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text: Job Discussion Forums :: View topic - Retired while living/teaching in Cambodia Get TEFL Certified & Start Your Adventure Today! Job Discussion Forums"The Internet's Meeting Place for ESL/EFL Students and Teachers from Around the World!" FAQ Search Memberlist Usergroups Register Profile Log in to check your private messages Log in Retired while living/teaching in Cambodia Goto page 1, 2 Next Job Discussion Forums Forum Index -> Cambodia View previous topic :: View next topic Author Message flyingcoloursJoined: 04 Oct 2011Posts: 73 Posted: Mon Oct 10, 2011 12:02 pm Post subject: Retired while living/teaching in Cambodia My retirement is very low for Western standards. With just a couple of years of actual ESL experience and earning about 750 American dollars per month retirement would that be "enough" to live and teach there? Back to top flyingcoloursJoined: 04 Oct 2011Posts: 73 Posted: Wed Oct 12, 2011 6:03 pm Post subject: Help Back to top fladudeJoined: 02 Feb 2009Posts: 432 Posted: Thu Oct 13, 2011 3:38 am Post subject: $750 doesn't really go far in the third world anymore. The US dollar ain't worth what it once was. But of course you are going to work too right?? Or did I get that wrong? Back to top sigmoidJoined: 21 Jan 2003Posts: 1252 Posted: Thu Oct 13, 2011 5:01 am Post subject: Well, if your rent/utilities/internet is around $250 - 300, that leaves you about $15/day, which is doable if you live pretty frugally. You should be able to get some teaching work for an extra several hundred dollars per month on average. Some months have a lot of holidays that are usually unpaid and there are also unpaid breaks between terms, so your earnings will definitely rise and fall. Get a place with a basic kitchen so you have the option of cooking. Back to top flyingcoloursJoined: 04 Oct 2011Posts: 73 Posted: Thu Oct 13, 2011 8:29 am Post subject: Thanks people. Yes, I definitely want to teach there but not on a full time basis. Part-time would be good but part-time as in closer to full time...3/4 time? Thanks again. Back to top sigmoidJoined: 21 Jan 2003Posts: 1252 Posted: Thu Oct 13, 2011 12:22 pm Post subject: Don't worry too much about that. Other than the "international" schools, most every place hires on an hourly basis and doesn't have a lot of hours to give. Usually, the problem for most people is not enough hours. For example, when I was there I had 6 hrs/week at Phnom Penh Int'l U., 6 hrs/week at U. of Puthisastra and another 6 hours teaching report writing to the staff at an NGO. So, those might be the kind of places that you apply to, especially if you have little or no interest in teaching kids. Also, you take care of your own visa via a travel agent, so you're not tied down to just one school. Back to top The Great Wall of WhinerJoined: 29 Jan 2003Posts: 4946Location: Blabbing Posted: Mon Nov 28, 2011 1:27 pm Post subject: China would be a much better option. Back to top AGoodStoryJoined: 26 Feb 2010Posts: 738 Posted: Mon Nov 28, 2011 2:00 pm Post subject: The Great Wall of Whiner wrote: China would be a much better option. How so, TGWW? Are you thinking in terms of the financial realities of the two countries, or culture, living conditions, quality of life issues? Or perhaps some other entirely different consideration? Back to top OpiateJoined: 10 Aug 2011Posts: 630Location: Qingdao Posted: Mon Nov 28, 2011 2:18 pm Post subject: AGoodStory wrote: The Great Wall of Whiner wrote: China would be a much better option. How so, TGWW? Are you thinking in terms of the financial realities of the two countries, or culture, living conditions, quality of life issues? Or perhaps some other entirely different consideration? While I won't pretend to know GWOW's meaning, I can say I agree with his statement. Jobs are far easier to obtain in China though I have no exp. teaching in Cambodia outside of what I read here. You can find a job that will provide accommodation with little effort in China. That will save you a nice chunk of change. Your retirement alone *can* be enough to live on if you are willing to sacrifice a lot. As a supplement to an actual salary though it's not a bad deal at all. You should easily be able to save all your retirement income at the very least with the pay you'll find at any random Uni.... and they *should* be able to provide you the proper paperwork to remain in country. You never mentioned your age but it may be a factor. If not now..then perhaps later. Back to top PattyFlipperJoined: 14 Nov 2007Posts: 572 Posted: Fri Dec 02, 2011 4:32 pm Post subject: Agree on China perhaps being better for teaching work, however Cambodia is a much more congenial and 'foreigner friendly' place to live. Good Western and international food is easier to find and a lot cheaper than in China, as is alcohol, particularly in the bars. It is also much easier to get around in English in Phnom Penh and the other major Cambodian towns. Getting anything done in China can be an absolute pain if you don't have Chinese language skills. Cambodian immigration formalities are a breeze, too, and because you own your visa, you are not shackled in indentured-serfdom to some abusive and/or exploitative employer (of which China has more than its fair share). You could just about scrape by on $750 a month in Phnom Penh, but it won't be very comfortable or much fun. If you have a degree, some kind of TEFL certificate and previous experience, you will have no problem picking up a few teaching hours at about $10 an hour (less 10% tax) to supplement your pension. If you don't have the above you may still be able to get some bottom-feeder work, but it will be more difficult to find and will pay less. Back to top vaughandwJoined: 22 Nov 2011Posts: 5 Posted: Sat Dec 03, 2011 3:25 pm Post subject: Is it really that expensive to live in Cambodia? I was under the impression the locals make about 100 USD a month there. If you live in a small apartment with no A/C and no WIFI, cook at home, don't drink alcohol, and don't do touristy stuff, you should be able to get by for only a few hundred a month, right? I hope so, because I'm going there soon and I'm hoping to make what little money I have last. Back to top PattyFlipperJoined: 14 Nov 2007Posts: 572 Posted: Sat Dec 03, 2011 4:30 pm Post subject: What a local earns is, I suggest, largely irrelevant to the existence of a foreigner and a Westerner. Locals generally do not pay rent, and live with extended family, many of whom contribute to communal living costs and will chip-in in a financial emergency. Poorer locals subsist on rice and noodles and may not be able to afford proper medical care. Locals also do not have to pay visa costs (you will need to budget around $25 per person per month for this) or have holidays or trips home to foreign lands, nor do they require modern innovations like internet access. How one chooses to live is generally a matter of individual preference. Basic living costs in Cambodia can be reasonable, but Phnom Penh is certainly not the cheapest place in Asia in which to live. Back to top sigmoidJoined: 21 Jan 2003Posts: 1252 Posted: Mon Dec 05, 2011 5:57 am Post subject: Quote: Is it really that expensive to live in Cambodia? I was under the impression the locals make about 100 USD a month there. If you live in a small apartment with no A/C and no WIFI, cook at home, don't drink alcohol, and don't do touristy stuff, you should be able to get by for only a few hundred a month, right? I'd say the lowest realistic figure is about $500 ($200 for rent + utilities and $10/day for expenses). I don't see how you could get by much cheaper than that unless you went to live in the country somewhere. Back to top vaughandwJoined: 22 Nov 2011Posts: 5 Posted: Mon Dec 05, 2011 8:02 pm Post subject: Thank sigmoid. That's about what I was figuring. Living in the country sounds good, too. I'm getting pictures in my head of Cambodians wearing John Deere hats and chewing Skoal lol. Daaaaang! Back to top SahanRiddhiJoined: 18 Sep 2010Posts: 267 Posted: Tue Dec 20, 2011 9:13 pm Post subject: As we age, men are prone to heart attacks. I would not want to have a coronary event while living in Cambodia. There is simply too high a chance you'll fall to the sidewalk, lie there helplessly for a while, and eventually be carted off to a morgue. Frankly, this is a likely outcome in any of the "developing" Asian countries. Back to top Display posts from previous: All Posts1 Day7 Days2 Weeks1 Month3 Months6 Months1 Year Oldest FirstNewest First Job Discussion Forums Forum Index -> Cambodia All times are GMTGoto page 1, 2 Next Page 1 of 2 Jump to: Select a forum Where to Begin----------------General DiscussionNewbie ForumCurrent Events ForumTechnology ForumOnline Teaching Forum Africa Forums----------------General Africa Forum Asia Forums----------------CambodiaChina (Job-related Posts Only)China (Off-Topic)Hong KongIndiaIndonesiaJapanMalaysiaPhilippinesSingaporeTaiwanThailandGeneral Asia ForumVietnam Caribbean Forums----------------General Caribbean Forum Europe Forums----------------Czech RepublicFranceGermanyGreeceItalyMacedonia and the BalkansPolandRomaniaRussia & C.I.S.SpainTurkeyUkraineUnited KingdomGeneral Europe Forum Latin America Forums----------------ArgentinaBrazilChileColombiaCosta RicaMexicoMexico (off-topic)PeruGeneral Latin America Forum The Middle East Forums----------------BahrainEgyptIsraelKuwaitOmanQatarSaudi ArabiaUnited Arab EmiratesGeneral Middle East Forum North America Forums----------------General North America Forum Oceania----------------Australia/New Zealand You cannot post new topics in this forumYou cannot reply to topics in this forumYou cannot edit your posts in this forumYou cannot delete your posts in this forumYou cannot vote in polls in this forum This page is maintained by the one and only Dave Sperling. 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Photo: The Death Star II, as dubbed by one of my fellow commuters, nears completion, with cranes busily piecing together the structures surrounding the new Sprint Center arena.
This is the first time since Friday evening that I've been able to ride. I froze my little leggies off this morning, because I thought it was close enough to freezing to get away with just my jeans. BZZT! WRONG! I should have played it safe and tossed the thermal base layer on. Fortunately, my core stayed warm without getting really hot and sweaty. The last thing I need to do is provoke the demons of illness, death, and plagues again.
I'm still on for Wings tonight. I figure a batch of Blazin' wings with some spicy garlic wings to "take the edge off" should help decimate any remaining shard of unwanted parasitic life forms in my body.
Anyhow, it's good to be back on the bike again. Yesterday was a drag without it.
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
It's good to be back
Photo: The Death Star II, as dubbed by one of my fellow commuters, nears completion, with cranes busily piecing together the structures surrounding the new Sprint Center arena.
2 comments:
- Warren T said...
Glad you're feeling a bit better. I am rather jealous as it has now been 12 days since my two youngest and I have been able to saddle up. Man, will this junk ever melt off?
- January 23, 2007 9:20 PM
- Noah said...
I hear ya. This is the worst phase. It gets above freezing for most of the day, and allows the salt, sand, road grime, and slush to oooze everywhere, gets all over you, your bike, your chain...
I basically have to wipe my bike down every single night, and completely de-grease, clean, dry, and re-lube the chain every few days. Plus, this stuff is a pain to ride in. Powder and medium-pack snow is really fun (for me, with a bike made for it)
This is really messy, though. I'm hoping the forecast is wrong. Weekend snow is awesome, but three solid weeks of slushy, disgusting roads... not awesome.
- January 23, 2007 11:59 PM
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Neal Morse Seattle October 7 2012
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Topic: Neal Morse Seattle October 7 2012
Posted: October 08 2012 at 15:31
Seattle, WA
October 7 2012
EMP Museum: JBL Theater
Another fantastic performance by Neal Morse in Seattle last night. This performance was the Momentum Tour 2012, which only featured 3 songs off the new album. Everything else was songs from other Neal Morse albums.
Weathering Sky
Author of Confusion
Distance to the Sun
Testimony I Suite
Thoughts Part 5
The Conflict
? Suite
Fly High
World Without End
Crazy Horses
King Jesus
Three hours of massive prog epics, as you can see from the setlist......Seems he is changing the encore around as they have also been playing "Come Sail Away" by Styx.
The epics were played with so much power and enthusiasm by all members of the band. It was very evident from the start that Mike Portnoy is very, very comfortable now with Neal Morse in this on going project work. He played with so much power and emotion I mean he was tearing up the skins with such precision it was mesmarizing.
Especially on Thoughts Pt 5 and The Conflict, Portnoy was a beast....He got into every fill like it was his last.
Randy George was his usual tower of perfection, although I did not care for him being in the background....I prefer he be in front.
The other members were Adson Sodre, Bill Hubauer and Eric Gillette.....All excellent musicians, this group of 6 really jelled well together.
Highlights for me were Thougts Pt 5, Conflict, Author of Confusion........For my wife she really got into ? Suite and Testimony I Suite. That one had more boogie, dare I say danceable tunes, with Prince of the Power of the Air.
The Osmonds Crazy Horses cover was just fun, with Portnoy taking the mic on lead vocals and Neal playing drums.
Both my wife and I agreed this setlist was much better than last years T2 Tour, granted he played all of T2, this setlist I think fit Mike Portnoy's style of playing much better and also more guitar riffing by Neal.
A night of powerful songs, long epics, fantastic musicianship by all........PROGTASTIC!!!
Here are some pics my wife took......We were in the first row, enjoy the pics.
Edited by Catcher10 - October 08 2012 at 15:33
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|Posted: October 08 2012 at 19:17
Great pics, thanks
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|Posted: October 08 2012 at 19:32
Nice shots, looks like you were right at the stage!
I bet Portnoy tore it up on Author of Confusion, that is one of my favorites by Neal.
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|Posted: October 09 2012 at 07:02
Great pics! That must have been an awesome show.
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|Posted: October 09 2012 at 07:28
Great review & good pics, too
Is it me, or does Mike Portnoy seem to be missing his seat at the back with DT not one little bit?
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|Posted: October 09 2012 at 09:43
You are correct....wife and I were first row....if I stretched my legs in my seat I hit the stage. It is a small, intimate venue probably 350 people were there.
And yes he tore up that song.
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|Posted: October 09 2012 at 21:29
Catcher10, thanks for posting those pictures, they're outstanding. Mine are posted below.
My wife and I were there as well. We got VIP tickets and it ended up being one of the most amazing experiences of my life!
October 7, 2012 - Meeting Neal Morse, Mike Portnoy, Randy George and the live band
I managed to get VIP tickets which allowed us access backstage and gave us premium seats. I bought the tickets from the concert promoter, Ken Coffman, who was great to deal with. I asked if there was anything I could do to help out and he suggested that I do some research and find out what nearby restaurants would be great for the band to hit after the show. But he cautioned me that the best plans have the potential to fall apart at any minute in these situations. I would soon find out that he wasn't kidding!
My wife and I met Ken for the first time in person at the South Entrance of the EMP around 3:30pm. He brought us backstage and then up to the green room (Another fan named Jerry had also purchase a VIP ticket so he hung out with us as well). When we got to the green room, some of the band members were having a sandwich before the show. There, I had a chance to meet Neal Morse, give him a framed picture that I made (based on the song "Wind At My Back") and get my picture taken with him. I've been a huge fan of Spock's Beard / Neal Morse since 1998 so this was a dream come true for me!
After that amazing experience, we had to focus on the restaurant planning. The initial plan was that Ken would buy out the food contract and give each of the 11 musicians / technicians $50 cash to do with as they please. Ken entrusted me with the money and said he would send each of band members / technicians to find me and that would make me "a very popular person."
However, it was becoming quickly evident that things were not going to go as planned. Mike Portnoy had mentioned that the coffee provided by the venue wasn't up to par. Ken asked my wife and I if we wouldn't mind doing a "Starbucks run" for Mike and some of the other band members. Being a crazy fan, I was all too eager to help out my wife, being a Starbucks fangirl herself, was great support in making sure the drinks were prepared exactly as requested.
We grabbed the drinks and quickly delivered them back to everyone. Mike Portnoy was very grateful and it gave me the opportunity to talk with him for a few moments. What a thrill!
Unfortunately, the problems kept piling up. We found out later that the band showed up an hour late because their bus broke down. Also, the sound check was taking a lot longer than expected because of multiple technical issues. When the gig started, it was over an hour late!
But it was worth the wait. The concert was outstanding!
There was still the lingering question about what to do for food after the show. My wife managed to find a place that was open late and looked fairly classy but not overly expensive (New York Pizza & Bar, a 5 minute walk away). After talking with the group's tour manager, we decided to place a "timed order" for 10:30pm. Only Neal, Mike, Eric, Randy (and his family) decided to attend in the end. My wife grabbed a menu and the tour manager had the each member of the band circle what they wanted on the menu.
However, we were thrown another left curve. The band decided to play a few extra songs, including one where Neal Morse played the drums and Mike Portnoy was on vocals. This made for a great show but there was food waiting. In the end, we didn't get to the New York Pizza & Bar until 11:00pm! And the band was tired and starving.
We came in got everyone seated but the bar manager was not happy. He said that they had to end up throwing out all of the food and had to start over. And I had to deliver the bad news to the band that the food wasn't immediately ready. But somehow, we got lucky and the restaurant staff didn't kill us and the band bought in to my reasoning that fresh food beats half hour cold food.
By some miracle, it all worked out. The band really enjoyed the food (my wife and I ordered pizza) and I got to have a late night meal with Neal Morse, Mike Portnoy and Randy George! We left a generous tip with the staff for putting up with us.
Ken Coffman showed up around midnight and proceeded to round everyone up and drive them back to their hotel. It was at this point I had a chance to thank Neal, Mike and Randy for letting us hang out with them and my wife even managed to get a picture of me and Mike Portnoy right at the very end.
After that experience, my wife and I headed back to our hotel. We didn't get to bed until around 2am and we had to be up for 4am to catch our flight back to Canada.
All in all, it was an unforgettable experience with pictures and memories that I will treasure for the rest of my life.
The framed picture I gave to Neal Morse
Ken Coffman, the concert promoter. He made this all possible!
Myself and Neal Morse in the green room at the EMP
Mike, Neal and Adson
The band
My wife and I
Randy, Neal and Mike
Neal and Mike
Randy, Neal and Mike
Eric, Mike and Neal
Eric, Mike and Neal
Neal, Mike and Adson
The band!
Myself and Mike Portnoy in front of the New York Pizza & Bar
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|Posted: October 10 2012 at 02:16
Storm - that's what I call a first post to the forum!
A great insight into the backstage scene of a hard working band, nice one, only one issue...
How bad was the coffee at the venue to make Starbucks seem a good option?
Edited by Jim Garten - October 10 2012 at 02:17
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|Posted: October 10 2012 at 11:48
Storm.....cool story and I had heard about some "issues" from Ken on Monday as he and I emailed back and forth.....The pics are not showing up though above. You must have removed them from where you posted them from.
Anyhow yea it was a great show for sure. I assume Ken mentioned to you that he was asked by Neal if he was willing to promote a Neal Morse/Flower Kings show next May 2013.......that would be a sweet billing but I told Ken he woulf have to rent the JBL Theater for 7 hours.....2 three hour shows and a 1 hour intermission! He laughed......
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|Posted: October 11 2012 at 22:14
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|Posted: October 25 2012 at 08:54
Thanks all for sharing! I'm glad that overall people really enjoyed this run of shows, because I definitely want more opportunities to see these guys in the future.
My experience was not so good. I was at the Arcada (near Chicago show), and the sound was just awful. All I could hear was bass and drum, with and without plugs. I had been looking forward to this since the gigs were announced, as seeing Neal was one of my life goals. I had to leave because the sound was painfully loud and also just awful.
It was especially irritating because the guys came out tight and ready to rock. The band was bringing it, except I just couldn't hear it.
Apologies, but I had to vent somewhere, although I am certainly happy that other shows were so memorable, and thankful that you folks shared your stories. Given all the ways my money goes to people who probably don't deserve it, it's refreshing to hear time and time again just what good people Neal and company seem to be.
Thank you, God of Rock, for this chance to kick ass
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|Posted: October 25 2012 at 14:47
Wow what a night. I'm so happy you got to hang out with them some. Mr. Morse is my hero, even briefly meeting him twice, it was a genuine experience.
Sorry Flucktrot about the sound issues, man that sucks so much!!! I'm sorry
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|Posted: October 25 2012 at 14:51
That is too bad....maybe next time they will pick a different venue for your area. The Seattle show started about an hour late due to technical issues. We kept being told the sound was not coming out right......I also think Randy was missing his main bass guitar as it showed up about 30min before we got in......We all cheered when we saw the guitar arrive...That was funny!
The venue in Seattle at EMP is very good soundwise, for the last two shows wife and I have been front row, and normally females at rock concerts cringe at the loudness, my wife has never complained, she likes Neal Morse and we both agree he is very good people too, his shows are very entertaining.
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State Party Income Tax Checkoff Reports
These reports show the receipts and expenditures by state parties from the Iowa Election Campaign Fund pursuant to Iowa Code sections 68A.601-68A.609 and rules in 351-Chapter 3. Money in the Fund is provided by taxpayers as a checkoff on their income tax filings. Reports cover the prior year.
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The cities of Flagler County offer visitors a taste of old and new Florida and residents a quality of life that cannot be surpassed.
Beverly Beach
Beverly Beach is small enough in Flagler County that if you are driving too fast on A1A along the ocean, you might just miss it. Located between the sand dunes of the Atlantic and the currents of the Intracostal Waterway, the town is just one mile long and one mile wide, but definitely worth a look.
County seat Bunnell was incorporated in 1913, but has come a long way from its humble beginnings. From 2005 to 2007 Bunnell has annexed more than 92,000 acres of land, increasing its size from 4 square miles to approximately 141 square miles and making Bunnell one of the largest cities in Florida. This quaint city holds many of the historic treasures of Flagler County within its city limits.
Flagler Beach
Flagler Beach is located on Florida's east coast between Daytona Beach and St. Augustine and is home to more than 5,520 residents. Since its incorporation in April 1925, Flagler Beach has grown from a sleepy fishing village to a unique seaside community while retaining much of its original charm. It is home to six miles of uncrowded beaches, many great fishing spots including the Flagler Beach Municipal Pier, restaurants with oceanfront dining, gift shops and a whole host of recreational facilitites.
The Hammock is a delightful meandering portion of A1A. Its northern gateway is the small town of Marineland that holds the Marineland Dolphin Adventure. Also found in Marineland is what some call our 'gateway harbor' Marineland Marina, and the University of Florida Whitney Marine Laboratory. The Hammock not only contains scenic, recreational and historic gems, it is home to a number of art galleries and an array of hotel and motel accommodations and restaurants to suit many tastes.
Marineland's community seeks to expand its permanent population while emphasizing its strengths in research, education and tourism. Surrounded by 10,000 acres of picturesque public land, the town offers a leading world-renowned laboratory of ecological research and interactive adventures with dolphins for almost all ages, all in the middle of an amazing estuarine system that cleans the water and shelters young fish and other marine life.
Palm Coast
Palm Coast is situated on 26 miles of saltwater canals and 53 miles of freshwater canals and steps away from the Intracoastal Waterway ad the pristine Atlantic Ocean beaches. People move to this small vibrant city to enhance their quality of life in a thriving, peaceful environment. What began as a modest planned community developed by ITT Corporation in the 1970s has blossomed into a flourishing destination for visitors looking for magnificent hiking/biking trails, sporting events, world-class golf and tennis.


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Physics on a plane: crystals made under zero gravity
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Ripening of 4He crystals by acoustic waves with and without gravity
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Westboro church attendee seeks seat on Kansas education board
Jack Wu isn't shy about his beliefs.
Topeka is evil. Harry Potter promotes witchcraft. Christmas trees are pagan idols. Cancer is a judgment from God. And the teaching of evolution should be rooted out of Kansas schools because it's a satanic lie.
He also believes that America's public schools are cultivating a culture of "liars, thieves, murderers and perverts."
Outside the mainstream? It doesn't matter to Wu, running for a seat on the Kansas Board of Education.
A northern California transplant, Wu is seeking to defeat first-term Democrat Carolyn Campbell of Topeka in an admittedly uphill battle for the 4th District seat on the state school board. Uphill because he only received $5 in contributions through July, the most recent reporting period.
But Campbell is taking her Republican opponent seriously.
"I want to make sure the folks that don't know Carolyn Campbell and her record will try to get to know me and understand who my opponent is and what he stands for," Campbell said.
The 4th District covers six northeast Kansas counties and takes in parts of Topeka and Lawrence. Campbell's district became a little more Republican this year when she picked up parts of Jefferson and Pottawatomie counties when election boundaries were redrawn to adjust for the census.
Teachers union officials also worry that voters who cast ballots along straight-party lines might be unaware of Wu's background.
Wu's campaign, small as it is, comes at a time when the state school board is expected to consider new science standards, raising the prospect of revisiting the evolution debate that consumed the board in 1999 and again in 2005 -- an issue about which Wu has strong views.
Yet the 29-year-old Wu says it's better to be loved by God and live in heaven than be loved by man and rot in hell.
"The truth matters more than the opinion of other men and women," said Wu, clutching his green cloth-bound King James Bible during a recent interview on the grounds of state Capitol about a block away from the Kansas Department of Education's offices.
"The Bible says if you're hated by other people for taking a stance that's not popular, it's like a sign you're chosen by God, almost," added Wu, who describes himself as a reality television fan who works as a self-employed computer programmer and designer of video games.
His last-minute decision to file for the seat in June is drawing attention because he also attends Topeka's Westboro Baptist Church, which has gained national notoriety for picketing military funerals with signs that read, "Thank God for dead soldiers," "God hates the USA" and "God hates pillowbiters."
Last year, the church, led by the Rev. Fred Phelps, won a Supreme Court case blocking a civil lawsuit seeking damages for intentionally inflicting emotional distress at a soldier's funeral in 2006. Wu said he has joined the congregation's pickets in California and Topeka, but to the best of his recollection hasn't participated in a protest at a military funeral.
Born in Taiwan and raised in a San Francisco suburb, Wu moved to Topeka in 2008 after learning about Westboro on an Internet message board.
Wu said he was drawn to the church's all-or-nothing message of obey God or else. Westboro stands apart, he said, because its congregation confronts issues of heaven, hell and eternal fate. He believes Westboro preaches the Bible accurately and hasn't watered down its message.
Church spokesman Jonathan Phelps, the son of the church's leader, said he didn't know much about Wu. He sees Wu at church most Sundays.
"It seems like he believes what he says," Phelps said. "I think he's a nice guy."
But Campbell, 70, said she thinks Wu is negatively focused, especially with comments he's posted on his Web site about public education "preparing its students to be liars, crooks, thieves, murderers, and perverts."
"That is very sad that anyone would go that route in their thoughts about the education system," she said. "I have a lot of respect for our educators. Anyone that decides to be a teacher starts out knowing that their income isn't going to be what it could be. That shows they are dedicated to our children."
And then there's the issue of evolution.
Kansas is one of 26 states working with the National Research Council to develop voluntary standards to be used by multiple states. The proposed standards direct teachers to engage students in research in evolution and natural selection. Evolution's pivotal place in life science is not diluted, and there is no mention of creationism.
If the proposed science standards came before the board today, the vote would likely be 7 to 3 in favor, political observers believe.
However, the standards won't be complete until after the Nov. 6 school board election, when five seats will be on the ballot, including the race pitting Wu against Campbell, who favors teaching evolution.
While Wu appears to bring little firepower to the race -- he lists no support from any prominent political groups -- he's not someone who should be overlooked, especially in a heavily Republican state, said Mark Desetti, lobbyist for the Kansas National Education Association.
"We take everybody seriously, especially in a state where there is one-party dominance like there is in Kansas," Desetti said.
Desetti cautioned that voters might be more focused on the presidential race and higher profile statehouse races, so it might be easy to overlook a state school board race and just vote along party lines.
"I honestly believe that if Kansans know this guy, if they know what he says, they would not vote for him," he said. "I've read his Web site. I've read his views. As a parent, I would find them quite disturbing that he could be setting education policy for the state of Kansas."
Wu said he is a graduate of what used to be called California State University-Hayward where he was involved in student government, and also ran for the Kansas House in 2010.
Wu is well aware of the attention his latest candidacy has attracted and expects people to scoff at his beliefs. But he said his candidacy is not about being part of the political mainstream.
"If you're mainstream, you're going to hell," he said.
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syma on Family Tree Circles
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Journals and Posts
Interesting facts of my family NICHOLLS and ANDREWS
Both my parents grew up in orphanages.
First my mother's side.
In 1918 there was a huge flu epidemic in Johannesburg, Transvaal, South Africa. My grandfather Isaac NICHOLLS caught it and was pronounced dead. In fact according to him he could hear everything going on and said around him, but was unable to respond in any way. finally when he was in his coffin, he managed somehow to sit up and say"I am alive", and scared the mortitians. One left never to return and Isaac lived to see the other one die.
On retuning home he told his wife "I never want to be buried,I want to be burned." Her reply was "Over my dead body I'll let you be burned."
Well thats excatly what happened. Grandmother Alice Lucy Maud (WARE) died 7 years before he did. My aunt said she asked the doctor how to have her father burned. She was told there was no crematorium built yet, and she had to ask the Indians, who lived in Fordsburg,near where they lived in Turfontien. On going there she was told it would cost her 2/6d, and a sheet to wrap his body in.
She was told he was the first european to be cremated by them, and the first in Johannesburg.
Aunt Winnie then took his ashes and put them on her mother's grave. Alice's words came true.. he was burned over her dead body. My mother and her younger siblings were put into a home. Unfortunetly my aunt never knew where her parents were born. She told me they were Irish as far as she knew, but had no documents,and she too never really wanted to talk about them.
The next story is of my father's side. In 1917 my grandfather Alfred Henry ANDREWS who was a policeman, was asked to do point duty at a warehouse that had caught fire. He had 2 daughters and a nieghbour had 7 daughters, so he stole a roll of material, for dresses to be made. Well he was caught and was sent to prison for 2 years.
While he was there, grandmother Rita Maria (KEET) had a nervous breakdown, and was committed to an institution. my father and his siblings were also put into a home. The sad part is that Rita never ever came out. I got to meet my grandfather Alfred and a step granny.
It was only when I started doing research, I found the facts in the Archives. I had thought my grandmother was dead, but much to my surprise I found that she was still alive. I contacted the last place that she had been sent to, only to my surprise to find she still alive, but a vegetable, so was told not to visit. She was about 800 miles from where I was. I kept in touch and Granny finaly died in 1970. 53 years locked up.
Alfred contacted TB and knew he was dying, so he had to divorce Rita to enable him to marry his common law wife, my step-granny. He wanted her to be able to recieve his pension from the mines when he died. He had to marry her. So after 46 years of waiting for Rita to die, he divorced her.
Another sad fact was that one of thier daughters, was an epileptic. So she too was placed in an institution, and never came out. I actually visited her in 1983 when I found where she was,she died in 1986. (79 years.)
I am so grateful for joining The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, who ask us to find our roots. I would never have found these stories, as we were brought up not to be in grown ups company, and especially not to ask personal questions. I now have my most family lines coming from Rita, I really am glad to find and know her as a person.
Working on the ANDREWS, KEET, NICHOLLS, WARE lines
Both my Parents were in orphanages, so I had a battle to start. My fathers line is ANDREWS and the futhest i have gone there is my 2ggf Thomas Samuel ANDREWS born in 1839 in Bristol Gloucester,England. His mothers line KEET I have a wealth of info to share on my mothers line i have gone back 22 generations on 1 line the DU PLESSIS and many other names. My mothers line I am stuck with My gf Isaac NICHOLLS born @8 Sep 1869 I have no idea where. so cannot trace his parents, he died on 27 Jul 1928 in Johannesburg, South Africa. I know they are listed on IGI but that is not proved. His wife Alice Lucy Maud WARE born on 1 Mar 1884 also no place, she also died in Johannesburg on 6 Aug 1921. I really am hoping some other living relatives can help me with more info.
Desperately looking to find where my grand parents were born Isaac Nicholls and Alice Lucy Maud Ware can anyone help?
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Recently after interviewing a potential nanny, I asked my daughter Chloe, 4, what she thought. "I don't like her brown skin?" my daughter replied, phrasing it like a question in that hesitant way she does when she knows she's testing.
I was shocked—and horrified. She'd never mentioned skin color before, despite having good friends of different ethnicities, and I naively believed she was colorblind. Now, faced with the fear that I had inadvertently raised a pint-size racist, I biffed it. "That's not a nice thing to say,' I scolded her. And then, unsure of what else to say, I said nothing at all.
I'm pretty sure that falls on the "how not to handle it" list. We spoke to Dr. Beverly Tatum, president of Spelman College and author of Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria? And Other Conversations about Race to find out what you should say, and when.
Don't be afraid to bring it up
For many parents, the race talk is as difficult as the birds and the bees talk. Dr. Tatum attributes this awkwardness to a lack of communication about race in many of our own childhoods. "There are concerns about saying the wrong thing and sounding racist, even if that is not the intent." says Dr. Tatum. "Sometimes parents naively believe that if they talk about issues of race with their children, they will cause them to notice race in a way that they did not before."
Look for teaching moments
Not sure how to get the conversation started? If your child comments on different skin colors, that's an easy in. Children's books that discuss race are also a gentle introduction. Or, you can look for subtle openings in everyday life. "I was cooking with my 3-year-old," says Dr. Tatum. "We used the last white egg in the carton, and then took out another carton of eggs, this time brown eggs. My son noted that the eggs were different in color. 'Yes,' I said, as we cracked both eggs open, 'But look—they are the same inside. Just like people, they come in different shades, but they are the same on the inside.'"
Make the message age-appropriate
For preschoolers, use concrete examples, like the egg example above. Since even young children can understand when something is unfair (how many times have they lobbed the "not fair!" charge at you?), you can break down slavery (or segregation) for them: Slavery happened a long time ago, but holding people captive and making them work without paying them is unfair. So slavery ended, because many people thought it was unfair and worked to change it. "I think it is important to emphasize that no racial group is all bad or all victims," says Dr. Tatum. "For example, in the US, white people were slaveowners, but white people also worked against slavery. Black people were enslaved, but many resisted their mistreatment by running away and helping others escape. Offering examples of people working together is also important."
Accept that prejudiced comments may happen—and that doesn't mean your child is racist
If your kid makes a questionable remark, don't freak. "Children often repeat what they hear others say, and it doesn't necessarily mean that the child believes it," says Dr. Tatum. "Ask questions. 'What made you say....?' Gently dispute the stereotype or prejudiced attitudes. 'I've heard people say X about Y, but my experience with Y people is...' and give an example to dispute the stereotype."
Most importantly, be a role model
"The best way to reduce children's prejudices is to model an inclusive home, demonstrating that you have friends of all backgrounds," says Dr. Tatum. "Parents who have learned to lead multicultural lives, connecting with people different from themselves, are more likely to have children who develop those important life skills at an early age."
As for my own little stumble, we've recovered. Hanging out together on Martin Luther King Day, I asked Chloe if she knew who Dr. King was, and somehow she did. We talked about the work he did, and how unfair it is to treat someone badly just because they have different color skin. And then we went back to coloring.
Want more? Learn How One Mom Teaches Her Daughters to Love Their African-American Heritage.


text:
|System: Xbox 360, PS3*, PC
|Dev: Demiurge Studios
|Pub: Ubisoft
|Release: March 13, 2012
|Players: 1-4
|Screen Resolution: 480p-1080p
|Strong Language, Use of Alcohol, Sexual Themes
But all of the drawbacks almost fall to the wayside when you fire up the game with four of your friends. SMR's co-op mode is probably its crowning achievement. It's loud and chaotic, and the action almost never lets up. However, this just isn't enough to save it from being a passing fad.
Demiurge has done a good job defining the game's graphical and thematic ceiling, and not breaking the glass. It's a throwback side-scroller at its core, but it's not drenched in the same ironic nostalgia that similar titles fall into. However, even if I'm being generous, I'm fairly certain that Shoot Many Robots isn't going to stay in your play list for very long. Actually, in my initial ten-word review, it probably would have been more accurate for me to say, "There were many robots, and I shot most of them, but then I went back to playing Modern Warfare 3."
So what? I'm obviously not immune to the technology and graphically prowess that the industry has taught us to love. But self-awareness has to count for something, right?
What SMR manages to do is remind us that stupid games are fun and that we're all idiots, which is a good thing. It's definitely not perfect, but if you're the type of person who's going to make a serious attempt at nit-picking Shoot Many Robots, take a look in the mirror; you're the embarrassing uncle.
Josh Engen
Contributing Writer
Date: March 20, 2012
Game Features:


text: Ariana Papademetropoulos' long last name may be the very thing that inspires her mystic paintings. Or, at least that's just what I'd like to believe. I saw her work during CalARTS' open studios and it was definitely some of my favorite stuff on display. Especially, since it deals with spiritualism in a way that's remarkably beautiful. Just look at her paintings of crystals that have hidden reflections of women and symbols, which can entrance the viewer into a reflective stare. There's much more going on in Ariana's work than one's initial glance.


text:
Napoleon: Total War
Arcade Battles and mediocre AI
I have promised to share my opinion about the new game of "The Creative Assembly". I dedicate this thorough review to all the users of twcenter forum who have followed my modding work all these years and I hope you will find it interesting and different from the bulk of clone-reviews across the web! Since I am a not a native-English speaker (Greek nationality) I apologise for any mistakes I may have done in the below words. So, I remember the popular demand for a creation of a Napoleonic era Total War game to exist for many years. At last we can have it in our hands. Is it worth it? I will analyze and rate the basic aspects of it, then I will provide my overall rating, and lastly… you will decide if it is worth it!
The Graphical Interface (6/10)
I believe that this "futuristic blue" is not fitting to the era we play and it is all over the place. I would like to see a more historical design of the interface and not actually think that I play the "Star Craft" game. The irony is, that in DarthMod, I use this concept of Star Wars in many occasions, because this is how the trend of DarthMod is, but again it feels less futuristic than this! The small "strumf" icons, the bright colors, the minimal round edge, a strange blue overlay of the map etc. are not eye catching in my opinion and do not drive you into the era, as they are supposed to be… or maybe I am wrong. This is a personal opinion whatsoever and of not so importance, so better to stop mentioning about this and start talking about more serious things.
The Historic Scenarios (8/10)
The available scenarios can be challenging with the scripted AI that is included in them. Also, they have those historic parameters and information that can make them interesting to try them and learn some brief history facts. But I would like to have more of them instead of only 8. They are far more than those ever released for Empire: Total War, and seriously more polished, but again we witness a "productivity misery" providing to us a handful of scenarios to play and that's it. If they want to sell as DLC, I will not buy. This DLC trend will kill the game industry… remember that.
The Campaigns (8/10)
The 3 story-based campaigns in which we can play as Napoleon seemed to me like well put together and cautiously designed but after some short playing I started to get bored with them. First of all, I liked very much the new auto-reinforcement system (which is similar to the Europa Universalism system) and I remember that it was for many years discussed at the forums as a good idea to implement. Yes, it is realistic to not micromanage the reinforcement of units and to expect this to be controlled by a logistic system which is affected by many parameters (Having a general unit, Proximity to friendly cities and supply chains, trespassing to enemy terrain etc.) Also I agree with the idea of attrition that can be heavy in certain weather conditions and terrains (Did not test how much heavy to tell you about). Another realistic parameter is the new recruitment system of military characters. Now there is a limited recruitment pool of generals and admirals who re-generate after 4 turns and under certain circumstances. The diplomatic options are more and seem to work better than in Empire: Total War. The negotiations with other nations can now include requests to break an alliance or issue a trade embargo with a rival , join ongoing wars etc. Gentlemen and Spies have enhanced abilities as well. A gentleman for example is not useless if he is not inside a school but now can inspire or incite rebellion if he is in a friendly or hostile town accordingly. Also Spies can now infiltrate and sabotage the progress of an army while both types of special units can spy around with different probabilities of success.
So all these new realistic campaign enhancements are good enough to offer us a better campaign experience? I think we mostly needed a dynamic interactivity with the Campaign AI of other nations. About this interactivity I cannot say too many things. The Napoleon campaigns seemed to me "too story driven" so they look like long scripted scenarios and not a live system in which we can re-write history with freedom. The Coalition campaign has the same feel with the above mentioned. I think that what we would all like to see is a serious strategic challenge in the campaign map: naval invasions as a real potential threat and generally some sort of free and dangerous action around. By playing a scripted campaign we can predict after some time what it can occur and when, no matter what. Also for this reason the AI may become passive between the time intervals of the predetermined missions: The units stay at their towns, and react only to attacks, never taking offensive action until an event is triggered. Overally, I did see some expected AI behavior to attack/defend regions and towns, I did see some rational maneuvering to protect borders….I was not impressed though nor I am disappointed, which is a good thing (remembering the release version of Empire: Total War and the passive AI problem). There is still need to play more campaign turns to have a more concrete opinion about the campaign AI but my perception and the experience in the Total War games lead me to this "boring" feel which basically lowers the replayability rating of the whole game.
The Multiplayer (9/10)
The biggest disadvantage with Total War Multiplayer games is the unfriendliness to mods. If that was changed in the future a lot of Total War players would be happier and more addicted to the multiplayer features, which now in Napoleon: Total War are so many than never before. The drop-in feature I think it is very good and if it is organized between friends it can be really interesting and addicting to play a campaign. This works like this. If we want to find a campaign battle we click to the multiplayer and after choosing the option of campaign drop-in battle, we wait until there is traced a battle to drop-in. While playing a campaign and a battle is about to begin, we can choose to enable the drop-in feature or not and if this will be filtered only to our Steam friend list. This last option can save us from the usual Internet idiots who like to cheat or create problems and get excited about it. But as a feature I think it is very nice (I was not able to test it) and of course it can help us play more challenging battles against able human opponents. Together with the so much expected campaign multiplayer, these 2 new multiplayer features can save us from the usual AI… read next.
The Battle AI (6/10)
And now I come to the most precious feature of a PC game and the reason of distrust about the latest games of "The Creative Assembly". I want to say first that my published views about the previous title Empire: Total War were very good. I have given a rating of 9,5 in the review of the greek PC magazine I work and I believed in it. At the time of the test, the most serious problem then was the passive Campaign AI and the lack of naval invasions. It was a severe problem, yes, I had reported that, but there was no melee AI bug, and the battles were fought much more enjoyably. I also had calculated the very helpful moves of "The Creative Assembly" developers to patch rapidly and listen to the gamer's demands. There were also some semi-official announcements of the release of modding tools... So I thought then it would have been a matter of time to have an optimized strategy game with all these new beautiful graphics and animations which were never seen before in a Total War game. Later on we all know how this has ended. But it was too late to change the rating I gave as a journalist, and I believe that was the reason that many other journalists have given high ratings. Who could believe that a patch meant to correct things, actually would break them. I am a hard core Total War games fan, most of you reading this already know that, and even with the serious defects the latest game had, I seriously enjoy it, because of my mod though which I share with you, and not of the released product. I also respect the company (The Creative Assembly) because they have given up to now a unique gaming experience for most of us, involving large scale battles, and the opportunity to create mods around their engine. In certain occasions they have been very polite and helpful to me and to many other people of this forum. But I have a large obligation to all of you fans (larger)who follow my work up to now, to be completely frank and give to you my sincere opinion. So if I want to be objective now about Napoleon: Total War I have to review it at the state it is in its official release and not about its potential to become far better with mods, or later patches and DLCs…
"What about the AI melee bug?"… you search in the letters of this review… I can feel your eagerness to learn… well…hmm…. I am sorry. It is still there! "What the… why it is still a problem. Shouldn't that be corrected by now by the advertised as "advanced AI" of Napoleon: Total War"? It should and it is not corrected fully. But it occurs less at least. My tests involved campaign battles as well as custom battles and there was no need to dig out clever techniques to reveal the problem. In custom battles I urge you to just pick the default armies of 2 factions and start a game (Better with Ultra settings). Then deploy the army as is, sit there and wait… in most cases the AI will confuse itself and the majority of its army will blob and land into the center (or where your general is positioned) of your deployed ranks without a single shot. Sometimes it will shoot a little before the initial headless action. The problem is exaggerated in complex terrains, and there is shown in all its glory. I played a campaign battle in which I had to defend a very steep hill with 3vs1 odds against me. The AI was unable to form a line. It maneuvered-maneuvered-maneuvered as it tried to climb just in front of me, losing a lot of men from shots. I was just standing, laughing and crying at the same time, at this never-ending moment. The misery of the AI ended when it accidentally touched my lines and then its troops could relief themselves and provoke some casualties with their bayonets and the wood of their muskets. Luckily for the AI, the statistics balance of the game (I will talk about this next) is favouring too much the melee mechanics and so the AI accidentally did cause casualties to me, but of course I won in the end. I should not win that battle. I believe in real circumstances, if troops were ordered to dance in circles (syrtaki) in front of heavy musket fire, they would not obey at all.
There are cases whatsoever that the AI shows good thinking and flanking maneuvering. Random these actions are? I believe all this has to do with the internal code calculations which tell the units to avoid each other (We all speak about this theory…) and the physics and positioning system implemented which prevent the units to satisfy the space thresholds that are programmed for this routine (My "tiny" fixes in DarthMod have achieved to correct the second problem). Also, another thing is that this problem is shown mostly when the human player… plays well. If for example over-maneuvers, forgets his units and cannot group them all together, the usual problems of novice players or children, then the AI can hide its weakness and attack effectively… an idiot..hmm…amateur .
I observed that the developers did try to correct this issue. But it seems they lack themselves the proper AI tools? If they could re-write the code, meaning to have full access to it, I think they had much time to trace this problem and erase it. Simply. If they have some access to it (as for example we modders have some access in Medieval 2: Total War through some xml files and formation code and in Empire: Total War we do not have), then they could only change some parameters and try to balance out. If my speculations are correct, then this effort was not fully successful and it was what they maximum could do. We must wait for a next Total War title to see something more efficient.
The first proof for this is the implementation of simplistic 1-line formation to all armies (except to the Ottomans I think, which seem to suffer the most melee bug). I have implemented this formation method in DarthMod as part of the whole solution provided in DarthMod for the melee bug. The way I did it by changing classes is weird but it worked. This makes the AI units less favourable to bump to each other. OK… this is an official solution as well? We are talking about the Napoleonic era. The historic period in which strategy and tactics orchestrated the thousands of soldiers to the battlefields. Where is that now? Where are the column attacks of Napoleon? Where are the complex reserve line formations which the generals brought to battle as fresh troops at the right moment of the battle? These things cannot be seen because the AI can do as much as in Empire Total War could with some official modding around it. There is no advanced AI to target per formation and not per unit. There is no AI to halt fire behind the first lines and not shoot the friendlies in front, so it was better to put them all in front, in a thin line of platoons instead of a heavy mass of soldiers…? I am sorry this is way too disappointing. A second strange thing is the removal of platoon fire and fire by rank firing drills. Why are they out? The Napoleonic era is more fitting for them. Was this a "side way" technique to reduce the melee bug? More strange things: I noticed the over reaction of the AI in flank cavalry maneuvers of the human player. It is very easy to take a small group of cavalry and run it to a flank. Then the AI, even if it has a good firing line, will break, turn and try to chase the cavalry unit, while it withstands devastating fire from the front. The AI artillery can pick a good location at first and then in a large probability it decides to leave it and maneuver elsewhere, without obvious reason, becoming more vulnerable and losing fire opportunities (This "opportunistic stroll" problem existed in Empire: Total War too). In Naval Battles the tactics are more straightforward and thus more efficient, but there are balance issues for which I will speak about in the next chapter.
In the end, the AI logic that is applied fits more to a resource managing RTS game than a strategy simulator. But this has become a dream for most of us all these years. Let's be frank in this. The Creative Assembly never advertised the AI so much as its graphic engine. But I do remember the first advertising campaign for Shogun: Total War and the Sun Tzu Art of War "implementation". I was younger then and I was convinced partly that it was like that, but I remember also that this game was so well designed and enjoyful for these days…yes maybe the person who chief designed it was actually thinking Sun Tzu then. Did he take a pension?
"So… there is no good in it"? You ask. I will reply shortly but first note the following sincere position of mine. I am too demanding. This is my "defect". Also I am used to play DarthMod and not vanilla, which is way too different. So I confess I do compare it, in my mind, with the gameplay of my mod, and this makes me harsher. So returning to the question… yes it has good moments. You can see the AI to form shooting lines more than Empire: Total War. You can see it to flank. You can see it to do some rational things. But it does all this with a low IQ. There it is… the final personal answer.
The general Gameplay and Balance (5/10)
I have expressed many times the opinion that a good gameplay balance in terms of statistic values and plain mathematic or just rational logic can create a success or a disaster to a game, even if it has a well coded AI. Also if it is well implemented it can hide defects of AI and manipulate it indirectly. This is what I basically did in Empire: Total War (In previous titles I had some access also to AI files). Some people argue and state that it is a disgrace to mention the word "AI" in these balancing methods, but they cannot understand that this indirect way is a fantastic tool to finalize the AI. Ok how do you want to call it? Name it…
So, what has been done in Napoleon: Total War in this section of design? The problems here are worse than I expected. I really thought that at least we could see some advanced musketry tactics of the era. Drilled soldiers to approach slowly and in order to release their musket fire at the right moment. Artillery to massacre the lines but those would keep advancing. Thousands of troops to … well lets stop dreaming and face the facts. The good facts first… OK.
Squares are finally useful! Good news! They can fire at will (and do not wait till all men reload…ridiculous) and also horses seem to stop their charge when the soldiers brace. That is very important and I wish this was implemented somehow to Empire: Total War with a patch. The generals also have some extra abilities, which can help the units to last longer. Not something new… it should be in Empire: Total War since Kingdoms: Total War had this feature also. Cannon shots shake the ground and they do not only kill but bring men down all over the place, making them dizzy for some moments and braking the formations. Houses are really useful also. Not only they are more resilient to cannon fire but the troops which are inside fire more effectively and generally when there is a fight inside it is represented with a bar on top of the house which shows who is winning. By bringing more and more troops in a building, the upper hand is gained quite realistically. Well that is about it really… then there are the graphics enhancements for which I will speak later.
So here are the weird things I never expected for a Napoleonic game. The usual insect speed of units is again destroying the strategic elements of the game. The Creative Assembly must witness an accelerated reality to allow these speeds…, but also many other developers balance their games with insect speeds to favour their AI. I recall now a funny video I saw somewhere playing the Benny Hill Music Theme for Napoleon: Total War... yes this hilarious sound comes to my mind all the time while seeing the soldiers to run in "fast forward", cavalry to collide with ramming speed to blocks of troops and toss them to the heaven (3-7 mtrs away!), units inside the formation to virtually teleport to their positions… what brings more unrealistic mechanics are the ballistics. First of all, the usual weapon trails are destroying the visual realism. Can you imagine the epic film Waterloo with Rod Steiger to show soldiers equipped with laser muskets and turbo laser cannons? Also, most firing drills (except firing and advance) as mentioned above are removed. So basically Line Infantry soldiers shoot like in Empire: Total War primitive volley style (Only the 1st line shoots and the rest wait or watch the sky). What is strange about this is that they fire extremely rapidly and extremely accurately (distance really does not matter, the laser bullets home to their target) so combining this with the extreme speeds, there is no tactical value of timing your attack. Double click everywhere, bam, bam, boom… soon the tiny groups of men are eradicated from the battlefield and remain some to claim a victory. This is it…this is the implemented challenge and difficulty which some futuristic young players will like for sure and will believe that the AI is winning them… they are won by the odd balance of the game. And the cannons…. they are firing too rapidly as well and in strange angles, losing deliberately their targets(?) and creating everywhere almost random explosions, killing mostly friendly troops, if the player does the mistake to move them a little in front of them. The cannons need immediate re-calibration because they just do not work properly. For example their shots bounce too much and since they target rather chaotically, you may see laser cannon balls every now and then to fly 1 km above the sky after a fierce bounce to a hill… nobody sees that? I am crazy? Trying to fire for the first time a canister shot I saw it to fire like a catapult(!) missing 100% the units in front of the cannon!
Another "problem" is the curious low limit soldiers per unit. Before some years I could understand this. The 3D technology could not allow many troops in battle for most PC users but now… It has been tested widely with DarthMod that the Total War Engine (The WarScape if I am correct) can support many thousands of troops with very little fps drop downs. This 3D engine is a gem and it is not used at its maximum potential. 160 men per unit is now the maximum but why shouldn't be an option to allow more troops (like the hidden multiplier in the config file)? Is there someone in the world now playing with low settings… how many troops per unit I do not know 30-60 maximum? Maybe an old netbook user or a Negroponte 100$ laptop user…. they are potential buyers too I guess. Or maybe the low unit sizes is another indirect method to hide the melee bug…? The problems are other… Well, virtually the battlefield seems naked with some tiny groups of men who may die all in some seconds from lucky turbo laser cannon shots. For example cavalry units are only 60 men. This means that the unit will last maximum a minute in battle with the current mechanics. If the developers removed the laser trails and lowered to realistic levels the movement speeds, the engine could really hold the thousands troops they advertise and not a handful of platoons.
I have also observed that the balance of units is weird in some occasions. I recall now a battle against Mameluks in the Egypt Campaign which had so low morale that they rooted as I approached near them! (Boo… I am Napoleon). The funny thing is as they run, I advanced with no losses from them to scare the last unit which was fortified to a house, and my stupid artillery started to massacre my own troops because it could not calculate the correct trajectory to kill the enemy. Also the available units per country seem too few. I do not know in which way they count 350+ in the game but France should have much more at least.
Next I will speak about the naval battles. I think in this sector everything works better. The new repair system of ships is a welcome but mostly "transparent" new feature. The AI seems to follow the straightforward tactics of the era but the balance makes that less enjoyable. I still cannot accept the motorboat turning rates… I cannot. Also the cannon shots are sharphooting turbo laser cannons, so again, tactical timing and strategic thought is limited to a quick pass of cannonry where the biggest ship eats the small. Simple it is. I can imagine a "casual player" dialogue during a sea fight:
-Now go to bed child… it is late and you have school tomorrow.
-Yes mother, let me crash them all with my mothership first! Kaboom! Yeahh. Napoleon rocks! Yeahhh.
As you may have understood, the critical aspect of this game is history which is not represented in the 3D Battles as it should be (My opinion always). There are many good historic parts mostly in written form and in the graphic representation of the various units, but apart from that the game is not balanced to its full potential. Something that really has shaken me, and has proven me the "gameish" and rather insulting approach to the historic era is the barefoot revolutionary infantry of Napoleon in the Italian Campaign. Everybody can read somewhere (In a book or in the Internet) that these starting troops of Napoleon suffered from supply shortage and many –many not all– had damaged shoes or were forced to throw them away. So this has been interpreted by the designers to make the Revolutionary Infantry completely barefoot (French Giant Hobbits)! Not only this, but every new unit of this kind that is recruited is barefoot! The militia for example has shoes. This unit should not. They are the Revolutionary Infantry and history says… you got the point.
You may have noticed that I have not mentioned anything about the sieges. It is because NOTHING has changed! So I ignore this really annoying part of the game. Who could have thought that in Napoleonic eras troops would prefer to charge to the walls with ropes…. So many ideas to make sieges realistic were wasted. If we add to all the above the fact that the difficulty settings when are to Very Hard make the AI ridiculously immune instead of somewhat more challenging to its logic, I can only say that I am too disappointed by the balance. It is a disaster to my eyes.
Graphics and Sound (9/10)
What "The Creative Assembly" has in their hands is a unique 3D engine which no one has around the world up to now. No one all these years has managed to create something close enough to this. Thousands of soldiers, great animations, realistic effects (sometimes they need a little modding), beautiful 3D maps... In Napoleon: Total War we can see now more diversity to the faces of the troops: 4-64 different variations per unit while in Empire: Total War these were only 1-4. So there are no more clone armies, although in some occasions the variations look so minor that the soldiers look not like clones but twins. Ok we can accept that. Do you remember older Total War titles, Rome: Total War for example which we still enjoy? Furthermore, there are some new very realistic and eye-catching effects to watch during a battle. The cannon shots make craters as they land to the ground and their shape varies according to their trajectory. You can really read in the map where there was a heavy bombardment. The effects of cannon explosions are not only graphical but also create thrust waves shacking or bringing down the soldiers (Too powerful shakes in my opinion). Additionally, now horse riders can die separately from their horses and in this occasion the horses run in amok in the battlefield. Years I expected this feature! It adds a lot to the immersion of the battle. What I liked a lot was the shaking of the ships when they fire or they sustain cannon shots. That is really good to see…
There are numerous pretty good effects and graphics in the game and that was expected because as I said: The 3D graphic engine of Total War games is what have made them most famous about it. If the gameplay, the physics and the AI were better balanced, Total War games would be outselling everything in the universe. On the contrary, despite the goods I mentioned, I think that some effects need optimization. For example, the musket fires are looking like "tiny super novas" than smoke and fire of gunpowder and also their offset seems a bit off. The Howitzer exploding shots in the air resembled to me fireworks… but again these are minor. Overall, the game in the graphics section is visually very good if not perfect. Ah… and another thing… I forgot. What are these flying fluffs in a battlefield? Terrible they are and they create lag to a game which requires strong PCs to run smoothly. I would prefer not to have musket and cannon trails and… fluffs to see at least 20% increase at fps speed and thus more troops in the battlefield.
Sound is also good. Nothing much though. The music has been improved from Empire: Total War. It is not "computerish" but lacks of character. The older more "computerish" music of Total War games did not sound as professional, but it was something to remember. In my opinion the latest Total War games music is not good-not bad, feels transparent, so soon it becomes repetitive and finally tiring, because there is no pluralism in the tracks. Maybe if there were more tracks to shuffle dynamically according to battle events this would not be the case. The sound effects are all very good except… the musket sounds. I wonder… this is how they sounded then? In historic books we read about their noises which shake the soldiers from the medieval times. What is this poof-poof sound? Enough of this then. Time to summarize.
We have a standalone add-on for Empire: Total War. That is Napoleon: Total War according to "The Creative Assembly". To my eyes it is like an official mod of Empire Total War which tried to hide all the defects of it. The movement speeds are "Benny Hill Themed", the infantry fires very rapidly, everyone (the few groups of men) dies in a few seconds, the melee bug is still there and it is more evident in obstacle terrains, turning rates of ships makes them like motorboats again etc. etc. I saw also that formations are simplistic 1-lines (As I did in DarthMod by changing classes) so that proves to me that the AI code is not really fixed, because if it was new and sophisticated, the AI would be able to hold fire when there are friends in front, keep formation and not blob etc... This is not what I have observed. So basically I wonder: The Creative Assembly sees these defects as features? Another thing I noticed is that fire mechanisms are simplistic. There is no fire by rank, so the units just machine gun everything in front of them... some call this responsiveness… I call this a total unrealistic feature because there is no historic need of timing of a volley release, due to the rapid firing and the sharpshooting accuracy, an accuracy that cannons do not have because they fire randomly and annoyingly in weird angles.
All these new "additions" may seem to create a layer of difficulty for the player, thus tricking him that the game is improved in the AI sector but mostly they make it frustrating for the more demanding players. Nothing feels historic and realistic during a battle. If The Creative Assembly's target was to make the game more arcade... then it is accomplished. For me, it is unplayable and boring, and I am sincere here, as always. The greatest new thing is the improved square formations which finally and logically fire at will. All the other very nice features implemented in the game, especially in the graphics sector are shadowed by the many defects in the gameplay sector, making Napoleon a shallow approach to a very bold military era.
My main test version of the game was the "Dev Edition" which was pre-released for the journalists. I also have checked the retail version from a friend to see that the main problems were still evident (The Dev version lacks only some minor fixes to graphics, sounds etc. if it is not completely identical). I will buy the game only when there are released mod tools official or unofficial. Else, I am done with it. Please keep that in mind DarthMod fans before you message to me about modding Napoleon again and again. If "The Creative Assembly" wants to get rid of us modders (or me especially)… now it is the right time to strike! Lock them all!
In the end, I can recommend this game to the so-called "Casual Gamers" –the "Dark Matter of the PC Game Universe" I call them– who seldom post to the forums so are not easily traced but somehow they are the majority of the buyers. They do not seem to complain and they like "simple" games which give some straightforward fun. Although Napoleon: Total War is no simple game at all, it can be played simply and someone can have real fun with it. The very demanding history and strategy freaks, such as me, will probably be disappointed.
twcenter version of the review


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We've all driven by that big old house on Cantrell by Dillard's Corporate Offices and thought, "That house is beautiful…why isn't anybody doing anything with it?' Well, after a few years of sitting empty, someone finally IS doing something with it. The McDonald-Wait-Newton House, more commonly known as The Packet House, has recently opened it's doors to the public as a restaurant.
Wes Ellis, the Owner and Executive Chef, describes the cuisine as modernized Southern Comfort Food and the descriptor seems apt to me. My friend and I dined at The Packet House on a recent Thursday. We were led through the suprisingly (in my opinion) modern interior to a small room tucked into the back of the house that also led out to a deck. The atmosphere would have been great if it weren't for the other occupants of this room (a group of around 15 young women celebrating a birthday) with white table clothes and sparse modern deco.
My companion ordered the trout and I ordered the duck breast. The menu descriptions didn't do justice to the perfectly cooked duck sitting in a sweet tomato reduction with good ol' southern hoppin' john on the side. Halfway through our meal we decided to switch plates and I was very pleased with this decsion as well. His trout was pan seared with the skin still on, sitting on ratatouille and drizzled with a lemon beurre blanc. We enjoyed a very nice bottle of Reisling with the meal, one of my new favorites that I will be searching out in stores.
Would I recommend this restaurant to guests? I most certainly would, both for the food and for the beautiful house that it is served in! What better place to send guests from one beautiful historic mansion than to another!


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This track included in Dark Cinematic Music Pack
Fight of dark matter and light…
Suspense, Dark track for trailers, movies or other video.
Purchased file contains:
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Stewart Reveling in Team's Growth
Ryan Newman was walking, or rather driving, the proverbial fine line at a high rate of speed during the final laps of Sunday's Lenox Industrial Tools 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
As the race leader, he stood poised to boost his position for the entire season into another stratosphere, virtually locking himself into one of the 12 spots for the upcoming Chase that determines NASCAR's Cup champion. As a driver who knew he was ever so close to running out of gas, he was just as close to throwing his season into a serious state of uncertainty.
He won, but he could have lost. And had he lost the fuel-mileage gambit and finished who-knows-where in Sunday's race, he would have placed himself in a precarious position indeed in regards to making the Chase.
Asked afterward how nervous he was about running out of fuel during those closing circuits of the 301-lap event, Newman smiled and replied: "I only got nervous when [crew chief Tony Gibson] told me we were eight laps short. Then he told me 15 laps later -- after several yellow flags -- that we were still eight laps short. I was thinking to myself, 'Well, we shouldn't be.'"
In another twist, had Newman run out, it would have been teammate/car owner Tony Stewart who claimed the victory. Instead, Newman didn't and the pair finished 1-2 for the first time in the three-year history of Stewart-Haas Racing.
"It was a perfect day for the organization, for sure," said Stewart, who for once didn't mind finishing second.
Chase consequences
Newman and Stewart entered Sunday's event sitting ninth and 11th, respectively, in the point standings. Neither had posted a race victory this season.
That made participating in the Chase seem light years from a lock for either of them, considering the top 10 drivers in the points get in, plus two wild cards who own the most race wins and sit between 11th and 20th in the points standings. Both drivers from Stewart-Haas Racing were stumbling along right on the edge, with the very real risk being that their 2011 seasons could slip down the wrong side to oblivion.
Stewart, wearing his owner's hat, sensed it weeks ago when he made a difficult change in the upper management of the company and authorized the release of Bobby Hutchens, the competition director who had been with SHR since Stewart entered the ownership realm in 2008. Stewart said Sunday that Hutchens still hasn't been replaced, although the search for a new competition director has never ceased and will continue until the right person is found.
Sunday's win -- indeed, the entire weekend that also included the pair qualifying 1-2 on Friday -- went a long way to helping both Stewart and Newman believe the race organization is now headed solidly in the right direction.
"It's huge," Stewart said. "It's no secret we've been struggling this year. But it really shows me the depth of the people we've got in our organization. It's been one of the weirdest years as far as just weird things and bad luck happening to both of us.
"Our guys at our shop just keep plugging away. They keep working; they keep their chins up. That's probably what I'm most proud of. It's easy when things are going right. But when times are tough and then you have a day like [Sunday], you see how your organization battles."
All that they can be
Stewart still sits just on the wrong side of the top 10 in points, but only because he would lose the tie-breaker to Denny Hamlin -- who has one win to Stewart's none. Otherwise, Stewart's second-place finish Sunday pulled him into a points tie with Hamlin.
Newman, who gained one spot in the standings to move to eighth but more importantly notched one in the win column, is in much better shape.
Newman sensed that Sunday's win may have been one of the biggest of his 10-year career as a full-time Cup driver. Not only in the sense of what it meant toward qualifying him for the Chase, but because it was the first time he's won in a car sponsored by the U.S. Army.
"That was a goal we had way before this season ever started -- for the soldiers, our sponsors, our team, our organization," Newman said. "The timing of it is perfect from a points standpoint, from a wild-card standpoint with respect to the points. ... A lot of positives came out of it."
Gibson said it validated the hard work being put in, especially of late, at the Stewart-Haas shop and showed that perhaps his driver and car owner not only can now get into the Chase, but perhaps truly compete for a championship during it.
"I think we started the season out really good," Gibson said. "Then I think we got kind of complacent. We had this same race car at Martinsville [on April 3]. I think that was our race to lose ...
"And we lost it," Newman interrupted.
"Yes, we lost it," Gibson continued. "And we kind of stumbled after that a little bit. But we have a good race team. We have a great driver. We have great sponsors. We know how good we can be. We had to get our head straight and get there."
On Sunday, their heads were straight and they certainly proved to be all that they could be in getting the No. 39 U.S. Army Chevrolet to Victory Lane. It made Stewart the owner beam with pride.
"That's to me what shows the character of what Stewart Haas Racing is about, what our people are like," Stewart said. "That's probably what I'm most proud of in the last two and a half years -- how we've come from the first half of the this season to a weekend like this weekend."
Had there been a late caution to produce a green-white-checkered finish or if Newman hadn't been able to conserve his fuel expertly, the outcome would have been different. And also, perhaps, the mood at Stewart-Haas Racing would not be as bright.
"Usually those things that come and squash us didn't happen [Sunday]," Newman said. "Maybe it's just a change of luck for us from that standpoint."
And maybe, just maybe, it will prove to be more moving forward.


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Tom Buis (right), Growth Energy, spoke with Tom Bryan, president of BBI, during a panel discussion focused on the RFS this week at the Fuel Ethanol Workshop.
Some 1,700 people attended the Fuel Ethanol Workshop (FEW) in St. Louis this week, with the future of the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) weighing heavy on their minds. Mike Bryan, CEO, BBI International, the annual event's sponsor, opened the conference asking audience members if they were angry about the escalation of ethanol bashing. "We are at war, and not one we wanted or started," he said, adding that over the last 30 years, he has never witnessed such a high level of attacks on ethanol by opponents (primarily the oil industry).
Bryan warned that the oil industry willnot use ethanol blends if the RFS is eliminated. "This is a very big deal, and it's time that we, as stakeholders, say 'enough.'" While the ethanol industry has "generals in the field," in the form of lobbyists from the Renewable Fuel Association (RFA), Growth Energy and the American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE), Bryan called stakeholders to action by fighting for ethanol in their state assemblies, the media and the halls of Congress.
Bryan's opening remarks set the stage for a panel discussion featuring the ethanol industry's three largest organizations: Bob Dinneen, Renewable Fuel Association; Tom Buis, Growth Energy; and Brian Jennings, American Coalition for Ethanol. (Tom Buis, was selected as one of Washington's top 50 lobbyists in 2009, and was formerly president of the National Farmers Union.)
Buis said that the attack on the RFS is really an attempt by the oil industry to protect its share of the immense fuel market. "Follow the money," Buis told the FEW audience. While ethanol's opponents argue that domestic production (in the form of fracking, for example) has increased, Buis points out that fuel prices haven't decreased. In fact, gas prices have recently exceeded $4.00 per gallon throughout the Midwest, he said.
ACE's Jennings added, "How do you reduce gas prices? Use ethanol." Buis also called for the ethanol industry's stakeholders to be engaged with their policymakers. "Squeaky wheels get the grease, and if Oil is pounding on their doors, they are going to get hearings."
The panelists referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce's recent review of the RFS. (Note: The RFS was created in the Energy Policy Act of 2005 and was expanded under the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007. The House Committee has reported, "It has been more than five years since the RFS was last revised, and we now have a wealth of actual implementation experience with it. In some respects, the RFS has unfolded as expected, but in others it has not. Several implementation challenges have emerged that received little if any consideration prior to passage of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007. Furthermore, the overall energy landscape has changed since 2007. It is time to undertake an assessment of the RFS.")
Fuels America, a coalition of which the three organizations represented on the FEW panel belong, sent a letter in support of the RFS to House Committee Chair Fred Upton (R-MI) and Ranking Member Henry Waxman (D-CA). Visit
The House Committee hasposed a number of questions for discussion. Stakeholders are requested to respond by June 21, 2013, to email@example.com.
If you care about the future of ethanol and the positive impacts it has had on farm income, rural economic development, job creation, the environment and national energy security, call your elected officials or respond to the House Committee request now.


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Widdows Named Schroeder Chairby Jim Amidon • November 12, 2008 Share:
Wabash College President Patrick E. White and Dean of the College Gary A. Phillips have announced the creation of an endowed professorship, the John H. Schroeder Interdisciplinary Chair in Economics. The faculty chair honors Mr. Schroeder's lifetime commitment to his community and Wabash College, and is endowed by a gift from his son, John C. Schroeder '69 and his wife, Diane.
The first holder of the John H. Schroeder Interdisciplinary Chair in Economics is Kealoha "Kay" Widdows (pictured right with Mr. Schroeder).
"John is a community leader, business leader, entrepreneur, and Wabash man who lives our mission of thinking critically, acting responsibly, leading effectively, and living humanely," said Wabash President Pat White. "I am pleased that Kay Widdows is the first Schroeder chair. She exhibits in her teaching the same entrepreneurial spirit we see in John."
The announcement was held at a special dinner of Evansville-area alumni and friends of the College, at which Mr. Schroeder was honored.
"Kay Widdows exemplifies the cross-disciplinary, global reach of the liberal arts and, increasingly, the field of economics," said Dean Phillips. "A world traveler and scholar who has lived in Taiwan, Japan, and Malaysia, a staunch supporter of and participant in the Wabash Summer Ecuador program, and faculty leader in the College's new East Asian Studies initiative, Kay's interdisciplinary teaching, scholarship, and service exemplify the core values of the College's mission and embody the spirit of the endowed chair."
Widdows joined the Wabash faculty in 1987 after earning her bachelor's degree from Reed College, her master's degree from the University of Chicago, and her Ph.D. from Purdue University.
John H. Schroeder '42 (left) is a beloved Evansville civic leader, successful businessman, and longtime trustee and benefactor of Wabash College. Mr. Schroeder served as an active trustee from 1982 through 1994, and has served as an emeritus trustee since. After graduating from Wabash as an economics major, Mr. Schroeder earned his MBA with honors from Harvard University. He built his Evansville-based company — Crescent-Cresline Wabash Plastics — into one of the world's largest plastic pipe producers. He remains Chairman of the company, which includes Wabash Plastics, Crescent Plastics, Inc., and Cresline Plastic Pipe, Inc.
"This endowed chair permanently honors Mr. Schroeder's many personal and professional achievements by underscoring the value of global citizenship and leadership, and reflects the importance of the liberal arts as an interdisciplinary engagement with the world of economics, business, and beyond," added Dean Phillips.
The Schroeder Chair will provide Professor Widdows with a reduced teaching load along with program support that will enable her to expand the Economics Department curriculum with new interdisciplinary courses with international focus and to involve students directly in her scholarship.
"The Economics Department is deeply grateful to Schroeder family for their loyalty and generosity, and I am personally very honored to be the first holder of the John H. Schroeder Interdisciplinary Chair in Economics," said Professor Widdows. "But I am also mindful that interdisciplinary work is by its very nature collaborative, and I would like to acknowledge my wonderful colleagues who have worked with me in the past and with whom I look forward to working in the future as we develop new interdisciplinary paths and strategies to broaden the education of Wabash students."
Widdows has been a truly international and interdisciplinary teacher throughout her career. She has taught economics and statistics in Shah Alam, Malaysia, at the Institut Teknologi MARA in Malaysia, in the international business school at National Chengchi University in Taipei, and at Waseda University in Japan.
An expert in consumer economics issues in Southeast Asia, China, and Japan, Widdows regularly travels to Asia, where she helped establish the Asian Consumer and Family Economics Association. She has worked with other Wabash faculty to develop the College's Ecuadorian Studies Program, which is based in Quito, Ecuador, and is quintessentially interdisciplinary in focus and practice.
Professor Widdows has also led Immersion Learning trips — with Political Science Professor Melissa Butler — to Belgium and France in a recurring course that studies the economic and political impact of the European Union, which has become a benchmark interdisciplinary immersion course at Wabash.
Professor Widdows has served as Chair of the Economics Department, served on the selection committee for Wabash President Patrick White, and has even been a judge in the Moot Court Competition. She helped developed and previously taught in Wabash's Summer Business Immersion Program.
The College is immensely grateful to John H. Schroeder for his many contributions to Wabash, to the Schroeder family for this significant gift, and to Kay for accepting this new leadership role at Wabash," concluded Dean Phillips. "The John H. Schroeder Interdisciplinary Chair in Economics will help lead the College's effort to implement its strategic vision to educate Wabash men for a life lived in a global setting with global responsibilities."
"I am working on developing a course on the Economics of the Arts that I taught last semester on the Semester at Sea program, and in helping to put together an Asian Studies concentration which will leverage the relationship Wabash is developing with Fudan University in Shanghai," said Widdows of her plans for the future.
John C. Schroeder (right) and his wife, Diane, made the gift to Wabash to establish the professorship. The younger Schroeder is a 1969 Wabash graduate and later earned his MBA from Indiana University. He is the President and CEO of Wabash Plastics, Inc., and serves on a number of boards in Evansville, including Old National Bank, the University of Evansville, and the Evansville Regional Business Committee.
"It was a great honor to meet and spend time with John H. Schroeder, in whose honor the chair was given," added Widdows. "I found him to be a wise and gracious man, as is his son, John C. Schroeder, and I am grateful for their generosity."