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Do you love cookie-cutter fitness wearables? Fitbit's latest device, the Blaze, satisfies your need for the mundane – but watch out! The $200 Blaze also throws in a digital personal trainer called FitStar, which might completely change the way you work out. But is it worth it? Read on to find out.
What You Get
The Blaze comes with the standard peripherals: A USB charging cradle, an instruction manual, and the watch itself. As one might expect, there's nothing out of the ordinary or worth mentioning.
- A compatible smartphone or tablet with Android, iOS, or Windows 10. Windows 10 requires signing into the Windows App Store.
- Windows 8.1 works, although it requires a Fitbit Wireless Sync Dongle, which costs $20 and isn't currently available.
Hardware specifications:
- Sensors: altimeter, pedometer, accelerometer, gyroscopic, heart rate, and possibly a magnetometer.
- "Connected" GPS: The Blaze doesn't come with an integrated GPS sensor — it instead relies on your smartphone's GPS.
- Screen: 16-bit 240 x 180 pixels LCD with capacitive touch.
- Proprietary USB cradle charger.
- Replaceable wrist strap: The wrist strap can accommodate most 22mm bands (there's no mention on FitBit's German language page of the size, but their community forum mentions 22mm as the correct size).
- Four days of battery life (five days reported by FitBit).
- Automatic brightness detection.
The Blaze itself consists of two parts: a detachable watch face and a replaceable wrist strap. The wrist strap can fit 22mm non-proprietary replaceable bands (thanks to Robert Williams for the correction.) Fitbit sells several varieties, each with a different texture and color. Compared to the unexciting default strap, the optional bands are eye-catching and potentially worth buying. They're well-priced, too, costing around $8-15.
The default wristband is a simple silicone rubber strap, attached using a classic watch-style locking mechanism.
The Blaze is a lot smaller than the uncomfortable, rash-inducing Surge (my review of the Surge Fitbit Surge Review and Giveaway Fitbit Surge Review and Giveaway There is a single benchmark for the efficacy of a fitness wearable: does it help optimize your workout? The FitBit Surge claims it can do just that. Read More was less than stellar). It's hardly noticeable on the wrist – although it's slightly bulkier than my other favorite smartwatch, the Basis Peak. Its bulk owes to the unnecessary metal frame, which adds a few millimeters to the length of the watch.
On the back, there's a continuous optical heart-rate monitor. Inside the Blaze is (most likely) a "9-axis" sensor, which should include the three standard sensors: An accelerometer, gyroscopic sensor, and magnetometer. The Blaze also includes an altimeter of some kind — but FitBit hasn't supplied the public with the particular chip. Most altimeters rely on changes in pressure to record changes in altitude, which can be wildly inaccurate during sudden changes in weather. In Berlin, Germany, I can say the accuracy proved poor. But there were jarring air pressure fluctuations, so this is understandable.
The four sensors allow the smartwatch to measure a user's speed, wrist movement, altitude change, and the direction that the user moves in. We don't know for certain about its internal components as Fitbit hasn't shed much light, but it appears not to differ from any other fitness tracker. Noticeably absent is a GPS sensor, which many of its competitors (and even its predecessor, the Fitbit Surge) include. Fitbit contends that piggybacking on a smartphone's GPS is adequate. But if you don't feel like lugging a smartphone along with you on a jog, you may want to pass on by the Blaze.
The $150 Sony Smartwatch 3 (my Sony Smartwatch 3 review) offers GPS and a wide range of applications for the Android Wear platform 12 Android Wear Apps to Install Right Away on Your Smartwatch 12 Android Wear Apps to Install Right Away on Your Smartwatch If you've got a brand-new Android smartwatch, here are the must-have Android Wear apps to install right away. Read More . While it lacks a heart rate sensor, it can sync with a far more accurate Polar H7 Bluetooth heart rate sensor. Together, the Sony Smartwatch 3 combined with a Polar H7 sensor can outperform the Blaze in accuracy — but it makes a sacrifice in battery life.
I could go on for days about how derivative and boring the hardware is. Fortunately, the software does offer wearable users something of worth.
Setting up the Fitbit Blaze
The Blaze offers extremely easy configuration. Users just install the Fitbit application on their Android or iOS device and initiate a pairing process. Once paired, the Blaze automatically updates its firmware over a Bluetooth 4.0 connection. It's smart, simple, and reliable.
Unlike the Basis Peak Basis Peak Review and Giveaway: A Great But Flawed Fitness Wearable Basis Peak Review and Giveaway: A Great But Flawed Fitness Wearable Read More , the pairing and firmware update process did not suffer from deal-breaking bugs – although I should mention that Basis initially shipped the Peak without firmware, which required a messy installation process. If you buy a Peak today, it shouldn't suffer from any issues. That said, the Blaze in my possession suffers from numerous graphical glitches. The various bugs are purely cosmetic and don't interfere with the user experience.
Making Use of the Fitbit Blaze
The Blaze retreads a lot of the ground covered by the Fitbit Surge Fitbit Surge Review and Giveaway Fitbit Surge Review and Giveaway There is a single benchmark for the efficacy of a fitness wearable: does it help optimize your workout? The FitBit Surge claims it can do just that. Read More : It counts footsteps, flights of stairs climbed or descended, heart rate, workout intensity, smartphone notifications – and a lot more. But almost all modern fitness wearables do the same. The Blaze distinguishes itself from its competitors through software. There are two basic categories of exercise: Exercise, which includes activities such as running, and the newest Fitbit feature: FitStar. It also sprinkles in a dash of extra features, such as automatic exercise and sleep detection. FitStar comes by default with three core activities, but accessing the wider range of FitStar content requires a yearly payment of $39.95.
Exercise recognition: Another interesting feature is its ability to recognize frequently performed exercises. If you forget to start a workout manually, it starts itself. After 10 minutes of activity, the Blaze automatically determines what kind of activity you're doing and switches into that mode. Unfortunately, I couldn't get it working properly, but many others have reported that it works.
Modes of operation: The standard workouts include running, bicycling, weight-lifting, treadmill, elliptical machines, and a generic activity category. It doesn't contain a pedometer mode as the Blaze includes automatic walking detection. It also includes automatic detection of sleep. Here's an example of the sleep statistics generated by the Blaze:
It's not that much different from the sleep statistics produced by the Basis Peak. It detects the number of times that the user was awake and the "quality" of sleep, based on the amount of movement detected by the device. It does not interpret the results as the Peak does — such as light sleep, REM sleep, and deep sleep.
Milestones: The instantaneous notification of Badges is another interesting feature. While most fitness smartwatches display milestones well after you've completed a workout, the Blaze notifies users immediately. My impression is that instantaneous feedback offers a powerful morale boost at the tail-end of a grueling jog or cycling trip. I've only gotten the 10,000 step achievement, but there are quite a few other awards.
FitStar: The Blaze's standout feature is FitStar, which leverages Fitbit's use of an LCD screen. After selecting the FitStar exercise option, users can go through three kinds of guided exercise regimens: Warm It Up, 7 Minute Workout, and 10 Minute Abs. For each of these exercises, the Blaze displays animated tutorials, with weak demonstrations of proper form.
As each activity begins and ends, the Blaze's linear motors fire up, providing a subtle wrist-buzz. The overall package is slick, functional, and simple to use. And the guided workouts feel intense. Even the simple warm up exercises got my heart rate up to a steady 110 beats-per-minute – for a full eight minutes.
Here's Fitbit's attempt to explain FitStar:
It's advertised as a series of adaptive exercises using a combination of biofeedback and motivational techniques. To illustrate, the Blaze reads heart rate data generated by the PPG sensor. If your heart rate is low, the smartwatch encourages the user to increase the intensity of their exercise. The concept is novel and long overdue.
Here's a video clip of FitStar's guided exercises:
FitStar isn't perfect – it relies on an inaccurate heart rate sensor technology and a limited number of exercises in the free version. But heart rate sensors are accurate enough. Unless you need medical-grade precision, the Blaze's sensor won't inflict sudden weight gain or a heart attack.
And while the guided workout is intense, an observer might feel different. The entire experience felt silly. Here's what it felt like:
On the surface, FitStar is an excellent tool for guided activities. But its paid content doesn't offer enough variety, such as suspension straps, to justify committing to a yearly subscription. It desperately needs a trial subscription plan and more kinds of workouts to shine really.
The Blaze Has Some Serious Shortcomings
The Blaze retreads a lot of ground already covered by other fitness wearables. And on top of that, its lack of automatic exercise detection takes away from its luster. The worst feature is its reliance on an inaccurate heart rate detection technology.
It's derivative. The Blaze's hardware is without question one of the most derivative health trackers on today's market. It omits GPS, uses a standard 9-axis sensor, and forgoes transflective screen technology (e-paper displays The Best Four E-Paper Displays Coming To Your Smartphone and Tablet The Best Four E-Paper Displays Coming To Your Smartphone and Tablet Looking for months of reading time from your smartphone or tablet? E-paper display technology may soon satisfy your needs. Read More are better for outdoor devices). Most users may not know that all modern smartphones include 9-axis sensors. With Samsung's new dedicated system-on-a-chip (what's a SoC? Jargon Buster: The Guide to Understanding Mobile Processors Jargon Buster: The Guide to Understanding Mobile Processors In this guide, we'll cut through the jargon to explain what you need to know about smartphone processors. Read More ) in production, the next generation of Android Wear (wearable operating system) smartwatches might start throwing in continuous heart rate sensors, which will completely obviate the need for dedicated fitness trackers.
Optical heart rate sensors aren't enough. A little-known issue with optical heart rate (photoplethysmography, or PPG) sensors is that they aren't 100% accurate. They offer varying degrees of accuracy, but the fundamental flaw originates with the underlying technology. As such, any device reliant on optical sensors sucks compared to its superior competitor: electrocardiography (ECG.) To illustrate, many outdoor activities, such as jogging, introduce light pollution and vibration, destroying PPG accuracy. Manufacturers try to compensate using a variety of tricks, but this results in further distortion: Many PPG fitness trackers record heart rate – even when you're not wearing it. The Blaze is among the worst examples I've seen.
FitStar's free version is mediocre. It has a limited number of exercises. If you install the application (FitStar is a separate installation, aside from the Fitbit app), you get a taste of what's in store for paid users, but it would be preferable if Fitbit provided the first month of exercise free. After all, owners just threw down $200 on a fitness tracker with average hardware.
Music control configuration isn't intuitive. Users need to pair the Fitbit twice to get music controls working. The first connection syncs to the Fitbit app. The second directly matches the watch to the smart device. The process seems needlessly complicated and unintuitive to users. Pairing for music control requires an AVRCP-protocol compatible music app (such as Google Play Music). Fitbit's instructions are a lot of help.
Should You Buy a Fitbit Blaze?
Maybe, but I recommend waiting. While the Blaze's hardware is dull, its software makes it one of the better fitness wearables on today's market. But you might want to wait. The future looks brilliant for wearables. The wearables market suffered from a lack of purpose-designed hardware for biometric readings. That changes this year when Samsung releases the first ever processor for wearables — it's appropriately called the Samsung Bio-processor. The Bio-processor vastly improves over the current generation of sensors. It includes PPG, EEG, Bioelectric Impedance Analysis, and other measures of data. It's worth waiting for, although it will likely first show up in only Samsung products.
Fitbit Blaze Smart Fitness Watch, Black, Silver, Large Fitbit Blaze Smart Fitness Watch, Black, Silver, Large Buy Now At Amazon $146.99
For those skeptical of wearables — continue to doubt. There are serious privacy and security issues for Fitbit devices Is Your Fitness Tracker Putting Your Security At Risk? Is Your Fitness Tracker Putting Your Security At Risk? Is your fitness tracker secure? A technical report highlighted a series of serious security flaws in their designs, theoretically allowing potential attackers to intercept your personal data. What are the risks? Read More .
It's a good enough fitness tracker with bland hardware, but you should probably hold off on buying the Fitbit Blaze for now.
Leave a Reply
Thank you for the opportunity!
At the end of the day I would be able to know how hard or easy the following day would be.
Nice prize!
I would love to win !!!
I've been using the MI band for the last 2 months and its lack in feature... Good review & thanks to Robert williams for the enlightenment.
Wow this would be so amazing and would certainly help with my new healthy routine thank you
The Blaze band at the point of attachment is 23 mm, my mistake. The band itself is 24 mm. Bands at 23 mm are now being advertized for the Blaze on Amazon. Sync dongles are not proprietary and ones that work with the Blaze are available on Amazon for $10. That your Blaze has a display glitch and shorter battery life indicates that it is defective and qualifies for warranty replacement. I think those complaints out there about Fitbit heart rate accuracy come from owners who have never made serious comparative measurements over extended exercises. The reports are anecdotal and may reflect errors from only the first ten minutes of motion where Fitbit measurements suffer their largest errors. There are also those relatively small but active class actions against Fitbit where members are looking for a windfall. A standard deviation of 2.5 bpm from ECG measurements is quite accurate enough for those interested in fitness and 24 hour heart rate measurements.
id love to win please.fab comp
i would love to win
From Robert Williams:
This review is full of errors and appears to be biased.
1. The wrist strap is not proprietary. Any 24 mm strap will work.
2. Battery life is not 4 days; 5 days and more under heavy use has been my experience.
3. The Sony 3 has no altimeter. Add the $50 Polar H7, only about 3 bpm more accurate than the Blaze (see my review at REI and the Consumer reports review.), and your up to $200 - wearing that chest strap we all love, so you don't get resting heart rate and all day recording. The Sony also has only two days of battery life. The Blaze also works with Strava.
4. Boring is in the eye of the beholder. Mine is cool.
5. I've never seen a graphical glitch, or a reference to one in another review.
6. Exercise recognition works fine for me.
7. The heart rate sensor is not inaccurate. See Consumer Reports for unbiased measurements. The PPG technology itself (optical sensors) does not suck when it is used in earbuds. It lines up very well with ECG. I've measured my Blaze to line up very well with my chest strap monitor, with a standard deviation of 2.5 bpm, one of the best examples I've seen.
8. If the hardware were dull, it wouldn't be the most highly rated and bought fit band and smartwatch on Amazon.
where do you enter?
I don't use my Charge HR for it's fitness monitoring, I suffer from Atrial fibrillation ( pulse shots up to 135 bpm )
Normally I've no idea this has occurred so the HR monitor will give me a clue, one thing I have noted is that the HR monitoring seems to worse since I did a firmware upgrade recently.
I know the HR monitor is a bit on the dodgy side as I also have access to a finger monitor and a home blood pressure monitor
This kind of confused me. I was set to buy one but now I'm not so sure...
I have a Fitbit Charge HR, I know the Pulse measuring is not perfect but it does function to some level
I'm not sure I need to upgrade
hope i win this time
I like my Blaze, first tracker...( the place where I work offered them to us for real cheap...)
I think the charger needs some work, the cradle has the cable facing the top not the side so it's hard to 'build' a stand. it has to be removed from the frame to charge. That stand with ability to leave it in the frame would be nice.
I only get around 2 days use before requiring a charge. settings with Quick View on and AUTO Brightness. I'm trying it w/o Quick View and Dim settings...
I've already placed a 3rd party 9H Glass Screen Protector on it, to save it from scratches at work.I'm waiting for a black frame/Milanese Loop combo the plastic is ok for work but i'd like something a bit more dressy for going out etc..
I'd give it a 3.5 out of 5, fix the charger work on more faces and expand the software. There are many GREAT suggestion on the User Forums...It think it was rushed and the devs have plenty more to show... Third Party vendors are stepping up on the accessories and I hope Fitbit does so too!
Thanx for the give-away! Good luck all!
Great review but where is the secret word?? I am looking for the video, watched all the dance ones but don't see one from you, thank you.
did you find it?
Watch his video again...
Good luck!
Love these giveaways! Wish I could win one?
Wonderful review, and this guy is one of my favorite reviewers. Great job.
I understand why one might want to wait on purchasing this, but even for the basics it does offer, it would be fun to own it!
Thanks for sponsoring the giveaway, and good luck all!
How do you guys afford all these giveaways?!!! (Not that i'm complaining!)


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Pencil skirt.
White tee shirt.
Statement-y necklace.
Cardigan. (my office is freezing!)
It has all the elements to fit the mold for a summer uniform. It's dressy enough for the office and for an occasional meeting, but comfortable enough for drinks afterwards with non-work folk.
But for me, the key to making it look pretty instead of sloppy was the right tee shirt wardrobe. And believe you me! It took some work to finding the right ones. I tried on ones from J. Crew, Forever 21, American Apparel, Gap, etc. And what I found is that they are not all created equal. Some are so thin as to be see-though. Some are too long. Some are belly-button baring. Some are too thick, ok, whatever, you get the point.
So you can avoid the search yourself, see my top three picks below...
So, go forth and clothe my good friends. White tees are staples, even if you haven't settled into a style rut like me...oops, I mean, uniform.

subset: commoncrawl


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You need only look at a film like 'The Losers' to see the pervasive influence of filmmakers like Zack Snyder and Robert Rodriguez. Their approach to comic book and graphic novel adaptations have in many ways set the textbook standard for bringing these often complex narratives to screen in a creative and satisfying manner – and 'The Losers' adds yet another film to the growing list of solid, mostly satisfying adaptations.
Originally a DC Vertigo release comprising 32 issues from writer Andy Diggle and artist Jock, 'The Losers' is very much a homage to 80s-era action movies. The story plays with an 'A-Team'-style band of hardened and uniquely skilled mercenaries who are forcibly cut free from their duties after being betrayed by their own government. After faking their own deaths, the five rogues set about taking down the man responsible: a smarmy and ruthless government suit, 'Max'.
After the first twenty minutes of backstory, which gets a lot of clunky exposition and Hollywoodized ethics embellishment out of the way, 'The Losers' ramps up to speed and it maintains throughout. However, it's the humour and the cheeky performances that really keep 'The Losers' in the green. This starts with some mostly solid casting choices, but is cemented through taut editing and a punchy, crowd-wrangling soundtrack.
Genre movie darling, Chris Evans, who has recently filled roles in 'Fantastic Four', 'Push', 'Sunshine' and has since been signed to parts in comic book adaptations 'Scott Pilgrim vs. The World', 'Captain America: The First Avenger' (and 'The Avengers' itself), absolutely plays to his strengths in 'The Losers'. While his character, Jensen, may fill the role of 'tech-guy', Evans lays on the humour. His best sequences have him hamming it up to Journey's 'Don't Stop Believing' as the tight edits and his physical comedy makes him a pleasure to watch. And, frankly, the guy is cut – which might be fun for your lady-friends and those so persuaded.
Jeffrey Dean Morgan plays 'Clay', your typical mercenary with a heart of gold and a chip on his shoulder. Of course, while that may be a cookie-cutter framework for every action hero lead character out there, Dean Morgan brings a real warmth and charm that stands as about as close as a director can get to casting either Robert Downey Jr. or Clive Owen, minus the fat fee. Playing opposite the striking Zoe Saldana as 'Aisha', the duo trade blows and some on-screen chemistry.
As villains go, it takes a while for audiences to warm to actor Jason Patric and his mild approach. The writing is sharp enough to pull it off, but his actual performance, particularly in light of Sam Rockwell's similarly-angled character in Iron Man 2, just doesn't have the gravitas it should. That's not to say that Patric doesn't still deliver – there are some moments of deadpan delivery that are spot-on, and we'd argue his physical humour and presence also tip things in his favour. But he never loosens up quite enough to make him as villainously charming as he's supposed to be.
As one of the supporting 'Losers', Oscar Jaenada, who bears an uncanny resemblance to actor Justin Long, doesn't say more than ten words – but, in line with the comic, he's all about visual impact. He certainly stands as more memorable than his other lesser co-stars; that he looks like Long actually bodes for his charisma.
'The Losers' also sports a very enjoyable soundtrack, which struck us as surprisingly deft. We mentioned Journey's 'Don't Stop Believing' before, and while this song does feature a couple of times (stay for the start of the credits), the soundtrack does a great job of matching each of the film's action sequences with a mood-setting backdrop. Journey plants the tongue firmly in cheek, reminding us not to take things too seriously, and it helps. Sure, it doesn't make up for the lacklustre plotting, but it ups the fun-factor, and takes the pressure off the illogical set-ups and strictly comic-book, action movie logic.
Really, we use 'logic' lightly; there are moments that really had us baffled – changes to the core story from the comic series were clearly made to up the 'Bay-factor' and bombard audiences with popcorn special effects. Unfortunately, the result is a handful of moments that peel away some of the charm that director Sylvain White works hard to achieve.
That said, White does unload some terrific action sequences – dropping in restrained and effective use of slow-motion (there's that nod to the comic-book-movie genre leaders), whilst staging inventive stunts and capping it with sly performances and line delivery. Its during the climactic sequences that The Losers really underlines its strengths: equal parts humour and chaos, delivered by a cast that are very easy to watch.
White, a director of little particular merit outside of (or perhaps including) 2007's 'Stomp The Yard', turns in a genuinely entertaining action-buff's delight with 'The Losers'. It isn't the most originally plotted or characterized film – and Max's nefarious deeds are undermined by a mind-numbing, unconvincing weapon of mass destruction – but the constant winks to the audience save the day. As set-ups go, 'The Losers' could've gone downhill quickly. Instead, it builds slowly and rhythmically, and leaves audiences with a lot of fuss-free fun that holds its own, and then some, in the face of the blockbuster season.


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Why Men and Veterans Kill Themselves
- Category: Blog
- Created on Wednesday, November 02 2016
Men and veterans struggling with issues of identity, purpose and societal expectations have a hard time getting the help they need.
The VA Home Loan Guaranty Program
- Category: Aid Programs
- Created on Tuesday, November 01 2016
Since 1944, VA has backed over 22 million home loans for Veterans and their families. The program provides a guaranty for mortgage loans made by private lenders to eligible Veterans. The guaranty backing effectively eliminates the need for a down payment, helping Veterans afford homeownership.
The Secret to Earning an Interview With Every Application
- Category: Blog
- Created on Wednesday, October 26 2016
Earning an interview with any company requires that you have a strong understanding of the company itself, the position you're applying for, and a top-notch resume. These three pieces come together to decide if you're contacted for an interview or not. Finding all of this information requires a lot of legwork and searching, but there are ways to streamline this search and polish your resume to perfection.
BLS Data - September 2016 and 3rd Quarter 2016
- Category: Job Trends
- Created on Sunday, October 09 2016
As with the first Friday of each month, the BLS employment statistics were released today. Attached is our monthly 'cheat sheet' for your use and information. We have also included the 3rd quarter 2016 statistic report. The national unemployment rate for September 2016 increased slightly from 4.9% to 5.0% and the Veteran unemployment numbers for September 2016 remained unchanged at 4.3%.
Thanks to all of you who are working directly or indirectly, to ensure our Veterans have meaningful employment.


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Even the best designed cartons and bottles that contain beverages appear to acknowledge and accept their eventual disposal; but not Prestige Juice packaging. This line of fruity drinks has been wrapped up in what appear to be rectangular glass jugs that were inspired by the elegant transparent pitchers that might contain high-quality homemade blends.
To build on this classy image, Pixelinme looked to books and patterned textiles for influence. The vessels are thus rigidly formed like hardcovers, producing a prominent face for ideal retail arrangement, yet offering a narrow profile for easy storage in your pantry. Motifs like checkers and plaid are printed in bright colors that reference the prominent ingredient inside of each. Gorgeous and glossy Prestige Juice packaging communicates a sumptuous scrumptiousness that will inspire your senses.
Pristinely Spectral Packaging
More Stats +/-
Fresh Fruity Branding
Renovating Juice Cleanses
Succulent Beverage Branding
Literal Fruit-Shaped Logos
Full-Bodied Beverage Branding
Prestige Juice Branding is Expressed as a Remarkable Patterned Prism
- By: Amelia RoblinNov 30, 2013
References: pixelin.me & packagingoftheworld
References: pixelin.me & packagingoftheworld


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Dravosburg Restaurants
You have nothing to lose and everything to gain - Advertise your foodie place for free in the town of Dravosburg.
Dravosburg, PA has one of the widest choices of restaurants, of an area its extent, in the whole of the United States. Just about half of the restaurants in Dravosburg are full-service restaurants with three quarters of the others offering partial service. The other restaurants inDravosburg are chiefly drinking places and caterers that propose a number of in-house food.
Full-service restaurants in Dravosburg lean to present quite a few menu kinds, including starters, salads, side orders, afters, and beverages, with quite a few choices within each category. Chefs and cooks will make ready the items to buy, starting from grilling a burger to invent a new complex and refined menu item. Waiters and waitresses put forward table service in comfortable surroundings. Customers increasingly be partial to dining at mid-scale or family restaurants, typically managed by a national chain. By contrast, clients at the better Dravosburg dining places tend to hunt for a pleasant feel with cleverly arranged gastronomy and relaxed, proficient service. While franchises are a vital portion of the restaurant trade, a lot of clientele in Dravosburg have a preference for dining in unchained owned as well as locally operated restaurants.
The most frequent style of a limited-service restaurant in Dravosburg, PA is a franchised operation of an all over the country restaurant franchise selling fast food. Like elsewhere, these restaurants in Dravosburg includes a set menu, the lack of waiters and waitresses and an stress on cleanliness and an economical service. Menu selections will offer narrow variety and are geared up by employees with minimal cooking or food-management skills. Cuisine typically is served in disposable take-out cartons that hang on to the food's heat, allowing restaurants to arrange meals in advance of customers' desires. A rising quantity of fast-food restaurants in Dravosburg, PA are now providing drive-through and walk-up services.
Restaurants are the most prevalent and familiar business in the US. The finest restaurants, especially the greatest restaurants in Dravosburg, PA propose
- Recently prepared food focused on regional favourites
- Menu choices with the intention of suiting each person in the family
- Helpful and motivated employees that smile!
- Hygiene
- All of the above at an inexpensive value!
The public Dravosburg are well documented for liking restaurants with the intention of offering something that alternative restaurants do not possess and they like restaurants where the recruits operating the business there genuinely like what they are doing.
Folks in Dravosburg are looking for restaurants that make you feel great after eating there.
The clientele attracted to restaurants in Dravosburg vary according to numerous factors, including the kind of food delivered, prices, position and the market sector the restaurant is meant for.
To attract customers in Dravosburg, PA you need to focus on
- High-earning individuals or families with a great amount of disposable wages however hardly any moment in which to splurge it. This purchaser unit includes the rising number of solitary householders, as well as dual-takings household groups.
- Business people on expense accounts to boost lunchtime custom along with evening meals. The worth of this market often tends to track the wider fluctuations in regional companies.
- Holidaymakers are key for many restaurants in the district. Bear in mind that visitor statistics to Dravosburg swing according to the seasons, and winter, in particular, may see poorer business.
- Working women. Married women undertake more than 60% of all household chores, subsequently easy access to meals is welcomed as one less errand to partake. Price tends to be a major factor affecting the choice of this unit, beside the quality of the food.
- Children. The affect of offspring has produced a significant market collection that impacts on family choice for meals. This has been enthusiastically chosen by the hefty conglomerates who, led by the burger chains, target family through their marketing.
- Grazers. As lifestyles have altered, the established three meals a day have been replaced by a tendency to graze or eat on the hoof. Convenience plays a large portion in this group's array of venue.
- The coming out of a large troop of retired people with a higher level of disposable income and increased leisure time. Study indicates that this unit tends to eat out during the day as a leisure interest.
If you are starting a restaurant in Dravosburg, PA you should
- Identify the most excellent locality in order to charm footfall. If you are planning to rely on word alone and develop your business over a very extended period, position will play a crucial ingredient in the eventual success of your enterprise.
- Settle down into your working routine (and make sure your staff are accustomed with their jobs!) and then summon reviewers from the Dravosburg media to carry out a restaurant appraisal - a pleasant appraisal is apt to boost community fascination in your dealings.
- Make unquestionable you're listed in local food and restaurant guides. This will require enlisting with the Dravosburg holiday handbooks and this will also help attract public from outside of the immediate locale.
- Market in publications read by your intended audience. Dravosburgbusiness magazines and newspapers regularly proffer reasonably costed advertising space.
- Stand out from the crowd by selecting an exclusive icon or theme and applying it to your decoration, workers uniforms, dishes and cutlery, and menus.
- Advertise distinctive audiences depending on the time of the day or season of the year. Equally daytime and evening menus could be provided, with each day exclusives offered to vary the usual bill of fare.
- Use special offers to increase business during slow-moving times, with mid-afternoon bargains for students and older diners, and special children's menus offered to attract families. Christmas is a critical time for most restaurants, seeing as it offers the opportunity to swell business by means of corporate parties and can be a preamble to your restaurant for potential new clients who can revisit all through the rest of the year.
As word-of-mouth publicity is of the highest worth for Dravosburg restaurants, it is crucial that your consumer service should always be conscientious, speedy and courteous!
Dravosburg Restaurant Newsletter
Want to know more about restaurants and food establishments in the USA. Sign up to our newsletter now - don't be shy!


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Think you know your Batman? Then put it to the test with this ultimate Batman quiz game app courtesy of IGN Entertainment and Plain Vanilla Games. The free app is compatible with iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, iPhone 4S, iPod touch (3rd generation), iPod touch (4th generation) and iPad.Requires iOS 4.0 or later.
Download it now at Apple iTunes!


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Membership Renewal
Renew your M&LFHS Membership Now!
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I have created this Blog to showcase my scratchbuilding efforts in 54mm scale of AFVs. Whilst there are many more talented modellers out there, I have felt there was a need for models that could be used on the wargaming table that could be picked up without fear of all those fiddly bits falling off. I make my models so that they can take such handling and yet be recognised for what they are supposed to represent. I hope this Blog will provide inspiration for like minded modellers.
Tuesday, 25 April 2017
It's Market Day!
4 comments:
You made your own wheels? I'm either impressed or appalled - can't decide which!ReplyDeleteReplies
That's just the way I roll Tim! Seriously, making wheels is not that hard if you have a Dremel and the drill stand. It's the only way to get them in the diameter and thickness you need.Delete
Some very cool work lately mate. Write you proper soon :)ReplyDeleteReplies
Thanks Mate! Look forward to hearing of your adventures!Delete


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QPR are stepping up their pursuit of Tottenham striker Jermain Defoe.
The Mirror says QPR boss Neil Warnock is desperate for proven quality up front in the January transfer window.
That is despite goals from Jay Bothroyd in the Hoops' last two games, and strikes from Heidar Helguson in the two previous games.
Defoe - who is seeking regular football ahead of Euro 2012 - has been unable to get a run in the Spurs side because of the blistering form of Rafael van der Vaart.


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Preview – Siegfried Vol. 1
Original Graphic Novel Hardcover
Retail Price: $24.95 U.S.
Page Count: 144 pages
Format: hardcover with dust jacket, 8.5" x 11", full color
On Sale in Comic Shops: June 13, 2012
Written by Alex Alice
Illustrated by Alex Alice
Cover by Alex Alice
Rating: T+13 (contains material suitable for teen readers ages 13 and above)
A three-part story inspired by Wagner's classic opera The Ring of the Nibelung. Siegfried, born of the love between a mortal man and a Valkyrie, is a young orphan being raised by Mime, one of the last of the dwarf-goblin Nibelungs, in a dark forest with only wolves for friends and family. While his foster parent only wants to live in peace and solitude, Siegfried yearns to discover who his real parents were and live amongst his own kind, not knowing that Odin, father of the Norse gods, has a destiny planned for him: to fight the dragon Fafnir, guardian of the Rheingold.


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Direction (1-10) : In the following passage, there are blanks, each of which has been numbered. These numbers again printed below the passage and against each five words are suggested, one of which fits the blanks appropriately in the context of the whole passage. Find out the appropriate word.
First _1_ in all human relationships are crucially important. If _2_ well, then can _3_ the process of _4_ social relationships between _5_ and, at the same time, lay the foundation for future productive and _6_ beneficial _7_ Equally. The _8_ of social relationships, even if only temporary, can _9_ strong emotions, since participants have usually _10_ some of their most inner feelings and thoughts to each other.
( State Bank of India Clerk Exam,2009)
1. (a) encounter
(b) knowledge
(c) appearance
(d) association
(e) friendship
2. (a) treated
(b) handled
(c) enacted
(d) performed
(e) functioned
3. (a) begin
(b) exhibit
(c) project
(d) execute
(e) manage
4. (a) retarding
(b) augmenting
(c) maintaining
(d) exhilarating
(e) strengthening
5. (a) nations
(b) spouses
(c) persons
(d) friends
(e) organizations
6. (a) mutually
(b) latently
(c) qualitatively
(d) intellectually
(e) temperamentally
7. (a) rewards
(b) positions
(c) advantages
(d) applications
(e) transactions
8. (a) duration
(b) quality
(c) association
(d) termination
(e) advantages
9. (a) evoke
(b) display
(c) suppress
(d) manifest
(e) establish
10. (a) projected
(b) revealed
(c) repressed
(d) appreciated
(e) approached
Answers will be Posted Soon .. First Try by your self.


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Despite the best efforts of the Ministry of Information, relatively little attention was paid to last week's withdrawal of the last active combat battalions from Iraq. My first reaction was to wonder why the media and public were not treating this as a major story, instead focusing on the idiotic Ground Zero nontroversy and various other tabloid quality nonsense. But the reasons are pretty obvious. First, this is largely symbolic and the U.S. military presence remains considerable. The idea that this is a withdrawal is eerily reminiscent of Bush's "end of major combat operations" with its glaring adjective. Second, Iraq is completely fucked up to an extent that we dare not speak. To draw attention to the withdrawal would raise too many questions about what we're leaving behind. Lastly, we'll probably be going back in soon if the performance of the Iraqi Army is any indication.
The victory narrative – er, "success," since the word "victory" has been stricken from our political lexicon – is entirely hollow, as Hannah Gurman points out. A national myth might be a small price to pay, however, if it contributes to getting us the hell out of there. That seems unlikely. While the administration(s) have been touting the might of the 650,000 strong Iraqi Army for eight years now, only a fraction of its manpower is remotely reliable and an even smaller fraction (estimated at 50 battalions) is capable of carrying out combat operations unassisted. Ray Odierno is already working the media and laying the groundwork for an American return, noting that we'll go right back in if there is a "complete failure" of the security forces in place. I'd put the odds of the Iraqi Army's failure at, oh, about 100%.
It goes without saying that "success" applies only from the American perspective, and even then only inasmuch as success is defined at getting the hell out. Iraq is a disaster. The talk of success and withdrawal contrasts markedly with the car bombings and mortar attacks and this cute little story about terrorist sympathizers who infiltrated the police and let some al-Qaeda guys out of prison. Does that sound like stability? Like something that will function as a state? At best it sounds like a second Afghanistan. The American Embassy, the grandiosity of which has been pointedly noted over the years, includes its own water, power, and sewage facilities, a telling statement of what Washington really thinks about the "progress" made in Baghdad.
The reality is that Iraq lacks functioning infrastructure, an economy outside of servicing the U.S. military and foreign contractors, or anything resembling an effective government (in which ex-Baathists, hidden insurgents, and plain ol' corruption remain epidemics). To be brutally frank, this amounts to par for the course in Central Asia and much of the Middle East. Hell, even given its sad state of affairs at present, Iraq is still in better shape than a number of countries in the region that haven't suffered eight years of foreign invasion (Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, most of Pakistan, and so on). But the war was supposed to turn Iraq into a beacon of democracy in the region. If the outcome is that we made Iraq into West Pakistan or Lesser Armenia, I'd say we aimed for the moon and ended up exploding on the launch pad. The outcome, even though it is what any thinking person would have expected at the outset of this misadventure, will linger on as an embarrassment to the U.S. much in the same way that Vietnam did for an earlier generation.
What happens next in Iraq? The neocons were right about one thing: without the U.S. military there, things will probably get much worse in a hurry. Where my opinion diverges from theirs is that I don't see this undeniable fact as a reason to make an indefinite commitment to keeping a presence there and sustaining a couple hundred U.S. combat deaths per year until 2030 or whatever. Our military presence is still substantial – there are almost 70,000 troops still in the country – and of course our economic investment will continue (and continue bankrupting us). I get the feeling that we'll have a hard time defining anything as "success" except for getting the hell out, and the State Department and Pentagon might want to dust off some tricks from the Cold War playbook, starting with the chapter about how to prop up a failing puppet regime.


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Another experiment of botanical prints or I may say contact prints as it's direct from leaves whatever the shapes are.
The scenery of my journey - "cat walk in the bush".
One is lagging behind to catch up the three in the front.
"wait... wait... wait for me....."
謝謝你在我的植物印染旅途伴我同行, 落後? 會迎上.........,
Assorted euc and rose leaves plus peeled skin of euc branches to make the swirl lines. Cut the cat shapes on euc.
Over the "cats" part I put a paper before wrapping. Ready to bundle and boil for 1.5 hours
Viola.... cats are born both on paper and silk fabric
Prints are same shape but colors are a bit different because of protein
Prints on paper
Before & After of the prints
Quite interesting to do the scenery prints.
"Am I lagging behind? Am I alone? No, you're in my company. Thanks readers"


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Email: Slowly Dying or Going Strong?
I read an interesting article today in response to another controversial article about the "death of email". I find it humorous that the poor woman who was nearly persecuted for her article, never said email was dying, just losing popularity and prominence. I guess there's still some dispute on that idea. But I disgress.
I think it's interesting that no matter how wonderful and revolutionizing a new technological advancement is, four groups of people emerge. *Note: Sometimes this does not happen because this advancement dies off before adoption by the majority takes place.
1. There's a small group of activists who are overly excited about how wonderful and convenient this new *fill in the blank* is, how it will dramatically change how we communicate/entertain ourselves/do business/whatever else you can think of! And before you know it, <normal device that is working perfectly fine right now> will be completely replaced by this new *fill in the blank*!!!
2. There is a larger group of people who are interested, skeptical, briefly fascinated, or bored who try this New Big Thing and make up their mind about it. And, regardless of whether they use it or not, still use the old way or the other way of doing things for some time. The adoption rate by this group is usually the deciding factor of whether this technological development will become commonplace.
3. There is an equally large (usually) group of people who know very little about this so called New Big Thing that everyone who's anyone is using and don't really care about it, and wait to adopt the trend when the hype (and often the price) goes down. They adopt this technological advancement after several years when all the kinks have been ironed out, and when they discover this is a more efficient method of doing what they do.
4. There is a small group of people who are utterly clueless and will continue using their "extremely out of date and oh-so-not popular" method of doing things and will be perfectly content with it. This group only adopts the thing when their technologically advanced friends or relatives coerce them into updating or their local provider no longer offers the old way.
Nuff said. This happened for cars, telephones, and tv's and is still happening to today with broadband Internet services, smartphones, blue-ray and facebook.
Because of group 3, and especially 4, there are still people using rotary phones, dial-up, and hand-written letters.
If it wasn't for group 2, and especially 1, we wouldn't know about some great conveniences that have truly improved our lives.
The truth is, the new big thing has its place for the people who like new things and need the change. But there will always be room for the good old days and the traditional forms of transportation, communication, education, and entertainmentation… *ahem* I mean… (hehe!)
I still remember in middle school, the first time that my little world was shattered by a Group 1 futuristic hopeful who told me that telephones would soon no longer be used anymore. But by now these future-thinkers don't phase me. So lets not get our undies in a bundle! Email isn't going anywhere! Just like radio, newspapers, dial-up, and telephones. They still have a purpose to serve.
So… what group are you in?
Broadband Rollout is Coming… on the Government's Horse and Buggy
If you heard about the government stimulus package that plans to spend over 7 billion to get broadband in rural areas, don't get too excited. This is the government we're talking about afterall.
Here's a few things we need to keep in mind.
- The current halt on afforable broadband service to rural areas is due to lack of interest for companies and for customers. Basically, it costs way too much money to get broadband way out to the boonies when not everyone wants to pay for it even if they did!
- Anytime the government hands out money, it has to jump so many hurdles and run through so much legislation that by the time they get around to it, we could probably have done it faster on our own with a big garage sale! Ok, ok… slight exaggeration. Anyway.
- There are a lot of big companies involved that will all be lobbying for their interests, and a lot of them are more concerned about their pockets than a few rural farmers waving their arms for a broadband bailout.
Here's some of the things we dial-up users in the sticks have to look forward to:
*crickets chirp*
So anyway… The FCC has been given until February to (get this!) define "broadband" so the government can properly dole out the funds. Yes February. As in next year. If you can't guess, it's going to take at least several years for this promised broadband to reach your rural little computer.
Why do we need to define broadband? Well because all these "high-speed" companies are giving customers such low-quality service that it's hardly fast enough to be considered fast in today's age. Check this out:
*Satellite services can drop your connection speed to that equivalent to dial-up as a penalty for using the service excessively.
*Wireless can become so overcrowded with users that it is actually slower and more unreliable than dial-up.
*Many "low-cost" DSL plans have connection speeds that are no more than 10 times faster than dial-up (keep in mind that advertised speeds are not guaranteed actual speeds).
You might as well just stay with dial-up at that rate! Oh and get this!
*Our fastest connection speeds here in the U.S. is much slower than the normal connection speed in other countries. So much for being an advanced country!
So now the FCC is asking some of these Internet services providers to help them decide how fast broadband should be (or how else to determine what makes broadband what it is–long story), and phone companies like AT&T are trying their hardest to keep the standards low. They want broadband to be defined as being able to achieve basic tasks (like web page loading) and not even including video streaming and gaming capabilites!
Guess what? That, my friends, is dial-up. And we already have that. Yes, this is going to take a while. Looks like I'm going to keep going to the library to get videos… But I'm ok with that. I never had my hopes up from day one anyway. 🙂
To Myrtle Beach and Back
I'm back from vacation! *sigh* It's ok–I wouldn't want to be on vacation forever, and it's nice to sleep in my own bed, but Ohio in October is shockingly cold after a week at Myrtle Beach!
Last week I attended a small wedding with the setting sun lighting the couple's excited faces and the waves washing over their feet. It was beautiful! Here's a few fun facts if you are considering having a beach wedding:
- Gorgeous free scenery
- No flowers, music, decorations and big, long, poofy dress to pay for (at least, I wouldn't recommend a such a dress)
- Friends and family who can afford to come love it!
- Honeymoon is within walking distance! Woot! 😀
- Friends and family may not come because of expenses or schedules.
- Said persons will probably complain, whine, grumble, and fume both behind you back and to your face that they couldn't see you get married.
- You either don't get to wear that big poofy dress, or you'll get it very wet and/or dirty.
Hmm.. I think that's it. In other thoughts, Aunt Jemima and Mrs. Butterworth must make a killing in Myrtle Beach, because there is a pancake house on every block down there! And don't get me started on the Bargain Beachwear stores. Large illuminated pastel buildings screaming deals exactly the same as the 20 other stores within 5 miles quickly lose their validity. The beach was nice, but I'm probably not going back any time soon.
Our hotel was decent and not too expensive, so that was a relief. We had a nice veiw of the ocean! I have never seen the ocean at night, and let me tell you, that is spectacular! Like most hotels these days, we had free wireless Internet services. I took my laptop, but I barely used it. Ever feel that itch in your fingers when you finally have broadband access right there but you can't think of a website you wanna go to? I definitely felt that. It's a dial-up thing, so some of you might not understand. Hehe!
Well, I'll be catching up on news and info soon and keeping you informed on all things dialup and Internet–or at least my opinion. 😉 Have a great day!
Why We Don't Need a Government Bailout for Broadband Internet Access
In the past few posts, I've been talking about this idea of it being the government's responsibility to pay for the cost of getting broadband access to "unserved and underserved" rural areas. The initial simplified look at this logic seems to make sense, but if you look at the truth behind the broadband stimulus argument, you will see that some over-generalizations have been made. Wrapping up, here is my conclusion, and a summary of the false assumptions that have been made in the creation of this idea.
False Assumption #1: Many people (especially rural residents) don't have Internet access.
True Statement: Many people don't have affordable broadband Internet services in their homes. But most of them can get Internet access in one way or another. There are thousands of rural homes who use dial-up because that's the most affordable option to them, and certain types of broadband is not available to them. Sure, dial-up has limited capabilities, but you can still read news and other educational resources, send and receive emails, and load the majority of webpages.
False Assumption #2: Since the Internet provides so many educational and business-related resources and outlets, providing broadband to more homes would increase education and business.
True Statement: That's a nice thought, and maybe in a small degree that would be true. But business and education are not the primary uses for the Internet. Most people use the Internet for fun and personal interests. People with broadband have even more fun. With live audio/video streaming at a flawless rate, you can watch movies, play games, listen to the radio, chat live using webcams with friends and random strangers, and the list goes on.
Top 10 most popular websites—see what the majority of online users are doing.
Top 25 uses for the Internet—see this list for more ways to waste time on the Internet.
When you have Internet access, you use it. When you have faster Internet access, you use it more—but don't expect everyone to start being any more productive, smarter, or richer. How is this a pressing issue for the government (to the tune of over 7 billion dollars), considering what the majority of us are doing online?
False Assumption #3:The increasing use of the Internet for education and business justifies the government to grant billions of dollars to help make it available to everyone.
True Statement: Lets assume that everyone did use the Internet productivity, and that making it more available would boost the economy. Is it really the government's duty to expand our educational and business resources? Let's not pretend that education and business aren't already in place! We are a capitalistic society, we're supposed to do that for ourselves! Even if this stimulus plan did a world of good—and maybe ten years from now we'll see that benefit—the government does not have a responsibility to pay for our Internet services.
Where is the government getting all this money anyway? Considering we are deeply (that's an understatement!) in debt to multiple countries and our accumulated government debt balance grows by gigantic leaps and bounds, I'm afraid to ask!
This "lack of broadband" issue does not present some terrible crisis—people are just tired of dial-up or don't want to spend a bunch of money for satellite. We aren't dying or being threatened here! We are still farming, educating, conducting business, and communicating—even if some of us are still using books or have to go to the library to check our email. We'll find ways to connect to the Internet and develop new ways of spreading broadband to rural areas on our own. Please. Leave the government out of this!
The Truth Behind the Broadband Stimulus Argument
In my last post, I discussed an article that proposed that the government has a duty to provide broadband Internet to rural areas. Here are the reasons leading up to this conclusion—but this time we're looking at the whole picture. This information is based on my knowledge as a technician for an Internet provider and my extensive research on the subject.
More and more people are using the Internet. Yes, this is very true. In fact, the U.S. is nearly saturated with Internet services and one of the leading countries with broadband access. The growth of Internet usage just within the last five years is staggering, with many people signing up for more Internet access daily.
The Internet is becoming a larger venue for business and education. The majority of businesses have websites, and many of them take and ship orders online. Online college classes are still being taken with people getting degrees later in life. Private education for grade-school ages are offering online courses. The Internet provides a vast, no, gargantuan collection of educational information that was once contained only in books and libraries. Read my post about "necessities" that have been replaced by the Internet and technology. The Internet has, in a very short time-span, transformed our language, social habits, culture, and communication. Its actually kind of overwhelming to think about. And the advancements and changes not slowing down one bit!
People who do not have access to the Internet lack the ability to gain from these advancements. Quite true! It would be foolish to deny this. But how many people truly have NO access to the Internet? There are MANY ways to access the Internet:
Home/relative/friend's house
Library/Coffee shops/other Public areas
Cell phones/any area with a wireless hotspot
ANY home/building with a land line phone (dial-up)
ANY home/building with a clear view of the Southern sky (satellite)
Granted, there are some people who have many more options than others. I am not denying that there are "underserved" U.S. residents. I am saying that it would be foolish to assume that just because many people can't get common types of broadband in their home doesn't mean that a) they have no access to the Internet elsewhere, or that b) they don't have any form of Internet access in their home, or that c) people without Internet access in their homes must have it in their homes in order to become educated and conduct business.
Most people do have some form of Internet access even if it isn't broadband or isn't provided directly to their home. Those that have no access any type of Internet services whatsoever are a very small percentage of U.S. residents. The number of businesses in this situation is even smaller.
Many Internet and phone companies have essentially given up on being able to afford providing broadband to certain areas. There are some places, like my house, where they don't bother to install cable or DSL lines for obvious reasons.
The cost of installing the equipment necessary to provide these services to scattered rural homes would be enormous.
The income from rural customers willing to order the service would never pay the costs of installation.
Even if they did bother to run all these lines, etc., we are too far away from the source of the digital provider for a strong enough signal to reach our house.
These companies are not being petty losers. It's just really not within reason. There are many more complications that would take more time to explain (and perhaps I will post about it later). The stimulus money will help, but it's not going to solve our problems alone. We're going to need even more money–and probably several years if we really want to provide affordable broadband to all the rural and low-income areas. There's a long road ahead of this ambitious venture.
In the next few days I'd like to wrap up this discussion. Stay tuned! And feel free to comment! I'd love to hear from you!
Using Dial-up for Travel
The Internet has increasingly become a necessity for work, entertainment and education, to name a few. Many workplaces have broadband connections and people are switching to broadband at home every day.
While broadband connections are convenient for fast access at home, many people who travel for work, retreat to summer homes, or go on vacations will have to pay for another internet service while they are away, or do without. The latter option is become more difficult as the demands for internet access increase.
There is a simple solution for these situations—dial-up Internet. Although dial-up has lost popularity to it's broadband rivals, it is still useful (and sometimes the only option) for travel and vacation. There are many reasons why:
Dial-up is quick and easy to set up—just plug in one phone cord and create a dial-up connection on the computer.
Dial-up is also easily moved, since it works on any land line phone, as long as the username and password is correct.
There are thousands of access numbers available throughout the US, making dial-up one of the most broadly available Internet services.
If you decide to start using dial-up for travel, you must first choose the best ISP. Many dial-up providers do not have contracts or term commitments, which means you can quickly sign up and then cancel after a vacation or business trip. If you take this option, be sure you understand the cancellation process to avoid a misunderstand or a billing dispute when you get back from vacation.
Some dial-up providers offer a limited hours package for a few dollars or for free. If you travel often, this would be helpful alternative to signing up and canceling multiple times a year. Furthermore, if you keep the service year-round, you will have a back up Internet service you can use at home in the event of an issue with your broadband connection. Having a back-up is convenient and provides a useful troubleshooting tool. If you take this option, ask your ISP what the consequence would be if you go over your limited number of hours per month. Some companies will not allow you to connect after your limit, and others will charge heavy fees for usage over that limit.
Another important factor to consider is the access numbers. If you need dial-up for your vacation home or travel frequently to one or several locations, you can ask your ISP how many access numbers they have for that area. You must also check with the phone company where you will be using the dial-up to be sure the access number(s) will be local. Your ISP has no way of guaranteeing this for you, so be careful not to run up your phone bill because you forgot to check the access number.
Once you find the company that suits your needs, and you understand your terms of service and availability, you will have a stress-free, reliable, and convenient Internet connection away from home without paying a fortune for two services. You won't have to worry about missing an important news event or email while on vacation again!
Satellite vs. Dial-up Internet
The increasing popularity of and demand for broadband Internet propels the goal of providing it to the entire U.S. Many rural homes across the country, however, have little or no access to DSL and cable. Both of these popular broadband services require costly upgrades or wiring and is not considered worthwhile for many rural homes—some for now, others, maybe always. Until then, two types of Internet are often available for these areas: dial-up and satellite.
Dial-up Internet varies greatly from satellite Internet. One obvious difference, and often the deciding factor for many, is the price. The total monthly cost of dial-up is between 10-20 dollars a month and usually the set up is free—assuming you have a dial-up modem and a local access number. Satellite internet, on the other hand, has a monthly fee of 40-350 dollars a month (depending on the speed/download allowance you want). The total cost includes the price of leasing or buying the equipment (dish, router, etc.), installation, and other fees, such as repair plans, technical support, or contract fees. Even if you get the cheapest, slowest plan, you will have to pay at least $100 up front to get started.
Even a far stretch of the possible expenses you'll have with dial-up will not come near the price of satellite. A dial-up modem, for example, is typically between 20 and 50 dollars, but is usually already installed on the computer. If you don't have a land line phone service, you can consider that into your monthly costs.
Another difference in these Internet services is the connection speed. Satellite is many times faster than dial-up, which is the only reason people are willing to pay so much more. Dial-up can usually not be connected constantly, and downloads are painfully slow. However, many satellite plans have download limits and your connection can be restricted to dial-up speeds as a penalty for exceeding those limits.
Connectivity can be an issue for both satellite and dial-up. Dial-up can have trouble connecting if the phone lines to your house are old or a considerable distance from the phone company's central office. Static or other line noise can cause slow connections and frequent disconnects. Since satellite signals from the sky, inclement weather can cause disrupted or slow connectivity, which can be a problem for areas with frequent stormy weather. You can only get satellite if you own your home (renters must have permission to install a dish) and have a clear view of the southern sky. Just like with cell phones, you may not be able to get a good connection with satellite if you live in a wooded or mountainous area.
Getting started with dial-up is often as simple as a phone call and a configuration of settings on the computer, unless you order a disk to set up software. Dial-up can be set up on multiple computers and just needs a phone cord plugged into the back to get started. This means you can use dial-up while you're traveling or on vacation. Setting up satellite could take several weeks with ordering, shipping and installing equipment. The time and cost of installing equipment and setting up the connection on satellite is clearly greater than dial-up.
Satellite Internet is a viable option if you require a broadband connection for your needs and can't get DSL or cable, providing the pre-qualifications are met and no major weather obstructions occur too frequently. Dial-up Internet is a easy and affordable option for you if you don't spend much time online and don't want to bothered with fees and contracts, providing you have quality land lines and a working dial-up modem.
Dial-up vs. DSL
If you are interested in switching to DSL Internet services, you may be curious to know what DSL is all about and how it compares to dial-up. For the purpose of this comparison, we will assume that by DSL, we are talking about ADSL, the typical DSL connection available that uses a phone line to connect. Here are a few of the basics.
For starters, dial-up and DSL both connect using your land line phone line. Simply put, a dial-up modem converts the analog communication your phone line uses into digital information needed for your computer. The same thing happens on your phone company's end. Their modem converts the from digital to analog so it can travel on the phone lines. DSL, on the other hand, uses the same wires that your analog phone line used and bypasses the digital-analog-digital conversion dial-up must use.
Therefore, DSL transmits information much faster than dial-up, and works at a higher frequency (higher than can be detected by the human ear), and by doing so, it does not effect the analog communication (phone conversations, etc.) on those same lines.
The most obvious difference, other than the speed, is the price. The total monthly cost of dial-up is between 10 and 20 dollars a month with little or no additional fees including set up or equipment fees. DSL has a monthly fee somewhere between 20-100 dollars a month (based on speed desired and location), not including the price of equipment, installation, and other fees such as repair plans, technical support, or contract fees.
Most computers have a dial-up modem already installed on the computer, so there aren't typically many equipment costs associated with dial-up. Other than a land line and a phone cord, that is the extent of the "equipment" and "installation" costs for dial-up.
Availability and transportability are two categories where dial-up exceeds DSL. Connecting to the internet with most dial-up services is available to any computer that has a land line phone. It is not confined to the home where the DSL modem is installed.
DSL is only available in very limited areas. DSL is rarely available in rural areas because they are too far from the phone company's central office. The choices of connection speeds on DSL could cut in half based solely on your locations. Often, a few hundred feet means the difference of DSL or no DSL for suburban homes.
DSL and dial-up can be provided both by your phone company or through your phone company. While you can set up nearly any dial-up service with any analog phone service, DSL is usually only available with your phone company or a DSL company that partners with your phone company.
Many phone companies will not let any other DSL company use their phone lines, so this could even further limit or prevent you from getting DSL. If they do, further problems can occur in the process of communication during the activation period and the resolving of technical issues. Even with no complications, DSL usually takes at least several days to set up.
Dial-up has a very simple set up procedure that takes about half an hour or less (unless you are mailed a setup CD, which is often not necessary). Since it is so simple to set up, you can easily move the connection, set up multiple connections, and take your service with you when you travel or move. Rarely does your phone company need to be involved or even notified, other than to make sure your access number is a local call.
DSL is a fast, dedicated connection for those who require it for gaming, downloading, and streaming of videos, etc. Dial-up excels in price, availability, and simplicity for people who need to save money or don't have many other options.


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Complaints about insurance or advice
If you have a complaint about your insurance policy or any advice you receive on buying personal risk insurance, first take your complaint to the insurance company, bank or financial adviser that provided the policy or advice.
Insurance companies, banks and financial advisers are required by the Financial Service Providers (Registration and Dispute Resolution) Act to belong to a dispute resolution scheme. If your complaint is not resolved to your satisfaction, you can take your complaint to the dispute resolution scheme.
There are a number of dispute resolution schemes and the company or adviser will tell you which scheme they belong to.
The dispute resolution schemes are:


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Visual content related to children's healthcare
Time goes very fast and one more year is near to its close when we will evaluate our achievements or events occurred for 12 months and contrive something for next year. I'm a doctor pediatrician living in Kyiv (Kiev), the capital of Ukraine. Creation of website about children's healthcare with articles understandable and useful for moms and dads is in my to do list for next year. Childhood is divided into the age specific periods and my project will be about children of the first year... continue reading


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Saif Al Rahbi
Saif Al Rahbi Poems
- Our Old House It's as if I'm walking through valleys, filled...
- Bells Will Not Toll Tonight The storm in front of my ...
- Arrival When I travel to a country, rumours precede me ...
- From My Room To The Café In the morning when I wake up, the ...
- Steps I walk, I feel under my feet a sky, trembling with all...
- Music When I go out, I leave the music on
Saif al-Rahbi (born 1956) is an Omani poet, essayist and writer.[1] He was born in Oman in a village called Suroor. In 1970, while he was still in his early teens, al-Rahbi was sent to school in Cairo. Afterwards, he lived and worked abroad for many years, in Cairo, Damascus, Algeria, Paris and London among others.
Al-Rahbi's third poetry collection The Bells of Rapture (1985) marked his arrival as an important new voice in Arabic poetry. At the time he was living in Paris. Eventually, he returned to Oman and established Nizwa, Oman's leading quarterly cultural magazine. Currently, he is editor-in-chief of the magazine.
Al-Rahbi has published several books of poetry and prose... more »
Click here to add this poet to your My Favorite Poets.
Comments about Saif Al Rahbi
Our Old House
It's as if I'm walking
through valleys, filled with fear,
valleys I can neither touch
nor easily recall.
As if I'm taking that first step there,
I walk into our old house, and find emaciated horses,
the ghosts of our ancestors
wander amongst their neighings.
The door opens onto this desert of absence
a smell of grilled fish,
a smell of gas,
wafting from the disused stove.
The jars as they were, speaking to the corners,
and water still boiling in the pots.
The sheep have come back from the fields
except for the one a wolf ate.
Saddles and guns ...
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Early Damage Designs
glad they ended up giving him a nose.
he looks too much like a reptile creature in the second pic and too much like a luchador in the third. i think they chose the right look for the character.
I'm very excited for this, for obvious reasons! In a sense, it seems Geoff Johns will get what he wanted for the DC universe.
Looking forward to the first issue this week! I think Damage has the most staying power of the new dark matter characters if done right. And so far it looks like they've got the right idea, pitting him against some of DC's heavy hitters. I'll be curious to see how this all plays out
Yeah, the potential is huge. There are some really great interesting concepts in the new titles, but Damage (and maybe The Terrifics) has the biggest potential!
Nice thread, @GreenScar1990. (Not sure if you can "@" posters here, but still.
I just wanted to let you know that you misspelled the word "soldier" throughout your opening post and the title as "solider". It's a common misspelling, though it might be a good idea to fix it up. As the opening poster, you should also be able to fix it in the thread title, too.
Looking forward to trying this book out!
I'm surprised by just how much hype this character seems to be getting online, much more so then any of the other new Dark Matter/Age of Heroes characters from what I've seen.
I guess fans really want a Hulk equivalent in the DCU, we've had characters like OMAC before, but Damage is much closer to the Hulk archetype.
Not that it is a bad thing, I'm actually quite looking forward to this.
When you crush an ant beneath your foot, do feel remorse? No. Is this because you are evil or because you recognize yourself as a higher form of life? This is what the Wizard could not understand. If I have the powers of the gods, then am I not a god myself? Should I not be treated as such?
Last edited by GreenScar1990; 01-16-2018 at 12:11 PM.
DAMAGE Kicks Off DC's NEW AGE Line With Action-Heavy Story
A really cool interview has just been released for Damage over at Newsarama. Lots of cool stuff. And some interesting hints on what will be happening in the series and where it will be going. It's only going to get bigger and more vast in scope, plus we'll see some very intriguing revelations regarding Damage and those who created him.
Check it out!
The New Age of Heroes line from DC Comics is uniting some of the company's highest profile writers and artists to introduce new characters into the midst of "Rebirth."
First up is Damage, which kicks off next week with art by Tony Daniel and scripts by Robert Venditti, who admits the concept is a new type of story for him with its blockbuster, action-heavy approach.
The series introduces Ethan "Elvis" Avery and jumps right into his predicament as he tries to escape from the military. As Venditti put it, Ethan is "a guy who went into the military to become a hero, and instead they made him a monster."
Newsarama talked to Venditti to find out more about the series, why's this type of script is new for the writer, and what readers can expect from his collaboration with Daniel.
Newsarama: Rob, to tell you the truth, this book feels like it's very different from the things you've done before, particularly in the DCU. Would you agree?
Robert Venditti: Yeah, absolutely. With Damage, I wanted to do a style of book that I've never done before, have it be really big, have it be really wide-screen, have it be really bombastic. But like you said, I've never really had an opportunity to do something like that. And it's not something you see a ton of in comics at all anymore.
So I wanted to lean into that and have some fun with it.
That's not to say this series doesn't have its themes and isn't going to have strong character work. We definitely have mysteries that we're building toward. But I really wanted the first issue to be full of action, really in-your-face — just drop you down into that blender and pick the story up from there as opposed to a more traditional first issue where you might tell more of an origin story.
Nrama: Yeah, we pick up bits and pieces about Ethan's origin, but I assume we'll find out about it as we go along?
Venditti: Yeah, the origin story is part of the mystery of the series, and as it progresses — as Ethan himself starts to remember and learn about how he became what he is and discovers more about himself — the reader will make those discoveries along with Ethan.
Nrama: Let's talk about Ethan. He's part of the military, right?
Venditti: Right. Ethan's a guy who went into the military to become a hero, and instead they made him a monster.
Nrama: Or rather, "she" made him a monster, as he says in the first issue.
Venditti: Right, by the end of the first issue, you get to meet Col. Marie Jonas, who is the leader of the Damage Program and helps develop Ethan into this.
Her reasons for doing that — she is a military mind, and she's not some evil, mustache-twirling villain. For her, he's a battlefield asset. And if she can drop Damage off into a war zone, and if he can handle the whole thing by himself, then that's an untold number of soldiers that don't have to march in there and get killed or get injured.
She cares about her troops and she cares about Ethan. But she needs Damage.
Better to send in one Damage than 10,000 troops. And that's kind of the battlefield calculation she makes. And that's why Damage is so important to her and so valuable to her.
She, having come up through the military, has experienced loss on the battlefield, and in Damage, she sees an opportunity to make that stop.
Unfortunately, Ethan has to be a prisoner of the military to an extent in order to make that happen.
And what Ethan and Damage want now is to just be able to control their own destiny. Ethan did not want to become this monster, but here's where he is. And now he wants to have ownership over his own life rather than just be a weapon that gets deployed for endless destruction.
Nrama: The series features Ethan's inner voice, but it's almost like there are two voices in his head. Was that on purpose? Is that the Damage side of him talking with the more human, "Ethan" side of him?
Venditti: Yeah. Ethan can talk to Damage, and Damage can talk to Ethan, depending on what state Ethan is in. So when we open up the series in the first issue, you'll see that Damage is sort of urging him to break out.
Later on in the issue, you'll see Ethan responding, trying to rein Damage in.
It's that push and pull, where it's almost two parts of their personalities, separate from each other. They rely on each other and they're trying to find out how they ended up in this position and how they became what they are.
As you progress through the series, those things will be revealed, but it also gives you a sense of those two forces pushing and pulling against each other — and the extent to which they want to be in control of their own destiny.
Nrama: So when Ethan is in Damage form, there's this ability to communicate with Damage?
Venditti: Yeah, but I don't want to say too much about it. The two voices communicating to each other now is part of the mystery. It wasn't always that way, I guess we'll say.
With that ability of Ethan to communicate with Damage when he's in Damage form, there's also a return of a conscience. And that's not what the military wants out of their weapon.
So this kind of all goes together, the voices being a part of the character and the mystery of the series.
Nrama: Col. Jonas has an Amanda Waller feel about her, so it's interesting that by the end of the first issue, you're setting up a meeting between Damage and the Suicide Squad.
Venditti: We wanted to immediately drop this series into the DC Universe, and while we're reading about Damage for the first time, you can tell from this first issue that Damage has been around for a while. We're just learning about it now.
Jonas has had this program going for a while. Waller obviously knows who Damage is before this moment.
So as part of dropping this series into the DCU, we've established that there's already an existing rivalry between Col. Jonas and Amanda Waller.
Nrama: Not friends?
Venditti: They hate each other. One sees the other as just a soldier/yes-man who takes orders, and the other one sees Waller as a bureaucrat with no sense of honor in what she does. They hate each other.
But you can see why Damage would be useful to both of them. I explained why for Jonas, but for Waller, this would be a great asset to add to her Suicide Squad at Belle Reve.
So they are antagonists of each other. They're similar in the sense that they do things covertly. But the two of them would never recognize those similarities in each other. They see each other as polar opposites.
Nrama: You're also featuring Wonder Woman in upcoming issues. Is that also part of bringing him into the DCU, and will that continue for a while.
Venditti: Yeah, absolutely. In issue #2, he goes up against Task Force XL, which is the heavy-hitter squad Amanda Waller has put together. So it's the large version, I guess you would say, of Task Force X — characters like Giganta and Solomon Grundy and Parasite. It's her group of heaviest hitters. You know, the most brute-force of all the brute-force weapons that she has.
Then there's Wonder Woman in issue #3.
And the second arc, Damage is going to come up against Poison Ivy and Gorilla Grodd.
So as Ethan is on the run, trying to stay ahead of Jonas and trying to get lost in the expanse of America so that he can go on living his life and control his own destiny, he's going to encounter more and more characters across the DCU – including some I haven't even mentioned that I've already written and have already been drawn.
That's going to continue throughout the series, and I think you'll even get a sense at the end of issue #3 how the encounter with Wonder Woman is leading toward something much, much larger later on in the series.
Nrama: As you mentioned, this is a big, bombastic style comic, so it relies heavily on the art.
Venditti: Very much. The entire New Age of Heroes line, at its core and as its concept, is to be very artist-driven. So as a writer, this is the first time I'm working plot first. I've never done that before. But it's a much looser form of scripting where a lot of the action and pacing and things like that are up to the artist's discretion and the choices that Tony makes.
That being this type of series, we both wanted it to be something that was really wide-screen and bombastic and big and in-your-face and just have a ton of fun with it. And Tony is a great artist to work with on that style of book.
He's already drawn all of issue #2 and he's almost done with the third one, and it just keeps getting better and better — the size and scale and scope and the power on the pages.
It's so much fun to look at, when I get the pages and I see the them, even though I know what's coming, I'm still excited about it and surprised and having fun looking at it. So I think that will translate over to the reader as well.
Last edited by GreenScar1990; 01-16-2018 at 10:22 PM.
I love the fact that Damage is being thrown head first into the DCU. If The Hulk was put in DC comics I would want him to face heavy hitters in every issue. I would love to see Damage meet Etrigan!
TONY DANIEL Brings 'Big Art' Approach to DC's DAMAGE


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Nintendo's Wario Ware series is quickly becoming the tech demo franchise for the company. Not only did Nintendo create conceptual mini-games for its motion sensing GBA cartridge in WarioWare Twisted, the company used the DS launch to come up with some touch screen challenges in WarioWare Touched for the system. Nintendo's development team's wasting no time bringing the series to Wii in one of the wildest renditions that'll really show players what the controller's all about.
Wario Ware Smooth Moves was fully playable in demo form at the Nintendo Wii Preview event in New York City this week where we can see some of the crazy ideas the developers have for the series. In case you haven't enjoyed previous games of the WarioWare franchise, the series is essentially a rapid-fire succession of simple challenges that last no more than five seconds to complete. The randomness of it all means that it's never apparent what's coming up until it happens, which gives the game its maniacal flavor throughout its presentation.
The unique aspect of the Wii version of Wario Ware is that it takes into account the many ways of holding the controller, and recognizing the different ways it can be moved. Before the specific challenge is revealed, the game will tell you to hold the controller a specific way: "mohawk" means put it on your head, "waiter" means open your hand and lay it flat in the palm. There are other ways to hold it, too: like a drill, against the waist, in both hands. The game that follows the two second instruction icon uses that particular controller holding motion. In our demonstration, the "waiter" fashion had a game that you balance a broom on your hand by swinging the remote on the open palm. The drill style challenged us to shove teeth into a grandma's mouth. With Mohawk, we had to do several squats to pass.
At the end of the string of challenges was a "boss battle" that used a "Chauffer" style of holding the controller; in other words, like a steering wheel. The challenge? Drive a car and weave around traffic and road hazards without taking damage, using the Wii remote in left-right rotation.
The Wario Ware series has never been about graphics, other than its crazy visual style of nothing in particular, and the Wii version continues this trend by offering some wild game themes -- some were 3D, others 2D...some were detailed while others were scribbled. And another WarioWare tradition makes the Wii cut: classic Nintendo franchises. In one mini-game you fish in Animal Crossing with the Wii Remote and try to snag a tasty bass.
It's crazy and simple, but we can't wait to get the final version of this collection of wild and fun micro challenges. The Wii Remote was clearly made for this type of game.


text: My travels yesterday brought me back to the Chicago area to speak at Elmhurst College. These past few weeks have been great personally, just because I've enjoyed the opportunity to hang out with friends and family during my jaunts in the Chicago area. I arrived at Elmhurst and get prepped to do the Stayin' Alive on Spring Break program, and these students absolutely cracked me up. And many of them are taking part in Alternative Spring Break, which is donating your time on spring break to go to a community in need and provide volunteer service. Really impressive students. I met an impressive chapter of Alpha Phi women, and we busted out some of our favorite self-defense moves for your viewing pleasure. (pic coming soon)


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The NVIDIA Tegra Tab has been spotted again, but this time on a certification site. The Tegra Tab P1640 has landed on NCC's (National Communications Commission) site, which is the Taiwanese equivalent of the FCC, thus confirming its existence. The listing reveals some of its specs and a couple of images as well.
From what we know so far, the Tegra Tab is a 7 inch tablet running NVIDIA's latest silicon with a high resolution display and stylus support. This new revelation confirms most of that as well as the 1280×768 resolution display, a 5MP camera, a front camera, a 1.8 GHz NVIDIA Tegra 4 chip, a SIM card tray for 4G LTE or 3G, a micro HDMI port and Android 4.2.2. Techkiddy claims that the tablet will be announced during the IFA event later this week, so we won't have to wait long.
The Tegra Tab is certainly targeted towards the ASUS made Nexus 7 and its contemporaries. Whether NVIDIA will succeed in convincing the buyers is a whole different story. But looking at the specs, I don't think it will provide any competition to the Nexus 7.
Via: Techkiddy


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I felt a great disturbance in the force, as if a million voices suddenly cried out that they needed these Star Wars Valentine Tic Tac Labels in their lives, ASAP.
I'm so excited to share these labels with you! Our signature Tic Tac Labels have always been a huge hit, Star Wars is a huge hit, so it makes sense to marry the two!
All you need is a printer (or send them into a printing shop), scissors, glue stick or double sided tape, and Tic Tacs!
If you don't know where to get Tic Tacs, Amazon has many different colors to choose from that you can find here.
My husband grabbed these Tic Tacs for me, but there were no more blues. The cashier said a crazy lady always comes in and buys all their Tic Tacs (FYI, she was NOT referring to me). So either she's a fan of our Labels, or she's a Tic Tac Connoisseur.
I'm currently rethinking my Life Goals.
Once you have your supplies, cut out the labels, and then glue them on your Tic Tacs! CAN IT GET ANY SIMPLER?? I think not.
I just love how awesome these printables turned out! And you can use any flavor you want because they look great all match-y or switched up.
(And hurry because these printables will only be free for a limited time!)
Experience a Happy Valentines Day, you must.


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text: Hi dudes, I got 25 real high PR7 BLs 4 ya. I just tried them and most of them are working. The first 100 will get the list. I cant post links here so PM me. Dont forget to hit the Thank Button EDIT: Sorry man i am too overloaded, i cant reply that much mails... Grab it here for everybody, pls thank me if u think its worthy mediafire.c0m/?fvao3edg8wvo9vr (just replace the 0 with a o because i am not allowed to post links now. Maybe a admin can tell me when i will be allowed to. THX


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Friend's Email:
Subject: I have found a DVD that I think you would enjoy
|The Doe Boy
Actors: James Duval, Kevin Anderson, Andrew J. Ferchland, Jeri Arredondo, Judy Herrera
Director: Randy Redroad
Genres: Drama, Kids & Family
NR 2002 1hr 25min
James Duval shines in this vivid, affecting coming-of-age story. The Doe Boy follows Hunter (Duval)--a half-Native American, half-Caucasian boy with hemophilia--from childhood to his life as a young adult. His father (K... more »
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Well-acted, thought-provoking movie
sonytoao | Silver Spring, MD USA | 02/14/2004
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I won't attempt to summarize the plot because as the editorial reviewer notes, it is difficult to do so without the movie sounding cheesy or trite. But suffice it to say that the acting is top-notch and the actors do not force their performances like some do in indie films. The direction by Randy Redroad is outstanding; he doesn't resort to gimmicky angle shots to highlight the mystical elements of the story. And finally, the musical score and songs are quite moving and will have you rewinding just to hear them again. Highly recommend you use 85 minutes of your life and watch this film."
As Good As Indie Films Get
G P Padillo | Portland, ME United States | 08/09/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Talk about movies that slip under the radar! Almost nobody heard about Doe Boy and there really isn't a good - or acceptable reason.
Slowly paced this very gentle film packs an emotional wallop few films with bigger budgets, more stars and loftier stories could hope to achieve. Doe Boy is about Hunter - a boy with an American Indian mother and white father. Hunter is a hemophiliac, a disease seemingly unknown to Native American's. His macho father (a terrific performance by Kevin Anderson) loves his son, but is let down by the boy's inability to be more physically active because of the disease. As the film traces Hunter's story from childhood through his late teens, we see the difficulty of the relationship between he and his father straining and the inability of his mother to let him go and be the man he needs to be.
James Duval gives a performance that is positively incandescent. With relatively little dialogue, and through facial features, body language he fills Hunter with a sense of defiance and the need for acceptance, and the struggle of being different, in more ways than one. Acceptance and understanding do not come easy, but with the aid of his wise grandfather, a beautiful girl, and coming to grips with his heritage and nature, Hunter's journey is one that everyone should be able to relate to.
An amazing, nearly perfect movie.
Beautiful, haunting film
D. Pawl | Seattle | 04/22/2004
(5 out of 5 stars)
"From what I was told, the novel from which this film was based was quite beautiful and moving. If it is anything like this movie, I would definitely read it. The performances were strong, the story was engaging, and the struggles that Hunter, the main character, must go through, living between two worlds--the world of the Whites and the world of the Natives--is noble and heartwrenching to watch. How can he possibly "become a man" in the way his White father sees fit--through becoming a fine hunter (hence, the name)--when he can only shoot a doe? This also crosses over to his mother's culture, where shooting does is the ultimate sin because they symbolize fertility. Hence, the death of the doe is also the death of the generations. Hunter's generations may also be at risk for hemophilia, the disease he acquires--the White man's disease. This film tackles everything--breaking away from family, self definition, first love and the epidemic of HIV.
I definitely reccomend it. It is a fine film, and be sure to have Kleenex handy when you watch it. It is a real tearjerker."
Soon to be some kind of classic
sonytoao | 06/21/2003
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This carefully crafted drama is about Hunter, a Cherokee teenager in Oklahoma. His name is ironic-- he longs to be a good hunter and win the approval of his white father, but his first shot as a child brought about humiliation. He mistakenly kills a doe, earning him the childhood nickname, Doe Boy. Set in the 80's, Hunter is caught between many worlds-- the white world and the Indian world, childhood and manhood, the old red road and newly paved road.
Symbolism abounds but is never cheesy or overt; for example, Hunter has hemophilia, a disease that keeps his blood from clotting-- a "white disease." This affliction is closely tied into many things in his life-- his struggle to belong, his fear of vulnerability, his inner strength, the tension in his relationship with his father.
The story is subtle but incredibly strong and emotionally-charged. It's about the struggles of self-identity, father-son relationships, reconciliation, and healing. There is no melodrama or cliche in this film-- it's entirely refreshing. The dialogue is terrific-- often hilarious, never trite. James Duval totally possesses his character and draws you into Hunter's story-- his performance is really beautiful. I'd like to say that anyone at all who's mixed-blood in some way can strongly relate to this story, but I think its detailed uniqueness actually reaches that point of being universally accessible. I don't think anyone can see this film without relating with Hunter or caring immensely what happens. This is one of those 'must-see/must-have' films for anyone who values good stories."