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Archives for: September 2005
Brown Rice Tortilla's..September 25th, 2005 , by admin
Food for life makes a brown rice tortilla. They are delicate, but they are also fast and easy. I opened up a can of refried black beans (no beef whatsoever, the brand name escapes me) and spread it on a warmed tortilla wrap. I added a romain leaf and rolled it up. It was tasty and ridiculously easy.
I am a little frustrated with the two year old's eating habits. It is normal of course, but disappointing. We are stuck on gluten free bread and peanut butter. It is almost as if he has stopped eating veggies completely. I think I will have to start hiding veggies in the french toast again!
Last week, I baked apricot walnut gluten free muffins. They turned out quite nice.
1 can of whole apricots in juice
2 eggs
1 cup of buckwheat flour
1 cup of brown rice flour
1/4 cup tapioca flour
1 1/2 tsp of baking powder
1 1/2 tsp of baking soda
a pinch of salt
1/2 cup of brown sugar
3 tablespoons of walnut butter
Mix the eggs and apricots in a food processor. Combine dry ingredients well and then add your liquids. Add raisins last, and taste the mix. If necessary add more brown sugar. Bake in the oven at 350 degrees for 20 - 30 minutes.
My six year old is so funny. He smelled the muffins immediately as it came out of the oven and said "Yuck! It smells like poop." We then had a talk about hurting people's feelings and how he could have expressed his opinion differently. Two hours later as we were driving to school, he gobbled down two of the muffins. I guess the smell had vanished?! Anyway, he has continued to munch on them throughout the weekend.
It is interesting how his sense of smell is so particular when he first wakes up. My husband is programmed in the exact same manner, as the smell of spices bowls him over first thing in the morning. Sauteeing onions, garlic and curry powder is a very comforting smell to me (I love it with eggs!), but the hubby has an overwhelming desire to run and hide! His next instinct is to attack. I guess "particular" isn't really an accurate word for their "intense" ability to smell. Must be an "O" thing.
Food for Life... Echinancea Elder tea for a two year old... Weight LossSeptember 20th, 2005 , by admin
My two year old has a fever. I have some organic Echninacea Elder Tea in the house. I brewed a cup of hot tea, sweetened it with honey, and then poured it over ice (he hates warm tea). He immediately started screaming "no tea! no tea!"
Next, I poured about 1/3 of a cup into a cup full of juice and then gave it to him. He drank it right down. I dislike relying on the juice as it's easy to get too much sugar into him or cause diarehea, but what else can I do? I haven't tried diluting it with rice milk, so that will be next I suppose...
Breakfast consisted of scrambled eggs with onions, garlic, cheese and kale! Yum! I also prepared a rye apricot bread for myself. Both kids hated it, and I absolutely loved it. Oh well. Win some, lose some.
Miss C: I purchased the "cook for your type" book and then wrote down the number of recommended servings for each category. For ex: Beans and legumes 5- 7 times per week. After I had eaten a serving, I checked it off and made certain that once a category was full, I moved on to the others. Many times, I found myself with beans at the end of a week! But that little list posted on my fridge really helped me stick to a healthy meal plan. Good luck.
P.S. - I lost one pound a week on average. So ,yes, it does take a little time.
Amaranth Nu World Cereal and response to comments.....September 17th, 2005 , by admin
Miss N: Goodness - you really made my morning! Thank you so much! I am in the minority at my house, but my stubborn attitude slowly turns the tide. It is so helpful to hear from other people.
Miss C: Breakfast ideas for A's - Blueberry muffins, Cherry Muffins, Pumpkin Raisin Muffins, Ezekiel Cinnamon Raisin Toast with pure jam, turkey bacon, scrambled eggs with diced veggies (I actually had onions and artichokes in my eggs yesterday!) Scottish Oatmeal with nuts or seeds and dried fruit, creamy rice cereal (Bob's), Bread from my bread machine with every fruit or veggie imagineable - french toast using compliant bread and blackstrap molasses, pure maple syrup for the kids, pancakes, swedish pancakes, etc.
I just discovered Amaranth Cinnamon Flakes from Nu World! Fantastic and easy! 6 grams of protein and and high in certain vitamins. (If memory serves me right, high in Vitamin E and niacin). Throw in some almonds and dried cherries for an extra sweet treat. They are expensive as it can get, which is why I reserve the box for the weekend. It's nice to work hard Monday thru Friday knowing that your kids are getting good food- then Saturdays and Sundays are my "easy" mornings thanks to boxed cereal.
Since my older one is an O - anytime I have leftover muffins or pancakes, I try to grill or pan fry "beef sausage patties" or turkey bacon for the O. I also always serve fruit at breakfast - preferably fresh and sometimes canned.
Staples include: (I have an A who is a celiac) : buckwheat, brown rice flour, white rice flour, tapioca flour, ground flax seed, ghee, rice noodles, different kinds of rice, rice paper, mung bean noodles, lentils, canned beans, favorite spices (pure), etc.
I am running to the store about every 5 days for fresh fruit or veggies. I wish it were less often, but if I stock up too much then my veggies rot before I can get to them. The "veggie run" is a short shopping trip - which is perfect for the two year old's attention span. Once a month I run to my favorite grocery store (Woodman's) and STOCK UP. The kids do not come along during the stock up trip.
I hope to try out apricot blackberry gluten free bread on Sunday. I also want to do something with rye (A secretors and O secretor friendly.) If my plan works, both breads get cut in half and the second halves are frozen for later use. Hope this helps Miss C. Please write back if you need to. Good Luck.
Spin, Spin, SpinSeptember 14th, 2005 , by admin
There are just too many things that I could write about today. I had quite a bad afternoon yesterday - it was the kind where I had to pick between "Do I burn the house down" or "Do I let my two year old get hit by a car?"
I had both children running outside in opposite directions at the precise moment I really needed to be paying attention to my stove top. I scooped my two year old out of the driveway ( he was aiming for the street) and ran like a mad woman back into the kitchen. The air was smoky, but nothing had actually burned. The six year old was too far away for me to hail back towards home, but he is a traffic savy kid unlike his younger brother. What I wouldn't give for a fence!
By the time dinner was finally finished, both kids were crying for different reasons. Mama was also losing her cool. A brief thunderstorm visited the neighborhood and then vanished before dinner was completed. Thank Goodness the hubby saved the day by managing both of our children an hour later. I was off for a haircut and a big bottle of wine!
The A's had pan fried salmon patties with tossed asparagus (olive oil, salt and lemon juice.) The O's had pork sandwiches (AAAAhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh ugh!) Dad cooked for the O's. I did smile a little bit though, as my six year old asked me ,"Where are the healthy buns?" (Ezekiel). Take care everyone.
Red Lobster...September 11th, 2005 , by admin
Holy moly, did I ever eat a true 'avoid' dinner. What's worse, I ate twice as much as I needed! Shrimp scampi in garlic and butter, fried popcorn shrimp, and a little too much merlot! I chose quite the indulgence, but I kept the entire day's diet in the back of my mind. For example, breakfast was all beneficial foods, lunch and snack were either bene or neutral, and the salad at red lobster was a neutral. Today (Sunday), will again be full of bene's and neutrals - no avoids at all.
I have always liked shrimp. When I was pregant with my O, I CRAVED schrimp. It's a shame that it is an avoid for me. Yet, I laugh at myself. I will take a "shrimp" avoid anyday versus a "pepsi or coca cola." It's all relative.
Today, I had a distinct craving for red curry paste. I literally wanted to eat the stuff by the spoonful. Are these hot spices helping rid my body of toxins? Are my hormones fluctuating and does my curry craving have anything to do with my chosen dinner the night before? Who knows? I just love my bene's too!
Miss P, Miss R, and my daily life.....September 8th, 2005 , by admin
Whenever someone takes the time to write to me, I feel quite honored. So, I always do my best to respond, even if my answers are short and sweet. Miss P, my recipes are in the archived blogs. Take a moment to search - most of my titles are pretty precise. Also - here's the secret to the bread recipes - I always use the manual which came with my bread machine (Toastmaster) and then I substitute ingredients accordingly. (If it says white flour and it is for an A, then I use Rye or spelt. If it's for all of us, celiac included, then I use white rice flour, brown rice flour, and triple the eggs.) I really am just using the bread machine's companies master base recipe.
Miss R, the answer to your question is so immense - I can't even begin to answer it accurately! But here's the bottom line - chronologically speaking, the O's came first (the hunters), then the A's (the farmers), then the other two blood types. Please check out one of Peter's books from the local library (eat for your blood type, live for your blood type or cook for your blood type.) And good luck!
Whew, I am a little bit tired today. If there are any other mothers with school age children out there, I am sure you can relate! In case anybody was curious or would like to share with me what works for them, please read on......
5:00 A.M. Drag my body out of bed. Drink lemon water. Throw on work out clothes and put my hair in a pony tail.
5:15 A.M. Pull out breakfast items. On an easy day, it's french toast (Ezekiel or Millet Bread) and on a difficult day it's homemade muffins. Blueberry, pumpkin, even zuchinni pecan. Sometimes I have leftover muffins, and on those days I grill beef patties for the O blood type.
5:30 Wake up the two year old (slowly) Together we wake up the six year old. Lots of hugging and smooching. Turn on the tv or the cassette player.
Make the six year old's lunch. It's either grilled moz cheese on Ezekiel bread or walnut butter and jelly on Ezekiel bread. Snacks include dried cranberries or dried pineapple rings. Juicy juice in his lunch box.
6:00 Continue with breakfast preparation. The two year old helps me in the kitchen. At this point, each day is a little different. Sometimes, I eat first. Sometimes, we all eat together. Whatever works.
Slowly, we make progress. Somebody gets dressed, brushes teeth, etc. There is time alloted for goofing off or talking. Tv is on in the parent's bedroom for those who are interested. Finally, Mom loads up the car with snacks (always) and ushers both children to the local grade school. AFter the six year old is dropped off at the school's door, the two year old and Mom are off to the YMCA.
8:15. Check the two year into day care. 30 minutes cardio (whatever I feel like - maybe it's just walking, maybe it's running, cycling, etc.) My purpose is to think and deflate. My mind dictates the cardio routine.
9:00 Stretch and lift weights. I work out my upper body Monday Wednesday Friday and legs Tuesday and Thursday. I also utilize the time to learn a new exercise as I am studying to become a certified personal trainer. I love the job description! Today's trainers are expected to be advocates of positive lifestyle change. While we aren't allowed to give nutritional advice, we are allowed to point clients toward 'published' material. Dr. D's books are always with me. And of course, there are so many "politically correct" areas I am allowed to discuss. Such as reading labels, understanding what is in your food, etc. etc.
10:30 - Time for one small errand with my child. It's more about fun than getting a lot done.
11:30 Eat lunch. It's hard to get enough veggies into our day, but I am always trying. Romaine lettuce with garlic dressing - leftover chicken pieces, fish or even a simple rice and black beans. Thank goodness he loves rice. I can throw anything into the rice (even sardines) and he will eat it!
12:00 Two year old down for a nap. Clean, and study some more (one hour). Housework. Blog a little.
2:30 Six year old is home. Snack (shelton's organic beef jerky is terrific!) Many times, my son will request what he wants and it is usually a treat. (Non compliant candy or just a drink to quench his thirst.) I know that he has had a solid meal so far, so I don't worry about it.
3:00 The six year old is required to perform 10 minutes of homework at his desk by himself. Then - he's given a break and gets to choose whatever he wants to do. (Usually, he's outside hunting for other six year olds.) Lots of physical exercise and fresh air. The two year old is woken up.
3:30 - Two days a week, I must leave to work. Sometimes the kids come, sometimes they get to stay home. If the kids come, then it's snacks in the car (homemade) and homework is continued at the YMCA day care. If I do not have to work, then we all hang out at home and continue the homework process.
A special note Sensory disorder kids need lots of physical movement to help their brain with writing and reading. Homework is regarded as 'fun' if I break up the time with physical activity. But if you have ever tried to keep a sensory kid in his room until the homework is completely finished, the room looks like something a tornado hit. Seriously, some kids just need lots of little start and stops, while other kids don't. I could write at this computer for hours. My husband cannot. I have to keep reminding myself that my son is NOT like me and never will be. He is brilliant in his own way.
5:00 - Start dinner (dishwasher, setting table, meal prep.) More homework for the six year old. The two year old is encouraged to play in the sink while I cook. Dinner is always two sets of protein (steak and fish, beans and chicken, etc. Sometimes Dad will cook the red meat (hooray!) I try to offer a veggie and a fruit as well as a grain of some kind.
6:30 - Sit for 10 minutes and digest dinner. Scrub the two year old (no kidding - rice is constantly everywhere!) Six year old is back at his homework desk. Teeth and pajamas - the two year old is put to bed.
7:30 The six year old is put to bed. Book reading or tv is allowed (no more than one hour of tv time during the school week. Teacher's orders!)
8:00 - I stop working. This is my "keep my sanity rule." I have three big personal priorities. Get enough sleep, eat good food and exercise. Yes, my house is dirtier than I would like it to be. Yes, my six year old needs a haircut. But life is supposed to be fun, folks. And everything will get done in due time. God Bless.
Respond to comment logSeptember 5th, 2005 , by admin
Sorry it has taken me awhile to get back to you! As always, thank you for sending me your thoughts.
First- I want to start with Miss L who had a question. While yogurt is ok for most A's (neutral, but ok), I have found that my little celiac cannot tolerate yogurt in any form. (Organic, non-organic, half a serving, whole serving, etc.) Some people just have individual variances, and trial and error is the only way to go. Good luck, I hope you can eat it!
Miss J and Miss K - thanks for your insight on learning disabilities. At the moment, I have officially asked the school to assess him, so now we play the waiting game. It takes 3 to 4 months where I live to complete all of the observations and tests. I will say, that I am surprised thus far as he has not been bringing homework home (last year he couldn't get anything done in school at all.) I look forward to my son's open house and I will be keenly observing the classroom settings. Is this teacher doing something differently than the last teacher did? Is the diet helping in a way that it didn't help last year? Who knows? But I look forward to hearing the school's observations.
Miss L (a different one)- thanks for your advice on homeopathy. There is a part of me that wants to spend hours on learning more - and another part of me that says "What are you nuts? Your plate is full, you have all that you can handle. Just be patient! " But you have reminded me of something. It's time to start asking other mothers what they have done -- before I drop our precious dollars at the health food store! Thanks again.
Mr D - I fear you are right. Yet, I was hoping that my grocery store just received a really good deal on the brand. Does anyone else know which brand of olive oil is truly cold pressed and the most economical all of the time? Is there a food co -op I should be looking into or can I order things directly?
I wish Trader Joe's was located here in Rockford!!! Happy Labor Day, everyone.


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UNION CITY, N.J. — The death of former Cuban leader Fidel Castro was received Saturday by Cuban immigrants and their children with tempered and mixed emotions in the city known as the "Havana on the Hudson."
News of the death was the center of conversation at local restaurants and bakeries on Bergenline Avenue, where several Cubans said that Castro's passing brings hope that freedom could come to the nation that they left years ago.
"It's the beginning of the end," said Enrique Mendez, who was born in Cuba and who received a call from his son in Tampa who told him about Castro's death late Friday night. "I think things will begin to change."
Ragnar De Illas and Eva Alfonso, who stopped at Las Cubanitas Bakery to grab some café con leche and bread, were the only ones to focus on some of the good things they said the dictator brought to the country. They lauded the free education and health care Cuba provides its citizens.
"The studies are great, but the problem is that when you finish school the jobs don't pay the way they should," said Alfonso.
De Illas said that since he left Cuba 11 years ago to go to Europe and then the United States he has realized that things aren't all bad in his homeland.
"There are some good things that you notice after you leave," he said. "Cuba began to change before he died. Before, you couldn't buy a house or a car, and now you can."
Castro's death, at age 90, was announced by his brother and current president, Raul Castro, late Friday night on state television.
Some Cubans said that they were awoken a few hours after midnight by family and friends in Miami who called to tell them the news. Others said they found out this morning on social media and on television news.
"At first I thought, could this be true, because this has happened before and it hadn't been true," said Maria Ulacia, who said she received a call at 3 a.m. "And then I thought, although one has left there's another Castro left, the brother, so we have to wait and see what happens."
Jorge Cuellar expressed the same sentiment, saying that, although he was hopeful, he knows the reality is that Raul Castro has led the island for years with not too much change from his brother.
"I'm happy, but we still have to deal with his brother," he said. "His brother can be twice as bad, he has his past, too."
Others expressed sadness that their parents and grandparents who were either political prisoners or fled the country when their properties and businesses were seized by the communist regime were not alive to see the day that Castro died.
"My grandparents left everything behind, my family left everything behind to come here to escape him and my grandparents died," said Esther Montero. "They never got to see a free Cuba, which is upsetting."
Montero recalled her grandmother keeping a packed suitcase in her closet for the day that she could return to Cuba. Her grandmother died last year, and so did her grandfather.
"She was anxious and just waiting for the news that Cuba was free, and she was excited about the Obama deals and that he was talking to Cuba and she was like, she could taste it, we could go home," she said. "But they never got to hear this news."
Fernando Villar, who was having a breakfast of expresso, carrot juice and empanadas at El Artesano Restaurant, carried with him black and white pictures of his parents and grandparents who fled the island in the early 1970s. His grandfather and father owned a dairy farm in Cuba.
"They took their farm away and they fought as much as they could, but they were arrested," Villar said. "I wish my father could have been alive for this."
Villar said when he heard the news Friday night, he headed to the Cuban restaurant but found that no one was celebrating.
"It didn't have the impact I thought it would," he said. "I think its because it's the older generation is here, and they weren't going to go out at night to celebrate."
There was no dancing on the streets, like the celebrations that erupted Saturday morning in Miami, but a few honking horns could be heard in Union City, which has been home to Cuban immigrants for decades.
"We will have some champagne or cider," said Olga Echazabal, who was walking with her sister Gloria, who came from Cuba in 1970. "I know nothing will change with this, but he was the person who started all of this."

subset: commoncrawl


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Man Arrested on Birthday for Talking Too Long at Township Board Meeting; Faces 2 Years in Prison (Video)
A Michigan man is now facing a felony charge after he was arrested by local police for failing to observe a three-minute public comment limit during a recent Bridgeport Township board meeting. It was his birthday.
According to mlive.com, three police officers arrested Mark A. Adams, 59, on March 4 after he refused to stop talking when township officials informed him that his time was up.
Last Friday he appeared before Saginaw County District Judge A.T. Frank on a felony charge of resisting and obstructing a police officer and disturbing the peace, a misdemeanor. He faces a maximum sentence of two years in prison for the felony.
Before Adams began addressing the township at the meeting, he reportedly handed out a four-page document outlining 21 grievances against local government officials.
He alleged wrongdoings of various governmental bodies,, including violations of the state open meetings act and Freedom of Information Act, police harassment, corruption, hate crimes, trespassing, tax fraud and others carried out in "Taliban" style.
Bridgeport Township Manager Rose Licht said it was Adams who instigated his own arrest by refusing to stop speaking when asked to do so.
"He was asked to wrap it up by the township supervisor, and he refused and continued to talk over him," said Licht. "Several times the supervisor asked him to take a seat and he refused, and the police department asked him to have a seat and took him out of the building."
She explained that the issue between Adams and the township has been ongoing over some vacant lands he owns in Bridgeport Township.
"It's a long-time dispute," she said. "If he would have wrapped it up, he would have been fine."
In court on Friday, the judge entered a guilty plea on Adams' behalf, and then released him on a $7,500 personal recognizance bond. He was scheduled to return to court on Wednesday.
Follow Leonardo Blair on Twitter: @leoblair
Follow Leonardo Blair on Facebook: LeoBlairChristianPost


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Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z - Xbox 360http://www.gameinformer.com/games/yaiba_ninja_gaiden_z/b/xbox360/atom.aspxCommunity Server2012-12-27T15:13:00ZTeam Ninja Gets Around To The Zombie Trend/games/yaiba_ninja_gaiden_z/b/xbox360/archive/2014/03/18/yaiba-ninja-gaiden-z-review-game-informer.aspx2014-03-18T08:00:00Z2014-03-18T08:00:00Z

The concept for Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z could have come from a 12-year-old's sketchbook during a particularly boring algebra class. Still, I kind of respect Tecmo Koei and Keiji Inafune's Comcept for having the guts to release a retail game about a cyborg ninja fighting zombies. It's equal parts silly, gory, and stupid – exactly what you'd expect from the concept.

Anti-hero Yaiba Kamikaze gets sliced and diced by the noble Ryu Hayabusa in the opening cutscene and is put back together with machine parts by wealthy weirdo Rico Del Gonzo and overly sexualized scientist, Miss Monday (This is Team Ninja – don't pretend to be surprised). For the most part, Yaiba is a jerk with constant eye-roll-inducing one-liners like, "He's the head of a corporation and a d---. That makes him a d---head." The tone only works in a very B-movie kind of way.

The game structure is essentially a series of arena-wave battles connected by lame puzzles and quick-time platforming. Strangely, you can only jump in special circumstances – it's not an option in battle. Yaiba's attacks include a fast blade, heavy cyborg punch, and a Kratos-like chain flail. Mixing up these three buttons unleashes a wide variety of combos, but the fact that they're buried in menus makes them a pain to learn.

Once you get up and running, Yaiba can string together impressive moves tailored to large groups or single minibosses. My favorite technique involved knocking several foes back with a combo, tapping the execution button, and chaining a series of gory finishers together. You receive a health drop from lower tier zombies and rip special temporary elemental weapons from stronger enemies, like an electric spine whip or a bile-blasting stomach. The most satisfying attacks involve combining various elements for explosive results. Hit a fire-based enemy with an electrical attack and it's engulfed in a burning, electric cyclone, for example.

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Battles get increasingly frustrating the deeper in you go. Enemies take and dish out a lot of damage and your starting health bar is quite small. This paired with an unreliable counter system and mid- to high-tier enemies that rarely get stunned by your attacks means you're forced to dart around constantly, chipping off a little damage or risking heavy retaliation.

The arenas keep getting larger and crammed with more enemies, so it's difficult to spot your character in the wide camera view. If you try the closer camera option, then you're screwed by attacks that fly in from off screen. When you're close to death, the screen goes black and white and it's even harder to see Yaiba. Then when you die, you have to stare at a lengthy load screen and start all the way back at the first wave no matter how far you progressed in that arena.

Fortunately, it's a simple process to change the difficulty, so I cranked it down to easy on the later levels and immediately began having a better time. Some of the problems in combat are less obvious, but things like picking up important items in the middle of hectic battles is still painfully clunky. I'd recommend anyone interested in this game start at easy, level everything up, quickly beat the game's seven levels, and then knock out missions in normal and beyond if you're still interested. Upgrades and collectibles are persistent so there's no reason not to. For a slight change of pace you could try out the unlockable side-scrolling arcade mode as well.

Like its second-fiddle protagonist, Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z resides in the shadow of many other better third-person action games, but it's not terrible if you're specifically looking for a schlocky Saturday.

  The Edge

  If you have the option, definitely play Yaiba on PC. The textures, resolution, and framerate are noticeably better and worth the extra few days' wait.

GIBryanhttp://www.gameinformer.com/members/GIBryan/default.aspxNew Screens Show Massive Boss Fight/games/yaiba_ninja_gaiden_z/b/xbox360/archive/2014/03/13/new-yaiba-ninja-gaiden-z-screens-show-massive-boss-fight.aspx2014-03-13T12:54:00Z2014-03-13T12:54:00Z

Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z's March 18 release date is fast approaching, and some new screens give players a better idea of the boss battles they will be experiencing come Tuesday. The screenshot gallery below depicts Yaiba facing off against a mysterious boss in his many forms among a temple reminiscent of an ancient American civilization.

Set in a stylized comic book world, players will take control of the cybernetic ninja Yaiba as he embarks on a quest for revenge and battles against hordes of the undead. The PC version of the game was recently delayed until March 21, but eager players can pre-purchase the game on Steam for a discounted price of $47.99.

CameronKochhttp://www.gameinformer.com/members/CameronKoch/default.aspxFinal Developer Diary Talks About Art Style/games/yaiba_ninja_gaiden_z/b/xbox360/archive/2014/03/11/final-developer-diary-talks-about-art-style.aspx2014-03-11T12:19:00Z2014-03-11T12:19:00Z

You may have noticed that Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z sports a very different art style than the previous Ninja Gaiden games with Ryu. The latest and final developer diary for Yaiba explains why they went with the cel shaded, comic book-style visuals.

Keiji Inafune, conceptor of Yaiba, explains in the video that a realistic approach to the art style would result in grotesque moments. The comic-style visuals will instead let those moments be exciting and work better with humor, according to Inafune and other developers.

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Providing insight and commentary for this episode is executive producer Yosuke Hayashi, Inafune, art director Shinsuke Komaki, producer Shinsaku Ohara, game director Masahiro Yasuma, lead game designer Cory Davis, lead animator Jason Shum, art director Richard Smith, and technical art director Bennie Terry.

Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z will release for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 on March 18. The PC version, distributed through Steam, will arrive later on March 21, but can be pre-ordered at a discount.

We've also covered the previous developer diaries, which spoke about blending eastern and western interpretations of ninjas, the origins of Yaiba Kamikaze, and the goofy zombies.

IsaacFederspielhttp://www.gameinformer.com/members/IsaacFederspiel/default.aspxPC Version Delayed, Receives Pre-order Discount/games/yaiba_ninja_gaiden_z/b/xbox360/archive/2014/03/06/pc-version-delayed-receives-pre-order-discount.aspx2014-03-06T12:09:00Z2014-03-06T12:09:00Z

Those looking forward to picking up Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z on the PC will have to wait a few days longer than those picking up the console version, but will be rewarded with a discount. For two weeks, starting March 7, Yaiba can be pre-ordered for $49.99 on Steam.

Along with the news of the PC discount, Team Ninja also released a bunch of screenshots that are visible in the gallery below. Some of the images depict several locations that the cyborg ninja Yaiba will end up, including a surgical room, pyramids, and what looks like some kind of military base.

The Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 versions of Yaiba are coming out March 18 at $59.99, and the PC version arrives March 21. If you're interested in the story for Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z, then you should check out the prequel comic series that explores Yaiba's backstory.

IsaacFederspielhttp://www.gameinformer.com/members/IsaacFederspiel/default.aspxThird Developer Diary Explores The Concept Of The Goofy Zombies/games/yaiba_ninja_gaiden_z/b/xbox360/archive/2014/02/26/third-developer-diary-explores-the-concept-of-the-goofy-zombies.aspx2014-02-26T12:23:00Z2014-02-26T12:23:00Z

The latest developer diary for Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z focused on how the concept of its strange zombie enemies was born, and how they will have a goofy edge to them. Apart from their silliness, they will stray further from traditional zombie design, and some will have elemental powers.

Their humorous edge came up often in the diary, and was exemplified by footage of a zombie staring dumbly at a stream roller as it runs him over. Zombies will occasionally have flashes of personality from their previous life, and Sergeants' (the mini bosses) personalities will be more prominent.

(Please visit the site to view this media)

The developer diary lets us hear from Keiji Inafune, art director Shinsuke Komaki, game director Masahiro Yasuma, lead animator Jason Shun, and art director Richard Smith.

If you missed them, be sure to catch up on Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z's developer diary series that discussed blending eastern and western interpretations of ninjas and the origins of cyber ninja Yaiba Kamikaze.

IsaacFederspielhttp://www.gameinformer.com/members/IsaacFederspiel/default.aspxYaiba Beats His Enemies At Their Own Game/games/yaiba_ninja_gaiden_z/b/xbox360/archive/2014/02/21/yaiba-beats-his-enemies-at-their-own-game.aspx2014-02-21T10:17:00Z2014-02-21T10:17:00Z

Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z's hero has a useful talent: He can take weapons (and even body parts) from his fallen opponents, and use them as he battles armies of zombies. After looking at one towering enemy, it's clear that Yaiba's ingenuity will be quite handy.

The trailer below shows a battle between Yaiba and a quadruped robot. After dodging its flame attacks and stomps, the cyberninja leaves the battle with the Pocket Rocket rocket launchers. He'll need them during a battle against waves of titanic toddlers. The two-headed zombie monsters look tough, but Yaiba is able to defeat them – grabbing a bat-like shoulder blade weapon in the process.

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Look for the game on PS3, Xbox 360, and PC on March 18. For more information on Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z, including the story behind creating Yaiba, check out this developer roundtable video.

GIJeffhttp://www.gameinformer.com/members/GIJeff/default.aspxYaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z Developer Diary Examines Its New Cyber Ninja/games/yaiba_ninja_gaiden_z/b/xbox360/archive/2014/02/11/yaiba-ninja-gaiden-z-developer-diary-examines-its-new-cyber-ninja.aspx2014-02-11T20:06:31Z2014-02-11T20:06:31Z

Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z is a Ninja Gaiden game, but it doesn't star Ryu Hayabusa. It stars Yaiba Kamikaze, a cyber ninja. The latest developer diary for the game examines his creation.

You can check out the developer diary below with executive producer Yosuke Hayashi, producer and conceptor Keiji Inafune, art director Shinsuke Komaki, Game Director Masahiro Yasuma, lead game designer Cory Davis, and producer John Garcia-Shelton as they discuss creating a new ninja for a new Ninja Gaiden.

Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z is coming to PC, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360 on March 18.

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Recently, a report appeared that Team Ninja – the developer behind the non-Yaiba Ninja Gaidens – is working on a PlayStation 4 game. You can find out more about that here.

GIKylehttp://www.gameinformer.com/members/GIKyle/default.aspxCyborg Ninja Yaiba Faces Off Against Ryu Hayabusa In New Screens/games/yaiba_ninja_gaiden_z/b/xbox360/archive/2014/01/31/cyborg-ninja-yaiba-faces-off-against-ryu-hayabusa-in-new-screens.aspx2014-01-31T11:21:00Z2014-01-31T11:21:00Z

The upcoming Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z is getting a special edition sure to please fans of developer Team Ninja.

Included in the special edition is a full color comic book by Dark Horse Comics and a copy of the game's original soundtrack. For fans of another Team Ninja franchise, Dead or Alive, the game also includes Yaiba themed costumes for characters Ryu and Momiji for use in Dead or Alive 5 Ultimate. No word yet on how much this special edition will cost.

To coincide with the news, Tecmo Koei also released a batch of new screenshots showing the game's star Yaiba facing off against ninja supreme Ryu Hayabusa. You can check out the screens in the gallery below.

Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z is slated to be released on March 18 for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and on PC through Steam.

CameronKochhttp://www.gameinformer.com/members/CameronKoch/default.aspxFirst Developer Diary Brings Together Three Studios/games/yaiba_ninja_gaiden_z/b/xbox360/archive/2014/01/21/yaiba-ninja-gaiden-z-developer-diary-brings-together-three-studios.aspx2014-01-21T10:12:16Z2014-01-21T10:12:16Z

Tecmo Koei's upcoming Ninja Gaiden spinoff, Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z, isn't like Ryu Hayabusa's adventures. The cel-shaded bloodiest coming to Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 stars a coarse ninja, some questionable humor, and a lot of undead sword fodder.

In this first developer diary, you'll hear from Comcept's Keiji Inafune, Team Ninja's Yosuke Hayashi, and Spark Unlimited's Cory Davis (lead designer on Spec Ops: The Line). The five minute video details how Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z blends eastern and western interpretation of ninjas.

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Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z will be out out March 4 for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and PC. You can read our most recent preview here.

GIMikehttp://www.gameinformer.com/members/GIMike/default.aspxTeaser Trailer Demonstrates How A Ninja Cyborg Defeats Zombies/games/yaiba_ninja_gaiden_z/b/xbox360/archive/2013/10/25/teaser-trailer-demonstrates-how-a-ninja-cyborg-defeats-zombies.aspx2013-10-25T14:47:00Z2013-10-25T14:47:00Z

A new teaser trailer shows a look at Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z's bloody combat and cel-shaded art style. In the trailer, main character Yaiba can be seen using zombie limbs, a chain attached to his robot hand, a katana, and even his fists to take out hordes of the undead. Some enemy types are also shown off, including the Priest and Electrified Infected. Pause the video near the end to see a zombie clown wielding two cleavers.

Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z is a collaboration between Team Ninja and Keiji Inafune that combines the over-the-top action of Ninja Gaiden games with zombies, an enemy type that has definitely never been seen before in gaming. The game will release in early 2014 for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC.

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MikeTrinhhttp://www.gameinformer.com/members/MikeTrinh/default.aspxBehold, The Seven Zombie Types Of Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z/games/yaiba_ninja_gaiden_z/b/xbox360/archive/2013/08/23/behold-the-seven-zombie-types-of-yaiba-ninja-gaiden-z.aspx2013-08-23T14:28:00Z2013-08-23T14:28:00Z

Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z's variety of zombies is as gonzo as its core concept. If you aren't up to speed on this game yet, it stars a ninja named Yaiba who was sliced in two and reconstructed as a cyborg. He now has a metal arm that can transform into a chainsaw.

Who does he use this weapon against? The people who turned him into this crazed killing machine, and zombies...a whole bunch of zombies.

Below is a listing of seven different zombie types that Yaiba will encounter. The descriptions are provided by Team Ninja. I like the look of the Mars Attacks-like Infected Zombie, but have no idea what is going on with The Priest. It seems like he has an oddly placed skull on his face. Kinda freaky.

Tecmo Koei hasn't announced an exact release date for this Team Ninja, Comcept, and Spark Unlimited developed game, but it is due out in 2014.

The Infected

"Most of our ex-neighbors and friends stink. You might have thought they stunk when they were alive too, but now their odor is unmistakeably horrible. They seem to be stronger, faster, (a hell of a lot) uglier, and stupider than they were in life, and if you have keen sense of smell you might be able to avoid them – for a minute or two."

Electric Infected

"These electricity-charged stiffs seem to be producing their own electric power. It's actually amusing, but if these guys were contained, they could actually produce free electricity for all! However, given the fact that almost everyone is dead or hiding, TV and microwave ovens should be the least of your worries. Remember high school physics and either try to ground them or drown them. Either way, you won't have much time to act."

The Terrible Two

"To be honest, no one really knows what this is. It seems to be some sort of experiment gone wrong as it has two heads and is slightly over-sized. It also seems to be hungry all the time and does cry a lot when it doesn't suck on some poor passer-by's bone marrow. As it's the size of a truck you'll probably see and hear it long before it sees and hears you, but there's nowhere to left hide, is there?"

Burning Infected

"Don't approach them unless you're cold or tired of living and want to leave life in flames. They are ever-burning, glow in the dark, hideously disfigured and smell disturbingly like BBQ."

The Brawler

"The rich and famous did not escape this scourge either! Local celebrity and world famous ex-boxer and MMA fighter Vseslav Degtyarev has fallen victim to the infection and is now laying his award-winning punches to everyone in range. Yes, some might judge him for that brief assault case, or for the fact his career didn't end on the most pleasant note, but look at him now! Strong as ever! Agile as a panther! Quick as a...quickly rotting undead thing."

Toxic Infected

"If you are an optimist who believes the army will come to this city's rescue – don't be. Those idiots already came and skilfully managed to get themselves infected WHILE WEARING THEIR SUITS. So now they are trapped in there, feeding on their own flesh and producing some sort of green toxic bile that looks extremely disgusting and highly corrosive."

The Priest

"On the other hand, if you look to the clergy for an answer to your prayers – look again. They are nowhere to be found. Apart from this one priest that roams the city with a scorching censer – hopefully reading everyone their posthumous last rites, but most likely wreaking vengeance on whoever he thinks is wicked and sinful; so pretty much everyone that walks past him."

GIReinerhttp://www.gameinformer.com/members/GIReiner/default.aspxUsing Zombies As Weapons In Yaiba Ninja Gaiden Z/games/yaiba_ninja_gaiden_z/b/xbox360/archive/2013/06/13/yaiba-ninja-gaiden-e3.aspx2013-06-13T17:42:00Z2013-06-13T17:42:00Z

Tecmo has been much-criticized for the last decade for releasing numerous versions of the same Ninja Gaiden games. With the wacky Yaiba Ninja Gaiden Z, gamers won't have any reason to complain about re-using old ideas.

Series star Ryu Hayabusa is seen in the game's first cutscene, as he violently kills a rival ninja named Yaiba. Two weeks later, the new character has been revived thanks to cyborg technology. Players then assume the role of Yaiba as he slashes his way through a zombie-infested world.

Sword attacks such as the ones typically seen in the series are still a part of this Ninja Gaiden spin-off, but ridiculous new attacks are possible after slaughtering enemies. Yaiba can chop off a zombie's arms and use them as nunchuks, or grab the foe's entire body with his mech arm and flail it around like a whip.

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Zombie bodies will sometimes be used to solve environmental puzzles, such as one I saw that involved a steamroller. A zombie sat behind the wheel of the vehicle, which I needed to move to progress through the level. By tossing a zombie in front of the steamroller, the driver becomes distracted and drives forward, clearing the way.

Another puzzle causes a zombie to drive a truck up a ramp, which then crashes directly into the crotch of giant leg props that sit above a lingerie store. After the truck explodes between the legs, a rain of panties begins falling from the sky. Yaiba looks up at the sky and spreads his arms, welcoming the falling underwear. His wacky sense of humor is surprising to see in the usually-serious Ninja Gaiden series, but it's a nice change of pace. We'll see if this new take on the series brings fans back after the disappointing Ninja Gaiden 3 when Yaiba releases in 2014.

GIDanhttp://www.gameinformer.com/members/GIDan/default.aspxYaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z Developer Interview/games/yaiba_ninja_gaiden_z/b/xbox360/archive/2013/03/27/yaiba-ninja-gaiden-z-developer-interview.aspx2013-03-27T19:10:47Z2013-03-27T19:10:47Z

Team Ninja's Yosuke Hayashi and Comcept's Keiji Inafune met to discuss Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z and set up some cameras to record their conversation.

Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z has been a bit of a mystery since it was announced. In the video below, Hayashi and Inafune discuss details of the game, and answer questions about its development. There is also a teensy little bit of gameplay in the beginning.

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GIKylehttp://www.gameinformer.com/members/GIKyle/default.aspxCheck Out This Side-Story's Comic-Book Flair/games/yaiba_ninja_gaiden_z/b/xbox360/archive/2013/03/27/check-out-this-side-story-39-s-comic-book-flair.aspx2013-03-27T02:35:00Z2013-03-27T02:35:00Z

Today at the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco, California, Team Ninja and Comcept showed off Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z. Heading the discussion about the the cyborg ninja vs. zombie game were Mega Man/Onimusha/Dead Rising creator and Comcept boss Keiji Inafune and Team Ninja Lead Yasuke Hayashi. Spark Unlimited (Legendary, Lost Planet 3) is also working on the project. Inafune and Hayashida highlighted the game's graphic novel story sequences, explained the character of Yaiba, and gave us an early look at a stylish trailer showing off gameplay.

"A lot of people know me for my zombies game Dead Rising," says Inafune. "I believe Dead Rising has a comical element in it. It's not just about killing zombies but it can make you laugh and smile. I think zombie games need that atmosphere, and you'll see moments where you think it's a little bit funny."

To illustrate this point, Inafune and Hayashi showed off a comic book-style sequence from the game. Certain story segments are shown off via panels inspired by American graphic novels. Yaiba is a smart-mouthed zombie-slayer that rips off zombies' arms and uses them as nunchucks. Inafune went into greater detail regarding Yaiba's character.

Yaiba lost on of his eyes and an arm in an "epic battle", which have since been replaced with cybernetic prosthetics. Yaiba appears to have a chip on his shoulder, and is hungry for a battle with Ninja Gaiden series protagonist Ryu Hayabusa. Could Ryu be responsible for Yaiba's wounds? Inafune revealed that the relationship between Dragon Ball Z characters Goku and Vegeta inspired him for Yaiba and Ryu's dynamic. "Goku is an ultimate fighter, and Vegeta thinks he can always beat him," says Inafune. "But Vegeta always loses." He wouldn't say who Yaiba was in this example.

Finally, Team Ninja and Comcept showed off a trailer for the game. The art style of the in-game footage reminds me of Marvel vs. Capcom's heavily inked style, and gels with the comic book story aesthetic. The action shows Yaiba leaping across rooftops, squeezing monster organs to cover enemies with noxious goo, and taking down huge swaths of zombies with his sword. The teaser was brief, but shows promise of a solid, stylish action game in the making.

Speaking of teases, Inafune ended the meeting by saying Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z will be playable at E3 2013. Along with the hands-on time, Team Ninja and Comcept will also be revealing more about the relationship between Yaiba and Ryu. Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z is currently set to arrive on the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 with no confirmed release date.

GITimhttp://www.gameinformer.com/members/GITim/default.aspxYaiba Headed To Current Gen Consoles /games/yaiba_ninja_gaiden_z/b/xbox360/archive/2012/12/27/yaiba-headed-to-current-gen-consoles.aspx2012-12-27T15:13:00Z2012-12-27T15:13:00Z

Mega Man creator Keiji Inafune announced that he was working with Tecmo on a zombie-themed Ninja Gaiden game, but at the time the company was cryptic about which console the new game would release for.

It seems that the bloody cat is out of the bag. As Siliconera recently reported, a bunch of new job listed for developer Spark Unlimited reveal that the game is being planning for release on the Xbox 360 and the PlayStation 3. This doesn't necessarily rule out a port to next gen consoles, but it looks like you won't have to upgrade your hardware to play this rotting take on Ninja Gaiden. For more on Yaiba check out the announce trailer here.

GIBenhttp://www.gameinformer.com/members/GIBen/default.aspx


text:
|Grapegrower & Winemaker
|Wine & Viticulture Journal
|Wine Industry Directory
|Daily Wine News
Name: Tiffany, Matthew and Michelle Nugan
Nugan Estate: the only way is up
G&W: With Nugan's history in fruit and vegetables, what made you decide that wine grapes were the way to go?
Tiffany Nugan: You have to go a way back to understand it - we really had to diversify. We started of in fruits and veg when my grandfather emigrated from Spain in 1940. Then when my father took over in the 1960s he significantly grew the business and we basically came the major supplier of fruits and vegetables to the supermarkets down the eastern seaboard. We got into juice in the domestic market, and that was all going extraordinarily well but then in the mid 1980s both those industries became quite unprofitable as supermarkets went direct to grower and cheap imported juice flooded the market. At that time, my father died suddenly and my mother took over the family business, which was at the time really struggling. But what Mum found out was that in this industry you have to continually spread your risk to succeed.
So that became one of our key policies, and that's always remained. We entered the export juice market and became - and still are - the main supplier of carrot juice to Japan. So we do 70,000 tonnes of carrot juice, if you can believe it!
Then in the early 1990s having built that up, Mum said we had to keep diversifying. At that time Wine Strategy 2025 was released, which said there would be a world shortage of wine by 2025. At the time we had lots of properties which were fruit and veg, and a fair amount of water allocation, so Mum decided wine would be Nugan's next industry. We had the export know-how from the juice, and juice manufacture and winemaking are both extremely technical and science-based. She approached Southcorp and we started planting vineyards in the Riverina. We now own 590 hectares in Riverina, King Valley and McLaren Vale. We always knew we were going to release our own label, and in 2000, we did!
Nugan Estate has seen enormous expansion in recent years, how did you manage this period of rapid growth, from a business perspective?
We're 100% family-owned and always intend to be. One of our main reasons for success is that we can make decisions on the spot. But as far as growth of the business, we've had to underpin that with different styles of management. We've had to employ people with the right skills for a business this size. For example, we employed for the first time a CFO which has been crucial for growing and managing a business of this size. Also we obviously had to employ experts in the wine industry such as in winemaking and viticulture. But for a business our size, we grew the business on very small staff levels.
Also we've had to plan and put strategies in place to succeed. Very early on our CFO made us do a strategy session. In that session, we realised we needed to grow significantly in order to succeed. In the Australian wine industry there's small, and reasonably large, there wasn't much in between. Our winery as far as size was in no mans land. So we had to write a strategy to get us there, and if we hadn't done that strategy, we'd be in trouble now as it made us think ahead about what we needed in the business and how to get that growth.
For example my brother, Matthew, until the last 18months ran the whole export wine business on his own - with amazing success. But now the business is so big, we've had to restructure and grow that team to service the markets properly. So Matthew is now general manager of Nugan Estate and now has a whole Export Sales Team that report to him.
How much of your production is exported?
90%. Our greatest markets are Ireland and Denmark. We are also growing very well in Canada. We've only launched in the UK a year ago, so we hope that's going to come up too, and Canada's doing well for us as well. But Europe in particular is our main market.
How do you market Nugan products, domestically and overseas?
We basically listen to the market and respond. That was one thing about being brand new, we could really give the market what it wanted, and we could respond quickly. Our main marketing tool is that we're family owned and we work the market hard.
On the distribution side, Matt worked really hard with our distributors on how they were going to sell our products - coming up with sales and marketing strategy of how to sell it. A lot of people just dump their portfolio with the distributor without actually working out how we're going to sell it in your market. So he spends a lot of time with then reviewing that. I mean until this year he's travelled 9 months a year working those markets getting out with the reps on the road. We see our distributors as our partners and work with them to make it a success.
But now we're working very hard on PR plans, marketing and advertising that kind of thing, but our initial success has really just been down to pounding the pavement.
What is the most important element behind the Nugan brand?
It's definitely that we're family owned and estate grown, I keep saying it but it's true! We own our own vineyards and control it from the ground up. So I think we can deliver on quality better than some others can, we can be 100% quality focussed.
Also at the time the industry was going through a lot of change, there was over-supply and there was a lot of negative feeling within the Australian wine market. But we've never known any different to that, we weren't scared of that - it's always been hard! People who meet us say that we're unbelievably passionate, and we just get out there and knock on doors till they open.
What is the next step for Nugan Estate?
Next I think it's about consolidating our market share where we are strong, and building our brand. For the last few years we've just been out there getting the sales and focusing on that, so now we're looking at more detailed marketing and PR plans to ensure our brand growth and longevity. Also hopefully growing markets where we haven't had the manpower before. You can never be complacent, keeping business is as hard as growing it.
Of all the labels you produce, which do you consider to be your most successful wine?
Probably two, our Cookoothama Botrytis Semillon from the Riverina. We've done phenomenally well with that and built ourselves a little niche in that market. And the other one would be our Nugan Estate McLaren Vale Shiraz. Our McLaren Vale vineyard - which is only 12ha - produces great Shiraz and we sell out every year.
What advice would you give to another winery that was considering expanding their business?
What shocked us joining the wine industry is that you really need to watch your cash-flow. It's not like other business, the turn-around on cash-flow is very long, and you need to plan for that. Don't over expand, and make sure you've got enough there to service your market, because you're generating equity in that market. There's a lot of cash-flow that needs to go into the brand and sometimes people put it all into price and don't recognise that there are other costs to come. The wine industry is tough because you need to hold so much stock. Be mindful of the cash-flow necessary to support that growth. Brands always have to come first, and sometimes that does mean sacrificing volume.
Be prepared to be knocked back. And remember, what works in one market may not work in another - for example brands that work in Australia won't necessarily work in Ireland, so it's about adaptability.
Also, never lose contact with the ground level of sales. What can be dangerous is that when you expand the decision-maker is no longer at the coalface and you can lose touch with what's actually happening out there. And you can lose things quite quickly if you're not in touch with what's going on.
Really, just keep knocking on the doors. Eventually they will open!
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- Wine show season: It seems not all wine shows would earn a gold medal
- January 2015 Grapegrower & Winemaker magazine out now
- Smart & Sustainable: Jana Shepherd
- Lazy bones: Jo Perrys ironic nickname
- Cant sit still: Bleasdales energiser bunny
- Meet New Zealands best young viti
- Suzie Muntz
- Clare Burder: Ideas are nothing without action
- Steve Baraglia: A tale of two valleys
- The terror of terroir - By Tony Keys
- A 17-year winemaking partnership
- What held up this year's harvest?
- Choose your words wisely - what wineries need to know when entering the China market
- Winetitles.com.au and Daily Wine News services resume
- Winetitles.com.au and Daily Wine News services resume


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October 9, 2008
Bull Moose Will Host Hip-Hop Duo
PORTLAND - American hip-hop act Atmosphere of Minneapolis, Minn., will be at Bull Moose for a meet-and-greet and signing at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 16. The event is free.
Atmosphere's Paint the Nation Tour, with guests Abstract Rude, Blueprint and DJ Rare Groove, kicked off this September in the Midwest and will be at The Station Friday, Oct. 17.Together, rapper Sean Daley (Slug) and DJ/producer Anthony Davis (Ant) have released five albums. The Village Voice once wrote of Ant, "His dusty grooves are hooky and R&B-informed, and even when they back up Slug's most maniacally depressed rhymes, they never feel heavy-handed."
The Bull Moose store is at 151 Middle St. For more information, visit www.bullmoose.com.
(c) 2008 Sun-Journal Lewiston, Me.. Provided by ProQuest LLC. All rights Reserved.


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Seattle Must-See Museums
Seattle, Washington
Seattle Must-See Museums Reviews
216 reviews
These are the Must-See museums in Seattle Jun 28, 2008
Seattle Art Museum:
1300 First Ave.; (206) 654-3100; seattleartmuseum.org
A recent renovation has added 118,000 square feet of gallery space. It boasts the greatest concentration of Asian, African and Modern art.
Olympic Sculpture Park:
2901 Western Ave.; (206) 654-3100; seattleartmuseum.org
Open during daylight hours, this green space gallery is like no other. Admission is free!
Seattle Asian Art Museum:
1400 E. Prospect St.; (206) 654-3100; seattleartmuseum.org
Neslted in Olmstead-designed Volunteer Park overlooking the city, this historic art-deco building houses a nationally-renowned collection of Asian art.
Frye Art Museum:
704 Terry Ave.; (206) 622-9250; fryemuseum.org
Specializing in respresentional art, this neighborhood museum is perfect for an intimate afternoon complete with a light lunch. Admission is free!
Henry Art Gallery:
University of Washington; (206) 543-2280; henryart.org
Featuring some of the most avant-garde exhibits in Seattle, this museum focuses on contemporary art intended to engage its audience in discussion.
Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture:
University of Washington; (206) 543-7907; www.burkemuseum.org
Dinosaurs, volcanoes, gems, masks and Pacific Rim Native American art.
Klondike Gold Rush Museum:
319 Second Ave. S.; (206) 220-4240; nps.gov/klse
Preserving the role of Seattle in the 1897-1898 Yukon, Alaska gold rush.
Museum of History & Industry (MOHAI):
2700 24th Ave. E.; (206) 324-1126; seattlehistory.org
A look at the history of Seattle and the world with fun exhibits for all ages.
The Museum of Flight:
9404 East Marginal Way S.;(206) 764-54720; museumofflight.org
Interactive displays highlight the Concorde, Blackbird, Air Force One plus more than 80 others.
Nordic Heritage Museum:
3014 NW 67th St.; (206) 789-5707; nordicmuseum.org
The Nordic American experience in the Pacific Northwest featuring unique exhibitions from Scandinavia.
Part of the Seattle - My Home travel blog
Part of the list Things to do in Seattle & Puget Sound
Join TravBuddy to leave comments, meet new friends and share travel tips!


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The Green Bay Packers signed G Jordan McCray to the practice squad on November 5, 2014.
McCray, a 6-foot-3, 322-pound rookie out of the University of Central Florida, was originally signed by the Packers as a non-drafted free agent on May 12, 2014. After spending the offseason and training camp with Green Bay, he was released on Aug. 30, 2014. McCray was on the Packers' practice squad for a week in October. He will wear No. 62 for the Packers.


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This webpage contains large-scale WFPC2 mosaic patterns designed to increase the field-of-view for large targets. See the WFPC2 dither pattern webpage for patterns designed to improve the rejection of detector artifacts, and/or create sub-sampled data. See the pointing patterns top page for general information about WFPC2 pointing. See diagrams of these mosaic patterns projected onto the sky below. Send your pointing questions to the STScI Help Desk (email@example.com).
MOSAIC LINE patterns
These two mosaic LINE patterns produce large mosaic shifts when using all chips (pattern 21) and just the WF2-WF3 chips (pattern 22). They leave about 5% overlap. See Figures 1 and 2, below.
Pattern_Number: 21 Pattern_Type: LINE Pattern_Purpose: MOSAIC Number_Of_Points: 2 Point_Spacing: 99.599 Coordinate_Frame: POS-TARG Pattern_Orient: 45.00 Center_Pattern: NO
POS TARG equivalent: 0.000, 0.000 70.427, 70.427
Pattern_Number: 22 Pattern_Type: LINE Pattern_Purpose: MOSAIC Number_Of_Points: 2 Point_Spacing: 74.7 Coordinate_Frame: POS-TARG Pattern_Orient: 180.00 Center_Pattern: NO
POS TARG equivalent: 0.000, 0.000 -74.700, 0.000
Note that as shifts approach 100 arcsec, it becomes more difficult to find guide stars. So the 100 arcsec shift in patern 21 can be reduced a bit to improve scheduleability, but pattern 22 is probably a better alternative, especially due to the WF4 bias problems.
MOSAIC BOX patterns
This mosaic BOX pattern is about as large as you can hope to conduct in one visit (with one guide star pair), since the shifts add up to a diagonal shift approaching 100 arcsec. This pattern could be compressed a bit (keep reducing the spacings until you have guide stars), or it may have to be split into two visits (iterations of pattern 22). See Figure 3 below.
Pattern_Number: 23 Pattern_Type: BOX Pattern_Purpose: MOSAIC Number_Of_Points: 4 Point_Spacing: 74.700 Line_Spacing: 74.700 Coordinate_Frame: POS-TARG Pattern_Orient: 90.00 Angle_Between_Sides: 270.00 Center_Pattern: NO
POS TARG equivalent: 0.000, 0.000 0.000, 74.700 74.700, 74.700 74.700, 0.000
A special note about large long-term observing programs
For very large programs, it is impossible to obtain all the observations at the same ORIENT, and more complicated pointing strategies are required. The User Information Report available below describes how Large programs can affect the overall schedule of HST and how observers can optimize their scientific return while minimizing difficulties in scheduling their program: www.stsci.edu/hst/proposing/docs/LargePrograms/.
Figure 1: WFPC2 mosaic LINE pattern 21
Figure 2: WFPC2 mosaic LINE pattern 22
Figure 3: WFPC2 mosaic BOX pattern 23


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Ask a Law Question, Get an Answer ASAP!
Hello, my name is Ben and it is my pleasure to assist you with your question today.
Before proceeding please note that as I am a practising solicitor, I am often in and out of meetings, travelling between clients or even at court when I pick your question up. This may even occur at weekends. Therefore, I apologise in advance but there may be a delay in getting back to you and providing my advice. Please be patient and I will respond as soon as I can. You do not have to wait here and you will receive an email when I have responded. For now please let me know when the trial is
I have an employment case against my ex boss who kept trying to set me up on a date with his best friend, shut me in an office with him until I agreed to go on a date and made me cuddle him. This happened in April 2012, my current solicitor has gone down the protection under harassment trial. But speaking to other solicitors, they suggest I should have gone to an Employment tribunal. I am getting nervous as costs are spiraling as we get nearer the trial. Is there anyone who can recommend a good No win No fee solicitor or employment barrister. Regards Angela
Hello I have already seen this information in your original query, but please let me know when the trial is? Also do you just need a barrister for this case which is already in the courts?
Good morning Ben,
I'm new to this site, so bare with me! The trial is set between December and February. Oxford County Court have allowed 2 days but my solicitor said it should be heard in 1 day. As yet, I don't have a barrister, I would assume my solicitor would know who to instruct. But I was enquiring if Employment barristers can work on a no win no fee or any additional advice would be most welcome. I can email the Particulars of claim and defence if needs be.
Hi Ben,
I guess the answer I received isn't the one I originally asked. I was looking for a barrister that would work on a non win no fee basis as I was told by a solicitor in September that some do. I am going to go back to the original solicitor and ask there.
Kind regards


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Published: 11/1/2011
About David Dachinger:
A New York native, SESAC composer David Dachinger has found terrific success in his work with CBS sports. A recent coup was with the song, Thunder Meets Lightning which aired on the CBS broadcast of Superbowl XLIV which, subsequently, was the most watched broadcast in television history (106.5 million viewers). His music can also be heard on NFL football, college football, NCAA basketball and U.S. Open Tennis on CBS.
David and his publisher partner, Radical Rob Aster, have been working with the PGA and Masters (viewership up to 30 million people) for the past five years, sparking an iTunes album entitled, Master Works, a collection of the inspiring cinematic music used exclusively on the annual CBS broadcasts of The Masters and the PGA Championship. The score for Jim Nantz Remembers Augusta: Seve At The Masters was selected by CBS for submission to the 2009 Emmy Awards. Hasta La Vista Verde is also heard as the theme on the Emmy Award winning segment Swing Vision, which captures high definition footage of top PGA golfers swing mechanics.
CBS anchor and four time National Sportscaster of the Year award winner Jim Nantz says it best: No one has captured the spirit and vibe of CBS golf like Radical Rob, Dave Dachinger and their team. Their music is the perfect accompaniment to our efforts to tell a story from some of the most beautiful landscapes in America."
In addition to his work in television on Dateline (NBC), America's Most Wanted (FOX) and the CBS Early Show, Grammy Award nominee David has worked as an mixing engineer and producer on numerous records with artists such as Usher, Celine Dione, The Isley Brothers, Was (Not Was), TLC and Thalia.
About Katie Neil:
At the age of 8, Katie began working in Broadway and singing and acting in many shows. She worked with Community Theatre and with the Kennedy Center for and at the age of 10, she moved to Manhattan. After a year on Broadway and with all of the performances she did, Katie began to get more active in singing/songwriting and pop music. This is when Neil released her debut album, How I Feel with Cliff Downs. Discography
When Katie was just 13, she released her first album How I Feel in 2003 produced by Cliff Downs. This disc included 11 tracks entitled: It's Alright to Breakdown Sometimes, How I Feel, My Friend Nikki, Till You Need Me, Where the Sadness Dies, Do Without You, Everywhere You Go, Guess I Never Loved You, Can We Go the Distance, Buses and Trains, and Far Away From Here. Later on, at 15, Neil came out with her first EP entitled: Second Story in 2005 produced and mixed by Chris Griffin. This disc includes 5 tracks entitled: Stripped Down, Go Away, It's Not the Same, The Real Me, and School Daze. Katie released her second EP in June 2006 entitled: In Transit. The tracks on this CD are "Stupid Ex Boyfriend", "Bad For You", "Good Day Down", "Unspoken", and "You're Not the Only One". Which is now available on iTunes. The song "Stupid Ex Boyfriend" was a featured "Hip Clipz" tune on the website of Curly Grrlz Skateboardsww.curlygrrlz.com">www.curlygrrlz.com.
About Clair Reilly-Roe:
Clair Reilly-Roe (Lemonade Mouth/Disney, Running Russell Simmons, Kraft, KBC Kids) captures the spirit of collaboration that is fundamental to the New York composer's life. Arriving from Canada with only a single contact, Reilly-Roe "was very green," she admits. "I only knew one person, producer Tony Black [The Hit Factory, The Diary of Alicia Keys], who has worked with a number of other Canadian artists. Luckily he was a good person to know and we have done some great work over the years together." Their most recent collaboration is Clair Reilly-Roe's debut album---a laid back, reggae/pop record, called 'Island in the City'.
Reilly-Roe also cultivated connections from her early New York day jobs, turning a stint in the restaurant business into a long-time collaboration. "I met one of my writing partners, Kobie Powell (former member of US3) while I was a waitress in a uptown club." That early meeting with Powell led to a project writing hip hop for young kids with award winning composer, sound engineer and mixer, Brian Rund. The team, KBC Kids, has placed songs in TV commercials and various film and TV projects as well as creating their own animated tv show idea that is currently in development with 9Story Entertainment (Max & Ruby/Harriet the Spy)
Clair Reilly-Roe jumps between the studio and the stage- writing & producing commercial tracks with KBC Kids, to playing live original work with her band- CT&T- made up by Todd Caldwell (Crosby Stills & Nash/Burlap to Cashmere) on organ and Tanner Jacobson (Michelle Branch & The Wreckers/Marc O'Conner/Jypsi) on drums.
About Anthony Roman:
After fronting the seminal underground NY band Garden Variety in the mid 90's, Roman formed the noted NYC outfit Radio 4. As chief songwriter and vocalist with Radio 4, he has recorded four albums (DFA/EMI). The band played festivals such as Coachella, Reading, Glastonbury, Benicassim and TV shows such as Conan O'Brien, Carson Daly amongst others. They have performed in places as far reaching as Japan (with the Foo fighters), Brazil (with Franz Ferdinand) and Greece (w/New Order). Their music has appeared in almost every TV show you can think of, and in high profile spots for Mitsubishi, Coca Cola, and Nike. Their hit song "Dance to the Underground" was such as sensation in France that it was listed as one of the hundred best songs of the last decade there.
Additionally, Roman has expanded to music supervision and production in television, advertising and film. He has scored and music supervised the feature film, "Beware the Gonzo" due out this fall from TriBeCa films. He has written and/or produced the music for high profile spots for Microsoft Bing, Sharpie, Bloomberg, Cuervo et al. He also is the music supervisor for the critically acclaimed new FX show "Lights Out", where he co-wrote the main title and end title music.
He lives in Park Slope Brooklyn with his wife and son.


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David and Althea Urinko struck a balance between budget and benevolence in their Soldotna thrift store.
The end result benefitted area customers as well as people in need in Central and South America through the Urinkos work with the Luva Child organization.
The Urinkos owned and operated the Extra Value Thrift Store in Soldotna. David died two years ago, and his wife turned the store over to a new owner May 1. But while they owned the store, they operated it with an eye toward philanthropy, not just profit.
"If you're going to own a second-hand store, it is service and ministry both," Althea Urinko said. "Being a private business, you can't give everything away; it does have to sustain itself. But we still helped people when they burned out or came in and didn't pay enough for everything they needed. We enjoyed very much the ministry aspect of the building."
The Urinkos became familiar with the Luva Child organization through a relationship with its founders. Six years ago they decided to become involved themselves and began a service that has touched the lives of countless people in Peru, Mexico and Haiti.
In 1994, Luva Child sent a shipment of clothes, linens and supplies to Peru to be distributed among orphanages, in shanty towns, hospitals, mental institutions, remote mountain villages and basically anywhere people were in need of the charity's support.
Most of the clothing and linens that made up the shipment came from the Extra Value Thrift Store. The Urinkos sorted the items, packed them up for shipping and donated them to Luva Child.
"The Urinkos have been so instrumental through the years in getting these shipments sent," Luva Child founder and secretary Janiece Knight said. "The shipments have been so meaningful to so many of the children, especially, and the people living in the shanty towns who are so poor they just live from day to day."
Since that first shipment, David and Althea contributed their goods, time and efforts to sending off five others. The last shipment was sent in the spring of 1999 and went to Peru.
"Our daughter got to go down and help (in Peru) and saw what it meant to people firsthand," Urinko said. "We have closets full; they don't. The reward was seeing the joy and thankfulness of the people who received it -- stuff that we wouldn't even wear. They were totally blessed by it."
Many items that came through the thrift store were not, for one reason or another, suitable for retail. Rather than just haul them to the garbage, the Urinkos began boxing and storing them until a shipment was ready to go.
"Working in the thrift store, we had a lot of clothes that weren't quite what our market was looking for," she said. "They were out of style or had a small stain on them. Stuff that didn't sell in the store we pulled off the racks but didn't want to just throw them away."
Instead, they packed their store room and eventually a crate to ship to people less fortunate than they.
"Althea and Dave have worked so hard on the shipment end of it and also have helped financially to get those shipments down," Knight said. "They boxed everything and packed everything and were so careful to send things that were really good. There was no junk sent down."
Putting together a shipment was no easy task for the Urinkos, especially since each shipment weighed about 10,000 pounds, Knight estimated.
"The last time we figured there were at least 500 to 600 boxes in the trailer," Urinko said. "You're talking about big boxes, small boxes, bags -- it was just an astronomical amount of stuff."
They would work at packing boxes a little at a time, pulling clothes off the racks and storing them away, spending perhaps a day at it here and there. When they got word a shipment was cleared to go, they would spend a month to two months getting clothes pulled from the racks and packed up to be sent.
"It was a lot of work," Urinko said. "We just really didn't want to throw it away. There is so much in our society that is excess. We were really happy to find an outlet, somewhere else to take it to."
Luva Child has been in existence since the early 1980s. It started when Knight traveled to Peru and read a newspaper article saying there were 50,000 documented abandoned children in the capital city of Lima alone. When she returned to Soldotna, she began the nonprofit Luva Child organization with her sister, Nina. Luva Child established an orphanage in 1984, which is no longer open, and operates a feeding program in Peru that provides one meal a day to hungry children living on the streets or in shanty towns in Lima, Iquitos and Huayacan. Their efforts are funded by private donations.
Luva Child hopes to continue sending shipments of clothes and supplies to supplement its feeding program but even with the Urinkos' donations and transportation to Seattle being provided by Lynden Transport, the shipments are an expensive undertaking.
"We'll just have to take it a year at a time and just see how it goes," Knight said. "I'm not sure whether we'll have the support we've had before."
Luva Child is hoping to send out another relief shipment in September. The Urinkos' storehouse has around 100 boxes packed up and ready to go if and when the necessary finances are gathered. Urinko estimated she could fill another 400 to 500 more with the clothes she's got left in storage.
"(This shipment) is kind of a memorial for David," she said. "We had to earn a living, but it was David's heart always to serve the community. He felt that he did that best through the store. It was his life work that he felt ... proud of."
According to Urinko, the new owner of the Extra Value Thrift Store is interested in continuing clothes donations for the relief shipments. But after her husband's death and selling the store, this will be Urinko's last time participating.
"After getting this last shipment together, I will be finished," she said. "We felt blessed to be able to help people. We shared a lot with them, and they shared of their lives with us. There was good give-and-take on both sides. We totally enjoyed it."
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Clarion now known as Grand Texan Hotel and Convention Center
Published 4:27 am, Monday, January 16, 2012
Under new ownership and sporting a new name is the former Clarion Hotel at 4300 W. Wall Street.
Now known as the GRAND TEXAN HOTEL & CONVENTION CENTER, the property, which began life as a Holiday Inn, is now under private ownership and no longer part of Choice Hotels.
The entire facility will be undergoing complete renovations, from the rooms to the restaurant and bar. Each room will be completely redone, with half the property's 250 guest rooms open while the other 125 are renovated.
When done, the Grand Texan will also have a new restaurant and bar. Even the convention center, separate from the hotel, is undergoing renovations.
The work, expected to incorporate the Texas red, white and blue theme, is expected to be complete by the end of the year.
Just opened at 1000 N. Midkiff Suite 5B, facing Cuthbert, is ASTONISH HAIR AND NAIL SALON.
Owner Jodi Swanner said she has had her license for 23 years and, after having worked in the haircare industry both full-time and part-time during that time, "I wanted my own shop." Her oldest daughter, she said, came up with the salon's name.
Swanner and fellow stylists Sylvia Winn, Andrea Almodoza and Kristi Owens offer complete hair care for men, women and children - cuts, color, permanents, highlights and extensions. Nailcare - manicures and pedicures - is also available, as is facial waxing. A makeup artist is also available.
Hours are 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. Appointments are available and walk-ins are welcome.
Appointments can be made or more information is available by calling 689-3206.


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In trading on Thursday, shares of VOC Energy Trust (NYSE: VOC) entered into oversold territory, changing hands as low as $18.01 per share. We define oversold territory using the Relative Strength Index, or RSI, which is a technical analysis indicator used to measure momentum on a scale of zero to 100. A stock is considered to be oversold if the RSI reading falls below 30.
In the case of VOC Energy Trust, the RSI reading has hit 29.5 — by comparison, the universe of energy stocks covered by Energy Stock Channel currently has an average RSI of 44.9, the RSI of WTI Crude Oil is at 26.0, and the RSI of Henry Hub Natural Gas is presently 49.1.
Click here to find out which 9 other oversold energy stocks you need to know about, at EnergyStockChannel.com »
A bullish investor could look at VOC's 29.5 reading as a sign that the recent heavy selling is in the process of exhausting itself, and begin to look for entry point opportunities on the buy side.
Looking at a chart of one year performance (below), VOC's low point in its 52 week range is $17.65 per share, with $24.85 as the 52 week high point — that compares with a last trade of $18.16. VOC Energy Trust shares are currently trading off about 1.1% on the day.
Special Offer: Join the income investing conversation on ValueForum.com with a special Seven Days for Seven Dollars invitation from Forbes.


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Indra, the god of war in Hindu mythology whose chariot thunders across the rain clouds, must be smiling as the torrential northeast monsoon rains brought the Eelam War in Sri Lanka to a near halt last week. The northeast monsoon, the main source of rainfall in Tamil Nadu and northern Sri Lanka, intensifies during the months of October and November and peters out in December. The average monthly rainfall in the peak period is about 300 mm.
The entire domain of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in the north will be affected by monsoon rains at least for the next five to six weeks. And rains in rough terrain with poor communication are the night mare of troops on the offensive. They make the axes of advance a mess of slush and mire. Equally they could ring death knell to troops manning the defences as well, as rains often flood the bunkers and weapon pits. Thus the tempo of war is likely to be subdued with intermittent spurts of fierce activity during sunny spells. Needless to say, the plight of the population displaced by the ravages of war and caught in the open or under makeshift arrangement would be terrible. Even political protests against the war could be dampened due to heavy rains as it happened in Tamil Nadu.
The defence spokesman in Colombo blamed the wet weather for the security forces' failure to carry out the much awaited capture of Kilinochchi. The heavy rains had made troop movements slow and difficult, he said. However, the Army Commander Lt Gen Sarath Fonseka appear to have factored in the weather in his plans; as his troops claimed to have eaten into some more of the LTTE defences in three fronts when the rains gave way to some clear weather now and then. The security forces reported making some progress beyond Nachikuda in the Task Force I sector; 57 Division also succeeded in capturing parts of LTTE defences around Akkarayankulam on way to Kilinochchi. In the Mullaitivu east, 59 Division also made progress ahead of Janakapura capturing Gajabapura. The LTTE also appeared to be ready to overcome adverse weather and fight the advancing troops.
How far does weather really affect operation when it is in the crucial 'breakthrough' phase? Generally in monsoon rains slows down offensive operations of both warring sides, reduces fire power, hampers close air support, and eats up more time in carrying out every task. And the ruthless justice of weather equally applies to both sides. Thus in the active monsoon period both sides would probably spend more energy to retain their tactical advantages in mire and slush and than fight a high intensity war. In other words the war will be a slow crawl through the mud with fights moving from bunker to bunker.
During monsoon rains three factors – the weather, terrain and troops morale – together affect the soldier. Even when it is not raining and the skies are overcast visibility becomes poor. This makes combat management difficult. Heavy weapon and artillery fire at long ranges become less reliable. Artillery observers will also find it a little more taxing to bring down accurate fire. Mortar bombs are less effective in mud and slush. Air reconnaissance and air transportation are also affected. Close air support for land operations become more difficult.
Though modern fighter aircraft fly above rain clouds, sorties could become fewer as met conditions are favourable for shorter periods only. This applies to support from gun ships as well. More over, ground support operations for aircraft and artillery maintenance, and loading, replenishment of ammunition etc. become more cumbersome. These limitations will apply more to the security forces as they have greater fire power. For the LTTE, spotting and shooting down of aircraft from ground becomes more difficult unless missiles are used. In order to compensate lesser fire support the security forces will be required to use more troops on the offensive. That could translate into more casualties.
Similarly monsoon weather also affects naval operations along the coast and inshore areas as war ships prefer to be out in the high seas than face the turbulence on the coast line. Visibility in monsoon seas is poor. This could affect naval operations in support of troops operating along Mullaitivu coast. The lighter Sea Tiger craft are probably better placed to sneak in closer to naval ships taking advantage of monsoon conditions Landing of troops by sea also becomes tricky and time consuming. This could reduce options available to the security forces in offensive against Pooneryn.
The second aspect is the terrain in bad weather which invariably decides the winner and the vanquished. When the down pour comes, roads are inundated and tracks get flooded; muddy paddy fields could become deathtraps of tanks and trucks. Seasonal streams turn into rapids. Though modern armies have their own engineer units to construct bridges and roads, the havoc caused by rains could outstrip their capability. As vehicles get bogged down, labour units will have to be mustered to carry vital battlefield requirements. Overall the terrain conditions make both launching of attacks and counter attacks equally time and resource consuming.
The third and more important factor is the cumulative effect of bad weather and terrain on morale of fighters. Prolonged operations with long marches through slush and mud in wet weather sap the strength, efficiency and demoralize the troops. Thus even a small setback could have high impact on the psyche of troops. Troops become more vulnerable to mines which get shifted due to the flow of rain water. Fording of even small streams could become tricky when they turn into deep currents. With the weather playing truant, battle field evacuation of casualties becomes difficult both by land and air. During the offensive troops caught in the open will find it more difficult to dig down. Overall the security forces are probably at a slight disadvantage over the LTTE which is fighting probably from well drained bunkers.
However the LTTE would also find the weather restrictive in fighting a classical defensive battle. Pulling back to fall back positions before reinforcing the next line of defence can become a costly exercise. The LTTE would also find the same problem as the security forces in preparing new defensive positions. Its plans to counter attack could also flounder in the face of adverse weather conditions with problems of mobility, support fire and casualty evacuation. It would also face problems of logistic support in meeting battle field needs. Its combat engineering resources are marginal and mostly improvised. That will have its own positive and negative fall out.
Both sides will find it more difficult to carry out deep penetration and commando operations. For the security forces, problems of mobility by air, sea and land could reduce the range of Special Forces operations. Special boat operations would also become more risky. This has relevance if Special Forces are to be used for operations in Pooneryn with naval support.
Assessing military operations in Vanni when the weather is fickle is a difficult proposition. However, considering the overall setting of the battle zones, any northern offensive of 53 and 55 divisions will perforce be restricted to a narrow frontage along Muhamalai-Elephant Pass axis as the lagoons and marshy land on both sides of would be water logged. Particularly the approach along Nagarkovil salient would become unsuited for operations. The Task Force I offensive towards Pooneryn could make better progress than the offensive of 57 Division towards Kilinochchi. Task Force II operations towards A9 highway between Mankulam and Puliyankulam would also probably make some more progress though it will be across the grain of the terrain. 59 Division dominating the area between Gajabapura and Nayaru lagoon in Mullaitivu east would probably make slow progress only. In this difficult terrain the operations will be time consuming with a lot of jungle bashing by foot soldiers.
Given these conditions, whichever side can maintain better morale and ensure effective leadership at platoon level is likely to succeed. The security forces have more troops, larger options, better technology, more victories and lesser casualties to help their morale. On the other hand, the rains and the LTTE have managed to stall their advance to Kilinochchi. The LTTE on the other hand is fighting a battle of survival with a highly motivated band of cadres. Perhaps it will be more realistic to assess the impact of poor weather on the morale of troops on both sides after they are exposed to say three more weeks of intense fighting in wet weather.
The looming possibility of Indian 'intervention' and its political aftermath in Tamil Nadu and India would have had its impact on both the warring sides.
Prabhakaran in his interview to Nakkeeran a Tamil weekly has expressed his happiness at the protests in Tamil Nadu. He has said these sentiments added to the LTTE strength. On the other hand the clear statement of Indian Foreign Minister Pranabh Mukherjee on India distancing itself from the Eelam War would have warmed the hearts of the security forces. Thus the confrontation is now literally eyeball to eyeball. And it will depend upon who blinks first. The weatherman is perhaps unwittingly better suited now to assess the course of operations more accurately in the near future as it is interwoven with good weather.
(Hariharan's Intelligence blog)