worsen, please let us know.
Other types of treatments, such as surgical procedures, invade the tissues. Surgical treatments are controversial, often irreversible, and should be approached with caution where possible. There have been no long-term clinical trials to study the safety and effectiveness of surgical treatments for TMJ disorders. Nor are there standards to identify people who would most likely benefit from surgery. Failure to respond to conservative treatments, for example, does not automatically mean that surgery is necessary.


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text: Introduced in 1996. Fragrance notes: citrus, pineapple, and woody notes, blended with the scent of ocean air. Recommended use: casual.When applying any fragrance please consider that there are several factors which can affect the natural smell of your skin and, in turn, the way a scent smells on you. For instance, your mood, stress level, age, body chemistry, diet, and current medications may all alter the scents you wear. Similarly, factor such as dry or oily skin can even affect the amount of time a fragrance will last after being applied


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In light of the recent announcements by NVIDIA and AMD in support of Linux for their graphics drivers, we would like to share with the world some of the experience we had developing our open source project, Dolphin, a GameCube and Wii emulator for Windows, Linux, Mac and recently Android.
At the beginning of this year, after the successful release of Dolphin 3.5, Markus Wick (degasus) and Ryan Houdek (Sonicadvance1) started working on a rewrite of Dolphin's OpenGL backend in order to be compliant to the OpenGL ES 3.0 standard. While this rewrite was needed for other reasons (it provides the foundations for very cool optimizations), compatibility with mobile devices and the future Android port of the emulator (now in beta) was one of the key goals. This rewrite was merged into the main Dolphin codebase a few months back and started to be used by tens of thousands of Dolphin users, either on OS X and Linux where it is the only viable graphics backend, or on Windows where it is available alongside our D3D11 graphics backend.
Sadly, using recent, advanced OpenGL features also meant we got to discover how bad some graphics drivers actually are at doing their job. It turns out very few applications use some parts of the OpenGL standard we need to rely on to accurately emulate a GameCube GPU. More than that, on Android, OpenGL ES 3.0 support is extremely recent and only a couple applications on the Play Store use ES 3.0 features.
Here is basically our hall of shame of graphics drivers, sorted by the number of issues we found, how hard it is to report issues to the company and how many bugs were actually fixed.


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Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) Secretary Michelle R.B. Saddler today announced that Dr. Lorrie Rickman Jones will leave the position of Director of the Division of Mental Health (DMH), effective January 31, 2013, to join Governor Quinn's policy team. Dr. Jones will serve as Senior Policy Advisor for Behavioral Health. Dr. Jones has been Director of DMH since 2005 and has a track record of several noteworthy accomplishments in state hospital operations, forensic services and in the development of the community system of care. She has led the transition of the community mental health system from a grant system to a fee-for-service financing strategy improving the system's productivity, accountability and quality.
Dr. Jones also led the implementation of the Williams consent decree which has received national recognition from mental health professionals and the advocacy community. Under Dr. Jones' leadership, DMH, in collaboration with mental health and stakeholders across the state, successfully redesigned the crisis care systems in two regions following the closure of two state psychiatric hospitals.
Dr. Theodora Binion, currently Director of the Division of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse (DASA), will continue as DASA Director and will lead DMH until a permanent appointment is made. Dr. Binion will oversee DMH and DASA together as a temporary behavioral health division and will have leadership support from Dr. Debra Ferguson, Senior Deputy and Chief of Clinical Operations in the Division of Mental Health. We will also look into the advisability of merging these divisions over the long term.
Dr. Binion was previously the Director of Behavioral Health for the Chicago Department of Public Health. She became Director of DASA in 2003 and has been in the alcoholism and other drug treatment field for 32 years. As Director she converted the DASA system to a post-payment fee-for service reimbursement methodology; implemented performance-based contracts; and provided leadership that guided the conceptual framework, stakeholder development and successful implementation of more than $80 million in federal grants.
Dr. Ferguson served as a Psychologist in the U.S. Army at the rank of Captain. She has been in her position at IDHS since 2010 and also previously served as Chief Psychologist at Alton Mental Health Center. She has overseen quality and safety improvement in all of the state hospitals and worked to develop community-specific crisis care systems to replace the services previously provided by the Tinley Park and Singer Mental Health Centers.
We are pleased that IDHS and other state agencies will continue to work with Dr. Jones in her new advisory position, and we ask that you join us in welcoming Drs. Binion and Ferguson in their new leadership roles.
Illinois Department of Human ServicesJB Pritzker, Governor · Dulce Quintero, Secretary Designate
IDHS Office Locator
IDHS Help Line 1-800-843-6154 1-866-324-5553 TTY
© 2023 Illinois Department of Human Services


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When Bradley King tore down the aged chain-link fence in front of his Earl Street row house last spring, he thought he was removing blight, but city staff saw King's action as destroying a piece of the neighborhood's history.
King, who lives in Alexandria's Parker-Gray historic district, was called before the Board of Architectural Review, which ultimately let him off — but not before forcing him to pay the $250 appearance fee. For his troubles, he received a nine-page city report detailing the historic significance of his former fence.
"Anyone who I [tell] that this is regulated historic property, their first reaction is to laugh out loud," said King, whose home dates back to 1955. "The things we preserve in society — we preserve things that are old, things that are unique and special and things of extremely high quality or connected to historic people or events … My home meets none of [these standards]."
Yet the city government deems King's chain-link fence historic because it is a "character defining feature of these minimally-designed vernacular buildings," according to the report he received.
Now King and several of his neighbors are questioning the city guidelines regulating changes to homes within the district's boundaries and the BAR's purview over homeowners. Roughly two dozen of them, many upset with the status quo, complained about what they see as governmental overreach during a fiery meeting with City Preservationist Al Cox hosted by the West Old Town Citizens Association last week.
It's reaching a boiling point among community residents, said Leslie Zupan, association president. When the historic district was created in the early 1980s — a contentious proposal, according to the Washington Post's coverage of its passage — the idea was to limit the development residents feared would come with the newly opened King Street and Braddock Road Metro stations.
These days, some homeowners complain the presence of the district, which requires residents get approval for anything from replacing their home's windows to uprooting a rusting fence, is overly burdensome.
"The issue goes back to [this]: Are the rules fair, are they common sense, do they make economic sense and what is it we're trying to preserve?" Zupan said.
When he appeared before the BAR, King recalled looking at the giant, faded map of Alexandria on the rear wall of city council chambers with a touch of irony: his street was nothing more than an empty field when cartographers drew it up.
What is the government trying to preserve in Parker-Gray? That question is a source of confusion for homeowners wondering why City Hall has a say in their home improvements.
The neighborhood, an eclectic mix of American architecture from all eras, is recognized as one of the city's traditional black neighborhoods. While it's celebrated as a black enclave, the roughly 40 blocks comprising the district also were home to whites, several mayors and people across the socioeconomic spectrum over the years.
"With the emphasis on chain-link fences versus white picket fences, is the city trying to capture a branding of the neighborhood when it was mostly black or celebrate all of its history?" Zupan asked. "It was not always a poor neighborhood, it was a jumble of things. In fact, it's a much richer and more interesting neighborhood than we feel the city has given it credit for."
It's not a question of which homes or blocks are historic, but whether the neighborhood as a whole possesses historical significance, Cox said. It may be on the west side of Washington Street, but it remains part of Old Town, he said.
"An 1890 townhouse on Columbus Street is every bit as historic as an 1890 townhouse on South Pitt Street," Cox said. "There is a misperception that there are cultural and racial reasons for that district. I've heard historians and neighbors say, 'Oh this is where all of the industry was' or 'this is where the railroads were, poor people lived in this quadrant.' That is pure nonsense. Yes, those [things happened in Parker-Gray]. They also happened in all three other quadrants in Old Town."
Today, the district protects a glimpse at the city's development throughout every era, he said.
Homeowner Brendan Owens shares Cox's opinions. He's worked on two homes within the district, the first time running afoul of the BAR's regulations. It wasn't a pleasant experience, he recalled, but when he began work on his second home he went to the planning department first and appreciated their guidance.
For him, it's a trade-off.
"Anybody who says [the regulations are] not a burden probably hasn't done it," he said. "But the reality is when you look at what we derive from having these protections in place and the things that we are retaining … it seems to me its worth it."
Though Zupan and King criticize the regulations and the BAR's enforcement of the guidelines, neither is explicitly calling for the abolishment of the district, which would require action by the city council.
King, who serves as the Braddock Station Civic Association's vice president, is pushing to have the regulations overhauled in a way that gives homeowners more control over what they can do on their property.
Cox, too, recognizes his office needs to do a better job of interacting with residents. They haven't been good enough at letting people know what it means to live in a historic district, he said.
They've tried to streamline the process, giving staff the authority to approve projects — thus saving residents from waiting for the BAR's monthly meeting — and they may further amend the regulations to exclude newer homes. City staff is willing to work with any homeowner, Cox said, except for those who flaunt the rules.
"We're going to be able to work through almost everything [residents are] concerned about, except for people who do something they know they're not supposed to do," he said. "I can't help them."


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Today Mr. Rosenberg and I celebrate eight years of marriage.
After we met, Jeff waited a full six months to bring up the topic of marriage. He did this by proposing. We waited another four months before eloping. I purchased a white cocktail dress and pale blue sandals on sale and picked up a veil at a Mexican wedding store. Jeff bought a new shirt and tie. As so many couples have done before us, we packed up the car and drove to Vegas.
It was 113F degrees when we pulled into the parking lot of the Little Church of the West on the strip. In the office, brides and grooms were lined up and waiting. We paid $348.00 for the "Tie the Knot" package entitling us to an organist, a minister, a rose bouquet and boutonniere, a photo package, and live streaming video of the ceremony so that our friends and family could attend from the comfort of their homes. Our big day was to be 15 minutes all in. We waited our turn in the car to take advantage of the air conditioning.
Jeff shifted in his seat. "Should we have written our own vows?"
"I'm sure they'll use the usual stock vows. Just a note, if they have the 'honor and obey' one, I will honor you but…"
"Yeah, I get it."
"They might do the classic 'Love is patient, love is kind' reading from Corinthians."
"New testament, non-Jew stuff?"
"Lisa? I promise to love your cat as my own."
"Good one."
"I promise not to throw my clothes on the floor… as much."
"Oh, okay. Are we doing this?"
"I promise to still hold your hands when we are old." Jeff took my hands in his and squeezed.
"Okay. I promise to try to become more of a morning person."
"Nice. I promise to take your side in arguments against the outside world."
"I promise to be happy to see you every time you walk in the door," I said.
"I promise to hold true to you. You will not get me out of this."
"I promise to never roll my eyes at you."
"Is that a thing?"
"I read that the number one predictor of couples who break up is the eye roll. It implies a lack of respect or something." Through the windshield, I watched the couple scheduled just ahead of us exit the chapel. The church bells rang.
"Okay, I won't eye roll either."
"Thank you. I promise to keep faith in God and share it with our family in whatever half-Catholic half-Jewish way we can figure out."
"Me too. I promise to cook dinner sometimes, deal with the computer, and do all the talking with insurance people on the phone."
"I promise to tell you about my feelings as they come up and not harbor resentment and get all passive-aggressive and crazy."
"Good one. Me too. I promise you will always be my best friend."
"Ditto. Ditto infinity. You may kiss the bride."
I re-applied lipstick in the rearview mirror and took one last look at myself as a single person. I had been married twice before and had not been in a hurry to run down the aisle again. This time it was different: a true match, and with this day a sweetness and a simplicity.
Jeff and I had started planning a small wedding and then realized that there is no such thing as a small wedding. Our time, energy, and money were getting pulled into the undertow of wedding plans. My heart wasn't in it. I wanted to start my life as Mrs. Rosenberg, I just couldn't face my beloved crowd of friends and family over trays of catered appetizers one more time and ask them to believe that, no really, this time I meant it. I wanted to prove it by making it happen and that would take years, long happy years.
We entered the chapel and met the organist who would double as our witness. She introduced us to our minister, an older black gentleman in a gray suit. With a southern accent, the minister briefed us on how the ceremony would unfold and showed us where the webcam was set up. Jeff handed him a small wineglass wrapped in a cloth napkin and asked if at the very end he could set the glass on the floor so that he could stomp on it. He would then say, "Mazel Tov," explaining that these were the Yiddish words for "congratulations" or "good fortune." The minister seemed confused by the request but was willing. Jeff paid him the ceremony fee and the minister signed a receipt.
We took our places. The organist played the wedding march and nodded at me to begin my walk down the aisle. This was not unfamiliar and at the same time it was all new. I thought of Back-to-School Night in elementary school, walking into my classroom when it was dark outside seemed foreign and magical yet there was my desk right where I had left it. I knew this song and had walked these steps before but this time these steps led home.
We heard the Corinthians verse. We did our I Do-ing. We waved at the web-cam. We were pronounced husband and wife. Jeff asked for the glass. He broke it with a heavy step and waited. The minister stared at us blankly. "Say Mazel Tov," whispered Jeff.
"Muzzle Tofe!" said the minister.
Jeff lifted my veil, put one hand on either side of my face and kissed me. We posed for the wedding chapel version of prom photos complete with faux floral arrangements. We were congratulated by our organist/witness and ushered out. Jeff took our camera and I posed for him in front of the chapel. People driving past honked and waved.
"That's for you Mrs. Rosenberg!" Jeff called out.
The church bells rang. I cried with all the happy.


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2 Thessalonians 3:3
"But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen you and protect you from
the evil one."
1 day ago


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UFC Store
Michael DiSanto looks back at last Saturday's UFC 154 event in Montreal...
Georges St-Pierre probably feels like he was in a car wreck right about now.
I'm quite sure that his head is throbbing. His hands are undoubtedly sore. His muscles are still filled with lactic acid. And his face…well…let's just say he won't be posing for any photo shoots until the swelling subsides and the cuts heal.
There is no doubt that GSP was in a fight on Saturday night. There is also no doubt that Carlos Condit presented the most formidable challenge that the champion has faced in quite some time. Condit badly hurt GSP in the third with a spectacular head kick. It was probably GSP's scariest moment since getting knocked out by Matt Serra.
Yet, if we are being perfectly honest with ourselves, it was a very one-sided fight. GSP dominated from bell to bell. He even expertly recovered from the thunderous head kick to dominate the majority of the round. I scored the third 10-10, by the way.
The nearly 19-month layoff due to a torn anterior cruciate ligament certainly left GSP less than razor sharp, and he definitely tired a bit more quickly than usual. Nonetheless, I think GSP's performance was spectacular, all things considered. Let's not forget that he had one of the most talented guys in the sport trying to take his head off for 25 minutes.
Fans looking to find fault with his performance will probably point to the fact that we are coming up on the four-year anniversary since GSP last stopped an opponent. Then again, he faced Thiago Alves, Dan Hardy, Josh Koscheck, Jake Shields and Carlos Condit during that period. That is about as close to Murderer's Row as we have in the UFC. The mere fact that he ran through those guys in dominant fashion, albeit needing the judges to tell him that he won, is a remarkable feat. Criticizing him for not stopping one or more of them borders on absurd.
I know. I know. Everyone wants to talk about the 600-lb elephant in the room right now. 347 words into the piece before the name Anderson Silva appears. I'm saving my thoughts on that one for its own op-ed piece tomorrow because I have plenty on my mind.
Johny Hendricks desperately wants to receive his first shot at UFC gold. On Saturday night, he made an extremely compelling argument that he deserves to be next in line.
Hendricks folded up Martin Kampmann with what appeared to be a left hand thrown from less than the proper distance. Heck, the shot didn't look like it landed cleanly. Yet, Kampmann was left in an heap on the canvas.
For those watching the fight, I'm sure they reacted like I did. WOW! This guy has amazingly devastating power in his left hand.
Hendricks has quietly put together a string of victories that is difficult to ignore. Five straight wins. His last three opponents—Jon Fitch, Josh Koscheck and now Kampmann—have long been viewed as top contenders in the division. Yet, Hendricks dispatched each of them.
It's time for the former Oklahoma State University wrestling superstar to fight for the title. He has earned it.
Francis Carmont secured the first victory of the main card telecast for the Canadians. But I'm not sure the judges got it correct. It was a tough fight to score. I'll just leave it at that and move on.
Well, I'll move on in a minute.
The split decision win extended Carmont's winning streak to nine fights, including four inside the Octagon. He needs to up the effort to toss his name into the middleweight mix. But he isn't far behind at this point. Do you think he won the fight? I want some honest opinions in the comment section below.
Now, I will move on.
Mark Bocek probably thought that Rafael dos Anjos was just what the doctor ordered to extend his current winning streak to three and also get the first Canadian victory of the telecast. After all, he cited his foe's Brazilian jiu-jitsu as a weakness that he could exploit. Bocek made those statements knowing that dos Anjos was a BJJ black belt.
It was an interesting pre-fight comment from a fighter who is known as being extremely technical. Whether Bocek's BJJ is significantly better than dos Anjos' remains to be seen. His takedowns weren't good enough on Saturday night to find out. As a result, dos Anjos is the one who extended his winning streak to three, and Bocek didn't stop the Canadian slide that opened the card.
At the end of the day, both of these guys have the skills to make a difference in the division. Yet, the Brazilian is the one who has been able to step up in big moments. Bocek has come up short each time he has faced a true A-level opponent. Frankie Edgar, Jim Miller, Benson Henderson, Mac Danzig and now dos Anjos. Those are Bocek's UFC conquerors. Not a bad crowd for dos Anjos to be associated with.
Mark Hominick has been in lots of memorable fights in the UFC. This guy is one of the more exciting fighters on the roster, pound for pound. The problem, however, is Hominick struggles from his back, as he showed against Pablo Garza. That was the lone reason that he lost the fight. Well, that and his inability to stop takedowns.
Garza has excellent ground skills. It wasn't surprising to see him control the action once it hit the canvas. Yet, I was surprised at how easy it was for him to take Hominick down. Maybe it was an off night for the Canadian. Maybe Garza is just that much better. I don't know. Whatever the case, Garza easily won the fight.
Hominick needs to shore up his guard and takedown defense, if he wants to truly make a difference in the featherweight division. If not, he will still be unbelievably exciting. I just don't think he will rise to the top of the division.
Power Slap