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App Review: Call of Duty: World at War: Zombies II By Activision
by dermot on
June 11, 2010
Filed under Daily App Reviews, Games, iPhone Apps
Activision have released their sequel to their Call of Duty: World at War: Zombies franchise with their latest release: Call of Duty: World at War: Zombies II. The original COD Zombies sold like crazy and received raving reviews by players on iTunes. So its no surprise that they have published a sequel to the franchise.
Those looking for a complete rewrite of the game may be disappointed as the first thing i noticed about this app was that it was extremely like the first title. I don't mean slightly similar i mean exactly like it. The menu screen, the launch video, the sounds, everything is taken from the original iPhone game. Until i had seen the new map i had thought they had accidentally re-published there first game. I also took a look at the initial reviews and it seems there was quite a few angry customers who had also bought the second installment and were also disappointed that they were charged full price for what appears to be nothing more than a new map.
However, apart from this the game is actually great! The new map is enjoyable with allot more space and better graphics. They have also brought out an array of new weapons and some in game tools to help you diminish the zombie uprising. I would have nothing but praise for this game if it was more than just a new map with added weapons. However, as it is now I cannot recommend it unless you really love the franchise and will not be bothered by a relatively minor updated sequel.
What We Liked: the new map, new weapons.
What We Didn't Like: Appears to be COD:WAW:Z re-released with minimal update.
Dermot is a new reviewer here on AppChatter.com. His first review was Fruit Ninja.


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Yankton Native Colton Iverson's Stock is Up Heading Into NBA Draft
We're closing in on a month to go before the 2013 NBA Draft and Yankton native Colton Iverson figures to be part of the festivities.
DraftExpress.com has the Colorado State senior going 18th in the second round (48th overall) to the Los Angeles Lakers in the latest NBA mock draft.
Not bad for a guy whose career seemed to be stalled out after three seasons playing at the University of Minnesota.
But a transfer to Colorado State was just the right move for the seven-footer, as he tyrned in a season good enough to earn him Mountain West newcomer of the year and first-team all-conference honors.
Iverson recently told the Denver Post:
If you would have asked me two years ago, or anyone else in America, if I would be in this position, they would probably say no.
His season in Fort Collins opened plenty of eyes around America, but it was his performance at this month's NBA Draft Combine that helped put his draft stock on the rise.
Another thing that stood out for Iverson at the combine, her tipped the scales at nearly 263 pounds, making him one of the biggest draft prospects out there.
It's not necessarily a bad thing to be the heaviest guy in this draft, because there's a lot of skinner guys that won't necessarily be able to bang in the league next year.
Just about all of Iverson's draft preparation now involves individual workouts for NBA teams, starting this week in Brooklyn, with at least 15 more stops along the way before draft night June 27th.
This is the time of my life right now.
I'm enjoying being everywhere I've been.
Some people look at it as a tiring process and a drag, but I look at every opportunity as a positive and take it for what it is — it's fun.

subset: commoncrawl


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Soaked in sweat and reeking of cigarettes, Southern-fried and smothered in cheese, "The Paperboy" is, quite literally, a hot mess.
Director Lee Daniels' follow-up to the Oscar-winning "Precious: Based on the Novel `Push' by Sapphire" takes that film's ick-factor and melodrama to an extreme. It's got characters wallowing in bloody crimes and sloppy sex, all of which seems even more lurid during a steamy summer in the racially divided Florida swamps of the late 1960s.
It's certainly never boring, led by an accomplished cast of actors including Nicole Kidman, Matthew McConaughey and John Cusack who seem all-too willing to get down and roll around in the muck. This is stylish trash, shot to look as if it were made during the period in which it takes place, with a mixture of gauzy, dreamlike imagery and startling, graphic intimacy.
And yet, "The Paperboy" feels too scattered from a narrative perspective to have any kind of real emotional impact beyond simple, gratuitous shocks. Strong individual moments make you wish the vision as a whole had been more focused.
Daniels and Pete Dexter co-wrote the script, based on Dexter's novel, about hotshot Miami journalist Ward Jansen (McConaughey), who returns to his hometown to investigate whether a greasy swamp rat named Hilary Van Wetter (a deeply creepy Cusack) was placed wrongfully on death row for the murder of a local sheriff. He and his writing partner Yardley (David Oyelowo) - a black Brit, who isn't exactly welcomed into this small town - are there at the urging of the tarty, boozy Charlotte Bless (Kidman). A provocatively dressed platinum blonde of a certain age, Charlotte has become Hilary's prison pen-pal and true love. She insists he's innocent; these guys want the scoop.
Also along for the ride, as the group's driver, is Zac Efron as McConaughey's younger brother, Jack. A former competitive swimmer with Olympic dreams, Jack now delivers the local newspaper his father runs; mainly he lies around in his tighty-whities all day. Because, you know, it's really hot out there. (As Daniels himself put it when "The Paperboy" premiered at the Cannes Film Festival earlier this year. "He's a good-looking guy. And I'm gay. What do you want?")
Jack finds himself infatuated with the hyper-sexualized Charlotte. But he also has a comfortable, multi-layered relationship with the family's longtime housekeeper, Anita (Macy Gray, bringing her own brand of wacky to the proceedings). She's a maternal figure to Jack but she also serves jarringly as the film's narrator, recalling the torrid events in flashback; this feels like an unnecessary structural device, plus it makes her omniscient in ways she couldn't possibly have been.
Truly, there is enough going on here that speaks - nay, screams - for itself. This includes a scene in which Kidman and Cusack pleasure each other without touching from across a prison visiting room, and the now-famous moment in which Kidman squats over Efron on the beach and urinates all over his body to save him from a massive jellyfish attack. This is not as cringe-inducing as it sounds, and it's depicted in a hallucinatory way that actually makes sense.
Still, such moments (and the film as a whole, really) invite inevitable comparisons to another trashy film noir from the summer, "Killer Joe," which found respected, well-known actors (including McConaughey again, Thomas Haden Church, Gina Gershon and Emile Hirsch) slumming as desperate lowlifes. William Friedkin's film was also a guilty pleasure but it had the tension and narrative drive to create the sensation that it was going somewhere. "The Paperboy" feels more like a hazy slog through the swamp, where gators and goony yokels lie in wait to pounce on their prey.
Or they could just have another beer.
Still, the performances keep you hooked. Cusack is frightening - and frighteningly good - playing against type as a truly disturbed and unpredictable individual. McConaughey can do charming and ambitious in his sleep. Kidman finds more smarts and more fragility within her character than you might expect; the bravado and drive on display here are reminiscent of her chilling work as a delusional weather girl in "To Die For." And Efron? Well, he looks great. And he's in the tough spot of functioning as the straight man at the center of all these larger-than-life personalities. You've got to admire the eclectic film choices he's making as he grows up, shows some range and continues distancing himself from the "High School Musical" phenomenon.
Is there a point to all this? Aside from tawdry, voyeuristic thrills, probably not. And the film knows it, and that's fine.
"The Paperboy," a Millennium Entertainment release, is rated R for strong sexual content, violence and language. Running time: 106 minutes. Two and a half stars out of four.


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Oblivion (2013)
Oblivion Synopsis
2077: Jack Harper (Cruise) serves as a security repairmen stationed on an evacuated Earth. Part of a massive operation to extract vital resources after decades of war with a terrifying alien threat who still scavenges what's left of our planet, Jack's mission is almost complete. In a matter of two weeks, he will join the remaining survivors on a lunar colony far from the war-torn world he has long called home.
Living in and patrolling the breathtaking skies from thousands of feet above, Jack's soaring existence is brought crashing down after he rescues a beautiful stranger from a downed spacecraft. Drawn to Jack through a connection that transcends logic, her arrival triggers a chain of events that forces him to question everything he thought he knew. With a reality that is shattered as he discovers shocking truths that connect him to Earth of the past, Jack will be pushed to a heroism he didn't know he contained within. The fate of humanity now rests solely in the hands of a man who believed our world was soon to be lost forever.
Oblivion was shot in stunning digital 4K resolution on location across the United States and Iceland.
Oblivion Release Date
In Theaters April 19, 2013
Oblivion Credits
Starring: Tom Cruise, Morgan Freeman, Olga Kurylenko, Andrea Riseborough, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, and Melissa Leo
Written By: Karl Gajdusek and Michael Debruyn
Directed By: Joseph Kosinski
Produced By: Joseph Kosinski, Peter Chernin, Dylan Clark, Barry Levine, and Duncan Henderson
Distributor: Universal Pictures
External Info: Oblivion Official Website
Trailer 1
Trailer 2
Behind the Scenes Material
Movie Clip 1
Movie Clip 2
Movie Clip 3
Movie Clip 4
Latest Oblivion News
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The upcoming project is clearly still in the early stages of development, but Cruise did announce yesterday that he hopes the project gets off the ground next year. This means the search for a director is on.
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It takes a lot of people to make a movie happen. It takes producers and directors and an entire cast and crew. However, sometimes they still require a little help from people who aren't even directly involved in the production.
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Tom Crusie is one of the most famous movie stars in the world. The idea that you may not even recognize the name of one of his films seems completely insane, and yet...
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No One Hates Oblivion More Than The Guy Who Wrote Oblivion
By most accounts, 2013's Oblivion was a visually stunning film with solid cast performances and even carried somewhat of an interesting series of plot twists. However, don't expect any kind of adulation from writer, William Monahan, who claims his script was cut up and altered to the point that there was "nothing left of me."
JOSEPH BAXTER Jan 22, 2015
No One Hates Oblivion More Than The Guy Who Wrote Oblivion
Oblivion Director Joseph Kosinski Gets Backing For Top Secret Project
Media Rights Capital has bought a spec package pitched by Kosinski for potentially a high six-figure price tag. Details on the project are being safely guarded; not even a working title has been released. However, Deadline claims mysterious project is a "grounded action thriller" conceived by Kosinski and penned by Chris Cantwell and Chris Rogers.
Kristy Puchko Oct 15, 2013
Oblivion Director Joseph Kosinski Gets Backing For Top Secret Project
This Week In Home Entertainment: Oblivion, Mud And The Place Beyond The Pines
New releases are plentiful, but this also means that buyers may be holding back and pinching pennies in order to spend on the releases they've been waiting months to get their hands on. The good news is, there should be something out this week that piques your interest at least a little bit. You can read on to learn about some of August 6th's best releases, and maybe even a few that may have slipped under your radar.
Jessica Rawden Aug 06, 2013
This Week In Home Entertainment: Oblivion, Mud And The Place Beyond The Pines
Oblivion Will Hit Blu-ray And DVD In August, Will Get Early Digital Release
Joe Kosinki's recent sci fi effort, Oblivion, is prepping up for a jam-packed Blu-ray and DVD release and even an early digital release. If you want to get your hands on the flick as quickly as possible, you'll be able to nab a digital copy beginning on July 23. If you're wanting to holdout for HD picture or a slew of bonus features, Oblivion will be available on Blu-ray and DVD beginning on August 6.
Jessica Rawden Jun 05, 2013
Oblivion Will Hit Blu-ray And DVD In August, Will Get Early Digital Release
Oblivion Spoilers: Director Joseph Kosinski Answers Your Burning Questions
As you might have learned by now, not everything in Oblivion is as it seems, and the movie from writer/director Joseph Kosinski takes many, many twists on its way to the grand finale. Which is why it was such a treat to talk to Kosinski over the phone last week. With Oblivion already off and running in theaters he felt free to dig into spoilers, and answer some of the burning questions that we all had walking out of his thoughtful sci-fi effort
Katey Rich Apr 30, 2013
Oblivion Spoilers: Director Joseph Kosinski Answers Your Burning Questions
Pain & Gain Leads Friday Box Office On Its Way To $20 Million Weekend
Michael Bay's Pain & Gain cost a hell of a lot less than any other movie he's made, which means that this opening weekend comes with much lower stakes. So while a $7 million Friday take-- including $750,000 from Thursday midnight shows-- would spell disaster for a Transformers movie, it seems to be positioning Pain & Gain for a pretty solid debut
Katey Rich Apr 27, 2013
Pain & Gain Leads Friday Box Office On Its Way To $20 Million Weekend
Now Streaming: Netflix Instant Alternatives to Oblivion, Lords of Salem, And Mud
Looking to Oblivion, Lords of Salem, and Mud for inspiration, we've pulled together a selection of exciting end of the world tales, edgy horror stories, and mind-bending crime dramas.
Kristy Puchko Apr 26, 2013
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Weekend Box Office: Number One Gives Way To Oblivion
Big sci-fi action adventure starring Tom Cruise sounds like summer blockbuster fare, but Universal debuted it just a shade before the summer spectaculars hit. There was nothing spectacular about its $38 million opening, but it was still an applaudable start and without any competition the movie took an easy number one.
Scott Gwin Apr 21, 2013
Weekend Box Office: Number One Gives Way To Oblivion
Operation Kino 110 Review: Alone On Earth With Tom Cruise In Oblivion
In Oblivion Tom Cruise thinks he's the last man on earth, but he's wrong… because we're here with him, wondering why his movie is so derivative from a million other sci-fi films, and how we can steal his Yankees hat. We're joined by Kase Wickman of Next Movie to review Oblivion, and we also choose your answers to our lightning round question about directors who would be perfectly suited to TV
Operation Kino Apr 19, 2013
Operation Kino 110 Review: Alone On Earth With Tom Cruise In Oblivion
The Emmerich Scale: Your Guide To The Coming Hollywood Apocalypse
This Friday, Tom Cruise faces the challenges of living on an Earth almost completely abandoned by humanity in Oblivion. In June's After Earth, Will and Jaden Smith play a father-son pair who crash land on Earth, thousands of years after humans have left it. Next year Russell Crowe stars in Darren Aronofsky's retelling of the Noah's Ark tale-- the original disaster movie. Noticing a trend here?
Katey Rich and Kristy Puchko Apr 19, 2013
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Oblivion's Big Numbers Abroad Earn Tom Cruise Another Sci-Fi Adventure
Yukikaze centers on a battle for the future of Earth. Thirty years before, a hyper-dimensional passageway unexpectedly appeared over Antartica, and through it came an extraterrestrial fighter force call the JAM. This first attempt at alien invasion of Earth was beaten back, with the JAM knocked back to a planet called Fairy. But now Earth's second wave aims to traverse the portal to take the fight to Fairy.
Kristy Puchko Apr 16, 2013
Oblivion's Big Numbers Abroad Earn Tom Cruise Another Sci-Fi Adventure
This Rotten Week: Predicting Oblivion Reviews
It would appear a slow week for movies this week as we begin the steady climb through the spring and into the summer cinema season. But then I think, can't Tom Cruise just carry a week's slate of flicks all by himself? We shall see as he races off into oblivion
Doug Norrie Apr 14, 2013
This Rotten Week: Predicting Oblivion Reviews
Behind The Scenes of Oblivion, Tom Cruise Takes Olga Kurylenko For A Big Spin
The process of assembling the bubbleship looks like something you'd see in a fancy car commercial, with the white background and all those gleaming pieces, and the crew's delight at actually assembling the machine is evidence alone of just how much these kinds of movies usually rely on CGI. Seeing Cruise get giddy about the machine and climbing into the big rotating gimbal is no surprise
Katey Rich Mar 25, 2013
Behind The Scenes of Oblivion, Tom Cruise Takes Olga Kurylenko For A Big Spin
Listen To M83's First Track From The Oblivion Score
M83's music has been used constantly in so many films, TV shows, commercials and trailers that you might have convinced yourself they only make music for the sake of backing up moving images. But Oblivion will in fact be the first film for which M83-- a.k.a. Anthony Gonzalez-- has written the music, lending his ethereal, electronic-backed music to the sci-fi film from Tron: Legacy director Joseph Kosinski. We've been dying to get a hint of what M83 had brought to the film
Katey Rich Mar 06, 2013
Listen To M83's First Track From The Oblivion Score
Oblivion's Early IMAX Release Cancelled
When it comes to watching Tom Cruise kicking asses on future Earth for Joseph Kosinski's upcoming Oblivion, there isn't much opinionated middle ground. Either you can't wait to see one of Hollywood's biggest stars back in the sci-fi realm, or you hope the film is a galactic failure...
Nick Venable Mar 05, 2013
Oblivion's Early IMAX Release Cancelled
Tom Cruise Fights For Earth In New Oblivion Trailer
When the new posters for director Joseph Kosinski's Oblivion came online yesterday I noted in my write-up that there was a strong possibility that we would be seeing a new trailer very soon. Well...
Eric Eisenberg Feb 28, 2013
Tom Cruise Fights For Earth In New Oblivion Trailer
Tom Cruise Turns To Face The Camera In New Oblivion Posters
Late last year I noticed a startling trend in the design of movie posters for films being released in 2013. For some reason, just about every single studio was making one-sheets featuring the star with his or her back to the camera while standing in front of some impressive landscape.
Eric Eisenberg Feb 28, 2013
Tom Cruise Turns To Face The Camera In New Oblivion Posters
Tom Cruise Searches For Answers In Second Oblivion Trailer
Oblivion is set in a far and dystopian future, and centers on Jack Harper (Cruise), a court marshaled veteran turned repairman stationed on what remains of Earth. A place of ruins and death, Jack thinks he's alone on this world, save for his mission's partner, Victoria (Andrea Riseborough). But then he stumbles across a discovery that alters his perception and could change the fate of mankind forever.
Kristy Puchko Feb 13, 2013
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Tom Cruise Has Two Weeks To Save Earth In New Oblivion TV Spot
Oblivion blitzed the NFL playoffs on Sunday, with a TV spot that spelled out the deeper mystery of this Tom Cruise thriller. Sure, we still have the planet's most-bankable movie star doing his best WALL-E impersonation, cleaning up after a war that seemingly decimated our population. But then Morgan Freeman throws Cruise a curve ball, and Oblivion kicks into a higher gear.
Sean O'Connell Jan 21, 2013
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Tom Cruise Runs From An Unseen Threat In New Oblivion Still
We're interested in Oblivion for a number of reasons. There are a string of post-apocalyptic movies on tap for this year, and they'll mostly have mega-star-power. But only Oblivion boasts Cruise as a human WALL-E, left behind on our abandoned planet and tasked with a physical job (in his case, repairing drones) until he encounters "someone" who changes his direction.
Sean O'Connell Jan 18, 2013
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It would seem that movie-goers don't want our stars looking us in the eye anymore. We just want it quick, dirty, and, most importantly, from behind. Don't believe me? Well, let's do some quick mental time travel...
Eric Eisenberg Dec 24, 2012
Back To The Camera Posters Are The Trend For 2013
Watch The Oblivion Trailer Featuring Commentary Track From Director Joseph Kosinski
Director's commentary tracks on Blu-rays and DVDs are always fascinating because it's interesting to hear, for better of for worse, what was going on in their minds when they were shooting a particular shot or handling a certain part of the story. Doing a commentary track for a trailer, however, is an interesting twist on that.
Eric Eisenberg Dec 20, 2012
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Tom Cruise Uncovers Humanity On A Ravaged Earth In First Oblivion Trailer
The follow-up film from Tron: Legacy director Joe Kosinski, and featuring Tom Cruise in his first sci-fi role since War of the Worlds, next spring's Oblivion is looking like one of the most intriguing original stories of next year-- and now we're finally getting an idea of what it will look like
Katey Rich Dec 08, 2012
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First Oblivion Poster Takes You To A Distant Future
Given that Oblivion, the new sci-fi action film from director Joseph Kosinski starring Tom Cruise, is coming out in April, it's rather surprising that we haven't seen a trailer yet. Movies like Iron Man 3, Star Trek Into Darkness and The Lone Ranger, which aren't out until May, May and July, respectively, have all revealed their first footage already...
Eric Eisenberg Dec 07, 2012
First Oblivion Poster Takes You To A Distant Future
M83 Scoring Joseph Kosinski's Science Fiction Film Oblivion
The director claims that he was listening to M83 while writing the story for Oblivion and he hopes for something from the band, "that is both emotional, but at the same time can feel big and have a lot of space in it... very intimate but it also can feel just huge." By the sounds of it, since the film opens with Cruise's character working alone, the music will prove extra important to fill the sound space and, as always, provide the right atmosphere.
Jesse Carp Jun 28, 2012
M83 Scoring Joseph Kosinski's Science Fiction Film Oblivion
This Is 40, Les Miserables And More Teased By Universal At CinemaCon
A few hours ago I published my recap of the Bourne Legacy footage shown today during the Universal Pictures presentation at CinemaCon, but that was far from the only movie that the studio had on display at the convention. Over the course of two hours they showed off footage from every single film that remains on their 2012 calendar and beyond, including outrageous comedies and Oscar-hopeful dramas. And I'm here to tell you about them.
Eric Eisenberg Apr 26, 2012
This Is 40, Les Miserables And More Teased By Universal At CinemaCon
Melissa Leo Joins Tom Cruise And Morgan Freeman In Oblivion
Leo recently completed work on Flight, the new live-action project from director Robert Zemeckis, which co-stars Denzel Washington, Don Cheadle, John Goodman, Bruce Greenwood, Kelly Reilly, James Badge Dale and Brian Geraghty. She is currently working on filming the third season of the HBO seriesTreme, on which she plays Toni Bernette. The show will return this fall on the network.
Eric Eisenberg Mar 23, 2012
Melissa Leo Joins Tom Cruise And Morgan Freeman In Oblivion
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Now, that summer seems to be coming to an end, some of you may look back and realize that you have not taken a single day off, let alone a vacation.
If you are wondering about what you could possibly do during those last weeks of summer, consider staying with us, and taking a relaxing plunge in our pool, or exploring the area's wineries, or any of the historic sites along scenic Route 15.
For the adventurous of you we can highly recommend taking a trip to Purcellville, and getting your "butts" wet at BTI Whitewater. Enjoy the day tubing, canoeing, or rafting on the Potomac River, and ease into evening with a wine tasting at the nearby vineyards of Breaux. Pick up a bottle, or two, and enjoy them on our porch alongside the beautiful and breathtaking views of the Bull Run Mountains. Cozy up in one of our eight beautifully appointed bedrooms in the mainhouse, or the cottage, and let us serve you a delicious breakfast, and a fresh cup of hot coffee in the morning.
Monday, August 16, 2010
Dog Days of Summer
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If you currently have a savings plan in place, it's important to know how much money you are on track to accumulate. As the saying goes, if you don't know where you're going, any road will take you there. Regardless of whether you're saving for a long-term goal such as retirement or for a short-term goal such as a family vacation, it's important to have a dollar figure in mind. This calculator is designed to help you estimate the future value of your current savings.
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Join us at The Official PhilMusic Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/philmusic/
Sa pinipig, bukod sa pwede mo singhutin, pwede mo rin tikman.
I use a Squier Vintage Modified Telecaster Special (installed with bigsby) and a Gretsch Projet 5235. GAS-ing on a Fender Standard Telecaster. Pang jazzmaster kasi yung neck and pickups ng tele ko.
Shameless plug.... @Garner i have Epi Sheraton ii for sale hahaSent from my GT-I8552 using Tapatalk
hi brothers..I often use my Fender Strat...though occasionally I use my SGs..I like the tone and feel of the SG, but of course, due to it's aesthetic condition (horns), I refuse to use it regularly..what are your thoughts on SGs for Church use?thank you.
ito po ung saken mga sir:-Hamer Echotone -Yamaha Pacificaang madalas gamit: Fender Squier Telecustom I
OT: pa ot lang mga sir.. anu ano po ba differences nila kapag gamit sa praise and worship? natugtog din ako pero more on acoustic lang hawak ko instruments. noob question lang mga sir thanks.
What do you mean differences? Using electric? compared to what? haha sorry medyo naguluhan ako sa tanong. did you mean using different kind of electric guitars?
yes sir. un different kind ng electric? for worships. dapat po ba may specific? or kung anu lang yung preffered?
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"First of all, I am proud of things that have not changed in my teaching. After 35 years working with PreK-16 students, I recently discovered a journal that I wrote during my first year of teaching. In it I recorded the basics used in work with my group of kindergarteners. Those basics included strategies that would later be promoted as Reading Recovery, hands-on mathematics, and community-building initiatives."
"Re-reading the journal made me feel that those of us who are "born to be teachers" have a natural instinct for good teaching and learning practices."
"Secondly, I must admit that much has changed in my teaching, as well it should if one is a reflective practitioner. The greatest area of change is in assessment. Today, because so much of formalized testing is not authentic and real-world focused, what I create must be."
--Belinda L. Eggen, University of South Carolina, Columbia35 years teaching
The Teaching-Research Connection. This is a summary statement developed by the Research and Teaching Issue Management Team of the Executive Committee in 2005.
Principles of Professional Development. In 2006, this guideline was approved by the NCTE Executive Committee.
The Impact of the SAT and ACT Timed Writing Tests. In April 2005, the NCTE Task Force on SAT and ACT Writing Tests created this statement.
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"Binding the Life Coil" is an ancient quasi-mystical technique rediscovered to prolong one's life at the expense of one reproductive ability. It is a simple magikal technique that anyone can learn (a skill or feat). The promise of near immortality or a lifespan of a thousand years or more makes everyone want to learn it.
This technique has a price though, the amount of immortality is in direct response to the strength of ones reproductive spirit. Those that have never breed will live longer than those that have. The use of the technique makes conception difficult, if not impossible. So you trade the future of your society for the chance for you to see much of that future.


text: By Monica Reyes As a new puppy owner, you know that training, proper feeding, love, and attention are all on the top of your daily to-do list. Having a new pup is exciting and will keep you busy, so it's easy to forget good dental habits for your puppy. This article will provide a good


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Mike Harrison
Mike Harrison
Mike became active in CTC Lothians DA and in CTC Scotland 7 years ago and immediately made a big impact. Since then his energy and his willingness to take on almost any job at short notice has been a remarkable contribution, both nationally and locally.
His award for 2006 reflects his unique contribution after he was seriously injured in an accident after the CTC National Dinner in April.
Since then he has made a gradual recovery but remains wheelchair bound and has had to move to a specially modified flat. However during his recovery one of his major concerns remained his commitment to CTC Scotland, in particular to the 2006 Birthday Rides in Dumfries for which he was co-ordinator of the organising committee.
Despite giving up all his formal roles it was clear that Mike was not going to let go of his links. Once he was able to use his arms he asked for his laptop computer which he operated while lying flat. This he used to complete the handbook for the Birthday Rides which was used to pull the whole event together, and to maintain the Rides web site.
His fortitude in the face of adversity, and his continued positive outlook despite circumstances which might defeat lesser men, has also been inspirational. He is making a good recovery, and is once again making a contribution to cycling interests, for example restarting as the editor of CTC Scotland's 'Cycle Talk' and the CTC Scotland and Lothians CTC web sites. He has recently been re-elected to the vital post of Secretary of CTC Scotland, a role he only gave up to become a national councillor.
Mike was unable to attend the CTC Annual Dinner to recieve his award from CTC President Jon Snow so colleagues from CTC Scotland recorded a special presentation which was broadcast at the dinner.


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Shepard Abduction: Investigators deciding what to do next
The search resumed near Dayton Tuesday morning one week after Kathlynn Shepard, 15, was kidnapped while walking home from school.
Investigators said they met Tuesday to decide what to do next in the search.
Dayton Police Chief Nick Dunbar said investigators from several agencies met Tuesday to compare notes and to discuss how to proceed. He said searchers are planning to recheck some areas that have already been searched, and are also going out to new areas in the region.
Dunbar said analysts are trying to "come up with a definitive path" traveled by Michael Klunder, who authorities said committed suicide hours after kidnapping Shepard and a 12-year-old friend. The 12-year-old escaped at a hog confinement where the girls were taken.
Shepard's Family Talks:
Shepard's family is speaking out about the case and how they are coping with all that has happened.
Michael Shepard, Kathlynn's father, said this past week has been unimaginable. He said their family wouldn't be able to cope if it wasn't for all the support they've received from the Dayton community.
"It's like we have been here all of our lives," Shepard said. "The support is... I can't find a word to say what the support has been like."
The town of Dayton is covered in many purple ribbons. Purple is Kathlynn's favorite color.
Purple ribbons are tied around nearly every street sign and tree. Local businesses are also selling ribbons to benefit the family.
Authorities said Kathlynn and Dezi Hughes, 12, were kidnapped last Monday by Michael Klunder, and taken to a nearby hog confinement.
Hughes managed to escape and Klunder committed suicide.
Kathlynn's father said it's hard to put into words what the family is going through.
He said he'll never understand why this happened to his daughter, a smiling 15-year-old who loved people, animals, and the Minnesota Vikings.
He said the family will never give up searching for her, and they don't question if she'll come, just when.
Shepard said he is glad Hughes escaped. He said he has talked to her many times about what happened, and said he is her biggest fan.
Shepard said Klunder should never have gotten out of prison.


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Côte d'Ivoire's Emerging Young Entrepreneurs
Kone Gninlnagnon is a young entrepreneur who dreams of exporting rice from Côte d'Ivoire to the world.
But he knows the quality of the rice must be improved and tested in the domestic market first. Thus, a new business idea was born: helping to make homegrown rice more competitive. "We cannot win the loyalty of consumers with bad quality rice," he says. His project, "Riz Ivoire," would promote the rice that comes from the heart of Côte d'Ivoire and help deliver high-quality rice to Ivorian dining tables. He also wants to encourage other Ivorian youth to invest in "rizculture."
Now Gninlnagnon is one step closer to achieving his dream. His project won third place in the Start-up Competition at ICI 2014, the Fourth Côte d'Ivoire National Investment Forum that took place in the city of Abidjan in January. While the three-day event focused on investment opportunities in the country's key sectors like agriculture, industry, and infrastructure, the spotlight of the closing ceremony fell on entrepreneurship and the youth of Côte d'Ivoire, as they are the drivers of future growth and innovation in the post-conflict country. Côte d'Ivoire aims to be an emerging market economy by 2020. In 2013, the country's growth rate was 8.7%.


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WESTCHESTER COUNTY N.Y. -- William "Bill" Moye, 102, a lifelong New Rochelle resident, died Tuesday.
Born in New Rochelle on March 26, 1915, Moye served in the U.S. Army and reached the rank of Private First Class.
Following the war, became involved with VFW Post 2882 in New Rochelle and served as the chapter's commander, Westchester County commander and district chaplain.
Moye received an honorary high school diploma from New Rochelle High School at the age of 100 and was inducted into the New York State Senate Veteran's Hall of Fame in 2014.
He is survived by his sister, Jessie May Kelly, and many nieces and nephews.Visitation will be held at 10 a.m. July 8 with services following at the Shiloh Baptist Church.
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The peninsular region known as the "Free Cities of T'errock" has many legendary heroes and villains, but none so famous as Senach I, the mighty leader that first brought the country's squabbling clans together as one nation and became the first High King of Tir Earrach (as the land was known in that time).
The Hierophant's Tale
The High Druid Cuthbad, Hierophant of Tir Earrach, walked within the sacred grove of Dun Gleash, his weathered skin nearly as wrinkled and grey as the gnarled oaks that surrounded him. As he walked, his trembling hands reached out, touching the ancient trunks, caressing spring's new leaves as he passed them. In his bones, he sensed that this was the last time that he would walk this path, for he had outlived his era. It was time for him to rest a while, he reflected.
His tired eyes could barely make out the approaching form of his young student, the aspirant Ergall. "Lad, draw closer," ordered the aged druid. "I will be passing your training on to my successor ere the festival of spring, and I have many things to share before then." He seated himself upon a fallen log, his rustic throne near the heart of the grove. Surrounded by the wild growth, Cuthbad was clearly as much a part of the grove as the oaks around him.
His attentive acolyte approached the revered elder druid, and the ancient continued, "I was there, you know. Nearly 140 winters have passed since I crowned the first of the High Kings. I am the last of that era, the last who truly knew the man they called 'The Invincible'. I gave him that sword of his, you know."
Ergall nodded, for he had heard versions of this tale before, but never from the lips of the Hierophant himself. "All it took was a glance at Senach and I could see that he was destined for greatness. It was there, in his piercing eyes, his powerful build; he had the bearing of a natural leader. You should have seen him when he first arrived from across the sea! An exiled noble from the distant Sallvian Empire, he was ardent for battle and eager to prove himself…"
Arrival of the Mighty Hero
Months of wretched weather and miserable food had left the bookish Sallvian aristocrat half the man he was before his journey of exile began. As the fisherman's small boat carried him away from the Trangian trade ship that had carried him from his homeland, he clung tightly to the gleaming idols he carried, praying that the swells near the shore were less severe than the waves they had already endured.
Senek, favored son of Ukmeht, radiant Lord of the River's Turning, celebrated his arrival upon the shore of this distant land by vomiting the remains of his lunch onto the white sands. A brief pause in his stomach's rebellion gave him the opportunity to look up at a man in robes and an exotic woman standing nearby. While the man appeared to be trying to stifle laughter, the woman was staring at him indignantly. "Where are the traders? We saw their ship, they should have stopped here! Answer me, you foreign nitwit!" she demanded.
Senek was shocked by the woman's discourtesy. Did she have no idea who he was? He decided to give her a piece of his mind… as soon as he was done throwing up.
The legends speak of how Senach arrived from across the Warm Sea, exiled from a desert empire to the west, an ancient land with a cumbersome religious hierarchy that harshly enforced a rigid caste system. According to these legends, he was of noble birth in this strange land, but was frustrated by the way its political stasis stopped the land's people from reaching their full potential; this led him to unwisely try to seize the throne despite his youth. Betrayed by his allies among the priesthood, Senek fled across the sea, seeking a new land, one free of stifling tradition.
Senek Finds His True Love
"When mighty Senach arrived at our land, he was first greeted by the gentle Princess of Clan Mac Doulough, Aelglaem. Her heart was smitten at first sight of mighty Senach; it could be instantly seen in her soft features. When her aged father, the Clan Chieftain Brahgnahan Mac Doulough, swore bonds of blood and oath that Senach would join his war band, it was clear that his daughter had influenced her softhearted sire…
"Father! You took that jackass in? I don't CARE what weird fighting tricks he has, he's bizarre and talks funny! Even his name is strange; who ever heard of someone named 'Senach'? You've GOT to get rid of him, or I am SO out of here!" the Chieftain's headstrong daughter shouted as she burst into the hill fort's great hall.
Used to the girl's manipulations, the stout chieftain refused to rise to his daughter's bait. "Calm yourself, Aelglaem! Despite his many outlandish ways, Senach has a keen mind and is master of strange skills that our land lacks! Have you ever heard of something called 'Geom Etry' or 'Cartograpey'? He has shared secrets of building that will let us build forts of solid stone, invulnerable even to dragonfire!"
The beautiful girl was unimpressed. "As if I care! Don't expect ME to have anything to do with him!"
The Challenge at the Ford
"His renown rapidly grew; within a year Senach's fame as a warrior was such that the leader of Clan Mac Doulough's war band faced his challenge to mortal combat…"
The young Sallvian aristocrat looked like a different man after nearly a year in exile among the shaggy clansmen. He had (almost) grown used to their barbaric inability to pronounce his name properly, had shed his silks and linens for rough local woolens, and had given up on shaving, but local customs still often baffled him. As he stood at the edge of the rocky ford where challenges were traditionally fought, Senek tried one last time to convince his huge foe that there had been a misunderstanding. "I didn't KNOW that picking up your spear meant that I was challenging you for the right to marry the Princess! I don't want to fight you! I ESPECIALLY don't want to marry your Princess! You can keep her!"
"How dare you insult the Princess, you arrogant foreign worm!" the heavily-armored local champion proclaimed as he thrust savagely at his slender 'challenger'. Senek twisted aside at the last second, narrowly avoiding being spitted by the bellicose warrior.
The battle raged for several minutes, as the aristocrat steadily retreated toward the water's edge, desperately trying to find some way to stop the juggernaut before him. Nothing he did could penetrate the man's massive battle harness of overlapping bronze scales and shaped horn. The whole time, his implacable foe was steadily thrusting and slashing with his spear, obviously toying with the less-experienced foreigner.
As he felt his feet slipping on the river's muddy bank, Senek was seized with an inspiration. As his foe powerfully thrust at him, he seized the larger man's weapon, just behind its gleaming bronze head. He suddenly pulled at the killing tool, throwing his weight toward the waiting river. Both he and his foe plunged into the river's rocky embrace. As the raging warrior wrapped his meaty hands around Senek's throat, striving to choke the life from him, Senek wrapped his legs around his foes' armored legs, keeping the heavier man from rising to the surface. He couldn't punch through the man's heavy armor with the spear, but with his failing strength, he slammed the weapon's butt into the man's solar plexus, driving the air from his lungs. The hands around Senek's throat suddenly came loose, as the drowning champion's air failed him.
As Senek rose from the water, he could hear the impressed witnesses as they chanted their new champion's name, "Senach! Senach! Senach!". They never were going to get the name right, the exhausted man thought as he weakly clambered ashore to be greeted by his new fiancée.
"I suppose that I should thank you for saving me from having to marry that blowhard," Aelglaem observed pragmatically. "At least you won't be pressuring Father to make me marry you all the time."
"Augh," Senek grunted agreeably, his throat still feeling the crushing grip of his fallen opponent.
Immortalized in Stone
The weatherworn statues found in rural shrines and city plazas depict King Senach as a huge, powerfully muscled figure, anachronistically clad in full plate armor. His flowing hair drapes over his shoulders, and his right hand holds aloft his famous sword "The Blooddrinker". In his left, the statues depict him holding a large book to signify the code of laws he instituted. As the stone found in most parts of the land is unsuited for crafting large statuary, many statues in rural areas were carved from local hardwoods.
Test of the Warlord
The elderly druid continued his tale. "Soon after that, I was warned that the Empire planned another invasion into our lands. Knowing that we would need a warlord to unite all the clans' war bands, I sent word that each clan was to send their champion to the ancient grove at Tragant, where they would need to overcome the fell beasts of the grove and find the golden mistletoe hidden within. Many champions were slain by the horrifying guardians of the grove, ravening abominations, half man and half bull. I remember clearly the day the mighty warrior strode forth from the grove after defeating the fell beasts. His betrothed was on hand to inspire his victory…
The princess was relieved to see her bookish foreign champion as he crawled triumphantly from the beast-haunted grove, but was alarmed as she observed that something horrible had apparently happened to him: He was entirely encrusted with a foul-smelling paste and inexpertly camouflaged as a large shrub.
"What IS that filth you have all over you?" she asked her malodorous fiancée as the paste's revolting stench hit her.
"It's fanchweed paste; cattle can't stand it. I've heard of those bull creatures before; in my homeland they are called the "Beasts of Minot". They have notoriously poor sight and hunt by scent, so I thought that if I disguised myself and covered my scent, I could sneak past them," the young champion replied.
"So, you didn't actually fight the beasts?" she asked, somewhat disappointed.
"No; which is why I'm here, when all those other champions will soon grace the Grove of Excarnation, or at least the parts they can find will. Sorry to disappoint, Princess," he replied cynically.
"It's all right," she decided, after thinking for a bit longer than Senek would have preferred. "You're weird, but I guess I'm getting used to being associated with you. Now go take a bath and get that disgusting filth off. Cuthbad, the druid that arranged this, found some sort of an old sword and wants to talk to you about it. It looks like junk, but you should probably thank him, anyway."
Invasion from the Empire
"It was but a few months later when the enemy arrived. The Legions of the Empire were massive, their phalanx filling the central vale of Bran Lakas like locusts, their huge war machines towering above their army, pouring forth a rain of death. Senach led a charge into the teeth of the enemy, shattering their lines and driving them back in panic…"
"You're joking, right?" asked the puzzled Warlord as he attempted to understand the idiocy these barbarians called tactics. The council chamber was crowded with the kings of all twelve clans and their entourages, most of whom seemed to consider "charge at the enemy" to be the height of strategic finesse.
"You insult me and the bravery of my clan!" the especially thick-headed leader of Clan Faerloath replied. "I have spoken with the other clan leaders, and those of the true traditions spit on your cowardly ways! You tell us not to attack this army, even as it ravages our homeland! You are not a warrior; you are a puling lad! I do not want to hear your tales of your foreign homeland and its strange ways of war! We of the Five Houses will attack as we always have done before, whether you will join us or not! The gods of our clans will protect us, as they always have before!"
As the leaders of the Five Houses walked out on him, the frustrated war leader continued to plead for some semblance of intelligent tactics from the touchy barbarians. "No insult was intended; I just thought that we all wanted to WIN the coming battle. You may love your clan's land, but its disease-plagued swamps are likely to kill more of the foe than our warriors ever could. The longer we make the enemy hunt for us in that pestilential valley, the fewer of them there will be able to lift those long spears of theirs. Additionally, their phalanx maneuvers like an overfed hippo; if we can flank them, our warriors will annihilate them," he told the departing clan leaders. Not one even paused as they left the council chamber.
The leaders of the seven lesser clans, less eager for glorious battle than their more powerful allies, were all that remained to listen. Rethinking his strategy on the fly, the young aristocrat addressed the cautious leaders that remained. "Now that we have some volunteers to pin the enemy in place while the real attack proceeds, umm… I can give you our actual strategy. Earlier, I sent men to fetch every one of the boats from the villages downriver from Bran Lakas." Unrolling his laboriously drawn map, something none of the chieftains had ever seen before, he pointed out where the swampland could be crossed in force. "The Empire has no idea that we are capable of crossing these swamps. With these boats we can land our entire remaining force here," he said, pointing out an area well behind the enemy's left flank, "so, when the Five Houses hit their front, we can smash their flank!" As he answered their questions, he silently prayed to Nak-Pathet, his distant homeland's cat-headed protective goddess, that his little army of barbarians wouldn't be slaughtered piecemeal by the Imperial Legions once they split up.
Crowning of the High King
"After defeating the Empire's Legions in glorious battle, we all feared that he had fallen, as the leaders of the Five Houses had, but Senach was made of sterner metal than that. The surviving kings of each of the lesser seven clans unanimously chose him to remain as Warlord, as another invasion by the Empire was feared, but the Clans of the Five Houses aligned against him. A full season was taken up in bloody fighting among the Clans, but in the end, Senach was acclaimed as High King over all the lands of the Clans, with each of the Clan Chieftains becoming his liegemen, ruling over their clans' lands as tributary kings.
"Senach finally had the opportunity to marry his beloved Princess, Aelglaem. He was so much in love with her that he personally rode to the wild mountains of the borderlands to fetch a present worthy of her from the dwarves rumored to dwell in those lands, but his surprise was ruined by the men of Clan Llanfestann, who insisted in personally escorting him on his quest for the precious jewels of the Dwarves."
"Damn those fools," the outmaneuvered warlord thought as the gleeful clansmen escorted him back to Caer Doulough. Reflecting on his frustrated attempt to escape, he decided that there were worse fates than being shut up for a month-long "honey moon" with Aelglaem and an endless supply of mead. At least she was a fair tafl player, he concluded resignedly.
The Eight Princes
"The magic of the honey moon touched the young King and his bride, and they discovered that they had more in common than they had ever suspected. Ten moons after the wedding, the Queen gave birth to twins, the first of Senach's eight sons. She bore him a son every year after that, until a grand total of eight sons had been born. Each was fostered to the King of Clan Mac Doulough, their mother's kinsmen. Two fell to illness while still children, but the other six grew tall and wise. One joined the College of Dun Hagan, and several of the others became renowned warriors, stoic and unafraid."
"Dad!" Prince Caomhagen cried out in teenaged frustration, "Why does HE get to be Crown Prince all the time? I want to rule something, too!"
The High King, his hair rapidly thinning under the relentless stress that having several teenaged boys can cause, decided that having the princes fostered among their mother's kinsmen wasn't having the effect he had hoped for. Reflectively sipping a goblet of mead, the aging king contemplated how best to send the young troublemakers far, far away…
"You know, lad, when I was young, I tried to overthrow the Sallvian Empire. With the right men behind me, I'd have done it, too," the king subtly hinted, hoping that his wife would someday forgive him for convincing their sons to go to war across the sea.
Once his sons had grown to adulthood, Senach's second son led an expedition over the Warm Sea to conquer the Sallvian Empire, along with three of his younger brothers. Their attempt at conquest failed, but wrought so much havoc that it eventually brought down the corrupt XXII Dynasty of that ancient land.
The Prophecy
"When the end of his days approached, the High King rode off alone to seek the Grandfather Yew, hidden deep within the forest. It is said that there he gave up his life, that the ancient tree could watch over him and call forth his spirit in the hour of his land's greatest need, ready to ride forth and deliver justice and peace to its people. Someday, lad, you may wish to seek that ancient, sacred place, but I do not recommend that you do so now, for it is not a place for the young. Time weighs heavily on that forbidden grove and the ghosts of its past are easily wakened."
The ancient druid stopped to consider for a moment. That was it; he would travel to the Grandfather Yew once more. There, his bones would mix with those of eons past and he would have a few words with his young protégé, the High King that had gone to rest there so many decades before.
Hero Worship
In some parts of the peninsula, Senach was once revered as a demigod, sent by the gods themselves to bring peace and unity to the land. This worship is generally regarded as a rural superstition these days, but travelers commonly leave small tokens at his roadside shrines when they travel far from home. When a new leader is elected in one of the villages, the ancient king's effigy is paraded through the muddy streets to witness the oaths taken.


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The first-of-its-kind measure will allow the city to accept billions in private financing for infrastructure projects.
Just before the Chicago City Council moved to vote on Tuesday, Alderman Ed Burke stood up. The powerful councilman and fierce mayoral ally laid out what was at stake, saying, "this plan fundamentally permits us to build for the 21st century."
Moments later, the council overwhelmingly approved Mayor Rahm Emanuel's controversial Infrastructure Trust, a proposal to leverage private funds for city projects. An infrastructure bank is unprecedented on the municipal level, and may become a critical model for how cities pay for new building.
Infrastructure in cities is typically financed in one of two ways: either the municipality issues bonds to cover the costs or the state and national government doles out the cash.
Neither of those options looked particularly good for Chicago. Illinois is in fiscal shambles, second only to California in state debt troubles. Funds for infrastructure rarely make it out of Congress these days. And the city's credit rating is lower than it should be, thanks in part to the now infamous 2008 deal that privatized parking meters, which cost the city billions.
With their plan, the Emanuel administration is hoping to free Chicago from "complete and total reliance on Springfield and Washington, D.C.," says Lois Scott, the city's Chief Financial Officer. Here's how it would work: the Trust establishes a non-profit, manned by five voting members and a six-person advisory panel. City agencies would bring any funding needs to the Trust, which would determine how the specific project gets financed.
Some projects will be steered to the usual bond backing; others will dip into a new pot of cash from investors, who hope to reap decent returns. At the onset, the city plans to fund only one project through the Trust: a $225 million green retrofit of city buildings.
Since the Chicago proposal was announced, the city has received tentative commitments of $1.7 billion from investors along with letters of interest from the investment arms of Citibank, JPMorgan, and Ullico, a manager of labor union pension funds.
But the plan has its critics. Cate Long, a municipal analyst and blogger at Reuters, has argued the city shouldn't tie public assets so closely to private hands. She compares Emanuel's plan to a recent proposal in Boston to invest $1.8 billion in the city's infrastructure.
The additional 1.04 percentage points Chicago pays to borrow versus Boston is a much lower cost for Chicago than what it will pay to private investors through Mayor Emanuel's proposed infrastructure trust. America's urban areas need revitalization, but taxpayers should not have to transfer the benefits of their city's rebuilding to private investors.
The proposed influx of private cash has raised another concern. One of the letters of interest came from Macquarie Infrastructure and Real Assets Inc., an Australian company that won the 99-year lease for the Chicago Skyway, where tolls have shot up. Some local politicians are fretting over hidden user fees that Trust deals may require to pay back investors.
Alderman Scott Waguespack and three of his colleagues submitted a revision to the Trust that, among other changes, proposed levying "a cost comparison to traditional municipal financing methods" for every project. That amendment failed 39 to 9 yesterday.
As the Emanuel team prepped for the council vote, Strand noted that other finance departments were paying attention. Four major cities reached out to Chicago about their interest in a similar plan.
"We're certainly aware of it," says Lauren Passalacqua from New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg's office, adding, "at this point, there's nothing concrete." A spokesperson for Washington, D.C. Chief Financial Officer Natwar Gandhi denies that their office reached out about the Trust. "It is not on our radar," he says in an email. San Francisco made an initial inquiry but nothing more, and representatives from Atlanta, the other city Strand mentioned, have yet to return a request for comment.
But analysts on both sides of the privatization debate agree that as more cities feel the pinch of critical infrastructure needs combined with strained budgets, they will look to Emanuel's approach. "As soon as we start seeing some lessons from Chicago," says Rob Puentes, an analyst with the Metropolitan Policy Program at Brookings. "You're definitely going to some replication across the country - especially if they're doing it right."
Photo credit: Ari N/Shutterstock


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I'm very new to MFC & VisualC++. I'm using MSVS2010 Pro
I am trying to write/debug a simple form that saves and restores the content of some edit controls. It seems to work as expected, except the file saves only to the Project Folder, regardless of where I browse and select to save the file. I wonder if I'm missing a parameter and someone could help me?
(I hope this makes sense...)
My only experience is a little simple VB programming in Excel, so any specific examples would be much appreciated!Code:void CMFC_FileDialogDlg::OnBnClickedbtnsave() { this->UpdateData(); CFile f; //Kinda Correct, Works but still saves in Project Folder BOOL b_OpenFileDialog = FALSE; //this doesn't act as bool in CFileDialog? LPCTSTR lpszDefExt = L"bcr"; LPCTSTR lpszFileName = L"Car_Description"; DWORD dwFlags = OFN_EXPLORER | OFN_PATHMUSTEXIST | OFN_HIDEREADONLY | OFN_OVERWRITEPROMPT; LPCTSTR lpszFilter = L"BCR Files (*.bcr) |*.bcr|All Files (*.*)|*.*|"; LPCTSTR pParentWind = NULL; int dwSize = 0; int bVistaStyle = 1; CFileDialog FileDlg( FALSE, lpszDefExt, lpszFileName, dwFlags, lpszFilter, NULL, dwSize, bVistaStyle); if( FileDlg.DoModal() == IDOK ) { //CString m_strPathname = FileDlg.GetPathName(); //This actually gets intended folder name f.Open( FileDlg.GetFileName(), CFile::modeCreate | CFile::modeWrite); CArchive ar(&f, CArchive::store); //This seems to be the save & restore cmd ar << m_Make << m_Model << m_Year << m_Doors << m_Owner; //These are the edit controls we're saving/restoring ar.Close(); } else return; f.Close(); }
Also, rules seem to change from version to version? I have to "update" a number of undocumented programs. If anyone knows of any online tutorials I could read/follow along with that are somewhat up-to-date I would really appreciate it.
Thank you!


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Info Agency Main Banner Content
Basics of Budgeting
Only 39 percent of Americans have and follow a budget, according to the National Foundation for Credit Counseling. Having a plan for your money can help you pay your bills on time, stay out of debt and save for the future.
Here is a step by step guide to creating a monthly budget. Download this worksheet as a guide to help you.
1. Determine your monthly net income. This amount is how much you make after taxes and will be the total amount of money you work with in your budget. Also include any additional income such as college scholarships if you are a student.
2. Next, estimate how much you'll spend each month on expenses. In general, there are two types of expenses. Fixed expenses stay the same each month like rent and car insurance. These are bills that you expect to see from month to month. Flexible expenses change each month. For example, you eat different amounts of food and use a different amount of gas from month to month.
a. We often don't realize how much we spend, whether it's grabbing a coffee every morning on our way to work or eating out a few times a week. To help determine where your money is going, maintain a spending log of everything you spend money on for a week, even if it's as little as a 75 cent drink from the vending machine. Next, categorize your expenses into things you need (i.e. rent, insurance) versus things you want (i.e. vacations, entertainment). Be honest about your wants. For example, while you need to eat, you don't have to eat out, which is generally more expensive than cooking at home. If your expenses exceed your income, reevaluate where your money is going and cut back on the items you want, but don't necessarily need.
*Use this spending log worksheet to track your expenses.
b. As you estimate your expenses, it can also be a good idea to write the time of month that your fixed expenses are due. This way, you are less likely to miss a payment.
3. Don't forget to save! An important step in creating a budget and managing your finances is to set aside money for savings. In general, try to save about 10 percent of your budget each month.
4. You can also invest in your future by contributing to a retirement plan or investing your money. Consider your long term goals and risk tolerance level when figuring out what percent of your budget to allocate to investing.
Congratulations! You now have a plan for your money. You know how much you make and where it's going.
It's not enough to just create a budget; you have to actually follow through with it each month. Create a master copy of your planned budget then create a copy that lists all of your expenses with blanks for you to fill in the dollar amount. Throughout the month, list how much you actually spend on each item.
Once the month is over, go back and analyze your actual budget comparing it to the planned budget. Did you pay all of your fixed expenses on time? Did you spend more or less on your flexible expenses? How much were you able to save and invest?
If you were over budget, look at your flexible expenses like food and entertainment and determine if there are areas you can cut back on. For example, make a point to eat out only once a week instead of two or three times.
Make budgeting a part of your monthly routine and help yourself pay your bills on time, stay out of debt and better manage your finances.
Related Information:
- Download sample budget worksheet
- Download spending log worksheet
- Practical Money Skills for Life: Budgeting
- Mint.com


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Silver has attracted man's fascination for many thousands of years. Ancient civilizations found silver deposits plentiful on or near the earth's surface. Relics of these civilizations, include jewelry, religious artifacts, and food vessels formed from the durable, malleable metal. This metal took on near mystical qualities in marking important historical milestones throughout the ages, and served as a medium of exchange. The Mesopotamian merchants were doing just that as early as 700 BC.
In 1792, silver assumed a key role in the United States monetary system when Congress based the currency on the silver dollar, and its fixed relationship to gold. Silver was used for the nation's coinage until its use was discontinued in 1965. The dawn of the 20th century marked an important economic function for silver, that of an industrial raw material.
Today, silver is sought as a valuable and practical industrial commodity, as well as an appealing investment precious metal. Many countries now issue silver bullion coins, among them the Unites States, Canada and Mexico. Private issue silver bullion is also available from select private mints.
Although silver is relatively scarce, it is the most plentiful and least expensive of the precious metals. The largest silver producing countries are Mexico, Peru, the United States, Australia and Chile. Sources of silver include; silver mined directly, silver mined as a by-product of gold, copper, lead and zinc mining, and silver extracted from recycled materials, primarily used photographic materials. Today, silver bullion stocks make up a significant component of silver supply.
The American Eagle Bullion program was launched in 1986 with the sale of gold and silver bullion coins. Platinum was added to the American Eagle Bullion family in 1997. A bullion coin is a coin that is valued by its weight in a specific precious metal.


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abnTeX are LATEX macros that follow the rules of ABNT (Associacao
Brasileira de Normas Tecnicas). This lets you write your papers,
theses, and dissertations in full accordance with ABNT standards
without much effort.
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Google's Gmail, Apps Gets Voice and Video Chat
Fearful that the tone of your instant messages is sometimes lost in translation? Google on Tuesday announced that it is integrating a voice and video plug-in for it Gmail Chat offering that lets you see or hear the friend with which you are chatting.
Users will need to download and install a plug-in and must have access to a webcam for video purposes. Google has partnered with Logitech and Buy.com to offer discounts of up to 30 percent on several cameras, as well as free shipping, until November 30.
A $99.99 Logitech QuickCam Pro for Notebooks, for example, is available for $69.99, while a $49 Logitech QuickCam Communicate MP is now $39.99
"I'm a big user of Gmail chat. Being able to switch from email to chat as needed, all within the same app, is really great for productivity," Justin Uberti, a Google software engineer, wrote in a blog post. "But people can only type so fast, and even with our new emoticons, there are still some things that just can't be expressed in a chat message."
Once installed, click the "Video & more" link inside the chat window and select "Start video chat" or "Start voice chat."
The friend you are trying to contact will hear a ring and be given the option to answer or ignore the call. Users can then chat within the Gmail tab or pop it out into a separate window and expand or decrease its size.
Voice and video chat is available on Macs running Mac OS X v10.4 or later and PCs running Windows XP or higher. A link to download the offering will be rolled out to all Gmail and Google Apps accounts in the coming days, but it is also available directly at http://mail.google.com/videochat.
The video function was designed via open standards, "which means that third-party applications and networks can choose to interoperate with Gmail voice and video chat," Uberti wrote.
The offering was developed by Google teams in the U.S. and Sweden "so collaborating across continents and time zones is a fact of life for us, and it sure is easier (and greener) to click 'Start video chat' than to get on a plane!" he said.


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I Have Alzheimer's Diseasealz.org/IHaveAlz
- Taking Care of Yourself
- Reducing Stress
- Tips for Daily Life
- Helping Friends and Family
- Leaving Your Legacy
- Take Action
We Can Help
- Call our 24/7 Helpline: 800.272.3900
- Find your local chapter
- Join our online community
Live Well
You have a choice in how you live your life with Alzheimer's or other dementia. It is possible to live well with Alzheimer's by taking control of your health and wellness, and focusing your energy on the aspects of your life you find most meaningful.
Taking Care of Yourself >
Take care of your physical, emotional, social and spiritual health.Read More
Reducing Stress >
Don't let stress get to you. Learn symptoms and tips to reduce stress.Read More
Tips for Daily Life >
Learn coping strategies to manage day-to-day life with Alzheimer's.Read More
Helping Friends and Family >
Learn how you can help family, friends and children adjust to your diagnosis.Read More
Leaving Your Legacy >
What will be your legacy and how will you choose to inspire those you love?Read More
Take Action >
Learn ways you can make a difference in the fight against Alzheimer's.Read More
You don't want to live in the forefront of grief. Living with Alzheimer's disease is a balance.
Karel S., person living with Alzheimer's
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The Pioneer has become a neighborhood spot. Great vibe, cool booths, nice bar, requisite memorabilia from the local college (University of Denver aka DU), and a staff that lives to treat you right.
Stop by to check out our daily specials and enjoy the weather on our rooftop patio!
Enter your email below to sign up for the latest specials & promos.


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September 29, 2011
Smoking in the Mallway
Professional hot dog chefs Mark Querry, Charles Dawson and John Nestor arrange nearly one million hot dogs on the grill for hungry students attending Welcome Back Day Wednesday on the downtown campus. The weather was fine and a large crowd of Fall Quarter students took advantage of games, prizes, information booths and plenty of free food. The Delaware Campus students will enjoy a similar event today.
And they're OFF!
Runners in the Central Ohio Symphony 5K Run/Walk depart from the Columbus State Delaware Campus on September 24. The first-annual event to benefit the symphony welcomed 60 runners and walkers and many volunteers to the campus on a cool fall day perfect for running! Columbus State was a co-sponsor of the run. According to Pat Fabrisi, assistant director of the Delaware Campus, there were participants of all types including "a family walking the route, an octogenarian who finished the race with a remarkable time, a group of high school friends celebrating their 30th reunion, as well as experienced and novice runners striving for a personal best."
Advising Services will host nearly 50 colleges and universities at the annual Transfer Fair, Thursday, October 6 from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Nestor Hall Student Lounges. The Transfer Fair is the perfect opportunity for Columbus State students to explore their options for transferring their Columbus State credits to a four-year institution to complete their bachelor's degrees. Of course the Transfer Fair is free and open to the public. Tell your students!
Student Ambassadors to host second annual Statewide Leadership Conference
The Columbus State Student Ambassador Leadership Program will host the second annual conference "Above the Expected: Beyond Leadership" Friday and Saturday, November 4 and 5 in the Columbus State Conference Center. The Conference is being offered to students enrolled in colleges and universities statewide. More than 30 different presenters will offer sessions on the changing face of leadership. The cost is only $20 per student to attend, or $10 each for groups of ten. More information on the conference is available online at www.cscc.edu/cslc. Tell your students about this great opportunity to meet other students from across Ohio, and learn about leadership.
Technology Brown Bag Series Autumn 2011
The following sessions will be presented by Mary Reiter, associate professor of Social Sciences and Technology lead instructor. The one-hour brown bag sessions are offered at noon in CT.
September 30: Welcome to Blackboard, Groupwise, and Voicemail: Tips, Tricks, and Techniques
This session is for new members of the Columbus State community. Get help getting started with some of the basic tools available on campus. When and Where: 12:00 -1:00 p.m. in CT 106
October 7: Using Google Tools to Teach!
This session will explore some free tools available from Google and discuss how to incorporate them into your classroom.
When and Where: 12:00 - 1:00 p.m. in CT 106
October 14: Power Blackboarding
Build some mad Blackboard skills. This session will teach you how to move beyond white screens and text and turn Blackboard into an engaging classroom.
When and Where: 12:00 - 1:00 p.m. in CT 106
October 28: Building the Social Classroom
In today's world, we have to assume social is the default. How can you use this idea to create a classroom that will prepare your students to succeed in today's world? Come to this session and see!
When and Where: 12:00 - 1:00 p.m. in CT 107
November 4: Effective Ways to Deal with Student Laptop Use in Class
Distracted students have lower success rates, and laptops can be very distracting in the classroom. This session will explore ways to deal with student laptop use and how to recapture the attention of the distracted student.
When and Where: 12:00 - 1:00 p.m. in CT 106
November 18: New and Innovative Technology Sharing Session
Are you using a new technology that you think others would be interested in trying out? Come to this session and share it with your colleagues.
When and Where: 12:00 - 1:00 p.m. in TBA
Click here to view PDF brochure of all sessions.
Upcoming ITDL Seminars:
Basics of Second Life for Educators
Second Life has taken the planet by storm and has found its way into academia. Please join us for a sensible overview and hands-on introduction to the world of Second Life. During this session you will learn the basics of Second Life so that you can then use the virtual world to enhance the teaching and learning process.
When: Tuesday, October 4 (11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.) - Register
Where: Innovation Center CT 106
Micro lectures: Reinventing the Traditional Lecture
Could you condense a one-hour classroom talk into an effective five-minute-or-less presentation? That's the goal of micro lectures. David Penrose, Director of Academic Technology at Antioch University in Yellow Springs, will be our guest speaker, illustrating how to create, deliver, and manage micro learning using off-the-shelf products. Penrose will be available to answer questions and provide guidance as you discover how you can maximize results by using minimal lectures and optimal engaging activities.
When: Friday, October 7 (1:00 - 4:00 p.m.) - Register
Where: Innovation Center, CT 106
More Thurber House Events:
A special free reception and reading featuring one of Columbus's most acclaimed writers, Lee Martin, will be held at Thurber Center on Tuesday, October 4. Martin was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. He is an OSU Professor whose latest book is Break the Skin.
Thurber Center is located at 91 Jefferson Ave. - right next door to Thurber House.
Drinks and light hors d'oeuvres will be served at 6:00 p.m. with the reading beginning at 7:00 p.m. For more information about this event contact Anne Touvell at email@example.com, or call 614-464-1032 x. 10.


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In a realm dominated by hoary old towers with equally old wizards haranguing terrified apprentices and would be magicians spending the better part of their youth toiling away as slaves for their elderly mentors, Cinque-Parte Polygnostic is equal parts anomaly and affrontery.
Johannes Cinque, the Wand-Maker
One of the original founders of CP Polygnostic, Johannes Cinque was considered a mediocre magician by his dour and balding master who did not shed two tears when his apprentice of sixteen years threw his hands up in the air and quit his studies. Cinque excelled in the crafting of magical items as well as being proficient, if not gifted, in the realm of alchemy.
Hillsong Parte, the Oracle
Most are surprised to discover that the other cofounder of CP Polygnostic is not only a centaur, but a female centaur, and later the wife of Johannes Cinque. Counterpart to Johannes, Hillsong is a competent sorceress and while things of potions and powders are strange to her, magic is innate, and her intuition borders on the supernatural.
The Dark Patron
There are certain folk, immune to the passage of time, who are able to see things that even the most long in the tooth of human magi are quick to overlook. Dro'hizzir, a lord of Pulca and the leader of the elven Shadow Warriors, saw that the human Cinque had a gift for crafting magical items, but lacked focus or purpose in his work. Considered demented by the other lords of Pulca, Dro'hizzir became a distant and slightly malignant benefactor for Cinque as he hobbled along selling magical charms and doing unlicensed commission work for nobles who didn't want the pay guildmage rates. Some consider it a stroke of genius, others a gift from madness, but it was simple pragmaticism that drove the dark elf to bring Hillsong and Johannes together.
Given his ability to remain unseen, it was a simple matter to dose the two with love potions, causing the man and centauress to fall in love with each other. It was a simple thing that a married man produced more and better work than a bachelor, and rumor he heard among the humans was that a sturdy woman with strong hips was best to have. It was simple for the elf to find the 1100 pound Hillsong and her impressive hips, and even simpler for him to bait her to find Johannes and his meager cottage shop.
A Cottage Industry
Hillsong and Johannes worked well together, and despite the alchemical induction of their relationship, the duo would eventually fall in genuine love with each other. They combined their knowledge of magic and alchemy and created a unique potion that allowed them to have children together, though Johannes' sons and daughters all happen to be centaurs. This was all well and good for the duo, and their regular goods, amulets of protection and rings that detected poison made them decent money, it was a far cry from the arsenal of human made magical weapons that Dro'hizzir expected to reap for use in the shadow wars against the enemies of the dark elves. But he knew that such notions would take time to come to fruition.
During this time, hunger and famine were taking a toll on the vitality of the shadow warriors of Pulca as the enemies of the dark elves had made advances and forced the dark elves to abandon a number of valuable food production areas on the underground realms. During his last foray to the surface realms Dro'hizzir discovered a strange magical contraption that defied the law of conjuring food from magic. Goeric's Bountiful Creel was left in an area where Johannes would find it, ironically when he was taking a day off to fish from the local river.
Recognizing the high quality of the creel and correctly guessing it as being Kitionan handiwork, he took it up and placed his days catch into it. It was a matter of delight that the handful of small glass-eye brim that he caught grew into a catch large enough that the entire family had fresh fish instead of watery fish stew for dinner. Two months later the couple had deduced the magical nature of the creel.
The Master Reveals Himself
It was a short time after this that Dro'hizzer revealed himself to the now engaged couple and their three children. Though he did not reveal his hand in their union, or the discovery of the creel, he requested of them a bite to eat. Generous to a fault, Hillsong fed the dark elf well. Still they were wary, for they had heard the tales of the dark elves, murdering everything they pillaged across with their silver scimitars, commanding war packs of panthers and black lions to devour their foes, and being able to poison a foe with a glance of their magical eyes.
Antigony Cinque-Parte, the Sculptress
Drawn to the arts of shaping stone, Antigony was the eldest of the couple's children and recognized the stranger as the Lurker, for she had seen him atimes when he came to spy on the family. She knew that he had left the creel for her father to find. As a mostly white centaur, her skin is predisposed to sunburn and the hair of her head is very pale.
Dro'hizzer stayed as a guest of the family for a time, and paid them what seemed very generous for replicas of the magical creel. Employing her children, as well as several village children, Hillsong had the creels woven in short order and even made both friends and money teaching the children the finer points of centaur basket weaving and wickerworking. The elf found Antigony to be a constant follower and would delve every bit of stone lore from the elf that she could, often asking him to sit for her. Now few things can stroke the ego of an elf quite like sitting for a sculpture, and the centauress was talented, though her skill was still young and raw.
These Boots Were Made for Walking…
The creels completed and the famine gone from Pulca, Dro'hizzer found himself no longer subjected to questions about his sanity. His vanity was much greater as his lodging on the surface was now a stone built room in a proper stone house, and in the courtyard, his likeness was rendered from grey stone. Having recently been attacked by an errant priest and demon slayer, the dark elf found himself in possession of a unique pair of boots. The priest's Gravestompers, with their silver fittings and religious images were pleasing to the dark elf. Unlike most of the common boots of this type, the boots Dro'hizzer obtained were enchanted to protect the wearer from the undead, as well as being baneful to the undead. Having a long running feud with a seven century old vampire lord, prudence demanded that he have an ample supply of these magical boots.
It was a simple matter and soon the now some years wed Cinque-Parte family was turning their minds to acquiring boots and granting them the proper enchantments. Having experience with the creels, the enchantment of the boots was much easier. It also helped that the couple had taken on no fewer than four students, of which only one was one of their own children. Within three years, most of Dro'hizzer's Shadow Warriors were garbed with line leather boots that gave them an unexpected advantage over their vampiric rivals.
The Unofficial School
It was local common knowledge that the Cinque-Partes were not only well off and beneficial wizardly folk, but unlike the pederastic magi in their phallic towers, they Cinque-Partes were decent folk, a man a wife, several children. The sort of place that the children of the villages would go when they could. Hillsong was a natural teacher, and Johannes, now a bit heavy around the midsection was considered well educated by the locals and nobles even if he couldn't name all 400 celestial beings or correctly calculate the Sidereal date. Construction became constant and the family attracted not only petitioners to learn everything from basketweaving to enchantment, they also attracted other patrons, such as weavers looking for work, or scribes looking to pass on their art in exchange for food and lodging. It was a haphazard time of informal classes, non-existent schedules, and general anarchy.
The Brilliant Prank
It is still a mystery how the vial made it's way to the nascent school, but the Korinthan Cracker Powder made the school, just as it almost destroyed it. The vial has half empty when found, after a student had used some of it's contents to scare other students in a prank. The vial was taken to Johannes who was able, after some arduous study, to determine what it was, and more surprisingly, how to manufact the powder as well. The same mode that brought the vial to the school, carried this discovery back to Korinth. As can be expected, the Thieve's Guild was VERY unhappy about the discovery and dispatched a team of assassins to eliminate the school, destroy the records and seize all of the Cracker powder that had been illegally made.
The assassins made a great show of destroying much of the school's original buildings, wounding several innocents, and invoking the ire of Dro'hizzer. The dark elf defeated the assassins and in a moment of uncharacteristic sentimentality used both his innate ability as an elf to heal, and a irreplaceable drop of magical potion, he saved the lives of Antigony and her mother Hillsong though the elves of Pulca no longer required their aide. Now, when the Shadow Warriors battled the Thieve's Guild in Korinth, it was a matter of principle and pride as the thieves had attacked something the elves considered under their possession.
Fire of the Mind
The years of magical research and practical application of enchantments and sorcery had given Johannes a unique view of magic. This would be taken to another level of understanding after an unexpected run in with a Godkiss butterfly. None knew he had a parasitic infection in his brain, but during the creature's incubation Johannes worked feverishly writing what would be the culmination of his life's work, The Enchanter's Rubric. This book laid out in plain detail the mode of preparing a mundane item to be enchanted and how to modify difficult spells to be placed into items.
The primary use of this work was the manufacting of wands, the most common tools of wizardry, though more ordinary magic items, such as Staves of Servants could be created, along with self sweeping brooms, animated furniture and the like. More in depth applications can be found by diligent readers, such as creating magical weapons and armor and such.
In game terms, access to the Enchanter's Rubric can provide a situational bonus to the roll to create a magical item. If the wizard in question lacks the basic skills to enchant an item, the book grants the ability to enchant an item ala a Tome of Golems.
Sadness and Grief
After his many long years, the emergence of the adult Godkiss butterfly was more than the venerable Johannes could survive. The elderly human, now many times a grandfather, was then in his late eighties. Hillsong, herself nearly a decade his senior and increasingly lame in her front longs did not long survive his passing. It was with a surprisingly heavy heart that Dro'hizzer left the the grounds of the school, naught to return again. His experiment had done well for him and his people, and the pain he felt at the natural deaths of mortal creatures left him feeling vulnerable and weak.
The Foundation Laid
Antigony would step up and take the place as the Headmaster and officially name the school Cinque-Parte Polygnostic, to honor her father and her mother. With the wealth her parents had made and saved, and the generous donations of various parties who liked to see less money in wizard's wiry old hands, a new campus was built. The new school kept the open and friendly feeling of the old one, with wide courtyards that were as much places for play as they were gardens. A meandering river slunk through the grounds and fishing was encouraged though the original creel had since done as many magic items are wont to do, having slipped away some years before, unnoticed.
The central plaza of the CP Polygnostic is dominated by a statue of an elf, his face stern but wise. When carved in stone, there are precious few differences between a forest elf and a dark elf. Most properly educated mages consider the school to be an abomination on the face of magic, rending away the mysticism around the arts and turning their ability to make students into slaves for years on end into idle dreams of the past. Even worse, in their eyes, mundane arts are taught as well. It seemed that nothing could sully the school further in their rheumy old eyes, but then the old men discovered that a student could be learning something as crude and base as basketweaving, pottery making, or fishing, or riding horses. Students of the arcane arts were intended to spend their hours with hands cramping from endless scribery, their eyes strained from working in too little light and quivering with fear over upsetting their magical mentor.
Yet the old men's fears were in large part unfounded. The school, though offering a vast variety of skills was rather limited in it's magical stock. Most of it revolved around enchantment and alchemy. So potions and basic magic items were being produced in good numbers, as were a number of magical arms and armor, but nothing like the truly eldritch powers commanded by the evokers, and pyromancers, and fiendish necromancers of the black towers.
CP Polygnostic is much like a modern vocational school, offering relevant courses and study and applicable knowledge. This compares with the wizards and their apprentice based system being more like the traditional universities. A Polygnostic student isn't going to learn ancient and arcane languages, magical history, or strange and obscure spells. They will know the basics, and will be able to a couple of things fairly well when they 'graduate'. This graduation, unfortunately, is not recognized by any Mage's Guild, which will require a second apprenticeship for such students, or by more powerful, wealthy, and influential personages. Besides, only those who couldn't stand up to the real rigors of magical study run away to Polygnostic.
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Suggested Submissions
- Dro'Hizzir NPCs By: Royal_Assassin
- Godkiss Butterfly Lifeforms By: Roack
- Goeric's Bountiful Creel Items By: Dozus
- Gravestompers Items By: Harvengure
- Korinthan Cracker Powder Items By: Ancient Gamer
- Staves of Servants Items By: Scrasamax