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- Publisher: 2K Games
- Release Date: Oct 9, 2012
- Also On: iPhone/iPad, PC, Xbox 360
User Score
Generally favorable reviews- based on 251 Ratings
User score distribution:
Positive: 223 out of 251
Mixed: 8 out of 251
Negative: 20 out of 251
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Jan 6, 2013BY FAR, one of the best games of 2012. I picked this up when I bought Assassins Creed 3 and Dishonored and saved it for last (mostly because I was more interested in the other ones). WHAT A SURPRISE... I cannot begin to describe HOW ADDICTIVE this game actually is... it has that "civilization addiction", when you keep saying to yourself: "just one more turn; just one more turn; just one more turn"; and when you notice, it's 3 AM. I just can't put it down... think of it as Final Fantasy Tactics meets Front Mission meets Civilization (sort of) plus guns, lots of guns. You manage a base, a squad and customize everything, from facilities, to weapons, to even the soldiers names, nicknames and armor color. And everything under a very cool "alien invasion" atmosphere. Must not be missed... a hidden gem.… Expand
Mar 31, 2014This game is one the few strategy games I have ever played and actually enjoyed. You will find yourself contemplating every decision you make; from the decisions you make on the decisions you make off the battlefield.
Oct 12, 2012One of the best strategy games I have played in the last few years. It's fun, addicting, and your choices have real consequences. Soldier deaths are permanent and wow is the game hard when you ratchet up the difficulty. Fireaxis made a brilliant game and I can't wait for further installments.
Oct 12, 2012X-Com is back! After the dissapointment of hearing it will be rebooted as an FPS they made the right call and had Fireaxis the creators of Civilization make a strategy game. It's as fun and addicting as the original was. The graphics are very nice it runs great and the story is very interesting. The multiplayer is really fun as well just needs some more maps.
Dec 12, 2012So happy to see a strategy game like XCOM to be on consoles too, they're usually just for PC only, you know, for the PC master race. It's an incredibly organic game: if you **** up, that's your own fault, not the games. Your tactics and strategies will effect your outcome. Also, winning isn't inevitable, you can put 20 hours in to it and lose to the aliens. The turn-based combat is very engaging, and the base management makes you feel like an actual commander. It's all very absorbing, and it's rather cheap now, so definitely pick it up when you can.… Expand
Nov 14, 2012Almost 20 years have passed till it's spiritual predecessor. In this age XCOM: EU has to deal with modern expectations, from fans and publishers. Mostly it succeeds. It's much more accessible and looks great, but at the cost of depth. The potential is there (with DLC) to reach Everest heights of 12/10 ratings, but currently (based on the lenght of time I had fun playing the game) it's "only" a 10/10.… Expand
Oct 16, 2012Honestly, this game is a 9.8, but i couldnt round down and give it a 9, because its too good for that. First of all, this game is one that is extremelly easy to become addicted to. Some people say mmos (WoW) are easy to get addicted to, but **** please, strategy games all the way. Gameplay: 9.9999999. Why? It is fun challenging, and overall satisfying. So why not a ten? Well, to sum it up llllllllllaaaaaaaaaagggggggg!!! I dont understand why it lags so damn much! I have been screwed over so many times, because the game has lagged right when i am putting soldiers into cover. I click X, the game lags, and my full level sniper is standing out in the open. Is this a huge problem? NOT AT ALL. Im sorry if that gave you the wrong impression, but the lag just annoys me. Most people probebly wont even notice it though. Graphics:9. The cartoony graphics have a nice appeal on the eyes, and fit the game nicely. Blood effects are great and well placed. Sound:9.5: Spot on sound effects make creeping through the fog-of-war maps tense and exciting. everything else: 10: maneging your headquarters, and alliances with other countries is an amazing experience that no one should miss out on. So, this is an amazing game, that could easily be a GOTY. Bottom line: BUY IT. you will not regret it. I'm just happy that there is a good strategy game to tide me over untill Fire Emblem:Awakening is released here in America.… Expand
Oct 12, 2012I loved the original back in the mid 90's. I was completely addicted to that game and to see it remade I am so so happy. Its a great game to boot Fireaxis makes such excellent strategy titles. There was no better candidate to remake XCom.
Nov 19, 2012For old hardcore fans of the original x-com this is a must have. Excellent concept, execution, storyline and gameplay. Congrats to Firaxis. I highly recommend for every fan of a good tactical game.
Jan 1, 2013I confess I'm an XCOM fan. I love how they've managed to replicate the rich tactical and strategic challenge that the first XCOMs offered. The graphics are pretty good but most importantly, the gameplay is not easy and requires that you think twice before doing pretty much anything.
May 29, 2014As games go, this is is hard to fault. The whole point is that you are the commander of a multinational spec ops unit (the eponymous XCOM) tasked with taking out the aliens that have just invaded earth. You fight turn based battles against swarm of enemies with a squad of 4-6 soldiers and/or drones at your disposal. Your actions have real consequences.
The game continually forces you to question your tactics, both on the battlefield and in the meta-management/base building portion. Unless you reload an earlier save, soldiers killed on the battlefield are gone for good. If you invest your money in the wrong thing at the wrong time then prepare to suffer for it as your troops will lack the weapons/gear/supplies they require. The way XCOM forces you to care about said troops is remarkable. Unlike C&C etc. where you just hit the 'create' button to get another twenty squaddies, each soldier is of equally great importance. Every individual soldier has different specialities and skills. The enemies are tough as nails and will take advantage of any slip ups you make and the base building requires a lot of planning. There are many detailed difficulty options to tailor the experience for each specific player so certain aspects can be augmented to be more or less constrictive.
I have not covered all the different gameplay aspects in this review but there are too many to mention. This has to be one of the best games I have ever played and I recommend it to anyone who is patient enough to learn it's intricacies.… Expand
Aug 3, 2013Great strategy game and can be a brain teaser at times you have to plan ahead a lot and 90 percent of new players will fail but will want to replay over and over For first time since final fantasy games from ps1 and ps2 era I actually got attached to a few of my characters and when they die there dead for good you even get a memorial wall for all fallen heroes and the dlc armor looks fantastic and upgrades with your armor upgrades so its never an outdated skin. Personally I can't find many games like this for ps3 so this title will be a keeper… Expand
Oct 13, 2012A great strategy game on the PS3? You don't see that too oftern! So, for fans of the genre or those looking for something different this is utterly unmissable. I don't know if i could convince casual gamers or action heads to buy this but i do hope it gets the sales figures it deserves. Either way this is still one of the games of the year.
Nov 12, 2012I rarely review games, only when i'm so impressed or overwhelmed. This is the case here with xcom.
I am new to the series, but THIS WAS A HUG SMACK ON THE FACE.
this game could easily have gotten a ten, it goes down as one of the best, most addictive games i have played since warcraft frozen throne. It lacks polish and graphical prowess. Apart from that this game is an incredible title . the gameplay (micromanaging ) is perfect in every way… Expand
Oct 18, 2014I own both the PC and console versions, and the PC version is obviously superior. Now before you think I'm here to laugh at console owners, I'm not. I'm just simply saying that if you have to choose between PC and console versions, go get the PC one. Why? Because the load times are shorter and there's not much lag in combat. Lag isn't bad on consoles, but having the PC version, it's smoother and less laggy so I'm moving to that and plan to sell my PS3 copy. Plus, on low settings, the PC version looks like the consoles. Other than those things, the game is the same on all platforms. Again, get the PC version if you have to choose between the two. If for some reason you can't get or play the PC version, then certainly get it on whatever platform you have. I mean, it's also on Android/iOS too, which has the same game but simplified graphics.… Expand
Nov 29, 2012I highly recommend getting this game, starting it up and selecting Classic Ironman difficulty and never looking back. In a sense, this is one of my minor quibbles with the game--so many people start it on Normal, find it too easy, and then make foolish remarks about how this is "dumbed down". I played the original Xcom and beat it. A great game, but it was also from the age when everything was fresh, and so it was easy to overlook the tedious micromanaging, the cheap tactic of using dozens of rookies as cannon fodder to flush out the aliens, boring bug hunts for that last alien holed up at the other end of the map, and the fact that once your campaign got over the initial difficulty your squad became so overpowered it became boring. This game eliminates most of the drudgery but retains all the tactical goodness that is just as deep as the original or Jagged Alliance but without the need to keep a calculator handy to add up time units. I found myself doing as much fussing about the ramifications of every single action in this game as I have in other games. This game's length is just about right. You can stall the final mission if you want and enjoy battles where your 6-man squad rolls over the aliens without much fuss (even in Classic Ironman), but getting to the end game shows up at the right time and isn't a chore. It's been a long time since I've been this excited about a game.… Expand
Mar 13, 2013Superb game. This has been easily the best strategy game I've played on a console in years. I can absolutely understand the varied user reviews as when I started first I thought it was good but not great until a friend of mine straightened me out. You absolutely have to play this game in ironman mode and ideally on Xcom difficulty. This makes you consider your choices carfeully, Every cent you spend every turn you take is the difference between success and an ass kicking. If you play on an easier setting or have the luxury of reloading the game then the tension and the thoughtfullness is taken out of the game.
My main bug bear is the presentation, I'm not an Unreal engine fan anyways but this game can be rough around the edges. Occasionally the animations will have you guy shoot through walls which in this day and age is dissapointing hence the 1 point drop. Camera control is generally spot on but there are occasions where you can't quite tell if an enemy is within your grenade area of effect or not. Also my international crack team all have the same american accent and limtied set of vocals. None of these affect the gameplay experience but I couldn't give a game 10 without that attention to detail. Online too is relatively enjoyable (unexpectedly) There could be better effort placed on ranking systems or soem level of progression to keep it interesting and more competitive but the existing system where you have the same selection choices as your opponent based on a points spending system means at least games are always fair match ups.… Expand
This game is fantastic and faithful to the original. Sure the time units are missing, and as a result it waters down the strategy a bit but to tap into today's market it was a pretty logical move. There are a few hang-ups here and there with cut-scenes/frame rate, etc... but pretty insignificant stuff. I would say the pace is a bit slow to get going if you're doing the tutorials, but if you've never played an XCOM game before, it's completely necessary since there is a lot to wrap your head around.… Collapse
Oct 29, 2012Console gaming needs more titles like this! I bought XCOM the same day as Dishonored and will be playing it long after that game (as well as many other fall releases). This game is a breath of fresh air that is in the same league as Valkyria Chronicles.
Feb 11, 2013Fire Axis have done a great job of bringing this classic pc series upto date and on to consoles. A turn based stratedgy game. Console versions usually suffer due too the lack of pc mouse point and click but Fire Axis have done a great job of mapping the controls to the dual-shock pad every command is easily found even when in the heat of battle. Commands are not hidden behind unecessary menus. Xcom enemy uknown is easy to pick up and hard to put down. A highly challenging stratedgy game were the games Ai will constantly work tooo beat you and suceed a lot. As you learn each enemy you will begin to progress. Difficulty is chosen by the player normal is the best starter option. Even players of the original will struggle with diving straight into classic mode. To research all the available technology trees will take many hours of play it can take well over 20hours to complete dependending on how you play. I have reached 40hours and have yet too complete it but my squad is fully upgraded with lazer guns and mind controll psi tech i researched from the aliens. squads and breeds of alien classes are many and varied each bringing there own challenges to the game. You must defend the earth from alien attack and must not lose 8 countries to the aliens or the over seeing council will terminate the x-com op. While trying to find the aliens main base and there leader. There is also a dlc story add on that adds a mission timer and new squad type. And a seperate dlc for character armor customisation. Over-all a must buy for stratedgy fans and a great introduction to stratedgy games for new players.… Expand
Jul 28, 2014Two words can be used to describe this game: addicting and strategic. This game was very fun in almost all levels of managing and gameplay. I was hooked, I honestly did felt in control of everything..and the game was pretty challenging in pretty much all levels from maintaining panic levels to how you're going to take down enemies in game. Definitely a game where you need to do some homework to advance and not get everyone killed/ lose all the countries. Now this game does suffer from technical difficulties, like stuttering/framerate issues, and bugs/glitches that does ruin the experience a little bit, but overall I lost myself to this game for hours because of how fun and addicting it is.… Expand
Oct 10, 2012I really enjoy the game. I will start off talking about what I like. 1) the feel of being the underdog, battling for survival (I play on a harder difficulty) 2) the look of the game 3) The customization options for your base, troops, interceptors etc. 4) The tech tree and how you go about doing it 5) overall game-play is addictive 6) sound is good 7) combat is streamlined and fun
What could use improvement:
1) the ability to change your soilders Nationality/gender. Everyone would enjoy naming soilders after friends, significant others, people you know or characters you've created and played in the past in other games. Some people say every soilder would be from the same country if they allowed this... I feel sorry for their homogenous social structure.
2) other than explosives, your choices of how to kill/maim the aliens affects the artifacts, and you actually see the pieces around the ground, highlighted for later salvage.
3) Having to build a prototype after the researchis over, before you can manufacture for deployment
4) Random maps/more maps
What the game is missing:
1) for what it is, and was intended to be, not much.... maybe some more variation in the mission start sequences so you don't feel inclined to click past the mission briefing.
Overall I would recommend this game as a definate go-get… Expand
Dec 6, 2012THis was my first time playing xcom, and I have to tell you guys, it was a surprise how awesome it was! Infact I picked it up on black Friday for 25 bucks just to settle my gaming taste buds while I awaited a big release, however it turned out to be way better then I expected. The sound is a check! the graphics are a check! the replay value is a check! the story is a check!what more could u guys ask for?… Expand
Oct 10, 2012Well I have been waiting for this game for about 18 years. Though I did not know that since I did not know it was in-development until this past E3. With being a huge fan of the first XCOM I was skeptical when I saw the ARCADY looking characters...but I quickly got over it. This game is a blast to play. If you want a tactical game. I found it far to hard on Classic as I tried to play three rounds and sent 12 men home in the process. So I changed it to Normal and it is a lot more manageable. BUT it still has challenges. I had two people I had from the beginning get wiped out in their 12th mission...I thought I was smooth sailing but no. This is a very challenging game!
Looks: 8.5 - I only wish all the guys didn;t have the same build. I wish you could customize that more.
Gameplay - 9.3 - Just as good as I remember with a couple of glitches. Camera is tricky in corners and I feel I do not always get the angle I want and to me if you are behind a wall with full sheild you should never be hit unless some throws a Grenade or Rock Launcher. But that is not the case. Doesn't ruin it just thought I should mention it.
Sound: 9.0 - Great music and feel...but not as creepy as the original.
Overall: 9.0: I have played for about 10 hours now and I am still enjoying the missions. I feel the pain when good soldiers die but I enjoy the uncertainty of battle. This game is not for people who want an easy challenge.… Expand
Oct 10, 2012This game was crafted with love. It takes me back to the original. The team at Firaxis should take pride in this one. I was up until the wee hours of the morning hopelessly addicted.
Sep 2, 2013A highly faithful recreation of the PC classic (XCOM: UFO Defense). 2K did everything right with this remake and then some. It's challenging, but still makes itself accessible to new players. If you're like me, and you play most of your games on the console, and you've been looking for a good strategy game, then this is the one you will want to pick up.
Nov 11, 2012Definitely a contender for game of the year. When I heard they were making XCOM for the newest generation of consoles, I suspected it'd either be a graphical facelift to the same old game, as game companies have done so often this generation, or they'd release a seriously dumbed-down slap-dash product counting on nostalgia for the IP to sell copies. Therefore, I was pleasantly surprised when XCOM turned out to be a deep, well-crafted successor to the original. This game streamlined the clunkiness of the original's interface without losing any of the charm or depth. The only knock I have against it is the lack of customizability for your squad. You can change hair and other things, but all 8 voices sound almost exactly the same--a small quibble, I know, and not one that keeps me from wholeheartedly endorsing this game.… Expand
Nov 6, 2012Just finished XCOM: EU and I have to say it is one of my leading contenders for GOTY! Compelling gameplay, eerie sound effects and good graphics make it hard to put down once you start on one of the many missions to save the earth from an invading alien force. Staying true to the original series, XCOM gives players the rare feeling (in video games) that every decision and action has immediate and far reaching consequences. Where every turn can quickly end your trooper's life (and they're not coming back!), you can't help agonizing and second guessing if your next move will send your soldier into a rain of alien plasma shots. This decision making also extends into the 'strategic' portion of base building / country protection of XCOM and you're faced with some hard choices of which country you'll be assisting or which technology to spend resources on - but all this goes into making XCOM the unique game it is - Where your choices actually matter!!! ...Sure, it might be a 'simplified' version compared to the original PC games, but IMO, the developers made the right cuts to in order to make it a more streamlined experience allowing the everyday gamer to easily jump in. In closing, Firaxis has provided gamers a truly remarkable experience in 2012.… Expand
Jan 18, 2013Great game. Xcom is a really good combination of strategy and action, and each mission is incredibly tense. And when you lose a soldier you have nurtured to Colonel you will be devastated! Slightly too easy once you have built all the satellites though.
Mar 5, 2013If you like deep, tactic games, it's a must have.
The game have nice graphics with a nice atmosphere but the gameplay, missions, choices and possibilities that the game offers are the really enjoyable gem of this game.
Tons of hours, replay value and quality in every aspect of this great game.
Apr 13, 2013I always loved the game on the PC, but the PS3 version really gives it a cool twist. I have finished the campaign twice and the second time i added the flank bonus critical, which makes it real tough, but also from a strategic point of view more fair. Also loved the "guided missile" if you find your fusion reactor, didn't know of this research after the second campaign. I really hope this game will also be released on PS-vita, would be one of my favorite games then.… Expand
Aug 18, 2013How did this game pass me by? If it wasn't for Playstation plus, I probably would never had played it.
Years ago, me and my mate used to play space crusade on the Commadore Amiga 500. It was a turn based strategy game, your squad against a bunch of aliens, moving room to room to complete an objective and get safely back to your ship, sometimes without all of your squad.
It was tense, it was a thinking mans game and I thought I would never play another like it, until now.
XCOM: enemy unknown is that game from my childhood. It has all the things I've just mentioned, and so much more. It takes you through an easy tutorial of all the game mechanics, from the frontline, to managing your base's facilities, weapons development and financial income. You really feel like its you against an overwhelming alien threat, and its so much fun from the beginning to the end.
You'll even want to play it all over again.
My only criticism is the missed opportunity with multiplayer. Remember how much fun "worms" was? This could of been much the same amount of fun. Imagine, four local players in a room together, each with a team of four marines. Passing a pad around, blowing each other away until there's just one team left standing. Instead we get an online only, one on one battle. Such a shame.
Regardless, single player is incredible. Well worth a play, and a refreshing change from all the first-person shooters out there.… Expand
Aug 30, 2013This game will absolutely SUCK YOU IN i personally played hours of it, although sometimes you will come
across a minor bug/glitch but nothing serious multiplayer isnt that great, matchmaking is bad but once you really get in to a match it can be really fun.
Apr 24, 2014Damn if you play this you will get destroyed. What, confused why it gets 9 its x-com you suppose to get destroyed its a hard game. I admit its dumbed down a bit but if you think about sadly this day in age new gamers for because most are 5-15 year olds (I'm not happy about it) they action, action all day long. Poor kids I got to say. Anyway at start you only get a squad of 4 but with upgrades 6 which makes them more valuable. you research guns, armor, gear, biology, etc. you get cut scenes now which are welcome if you think of it. Something some whine about "but you can only send 1 squad" I know that's good it makes you go " okay got to chose dammit which one" so it is hard as hell. Right I got to say what's wrong no base attacks, and some many other things the classic ones had sadly overall though its great… Expand
Oct 13, 2012PC players, especially strategy gamers, have long had the joy of games where they had to play just "one...more...turn". Now that fun has come to the console. Sure there's been other similar turn-based games for PS3, but this one has taken a classic and re-imagined it for an HD and thumbstick world. Skill levels, base management, cutscenes, character progression, science fiction setting, great sound effects...all good things on their own but combine that with a tactical squad simulation that's easy to learn, difficult to master and Firaxis has a masterpiece. I haven't personally run into game freezing that's been complained about though I can see where others have noticed video/audio stutter and that's why the title doesn't get a 9, but the rest of the game is replayability heaven.… Expand
Dec 5, 2012Tons and tons of fun. I spent around 40 hours just playing through the game once. The tactical combat system works surprisingly on the PS3. There are a few things that hold the game back, like lag, frequent loading times, and some bugs. Overall though, these minor flaws don't detract from the game, but they do get annoying.
Dec 11, 2013What it does, it does excellent. I'm not a strategy fan, not a turn-based fan, yet I loved this. What I did not like is the fact that the learning curve is really high. The beginning is much to difficult. Once your soldiers start leveling up though, the game gets too easy. So the balance isn't all that great. Luckily you can change the difficulty any time. So you could play the beginning on easy, and after a while turn it up to normal. That's what I did. But the difference between easy and normal was too great for me. Easy being way to easy, and normal being too hard. Again, I'm never play strategy games so i'm a complete noob.… Expand
Oct 7, 2013The first hours of playing, I was ready to give this game a 10/10. The content and gameplay that is in the game is just brilliant. But as the hours went on, I found little new elements. The campaign is almost like a Fifa soccer campaign in the sense that the whole setup for how you approach the story is reset for every single round. There is little sense of continual progress, of exploration, from hour to hour. The changes in the level design and in unlocking new technologies have little effect on the core gameplay. It lacked the kind of artful and intricate storytelling I've come to expect from modern games. And as a 'manager' or 'simulation' type game, I miss something technically enlightening to take away from the game. I didn't learn anything about those laser rifles, or about what the aliens were out for, etc. The rounds of "kill the aliens on this map" just went on and on, with the added side tasks of maintaining the military base. After playing a good chunk of the campaign, it started to feel worn and pointless, so I kind of lost interest. Ultimately I recommend the game to the wide public, but strategy fans will get most appreciation out of its ingenuity. Oh, and don't forget to turn off the action sequences as they are only there to add empty 'oomph'.… Expand
Oct 21, 2012There is a lot of fun to be had with this game, though there are a few unfortunate things to take in to account. The game crashes on mission start up during the end game. Line of sight tests awkwardly. You can't move the camera and it's too stupid on its own. Another thing to note is that the game is streamlined, in some cases just the right amount, but in others too much. If you liked building bases and managing multiple transports and troops and tracking multiple UFOs to shoot them down, all that is missing. The lack of free aiming all attacks is also frustrating. However, they made changes to their action point and ammo systems that speed the game up and simplify it only a little.
It would be nice if there were more and more random maps as well as a wider variety of mission types and I would love to see base management revived, but as it stands I can get a lot of fun out of the game. It took me a week to write a review simply because I didn't want to waste Xcom play time till now.… Expand
Mar 26, 2013A tense game of personal stake and challenge as it ramps up, with a wonderful aesthetic and a care unseen in so many reboots. A game undoubtably worth the money.
Jan 27, 2013When I first saw a preview for the new (now scrapped) installment of the XCOM franchise, I saw a Mass Effect clone set somewhere around the 1950s-70s. Then "Real Fans" of the early XCOM games got their hands on the franchise and gave it a good old modern re-editing; at least to the best of their ability. Now I never played the earlier games (hell I'm not even finished with this game by the time I write this review), so I won't compare this game with past installments. THE PROS: 1)a sci-fi turn based strategy game that will truly test players gaming skills where the challenge level will not deteriorate as your squad mates level up or get equipped with better weapons/armor/items but the enemy AI; even the missions themselves, will feel like they're actually leveling up along with you and have strategies lined up to make your mission to safe the Earth and repel the invading aliens a long, hard-fought war. Players will gain a sense of accomplishment or satisfaction for completing each mission, plus if players want a greater challenge, players can turn off the loading function for past saved/auto-saved files for added intrigue. 2) The management of your HQ/Main Base isn't as in-dept as say a Command & Conquer or Civilization, but it's simple and enjoyable enough for any players to get into and quickly understand what action should be first taken before depleting your income or before dispatching your team to their next mission. so it may be simple, but it will force the player to plan ahead and prepare for any scenario. This may be minor, but it shows the quality of strategy in this game however minor
3) The franchises biggest draw, in having the player feel emotionally connected/invested/attached to their squad members whom they themselves created and customized and leveled up through out the whole game from your first mission; where he/she is the last surviving team member and in the end just barely manage to draw out enough strength to kill the last enemy unit standing to give you that "Mission Accomplished" ending. All the way through many more missions, establishing themselves as your go to guy/gal, to their final mission where in his/her last stand of infiltrating an enemy ship got shot down by enemy fire while leading the vanguard of the XCOM team to the final chamber of the ship and having his/her name added onto the Hall of Fallen Soldiers (a memorial for all your forever dead creations of squad members). 4) Use of alien tech for human advantage is available. The CONS: (first three will be more nip-picking than actually cons): 1) the story line isn't anything special but it's still enjoyable; aliens invade earth, earth assembles a special team to repel aliens, the team defeats big boss, the end. What I don't understand is, if the aliens are such a major threat and the major countries are in need of assistant, why would the game designers have the countries lose all trust in the XCOM Project and leave to fend for themselves when their threat level/meter goes beyond red, when they have no means to defend themselves and is already being slaughtered by the aliens when they know they will just either be annihilated or enslaved. Couldn't the game designers just have them simply be overrun by the enemy and the base just lost connection with that country, I just don't like the human logic in this story. 2) The characters are forgettable, generic, and uninteresting (that soldier guy who informs you of any Intel during missions, the ?European? female scientist, and the ?Asian? engineer), evening their design and voice-overs. However the many different aliens and their autopsy reports/minor background infos are somewhat interesting, but still generic for my taste of aliens. 3) The character customization is really lackluster for your squad mates to say the lease; different people from different nations and ethic backgrounds but no personality in their voice-overs (american male voice 1, 2, .... and american female voice 1, 2, ...), generic hair styles plus three DLC masks of questionable design; ?Halo?. Generic and bad facial hair designs where different color palettes just won't cut it. 4) Only 4 members to start out with than up to the max of 6 after in game purchase of 2 extra slots? Couldn't there be more in a team since the EARTH IS UNDER FIRE AND IN THE BRINK OF DESTRUCTION?!
5) Lack of manual aiming of main and secondary firearms but can aim with grenades and a "one shot only" rocket?! With no option to bring more rocket ammo?!?! In fact, only two item slots for each to carry? 6) And what's with the aiming in the later half of this game, my sniper misses on a 90% but my support hits with a 48%, while enemies BEHIND A WALL can hit my guys from a far with a 23% - 51%?! (oh come on my guy was fully covered too).
7) Not to mention the lack of control over the choice of character classes, it's randomize… Expand
Jul 3, 20142K Games you did it again :). First up was Civilization franchise and now I bought this, gj 2K. Best strategy game on PS3 now. The soldier customizing and satellite stuff is just amazing, I have to say. Oh and I was so happy with the gameplay too. Only the bad thing is that there are not so much different stuff to do in this game. Thing is that, there is some aliens--you try to beat them. And the game is little bit boring when you played it little bit. Still game what must to have. And good 8/10 :)… Expand
Apr 27, 2013Fun strategy, has definitely not been 'dumbed down for consoles' and was quite emotional when getting attached to certain soldiers and watching them progress. Re playability is at a minimum though as it is pretty much the same again.
Nov 3, 2012So, XCOM... I never played the original UFO: Enemy Unknown on the PC, so I went into the demo with feelings of skepticism, not believing if the acclaim was deserved or not. However, I finished the demo with one feeling: that I needed to get this game. And, when I did start playing, there was no feeling of regret, and I knew the $90 I had spent on it was spent well. I easily put about 20 hours into the game without feeling like it was pointlessly long. The game offered a real challenge, and for the first time in my life I actually felt terrified of playing any more of a game. The choices to be made in this game have astounding after-effects. For example, you may save the United Kingdom from an abduction instead of Brazil, and Brazil will no longer fund you. And I found myself in one paticular situation when my only Colonel was pinned down with only two health, and a Muton Beserker standing next to him, also with two health. I had a rookie with a grenade. If I were to throw the grenade, I would kill the Muton and my best soldier in the entire game, but there would be a chance of survival. However, if I didn't throw the grenade, my Colonel would most likely die anyway and the surviving team members would need to retreat and evacuate (if they weren't killed by the aliens surrounding them in the act). It's those kind of choices that make XCOM: Enemy Unknown such a great joy to play. It's the sense that your only chance of survival relies on strategy, hunches, weighty decisions and big sacrifices. And, through my twenty plus hours of play (so far), I have spent so much time planning my missions down to the most minute of details, customizing my soldiers to make them immediately recognizable as the core members of my team. Just tuning to the game to fit your liking to the finest of details is a joy within itself. A great part of the game is the choices involved. Sometimes, for example, you will need to risk the lives of everyone on your team to fulfill an objective of the council that fund the XCOM program. You will sometimes need to sacrifice five of your six soldiers to rescue a politician with some pull in the program. Sometimes, though, you'll need to pull your good, effective soldiers out of a dangerous mission, because you know that you will lose them during the mission, and instead put six rookies up to the job of, well, surviving. I would be prepared to say that this is not only a turn-based strategy game, but it is a survival horror game because of the terror that the game evokes as you try and keep your soldiers alive, and risk the lives of them, and send them to certain death, in order to defend the world from an alien invasion that slowly but surely engulfs the entire world. You will find yourself defending against abductions across the world, and destroying UFOs spotted above major cities, engaging in a rather easy combat with the UFO in one of XCOM's many fighter jets. XCOM: Enemy Unknown may just be the my Game of the Year, but at the moment this amazing title is dismissed, as it is the most addicting game I have come across in years, and I am sure I will be playing it, trying to get better, for years to come. This game is truly brilliant and deserves all the praise and critical acclaim it gets from the critics.… Expand
Mar 9, 2013I waited until the price dropped before I bought this game, you see I am usually disappointed by games that get so much praise and media hype (anything CoD, or God of War) because the games are usually just rehashed clones or just plain suck. I was pleasantly surprised by Xcom:enemy unknown, I played for four straight hours the first time I sat down with it and I've been hooked since. I don't know or care if it maintains the legacy of its predecessors but its fun and challenging. I don't like the in-game menu setup, I find it clunky, I don't like the cinematics or the dialog but I love the actual battles, strategy and planning are a must. You won't simply blast your way through these enemies. There are many choices to make but honestly they don't make much difference in the outcome, but you'll get so caught up in the game that you won't care. I definitely recommend this for anyone who enjoyed Halo:wars or any RTS game.… Expand
Jan 20, 2013I am a huge xcom fan. I have played every game from UFO defense to Apocalypse. This Xcom is good however poor design decisions knock it down from being truly fantastic.
Oct 26, 2012Demasiado corto,pocas investigaciones en comparacion con el apocalipsis, muy pero que muy corto, mala planificacion de los recursos tanto el dinero como los objetos, todos los objetos cuando matas a un alien se rompes por lo que solo se pueden o crear, que sale carisimos o cuando capturas a un alien (dificil de siempre).
La impresion es que van a sacar DLC por un tuvo para ampliarlo.
El componente tactico esta bien , pero los alien tienen una punteria y sacan criticos constantemente mientras que tu a pesar de ganar la mision siempre acabas echo polvo y monton de dias en la enfermeria.
Le falta bastante para ajustarlo bien.… Expand
Nov 12, 2012I have to give this a 7 because there is not much there to justify $60 in my opinion. This would be a 9 as a PSN download for $20. Repetitive as it may be, the victories are rewarding and I always want to see what is coming next.
Mar 6, 2013I'v played this everyday since release. And I'm not kidding here when I say that this game has easily the biggest fatal flaw of any game ever. When percentages are wrong. The game is wrong. The manager of the game says it's to "keep things interesting. But if you hand me the wrong numbers. then you are wrong. All the time. I was gonna give this a ten (seriously) but a f;aw this big almost makes this game deserve a passing score. You killed, and wasted your time, developers.… Expand
Nov 28, 2012If you're a fan of the original, you'll (maybe) be let down --it's pretty different. Don't get me wrong, I'm a fan on innovation, but the changes here are quirky (and suspicious...). It plays like some kinda browser-based flash version of x-com. It's clear the changes were necessary just to get the IP made. Since, obviously no one wanted to play the original (well, I did) --it's tedious and methodical. So this modern snazzy version is the new bastard child. Normal setting is piss easy (sooo easy). So you gotta play on classic (hard), then you might feel that nostalgia slipping away. It's hard to describe. If your a fan of the original, rent it. You'll see what I mean. But, If your born in the 90's and never heard of x-com until now, then enjoy!… Expand
Nov 11, 2012This game is good at giving the illusion of choice but in reality your choices are fairly limited or don't really matter. If you don't buy satellites and uplinks straight away you will start to lose nations and it will be game over. Also most items you research and develop often don't ever have much use like SHIV's which I tried to use once but just seemed pointless. Overall I enjoyed playing through the campaign but the game just feels like it's missing a layer or two of depths in certain areas.… Expand
Oct 17, 2012First off, this is really not an X-Com game and if you go in looking at it as a new IP then you will be a lot better off. The game is heavily streamlined/dumbed-down from its origins and rather than a turn-based strategy game like the original X-Com games, you are buying a turn-based ACTION game, like a turn-based Gears of War. You are limited to 4 squad members to start, you cannot build or manage new bases, the maps are pre-done rather than random (and can repeat through a game), and virtually all of the strategic portions of the original X-Com have been deleted. I suspect this was done to "attract the CoD/GeoW audience" but it just makes the unsuitable for any true strategy gamer and its slow pace will certainly keep away the FPS fans. Now this is not specifically a "bad" game, and if you are the type of gamer who thought "wouldn't it be cool to command a Gears of War squadron (dressed in Mass Effect armor) in a turn-based game but without all those unnecessary strategic elements, new base building, and micro-managing" then this is the game for you. X-Com EU has loses the overall strategic gameplay, and is all turn-based action with Mass Effect armor and guns. Not for me, but who knows, there might be an big undiscovered market for this game type.… Expand
Nov 10, 2012i was loving this game for about an hour, then i was so disgusted that i bought this atrocious game i almost commited suicide. if you love gaming, then stay far away from this game as possible!
This game is fantastic and faithful to the original. Sure the time units are missing, and as a result it waters down the strategy a bit but to tap into today's market it was a pretty logical move. There are a few hang-ups here and there with cut-scenes/frame rate, etc... but pretty insignificant stuff. I would say the pace is a bit slow to get going if you're doing the tutorials, but if you've never played an XCOM game before, it's completely necessary since there is a lot to wrap your head around.… Collapse
Nov 16, 2012XCOM: Enemy Unknown is a real sleeper hit. Save for repetitive level design, a basic online component, and some questionable voice acting, the game is magnificent. It may take longer than most to appreciate, but it never fails to deliver.
Nov 12, 2012With losing the United States, we also lost our biggest source of incoming funds. And no funding equals no means to combat the enemy. XCOM is all about long term planning, which we found out the hard way. [November 2012, p.58]
Oct 23, 2012XCOM has more meaningful decisions and consequences than Mass Effect and more scares than Resident Evil. Turn-based strategy games are cool again. [Dec 2012, p.98]


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Think Boulder's the ultimate destination for liberals in America? Livability.com disagrees. Yes, Boulder made the site's list of ten best cities for liberals, but several places finished ahead of it. Do you agree with the picks? Find out by counting down the photo-illustrated top ten, featuring exce ... More >>
Sixty years ago, Fred Flintstone hawked Winston cigarettes. Today, he pitches cereal. And both can kill. Stephanie Soechtig's rabble-rousing documentary Fed Up argues that it's time to attack Big Sugar just like we successfully demonized Big Tobacco. Narrated by Katie Couric, Fed Up is the first do ... More >>
The news that George McGovern, now ninety, is in hospice care stirred memories -- not just of his campaign for president, but of a night in Ovando, Montana. I was at Trixi's Antler Saloon when I started seeing familiar faces passing by: a man who looked like Dick Lamm, a woman who looked like Dottie ... More >>
Over the last four decades Gary Hart has been a major force in politics -- from "inventing" the Iowa caucuses while managing George McGovern's 1972 presidential campaign, to unintentionally creating the template for political sex scandals with the "monkey business" photo during his 1987 run for the ... More >>
"Hunter [Thompson] was always asking me and other people to read his work aloud," remembers Matt Moseley, friend and fellow freedom fighter with Thompson in the controversial Lisl Auman case. "He wrote his work to be read aloud. When he was working on a new piece he'd say, 'Read a couple of paragrap ... More >>
Catching up on my reading over the weekend, I found that the January 19 New Yorker has a terrific piece by Caleb Crain discussing the emergence of new, revisionist accounts of the Ludlow Massacre. "There Was Blood" delves into the bloody conflicts in the southern Colorado coalfields a century a ... More >>
Write your own punchline. Editor's note: To get you in the mood for ballot-casting, The Latest Word is kicking off each weekday between now and the November 4 election with Buttoned Up, a look at political buttons from my family's extensive collection... Frankly, I have no idea to what this butto ... More >>
Poor Gary Hart. The former senator, erstwhile presidential candidate and subject of two recent Westword Q&As (click here and here to check them out) got to walk the red carpet with -- woo-hoo! -- Arianna Huffington prior to an American Film Institute tribute to actor/director Warren Beatty, and he w ... More >>
Call hell-raiser Hunter S. Thompson's style what you will, a new doc succeeds when saluting his substance.
Launched in 2004, AM 760, the local Clear Channel branch's foray into progressive talk, has never earned especially robust ratings. But the company has stuck with the format far longer than many radio observers expected, and the station will be around for quite a while more if morning host Jay Marvi ... More >>
Letters from the week of 2/14/2008
Gary Hart on blogging, the media and his life's third act.
Congress and its members.
CRL knows how to buy friends and influence people.

subset: commoncrawl


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NIAMEY, Niger (AP) -- Niger has freed two journalists and an activist who were detained this week as part of a recent spate of arrests condemned by international press freedom groups.
Zakari Amadou, a talk show host, and Ousmane Dan Badji, editor of the newspaper L'Union, confirmed their release on Thursday. However, Badji said he has been told the case against him remains active.
Officials have said that during a televised debate on Jan. 14 the Nigerian journalists allegedly accused President Mahamadou Issoufou of corruption. They appeared alongside activist Nayoussa Djimraou who also was detained.
Last week, two other Nigerian journalists were detained based on similar accusations but released Monday.
Reporters Without Boarders and the Committee to Protect Journalists had both issued statements calling for the journalists to be freed.
Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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By RICHARD DAWKINS
Added: Fri, 22 Apr 2011 08:46:20 UTC
During the time when this site was out of action for technical reasons that seem to have originated with Amazon and spread widely through the Internet, there was a heated discussion on Jerry Coyne's WEIT website. Under the heading, 'Another Tom Johnson: Did Dawkins call religious people "Nazis"?' Jerry quoted somebody called Nick Matzke, an accommodationist who went so far as to accuse me as follows:
Well, I have seen Richard Dawkins address large general audiences and quite deliberately, but ridiculously, play the Nazi card against religion. It's an instance of Godwin's Law, and it's no better when Dawkins does it than when anyone else does it.
The discussion that ensued on the WEIT site is worth a look. Obviously I think Matzke was wrong, but judge for yourself if you have the time.
Richard Dawkins 40 Comments
Finding the Faithless: Perceived...
AtheistEgbert 0 Comments
If you have to be genius to be atheist,...
perspicacity1111 192 Comments
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BEIRUT – Men pull a girl from the rubble and haul her onto a dirty sheet of plastic, while another child, coated in white dust save for a red streak of blood from his nose, lies with his crushed leg dangling off a gurney – the grisly aftermath from the dropping of a crude "barrel bomb" by Syrian forces on the city of Aleppo.
The bombing – one of at least seven such attacks Tuesday in Aleppo – struck a mosque that was being used as a school, killing at least 11 people, including at least five children, activists said.
A video supplied by activists showed scenes of the carnage and was consistent with what reporting by The Associated Press found.
It was the latest example of the heightened use of barrel bombs, devices packed with fuel, explosives and scrap metal and hurled from helicopters. Since Thursday, about 80 people have been killed by barrel bombs used by President Bashar Assad's forces to try to dislodge rebels from Aleppo, according to figures provided by the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which relies on a network of activists on the ground.
The video shows and boys running around a building that has been torn in half by an explosion. It is the beginning of a grim litany of death, as seen from the jerking camera.
A child, his legs missing, lies on the ground, partly covered by a blanket. A man carries a lifeless boy and leaves him on the sidewalk near two other mangled corpses. An older man with a bloodied face stumbles toward the child, weeping, "Oh, God, your grace, oh, God."
"Bashar, you lowlife!" cries one man, referring to the Syrian ruler, raising his hands angrily to the sky.


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If you are taking this medication under your doctor's direction, your doctor or pharmacist may already be aware of any possible drug interactions and may be monitoring you for them. Do not start, stop, or change the dosage of any medicine before checking with your doctor or pharmacist first.
Before using this product, tell your doctor or pharmacist of all prescription and...Read more
Pain relief can be available without a prescription. And for centuries, ointments, rubs and liniments have been applied to the skin over... Read more »
Normally we don't experience pain from osteoporosis until we sustain a fracture. Due to this lack of pain, some fractures may go... Read more »
Migraineurs and other chronic pain patients who use narcotics (opioids) are often asked to sign narcotics contracts, or treatment agreements, with... Read more »
Source: eOrthopod
Most everyone knows narcotic pain killers like morphine, Percocet, and Vicodin are powerful. Doctors prescribe them with caution because although... Read more »
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Updated On: Aug 17 2013 09:10:00 AM EDT
A Wisconsin woman is in jail after being accused of holding two men against their will and forcing one of them to have sex with her.
Terry L. Boyd, 52, was arrested on Monday and charged with false imprisonment, obstructing an officer, disorderly conduct and bail jumping for two separate incidents where she imprisoned men, one of whom was her roommate.
The first incident happened around 3:49 a.m. Monday when officers responded to a call from neighbors who heard a loud argument and a man screaming for help.
Officers arrived to see Boyd blocking the entrance. One of the men in the incident threw a set of keys to the cops who then forced their way into the house, according to the Wisconsin Rapids Tribune.
The men told the officers that the suspect refused to let them leave until one of them had sex with her. The male victims were rescued but told police they did not want to press charges, according to the police report.
After the incident, Boyd called the Aspirus Wausau Hospital emergency room, a counseling agency and dispatchers to report that police had "beaten her up."
An ambulance took her to the hospital where she allegedly became combative with medical personnel. She was then arrested on preliminary charges of disorderly conduct.
One of the victims tells investigators that the suspect is not a bad person, but called police because they didn't want anyone to get hurt. Both the man and police say Boyd's medication had recently been changed.
Boyd will appear in court for a review hearing on Sept. 5.
A German man found himself in a similar situation in 2012, when he fled to cops after a woman demanding sex tried to keep him from leaving her home.
Copyright 2013 by News4Jax.com. The Associated Press contributed to this report. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
The views expressed below are not those of News4Jax or its affiliated companies. By clicking on "Post," you acknowledge that you have read the Terms of Service and your comment is in compliance with such terms. Readers, please help keep this discussion respectful and on topic by flagging comments that are offensive or inappropriate (hover over the commenter's name and you'll see the flag option appear on right side of that line). And remember, respect goes both ways: Tolerance of others' opinions is important in a free discourse. If you're easily offended by strong opinions, you might skip reading comments entirely.


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For those in the know, Lelo don't make 'sex toys' – they make 'pleasure objects'. In short, Lelo have set themselves apart from the rest of the crowd by creating sex toys which are so beautiful that they wouldn't look out of place on display in your lounge.
The Lelo Ina 2 is the follow up to the original Ina, and is essentially Lelo's very successful take on the famous rabbit vibrator design.
With eight separate speed settings and a perfect ergonomically designed shaft they really have managed to yet again tick all of the boxes. This vibrator is perfectly smooth and the batteries are fully rechargeable which means you don't need to worry about any battery disappointments mid-session!
The Lelo Ina 2 has received fantastic reviews from just about everyone who has managed to pull themselves away from it long enough to stop quivering and write one!


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Weather Links
Humidity 72%
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Sponsored by: Arceneaux Ford
Humidity 72%
Winds 9.2mph
Feb 24, 2014 7:31 AM by Alyssa Bereznak
Taco Bell is not a thing you plan to eat, per se. After a few drinks or a bad day, it just sort of happens.
That's why we're so excited about the company's plan to release a mobile ordering app. According to the Nation's Restaurant News, the Taco Bell app will be out later this year. Almost as soon as you experience a spontaneous craving for a Cheesy Gordita Crunch, you will be able order it with a few taps on your smartphone. When you arrive at the nearest Taco Bell, it will be waiting for you.
You get your immediate caloric comfort blanket, and Taco Bell gets your $2.49. Everybody wins.
The Southern California-based fast food chain started working on this app about two and a half years ago, per the NRN. Recently, it tested a beta version in five of its Orange County locations. Within the next few weeks, it'll expand the service to more select restaurants. Taco Bell plans to give the gift of mobile chalupas to the rest of the country later this year, once all the operational kinks are worked out.
As soon as you choose what you want, the app will locate the closest Taco Bell and tell you its hours and directions. Because nothing says, "Your life is a sad mess" more than eating cold Taco Bell, the system uses GPS to pinpoint the location of whomever's ordering, so the kitchen staff knows when to start making the order. Usually, allowing a fast-food restaurant to track my location would feel like an invasion of privacy, but if I'm ordering Taco Bell from my phone, I'm assuming all my normal reasoning skills are out the door.
Once you've arrived, you can either walk into the store and pick up your grub, or pull up to the drive through and say, "Mobile order for [your name]" into the call box. When a taco craving strikes, it's important to be efficient with your communication.
And if your blood pressure wasn't peaking just yet, there's more of this on the way. Chains like McDonald's and Chick-fil-A also plan to release mobile ordering apps this year.
If only they were here in time for this Valentine's Day.
2 hours ago


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In the November issue, writer Melissa Gaskill takes readers to Lost Maples State Natural Area, a state park in Vanderpool that is famous for its beautiful fall foliage. Senior Editor Loir Moffatt visits here with park interpreter Richard Treece and park superintendent Shawn Greene about fall color, how to avoid the crowds (visit during the week if possible), and the capricious weather-whims of Mother Nature.
In the November issue of Texas Highways, Babs Rodriguez remembers awkward childhood visits to Grandmother. Here's the full story.


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15:27 2nd August 2013
Young side in action tonight
A Wolves Development XI will make the short trip to take on Chasetown this evening (7.30pm).
The club will also take a look at several young trialists during the game.
Admission is on the gate - £5 for adults, £3 for concessions.
SQUAD: McCarey, Kostrna, Tank, Ihiekwe, Reckord, Eusebio, Whittall, Jakobsson, Cranston, Moli, Condi. SUBS: Flatt, Kellermann, Urquart, Keita, Matinyadze.
Ten man team pushes Villa all the way.
3 days ago
Next Generation: Ben O'Hanlon
3 days ago
Loan deal for young keeper
20 Nov 2014
Defender moving closer
11 Nov 2014
Date set for Under-21s cup tie
11 Nov 2014
New Academy & Arena to be opened today
06 Nov 2014


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Humidity 93%
Winds 18.4mph
Humidity 93%
Winds 18.4mph
Mar 22, 2013 5:20 AM
A night watchman chased off a pair of burglars at a Lexington construction site early Friday morning.
Police say the guard spotted two men inside a home under construction in the Maidencane neighborhood off Todds Road near I-75. The watchman told police the burglars were apparently trying to steal new, boxed appliances from the construction site. The guard chased the men, but they split up and he lost them in the dark.
A police dog was not able to trail the suspects.
The same guard spotted a suspicious fire in the same area a couple of weeks ago.
7 hours ago


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False 1 English 52 Menopause Talking with the Doctor, Questions for the Doctor Doctor Visits, Women 9/30/2014 6:01:08 PM http://www.healthfinder.gov/HealthTopics/glmedia/tools_icons/menopausequestionsforthedoctor.jpg http://healthfinder.gov/HealthTopics/Category/doctor-visits/talking-with-the-doctor/menopause-questions-for-the-doctor Get Enough Calcium http://healthfinder.gov/HealthTopics/Category/nutrition-and-physical-activity/nutrition/get-enough-calcium topic Keep Your Heart Healthy http://healthfinder.gov/HealthTopics/Category/health-conditions-and-diseases/heart-health/keep-your-heart-healthy topic Protect Your Health As You Grow Older http://healthfinder.gov/HealthTopics/Category/nutrition-and-physical-activity/physical-activity/protect-your-health-as-you-grow-older topic http://womenshealth.gov/menopause/ http://womenshealth.gov/menopause/ http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/tutorials/menopauseintroduction/htm/index.htm http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/tutorials/menopauseintroduction/htm/index.htm
Menopause is when women stop getting their period. It's also called "the change." Menopause is different for each woman, but most women reach menopause around age 50.

As you get closer to menopause, your ovaries make less and less female hormones, called estrogen ("ES-tra-jin") and progesterone ("pro-JES-ter-own"). Eventually, your ovaries stop making these hormones completely. Symptoms of menopause can include:

Irregular bleeding (more or less often than usual)

Hot flashes

Mood swings

Trouble sleeping

More or less interest in sex

Vaginal dryness

It can take 2 to 8 years to go through menopause. Menopause is finished when you haven't had a period in 12 months. Once you've finished menopause, you won't be able to get pregnant.

What do I ask the doctor?

Visiting the doctor can be stressful. It helps to have questions written down before your appointment. You can also print out this list of questions to take with you.

How do I know if I'm going through menopause?

How do I know if the changes in my period are from menopause or a sign of a problem?

What other changes will I go through?

Is there something I can do to control hot flashes?

Are there changes I can make to my diet and physical activity to stay healthy during menopause?

Is hormone therapy a good idea for me?

Are there alternative therapies, like herbal supplements, that might help with my symptoms?

What other steps can I take to be more comfortable?

When can I stop using birth control?

What can I do to stay healthy as I get older? For example, how can I reduce my risk for osteoporosis and heart disease?

 http://healthfinder.gov/prevention/glmedia/bw_hf_logo.gif http://healthfinder.gov


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Interests: traveling, photography, scuba-diving, dancing (salsa, tango)
Website and blog: beuchatphotography.com and nicolasbeuchat.wordpress.com
Watch this Author's files
Use it all the time!
Brilliant! Saves me a lot of computation time and I gain in precision :-)
Hi Lucas,
I imagine that you are referring to the default file name feature? The program take as default filename the figure name (not the title). You can change the figure name by doing:
Hi Jessica!
Did you call savemultfigs a second time? Or do you have this error systematically? There is a bug I haven't solved yet that gives this error when savemultfigs is called a second time while the other savemultfigs is still open.
If that's the case, the solution for now is simply to close the gui and relaunch savemultfigs.
Thanks for the comments! I will try to solve this bug and incorporate other useful comments.
Great gui! It appears eps is saved in black and white? Is there a way to change that? Thanks!!
Awesome tool!
A bug: figure names with comma create one file with no extension and stop the saving process for all further files (same file with different extension of other files).
Works perfectly.
This is a great tool. One suggestion: if you change the eps box to epsc then it will save as a color image.
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It's been quite a while since the last official blog post, specifically almost 6 months. This is in no way due to a slowdown of eBoundHost activity, quite to the contrary, we have been so busy that it's been difficult to keep up with non-critical things like this blog.
The last 6 months have brought a lot of behind the scenes changes to our team, office, data center, even a refresh of our office computers.
Most importantly we have added some fresh new faces to our customer support team. Of course, the term "fresh" is relative, since our team members are industry veterans (if you can say that for a 10 year industry). Those of you who have the pleasure to work with our support team will notice some new names on your support tickets, be sure to put them through their paces! No need to go easy on them just because they are new.
Our data center has been expanded in order to accommodate projected growth. This has involved new rackspace, more bandwidth and more electrical power. Since even the smallest changes to the data center can lead to unexpected consequences, we try to plan ahead as far as reasonable and make incremental changes. The latest update should take us through the middle of 2011 without any more major upgrades.
And finally, we are in the midst of a office move. We outgrew the previous office of 7 years and have moved up to a beautiful new office with large windows. It may be strange to mention that this office has large windows, but you would be surprised at how many potential offices we turned down due to the lack of sunlight. We might be computer people, but aesthetics and comfort of the office environment are paramount. We spend more time working than any other activity, even sleeping takes less time during the week, so the office environment has to be comfortable.
That's it for now, lots of other things going on that we can't get into just yet, but a few major changes are in the pipeline. Stay tuned!


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We're loving January Jones's rumpled, lived-in bob.
THE STYLE A wavy, rumpled bob with an imperfect part
WHERE The 2010 ESPY Awards in Los Angeles
WHY WE LOVE IT January Jones is one of our favorite beauty risk-takers and this mussed crop didn't disappoint. We love the way the lived-in texture accentuates the detailed layers and angles in her cut.Read MoreLess


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Jamal Crawford Sinks A Half-Court Shot With Ease
Even though it's only the first round of the NBA playoffs, California has a pretty good rivalry going on between the Clippers and Warriors, and the first game did not disappoint.
adidas Unveils Short Sleeve NBA Jerseys
Well, this is definitely interesting. I don't think I would have ever seen this coming, but on February 22nd, the Golden State Warriors will be rocking these new short-sleeved jerseys. What's your guy's opinion on the new jerseys?
NBA Rookie Brandon Jennings Drops 55 Against the Warriors
Brandon Jennings just dropped 55 points against the Warriors tonight, including 29 in the 3rd quarter. Damn. He's the youngest player ever to drop over 50 points. Can you say Rookie of the Year? How about MVP? This dude is having an amazing rookie season so keep an eye on him. Can you believe he did this in Under Armour B-ball kicks? Check out his stat line after the jump.


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news and updates
I also updated the gallery with screen captures from Billie Speare, a short film in 2012 which Ava was nominated for a Young Artist Award for!
Plus, I wanted to add that I have more details on Ava's character and film, Love is All You Need?. Ava is playing the role of Paula Santilli according to IMDB. IMDB says that the movie is about "A guy and a girl, who fall in love in a world where homosexuality is the norm, find themselves bullied after their relationship goes public." The movie is also starring with Family Guy and Young and Hungry actress, Emily Osment, along with Step Up actress, Briana Evigan. Just thought I would update.
Twitter: @alwaysavacom
Instagram: @alwaysavacom
Also, I wanted to mention that Ava is starring as a lead role in a film! Ava shared on her social media plus snapchat, that she is a lead role in a new film called, Love is All You Need. The film is based off the award winning short film in 2011 about bullying. There are no details yet on Ava's character, but I do know that she is playing the lead role. The official website is http://loveisallyouneedthemovie.com if you are interested in finding out more. Stay tuned for more updates on the #LoveIsAllYouNeed movie!
our gallery and making a few changes to the site, but this is it for now!
This is my first experience with HTML and CSS, so the site probably won''t be at it's very best for now, but in the future, Always Ava will for sure be getting better, more high-quality layouts! If you would like to contact me, go to our contact page, or email me at firstname.lastname@example.com.
That's all there is for now so, enjoy the site!


text: Russia Today Publishes Excerpts of Allegedly Hacked Benghazi Emails by Liberty Chick 19 Mar 2013 post a comment Share This: Russia Today has released excerpts of what are said to be highly sensitive emails sent from a former Clinton administration staffer to former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton following the September attacks on the consulate in Benghazi, obtained this week by a hacker known as "Guccifer." "Guccifer" claims to have obtained the emails by compromising the AOL account of Sidney Blumenthal, a former assistant to President Bill Clinton. If authentic, the emails appear to contain information about the Benghazi attack, and were leaked by the hacker to a number of select news outlets and other individuals, including many members of Congress. "Guccifer" had previously breached an email account associated with former president George W. Bush and had also defaced the Facebook page of former Secretary of State Colin Powell. This latest breach comes in the wake of the recent doxing of numerous celebrities and high profile political figures. The excerpts of the allegedly leaked Benghazi memos are presented here by way of Russia Today: Hillary Clinton's hacked Benghazi emails sent to RT The Smoking Gun first broke the story on March 15th when it reported that Blumenthal's account had been compromised: Hacker Targets Clinton Confidant In New Attack On March 18th, the Smoking Gun followed up with details about the contents of the emails and how the information was leaked, including how the hacker came upon the memos sent to Hillary Clinton: Hacker Begins Distributing Confidential Memos Sent To Hillary Clinton On Libya, Benghazi Attack Breitbart News will continue to follow new developments in this story as information becomes available.


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Save the Date! November 19 - 21, 2014
Three days of intensive workshops on fiction, nonfiction, poetry, publishing, and more! All of them taught by respected visiting authors and agents in the heart of downtown Miami at the Wolfson Campus of Miami Dade College.
How to register (includes link to registration forms, fees and submission instructions)
• One-Day Publishing Lectures:
Self-Publishing: How to Make it Work for You with Karen Schechner
How Publishing Works: An Insider's Long View with Jane Rosenman
• One-Day Workshops (In Spanish):
El proceso de crear un libro ilustrado con Cristina Keller
¿Cómo publicar un E-book en el Nuevo mundo editorial? con Marlene Moleón
• Three-Day Workshops:
Inclusion, Omission and Precision in Poetry with Tony Hoagland
Fictive Beginnings: Opening Words Open a World with Bradford Morrow
Note: Space in workshops is limited. Register as soon as possible to secure your space. Payment must be received at time of registration and must have cleared at least five business days prior to the first day of class. Please note registration deadlines for each course. Please speak to a member of our registrations staff if you require clarification.
*The Writers Institute Refund Policy
Please note that because enrollment in most workshops is limited to 15 students, we must have ample time to seek and register a replacement should you be forced to cancel your attendance to the Writers Institute. For that reason, the deadline to cancel your registration for any workshop or lecture and receive a full refund is October 22, 2014. After that date, we will not be able to offer any refunds.


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For 26 years, Pegasus Theatre has been taking the color out of stage comedy. They do it in "Living Black and White," a trade-secret method of makeup, costume and scenery that strips all the color away onstage -- except for the slip of an actor's pink tongue or a glimpse of blue eyes. Pegasus' cu ... More >>
Pegasus' annual black-and-white offering should pick up the pace.
Lady Windermere's Fan flutters in Plano; Blacken Blues works wild ideas into Corporate Plantation
Pegasus Theatre wins with a comic tribute to B-movies and three guys named Stooge


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Photos and Description of this 3 bedroom holiday home in Howey-in-the-Hills
2 Bedrooms, 3 Bathrooms, 6 Sleeps
Pristine Howey-in-the-Hills is a rural village located on the shoreline of Little Lake Harris. Our Town is secluded from, yet convenient to, the best of Orlando's attractions and both of Florida's coasts. It is a delightful, quiet, safe and well-kept community that offers family focused living surrounded by a striking panorama of glistening lakes and nestled among the gently rolling hills.
Beautiful Golf / Lake Home in Central Florida in quiet community. This home offers 3 bedrooms and can sleep 6 people. It has an in ground pool with a lanai. Close to many attractions, such as Disney, Orlando International Airport, Ocala National Forest. And 2 hours from either coast. A great get away for anyone looking for that perfect vacation. Located only one mile from Mission Inn Resort as well as over a dozen golf courses within a 20 mile radius. Bella Colinas Golf Course and Montverde Academy is located just 10 miles away. Renninger's Flea market is only 10 miles away and is open year round with over 1000 vendors. Bring you family and friends to Howey in the Hills for the best vacation anyone could ask for !
- Suitability:
- children welcome
- non smoking only
- pets not allowed
- wheelchair accessible


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Click on a thumbnail to go to Google Books.
Angels' Blood
Work details
Angels' Blood by Nalini Singh
Compact | Rate recommendations
No current Talk conversations about this book.
An acquaintance praised this book so much that I, ever the trustful fool, decided to pick it up and give it a try.
Note to self: never, ever follow tips given by peopole whose tastes I don't know much about.
Sure, the fact that she slobbered over Twilight should have been a clue about how reliable her judgment on books can be (for me).
I couldn't force myself to go further than page 50, it was that painful.
Ok, out with it: Elena is a dimwit.
She sees Raphael and every braincell she has (have she ever had some?) takes a dive to her panties. And then we are treated with cheesy physical descriptions like:
[...] a sudden wind swept across the rooftop, lifting up strands of his black hair. But black was too tame a word for it. It was so pure it held echoes of the night, vivid and passionate. Eyes of such pure undiluted blue it was as if some heavenly artist had crushed sapphires into his paints and then colored in the irises with the finest of brushes.
Oh please, kill me with a toothpick.
She is supposed to be this hotshot hunter but she does nothing but alternate between drooling over Raphael and being scared of him. Neither a great statement about her (supposed) competence. Her thoughts are dumb, her actions more so.
I just can't stand her and I am royally angry with the author for giving her the name and the white-blod hair of one of my favorite heroines (Elena of the Otherworld series, see [b:Bitten|11918|Bitten (Women of the Otherworld, #1)|Kelley Armstrong|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1306101770s/11918.jpg|2606334]).
Raphael. Where to begin with him?
Well, that question would be easier if there was actually something to begin with. But this character is insubstantial and just plain improbable. He's supposed to be a 500 years old, all-powerful angel, but he needs a dumbass chick to get a simple job done and he is "fascinated" be her. FASCINATED. By someone whose brain has the dimension and the functionality of a pea. Oh, Nalini, have mercy on me.
I absolutely *loved* *adored* *reveled in* the ending. I am an eternal optimist and in a genre that has such a negative interpretation of the human condition, I adored the fact that one person *can* make a difference. Caused me to round up my 1.5 star rating to 2 stars.
The beginning of my review can be found: Angels' Blood Review
This one was a re-read for me. I haven't read book 3 or 4 yet and since it's been a while, I thought I would re-read 1 and 2.
First of all, I love Raphael and Elena. I also noticed I really like heroines who shoot the hero (Lord of Scoundrels, The Devil's Cub). I guess I'm a bloodthirsty wench. hehe
The dynamic between Elena and Raphael is what draws me. They're so good together.
2/28/13- another reread. I adore this series.
11/10 - I enjoyed this book even more upon rereading it. The nuances of the romances combined with the excellent world-building and action packed suspense make for an excellent read. Highly recommend, even for those of you who are on the fence.
9/09 - I have an aversion to vampires, so I put off reading this for quite some time. I'm sorry for that now. What an amazing story. The world-building and characterizations were fabulous.
I really loved both characters. Elena was strong and witty. I might want to be her when I grow up.
Is there anything better than seeing an (arch)angel fall? Gabriel started out cold and harsh, but totally melted as the story progressed. But even from the beginning I adored him.
References to this work on external resources.
Wikipedia in English (1)
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"Vampire hunter Elena Deveraux knows she is the best--but she does not know if even she is good enough for this job. Hired by the dangerously beautiful archangel Raphael, a being so lethal that no mortal wants his attention. Elena knows failure is not an option--even if the task is impossible. Because this time, it's not a wayward vamp she has to trick. It's an archangel gone bad. The job will put Elena in the midst of a killing spree like no other--and pull her to the razor's edge of passion..."--p.[4] of cover.… (more)
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Daniel Tiger: Won't You Be His Neighbor?
NPR |Oct. 14, 2014 6:06 a.m.
The PBS program Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood is bringing the legacy of Fred Rogers to a new generation of children.
Q&A: Plumbing The Mysteries Of The Teenage Brain
NPR |Oct. 04, 2014 5:03 a.m.
In Age of Opportunity, psychologist Larry Steinberg applies neuroscience to risk-taking, peer influence, the boredom of high school and other adolescent conundrums.
Q&A: Dana Goldstein, Author, 'The Teacher Wars'
NPR |Sept. 06, 2014 5:43 a.m.
Testing, tenure, pay, standards, business influence, poverty and inequality--the big education issues have been with us a long time, says a new book.
A Lesson In How Teachers Became 'Resented And Idealized'
NPR |Sept. 02, 2014 1:16 p.m.
In The Teacher Wars, Dana Goldstein chronicles the history of the profession and current topics like tenure. She says the idea that teachers can help fight poverty has existed since the 19th century.
'Building A Better Teacher': Dissecting America's Education Culture
NPR |Aug. 09, 2014 2:15 p.m.
Author Elizabeth Green argues that effective teaching is a craft, not a skill teachers have naturally. She says teachers need more mentorship — not just more mandates.
Killed The Mockingbird? American Classics Cut From British Reading List
NPR |May 26, 2014 9:56 a.m.
U.K. Education Secretary Michael Gove has decided that the English literature list for a national exam needs to be more English, so he is swapping American texts in the curriculum for British ones.
Ken Burns Tackles Lincoln, Education, And Money In 'The Address'
NPR |April 15, 2014 8:11 a.m.
The Address follows an intensive program that teaches kids with learning difficulties to recite the Gettysburg Address. And in doing so, it raises some tough questions about resources.
Gastrodiplomacy: Cooking Up A Tasty Lesson On War And Peace
NPR |March 24, 2014 1:45 p.m.
An international relations lecturer is using her students' love of food to teach them about global conflicts. It's a form of winning hearts and minds that's gaining traction among world governments.
For Low-Income Students, Right College At Right Price A Challenge
NPR |March 18, 2014 2:24 a.m.
Host David Greene shares a clip from a Tell Me More conversation about getting information to lower-income students about college admissions and financial aid.
Pew Study: Many Technophiles Also Love Libraries
NPR |March 13, 2014 2:30 p.m.
A new study by Pew Research Internet Project has a surprise: people who use the old-school local library also tend to be highly engaged with technology.


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Hi Smiley!
I added smiley support to the blog tonight.
It took a while, but I finally got it!
(6) Of course, since it's new, we'll probably abuse the bejesus out of it.
:-@ If that happens, there'll be hell to pay!
Commenters can also use the smiley images by clicking on the smiley image on the comments page.
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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Spelter, while sometimes used merely as a synonym for zinc, is often used to identify a zinc alloy. In this sense it might be an alloy of equal parts copper and zinc, i.e. a brass, used for hard soldering and brazing, or as an alloy, containing lead, that is used instead of bronze. In this usage it was common for many 19th-century cheap, cast articles such as candlesticks and clock cases and early 20th-century Art Nouveau ornaments and Art Deco figures.
The word "pewter" is thought to be derived from the word "spelter".[1] Zinc ingots formed by smelting might also be termed spelter.
See also[edit]
|Look up spelter in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.
- ^ Skeat, Walter William (1893), An etymological dictionary of the English language (2nd ed.), Clarendon Press, pp. 438–439.
|This industry-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.


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Willie says "Aye or die!"
Tag Archives: EU
High level Conservative(s) in Britain defecting to UK Independence Party
The times they are a changin' and they are a changin' in jolly old England.
Is China disguising itself as Belgium to buy US government bonds?
UKIP, UK's "Tea Party" sweeps to victory in political "earthquake."
The United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP) is an important force in British politics. It's an important force in European politics. It is even influencing American politics. UKIP's most recent achievements may be a harbinger of what is to come in the the USA.
Pres. of the European Council Van Rompuy: IF THE PUBLIC DOESN'T WANT EU EXPANSION, "WE DO IT ANYWAY"
The EU is a nasty organization. It keeps consolidating its power even though in many places the public is adamantly opposed to EU membership and the actions of the EU parliament.
"British Tea Party" UKIP could beat out the Conservatives, Labour, and the Lib Dems in EU elections
"I'm not for laws. We need a minimum of laws. I hate big government, I hate being told what to do on a personal basis." – Nigel Farage *
Nigel Farage has lead a deeply important political surge in the United Kingdom over the last few years. His rants from the floor of the European Parliament have become legendary.
89% Of Venetians Vote For Independence From Italy, Will Withhold Taxes To Rome
Venice did its own thing for a long time before Italy came around, and it would likely do just fine without the dysfunctional lands to the city's south.
EU Parliamentarian tells undercover reporters his time in government is just to build his lobbying business (Video)
Economic reporter Max Keiser (who I often disagree with, but often like also) is fond of saying that for many politicians their elected office is just kind of an interview for the lobbying business where the REAL money is to be made. Max always points out that Tony Blair left 10 Downing Street and quickly went to work for JPMorgan.
'Europe Considers Wholesale Savings Confiscation, Enforced Redistribution'
The EU is trying to scare money into risk assets. It may just take the money. I guess folks should have listened to Nigel Farage last year.
Crony Capitalism 2014: Davos Is Coming
It's that time again.


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For Travelling Post Office enthusiasts. I have to say I would have like to have seen more of the interior of the vans. Nevertheless this is an historic moment. In an age of congested highways and pollution the closures of TPOs seems short-sighted.
Video: Last Travelling Post Office from York (2004)
|July 14th, 2013|Categories: History, Railroads or Railways, Travelling Post Offices, Video||0 Comments
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1/1 Photo of Cracker Barrel Potato Casserole/Hash Browns Casserole - Copycat
Prep Time:
Cook Time:
15 mins
40 mins
I love Cracker Barrels hash brown potatoes/potato casserole so I thought I would share this recipe I found on copykat.com.
Serves: 8
Units: US | Metric
Serving Size: 1 (196 g)
Servings Per Recipe: 8
Every recipe, menu, tip and how-to is right here, at your service.


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After Ford VP Barb Samardzich officially announced the 2.0-liter four-cylinder EcoBoost engine for next year, a correspondent for the Examiner.com postulated that this engine was in fact nothing more than a re-badged, smaller version of the 2.3-liter engine from the MazdaSpeed3. Certainly there are similarities in the specs: four cylinders, direct fuel injection, turbocharging, etc. and there has been plenty of collaboration between the two companies. The Mazda CX-9 even uses a version of Ford's 3.7-liter V6.
We checked with Ford and while they have not released many details about the new engine, they did provide some explanation. The EcoBoost, like other recent DuraTec-badged Ford fours, shares a block design with Mazda's similar displacement units. In fact, the EcoBoost block is the same as the Mazda L3T used in the MazdaSpeed3. However, the entire top end of the engine has been redesigned. Like the V6 EcoBoost, the four uses a new direct injection system that is presumably less expensive, allowing Ford to use these engines much more widely than Mazda does.
The Mazda engine also
So the two engines are built on the same foundations, but they are not the same engine.
Update: I mis-read the spec table on the MS3 engine and it does indeed have variable valve timing. However, the Ford engine exclusively uses the cam torque actuated system introduced on the revised 3.0-liter V6 last year.
[Sources: Ford, Examiner.com]