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tag:destructoid.com,2006:blogGrimmTrixX's Blog :: DESTRUCTOIDul/user/7/72702-EADMK23jpg-avatar.jpgGrimmTrixXhttp://www.destructoid.com/blogs/GrimmTrixX2013-01-22T21:32:46Ztag:destructoid.com,2008:281928Waka waka waka. I call dibs on Pac-man!2014-09-30T12:52:54Z2014-09-30T12:52:54Z<!DOCTYPE html>
For many years, Pac-man has been the mascot of all things video games. But as the years progressed he has been outshined by the likes of such stars as Mario, Megaman and Sonic. Well I say it is not time for Pac-man to seek his revenge by eating the power pill of justice and laying the smash down on all who oppose him.

Plainly and simply out: I call dibs on Pac-man!

Now you may ask, "Grimm, why do you consider yourself the chosen one to unleash Pac-man's fury?" Well here they are, the reasons why I am the best man for the job.

1.) I was in 2 consecutive Pac-Man Championship DX tournaments
- Back when PAX East first started, I entered a tournament. While I didn't win, i did place 3rd (the guy who beat me moved on to win the whole thing so I say that makes me 3rd and the guy who lost to the runner up being 4th. The 2nd year I went I placed 2nd. My own hubris got the better of me and one fatal mistake was made. They asked me after my semi-final win if I wanted to wait a few mnutes, I said no, and it was my undoing. But I still did damn good and i DID get the highest point totals of anyone in that 2nd tournament so that's something. The picture shows my runner up medal for placing in the top 4 in my first tournament. In the 2nd tournament I played... 2nd place got nothing.

2.) Of the 3,051 games I own, 21 of them are Pac-man related (not including Pac Championship and Championship DX on XBLA)- You could say that I am quite the fan of Pac-man in general. I have played almost every game there is including all of the arcade stand up machines (thanks to Funspot in New Hampshire and their Video Game Museum). One of the first games I ever played were Pac-man and Jr. Pac-man for the Atari 2600 and I spent countless hours playing them. To this day, Pac-man is one of those games you can still play for hours and have a blast. Hell, I even own Pac-pix! Now that's dedication!

3.) I have wanted Pac-man (also Megaman and Little Mac) in Smash bros since the N64 game.
- Years ago, when Super Smash Bros first came out for the N64, my friends and I always talked about what if there were guest characters from other games. We all spouted off names like Megaman and Sonic, but I was always a firm believer that pac-man deserved a chance to be a playable fighter. All these years later, when I saw the announcement, I lost my mind! I couldn't believe that alongside Megaman and Little Mac who I also wanted, that my main choice made it in the game! When Melee came and he wasn't in I was crushed. Then Brawl came and we had Sonic and Snake.... but no Pac-man. Finally, his time has come and my dream has come true!

4.) I have Pac-man floor mats in my car and a steering wheel cover
- Sure they're beat to hell cuz I've had them for over a decade, but they're still there and still awesome. Sadly the steering wheel cover is too big for my current car, but I still have it somewhere.

So to make a long story less long, I call dibs on Pac-man because he and I go way back and have been bros for over 20 years. I for one cannot wait to see what he can do next week in Super Smash bros for the 3DS! I have dibs on Pac-man!

 tag:destructoid.com,2008:27471210 Things about GrimmTrixX thou shalt know2014-05-12T02:39:53Z2014-05-12T02:39:53ZSo as we know everyone loves a good bandwagon with which to jump on and so here's my super sexy list of stuff about me that some know, some don't, and now all shall know.

1.) I have been playing video games for just over 27 years.

Myself (around age 8) and a few friends playing Wrestlefest at Chuck E. Cheese's. My mom wanted me to smile but I was in the middle of a game.

I just recently turned 31 in April and I have been playing games since age 4. I started with my Dad's Atari which he gave to me and it just continued on from there. I received, and still have every mainstream system since Atari. I also have random stuff like a Turbo Grafx 16 and a Sega Master system which I've only had for about 3 years on both.

2.) I am a huge wrestling fan.

My autograph of the Rock when he was IC champ.

I have been watching wrestling, primarily WWE (then WWF), since I was just shy of 7 years old. The first time I saw it was Wrestlemania 6. I have been hooked since. My all time favorites are the Ultimate Warrior (RIP) and Hulk Hogan, but along the way I have also been fans of guys like The Undertaker, Gangrel, but more recently Wade Barrett and Antonio Cesaro. I look forward to the future of the WWE. While it's not nearly as amazing as it was when I was younger, it's still fun and I love seeing the children of my favorite legends as current superstars. Also it helped that my dad was friends with former WWE Referee Tim White so I have lots of cool autographs that he got for me.

3.) I have a video game collection consisting of 3,026 games.

This is what 2,450+ of my games look like (500+ not shown).

Yes, you read correctly, Three THOUSAND games. I have been playing games for years and this is the most awe inspiring thing about myself. I have kept almost every game I ever bought/received and while I have played a lot of them, I doubt I've played more than 50%. I buy way more games than I play which sucks. But now that I've hit this milestone I am slowing down on my collecting process and going to focus more on PLAYING them. I truly do understand those memes that say "There's nothing to play!" and it's an image of a huge stack of games. First world problems I guess.

4.) I used to collect action figures before video games.

U.S. Agent in a Punisher Package? Yep!

Collect is a loose term when it comes to me and figures. Do I have some in the original packaging? Sure. But most are in crates in my basement since, as a kid, I played with them. Some are broken, some are missing pieces, but when you have crates of He-man, Ghostbusters, Marvel/DC figures, and Ninja Turtles figures it's still pretty cool to have. I couldn't afford to collect both so I chose games. I also enjoy this mispackaged one I found ages ago. If someone sealed it back to do this, then they did a damn good job because it's seamless. I also have a decent collection of comics, as well as video game and Star trek based novels.

5.) I once dressed as Spock, Kano (MK3), and The Shredder for the last 3 Halloweens at my job.

I had lots of fun wearing these at the bank where I work.

I love to dress up for Halloween. I don't think I ever missed a Halloween for dressing in a costume. So for my 3 years at the bank where I work, I dressed up all 3 years that I have been there and these are them. I think they're pretty good. Kano and Shredder were home made, Spock I bought the shirt and ears but drew on the eyebrows.

6.) I have a BA in Art with a focus on Graphic Design.

Something I drew just from looking at an image of Mega Man I found online, no tracing. Project was to draw something 3 times in 3 different ways.

You ever go to school, unsure of what you want, then you graduate and realize it's not what you want to do? Yea that was me. I always wanted to work with video games but when I went to college "video game design" wasn't really a thing, not here in Rhode Island anyway. I started with Computer science. I didn't want to be a programmer. So I moved to art. I mean I enjoyed drawing and whatnot and had good ideas so why not. So I got my BA and then after I graduated I just really didn't want to do it. While my drawing skills are good, I am no natural at it, as it takes me quite some time to make good images. I wish I went for English as I enjoy writing. I am focused this year to make a website with my writing as a focus. We will see how it goes and I will let you all know when it happens!

7.) I was in the first 2 "Blockbuster Video" video game tournaments.

Not my actual pin, but I do have this exact one on an old busted Batman hat shown in my first image. The hat is somewhere around my house.

Some of you may be old enough to remember this, but once Video games could be rented in a store! And sometimes, the biggest store of them all, Blockbuster Video, would hold tournaments. They did it for about 3 years I think. The first one was with a special Donkey Kong Country cart which just went level to level and the goal was to get the most bananas in the allotted time. For 2 straight weeks I was number 1, but the third week I got beat by like 50 bananas. I was crushed. You see, I was young then and both my Dad and I assumed it was your CUMULATIVE score from all 3 weeks... nope... just the highest score overall. So I lost at the end. Lame.

8.) I used to do game reviews for a small site my friends and I made called Glitchytasty.com.

Yes...this was the logo and I hated it. The info is correct except my Wii FC is different.

Ok so the name is obviously a pun on "Itchy..Tasty" from Resident Evil so let's get that out of the way. It was not my idea but my friends. So I did game reviews/previews for the 2 years the site was up. We did get free copies of games but my friend hoarded them. I only managed to get a free Mario Sports Mix. The site is still up if anyone wants to see my olod previews/reviews. My friend who made the site now works for 343 Industries. He worked on halo 4 and now on Halo 5. Lucky Bastard.

9.) I worked at game Crazy for 5 years.

RIP Game Crazy.

I know I mentioned it earlier, but I did indeed work at a Game Crazy video game store. I started on its 4th day of opening and was there until it's bitter end. The company went bankrupt in 2010. My location closed it's game crazy around February of that year, but I transferred to the Hollywood video side until the doors closed in May. This year is the 4 year anniversary of it's closing. When they were about to close the doors for good, I got over 60 games and over 30 movies/TV show discs for... get this.. $0.80 each. That was my best gaming haul ever. Only a few were rental copies, most were what we transferred from game crazy. I also met my friend, who works for 343 Industries now, here at Game Crazy and we've been friends ever since. It was a great 5 years of my life and I'll always miss it.

10.) I was in 2 Pac Man Championship DX Tournaments at the 1st and 2nd Pax East.

Friggin' amazing game.

This was my first REAL tournament. Sure Blockbuster tournaments were still you playing a game while others watched, but this was competitive and elimination. My first time I got 3th place (I lost to the man who won it in the finals), the 2nd year, sadly I only got 2nd. I can get 9mil+ points minimum in the Championship II level, which is the one the tournament used both times. Now my first tournament was great because I was killing the other players. When I lost, I lost to the guy who then became the 1st place winner, so it's cool that I lost to him if I were to lose to anyone. The 2nd year he didn't show up, so I had a chance. I whooped everyone, scoring 9 mil almost every time. But sadly, after my semi-final match, the final was next. The head of the tournament asked if I wanted a couple minutes to rest since I just played a match where I won by ONE ghost.

The small crowd was going crazy he and I were neck and neck. The funny thing was... the kid I was battling was in the previous years tournament. He lost to the guy who would become 2nd. So in essence him and I were battling to regain glory of our losses. In the end I beat him by barely 2000 pts. it was insane and everyone went crazy. So the final came, my hands weren't too steady, i made ONE mistake which cost me the WHOLE thing because on that level, one death, just ONE, can cause you to lose hundreds of thousands of points. The kid only got to 8 mil, and if I didn't take the risk, I'd have won it all.

God damn Brain slugs.

So there's just a few fun facts about GrimmTrixX. Hopefully soon my site will be up and you all can hear more from me in a greater capacity. Thanks to those of you who read this whole thing!!tag:destructoid.com,2008:265844What's So Backwards About Backwards Compatibility?2013-11-16T23:37:47Z2013-11-16T23:37:47ZAs many people are aware, the Xbox One and the PS4 are not compatible with their previous versions, Xbox 360 and PS3 respectively. This is a touchy subject for many people and I think I have some insight as to why.

Some may say the industry is changing. "Why would I want to play Xbox 360 when a new system is out?" They may shout! Well, besides the fact that they're still going to make games for the 360 for 1-2 years, it's so we can play games we currently own.

Many know me as a video game collector. By the end of 2013 I'll own over 2,700 games in my 26 years of gaming (I'm 30, been playing since I was 4). As a result of this, I own MANY video game consoles. One of the best parts about backwards compatibility is that I don't need to keep every single one hooked up. Now granted... I DO have them all hooked up, but the convenience is there for many, like me, who keep their old consoles. Many people believe that backwards compatibility is a relatively new thing, but that couldn't be further from the truth.

With this new generation of gaming, I am harkened back to the days of Intellivision, Colecovision and Atari. I would EASILY think of them as Xbox One, PS4, and Wii U. Many don't realize that Atari made 3 versions of their self-titled console: The 2600, the 5200, and the 7800. The 7800 was almost fully compatible with 2600 games. Hell, the Intellivision II (remodeled version) had an adapter to play Atari 2600 games! Cross compatibility right there! So to say there's no room for backwards compatibility in the gaming world is ludicrous!

Let's jump to the NES era. In this era you have NES, Sega Master System, and the Atari 7800 battling. Atari dies out and the NES wins over the SMS. But think of some fine points about Sega for a minute. They made a handheld console called the Game Gear, maybe you heard of it. Well this has an adapter to play SMS games on it!

Then comes the SNES, Sega Genesis era of gaming, which to me is still the best. Now granted the SNES couldn't play NES games but with the help of an adapter, the Sega Genesis could play SMS games which was great! When the Gameboy came out, Nintendo came up with Super Gameboy and I don't know about you but I lost my mind! The fact that I could play my handheld games on my big TV (20 inch TVs were big back then for a kid to have in his room) was a great incentive to stick with the SNES.

But the consoles were not the only form of gaming to get compatibility by this point! Gameboy games worked on the Gameboy Color which, even though the GBC is an upgraded Gameboy, it still counts as you could toss your old GB and strictly use the GBC. Then the beloved GBA comes out... that thing could play GB, GBC, AND GBA games.

So now we advance, the N64, Sega Saturn, PS1 era lurks. Once again we get struck down with no backwards compatibility. This marks the first time in in 5 generations of gaming that we can't use our older games. Now I'll admit, I don't think many of us were even thinking of backwards compatibility back then, despite having it, since it didn't really have a name yet. But you COULD use the same video cable for the SNES/N64/Gamecube so there's that! But thinking back on it now, yea it kind of sucked. Luckily for us there was tons of games for older consoles and back then trading games wasn't really going around in full swing like it is today. Hell the first used game I ever bought was Mario Golf for the N64, and the battery inside was dead and I had to swap it for another copy.

So now we hit arguably the most popular gen of gaming, the sixth gen with PS2, Dreamcast, Gamecube, and Xbox. PS2 could play 99.5% of PS1 games. I leave out 0.5% cuz there's about 10 games that don't work completely. I found this out playing Mortal Kombat Trilogy which plays fine in VS, but go play single player and try to see your characters ending, the game will freeze on Shao Kahn when he gets ready to explode.

PS2 was an amazing all in one system. Oddly, I was an Xbox fan and actually bought that, then GC and PS2 dead last. I still own the very last fat model they made and it works great. I had a DVD player so that wasn't a priority to me. But then we move to Gamecube. Gamecube couldn't play old CONSOLE games, but, with the GBA player, you could once again play GB/GBC/GBA games on your TV which was an amazing feature. The Xbox has nothing jumping into this gen and took a gamble, but I say they're doing pretty good.

Let's not forget more handhelds. The Nintendo DS could play GBA and DS games, and our beloved 3DS can play DS games, furthering the compatibility into this gen. But next we get to the current gen, Xbox 360, Wii, and PS3. These 3 consoles are simply amazing and I am glad to own them all. Once again this gen I went 360, wii then PS3. Even now I haven't played a PS3 game in over a year (don't worry Santa is bringing me The Last of Us). But let's look at this gen closely.

It all began with 360. Now the 360 can play a good amount of original Xbox games, and sadly Microsoft stopped despite claiming eventually all would work. This however proves that updates could be done for compatibility. Now I don't pretend to know how to create video games, but compatibility, on a superior system, should fairly easily be done using software and not hardware, right? Someone correct me on the specifics but it seems odd to not have it. But at least SOME games worked on the 360. The Wii could play almost every Gamecube game which drew me in so I could let my Gamecube rest for a while (only to be resurrected to play GBA games on my 40 inch HDTV). The PS3, at first, could play PS2 games because it had the actual PS2 hardware. But... Sony realized they could remove that and sell PS2 games as PS2 Classic games and make more money, but hey, the compatibility was there initially. We don't talk about PSP and Vita because well... they did a poor job when it comes to this topic. Hell, the PSP Go made it so you couldn't even play PSP games on it unless you downloaded them.

So now the next gen is upon us! in 6 days it's be in full swing with Wii U, PS4 and Xbox One all coming out. This Gen I already own a Wii U, but I am going Xbox One. I am not picking it due to my fanboyism, I simply chose it because I am a die hard Dead Rising fan and I NEED DR3. That and the PS4 has no exclusive games I care about except God of War and even then Ascension sucked. I am sorry but it's the worst in the entire series but that's for another day.

So what does everyone think? Is it weird that only 2 generations of gaming didn't have backwards compatibility? Did you notice it or not? I always knew it, but it never impacted me as much once I truly realized that we've had it almost all this time. To be nice, if you didn't want to read this blog, here's a compatibility rundown (if I am missing something please add it:

(C/W= compatible with)
(C/A = Compatible with adapter)

[u]Compatibility thru the ages:[/u]
- Atari 2600 C/W 7800
- Atari 2600 C/A Intellivision II
- Sega Master System C/A Sega Genesis and Game Gear
- Gameboy C/A SNES
- Gameboy C/W Gameboy Color
- GB,GBC C/W GBA
- GBA C/W Nintendo DS and DS Lite
- GB,GBC,GBA C/A Gamecube (via GBA player)
- PS1 C/W PS2 and PS3 (earlier models)
- Xbox C/W Xbox 360 (Limited)
- Gamecube C/W Wii
- Wii C/W Wii U

The 5th gen is the only one to have zero compatibility since the 8th (now current) gen has Wii to Wii U, and the 3rd gen had at least SMS to game gear and Genesis.

But sadly no 360 to One, or PS3 to PS4. Not even digital games ::shrug:: You'd think by now we'd know how to use software and allow it, especially if I paid for it digitally on 360.. Why they wouldn't think I'd wanna play it on the next console, when digital will be the 9th generation of gaming most likely, is beyond me. Don't worry, they'll be gracious to add older games to XBLA (or whatever Xbox One will call it) and make us pay for them again, such is gaming.

Long story short, there's been WAY more Backwards compatibility than not, so why remove it now?

 tag:destructoid.com,2008:255198My Gaming Story: 26 years and counting2013-06-03T12:17:48Z2013-06-03T12:17:48ZLike most gamers of today, I started out as a young child at age 4 with a little system called the Atari 2600. It all started when my father gave me his Atari system when I was around 4 years old (26 years ago since I am now 30). Now while I cannot say this is when I fell in love with video games, since i was only 4, but this was my first time actually playing games. The first game I ever played was called Kangaroo. This was your basic old school platformer where you have to make the mama Kangaroo reach her baby at the top. I played this game, and many others such as Pac man Jr, Dig Dug, and Missile Command, which simply added to my future love for gaming.

So come age 5 I finally received my own Atari 2600 Jr... but that's not where it all began. This is simply because in Christmas of 1988 I received my NES. This is when gaming got its hooks in me and would from then on never let me go. Now growing up as an only child, I was spoiled rotten. While my parents didn't buy many games for me, they sure as hell rented plenty of them. Twice a week my dad would swing by the local Major Video (which would later become Blockbuster Video and then later become an empty building) and get me a new NES game. I would play games for hours on end after school right up until bed time. I still went outside and played with friends, but as an only child, when my friends weren't around, what else was a boy to do? Growing up I owned MAYBE 16 or so games during the NES's actual lifetime (I now own 253 NES games thanks to my game collecting addiction), but renting was the thing to do. I must've killed hundreds of NES games as a kid and I definitely miss it more than you know.

So then we move onto the SNES/Genesis generation. Good lord what a time this was! I remember waking up on Christmas morning (not sure on the year) and opening up my SNES and hooking it up all by myself to our TV in the den and playing Spider-man/X-men and Super Mario World. Now this was not the first time I played the SNES, I had previously rented the console 2 times from some mom and pop video store. Both times playing Joe and Mac and Super Mario World. Renting consoles was a thing many people did since they couldn't afford to buy them unless it was a holiday. But I definitely remember the day I played MY SNES for the first time quite well. I rented the Sega Genesis about 3 times, playing the likes of Sonic The Hedgehog, Altered Beast, and Dick Tracy. I also rented tons of games over the years, the same as NES, for both consoles.

Long story short, I moved through the ranks of every major console. I chose PS1 over the Saturn (I own one now, however), I got an N64, Dreamcast, and everything in between leading up to the Wii U. I have every major console or handheld released in the US and played thousands of hours on an original Gameboy playing such titles as Tetris, Quarth, Gremlins 2, and other such obscure titles as well. But the time that got me into gaming was that time between NES and SNES.

So here we are, 26 years after playing my first video game, and I still love it. I currently own 2,614 video games spanning countless systems. I own an Atari 2600 (2 of them), Atari 2600 jr, NES (top loader and 2 front loaders), SNES, Sega Genesis gen 1 (with Sega CD gen2 and Sega 32x), Gameboy (and a Gameboy pocket), GBA SP (NES style), Mario Kart edition Nintendo DS, DS Lite (2 of them, one black and one Zelda gold edition), 3DS, Turbo Grafx-16, N64, PS1 (original and a PS One with monitor), PS2 (last fat model made), Sega Saturn, Sega Master System, Atari Jaguar, Gamecube, Xbox, Wii, Xbox 360 (2 of them one non-HDMI white and one halo 3 special edition), Virtual Boy, PS3, PSP slim, and a Sega Dreamcast. I might be leaving some out but I think that's it.

So to say I am serious about video games is quite an accurate description. With the dawn of digital gaming, I am sadly losing interest in the next generation of video games. I will always have my games to play, however, as my backlog is over 1000 of these games. If 26 years later I am still into gaming, it's pretty obvious I will remain so, whether it's with new games or simply playing all my old games. Either way, gaming is who I am.

I can't say what the future of gaming truly holds and if I will embrace the digital age of gaming for sure, but I am definitely not as in love with the games of today as I was when I was a child. With having to work 35-40 hrs a week, spending time with family, friends, or my fiance, and the fact that many of my friends aren't as into gaming as me and never really was, there's not nearly enough time to play games as I would have liked. I do try my best to game at least 1-2hrs a day if I am lucky but such is life. While my gaming addiction may have started with the NES, it will not end until the day i die and that is a truth that you can bet on when it comes to me. Here's some fun stuff I drew a few years back, for some classes in college, thus further showing my love for games. Here's some Atari characters (and its 3ft by 4 ft in size), 3 megaman drawn with alternating mediums (based on a pic I found online but hand drawn not traced), and a close up of Chris Redfields alt attire from the RE1 remake)

 tag:destructoid.com,2008:243435DOOM on Nightmare ain't no joke2013-01-28T19:48:23Z2013-01-28T19:48:23ZNow I love a difficult game as much as the next person, but good lord what have I gotten myself into this time? Now back in the day I remember when DOOM was a new game. My friend got the shareware version and we played "knee deep in the dead" over and over. But when I was a kid, I wasn't much for challenging games and I think that's common even today. You bet I used all the cheat codes and played on ultra violence. I've only ever beaten DOOM and DOOM 2 on normal without cheats maybe once or twice. So I've decided that now is the time to kick this series in the ass and beat all 5 major titles on Nightmare...Good lord I am in for some pain.

So I started playing Ultimate DOOM on the Doom 3 BFG edition on Nightmare... Let's just say this is definitely going to be a challenge. My goal in this is to beat these games all on Nightmare:

 - (Ultimate) DOOM (Xbox 360; plus the hidden Xbox only e1m10 on the Xbox doom 3 special edition)
 - DOOM 2: Hell on Earth
 - Final DOOM (original PC version I have that's been collecting dust)
 - DOOM 64 (N64 version; Duh)
 - DOOM 3 (Xbox 360 version)
 --Plus Resurrection of Evil and Lost Chapters and probably all 21 Master Levels primarily on the Xbox version for a level by level structure setup and then the 3 missing levels on PC

Why do I want to do this? I don't truly know. Call me a glutton for punishment I guess. I mean maybe in the last 10 years or so I decided that I enjoy difficult games and difficult challenges. I mean I've beaten every Halo game on legendary solo (except Halo anniversary so far since I beat Halo CE on legendary before and Halo 2... good lord I hate you halo 2. Difficult isn't even the word). But I like a challenge and this seems like an amazing one. I also love DOOM as a series and always have wanted to do this so now is that time.

My main focus is to beat the levels. I am not out to kill every enemy and find every secret item, I WILL however beat every mission in these games, secret ones and all. Now I am only on E1M3 in DOOM but it's all about trial and error. Lets see the facts. While you get double the ammo from all ammo pickups and enemies do way more damage... enemies RESPAWN! I thought the Arch-vile resurrecting enemies in DOOM 2 was bad enough, now all enemies respawn. Yipes! I never knew this about Nightmare and man oh man is that difficult. The name Nightmare truly does this difficulty justice.

So I urge anyone who wants a super challenge, try the DOOM games on Nightmare. It's punishing but when its all over I always get a sense of personal accomplishment. I mean.. I have a 100% gamerscore on Dead Rising... it almost made me go absolutely insane but now that it's done, I actually enjoyed doing it... next stop, finish my achievements for the other dead rising games.... once I am done with DOOM.. and by the looks of things, that could be a while. Wish me luck!

 tag:destructoid.com,2008:242936I love my Nostalgia Goggles2013-01-22T21:32:46Z2013-01-22T21:32:46ZHave you ever heard someone say phrases like "Oh that game didn't age well" or the term "Nostalgia Goggles"? I don't know if I too am afflicted with the dreaded disease of Nostalgia or not, but I don't believe in the word. As you know if you read one of my previous blogs, I own way too many video games. The majority of them are from the classic gaming era. Consoles such as NES, SNES, and Sega Genesis are just a few of many that plague my very existence. But, like most people who enjoy the classic games, they were the highlights of many of our lives.

I can go, right now, and play Goldeneye 64 without even thinking about it. I have NEVER said a game didn't age well because I don't compare games of yesteryear with the games of today. It makes no sense to compare an SNES game to a PS3 game. Remember Toejam and Earl? The game is still fun as hell, at least to me anyway. I play classic games in the same mindset that I played them when I was younger and not as a side by side comparison of how games look today. Every generation of games has their great moments. Does gaming get better? I say no. I say games get DIFFERENT. Video games, much like music, simply change with the times. Why did they make Megaman 9 and 10? If Megaman Legends was so much more amazing due to its 3D platformer graphics why would we have made "throwback" games? Hell, 2D fighting games are STILL bigger than any 3D fighting game franchise. Now granted, some 3D fighters are great. But some games need to stay 2D while others can evolve to 3D and be great like the Super Mario Galaxy series or Prince of Persia.

Still amazing fun after all these years

See, in my youth I played LOTS of video games. As an only child, whenever my friends weren't around, what else was I going to do? Read? Throw a baseball to myself? Jog around the block repeatedly? I had fish growing up so I couldn't go play with the family pet and I was the first grandchild on my mom's side of the family (my dads's side of the family all live further away) until I was 7 so I couldn't even hang with cousins until later in life. I turned to video games as something to do as a child when I couldn't go see my friends which happened often for reasons I don't really know because I was young. I would wake up, go to school, come home around 2pm and play games until 10pm. Then I'd fall asleep watching back to back episodes of Star Trek TNG and Star Trek DS9. But take that example of a day in the life of GrimmTrixX, and make it 5-7 days a week and multiply it numerous times.

My dad would rent games from Major video (then it became Blockbuster video; now it's an Eb Lens...) twice a week. He'd pick a different game for me every time and I would kill the games and move onto the next ones. This happened for years so as a kid I played hundreds of games and every game blockbuster had to offer during the NES-N64 eras of gaming. So looking back on old games and playing them brings back fond memories but they're also insane fun even now.

They remind me of a simpler time in gaming when game companies focused on if a game was good and not if it could make them money. Sure I can go play halo 4 right now or Black Ops 2, but then what? Are they great games? Sure. Will I remember them in 20 years and look back on them fondly? Probably not. Why? Well I am an adult now. I have so much more to think about today then when I was younger that playing games of this generation, while fun, are harder to enjoy because I cannot invest nearly as much time into them as I could in the past. I cannot attach meaningful life experiences to many video games made in the last 5 or so years. But if we play Kickle Cubicle on the NES I remember my friends first cat being hit by a car, because that's the game we were playing when it happened. Go figure.

One reason I love classic games is that they were quick to pick up and play and even beat.I don't even know how many times have defeated Super Mario World? I have beaten and re-beaten that game so many times I lost count. It's still my all time favorite SNES game and I could go play it right now and have as much fun as I did back when it had first come out and beat the game again. Old school games have ultimate re-playability to me. But with Xbox 360/PS3/Wii/WiiU era games, once I beat it, I'm done. You can throw all the alternate endings at me you want, once I beat it, good or bad ending, it's over. The only series this gaming generation that I really replay is any Dead Rising game. Something about that series is just plain enjoyable.

Proximity mines on Facility...best gaming years of my life

All i am saying is, I hate the hate that the term Nostalgia gets. It's used more as a put down than anything else. Do I deny that games today look more realistic? Of course not. But does that mean better? How many lush and vibrant worlds exist in RPGs today, yet some can't hold a candle to greats like Final Fantasy VI or Chrono Trigger? Why do I have more fun playing ANY SNES game over half the things that came out in the last 5 years? I mean sure I must have some kind of bias, since I own over 2500 video games, but keep in mind, I own almost 100 Xbox 360 games. I own 280 PS2 games, etc..etc.. My collection spans the gaming universe from Atari To Wii U. i love all things video games, I'll just always prefer gaming from The 80s-00s over any video game era even when I an a super old man. The difference is, I will keep playing new games and evolving to new consoles, unlike many people who get into their bubble and don't advance. My dad hates movies of today and hates any music made after the 80s unless it was made by an older artist who started in his time. Our generation needs to evolve with technology lest we be defeated by it.

Gaming, in itself, is an opinion. We like what we like and that's that. I won't ever tell someone what they like sucks and is terrible. Believe me I have played and I currently own LOTS of terrible games but if you come to me and say Black Ops is the best game you ever played, and you truly believe it, then enjoy the hell out of it because I am glad you found what you enjoy to play.

I just want everyone to be a gamer. I want everyone for years to come who is just getting into games to feel how I felt all those years ago when I started with Atari and NES back in 1987-88 when I was 4 or 5. I love looking at and playing my old school game collection both as current and past enjoyment. My "Nostalgia Goggles" are forever super glued to my face and I wouldn't ever change that. If I like something now, I like it forever. I don't ever change the things I once enjoyed over time. I don't like rap music... but do I hate rap music I once liked? Hell No! Bone Thugs N Harmony is still my all time favorite rap group and always will be. I still love music from the 80s and 90s, I still love watching classic cartoons and TV shows I once loved and enjoy them just as much today such as: classic TMNT, Star Trek TOS/TNG/DS9/VOY, Power Rangers, He-Man, etc..etc.. hell, I have a large collection of action figures from the 80s-90s and they were all obtained just by buying them in the store as a kid with my parents. I didn't go to ebay and buy them like I had to with my huge gaming collection (namely because buying all these games at full retail would've never happened and would've cost SO much more than obtaining them used or for free by working at a video game store for 5 years and customers would give me classic games for the hell of it or sell them to me dirt cheap).

So to end this somewhat shorter blog than I normally do, I just want to say there's nothing wrong with nostalgia. Without it, how do we know about the history of gaming? I'll someday be that 80 year old man telling his grand children about a man fighting a giant gorilla or about a female bounty hunter Samus. And while they won't get the reference (maybe.. depends on if my game collection lasts that long and if TVs/electricity still works roughly the same in 2063). But if you love old games like me and still enjoy them then feel free to leave a comment. I will forever miss having hours upon hours to play games, but the sad truth about growing up is you truly have less time to do the things you love because 30-40 hrs of week just steal that time and energy away...Now if only I could win the lottery...

Fixed


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Sunday, February 1, 2015
Good to see partnership of businesses, schools
Vegas INC – Glenn Christenson
"Wandering through the crowd at schools Superintendent Pat Skorkowsky's State of the District address, I saw the business community becoming an active partner in addressing the needs of Southern Nevada's K-12 education system. Skorkowsky made clear his appreciation of prominent business groups' and individuals' help in achievements made in the district's Pledge of Achievement Program. A close working relationship between the business and education communities is crucial to prepare our children for success. This partnership has been a long time coming, and we are seeing benefits. Concepts that businesses support, such as return on investment and accountability, have become part of the dialogue, making it easier to communicate the district's goals and strategies to the business community."(more)

subset: commoncrawl


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We've been following the Congress Street townhouse project for some time, and now Curbed brings word that sales have started! The nine townhouses at 110-126 Congress Street are on the market with a new web site and a new name, The Townhouses of Cobble Hill. Prices start at $3.65 million for a three-bedroom, five-bath home and go up to $3.875 million for a five-bedroom, five-bathroom home. (The prices are about a million higher than originally predicted.) Approved by Landmarks, they are traditional yet modern. What do you think of the design?
In Cobble Hill, Yet Another Crop of New Brooklyn Townhouses [Curbed]
110-126 Congress Street [The Townhouses of Cobble Hill] GMAP
More Details on Cobble Hill Townhouse Project [Brownstoner]
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15 Comment
I think the Landrover parked across the sidewalk tells me everything I need to know about who the new neighbors are going to be. The houses are lovely. Everything is lovely and perfect. I miss the imperfect old days. *sob*
Lots of Landrovers in Bed Stuy, miss!!!! Don't be so judgemental. Besides, that's a Range Rover
See? I'm too 99% to know the difference.
They were known as Farmer's cars in England back in my day. The Land Rover was for driving around the fields and the Range Rover for when the farmer was going into town and didn't want to spread muck everywhere. I still see them as farmer's cars!.
These look nice and the layouts seem pretty good for the lot constraints. But for the price, they're so small! These are basically 2500 sq ft houses. The bottom level is a windowless "recreation" area (admittedly fine for a media/playroom). And the developer seems to be counting not just this recreation level but also the cellar in the "interior square foot" figures. No way is the $3.65 million unit a 3,465 square foot house – very expensive compared to existing Cobble Hill houses (if you can find one).
They're brand-spankin' new. Always a premium paid for new.
More of this please!
Too small is the new too tall.
Very nice project overall. But I think they should have changed the wall material to stone or stucco below the first floor to give it a solid base and a nicer proportion. That would tie together the little sideways stoops that are a bit awkward.
I like that the exterior design has some contemporary elements. Not sure if the proximity to BQE trench still justifies a significant discount from the part of the neighborhood that is a bit further East since you now have proximity to Brooklyn Bridge Park and more amenities along the Columbia St waterfront… Didn't review the floorplans but if the below grade sqft is included then pricing sounds high on $/sqft basis but perhaps not on a gross basis – sub-$4mm for turnkey house in Cobble Hill.
Nice enough but why all the exclamation points? Am I missing something?
These will undoubtedly spruce-up Congress St. btw. Hicks and Henry. The existing decrepit buildings, while not a total eyesore, have been vacant for many years. A welcomed addition to the neighborhood.
Beautiful designs, a nice take on a 21st century row house that works well with the older stock down the street. Those nice bay windows will have a wonderful view of BQE traffic though. That probably won't impede sales in this market. It will be a big improvement to that block.
these look great… what a smart development.
A+ development here. Seems pricey but the materials appear to be top shelf!
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Tablet. Hotels for Global Nomads
Travel Better.
Andaz San Diego
600 F Street, San Diego, CA, USA
Check availability as rates may vary for dates. Best rate guaranteed.
Yes, this is the one with the stripper pole. Granted, it's only in one room (the so very over-the-top Star Suite, complete with fuzzy plush king-size bunk beds and mirrored bedroom floor), but it goes a long way towards illustrating what sort of place the Andaz San Diego is. As in, maybe not the ideal place to book Mom and Dad a room while they're in town visiting Sea World.
For the sort of person who's into velvet-rope exclusivity, peekaboo showers, and hotel-bar bottle service from suggestively-clad cocktail waitresses, however — and who knows, that may include Mom and Dad after all — the Andaz is just the thing. While some hotel concerns are dialing back the nightlife, this one has it turned up all the way. There's an excellent (and remarkably high-tech) wine bar as well, but the highlight is RoofTop600, one of the Gaslamp District's hottest nightclubs. It's worth the elevator ride for the views of downtown San Diego alone, and a retractable roof built by Ferrari keeps the debauchery going in any weather.
Of course the little things we expect from boutique hotels everywhere are present here as well: forty-six-inch flat-panel HDTVs, iPod docks, top-shelf bath products and luxurious linens. There's even a Cadillac Escalade mega-SUV available to ferry you and your guests about the Gaslamp, if need be.
- 159 Rooms
- Style: Modern Design
- Atmosphere: Happening
- 39 Guest Reviews
- Andaz San Diego
- 600 F Street
- San Diego, CA, USA
Hotel amenities and services
- 24 hour concierge
- 24 hour front desk
- 24 hour gym
- ATM/bank office
- Adjoining rooms
- Bar
- Bicycle rentals nearby
- Boardroom
- Business center
- Central air conditioning
- Free wi-fi
- Golf nearby
- Lounge
- Luggage storage
- Multi-lingual staff
- Offsite gym facilities
- Outdoor swimming pool
- Pets allowed (charges apply)
- Restaurant
- Rooftop terrace bar
- Room service
- Self service parking (charges apply)
- Shopping area nearby
- Spa treatments (on request)
- Valet parking (charges apply)
- Wake-up service
- Wine Cellar
- Wine tours nearby
Other San Diego / La Jolla hotels
39 Guest Reviews
All reviews are from Tablet guests with verified stays.
- Taryn
- Stayed June 2008
- Rating: Excellent
What I liked:
The design of the hotel is modern and elegant. Great roof terrace with a pool. Thurs- Saturday the roof terrace and club are packed. Great if you are in the mood for a party!
What the hotel could do better:
Nothing to dislike
- Mariam
- Stayed May 2008
- Rating: Fair
What I liked:
Young, fun atmosphere. Very stylish. I liked that everyone was in my age group (late 20's).
What the hotel could do better:
The Ivy looked awesome when I checked it out on their website, so I opted to stay there instead of another hotel. I had very poor service at the pool. When we arrived at 3:30 pm there weren't any towels. I asked one of the employees (who were standing around doing nothing) for towels and he replied that he was still waiting for towels to come up from housekeeping. By 4:45 I was fed up with waiting and went to my room and complained. The pool manager discussed the situation with me and explained there wasn't a pool attendant that day. She offered to buy me a drink to compensate for the poor pool service, which was very nice, but I didn't feel it made up for the lack of pool side assistance. The hotel,knowing there was no pool attendant that day, should have assigned one of the other employees to be pool attendant for the day. For a hotel who prides themselves on excellent service, I was not impressed, and in fact very disappointed. I would not stay here again.
- Halla
- Stayed May 2008
- Rating: Good
What I liked:
the decor, the ambiance, and the service was wonderful. This hotel is now one of my favorite hotels. we enjoyed our stay at the IVY very much! everyone who works there was extremely nice and very helpful.
What the hotel could do better:
had a certain incident with one of the servers. we were told that breakfast was going to be served at 10 am by the pool. we were there by 10. we ordered our food and waited for about 45 min until we inquired. the server said that she had dropped the food and they had to remake it. we then had to wait for another 20 min for our food to arrive. the server was rude, did not let us know of the reason of the delay, made loud comments to another server about the low tip we provided (which in my opinion she still did not deserve!). this incident was really upsetting that morning, but did not change the way I feel about this hotel.


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Tech Helproom
It's free to register, to post a question or to start / join a discussion
cant connect to upc
Likes # 0
Posted September 30, 2011 at 12:47PM
My acer aspire 5315 wont't connect to upc wireless internet but it will to all others. is this the make of acer or all acer laptops? Upc claims the fault is not at their end? help please as i am stuck with upc internet.
- Tags:
- upc
- internet
- connection
Likes # 0
Posted September 30, 2011 at 3:30PM
I assume it has security. Make really sure that the code you're typing in is spot on - the slightest error, and it won't connect.
Likes # 0
Posted September 30, 2011 at 3:44PM
yeah its defiantly the right one! Just seems to be a fault with acer. I tried on a different acer laptop and still the same thing.
Likes # 0
Posted September 30, 2011 at 4:09PM
Have you managed to connect "wirelessly" with any computer or only by ethernet cable?
Likes # 0
Posted September 30, 2011 at 4:29PM
Yes I've connected wirelessly woth other makes of laptops no problem its just acer that won't but it picks up the upc signel.
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A lot of guys will wonder if using sexual body language to attract women is even really possible. And then there are the guys that will worry so much about what physical cues they are giving and receiving that they FORGET everything else. Is there really sexual body language that you can use to attract women?
First of all, you want to remember that this is a PART of the process to attract women and really something that you should look into AFTER you have learned other parts to the puzzle. Learning how to use conversation to attract women is really a skill that you should go after first.
With that being said, there are physical cues that both women give when they are trying to attract and when they are attracted to someone. As a man, you will want to look both confident and relaxed. This is really more important than anything.
You also want to make sure that your body language is inviting. Some guys try to take the aggressive tough guy stance and while this will work with some women, it is better to have a more open and inviting stance. Also, the closer that you can get to her is MUCH better and more effective. And if she is letting you get closer without being defensive in any way, that is definitely a GOOD SIGN for you.
A smile can start the process, but you want to make sure that you are able to get close to her, if you want to really get somewhere. All in all, you can learn how to make her attracted through body language, but you should definitely start off with learning how to use conversation to really get her to open up to you at first.
Want to learn more about how to attract women?
Go to:
How To Attract Women and Get Your FREE E-Book TODAY!
Discuss this Article
Using sexual body language to attract women is not the easiest thing to do for most men. It takes time to develop the skill to make it seem natural when you are using body language, so do not be alarmed if you don't get it right off the bat.
The art of attracting beautiful women isn't all that difficult to learn. The problem is that most guys are completely clueless when it comes to knowing how to speak the language of sexual attraction. Make no mistake about it, women do recognize an entire language of sexuality.
Knowing how to seduce a woman is an art form. It takes time, patience, skill, and a little bit of experience to really get the whole thing down. And you also have to be able to adapt to different situations. Not every single woman will react in the same exact way. So, you have to be able to go with the flow and change your approach from time to time. This is why you have to really understand the psychology that attracts women.
Knowing how to use sexual body language to attract a woman is like a foreign language to most men. They just don't get it. Learning how to use your body language in a way that creates attraction is a technique that will really boost your success with women, overall. You have to realize that around 90 percent of all communication is with body language. So, how should you use your body language in a way that attracts women?
Knowing how to use sexual body language to attract women is really a vital part of your overall plan to successfully attract beautiful women. Most me really have no clue just how important it is to know how to use body language as a way to trigger sexual attraction. Why is this SO important?
Sexual body language is used massively to enhance sex and survival as main ingredients of reproduction.
Reading nonverbal cues is as important as knowing how to flirt. These signs of flirting will help men and women recognize who is interested in romance, and who is not!
Most men have no clue on how to use sexual body language to attract a woman. But, learning how to use sexual body language to attract women can prove to be a valuable resource if you really want to attract beautiful women. After all, when you know how to use "body talk" to attract a woman, you can create triggers that will make you almost irresistible to women. If you can trigger her attraction, then you have her wrapped up and you can direct how the situation will unfold.
How much would you like to be able to make a woman feel hot and aroused when she is around you? If you are like most men, my guess is that is your ultimate goal, especially if you are single. We all know that most guys do not make women feel this way and there are some guys that seem to be able to make women feel like this, no matter what they do.
Sex tips can help men improve their sexual encounters. When considering such tips, remember that the condition of the bedroom has an impact on sex.
Uncontrolled penis odor can result in a major date disaster. Men want to make sure they take appropriate steps to eliminate unwanted penis odor before an outing with a potential partner.
Pornography is not everyone's cup of tea, but many couples who view it together find the experience can lead to better sex.
The search for perfect Valentine's Day gifts is on. This year, why not invest in presents that both partners can enjoy together? The following list of sex toys will help guide men and their partners to greater pleasure.
While some causes of penis bumps require treatment, others are natural and harmless. Men can learn about three types of bumps that may affect the penis but are not causes for concern here.
It's hard to fully enjoy sex when one has a numb penis. Restoring lost sensitivity (or preventing it from occurring) enables a man to enjoy sexual pleasure to the fullest.
An itchy penis is a common problem for many men, but it may present a special problem for those with a latex allergy, as it may make using condoms an issue.
Exercise is beneficial to several areas of one's life, including sex. Learn the best exercises for better sex.
Wanting to make a woman feel sexually attracted to you is a good thing, because it shows that you know that it's probably not going to happen magically just because you want it to. You know that there are certain things that you have to do to make a woman feel that way.
Knowing that you are not very good at making a woman feel sexually attracted to you might seem like a hard thing to deal with, but it can actually be a good thing. There are plenty of guys out there who don't do well at making a woman feel that way about them, but they don't even know it.
Most guys don't really know what they need to do in order to create sexual attraction with a woman. You have to know what you are doing if you are going to make a woman feel sexually attracted to you, and if you don't, then you don't stand much of a chance of being able to seduce a woman.
You know how frustrating it can be when you are dating a woman and you really want to be able to take things to another level with her but everything that you have been trying just does not seem to be working out for you. Even if you are not the most superficial guy in the world, at some point, you definitely want to be able to get things advancing in the right direction with her.
You usually don't go out looking to meet women without having any ideas of being able to end up in bed with a woman. Deep down, that is what you are kind of hoping is going to happen. Of course, if you are like most men that go out looking to meet women, that just does not happen that often. In fact, it happens so little, you don't even like to think about it.
As a guy who wants to do well with women, you have to totally understand the fact that women get turned on differently than guys do. You and I both know that it doesn't take much to get guys turned on. All we need is a good magazine. Women, on the other hand, usually need a little bit more.
It's totally understandable why you would want to seek out some good advice on how to make a woman desire you sexually. As any guy knows, as much fun as you might have hanging out with a woman, it is a LOT more fun when you know that she feels some heat when she is around you. It makes you feel good to know that you can make a woman feel that way and deep down, it's what all straight guys want.
Whether you already have a girlfriend or you just want to get better overall with women, you have to understand what you need to do in order to get a woman aroused by you. You can't rely on just being a nice guy, you have to be able to meet her sexual needs and desires as well.


text:
In the "Brewing Classic Styles" book they state it might not be good to directly add a starter that was "continuously aerated" (I'm assuming they mean w/ a stirplate) since this could alter the flavor of the finished beer, and instead should be put in the fridge so only the slurry is pitched. Would you agree with this?
The book also says to only pitch the slurry if the starter is too big for the size batch you are doing, but it doesn't clarify on what this ratio would be. Any thoughts on this as well?
"making alcohol is easy....making it taste good, well that's were the real challenge is!" -Glibbidy
I ALWAYS cold crash my starters for at least 12-24 hours before decanting the spent wort and pitching just a slurry. It has nothing to do with using my stirplate, but everything to do with not F'ing up the flavors from the grains, and hops, used to make the brew. I use light/extra light DME in the starter, and don't want to dump that into my brew. I leave just enough spent starter in the flask to get the yeast mixed into a thick slurry.
I also use yeastcalc.com to get the starter size needed to produce the yeast cell count needed for my batches.
I agree with Golddiggie. I use a stirplate now, but even when I didn't I always crashed and decanted. I decided after tasting the starter wort that it was nothing I wanted in my nice fresh beer.
Life begins at 60....1.060, that is!www.dennybrew.comhttp://www.experimentalbrew.com - the website for the book "Experimental Homebrewing"...coming Nov. 2014
How long will the starter keep in the fridge for?
In JZ and Chris White's yeast book, he recommends decanting for large starters subjected to continuous aeration, and sets the cutoff at 5% of the beer volume.
Light beer I will crash, if I have an active starter under 1 liter I do not have a problem tossing that into a stout or porter.
I also heard Chris white say a 1 liter could not be detected if tossed in.
Today I am brewing an American stout, have some rinsed yeast from 2 weeks ago in fridge. Made a 500Ml starter to wake them up
and going to pitch it straight in.


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A monoclonal antibody that binds to interferon-alpha showed benefits in a phase IIb trial. more
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Q: Is it permissible for anyone who is unable to afford the price of two sheep at the time of 'Aqiqah to slaughter only one sheep and delay slaughtering the second till it is possible? Continue reading
Praying behind Imam Wiping over Socks
Q: I have previously been advised that, while it is not our business to find the faults of others if we know that an Imam has wiped over his socks, or that it is his practise, it renders the salah behind him – according to this position – invalid. Continue reading
Posted in Salat - Prayer Tagged Hanbali, jawrabayn, khuffs, madhhab, mash, prayer, salat, wipe socks Leave a comment
Takbirat of Eid
There are two type of dhikr during Eid days… Which one is valid according to sunnah ? Continue reading
Posted in Hajj, `Umrah & Ziyarah Tagged dhikr, Eid, Hanafi, Hanbali, Imam Nawawi, Sahaba, Shafi`i, Sunnah, takbirat Leave a comment
Wiping Over Socks in Ablution
Q: Can we wipe over the socks during ablution? Continue reading
Posted in Salat - Prayer Tagged du`a, fard, Hanbali, integrals, istighfar, jawarib, khuffs, sajda, thick socks, wajib Leave a comment
Make-up Prayers When Traveling
Q: When we travel 50 miles we only [pray] two rakats. Suppose we don't do these rakats when we arrived at destination. We go back home. Do we then 2 or we do replace it with the normal number of fard rakaates? Continue reading
Posted in Salat - Prayer Tagged Hanafi, Hanbali, Maliki, prayer, qada, qasr, safar, salat, Shafi`i, shortening prayer, travel Leave a comment


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VIDEO: Emotional recipients receive keys to free cars
9:12 PM, Apr. 5, 2013
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VIDEO: Emotional recipients receive keys to free cars
Smiles, and even some tears, could be seen on the faces of the recipients of 10 free used cars today, courtesy of local car dealerships and, for the first time, Dutchess County.
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Tierra-Derco Large Self Watering TrayItem # HN-TG520
- Water tray ensures automatic watering up to 14 days
- Inner support board inside the outer reservoir tray
- Plants sit on capillary matting and draw water as needed
- Never over waters so ideal in greenhouses or as plant sitter
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Coral Coast Dark Brown Stained Planter - 16 x 16 x 27.5 in.
Outerior Decor Products Churchill Rectangular Cedar Planter - 60 in.
Reviewed by 1 customer
- Self-watering In Texas
- Too much plastic
Best Uses
- Outdoor Areas
Comments about Tierra-Derco Large Self Watering Tray:
the product does not enhance the visual experience, basically a plastic tray,but I hope thay it performs the self-watering claim as advertised. I have not had an opportunity to test the product with regards that particular feature but preliminary observations suggest that the provided mat does have some properties that facilitate capillary water flow from the reservoir to the base of the pot.use of non-glazed terra-cotta pots appear to be a mandatory requirement in order for the self watering feature to be effective.
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We are a couple of brazilians, that love music, dance, theater and other things. Both working in the Industry of Call Centre, but differents companys. We love make friends and know different posts.
We work very hard and need vacations. Special vacations.
Last year we were in New York, Orlando and Miami, places where we saw and meet many people of different places, including other countries. Were 14 days of exploration in the streets of North America and was very good.
We want more. We deserve more. Would you like to be our host?
In case of importance. My last international show were U2 and Laurin Hill. My favority movie is Moulin Rouge. The Vampire Chronicle is the best serie of the book.


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Rudy Acuña: As a group Latino politicos have not been especially progressive. Indeed, they have been less than courageous when it comes to police brutality and capital punishment.
Why Guatemalans, Mexicans and other Latin Americans are coming to the United States and the poor are becoming poorer in their countries.
Progressive Media Advocates
Carole Bartolotto: The problem with concluding that GMOs are safe is that the argument for their safety rests solely on animal studies. These studies are offered as evidence that the debate over GMOs is over. Nothing could be further from the truth.
Margo McCall: There's increasing evidence that adopting a plant-based diet is better for human health, the planet, and of course for the more than 9 billion animals that are killed for consumption each year in the U.S alone.
Joe Mathews: Thanks to Xi Jinping, Chinese millionaires have propped up the state's sagging real estate market, universities, and companies.


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DateTime.ToFileTime Method
Converts the value of the current DateTime object to a Windows file time.
Namespace: System
Assembly: mscorlib (in mscorlib.dll)
The resulting file time would represent a date and time before 12:00 midnight January 1, 1601 C.E. UTC.
A Windows file time is a 64-bit value that represents the number of 100-nanosecond intervals that have elapsed since 12:00 midnight, January 1, 1601 A.D. (C.E.) Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). Windows uses a file time to record when an application creates, accesses, or writes to a file.
The ToFileTime method uses the Kind property to determine whether the current DateTime object is a local time, a UTC time, or an unspecified kind of time which is treated as a local time.Notes to Callers
Ordinarily, the FromFileTime method restores a DateTime value that was saved by the ToFileTime method. However, the two values may differ under the following conditions:
If the serialization and deserialization of the DateTime value occur in different time zones. For example, if a DateTime value with a time of 12:30 P.M. in the U.S. Eastern Time zone is serialized, and then deserialized in the U.S. Pacific Time zone, the original value of 12:30 P.M. is adjusted to 9:30 A.M. to reflect the difference between the two time zones.
If the DateTime value that is serialized represents an invalid time in the local time zone. In this case, the ToFileTime method adjusts the restored DateTime value so that it represents a valid time in the local time zone.
For example, the transition from standard time to daylight saving time occurs in the U.S. Pacific Time zone on March 14, 2010, at 2:00 A.M., when the time advances by one hour, to 3:00 A.M. This hour interval is an invalid time, that is, a time interval that does not exist in this time zone. The following example shows that when a time that falls within this range is converted to a long integer value by the ToFileTime method and is then restored by the FromFileTime method, the original value is adjusted to become a valid time. You can determine whether a particular date and time value may be subject to modification by passing it to the TimeZoneInfo.IsInvalidTime method, as the example illustrates.
.NET FrameworkSupported in: 4.6, 4.5, 4, 3.5, 3.0, 2.0, 1.1
.NET Framework Client ProfileSupported in: 4, 3.5 SP1
XNA FrameworkSupported in: 3.0, 2.0, 1.0
Portable Class LibrarySupported in: Portable Class Library
Supported in: Windows Phone 8.1
Supported in: Windows Phone Silverlight 8.1
Supported in: Windows Phone Silverlight 8


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2004 Jaguar XJ-Series User Reviews
Average Ratings from 9 reviews
- Performance:
- Appearance:
- Build Quality:
- Overall:
Review Highlights Click to filter reviews below
User Reviews
Displaying all 9 2004 Jaguar XJ-Series reviews.
JMPETIN writes:
2004 Jaguar XJ-Series 4 Dr XJ8 Review
Style, pace and grace
Classic Elegance — This car is wonderful to own. It's a classic and elegant automobile, it's not a car per se! Great performance and handling. Extraordinary comfort at all speeds. Not for everyone as it's maintenance cost can be a serious drawback unless you strictly follow the maintenance schedule. I love it!
Looking for a Used XJ-Series in your area?
CarGurus has 2,181 nationwide XJ-Series listings starting at $1,200.
Malcolm writes:
2004 Jaguar XJ-Series 4 Dr XJ8 Review
What's not to like?
Buy One And Buy One Now! — Finally got an XJ! 4.2 V8, but the aluminium body makes it no heavier on fuel than my previous 3.0 V6 X Type. Hit the sport button and this car really shifts. Big and comfy, superb handling. It's a big car but it somehow shrinks around you when you drive it. I'm in love!
Laceywaters writes:
2004 Jaguar XJ-Series 4 Dr XJ8 Sedan Review
Looks great inside and out,no dents,dings or cracks in the leather
Have to special order alot of the parts but a good mechanic can have most within 24 hours
Macsbelleonthebeach writes:
2004 Jaguar XJ-Series 4 Dr XJ8 Sedan Review
Has alot if get up and go with a luxury ride and feel to the car!
Finding mechanics that honestly know how to work on jags,which I have a very good mechanic that does work for a fraction of the cost of a dealership.
Luxury On All Levels! — I like the power yet the comfort and feel of the car. Handles curves very well and engine is very strong.i like the luxury and feel of the jaguar family.great family car as well and fun to drive. Compared to other cars i would say jaguar is 10 steps above the rest.
Primary Use: Family transportation
Elizabeth writes:
2004 Jaguar XJ-Series 4 Dr XJ8 Sedan Review
It starts up every morning, drives well, handles the road great, smooth ride, breaks work great. Never had any major mechanical, electrical or AC issues.
Haven't had any yet
A Great Buy For A Luxury Car Lover — I have honestly nothing negative to say about this car, perhaps its because I get a thorough maintenance job done on it every season. The only reason I am looking to sell it now is because I am no longer single and need a family vehicle
Primary Use: Commuting to work
Michael writes:
2004 Jaguar XJ-Series 4 Dr XJ8 Review
Premium gas
alwayintheshop writes:
2004 Jaguar XJ-Series Review
comfortable ride, beautiful, fun to drive
always in the shop
Good Car If You Can Afford Having Another Car Around To Drive — The car is beautiful, fun to drive, and performs (when it works) but it's in the shop all the time so we have to give only 2 stars. Jaguar cars still have the mechanical problems of the past and it makes it a problem for fans of the cars. You have to have a second car to use to own a vandenplas from the 2004 year. This car has been in the shop more than 60 days in the past year. We love the way the car drives when it works, sadly it doesn't work well often.
Primary Use: Family transportation
Allen writes:
2004 Jaguar XJ-Series 4 Dr XJ8 Review
styling, ride, performance (weight is low for big car), solid body construction - very rigid but light, 1st class tranny
living in FL I would ask for the AC to blow harder during startup, but that's about all I would change
Jag Xj8 2004 — I still shake my head at why the car devalues so fast. This car was totally re engineered in 2004 and it doesn't have any weaknesses. I really can't think of any complaints even if Ford sold them to Tata. Tata has some deep pockets so maybe Jag will take it rightful place once again.
Samm writes:
2004 Jaguar XJ-Series 4 Dr XJ8 Review
Samm's Car — I don't like the sporadic warning light flashing up for no reason - I have to take it to the dealer to get it turned off...A known problem with Jaguar, I hear. I just love the smooth, comfortable ride in my car. Perhaps I just grew up but I wouldn't swap it for any sporty job!
Displaying all 9 2004 Jaguar XJ-Series reviews.
Reviews From Other Years
1976 Jaguar XJ-Series Reviews
The Best Sedan Based Car Jaguar Built!
How many cars do you realize that after you sold it, it was the wrong thing to do? How many times do you get to own the car you wished you never sold back again? I am the third and fifth owner of th... Read More
1983 Jaguar XJ-Series Reviews
I Love It
It has one of the best suspensions ever built ( original jaguar ) with one of the best drive trains ever built ( Chevy 400 with th400 tranny ) it is a very fast and fun car that turns heads everywhere... Read More
1990 Jaguar XJ-Series Reviews
Never Get Tired Looking At It Or Showing It.
Jaguar outdid themselves with this car, producing only 527 VANDEN PLAS MAJESTICS, and only for the US market in 1990. The classic style, outstanding Regency Red Metallic finish and impressive Magnolia... Read More
Flawed But Beautiful
Another Pininfarina design, and in my opinion one of the most beautiful sedans ever built. Exceptional appearance, and ride quality, and classic British interior. However, awful quality and this car c... Read More
1991 Jaguar XJ-Series Reviews
Ok, But I Prefer German Engineering
OK, but the V12 could use a proper 4 or 5 speed tranny either it be an auto or manual. The climate control is sub par in engineering design. Also be sure you replace fuel rail short hoses, when they f... Read More
1991 Jaguar Xj-6
1991 jaguar xj-6 sovereign with a 4.0 straight six. its midnight blue with grayish interior . its powerful and fun but its really not me i would pick a dodge dart over it any day of the week but its... Read More
1992 Jaguar XJ-Series Reviews
It's A Cute Fun Little Car, Built For Comfort And Luxury.
Acceleration, braking and handling are all average if not above average. Quality is above average, however costs of maintenance and repairs are higher than average as well. Appearance is classy and ... Read More
It Is A Good Car And Holds Its Value Well.
The care looks, runs, and drives great. It is sporty and is really good on gas. It is not big on the inside. If you are a not a small person, you will have problems. But it is way before its tim... Read More


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Refinishing wood table
I have a wood dining set I purchased over 30 years ago and stained and finished it with tung oil. Now it needs serious refinishing. What is the best way to do this? Also can I use a waterproof product instead of the tung oil? Thanks
Chemical stripper, outside
LIGHT sanding
(stain, if desired)
apply clear coat finish
There are many things called "tung oil (finishes)" that are not tung oil, not made from tung oil, and contain no tung oil. Oil (only) finishes by themselves have virtually no water resistance. An excellent choice for a table is Waterlox Original. It's a varnish made from phenolic resin and tung oil. Even their web site plays fast and loose with the tung oil mystique, but at exactly one point they say "it's a varnish."
Real, 100% tung oil is hard to use successfully, expensive, and more protective than the easier to use, cheaper, and more available boiled linseed oil.
Here is a link that might be useful: Oil Finishes


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Cedar Kabob and Cafe
34796 Van Dyke Ave, Sterling Heights, Michigan 48312
- Details
- $
- Mediterranean
- View Menu
- Neighborhood
- No neighborhood listed
- Hours
- Hours not available
Recommended Because
- People in Sterling Heights love it. Tailor your Finds further to your tastes by thumbing places you know.
Closely linked with Cedar Kabob and Cafe


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I may be biased since I lived in Tochigi and Nikko is definitely the best to see in the entire prefecture, but Nikko is kind of a year-round place. I've ben there every season, and it's good in every season. Despite that, the association is probably strongest for the fall. Being at a high elevation, the leaves turn more quickly than in other areas and the landscape lends itself to an autumnal feel.
For simplicity's sake, let's categorize the trip into three choices: near the station, up the mountain, and the greater area.
For the past near the station we have Toshogu shrine. Toshogu shrine is one of the largest shrines in Kanto, and is a possible walk from the station if you think you can handle it. I've covered I. Pretty extensively in a previous post and there are many good food places nearby and on the road that leads there.
The real draw of the season would definitely be what lies beyond the shrine. Nikko does generally refer to a cluster of mountains that were mostly created from volcanic explosions well before humanity from where Chuzenji lake now stands. Following the main road would bring up to the lake area where the leaves will change first and there's much more nature to see. While a hike is entirely possible I'd recommend taking the bus which will likely leave you off at a terminal near Kegon Falls.
I had a boss who said Kegon Falls is nothing compared to Niagara Falls (he was Japanese). This is true comparing size but I'd much prefer the beauty surrounding Kegon, it also gives a feeling of being enclosed in a secret place that I very much enjoy.
From there, Chuzenji lake is easily walkable and the road has many shops and restaurants to stop by, if it happens to be a bit warm you can always take a paddle boat out onto the lake which is much larger than it looks.
Don't feel bad if you didn't drive or don't have the time or will to take another bus, but I would say that missing the further area due to disinterest or laziness would be a huge mistake. If you continue in the direction of the road you would take to get to Chuzenji Lake you can reach Okunikko, the true hot spring area of Nikko.
On the way to Okunikko there are two other noteworthy spots, which will make a car feel more useful, in order you will come up to Ryuzu no Taki (Ryuzu Rapids) (竜頭の滝) which boasts some beautiful nature and a cafe to enjoy it from.
Past that is Kotoku farm which would be a 20min walk off the main road if you happen to be taking a bus where you can eat some quality food and even has their own onsen (though I haven't been). You can get Jingisukan which is a term for Japanese style Mongolian BBQ.
Finally there is Okunikko with many hotels, skiing (if it happens to be that cold), their own lake, and a public onsen. The whole place reeks of sulfur which to me is a general rule for hot springs, it just doesn't feel right otherwise. Even further beyond there are endless hiking paths with nature that ranges from forest to wasteland. But I think if you were able to make it this far, you can be proud of yourself and say you definitely saw Nikko.


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Rockaway Beach, Oregon News, Updates
More Help Needed for Oregon Coast King Tides Project
If you can get to the Oregon coast with a camera January 19-21, you can help. Science. Seaside, Cannon Beach, Manzanita, Rockaway Beach, Oceanside, Pacific City, Lincoln City, Depoe Bay, Newport, Yachats
Ancient People of Oregon Coast Center of Rockaway Beach Event
A special lecture shows up on January 18 with a bit of time travel to the distant past of these beaches
New Year's Eve Lodging Openings, Availability on Oregon Coast
The holiday coincides with some great weather and Whale Watch Week. Pacific City, Astoria, Seaside, Cannon Beach, Depoe Bay, Newport, Oceanside, Lincoln City, Yachats, Wheeler, Rockaway Beach, Manzanita. Some lodging deals
Recent Finds on Oregon Coast Beaches: a Sundry, Varied Bunch
Volunteer organization CoastWatch has dozens of eyes on these sands at any given time. Science. Lincoln City, Oceanside, Waldport, Rockaway Beach
Keys to Finding Last Minute Holiday Lodging on Oregon Coast
Travel advice for finding a place to stay over the Labor Day weekend. Lodging deals, Yachats, Newport, Depoe Bay, Seaside, Cannon Beach, Manzanita, Lincoln City, Pacific City, Oceanside, Rockaway Beach. BnB
Rockaway Retreat - Rockaway Beach Vacation Rental
Rockaway Beach vacation rental, Rockaway Beach lodging with BBQ, Jucuzzi, near the ocean
Fourth of July Lodging Openings, Availability on Oregon Coast
Oregon Coast Beach Connection has an extensive list of those that will often have openings still - but they are going fast. Newport, Seaside, Cannon Beach, Manzanita, Rockaway Beach, Lincoln City, Depoe Bay, Yachats
Oregon Coast Train Ride Returns to Mountain Run
Oregon Coast Scenic Railroad will once more begin steam engine excursions to the Salmonberry River tracks, roughly 20 miles inland from the beaches. Tillamook, Garibaldi, Rockaway Beach, Manzanita
Back to Oregon Coast Beach Connection


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A QR code to help people find Everfree Northwest's shirts & Merchandise on We Love Fine. For those without a QR Reader, just follow this [link]
Deviant Art
After April Foal's DayWritten by Roy G. Biv
Edited by Purple Tinker
Fluttershy rolled over on her bed, tears streaming down her face, as she punched a hoof into her pillow furiously. This year was supposed to be different! "Every year...", she thought to herself... "Every year, the other ponies have all the fun! This was going to be MY year!" Burying herself even deeper under the covers, she pressed her face into her pillow. As she let the tears flow, her memories of the day came flooding back, every detail painfully clear.
It was April Foal's Day, a day of pranks, practical jokes, and general merriment. Since moving to Ponyville, Fluttershy had been seen as "off limits" on this holiday, in deference to her skittish nature. But not this time. This year, she'd been planning for the festival, and this year-- for the first time ever-- she too was going to join in the fun! In fact, she had vowed that this year, she was going to be crowned the top prankster of the town!
The normally shy yellow pegasus had used u
Trapping the QuarterbackTrapping The Quarterback: The Apple Bloom Safe Edition
By Roy G. Biv
The following story involves male on transgendered-pony loving. For the 'Unshorn Fetlocks' edition with the naughtiness intact, please see the link in the story's description...
Quarterback flopped onto a cloud, heaving for breath as sweat caked every inch of his body. Ever since the Young Flier's Competition, he'd been flying over to Ponyville to practice with Rainbow Dash whenever he could get time off from work. He hoped to change careers to a Weather Pony, but he just didn't think it'd be so much hard work!
Rainbow Dash flew up effortlessly next to him as he panted there on the cloud, poking the gray pegasus with her forehoof. "Come on, you big ol' guy! We've only been flying at 100 KM for the past two hours! You can't be tired yet!"
Quarterback lifted his head weakly, his black mane in his eyes as he panted out, "Just... *huff* Need a minute... *wheeze* I'm all power... *gasp* Not speed like you..."
The cyan-colo
A _Very_ Long NightCaramel gave a swallow as he nervously trotted into the gay bar. "Th-thanks for coming with me, Big Mac..."
MacIntosh just nodded uncomfortably. "A'yup. I support ya' in... Well, in likin' other stallions. So I'll be here ta' support ya' on this. Jus' make sure none of there here'n guys get the wrong idea, okay?"
Caramel laughed. "Oh Relax, we're in Canterlot! What're the odds anyone knows us?"
Both stallions froze, hearing a familiar pink pony's voice behind them. Turning in dread, they both see Pinkie Pie's smiling visage while a shocked Rainbow Dash nearby.
"Are you both...?" Dash began, pointing her hoof forward as Mac backed up nervously, a look of terror on his face at this point.
"Oh no!" Caramel interjected. "Mac's all about the mares! He's just here to support me!"
Dash wiped her brow as Pinkie Pie pouted. "Well, that's just not fair!" The pink pony said,
And Now, For These Messages...We'll be back to My Little Ponies on The HUB after these words from our sponsors!
Rainbow Dash is standing in a bathroom as she tosses back her mane. "Hello ladies..." she begins in a sultry tone before licking her lips. "Look at your stallion. Now back to me. Now back at your stallion. Now -back- to me. Sadly, he isn't me. But if you stop using Heterosexuality and switch to Lesbianism, you could find a nice mare ALMOST as cool as me."
Rainbow Dash starts to trot, the bathroom walls pulling away to reveal she's on a boat as a life preserver drops from the sky to land around her neck. "Look down, now back up. Where are you? You're on a boat to the Island of Lesbos with the fastest pony in all of Equestria. Now look at your hand, now back to me. I have it!" She lifts her left hoof holding a clam. As the clam opens, she replies. "It's a clam with two tickets to that movie you love but your stallion says he never wants to go see..."
She drops the clam to the deck as twin rainbows appear in
The GirlStars.
Every night, she focused on the stars above her head as the monster invaded her room. It's wet tongue and hot breath sickened her almost as much as its touch. She knew what the monster wanted. It was time to let the Stars take her away again, and forget this pain.
Every day in school seemed the same to her. She tried to focus, but the nightly monster attacks just made it so hard to study. In fact, they made her fearful to do anything, really. She just sat in the back of the classroom drawing stars all over her books and papers while the teacher droned on and on.
She had almost resigned herself to the fact she was never going to escape the cycle when she met a purple pony named Twilight Sparkle one Friday after school. This pony was just like her in ever so many ways. She hid from the world, she didn't have friends, and she even liked the stars. The girl and Twilight soon became fast friends, and the girl soon was joining in on everything her new friend Twilight Sparkle experienc
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