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Heroes of Three Kingdoms
UPDATE: This game has been shutdown and is no longer available
Heroes of Three Kingdoms is a 3D fantasy MMORPG that's set in the popular Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history.HOTK has fast paced gameplay, weapon crafting, and much more. Fight other players in PvP battlegrounds, and travel through time in special historic instances to help shape China's history!
Publisher: Perfect World Entertainment
Playerbase: Medium
Graphics: High Quality
Type: MMORPG
EXP Rate: Medium
PvP: Battlegrounds / PvP Zones / Nation Wars
Filesize: ~ 2250 MB
Pros: +Auto navigation makes questing simple. +18 weapon types to chose from. +Historic instances. +PvP battlegrounds. +Weapon crafting system.
Cons: -Overused setting. -Repetitive gameplay during early levels. -Limited appearance customization.
Heroes of Three Kingdoms Overview
Heroes of Three Kingdoms is an Asian MMORPG based on the Three Kingdoms period in Chinese History. The game is known as Chi Bi in China and Red Cliff in Malaysia. With the Han Dynasty in steep decline, bandits and wild creatures freely roam the countryside. Brave heroes have risen to the challenge, and must do battle across the provinces by wielding one of the eighteen available weapon types. Heroes of Three Kingdoms does not have a standard class system. Instead, players select which weapon they wish to wield during character creation. Each weapon gives players a different distribution of five stats: ATK, CRIT, GR, CTRL, and HP.
Weapons - Sabre, Spear, Halberd, Battle Axe, Trident, Cudgel, Sword, Axe, Hook, Mace, Hammer, Claw, Shield, Quoits, Staff, Dance, War Fan, Bow.
Heroes of Three Kingdoms Screenshots
Heroes of Three Kingdoms Featured Video
Heroes of Three Kingdoms Review
By Erhan Altay
Here in the West, we tend to romanticize the medieval era of European history with its knights and damsels in distress. In China, the Three Kingdoms period receives the same treatment. While this era lasted less than 100 years (184 – 280 AD), it has had a profound influence on Chinese culture. Dozens of novels, films, TV shows, and video games are based on this period, as are many MMORPGs including Three Kingdoms: The Battle Begins, Jade Dynasty, and Kingdom Heroes. The popular video game series Dynasty Warriors also takes place during the Three Kingdoms era, and many Asian MMORPGs, whether they're developed in China, Japan, Vietnam, or Korea, make references to it. Heroes of Three Kingdoms was developed by Perfect World Entertainment back in 2009 but is only now making its way to North America a year later.
Martial Arts Masters
Now that we've had the history lesson, on with the game! Registration on the official site is simple enough and those who already have a PWE account can save a step . The client clocks in at 2.3 gb and may take some time to download. There is currently only a single live server, but it has multiple channels. Character creation is pretty basic, players chose their gender and between several face and hair styles. Additionally, there are three size options per gender. Heroes of Three Kingdoms has a unique class system in which players chose from eighteen weapon types. Each weapon type has a different distribution of five stats which determines what role that weapon plays. The sword, for example, has high Atk and Crit but low hp, which means players who choose it will be ideal damage dealers but weak tanks. There are eighteen weapon types in total, but some of them are still not implemented and are grayed out on the selection screen.
The Middle Kingdom
China is a geographically diverse land. Players can explore deserts, fertile fields, mountainous regions, jungles, and endless grasslands. But while the terrain is diverse, Heroes of Three Kingdoms looks very similar to other Asian MMORPGs – particularly Jade Dynasty. I don't know whether the two games were built on the same graphics engine or not, but the visuals and the interface have striking similarities. This isn't necessarily a bad thing. Heroes of Three Kingdoms has a wide range of supported resolutions and can be played in full-screen or windowed mode. With all of the display settings maxed out, the scenery in particular looks very impressive. Unlike most Asian MMORPGs, Heroes of Three Kingdoms offers both click-to-move and keyboard (W,A,S,D) controls. The mouse still plays a dominant role in navigating the interface, but keyboard shortcuts are available. One of the greatest interface features in Heroes of Three Kingdoms is auto-navigation which is a feature that has been cropping up in many MMORPGs recently. By clicking on a quest objective in the quest log, players can automatically move there without the hassle of fumbling with coordinates or mini maps. One problem with this otherwise perfect feature is that it makes things a little too convenient. For the first 10 levels I found that I was barely playing the game. I would simply bring up my quest log (L key), click on the monster name I was told to kill or the NPC I was asked to visit, complete the object, rinse, and repeat.
The Rise of a Hero
Many oriental MMORPGs drop the ball when it comes to the early game experience. Players are often given a paltry number of superficial quests and generally left to figure things out on their own. Heroes of Three Kingdoms takes a more Western approach by giving players plenty of quests right from the start. Many of these quests help explain the game's lore. With the ruling Han regime in disarray, the people of Hebei have placed their hopes on local heroes to restore order. MMO veterans will be familiar with most of the quest types in Heroes of Three Kingdoms- kill quests, delivery (fed ex) quests, gathering quests, and crafting quests are all available in spades. One slight fault is a glut of short quests during the early levels lead players to run back and forth a lot which can be frustrating. Sending me out into the forest only to kill five monkeys hardly seems worth it.
Classics Repackaged
Progression in Heroes of Three Kingdoms is heavily based on questing since the experience award for completing them is so much higher than the experience earned from grinding. After filling up their exp bars, players must manually hit the 'level up' button in their character menu. All players start as and remain a novice until hitting level 10, at which point they can complete a quest to upgrade their class. There are zoens of zones in Heroes of Three Kingdoms, with each representing a different province that can be captured by a guild. The map for each zone starts nearly blank and slowly becomes revealed as players explore the area. The local maps are well designed, and the incremental reward of exploring each zone is very gratifying. Even other basic parts of the interface include player interaction. Players must complete special quests in order to increase their paltry inventory size and to construct a storage area in town. Overall, the gameplay, interface, and progression in Heroes of Three Kingdoms are classic MMORPG fare, and won't surprise or disappoint gamers.
Long Draw
Heroes of Three Kingdoms is still a new game, but many players have already managed to hit the current level cap of 60 on the older foreign servers. For power players like this, 'Nation Wars' serve as the main end-game content. Heroes of Three Kingdoms has a territorial control system where player-run guilds vie for control of the various Chinese provinces. Guilds must capture forts to claim a province as their own and defend it against challengers. Other side features include a marriage system, mounts, and an expansive crafting system. Along their journey, players will receive various recipes either as quest rewards or as loot from slain foes. These recipes can be committed to memory, and enable the player to craft the weapon, armor, clothes, or food that recipe described (so long as they have the raw materials required). Heroes of Three Kingdoms is not quite as original as Martial Empires, but is still a very playable free MMORPG.
Final Verdict: Good
Heroes of Three Kingdoms is a great looking Asian-themed MMORPG. With a unique class system, beautiful visuals, and plenty of quests to provide direction, it makes a great choice for both casual and hard core players. Unfortunately the gameplay and interface feel too familiar to previous Perfect World titles. Player who are already enjoying one of their games have little reason to try Heroes of Three Kingdoms.
Heroes of Three Kingdoms Videos
Heroes of Three Kingdoms Developer Diary 1 – Campaigns
Heroes of Three Kingdoms Developer Diary 2 – Weapons
Heroes of Three Kingdoms Lore Trailer
Heroes of Three Kingdoms Weapons Trailer
Heroes of Three Kingdoms Links
Heroes of Three Kingdoms Official Site
Heroes of Three Kingdoms System Requirements
Minimum Requirements:
OS: Windows XP/ 2000 / 98 / Vista / 7
CPU: Intel Pentium 4 1.5Ghz or AMD Athlon 1500+
HDD: 5 GB Free
Graphics Card: GeForce 4 Ti4200 64MB / ATI Radeon 8500 64MB
Recommended Specification:
OS: Windows XP/ Vista / 7
CPU: Intel Pentium 4 2.4 GHz or better
RAM: 2GB or more
HDD: 14 GB Free
Graphics Card: GeForce 6600 128MB / ATI Radeon 9800 128MB or better


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Final: Linfield 27, Pacific Lutheran 24
Updates are in reverse chronological order, with the newest entry at the top. Scroll to the bottom for older entries and the preview story from the Saturday paper.
As always, follow the News-Register sports Twitter @NewsRegSports.
The Linfield Wildcats held on to defeat Pacific Lutheran 27-24 Saturday in the first round of the NCAA Division III playoffs on a wet day at Maxwell Field.
Linfield (10-0) moves on to play North Central (Ill.) in the second round Nov. 24. The game is set for noon at Maxwell Field in McMinnville.
Pacific Lutheran outgained the Wildcats in yards, but the Lutes had five turnovers which stalled drive after drive, keeping Linfield in front. Pacific Lutheran did have one final chance to win or tie, but Dalton Ritchey's pass with 33 seconds left in the game was behind Kyle Warner on fourth down, and the Wildcats were able to escape with the win.
Linfield led 20-7 at halftime, but the Lutes cut the lead in the third quarter to 20-17, first on 21-yard touchdown pass from Ritchey to Lucas Sontra, then a 20-yard field goal by Jacob Schrader.
The Wildcats scored with 12:02 left in the game on a 10-yard interception return for a touchdown by Tyler Robitaille, increasing their lead to 27-17, but Ritchey brough the Lutes back once again, scoring on a 13-yard touchdown run with 5:25 left in the ballgame to give them a chance.
The Wildcats were forced to punt with 1:33 left, giving the Lutes the ball at their own 21.
Linfield sacked Ritchey six times.
Quarterback Mickey Inns threw for 210 yards but was intercepted for the first time since throwing two at Pacific Lutheran in September. It was also the first time this season that Inns did not throw for a touchdown.
Chad Cobrun rushed for two touchdowns for Linfield in the first half on direct snaps. Ritchey threw for 284 yards and a touchdown but was intercepted twice.
Warner caught 12 passes for 205 yards for Pacific Lutheran.
FOURTH QUARTER: Linfield 27, Pacific Lutheran 24
Whate happened: Linfield sacks Ritchey twice in a row. Forces a punt. Linfield has four sacks today. Close to their game average. They lead the country in sacks and tackles for loss. Linfield has the ball on their own 49 on third and short. Inns goes deep to Poppen for 30 yards. Just Linfield's fourth conversion on third down. Inns hitts Poppen again. Then he hits Evan Peterson at the 5, but Peterson fumbles and PLU recovers. Then, on PLU's first play, Ritchey throws it right to Tyler Robitaille, who takes it the 10 yards for the touchdown. PAT good.
On a big third down, Ritchey hits Warner at the Linfield 49 with 10:55 left in the game. Pass completion of 23 yards. He's four yards away from PLU's single-season record in receiving yards, I'm told. Check that, that was the record breaker by a yard.
Ritchey then pulls the old, "fumble forward and recover it yourself" play to get the first down on third and short. Fourth and 3 for the Lutes at the Linfield 31. PLU is thinking about going for it. Apparently the Lutes really don't have a field goal kicker. Their place kicker kicked the last one because it was so short, but the reporter from Tacoma says that they cut their main kicker. Ritchey goes to who else? Warner at the 22 for a 9-yard gain with 7:41 to go. Another third down up coming with 6 minutes left. They're taking a lot of time off the clock. Quick hand off up the middle. Short. Fourth and inches. A play to decide the game right here with 5:36 to go at the Linfield 13.
Here we go. The Lutes spread Linfield out. No back in the backfield. Ritchey keeps it the whole way and runs left. Getts teh first down. Gets the goaline. Touchdown. PAT good with 5:25 to go. Linfield 27, Pacific Lutheran 24.
Linfield takes over with5 minutes to go at their own 21. Third and 4 at their own 27. Big conversion here. PLU needs a stop. Inns hits Wiersma for the first down. Linfield stuffed on first and second down. Third-and-8 with 1:52 left. Inns goes deep to Poppen. He catches it but it's out of bounds. PLU forces the punt and it takes over at its own 22 with 1:33 left.
On their first play, Ritchey is sacked for a huge loss to the 10. Second and 23 from the nine. On second down Ritchey hits Warner for the short gain. Personal foul, face mask on Linfield. First down with 1:09 to go on the PLU 33. Almost intercepted on second down by Robitaille. Third-and-5 with 1:00 minute to go. Ritchey hits Herr for the 21-yard pass to the Linfield 41 with :51 seconds left.
Ritchey sacked by Brian Dundas at midfield. PLU forced to spike the ball. Fourth-and-16 with :33 to go in the game. This is the play for all the marbles.
Big play: Robitaille's interception. Gave Linfield the 10-point lead, which was just enough to hold off the Lutes.
Momentum swing: Ritchey's touchdown run. It was a big fourth down conversion that kept PLU alive and bought them just enough time to get one last possession.
Boxscore highlight: PLU outgained Linfield 339-249, but Linfield forced five turnovers and sacked Ritchey six times.
THIRD QUARTER: Linfield 20, Pacific Lutheran 17
Whate happened: Brandon James fumbles on a sketchy call. His forward progress had pretty much been stopped, but Linfield strips the ball and Forman recovers. That's PLU's fourth turnover of the game. Nothing doing though, for the Wildcats, and they punt it back to PLU.
Werner from Ritchey for 19 yards. He now has 7 catches for 111 yards. Pohren gets a screen pass from Ritchey for 15 yards. Now at the Linfield 21. Great play fake by Ritchey, hits a wide open Lucas Sontra for the 21-yard touchdown with 8:30 left in the third. PAT good. Linfield 20, PLU 14.
Wiersma called for his second holding penalty. Linfield now has four penalties for 40 yards. Below average for them. Wildcats forced to punt after the screen pass to Shaffer goes for 16 yards, but it's still 6 yards short of the first down marker. PLU takes over at the PLU 37.
Lutes driving again into Linfield terriotry at the 42. Big third down upcoming. Third-and-8 at the L40. Ritchey keeps and is stuff after a gain of 1-yard. Lutes are going to go for it on fourth-and-7 with 3:48 left in the third. Wow. Warner beats Michael Link and Ritchey lofts it up, and Warner comes down with it at the Linfield 2. 36 yards. Linfield does good on first and second down, and Forman bats away the pass to Kellen Westering on third down. Forces PLU to kick the 20-yard field goal. Good. Linfield 20, PLU 17 with 1:31.
Reporter from the Tacoma News Tribune says that to this point in the quarter, Linfield has 10 yards in the third quarter. PLU has really been holding on to the ball. Both scoring drives for PLU have gone four plus minutes. Cobrun stuffed on third down. Wildcats back in to punt. Repp kicks it to the PLU 30 with :04 left in the quarter. End of the quarter, PLU has a second-and-11 from their own 30.
Big play: Warner's 36 yard catch to the Linfield 2 on fourth down. Turns into three points for PLU.
Momentum swing: Ritchey's 21-yard TD pass to Sontra. It got PLU on the board in the second half and got them with one score of the Wildcats.
Boxscore highlight: Warner has nine catches for 164 yards. PLU has 252 yards. Linfield has 181.
SECOND QUARTER: Linfield 20, Pacific Lutheran 7
Whate happened: PLU driving, but Ritchey fumbles and Colin Forman comes out of scrum with it for Linfield. Inns hits Poppen for 17 yards to the 19. Critical holding penalty on Wiersma, then Inns has been rushed twice. Hit hard the first time, pass is shorted. Then he's sacked. First time we've seen that in a while. Kay sets up for the 42-yard field goal. Hits it. PLU 7, Linfield 6 with 7:09 in the second quarter.
Linfield gets a huge play. With 7 minutes left in the first half, Kealii Poomaihealani punches the ball out of Ritchey's hands. Dom Forrest recovers at the PLU 5. Two plays later, Coburn takes the direct snap and scores on the 4-yard run with 6:13 PAT good. Linfield 13, PLU 7. That's 10 points in 41 seconds for the Wildcats.
Forrest continues the defensive onslaught, intercepts Ritchey at the PLU 36. 'Cats knocking on the door once again. Inns two straight first down passes to the PLU 12. Inns, who never scrambles, gets a first down at the PLU 1. Then Coburn takes the Wildcat snap again and scores. PAT good. Linfield 20, PLU 7 with 3:22 left in the first half.
Linfield forces a PLU punt with 2:12. Madison is stuffed for a loss of five yards on the option. 'Cats gonna get the ball back. On the screen pass, Shaffer getst the first down but he fumbles and the ball miraculously stays in bounds where Tayler Angevine recovers on the Linfield 34.
Ritchey is sacked at the Linfield 41 with :46. PLU out of field goal range. Good hold by the 'Cats.
Big play: Ritchey's fumble. Linfield had just got within a point after Kay's field goal, and the fumble led to Linfield's first TD.
Momentum swing: Forrest's interception. If Linfield scoring twice in 41 seconds was one thing, Forrest's interception that led to Coburn's second TD solidified the momentum for Linfield.
Boxscore highlight: PLU has three turnovers and 93 yards of offense at the half.
FIRST QUARTER: Pacific Lutheran 7, Linfield 3
Whate happened: PLU wins the toss and defers. Wildcats receive the ball first. Inns is intercepted on his second pass of the day by Eric Hoium. Inns' pass was behind Deidre Wiersma and he tipped it. Then it fell right into the outstretched hands of Hoium. Linfield forces PLU to punt after right tackle Mike Maierhofer sacks PLU quarterback Dalton Ritchey on third down.
Cats go for it on fourth-and-2 at PLU's 42. Get it on the Wildcat formation with Chad Coburn. Linfield already has shown a few interesting wrinkles. Kay to attempt the 47-yard field goal with 7:13 to go in the first. He sneaks it through the uprights. Good. Linfield 3, PLU 0.
Pacific Lutheran drives on their next possession. Ritchey hits Kyle Warner for 26 yards to the Linfiled 38, then reels off a first down on the option their next play. Ritchey keeps on the zone read on the next play for a third consecutive first down, and then hits Warner for another first down to the 6. Niko Madison runs it in with 2:35 left in first for the touchdown, screaming all the way in. The PAT is good. Pacific Lutheran 7, Linfield 3.
Big play: Hoium's interception of Inns. It's the first time Inns has been intercepted since playing PLU in September. He had a string of 17 touchdowns and no interceptions up to that point.
Momentum swing: Ritchey's 26-yard pass. Gets PLU some momentum and leads to a TD.
Boxscore highlight: Both teams are pretty even in yardage. PLU 65. Linfield 75. Pretty even to this point.
Welcome to a rainy day at Maxwell Field in McMinnville. In 15 minutes No. 20-ranked Pacific Lutheran will take on No. 3-ranked Linfield in the first round of the Division III playoffs.
Lutes fans are in full force. When I was walking in, a very large man in full camo hunting gear was standing at the barrier as PLU special teams players ran out on the field. He screamed and yelled and waved his cowbell in the air. That was just for the special teams players. You can imagine the reaction for the rest of the team. The Lutes always travel well to Linfield.
Pacific Lutheran is in all whites. Linfield purple jerseys and white bottoms and white helmets.
One other thing before we get started, the NCAA (for some reason that remains a mistery) does not allow live blogging. This technically isn't a live blog, but just to save some unamned NCAA official torpedoing my laptop when I go to the bathroom, I'm going to switch the format a little bit.
The Linfield football team opens the NCAA Division III playoffs at noon Saturday at home vs. Pacific Lutheran.
It's the first of what could end up being many games this postseason for Linfield. The Wildcats (9-0) are the top seed in their quarter of the bracket and one of the top two seeds in the tournament, meaning they could also have a potential home game in the semifinals, should they win in the first three rounds.
The winner of Saturday's game will play either Cal Lutheran or North Central in the second round.
First, though, is Pacific Lutheran, a program rich with postseason success and one of Linfield's most consistent rivals through the years. The Lutes (7-2) have not qualified for the postseason since 2001, but they are the only team besides Linfield west of the Mississippi River to have won a Division III championship.
"They're right there with us and Cal Lutheran in terms of good, solid football teams," Linfield coach Joseph Smith said. "If they get past us, they could probably win a couple of more games."
Linfield beat Pacific Lutheran 31-24 in September in Puyallup. The Wildcats needed a late touchdown run from John Shaffer to go ahead. Smith said the Lutes present a dangerous challenge.
"It was a very closely contested game," he said. "We have a lot of respect for them. They're playing good football right now.
"If we do the same types of things we did in that game, we'll be in trouble. We could lose, certainly."
The Wildcats turned the ball over twice and also committed 11 penalties vs. the Lutes. Being penalized is something Smith has obsessed over since then, trying to hammer into his team that penalties will eventually catch up with them. After Linfield's 51-17 win last week vs. Pacific, Smith was so fed up with them (Linfield committed nine penalties vs. the Boxers), he made them do a four-minute conditioning drill during their postgame huddle.
"I told our team on Friday and before the game and at halftime last week that I was completely tired of talking about penalties," Smith said. "We had one goal in the second half (vs. Pacific), and that was to get no penalties. We went out and got six. So, um, it's a big deal."
Defensive end Brynnan Hyland said for their sake, players are listening, but some of the penalizations come from playing aggressive.
"It's something we need to clean up," Hyland said. "Coach always said this was something that was going to hurt us down the road, and now we're down the road and it will hurt us soon."
Smith joked that maybe he would just cut his guys loose.
"Maybe the next approach is to just go with it. See how many we can get and play like crazy, Miami (Hurricanes) style," Smith said, referencing the University of Miami teams from the late 1980s and early 1990s that were known for being on the verge of out of control.
"That's not really what we'll do," Smith said. "We'll continue to address it and improve."
Smith said a big challenge vs. Pacific Lutheran is the fact that they've already played each other this season. The Wildcats aren't strangers to being rematched with a team in the first round (they've done it the last three seasons), but the Lutes come in with the motivation of want to even the score.
"It's very hard to beat a team twice in the same season," Smith said.
"In a sense it's comforting," linebacker Dominique Forrest said, "because we've played them before, but when you beat a team early you know they have that extra edge.
"They look good. They have playmakers. These guys are no joke and we have to respect them."
The last time Pacific Lutheran and Linfield played in the playoffs, it was in 1992 in the NAIA playoffs. Linfield won 44-30 on its way to the NAIA championship game, which it lost to Findlay, Ohio.
"It's been awhile since PLU has been in the playoffs," Smith said. "And the last time we played them I believe I was playing. We want to duplicate the same results of that game."
Big honors for Linfield
The Wildcats swept the top honors on the All-Northwest Conference team. Senior quarterback Mickey Inns was named the NWC Offensive Player of the Year, junior Dom Forrest was named NWC Defensive Player of the Year, and Smith was named NWC Coach of the Year for the fourth consecutive season.
Inns, who took over the starting job last year for Aaron Boehme, extended his career record at Linfield to 19-1 this year. He threw for 27 touchdowns, completing 60.5 percent of his passes. Inns threw five interceptions this season and hasn't thrown one since September vs. Pacific Lutheran.
"Mick's play was paramount in terms of steering the ship," Smith said. "He has been phenomenal this year."
Forrest led the Wildcats in tackles this season with 56. He had three sacks and two interceptions this season. Smith said it was a two-horse race between Forrest and defensive end Brynnan Hyland, who had 18 sacks this season for Linfield, leading the NWC.
"Both those guys were deserving," Smith said. "Our defense dominated this season, and Dom was our leader, made a lot of calls and is very worthy of that."

subset: commoncrawl


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Whatever you choose to call it -- a charm offensive, an olive branch or just dinner -- President Barack Obama's outreach to congressional Republicans is certainly a change of pace.
And on Sunday, those Republicans seemed guardedly optimistic the new approach from the White House could work, though they were quick to acknowledge that no amount of broiled sea bass could produce the kind of compromise that's eluded the two sides since Republicans took control of the House in 2010.
"This is the first time I've ever had a conversation with the president lasting more than, say, two minutes or televised exchanges," said Rep. Paul Ryan, who sat down to that broiled sea bass with Obama at the White House on Thursday.
"Will he sincerely change and try and find common ground, try and work with Republicans to get something done? That's what we hope happens," Ryan continued on "Fox News Sunday," sounding skeptical that Obama's motives in extending the lunch invitation weren't purely political.
That was the same tone adopted by House GOP Whip Kevin McCarthy, who suggested on CNN's "State of the Union" that Obama's newfound desire to meet rank-and-file Republican lawmakers may be more about politics than pact-making.
"I believe anytime both parties are talking it's a good thing. This should have happened four years ago," McCarthy told CNN chief political correspondent Candy Crowley. "I'm glad it's happening now. But is this about politics, or is this genuine? Only time will tell."
Obama's new strategy began over dinner Wednesday with a dozen GOP senators, who could order sea bass or filet mignon. It's different from his negotiating tactics of the past when he dealt almost exclusively with House Speaker John Boehner and Sen. Mitch McConnell, the Republican leader in the Senate. He's long been urged to nurture better relationships with rank-and-file lawmakers in both parties, but has resisted by saying no amount of glad-handing could forge compromise with rivals he labeled as intransigent.
That was the argument Rep. Nancy Pelosi used Sunday when explaining why Obama hadn't tried reaching out to Republicans until now.
"It is not why we haven't had progress before," the House Democratic leader said on CNN. "We haven't had progress before because the Republicans were committed to blocking the initiatives of President Barack Obama."
But with another looming budget deadline -- the expiration on March 27 of the measure funding the federal government -- Obama has quickly ramped up his efforts to meet GOP lawmakers. He'll be on Capitol Hill three days this week meeting with the full Republican and Democratic caucuses in both the House and Senate.
Aside from the major budget arguments that led to automatic spending cuts taking effect March 1, Obama will need Congress to approve major pieces of legislation he's identified as priorities of his second term, including comprehensive immigration reform and laws aimed at stopping gun violence.
Some Republicans, including Ryan and McCarthy, voiced concern that Obama's new approach was simply a way to curry favor with voters, who could punish House Republicans during the 2014 midterm elections for refusing to compromise. Republicans have long been critical of Obama's trips around the country promoting his policy agenda (another of which will happen this week when he heads to Illinois to talk energy).
"Will he resume the campaign mode? Will he resume attacking Republicans and impugning our motives? Will he resume what is long believed to be a plan to win the 2014 elections?" Ryan wondered Sunday.
McCarthy questioned whether the recent outreach was "about winning the House or is this about governing for all of America?"
One Republican was less skeptical. Sen. Tom Coburn of Oklahoma, who was one of the 12 Republicans who dined with Obama on Wednesday, called Obama "tremendously sincere" in his courting of GOP elected officials.
"I don't think this is just a political change in tactic," Coburn said on NBC's "Meet the Press."
He continued, "I think he would actually like to solve the problems of the country, and it would be to his benefit and certainly every American's benefit if he did that. It's time to start leading, and the way you do that is quit poking your fingers in people's eyes and start building relationships, and I think he's got a great chance to accomplish a big deal."
In Obama's words, the new ice-breaking campaign is meant to "untangle some of the gridlock," as he described in his weekly address Saturday.
He explained further at Saturday night's white-tie dinner for the Gridiron Club, where the president joined lawmakers and media bigwigs to dine on -- what else -- sea bass.
"I'm ... doing what I can to smooth things over with Republicans in Congress," Obama said. "In fact, these days John McCain and I are spending so much time together that he told me we were becoming friends."


text: Black Males Buried Too Soon Written by Amen Oyiboke Contributing Writer 28 August 2014 Hundreds join in a march and rally along Broadway to protest the fatal police shooting of Ezell Ford, who died during a confrontation with police in South Los Angeles on Thursday Aug. 14, 2014. ... read more >> McConnell Details GOP Strategy to Derail Obama's Last Two Years Written by Zenitha Prince Special to the NNPA from The Afro-American Newspaper 28 August 2014 If Republicans have their way, the last years of Barack Obama's presidency will be a doozy. In an interview with Politico, Kentucky Republican Sen. Mitch McConnell laid out a game plan for reining ... read more >> Q-and-A on Westerners who join the fight in Syria Written by By AMY FORLITI Associated Press 28 August 2014 This March 23, 2008 photo provided by the Hennepin County, Minn. Sheriff's Office shows Douglas McAuthur McCain. On Tuesday, Aug. 26, 2014, a U.S. official said McCain, a U.S. citizen, is believed to ... read more >> Man arraigned in wife's death; kids still missing Written by By COREY WILLIAMS Associated Press 28 August 2014 A family member wears a shirt with the images of Alicia Fox's missing children, Kaylan and Kristian, after Erin Justice appeared during a video arraignment on murder charges in 36th District Court in ... read more >> Congressman James Clyburn in Los Angeles for Book Signing Written by Sentinel News Service 28 August 2014 Congressman James Clyburn (Dem. – South Carolina, 6th Congressional District) The Honorable James Clyburn will be visiting Los Angeles on Friday, September 5, 2014 for the book signing of his ... read more >> "Young, Black and Unarmed" Written by CLBC Special to the Sentinel 28 August 2014 In a Monday, Aug. 18, 2014 file photo, protestors autograph a sketch of Michael Brown during a protest, in Atlanta. Michael Brown Jr. was on the verge of starting college, eager to launch himself ... read more >> An Emotional Dr. George McKenna is Officially Sworn In!!! Written by Kenneth D. Miller Assistant Managing Editor 28 August 2014 Holding on to the cherished memories of his late friends Brenda Marsh-Mitchell and Marguerite LaMotte, District 1 Seat LAUSD Board Member Dr. George McKenna took the oath to fill out LaMotte's term ... read more >> Music Mogul Suge Knight Shot at Night Club Written by Associated Press 25 August 2014 Death Row Records founder and rap mogul Marion "Suge" Knight was injured in an early morning shooting Sunday 24 in a packed nightclub but was expected to survive, a Los Angeles County sheriff's sergeant ... read more >> Obama steps into another racially charged incident Written by JULIE PACE Associated Press 21 August 2014 President Barack Obama speaks about the situations in Iraq and in Ferguson, Mo., Thursday, Aug. 14, 2014, in Edgartown, Mass., his second statement to the media during the Obama family vacation on the ... read more >> Family Cries for Justice for Ezell Ford Written by Kenneth D. Miller, Assistant Managing Editor 21 August 2014 Ezell Ford was fatally shot by the LAPD on August 11 one block away from his home on 65th Street and Broadway. The 25-year old was pronounced dead from his injuries at California Hospital later that ... read more >> County of Los Angeles Public Library to Restore Its Service Hours Written by Sentinel News Service 21 August 2014 The County of Los Angeles Public Library will restore its service hours at libraries that had hours reduced in 2009 – 2010, effective Tuesday, September 2. Libraries have evolved into community centers ... read more >> L.A. County 'Safety Net ' Hospitals in Danger Written by Sentinel News Service 21 August 2014 St. Francis Medical Center in Lynwood is one of six California "safety net" hospitals in danger of bankruptcy if it is sold to for profit Prime Healthcare. State legislators, community members, ... read more >> Water Bond to Bring Millions for South L.A. Conservation Efforts Written by Sentinel News Service 21 August 2014 A bill co-authored by Senator Holly J. Mitchell (D-Los Angeles) to put on November's ballot a water bond measure needed for drought relief has been passed by the Legislature with broad, bipartisan ... read more >> Donating Blood Saves Lives Written by Brian W. Carter Sentinel Staff Writer email@example.com 21 August 2014 Sabriya's Castle of Fun Foundation continues to spread the word and increase the knowledge about the importance of blood donation and lives that it can save. Sabriya's Castle of Fun Foundation Annual ... read more >> Actor Michael Jace Pleads Not Guilty to Wife's Shooting Death Written by City News Service 21 August 2014 April Jace, 40 was reportedly shot by husband, actor Michale Jace around 8:30 p.m. May 19. Michael Jace, best known for portraying a Los Angeles police officer on the television drama ``The Shield,'' ... read more >> One Man's Vision of Haiti and Education Written by Amen Oyiboke Contributing Writer 21 August 2014 Local Photographer Christopher Michael makes a documentary about Haiti's history while doing humanitarian work Photographer Christopher Michael recently made a trip to Haiti to donate his ... read more >> Blacks Suffer Because Shortage of Organ Donors Written by Jazelle Hunt Washington Correspondent 14 August 2014 Everett Lee (right) with his wife and daughters in 2012. Lee's leukemia has been in remission 12 years, thanks to a bone marrow transplant. Photo courtesy Everett Lee. At the start of 2002, Everett ... read more >> Black Unemployment Rate Increases Written by Freddie Allen NNPA Washington Correspondent 14 August 2014 Valerie Wilson sees good news (NNPA File Photo by Freddie Allen). The Black unemployment rate climbed from 10.7 percent in June to 11.4 percent in July, an increased attributed to more African Americans ... read more >> Harlem Street Renamed After Literary Icon James Baldwin Written by Roberto Alejandro Special to the NNPA from the Afro-American Newspaper 14 August 2014 The Harlem high school James Baldwin attended now sits at 22 East James Baldwin Place after a section of 128th Street in New York City was renamed in honor of the literary icon. The renaming ceremony ... read more >> American Lung Association Helps Students with Asthma Return to School Written by Sentinel News Service 14 August 2014 Lung Association Recognizes Asthma-Friendly Schools and Offers Back-to-School Checklist for Students with Asthma As summer winds down, families across the nation are beginning to prepare for the new ... read more >> Single Mom Planet Looks Out For Mothers Written by Maya Humes Sentinel Intern 14 August 2014 Single Mother Neferteri Shepherd founds non-profit to empower fellow single mothers Today, there are 12 million single parent families in the United States. Single mothers head more than 80% of those ... read more >> LAPD Alleged to be Downplaying Violent Assaults Written by City News Service 14 August 2014 The Los Angeles police Department misclassified nearly 1,200 violent crimes during a one-year span ending in September 2013, including hundreds of stabbings, beatings and robberies, forestalling the ... read more >> Los Angeles Coliseum to Expect Huge Improvements Written by City News Service 14 August 2014 Huge improvements at the aging Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum will be in place when the USC Trojans host Fresno State Aug. 30. USC Athletic Director Pat Haden said this year's changes, aimed at a unique ... read more >> For The Love of Dance Written by Maya Humes Sentinel Intern 14 August 2014 Dance instructor Ja'Vonda Jones makes fitness her business to teach Ja'Vonda Jones is not your average 25-year-old woman. Nor was she your average 24-year-old when a little over a year ago, she ... read more >> The Long beach Jazz Festival Stands Strong Written by Troy Tieuel Sentinel Contributing Writer 14 August 2014 LALAH HATHAWAY closes the sets on Sunday. In a constantly changing musical environment, few things have remained a consistent. Musical styles come and go, legends rise and fall. Events gain popularity ... read more >> Page 21 of 188 StartPrev16171819202122232425NextEnd Subcategories Breaking News Campaign Watch Celebration of Life Exclusive International Legends Local National Politics Press Releases


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Ideally situated in the heart of Hampshire our Edwardian Manor House Hotel in Southampton offers charming accommodation and a state-of-the-art health club and spa which makes BEST WESTERN Chilworth Manor Southampton an ideal location when visiting Southampton, Romsey, Winchester and the New Forest.
This luxury Southampton Hotel is also within easy reach of family attractions that include: Marwell Wildlife, Intech Science Centre and Planetarium, Beaulieu Motor Musem, New Forest National Park and of course the newly opened Peppa Pig World at Paultons Park. For the best in retail therapy why not visit West Quay, which is only a short drive from the Hotel.
We are a matter of minutes from M3 Junction 14 and M27 Junction 4 set in 12 acres of landscaped grounds and with over 220 complimentary car parking spaces. We are also 5 miles from the Southampton Docks Cruise Terminal, Southampton International Airport and Parkway train station.
Our dedicated conference facilities create the ideal environment for dedicated learning, a Co-ordinator is on hand to help you stage events for up to 160 delegates in one of, or a combination of our 11 air conditioned meeting rooms.
BEST WESTERN Chilworth Manor Southampton is the ideal Pre-Cruise Hotel in Southampton.
- Special Offers
- Bedrooms
- Food & Drink
- Meetings & Events
- Weddings
- Leisure Club
- Spa & Beauty
- What's on
- Reasons to Visit
- Cruises from Southampton
- Park and Cruise
- How to Find us
Top Deals….
Legacy Hotels & Resorts has introduced some enticing offers so book now to take advantage of hugely reduced room rates!
Catch some zzz's…
Come dine with us
Head Chef; Chris Keel, now in his eighth year of service with us, has built an excellent reputation locally for producing consistently high-quality dishes and menus that satisfy all tastes.
Our award winning 1 Rosette Restaurant is situated just off the magnificent galleried hall at the heart of the Manor House. We are open daily for breakfast, lunch and dinner. We also offer al fresco dining during the summer months on our main terrace overlooking our landscaped grounds and the conservation area beyond.
We are open to non-residents seven days a week and offer a fabulous 3-course Sunday Lunch menu with coffee and mints for only £17.95 per person, a real hit with the local community.
Please be aware that we operate a dress code in the Restaurant. The dress code is smart/casual. Diners wearing flip flops, shorts and baseball caps will be asked to dine in the Lounge area, terrace or bedrooms.
Our Lounge is open all day for coffees, speciality teas and of course cakes and other treats.
Afternoon Tea
Treat yourself to a scrumptious homemade Afternoon Tea, enjoy our wonderful surroundings and soak up the ambience (and perhaps some sunshine). This traditional English occasion is the ideal way to entertain close friends, relatives or colleagues.
Enjoy a selection of freshly made finger sandwiches, homemade baked scones with clotted cream and homemade jam, a range of delicate pastries and your choice of tea from our Ahmad Tea selection or freshly brewed Mozzo coffee.
We offer an unforgettable afternoon in the beautiful and relaxing setting of our Edwardian Manor House or overlooking our landscaped grounds and the conservation area beyond.
To reserve your table, we ask you order by midday the day prior to when you wish to enjoy our Afternoon Tea experience. Please contact our Restaurant on 023 8076 7333 to reserve your table.
Afternoon Tea is available from £14.95 per person or £26.00 for two.
Download our Menu's here
Bar Menu – Dinner Menu – Childrens Menu – Afternoon Tea
Opening times
Breakfast: 7.00am – 9.30am Monday – Friday, 8.00am – 10.00am Saturday & Sunday
Lunch: 12.00pm – 2.oopm Daily, however we are closed on Saturdays
Dinner: 7.00pm – 9.30pm Daily
Planning a meeting?
Basking in the glory of a successful conference is great, finding unplanned costs on your invoice is not.That's why our delegate rates are inclusive, so everything's taken care of:
* FREE WIFI access
* FREE use of an LCD projector
* UNLIMITED Tea, Coffee and Water
* UNLIMITED Flipcharts
* FRESH Fruit in your main meeting room
* FANTASTIC cuisine
Residential guests can also enjoy our Health Club and Spa offering an ozone cleansed pool, sauna and steam room, state of the art gym and [comfort zone] beauty treatment suite in our Manor House Hotel Southampton.
We have 11 air-conditioned conference/function rooms including our unique presentation theatre, offering tiered seating for up to 130 delegates with an interactive lecturn and back projection screen. A big room for big ideas.
Planning a party?
BEST WESTERN Chilworth Manor is well known throughout Hampshire for delivering consistently excellent food and service. We are one of the premier venues in the region for Social Events, Family Celebrations and Weddings.
Our Head Chef; Chris Keel and his brigade take great care and attention developing menus to suit all tastes.
Tay Yamac the Hotel Operations Manager has been with the Hotel for over 10 years and in this time has developed a team that is consistently able to deliver excellence to you and your guests.
For more information or to discuss your special event please contact our dedicated Events Team on 023 8076 3030 or email them on firstname.lastname@example.com.
Your Perfect Day
BEST WESTERN Chilworth Manor is the answer to your dreams. Picture the scene: sweeping up a rhododendron and tree lined drive to an Edwardian Manor House, drawing up in front of the double oak doors before you walk into the splendid galleried lounge with it's paneled walls, open fireplace and the grand staircase leading to the Minstrel's Gallery. The good news is, your arrival at this wonderful hotel will be every bit as magical as it sounds!
Take your vows in our elegant GK Chesterton Ceremony Suite. Sip Champagne with your close friends and family on our terrace, overlooking beautiful landscaped gardens and the Conservation Area beyond.
Our dedicated Weddings team will help carefully plan your big day. We have the expertise to make your day perfect.
Our Wedding Venue Facilities:
* Stunning backdrop for those all important photo opportunities * Catering for up to 140 seated guests * Evening functions up to 200 guests * Licensed for Civil Ceremonies for up to 105 guests * Bespoke Packages * All Inclusive Wedding Packages * Dedicated Wedding team
Introducing our Crystal Wedding
£4,750 all inclusive (2015)
We have launched an all inclusive package designed to take care of some key aspects of your special day. This package is for 60 day guests and catering for 80% of 60 evening guests, you are able to add guests to either the day or evening event, your Crystal Wedding Package includes: * 60 glasses of Bucks Fizz on arrival * 3 course Wedding Breakfast for 60 guests * 2 glasses of House Wine per person with the Wedding Breakfast * 60 glasses of Sparkling Wine to toast the happy couple * 1 seasonal floral arrangement for the top table * Up to 6 seasonal flower centre pieces * Chef's selection Finger Buffet for the evening (5 items) catering for 80% of your 60 guests * Superior bedroom for Bride and Groom Please call Sarah our Wedding Co-ordinator on 023 8076 7333 or email her on firstname.lastname@example.com to help arrange your special day.
Feel the difference…..
Situated within the beautiful grounds of the Hotel, theclub@chilworth-manor offers members and guests some of the best health and well-being facilities in Southampton. Whether you come alone or with a friend or partner you are sure to enjoy the facilities on offer. We have something to suit everyone – whether you're a regular gym user or have never stepped foot in a health and fitness club before! Being part of a club means knowing our members, offering the best in customer service and helping you achieve the results your looking for. We'll help you achieve this with our helpful staff and a friendly atmosphere which all go a long way to make sure you get the most out of your membership. Why not pop in to meet the team and have a tour of the facilities?
Opening times
Swimming Pool
With today's hectic lifestyles we understand finding time to workout can be difficult. Here at theclub we offer simple membership categories allowing you to choose the best option and price to suit your needs:
Membership joining forms are available to download by clicking here: The Club Application Form
The perfect membership for those wanting full access to the facilities with no restrictions on time usage! Add to this all inclusive studio and pool classes this is the ideal membership for those with a busy working lifestyle.
Looking to add a partner, friend or family member onto your primary membership? Adding an associate at a reduce rate will not only allow them to have the same usage as a primary member but we'll also give you a FREE month membership as a thank you – it's all part of our membership referral scheme to benefit the members!
Not everyone needs a membership for evening use, our Midweek membership allows members use of the facilities Monday – Friday between 9:30am – 4:30pm. Inclusive morning and afternoon classes are also included.
Currently the most popular membership we offer! To see if your company qualifies for corporate membership click here: Corporate-Members-Accounts We're always looking to add to our corporate business account, if the company you work for isn't listed please contact the Club Manager on email@example.com
Membership Referral Scheme
Introduce a new member to the club and we'll give you a FREE month's membership as a thank you! This is part of our membership referral scheme available to all current members. The more new members you introduce the more free membership we give you
Class Timetables
Whether you're looking for a high intensity spin class or more gentle pilates class, the club offers 28 classes per week to suit all levels of fitness. Classes can be booked 7 days in advance by calling or emailing our reception team: T: 023 8076 3022 E: firstname.lastname@example.com
To view or download our class timetable please click here: Class-Timetable
Comfort Zone
With award winning spa products, theclub@chilworth-manor provides the ideal choice for those seeking a dedicated spa break, or for those simply looking to relax and treat themselves to a spa treatment.
Download our comfort zone spa & beauty treatment menu here: Spa-Treatment-Menu
We boast a complete product line of beauty treatments and rituals, cosmetics and elements of design. [comfort zone] offers superb facilities and a wide array of tranquil treatments, ranging from soothing massages to indulgent manicures. Whether you come alone or with a friend or partner, you are sure to enjoy an unforgettable spa experience. We look forward to welcoming you very soon
Opening times (subject to change):
* Monday: from 9:30am – 8:00pm * Tuesday: from 9:30am – 8:00pm * Wednesday: from 9:30am – 8:00pm * Thursday: from 9:30am – 8:00pm * Friday: from 9:30am – 8:00pm * Saturday: from 9:30am – 5:00pm * Sunday: from 9:30am – 5:00pm Comfort Zone timings vary depending on bookings.
What's on in and around this hotel
SOUTHAMPTON BOAT SHOW – 11th – 20th September 2015
Mayflower Park hosts the annual Southampton Boat Show, which has been going strong since 1969. It's a showcase for watersports lovers featuring marine activities, unrivalled shopping opportunities and some of the world's most luxurious yachts.
Attractions in and around Southampton
Paultons Park – Home of Peppa Pig World is a family theme park located in the New Forest, Hampshire.Paultons features rides and attractions which include a rollercoaster, a log flume, a water park, adventure golf, a 4D cinema, birds and animals, beautiful landscapes and gardens and much more! Peppa Pig World is Peppa's very own theme park with 7 fun rides and attractions located at Paultons Park. Distance from the hotel 9.1 miles.
Based at the heart of Southampton, SeaCity Museum tells the story of the people of the city, their fascinating lives and historic connections with Titanic and the sea. Visit SeaCity Museum and Southampton to discover how we bring maritime history to life through an interactive experience designed for all ages. Distance from the hotel is 5.1 miles.
A visit to Marwell Zoo is a chance to get up close to the wonders of the natural world and help save them. Marwell Wildlife is a charity dedicated to the conservation of biodiversity and other natural resources. Distance from the hotel 10.1 miles.
Tucked away in 440 acres of beautiful woodland and meadows close to the River Itchen. Go Ape Southampton, Itchen Valley Country Park is perfect for a family days out in Hampshire, and friends looking for awesome activities in Southampton. Tree Top Adventure involves fun and adventure across five sites. Each site features our award winning high ropes, awesome crossings, tunnels, bridges and an epic wind-in-your-face zip wire to finish. Distance from the hotel 5.3 miles.
Mayflower Teatre is the biggest theatre on the south coast with over 2,300 seats in the auditorium – an independent Trust with the aim to bring a diverse range of shows to Southampton. The theatre presents a mixture of spectacular touring productions, from musicals – many direct from the West End – to dance, opera, drama, ballet and comedy. Distance from the hotel 4.9 miles.
Southampton's most important historic building, Tudor House reveals over 800 years of history in one fascinating location at the heart of the Old Town. The timber-framed building facing St Michael's Square was built in the late 15th Century, with King John's Palace, an adjacent Norman house accessible from Tudor House Garden, dating back a further 300 years. Tudor House gives a unique and atmospheric insight into the lives and times of both its residents through the years, and of Southampton itself. It appeals to visitors of all ages and interests, who find the family-friendly activities, interactive technology and fascinating displays a winning combination. Distance from the hotel 5.6 miles.
What do otters like to eat? Why do wolves howl? Have you got questions you'd like answered about wildlife?Then join the experienced keepers for their regular keeper talks throughout the day. You can hear all about our fascinating animals and watch them being fed. At various times of the year Animal Encounter sessions are held, when you can see some of the smaller mammals and birds up close. Look out for Hobbit the young barn owl or hedgehogs, mice and ferrets. Distance from the hotel 9.8 miles.
Chilworth Golf Centre has been established for over twenty five years, having started with a driving range alone back in 1979. Over the years Chilworth has gone from strength to strength, and now boasts a 5693 yard 18 hole golf course, a team of PGA qualified teaching professionals, a fully licensed bar and restaurant facility, floodlit covered driving range, a well stocked pro-shop with clubs and accessories to suit all budgets, and finally, a relaxed and friendly atmosphere in which everyone is welcome. Distance from the hotel is 1 mile.
At Stoneham Golf Club visitors are regarded as members for the day. During the week visitors can start after 8.30am in the Summer and 9am in the Winter. At weekends casual visitors are welcome after 11am on Saturdays and 10am on Sundays subject to availability. Distance from the hotel is 2.3 miles.
WestQuay is Southampton's multi-million pound leisure development, with around 100 shops and outlet stores selling everything from lifestyle, sport, fashion, toys and games, electrical and media. Distance from the hotel is 5.4 miles.
Have fun with science and technology at the INTECH family museum in Winchester. Engaging hands-on displays explore everything from tornados to recycling, while more than 100 interactive exhibits bring tricky concepts to light. Distance from the hotel 12.8 miles.
Discover Southampton's rich history of aviation at Solent Sky. The vintage aircraft on display encompass Flying Boats, jet fighters, helicopters and the famous S6 racing seaplane. Taking pride of place is the legendary Supermarine Spitfire, designed by RJ Mitchell. Distance from the hotel 5.9 miles.
Cruises from the Port of Southampton
Click here for a list of Cruises from Southampton
Getting to the Cruise Terminals from the Hotel
As you exit the hotel, turn right and go straight along the avenue.
The 4 Main Cruise Terminals
Bon Voyage
Millions of people depart from Southampton Docks for their cruise of a lifetime and you can start your relaxing holiday early by staying at the The BEST WESTERN Chilworth Manor Hotel. With packages starting from as little as £175 per couple.
This package includes:
* One nights accommodation in a standard room (upgrades available)
* Full English breakfast
* Unlimited tea and coffee on your day of departure
* Midday check out with secure luggage storage
* Transfer to and from the Cruise Terminal via a pre-arranged taxi
* Up to 14 nights car parking included, additional nights available
Include dinner for two in our A La Carte Restaurant, with all the benefits of the above package included for £219 per couple.
You don't have to be leaving Southampton by sea to take advantage of this promotion, if you're jetting off for your holidays then you too could benefit from this special offer.
Once you return from your voyage take your time returning home and relax with us for the evening with a full English Breakfast in the morning before you start the final leg of your journey home. Bed and full English Breakfast for two £80.
To make your reservation please call our Cruise Expert Sue on 023 8076 7333 or email email@example.com
By Car:
If you are using a SAT NAV the Hotels postcode is SO16 7PT
From the M3 North:
At Junction 14, exit towards A33/Southampton, at the roundabout take the 3rd exit onto the M3/A27 slip road to London/Eastleigh/Winchester/Chilworth, Keep left, follow signs for Romsey/A27/Chilworth. Continue onto A27, Continue straight onto Chilworth Rd A27. Turn left onto University Pkwy, Turn left onto Venture Road, Hotel will be on the right
From the M27:
At Junction 3 take the M271 heading to Romsey, At the roundabout take the 2nd exit onto the A3057, At the roundabout take the 2nd exit onto Luzborough ln/A27. Turn right onto University Pkwy, Turn left onto Venture Rd, Hotel will be on your right
By Rail:
Park Way Train Station is 4.5 miles away from the hotel with connections to both the coast and capital of England.
By Air:
Southampton Airport is 4.6 miles away from the hotel, only a 10 minute drive


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Four of the five candidates for Bishop City Council met with an audience of about 30 residents Thursday evening to discuss local businesses and what they would do, if elected, to help Bishop's economy.
Incumbent Susan Cullen was unable to attend the forum due to illness, but did submit short answers to the three questions that were prepared by the Bishop Area Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Bureau. Cullen was unable to answer two additional questions from the audience.
Forum moderator Sally Symons drew the order in which candidates answered questions and gave each candidate five minutes to address the issues. She herself read Cullen's responses to the Chamber's questions.
Many people that own
businesses within the City of Bishop reside outside of the city limits and therefore cannot vote for City Council representation. What could be done by City Council to let these business owners know that they have a "voice" and that they are important to and appreciated by
the City of Bishop?
Current Mayor David Stottlemyre was the first to field the first question.
"Those who don't live within the city do have a voice," Stottlemyre said, pointing out that interested individuals are not required to live in the city limits to serve on the city's three commissions: Parks & Rec, Water & Sewer and Planning. Stottlemyre also said residents from throughout Inyo County, whether they own a business in Bishop or not, are invited to help with efforts at the Bishop Community Garden and the dog park.
"There is always an opportunity … to participate. Your voice means a great deal to us," Stottlemyre said. "You're always welcome to come to the council meetings and voice your concerns. We want you to come to the meetings."
Stottlemyre also said that all five members of the City Council are active in the community and available to discuss any issues with residents.
Challenger Pat Gardner was next to address the question, saying that Bishop business owners who do not live within the city limits do have a vested interest in the community.
Gardner also said non-residents are always invited to participate on city committees and commissions.
"They certainly will have a voice with me, should I be elected," Gardner said. "Their concerns will be listened to and I will continue to go out and contact businesses on an ongoing business."
Incumbent Laura Smith said the business community in Bishop is one of, if not the, biggest revenue-maker for the city.
Smith said she regularly gives out business cards to local business owners, regardless of whether they live within the city limits, so they have her home phone number and personal e-mail address and can contact her at any time with questions and concerns.
She also said that, as mayor, she hosted regular "Coffee with the Mayor" events, inviting anyone and everyone to meet with her in an informal setting to discuss city business.
She also said the Chamber of Commerce is a good resource for business owners to communicate concerns.
In wrapping up, Smith encouraged everyone to shop locally to show their support for local businesses.
"Our business owners are amazing," she said. "They support this community."
Candidate Keith Glidewell said that everyone is welcome to attend City Council meetings every other Monday to participate in the public comment portion of the meeting.
Glidewell said the city already helps fund the Chamber of Commerce, which represents many local businesses.
"Buying local is the most direct and practical way to show a business owner you appreciate them," he said, adding that, in his experience, "people really like it when you go up to them and ask, 'What are your thoughts?'"
He also pointed out that the city offers a local contractor's preference, which gives local businesses a leg-up when competing against out-of-the-area businesses for public contracts.
"The most effective way to show someone they're appreciated is to give them a contract," Glidewell said, adding that he would encourage any local business to track and bid on city contracts when they are made available.
Cullen said that all business owners are invited to attend City Council meetings and serve on city committees and commissions.
What can the Bishop Chamber/Bishop Business Community do better or differently to increase communications and strengthen the relationship between the business community (i.e., hospitality vendors/new potential businesses) and city leaders?
Gardner was the first to answer the second question, pointing out that the City Council has the potential to change every two years, "which makes it a challenge to communicate." She said city staff, including the city administrator, is a bridge. "We need to build on this idea when funds are minimal," she said.
She said the city and business owners should both take a "how can we make this happen" attitude.
For the city's part, she said supporting local businesses doesn't just mean providing money, but also making it easy for local businesses to complete city paperwork if it is necessary and helping with grants when they are available.
Cullen said the Chamber of Commerce does a good job of communicating with the City Council. She added that a committee of local vendors could be organized to work with city leaders.
Glidewell said the most practical way to improve communication would be if there was "mutual attendance" of business owners, community members and city leaders at community events.
He also said that the Chamber could introduce a topic at each of its Chamber Mixers, giving everyone in attendance an opportunity to discuss and share ideas on items of local concern.
He also said that the Sierra Business Council has lost funding for its "Buy Local" initiative, and the City Council could look at ways to continue that program. He added that Buy Local is not a program the Chamber can support, as the Chamber also represents businesses that aren't necessarily locally owned, such as corporate supermarkets or other big-box retailers.
"We can make an effort to create the Bishop brand with incentives for people to buy local."
He also said it is important for business owners to share "the reality" of running a business in a remote, tourist-based community, where the cost of stocking inventory drives up prices in comparison to big box competitors such as Kmart or Walmart.
Smith said all local business owners should feel free to contact City Council members personally with any questions they have and are welcome to attend the council meetings and study sessions.
She said she also appreciates the quarterly reports Chamber Executive Director Tawni Thomson brings before the City Council, and would like to see those reports on a monthly basis.
Smith also said the City of Davis has a program it calls "Two-by-Two" that gets two City Council members and two Chamber employees together on a regular basis to discuss ideas for the community.
"We do have a good relationship now, but it can be improved," Smith said.
Stottlemyre began by explaining that the difference between a resident and citizen is that a citizen participates in community events and activities, while a resident just lives within the city limits.
"Citizens, that's what we really need more of," Stottlemyre said. "This applies to our county as a whole. Get involved if you can."
He also suggested that the Chamber bring back an old program called the Ambassador's Club, which sent citizens to meet with new business owners to discuss the local climate and introduce them to Chamber activities.
"The Chamber has 300-plus members, so several Bishop businesses are not members," he said.
He said he would also like to see Thomson deliver her reports on a regular basis.
Historically, the City of Bishop budgets for tourism development after all essential programs have been funded, despite the fact that a significant portion of the city's revenues are generated from the Transient Occupancy Tax. How might the city increase its annual investment in tourism development in a fiscally responsible way that recompenses the Visitor's Center's successful efforts to increase TOT and all tourism-related revenues for the city?
Gardner said essential services such as police, fire and public works require a significant amount of the city's budget, and make Bishop a desirable place for tourists to visit, so using part of the TOT to support those department's budgets "is reasonable."
She added that tough economic times mean that city departments are doing more with less.
"It is difficult to increase the size of any budgeted amount, but the Chamber is a valuable asset," Gardner said. "I will do everything possible to support their efforts."
Smith said that tourism is one of the biggest revenue sources for the city, so it would be a benefit to increase funding for the Chamber of Commerce.
"We need to make the Chamber a high priority," she said.
Smith said the city could use its business license tax authority to raise taxes on "pass-through" service businesses, such as gas stations or fast food restaurants, and earmark revenue from the tax to pay for services visitors use.
She also said the chamber has an opportunity to host a fall gala event to help raise money for its operations. "Everyone loves an occasion to come out for a gala event and the Chamber has a chance to have the biggest gala event ever," Smith said. "With that money, we could look at more groups to come in, like the motorcycle clubs, bicyclists and photographers. We have a lot to offer them."
Stottlemyre said that it is important for the city to be able to track any investment it makes to ensure it is seeing the expected returns. Currently, the Chamber of Commerce is looking at a way to track its impact on the TOT.
He also said that investments in public safety, public works and other departments make Bishop a place people want to visit, so it is important to keep those departments funded.
In addition to the Visitor Center, Stottlemyre said the city helps to fund and participates in organizations such as the Laws Railroad Museum and Inyo Council for the Arts.
"We have quite an investment in the community, and they all help make for a better environment for the city," he said. He added that there are state and federal funding mechanisms in place that require the city to spend money on certain programs, and "the city budget is not as sexy as it has been in the past," which makes budget decisions a challenge each year.
Cullen said it is a tough time for municipalities and if the Chamber can find a way to track its impact on TOT generation, she would be in favor of dedicating a percentage of that impact to financing the Chamber.
Glidewell said the Bishop Visitor's Bureau plays an important function in tourism, but he isn't convinced that advertising "is the lifeline it is portrayed to be."
He said fire, police, water and parks all consume their portion of the budget and "it is essential those basic needs are covered."
He said he wouldn't approve siphoning money from those departments to invest in tourism.
The question with any investment, Glidewell said, is "Can you afford to lose? Right now we can't."
Glidewell said the question of how much to invest in attracting tourists to the community is a question best posed to local business owners, as they are more closely impacted.
With the prepared questions answered, two residents from the audience had follow-ups.
One resident asked Smith if a resort fee could be charged to help fund city functions.
Smith said she did not know, but the idea sounded similar to raising the TOT and earmarking a percentage of those funds to specific causes.
A young audience member asked Glidewell specifically what can be done to help get graduates, who often remain in the community and start careers, get involved in community functions.
Glidewell said the City Council's "Council on Campus" program has been a successful way to get students involved in city government and said he would like to inspire young citizens to run for local offices, saying it is one of the "responsibilities of being an American."
Stottlemyre added that the city's scholarship program, which requires high school students to attend three council meetings and write a paper on their experience, has been successful in getting local youth interested in city government.
Smith said the City Council is currently looking into a student intern program that would hire local high-schoolers.
Gardner said local business owners should be more vocal about what jobs are coming up in the community and what skills are needed to fill those positions.
In conclusion, each of the four candidates in attendance said they would make themselves available to any community member who had additional questions.
[1] mailto:email@example.com
[2] http://www.inyoregister.com/sites/default/files/council forum.jpg


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An AT-Te faught some droids
April's back it's a FOOL! I was trick like 8 or 10 times but good thing about is, it's still fun!!!! LOL So have a happy day and see toons! :)
It's been a while since I've been cause of school and all but I'm back and should be posting some cool stuff soon
This is what I made a while back to try and show my idea for a new set. I am too limited on the bricks needed, so I'm going to need LDD to actually create the design and submit it to Ideas!
Faryd 1218 your wish is granted the battle of serda 3 clones r desperately trying to hold of the droid attack who shall win put that in comments also should I start a miniseries to put that in commen …
My first custom clone, as well as my first creation on this gallery.
Rex and Cody r having fun while the battle of serda 3 rages on.
Just kidding!!! :P Happy April first, everybody!!! This finally means that spring is here! As much as I hate spring, (intense, borderline unbearable allergies to all pollen) it's still better than th …
This is how you make a heavy duty droid it's also a Jedi because it has a green light saber
Luke is on holidays
Heyas! This is the #?? contest for the CGRA! It's a book contest. The pile of books on the top right corner is just the LEGO magazines and other LEGO sets. The tags are "bc". :P ~Alayna
Snow trooper is reading a book
Hey guys, I might have to leave for a while, I don't get many comments on some of my things that I spend a lot of time on, but I still consider all you guys great friends. I'm going to sleep on if I …
The Inquisitor is behind you Luke! Retreat Luke!
This is my new MOC called, "Rebel Ruse". The MOC depicts Ezra Bridger and C1-10P AKA Chopper hacking into an Imperial data system. But two Stormtroopers came that might jeopardize their mission! Hope …
Look at the light saber its called the cross grip and I made him fully black because I don't know what he looks like
let me know if you like the dark side
Kaya must fight his turned-dark apprentice, Lykas, in the ultimate battle that will decide the fate of the Galaxy.
Loki needs a new place to live
Jedi interceptor Review this set is for the people that want a jedi Price 24.99 i would say a bit overpriced and 2 shooters !
The Celestial Hawk belongs to Dash Rendar (on the right of the 3rd picture) and his partner, Whit Bevje. The bounty hunters' Genesis-class star-fighter is capable of hyperdrive and seats two. It has …
I'm gonna make my first miniseries called The Adventures of Stormy and Kitten. To follow the Episodes search the tag TAOSAK. Note:I will try to post the episodes on a weekly or daily basis depending …
A farmer finds an Imperial outpost in his fields and wants them to leave. But, he does not know that they won't hesitate to arrest him.
If you have not read the first part of the series DON'T START HERE!!!!!!!---------------"Why Yavin 4?", I asked Seda Axright. "Because its so desolate that the Republic will not find you.", Seda told …
This is my custom droid transport. I was going to call it "AT-DT(droid transport)" But it was sithi-fic so changed. Hope you guys like it and see toons! :)
This Is My StormTrooper For the stormtrooper Alliance Falcon Name: Ryan Shaffer Weapon: T-7 Disrupter Rank: Sergeant
A Heavy Stormtrooper walking down to inspect other stormtroopers. support the EMPIRE!!!!!!!
look at my lightsaber:it has 1 blue side,and 1 green side,it looks like Kylo Ren's Lightsaber but it has blue on the top and green on the sides.Enjoy!God Bless~Happy Easter/Jack.
Yes, it is here! My Umbara Moc! You can see the 212 and the 501 fighting umbarans. They have a shield and a walker.
Hi guys I've been here since January 2015,so I want to say that this is my 81st creation I've ever made on this site.If u know about the New episodes of The Rebellion,answer them and it'll change the …
As we reached the mess hall we heard a strange, piercing whistle coming from inside. We hurried in and found the mess hall, well, a mess. Tables were overturned, leftover food scattered everywhere, a …
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REAL surfers know...Santa Barbara's Rincon Point is one of California's true crown jewels! This amazing poster, from the incredible Creation Captured collection, features Woody Woodworth's brilliant overhead photography from a record day of waves at the Point. A masterpiece, worthy of a prominent place on the wall of any surfer's home, office or beach house!
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Nearly a dozen Vermont communities provide informational pamphlets for self-guided walking tours of their nationally recognized historic districts. Vermont also has an abundance of parks, hundreds of miles of hiking trails, cycling tours, boat cruises and several other niche outfitters and guides. In the winter season, options include alpine and Nordic skiing, dog-sledding, snowmobile tours, sleigh rides and snowshoeing.
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Despite threats of big fines by state banking regulators, the owner of a Shadyside (Pittsburgh, Pa) ice cream shop who opened his own version of a community bank last summer isn't abandoning his mission.
"We are taking on the challenge of transforming the retail banking industry," his website states.
"PA dept of banks threatening us ... we keep growing," he tweeted in late December.
Instead of deposits he is offering "never-ending gift cards." (More hilarious examples of how this ice cream shop/bank owner is getting around regulations in the article).Read more »


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Results 61 to 75 of 102
October 26th, 2008, 06:31 AM #61
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Hrm, all the hyped/buzzed authors that i've read in the last few years I've enjoyed. Lynch, Abercombie, Rothfuss and Ruckley have all become must buys for me. Rothfuss in particular. Guess I'm just easy to please I don't actually listen to the hype content but if a name is mentioned enough i'll give it a go so mb my expectations arn't inflated by hype. I just want to see what all the fuss is about and add my 2 cents.
Going back awhile though, Perido Street Station for me was a complete waste of money for me.
Last edited by ChrisW; October 26th, 2008 at 06:34 AM.
October 27th, 2008, 03:10 PM #62
First thing that came to mind (and I think I've seen it mentioned somewhere else in this topic) is Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norell. Ghaw. That was aweful. I couldn't finish it. In fact, I think I stopped reading about halfway through, about 50 pages after I figured that the exiting part was not finally beginning after all.
And, of course, the usual suspects (although you should also know that I tried reading these when I was younger and only read translated work, which is terribly bad here in The Netherlands):
- GRRRRRRR Martin
- Feist
- Goodkind
- Zimmer Bradley
I actually thought of retrying Goodkind, but I'm a bit reluctant to waste money on books that I might not like. Especially when I know that I did not like them before.
October 27th, 2008, 03:58 PM #63
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Hype is something that I avoid at all costs. Not the books & authors that are hyped, but the hype itself. I had actually never heard of Patrick Rothfuss or Name of the Wind until I went into a bookstore, saw the paperback on the shelf, read the back cover and bought it. Beacause of this, the hype had no effect on me and I enjoyed the snot out of this book. I wasn't even aware of the fact that it was a series until i reached the last page, & swore out loud that I'd have to wait.
I learned my lesson about hype many years ago with China Melville's "Perdido Street Station." Everyone praised the hell out of this book. I thought, "it must be wonderful!!" I was dead wrong.
I learned my lesson about hype a couple of years ago with Donaldson's "Convenant" series. It praises were sang from the highest mountains. I read the entire first trilogy in one long weekend. Afterwards, I felt my time would have been better spent digging a ditch with a spoon.
I learned my lesson about hype a couple of years ago with anything written by Neil Gaiman. Other than "Stardust", which almost doesn't count, I found eveything he wrote felt like a bad smell permenantly stuck under my nose.
I have actually found my "hype" experiences to be so profound that I have a hard time actually trying some the authors recommended on these threads. I am sure I would be missing out on many novels and series that I would truly enjoy, but I am tired of spending both time and money on novels in which the hype was nothing more than the subjective opinions of people who share a wide variety of tastes. (Not an insult, merely a point of fact.)
Now that I think about it, I can't think of a single novel or series that I have picked up solely on hype and thoroughly enjoyed. I picked up a first edition "Game of Thrones" thinking it was historical fiction before I knew anything about it. (Just think how much that book would go on eBay!!) I read HPatSS before it became popular based solely on the blurb on the cover. I read Hobb before I ever came to this, or any other web site. I also notice that many of the authors I do read, most on here dislike (Goodkind, Douglass, etc.) So, I guess that means most of your "hype" sucks!!
October 28th, 2008, 01:30 AM #64
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I will say that one problem with hype is that it's generated by people who genuinely like a book or author. Take Perdido Street Station, which I like, though I admit there was something off about the dialogue. Nevertheless, a lot of people like the book and are going to recommend it thereby creating more hype. In other words, popular books are popular for a reason.
Someone earlier mentioned that he was told Martin's work was the greatest fantasy ever, then said he'd only put it in his Top 20. Now if you think Martin is over-hyped but still fits in your top 20, unlike Perdido Street Station, which doesn't even make your top 100, imagine how many people place Martin right at #1 in comparison to Mieville.
It makes sense to me that people place Martin so highly. Very few people actually hate his work and you're only going to out of your way to talk about an author if you love or hate him. No one goes out of their way to say he's ok.
October 28th, 2008, 02:14 AM #65Ranke LidyekGuest
Your second statement about Martin brings me to my second point (where I criticize hyperbole and people complain that these things are purely subjective; they are not). Good writing is identifiable--and so is poor writing. Sure, tastes play into the equation (generally when overlooking flaws), but when a novel is flawed on basic, objective levels, then it is fair for a reader to point it out. There are real, quantifiable faults in Lynch's first novel and to Rothfuss' Name of the Wind, flaws that exclude them from "classic" consideration or even "best fantasy in 30 years" hype. Even fans of these novels admit this. Does that mean that people shouldn't "buy" them? Not at all! There are flawed books I love. People willing to overlook those flaws certainly should go out and buy those books. Few novels are truly "classic", and some manage that status inspite of their flaws for a select audience.
Now, Martin, by most accounts, can arguably figure into the upper echelon of fantasists (though I contend he's not so much a fantasist as a deconstructionist; and the spate of historical buffs masquerading as fantasy authors has begun to hurt the genre, in my opinion, just as the recent bevy of scientists has drained the life from science fiction). While I don't think Martin's the greatest fantasy writer working today (and certainly not "ever), with the exception of his disappointing last novel, I can objectively point out that he's certainly a worthy candidate in any discussino of the best fantasy novelists/series. I might not agree wholeheartedly, but I can understand the sentiment and the logic behind it.
So, I argue that judging authors is not that subjective--not when one understands fictional craft (and more people do than most will admit). I haven't read all of Perdido Street Station (pertaining to your Mieville comment), but I do find that many people feel that Mieville doesn't write characters so much as situations and doesn't write stories so much as social allegories--all of this is fair criticism and it would certainly turn me off from his novels. That, and his prose is very mannered and not as "stylistic" as many claim. Style should be transparent, a tone that serves the story rather than distracts. From what I have read of him, I felt distanced from the story itself and that's where my first complaint would fall. However, I reserve the right to change my mind should I ever finish one of his novels.
Either way, I think this is an important discussion. I have no problem with hype if it FITS the novel involved. There ARE books that deserve the hype. And there are those who do not.
October 28th, 2008, 11:19 AM #66
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C.S. Lewis. I can see why he'd make an impression on young, unformed children, but his romanticized totalitarianism, celebration of death, hatred of humanity and contempt for and dismissal of all human achievement and intellectual curiosity that can't be harnessed to the service of his all-encompassing worldview are definite turn-offs. As is his targeting of defenseless young minds. A story's not a soapbox.
But he's got some skill with words and for beautifying his ideology with the borrowed feathers of other myths.
I feel much the same about LeHaye, Jenkins and their ilk.
And those Twilight books from Meyers make my skin crawl.
Not too fond of Philip Pullman either. The third book of the His Dark Materials trilogy was a major letdown. The storyline strayed all over the place and the established characterization and plot points all fell apart. Ditto the soapbox comment. His preaching gets dull after awhile.
Vote Kellhus in '08!
October 28th, 2008, 11:20 AM #67
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Here is what's frustrating me about what you're saying, Ranke. You are talking as if flaws in a book are objective, and that everybody sees the same flaws in books, and places the same importance on these books. You claim that Name of the Wind is obviously flawed, and there's no way, in the history of the universe, anyone can ever consider it the best book they've read in the past 30 years because of these so-obvious flaws.
People see flaws different ways. Something you see as an obvious flaw, someone else might see as a strength. The editor in question claimed that this book is the best she'd read in 30 years. Could she be lying? Certainly. Is she lying? As soon as someone reads her mind and tells me that she was lying, then I'll believe.
Whether or not the statement is completely true, the editor must have held the book in very high regard. A well respected editor such as herself cannot make such a claim about every book she publishes, or even more than a couple. I think it's entirely possible that she either saw the things you saw as flaws, and said they were strengths, or they really weren't very important to her. I could give you a list of flaws for every book I've ever read, but I still have personal favorites.
October 28th, 2008, 02:05 PM #68
And are you implying that classics don't have flaws, and that's what makes them classics? I can point out plenty of classics that I think are intensely flawed. Doesn't stop them from being classics. And what about a book like Catch 22 that did not fare so well at launch but, in paperback form, became a hit, with people discussing it and referencing for years to come with no real marketing push. The initial reviews were very mixed, with some critics saying it was too flippant and heavy-handed, but others claimed it was terribly witty and deft in execution. But who was right, and when?
I disagree with what your saying here. I do think there is objectivity in writing, but it doesn't reach much further than grammar and punctuation. Style, content, thoroughness on particular subjects -- just about everything else is subjective.
As for classics, I'd argue they develop that status by simply outlasting. They make a splash with the people of the time, then continue to be purchased, recommended and discussed for long after. They pass the test of time. Sort of like slang. Some words are only around for a few years, but the ones people won't drop and continue to use long after their conception eventually find their way into dictionaries.
October 28th, 2008, 10:14 PM #69Ranke LidyekGuest
If you were correct, then every film ever made would be flawless (no grammar or punctuation there, my friend). You CAN judge a work based on things other than punctuation (it's called structure, dialogue, plot, stimulus/internalization/response, characterization, etc.--things that are harder to "see", but things that experienced readers and especially writers are privy to). NotW is OBVIOUSLY flawed. Read it again and think on these things (grrr, I hate having to pound on one novel--a novel I enjoyed, actually).
One: lack of stakes (stoned dragons as your climax?). Two: the third person was spotty and redundant (if I hear Bast try to fellate "poor" Kote one more time--we GET it already!--this served no purpose and diminished Kote's character). Nothing interesting happened until about page 200. The opening was amateurish. Three: the pace was too slow with too much repetition. Hit your mark and move on. It's a tenet of screenwriting that can and should be applied to prose. Yes, a PLOT is important, folks. Four: Kvothe is a "Mary Sue" (he does EVERYTHING better than everyone else and most of the other characters aren't even foils, but "furniture" for Kvothe to sit on). My main issue is that great writing consistently does one thing: make every word count. NotW failed in this regard.
I'm not implying that classics are flawless (I think no work truly is), but they DO possess outstanding characteristics that make them rise above their flaws. However, most classics don't have quite so many flaws as NotW. Do I think Wolheim lied? Honestly, YES. No way in hell she hasn't read a better fantasy in 30 years. It's a ridiculous statement. I sure have.
Do I think NotW is a bad book? Hell no. I enjoyed it, for the most part. And I'll buy the second novel. I do understand why people would recommend the book. I feel people should buy it myself. But I'm not going to say with a straight face that it's a "classic novel or the best fantasy I've read in 30 years" because it simply isn't. Instead, I'll enjoy it for what it is. A good, sometimes very good, novel. What's wrong with that?
So there you go.
October 29th, 2008, 12:17 AM #70
On the topic of books and hype, I've never been terribly impressed by Neil Stephenson's work in general. I typically find the stories to be quite enjoyable, characters are practically smothered by the world building. Also, many of the plots that he writes feel too large for one volume. He crams so much in that character development and natural feel in the pacing is lost on me.
October 29th, 2008, 12:33 AM #71Ranke LidyekGuest
But, you mention plot in there. Many of the grammatical (technical) elements of filmmaking are less known by movie-viewers than the elements involved in prose, which are seen. The "grammatical" elements in film are unseen, for the most part. They are "technical". The STORY (and style) are the director's and excluded from judgment or consideration according to Bear (and others). This does not equate to grammatical criticism in literature as a more apt comparison to grammar in filmic terms would be "composition" within a scene (framing), lighting, etc. Those are elements that "set" the world within the framework--they are not encompassing of the script or the story told within (in most cases). The argument Bear made prior to this is that one cannot judge story--only grammar.
It's patently absurd.
Last edited by Ranke Lidyek; October 29th, 2008 at 12:42 AM.
October 29th, 2008, 12:52 AM #72
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Classic status doesn't mean flawlessness. Beethoven's ninth symphony has an overlong finale, and Tchaikovsky's Manfred symphony's finale is piss-weak.
What makes a piece of art timeless, or emblematic of its times or genre, is that its strengths make the faults dissolve into irrelevance.
October 29th, 2008, 06:24 AM #73
To think that you can objectively judge a novel (or any art form) is pure arrogance. Any criteria you set for the judging will be inherently subjective based on what you value in a text.
To judge something objectively it must be concrete fact. If you are an objective judge then you are essentially declaring yourself the arbiter of good taste, and that anyone who values texts differently from you is wrong.
I disagree with your assessment of Mieville writing situations not characters, I found with characters to be generally well rounded and interesting. I guess my opinion is wrong, huh?
October 29th, 2008, 07:33 AM #74Ranke LidyekGuest
People like you want to say there is no difference between good writing and bad (if your argument is carried out to it's inevitable conclusion). I say that's ridiculous. Certain tenets of good (or bad) writing exist; it has NOTHING to do with me at all. I could care less if you agree with me on anything. In reality, I'm probably more forgiving and less likely to catch flaws in many novels as I want very much to enjoy the journey, but I'm not going to sit and dismiss fair criticism of any work, even my own.
However, criticism doesn't mean one isn't allowed to enjoy a novel. It depends on what, as readers, we're willing to overlook.
October 29th, 2008, 09:18 AM #75
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You probably remember that I had some scratched of tech tree for the CW! I've for a long time been playing around with an idea of making a real tech tree, instead of the linear tech branches of DH. If you want, I can use these ideas for CW!
Some of my ideas:
* The amount of available technologies grows--at first, the tree is narrow, but after researching some important 'root' techs there comes a growing number of options, some of which lock other options.
* Tanks come in play rather late, so there's some need for cavalry too.
* Player can specialize by developing improvements instead of just new models.
* To boost the progress in smaller nations, some technologies may give free IC and money, instead of just plain percentual bonuses which clearly benefits large nations more than the small nations.
As for the map, as there's no need to keep on historical borders, I suggest making every province roughly of the same size and shape. If every province borders six other provinces (of course there must be exceptions, especially on the coast), the warfare becomes more interesting and realistic as there can be no exploits.


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The snow-mantled rock face of the colossal Mont Blanc Massif, located between France and Italy, dwarfs a pale twilight moonrise in the background. At 15,771 feet (4,807 meters), Mont Blanc is the highest peak in the Alps and a frequent point of contention between the two countries. Each alternately claims it as its own.
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SEATTLE — November 7, 2013 — Swedish Medical Center's organ transplant program is celebrating two milestones this month – the 40th anniversary of its kidney transplant program and recent approval of its liver transplant program by Medicare.
Swedish is a longstanding leader in organ transplantation in the Pacific Northwest, particularly kidney transplantation. Now operating for 40 years, the kidney transplant program is the most experienced of its kind in the region treating more than 100 patients each year.
The recent approval by Medicare comes five years after the Washington Supreme Court approved the liver program's certificate of need in 2008. The first liver transplant performed at Swedish was in September 2010.


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I haven't written about the current presidential election because I'm fairly underwhelmed by both options. Regardless, we're a week away from a national vote that will impact this nation for the next four years and beyond. Putting aside all policy positions and platforms, I found an interesting infographic from degreejungle.com that looks at the cost of educating President Obama and Republican Presidential nominee Mitt Romney. This is a fascinating comparison that should inspire any … [Read more...]
October 30, 2012 By 1 Comment


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Easy Heat premium grade wood pellets are made only from 100% wood created by lumber industry by-products that produces high BTUs, low ash, and drastic savings in energy usage and heating costs. They employ exacting quality control measures throughout the production process, including ash and fines content testing, to ensure that every bag of Easy Heat wood pellets live up to their "premium grade" name and perform as promised.
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