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Paul Tassi, Contributor
News and opinion about video games, technology and the internet
The results of The Consumerist's "Worst Company in America" bracket are in, and as I predicted, Electronic Arts managed to beat out Bank of America for the title.
I won't spend any more time talking about whether that's a deserved result. I wrote yesterday that a company whose misdeeds resulted in home foreclosures and loss of income outweigh abusive DLC and DRM practices, but that's beside the point now.
EA's "win" here is a clear reflection of just how passionately gamers hate the brand. They flooded the Consumerists polls to ensure that they earned the top spot (over such other despised brands as Comcast, AT&T and Walmart), and you have to wonder what, if anything is going on at EA HQ today.
You might guess that they'd just shrug off the mantle. They're a huge company, and who cares what some website poll says? They've been reading hatred on forums for years now, what's different with this new round of scorn?
The truth is, hate for EA is approaching a critical mass. I've often talked about how far gamers can be pushed when it comes to the medium they love. I speculated that companies like EA are pushing the buttons of gamers on purpose, to see what they will and won't tolerate. And by tolerate, of course, I don't mean rant about on forums. I mean what they will pay for.
The most recent example would be the Day One DLC pack for Mass Effect 3. The description implied to players it was "essential content," and as such, raised the price of the game from $60 to $70 for fans. It was a test, and for how much the pack sold, it was a success.
Then there's the Mass Effect 3 ending, which I personally believe was meant to be yet another test. It was left cryptic and unclear, and as such, ripe for a DLC expansion. Now, with how angry players have gotten over the ending, they might have to scrap what they were planning. To release a paid DLC pack to "fix" the lackluster ending would turn fan anger into downright fury. But again, it would probably sell. EA continues to push the bounds of what's acceptable to gamers, and their winning this poll is an indicator they've gone too far. But the next marker must be a decrease in sales, or else all the rage is for nothing.
EA's problems extend far beyond DLC packs however. They were Zynga before Zynga existed, buying up promising companies and gutting them so they were no longer competition, harvesting the best ideas for themselves. The complete list of EA's acquisitions over the years is massive, and they've killed many beloved brands in the process. Recently, Bioware seems to be their latest casualty, as the company now seems more dominated by EA's influence than ever.
My back-catalogue in games is big enough to easily ignore EA/Bioware for a good while and i probably will do so, regardless of what Bioware's PAX-Announcement brings up.
A paid end-changing-DLC nails this and get's ignored. A free one i'll gladly take … but further DLCs? *hmmm* … To give an Idea: I played "Bring Down The Sun" and ALL ME2-DLC just mere weeks ago for my first time during fresh playthroughs in preparation for ME3.
As ME3 stands now: My Shepard disintegrated … no point in DLC.
Interesting article Mr. Tassi, I believe that you have made excellent points. It is indeed true that Electronic Arts isn't as evil as other corporations like Umbrella where they want to turn everyone into zombies for the apocalypse! However, it is sad to see how they've progressed as a company. It was always my dream to work for Electronic Arts since they were the pioneers of my favorite games like Sims when I was growing up.
I have also read articles about how The Retake Movement and fan discontent might have caused EA's stocks to crash. However, as I read your article, I fear that you are right in the fact that polls and online roar might not make a strong difference while people are still willing to buy their products despite the controversies. The ending disappointed me and I am vocal about it online. However, I will not hesitate to to spend my money on future DLCs despite my previous qualms. What must the RetakeMovement do now, if control of our wallets is the answer?
Here's an idea, don't spend your money on it at all. Pirate it.
All you're doing by buying the DLC is telling them that its okay to bend you over and…well, you get the idea.
What I'm trying to say is, is it really worth 1 or 2 hours of DLC that you could watch on Youtube and most likely get the same experience sans cover based shooting segments, if it means that EA keeps dragging gaming down this dark path?
Right… Fight capitalism with criminal acts like piracy. The only thing we'll get accomplished is a federal prison sentence.
So basically even after reading the article, you'll still pay for DLC?
I am not saying that we should grumble and pay for it anyway. I'm not talking about what we should do, but rather I am talking from a consumer's perspective. Hey, if it gets me what I want? then why not? I'm all for buying any Mass Effect 3 DLC. However, I am for boycotting non-Bioware products.
I understand wanting to buy DLC for the ME franchise–but only to fix the ending. Beyond that, I can't help but think EA's greed is out of control, and I really am not interested in contributing to a very negative trend in the game publishing industry. I will instead send my cash to independents and competitors to EA.
EA didn't create The Sims, Maxis did. EA just published it. Maxis is dead now, sucked dry and dumped by EA when it was no longer profitable and all the talented people who created masterpieces like Sim City and The Sims have moved on to other things.
EA is possibly the most destructive force in the video games industry today. They create nothing, they simply buy up other innovative, creative companies and strip them to the bone. Bioware has maybe 2 years left before their dump on the scrap heap with Maxis, Origin, Pandemic, Westwood, Bullfrog and many others.
Apologies, yes Maxis was the developer behind Sims and EA was the Publisher. What I was trying to say was, I remember EA from my childhood because of Sims and I always dreamed to work for them (not knowing the difference between developer and publisher back then)
Yes, I spoke to one of the pioneers behind the Retake Mass Effect Movement and there has been much talk about supporting Bioware "independently" if the April announcements don't deliver.
"Here's an idea, don't spend your money on it at all. Pirate it."
So you're saying that because you don't 'like' a company, you're entitled to be free and easy with the products?
"EA didn't create The Sims, Maxis did. EA just published it. Maxis is dead now, sucked dry and dumped by EA when it was no longer profitable and all the talented people who created masterpieces like Sim City and The Sims have moved on to other things."
I'm fairly sure 'people' made The Sims. I'm also fairly sure 'people' still make The Sims.
To all those anti-piracy people here, for crying out loud shut up and get off your high horse.
Piracy is not equal to stealing; that is a common fallacy. Digital piracy is simply the reproduction of something that is already existing. Copying =/= stealing, and using a copy is certainly not equated to getting it away from someone.
You are a non-entity until you purchase the product. For all intents and purposes, you are still a random variable that can go either way. Pirating a product does not change that. Only when you pay for the real thing after using the pirated version do you matter. And if you don't? Well, you're no more than a person who didn't buy the product in the first place.
The only reason why you're all butthurt about it is because pirates are experiencing something that you paid for. Boo-fucking-hoo. Does it harm you that they are? No? Then shut up and drink your goddamn tea.
If you're prepared to play it you should be prepared to pay for it. The developers who make those games are reliant on the revenues generated from sales in order to not only create new games buy also pay their mortgages and feed their families as much as anyone else. Regardless of how much you might dislike or condone EAs business practices there is no justification to call for piracy of their titles. If you want to be principled you don't buy the product. If you don't think a games not worth $60 you wait until it hit's a lower price point or goes on sale. End of story.
So tell me, what's the difference between me pirating the damn game and then buying a legit one once it goes on 75% off sale on Steam?
Piracy is never the problem publishers make it out to be. If anything, piracy can be a great catalyst to people buying the game. I have many friends (and I myself) who were prodded on buying a game we wouldn't otherwise buy or know because we liked it so much when we torrented it off PB. And if you and all the rest like you will just think about it, developers will be forced to make a better product because piracy will mean that if their product is just one step up to a dog's shit, they won't get a sale out of it.
Developers will get my money IF they deserve it. End of fucking story.
Except, for the simple fact that because of pirates, we have the most RESTRICTIVE DIGITAL RIGHTS MANAGEMENT PROGRAMS IN EXISTENCE YOU BLOODY NARCISSISTIC FOOL!!!
Because of you damn pirates, I have to play games ONLINE AT ALL TIMES. Because of you pirates, I have to ensure that I DO NOT UNINSTALL half the games in my library for fear of securom lockouts!!!
SO mister high and mighty, get off your damn horse before I pull you off and stamp you into the ground with the treads of my god damn rage tank!
Oh shut up, you dipshit. Go back and read what I said. PIRACY IS NEVER THE PROBLEM PUBLISHERS MAKE IT OUT TO BE. It's not the pirates' fault. It's the stupid publishers who think that every game being pirated is equal to a lost sale. If you'll read what I said instead of going all ragey on me like a retarded 4channer, then you'll see that that is not so.
So shut up and let the adults do the talking.
Its not because of pirates – its because they want more money out of you and using piracy as a reason makes their gouging look innocent or even defensive. its also an excuse to give shareholders when things don't go as planned. When people stop accepting the piracy excuse (which I think is right around the corner) companies like EA are going to be facing hard times – or have to come up with another lie to cover their greed and inadequacies….
Forbes continues to write thought provoking articles on the Mass Effect 3 turmoil and now EA's business practices. Well done Paul.
I believe gamers are in a tough position because it is difficult to just stop cold turkey on some the games they have come to know and love. I believe a number of gamers are now married to Battlefield 3 and Mass Effect because they are great games. What got gamers hooked was their initial introduction to these series and it is now too late to just put them down.
However, gamers can continue to vote with their wallet. I for one will plan to avoid new franchises branded with EA titles. If I am able to do this, there is no chance in getting 'hooked' into these games. Therefore there will be no desire to sheepishly buy new franchise DLC that EA will exploit.
This is where EA is suffer miserably. I for one don't have a lot of time for games, so I try to pick the best franchises that are available. However going forward, if I had the opportunity to choose a new Valve title or EA title, I certainly will put my money towards Valve entertainment titles.
Gamers aren't dumb, and they do hold a grudge when they've been taken advantage of. All my due diligence on potentially buying EA stock has simply confirmed that this is a company I should stay away from as a stockholder.
I think if gamer's really want to be taken seriously and convince developers and publishers to create quality games that are fun to play, they will indeed have to go "cold turkey" on franchises and other pap put out by the big name publishers.
It's completely counter-productive to say "I hate EA so I'm only going to by Mass Effect, Battlefield, Dragon Age and Madden games from now on!"
Those are EAs bread and butter and they could honestly care less if gamers stop buying smaller titles as long as the big ones sell.
Gamers have put themselves in this situation and until a significant amount actually, really start ignoring the big EA franchises, nothing will change.
Curse not being able to edit after posting. Ignore extraneous apostrophes and poor spelling. Sigh.
The tricky part with boycotting entertainment lies in the general appeal of franchises as a whole. People get emotionally attached to the stories and characters there. On the one hand, you're mad at EA and don't want to give them any more money. On the other hand, you care about Commander Shepard and the crew of the Normandy, and want to have more adventures with them and get a good ending for their story.
Not buying new titles is a great place to start. Personally, I think the ME3 ending is a horrible misstep, but I would buy ending DLC if only because I can't quite sever my emotional connection to the story itself. However, future ME titles and tie-in products which don't feature the characters I already know and love – those, I will happily do without. EA games that I was considering buying before have now been dumped into the 'not interested' pile. I have stopped playing Star Wars: The Old Republic under the assumption that the issues with that game will probably never be resolved, and I have abandoned all plans to invest in future Sims games and their expansion packs – something that I would have expected to invest hundreds of dollars in under different circumstances, but can easily live without since there is no story to get invested in there. I have also decided against buying Dragon Age 3, since I never much cared for that universe anyway.
I can't say I would never buy anything from EA again, because, as I said, I would buy ending DLC for the sake of my own emotional attachment to ME's story. But I, like Gabor, can at least start drawing lines in the sand. I have a high tolerance for corporate shenanigans. I never complained about the day-one DLC (actually, I think I defended it once or twice) and I never jumped on the 'hating EA' bandwagon before this. Where I draw the line is when the quality of the products being sold is compromised in order to extort more money out of consumers.
So, yeah, I'll bite at the ending DLC bait. But if I have to, you can be sure it'll be the one and only time I do.
I guess one could call EA's strategy as "short term success, long term failure." Given the depth to the ME universe, I would guess EA could have made insane amounts of money with new releases, DLCs, etc. Now, they've alienated (no pun intended) a large segment of their customer base. I can't help but suspect that they have to some degree hurt themselves, even if people do buy an "ending DLC."
This is certainly a poor move on EA's part, simply for short term success. There comes a point when someone says "enough is enough", and EA has crossed that line.
The gaming industry, or particularly, the 2 biggest publishers, Activision and EA have truly lost sight of what it means to be provide video game entertainment. Instead they have turned to means of greed the bigger they got. ME1 was an enjoyable experience, ME2 certainly began to experiment with DLC, but the DLC was not 'mandatory'. ME3 however, has tipped too far. The Day One DLC was certainly integral to the story, despite EA's claims to the contrary, and then to get slapped again with a clear ploy to exploit ME3 ending clarification DLC well…..that is too much. EA is the most hated company because the gaming community has sent a message. Maybe not from a monetary standpoint today, but that will surely be felt over the coming year for Electronic Arts.
I beleive the public in general has had enough of corporate greed that is spreading like a uncontrolled virus.
Upto the dire ending of ME3, the game was pretty damn entertaining and engaging. Sure a few mis-steps but nothing irredeemable. However I don't think we can hold EA to account for the paucity of the ending. They didn't develop the game, BioWare did, and Casey Hudson the design lead & Mac Walters are the ones who came up with it.
At the same time, EA holds the strings to the purse. I'm not saying that Bioware was not responsible for the ending, but there is a possibility that EA manipulated it.
Either way, the sad part of the matter is that great companies (Bioware, DICE, etc.) will feel the hurt the most. If we quit cold turkey on big name games, we also hurt the developers, which means that EA dumps them after they fail, depriving us of good games (in some cases), but EA is left with enough capital to purchase another good company and run it into the ground. It would require significant sacrifice on the part of the gamer to actually kill EA, or at least decrease its influence in the industry.
Hopefully we see a shift in the publisher paradigm, but I'm not holding my breath
You make an excellent point about changes requiring people to vote with their wallets, and I'll certainly be doing so from this point on. At this point, even a free DLC for an improved ending likely won't improve my opinions about Bioware. EA has simply driven too many stakes into the heart of a company that I have loved for more than a decade.
So though I certainly couldn't vote with my wallet with ME3 – I had no way to know just how abysmal the corner-cutting made many things in the game – I'm likely not going to buy another thing the company makes, and if I do, it's sure as hell not going to be day one – maybe game of the year editions, -maybe-, if they get their act together.
Certainly interesting times for EA, although I normally don't give much thought to whatever The Consumerist has set its sights on this week (people want to talk about false sense of entitlement, then look no further).
As for if EA should have won it ahead of Bank of America, there's certainly a matter of perspective and scope to consider, seeing how actual lives have been ruined by bad banks, but on the other hand… You can only ruin the business you're in, I'm sure EA would make a fist of it if they decided to try ruining financial institutions as well.
No matter what happens (or quite likely, doesn't happen) after this "victory" for EA, hopefully it'll be a nudge in the right direction for an industry that has been taking their customers for granted for far too long. The good guys are out there, hopefully they'll pick up some support as people take a stand against the bad apples. People like CD Projeckt Red who not only don't bother with draconian DRM schemes, but take the extra step of refusing to sell games with DRM from their digital distribution service. I was very happy to see Erik Kain cover them here on Forbes last month, they deserve a shoutout for all the right reasons.
I couldn't agree more. As a PC Gamer, I am additionally angered over the rise of Origin with all of its exclusives and have every intention of waiting them out as long as I can before I buy titles on Origin. Fortunately, there is a lot of great work at other reasonable companies that occupy my time. My Steam backlog is long enough that EA's games can wait for me.
Steam backlog, Impulse backlog, GOG games that need replaying… yes, I think I too can hold off on any more EA purchases…
You say multiple times in your article that its gamers fault for complaining and then buying the game anyways, then you go on to say that some gamers don't care and buy the game anyways, then back again to saying we should stop giving money to them if we hate them.
There is a flaw with this logic.
I have hated EA since they shut down Pandemic, and the Saboteur was the last game I bought from them.
Now if every video game player that is angry with EA boycotts EA like I am doing and like you say they should, there shouldn't be a problem all this hate should be justified and EA should be losing money.
But you brought up another point, there are way more casual gamers that don't care about the industry that EA, Activision, and Microsoft market too, they KNOW older or frequent video game players won't buy those games, but they are in a minority because of a surge of newer less caring video game players. They are the ones that caused the 3 million mass effect 3 sales on the Xbox, but only less than 1 million on PC. The are the reason COD mw3 is the best selling video game of all time even though its been the same thing since COD4 MW. They are where the money is at.
Most people find it appalling that EA won worst company in America, but guess what, everyone knows banks are the worst companies in America, Everyone knows what Goldman Sachs and Bank of America have done.
No one cares though what big name publishers do to a persons hobby though.
Yeah banks ruined lives, but this was in 2008/2009, they had their time to win.
You can use the new word everyones using to call me an "Entitled gamer", go ahead.
But you don't call someone complaining about MPAA or RIAA and entitled movier or an entitled musicer. The video game publishers have been able to stomp over everything including developers for a long time and no one cares, this was a chance to shine a light on these problems.
And all we get is "entitled gamers".
Those two groups are the largest groups, and this is the problem. The smaller more active group can't get anything done, because the publisher will just say its a vocal minority and flash their shiny drones that will eat up all of their games.
The Kotaku article relating to this with EA PR is a shining example.
They say they are doing nothing wrong and 300 million customers prove it.
There isn't much we can do but spread word of mouth, and because of marketing from within publishers, and a recent influx of just throwing complaints off as entitled gamers, we can't really do much.
It's just sad that we can't get the same voice and recognition as other entertainment mediums because there is some standard that if you are a video game player you are either 1. A kid. 2. An ignorant teenager that can't handle problems or 3. An adult that plays children games and should grow up.
Devil's advocate: Why not? It worked for the airline industry. Recovering from bankruptcy, they must have decided at some point that their value proposition was overextended. Hauling you and your heavy luggage hundreds or thousands of miles away in a matter of minutes or hours while feeding you and tucking you in shouldn't really be so cheap, should it? Now planes are full, perishable waste is down, and a plane is no longer mistaken for a bed-and-breakfast – you don't need to have a meal or a pillow or blanket given to you unless you bring it or buy it.
Perhaps EA feels it is no longer beholden to its consumers in a similar way as the airline companies. Especially to a consumer who is going to too-frequently conspire with a retailer to give another consumer their games, without any of the second consumer's money going to EA (or BioWare, whom people seem to view as a victim of EA's practices) – all while watching the share price trend downward.
In other media, people accuse moviemakers of gouging consumers because they split up Twilight and Harry Potter stories into two movies? Instead, we look forward to them. Also, books have been released and sold by the chapter before. Dickens did it successfully.
So why don't we have a problem with these examples, but we do with videogames? I think it is simply because with books, movies, and TV, we get access to a schedule of current and upcoming releases weeks or months in advance. In other words, we are told about it ahead of time, something EA and BioWare did not do with ME3. Instead, they vaguely hinted only that more "gameplay" would come via DLC.
Game companies have started to use this freeze-the-storyteller practice recently, with no warning or label provided to consumers. I would think with any consumer product that provides an experience sold in piecemeal or episodic fashion, it should be fair practice to disclose what the start and end points are, what each episode's price will be to the consumer, and what will be considered "core" and what will be considered "optional". After all, you would want to know the the terms of any payment plan or investment vehicle that involves periodic payments, before agreeing to it.
Maybe this would have been a better case for the FTC than simply complaining "They lied about the content!". Unless, that is, we all stop accepting license agreements that state we accept the software AS IS with no warranty.
There are people who ardently defend Dragon Age 2 when the fact is, it lacks the spirit and depth of the original.
It's because for every one of us, there are ten fratboy gamers snatching up a copy of BF3 or Madden.
You forgot the other group, people who pirate games, and get the games for free =)
This is typical behaviour of the current crop of gamers. "We hate you, but we won't stop buying your products!"
If less gamers were brain dead sheep, mindlessly buying sequels and franchise entries, we might actually have more than just a handful of companies dedicated to making good games.
Instead we have the EAs and the Activisions out to drain every last penny from gamer wallets.
I love video games. Love 'em. Been playing since I first laid eyes on a friend's Famicom back in the 80s. (That's right, the red and white Japanese Family Computer console!), but year after year I'm buying less games because they suck harder and harder and I'm expected to keep paying the same $60 for games that are demonstrably shittier.
I find myself much more willing to invest in a tabletop board game that I can play once a week with my friends instead of some crummy EA published garbage. At this rate, I won't be buying video games at all next year and I certainly won't be buying the next gen consoles.
Maybe the future of gaming really is on iPads and smartphones. I might as well get an iPad and play the Baldur's Gate re-release.
I agree. I wish some of the Dragon Age fans had the same passion and saw Dragon Age 2 for the marginal subpar game it truly was.
Opinion Vs Facts
The sad truth of this marketing nightmare is that it's worked until now. EA/BioWare just took it far enough this time that it may have broken the boat.
I think EA will get a false sense of satisfaction from this, in the end, if they release a new ending DLC and charge for it. People WILL buy it. They may protest in other ways, such as shutting down their subscription to The Old Republic or refusing to buy other products from EA, but they WILL buy this DLC.
As one of the guilty, I say we'll do this the same reason an alcoholic might want just one more drink. Surely it won't hurt, right? Just one more?
EA will respond by declaring the whole thing a success. They'll tout it as a victory and proof that "in the end, people don't mind paying for these things".
I don't think there's a chance in hell that DLC which re-creates or properly explains the ending of Mass Effect 3 will lose sales. It will be a resounding success and people will buy it up. In fact, they will likely HAVE to make that DLC just to get people to buy the other DLC they already plan to release.
Knowing in advance my failure in this (though I DID cancel my SWTOR account to more-than-compensate), will I buy another EA product? Referring of course, to something that is not DLC for ME3? No, I won't. I'm scared to death they'll take Bethesda from us, because I love the Fallout series and have since the first game came out way back in the day. But if EA buys out Bethesda, I will lose the future versions of those games forever. I won't buy them with an EA label on them.
EA Games: Ruin Everything.
Just like you, I will buy any and all DLC that refers to Mass Effect 3……and I also will cancel my TOR subscription (darn it I paid for 6 months in advance!) and will no longer buy EA products. It might eventually come down to four publishers: EA, Capcom, Activision and Nintendo.
Putting it out there, you could just pirate it instead, you get your experience and EA doesn't get your dime.
This part of piece struck a chord:
"I believe EA is a destructive force in the industry as their goal isn't to make gaming more accessible and respected as a medium. How can you argue that video games are art, when pieces of the story are cleaved out to be sold separately?"
EA was founded on the principles of treating video games as art, and its programmers as artists. That's why they called themselves "Electronic Arts." As they've become more and more successful–and more profitable–it seems as if they've dropped that image and replaced it with the "brand" that is simply "EA."
As things are now with the company, and the current games industry in general, just saying aloud what EA the initials stand for seems disconnected from what EA the company stands for in the eyes of many of its most loyal customers. I spent nearly 10 years covering the gaming industry and noticed that as a lot of the big-money publishers got more corporate, creativity took a back seat to stability and sure-fire profits.
Personally, I couldn't care less about DLCs or microtransactions, or even buying apps from Apple. To think a developer or publisher could effectively force you to purchase "extra" content is ridiculous, and no amount of my money is worth being told what to do by an entertainment company.
I'm proud to say that out of the 100+ titles I still own on my many systems, I own 3 EA titles. Mass Effect 2 & 3 and Dead Space Extraction. I've long given up on EA and if it weren't for Bioware and Mass Effect I would have never bought another EA product. First they became the company that never updated their yearly games (since copied by Call of Duty and others) with their sports franchises. Then they buy and destroy so many developers it brings a single tear to your eye at all the lost quality software. I can honestly say that I will never buy another EA title again, (side note: not totally true, as a huge nintendo fan if they were to collaborate with Nintendo on a Kirby or Metroid game, I would buy it) unless they change their ways and stop treating not only their customers poorly, but the many great employees they have too. I'm sure all those stories I've read of the last 2 years of employee mistreatment hasn't been fabricated.
I very rarely purchase EA products, and I honestly can't remember the last time I bought one…SSX 3 on the PS2…? Oh! No, wait, I played Warhammer Online, and that sealed the deal and made sure I would probably never be an EA customer ever again, unless the newest SSX title is free of their usual shenanigans.
Paul, appreciate that you are addressing some of these hard core business issues in the video game industry. I'd love to see what you uncover in the world of "gamification." Like some of EA's practices, it seems to be a very polarizing topic. Regardless, companies like SAP (my current employer) are embracing its potential. I wrote about it here:
An interesting variable that I have not yet seen brought up in all of this is the prevalence of pirating. Bittorrent and other P2P programs allow for the initial game release and all of its DLC to be obtained without any money going to EA. How many gamers are using this avenue to obtain and play EA products while still sticking to the principle of not giving any money to EA?
If Mass Effect 3 gets a new ending in the form of purchasable DLC, is it possible that many gamers will hit the P2P sites to obtain it instead of buying legitimately? That in itself might send the necessary message to EA.
lol, i pirate all my EA games. they havent received any of my money in quite a while
To me, EA looks exactly like a Reaper from ME games… they harvest successful brands and games, destroying some, converting others to their will… in the end, players are faced with same unsolvable premise Shepard faced… how to stop a Reaper???
I think when it comes to the ME3 debacle, the fans are
1. Loyal to Bioware not necessarily EA. And hoping the original company rights itself. I think a lot of people look at them as an "occupied company" which is still good at heart, but has the looming EA puppeteer over them.
2. The gamers are giving Bioware/EA a stay of execution before boycotts and abandonment occurs. This is probably going to boil down to what the Bioware panel says this Friday at PAX East…everyone's given them a month to get a good idea on where to go, and the fans have been more than helpful in giving them ideas on how to progress, and even stay face. Depending on how Bioware decides to move forward will determine what the groups and fans decide to do to. Me, all they have to do is acknowledge the ending was sub-par and fix it. If I don't hear that, Bioware/EA will not see another dime of my money, plain and simple.
The problem is EA's highly adaptable model. They will buy up any IP and studio they want and news or the influence is slow to leak through to the consumer. ME2 and DA:O are prime examples. Good games developed under BioWare after EA's purchase, but do you really think they weren't made with the EA corporate culture included already?
It's like a disease that only wills itself out when you get to games like DA2, SWTOR and ME3. They essentially prey upon brand loyalty and perhaps already know on some level that what they've bought has an expiration date on it. So they go through questionable milking practices, ride their employees into the ground and so on and so forth, all prepared to make the jump to the next golden goose in the industry.
It's easy to try and cook up a scheme with minimal cost involved to try and maximize return. It's another thing to make a good faith investment and making a good educated guess on whether or not it will come out as a net (and within projections) positive. This is why PR and image are so important to EA than producing an actual game. It's like movies today, where you want to get as many first week sales as possible, before word spreads about how crappy the product actually is.
The problem with boycotting EA is exactly what Mr. Tassi mentioned in the article. They buy up massive portions of the market and it is thus almost impossible to find alternatives. Unless you only play indie games you at some point will be stuck between EA or nothing at all. I loved bioware but after this ME3 nonsense (and SWTOR for that matter) I will no longer be purchasing their games.
I'm probably part of the minority that actually remember's when EA was a great gaming company that made game's for the computer for peoples enjoyment rather then the funding in their pocket's, it's truely sad to see them become the company they are now. Will i buy the dlc that they are bringing out? Probably, but this IS going to be that last game with the EA logo that i will buy. I hope they learn from all this, doubtful but one can hope. And also i hope that poeple will keep making themselves heard, and maybe with enough loss in the stock market and sales that they learn form this and hope fully othet companies are paying attention as well so they can learn from EA's mistake. Now's the time to be heard, wether it's EA releasing the dissapointment that is mass effect 3′s ending, OR capcom trying to charge people for access to content on a disc they already bought, and not just in the gaming industry but in any area where business's are taking advantage of the consumer's, these are hard time's already without companie's regardless of their market trying to take advantage of the consumer who already have a hard time getting by.
Yeah, I remember way, wayyyy back when EA was something you looked for when shopping for games. Now, it's a black mark when I see their logo on a product. Was looking forward to Secret World, but not sure if I'll go for it now.
I just wanted to say thanks for writing the articles that all the review sites and gaming blogs seem to be afraid to write.
I think part of the problem is the clash between the creative and business sides of the gaming industry. Neither seems willing or able to understand the others position.
The creative side wants to make the best possible product, the business side is there purely for the money. The clash comes because if the creative side is allowed to run free games end up taking years to finish, if they ever are. Duke Nukem Forever is the prime example of this. If the business side is allowed to run free then, because it is only interested in short term profits, it doesn't bother or understand that games do take time to develop if you want a reasonable quality product or anything that is truly new to the market.
At the moment the problem is that the games industry as a whole seems to be controlled by the business side. And they are not interested, or possibly just don't understand, that developing a good video franchise or continuing one requires more than 18 months of development time – especially if you are dealing with RPG titles.
A balance needs to be found in the industry, between the need for companies to make money by not allowing the creative element to run free. But also by realising that the business side needs to give the creative side enough time and space to produce something of fair quality.
If this balance isn't found the games industry is going to implode.
Aye, Aye. done and doing.
No games are getting my money for at least six months (and that's only if I skip movies and dinner out for that same time frame. Given that I've got a date tonight…)
More realistically it'll be a 8 months to a year before I can buy another game again. I'm sure EA won't miss my few 'casual and niche' gamer bucks but… as you said. You can only vote with your wallet.
I know many more lives that have been negatively impacted by BoA than EA. As a consumer of both though, I have voted both times with my wallet. There are many more banking options (including credit unions) to put my funds behind.
Gaming continues to be a "luxury" expense for me, yet banking is an unavoidable aspect of my everyday life.
The writer is correct in his observations that consumers need to vote with their wallets. While both final contenders in The Consumerist's poll have (to my opinion) rather dubious business models and ethics. The single most effective way to impact change is through refusing to consume their products.
And thus, it has been proven that God truly exists, for thou has a method of combating this without having to renounce your favorite games, yarrr!
Avast Ye squabs and show them how much you hate them, by enjoing their product without paying them. Do not buy to simply own, buy to support your favorite company and "ignore" the rest, yarrr.
I'm guessing I'm overdoing it a bit.
I'm sorry but this is too much for me.
First of all, thanks for the spoiler. I didn't even have to read, I had the image.
Then… EA is the worst company in america ? By doing what ? Saving Double Fine's BRUTAL LEGEND ? Being risky for a lot of projects that cost them a shitload of money (Mirror's Edge, Dead Space, Syndicate, Brutal Legend… The list for PS3 and X360 is long).
They even improve how they treat the customer, for example they are not going to release a 70 bucks game for the upcoming European FIFA Cup, it's only going to be a 20 bucks DLC. And now, even the previous DLCs for FIFA 09 and 10 are fucking free for the new titles…
EA is one of the RARE video game companies that tries his best to please their customer, by risking a lot of money. Companies like SEGA, ACTIVISION or even BETHESDA are just cancelling more and more "little" games (Alpha Protocol / True Crime / Fallout), because they don't win enough money with it.
the problem is that, even after we've decided that EA is bad, the only thing we can conceive of doing is not spending money. does 'spending money or not spending money' really constitute the entire range of possibilities that we have in responding to EA? isn't the relentless commercialization of video games the thing that got us into this hole to begin with? how can we reject that if we still think that voting with our wallets is the best we can do?
How dumb is our Nation? How stupid has hour internet culture made us? The masses vote for EA as the most evil, Just because idiots took the ending of Mass Effect to personally, dont like football, and get mad at every thing they release because, its the internet. You know, the same type of people that think Babies are stupid and The funniest thing ever is a guy getting punched in the balls.
BofA did much more real life harm to actual people with NO remorse. Good Job internutters!


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The landscape is open 8:00 am- sunset daily. The house is open for tours Tuesday through Sunday. No strollers or backpacks please. For more information, please click here.
At the epicenter of The Hudson River School of Painting is the Olana House and surrounding landscape. Our events and programs, and museum collections, are open to the visiting public and schools and educators.
There are many ways to support Olana
Join the Olana Partnership, volunteer your time, make a tax-deductible donation, purchase from our museum store, or attend one of our Special Events. View our audited financials and year end review.
Visit our corporate partner highlight page
Please Note Tour Hours: Tuesday-Sunday, 10am-5pm, last tour begins at 4pm, house tour reservations are strongly recommended by calling 518.828.0135.
Saturday, August 2, 1pm Culinary Uses of Summer Herbs-A Collaboration with The Sylvia Center. To learn more click here.
Sunday, August 3, 3-5pm Reception for "Preserving Creative Spaces-Photographs from the Historic Artists' Homes and Studios Program." To learn more click here. To learn more about HAHS click here.
Tuesday, August 5-Thursday, August 7, 9am-4pm The Olana Landscape Trilogy-A Series of Oil Painting Workshops Utilizing the Views from Olana. To learn more click here.
GROUNDSWELL To learn more click here.
All the Raj: Frederic Church and Lockwood de Forest- Painting, Decorating and Collecting Evelyn and Maurice Sharp Gallery May 11- November 2, 2014 To read more click here. For the catalog click here. To view select images from the exhibit click here.
Preserving Creative Spaces: Photographs from The Historic Artists' Homes and Studios Program Coachman's House Gallery June 28-November 2, 2014 To read more click here. To learn more about HAHS click here.
Nearly 500 guests attended Framing the Viewshed: Groundswell on Sunday, September 22, 2013. To read more click here.
Olana's Landscape and Viewshed have been awarded two major grants. To learn more click here.Are you a TD Bank customer? Help The Olana Partnership raise money through the TD Bank Affinity Program. It's free and only requires account holders to designate Olana as their preferred charity by calling 888-751-9000. TD Bank is a proud sponsor of the 2012 Restoring Olana Exhibition and Wagon House Education Programming.
The Olana Partnership is now accepting applications for a full time Director of Annual Giving and Community Relations. To learn more click here.
Due to the overwhelming response to our article in the New York Times, house tour reservations are strongly recommended by calling 518.828.0135.
The Olana Partnership held its 3rd Annual Olanafest on September 22, 2013. To learn more and view photos click here.
The Olana Partnership continues to protect the historic Viewshed. Read about it in the New York Times and Albany Times Union.
Olana's exhibition featured in the Art Times Journal.
A lovely article in the Wall Street Journal on The Olana Partnership's 2013 honoree Stephen Hannock. The Hudson River School Art Trail receives mention in National Geographic Traveler.The Olana Partnership remembers Maurice SendakCapital Region Economic Development Council Announces Historic Preservation Projects Underway at Olana State Historic Site.Cultural Organizations Team Up to Present Eight Major Speakers"This view and this painting changed history."Gala For Historical Preservation Invokes A Famed American ArtistFEC Award Gala featured in The Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, The Examiner, Bloomberg and Martha Stewart's Blog. To view photos click here.Special "Letters of Olana" photography exhibition proceeds to benefit OlanaThe Olana Partnership awarded $274k EDC grant towards landscape restoration.The Hudson Valley named #2 in TOP 10 U.S. travel destinations for 2012.The Olana Partnership has received support from the Museum Program of the New York State Council on the Arts, a State Agency.
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Niagara Falls PuzzleThoughtfully conceived and engagingly intricate, our 1,000-piece interlocking jigsaw puzzles combine superb color reproduction, stunning and unusual images, and sturdy construction to delight generations of novice and veteran puzzleworkers. Puzzle size: 20 x 25 in.Shop locally and save! »
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This image of Frederic Edwin Church and his son on a camel in Beirut is a highlight of the exhibit "Preserving Creative Spaces: Historic Artist's Homes and Studios," on
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When Alex Collins, a star running back at South Plantation High in Florida, decided to sign a letter of intent to go to Arkansas during National Signing Day on Wednesday, his mother, Andrea McDonald, was unhappy.
She was so unhappy, she took the letter of intent away and left the house. She wanted her son to go to Miami so he could stay close to her. Eventually, Collins' father, Johnny Collins, stepped in, and Alex Collins signed and faxed his letter intent to Arkansas on Thursday. End of the matter, right? Wrong.


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You need to install Adobe Flash Player to play Zombie Trapper 2. Download the Flash Player now.
Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Arena
Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Arena is a F2P game based on Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG
Zombies are unbelievably rude. They are after your air-purifier so stop them before they get it! Trap, shoot, beat and blow up zombies in this Zombie survival game - Zombie Trapper 2. Use cunning trap placement and increasingly powerful guns to stop the walking brainless savages.
There are 3 awards in Zombie Trapper 2.
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BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:1.0 BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART:20130619T000000 DTEND:20130619T010000 LOCATION;ENCODING=QUOTED-PRINTABLE:First Presbyterian Church of Norman (555 S. University, Norman, , ) DESCRIPTION;ENCODING=QUOTED-PRINTABLE:
Opera Theatre Camp is known as one of the best intensive arts experiences in the state. Cimarron Opera offers the opportunity for youths aged 9-18 to take part in this 3-week camp that provides vocal instruction, dance and acting basics, audition preparation, Gilbert and Sullivan history – plus a lot of friendship, teamwork and fun!
Opera Theatre Camp dates:
June 10-29
June 28 & 29 – 2:00 p.m. & 7:00 p.m.
Nancy O'Brian Center, 1809 Stubbeman Avenue, Norman
Click here to buy tickets.
$400 (need-based scholarships are available)
Camp location:
First two weeks at First Presbyterian Church of Norman, final week at Nancy O'Brian Center.
The operetta for this summer will be Gilbert & Sullivan's Ruddigore. As in the past, camp rehearsals will be held in parallel with the adult production's evening rehearsals of the same operetta. There will be mentoring opportunities from the adult cast, which will enhance the camp experience, and discount tickets for campers will be available for the adult productions.
Auditions were held in February and March, but spots are still available. If you are interested in scheduling an audition, please call (405) 364-8962.SUMMARY;ENCODING=QUOTED-PRINTABLE:Opera Theatre Camp PRIORITY:3END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR


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JVC HA-FX40-B Earphone - KV6902
" This is great for the price. Its sound reminds me of Stax headphones or electrostatic speakers, both of which I don't own, but have heard on a few occasions. It needs extensive(100+ hours?) breaking in to help tame the highs and bring out the bass. If you want a slightly warmer sound or are treble sensitive, then choose the Panasonic RP-HJE355 instead, although some may want..." --JK1
JVC HA-EB75 Earphone (HAEB75A) -
Main FeaturesManufacturer/Supplier: Victor Company of Japan, LimitedManufacturer Part Number: HAEB75AManufacturer Website Address: www.jvc.comBrand Name: JVCProduct Model: HA-EB75Product Name: HA-EB75 EarphoneMarketing Information: Multi-adjustable, splash-proof ear clip earphone for sport, featuring a neodymium driver for powerful sound and bass boost. Sports ear clip earphone with adjustable...
Ultimate Ears 100 Noise-Isolating Earphones - Black/Green
" I would personally like flat colors on the design but hey ts just me. Noise Isolation is really great (and I regularly commute home here in Manila, which is really loud at peak hours) Would I recommend it? Well Sure if you really are on a tight budget, but if you can add $10 to $15 dollars more you can get a sweeter pair. " --PLsg08


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BCS Championship Game
Alabama vs. LSU
Monday, January 9, 8:30 pm
All hail the SEC. Again. Yuk. LSU and Alabama were awarded a spot in this game mainly because they hail from the nation's premier college football conference. The Tigers have earned their spot by virtue of huge non conference wins over Oregon and West Virginia as well as their SEC West and overall SEC titles. Alabama is a controversial participant in this championship game. They were essentially voted in despite the fact that they finished second in the SEC West, have no marquee non conference wins (other than beating a mediocre Penn State squad) and that they already lost to LSU once this year. It has also been said that Alabama's selection has more to do with generating television ratings than it does of actually pitting the two most deserving teams against one another. This game marks the first time in the 13-year history of the BCS that two teams from the same conference will play for the title. This game is a rematch of a heavily-hyped regular matchup back on Nov. 5. LSU won that game, 9-6, in overtime at Tuscaloosa in a game that was obviously dominated by defense. The teams mustered just 534 combined yards and four turnovers in a snoozer. All of the scoring came from the kickers: LSU's Drew Alleman went 3-for-3 with his field goal attempts while Alabama's Cade Foster and Jeremy Shelley combined to go just 2-for-6. The books have set on of the lowest totals in BCS Championship Game history and the bobblehead media is predicting another low-scoring contest. With perhaps the two best defenses in the country, which are both littered with future pro players, that is a reasonable expectation. If history and matchups are indicators then this one should be both low scoring and tight. The last two LSU-Alabama games have been decided by a field goal (both LSU wins) and four of the last six meetings have been determined by a touchdown or less.
Both teams have punched their way to this title game on the strength of a dominating defense and a power running game.
This game features two of the most talented rosters in all of college football and several future NFL players. However, the focus heading into this game is squarely on the marquee coaching matchup of Nick Saban against Les Miles. The Crimson Tide lost the initial matchup this season despite having a distinct home field advantage. But now the tables are turned even though this is supposed to be a "neutral" site. LSU is playing in its backyard in Louisiana and should expect to benefit from a very pro-Tigers crowd.
The spread on this game has really undergone an interesting movement. LSU opened as a one-point favorite in this game and has taken nearly 70 percent of all of the betting action in this game. But the line has actually gone the other way, with Alabama currently a one-point favorite, according to college football odds. That is a reverse line movement and indicates all of the sharp movement is down on the Crimson Tide.
Last year I was one of the few guys predicting a low-scoring BCS Championship Game between Oregon and Auburn. The total was set at 74.0 and everyone was expecting a shootout between two of the most explosive offenses in the country. But I was right, and the 41 total points made it the second-lowest scoring title game in a decade. This year I think I am going in the opposite direction. I think that this game is going to defy the public expectations – which is another defensive slugfest – and I think that this game that possibly destroys the total. I believe that both coaches will be a bit more aggressive offensively and that we could see some scoring out of either of the defenses or the special teams units. I have Alabama winning this game by 4 points and grabbed the early point and have not stopped taking points anytime I can with Alabama. It really should be a great game and looking towards it but honestly I still feel it should be Oklahoma State playing LSU for the Championship. Roll Tide. Next Year its Fight On USC!
ALABAMA/LSU OVER 40 POINTS (Opinion)
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Dear Doc Knox:
There is an old huge skeleton of a wooden building in the Rocky Hill community on Northshore Drive that is situated on a hill up in the woods. It is on Currier Lane, across from Roosters. It has been there for years and nobody that I know seems to know what it is or was. Any idea?
My Dear Mme. Comcast:
The street you mention is among the most peculiar in West Knoxville. Hardly more than a lane wide, Currier Lane is marked as a public city road, but looks more like a rural driveway. It climbs steeply away from Northshore, up the hill at a grade we might not recommend for standard automobiles.
Well before the crest of the hill, Currier Lane becomes a "private toll road," run by a pay machine with a camera attached. You can go farther, but you have to pay $1-5, depending on the vehicle. If you don't pay, we presume, it will take your picture, and of course nobody wants that. We hear it's a lovely view up there, which may be the reason for the added security. However, because the price sign and warning did not list a category for Phaeton, we did not participate.
Dr. Knox has never witnessed a Private Toll Road in his hometown, much less an automatically policed one, and is considering the prospect for his own driveway. But you don't have to pay to view the edifice in question. It's on the hill just before you get to the ominous camera.
The mysterious structure is on the right, not far from Northshore: From the road it looks like a strangely large building, larger than most barns but shaped sort of like one, without the customary actual walls. When we first espied it from the road, we wondered if it might be a UT grad student's giant art piece: perhaps something called "Barndream 387."
But look closer—and to do so may require some benign trespassing—and the structure grows less skeletal in appearance and much grander. It appears to be a giant almost-finished building, not for livestock but for people. Above a brick-wall core, with double doors, are what appear to be multiple roofs, and high in the back are some glass windows looking to the south, toward the river and the sun. It looks almost like an eccentric country convention center or retreat.
Its multiple roofs give it an almost pagoda quality, as if it's something Frank Lloyd Wright designed on his sojourn in Japan, perhaps after an evening of especially stimulating sake.
On the Knoxville Geographic Information System (KGIS) website, it's referred to, without further explanation, as "The Wonder House." It's well named, in that it obviously does inspire us to wonder. The property has apparently not been sold since 1955, and has been owned by a family named Wilson. We attempted to contact a member of the family, without success. It seems to have puzzled some of the neighbors we contacted.
But you've piqued our curiosity. We bet some reader out there can be of assistance in this matter.
Z. Heraclitus Knox
Dear Doc Knox:
I have a Bible signed in front by Sarah Rickey 1826. Inside it says "Joseph Rickey born 1760 his wife Elizabeth born 1773." — Inside, very hard to read. Knoxville folks?
Carl Brewer
Dear Mr. Brewer:
'Twould be hard to know without some census research, which is the sort of thing that owners of such artifacts sometimes find time for. The people at the McClung Collection in the East Tennessee History Center can help you with that.
All we can say is that we know of no one by that name who was especially well-known in Knoxville then. Dr. Knox does not recall them personally, and they don't show up in our indexes. That's not to say they weren't nice people.
The odds are probably against Ms. Rickey's being a Knoxvillian, because in 1826 Knoxvillians were very rare and endangered creatures indeed. There were only about 1,500 Knoxvillians in the whole world. Even if we know Ms. Rickey was in Tennessee in 1826, back then fewer than one-half of 1 percent of Tennesseans were Knoxvillians. Knoxville had lost its status as a capital city, the reason it had been founded. It had no railroad in 1826, and no prospects of getting one any time soon. It had no effective steamboat traffic. It was a leftover remnant of Jeffersonian days, stranded in a remote valley. Life in Knoxville in 1826 required strong spirits, or some faith—hence, a Bible—or both.
Therefore, our answer is a firm Maybe.
Yours truly,
Z. Heraclitus Knox
Send your historical mysteries for the consideration of Doc Knox to: firstname.lastname@example.com
© 2011 MetroPulse. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Comments » 3
- October 27, 2011
- 11:27 a.m.
- Suggest removal
- Reply to this post
joetom69 writes:
Here's one for you. Knoxville has 11th Street, and some of us remember 10th Street. Were there ever 1st - 9th Streets?
- October 27, 2011
- 11:46 a.m.
- Suggest removal
- Reply to this post
joetom69 writes:
There's a website www.reindeerman.com for all your reindeer needs. It's listed as Kyle & Donna Wilson on Currier Lane. They lease a herd of reindeer out for Christmas parties.
- October 27, 2011
- 3:55 p.m.
- Suggest removal
- Reply to this post
Tess writes:
It is my understanding that the Wonder House was an ongoing building project undertaken by the elder Mr. Wilson (since deceased)when he fell ill with dementia. The building project gave him something to do and kept him occupied.
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We've seen a lot of companies add control in unique ways. However, MaKey MaKey is making control so simple, you don't even need an actual controller.
In the video below, MaKey MaKey shows off control options using a banana, Play-Doh, a very thirsty cat, and a lot more.
MaKey MaKey is the brainchild of Eric Rosenbaum and Jay Silver, two graduate students at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Media Lab. The duo had the idea to make everyone an inventor—without software, programming or breadboarding. All you need is the MaKey MaKey device, which also comes with alligator clips and a USB cable.
Hook the MaKey MaKey circuit board up via USB to your computer, and choose your controller. MaKey MaKey offers options for a D-pad, a space bar, a mouse, keyboard functions, and more.
Rosenbaum and Silver put MaKey MaKey on Kickstarter, and have exceeded their $25,000 goal—by a lot. They'll take whatever you've got, but it will take a minimum $35 pledge to get an actual MaKey MaKey kit. The duo expects to deliver sometime in August 2012.Follow Electronic House on Facebook and Twitter.
What is 4K TV? Do you need Ultra HD? What's on in 4K? These and other issues about Ultra HD TVs
Elan g! smart home control system enables effortless energy savings for Florida homeowner.
The Honda Smart Home home has several electronic enhancements and provides zero-net energy living.


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2014 (Junior): 2014 Conference USA Commissioner's Honor Roll ... Did not play in 2014 due to injury.
Cleveland State CC: Led the Cougar pitching staff in several categories ... Named the Tennessee Community College Athletic Association (TCCAA) Pitcher of the Year, as well as being a first team All-Conference selection ... Was drafted in the 23rd round by the San Francisco Giants in 2013 ... Previously drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 28th round in 2011.
Tennessee: Spent one year with the Vols ... Recorded a 2-2 record in 3.2 innings pitched.
Walker Valley High School: Was drafted with the first pick of the 28th round (842nd overall) by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 2011 MLB First-Year Player Draft ... Was ranked by PGCrosschecker as the No. 7 prospect in the state of Tennessee and 391st nationally ... Named to the 2011 Rawlings/Perfect Game Preseason Southeast Region All High School Senior second team, the Chattanooga Times Free Press 2011 Best of the Preps second team and the TBCA All-Region 3 team ... Led the Mustangs to a 22-14 record and a District 5-AAA tournament championship as a senior in 2011 after battling through injuries to tally a 3-2 record with three saves ... Also stuck out 63 in just 39.1 innings of work and finished with an ERA just over 1.00.
Personal: Full name is Jeffrey Brandon Zajac ... Born Nov. 19, 1992 in Chattanooga, Tenn. ... Son of Jeffrey and Carolyn Zajac ... Majoring in sports management ... Previously played with Jared Allen at Tennessee.


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deep south NIT tuesday
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also on the under 129.
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1950 Mountain View Avenue, Longmont, CO 80501
The urinary system consists of the kidneys, ureters, bladder, and urethra. The key elements in the system are the kidneys, a pair of fist-sized organs located below the ribs toward the middle of the back. The kidneys remove excess liquid and wastes from the blood in the form of urine. They keep a stable balance of salts and other substances in the blood, and produce a hormone that helps to form red blood cells. Narrow tubes called ureters carry urine from the kidneys to the bladder - a sack-like organ in the lower abdomen. Urine is stored in the bladder and eventually emptied through a canal called the urethra.
When any part of the urinary system is not functioning as it should, it can be due to one of several conditions, such as:
All surgery presents risk, including da Vinci Surgery. Results, including cosmetic results, may vary. Serious complications may occur in any surgery, up to and including death. Examples of serious and life-threatening complications, which may require hospitalization, include injury to tissues or organs; bleeding; infection, and internal scarring that can cause long-lasting dysfunction or pain. Temporary pain or nerve injury has been linked to the inverted position often used during abdominal and pelvic surgery. Patients should understand that risks of surgery include potential for human error and potential for equipment failure. Risk specific to minimally invasive surgery may include: a longer operative time; the need to convert the procedure to an open approach; or the need for additional or larger incision sites. Converting the procedure to open could mean a longer operative time, long time under anesthesia, and could lead to increased complications. Research suggests that there may be an increased risk of incision-site hernia with single-incision surgery. Patients who bleed easily, have abnormal blood clotting, are pregnant or morbidly obese are typically not candidates for minimally invasive surgery, including da Vinci Surgery. Other surgical approaches are available. Patients should review the risks associated with all surgical approaches. They should talk to their doctors about their surgical experience and to decide if da Vinci is right for them. For more complete information on surgical risks, safety and indications for use, please refer to http://www.davincisurgery.com/da-vinci-surgery/safety-information.php.
©2013 Intuitive Surgical. All rights reserved. Intuitive, Intuitive Surgical, da Vinci, da Vinci S, da Vinci Si, Single-Site, TilePro, FireFly, Skills Simulator, EndoWrist and EndoWrist One are trademarks or registered trademarks of Intuitive Surgical. All other product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders.
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Welcome to Rock Creek Lake, located in the Eastern Sierra Nevada Mountains of California. Camping, fishing, hiking, backpacking, mountain biking, and simply relaxing are some of the activities visitors to Rock Creek enjoy.
Rock Creek Lakes Resort offers a number of services including modern cabins, boat rentals, a fully-stocked store, and "Pie in the Sky Café." Come in for a slice after your hike to Little Lakes Valley or a hot cup of coffee before you hit the lake in the cool morning.
With a pack station, 10 campgrounds, 3 trailheads, a creek and lake stocked with trout, Rock Creek is the perfect destination for the family that loves the outdoors. Please consider visiting us during your next trip to the East Side...you'll be glad you did!
In the slideshow to the right, some of the images are clickable and will take you to the artist's website. Give them a look! Use the navigation panel at the bottom of the slideshow to turn on the show or navigate through the images.
Ben Silverthorn of La Mesa caught this 1.5 pounder out of Rock Creek
Lake last summer using "Benny's special power bait mix." Looking forward to lots of kids with prized catches this summer! Come on up!
Would you like to be our next "Featured Angler?" Email your photo and story to email@example.com.
Be sure to include your name, your hometown, the fish's weight, and the date and method of fishing used. The best photo and story received will become our Featured Angler.


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Ask your local council to install a Seal the Loop fishing line bin and save your local marine life from entanglements.
View Seal the Loop - Fishing Line Bin Locations in a larger map
More than 170 Seal the Loop bins have now been distributed since November 2010.
Save our precious marine life from injury or death as a result of entanglements in discarded fishing line. Get a Seal the Loop bin installed near you!
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Who we are
I read Ned Barnett's May 19 column "The real scandal: gridlock" with great interest and largely agree with his conclusion that the direction of our nation is set or rejected by people who couldn't win the vote but can hijack the process, resulting in a sequestered nation that is divided before the world, suspect of one another and small in our ambitions.
But I disagree when Barnett (and others lately) suggest "that's not who we are." Clearly, enough Americans knowingly elected representatives who are blatantly sworn to put a stranglehold on government, roll back decades of progress and stymie every proposal advanced by the current administration.
If beings from another planet just arrived and listened to the current political discourse, they would likely surmise that, indeed, this is who we are. I have to wonder if they'd be right.
Fred L. Stahl


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National Clothesline
How to obtain customer reviews
According to Forester Research, 71 percent of online shoppers read reviews before making a purchase. And most SEO research companies agree that reviews play a big role in boosting your online visibility online and rankings in local search results.
People like to share their opinions if you ask them. Every time you ask your customers to provide a feedback on a purchase, it makes them feel important, not just another transaction. Customers also like to feel that they are involved and contributing to the success of your business.
Given the immense value reviews and ratings can have on your business, it is important to make sure you are getting your fair share.
The number-one reason most cleaners do not get reviews or referrals isn't because they aren't good or customers are too busy to give them, it is simply because cleaners do not ask for them or make it easy for their customers.
Ask for them. Common sense says if you don't ask for reviews you probably won't get them. Cleaners need to get into the habit of asking for customer reviews as close to the point of customer satisfaction as possible.
Very few customers will provide feedback — good or bad — unless invited to do so. According to a few customer research projects, for every customer who complains, there are 26 that do not. Existing customers are more valuable to you since they are more likely to come back into your plant. So it makes a lot of sense to get their feedback and keep them happy.
Make it easy. Most people will take at least a few seconds to click on a simple star rating system. If they really are too busy, they will politely decline or ignore your comment card. But the easier you can make it for customers to review their experiences with you, the more feedback you will get.
Provide multiple opportunities for your customers to get involved. Some customers prefer to fill out an online survey, some would prefer a comment card. Make it easy for them.
Create an online survey. Surveymonkey.com is a free and simple online survey website that is easy to use and provides valuable feedback. If you are currently on Facebook, you can create a survey using the free Questions tool.
Offer incentives. Encourage customer reviews by offering incentives in exchange for their time, such as a chance to win free drycleaning or a free shirt cleaned. Don't offer straight discounts, otherwise it looks as if you are trying to pay for positive results.
Include a link on your receipts. A lot of POS systems allow for some customization. If you are running an old POS system, you might need to place a placard out on your counter or include hangtags on your orders.
If you are able to do minor customization of your receipts, include your online survey and have your counter staff remind them to go online. Also, having your counter staff circle the website before handing customers their orders will help reenforce this program.
Include a comment card. Attach a small comment card with each order. Have them fill it out and bring it back on their next order. If there is a small incentive, make sure the incentive is given and the card is placed into a comment box without the counter staff looking at it.
Follow up. If you are good at collecting information on your customers (e.g. email, cell phone, address) do a follow up soon after a purchase. Set some time aside to do customer service drives. If the customer is new, follow up immediately to see how the experience was.
For current customers, do this a few times a year so your customer service can stay on track. Follow up with either an email, postcard or a text message to their cell phone. All are very easy and inexpensive.
Provide in-store access. Include in-store signage asking for feedback and the classic customer comment box by the counter. If you want to modernize it, set up a computer nearby so customers can enter their rankings and provide feedback that you can easily track.
Bring in outside help. If you need additional help, an outside marketing firm can usually help prepare surveys and help you track them. Customers will often be more honest with a third party than with the company directly. Best of all, the outside marketing research firm can provide and objective perspective and help you interpret the data to see where the greatest opportunities for improvement lie.
Getting reviews can be a cumbersome and scary proposition. Positive and negative feedback tend to go hand-in-hand and hearing bad things about your business can be difficult to swallow. But smart businesses uses negative reviews as important feedback to improve their business.
Continuous improvement is the best way to adapt, grow and become more profitable. Cleaners who ask for reviews and make it easy for customers to provide feedback are typically the ones with the happiest customers.
Neil Schroeder has been in the marketing industry for the past 15 years. He is president and creative director of the Golomb Group, developing direct response, social media, in-house promotions and web site campaigns for drycleaners throughout the nation. He can be reached by phone at (800) 833-0560, by email at email@example.com or on the web at www.golombgroup.com.


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Follow this item and we'll let you know when the price drops
Specifications & Dimensions
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Product Description
The 65-in-1 Universal Multi Tool Keeps All Your Needed Sockets Together
You will find yourself well equipped with the Craftsman 65-in-1 universal multi tool. While this tool is not likely to replace all your great Craftsman tools in the toolbox, it will certainly give you handy option for projects large and small all around the house, garage and shed. The Craftsman multi tool is one great wrench that is built to handle multiple fasteners.
Get ready to get the jobs done with the 65-in-1 universal multi tool from Craftsman. Whether you are checking off items from your "honey-do" list or doing routine repairs and maintenance, this amazing tool will give you all the help that you need. It features US Customary and Standard sizes 5/16, 3/8, 7/16, 1/2, 9/16, 5/8, 11/16, 3/4 inch and also includes Metrics 8, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 17, 18 MM.
- The Craftsman 65-in-1 universal multi tool enables you to work on 16 multiple fastener sizes and six varied fastener types
- One wrench and many fasteners, the universal multi tool is made of alloy steel, measures 9.84 inches and weighs just under 1.5 pounds
- Both US Customary measures and metric measure are featured on this handy Craftsman tool
- The sockets at each end of the tool spin so that you can gain access to fasteners from even the most awkward angles
- If you aren't sure what tool you need for the job at hand, this is the one to bring along to get the job done quickly and easily
- Available for Gift Wrap
Added on October 11, 2012
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Reviewers may have received a benefit, like a sweepstakes entry or rewards program points, in exchange for writing a review.
Those benefits were not conditioned on the positive or negative content of the review.
Most Helpful Reviews
New Kent, VA
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Very handy to keep in the car or on my tractor. If one tool is all you can carry this is it.
New Kent, VA
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Very handy bought an extra for a friend
Montgomery, MN
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My husband really likes this tool. Can use it for a lot of things, he cares for like it a part of him. It stays in his back pocket,where ever he goes.
The reviewer indicated they are affiliated with this product.
via sears.com
Very helpful when working on a project when you are not sure what size wrench is needed, just grab the one tool for multiple options.
El Paso, TX
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Nice universal tool, I have it always in my tool box, is like having 20 wrenches !!!!!I buy it as a gift but finally I kept it for my self. Recommended 100%
Rogers, AR
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good weight; handy tool; Con: no 18 mm
Camp Hill, PA
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Purchased this tool to keep in my toolbox. Great item to have as I was able to remove many other tools that were cluttering my box. Does everything as advertised. I was concerned it would "slip" when tightening and loosening bolts but I was pleasantly surprised to find that wasn't the case. Only issue I have is one end (the larger one) was a bit hard to maneuver but I'm sure that will change with continued use.
North Arlington, NJ
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Excellent tool to begin with. It saves you space and time, you can see the material used is compared to top brands and I would recommend this purchase to any tool lover.
Fort Worth, TX
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A must-have for every car trunk since it does a variety of sizes both inch and metric. Tough steel and of course great Craftsman lifetime warranty. Now since it is a dogbone tool AND socketed for both inch and metric be careful not to use it on more difficult jobs where a specific tool is required.
Kearney, NE
via sears.com
This is the best version of a dog bone wrench that I have seen. It a handy and convenient tool to carry with you, instead of needing a whole set of tools. The universal design is great for different types of fasteners.
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98 K2500 Altenator & Charging Woes Need Help PLEASE
I have a 1998 K2500 Silverado I use strictly as a hunting truck which i bought used a few years ago, Yesterday I hauled it down south to do some predator hunting.
After unloading it and starting it few times and moving it around, we headed to the pasture. No Problems.
I turned on the AC and the truck, immediate died. Tried to restart and battery was low and would not crank. Jumped the truck with my other truck and it fired right up.
Removed jumper cable and volt meter on the dash read 9 volts. Called a friend and he brought a new ALT from Autozone which turned out to be the wrong one. He left to go get another one. While he was gone the rancher came buy and he has a 97 that the engine is locked up in. He let us take the ALT off it and after we put it on it would still not charge. My friend got back with the new one and we put it on, still no charge. I have a CHILTONS in the truck. We read and tested all the circuits, checked all the fuses, and looked at all the connections. Still nothing.
Yes, the "L" wire is good to the alternator, it is supplying voltage to the ALT. Tested the large connection off the back of the ALT and getting battery voltage but it drops as the battery drains.
Does the dashboard have a light as well as the gauge? If so the light does not work.
Three alternators (original, one off the 97, and a new one) all bad????
When i get it off the trailer, I'm going to take the new one off and have it tested to make sure it works, but my suspicion it it's ok on the bench.
Anyone have any ideas?
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SupplySide West
For more than 15 years, SupplySide West has been the world's largest trade show dedicated to CPG innovation and a healthier marketplace. Today the show offers more than ever before. You'll find cutting-edge scientific innovations and strategic-centered educational opportunities everywhere you turn.
We've gathered over 1,700 of the world's top ingredient suppliers and equipment companies, as well as lab-testing firms, logistics and packaging experts all in one location.
Register for this one-of-a-kind opportunity to find the solution for your business that will drive revenue, market share, and consumer loyalty.


text: GamesBeat What would Assassin's Creed look like if set in China, Egypt, or the future? (gallery) January 7, 2013 12:00 PM Sebastian Haley 0 0 Thank you Please make sure both your and your friend's emails are valid. Send to: Separate multiple addresses with commas Subject: Content: Check out this article! http://venturebeat.com/2013/01/07/assassins-creed-across-the-ages/ Your Name: Your Email: Send me a copy of this email Invalid Captcha, please re-enter Privacy Policy Fans of Assassin's Creed have been playing a lot of "What if?" over the weekend due to some incredible art pieces circulating on Reddit. The series of images show the franchise's signature assassins in various settings across the ages. With each new iteration, Ubisoft has teased where the main protaganist's ancestors would be slicing and dicing from the shadows next. Feudal Japan has long been both a fan and developer favorite — despite what Asssassin's Creed III creative director Alex Hutchinson callously said (and then took back, kinda). Hopefully, the potential seen in these images and the many faults of Assassin's Creed III prove Hutchinson doesn't know what the hell he's talking about. Bring on the Egyptian steampunk robot samurai assassins! Gallery: Gallery Top image: The Incident of Xuanwu Gate (by Yuan) GamesBeat 2014 — VentureBeat's sixth annual event on disruption in the video game market — is coming up on Sept 15-16 in San Francisco. Purchase one of the first 50 tickets and save $400!


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Shakespeare's Biography
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Speech Analysis
It's understandable why people sometimes get a little overwhelmed when reading Shakespeare. You've got to contend with versification, poetic license, archaisms, words that we don't even use any more, and grammar and spelling that were in a state of flux when the works were written. If you do a close reading of any given speech, however, with a little work you can begin to see what Shakespeare was doing. These analyses are designed to help younot to give you all the answers, but simply to demonstrate a method you can use for yourself. After all, these speeches are just a smattering of what the Bard wrote.
Selected Readings
This site last updated: July 5, 2014


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Ozark Trail 4-Person Instant Dome Tent
$60 + free shippingSHOP NOW
Posted 1 day 23 hr ago
Walmart offers the Ozark Trail 4-Person Instant Dome Tent in Red, model no. CV0907, for $59.97 with free shipping. That's the lowest total price we could find by $13, although we saw it for $11 less on Black Friday. The 9x7-foot tent features two roof vents, closeable window, a ground vent, 6" tub floor, electrical cord access, tent stakes, and carry bag.


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I've been always interested, out of the pure self-amusement, in the history of open software used today:
- who were the people which started it and what were the reasons to start
- what were design decisions at the start
- how software evolved over the time
Specifically, I'm interested in following software:
- Linux kernel
- Java
Of course, there is plenty of information in Internet to google for, but I thought it would be nice to have list of interesting resources at this site.
I hope some of visitors of this site have similar interest and can share a link or two they found particularly amusing/interesting.
To make this entry more question-like, here's straight question: what are the most interesting/amusing links about history of open source software?


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Mary Louise Schumacher
An online journal about visual art, the urban landscape and design. Mary Louise Schumacher, the Journal Sentinel's art and architecture critic, leads the discussion and a community of writers contribute to the dialogue.
An open letter to Emily Thomas and the art community
Hello everyone, since much of the art community is talking about Emily Thomas and her blog post, here is my response. This is my column, which will appear in the paper on Sunday.
This column began, in my mind, as an open letter to Emily Thomas.
Thomas recently made a trip with her daughters to the Milwaukee Art Museum where she saw a few things she liked but found much of the art to be lewd and lame, according to an entry in her family blog. It was a Wednesday, a free day for Milwaukee County residents, and she was "sooo glad" she didn't pay to get in.
"I'm sorry, but words cannot express just how much I loathe this 'exhibit,'." she wrote of Ellsworth Kelly's "Red, Yellow, Blue II."
"Wait, I get it," she continued. "The 'artist' ...is coming back over the weekend to put something real onto those primary colored rectangular pieces of crap."
Thomas also celebrated one daughter's snickering at the "HUGE backside" of Gaston Lachaise's bronze sculpture "Standing Woman." Thomas' daughter closed her eyes in disgust when she passed. "I'm right there with you child!" Thomas wrote.
Worse, though, was a painting in the Jan Lievens exhibit that she described as a "woman with her breasts hanging out."
"So ugly...I told (the girls) to close their eyes as they walked past it," Thomas blogged.
My initial reaction to this? Exhaustion. Annoyance. I was tempted to dismiss Thomas as the kind of person Picasso warned of.
"People insufficiently prepared for art should never be allowed close to art," Picasso said. "Yes, art is dangerous. If it is chaste, it is not art."
I was not alone in this reaction. The "Thomas Family" blog entry circulated in the art community via e-mail, Twitter, the Milwaukee Artists Resource Network listserv and general chitchat.
"YIKES!" wrote Michael Moynihan to the MARN group. "At first I thought this was a joke or satire. But then I realized it was an actual person." In her MARN post, Liz Humphrey wrote that Thomas "purposely reinforces her children's limited world view and is proud of it." Peter Goldberg weighed in, too: "This is not a laughing matter. We should be concerned about art literacy for the sake of the future of the arts and for the sake of the world."
This was exhausting, too. The laments can be as predictable as Thomas' my-kid-could-make-that refrain.
Let's break this down, briefly. Kelly's triptych of colors is a coy and challenging modern artwork. Hate is not an irrational reaction. Is it possible that it is crap? I'd say it's an open question.
"Standing Woman" is another story. I'll defend her proud, heroic visage to the death, down to her well-endowed derrière. The bias against a big bottom is problematic. I won't get into that here. The question I'd have for Thomas is this: Are you just looking for art to be pretty?
The Lievens? Think of it as a 17th-century version of a Facebook picture, made by boys being boys (one of them being Rembrandt!), for better or worse. I like the view of the show's curator, Arthur K. Wheelock Jr.: "It's somewhat risqué for sure (but) sweet also."
Still, if Thomas finds a jiggling prostitute abhorrent, all power to her. Why are we so offended?
I tried getting in touch with Thomas via her blog to no avail. What I see on her blog pages, though, is a great mom who takes her daughters on wonderful adventures and encourages one of them in her desire to be an artist. I see a mom who organized a birthday party with an art gallery theme, complete with an exhibition of her daughter's oeuvre, an art theft game, art-making projects and cakes shaped like artists' palettes.
What I see is a woman who packed up three small girls and went to the museum hoping for a great experience — and didn't get one. I see a woman who didn't connect.
What's so disturbing is what Emily Thomas represents: a world of people who don't connect.
Why that is and who's to blame — these are big questions.
I don't have the answers, but I do know that the narrative that museums tell, the art historical context that's needed to enjoy them, is lost on many of the Emily Thomases of the world.
And is it any wonder? With an on-demand, image-driven culture that's overwhelmed with creative output, with actual art, who's going to be invested in that particular conversational thread? The biggest challenges that museums face is the ubiquity of art outside of them.
But ultimately the disconnect is a problem for artists and the art itself. Where does this leave those artists who reacted so vehemently to this particular mom and blogger? Where does it leave artists who have unprecedented access to public opinion about art?
What does it mean to make art at a time when art literacy may be faltering, on the one hand, but, on the other, there's a rich, visual vernacular to tap into?
What would happen if artists went into the studio with Emily Thomas in mind? I can't help but think this is a healthy, needed challenge.
Please come back to the blog on Sunday. One artist and mother, Jennifer Sobczak, had a strong reaction to Emily Thomas. I interviewed her at MAM in front of the artworks in question. Hear Jen talk mom-to-mom about art and parenting.
Tags: MAM : Emily Thomas : Jennifer Sobczak : Ellworth Kelly : Gustav Lachaise : Jan Lievens
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Mary Louise Schumacher
Tom G. 's thoughts must have been read and understood. E. T. blog is now locked "and is not excepting" visitors.
II think Mary Thomas' revulsion at the art she objected to was a function of two different factors: religious extremism and lack of art education in public schools. Religious extremism accounts for the objection to public displays of nudity and her obvious definition of the art she viewed as obscene - as exemplified by her telling her daughter to close her eyes. The lack of appreciation of minimalism exhibits her ignorance about the progression or history of art, and her scorn for the Lachaise proportions shows an application of today's standards of beauty and a lack of understanding of the qualities of the sublime. Had she an opportunity to engage in study of the history and development of art, and the qualities that cause such pieces to endure, she would have been able to pass that to her daughters rather than advising them to shut their eyes.
In addition, since art education is the first to be cut in times of budgetary woes, we should only expect more of the same from the products of our schools.
Thanks Mary Louise for tackling such an important issue so well. I am pretty artistically illiterate, but I do know that the 19th century art establishment intensely disliked the impressionists, who later segmented into cubism and a lot of other stuff I do not get.
Markets almost always segment and art is no different. Emily found a segment she really does not like.
Another issue imvho is it's tough for families to find activities that straddle the age groups. The weekly Mass/service/Temple/Mosque that challenges adults will bore kids and vice versa.
My father was an artist. One day we went to a museum and he stood for more than five minutes in front of an abstract painting. I thought he was nuts. I asked why he spent so much time at this piece. He spent fifteen minutes explaining to me the artists use of color, balance, contrast, lighting and on and on and on. I never saw art the same way again. Hopefully the children in your blog post are not home schooled or will someday go on to college where they will be required to be exposed to art in a class taught by someone who can show them a whole new world. I used to be a conservative Republican, too, then I met a liberal Democrat but that's a whole different story!
I am an artist and grad from MIAD. In my current job, I deal with budding young artists and their blue collar parents every day. I realize the need for arts education and I am an advocate of it, but this approach seems overwhelming and confrontational. Writing about her and her family in a newspaper and the language being used around this whole topic, have –at times—been pretty negative. If I were her, I wouldn't want to talk back to the arts community either. I wouldn't want to have to shout up to our high horse.
The parents that come to me are open minded in that they are willing to learn one step at a time about why their children want to do art. She came to that museum, had opinions of the art, and was taking her kids along with her. That is a wonderful first step, compared to many. And instead of guiding her to want more, we have all deluged her, by writing articles, populating her blog and are using HER as the example for arts education needed here in Milwaukee. Something that I'm sure she didn't ask for.
I think giving this a face is wrong. Ms. Thomas is my mother, your mother, grandmother, aunt, next-door neighbor, etc. And do you approach your own mother in this way?
More importantly, after you read Ms. Thomas' blog, what thoughts came to mind for how to change? I admit, after I read it I was a bit affronted. This is my livelihood! But then what is a better use of my time? Proclaiming the need for education (which we already know) by using Ms. Thomas as an example? Or going out and creating art that engages and bridging that gap myself. I'm not saying that's the better way, but which one will get done first?
Anne, I get your point about creating art that bridges, however, I don't think "we already know" that art education is needed. I would argue the contrary, based upon the fact that art education is often the first to go, very few people - the general public and elected officials - realize this...so I think it is a valid point to raise, argue and push for in relationship to this discussion. Frankly, I think that your protectionist attitude toward this woman is patronizing...we can engage her in a constructive argument for fear of alienating her? I think that too often we let comments from people pass so as not to offend their sensibilities by refuting their absurdist claims. She's an adult...if she's going to make public statements in a blog, she should be able to defend them to her critics. If she can't, maybe it is a learning process, not just for her, but for others of her ilk.
As someone who came from a "blue collar family," I can tell you that my greatest learning came from having my own ignorant assumptions challenged.
Definitely, there does need to be discussion, I wholeheartedly agree. I meant "we know we need arts education" to refer to the artists in this community, not as a whole. Boy oh boy we need it!
I'm guessing that since she has made her blog private, she doesn't want to be the "face" of this. And I don't think we should make her. It was once public, now it is private.
But I definitely agree, the conversation should keep going. Now that we have had a glimpse, what can the arts community to do reach out?
Do you suppose this lady has an opinion? Why are people getting so geared up that she has an opinion that's different than yours? Do you suppose that YOU might have an opinion that's different than someone else's? You can disagree with her opinion...but you should respect it.
You can try to teach her about art...but perhaps the real issue is that everyone's different. Not everyone likes art, or likes art the way that artists like art. Not everyone likes winter. Not everyone likes dogs. Do you think we need to educate these people on winter? On dogs? Maybe, we just need to respect the fact that she is her own person, she has an opinion, and just because she's not like you...well, that's why the world and its people are interesting.