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Roxy Rolles - Magic Hat Brewing Company
Displayed for educational use only; do not reuse.
Ratings: 596 | Reviews: 459 | Display Reviews Only:
Reviews by ROMER79:
4.5/5 rDev +18.7%
I had this beer on tap a while back and just forgot to post my findings on this great beer.
The pour was a brilliant amber red with a nice two finger lacy head with great head retention to follow. The hop aroma was very pungent with notes of caramel and oranges. The taste was nice. A great balance of hops, citrus flavors, and yeast/dough. It is a hop dominant beer, but the other flavors make for a interesting mix. It is a full bodied beer and a great seasonal. Highly drinkable and great tasting!
04-01-2008 04:44:51 | More by ROMER79
More User Reviews:
North Carolina
3.78/5 rDev -0.3%
Poured a rich deep amber with a tight 1/2 finger slight off white head that stuck like glue to the pint glass,ahh nice piney hop aromas overtop of sweet caramel a hint of roastinee quite nice.The hop profile didnt show itself as much on the palate the pine profile took a backseat to the bigger sweetish caramel malt base the piney,resiny hop came late into the finish.A nice quaffing relatively hoppedup American Red,I would buy again for sure.
11-19-2006 00:55:10 | More by oberon
3.65/5 rDev -3.7%
Beer review from BA Mag Nov 2007.
Brewed with an English Ale yeast, pale, crystal, and dark crystal malts, hopped with Brewer's Gold, Simcoe, and dry-hopped with more Simcoe. An against the grain winter seasonal--we love it already.
Nice and bright, tarnished copper-colored brew, with a beige head, lacing and clinging stick. Floral, grapefruit, spicy, some mint and green wood in the nose. Super smooth on the palate, light and creamy, but rounded. Big and bold spicy-grapefruit hop flavor with a grassy edge and citric snap. Raw, leafy, and coarse on the tongue. Some chalky aspirin, too. Malt characters have no ground in the hop dominance, but they do pull through in the form of some biscuit-husky tannins--doughy at times--and there's a slight bready sweetness and drop of caramel that emerges as the beer warms. Wicked dry finish, with a lingering aspirin note that all leaves the palate bone-dry and smacking for more.
Though it does lack malt balance, the ride is an even one, and it is what it says--a "Hoppy Amber Ale." It's also nice to see so much damn hop flavor from a beer that's only 35 IBU, proving once again that hop usage doesn't need to be reckless to be big and bold. This one could give most IPAs a run for their money and is a "must try" for hopheads.
07-07-2010 01:12:25 | More by BeerAdvocate
New York
2.75/5 rDev -27.4%
08-10-2014 18:57:16 | More by kuishinbo_tantei
3.75/5 rDev -1.1%
A 12oz bottle from the Ship of Fools variety pack. This was a dark amber with a medium creamy coffee head. Some nice lacing. It had a malty aroma, as well as some sweet, musty yeast. A creamy taste, with some citrus hops. A little spicy/nutty flavor when warmer. Pretty good beer.
10-25-2006 21:06:02 | More by lordofthewiens
New York
4.08/5 rDev +7.7%
Presentation: It was poured from a Brown 12oz bottle into a pint glass.
Appearance: It has a deep amber colored body with some visible carbonation and very good clarity. On top sits a modest light tan head that hangs on well and makes some nice spotty lace on the glass.
Smell: The aroma has good strong pine and citrus hops with notes of grapefruit and lemon.
Taste/Mouth feel: It has a solid, rich malty base with very solid and pleasant citrus hop notes throughout. The hop bitterness builds towards the finish and lingers a bit before it slowly fades off the tongue. It has a solid medium to full body with a smooth yet lively texture and nice carbonation.
Notes: Overall it is a very solid brew and quite enjoyable.
02-24-2009 14:40:01 | More by generallee
3.8/5 rDev +0.3%
This beer us a typical brown with a malty nose and a hint of chocolate. The head on this beer is a tan the interesting part is the white lacing it leaves on the glass. This beer start malty sweet and finished with a chocolate bitterness. In between the two is a sour fruitiness similar to that of a dopplebock this is what sets it apart from other browns. This is a flavorful and drinkable brown.
02-01-2010 00:12:28 | More by bishopdc0
Rhode Island
4.05/5 rDev +6.9%
Poured a nice amber/copper color with a nice frothy, off-white head that retained remarkably well with nice lacing.
Smells of candy sweetness and much floral hops.
Tastes of mild malts with the bitter hops taking over really quickly. Ends pretty dry and bitter aspiriny. The flavor isn't very "full", perhaps even a bit thin. It reminds me a lot of Cascazilla from Ithaca but not as good. Definitely not bad though, by any means.
Mouthfeel is thin to medium bodied with decent carbonation.
Drinkability - great session beer.
11-24-2006 23:12:17 | More by Doomcifer
4.45/5 rDev +17.4%
Patchy light tan lace crowns the glass, good head retention and clarity to be looked at. Hoppy aroma that lets some malt in, a nose of mandarin oranges, wild flowers, caramel and sweet bread. Very smooth with a medium body. Hop profile flexes with an ample bitterness that throws a woody, herbal and slightly citric flavor. Malt sweetness is there but enough to hold the beer together in body and flavor. Hints of caramel and bread crust. Bit of fruity yeast, mineral and drying herbal hop flavor in the finish.
Hoppy Amber Ale or American Winter Warmer? It has a bit of a northwest flare but still holding on to the Magic Hat traits. Either way, I highly recommend this drinkable ale.
01-12-2008 04:15:14 | More by Jason
4/5 rDev +5.5%
Bottle decants a mostly clear copper body with a healthy offwhite head. Attractive spiderweb lacing is all over the glass. Pleasant aroma opens with fruity peach, quickly followed by a blast of spicy pepper and some toasted caramel. Medium body and carbonation with an earthy feel. Taste has some fruity peach and subtle caramel and plenty of hop bitterness. Hops impart elements of citrus, pine, and spicy pepper. Rather exciting for an amber. Very drinkable.
12-21-2008 17:38:57 | More by merlin48
New York
3.98/5 rDev +5%
12 ouncer with "drink before"dating of Feb, '07 notched onto the rear label. Pours softly reddish amber and cloudy. Dark tan, long lasting head and leaving fine amounts of sheeting and sticky blotchy lacing. Nose of mucho resiny hops. Full flavor amber, hops tasting bold and fresh. Hearty ale, balance of a respectable bed of malts and a piney, resiny jolt of sticky hops. Nice offering from Magic Hat. Easy quaffer, nice for the cooler weather @ 5.8%. Recommended
12-22-2006 00:37:32 | More by Billolick
4/5 rDev +5.5%
Snagged a sixer at Macy's in Weymouth...no Celebration so this is what I I selected.
Pours a chestnut color with amber highlights with the help of some natural light...two finger head with no effort and leaves thick lacing as it recedes.
Nice balance of roasted malt to fruity hops in the nose...some piney scent too.
Taste is pretty darn good...the malt may just win out the battle here, as it is sweet up front and in the finish, but there is a decent hop profile to distinguish itself from your typical amber/red.
Mix of citrus hops and floral hops complement the balance and finishes quite clean.
Mouthfeel is medium-bodied and the carbonation is a touch high.
Overall, another offering from Magic Hat that is beginning to make me pay more attention to the recent happenings in Burlington, VT.
Well done...
11-18-2006 19:29:10 | More by warriorsoul
3.9/5 rDev +2.9%
Pours an amber red with a white head. First whiff is of hops, but then you get malt which makes me think it will be a nice balanced beer. This is definitely a hoppier amber ale, with a nice hop flavor (maybe grapefruits) but also enough malt to make it balanced. I know that American Amber/Red Ale is somewhat of a catch-all term, but this is what I want when I drink a beer of this style. This beer is very drinkable and goes down smooth. Great beer.
10-12-2009 04:19:35 | More by Mora2000
3/5 rDev -20.8%
12-17-2011 21:55:16 | More by Skye1024
3.43/5 rDev -9.5%
12oz bottle.
Pours a deep dark brown with a very thin off white head. Nose is malty ad sweet with a bit of bitterness.
Taste is surprisingly hoppy and bitter with quite a bit of almost homebrew twang - kind of an earthy flavor. I' not a huge fan of that flavor but otherwise it's pretty solid.
12-20-2009 15:11:09 | More by kingcrowing
New York
4/5 rDev +5.5%
11-15-2011 16:54:29 | More by mjtiernan
4.22/5 rDev +11.3%
Smells strongly of hops--a lovely grapefruit scent that promises quality ingredients, as well as time and effort spent on making a good brew. There's also a very light grain smell, but by and large hops dominate the nose.
They are also the first taste to come across, the grapefruit bitterness translating nicely to the tongue and providing a medium-strong bitter buzz, comparable to a good quality IPA. Malts provide a nice sweet background on which the hops can play, bringing a lightly fruity sugary undertone, from which apricot and apple notes can be picked. The aftertaste is almost exclusively grapefruit-bitter hops.
Overall, this is an excellent brew, and of far better quality than most of the fare offered at a typical liquor store. It doesn't necessarily bring anything *new* to the table--plenty of beers fall into the "hoppy amber ale" category--but what it does do, it does definitively, and reflects the brewers' obvious love for the craft.
08-13-2011 19:33:36 | More by jondeelee
New York
4/5 rDev +5.5%
11-16-2011 05:22:49 | More by virinow
3.75/5 rDev -1.1%
11-15-2011 02:40:17 | More by bpfrush
3.95/5 rDev +4.2%
Bottle cap: Share a popcorn ball with the apostle Paul
Honey colored with a thick beige foamy and dimpled head that sticks around long and sends lace up the sides of the glass.
Big aroma of bright citrus hops, a little doughey malt in the background.
Interesting mixture of red ale flavor laced with citrusy hops, floral notes, and sweet fruit. Just a tad bit of smoke and some caramel, finishes clean with an orange peel bitter. Fairly balanced, although the hops are pretty much center stage.
Mouthfeel is thick and full upfront, a little tingly on the tongue, then morphing to a tannic powdery feel.
Not an earthshaking beer, but I wouldn't mind this one being part of their regular rotation. I could easily kick out 3 of their year-rounds in favor of this, and it's way better than the double IPA.
11-07-2006 01:29:52 | More by far333
3.45/5 rDev -9%
Pours out a merky brown with a nice thick off white head, great lacing and retention. Smell isn't too strong, I almost smell grass in it, which is odd for this style. Could be my nose. Taste is just a basic amber. Has a little bit of a bitter aftertaste, which isn't really too appealing. Mouthfeel is fair, just the right consistency.
I'm finding that I am starting to stray from liking Ambers, and this is definatly not one of the best I've had.
09-14-2009 23:42:18 | More by whoneeds8
West Virginia
4/5 rDev +5.5%
Beautiful look to it body slight hazed amber ruby forming a thick beige head that rises well above the rim of my glass lacing is thin with no even pattern forming put it is definitely clinging. Aroma is full of floral, pine scented, and somewhat perfume like hops nice sharp grain sweetness caramel and dough yeast combo ride along as well with an underlying flow of acidity. Flavor it is what it says a hoppy amber ale cereal caramel malt sweetness blended with a healthy amount of bittering hops in the flavor I'm getting more pine, earthiness, with a trace of floral hop bite, none of my beloved high alpha acid citric flavors kicking in but it's working in this amber ale. Really hits you with some deep caramelized slightly burnt malts than with some pretty much unrelenting hop bitterness good stuff. One of the best Magic Hat brews I've come across in some time now. Mouthfeel is straight up smooth and even with carbonation body weighs easy with a medium body just a touch of stinging acidity in the finish, but hop burps are on the way. Drinkability, it's always nice to see something other than winter warmers during this time of year enough malt and spices give me some friggin' hops, here's enough to hold me over one the beer stock runs low. I can get this one at the grocery store and it fulfills some portion of my hop head status, can't beat that.
11-23-2007 20:57:16 | More by WVbeergeek
4/5 rDev +5.5%
12-17-2012 18:06:48 | More by stereosforgeeks
4.33/5 rDev +14.2%
Got this in a mixed sixer from Whole Foods on Ponce in Atlanta.
Pours a slightly hazy dark amber color with a one-finger yellowish-tan head. The head sticks around for a while before receding into a patchy layer on top and a thick ring around the glass. Lacing is decent.
Smells of robust malts and piney and citrus hops. Reminds me of Troegs Hopback Amber.
Tastes very good. Robust malt flavors take over up front, then give way to citrus and pine, with citrus being more prevalent. There's a good bitterness at the end that lingers along with the pine flavors.
Mouthfeel is good. There's a good thickness with active carbonation that goes down with a nice coarseness.
Drinkability is very good. I could have a few of these with no problem. I wish I had some more.
Overall this is far and away my favorite Magic Hat that I've had to date. Be sure to pick this one up if you see it around.
11-06-2008 04:39:42 | More by glid02
4.33/5 rDev +14.2%
12oz. brown bottle from a sixer bought at Krogers(Finneytown) poured into a pint. Best before clearly labeled.
I'm so glad my local Krogers carries these seasonals in 6ers. Wish they would had Jinx in 6packs instead of just the variety. Anyways...
A: Pours a dark, rusty red. 1 1/2 fingers of tinted head with some retention. Very thin and patchy lacing.
S: The labels speaks of hops and they called it a "Hoppy Amber Ale". Yep, that describes it pretty well. Citrus and grassy hops are quickly present and potent enough to rival a subtle IPA(subtle IPA?). A slight caramel sweetness hides in the back.
T/M: Definitely tastes like an amber ale but again, the label doesn't lie as you get a great citrus hop swirl thoughout. Not overly bitter, which I think is what helps this feel so right. Malts do their job to keep this together and within style. Medium body that almost get creamy. Slight drying finish.
D: Very tasty, I'll be buying much over the next couple months. The controlled bitterness makes it very drinkable. If the body was a little lighter, I'd love to have this early spring when the biker on the front of the bottle would be pulling his hog out for the first ride of the year.
10-30-2007 00:44:51 | More by pwoods
Roxy Rolles from Magic Hat Brewing Company
85 out of 100 based on 596 ratings.


text:
Even if you haven't stocked up on his product in anticipation of spicing up March Madness eating marathons, you probably know Page Skelton's company from its ubiquitous bumper stickers.
"Cackalacky," they proclaim.
The name – whose origin is a mystery but is synonymous with the Carolinas – belongs to the sweet-potato-laced sauce that has put the Pittsboro entrepreneur's company on the culinary map. Skelton is the creator of Cackalacky Sauce, a tangy slather for burgers and barbecue that has spawned a growing empire.
Since launching his business 13 years ago, Skelton has gone on to produce a hot sauce, a bourbon-barrel-aged sauce and spiced nuts, as well as T-shirts and those bumper stickers. He has also forged ties with other North Carolina companies to extend the company's reach. Last year, he partnered with Salisbury-based Cheerwine to make a sauce using Cheerwine syrup. In January, the fruits of a collaboration with Fullsteam brewery in Durham produced more than 30,000 cans of a ginger pale ale under the Cackalacky moniker.
Cackalacky is also one of only a few North Carolina condiment companies to get a toehold at Costco stores.
"It's fun to see him build the idea and extend the vision," said Fullsteam brewery owner Sean Wilson, who has known Skelton for more than a decade. "He really wants to be an emporium of spicy and zesty things."
It's been a lot of work for Skelton to get his business where it is today. Right now, he and his employees are in the thick of their annual Cackalacky Road Show, traveling to one of the 14 Costco stores throughout the Southeast each weekend to work the floor selling liter bottles of the original sauce and Cheerwine sauce.
This year's run started on Super Bowl weekend at the Costco in Raleigh. For four days straight, Skelton and his team set up their tent inside the warehouse store. On Saturday morning, Skelton's wife, Caroline, and employee Jimmy Chalmers prepared samples of Kirkland Signature meatballs slathered in the original spicy sauce and the sweet Cheerwine sauce. Proffering a tray of samples, Skelton worked the floor.
"Hey! Who's hungry?" he asked a father and son.
"Both of us," said the dad, Brent Reck of Garner, taking samples for himself and his son, Rockford.
One bite of a meatball covered in sweet Cheerwine sauce, and a one-liter bottle went into the Recks' cart to take home. Moments later, after the men tasted a meatball simmered in the original Cackalacky sauce, a bottle of that went into the cart, too.
Costco warehouse manager Eric Ward discovered Cackalacky at a state-sponsored event to introduce North Carolina specialty food products to grocery and warehouse store managers. By the time Ward's team arrived, it was late in the day and many of the purveyors had already left – but not Skelton.
The Costco team liked the product enough to help Skelton develop 1-liter bottles of his original Cackalacky sauce to sell exclusively at Costco and did the same with the Cheerwine sauce.
"Our whole purpose was to find an item that would work for us," Ward said. "It's been a home run."
Adjusting the recipe
Skelton, 46, grew up in Missouri and northern Virginia. (His father is the late Ike Skelton, a longtime Missouri congressman who chaired the House Armed Services Committee.) The youngest of three sons, Skelton often cooked with his mother. He attended West Virginia University, where he met his future wife, Caroline, in 1991. When a job opportunity brought her to the Triangle, "I followed her down here like a puppy dog," Skelton said
Both were working full time – she in marketing, he in telecommunications – and studying for master's degrees – hers in business, his in information science. Once he finished his master's degree, Skelton had more time in the kitchen. It was then that he started tinkering with his sauce recipe. Friends and co-workers liked it; some even started paying for it.
That was when, Caroline Skelton recalled, her husband got serious about studying the condiment competition.
She would come home from work to find wine glasses lined up on the kitchen counter. Pouring a sample of a sauce in a wine glass, Skelton looked like a wine connoisseur, peering at the thickness and color and analyzing the taste. That's how he came up with the idea of using sweet potatoes as a thickener.
One day, Caroline was in the kitchen, slicing cheese and sampling the sauce. When Page walked in after work, she told him the recipe was perfect. "Don't mess with this. You've got it," she said.
First 50-gallon batch
With a final recipe, they only needed a catchy name. Inspiration came one night while Page Skelton and friends were standing around a fire pit, eating and drinking. A friend called out: "Pass me some of that Cackalacky sauce."
With a recipe and a name synonymous with the Old North State, Skelton incorporated in 2001. The first batch of Cackalacky sauce, made by a Louisburg, N.C.-company, was 50 gallons. (These days, a batch is about 1,000 gallons.) For two years, he juggled both his full-time job at MCI and his sauce company dreams.
Then in 2003, his wife realized he wasn't happy.
"Page being unhappy is an odd thing," Caroline said about her husband, who is a jovial, enthusiastic man.
"Why don't you quit your job and go full time with the business," she suggested. "We'll figure out how to live on one salary." His gleeful response: "Can I tell them right now?"
At the Costco, Skelton cracks jokes and pulls out a guitar to sing a Cackalacky song to customers. While playing a guitar emblazoned with "Cackalacky" in silver, Skelton and employee Jimmy Chalmers belt out:
I've been around this whole wide world.
I've been around a lot.
Cackalacky, Cackalacky, Cackalacky, all day long.
Cackalacky, Cackalacky, Cackalacky is where I belong.
Sometimes, Skelton wears a small bottle of Cackalacky sauce in a holder on his belt, like a pocket knife.
The song, the guitar, the showmanship are no surprise to Myrtle T. Earley, who does marketing for North Carolina specialty food products. She recalls the first food show that Skelton attended, wearing a cowboy hat and ringing a cow bell.
"He is so outgoing and personable," Earley said. "People want to know to him; people want to know his product."
Back at the Raleigh Costco, a customer asks Skelton about the Fullsteam logo embroidered on his black Cackalacky chef's coat, which has a Cheerwine logo as well.
"Cackalacky means collaboration," Skelton said, touting the ginger pale ale now in stores.
Skelton's friendship with Fullsteam's Wilson led to a conversation about producing a Cackalacky beer. Wilson's brewer was working on a ginger pale ale – and a collaboration was born.
Last year, Skelton approached Cheerwine officials about producing a one-time sauce and donating the profits to charity. Looking to do a different sort of product pitch, Skelton showed up with a prototype of the Cackalacky Sweet Cheerwine Sauce and a carton of vanilla ice cream.
"We sat in the board room and ate ice cream," Skelton recalled.
It worked.
Instead of a one-shot collaboration, Cheerwine officials suggested creating an ongoing product; the Cackalacky sweet Cheerwine sauce came out last November.
Cackalacky Caviar Salad
From cackalacky.com.
1 (5-ounce) bottle Original Cackalacky Spice Sauce, about 3/4 cup
2 cups chopped onion
1 pint cherry tomatoes, quartered
2 cups fresh or frozen cooked black-eyed peas
2 cups frozen yellow or white corn kernels
Chopped fresh cilantro as garnish (optional)
Salt to taste (optional)
Combine all ingredients. Let stand at least 15 minutes for corn to defrost and flavors to combine. Toss. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. Garnish with cilantro if desired and serve as a chip dip or side salad.
Yield: 6-8 servings
Weigl: 919-829-4848 or firstname.lastname@example.com; Twitter: @andreaweigl

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Town Square
PaloAltoGreen to flicker out, shift focus on gas
Original post made on Sep 10, 2013
Read the full story here Web Link posted Monday, September 9, 2013, 11:30 PM
on Sep 10, 2013 at 9:31 am
Visit the City website at www.cityofpaloalto.org/pagreen for more details! Interested people who are not current members of PaloAltoGreen can click on a link there to be added to an email update list...then we'll keep you posted as things develop. (Or you can send a request to be on that list directly to email@example.com)
Debra Katz
Utilities Communications Manager
City of Palo Alto
on Sep 10, 2013 at 9:49 am
"development of a PaloAltoGreen Gas program would provide participants an option to eliminate the greenhouse-gas emissions associated with their use of natural gas."
Which laws of physics are they going to rewrite to accomplish this? Burning natural gas produces one CO2 molecule for each gas molecule burned regardless of what the city council or UAC decree.
on Sep 10, 2013 at 11:07 am
Does this mean we won't be charged our PAGreen surcharge any more, or is it going into another fund?


text:
Ed Lucas
Edward Lucas is a sports writer, broadcaster and motivational speaker. As a reporter for the New York Mets and the New York Yankees, Lucas has covered the playoffs, the World Series and the All Star games. He has interviewed hundred of sports figures and celebrities over a career spanning six decades. Lucas has worked as a syndicated radio personality and columnist and has been inducted into the New Jersey Sports Writers Association Hall of Fame. In 2008 Seton Hall University, with the support of WCBS 880 AM — the Yankees Radio Network created Strikeouts for Scholarships, a scholarship program for disabled students in honor of Ed Lucas.[citation needed]
Early life[edit]
On October 3, 1951, after watching the New York Giants defeat the Brooklyn Dodgers to win the National League Pennant, Ed Lucas, a boy of twelve, went out to play baseball with his friends. He was struck in face by a line drive and subsequently lost his sight. Depressed and scared about his future as a blind person, Ed pictured himself as a helpless soul standing on the corner with a cup and a cane selling pencils. His mother did two things that changed his life. First, she enrolled him in a revolutionary school for the blind run by nuns who believed that blind people could do anything they set out to do if they could just learn to be independent and have to self-confidence.[1]
At the same time, his mother wrote letters to Leo Durocher, the manager of the NY Giants, and to Bobby Thomson, the home run hero, explaining what had happened to Ed, and how his love of baseball was the only thing lifting his spirits. Durocher invited Ed to be his guest at the Polo Grounds for the 1952 season. Yankees star Phil Rizzuto, who worked at a New Jersey clothing shop in the off season, heard about Ed's story, and also befriended him.[1] This friendship lasted a lifetime, until Phil Rizzuto's death in 2007.[citation needed]
After graduating from grammar school, Ed attended the New York Institute for the Blind where he organized a baseball club called the Diamond Dusters. Major League stars such as Jackie Robinson and Lindy McDaniel visited the school to talk baseball and to read the sports pages to the students.[citation needed]
Lucas enrolled in Seton Hall University, earning a degree in communications in 1962.[2] He was one of the first blind students in the country to do so. While at Seton Hall Ed started taking a reel-to-reel tape recorder to games to interview players. He had his own radio show, "Around the Bases With Ed Lucas" on WSOU, one of the premiere college radio stations in the United States.[citation needed]
Marriage, fatherhood, and custody battle[edit]
In October 1965, Lucas got married.[1] Shortly after that, two sons - Edward M. Lucas and Christopher Lucas - were born. In 1972, his wife walked out on the marriage, leaving him alone with two little boys to raise. His family who pitched in and helped him with the housekeeping and child rearing duties. At the same time, the New York Yankees were starting to regain prominence, and his workload became heavier. Ed still managed to balance both lives, while buying a larger house for his boys, his mother and sister.[citation needed]
In September 1979, after seven years, Lucas' ex-wife came back and announced that she was seeking full and complete custody of their sons. Lucas went to court to and fought a long custody battle, as the case made its way up to the New Jersey Supreme Court. On September 25, 1980, Lucas was awarded full custody of his children, becoming first disabled person in the United States history win custody of children from a non-disabled spouse.[3]
After graduating from college Ed Lucas was able to land coveted print and broadcast jobs covering the major league teams in New York City. As a blind baseball reporter Lucas faced many challenges. He developed an ability to determine where a hit ball will go just by the sound it makes coming off of the bat. Lucas typically sat in the press box and listened to the local radio broadcast of the game. Then after the game he went on to the field, to the locker room or press area and interviewed players about what happened during the game – perhaps an extraordinary play or call or any incident that may have been out of the ordinary.[citation needed]
Lucas has had the opportunity to interview many athletes and sports figures including Joe Dimaggio, Mickey Mantle, Ron Guidry, Dave Righetti, Willie Mays, Tommy Lasorda, Jorge Posada, Frank Robinson, Orel Hershiser, Thurman Munson, Darryl Strawberry, Willie Randolph, to name just a few. Ed has also interviewed celebrities and politicians including Rudy Giuliani, President Bill Clinton, Gov. Brendan Byrne, Robin Williams, Ron Howard, and Penny Marshall.
Together with his late friend Phil Rizzuto, Lucas has helped to raise millions of dollars to help disabled people all over the world. He established the Ed Lucas Foundation to continue the work that he began with Rizzuto.[citation needed]
Marriage at home plate in Yankee Stadium[edit]
In the late 1980s, Lucas was introduced by Phil Rizzuto to Allison Pfeifle, his florist, who was also legally blind. After a long courtship, Lucas married Allison at home plate in Yankee Stadium on March 10, 2006. This was the first time that anyone was allowed to be married in that hallowed spot.[4][5]
Honors and recognition[edit]
In 1995, Lucas was inducted into the New Jersey Sports Writers Association Hall of Fame, alongside a class that included Super Bowl winning quarterback Joe Theismann and Baseball Hall of Famer Larry Doby. In 2001, Ed was honored to be chosen, along with his sons, as one of the inspirational people to carry the Olympic flame through the streets of New York City on its way to the 2002 Winter Olympics.[citation needed]
The Msgr. William Noé Field Archives & Special Collections Center in conjunction at Seton Hall University sponsored an exhibit of photographs and memorabilia from Ed's career in the Walsh Library Arcade from August to November 2007.[citation needed]
Seton Hall, with the support of WCBS 880 AM, the Yankees Radio Network, created Strikeouts for Scholarships, a scholarship program for disabled students in honor of Ed Lucas.[citation needed]
In 2008-2009, Lucas won an Emmy Award for his work with YESNetwork.com.[6] Lucas has a show with the network's website, The Ed Lucas Show, in which he discusses stories of adversity with different players and celebrities.[citation needed]
On July 7, 2009, Ed Lucas was inducted into the Irish American Baseball Hall of Fame,[7] along with longtime Dodgers owner Walter O'Malley, broadcaster Vin Scully, sluggers Steve Garvey and Paul O'Neill, and umpire Jim Joyce.
- ^ a b c Dotson, Bob (April 12, 2006). "Baseball a field of dreams for blind reporter". Today.
- ^ Matthews, Jill (September 17, 2008). "'As He Sees It' The Baseball Life of Ed Lucas". Seton Hall University.
- ^ Walk, John (July 28, 2011). "Ed Lucas, well-known sports journalist and speaker, comes to York". ForSight Vision.
- ^ Coyne, Kevin (March 18, 2007). "Baseball Stole His Eyes, but Not His Passion". The New York Times.
- ^ Dotson, Bob (April 12, 2006). "Baseball a field of dreams for blind reporter". Today.
- ^ "Ed Lucas". Premiere Speakers Bureau. Retrieved March 4, 2014.
- ^ Zucker, Harvey (July 5, 2009). "Hudson's Ed Lucas named to Irish-American Baseball Hall of Fame". NJ.com. Retrieved 2011-01-26.


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The ultra-luxe Pelican Hill is a sprawling, immaculately kept resort (500 acres!) with two golf courses, a 23,000-square-foot spa, two pools, five restaurants, and 332 bungalows and villas. The rooms are large, with top-notch technology (although the absence of iPod docks is surprising) and beige decor (of the upscale variety, not the bland kind). All rooms feature large marble bathrooms, fireplaces, and terraces, many with ocean views, but the villas are where things get uber-fancy. All villas have fully equipped kitchens, huge living spaces, and are attended to by a private staff. Guests staying in villas also get access to a separate clubhouse with a pool and fitness center. One downside to the size of the property is that guests have to take the resort's shuttle to get around, but it's hard to find many other faults with this luxury hotel.
Are we missing a hotel you love? We are busy adding more hotels to Oyster every day. In fact, in this year alone we have added over 2,000 new hotels.
Because we visit each hotel personally, it's not an overnight process - but the results are worth it.
Email us your favorite hotels, and we will visit them ASAP.
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The NSIDC Web site and data services are currently having intermittent problems and may be unavailable. We are working to restore these services as soon as possible and apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. Please contact NSIDC User Services for assistance.
Return to the Research Projects at NSIDC page
This project is funded by NSF ANT grant 0540915
To study the processes that contribute to the melting and break-up of tabular polar icebergs as they drift north
Ted Scambos, Rob Bauer, Pedro Skvarca, Johathan Thom, Ron Ross, and Juan Carlos Quinteros
Project Summary
This work will enable the participation of a group of U.S. scientists in this international project which is collaborative with the Instituto Antartico Argentino. The field team will place weather instruments, firn sensors, and a video camera on the iceberg to measure the processes that affect it as it drifts north. In contrast to icebergs in other sectors of Antarctica, icebergs in the northwestern Weddell Sea drift northward along relatively predictable paths, and reach climate and ocean conditions that lead to break-up within a few years. The timing of this study is critical due to the anticipated presence of iceberg A43A, which broke off the Ronne Ice Shelf in February 2000 and which is expected to be accessible from Marambio Station in early 2006. It has recently been recognized that the end stages of break-up of these icebergs can imitate the rapid disintegrations due to melt ponding and surface fracturing observed for the Larsen A and Larsen B ice shelves. However, in some cases, basal melting may play a significant role in shelf break-up. Resolving the processes (surface ponding/fracturing versus basal melt) and observing other processes of iceberg drift and in situ break-up are of high scientific interest. An understanding of the mechanisms that lead to the disintegration of icebergs as they drift north may enable scientists to use icebergs as proxies for understanding the processes that could cause ice shelves to disintegrate in a warming climate. A broader impact would thus be an ability to predict ice shelf disintegration in a warming world. Glacier mass balance and ice shelf stability are of critical importance to sea level change, which also has broader societal relevance.
Related Resources
For more information, visit the NSIDC IceTrek Web site.
Contact NSIDC User Services for more information.


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One Albany couple is celebrating their love Saturday after 65 years of marriage.
Troy and Thelma Glover tied the not in 1947 and ever since their love has kept them together.
This afternoon friends and family joined to celebrate that love at Calvary Baptist.
The couple says the secret to their success can be summed up in a few words.
Thelma says, "We'll we just let the lord help us. We forgave each other but we loved each other and that is the way we have managed to stay together for 65 years."
Family and friends say the couple is one of a kind and a perfect example of true love.
Copyright 2012 WALB. All rights reserved.
P.O. Box 3130
Albany, GA 31706
(229) 446-1010
FCC Public File
(229) 446-4005
EEO Report
Closed Captioning


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Spartak Moscow and Benfica are quickly falling behind Barcelona and Celtic at the top of Group G, so a win is a must for both teams if they hope to have a shot at advancing out of the group stages.
Spartak are again without starting goalkeeper Andriy Dykan due to a shoulder injury. They've lost three straight matches without him, so Arten Rebrov will again step in and try to keep Benfica off the scoreboard. Emmanuel Emenike is also out injured and Aiden McGeady has been dropped to the bench. Diniyar Bilyaletdinov gets a start in McGeady's place.
Nicolas Gaitan was unable to start for Benfica, so Enzo Perez takes his place on the right side. That's the only change from the lineup used in their 2-0 loss to Barcelona at the beginning of the month.
Spartak Moscow stating lineup (4-5-1): Artem Rebrov; Dmitri Kombarov, Nicolás Pareja, Marek Suchý, Evgeni Makeev; Rafael Carioca, José Manuel Jurado, Kim Källström, Diniyar Bilyaletdinov, Jano Ananidze; Ari
Benfica starting lineup (4-1-3-2): Artur Moraes; Maxi Pereira, Ezequiel Garay, Jardel, Lorenzo Melgarejo; Nemanja Matić; Eduardo Salvio, Bruno César, Enzo Pérez; Lima, Rodrigo.


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We are Milestone Rewards Carnival cruises so we get VIP service. This was the first time we tried the "Your Time Dining" and it was wonderful. Our first night we gave the dining room hostess our stateroom number, requesting a 2T (table for two) and we were taken to a lovely little alcove where there were four tables for two - it overlooked the first floor of the formal dining room. Our servers were excellent. The food? Well, we have trouble ordering food we can't pronounce but we did find the 'comfort' food selection was very good for the nights we didn't want to order from the menu of the night.
We did not make it to Nassau as the hurricane was too close so the captain took us further south toward Cuba and we went on to St. Thomas.
In 2009 we stayed in a suite which was nice. This time we booked a regular balcony which was more than adequate. My husband is a smoker and never smokes
in the stateroom so the balcony is perfect for him. Most all the cruiselines are prohibiting smoking in staterooms without the passengers having to pay upwards of $250 cleaning fee. The cleaning fee in most cases would be cheaper than upgrading to a balcony but we do prefer the luxury of sitting outside as we cruise - particularly at night.
We would recommend this ship to families and it would be great for reunions, as well. I don't know that we will board her again any time soon even though the port is so convenient and, we have been on so many cruises, east/west doesn't matter...we are beginning to take longer cruises to far away places. We'll see how that pans out.


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Town Square
Which Browser do you like?
Original post made by Angela Hey on Oct 6, 2008
I'd like any new ways in which you browse the web, especially with browsers that come from Mountain View companies like Skyfire, Google or Mozilla (Web Link).
Also I'm interested in hearing from any Mountain View companies that are developing apps based on browsers.
For more info see last Friday's (Oct 3rd 2008) Hey Tech! column on browsers (Web Link).
on Oct 9, 2008 at 11:12 am
I haven't used the Chrome browser by Google .. is it good? Can anybody tell me if I should bother?
on Oct 9, 2008 at 4:29 pm
Desktop/laptop: Firefox! For many reasons.
Chrome is a mess and was released too early. It is very "beta", indeed. When I say "mess", I am referring to the bugs, particularly relating to Flash. It's ironic that browsing YouTube with Chrome is such a miserable experience, given that Google owns YouTube!
Mobile: Opera Mobile and SkyFire. I think Skyfire has a lot of promise; I look forward to the next release.
on Oct 13, 2008 at 9:05 pm
Shame on Google for releasing another browser onto the community. Every web company's QA costs just jumped a notch. Google has a history of rewalking the same path that has been walked by so many in the past, but this is just plain irresponsible, even for an advertising company.


text: Tricks to Make Baby Laugh Out Loud Tried and True Tricks For Making Baby Giggle by POPSUGAR Moms 2/14/12 18 Reactions 55 Shares Print 12 36 7 0 0 One of the most enjoyable things for a parent to hear is the shrieks of delight from their children. We'll do anything to strike up a belly laugh in our infants, but often times it takes a few trials to figure out what makes your tot tick. We've rounded up a few of our tried and true tricks to get any baby to giggle with glee. Source: Thinkstock Blowing Raspberries What's Your Reaction? 0 0 0 0 0 0 Your child may like the tasty fruit, but he'll squeal with delight from mom and dad blowing raspberries on his body. From his feet to his belly, nothing is off limits for this sure fire way to induce laughter. Source: Getty 1 / 10 Kisses, Kisses What's Your Reaction? 0 0 0 0 0 0 Lil ones love wet ones. Plant a few (or a few hundred) kisses on your babe's face, feet, and hands and you're both in for a sweet giggle or two. Source: Getty 2 / 10 Shake a Tail Feather What's Your Reaction? 0 0 0 0 0 0 Kiddos love to watch mama shake her groove thing. Turn up the music (or make your own) and teach your tot to dance like no one is watching. Mama will have a very captivated and pleased onlooker. Source: Getty 3 / 10 Get Baby Moving What's Your Reaction? 0 0 0 0 0 0 Babies may love watching their parents dance around the room but it's even more fun when they're included. Pick up the budding star and bounce, twirl, and fly him around the house for a burst of laughter. Source: Getty 4 / 10 Sound It Out What's Your Reaction? 0 0 0 0 0 0 Beep, bonk, boop, boink... familiar sounds to adults can be funny to baby. Channel the inner Larry, Curly and Moe to add silly noises and laughter to a lil one's life. Source: Getty 6 / 10 Copy Cat What's Your Reaction? 0 0 0 0 0 0 Most babies agree with the rule that imitation is the best form of flattery. Get the tot grinning ear to ear by copying his noises, facial expressions, hand movements, and laughter. Source: Getty 6 / 10 Play Peekaboo What's Your Reaction? 0 0 0 0 0 0 Peekaboo, mommy sees you! Baby loves the thrill of the simple game. From the suspense of watching Mommy's face disappear to the excitement of it returning into view, a stimulating game of peekaboo almost never fails to crack up even the tiniest of players. Source: Getty 7 / 10 Sing a Song What's Your Reaction? 0 0 0 0 0 0 Mommy's singing voice my not be her most prized possession, but silly songs are music to her little one's ears. Singing to a child will lift both spirits — and when it comes to getting giggles, the wackier the song, the better. Source: Getty 8 / 10 Put on a Funny Face What's Your Reaction? 0 0 0 0 0 0 Turn those long loving stares into bursts of laughter by putting on a few silly faces. Monkey ears, fish lips, and flaring nostrils are as fun for baby as they are for mama to do. Source: Getty 9 / 10 Call in the Tickle Monster What's Your Reaction? 0 0 0 0 0 0 If finding a wee one's funny bone is proving to be a challenge, mom may need to call in the reinforcement: the tickle monster. Tickling tots is one of the greatest joys in life, especially before they know how to wiggle away. Source: Getty 11 / 10 12 36 7 0 0 Back to Homepage Comments Read More ListLaughingParentingBaby Baby How to Sanitize and Store Your Baby Stuff For Round Two 23 hours ago The Rarely Heard Dad's Tale of Breast vs. Bottle 1 day ago Prepare Yourself! The 9 Women You'll Meet in Your New-Mom Group 2 days ago My Worst Memory From Month 1 of Parenting 3 days ago 7 Signs of Ear Infections in Babies 1 week ago 5 Safe and Effective Birth Control Methods For Nursing Moms 1 week ago parenting Divorced Celebrities Who Keep the Peace For Their Kids 28 minutes ago 5 After-School Sports to Enroll Your Kids in Now 5 hours ago How to Sanitize and Store Your Baby Stuff For Round Two 23 hours ago How Raising a Second Child Isn't Quite Like Raising the First 1 day ago What an ALS Family Really Thinks of the Ice Bucket Challenge 1 day ago How to Help Your Daughter Buy Her First Bra 1 day ago Link Love Mom forced to stop feeding baby homemade formula — BabyCenter Blog The easiest ways to save on organic food — The Stir A look inside Fergie's second baby shower — Celebrity Baby Scoop Danielle Jonas debuts her baby bump — People Moms & Babies 7 light and fresh recipes to take you through Summer — FitPregnancy Does where you live affect your risk for PPD? — The Bump Where to find the best deals on school supplies — Real Simple Now this is how you announce a pregnancy! — HuffPost Parents


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Related Stories
C Mike Pouncey, the 15th pick in the 2011 NFL draft, agreed to a four-year contract with the Dolphins on Saturday.
The deal for the former University of Florida star is worth $9.3 million and includes an option for a fifth season. Pouncey is expected to start from Day One for the Dolphins, as his brother Maurkice did a year ago with the Steelers.
Pouncey was the last of the team's six draft choices to sign a contract.


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Boston College Sailing Places Seventh In 2012 Co-Ed National Championship
Do you dream of bathing in an unending wave of college football goodness? Do you ever feel like you just see too much of your girlfriend, the sun or your Jack Russell, Bo? If so, do we have...
Boston College sailing team will open the 2011 fall season with as the No. 1 team in the country. Sailing World released the 2011 Fall Preseason rankings and the Eagles are No. 1 and received six first place votes. Georgetown is second, while Roger Williams, Charleston and Yale round out the top five teams.Coed Sailing Earns No. 1 Preseason Ranking (BCEagles.com)
The Boston College coed sailing team is in first place with 104 points after 18 races in the Gill/ICSA Dinghy National Championships on the Columbia River Gorge in Cascade Locks, Ore.
The Boston College sailing team fell just short of another National Championship, falling to Roger Williams in the APS/ICSA Team Race National Championship on Sunday.
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Archive for Mike Lowe
A week in reviews: 25 - 29 August30 August 2014
As September looms, that means the IFA trade show is incoming, so keep eyes on the site next week for all the latest coverage. We expect big things from Samsung, Sony and the usual suspects. But as we wrap up the month of August, we've got a spread of...
Hands-on: Olympus Pen E-PL7 review28 August 2014
Your eyes do not deceive you: the Olympus Pen E-PL7 has an LCD screen that can be angled to sit beneath the camera. That makes it the apparent perfect selfie machine, giving it a key sell that few other compact system cameras can offer. But otherwise...
4 out of 5
Microsoft Surface Pro 3 review28 August 2014
Microsoft Surface is one of those products lines that's neither quite here nor there. But the Surface Pro 3 looks to change that, by refreshing the range in a new, larger 12-inch model that Microsoft has referred to as a "laptop killer". Cleaner cut marketing...
3.5 out of 5
Samsung Level Over headphones review27 August 2014
Headphones are everywhere right now, from established brand names to apparent armies of newcomers busying the market. So when a big name like Samsung releases a new flagship series of headphones boasting "superior HD organic sound" - whatever that means...
4 out of 5
Devolo dLAN 500 AV Wireless+ Starter Pack review: Extend your Wi-Fi network with ease26 August 2014
Having recently moved house, we came across a problem: the Wi-Fi signal from our otherwise impressive Virgin Media Superhub 2 wouldn't reach the back bedroom. No internet in bed - that's a serious modern day dilemma. But the solution to boost our Wi-Fi...
4 out of 5
Alcatel OneTouch Idol Mini review25 August 2014
Budget smartphones are becoming increasingly popular, with a number of capable but affordable choices on the market. Such demand has prompted us to pluck the months-old Alcatel OneTouch Idol Mini out of its box a year after its initial announcement. Priced...
A week in reviews: 18 - 22 August23 August 2014
It's an eclectic week of wonders here on Pocket-lint, headed up by our review of the Plug-in Hybrid Volvo V60. At over £50k does it make sense in the UK yet, or is there still much work to be done before the concept of electric can really take off? Elsewhere...
5 out of 5
Creative Sound Blaster Roar review21 August 2014
Creative is one of those companies that doesn't muck around trying to be a super-cool Beats or new-wave trendy Bluetooth speaker company. It relies on what it knows best: delivering quality sound. The Creative Sound Blaster Roar may look small and just...
A week in reviews: 11 - 15 August16 August 2014
Ahead of the Surface Pro 3 release date on 28 August here in Blighty, we've got the full ins and outs of the latest laptop-meets-tablet. Is it the "laptop killer" it claims to be or at 12-inches is it too big to tick the successful tablet box? Next up...
3.5 out of 5
Philips 7800 Series 55-inch 4K TV review12 August 2014
We knew that the price of 4K TVs would continue to drop, but the Philips 55PUS7089 makes it look like the market has crashed in through the roof. A 55-inch Ultra-HD telly for under £1,500 sounds like a right bargain - one that's perhaps too good to be...
A week in reviews: 4 - 8 August9 August 2014
It's been a busy week as Pocket-lint wraps up its first week covering the connected home. The Internet of Things (IoT) means we'll see increasing numbers of products available designed to make the home smarter. This week we've reviewed automated lighting...
Experiencing the ultimate Bowers & Wilkins sound system - but you won't find it in any home6 August 2014
Think of festivals and a mix of mud-caked wellies and lukewarm cider tends to spring to mind. That and the music of course: but it's usually a mix of body-shaking bass bins and enough excess top-end output to carve away another couple of years of hearing...
3 out of 5
iKettle: The Wi-Fi kettle review4 August 2014
Picture it: a lazy weekend morning in bed and all you want is a brew but can't be bothered to get and out of bed to boil the kettle. Now there's a solution: a Wi-Fi stainless steel kettle that can sync with your smartphone, aptly named the iKettle. Despite...
A week in reviews: 28 July - 1 August2 August 2014
There have been some serious bits of kit in the office this week: from phones to cameras and tablets to next-gen games. Top of the stack is the Nikon D810. It delivers more spec than many other DSLR cameras ever have, but does this 36-megapixel full-framer...
4.5 out of 5
Samsung Galaxy Tab S 8.4 review1 August 2014
It seems that not a month goes by without a new Samsung tablet surfacing. It's made the market so busy with options that, frankly, it's got downright confusing. So let's cut to the skinny: the Tab S, seen here in its 8.4-inch version, is one of the best...
Best DSLR cameras 2014: The best interchangeable lens cameras available to buy today28 July 2014
You want to buy a DSLR camera but don't know what to go for? Then you've come to the right place, as this is where we round-up the best DSLR cameras of 2014. We'll guide you through the hottest cameras available - and only models that we've reviewed in...
5 out of 5
Nikon D810 review28 July 2014
Landmark cameras come along every once in a while. In 2012 it was the super-high-resolution Nikon D800 that astounded us. We couldn't quite believe how much this 36.3-megapixel full-frame beast defied our initially doubtful expectations. Two years on...
A week in reviews: 21 - 25 July26 July 2014
After Apple unveiled Yosemite - the latest iteration of its OSX operating system - we've been rather excited about exploring it. And now the time has come: check out seven tips to get you started with Apple's latest. If operating system geekery isn't...
A week in reviews: 14 - 18 July19 July 2014
From electric hybrid cars to 4K action cameras, and the latest wearable tech, it's been a busy week at Pocket-lint HQ. Two major products hit the shelves this week: the Nokia Lumia 930 will be among the last handsets to receive the Nokia badge; while...
Hands on: Nikon D810 review, Nikon's best DSLR?18 July 2014
Nikon's ultra-high resolution camera just turned things up a notch. Or maybe a just degree. The Nikon D810 is the replacement for both the earlier D800, sporting a brand new 36.3-megapixel full-frame sensor and host of other feature tweaks. Pocket-lint...
4.5 out of 5
Nokia Lumia 930 review17 July 2014
Since Microsoft acquired Nokia's phone hardware business there's been some confusion about where things go from here. Take the Lumia 930, the top-spec Windows Phone 8.1 smartphone that we've been reviewing for the last few days: Microsoft has left the...
4 out of 5
Audi A3 Sportback e-tron review16 July 2014
The electric era is upon us. The Audi A3 Sportback e-tron is the first hybrid car the company has put onto its production line, combining an electronic motor with established 1.4L TFSI petrol hybrid to deliver that Audi Sportback experience but with a...
3.5 out of 5
Samsung Galaxy K Zoom review14 July 2014
Samsung makes plenty of quality electronics products and we've been taken by many of its smartphones and cameras over the years. Now it's condensed much of that expertise into one phone-camera (or should that camera-phone?): the Galaxy K Zoom. Although...
A week in reviews: 7 - 11 July12 July 2014
It's been a raucous week of cars, phones and more. We've given the BMW i8 hybrid supercar its first drive in Scotland, and have also been checking out the Audi A3 Sportback e-tron over in Vienna - more on the latter next week. But it's phones that have...
Windows Phone 8.1 Video Tuner brings on-device editing and sharing, coincides with Lumia 930 launch9 July 2014
Windows Phone 8.1 continues to grow, as the operating system now offers the free-to-download Video Tuner app for on-device video editing. Although the announcement coincides with the release of the Lumia 930 in some territories - and ahead of the phone's...


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Chief project engineer for the Boeing 747, Joseph Sutter, winner of the National Air and Space Museum's 2013 Trophy for Lifetime Achievement, with Gen. J.R. "Jack" Dailey, director of the Museum.
Image Number: WEB12839-2013
Credit: Image by Eric Long, Smithsonian Institution
For print or commercial use, please contact: Smithsonian Institution
Reproductions are not currently available. If you would like to use this image as-is, please submit a permission request.


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Blog Archives
Boredem and changes
Over the past while, I have to admit that I haven't been playing much World of Warcraft. It's not that there is nothing to do – far from it – but there just really isn't much that can keep my attention lately. I find that I'm logging on for a random heroic or two, but after that I'm finding that I can't keep interested.
I've come to realize that finally, after over seven years of playing, I'm mostly bored of WoW. There have been times where there have been some gaps where I haven't had as much fun, but it never has been like this before. Even though there are things coming up with Mists of Pandaria that look really cool, at the very least we're around 6-7 months away from that. When the time comes, I'll definitely pick it up and play it, but there's just the problem about the time from now until then.
Previously, I had a solid raid team that I would work with twice a week and work through the raid content. Not having this sort of anchor has affected me more than I ever thought, as the only person who I spend much time with when I'm playing WoW at all is my wife (not that this is a bad thing, it's just that I would like to have more acquiantances). Even though I have joined a guild on my Death Knight that has a great number of people, unfortunately I have yet to find a suitable raid team that works with the times that I'm available.
With all of this being said, I'm playing other games and having some fun doing different things. I purchased Terraria and Portal 2 during the Steam Christmas sale last year and have started playing them again, and this year I've purchased Skyrim and Bastion, along with being fortunate enough to get into the Diablo III beta. Between these five games, I'm keeping myself quite occupied and not really missing WoW very much.
As I've said many times before, I'm a Blizzard fanboy and will continue to be one. I still really enjoy WoW, but as many other people do, I think I'll just play it less than I have in the past. When the New Spawn comes in February, it's quite possible that I might be doing some Archaeology at three in the morning while feeding the baby.
Maybe I'll get lucky and get into a raid team that works for me, because I know that it will re-kindle my interest in the game. The future holds many unknown things, and what I will be doing with my spare time to have fun is most definitely one of them.
The End Begins Now…
It's hard to believe that it's almost been a year since Cataclysm was first released. There's been a lot that has happened – good things, bad things, and things in between that people really aren't sure about. The expansion on a whole seems to be controversial in the fact that some believe it's been a big success, while others believe it's been a failure. I personally think that it's an experiment that was partially successful, but that's for another time.
As of November 29th, the beginning of the end of Cataclysm is upon is.
Blizzard has said that this will be the last full content patch for the expansion, and that this will basically be the end for updates before Mists of Pandaria comes out. This could be taken two ways: the optimistic way, thinking that we'll be seeing MoP sooner rather than later and won't have to do this content forever; or the pessimistic way, thinking that we'll be doing the exact same content for a year, as we did with Icecrown Citadel at the end of Wrath of the Lich King (Ruby Sanctum doesn't count).
Unfortunately I don't work for Blizzard, and I don't know when they hope to release MoP. Like everyone else, I'd rather see it sooner rather than later, but we know that it will be done when it's done. However, all that being said, I'd like to take the optimistic view.
The 4.3 content patch has a lot in it. Not only do we get the new raid on Deathwing, but there are three new 5-man dungeons, a revamped Darkmoon Faire, Transmogrification, Void Storage, the Raid Finder, a bunch of new items from the raids and other content, and a whole bunch of balance changes. It would take too long to go through each one, so I'll suggest you check out WoW Insider's guide to Patch 4.3 to get the details about many of the new features.
Briefly, I'm very happy with Transmogrification. The interface is incredibly easy to use, and I finally am rewarded for being such a packrat for all these years. I was able to have one of my favourite looks of the Tier 5 shoulders and Wildfury Greatstaff for my Druid, which really makes me happy and nostalgic.
Void Storage is nice, but unfortunately a bit too restrictive. I have a lot of stuff in my bank from the many holidays that have come around, and I was hoping to empty a bunch out to free up some room. The biggest thing is that items labelled "unique" or items not soulbound cannot be deposited to VS. Many tabards, as well as other holiday things are all unique, and some of the holiday items like the Brewfest and Winter Veil gear are not soulbound, but I wanted to keep them nonetheless. So I deposited what I could, and at least freed up some room.
The Raid Finder has been one of the things I've been looking forward to most. As I've mentioned before, my schedule is very weird for when I can raid, so now I can raid whenever I want – as long as there's enough other people queuing as well. I was able to get into a group, and successfully get the four bosses currently available with little drama. We only wiped twice, and there were people taking charge of the raid to get things done.
We also got Tyrael's Charger. It's pretty.
All in all, there's some great new content that everyone can enjoy no matter what you do. Raider, casual player, leveling player, there's something for everyone. As I experience more of the new content, I'll post my thoughts about some of them. In the meantime, happy exploring!
4.3 Instances of Awesome (I hope)
Looking around the WoW news community this morning gave me quite a bit of happiness. 4.3 looks like it's going to be incredibly awesome – and even though the word is used entirely too much these days, the word we're looking for is epic.
On top of the other features of the patch (transmogrification, void storage, raid finder tool, Darkmoon Faire revamp, among other things) we get the best part: the Deathwing raid and 5-man dungeons. Interviews were given from Tom Chilton and Greg Street (aka Ghostcrawler) across a few websites, and a bunch of information was given.
Basically, there will be three 5-man dungeons giving the story leading up to the Deathwing raid, all involving the Caverns of Time:
- The first one ("End Time") will be a dystopian future where Deathwing won and the world has been destroyed and remade the way he likes – all in ruins. The idea behind this is convince Nozdormu that he needs to get involved and help, or else there won't be much of anything to watch over.
- The second one ("Well of Eternity") will be during the War of the Ancients, where Deathwing first betrayed the aspects and created the Dragon/Demon Soul. It looks like we join Thrall to get the Demon Soul to use as a weapon against Deathwing in the present. Basically using the power to overload the essence within him, causing the big black dragon to burst from within.
- The third one ("Hour of Twilight") will be a flight to Wyrmrest Temple to begin the fight against Deathwing, raid-style. Along the way there will be battles against many foes trying to steal back the Demon Soul and prevent you from attacking the big bad guy, likely lots of Twilight people.
The final battle against Deathwing ("Dragon Soul") is in an instanced version of Wyrmrest Temple in Dragonblight (hopefully including the changes that happened in the Thrall: Twilight of the Aspects novel), with fights around and in the temple itself. At one point we get to be on Deathwing's back, trying to pry off his armour plating to get to his fleshy bits underneath. Apparently there will be a "balance" mechanic, as Deathwing isn't just going to be flying in a straight line – the raid will be a bunch of fleas on his back that he wants to shake off (do a barrel roll!).
Eventually, Deathwing ends up at the Maelstrom where he becomes a bit of a conglomeration between himself and an Old God minion. The phrase used in the interview with Ghostcrawler says that they call him "Cthulhu-Deathwing", tentacles included. All in all, this raid looks like it will be living up to my expectations and more.
Also included with this will be a new legendary, a set of two daggers for rogues specifically. This quest line will involve the uncorrupted black dragon egg that was the subject of a really good questline in the Badlands. At the end of it, there's nothing said about the future or fate of the new whelp, but it looks like we'll find out shortly.
For more reading, check out interviews at Joystiq, MMO-Champion, and Tankspot. The official World of Warcraft community site also has a bunch of information.
Screenshot of the Week – September 10
This week we have a view of the Tol Barad prison, main block at the middle of the island. Within these walls lie loot pinatas, and easy valour points for all.
The plan is to be back to regular articles coming this week.
4.3 – Transmogrification and Void Storage
This is part of a Blog Azeroth Shared Topic. Check out some great posts by other members of the WoW blogging community!
A whole bunch of news came out lately about patch 4.3 and what Blizzard is saying is the last big content patch of Cataclysm. While that news is interesting in itself, today I'll just talk about two features that were some of the first to be highlighted: transmogrification and void storage.
We don't know any timeframe for when 4.3 will be coming, but by the looks of things it won't be for a while. Blizzard has said that it's the biggest content patch that they've ever released, and I don't doubt that. Some other things included in the patch will be the Deathwing raid, three 5-man dungeons, a revamped Darkmoon Faire, a Raid Finder tool (similar to the LFD tool), and likely many more things.
Looking at Transmogrification and Void Storage, it was originally teased for us with a picture called "Glimpses", posted on the Warcraft Facebook page. The caption simply read, "Interesting".
Transmogrification (try saying that ten times fast)
Basically, this feature will allow someone to change the physical appearance of an item to something else. Have a new tier set that looks horrendous? Still have your old tier set that looks amazing? For some gold you'll be able to have it look the way it was before, but still having the new stats of the new gear.
My first reaction to transmogrification was mixed. I really like the idea, and people have been asking for it for years… but my main is a Druid. While there are some sets that look great, they all suffer from the problem most Druids have: we barely get to see them. When I'm in combat, I'm always shapeshifted unless healing.
Lately I haven't actually been doing too much instancing, so this might not be too bad of a thing to work towards. I really like some of the sets that have come out, and I wasn't able to get some of them while the content was relevant.
My Death Knight weeps at possibilities not able to be used… until I can get the starter zone stuff back.
Void Storage
This feature will allow people to store many items in an expanded bank, for a price. There are some restrictions on it, including the fact that it will strip away all enchants or creators' name tags (which has been said is a technological impairment, nothing to do with lore at all), and that it will cost gold to deposit items. It's meant for items that are kept in a bank and left for a very long time.
A while back I was able to complete "What A Long, Strange Trip It's Been" to earn my Violet Proto-Drake. Because it requires completing all of the holiday events, that brings a lot of holiday items acquired over time. I am a packrat, so everything that I got along the way still sits in my bank.
It will be very weird to have my bank relatively empty, and use it as an extension of my bag space.
The Final Words
I'm looking forward to transmogrification and void storage. Both will have good features that I will use, but it's not a make-or-break thing for me. Give me a way to have my cat, bear, or moonkin forms change with my armour and I'll be extremely excited.
Five Things Gaming Can Teach
While browsing through Blog Azeroth not too long ago, a former Shared Topic caught my eye. Titled "What has WoW taught you?", I realized that there have been a number of things that I've learned in my time playing World of Warcraft (as well as other online games). Thinking about it, I'm reminded once again how certain positions in online games warrant being mentioned on resumes.
People Management
If anyone has ever been a guild leader, guild officer, or raid leader, they'll know that this is very true. Managing people is a very difficult task on any level, and something that may have been thought as small and insubstantial can easily turn out to be the opposite. Raid organizers from Vanilla will probably shudder a little bit, as filling 40 raid slots while maintaining optimal balance was extremely difficult.
As soon as people start voicing their opinions, or certain people want certain things while other people want other things – managing this and keeping cool is an incredibly important skill to have in any situation. Companies can have seminars and courses specifically on people management. Consider your WoW experience as the preliminary stages.
So much to do, so little time to do it. I'd say a large majority of people have a set amount of time to play WoW. Whether that time is two hours after the kids are in bed or all day because you have nothing better to do, there is still a limited number of minutes to do what you want. Figuring out what to do in the ideal order can help organize things much more efficiently.
If you have certain daily quests to do, it might be better to start out with certain ones first because you'll need to use your hearthstone to get out of there. After that, the other areas where you do the next sets of dailies might have a portal to go back to your capital city, so the cooldown on your hearthstone isn't as big of a deal.
Every job that is out there requires some sort of time management. The average job has an eight-hour day, and there's certain things that need to be accomplished in those hours. By prioritizing certain things, it can increase productivity and make life a lot easier.
Keyboard Skills
Before I played my first MMORPG, my typing was horrible. I was the typical "hunt-and-peck" person, and I hated the "home row" style that was trying to be forced upon me at school. The game I played at first had a focus on role-playing and required quick responses with good grammar. In not much time I was able to increase my words per minute and the quality and accuracy of what I was typing.
Any data entry or administrative job requires this. There may even be jobs that have a typing test as part of the interview process, and even getting the job could rest on these skills. Fortunately online gaming makes practice enjoyable.
The person who likes to collect things must possess a lot of patience. Whether you're a hunter camping a rare spawn to tame or waiting for the Time-Lost Proto-Drake to spawn so you can get the mount, there will be a lot of down time. Learning to be patient is a very important thing, or else it's very easy to go a little bit crazy.
Anyone who has ever worked in customer service has good experience with this. You're ringing through their order, and they take forever to count out the change in their wallet while there's a long lineup behind them, all tapping their feet. There are times where you just have to take a deep breath and go with it.
Don't Sweat The Small Stuff
Crap happens, deal with it. Very few things ever go according to plan, and it's essential to be flexible and work with what life gives you. The perfect raid composition can still end up being a bad experience because people may not know the fight, people might disconnect, among other things. Just roll with it, keep on keeping on, and all those other phrases.
Life is full of surprises, and there's nothing we can do about it. If an urgent file is dropped on your desk with 15 minutes to go before you leave, we have to deal with it one way or another. How you deal with it, however, is up to you.
If you're the leader of a level 25 guild and have been running things for a while, I think that it would be a great thing to put on a resume. Everything that I just mentioned are very real skills that can be transferred over to any life situation. Hopefully one day employers will realize this.
Who says geeks don't know how life works?
Memories of Azeroth: Naxxramas
Lately I've had difficulty having inspiration for a new post, and have been thinking about what to post about. Patch 4.2 has just recently dropped, but sites such as WoW Insider have much more comprehensive coverage of things in there than I could ever give. However, one thing that I can give is where I've come from through my time in WoW. Let's take a trip with the way-back machine to Wrath of the Lich King and look back at Naxxramas.
Naxx was one of the entry raids of WotLK, the other being Malygos in the Eye of Eternity. It was originally a 40-man raid at the end of Vanilla, but the difficulty level and attunement process was quite high at the time. Very few people were able to experience it, even through Burning Crusade. Thus Blizzard decided to bring it back in Wrath, along with updated items and tier armours.
This tier of raiding was the first time people got to experience having the choice between 10 and 25-man groups of the same instance. They were on separate lockouts, so if someone had enough time they could do both versions of the raid to get gear faster. Personally I felt it was better suited for 25-man raiding, as it is such a very large instance, and it feels even larger when there aren't as many people. The size of the instance and rooms were not changed from the original 40-man raid, so that probably has a bit to do with it.
There were four wings, each with a boss at the end that needed to be defeated before moving on to Sapphiron and Kel'Thuzad (originally – later through Wrath it was possible to skip the wings and go directly to them). The four quarters were: Military (or Death Knight), Plague, Spider, and Construct. Each wing was themed with similar trash mobs and bosses, with each having their own little special thing.
Back in Vanilla, Patchwerk was the DPS check for the instance. If the raid DPS was high enough to kill Patchwerk before he enrages, the group is probably ready to do the rest of the instance. Fortunately with Naxx being the first raid of the expansion, it was a little more forgiving.
I never had the chance to do it in Vanilla, but I have heard that the entire instance retains much of the original feel. Fights like Loatheb are still very difficult due to the very big mechanic of not being able to heal except for a few brief seconds every minute. Heigan still requires the entire raid to dance between the flames. Kel'Thuzad is still a royal pain if you're melee-heavy with the ice blocks.
Altogether it wasn't a bad instance, and I certainly enjoyed the time we had through it. There were certainly things that could have been improved, however. Standing out to me was the Instructor Razuvious fight in 25-man mode. It was a requirement for there to be two priests in the raid, as there are two adds that need to be mind controlled for the fight to tank the boss. In 10-man mode, there were crystals that were used for this reason so anyone could do it. Even though there are 25 people in a raid, there were a few times our guild couldn't do that quarter because we didn't have enough priests.
There were a LOT of bosses. 16 altogether (I'm counting the Four Horsemen as one boss), and while that allowed a lot of loot to be given out, it also made for a lot of time in one zone looking at the same stuff over and over again. I'm all for a lot of content, but sometimes there's a bit too much.
Class tier item sets dropped were re-skinned Tier 3, updated for Wrath. Some of my favourite tier sets are in tiers 3 and 7, so I was quite happy when I got my sets. Along with it were some very interesting looking weapons, including Journey's End and Origin of Nightmares (guess what spec I was during that time). Unfortunately, as much as feral Druids loved these two items we suffered the usual pains of not being able to see them while in combat.
This instance was a very good raid to start off the expansion with. It was perfect for Wrath's lore, and had a variety of fights that people had to adapt to very quickly. Thaddius and the positive/negative gimmick was always a lot of fun and very frustrating at the same time.
If you ask me, that's what raiding is supposed to be like – have fun while ripping your hair out. Good times.
Inclusion vs Progression
A little while ago, something happened that caused me quite a bit of frustration. In essence: I love to raid, but I was denied the chance to raid. I was mad at first, but after having the chance to reflect upon it I have some thoughts to share.
Being in a guild comes with rules attached. This is even more important for guilds who raid, as there are the intricacies of determining who gets loot, discipline for people being jerkfaces, attendance issues, among other things. What is the rule for who gets to raid?
Some back story to begin with, as my situation is a bit weird. I've mentioned before that I can't raid as much as I used to, due to real life circumstances. I am married to a wonderful woman and have a great son. Unfortunately I don't make enough money to support us all by myself, so my wife has to work part-time on weekends and some evenings. As it happens one of the nights she usually works is a raid night, and the other raid night is one where I work late every second week. Therefore, due to our work schedules there have been many times where I have been unable to raid because of having to look after our son or because I've been working.
Prior to The Spawn arriving, I was a regular raider. From Vanilla all the way through Wrath, I was there for a majority of our guild's raids, so I have good experience. I've been in the guild since it was formed, so I have tenure. Plus, I enjoy raiding as it's my version of a "guy's night out" or poker night.
It happened that this certain Friday, I wasn't working late and had been given the all clear to sign up for the raid. We're doing 10-man raiding right now and eleven people had signed up – since I'm a DPS class, my role is always one that's fought over. This was my first time being able to sign up for a raid in over a month, but I had experienced most of the content in the expansion thus far. The night's agenda was to go to Throne of the Four Winds and work on Al'Akir, as he's the last boss we need for the Guild Glory of the Raider achievement.
I logged on, asking if I was going to be able to raid that night. The decision was made to have myself and another DPS do a /roll with the low roller sitting the night. Ultimately, mine was the low roll and I was out. To say I was mad was an understatement.
The arguments came to my mind very easily: I've been a member of the guild for years! If it wasn't for my situation, I would have been there for every raid! I deserve equal chances to participate in the raid! Other people go to every raid, but I have the rare chance! Why do they go but I get shut out?
Almost a week later, I've looked back and realized that the decision was made properly. I wish that it was made ahead of time so I would have known, but that's beside the point. It was a progression raid, and the people who have worked at the content for weeks deserve the chance to get a guild-first downing of a new boss.
There needs to be a balance for inclusion of all members who want to raid. I'm not suggesting that just because you're a warm body means that you should go, but given a chance. If the raid agenda was to do content that was being farmed, my anger would have been justified. Since it was a progression night, it was not my place to take the spot of someone who has been there all the time.
Who gets to raid?
This is the core of the problem. When I was an officer back in Burning Crusade, we were getting together people for a Gruul's Lair run, and we were short one DPS. We had a player log on, one who wasn't around very often, but was raid ready. They joined the raid, and after killing Gruul we had the Dragonspine Trophy drop – for the first (and eventually only) time of the expansion for us. At the time, our loot policy was to /roll and high roll wins. This player ended up getting the highest roll… and quit the game a week later. (Loot rules are a whole different ball of wax)
Because of the above reason, there is definitely a reason to put the proper people in a raid. Whereas I may be someone who knows what to do, I truthfully didn't deserve to take the spot on that night.
Obviously there are times when it's not possible to be picky. If there's only 10 people on who can raid, you have your raid. Depending on the skill and gear levels of the people involved, that will determine what will happen that night. Progression may not be possible, but it will likely be possible to bring up other people to the point of being able to progress later.
If there's 15 people who want to raid, there are going to be five people who will have to do something else. Should the plan be to progress through raid content, the obvious choice is the people who are ready for the content.
However, there must be a chance given to people who want to raid. It's just the timing that needs to be decided on. Firm communication between guild leadership and the members is key. If the plan is to do progression, make sure people know that preference will be given to those who are geared and ready for the fight. For farm nights, some preference should be given to people who need to gear up.
All of this must be done within reason. A whole raid full of people who need to gear up won't go very far in a raid. I'm not saying that those who can't make every raid must be given a spot on farm nights, but to take their situation into account.
I love to raid, as it's something that I enjoy doing with the friends that I have made through World of Warcraft. My schedule limits the times that I can raid, because of the schedule my guild has established.
I was wrong to have been upset at being sat out for a progression night. Hopefully things will work out and I'll be able to raid again soon. I'm looking at you, people who set my wife's schedule. /glare
In the meantime there are PuG raids that I could join, there are Zandalari heroics, and upcoming single player content in 4.2 that could make me pass the time. Lots of things to do, and hopefully raiding with my guild will be one of those things again in the future.
Death Penalties
This is part of a Blog Azeroth Shared Topic. Check the thread out to see posts from other great blog authors!
There are only two things that are certain in life: death and taxes. Fortunately there isn't a monthly gold fee to pay to Stormwind or Orgrimmar to pay for the services you get there – that's why you have to pay for repairs and the auction house fees. However, death is rampant in WoW. There are very few people who can say that they haven't died at all while leveling, and if doing dungeons or raids is your thing it's a given fact that you will die at some point.
One big question stands out: how does a game deal with a character death? This question has been mulled over, thought about, and discussed a great many times as everyone has a different approach to it. I've played a few games which have all had different ideas about it, which I will explain and then give my own thoughts.
The first MMORPG I played was one called Nexus: The Kingdom of the Winds. Penalties for death included losing half the experience you had (over level 99), as it was used as a currency to purchase better health, mana, and stats. Also there was a "death pile", which consisted of various items that the character was carrying, and certain items broke upon death. Prior to level 99, the character would lose a portion of their current experience.
After Nexus, I played Final Fantasy XI. Their death system worked similarly, with the exception of the items being dropped in favour of a more steep experience penalty. When a character dies there is a large experience penalty, and the chance that the character can actually level down. I had experienced that many times, when I was in a group killing stuff and recently leveled and then we all died… and I was suddenly the level I was previously.
Full disclosure: I haven't played either game in a very long time, so their death systems may be different now. What I explained is how they worked when I played them.
As many people know, in World of Warcraft the penalty for death is fairly low. In essence, the taxes that I mentioned in the first paragraph are the penalty for dying in WoW. Equipped items are charged 10% durability loss with every death, in which the repair bills add up quickly after a night of learning a new raid boss.
If it's decided to use a Spirit Healer, then an additional durability loss is charged to ALL items that are carried – whether they're equipped or in the inventory. A character who has multiple sets of gear will go through great lengths to avoid using a Spirit Healer. On top of that a debuff called Resurrection Sickness is applied to the character for a period of time, which reduces health, mana, damage, and healing done. Basically, if you don't go to recover your corpse you can't do anything but travel for a while.
The death penalty is charged to discourage people from not caring about dying. Blizzard wants us to care about our characters, and try to keep them alive. At the same time, the penalty isn't so steep that if a death happens we aren't so discouraged that we throw our computers out the window.
In comparison to the other games, I believe that the penalty is exactly where it should be. It's not so huge that we are mad beyond all reason, and not so small that we don't care about dying at all. I can attest to the fact that after a night of learning a new encounter in a dungeon or raid, seeing my repair bill sure makes me want to have less wipes the next time I go.


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LG Z360 Full HD Ultrabook
A 13.3in Ultrabook with a beautiful screen, two microSD card slots, and an extra column of keys
A 13.3in Ultrabook with a beautiful screen, two microSD card slots, and an extra column of keys
This tough Ultrabook has hinges that allow its screen to flip all the way over so that it can be used as a tablet
Acer's Aspire P3 Ultrabook is an 11.6in tablet with a folio-style keyboard case
Sony's VAIO Pro 13 has a touchscreen, but it's still one of the lightest Ultrabooks on the Aussie market today
This business Ultrabook is one of the best looking and most comfortable units on the market, also among the most expensive
Whether you call it a death, decline, or decimation, the PC and all its variants are quickly succumbing to the rising popularity of tablets.
If Apple has anything to say about it, the future of the notebook will be long and healthy. And it will be exemplified in the new versions of the MacBook Air, announced during Apple's WWDC 2013 keynote, and available immediately.
Toshiba has just shown off its KIRA Ultrabook, which is a premium Windows 8 Pro-based laptop aimed at users who want something more than a standard, cheap-as-chips laptop. The new laptop costs $1799 in its most basic form (for the Core i5 model) and ...
Intel is clearly tired of Nvidia and AMD kicking sand in its face when it comes to graphics performance. The company has had a talented GPU engineering team for many years. With the fourth generation of Intel's Core CPU line -- codenamed Haswell -- t...
The drive towards dirt-cheap Ultrabooks is getting a big boost with the release of Western Digital's new ultra-slim spinning hard drive, a barely there piece of hardware that is even thinner than the iPhone 5.
We've created a chart, pitting the ATIV Book 9 Plus against Acer's Aspire S7, Asus' Zenbook Infinity, Toshiba's KiraBook, Google's Chromebook Pixel and Apple's 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina Display.
Here, on one handy page, are all the reviews we've done so far on Windows 8 computers that have touchscreens. It includes tablets as well laptops, hybrids and even desktop PCs.
Business travelers willing to give Windows 8 a spin have a noteworthy option in the HP Folio Elitebook Folio 9470m.
The latest business news, reviews, features and whitepapers
Visit our shop for the best deals on hot products
Watch our video news and reviews from around the world
Comprehensive buying guides, features, and step-by-step articles
First impression on unpacking the Q702 test unit was the solid feel and clean, minimalist styling.
For work use, Microsoft Word and Excel programs pre-installed on the device are adequate for preparing short documents.
The Fujitsu LifeBook UH574 allowed for great mobility without being obnoxiously heavy or clunky. Its twelve hours of battery life did not disappoint.
The screen was particularly good. It is bright and visible from most angles, however heat is an issue, particularly around the Windows button on the front, and on the back where the battery housing is located.
My first impression after unboxing the Q702 is that it is a nice looking unit. Styling is somewhat minimalist but very effective. The tablet part, once detached, has a nice weight, and no buttons or switches are located in awkward or intrusive positions.


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3 GB if using Windows 7 or newer
To Turn Off Your Internet Explorer Pop-up Blocker:
1. Open Internet Explorer by clicking the Start button, and then clicking Internet Explorer.
2. Click the Tools button, and then click Pop-up Blocker.
3. To Turn off Pop-up Blocker, click Turn Off Pop-up Blocker.
For more information on Internet Explorer Pop-up Blocker, click here.
How to identify which version of Java is installed on your computer:
For Windows 7:
From the Start menu, type 'Control Panel' in the Search programs and files box, then select the Control Panel entry under the programs section. Double-click the Java entry to open the Java Control Panel. On the General tab, click the About button to view the version installed on the computer.


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Friends of the Dover Town Library
Dover, Massachusetts
About the Friends • Contact Us
How to Join • How to Volunteer
Feature Articles on the 2012 Holiday House Tour
Past Events
Do You Know What
A Friend Is?
Become a Friend of the Library!
Your tax-deductible annual* membership and donations help sponsor additional programs not covered by the town.
Some of the amazing things available
at our award-winning library are:
Mandarin Chinese Story Times
Lego Master Builders Club
Museum Passes
Digital Magazines
Cultural Programs for the Family
Junior Friends Meetings
Summer Reading Program
Book Groups
Internet Safety Info for Parents
Educational Toys
Reader's Advisory Rock Stars
Stream Movies - Indiflix
Story and Craft Programs
SAT Prep
Gaming and Game Night
TONS of Technology to Use & Borrow
TECH-Knowledge @your library
Full STEAM ahead: Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math Programs and Materials
Educational Toys
Cake Pans to Use and Borrow
Outdoor Patio
Use Library from Home or Office:
And SO MUCH MORE!!!
The Friends Are Now
Accepting Credit Cards!
The Friends are making it easier for you to become a Friend! Join the Friends of the Library online and use your credit card. It is that easy, and your membership goes to support the programs and technology that our town library is known for, and why it is a
"Best Small Library in America."
Click the "How to Join" tab at left for more info.
You may also stop by the library to fill out the Membership Form and give it to a librarian with your check made payable to:
Friends of the Dover Library.
Dates to Remember:
Monday, April 14, at 9 am
Monthly Meeting in the Community Room
Monday, May 5, at 9am
Monthly Meeting in the Community Room
Monday, June 2, at 9am
Monthly Meeting in the Community room
The Dover Town Library
56 Dedham Street, Dover
(508) 785-8113
Please visit the library's web site for library hours
and up-to-date event information.
*Annual Membership runs January 1st through December 31st.
Web Hosting
by iPage


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Fall Classes for Children Start Up in September
See complete schedules here and register!
Curious Kids (ages 3.5-5)
Junior Scientists (ages 6-10)
SAVE BIG: Members save on each class and save more when signing up for the entire semester price. Join Today!
Save The Date - October 18 & 19, 2014!
Pumpkin Patch Fall Festival
Join us for 2 days of games, crafts, rides, pumpkins, and more! Our Pumpkin Patch was recently voted the Best Fall Festival in SW Houston! Click for more details.
Save The Date - November 21, 2014!
See how you can support nature and science education here.
Join our email list here to stay up-to-date on upcoming activities and events. We will never share your email address.
Job Description: Part-time Bookkeeper
Got a love for nature and a love for numbers? We are looking for an EXPERIENCED BOOKKEEPER to keep our business office in order. If you're experienced in the non-profit world and have a sense of humor, a love of kids, and an eye for detail, please take a look at this part-time job description!
Has your Scout group visited the Center?
Check out our Scout Program offerings, and give us a call. We'd love to have you visit the Center or complete a service project in Russ Pitman Park.
Psst ... We've Got a Secret!
We've been awarded the Macaroni Kid Gold Daisy Award for being voted the Best Kept Secret in SW Houston/Fort Bend! The cat is out of the bag! Feel free to share our "secret" and spread the word about the programs and special events we offer at the Nature Discovery Center. It is time that the Greater Houston community finds out what a treasure they have in the Center and Russ Pitman Park!
|Last Updated on Thursday, August 28, 2014 09:26 PM


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LOS ANGELES—The following is a live blog from Los Angeles during the ALCS Game 5, as written by Mike Penner with FOX40.com affiliate The Los Angeles Times. Information may be delayed from 5 to 15 minutes.
Information is generally updated shortly after the conclusion of an inning.
Brian Fuentes now pitching for the Angels. Both teams have their closers in the game. Damon lines out to Morales at first. One out, next up: Teixeira up. Teixeira flies out to right. Two outs, next up: Rodriguez. The Angels aren't about to tempt the Fates. They intentionally walk Rodriguez. Freddy Guzman runs for Rodriguez. Matsui walks on a full-count pitch. Tying run moves into scoring position. Brett Gardner runs for Matsui.Cano is hit by a pitch. The bases are loaded for Swisher, who is hitless with runners in scoring position this postseason. Swisher chops the ball to third, Figgins grabs the ball and stepping on third for the force out. Game over, Angels force Game 6 in New York? No, umpire calls the ball foul. Figgins can't believe it, but replay shows the ball was indeed foul. That's one for the umpires. Swisher works a 0-2 out to 3-2. Full count, bases loaded. Swisher pops to short. Buck: "And we're going to New York."
BOTTOM OF THE EIGHTH INNING (Angels 7, Yankees 6)
Joba Chamberlain now pitching for the Yankees. Rivera welcomes him with a drive that one-hops the left-centerfield fence. Lead-off double for Rivera. Reggie Willits runs for Rivera. Tight, tense, postseason tug-of-war. Fox runs a promotional graphic: "Can Steelers Stop Vikings?" Can Fox stay focused on this game? Mathis strikes out. Aybar beats out an infield single to second. Willits moves to third on the play. Girardi decides it's time for Mariano Rivera. Yankees bring the infield in. Aybar steals second without a throw. Figgins flies to right, not deep enough for Willits to tag and score. Abreu flies to center.
TOP OF THE EIGHTH INNING (Angels 7, Yankees 6)
Jered Weaver, who started Game 3 for the Angels, replaces Jepsen. He immediately strikes out Cabrera. Posada grounds out to Weaver. Jeter strikes out swinging. Good move by Scioscia, that one.
BOTTOM OF THE SEVENTH INNING (Angels 7, Yankees 6)
McCarver calls Lackey the best pitcher the Angels have, says he was "surprised" that Scioscia replaced him. Here we go. Mathis, trying to revive Angel spirits, singles to left. Aybar walks. The tying run is on base. That's it for Burnett. Damaso Marte now pitching for the Yankees. Both Buck and McCarver are surprised by that move. McCarver describes him as the "most volatile" of all the Yankees relievers. Figgins successfully sacrifices, the runners advancing to third and second. Abreu grounds to first, Mathis scoring and Aybar moving to third. That's Abreu's first RBI of the series. Phil Hughes now pitching for the Yankees. Marte could have done a lot worse. Hughes walks Hunter. Guerrero grounds a single to center, Aybar scoring the tying run, Hunter stopping at second. Morales singles to right, Hunter scoring from second and Guerrero advanced to third. Angels grab the lead back, 7-6. Izturis strikes out swinging. Crazy inning -- Yankees score six times in the top half, Angels score three times in the bottom half.
TOP OF THE SEVENTH INNING (Yankees 6, Angels 4)
Swisher pops to center. Cabrera doubles down the right field line. Posada works the count to 3-2. There's activity in the Angels bullpen. Posada walks; Lackey can't believe it. Strike-zone graphic backs up Lackey. It was a strike. Umpires continue their slump in this series. Lackey's 101st pitch of the night is ball four to Jeter. The bases are loaded. Damon flies to left. Angels Manager Mike Scioscia comes to the mound to make a pitching change. You can read Lackey's lips; he's telling Scioscia, "This is mine! This is mine!" Teixeira, up next, represents the tying run. Scioscia knows this at bat is big for Lackey, the Angels, their fans and all of Orange County. Darren Oliver now pitching for the Angels. Teixeira did not have an RBI in this series before this at-bat. Soon he will have three -- Teixeira drives Oliver's first pitch into in gap in left-center, clearing the bases. Just like that, it's a one-run game. Rodriguez is intentionally walked. Matsui singles to center, scoring Teixeira. Just like that, it's a tied game. Kevin Jepsen now pitching for the Angels. Cano hits ball into the gap in right center. The ball bounces all the way to the wall. Both Rodriguez and Matsui score. Cano winds up at third with a two-run triple. So far, no Angels reliever has recorded an out. Swisher flies to left. It's a six-run inning for the Yankees. And now, for the second guess of the winter, if this score holds: Should Scioscia have stayed with Lackey? We know Lackey's answer already.
BOTTOM OF THE SIXTH INNING (Angels 4, Yankees 0)
Morales strikes out swinging. Itzuris grounds to second. With Rivera at bat, an Angels fan, supposedly driven momentarily mad by the pace of this game, scales the fake rocks behind the center field fence and takes a dive into the fake waterfall. Soaking wet, he is finally removed from the game. Postseason pressure can do that to a person. Rivera hits a routine grounder to short. Crazy fan was more entertaining to watch. Subject for discussion: What does MLB need more -- instant replay or crazy fans?
TOP OF THE SIXTH INNING (Angels 4, Yankees 0)
Damon grounds to first. Teixeira flies to deep left, Rivera making the catch just in front of the warning track. Rodriguez doubles off the right field fence. Matsui walks on a full-count pitch. Cano forces Matsui at second. Angels faring much better in their LCS Game 5 than the Dodgers did in theirs.
BOTTOM OF THE FIFTH INNING (Angels 4, Yankees 0)
Figgins strikes out swinging. Abreu grounds to second. Hunter singles to left. Hunter had 18 stolen bases during the regular season. Burnett treats him as if he stole 98. Several throws over to first. Finally, Burnett pitches to Guerrero. Guerrero flies to right.
TOP OF THE FIFTH INNING (Angels 4, Yankees 0)